Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. The family of Houston soldier Vanessa Guillen said they requested U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz open a congressional investigation into her disappearance from Fort Hood after accusing military leaders of a cover-up. Natalie Khawam, the lawyer of Guillens family, said she spoke with Cruz on Thursday to formally request a Senate inquiry after a disconcerting meeting Tuesday with leaders of the Army base, where Guillen was posted. The family said they had high expectations that the meeting, arranged with U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, would answer at least some of their questions about Guillens disappearance. Instead, they say it only reinforced their distrust of the military post leadership. The base command did not provide us with the information that they promised us. They were not forthcoming, they were not transparent, they said things that didnt occur, Khawam said. We didnt get anything from them, we have been played and now we need a congressional investigation. Cruz, R-Texas, did not respond to requests for comment on whether he would pursue a congressional investigation. A representative of his office attended the Tuesday meeting. A spokesman for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command insists that the agency is investigating all leads. We are doing everything possible to find Pfc. Vanessa Guillen and are aggressively investigating all leads, as we have been doing consistently since April 22 when she disappeared, said Chris Grey, CIDs chief of public affairs. Gray said investigators have information about the case that they cannot share with the public, to protect the integrity of the investigation. During a news conference after the meeting Tuesday, the soldiers mother, Gloria Guillen, gave an emotional speech, vigorously criticizing how the base handled the investigation. She blamed the base leadership for not closing the compound and doing a thorough search as soon as it was clear that Guillen was missing. I demand justice, and I demand a thorough investigation, the mother said, adding that she has given the base leaders information about a soldier who was sexually harassing her daughter. Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt was among the officers who attended the Tuesday meeting. Khawam said she hopes the congressional inquiry will also uncover what the family perceives as a military cover-up. She said the Fort Hood leadership has been untruthful to the family. The goal is to find out what really happened to Vanessa and get evidence (of) whos covering up and lying and distorting the facts to the families and to the people at the meeting, Khawam said. She explained that, for example, the military leaders said they informed the family when Guillen went missing. The family said they learned about her disappearance when they called the base after her boyfriend and one of her sisters had not heard from the soldier after trying to reach her. Khawam rejected assertions from base leaders who said they didnt know that Guillen was missing until around 8 p.m. April 22. If the base said from the beginning that the last whereabouts of Vanessa was between 11:30 and 1 p.m. that day, how is it that she wasnt reported as absent during the afternoon check-ins at 3 and 4 p.m.? According to the attorney, officers said all soldiers were accounted for that day during the afternoon checks. How do you check somebody in whos not there? Khawam said, adding that officers at the meeting characterized it as a mistake. Guillen was last seen at the parking lot of her 3rd Cavalry Regiments barracks. Her car keys, wallet, ID card and barracks key were found in an armory room where she went to work that day. Her disappearance has brought national attention, including from celebrities such as actress and filmmaker Salma Hayek and Houston rapper Baby Bash. They posted about the case in social media. Rewards totaling $50,000 are being offered for information that leads to finding the soldier. Anyone with information about the case should call (254) 495-7767. olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Victorians carrying COVID-19 may already be spreading the disease to Sydneysiders after Melbourne recorded 41 new cases overnight. Sydney University clinical epidemiologist Fiona Stanaway (pictured) said it is 'possible' that Victorians have infected people in NSW Sydney University clinical epidemiologist Fiona Stanaway said it is 'possible' that Victorians have infected people in NSW. But since the incubation period for coronavirus is one to 14 days, it could take up to two weeks before NSW residents infected by Victorians begin to show symptoms. 'Whether or not something will appear in a couple of weeks time, we don't know,' Dr Stanaway told ABC News. Victoria had its highest jump in coronavirus cases for almost three months overnight with eight cases linked to outbreaks, 13 from testing and 19 still being investigated. Dr Stanaway said people in both NSW and Victoria need to act responsibly to avoid spreading the disease. If a Victorian developed symptoms while in NSW, 'the likelihood of them transmitting depends on whether they stay home, whether they go out and are mingling with the community,' Dr Stanaway said. Victoria has recorded 41 new coronavirus cases overnight (pictured, a man is tested at a car park testing site by a member of the ADF in Melbourne on Saturday) People in face masks leave Flinders Street Station on Saturday June 21 (pictured) as the coronavirus continues to infect people in Melbourne 'How people in NSW are acting around social distancing also has a big impact on how likely it is that the virus can be seeded here.' Since June 1 there has been 408 coronavirus cases confirmed in Australia with 304 coming from Victoria. No border closures between NSW and Victoria have seen visitors flocking into Sydney despite government advice not to travel. Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said there are currently 204 active cases in Victoria, with five patients in hospital and one in intensive care. The Australian Defence Force (pictured in Melbourne on Saturday) have been drafted in to help with the mammoth COVID-19 testing effort Travellers from Melbourne are seen arriving into Sydney airport on Wednesday (pictured) Dr van Diemen said it was 'getting a little bit complicated' to discuss cases linked to outbreaks as there are 'quite a number of outbreaks at the moment'. Victoria has identified six COVID-19 hotspots in the local government areas of Hume, Casey, Brimbank, Moreland, Cardinia and Darebin. Almost 22,000 additional tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours. A 'suburban testing blitz' is currently focusing on Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows. Emergency text messages have been sent to residents in both suburbs. On Friday, Dr van Diemen acknowledged that about 30 per cent of returned travellers have refused a coronavirus test. Estimates suggest that this could mean as many as 5,000 people could have left quarantine without a test. Members of the Australian Defence Force are seen putting on PPE as they were drafted in to help perform thousands of COVID-19 tests in Melbourne on Saturday (pictured) Victoria has recorded 41 new coronavirus cases overnight (pictured, a man is tested at a car park testing site in Melbourne on Friday) The fears of a second wave spreading to NSW prompted officials to warn Victorians to stay away. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told travellers from Victoria's new coronavirus hot spots not to travel to the state, and has told businesses to turn them away if they do. 'I would definitely encourage organisations to consider who to allow on their premises and where they're coming from,' Ms Berejiklian said. 'I call on all organisations not to interact with citizens from Melbourne at this stage. 'Have activity elsewhere and I note a number of organisations have already taken on that advice. 'And as for resorts and other locations in NSW, they are at liberty to accept or reject any traveller.' Despite this, hundreds flocked into Sydney this week from Melbourne on flights and by car. Health workers are seen testing people for COVID-19 in Melbourne on Thursday (pictured) Passengers carry backpacks through the terminal after the early morning flight from Melbourne to Sydney on Wednesday (pictured) Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:55:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MACAO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Macao's general unemployment rate from March to May this year was 2.4 percent and the unemployment rate of local residents was 3.4 percent, up by 0.2 and 0.3 percentage points respectively from the previous period (from February to April 2020), the special administrative region's statistics service said on Saturday. Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) also indicated that the underemployment rate increased by 0.5 percentage points to 2.6 percent. Total labour force was 404,300 and the labour force participation rate was 70.5 percent. Total employment was 394,600 and the number of employed residents totalled 280,100, up by 400 and 2,200 respectively from the previous period. Analysed by industry, employment in the construction sector increased, while that in retail trade and hotels and similar activities decreased. The number of the unemployed grew by 800 to 9,700 from the previous period. Among the unemployed population searching for a new job, most of them were previously engaged in retail trade and in gaming and junket activities. Meanwhile, the proportion of new labour market entrants seeking their first job decreased by 0.7 percentage points to 5.1 percent of the total unemployed. The number of the underemployed increased by 2,300 to 10,600, with the majority working in gaming and junket activities, the construction sector, retail trade and the transport and storage sector. In comparison with the same period of last year, the underemployment rate, the unemployment rate and the labour force participation rate rose by 2.2, 0.7 and 0.1 percentage points respectively. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 09:36:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Saturday announced 15 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total cases inside the country to 713, with 142 recoveries and 18 deaths. In a statement released earlier Saturday, the center said it received a total of 476 suspected samples, of which 461 tested negative and 15 positive. As precautionary measures to prevent infections and fight the pandemic, Libyan authorities closed the country's borders, suspended schools and mosques, banned public gatherings, and imposed a curfew. The UN-backed government on Friday extended the curfew for 10 more days starting from Saturday, which begins from 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) to 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) of the following day. Libya reported its first COVID-19 case in March and the first death from the virus in April. Enditem Emergency services at the scene of the incident at West George Street in Glasgow. A suspect has been shot dead by police after six people were injured, including an officer, during a major incident in Glasgow. Police Scotland said a male suspect was shot by an armed unit and an officer is in a critical but stable condition. The Scottish Police Federation confirmed a male officer had been stabbed and their family has been informed. All six injured people, including the officer, are being treated in hospital. Expand Close Armed police officers leave the Park Inn hotel in West George Street, Glasgow, where a man had been shot by an armed officer. Photo: Andrew Milligan/PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed police officers leave the Park Inn hotel in West George Street, Glasgow, where a man had been shot by an armed officer. Photo: Andrew Milligan/PA EMERGENCY Police said there is no danger to the public, with officers in attendance in West George Street in the city centre yesterday. Images on social media appeared to show armed police entering a building and a large number of emergency vehicles outside. The incident appeared to happen at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street. A spokeswoman for campaign group Positive Action In Housing said the 91-room hotel was housing asylum seekers for the Mears Group, which moved them there during the coronavirus lockdown. The organisation has declined to comment on the situation. In a statement on Twitter, assistant chief constable Steve Johnson said: "The individual who was shot by armed police has died. "We would urge the public not to speculate about this incident or share unconfirmed information on social media." Witness Craig Milroy, who saw the aftermath of the incident from an office building nearby, said he had seen four people taken away in ambulances. He said: "I saw a man lying on the ground, of African descent, with no shoes on. He was on the ground with someone holding his side - I don't know if it was a bullet wound, a stab wound, or what it was." Mr Milroy said the man was one of the four taken away by medics and believed him to be a victim of an attack. Staying open: Intus sites like the Trafford Centre in Manchester, UK will be continuing to trade BRITISH shopping centre operator Intu Properties has been placed into administration, but all of its sites - including Manchester's Trafford Centre - will continue to trade. The company failed to secure a debt repayment holiday from its creditors by a deadline on Friday. Intu had lined up KPMG to act as administrator ahead of the deadline, in case the talks with lenders failed. On Friday the company confirmed an application was being made for James Robert Tucker, Michael Robert Pink and David John Pike of KPMG to be appointed as joint administrators for the group. Intu shares, which are listed on the London Stock Exchange, were also suspended from trading. Administration in the UK is designed to help companies continue to trade when they are at risk of insolvency, similar to examinership in Ireland. The company said its shopping centre in the UK and Spain will remain open. Stock market-listed Intu turned down a 3.4bn takeover bid from Dundrum Town Centre owner Hammerson just over two years ago. The shares, which had already plummeted, collapsed a further 40pc on Friday - to a record low of just 2.38 pence each, valuing the company at around 32m. Intu's biggest shareholder is the majority family-owned Peel Group, with a near 25pc stake. Peel Group, headed by billionaire John Whittaker and with Deutsche Bank's investment arm DWS as a minority shareholder, owns a raft of infrastructure and property assets including Dublin's second-biggest container port operators. The Dublin operation, Marine Terminals Ltd is on the south side of the Liffey and handles almost one in five containers shipped into Ireland. Marine Terminals sits across from the State-owned Dublin Port on the opposite bank of the river. The southside terminal is beside the Irish Glass Bottle site, which is set to be developed for housing. The neighbouring port and other industrial sites nearby have also long been coveted by developers. Earlier this year, Peel Ports agreed to sell 25pc of the business to AustralianSuper, a pension fund. Novel coronavirus has been dominating the headlines in the early part of 2020. But a few recent stories with no connection to COVID-19 reminded us that the Great Lakes are vital natural resources that must be regularly monitored and evaluated. First, we learned that for the second straight year, Lake Erie set a monthly high mean water level in May. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Erie had a daily mean water level of 574.4 feet in May, about an inch above the record set last year. May marked the fourth straight month of high water levels in the lake. May 2019 was the start of a five-month streak of monthly record-setting water levels, including a new all-time record-high mean water level of 574.62 feet in June, surpassing the record of 574.28 set in 1986. The Army Corps of Engineers most recent projections show that Lake Erie is not expected to break any more records this year. The lake is projected to be 2 to 4 inches below its record high levels from June to September, all set last year. October and Novembers levels are projected to be 1 to 2 inches below last years level and 9 inches below its record high levels, both set in 1986. Lake Eries water levels are projected to remain well-above their long-term monthly averages, however. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Erie, along with fellow Great Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron, have been above their monthly averages since November 2015. (Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are hydraulically treated as one lake due to their connection at the Straits of Mackinac, according to the Army Corps.) Lake Ontarios water level has been above average since January 2017, with the exception of a three-month stretch in 2018 when it was near average levels. Water levels are primarily determined by regional climatic conditions, which influence the net basin supply of water in each lake, according to the Army Corps. Here in Northeast Ohio, we are well aware that high Lake Erie water levels are significant because they exacerbate shoreline erosion. For owners of properties on the Lake Erie shoreline that have been ravaged by erosion, its important to be aware of programs that can help remedy these problems. Some examples of assistance that is offered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management include: * Temporary shore structure permits. * Free on-site technical assistance, which is available to coastal property owners by ODNR coastal engineers to provide recommendations for erosion mitigation. * Coastal Management Assistance Grants. * The Coastal Erosion Area Loan Program. * Special Improvement Districts, or SIDs, which provide local financing to facilitate erosion improvements along Lake Erie. When considering the importance of the Great Lakes collectively, we were pleased to see that a Northeast Ohio representative was appointed to help lead a group that provides advice and recommendations on matters related to these bodies of water. Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District CEO Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells recently was named to serve as co-chairman of the Great Lakes Advisory Board. The board was first established in 2012 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency to ensure transparent, credible and diverse views in guiding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiatives investments. Its charter expired in June 2018 and was re-established in December 2018. The EPA sought nominations for the board last year. The selected members were announced in early June. Dreyfuss-Wells said her background gives her two perspectives to bring to the board. She joined the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District in 2008 after serving as director of the nonprofit Chagrin River Watershed Partners. She became CEO of the sewer district in 2017. The district provides sanitary and stormwater management services to Cleveland and 61 suburban communities in Northeast Ohio. In conclusion, we strongly express our belief that safeguarding and preserving the water supply from the Great Lakes is critical to our region. Simultaneously, attention also must be devoted to ensure that properties along the Great Lakes are protected from shoreline erosion. Its our hope that legislators, state and federal agencies, advisory boards and scientists all can play a meaningful role in ensuring that these goals are accomplished. Dozens of gunmen believed tied to the hyper-violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel deployed for a complex, multi-point dawn ambush meant to kill Mexico Citys police chief, unleashing one of the most brazen attacks in Mexico since the equally ruthless Zetas carved a path of terror across the country nearly a decade ago. The attackers used grenades and a .50-caliber sniper rifle to assault the chiefs armored vehicle early Friday and killed two of the his bodyguards and a woman driving by. Police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch was shot in the shoulder, collar bone and the knee but was reported out of danger. He called the attack cowardly and blamed it on the Jalisco cartel, which has established a nearly national presence, from the white-sand beaches of Cancun to Mexico City and the countrys most important ports, as well as in key border cities traditionally controlled by other cartels. Police officers who converged on the scene on the capitals iconic Paseo de la Reforma boulevard in the upscale Lomas neighborhood rounded up a dozen of the shooters, who were hauled off for questioning, authorities said. Later Friday, capital police arrested an alleged head of Jalisco New Generation hitmen, suggesting he could have been the mastermind of the attack, said a Mexico City police official who was not authorized to be quoted by name. The official said police arrested Jose Armando Briseno on the east side of the city. Nicknamed Cow, he is allegedly the gangs chief of hitmen in the city of Tonala inJalisco. The attack on the police chief was meticulously planned and involved a total of 28 gunmen hired three weeks before, said Ulises Lara, the spokesman for the Mexico City prosecutors office. Three separate possible ambush points were set up on major thoroughfares, including one which wasnt used in the heart of Mexico City, one block from the Independence Monument. The gunmen were divided into four different cells, and they received ski masks and weapons Thursday night. They were taken to the ambush points at 4 a.m. to lie in wait for their target. They jumped from a truck and opened fire when Garcias convoy attempted to pass. Lara said that of the suspects detained, one is Colombian and the other 11 are Mexicans from the capital and five states Jalisco, Guerrero, Nayarit, Chihuahua and Michoacan. It was the second high-profile attack just this month, following the shooting death of a federal judge and his wife, bringing uncomfortable comparisons to Colombias drug wars of the 1980s and 90s in which drug traffickers routinely targeted judges and police for assassination. Mexico targeted and dismantled the Zetas cartel after it killed migrants, unsuspecting citizens and officials from 2010 to 2013. But it remains to be seen whether the government will go after the Jalisco cartel they way it did the Zetas. If they (Jalisco) are not made a priority target after this, I dont know what is happening, something is wrong with the strategy of the government, said security analyst Alejandro Hope. With the Zetas, Mexico used elite military units and worked closely with the United States to go after the cartel. But now, amid budget cuts and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors policy of not directly confronting the cartels, it is unclear whether the government has the will or ability to fight Jalisco, especially in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. This kind of attack is not normal, they crossed a line. You have to read it like an exceptional act, said Hope. You have two very serious attacks in two weeks. Federal Security Secretary Alfonso Durazo said Mexicos intelligence agency apparently had information that Jalisco New Generation was planning an attack, but did not offer additional details. It was unclear whether the attack was related to recent crackdowns on Jalisco-affiliated gangs in Mexico City or to the police chiefs earlier work in federal investigations. Garcia, 37, is a former head of the Federal Police investigation division and in 2016-2019 he led the branch of the federal Attorney Generals Office that oversees investigations and arrests of organized crime members. Before being named Mexico City police chief, he spent several months as the mayors intelligence coordinator. Jalisco is the same gang that U.S. prosecutors said tried to buy belt-fed M-60 machine guns in the United States and that once shot down a Mexican military helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. In October, the cartels gunmen ambushed and killed 14 state police officers in Michoacan. Fridays attack came two weeks after rumors swirled for a day that Jaliscos leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as El Mencho, had been captured or killed though officials later denied that. Oseguera is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations most-wanted fugitive, with a $10 million price on his head. In March, US authorities arrested hundreds of Jalisco operatives in raids across the United States. They said the gang controls between one-third and two-thirds of the U.S. drug market. The rising petrol and diesel prices are showing no signs of respite, with all major cities recording 25 paise to 21 paise hike today, the data from oil marketing companies suggests. With this hike, petrol has seen Rs 9.12 per litre rise, while diesel prices have been increased by Rs 10.77 per litre in the past 21 days. As per the latest price notification, petrol and diesel will cost Rs 80.38 per litre and Rs 80.40 per litre, respectively, in Delhi. In Mumbai, petrol prices have gone up to Rs 87.14 per litre, while diesel will cost Rs 78.71 per litre. In Kolkata, petrol now costs Rs 82.05 per litre from Rs 81.82 a litre recorded on Friday, while diesel will cost Rs 75.52 per litre. In Chennai, petrol and diesel saw 22 paise and 17 paise rise to 83.59 per litre and Rs 77.61, respectively. Check latest and revised petrol prices across 4 major cities Price of petrol in Delhi today, June 27- Rs 80.38/litre Price of petrol in Mumbai today, June 27-Rs 87.14/litre Price of petrol in Chennai today, June 27-Rs 83.59/litre Price of petrol in Kolkata today, June 27-Rs 82.05/litre Check latest and revised diesel prices today Price of diesel in Delhi today, June 27- Rs 80.40/litre Price of diesel in Mumbai today, June 27- Rs 78.71/litre Price of diesel in Chennai today, June 27-Rs 77.61/litre Price of diesel in Kolkata today, June 27- Rs 75.52/litre Fuel prices, except for Wednesday, have risen consistently since June 7 after 82-day hiatus on fuel price revision due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taxes form about two-thirds of the total retail selling price of petrol and diesel. On a litre of petrol, people pay Rs 50.69 or 64 per cent tax, including Rs 32.98 in central excise duty and Rs 17.71 as VAT. Similarly, diesel attracts 63 per cent or Rs 49.43 per litre as taxes, including Rs 31.83 as excise duty and Rs 17.60 as VAT. Meanwhile, oil prices settled lower on Friday as new coronavirus cases spiked in the United States and China, and on growing concerns about rising US output ticking up while crude stockpiles sat at record highs, reported Reuters. Brent crude LCOc1 futures settled down 3 cents at $40.91, falling 1% on the week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures fell 23 cents to $38.49, down 1.6% on the week. Also read: Diesel no longer cheaper than petrol; should you still buy a diesel car? This year, Fourth of July revelers will have to swap many traditions peppy parades, large family reunions and patriotic concerts with low-key celebrations. But there are plenty of safe ways to commemorate Americas birthday. Here are some suggestions. Watch fireworks, in person or onscreen. Many cities have canceled their festivities, and with that, the main draw: fireworks. But some are moving forward. Your best, and safest, bet is to watch either in your backyard or on a TV or computer screen. In New York City, Macys fireworks show, a spectacle that usually beckons residents to rooftops and parks on July 4, will take place on several unspecified nights from Monday through the holiday, with each display lasting only five minutes. They will be set off from unannounced locations across the five boroughs a strategy meant to prevent New Yorkers from congregating in public spaces. A special presentation featuring a recap of the fireworks will be televised nationally on July 4 at 8 p.m. Eastern on NBC. Fireworks will light up Washington during A Capital Fourth. The event traditionally takes place on the West Lawn of the Capitol, but this year viewers are encouraged to watch from home. The presentation features recorded performances by stars such as Patti LaBelle and Renee Fleming; the actors John Stamos and Vanessa Williams will host. Tune in to PBS, PBS.org, Facebook or YouTube at 8 p.m. Eastern. By PTI NEW DELHI: Bengali film star Parambrata Chattopadhyay says he may have missed on some great opportunities in Hindi cinema but the movies that come to him from Mumbai are "handpicked" and by directors who really want to work with him. One of the biggest names in Bengali cinema, Parambrata made his Hindi film debut with Sujoy Ghosh's thriller "Kahaani" in 2012. His other Hindi projects include "Gangs of Ghosts", "Yaara Silly Silly" and "Pari", where he worked with actor-producer Anushka Sharma. In "Bulbbul", produced by Anushka and her brother Karnesh Ssharma's Clean Slate Filmz, Parambrata plays the role of an emancipated man of medicine. "There are two reasons for me to do few films in Hindi. I have my priorities here as I juggle a lot of hats- I make films myself, I produce content for my company and I have a lot of films as an actor here. That has always made me not leave my roots and settle in Mumbai," the actor told PTI in an interview. "Maybe I have missed out on some great opportunities but it is partly by choice and partly because of the consequences of the choice I made. The Hindi films that I have done or I will do in future are handpicked and have come from directors who want to work with me. That's mainly how it has panned out," he explained. The 40-year-old actor said director Anvita Dutt's "Bulbbul", set in the late 19th century Bengal, was one such project. It is the story of a child bride who grows up to be an enigmatic woman whose life is overshadowed by strange killings in her village. As doctor Sudip, Parambrata said he plays a modern man with ideas of equality and emancipation in the Netflix movie that examines patriarchy through the legend of witch. "Sudip is ahead of his time but he knows that if he wishes to see the change in the society, he has to take one step at a time. He can't go around shouting about those changes so he has become a man of medicine." "Speaking the kind of language he speaks or the way he thinks, was very rare for the era. The world was a different place back then. He is an idealist who knows how to go about in life realist manner," the actor said. The legend of 'chudail' or witch has been a part of many a childhood stories but Parambrata said he became aware of the word only after watching Hindi movies. "We learnt about the word 'chudail' only after we started watching Hindi films and getting exposed to the Hindi language and culture because for us, it is essentially 'pretni' or 'shakchunni'. The stories are similar in the sense that they live on the trees and come down at night to devour men," he said. But these stories, he said, are essentially a social construct trying to make women behave in a non-threatening way. "Every time a girl or a woman would behave in what society perceived to be in an unwomanly way or try to do something in what is usually a man's domain, she would be called 'chudail' or 'pretni'." "So it brings us to the question 'is it really about the supernatural tilt in it or about alienating women when they acquire more power,? 'Bulbbul' tries to hit it in a way." The actor, who is known for his films like "Apur Panchali", "Cinemawala", "Shonar Pahar" and "Samantaral", believes horror or the supernatural genre is finally coming-of-age in India where it is not just a scary story, connected with a temple or an old mansion. "If you look at classic horror films that are considered the bible in the genre, every single of them are a comment on a certain aspect of our existence. Like 'The Shining' is a comment on loneliness and existence in general. It is only in India that we perceive horror films as a never ending scare fest, usually connected with a temple or an old 'haveli'." But in the last few years, Indian cinema has grown exponentially in terms of its content. Different genres are coming of age and filmmakers are making important comments on larger social issues while still being rooted in the genres. "Bulbbul" also features Rahul Bose, Paoli Dam, Tripti Dimri and Avinash Tiwary. The desire for an in-law flat to house more relatives was made clear during the coronavirus pandemic. Many young adults who lost their jobs when businesses were shut down and college students sent away when campuses closed returned to their family home. During the health and economic crisis, some people preferred to have elderly parents live with them rather than in assisted living facilities that were in lock down. Instead of makeshift solutions -- setting up an air mattress in underused spaces -- some homeowners are getting serious about wanting a self-contained, accessory dwelling unit (ADU), sharing a lot with an existing house on their property. Advocates and real estate agents say a compact second home can add to the propertys resale value and pay for itself over time, by consolidating family finances or generating rental income. An in-law suite could allow an aging parent to be close to family rather than spending what could be $72,000 a year for assisted living, says Portland ADU expert Kol Peterson, who interviewed hundreds of sources for his comprehensive book, Backdoor Revolution-The Definitive Guide to ADU Development. Some new houses include a flexible living space with a separate entrance that grants privacy to a member of a multigenerational family or tenant. In this weeks real estate gallery, we look at residential properties for sale with a spare home. 1234 S.W. 57th Ave. in Sylvan-Highlands has an in-law flat on the lower level with one bedroom, one bathroom, a washer-dryer and a private entrance from outside.Mandy Goodell/NextHome Realty Connection 1234 S.W. 57th Ave. in Portlands Sylvan-Highlands is for sale at $1,195,000. The remodeled contemporary house, built in 1968 on 0.56 acres, has vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, five bedrooms, four bathrooms and 3,700 square feet of living space. There is an ADU on the lower level with one bedroom, one bathroom, a washer-dryer and a private entrance from outside. The master suite has a deck with views, says listing agent Mandy Goodell of NextHome Realty Connection. See other active listings 4707 N.E. 12th Ave. in the King neighborhood has a detached ADU.Aimee Virnig/Windermere Realty Trust 4707 N.E. 12th Ave. in Portlands King neighborhood is for sale at $1,035,000. The house, built in 2009 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has five bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and 3,011 square feet of living space. The ADU is separate from the house. You dont have to give up your garage [because there is] a detached ADU here, says listing agent Aimee Virnig of Windermere Realty Trust. The property is in the Grant High School district and is convenient to Alberta, parks, groceries, coffee shops, restaurants and fun, adds Virnig. See more active listings 945 SW Maplecrest Court in Collins View has an ADU with a separate entry on the lower level.Shaun Olson/Harvey Realty Group 945 S.W. Maplecrest Court in Portlands Collins View neighborhood is for sale at $1,079,000. The contemporary house, built in 1942 on 0.46 acres, has floor-to-ceiling windows, four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and 3,463 square feet of living space. There is a private entrance to the master suite and office, a large guest suite with a bathroom and an ADU with a separate entry on the lower level. A large heated shop can be accessed from the backyard. A sanctuary in Southwest Portland with true one-level living, says listing agent Shaun Olson of Harvey Realty Group. See other active listings 3533 N.E. Klickitat St. in the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood has a one-bedroom, one-bathroom accessory dwelling built over the four-car garage.Tim Walters/RE/MAX Equity Group 3533 N.E. Klickitat St. in Portlands Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood is for sale at $4,995,000. The Colonial-style Barnes Mansion, built in 1914 on 0.91 acres, has solid Honduras mahogany paneling, leather wainscot in the dining room, some original wallpaper, three fireplaces, tile floors, custom lighting fixtures and all of the original beveled and stained glass windows and door panels. There are six bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a powder room and 11,443 square feet of living space, including a one-bedroom, one-bathroom accessory dwelling built over the four-car garage in 2005. The elegant, 32-room home is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, says listing agent Tim Walters of RE/MAX Equity Group. Read more: The Portland mansion Beverly Cleary called haunted is for sale See more active listings 2928 S.E. Woodstock Blvd. in Eastmoreland has an attached ADU with one bedroom and one bathroom.Terry Sprague/Luxe Christie's International Real Estate 2928 S.E. Woodstock Blvd. in Portlands Eastmoreland is for sale at $2,388,000. The renovated mansion, built in 1928 on 0.57 acres near Reed College, has mahogany woodwork and original floors, a new steel-and-glass tower, light-filled rooms for entertaining as well as five bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms and 7,906 square feet of living space. There is an attached ADU with one bedroom and one bathroom. Artfully incorporates modern design, energy efficiency and full seismic retro-fit while maintaining its Dutch heritage and elegant charm. Beautiful grounds with mature landscape says listing agent Terry Sprague of Luxe Christies International Real Estate. See more active listings SW California St. in Fulton Park and Johns Landing area has an ADU on the main level with one bedroom and 1.5 bathrooms.Jennifer Venable/John L. Scott Southwest California Street in Portlands Fulton Park and Johns Landing area is for sale at $2,199,999. The contemporary house, still under construction on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, an office or fifth bedroom, four bathrooms and 5,880 square feet of living space. There is also an ADU on the main level with one bedroom and 1.5 bathrooms that can be used as an in-law suite. Four levels of decks and an eco rooftop [let you] take in the breathtaking, million-dollar views of the city, three mountains and the river. Available for pre-sale to customize and choose finishes, says listing agent Jennifer Venable of John L. Scott. See more active listings 3412 N.E. Rodney Ave. in the Eliot neighborhood has an ADU for multi-generation living or supplemental income.Darryl Bodle/Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere 3412 N.E. Rodney Ave. in Portlands Eliot neighborhood is for sale at $1,939,800. The modern house, built in 2019, has eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms and 6,786 square feet of living space. There is an ADU for multi-generation living or supplemental income as well as a covered patio plus a rooftop deck that captures city views. Youre in the heart of all the action and amenities downtown has to offer, says listing agent Darryl Bodle of Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere. See more active listings 2654 S.W. Fairmount Blvd. in the Southwest Hills and Council Crest area has an ADU that can be used as a guest suite.Dianne Hagan/Premiere Property Group 2654 S.W. Fairmount Blvd. in Portlands Southwest Hills and Council Crest area is for sale at $1,425,000. The contemporary house, built in 1982 on 0.34 acres, has four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and 6,244 square feet of living space including an ADU that can be used as a guest suite. Flexible and comfortable floor plan with incredible design finishes and craftsmanship. Hand-crafted wrought iron railings, artisan mosaic tile, juniper mantel and inlaid river rock floors, says listing agent Dianne Hagan of Premiere Property Group. See more active listings 123 SE 55th Ave. in Mount Tabor has an ADU with two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Kathleen Allen/MORE Realty 123 S.E. 55th Ave. in Portlands Mount Tabor is for sale at $1,250,000. The two-story Craftsman house, built in 2020 by New Homes-Front, has 10-foot-high ceilings, hardwood floors, a fireplace, six bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms and 3,734 square feet of living space. There is a fifth bedroom suite on the main floor plus an ADU with two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Very walkable, bikeable and close to Mount Tabor Park, Laurelhurst Park and Providence Hospital, says listing agent Amanda White with Kathleen Allen of MORE Realty. See more active listings 7120 N.E. 8th Ave. in the Woodlawn neighborhood has a fully permitted, detached ADU apartment.Brian Porter/MA Properties and Gary Whitehill-Baziuk/RE/MAX Equity Group 7120 N.E. 8th Ave. in Portlands Woodlawn neighborhood is for sale at $1.2 million. The contemporary Craftsman-style house, built in 2020 on a 4,791-square-foot lot near the Dekum Triangle, has wood floors, six bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and 3,102 square feet of living space. There is a fully permitted, detached ADU apartment. The master suite includes two walk-in closets, a soaking tub, walk-in shower, dual sinks and beautiful tile work, says listing agent Brian Porter with Gary Whitehill-Baziuk of RE/MAX Equity Group. See more active listings Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072 jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories Want to search Oregon real estate listings and use local resources? Click here. Our Divisions Copyright 2021-22 DB Corp ltd., All Rights Reserved This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. UP Board Class 12th Results 2020 DECLARED Updates: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that marksheets will be available from 1 July. Overall pass percentage for Class 12 is 74.63 percent this year. Auto refresh feeds A total of 74.63 percent girls cleared the Class 12 board exams, while 68.88 percent boys emerged successful in the exam. A total of 74.63 percent students became successful in Class 12 board exam. UP's Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma announced that the Class 12 and Class 10 toppers will be awarded Rs 1 lakh and laptops, News18 reported. Class 10 and Class 12 students can apply for for re-evaluation, re-totaling or can also get their answer scripts by demanding a photocopy. However, the fee for the same has been hiked from Rs 100 to Rs 500 for the re-evaluation of one subject paper, making the UP Board's procedure the costliest in the country. A total of 87 high school and 47 intermediate schools reported zero result this year. Meerut district registered the highest pass percentage in the Class 12 category at 74.48 percent. Bareilly and Prayagraj performed the second and third best with 80.79 and 78.06 pass percentages respectively. He also congratulated all the examinees of UP Board exams and lauded the board officials for completing the evaluation work in time during the lockdown period and announce the results well in time. He also congratulated the girls for outperforming boys in the exam. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that marksheets for Class 10 and Class 12 will be available from 1 July. Step 4 : Click on the link. It will take you to a new page. Fill in all the details to get your result. Step 3 : Look for the link that says "Result of Intermediate (Class 12) exam" Step 2 : Click on UP in the list of the states or type the URL uttar-pradesh.indiaresults.com on your browser and press enter Step 4 : Click on the link and fill in all the details to get your UP Board Class 12 Examination 2020 result Step 3 : Look for the link that says "UP Board Class 12 (Intermediate) Exam 2020" Step 2 : Click on UP in the list of the states or access the link directly here With lakhs of students checking their Class 12 results, the official website is likely to become unresponsive. Here are ways to check results on alternative websites: In a tweet in Hindi, Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma congratulated students who passed teh Class 12 and Class 10 exams. He also urged students who had not cleared teh exam to not lose hope and continue working hard. Step 4 : Press enter and your result with subject wise score will be displayed on your screen. Step 3 : Key in your roll number and other login in credentials Step 2 : Click on the link that reads UP Board Result 2020 Class 12 All three official websites upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in and upmspresults.up.nic.in were up an hour after being unresponsive, even as lakhs of students checked their results. UP Board Class 12th Results 2020 DECLARED LATEST Updates | Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that marksheets will be available from 1 July. Overall pass percentage for Class 12 is 74.63 percent this year. 25,86,349 students had registered for Class 12 board exams this year. Of these, 24,84,489 students sat for the exams. The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, or UPMSP, announced the results of its Class 12 board exams today (Saturday, 27 June) at 12 pm. Class 12 students will be able to access results on their mobiles via SMS by typing UP12 and sending the message to 56263. Students can check their Uttar Pradesh Board result 2020 on the official websites - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in and upmspresults.up.nic.in. How to check UP Class 12 result 2020 Step 1: Visit the websites - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in or upmspresults.up.nic.in Step 2: Click on the link that reads UP Board Result 2020 Class 12 Step 3: Key in your roll number and other login in credentials Step 4: Press enter and your result with subject wise score will be displayed on your screen. Candidates can also check Class 12 scores on Firstpost by adding log-in details in the following widget: According to a report by ABPLive.com, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the secondary education portfolio, will be present at the press conference scheduled to be held at Lucknow's Lok Kalyan Bhawan. This is a departure from trend as usually the UP Board results were announced from the UPMSP headquarters in Prayagraj, previously known as Allahabad. A report by NDTV mentioned that though the UP Board Class 10 and Class 12 examinations 2020 were concluded on 6 March, the evaluation of answer sheet and the results are delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown imposed by the Government of India to restrict the spread of the virus. According to a report by The Indian Express, more than 59.6 lakh students have appeared for their UP Board inter and matric exam 2020. The report further mentioned that as per the rules issued by the board, students will have to secure a minimum of 35 percent marks to pass a subject examination. If a student is not able to pass the exam, he/she will be given a chance to appear for compartment test. The dates of the UP Board compartment exams will be announced after the results are declared. The Uttar Pradesh government has already promoted students of classes 1 to 8 of all government schools without examination in view of COVID-19 pandemic. Disclaimer: As has been observed over the course of the past few weeks, the dates and times of result announcements have been frequently changed around. The information above has not been independently verified by Firstpost. However, this article will continue to be updated to reflect official updates as and when they come in. Two US states have reversed its course to reopen after the coronavirus shutdown. Texas and Florida clamped down on bars again in the nations biggest retreat yet as the daily number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the US surged to an all-time high of 40,000. Top government expert Anthony Fauci warned on Friday (local time) the country was facing a "serious problem" from a resurgence of coronavirus cases as Texas and Florida ordered bars to stop serving alcohol. Top government expert Anthony Fauci warned the US is facing a 'serious problem' from a resurgent coronavirus. Source: AFP The two populous southern states, home to some 50 million people, were spared the worst of the outbreak in spring, but are now being battered. With close to 125,000 deaths, the United States is by far the hardest-hit country in the world Health experts have said a disturbingly large number of cases are being seen among young people who are going out again, often without wearing masks or observing other social-distancing rules. It is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said. Bars will be required to close but may provide delivery and take-out. Source: Getty Images Mr Abbott had pursued up to now one of the most aggressive reopening schedules of any governor. The Republican not only resisted calls to order masks be worn, but also refused until last week to let local governments take such measures. But the strategy has backfired. The state saw a record 5,596 new coronavirus cases on Thursday (local time), a major jump from 10 days ago when it had 1,254 new cases in a day. Health experts have said a large number of cases are being seen among young people who are going out again. Source: Getty As a result, bars will be required to close but may provide delivery and take-out. Restaurants can remain open with 50 per cent capacity indoors and outdoor gatherings of 100 people or more require local government approval. About 600 coronavirus deaths per day in the US Meanwhile Florida reported a record 8,942 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday (local time), as well as 39 new deaths and 212 additional hospitalisations. Story continues "We got into June and COVID kind of fell off the headlines," Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters. "I think people were naturally just wanting to get back into a normal swing of things." A Florida bartender says most customers don't wear masks. Source: AFP Colleen Corbett, a 30-year-old bartender at two places in Tampa, said she was disappointed and worried about being unemployed again, but the restrictions were the right move. Most customers were not wearing masks, she said. It was like they forgot there was a pandemic or just stopped caring, Ms Corbett said. Deaths from the coronavirus in the US are running at about 600 per day, down from a peak of about 2,200 in mid-April. Some experts have expressed doubt that deaths will return to that level because of advances in treatment and prevention and because younger adults are more likely than older ones to survive. with AP and AFP 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. The country's new Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said agriculture, food and the marine will remain a priority for the new government. Speaking in the Convention Centre in Dublin this evening, the new Taoiseach Micheal Martin said agriculture, food and the marine will remain a priority both as central to rural society and a major economic pillar. "I reject the false idea that you can either support agriculture or care for the environment. Farmers are the great custodians of our country. We owe it to them to work with them to ensure decent incomes and a sustainable future for them and our rural communities as a whole." It comes as Fianna Fail TD and Clara native Barry Cowen has been appointed as the next Minister for Agriculture as part of the new government cabinet announced today. Cowen, an auctioneer and valuer has held numerous positions within Fianna Fail, including spokesperson on Environment and Local Government spokesperson on Social Protection. Cowen, a Clara native and father of four was first elected to the seat in 2011 after it was vacated by his brother, the former Taoiseach Brian Cowen. The Cowen family tradition in Leinster House goes back to 1969 when Brian and Barrys father Ber was first elected to the Dail. He was first elected to the Dail in 2011 and topped the poll in 2016. This time around, in February, Cowen received 8,677 first preference votes in Laois-Offaly, but was elected behind Sinn Fein's agriculture spokesperson, Brian Stanley, who topped the poll in Laois-Offaly when he was elected on the first count with 24pc of the first preference vote, nearly 8,000 votes clear of Cowen in second place. The new Minister for Agriculture faces into dealing with CAP and Brexit top of his brief in Agriculture House. Pippa Hackett of the Green Party will be a Super Junior Minister in Agriculture with responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity. In recent weeks, the then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he hoped farmers will be "pleasantly surprised" by a coalition agreement struck by Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party. He said issues being focused on include the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and how investment in rural infrastructure - including road projects - should continue and that there are to be real and meaningful gains for farmers, such as a REPS2 programme and reforms that will give those working on the land more reliable and new streams of income for doing things we need them to do around climate action and biodiversity. Cowen recently welcomed plans for a new green energy project in Offaly, which would see the former site of Rhode Power Station converted to produce biofuel alongside the development of mechanisms to remove carbon. This is exactly the sort of brave, ambitious project which needs to be supported as we decarbonise the Midlands. If it delivers what is being promised, the plant will assist in meeting our renewable targets while potentially carbon negative. On top of this, there is a potential to develop further employment based on its activities. It is particularly welcome that this project is planned to be located on the site of the former power plant in Rhode. As further new businesses come to be located in Offaly and the Midlands to replace those lost in the decarbonisation process, it is important that the proud link with our past is maintained." 19-Year-Old Woman Killed, Man Injured in Shooting Near Madison Square Park A 19-year-old woman was shot in the chest during and a man was injured after gunfire erupted in the Flatiron District in Manhattan on Friday. WABC reported that shots were fired after an argument broke out on Fifth Avenue at West 26th Street near Madison Square Park around 12:30 a.m. Amid the gunfire, 19-year-old Erica Lopez was shot by the attacker in the chest and 21-year-old Andrew Arias was shot in the leg. Lopez was pronounced dead a the scene by the NYPD and Arias was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, according to the New York Post. Both victims are from Connecticut, with Lopez from Norwich, and Arias from Norwalk. Arias was in stable condition as of early Friday, according to the Post. The suspect fled in a gray Nissan sedan, according to descriptions from investigators, reported the Associated Press. Police have not yet made any arrests. The shooting comes as New York has seen an increase in shootings and violent attacks. 5 Shootings in Less Than 5 Hours This incident was also one of five shootings that took place in New York on Friday between 12 a.m., and 4:30 a.m., according to WABC. Another shooting took place at 12:30 a.m., located near 4648 Park Avenue in the Bronx. A man was shot in the abdomen. At around 1:43 a.m., another shooting happened outside of 919 Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, where a 25-year-old was shot in the right leg and right arm. At around 2:15 a.m., a 36-year-old man reportedly shot himself during a dispute outside 69-34 Elizabeth Avenue in Far Rockway. According to the news outlet, the dispute was between him and a 39-year-old woman. WABC reported that the bullet grazed the left side of his back, and that he was hospitalized but is currently in police custody. Then at 2:59 a.m., a 21-year-old woman was shot in the left calf while she was outside 310 East 113th Street in East Harlem, according to the news outlet. The suspects were reportedly a man and a woman riding on a scooter, who fled the scene shortly thereafter. And around 4:30 a.m., an 18-year-old woman who was watching fireworks was shot and a bullet grazed her left cheek. She was then taken to the St. Barnabas Hospital. From NTD News Eleven fresh cases of Covid-19 were reported in the tricity on Saturday. While three, including a 76-year-old woman, were found infected in Chandigarh, a non-resident Indian is among four people who tested positive in Mohali. Meanwhile, four cases, including that of a 80-year-old woman, surfaced in Panchkula district. The number of confirmed cases have climbed to 428, 246 and 109 in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, respectively. Chandigarh health officials said the elderly woman who tested positive is staying with her four family members in Sector 30. She has four more family contacts in Sector 25 as well. All eight people have been sampled. A 31-year-old woman from Sector 46 has also tested positive. Her two family members were sampled. Another woman, aged 45, who resides in Sector 41, tested positive at the Mohali civil hospital. Her two family contacts are asymptomatic. Meanwhile, officials said four contacts of the 37-year-old Panjab University staffer who was found infected earlier this week have tested negative. There are 87 active cases in the city. Among the fresh cases in Mohali, there are two women 24-year-old from Naba village and 26-year-old from Dharamgarh in Dera Bassi who tested positive after delivering babies at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh. A 22-year-old youth from Mubarakpur in Dera Bassi was also found infected after reporting to hospital with flu-like symptoms. The fourth case is of a 51-year-old merchant navy officer who had recently returned home from Nigeria. Meanwhile, six people were discharged after recovering from Covid-19, bringing the number of active cases to 52. Mohali civil surgeon Dr Manjit Singh along with a team of senior health officials visited a meat factory at Behra village in Dera Bassi, where five women workers have been reported to be affected so far. He ordered random sampling of all the factory workers to check the spread of the disease. The village has been turned into a micro containment zone. The team also visited three other micro containment zones: Harmilap Nagar, Baltana and Sector 91 in Mohali. Dr Manjit Singh said no outsider was being allowed to enter these zones. In Panchkula, 53-year-old mother and 80-year-old grandmother of an already infected man tested positive at Kot village in Barwala. The man had returned from Lucknow on June 19. A 36-year-old man from Beer Ghaggar village was also found infected, days after his wife and daughter tested positive. The fourth case is of a 25-year-old woman from Mahadev Colony in Panchkula. There are 59 active cases in the district. The High Court has reserved judgment in the case in which Delish Nguwaya is contesting the decision of the magistrates court to deny him bail on charges of misrepresenting to Government that his company was a medical firm in an attempt to be awarded tenders for Covid-19 medical supplies using his companies Drax SAGL and Drax International. Tim O'Reilly has a financial incentive to pooh-pooh the traditional VC model, wherein investors gamble on nascent startups in hopes of seeing many times their money back. Bryce Roberts, who is O'Reilly's longtime investing partner at the early-stage venture firm OReilly AlphaTech Ventures (OATV), now actively steers the partnership away from these riskier investments and into companies around the country that are already generating revenue and don't necessarily want to be blitzscaled. Yet in an interview with O'Reilly last week, he nonetheless argued persuasively for why venture capital, in its current iteration, has begun to make less sense for more founders who genuinely want to build sustainable businesses. The way he sees it, the venture industry is no longer as focused on finding small companies that might one day change the world but more on creating financial instruments for the wealthy -- and that shift has real consequences. Below, we're pulling out parts of that conversation that may be of interest to readers who are either debating raising venture capital, debating raising more venture capital, and even those who have been turned away from VCs and perhaps dodged a bullet in the process. At a minimum, O'Reilly -- who bootstrapped his own company, O'Reilly Media, 42 years ago and says it now produces "a couple hundred million dollars in revenue" yearly -- provides a lot of food for thought. TechCrunch: A lot of companies celebrated Juneteenth this year, which is a big deal. There's been a lot of talk about making the venture industry more inclusive. How far -- or not -- do you think we've come in the venture industry on this front? Tim O'Reilly: The thing that I would say about VC and about really everything in tech is, this concept of structural racism [is really the problem]. People think that all it matters is, 'Well, my values are good, my heart's in the right place, I donate to charities,' and we don't actually fix the systems that cause the problems. Story continues With VCs, the networks from which they're drawing entrepreneurs are not that different [than they have been historically]. But more importantly, the goals of the VC model are not that different. The industry sets a goal, and it has a certain kind of financial shape, which is inherently exclusionary. How so? The typical VC model is looking for this high-growth company with exit potential, because it's looking for this big financial return from an IPO or acquisition, and that selects for a certain type of founder. My partner Bryce decided two funds ago [to] look for companies that are kind of disparaged as lifestyle companies that are trying to build sustainable businesses with cash flow and profits. They're the kind of small businesses, and small business entrepreneurs, that have vanished from America, partly because of the VC myth, which is really about creating financial instruments for the wealthy. He came up with a version of a SAFE note that allows the founders to buy out the VC at a predetermined amount if they ever become sufficiently profitable, but also gives them the optionality, because periodically, some of them do end up becoming a rocket ship. But the founder is not on the treadmill of: You have to get out. When you start saying, 'Okay, we're going to look for sustainable businesses,' you look all over the country, and Bryce ended up [with a portfolio] that's made up of more than 50% women founders and 30% people of color, and it has been an incredible investment strategy. That's not to say that people who are African American or women can't also lead companies that are part of the high-growth VC model that's typical of Silicon Valley. No, of course not. Of course they could lead. The talent pool is just much greater [when you look outside of Silicon Valley]. There's a certain kind of bro culture in Silicon Valley and if you don't fit in, sure [you could find a way], but there are a lot of impediments. That's what we mean by structural racism. To your point about insular networks, a prominent Black VC, Charles Hudson, has noted that a lot of [traditional VCs] just don't have regular or professional associations with Black people, which hampers how they find companies. How has Bryce fostered some of these connections? Because it does feel like traditional VCs are right now trying to figure out how to better do this. It's breaking the geographic isolationism of Silicon Valley. It's breaking the business model isolationism of Silicon Valley that says: Only things that fit this particular profile are worth investing in. Bryce didn't go out there and say, 'I want to go find people of color to invest in.' What he said was, 'I want to have a different kind of investment in different places in the United States.' And when he did that, he naturally found entrepreneurs who reflect the diversity of America. That's what we have to really think about. It's not: How do we get more Black and brown founders into this broken Silicon Valley model? It's: How do we go figure out what the opportunities are helping them to grow businesses in their communities? Are LPs interested in this kind of model? Does it have the kind of growth potential that they need to service their endowments? It was a bit of a struggle when we did fund four, which was focused on [this newer model]. It was about a third of the size of fund three. But for fund five, the fundraising is [going] like gangbusters. Everybody wants in because the model has proven itself. I don't want to name names, but there are two companies [in the portfolio] that are kind of in similar businesses. One was in our third fund and was sort of a traditional Silicon Valley-style investment. And the other was an investment in Idaho, of all places. The first company, which involved a more traditional seed round, we've ended up putting in $2.5 million for a 10% stake. The one in Idaho we put in $500,000 for a 10% stake, and the one in Idaho is now twice the size of the Silicon Valley one and growing much faster. So from what you're seeing, the returns are actually going to be better than with a traditional Silicon Valley venture [approach]. As I said, I've been really disillusioned with Silicon Valley investing for a long time. It reminds me of Wall Street going up to 2008. The idea was, 'As long as someone wants to buy this [collateralized debt obligation], we're good.' Nobody is thinking about: Is this a good product? So many things that VCs have created are really financial instruments like those CDOs. They aren't really thinking about whether this is a company that could survive on revenue from its customers. Deals are designed entirely around an exit. As long as you can get some sucker to take them, [you're good]. So many acquisitions fail, for example, but the VCs are happy because -- guess what? -- they got their exit. But now, because funds are raised so quickly, VCs have to show much more traction, which is where things like blitzscaling come in. Just the way you're describing it. Can't you hear what's wrong with that? It's for the benefit of the VCs, the VCs have to show, not the entrepreneurs have to show. Aren't the LPs addicted to that crack? Don't they want to see that quick financial traction? Yeah, but you know that VC returns have actually lagged public markets for four decades now. It's a little bit like the lottery. The only sure winners are the VCs because the VCs who don't return their fund get their management fees every year. A huge amount of the VC capital doesn't return. Everybody just sees the really big wins. And I know when they happen, it's really wonderful. But I think [those rare wins] have gotten an outsize place, and they've displaced other kinds of investment. It's part of the structural inequality in our society, where we're building businesses that are optimized for their financial return rather than their return to society. By Matthew Gross For an education system driven by standards, there were few standards in place for educating students remotely. In only a matter of days, schools were closed, districts were forced to create emergency distance learning plans, teachers were given the impossible task of continuing the school year without missing a beat, and parents took on the role of educators like they never had before. School districts will have to anticipate and solve unprecedented challenges to be able to support our teachers in providing the best education they can for our children in this new age classroom. Nearly 90,000 New Jersey students are still unable to access the internet or have a device to participate in virtual remote learning. As schools are likely to be both physical and virtual at the same time in the coming school year, we must ensure all our students have an equal chance to succeed. During times of crisis, people want instruction manuals, not guidebooks. This crisis doesnt end with the school year, and if we do not start acting now, we will find ourselves in this exact same situation this fall. As we move beyond triage and into long-term planning, here are six recommendations for school districts to consider: 1. Assess student impact and tailor instruction. When students return to school, their proficiency levels will vary across the board. The first step in meeting students where they are is knowing where they are. Implement low-stakes assessments as early as possible, and arm your teachers with differentiated materials that empower them to easily tailor instruction to individual students needs. 2. Choose resources that can be used face-to-face and online. Plans for the upcoming school year must consider prolonged closures, hybrid classroom/online learning scenarios, and how to handle individual students that may need to learn from home. Using materials that can seamlessly pivot between the classroom and virtual instruction and back again will be critical. Acquiring two different sets of materials one for school and one for home would be a waste of time and resources. 3. Refocus training on what matters. Teachers are under a great deal of stress these days, and their time should not be spent on learning complicated new programs. Start with online resources that are familiar to them and easy to onboard. Training resources can then be invested in more valuable professional learning and development. 4. Refresh what you have. Budgets will be stretched this year. Consider ways to breathe new life into existing core materials. The best digital platforms can supplement existing textbooks and can comply with new and existing state learning standards while keeping the materials fresh. 5. Acknowledge and address the digital divide. Access to devices and the internet is a real barrier to online learning, and we as a society must work together to address the digital divide. While we work on getting everyone online, we must ensure that distance learning can work for students who do not have access to the internet. Seek platforms with ample on and offline access that allow students to access their materials even when they are offline and that teachers can also print as PDFs to send to students without access to computers at home. 6. Dont compromise on equity. Online materials should serve all students, including those most vulnerable. Using materials that meet WCAG AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards ensures content is accessible for students with disabilities and those who only have access to limited devices, such as mobile phones. But equity doesnt stop at getting materials in students hands. We must ensure that the content itself is accessible to learners of all levels, favoring sources that provide differentiated, leveled versions of their materials. We have an unprecedented opportunity to learn from our experience, just as we encourage our students to do daily. Instead of expecting to replicate the classroom at home, we can acknowledge our reality and leverage the flexibility and advantages of online platforms that can meet students where they are. Being prepared for when school starts is a must, not an option. Matthew Gross is a former classroom educator and is founder and CEO of Newsela. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Villager File Photo / Villager File Photo Two additional mosquito samples have tested positive for the West Nile virus in the area of the Grogans Mill village in The Woodlands, prompting Precinct 3 crews to treat the area. According to information from the Precinct 3 office, the first treatments were set to begin Friday evening. A second round of treatment will be Monday. Treatment will include spraying all streets and county rights of way within the affected areas. Second CCP Virus Outbreak in Beijing Have Residents Panicking Honest News Straight to Your Home. Try the Epoch Times yourself, and get a free gift. Just when Beijing residents were preparing to return to a normal life, a sudden outbreak of the CCP virus was announced by local authorities. Most of the new cases are linked to Xinfadi Wholesale Food Market, the largest food market in Asia, which supplies more than 70% of fruits and vegetables in Beijing. The market was shut down on June 14 and vendors had to discard all their goods due to viral contamination concerns. Considering the gigantic scale and daily traffic of Xinfadi Market, many residents have realized that Beijing will soon experience a shortage of food, and this fresh outbreak is bound to be very serious. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez plans to issue an emergency order closing down the county's beaches during the Fourth of July weekend. The planned closures from July 3 to July 7 come after Florida has seen an uptick in coronavirus infections. There were nearly 9,000 new cases reported in the state Thursday, the single highest tally since the outbreak began, according to the state Department of Health. Gimenez warned that he may extend the shutdown if 'conditions do not improve and people do not follow New Normal rules requiring masks to be worn always inside commercial establishments and outdoors when social distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible,' in a statement about the order. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez plans to issue an emergency order closing down the county's beaches during the Fourth of July weekend. Gimenez, wearing a mask, is pictured during a coronvirus news conference this week The planned closures from July 3 to July 7 come after Florida saw an uptick in coronavirus infections. There were nearly 9,000 new cases reported in the state Thursday, the highest tally since the outbreak began. Crowds are pictured on Miami Beach this week Gimenez tweeted that he consulted with county health officials before deciding to sign the emergency order and said he might extend the beach closures if people don't wear masks inside businesses and when they are unable to practice social distancing of six feet Florida this week joined Texas in banning drinking in bars and as Arizona asked residents to stay home after the states began reopening from their COVID-19 lockdowns only to see upticks in infection rates and hospitalizations. Governor Greg Abbott gave bars in Texas until midday on Friday to close down, while Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation told bars to immediately stop serving alcohol on their premises. The abrupt announcements marked a major step back by both states less than two months after aggressively reopening and becoming the first in the US to lift lockdown measures. So far, there have been more than 122,000 cases in Florida of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for more than 3,300 deaths. Across the country there have been more than 2.4 million confirmed cases and close to 125,000 deaths. Florida had passed 100,000 coronavirus cases on Monday as the mayor of the city of Miami Francis X. Suarez blamed recently reopened restaurants for the recent surge. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez plans to issue an emergency order closing down the county's beaches during the Fourth of July weekend Coronavirus has been blamed for more than 3,300 deaths in the state So far, there have been more than 122,000 cases in Florida of the coronavirus, and daily numbers are rising Gimenez warned that he may extend the shutdown if 'conditions do not improve and people do not follow New Normal rules Governor Ron DeSantis joined Republicans who claimed the uptick has come from an increase in testing. However, the Miami Herald reports that through June 3, new cases had consistently trended upwards since mid-May, and the influx could not be attributed solely to increased testing. DeSantis also blamed new cases on 'overwhelmingly Hispanic laborers,' because of migrant workers forced to live and work in cramped conditions. Farm workers' associations hit back at the governor, saying he has repeatedly ignored their pleas to help the vulnerable demographic. Many of the new cases of the virus have been detected in young people, and not in elderly persons who are typically more at risk of infection. Governor Ron DeSantis joined Republicans who claimed an uptick in coronavirus cases in FLorida has come from an increase in testing for COVID-19. He also blamed new cases on 'overwhelmingly hispanic laborers,' because of migrant workers living in cramped conditions 'As we continue to see more COVID-19 positive test results among young adults and rising hospitalizations, I have decided that the only prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk,' Gimenez said in his statement. The mayor claimed he had seen both businesses and people ignoring safety measures against infection. 'If people are not going to be responsible and protect themselves and others from this pandemic, then the government is forced to step in and restore common sense to save lives,' Gimenez said. His order, he said, will follow Centers for Disease Control recommendations and also ban gatherings, including parades, of more than 50 people in Miami-Dade 'for whatever reason from July 3 to 7.' He explained that 'in those situations,' masks and social distancing are required and five groups of no more than 10 people will be allowed. His order also will impact fireworks viewing in celebration of the Fourth of July. 'All parks and beaches will be closed to the public in all cities and unincorporated areas of the county to public viewing of fireworks. Fireworks displays must be viewed from one's home or parked vehicle,' he said. Gimenez warned that as more COVID-19 positive test results emerge among 'young adults and rising hospitalizations,' the only 'prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk' Miami-Dade cops will continue enforcement of the rules this weekend, he said. 'Violators face a second-degree criminal penalty of up to $500 and 180 days in jail.' Strategic Urban Response to Guideline Education teams also will be out visiting residents in virus hotspots and give them testing information, masks and hand sanitizer. 'After all the success we have had tamping down the COVID-19 curve, we cannot turn back and overload our hospitals, putting our doctors and nurses at greater risk with more emergency room cases,' Gimenez said. To beat the surge in traffic, the Uttar Pradesh Board or the UP Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad will publish the results on three different portals, upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in, upmspresults.up.nic.in UP Board Class 10 Result 2020 Date: The Uttar Pradesh Board or the UP Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad announced the results of Senior Secondary of Class 10 today (Saturday, 27 June) at 12 pm. To beat the surge in traffic, the board will publish the results on three different portals, upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in, upmspresults.up.nic.in. However, more often than not, students find themselves waiting for hours as the sudden spike in traffic on the board's official website impedes access for many others waiting to check their results on slower connections. If such is the case on the day of the result, there are some channels other than the official site that facilitate access to provisional results. However, students must always cross-check scores from the original website, whenever it is available. Follow all LIVE updates on UP Board results 2020 here Students can also key in their details in the following widget to get their results. Alternative Websites to check UP Board 10th Results 2020 According to a report by The Indian Express, more than 59.6 lakh students have appeared for their UP Board inter and matric exam 2020. The students can log on to any of the alternative websites mentioned below, 1. indiaresults.com 2. upresults.nic.in 3. examresults.net The detailed statistics about the result were released at a press conference in Lucknow in the presence of Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the secondary education portfolio. This was a departure from trend as usually the UP Board results were announced from the UPMSP headquarters in Prayagraj, previously known as Allahabad. The Uttar Pradesh government has already promoted students of classes 1 to 8 of all government schools without examination in view of COVID-19 pandemic. A recent interaction with a prospective customer set alarm bells ringing for a private life insurer. Since physical KYC documents could not be collected amidst the coronavirus lockdown, scanned details were sought. Though the individual claimed that the policy was for his father, no details of the Aadhaar number submitted could be traced. When contacted, this prospective tried to mislead the insurer by saying that the Aadhaar card was newly made, so data was not getting reflected. The underwriting team then sought a video call with the father, in response to which the individual said that the father was bed-ridden and could not 'be disturbed'. This policy proposal was then put on hold. A cursory check with a fellow insurer revealed that this individual had tried the same trick with several other insurers. With the COVID-19 pandemic preventing agents from visiting customers to sell policies, fraudsters seem to be taking full advantage of the lockdown by trying to buy policies in name of non-existent customers or deceased relatives. The private company, in the above case, was saved since insurers are allowed to access details of the Aadhaar number of individuals by partnering with the UIDAI. This is usually done to minimise KYC documentation and for cases where the insurer suspects any misrepresentation of facts. Industry sources told Moneycontrol that former agents as well as doctors collude with fraudsters to buy policies, only to make claim a few years later. The fact that policy issuance has moved online is only furthering the cause of these criminals. On an average, industry estimates say that 'suspect' policy proposals have risen by 30 percent ever since the nationwide lockdown came into effect from March 25. Agents may also be partly to blame. With tough economic conditions due to the lockdown leading to 30 percent average drop in premium collections, they are also finding it tough to meet sales target. A few agents also admit that during the month-end period, they tend to ignore gaps in the proposal form submitted online since there is a rush to complete targets. Insurance laws also have made it tough to reject claims. As per Section 45 of the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act 2015, no policy claim can be questioned if premium has been paid for three consecutive years. So even if there is a proven case of fraud, insurers would be forced to settle the death claim. On an average, insurers lose about Rs 300 crore every year due to fraudulent claim payments. The highest cases of fraud are seen in life insurance death claims followed by health insurance and personal accident claims. In health insurance, fake doctor bills are presented to get reimbursement claims while in personal accident cases, forged doctor certificates citing 'accident' as cause of death is given. For accident claims, insurers have also dealt with cases where relatives dying of natural cases were crushed by a car to show accidental injuries or bodies smuggled from mortuaries to seek death compensation. Ever since March 2020, insurers said that there has been a rise in cases where there are inaccuracies noticed in proposal form data and allied documents. The common ones include the policyholder not present during the confirmation video call, discrepancies in medical information provided or mismatch in photograph provided with person appearing on the call. After buying a term policy worth Rs 5 lakh in April 2020, a Goa-based shop-owners family filed a death claim in May citing his death in a road accident. Further investigation by the insurance company brought forth the fact that this individual had in fact, died in an accident three years ago and that the death record was forged. A police complaint was filed by the insurer after rejecting the claim, but the family could not be traced. This is not just true of life insurance companies. A similar trend of trying to buying products for ghost policyholders has also been noticed in health insurance. When a general insurer received a health insurance proposal for a 50-year old salaried professional, the underwriting team sought a clear bill of health from a hospital. This individual presented a complete medical test certificate of February 2020 from a reputed Kolkata hospital which termed him as fully fit. During the video underwriting process, the insurer could not ascertain the body type of the person since the quality of the feed was poor. Usually video calls are used to check the height, weight and related anomalies (obesity or very low body weight) in a proposed policyholder. To doubly check the medical data, the hospital executives were called. Turns out, this individual never did any medical test at this medical institution, leave alone being given a fit certificate. When confronted, this individual disconnected the call and immediately switched off his mobile phone. Digital underwriting has been initiated to benefit policyholders who are unable to step out of their homes. Unfortunately, this is being used by unscrupulous elements looking to make a quick buck. The consequence of this would be that the time taken to issue policies online would take longer. A pin-code based approach to blacklist certain regions where fraud cases are higher is already being undertaken by the insurance industry. Taking a step ahead, insurers are also now looking to conduct detailed video interviews with the proposed in whose name the policy is being taken. There will also be a thorough background verification of the individuals including their monthly income details from the Form 16 on the basis of which the term insurance cover size is determined. Further, medical history documents would also be re-verified with the service providers to ensure veracity of the data. Due to a few black sheep, the entire policyholder community may stand to suffer. Since its founding in 2018, Florida-based cannabis company Jushi Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: JUSHF), has made it a point to focus on specific U.S. markets where they could exploit competitive advantages. They moved a step closer to that this week with the announced acquisition of Pennsylvania Medical Solutions. Jushi is acquiring the subsidiary of Vireo Health International Inc. (OTCQX: VREOF) for $37 million, which includes a 90,000 square-foot facility that manufactures various cannabis products, including indoor-grown flower, extracts, and concentrates. Pennsylvania has always been a market we liked, Jushi Co-Founder and President Erich Mauff told Benzinga. A logical next step was always to vertically integrate [in the state]. The market in Pennsylvania is very undersupplied when it comes to flower and finished products. The Importance Of Pennsylvania According to Mauff, the company has always had its eyes on Pennsylvania. We think its one of the best medical markets in the U.S. We like Illinois as well, but the difference was Illinois already had some of the largest home grown companies. We thought Pennsylvania was a similarly interesting market because its a large state, it has a medical program that made it likely the state would consider adult use, and we were able to build our footprint more aggressively. Pennsylvanias medical cannabis industry generated $524 million in sales in 2019. Currently, there are roughly 80 operational Pennsylvania dispensaries and just under 300,000 medical marijuana patients registered in the program, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Mauff said Jushi currently operates seven medical marijuana dispensaries in the state with the right to operate another eight, the maximum allowed in the state. That increased the need for a more robust growing presence. The plan, he said, is to spend the next 6-12 months building out their cultivation in the state. He didnt shut the door on any potential future M&A, but said it would have to be under the right circumstances. Story continues When it comes to expansion weve always been clear. We want to vertically integrate in Illinois and Pennsylvania, said Mauff. Weve now done that in Pennsylvania. We feel very good about our position and dont feel the need to do anything more other than operate in our current markets. Image: Jushi See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. About Trinity at Home | Home Health Care Services | Salisbury, NC Trinity at Home in Salisbury, North Carolina provides locals with the support and home care services they need to maintain independence Trinity at Home provides home care support services in Rowan County, North Carolina with personalized care plans that cater each individual's needs. Our goal is help seniors, adults and others in need of additional home support stay comfortable in their homes with services, including respite care, light housekeeping and transportation assistance. Our hourly rates vary depending on the type of service and care needed. Our staff at Trinity at Home provides caring, thoughtful and professional homecare services At Trinity at Home, we want to help our clients maintain dignity through supported independence as long as possible. We provide 24-7 personal and companion care as well as caregiver support. Our services include: Personal Care: Mobility and transfer assistance, including transportation to appointments and errands; Assistance with bath, shower and personal hygiene Companion Care: Respite care; Light housekeeping, laundry and ironing and help with hobbies and interests; Caring companionship and conversation, and companion in an assisted living, nursing home or hospital setting; Medication reminders, healthy meal preparation and wardrobe selection Lutheran Services Carolinas is a nonprofit ministry serving North and South Carolina Trinity at Home, based on the campus of Trinity Oaks, is a program of Lutheran Services Carolinas. Lutheran Services Carolinas is a ministry nonprofit that focuses on helping vulnerable citizens overcome obstacles, such as seniors, veterans, children, disabled, refugees and those affected by disasters. LSC offers seniors retirement communities, including Trinity Oaks, rehabilitation and skilled nursing services adult day services and caregiver support. The merger and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the Middle East region is reviving as governments take measures to diversify their economies away from oil. In a matter of days, about $25 billion in deals have been struck in the oil-rich region, including the years biggest infrastructure and banking transactions even as the coronavirus pandemic cripples overall dealmaking, reported Bloomberg. Abu Dhabi has been leading the region in the past two years in bringing in more international investors to some of its prized assets. The emirates state-owned energy producer Abu Dhabi National Oil Company raised $10 billion last week by selling a stake in its natural-gas pipelines to a group of investors including Global Infrastructure Partners and Singapores sovereign wealth fund. Since embarking on a transformation plan, Adnoc has sold shares in its distribution unit and brought foreign investors into its refining and oil-field servicing arms. KKR & Co. and BlackRock Inc. agreed last year to invest $4 billion in Adnocs oil pipelines. Sovereign wealth funds including Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund are deploying billions of dollars to buy stakes in companies ranging from Facebook Inc. to Citigroup Inc. to take advantage of a downturn in prices. The value of M&A deals in the Gulf states, including proposed deals, is up tenfold so far in June compared with the same period last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That volume stands up well against the 44% drop globally this month, the data show. In banking, there has been a spate of large transactions in recent years, which has helped consolidate a fragmented industry in the region. National Commercial Banks attempt to buy rival Samba Financial Group for as much as $15.6 billion on Thursday could become the biggest banking takeover this year. Even a small country in the region like Oman has seen the value of announced or proposed transactions involving an Omani target rise more than 100% due to an increase in asset disposals by the government and large energy firms, reported Bloomberg. The blitz is quite rare for a region often known for political unrest and its influence on energy markets. It is also welcome relief for investment bankers looking to salvage what could be a difficult year for mergers and acquisitions, it added. Most of the media and other Democrats are out to destroy AG Barr because they claim he has politicized the Justice Department, but that is clearly not true. The Justice Department had been politicized throughout the Obama administration and no one in the mainstream media cared. Eric Holder committed perjury more than once, was never charged, and called himself as Obamas wingman. and most of the media and other Democrats didnt care. Most of the media and other Democrats were not mad that Hillary Clinton and her aides got off for their crimes. They were mad that Comey told the public the crimes she committed. James Comey exonerates Hillary Clinton, July 5, 2016 (YouTube screen grab) There were no hearings by Democrats on the politicization of the Justice Department. Most of the media and other Democrats or career prosecutors and former Justice officials did not demand that AG Loretta Lynch resign when she met with Bill Clinton a few days before a pretend interview with Hillary. Of course, Lynch wanted any investigation into Hillarys crimes termed as matters instead of an investigation. That shows candidate Clinton was going to get off no matter how many crimes she committed. There was no outrage and there were no resignations when the FBI railroaded General Michael Flynn. In fact, the media and Democrats are angry that this innocent man, who was financially destroyed by the vengeful, corrupt FBI and Justice Department officials, is finally receiving justice. This should be a big story, but most of the media and other Democrats wont care that Obama and Biden were deeply involved in the targeted attack on Flynn. It is clear that Obama was deeply involved with the Justice Department during his entire term, as the media pretended that it was independent. There was little concern about the rule of law. The media is too busy campaigning for Biden and seeking to destroy Trump to cover this bombshell of a story. After all, Stone only got forty months and Bolton has a book. They are also spending every day trying to keep the country in a depression to help Biden win. The reason that Barr is being attacked every day is because he and Durham are seeking the truth and the media and other Democrats have been lying continuously and dont want the truth to come out. They certainly dont care about the rule of law and equal treatment under the law. If anyone wants to see how massive and extensive corruption at the Justice Department has been for a long time, read the book Licensed to Lie by the great Sidney Powell, who finally got justice for a decorated retired General. I thought the media and other democrats said all generals should be respected. Licensed to Lie: Exposing Corruption in the Department of Justice In Licensed to Lie, attorney Sidney Powell takes readers through a series of disturbing events, missteps, and coverups in our federal criminal justice system. According to Powell, the malfeasance stretches across all three branches of our government from the White House to the U.S. Senate, to members of the judiciary. Even worse, the law itself is becoming pernicious. Americans can now be prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned for actions that are not crimes. And if acquitted, there is no recourse against prosecutors who hid evidence vital to the defense. Join us for a discussion of these distressing legal trends and what might be done about them. So, the next time Democrat campaign workers posing as journalists and other Democrats claim they care about the rule of law, equal treatment under the law, the Constitution, separation of powers or the politicization of the Justice Department, everyone should recognize they dont mean it. All they care about is getting a Democrat elected as president so they can infect the public with radical leftist policies that will enrich powerful politicians and career bureaucrats and absolutely decimate our freedom and prosperity. The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia June 27, 2020 ECOWAS Countries The current Covid-19 has brought the entire world to a standstill. Economies in Africa will shrink by at least 2-3 percent according to the most optimistic predictions. It took the continent tremendous work and discipline to reach this level of growth. The continent contained 6 of the 10 fastest economies in the world and three of those (Senegal, Ghana, Cote dIvoire) were in West Africa. That progress has been stopped and will be reversed, plunging the sub-region into a new tunnel of social and economic challenges. The ECOWAS region is not immune to global calamity. Beyond the health crisis that is still growing alarmingly in several countries, the community faces serious security threats linked both to terrorism, environmental issues as well as governance. The jihadists have destabilized northern Mali, making the Sahara region ungovernable. Almost a decade ago, Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure was overthrown by soldiers who claimed that he had taken strong stands against the rebellion in the north. Governments came and went but the rebellions extended to central Mali, entered Burkina Faso, and just two weeks ago, carried out its first attack on the Burkina Faso-Cote dIvoire border, killing 12 soldiers before evaporating in thin air. Notwithstanding the presence of French and American forces, with the UN in the midst, who joined ECOWAS forces merged with the Chadian military, the jihadists continue to expand their reach southward. Fighters travel back and forth between the Libyan fronts (where they are handsomely rewarded) and the ECOWAS region. Meanwhile, around Lake Chad, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad are engaged in a hit-and-run battle with Boko Haram which is moving northward. As it was very predictable at the onset, the Sahara jihadists and Boko Haram have connected. Two different groups of Boko Haram have linked up with sections of the jihadists linked to ISIS or Al Qaeda in the region of Lake Chad. The intervention of foreign troops seems to have only added another layer to the political confusion and lack of coordination and resolve in the fight against the terrorists, turning the region into a military playground. France, since De Gaulle in 1959, has long been trying to get a foothold in the Sahara, and now the instability provides a clear path to the area. Its military presence further strengthens its hold over former colonies. The US is in or out, depending on the days and its presence was only known after American military casualties were reported. The Sahara may provide an ideal training ground for military actions in the Middle East. On the political front, things are not any better. Mali is in turmoil. Opposition parties and a popular Imam joining forces with the Union of Patriots (aka the June 5th Movement) to call for the resignation of the President. ECOWASs President and four West African Ministers of Foreign Affairs flew into Mali to intervene, but the opposition rejected any notion of a unity government. In Cote dIvoire, six months to the presidential elections of October 2020, uncertainties are clouding the political space because of the exclusion of powerful opposition leaders, such as former President Laurent Gbagbo and former President of the Assembly Soro Guillaume, both indicted and sentenced to prison terms and living in exile. In Guinea, referendum and constitutional reforms were held in a violence-filled atmosphere during the pandemic. President Alpha Conde seems bent to force walk his way into the next presidential elections although term limits forbid him. Guinea Bissau and Liberia are also facing both governance and economic challenges Liberia just earned the unenviable title of the poorest nation on earth that could become destabilizing while narco-politics is still crippling Guinea Bissau. Elections are also scheduled in Ghana and Burkina Faso, all potential sources of tension. The community seems not to have drawn lessons from Ebola to create a regional response to pandemics. Although the West African Health Organization (WAHO) did a great job in fighting Ebola, it became dormant and there was no further concerted effort to build regional health structure. Covid-19 cases have been high in a few countries and number rising in others. There have been consultations through video Summits but there is no consensus on approach. Numbers are low, compared to other parts of the continent and community responses have been positive. Another important health issue is that from Dakar to Abuja, markets are infested with fake and dangerous fake medicine. Hopefully, the pandemic will force reflections and decisions on health. To top the list, the advancing Sahara Desert is creating a population exodus from the arid north towards the south, leading to communal conflicts that have turned violent in Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso. These hot spots could and will impact the stability of the entire region, especially when regarding food security. Drug trafficking is also becoming a serious calamity, with South American drug lords using fragile and corrupt security systems to use the region as a transit point to Europe and the US. ECOWAS was just about to embark on historic steps by embracing one currency, liberalizing trade amongst community members, and making headways towards integration but the combined effects of governance issues and the Covid-19 could reverse the progress. Of course, all of this can be stopped and overturned, because it is all made man, except the Sahara and Covid-19, which can also be managed. China on yellow alert as rainstorms continue to wreak havoc - Xinhua | English.news.cn China's national observatory on Saturday issued a yellow alert for rainstorms as heavy downpours continue to batter large swathes of the country. According to the National Meteorological Center, heavy rain and rainstorms are expected to lash Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Shaanxi, Henan and Hubei in the next 24 hours starting from 8 a.m. Saturday. Some areas will experience downpours with up to 70 mm of hourly rainfall, the center said, warning that parts of Henan and Hubei will see up to 280 mm of daily precipitation. The center urged local authorities to step up emergency response and guard against possible disasters such as landslides. China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue. Saturday's yellow alert was an upgrade from the blue one issued Friday, and the center has issued rainstorm alerts for the subsequent 26 days. Since June, continuous downpours have lashed large parts of southern China and the water levels of many rivers in the affected areas exceeded the danger mark. Ministry of Water Resources has called for all-out efforts to prevent floods and has dispatched teams to affected areas to facilitate flood prevention and control. Laois Offaly based Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett is set to join her constituency Fianna Fail colleague Barry Cowen in the Department of Agriculture after being nominated by the new Taoiseach Micheal Martin. In what represents a huge step in a rapid rise in a fledgeling political career, Sen Hackett will be a Minister of State responsible for land use and biodiversity. It is a surprising but also historic appointment as senators are rarely appointed to any type of ministerial posts. The post she will fill is not a regular junior ministry position. It is described as a 'super junior ministry' meaning she will sit at the cabinet table with the Taoiseach and other senior Government members for some meetings. To date, Sen Hackett has been the Green Party's spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Animal Welfare. Both Minister Cowen and Minister of State Hackett will have to cross the border into Laois on occasion as many of the Department of Agriculture staff were relocated to Portlaoise under decentralisation. A native of Ballindine in Co Mayo, she is also an organic farmer near Geashill on the Laois Offaly border and stood for the Green Party in the constituency in the 2020 General Election. She came sixth but lost out on one of the five seats on offer. Sinn Fein's Brian Stanley topped the poll. It is a remarkable rise for the politician joined the Green Party around 2016 on the recommendation of neighbour and Green Party founder Christopher Fettes. She was elected to Offaly County Council in 2019. Later that year she was elected to the Senate in a byelection - a seat she retained in 2020. She holds a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Essex, a postgraduate diploma from University College Dublin, and a PhD from the University of Limerick. She lives on a mixed organic farm (suckler cows, sheep, hens and horses) with her husband Mark and four young children. Read also: LAOIS LOSS OFFALY GAIN Laois-Offaly TD Barry Cowen has been appointed the new Minister for Agriculture by incoming Taoisesch Micheal Martin. The brother of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been a TD since 2011. He replaces Fine Gael's Michael Creed in the agriculture portfolio. There is speculation that Offaly senator Pippa Hackett could get a super junior ministry role within the department of agriculture which would see two Offaly representatives at the Cabinet table. Fianna Fail's resurrection as a national political force was sealed earlier today with the election of Micheal Martin as Taoiseach. Nearly a decade after being routed by the electorate during the economic crash, the Cork native has been elected to lead the Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party government. Mr Martin was elected at a specially convened meeting of TDs in the National Convention Centre due to social distancing measures. Mr Martin received 93 Dail votes, with 63 votes against and 3 abstentions. Martin has led Fianna Fail since 2011 through three general elections. It is the first time that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have shared power but Fianna Fail has supported Fine Gael since 2016. Fianna Fail shared power with the Green Party up to the 2011 General Election Responding, to his election and the coalition, Mary Lou McDonald called it a 'marriage of convenience'. She said the votes of 500,000 people have bee left out of the formation of Government. Outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the new government had 'very strong mandate to governed'. He hit out at Sinn Fein. He said what change Sinn Fein's version of change was 'a load of nonsense' as change to them just meant 'ministerial positions and cars'. He said the new government marked the end of civil war politics in parliament. Mr Varadkar is likely to be Taoiseach again as part of the Government deal. Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan said Micheal Martin was 'perfectly qualified' to lead the government through the difficult times Ireland faces. He said he is forward-looking. He identified the priorities as housing and health. He said it was 'action stations time' when it comes to climate action. The Labour Party's leader Alan Kelly said real change can happen in health care and housing and the Government will be judged by that. He predicted a merger of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and said it was a new dawn for Irish politics on a left right basis. Catherine Murphy of the Social Democrats said there was a desire for fundamental change at the February 2020 election. A high-end escort and mother-of-two has revealed the daily struggles of juggling both lives - along with the constant death stares she cops at school drop off. Sydney sex worker Madison Ashton, 45, left a raunchy life of brothels behind to raise her children, Xavier and Indra, during her 20s. But after struggling to settle into the role of the suburban housewife, Ms Ashton, otherwise known as Christine McQueen, decided to rejoin the sex industry. 'As much as I love my kids, the whole time that I was growing up I felt that I was never going to be respected as a mother,' she wrote in an article for Kidspot. She made headlines after outing herself as an escort in 2012 as she tried to sue the estate of billionaire Richard Pratt for $10million. Ms Ashton said that while raising her children she often longed to be back working in the brothels, adding being a mother was 'way harder' Ms Ashton claimed Pratt, who died in 2009, promised to set up a $5million trust fund for her two children and pay her a retaining fee of $500,000 to stop working as an escort and become his mistress. The businessman was a leading figure in Victorian social and business circles, and was once Australia's fourth richest person. But his former mistress has now revealed said that while raising her children she often longed to be back working in the brothels, adding being a mother was 'way harder'. 'When my children were playing up, I felt that hanging out with the girls at the brothel, listening to disco music, and being with clients seemed like a break in comparison,' she said. While admitting it was hard working during the night but waking up early to take her kids to school, the sex worker said her profession allowed her to keep food on the table. The mother left a career in sex work behind to raise her children but admitted she was desperate to return Madison Ashton leaving the Supreme Court in 2011 (pictured). Although she quit the escort business for a period of time, she is back working in the sex industry Ms Ashton said she was also subjected to the unapproving gaze by the other school mums. 'I was usually too tired to notice the death stares at school pick up, or that collective understanding among the other mums, "'we are going to talk about this b**h once she walks through the gates," but eventually it became obvious that they found me weird and threatening,' she said. Her children would beg her to 'dress like a mum' as she admitted she often rocked up to school in high heels, fake tan and even with a bag of frozen peas on her face to soothe her recent cosmetic surgery. She said her children eventually figured out what their mother did for a living and at 14 years-old her daughter asked who her father was. Ms Ashton told her she had been with a client to which the teenager replied: 'are you a stripper?'. Madison Ashton (pictured) juggles being a mother-of-two with moonlighting as an escort In 2015, Ms Ashton (pictured) spent time in a prison cell in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for unknowingly using counterfeit cash Her son discovered her career after seeing her featured in a series of newspapers. Although the Supreme Court agreed that Pratt and the sex worker had the conversation about a potential trust fund, it was found that Ms Ashton's acceptance of $100,000 and the transfer of a car into her name was done in full satisfaction of the trust claim. Ms Ashton lost the case - but her profile skyrocketed to national infamy. She said her son, Xavier, was very defensive of her profession and would shut down anybody who teased him in the schoolyard - although she admitted it's not a common topic as he finds it 'creepy and uncomfortable'. Xavier even banned her from doing the school pick-up. Escort Madison Ashton (pictured) skyrocketed to national infamy when she attempted to sue billionaire Richard Pratt's estate 'I have picked up heaps of Twitter followers from his college though. They'll probably all book me when they hit their twenties,' Ms Ashton previously said. 'A lot of sex workers hide what they do from their family and children. 'I understand why: all through my twenties I bought into hiding it and cowered under threats of legal exposure from my exes. But it's far better to show your family how to stand up for your own choices.' In 2015, Ms Ashton spent time in a prison cell in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for unknowingly using counterfeit cash. 'It really was one of the most awful experiences, I was quite shaken by it all but once I explained things I was able to get out of there and come home,' Ms Ashton told Fairfax. 'Prison cells are no place for a girl like me.' Oregon Governor Kate Brown (D-Portland) convened the Oregon legislature into emergency session on Wednesday, which is expected to last two or three days. The agenda has several bills, including HB 4212. That bill includes a clause written by Martha Walters, the chief justice of Oregons Supreme Court, at the request of Brown. This clause will allow Walters to suspend due process for up to sixty days if she deems it necessary during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of the legislature reining Gov. Brown in after her illegal orders under the CCP coronavirus pandemic, they have proposed to expand the emergency powers of state government. Theyll totally give them back after the emergency ends, though. The relevant sections of the bill (in bold) dont pass constitutional muster, but will probably pass anyway: Authorizes Chief Justice of Supreme Court, during emergency period and for 60 days thereafter, and upon finding of good cause, to extend or suspend time period or time requirement in rule or statute in specified court proceedings. Authorizes presiding judge of circuit court to extend custody and postpone trials upon finding of good cause, and within specified limits. Authorizes Chief Justice to direct or permit electronic court appearances. Extends time to commence civil action or give notice of civil claim if expiration of time falls within emergency period or within 90 days after end of emergency period. Immunizes owner, officer, operator, employee or agent of isolation shelter, or public entity, from civil liability that is predicated on claim of illness, injury or death from COVID-19. Exempts from immunity conduct that constitutes gross negligence, malice or fraud, that is willful, intentional or reckless, that is criminal or that is unrelated to COVID-19. Requires Director of Department of Consumer and Business Services to adopt temporary and permanent rules establishing emergency temporary infectious disease standards. Directs Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules regarding race and ethnicity data collection by health care providers. Declares emergency, effective on passage. Quick question: What is an isolation shelter, exactly? More to the point, any emergency going forward can justify the courts suspending due process in any case. Of course, the bill contains an emergency clause, which means it takes effect immediately upon passing and severely limits the power of the people to refer it to the general ballot for a vote. 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. In her recent translation of Chandrasekhara Kambars Two Plays, Krishna Manavalli has carefully selected two representative works: Rishyshringa and Mahmoud Gawan. Chandrasekhar Kambar, one of the stalwart playwrights of this country, began his literary career when the Kannada theatre in the 20th century was beginning to adopt new forms and new ways of expression. With the navya movement gaining ground, the Western modernist influences were felt powerfully on Kannada writing. Many major Kannada playwrights of the time began experimenting with the modernist forms like the absurd play. But Kambar drew upon his native North Karnataka folk roots. He brought the mythopoetic imagination into this navya theatre. A highly prolific writer, Kambar has experimented with almost all the theatre forms of his time like the absurd play, political satire, childrens play and so on. But his metier is employing the ancient and folk myths. Kambar has often said, A Londoner finds his dance, song, drama and religion in different places. But a man from my village looks for all these in one place. The folk theatre gives this wholesome experience. So, Ibsen is impossible in my village, and may I add, he should not be possible! Kambar brings the collective and participatory nature of the folk drama alive in his writing. In her recent translation of Kambars Two Plays published by Penguin Random House, Krishna Manavalli has carefully selected two representative works for translation. Kambars early play Rishyshringa and his latest Mahmoud Gawan. In fact, there are a host of differences in the conception and execution of these two plays. The first play is rooted in the folk mythology, but the second is a historical play with an element of phantasy woven into it. Krishnas translation of these plays, which are literally at the two ends of what I would like to call the Kambar spectrum, is simply remarkable. Rishyashringa came as a sequel to Kambars first major poem, Helathena Kela (Listen, I Will Tell You). Kambar considers this poem the nucleus around which all his works took shape. Helathena Kela narrates how the organic community of Shivapura is destroyed by the radical changes that sweep over it. The Gowda, the chief of the village, is killed by a rakshasa (demon/foreigner) who comes to the village in the form of a tiger. He kills the Gowda and takes his form. He rules the village and the Gowdas household. The Gowdas wife even gives birth to his son, Balagonda. Kambar explores the theme of the colonial conquest, and its devastating effects on rural places like Shivapura in Helathena Kela. There are various versions of the myth of Rishyashringa. In the original Rishyashringa myth, when this young man arrives in a city struck by famine, it rains. But in Kambars play, this myth is subjected to new twists and turns. The central character Balagonda (the demon-Gowdas son in Helathena Kela) is studying in the city. In the meanwhile, Shivapura is struck by a severe famine. People of Shivapura believe that if Balagonda returns to the village, it will rain. But nothing happens. It does not rain since Balagondas birth is in itself illicit. In his recent review of the Two Plays in Outlook, K Satchidanandan observes, While the play is about sin and expiation, it also carries an oblique critic of our colonial burden that we inherit from our urban training. Balagondas existential dilemma results from the disconnect with the tradition into which one is born and to the contemporary environment where one flourishes or fails. No doubt, most of Kambars plays are based on myths, legends, or fables from North Karnataka. Kambar employs the regional modes of narration and theatre conventions. But Mahmoud Gawan stands apart from this corpus. It is a historical play set in 15th century North Karnataka. In this play, instead of the folk language, Kambar opts for what the illustrious sarod maestro and literary critic Rajeev Taranath terms neutral language. What is more, Gawan is not from Karnataka. He is from Iran. But he knows of the renowned Sufi saint Bande Nawaz. Inspired by the saints life, he comes to India to find a land where people live together with many different faiths, religions, and philosophies. He becomes the diwan of the Bahamani Sultanate. But the unexpected posting of a foreigner in the highest official position angers the native chieftains and officers who plot to eliminate him. At the tragic end of the play, Gawan laments, Now, mans fate must be decided only by ruthless politics. The main inspiration behind the rise of the Bahamani dynasty was the blending of the two religions But now politics doesnt need morality. The play reflects the prevailing political and social environment in the country in a significant manner. Having internalised the creative nuances of the folk, as well as the highly urban/cosmopolitan forms of language used by Kambar in these two plays, Krishna has done a brilliant job of bringing them into English. In doing so, she has also performed a highly commendable service to Kannada writing. She has taken two excellent plays of Kambar to a larger readership. Besides, she captures sharply, the issues of history, modernity and the global imaginary which Kambar engages in his works. I wholeheartedly endorse Taranaths observation that Kambars creativity in Rishyashringa and Mahmoud Gawan has been preserved vividly in her translation. Two Plays by Chandrasekhara Kambar (in Kannada); translated into English by Krishna Manavalli | Penguin India | pages 212 | Rs 299 Sudhakaran Ramanthali writes in both Malayalam and Kannada. His published works include three novels, a collection of stories and a script. People cross the street between Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter with and without face coverings, during the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Scottsdale By Steve Gorman and Nathan Layne (Reuters) - Troubling spikes in coronavirus infection rates were reported on Friday in several U.S. states, mainly in the South and West, a day before President Donald Trump was due to preside over an Oklahoma campaign rally that will be America's largest indoor gathering in months. Wall Street jitters over a resurgence in COVID-19 cases as states moved to reopen long-stifled commerce and ease social-distancing measures helped drive down major U.S. stock indexes, reversing earlier gains. Experts say expanded diagnostic testing accounts for some, but not all, of the growth in cases - numbering at least 2.23 million nationwide on Friday - and that the mounting volume of infections was elevating hospitalizations in some places. "Clearly the cases are rising rapidly. It's not just a matter of testing more," said Dr. Murtaza Akhter, an emergency room physician at Arizona hospitals, noting the lag time between a positive test and severe illness or death. "The real concern is what is coming up for us in the next week or two." He said the latest wave of cases has put Arizona's major hospitals at or near capacity, and placed the Southwestern state on track to surpass New York at its peak on a per-capita basis. More than 119,000 Americans have perished from COVID-19 to date, according to Reuters' running tally. Particularly alarming has been the upward trends several states are reporting in the percentage of positive tests among individuals who are screened, a metric experts refer to as the positivity rate. The World Health Organization considers positivity rates above 5% to be especially concerning, and widely watched data from Johns Hopkins University shows 16 states with average rates over the past week exceeding that level and climbing. Four were averaging double-digit rates - Arizona at 17%, Alabama at 12%, Washington state at 11% and South Carolina at 10%. The dozen others were led by Utah, Texas, Mississippi, Florida and Georgia, all averaging rates of 7.5% or higher. Story continues Some of the latest daily figures were also disconcerting. Arizona, where doctors and public health administrators have called for making face coverings mandatory in public, reported a record 3,246 new infections over the previous 24 hours, nearly twice those tallied on Wednesday. Its latest single-day positivity rate, from Thursday, stood at 18.6%. In Phoenix, where the president is due to visit a church next Tuesday for a "Students for Trump" event, the city council voted at the mayor's urging on Friday to mandate face coverings in most public places. That move came two days after Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order allowing cities and counties to require face coverings. Florida, one of the last states to impose stay-at-home restrictions and one of the first to begin lifting them, reported 3,822 new cases, a daily record. Its latest positivity figure was 10%, according to the state's health department. SUNBELT HOT SPOTS "The situation in Florida and Arizona is really concerning," William Hanage, an epidemiology professor at Harvard University, adding that the spike in cases was not just due to more testing but indicative of an "underlying outbreak of unknown size." Even if the growth in confirmed cases partly reflects transmission among younger people less likely to be hospitalized, those people could infect the elderly and other vulnerable individuals with underlying health conditions. "The more community transmission there is, the larger the risk that it infects somebody who is vulnerable. There are quite a lot of old people in Florida and in Arizona," Hanage said. Another focus of concern was in Oklahoma, where the Trump campaign will hold a rally on Saturday at a 19,000-seat indoor arena in Tulsa, his first such event since lockdowns were imposed across much of the country in March. Public health experts have warned that assembling thousands of shouting, chanting people inside the BOK Center and an adjacent convention hall poses the risk of creating a "super-spreader" event for the highly contagious coronavirus. Rally organizers plan to hand out masks and hand sanitizer to attendees before they enter the venue, but they will not be required to maintain social distancing or wear face coverings. They also must sign a waiver promising not to sue Trump or the campaign if they contract the virus. Trump supporters began lining up outside the arena well in advance. One of them, Randall Thom, 60, from Lakefield, Minnesota, said on Friday the United States needed to reopen. "We can't be afraid of this China virus or whatever you guys want to call it. I'm not afraid of it at all," he said. "And I am so honored that President Trump wants to do a trade for us as citizens, you know, to give us our rights to be normal again." (Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles and Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Additional reporting by David Schwartz in Phoenix; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Dateline Will Myanmars Next Govt Be an Ethnic-NLD Coalition? -- Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, we will discuss the expectations and concerns of the ethnic parties for the 2020 general elections, and how ethnic parties can build bargaining power. Vice-Secretary 1 U Sai Nyunt Lwin of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy [SNLD] joined me to discuss this. Im The Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni. First of all, I would like to thank you for participating in the Dateline program. Sai Nyunt Lwin: My pleasure. YN: Political parties are making preparations for the coming election. What is the target of the SNLD for the 2020 election? How many seats does the party think it can win in Shan State and the Union Parliaments, and how has the party prepared? SNL: It is difficult for us to say what our target is. As we contested the 2015 election, we will also run in the 2020 election. We will try to win the seats that we won in the 2015 election. There were constituencies that we lost unexpectedly in 2015, and we will try to win back those seats. This is our ambition for the time being. We can only contest in Shan, Kachin and Kayah states and Mandalay Region at the very most. We have limited resources to rally public support, so we will only be able to contest in those places. YN: Political analysts suggest that unlike the 2015 general election, the contest will be more intense in ethnic areas between ethnic parties, the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Ethnic parties have merged in order to avoid splitting votes, for example in Kachin and Chin states. What is the potential for a merger between the SNLD and another major Shan party, the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) in Shan State? SNL: Frankly speaking, there is nothing yet. Yes, the contest will be intense in the 2020 election, especially in border areas. The UEC reduced the residency requirement for voting rights of internal migrants from six months to 90 days. This can seriously impact ethnic parties in border areas and it is not yet clear how the UEC will verify if people have resided in a place for the 90 consecutive days needed to be able to cast a vote. There could be disputes as a result. YN: Can you elaborate on your views? The competition will be more intense in ethnic areas. The NLD needs to secure over 50 percent of seats to form the government. It secured 57 percent of seats in the 2015 election. Political analysts say that the NLD may not be able to repeat its 2015 victory this time, so the party will need to ally with ethnic parties if it is unable to achieve over 50 percent. When I asked NLD Vice-Chairman Dr. Zaw Myint Maung about the potential for an alliance between the NLD and ethnic parties in a recent interview, he said the party considers ethnic issues important. If the NLD won less than 50 percent of seats and offered to form the government together with your party, what would your party say? I ask this because your party has formed alliances with other parties. Has your party reached any agreement [with the NLD] to achieve greater bargaining power? SNL: The NLD won a landslide victory in 2015, and out of its national reconciliation policy, the party appointed members of the USDP, the CRPP [Committee Representing the Peoples Parliament] and the SNLD to its cabinet. But our ways of thinking are different. The NLD appointed individual party members to its cabinet. We in the SNLD dont like that; our view is that if the NLD will appoint our party members to its cabinet, the NLD leadership should consult with SNLD leaders in advance and make the appointments through mutual agreement. I am talking about this now because it is important to do so, should things develop as you said in the 2020 general election. I dont think it will work if the NLD will again appoint individual party members [from other parties] to its cabinet. We dont want to see discrimination based on the size of party and the fact that a party is from central Myanmar. We are fighting for equality. If we are treated as equals, we will not hesitate to negotiate. Politics is about dialogue. We want to win the election so that we can engage in dialogue with other parties. The SNLD accounts for 2.5 percent of seats in the Union Parliament. Our bargaining power will increase if we win more seats in the coming election. YN: Can you tell me more about the SNLDs plans to establish an alliance with ethnic parties? SNL: We are a member of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), which is a political alliance of around 15 ethnic political parties. Recently, Chin parties have merged and so have Kachin parties and Mon parties. Except in Shan and Rakhine states, ethnic political parties have merged in other states. As a result, they have resigned from the UNA. Currently, there are 12 members in the UNA, but it still has partner organizations. Among them are the Democratic Party for a New Society and the UNDP [Union National Democracy Party] which was formed by elected members in the 1990 election, and so on. These are the political parties we have partnered with in order to have bargaining power regarding the election. The UNA has partners like ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) that have signed the NCA (Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement) and civil society organizations like the WLB (Womens League of Burma). So, we have a lot of partners to consult with. I watched the interviews of Saya Zaw Myint Maung. At first, his voice was strong and he said the party [the NLD] did not need alliesthat it would not seek alliances and that it would try to win the election and form the government on its own. But things have changed lately. We think the NLD will discuss the potential for an alliance. YN: Suppose the NLD wins less than 50 percent of seats, and ethnic and small parties collectively secure over 25 percent of seats with the military continuing to hold 25 percent of seats. In such a scenario, will the ethnic parties take initiative to form the coalition government with the NLD? What is your view on the 25 percent of seats held by the military? SNL: They get 25 percent of seats without running in the election. We dont like that, but we can do nothing about it. At present, we ethnic parties collectively hold only 9 percent of seats in the Union Parliament. It is unlikely that we can win 25 percent of seats. The NLD may lose in some places, but it will not suffer from a resounding defeat. Wethe UNAmay win only 4-5 percent at most. As Ive said earlier, we formed political parties to engage in dialogue with those who have different views. We agree to disagree. We will not say no to any dialogue. We are ready for it when there is a need to exercise bargaining power. We are ready to engage in dialogue with any political party inside the country even if their policies are different from ours. But it is unlikely that we will secure 25 percent of seats, even collectively. Ethnic parties only hold 9 percent of seats in the current Parliament. Even those in that 9 percent do not share the same political views. It is quite unlikely that ethnic parties with the same political views can secure 25 percent together. I am not sure ethnic parties will even contest 25 percent of the total seats. YN: You said you are not happy with the UECs reduction of the residency requirement period. Do you think that move was made by the NLD government to favor their party? I ask because it is normal for incumbent parties to gain advantages in elections. Does the SNLD believe the 2020 election is a level playing field for political parties, and is the party satisfied with the UEC? SNL: The UEC reduced the residency requirement from 180 days to 90 days without consulting anyone and later sought approval from the Parliament. As it reduced the residency requirement without consulting with any party, ethnic parties in particular have doubts about its intentions. We are not happy with it, so we are asking the UEC to consult with political parties before introducing any new regulation. Under the previous government, the redundancy requirement was 180 days, meaning people must have at least lived in a place for 180 days in a row to be able to cast votes in that area. We were against even that. Reducing the period to further 90 days is worse. The UEC said its reasoning was that it just wants to make sure every citizen is enfranchised. But there are many ways to prevent the citizens from being disfranchised. They can cast advanced votes, postal votes and so on. But as they introduced this rule without prior consultation with political parties, this has raised doubts. To remedy this, it should consult with and seek approval from political parties in doing anything in the future. YN: What else are you concerned about for the election? Are you concerned that the election wont be free and fair? SNL: As far as Ive learned, the UEC does not like election monitoring bodies. This is unacceptable. There must be third-party independent monitoring bodies. Without such bodies saying that the election is free and fair, people will doubt the credibility of the election no matter how much the UEC claims the election is free and fair. To ensure a free and fair election, there must be monitoring and confirmation by independent monitoring organizations. Only with their nod can we be fully confident that the election can be free and fair. So I want the UEC to allowed monitoring bodies. I heard that some regulations by the UEC have imposed restrictions for monitoring bodies. The confirmation by international election observers is very important. The ruling party has an advantage because of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who enjoys popular support. The NLD won a landslide victory in 2015 because she campaigned across the country. At the time, she had not yet taken up the top government position, equivalent to a head of state. But as today she is the State Counselor, she cant perform duties in her party. We are very interested to see whether she will continue to campaign for her party around the country in the coming election. It is likely that she will resign as State Counselor two months before the election and go work for her party. It is certain that the election will be held while the COVID-19 crisis continues. The UEC needs to consider the safety of voters and make necessary preparations. You may also like these stories: All NLD Members of Mandalay Cabinet to Run in Myanmars General Election: Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to Run in Myanmars General Election She's the former Home and Away star who likes to keep fit with regular Pilates classes and coastal walks. And on Friday, Pia Miller enjoyed a morning hike by the sea in Sydney. The 36-year-old went makeup free and showed off her trim pins in activewear as she joined a friend on her outdoor adventure. Beaming beauty! Former Home and Away star Pia Miller went makeup free and showed off her trim pins in activewear on a hike in Sydney on Friday The mother-of-two wore a pair of black leggings with an oversized green 'Pocahontas' jumper and black sneakers. She accessorised with a pair of chic sunglasses and wore lanyard with her car keys around her neck. The brunette beauty styled her tresses in a messy bun and ditched the makeup, looking flawless while out and about. Keeping fit: The mother-of-two wore a pair of black leggings with an oversized green 'Pocahontas' jumper and black sneakers Active: Pia has previously said that she likes to keep fit with regular Pilates classes and coastal walks During the walk, she was seen taking a big stride across a large sandstone rock as she followed her friend. Pia previously revealed that she enjoys doing Pilates classes as a way to keep fit, and told Beauty Crew back in April: 'Reformer Pilates is such a good workout and I've noticed major changes in my body with regards to toning and strength.' She said that because of the coronavirus pandemic, she has had to do Pilates at home. 'The great thing about Kirsten (Kristen King - founder of Fluid Form Pilates) is that she has a home workout program which I've been doing. So, there's no excuses!' But when the brunette beauty is busy with her acting gigs, she told Sportluxe: 'I opt for a swim, coastal walk or at-home yoga.' Long-distance love: Pia has been self-isolating with her sons in Sydney since the coronavirus pandemic began. The COVID-19 lockdown has meant that she has unable to see her LA-based boyfriend Patrick Whitesell (pictured) for weeks The mother-of-two has been self-isolating with her sons in Sydney since the coronavirus pandemic began. The COVID-19 lockdown has meant that she has unable to see her LA-based boyfriend Patrick Whitesell for weeks. Back in May, Pia revealed that she has been keeping in constant touch with her Hollywood agent beau thanks to FaceTime. She shared a screenshot of herself looking flawless, with eyeliner, mascara, and a soft nude lip, as she made a video call to Patrick. 'Love in the time of COVID': Back in May, Pia revealed that she has been keeping in constant touch with her beau thanks to FaceTime She smiled for the camera ready to talk with her beloved and wrote in the caption of the post: 'Love in the time of COVID - 19 P.' Pia was first linked to Patrick in August last year following her split with her long-time fiance, Tyson Mullane, 31, in April. The couple made their public debut at a Halloween party in Los Angeles in October. Pia made their relationship Instagram official on Christmas Eve, sharing a loved-up photo with Patrick outside of the Louvre in Paris, and captioning it 'P'. French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said he would soon travel to Russia for more talks with his counterpart Vladimir Putin. "Trust-building talks initiated with President Putin at Fort Bregancon continue," Macron said in a tweet, mentioning European security, regional conflicts and climate change as key themes. "I will travel soon to Russia." Macron and Putin held a video call on Friday. Macron has called for Europe to re-examine its strategic partnership with Russia, saying that a policy of defiance towards Moscow in recent years had failed. Search Keywords: Short link: Earlier this month, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 or Jones Act as it is commonly referred to, turned 100 years old. For the last century, this important piece of legislation has ensured that at least one vital industry has not been exported in the name of nominal economic gains and wouldnt contribute to the continuing marginalization of America First policy in the name of globalism -- shipbuilding. Over the past several years, for one illogical reason or another, voices have sprung up from the proverbial peanut gallery calling for its repeal falsely in the name of the so-called free market principles that conservatives and libertarians like myself perpetually champion. While some have made inconclusive points against the Jones Act regarding the economic impacts of its potential repeal, these arguments fail to acknowledge that the law is primarily intended to uphold national security interests and is not intended to help international fat cats eke out an extra percentage point or two in overall profit margins. During the horrific hurricane season of 2017, the Jones Act was wrongly criticized as an obstruction to the delivery of much-needed supplies to the Hurricane Maria-ravaged island of Puerto Rico. The truth is, the Jones Act in absolutely no way obstructed the delivery of foreign imports to the island. Furthermore, during the period that the Jones Act was temporarily lifted in 2017, a grand total of only two vessels applied for a waiver. But if there is one thing that we have learned from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it is the importance of nationalism in regard to certain industries, especially those that pertain to the health and welfare of Americans, as well the ones that contribute immeasurably to our military readiness. As the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the world on the heels of the signing of the historic new U.S.-China Phase One trade deal, we immediately saw what the problems that a complete handing off of the maritime shipping industry to China could eventually pose. Back in April, recently installed Chinese export restrictions had left U.S.- bound N95 face masks, test kits, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) that was urgently needed to fight the coronavirus in a state of limbo in the communist country. We are already behind the eight ball when it comes to the pharmaceutical, technological, and several other industries. President Trump, through his prioritization of American interests, has worked hard to revitalize several industries, including ones of strategic importance in the case of a possible military conflict, including a steel industry that America is still far too reliant on China for. Waiving the white flag at Red China on the shipbuilding industry could potentially have devastating effects as U.S.-Sino relations continue to become more contentious as we learn the details surrounding the origins of what President Trump likes to call the invisible enemy. The idea of protecting maritime trade as a cornerstone of national security and prosperity goes all the way back to the use of waterborne vessels as early as 4000 B.C., and in the embryonic stages of the United States it was noted by American thought leaders like Adam Smith, who wrote in The Wealth of Nations that it is of vital importance for a country to protect its maritime trade from foreign competitors. The U.S. is reliant on three separate fleets of ships. The first, and without a doubt the most important, is the United States Navy. In America, we have built what is by far the worlds most powerful maritime force, and Federal laws prohibit outsourcing our fleet to foreign builders like China. The second, are the more than 40,000 vessels that engage in trade domestically within the U.S. between American ports. These boats, like the ones belonging to the U.S. Navy, are American built, owned and crewed because of the Jones Act. The third are the more than 41,000 transcontinental ships that move 90% of the worlds trade on container ships and tankers. Typically, they are rarely built, owned, or worked by American crews. Communist China as well as other Asian nations already dominate the construction of this fleet. In 2020, a year that has been dominated by Murphys Law, American legislators need to ask themselves if they are really willing to allow the country that lied, covered-up, and misrepresented the details regarding the largest and farthest-reaching pandemic in 100 years, while withholding desperately needed, lifesaving supplies, to completely dominate global maritime trade. The answer should be a firm no. Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, the Editorial Director for Reactionary Times, and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is focused on cybersecurity and politics, has been published by websites including The Hill, Real Clear Politics, Townhall and American Thinker. The latest analyst coverage could presage a bad day for KB Home (NYSE:KBH), with the analysts making across-the-board cuts to their statutory estimates that might leave shareholders a little shell-shocked. There was a fairly draconian cut to their revenue estimates, perhaps an implicit admission that previous forecasts were much too optimistic. Following the latest downgrade, the eleven analysts covering KB Home provided consensus estimates of US$3.9b revenue in 2020, which would reflect a not inconsiderable 17% decline on its sales over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are supposed to nosedive 25% to US$2.49 in the same period. Previously, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$4.6b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$2.57 in 2020. Indeed, we can see that analyst sentiment has declined measurably after the new consensus came out, with a measurable cut to revenue estimates and a minor downgrade to EPS estimates to boot. See our latest analysis for KB Home NYSE:KBH Earnings and Revenue Growth June 27th 2020 What's most unexpected is that the consensus price target rose 6.1% to US$34.27, strongly implying the downgrade to forecasts is not expected to be more than a temporary blip. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. Currently, the most bullish analyst values KB Home at US$40.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$28.50. Analysts definitely have varying views on the business, but the spread of estimates is not wide enough in our view to suggest that extreme outcomes could await KB Home shareholders. Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. These estimates imply that sales are expected to slow, with a forecast revenue decline of 17%, a significant reduction from annual growth of 10% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 2.6% next year. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - KB Home is expected to lag the wider industry. Story continues The Bottom Line The most important thing to take away is that analysts cut their earnings per share estimates, expecting a clear decline in business conditions. Unfortunately analysts also downgraded their revenue estimates, and industry data suggests that KB Home's revenues are expected to grow slower than the wider market. There was also an increase in the price target, suggesting that there is more optimism baked into the forecasts than there was previously. Often, one downgrade can set off a daisy-chain of cuts, especially if an industry is in decline. So we wouldn't be surprised if the market became a lot more cautious on KB Home after today. A high debt burden combined with a downgrade of this magnitude always gives us some reason for concern, especially if these forecasts are just the first sign of a business downturn. To see more of our financial analysis, you can click through to our free platform to learn more about its balance sheet and specific concerns we've identified. Another thing to consider is whether management and directors have been buying or selling stock recently. We provide an overview of all open market stock trades for the last twelve months on our platform, here. 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. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Tuolumne County Jail View Photo Sonora, CA The practices involving who to release and who to detain ahead of criminal trials will be scrutinized under a pilot program beginning June 30 in Tuolumne County. On Friday, Tuolumne County Court Executive Officer Hector Gonzalez shared a new pretrial pilot program under a two-year grant to improve pretrial release practices is set to begin. The county, one of 17 chosen to participate, was awarded $632,000 by the Judicial council of California (JCC) to improve the local justice system. Specifically, the program will address jail overcrowding; work to reduce failures to appear; prioritize community safety, ensuring incarceration is reserved for those who jeopardize public safety; and reduce discrimination based on wealth and race. Gonzalez explains that the goals are to increase the safe, pretrial release of people from jail before their case is over, transparently assess their likelihood of returning to court and remaining arrest-free; monitor people while on pretrial release with research-based practices; and reduce bias based on wealth, race, ethnicity and gender. Serious Local Jail Overcrowding Problem A Nexus Even before the issue of bail reform became a major political topic, Tuolumne County was faced with a jail-overcrowding problem so serious that immediate action was required, states Superior Court Presiding Judge Donald Segerstrom. Working together with our justice partners, the Tuolumne County Superior Court instituted a local pretrial release program that focused on making sure public safety was the guiding factor. That local program allowed us to successfully apply for the Pretrial Pilot Program Grantto continue this work. The judge added that the program will enable the ability to ensure there is jail space for sentenced prisoners and limit pretrial detention to those who represent a public safety threat. Chief Probation Officer Dan Hawks says he believes the local program, which was developed in partnership with justice system partners and experts in the field, can provide a model to other small counties looking to achieve great outcomes on a limited budget. The program will use a public safety assessment (PSA) tool to assist judges in understanding the likely risk level of pretrial release and help inform the condition of release decisions to help people succeed while awaiting trial with conditions that to remain on release they do not commit any new crimes and appear at all their court proceedings. Chennai, June 27 : A 41-year-old senior cameraman with a popular private television channel in Tamil Nadu succumbed to COVID-19 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital on Saturday. He is the first journalist in the state to fall prey to the dreaded disease. Condoling the cameraman's death, Chief Minister K. Palaniswami announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the bereaved family. He also urged the journalists to be careful while going out to gather news. Political leaders like DMK President M.K. Stalin, PMK Founder S. Ramadoss also extended their condolences. They appealed to the journalist fraternity to take necessary precautions to safeguard themselves. Chennai Press Club Joint Secretary Bharathi Tamizhan said the deceased journalist is survived by his wife and 12 year old son. He said the cameraman's wife has been working as a nurse on contract at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital and appealed to Palaniswami to regularise her services. Tamizhan also urged Palaniswami to draft a comprehensive insurance scheme for journalists. Noile-Immune Biotech Inc., ("Noile-Immune") and C4U Corporation, ("C4U") announced that they have entered into an agreement on joint research and commercialization of next-generation allogeneic gene-modified immune cell therapy combining C4U's CRISPR/Cas3 genome editing technology and Noile-Immune's PRIME (Proliferation inducing and migration enhancing) technology designed to improve proliferation and trafficking of immune cells into solid tumors. The CRISPR/Cas3 technology is the C4U's core technology, which is developed by the founders and advisors of Scientific Advisory Board of C4U, Dr. Tomoji Mashimo, professor of the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo, and Dr. Junji Takeda, guest professor of the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University. CRISPR/Cas3 is the technology that can counter the CRISPR/Cas9 system, which is currently being researched all over the world, and is attracted attention as a promising genome editing technology that is not affected by the complicated patent status related to Cas9. The PRIME technology, the core technology of Noile-Immune, is related to gene-modified immune cell therapies including CAR-T and TCR-T cells against cancer, and was developed by Dr. Koji Tamada, the scientific founder and director of Noile-Immune, professor of Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine and Invited Professor at Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo. PRIME technology not only enhances the functions of gene-modified immune cells by producing cytokines and chemokines, but also improves the ability of patient's own immune systems to cope with cancer cells. "I am very pleased to establish an alliance with C4U, which has a unique genome editing technology, " said Dr. Tamada. "In this project, we will develop highly active allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy by combining our PRIME CAR-T technology and genome editing technology owned by C4U. Combination of these Japan-origin technologies is expected to create next-generation CAR-T cells that are highly versatile and beneficial for many solid cancer patients. This project aims to develop a stage-of-the-art cancer immunotherapy under various research supports including MEXT's Program for Building Regional Innovation Ecosystems." "Noile-Immune's PRIME CAR-T technology is world's innovative technology that overcoming the weak points of CAR-T cells on the solid cancer and the sustainability," said Dr. Mashimo. "By combining our CRISPR/Cas3 genome editing technology to PRIME CAR-T technology, it is possible to produce more effective and superior allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy at reasonable cost compared to the conventional CAR-T cell therapy. We are confident that we can provide novel our therapy to a number of patients who are fighting to cancer." Under this agreement, Noile-Immune and C4U will conduct joint research on allogeneic gene-modified immune cell therapy. Noile-Immune will bear part of the costs necessary to carry out this joint research. In addition, both companies have the right to commercialize the results obtained by this joint research, and the right to mutually receive royalties under the contract. Noile-Immune will pay the access fee for the core technology of C4U when commercializing. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed. ### About Noile-Immune Biotech, Inc. Noile-Immune is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cancer immunotherapy products with breakthrough technology to eradicate cancer cells. The company aims to discover and develop innovative cancer immunotherapies through the partnerships with experts in academia including Yamaguchi University and The National Cancer Center Japan, and deliver the first-in-class and best-in-class therapies to patients as well. Learn more at https://www.noile-immune.com/english. About C4U Corporation C4U (CRISPR for You) is a life science startup founded in March 2018 and originated from Osaka University. The company is working on the development of own core technology for new genome editing. Learn more at http://www.crispr4u.jp/en/. About Yamaguchi University Yamaguchi University is a comprehensive national university with over 10,000 students in 9 faculties and 8 graduate schools. The university traces its started in 1815. Yamaguchi University has put these values to words in our motto: "Discover it. Nourish it. Realize it. A Place of Wisdom," and contributes to local development and to the development of Japanese and international society through the three fields of education, research, and social contribution. Yamaguchi University has been supported by Program for Building Regional Innovation Ecosystems (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan). Learn more at http://www.yamaguchi-u.ac.jp/english.html. About IMSUT (The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo) The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT) evolved from its origin, the Institute for Infectious Disease in 1967. The mission of IMSUT is to advance basic knowledge underlying infectious diseases, cancer and other intractable diseases and ultimately to control them. IMSUT consists of about 165 faculty members, 224 graduate students coming from various schools such as medicine, science, agriculture, pharmaceutical science, and engineering to develop more effective interdisciplinary research in basic life science and genomic medicine. Learn more at https://www.ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp/imsut/en/index.html. US House Democrats will make history Friday by voting for Washington DC to become the nation's 51st state, but the move, a push for voting rights for the capital's residents, is doomed in the Senate. More than 705,000 Americans live in Washington, a Democratic stronghold with a population greater than two states, Wyoming and Vermont, and comparable to two others. But the capital's residents -- who pay taxes, serve in the military, operate businesses and service the buildings of the federal government -- have not had a voting voice in Congress since the permanent capital's founding, in 1790. Democratic lawmakers frame the DC statehood bill, which is expected to pass, as a remedy to a historic injustice of voter disenfranchisement, and a longstanding civil rights issue for a city that is nearly 50 percent black. "We think it's very long overdue that residents of the District of Columbia, all good Americans, should have a vote in the House and in the Senate," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said ahead of the vote. The milestone statehood vote is the first in Congress since 1993. Never has such a bill -- appropriately titled HR-51 -- cleared the House or Senate. "Congress has two choices: it can continue to exercise undemocratic autocratic authority over" Washington, "or Congress can live up to this nation's promise and ideals and pass HR51," said the city's non-voting House delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. Republicans who oppose the effort say it runs counter to the intent of the framers of the US Constitution who sought to create a unique federal district not influenced by any state. "Washington DC was set apart as a seat of government, not as a part of the federation of states that the constitution grants us," Republican Jody Hice said on the House floor. In an example of unwelcome federal intervention, President Donald Trump sent federal forces to clear out protesters near the White House earlier this month without coordinating with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. Maryland and Virginia ceded land in the 1780s for the creation of a federal capital along the Potomac River. Washington, District of Columbia, became the permanent US capital in 1790. The district returned the land south of the Potomac to Virginia in 1846. But unlike other American citizens, Washington residents have never had voting representatives in Congress, leading the city to print the famous, colonial-era battle cry, "Taxation without representation," on its vehicle license plates. The new state would be known as Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, taking the names of the nation's first president George Washington and prominent black abolitionist Frederick Douglass. House Republican Mo Brooks likened the statehood effort to a power grab by Democrats seeking "two more guaranteed left-wing senators." He and other Republicans float the concept known as "retrocession," in which Washington would return its residential land to Maryland, which would allow city residents to vote for senators and have a voice in Congress. A small federal district encompassing government buildings, Congress, monuments and the White House would remain. The push for Washington statehood is highly unlikely to succeed for now. Trump has expressed opposition, and the Republicans who control the Senate have said they have no intention to bring it to a vote in the 100-member chamber. The last time states joined the union was 1959, when Alaska was admitted as the 49th state on January 3 and Hawaii became the 50th state seven months later. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Eisya A. Eloksari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27 2020 Credit card holders should activate their six-digit personal identification number (PIN), which will be mandatory for transactions as of July 1, the Indonesian Credit Card Association (AKKI) has stated. In accordance with Bank Indonesia regulation, starting from July 1, all credit card transactions will require six-digit PIN numbers as a form of authentication, while signature authentication will be disallowed. The only exception is for purchases below Rp 1 million (US$70.9) using contactless credit cards. A survey by YouGov in June showed that one in four Indonesian credit card users had yet to activate their PIN, despite an overwhelming 81 percent stating they were aware of the regulation deadline. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login By ANI CHOMU (Rajasthan): Swarms of locusts have attacked Hasteda village in Chomu where a farmer claimed that his crops were destroyed. Sheeshpal, the farmer on Friday said, "Locusts have attacked our village for the fourth time. They have caused severe damage to our crops and cattle fodder. We appeal to the state government to provide us with some relief." Earlier on Wednesday, BR Kadwa, Deputy Director of Rajasthan Agriculture Department had said that the Centre is planning to use helicopters to control the locust swarms which are entering Rajasthan from Pakistan. "Locust attack has been ongoing for 1.5 months. Rajasthan is one of the most affected states as some districts - Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Ganganagar - share border with Pakistan from where locusts are entering other districts," Kadwa had said. "Operations are on to control them. The issue is, we had killed older swarms but new swarms are coming now. The government of India says that Air Force helicopters will also be used to control it. Locusts have made border areas near Pakistan their breeding centres from where they're coming here and Pakistan is unable to control them," he had added. The official had also said that with the fast-approaching monsoon season, the new swarms can also set up breeding grounds in the desert areas of the state which could further aggravate the problem. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Sitting on the sofa to watch TV one night in her New Zealand home, Abbie Sundgren was transfixed by a drama about the kidnap of a newborn baby. Within seconds of the programme starting, the 25-year-old realised that the plot was the story of the first 17 days of her own life. Not surprisingly, she binge-watched all six episodes. Today, Abbie works in the beauty industry in Auckland. But back in 1994, her story one of the most audacious kidnappings in British history had the country on tenterhooks. Anguish: Karen Humphries with newborn Abbie. For 17 days, her parents Karen and Roger Humphries, did not know if their daughter was alive or dead Princess Diana even sent a goodwill message to her distraught family as they waited for news. Day after day there were headlines about the hunt for Baby Abbie, the little girl stolen from Nottinghams Queens Medical Centre three and a half hours after her birth. For 17 days, her parents Karen and Roger Humphries, did not know if their daughter was alive or dead. All they had was a brief memory and a photo of mums first cuddle, taken by the proud father. Eventually, Abbie was returned to them and the story unfolded about how she had been snatched by a disturbed 22-year-old who had faked a pregnancy to save a failing relationship. Laura Carmichael as the baby-snatcher in the drama the story inspired. The actress, best know as Lady Edith in Downton Abbey, has won plaudits for the role Dressed as a nurse in a pale blue uniform, Julie Kelley took newborn Abbie from her father, telling him the child needed a hearing test. Abbies mother had briefly left the maternity ward to make a phone call and by the time she returned, Abbie was gone. Speaking to The Mail on Sunday about the TV series which is about to be screened on BBC, Abbie reveals that, rather than being traumatised by reliving this confrontation with her past, she loved the screen version of her kidnapping. As I am sure you can imagine, this does bring up a lot of emotions for my family, she said. The Humphries, who have an older son and younger daughter, wanted a fresh start and emigrated to New Zealand when Abbie was ten. They bought a rural five-acre plot from where Roger set up his own plumbing business and midwife Karen continued her career. They never hid from Abbie what had happened to her but nor did they let it define her. Previously, Abbie has said: My parents told me all about it as I grew up, but not all in one go. It came out in bits and pieces. It was after we moved to New Zealand when I realised how big it all was. We were unpacking all the boxes and I saw the press cuttings. As a youngster, Abbie became a swimming champion, dreamed of becoming a detective and grew up enjoying the freedom of New Zealands beach culture. In 2017, she married her long-time boyfriend Karloss Sundgren in a vineyard ceremony. Speaking a decade ago, her mother Karen said she sometimes tried to forget the name of her daughters kidnapper because she was determined the woman would not be part of the familys life forever. Id had those first three hours with Abbie, cuddling her and feeding her, she recalled. The bonding had begun. It was a terrible wrench to lose her so quickly, but I knew I had to be strong and believe that I would get her back. However, with the new TV drama, called The Secrets She Keeps, on primetime TV across the world, it seems clear they cannot escape Kelley completely. The series is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by crime writer Michael Robotham who, at the time of Abbies kidnapping, was an executive on The Mail on Sunday. Moving on: Abbie at her 2017 wedding to Karloss in New Zealand As Abbie points out, it is a very contemporary re-working based in Australia, in which the woman whose baby is stolen is a blogger whose perfect online life makes her the target of a supermarket worker played by Laura Carmichael. The actress, best know as Lady Edith in Downton Abbey, has won plaudits for the role. In real life, Karen Humphries was targeted at random by Kelley, a former dental nurse, although her motivation for the kidnap was identical. She took Abbie to her boyfriends family home in the Nottingham suburb of Wollaton where she had moved after announcing her pregnancy. Neighbours became suspicious of the new arrival because Kelley had specifically said she was having a boy. Police visited the house three times during the hunt for Abbie but left without finding her. On a final raid, she was identified, rescued and reunited with her parents at the hospital from which she had been snatched. Kelley was found to have a severe personality disorder and put on probation for three years. She was able to forge a new life in the Midlands and had a family of her own. The Secrets She Keeps starts on BBC1 on Monday, July 6 at 9pm. In biology, phylogenetic trees represent the evolutionary history and diversification of species -- the "family tree" of Life. Phylogenetic trees not only describe the evolution of a group of organisms but can also be constructed from the organisms within a particular environment or ecosystem, such as the human microbiome. In this way, they can describe how this ecosystem evolved and what its functional capabilities might be. Now, researchers have presented a new analysis of the patterns generated by phylogenetic trees, suggesting that they reflect previously hypothesized connections between evolution and ecology. The study was led by Swanlund Professor of Physics Nigel Goldenfeld, who also leads the Biocomplexity Group at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The other members of the team were graduate student Chi Xue and former undergraduate student Zhiru Li, now at Stanford University. Their findings were published in a recent article in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, titled "Scale-invariant topology and bursty branching of evolutionary trees emerge from niche construction." The most familiar phylogenetic tree of all life on Earth uses genes from the essential cellular ribosomal machinery to represent species. By comparing the differences between the molecular sequences of the same genes on different organisms, researchers can deduce which organisms were descended from others. This idea led to the mapping-out of the evolutionary history of life on Earth and the discovery of the third domain of life by Carl R. Woese and collaborators in 1977. Real phylogenetic trees are complex branching structures, reflecting the pattern of speciation as new mutants emerge from a species. The branching structures are complex, but it is possible to characterize them in terms of how balanced they are and other statistical features reflecting the topology of the tree. The simplest characterization is to look at each branching node on the tree: does it split into two branches of exactly the same length or are the branches unequal in length? The former is said to be balanced while the latter unbalanced. Despite the complexity of trees, there is a consistent mathematical pattern in topological structure across evolutionary time, one that is self-similar or fractal in nature. Using a minimal representation of evolution, the researchers showed how this fractal structure reflects the indelible imprint of the interplay between ecological and evolutionary processes. Minimal models of nature do not aim to be overly realistic but instead are constructed to capture the most important ingredients of a process in a way that makes simulation and mathematical analysis easy. Goldenfeld's work frequently uses minimal models in order to explain generic aspects of complex biological and physical phenomena that are insensitive to precise details. Other aspects of complex phenomena cannot be described well in this way, but physical patterns such as self-similarity in space are known to be describable using minimal modeling approaches. advertisement "Thus, it seemed reasonable to try this approach to describe self-similarity in time too" Goldenfeld said. "We set off to study the topological property of the phylogenetic tree and ended up with an extra 'fruit of explanation" for the tree's special character,'" Xue said. The study revolved around a concept in evolutionary ecology known as niche construction, first proposed about 40 years ago. In niche construction, organisms modify their environment, thereby creating new ecological niches in the ecosystem and changing the environment. In turn, these new niches affect the overall evolutionary trajectory of the organisms that share the environment. The end result is that evolution and the environment are coupled closely together. The idea that evolution is not occurring on a purely static environmental background is controversial, despite being intuitively appealing. Their findings add to the existing body of work by identifying the long term effects of niche construction in a way that can be detected by modern genomics and phylogenetic tree construction. In the work reported here, researchers simulated organisms and associated to them a niche value that described their interaction with their environment. Those organisms with a large niche value contained a large number of ways to adapt to their environment and ultimately led to their survival while those with small niche values were less resilient. "In our model, we relate the niche positively to the speciation probability, in the sense that an organism with a large niche can likely diversify successfully," Xue said. "During the phylogenetic tree evolution, when two daughter nodes emerge from their parent, they get their niches partially from inheriting and partially from construction." Researchers showed that species which run out of niche space can no longer branch or speciate. Mathematically, this was represented as a so-called absorbing boundary condition on the node representing this species. advertisement "Its sister node likely still diversifies as long as that niche is still positive, but the two sister nodes are no longer symmetric and the tree becomes unbalanced," Xue explained. "We demonstrated that the absorbing boundary is crucial to generate the fractal structure of the tree and that the niche construction guarantees that some nodes will reach the boundary." The researchers used a simplified model of niche construction and were able to recapitulate the fractal scaling in the tree topology. Their calculations used methods adopted from a completely different field of science: the physics of phase transitions. An example of a phase transition is when a material such as iron becomes magnetic as its temperature is lowered. The magnetism emerges gradually once the temperature falls below a critical value. Goldenfeld explained how this unusual analogy works: "Very close to this critical temperature, a magnet also is fractal or self-similar: it is structured into nested regions of magnetic and non-magnetic domains. This nesting or self-similar structure in space is reminiscent of the nesting or self-similar structure of bifurcating tree branches in time." Using computer simulations and the mathematics of phase transitions, the research team was able to demonstrate how the fractal scaling of the tree topology emerges. "Our model has a small number of components and assumes simple mathematical form and yet, it generates the power-law scaling with the right exponent that is observed in actual biological data," Xue explained. "It's simply amazing to see how much a minimal model can do." "We were able to reproduce not only the power-law behavior but also a non-trivial exponent that's very close to reality," Liu said. "In other words, the simulated trees are not only scale-invariant but also realistic in a way." In addition to describing the fractal topology of phylogenetic trees, the model also accounted for the patterns of evolutionary clades previously documented to occur in microbial communities by Illinois Professor of Plant Biology James O'Dwyer, an ecologist trained in theoretical physics like Goldenfeld. "It was especially gratifying to be able to gain some insight into James' earlier discovery, using a conceptual toolkit that came from statistical physics," Goldenfeld commented. "This work exemplifies the way in which powerful and unexpected results can arise from trans-disciplinary research, painstaking data analysis and minimal modeling." The presence of niche construction creates a significant footprint in the evolutionary trajectory that cannot be eliminated, even across long time scales. The idea that niche construction -- which is based on a much shorter time scale -- emerges as a long-term memory in phylogenetic trees may surprise some people. Indeed, Liu adds that this "scale-interference" is also a hallmark of phase transitions, where the spacing between atoms in a magnetic crystal on the scale of Angstroms can influence the material properties on the scale of centimeters. "When I learned about the idea of scale-interference in Nigel's physics class on phase transitions three years ago, I wasn't expecting any of the following: joining his group, applying this idea and solving a biological problem," said Liu. "Now I'm glad that I didn't doze off during that lecture." VICTORIAFirst Nations in British Columbia have been largely successful in keeping COVID-19 out of their communities by strictly following health guidelines and relying on the advice of elders about smallpox and tuberculosis that decimated Indigenous populations, say health officials. Since Jan. 1, there have been 87 cases of COVID-19 among Indigenous people in B.C. and four deaths, a rate below the provincial average, Dr. Shannon McDonald of the First Nations Health Authority, said Friday. She said there are currently three active cases among Indigenous Peoples in B.C. The province reported 10 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the provincial total to 2,878. There have been 174 deaths. Im also pleased to tell you that thanks to an extraordinary response from our First Nations communities, the people the First Nations Health Authority serves have fared even better than the rest of the population in the face of this unprecedented challenge, McDonald said at a news conference on Friday. She said the results are from data based on COVID-19 testing of more than 5,500 Indigenous people through a program unique in Canada that allows the sharing of federal and provincial data with the health authority. McDonald credited the success to the many sacrifices made by First Nations communities to follow health restrictions, restrict travel and the willingness to cancel cultural and family gatherings that are integral to Indigenous culture. The sacrifices made, some of them very difficult and painful, have paid off, she said. The worst, which many anticipated and feared, did not happen. Transmission of the virus within and between our communities was kept to a very small number. McDonald said those communities must continue efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, especially since the B.C. government decided this week to ease more health restrictions, including allowing travel in the province. This is no time to lower our guard, she said. The curve has flattened but not flat lined. Judith Sayers, president of the 14 Nation Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, said Friday Indigenous communities are concerned that increased travel could mean the arrival of the virus in their territories. There are more than 10,000 Nuu-chah-nulth members in 14 communities on the west coast of Vancouver Island, including Port Alberni, Bamfield and Tofino. Sayers said the Nuu-chah-nulth were not properly consulted by the provincial government prior to the announcement that health restrictions would be eased. The Nuu-chah-nulth and other Indigenous groups on B.C.s central coast and the Interior said the failure to consult about the reopening puts Indigenous lives at risk. Sayers said there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 in her communities. People tried very hard to follow the guidelines. She said not allowing large funerals really hurt. But the memories of smallpox, which almost wiped out Nuu-chah-nulth communities, were invoked as strong forces to keep the virus away, she said. There was a certain effort that that would never happen this time, said Sayers. McDonald agreed, saying the advice of elders remembering how previous diseases like tuberculosis spread uncontrolled through Indigenous communities convinced residents to follow health guidelines. History is an ugly thing for many First Nations communities, she said. We have people alive and well who tell the stories of previous pandemics. McDonald said the appearance of COVID-19 in April in the remote village of Alert Bay, located on Cormorant Island off northern Vancouver Island, also served as a wake-up call for people about the ability of the illness to show up anywhere. Premier John Horgan urged travellers earlier this week to be aware that some communities are not prepared to welcome tourists or may not want them there because of the COVID-19 risk. Sayers said talks are ongoing between Indigenous leaders, health and government officials about the potential impacts of the reopening on Indigenous communities. The tribal council had said that it was prepared to restrict access to their territories, but Sayers did not say when or if that would occur. Read more about: Manushi Chhillar has been roped in by UNICEF India to lend her voice in providing urgent support to children in severe Coronavirus crisis that's plaguing the nation. The ethereal beauty, who is also a former Miss World, has always stood up and done her best for important issues ravaging our country. This time, the gorgeous actress is urging the citizens of India to lend their helping hand towards children in dire need. Manushi says, "I have been blessed and fortunate enough to have had a safe, healthy and happy childhood. Today I realise the importance of my upbringing that has impacted and shaped my value system, my perspective to the world and people and also made me the person that I'm today." She adds, "I'm also deeply disturbed knowing how many children of my country don't get the childhood that they deserve. The current pandemic is only increasing the threat for them when they are at such an impressionable age. But we can together make a difference." About the unique initiative, Manushi explains, "UNICEF is providing urgent and life-saving support to vulnerable children. I'm supporting them and you can too. Support the Childhood Challenge initiative by sharing your happiest childhood memory and donate to UNICEF India the amount equal to the year you were born in. Let's pledge to make the world a better place for all children and particularly save those in crisis situations." ALSO READ: Manushi Chhillar Urges Government To Distribute Sanitary Pads Along With Daily Rations ALSO READ: On International Yoga Day, Manushi Chhillar Says Yoga Has Made Her Physically & Mentally Stronger HALIFAXLynn Jones has a chart of her family tree on her dining room table. It traces her roots back as far as her great-grandfather Sam Jones, who was enslaved in Kentucky before making his way to Nova Scotia. The chart flows from Sam Jones who settled first in the community of Preston, N.S., then in Truro, the transportation hub of Nova Scotia to her grandfather Jeremiah, to her father Elmer, who would walk the streets a couple of hours before each church meeting, gathering all those who were supposed to attend. The family tree is resting on a dining room table thats full of papers papers for the myriad projects in which Jones is involved. This is an inheritance from her mother, who used to work the same way, filling the table during the week, but always clearing it for Sunday dinner. Jones used to complain about that as a child; as an adult, she does exactly the same. One of these piles of paper is her work on reparations. Jones has been called the godmother of reparations by some. When you talk about reparations for Black people in Nova Scotia, Lynn Joness name will almost certainly come up. Have you talked to Lynn Jones? people will say. You should really talk to Lynn Jones. Lynn Jones lives in a province where the particular, painful history, and a growing social awareness, are making more people sit up and listen, in a way that could be precedent-setting for Canada. And she has a lot to say about reparations. You have to understand, said Jones, the word reparations is a political hot potato. Shes not wrong. While the idea of identifying historical injustices is palatable to most white Canadians, when the talk turns to redressing those historical wrongs, many of those same people are quick to hit the brakes. When people talk about reparations, most think about it in financial terms: cash handed to a people or their descendants who have suffered historical injustice. But money is not the full story of reparations, say Black leaders. Money alone is not going to balance the legacy of 400 years of injustice. What they say they want are the mechanisms to enable Black people to stand on equal footing with white Canadians. And that means reparations that come in other forms. They come in the form of educational opportunities of scholarships for families who cant afford higher education. They come in the form of land titles to enable families to build wealth and equity. They come in the form of representation, both political and academic, so that Black children have mentors on which to set their sights. This, right now, is the strange part of the conversation. Theres the shock and horror of watching a white police officer brutally and casually kneeling on a neck, choking a Black man to death in broad daylight in front of cameras. Theres the eye-widening realization that for Black people, this sort of thing happens all the time. And then theres the next stage, the part in which people ask, Shouldnt we do something about this? This is the part where they almost never say the word reparations. Reparations, said Jones, whos the chair of the Nova Scotia chapter of the Global Afrikan Congress, is all the things that have happened to us, whether it be the police, the land claims, the anti-Black racism that we see happening. We talk about economics peoples businesses. We talk about health. All these things relate to whats happened to us for over 400 years since slavery. Thats why its all connected, and now is more than ever the opportunity to seek some of the things that we havent been able to get. The first step, to her mind, is research; the establishment of a reparations centre, a place where paid staff can do Black history research, identify where reparations are needed and plan for pushing ahead with reparation demands. In order to achieve the reparations that we require, its going to take somebody bigger than me, she said. Its going to take historians to develop the history of African people and write that with clarity. Its going to take the politicians (to describe) what happened to us politically. Its going to take the educators (to understand) what happened to us in the education system that denied us all these things. When Black communities talk about reparations, theyre not only talking about the history of slavery. Theyre also talking about the histories of geographic displacement and schooling segregation. Black settlers in Nova Scotia in the late 1700s, were offered the promise of freedom and a farm as a reward for helping British Loyalists fight against the U.S. in the waning days of the American Revolution. When the U.S. won its war of independence, many Brits and more than 3,000 Black people evacuated to Nova Scotia. There it turned out that the promises they had been made were porous. For many Black people, the land promised was not delivered. For others, Black people were given the poorest of hardscrabble lots to settle land that would not yield food and left to starve. North Preston was one of those communities. Archival photographs from the 1930s show people standing on the side of dirt roads on a gently rolling land littered with rocks, scrub brush and the occasional stunted tree. Here, 20 kilometres northeast of Halifax, an entire community of Black people was given land, but no deed and title to it. For successive generations of that community, that meant that they could live on the land and they could pay taxes on it, but they couldnt legally will it to their children, they couldnt sell it, and they couldnt take out a mortgage on it. It meant that generations of Blacks carved out a life on this impoverished land with the knowledge that it could be taken from them at any time. Which is exactly what happened, 20 kilometres away, in Africville. Africville in Halifax was the only community in Nova Scotia where Black people were able to live on prime real estate near the sea. Black people began to settle there, at the northernmost point of Halifax, on the Bedford Basin in the mid-1800s. A few hundred people built a thriving community there; fishing and farming, a few small stores, a school, a post office and the Seaview United Baptist Church the cultural and spiritual heart of the community. Here the displacement came in waves. First the city ran a railway line through the community, then built slaughterhouses, a prison and an infectious disease hospital, in close proximity, all the while ignoring pleas from the taxpaying residents for basic infrastructure, such as drinkable water, sewage systems, garbage collection and paved roads. In the 1950s, the city built an open-pit dump near the western edge of Africville. Shortly after that, after having piled one indignity after another upon the community, in the late 60s, the city of Halifax declared Africville an uninhabitable slum. It began the process of expropriating land, relocating the residents and bulldozing their homes, sometimes with only a few hours notice. At one point, when the moving company hired by the city cancelled, the city continued to move out residents and their belongings using dump trucks. In November 1967, in the middle of the night, Seaview United Baptist Church was destroyed. The cost of losing land goes much further than just losing hard-won communities. We know, because of the gazillion studies that have been done about wealth inequality, that wealth in North America is determined largely by property ownership and the equity thats gained into property, said Rachel Zellars, assistant professor in the Social Justice and Community Studies department at Saint Marys University in Halifax. So when were talking about Nova Scotia, and that lack of title and deed, were also talking about the intentional impoverishment of Black people over generations. You cannot build a middle-class status unless you own things that acquire equity. In much the same way that wealth and social status are handed down through generations, so, too, are poverty and the lack of a place in society. Black Nova Scotians have suffered the trans-Atlantic slavery trade. Their communities have been displaced and their children for generations have attended inferior schools. The last segregated school in Canada was in Lincolnville, N.S., in Guysborough County, some 260 kilometres northeast of Halifax. It closed its doors in 1983. In September of 2017, the United Nations Human Rights Councils Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent submitted a report following a visit to Canada the previous year. The first recommendation offered by the Working Group was this: The Government of Canada should: (a) Issue an apology and consider providing reparations to African Canadians for enslavement and historical injustices. Despite mounting pressure from the Black community in Canada, neither an apology nor reparations were forthcoming. The idea of reparations, in this context, simply means to make amends or atonement for historical wrong or injury, Zellars explained. Financial compensation, political representation and educational compensation are typically the three big areas that we advocate for, she said. Financial compensation might mean setting aside money for people who were historically wronged. But it could also mean the establishment of a community trust, with the community deciding, for example, to set aside funds for Black youth-led projects, or to buy back properties in Halifaxs North End, which were once owned by the Black community there. Financial compensation is not just the idea of putting money into peoples pockets, said Zellars. It means thinking about how to create economic wealth and economic self-determination in communities. Educational compensation might take the form of scholarships, or the creation of Afrocentric schools. Community members have been working for years to make an Afrocentric school or a school that is specifically for African Nova Scotian kids a reality here because of that 200-year history of segregated schooling and the way that that has devastated the opportunities for educational advancement, said Zellars. Over the past three years, Dalhousie University and Kings College in Halifax have undertaken studies to fully understand their connections to slavery in Nova Scotia, and how those institutions benefited. Those studies are tied to the issue of reparations in that both schools profited immensely from Black slavery, both in terms of influential figures being connected to the slave trade, and in terms of money coming into the schools from people involved with slavery. So the demand for reparations for building those institutions on the backs of slaves is educational compensation and representation. You owe us, Kings and Dalhousie, via huge chunks of set-aside scholarships for African Nova Scotians so that we can get our kids into these colleges and not have to worry about money, said Zellars. You owe us via representation. Were demanding that you do a cluster hire of five to 10 Black faculty over the next five years in all of the disciplines so that our children can see themselves and see their histories represented in the expertise of these Black scholars. There is some small movement afoot on this front. Although Dalhousie has not committed to doing the cluster hires, it has committed to creating an honours program in Black and African Diaspora Studies, and is putting together a proposal for a research institute for Black Studies in Canada. Talk about reparations includes one of the defining moments of Halifax and Nova Scotia the Halifax Explosion of 1917. Last year, researchers documented how Black residents were systematically denied compensation for what they lost and how they suffered in the wake of one of the biggest maritime disasters in history. But at the same time, those researchers concluded that reparations, while appropriate, likely werent on the table. Thats because Canada just doesnt have the legal framework to provide redress to the descendants of historical systemic discrimination. Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which came into force in 1985, guarantees equality before and under the law on the basis of race, among other grounds. But, said Mark Culligan, one of the authors of Racism and Relief Distribution in the Aftermath of the Halifax Explosion, courts have argued that it is not applicable to discriminatory events pre-1985, when the Charter came into effect. In addition, said Culligan, human rights legislation, both federal and provincial, have time-limitation periods, thus effectively barring claims regarding historic discriminatory actions. I think its unlikely that a court is going to order the province to give any worthwhile amounts of money, said Culligan. Thats the essence of the problem. And I think the state is very happy with that because there are many forms of discrimination that have happened through Canadian history, and the state is interested in limiting its liability for that discrimination. Just in the same way that it has to do that today. Instead, he said, any type of reparation for the discrimination against Black Nova Scotians following the Halifax Explosion is more likely to achieve success through political pressure than through litigation. In 1988, the Canadian government offered an apology and a $300 million reparation package for Japanese Canadians who were interned during the Second World War. In 2008 the government established a $10 million fund as reparation for the internment of Ukrainian Canadians who experienced wartime internment. In both cases, it was a political movement that created enough pressure for reparations to be delivered. In 2020, in the post-George Floyd examination of systemic anti-Black racism, that time may now be here. I think you cant miss the fact that were in the middle of a Black Lives movement, said Lynn Jones. Thats front and centre. And reparations is all about Black lives. So you shouldnt be talking about Black Lives Matter if youre not (also) talking about reparations. SM Steve McKinley is a Halifax-based reporter for the Star. Reach him via email: stevemckinley@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @smckinley1 Read more about: By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) - Bitter rivals since civil war nearly a century ago, Ireland's two main centrist parties joined forces for the first time on Saturday under a deal that requires alternating prime ministers during the worst recession in memory. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was named prime minister, replacing Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar, who will move to another office in the same building to serve as Martin's deputy. Half way through the five-year term, Martin will step aside and give Varadkar back the job. "This is an historic occasion," said Varadkar, who packed up his belongings late on Friday, including a portrait of Michael Collins, Fine Gael's founding hero, shot dead in 1922 during the war that has divided Irish politics ever since. "I believe civil war politics ended a long time ago in our country, but today civil war politics ends in our parliament." Varadkar leaves office with a record 75% approval rating, a more than doubling since the February election due to his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, tamed with a lockdown that caused mass economic disruption. The need to cooperate to fight recession should force the parties into a "spiky pragmatism", said Theresa Reidy, a politics lecturer at University College Cork. But it also creates opportunities for Fine Gael ministers to undermine Martin and vice versa when Varadkar returns. "There will be levers and tools at their disposal that undoubtedly they'll want to use to advantage their own political parties," Reidy said. For generations, the only political rivalry that mattered in Ireland was between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, which fought each other in the 1920s over whether to accept a treaty with Britain, a quarrel with enduring resonance for families on either side. The two parties' streak of dominating Ireland's politics was broken this year by left-wing Irish nationalists Sinn Fein, who won the largest share of votes in the election and will now take over as the official opposition. Story continues While Varadkar tweeted that Collins' portrait would be back in the prime minister's office, opposition politicians reminded him of the barbs he and Martin had exchanged, including his description of Martin's record as "a disaster." Coalition agreements that rotate the premiership have been tried in other countries: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held onto office this year with a similar plan. The Irish agreement includes an equal share of cabinet seats and a rotation of attorney general, a role often held by a lawyer with links to the governing party. It may also extend to the role of finance minister. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Peter Graff) She's been promoting body confidence with a slew of bikini pictures while making the most of the good weather in the UK during lockdown. And Malin Andersson ensured that she can continue to lap up the sunshine by jetting to Tenerife, Spain, on Saturday - after booking a flight while she was drunk. The Love Island star, 27, appeared to be in good spirits as she posed up a storm by her villa's pool while wearing a white bikini with a black trim. Work it: Malin Andersson, 27, appeared to be in good spirits as she posed up a storm by the pool while wearing a white bikini after arriving in Tenerife, Spain, on Saturday Malin looked sensational as she showed off her curves in the flattering two-piece, which boasted high-leg bottoms that skimmed her derriere. The beauty's low-cut top helped to emphasise her ample assets and accessorised her look with a pair of sunglasses. Malin tied her brunette locks back as she took a dip in the pool and appeared to be having a fabulous time in the sun. Throughout Saturday the TV personality shared glimpses at her travels on social media, documenting a quiet Stansted Airport and an empty-looking plane. Having fun: The Love Island star jetted to Tenerife with a pal after booking flights while she was drunk during the week Looking good: Malin showcased her fabulous curves with a mirror selfie once she arrived at her villa In one clip Malin could be seen walking through the terminal with a black face mask on while in another the star sat at opposite ends of the plane's seats from her pal. Once they arrived in Spain, Malin showed the villa where she was staying which boasted a large bathroom and living area. Britons have been able to travel to Spain without having to quarantine since Sunday 21 June however they might have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival back in the UK. However a 'traffic light system' letting Britons go to the safest destinations without having to quarantine is set to be unveiled on Wednesday and comes into force on July 6 meaning holidaymakers won't have to quarantine. Staying safe: Malin donned a black face mask for her journey as well as a comfortable blue jumper Spaced out: Malin and her pal sat at opposite ends of the flight's row of seats for the journey Just days before her trip, Malin enjoyed a sun-soaked day with her pals on Thursday and expressed how grateful she was for friends who are like family. During the get together she showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a two-piece which boasted a frill around the top. Malin slicked back her locks into a tight bun for the snap and added a touch of red lipstick to complement her stylish swimwear ensemble. The brunette beauty captioned her post: 'My friends are my family they set me free, if I didnt have them; I dont know where Id be.' Holiday time: During Saturday Malin showed her wait for the flight (left) and the villa complex (right) where she will be staying Wow: Malin looked nothing short of sensational as she posed up a storm in a green bikini with frills on the top for an Instagram snap shared on Friday It comes after the Love Island star admitted that she has 'shame and guilt' from eating despite the fact it's feeding her life. In a candid Instagram post Malin also spoke about 'accepting ourselves' as she stressed that beauty lies in people's souls not their exteriors. Admitting that it took her a while to be 'comfortable in her own skin' the star vowed to continue her healing journey and enjoy summer. In the photo, Malin showcased her incredible curves in a peach bikini as she posed on her sofa eating an ice lolly. The star looked radiant as she appeared to go makeup-free and left her brunette locks loose into a wavy hairdo. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a bill on Tuesday to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag, after the state's House and Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of the measure. Why it matters: Mississippi was the last state in the U.S. to incorporate the Confederate battle symbol into its flag. Driving the news: There was largely bipartisan support for the bill, which the House passed 91-23 on Sunday afternoon and the Senate voted 36-14 in favor of later. Reeves (R) said for the first time publicly on Saturday that he would sign the bill. The flag will no longer have official status once he signs the measure. Of note: Walmart said last week it would no longer display the Mississippi state flag in its stores because of the Confederate symbol. The NCAA announced earlier this month it would no longer hold championship events in Mississippi due to the emblem. On Saturday, the Mississippi House passed a resolution to extend its deadline to consider a bill that would allow them to change the flag. The Senate then quickly adopted the resolution for consideration. What they're saying: "The legislature has been deadlocked for days as it considers a new state flag," Reeves tweeted. "The argument over the 1894 flag has become as divisive as the flag itself and its time to end it. If they send me a bill this weekend, I will sign it." "Folks it's inevitable, that at some point this flag is going to change," Republican Sen. Briggs Hopson told his colleagues at the Senate vote. "We all want a flag that unites us. But is it possible?" Republican Sen. Chris McDaniel said on Saturday, arguing that removing the Confederate symbol would alienate those who support it. What's next: Mississippi residents will vote in November on a new flag design by a commission that has to include the words "In God We Trust," per AP. "If they reject it, the commission will set a different design using the same guidelines, and that would be sent to voters later," AP notes. Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. A small city on the outskirts of Houston, Texas has instituted a curfew starting Saturday night due to surging cases of the novel coronavirus, the latest move by officials in some southern and western states to backtrack on their reopening plans. Underscoring the worsening spread of the virus, Florida on Saturday morning reported 9,585 new infections in the last 24 hours, marking a record high for a second day, and 24 additional deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. The mayor of Galena Park, a community of 10,000 people east of Houston, said she was heeding a warning from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who on Friday raised the public threat level to its most severe, a sign people should shelter at home. "It is crucial to continue to practice good hygiene, stay home as much as possible, avoid unnecessary trips, gatherings, and wear a face-covering at all times when you leave your home," Mayor Esmeralda Moya said in a statement late on Friday. Galena Park's curfew will run from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily. The United States recorded more than 45,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the largest single-day increase of the pandemic, according to a Reuters tally, bringing the total number of Americans who have tested positive to at least 2.48 million. The new record for positive COVID-19 tests came as Texas and other states at the center of a new surge in infections took steps back from efforts to ease restrictions on businesses, threatening a hoped-for economic recovery and jobs. In a reversal of his early moves to relax restrictions, Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday ordered bars across the state to close and required restaurants to limit indoor seating capacity to 50%. Florida, another state that reopened its economy relatively quickly, told bar owners in the state to immediately stop serving alcohol on their premises. 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The winning photographs of the Wild China Biodiversity Photography Contest hosted by Wild China Film present the countrys sweeping lands and rare plants from unexpected perspectives. Here is a pick of the crop Jan 21, 2022 06:20 PM NORRISTOWN, Pa. Two men were charged with burglary and other crimes for allegedly breaking into 10 churches in Philadelphia and nearby suburbs, stealing safes, precious metals and electronics, prosecutors announced Friday. Authorities allege that Gabriel E. Minnick, 21, and Samaj Howard, 20, both of Philadelphia, burglarized the churches over about a month earlier this year, typically going in at night through first-floor windows. They're accused of taking a TV from a nursery, cash from a collection box for the poor and bottles of wine, among other things. They also allegedly damaged church buildings and also face charges related to three stolen vehicles, prosecutors said. Neither man has been able to make bail and both remain in the Montgomery County jail. A message was left for Minnicks public defender. Howard didnt have a defense lawyer listed on his online court docket. Met Police chief Cressida Dick has insisted that London's force is not institutionally racist but said the phrase Black Lives Matter a 'very important one' Met Police chief Cressida Dick has insisted that London's force is not institutionally racist but said the phrase Black Lives Matter is a 'very important one'. Protests have erupted across the capital in recent weeks, with many demonstrators claiming police forces in Britain have unfairly targeted Black people. Commissioner Dick insisted that 'Black lives do matter and should matter to us all' but said her force is not racist. She told HuffPost UK: 'Over the last few weeks, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, I've become much better informed about the Black Lives Matter movement and multiple events but in particular the appalling video of George Floyd's death. She added: 'The phrase Black Lives Matter is a very important one. Black lives do matter and should matter to us all, obviously, and in this city of all cities and my police which I believe is the best in the world and is here to bring justice, prevent crime and keep people safe.' Protests in London - and across the UK - were sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the US, who died when white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds despite his desperate pleas that he 'can't breathe'. He passed out and later died in Minneapolis on May 25. His death is largely seen as a symbol of systemic racism against Black people, especially in police forces, and sparked world-wide protests. Protests have erupted across the capital in recent weeks, with many demonstrators claiming police forces in Britain have unfairly targeted Black people. Pictured: A protester in London last weekend A man wearing a mask raises his fist during a Black Lives Matter protest in London last Sunday In the UK, police have been accused of taking controversial actions against Black men. One such example was when police tasered rapper Wretch 32's 62-year-old father Millard Scott causing him to fall down a flight of stairs. Scotland Yard said an internal investigation has already found officers did nothing wrong. The Macpherson Report in 1999, following the murder of Stephen Lawrence, branded the Metropolitan Police institutionally racist. Commissioner Dick last year said the report had 'defined my generation of policing' and said the Met is now 'utterly different'. The capital this week saw waves of lockdown-defying raves. A woman holds a banner during a Black Lives Matter protest in London last Sunday People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in London last weekend A massive block party took place in West Kilburn yesterday afternoon before moving to Maida Vale where riot police with shields and truncheons battled hundreds of revellers who threw missiles at them. Raves were seen in Brixton and Notting Hill earlier this week. Both turned violent and led to police injuries. Commissioner Dick said 'consequences will follow' for those who attack officers and damage property. She wrote in The Sun that it has been a 'very difficult week' in the capital, with officers coming under attack as they tried to break up crowds. She said: 'The officers I met this week were poised to deal with whatever they faced. Hundreds ready in full kit, should there be a violent or aggressive crowd to deal with. Police speaking with revellers as illegal raves break out across the UK this week Revellers packed Maida Vale after a crowd marched from a party in West Kilburn yesterday 'My message to those involved in thuggery and criminal damage is consequences will follow.' Dame Cressida earlier said the force had a 'duty' to stop unlawful music events during the Covid-19 pandemic and vowed: 'We will be prepared this weekend.' She said police were on the lookout for illegal parties after dozens of officers were injured in violent scenes in Brixton on Wednesday evening and in Notting Hill on Thursday. Police speaking with revellers wearing face masks as illegal raves break out across the UK The commissioner said: 'We have seen some large numbers of people completely flouting the health regulations, seeming not to care at all about their own or their families' health and wanting to have large parties. 'It is hot. Some people have drunk far too much. Some people are just angry and aggressive and some people are plain violent. 'We will be prepared this weekend. We have officers all over London working hard again to try to keep the peace and to protect our public from violence and disorder.' She suggested the number of police injuries is now 'heading up to 140-odd officers' in the past three weeks, including those hurt during BLM protests. If you're ever offered port in a 2,000-year-old Roman cup, the trick is to hold it firmly, advises Adrian Bridge. The CEO of long-established family business Taylor's Port admits he's killed the mood of many dinner parties by whipping out the antique drinking vessels from his private collection. "Everyone goes all terribly serious and they're not quite sure how to pick it up," he sighs. Fortunately, the historic receptacles have now found a safe home behind glass in The Bridge Collection, which opens on July 31 as part of an ambitious 106m museum, bar and restaurant development in Porto's historic Vila Nova de Gaia district. Using chalices, jars and antique stemware to tell the story of humanity through the ages, it's the only museum of its kind in the world. But even more remarkable is the pluck to open a tourist attraction in the aftermath of a pandemic. Although it could also be considered a clever move. With Portugal touted as one of the likely candidates to form an 'air bridge' with the UK and Ireland, the popular city and beach break destination could be a viable option for a summer holiday. It's also been celebrated as one of the 'safest' countries in Europe, with far fewer deaths from Covid-19 than elsewhere. Bridge, who is also CEO of The Fladgate Partnership, the holding company thatstarted with the port business and has since extended its interests to the tourism industry, originally came up with the idea for WOW - World Of Wine - seven years ago. The five-star wine hotel, The Yeatman, and its Michelin-starred restaurant had already proved there was an appetite for food and wine tourism in Portugal's northern, Unesco-credited city. Housed in converted port cellars on the southern bank of the Douro River, below the Dom Luis I Bridge, six interactive museum experiences (including The Bridge Collection) will be accompanied by a wine school, temporary exhibition space and nine restaurants, bars and cafes. Some structural changes, such as the inclusion of more automatic doors, have been made to comply with new social distancing guidelines. But the concept remains the same. In the Wine Experience, visitors can gain a greater understanding of wine production around the world; while Planet Cork tracks Portugal's role in the cork industry right back to its oak tree roots, and looks at how the material popularised by wine stoppers has also made its way into the aerospace industry and onto catwalks. But wine is just the starting point; there's also a museum dedicated to the history of chocolate, and another space focused on Portuguese fabrics and fashion. Across all attractions, there's one common theme: to teach people something interesting and new. "You can't teach the world everything, but we certainly hope that all of our experiences do give people a 'wow' moment," says Bridge. "If visitors can go away with their eyes opened a little bit, then I hope it will be beneficial to them." The history of colour, for example, forms a fascinating section in the Porto Fashion & Fabric Museum. From the Egyptians, who created shades of blue for their tombs by making glass and reducing it to powder, to Roman emperors, whose purple cloaks were dyed with pigment from 200,000 sea snails, there's pub quiz trivia galore. Far from trivial, however, is the reality of coronavirus. As international travel slowly returns, people are likely to opt for remote beauty spots rather than busy cities. But Bridge is unperturbed. "Portugal has had a good crisis, if you can call it that. Our healthcare system didn't struggle. Our people have been extremely compliant." He hopes others will see the opening of WOW as a display of confidence, putting Porto "on the map on a greater, global scale". "Travel has an important role to play; it's good for people to explore and understand other cultures. Maybe there'll be a slowdown. But we're a 328-year-old business; we understand long-term. For now, let's do our best." Sunvil can tailor-make a gastronomic four-night Alentejo Food & Wine holiday from 496pp, including flights from Manchester. Departures available until November 4. Visit sunvil.co.uk or call 020 8568 4499. 1. THE SUSTAINABLE OPTION If you prefer to explore as part of an organised tour, try Intrepid's four-day Portugal Retreat: Porto & the Douro Valley, part of the leading sustainable operator's new collection of closer-to-home adventures. Designed to benefit local communities, the itinerary includes port tasting in Porto, dining in seaside fishing town Matosinhos and a visit to small wineries in the Douro Valley. Intrepid will also 100% carbon offset the trip on your behalf. From 790pp including most meals (flights extra). The first tour departs July 31, pending FCO guidance, with regular trips until October. Visit intrepidtravel.com or call 0808 274 5111. 2. THE ACTIVE ADVENTURE The Algarve is famous for its golden sand beaches, but inland, its time-warped, hilltop villages and fragrant orange tree groves are just as appealing. Combine it all with a self-guided walking holiday, using a converted quinta (farmhouse) as your base. Inntravel offer a seven-night Algarve's Coast & Hills itinerary from 675pp, including car hire (flights extra). Departures are available throughout the year; autumn temperatures are ideal for daytime hikes, and still warm enough for a paddle in the sea. Visit inntravel.co.uk or call 01653 617 001. 3. THE GASTRONOMIC CHOICE Along with the Douro Valley, the vast Alentejo, which sits north of the Algarve, is Portugal's bread basket; expect to find rustic dishes, peppery olive oil and almost half of Portugal's wine production. Remote, white-washed villages are dotted between pine and cork forests, and the country's oldest city, Evora, charms with fine buildings and fountains in a tangle of narrow streets. Bar o wner Petros J Markantonis changes the marquee outside his bar to "Closed Again" at the West Alabama Ice House in Houston, Texas on June 26, 2020 MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images On Friday, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott halted the next stage of reopening and shut down some businesses as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge in the Lone Star state. Bars have been ordered to close, and restaurants throughout the state are now forced to scale back from 75% capacity to 50% capacity. Outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people are also banned. Texas became one of the first states to lift lockdown orders and has since seen a major surge of cases. On Thursday, the state broke its single-day record for new cases with 5,996. These photos show how Texas has become one of the hardest-hit states. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. In an effort to halt the rapid spread of the coronavirus in Texas, Gov. Gregg Abbott announced on Friday that bars must close and restaurants will now be forced to run at 50% capacity. Texas has seen a massive surge in coronavirus cases over the past few weeks, and has become the fifth-most infected state in the worst-hit country in the world. In cities including San Antonio and Houston, hospitalizations have surged and healthcare systems are overwhelmed. On Thursday, the Lone Star state recorded its highest-ever single day increase, with 5,996 new cases. By Friday, more than 137,000 infections have been recorded statewide, and at least 2,324 people have died from the disease. Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease expert in Houston who is working on developing a COVID-19 vaccine, has called the situation a "humanitarian catastrophe," and said that Texas' handling of the outbreak has been "one of the biggest public health failings in the history of the US." These photos show how Texas has become one of the hardest-hit states in the US. On May 1, Texas became one of the first states to begin lifting lockdown restrictions, allowing restaurants, shops, and movie theaters to open at 25% capacity. A bartender fist bumps a customer through a plastic barrier at Arnaldo Richards' Picos amid the coronavirus pandemic May 1, 2020 in Houston, Texas. MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Story continues Source: Business Insider Shortly after, hair salons and barbers were able to reopen, and Texans were seen taking advantage of their newfound freedoms. Two men get their hair cut at a barbershop amid the coronavirus pandemic in Austin, Texas on May 8, 2020 following a slow reopening of the Texas economy. SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images Source: Business Insider Throughout the month of May, people were seen flocking to shops, dining out, and hanging out on beaches. All the while, coronavirus cases continued to surge. Beachgoers enjoy a day of sunshine at Galveston Beach on May 2, 2020 in Galveston, Texas, amid the coronavirus pandemic. - Texas beaches were ordered to be opened on May 1, 2020. MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Source: Business Insider By mid-May Texas recorded its worst three-day-death span, after 147 people died in one weekend. Anita Pedy (right), chief nursing officer for the COVID unit at Houston's United Memorial Medical Center, wheels newly arrived COVID patient Angel Rodriguez, 40, from the emergency room to the COVID unit with Alan Araiza (left) the medical student volunteer running the unit. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Source: Business Insider A cluster of cases found in meatpacking facilities led to a slew of new outbreaks throughout the state. Steam rises from a JBS USA meat packing facility in Cactus, TX on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images Source: Business Insider As businesses continued to reopen, the government received criticism for falling short of its testing goals. Despite warnings that new outbreaks could persist, Gov. Abbott continued easing restrictions and allowed businesses to enter phase three at 75% capacity on June 12. Customers sit outside on the patio at Eight Row Flint in Houston, Texas, on May 22, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Sources: Office of the Texas Governor, Business Insider As coronavirus cases continued to steadily rise, Abbott blamed outbreaks on young adults who have been seen gathering in bars and public areas. Handlebar bouncer, Mando Cuadros, sprays down a guest's hands with hand sanitizer on the first night that bars reopen after they were shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Austin, Texas, U.S., May 22, 2020. REUTERS/Nuri Vallbona Source: Insider To help relieve efforts, Abbott has urged residents to wash their hands, maintain social distancing, and do their part to slow the spread of the virus. But unlike many other states, Texas does not require the use of face masks. A sign encouraging social distancing is seen on the floor inside a bar in Austin, Texas, June 26, 2020. - Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered bars to be closed by noon on June 26 and for restaurants to be reduced to 50% occupancy. SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images Source: Business Insider Now, just 55 days after Texas began reopening businesses and restaurants, the state is in a crisis. Alan Araiza (left) sets up oxygen equipment for newly arrived COVID patient Angel Rodriguez, 40, with nurse Anita Pedy (right) in Houston, Texas Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Source: The New York Times Over the past two weeks, coronavirus cases have surged throughout the state and hospitalizations have hit record highs. Joseph Varon, the doctor in charge of the COVID-19 unit at United Memorial Medical Center in north Houston, checks on COVID patient. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Source: Business Insider The situation has become so overwhelmed that some hospitals have had to move patients to other facilities, the Texas Tribune Reported. On Thursday, Gov. Abbott ordered some hospitals to delay elective surgeries to make more space for coronavirus patients. While working at the COVID unit in Houston, nurse Tanna Ingraham has been staying overnight at the hospital and more recently a hotel so as not to expose her two young daughters and her mother, who is immunocompromised. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Source: Business Insider As of June 26, 5,102 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients were currently in Texas hospitals. A healthcare worker administers a Covid-19 test at United Memorial Medical Center testing site in Houston, Texas, June 25, 2020. Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Source: Business Insider Texas remains the fifth worst-hit state in the US, but Houston is on track to become the worst-hit city in the US. A patient is wheeled into Houston Methodist Hospital as storm clouds gather over the Texas Medical Center, amid the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Houston, Texas, U.S., June 22, 2020. REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare Source: Business Insider Local news reports indicated that Houston intensive care units are reaching full capacity, while San Antonio has seen a 500% increase in hospitalizations throughout June. FILE PHOTO: Texas faces rising coronavirus cases Reuters Source: Business Insider Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious-disease expert in Houston who is working on a COVID-19 vaccine, said the state's reopening plan has been an "unmitigated disaster." Earlier this week, Gov. Abbott told a CBS news affiliate that "closing down Texas again will always be the last option." FILE PHOTO: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the annual NRA convention in Dallas, Texas Reuters Sources: CNN, Business Insider But on Friday morning, Abbott cracked down. He moved to reduce restaurant capacities back to 50% and shut down bars throughout the state. Bar o wner Petros J Markantonis changes the marquee outside his bar to "Closed Again" at the West Alabama Ice House in Houston, Texas on June 26, 2020 MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Source: Business Insider At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars," Abbott said in a news release. "The actions in this executive order are essential to our mission to swiftly contain this virus and protect public health." Patrons at the West Alabama Ice House have beers before Texas Governor Greg Abbotts order that all bars are to be closed at noon today in Houston, Texas on June 26, 2020. MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Source: Business Insider Abbott also banned outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people, and shut down river-rafting and tubing trips, which have caused a rise in cases in Hays County, Texas. Residents swim, paddle board and kayak in Barton Creek on May 20, 2020 in Austin, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images Source: Business Insider, Texas Tribune The new bar rule went into effect at noon. In this photo, a couple of Texans were seen squeezing in one last drink before the deadline. Patrons at the West Alabama Ice House have beers before Texas Governor Greg Abbotts order that all bars are to be closed at noon today in Houston, Texas on June 26, 2020. MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images Source: Business Insider Read the original article on Insider Manish Sisodia has written to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on a new role of schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic; closure of schools to extend till July 31, but education to continue through various programmes. All schools in Delhi will remain closed till July 31 in the view of current coronavirus situation, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. Sisodia, who also holds the portfolio of Education Minister, convened a meeting with the Secretary Education, Director of Education, and other senior officers from the Directorate, along with the District Deputy Director of Education, to decide on the subject of reopening schools in Delhi. Experiences related to continuing education through various programmes during the lockdown situation induced by COVID 19, were also discussed. Various points on introducing specific plans for every class were also discussed in the meeting. It was also decided to keep all schools closed till 31st July keeping in mind the current coronavirus situation, read a release by the Office of the Deputy Chief Minister. Also read: After Delhi, Haryana caps cost of Covid-19 treatment in private hospitals Also read: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain tests negative for Covid-19, to be discharged today The Deputy CM had also written a letter to Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, early this month, suggesting the steps to be taken to see schools in the new role. A report, which was presented to the Deputy CM by the Deputy Directors of the DOE, in the presence of the Director, Education and Secretary, Education stated: A district-wise report based on the suggestions from 829 teachers from Delhi Government and Private schools, 61 Head of Schools, 920 students, and 829 parents received online and suggestions from 23262 teachers and 98423 parents at the school level formed the basis of the district-wise report. Sisodia and his team received various suggestions on changing approaches to learning and reopening of classes in Delhi schools. One of the suggestions in the meeting was that primary classes should be held once or twice in a week with the strength of 12-15 students in a class. Another point was made that classes can be conducted on alternate days for students of classes 3 to 5, read the release. Continuing with the online classes wherever possible, carrying proper sanitization work in classrooms, distributing masks to students, thermal screening of every student at the school entrance gate, and reduction of the syllabus were some of the major suggestions given at the meeting. For students of classes 6 to 8, it was suggested to conduct classes once or twice a week or to conduct classes for three days in a week. For classes 9 and 10, it was suggested to the Education Minister that classes should be taken in very small groups once or twice a week. Some members were of the view that Class 10 students should have classes every day. But it was strongly agreed that online classes should not be withdrawn and online library facilities should also continue like before, read the release. It was suggested during the meeting that classes of 11th and 12th should be conducted on alternate days and online classes should be carried on remaining days. There was also a suggestion of reducing their syllabus. Some also suggested that only 3 to 4 hours of classes should be carried per day. In the light of all the suggestions we should make a plan to reopen schools in a way that would teach the students to live with the corona and prepare them for a new role in new circumstances, Sisodia said. Also read: Lockdown imposed in Assams Kamprup district for 14 days For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Religious freedom group urges Trump to immediately enforce sanctions on Chinese officials Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the Trump administration to immediately enforce sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for the detention and persecution of more than a million Uyghurs in the Xinjiang autonomous region in western China. More than a million ethnic Turkish Muslims have been detained in camps in Xinjiang by Chinas communist government, as estimated by the U.N. and the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020, which was passed by Congress nearly unanimously last month, and seeks to safeguard the rights of this religious minority group. For the past several years, China has been continuously arresting Uyghur people and placing them in re-education camps, the U.S.-based China Aid said in a statement released Thursday. Chinese authorities claimed these camps provide vocational training for Uyghur people. However, camp survivors reported being starved, tortured, forced to study pro-government propaganda, and made to do extensive labor with little to no pay. The USCIRF said Thursday that it wants the president to immediately enforce sanctions listed in the bill that he signed into law on Wednesday. For 20 years, USCIRF has loudly sounded the alarm on the actions of the Chinese Communist Party to target millions of Uyghur and other Muslims, the panel said in a statement on Wednesday. USCIRF has condemned the concentration camps where Uyghurs and other Muslims are being held as an unjustified mockery of international human rights standards, and along with the actions of the Chinese Communist Party against Uyghurs, as crimes against humanity and cultural genocide. USCIRF urges the Administration to enforce the Act and issue immediate and targeted sanctions against Chinese government officials responsible for the persecution of Uyghurs, it added. The administration must take meaningful action now to condemn Chinas crimes against humanity, modern slavery, and cultural genocide. In a signing statement on Wednesday, the president said that some of the provisions for sanctions in the bill could limit his constitutional authority to engage in diplomacy as president so he would treat them as advisory and not mandatory. The Act holds accountable perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses such as the systematic use of indoctrination camps, forced labor, and intrusive surveillance to eradicate the ethnic identity and religious beliefs of Uyghurs and other minorities in China, Trump said. The Chinese government has continually denied that it has unjustly imprisoned Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region. However, documents called The China Cables that were leaked last year to news outlets revealed the ideological motivations and structure behind such detention centers. The documents were leaked to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a consortium that has worked with 17 media partners, including the BBC and The Guardian. Included in the leak was a nine-page memo reportedly sent out to officials operating the camps by then deputy-secretary of Xinjiangs Communist Party, Zhu Hailun, in 2017. The BBC reported that the memo said detention centers in Xinjiang should be run as high-security prisons with strict punishments and no escapes. The memo also ordered detention center officials to increase discipline and punishment of behavioral violations, make remedial Mandarin studies a top priority and promote repentance and confession. According to The Guardian, the memo also revealed that inmates at the camps were made to serve at least one year but could be detained indefinitely. The Chinese government has also continued its campaign against Christianity during the countrys coronavirus outbreak by destroying crosses and demolishing a church while people were on lockdown. More than 60 million Christians live in China, at least half of whom worship in unregistered, or illegal underground churches. China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians, according to Open Doors USAs World Watch List. China and the EU have to be two major forces for world peace and stability, two major markets for world development and prosperity, and two major civilizations for upholding multilateralism and improving global governance, said Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi made the remarks when meeting with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen via video link on the evening of June 22. Xis proposal has chartered the course for the China-EU relationship to grow more solid and mature and reach greater heights in the post-COVID-19 era. China and EU account for 1/3 of the global economy. Their sound interaction carried out at the critical moment of the global fight against the pandemic not only has sent a positive signal for joint anti-pandemic efforts, cooperation and global economic recovery, but also will inject more stability and positive energy into the instable and uncertain world. Cooperation and win-win results have always remained a basis for the bilateral relationship between China and European Union (EU) in the past 45 years. The trade volume between the two sides now is 300 times more than that when they just established diplomatic ties, and eight million visits are exchanged between them every year. China and the EU have established dozens of dialogue and consultation mechanisms in different areas and at different levels, and their cooperation has been extended to peace and security, environment, science and technology, culture, education and health. China and the EU have jointly built a partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization, and continuously deepened their comprehensive strategic partnership. They enhanced cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations (UN), jointly promoted global public health government, and worked together to cope with global challenges such as climate change, so as to make their relationship more globalized and strategy-oriented. China-EU cooperation has improved the welfare of the two peoples, and serves as an important stabilizer in the ever-changing world. Facing the severe COVID-19 pandemic, China and the EU offered mutual help to overcome difficulties. The heads of two sides maintained frequent exchanges, and carried out constructive communication over emergency material supply, the steady and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains, and strengthening macroeconomic policy coordination. China and the EU offered huge medical materials to each other, and maintained smooth operation of the China-France air bridge. China has sent multiple medical teams to support Europes fight against COVID-19, which left a beautiful story of China-Europe joint anti-pandemic efforts. The two sides established joint expert team, and multiple video conferences were arranged for Chinese and European scientists and medical workers to share experiences. Besides, the fully loaded China-Europe freight trains also offered strong support for European countries in the pandemic. Italys former Prime Minister Romano Prodi described Chinas donation as a sign of friendship and solidarity, saying he hopes that the world understands that China and Italy are really in the same boat. The strong vitality of China-EU relations demonstrated at the special moment once again proved that all roads run parallel without interfering with one another. China and EU have different civilizations and systems, but they do not have conflict of fundamental interests. Both sides adhere to multilateralism, safeguard the open world economy and are committed to seeking welfare for the people in their exchanges. They pursue the same goal and act in one, no matter in combating COVID-19, accelerating drug and vaccine R&D cooperation, supporting the World Health Organization (WHO), or promoting international cooperation within the UN and G20 mechanisms, and jointly supporting Africas anti-pandemic efforts. Chinese and EU economies are deeply integrated, and their open cooperation in the process of economic revitalization will set an example for and lead the world. For instance, the fast track program between China and Germany is a highlight in the global anti-pandemic efforts. It demonstrated that China and the EU are partners that share opportunities. They have larger space for cooperation than competition, and far more consensuses than differences. As Germany is about to chair the EU, German Councilor Angela Merkel recently stressed that the EU has a great strategic interest in maintaining cooperation with China. Though the pandemic is spreading globally and unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, solidarity and cooperation are still buzzwords for China-EU high level exchanges. China and EU share infinite cooperation potential, and the two sides will work closely to advance bilateral political agendas and bring their relations onto new levels. A series of consensuses were achieved at the recent 22nd China-EU Summit, which indicated that China-EU relations are comprehensive, strategic and mutually beneficial. Both sides agreed that China-EU economic and trade cooperation is reciprocal, and expressed the hope for an early investment agreement that is comprehensive, balanced and high-quality. As two major forces, two big markets and two great civilizations, China and Europe can make a difference for the world by demonstrating what they stand for, what they oppose and what they can achieve in cooperation, Xi said. His remarks profoundly explained the significance of developing China-EU relations. The two sides shall firmly stick to mutual respect, seek common ground while shelving differences, look for harmony in diversity, and constantly enhance mutual understanding and trust, to expand common interests in cooperation, solve problems in development, and make the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU more influential in the world. The two sides shall join hands to seek new opportunities in crisis and changes, constantly enhance the welfare of the two peoples, and make contribution to the common development and prosperity of all countries. The senior Congress leader slammed the Yogi Adityanath government on publicising the launch of Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan, shed light on the dire condition of workers in various industrial sectors in Uttar Pradesh. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government saying that only publicity will not provide employment. Yesterday, an employment event was started in Uttar Pradesh with a lot of publicity, Priyanka wrote in a Facebook post. She alleged that most of the categories of employment mentioned at the event is not in good health. Self-employed people are in crisis due to lack of direct financial support from the government, she added. The condition of small and medium scale industries is so bad that as per an estimate, 62 per cent of MSMEs will cut jobs and 78 per cent will cut wages, she wrote. Also read: India better than other countries: PM on Indias fight against Covid-19 Also read: Half-truths: P Chidambaram hits back at BJP President over PMNRF row Priyanka said that the condition of chikan industry, woodwork, brass industry, powerloom sector, carpet industry is bad in Uttar Pradesh. Recently, the incidents of suicide by migrant laborers from outside in Bundelkhand are before us. Tragic incidents of suicide have come to light in Kanpur due to financial constraints and lack of employment, she said. Later she asked, In such a situation, what is the Uttar Pradesh government trying to hide? Will only publicity provide employment? Also read: Goa CM Pramod Sawant announces 12 measures for industrial revival For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Linda Scott's new book on the costs of gender inequality pulls no punches. It opens with a shocking portrait of adolescent girls "in desperate flight" on the streets of the Ghanaian capital of Accra and moves swiftly to illustrate the "deep contempt" that the economics profession holds for women. Welcome to The Double X Economy, a book in which the Oxford academic seeks to enumerate the costs of keeping women as second-class economic citizens and exposes the way in which half the world's population is being failed, whether it is impoverished Ghana or affluent Europe and the US. While it is clearly a coincidence, the fact that the book has been published as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic gives it extra heft. Women make up the majority of our healthcare workers, they have been hit harder than men by the economic disruption caused by the pandemic and issues of gender and leadership have been thrown into sharp relief when you measure the relative performance of Donald Trump and say New Zealand's Jacinda Arden. But, we knew this already, didn't we? Professor Scott reels off sets of data that argue the world's wealth would rise by $160 trillion if the gap in pay between men and women were closed. Despite accounting for half of the world's population, women own just 20pc of the world's farmland. She then backs those claims up in forensic detail, although you would probably expect nothing less from someone who is professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at Oxford University's Said Business School. "The numbers show that the Double X Economy is huge; only resolute blindness causes economists to miss it," Scott writes. "To illustrate, if the Double X Economy in the United States were its own nation, that country's economy would be large enough to join the G7." That should give women political heft alongside their economic power, although surprisingly, the majority of the recommendations here are very US-centric; forgiveness of student debt and ending forced arbitration contracts come before universal childcare, for example. The most powerful sections and arguments in the book come from Scott's time working in economic development programmes in Ghana and Bangladesh and from a step-by-step look at male-dominated finance departments in US universities. Video of the Day What she finds is contrary to the conclusions reached by "big data" quantitative economics, a profession that is dominated by men and which leads to conclusions that either ignore, or denigrate, the experiences of women. A lot of economic models have pointed to the economic benefits of an educated female workforce - we have seen this first-hand in Ireland - but in the very poorest countries, few girls made it into secondary education. "Local wisdom in Ghana held that teenage girls dropped out of school because they were too materialistic; girls would trade sex, they said, for new clothes and mobile phones," writes Scott. That explanation fitted neatly with another observation, that adolescent fertility dropped as school enrolment rose. It took hundreds of interviews on the ground, but Scott and her team established that the onset of periods was a seen as a "signal" that a girl was ready for sex and that by introducing sanitary pads, they spent more time in education. These experiments have been mirrored by Scott in Bangladesh. However, she doesn't stop her investigation at the world's poorest countries. There are examples of policies in the rich world - many of them well-intentioned - that hobble the economic empowerment of women and which are sowing the seeds of their societies' destruction. At present, Ireland is an outlier in Europe with our relatively young population, although that will change soon enough, but it has been clear for a long time that the low fertility rates in countries such as Germany, Denmark and Italy, for example, are a demographic time bomb. With ageing populations, tax bases will shrink dramatically at the same time as the demand for spending on an infirm populace grows, and economic growth will grind to a halt as the number of workers and active population shrinks. This problem, Scott says, has its roots in the design of European social systems that, for all their good intentions, have penalised mothers. Other countries look on enviously at Germany's three-year maternity leave, yet without childcare facilities, it was not an "option" but a forced choice, and as a result only one in 10 German mothers returns to work. That penalises women in two ways - it means that employers are unwilling to hire women because they fear they will disappear after children and it also means that the number of permanently childless women in Germany is the highest in Europe, which is in itself a drag on growth. "Because of its power to generate growth and reduce costs, the Double X Economy, when included, pays for itself," Scott writes. Given the questions that the coronavirus pandemic has posed to our economic model, there is an even stronger case to be made for inclusion. Backstreet Shadow ($10.00) turned in a solid bounce-back effort in the $164,000 Roll With Joe on Sunday (June 21) at Tioga Downs, evading nine rivals including Bettors Wish for a coast-to-cost 1:49 score in the Southern Tier's premier pacing event. After tearing through February and March with a four-race win streak in top company at Dover Downs but only mustering a fourth-place finish in his return effort against a Preferred field at The Meadowlands last Saturday (June 13), the five-year-old Shadow Play gelding played "catch me if you can" with some of harness racing's best and controlled the terms outright from the outset. Tim Tetrick fired Backstreet Shadow clear of fellow Ron Burke trainee This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) through a :26.2 first quarter. After achieving the lead, Backstreet Shadow did not relent, keeping the pace hot of his own accord through a :54.2 half and rising to the first-over challenge of None Bettor A (Andy McCarthy) through three-quarters in 1:21.1. Backstreet Shadow dug in off the far turn and maintained his advantage all the way to the winning post, prevailing by a driven 1-1/2 lengths. None Bettor A stayed on for second narrowly over 3-5 favourite Bettors Wish (Dexter Dunn), who was a victim of stalled cover on the clubhouse turn before assuming third-over position on the backstretch and rallying belatedly. Backstreet Shadow, now a 22-time winner with $628,115 in career earnings, campaigns for the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr, and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. A trio of $50,000 divisions of the Graduate for four-year-old pacers served as supporting events in Tioga's second Grand Circuit card of 2020. Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhen Racing LLC and William Garofalo's Hurrikane Emperor ($3.50, part of entry) took top honours among Graduate pacers, throwing down the gauntlet with a pillar-to-post 1:48.1 mile in the second division (race 6). Mark MacDonald sent the son of Hurricane Kingcole to the front from post 5, and the pair drilled fractions of :26.4, :54.3 and 1:21 before keeping pocket rival Captain Victorious (Gingras) three-quarters of a length at bay in a lifetime-best performance. Bllack Hole (Tetrick) fanned wide from fourth-over to narrowly claim third, 4-3/4 lengths farther back. In the first division (race 4), Workin Ona Mystery ($6.50) was the beneficiary of a mid-race duel between pacesetter Century Farroh (Wally Hennessey) and the first-over Warrawee Ubeaut (Gingras), sweeping off third-over cover to prevail by a neck in 1:50. Tim Tetrick drove the son of Captaintreacherous for trainer Brian Brown and the partnership of Diamond Creek Racing, the Stambaugh Leeman Stable, Alan Keith and Wingfield Brothers LLC. O'Brien Award winner Century Farroh proved valiant in defeat; Shamwow emerged out of traffic to take third. The third division (race 9) saw Breeders Crown winner Dancin Lou ($3.40) brush into a blistering :53.3 first half before shrugging off a stern attack from Brassy Hanover (Scott Zeron) and sprinting off to a 2-1/2-length, 1:48.3 victory over Covered Bridge (Gingras), who circled stalled cover to claim second over a stalling Brassy Hanover. Brian Sears drove the son of Sweet Lou for trainer Tahnee Camilleri and the partnership of David Kryway and 1362313 Ontario Ltd. The Rockies released infielder Kelby Tomlinson, reports MLBTRs own Steve Adams. Tomlinson had signed with the team in January on a minor-league deal, but wont be given the opportunity to continue his stint in Colorado. With speculation about a possible Nolan Arenado trade running rampant at the time of his signing, Tomlinson might have seen a heightened role with the Rockies if Arenado were out of the picture, but with no such trade coming to fruition, the need for Tomlinson was limited. And with the likes of Brendan Rodgers, Josh Fuentes, Ryan McMahon, and others also in the picture, Tomlinson faced plenty of competition for playing time in the Colorado infield. Tomlinson hasnt appeared in regular-season action since 2018 when he was with the Giants. He played the entirety of last season at the Triple-A level in the Arizona and Seattle minor-league systems, posting an overall .602 OPS. In parts of four seasons with San Francisco, Tomlinson managed a .265/.331/.332 batting line. Though he provides little in the way of power, Tomlinson could be a depth option for a club in need of reserve infielders. The 30-year-old can play shortstop, second base, and third base, and could be worth a spot on a teams 60-player pool. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:02:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KABUL, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIRC) denounced Saturday a bomb blast which killed two staff, including a female advisor, in Kabul earlier on Saturday. "The AIHRC mourns the loss of two of its staff members who were killed in a bomb explosion this morning in Butkhak locality in Police District 12 of Kabul," the commission said in a statement. The statement said that the commission would share more information with the public after full investigation into the issue. Locating in eastern part of the city, the district has been the scene of scores of bomb attacks for many years. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest in a string of targeted attacks in the country. Over the past years, the capital city with a population of nearly 5 million has been hit by series of terror attacks by the Taliban insurgents and militants of the Islamic State (IS) opposing the government. Enditem To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! ALBANY One reader who writes regularly is alarmed, understandably, by the frightening spike in violence this summer. He thinks I should take Albany's mayor to task for it. "I know you like to kick Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the shins when you can, but why are you as quiet as a church mouse regarding Kathy Sheehan?" he wrote, noting that he, a lifelong Albanian, has never seen anything like the mayhem of recent weeks. "How long will you stay silent on her mishandling of the crime issue in Albany?" he asked. "What is the limit of dead and wounded that you are willing to tolerate before asking questions about her policing policy?" No doubt, the violence has been both shocking and sickening. This month alone, through Friday, there were at least 36 shootings and four killings in the city. So far this year, eight people have been killed, more than double last year's total. My letter writer isn't the only one pointing a finger at Sheehan. You can easily find similar thoughts on talk radio and social media. And if I thought the mayor was to blame, I'd be more than willing to join in. I don't think she is. Sheehan didn't put guns in the hands of the young men who open fire even in broad daylight. She didn't give them a callous disregard for life. She isn't responsible for the national economic policies that have created neighborhoods of despair and anxiety in American cities. Moreover, Albany is not alone in experiencing a surge in violence. Shootings in New York City have doubled this month, for example, and cities around the country, from Milwaukee to Los Angeles, are reporting similar spikes. What's happening is not a local phenomenon. If you're looking for something to blame, blame the coronavirus. Sheehan and Eric Hawkins, the city's police chief, say the pandemic has kept officers (and social workers) from the efforts that stop crime. Much of that work is focuses on stemming the urge for revenge. There may be other pandemic-related causes. Lisa Good, the executive director of Urban Grief, an Albany non-profit focused on helping gun-violence victims, told me she believes that with more people indoors, shooters feel emboldened by the relative absence of potential witnesses. In other words, there are fewer of what author and activist Jane Jacobs called "eyes on the street." Busy streets are safer, but cities have been noticeably emptier during the pandemic. I think the link between the virus and violence may go deeper. Polls show that American happiness has plummeted to the lowest level since we started trying to record it 50 years ago. The economy has been destroyed. People are restless and frightened. None of that is a justification for shooting. But if the country as a whole is anxious, frustrated and despairing, its poorest and most desperate neighborhoods are especially anxious, frustrated and despairing. The country is a tinderbox right now, and the violence is one way the tension is showing. How is that Sheehan's fault? Some of you, I know, will blame the violence on Black Lives Matter movement and calls for police reform. I don't buy it, despite what Fox News says. Maybe it's true that cops are feeling demoralized, but in reality the movement has changed very little about policing. Police departments haven't been defunded just yet and most never will be. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Obviously, public safety is a significant factor in how mayors are judged, as it should be. You can't have economic growth without safety. You can't have good schools without safety. It's the foundation for liveable cities. and any mayor who presides over a sustained increase in crime can expect to be voted out of office. But if Sheehan is to be blamed for the recent rise in violence, fairness mandates she be credited for several noteworthy periods of peace since her 2013 election, including a remarkable 14-month stretch when there were no killings at all in Albany. Consider this: The city's violent crime rate in the six completed years after Sheehan took office is lower than for the six years before her tenure, when Jerry Jennings was the mayor. Property crime, meanwhile, has declined every year under Sheehan and is down 27 percent since her election. The statistics, then, belie claims that "Sheehan is mishandling the crime issue," as my letter writer suggests, or that the men who proceeded her were somehow better at maintaining law and order. The stats suggest Sheehan's emphasis on community policing has been working, despite what critics want to believe. Still, if you argue that not enough progress is being made against terrifying crimes, I won't debate. The stubborn resilience of violence in Albany (and elsewhere) is frustrating and dispiriting. We have too many guns in the hands of too many lost young men. But the mayhem of recent weeks is bigger than Albany. It's bigger than Kathy Sheehan, too. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trevali Mining Corporation (Trevali or the Company) (TSX: TV, BVL: TV; OTCQX: TREVF, Frankfurt: 4TI) regretfully announces that 19 workers at the Santander mine in Peru tested positive for COVID-19. These workers are asymptomatic and have been provided with safe and preventative quarantine. The Company has temporarily suspended operations at the mine and mill to undertake additional testing on site. On June 23rd, prior to a roster change, 69 workers were screened with COVID-19 serological rapid tests of which 19 yielded positive results. These tests detect the presence of antibodies that have been produced in response to a COVID-19 infection. In response, all workers on site are proactively being quarantined and will be tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. This is the most common diagnostic test used to identify people currently infected. Additional medical professionals are being brought to the operation to provide support and to perform the testing and diagnosis. Checks on existing controls, such as physical distancing, body temperature readings, cleaning and disinfection will occur as part of the investigation. New transport options and protocols between the operation and the main areas where our workers live will also be agreed and implemented before a re-start occurs. The Company has decided to temporarily suspend mining and milling operations to focus on the health and safety of Santanders workforce. No timeline for the restart of operations has been defined at this time. Trevali continues to engage with the Government of Peru, local communities, and other mining companies to refine best practices in the screening and prevention of COVID-19. ABOUT TREVALI Trevali is a global base-metals mining company, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The bulk of Trevalis revenue is generated from base-metals mining at its three operational assets: the 90%-owned Perkoa Mine in Burkina Faso, the 90%-owned Rosh Pinah Mine in Namibia, and the wholly-owned Santander Mine in Peru. In addition, Trevali owns the Caribou Mine, Halfmile and Stratmat Properties and the Restigouche Deposit in New Brunswick, Canada, and the past-producing Ruttan Mine in northern Manitoba, Canada. Trevali also owns an effective 44%-interest in the Gergarub Project in Namibia, as well as an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Heath Steele deposit located in New Brunswick, Canada. The shares of Trevali are listed on the TSX (symbol TV), the OTCQX (symbol TREVF), the Lima Stock Exchange (symbol TV), and the Frankfurt Exchange (symbol 4TI). For further details on Trevali, readers are referred to the Companys website (www.trevali.com) and to Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Investor Relations and Media Contact: Brendan Creaney Vice President, Investor Relations Email: bcreaney@trevali.com Phone: +1 (778) 655-6070 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management of the Company as of the date the statements are published, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect managements expectations or beliefs regarding future events including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys operations, including the temporary suspension of operations at the Santander mine and the Company's efforts to minimize the impacts of same, the refinement of practices for the screening and prevention of COVID-19, discussions with government authorities and other stakeholders, and the timing of the resumption of operations at Santander. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of zinc, lead, silver and other minerals and the anticipated sensitivity of our financial performance to such prices; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recoveries; dependence on key personnel; potential conflicts of interest involving our directors and officers; labour pool constraints; labour disputes; availability of infrastructure required for the development of mining projects; delays or inability to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals for mining operations or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; counterparty risks; increased operating and capital costs; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; operating in foreign jurisdictions with risk of changes to governmental regulation; risks relating to widespread epidemics or pandemic outbreak including the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce, suppliers and other essential resources and what effect those impacts, if they occur, would have on our business; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; land reclamation and mine closure obligations; challenges to title or ownership interest of our mineral properties; maintaining ongoing social license to operate; impact of climatic conditions on the Companys mining operations; corruption and bribery; limitations inherent in our insurance coverage; compliance with debt covenants; competition in the mining industry; our ability to integrate new acquisitions into our operations; cybersecurity threats; litigation and other risks and uncertainties that are more fully described in the Companys most recent annual information form filed and available for review under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Trevali provides no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events may differ from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Source: Trevali Mining Corporation An anti-China demonstration was staged outside the Chinese Consulate here by the members of the Indian-American community on Friday (local time). The protestors were carrying banners that read 'China Stop Bullying!' and another banner saying, 'Boycott Chinese products, buy American'. The protestors were seen carrying posters which read that Taiwan and Tibet are not part of China. Along with the banners, the demonstrators also waved the Indian and American flags. "They are stealing American jobs (due to which) so many people have been laid off. They are threatening several countries in the world including Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore and India," said a protestor. He added, "They are trying to flex their muscles and intimidate everyone. We are here to protest against that. We are looking for economic reforms and requesting them to behave like civilised people." The protestor went on to accuse China for the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and said that "all the viruses have come from China". "They are causing so much damage. Millions of people around the world are suffering because of the virus. I think the Chinese need to stop threatening and treating their own people as slaves," he said. Earlier, the Indian community in Canada on Wednesday held an anti-China protest outside the Chinese Consulate office in Vancouver. While protesting against Beijing, people were seen holding banners of 'Back off China' and 'Stop killing people in India'. Twenty Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in Galwan Valley on June 15 after an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during de-escalation in eastern Ladakh. Indian intercepts reveal that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in the clash. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 crisis also present an opportunity for businesses to re-strategise and re-invent themselves, Union Bank of India MD and CEO Rajkiran Rai G said. The banking industry is always there to support businesses but they will also have to innovate and look beyond convention, he said at a webinar organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday. "The current disruption is an opportunity to re-strategise and re-invent. See for new geographies to serve, you can launch new products, see for strategic tie-ups wherever possible," he said. The Union Bank chief also said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have real opportunities to plug into the global supply chain as more companies seek to diversify sourcing inputs. Pointing out that small businesses are mostly one-man shows, he said such companies should adopt digital means for banks to assess their creditworthiness faster and more effectively. "There are many simple softwares available, please do that because for a banker data is very important. Now when you have authentic data, you can sumbit to me and then actually my processing becomes much simpler rather than a CA created balance sheet. "I would like to have account balance supported balance sheet where every debit and credit entry comes in and I can authenticate your balance sheet well and I can take a call on the limit (for loan)," Rai said. He further said digital is going to be a big wave for both banks and businesses following the coronavirus pandemic. "Like sitting at home, it (loan) gets processed. Banks have to evolve to this level as a response... to COVID. When I am saying SMEs have to evolve, you should evolve...the pandemic borne disruption is also an opportunity for enterprises, especially the SMEs, to get in tune with micro trends," he added. There is a lot to be done on the digitisation journey, Rai emphasised. "We need to innovate and bring in...new ideas...At present banks are willing to help. With extra burden of future consequences, we are in a mode to help you. Together we can swim in uncharted waters. "It is also an opportunity for conventional banks to do necessary makeovers and become agile institutions," Rai said, addressing the industry participants. He also said there is much talk about economic contraction this fiscal as many agencies are coming up with different figures. However, he hoped that India would prove them wrong. "When I speak to a lot of my people,...we are almost back to normal. I was looking at my retail sanctions, my June sanctions are as good as June 2019 sanctions. "Generally we look at metros and form opinions. Please look beyond metros, there is whole of India which is surviving and thriving. Why we should be negative, let us prove all these statisticians wrong," he added. Also Read: Delhi schools to remain close till July 31, 50% syllabus cut on anvil Also Read: HUL to drop 'Fair' from 'Fair & Lovely' to become more 'inclusive' A second major investor has hit out at HSBC for backing China's crackdown on Hong Kong. Hermes said it is in talks with the bank after HSBC supported a new law in a post on Chinese social media platform WeChat. Hitting out: Hermes said it is in talks with the bank after HSBC supported a new law in a post on Chinese social media platform WeChat Roland Bosch, of Hermes Investment, told The Mail on Sunday: 'We are engaging with HSBC to fully understand its position on the Chinese national security law for Hong Kong. 'We have questions on the bank's statement amid concerns the law may have an adverse impact on human rights in Hong Kong. We expect firms to support improvements in protections for citizens, not back their removal.' Two weeks ago Aviva said it was 'uneasy' about HSBC's support for the new security law, which critics fear will silence dissidents in Hong Kong. Standard Chartered and HSBC supported the law after their activities were threatened by former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying, who said they profited from Chinese business without defending the state. HSBC declined to comment. The north Alabama city of Madison today began requiring visitors to City Hall and other city offices to wear masks after COVID-19 cases spiked in North Alabama. Madison Mayor Paul Finley told a media briefing that North Alabamas numbers are very, very challenging. In the past two weeks, he said hospitalizations have gone up 56 percent from 39 to 87, confirmed cases in Madison County up 50 percent from 428 to 864; and number of people quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19 up 440 percent from 85 to 375. Finley said the quarantine number hit me the hardest and led to the mask rule. A lot of it is because we need to take care of our own house, Finley said of his government. We highly recommend that businesses do the same thing. Youre finally going to know somebody who has this. Madison is a city of 50,000 adjacent to Huntsville. Many of the engineers who work at NASA or Redstone Arsenal and for the areas tech companies live in the city with their families. But not yet was the answer from both Finley and State Health Department Assistant Director Dr. Karen Landers when asked if people should be required to wear masks, too. It may get to that point; you can see these numbers rising, Finley said. Then it comes down to enforcement. Whos going to enforce it, at what level do we enforce it and where do we enforce it? Some people say flat out, I will not wear a mask, Finley said. Enforcing a mask rule in todays social environment would not be positive for our community, the mayor said. Landers agreed that the state is divided on masks. For every letter she gets that says mask, Landers said she gets one that says absolutely dont mask. But Finley said businesses can require masks for entry. You can control yourself, you can control your family and you can control your business, he said. We highly recommend that businesses do the same thing. It could impact your bottom line. What could change the officialsnot yet on requiring masks? If the hospitals get overburdened, well do it, Finley predicted. And if local governments require masks, failing to wear one would mean a citation like a traffic ticket. Youre not going to take somebody thats not wearing a mask and put them in jail, Finley said. Landers told the briefing that a technical team from the national Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is in Alabama this week advising the health department. The CDC will help the state streamline its reporting of cases and develop county data. I know that has been a long time coming, she said. West Bengal on Saturday registered 521 new Covid-19 cases and 13 deaths, taking the states total coronavirus tally to 16,711, the state health department said. With the 13 fatalities, the eastern states death toll has now climbed to 629. Twelve of the 13 deaths were due to co-morbidities where the coronavirus infection was also one of the causes, health department data said. The number of active coronavirus cases in Bengal is 5,293 while 10,789 patients have recovered from the infection and been discharged. In the last 24 hours since Friday, 254 patients have recovered from the infectious disease. ALSO READ | India reports over 18,000 daily Covid-19 cases for first time; tally at 5.08 lakh On Friday, the state tested 9,548 samples to detect the coronavirus infection, the bulletin read. With the country grappling with the deadly pathogen for the last three months, festivals in most states have taken a backseat with people practicing social distancing norms and not stepping out of their homes unless absolutely essential. At about this time, most Durga Puja committees in West Bengal gear up to start preparing for the states annual extravaganzathe five-day long Durga Puja. This year, however, the state has a different story to tell. Representatives of some Durga Puja Committees from Kolkata and UK-based London Sharad Utsav are due to take part in a webinar to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the festival. Subir Das from the Bengal Heritage Foundation said, The webinar will be conducted in mid-July. The virtual discussion will be on how to help people like priests, dhakis, idol-makers, and pandal designers who are economically dependent on the Durga Puja as the key to their earnings, Das said. India registered its worst single-day increase in Covid-19 cases, recording more than 18,000 cases of the coronavirus disease on Saturday to take the countrys tally to 508,953, the Union health ministry said. According to the health ministrys data, Covid-19 cases increased by 18,552 cases between Friday and Saturday, while the death toll climbed to 15,685 with 384 deaths in the last 24 hours. (CNN) - By the end of 2021, the World Health Organization plans to deliver about 2 billion doses of a coronavirus vaccine to people across the globe, WHO officials announced during a virtual media briefing on Friday. One billion of those doses will be purchased for low- and middle-income countries, according to WHO. This new goal is part of WHO's Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator program, which launched in April to bring together governments, health groups, scientists, businesses and philanthropists to support efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic. The program has four pillars focused on COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines and health systems. WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said during Friday's briefing that "the only way to prevent further spread and transmission" of the coronavirus would be to have an effective and safe vaccine. "Obviously this virus has affected all countries and all populations and therefore a vaccine ideally and from an ethical standpoint should also be available across the world," Swaminathan said, adding that only a small proportion of the world's population has developed natural immunity to COVID-19. "The principle of equitable access is a simple thing to say, but a complicated thing to implement. It requires active collaboration between governments, industry, health organizations, civil society organizations and communities," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during Friday's briefing. "Vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics are vital tools but to be truly effective, they must be administered with another essential ingredient, which is solidarity." According to WHO, the ACT-Accelerator initiative's plans to deliver tests, therapeutics and a vaccine all over the world are estimated to cost about $31.3 billion in funding, of which $3.4 billion has so far been pledged. This story was first published on CNN.com, "WHO hopes to deliver 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of 2021" We humans are a deeply gullible bunch, willing to credulously believe any half truth, even outright lie, so long as it aligns with our existing opinions and preconceptions. The rise of modern media especially the anonymous world of social media has only exacerbated this problem. Where tall tales of child sex dungeons hidden under pizza shops would have once been dismissed out of hand as unhinged ramblings, theyre now blasted across the internet at broadband speeds into the already overstimulated minds of the masses. Disinformation efforts the organized spread of lies have proven especially effective in the modern media landscape, influencing elections and disrupt democratic processes. In Active Measures, noted national security expert Thomas Rid dives into the post-Soviet origins of this techno-political intrigue. In the excerpt below, Rid looks at the rise of politically sensitive data leaks and traditional medias struggle to adapt to a new era of digital disinformation. Farrar, Straus and Giroux Excerpted from Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare by Thomas Rid Reprinted with permission from Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Copyright 2020. What would active measures be without the journalist? asked Rolf Wagenbreth in 1986. Three years later, the Berlin Wall came down. The Russian intelligence community was beset by internal turmoil for a decade or so after the KGBs abrupt end in 1991. When the old spymasters found their footing again, the world around them had drastically changed. Internet utopianism had enveloped the West, and a new crop of internet companies had emerged, transforming the way humans read and wrote, shared images and documents, socialized, consumed news, and spread rumors. The sprawling network, as became progressively clear, was practically optimized for disinformation, at least until the mid-2010s. Active measures operators two decades after Wagenbreth would frame his question differently: What would active measures be without the internet? Journalists were still crucial, but the emerging social media platforms enabled surfacing, amplification, and even testing of active measures without the participation of reporters. Online sharing services, especially those with built-in anonymity, were tailor-made for at-scale deception. Dirty tricksters could now reach their target audiences directly. Cryptome, a radical transparency site and in effect the worlds first leak portal, was created in 1996 by the married couple John Young and Deborah Natsios to call attention to dual-use technology. Young had been active on the cypherpunk list, a loose group of technology utopians with an anti-government, anarchist bent. From West Texas, son of an oil worker, he became an architect in Manhattan and lived on the Upper West Side. Yet for decades, Young operated Cryptome on the tiny budget of less than $2,000 per year. His vision was rather romantic: Cryptome, aspiring to be a free public library, accepts that libraries are chock full of contaminated material, hoaxes, forgeries, propaganda, Young told one interviewer in 2013. He attempted to build a submission system that used encryption, and he wanted to allow contributors to be able to remain anonymous, ideally not even revealing their identity to Young or Cryptome itself. Well publish anything, Young explained, in what amounted to a philosophy of digital hoarding. We dont check it out. We dont try to verify it. We dont tell people, Believe this because we say its OK. We try not to give any authority to what we do. We just serve up the raw data. Indeed, Cryptome had the look of a postmodern antiques shop crammed with valuable-looking items that quickly lost their appeal at closer inspection. Youngs collection of oddities included, for instance, the engineering plans of the George Washington Bridge in New York, pictures of George W. Bushs ranch in Texas, details of British undercover activity in Northern Ireland, and high-resolution images of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Japan. In 2000, Young published a CIA briefing that a former Japanese official had leaked to him. We were told very early on that the site could be used to spread disinformation, Young recounted in 2004. I cant rule out that we are being subjected to a sophisticated disinformation campaign by government agencies. He applied the same sunlight-is-the-best-disinfectant logic to potential abuses: If it smells, then someone will point it out, he said. We publish people who object to whats appearing, and then let people decide. It is unlikely that Cryptome was exploited at scale by foreign governments, but not for the reasons Young cited. The KGB, Stasi, and StB would have loved Cryptome. But in an ironic historical twist, the worlds first leak site was at its high point when major active measures were at their lowest since the end of the Cold War. Yet Cryptome pioneered and precipitated a larger cultural shift that would help reawaken active measures with a vengeance. Young met Julian Assange on the cypherpunk list, and Assange described Cryptome as the spiritual godfather of WikiLeaks. In 2006, Assange asked Young to become the public face of WikiLeaks in the United States, and suggested that Young could register WikiLeaks.org in his name. The cooperation failed; two eccentric personalities clashed, and the radical-libertarian partnership came to an end. Yet WikiLeaks would soon eclipse Cryptome. In 2010, Chelsea Manning, then a twenty-two-year-old Army private known as Bradley, leaked more than a quarter million State Department and Department of Defense documents to WikiLeaks. The leaked diplomatic cables spanned about a decade, and turned Assange and his website into household names. By 2013, Cryptome had collected and published just 70,000 files, many random and hand-curated. WikiLeaks was pushing out secret information on an industrial scale. Then, in June 2013, Edward Snowden opened the floodgates. The precise number of files Snowden exfiltrated from the NSA remains unclear, as does the number of files that were passed on to various media outlets and how access to the documents spread from these initial brokers as more and more media organizations reported on the files. One nearly insurmountable problem was that many of the secret files were difficult to read and interpret, and yet the material was irresistible. As a result, several influential media organizations ran incomplete and error-ridden stories, often exaggerating the collection and interception capabilities of the American and British intelligence agencies affected by Snowdens security breach. Snowden fled the United States to Hong Kong, China, and eventually Moscow. Soon speculation mounted that Snowden might have acted as an agent of a hostile power. But in all likelihood, the self-described whistle-blower was acting as a libertarian idealist and genuine transparency activist, not as an agent of a foreign intelligence agency, when he executed the biggest public intelligence leak to date. Nevertheless, viewed from Russia, the Snowden leaks looked like a spectacularly successful American active measure targeted against America itself. A lowly NSA contractor, under the spell of transparency activism, had done more political and possibly more operational damage to the American intelligence community than most Service A operations during the Cold War. It was impossible to be aware of the history of active measures, while watching the Snowden affair unfold in real time, and not see an opportunity of strategic significance. Manning and Snowden, meanwhile, had shifted expectations and the terms of the public conversation. Massive government leaks of secret files, it appeared, were not a once-in-a-generation event, as comparisons with the Pentagon Papers implied, but something that could occur every few years. This shift was facilitated by the ease with which hundreds of thousands, even millions, of files could be copied and carried digitally on thumbnail-sized chips. Journalists and opinion leaders were now more willing than ever to embrace anonymous leaks without spending too much time on checking their provenance or veracity. By mid-2014, major magazines and newspapers, including The New Yorker and The Guardian, were competing with activist websites and encouraging anonymous submissions by mail or dedicated end-to-end encrypted submission portals with fortified anonymity. Yet the leaks could also be a problem for journalists, especially Snowdens material. It was often exceedingly difficult to assess leaked documents on their own merits, and checking secret facts was sometimes impossible. Even the most dogged and well-connected investigative journalist would have a hard time telling whether a specific leak was the outcome of an active measure or of genuine whistle-blowing. Then there was the question of forgeries. By 2013, only a few Cold War historians and veteran intelligence reporters remembered that Eastern bloc intelligence services had once perfected the art of semi-covert active measures enhanced by skillful falsifications, and that Congress had once held hearings on the forgery offensive. At the time of the Snowden leaks, Bruce Schneier was a widely respected cryptographer, an authority on information security, and a keen technical observer of NSA operations. In August 2014, Schneier used his popular online journal to take a close look at various recent NSA leaks and where they may have originated, concluding that the U.S. intelligence community now had a third leaker. (The FBI pursued a similar hypothesis.) The stream of stories on U.S. intelligence capabilities and operations, Schneier pointed out, didnt stem from the Snowden cache alone. The types and avenues of leaked documents pointed to two more sources. Schneier discussed various possibilities, but even he did not articulate that an adversarial intelligence agency might have planted particularly damaging leaks. Instead, Schneier spoke for a fast-growing subculture when he closed by recommending some readings to show that leaks were in general, a good thing. Schneier wasnt wrong: from the point of view of adversarial intelligence agencies, leaks are even a very good thing. The most aggressive active measures operators were already taking advantage of the new culture of leaking when Schneier wrote these lines. The two-year period after the Snowden disclosures, in fact, was a short, modern golden age of disinformation. That period was characterized by the confluence of several developments that were, ultimately, all temporary afterglow effects of 1990s internet utopianism: the prevailing view, articulated so well by Schneier, that unauthorized releases were a tool to strengthen democracy, not weaken it; the global rise of anonymous internet activism; the widespread notion that it was very hard, if not impossible, to trace hackers on the internet; the absence of publicly available digital forensics and a general understanding of how digital forensic artifacts should be interpreted; and the naive expectation that sharing news on social media platforms would lead not to abuse but to better-informed users. All of these five features of internet culture in the early 2010s were fleeting, and would change or disappear within half a decade. But in 2013, they formed the perfect techno-cultural cover for active measures, one so good that identifying the first digital leak operations remains a formidable challenge even with the benefit of hindsight. On October 23, 2013, Der Spiegel broke a story that came to define the Snowden affair: that the NSA was spying on Angela Merkels phone. Der Spiegel slipped the story into the frenzied coverage of the Snowden files, yet the magazine never explicitly stated that the information actually came from Snowden. The story, as first reported by Der Spiegel, was odd: the gist was that Merkel had confronted President Obama with allegations that he had spied on her, not that the NSA had been spying on her phone. The difference was subtle but crucial. Chancellor Cell Phone a U.S. Target? Der Spiegels headline asked. Even the lede was cautious: Merkel had possibly been targeted by U.S. intelligence. The magazine did not make a claim; it asked a question and reported a claim made by others. Germanys federal government, the magazine explained, was taking the spying allegations seriously enough to confront the president of the United States with the contention that the NSA had been spying on one of Americas closest allies. Der Spiegel was very careful with this particular story, not least because its journalists knew the danger of active measures; the magazine had fallen for Eastern disinformation in the past. Investigative journalists at Der Spiegel particularly remembered the humiliating forgery of the CDU strategy paper in Kreuth: Stasi Also Once Tricked Spiegel, the magazine had announced in 1991. Marcel Rosenbach, one of the journalists who broke the Merkel story, knew the infamous Philip Agee from Hamburg, and once visited Agees home, where he admired the allegedly bugged typewriter on which the CIA defector had typed Inside the Company. Holger Stark, who led the investigation, had, like Rosenbach, done groundbreaking historical reporting on Stasi operations. The initial tip for the story came before a major general election in late September 2013 that Merkel was expected to win. The sourcing has remained mysterious. Der Spiegel has refused to clarify the provenance of the initial tasking order, and curiously claimed they had multiple sources. Glenn Greenwald, one of the few journalists with extensive access to the Snowden archive, later told me that the source document for the Merkel story certainly did not come from the Snowden files. Greenwald added that his team carefully searched the archive for the NSA tasking order in question. Stark and Rosenbach, however, knew immediately that the story, whatever the source, had extraordinary potential. But there was not enough time for the investigative reporters to thoroughly fact-check the story before the vote. Eventually, a week before they broke the news, two Spiegel reporters met with the spokesperson of the chancellor in Berlin, Steffen Seibert. The journalists handed Seibert an A4-sized card that listed the NSAs surveillance order for Merkel, complete with one of her mobile phone numbers, and told Seibert that the NSA order was not an original printout from an NSA database but a copy typed up by one of Der Spiegels investigative reporters, who was convinced it represented the actual database entry. Seibel informed Merkel and the chancellery decided it would confront the White House. Christoph Heusgen, Germanys national security advisor, then spoke with Susan Rice, his U.S. counterpart. Rice at first blocked the request from Berlin. Merkel then took the question up with Obama. The White House press secretary eventually mentioned the sensitive phone call, explaining that the president assured the chancellor that the United States is not monitoring, and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor. Der Spiegel, reportedly along with the German government, then pointed out that the White House denial only mentioned present and future monitoring, not past. German diplomats and reporters subsequently construed this absence as confirmation that the United States had been spying on Merkel. German-American relations immediately took a very serious hit. Spying between friends, thats just not done, said Merkel, usually a sober, pro-American voice. The foreign office in Berlin summoned the U.S. ambassador, in a major gesture of frustration. Sixty-two percent of Germans approved of the chancellors harsh call to Obama, with a quarter of the population saying her reaction was not harsh enough. The NSA, in a rare step, immediately denied that its director everdiscussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Merkel with Obama. News reports claiming otherwise are not true, an NSA spokesperson wrote to journalists. Germanys attorney general proceeded to investigate the case for about a year, and eventually concluded that there was no evidence that Merkels calls had been intercepted. The document that was publicly perceived as evidence for the actual surveillance of the [Merkels] mobile phone was not an authentic tasking order by the NSA, the attorney general said at a press conference, adding that the tasking order later published in the German press did not originate from an NSA database. Still, Der Spiegel stuck to its story, and convincingly so. Some observers in Western intelligence agencies saw more sinister machinations at play. Der Spiegels sources remained nebulous, thus raising the question of whether the magazine had been played. A close U.S. intelligence ally may have intercepted Merkels phone, one theory went, and thus made it difficult for the NSA to deny the allegations outright. The timing, framing, and other details of the affair led some senior intelligence officials to one explanationindeed, to what they believed was the only explanation: that the Merkel story was a professionally executed and highly effective active measure designed to drive a wedge between the United States and one of its closest NATO allies. The story indeed appeared to fit an old pattern. The evidence for this theory, however, remained wafer-thin. Animated characters (L-R) Peter Griffin, Glenn Quagmire, both voiced by Seth MacFarlane, Cleveland Brown, voiced by Mike Henry and Joe Swanson, voiced by Patrick Warburton, from the series "Family Guy." Henry announced that he will no longer voice the black character Cleveland Brown. (Fox via AP) White People to Stop Voicing Minority Characters in The Simpsons, Family Guy A voice actor who played a minority character in Family Guy said hes leaving the role after 20 years while The Simpsons producers said no white actors would be allowed to voice nonwhite characters. Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice nonwhite characters, producers said in a statement Friday. The statement didnt include any other information. Mike Henry, who voiced Cleveland Brown, a black character, in Family Guy, said earlier Friday he wouldnt do so any longer. Its been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years. I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role, he said in a social media statement. Seth McFarlane, who created the show, shared Henrys statement. Both Family Guy and The Simpsons are long-running animated comedies. Other similar moves have taken place in recent days. Kristen Bell of Central Park speaks onstage during the Apple TV+ segment of the 2020 Winter TCA Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 19, 2020. (David Livingston/Getty Images) Kristen Bell, who voiced Molly, a mixed race character on the animated series Central Park, said on social media that This is a time to acknowledge our acts of complicity. Here is one of mine. Playing the character of Molly on Central Park shows a lack of awareness of my pervasive privilege. Casting a mixed race character with a white actress undermines the specificity of the mixed race and black American experience, she wrote. Jenny Slate said she initially thought it was okay to voice Missy, a mixed race character, on Big Mouth. I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play Missy because her mom is Jewish and Whiteas am I, Slate wrote on social media. But Missy is also black, and black characters on an animated show should be played by black actors. I acknowledge how my original reasoning was flawed, that it existed as an example of white privilege and unjust allowances made within a system of social white supremacy, and that in me playing Missy, I was engaging in an act of erasure of black people. The moves drew mixed reactions from social media users. Hey I (obviously a black man) have enjoyed your performances throughout your 20 years. Voices are voices. There are no colors assigned to them. As a VA your job is to bring your characters to life and you have done that magnificently, one user wrote to Henry. Another wrote to Bell: Why would you even take the role? Like the fact that that SEEMED like a good idea to you is the problem. Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has finally opened up on the ouster of Adams Oshiomhole, the part... Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has finally opened up on the ouster of Adams Oshiomhole, the partys former national chairman and his loyalist. In a 1858-word statement on Saturday, Tinubu detailed how the crisis which saw the dissolution of the partys national working committee (NWC) could have been averted. He admitted there were mistakes which Oshiomhole must own up to, and also spoke about speculations that he ended up a loser in the aftermath of the crisis regarding his reported presidential ambition. Here are seven key things the former governor of Lagos state said: OSHIOMHOLE MADE MISTAKES Tinubu said though Oshiomhole tried his best while overseeing the affairs of the party for two years, he acted too little too late in addressing some urgent issues that arose. He also said the erstwhile national chairman must own up to mistakes made during his tenure. Some members went against their chairman in a bid to forcefully oust him. In hindsight, his fence-mending attempts were perhaps too little too late, Tinubu said. I believed and continue to believe that Comrade Oshiomhole tried his best. Mistakes were made and he must own them. Yet, we must remember also that he was an able and enthusiastic campaigner during the 2019 election. He is a man of considerable ability as are the rest of you who constituted the NWC. PEOPLE THOUGHT APC WILL DISINTEGRATE Tinubu, a founding leader of the APC, added that some people had predicted the total disintegration of our party following the crisis. Most such dire predictions were from critics whose forecasts said more about their ill will than they revealed about our partys objective condition, he said. Although he described the predictions as premature, he added that an honest person must admit the party had entered a space where it had no good reason to be. NO DECISION ON 2023 PRESIDENTIAL RACE The APC leader also took a jab at those who said the outcome of President Muhammadu Buharis intervention in the crisis shattered his presidential ambition. He described the claims as distasteful, saying he has made no decision regarding the next presidential election. He said: I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born. At this extenuating moment with COVID-19 and its economic fallout hounding us, I cannot see as far into the distance as you. I have made no decision regarding 2023 for the concerns of this hour are momentous enough. During this period, I have not busied myself with politicking regarding 2023. I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face. NWC EXHIBITED BEHAVIOUR OF A FIGHT CLUB Tinubu tackled the former members of the dissolved NWC who he said failed to use the party mechanisms to address their grievances. He said these party leaders had wanted to use the power of executive authority to bury each other, thus exhibiting the behaviour of a fight club (which is) not the culture of a progressive political party. The National Working Committee, itself, became riven by unnecessary conflict. Those who disagreed with one another stopped trying to find common ground, he said. Order, party discipline and mutual respect went out of the window. Members instituted all manner of court cases, most of them destructive, some of them frivolous, none of them necessary. In the process, a dense fog fell upon our party. BUHARIS DECISION MUST BE ACCEPTED Tinubu commended Buharis intervention, saying the president cares about the condition of the party as any parent would care for its offspring. With lawsuits so numerous one needed a spread sheet to keep track, President Buhari has reasonably decided that he has seen enough. I do not lament his intervention or its outcome. I lament that the situation degenerated to the point where he felt compelled to intervene, he said. He said what is worrisome was that so many trusted people acted in such a way as to force the president to put aside the issues of statecraft in order to address these problems. The President has spoken and his decision has been accepted. It is now beholden on all of us, as members of the APC, to recommit ourselves to the ideals and principles on which our party was founded, he added. EX-NWC MEMBERS SHOULD SHEATHE THEIR SWORDS The APC leader appealed to former members of the partys NWC to sheathe their swords and look to the larger picture. He said members must subordinate their ambitions to health and well-being of the party against all odds. Never should our party be defined by one persons interests or even the amalgam of all members individual interests, he said adding that a successful party must be greater than the sum of its parts. EDO, ONDO GUBER POLLS UP NEXT He added that the party must unite to win the governorship elections in Edo where the incumbent defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and emerged its candidate and Ondo states. We have governorship elections around the corner in Edo and a primary and elections in Ondo. On these important events we must concentrate our immediate energies, he said. In Edo, we must rally round our candidate Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu. In this, Comrade Oshiomhole has a crucial role to play. I congratulate him for his equanimity and loyalty to the party and our President in accepting the dissolution of the NWC. I encourage him, now, to return to Edo State to energise the campaign for the election of Pastor Ize-Iyamu. Patients are being offered cosmetic surgery to banish stubborn eye-bags while awake and with their eyes wide open. While certainly not for the faint-hearted, the method involves three minimally invasive procedures, each lasting less than two hours. Unlike normal under-eye lift surgery, which involves incisions below the lower lid and the removal of bulging tissue beneath the skin, the new technique involves just three tiny cuts close to the eyelashes. Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, who pioneered the technique, says: 'Interfering with the fat pads in the cheek means patients often need to be put to sleep because there's a risk of nerve damage if the patient flinches. But I avoid excessive touching in this area, which allows me to keep patients awake.' Kimberly James, 51, from Essex, pictured left before the procedure and right after, describes the results of her treatment as 'life-changing' Keeping patients lucid also gives surgeons a better idea of how the eye will look when they've finished as they can avoid stretching the skin so much it becomes uncomfortable or looks unnatural. Kimberly James, 51, from Essex, describes the results of her treatment as 'life-changing'. 'I spent a decade wearing sunglasses everywhere I went because I was crippled with insecurity about the drooping, hanging skin under my eyes,' she says. 'I couldn't make eye contact with people and found it very difficult to go on dates with potential partners. Hundreds of pounds' worth of creams, masks and potions didn't work but I was so afraid of operations and being put to sleep.' Every year more than 2,000 Britons undergo eye-lift procedures, called blepharoplasty, to remove and lift sagging skin from around the eyes. Upper blepharoplasty, which removes drooping skin around the upper eye lid, is particularly common, and many surgeons offer quick procedures done under local anaesthetic. Lower blepharoplasty, which tackles eye-bags, however, is more complicated. What to read watch and do Don't Worry, Little Crab, by Chris Haughton READ Don't Worry, Little Crab, by Chris Haughton A children's tale designed to help fearful youngsters work through anxiety and, with the support of a loved one, find the courage to take on a big challenge. 6.49, Walker Books. Italy's Frontline: A doctor's diary WATCH Italy's Frontline: A doctor's diary An intimate and profound portrait of one doctor's struggle as she fights to save lives at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in one of Italy's worst-hit cities. Monday, 9pm, BBC2 DO Men and their health problems A free online webinar on the common health problems affecting men and when to seek help, with a separate presentation on avoiding exercise-related health issues. Tuesday, 6pm eventbrite.co.uk (search PSM Men's Health webinar) Advertisement Some puffiness and drooping in the skin below the eye lid is a normal part of the ageing process when the muscle supporting the eyes weakens and the skin becomes less elastic. The relaxation of the muscle also allows fat tissues from the eye socket to slip down into the space under the eyelid, giving a permanently puffy appearance. For some, this can be remedied with non-invasive treatments that use heat or other forms of energy to firm and tighten the skin and muscle. However, for many, including Kimberly, fluid collects in the space underneath the eye, causing pockets of dark, sagging skin that spread down to the cheek. Sometimes known as festoons, they are thought to be genetic as they often run in families. Smoking and heavy drinking are also common triggers, as both cause inflammation in the tissues and the release of fluid under the skin. Festoons are notoriously difficult to treat, even with surgery, says Dr Shah-Desai. 'Under the eye area, down towards the cheek, are a series of tubes involved in the drainage of fluid from the eye,' she adds. 'If you interfere with this too much in surgery, you can cause an increase in fluid collection over time. And if you don't address the laxity in the skin and muscle, they can recur after a year or two.' The first part of Dr Shah-Desai's awake eye lift is a 20-minute non-invasive treatment that tightens the facial muscle and improves the firmness of the skin. She first applies a numbing cream before powering up a hand-held device, called a Morpheus8. It contains tiny, heated needles which shock the deeper layers of the skin. This triggers the production of the protein collagen responsible for making the skin elastic and plump. 'It also tightens the muscle, so over the next six months the gap between the muscle and fat closes and the skin gets firmer and tighter,' explains Dr Shah-Desai. 'For some patients with mild to moderate festoons, two to three rounds of this treatment solves the problem entirely.' But despite two rounds of the treatment in 2016, Kimberly's eye-bags persisted. A year later she had the second procedure an upper blepharoplasty. The 50-minute procedure begins with an injection of local anaesthetic to the upper eyelid area. Dr Shah-Desai then makes a 1cm incision in the fold of the upper eyelid and cuts away the excess skin. The skin below is pulled tightly and stitched back together. Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, pictured left, with a patient, pioneered the technique, which involves three minimally invasive procedures, each lasting less than two hours. 'There's usually no visible scar it's tiny and hidden in the crease of the eyelid and it takes only about two weeks for the swelling to reduce,' says Dr Shah-Desai. A few months later, Kimberly completed her transformation by undergoing a lower blepharoplasty to tackle her festoons. During the two-hour operation, Dr Shah-Desai first applies a local anaesthetic to the lower eyelid and cheek, and gives an injection of a mild sedative to ease anxiety. 'Patients can still hold a conversation and usually open their eyes throughout,' says Dr Shah-Desai. Then she makes two 1cm incisions one inside the lower lash lid and one in the outer corner of the eye and the loose under-eye tissue is reshaped without disturbing the deep tissues near the cheek. She uses tiny stitches to close each incision, which are removed after a week and leave a barely visible scar. 'I was chatting away about my summer holidays and all sorts,' says Kimberly. 'At points, Dr Shah-Desai had to tell me to be quiet so she could concentrate.' Once the sedation had worn off, Kimberly saw an instant difference. She says: 'My under-eye area was red and swollen but that reduced gradually over five weeks. The swelling vanished completely after three months, and I couldn't believe there was no scarring whatsoever.' Kimberly returns to Dr Shah-Desai's clinic every two years for a top-up treatment with the Morpheus8. 'It's key for long-lasting results,' says Dr Shah-Desai. 'Otherwise the muscle becomes loose again and the skin will begin to sag.' Altogether, Kimberly has paid 8,000 so was it worth it? 'Absolutely,' she says. 'It's changed how I carry myself. People can see my face now it isn't hidden behind silly sunglasses.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 01:53:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Ministry of Health reported 865 new COVID-19 recoveries on Friday, the highest daily number of recoveries since the pandemic outbreak in the country in late February. The previous highest number of recoveries was recorded on April 22, when 708 patients were recovered. Accordingly, the number of active coronavirus cases in Israel has dropped for the first time since May 30, currently standing at 5,614. The ministry also reported 400 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 22,800. The number of death cases rose to 314, with five new deaths, the highest daily number since June 2. The number of patients in serious condition decreased from 47 to 46, out of 189 patients currently hospitalized. China and Israel have cooperated on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. On Feb. 11, the Tel Aviv Municipality Hall, a landmark in the Israeli city Tel Aviv, was illuminated with the colors of China's national flag, showing solidarity with China in the fight against the novel coronavirus. On March 19 and April 1, two video conferences were held between Chinese doctors and Israeli counterparts to share experiences in containing the virus' spread and treatment of coronavirus patients. Enditem Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has denied a Facebook post alleging Secretary Roy Cimatu's recent trip to Cebu City incurred huge hotel accommodation expenses. The post in question was made by former Commission on Filipinos Overseas chairperson Imelda Nicolas, the department said in a statement on Saturday. Nicolas started her status by indicating it is a post of a certain Alvi Cordero. "70 rooms reserved @ Seda hotel for Cimatu's team. Cheapest room is @5k. That's 350,000 a day. For 1 week that's 2.240m. This is just rooms. Cost of accommodation," it said. The post went on to say food and transportation expenses have yet to be factored in aside from accommodation costs. "How many PPEs and test kits can that buy? How many sacks of rice can that buy?," it read. "Is this how you rid yourself of blame? Is this how you save lives?" asked the status. DENR Spokesperson and Undersecretary Benny Antiporda also came to Cimatu's defense and refuted the said claims in the Laging Handa virtual briefing on Saturday morning. Cimatu, who was assigned by President Rodrigo Duterte to lead the COVID-19 fight in Cebu City, only stayed there for two days, explained the environment official. The Environment chief was only accompanied by his aide, meaning the accusation that the number of reserved rooms reached to 70 is nonsense, he added. "Hindi po totoo iyan at hindi po marangyang tao si Secretary Cimatu, dati po itong sundalo at kung ano po iyong matitipid ng taumbayan ay ginagawa po niya para po magamit sa tama ang pondo po ng kaban ng bayan," said Antiporda. [Translation: That is not true and Secretary (Roy) Cimatu is not an extravagant person. He was a former soldier and he will do everything he can to ensure thrifty spending of public funds so these may be used correctly.] "So, huwag po tayong maniniwala sa mga ganiyang mga tsismis, iyan po ay isang paninira para sirain po iyong kredibilidad ng ating Kalihim Roy Cimatu," he added. [Translation: Let's not believe such gossip, for it is an attempt to destroy our Secretary Roy Cimatu's credibility.] Antiporda likewise said the agency is looking into filing a cyber libel against Nicolas for spreading false information on social media, read the DENR's statement. HOUSTON - More than two months after a young soldier went missing from a Texas military base, U.S. Army investigators said this week they suspect foul play related to her disappearance and have opened a separate inquiry into allegations that she was sexually harassed by a supervisor. Vanessa Guillen, 20, was last seen on the morning of April 22 in the parking lot outside her regiment headquarters on Fort Hood Army base in Killeen. Investigators found her car keys, her barracks room key, Army identification card and wallet at the armory where she had worked the day before she disappeared. "If they find my daughter dead, I will shut down this base," said her mother, Gloria Guillen, during a news conference at Fort Hood this week. Her remarks came after a meeting with command staff. Gloria Guillen fell ill after watching searchers comb a river near the base for her daughter. "I want my daughter alive," she said. "That girl is my life." The private's family reported her missing hours after they last communicated with her and friends could not find her on the base. The family has pressed the U.S. Army and federal lawmakers to pay attention to the case, enlisting the help of Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, a Latino civil rights organization, Hispanic celebrities and Spanish speakers on social media to amplify the story. Guillen's family has been critical of military command, accusing it of indifference and failing to shut down Fort Hood in the hours after she disappeared. Vanessa Guillen complained to friends and family about being sexually harassed by a sergeant, according to her family and their attorney, but there is no record of any formal complaint. Army investigators said the harassment allegations "did not produce any viable leads" related to the soldier's disappearance. They have also said they investigated an alleged incident of verbal harassment against Guillen that they have been unable to corroborate. Army Col. Ralph Overland, commander of Guillen's 3rd Cavalry Regiment, said in a statement that the Army takes "take allegations of sexual harassment very seriously," and a separate administrative review of the harassment allegations will take place independent of the criminal investigation into Guillen's disappearance. The Criminal Investigation Command - the military's equivalent of the FBI - said its investigators have interviewed more than 300 people and have not ruled out anything, according to spokesman Christopher Grey. They began searching for Guillen with the help of several agencies, including the FBI, he said. "We will not stop until we find Vanessa," Grey said in response to emailed questions. "Our agents are working around-the-clock and have conducted a tremendous amount of investigative work." More than 500 soldiers have searched for Guillen on the ground and in water, using drones and helicopters in and around Fort Hood, but have found nothing, said Fort Hoodspokesman Chris Haug. Guillen is as important to the Army as she is to her family, he added. The military also posted a $25,000 reward for information about Guillen's whereabouts. Grey, however, said it is not uncommon for the CID to open cases for soldiers who disappear under suspicious circumstances. "It says the Army criminal investigators are serious about finding [Guillen], they are serious about looking, and serious about taking this case seriously," said Maggie Haswell, a former Air Force security specialist who has tracked more than 100 missing service members since 2013. She has been in touch with Guillen's family. "They do not believe she left of her own free will." The family and congressional lawmakers met with Fort Hood command staff and investigators on Tuesday to discuss the case. Natalie Khawam, an attorney for Guillen's family, said she was pleased to have more answers after weeks of hearing nothing but was angered by discrepancies in the statements Army investigators made to the family. Khawam said the Army initially said Guillen had reported for a 3 p.m. check-in with her supervisor, but, when pressed, admitted the report was erroneous. The Army did not say why the report was wrong. Khawam said she emailed questions to investigators before the meeting and was promised a timeline and records. But when they arrived, the attorney said she could not obtain specific details, such as who called Guillen into work that day and the location of her cellphone. Khawam said she will file FOIA requests and subpoena phone records herself. "Their answers were not justified. It was bogus. How dare you not be more transparent with the family?" said Khawam, who has worked on previous military sexual assault cases and is advocating for tougher legislation in Congress. "I think a lot of people dropped the ball. They were being disingenuous about their efforts to find her." The meeting, Khawam said, felt staged and devolved into a tense exchange because investigators declined to provide more details, fearing it could jeopardize the case. "I think the most important part is that they are using the words now: 'foul play,' " Garcia said at a news conference following the meeting. They "are looking at potential criminal activity to have occurred. The question is: who, what and when?" In a statement, base command said it appreciated the opportunity to show Guillen's family, attorney and lawmakers her work area and the lot where she was last seen. Guillen's disappearance is the latest in a series of missing persons cases in recent years at Fort Hood, one of the Army's largest military installations. Gregory Wedel Morales went missing in August 2019, days before his expected discharge. His remains were found earlier this week, buried in a field on base. "Maybe if they had just been searching from the beginning, we'd have some answers," his mother, Kim Wedel, told Tulsa's ABC affiliate. "You know, he didn't bury himself in a field on his own." The Army declares absent service members as having gone absent without leave, or AWOL, after 24 hours of failing to report for duty. Commanders are required to look into individual cases but critics say the search is not exhaustive because of the stigma the label carries. Families are often frustrated by what they perceive as delays and a lack of interest by the military. After 30 days, the Army drops the missing soldier from its roster or classifies them as a deserter, and the vacant position is quickly filled. "They don't look for them like they should," Haswell said. Patrice Wise-Franklin hired a private investigator and felt dismissed by Army commanders when she pressured them to keep searching for her son, Dakota Stump, after he went missing from Fort Hood in October 2016. Investigators followed false leads before finding his body three weeks later beneath his car in a wooded area on the base. He died in a single-vehicle car accident. "It felt like it was a joke to them," Wise-Franklin said. "Until Fort Hood makes the hard decision on changing the protocol on how they handle missing soldiers, they are going to keep having this happen with the same outcome." Fort Hood spokesman Haug said the Army searches for missing soldiers the moment they disappear. Haug said there is a process by which supervisors are tasked with searching the soldier's belongings, residence and work to find the missing soldier as the case goes up the chain of command. Grey said the CID routinely opens missing soldier cases. In Guillen's case, her older sister, Mayra, was the first to notice something was wrong. Her sister was scheduled to go hiking with friends on April 22 but was unexpectedly called into work on her day off at the armory, family said, where she works with small arms and artillery. The CID said most soldiers have been in their barracks during the pandemic and are routinely called in "if something had to be accomplished." The sisters are close and communicate often. When Vanessa Guillen stopped replying between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., her sister was alarmed. Others tried to text the soldier but the messages were not delivered and calls went straight to voice mail. Mayra Guillen said she reported her sister missing to command and drove three hours from Houston to Killeen to start searching, but she could not get on the base until the next morning. The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest Latino civil rights organization in the country, has backed the family and denounced what it calls the "total and reckless mishandling" of the investigation by the Army CID. It is urging Latino families across the country to stop their children from enlisting in the military until Guillen is found. - - - The Washington Post's Alex Horton in Washington contributed to this report. Sumi Sukanya Dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Nearly 10 days after a large study published by researchers at Oxford University said that the steroid dexamethasone has been found to lower mortalities in very sick Covid-19 patients, India has included the drug in its clinical management protocol for the disease. In the revised guidelines issued on Saturday, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that dexamethasone can be given to severe Covid-19 patients as an alternative to another steroid methylprednisolone which was included in the protocol long back. Dexamethasone is a type of corticosteroid that has long been used for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant properties. For patients with progressive deterioration of oxygenation indicators, rapid worsening on imaging and excessive activation of the bodys inflammatory response, glucocorticoids can be used for a short period of time (3 to 5 days), said the advisory. It is recommended that dose should not exceed the equivalent of methylprednisolone 1 2mg/kg/day or dexamethasone 0.2-0.4 mg/kg/day. Note that a larger dose of glucocorticoid will delay the removal of coronavirus due to immunosuppressive effects, it added. ALSO READ | Methylprednisolone: Another steroid shows promise in lowering Covid-19 mortalities The Recovery Trials in the UK, the largest randomised clinical trials to assess the efficacy of various therapeutic interventions on Covid-19 patients, had shown that dexamethasone, helps patients experiencing acute inflammatory response called a cytokine storm. As part of the trial, a total of 2,104 patients were randomised to receive dexamethasone 6 mg once per day for ten days and were compared with 4,321 patients randomised to usual care alone. The results showed that mortality rate in patients who required ventilation and were given dexamethasone fell from 41 percent to 28 percent whereas, in moderately sick patients who required oxygen support only, the deaths were reduced by a fifth. Doctors in India say that dexamethasone which is given orally, as intramuscular injections or intravenously is commonly used for conditions such as rheumatic issues, skin diseases, extreme allergies, respiratory diseases, swelling in the brain and eye pain following eye surgeries apart from cancer. The medicine has been in use for nearly four decades, is cheap and widely available. Meanwhile, a small observational study on another steroid- methylprednisolone, part of the protocol, from a Mumbai hospital has also shown that it may be cutting down deaths in very sick Covid-19 patients. Pro-democracy demonstrators hold up portraits of jailed Chinese civil rights activists, lawyers and legal activists as they march to the Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong. (AP) Hong Kong: Hong Kong police on Saturday banned a major demonstration against China's planned national security law for the city which critics fear would smother the financial hub's treasured freedoms, organisers said. The Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) said the force had rejected its applications for rallies on July 1, the 23rd anniversary of the former British colony's handover to China. Police cited a risk of violence and said the gatherings and march would "pose a severe threat to public health" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pro-democracy group CHRF, which was responsible for some of last year's unprecedented million-people demonstrations, said they would appeal the decision. The semi-autonomous city has been convulsed by a year of huge and often violent rallies that began with an eventually aborted criminal extradition bill but morphed into a popular call for democracy and police accountability. In May, Beijing announced a draft national security law -- which will bypass Hong Kong's legislature -- to tackle "terrorism" and "separatism" in a restless city it now regards as a direct national security threat. The law would enforce punishment for subversion and other offences in Hong Kong, but critics see it as potential knock-out blow for freedoms and autonomy enjoyed by the city. US President Donald Trump's administration said Friday it was restricting visas for a number of Chinese officials for infringing on the autonomy of Hong Kong, as Congress seeks tougher sanctions. The Chinese embassy in Washington said "no one has any legal grounds or right to make irresponsible comments on Hong Kong affairs". EU also warned China it would face "very negative consequences" if it pressed ahead with the new law. The law is expected to be voted on during a National People's Congress Standing Committee meeting to be held from Sunday to Tuesday. Heat map: Temperatures are soaring in the Arctic, leading to the release of more greenhouse gases. Photo: ECMWF Copernicus Climate Change Service via AP The northern-most town in the Arctic, Verkhoyansk, is one of the coldest inhabited places on Earth and regularly records some of the world's lowest temperatures. However, this week it made headlines when it reached a sweltering 38C, the highest temperature since records began 150 years ago. Locals are used to swinging between extreme temperatures, with summers regularly reaching 30C, but this was something different, said Ayta Baisheva, who works on one of the region's many reindeer farms, about 250km south of Verkhoyansk. "We have seen a freaky heatwave. It's really hard for us to bear this heat," said Ms Baisheva who recently returned from the north of Yakutia, close to Verkhoyansk, where her husband and son are now tending to reindeer. "The reindeer herders were the first to notice that something was wrong: reindeer started to feel unwell. They suffer from dehydration and don't want to eat. Deer fawns are getting weaker." None of this has come as a surprise to climate scientists. "Temperatures in both May and averaged over the last six months are the highest in our records for western Siberia," said Zachary Labe, a researcher in atmospheric sciences at Colorado State University. Warming temperatures have contributed to the second lowest Arctic sea ice on record and to wildfires raging across Siberia. "Decades of climate model projections have shown the Arctic is expected to warm more than twice as fast as the rest of the globe," Mr Labe said, because of feedbacks in the climate system which mean that, for instance, as warming temperatures melt snow cover, the ground can no longer reflect the sun's rays. "We are now seeing the impacts of these extremes in real time." Several districts of Yakutia have declared a state of emergency, but firefighters in the region only have the resources to put out a fraction of the wildfires, and are simply leaving blazes in remote, hard-to-reach areas to burn out. But warming in Siberia has implications for us all, says Dr Christina Schadel, the lead coordinator of the Permafrost Carbon Network. "What happens in the Arctic does not stay in the Arctic," she said. Vast swathes of the Arctic is made up of permafrost - ground frozen for at least two years but up to tens of thousands. It contains huge reserves of stored carbon from the organic matter it contains; twice as much as is currently in the atmosphere. As the permafrost melts, that carbon is released and adds to the global greenhouse effect. Rising Arctic temperatures have already led to the thawing of permafrost in several locations, but scientists warn there could be a looming "tipping point" of temperatures which would see a rapid melting. "That permafrost once thawed is never going to freeze back in our lifetime," said Dr Schadel. After a certain point "the process is unstoppable and it's irreversible". A Russian mining firm blamed sudden permafrost melt for a historic oil spill in early June that left more than 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel in two rivers near the Arctic city of Norilsk. Environmental groups said the spillage should have been foreseen, but the event underscored the vulnerability of Arctic infrastructure. Wildfires are also adding to the carbon in the atmosphere, contributing more carbon in the past 18 months than the total from the previous 16 years. The scale of the carbon trapped in the permafrost and what the ultimate impact could be on the atmosphere is not yet known. "There are gaps in our knowledge," said Dr Schadel. Scientists say the only way to halt the potential catastrophe developing in the Arctic is to slow climate change. "I am still optimistic that we can do it but we just don't have that much time left," said Dr Schadel. Former High Court judge Dyson Heydon allegedly sexually harassed young women while he was Trade Unions royal commissioner and at Canberra's exclusive Commonwealth Club where he stayed while on the High Court. "Whilst pouring me a glass of the ever-chilled and ready Nicolas Feuillatte [champagne], his hand went down my back and rested on my backside. I jolted away," recounted an administrative assistant who worked with Mr Heydon at the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, established by then Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2014. Former High Court judge Dyson Heydon was commissioner for the Royal Commission into Trade Unions Governance and Corruption. Credit:Joel Carrett "His gaze lasted too long and was often directed at my breasts. He had a commanding presence which projected an intimidating aura of a man beyond reproach," said the woman, who asked not to be identified. "I've carried guilt for years that I compartmentalised what happened," she said. "I never considered saying anything to management as I knew of a previous allegation that had been dismissed and covered up." The Ministry of Finance, through the Office of Competent Authority and Administrator, Chennai (IT division), has called for applications in a prescribed format from qualified and experienced candidates for filling vacancies to the post of Inspectors (03), Assistants (02) and Superintendent on deputation. The offline application process towards the same closes on July 3, 2020. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Inspectors, Assistants and Superintendent Organisation Office of Competent Authority and Administrator, Chennai Educational Qualification Bachelor's Degree Experience As detailed in the advertisement Skills Required Physical and Medical Fitness Job Location Chennai Salary Scale Rs. 9,300 to Rs. 34,800 per month Industry Govt. of India Application End Date July 3, 2020 Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for Inspector and Assistant posts through Income Tax Recruitment 2020 must not have exceeded 56 years of age as on July 3, 2020 with relaxation (upper age limit) to reserved categories as per the Govt. of India norms. For details regarding application processing fee, refer to the official advertisement given at the end of the article. NIA SI Recruitment 2020: Apply Offline For 60 Inspector And Sub-Inspector Posts Before July 25 Educational Criteria And Experience Candidates applying for Inspector and Assistant posts through Income Tax Recruitment 2020 must possess a Bachelor's Degree from a recognised University/Institution with relevant years of work experience in the concerned area as detailed in the advertisement. Candidates must also be holding analogous posts on regular basis in the parent cadre or department. Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates as Inspector and Assistant posts through Income Tax Recruitment 2020 will be done through Shortlisting, Personal Interview and Document Verification. Candidates selected as Inspector and Assistant posts through Income Tax Recruitment 2020 will be paid emolument in the scale of Rs. 9,300 to Rs. 34,800 per month. SSC Recruitment 2020 For 1,564 Sub-Inspectors In Delhi Police And CAPF, Apply Online Before July 16 How To Apply Candidates applying for Inspector and Assistant posts through Income Tax Recruitment 2020 must fill the application form in a prescribed format attached with advertisement, and send/submit the same along with copies of relevant supporting documents to the address specified in the notification on or before July 3, 2020 through a proper channel. Download application form and read the detailed notification about Income Tax Recruitment 2020 for Inspectors, Assistants and Superintendent posts here A Mississippi state flag flies outside the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., on June 25, 2020. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo) Mississippi House Votes to Move Toward Flag-Changing Bill After Governor Signals Support The Mississippi House approved a resolution Saturday that allows lawmakers to vote on legislation to change the state flag. The Republican-controlled lower chamber voted 84-35 to suspend rules so lawmakers can consider legislation that will either alter or completely replace the flag. The measure is set for a vote by a state Senate committee and would then need approval from the full Senate. The vote came after Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said that if the state legislature passes a bill on the state flag, hell sign it. The legislature has been deadlocked for days as it considers a new flag, Reeves said in a statement earlier Saturday. The argument over the 1894 flag has become as divisive as the flag itself and its time to end it. If they send me a bill this weekend, I will sign it. Lawmakers have been mulling action on the flag in recent weeks, an extension of a discussion thats been ongoing for decades. Mississippis flag, adopted in 1894, includes the Confederate battle flag. Tate Reeves before winning the gubernatorial election in Tupelo, Miss., on Nov. 1, 2019. (Brandon Dill/Getty Images) Renewed criticism has targeted people and emblems linked to the Confederacy following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody in Minneapolis last month. Activists and officials across the country are pushing for changes to a wide range of areas, including flags and monuments. Former Gov. Phil Bryant, a Republican, and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) are among those supporting a flag showing the state seal, which states, The Great Seal of the State of Mississippi and In God We Trust. A number of lawmakers expressed support this week for changing the flag. After serious thought and consideration, I have made the decision to vote in favor of retiring the state flag. Our State faces serious economic impact if we continue flying our current flag, a flag that doesnt unite all the people of Mississippi but divides us, state Rep. Jody Steverson, a Republican, said on social media late Friday. Several options have been discussed by the leaders of our State, but the implications of not removing the current flag could not wait until a referendum could be placed on the ballot. The state flag of Mississippi, which incorporates the flag of the Confederate States of America in the top left corner, is displayed with the flags of the other 49 states and territories in the tunnel connecting the Senate office building and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on June 23, 2015. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) I was elected to be a leader, not a follower. I can no longer sit back and ignore the issue that is dividing this State. Its past time to retire the current State flag. We need a flag that represents ALL Mississippians, added state Rep. Joel Carter Jr. (R). Opposition remains. Some believe Mississippi residents should make the decision. Whats the rush? The flags been there more than 100 years. You think five more months is going to end the world? state Sen. Chris McDaniel of the GOP said Friday, WAPT reported. McDaniel said theres enough support for his position to block a vote in the chamber. Mississippi voters were presented with a referendum in 2001 on changing the flag and 64 percent voted against changing it. House Democrats, though, said this week they dont support having a referendum. Mississippi House Democrats for years have consistently urged the Mississippi Legislature to do its job and make tough decisions in the best interest of the people [in] this State, House Minority Leader Robert Johnson, a Democrat, said in a statement. The decision to remove the Confederate battle emblem from our State Flag is one of those decisions; it is our decision to make, and the time to make it is now, he added. (Natural News) The city of Minneapolis, the epicenter of the nationwide wave of engineered rioting and civil unrest, is seeking a disaster declaration from the federal government. The city is asking the declaration to come from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). This would allow the SBA to make available their low-interest economic injury and property damage loans for many of the citys small businesses that were caught in the crossfire of the riots. The plea for aid was made by the city of Minneapolis in partnership with Hennepin County and the state government of Minnesota. The city is further asking for help from small businesses, as they need to conduct a survey of the extent of the damage before their plea for a disaster declaration can be approved. We are seeking additional information from business owners and property owners who sustained building damage, e.g. fire damage, or business loss, e.g. damaged inventory, and do not expect losses to be fully covered by insurance (40 percent or more uninsured loss), wrote the city officials. Listen to this episode of the Health Ranger Report, a podcast by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he talks about how Americans need to prepare for at least four more months of completely insane chaos as the countrys radical Left continues to try ousting President Donald Trump at any cost. Over 1,500 buildings in Twin Cities region damaged by the rioting Surveys done in the aftermath of the rioting in the Twin Cities region the metropolitan area that includes both Minneapolis and neighboring Saint Paul showed that more than 1,500 buildings were either vandalized, looted, damaged or destroyed. One map released by city officials, which only shows around 700 affected buildings, said that 12 structures were totally destroyed by the rioting and that many of those had multiple businesses within them. Most of the damaged buildings are along a five-mile stretch of Lake Street in southern Minneapolis and a 3.5 mile stretch of University Avenue in Saint Pauls Hamline Midway neighborhood. (Related: Its mass destruction: Another Minnesota man charged with participating in the destruction of Minneapolis Police Departments 3rd Precinct.) Furthermore, city officials said that much of the worst damage was done in minority communities, which have already been hit hard by the economic and health impact of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Initial estimates of the cost of the damage in Minneapolis alone is around $100 million, but other sources have reported that the price could be as high as $500 million. Minnesota legislature proposing bills to help Minneapolis rebuild While Minneapolis is looking for funding aid from the federal government, the state legislature of Minnesota has stepped up to provide the city with other options. The Minnesota House of Representatives, held by the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (the Democratic Partys far-left-wing affiliate party in Minnesota), has proposed providing $300 million to help businesses rebuild and recover from the civil unrest under a bill known as the PROMISE ACT. If passed by the Republican-held Senate, the PROMISE Act would eliminate the sales tax on the purchase of construction materials for rebuilding damaged or destroyed properties, provide sales and property tax cuts and help small businesses in the rising cost of leases for some properties. We must take immediate action to support and rebuild our wounded communities. These commercial hubs are the lifeblood of our minority and immigrant communities, said Hodan Hassan, a Democrat congressman from Minneapolis. State Sen. Eric Pratt, a Republican from Prior Lake, introduced his own version of a relief bill which would allow $200 million to be used to directly aid local businesses. This, he argues, is similar to how the state spends relief money during natural disasters. While local businesses are still trying to determine the extent of the damage to their property and how much their insurance policies will cover, Pratt argues that the state needs to figure out a way to get some funding to these folks right away, not funding to set up a whole bureaucracy to see how it will work later. The rioting may have died down, but it has not ended. Keep up with the latest news about the civil unrest in the United States at Rioting.news. Sources include: Minnesota.CBSLocal.com 1 News.MinneapolisMN.gov StarTribune.com 1 Minnesota.CBSLocal.com 2 InsuranceJournal.com Patch.com StarTribune.com 2 404 Page not found It looks like you found a glitch in the page... While rough weather might deter some pilots who navigate the skies, theres one who relishes the chance to head right for the storm. Dutch aviation photographer Christiaan van Heijst has manned the cockpit of a 747 past lightning storms, epic thunderclouds, and the northern lightsall to capture some epic photography. When viewing a big storm of Northern Lights or an active thunderstorm I feel very small and insignificant, compared to the raw energy, beauty and size that plays out in front of me, van Heijst said, according to Daily Mail. While the 37-year-old van Heijst got his start flying at 14 in the Netherlands, before moving on to assignments in Africa and Afghanistan, he has since flown all over the world, gradually perfecting his art as a photographer. Documenting and sharing the world from above is my biggest drive for photography, [and Im] convinced that every person should see and enjoy the breathtaking views and wonders that I am experiencing when aloft, he explains on his website. Van Heijst flies old jumbo jets: the 747-8, a freighter, and the 747-400, a passenger plane converted into a cargo hauler. In order to do this, he relies on the help of fellow pilots, who allow him to photograph during their shifts. My colleagues were very supportive since they could now show their loved ones at home what our job was like from the cockpit, van Heijst said. I know very well that trying to take a perfect picture is an eternal and fruitless goal, but I do my best and allow my viewers the sometimes jaw-dropping views that I share with them. Of course, the pilot doesnt fly directly into harms way; yet, he has passed through his fair share of fantastic weather and atmospheric events. Among the most spectacular views van Heijst has captured is a natural phenomenon called St. Elmos Fire. This surreal discharge of electricity creates a plasma field resembling lightning and was considered by mariners as a sign of good luck. On other occasions, van Heijst and his camera just happened to be in the right place at the right time, such as when spotting the famous aurora borealis (northern lights). While flying over Canada, it was no small feat to photograph, van Heijst admitted. The Northern Lights, with its massive strings of colored light, starting high above the airplane and extending 500km (310 miles) into space, each dancing, vibrating and so fast and furious, is almost impossible to photograph properly, he noted. One of van Heijsts most memorable photos was a simple, but no less spectacular, thunderstorm as an electric discharge lit up the storm clouds. The cloud here seen on our left started to appear on our weather radar only a few minutes before and started to show off an amazing display of lightning that grew ever more intense, he said. When we got closer, we saw that the cloud was going to burst through our flight path and we had to deviate up to 10km to avoid flying into this cell. Van Heijst has become internationally renowned for his jaw-dropping shots from the cabin, yet flying remains his true love, a love that began for him as a teenager. I was captivated by the unique views and panoramas that I see from the cockpit, he wrote on his website. The photos are beautiful objects in and of themselves, yet van Heijst believes they can serve a higher purpose. Each person should be able to appreciate the universal beauty that binds all of us on Earth, convinced that it would lead to more understanding and peace for all of mankind, he shared. Courtesy of Christiaan van Heijst ( Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter ) This story was last updated in June 2020. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter A spurt in new patients in China and unabated rise in infections in the United States has worried people, signalling at a new wave of Covid-19 cases in both countries. On Saturday, China reported the highest number of new coronavirus cases in four days, driven by a Covid-19 resurgence in capital city Beijing. Chinas health commission reported 21 new confirmed infections in mainland China on Friday, 13 more from the previois day and the highest since Monday. Also read: India reports over 18,000 daily Covid-19 cases for first time; tally at 5.08 lakh In Beijing, 17 new confirmed cases were reported, up from 11 a day earlier and the most since June 20. Beijing reported its first case in the current outbreak on June 11 which stemmed from a sprawling wholesale food centre in the southwest of the capital. Nearly 300 people in the city of more than 20 million have contracted the virus. Mainland China reported four new so-called imported cases on Friday, infections linked to travellers arriving from abroad. Chinas Covid-19 tally now stands at 83,483 with death toll stood at 4,634, unchanged since mid-May. United States In the US, a top public health official has said that the actual number of cumulative Covid-19 infections in the country could be around 10 times the reported number. We are facing a serious problem in certain areas, leading US immunologist Anthony Fauci said at the first briefing in two months by the White Houses Coronavirus Task Force. The only way were going to end it is by ending it together, he said of the outbreak. The US currently leads the global tally with over 2.5 million Covid-19 cases and is reporting over 30,000 cases daily. With nearly 125,000 lives lost, it has by far the highest confirmed Covid-19 death toll in the world. A resurgence in coronavirus cases has put brakes on reopening two of the countrys largest states - Texas and Florida. (With inputs from agencies) Sorry! This content is not available in your region It is an accepted axiom that every child should be a wanted child (which can discomfort those of us who weren't in that category at the outset). But is it always an advantage to be an "over-wanted" child? Perhaps the now discredited Prince Andrew falls into that classification. According to Sarah Bradford, Queen Elizabeth's most insightful biographer, Andrew was the child his mother was determined to have, even against her husband's wishes. Philip, a veteran environmentalist, always supported the family-planning motto advocated by population control: "stop at two". Two children would have been quite sufficient for the Duke of Edinburgh but the queen wanted Andrew. Badly. In the end, she got her way, as any wife worth her salt should, and Andy was born in 1960, 10 years after his elder sibling, Anne. And he was utterly adored from day one. His mother confessed that he was going to be "spoiled terribly". According to his biographer Nigel Cawthorne, that is precisely the flaw in his character - he has always been spoiled. As a young child he had tantrums and outbursts of temper that were soothed, but not successfully corrected. At school - even at the usually strict Gordonstoun - he seems to have been able to get away with being "big-headed" and over-confident in himself. He grew tall and good-looking, and went on to be further adulated by teenage girls. At the Montreal Olympics in 1976, a Canadian newspaper described him as "six foot of sex appeal". Attending Lakeland School in Canada the following year, he was greeted by mobs of girl groupies shrieking "We want Andy!" When he played rugby, writes Cawthorne, t-shirts were worn with the slogan "I'm an Andy Windsor girl". Such flattery would turn anyone's head, and Andy's head wasn't the brightest: he lost interest in education, and spent his later adolescence reading juvenile comics and gathering a collection of girlfriends known as "Andy's Harem". During the Falklands War of 1982, Andrew served, apparently bravely, as a Royal Navy rescue helicopter pilot. Mates have said that he was at his best during this time, just like a regular guy. His missions included acting as a decoy target for Exocet missiles. However, being hailed subsequently as a military hero and promoted to vice-admiral probably wasn't the best for his moral development, as he seems to have been susceptible to flattery and status. Again - aren't we all pleased by flattery and praise? It's only human. And yet, that is exactly what the British constitutionalist Walter Bagehot warned against: a royal prince must be on his guard against flatterers, who will surround him. Moreover, there should be some working occupation in princely lives, rather than living off easy money and the "habitual temptations" of their circumstances. "But how few princes have ever felt the anomalous impulse for real work how little are the circumstances of princes calculated to foster it." Andrew's life, post-Falklands, was one of mingling with celebrities - Billy Connolly, Elton John and Michael Caine were among the guests at his wedding to Sarah Ferguson in 1986 - and hobnobbing with doubtful political leaders in far-off lands. And then, as it turned out, with paedophiles like Jeffrey Epstein and the sex pest Harvey Weinstein. And thus he came to a humiliating downfall, whereby he is now sought for questioning by the FBI in America as a witness to Epstein's crimes. He has been besmirched by his ill-judged friendship with Epstein, and all but expunged from the public face of the royal family. From ubiquitous flattery to universal disparagement - can't be easy. From what I am told, Andrew, as a divorce, behaved promiscuously, and had streams of girlfriends: but he is not a paedophile. If he had a sexual relationship with Virginia Roberts, aged 17, this is not illegal in the United Kingdom (unless it involved coercion or rape). But the BBC TV interview with Emily Maitlis in November 2019 put on display his woeful lack of judgment and foolish self-justification. Someone should have advised him to sit there and say: "Look, I've been a damn fool. I was dazzled by what seemed a glamorous lifestyle - Bill Clinton took Epstein's hospitality, too. Yes, I slept around. Not edifying, perhaps, but, so far as I know, not illegal. Did I meet Miss Roberts? As there's a picture of me with my arm around her waist, I must have done. I don't always remember everyone I've met. I certainly apologise if the lady was ill-treated in any way, and I would deplore the notion that she was trafficked." Instead of which he insisted that he was "honourable", and went into an implausible narrative about breaking off his friendship with Epstein, eating a pizza at the time of the alleged seduction, and never sweating when he dances. He's said not to be popular within the family - neither Charles nor young William are entirely displeased at Andy's chastening. His mother has accepted his disgrace and withdrawn some of his privileges. But he still remains her favourite child, which is, quite possibly where the seeds of his downfall began. Our attorneys want our clients get the money they deserve, says senior managing attorney Pierre A. Louis. No claim is too small. Insurance companies should be on notice that our attorneys are working hard to ensure our clients are fully compensated. Louis Law Group, one of Floridas most renowned property claims and personal injury law firms, announced that its team of knowledgeable and aggressive attorneys will be taking on clients from its new Orlando office by appointments. Whether an individual is a victim of property damage or has received an unacceptably low settlement offer from their insurer, Louis Law Groups attorneys can help. About Louis Law Group Louis Law Group, with main office in Miramar, is laser-focused on helping policyholders obtain full and just compensation for property damages. The firm helps clients with a wide range of property damage claims, including water damage, fire damage, hurricane damage, theft damage, and more. Louis Law Group attorneys help clients throughout the insurance claims process. Clients who have property insurance and pay premiums are often surprised when their insurance company denies their claims. The clients may not recognize that they are entitled to compensation for certain types of property damage. In these situations, attorneys from Louis Law Group can help by reviewing the clients insurance policy, gathering evidence to support the claim, communicating with the clients insurance company, negotiating potential settlements with the insurer, and even going to trial if the client receives an unacceptably low settlement offer. While these services are critical to obtaining full and just compensation, Louis Law Group attorneys also provide peace of mind. Clients can be confident that their claim is in good hands. Since Louis Law Group attorneys handle all the procedural elements of the claim, clients can focus on the more important things in their lives. Louis Law Group 20 N Orange Ave, Suite 1100 Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 553-8009 https://louislawgroup.com/orlando-fl/property-claim-lawyer/ SOURCE Louis Law Group Related Links https://louislawgroup.com/about/ The province wants people off employment and income assistance and into the workforce. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us The province wants people off employment and income assistance and into the workforce. To that end, an employment pilot program begun in November officially launched as a permanent effort Thursday, with Families Minister Heather Stefanson in Brandon to make the announcement in the newly renovated offices. Jobs on 9th, located on the main floor of the Provincial Building on Ninth Street between Lorne and Louise avenues, is modelled after Winnipegs Jobs on Market. Its services are for people living in Brandon and the surrounding communities. "Jobs on 9th helps people prepare for and find employment, connecting them with the information and resources they need to successfully join the workforce," Stefanson said, adding the supports are especially important as the province recovers from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We want Manitobans to return to work, not to stay dependent on government. Jobs on 9th supports people through a range of services tailored to what they need. Staff follow clients progress for three months to support their success and address any possible challenges." According to Stefanson, Jobs on 9th has already provided services to more than 170 clients. "As a result, about one-quarter of them have achieved financial independence outside of employment and income assistance." Stefanson said other programs existed within employment and income assistance prior to Jobs on 9th, but the government has reallocated resources from those and focused on better outcomes based on the success at Jobs on Market in Winnipeg. Bernadette Smith, the NDP MLA for Point Douglas, is familiar with Jobs on Market. She told The Brandon Sun over the phone that the governments approach to pushing people off employment and income assistance is inadequate and unsustainable, especially for families. "I was on EIA. I was a single mom. I was being pushed to go back to work, too," Smith said. "But how do you go back to work when you have two young kids? To go to work, you need a good-paying job to support your family." Smith said long-term training programs are needed so as not to create a revolving door of people getting off assistance and getting back on assistance. For example, she worked as an educational assistant while taking part in a teaching program. That was a five-year endeavour. "Benefits is a huge thing for someone with children. You go into a position that doesnt have benefits and your child needs to see the dentist you have to pay for that. How do you pay for that when you only have enough money to pay for your rent? Its a bigger issue. All of that needs to be looked at, and not just pushing people out the door and saying, Get to work and off of welfare," Smith said. She added: "Weve seen nothing but job cuts from this government and for this government to now say, Get to work Its not the direction we need to be going. You want to make sure were getting people into jobs that are going to be there long term." Nataliya Masyuk, who runs Samaritan House Employment Resource Centre one of several community-based organizations working with Jobs on 9th said at Stefansons event that the resource centre has been helping job-seekers for the past four and a half years and has worked with the employment and income assistance office very closely, helping their clients find steady jobs. "However, there have been some challenges down the road," Masyuk said. "Talking from our experience, EIA (employment and income assistance) recipients face multiple barriers to employment, whether were talking about transportation, child care or simply an inability to buy work-related tools. These recipients usually require additional support. Thats where we see Jobs on 9th can come into play, by providing the necessary support that clients need." Families Minister Heather Stefanson listens as Mayor Rick Chrest speaks during an announcement at Jobs on 9th in Brandon on Thursday. Work-related expenses for clothing, transportation and equipment will be available to eligible clients through Jobs on 9th. Samaritan House Employment Resource Centre, for its part, will support people by providing help with resumes and information delivery through employment workshops. Since November, the resource centre received 30 referrals from Jobs on 9th. The clients met with employment officers for employment plan development and initial assessment. Support included one-on-one assistance, assistance with resumes and cover letters, and interview preparation. The clients also attended employment workshops. "Six participants were successful in finding employment and five clients enrolled in education," said Masyuk. "Taking into consideration all the obstacles they had to overcome, we think its a great outcome." Assistant deputy minister for community service delivery Catherine Gates spoke with The Sun after the event. "I think what has been so successful with Jobs on Market is its immediate," Gates said. "And the nice thing about being on site the social assistance office is just upstairs once we do our intake, we have our interview with them, we collect some information. Theyve just lost a job or they have a lot of skills, they have experience. Lets immediately start working with them." Gates added research indicates rapid response, which is assessment-informed, and staff know about all the resources in the community is a successful approach. "Its not government doing it all," she said. Along with Samaritan House Employment Resource Centre, Jobs on 9th works with Skills Employment Partnership, Westbran Training Centre, Career Connections, Workplace Education Manitoba, Career Employment Youth Services, Brandon Friendship Centre, Westman Immigrant Services and WestCan Human Resource Solutions. Meanwhile, Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest said he is pleased to see the program become permanent. "When we think through what we have been going through for the last number of months with this pandemic and continuing to deal with the economic consequences its a health emergency, but it also became an economic emergency. "Solidifying this particular program put an exclamation point on that, the need for it right now." Chrest added that the program will go a long way to reconnect people to employment opportunities. Gates said its premature to talk about a COVID-related uptick in job seekers. "Were not going to be requiring people, like our program normally would, to proceed with plans if the resources are not ready in the community. But as we know, services are opening up again, employers have job opportunities, and we want to be right there with our clients, ready to move forward." In another effort to get people working, Premier Brian Pallister announced Tuesday that the provincial government will begin paying people $2,000 to get off COVID-related federal assistance and return to work full-time. mletourneau@brandonsun.com Michele LeTourneau covers Indigenous matters for The Brandon Sun under the Local Journalism Initiative, a federally funded program that supports the creation of original civic journalism. On early Friday, at 7:32 am ET, NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken began a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station. They did this to replace lithium-ion batteries for one of the station's power channels. They reached their work station after an hour of the spacewalk. According to NASA, Cassidy's left wrist mirror detached and flew away when he exited the space station's hatch. Fortunately, it does not pose any risk to the crew, and the walk continued as planned. The mirrors allow the astronauts to see aspects of their suits, such as labels, switches and actuator, which are out of their view. But with the left wrist mirror gone, Cassidy can use the right wrist instead while doing the spacewalk. This will be Cassidy's seventh spacewalk, while this will be Behnken's eighth, which means that the two of them are veteran spacewalkers. On July 1, they will do another similar spacewalk. NASA Spacewalk for Power Upgrades in ISS On May 31, Behnken and NASA astronaut Doug Hurley was launched from the United States aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon during the Demo-2 mission and joined Cassidy on the space station. These spacewalks mark the end of a series of power upgrades that started in January 2017 to replace nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium ion batteries that arrived last month on a Japanese cargo ship. The main focus of the two spacewalks will be replacing batteries for one of the power channels on the far starboard truss of the station. Unlike replacing batteries on a remote, these batteries are large, based on the animation that NASA showed in their tweet. Each of the batteries has a mass of 428 pounds. The astronauts will be using foot restraint to help maintain their position and hand tools for adjustments as they make several trips back and forth along the truss to remove and replace each battery. For both spacewalks, Cassidy is crew member I wearing a spacesuit with red stripes, while Behnken is crew member II in a suit with no stripes. Meanwhile, the two astronauts inside the station, Hurley and Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner will assist Cassidy and Behnken into their spacesuits. Hurley will operate the robotic arm of the station to support one of the astronauts who will do the spacewalks. Read also: NASA Invites People to Explore Mars Through Images Taken by the Curiosity Rover to Train Its AI Algorithm Why Is It Important to Replace the Batteries? Kenneth Todd, deputy International Space Station program manager, told the press on Wednesday that the battery replacements which will have a 20-year lifetime are expected to put the station in a much better configuration for a long time. The next two spacewalks on summer will be focused on replacing the batteries on a second power channel. Behnken told CNN innovation and space reporter Rachel Crane on a call to the station while discussing the spacewalk and the importance of replacing the batteries, that: "When the space station is in the sun, it's collecting energy and it needs to store for when it's in the dark, and so those batteries, as they're cycled time and time again, they wear down and need to be replaced. And so periodically that maintenance is required." Moreover, Behnken is looking forward to the views of the Earth when they get free time. As an astronaut, when they do their first one, they try to do their best so that they can have another chance to do another one if the opportunity presents itself. Once they have done a couple of spacewalks, it is important to take mental images of Earth and remember what it's like outside, Behnken said. Read More: Missed Falcon 9's Launch Last Month? Catch SpaceX's 10th Batch of Starlink Satellites Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor ARCHIVED - UK and Spain in negotiations to create tourism green corridor On Monday it is hoped that an announcement will be made to remove the UK quarantine for travellers On Monday 29th the UK Government is due to make an announcement about the current situation regarding the 14 day quarantine requirement for anyone entering the UK, as well as reveal the results of discussions between the UK and international governments to create safe air bridges or travel corridors between the UK and other countries so that British nationals can holiday abroad this summer. At the moment the Foreign Office continues to advise against travel to Spain, meaning that the travel insurance of Brits coming to Spain is invalid should they find themselves in a Spanish hospital suffering from Covid-19. The Government is planning to take the last steps of the de-escalation in the UK with the creation of air bridges, which would start from July 4th, coinciding with the opening of hotels, bars and restaurants to popular and those considered to be "low risk vacation destinations "I n relation to Covid-19, such as Spain, France, Italy, Greece or Germany. Transport Minister Grant Shapps has announced that the decision to establish these safe corridors will be announced on Monday, when the government will also announce whether passengers on these routes are exempt from complying with the mandatory 14-day quarantine, which, however , will continue to stand for those who do not come from the nations included in the covenant. The UK imposed the 14 day quarantine on June 8th for anyone arriving by plane, train or ferry to the United Kingdom at the risk of being fined for non-compliance, in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Before a parliamentary committee on the management of the health crisis, Shapps stated that the countries with which the corridors are agreed must have an equivalent public health model to the British National Health System (NHS) and an equivalent tracking system. "We want to be sure that there are no outbreaks by Britons travelling and returning or people coming from other areas, and quarantine serves this purpose, but we are also aware that there are areas where the virus is more under control and we are in talks with them, so we will say more about it on June 29th, " he said. The first safe air bridges are to be established with countries in the Mediterranean and southern Europe, which includes Spain, the most popular tourist destination for the British, attracting 18 million holidaying Brits a year and in which thousands of British residents own second homes. It is intended that a second phase of the plan will include other destinations such as Denmark, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands . Spain itself has removed the need for a 14 day quarantine and is allowing British tourists to enter Spain once again, visitors undergoing a temperature test, a visual test and supplying contact details for onward tracing. There is significant concern in Spain about the imminent arrival of a large number of foreign tourists as the country has managed to reduce its own level of contagion significantly and there are fears of a second wave of Covid-19 caused by imported cases. The British expat community itself is deeply concerned about the potential for contagion after undergoing 10 weeks of lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus here. Some residents are looking forward to the arrival of family members and the return of partners who were trapped in the UK by the virus, but others are concerned about the scenes shown on British media on Thursday of thousands of Brits packing beaches and parks in the UK and the potential for an increase in imported cases here as a result. However, for both the governments of the UK and Spain, their biggest worry is the economy and the potentially devastating economic implications of a stagnant tourist sector. In Spain tourism accounts for 12% of GDP and the British are the most important market for Spain. The tourism and hospitality industry has pressured the British government to modify its Covid measures claiming that they are putting 1.5 million jobs at risk in the United Kingdom and airlines are on the verge of suing the British Government over its measures, so desperate are they to get their planes off the ground again and help the sector to recover from its current disastrous position. Several groups of health professionals have warned that the United Kingdom faces the "real risk" of a second Covid-19 spike occurring next winter and have advised the Government to take measures to prevent further deaths, and the same warnings are being echoed in Spain and around the world by equivalent groups. Spain is currently dealing with around 40 outbreaks around the country, 11 of them considered to be serious and most relating to imported cases, and during the last week there has been a steady rise in new cases, mainly linked to relaxed mobility.There are now 9,736,692 confirmed cases worldwide, and 492,379 deaths, although it is widely recognised that these figures in no way reflect the true scale of the pandemic as so many cases are unreported. The UK has 307,980 reported cases and 43,230 deaths to date.On Thursday June 25th alone, as thousands packed UK beaches, 149 people died of Covid and there were 1118 new cases reported in the UK. WHO continues to warn about resurgence of Covid Europe has seen an increase in weekly cases of Covid-19 for the first time in months as restrictions are eased, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. More than 2.6 million cases of Covid-19 and 195,000 deaths have been reported in the WHO's European region, which is expansive, covering 54 countries and seven territories across Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Almost 20,000 new cases and more than 700 new deaths are being recorded daily "For weeks, I have spoken about the risk of resurgence as countries adjust measures," Dr Kluge told a virtual news conference on Thursday. "In several countries across Europe, this risk has now become a reality - 30 countries have seen increases in new cumulative cases over the past two weeks. "In 11 of these countries, accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgence that if left unchecked will push health systems to the brink once again." Despite warning about resurgences, he said the WHO anticipated that the situation would calm down further in the majority of countries over the summer. "But we have indeed to prepare for the fall, when Covid-19 may meet seasonal influenza, pneumonia, other diseases as well, because ultimately the virus is still actively circulating in our communities and there is no effective treatment, no effective vaccine, yet." Follow Murcia Today on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news, events and information in the Murcia region: https://www.facebook.com/MurciaToday/ WEVE seen a spike in newborn photography lately, and it seems like its the millennial parents who love posting photos of their babies swaddled, surrounded by all kinds of textured props on set. We spoke with Cebu-based Samuel John Orlanes, who specializes in newborn, maternity and kids photography, to get a better picture of the magic that goes behind every dreamy image. A graduate of hotel and restaurant management, Sam was hired as an assistant for one of Cebus known wedding photographers in 2015. That was the time I got interested in photography. I was taught by my former employer the basics and I also kept on practicing and learning through actual wedding photo coverage. Until such time I created my own photography business and switched to another genre, Sam said. Taking it from a passion to a profession, Sam enrolled in online classes and workshops on Newborn Photography in Manila. These include basic newborn photography, baby first-aid and safety, and a masterclass by international newborn photographer Jade Gao. He is also affiliated with the Newborn Photography Philippines Academy and the Philippine Newborn and Baby Photographers of the Philippines. Although he looks up to renowned newborn photographers Jade Gao, Kelly Brown and Kath V, Sam has developed a technique of his own. He said: My genre requires personal touch, a different mindset and skill set. As a photographer, its very important to be warm and welcoming since Im dealing mostly with pregnant women, new parents, babies and kids. Most of my clients leave the concept and styling to me since they trust and like my works. When handling newborns and kids, you need to be very patient. Every baby is unique so its important as a photographer to understand their cues and personality. Even during the quarantine period, Sam got to do a virtual maternity shoot with a client. Ive seen a lot of photographers nowadays doing virtual photo sessions, and I think it really goes well with fashion, lifestyle and maternity. Virtual photography is a good alternative for photographers whose bookings got canceled due to the pandemic, Sam shared. Story continues Sam still accepts photo sessions but limits them to one client a day. This is to ensure we have time to thoroughly clean our props and equipment after every use. We wash our wraps, outfits and furs using baby detergent. We also use UVC lamps to disinfect them. Our proactive approach to our clients health and safety has not changed; it has only intensified, he explained. For maternity shoots, the best time to do them is at 30 to 35 weeks of gestation; five to 12 days old for newborn shoots; and 10 to 11 months old for pre-first birthday shoots. Those who are just starting out can take their cue from Sam and focus on a photography genre they are passionate about. Learning through workshops and online classes is one thing, but theres nothing better than hands-on learning. You can start by taking photos of your friends who are pregnant or your friends babies. Thats how I started too! Learning this genre takes time, patience and dedication. If you are very passionate about it, youll eventually find your way in this genre, Sam said. To view his work gallery, visit his Facebook page (Sam Orlanes Photography) or website (newbornphotography.com.ph). Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday hit out at Sonia Gandhi over the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation row, alleging that the Congress president left "no stone unturned to loot the country for her children". She also suggested that like Amethi, the Congress will face electoral defeat in Nehru-Gandhi family's pocket borough of Rae Bareli. Addressing a virtual rally of party workers from Awadh and Kanpur-Bundelkhand region, Smriti Irani said, "One daughter of Bundelkhand sacrificed her life for the nation. There was a mother, who tied her son to her back, and challenged the British to free the country". "Unfortunately, there is an MP from Rae Bareli, who through the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, has not left any stone unturned to loot the country for her children. "Could any Indian imagine her entering into a pact with China, and money comes from China in the treasury box, whose keys are with Sonia Gandhi," she said. In a statement issued by the UP BJP, Irani alleged that Sonia Gandhi shook hands with the enemy. "Does Sonia Gandhi has so much enmity ... took money from thieves, made the (then) prime minister a remote control, and also took money from the Prime Minister Relief Fund," the minister said. The BJP has targeted the Congress and the Gandhi family for the RGF allegedly accepting donations from the Chinese embassy. The Congress has said that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) issue raised by the BJP government was a "manufactured charge" and "diversionary tactic" to deflect attention from the LAC crisis. Irani said Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered the Constitution as his religion, and worked as a 'pradhan sevak'. "Some people had ridiculed the Jan Dhan Yojana. The country had seen a time when a Congress leader had said that if one rupee is sent from Delhi, only 10 paisa reaches the poor. In other words, the Congress leader had accepted that brokers of Congress siphoned off 90 paise. Narendra Modi has stopped this brokerage," Irani asserted. She also said that during the Congress government's tenure, the banks used to close their doors to the poor. "Now, Modiji has opened those closed doors of the banks for the people. People, who had not built a single toilet in Amethi-Rae Bareli in 70 years, are now feeling restless," Irani said. "Did anyone think that the UPA Chairperson will establish such institutions, from where people like Mehul Choksi won't hesitate in taking money. Your clock has stopped ticking in Amethi, and it will not take much time to change the (poll) results of Rae Bareli," the BJP leader, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 polls, said. A close student of the Chinese Communist Party's operations in Australia, Professor Feng Chongyi of the University of Technology in Sydney, says that some of the organisations and activists operating on behalf of the Chinese government ceased activity when Parliament passed the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme, in tandem with an updated Espionage and Foreign Interference law. "But we still see some friends of the Chinese Communist Party in the community as well as some Australian politicians and the staff of politicians continuing to be active after the law was passed. Some are covert but some are operating quite openly." Loading The United Front Work Department is the arm of the Chinese government that seeks to impose Beijing's will in foreign countries through the Chinese diaspora abroad. Chinese President Xi Jinping has described it as one of the party's three "magic weapons", together with party-building and armed struggle. Professor Feng counted more than 300 United Front organisations in Sydney alone. "They've had no investigation to deter or to punish this unhealthy trend," Feng said. Australia has many fine laws that have been flouted through lack of political will. Underpaid workers? Major businesses and famous chefs systematically underpaid staff with impunity for years because the Fair Work Commission wasnt enforcing the law. Bank bastardry? Misconduct by the major banks was rampant because federal agencies lacked the staff and the will to investigate. New apartment blocks abandoned? New structures are uninhabitable because state governments failed to enforce their building codes. Was the foreign interference law going to suffer the same fate? One prominent individual with ties to Beijing, billionaire Huang Xiangmo, had settled in Sydney. He financially supported Labor Senator Sam Dastyari until Dastyari was drummed out of Parliament. And he personally recruited former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr to run the Australia-China Relations Institute, a post Carr has since left. The federal government cancelled Huangs visa after ASIO advice. Hes now persona non grata. It was an important step. But it was an old-fashioned visa decision that removed one man from the equation. It was not a systemic response to a systemic problem. In Chinatown, in the Chinese community, there are lots of guys who behave like Huang Xiangmo,"remarked Feng. "They should be required to explain their activities too. After media reports of Chinese government efforts to put agents of influence into the Australian Parliament, and with the NSW Labor Party investigated by ICAC over dubious donations from Huang among others, Scott Morrison acted. In December last year, the Morrison government allocated $88 million to create an enforcement capability. The Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce was set up, led by ASIO and also staffed by the Federal Police and other agencies. Now, with Friday's raid, we see the first public evidence that it is on the job. Shaoquett Moselmane is a fool. That's no crime. He has said all sorts of foolish things expressing his admiration for the Chinese authoritarians and disdain for his own country. That's no crime either. We enjoy freedom of speech in Australia. It's one of the defining differences between the two countries. Moselmane enjoys the presumption of innocence before the law, and he has not been charged with any offence. That's another defining difference, of course. In China, the Communist Party is the police, the prosecutor, judge, jury, jailer and executioner. This investigation might turn out to be important for what it finds or fails to find. Loading As my colleague Nick McKenzie, who broke the story, writes: "If sufficient evidence was found, the inquiry could ultimately result in an Australian and world first: a prosecution for foreign interference offences arising from an alleged covert Chinese Communist Party plot to influence a serving politician." But, then again, it might not matter much. The federal government's preparedness to act in defence of Australia's sovereignty is the far greater revelation here. Australia has been likened, more than once, to the "canary in the coalmine" for democracies that are under assault from Chinese government pressure campaigns. "Australia is the canary in the coal mine of Chinese Communist Party interference," the former Beijing correspondent, now consultant, John Garnaut, wrote a couple of years ago. "Nobody knows what happens when a mid-sized, open, multicultural nation stands its ground against a rising authoritarian superpower that accounts for one in every three of its export dollars. The canary stuck its head into the coal mine when Turnbull proposed the foreign interference laws, and then deeper when his government banned China's national champion telecoms gear maker, Huawei, from the 5G network. It went deeper with the call for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. The noxious coal mine gases of Beijing's response is threefold. First, political. It imposed a ban on top-level political contact. Which it this year extended to minister-level contacts. With the odd insult Australia is "chewing gum stuck on the sole of Chinas shoe", according to state media for good measure. Second, economic. It applied a customs "go slow" on Australian thermal coal last year, followed this year by sanctions on Australian barley and beef, and a travel warning to threaten the tourism and university education industries. Third, it began a campaign of internet intrusions. Morrison raised the alarm on this last week as the campaign intensified. The raid on Moselmane's house demonstrates that the canary of Australian sovereign independence is still alive, in spite of all this. The raid on a sitting MP related to a Chinese government interference investigation had to be authorised by the Attorney-General, Christian Porter. And, in a sign of the gravity of the act, the Prime Minister himself was briefed on Thursday night. Loading Asked about it at a Friday press conference, Morrison made no effort to minimise it as a one-off matter, or to soft-soap China, or to understate it in any way: "The government is absolutely determined to ensure that nobody interferes with Australia's activities. We won't cop it. We are a resilient people. We will stand up to it and we will take action, as what you've seen today demonstrates." Commendably tough in the face of an authoritarian bully, yes. But politically risky, no. Morrison has a double luxury. He enjoys solid support from the Labor Party. And he has strong and rising support from the Australian people. As this week's Lowy Institute poll shows, the people's trust in China has halved, from 52 to 23 per cent, over two years. The prime minister who initiated the foreign interference law says of Beijing's latest frenzied pressure tactics: "How can you describe it as anything other than bullying?" Says Turnbull: "All that's really needed is to ensure the relationship progresses harmoniously is for each side to treat each other with respect. That doesn't mean deference. We respect China's sovereignty and China should respect ours." Shilajit Mitra By Express News Service Early on in Devashish Makhijas Bhonsle, Vilas (Santosh Juvekar), a taxi driver striving for political clout, gets called a bhaiyaa. Its the same slur hes been using to flame anti-Bihari sentiments in a Mumbai chawl. Here, though, the context is revised. Hes being asked to drive a young couple to the swank Phoenix Mall; Bhaiyaa is also a term of address, a stand-in for elder brother or sir. Vilas bristles for a second, then accepts the ride. His submission reveals the biting irony of the film how exclusionary attitudes are reserved for a particular class, and how fickle the concept of ethnic pride really is. Mumbais discordance with migrants has a storied past. The city was built by cheap labour from across the northern and southern states. Yet, over the decades, right-wing groups have violently painted them as outsiders, a threat to Marathi supremacy and progress. Their fierce antipathy was thrown into harsh focus recently, with thousands of migrants being forced to flee in the flushes of Covid-19. Devashishs film, which was completed in 2017 and is now out on SonyLIV, is a stark account of this long-drawn conflict. It is also, movingly and expressively, a story about empathy, the bonds that grow in the everyday rut of coexistence. The film opens with Ganpat Bhonsle (Manoj Bajpayee) retiring from his police job. As he slips out of his khaki uniform, the routine is juxtaposed with a Vinayak idol being readied for Ganesh Chaturthi. Later, we see him carry a small statue to his one-room kholi the one bright spot amid the clutter of cooking utensils and a scratchy radio set. A crow sits outside his window. There are whispers of his retirement, so he stuffs his uniform under the bed. When a new neighbour, Sita (Ipshita Chakraborty Singh), drops by to say hello, Bhonsle is unenthused, perhaps even suspicious of her North Indian name and accent. But when the girls younger brother Lalu gets into a scrape, the old retiree starts looking out for him, ignoring his terminal-illness to keep the belligerent Vilas in check. Devashishs last film, Ajji, was a dark revenge story against a vicious political class. Bhonsle has the same angst and predilection for violence, though its characters are patiently drawn. We spend long stretches understanding their failures and aspirations. The repetitive close-ups and cutaways reaffirm the mundanity of their lives. Vilas, for all his nativist pride, lives in a taxi. His minor existence is dwarfed by the soaring high-rises of the city. Bhonsle, likewise, is waiting to be reinstated in the force hes been promised an extension but word is yet to arrive. Economic survival, the film points out, is the supreme struggle for these people, simultaneously driving and allaying other forms of conflict. This is reflected in the passivity of the minor characters: fearful, hesitant children getting pinned up with badges, adults pleading to be left out of trouble. Its telling that Rajendra (Abhishek Banerjee), the underdog leader who takes Lalu under his wing, disappears from sight once his interests are served. By now, Manoj Bajpayee has established himself as a master of silent illumination. With his sullen eyes and low, faltering voice, he brings out the crumbling despair of Bhonsle. In a white topi and kurta, he walks with his arms clasped behind his back, like a spectator to his own life. The film is constantly trying to drown him out: with drum beats from a Ganpati celebration, with a splendid top shot that loses him in a sea of people. The voices of Lalu and Sita too are muffled in perilous times. This is a city of constant, maddening noise, where rumbles, clamours, hoots, shrieks, and screams combine into a uniform, impenetrable din. Devashish finds moments of repose in his film Bhonsle and Lalu preparing a mix of paint, Sita fixing a doctors appointment in advance but he does so with an awareness of the madness raging outside. Hyderabad has been the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Telangana. (File Photo) Hyderabad: The number of COVID-19 cases crossed the 12,000 mark on Friday after Telangana registered a new record of 985 cases. The tally now stands at 12,349, Fridays health bulletin showed. Of the new cases, 774 came from the Greater Hyderabad area. Seven more deaths were reported during the day, taking the toll to 237. Telanganas coronavirus numbers have been galloping after the state government announced a burst of targeted testing in and around the state capital in mid-June. Daily additions of active cases have spurted since then from the few hundreds to several hundreds. Even then Telanganas testing rate, 2023 per million population, lags behind other states where far greater corona numbers have been reported. The latest narrative in the Telangana COVID-19 story is the spread of the virus among frontline workers. Eleven personnel from the Telangana State Special Police tested positive on Friday. All of them were asymptomatic and have been quarantined. They were working in a battalion in the city and assisting the police in dealing with the pandemic. Other frontline professionals among whom the virus is spreading fast are medics, bankers and municipal staff. Although Telangana threw open testing to more private labs in recent weeks, it found fault with their procedures. Fridays health bulletin said an inspection of COVID-19 testing by 16 private labs showed several shortcomings on the part of the labs. The inspection was undertaken after a lot of discrepancies were reported in data uploaded by the private labs on June 24, according to the bulletin. The major flaws observed in some of the labs include lack of safety measures like staff not wearing PPE, improper training of staff conducting tests and measures for Quality Control and Validation of Tests not being followed in some of the labs. "Committee (which examined the inspection reports) also expressed (view) that there is suspicion in some labs of pooled testing being done, when all cases are reported as positive without doing individual testing leading to some negative cases also being shown as positive. It will be studied by experts using the amplification plots generated by RTPCR machine," the bulletin said. It is also suspected that there is possibility of contamination of samples leading to high positivity rate because safety measures and protocols are not followed meticulously, it said. In addition, disparity in numbers uploaded by the labs in the data entry made into ICMR and state portals has also been seen. The expert committee will conduct further inspection to study the problem in detail, it added. Flash The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday said Africa must be careful and prepare for a rise in the number of cases after easing of lockdowns. The urgent call was made by John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC, as he noted that "the onset of COVID-19 pandemic was delayed in Africa but the number of cases and deaths is increasing rapidly every day." According to the latest figures from the Africa CDC, Africa's confirmed COVID-19 positive cases reached 337,315 as of Friday morning as the death toll from the pandemic also rose to 8,863. The Africa CDC said that some 161,254 people who were infected with COVID-19 had recovered across the continent so far. "Africa must be careful and prepare for a rise in the number of cases, as already observed in Latin America after easing of lockdowns," an Africa CDC statement, issued on Friday, quoted Nkengasong as saying. The Africa CDC Director also stressed that the availability of a vaccine is "the only solution that would allow African Union member states to return to a fully functional economy." Nkengasong further highlighted two strategies for vaccine development and access, which he said are securing sufficient vaccine supplies and removing barriers to vaccine rollout. According to Nkengasong, the two strategies would require mobilizing financial capital to purchase enough vaccines, ensuring appropriate distribution, and manufacturing, including, enabling technology transfer to rapidly scale-up local manufacturing capacity on the continent. The Africa CDC also said that the Southern Africa region is now the most affected area across the continent in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, overtaking the Northern Africa region. In the cryptocurrency markets, no two exchanges are alike. Even in major crypto exchanges, trading U.S. dollars for bitcoin can have fairly different order sizes and spreads, according to data compiled by aggregator CryptoCompare. Average order sizes over the past week were quite varied, CryptoCompare found. Orders on Bitstamp averaged $3,424.11, the highest of major dollar to bitcoin (USD/BTC) pair exchanges. ItBit was second to Bitstamp at $2,874.17, with Kraken at $2787.68. Geminis average was in the middle of the pack at $1,438.31, followed by Coinbase at $1,113.15. Bitfinex was lowest, with an average order totaling $342.09. The average order of the six exchanges was $1,996.58. Youre reading First Mover, CoinDesks daily markets newsletter. Assembled by the CoinDesk Markets Team, First Mover starts your day with the most up-to-date sentiment around crypto markets, which of course never close, putting in context every wild swing in bitcoin and more. We follow the money so you dont have to. You can subscribe here. Related: Money Reimagined: Crypto's Diversity Problem Average spreads between the highest bid offer and the lowest ask offer on an exchange order book also varied significantly. Data from CryptoCompare shows a few exchanges have a much larger daily price spread than others. This is derived from L2 order book data, without fee calculations, on top of this, said Constantine Tsav, head of research for CryptoCompare. Level 2, or L2, order book data is a term for market information that includes the scope of bid and ask prices for a given asset, in this case USD/BTC. Luxembourg-based Bitstamp, at $5.21 and New York-domiciled Gemini, at $2.38, have the largest average spreads in intraday trading, in this case CryptoCompare used a two-hour interval. Market spread is the gap between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the order book. Thus the gap is the difference between the price traders are willing to sell an asset and others are willing to buy an asset, and vice versa. Story continues Chris Thomas, head of institutional trading for Swissquote Bank, doesnt believe the spread discrepancy between some exchanges is bad it just depends on the type of trader on the exchange. Traders looking to fill larger bitcoin orders on spot exchanges might choose Bitstamp, based on this data, since it has bigger average orders. Traditionally, traders look for tighter spreads. Related: Coinbase Lists Compound's COMP Token for Retail Crypto Traders Whereas Bitstamp and Gemini have a relatively wide spread, the four other ones will use this to boast that they have the most liquidity and are the best exchanges, he said. But they may only be prepared to support these very tight prices in very small sizes for example, 0.25 or 1 bitcoin on both bid and offers. One bitcoin on each side of the bid/ask is okay for retail, but its not ideal for institutional. Of course, traders arent just motivated to go to an exchange based solely on average order sizes and spreads. A very fragmented marketplace exists for crypto exchanges in 2020, said Denis Vinokourov, head of research for cryptocurrency broker Bequant. The tech stack across exchanges is not uniform, Vinokourov told CoinDesk.Some exchanges offer high frequency trading connectivity while others dont, some are more retail focused than others; with segmented geographical focus, numerous legal jurisdictions and various approaches to fiat on-ramps. Maxime Boonen, CEO of liquidity provider B2C2, says a trader at that size really just needs to decide which exchange has the best fee structure. Frankly, all exchanges are more or less equal, the liquidity of the major cash exchanges is broadly the same for most intents and purposes. The fees do vary; thats important, depending on how much you intend to trade, he added. The increased use of derivatives in the crypto market is also seeing more professional traders move away from spot trading, Boonen said. Derivative exchanges are more liquid than cash exchanges, he said. One of the reasons why order averages might seem so low is many traders on these exchanges are just buying from time to time to hold (or HODL) bitcoin, Boonen told CoinDesk. You cant get physical bitcoin from derivatives exchanges, its not appropriate for HODLing. Tweet of the day Bitcoin watch BTC: Price: $9,199 (BPI) | 24-Hr High: $9,333 | 24-Hr Low: $9,087 Trend: Bitcoin is flashing red at press time and may be heading for bigger losses in the short term. At press time, the cryptocurrency is trading around $9,200, representing a 0.5% decline on the day, according to CoinDesks Bitcoin Price Index. On the daily chart, the cryptocurrency looks to have found acceptance under the 50-candle moving average (MA), a bearish development. Meanwhile, on the three-day chart, the five- and 10-candle moving averages have produced a bearish crossover, while the relative strength index has dived out of a 60-day-long descending channel, signaling a bullish-to-bearish trend change. Some indicators, like the daily charts golden crossover and a bull cross of the 50- and 100-candle MAs on the three-day chart, do indicate the path of least resistance is to the higher side. These indicators, however, are based on backward-looking averages and often trap traders on the wrong side of the market. Besides, technical traders have refused to step in over the past four weeks despite confirmation of the golden crossover. Such reticence is reflective of a weakening of bullish sentiment. All in all, the odds appear stacked in favor of a decline to support levels located at $8,630 (May 25 low) and possibly $8,300 (200-candle MA). On the higher side, $10,000 remains the level to beat for the bulls. Related Stories In the backyard of her business, Cutloose Hair, salon co-owner Ashley Scroggins watched a livestream Friday morning on her phone. On the screen was an image of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo speaking of the risks of COVID-19 to the region. Today we find ourselves careening toward a catastrophic and unsustainable situation, Hidalgo said. Our current hospitalization rate is on pace to overwhelm the hospitals in the near future. She called for nonessential workers to stay at home. Scroggins put down her phone and put on her mask. Then she walked into her salon, shut down the online booking system and began calling upcoming reservations: The salon was closing until cases subsided. Officials have moved to contain the number of known COVID-19 cases spiking across the state, often through conflicting messages that left businesses attempting to weigh health risks against economic concerns. While Hidalgo recommended nonessential workers stay home, she no longer had the power to enforce such a plan because Gov. Greg Abbott had superseded it with his own plan to reopen the state. Friday morning, Abbott rolled back portions of that plan ordering bars and tubing and rafting establishments to suspend services and restaurants to cap dine-in capacity at 50 percent but maintained other businesses could remain open. That left salons, restaurants, gyms, offices, retailers and other businesses Friday to decide whether to heed Hidalgos call to return to the stay-at-home precautions she had the power to enact in March. Businesses make their own calls Many, like Cutloose Hair, decided shutting down on-premise operations was the right thing to do. Its not getting better, Scroggins said of the pandemic. And the only way we can truly support our city is just to do what theyre asking us to do. CenterPoint Energy, the regulated utility that distributes most of the electricity in the Houston area, announced it would not bring employees back to the office as planned on July 6, instead waiting for confirmed cases to trend downward. Real estate brokerage Boulevard Realty suspended in-person open houses for properties it represents. The bistro Roost announced it was returning to curbside and to-go service only on Monday until further notice. Whats right is right, said Kevin Naderi, Roosts owner. At this point, we want to avoid the inevitable and make things safe for everyone. For other businesses, it was business as normal at least as normal as things have been since safety precautions such as social distancing and increased sanitation practices were put in place. Therapy Hair Studio, a salon in River Oaks, will continue operations because it has faith in current safety measures. From day one, weve kind of been on top of it, said co-owner David Bamford. Originally from Australia, where new cases of COVID-19 have dropped dramatically, Bamford said masks and other health precautions are enough to bring new cases to heel. The salon takes the temperatures of staff in the morning and evening and requires every client and hairdresser wear a mask, which he said should keep the stay-at-home recommendation from impacting his volume of appointments. They know Im a germaphobe, he said. Gallery Furniture, which is gearing up for its Fourth of July super sale, showed no signs of slowing down. "Ive been working so hard I havent had time to watch the news," Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale said of Hidalgos recommendation. San Antonio-based Frost Bank is also going full speed ahead in its plans to open two new locations in Houston, including one Wednesday in Third Ward and another in the Montrose neighborhood during the second week of July. Other businesses have entered a holding pattern, waiting to see how things unfold. Brendan Boyd, owner of Tower Insurance and Financial Services, has continued to carefully gather his three-person team in the office. They each wear a mask and sit six feet apart. But Boyds rethinking the decision to have people in the office. Well probably resort back to working remotely, he said. It just depends on how things unfold. Uncertain future Decisions to follow Hidalgos stay-at-home recommendation will have consequences across the economy, as they did in March. Bars closing and restaurants shutting down dine-in services removes the venues and audiences drag performer Angelina DM Trailz and her colleagues rely on for shows and a sense of community. Trailz and a cast of three other drag performers and two male dancers had a regular show, Drag Bingo Bash, at the restaurant Boheme until Marchs stay-at-home order. As businesses began to reopen, so did performances, with a diminished cast. Friday, after Hidalgos recommendation, Boheme shut down dine-in service and rolled back out its quarantine specials for take out, and it was back to square one. Trails has encouraged her fellow drag performers to apply for unemployment, but as an immigrant she does not qualify. Friday, she was considering planning live-streamed shows to mitigate the lost income. Were all just trying to find solutions right now, she said. This time around, businesses are closing up shop without a federal aid package of historic proportions to see them through. When Cutloose Hair closed in March, Scroggins and co-owner Stephanie DeJean received a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program meant to support small businesses through the slowdown. We were able to get out employees off of unemployment within a month, DeJean said. If the salon remains closed for more than a few weeks, it would need similar relief to continue paying its employees. Scroggins spoke with her bank on Friday, asking her banker to keep an ear out for aid. Meantime, shes keeping monitoring the capacity numbers at the Texas Medical Center, waiting for them to subside. And hoping for some solid guidance, she added. Amanda Drane, L.M. Sixel, Nancy Sarnoff and Marcy de Luna contributed to this report. rebecca.schuetz@chron.com twitter.com/raschuetz At the forefront of the war against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Accredited Social Health Activist (Asha) workers in Delhi are fighting another battle on their own -- their right to seek better remuneration. They put in long hours while conducting door-to-door surveys, screening patients in home isolation or at testing centres but are paid just Rs 4,000 per month as basic salary. The Delhi Asha Workers Association (DAWA) has given several representations to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and health minister Satyendar Jain, requesting that the workers be paid Rs 10,000 per month during the pandemic. Teams of Asha workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANMs) have been deployed in various parts of the city to screen the entire population to map the spread of Covid-19, as part of the survey ordered by the Centre last week. The survey will be completed by July 6. Also read | Sero survey in Delhi begins to map exposure to coronavirus We are at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19, but our pay is not proportional to the work we do. The government had given Rs 5,000 to construction workers and auto drivers during the lockdown. And we are paid just Rs 4,000, including Rs 1,000 for Covid duty. The government should think about us too, said Usha Thakur, the general secretary of DAWA, who is working in Najafgarh as part of the team that screens Covid-19 patients to check if they can isolate themselves at home. According to an order issued on April 13 by the Delhi State Health Mission, the workers are to receive get Rs 3,000 as core incentive along with Rs 1,000 for Covid-19 duty from April to June as announced by the Centre. Im the only earning member in my family, as my husband lost his job in February. As part of Covid-19 duty, we have to cover 50 or more houses daily for the survey. We are on duty all the time. Sometimes I get a call at night to locate a Covid-19 positive patient. After putting in long hours, all we get is Rs 4,000, including Rs 1,000 for Covid-19 duty, said Rajan Bidhuri, who is deployed in Tughlaqabad village. To make ends meet, Bidhuri works extra hours taking pregnant women for check-ups and children before five for immunisation to the dispensary to earn the extra incentive. I earned Rs 5,000 as an incentive, besides the Rs 4,000, in April. Im yet to get my salary for May, Bidhuri said. But not everyone can do other work to earn the incentive, as they are posted at testing centres or are given other Covid-19 duties. Also read | Govt using five weapons against Covid-19, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Priti (36), who goes by her first name, said that she got just Rs 2,320 for April. I have been on Covid-19 duty since April. But I didnt even get Rs 4,000 (the amount assured by the government). It is difficult for us to do our other routine jobs along with Covid-19 duty. Moreover, a lot of migrant workers have gone back to their villages due to which there arent enough people, especially pregnant women and children, whom we can take to the dispensary for routine check-ups, said Priti, who is currently posted at a testing centre in Vasant Vihar. Kavita Yadav, the state coordinator for Asha workers, All India United Traders Union Centre, said they have a list of 100-plus Asha workers who tested positive for Covid-19. The first Asha worker tested positive for Covid-19 in April. They are risking their lives like all other essential service providers. Then why this disparity? Due to Covid-19, a majority of them are unable to do their regular work and are losing out on incentives. The order passed by the Delhi government regarding payment of core incentive is not being implemented at all the dispensaries. We request the government to look into our demand and ensure timely payment of salaries, said Yadav. The Delhi government didnt respond for comment despite repeated requests. Photograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP via Getty Images Outrage has greeted media reports that American officials believe a Russian intelligence unit offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing foreign soldiers in Afghanistan, including targeting Americans. The story first appeared in the New York Times, citing its sources as unnamed officials briefed on the matter, and followed up by the Washington Post. The reports said that the US had come to the conclusion about the operation several months ago and that Russia had offered rewards for successful attacks last year. The Times wrote: The intelligence finding was briefed to Trump, and the White Houses National Security Council discussed the problem at an interagency meeting in late March. White House officials apparently drew up several possible options to retaliate against the Kremlin, ranging from a diplomatic reprimand right through to fresh sanctions. However, the White House has so far not taken any action. It is not clear if bounties were ever paid out for successfully killing American soldiers. The White House denied that either Trump or the vice-president, Mike Pence, were briefed on such a matter. As the news broke it triggered a fierce response from top Democrats, especially those who have long pointed to what they say is Trumps overly close relationship to Russias autocratic leader, Vladimir Putin. Virginia senator Tim Kaine, who was Hillary Clintons running mate in 2016, said: Trump was cozying up to Putin and inviting him to the G7 all while his administration reportedly knew Russia was trying to kill US troops in Afghanistan and derail peace talks with the Taliban. Michael McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia and a professor of political science at Stanford University, said: I hope the American people will be as outraged as I am over Trumps complacency. After he knew about these Putin-ordered contracts to kill US soldiers, Trump invited Putin to the G7. John Weaver, a Republican political consultant who helped found the anti-Trump Lincoln Project group, also expressed outrage. Story continues Trump knew Russia was paying bounties on the lives of American servicemen in Afghanistan. He took no action against Putin. Instead, @realDonaldTrump REWARDED Putin by trying to insert Russia back into the G-7. And, not enough, withdrawing 25,000 American troops from Germany. John Weaver (@jwgop) June 27, 2020 The news comes after the US reached an initial peace deal with the Taliban, which aimed for the full withdrawal of the US military from the war-torn country within just over a year. The pact was supposed to kickstart talks between the rebels and the Afghan government but they have not materialized. The unit that US officials have reportedly identified as responsible for the bounties has also been linked to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy, in Britain in 2018, which triggered a huge diplomatic dispute between Moscow and London. Trumps relationship with Russia has been the source of much scandal and frustration with US allies, especially in Europe. Russias attempts to interfere with the 2016 US election were part of the basis of the Robert Mueller investigation that dogged much of Trumps time in office. He has repeatedly flown in the face of his own intelligence briefings to say that he believes Russian denials of meddling in US affairs, and has touted his close relationship with Putin as a benefit to the US. He has also pushed for Russia to be allowed back into the G7 group of major industrial powers, while at the same questioning the role of Nato. Libyas National Oil Corporation said foreign mercenaries forced their way into Sharara oilfield on Friday. Libyas permanent representative to the United Nations has called for the United States and the European Union to impose sanctions over the activities of Russian mercenaries and other actors involved in the conflict in the North African country. Russian mercenaries and other foreign fighters forced their way into the Sharara oilfield on Friday, according to Libyas National Oil Corporation (NOC). Since UN Sec Council failed to sanction individuals/mercenaries as Wagner/Haftar and others, who violate all resolutions, US/EU should take such actions and freeze assets as any terrorist organisation and hold who finance them accountable, Taher el-Sonni wrote on Twitter on Saturday. Since @UN Sec council failed to sanction individuals/mercenaries as Wagner/Hafter & others,who violate all resol., US/EU shd take such actions & freez assets as any terrorist org. & hold who finance them accountable,we witnessed swift actions before on others with less threat https://t.co/b6zHdoCCtH Taher EL-Sonni (@TaherSonni) June 27, 2020 On Friday, the NOC said Russian and other foreign mercenaries entered Sharara oilfield in a convoy of vehicles and met representatives of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), forces established to maintain security at the oilfields. The Sharara oilfield produces more than 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day, forming roughly one-third of the oil-rich countrys production. The oilfield resumed production on June 7 after a months-long hiatus which caused billions of dollars in losses. On Friday, the US embassy in Libya condemned the occupation of the oilfield by Wagner and other foreign mercenaries as part of an unprecedented foreign-backed campaign to undermine Libyas energy sector. The Kremlin has denied that it uses private military contractors abroad. Libya holds Africas largest crude reserves, but nine years of conflict and violence since the overthrow of ruler Muammar Gaddafi have hobbled production and exports. In April 2019, renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive against the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA). More than 1,000 people have been killed in the violence. Forces aligned with the GNA have pushed Haftars fighters out of much of northwestern Libya in recent weeks after Turkey intensified its support to the GNA. Haftars forces, which are supported by Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, have maintained control of eastern Libya. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Ecstasy pills from Germany were seized by Chennai Air Customs from a parcel addressed to a person in Erode, who was later apprehended in Bengaluru. Based on a tip-off, the parcel, which arrived from Frankfurt at the foreign post office was examined, Air Customs Commissioner Rajan Chaudhary said. The parcel contained yellow and pink pills. The pills tested positive for MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine). A total of 100 pills valued at `3 lakh were seized under the NDPS Act, 1985, Chaudhary said. The officials tried to trace Kavi Kumar (25), the consignee. His mother informed he was working in Bengaluru, Chaudhary said. A search was carried out at Kumars apartment. The accused, a Malaysian national of Indian origin was apprehended and brought to Chennai. He was later remanded to judicial custody. Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, on Friday said about 10 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will soon defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor said this when he appeared as a guest on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television, while responding to a question on if the APC will fall apart when President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office. According to Bello, APC will not fall apart when Buhari leaves office because the party was waxing stronger. APC is getting stronger and like I said, its going to be proved in the next few days or the next few weeks to come in the election of Edo state, Ondo state, Anambra state, Ekiti state, Osun state, he said. Advertisement Its unfortunate that our colleague, my brother and my in-law, Obaseki has left us, but as a party and a party-loyal man, we have to reclaim him. I can tell you that there are up to 10 PDP governors ready to join APC and that would happen very soon. The governor also responded to the question on if Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the APC, was currently being sidelined, considering recent events. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a leader, a father, a founding member of this great party. He contributed immensely to making sure that the party attains the height it has attained today. He has paid his due and continues to pay his due, he said. Read Also: Personal Assistant To Yahaya Bello Dies In Abuja Nobody, however highly placed or lowly placed you are in the party, will ever undermine that great leader. Nobody is undermining him. He is still a father; hes one of our national leaders and he continues to contribute. In the whole of this misunderstanding so far, nobody has heard him making any comments for or against anybody that has different or opposing opinion. Rather, he continues to maintain and play that fatherly role. Both APC and PDP gravitate towards him. So, nobody is going to say that hes being undermined or hes going to be removed. No. We need him; he needs us and he will continue to be a leader of our great party. YEREVAN. Zhoghovurd newspaper writes: Zhoghovurd daily has learned new details from the course of the case being investigated by the National Security Service, in which PAP [opposition Prosperous Armenia Party] leader [MP and business tycoon] Gagik Tsarukyan is also involved as an accused. In particular, according to the information we received, these days the National Security Service is taking various citizens for questioning to find out what information they have about the fact that the PAP bought votes during the 2017 parliamentary elections. And mainly those citizens are the residents of Gegharkunik Province. Let us note that law enforcement agencies continue to conduct search also at the apartments () of those in charge of the PAP provincial, especially of the Gegharkunik organizations. Let us note that Tsarukyan is accused of organizing vote buying during the 2017 parliamentary elections. The coronavirus hasnt gone away. As the Northeast, the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. for months, has seen steep, persistent declines in confirmed cases, other parts of the country have spiked. A month or so ago, most of the increased cases were a function of increased testing. Now, states like Florida, Texas, and Arizona have seen worrying increases in their positivity rates the percentage of tests that are positive in a sign of accelerating community spread. The medias tone about this trend is, of course, apocalyptic, with many commentators portraying the Republican governors of these states as callous extremists hell-bent on reopening, come what may. The fact is that states all over the country have been reopening, and California and North Carolina, both with Democratic governors, have seen spikes in new confirmed cases, too (although not dramatically increasing positivity rates). Its also irksome to see these governors depicted as villains at the same time New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is lionized as a hero, despite New Yorks vastly higher death rate and his fateful decision to send COVID-positive patients into nursing homes. The reality is that Greg Abbott, Ron DeSantis, and Doug Ducey are reasonable, public-spirited men who never said they would insist on full reopening regardless of the consequences. Abbott has closed bars back down and further restricted the capacity of restaurants. Hes also stopped elective surgeries again in hard-hit areas and will allow counties to mandate wearing masks in public. DeSantis, too, has shuttered bars, while Florida localities are tightening up again on some restrictions. Ducey is hitting the brakes on the states reopening process. All of this seems prudent. They are following the evidence and adjusting to new data. We like the local watering hole as much as the next guy, but if bars are contributing to the surge of cases, it only makes sense to close them again. Bars and restaurants also should not be allowed to flout state and local guidelines. And masks, which more Florida localities are mandating, are a mild mitigation measure compared with shutting business and telling people to stay at home. Story continues The good news is that in none of these places have we yet seen a spike in deaths commensurate with the spike in cases. This may simply reflect the fact that deaths are a lagging indicator. But the evidence suggests that we are seeing a younger cohort of people getting the virus. In Florida, the median age of the positive cases has drastically declined, from 65 years old in March to 35 years old now. It looks as though older, more vulnerable people have continued to be cautious about the virus, while younger, less vulnerable people are being less careful. Although not ideal, this is better than the alternative. The virus is unpredictable, but younger people are less likely to get seriously ill and die. None of this means that reopening is a failure. The promise of reopening wasnt that there would be no additional cases most people conceded that there would be. The promise of reopening was that we could begin a necessary return to normal life, while managing new outbreaks, hitting the brakes when and where needed, and having plans in place to keep hospitals from coming close to getting overwhelmed, as almost happened during the worst period in New York. This is what Florida, Texas, and Arizona are trying to do, and we should all be rooting for their success. More from National Review Kathmandu: Nepal has decided to reopen its second border point with China after five months for the supply of goods like construction material and equipment necessary for hydropower and airport projects, according to a media report. Nepal on January 29 closed its two border points with China -- Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi -- to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Tatopani border point was opened on April 8 to bring medicines and health equipment from China. The two countries have now agreed to resume one-way traffic to Nepal through the Rasuwagadhi border, the Kathmandu Post reported. The exact date to reopen the border has not been finalised, it said. Hari Prasad Pant, chief district officer of Rasuwa, said that reopening the border point had been discussed between authorities from the two countries at the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge (Miteri Bridge) on Wednesday. As per the agreement, Chinese cargo drivers will drop the goods at Nepal border point. Once the Chinese loaders and drivers return, Nepali drivers and loaders will receive the shipment and take them to the respective places. Initially, four trucks will be allowed daily. The number will be increased gradually. We have accorded priority to import essential goods, mainly construction equipment, in the first phase," said Punya Bikram Khadka, chief customs officer at Rasuwa Customs Office. As the financial closure of most of the projects like hydropower and airport need to be completed by mid-July, the priority will be given to import their equipment, he said. A large number of equipment of Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports has been stranded in the border point after the lockdown was imposed in January. Khadka said that people's movement would not be allowed on either side of the border except the workers and the drivers. Nepal has so far reported 12,309 coronavirus cases with 28 deaths. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics The rising political and societal demand for a greener economy coupled with the restart of the economy post-COVID-19, offers an unprecedented opportunity for Canada to become a global centre of clean technology innovation. While the Canadian government can use grants, subsidies, loans and donations to kick start the recovery, there is another proven strategy that has been used successfully in the past flow-through shares. Flow-through shares are a tax-based government incentive unique to Canada designed for resource-based companies to raise money for exploration. It allows new equity to be issued to investors at a higher price. A company agrees to incur eligible expenses that the government wishes to encourage such as investments in research, development, production capabilities, new jobs, and international marketing of Canadian technology by successful medium-sized companies with proven products. Investors who purchase these shares get tax deductions in order to take on the higher risks. Since the program was introduced in 1984, this tax innovation has created successful funding mechanisms used primarily in mining, oil and gas. Cleantech companies provide new technologies that aim to solve pollution and other environmental sustainability problems in Canada and globally. By expanding the application of flow-through shares to cleantech companies, the federal government can use its next budget to stimulate expansion in the cleantech sector for a greener economic future. Cleantech flow-through shares can kick-start new investment, allowing businesses to expand production capabilities, conduct valuable research-and-development in clean technologies, and commercialize cleantech innovations to offer them profitably on a global basis. By doing so, Canada helps the world fight nitrogen oxides and carbon emissions. This is important because nitrogen oxides are the most relevant for air pollution and contribute to the formation of smog, acid rain and depleting the ozone. Cleantech flow-through shares should be advanced to support small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) which often struggle to raise capital, eventhough they are the biggest job-creators in Canada. Often, SMEs cant rely on banks for investment, but they can rely on Canadian capital markets when flow-through shares reduce the risk that is necessary for investors to participate. Provincial governments can also participate in attracting funds to their provinces under a flow-through share cleantech program by invoking provincial tax credits to foster fund flows into their respective regions. Flow-through shares have been used successfully for decades to raise more than $20 billion to fund investment and growth in Canadas mining and oil and gas sectors. As a direct result, Canada has become recognized as the planets hub of junior mining over the last four decades. Experience has proven that revenue which the government gives up in terms of tax incentives for flow-through investors is more than recovered by new revenue streams generated by the creation of jobs, purchases of machinery, and overall economic expansion resulting from the spending of flow-through monies. SMEs are not alone in this crusade to create a new cleantech flow-through share program. There are many advocates including Canada Cleantech Alliance, a network of more than 200 companies, accelerators and associations. Its list of established industry leaders is respectable and include Alberta Clean Technology Industry Alliance (ACTIA), EcotechQuebec, Foresight and Ontario Voice of Clean Technology, the TSX Venture Exchange, and public companies that have commercialized products in cleantech. This fiscal strategy actually fits the policy of the Trudeau government, as reflected in this March tweet by Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities: After we get through COVID-19, the world will have a choice. Respond with an economic & jobs recovery stimulus that jump-starts the clean economy & creates meaningful jobs or not. History is calling again, just as it did for the mining and oil and gas industries a few decades ago. The Canadian governments, provincially and federally, have a social choice, a political choice, a policy choice, and a business choice. This turning point requires conviction, commitment and the fiscal landscape to support the jump start to which Minister McKenna refers. Cleantech flow-through shares for SMEs are a powerful stimulus tool that can propel Canada forward, making our country the cleantech Hub of the World. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is calling for an investigation into a private Facebook group allegedly comprised of retired and current members of the San Jose Police Department where numerous racist posts have been made. The group's existence was brought to light by a widely-shared blog post written by an unidentified "partner of an active law enforcement officer in a San Francisco Bay Area police department." The private group's page is called "107ODSJ," and members primarily targeted African-Americans and Muslims with comments allegedly ranging from "black lives don't really matter" to "I say re-purpose the hijabs into nooses." Liccardo stated that if any current San Jose Police Department officer is found to have made racist statements, he or she will be fired. "I demand and expect a full investigation, and further expect that racist, anti-Muslim or menacing comments expressed by any current SJPD Officer will be met with termination," he said in a statement issued Friday night. "Our Chief fired an officer for tweeting a similar statement in 2016, but an unaccountable arbitratorimmune from public or court reviewreversed the termination, and forced the department to reinstate the officer. For that reason, as I articulated in my police reform proposal this week, I will push for changes to a disciplinary process that allows unaccountable arbitrators to reverse termination decisions of the Chief, and I will further push for independent investigation of all racially discriminatory conduct. This is precisely why these reforms are so important. SJPD chief Eddie Garcia echoed Liccardo, as did the San Jose Police Officers Association. "While I have no control over what former employees post online, I can voice my outrage after hearing about these comments made online," Garcia said. "Any current employee involved with bigoted activity online will promptly be investigated and held accountable to the fullest extent in my power. We have no place for this." SJPOA president Paul Kelly stated, "I am announcing tonight that I am taking swift action against any member of the SJPOA that has participated in this online ring of hate because there is zero room in our department or our profession for racists, bigots or those that enable them." Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting A mans missing BMW may hold the key to solving how he ended up dead in a car park in Melbournes southeast near a primary school. Passers-by found the body of Michael Mammone, 47, about 7am on Friday in a carpark at the Donnelly Reserve car park on Lesdon Avenue in Cranbourne. A father and his children who were on school drop-off made the grim discovery, the Herald Sun reported. Passers-by found the body of Michael Mammones (left) in a car park. Investigators police are now searching for his missing silver BMW (right). Source: VIC police A witness reported seeing Mr Mammones body with his hands bound in front of him. Victoria Polices Homicide Squad detectives are appealing for information and are treating the death as suspicious. At this stage its not known when Michaels body was left in the car park, therefore investigators are keen to speak to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the area on Thursday night or Friday morning, a statement from investigators said. The man's body was discovered by a father dropping his children off at school. Source: Google Maps Detectives have released a photo of Mr Mammone and his missing silver 2008 BMW 118i sedan, with Victorian registration XUD525, in the hopes someone will come forward with information surrounding his death. Police are also requesting anyone who may have been driving through the area in the 24 hours prior to the discovery to check dashboard camera footage. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a report online. 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. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar said on Saturday matters of national security should not be politicised and one must remember what happened after the 1962 war when large tracts of land were occupied by the Chinese. Pawars comments came in response to a question about Congress leader Rahul Gandhis charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surrendered Indian territory to the Chinese aggression. The Congress party, led by its former president Rahul Gandhi, has been taking jibes at the Centre since the June 15 violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakhs Galwan Valley. Also Watch | Why were 20 soldiers killed if China hasnt occupied our land?: Sonia Gandhi It wants PM Modi to clarify whether China has intruded into India in Ladakh. The NCP president said the first time something like this happened was after the 1962 war when the neighbouring country had laid claim on large swathes of Indian land. Also Read: Galwan clash huge mistake by China, world already fighting Covid-19: Experts We cant forget what had happened in 1962 when China occupied 45,000 square kilometres of Indias territory. While making these allegations, one should also look at what had happened in the past. This is an issue of national interest and once should not bring in politics here, the former defence minister said while speaking to reporters in Satara. Pawars NCP is an ally of the Congress and they are part of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government led by the Shiv Sena. The senior politician was referring to the disputed Aksai Chin area, which is controlled by Beijing but claimed by New Delhi. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488km Line of Actual Control (LAC). While China claims Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area which was occupied by China during the 1962 war. The NCP chief also said the Centre cannot be blamed for the standoff at Galwan Valley. Our soldiers tried to push back Chinese army men when they tried to encroach upon Indian soil. To say this is the failure of anyone or of the defence minister isnt correct. Had our army not been on alert, we wouldnt have known Chinese assertion, he said. The scuffle itself means that we were vigilant else we would have been caught unaware. Hence, I dont think such allegations are fair to make, he added. Pawar also cited the agreement between India and China when two nations decided not to use guns at the LAC. Twenty Indian soldiers of 16 Bihar Regiment, including its commanding officer, were killed following a clash with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley on June 15. Unilever is halting US advertising on Facebook and Twitter for the rest of the year. Photo: Chris Ison/PA UNILEVER has said it will halt US advertising on Facebook and Twitter for the rest of the year, citing hate speech and polarised politics as the key reasons for its decision. Unilever's products include Dove soap, Surf detergent and Ben & Jerry's ice-cream. It joins other firms including US telecoms provider Verizon and clothing brand Patagonia in pulling advertising from some of the world's largest social media platforms due to their inaction over hate speech. "Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society," Unilever said in an emailed statement. "We will be monitoring ongoing and will revisit our current position if necessary." Facebook shares fell as much as 7.3pc, while those in Twitter fell 8.2pc. Facebook has been telling advertisers that it bases its policies on principles, not business interests, according to its communications with marketers. The company has been reaching out to advertisers to discuss its recent initiatives on registering voters and distributing verified election information. Verizon has said it is pausing the placement of ads on Facebook and Instagram until the social networks can get better control over posts that spread disinformation. "We have strict content policies in place and have zero tolerance when they are breached, we take action," Verizon's chief media officer John Nitti said in a statement. "We're pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what we've done with YouTube and other partners." Verizon is one of the largest advertisers to pull its Facebook ads as part of an effort by civil rights organisations to pressure the social media company to take action on hate speech and misleading content. Rights groups including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Color of Change started the campaign, called Stop Hate For Profit, to encourage advertisers to boycott Facebook ads in July. "We applaud Verizon for joining this growing fight against hate and bigotry by pausing their advertising on Facebook's platforms, until they put people and safety over profit," said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of ADL. US lawmakers have also put pressure on Facebook, Twitter and Google. Bloomberg Four members of grandmother Patricia O'Connor's extended family have been jailed for their roles in covering up her brutal killing. Mr Justice Paul McDermott jailed Patricia's husband Augustine 'Gus' O'Connor (76), daughter Louise (41), granddaughter Stephanie (22) and Louise's ex-boyfriend Keith Johnston (43) for impeding the prosecution of murderer Kieran Greene. Louise was given a three-year sentence and Stephanie two years, each with the final six months suspended. Gus was jailed for 18 months and Johnston for three years. Their combined prison time is eight-and-a-half years, while Greene was jailed for life on Monday. Judge McDermott told the Central Criminal Court that what Gus, Louise and Stephanie O'Connor did was a "gross betrayal" of Patricia. Gus had behaved "disgracefully", he said, and he did not believe either Louise or Stephanie had yet told the full truth of what happened that night. Battered Expand Close Patricia OConnor's daughter Louise OConnor passes Patricias friends at the Central Criminal Court / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Patricia OConnor's daughter Louise OConnor passes Patricias friends at the Central Criminal Court He said Johnston must have known of Greene's "grotesque idea" to dismember Patricia's body when they later went on a shopping spree with an "evil purpose". Greene battered Patricia to death with a child's hurley in a "sustained attack" at the family home at Mountain View Park, Rathfarnham, on May 29, 2017. He buried the grandmother-of-seven's body in a field in Co Wexford that night, returned on June 9 and dug it up, dismembered it with a hacksaw and scattered the remains in the Wicklow Mountains. After the murder, Louise and Stephanie claimed Patricia had stormed out of the house following an argument. Stephanie dressed up as her dead grandmother leaving the house that night, to be captured on a neighbour's CCTV to bolster this claim. Her mother Louise agreed to the plan. Gus O'Connor knew his wife had been murdered by Greene but went to gardai to falsely report she was missing on June 1. Handyman Johnston, Stephanie's father, went shopping with Greene on June 9 to help him select tools that were later used by Greene to dismember the body. Expand Close Murdered Patricia OConnor. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Murdered Patricia OConnor. The four co-accused were convicted of impeding Greene's prosecution. All except Patricia's husband had denied the charges and were found guilty by a jury in February. Gus O'Connor pleaded guilty before the trial started. Greene had pleaded not guilty to the murder. Judge McDermott said yesterday the offences were "simply appalling". The body was disposed of in a very short period of time and "no effort was made to obtain the assistance of the gardai or emergency services". Patricia had worked hard all her life for her children and grandchildren and her death had been "devastating and heartbreaking" for her family, the judge continued. Gus O'Connor's reaction to his wife's death was "appalling" and he did not demonstrate much interest or concern for her when he simply asked the others to call gardai and, after they refused, went to bed. As Patricia's daughter and granddaughter, Louise and Stephanie's reactions to what was done to her were shocking and callous, a fact that was compounded by the close family connections." Louise O'Connor bore a greater degree of culpability and responsibility than her daughter, the judge said. He was satisfied Stephanie was not the originator of the idea to disguise herself and was not acting on her own. Since conviction both Louise and Stephanie had accepted the jury's verdict, but Judge McDermott was not satisfied that either of them had told the full truth. Johnston went with Patricia's murderer, knowing she was dead, to assist him in selecting tools that he must have known were going to be used for the "dreadful purpose" of dismembering her, the judge said. Greene "took the most extreme steps imaginable" to avoid detection and Johnston "assisted him in doing so". On CCTV, the two were seen in shops "calmly and diligently" doing something familiar to everyone "but with an underlying evil purpose". Johnston still maintained his innocence. None of the four accused showed any reaction to the sentences. The accused sat apart in the courtroom due to social-distancing measures, except for Louise and Stephanie, who sat side by side in the dock. The mother and daughter each stood in turn to acknowledge their bonds for the suspended portions of their sentences. Louise, dressed in a grey T-shirt and jeans, replied "yes" almost inaudibly when asked if she agreed to the terms. Her daughter, wearing a Rick and Morty cartoon T-shirt, said "I do". The judge refused a request from Gus O'Connor's barrister Micheal P O'Higgins to suspend his client's sentence. A man was chased by two masked gunmen through streets packed with people and motorists before he was shot dead, police in Belfast have said. The PSNI have launched a murder investigation after the man, who has significant links to dissident republicans, was shot a number of times in St Katharines Road in west Belfast just before 1pm today. Detective Chief Inspector Darren McCartney criticised the brutal murder. He said: I have launched a murder investigation following the fatal shooting of a man in his late 20s this afternoon. Police are aware of reports of a shooting incident in West Belfast this afternoon. Detectives and local police are at the scene. Further updates will follow as enquiries progress. Police West Belfast (@PSNIBelfastW) June 27, 2020 I believe the man was chased from the junction of Rodney Parade and St Jamess Road along Rodney Parade by two masked gunmen before he was shot a number of times at close range in St Katharines Road. This was a brutal murder and the brazen recklessness of the killers completely beggars belief. They did not give any thought to the risk posed to local people in this community who were going about their business at lunchtime when they ran through the streets firing shots. Nor did they care who may have been collateral damage in this highly populated residential area during their mission to kill. My thoughts are very much with the family of the victim who are tonight in a state of shock and grieving for their loved one. No family should ever have to go through this heartbreak. Detective McCartney said it is too early to speculate on the motive for the murder but said that police will be working to piece together all the information and evidence. He continued: I know the community is in shock but I would appeal to anyone who has information about this appalling murder to bring that forward to the police so that we can remove these dangerous gunmen from the streets. I would like to hear from anyone who saw the victim being chased by the two gunmen in the Rodney Drive, St Jamess Road, Rodney Parade and St Katharines Road areas before and after the shooting. I am aware the area was busy with pedestrians and motorists so I am asking anyone who may have captured any footage of the incident to please make that available to us also. Please call detectives with any information on 101. SDLP west Belfast councillor Brian Heading said the brutal crime has caused immense shock in the area. He said: Police have locked down the street where the shooting took place. I would urge everyone to co-operate with PSNI officers as they investigate. Those responsible for this barbaric crime have no support here. They need to be caught and brought to justice. I would encourage anyone with information to bring it to the police as soon as possible. Tragically, we have witnessed another brutal murder in West Belfast. I have been on the ground speaking to residents in the area this afternoon and people are outraged at this horrific attack. Gerry Carroll (@GerryCarrollPBP) June 27, 2020 People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said: Tragically, we have heard of another brutal murder in west Belfast. I have been on the ground speaking to residents in the area this afternoon and people are outraged at this horrific attack. These barbaric actions heap pain and trauma on our community. They have no place in our society. Thoughts with the individual and their family. Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said the local man was shot dead in a brutal and shameful attack. He added: My thoughts are with the family of the man who has been killed. No family should have to go through this heartache. Those involved in this act have absolutely no place in our community, they must cease their anti-community activities and get off the back of the people of west Belfast. Those responsible must be held accountable before the courts. A police operation is ongoing in the St James area and I would appeal to anyone with information on this shooting to bring it forward to the PSNI. Hundreds of thousands of customers may not be able to access their money on payday or use their cards due to a financial regulator shutting down the British arm of German company Wirecard. It was announced on Thursday that crisis-torn Wirecard had collapsed with debts of more than 3billion in Germany's worst accounting scandal and UK customers are now suffering the effects. The Financial Conduct Authority announced the UK subsidiary, Wirecard Card Solutions Ltd based in Newcastle, must stop all activities and must not allow customers access to their money. Wirecard chief exec Markus Braunwas forced to resign after auditor EY refused to sign off the payment systems provider's 2019 accounts The cessation could mean two million people are unable to get into their accounts. An inability to access cash could also have a tremendous effect on businesses which may already be struggling financially due to the pandemic. The financial technology company's collapse comes a week after auditor EY refused to sign off the payment systems provider's 2019 accounts, forcing out chief executive Markus Braun and leading Wirecard to admit that 1.7billion of its cash probably did not exist. Braun was arrested on suspicion of market manipulation and inflating financial numbers earlier this week before being freed on bail. There are now concerns that the UK branch of the company could also have been involved in financial misconduct. Millions of people have been left unable to get to their money as businesses which use Wirecard's systems have also been forced to freeze. Companies which use Wirecard's systems were forced to freeze customers' access to their accounts Fintech business Pockit, backed by Sir Alex Ferguson, has shut off the accounts of more than 500,000 customers until further notice after misinforming its customers that the German scandal would not affect them. The company sells itself on helping people who have 'been ignored or rejected by high street banks' and could leave some vulnerable customers without access to much needed funds. Curve, which has more than one million customers, has told its users its services are 'temporarily suspended with immediate effect'. It confirmed it is on its way to 'migrating away from Wirecard' and expected the disruption to last for 'only a limited period of time'. Joining the list of businesses hit by the scandal is Anna Money, a business account and tax app for small businesses which has more than 20,000 clients, but it assured its customers that their card details and the money in their account remained safe and secure. The FCA said: 'Following last weeks news of 1.9 billion missing from the accounts of the German company, Wirecard, we immediately placed requirements on the firms UK business so that it should not pay out or reduce any money it holds for its customers except on their instructions. Customers using fintech companies to manage their finances, including, Pockit, Curve and Anna Money, have all been temporarily affected 'We have been working closely with Wirecard UK and other authorities over the past few days to take action that protects consumers. 'We are continuing to do this and on 26 June, we took additional measures to require the firm to cease all regulated activities in order to further protect customer money. This now means customers money cannot be accessed.' The watchdog said it had been working with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to arrange help for people who receive benefits into the accounts. Any money customers put into the accounts affected is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which protects customers of financial services firms that have failed. However, their money should be stored in third-party accounts with Barclays and Citi. The FCA's intervention has prevented Wirecard staff from siphoning off money to the collapsed German arm. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 20:00:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (C) attends a press conference of the 36th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Di) At the 36th ASEAN Summit, ASEAN member countries discussed issues including the COVID-19 pandemic control and socio-economic recovery, the building of a strong community, as well as expanding and deepening ASEAN's external relations with partners. HANOI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The 36th ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit, which was held via video conferencing on Friday under the chair of Vietnam, emphasized the importance of unity, cooperation and integration to address the challenges brought about by rapid changes in the regional and global landscape. Speaking at a press briefing on Friday evening, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the summit was a success with the presence of representatives from all member states, and adopted the Chairman's Statement and several documents which reflected the bloc's high consensus in important discussed issues. According to the prime minister, the ASEAN member countries discussed issues including the COVID-19 pandemic control and socio-economic recovery, the building of a strong community, as well as expanding and deepening ASEAN's external relations with partners. In the Chairman's Statement of the 36th ASEAN Summit released Saturday, the ASEAN leaders announced the establishment of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. This comes with the commencement of the process of moving forward the ASEAN's efforts to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and develop a comprehensive recovery framework effective in taking the region through the reopening and recovery stages. Recognizing the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the region and the world, the ASEAN leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to implementing targeted policies to alleviate its adverse impact. The leaders have tasked the ASEAN Community Councils to undertake relevant works in their respective pillars to contribute to the ASEAN comprehensive recovery plan to be submitted to the 37th ASEAN Summit, according to the Chairman Statement. ASEAN member states remained committed to keeping markets open for trade that is free from unnecessary trade restrictions as well as for investment, and to coordinating the implementation of pertinent policy measures to mitigate the economic impacts of the epidemic, said the statement. The ASEAN leaders noted in the statement that free trade agreements and comprehensive economic partnership agreements are important in transforming the region into a global ASEAN and in contributing to the post-pandemic recovery and in creating resilient supply chains. Photo taken on June 26, 2020 shows a scene of the venue in the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi of the 36th ASEAN Summit's plenary session.(VNA/Handout via Xinhua) While welcoming the progress made for the full conclusion of the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and looking forward to the signing of this deal by the end of this year, they noted that the agreement demonstrates "the firm commitment of ASEAN and its partners to upholding an open, inclusive and rules-based multi-lateral trading system." The summit adopted the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN, which was released Friday, showing the ASEAN's strong commitment to upholding ASEAN unity, solidarity and centrality while enhancing ASEAN's capacity to embrace the opportunities and effectively address emerging challenges. The ASEAN leaders also jointly adopted the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work, which commits ASEAN member states to promote lifelong learning. The view of this move is preparing the region's human resources to adapt to the changing world of work due to technological advances, demographic transition and greening economies. The leaders looked forward to the finalization of a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder roadmap to translate those commitments into actions for notation at the 37th ASEAN Summit, according to the summit's Chairman's Statement. With the successful holding of the Special Session of the ASEAN Leaders on Women Empowerment in the Digital Age, ASEAN countries also reaffirmed their steadfast commitment and staunch efforts to promote gender equality and empowerment. The special session was held for the very first time within an ASEAN Summit, which was a vivid manifestation of ASEAN's contributions to the effective realization of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. Photo taken on June 26, 2020 shows artists performing at the opening ceremony of the 36th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Xinhua/Wang Di) During the framework of the 36th ASEAN Summit, other meetings including the ASEAN Leaders' Interface with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), representatives of ASEAN youth and ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) also took place. These initiatives have further demonstrated the ASEAN's consistent approach of engaging multi-stakeholder contribution to the ASEAN Community building process, toward an inclusive, people-centered, people-oriented ASEAN Community, according to the Chairman's Statement. The 36th ASEAN summit had been scheduled for April in central Vietnam's Da Nang but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Established in 1967, the ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Mohanlal, the complete actor and Major Ravi, the army officer-turned-filmmaker, is one of the most-loved actor-director duos of the contemporary Malayalam cinema. If the latest rumours are to be believed, the superstar and popular filmmaker will be joining hands once again, very soon. The rumour mills suggest that Mohanlal and Major Ravi are joining hands for an army film, yet again. Recently, the filmmaker had revealed that his next project is based on the Indo-China conflict. Major Ravi also revealed that the upcoming movie has been titled as Bridge On Galwan. According to the director, the movie revolves around the construction of the strategic bridge on Galwan valley, which triggered the issues between India and China. However, the gossip mongers suggest that Mohanlal might join hands with Major Ravi once again for the project, even though the director has not revealed anything about the star cast. Some social media fans pages of the complete actor suggest that he might return as the celebrated character Major Mahadevan, in this pan-Indian project. Mohanlal and Major Ravi teamed up for the first time in 2006, for the highly acclaimed war film Keerthi Chakra in which the actor played the popular character Major Mahadevan. The actor-director duo later joined hands for the sequel of the movie, Kurukshetra, in 2008. Later, the duo came up with another two installments of the Major Mahadevan series, named Kandahar and 1971 Beyond Borders, in 2010 and 2017 respectively. Major Ravi has also directed Mohanlal in the 2012-released crime thriller Karmayodha. Earlier, the filmmaker has announced that he will soon join hands with young crowd-puller Nivin Pauly for a love story. The movie, which was originally slated to start rolling in 2019, was later delayed due to undisclosed reasons. Major Ravi is also rumoured to be join hands with actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran, for a new project. Also Read: Vaariyamkunnan: Scriptwriter Ramees Withdraws From The Prithviraj Sukumaran-Aashiq Abu Project! Suresh Gopi's Kaaval: The Official Teaser Crosses 1 Million Views! Representative image India continues to witness a surge in coronavirus cases being reported from across states, with Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu recording the highest number of infections. With a record single-day surge of 18,552 cases, India's COVID-19 tally raced past five lakh on Saturday as it added four lakh infections in just 39 days to reach another grim milestone amid increased testing for the disease. As the new cases rose by 1 lakh in six days, a Union Health Ministry official said the recovery rate has also steadily improved to reach 58.13 percent. It was for the fourth consecutive day that coronavirus infections increased by more than 15,000. The COVID-19 caseload zoomed to 5,08,953 with the addition of 18,552 cases in the last 24 hours, while 384 fatalities were also recorded during the same period, according to the Health Ministry data. The death toll stood at 15,685, it said. India is in the fourth place in the global COVID-19 tally after the US, Brazil and Russia. Here are the key developments of the day: 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 >> Health Ministry said that eight states, including Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu, contributed 85.5 percent of the active COVID-19 caseload and 87 per cent of the total deaths due to the disease in India. >> India's recovery rate increased to 58 percent. Mortality/fatality rate reduced to around 3 percent. >> Dexamethasone, an inexpensive and widely used steroid, was included in the treatment protocol for COVID-19 patients in moderate to severe stages of illness by the Union health ministry on Saturday. >>Maharashtra on Saturday registered the highest-ever single-day spike of 5,318 new COVID-19 cases. The state's total case count now stands at 1,59,133. >> Haryana on Saturday reported seven more deaths due to coronavirus, while 543 fresh cases pushed the tally in the state to 13,427. >> Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday visited a newly created COVID-19 care facility with over 10,000 beds in the national capital and reviewed arrangements. >> Nepal has registered 554 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 12,309. >> Twenty-four Samajwadi Party leaders, including its district unit president, were booked for allegedly defying social distancing norms while protesting against the fuel price hike, police said on Saturday. >> Fifty-two people were arrested in a town in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh for gathering at a mosque for Friday prayers, violating orders that prevent large assemblies to combat the spread of COVID-19. >> To bolster COVID-19 management efforts in the national capital, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) supplied diagnostic material for carrying out 4.7 lakh RT-PCR tests to the 12 functional labs in Delhi till date. >> Thirty-six more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura, taking the northeastern state's tally to 1,331 on Saturday, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has said. >> The number of COVID-19 fatalities in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 92 on Saturday after a 70-year-old woman from Baramulla district tested positive for coronavirus following her death, officials said. A second statue of Christopher Columbus has been removed in Newark amid a wave of such removals across the country. The monument of the Italian explorer was removed from Columbus Plaza on Bloomfield Avenue, outside the St. Francis Xavier Church, by private citizens around 6:30 p.m. Friday, according to several sources. A city spokesman confirmed that the city did not remove the monument, and declined to comment on who actually took it down. A video posted by a passerby showed the statue being lifted onto a flatbed truck by a crane. The city did remove another Columbus statue in Newarks Washington Park Thursday night. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said it was taken down to avoid the potential danger of people toppling it over, and noted it will be stored until the city can decide what to do with it. The removal of this statue should not be perceived as an insult to the Italian-American community, the mayor said in a press release. It is a statement against the barbarism, enslavement, and oppression that this explorer represents. The move was cheered by protesters who have long called for Columbus monuments to be removed because the explorer led the killing and enslaving of the indigenous people. Statues of Columbus have been removed in cities across the state and the country, including in Camden and West Orange, as protests against racism continue after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In Nutley Friday night, protesters clashed with other locals who want to protect the monument. But the removal of the statue in Washington Park sparked an outcry from some, including a national Italian-American group, UNICO. The statue on Bloomfield Avenue might be held even more dear in the hearts of many who grew up in the North Ward when it was home to many Italians. The statue featured prominently in the citys famed Columbus Day Parade, which marched by the plaza for decades. The monument was erected in 1972 thanks to a fundraising committee of local Italians, led by Sal Dispenziere and Ace Alagna, longtime parade director and sponsor, and publisher of the Italian Tribune newspaper, according to the Star-Ledger archives. The plaza, which was renamed Columbus Plaza at a ceremony two years later, stood outside the then-headquarters of the Italian Tribune. Emails to the Italian Tribune Publisher, Alagnas son-in-law, Angelo Buddy Fortunato, and managing editor Joan Alagna, were not returned Saturday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. An NYPD precinct commander was given a hero's send-off by colleagues on Friday after he retired in protest over sweeping police reforms across New York. Deputy Inspector Richard Brea, who commanded the Bronx 46th Precinct, was treated to an NYPD helicopter fly by, police bagpipers and a ride in a vintage cop car during his farewell ceremony Friday afternoon. The veteran cop blasted politicians in a speech at the event saying they 'want to blame and vilify' officers, amid nationwide protests demanding an end to police brutality and systemic racism following the Memorial Day 'murder' of black man George Floyd at the hands of a white cop. Brea announced he was standing down from the force this week saying he could no longer lead officers in the wake of reforms across New York City and the wider state including a ban on chokeholds and making police disciplinary records public. The reforms were made following the deaths of multiple black people during arrest or in police custody in recent years and as shocking footage has been widely circulated on social media of NYPD cops violently attacking peaceful protesters over the last month. Deputy Inspector Richard Brea, who commanded the Bronx 46th Precinct, was given a hero's send-off by colleagues on Friday after he retired in protest over sweeping police reforms across New York Brea (center) announced he was standing down from the force this week saying he could no longer lead officers in the wake of reforms across New York City and the wider state including a ban on chokeholds and making police disciplinary records public Brea was given a raucous send-off from his Bronx stationhouse with colleagues clapping and cheering him as he waved goodbye to his 27-year career at the NYPD. The cop was seen walking out of the Bronx precinct at around 3p.m. Friday where he was greeted by a huge crowd of cops from multiple precincts. Brea beamed as he posed for pictures and hugged his colleagues before giving a rousing speech slamming the police reforms. 'Their blood is in the concrete of every street corner, but these politicians don't want to remember that,' he said in his speech, which was met with cheers of support. 'They want to blame and vilify everyone here. I won't have that. No sir.' He added: 'We have a duty and a responsibility to respect and guide other cops.' Brea blasted what he called 'weak political' leadership that is threatening to bring the city back to the '70s and '80s and is dishonoring the memories of cops who lost their lives along the way, reported News 12 Brooklyn. He also paid tribute to his colleagues saying 'My 46 family, the Alamo, I love you man.' The veteran cop blasted politicians in a speech at the event saying they 'want to blame and vilify' officers, amid nationwide protests demanding an end to police brutality and systemic racism following the Memorial Day 'murder' of George Floyd at the hands of a white cop The helicopter fly by for Brea (pictured). Brea was given a raucous send-off from his Bronx stationhouse with colleagues clapping and cheering him as he waved goodbye to his 27-year career at the NYPD The precinct commander then took off in a classic police car to do a lap round the block. Brea handed in his resignation this week citing a lack of guidance on how to effectively police in the wake of reforms. 'How am I supposed to lead?' Brea asked, according to Guardian Angels leader Curtis Sliwa, who was interviewed by the NY Post. The high-ranking officer says he has not been instructed about 'how to get guns and drugs off the street' now that the plainclothes unit has been disbanded. He is also said to be incensed by a lack of guidance 'about what his officers should do with fireworks enforcement' . Brea was also angered earlier this month 'that the department had been caught flat-footed by looters' during anti-police protests. 'I'm doing this, and others may be following in my footsteps,' Brea allegedly told Sliwa. Brea was treated to an NYPD helicopter fly by, police bagpipers and a ride in a vintage cop car during his farewell ceremony Friday afternoon On June 12, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a package of new bills for the state and an executive order mandating all local governments and police agencies develop and adopt plans to reform local police departments. Days later, NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea revealed the NYPD was disbanding its plainclothes, Anti-Crime Units, which specialized in targeting armed suspects. New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio also introduced new plans for the city's disciplinary database which by July will list out all 1,100 pending internal cases within the force, which are prosecuted by the departments oversight agency the Civilian Complaint Review Board. De Blasio and the City Council have said they will be cutting the NYPD's $6billion budget and moving some of the funds towards youth and social services. The mayor defended the choice to ax the anti-crime unit Friday saying it was 'the right one'. 'The NYPD has a tremendous history of making adjustments,' de Blasio said. Brea had worked for the NYPD for 27 years 'Adjustments are being made as we speak. The choice on the anti-crime unit was the right one.' New York City has witnessed a dramatic spike in street shootings and killings during the month of June, with 75 people injured in 55 shootings over the last week alone. These numbers represent a 342 per cent jump in shootings last week compared to the same period in 2019. There have now been 125 shooting incidents in New York City during the month of June alone, according to the NYPD. De Blasio said that hundreds of police officers normally in desk jobs would be heading out onto the street as part of the 'Summer All Out' program which is beginning now. These officers would be focusing on the 20 precincts throughout the city experiencing issues with gun violence - specifically those in the Bronx and North Brooklyn. 'We know when there's shootings they beget more shootings. We understand retaliation, we understand gang dynamics. And I've heard from a number of community leaders that they are increasingly concerned,' de Blasio said Monday. He also said that part of the city's effort to keep the peace would be spending $10million to increase its crisis management system, which focuses on sending community-based organizations into neighborhoods where there are high numbers of gun violence. Anusha Ravi By Express News Service BENGALURU: Perhaps for the first time, the Karnataka Government seems to acknowledge that there may be instances of community transmission of Covid-19 in the state. With an increase in the number of people with neither travel nor contact history testing positive, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar told TNIE that there could be cases of community spread, but it is not very notable. I wouldnt say there is no community spread. But I will also not say that it is as significant as in other states, he stressed, when asked about the rising number of cases where the transmission source is yet to be traced.As on Thursday, of the cumulative 11,005 cases, the transmission source could not be traced in 1,817 instances, including 774 ILI and 225 SARI cases. Govt will acknowledge untraceable sources As per Thursdays numbers, the transmission source of a whopping 17.2 per cent of Covid-19 cases in Karnataka are unknown. The minister suggested that limitation of resources, in comparison to the surge in numbers, could be the best explanation for many cases continuing to be under contact tracing.There is a huge surge in the number of cases and our staff have been working tirelessly without a break over the last 100 days. They have been struggling to trace contacts of each patient. But the numbers are overwhelming. It is only a delay, the minister said. He, however, added that despite all efforts, if the transmission source is untraceable, the State Government will acknowledge it. Sudhakar, who is currently under voluntary home quarantine after some members of his family tested positive for Covid-19, has been participating in meetings via video conference. The main focus is on the contingency plan. I agree that we may have been a bit on the back foot as regard contact tracing, but we have tried our best in tracing each case. Despite that, there could have been shortcomings, he added. ITI-DRDO ventilators to aid fight against Covid Upping the ante in the fight against Covid-19, Bengaluru-based PSU ITI and DRDO are jointly manufacturing portable ventilators, which will be tested at NIMHANS in Bengaluru and RR Hospital in New Delhi. Visitors and staff at Jersey citys municipal buildings will soon be greeted with a camera and thermometer. Jersey City officials said they are installing face and temperature scanners at all municipal buildings. The science fiction-esque devices, called OneScreen GoSafes, will screen visitors for fevers and use a camera to check if they are wearing masks. Jersey City Business Administrator Brian Platt tweeted on Thursday that visitors needed to be wearing a face mask and have a body temperature under 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit to enter city buildings. The GoSafe devices will ensure that everyone entering municipal buildings meets that criteria. In a Thursday Facebook post, the city claimed to be the First Municipality in the Country to take the lead installing and implementing the device, adding that the GoSafes will be placed at all city-owned properties. The devices exact locations are unclear. Purchasing records show the city ordered 45 GoSafes a month ago, for a total of $85,590. The funds came from the citys covid-19 account. According to the GoSafes website, the devices camera can recognize a face with 99% accuracy even when you wear eyeglasses, (have) a beard or makeup, or even a facial mask. It can hold a database of 30,000 faces, according to the website. Its unclear if the city will use the devices facial recognition capabilities. But as mass facial recognition and temperature scans are emerging as a potential safety measure during the coronavirus pandemic, some are raising concerns about the technology. After officials in Hawaii announced the deployment of face and temperature scanners at airports throughout the state, the Hawaii ACLU called the move terrifying. And some critics have questioned the effectiveness of such measures, noting that the virus can still be transmitted from asymptomatic patients. A spokeswoman for Jersey City did not respond to requests for comment on the technology on Friday. UP Board 10th, 12th Results 2020: Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad or UP board on Saturday declared the high school and intermediate exam results on its official website. Students of class 10 and 12 who have appeared in the UP Board exams can check their results online at upmsp.edu.in and also on upresults.nic.in and upmspresults.up.nic.in. Also Read: UP Board Result 2020: Uttar Pradesh class 10, 12 results declared at upmsp.edu.in, direct link here Over 5.61 million students appeared in class 10 and 12 examinations. Out of this, 3.02 million appeared in high school exam and 2.58 million in intermediate examinations. The board had conducted the high school examination from February 18 to March 3 while the intermediate examination was held from February 18 to March 6. Students can also check their results on our Hindustan Times Result portal. Heres the direct link to check the UP Board 10th results. Heres the direct link to check UP Board 12th results. Here is how to check the UP board 10th, 12th results on the official website Visit the official website of UP board at upresults.nic.in . Click on the link for UP Board intermediate (Class 12) or UP Board high school (Class 10) Examination - 2020 Results. Key in your roll number and school code (as given in the admit card). Submit. Your result will be displayed on screen. Download and take its print out. UP Board 10th,12th 2020: How to check the results on hindustantimes.com 1) Visit the official website of Hindustan Times at hindustantimes.com 2) On the home page, go to the Education section and click on Exam Results section 3) Go to the UP Board tab 4) Click on the link that reads UP Board 10th result 2020 or UP Board 12th result 2020 5) Key in your roll number in the rectangular box provided for the purpose and submit In 2019, the pass percentage for high school was 80.07%, and for intermediate exams was 70.06%. . Last year, 58,06,922 students had registered to appear in UP Boards High School and Intermediate examinations including 31,95,603 in High School and 26,11,319 in Intermediate exams. Russian and other foreign mercenaries have entered Libya's largest oil field, the country's National Oil Corporation said on Friday, describing the development as an attempt to thwart the resumption of halted oil production in the war-torn country. In divided Libya, Russia is a leading backer of the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by commander Khalifa Hifter, who has been waging war against the U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, which is mainly backed by Turkey. The Russian mercenaries first met late on Thursday with the guards of Libya's vast southwestern Sharara oilfield, controlled by LNA, according to a statement from the National Oil Corporation, or NOC. Earlier this year, a militia known as the Petroleum Facilities Guard, which takes orders from LNA, helped shut down oil production when LNA-allied tribes led a blockade of Libya's oil ports _ a challenge to the Tripoli administration. While LNA control Libya's oil crescent, the Tripoli government in the west controls the national Central Bank reserves, mostly drawn from oil income. Although Libya has Africa's largest oil reserves, it has been unable to export oil since LNA's blockade started in January, costing the state corporation over $6 billion in lost revenue. Libya's was producing over 1.2 million barrels per day before the shutdown. ``While foreign mercenaries continue to be paid vast sums of money to prevent the NOC from carrying out its essential duties, the rest of the Libyan population suffers,'' said Mustafa Sanalla, the corporation's chairman. He lamented the loss of oil revenues and the ``disastrous decay of our oil infrastructure'' due to the shutdown, which is preventing maintenance work at facilities. The Russian mercenaries are said to be employed by the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-backed private security company. The group has provided between 800-1,200 mercenaries to bolster LNA's 14-month offensive to capture Tripoli, according to U.N. experts, paying some fighters up to $1,500 a month. Moscow has repeatedly denied playing any role on Libya's battlefields. LNA's campaign largely collapsed earlier this month when Turkish-backed forces allied with the Tripoli government regained control of the capital's entry and exit points and drove their rivals from a string of western towns. Turkey, the main patron of Tripoli forces, has also deployed mercenaries, mainly from Syria, to help defend the capital from LNA's assault. Tripoli forces now say they're mobilizing to retake Sirte, a strategic coastal city that would open the gateway to Libya's vital oil fields and facilities. LNA and his foreign backers, including Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates, have pushed for a return to peace talks to avert a major escalation in the proxy war. Egypt last week warned that an attack on Sirte would trigger its direct military involvement in the conflict. With global oil prices hitting historic lows because of the coronavirus pandemic and OPEC countries agreeing to slash production, Libya's oil corporation has sharply criticized what it describes as the international community's indifference to the shutdown. ``It is noteworthy that many countries are themselves benefiting from the absence of Libyan oil from global markets,'' said Sanalla, the chairman. Some states, he added, are ``working in the background to support blockading forces,'' in reference to Russia. The U.S. Embassy in Libya condemned the occupation by the oilfield by Wagner and other foreign mercenaries as part of ``an unprecedented foreign-backed campaign to undermine Libya's energy sector.'' Foreign powers meddling in oil-rich Libya are holding the country's lucrative resources ``hostage,'' the embassy said, while ordinary Libyans continue to suffer from a crumbling economy. Search Keywords: Short link: As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continued to skyrocket, Fort Bend County County Judge KP George recently issued a new order that businesses must require employees and customers to wear face coverings. As a press conference Tuesday, George raised alarms over the surge in confirmed cases and reported the county recently surpassed what he described as a 'dark milestone' of 50 COVID-19 deaths. We have noticed the percentage of confirmed case jumped from 4.8 percent to nine percent in recent weeks. So that shows a clear indication that the number of cases is rising in Fort Bend County, George told reporters at a press conference Tuesday (June 23). All our stake holders believe it is time for us to do something because this issue is kind of spiraling out of control. Judge George said his office had been approached by major retailers such as H-E-B and Kroger and area hospital officials who voiced concerns about their employees becoming sick. Time to act Its time again to institute measures that will protect our communitys health and well being, Dr. Jacquelyn Minter, director of Fort Bend County Health and Human Services told reporters. We are continuing to learn about the behavior of this virus and theres much that may change. But what we do know is that the virus spreads rapidly when people are within close contact through droplets that come from coughing, from sneezing, from talking, from laughing, from singing, Minter said. And, we do know that avoiding large and mass gatherings, wearing face coverings when social distancing is not possible, staying home when you are ill and washing your hands frequently will all reduce the spread of COVID-19. We have watched in recent weeks as the numbers of younger people with the disease has risen, Some of these have resulted in hospitalization and that has great affected our health care system and many businesses that were beginning to re-open have had to close again due to the numbers of work place infections and exposures. Related: Fort Bend County reports record-breaking number of new COVID-19 cases Dr. Majid Basit, president of the Fort Bend Medical Society, voiced concerns the countys hospitals could exceed their capacity if the number of cases continue to increase. Prevention is the key, and if people don't listen, we're going to overwhelm our health care system, and then we're going to go back to having to quarantine again, Basit told reporters at the press conference. We don't want to go there. No mask equals no service The mask order requires businesses to post signs that face coverings are required and specifies that services can be denied to customers who refuse to comply. County Attorney Roy Cordes Jr. told reporters he had helped draft the order in which businesses, not county residents, are held accountable for employees and guests wearing face masks. Similar to Harris County's recent mask order, businesses that fail to enforce the order could be fined up to $500. Harris County businesses face fines of up to $1,000. Judge George didnt provide specific guidelines as to how residents should report businesses that refuse to comply. However, Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton voiced his support for the order, which he said wasnt expected to be a focus for law enforcement efforts but rather a matter of personal responsibility. Just like the next person, I believe in a free society and limited government. I believe in free enterprise. But, I think we are at a critical time right now with the progression of this virus, that the order thats being proposed is narrowly tailored and is based on public safety, Middleton told reporters. This should not be a law enforcement matter. You should take responsibility for protecting your own health and protecting the health of others around you. The mask order contains a few exemptions. Masks are not required outside and are not required if it creates a physical, security or safety risk. Masks are not required inside banks and other similar businesses where video surveillance is required to see a person's face. Masks can be removed at restaurants and bars or other businesses when food or drinks are consumed. Churches and places of worship are also excluded from the order. Related: COVID-19-related death reported at Richmond State Supported Living Center "It is about helping our community recover and helping our community combat this unprecedented time," George said. knix@hcnonline.com Authorities say a 23-year-old from Perry County stabbed a man Friday during a fight in Ocean City, Md., authorities said. Around 5:30 a.m., Ocean City police found a 24-year-old man suffering from multiple stab wounds in a room at 5400 Coastal Highway. Police said the man was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Dalton M. Rowles, of Shermans Dale an acquaintance of the victim was found in the parking lot and arrested. Rowles is charged with first and second-degree assault, as well as reckless endangerment. Hes in custody at the Ocean City Police Department while waiting to see a Maryland district court commissioner, police said. READ MORE: Virginia woman killed after hitting 18-wheeler on I-81 in Franklin County: state police Prosecutors receive at least 25 new allegations against adult film star Ron Jeremy The Hershey Company joins group pulling advertising from Facebook to protest its content Texas Supreme Court awards father full custody of daughter in landmark parental rights case Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Setting a major precedent for future parental rights cases in Texas, the state Supreme Court on Friday awarded a father full custody of his 5-year-old daughter, reversing a district court's decision to give joint custody to a man who's unrelated to the child. The Texas Supreme Court reaffirmed the longstanding constitutional rules that parents are presumed to be fit and that the actions of fit parents are presumed to be in the best interests of their children, said Texas Home School Coalition, the group that supported the biological father, identified as Chris, who was awarded full custody of his daughter, Ann. Anns mother had died in a car accident two years earlier. Shortly after her death, the man that Anns mother had been dating and was briefly engaged to at the time sued Chris for custody of the child. Chris had been fighting the decision made by a lower court to grant the unrelated man, identified as J.D., custody of Ann over Chris objections. Texas' Supreme Court overturned the lower court's ruling, and squarely rejected the unrelated mans argument that the law does not presume that Chris has a right to raise Ann, the Texas Home School Coalition said. My daughter doesnt know him. She lived with him cumulatively under six months, the father said in an earlier social media video about his ex-wifes fiance. I thought that as the biological father, I [should] win. We learned quickly, that is not the case. National parental rights activists have paid close attention to the case centered around the basic question: Should a fit father be forced to share custody of his daughter with an unrelated man? Some advocates feared that a ruling against the biological father by the Texas Supreme Court could set a dangerous precedent on the rights of biological parents to object to non-relatives who want visitation rights and custody rights over their children. In July 2019, Chris had filed an emergency appeal to the Fort Worth Court of Appeals to strike down the lower courts ruling on grounds that it violated his constitutional rights as a parent. However, his request was denied. So the argument being made is that because [the fiance] cohabitated with the daughter for between five and six months, cumulatively, that he developed a strong enough relationship with her that he should be entitled to custody of her, Jeremy Newman, the Texas groups director of public policy, told The Christian Post at the time. And in the arguments on top of that is that not only is he entitled to custody, but when he makes that request, he doesnt have to overcome any type of constitutional presumption in favor of the father. Since the parents separation in 2016, the mother and father had shared 50/50 custody of their child even though the mother had sought a modification to the agreement before her death. Since her passing, the child had spent most of her time living with her father as he had battled in court to keep full custody. Initially, after the mothers death, the maternal grandparents filed for joint custody of their grandchild in July 2018. The mothers fiance also filed for joint custody a month later. The grandparents request for joint custody was denied in court because they were unable to prove that the father was an unfit parent. However, the trial court had granted the fiance joint custody of Ann on May 8, 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-28 00:41:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DUBLIN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Fianna Fail party leader Micheal Martin was elected as new prime minister of Ireland in a vote held here on Saturday at a special meeting of the lower house of the Irish parliament. Announcing the voting results, Sean O Fearghail, speaker of the lower house of the Irish parliament, declared that Micheal Martin has won the election by receiving 93 votes in favor, 63 votes against and 3 votes in abstention. There are altogether 160 seats in the current lower house of the Irish parliament with one seat going to the speaker of the house who was not involved in the vote. Sean O Fearghail is a member of Fianna Fail. All the 84 parliamentarians of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Green Party, the three parties which will form a coalition government led by Micheal Martin, have voted for his nomination as the new prime minister while nine independents also supported his nomination in the vote, reported Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE. Following the announcement of his win in the vote, Martin delivered a short speech. Martin said that there is no question of what this government's most important work will be and there is no part of his country that has escaped untouched from the COVID-19 pandemic. There are nearly 900,000 people relying on special pandemic payments, in what is the fastest moving recession ever to hit the country, he said. But "Our country has shown time and time again that we can overcome the toughest of challenges -- and we will do so again," Martin said. He also said that the three parties involved in the coalition come from very different traditions, and do not and could not be expected to agree on everything. It is the first time in Ireland's history that two rival political parties in the country -- Fianna Fail and Fine Gael -- have agreed to enter a coalition government. Following his speech, Martin headed to the official residence of the Irish president where he received the seal of office of prime minister from President Michael D. Higgins. After his meeting with Higgins, Martin traveled to Government Buildings where the office of the Irish prime minister is located and a new cabinet will be announced. Enditem The Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has admonished the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, to do more beyond selecting a good running mate. Speaking at the National Executive Council of the ruling New Patriotic Party to acclaim the party's candidate, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who in turn selected the erudite economist as his running mate, Dr. Bawumia told Mr. Mahama that his indecisiveness and incompetence cannot be cured by any person he falls on as his running mate. To the Vice President and running mate to President Akufo-Addo, Mahama's incurable incompetency and indecisiveness cannot be deadened by the best of a running mate he chooses. The best running mate in the world cannot make a difference if the President is indecisive and incompetent Dr. Bawumia pointed out to Mahama. It's been over one year since Mahama was elected by the delegates of the NDC to lead them into the 2020 elections. Many have been waiting expectantly for the party's candidate, John Mahama, to select a candidate to partner him as the 2020 elections draw near. That has not been done for reasons not readily available to Ghanaians. Many have had the cause to believe that the failure of Mahama to select his running mate is based on the fact that the NDC is draughty of people with the caliber and prowess of Dr. Bawumia who played a key role in the NPP winning the 2016 elections. The Vice President, who has always been a thorn in their flesh, has been selected by President Akufo-Addo for the fourth time to partner him as the party heads into the 2020 elections slated for December 7. The NPP held this ceremony in this manner as a result of the deadly coronavirus pandemic which has made it impossible for mass gatherings. ---Daily Guide Two-time Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver is headlining a sweet-looking new dramedy called Stage Mother, following a conservative Texas church mother who inherits a San Francisco drag bar. The Australian theater veteran portrays Maybelline, a self-avowed 'Southern Baptist choir mistress,' who learns the unthinkable at the start of the trailer her son, who lived in San Francisco, is dead. Naturally, she decides to go to the funeral, as it's learned that she and her husband have been estranged from their child: 'One of us has to go, make sure he's put to rest properly,' she tells her gruff-looking spouse. Fish out of water: Jacki Weaver is headlining a sweet-looking new dramedy called Stage Mother, following a conservative Texas church mother who inherits a San Francisco drag bar From there, she enters the wild world of gay San Francisco nightlife, where she meets her late son's best friend, played by Lucy Liu (rocking a blond wig). She also learns from a business associate (the handsome Adrian Grenier of The Devil Wears Prada fame) that her son owned a drag bar, Pandora's Box, in the Castro. What's more, business is suffering and the establishment is in danger of closing. The Australian theater veteran portrays Maybelline, a 'Southern Baptist choir mistress,' who learns the unthinkable at the start of the trailer: Her son, who lived in San Francisco, is dead Different inheritance: She learns from a business associate that her son owned a drag bar, Pandora's Box, in the Castro New look: Weaver's Maybelline also meets her late son's best friend, played by Lucy Liu rocking a blond wig This sets the stage for the fish-out-of-water comedy, as the stable of drag queens (led by New York City-based icon Jackie Beat) must contend with Maybelline and her ideas for how to save them. One of the Pandora employees openly wonders, 'Is Mommie Dearest gonna be our new boss?' While Maybelline herself reasons, 'I'm a Southern Baptist choir mistress different songs, same divas. Some of the same wigs, too.' Hello world: She enters the wild world of gay San Francisco nightlife This sets the stage for the fish-out-of-water comedy: The stable of drag queens (led by NYC-based icon Jackie Beat) must contend with Maybelline and her ideas for how to save them One of the helpful folks who guide her: The handsome Adrian Grenier of The Devil Wears Prada fame plays a business associate Other notable performers in the film include Tangerine star Mya Taylor. Stage Mother looks to be the latest update in drag-saves-the-day comedy originated by films like The Birdcage (itself an update of the French stage farce La Cage Aux Folles) and Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. The film premiered in January at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and is set for release in the UK at the end of July and on streaming platforms beginning August 21st. All is fair in love and drag: Stage Mother looks to be the latest update in drag-saves-the-day comedy originated by films like The Birdcage and Priscilla Queen Of The Desert US National Security Advisor Robert OBrien on Friday launched the Trump administrations sharpest attack on Chinese government, comparing President Xi Jinping to Russias brutal dictator Joseph Stalin whose policies killed millions, and warning that the Chinese Communist Party was seeking leverage over individual Americans through propaganda and collection of their most intimate data via big Chinese companies that made huge investments and had even pressured Hollywood into self-censorship. Robert OBrien, who described the foreign policy calculations of consecutive US governments towards Beijing as the US biggest miscalculation since the 1930s, said Chinas efforts to control the mind of people residing beyond its borders was underway. The communist party, he said, was using trade to coerce compliance with its diktats. While NSA Robert C. OBrien has come out openly detailing the penetration of the Chinese Communist Party in the US, his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval - as president of the Delhi-based think tank Vivekananda International Foundation - had written a paper on the penetration of PLA intelligence in enemy countries. The NSA, in his paper accessed by Hindustan Times, had explained the structure of peoples Liberation Army intelligence and use of propaganda as a tool in democratic nations, an evidence of which the world is now recognising in the US, Australia, Canada, and Brazil. OBrien said the Trump administration had started taking corrective steps and outlined six steps taken by the administration to curb the Chinese influence in the US. But he underlined that this was just the beginning. In his address to a group of people at Phoenix in Arizona, OBrien underscored that there really was no difference between mega Chinese firms and the communist party in power in Beijing. The Chinese Communist Party seeks total control over the peoples lives. This means economic control, it means political control, it means physical control, and, perhaps most importantly, it means thought control, he said, according to the transcript released by the White House. OBrien referred to the analysis by an Australian official that in Classical Chinese statecraft, there were two tools for gaining and maintaining control: the first is wu, weapons and violence, and the second is wen, language and culture. Chinese leaders have always believed that power derives from controlling both the physical battlefield and the cultural domain. The NSA cited several instances when China, in addition to propaganda, used trade to coerce compliance with its dictates. Like when Australia called for an independent investigation of the coronavirus disease, the Chinese Communist Party threatened to stop buying Australian agricultural products. OBrien added that the Chinese reach extends to heads of international organisations who are not themselves Chinese officials. China, he said, heads 4 out of 15 UN specialised agencies, more than the US, the UK, France and Russia, the other members of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, combined. He alleged that China uses these leaders to force the international bodies to parrot Beijings talking points and to install Chinese telecommunications equipment in their facilities. For example, since Zhao Houlin of the International Telecommunications Union took his post, he began to aggressively promote Huawei sales. Secretary-General Fang Liu of the International Civil Aviation Organisation has blocked Taiwans participation in General Assembly meetings and covered up a Chinese hack of the organisation. The CPC has used Chinas membership on the UN Human Rights Council to prevent criticism of its abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, he said. Outlining how the CCPs strategy could touch American lives, he said the CCP was collecting the most intimate data your words, your actions, your purchases, your whereabouts, your health records, your social media posts, your texts, and mapping your network of friends, family, and acquaintances. The CCP accomplishes this goal, in part, by subsidizing hardware, software, telecommunications, and even genetics companies. As a result, corporations such as Huawei and ZTE undercut competitors on price and install their equipment around the globe at a loss. This has the side effect of putting out of business American manufacturers of telecom hardware and has made it very difficult for Nokia and Ericsson. Why do they do it? Because it is not telecom hardware or software profits the CCP are after, it is your data. They use backdoors built into the products to obtain that data, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The call for police to wear body-worn cameras has resurfaced amid protests locally and internationally against anti-Black racism and questions about police funding. Numerous letters submitted in June to the Hamilton police services board called on Hamilton police to equip front-line officers with cameras. The footage can be used to review incidents, including after people are killed and in allegations of excessive force. Last November, when the police board voted down the use of cameras, Chief Eric Girt said body-worn cameras come with myriad issues, including cost and data storage. But its an issue that the board reviews annually, looking to other jurisdictions and how cameras are used. After discussing the correspondence received at Junes police board meeting, members voted to fast-track a police report on the issue to the upcoming meeting in September. Girt said the concern isnt the one-time expense of buying the hardware, but rather how the data is stored, reviewed and used. Commenting at the June board meeting, he said Hamilton police have been closely monitoring the Canadian situation. He said the police service would like to see federal or provincial government funding, and also regulations to make the cameras consistent across the province. In an interview with The Spectator, Hamilton Police Association president Clint Twolan said the union isnt against cameras. He believed they would likely help officers more than hurt them by showing what really happens in most police encounters. They could deter a lot of complaints, he said. But the question comes down to cost. At a time when there is increasing pressure to reduce police budgets, where would the money come from to pay for the cameras and their upkeep? In Toronto, there is a push by Mayor John Tory to equip all officers with body-worn cameras by January. Peel police have also announced theyre beginning the process to equip officers with cameras. However, not everyone sees the cameras as worth the expense, especially during a time when there are calls to reduce police budgets. Sandy Hudson, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter Toronto, told the Toronto Star that the focus on cameras is simply giving police more money for something that wont make communities safer. The race for Edenville Township Supervisor will feature Terrance Hall Jr., a Sanford Republican, and Jennifer Page, a Hope Democrat. Terrance (Terry) Allen Hall Jr, 51 of Sanford, is medically retired from the U.S. Army. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Edenville Township Supervisor? To be the point man for all things government concerning Edenville Township as a whole. Gather information and build consensus on issues that are important to our citizens. Oversee budgeting process; ensuring monies are allocated in the manner that creates the greatest good for the greatest number of citizens. Maintaining and recruiting qualified committee members for the various Township committees. Overseeing the certified township assessor: with the new landscape changes this will be a major challenge over the next township supervisors tenure. My ideal function would be to maintain the pre-existing trajectory of growth relying on the officers and trustees to ensure the continuity of our current spirit of governance. I will encourage a spirit of community and unity that exemplifies our American Heritage and the Founding Patrons of Edenville Township. We have a right to take pride in our citizens, businesses, and our Township community. 2. As Edenville Township Supervisor, how would you accomplish the above duties? With my knowledge gained through experience on planning and zoning committees of Cedar Creek Township, (Wexford County), my B.S from Northern Michigan University, J.D. from Thomas Cooley Law School, and leadership experience from 21 years in the Army and Michigan National Guard, I believe I possess the skill and knowledge to provide the guidance and ensure diligence needed to maintain and improve existing township operations. Some may say the medical issues brought home from two combat tours will limit my effectiveness. I answer this by saying on behalf of all veterans, do not mistake lack of decorum for lack of ability. Living on N. Fox road and directly affected by the dam failures, I assure you that it is no exaggeration to say that parts of our township look like a war zone. Furthermore, some may argue that because I am a transplant, I may not be in touch enough to represent this township. I chose this area to live out my retirement happily fishing our wonderful lake. I am not going anywhere. Excepting military service, I lived my whole life throughout Michigan. Born in Pontiac, Graduating high school from Manton (Wexford County), attending undergrad in Sault Ste Marie, Big Rapids and finally Marquette. Then Living in Lansing, Grand Rapids and Mt. Pleasant before establishing my final residence in Edenville Township. My experience and belief is that Edenville Township exemplifies my personal small town American values. I will be honored if I am chosen to be the next township supervisor. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Edenville Township Supervisor? With the recent challenges that have been forced upon the township some unforeseen changes will and must occur. The process to rebuild is not simple. Hardships will have to be mitigated or in worst cases endured for a period of time. We will rise above this challenge. It has already been happening, but the fact remains there will be certain budget shortfalls for the foreseeable future. One minor thing I can accomplish is an increase in per diem/pay for the township first responders. This will be done by lowering the township supervisor salary to per diem and reallocating the difference where needed. In short, I am not seeking this job for a paycheck. I do not have as much money as our president, so I cant donate the entire salary. I would accept an offset for gas and required travel. Change is not what is needed at this time. Unity and a return to a semblance of normalcy is key. We will adapt to the current situation and overcome it with resourcefulness, hard work, tough choices and the love and assistance of our citizens and neighbors. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Edenville Township supervisor will encounter? Flood concerns. Recovery and Rebuilding; answers need to be had. Aggressive support for the flood victims in whatever manner possible. Possible temporary waivers of certain zoning and planning regulations. Tax assessment will be an ongoing challenge that can not be avoided. Budgeting short falls due to the disaster will need to be addressed. Pursing and proper use of any emergency management grant(s) that may be made available. There will be many challenges that arise as we work through this historic situation. I can not begin to process them all. I do know that the current officers, trustees and committee members are very effective and knowledgeable. Working closely with them and leveraging their group and individual talents and skill sets I firmly believe we will come through this as a family. Perhaps some may even find themselves in a better position than a year ago. That is my fervent hope; without regard to present circumstances or what the future brings we will rise above and ultimately find ourselves on better footing. Jennifer Page, 37, of Midland (Edenville Township), is the executive director of R.I.S.E. Advocacy, Inc. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Edenville Township Supervisor? As an elected official, the township supervisor is a leader for the community, and the person chosen to communicate both the needs of the community and the decisions and policies of the township board. The supervisor is a voting member of the township board and the chairman for all township meetings. Other primary duties include proposing the township budget and its administration; serving as the township's legal agent and negotiating contracts, the appointment of committees, serving as the secretary for the Board of Review, and acting as a point of contact for ordinance issues. 2. As Edenville Township Supervisor, how would you accomplish the above duties? At its core, the supervisor role is administrative, and the best candidate has the leadership skills and education to perform that function. I have a master's degree in public administration from Central Michigan University, and 12-plus years of nonprofit administration experience. I've served on multiple nonprofit and philanthropic boards, and worked with varied and diverse populations of people. The supervisor role requires strong people skills in order to effectively communicate the policies and goals of the township as an entity. As the executive director of a social services nonprofit, I have strongly developed skills in board development, human resources, multi-department budgeting, program management, and contract negotiation. My current role requires me to mediate and problem solve across a variety of issues in ways that are person-centric, creative, and fair. I strongly believe that I will be able to apply those same skills to be an effective leader for the township. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Edenville Township Supervisor? I have no intention of going into this role to making sweeping changes in Edenville Township. I moved to the township a little over a year ago, and I plan to embrace that newness with a fresh perspective on the current situation and the potential of the area. Outside of the recent dam failure and subsequent interest and coverage, Edenville is not an area that generally attracts a lot of attention. I've always found the vast history of the township and its natural resources and scenic views to be some of the best in the county, and I'd love to explore ways to better utilize those to the advantage of the community and its residents. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Edenville Township supervisor will encounter? The challenges that Edenville is facing now have changed vastly in the last couple weeks. The failure of the dam caused extensive damage to homes and businesses in our township. Many residents are concerned about the future of the dams, the loss of both Wixom and Sanford lakes, and the economic challenges that come with all of that. The township supervisor is going to be responsible for effectively communicating with our community during the upcoming months by answering questions, addressing concerns, and actively participating in the decisions that affect our community. (Natural News) Broadcast companies cut their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic for two weeks to focus on the George Floyd-inspired riots across the country, a new media study revealed. According to the Media Research Center, while networks ABC, CBS and NBC known as the Big Three devoted nearly all of the airtime on their evening newscasts on the Wuhan coronavirus from early March to late May, they suddenly dropped their coverage on the pandemic in order to boost airtime for the spate of riots held across the country, before ramping up their coverage of the pandemic once more as the protests subsided. The three networks coverage of the pandemic was split into four distinct phases. The first phase started on January 17 and ended on March 8. During this time, the networks gave the COVID-19 pandemic steady coverage alongside other news. Much of the COVID-19 coverage for this period focused on developments in foreign countries, namely China and Italy, as well as the American passengers who found themselves stranded on cruise ships. During this 52-day period, coronavirus coverage took up an average of 11 minutes of airtime during each of the three networks evening newscasts, or roughly 570 minutes, by the end of the period. By March 9, coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic soon took over the newscasts, with the think tank and media watchdog noting that reportage on the pandemic eclipsed nearly everything else by that point forward. In fact, the three networks broadcast around 3,896 minutes of coronavirus news, or about 48 minutes per night from March 9 through May 28. This translates to approximately 88 percent of all available airtime, excluding commercials. The coverage for this period focused on the situation in major cities, the economic damage caused by the pandemic and inspiring stories of individuals who managed to beat the virus and recover. This was reflected in a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, which found that 70 percent of all adult Americans believe that news organizations have done very well when it comes to their reportage on the COVID-19 pandemic. From May 29 until June 11, however, news and features about the pandemic dipped. According to the report, ABC, CBS and NBC only aired a total of 137 minutes of coronavirus-related news during that 14-day period, with their focus shifting to protest coverage. When broken down, this meant that the networks only spent 10 minutes on coronavirus updates per night, causing mainstream medias coronavirus coverage to suffer a 79 percent drop for those two weeks. (Related: Left-wing media that pushes BLM protests and massive black crowds preparing to blame TRUMP rallies for second wave of infections.) However, the three networks quickly doubled the average nightly airtime devoted to the pandemic to more than 20 minutes per night by June 12, with the new phase of the coverage putting emphasis on the rising cases in many U.S. states. Print media joins in pushing protest narratives It was not just broadcast media that shifted their sights from the COVID-19 pandemic to the George Floyd protests printing presses also ran hot, churning out front pages narrating the story of an America grappling not just with the heavy death toll brought about by the coronavirus, but also the long-reaching arm of systemic racism and police brutality. Major broadsheets such as The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The San Francisco Chronicle and Chicago Tribune published inflammatory headlines alongside photos of the violence that ensued from the protests and riots, as collated by The Guardian in a report. The New York Times, on the other hand, ran a front page with the similarly inflammatory headline Twin crises and surging anger convulse US which was accompanied by photographs taken from the protests. According to journalism and media experts, however, putting focus on the violence and spectacle of a protest rather than its substance might not be the best way to cover the said events. How journalists cover protests and social movements matters because the more delegitimizing the coverage is the less likely the public is to support it, said Summer Harlow, assistant professor of journalism at the University of Houston Jack J. Valenti School of Communication. Harlow, in a study published in the Journal of Journalism Studies, noted that reporters should focus on the real issues aired by the protestors and not just the violence especially in the era of social media. In their study, the researchers found the type of protest, location of protest and type of media outlet were significantly related to whether these stories stuck to the protest paradigm a pattern of negative coverage that demonizes protesters and marginalizes their causes. This sentiment was also apparent in another, more recent survey by the Pew Research Center, which noted that 44 percent of Americans believe that news coverage on protests have predominantly focused on acts of violence. Experts: Media plays a crucial role in halting the spread of COVID-19 According to the Infectious Diseases Hub (ID Hub), the media whether mainstream or independent plays a major role in potentially containing COVID-19. In an article published on its website, ID Hub noted that in times of health crises such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the media has the responsibility to be proactive when it comes to stopping the spread of misinformation, stigma and fake news all of which have the potential to harm the public. It is important that trusted media sources dont just ignore misinformation but attempt to counter it, Martha Powell, ID Hub editor, said. Powell, however, added that while it is important for the media to be proactive, they must always be balanced and non-politicized, especially when it comes to reporting health and science in situations that compromise public health. As of this writing, over 2.4 million individuals have been infected with COVID-19, of which 124,415 have died. Sources include: NewsBusters.org Journalism.org 1 TheGuardian.com UH.edu TandFOnline.com Journalism.org 2 ID-Hub.com The logos of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google are seen in a combination photo from Reuters files. (Reuters) Aussie Media Watchdog Pushes for Social Media, Tech Companies to Crackdown on Fake News Australias media watchdog is calling on major tech giants, including Facebook, Google and TikTok, to crack down on fake news on their platforms. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has been tasked by the federal government with overseeing the development of a voluntary code to counter online misinformation. ACMA published a paper on Friday outlining its expectations, which is set to include major companies: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, LinkedIn, Google News, Google Search, and Apple News. The report cited a study by the University of Canberra, which stated 48 percent of Australians relied on online news or social media as their main source of information. Social media was the most common source of misinformation, with 66 percent of respondents saying they encountered it on social media, compared to 36 percent on news media, and 30 percent being forwarded misinformation from someone they know. A Lowy Institute poll released on June 24 found that 48 percent of Australians saw the dissemination of false information and fake news as an important threat. According to ACMA Chairperson Nerida OLoughlin: False and misleading news and information online has the potential to cause serious harm to individuals, communities and society. In developing this new code, digital platforms will need to balance the need to limit the spread and impact of harmful material on the internet while protecting Australians important rights to freedom of speech, she said. Digital platforms should not be the arbiters of truth for online information. But they do have a responsibility to tackle misinformation disseminated on their platforms and to assist people to make sound decisions about the credibility of news and information, OLoughlin added. The report highlighted that the summer bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic were fertile breeding grounds for harmful misinformation. Some examples of disinformation included conspiracy theories on the cause of the fires, and fake cures for the virus. The Clear Range Fire burns near Bredbo North, Near Canberra, Australia on Feb. 1, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) ACMA has stated that the code should reduce the impact of misinformation, assist Australians in better judging the quality of the news they consume, and improve transparency and accountability on how the digital platforms operate. The watchdog is setting a December deadline for the tech giants to formulate the code. It will report to the government in June 2021. If progress is slow or the code does not achieve its objectives, it may report to the government earlier. Communications Minister Paul Fletcher told AAP: The government expects the digital platforms will work constructively with the ACMA to set up long-term, transparent and accountable practices. Fletcher, along with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, have been ramping up regulation of the tech giants in recent months. On April 19 they instructed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to create a mandatory code governing how Google and Facebook would compensate media publishers for their content. A draft of the code is expected to be ready end of July. The former Abbeyleix district hospital is to be redesignated for step down and transitional care for older people according to Laois Offaly TD and Minister Charlie Flanagan. Laois/Offaly TD and Minister for Justice & Equality, Charlie Flanagan, has said that he has been in further contact with the HSE regarding plans for Abbeyleix Community Nursing Unit (CNU) and the HSE has confirmed the following. It is planned that Abbeyleix CNU will move to become an Integrated Hospital and Community Older Person Hub, which will include eighteen short stream intermediate step down /transitional care beds, governed by the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, in addition to two long-term care and eight short stream/respite beds governed by Community Older person services. It is intended that the medical governance of the hub will be shared between a Community Consultant Geriatrician and Medical Officer. The team are continuing to explore options for the hospital grounds which will encompass and expand Primary Care facilities on site, with an opportunity for a supportive housing development build to cater for the needs of the older person, inclusive of persons living with dementia. The Project Development team will continue to meet and progress with Winter planning 2020/21 plans over the coming months. "This development of the hub and grounds will be dependent on available funding and associated staffing, he said. The HSE wanted to shut the hospital in 2011. Since then it has changed from being a long-stay residential facility to a short term respite care centre with a community outreach aspect. An action group that stopped closure want it to be configured as a much bigger facility. Photo shows the launching ceremony of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO-Action of China. (Photo from the official website of the China Population Welfare Foundation) The China Population Welfare Foundation (CPWF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly launched a charity fundraising program in Beijing to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, which is called COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO-Action of China, aims to raise money via some 20 Internet-based Chinese fundraising platforms and facilitate international cooperation in combating the novel coronavirus. While human beings are experiencing the worst global public health crisis since the World War II, the WHO has fought the battle against COVID-19 together with all countries starting from the very beginning. The organization has not only notified countries of the pandemic and issued warnings against the outbreak, but also provided technical guidance and strategic advice on containing the epidemic. Meanwhile, it has helped guarantee medical supplies for countries and regions in need and speeded up in developing vaccines, diagnostics and medicines. Nicholas Rosellini, the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in China, delivers a speech at the launching ceremony of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO-Action of China. (Photo from the official website of the China Population Welfare Foundation) At every critical point in the fight against the epidemic, the WHO has offered professional advice in time based on science and fulfilled its duties, greatly guiding and promoting global anti-pandemic cooperation and winning high praise from the international community. Amid the outbreak, the WHO plays a crucial role in coordinating the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an official statement issued by the Belgian government on May 30. The WHO has supported countries in saving lives, noted Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Experts pointed out that as long as a single country fails to contain the epidemic, the virus is sure to spread globally. Developing countries, especially African countries, have relatively weak public health systems, so the top priority in international anti-pandemic response is to help them build a solid line of defense. In March, the WHO initiated the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, calling on individuals, businesses and charities to donate money for global response to the outbreak. The donations, which will be mainly used to help countries with relatively weak public health systems, will enable medical workers fighting on the front line to obtain much-needed medical supplies, grant medical workers and communities easier access to scientific epidemic-related information and improve the capability of vulnerable countries in discovering and tracking cases. The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund is an emergency measure taken by the WHO to help countries deal with the epidemic and an effort of the organization to save lives and should be supported by the international society. To support WHO is to support international cooperation and the battle for saving lives as well. Such a concept has actively been carried out by China and should also become a consensus in the world. China has always participated in global anti-epidemic actions and firmly supported WHOs leadership in international cooperation in combating COVID-19. After the outbreak, China has donated a total of $50 million to the WHO, set up a special fund for anti-epidemic cooperation worth of two billion yuan, and provided medical supplies for the organization and other countries. The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO-Action of China serves as another practical measure of the country to support the WHO. It demonstrates Chinas sincerity in safeguarding the life and health of people from all countries and its sense of responsibility to promote the building a community of common health for mankind and international anti-epidemic cooperation. Photo shows guests attending the launching ceremony of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO-Action of China. (Photo from the official website of the China Population Welfare Foundation) Humankind lives in a community with a shared future, and solidarity and cooperation are the most powerful weapon in the face of COVID-19. The world needs more than ever a strong international organization like the WHO to survive the crisis. The world does not lack the tools, the science, or the resources to make it safer from pandemics, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that what it has lacked is the sustained commitment to use the tools, the science and the resources it has. The epidemic has reminded the world in a bitter way that countries and individuals should always support and help each other , forming a unified force in the battle against the virus. Although separated by mountains and rivers, people around the world are close at heart. Ever since the charity fundraising program was launched, many netizens have responded actively with generous donations. It is hoped that such kindness and goodwill gathered together will infuse impetus to international cooperation on anti-epidemic and save more lives. The Hershey Company said Friday it would end all U.S. advertising on Facebook and Instagram in July as it joins the #StopHateForProfit effort by civil-rights groups protesting against hate speech and divisive content on the platform, according to a Business Insider story. The company joins a growing list of companies boycotting Facebook and, in some cases, Twitter. Global products giant Unilever, which reported spending $9 billion on ads and marketing last year, Friday announced it would pull ads from Facebook because of the content on the platform. Telecommunications firm Verizon on Thursday also joined the pressure campaign, saying it was pulling ads indefinitely, according to a story on the website of The (San Diego) Mercury News. Jill Baskin, The Hershey Co.s chief marketing officer, told Business Insider: As a company, we stand for the values of togetherness and inclusion and we are resolute in our commitment to make a difference and be part of positive change. We are hopeful that Facebook will take action and make it a safe space for our consumers to communicate and gather. Baskin said the company complained to Facebook about its stance on hate speech earlier this month but was dissatisfied with the response. The company also said that it cut its spending on the platform by a third for the remainder of the year, Business Insider reported. Hersheys CEO said the company does not believe that Facebook is effectively managing violent and divisive speech on their platform. Despite repeated assertions by Facebook to take action, we have not seen meaningful change, according to Business Insider. Unilevers withdrawal of U.S. Facebook ads will last through the end of 2020; it will also stop buying ads on Twitter for that same period, according to The Mercury News. The company tweeted Friday morning that the polarized atmosphere places an increased responsibility on brands to build a trusted & safe digital ecosystem. According to market-research firm eMarketer, U.S. spending on digital advertising this year is expected to top $134 billion, and Facebook is expected to gain 23% of that revenue, The Mercury News reported. eMarketer analyst Nicole Perrin said Friday in an emailed statement to The Mercury News that Unilevers announcement is notable because it carries enough influence to persuade other brand advertisers to follow and its going beyond the goals of organizers by pulling back spending for longer, on more platforms (including Twitter) and for more expansive reasons: Unilevers statement cites divisiveness as well as hate speech. That suggests a deeper problem with user-generated content platforms, she wrote. The decisions by Unilever and Verizon also apply to Facebook-owned Instagram. They follow similar declarations by outdoors-products firms REI, The North Face and Patagonia, plus ice cream maker Ben & Jerrys, which is owned by Unilever, the story said. Facebook said in an emailed statement that it invests billions of dollars annually to keep our community safe and works with outside experts to keep policies up to date, the Mercury News story said. Twitter said it respected the advertisers decisions and would continue to communicate closely with them, according to the story. Victoria had 41 new COVID-19 infections yesterday, the highest number of daily cases since early April, with Victorias Deputy Chief Health Officer admitting she was very concerned about the surge. Defence Force members joined Health Department nurses at new testing sites in the COVID hotspot suburbs yesterday, the first time members of the military have been involved in testing. Australian Defence Force members, in uniform, joined Victorian health workers at testing sites in Melbourne on Saturday. Credit:Justin McManus An emergency nurse at Royal Melbourne Hospital was among those listed as infected yesterday, the 11th consecutive day of double-digit growth, with 13 cases of unknown origin and a further 19 under investigation. Hospital staff were informed yesterday that authorities were looking into whether the nurse, who is in a stable condition in hospital, had close contact with patients or colleagues while infectious. Former President John Mahama in an address to Ghanaians expressed disappointment in a ruling given by the Supreme Court (SC). The SC unanimously dismissed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) case against the Electoral Commission (EC) saying the EC is an independent body and will only be directed by the court if it acts contrary to law. Their decision further indicated that the existing voter ID card and birth certificates cannot be used as proof of identity to register in the upcoming voter registration exercise. Mahama Deeply Disappointed In reaction to this, the largest opposition Flagbearer said "We are deeply disappointed and strongly disagree with the court over this outcome, which has confounded many legal experts and thrown the country into a state of confusion. Our legal team is examining this decision even as we await the full judgement. It is worrying that the Court deferred the reasons for its decisions to the 15th of July, by which time the EC would have been two weeks into the registration exercise". We have been very clear in our minds that the decision to compile a new voters register was in pursuit of this long-held agenda, hence our efforts to stop the wholesale attempt to exclude vast sections of our population from the process to determine who leads them. According to him, this represents the handiwork of a desperate incumbent that on account of its very poor performance in government sees its political survival only through the prism of manipulation of the electoral process to exclude a section of Ghanaians who they suspect may not renew their mandate at the polls. Mahamas comment worrying Reacting to this on Newsfile programme on Joy News channel, Kofi Abotsi, Dean of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) - Law School described as worrying comments made by Mahama especially being a former President. " . . he is the only former President that is casting aspersions against state institutions . . . I worry about the bastardization effect of his comments . . . when you have a former president making these comments; it creates a sense of worry," he bemoaned. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmoline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) Caucus in Parliament on Friday accused Government of deploying military personnel along the countrys borders in the Volta, Oti and the Northern Regions, to intimidate supporters the NDC from registering in the upcoming ECs voter registration exercise. The NDC Caucus was emphatic that there is a scheme by government to intimidate teeming supporters in NDC strongholds. Mr James Agalga, Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee, made the call at a press conference in Parliament House, in Accra. The Caucus cited instance of deployment of military personnel along the countrys frontiers in the Volta Region, namely the Ketu South and North municipalities, and said the deployment was cause for alarm and concern. The happenings in the Volta Region gives us cause to be alarmed and concerned, he said. Mr Agalga said apart from the deployment of military and other security personnel along those borders, some districts in the northern regions, namely the Upper East, Northern and Upper West regions have also witnessed massive deployment of military personnel. He expressed strong fears that the massive deployment would affect negatively the ECs compilation of the new voters registration exercise going to commerce in a few days. The EC has scheduled June 30, 2020 for the exercise to commence. Without any provocation whatsoever, the State has decided to deploy military personnel platforms along our frontiers which happened to be the strongholds of the opposition NDC, he said. He said the Minority believes there is a certain scheme designed by government to intimidate their teeming supporters from coming out in their numbers to register. So as a minority in Parliament we wish to bring to the attention of all well-wishers of our country and all peace-loving Ghanaians that this recent wave of deployment of military assets and personnel along the borders in the Volta, Oti and the northern regions is uncalled for, Mr Agalga said. According to the Ranking Member, Ghanaians were aware that the countrys borders, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic were shut down. Another deployment on the northern frontiers in the wake of terrorist threats in Burkina Faso and other neighbouring countries is to achieve nothing other than intimidating people in the Volta Region which known to be the stronghold of the NDC. Why do you want to deploy heavy military presence, many people are scared of the military? Is there any external aggression from our neighbouring countries or what, Mr Agalga queried? 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 A member of a three-wheeler gang, who had thrown out a Hoshiarpur trader from a running auto, landed in police net on Saturday. Police have recovered Rs 1.7 lakh in cash and a three-wheeler that was used in the crime from him. The accused has been identified as Sanjay Kumar of Dr Ambedkar Nagar, Model Town, while his accomplice, who is at large, is Sabi. Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, City 1) Deepak Pareek said the police arrested the accused from Salem Tabri following a tip-off. He said on June 25, Tarsem Lal Jain, 52, a trader from Jain Colony, Hoshiarpur, had hailed an auto at Jalandhar Bypass to reach Clock Tower. There was already a passenger in the vehicle. Jain soon realised that the passenger slashed his pocket and nicked Rs 2 lakh in cash from it. When he realised the theft, he was thrown out of the moving auto, before the accused fled. On his complaint, an FIR under Section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the unidentified accused at the Salem Tabri police station. The ADCP said Sanjay was drug addict and confessed to his involvement in three such incidents. They were working to nab his accomplice. The scientific case for the range of vaccines recommended by public health officials in the U.S. remains as solid as ever. But anti-vaccine propaganda has found its way into many reaches of American life. By Express News Service SALEM / COONOOR / COIMBATORE / NAMAKKAL / ERODE / KRISHNAGIRI / DHARMAPURI : Salem recorded a highest single-day spike on Friday with 111 persons testing positive for Covid. The numbers include 86 indigenous cases: 52 Salem residents, 5 returnees from the US (2) and Maldives (3), and 29 who returned from other districts such as Villupuram, Madurai, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Dharmapuri, according to the health bulletin. Remaining 25 persons are those who returned from other States, including Rajasthan and Karnataka. Speaking to TNIE, District Deputy Director of Health Services Dr J Nirmalson said, "The patients were admitted to Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital (GMKMCH), government hospitals in Attur and Mettur and a private medical college hospital in Ariyanoor. Their condition is stable." "The public need not panic about the spike in the last two days. Most of the persons were infected by travellers and those already infected. From tomorrow, the number of cases will reduce drastically," Nirmalson said. Three sanitary workers of GMKMCH were also tested positive on Friday, however, the number would reflect in the Saturday's health bulletin. Meanwhile, the Collector S A Raman along with health officials inspected newly-created quarantine facility centres in the hostels of Salem Women's Arts and Science College hostel, Government Engineering College and Periyar University. Dashboard set up Dharmapuri district has unveiled a dashboard to help residents access real-time updates on total number of Covid infections in the district. The public can access the information from www.dharmapuri.nic.in, said Covid-19 Monitoring Officer (Dharmapuri) R Santhosh Babu. 23 teams appointed Coimbatore district school education department on Friday formed 23 additional teams to calculate Class X marks in 11 centres of the district. On June 22, 60 teams were formed for the purpose. Tamil Nadu Post Graduate Teacher Association state coordinator V Michelraj said, "The move comes after the teachers raised a request to reduce the work burden. Because, teachers have to check lakhs of answer script for class X students from 548 schools in Coimbatore." CEO P Usha said, "As we have increased teams, teachers would not be burdened anymore." However, teachers said they are seeking further increase in the number of teams. Field staff seek e-passes TANGEDCO field staff in Coimbatore have urged the corporation to provide e-passes to them due to police restrictions in the district When contacted, a top official in Coimbatore region said," Our officials have spoken with police department and they will not ask e-pass for our field staffs. Police department have also been instructed about it. If police ask e-pass, they can contact the TANGEDCO control number." Erode In a bid to contain the spread of Covid infection, Erode district administration ordered closure of fish markets on sundays. The decision was taken by the Collector in a meeting to review and intensify Covid containment strategy. The Collector also stated that on weekdays, fish markets would be allowed to sell meat without cleaning/chopping them. After the imposition of curbs on inter-district travel, vehicles were seen queuing up near check posts on the borders of Erode district for the second consecutive day on Friday. OPERATION SAMUDRA SETU INS JALASHWA EMBARKS INDIAN NATIONALS AT BANDAR ABBAS, IRAN India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 26 JUN 2020 11:38AM by PIB Delhi INS Jalashwa arrived off Bandar Abbas, Iran on the evening of 24 Jun 20 and entered harbour on 25 Jun 20 for another mission under the Indian Navy's Op Samudra Setu. The ship embarked 687 Indian citizens after the mandatory medical and baggage screening. During the transit to Iran, the crew of INS Jalashwa undertook preparatory activities for evacuation operation which included sanitisation and preparation of living spaces for evacuees, preparation of welcome kits comprising masks and toiletries followed by allocation of bunks as per passenger manifest received from the Indian Embassy in Tehran. The ship also handed over two Air Evacuation Pods indigenously developed by the Indian Navy, to the Iranian authorities. Living spaces onboard Jalashwa have been divided into three zones, while adhering to COVID-19 precautions, withzonesearmarked for embarked personnel as well as the ship's crew that may frequently come in contact with them. The ship sailed out of Bandar Abbas late in the evening on 25 Jun 20 on completion of embarkation. *** VM/ MS (Release ID: 1634421) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On June 23, the Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek found former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev guilty of corruption for aiding in the illegal prison release of a crime boss while Atambaev was serving as president and sentenced the former head of state to 11 years and two months in prison. Worse is probably on the way for Atambaev. The 63-year-old head of state faces a raft of charges -- including over the alleged murder of a security-force commander -- stemming from his armed standoff with security forces at Atambaevs compound in early August 2019. But his conviction and sentencing raise questions about the future for presidents of Kyrgyzstan. Atambaev is not the first president of Kyrgyzstan, and all of Kyrgyzstans previously elected presidents have faced legal problems. Askar Akaev, ousted in the 2005 revolution, was investigated for corruption and separate charges for his alleged involvement in a police crackdown on protesters in southern Kyrgyzstans Aksy district in 2002 that resulted in the deaths of six demonstrators. Members of Akaevs family have been charged with crimes; Akaev has not, although Kyrgyzstans security service still wants to question him. Akaev remains in Russia, where he fled after he was chased from power. Kurmanbek Bakiev, who fled into exile during the 2010 revolution, was convicted in absentia in 2014 of abuse of power and sentenced to 24 years in prison. Bakiev fled to Belarus and remains there. Atambaev is therefore the only former Kyrgyz president to stand trial in Kyrgyzstan. How Atambaev Differs From His Predecessors But there are some other differences between Atambaev and those two previous Kyrgyz presidents. Akaev and Bakiev were investigated after they had fled Kyrgyzstan for crimes they committed while in office. Atambaev was convicted of helping cut short criminal kingpin Aziz Batukaev's prison stay, but that investigation started while Atambaev was still in office. Batukaev was convicted of several crimes in 2006, including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and two associates along with an Interior Ministry official, but was ordered released in 2013 on the basis of medical documents declaring that he had leukemia. The documents testifying to Batukaevs illness were exposed as fakes soon after Batukaev fled Kyrgyzstan to Russia. Though Atambaevs name came up during the extensive investigation, there was no public indication when Atambaev left office in late 2017 that he would be charged with any crime, although it was clear investigators wanted to question him as a witness. Atambaevs legal problems effectively started once he appeared to be clinging to power. Atambaev stepped down as president in November 2017, the first peaceful transfer of power from one elected president to another in Central Asia. Tricky Succession Many felt Atambaev had always intended to continue to rule through his anointed successor, Sooronbai Jeenbekov. But after Atambaev started publicly offering advice to Jeenbekov, it quickly became apparent that the new head of state had no intention of being a front man for Atambaev. Atambaev criticized Jeenbekov, questioned his policies and appointees -- the latter often coming at the expense officials Atambaev had left in office -- accused Jeenbekov of imposing family rule on Kyrgyzstan like that of Akaev and Bakiev, and said Jeenbekov had deceived him when Atambaev selected and promoted him as his successor. The public rants brought increasing negative attention to Atambaev, who had already made enemies inside Kyrgyzstan by locking up some of his most vocal political opponents during his last years in power. Atambaev refused to obey subpoenas from the Interior Ministry, where officials wanted to question him about Batukaev's release. He said he would not recognize parliaments decision in June 2019 to strip him of his constitutionally guaranteed immunity from prosecution. Then in July 2019, just two weeks before the raid on his compound, Atambaev flew to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin in what was clearly an attempt to frighten opponents back in Kyrgyzstan. WATCH: Video Captures Kyrgyz Ex-President's Surrender To Security Forces Putin was seemingly too shrewd to be lured into an internal Kyrgyz political feud and chose to speak alone at a press conference in Moscow after meeting with Atambaev; he called for stability in Kyrgyzstan and support for President Jeenbekov. The raid on Atambaevs complex on the outskirts of Bishkek came on August 7, with Jeenbekov and others in the Kyrgyz government having seemingly lost patience with Atambaev. On the face of it, Atambaevs imprisonment is a bad sign for the current and future Kyrgyz presidents. Only Roza Otunbaeva, who was an unelected interim president, has ever left office without subsequently facing charges. There are those who question whether Atambaev received a fair trial or will receive a fair trial once he faces charges related to the raid. And it is essential that Kyrgyz authorities ensure that justice is served. But Atambaevs case might also be an exception, fueled by his lack of self-restraint and insistence on trying to run the country after his term was over. So the real lesson here might be about overconfidence in handpicked successors and a refusal to let go of power once a six-year, constitutionally limited, single term expires. RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service, known locally as Azattyk, contributed to this report Three men from Linn County and one from Benton County are among 57 inmates of the Oregon Department of Corrections who are being released early by order of Gov. Kate Brown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 182 inmates at the prison in Salem have tested positive for coronavirus, one of the largest outbreaks in the state. Brown approved releases based on the good conduct record of each inmate, they have served at least half of their sentences and they do not present an unacceptable public safety risk. I received a list of 61 adults in custody from the Department of Corrections for consideration of commutation. I have authorized the commutation process to begin for 57 of those individuals, all of whom are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and who do not present an unacceptable public safety risk. I would like to thank Director Peters (Department of Corrections) and her team for their diligence in completing their case-by-case analysis, Brown said. But Linn County District Attorney Doug Marteeny disagrees with the governors actions. This is terribly frustrating to work so hard to get someone off our streets, only to have the governor return them, Marteeny said. Ivory tower ideas of prison release actually hurt those who cant afford to live in the ivory tower sections of Oregon. Coming back to Linn County will be Joseph Lis, 55, Roger Clay, 55, and Donald Gamble, 65. Mr. Gambles sentence is already nearly completed. However, the same is not true for the other two. Marteeny said Lis has been convicted of 35 crimes, many of them felonies including theft, burglary, robbery, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of methamphetamines. His most recent offense was in June 2019 when he was convicted of using another mans credit card to buy shoes at a local store and then traded the shoes for meth. On June 24, 2019, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison. In May 2018, Clay was sentenced to a total of 64 months prison on two separate delivery of methamphetamine charges. At the time of his arrest, Clay had possession of methamphetamine and more than $1,000 in cash. His criminal record includes numerous drug possession and delivery charges, being a felon in possession of a firearm, child neglect, endangering the welfare of a child and felony driving while suspended. Gambles most recent charges were from January and included felony driving while suspended, parole violation, felony possession of methamphetamines and resisting arrest-disorderly conduct. Billy Wayne Gill has a long history of charges associated with car prowls dating back to at least 2010. In November 2010, Corvallis police officers said car prowls declined significantly after Gill and another man were charged and jailed. There had been 180 car prowl reports in September and October. In 2017, Gill was charged with violent conduct after he and another man were involved in a fight near a restaurant in Corvallis. In 2018, Gill was charged with unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and third-degree theft. All of inmates will remain under post prison supervision by the Oregon Department of Corrections. Ten inmates will be released to Multnomah County, 12 in Lane County, seven in Marion County and four each in Washington and Clackamas counties, among others. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 13 Six people have reportedly been arrested in France over the theft of the famous artwork by the British artist Banksy. As per reports, the painting was stolen from the Bataclan concert hall in Paris last year in January. While the artwork was found at a farmhouse in central Italy earlier this month, the arrested people are still under investigation. According to an international media outlet, all the six arrested people are placed in pre-trial detention. Two of those arrested are reportedly under formal investigation on suspicion of theft. The other four, on the other hand, are suspected of concealing the theft. The authorities believe that the thieves used portable grinders to remove the fire-exit door on which the mural was painted before carrying it off in a van. READ: Banksy's Stolen Artwork Commemorating Paris Attack Victims Found In Italy READ: UK: Banksy Creates Artwork To Support The Statue Of Edward Colston Torn Down In Bristol Artwork found in Italy According to reports, the painting was found as a result of a joint operation by Italian and French police. Earlier this month, the Italian authorities had reportedly said that the artwork was recovered during a search of a home in the countryside of Tortoreto in Teramo province. The artwork depicts a graffiti of a woman mourning in grief. The painting was made as a tribute to the ninety people who were killed on November 13, 2015, after armed gunmen stormed the Bataclan music hall in Paris. The gunmen were believed to be part of some Islamist extremist group in the city who also attacked several other places the same night killing 130 people in total. (Image: AP) READ: Banksy Unveils New Artwork Inspired By George Floyds Death, Speaks Out On Racism READ: Burglar In Hazmat Suit Tries To Steal Banksy's Artwork That Is A Tribute To Health Workers EU Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans has hailed Vietnam for successfully hosting the 36th ASEAN Summit by overcoming some truly unprecedented challenges. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the opening ceremony of the 36th ASEAN Summit on June 26 (Photo: VNA) In an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Jakarta on June 27, he said that for the first time in over half a century of relations, ASEAN leaders met and spoke virtually, by videoconference. As Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasised in his speech during the summit, the world is changing irreversibly, and this event proves that ASEAN is readily adapting to these changes, he stated. This was the first official summit hosted by Vietnam as the 2020 ASEAN Chair, and despite the difficult circumstances, it was able to achieve several major outcomes. He went on to say that ASEAN Leaders continued to pursue an ambitious regional integration agenda, with the announcement of the Vision Statement on A Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN: Rising Above Challenges And Sustaining Growth. With this comprehensive document, they reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing progress across a wide range of areas, in pursuit of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. In particular, the vision statement recognised the need to deal effectively with the COVID-19 pandemic and at the same time to promote socio-economic recovery in the region. The Leaders agreed to support a post-pandemic recovery plan for ASEAN with wide-ranging actions that aim to strengthen resilience of the regional economy. The Leaders also endorsed a number of important initiatives presented to them at the summit, including the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies, and the ASEAN Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Public Health Emergencies. They also approved the Hanoi Plan of Action on Strengthening ASEAN Economic Cooperation and Supply Chain Connectivity, demonstrating their determination to ensure the flow of food, medicines, as well as medical and other essential supplies in the region, he said, noting that these are all significant deliverables under Vietnams theme of Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN. According to the diplomat, Vietnams focus on strengthening a cohesive and proactive ASEAN could not be more relevant than it is today, when the pandemic has provoked a global economic shock unlike any other in recent history. Prime Minister Phuc spoke of the need to uphold the spirit of solidarity, cooperation and the sense of responsibility towards the international community, and I believe that this has been the driving force behind Vietnams chairmanship of ASEAN since the early days of this crisis, he said. Under the leadership of Vietnam, ASEAN has shown a real willingness to come together to find regional solutions and to mitigate the effects of this crisis. Vietnam has also been able to reaffirm the centrality and unity of ASEAN by maintaining the regular, substantive engagement between the region and its partners since the outbreak of the pandemic. One example of such dialogue was the EU-ASEAN Ministerial Video Conference on the Coronavirus Disease in March, where ASEAN showed itself to be a united and cohesive group. These efforts are also bearing fruit in the fight against COVID-19, with the region currently displaying a high proportion of recoveries from confirmed cases, low fatality rates and few incidents of community transmission, he noted. In the immediate future, the focus should be on keeping control of the outbreak, while also launching a post-pandemic recovery. While global growth rates this year will likely be slower, with careful planning and the right actions there is a chance that ASEAN economies remain reasonably stable and avoid recession. The key issues will be solidarity and cooperation based on jointly agreed proposals, and this is why initiatives like the Hanoi Plan of Action are so important. He stated that the EU will continue to support ASEANs efforts to achieve a prosperous, safe and united community, as this brings benefits to both our regions. We were among the first partners to hold a meeting between our Foreign Ministers on COVID-19, and we will continue to exchange information to identify ways to tackle the crisis. We are currently collaborating on research into COVID-19, with 18 new EU-funded research projects open to ASEAN scientific organisations. The EU and its Member States have so far mobilised over 350 million EUR to support health systems and economic recovery in ASEAN under a collective Team Europe approach. It will continue working with ASEAN to ensure that supply chain connectivity is maintained. And while the EU will continue to expand our free trade and investment agreements in the region, such as the FTA with Vietnam that eliminated 99 percent of customs duties, the bilateral relationship is no longer only about trade and cooperation. Increasingly, the EU and ASEAN are working together on security and defence in areas such as maritime security. We are also intensifying our cooperation on non-traditional security threats related to issues such as resource scarcity, infectious diseases, natural disasters, people smuggling, drug trafficking and transnational crime, he said. He also noted that green economy, digitalisation in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the fight against climate change will increasingly become major areas of cooperation between the EU and ASEAN. The green agenda in particular is a top priority for the EU and for our partnership with ASEAN. The EU sees ASEAN as an indispensable partner in this regard together, we can protect the international rules-based order and preserve our global commons, he said./.VNA The world was in flux before the coronavirus pandemic. Central tenets of the international order that were institutionalised after the Second World War in 1945 and reinforced with greater gusto after the end of the Cold War in 1991, were up for question. And, each nation was revising its own political and philosophical approach to the world, and its own place in it. The United States (US) took an unprecedented inward turn with the election of Donald Trump as president in 2016, retreating from the very institutions, economic principles and military outreach that helped it become a superpower and sustain its power. China, under President Xi Jinping, had shown signs of giving up on the principle laid out by Deng Xiaoping to build its internal strength and bide its time on the international stage, by launching the most aggressive global initiative in modern times the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), expanding its definition of core interests, and projecting power both in its vicinity and beyond. Russia, dismissed after the collapse of the Soviet Union as a has been power re-emerged as a key player, expanding its influence, expanding its territorial reach, playing a more active role in West Asia, and deepening its partnerships with new actors such as China. The United Kingdom went through Brexit and formalised its exit from the European Union, posing an existential question to the most audacious transnational political-economic-security arrangement ever conceived in the continent that had seen nationalism lead to devastating wars. It was not just actions of particular states, but the fundamentals of international cooperation that were up in the air. The relatively liberal economic regime premised on the free flow of goods and services, regional and bilateral trading arrangements, and greater openness to movement of people reflected in immigration was cracking. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, the attack on it came from the same western powers that conceptualised it in the first place, but were now unwilling to bear the costs as economic activity shifted elsewhere. Technology became the new frontier of cooperation and competition. It had connected the world as never before, and changed the way individuals led their lives, companies conducted their businesses, and states interacted. But it also became an additional tool in the diplomatic and military arsenal of the big powers, and control over key technological infrastructure from the cyber commons to 5G became a site of global contestation. The pandemic has not changed the world and ushered in a new era. What it has done is intensify and expedite underlying trends which were visible in international politics, and made the world confront a new reality in a period of a few months what would have taken several years. Also read | Eight states account for 87% of Covid deaths, 85% active cases THE CHINA VIRUS With Covid-19 originating in Wuhan, as the pandemic spread, US president Donald Trump took to calling Sars-Cov-2 the China virus. This was seen as an attempt to deflect his own failures in managing the pandemic on to an external rival; it also reflected the tensions in the US-China relationship. While there remains a widespread consensus that China needs to be called out for its initial missteps in handling the disease, the dominant international view is that it is important not to politicise the pandemic by naming it after China, for it will only deepen divisions and can lead to social tensions. What, then, are these trends? First, the return of nationalism. At a time when Covid-19 is ravaging the world and reflecting the cross-cutting, cross-border, transnational nature of threats to humanity one case in a city in China has now led to over nine million people getting infected, and close to half-million deaths, worldwide nationalism has returned with a vengeance. Instead of the pandemic bringing home the message of inter-connectedness and that all countries need to swim together, or they will all sink, the pandemic has brought home another message: you are on your own. The national lockdowns; the prolonged interruptions to international travel; the search desperate search in each country for testing kits, hospital beds, personal protective equipment and related health infrastructure tools; the reliance on the local or national, over the international, to sustain supply chains have all made borders the most salient feature of international politics again. THE WHO CRISIS The World Health Organization is in the middle of its most serious crisis since its founding in 1948. And it is just not because of the serious health emergency that has hit the world. Seen as complicit in Chinas initial attempts to underplay the disease, the WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has come under particular criticism for the delay in officially alerting the world about the existence of the pandemic, issuing conflicting advisories on health protocols, among other steps. The United States, under Donald Trump, has taken on the WHO first cutting funding, and then announcing a decision to walk out of the body. Borders never went away; they are in fact the very foundation of the sovereign international state system. But those who thought that borders would become irrelevant can bid adieu to their dreams. From Trumps decision to tighten immigration rules to Indias decision to launch an economic campaign for self-reliance, nation-states have returned as the most powerful unit in the world order. Second, the death-blow to multilateralism. International cooperation rests on states ceding a degree of their sovereign rights of decision making to conform to an internationally agreed upon set of norms. With the return of nationalism, and intensified conflicts, states are unwilling to cede any authority to a supra-national body. Before the pandemic, this was reflected in Trumps disdain for the United Nations or the collapse of the dispute settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organization. But it has become far more acute in the wake of the pandemic, reflected most starkly in the politics around the World Health Organization (WHO). THE PANDEMIC IN THE US As the pandemic spread, developed democracies in the west particularly United States and United Kingdom, but also other nations in Europe were badly affected. The surge in cases and deaths exposed the governance weaknesses of these states. US president Donald Trump, in particular, swung from underestimating the perils of the disease to encouraging protesters against curtailed movement and economic activity, which led to more cases. Many observers see the moment as the beginning of the end of the US dominance in international politics. By any yardstick, WHO should be the most important organisation at a time when the world is facing its most severe health emergency in a century. But, and here is the paradox, rarely has the WHO been as mired in controversy. Seen as partisan to China, WHO lost its credibility as an impartial stakeholder. Trumps decision to first cut the funding, and then an announcement that US would walk away from WHO, only eroded its capital further. The world, therefore, lacks an effective body that has the respect of all sides and authority and power to ensure peace and security (the UN Security Council is weak); it lacks an effective body to govern international economic arrangements (WTOs power is deeply curtailed); and it lacks an effective transnational health organisation. The pandemics second message, therefore, is dont look to the world for support. BELLIGERENT BEIJING Even as the international community sought accountability from China for the pandemic, Beijing after focusing on tackling the disease in the first few months of the year decided to use the moment to both turn internally more repressive and externally more assertive. It stepped up its offensive against Taiwan, eroded Hong Kongs autonomous status, allegedly launched a cyber offensive against Australia, attacked a Vietnamese vessel in the South China Sea, and encroached on Indian territory. Third, the retreat of globalisation. This again is a paradox for global economic integration is possibly the best way to recover from the global recession. But the fact that there has been brewing resentment in the West particularly among the working class about the perceived loss of opportunities due to these interlinkages had already led to the rise of economic nationalists. Trade wars had broken out before the pandemic itself but the pandemic brought home both the importance of securing ones own supply chains, generating employment through manufacturing at home, and reducing dependence on China. States are now developing a new attitude. Foreign investment is okay as long as it is coming to me. Trade is okay as long as it is skewed in my favour. Technological cooperation is fine but I will not cede control of my critical infrastructure. Migration is fine but only within bounds, in a very restrictive manner, and only if those who come are sorely needed. The third message from the pandemic is, therefore, build your economy yourself. THE INDIA-CHINA CLASH One of the most significant events in the last 100 days has been the border clash between India and China in eastern Ladakh on June 15, when 20 personnel of the Indian Army and an unconfirmed number of Chinese Peoples Liberation Army personnel were killed. The clash came in the wake of China attempting to change the facts on the ground at the Line of Actual Control, breaching past agreements. The episode has the potential to alter the Asian balance of power, push India closer to the United States, and deepen India-China rivalry across the board. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the pandemic has led to China signalling that it would no longer be constrained by international norms, past agreements and the idea of its peaceful rise, and assert its power. The paradox here is that it was in China that the coronavirus disease originated but China may end up emerging as the most powerful entity after the pandemic. It has eroded Hong Kings autonomous status through a repressive national security legislation; it has launched cyber offensives against Australia; it has yet again asserted its claims in the South China Sea, attacking Vietnamese and Malaysian vessels; it has stepped up its offensive against Japan; and, of course, it has attempted to change the facts on the ground on the border with India, violated past agreements, and killed, brutally, 20 personnel of the Indian army. THE END OF GLOBALISATION? US president Donald Trump decided to suspend work visas affecting a wide range of sectors of the US economy and foreign nationals. The move was a reflection of the acceleration in the inward turn of countries. While global movement of people was always more restrictive than the flow of goods and services, Trumps move is in line with his general approach to global economic interlinkages. But it is not just him. Countries have turned more protectionist, encouraging local industry, and stepping back on WTO commitments, with implications for global supply chains. Also read | Serious problem: China, US battle threat of new wave of Covid-19 cases The world increasingly faces a choice. Will countries give into these Chinese attempts to overturn the international order, accept Beijings actions, and subscribe to all that comes with it its authoritarian structure, its disdain for individual freedom, its sense of exceptionalism where all others are lower down the hierarchy and the Middle Kingdom is at the top, its attempts to dominate on land and sea the rest of Asia, and its semi-imperial enterprise of the BRI? Or will they come together to contain Chinas untrammelled use of power even while engaging with it and force it to continue subscribing to the basic precepts of the liberal international order? The fourth, and the most significant, message of the pandemic is, therefore, simple accept Chinas hegemony or get ready for a long battle ahead. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) A Philippine Army reservist was among three suspects arrested in a buy bust operation at a mall parking lot in Quezon City, authorities said Saturday. The reservist, identified as Private First Class Omar Salillaguia Pagayawan, 35, was a volunteer in one of the checkpoints and not an active personnel of the Army, a statement from the Joint Task Force National Capital Region said. Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Quezon City police reported seizing a kilo of shabu estimated by the authorities to have a market value of around 6.8 million, buy bust money and a motorcycle. The Joint Task Force NCR said it requested the delisting of Pagayawan, a member of the Regional Community Defense Group whose voluntary duty in Pasay City ended on June 15. Apart from illegal drugs and usurpation or unlawful use of authority, Pagayawan will face illegal use of uniform or insignia charges since he is wearing uniform with patches and insignias without authority, the task force said. The Philippine Army committed to investigate the incident. "If found guilty, he will be expelled as a reservist," it said in a statement. The two other suspects were identified as company driver Amel Abdul, 31; and a certain Jonaid Londoy, 27. The economic pain wrought by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus continues to affect Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG). The storied motorcycle maker said Thursday it's cutting roughly 140 jobs in two factories, one located in Pennsylvania and the other in Wisconsin. The move comes just after the company's announcement that it's reducing production volumes. As with many businesses across the economy, Harley-Davidson has suffered from softened demand for its products. "Stay in place" measures, which had been in force in the early part of the pandemic, will likely remain (or in certain cases, be reintroduced given the sharp increases in cases lately). A representative from the company, however, told Reuters in a statement that, "As course of normal business, Harley-Davidson regularly adjusts its production plan and appropriately sizes its workforce." This is not the first time in recent months that the company has announced reductions in its employee rolls. In late April, it furloughed most of its production workers around the world as part of a broader set of measures aimed at coping with the economic slowdown. It also enacted a raft of salary cuts. Even before the onset of the global crisis engendered by the coronavirus, Harley-Davidson had been struggling due to the aging of baby boomers, a crucial customer demographic for the company. Its sales were falling, with a 6% year-over-year drop in revenue in fiscal 2019. Harley-Davidson didn't end the week on a positive note. It fell harder than even the beleaguered main stock indexes and stumbling consumer goods names on the day, slipping by nearly 6.9%. Srinagar: The operation to flush-out militants holed up inside a government building in Pampore area on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway entered the second day on Tuesday, even as security forces launched a fresh offensive against the ultras. An army official said the area around the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) premises has been cordoned off and exchange of fire was going on. The encounter between security forces and terrorists is still underway at EDI building in Pampore (J&K). Security forces have launched a fresh offensive this morning to flush-out the militants, the official said. Two to three militants stormed into the EDI complexes in the wee hours yesterday and took positions inside one of the buildings. Also read: Pampore attack continues: Terrorists target Valleys success story again The ultras could have entered the complex from the riverside but that can only be ascertained once the operation is over. After getting inside the complex, the militants set on fire few mattresses inside a hostel room to attract the attention of the police and other security forces, which arrived within minutes of the smoke emanating from the building. In the initial exchange of fire, one army soldier was injured, the official said. The security forces yesterday used mortar shells, Light Machine Guns and other small arms to flush out the militants but so far have not been successful, the official said. Militants had targeted the EDI building in February this year as well.Five security force personnel including two young army officers and a civilian employee of the Institute and three militants were killed in that operation that lasted 48 hours. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Suriya has a huge fan following down South and the actor never misses any chance to impress his fans. As we all know that Suriya has already completed the shooting of his film Soorarai Pottru and was gearing up for its release. Soorarai Pottru was scheduled to be released on April 9, 2020, with Vijay-starrer Master. However, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the film's release has been put on hold. Apart from that, the Kaappaan star had planned to begin shooting for his next, Hari's directorial venture Aruvaa with Raashi Khanna as the female lead, in April. But that too couldn't happen due to continuous lockdowns. The Tamil film industry is currently in dilemma about when to start shooting, as a few of the makers want to resume work in August. But now, seems like that also is not possible due to the rise in COVID-19 positive cases in Tamil Nadu, majorly in Chennai. Considering all the aspects, Suriya is said to have taken a strong decision about starting work on his upcoming project. A report published in a leading portal claims that Suriya will start work on Aruvaa and another project in which he plays a supporting role, only after January 2021. Isn't it shocking? Well, Suriya took this decision after a long thought for the safety of not only himself, but also the other cast and crew members. The actor made a smart decision considering the reality of COVID-19. Suriya's gesture towards his co-workers deserves applaud, butit's a sad news for his fans. Also Read : RUMOUR HAS IT! Suriya's Soorarai Pottru To Get A Hindi Remake Soon? Talking about spending time at home, Suriya is currently enjoying some quality time with his family. He and hisactress-wife Jyotika watch a lot of web series. Recently, in one of the video interviews, Jyotika and Suriya said that they loved Money Heist and watch all Ayushmann Khurrana's movies. Also Read : Jyotika And Suriya Continue Their Track Record Of Unparalleled Hits With Ponmagal Vandhal Scientists conducted a study that revealed surprising resulta of how life formed in the cosmos. One of the findings of scientists is about the formation of exoplanets. Those planets with rocky composition will evolve a magnetic field and tectonic plates. But some planets who are formed later did not have these characteristics. These are the exact right conditions needed in order for life to develop. The right environment and conditions play an important factor for the formation of carbon-based life forms. And life has a greater chance to exist in other parts of the cosmos, according to in Scitech Daily. Possibilities of life in other galaxies Leading the study is planetary researcher Craig O'Neill. He said that a plate will be a major determinant if the planet will be able to support life forms and molecules of life. Moreover, he deduced that the best conditions for the formation of tectonic plates will be in the proto universe. But this is a limited time and life-forming after that is one to a million chances, according to BBC. Looking for exoplanets, the orbit far away stars like brown dwarfs, white dwarfs, red dwarf stars might have worlds with life or nascent lift on them. These findings were shown at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference, where Professor Craig O'Neill presented it. He added that the immense distances from Earth to other exoplanets do limit the information about them. Although there is enough to know how to interpret such data as the placement, heat of the exoplanets, and analysis of the geochemistry of the distant worlds. All this data can be constructed in a model to predict its formation. Also read: Scientists Recreate How Jupiter's Largest Moons Formed from Orbiting Dust to Giant Satellites Plate tectonics create perfect environment for life Utilizing the data in simulations using the Australian National Computing Infrastructure, the scientist ran the data via the ASPECT geodynamics code. What this does is predict how the interior or tectonics will evolve the planetary interior. O'Neill's group ran the simulations and could predict the earliest planets can develop moving plates that can spawn life but this is only limited to the earliest forming planets. According to O'Neill, it is the plate tectonics that controls and keeps a constant temperature so that molecules of life will be created. One initial idea is a heavy iron core like the earth is needed, not so because the data indicates less iron is needed with proper timing. They did not expect this result, cited in Astrobiology. Planets that form later will not have tectonic plates, which will result to uncontrollable temperatures. Extreme heat from the core will prevent a magnetic field from forming, this will bathe it with solar radiation that will strip the atmosphere. No atmosphere means that no life will develop, and it will be a dead world. Most researchers have predicted the evolution of chemical equilibrium in the cosmos alters itself all the time. All the materials in star and planets from supernovae fill the universe, with diverse gases and elements. All points to interstellar stuff that has changed from the proto universe to the present one. O'Neill added that the formation of Earth-like worlds in the proto-universe allows life to flourish. Another idea is the supply of these materials, and specific conditions hard to find in our galaxy, confirmed in Daily Galaxy. There must be a model to account for all data available, integrating what is known about how life will evolve. It will give an idea of how planets are formed well enough to support carbon-based life forms. One of the nearest exoplanets is near Proxima Centauri, about 4 light-years away. Evidence implies that 2 or 3 exoplanets might be in orbit. Related article: Earth Not Alone? 30 Alien Civilizations Might Exist in the Milky Way Galaxy @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. >>> Vietnam incorporates new technology into coronavirus vaccine research >>> Promoting new research to cope with COVID-19 epidemic Developed by the State-owned Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No. 1 (Vabiotech) in cooperation with Bristol University in the UK, the project, which is supported by Vingroup Innovation Foundation VinIF (under the conglomerate Vingroup), has seen a speedy research process. It is more meaningful as the world is at risk of a second COVID-19 wave. Two months ahead of schedule One day in mid-June, Master Mac Van Trong at the Vabiotech received a message from Dr. Do Tuan Dat, the President of Vabiotech, saying that the research project carried out by Trong and his colleagues "has worked and the candidate vaccine has relatively high immunity. For Trong and his team, this result is "vital", showing that the project for a possible COVID-19 vaccine they are pursuing is on the right track and has shown initial results. "Our four sleepless months have paid off," said a Vabiotech researcher. Earlier, on May 15 and 29, two batches of serum samples taken from 50 mice injected with the candidate COVID-19 vaccine were sent to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) for assessment. By comparative injection with the inactivated wild-type virus in mice, the NIHE determined that these serum samples gave antibody responses, some of which were relatively high. This is the basis for its development into a complete vaccine," Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Le Khanh Hang, Deputy Head of the NIHEs Virology Department, said. Given this result, Vabiotech has now passed two-months of progress in the first phase of the project, which is also the most important stage in the research and production of a COVID-19 vaccine. In the next stage, the candidate vaccine will be developed into a complete vaccine, which is stable and suitable for human use. The team will also build a commercial production process that can facilitate mass production for millions or even tens of millions of doses. Though not overly hastened at the news that a range of countries have started testing their COVID-19 vaccines on humans, Vietnamese scientists are also really racing against time, especially in the context of the world facing the risk of a second coronavirus wave. According to domestic researchers, Vietnam has not set a goal of taking the lead in the race but will develop the vaccine by inheriting the worlds experience in dealing with this very new SARS-CoV-2 virus. Taking a blood sample from a lab mouse. "It would takes 9-12 months to produce a complete vaccine, but we are working hard to shorten this," Trong said. "However, compared to the 10-year average in normal vaccine production, the 18-24 month period to develop a possible COVID-19 vaccine must be seen as a significant achievement." According to Vabiotech's representative, this project is not only limited to the production of the vaccine that the world is expecting, but also extends to the bigger goal of increasing vaccine' autonomy for Vietnam, especially concerning pandemic vaccines. If there is a new strain of coronavirus in humans in the future, with the technology available at hand, researchers just need to "assemble" the genome of the new virus strain to create a new vaccine. In the A/H1N influenza pandemic, it was hard to buy a single dose of vaccine, not to mention buying millions of doses. Therefore, the vaccine creation initiative of a country is very important, explained Trong. Two studies on SARS-CoV-2 sponsored by VinIF post good results After ten years of participating in and leading major projects on the research into and production of vaccines, with Trong, this project is the most special. The reason is not only because of the "virus of the century" engulfing the world in a global pandemic but also due to the unprecedented difficulties that his research team has experienced. The project started smoothly thanks to "urgent" funding from the VinIF in response to the global pandemic. Many research phases of the project were carried out at the lab in the UKs University of Bristol from the beginning of February in order to speed up the progress. However, the project was almost halted while Europe was in lockdown, forcing all research activities to be halted. As taking advanced anticipation for this risk, the team worked almost 24 hours a day to complete to plan. Fortunately, the team members left the UK just before the countrys blockade and arrived in Vietnam just before the closing of all international air routes in late March. Master Mac Van Trong analysing the expression of COVID-19 S gene at the laboratory of the School of Biochemistry in the University of Bristol (UK). We have been under great pressure. The biggest worry is that the samples cannot be transferred to Vietnam, because if so, the study results in nearly two months would be down the drain, Trong said about this, the most difficult time for his team. To compensate for the 14-day interruption due to compulsory quarantine after returning home from abroad, the team continued to work with 1-day intensity equal to two days. Vabiotech's lab became an "isolation room for research" of scientists who returned from the UK. Thanks to that, just a month later, the candidate vaccine was completed for injection on mice. The technology used by Vabiotech in the production of the vaccine against the disease that has now infected nearly 9 million people worldwide and claimed the lives of nearly 500,000, is viral vector technology, instead of traditional inactivated or live-attenuated vaccine technologies. This is a new, versatile technology, with high production efficiency and independence on the culture of the entire pathogen that is suitable for pandemic vaccines production. Thanks to the funding, our company has upgraded the Bioreactor cell culture system, which was installed nearly 10 years ago. This new generation model is more adaptable to the virus vector technology that we are using, said Dr. Do Tuan Dat, President of Vabiotech. According to the author of many research studies on made-in-Vietnam vaccine development, the Vabiotech project could be accelerated due to the "benefit" from the results of a research project on the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 that the NIHE is carrying out. This is also an urgent project sponsored by VinIF as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Thanks to this "decoding" information, Vietnam can still control the situation despite many countries around the world being extremely tardy in preparing for the most dangerous epidemic in the early 21st century. Vietnam has excelled as a global bright spot in disease prevention and control. We expect more successes, including the made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine," Dr. Dat added. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In terms of lives lost, families separated, people imprisoned, and churches shut down, the 21st century has, so far, been the worst period of persecution against Christians in recorded history. Among the hottest persecution hot-spots is Nigeria. According to religious freedom watchdog Open Doors USA, Nigeria ranks at #12 worldwide for persecution of Christians. Islamic terrorist organization Boko Haram is the known villain in Nigeria, and justifiably so. They are among the most brutal Islamist radical terror groups in the world. Just last week, attacks in northeastern Nigeria by a Boko Haram splinter-group left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. Back in January, the group beheaded Nigerian pastor Lawan Andimi. Kidnapped from his village and forced to negotiate for his release with the government, Andimi wouldnt break. Instead, he turned his hostage video into a stunning testimony to Christ. Still, as bad as Boko Haram is, much of the recent bloodshed in Nigeria has been perpetrated by militant Hausa-Fulani herdsmen. This largely Muslim ethnic group specializes in night raids on Christian villages in Nigerias Middle Belt. In a statement last June, Nigerian Christian leaders claimed that over 6,000 personsmostly children, women and the aged[have been] maimed and killed in night raids by armed Fulani herdsmen. They also described the continuous abduction of under-aged Christian girls by Muslim youths for forced marriages. According to Open Doors, these attacks are essentially religious cleansing, attempts to eradicate Christianity from the region. According to Nigerian Christians, the more appropriate word is genocide. The term fits. As I pointed out last March, genocide has been carefully defined by the International Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, and the word should not be tossed around carelessly. Genocide is action intended to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. Clearly, genocide is what Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsman are after in Nigeria. Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, however, denies this. In a recently issued statement, he insisted that false allegations of persecution of Christians are a most misleading campaign. President Buhari, by the way, is the son of a Fulani chief. Thankfully, there are international voices taking the plight of Nigerian Christians seriously. The U.K. Parliament released a report putting the G-word front and center. Entitled, Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide? the report issues a stirring call to Britain and the world to speak out on behalf of all the survivors and victims of violence, and to highlight the seriousness of the situation and the level of injustice that Nigerian Christians face. Describing the report in Forbes (and by the way, good for Forbes for covering this story), one human rights activist called for comprehensive investigations and prosecutions by bodies like the International Criminal Court. But, she insisted, the first step has to be that the world admits the nature and severity of the atrocities. The crimes must be recognized for what they are and a most misleading campaign is not that name. The U.S. must lead the way. Earlier this month, an executive order by President Trump made religious freedom a foreign policy and national security priority. Its now time to make act on those words. Nigerian Christians cant afford to wait. Besides calling this crisis what it is, a genocide, the U.S. could ease the process for asylum-seekers and immigrants from Nigeria. Nigeria was among the six countries President Trump added to the travel and immigration ban in February and, currently, Nigerian refugees hoping to flee to the United States must prove their need by submitting an exhaustive stack of paperwork. Those in danger should not have to go to so much trouble to demonstrate what the world should already know. Please, consider supporting Open Doors and other organizations that raise awareness, advocate for, and offer support for the persecuted. Even so, as important as political and financial assistance are, Christians in Nigeria need one thing from us above anything else: our prayers. Originally posted at breakpoint.org WASHINGTON - The Trump administration touched off another politically charged battle over the future of Obamacare with its latest maneuver to dismantle the law amid a pandemic - a move that Democrats immediately weaponized for competitive campaigns this fall and few Republicans defended. The 82-page brief filed late Thursday to the Supreme Court in a high-profile case brought by GOP state attorneys general undercuts President Donald Trump's repeated pledges to ensure coverage for people with preexisting conditions as his administration and the broader Republican Party seek to wipe away that protection. Trump vowed as recently as last weekend, at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., that he would "always protect patients with preexisting conditions, always, always." But his own administration's position in court is that the 2010 Affordable Care Act's individual mandate is unconstitutional, and therefore so is the entire law - even its most popular provisions, such as coverage for those with preexisting conditions. "Nothing the 2017 Congress did demonstrates it would have intended the rest of the ACA to continue to operate in the absence of these three integral provisions. The entire ACA thus must fall with the individual mandate," the brief said. Republican officials and strategists working on competitive campaigns were privately aghast Friday at the administration's decision to reignite the issue, particularly as health care is at the forefront of voters' minds because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The ties between the pandemic and access to Obamacare were underscored this week with a new report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which found that 487,000 Americans used a special enrollment period for the health care law after losing their own coverage, probably due to job losses. "To take that issue to the Supreme Court, in the middle of a pandemic, shows that there's a lack of understanding about the fear out there in this country," said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., who hails from one of the most closely watched presidential battleground states. "I think that we need to talk about it so that people understand what's going on." The potency of health care as an issue was evident in advance of the filing, with Democrats - anticipating the Thursday deadline for the Justice Department to respond in the case - eagerly holding media calls promoting the Affordable Care Act and attacking incumbent Republican senators for their attempts to repeal it or insufficiently defend it. In Maine, Democrat Sara Gideon, who is running against Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, criticized the four-term senator for casting a "key vote" that prompted the legal challenge from the Republican attorneys general. Collins has voted against repealing the health care law, but supported a separate law enacted in 2017 that effectively eliminated Obamacare's requirement that everyone hold insurance. Collins, in a statement Friday, said the Justice Department arrived at the "wrong conclusion" in its argument in court, saying it was never the intent of lawmakers to repeal the entire health care law when the Republican-controlled Congress got rid of its individual mandate through the 2017 tax cut bill. "The administration's decision to submit this new brief is the wrong policy at the worst possible time as our nation is in the midst of a pandemic," Collins said in a statement to The Washington Post. "The Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land, and it is the Department of Justice's duty to defend it." But with its legal filing, the Trump administration directly contradicted that position, arguing that even provisions regarding preexisting conditions or high-risk medical histories could not be severed from the mandate. The administration's aggressive argument against Obamacare comes amid heightened concerns from Republicans about their overall electoral fortunes this fall due to the president's handling of the cratering economy, a national uprising over racism and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Democrats have largely credited their winning back the House majority in 2018 to health care, and they've seized on Trump and congressional Republicans' repeated efforts to repeal it in campaigns. The GOP mantra for a decade has been "repeal and replace," but the party has never been able to coalesce around an alternative. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden also jumped on the issue this week, saying during a campaign swing in Pennsylvania on Thursday that Trump's "twin legacies" are "his failure to protect the American people from the coronavirus, and his heartless crusade to take health-care protections away from American families." At a virtual fundraiser Friday, Biden said, "Millions have contracted coronavirus, people need a lifeline. And they don't need a president suing to deny them health care." The Biden campaign put an emphasis on the Trump administration's move against the Affordable Care Act on Friday, hosting events with surrogates designed to draw a sharp contrast with the president. Former second lady Jill Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., held a virtual event with supporters in Wisconsin, a key battleground. "This administration is trying to take health care away from million of Americans. That's it," said Harris, who is under consideration to be Biden's running mate. Jill Biden promoted the steps Biden would take to add to the ACA, rather than tear it down. She mentioned his support for an optional public insurance program, among other things. "This matters to Joe," she said. "And you matter to him." A Kaiser Family Foundation poll this month found that 53 percent of voters trust Biden more on health care issues, compared with 38 percent for Trump. And according to internal Democratic polling of key Senate battleground states conducted in May, GOP support for the legal challenge against Obamacare was the top negative against Senate Republicans, particularly among swing and independent voters, according to a party official familiar with the numbers who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the findings. "Americans should look at what the Trump administration and Republicans do - not what they say - on health care," said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "Republicans remain unflinching in their cruel and callous campaign to eliminate Americans' health-care coverage, even as the country faces down the biggest global health crisis in recent history." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Democrats will force Republicans to cast a tough vote on the issue next week. She introduced a bill Wednesday that would broaden the reach of the law and make it available to more Americans. The bill would penalize states that do not expand Medicaid and expand subsidies for people who buy private health plans in the insurance marketplaces created under the law for individuals and families who do not have access to affordable health-care benefits through a job. Responding to the court filing late Thursday, Pelosi said Trump and Republicans' "campaign to rip away the protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act in the middle of the coronavirus crisis is an act of unfathomable cruelty." Health care has also been a dominant theme in televisions spots run this week by Democratic Senate candidates and groups working to elect them, popping up as an issue in ads in Arizona, Montana, North Carolina and Colorado. In private, Republican officials working on down-ballot races vented their frustration with the administration's decision to revive the health care fight, while acknowledging that repealing Obamacare remains a core issue for their base. The timing of the filing, amid the pandemic, was also particularly unhelpful, according to Republicans. "In a sea of stupid decisions this administration makes on a daily basis, this one stands out," complained one Senate GOP aide Friday, granted anonymity to candidly assess the White House's moves. Some in the Trump administration, including Attorney General William Barr, have privately argued parts of the law should be preserved amid a pandemic. In a meeting last month, Barr made that argument with senior officials, but days later, Trump told reporters, "We want to terminate health care under Obamacare." Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said after the brief was submitted that "a global pandemic does not change what Americans know: Obamacare has been an unlawful failure and further illustrates the need to focus on patient care." "The American people deserve for Congress to work on a bipartisan basis with the President to provide quality, affordable care," Deere said. Oral arguments in the case aren't scheduled until the next Supreme Court term, which begins in October. It's unclear whether they will occur before the Nov. 3 election. Some conservative lawmakers largely shrugged, noting that the Republican Party has tried to overturn the health care law ever since it was enacted in 2010. "We've been trying to overcome the detrimental effects of the ACA for a long time," said Rep. Douglas Collins, R-Ga., who is running for one of two Senate seats in Georgia. "That was one of the biggest things that I think that the Republican majority, looking back on, I wish that we could have passed and got done." - - - The Washington Post's Meagan Flynn and Tim Elfrink contributed to this report. Democrat Dana Balter has kicked off her campaign against Rep. John Katko, promising to make Novembers election about President Donald Trump, healthcare and the Republican response to the coronavirus pandemic. Balter rallied with supporters Friday, a day after her Democratic primary opponent, Francis Conole, conceded Tuesdays election. Conole endorsed Balter and urged Democrats to unite. Balter launched her second bid to unseat Katko only hours after the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the Affordable Care Act, the landmark health law that provides insurance coverage to about 23 million Americans. Were facing a pandemic, the worst public health crisis in 100 years and John Katko and Donald Trump are trying to take healthcare away from people, Balter said in an interview. Its not only absurd, but its immoral. Katko has supported repealing the Affordable Care Act, but only if Republicans replace it with a viable alternative and keep a ban on insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. He voted against a GOP repeal bill in 2017. Balter, of Syracuse, lost to Katko, R-Camillus, by 5 percentage points in the 2018 election in the 24th Congressional District. Balter said she plans to campaign on many of the same issues this year, but this time promised to find more ways to connect with people in person as long as New York does not reimpose stay-at-home orders during the pandemic. Its about getting to know people in the district even better than I already did, Balter said. In terms of campaign strategy and what I spend my time doing, its going to be more of that. I believe thats how we should do politics. Politics is intensely personal. Its not some abstract partisan exercise. Balter said she will visit voters across the four-county district, speaking in homes, church basements, town hall-style meetings or anywhere people want to talk about their concerns. During the primary campaign, she met virtually with voters in video conferences. She took time off Thursday morning, but said she now plans to campaign daily through Election Day, Nov. 3. Balter said her core message will be the same: Shell fight for affordable health care, an improved economy and ending the influence of money in politics through campaign finance reforms. But shell also point out one big change from the last election: Katko endorsed Trump for president in January, a month after he voted against Trumps impeachment in the House. That decision alone is enough of an indicator that Katko is not the right person to be representing Central New York, Balter said. Katko refused to endorse or vote for Trump in the 2016 presidential election. He also questioned Trumps fitness for office and called for him to drop out of the presidential race in October 2016 over vulgar comments about women. Balter said she will make the case to voters that Trump and Katko are now linked together, supporting the same policies such as the 2017 Republican tax reforms, a goal of repealing the Affordable Care Act, and the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Balter noted that Katko voted against a Democratic House bill (the Heroes Act) that would have provided emergency aid to cash-strapped state and local governments battered during the pandemic. The bill would provide Syracuse with $363 million over two years and Onondaga County would receive about $260 million during the same period. The bill passed the House but has stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate. The local issues and the national leadership are not separate, Balter said. Donald Trump is making us less safe, less prosperous and less healthy. Katko has said he supports providing more coronavirus relief aid to local governments, but he voted against the House bill because Democrats included other initiatives opposed by Republicans. One provision opposed by GOP lawmakers would send federal stimulus checks to undocumented immigrants who paid federal income taxes. Katkos office said he would not agree to an interview Friday because he had to vote in the House of Representatives and spend the afternoon traveling back from Washington to Syracuse. Balter launched her campaign on the same day a top political handicapper in Washington changed his rating on the election from likely Republican to lean Republican. Dave Wasserman of Cook Political Report wrote that the main threat to Katko isnt Balter; its the top of the ticket. President Trump is currently tanking in national polls, and Joe Biden a 1968 Syracuse Law graduate whose first wife was from Skaneateles in the Finger Lakes region is something of a favorite son here. A poll released Thursday from House Majority PAC, a Democratic group with ties to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, showed the race between Balter and Katko is a dead heat. Balter and Katko were tied at 47-47% in the poll of likely voters in the 24th Congressional District conducted by Normington Petts & Associates in early June. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points. The same poll found Joe Biden leads Donald Trump 56-40% in the district, and 66% percent of respondents believe the country is on the wrong track. The 24th Congressional District spans all of Onondaga, Cayuga and Wayne counties, and the western half of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton. MORE ON 2020 NY PRIMARY ELECTION Election Day 2020: NY primary voting results for Central New York Francis Conole concedes to Dana Balter Democratic congressional primary records highest vote total in 38 years Joe Biden finishes night with big lead in CNY presidential primary vote Republicans bet $5.5M on Tenney, making race against Brindisi one of nations hottest Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Seriously? #DefundTheABC has been trending on Twitter this week, in the aftermath of the government budget cuts, a sign that the madness of Trumpism attack the quality media and dumb things down so the mob will believe anything is further taking hold in our own brown and pleasant land. The broad theme of the defund the ABC movement is that we the people get nothing for our money. Seriously! To reprise a theme, the truth is that never has the ABC proved its value more than during the last two crises of the bushfires and The Plague where for Australians across the country it was the most trusted source for up-to-date and frequently life-saving information. Under attack: The ABC in Sydney on Wednesday. Credit:Steven Siewert And to re-reprise another theme, you only need to look to Four Corners, for value. It costs about $5 million a year. Since 2016, its stories have seen royal commissions called for everything from youth detention practices in the Northern Territory, to water theft in the Murray Darling Basin, to the rapacious behaviour of the big banks, to the appalling treatment of the elderly in aged care, all while the likes of Louise Milligan was doing her ground-breaking work on George Arthur Pell, which helped changed the approach of an entire church towards its victims. You get the drift. Can I invite critics of the ABC, particularly you commentators, to compare the value of your work to its? Right now, frail and elderly people all around Australia in nursing homes are being treated better than they would have been simply because of Four Corners, just as Australians are being treated better by the banks, the Murray and Darling are flowing a little freer than they otherwise would have . . . children lie safer in their beds, sexual abuse victims are better compensated and so forth. All for $5 million a year! And your own contribution, beyond whipping up the mob, is what? For Immediate Release Chicago, IL June 26, 2020 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Verizon Communications VZ, Lockheed Martin LMT, American Express AXP, Boeing BA and Micron Technology MU. Here are highlights from Thursdays Analyst Blog: Top Analyst Reports for Verizon, Lockheed Martin and American Express The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Verizon Communications, Lockheed Martin and American Express. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today. You can see all of todays research reports here >>> Verizons shares have underperformed the Zacks Wireless National industrys over the past year (-5.3% vs. -1.4%). The Zacks analyst believes that the companys focus on online content delivery, mobile video and online advertising should stoke growth. Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network build-up is likely to accelerate a 5G rollout. Despite crisis stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, Verizon started 2020 on a positive note primarily owing to the wireless business. It is also changing revenue mix toward newer growth services like cloud, security and professional services. However, Verizon continues to struggle in a competitive U.S. wireless market with muted demand and tweaked 2020 guidance amid the coronavirus-led turmoil. The company's wireline division is struggling with losses in access lines due to competitive pressure from VoIP service providers. Also, Verizon is spending heavily on promotion and lucrative discounts to woo customers, which further erodes profitability. Story continues (You can read the full research report on Verizon here >>> ) Shares of Lockheed Martin have lost -8.9% over the past six months against the Zacks Aerospace Defense industrys fall of -31.6%. The Zacks analyst believes that Lockheed Martin faces intense global competition for its broad portfolio of products and services. Furthermore, forced cost reduction initiatives for the F-35 program might hamper its operating results. Lockheed Martin enjoys strong demand for its high-end military equipment in domestic and international markets, being the world's largest defense contractor. Expansionary budgetary provisions made by the current U.S. administration will immensely boost this defense prime's business. It continues to be a strong cash generator. Furthermore, forced cost reduction initiatives for the F-35 program might hamper its operating results. America and Turkey's tiff on the latter accepting Russian products may hurt Lockheeds component supply from Turkey. It is also facing performance issues in relation to some of its products, which in turn may hurt its results. (You can read the full research report on Lockheed Martin here >>> ) American Express shares have gained +3.3% over the past three months against the Zacks Financial Miscellaneous Services industrys rise of +12.8%. The Zacks analyst believes that American Express strategic initiatives will help it in achieving growth and recover from the current weak market environment. A decline in marketing expenses and card member service is likely to aid margins. The companys investment grade rating along with a stable outlook places it in a favorable position to secure funding at reasonable costs and keep intact its borrowing capacity. Nevertheless, maintenance of sufficient level of capital will provide flexibility to support future business growth. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, American Express is persistently witnessing weakness in spending volumes, which is likely to hurt its full-year operating performance. Drained profitability might continue given the adverse operating scenario. (You can read the full research report on American Express here >>> ) Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Boeing and Micron Technology. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >> Join us on Facbook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Boeing Company (BA) : Free Stock Analysis Report American Express Company (AXP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research China in Focus (June 26): Unusual Weather Phenomena Plague China Unusual natural phenomena seem to be appearing more and more in China. A gigantic tornado hit Inner Mongolia in northern China. Some netizens on social media likened the storm to a scene from a science fiction film. In a practice beginning last year, Chinese authorities demolished farmers homes to create more profitable projects. We hear from one such farmer who forcefully lost her home. The FBI says investigations with CCP ties are way up since a decade ago. Over 2,000 cases are currently being investigated. And the United States and the European Union are in talks regarding the Chinese regimes threat to the West. Mike Pompeo points out its an issue between the CCP and the world. Subscribe to our Youtube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. The Congress also alleged that the Modi government failed to protect the borders of the country. Mumbai: The Maharashtra Congress on Friday said that the party would organise a state-wide protest on June 29 against rising fuel prices. Owing to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, other countries in the world are working towards restoring the plunging economy but the Modi government has levied additional taxes, said state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. The Congress also alleged that the Modi government failed to protect the borders of the country. Thorat said, The Modi government failed to rebut China. The face-off at the border reflects that the countrys foreign policy has failed. The previous government stopped the Chinese army at the border but today the situation is different, the Modi government failed to protect the Countrys border. Referring to the satellite image of Galwan Valley, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that China's incursion is a matter of grave concern. Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement that China has not infiltrated the Indian soil is helping the Chinese government to prove the troops did not enter the Indian Territory. Chavan said that however, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) tried to justify it, but that was not enough. "The government should come out with a clarification on the statement made by the Prime Minister. Modi is expected to be more responsible while speaking on such a serious issue," added Chavan. The first thing Andrew Priliszh wanted to do when he left the hospital was have a T-bone steak. Fortunately, he now has that opportunity. Priliszh, a coronavirus patient, was discharged Tuesday from St. Lukes Hospital in Phillipsburg after a 75-day stay, including 54 days on a ventilator, St. Lukes said in a news release. New Jersey was reaching its peak in coronavirus cases at the beginning of April when the 64-year-old was admitted to the hospital. The former corrections officer contracted the virus at a nursing home. He has multiple pre-existing conditions that put him at a high risk for complications from a COVID-19 infection. In addition to those conditions and contracting the coronavirus, Priliszh also developed kidney failure while he was in the hospital, which required dialysis. Plus, due to be on a ventilator for so long, he had to have a tracheostomy, according to St. Lukes. In short, hes been through the ringer and is coming out on the other side. He received just about every intervention you can think of to treat the COVID-19 infection, including plasma donation, said his physician, Dr. Eugene Decker. Decker and Priliszh both credit the nursing and other hospital staff for providing excellent care to the Rahway resident, including giving him haircuts when needed. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Lehighvalleylive.com. Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com. Batman trilogy gets Thai revival It has been a huge week of news for fans of DCs most famous Caped Crusader, Batman. While the COVID pandemic has all but stalled the world of comic book movies in cinemas, this week DC decided it was time to shine the Bat signal into the night sky in order to shed a little light on what fans of Batman may have in store for them over the next couple of years and there was some very special news for Thailand as well. Saturday 27 June 2020, 11:00AM The epic Batman trilogy as created under the direction of Christopher Nolan is being played in cinemas across Thailand. Image: IMDB First the worldwide news and something that came completely out of left-field Michael Keaton is returning to the role of Bruce Wayne. Take note that we said Bruce Wayne and not Batman because despite what some headlines have led people to believe Keaton is not likely to be pulling on the Bat-suit on one more time. Keaton, now aged 68, previously played Batman in the highly regarded Batman and Batman Returns way back in 1989 and 1992. This week it was announced he was returning to the role in the brand-new DC film The Flash. But it is here where a little bit of explaining needs to be done. DC plan on using a comic book arc titled Flashpoint to tell the story of Barry Allen the man behind The Flash. In doing so he will cross paths with Gotham Citys favourite son, Bruce Wayne. And it is here that DC have decided Keaton would be the perfect fit. The only question left to answer is whether he will be playing the same Bruce Wayne he played in the Tim Burton films and whether it will be purely a tongue-in-cheek nod to them. Of course hearing the news about Michael Keaton returning to the Batman universe while Robert Pattinson is currently the man driving the batmobile in the eagerly anticipated new film The Bat has once again got fans of the comic book hero once again debating which actor has played the best version of the loved character over the years the good news is that any fan in Thailand will this week get a refresher course of Christian Bales time in the suit with SF Cinema announcing that they are bringing Christopher Nolans Dark Knight Trilogy back to the big screen. What Nolan did with his entries into the Batman universe were completely unprecedented. Many scoffed when he announced Christian Bale would play Batman. At the time Bale was more known for edgy roles like that of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho or for appearing in heavily criticised films like Reign Of Fire. When Bale first appeared on the screen in Batman Begins many were ready to write him off. What they saw changed their minds though, Nolan took the Batman character into the darkness that the comics relished, but that Burton had only briefly touched on in his films. In a dark, new world and playing a more aggressive and mentally-scarred Batman, Christian Bale was in his absolute element. Of course other actors also relished their chance to appear in Nolans Batman universe as well. Australian actor Heath Ledger embraced the opportunity to play one of cinemas darkest roles, The Joker. Under the expert hand of Nolan, Ledger took the role of the laughing psychopath to all new levels of darkness in a performance that wowed Hollywood to the point that it earned him an Oscar only months after his untimely death. And while The Dark Knight Returns is often referred to as the weakest of the Nolan trilogy films it did give the audience a chance to see Tom Hardy deliver a break-out performance as he brought tough-man Bane to the big screen. And of course as far as closures go The Dark Knight Returns does work, although I think all Batman fans wished they could have seen where Joseph Gordon-Levitts character ended up. For Batman fans in Thailand this is a rare opportunity to see one of the finest movie franchises ever created return to the big screen yes, this is an event that no comic book fan should miss this week. David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. Everybodys working for the weekend. The New York City budget for fiscal year 2021 is due before midnight on Wednesday, July 1. And since Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council have yet to reach an agreement, discussions are scheduled to continue on Saturday without any in-person meetings of course, because of the coronavirus pandemic. We have to keep negotiating, because we are not where we need to be at this moment, Council Speaker Corey Johnson said at a Thursday press conference. That held true as of Friday evening. We are still far apart, a source close to the negotiations told City & State. Little bit closer but still far apart as of now. The source said a deal was unlikely this weekend unless the mayor caves as discussions within the City Council continued on Friday. Its hard to overstate the difficulty of setting this years budget. The economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic prompted de Blasio in April to propose slashing the upcoming budget by $6 billion. After spending $97.4 billion in the past 12 months, the city is planning to spend a significantly reduced $89.3 billion in the next 12 and maybe even less. A more recent May forecast of dwindling revenue suggests that de Blasio may have to reduce spending by another $1.5 billion. From how much to slash funding for the police, to a fight over whether the city should take on billions of dollars in debt, here are some of the biggest sticking points as the de Blasio administration and the City Council continue to negotiate the budget. Defunding the NYPD budget In the wake of nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism, a popular call emerged: Defund the police. That demand has taken many forms in the city, but the most prominent is a proposed cut of at least $1 billion to the New York City Police Department budget and redistributing the savings to social services. The NYPDs fiscal year 2020 expense budget was $5.6 billion, so $1 billion less would be major reducing spending by nearly one-fifth. By comparison, the citys total expense budget is expected to be reduced by somewhere around 4%. Budget watchdogs have been calling for a reduction to the NYPDs budget for years, but this year Johnson and other City Council leaders are on board. They released a statement June 12, following two weeks of protests, saying that the NYPD budget can and should be reduced by $1 billion. De Blasio has agreed that the NYPDs budget will be cut, but rejected the $1 billion figure, echoing concerns from within the NYPD that such a reduction could cause the crime rate to spike. However, theres little evidence nationally that increased spending on police leads to a decrease in crime. Still, de Blasio on Friday promised something very, very substantial without specifying how much exactly would be cut. Meanwhile, the $1 billion-or-more demand has gone mainstream. And hundreds of activists have camped outside City Hall in an Occupy Wall Street-style protest to maintain pressure on city officials, ensuring that the final dollar figure will be closely watched. Reinvesting in social services Budget cuts are inevitable, but exactly where the money gets cut is a matter of debate with every budget. On Thursday, Johnson highlighted his concerns with de Blasios proposal, saying it decimates youth programs and reduces school spending in ways that affect classrooms instead of reducing bureaucracy at the Department of Education. Given the way the coronavirus shut down schools and closed many workplaces, youth programs seemed like an obvious place for cuts. But the reaction, particularly from groups that normally receive the funds, was swift and critical, and Johnson seems to have heard them. We dont believe the answer is this moment is the status quo on police funding while decimating social services and the social safety net and education, he said on Thursday. Every year, the council makes a push for more funding for the Summer Youth Employment Program, which pays employers to hire teenagers for the summer. De Blasio had originally proposed cutting it entirely, saving the city $124 million. But advocates extoll its benefits, including in reducing crime by keeping young people busy, and this year its budget line will be as closely watched as ever. So too will the discretionary funding allocated to City Council members that usually goes toward neighborhood nonprofits. De Blasios office has put those allocations on the chopping block, and council members are furious. Its hard to negotiate with someone who is willing to not fund services for (domestic violence) survivors, Holocaust survivors, food for seniors (and) elder abuse services, New York City Council Member Helen Rosenthal told City & State Friday. With the mayor unwilling to respect the programs that the council funds, he makes it difficult to move forward. Borrowing for expenses When de Blasio originally floated the idea of asking the state Legislature for authority to borrow $7 billion to balance the city budget, it was roundly rejected by Johnson and the Council, not to mention Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Now as the citys budget deadline approaches, de Blasio has revised his request, saying he would just borrow $3 billion for this upcoming fiscal year and $2 billion for the next. And Johnson has warmed up to the idea, especially if it means he wont have to make as many spending cuts. I am open to a responsible borrowing plan, Johnson said on Thursday. But the borrowing wouldnt happen immediately it would just be a backup option if the federal government fails to deliver aid for local governments spending heavily on the coronavirus response. Maybe that will come, de Blasio said on Friday of the federal funding. But we need the fallback of borrowing. Job cuts De Blasio has gradually come around to the idea in the last few months. There was no mention of job cuts in his April executive budget. Then he raised the possibility of furloughs in May. Now its June, and de Blasio is saying that 22,000 city workers may have to be laid off. The mayors critics say its a gambit. If job losses are on the table, then preventing those takes priority over anything else, like funding for social services. The City Councils Progressive Caucus released a statement Friday saying its members reject de Blasios negotiation tactic of threatening to lay off 22,000 city employees and to cut essential discretionary-funded programs as the budget deadline approaches. But de Blasio didnt back down on Friday. We have not seen city layoffs of that level since the 1970s fiscal crisis, he said. I hope we never see them, but right now we have to fill that budget gap. The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended the district probation officer and the officiating superintendent of a shelter home in Kanpur where 57 inmates, including five pregnant girls, had tested positive for COVID-19 last week, a senior official said on Saturday. District probation officer Ajit Kumar and officiating superintendent Mithlesh Pal have been charged for not following the state government's coronavirus guidelines and failing to take care of the inmates, Director Women Welfare Manoj Kumar Rai said. Both have been accused of not properly discharging their duties and tarnishing the image of the department, Rai said, adding that they also failed to promptly correct the misleading reports being circulated on TV, print and social media regarding the shelter home. On June 21, 57 girls of the government shelter home in Swarup Nagar in Kanpur were found COVID-19 positive, following which they were admitted to hospital, while 114 others were shifted elsewhere for quarantine, Rai said. The authorities had lodged a case against unknown people for misleading public by claiming that two of the infected girls had HIV and hepatitis. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had also attacked the BJP government over the inmates of the shelter home testing positive for the disease. She had equated the incident with the Muzaffarpur shelter home case in Bihar where cases of alleged sexual abuse were reported. The Kanpur district administration had clarified that five of the 57 girls who tested positive for coronavirus had come to the shelter home when they were already pregnant. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Municipality have signed a service-level agreement providing for enhanced co-operation in the geospatial infrastructure of Dubai. The step is part of efforts to speed up cooperation between government departments to realise Dubai Plan 2021, which envisions an integrated development model that spans all aspects, especially infrastructure, roads and public transport fields, said a statement from RTA. The agreement calls for exchanging experiences, information and resources to develop a comprehensive, unified and updated base map for Dubai. Such a map will serve as an effective tool for planning, designing and managing development projects, it stated. "It paves the way for an integrated corporate effort to step up cooperation without overlapping of the respective roles and responsibilities. It will translate into better services, and bigger roles in serving the public interest," remarked Mohammed Ali Al Awadhi, the Director of Information Technology at RTA Corporate Technology Support Services Sector, after inking the deal with Mariam Obaid Al Muhairi, Director of GIS Centre at Dubai Municipality. Al Awadhi hailed the signing of the agreement and commended the municipal services provided to government entities, including the RTA, and support of the municipality to the business community in Dubai. According to its establishing Law (6) for the year 2001, the Geographic Information Systems Centre at the municipality is a single official source for basic and detailed geographic data and information, including urban planning, building legislation, addressing, road network, services, the 3D digital model, and aerial photos. The centre aims to provide a digital twin for Dubai, a digital replica of Dubai in the form of 2D and 3D maps of all assets, landmarks and facilities ranging from master plans to interior details of buildings. It also covers other landmarks such as roads, trees, bridges, green spaces and utility lines as well as details of residential units. This digital version provides information necessary for planning and managing the city and supports the effective delivery of smart services, especially when enhanced with the Internet of Things and linked with real-time information. "Geospatial data and maps are crucial for decision-making and achieving business related to urban planning, infrastructure, roads, transportation, quality of life, security, and health," remarked Al Muhairi. "Overall, it contributes to offering smart services, enhancing economic growth, envisioning the future, besides boosting international competitiveness and leadership," he added.-TradeArabia News Service ALBANY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday issued an order that will close a loophole which made employers responsible to pay the salaries of workers who are in mandatory 14-day quarantine if they left the state for non-essential purposes, including taking a vacation. The governor's order was issued two days after the Times Union reported the loophole that was created when Cuomo issued an executive order requiring anyone who enters New York after visiting states with high rates of coronavirus to self-quarantine. The issue arose due to an earlier executive order he issued mandating employers pay their workers if they are in a required quarantine. "Gaming the system and playing Russian roulette with their health is not how New Yorkers have been acting throughout this pandemic, but this will give employers piece of mind and as a reminder, everyone should continue to be smart, wear a mask and wash your hands," said Cuomo senior advisor Richard Azzopardi. The Business Council of New York State, which had been researching the fallout of the issue and had been receiving questions from its members about the quarantine order, said it was appropriate for the governor to fix the defect. "We felt it was a common sense approach and we appreciate the governor's office including this in the executive order," said Patrick Bailey, a spokesman for the Business Council. Many other governors have imposed similar mandatory quarantines for people visiting or returning to their states, but New York's order imposes hefty civil penalties up to $10,000 for anyone who violates the requirement. Other states have made the orders "advisory." In order for someone to face penalty in New York, Public Health Law requires that they first be notified by a local health department official that they are subject to quarantine and being ordered to isolate themselves or their family. Cuomo announced the guidelines Wednesday during a news conference with Govs. Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Ned Lamont of Connecticut, who also enacted similar advisories. The states that are currently flagged as high-risk are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, which all are experiencing upticks in coronavirus cases. The White House on Friday said that roughly half the new cases are infections in people 35 and under and that fatalities continue to drop across the country. There is no timetable for New York's quarantine requirement and Cuomo imposed it at a time when tens of thousands of people are beginning to embark on summer vacations, including to locations that include the Carolinas and Florida. States are included in the advisory if 10 per 100,000 residents or 10 percent of the total population tests positive on a seven-day rolling average. Although the governor said there would be "random checks" to enforce the quarantine, he hasn't said how those would be done or whether police would use checkpoints to question travelers. He also indicated that the state although it's unclear how would be able to access the travel itineraries and monitor people flying into New York airports. A long list of so-called essential jobs, which includes professions ranging from grocery store workers to surgeons, are exempt from the quarantine if they are traveling to or from high-risk states for work purposes. But those workers are required to wear masks, maintain separation and be tested for coronavirus. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara County, called Cuomo's quarantine order "draconian." "New Yorkers and businesses have suffered enough, and the governors vindictive, hypocritical move against other states and on New Yorkers liberties does not help us move forward," Ortt said. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Cuomo said enforcement may rely on the public reporting violators. "It's not impossible to enforce. States all across the country have been doing this for months, (for) New Yorkers who would go to their state," Cuomo said. "It is hard to get 100 percent enforcement. You can't track down everyone who comes from these states, but that's not what enforcement is either. You never enforce every law 100 percent." Several states had issued similar guidance for New Yorkers in late March and early April when the state's numbers were the worst in the nation. In March, Florida and Texas began requiring New Yorkers to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving; the Florida order is still in effect. On March 28, Cuomo criticized Rhode Island for setting up border checkpoints and stopping vehicles with New York license plates to question drivers about their travel plans, and to remind them to quarantine if necessary. "I don't think that's legal," Cuomo had said. "If they don't roll back that policy, I'm going to sue Rhode Island, because that clearly is unconstitutional." In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Cuomo said New York will not set up a "blockade" but offered no detail on how the quarantine will be enforced. The law is if you come in from another state you have to self-quarantine for 14 days," he said. "If you don't, and you get caught, you will have violated the law. You can be fined. ... But if you fly into New York, we'll have your name, we'll know where you're supposed to be staying, there will be random checks." The state Health Department provided some guidance on its website early Thursday that laid out rules for someone returning to New York, including mandating that they remain in "separate quarters with a separate bathroom facility for each individual or family group." If it is a single family member who is quarantined, though, then the person must remain isolated from other members of the household and have food delivered to them. Someone who passes through a high-risk state, and may visit a few rest areas along the way or have a layover at an airport, they are not required to self-quarantine upon entering New York. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 06:32 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406620a84e 1 National Southeast-Sulawesi,nickel-smelter,Manpower-Ministry,Chinese-workers Free The central government has defended the employment of some 500 Chinese workers to work on nickel smelter projects in South Konawe regency, Southeast Sulawesi, following protests staged by residents arguing that many domestic workers had been laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic. Manpower Minister Ida Fauziyah said the employment of foreign workers was only allowed for national strategic projects (PSN) requiring technologies that local workers had yet to master. "There are indeed national strategic projects that require workers in certain positions that cannot yet be filled by Indonesian workers," Ida told reporters on Friday. "There will, however, be a transfer of knowledge and the employment [of foreign workers] will be limited [in time]. Once the knowledge has been transferred, they will go back to their country and the projects will be fully carried out by domestic workers." she continued, adding that local workers would be assigned to accompany the foreign ones. In February, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) announced 41 national strategic projects planned for the next four years, ranging from revamping 10 "priority" tourist destinations to establishing the country's new capital city in Kalimantan. Ida pointed out that employing foreign workers for strategic plans, and allowing their entry into Indonesia, was an exception permitted by Law and Human Right Ministerial Regulation No. 11/2020, which regulates temporary prohibition of foreigners visiting the country amid the pandemic. Under the regulation, the foreign workers would have to follow strict health protocols, including a 14-day quarantine in their home country and an additional 14-day quarantine in Indonesia. Read also: Governor allows 500 Chinese workers to enter Southeast Sulawesi after previous refusal Ida argued that allowing foreign employment would eventually result in more jobs for local workers after they learned to use the technology used in the projects. "We felt the need to open [foreign employment] since we saw severe layoffs [due to pandemic]." As of May 27, more than 1.79 million people had lost their jobs as many nonessential businesses shut down to comply with COVID-19 restrictions, according to data from the Manpower Ministry. Bappenas predicted that some 5.5 million people may lose their jobs this year, possibly pushing the unemployment rate to between 8.1 and 9.2 percent, up from 5.28 percent last year. On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters, including a Southeast Sulawesi Legislative Council (DPRD) member, marched near Haluoleo Airport in South Konawe to voice their rejection of the arrival of 152 workers from China. Around 348 more Chinese workers are expected to come soon. The protesters rejected the foreign workers as they argued that many South Sulawesi residents were still out of a job. "We should not be guests in our own country, many local workers want to work, but there are a lot of requirements. There are so many excuses. Just say you don't want to give us jobs," councilor Sudirman said during the protest as quoted by kompas.com. Read also: Police slammed for arresting producer of video showing 49 Chinese workers arriving in Kendari The Chinese workers were hired by Chinese-backed mining company PT Virtue Dragon Nickel Industry (VDNI) and PT Obsidian Stainless Steel (OSS) to install 33 pieces of smelter equipment belonging to PT OSS in the province. The VDNI management said they were "experts" who had acquired the Foreign Workers Use Plan (RPTKA) from the Manpower Ministry. When Led Zeppelin released its third album in 1970, many critics and fans didnt know what to make of it. After setting a new standard for heavy blues-rock on their first two albums, Jimmy Page and his bandmates let everyone they wouldnt sit pat. And Led Zeppelin III felt like a change of course. In short, while Zep had Thank You and Your Time Is Gonna Come on previous releases, the group genuinely surprised people with the all-acoustic side 2 of its third record. However, to call Led Zeppelin III an acoustic album doesnt make much sense. After all, the band had two of its heaviest songs on the first side. Out on the Tiles, a track that began as a John Bonham drinking song, can hardly be played without listeners doing some headbanging (a word that have been coined to describe the actions of Zeppelin fans). Meanwhile, there was an equally potent track kicking off Led Zeppelin III: Immigrant Song. When planning the albums sequence in his producer role, Page decided Immigrant Song had to be the opener. Jimmy Page thought the intensity of Immigrant Song made it a natural opener September 1970: Led Zeppelin wins the Best British Group award at the Melody Maker Pop Polls today at the Savoy Hotel. | Ian Showell/Keystone/Getty Images RELATED: Jimmy Page Didnt Sleep for 5 Days During Led Zeppelins Song Remains the Same Concerts Page saw Zep as a mix of different musical styles, and he intended for Led Zeppelin III to emphasize that. Speaking with The Guardian in 2014, Page looked back at how critics missed the point. Wheres Whole Lotta Love?' he recalled them wondering. Well, thats on the second album, thank you very much. Were moving on. In retrospect, it does seem odd that the often-explosive first side got lost in the shuffle. Page planned for it to be a contrast to side 2. It felt right for the album to have a rocky side and a folky side, he said. And in terms of hard-hitting numbers he saw Immigrant Song as the clear fire-starter. The rocky side clearly had to start with Immigrant Song,' Page told The Guardian. That hypnotic riff and Robert [Plant]s bloodcurdling scream. I thought, Thats the way to open an album.' Listening to to the track, its impossible to doubt Pages methods. It kicks off with the sound of pulsing echo feedback and a count-in by Bonham. Then Page and Bonham come crashing into the mix. Between Pages riff and and the sustained ring of Bonhams cymbal, its a genuine musical explosion. But its only the start. Immigrant Song became a recurring opening statement for Led Zeppelin Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin perform onstage on March 11, 1970 in Germany. | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images After the opening bars of Immigrant Song, Plant enters the mix with a soaring battle cry. And off they go, with Page adding another guitar before John Paul Jones arrives with a meaty bass part. (When people say Zep invented heavy metal, theyre talking about songs like this one.) When Zep gets to the chorus, theres no mistaking that this track is something of a manifesto. On we sweep with threshing oar, Plant sings with raw power. Our only goal will be the western shore. Zep built its reputation touring America, so you can certainly interpret those lines in that context. As for the place of Immigrant Song in the Zeppelin repertoire, the band made it clear from the start that it was something of a signature song. On tours supporting Led Zeppelin III, the group would open shows with it. Later on, sitting together at the front of the stage, Zep would delve into its acoustic catalog. Its what Page meant by light and shade. RELATED: The Led Zeppelin Album Robert Plant Called a Cry From the Depths Hotel Business News and Analytics Important! This article is written by orangesmile.com editors and is protected by copyright law. The article can only be re-used with a direct link to www.orangesmile.com NEWS BLOCKS: Saudi Arabia Limits Hajj and Dubai Welcomes Tourists The coronavirus pandemic has ruined many plans this year, and the annual Hajj pilgrimage is no exception. Every year, hotels in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, welcome Muslim guests from all over the world who come to perform the Haj. However, this year is different. For the first time in the modern history of Saudi Arabia, the country doesnt allow Muslim pilgrims outside the kingdom to enter it. To control the spread of the virus, it was decided to limit the number of pilgrims this year. Saudi Arabias hajj ministry announced that only people who are already in the country will be allowed to perform the ritual. Without a doubt, this is a heavy burden for Mecca hotels, many of which are targeted at pilgrims. In 2019, as many as 2.5 million pilgrims visited the holy city. This year, the hajj will start at the end of July. Every Muslim is obliged to perform the hajj at least once in their lifetime. The religious sites become very crowded at this time of the year, and this could potentially infect millions of people. That is why Saudi Arabia has made a decision to limit the number of visitors. Moreover, the country currently has a growing number of COVID-19 cases more than 160 thousand, which is the highest result in the Gulf region. Meantime, a neighboring country of Saudi Arabia the United Arab Emirates is ready to reopen its borders and welcome international guests. The country has recently revised its air travel protocols and plans to accept both business and leisure guests starting from July 7. During the past weeks, the country was providing passengers with an opportunity to travel through Dubai. At the moment, there are international flights that connect Dubai to 40 cities. With the adoption of the new safety standards, the country plans to offer new destinations in the nearest future. To let people know that the emirate is ready to accept tourists and Dubai hotels are waiting for new guests, the UAE launched a new advertising program. The Emirates provides free safety kits for both employees and customers. These kits contain masks, hand sanitizers, gloves, and antibacterial wipes. If you want to travel to Dubai this summer, take a look at the travel restrictions published on the official website. According to the rules, all visitors to Dubai must have international insurance that covers Covid-19 illness for the duration of the stay. 27.06.2020Stay 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. Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Ross Beschler, the two actors in Code Blue from the Wilma Theater. Read more Its very much under control, the President said. Its very much under control. Thats what he said. It was one person from China. From Wuhan, China. We have it totally under control. Theres something mesmerizing about the rhythmic speech in Code Blue, the 13-minute piece of theater released Friday by the Wilma Theater. Shot entirely on iPhone in the actors homes during the COVID-19 sequestration, the short drama intercuts the spare, fluid introspection of a frontline hospital worker with the staccato of a Trump supporter railing about the unfair way in which the presidents pandemic response has been portrayed. The piece was conceived for and exists only online, and is available for viewing free on the Wilmas website. I was in a dark place, sweeping. Some room nurses were cleaning another dead body. The darkest part: that we are still able to find casual conversations in the midst of cadavers. Code Blue, directed by Wilma artistic director Blanka Zizka, features Wilma HotHouse Company members Anthony Martinez-Briggs and Ross Beschler. The text, by Martinez-Briggs and Zizka, takes its cue from absurdists like Beckett. I started with just a monologue, with listening to Donald Trump and him really making me mad at the briefings, says Zizka, whose Wilma had its season cut short by the pandemic. She considered how language is used in my home country, Czechoslovakia, that language is used to placate people and spread lies, and that is the use of language I grew up with, that Trump was using, and it made me mad. Yes, people are dying. Thats horrible. Truly sad. Tremendously sad. But why are they blaming him? Why? The President couldnt have predicted it. Zizka says that with the Wilma dark, she turned to video. I was thinking, Alright, we cant be in the room together. I had never done a video before in my life, so it was an experiment. She hopes the Wilma can do more video work. I want to keep it going because I want to support the actors, she said. At the same time, we also need to figure out how we can support these things because we dont have this in the budget. READ MORE: The $4.1 billion question: Whats to become of Philadelphias world-class arts and culture, post-coronavirus? The format, Zizka says, opened up certain tools for dramatic messaging in the piece, whose video and sound were designed by Taj Rauch. For the Trump-fan character, the camera hones in on the mouth and teeth, focusing attention on the slogans and not giving him a full personality. For the frontline hospital worker, shots focus on the eyes, and the idea of introspection and confession. Beschlers Trump fan rants and raves. Martinez-Briggs character ponders how life and love can continue in the time of pandemic, often exploring big questions in poetic form as he goes about his hospital duties. Theres plenty other work within that time. I try to doodle music in my mind. Start a little beat within my head. Something not to focus on the dead. Code Blue is viewable at wilmatheater.org/code-blue. Youll need to register to watch it, and donations are requested. New Delhi, June 27 : Building muscles and having an extraordinary body is quite a common trend in youngsters for which they often take supplements, including anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids are hormones prepared artificially, and resemble male hormones that is testosterone. Testosterone is essential in males for the development of characteristics such as facial and body hair growth, increased height and muscle mass, deepening of voice, and sex drive. Dr. Parul Katiyar, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility shares with IANSlife some pointers on the topic. Steroids, friend or foe? Katiyar: Steroids are used in medicine for the treatment of some medical issues like hormonal imbalance, life threatening allergies, arthritis etc but this should not be confused with the illegal use of anabolic steroids for body building. These anabolic steroids may involve doses 10 to 100 times higher than the normal prescription dose of steroids. Taking anabolic steroids without consulting any medical expert may create havoc in the body in the long run, and result in significant side-effects in males which include impotency, erectile dysfunction and low-sperm count. They also increase the risk of life threatening heart attack and stroke. Not only males, these steroids affect female reproductive systems too. The usage of these steroids increases the risk of pregnancy-related issues including ability to conceive. They also create an imbalance in the menstrual cycle, making them prone to excessive unwanted body hair, decreased breast size and deepening of the voice. How anabolic steroids can affect male fertility? Katiyar: Normally the brain sends signals to the testis to produce the male hormone, testosterone and sperms but with the intake of synthetic testosterone (anabolic steroids), the brain senses its high level in the body and stops the signals that are needed to stimulate the testis for natural production of testosterone as well as sperms, thus leading to low and in some cases even zero sperm count.This leads to male infertility. In many cases, the sperm production recovers in 3 to 12 months after the man stops taking the drug but sometimes the impact is so severe that there is a total loss of sperm production capability in the male and infertility is irreversible even after stopping the steroids. Research has also concluded that anabolic steroid can cause structural damage to the sperm cells, which in turn can lead to abnormalities in the fetus. The damage in the male fertility is linked to the drugs(s), dose(s), and duration of steroids. Men who wish to father children must consult their doctor before starting any new supplement for body building. Managing infertility? Katiyar: Men, who are undergoing fertility issues because of the steroid abuse, should consult a fertility expert so that they can suggest the tests and treatment to help overcome the problem. The most important test to gauge male infertility is the semen analysis which gives information about the count and quality of sperms. Based on the result the doctor can also prescribe medications to reverse the effect of anabolic steroids. In case this is not possible the couple may also need to undergo specialized fertility treatments so that they can fulfill their dream of having children. To conclude, it is important to trigger the young thinking minds regarding the potential side effects of anabolic steroids. These steroids may promise stronger and muscular bodies in a short span but lead to infertility and other complications in the longer run. (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text 'Challenge grant lauches for Educating Children of Color Nunn Construction in Colorado Springs has launched a Gratitude Challenge Grant and will match donations to Educating Children of Color up to $5,000 until Aug. 1. The nonprofit Educating Children of Color seeks to dismantle the cradle-to-prison pipeline for children of color and children in poverty through education. An annual summit in January draws more than 1,000 local high school students, teachers and other education supporters. The organization also awards college scholarships to students. Instead of only putting out a statement regarding our support of Black Lives Matter, we wanted to take action to fund and advocate for a local organization that is working towards a better tomorrow in regards to bias, racism and equity in the Colorado Springs community, said Andrea Slattery, business development director at Nunn Construction. Educating Children of Color works to engage and empower youth, as well as working with adults to understand and overcome personal bias. To donate, go to https://educatingchildrenofcolor.org/ and click on donate. Nunn Construction is providing other challenge grants. For more information, go to https://www.nunnconstruction.com/grateful/. Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) - Burundi has recorded 26 new coronavirus infections bringing to 170 the number of sufferers, with 115 cured and one death since the appearance of the first cases in late March, according to a press release issued by the health ministry on Saturday By Express News Service KOLKATA: Fearing Covid-19 infection, BJP leader Mukul Roy has decided not to visit the party's state headquarters on central Kolkatas CR Avenue where hundreds of party workers turn up every day. There are murmurs in BJP circles that he took the decision after he found himself not in the list of the partys office-bearers after the recent rejig in the Bengal unit. Roy decided to set up an office in Salt Lake city from where he will chalk out his "game plan" aiming crucial 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal, sources in the BJP said. Though the former second-in-command in Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress cited his fear of being infected by the coronavirus is the only reason, insiders in the party said Roy was keen to be placed in the state committee or partys other morchas (wings) and given certain responsibilities. He also expressed his desire to BJPs West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya for being inducted in Narendra Modis cabinet. Several turncoats were included either in the partys West Bengal state committee and or as heads of its morchas in the recent restructuring. Roys face has been off the screen at a time when BJPs state president Dilip Ghosh holds regular briefing addressing media to sharpen attack on Mamata Banerjee on recent issues such as her governments alleged failure to combat Covid-19 infection in the state and corruption among her party workers that are depriving real affected people in cyclone Amphan ravaged areas. Last time he was seen giving a speech in a virtual rally on June 9 in which Union Home minister Amit Shah had slammed Mamata Banerjee and her government. BJP sources said Roy had flown to Delhi and met the partys central leadership, including Amit Shah, on two occasions this month. "He expressed his present status of no work to do in the partys regular activities in West Bengal. He clearly told the central leadership that he was keen to share a berth in Modis cabinet or bear responsibilities of the organisation in West Bengal. We learnt that Shah told Roy that he would have to play a key role in the Bengals assembly elections," said a BJP leader in Bengal. Referring to his Delhi visit and meeting Shah, Roy said the discussion revolved around 2021 assembly elections in the state and election strategy for Bengal was the focal point of the discussion. Admitting his decision not to visit the party headquarters, Roy said, "Many people visit the place every day. This why I have decided to work from my Salt Lake office because the election is approaching and we will have to gear up for it." I havent gone that far yet, though Im not alone in noticing my schedule has been upended. Wrote Pallavi, whos been living in Japan and is relocating to Spain with her husband and two boys: Personally, I like to mix it up and ever since school closures and work-from-home have been showering in the afternoon, after lunch. South African Clothing retailer, Mr Price Group ltd announced plans to close shop in Nigeria and focus more on its domestic South African market. The Company already closed four of its five stores in Nigeria and will close the last one in the coming months. Nigeria will be the 3rd Country After Australia and Poland the retailer will exit this year. Mr Price joins the list of South African retailers to experience the difficult terrain of Nigerian Busines Climate. Most issues usually erupt from supply chain areas and profit repatriation. Woolworths Holdings, a seller of luxury fashion quit Nigeria 7 years ago while ShopRite Holdings has hinted on closing some stores in Nigeria. We are really going to focus on South Africa in a more concentrated way CFO Mark Stirton says. The company also expects its South African competitors to face distress back home. The retailer says it wont announce dividend in a bid to concerve cash and recently announced plans to sell shares to finance further growth opportunities. More than 100 cruise ships in US waters suffered COVID-19 outbreaks and almost 3,000 passengers and crew were infected with the virus, new data reveals. The shock figures were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by The New York Times, who published a detailed report Saturday as to how the coronavirus has roiled the cruise industry. Back in March, many cruise ships became COVID-19 hotbeds, with guests coming from all corners of the planet and packing together in close quarters, allowing the virus to spread. Of the 121 cruise ships that entered US waters after March 1, only 15 did not have any COVID-19 cases on board, according to the CDC. More than 100 cruise ships in US waters suffered COVID-19 outbreaks and almost 3,000 passengers and crew were infected with the virus, new data reveals. Pictured: Holland America's MS Zaandam arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 2 with infected people on board Rescue workers are pictured standing by the Zaandam ready to help sick passengers and crew off the ship on April 1. The CDC alleges that, of the nearly 3,000 people who became infected on cruise ships that entered US waters, more than 850 were passengers The government organization alleges that of the nearly 3,000 people who became infected on cruise ships that entered US waters, more than 850 were passengers. However, that number has been disputed by cruise line companies who have accused the CDC of an 'overcount'. The CDC number includes 'clinically compatible' cases that were thought to have been COVID-19, but were not confirmed by a lab test. The CDC says Florida-based Carnival Cruises had a whopping 47 ships on which passengers and/or crew became infected with COVID-19. However, Carnival claims only 15 of their cruises had lab-confirmed cases of the virus. Carnival operates nine brands, including Costa Cruises and the Holland America Line. In late March and early April, a number of Carnival ships attempted to dock in the US with sick passengers on board. First responders evacuate sick crew members with flu-like symptoms from two cruise ships, the Costa Favolosa and Costa Magica in Miami on March 26 The situation posed both a logistical nightmare for local governments who were forced to figure out how to disembark thousands of potentially infected passengers without having them come into contact with members of the general public. Leaders also faced the moral dilemma of letting foreign passengers into the country to take up ICU beds that may be needed for locals who became critically ill from COVID-19. On March 26, the world watched as 13 sick crew members from two Costa cruise ships were brought to shore in Miami on a lifeboat by medics clad in hazmat suits. They were rushed to local hospitals for treatment. On March 26, the world watched as 13 sick crew members from two Costa cruise ships were brought to shore in Miami on a lifeboat by medics clad in hazmat suits The situation posed both a logistical nightmare for local governments who were forced to figure out how to disembark thousands of potentially infected passengers without having them come into contact with members of the general public There were dramatic scenes in Fort Lauderdale on April 2 as officials gave cruise ships MS Zaandam and MS Rotterdam permission to port, and sick passengers were rushed to hospital Less than a week later, on April 2, there were dramatic scenes in Fort Lauderdale as officials gave cruise ships MS Zaandam and MS Rotterdam permission to port. Critically-ill passengers were rushed off the coronavirus-stricken cruise ships, which finally docked in Florida after being turned away by 14 other countries. Four passengers on the MS Zaandam died during the cruise. According to Saturday's report in The New York Times, a least 80 people died on cruise ships from COVID-19 worldwide. Meanwhile, thousands of crew members were forced to stay on board their vessels even after guests had departed. Stranded American crew from multiple ships gave interviews to TV stations and shared photos on social media pleading to get off the vessels. While many have now made it to port, there are still 68 ships at sea with 21,506 crew members on board in the US jurisdiction alone, The New York Times reports. Thousands of crew members were forced to stay on board their vessels even after guests had departed. Stranded American crew from multiple ships gave interviews to TV stations and shared photos on social media pleading to get off the vessels. Melinda Man (left) said she was 'held captive against her will' at sea affter she was blocked from disembarking the MS Oosterdam in Los Angeles back in April The Prairie Doc: Do your part for the person across the table columns We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Three people were arrested and owners of 611 vehicles penalised across Noida and Greater Noida on Friday for alleged violation of curbs imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Gautam Buddh Nagar police said. Also, five vehicles was impounded for similar violations during a 24-hour period till Friday night, the police said, even as curbs imposed nationwide to contain the spread of coronavirus have been eased now. Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 144, which bars assembly of more than four persons, is in force in Gautam Buddh Nagar, whose urban areas fall in the red zone for Covid-19. One FIR was registered and three persons were arrested for violating CrPC 144. A total of 1,809 vehicles were checked across 200 barrier points in the district and challans issued to 611 of them, while another five were impounded, the police said in a statement. The Noida-Delhi border continues to remain sealed for movement except for essential services and people having passes issued by the district administration, the officials said. A federal judge has ordered the release of children from ICE detention centers saying 'there is no more time for half measures', after 2,500 immigrants have tested positive for coronavirus and infections surge across the US. Judge Dolly M. Gee of the US District Court for the Central District of California ruled Friday that migrant children be freed from the three family detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania with 'all deliberate speed' because of the risks of contracting the deadly virus. 'The family residential centers are on fire and there is no more time for half measures,' she wrote in the ruling. The order comes as fears are mounting for the safety of the migrant population after around 2,500 immigrants in ICE detention, including several children, have tested positive for coronavirus to date. This equates to almost 20 percent of all 13,641 people currently detained by the ICE, based on its latest population data for June 20. Immigrant families are seen at ICE South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, in 2019. A federal judge has ordered the release of children from ICE detention centers saying 'there is no more time for half measures', after 2,500 immigrants have tested positive for coronavirus and infections surge across the US Gee ordered that migrant children held in Berks in Pennsylvania, South Texas (Dilley) and Karnes County Family Residential Centers in Texas be released by July 17 after some tested positive for the deadly virus. The ruling, in which Gee blasted the Trump administration for failing to put in place coronavirus precautions at facilities, applies to children who have been held for more than 20 days. The children must either be released along with their parents or to 'available suitable sponsors or other available COVID-free non-congregate settings' with their parents' consent. A total of 124 children, ranging from 1 year old to 17 years old, were living in the centers as of June 8. This marks the first time a court set a specific deadline rather than simply ordering the 'prompt' release of children in family detention if their parents designated a guardian in the US to take custody. Judge Dolly M. Gee of the US District Court for the Central District of California (pictured) ruled Friday that migrant children be freed from the three family detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania with 'all deliberate speed' Peter Schey, counsel for the class of detained children, said many families would choose to send their children to guardians in the US than have them return with them to home countries where they could be 'kidnapped, beaten and killed'. 'Some detained parents facing deportation brought their children to this country to save them from rampant violence in their home countries and would prefer to see their child released to relatives here rather than being deported with the parent to countries where children are routinely kidnapped, beaten and killed,' he said. Concerns have been building that detention centers could be hotbeds for the virus due to the high volumes of people living in cramped conditions. Cases are surging across the US with the number of infections rising by nearly 40,000 on Thursday - marking the largest single-day increase since the pandemic started. Deaths from COVID-19 have now topped 125,000 and states in the South and West - including hard-hit Texas - are hitting record levels of cases and hospitalizations. Fears for the migrant population have been realized, with several cases confirmed at facilities up and down the country. The ICE said it has released around 900 vulnerable people and reduced the number of people in each of its 137 detention facilities to try to limit the risk of outbreaks. At least 11 children and parents at the Karnes City facility have been confirmed to have the virus while an unknown number of migrants at Dilley are awaiting test results after staff members tested positive. Gee's ruling comes one month after House Democratic lawmakers called on the Trump administration to answer to allegations that the ICE was forcing detained families to choose between staying with their children or releasing them. Similar accounts were shared by people across the three family centers. 'The administration must stop using this public health crisis as a means for implementing unlawful and inhumane immigration policies,' the letter from the Democrats read. 'In these extraordinary times, human suffering need not be compounded by locking up families or instilling fear in the hearts of migrant parents.' The ICE denied separating parents from their children 'pursuant to "binary choice"'. Gee oversees compliance with the Flores Settlement Agreement which sets limits on the length of time and conditions under which children can be incarcerated in immigration detention. In September 2018, the Trump Administration sought to end the agreement, including that children must be transferred to a non-secure, licensed facility within three to five days of detention - or up to 20 days in times of emergency - and instead allow children to be detained for longer. Gee blocked the attempts, which are now going through the appeals courts. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 27 (ANI): Shiv Sena on Saturday said that it is time for political parties to forget about their rivalry and speak over the issue of combating China. In an editorial in its mouthpiece, Saamana, Shiv Sena wrote regarding the BJP accusing Congress of getting money from China, "China has started new construction in Galwan valley. Chinese soldiers are coming through Arunachal and Sikkim. Therefore it is time to unite by forgetting the political rivalries, we have to combat China, and speak on this issue." Describing China's policy, Shiv Sena said, "China is constantly taking such steps, which increases India's headache. To say something and do something else is what China's policy is. China does not want war but its policy is to keep India engaged by making war-like situation at the borders." The party said, "China is set to withdraw its troops and vehicles from Galvan Valley. But at the same time, the Chinese army installed new tents in the Depsang sector of Ladakh. Canons and Tanks are deployed. This mean China has opened a new front and it is not ready to move back from our borders. China does not want war but it keeps the threat of war looming on India." (ANI) The body of Willow Dunn (pictured, in 2017) was found inside her crib of the family's home Devastated strangers have come together to mourn the tragic loss of a little girl with Down syndrome as her own father stands accused of her murder. Butterflies were released to honour the memory of Willow Dunn, four, during an emotional public memorial held in Brisbane's Cannon Hill Park on Saturday. The toddler's decomposing body was found inside her crib in her family home last month. Her stepmother and father stand accused of murder after the toddler was allegedly starved to death. Parents whose children also have Down syndrome gathered to celebrate the little girl's life on Saturday morning, holding a memorial in her memory. The event was organised by the city's T21 group - a support network for parents of children with Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21. Total strangers have come together to mourn the tragic loss of a little girl with Down syndrome (pictured, the memorial on Saturday) as her own family stands accused of her murder The event (pictured) was organised by the city's T21 group - a support network for parents of children with Down Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21 Organisers released butterflies and blew bubbles in a symbolic gesture to honour Willow's life (pictured) Organisers released butterflies and blew bubbles in a symbolic gesture to honour her life. One of them was Kathy Dillon, who told Daily Mail Australia someone needed to give Willow a sendoff. 'Every child deserves love and support,' she said. 'I am happy now she is with her mummy, safe as she should be.' The butterfly is a symbol of Down syndrome awareness. Four butterflies were released to honour Willow, while a fifth butterfly was released in honour of her biological mother who died after giving birth. Ms Dillon wanted parents to reach out if they are struggling. Organiser told Daily Mail Australia someone needed to give Willow a sendoff, so they organised the touching memorial (pictured) Four butterflies were released to honour Willow at the memorial (pictured), while a fifth butterfly was released in honour of Willow's biological mother who died after giving birth Flowers, butterflies and teddy bears all featured heavily throughout the memorial service 'Things get bad in any home. Times can be tough.' Celebrant Kellie Rainbow told the gathered crowds the toddler's death was a painful experience for so many people. 'The passing of Willow hurts so much because her life was short and her story incomplete,' she said. Meanwhile another mother whose son has Down syndrome, Divina Taschke, said it was difficult for many of the families at the memorial not to empathise. 'Who wouldn't be touched by such a horrific story,' she told the Courier Mail. 'It hit way too close to home. You think about how pure and innocent all children are but children with Down syndrome just give nothing but love. ' The toddler's father Mark James Dunn, 43, and his girlfriend Shannon White, 43, were both charged with murder in the weeks since the four-year-old's death. Her body was allegedly found in a back bedroom inside the rented home on Bent Street in Cannon Hill, where she lived with her father, stepmother and stepsister. Naomi Dunn (pictured) died on November 5, 2015 giving birth to her daughter Willow (TNS) Protests over police violence against black communities put a spotlight on some of the tools law enforcement uses to protect and serve. Most recently, that focus centered on surveillance technology.Lawmakers introduced a bill Thursday that would ban federal spending on facial recognition. Boston voted Wednesday to ban facial recognition within the city. Earlier this month, Amazon and Microsoft announced plans to limit police use of their facial recognition technology, while IBM said it will abandon the facial recognition business altogether.Facial recognition technology doesnt just pose a grave threat to our privacy, it physically endangers black Americans and other minority populations in our country, said Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., one of the bills sponsors, in a Thursday release.The efforts, for now, wont mean much for police-held facial recognition systems in the Tampa Bay, Fla., area.The Pinellas County Sheriffs Office manages one of the longest-running facial recognition tools in the country. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said his agency doesnt plan to change its use, and would not consider pausing until regulations are put in place.The moves are political and profit-driven to appease their customers, Gualtieri said of the companies announcements. Each company fully supports the use of facial recognition for its own purposes and has supported law enforcements use until it became unpopular not to.Facial recognition works by comparing a photo of someone against an existing database of photos. Pinellas Countys Face Analysis Comparison and Examination System, for example, has 38 million images consisting of drivers license, mugshot and identification card photos.The technology became a commonly used policing tool over the past two decades, even as it drew concern from privacy and civil rights advocates over the technologys invasiveness, potential for misidentification and use in surveillance, particularly of black and brown communities.Face recognition technology gives governments the unprecedented power to spy on us wherever we go, Nicole Ozer, technology and civil liberties director with the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, said in a statement.Amazon, which works closely with law enforcement agencies around the country, sells a facial recognition system called Rekognition. It announced a one-year moratorium on police use of its facial recognition system this month, but didnt say whether that included federal agencies.Microsoft previously marketed its facial recognition technology to the Drug Enforcement Administration. It said this month that it wouldnt sell to local police departments and hadnt previously.Facial recognition matching algorithms typically work best when a photo is well-lit and taken straight-on, such as on a drivers license photo. They often have issues accurately identifying people with darker skin tones.Studies still show that the technology performs differently and may be more prone to error on darker faces, said Clare Garvie, senior associate at Georgetown University Law Centers Center on Privacy and Technology.This was the case in a January Michigan incident detailed this week by the. A facial recognition system used by police there falsely identified an innocent black man as the perpetrator of a crime, leading to his arrest. While the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning he could be charged again at a later date, it prompted this weeks federal legislation calling for a ban on federal funding used to procure this kind of technology by local law enforcement.As protesters took to the streets in opposition of police treatment of black communities nationwide, privacy advocates have raised concerns that the technology could potentially be used to identify people speaking out peacefully.Pinellas County has not, Gualtieri said, used the database in relation to any of the recent protests. The Tampa Police Department hasnt requested to use Pinellas Countys database for protests, spokeswoman Jamel Lanee said.The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office said it used facial recognition to identify a felony burglary suspect from footage a business provided of a protest, but did not use any facial recognition during the protests themselves.We have not used facial recognition software to identify anyone peacefully protesting, spokeswoman Natalia Verdina said.Surveilling protesters was a chief concern earlier this year when a private company called Clearview AI came under fire for selling what it described as a real-time facial recognition system to law enforcement that was more accurate than competitors. About 12 Florida agencies tested the technology, thefound.Tampa Police Department is still participating in a free trial of Clearview according to Lanee. It has not used it at any protests. Independent UN rights experts call for decisive measures to protect 'fundamental freedoms' in China 26 June 2020 - The repression of "fundamental freedoms" by the Chinese Government prompted nearly 50 UN independent experts on Friday to express their continuing alarm, urging the country to "abide by its international legal obligations". After having "repeatedly communicated" their concerns, they highlighted the repression of protests and democracy advocacy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR); impunity for excessive use of force by police; the alleged use of chemical agents against protesters; the alleged sexual harassment and assault of women protesters in police stations; together with the alleged harassment of health care workers. The experts also raised their "grave concerns" on issues ranging from the collective repression of specific communities "especially religious and ethnic minorities, in Xinjiang and Tibet" to the detention of lawyers and prosecution - in addition to disappearances - of human rights defenders across the country. Moreover, they expressed alarm over allegations of forced labour in both formal and informal sectors of the economy, as well as arbitrary interferences with the right to privacy, cybersecurity laws that authorise censorship; and anti-terrorism and sedition laws, applicable in Hong Kong. The independent experts also voiced their concern for journalists, medical workers and those speaking out about COVID-19 online inside China, who have allegedly faced retaliation from the authorities, including being charged with "spreading misinformation" or "disrupting public order." 'Violation' of legal obligations Most recently, say the experts, and without meaningful consultation with the people of Hong Kong, China has drafted a national security law that would undermine the right to a fair trial, and open the door to a "sharp rise in arbitrary detention", undermining the "one country, two systems" governance framework that was introduced at the end of British rule; enabling the Chinese Government to establish "agencies" in Hong Kong "when needed." If adopted, the law would "violate China's international legal obligations and impose severe restrictions on civil and political rights in the autonomous region", according to the independent experts. "The draft law would deprive the people of Hong Kongthe autonomy and fundamental rights guaranteed them under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration", they maintained. The experts urged China to "withdraw the draft national security law for Hong Kong". Standing up, speaking out After actions taken by the Government towards Hong Kong, Xinjiang minorities, the Tibet Autonomous Region, and rights defenders across the country, the independent experts are calling for "renewed attention on the human rights situation in the country". They urged China to invite civil and political rights monitors to conduct independent missions "in an environment of confidentiality, respect for human rights defenders, and full avoidance of reprisals" and encouraged the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to urgently monitor Chinese human rights practices. Click here for the full list of names of the UN experts. Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based HRC to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honourary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address (Alliance News) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cast doubt on whether the UK has a serious interest in reaching an agreement with the EUA on an orderly Brexit. "It would, of course, be in Britain's and all EU member states' interests to achieve an orderly departure," Merkel said in an interview published Saturday by Sueddeutsche Zeitung and other European media. "But that can only happen if it is what both sides want." "What matters is not our wishes but only the reality before us, in other words first of all what Britain wants," Merkel added. The chancellor said that if UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government wants to define it's own relationship with the the EUA it will have to "live with the consequences", which could be "a less closely interconnected economy." Merkel said the remaining EUA members needed to let go of the idea that it is for us to define what Britain should want. "That is for Britain to define - and we, the EU27, will respond appropriately," she added. Britain formally left the EUA on January 31, after a slim majority voted to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum. There are just six months left to strike a deal before EU rules cease to apply in Britain. So far the EU and Britain have made little progress in four rounds of negotiations on a comprehensive trade agreement. Both sides have agreed to step up their timetable of talks in July and introduce "new momentum," according to a rare joint statement issued earlier this month. source: dpa Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. OKLAHOMA CITY - A question on whether to expand Medicaid in Oklahoma and a crowded Republican field vying to challenge the states lone congressional Democrat are drawing the most attention ahead of Tuesdays primary election. State Question 802 would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to expand Medicaid health insurance to those earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which is about $17,200 for an individual or $35,500 for a family of four. Oklahoma is one of 14 states along with neighbouring Texas and Kansas that have not expanded Medicaid under the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act, mostly because Oklahomas Republican governors and Legislature have resisted. Residents instead petitioned to put the measure on the ballot. According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, states that have expanded Medicaid through a ballot measure include Idaho, Maine, Nebraska and Utah. A vote in Missouri is scheduled for Aug. 4. Oklahomas proposal has endorsements from chambers of commerce, medical groups, the Oklahoma Education Association and the Oklahoma Conference of Churches, along with most Democrats in the Legislature. But Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has been a fierce critic, saying the proposal could lead to tax hikes or budget cuts to other programs, including education. Im going to be voting no on SQ 802. This is going to cost our state $200 million, Stitt said during an event this week with Americans for Prosperity. We have a billion-dollar shortfall next year. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has projected that about 215,000 residents would qualify for a Medicaid expansion, for a total annual cost of about $1.3 billion. The estimated state share would be about $164 million. If the proposal passes, the Legislature is expected to increase a fee that hospitals pay from 2.5% to 4%, which would generate about $134 million annually. Stitt vetoed such a measure this year. In another closely watched contest, Republicans in Oklahoma Citys 5th Congressional District will pare down the field of nine GOP candidates vying to challenge U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn. Many pundits say the first-term incumbent is one of the most vulnerable in the nation because she represents a district President Donald Trump won by nearly 14 points in 2016. Republicans clearly see OK-5 as one of their best chances to flip a House seat, and theyre correct to see it that way, said Matthew Motta, a political science professor at Oklahoma State University. The race has attracted several fairly well-financed challengers. And, because President Trump won the district by more than 13% in 2016, most non-partisan election analysts classify the race as a toss-up. Four of the GOP challengers have raised more than $500,000, including businesswoman Terry Neese, state Sen. Stephanie Bice, former State Superintendent Janet Barresi and businessman David Hill. The crowded field makes a primary runoff likely. Horn has raised more than $3.3 million this cycle, the most of any of the states delegation. She faces perennial candidate Tom Guild, a retired college professor from Edmond, on Tuesday. Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe and U.S. Reps. Markwayne Mullin and Tom Cole all are heavy favourites in their GOP primaries Tuesday. At the Chandigarh airbase, the Indian Air Forces C-17 Globemaster is airlifting precious cargo to Ladakh, one painstaking sortie at a time. Its T 90 tank weighs 46 tonnes and a one-way trip will cost over Rs 10 lakh. From across army cantonments and airbases in North India, troops, artillery guns, mechanised infantry, air surveillance radars, frontline fighter jets and helicopters have been moving to Ladakh for the last one month. By the time the last boot hits the ground, there will be 45,000 acclimatised soldiers in Indias newest Union Territory. All three advanced landing grounds - DBO, Fukche and Nyoma - have been activated. So have all forward airbases facing China. The Navys multitasker, the P-8I, is in the sky keeping an eye on Chinese movement. Patrolling has been tightened at 65 points along the 1597-km border that Ladakh shares with China. This war-like build up necessitated as Indian and Chinese soldiers continue to be eyeball to eyeball at the Line of Actual Control at Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, Depsang Plains and Pangong Tso in Ladakh and at Naku La in North Sikkim. It has been almost two months now and the standoff shows no signs of de-escalating despite multiple military and diplomatic level talks. If anything, things have only escalated on the ground. The Chinese have amassed troops, tanks, missile units and fighter planes along the border and is building infrastructure in areas within Indias side of the LAC. There are reports of an helipad being laid out near finger 4 in Pangong Tso. Fortifications have come up at Patrol Point 14, where the June 15 clash took place in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. Chinese observation posts, tents and a wall popped up on satellite imagery on the same day that Indian and Chinese Corps Commanders met for 11 hours to cool down the situation. Despite the diplomatese, sources say the talks are deadlocked because the Chinese refuse to budge. They maintain they have come only up to their claim line and there is no reason why they should back off. Never before seen maps have been produced to lay claim over the entire Galwan Valley. Not surprisingly, dates for next military level talks have not been fixed. China has to stop the practice of transgressing and trying to erect structures on the Indian side. The only way to resolve the military standoff is to stop erecting new structures, Indias Ambassador to China Vikram Misri has said. Lieutenant General DS Hooda, a former Northern Army commander, predicts greater tension and aggression all along the 3,488 km long LAC. This is not ending in a hurry. It will depend on how much both sides are willing to surrender. A highly placed source in the Ministry of Defense says the Army has been told to prepare for the worst. The rules of engagement with the Chinese at the LAC have changed post the Galwan Violence. The mood at Army Headquarters is more cautious. Be prepared for the long haul, says a two-star general in the know of things. The process of disengagement will be more like a test match not a T 20. It could take 2 to 3 months maybe more. After three months, fresh snow will come to Ladakh and cut it off from the rest of India for six months. The long haul could end up being really long. The Army has already started preparing for it. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) At least six bus stops along EDSA will be operational by next week, an official from the Metro Manila Development Authority said Saturday. MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia told CNN Philippines that bus drivers could only drop off and pick up passengers at identified points in North Avenue, Quezon Ave, Main Avenue, Santolan, Ortigas and Guadalupe on Monday or Tuesday. Garcia said the bus stops, which are in the middle portion of the major thoroughfare, are attached to stairs leading to the MRT stations. This means that passengers must enter train stations to get to the bus stops. Iyon muna, kasi nandun yung dedicated lane natin, yung bus lane, Garcia added. [Translation: Those are the stops for now because the dedicated bus lane is located there.] Meanwhile, authorities will put a foot bridge along Main Avenue which commuters could use to go to the bus stations, the official said. Mass transportation had been suspended for more than two months since Luzon and other parts of the country were placed under enhanced community quarantine in mid-March to curb the spread of COVID-19. In the first phase of reopening mass transport in Metro Manila, only trains, augmentation buses, taxis, Transport Network Vehicle Service like Grab, shuttle services, point-to-point buses and bicycles have been allowed to return to roads to ferry passengers since June 1. Modern jeepneys also resumed operations on June 22 while UV Express units are expected to be allowed to ply the roads on June 29. Meanwhile, the operations of provincial buses remain suspended. A man has been arrested in the shooting death of a woman in Manhattan's Flatiron district on Thursday night. Ruddy Osias, 27, of Bayswater, Queens, has been charged with murder in the death of Erica Lopez, 19. Lopez and her boyfriend Andres Arias, 21, had been at a birthday celebration on a swanky rooftop bar in Manhattan's Flatiron district on Thursday night when an argument broke out at the bar with another group of customers, after a girl groped Lopez. The couple decided to leave around midnight but they were then confronted by some of the group in the street before a car pulled up and a man opened fire, killing Lopez and injuring Arias. Osias faces charges of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly shooting the Connecticut couple after they reportedly got into an argument with strangers. According to the New York Post Osias is alleged to have jumped out of the car and began opening fire. Arias is believed to have only have been saved after Lopez pushed him out of the way. In an exclusive interview on Saturday evening, Arias told DailyMail.com that an NYPD detective had called him late in the afternoon to tell him that his girlfriend's killer had been arrested. 'They didn't go into specifics, but just said they'd got the guy and that he ended up confessing,' Arias recalled of the conversation. 'I was just very emotional. I was really sad, but also happy. Yes, it doesn't bring back Erica, but legally she got the justice she deserves. That's the main thing I was worried about, that she wouldn't get justice.' Arias is recovering from a bullet wound at home in Norwalk, Connecticut. 'My body still hurts, especially my left side where I got shot, but I'll be fine,' he said. He said he attended a vigil for Erica at a local church Friday night where he met her mother there for the first time. 'The first thing I told her was, "I'm truly sorry. My job was to protect her no matter what happened and I failed her,"' he recalled. 'She told me it was God's choice to take her home at this time. We just hugged and started crying. She's a strong woman, a really, really strong woman. She has a big heart, just like Erica.' Cellphone footage shows Andres Arias, 21, and Erica Lopez, 19, laughing and joking, with the Manhattan skyline behind them, just hours before Lopez was shot dead On Friday, heartbroken Arias shared a video of the couple's final hours together as they enjoyed a night on a rooftop bar. Arias told DailyMail.com exclusively that his girlfriend Erica Lopez may have saved his life by shoving him out of the way when the shooting started. Andres and Erica are pictured at 230 Fifth Rooftop hours before she was killed in a fatal double shooting on leaving the club Friday morning. The couple had been celebrating Arias's cousin's boyfriend's birthday at the swanky rooftop bar in Manhattan's Flatiron district before the night turned deadly 'Erica pushed me out of the way, and one bullet went through her chest and grazed me through the left side of my ribs,' he said. 'I saw my girlfriend Erica falling to the ground, and I dove to grab her so she didn't hit her head,' he explained. 'I turned her over, and she was bleeding through her left chest.' Certified in CPR, Arias said he performed chest compressions to try and keep her alive before he then blacked out. 'Once I came back to my senses, I saw EMTs putting Erica onto a stretcher and other EMTs putting me onto another stretcher,' he said. The couple were taken by ambulance to Bellevue Hospital and placed in the same room, separated by a curtain, where Lopez died a short time later. Paying tribute to his girlfriend, Arias said: 'She's a spiritual amazing woman. She would always bring the good out of me and she would never fail to put a smile on my face. 'Her energy would inspire you to get out of your comfort zone. She was a sweetheart, she was free and she was always love.' NYPD cops investigate the scene of the shooting that left Lopez dead and Arias wounded in Manhattan in the early hours of Friday morning Arias spoke to DailyMail.com exclusively Friday and said the couple had been celebrating his cousin's boyfriend's birthday in Manhattan's Flatiron district The night started out as a celebration at 230 Fifth Rooftop, located near Madison Square Park at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 27th Street. Arias, a student at Southern Connecticut State University, and Lopez, a hostess in a restaurant in a Norwalk mall, had taken a train into the city from their hometown in Norwalk, Connecticut Thursday afternoon. In the city, they met up with about 10 people, including Arias' cousin and the cousin's boyfriend who was turning 27 years old. At the bar, they struck up conversations with another group of about six young men and women. 'They were complete strangers but we were all having conversations,' Arias recalled. 'We were all buying each other drinks and food. We were getting to know each other. It was a really good time.' Then a woman in the other group grabbed Erica's butt and also groped another one of their female friends, Arias said. 'That girl in the other group started the whole incident,' he said. 'She was drunk. My girlfriend told me she was touching their butts, without their consent.' Arias confronted the other group and an argument broke out. Arias told DailyMail.com Lopez (pictured) may have saved his life when she 'pushed me out of the way and one bullet went through her chest' 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar where the young couple were celebrating with friends before the shooting. The bar was also the scene of tragedy five years' ago when a 30-year-old woman jumped to her death from the roof Arias, Lopez and their friends left the bar. He said they were talking about the argument as they walked down the street. Then they realized they'd been followed by the others, who drove up to them in their vehicles. It was about 12:30 a.m. Friday at the time. 'That's when we see one guy get out of his car and he's confronting us and saying, "do we have a problem here? I hear you guys are talking smack about us,'' Arias recalled. 'We told them, 'there's no problem here, we just want to tell you tell your girl to keep her hands to herself because she was getting all touchy touchy with me and my boy's girlfriends.'' Officers at the scene early Friday morning. An argument erupted over a butt-groping incident, Arias told DailyMail.com Arias said an argument broke out when a girl in another group began grabbing some of the women's butts. He said he, Lopez and their group then left, but were confronted by some of the group in the street before another car pulled up and a man exited it with a gun and opened fire THE CHECKERED PAST OF 230 FIFTH ROOFTOP IN NYC Five years ago, 230 Fifth Rooftop was also the scene of another tragedy, when a female tech startup founder took her own life when she jumped from the top of the Manhattan bar. Faigy Mayer, 30, leapt 20 floors to her death on July 12 2015. She had been brought up in the Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn's Boro Park but left it around five years before her death. One week before her death she penned a harrowing letter, grieving for her lonely Hasidic Jewish childhood and isolated adult life. In the letter she wrote with raw emotion about her feelings towards the strict and tight-knit world she was brought up in as a child. She accused the Hasidic sect of constraining its followers' thinking, and wrote of how she still struggled with analytical thinking. The tech executive was developing an app designed specifically for ex-Hasids to navigate their way around New York City when she died. Advertisement At that point, the man from the car was joined by his girlfriend, who stepped out of his vehicle and shouted, 'I could do whatever I want,' Arias said. The man ordered the woman to get back into the car, he said. Arias said another vehicle then pulled up driven by a black man who was about 6 feet tall, had dreadlocks and was wearing a black shirt and black jeans. The driver of the second vehicle, a gray sedan, then exited the car with a gun and fired a shot into the air, Arias said. 'Do we have a problem?' Arias said the shooter then shouted. 'Me and my boy said, 'No, we don't have a problem because you just brought a gun to a situation that's already being handled,'' Arias recalled saying. That's when the gunman fired twice more, in their direction. Arias said one of the bullets penetrated Lopez's chest and then grazed him, leaving a hole in the left side of his rib cage. It was later that morning, as Arias was recovering and sedated, that staff told him his girlfriend had died. 'I told the nurses to leave the room, then I started screaming and crying,' Arias recalled. 'This is the second person that's died in my hands. My grandpa died in my arms two years ago from a heart attack.' Arias was released from the hospital a few hours later and was recovering at home Friday evening. One of Lopez's best friends, 19-year-old Alma Johana Corona, told DailyMail.com back in Norwalk Friday night that she was struggling not to cry as she tried to console her friend's parents and younger brother. 'I have cried so much I don't have any more tears,' Corona said. 'She was my best friend. We've known each other since pre-school.' She added: 'She had so many friends. She was nice to everyone. She had a beautiful personality, energy. I just can't believe this was meant for her. 'She doesn't have any enemies. I just don't understand why anyone would do this to her.' Police were called to the scene of the fatal, double-shooting in the Flatiron District at around 12:30am Friday morning. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will question senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel again on June 30 (Tuesday) in connection with the Sandesara brothers money laundering case. A team of ED on Saturday reached his residence in the national capital and recorded his statement in a Rs 5,000 crore money laundering case involving Sterling Biotech Ltd, a company promoted by the absconding Sandesara brothers. The ED team questioned him for about eight hours at his residence. The agency had gone to the senior Congress leader to record his statement in the case. Patel was earlier summoned for questioning in the case but he cited COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions and expressed his inability to appear before the Enforcement Directorate. The CBI has alleged that the Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech Ltd had taken loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank which has turned into non-performing assets. The FIR has alleged that the total pending dues of the group companies were Rs 5,383 crore as on December 31, 2016. The Sandesaras - Nitin and Chetan are allegedly hiding in Nigeria with which India does not have an extradition treaty. On June 26, the CBI carried out raids at over half a dozen of locations in Delhi and Noida, which were linked to former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's nephew, in connection with a fresh FIR registered in a case related to alleged loss of Rs 787.25 crore to PNB and another consortium of banks. A CBI official told IANS that the raids came in the wake of a fresh case being registered recently on a complaint by PNB against MBSL and others, including its Directors and other unknown persons and bank officials. Web Toolbar by Wibiya Many people around the world have not been able to go on physical dates this year due to the lockdown brought on by the coronavirus pandemic but studies show that thousands have turned to cyberspace to meet their dating needs. Maryanne Fisher, a researcher from Saint Marys University in Halifax, believes that dating websites have witnessed a massive influx of visitors during the pandemic as many people turned to the internet to fill their need for romance, dating and attention. The Nova Scotia researcher is, therefore, conducting a study to determine exactly how the Covid-19 pandemic has potentially changed how people feel about themselves in terms of dating and romantic relationships. Fisher has been studying similar issues since 2017 and is interested in tracking changes over time. Prior to commencing the experiment, Fisher predicted that the way people feel about themselves has changed such that some people may have increased how they feel about themselves via spending more on their appearance, learning new skills, or exercising more regularly. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Are you seeking an online entertainment alternative? Bet online here. __________________________________________________________________________________________ She says that others may have experienced what is commonly called "coronavirus burnout" whereby they feel less like themselves or feel less positive about themselves. Fisher says she is particularly interested in how people now view their mating rivals (i.e., those who may be vying for the same mate as them), and whether peoples views of their mating rivals have changed with the recent lockdown measures caused by the pandemic. The survey, which is currently available online, takes about twenty minutes to complete and asks respondents such questions as; in everyday life, how often do you have spontaneous fantasies about having sex with someone you have just met? Options for answers ranged from at least once a day to never. In an interview with Halifax Today, Fisher explains her reasons for asking some of the questions in the questionnaire, So, for example, imagine you are someone who is on the mating market and youre usually seeking short-term casual (relationships), and then COVID happens and youre self-isolating, what do you do? Fisher said, quoted in the Toronto Sun. Do you start improving yourself to make yourself an even hotter commodity when you go out, or do you engage in some deep self-reflection and think: Oh my goodness, I want to change my ways and find more of a long-term stable situation? In an interview with radio station NEWS 95.7, Fisher said the study is for everybody over the age of 19, married or single. She told the station that she hopes to reach even people who arent dating or involved in polyamorous relationships. Weve made it as inclusive as we can for sexual orientation and gender, she said. Hundreds of people around the world have responded to the survey since its online launch. Fisher said she intends to keep the survey open for six months to see if peoples attitudes will change if a second wave of COVID-19 hits the world or when social distancing restrictions are relaxed. Heres our recommended dating site: http://dating.agoracosmopolitan.com Patients suffering from severe respiratory symptoms due to the novel coronavirus infection can rapidly generate an immune response in the form of virus-attacking T cells, suggests a new study which may lead to new vaccine development strategies against COVID-19. The study, published in the journal Science Immunology, assessed T cells from 10 COVID-19 patients under intensive care treatment. According to the researchers, including those from the University of California in the US, two out of 10 healthy individuals without prior exposure to the virus also harbored SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells. Based on this observation, they said these T cells may be cross-reacting to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, due to past infection with related coronaviruses that cause common cold symptoms. The findings, according to the researchers, address the poorly understood question of whether SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses vary in patients over time depending on disease severity. They said the study may help understand whether patients with more severe symptoms can generate protective virus-specific T cells at all, and offer clues regarding the cells responsible for excessive immune responses which has led to the deaths of many COVID-19 patients. In the research, scientists, including Daniela Weiskopf from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in the US, extracted blood cells from 10 patients at weekly intervals starting soon after they were admitted to the ICU for COVID-19. They exposed these cells to "megapools" of known SARS-CoV-2 protein components in a technique meant to capture a large fraction of total viral-reactive T cells. The researchers found that SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4 helper T cells were active in all 10 patients, and CD8 "killer" T cells were present in 8 out of 10 patients. They also characterised the cells' production of specific inflammation-triggering cell-cell signalling molecules called cytokines. According to the scientists, the strongest responses were directed to the virus' spike (S) surface protein, supporting prior work that has pointed to this protein as a promising target to induce virus-specific T cells. On screening all patients at 0, 7, and 14 days after inclusion in the study revealed that SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were present relatively early during the course of infection, and increased in these patients over time. Using the same T cell stimulation technique in age-matched healthy controls, the researchers found SARS-CoV-2-reactive T cells in 2 out of the 10 individuals. They believe a future study of how preexisting SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in healthy controls correlate to protection against COVID-19 can help shed more light on the disease and "and also inform vaccine design and evaluation." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Cases surpass 10,000: San Antonio coronavirus cases continued to rise exponentially Sunday, topping 10,000 as local hospitals scramble to find enough hospital beds and nurses to care for the wave of new patients in the last two weeks. June 27 Nearly 800 cases in a day: Bexar County saw its largest single-day jump in coronavirus cases today with 795 new cases, according to Bexar County data. The data also reports two new deaths in the past 24 hours. See more with our COVID-19 tracker on ExpressNews.com. June 26 Spike continues in San Antonio: Officials reported 405 new COVID-19 cases and one new death Friday as leaders of the citys major hospital systems implored residents to take precautions to slow the march of the coronavirus. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Bexar County has now reached 8,857, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at the daily city-county coronavirus briefing. The latest death brings the countys total to 105. The victim was a Hispanic woman in her 50s who had been hospitalized at University Health System, Nirenberg said. Some 699 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday evening, an increase of 71 from the day before. That is an alarming jump from where we were just two weeks ago, Nirenberg said. Of those hospitalized, 221 were in intensive care, 19 more than on Thursday, and 117 were dependent on ventilators to breathe, an increase of 23. Those numbers were significantly higher than at the start of June, when there were fewer than 100 COVID-19 patients in area hospitals, 39 in intensive care and 20 on ventilators. The hospital system as a whole continues to be under significant stress, the mayor said. June 25 More than 600 cases in a day: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the San Antonio area shot up by 638 on Thursday, the largest one-day increase since the start of the pandemic in March. The new cases brought Bexar Countys total to 8,452 double the number reported less than two weeks ago. A total of 104 people have died of COVID-19 in Bexar County. No new deaths were reported Thursday. Elective surgeries banned in major cities: Gov. Greg Abbott is ordering four of the state's largest counties to postpone all surgeries that are not immediately necessary, to preserve hospital beds for the growing surge of COVID-19 patients. Abbotts order is directed at Bexar, Dallas, Harris, and Travis counties. These four counties have experienced significant increases in people being hospitalized due to COVID-19 and todays action is a precautionary step to help ensure that the hospitals in these counties continue to have ample supply of available beds to treat COVID-19 patients, Abbott said in a statement. June 24 More deaths as surge continues: San Antonio officials reported four new COVID-19 deaths and nearly 350 new cases Wednesday as the coronavirus continued its relentless spread. Traveling Texans now face quarantine: Texans traveling to New York, New Jersey or Connecticut will now have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, marking a turning of the tables from when the Lone Star State did the same in late March at the start of the pandemic. The move is the latest sign of Texas emerging as a hotspot for COVID-19 in the U.S. June 23 Surge continues: On Tuesday, San Antonio reported 311 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths. That brought the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 7,467. Texas has hit an all-time high in new coronavirus cases: Texas has surpassed 5,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, urging people to take caution and stay indoors whenever possible. The seven-day average is now nearing 4,000, up from about 1,500 two weeks ago. June 22 Cases pass 7,000: The number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise sharply Monday across Bexar County, with 274 more people confirmed to have the virus pushing the total past 7,000 since the start of the pandemic. Wolff on second lockdown: Wolff said he would not support a return to stay-at-home orders because the economy, locally and nationwide, is in a serious financial condition, with a federal debt that is off the charts. I dont think well go back to that. The economic devastation is huge, he said. Under the countys mask order, which Wolff signed last Wednesday, every business must have a health and safety policy that, at a minimum, requires every employee and all customers age 10 or older to wear a face covering. Mayor Ron Nirenberg has issued a matching citywide order. June 21 Coronavirus tally: Bexar County officials reported 538 new coronavirus cases Sunday the largest one-day increase since the start of the pandemic and one new death. The number of patients in San Antonio-area hospitals and in intensive care units also continued to rise, deepening concern that the hospital system could be overwhelmed. The newly confirmed cases brought Bexar Countys total to 6,882, the Metropolitan Health District reported. The countys death toll from the virus, which began spreading in the community in March, now stands at 97. The latest victim was a Hispanic man in his 50s. Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the man had no underlying health conditions. On ExpressNews.com: A timeline of COVID-19 in San Antonio Testing locations in S.A.: Find a list of testing centers below. For more information, call 311 or the citys COVID-19 hotline, 210-207-5779, or visit covid19.sanantonio.gov. - Freeman Coliseum: Testing type: Drive-thru testing by appointment; Cost: free; 3201 E Houston St.; (210) 233-5970; 8 a.m - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday through Sunday. - Texas MedClinic (SE Military and Roosevelt): Testing type: in building testing (walk-up); Cost: Fees may apply; 1111 SE Military Dr.; (210) 927-5580; 8 a.m.-11 p.m. 7 days a week. - Quality Urgent Care-Palo Alto: Testing type: in building testing (walk-up and appointment); Cost: Fees may apply; 8526 IH 35 S, Ste. 101; (210) 564-9972; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 7 days a week. - CentroMed - Palo Alto Clinic: Testing type: Drive-thru testing by appointment; Cost: free; 9011 Poteet Jourdanton Fwy; (210) 922-7000; 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. - Texas MedClinic: SW Military + Zarzamora: Testing type: Drive-thru testing by appointment; Cost: free; 2530 SW Military Dr.; (210) 233-5970; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Saturday A man was struck and killed by an MBTA train at Porter Square Station in Cambridge Friday afternoon, authorities said. At roughly 4:15 p.m., MBTA Transit Police were called to the Porter Square stop on the Red Line following a report that someone was struck by a train. Transit officers, along with Cambridge emergency personnel, responded to the incident. A male, age unknown at this time, while trespassing on the right of way was struck by an Inbound Red Line train, Transit Police wrote in a press release. The male has been pronounced deceased as a result of injuries sustained. The MBTA tweeted around 4:30 p.m. that someone was under a train at Porter southbound, and to expect delays as buses are dispatched to replace service between Alewife and Harvard. Shuttle buses replacing Red Line service between Alewife and Harvard because of a person under a train at Porter southbound. Please expect delays as buses are sent. MBTA (@MBTA) June 26, 2020 Police said foul play is not suspected. Advertisement The hero police officer injured in a knife attack at a Glasgow hotel said today the bloodbath he witnessed will haunt him forever as he praised the bravery of his colleagues from his hospital bed where he remains in a stable condition. Constable David Whyte, 42, said he was 'confronted by a scene I'd never forget' after racing to the knife rampage at around 1pm yesterday during which he and five other people were stabbed. He is thought to have been the first officer to arrive at the hotel - two minutes after the carnage began. He was one of six people injured during the incident at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street on Friday, in which a male suspect was shot and killed by police. In a statement today he said: 'As the first responders on scene, myself and my colleague did what all police officers are trained for to save lives. 'I would like to thank my colleagues who put themselves in harm's way to contain this incident and assist with the vital treatment given to myself and others at the scene by other emergency services.' Police Scotland has named the man shot by officers during the attack on Friday as Badreddin Abedlla Adam, 28, from Sudan. He warned the night before the carnage that he was going to launch an attack. In a statement on Twitter, Police Scotland said: 'The identity is based on information the deceased provided to the Home Office earlier this year.' Badreddin is thought to have arrived in the UK six months ago via France after fleeing persecution in Sudan. He is believed to have preciously stayed in Belfast. His close friend Abdal Nasser, 22, told of his shock at seeing the 'loner' standing with a knife after six people, including Mr Whyte, had been stabbed. Sources said the officer was stabbed repeatedly as he tried to overpower the knifeman and save other victims. PC Whyte played football in a local police team. His wife is called Carol and they have two children. Three of the other people who were injured are asylum seekers, Police Scotland said, while two are members of staff. All remain in hospital, one in a critical but stable condition, the others in a stable condition. David Whyte, 42, was stabbed in the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow yesterday after racing to save victims. Today he has thanked his colleagues for their bravery Police officers attend the scene after reports of a stabbing rampage in a central Glasgow hotel at around 1pm yesterday Constable David Whyte, 42, was one of six people injured during the incident at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street on Friday, in which a male suspect was shot and killed by police. He is pictured with his wife Carol In a statement posted on Twitter by Police Scotland, Mr Whyte said the scene officers attending the incident were confronted with is something he will never forget. He is pictured with his wife Carol Mr Whyte added: 'Despite suffering serious injuries myself, I know that the swift actions of colleagues saved lives and prevented a far more serious incident. 'I would like to thank the medical staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for their outstanding care in the hours following this incident. 'Finally, I would like to thank the public for all their kind messages of support and for the good wishes from all at Police Scotland. It means a lot and has brought both myself and my family great comfort at this difficult time.' The alleged knifeman's friend, Siraj, (pictured), 22, an asylum seeker from Yeman, told Mail Online that he had a conversation with Badradeen the night before the bloodbath at the Park Inn hotel in Glasgow city centre Meanwhile, Siraj, another friend of the knifeman, told Mail Online he had a conversation with Badradeen the night before the bloodbath. Siraj, 22, an asylum seeker from Yeman told Mail Online: 'He told me that he was fed up. He had been in the hotel for three months. There was no daylight in his room and he was very angry. 'He said that he was going to attack two guys in the room next to his because they're were making noise to deliberately annoy him. ' Siraj added: 'I said 'No No No' and that it was just that the hotels walls were thin and it was just noise.' But he said Badradeen had told him: 'No. They hate me. And I hate them. I am going to stab them.' Siraj said: 'I didn't think he would actually do anything. 'But I did go to the hotel supervisor and make a report. The next morning at around 9.30 the hotel talked to me and took down the details of what he had said he was going to do. 'I then went to sleep I was only woken up by the fire alarm and then when I came down I just saw the blood everywhere. I couldn't believe he had done it.' Witnesses described a 'bloodbath' at the hotel which began in the reception area, where a member of staff crumpled to the floor 'gasping for air' after being stabbed. Badreddin is then thought to have run through the hotel knifing residents on the stairs and in the lift. One witness called John, a former policeman, said he heard screaming and rushed downstairs. 'I opened the door of the lift and there was blood all over the walls. I took the stairs, went down and the reception was full of blood,' he said. Armed police wore helmets and facemasks as they stormed the street at the height of the incident at Park Inn in Glasgow Immigration Enforcement officers arrive at the scene in West George Street, Glasgow, where a man has been shot by an armed officer after another officer was injured during an attack Police and forensic officers are pictured at the scene with medical incident officers as an investigation into the stabbings began this evening Police Scotland, which has said the attack is not being treated as terrorism, has launched an appeal for any witnesses to come forward. Officers were called to the hotel at 12.50pm and the incident was 'quickly contained', the force said. Armed police rushed to the scene where they cornered Badreddin and shot him dead. Images later showed PC Whyte lying on the pavement as passers-by tried to staunch the bleeding from his wounds. Following an update from Police Scotland on Saturday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'My thoughts today remain with Constable Whyte - whose bravery we are all deeply grateful for - and the other people who sustained injuries in yesterday's terrible incident. I wish them all a full and speedy recovery.' Police guarded the scene as a large cordon was set up around the scene following the tragic killings of at least two people A man is led away by police officers at the scene. The hotel is one of six in Glasgow that have been used as accommodation for up to 300 asylum seekers during the coronavirus crisis. It is understood 100 were in the Park Inn at the time of the attack Passersby were asked to leave the area by officers as Glasgow city centre was put under lockdown with a large cordon around the crime scene The Park Inn hotel was being used to house asylum seekers. All of those injured are aged between 17 and 53. Siraj told ITV: 'He said 'I will attack' so everyone should take it seriously. 'I told him 'no, there's no need to attack' and he said 'they hate me, I hate them, they are against me'. 'He started to say a lot of stuff like that but I said nobody hates you, nobody knows you, nobody knows each other. 'I reported him to the hotel reception and then the next day, yesterday morning, the housing manager talked to me and I said to him everything he (the attacker) said to me. And in the afternoon, it happened.' Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon praised PC Whyte's heroic actions: 'While such a serious incident is rare in Scotland it is another reminder of the courage and professionalism of our police officers who are willing to run towards danger in order to protect the lives of others.' These are the chaotic scenes outside the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow this afternoon after it was swamped with police amid reports someone stormed in with a knife and stabbed two people in the reception. A police officer has also been knifed A blanket is raised as a body is moved out of the hotel as Glasgow suffered a devastating knife attack in a city centre hotel The Scottish First Minister added: 'Our thoughts and our gratitude should be with our police officers - particularly that police officer who sustained injuries trying to keep the rest of the public safe.' The knifeman had complained he was 'very hungry' amid 'poor conditions' in the hotel during the coronavirus crisis before embarking on a rampage. Asylum seekers living in the Park Inn Hotel were living on less than 5-a-day before the attacker, from Sudan, 'went mad and attacked people around him'. He was shot by armed officers who arrived at the scene within two minutes, a Police Scotland spokesman said. An activist told the Telegraph the man had threatened violence against other refugees and complained he was 'very hungry' after being re-housed in the hotel. The knifeman is the only fatality. Another five people are being treated at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, including a 17-year-old boy from Sierra Leone. The ages of the other four injured are 18, 20, 38 and 53. The victims are thought to be two receptionists, a maintenance employee, and guests staying at the hotel. One of the injured, a hotel resident said, is 17-year-old Mohamed Mansarie from Sierra Leone. Resident Beatrice Onwuka, 37, from Nigeria said another of the stabbed refugees was teenager Sultan Mohammed, also from Sierra Leone. The victim's names are yet to be officially release by police. Friends of the dead man said he was in his twenties, had 'big hair and a cute face'. Siraj added: 'I think he was getting more mentally ill over the three months. 'He had gastric problems and had to isolate for around 20 days and his room had no light from a window. 'He didn't like the food and was fed up.' Ms Onwuka revealed Badradeen had changed his mind about seeking asylum and wanted to return back to the Sudan. 'He was fed up. He didn't speak much English and he had only a few friends. He was nearly always on his own. 'He told me he wanted to go home. He didn't want to stay here anymore. He had had enough. Mr Nasser, said Badradeen had not spoken to him prior to the attack. 'I was there in the hotel. I did not see the attack itself but Baradeen, who was my friend, I saw him with a knife in his hand. 'It is a shock for me. I am sorry for all the people he hurt. I did not know Badradeen well but we became friends in recent weeks because we are both from Sudan.' The force declared a major incident and set up a half-mile cordon in the city centre after the male suspect ran into the Park Inn Hotel and began his attack. Armed officers clutched their weapons as they headed to the scene. Officers arrived at the hotel within two minutes of the start of the stabbing rampage Witnesses described the bloodbath as 'carnage', with one delivery driver saying he helped to save the life of a victim after finding a maintenance man and a receptionist wounded on the floor. The hotel is one of six in Glasgow that have been used as accommodation for up to 300 asylum seekers during the coronavirus crisis. It is understood 100 were in the Park Inn at the time of the attack. Activists have hounded Mears Group and the Home Office since at least June 4 about poor conditions in the six hotels housing 400 asylum seekers across Glasgow. Some asylum seekers complained they were forced to share bathrooms - something that made social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic impossible and worsened mental health issues, according to activists who have accused the provider of 'lying about conditions in the hotels'. Ako Zada from Kurdish Community Scotland said it was unlikely to be a terror attack, and poor conditions at the hotel causing depression and mental illness was to blame. He added: 'I believe there's around 100 in the hotel but new people are always coming and going. 'They were doing a demonstration last week and in George Square they were attacked by a far-right group. They're not getting 5 a day to buy essentials and don't know when they will be able to go home. 'I don't think it's a terrorist issue. People have been saying this for months, they're not well. The hotel is OK for a couple of weeks but not three months. It's depression and it's a mental health issue. I'm very sad and devastated.' It has been confirmed the attacker was shot dead by armed police after the rampage. He was a 'loner' who wasn't 'mentally healthy', according to a friend of one of the victims. Daniel Redhead, an asylum seeker from Grenada, had gone to the Park Inn Hotel to pick up some tobacco from a friend when the attacker went on a rampage. He said: 'My friend was screaming help me, help me. I saw him trying to fight the guy off as he was stabbing him. The man's face was calm. 'He wasn't even angry. He left my friend there and stabbed another man on the step. There was blood everywhere, so much blood.' Mr Redhead said the attacker had harassed one of his friends before, describing him as a 'loner who spoke very little'. He said: 'He didn't speak much. I saw him around. But he barely spoke. I think he was not mentally healthy.' His friend was stabbed twice in the stomach at the hotel where a police officer who was one of the first on the scene was also stabbed. Armed police ran to the hotel soon after and shot the attacker dead. Recalling his friend's cries for help, Mr Redhead said: 'I just held him. He was so scared.' A witness spoke to a colleague working in another Glasgow Hotel and relayed to her the horror inside the hallway of Glasgow's Park Inn Hotel. She added: 'He was naturally very upset and scared about what he has seen. It is terrible. The man just went mad and the police shot him within a few minutes. 'He told me two receptionists, a maintenance employee and a few other guests and a police officer were attacked and it happened very fast.' Police standing outside the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street in Glasgow yesterday after a major stabbing incident Armed officers were filmed running down West George Street with the BBC claiming that the knifeman was shot dead The Park Inn Hotel is believed to have been housing asylum seekers in Glasgow (people pictured outside the hotel) - and is one of six city hotels caring for 300 migrants during the coronavirus crisis Armed police officers made their way out of the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow as reports emerged three people have been killed Police and other emergency services attending the scene of a stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow yesterday This footage showed armed police removing people from the hotel, who all left with their hands raised, after the horrifying incident. An injured person is taken away on a trolley by paramedics after a major incident in Glasgow where it was reported that multiple people have been stabbed The incident saw the West George Street area of north-west Glasgow shut down with at least 20 police units in attendance Asylum seekers who escaped the Glasgow stabbing told MailOnline of the knife horror and the tension which preceded the violence The horrifying incident came just six days after three men were murdered in a Reading park in a suspected terror attack - although Police Scotland has not yet given a motive for the Glasgow incident. Footage from the scene minutes after the attack showed armed officers storming along West George Street and witnesses described 'bloodied' people being taken from Park Inn on stretchers. One video shows a male police officer lying on the floor outside the hotel after being stabbed in the leg with another man sitting on the stairs appearing to hold a bleeding wound on his neck. Meanwhile a man was shown being taken away in handcuffs after the suspect was shot dead. Steve Johnson, Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland, said: 'Police were on the scene within two minutes. A man was shot by armed police. 'Six other men are in hospital receiving treatment, including a 42-year-old police officer. The officer's family are aware and being supported. 'The other men in hospital are aged 17, 18, 20, 38 and 53. Our thoughts are with the families of those who are injured, including our colleague. 'This incident is not being treated as terrorism and our investigation's continuing into the circumstances. The street remains closed and people should avoid the area.' The delivery driver, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'The hotel is housing refugees during the coronavirus. I went into the hotel and a guy had stabbed the receptionist and maintenance guy. 'He then ran back up to a room. I was trying to stem the blood of the maintenance guy when the armed police rushed in and went up to his room and shot the guy. It was absolute carnage. 'I was on the floor trying to hold the guy, the maintenance guy - a big puncture wound. It was absolutely horrific'. Radisson Hotel Group, which owns the Park Inn Hotel, said in a statement that it is 'deeply saddened by the tragic event' and confirmed the hotel had been occupied 'for temporary housing'. Police responded swiftly to a 999 call as armed officers (pictured) ran down the road towards the attacker Tom Flanagan Kartunnen, Area Senior Vice President Northern & Western Europe, said: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic event that happened today on West George Street in Glasgow. We are working with the hotel owner and all the relevant local authorities, including Police Scotland, to support the investigation. 'Police Scotland has confirmed the incident has been contained and there is no further threat to the public. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel has been occupied for temporary housing. For more information on the incident, please contact Police Scotland.' Nicola Sturgeon said her 'thoughts are with all those people who have been caught up in this terrible incident' and thanked 'all of those police officers whose quick and decisive actions contained the incident'. The First Minister of Scotland added: 'It's been a dreadful afternoon for the city of Glasgow'. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: 'Deeply saddened by the terrible incident in Glasgow, my thoughts are with all the victims and their families. Thank you to our brave emergency services who are responding.' Downing Street said Boris Johnson's 'thoughts remain' with those injured during the incident in Glasgow on Friday. A Number 10 spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister has this afternoon spoken with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about the incident in Glasgow. 'He has also held a meeting with the Home Secretary and senior police officers, in which he was updated. 'The Prime Minister thanked the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Iain Livingstone, for the exceptional bravery of his officers at the scene.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'Deeply alarming reports coming from Glasgow. Please follow police advice and avoid the area. Thoughts are with the emergency services as they continue to respond to this incident.' Justice Minister Humza Yousaf praised Constable Whyte for his 'immense bravery' and police officers for being 'once again at the front line keeping us safe'. In a statement, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said he advised the First Minister and Prime Minister that police are 'not treating the attack as a terrorist incident' and urged the public not to 'gather in crowds' this weekend. He said: 'Terrible incidents such as we have seen today are, thankfully, very rare in Scotland. This event has understandably shocked the people of Glasgow, and indeed, the whole country. 'My thoughts and very best wishes are with those who have been injured and their families, including our colleague Constable David Whyte who was seriously injured in the course of doing his duty. I offer my personal support to all those affected. 'Officers have once again run into danger to protect their fellow citizens. Their professionalism as police officers was outstanding. I pay tribute to their bravery, selflessness and commitment to protecting the public. 'I briefed the First Minister and the Prime Minister earlier today on the circumstances and advised them both that we are not treating the attack as a terrorist incident. It is essential enquiries are now carried out to establish the full circumstances and all speculation must be avoided.' The Chief Constable added: 'Scotland is a safe place to live and work. We have cohesive communities who work with their police service to maintain our peaceful and respectful way of life. 'In the context of the current health emergency, and to respect those injured today and the people of Glasgow, I ask everyone to exercise personal responsibility. Please, do not gather in crowds this weekend.' A person is wheeled from the hotel by emergency service workers in white suits - but police have said the threat is over police officer staffs a cordon as emergency services attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel A cordon around a half-mile wide encircled the crime scene and is being maintained by a large police presence Police speak to hotel residents around 30 minutes after the attack took place this afternoon with officers seen taking away evidence in bags A spokesman for Mears group, which provided the hotel as a home to asylum seekers, said: 'Mears Group is deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic events in the heart of Glasgow today. We are contracted by the Home Office to provide housing and support services to asylum seekers in Scotland. 'We will not anticipate a live police investigation, but we can confirm that the attack happened in a hotel where we are housing asylum seekers during the lockdown period. 'We will provide more details as we are able to and our priority is to look after the welfare of our service users who will no doubt be traumatised by this terrible event. Tonight, we also think of the staff in the hotel and our colleagues at the scene all are in our thoughts.' Activists have been hounding both Mears Group and the Home Office about poor conditions in the hotels since at least June 4, reported the Telegraph. No Evictions Glasgow tweeted that the authorities 'knew the truth' about the treatment of asylum seekers in the city. It claimed the Home Office had cut financial support because the hotels offered three meals a day. This meant people were left without basic medication such as painkillers. 'A volunteer from the Unity Centre stated that, in the same hotel, a man with a cardiac condition began to experience anxiety attacks. 'Despite this he was only attended to 48 hours later and over the phone,' Mohammed Asif, a 54-year-old campaigner for refuge rights in Glasgow told the newspaper. One resident complained of 'severe depression' but had to wait two weeks for a response to his request to see a doctor. It was also alleged another resident spoke to Mears about deteriorating mental health in the hotels but they were 'largely ignored'. Mears refused to comment but previously accused activists of 'spreading false and misleading information'. Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson said: 'We are continuing to deal with the incident on West George Street, Glasgow and would ask people to avoid the area. However, I would like to reassure the public that this is a contained incident and that the wider public is not at risk. 'Armed police officers attended the incident and I can confirm that a male suspect was shot by an armed officer. I would like to reassure the public that at this time we are not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident. 'I can also confirm that a police officer was injured while dealing with the incident and that officer is receiving treatment in hospital.' Nicholas, 27, was staying in the hotel and said: 'I heard people screaming. When I went down to the reception there was blood everywhere. Two of the receptionists had been stabbed, both males. 'There was a man who was holding his waist. I told them to stay calm and not worry. I saw another receptionist who was lying on the stairs, they'd been stabbed. 'There were two police officers so I told them what happened. After I came out from the hotel I heard people say the attacker's still in the hotel but I didn't come across him. 'When I was out of the hotel for ten minutes one of the police officers came out with blood on his face, he had been stabbed. My mum's still in our room - I've told her not to come out.' Police attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel in central Glasgow at around 1pm yesterday Police and other emergency services attending the scene of a stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow Police standing outside the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street in Glasgow after a major stabbing incident Armed police bringing out residents of the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street in Glasgow after a major incident Another man, Shaun, said he saw a man enter the reception area and stab two people. He said: 'I heard loud noises. A woman screaming and man screaming for help, but I couldn't see from my window what's going on. 'I took the stairs to the ground floor and in the reception it was full of blood everywhere on the floor, a receptionist got stabbed. And then when I went out of the entrance, I saw another receptionist got stabbed. The sad part is I know them. I called my mum and told her immediately not to come down from the room.' Another witness told Radio Clyde News: 'I came down the stairs and there was blood all over the reception area. I came outside and there was another person lying on the ground receiving treatment.' Craig Milroy, who saw the aftermath of the incident from an office building nearby, said he had seen four people taken away in ambulances. He said: 'I saw a man lying on the ground, of African descent, with no shoes on. He was on the ground with someone holding his side - I don't know if it was a bullet wound, a stab wound, or what it was.' Mr Milroy said the man was one of the four taken away by medics and believed him to be a victim of an attack. He added: 'We were still standing outside, after that the police all came down, the riot police and triage team told us to go back in and lock the door.' The Park Inn Glasgow, which is owned by the Radisson chain, is believed to have been housing asylum seekers since April - and its website states that it is temporarily closed until August 2. Mohammad Asif, from the Glasgow-based Afghan Human Rights Foundation, tweeted: 'Multiple people attacked and stabbed in Glasgow city centre Park Inn hotel. The hotel also houses asylum seekers. 'I am told by an asylum seeker resident in the hotel that they are not allowed to speak to anyone. He said many people have stabbed by knives.' Glasgow-born actor John Barrowman tweeted a video from California saying he had woken up to the 'horrific, horrible news about the stabbings'. He said: 'Our love and strength to all who have lost family members in the horrific stabbings in Glasgow Scotland. I belong to Glasgow and my heart is hurt today for the people and the city. Strength and Love.' Armed officers were patrolling the area but believe the threat was neutralised after the suspect was shot Officers drove back people as the cordon grew around the hotel, which is said to have faced protests in recent weeks Specialist police officers speak via radios after they gunned down the male suspect this afternoon Police officers including forensics officers attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel Horrified witnesses claim 'multiple' people may have been stabbed in a broad daylight knife attack. One told MailOnline: 'It's shocking. Things have been so quiet with lockdown. 'I heard the sirens and then there were police, some with automatic weapons and bullet proof vests running around. Somebody told me there was blood all over the road. I'm so upset and just want to get home.' Witness Callum O'Brien, who lives in a flat near the scene, told Mirror Online: 'I didn't see the attack and first I was aware was from multiple sirens outside. 'I can't see round the corner to where the attack took place but I have seen four people taken into ambulances. They were all taken on stretchers. One was very bloodied, the others not so much.' He added moments later: 'A fifth has just been taken into an ambulance and was surrounded by paramedic and police and being given oxygen, noticeably more so than the others so this may have been the attacker but don't have anything else to go on other than that sorry.' A witness named Louisa told Sky News: 'I was in a building on West George Street, I was higher up so I could see what was going on. We're inside, we're safe on a high floor, we're staying put for the time being. 'In the aftermath I saw people who were being treated, there were covered in blood, there was blood all over them. There were armed police telling people to come out of the hotel with their hands up... there was a large group of them. I saw at least three being treated at the scene before they were taken away in ambulances.' There were police cars, ambulances all over the street. Another witness told the Daily Record: 'We've barricaded our offices because we were being safe in case it was terrorism. This is really scary.' Forensic officers at the scene in West George Street, Glasgow, where a man has been shot by an armed officer after another officer was injured during an attack Police officers push back a cordon as they attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel The hotel has been evacuated and are being helped by police officers and paramedics A police officer gestures at the scene of reported multiple stabbings at West George Street in Glasgow The Scottish Defence League held a rally in Glasgow's George Square on June 17 and clashed with asylum seekers. George Square is located just a five-minute walk away from the Park Inn hotel. The asylum seekers' rally was organised by the group No Evictions, which is campaigning for those who have been allegedly removed from their homes and rehouses in the 'cramped and degrading' hotels. Mark White, from Sky News, said: 'Several people have been injured in a serious incident in Glasgow city centre. Armed police have sealed off West George Street. Eyewitnesses have told they saw people, bloodied, being taken on stretchers from the Park Inn hotel.' LBC reporter Fraser Knight posted: 'Reports of multiple stabbings in Glasgow City Centre and a potential major incident with upwards of 20 police vehicles, riot shields, armed officers and paramedics on West George Street 'Around 20 police vehicles, armed officers, sniffer dogs and riot shields are on the scene at West George Street in Glasgow. Lots of shouting and huge number of paramedics in hazmat suits. 'Huge police and ambulance response to an incident on West George Street in Glasgow - reports of a police officer being stabbed.' The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) has said an officer has been stabbed during a major incident in Glasgow. The SPF tweeted: 'We are aware of reports a police officer has been stabbed in an incident in Glasgow city centre. Our officials are in attendance to provide all necessary support. 'Please allow our collages the space to do their jobs. Further updates will be provided when we are able to do so.' It added: 'We appreciate families of police officers in Glasgow will be anxious to hear that a police officer has been stabbed. Please be aware the family of the officer has been notified and is being supported by the service. In a statement on Twitter, police said the incident is 'contained' and there is no danger to the general public. Greater Glasgow Police tweeted: 'Emergency services are currently dealing with an incident on West George Street in Glasgow. The street is currently closed off and the public are asked to avoid the area at present. 'The situation is contained at this time and there is no danger to the general public.' Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'Please follow advice to avoid the West George Street area of Glasgow while @policescotland deal with this ongoing incident.' EXCLUSIVE: Glasgow knifeman is named as 'loner' Sudanese asylum seeker who had been in a hostel room with no daylight for three months and had threatened to attack his neighbours for making too much noise The alleged knifeman shot dead by police is a Sudanese national called Badradeen who warned the night before the carnage that he was going to launch an attack. The alleged knifeman's friend, Siraj, (pictured), 22, an asylum seeker from Yeman, told Mail Online that he had a conversation with Badradeen the night before the bloodbath at the Park Inn hotel in Glasgow city centre His name was revealed by his close friend Abdal Nasser, 22, who told of his shock at seeing the 'loner' standing with a knife after six people, including a police officer, had been stabbed. Another friend Siraj told Mail Online that he had a conversation with Badradeen the night before the bloodbath at the Park Inn hotel in Glasgow city centre. Siraj, 22, an asylum seeker from Yeman told Mail Online: 'He told me that he was fed up. He had been in the hotel for three months. There was no daylight in his room and he was very angry. 'He said that he was going to attack two guys in the room next to his because they're were making noise to deliberately annoy him. ' Siraj added: ' I said 'No No No' and that it was just that the hotels walls were thin and it was just noise. But he said Badradeen had told him :' No. They hate me. And I hate them. I am going to stab them.' Siraj said: 'I didn't think he would actually do anything. 'But I did go to the hotel supervisor and make a report. The next morning at around 9.30 the hotel talked to me and took down the details of what he had said he was going to do. 'I then went to sleep I was only woken up by the fire alarm and then when I came down I just saw the blood everywhere. I couldn't believe he had done it.' The knife man was shot dead by police, and six people including the police officer David Whyte remain in hospital. He was critical but is now in a stable in hospital. One of the injured, a hotel resident said, is 17-year-old Mohamed Mansarie from Sierra Leone. Police, alongside a floral tribute, at the scene in West George Street, Glasgow, where a man was shot by armed officers yesterday Resident Beatrice Onwuka, 37, from Nigeria said another of the stabbed refugees was teenager Sultan Mohammed, also from Sierra Leone. Police Scotland have not released any names officially, but did say that the injured included people of the ages of 17, 18, 30, 38 and 53. Friends of the dead man said he was in his twenties, had 'big hair and a cute face. Siraj added: 'I think he was getting more mentally ill over the three months. 'He had gastric problems and had to isolate for around 20 days and his room had no light from a window. 'He didn't like the food and was fed up.' Police at the scene in West George Street, Glasgow, where a man was shot by an armed officers after another police officer was injured during an attack on Friday Ms Onwuka revealed Badradeen had changed his mind about seeking asylum and wanted to return back to the Sudan. 'He was fed up. He didn't speak much English and he had only a few friends. He was nearly always on his own. 'He told me he wanted to go home. He didn't want to stay here anymore. He had had enough. Mr Nasser, said Badradeen had not spoken to him prior to the attack. 'I was there in the hotel. I did not see the attack itself but Baradeen, who was my friend, I saw him with a knife in his hand. 'It is a shock for me. I am sorry for all the people he hurt. I did not know Badradeen well but we became friends in recent weeks because we are both from Sudan.' PC David Whyte, 42, played football in a local police team. His wife is called Carol and they have two children. The photo and video totally embodies Cris personality, her daughter-in-law said. She had some dementia, but no underlying health issues. She honestly was one of those people that you expect to live well into her 90s. A number of family members of those who died have contacted the newspaper since the outbreak. Several are like Debbie Luck, who believe their loved ones would have enjoyed several more productive years if COVID-19 hadnt cut them short. Her mother, Gloria Brooks, was 90 when she died June 11. Its been awful; it really has, Luck said. She was so full of life. Carriage Hill first reported the outbreak to the state June 2, then its staff, along with National Guard members and Rappahannock Area Health District officials, conducted a point prevalence survey on June 5 in which they tested every resident and worker in the building. Initially, the outbreakthe worst in the districtaffected 55 patients and 26 workers, but it has spread since then. Carriage Hill agreed to have the testing done and is among seven long-term care facilities in the districtout of 21 facilitiesto do so. Another three have scheduled testing, said Allison BalmesJohn, spokesperson for the health district. OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- As of Friday, Jackson County had 86 new cases of COVID-19 reported by the Mississippi Department of Health over the past five days -- an increase of 22.3 percent. Nevertheless, Ocean Springs officials plan to go forward with the Citys Independence Day celebration -- including a July 4 block party with a portion of the downtown streets shutdown to traffic. That decision has been met with widespread criticism on social media and elsewhere since the City announced the event, along with the July 3 fireworks show, Wednesday on the City Facebook page. As of Friday afternoon, there had been 133 comments under the announcement, the vast majority critical of the City. I cannot believe the city is doing this during a pandemic, wrote Facebook user Ann Charlton Duke. This is totally irresponsible and in direct defiance of the state guidelines and Dr. (Thomas) Dobbs recommendations. We desperately need leadership in our city government. Former City alderwoman Julia Weaver was more succinct. This is a really bad idea, she wrote. Mo Downey posted, noting the statewide spike in COVID-19 cases. An event like this would be incredibly irresponsible! Downey wrote. A spike of greater than 1000 positive covid cases were just reported (Thursday). Top state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says we should be looking at stricter measures to make sure people are social distancing. Get with it Ocean Springs! It would appear, however, that many are assuming a block party would take the shape of Ocean Springs famous (or infamous, depending on point of view) pub crawls -- a nighttime event largely for the benefit of bars and nighttime partiers. But the July 4 block party will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., largely to promote the annual Fourth of July sales for downtown merchants. Most of the bars in the downtown area which do not serve food typically dont open until mid-afternoon. Dobson said he is not surprised by what he called emotional reactions on social media. Its social media, so per usual nobody really looks at details or much of anything, Dobson said, just a lot of emotional reaction, which is pretty much what social media is. It doesnt surprise me that people arent looking into it further before they criticize. Dobson also suggested there was hypocrisy involved with some who have attended recent political rallies now complaining about the Citys event celebrating Independence Day. Also, a lot of the people criticizing are the pot calling the kettle black, he said. A lot of these people, I know for a fact, showed up to political demonstrations and stood shoulder to shoulder with people. Now they want to bash me for wanting to block of the street and celebration Independence Day. Im not really sure how they come to terms with themselves on that. In March, Dobson, with board approval, had agreed to shut down a portion of the downtown streets for the citys annual St. Patricks Day celebration. But with the outbreak of COVID-19, Dobson rescinded that order and the streets were not closed. Dobson was asked how the decision to not close the streets for that event differs from the current decision to close the streets July 4, particularly in the wake of increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases along the coast and statewide. At that time, everything was still knew and nobody really understood the methodology and statistics of these agencies that are supposed to be tasked with managing this stuff, he said. Now, I think we have a little bit clearer picture as to what is need to keep people safe and also keep our economy going. The Independence Day celebration is a joint venture between the City and the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce. When contacted by The Mississippi Press, chamber executive director Cynthia Dobbs Sutton declined to comment, referring questions to the City. Dobson brought the plan to the board of aldermen at the June 16 meeting. At that time, aldermen gave Dobson the go-ahead to work with the chamber to put the event together. A week later, aldermen voted 6-0 to approve the plan, including the street closures for the block party. Alderman Rob Blackman was absent. Dobson said the decision to close the streets was in part the exact opposite of what critics have suggested. If we dont close the streets, everybodys going to be packed onto the sidewalks, shoulder to shoulder, he said. But if we close the streets and allow people more room to walk around, its easier to social distance. My ultimate goal is for people to come out and celebrate, but do it in a safe manner, as well. Everybody has to use their own judgment as to what they should and shouldnt do and practice good hygiene and basic stuff like that. Dobson was also asked if much of the criticism may simply be a result of a misunderstanding of the nature of the event. These days, people dont really look into details any more, he replied. Its just whatever media tells them to be mad at, theyre going to be mad at. I think there are misunderstandings, yes, but frankly I think the media has contributed to a lot of the hysteria were seeing around the country, in the way they frame things. Theyll talk about one kind of political demonstration and say theres no risk of COVID being spread, yet if we want to celebrate Independence Day its the worst thing in the world. Whats the standard here? Im not seeing any standard, it just seems to be whatever you feel is a good thing or not. The City will also host its annual Fourth of July fireworks show on Front Beach on July 3 at 8:45 p.m. Ocean Springs traditionally hosts its fireworks show on July 3 so as not to compete with July 4 shows by the City of Biloxi and Biloxi casinos. The Ocean Springs Independence Day celebration is being sponsored by Truly Hard Seltzer, Lazy Magnolia, 360 Vodka, the City of Ocean Springs, Murky Waters BBQ, Old Camp Whiskey, the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, and Parish Brewing Co. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll this month found that 53 percent of voters trust Biden more on health care issues, compared with 38 percent for Trump. And according to internal Democratic polling of key Senate battleground states conducted in May, GOP support for the legal challenge against Obamacare was the top negative against Senate Republicans, particularly among swing and independent voters, according to a party official familiar with the numbers who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the findings. GRAND RAPIDS, MI In response to community feedback, Grand Rapids Public Schools is reversing course and will no longer consider closing three schools as it grapples with an anticipated multi-million dollar budget shortfall caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Changes to the districts the Montessori programs are also no longer being considered, Interim Superintendent Ronald Gorman and incoming Superintendent Leadriane Roby announced Friday, June 26 in a joint statement. The proposed budget had called for closing Aberdeen (K-8), East Leonard (PreK-5) and Ken-O-Sha (PreK-5) schools. The elimination of prekindergarten for ages 3 and 4 at the Montessori was also tap with plans to increase seats at the kindergarten and first grade levels. We were very intentional in listening to the concerns raised by our stakeholders and the Board and hope that these revised recommendations demonstrate our continued commitment to try and keep the cuts as away far from the classroom as possible, Gorman and Roby said Friday afternoon. The district is aiming to cut $10.6 million from its budget for next school year. The move comes in response to a sharp funding drop in the state School Aid Fund, the primary pot of money for schools in Michigan, caused by declining tax revenue amid the pandemic. Related: Grand Rapids school board eyes deep budget cuts amid coronavirus economic fallout Instead of closing the three schools and changing its Montessori programs, the district is proposing additional staff and budget reductions at the cabinet and central office levels in order to limit potential reduction of teaching positions, according to the statement from Gorman and Roby. These additional reductions equal nearly $1.5 million, leaving an additional $1.8 million or approximately 18 to 22 FTE in teaching and staff reductions. We expect that through vacancies, retirements, and resignations, we may be able to limit the impact on the teaching positions. Gorman and Roby added, ... even with these proposed reductions, this leaves our fund balance dangerously low at less than 1%. Without significant funding changes, more budget reductions will be needed for the following school year. This discussion and planning needs to begin immediately with the Board and our community stakeholders. Like other school districts, GRPS cannot cover the budget shortfall by solely dipping into reserves. The proposed budget was discussed Monday, June 22 during the districts virtual town hall. School leaders heard questions and concerns from parents, teachers and community members about the deep cuts proposed. As of Friday morning, GRPS had received nearly 1,000 responses to the closures and cuts, including 102 staff positions - 43 from central office and 59 from the schools. What was proposed, which fell under Option A, was the least preferred of three options outlined. Significant concerns were expressed around the timing, lack of data, lack of time for more community involvement, the criteria used for selecting schools/programs for closure, and disruption to a popular school with strong enrollment,' according to the press release. Respondents also expressed concern about the need for parents, students, and staff to have stability, certainty, and some normalcy in the midst of a global pandemic and unknown plans to return to school in the fall. Some other feedback the district received in the press release included: Support for a comprehensive listening tour to engage the community in developing a new strategic plan that would allow for a more thorough and a more deliberate discussion around any potential school closures and restructuring that may need to occur given the severity of our multi-year budget situation. A need to make more and deeper cuts at the central office level, with emphasis on cabinet and central office administration. Keeping cuts away from the classroom needs to be more deliberate and intentional, with emphasis on protecting and supporting our most vulnerable student populations (special education, English Language Learners, at-risk). Staff layoffs, inclusive of deeper cuts at the central office, is a preferred option to school closures. Due to the potential for additional funding relief from the state and/or federal governments, it is easier to walk back a staff layoff than it is a school closure. While it appears there may still be a gap in knowledge about the severity of our multi-year budget situation, there is a belief that in the coming weeks and months, districts will have clarity on what additional funding may be available to help balance budgets and implement a safe return to school in the fall. Respondents noted the Tuesday, June 23 proposal from Michigan Republican lawmakers that would use $1.3 billion in federal funding to help bail out schools trying to address increase costs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Related: Michigan Republicans propose $1.3 billion plan for reopening K-12 schools this fall The proposal includes one-time boosts of $800 per pupil to K-12 schools and an extra $500 for teachers who have been working through the pandemic. But school districts dont have the luxury of waiting to see if they will get help because they have to adopt a budget by July 1. The Grand Rapids Board of Education is scheduled to vote on its budget Monday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m. School leaders have a lot of anxiety with the states school aid fund $1.2 billion short this fiscal year and estimated to be $1.1 billion below what was anticipated next budget year due to tax declines from the coronavirus shutdown. The projected $1.1-billion decrease next year would equate to a cut of $650 per student, according to GRPS Chief Financial Officer Larry Oberst. Some teachers had already planned a demonstration Saturday, June 27, regarding the budget cuts but it was canceled following the districts announcement about revising the budget. Read more: Michigan severe weather concern now up to 3 on a 5 step scale, targets I-94 corridor Michigan reports 389 new coronavirus cases, 1 new death History and character highlight Jackson condominium home listed for $369K Asian Tiger mosquitoes reappear in Michigan By Ayya Lmahamad Poland has sent humanitarian assistance to Azerbaijan in the fight against coronavirus infection, Embassy of Poland reported in its official Facebook page. "This is a continuation of the action of solidarity with our partners in the member countries of the "Eastern Partnership". As part of the campaign Poland sends medical protective means and disinfectants worth about PLN 87,000 ($21.890) to Azerbaijan," Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pavel Jablonski said. He noted that the sending of humanitarian aid was supported by the Material Reserves Agency, the Health Ministry, the International Solidarity Fund and the Ministry of National Defence. It should be noted that earlier, on June 9, President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan made individual donations to the World Health Organization, and humanitarian assistance to 29 WHO member countries, including $5 million to Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz France and Germany pledged Thursday to contribute more funding to the World Health Organization as it fights the coronavirus pandemic. The pledges came after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met in Geneva with health ministers from the two countries to discuss the pandemic and global responses. The meeting Thursday coincided with an announcement by WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge of a "very significant resurgence" of coronavirus cases across Europe. Germany's Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn said Germany intended to give more than $560 million and equipment to WHO this year, as the country assumes the presidency of the European Union. The new support for WHO must first be approved by parliament, according to Spahn, who added the government is optimistic that will happen by the beginning of July. France said it would donate about $100 million to a WHO research center in Lyon as well as make an additional contribution of $56 million. Photo credit: Instagram From ELLE Kylie Jenner has proven that you can go hard and go home when it comes to celebrating, having decided to throw a basement party to mark the launch of her new make-up collection. On Thursday, the 22-year-old shared a video on Instagram of her newly-decorated basement, which had been transformed by celebrity planner Mindy Weiss. In the clip, fans can see that the beauty mogul's basement features a wall of photos of her and her sister, Kendall, with whom she collaborated on the new collection. A neon sign that read Kendall by Kylie Cosmetics sits in the centre of the snaps, while a black, customised ping pong table takes centre stage. The table has the same collection title written in white font across its length and is covered in face masks. Meanwhile the ceiling is covered in black balloons and television monitors on the back wall show Kendall and Kylie during the campaign shoot for the collection. The room is also filled with deserts, popcorn boxes, life-size versions of the sisters' eyeshadow palettes, a ring light, pink flowers and Kendall-printed masks. Photo credit: Kylie Jenner - Instagram Photo credit: Instagram Its unknown whether Kendall attended the event which, from the looks of Kylies pyjama set and her daughter Stormi Websters grey onesie, was a slumber party. The party comes weeks after the Kardashian and Jenner families have been criticised for seemingly breaking social distancing guidelines per Californian lawmakers' instruction. Photo credit: Kylie Jenner - Instagram According to data compiled by Mercury News, the Los Angeles County has more cases than any other county in the US, with 91,467 confirmed cases as of Thursday June 25. California's governor, Gavin Newsom, has stressed the importance of continuing to wear masks, wash hands and practice social distancing. Story continues We are not victims of fate, he noted. Its decisions, not conditions, that determine our fate and future. Earlier this month, the famous families appeared to come together to celebrate the seventh birthday of Kim Kardashian and Kanye Wests eldest daughter, North, in Wyoming, weeks after they enjoyed a family get together for Scott Disicks 37th birthday in California. Drives me wild when people act as if they know, Khloe Kardashian said after her relatives received backlash for attending Disick's bash. Of course we want to protect ourselves. Simply for the sake of our angels, not to mention our own health. But its human nature I guess. Members of the family were seen with their arms around each other on social media, despite all living separately during quarantine in the US. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. In need of more inspiration, thoughtful journalism and at-home beauty tips? Subscribe to ELLE's print magazine now and pay just 6 for 6 issues. SUBSCRIBE HERE You Might Also Like Disney's "Mulan" is being postponed until August, as coronavirus cases continue to rise and the safety of movie theaters has been called into question. On Friday, Disney announced the film would now be released on Aug. 21. This is the second time "Mulan" has been pushed from its release date. The film was originally set to debut in March. "While the pandemic has changed our release plans for 'Mulan' and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and perseverance," Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, and Alan Bergman, co-chairman of the company said in a joint statement. The postponement of the Disney film comes just a day after Warner Bros. shifted the release of Christopher Nolan's "Tenet," also citing concerns over the increase in Covid-19 cases. "Tenet" had been slated to be released July 17, however, the film was pushed to July 31 in mid-June and then to Aug. 12 on Thursday. These moves by Warner Bros. and Disney come as the U.S. has posted record numbers of cases and hospitalizations in states like Texas and Florida. As the number of coronavirus cases continue to rise epidemiologists have voice concerns about the safety of returning to movie theaters. While theater owners have established guidelines in an effort to stem the rate of infection, like social distancing and increased sanitation, only some locations are requiring masks. The predominant way Covid-19 is spread is through physical contact between people and the exchange of infected droplets. Infectious disease experts worry that the air-conditioning in these enclosed theaters could increase the risk of spreading the disease, especially if patrons are not wearing masks. The property tycoon at the centre of a 'cash for favours' row had drinks with the Prime Minister in No 10 months before ministers approved a controversial 1billion planning application. Tory donor Richard Desmond was pictured with Boris Johnson at a fundraising dinner last November but the tycoon also had drinks with the PM months before at another meeting, the Mail can reveal. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick faces a potential Commons sleaze probe after rushing approval for the 1billion development by Mr Desmond which would have saved him tens of millions of pounds. Tory donor Richard Desmond was pictured with Boris Johnson at The Savoy (above) fundraising dinner last November. But it was revealed he also had drinks with the PM months before at another meeting The Housing Secretary was reported to Parliament's standards watchdog yesterday over his failure to declare a conflict of interest before instructing officials to fast-track Mr Desmond's planning application for the east London site. Mr Jenrick did not disclose he sat next to the businessman at a Tory party fundraising dinner until four weeks later. Mr Desmond was also pictured with Mr Johnson at the same event. But last night, the former newspaper tycoon said: 'I have been to No 10 for a drinks evening, not on a one-to-one [basis],' he said. 'I think it was about September last year. That's it. I didn't go to school with him.' He played down his relationship with Mr Johnson saying: 'He is not close to me.' Asked if he had sent text messages to the PM about his planning appeal, Mr Desmond said: 'I have never discussed it with Boris Johnson.' The Housing Secretary is fighting to keep his job as the furore grows over his lack of transparency. Robert Jenrick (above) was reported to Parliament's standards watchdog yesterday over his failure to declare a conflict of interest before instructing officials to fast-track Mr Desmond's planning application for a 1billion east London development After exchanging mobile numbers at the fundraising dinner, the billionaire pleaded with the minister to give the Westferry housing project the go-ahead before a local levy came in that would cost him 45million. Last night, Labour called on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to investigate whether Mr Jenrick had breached the code of conduct for MPs over his handling of the plan. In a letter to Kathryn Stone, Labour's housing spokesman Steve Reed said Mr Jenrick had 'not lived up to' the standards expected of MPs. He accused Mr Jenrick of 'acting on the instruction' of the businessman by speeding up his application after he warned the development would not be viable if he had to pay the local levy. A YouGov poll yesterday revealed 39 per cent of the public want Mr Jenrick to resign, compared to 11 per cent who do not. The remaining 50 per cent did not know. Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) gets an elbow bump from Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) after the Senate approved the $202.1-billion state budget at the Capitol on Thursday. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California lawmakers sent a $202.1-billion state budget to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday, a spending plan crafted to erase a historic deficit triggered by the coronavirus crisis that relies heavily on cash reserves and a multiyear payment plan to meet funding obligations to public schools. The final votes in the Assembly came after passage by the state Senate on Thursday night, reflecting the agreement reached between Democratic legislative leaders and the governor earlier in the week. Newsom is expected to sign the budget bills into law as soon as Monday and beat the deadline for the start of the state's new fiscal year on Wednesday. "We're in the midst of a global crisis and a pandemic," Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) said. "And the choices we have to make here are not perfect." The budget cuts $13 billion in state government spending from the previous year's level, almost exactly as much in cuts as proposed by Newsom in the plan he presented to legislators last month. But it differs from Newsom's effort in how those savings are achieved relying on fewer spending cuts, more delayed payments to schools and optimistic projections of future tax revenues, and health and human services program costs. "We have been able to arrive at an agreement that is pragmatic and balanced, thanks in large part not to decisions we're making right now, but [to] the responsible budgeting decisions that we've made over the past decade," Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said on Thursday. Those decisions made in the past setting aside billions in tax revenues swelled the size of the state's cash reserve fund. The budget for the coming fiscal year uses almost half of the $16-billion fund and anticipates withdrawing close to $5 billion more over the next two budget years, leaving the main reserve fund's balance at $2.9 billion by the early summer of 2023. Story continues An additional $450 million will be withdrawn from a second reserve, one earmarked for health and welfare costs during an economic downturn. State expenses to combat the COVID-19 pandemic would be covered by another $716 million in available cash. Even so, the budget makes hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to higher education, court operations and housing grants. State workers will be furloughed for up to two days a month, part of an almost $2.9-billion cut to employee compensation. A number of planned expansions and changes to state healthcare services were scrapped. The budget leaves out the expansion of Medi-Cal to those 65 and older who lack legal immigration status, a key priority of some Democratic lawmakers. The decision to impose delays of 12 months or longer on some of the state's funding for K-12 schools and community colleges resulted in the single largest solution to a deficit Newsom estimated this spring at $54.3 billion. Lawmakers agreed to defer $12.5 billion in school funds that would otherwise have been required to be paid in the fiscal year that ends next week, or the 2020-2021 year. Many school districts will have to find some other way of securing the missing money in the intervening period, usually done by tapping their own cash reserves or borrowing, with the state agreeing to repay those funds in the future. But the cuts, lawmakers said, could have been worse. In all, fewer state programs will see cuts linked to future federal coronavirus assistance than Newsom originally envisioned. The budget lists $11 billion in spending reductions being made now, which can be reversed if sufficient money is sent to California by Congress and President Trump in early fall. That would mean more funding for education, housing and county government services. "We must urge the federal government to develop meaningful aid for state and local programs," Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) said on Friday. Democrats praised the limited number of spending increases contained in the budget as key to protecting the state's most vulnerable residents during the recession. Those boosts include extending California's tax credit for low-income earners without a Social Security number and with children younger than 6, which would provide extra cash to some residents without legal immigration status. Republicans said too many of the solutions in the final agreement one they complained they had not seen until a deal was struck privately among Democrats are short-term fixes that don't provide enough structural balance for state finances. "I know the cuts are painful to make," Assemblyman Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake) said. "But our failure to make those difficult decisions this year is going to have dire consequences for us in future years." The state's annual budget is written in a series of legislative bills, most of which will be on Newsom's desk by the weekend. Over the course of the last quarter-century, an increasing number of those bills have enacted policies that might have only a thin nexus to the government services and revenues for the coming year. Most are rarely seen before being published, as required by law, 72 hours before a final legislative vote. One such provision in a public safety budget bill led to a lengthy debate on Thursday night in the Senate: an expanded definition of what constitutes an assault-style weapon in California. The bill's language was tailored to include a specific weapon sold by a Nevada gun manufacturer that is not marketed as a rifle, shotgun or pistol and therefore not subject to the state's existing restrictions. The company, Franklin Armory, describes the "Title 1" weapon on its website as a "long gun for the Golden State" and one available to gun owners who live anyplace "where the modern sporting rifle is neutered beyond comprehension." State Sen. Brian Jones (R-Santee) said the gun ban should have been fully vetted by a legislative policy committee so that "there is a legitimate conversation" that "gives the public the opportunity to voice their opinion on this type of issue." That drew a sharp response from state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), who chairs the Senate Public Safety Committee. "What this does is enables us to keep catching up with these manufacturers who are constantly trying to circumvent California's [assault weapon] law," she said. "Every single vote in a budget, whether it is dollars or words, is a policy act." Others raised concerns with the public safety budget bill's changes in prison sentencing, which includes redefining "elderly parole" as beginning in some cases at age 50 instead of 60. On Friday, however, the Assembly refused to take up the bill and sent it back to the Senate. Some lawmakers expressed concern about a provision giving judges new discretion in handling some misdemeanor offenses. The Assembly's decision leaves all of the bill's public safety proposals in limbo. The package of budget bills, expected to be in place in time to keep state government operations flowing seamlessly, is unlikely to be the final word from lawmakers on addressing California's coronavirus-weakened economy. One key factor in every year's budget deliberations in Sacramento personal income tax receipts paid by April 15 remains a mystery. Newsom cited the burdens of the public health crisis when he extended the deadline for taxpayers until July 15, meaning a significant component of the state's revenue outlook could lead to additional budget actions before the Legislature adjourns for the year in early September. YEREVAN. The Public Television is spreading misinformation on its 1lurer.am news website, misleading the public, proving once again that the Public Televisions news department serves the interests of the authorities and is deprived of its own position. Media Advocate initiative of Armenia has noted this in a statement, which also reads as follows: This time 1lurer.am published an article entitled: Gianni Buquicchio urged Hrayr Tovmasyan to respect the Constitution. Neither the original nor the Armenian translation of the Venice Commission Chairman Gianni Buquicchios letter contains such formulation. This was noticed and discussed on Social Networks, after which Public TV made some changes. In his letter to Tovmasyan, Buquicchio called for respect for the Constitution, and the Ministry of Justice reminds that there is a full agreement with the Commission. One can judge from this title that Gianni Buquicchios appeal is addressed to Hrayr Tovmasyan, while the text has the following: I was closely following the developments in Armenia related to the constitutional changes. I am sorry that they do not fully express the advice of the Venice Commission. In fact, Buquicchio expressed concern about the constitutional changes, pointing out the problems in it. Media Advocate initiative urges the management of the Public Televisions news department to once again reconsider the title of the article and stop the pro-government working style. Remember Obama's snarky, condescending comment: "If you've got a business, you didn't build that"? It wasn't true then, and it isn't true now. Yes, collectively we have all paid for infrastructure, but only the investor risks money sunk into building brick-and-mortar structures or platforms for hosting an online presence. Only the owners put in endless work hours, mortgage their homes, and max out their credit cards, if required, to keep their businesses afloat. Only the student puts in the stress, time, effort, and funds it takes to obtain an education or pursue professional degrees. Obama was plugging the Democrats' big government meme that only government can make you, get you out of trouble, pay you, take care of you. While Obama was putting the country on the defensive, he was openly criticizing and apologizing for America and arduously whacking away at her foundations. His minions have picked up his traitorous methods of braying, lurching, and terrorizing to advance his and their Marxist agenda. While Republicans and Democrats in Congress are battling over dueling police reform bills, why haven't the squishy Republicans said, "Stop in the name of the law"? Local law, that is. Clearly, there can be basic federal standards governing the police. However, most professionals such as teachers, lawyers, electricians, plumbers, beauticians, barbers, judges, and architects, to name just a few, are governed by state and local laws. Police, firemen, and other first responders are, should be, and must be governed by city and state regulations. In Philadelphia, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, D.C., and Minnesota, the mayors are Democrats, as are the chiefs of police. They have been in power for a long time. If there are systemic problems in these cities, the Democrats built that. In these same cities, if there is systematic racism, the Democrats built that. In these same cities, if there is systemic black poverty, with concomitant substandard housing, and disparate medical services, the Democrats built that. In these same cities, if there are sanctuary cities with protected high illegal populations who depress wages and drain services, thereby perpetuating the city's ever expanding poverty level, the Democrats built that. In these same cities, if substandard education exists, being doled out in crumbling, dangerous school buildings, the Democrats built that. In these same cities, if the young people are taught that America's history is all negative, and all white people are racist and evil, Democrats built that. In these same cities, if you are in trouble and you call the police because your life is threatened, or a woman is being raped, or your house is burning down, and they don't respond the Democrats built that. In these same cities, if you are an observant Jew, banned from religious services and sacred funeral gatherings, while thugs, looters, and arsonists ravage your streets, the Democrats built that. In these same cities, if the police are disbanded from protecting the citizens and protecting the public schools, the Democrats built that. From Obama's denigration of America, his political ads for a "big daddy" big-government substitute for individual responsibility and familial support, and his mocking American values of religion and patriotism, to Hillary Clinton's book, It Takes a Village, and the thugs tearing down statues and destroying large swaths of city streets, Marxism is on the move and on the march. One looks at young people, screaming foul language at police lines, their veins popping and their rage uncontrolled, and one sees the utter emptiness, brainwashing, and cultural misappropriation that the Democrats have built. How will it end? Surely not by corporations racing to genuflect before Black Lives Matter and the utter nonsense that is the new anti-American meme of the day: all whites are racist, and if you deny that you are, that doubly means you are a racist. Just ask the author, the very white snowflake Robin DeAngelo, who wrote this drivel in her New York Times bestseller White Fragility. The pushback must start soon. What in heaven's name are we waiting for? Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr. Hong Kong: Govt opposes US sanctions law The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today expressed strong opposition to the passage of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act by the Senate of the US Congress. In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government said many of the comments on Hong Kong Special Administrative Region affairs in the act are seriously misleading and absolutely unfounded. It emphasised that the implementation of the one country, two systems principle in Hong Kong is entirely the internal affairs of the People's Republic of China and that no other state or legislature has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, in those internal affairs. Since the return to the Motherland, the Hong Kong SAR has been exercising 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law. The 'one country, two systems' principle has been fully and successfully implemented. The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to implement the 'one country, two systems' principle resolutely in accordance with the Basic Law. The Hong Kong SAR Government noted that the people of Hong Kong enjoy extensive rights and freedoms which are enshrined in the Basic Law. Article 4 of the Basic Law provides that the Hong Kong SAR shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents of the Hong Kong SAR and other people in the region in accordance with the law. In addition, human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong are fully protected by the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation, and underpinned by an independent judiciary. The statement pointed out that the Hong Kong Autonomy Act and the so-called "sanctions" are totally unacceptable and will only harm the relations and common interests between Hong Kong and the US. Any sanctions imposed under the act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law. We however urge the US side to act responsibly by refraining from taking measures that may potentially affect the normal operations of financial institutions and the vast number of customers they serve. The Hong Kong SAR Government reiterated that foreign legislatures should not interfere in any form in the citys internal affairs. This story has been published on: 2020-06-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The word has come down from the Vatican in an appeal by the suspended Catholic Priest Father Mark White of a decision by the Bishop of Richmond to strip him of his pastoral duties, and that word also means White's appeal likely has run out of time. Those may sound like cliches, but, according to a letter dated June 2 from Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy Beniamino Stella, they appear literally true and mean White's appeal never was considered and now probably won't be. Unfortunately, the petition as presented is unable to be accepted, inasmuch as you have received from this cleric a mandate to act only as an Advocate and canonical consultant, Stella wrote to Whites canon lawyer, Michael Podhajsky. The letter explains the appeal only will be accepted if it comes from White or someone he designates as a procurator. White updated the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi in Rocky Mount and St. Joseph in Martinsville with the news. The cardinal [Stella] noted that my lawyers first submission in the case omitted one word, a word I myself had never heard before: procurator, White wrote in his blog. According to the Cardinal, that omission of one word has nullified our entire case. I think its safe to say someone invented the term technicality for situations just like this. To make matters worse, Stella notified Podhajsky that the time limit for filing an appeal had now passed, indicating an amended appeal would be dismissed as well. Stella wrote that White should report to his new assignment according to the instructions of Richmond Bishop Barry Knestout. Those instructions require White to relocate to Abingdon and take up residency at the Jubilee House, a Catholic retreat and conference center. Knestout had stated it was his intention to have White serve in some capacity as a prison minister. Armed with the strength of the Vaticans denial of Whites appeal, Knestout now says the restoration of White as a priest is conditional upon White's complying with a decree he issued in November. Reverend Mark White is to cease from this moment in disseminating his opinions by means of any social media: in print, by audio, or video, or any digital means, the decree states. "Any previous posts are to be removed from all social media, and the account is to be closed. In the exercise of his pastoral office, Father White is to refrain from all assertions against, or judgments about, the hierarchy of the Church. Such opinions are at the heart of this months-old dispute between White and Knestout. White began a popular web blog 12 years ago. When he began posting critical comments about the Catholic Church hierarchys handling of its sex abuse scandal -- particularly involving White's mentor, Theodore McCarrick -- Knestout became displeased and demanded that White remove the blog. White complied at first, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit, and the church doors were closed, White asked if he could resume blogging as a means of communicating with his parishioners. Knestout did not respond to the request, so White defied the command to cease and desist, and the strained relationship between Knestout and White deteriorated further. I am not a priest of Barry Knestout, White said. I am a priest of Jesus Christ. The pope says we stand for human rights, honesty and openness. I cant betray our ideals by giving in to this. Requests for additional comment this week from Knestout drew no immediate response. Path to Martinsville White turns 50 years old today. He entered the seminary for the Archdiocese of Washington in 1997 and spent the summer of 1999 in a special seminary program in Nebraska. It was there he realized the rest of the world was not like Washington, where priests were plentiful. White was ordained in Washington in 2003 and served as a parochial vicar (assistant pastor) and then as pastor in the Washington area for eight years. In early 2011 he asked to be assigned to an area in dire need of priests. Thats when he received the assignment to become the priest in both Rocky Mount and Martinsville. In 2015 White was assigned to Roanoke, with the task of serving two parishes there. The arrangement didnt work as well as it did in Martinsville and Rocky Mount, so White returned to his assignment at St. Francis of Assisi and St. Joseph. And now Bishop Barry Knestout has tried to railroad me right out of the priesthood, White wrote in his blog. By sheer irrational cruelty. Letter of support In an act that surpasses the denominational boundaries of Christians, the Rev. Nicholas Hull and 12 members of the Christ Episcopal Church in Martinsville, representing the Churchs Clergy and Vestry, penned an open letter in support of White. The growing tension between Fr. Mark White and the Diocese of Richmond has been impossible to ignore, and it saddens us to see how this has hampered your ministry within our community, they wrote. Now that Fr. Marks dismissal has made national headlines, there are multitudes of narratives pointing fingers in every conceivable direction. We feel that as outsiders, yet allies of your Church, we are called to offer our limited but honest perspective on this painful controversy. Unfair blame has been put on Fr. Mark White for creating tension and straining the ministry of the Roman Catholic Church in our community. This controversy stems from the sexual misconduct of ex-Cardinal Theadore McCarrick and the Churchs response to his sins. Through Fr. Marks talks at our Church, and through private conversations, it was clear that he was not only deeply hurt by the actions of Theodore McCarrick, but also by the Churchs response to this controversy. In all of our interactions, he has never seemed spiteful, hateful, or vengeful, but disappointed and sad in a Church that he has dedicated his life to serve, much how a spouse might feel hurt after discovering their beloved partner was unfaithful. In a strange way, Fr. Marks passion, vulnerability, and honesty in discussing his disappointments has increased the respect and rapport of the Roman Catholic Church in our community Although Fr. Mark White was critical of the Church, it was abundantly clear that he was still dedicated to remaining its servant. The forces that tried to silence Fr. Mark White claimed they were motivated out of a desire to preserve and protect the Church; however, from our perspective, they have achieved the opposite. Appeal to Vatican In a letter written to Knestout on Monday, White writes: I mean no offense when I point out to you that everyone has the right to communicate with his or her fellow human beings you do not have the authority to compel my silence in this manner. On Tuesday, White wrote directly to the Vatican, apologizing for failing to use the word procurator in his appeal. I did fully authorize Mr. Podhajasky to speak, negotiate, and correspond on my behalf in all canonical and legal matters as permitted under Church Law, so while the word procurator did not appear in the original mandate, I nonetheless gave Mr. Podhajsky the essential powers of a procurator, in plenty of time to take recourse within the preemptory deadlines, wrote White. White pointed out that the merits of his case deserve at least to be heard and failing to do so leaves the problem unresolved. White explained that he was unable to report to his new assignment as instructed by Stella because he is suspended as a priest. Bishop Knestout indicated that he will not restore my priestly faculties unless I remove my weblog from the internet, White wrote. As your Eminence knows, everyone enjoys the natural right to communicate with his or her fellow human beings, to engage in public discourse and debate. Only the cruelest tyrannies try to suppress this right by unjust compulsion ... "Please forgive my presumption on your time and attention. But I must insist that your Congregation consider the merits of this case in full This "now constitutes a serious scandal among the people of this region. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Bishop Knestout himself, and the provincial Archbishop, William Lori, of Baltimore, have received correspondence from many quarters on this matter. "This correspondence, from Catholics and non-Catholics alike, will verify the danger of scandal that exists here, should my case not receive a fair hearing on the merits. Upcoming 'Chrism' Now Father Mark White can only wait in hopes of a more favorable consideration this time. The bishop and his priests gather in Richmond every year to celebrate Mass together and to reaffirm their solemn promises in a ceremony called Chrism Mass. This year that event will take place on July 10 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. White will not be allowed to participate because Knestout has prohibited him from publicly celebrating the sacraments. Parishioners from St. Francis of Assisi in Rocky Mount and St. Joseph in Martinsville will have buses departing that day from both churches for anyone wishing to stand with White on the sidewalk outside the cathedral as Knestout and the priests of the Richmond Diocese walk by. I will stand in silent vigil, White said. The injustice cries to heaven." Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 236. Follow him @billdwyatt Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Advertisement Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has given fans a glimpse inside her swish London home. The TV star, 59, lives in a traditional house with her boyfriend Danny Taylor and their dog Charlie, who lead the tour which featured in the Channel 4 series Snoop Dogs. Among the highlights in Shirley's home were floor-to-ceiling windows, a modern kitchen and a slew of living room ornaments, including a bust eerily similar to the EastEnders staple The Queen Vic. Lavish: Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has given fans a glimpse inside her swish London home, thanks to her pet pooch Charlie on the Channel 4 series Snoop Dogs Shirley's home boasts a traditional design with a simple interior and classic woodwork, though the kitchen seems to be more modern with swish marble worktops. The former dancing champion has glass radiator covers that add to the swish decor, while her dining table also has an elegant design with some inspiration from times past. The living area features a large TV and an array of ornaments, as well as beige sofas and a neutral colour scheme. Lovely: The classic home, built in the 1980s, boasts a traditional design with a neutral colour scheme Happy: Shirley lives in her London home with her boyfriend Danny and their dog Charlie, after she relocated from Los Angeles to England Lovely: With dark wood floors and a contrasting staircase, Shirley's home boasts a simple but traditional design Classic: The walls are covered with picture frames while the beige sofa takes centre stage in the living space Up in the bedroom Shirley has plenty of space to store her array of glamorous looks both on and off the Strictly dancefloor, thanks to an enormous walk-in wardrobe. The star's walls are decorated with an array of different pictures and shelves laden with ornaments. Shirley has been holed up at home with beau Danny and their dog Charlie as fans eagerly await news about how the new series of Strictly will take shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. Elegant: The swish dining area boasts a more historic feel, including the grand wooden dining table and white chairs Contrast: Meanwhile the kitchen seems to boast a more modern design, with grey and white cupboards and sleek marble worktops What to wear? In the bedroom Shirley has plenty of space to store her enormous collection of clothes, as she has a walk-in wardrobe Cosy: The simple bedroom has a glamorous twist in the form of a reflective glass dining table Funny: Fans received an unorthodox tour of Shirley's home thanks to her dog Charlie in the new lockdown series Snoop Dogs On Wednesday bosses revealed this year's series will be shorter than usual, with 'couple bubbles' used to ensure the show can adhere to social distancing guidelines. The show's team of hair and make-up artists are expected to be able to resume their normal duties using suitable PPE. A statement released to MailOnline said: 'The Strictly Come Dancing team are doing everything they can to bring the nation plenty of Strictly magic later this year. 'To ensure we deliver the high standards audiences know and love, and in light of the ongoing considerations around COVID-19, this years series of Strictly will have a slightly shorter run than usual. 'The safety of our cast and crew is of the utmost importance to us and further updates will be made in due course.' Under the Vande Bharat Mission, 129 Indians were brought back from Borispol (Ukraine) in an Air India flight which landed at Chandigarh International Airport at 12.50 am on Saturday. This is the second flight from Ukraine which has arrived at Chandigarh with stranded Indians. The first had arrived from Kiev. Mohali civil surgeon Dr Manjit Singh said all passengers arriving from Borispol have been asked to undergo strict institutional quarantine at their respective districts and their passports have been taken into possession by the administration. All repatriated persons, who mostly belong to different parts of Punjab and nearby states, will reach their districts under the supervision of the respective state government representatives where they will be quarantined as per government guidelines. Six flights under phase 2 of Vande Bharat evacuation mission have arrived in Chandigarh till date including one each from USA, Ukraine and New Zealand and three from Dubai. Iran sold gasoline to Venezuela at market price: Petroleum Min. Zangeneh Iran Press TV Friday, 26 June 2020 10:18 AM Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh says the Iranian gasoline delivered to fuel-starved Venezuela last month was sold to Caracas at market price. Zangeneh made the comments on Friday in reaction to allegations that Iran has provided Venezuela with gasoline free of charge. "This is not true. Iran's gasoline was sold to Venezuela at market price," he said. He said Tehran had received sufficient guarantees for the return of its revenues, and part of the money has already been received. Regarding the continuation of energy trade with Venezuela, the petroleum minister said, "We should wait and see how negotiations between the two countries will proceed." Last month, five Iranian oil tankers set off for the Caribbean and delivered about 1.5 million barrels of gasoline to Venezuela which is under US sanctions and virtual economic siege. In case of an agreement between Tehran and Caracas, Iran is to follow its trailblazing shipment of fuel to Venezuela with regular gasoline sales despite US threats to punish any facilitation of the cargoes. Bloomberg said this month the US government has decided to avoid a military confrontation and instead prepared sanctions on as many as 50 oil and fuel tankers as part of an effort to cut off trade between Iran and Venezuela. "The sanctions would be imposed through the Treasury Department and are intended to avoid a US military confrontation with the countries," the leading financial news provider said, citing a person familiar with the matter. However, both Venezuela and Iran have shown they are more than willing to cooperate in defiance of the US threats. According to the Washington Post, Venezuela and Iran have "just proved" that the Trump administration's sanctions are failing. "By showing that they were able to trade to mutual benefit", Iran and Venezuela "not only successfully circumvented US sanctions; they also scored public relations points in the process," the paper wrote last month. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By Trend The contactless transactions of MasterCard international company in Azerbaijan have increased by 30 percent, Erdem Cakar, head of the representative office of MasterCard in Azerbaijan, told Trend. "During our Bravo Campaign, our cardholders gained draw participation, right 10 times more for a contactless transaction compared to traditional methods like swipe or chip and pin," Cakar added. "This campaign helped overall contactless transactions to rise up to 50 percent in Bravo activation. Masterpass has grown similarly thanks to new card registrations and increase in usage. " "As Mastercard, we are keen to support the Azerbaijani government's initiatives towards a cashless economy," head of the representative office said. "As you may know, the government of Azerbaijan launched a state program for increasing the share of digital payments in the national economy in 2018-2020. " "The primary goals of the program include increasing the volume of cashless, as well as innovative payments, reducing the share of cash turnover, helping the banks grow their investment opportunities, fighting the shadow economy and etc.," Cakar said. "In that regard, we chose to support the government support programs in order to enable digital payments and avoid disadvantages of cash usage. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 crisis also present an opportunity for businesses to re-strategise and re-invent themselves, Union Bank of India MD and CEO Rajkiran Rai G said. The banking industry is always there to support businesses but they will also have to innovate and look beyond convention, he said at a webinar organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday. "The current disruption is an opportunity to re-strategise and re-invent. See for new geographies to serve, you can launch new products, see for strategic tie-ups wherever possible," he said. The Union Bank chief also said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have real opportunities to plug into the global supply chain as more companies seek to diversify sourcing inputs. Pointing out that small businesses are mostly one-man shows, he said such companies should adopt digital means for banks to assess their creditworthiness faster and more effectively. "There are many simple softwares available, please do that because for a banker data is very important. Now when you have authentic data, you can sumbit to me and then actually my processing becomes much simpler rather than a CA created balance sheet. 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 "I would like to have account balance supported balance sheet where every debit and credit entry comes in and I can authenticate your balance sheet well and I can take a call on the limit (for loan)," Rai said. He further said digital is going to be a big wave for both banks and businesses following the coronavirus pandemic. "Like sitting at home, it (loan) gets processed. Banks have to evolve to this level as a response... to COVID. When I am saying SMEs have to evolve, you should evolve...the pandemic borne disruption is also an opportunity for enterprises, especially the SMEs, to get in tune with micro trends," he added. There is a lot to be done on the digitisation journey, Rai emphasised. "We need to innovate and bring in...new ideas...At present banks are willing to help. With extra burden of future consequences, we are in a mode to help you. Together we can swim in uncharted waters. "It is also an opportunity for conventional banks to do necessary makeovers and become agile institutions," Rai said, addressing the industry participants. He also said there is much talk about economic contraction this fiscal as many agencies are coming up with different figures. However, he hoped that India would prove them wrong. "When I speak to a lot of my people,...we are almost back to normal. I was looking at my retail sanctions, my June sanctions are as good as June 2019 sanctions. "Generally we look at metros and form opinions. Please look beyond metros, there is whole of India which is surviving and thriving. Why we should be negative, let us prove all these statisticians wrong," he added. A view shows a Buffalo Police vehicle parked in front of the city hall before a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Niagara Square, in Buffalo, U.S., June 5, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario Quentin Suttles, a 30-year-old Black man, is suing the city of Buffalo, New York, after a video surfaced showing police punching him in the head several times during a May arrest. The five minute video starts off peacefully, and end with Suttles on the pavement whimpering with an officer striking blows to his head. A lawyer for Suttles filed a claim that accuses the city, police department and Buffalo Police Commissioner of not properly training officers in use of force. Erie County District Attorney is also investigating the incident. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. When Quentin Suttles, a 30-year-old Black man, was arrested on May 10, a bystander filmed an officer punching him in the head several times. This week, an officer's body camera video, which shows the police interaction with him in full, was released. WKBW reporter Madison Carter shared the video on Twitter. Related video: What stress does to your brain and body The five-minute video shows an officer searching Suttles' body, as he speaks to him in a firm, but conversational voice. As it goes on, though, Suttle can be seen being thrown to the ground. An officer punches him in the head repeatedly, and Suttles is heard whimpering, pleading for his partner to record what was happening. "You can't hit him like that," a woman yells as two Buffalo, New York, police officers are leaned on top of him, one of them striking him in the head. "He's trying to eat the drugs," one of the officers yells back toward the woman. Suttles then tells the officers, "I'm dying," and blood can be seen on the ground under his head. Now the Erie County District Attorney District Attorney's office has launched an investigation into the incident and Suttles plans on suing the department and the city, local media including WKBW and Buffalo News have reported. Story continues The police department has also opened an internal affairs investigation, according to Buffalo News. An attorney for Suttles filed notice of the claim in the state's Supreme Court. It says that Buffalo Police Officers Ronald Ammerman and Michael Scheu used excessive force when they pulled him over and arrested him. The claim also accuses the city, the police department, and Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood of not properly training officers in use of force and not providing adequate supervision of their actions, according to WKBW. Police said in their report, which was obtained by WKBW, that they pulled Suttles over after smelling a strong odor of marijuana and observing him driving "the wrong way." "While conducting pat down, searched defendant did push off vehicle and fight with officers," the police report states, according to the station. "Defendant continued to fight and reach in his pants, ignoring officers command to stop resisting." WKBW reported that the officers also said they recovered a white powder substance from Suttles' left pocket, and that he had tried to destroy drugs during the arrest. The claim by Suttles' attorney Joshua Ramos, though, accuses the officers of "prolonged grabbing of his genitals while finding no contraband." Suttles suffered a fractured shoulder blade and orbital bone as a result of the incident, according to legal papers viewed by Buffalo News. Despite the injuries, police didn't seek medical treatment for Suttles the next day, Ramos said in the claim viewed by Buffalo News. Ramos gave a copy of the suit to local media outlets on Thursday, according to the News. The claim could not be found on the state's Supreme Court online database Friday. In May, when Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown first saw the cellphone video taken at the scene, he said he was concerned with police actions. "As Mayor of the City of Buffalo, a very diverse city, I am sensitive to any instances of conflict between members of our community and our police department," Brown said in a statement released at the time. "Like others, I am concerned by what I saw on that video, however, I do not have all of the facts regarding this situation." Read the original article on Insider West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee has announced that the pending higher secondary exams in the state have been cancelled. The remaining papers of Class 12 were to be held on 2, 6 and 8 July. The decision has been taken in light of the rising cases of COVID-19. West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee has announced that the pending higher secondary exams in the state have been cancelled. The remaining papers of Class 12 were to be held on 2, 6 and 8 July. The decision has been taken in light of the rising cases of COVID-19. The exams for physics, accountancy, chemistry, economics, journalism and mass communication, statistics and geography were originally slated to be conducted on 23, 25 and 27 March. However, they had to be postponed due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and subsequent lockdown. The West Bengal board will decide as to how students should be evaluated for the cancelled papers. It has almost completed the evaluation of answer sheets of subjects for which exams were conducted in March, reported Indian Express. The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education will announce the result for higher secondary exams on 31 July, according to Hindustan Times. If any candidate had reservations about the evaluation method of the remaining papers, he or she can appeal to the council for writing those papers after the COVID-19 situation improved and get the new dates for the exams, Chatterjee said. Before the announcement made by the education minister, West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had also urged the state government to address the concerns of students. Posting the screenshots of tweets of some students who requested the Mamata Banerjee government to cancel exams, Dhankhar said, Delay is hurting hugely our future -young minds as is evidenced by numerous messages to me. Around eight lakh candidates registered for the West Bengal board higher secondary exams this year. West Bengal HS exams, West Bengal HS exams 2020, WB HS exams 2020, Bengal higher secondary exam, West Bengal 12th exam, wbchse, wbchse exam news, West Bengal Class 12 exam, Partha Chatterjee, coronavirus, covid-19, coronavirus in India, West Bengal Indias micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are struggling to survive an unprecedented crisis. Experts are still debating at the end of the coronavirus pandemic how many of these small companies will stay afloat or remain as standard accounts on the books of banks. How bad is the situation in the MSME sector? Typically, MSMEs are the first to take hit in an economic downturn compared with big companies. This time too, many MSMEs are hit hard due to the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand on the ground has slowed to a trickle. Adding to the woes, a good number of skilled workforce has moved back to their home states complicating the matter further. The crisis has impacted several MSMEs so hard that many of these entities are unable to even pay salaries to existing workforce and pay rentals, according to industry officials. How critical is MSMEs to India? These firms are very important in the context of employment generation. Indias MSME sector contributes over 28 percent of GDP and more than 40 percent of exports, while creating employment for about 11 crore people. In other words, MSMEs are one of the major employers in the Indian economy. This is the reason why it is critical for the government to ensure that the MSMEs survive the pandemic. How many of them will survive the pandemic? But, the pandemic has forced several MSMEs to shut shop already. According to a survey by the All India Manufacturers Organisation, about 35 percent of micro, small and medium enterprises and 37 percent of self-employed individuals have started shutting their businesses, saying they saw no chance of a recovery in the wake of the Covid outbreak. What has the government done so far? Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on 13 May, announced a collateral-free loan scheme to help MSMEs. Under the credit guarantee scheme, loans issued by banks to targeted companies are guaranteed by the government. In other words, government will act as a guarantor to compensate banks a percentage of the potential losses if the money isnt repaid. Companies with a turnover up to Rs 100 crore can avail this benefit, Sitharaman said. These loans will carry a tenure of four years and have full credit guarantee from the government. Also, these loans will offer a moratorium of 12 months on principal payments. Approximately 45 lakhs units will benefit from this scheme. Companies can draw upto 20 percent of the outstanding loan as on 29 February. How has the scheme performed so far? Till now, aggregate loan sanctions by PSBs and private banks stand at Rs 75,426.39 crore of which disbursements are at Rs 32,894.86 crore. Of which, private banks sanctioned loans worth Rs 32,687.27 crore to MSMEs, while they disbursed Rs 10,697.33 crore under the scheme. This is still about 10 percent of the total scheme size of Rs 3 lakh crore. Why the response is muted so far? There are two main reasons. First, MSMEs are not keen to take further additional loan exposure because they do not see a major pick-up in demand on the ground. If the demand is absent, why would companies borrow more? Additional loans will mean more repayment burden and chances of defaults on bank loans. Another reason is the 20 percent additional loan limit is too less for many companies if their loan outstanding amount is small. This amount, many MSMEs tell bankers, will not be enough to meet their requirement. What lies ahead? The survival of MSMEs depend on how soon economic activities can get back to normalcy. The demand situation needs to revive for MSMEs to survive. Cash flows need to stabilise. When will this happen remain uncertain in the present scenario as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. According to experts banks need to think beyond pushing credit to MSMEs to help them revive. Revenue to fall a fifth? According to rating agency Crisil, revenues of Indian MSMEs are likely to fall to a fifth with the expected GDP growth contraction in the economy. A likely 5 percent contraction in the Indian economy will significantly hurt MSMEs across sectors. The pain will radiate as India Inc heads towards around 15 percent decline in revenue and around 25 percent fall in Ebitda. For MSMEs, the fall in revenue will be steeper at 17-21 percent, while Ebitda margin will shrink 200-300 basis points to 4-5 percent as weak demand gnaws away gains from lower commodity prices, Crisil said. Thats not all. According to the agency, a sharp decline at the operating level will also impact creditworthiness, aggravating the liquidity stretch these units have been grappling with, particularly on the working capital front. The challenges would be the hardest for micro enterprises, which account for 32 per cent of the overall MSME debt, and are facing material stress in terms of revenue growth, Ebitda margins and working capital stretch, Crisil said. To sum up, Indian MSMEs have tough days ahead as COVID-19 uncertainty continues to loom over the sector. Only those who manages to innovate and adapt to the new business environment will survive. Going by the present trends, many more MSMEs may shut shop and further trim the workforce. One needs to wait and watch how the situation evolves from this point. A COVID-19 fatality is carried to the burial ground in an earth excavator at Palasa in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. (DC Photo: K N Murali Krishna) VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh on Friday recorded the highest single-day spurt of 570 COVID-19 cases, taking the total number to 11,489. Nine patients did of the viral disease in Kurnool, Krishna, Guntur and Visakhapatnam, taking the fatalities to 146. Among the new cases, 79 were Anantapur, 26 from Chittoor, 12 from East Godavari, 74 from Guntur, 133 from Kadapa, 20 from Krishna, 60 from Kurnool, 15 from Nellore, 28 from Prakasam, one from Srikakulam, 20 from Visakhapatnam, 23 from Vizianagaram and 79 from West Godavari. In addition to 570 new domestic cases, 34 were reported from other states and one foreign returnee took the total number of new infections to 605. The state is having 6,147 active cases while 5,196 have been discharged. Kadapa district reported the highest number with 133 taking its tally to 786. Among them, 44 were from Proddutur, eight from Simhadripuram, 19 from Pulivendula, one from Mylavaram, eight from Valluru, 21 from Kadapa, seven from Duvvur, six from Vontimitta, three from Chakrayapeta, two each from Badvel, Sambepalli and Jammalamadugu and one each from Chintakommadinne, Kalasapadu, Gopavaram, Pullampeta and Muddanur mandals. In Nellore district, 32 new cases were reported taking its overall tally to 670. Nellore city reported 12 cases while six were from Kotamitta, two from Magunta layout, one each from Vedayapalem, Santhapeta, Balaji Nagar and Boggula Street. Two persons hailing from Prakasam and Chittoor districts also tested positive. Anantapur district reported 79 new cases taking its overall tally to 1,159. Among new cases, 14 were staff members from the Tehsildar office at Belaguppa mandal. Mandal level officials have been sent to home quarantine. Meanwhile, more than 6,000 samples from the district are pending at labs. Officials from JNTU-A and Collectorate were among others who tested positive. In Kadiri town alone, 42 persons were infected with the virus as they came in contact with returnees from Mumbai and the Gulf. Prisoners from Dharmavaram and Tadipathri sub jails also tested positive. Visakhapatnam district reported 41 new cases taking its overall tally to 664. Srikakulam district reported 25 new cases with the tally standing at 544. Vizinagaram reported 37 new cases and its total number of cases jumped to 222. East Godavari district reported 18 new cases taking its tally to 1,060. In Prakasam district, 49 new cases were reported including two three year old girls and another three year old boy hailing from Chirala and Paruchuru respectively. Among other new infections were returnees from Chennai, Hyderabad and Vijayawada and also local persons. A media person and a village volunteer were also infected. It has proved frustratingly elusive for more than 70 years, but scientists say they have finally worked out why men cant find the G-spot it isnt there. Doctors say theres no proof women have a small, super-sensitive region that could create particularly powerful orgasms when aroused. The erogenous zone was named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg, who first suggested the existence of a dense network of nerve endings in the 1950s. But a new study of 17 middle-aged women has found no evidence of such a spot, but a fairly even distribution of nerves instead. Doctors say theres no proof women have a small, super-sensitive region that could create particularly powerful orgasms when aroused (file photo) Writing in the International Urogynaecology Journal, a team of medics from Istanbul said the anatomical evidence for the presence of the G spot was scant, insufficient and weak. Although Dr Grafenberg who also invented the IUD coil contraceptive suggested the existence of the zone, he was too modest to name it after himself. The expression was coined by American sexologists in the 1980s and quickly gained popularity as well as spawning a new way of marketing sex toys and treatments. Even though it had been discussed for decades, the first evidence for the existence of the G-spot came just eight years ago, following the examination of a single 83-year-old woman. The man who published that discovery subsequently invented a procedure dubbed a G-spotplasty intended to increase sexual satisfaction, despite scepticism from some colleagues. The erogenous zone was named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg, who first suggested the existence of a dense network of nerve endings in the 1950s Although G-spot therapies have become a multi-million dollar business, Devan Stahl, from Michigan State University, has said there is virtually no evidence that these therapies work outside a placebo effect. And those who believe the G-spot is a myth say the notion makes women feel needlessly insecure. A survey for Cosmopolitan magazine found half of women feel inadequate or frustrated feeling others can orgasm in a way they cant. It also found that 22 per cent of men said finding the womans G-spot is the number one goal of sex. Since the 2012 report, several other studies have failed to produce conclusive evidence a single G-spot exists. Barry Komisaruk from Rutgers University in New Jersey, who led one study, said: Its not like pushing an elevator button or a light switch. Its not a single thing. I really fell in love with that photo, the artist, who goes by Jah One, says. He snapped a screen image of it when he first saw the photographer, who is a friend, post it on Instagram. He then decided to replicate it for the mural. Not only did it make sense in the context of current events, but if you stare at it and put a story line to it, it becomes way deeper. Chomu (Rajasthan) [India], June 27 (ANI): Swarms of locusts have attacked Hasteda village in Chomu where a farmer claimed that his crops were destroyed. Sheeshpal, the farmer on Friday said, "Locusts have attacked our village for the fourth time. They have caused severe damage to our crops and cattle fodder. We appeal to the state government to provide us with some relief." Earlier on Wednesday, BR Kadwa, Deputy Director of Rajasthan Agriculture Department had said that the Centre is planning to use helicopters to control the locust swarms which are entering Rajasthan from Pakistan. "Locust attack has been ongoing for 1.5 months. Rajasthan is one of the most affected states as some districts - Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Ganganagar - share border with Pakistan from where locusts are entering other districts," Kadwa had said. "Operations are on to control them. The issue is, we had killed older swarms but new swarms are coming now. The government of India says that Air Force helicopters will also be used to control it. Locusts have made border areas near Pakistan their breeding centres from where they're coming here and Pakistan is unable to control them," he had added. The official had also said that with the fast-approaching monsoon season, the new swarms can also set up breeding grounds in the desert areas of the state which could further aggravate the problem. (ANI) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, "If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars," as he observes the "aftermath of how quickly the coronavirus spread..." in a radio interview on Friday cited by The Texas Tribune. Why it matters: Texas has seen a recent surge in confirmed coronavirus cases as the state moved toward reopening, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Abbott allowed bars to reopen starting May 22, at 25% indoor capacity. His shift in tone could be one of many as other states also experience case count spikes and a possible second wave. The uptick in cases prompted Abbott to announce on Friday that all bars in Texas will close and restaurants must decrease capacity from 75% to 50%. There are over 140,000 confirmed cases in Texas, per Johns Hopkins University. Still, Abbott has not implemented a statewide mask mandate. What he's saying: Abbott said a "bar setting, in reality, just doesn't work with a pandemic," adding that people "go to bars to get close and to drink and to socialize, and that's the kind of thing that stokes the spread of the coronavirus." The other side: Bar owners in Texas have expressed concern over the safety of their employees and how their businesses will fare amid the COVID-19 fallout, AP reports. Photo credit: Geber86 - Getty Images You've heard about it before: an unknown online assailant has been inundating someone in your town with bothersome messages. Luckily, even though that person's profile may be devoid of identifying information, the authorities can track them down with something called an IP address. The same goes for pirated downloads, illegal pornography, or selling nefarious goods onlineall of that activity can be traced back to you through your IP address. Want best-in-class explainers about the digital world? We'll be your tech support. But what is an IP address? And what if I'm using a VPN or incognito mode on my browser? To understand these macro questions, it's necessary to first drill into the micro technical specs. So, let's start at the very beginning. What Is an IP Address? Put simply, an IP address (short for Internet Protocol address) is a unique identifier for your machine. Computers have them, but so do tablets and smartphones. And, just like a fingerprint or a snowflake, no two IP addresses are exactly the same. Photo credit: Wikipedia There are standards for these sorts of things, of course, and the Internet Assigned Numbers (IANA) Authority sets them. There are two primary types of IP addresses in use today: IP version 4 (IPv4) and IP version 6 (IPv6). The former has been around since January 1983, and is still the most common. These are 32-bit numbers expressed in four octets, separated in a so-called "dotted decimal" notationfor example, 192.0.2.53. By 1999, with the commercialization of internet access well underway, experts were concerned that the IANA could actually run out of valid IPv4 addresses. So, the Internet Engineering Task Force, a nonprofit standards organization based in Fremont, California, engineered its successor, IPv6. These are 128-bit numbers, expressed in hexadecimal stringsfor instance, 2001:0db8:582:ae33::29. Equally important is what an IP address is not. There are some misleading analogies out there, but the most common one is a comparison to your home address. That is flat-out inaccurate considering your home address is a very specific and static location, while IP addresses are often more of an estimate of your location. Story continues In a 2016 white paper on the use of IP addresses in criminal investigations, the Electronic Frontier Foundation points out that such metaphors "incorrectly characterize the function and reliability of IP addresses, and they potentially operate to overstate the accuracy of IP address information." Photo credit: Screenshot/IANA When the IANA set up the IPv4 and then IPv6 protocols, the designers created the system to uniquely identify an electronic destination on the internetnot an exact physical one. The IANA created blocks of IP addresses, assigning them to regions throughout the world on a numeric basis, not a geographical one. For instance, IP addresses in India and Australia fall under the same registry, despite their disparate geographical locations. Beyond the regional level, internet service providers usually assign IP addresses to customers, which introduces even more variation. Internal vs. External IP Address Photo credit: TroyPoint Your external IP address is what you likely think about first when considering that unique string of numbers associated with your internet use. It's also the IP address that your internet service provider assigns to you, and it's all public. Put another way: it's the digital address for your router interface. From there, your router provides your devices with internet access. At this point, when you visit a website on your phone or laptop, each of those devices has its own internal IP addressalso called a private IP addressthat is logged along with your browsing history. Think of the relationship between the two like a phone extension. Your telephone provider assigns you a particular phone number that routes calls only to you. This would be the internal IP address. But the default company number, which is publicly listed, is like your external IP address. In this analogy, your router acts as a kind of receptionist. What's a VPN? In that receptionist scenario, everyone can find the company's phone numberthe external IP address in this case. That said, if you want to keep your external IP address private, you should consider installing a virtual private network (VPN), which masks your external IP address by issuing you a new one that is not tied to your internet service provider. Why would you want to do that? Beyond the urge to stream shows that are only available in other countries, there's a practical application in the workplace. Now that most of us are working from home, employers will often provide workers with a corporate VPN to give them secure access to the company's internal network and data, for instance. How To Get Your IP Address Regardless of the device and software that you're using, you should navigate to your WiFi or Ethernet settings to find your IP address. Here's a list of how to do that on four separate kinds of devices, but if you don't see your specific make and model, digging into your internet settings should get you there. There's also a pretty cool Google shortcut. Just click this link and Google will display your IP address at the top of the search results page. Otherwise... On a Mac: Apple menu > System Preferences > Network > Select either WiFi or Ethernet, depending on your connection > your IP address is displayed in the open window, right beneath the status of your connection. On a PC running Windows 10: On the task bar, select WiFi or Ethernet > click on the network you're currently connected to > select Properties > your IP address is listed next to "IPv4 address." On an Android smartphone or tablet: Settings > Wireless & Networks (or "Network & Internet" on Pixel devices) > select the WiFi network that you're connected to > Your IP address is displayed alongside other network information. On an iPhone/iPad: Settings > WiFi > tap the arrow next to your network name > your IP address is displayed to the right of "IP address." Now Watch This: You Might Also Like Mr Dennis Amfo-Sefah, Tema West Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has called on politicians to desist from the propaganda in the implementation UNIPASS to harness their political ambitions. That, he said would backfire as Ghanaians were gaining confidence in its implementation, though with teething challenges. Mr Amfo-Sefah, who is also the President of Chamber of Freight Forwarders and Trade, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Saturday said although every Ghanaian had the right to point out challenges of policies and programmes, the way and manner in which some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress members stormed the Tema Port on Friday was unacceptable. He alleged that the most prominent member of the entourage, former Trade Minister, Dr. Ekwow Spio Gabrah, towed the rest of the entourage there ostensibly to have a first hand experience of the challenges that importers were facing at the port due to difficulties with the UNIPASS system. The visit to the GHAPOHA Revenue Centre, he said was a step in the right direction, but trying to incite Freight Forwarders and importers was not in good taste for the development of country and national cohesion. He alleged that the entourage had the NDC's National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi and the MP for Bolgatanga Central, Mr Isaac Adongo. He said Video footages of their visit showed the entourage addressing a throng of stranded importers at the port, when the Tema Port Security later stormed the place and scuttled the interview. Mr Amfoh-Sefah accused them of blaming the government for the difficulties that were plaguing the new Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) also known as UNIPASS adding that if that was for political capital, it would not wash and Ghanaians were studying all their tactics. Mr. Amfo-Sefah, who is popularly called Nana Boakye said the incitement was unfortunate and that as respectable members of their party, they should not have done that without going through the nitty-gritties of the programme. Everybody knows that the difficulties with the ICUMS system are being sorted out. The problem is due to the fact that another company which operated at the Port, but has been replaced by government suddenly withdrew its platform even though the original agreement was for a gradual seamless withdrawal. And so, to go and incite people against government over such an issue is most unfortunate, Nana Boakye said. He alleged that Dr Ekwow Spio Gabrah was taking up those responsibilities to catch the eyes of the NDC leadership for future high positions and reminded him that the Tema Port was not a gateway to the Presidency. ---GNA For many people on medications, working outside may not be a choice, Bernstein says. If you know you have to be outside, make sure your doctor knows your job requires you to be outside. The dose may be adjusted based on that exposure, either in terms of how much or when you take it. This weeks wanted The following are being sought on arrest warrants, according to various sheriffs departments. The addresses listed are the last known addresses provided by the warrants and may be outdated. David J. Beal, 25, of 609 E. Independence Ave. is being sought on a warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, illegal transportation of alcohol and driving without a license. He is a Black male standing 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing 184 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Brook A. Reno, 38, of 123 Douglas St., White Hall, is being sought on a warrant accusing her of violating probation on a charge of possession of methamphetamine. She is a white female standing 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 175 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes. . Submit tips anonymously at tipsubmit.com, by calling 217-243-7300 or by text messaging CRIMES (274637) with payout as the first word of the tip. Morgan County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Adam D. Bennett, 29, of 622 Union St., Meredosia, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 7:38 p.m. Thursday on an assault charge. Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Styles L. Cockerill, 19, of 2005 E. Strawns Crossing Road, Ashland, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:10 a.m. Friday on charges of leaving the scene of an accident, improper left turn and consumption of liquor by a minor. Cockerill was accused of being involved in a three-car accident at 11:23 p.m. Thursday in the 800 block of West Morton Avenue. ACCIDENTS Meaka A. Knight, 39, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of failing to yield at an intersection after the car she was driving and one being driven by Sharon K. Perkins, 35, of Jacksonville collided at 10:48 p.m. Thursday at Main and Wolcott streets. OTHER REPORTS A caller reported seeing a naked man on Country Club Road at 7:20 p.m. Thursday. Police were unable to find him. A transformer on a utility pole short-circuited and caught fire about 8:10 p.m. Thursday in the 200 block of East Beecher Avenue. Ameren Illinois crews repaired the transformer. South Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Curtis L. Worker, 46, of 120 E. Vandalia Road, Apt. 6, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:20 p.m. Thursday on a domestic battery charge. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer Since March 23, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised British nationals against all but essential international travel. Now, a number of short-haul flights to European countries are expected to resume from next month, in a bid to kick-start the tourist economy. Here is what you need to know about air bridges and travelling abroad. What are air bridges and how will the system work? Also known as travel corridors, air bridges will allow Britons to go on holiday to certain destinations without needing to quarantine for 14 days on their return to the UK. In place of the quarantine arrangements will be a traffic light system, with officials placing countries into green, amber and red categories based on the prevalence of coronavirus within each nations borders. It is expected a quarantine-free list of countries will be published on Wednesday, with restrictions lifted as soon as July 6. Which countries are likely to be included? Passengers wear protective face masks and gloves at an airport / Getty Images The Government is expected to announce next week Britains first air bridges with low-risk European destinations, including France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Germany. According to reports, air bridges will be announced in batches, with the second set of destinations likely to include other European countries such as Denmark, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands, and low-risk Caribbean islands. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said air bridges would only be agreed with countries which have a coronavirus test and trace system of the same standard as that used in Britain. When will air bridges be introduced? The first air bridges to low-risk countries could be in force from July 4, but Mr Shapps said no announcement will be made until June 29, when the quarantine measures will be officially reviewed. Greek tourism minister Haris Theoharis has indicated it could be up to three weeks before his country is happy to open up an air bridge to the UK, depending on the advice they get from health experts. Which countries are unlikely to be included? There were mixed reports over whether Portugal would be included in the UKs plans next week, after a spike in coronavirus cases in the country. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the quarantine measures will be reviewed this week / PA Long-haul flights to destinations such as Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong are reportedly not expected before late summer. Flights to Australia are thought to be more complicated, due to the need to stop over in other countries, which increases the risk of contracting or spreading coronavirus. What are the rules on quarantine? Since June 8, all passengers, bar a handful of exemptions, have been required to go into self-isolation for 14 days when they arrive in the UK. People who fail to comply can be fined 1,000 in England, and police are allowed to use reasonable force to make sure they follow the rules. What measures have airports taken? Last month, Heathrow Airport began trials of thermal screening technology to detect elevated temperatures of arriving passengers. Britons are also being encouraged to take domestic holidays / PA Edinburgh Airport has implemented a colour-coded one-way system to maintain social distancing, while protective screens have been installed at check-in, security and arrivals, and staff wear face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE) in passenger-facing areas. At Gatwick Airport, hand sanitiser stations, protective screens, regular deep cleaning and social distancing instructions have been introduced throughout the site, with face mask vending machines selling four masks for 3. Pre-booked airport security slots are being tested at Manchester Airport, in which passengers can reserve a free 15-minute window to use a dedicated lane taking them directly to a checkpoint. What about on board flights? It looks as though in-flight food and drinks will not be available, or at least be limited, for a while. EasyJet said it will not have a bistro or boutique service on board, but will have drinking water available for those who request it. The airline said it hopes to have a limited bistro service operating again in the near future. Aer Lingus said it has suspended in-flight services on its short-haul trips and will have a reduced service on its transatlantic routes. First there was Michael Moores Planet of the Humans, then came Bjorn Lomborgs False Alarm, and now Michael Schellenbergers Apocalypse Never. All three authors sound the common theme that the hyper-green environmental activists who have captured, politicized, and monetized the concern for the environment have, as Lomborg explains, created a false climate alarm which has costs us trillions, hurts the poor, and fails to fix the planet. To varying degrees, all three authors come from a strong environmental activist background, which observation makes their public revelations even more noteworthy. Planet of the Humans, the recent film produced by Michael Moore, caused consternation and a considerable backlash from the green activists and their allied backers by pointing out how traditional energy companies had co-opted the environmental movement by donning a green alter-ego and embracing renewable energy. By doing so, the corporations gained access to government funding/subsidies for wind turbine and commercial solar power installations and created a public relations victory for their vociferous eco-shareholders. Moores revelation that the reality of needing to provide 24/7 reliable electricity to consumers ensures that fossil fuel plants will remain the primary energy sources because of the failure of wind or solar to provide power if there is no wind or sufficient sun. Renewables do not displace reliable fossil-fuel power plants. Consumers energy bills do not go down, but go up, when renewables are imposed. Moore also documented that renewables require large amounts of rare earths, cement, and fossil fuel energy in their production. They are both notoriously inefficient in land use, and impose destruction of large areas of native habitats. Further environmental destruction is due to the fact that the best wind or solar location is often remote from the most needed consumer base, thereby requiring the construction of massive electric transmission lines. Factories claiming to have gone beyond coal again and again turn out to be relying on natural gas. The film notes that biomass/wood chip power plants in England now rely on American forests. Rather than just using lumber waste as was first proposed, this has now turned into a major sub-set of the logging industry. Our southern forests are leveled and the trees turned into wood chips. The whole process of logging, processing, and trans-Atlantic shipping is all powered by fossil fuels. The basic premise of using renewable lumber as a bio-fuel is that the carbon dioxide released upon its burning will become fertilizer for a new generation of trees and thus the cycle is carbon neutral. The basic fallacy of it is that the time scale of new tree growth greatly exceeds the day-to-day weather cycle. No matter. Just imagine, American lumber keeping England eco-green -- a country well versed in cutting down its own forests. With his recent book, False Alarm, Bjorn Lomborg continues to straddle the fence on global warming, aka climate change. As the original skeptical environmentalist, Bjorn has argued that there are more productive ways to aid humanity than spending billions trying to influence climate change. He has argued for improving sanitation, clean water supplies, basic nutrition, and providing paths out of poverty for the millions living in underdeveloped countries. In this book, he continues to press for a concerted effort to alleviate these ills, rather than accepting the decades of panic driven calls for fixing the climate. He provides numerous references to substantiate his claims that climate change is real but is not the apocalyptic threat so widely advertised. Science, he says, shows that landfalling hurricanes in the US are not more frequent than in the past. Droughts here have actually become shorter, less frequent, and cover a smaller area. Seventeen times more people currently die from cold than heat, and these people will benefit from moderate warming. In fact, global climate related deaths are an all-time low. He claims: the projections of Earths imminent demise are based on bad science and even worse economics. In a politicized panic, world leaders have committed to wildly expensive, but largely ineffective policies, that hamper growth and crowd out other pressing investments in a better world, from immunization to education. And yet, a schizophrenic-like mindset co-inhabits this rational evaluation of climate change and related issues. Section 1 of the book is titled Climate of Fear, and evokes memories of Michael Crichtons 2004 State of Fear. A few pages into his introduction, Lomborg states, Climate change is real, it is caused predominantly by carbon emissions from humans burning fossil fuels. No question that climate change is real; however, he gives no reference for this unsubstantiated claim of human causation, which is the basic UN position, and the foundation for much green eco-activism. A few lines later, he seems to criticize the same UN: After a 2019 UN climate science report led to over-the-top claims by activists, one of the scientists wrote: We risk turning off the public with extremist talk that is not carefully supported by the science. Media reports that we have to act by 2030 to solve the problem of climate change is the media defining what the science is. Lomborg points out that this is indeed not science, but what politics tells us. He does not clarify what the problem is with the climate, though his chapter 6 is titled You Cant Fix Climate Change, and chapter 11 offers Carbon Tax: The Market-Based Solution. Chapter 14 Geoengineering: A Backup Plan is recognized as entering uncharted territory, but could play a role if we found that we needed fast action to avoid a looming catastrophe. After calling for consideration of this back-up plan, the chapter continues with an extended discussion of the pluses and minuses of actually implementing it. The reader will have to evaluate this recent book to get the full import of Lomborgs latest effort. His most basic premise remains that there are better ways to alleviate human misery than spending taxpayer subsidies than on panic-driven, political non-solutions to a changing climate. Few would argue with that goal. Michael Shellenberger has green activist credentials going back to his high school years. Yet over the ensuing years, he has had an environmental reality epiphany which now has manifested itself most clearly in his recent book Apocalypse Never, and with his starting the ecomodernism movement. The subtitle of the book, Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All, echoes the similar conclusions of Moore and Lomborg. Schellenberger had a few road bumps on the way to his current reality check. Notable was his 2002 support of the New Apollo Project, which called for a major global science and economics research program to make carbon-free baseload electricity less costly than electricity from coal by the year 2025 at an expenditure of $150 billion over a decade. The Obama administration adopted many of the renewable energy proposals, but Schellenberger documents that much of the money went to companies that enriched donors to the Obama campaign but failed to produce the promised renewable energy advances. Disillusionment gave way to reality, and in 2017, Shellenberger told The Australian: "Like most people, I started out pretty anti-nuclear. I changed my mind as I realized you can't power a modern economy on solar and wind.... All they do is make the electricity system chaotic and provide greenwash for fossil fuels." He has made numerous efforts to support nuclear power. His current book skewers many of the claims of eco-environmentalists, including mass extinctions, saving of the whales by Greenpeace, waste plastic fouling the ocean for thousands of years, and increases in extreme weather events. He reflects upon his early devotion to environmentalism as a manifestation of an underlying anxiety and unhappiness in my own life that had little to do with climate change or the state of the natural environment. It became a quasi-religion offering emotional relief and spiritual satisfaction for those, like him, who may have lost the guidance of traditional spiritual faiths. Schellenberg concludes with the observation that the trouble with the new environmental religion is that it has become increasingly apocalyptic, destructive, and self-defeating. So here are three environmentalists with different degrees of eco-activism in their past, but all now willing to speak out against the incessant climate propaganda of human-related guilt, the purveyors of anxiety, and the poisoners of childhood joy and wonder. Climate change is the norm; it is not mankinds original sin. The readers here are encouraged to read the works of these climate realists. Charles Battig is a retired physician and graduate engineer, policy advisor to the Heartland Institute, and member of the CO2Coalition. His website is http://www.climateis.com Sinn Fein has adopted an uncompromising approach to fighting coronavirus in Northern Ireland. On school closures, workplace regulations and much more, the party has rightly insisted that health and safety trumps all else. The funeral of Bobby Storey should be no different. No ifs, buts or maybes. It doesn't matter that he was Sinn Fein's northern chairman, spent 20 years in jail, or has heroic status for some in the republican community. The same guidelines that apply when ordinary folk die apply to Bobby Storey, too. Just imagine the outrage there would be in the nationalist community if loyalists flouted the rules for a UDA or UVF funeral? Hundreds lined the Andersonstown Road as Storey's body arrived back in Belfast last night. A guard of honour flanked the coffin and a three-day wake is under way. The guidelines set by the Executive in which Sinn Fein sits are very clear. Remains should not be taken home to rest and wakes should not be held. Outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people are not permitted. These guidelines are unbelievably tough for bereaved families and friends. We know how important the rituals around death are to everyone on this island. But if Sinn Fein doesn't like the guidelines, then it shouldn't have set them. Two DUP politicians' fathers died during the coronavirus crisis. Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots lost his father, Charlie, and Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson lost his dad Jim in April. The Poots found it particularly hard not to have a wake and to give Charlie - a DUP founder - the farewell they would have liked. But both families followed the guidelines and went to great lengths to ensure that the funerals were private with no large crowds congregated. That's showing leadership in challenging circumstances. Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly has been liaising with the PSNI about Storey's funeral. No doubt stewards will attempt to ensure social distancing among mourners. But the fact remains that the coronavirus guidelines have already been breached. Even with mourners restricted to 10 inside the church, any public gathering on the streets will flout them further. It leaves Sinn Fein open to the charge of double standards, and it encourages others to break rules that don't suit them. The Orange Order has cancelled its Twelfth parades. But how many loyalists watching Bobby Storey's funeral will now decide they're going to hold their own local parades and bonfires in July regardless? Last month, Dr Tom Black, chair of the British Medical Association's council in Northern Ireland, said it was essential that the public adhered to the guidelines on wakes and funerals to stop preventable deaths from Covid-19. Sinn Fein had the chance to set an example with Bobby Storey's funeral. Unfortunately, it's been a classic case of 'do as I say, not as I do'. Thailand has reportedly started sterilising hundreds of monkeys in Lopburi province, which is famous for the macaque population, as the animals have been turning aggressive and hungry amid COVID-19 lockdown. According to an international media report, the city and its 2,000 monkeys have been a tourist attraction, however, with borders closed, the monkeys were reportedly seen wrestling food from terrified residents. While the tourist from around the globe typically used to feed them and pose with them for selfies, the monkeys seem to be not adapting well to the new normal. In a bid to slow the growth of the population, the Thailand authorities are reportedly catching, sedating and sterilising the monkeys. While speaking to an international media outlet, Supakarn Kaewchot, a government veterinarian, said that the animals are so used to having tourists feed them, they have now gone aggressive. Supakarn added that there were reports that the animals were fighting humans for food to survive, invading buildings and also forcing locals to flee their homes. READ: Thailand's Low-cost Airline NokScoot Shuts Down Amid Losses READ: Thailand: Thais Defy Warnings To Mark Anniversary Of 1932 Revolution No threat to monkey population The government veterinarian further added that unlike monkeys in the wild, the city monkeys usually do not hunt for food, which gives them more time and energy to reproduce and cause trouble. In a bid to keep the fast-growing population under control, the authorities reportedly place cages around the city with tantalising fruits in them. The captured monkeys were then transferred to an operating table, where they were sedated, shaved and marked with a unique reference number under their arms. According to the media outlet, the vets performed a vasectomy or a tubal ligation operation. They were then kept under observation for one night after which they were released back to their respective tribes. The Thailand government aims to sterilise 500 of the macaques over the next two months. Supakarn also reportedly said that the sterilisation would pose no threat to the monkey population, however, it will just slow down the rate of its urban growth. The government vet also added that the authorities were not doing the same procedure in the wild and it was just to keep the residents safe from the aggressive monkeys. (Image: Rep/Unsplash) READ: Scuffles As Thailand Marks Political Anniversary READ: Thai Army Whistleblower Accused Of Abandoning Post Gets Bail PM should openly condemn Chinas brazen occupation in Ladakh: Congress India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: The Congress on Saturday continued its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the standoff with China in Ladakh. The Prime Minister should openly, publicly condemn the brazen Chinese occupation in Ladakh. I want the PM to condemn China. We will support the support. China is using the statement by the PM that there is no intrusion, senior Congress leader, Kapil Sibal said in a digital address. He also warned of China slicing away India's border areas piece by piece. The PM in an all party meeting said no intruders had entered Indian territory and neither was any Indian post occupied. Sibal warned that the PM's status is on the verge of being diminished because of inconsistent statements. Courts should ensure govt is accountable: Kapil Sibal on transparency in judiciary There should not be any question when the PM speaks. What was the reason that he gave the statement. Was it because he was afraid that people would think that he could not protect India's integrity? The PM's statement is inconsistent with facts on the ground. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News It diminishes the statement of the PM's office, Sibal also said. Sibal also said, China has intruded 18 km into the Indian territory across the LAC in Depsang ....the Chinese are just 25 km away from the DBO airstrip putting it within artillery range. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, June 27, 2020, 16:38 [IST] Imagine buying a house that youve always had your eye on only to learn that some seemingly fixable flaws were actually masking a much more deep-rooted problem. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Imagine buying a house that youve always had your eye on only to learn that some seemingly fixable flaws were actually masking a much more deep-rooted problem. Thats the situation Bayer CropScience found itself in shortly after sealing its US$63 billion takeover bid for rival life-science company Monsanto in 2018. It became clear early on that the Monsanto brand was not among the assets Bayer planned to keep. Monsanto, also dubbed "Mon-Satan," had become synonymous with just about every issue activists have with modern agriculture: corporate control, GMOs, pesticide use, rising cancer rates, gut health and the list goes on. Bayer knew there were allegations that glyphosate, the active ingredient in weed-killer Roundup and dozens of generic products sold to farmers and property managers, caused cancer. There were even a few lawsuits on the books. But no one in the know anticipated that the courts would agree with the plaintiffs. After all, with the exception of a controversial 2015 recommendation by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that glyphosate should be categorized as a "probable carcinogen," public health agencies have consistently said its safe if used as directed. Those lawsuits were largely viewed as nuisance claims in the same category as people suing a restaurant for serving coffee hot enough to cause a burn if it spilled. Thats not the way it played out. Juries in three separate cases ruled in favour of the plaintiffs, which opened the floodgates on new claims, now numbering 125,000 and counting. "In 2019 alone, plaintiffs attorneys and their surrogates spent an estimated $100 million on TV ads attacking Roundup and recruiting plaintiffs which caused a surge in the number of plaintiffs filing cases," Bayer CEO Werner Baumann told an investors call this week. Bayer saw its share values drop precipitously in the aftermath of each ruling and as of this week shares were sitting 29 per cent below their value before the takeover. Appeals can take years to wind their way through the courts and the costs of litigation, settlements and declining investor confidence were mounting. Bayer also inherited a new litigation nightmare related to the development of crops that could tolerate in-season applications of the herbicide dicamba, Monsantos response to the rising number of weeds that have developed resistance to glyphosate. Previously, dicamba was applied before crops were growing. Changing to in-crop use worked fine for farmers growing tolerant crops but not so well for their neighbours growing traditional crops and orchards in surrounding fields. The first damage claim to hit the courts ruled in favour of the plaintiff earlier this year. Bayer blinked. This week it announced a US$10-billion-plus settlement that prevents most of the pending litigation in the U.S. from ever reaching court and assigns the task of reviewing glyphosate safety to a scientific committee agreed to by parties on both sides of the debate. The settlement doesnt apply to any Canadian cases. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Bayer still plans to continue appeals of those early jury findings, but hopes now to be able to get back to its core focus of providing solutions for farmers. Based on what we know today, this isnt about the safety of these crop-protection herbicides. There are many other products we expose ourselves to daily that are of much greater risk to our health and wellbeing. It is, however, about public trust. The courts ensure the rules are enforced fairly, but they are not designed to make the rules. Regulation by jury is never a good idea. "If you kind of step back, what were doing here is, in essence, were paying an awful lot of money to take the discussion about the safety of glyphosate out of the courtroom and actually put it back in the scientific and regulatory arena, because thats where it belongs," Liam Condon, president of the Bayers crop science division, told journalists following the announcement. The message recent rulings have sent is that the regulatory system and industry practices must not only be fair, they must also be seen to be fair. This weeks announcement and Bayers previous commitment to greater transparency suggests it got the message. Laura Rance is vice-president of content for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@farmmedia.com Oakland, Calif. Facebook said Friday that it will flag all "newsworthy" posts from politicians that break its rules, including those from President Donald Trump. Separately, Facebook's stock dropped more than 8 percent, erasing roughly $50 billion from its market valuation, after the European company behind brands such as Ben & Jerry's and Dove announced it would boycott Facebook ads through the end of the year over the amount of hate speech and divisive rhetoric on its platform. CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously refused to take action against Trump posts suggesting that mail-in ballots will lead to voter fraud, saying that people deserved to hear unfiltered statements from political leaders. Twitter, by contrast, slapped a "get the facts" label on them. Until Friday, Trump's posts with identical wording to those labeled on Twitter remained untouched on Facebook, sparking criticism from Trump's opponents as well as current and former Facebook employees. Now, Facebook is all but certain to face off with the president the next time he posts something the company deems to be violating its rules. "The policies we're implementing today are designed to address the reality of the challenges our country is facing and how they're showing up across our community," Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page announcing the changes. Zuckerberg said the social network is taking additional steps to counter election-related misinformation. In particular, the social network will begin adding new labels to all posts about voting that will direct users to authoritative information from state and local election officials. Facebook is also banning false claims intended to discourage voting, such as stories about federal agents checking legal status at polling places. The company also said it is increasing its enforcement capacity to remove false claims about local polling conditions in the 72 hours before the U.S. election. Ethan Zuckerman, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for Civic Media, said the changes are a "reminder of how powerful Facebook may be in terms of spreading disinformation during the upcoming election." He said the voting labels will depend on how good Facebook's artificial intelligence is at identifying posts to label. "If every post that mentions voting links, people will start ignoring those links. If they're targeted to posts that say things like 'Police will be checking warrants and unpaid traffic tickets at polls' a classic voter suppression disinfo tactic and clearly mark posts as disinfo, they might be useful," he said. But Zuckerman noted that Facebook "has a history of trying hard not to alienate right-leaning users, and given how tightly President Trump has aligned himself with voter-suppressing misinfo, it seems likely that Facebook will err on the side of non-intrusive and ignorable labels, which would minimize impact of the campaign." Earlier in the day, shares of Facebook and Twitter dropped sharply after consumer-product maker Unilever announced a new ad boycott on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram through at least the end of the year. The European company said it took the move to protest the amount of hate speech online. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Unilever said the polarized atmosphere in the United States ahead of November's presidential election placed responsibility on brands to act. In addition to the decline in Facebook shares, Twitter ended the day more than 7 percent lower. Unilever, which is based in the Netherlands and Britain, joins a raft of other advertisers pulling back from online platforms. Facebook in particular has been the target of an escalating movement to withhold advertising dollars to pressure it to do more to prevent racist and violent content from being shared on its platform. "We have decided that starting now through at least the end of the year, we will not run brand advertising in social media newsfeed platforms Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the U.S.," Unilever said. "Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society." Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Thursday, Verizon joined others in the Facebook boycott. Unilever "has enough influence to persuade other brand advertisers to follow its lead," said eMarketer analyst Nicole Perrin. She noted that Unilever pulled back spending "for longer, on more platforms (including Twitter) and for more expansive reasons" in particular, by citing problems with "divisiveness" as well as hate speech. Sarah Personette, vice president of global client solutions at Twitter, said the company's "mission is to serve the public conversation and ensure Twitter is a place where people can make human connections, seek and receive authentic and credible information, and express themselves freely and safely." She added that Twitter is "respectful of our partners' decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time." American Madison Keys, seen here at the 2020 Australian Open, was a winner in her first match of the Credit One Bank Invitational women's tennis tournament in Charleston, South Carolina (AFP Photo/Manan VATSYAYANA) Washington (AFP) - Madison Keys returned to the scene of her 2019 Charleston WTA triumph on Thursday with a hard-fought win over Carline Dolehide in the Credit One Bank Invitational. The 16-player team event, staged with strict social distancing protocols as players prep for the return of WTA action in August after a coronavirus shutdown, is a far cry from the full-fledged WTA Tournament on the green clay courts in South Carolina. But Keys, ranked 13th in the world, admitted she was nervous in her first match since a third-round exit at the Australian Open in January. Those butterflies showed as she let a 3-0 second-set lead slip before pulling off a 6-1, 6-7 (6/8), 10-4 victory over 134th-ranked Caroline Dolehide. Keys finally fired a forehand winner up the line on her fourth match point to claim the match, scoring a point for her Team Kindness, which is going up against Team Peace captained by Bethanie Mattek-Sands. "That was up and down," Keys said after tapping racquets with Dolehide at the net. "That was -- I haven't played a match in a really long time. "I was definitely really nervous, and that obviously showed. But I was really happy to get a win and a point for my team. "All in all, things to work on, but not too bad for a first match." Keys is one of three top-10 players taking part in the tournament, along fourth-ranked Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, and No. 19 Alison Riske. Iraqi Forces Raid Iranian-Backed Militia's HQ Near Baghdad June 26, 2020 Iraqi security forces have raided the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia near Baghdad, seizing rockets and detaining more than a dozen pro-Iran fighters. The militia group targeted was Kataib Hezbollah, also identified as Brigade 45 of the Hashed al-Shaabi military force, Iraqi government officials said on June 26. The country's elite Counterterrorism Service (CTS) carried out raid, they said. "Based on intelligence information, a Counterterrorism Service unit raided a base used by Brigade 45, seizing three rocket launchers and arresting 13 fighters," one of the officials said, according to AFP. Iraq's new prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, has indicated that he will be tough on militia groups that target U.S. installations. The raid, which the reports said took place early on June 25, was the first carried out by Iraqi military forces against a group accused of targeting U.S. facilities. Since October, nearly three dozen attacks have targeted U.S. interests in Iraq, including military bases, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and U.S. oil companies. The attacks have killed Iraqi, U.S., and British military personnel. The United States has blamed Kataib Hezbollah for the attacks and has retaliated twice. It also has pressured Baghdad to take tougher action against the group. There was no immediate comment from Iraqi militia groups or from Iran. One of the three leaders detained in the raid was an Iranian, a government official told Reuters. The official said the three detained leaders were handed over to the U.S. military. But a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq said he "doubted" that Iraqi authorities had handed over the detainees. In January, the United States killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike at Baghdad airport. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iraqi- forces-raid-iranian-backed-militia-s-hq -near-baghdad/30692191.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A number of Ministers face demotion this afternoon as Micheal Martin, Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan look to find room at the Cabinet table. With three ministers - Shane Ross, Regina Doherty and Katherine Zappone - not winning re-election in February, 12 members of the current government will be vying for six Fine Gael ministries. With Mr Varadkar assured of both the Tanaiste and Minister for Jobs offices, demand for jobs will far outstrip supply and names such as Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and Culture Minister Josepha Madigan have been mentioned by sources as potential casualties of the new Cabinet arrangement. Sources have confirmed that Fine Gael will also retain the Finance, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Social Protection and agriculture portfolios, with Paschal Donohoe, Heather Humphreys and Simon Coveney all seen as certs to return to Cabinet. Simon Harris is also seen as likely to be returned, though he will no longer be Minister for Health, as that role goes to Fianna Fail. Long-time Varadkar ally Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is another who is likely to lose his seat at the Cabinet table, though he may be in line for a junior ministry, which will be announced tomorrow. The Housing portfolio will go to Fianna Fail, where Darragh O'Brien is among those tipped for the job. Agriculture and Rural Development ministers Michael Creed and Michael Ring are another two ministers who face demotion from the cabinet, along with Education Minister Joe McHugh. There remains speculation about the future role of Richard Bruton, the Communications minister. While he had been seen as likely to be demoted, it is understood that he now may be considered to lead a senior ministry, based on his work in the formation negotiations. For Fianna Fail, Michael McGrath will take the Public Expenditure role, with Dara Calleary expected to join him at Cabinet. The Green Party will nominate Eamon Ryan, Catherine Martin and Roderic O'Gorman for its roles, which will likely include a Transport/Climate Change brief as well as a new department to deal with Disabilities and Children. Yara* was close to turning 14 when her parents and three younger siblings drowned in the Aegean Sea. The family, originally from Afghanistan, was one of many that had sought to make the treacherous crossing from Turkey to Lesvos on 28 October 2015. The voyage ended in shipwreck and tragedy, with almost 70 people lost to the waves. That autumn day would mark the beginning of Yaras long and traumatic journey through the bureaucracy of modern Europe, in which those born outside the continents borders are casually dismissed and dehumanised. A fire that broke out at a hotel room in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City on Friday afternoon killed one Vietnamese woman and injured a New Zealand national. The firefighting and rescue police unit in Binh Thanh District received a report on the fire at about 3:14 pm on Friday and immediately dispatched three fire engines and 21 officers to the scene. Although they were quick to extinguish the fire just 15 minutes later, it had killed H.T.P.A., a 31-year-old Vietnamese woman from the southern province of Binh Phuoc. P.M.J., a 66-year-old teacher from New Zealand, was also injured and rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. According to an initial assessment, the fire covered an area of about nine square meters. The cause of the incident is being investigated. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! She has broken into the design business. But Emily Ratajkowski proved she is still her own best model as she plugged her line Inamorata Woman on Insta Stories this Friday. The 29-year-old supermodel showed off her bombshell figure in a see-through outfit from her brand's Mesh Collection. Sizzling sensation: Emily Ratajkowski proved she is still her own best model as she plugged her line Inamorata Woman on Insta Stories this Friday Emily, a lifelong brunette who went blonde earlier this week, made sure her fans caught a glimpse of the look from several angles. In one close-up post she made sure her 26.6. million followers could catch sight of her black lace bra as she played with her hair. Emily debuted her new status as a blonde bombshell on her Instagram page this week for the brand Kerastase. When you got it: The 29-year-old supermodel showed off her bombshell figure in a see-through outfit from her brand's Mesh Collection For over two years the sizzling sensation has been the face of Kerastase, a Paris-based brand that is a subsidiary of L'Oreal. Firing up her Instagram this Wednesday she uploaded a string of smoldering bikini snaps to celebrate 'Day 1 as a blondie.' Emily, her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard and their dog Colombo are currently hunkering down at her parents' home in Los Angeles. Smoldering: In one close-up post she made sure her 26.6. million followers could catch sight of her black lace bra as she played with her hair This past Sunday she wished a happy Father's Day both to her own 'Papa' John David Ratajkowski and to Sebastian, 'Colombo's Dad.' Although the couple were initially hunkering down in New York City, then the American epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, they flew to Los Angeles on April 15. The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention had issued an advisory on March 28 asking 'residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately.' WASHINGTON - After Sen. Kamala Harris last year unleashed one of the most searing attacks of the Democratic presidential primaries against Joe Biden, his wife, Jill Biden, called it the "biggest surprise" of the race. Even seven months later, the former second lady said it was "like a punch to the gut." On Friday, a far different dynamic was on display. Harris, D-Calif., smiled broadly as she introduced Jill Biden as "our next first lady." Jill Biden closed her eyes and put her hands over her heart as she recalled how Harris's op-ed on black maternal health touched her. The striking show of bonhomie came during a virtual discussion on the Affordable Care Act, which had all the trappings of a typical Biden campaign event. Except this one was freighted with a tense history and effectively doubled as a high-stakes public tryout - the latest in a series featuring a Democrat under consideration to be Biden's running mate. To some Biden allies, it also served as a visible turning-of-the-page on an uncomfortable chapter that has loomed over the vice-presidential search. Seeking to quell rumblings from some Democrats who have said they detected signs of frustration with Harris from Jill Biden and Valerie Biden Owens, Biden's sister and longtime political adviser, the Biden campaign on Friday looked to publicly dispel the notion that their views of Harris are anything less than positive. "Both Dr. Biden and Valerie have nothing but the utmost respect, admiration and affection for Senator Harris," Biden campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement. "Any rumors or conjecture to the contrary are not true and have zero basis in reality or fact." On the debate stage in Miami one year ago Saturday, Harris looked at Biden and told him it was "hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race," referring to friendly comments he once made about former Senate colleagues. She accused him of opposing school busing, saying, "There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me." (Within hours, Harris's campaign was selling a T-shirt emblazoned with those words.) Biden shot back that Harris had mischaracterized him. "I did not oppose busing in America," he said. "What I opposed is busing ordered by the Department of Education." For Harris, who has emerged as a top contender to join the Democratic ticket and is the most prominent African American woman under consideration, last summer's exchange has complicated her prospects in the eyes of some Biden allies. Although some have moved on from it, others said it was not so easy to forget, particularly since Harris was a friend of Biden's late son, Beau. "I'm Irish and we Irish hold grudges," said John Morgan, a Florida trial lawyer and major Biden donor. "It was vicious. It was meant to kill him. And she was probably the one he never would have expected it from, which to me made it more treacherous." Other Biden allies said they saw Friday's joint appearance as a sign of the strides Harris has made. "It's etched in my mind," said Steve Westly, a California investor and top Biden fundraiser, referring to last year's debate. But he added, "Everybody knows that Jill is in Joe's inner circle," and so "the fact that Jill has chosen Kamala to do an event with her double underscores that Kamala is on the very shortlist of people Joe is considering." South Carolina state Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a longtime Biden friend, said the impact of the 2019 dispute will be determined by Biden alone. "I know that there are people that were not happy with what she tried to do in the debate," he said, but Biden will decide if it "makes her unacceptable." Some aides and associates of Biden and Harris said the tension between the two camps started to recede with the passage of time. As early as one month after the confrontation, Biden greeted Harris on the second debate stage by joking, "Go easy on me, kid." In October, Harris, Biden and their aides ran into each other at a private airport terminal after a campaign event in Iowa, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. It was Harris's birthday, and her husband, Doug Emhoff, gave the Biden team some leftover cupcakes. Harris and Biden had a brief private discussion while their aides talked, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private encounter. Ian Sams, who served as national press secretary on the Harris campaign, remembered Biden and Harris on other occasions "giving each other hugs backstage or talking about their families or random experiences on the trail." Sams said his sense of Biden is "you can't be successful at the highest levels of national politics for 40 years like he has without the rapid ability to turn yesterday's rivals into today's allies." In recent weeks, Biden frequently has enlisted the help of Harris and other candidates under consideration to be his running mate. Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., who is being vetted, participated in a call with reporters Friday about the Affordable Care Act. She referred a question about the vetting to the Biden campaign. Harris has been one of the most active Biden surrogates. The Friday event featured Harris and Jill Biden hearing from supporters in Wisconsin about health care. Together they spoke of the importance of the Affordable Care Act and safeguarding it from GOP efforts to dismantle it. Jill Biden frequently invited Harris to weigh in and offer her perspective. The discussion got personal, with the participants sharing stories about their health-care experiences. Harris shared the story of her late mother's battle with cancer. Jill Biden told an emotional story of her sister's stem-cell transplant, her six-week isolation in a hospital room and the lifesaving help she got from the ACA. Harris hosted a virtual fundraiser with Biden this month that brought in $3.5 million. Biden offered a word of personal praise for Harris at the event, mentioning her friendship with Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015. He recalled running into Harris years ago. "You said, 'I love you and I loved Beau,' " Biden said. "I won't forget that." Harris said Emhoff had enjoyed spending time with Jill Biden, and they stayed in touch beyond the primaries. On Friday, Jill Biden reflected warmly on her relationship with Emhoff. In December, on the day Harris ended her campaign, Biden called her, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. Harris endorsed Biden on March 8, saying in a video that "he is a man who has lived his life with great dignity." But only days earlier, Jill Biden indicated the June 2019 debate had not faded from her mind. On March 6, she was asked at a fundraiser about a potential vice-presidential choice. When the discussion turned to Harris, Jill Biden said Harris had a very close "bond" with Beau Biden, and when Biden looked surprised onstage when Harris attacked, it was because "our son Beau spoke so highly of her and, you know, and how great she was." She added that she was not saying Harris wasn't great, but her debate comments were like a "punch to the gut; it was a little unexpected." Former Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack, a friend of Jill Biden's, said she does not have any sense of how Jill Biden and Owens feel about Harris. "I've never had that conversation," she said. Speaking generally of Jill Biden, Vilsack said, "She, like her husband, is a very warm person and she values relationships." Questioned on the topic, Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, an ally of both Biden and Harris, said that "politics is not a business for people with thin skin." She added, "I just don't believe that in our business you carry hard feelings about something like a debate." Some Biden allies pointed to Biden's relationship with Barack Obama, which Biden has said he is seeking to re-create with his eventual running mate. It, too, had some difficult chapters. The Rev. Al Sharpton recalled Biden calling him to apologize after playing into black stereotypes when he said of Obama in 2007, "I mean, you got the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." "That didn't stop him from being selected," Sharpton said. - - - The Washington Post's Michael Scherer contributed to this report. Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images In a corner of desert country at the northernmost edge of Los Angeles county, Black boys have grown up watching their fathers handcuffed by sheriffs deputies during routine traffic stops. Black girls have had racial slurs shouted at them from passing cars and been warned not to go out by themselves at night. They have stood in line at the grocery store alongside white men with swastika tattoos. They have organized to protect themselves when they felt no one else would. They have learned which streets to not drive down to avoid law enforcement traffic stops. Some have stopped driving at night al together. The Confederacy of southern California is the Antelope Valley, said Ayinde Love, a longtime Lancaster resident and organizer. When the body of Robert Fuller, a 24-year-old Black man, was discovered hanging from a tree near Palmdale city hall earlier this month, it plucked at a trauma that had been etched into the Black community for generations. Just over a week before, the body of Malcolm Harsch, a 38-year-old Black man, had been found hanging from a tree just 50 miles east. Together, Fuller and Harschs deaths ignited a firestorm of fear in the region, of white supremacist hate group violence and police conspiracy, during a time of racial reckoning nationwide. Related: California: half-brother of black man found hanged killed in police shooting Coroners with the Los Angeles county sheriffs department preliminarily declared Fullers death a suicide. But following widespread outcry, the Los Angeles sheriff, Alex Villanueva, backtracked on the finding and announced that the FBI and the state attorney generals office would monitor the departments investigation. Two days later, Los Angeles sheriffs deputies fatally shot Fullers brother. It was the departments sixth fatal shooting since the killing of George Floyd sparked worldwide protests and heightened scrutiny of police violence. Two mysterious deaths of Black men, a thin investigation from a sheriffs department with a documented history of misconduct, another police killing, all within a dry desert landscape rife with historic anti-black hate. To many in Antelope Valleys Black community, it came to represent the years of racism, bigotry and violence that has gone overlooked in what is considered one of the most left-leaning counties in America. Story continues People are arguing whether it was homicide or whether it was suicide, but thats not the position that Im taking, Love said. Its a lynching regardless, because it is an act of violence when the people that are supposed to serve your community send a message through their lack of concern. Black mens fear? The police Fewer than 500,000 people live in this sunbaked valley, where the gnarled branches of the Joshua trees splay under miles of open sky. About 70 miles from the city of Los Angeles, hardscrabble brown mountains loom far in the distance on clear days the Tehachapi mountains to the north and the San Gabriel mountains to the south. Of those living in Antelope Valley, about 15% are black, compared with 9% in all of Los Angeles county, and 6.5% statewide. The community has grown rapidly, and recently: from 1990 to 2010, the Black population in Lancaster, one of the main cities, grew from just 7% to 21%, while the white population shrank from nearly 80% to less than 50%. As that population shifted, in the years leading up to 2010, the region saw the highest rate of hate crimes in Los Angeles county. A 2013 US justice department investigation documented a series of white supremacist-related crimes that had haunted Antelope Valley in the 1990s and early 2000s. The First African Methodist Episcopal church in Palmdale was firebombed in 2010. Three white youths allegedly killed a Black man in 1997 to earn a white supremacist tattoo. Two Black men were stabbed by a white mayoral candidates son who had been reciting white power slogans, and homes were vandalized with racial slurs and a swastika. But when asked about what they feared more in Antelope Valley, Black men overwhelmingly responded: the police. I dont care about the KKK because Im allowed to defend myself against the KKK, said Arthur Calloway II, 39, a Lancaster resident and president of the Democratic Club of the High Desert. But every day I have to leave the house, not knowing if Im going to get pulled over that day and if that could end up in an escalated situation with me actually not coming home. At the tree where Robert Fullers body was found in the early hours of 10 June, supporters had placed a bright green sign, splattered with red paint, among the flowers and the candles: Cops and Klan go hand in hand. Just 30 years ago, a group of deputies described by a federal judge as a neo-Nazi, white supremacist gang had been rooted out through a lawsuit that cost the county $9m. Authorities are investigating whether similar other gang-like cliques of deputies, stationed primarily in black and Latino neighborhoods, persist today. Combined with the stories of the Black community, the Los Angeles sheriffs departments reputation of racism has solid footing in the valley. While working for a car rental agency, Love, the community organizer, was pulled over so many times that he had to ask his manager to call the sheriffs station. One time, I was driving into a community and deputies were coming out and passing me and immediately, they turned their lights on and turned around and pulled me over, said T, a black Lancaster man who asked to only be identified by his first initial out of fear of retaliation. They said there was a break-in in the neighborhood I was going into. If there was a break-in, why would I be going back into the neighborhood where I just broke into a home? In 2015, the US justice department settled a lawsuit against Lancaster, Palmdale and the Los Angeles sheriffs department for targeting black people with discriminatory enforcement of the federal housing choice voucher program. The investigation that preceded the settlement found that deputies in Antelope Valley engaged in a pattern of misconduct that included pedestrian and vehicle stops in violation of the fourth amendment, stops that appear motivated by racial bias, unreasonable use of force and discrimination against residents on the basis of race. A review of use-of-force cases from 2010 to 2011 in which the only charge was obstruction-related resisting arrest found that 81% involved black or Latino subjects. If this had been a white man Jamon Hicks reacted the same way many others in the black community did when he learned about Robert Fullers death. His initial thought was that it felt odd, that he had never heard of a Black man committing suicide in such a public way, and from a tree. When he learned of the other hangings, not just Malcolm Harschs in San Bernardino county but around the country, he got scared. The poppy fields of Antelope Valley, California. Photograph: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images A few days later, he was retained as the attorney for Fullers family. Sitting at his home about an hour south of Palmdale on Juneteenth, he took a more reasoned approach. He was preparing the family for the findings to come back as a suicide, or even undetermined, he said. What mattered, he argued, was that the findings came back at all, and followed a thorough investigation. What I look at is: if this had been a white man hanging from a tree, if this had been a white woman hanging from a tree, would you have so easily just said, Well, we think its a suicide? Hicks said. Im saying the investigation seemed very haphazard from the beginning. And I wonder, was it that way because this was just a 24-year-old black man? The family needed answers, he said. Instead, they were left with more questions. Seven days after Robert Fullers body was discovered in Palmdale, Fullers brother, Terron Boone, was fatally shot by Los Angeles county deputies. According to the sheriffs department, when they tried to stop his car, Boone opened the door and started shooting. The sheriffs were reportedly in plainclothes and an unmarked car, trailing Boone, a suspect in a domestic violence case. My question, Hicks said slowly, is did they know beforehand that it was his brother, before they attempted surveillance and before they followed the car? He wondered about the fears and conspiracy theories floating around the community, and whether they had reached Boone, who had been deep in grief. If hes thinking, Im being followed, something happened to my brother, now its me if hes in that mindset and he doesnt know that theyre police, hes in defense mode, Hicks said. Hes paranoid. Hes scared. You have to constantly think about your safety That sense of fear blanketed a Juneteenth rally in Lancaster, where hundreds came to demand justice for Robert Fuller, Malcolm Harsch, Michael Thomas, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor. Amid the high energy and rousing speeches, a tension thrummed through the crowd. Protesters demonstrate in front of the Palmdale Sheriffs Station after Fullers death. Photograph: Apu Gomes/AFP/Getty Images There had been rumors that the local Ku Klux Klan chapter would be hosting a meeting at the same park where the march would end. The Los Angeles sheriffs department said it had been unable to confirm whether the meeting was to take place. Still, organizers put out warnings for everyone to travel in groups. They had a check-in system when people got home, they had to text someone, and if that person did not receive a text message, then everyone had to mobilize as if it were an emergency. At the rally, people were on alert, watching to see if people got too close to the speakers. Giovanni Pope, 17, had been scheduled to speak at a press conference a few days earlier. His parents have been incredibly supportive of his efforts as a young Black and gay activist but they told him he couldnt speak at this one, not with the rumors of hate groups. At a recent protest, he left his face uncovered because he had been a main organizer and wanted to make sure he was recognizable. Near the end of it, a white man whom nobody could identify kept following him and taking his picture. In other parts of Los Angeles county, people dont have to think about this at all, said Pope, a Lancaster resident. I go to Pasadena regularly and every young person there seems so carefree in that sense. Its really easy to be an activist for things you believe in in those areas. Out here, you have to constantly think about your safety. Homicide by society On Juneteenth, the family of Malcolm Harsch, the 38-year-old man found hanging from a tree 50 miles from where Robert Fuller was found dead, posted on Facebook that after reviewing surveillance video, they had accepted that Harschs death was a suicide. We urge you all to continue your efforts concerning the hanging deaths of African Americans, they wrote. The next day, a small crowd gathered for a vigil at the tree where Harsch died near the Victorville public library. Harsch had been living in a nearby homeless encampment at the time of his death. Organizers of the vigil brought food and water for the encampment residents, stepping around the debris and garbage under the unforgiving sun. Even if it wasnt murder, it was still homicide by society, said Kareema Abdul-Khabir, an organizer, pointing out that city hall spent more of its budget on policing than on care for vulnerable people of color. Thats why Love, the Antelope Valley community organizer, has characterized these hangings as lynchings. Racism comes in many forms in the high desert. Theres the specter of the hate groups. Theres police violence and overcriminalization. And theres the damage of the passive slights and the allowance of racism. Its Pope sitting in on a meeting with the mayor of Lancaster, listening to him talk about the need to differentiate between the hip-hop kids and the good African American students. Its 24-year-old Isabel Flax, learning that when her family moved to Palmdale in 2000, her white mother was informed at two homes she had tried to rent that it was a problem that she had a Black husband. It was always the little things, the things that happened when I was seven and I didnt understand until I got older, Flax said. Lynching was a tactic to instill fear and control the slaves. It had to be something perpetual, Love said. When all Black people have to experience the unacceptance of society to the point that life in itself can seem harder than death, its a lynching. Its a lynching via the white supremacist systems that have been set up in place to oppress us. Were not going anywhere Black people across the US are exhausted, and those in Antelope Valley appear to feel no different. With each passing day come more Black lives lost, and in making sure all Black lives matter, they find themselves forced to wear the mantle of slain names, loudly and publicly, even as their legs buckle under the fatigue. One day after Robert Fullers body was found, sheriffs deputies fatally shot 62-year-old Michael Thomas in his home in Lancaster. Deputies had been responding to a domestic violence call and said Thomas had reached for their gun. His family and his fiancee, who was at the scene, disputed that account. Pastor Jacob Johnson, vice-president of the Antelope Valley chapter of the NAACP, said the deputies appeared to have violated at least several points of the consent decree set by the federal justice department as part of the 2015 settlement of the housing discrimination lawsuit a section of the settlement covers use of force. Yet its unclear whether the officers will face any repercussions. This same drama has played out too often in police departments across the country. Officers violate policy. Black people die. No one is held accountable. Whats the penalty if they break a consent decree the oversight committee stays on for two more years? Johnson said. To be honest, if Im the sheriffs department, I could care less. Right now, there seems to be no repercussions. There seems to be no penalties. Related: Oakland moves to bar police from schools as bigger cities reject change When it comes to police killings, people tend to ask first what the person killed did to deserve it if he was suspected of a violent crime, if he had resisted arrest, if he had been armed. Always with this question, Black organizers think of Dylann Roof, the white supremacist who killed nine in a mass shooting of a black church in South Carolina and was taken into custody unharmed. Obviously there is no need for extra training because white adult males make it out alive all the time, said Arthur Calloway, the Lancaster community organizer. Johnson is tired. But in talking about the movement in Antelope Valley and the Los Angeles sheriffs department he is reminded of another valley mentioned in the Bible, the Valley of Elah. When David comes to fight Goliath, Goliath had been taunting the children of Israel for a while now, standing in the middle of this valley, Johnson said. By the time David shows up, his brothers say, What are you doing, David? You cant really do anything. And David says, Is there not a cause? Thats what keeps bringing people back, he continued. Were tired, but were not going anywhere because there is a cause. Police will be held accountable After years of living with racism, the black organizers in Antelope Valley are working to make sure this moment of protest is more than just that. Calloway has co-founded Vote Your Power Back not just to encourage people to vote, but to shape the next generation to run for leadership roles as well. Once you get a mom on the city council who can feel the pain of Robert Fuller hanging from that tree, who can put that emotion and passion and empathy into legislation, police will have to be held accountable, Calloway said. Giovanni Pope, the 17-year-old activist, had planned on leaving for Syracuse University in the fall. But he too recognized that a shift was happening in his home, and he chose to take college courses from Antelope Valley for at least his first year so that he could also continue his work on some local campaigns. I decided that having that localized attention on our valley was very, very important, he said. Ayinde Love leads a crowd of protesters during a Juneteenth demonstration. Photograph: Kyle Grillot/AFP/Getty Images At the Juneteenth rally, Isabel Flax spoke about her five-year-old son, and how she wanted him to grow up in a different world than she did. In a later interview, she said that after watching the video of George Floyd, she couldnt sit by the sidelines any more. She organized the first protest in Lancaster, and, together with the other organizers, has a strong future planned for the movement. As Flax spoke, supporters were still on high alert for hate groups, watching the stage and pacing through the crowd. Armed sheriffs deputies stood at a distance. You almost fear the sheriffs, if theyre here to protect us and make sure nothing happens or if theyre here just to say they were here and to look the other way if something happens, one protester wondered. But for just one moment after Flax passed on the microphone, in a brief musical interlude, Frank Beverly and Mazes Before I Let Go blasted out over the speakers. A wide smile broke out over Flaxs face and she allowed the beat to take her. Soon, she was leading an entire group of Black women and children in the Electric Slide, the BLM tattoo she got after her first protest still bold and fresh on her left calf. Beyonces Formation came on next to loud cheers and the handful of dancers grew. Pope jumped into the middle of the circle to groove, as everyone sang along. And for one brief moment, there was celebration. That release could not be found. K illing Eve star Sandra Oh has spoken out against the lack of diversity in the UK film and television industry, stating that it would sometimes be her "and 75 white people" on set. Speaking as part of Variety's Actors on Actors series, the actor compared her experiences in the UK and US. Although she said she is often the "sole Asian person" on set for many of her projects, she singled out the UK for being "behind" on diversity. She told Kerry Washington: Being the sole Asian person is a very familiar place for me. "But the UK, Im not afraid to say, is behind. Im not only the only Asian person on set sometimes it changes, [its] very exciting when someone comes on set - but the development of people behind the camera is very slow in the UK." Sandra Oh congratulates Killing Eve co-star Jodie Comer / IPA USA/PA Images She continued: Sometimes it would be me and 75 white people... and I have not come from that. I have not come from that in my film career, which has been much more independent. Mostly working with women and women of colour and my relationship with television and in the United States hasnt necessarily been all white. Referring to Killing Eve, she said: Ive got to tell you. Even more than that, I think being the only American on that set, in Europe, informed me more than the physicality. Ive not even really talked about this, but there is something about constantly feeling like the observer or the outsider. Ms Oh's comments echo Director Steve McQueen, who argued that the UK is far behind the United States regarding representation behind the camera. Writing in The Guardian, the 12 Years a Slave filmmaker urged the British film industry to tackle it's "blatant racism" and said "the culture of the industry has to change." Referencing time spent on set filming his new series Small Axe, Mr McQueen said there were only a few black British crew members, and he could "not believe the whiteness of the set". He wrote: "The UK is so far behind in terms of representation, its shameful. The BBC recently pledged to spend 100 million on "diverse and inclusive" content, as part director of creative diversity June Sarpong's initiative to improve improve representation. As even Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro himself admits, communications has not exactly been his administration's strong suit lately. From downplaying the new coronavirus as a "little flu" to flinging expletives and insults in a cabinet meeting that was later made public, the far-right leader has generated a long list of awkward sound bites. That has exacerbated the trio of crises he is facing: public-health, economic and political. Enter his newly created communications ministry and the charismatic, handsome young lawmaker tapped to lead it, Fabio Faria. Faria, a 42-year-old lawmaker and son-in-law of a TV mogul, is about as different as possible from Bolsonaro when it comes to communication style. While the far-right president, sometimes called a "Tropical Trump," is blunt, bellicose and uncompromising, Faria took office last week calling to "pacify" the country and proposing a "patriotic armistice" to get Brazil through the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected and killed more people here than any other nation except the United States. The "new" ministry in fact recreates a portfolio that had been absorbed into the science and technology ministry in 2016. Its revival comes as Bolsonaro is battling on multiple fronts. A year and a half into his presidency, there is growing speculation about whether he will survive to the end of his four-year term. Besides the political cost of the pandemic and the record-shattering 9.1-percent annual recession the IMF predicts it will bring, the president is also locked in escalating struggles with Congress and the Supreme Court. He faces a series of investigations targeting him and his inner circle, and some 30 impeachment petitions in Congress. His rising disapproval rating -- 44 percent, in one recent poll -- may also be linked to his bitter relationship with much of what he calls the "fake news" media. But Bolsonaro appears to have decided it is time to make nice with the other branches of government and the press. Communications "is an area that left a lot to be desired," he said in announcing the new ministry two weeks ago. "The information war is very important." - 'Ministry of Propaganda' - Bolsonaro has since toned down his rhetoric. But Faria will not have an easy job giving the administration's image a make-over. For one thing, he enters a government that has so far been known more for polemics than public relations. Exhibit A is the so-called "hate cabinet," a group of top officials accused of spreading incendiary messages against Bolsonaro's opponents on social media. Reportedly led by Bolsonaro's son Carlos, the group is under investigation for allegedly running fake-news campaigns. "President Bolsonaro is keen to improve his image and his relations with the other branches of government," political consultant Andre Rosa told AFP. "A charismatic figure like Fabio Faria is reassuring to Congress." Not everyone sees it that way, though. "The propaganda ministry was just relaunched," tweeted former justice minister Sergio Moro, who quit in April with a bombshell accusation that Bolsonaro had improperly interfered in federal police investigations. Faria also brings valuable connections. He is married to the daughter of Silvio Santos, the tycoon behind SBT, one of Brazil's biggest TV networks. And he is a member of the so-called "Centrao," a block of 200 centrist lawmakers. Lately, Bolsonaro has been aggressively courting the "Centrao," whose votes could be decisive if he is impeached. - 5G fight looming - Faria's job will also include overseeing a touchy tender next year for Brazil's 5G network, which is bringing pressure from the United States not to award the job to China's Huawei. Other roles include allocating TV broadcast licenses and managing the administration's advertising budget. Bolsonaro has repeatedly threatened media organizations he perceives as critical that he will cut that money. He regularly gives interviews to Faria's father-in-law's network and TV Record, a network owned by a popular Evangelical pastor, but snubs TV Globo, the country's biggest broadcaster. "Bolsonaro clearly wants to cultivate a closer relationship with certain media. It's no coincidence the new minister is the son-in-law of one of the country's biggest communications moguls," said Fernando Nogueira, a public administration specialist. But the National Journalists' Federation accused the new minister of a conflict of interest. (FILES) In this file photo taken on June 17, 2020 Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (L) looks at his newly appointed communications minister, Fabio Faria, at the presidential office in Brasilia.Bolsonaro, backed by his new communications ministry, is trying to restore the image of his government shaken by a political crisis, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that could cost him his mandate. Brazil's newly appointed communications minister, Fabio Faria, is as different as possible from President Jair Bolsonaro when it comes to communication style The Taliban also denies the New York Times report, which it denounced as an attempt to defame the armed group. Russia and the Taliban have denied a media report saying that a Russian military intelligence unit had offered money to Taliban-linked fighters to kill US troops and other members of the NATO coalition operating in Afghanistan. The New York Times report says that US intelligence officials concluded several months ago that the Russian unit had last year secretly offered rewards to the fighters in return for successful attacks. The information was later independently reported by the Washington Post. The officials said the Taliban-linked fighters, or elements closely associated with them, are believed to have collected at least some reward money from the Russians, although it remains unclear what attacks were connected to the scheme, according to the report. Russia on Saturday denounced the accusations, with the Russian embassy in Washington, DC calling them baseless and anonymous. The tweet added the claims had already led to direct threats to the life of employees of the Russian Embassies in Washington DC and London. Baseless and anonymous accusations [published by @nytimes] of Moscow as mastermind behind killing of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan have already led to direct threats to the life of employees of the Russian Embassies in Washington D.C. and London.@StateDeptDSS https://t.co/oPoFZRvq3W pic.twitter.com/RMDVBXJynW Russian Embassy in USA (@RusEmbUSA) June 27, 2020 Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied to the New York Times that the group has any such relations with any intelligence agency and called the report an attempt to defame the armed group. These kinds of deals with the Russian intelligence agency are baseless our target killings and assassinations were ongoing in years before, and we did it on our own resources, he said. That changed after our deal with the Americans, and their lives are secure and we dont attack them. In 2019, 20 US soldiers were killed in Afghanistan but there have been no reported Taliban attacks on the US positions since the two countries reached an agreement in February that paves the way for the US to withdraw from the nearly 20-year long conflict. Severe implications US officials have previously linked the Russian intelligence unit in question to assassination attempts and operations in Europe meant to destabilise Western powers, according to the report. However, the most recent allegations, if true, would be the first time the unit has been proven to have orchestrated attacks on Western troops, the report said. While the US and Afghan governments have previously accused Russia of supporting the Taliban, the allegation would represent a major escalation in Russias involvement during a time the Trump administration has been struggling to end the US presence in the country. The report said the determination by intelligence officials is based, at least in part, on interrogations of captured Afghan fighters and individuals accused of crimes in the country. Cozying up to Russia The unnamed officials also told the newspaper that Trump and his National Security Council had been briefed on the intelligence in March, but had not yet authorised any action in response. The story says that the Trump administration was told about this, including the president, in march, many many months ago, and that they debated several responses, including a diplomatic complaint up to sanctions, but so far have not acted, said Al Jazeeras Patty Culhane, reporting from Maryland Critics are pointing out that the president did do one thing, he invited Vladimir Putin to the now cancelled G7 summit, and thats created its own kind of controversy today, she said, referring to the so-called Group of Seven, an economic organisation composed of world powers from which Russia was expelled in 2014. The group is currently set to meet in the US in September, after delaying due to the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump was cozying up to Putin and inviting him to the G7 all while his Administration reportedly knew Russia was trying to kill U.S troops in Afghanistan and derail peace talks with the Taliban. https://t.co/C2GYSFFKXv Tim Kaine (@timkaine) June 27, 2020 One critic is senator and former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine who tweeted that Trump was cozying up to Putin and inviting him to the G7 all while his Administration reportedly knew Russia was trying to kill US troops in Afghanistan and derail peace talks with the Taliban. Officials told the Times it was not clear at what level in the government the Russian intelligence units plan was authorised or what larger goal the scheme was meant to achieve. Sequel to the mistake observed with the use of the wrong contact details in the release that was earlier disseminated on June 26, 2020, it becomes necessary to re-disseminate the correct version of the release to avoid misleading the public. However, the entire information remains unchanged SHEUNG WAN, HONG KONG / ACCESSWIRE / June 27, 2020 / The invention of blockchain introduced a new approach to how various industries carried out their tasks. However, most governments across the globe remained adamantly against the technology, seeing as the decentralized nature locked them out of controlling the revolutionizing technology. More than a decade later, there have been several breakthroughs, thanks to technology. The relationship between governments and the technology, however, remains strained, with only a few governments incorporating blockchain use in their systems. Several fintech companies have stepped up to bridge this gap. Apollo Fintech is one such company that is developing solutions for a global economy. With a particular focus on government, commercial, and consumer products, Apollo is determined to shape fintech by building the future of financial services. Apollo's Robust Government Utility Solutions There's no denying that governments could use some of the lucrative features of blockchain technology for their services. Apollo provides tailored government solutions, including a national currency system, tax system, commodity exchange, government bank platform, and mineral claims system. These solutions help governments transform the way they operate and help eliminate problems such as tax evasion, fraud, violent crime, among others. Apollo is undoubtedly setting new standards in the fintech world by providing top-notch security and faster transaction times, thanks to its operating on the fastest network in the industry. Apollo's government solutions are cutting edge, which is a breakthrough for the current economic global financial realities. The company has already partnered with several governments, and most notably, in Africa. Story continues Focusing on African Governments Apollo has had its sights set on Africa for quite some time now. On 13th June 2019, Apollo announced a partnership with the African Development Funding Group (ADF). The group, which is in charge of presidential and ministerial funding in 54 countries across the continent, endorsed Apollo as the one and only obvious choice for blockchain technology in Africa.' Further, Apollo signed an MOU with Lesotho in November 2019 to develop and implement blockchain technology across various government departments. Earlier this year, Zimbabwe joined its African counterpart and signed an MOA that allows Apollo to create a gold-backed currency for the country in conjunction with the CBZ Bank of Zimbabwe. UAS Government Systems The United Allied States (UAS) aims to provide a worldwide sovereign nation of states governed by principles to facilitate economic growth and foster wealth creation. UAS is coined the freest place on earth and guarantees individual rights and liberties, besides the free-market economies. Earlier this week, UAS announced that Apollo will be responsible for building and maintaining UAS' IT government systems. The National Currency Platform will provide the base for all other UAS products.UAS will also be incorporating the tax system to eliminate the need for an internal revenue agency and making tax collection a fast and efficient process. UAS citizens will also be able to use Apollo Currency (APL) in their daily life. The UAS use case is the single most important endeavor in the crypto sphere for world-shaping solutions for a global economy, and Apollo Fintech is right at the heart of it all. Contact Name: APLFintech Organization: AJ Mora Phone: (818)-797-4464 Address: Unit 1411, 14/Floor, Cosco Tower, 183 Queen's Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Email: media@apollocurrency.com URL: http://aplfintech.com/ SOURCE: AJ Mora View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/595436/CORRECTION-Apollo-Shaping-Fintech-Using-Government-Utility-Solutions Raymond Mitchell-Turner was eating Italian food when he heard the news. Oh my God, he recalled thinking. We can actually get legally married now. His partner thought it was a joke. They fell in love to Donna Summer songs at a Houston disco during the AIDs epidemic, and Mitchell-Turner still vividly remembers the whispers and judgmental side-eyes that the openly gay, interracial couple experienced at Catholic and Baptist churches theyd attended. So much of that changed June 26, 2015, with the U.S. Supreme Courts decision declaring same-sex marriage legal in the United States. The couple married a few months later. We felt completely whole, Mitchell-Turner said. Totally complete. We had truly achieved everything in life. Five years later, the aftershocks of the ruling continue to reverberate across all segments of society. Todays Americans are more accepting of homosexuality than any generation before them, and the LGBTQ community spent last week celebrating another win in front of the nations highest court. But those victories have not always translated into acceptance, particularly in the Christian world. United Methodists, for example, are mulling a divorce over disagreements on gay clergy and congregants. And multiple churches have been forced out of more conservative denominations over views on homosexuality. The fight is still very much alive and well, said Roy Brooks. It hasnt gone away simply because the law has changed. Brooks is president of DignityHouston, which works with LGBTQ Catholics who may no longer be able to attend regular Masses, go to confession, receive other sacraments or partake in other rituals that are crucial to the Catholic faith. Its extraordinarily painful, said Brooks, who trained to be a Jesuit priest years before coming out. Hes hopeful that will change: Virtually all public polling shows growing support for LGBTQ causes among the general public, and attitudes have changed in many parts of the evangelical world. Recent polling by LifeWay Research, the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, found that roughly 1 in 4 Protestant pastors said they see nothing wrong with same-sex marriage. In 2010, 15 percent said the same. Those attitude changes have largely broken down along denominational lines, however. Since 2010, approval of same-sex marriage among mainline protestant pastors has grown from one-third to almost half. Meanwhile only 8 percent of evangelical pastors see nothing wrong with gay marriage the same rate as in 2010. An evangelical distinctive is the ultimate authority the Bible has over ones beliefs despite changing cultural perspectives, said Scott McConnell, LifeWays executive director. It is not surprising then that evangelical pastors across different denominations continue to view same-sex marriage as wrong through this lens. That is theology Matthias Roberts knows well. Raised in a conservative Christian home in the Midwest, Roberts said he didnt come to terms with his own sexuality until college and therapy. He eventually came out to his parents, who told him they loved him despite what they said was a sinful lifestyle. He felt guilty for acknowledging his biology. He felt loved but with an asterisk, as if to say we dont actually love you because we cant embrace you for who you are. Roberts is now a mental health counselor who works with those traumatized by bad theology, including long-held depictions of homosexuality as a sin that, like addictions, can be overcome with enough prayer, repentance and dedication. These things are part of us, and so they cant really be separated out, he said. We cant say to someone, I love everything about you except for your sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is just a part of who we are. Biblically faithful Some have acknowledged the biological nature of homosexuality and prescribe celibacy which, as one Presbyterian minister described, can have devastating consequences. Greg Johnson, pastor of a St. Louis, Mo., church, told his story as Presbyterians debated whether to adopt the Nashville statement on human sexuality, including that adopting a homosexual or transgender self-conception is inconsistent with Gods holy purposes and redemption. Im a 46-year-old virgin who has never so much as held hands. Ive never had a romantic embrace. I have never hugged romantically. I have a history of struggling with pornography, Johnson said. The cost is that there are no family photographs on my mantle because I have no family. The cost is that I know what its like to sit at home, alone, in my apartment on Christmas Day because I have no family. The cost is that one day I will have to be buried, not cremated, because there will be no one to receive my ashes, because my line ends with me. Presbyterians eventually approved the Nashville statement, calling it biblically faithful. A similar debate has been happening in the United Methodist Church for decades. The disagreement traces back to the 1970s, when a San Antonio lawyer offered an off-the-cuff amendment to the UMCs statements on sexual ethics. Don Hands addition that homosexuality was incompatible with biblical teachings has been at the core of the dispute ever since. Meanwhile, the UMC has continued to expand globally, thus shifting some decision-making power to leaders in Africa, Asia or other more conservative places. The legalization of same-sex marriage in the U.S. also fueled the controversy because, for the first time ever, ministers had to take public stances on whether to, for instance, officiate at gay weddings, said Ashley Dreff, a Methodist historian at High Point University in North Carolina. Dreff says there is a lesson to be learned from the UMCs slow-building schism. Hands amendment coincided with the sexual revolution and the civil rights movement, she noted, and the newly formed UMC was taking a big tent approach to theology. Its beautiful in concept, but it does not work in practice, especially when it comes to sexual ethics, she said. Because when you are creating a sexual ethic within a theologically plural society, someones going to be left out. Closeted views Christina Kings views on gay marriage changed soon after she left her conservative church in Houston for college, where she was exposed to the writings of progressive Christians such as Jen Hatmaker and Rachel Held Evans. She still attends a church in South Carolina thats very nonaffirming of gay marriage but said its been hard to leave because of the relationships shes built there. I do feel like I have to be careful with what I say in church company out of fear of being labeled dangerous or unbiblical, she said. I guess I could say Im somewhat closeted in my same-sex affirming views. The Rev. Troy Treash said those factors are not unique. Hes the pastor of Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church, a north Houston congregation that has historically been a refuge for marginalized and vulnerable groups. He talks more often these days with pastors, some of whom he said have struggled with how to be a welcoming church to all people without adopting stances that are opposed by members and reliable donors. And while he agreed that much progress has been made since 2015, Treash is hesitant to celebrate. Hours before the official, five-year anniversary of same-sex marriage Friday, Treash was on a panel that addressed the recent and often unsolved killings of black transgender women. Every time theres been a major advance in one area, there seems to be some violence in another, he said. We dont want to pass on the marginalization and animosity to another group. We want it to end. Until that happens, Treash will continue ministering to the once-neglected faithful at his church those such as the gay, interracial, disco-loving couple that walked in 30 years ago. By that time, Raymond Mitchell-Turner and his partner, Richard, had already left two churches because of the judgment they felt. I felt crushed, Raymond Mitchell-Turner said. I felt insulted. Totally devalued. At Resurrection MCC, he found a congregation of people with whom he shared life experiences. Nor were they afraid to talk about daily challenges faced by same-sex or interracial couples. The couple remained members of the church for the next three decades, leaning on it as they fostered dozens of children and, eventually, adopted three siblings. And they stopped thinking about judgment from strangers. We just got to a point where we just never really paid attention to it anymore because we knew there that we were accepted for who we are, he said of Resurrection. A few months after leaving that Italian restaurant in 2015, the two reached a milestone theyd always thought impossible: They married. It was a short matrimony Richard died from COVID-19 last month but one that changed their lives for the better, and forever. I had the opportunity to be with someone for almost 29 years, and to be legally married to him for four, Mitchell-Turner said. We had a wonderful life, and we always lived as if we were a married couple. Marriage equality just validated all of those years. robert.downen@chron.com Shobana Radhakrishnan By Express News Service MADURAI: Between June 14 and 15, 13 people associated with the wholesale market at Paravai and the Mattuthavani fruit market tested positive for Covid-19. Ten days on, the district administration and the health officials are yet to be forthcoming with actual data on those tested positive from these markets. The result is speculations whether Madurai has got its own unenviable Koyambedu-like cluster. On June 14, two men -a shop owner and an accountant at Paravai market - tested positive for coronavirus infection. Nine of their primary contacts tested turned positive on June 15. Meanwhile, a shop owner at Mattuthavani fruit market, who had returned from Chennai, tested positive along with one of his family members. Following this, both the markets were shut down for disinfection until further notice. Collector TG Vinay had earlier said that all those associated with both the markets would be tested. While sources said that around 300 people at the market areas were tested every day since June 15, district administration and the health officials have maintained an eerie silence over the number of tests conducted and the results thereof. Meanwhile, the traders from Mattuthavani vegetable market are worried about this development. Speaking to TNIE, president of the Integrated Fruit and Vegetable Shopping Complex Traders AssociationMohan Raj claimed that the market would turn into a cluster if officials do not immediately intervene. There are around 600 shops in Mattuthavani vegetable market, 200 in the fruit market and over 650 shops in Paravai wholesale market. Each shop has at least five persons, including the shop owner, working. More than 10,000 native traders are involved in daily trade in these markets. This apart from traders coming in from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Around 5,000 people, including drivers and load men, travel to and fro between Madurai and the abovementioned places every day. While the district administration warns of stringent action against violators flouting the Standard Operating Procedures, traders complain that there is no monitoring mechanism to control the crowd. "We have been urging the officials to install washbasin at the entry and exit and appoint a person to scan people using thermal scanners. No action has been taken so far," said a trader. After the market at Paravai was shut down, the vendors shifted their shops to Mattuthavani vegetable market. Now, the traders thronging the Paravaimarket are congregating at Mattuthavani, he added. Last week, the district administration sought a list of 1,500 traders of the Mattuthavani vegetable market. The traders were informed that they would be tested for coronavirus. However, with the seven-day intensified lockdown, the wholesale markets have been shut down and thus no test has happened, said the traders. Collector T G Vinay and Deputy Director of Health Services Dr P Priya Raj were unavailable for comments. According to a contract released by the U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) on June 25, 2020, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $333,401,760 modification (P00007) to previously-awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract N00019-19-C-0008. This modification exercises options for the production and delivery of three low-rate initial production MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, two main operating bases and one forward operating base in an integrated functional capability-four and multiple-intelligence configuration, with associated export compliance support for the government of Australia. According to a contract released by the U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) on June 25, 2020, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $333,401,760 modification (P00007) to previously-awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract N00019-19-C-0008. This modification exercises options for the production and delivery of three low-rate initial production MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, two main operating bases and one forward operating base in an integrated functional capability-four and multiple-intelligence configuration, with associated export compliance support for the government of Australia. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link An MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) taxis after landing at Andersen Air Force Base for a deployment as part of an early operational capability (EOC) test to further develop the concept of operations and fleet learning associated with operating a high-altitude, long-endurance system in the maritime domain. (Picture source U.S Air Force) On June 19, 2020, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has announced the Australian governments decision to provide funding for an additional three of their planned six MQ-4C Tritons and associated ground mission control stations. The MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is a high altitude long endurance (HALE) aircraft that will be used for maritime patrol and other surveillance roles. Supporting missions for up to 24 hours, the Triton is equipped with a sensor suite that provides a 360-degree view of its surroundings for over 2000 nautical miles. Seven Tritons will be based at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Edinburgh and will operate alongside the P-8A Poseidon to replace the AP-3C Orions. The endurance of the Triton means that it can stay airborne for longer than a traditional aircraft where the pilot is inside. The Triton will be flown by qualified Air Force pilots from a ground station, supported by a co-pilot. Information gathered by the Triton will be analyzed and communicated by operational staff such as aircrew, intelligence, operations and administration officers, engineers, and logisticians (depending on the training or mission requirements). Based on the proven Global Hawk UAS, Triton's autonomous operations are supported by land-based command and control mission planners and sensor operators. Triton will be equipped with a unique and robust mission sensor suite that provides 360-degree coverage on all sensors, providing unprecedented maritime domain awareness for the U.S. Navy. Triton also incorporates a reinforced airframe, for increased internal payload, and wing for hail, bird strike, and gust load protection, along with de-icing and lightning protection systems. These features allow the aircraft to descend and ascend through harsh maritime weather environments to gain a closer view of ships and other targets at sea when needed. Built for the U.S. Navy, Triton will support a wide range of missions including maritime ISR patrol, signals intelligence, search and rescue and communications relay. The aircraft can fly over 24 hours at a time, at altitudes higher than 10 miles, with an operational range of 8,200 nautical miles. The black cop charged with aiding and and abetting the murder of George Floyd had dreams of transforming the police, according to friends and family. J. Alexander Kueng, 26, was a rookie cop on his third shift as a fully-fledged member of the Minneapolis police force when he held down Floyd by his back while senior officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the black man's neck for almost nine minutes. Kueng has since been fired, charged in connection with the murder, and denounced by some of his siblings for his failure to intervene in Floyd's death. Yet before he joined the force, Kueng, who has a white mother and a Nigerian father, hoped to change the police from the inside and believed that more black officers would help change the abuses he saw in the system. His family has described his involvement in Floyd's death as a 'gut punch'. Former police officer J Alexander Kueng is charged with aiding and abetting the murder of George Floyd (pictured above) but his family claims he wanted to change the police force Kueng, 26, had become a full member of the force three days before Floyd's death George Floyd, pictured, died on May 25 in police custody after an officer knelt on his neck 'He said, "Don't you think that that needs to be done from the inside?"' his mother, Joni Kueng, told the New York Times. 'That's part of the reason why he wanted to become a police officer and a black police officer on top of it is to bridge that gap in the community, change the narrative between the officers and the black community. 'It's a gut punch,' she added. 'Here you are, you've raised this child, you know who he is inside and out. We're such a racially diverse family. To be wrapped up in a racially motivated incident like this is just unfathomable. 'I had to stay out of the race conversations because I was the minority in the household. 'It didn't really matter, but it does matter to them because they are African-American. And so they had to be able to have an outlet to tell their stories and their experience as well, especially having a white mom.' As protests erupted across the nation following the release of the video showing Floyd's death on May 25, among those calling for Kueng's arrest were two of his adopted siblings, Taylor and Radiance, both 21. 'I don't care if it was his third day at work or not,' sister Radiance told the New York Times. 'He knows right from wrong.' Radiance said that as a black man her brother should have intervened and that she is considering changing her last name so she is no longer associated with him. Friends of Kueng also believe that he should have stepped in and have said they were saddened when he chose to join the force. J. Alexander Kueng is charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder 'I'm feeling a lot of sadness and a lot of disappointment,' childhood friend Darrow Jones told the Times. 'A lot of us believe he should have stepped in and should have done something. 'It's really hard. Because I do have those feelings and I won't say I don't,' he added. 'But though I feel sad about what's occurred, he still has my unwavering support. Because we grew up together, and I love him.' Jones said that he had begun to be more distant from Kueng once he made the decision to join the force as he did not believe the system that could be changed from inside as he did. He said that Kueng did not have the same understanding of being black, as he had lighter skin. 'Once we got to Utah, we walked into a store, and literally everybody's eyes were on us,' Jones said. 'I said, "Alex, that's because you're walking in here with a black person. The reason they're staring at us is because you're here with me." 'It was very clear where we stood on that,' Jones added of the police force. 'Our fundamental disagreement around law enforcement is not that I believe cops are bad people. I just believe that the system needs to be completely wiped out and replaced. It's the difference between reform and rebuilding.' Keung, pictured above right as he attempted to arrest Floyd, believed that more black police officers would help to change the system and joined the police force hoping to do good Despite criticism from friends and family, Kueng signed up as a police cadet in February 2019 but within just a few months, his brother Taylor had a run-in with some sheriff's deputies. Despite Kueng seeing video of the incident and criticizing the deputies, he claimed that the city police force he was joining was different. He graduated in December 2019 and while in field training, his supervisor was officer Derek Chauvin, the man now charged with Floyd's murder. Chauvin pushed back Kueng's field training as he believed him to be meeting too often with another training officer Thomas Lane, 37, to deal with calls. Lane would go on to be Kueng's partner when he answered the Floyd call on May 25 and is also charged with aiding and abetting the murder. Despite the set-back, Kueng became an officer on May 22, one of 80 black officers on the 900-person Minneapolis police force. Just three days later, he would answer a call about an alleged attempt by a black man to use a counterfeit bill and find George Floyd in his car. After he and Lane were unable to get Floyd in the squad car, his training officer Chauvin, who had 19 years on the force, and a fourth officer, Tou Thao, then arrived on the scene in a separate police vehicle. As the four officers attempted to load Floyd into the back of the patrol car, Floyd told them he couldn't breathe. Chauvin then pulled a handcuffed Floyd back from the car, forcing him to fall facedown on the ground. Kueng applied knees to Floyd's back; Lane held his legs; and Chauvin forced his left knee down onto Floyd's neck. Over the next eight minutes and 46 seconds, Floyd cried out several times that he 'couldn't breathe', pleading with the officers to get off of him and even calling out for his late 'Mama' to help him. After telling officers he was 'about to die', Floyd eventually lost consciousness and would never regain it. Minneapolis PD rookie Lane had asked Chauvin if he should roll Floyd onto his side to help him breathe better. Chauvin replied 'No. Staying put where we got him'. Police bodycam footage has not been made available to the public yet, because it is being investigated by the FBI. Former police officers have said that the bodycam footage will 'prove' there was a struggle. On Friday, May 29, Chauvin was arrested by police and the Hennepin County Attorney had charged him with third-degree murder. His charges were later upgraded to second-degree murder following intense national scrutiny and hundreds of protests in all 50 US states. Derek Chauvin (left) is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in relation to George Floyd's (right) death, with his bail set at $1.25 million Kueng's co-defendants (left to right), Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane The three other officers involved in the arrest of Floyd - Kueng, Lane and Thao - were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Lane and Kueng are currently out on a $750,000 bail, while Chauvin and Thao remain in police custody. Chauvin, Kueng, Lane and Thao were all fired from the police department following Floyd's death. Immediately following Floyd's death, Black Lives Matter protests erupted globally. While the majority of protests remained peaceful, buildings, businesses and police departments have burned after some demonstrations turned violent in major US cities. Protesters have not only demanded justice for Floyd, but they've called for justice for Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and most recently Rayshard Brooks. Demonstrators have also marched for Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot dead by a white man in Georgia in February. Floyd was laid to rest June 9 in Houston, Texas. Members of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) recently published a joint statement with the youth section of SYRIZA, the pseudo-left party that has implemented austerity and police repression in Greece. In their statement, YDSA and SYRIZA Youth members write jointly on the global problems of police brutality and capitalism. The authors include Spyros Kasapis (member of both SYRIZA Youth and the YDSA chapter at the University of Michigan) and Vicky Tsefala (head of the SYRIZA Youth International Committee). Elias Khoury, also of the YDSA at the University of Michigan, is listed as the editor of the piece. The joint statement, which is published in YDSAs publication the Activist, focuses on the police murder of George Floyd and the mass protests that have broken out across the United States. The authors also cite a parallel development in Greece when large protests broke out in response to the killing of Alexis Grigoropoulos, who was shot dead in December of 2008 by Greek police on his 15th birthday. The shooting sparked one of the largest protests in Greece since the fall of the Papadopoulos dictatorship in 1974. The authors note the similarities between the response of the Trump government and the Greek government: The government responded to our direct action as they usually dowith more violence. It was clear that the state was far more concerned with preserving its own power than meeting the needs of the Greek people. The authors fail to mention, however, that SYRIZA, when it came to power in Greece in 2015, carried out violent attacks on protesters, including a violent assault on protesting pensioners. In October of 2015, a small group of retirees marched through Athens city center to request a meeting with the SYRIZA Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Police blocked the street to the parliament building with police cars and forcibly dispersed the demonstration. When angry pensioners tried to break through the blockade and overturn a police car, units of riot police tossed tear gas into the crowd at close range. Elderly men and women, some with crutches, had to retreat, gasping for breath. The protests were in opposition to drastic cuts introduced by the SYRIZA government that had been agreed as part of the most recent austerity package. Tens of thousands of retired Greek workers were affected by the cuts. The crackdown on the elderly protesters came just months after another violent crackdown on protesters at the Technical University of Athens who were also opposing the massive austerity. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras pledged publicly that the SYRIZA government would do what was required to maintain law and order. These actions were an expression of the role of SYRIZA in enforcing the demands of the Greek and European ruling class. After campaigning against austerity and neoliberalism, only weeks after coming to power, SYRIZA betrayed its electoral promises and pushed through austerity policies despite overwhelming opposition. The hostility of workers and youth to this betrayal was ultimately expressed in the July 2019 election, when SYRIZA was defeated by the right-wing New Democracy Party. Like the Democratic Socialists of America, SYRIZA is not opposed to capitalism and has no intention of leading or participating in any struggle of the working class against capitalist rule. For all the talk of rejecting shallow solutions and addressing the root causes of the issues, including police brutality, the statement provides no political program. While the authors of the statement repeatedly allude to a corrupt political system and systems of oppression, the word capitalism does not make a single appearance in the entire statement. This is no oversight. The rise, reign and demise of SYRIZA has provided a critical strategic experience that must be studied by workers and youth. The World Socialist Web Site has carefully followed SYRIZA and provided prescient warnings and analysis of the organization. Going all the way back to 2012, the WSWS warned workers of SYRIZAs political function: In the coming class struggles, SYRIZA will confront the workers as an enemy. Its aim, whether in or out of power, is to contain popular opposition to austerity policies and maintain the political domination of finance capital over the working class. Should SYRIZA be allowed to take power by the Greek ruling class, in an attempt to head off the radicalization of the population, this will produce only further disappointments and defeats for the working class. The YDSA statement is a transparent attempt to cover over SYRIZAs political betrayals, with its authors hoping that workers and youth in the US are not familiar with the repression and austerity that was carried out by the party. The statement ends with the following: We hope that SYRIZA Youth and the YDSA can use our shared goals to cultivate a stronger bond between the two of us going forward. The fact that a YDSA chapter is seeking to collaborate and develop close ties with such an organization, without reservation or a breath of criticism, merely reflects the fact that the DSA serves a similar function within the United States. In the 2020 elections, the role of the DSA and the YDSA has been to campaign for the Democrat Bernie Sanders, who, after dropping out of the race, has thrown his full support behind the right-wing campaign of Joe Biden. The DSA has no more to do with socialism than SYRIZA. The outcome of the SYRIZA government is not an aberration within the international trend of pseudo-left and left-populist movements. Whether it is Sanders in the United States, Jeremy Corbyn in Britain, Podemos in Spain, the Left Party in Germany or the Workers Party in Brazil, these are parties and individuals that utilize left slogans in the attempt to keep workers and young people trapped within the framework of bourgeois politics. The way forward is a turn to the perspective of Marxism and Trotskyism: the revolutionary mobilization of the industrial and economic power of the international working class on the basis of a fight for genuine socialism. A new revolutionary leadership is needed within the working class. That leadership is the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). The International Youth and Students for Social Equality, the student movement of the Socialist Equality Party and the ICFI, fights for the revival of a socialist movement among young people, as part of an international socialist movement of the entire working class. We urge students and young workers to join the International Youth and Students for Social Equality and the Socialist Equality Party, study the history of the ICFI and its fight to defend genuine Marxism and join the fight for real socialism. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Now that youre taking to the streets again and interacting with people outside your household, thinking of what to wear is only natural. Even if youve been working from home, and heading to a fashion store has been the last thing on your mind for the past couple of months, it may be time for something new even if just to spark a little much-needed joy. It might seem trivial to pay too much attention to clothes as we emerge from a global pandemic, but some of the most interesting moments in fashion history have come after extreme disruptions. Think of the shimmering, liberated flappers of the 1920s following the Great War. Or Christian Diors New Look in 1947, immediately after World War II and amid widespread rationing. Besides, dont we want to know if we can keep wearing all those tracksuits we bought in isolation, and whether well ever don high heels again? H Brand coat, Bassike knit and track pants, Reliquia jewellery and Zegna bag. Credit:Jedd Cooney The good news is that the answer is yes, on both fronts. According to Sunday Life fashion editor Penny McCarthy, tracksuits arent mere tracksuits any more. Theyre not just for flopping around the house in, having reached something approaching cult status. Theyve also proved to be wonderfully versatile. The next few months will be about finding ways to pivot your iso wardrobe by wearing the relaxed pieces we all turned to at home, but in more interesting ways. Columns of desert locusts, menacing crop-eating pests, which survived a control operation in Rajasthan on June 26, flew over parts of the national capital region on Saturday, including rural west Delhi (Dwarka), Gurugram and Faridabad, as residents kept their windows shut, banged utensils or played loud music to chase the insects away. Swarms appeared over the skies of Delhi and its satellite cities, Gurugram and Faridabad, on Saturday at mid-morning. The national capital region has likely escaped a major attack because the swarms dont settle during the day and were racing towards Uttar Pradesh, an official of the agricultural ministry said, requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media. Locusts fly constantly during daytime and settle down at nightfall. Officials at Delhis airport, which falls close to areas over which the locusts flew, were being updated by locust control authorities of the agriculture ministry so that pilots can be briefed, the official cited above said. India is battling an invasions of locusts, which can flatten whole farms overnight, after they appeared earlier than anticipated this year in April in the border areas of Rajasthan. Also read | Shut your windows: Delhi advises people as locusts enter Delhi from Gurugram The Horn of Africa has been witnessing large breading by locusts since 2019 due to frequent cyclones possibly linked to climate change and swarms have invaded several regions from there, according to the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The FAO has warned that locust invasions pose a severe risk to Indias farm economy this year. In a June 23 update, the FAO said India was among five nations that cannot lower their guard against the locusts for the next four weeks. Desert locusts can fly hundreds of kilometres a daily and a one square-km swarm can eat as much crop food as 35,000 people in terms of weight in a single day, according to the FAO Desert Locust Information Service manual. As of now, no locust swarms are active in any city. Authorities are tracking their route. The locusts have reached Uttar Pradesh flying over parts of the national capital, the official cited above said. The swarms may descend somewhere near Agra by nightfall, according to inputs received from tacking teams. On Saturday, expert teams scoured areas which lay under the locust flight path. The country has deployed drones, locally developed sprayers and modified fire tenders to spray malathion, the main pesticide that is effective against the desert locust. India this month shipped 20,000 litres of malathion to Iran to curb breeding there. Controlling the pests in Iran helps India because Iran lies on a west-east corridor the locusts take to enter India through Rajasthan. People living in Gurugram and Faridabad posted pictures and videos showing clouds of pests in their areas. It was around noon. We heard a humming noise and saw the entire sky covered. The insects must have been several feet up in the air, said Kuldeep Gurjar, a farmer and the head of Manesar Farmers Producer Organisation near Gurugrams Manesar. Ground control teams are constantly tracking them and will undertake major control operations once they settle down, an official statement said. Well-equipped teams in UP are on alert and ready for overnight operations, the official cited above said. Officials are also on alert in Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana. The locust invasion of the national capital region Saturday was from a large offshoot of pests that survived an elimination operation by agriculture officials in Rajasthans Jhunjhunu on the morning of June 26, according to a locust status report. About a third of the pests from that operation is estimated to have survived. These swarms reached Rewari in Haryana on June 26 evening, destroying some crops. Local teams from the locust control organisation, under the farm ministry, undertook control operations there. A group that survived the control operations in Haryana then flew out in three separate formations, each containing millions of locusts. One of columns headed into Gurugram. It flew in a route that took them over Faridabad and onwards to Uttar Pradesh, the official said. Another formation flew past rural Dwarka in Delhi towards Daulatabad, Faridabad and Gurugram. That is why there was a very large presence in Gurugram, the official cited above said. This swarm too entered UP by afternoon Saturday. A third group headed towards Palwal in Haryana and is also reported to be moving towards UP. If not checked, locust attacks are known to cause considerable drops in food output. The official cited above said all the formations are being tracked by teams of state agriculture departments of Rajasthan, Haryana and UP. More control teams from Rajasthan were being moved to Haryana and UP to launch operations. Locust authorities have ramped up containment since May. The area under control currently stands at about 114,026 hectares, up from about 49,000 hectares in May. One hectare is roughly 2.4 acres. The most threatened states where locust control operations are under way are Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and UP. India has experience of fighting the pest from two previous outbreaks in 1950 and 1993. We have better technology now. If need be help can be taken of the air force for aerial spraying, said JN Thakur, a former chief of locust monitoring at the agriculture ministry. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Afghan special forces stand guard at the site of a suicide bomber attack on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. Read more A Russian military spy unit offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to attack coalition forces in Afghanistan, including U.S. and British troops, in a striking escalation of the Kremlin's hostility toward the United States, American intelligence has found. The Russian operation, first reported by the New York Times, has generated an intense debate within the Trump administration about how best to respond to a troubling new tactic by a nation that most U.S. officials regard as a potential foe but that President Donald Trump has frequently embraced as a friend, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence matter. The officials said administration leaders learned of reported bounties in recent months from U.S. intelligence agencies, prompting a series of internal discussions including a large interagency meeting that was held in late March. According to one person familiar with the matter, the responses discussed at that meeting included sending a diplomatic communication to relay disapproval and authorizing new sanctions. Russian involvement in operations targeting Americans, if confirmed, is likely to lead to outrage on Capitol Hill and questions about why the administration has not responded to it. Spokesmen for the National Security Council, the Pentagon, and the CIA declined to comment. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the story, "illustrates the low intellectual abilities of propagandists from the American intelligence, who instead of inventing something more reliable have to come up with such nonsense... However, what else can be expected from intelligence, which miserably failed the twenty-year war in Afghanistan" The Taliban denied any involvement. "We categorically reject the notion of ever planning or carrying out targeted attacks against U.S. or foreign forces at the behest of foreign intelligence or for the sake of collecting bounty," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement, "and we also reject receiving material support from foreign intelligence because such undertakings are harmful for the sovereign decision-making of any country and movement." It was not immediately clear whether the militants approached by Russia as part of the initiative had succeeded in killing Americans or allied forces. News of the murky initiative comes as American diplomats attempt to kindle political talks that could put end to America's longest war, now in its 19th year. Earlier this year, the administration struck an initial peace deal with the Taliban. The agreement, which outlined the full withdrawal of the U.S. military within 14 months, was supposed to lead to a prompt start to talks between militant representatives and the Afghan government. But the Afghan parties have failed to reach agreement on interim steps, and with the coronavirus crisis taking hold in Afghanistan, those talks have yet to materialize. Hanging over the process is Trump's oft-stated desire to remove U.S. forces from the country, where local forces have been unable to secure an edge over the Taliban despite two decades of foreign funding and advising. The attempt to stoke violence against Americans, if confirmed, would also represent a significant departure from Moscow's earlier position toward Islamist militants in Afghanistan. Previously, U.S. officials had cited what they characterized as sporadic, low-level Russian support for the Taliban, including the supply of small arms via Afghanistan's northern neighbors. After the Soviet Union's own punishing insurgent war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Moscow remained largely in the background in the years after U.S. and NATO forces entered the country in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But as America's anxiousness to depart has fueled greater uncertainty, Russia has appeared to attempt to wield greater influence in recent years. While Moscow's motives for alleged bounties were not immediately clear, officials said they might include retaliation for the U.S. military's 2018 killing of Russian mercenary troops working for Yevgeniy Prigozhin, an oligarch with links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Syria, or simply, as one official put it, an attempt to "muddy the negotiations on Afghanistan by throwing a stick in that." During the Soviet war in Afghanistan, which ended in 1989, the U.S. government provided weaponry and funds to Afghan mujahideen rebels fighting against Soviet forces. The unit that officials identified as responsible for allegedly offering the bounties has also been linked to the poisoning and attempted murder of former Russian military spy Sergei Skripal in Britain in 2018. While that attack - along with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its role in the war in Syria - has generated strong criticism in Europe and from many of Trump's most senior advisers, the president himself has frequently appeared to have a chummy relationship with Putin, downplaying Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and other Russian transgressions. Russia is one of a number of issues on which Trump's instincts have appeared to differ from those of his senior advisers. The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia over a number of issues, including its invasion of Ukraine, cyberattacks, and election meddling, while the Pentagon has identified Russia as second only to China in terms of its "great power" rivals. Military officials this month spoke out in unusually harsh terms over what they said was Russia's decision to provide fourth-generation jet fighters to a rogue general in Libya, adding to a spiraling proxy conflict there. News of the cloaked operation comes as the Pentagon confirms that it has completed an initial drawdown of American forces to about 8,600 servicemembers from Afghanistan, a first step toward a full withdrawal. Officials have said the full withdrawal remains "conditions-based," suggesting they will seek to keep a sizable force there if the Taliban does not make a political deal with the Afghanistan government. While Taliban forces have halted attacks against the United States as part of that deal, the militants have continued to assault Afghan troops, making for what one senior Afghan official described this week as the most deadly conditions in 19 years. - - - The Washington Posts Karen DeYoung contributed to this report. This may be the strangest summer in the history of San Francisco, a summer to remember. Or maybe one to forget. The city and the region is just coming back from the big shutdown produced by the coronavirus pandemic. Only a few weeks ago, everything was shut tight, and how it looks as if San Francisco is coming back to life. The San Francisco we all knew and remembered is about half there. The sun still shines and the fog still rolls in every June afternoon, and you can still get a good meal. The city looks much the same. Its mostly as pretty as ever, but quieter, less lively. Its nice, but its not San Francisco. I made an unscientific tour of the city at midweek, visiting some of my favorite places: North Beach, the heart of the old city, Union Square, one of the centers of city life. I drove through the Mission and walked to Glen Park, one of the best of the citys small neighborhoods. One of my agents went out to the Sunset and reported that things were all quiet on the western front. I didnt go to Golden Gate Park to see the toppled monuments to the past. I wanted to be upbeat. I wanted to see the present. Washington Square was awash in sunlight at noontime. The guardians of the park had drawn little circles 6 feet apart, looking like landing markers for small spaceships. People were basking in the sun, sometimes alone, sometimes in little groups. The Liguria Bakery was closed, having sold that days production of focaccia bread, but Mamas, a neighborhood favorite, was open. The North Beach Restaurant, famous for being open every day of the year, was not only closed but boarded up. I went around the corner to Green Street to Gino and Carlo, a classic North Beach bar. It was dark as a cave inside, The long bar is under repair or being remodeled or something; the bartender was just inside the door. You order inside, but you have to drink outside at a sidewalk table in the sun. It was a historic occasion: my first drink in a bar in three months. It was historic in another way. There were four or five of us at the sidewalk table, and listening to the talk we realized we were all native San Franciscans, a rarity in this polyglot city. Most of us hadnt seen a tourist in weeks. Thats another side effect of the virus; tourism has stopped cold, so the city has been turned back to the locals. Carl Nolte / The Chronicle This is really obvious in Union Square, where the streets are mostly empty. In mid-February Id gone to a retirement party for Tom Sweeney, the famous doorman at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. He was wearing his red Beefeaters uniform, maybe for the last time. Hed just retired after 43 years. Now the main entrance to the Sir Francis Drake is covered with plywood painted with flowers. Maybe Sweeney knew what was coming, Theres not a single cab in front of the St. Francis Hotel. The revolving door is locked. Plywood covers the door at the Grand Hyatt. If there are no travelers, who needs hotels? The famous flower stands are closed. There are no tour buses and no cable cars. There is a big plastic heart on the Stockton Street corner of Union Square, but theres a fence around it. Tiffanys opens at noon most days, and there is a small crowd around the Apple store. But Maiden Lane is empty, the shops boarded up. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. I walked over to Belden Place, that nifty street of outdoor cafes. About half the places were open. One of them was the outdoor cafe portion of Sams Grill, founded in 1867. The restaurant portion is not open yet, and neither is the tavern next door. The waiters in black tuxedos are on furlough, and the place is only open three days a week, but Peter Quartaroli, the managing partner, was on hand, masked like a bandit, but as affable and optimistic as ever. He says business is only about 10% of what it was, and he is cautious about the future. I think well be OK, he said, but But nobody knows. You hear that a lot. Nobody knows when people can dine inside again, or whether the new health rules will allow restaurants and bars to survive financially. And this is important to a city like San Francisco where eating and drinking were a big part of life. I went last to Glen Park on the south side of town. Things are a bit slow there with the usual complexities; only a few people at a time are allowed in shops, and the sidewalks are too narrow for outdoor dining. But business is better than ever at the Bird & Beckett bookstore on Chenery Street. Eric Whittington, the owner, managed to keep open during the locked-down days. I could hardly keep up with the business, he said When people had to stay inside they seemed to want something good to read. When the schools shut down, he said, some parents got the middle school reading lists and bought 28 books, then passed them around up and down the block, sharing books the way they would do in small village. Glen Park, in fact, prides itself on being a village. Maybe it takes a village to save a city in tough times. Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @CarlnolteSF They touched down in Sardinia on Tuesday in the midst of lightened lockdown rules around the world amid the coronavirus pandemic. Yet Bella Hadid and her fellow model pal Hailey Bieber were headed home on Saturday following a three day photoshoot in the lavish hotspot. The brunette supermodel, 23, donned a tight white vest and a protective facemask as she jetted along on a boat with the blonde beauty, also 23. Home time! et Bella Hadid and her fellow model pal Hailey Bieber were headed home on from Sardinia Saturday following a three day photoshoot in the lavish hotspot Bella was seen hopping into a black vehicle looking typically chic, as she opted for a sporty look with a pair of white tracksuit bottoms. She opted for comfort in a pair of trainers, while toting her belongings in a slouchy leopard print bag for her journey to the airport. Bella wore her brunette locks swept back into a bun, while accessorising with a pair of stylish rectangular shades. Meanwhile, Hailey flashed her bronzed abs in a tiny white bandeau crop top with an oversized leather jacket. Style queen: Meanwhile, Hailey flashed her bronzed abs in a tiny white bandeau crop top with an oversized leather jacket Wow! The brunette supermodel, 23, donned a tight white vest and a protective facemask as she strolled along with the blonde beauty, also 23 Details: Hailey also covered up with a facemask, while sweeping her blonde locks back off her face into a chic up do She styled her ensemble with a pair of blue straight leg jeans, while keeping everything casual with a pair of classic black and white Vans. Hailey also covered up with a facemask, while sweeping her blonde locks back off her face into a chic up do. Earlier in the week it was revealed that Hailey and Bella had added another fashionable feather to their modelling hats as it was revealed that they had landed their very first campaign with Versace. Boating babes: Bella and Hailey were seen on board a boat as they left the island That's my ride! Bella was seen hopping into a black vehicle looking typically chic, as she opted for a sporty look with a pair of white tracksuit bottoms Glam: Bella wore her brunette locks swept back into a bun, while accessorising with a pair of stylish rectangular shades The supermodels are combining work and play while abroad in Europe and recently shot photos for the luxury Italian brand in Corsica, France. Hailey and Bella are officially the new faces of Versace's upcoming campaign set to launch in the beginning of 2021, Page Six reported. Bella and her famous siblings Gigi and Anwar all followed in the footsteps of their mother Yolanda Hadid, and became models. And the family is set to expand after Gigi announced in April that she is pregnant with boyfriend Zayn Malik, 27. So chic! She opted for comfort in a pair of trainers, while toting her belongings in a slouchy leopard print bag for her journey to the airport Going up in the world! Earlier in the week it was revealed that Hailey and Bella had added another fashionable feather to their modelling hats as it was revealed that they had landed their very first campaign with Versace Staying hydrated! Both women carried big bottles of water with them in a bid to stay hydrated Her outing comes after Bella spoke out about her early modelling career in LOVE's #CHAOSANDCONTROL issue in February. She told the publication: 'In my opinion I started modelling way too young. I was still growing and my confidence wasnt fully matured. I didnt love myself, or didnt necessarily think I was worthy of all of the recognition I was getting. 'When I was younger, I would see photos of myself that I hated and would be mortified that people wanted to work with me, because I was so self-conscious.' Sunshine strolling: The models were seen ambling along the marina to the boat Catching up: They stopped for a chat at one point while waiting for their transport Homeward bound: Bella and Hailey both looked impossibly chic for the outing Instead the model said that she had only been interested in fashion if it involved horses, such as when her supermodel mother Yolanda bought her new Hermes riding saddle for Christmas one year. However the star did develop a passion from photography from the age of nine to seventeen. Bella told LOVE how she enjoyed dressing up her friends, doing their 'dark and deadly' make up and building sets to photograph them in, creating 'characters'. She began to model at the age of 16 but said she has only in the last few years become comfortable with herself in front of the camera. Hold on tight! They sat at the front of the boat during the trip Jet-setters: Bella was seen arriving in Sardinia via private jet on Tuesday as lockdown restrictions started to lift across the globe BRIGANTINE, N.J. - Amy Kennedy is an unlikely heir to a family dynasty that first set foot in Congress in 1947 and has won the White House, sent three men to the Senate and propelled several members into the House. Kennedy, 41, grew up in this Jersey Shore outpost in a family that was politically active only at the municipal level. She spent 10 years as a public school teacher. Now, the mother of five is running in a key congressional battleground that has the backdrop of President Donald Trump and a Democratic vendetta to take out a once trusted ally who betrayed them. And, in perhaps the most unusual fashion, she is running as an outsider, trying to establish a new beachhead for one of the most famous families in Democratic politics. "It's not the name, it's more people just associate that legacy with kind of the unfinished work of social justice. And that's what I think people are really hungry for right now," Kennedy said Wednesday in an hour-long interview at her house on the bay. The irony is not lost on Kennedy's main opponent, who has spent 20 years as a political commentator in New Jersey, a tenure that helped to quickly win the backing of six of the eight Democratic county chairmen in this district. "The Kennedys as outsiders," Brigid Callahan Harrison said Wednesday, in an hour-long telephone interview, amazed at how much the race is pivoting on personality. "That is how they're marketing this." So, as voters check off their mail ballots in this pandemic-era July 7 election, the battle is coming down to two powerful, yet very different political machines: the Kennedys versus South Jersey power brokers. Back in the Senate, Sanders weighs how to wield his outside-Washington power Neither Kennedy nor Harrison is really supposed to be running for this seat. For Kennedy, her destiny flipped after a chance meeting in 2010 at an Atlantic City conference on mental health, with then-Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., headlining. He was winding down the last months of a 16-year career in Congress, one that had seen plenty of public battles with substance abuse. His family's history with mental illness had made that the central cause of his public service. A few months before his father, Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., a legendary senator of almost 47 years, lost his fight with brain cancer. By July 2011 he and Amy married at Hyannisport, the family compound on Cape Cod where so many Kennedy campaigns had been mapped out. But instead of settling in New England, he moved about 400 miles down the coast to Brigantine, leaving behind the family business. Harrison, after losing a local municipal race in the late 1990s, was hired as a political science professor at Montclair State University. She did commentary on local TV and wrote a regular column in some New Jersey papers, always engaged in policy without ever fully entering the arena herself. In 2018, Democratic women, many running for the first time, racked up wins and handed the gavel back to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., while South Jersey Democrats supported a socially conservative white man: Jeff Van Drew, who had climbed his way up the ladder of state politics in Trenton. "I held my nose and voted for him," Harrison, 55, said. Then came Van Drew's vote on Halloween to oppose Pelosi's move toward impeaching the president over the Ukraine scandal. "I was sick to my stomach," Harrison recalled. So she began floating her name as a potential primary opponent. She talked to party operatives and, having never really raised campaign funds, asked Patrick Kennedy if he would join her finance team if she went through with it. Van Drew did not just oppose impeachment - he switched parties and, in the Oval Office, shook Trump's hand and pledged his loyalty. Amy Kennedy felt sick to her stomach. "How is that possible? And kind of knowing the significance there, and what that meant for this upcoming election, how it would then become a race about Trump really - that felt like the moment," she said. By the time she entered the race, Harrison had already locked down much of the establishment support. So Harrison, who began as an insurgent challenging a favorite Democratic son, has become the establishment pick, including an unusual alignment with Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., so that their names are bracketed together on the primary ballots. Kennedy, with a last name that is synonymous with Democratic power, is now running as the outsider in a district that she has lived and worked in her entire life. What has ensued is an increasingly bitter, personal campaign that is befitting of this state's bare-knuckle traditions. Moreover, with Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, endorsing Kennedy, New Jersey's intensely myopic insider class has lost focus on defeating Van Drew and instead see this primary as a proxy fight in a long-running civil war. Murphy has clashed with Democratic power broker George Norcross and his protege, state Senate President John Sweeney, a Democrat, from almost his first day in office in January 2018. Norcross, a private businessman, does not technically hold an official party position but his influence resembles a character from the HBO show "Boardwalk Empire," about Atlantic City during Prohibition. Kennedy is trying to overcome that influence with a mix of hometown tied to an incredible legacy. Her Briagantine home is filled with family memorabilia, including a framed box of all the airline tickets that Patrick Kennedy collected as he traveled across the country in 2000 as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. She is viewed fondly by her extended family, someone who helped anchor Patrick Kennedy's life. They have four children together, and he is a doting stepfather to her eldest daughter. "She's fantastic," Rep. Joe Kennedy, D-Mass., said. Joe Kennedy laughed at the idea of his cousin by marriage running as an outsider, as he is in the midst of a challenge to Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass. The covid pandemic has limited how much in-person campaigning the Kennedys can do, but the family is helping where it can. Joe Kennedy did a Facebook Live chat with Amy Kennedy. A piece of mail includes images of John F. Kennedy as president and his son saluting his casket at his funeral after the 1963 assassination, among other iconic pictures. "Ask not what your country can do for you," it says, "ask what Amy Kennedy can do for your country." All of this has pushed Harrison to complain that her opponent is running "exclusively on the fact that she married someone with a famous last name." The two largely agree on policy, but Harrison stresses, "I know policy, so there's a big difference. I'm a candidate of substance." Kennedy dismisses those attacks as academic elitism, incapable of connecting with typical voters. "To really connect with people, that's more about the personal stories that they have," she said. A victory here, in the primary and over Van Drew, would demonstrate the Kennedy name still resonates. "There's that unfinished business," Kennedy said, "that sense of unfinished business." New Delhi: Another day, another terrorists attack. A government building in Jammu and Kashmirs Pampore area near Srinagar has been burning since Monday due to heavy exchange of fire between security forces and militants holed up inside the building. The site of an earlier attack in February, this year, the building houses the J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute. The institute is widely acknowledged as a Valley success story, drawing youths from different parts of the state to its programmes on skill development and capacity building. Officials at EDI, who rank it as one of the most successful startups in the country, underline that its a centre par excellence with state-of-the-art regional centres across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Also read: Terrorists still holed up in govt building, heavy exchange of fire continues Community organisers are present in all 22 districts of the state, enabling entrepreneurship and promoting development at the grassroots.Established in 1997 to develop and hone entrepreneurial skills, the EDI began functioning in 2004. Since then, more than 4,000 youths have trained at this institute these include 1,800 youths from the Valley. Unfortunately, the same success story has been target of terrorists more than one time. In fact, a month before the last encounter, 373 youths successfully completed their training at the institute they were trained for three weeks from December 21, 2015 to January 13, 2016. #WATCH Encounter between security forces and terrorists underway at EDI building in Pampore (J&K) (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/mkyC7hNblg ANI (@ANI_news) October 11, 2016 Currently, two short-term business entrepreneurship courses help the unemployed youth understand opening of new businesses, and in getting government subsidies, processing loans and finances for the businesses, an EDI senior instructor said an English daily. Many who received training and loans are now running successful ventures across the state. The EDI offers short-term programmes on handicraft, boutiques, shawl making, embroidery, training for pharmaceutical stockists, timber shops, and other courses. On Monday, after the militants again occupied the EDI complex, former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: No wonder for the 2nd time this year they have attacked the institute. They want young Kashmiris to be subservient & bitter not self-reliant. All the EDI ever did was train young Kashmiri boys & girls to stand on their own feet & not seek government jobs. Militants dont like that! For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been facing embarrassing moments, with its leaders splitting into groups and openly batting for the interests of rival political parties or their leaders. While a group of leaders has been branded as pro-Jagan Mohan Reddy government, another one is soft pedalling on Telugu Desam supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu. The latest to join the club of supporters of rich and influential leaders belonging to other parties is Y. Satya Kumar, party national secretary of the state. Popularly known as Satya in party circles, Mr Kumar was associated for decades with M. Venkaiah Naidu till the latter became the Vice President of India. In an interview with a vernacular daily, Mr Kumar came out in strong support of Narsapuram MP K. Raghuram Krishnam Raju against whom the YSR Congress served a show cause notice for his anti-party activities. He ruled out the possibility of the Lok Sabha speaker disqualifying him as Mr Raju did not criticise the party president. He then went on to justify the comments made by Mr Raju and even announced that it was because of the BJP, not Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, that the rebel MP became chairman of a Parliamentary committee. Mr Kumars observations came as a surprise for BJP leaders as Mr Rajus was an internal matter of the YSR Congress. It is unwarranted and he (Mr Kumar) should not have interfered in the internal matters of another party. Are we trying to convey to people that the BJP will act with prejudice in Mr Rajus matter? said a party leader. Earlier, the BJP MLCs P V N Madhav and Somu Veeraju openly extended support to the Chief Minister for introducing the three capitals Bill and the consequent mayhem in the Legislative Council. Mr Madhav welcomed the decision to shift the capital to Visakhapatnam in sharp contrast to the anti stand taken by the partys state leadership. Rajya Sabha MP Y S Chowdary was criticised for continuing to show loyalty to Telugu Desam supremo N Chandrababu Naidu even after joining the BJP. We had limitations to expand the party's base while in truck with the TD. Even after knowing that Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity is higher in AP than in several northern states, our leaders are more interested in protecting others interests instead of focusing on strengthening our party, lamented a veteran BJP leader. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 16:50:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Parents wearing face masks wait for their children who take the university entrance exam in Ankara, Turkey, on June 27, 2020. Some 2.4 million Turkish high school graduates took the university entrance exam on Saturday amid a national lockdown against COVID-19. Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Saturday reported 1,372 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of the infections to 195,883. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ISTANBUL, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Some 2.4 million Turkish high school graduates took the university entrance exam on Saturday amid a national lockdown against COVID-19. A partial curfew was imposed for this weekend to limit the social interaction on streets over the concerns of the spread of coronavirus. Local authorities in each province also announced a series of measures against the pandemic, reminding parents and students to strictly follow the social distancing and wear masks. Students were also provided with hand sanitizers and extra masks at the entrances of the exam buildings. The Istanbul municipality said public transport would be operational in full capacity and free of charge for students and teachers. The second phase of the exam will be held on Sunday. Following the recommendation of the Health Ministry's Scientific Committee, the curfew started at 9:30 a.m. local time across the country and will last until 3 p.m. on Saturday and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. Turkey reported 1,396 new COVID-19 cases and 19 more deaths on Friday, taking the tally of infections to 194,511 and the death toll to 5,065. Two years after closing their debut fund of $150 million, Base10 co-founders Adeyemi Ajao and TJ Nahigian are back with a $250 million investment fund and a sense of vindication for their thesis of investing in startups making automation for the people. For Ajao, an immigrant who grew up in Nigeria and Spain before moving to the U.S., the new fund is a confirmation that even without having an explicit focus on minority investments, it's possible to create a portfolio led by a diverse mix of founders. Indeed, roughly 60% of the firm's investments have been into companies led or co-led by women or minority founders. "We might be minority-led but we are not minority focused," said Ajao, in an interview. "We're targeting industries that are big problems for the 99% so we hope the portfolio will reflect the diversity of the 99%." Part of that diversity simply comes from the geographic diversification of the portfolio, said Ajao. "We like to invest in Latin America [and] we like to invest outside of Silicon Valley... We have always had the knack of look where others are not looking." And as part of that commitment, the firm is making a diversity pledge, including: doubling-down on a commitment to diversity through its investment process, hiring practices and bias training; and a commitment of 1% of the firm's profits from its management company and another 1% commitment of its carried interest to support organizations fighting for inclusion and racial equality. Ajao and Nahigian have already enlisted firms like Precursor Ventures, Illumen Capital and Plexo Capital in the new commitment. Drawing on Ajao's connections in the Spanish and Latin American community of entrepreneurs has meant that Base10 already has a geographically and racially diverse portfolio. Latin American companies account for about five of the firm's 28 publicly listed portfolio companies, with other portfolio companies coming from the Netherlands and Germany. Ajao and Nehigian have also spread the wealth pretty broadly across the U.S., with companies in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Stamford, Connecticut and Seattle, in addition to the traditional startup hub of San Francisco. Story continues At Base10, the typical check size will remain in the $500,000 to $5 million range and the focus remains on experienced founders in industries as diverse as agriculture, construction, waste management, shipping and logistics. Investments include Cottage, which is building adjacent dwelling units for the California market; Faber, which provides staffing for commercial construction; the Mexico City-based digital freight forwarder, NowPorts; birth-control delivery startup The Pill Club; on-demand staffing company Wonolo and TokenSoft, a platform for compliant token sales. The new capital is a huge vote of confidence in both Nahigian, a Los Angeles native who spent years as an investor at Summit Partners, Accel and Coatue Management before founding the mobile job platform, Jobr; and Ajao, who only began working in venture as a corporate investor with Workday Ventures. Previously, the serial entrepreneur launched several companies, including Identified, which was sold to Workday, and Tuenti, which Telefonica acquired for $100 million back in 2010. Ajao also has the distinction of co-founding Cabify, which raised at a $1.4 billion valuation back in 2018. And he was Nahigians first investor in Jobr. The pair stayed in touch, discussed startups and potential deals, and ultimately decided to go into business together back when the firm was first getting off the ground. These days, Ajao believes the public's fears of automation coming for people's jobs have been replaced with a realization that automation is "essential to survival for millions of people and small and medium businesses" looking to stay afloat amid the wave of economic shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. "Moreover, with issues of racial, economic, and gender inequality front and center, it is evident today more than ever that we have a collective responsibility to focus on urgently solving problems that are actually important for 99% of people," Ajao wrote in a blog post announcing the new Base10 fund. As the co-founder of what is one of the largest Black-led venture funds, with $400 million in assets under management, Ajao is taking this moment to situate his fund in a place that supports the development of technology for the 99%. Examples of portfolio companies stepping in to solve real business problems abound, writes Ajao in his blog post, from a family-owned restaurant in San Francisco using Virtual Kitchen Company to transition its operations to a full-service delivery model; to restaurants across the Southeast using PopMenu. There're also newer portfolio company investments like AMI, a Salesforce-style software platform for direct marketers. As employers responded to the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 epidemic by slashing jobs, many laid-off workers turned to direct sales to support their families, Ajao said. Tools like AMI are helping these stay-at-home entrepreneurs continue to make money as their main source of income. New investments in the firm's second fund include companies like Wise, which gives online storefronts and gig economy workers a way to set up bank accounts online easily; Mimic, which is building a distributed kitchen network for Brazil; and Lana, the financial management service for gig workers in Latin America. These new deals illustrate the firm's belief that "the tech industrys collective responsibility [is] to focus on the problems that affect 99% of people, and to work in tandem with communities, governments, and existing Real Economy companies to solve these problems." Ultimately, Ajao and Nahigian are attributing their success to what amounts to the old (and overused) investment cliche that investors go where opportunities are going to be. "If the VC industry as a whole is overlooking minorities, you can generate alpha by simply taking steps to ensure that you dont have this same blind spot," Ajao writes. Citing the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, a federal judge in Los Angeles on Friday ordered the release of migrant children held in the countrys three family detention centers. The order to release the children by July 17 came after plaintiffs in a long-running case reported that some of them have tested positive for the virus. It applies to children who have been held for more than 20 days in the detention centers run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, two in Texas and one in Pennsylvania. There were 124 children living in those facilities on June 8, according to the ruling. In her order, Judge Dolly M. Gee of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California criticized the Trump administration for its spotty compliance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To prevent the virus from spreading in congregate detention facilities, the agency had recommended social distancing, the wearing of masks and early medical intervention for those with virus symptoms. The family residential centers are on fire and there is no more time for half measures, she wrote. Most families have planned their holiday weekend around Navy Pier or a spectacle and cant do it now, so they have to rely on their neighbors or themselves to do their own fireworks, said Ran Taylor, Dream Fireworks Inc. CEO and owner. I think its a major service into why weve had an influx of new customers coming in, and we love it. The number of whistleblower complaints received by the Central Bank has more than tripled since a review of the process for handling so-called protected disclosures was ordered following revelations in the Irish Independent. The Central Bank said it received 200 protected disclosures in 2019. The number of tip-offs is up 25pc from 2018 and the total number of cases has more than tripled since January 2017, when the Central Bank Commission, which oversees the regulator, sought a review of the operation of the whistleblower phone line. That was after the Irish Independent exposed the fact that a confidential phone line operated by the Central Bank was unmanned, had no facility for leaving a message and that emails were not answered. The total number of protected disclosures reported by the Central Bank in the three years to before 2017 was 124. The total in the three years since is 463. Since 2014, the Central Bank is obliged by law to have a protected disclosure facility in place to allow staff in financial services firms to report questionable and illegal activity. The Central Bank is also obliged - under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 - to prepare and publish a report each year on the number of disclosures and detailing the action taken in response. Its latest report, for 2019, shows 200 protected disclosures were made in relation to regulated firms. In addition, one internal protected disclosure was made by a member of the regulator's own staff. The Central Bank does not break down the nature of complaints - which can range from cranks to reporting of serious offences. It said actions taken last year on foot of complaints included additional supervisory work, on-site inspections and requiring a firm to fix issues and putting firms under higher supervisory focus. However, the regulator declined to say whether prosecution or infringement proceedings have ever been taken against a financial institution on foot of a whistleblower complaint. The US is close to finalizing a decision to withdraw more than 4,000 troops from as per the Washington-Taliban deal, a media report said on Saturday. Almost a week ago, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, said Washington has reduced its troop level to 8,600 in Afghanistan, fulfilling the first phase of the planned withdrawal specified in the the deal the country signed with the Taliban in Doha on February 29. TOLO News cited a CNN report as saying that the new move would reduce the number of troops from 8,600 to 4,500 and would be the lowest number since the very earliest days of the war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001. The report came a day after a meeting between US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. "We will also follow up on our discussion on NATO will continue to adjust our presence in support of the peace process," TOLO News quoted Stoltenberg as saying on Friday. "This will be done in close coordination with Allies and partners." The US has committed to withdrawing all of its forces from by next April under the agreement it signed with the Taliban. But it was when the withdrawal would take place. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Socialist Equality Party (Australia) will hold an online lecture this Tuesday, June 30, on the 198586 split between the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and the British Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP). The split ranks among the most crucial strategic experiences of the Trotskyist movement and the international working class. The victory of the ICFI over the WRP brought to an end a civil war within the Fourth International, between genuine Trotskyists and Pabloite national-opportunists, that had raged for more than 30 years. The lecture will review the origins of the turn by the WRP to British nationalism and its reversion to the Pabloite positions that it had once powerfully fought against. It will detail the struggle taken up by the Workers League against the WRP in the early 1980s, including over the British organisations support for bourgeois-nationalist governments in the Middle East and its increasing adaptation to the Labour and trade union bureaucracy. The fight waged against the WRP created the conditions for the development of the ICFI as the world party of socialist revolution envisaged by Leon Trotsky when he founded the Fourth International. It laid the basis for a renaissance of Marxism, expressed in the ICFIs analysis of globalisation, its fight against historical falsification, establishment of Socialist Equality Parties and launching of the World Socialist Web Site. It prepared the Trotskyist movement for the current situation, characterised by a breakdown of global capitalism and a resurgence of the working class. The lecture will be delivered by Oscar Grenfell, a member of the SEP (Australia) national committee. The event, which is part of a series of six weekly lectures, is on the Zoom platform at 7 p.m. (Australian Eastern Standard Time), June 30. To participate, download the app or join on a web browser, and click on this link before the lecture begins: https://zoom.us/j/94299160806 To view the previous lectures in the series click here. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump makes a point of not wearing a mask. A barefaced Vice President Mike Pence did not utter the m-word at a coronavirus briefing Friday. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, meanwhile, has gone in the other direction. A mask is part of his 2020 signature look. This divergent accessorizing once highlighted yet another partisan divide. For Trump allies, going barefaced is all about individual liberty. For Biden supporters, the mask is a symbol of science and sound policy. But as infections spike in red states such as Texas, Florida and Arizona, support for masks has grown. In recent days, even some Republicans have urged the public to cover their faces in public, arguing that it's the best way to slow the virus. This shift in rhetoric highlights the potential risks for the president as he continues to eschew public health experts, who agree that masks are crucial to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. "It does go to character and values," Democratic pollster Joel Benenson said. "Biden is known for being decent, for caring about the country, a middle-class guy, working with people on the other side. Trump is the antithesis of that. So the more Trump tries to attack Biden over petty smaller things, the smaller it makes Trump look." Polling suggests that the majority of Americans favor facial coverings. More than 70 percent of Americans believe that people should wear masks most or all of the time in public places, according to a Pew Research survey from mid-June. A Fox News poll from last week found that 80 percent hold a favorable view of those who wear masks, including 68 percent of Republicans and 61 percent of respondents who strongly approve of Trump. Some Republican leaders have echoed those favorable views. "Until we find a vaccine, [masks] are really important," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters in his home state of Kentucky on Friday. "This is not as complicated as a ventilator. This is a way to indicate that you want to protect others. We all need during this period, until we find a vaccine, to think of us as protecting not only ourselves but others." Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the third-highest-ranking House Republican endorsed facial coverings Friday with a photo of her father in a cowboy hat and blue disposable mask. The caption read: "Dick Cheney says WEAR A MASK. #realmenwearmasks." Also Friday, former Trump defense secretary Jim Mattis, who has been publicly critical of the president since leaving the job in 2018, starred in a public service announcement in his hometown of Richland, Wash., urging people to wear masks. "Hello, neighbors. I'm Jim Mattis," he says in a video posted to the town's YouTube page. "I'm here to talk about that nasty little virus, covid. . . . It's clear this little bugger isn't going away on its own." "Wear those face coverings," Mattis said, "and let's work together on this to beat covid." Many local Republican leaders have echoed that message as infections spike in red states. "Protect yourself. Protect others. Help contain the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask," Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, wrote in a social media post. "Everyone should just wear a d--- mask," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said. The Sunshine State had nearly 9,000 new infections Thursday, a record. Even so, Trump and his allies have steadfastly refused to wear face coverings, even as the president has ramped up his travel schedule in the past few weeks. At the Friday press briefing of the White House coronavirus task force, the first in two months, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx, and Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious-disease doctor, all wore masks. Pence did not. When asked whether he had a message to the nation about "the importance of wearing masks," Pence said only that people should listen to the guidance from their state or local officials. Analysts say Trump's position is designed to appeal to his core voters. "Trump's gut instinct is to play to his base," Republican pollster Ed Goeas said. But Goeas said the strategy is misguided. Trump's resistance to mask-wearing focuses the conversation on his polarizing persona, Goeas said, rather than on policy issues where the president can find broader support. But Trump has suggested that he sees wearing one as a critique of his leadership, telling the Wall Street Journal that "it could be" that people put them on to make a political statement against him. In the same interview, Trump said that wearing a mask can have negative effects. "They drop it on the desk and then they touch their eye and they touch their nose," Trump said. "I think a mask is a - it's a double-edged sword." A spokesman for Trump's campaign didn't respond to a request for comment. Trump and his allies have turned to social media to mock Biden for covering his face, retweeting a message from Fox News's Brit Hume, who posted a photo with Biden wearing a mask and adding the caption: "This might explain why Trump doesn't wear a mask. Biden today." But Democrats see Biden's face covering as an advantage. "Biden wants to lead by example," said Donna Brazile, a longtime Democratic strategist who briefly led the Democratic National Committee. "He is sending the right signal to the public," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who participated in a raucous hearing Friday where some Republicans refused to cover their faces. "This is all we've got" to contain the virus, he added. The partisan fight over mask-wearing spilled over onto Capitol Hill Friday, during a hearing of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, because Democrats wore masks and some Republicans did not. At one point, Raskin accused Republican members who were maskless of provoking "terror and fear in your colleagues and perhaps your staff." Raskin criticized Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in particular, who is known for going jacketless, saying that going without a jacket is "a fashion statement," but not wearing a mask is a "public health menace." Republicans, several of whom had worn masks into the hearing room before taking them off, contended that they could practice social distancing safely while seated maskless at the dais. "We are six feet apart. We don't need a mask," said Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., a physician. House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., threatened to end the practice of holding in-person hearings - something Republicans have demanded - if they don't wear masks. "I will stay in the safety of my home as I would ask all you to do," Clyburn said. - - - The Washington Post's Erica Werner and Michael Scherer contributed to this report. By PTI CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has issued a high alert after a swarm of locusts entered Rewari and Gurgaon districts, with officials on Saturday asserting that all necessary measures have been taken, including deploying tractor-mounted spraying facilities. Swarms of locusts from Rajasthan after passing through Mahendragarh district of Haryana settled in various villages of Jatusana and Khol blocks in Rewari district on Friday evening. On Saturday, they went towards Jhajjar and entered Gurgaon district with insects covering the skyline in some parts of the "millennium city". Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurgaon shared videos from their high-rise perches. At many places in Gurgaon, residents kept their windows closed to prevent the insects from entering homes. "It was a huge swarm of 5 km in length and 2 km in width which passed through Mahendragarh and settled down in Rewari. In the night, this swarm was near Jatusana block," Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Sanjeev Kaushal told PTI. ALSO READ: Swarm of locusts reaches Gurugram, Delhi environment minister calls emergency meeting "Heavy insecticide spray was done during the night and early morning. About 35 per cent of the swarm was destroyed, but the rest which was still uge in number took off from there and crossed Jhajjar district and then got on to Gurgaon," he said. Kaushal said that according to the inputs he had received from the central government, "it is likely that from the wind velocity and direction, it (locust swarm) will cross Palwal district and may then head towards Uttar Pradesh". About the measures taken by the Haryana government, he said, "We are fully on alert, our districts have been alerted. Swarms of locusts seen in Gurugram on Saturday.@shibasahu2012 Express Video pic.twitter.com/Cx7oCac0JK The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) June 27, 2020 "We have sufficient quantities of insecticides stored there. We have tractor-mounted spray guns and these were deployed wherever necessary." Officials said when locusts entered Rewari district, they settled on trees and standing crops like cotton and bajra, which had been recently planted. Any damage caused was being assessed, they said. To take stock of the situation, state Agriculture Minister J P Dalal visited Rewari and enquired from villagers and officials about the damage caused by locusts. Talking to reporters in Rewari, Dalal said Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Rewari districts had been put on alert on Friday itself. About Rewari district, he said 15 fire tenders, besides several tractor-mounted spray facilities were pressed into service during a night-long operation, which was carried out and personally monitored by Deputy Commissioner Yashendra Singh. Dalal said even experts from the central government who visited Rewari to take stock of the situation had appreciated the timely measures taken by the district administration. Replying to a question, he said that while the locusts are air-borne there was not much that could be done and measures are taken only after they have settled down on trees and in fields. In many villages where locusts were spotted, the farmers beat 'thalis' (plates) and other utensils in a bid to ward off the insects away while local administration deployed tractor-mounted spray facilities. Officials from the agriculture and other departments were keeping a close watch while supervision teams had been formed to tackle the situation. Village-level WhatsApp groups too had been formed to keep the farmers informed, the officials said. A month ago too Haryana had issued a high alert after locust swarms had attacked crops in neighbouring Rajasthan and a few other states, but luckily the insects had moved away from the state. Earlier in January, locusts were spotted in some villages in Punjab's Fazilka and Muktsar districts but were effectively contained then. Locusts, popularly known as ''tiddi dal'', are short-horned grasshoppers with highly migratory habits and voracious feeding behaviour. The making of the Bac Van Phong Special Economic Zone master plan in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa has been temporarily suspended following Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs order (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) Hanoi - The making of the Bac Van Phong Special Economic Zone master plan in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa has been temporarily suspended following Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs order. The master plans resumption will be considered once the Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units is approved by the National Assembly. The bill, slated to be passed in 2018, was controversial due to national security concerns over a stipulation which would allow foreign investors to lease land for up to 99 years in three special economic zones. The Vietnamese parliament had to postpone the bill pending revisions. In the meantime, the PM asked the Khanh Hoa provincial Peoples Committee to accelerate the development of the provincial planning between 2021 and 2030, as well as adjust the general planning on the construction of the Van Phong Economic Zone. The provincial Peoples Committee said it had drafted tasks and prepared to select planning consultancy contractors for the Bac Van Phong Special Economic Zone project. However, these procedures have been disrupted as the Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units, the legal basis for the plan, has not yet been adopted. According to the tentative plan, the Bac Van Phong Special Economic Zone will include a non-tariff area of 920ha along with facilities and industrial centres outside the non-tariff area such as Doc Da Trang Industrial Manufacturing Area of 300ha. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has expressed concern over the strain in the ties with Nepal and wants New Delhi to focus on rebuilding people-to-people ties with Kathmandu people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. The ideological fount of the BJP, the RSS, has however backed Indias response to China following the violent face-off between the armies of the two sides in Ladakh on June 15. Both issues were discussed at a meeting between the RSS top brass and the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) leadership earlier this week in New Delhi, the people cited above added. RSS leaders present at the meeting, the people said, expressed concern that the government and the intelligence agencies were blindsided by developments in the neighbourhood and were worried at the deterioration in Indo-Nepal relations. The meeting which was chaired by the RSS general secretary Suresh Bhaiyaji Joshi and attended by several RSS leaders, BJP president JP Nadda and BJPs general secretary, organisations BL Santhosh was called to assess the situation brewing on the borders and to prepare for the post- Covid developments, said one of the people. He added that the meeting also discussed the possibility of opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act launching another Shaheen Bagh like protest after the pandemic dies out. The reference is to an area in New Delhi where protestors against the law took over a road for months on end. The protest was effectively brought to an end by the pandemic. While the RSS has always advocated a muscular foreign policy to deal with Pakistan and China; it is concerned that India and Nepal have not been able to resolve issues through dialogue. Earlier this month Nepals Lower House of Parliament passed a constitutional amendment Bill revising the Coat of Arms and amending the countrys map to incorporate Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura areas, traditionally claimed by India. The RSS leadership has weighed in favour of revisiting trade ties with China; and after the clashes in Ladakhs Galwan Valley that led to the killing of 20 Indian soldiers there is a concerted campaign to push the government to reset trade links and also elicit support from people for the same. But as far as Nepal is concerned, the Sangh wants the emphasis on people-to-people ties. What started off as internal politics in Nepal has taken the shape of acrimony (between the two sides). There is a sense (in the RSS) that the bureaucracy took precedence over political engagement, which resulted in communication slip ups, said a second person familiar with what transpired at the meeting. Referring to Nepal Army chief General Purna Chandra Thapas visit to inspect a security post in Kalapani, the second person added: The Sangh does not favour any military l face-off between India and Nepal. It is concerned by the developments, but believes that these are being triggered at the behest of China. So it wants relations to be normalized between the two countries. Sanjay Kumar of the Centre for Developing Studies said the RSSs push for better relations with Nepal stems from the ideological similarities between the two countries. There is an ideological connect between the Sangh and Nepal, a Hindu nation. Also, amending ties with them is easier than (doing so with) China. Social equations between Indian and Nepalese also play a key role in pushing for friendly ties Kumar said. There are family ties, marriages take place between the people on both sides and that plays an important role in establishing friendly relations. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In 1963, Birmingham, Ala., was called Bombingham because of the number of black homes that were firebombed. Thomas Blanton Jr., who died Friday in an Alabama prison, played a significant role in the terror of those events. The 16th Street Baptist Church was a prominent meeting place for civil rights leaders. It was apparently targeted by the Ku Klux Klan after a federal court order mandated the integration of public schools in Alabama, which had resisted the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. Alabama Gov. George Wallace, a Democrat, who declared in his inaugural address, "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever," literally stood in a doorway at the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963, to try to block two black students from enrolling. Two months later, on Sept. 15, 1963, at 10:21 a.m., dynamite reduced the church to rubble, mangling cars in the parking lot and stopping clocks. "It sounded like the whole world was shaking," recalled the Rev. John Haywood Cross, according to court documents. The dynamite blew plaster off the walls and peeled the face off the image of Jesus in a stained-glass window. The pastor yelled for churchgoers to get out of the building, then went looking for the children in the basement. The explosion had blown a hole in the side of the church so large that he walked through it to get inside the church basement. After digging about two feet into the rubble, "they found the body of a young girl," court documents said, and then three others. "The four bodies were found almost in the same location, as if they had been thrown on top of each other." The four girls killed - 11-year-old Denise McNair and 14-year-olds Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins and Cynthia Wesley - had been in the church basement preparing for Sunday service. Addie Mae's sister, Sarah Jean Collins, who was 12, lost an eye in the explosion. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. sent a telegram to Wallace: "The blood of our little children is on your hands." King also sent a telegram to President John F. Kennedy, expressing outrage. King promised "TO PLEAD WITH MY PEOPLE TO REMAIN NON VIOLENT," according to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. But King feared unless there was quick response by the federal government, "WE SHALL SEE THE WORST RACIAL HOLOCAUST THIS NATION HAS EVER SEEN. . .." More than 8,000 people attended the funeral for the girls at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, where King delivered the eulogy. Within days, police zeroed in on the key figures suspected of planting the dynamite. All four were vehement white supremacists, according to the National Park Service account of the crime at the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. "In a 1965 memo to J. Edgar Hoover, FBI agents named four men as primary suspects for the bombing - Thomas Blanton, Robert Chambliss, Bobby Frank Cherry and Herman Cash," the Park Service said. Hoover, then the director of the FBI, blocked the prosecution and overruled the agents in Birmingham. Despite calls from Presidents Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson for prosecution, Hoover refused to make arrests. In 1971, Bill Baxley, then attorney general in Alabama, reopened the case. Baxley had received death threats from white supremacists, including an ugly letter from KKK Grand Dragon Edward Fields. Baxley responded with a one-sentence missive typed on official stationery: "Dear Dr. Fields, my response to your letter of February 19, 1976, is kiss my ass. Sincerely, Bill Baxley, Attorney General." Six years later, Chambliss was convicted of murder in the death of one of the girls, Denise McNair. He was sentenced to life in prison, where he died in 1985 at age 81. In 1993, the case was reopened a second time at the urging of civil rights leaders. Rob Langford, then an FBI agent in Birmingham, and others began sifting through more than 9,000 documents and wiretaps that had been collected in the 1960s by the FBI office in Birmingham. The investigation led to the arrests of Blanton and Cherry. (Cash, the fourth suspect, died in 1994 without being charged.) Doug Jones, who in 2017 won an Alabama special election for a U.S. Senate seat, reopened the case when he was appointed U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama in 1997 by President Bill Clinton. Jones, who had been fascinated by the case since he was a law student, connected Blanton to Cherry in his investigation. Jones urged the FBI to release more than 9,000 files with evidence and wiretaps, including the "Kitchen-Sink Tape" wiretap of Blanton's kitchen. An FBI agent had rented an apartment in the Blanton's house, where the agent installed a listening device in the kitchen wall, according to court documents. On June 28, 1964, the FBI recorded Blanton telling his wife about making a bomb. In a packed courtroom in 2001, the jury heard the 37-year-old surveillance tape of Blanton telling his then-wife, Jeanne Blanton, that he'd planned the bombing under a bridge at the Cahaba River, where the Klan's violent cell met, according to a 2001 Washington Post story. "What do you need a meeting for?" Jeanne Blanton asked. "You have to have a meeting to make a bomb," Thomas Blanton replied. Blanton was convicted in 2001. Cherry was convicted a year later, in 2002. A judge had initially ruled that Cherry was not mentally competent to stand trial but reversed himself after doctors concluded that Cherry was faking a mental illness. Jones built the case against Cherry on circumstantial evidence and testimony from family members. He brought in a granddaughter who testified that Cherry once said, "He helped blow up a bunch of n-----s back in Birmingham." He also brought in one of Cherry's ex-wives, who testified against him. "He bragged about it. Bob told me he didn't put the bomb together. He said, 'I lit it,' " Willadean Brogdon told reporters on the steps of a Birmingham court in 1999. After Cherry's conviction, Jones told reporters: "The people of the state of Alabama proved for the second time in about a year that justice delayed does not have to be justice denied." Cherry died in prison in 2004. He was 74. In August 2016, an Alabama parole board refused an early release for Blanton, who had been sentenced to life in prison. The last surviving Klansman responsible for the 16th Street Church bombing died Friday in prison, officials said. He was 82. Gov. Kay Ivey's office said that Blanton died of natural causes. Goa witnessed its highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases with 89 persons found positive on Saturday, surpassing the previous high of 71 cases that were recorded in early June. The spike in cases comes as cases have begun to be detected at Zuarinagar, Goas largest slum cluster where 24 cases were detected. The spike in cases has taken Goas total positive cases to 1,128 with the state having crossed the 1,000 mark on Friday. Active cases stand at 706 cases with 420 recovering from the disease. Two people have succumbed to the disease and 85 year old and a 58-year-old. Goa has registered 44-46 cases each day between Monday and Friday adding around 200 cases this week itself. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday conceded that Goa had entered the stage of community transmission with cases springing up in various parts of the state with no apparent link to the first few local cases in the state. More than 90% of Goas cases were registered during the month of June. At the start of the month there were less than 100 cases registered in the state. Sawant on Thursday met with police officials and urged them to enforce social distancing norms especially in crowded city areas like markets, etc while urging the state to maintain social distancing. We are getting cooperation from people and we need to continue to get this kind of cooperation from the people if we are to defeat this virus. Those who do not listen will have to be fined, Sawant had said on Friday. A record rise of 18,552 cases in 24 hours pushed up Indias Covid tally beyond the half-a-million mark on Saturday, exactly three months after the worldwide count was at this level and 78 days after the US reached the number. More than five months after the first batch of positive cases was detected in Wuhan (China) on January 10, the global Covid-19 tally is about to breach the 10-million figure. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The US State Department has imposed its first wave of visa restrictions against Chinese officials in retaliation for Beijing's policies in Hong Kong, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Friday. "President Trump promised to punish the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong's freedoms. Today, we are taking action to do just that," Pompeo said. "I am announcing visa restrictions on current and former CCP officials who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, as guaranteed in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, or undermining human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong," he said. "Family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions." When asked if Chinese officials targeted for sanctions had been identified, a State Department spokesman would not comment beyond Pompeo's statement. Friday's announcement follows the State Department's determination last month, in a report mandated by the Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 and the Hong Kong Human Rights & Democracy Act of 2019, that the city no longer warrants different treatment from mainland China. The laws authorised the Trump administration to decide to what extent sanctions or other policy measures should be levelled on the city. Pompeo's announcement comes on the heels of the US Senate's unanimous passage of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which calls for mandatory sanctions against any individuals identified as being responsible for undermining the city's autonomy from China. That legislation now moves to the US House of Representatives. The legislation would also require sanctions against foreign financial institution that knowingly conduct "significant transactions" " as defined by the US Treasury " with the designated individuals. The sanctions announcement was the latest sign of just how far the US-China relationship has fallen amid a trade war, a pandemic and generally soaring distrust between Washington and Beijing. Story continues This week alone, the US Congress signalled that it would consider allowing Americans to sue China for Covid-19 damages, the Trump administration threatened new tariffs against China's seafood industry, and Pompeo announced that he had agreed to join a new "dialogue on China" with the European Union. On Friday, another bipartisan bill was announced that would create a formal programme for US government officials to study in Taiwan. "Amidst China's concerted campaign to isolate Taiwan on the global stage, an exchange of our most qualified public servants to the island nation of Taiwan is a visible demonstration of our unwavering commitment to Taiwan," Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts and author of the bill, said in a statement. China responded to Pompeo's announcement on Friday with a reply to the State Department's posting of the move on Twitter. The tweet on the official account of China's United Nations delegation said that "Hong Kong affairs brook no external interference" and that the US "is the least qualified to talk about promises". " Spokesperson of Chinese Mission to UN (@CHN_UN_NY) June 26, 2020 The sanctions announcement underscores the pressure Trump is facing to appear tough on China, said Allen Carlson, director of Cornell University's China and Asia-Pacific studies programme. "Hong Kong and sanctions, the trade war, Xinjiang, and even Taiwan, are of little consequence to this president," he said. "Viewed from this light, these sanctions are probably best seen as yet another example of the president trying to have his cake and eat it too." "He wants to bolster his anti-China credentials to play to his base but, at the same time, I suspect he still is not entirely willing to admit defeat in his efforts to develop a special personal relationship with Xi Jinping," Carlson added, referring to the Chinese president. "He still sees himself as a charmer who can close the most difficult deals." Under the phase one trade deal that Trump signed with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He in January " reached in an effort to put the brakes on a trade war that started in July 2018 " Beijing promised to buy an additional US$200 billion worth of American agricultural products over the next two years. That pledge was reiterated last week when Pompeo and Chinese state councillor Yang Jiechi met in Hawaii to discuss a number of issues between the two countries, including Hong Kong's autonomy. The lack of any details about specific people being sanctioned makes it difficult to gauge how hard-hitting the State Department's move really is, said Andrew Coflan, a China analyst at the Eurasia Group. "The move is strange," he said. "Not announcing who is on the list is a big give to the Chinese and in some ways defeats the signalling aspect of the sanctions." "But this feels like only the beginning to me," he added. "I would expect clarification around tariffs, potential Treasury sanctions and other measures to be announced over coming weeks. Although there's always a chance things get watered down by the White House again. "Still, if I'm Beijing, I probably feel like I got out ahead on this deal so far." This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Alison Brie bid farewell to her role as Diane Nguyen after six seasons, when BoJack Horseman ended in January. But the Golden Globe nominee recently answered for the casting choice, following similar situations with Kristen Bell and Jenny Slate. She took to Instagram with a statement Friday, apologizing for her portrayal of the Asian character on the animated Netflix series. Heartfelt apology: Alison Brie took to Instagram with a statement Friday, apologizing for her portrayal of the Asian character Diane Nguyen on BoJack Horseman (pictured in June, 2020) The 37-year-old wrote: 'In hindsight, I wish that I didn't voice the character of Diane Nguyen. I now understand that people of color, should always voice people of color. 'We missed a great opportunity to represent the Vietnamese-American community accurately and respectfully, and for that I am truly sorry. 'I applaud all those who stepped away from their voiceover roles in recent days. I have learned a lot from them.' She voiced the Vietnamese-American ghostwriter for the entire run of the series, which premiered in 2014. People of color: The 37-year-old wrote: 'In hindsight, I wish that I didn't voice the character of Diane Nguyen. I now understand that people of color, should always voice people of color' Missed opportunity: She continued: 'We missed a great opportunity to represent the Vietnamese-American community accurately and respectfully, and for that I am truly sorry' (pictured in January, 2020) Controversial casting: BoJack creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg addressed the controversial casting choice earlier this week on Twitter BoJack creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg addressed the controversial casting choice earlier this week on Twitter. He wrote in the thread: 'The intention behind the character is I wanted to write AWAY from stereotypes and create an Asian American character who wasn't defined solely by her race. 'But I went too far in the other direction. We are all defined SOMEWHAT by our race! Of course we are! It is part of us!' Stepping down: It comes after Jenny Slate stepped down after three seasons of voicing biracial character Missy on Netflix's Big Mouth (pictured in January, 2020) Uncovering racism: She wrote on Instagram: 'Ending my portrayal of "Missy" is one step in a life-long process of uncovering the racism in my actions' It comes after Jenny Slate stepped down after three seasons of voicing biracial character Missy on Netflix's Big Mouth. She wrote on Instagram: 'Ending my portrayal of "Missy" is one step in a life-long process of uncovering the racism in my actions.' Kristen Bell followed suit, stepping down from her role as Molly Tillerman on Apple TV+'s animated musical series Central Park. She also posted a statement to Instagram: 'I am happy to relinquish this role to someone who can give a much more accurate portrayal and I will commit to learning, growing and doing my part for equality and inclusion.' The NIA is about to undergo a mop-up mass registration exercise to give opportunities to fellow Ghanaians who for some reason were not able to register for the recent Ghana card/ECOWAS card. This mop-up exercise cuts across the whole country except in the Eastern region. So individuals who did not get the chance to register for their cards during the first mass registration exercise should take advantage of this mop-up registration to get their cards. The Ghana/ECOWAS card is very important and the paramount among it is, it can be used as a passport to travel to any of the countries under ECOWAS. One Ghana one card. Below is the information released from the NIA. Take note to be able to have your card. Issued By Corporate Affairs, NIA Normal People stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal in a scene filmed in Streedagh from the hit TV show Normal People stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones returned to our screens for a one-night only special on RTEs special Comic Relief programme. Marianne and Connell graced our screens once again after the now internationally renowned series gathered millions of fans worldwide when it was released back in April. For RTEs special Comic Relief three-hour long programme, which aired on Friday, Marianne and Connell featured in a short skit, written by Conor McPhearson and directed remotely via Zoom by Lenny Ambrahamson. Filmed in London, the sketch is set in a confession box in the same church featured in the series in Tubbercurry Co Sligo, or Carricklea, as it is called in the novel. Read More The sketch starts off with Connell speaking to a priest in a confession box, asking him for relationship advice, saying hes in love but its complicated and how hes really torn. To viewers delight, the priest turns out to be actor Andrew Scott, best known for his role as Hot Priest in British comedy series Fleabag. As the priest rambles on, giving Connell advice which isnt much use, we hear tapping on the other side of the confession box, which turns out to be Marianne. She immediately tells Scott how she rejects the patriarchal organ of oppression that is the church, to which the priest answers, Why are you here?. In dimly-lit shots, we see Marianne tell him that she has stolen something off somebody - which turns out to be none other than Connells own chain, which now not only has its own Instagram account, but saw fast-fashion retailers sell versions of similar necklaces after the series aired. Video of the Day Of course, Connell overhears Marianne from the other side of the confession box and asks her when she started going to confession. She apologises, as does Connell, with Hot Priest intervening throughout - and the skit ends with them all singing a rendition of Tracy Chapmans Baby Can I Hold You. However, this wasnt it for Normal People fans, as they also got a glimpse of what life may be like for Marianne and Connell in 40 years time, provided they stay together. In a separate sketch later on in the programme, Moone Boys Deirdre OKane (who also took part in helping to host Comic Relief) and Peter McDonald return as Marianne and Connell in the future. In the kitchen of their home, they argue about beans on toast, with Connell having made a serving for Marianne and her asking why. She proceeds to tell him she actually came in to the kitchen not because she was hungry, but because she was looking for her glasses, which are on her head. The second sketch ends with her telling Connell she loves him after their tiff ends - in true Marianne and Connell style. A bit of history before we delve into the citys problematic police contract. Public sentiment toward the San Antonio Police Officers Association has waned since it first won its collective bargaining rights in 1975. After winning that election by a 6-1 vote margin, then-SAPOA President Jerry Clancy told the Express-News, Personally, I did not not figure we would win by such a wide majority. I think the silent majority went to the polls and indicated what they think of law enforcement in our community. The union approached its first contract negotiations asking for $1.3 million in improvements, free parking and permission for uniform officers to take their police cars home for personal use. But an inch has turned into miles. Today the size of the Police Department has more than doubled, and it has a budget of close to $500 million. Traditionally, the police union has been a major political force at City Hall. It has flexed its muscles during elections, and the unions endorsement has long been a coveted prize among candidates at all levels of government. Thats changed somewhat in recent years. Many union-backed candidates have lost in recent city elections. Still, over the years the SAPOA has negotiated very lucrative compensation packages for its members, and like many police unions across the country now has a contract that makes it exceedingly difficult to discipline or fire officers, a key obstacle to police reform. City Council wants to change the way discipline is handled under the contract, and there is a grassroots effort underway to get the collective bargaining issue back before voters. Problematic disciplinary rules in the San Antonio police contract that hamper the police chiefs ability to fire officers have been a festering issue for years, but they have never been a priority during contract negotiations. The most recent contract negotiations focused on health care costs. But the issue has been pushed to the forefront in the aftermath of George Floyds death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Officers like Derek Chauvin, who had 17 misconduct complaints against him before he put his knee on Floyds neck, do not deserve to wear a badge. Allowing problem officers back on the job undermines public confidence and support for law enforcement, is a disservice to officers with untarnished service records and is a failure to the public. Over the last decade San Antonio Police Chief William McManus has had 10 officers he fired return to the force after going through an appeal involving an independent arbitrator. During the same time period, the police chief allowed 20 fired officers to return to the job under threat of arbitration, the Express-News reports. RELATED: Disgusting and demeaning: After feces sandwich and related prank, firing of SAPD officer stands This can affect prosecutions. District Attorney Joe Gonzales told us he keeps two lists of problematic police officers. One, referred to as the permanent list, has the names of 16 officers whose cases he will not accept for prosecution unless there is another officer to corroborate their reports. The other is a disclosure list with names of officers who have been disciplined that he makes available to defense lawyers as part of discovery process. Why are these officers on the job if their work is compromised and cant be used for prosecution of criminals? We are disappointed the San Antonio City Council decided Thursday not to take any action on a resolution outlining the citys priorities in negotiating the new police contract and punting the issue until August to allow for further community input. The resolution proposed eliminating the 180-day limitation on imposing discipline, allowing past disciplinary actions to be considered in new cases, and appointing an independent citizen review board to monitor internal affairs investigations and make disciplinary recommendations. It also sought to amend the arbitration process by limiting the arbitrators authority and allowing the police chief or the city manager to have a role in final discipline. The resolution did not address all the flaws in the police contract, but it offered a good starting point. We hope the lack of political fortitude on the Council to pass this nonbinding resolution doesnt undermine upcoming contract negotiations. The organization Fix SAPD has launched an effort to gather signatures for a rollback election on collective bargaining and arbitration in San Antonio. That effort is unlikely to meet the mid-August deadlines to gather signatures and have them certified for the November ballot. We dont know if we would support such an effort, but we do know the fine print in the police unions contract shouldnt protect officers with troubled histories. Changing this is crucial to any reform. Shankkar Aiyar By The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) did some heavy lifting of policy this week. Last year, the Federation ordered four sets comprising barbells and weight plates from a Chinese company. The IWLF declared that it would stop using any equipment made in China. Touch screen calls for boycott of Chinese products fuelled by a rush of rage is not entirely new and surfaces periodically, in the aftermath of a face-off in Doklam and then in Galwan on the Line of Actual Control, galvanised by anger every time China shows its true colours. It is true that sentiments convey public opinion and are necessary, but they are not sufficient to alter ground realities. If only WhatsApp wishes were horses! Data depicts a harsh reality fury is followed by furious expansion of imports from China. In 2000, Indias imports from China totalled to $1.5 billion roughly 2.9 per cent of all imports. In 2010, this rose to $ 30 billion. In the decade since, which witnessed major episodes of intrusion by the Peoples Liberation Army, imports from China spiralled to over $ 70 billion roughly 14 per cent of all imports. India imports more from China than any other country. Mind you since 2000 a flood of recommendations flowed from a plethora of committees including one set up to Examine the Possibility of Replacing Multiple Prior Permissions with Pre-Existing Regulatory Mechanism! There has been a parade of programmes and acronyms SEZs, NIMZ et al. Success of declarations of transformation is best illustrated again by data. In 1998, India imported electrical machinery worth $ 90 million from China. By 2010, this spiralled to $ 9 billion and by 2019, it touched $ 20 billion. It could be argued that electrical equipment involves technology but what about other imports. Between 1998 and 2019, imports of furniture, mattress and light fittings went up from $ 3.9 lakh to $ 900 million and that of ceramics and glassware from $ 4.1 million to $ 958 million. The prequels and sequels of messed up policies and missed opportunities stretch back decades. My book Accidental India chronicles how politics failed Indias economy. In 1964, the Homi Bhabha Committee appointed by Jawaharlal Nehru after the 1962 debacle recommended focus on computer hardware and software, leveraging the Indian proficiency in maths. Blinded by ideology, India drove out big tech such as IBM and missed the bus the biggest hardware players are in Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and China. India almost missed the bus in software too. The sector was grounded by the ban on import of computers and data communications all the way till 1991 when N Vittal conceptualised the idea of software technology parks. The question is not just about what is imported but also why. The answer is competitiveness. In 1992, Indias GDP was $ 350 billion and that of China was $ 390 billion. Three decades later, Chinas GDP is at $ 15 trillion and India is at $ 2.7 trillion. The gap is explained by competitiveness China is the worlds top goods exporter netting around $ 2.5 trillion. It is not that Indian companies are not competitive. Indias two-wheelers are exported to over 30 countries. India is the global hub for design and export of compact cars. Indias textile and garment companies supply to international brands and retailers. Success though has been few and far between primarily because politicos and babudom have persisted with and perpetuated inspector permission raj. Indias share of manufacturing in its GDP is where it was in 1991 and has yo-yoed between 14 and 17 per cent. Make in India, a grand idea, lacks legs to run. Competitiveness calls for liberation of factors of productivity. Land and labour continue to be trapped in confounding laws. Land acquisition can be eased using Article 254(2) of the Constitution but states are reluctant. A model labour code is languishing and even small steps to reform are stymied by war in the Parivar. Cost of capital is hostage to government borrowings driven by debt and deficit of Centre and states. Expenditure reforms and aggressive privatisation can free resources to retire debt and fund infrastructure. Every business is subject to inspections under 12 different Acts on any given day of any month. Clean up of regulatory cholesterol demands decentralisation. The circumstance of the pandemic and the rethink across countries on supply chains present India a window to align and leverage democracy, demography and demand. There are opportunities galore. The roll out of 5G affords a window to craft policy to woo makers of network components and devices. Migration from fossil fuel to electric offers an opening to repurpose Indian Space Research Organisations battery know-how for public transport and personal mobility. Countries are scouring the world for pharma and vaccine production. To start with, public sector enterprises on the divestment list could be designated as Special Economic Zones (SEZs), for design of a plug and play investment regime. All of this calls for recasting economic security as national security, consistent political commitment to make things happen. The shift of orbit from dependence to scalable resilience could offer global investors a viable alternative and diminish the centrality of China in the global growth story. Now that would be a true tribute to the bravehearts. Shankkar aiyAr Author of Aadhaar: A Biometric History of Indias 12 Digit Revolution, and Accidental India shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com By AFP HOUSTON: America's top infectious diseases expert has warned the United States is facing a "serious problem" from a resurgent coronavirus as the illness puts the brakes on reopening two of the country's largest states. Texas and Florida closed bars and reimposed other curbs on Friday as the number of infections in the US hit a single-day record with increases in 16 states, mostly in the south and west. The contagion also continued its march through Latin America, where Brazil recorded another 1,140 deaths and Argentina toughened a lockdown in the capital Buenos Aires. In Europe countries wrangled over plans to partially reopen the EU border, with officials fretting over the reliability of virus data from abroad, notably China, where COVID-19 first emerged late last year. Much of the Western world is pressing ahead with lifting restrictions on daily life despite warnings from health officials that haste could cost more lives. FOLLOW COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES HERE "We are facing a serious problem in certain areas," leading US immunologist Anthony Fauci said at the first briefing in two months by the White House's Coronavirus Task Force. "The only way we're going to end it is by ending it together," he said of the outbreak. The US is recording more than 30,000 cases daily. With nearly 125,000 lives lost, it has by far the highest confirmed death toll in the world. Texas had been among the most aggressive states in easing curbs but its strategy has backfired with the nation's second most populous state seeing several daily records in the number of new infections. "It is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars," Governor Greg Abbott said. Border wrangling European diplomats said they planned to exclude the US from travel to the continent when the bloc's external frontier reopens on July 1. EU envoys have argued on drawing up criteria and sources told AFP a meeting on Friday ended with a tentative list of about 18 countries free to travel. With nations around the world at different stages on the outbreak curve, agreeing on "travel corridors" has proved tricky. Britain said it will lift its two-week quarantine rule for visitors arriving from some "low-risk" countries after pressure from airlines. Sweden lashed out at the World Health Organization for listing it among countries deemed at-risk. The country made headlines for its high death toll after opting not to introduce a strict lockdown. "We have an increase in cases because we have begun testing much more in Sweden the past week," said Swedish state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell. Fundraising effort The WHO on Friday called for another $27.9 billion in donations to speed up the development and production of tests, vaccines and other treatments, part of its ACT accelerator plan to pool international resources. About $3.4 billion has already been pledged, the global body said ahead of a major fundraising event in Brussels by the EU Commission on Saturday that will feature performances by celebrities including Shakira and Justin Bieber. More than 490,000 people worldwide have now died from the virus and the number of cases is expected to reach 10 million in the next week, according to an AFP tally. India clocked its 500,000th case on Saturday with a record daily leap of 18,500. The outbreak there is not expected to peak for several more weeks and experts say the number of cases could pass one million before the end of July. Much of the global count has come from Latin America, where Brazil, the hardest-hit nation in the region, has logged almost 55,000 deaths and more than 1.2 million cases. In neighbouring Argentina President Alberto Fernandez announced a tightening of lockdown measures in the capital as cases spike, adding people could only leave home "to fetch provisions for daily life". With much of the world under lockdown for months, the virus has crippled economies and signs of the damage have been widespread. In Southeast Asia the leaders of the 10-member ASEAN bloc said the pandemic would see the region's economy contract for the first time in 22 years. "It has swept away the successes of recent years... threatening the lives of millions of people," Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said. Panic-buying has also reared its ugly head again, with supermarkets in Australia imposing limits on purchases of toilet paper after people snapped up masses of stock, rattled by a surge in cases in Melbourne. "Stop it, it's ridiculous," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told his compatriots. The Board of Secondary and Senior Secondary Education, Aligarh Muslim University, will decide the assessment scheme and other details to assess the performance of students in the cancelled exams The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has decided to cancel the remaining papers for Class 10 and 12 due to the coronavirus outbreak. The pending papers were scheduled to be held from 6 to 9 July. The assessment scheme and other details to assess the performance of students in the cancelled examinations will be as decided by the Board of Secondary and Senior Secondary Education, Aligarh Muslim University, the university controller of exams said in a notification. Students are advised to visit the official website of the university at regular intervals for any further update. According to an NDTV report, AMU had earlier announced that summer vacations for teachers would begin on 15 June and end on 20 June. However, the university has asked teachers to submit all work related to AMU Board examination before the commencement of vacations, the report said. Both CBSE and ICSE exams for Class 10 and Class 12 have been cancelled. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to cancel Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations, which were slated to be held from 1 to 15 July. It also told the SC that Class 12 students can opt for exams to be conducted later, but the same provision is not applicable for Class 10. The court on Friday accepted the assessment scheme presented by the CBSE, which has been prepared to evaluate students for the cancelled papers. The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) also told the Supreme Court that it would follow the assessment scheme prepared by the CBSE. However, the ICSE said that it would give option to students of both classes to appear for the exam that would take place in future. Civil War politics has ended in Irelands parliament, after political rivals agreed to form a historic governing coalition, Leo Varadkar has said. Irelands new premier is set to be elected today, after Micheal Martin was nominated for Taoiseach. Mr Martins Fianna Fail won the most seats in Februarys inconclusive general election, and his appointment as Taoiseach represents the culmination of 30 years in mainstream political life. As Mr Varadkar hands the reins to his former political rival, he told the Dail, which is sitting in the Convention Centre, that it is an historic occasion. I believe Civil War politics ended a long time ago in our country, but today Civil War politics ends in our parliament, Mr Varadkar said. 140 days on from the election, a delighted looking Micheal Martin arrives at the Convention Centre where he is set to be elected Taoiseach. pic.twitter.com/bezq2EN5fg Aine McMahon (@AineMcMahon) June 27, 2020 Two great parties coming together with another great party, the Green Party, to offer what this country needs, a stable government for the betterment of our country and for the betterment of our world. I look forward to the privilege of serving in government with those two parties, as does my party. For my own party Fine Gael, its an opportunity, a third term in government, something weve never been able to do before, three consecutive terms. The chance to protect what has been achieved and secured over the past nine years and also a second chance, an opportunity to get right some of the things that we didnt get right in the years gone by. Im up for that challenge. Proposing Mr Martin for Taoiseach, Fianna Fail TD Norma Foley said it was an honour to nominate him. I believe Civil War politics ended a long time ago in our country but today Civil War politics ends in our parliament Leo Varadkar When we look at the record of Deputy Micheal Martin you must give credit to the man. When we look at his record in government and his time in office he was a progressive and reforming minister for education and foreign affairs. Deputy Micheal Martin has a valiant record of delivering for this free Republic. The programme for government agreed by Fianna Fail is a progressive programme for change. Deputy Micheal Martin has the talent and tenacity we need to lead the country with distinction. However, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said February was the change election, and Sinn Fein won more votes than any other party. She said Fianna Fail and Fine Gael conspired against the party to exclude it from government, and the voices of more than half a million people who voted for them. She described the coalition between the two parties as a marriage of convenience. Faced with the prospect of losing their grip on power, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have circled the wagons, she said. The next ten years are critical if we are to address the climate and biodiversity crisis which threatens our safe future on this planet. In order to deliver this expanded and deepened climate ambition, far-reaching policy changes will be developed across every sector. #PFG pic.twitter.com/wkUBa6Br8M Fianna Fail (@fiannafailparty) June 19, 2020 Detailed negotiations on an agreement on shared priorities with Fine Gael and the smaller Green Party have been delayed by the coronavirus crisis. Firm targets for reducing carbon emissions and encouraging sustainable transport, as well as helping the country recover from economic harm caused by infection restrictions, will be among the new administrations priorities. The Dail is meeting in the unusual surroundings of a glass-fronted convention centre on Dublins River Liffey. The temporary change of venue from Leinster House is to enable social distancing and to allow all 160 public representatives to sit. Mr Martin will later meet Irish President Michael D Higgins at Dublin Castle to receive his seal of office. Ministers are also due to be appointed later on Saturday. Clearing out the office tonight. This portrait has hung proudly over the fireplace for 9 years. Beidh se ar ais pic.twitter.com/f822EciGKR Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) June 26, 2020 Mr Martin will take over from Leo Varadkar in a historic reconciliation of a political feud with Fine Gael dating back to the foundation of the state a century ago. Fine Gael are due to retrieve the Taoiseachs role at the end of 2022 under the terms of the coalition agreement. The two larger parties needed the support of the Greens to have a working majority in the Irish parliament, equating to about 80 seats, underpinning an extended period in office. After weeks of talks, proposals on coalition were put to party memberships and results declared on Friday. Fine Gael resoundingly endorsed them with 80% in favour. Fianna Fail recorded 74%. Expand Close Rebuilding the economy will be one of the new governments main challenges (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rebuilding the economy will be one of the new governments main challenges (Liam McBurney/PA) The Greens support was the subject of speculation as it consulted its members, but 76% decided in favour. Among the first tasks of the Irish Government will be to renew legislation enabling the non-jury Special Criminal Court to continue dealing with serious organised crime in the Republic. The effect of Brexit and rebuilding an economy plunged by the virus into what some commentators believe will be one of the worst ever recessions will also be pressing challenges. Sinn Fein won the popular vote in last winters proportional representation election, through an appeal to the young and buoyed by anger at the cost of housing and flaws in the health system. It did not run enough candidates to fully translate votes into seats and was unable to form a coalition of the left with other parties of similar views, but will now lead the opposition. Much has been discussed about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our local and national economy. Lake George is affected adversely in many ways because of our seasonal nature. Many of our businesses have a much shorter window to operate and our fear is many will not survive, regardless of the economic stimulus package and Payroll Protection Act. What is equally devastating is the government's inaction concerning the J-1 International Student Program. Each year the Lake George region, and every resort area in the United States, depends on students from all over the world to fill entry-level jobs. Last year, we hosted more than 1,400 in Lake George alone. They arrive before our schools are out and can stay into October, long after our students have returned to college. They work as chambermaids, busboys, dishwashers, restroom attendants and wait staff. They pay rent, purchase clothing, send gifts home, eat and drink in our restaurants, ride our trolleys and live in older resorts that depend solely on them for revenue. Their economic impact is in excess of $3 million annually to our region. Most of our local students will not even accept the jobs the J-1 students perform. Not allowing these students to travel to the United States will seriously affect our local businesses during 2020. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Further, the additional $600 per week granted to those on unemployment has created another hurdle to get those positions filled. Hopefully, all businesses will join us in writing to federal government officials and Rep. Elise Stefanik, asking them in particular to oppose extension of this unthinkable bonus rewarding some to stay out of work. At the end of this bleak outlook, however, is the resilience of our business community, the natural beauty of Lake George and the determination that America's premier family resort will still be there to welcome you with open arms. Robert Blais is the mayor of the Village of Lake George. BRIDGEPORT Some 250 people Saturday peacefully marched the mile and a half from Stratford Avenue to Broad Street. Larissa Smith, of Bridgeport who is studying to be a nurse and demands better education in the citys schools adding knowledge is the key. Nkosi Lee, of Hartford, used the march as a lesson for his four sons, Elijah, 15, Emmanuel, 11, Azariah, 8, and Josiah, 7. At one point he explained how these times are a pivotal moment in America and how it has generated demonstrations worldwide. When asked by one of his sons he explained the meaning of the red, green and black colors of a flag saying they stood for bloodshed, the bountiful land and the people. Alison Ligi and her daughter, Riley, 15, of Prospect, were marching for a third third time as they seek justice for all and the Rev. Joseph Skip Karcsinski, pastor of Blessed Sacrament church on Union Avenue, who believes this is a march for the people and an opportunity for them to make a statement. State Reps. Chris Rosario and Antonio Felipe who vowed to work for change during next months special session at the Capitol. But one prominent absence was the Rev. Al Sharpton. Just last Sunday, his expected presence filled the excited conversation of people at McLevy Green. Sharpton has marched and lectured in Bridgeport several times before so his presence was expected and anticipated. However, this time Sharpton had an 11 a.m. commitment to be at the National Action rally in New York, the Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson, board chairman of the National Action Network, told Hearst Connecticut Media on Saturday He said Sharpton had isolated himself as a result of the COVID-19 guidelines and felt a need to be there. But others like City Councilman Ernie Newton and the Rev. Mary McBride Lee, the Rev. Herron Gaston and community activists like Carolyn Nah, Lyle Hassan Jones and Wayne Winston said Sharpton decided to stay away because of deceptive lies, threats to his well-being and a divide in the community. People didnt want him here for their own purposes and petty reasons, Winston said.Bridgeport took a big hit in the worlds eyes. Gaston, who with Lee, coordinated Saturdays march, said he was increasingly disappointed that Sharpton, a renowned and prolific civil rights activist was told he is not welcome in Bridgeport by detractors who have their own agenda. People try to derail his presence by spreading deceptive lies, Gaston said. These individuals are precisely the ones that are putting their foot on the necks of this movement. Some said there were rumors Sharpton might be physically attacked by those who participated in last weeks campout at police headquarters. They tried to say we were going to do something to Al Sharpton. Whoever said that, they lied. We wanted to hear his wisdom like everyone else, said Anthony Marshall. We wanted the national news to hear about whats going on here. Lee was among those that laid the blame on state Sen. Marilyn Moore and the Rev. Carl McCluster, senior pastor of Shiloh Baptist church. On Saturday, Moore denied she even considered calling anyone about keeping Sharpton away. No one called me or spoke with me. No one, said Moore. Its irresponsible for people to spread untruths and lose sight of the real problem by deflecting their anger in this way. I stand by my original Facebook comment that those who are making the statements, who are either elected or managers in the administration, can do more. We all know the problems as does everyone else. Its on the front pages everyday and its time to address them. Moore asked the leaders what will they do to address systemic and structural racism in Bridgeport after the march. I know what I am doing in the state legislature. McCluster said he was greatly disappointed that Rev. Sharpton was not able to attend the rally. The pastor said he looks forward to having the opportunity to greet him and welcome him back to Bridgeport when his schedule and health allow him to come and add his voice to the chorus of disenfranchised and oppressed Black, brown and other Connecticut residents who chosen to dismantle and rebuild the law enforcement, judicial and legislative systems that have been tools of our oppression for too long. Richardson, who is also pastor of the 4,000 member Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, N.Y., was introduced to the crowd outside the Margaret Morton Government Center on Broad Street by the Rev. Boise Kimber, pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven and Hartford. Im glad to be here today in the midst of what is one of the most historic moments in the history of this country a combination of pandemics, the health pandemic and the justice pandemic, that is impacting and affecting us as a people, Richardson began. As he spoke Richardsons words seemed to address the issues regarding Sharptons appearance. Sometimes in the process of the struggle there are miscues, in the process of the struggle there are sometimes misunderstandings ... we sometimes find ourselves on different poles from each other even though our intentions are the same, he preached. So there must be room for us to make mistakes. There must be room for us to have disagreements. There must be room for us to arise out of whatever milieu that confuses the agenda and achieve that which is important to all of us. Richardson told the crowd that too often protests and demonstrations of the past 400 years ended with everything returning to the same thing. Were tired of those protests. ... Were tired of having to speak out for our rights. Were tired of having to call for change, he said. When we rise into a crescendo ... and then after it dies down, we pull back doing the same things all over ... He said the world is seeing that America talks justice and inclusion on one side, and exercises exclusion and racism on the other side. America is a hypocrisy. America has lost its way. He said to correct the situation America must invest in its African Americans. Black people are damaged and we are in need of repair, Richardson said. Following speeches from Richardson, legislators and pastors at the City Hall annex on Broad Street, Gaston urged those attending to contact him via email and sign up for committees he and Lee are looking to put together on refoms in education, health care and policing. Gaston said they would conduct listening and learning tours, as well as virtual tours in the neighborhoods, and then compose working groups to address these issues. We want the one who cleans floors, the one who bakes, the one who works in an office, Lee said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 08:29 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406620fa3a 1 Politics PDI-P,PDI-P-flag-burning,megawati-soekarnoputri,Sukarno,CommunistParty,pancasila-ideology-bill,RUU-HIP Free Members of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) from across the country have reported to the police in their respective regions an incident in which the partys flag was burned during a rally on Wednesday. Held during a period of transition from large-scale social restrictions to a new normal of relaxed restrictions amid the COVD-19 pandemic, the rally was staged by Islamist groups to reject a bill initiated by the House of Representatives on Pancasila Ideology Guidelines (HIP) in Jakarta. The groups called on the House to drop the bill, saying it would open the door to the reemergence of communist ideology in the country. PDI-P chairman Megawati Sukarnoputri issued an authorization on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, for its members to take legal action over the incident. "We should unite! Take legal action, strengthen unity with the people, Megawati, who served as the country's fifth president, said. Read also: PDI-P, Gerindra slammed for lodging vested interest bills Responding to Megawati's letter, the PDI-P executive board and at least five regional branches reported the incident to the police on Friday. The branches included those in Bekasi and Depok, West Java, and the Thousand Islands branch in Jakarta. "We are forced to take legal steps and report the incident to law enforcement officials for various acts of violence and defamation carried out by persons who have violated our democratic spirit," said PDI-P executive Ahmad Basarah. Senior PDI-P politician Tjahjo Kumolo, who serves as the administrative and bureaucratic reform minister, has called on members of the party to report the incident to the police. Videos circulating online show rally participants burning the PDI-P flag and the flag of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), which was disbanded after being accused of being responsible for the coup against president Sukarno, Megawati's father, and the killing of six Army generals in 1965, an incident that led to the rise of Soeharto. Bendera Pedeipeh dan pekai di bakar massa ...keren pic.twitter.com/li14PDWfcp @Rindang~89 (@syakiraarie) June 24, 2020 Read also: Muslim preacher accused of calling PDI-P members communists acquitted In 1966, Soeharto declared communism the nations ideological pariah. Provisional Peoples Consultative Assembly Decree No. 25/1966 banned communism in Indonesia, and this was later reaffirmed through Peoples Consultative Assembly Decree No. 1/2003. The decree was not included in the Pancasila ideology bill, which sparked the Islamist groups' opposition to it. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, on Saturday, wrote from where he was isolated from his family, deploring the increasing cases of covid-19 in the state. He said it had become obvious that community transmission of the virus had reached an alarming and frightening proportion in the State. Okowa in a statement he personally signed, lamented that many persons still think that the Coronavirus disease was a hoax, saying: It cannot be a hoax when over 20 persons have died including some prominent citizens. Therefore, I want to make a passionate appeal to all Deltans to please realise that the coronavirus disease is real. As of Saturday, the number of confirmed cases of the virus in the state was 781. On Thursday, June 25, 2020, Delta State recorded 106 cases, coming only behind Lagos, the epicentre of the pandemic. The latest figure from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows that on Friday, June 26, Delta recorded 66 additional cases. This brings the total number of infected persons in the State so far to 781. The local governments mostly affected are Oshimili South (181), Warri South (128), Uvwie (112), Oshimili North (79), Ughelli North (74), Ethiope West (41), and Sapele (66). The State Government allowed normal business activities to go on in essential sectors of the economy to enable citizens to take care of their families. It does not in any way suggest that the danger is over We made this decision with all sense of responsibility while counting on your partnership with the Government to defeat this virus. Regrettably, it does appear our people have not taken this matter as seriously as they should. Our isolation centres are currently overwhelmed with the number of cases and unless we proactively and collectively take drastic actions to reverse the trend, we stand the risk of becoming another epicentre for the pandemic. In the absence of a specific curative drug, the only way to check the transmission of the virus is for all of us to adhere strictly to the NCDC-issued guidelines and safety protocols, which are as follows; stay at home as much as possible. Only go out if it is essential for you to do so. If you must go out, please ensure that you maintain about six feet distance from other persons. This is because the virus is transmitted through droplets either due to coughing, sneezing, or talking of an infected person. Wear face masks once you are outside your home. This will shield you from droplets from a carrier. Avoid crowds and large gatherings as much as possible. Wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds as often as possible. If this is not readily available, make sure you have a potable alcohol-based hand sanitizer to rub your hands. Refrain from touching your face with unwashed hands, especially outside your home. Avoid hugs and handshakes. My dear Deltans, this is a clarion call to arms. We must brace up and take responsibility for our collective health and safety now. It is very worrisome that many of our people still walk the streets without wearing a face mask or even observing physical/social distancing. Henceforth, banks, supermarkets, malls, stores, salons, and motorists must admit limited persons per time and strictly enforce the physical/social distancing rule. In addition to providing hand wash stations/alcohol-based sanitizers, banks, salons, supermarkets, stores, and malls must deny entry to patrons without facemasks. Where there is more than one person, occupants of private vehicles must also wear face masks. The number of guests at social events weddings, funerals, traditional marriages should not exceed 50 with appropriate physical distance set in place. People without face masks must be turned back. I also implore our religious houses to implement all the safety protocols as agreed. Residents in the most affected local governments; Oshimili South, Warri South, Uvwie, Oshimili North, Ughelli North, Ethiope West, and Sapele, are particularly advised to be on red alert. Let me emphasise once again that the coronavirus disease is real, and anybody can contact it. It is neither a rich man nor a poor mans disease. Anybody can be affected. I call on every resident in the State to act responsibly to protect yourself and others and do not forget to continue praying for Gods merciful intervention to stop this raging pandemic. Together we shall beat this virus. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Brookfield Asset Management will pay around Rs 29,000 per square foot for the 170,000 square feet of space in Jet Airways two-floor office in Bandra Kurla Complex. The Canada-based investment fund, which owns 25 million square feet of commercial space in the country, was the sole bidder in an auction held on Friday, sources said. Brookfield will pay around Rs 29,000 per square foot for around 170,000 square feet of office space in Jet Airways Godrej building. According to real estate experts, the price quoted by Brookfield (which was also the auction reserve price) is fair given the current market conditions. Brookfield declined to comment. Private equity firm Blackstone had paid Rs 40,000 per square foot last year for 650,000 square feet in the same Bandra Kurla Complex. Ashok Kumar, managing director at Gennex Partners, a commercial real estate services firm, said the property would have fetched 10 per cent more if the market conditions had been normal. Its a fair price, given the prevailing market conditions. In fact, it is great that deals are happening in the current scenario, said Kumar. Jets two floors have been mortgaged to HDFC. Earlier this month, the National Company Law Tribunal allowed the sale of the property. The proceeds of the sale will be used to clear the grounded airlines debt. Around Rs 360 crore from the sale will be paid to HDFC against its claim of Rs 424 crore. A portion of the proceeds will be used to settle a pending aircraft loan from the US Exim Bank. Jet Airways shut down in April 2019 and has been under the insolvency process since June last year. The airlines resolution professional, Ashish Chhawchharia, has shortlisted four suitors and due diligence is underway. Typically, airline debt is not always backed by tangible assets and hence recovery from sale is not significant. For lenders, it is a Hobsons choice. However, resolution looks to be a better proposition, given Jet Airways brand recall and attractive cost base in the current situation, said Rajesh Prasad, chief strategy officer of Jet Airways. Ivanka Trump led an announcement Friday that President Trump has signed a new executive order prioritizing skills over degrees in federal hiring. She said that her father's order would allow for the 'talents and competencies of all Americans' to be recognized and allow for federal agencies to look past 'outdated degree requirements' in hiring. Trump's eldest daughter revealed that the order outlined a new direction for the nation's largest employer ahead of a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. Ivanka, one of the president's advisers, is co-chair of the board, which advises the administration on worker policy and has worked on improving job training to meet employers' changing needs. Scroll down for video Ivanka Trump is seen as President Trump delivers remarks at the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board meeting Friday and announced a new executive order that will place skills and knowledge ahead of degrees in federal hiring 'You are once again leading by example today with the EO signing,' Ivanka said to her father during the meeting. 'As the nation's largest employer, we are always seeking to retain the best and the brightest to serve the American people. 'Today were taking that next step, as you mentioned, and signing an executive order that directs federal agencies to hire based on skills and knowledge not just outdated degree requirements,' Ivanka continued. 'This will allow us to better recognize the talents and competencies of all Americans we hire.' President Trump struck the same tone as he discussed the order at the meeting, stating that it would 'replace outdated ... degree-based hiring with skills-based hiring. 'The federal government will no longer be narrowly focused on where you went to school but the skills and the talents that you bring to the job,' he said. Ivanka continued to praise the president as she addressed him and the rest of the board, claiming that 'you built once the most inclusive economy in this countrys history and youll build it again'. She added praise for his response to the coronavirus and providing aid to workers as unemployment figures soared. 'Last December, you fought for and secured paid leave for every federal worker,' she said. US President Donald Trump holds an executive order on "Continuing the President's National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board" which he signed Friday. It pledged to change the way the federal government hires staff US President Donald Trump and his daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump as the executive order was announced during a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board Friday 'This was a first - creating a workplace that reflect our American values of both work and family and helping us retain talent. 'Its also why you fought so hard this spring when COVID hit to secure paid sick leave for Americans employed by small businesses and additional funding for childcare providers,' she added, 'helping millions and millions of Americans remain employed and providing relief to small businesses across the country. 'This is going to ensure a stronger and faster recovery.' Ivanka Trump predicted the change in federal government hiring would create a more inclusive and talented workforce. She encouraged the private sector to follow the administration's lead. 'We are modernizing federal hiring to find candidates with the relevant competencies and knowledge, rather than simply recruiting based on degree requirements,' she said in a statement. Ivanka praised the president on Twitter after the announcement Friday Ahead of the meeting, the White House shared a video of Ivanka explaining the new order 'We encourage employers everywhere to take a look at their hiring practices and think critically about how initiatives like these can help diversify and strengthen their workforce.' 'Through our pledge to Americas workers, the private sector has committed to the training and education of over 16million American students and workers and this continues despite the vast change that the plague ushered in,' she said in Friday's meeting. 'Theyve been using their pledge commitment and fulfilling it by providing free tech training to American workers laid off as a result of COVID-19.' The federal government is the nation's largest employer with 2.1 million civilian workers, excluding postal service employees. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board's other co-chair, said the need for skills training and apprenticeships is as great as it was before the coronavirus pandemic forced millions of people out of work, pushing the national unemployment rate above 13 percent in May. 'Americans are eager to get to work but they need our help,' Ross told AP. U.S. President Donald Trump talks with White House adviser Ivanka Trump Friday as they announced a new executive order that will lessen the importance of a degree in federal hiring The White House isn't eliminating degree requirements altogether but instead will stress skills in jobs where having a degree is less important. Aides say the change will create more opportunities for Americans to work for the federal government by recognizing that some learning happens outside of classrooms. Ivanka Trump and other administration officials have pushed to increase opportunities for apprenticeships and have promoted such training and vocational education as alternatives to traditional two-year or four-year college degree programs. The Office of Personnel Management will be responsible for implementing the president's order. IBM is among the companies that have moved in this direction. Last year, 15 percent of its new U.S. hires had nontraditional backgrounds because they were evaluated based on skills instead of looking only at their degrees, Ginni Rometty, the companys executive chairman, said via the White House. 'We hired from new areas of the country, including under-served communities, and this promoted more diversity in the applications we received,' said Rometty. At the meeting, the workforce advisory board also announced details of a private-sector ad campaign led by Apple, IBM and the nonprofit Ad Council to promote alternate pathways to education. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Even to her family, Sister Rita Desrosiers was a spiritual presence. "My older brother said, The closest youll ever be to God on Earth is standing beside Sister Rita," said niece Rita Jolicoeur. "The presence of God was with her all the time." Supplied photos Sister Rita Desrosiers, a former Sister of Charity of Montreal, died on Feb. 6 at the age of 92. Desrosiers, who died Feb. 6 at age 92, spent decades as one of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, more commonly known as the Grey Nuns. But it was her almost five decades of service at St. Amant centre in Winnipeg, and everything she did to help the residents and push for their inclusion into society, that made her a legend. Ursula Remillard, director of mission and spiritual care at St. Amant, said Desrosiers was there when the first children with developmental disabilities came through its doors in 1959. "She herself would say that she had no idea that her life would be so profoundly impacted by responding to the needs of this group of children and their families," Remillard said. "As she began to know and understand the children, Sister Rita began to feel that this might be her own particular ministry within the mission of the Grey Nuns. Over those many years of service, Sister Rita saw and participated in many changes to support services for people with developmental disabilities." Desrosiers was born the third of eight children (five girls, three boys) to Desneiges and husband Magloire in Ste. Anne in 1927. She was only 12 when her mother died. "She was 12 and she took over the family," recalled younger sister Anna Jolicoeur. "I was only four or five. She helped on the farm, too." Desrosiers went to the country school in the community up until Grade 8, and continued her studies at the Grey Nuns convent there. What she saw would change her life. Supplied Family members say it was there Desrosiers became touched by the sisters love for the less fortunate. She joined the order Aug. 5, 1945, a few months after turning 18, made her temporary vows in 1948, and her perpetual vows in Montreal on Aug. 15, 1958. Religion ran deep in the Desrosiers family. The eldest sister, Orise became a nun with the Little Sisters of the Holy Family (Sherbrooke, Que.) when she was 24. "My dad was so proud of his two daughters who became nuns," said Jolicoeur. With the Grey Nuns, Desrosiers trained as a licensed practical nurse and soon was working at Ste. Rose General Hospital, Tache Nursing Centre, Berens River, and St. Boniface Sanatorium (before it became St. Amant). When Desrosiers arrived at what would become St. Amant, it was still caring for polio patients. Once a vaccine was found and the number of people contracting polio dropped dramatically, it was decided in 1959 it would begin serving a different population: children living with special needs. Supplied Remillard said three stories illustrate Desrosiers time at St. Amant, and her push for inclusivity: Desrosiers used some of the first donation money to buy leotards for the girls, to help them fit in better in the community; When St. Amant was preparing to open the citys first group home for people living with special needs in 1977, she and another Sister drove to a local school and parked outside to see what style of clothing children were wearing. They then shopped for the same types of clothes for the residents; When a group of teens at a St. Amant group home were getting ready to graduate from high school, she heard the teacher was planning only a small celebration in their class. Desrosiers pushed for them to graduate with the rest of the student body, and they did. "She made sure these kids clothing was just as current as everyone else. She did not want them on a lower level," Jolicoeur said. Supplied "She also wanted them to have a school diploma, too... and every Christmas, she put on a Christmas play. She made sure all the kids had Christmas costumes and that they would learn the songs." Sister Florence Caners said Desrosiers understood the needs of people living with special needs and non-verbal communication. "Not only was she a nurse, but also a teacher," good observer and listener, Caners said. "She shared deeply all their joys, hopes and sorrows," she said. "All became visibly comforted, happy and even excited when Sister Rita was with them. "Her life of dedication was a witness and an inspiration of her unconditional love, compassion and commitment as she bloomed wherever she was planted... She was small in stature, with a mighty big heart that loved deeply reaching out to everyone." In her last days, Desrosiers still lived to serve. Even as a resident at Tache, and using a wheelchair, she would check on others. "She would go to everybodys door and bless the people," Jolicoeur said. "She spent her life helping at home and then helping in the community. She was a gift." kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Voldemort No More? Putin Foe Navalny Makes Rare Appearance On Russian State TV By Tony Wesolowsky June 26, 2020 For years, Aleksei Navalny has chronicled alleged corruption and exposed potential misdeeds by President Vladimir Putin and some of his closest allies. And for years, amid frequent stints in jail on charges supporters say have been trumped up, the vocal Kremlin foe has -- for the most part -- been pointedly ignored by Putin, his aides, and state media outlets. That's why it came as a shock to friends and enemies alike when a program on Russia state-run television not only broadcast Navalny's name but also aired some of his criticisms of Putin's government. 60 Minutes is a popular talk show with a panel of guests slugging it out -- within tightly controlled limits on the issues of the day as Kremlin-loyal hosts Yevgeny Popov and Olga Skabeyeva oversee the spectacle. Airing on the state-run Rossia-1 network, the June 25 edition dedicated time to discussing the delayed Victory Day parade held in Moscow a day earlier. The military parade, with its thousands of soldiers and hardware on display in Red Square, was moved back due to the COVID-19 pandemic from its traditional date of May 9, when the Allied victory over Nazi Germany is normally commemorated in Russia. Though lockdowns have rolled back, critics questioned the wisdom of spending lots of cash on a parade and of holding it at all -- at a time when Russia continues to record thousands of new coronavirus infections daily. Russia has the third-highest number of coronavirus infections in the world after the United States and Brazil, with nearly 620,000 confirmed cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the United States. And with social distancing judged to be the key to slowing the spread of the coronavirus, many felt it foolhardy to hold such a mass event. Among the most outspoken critics has been Navalny. "The whole country is amazed: What the hell do we need a parade for? What is it needed for?" Navalny said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. "Everyone in the country knows that all this madness is done for one person only." Many Putin opponents say he timed the parade in a bid to stoke patriotic sentiment and bolster support for a June 25 to July 1 vote on constitutional amendments, including one allowing the 67-year-old leader to seek two more presidential terms and potentially rule until 2036. On the 60 Minutes program, part of Navalny's YouTube video was aired as the two hosts and guest panelists stared up at the big screen. On Twitter, blogger Rustem Adagamov posted a segment of the show, writing: "On Rossia-1 TV channel they are giving a lot of time to Navalny, who is blasting Putin for his carnival parade. Well done!" The program also cited Lyubov Sobol, a lawyer and prominent opposition figure who is a member of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation. "My father turned on the television, by chance to Rossia-1, and there was your face," Twitter user Artyom Matveyev wrote in a post that included a screenshot of the show featuring Sobol. "They were discussing something about criticism of the parade." Several people who commented on social media said that although Navalny's stance was slammed on the program by the hosts and by many of the panelists with the exception of the token government critic his views seemed to be given a fair hearing and the show included a number of quotes from him and from Sobol. Commentators also noted that the program focused on Navalny's breakdown of the cost of the parade. In a blog post on June 22, Navalny said that the state had spent almost 1 billion rubles ($14.4 million) on the parade, not including expenditures from the military budget. "You could buy medicine for pensioners for this money," he said in the post, in a comment that was not quoted on the show. "Two and a half months people [were] at home, half of them without work or salaries. A parade is the last thing on their minds. But this bunker grandpa wants a parade, he needs to show himself off on the reviewing stand." Navalny himself had little to say about his inclusion on the program. On his YouTube channel, Navalny -- who came in second in a Moscow mayoral election in 2013, has attempted to run for president, and is a trained lawyer -- noted with a laugh that he was described only as a blogger. The 60 Minutes program also took aim at coverage by Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, questioning polling data broadcast by Current Time that suggested, among other things, that a majority of those Russians surveyed think Russian state media coverage involving World War II is "complete propaganda." The sudden attention is a change, given that Kremlin officials have so assiduously avoided referring to Navalny by name that he has been likened to Lord Voldemort, the villain in British author J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels who is sometimes called He Who Must Not Be Named and You Know Who. It could be aimed to appease opponents and present a softer stance amid the weeklong vote on constitutional changes. But it may not mark a major rethink by the Kremlin on Navalny, who has twice been convicted of financial crimes in cases he and supporters contend were fabricated to prevent him from challenging Putin in elections. Earlier this month, Russian authorities opened a criminal case against Navalny, accusing him of slandering a veteran of World War II. The case, announced on June 15 by the Investigative Committee, stems from comments Navalny posted on social media about a video on state-funded RT television. In it, several prominent Russians speak in favor of the constitutional vote. Among those featured was 93-year-old veteran Ignat Artemenko. Navalny's post criticized the people in the video, suggesting they were "without conscience." The case against Navalny says the comments were "false information discrediting the honor and dignity of a veteran of the Great Patriotic War." Russian officials bridle at any criticism connected to the Red Army's actions in the war, especially as the country marks the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. If convicted, Navalny could face a fine of up to one year's income or 240 hours of community service. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/voldemort -no-more-putin-foe-navalny- makes-rare-appearance-on- russian-state-tv/30692535.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Making an alcohol-free cocktail can be as simple as opening a can of Bloody Mary mix, but with a little more ambition, the home bartender can create tasty, refreshing and intriguing drinks. In recent years, a number of companies have introduced alcohol-free spirits, like Seedlip, an English brand of complex botanical and spice concoctions. From Australia, Lyres is a new brand of stand-ins for malt whiskey, rum, gin, coffee liqueur, Italian-style aperitifs and more in fancy bottles (named for that countrys lyrebird). Spiritless, an alcohol-free bourbon from Kentucky, is scheduled to hit the market any day. All of these are distinguished by being distilled, supposedly making them closer to the real thing. But without investing in these impossible boozes, there aremany ways to create sophisticated mocktails. Some, like the unspiked cosmopolitan that follows, can be made by the pitcher to serve over ice and enhance anyones summer picnic, including childrens. (For those who insist, you can always offer vodka on the side.) The one relatively uncommon item that is worth investing in is verjus, the alcohol-free juice of unripe green grapes, usually made by wineries. In the kitchen, it is a milder stand-in for vinegar (wine vinegars do have a little alcohol). But in a glass topped with soda or good tonic water and a spritz of lime, it becomes an easy party drink. It can replace the rum in a mojito or the cachaca in a caipirinha. An excellent verjus is made by Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, N.Y., but there are others. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 23rd Jun, 2020) H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has reviewed ways of fostering bilateral relations between the UAE and Turkmenistan with Rashid Meredov, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan. In a recent video call, Sheikh Abdullah and Meredov discussed boosting joint cooperation in various fields, including political, economic, commercial, education, innovation, food security, oil and gas, and scientific research. The ministers also discussed regional developments as well as their countries' efforts to curb the repercussions of the novel coronavirus. They agreed it was necessary to unite the experiences of research centres in both countries by exchanging research findings and sharing the latest in advanced testing to detect the virus. Furthermore, they pledged to collaborate in supporting global efforts to find a vaccine for COVID-19. The two foreign ministers also stressed the importance of international cooperation and solidarity in combating the pandemic and to address its effects and repercussions at various levels. The Turkmenistan Foreign Minister conveyed the greetings of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and his wishes for the UAE further progress and development. Sheikh Abdullah, in turn, reciprocated the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, to President Berdimuhamedow and their wishes for progress and prosperity to the Turkmenistan. H.H. also affirmed his keenness to boost UAE-Turkmenistan strategic ties based on the distinguished relations between both countries leadership and people. He commended the preventive and precautionary measures taken by Turkmenistan to counter the virus. The UAE Foreign Minister hailed the cooperation of members of the Turkmenistani community residing in the country and their commitment to the preventive and precautionary measures applied. The video call was attended by Abdulnasser Al Shaali, Assistant Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Serdarmammet Saparmammedovich Garajaev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to UAE; as well as a number of senior officials from both sides. Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Saturday announced that he would work for a new political alternative in Bihar to replace the Nitish Kumar government due to its utter failure on multiple fronts. Assembly elections are due in Bihar in October-November. After ousted JD-U leader and poll strategist Prashant Kishors Baat Bihar ki campaign to usher in change by involving youth and a self-proclaimed chief ministerial candidate for Bihar in the Assembly elections Pushpam Priya Choudharys ongoing drive through social media, veteran Sinhas foray added another twist to the battle of Bihar where a range of political parties will be jostling for power. Sinha, who quit the BJP in April 2018, said at a press conference that the new formation was in the process of making and would contest elections on a common agenda of Is Baar Badlo Bihar (Change Bihar this time). The government will have a big role to play in the making of a better Bihar and the present dispensation is incapable to doing it, as has been proved in the last 15 years. The focus is on replacing it with a government that is sensitive to peoples needs, he added. Also Watch | PM Modi launches Rs 50,000 crore-scheme to create jobs for migrants A former Union finance minister, Sinha did not rule out the possibility of contesting the elections himself. I dont cross my bridges before I get to them. I am known for surprising at times. I have decided to devote the rest of my life for changing Bihar after the worst ever humiliation I have had to face due to heart-ending sight of migrants from Bihar returning to the state braving untold miseries, he added. Flanked by former ministers in Nitish Kumar Cabinet Renu Kushwaha, Narendra Singh, former Jehanabad MP Arun Kumar, five-time MP from Jhanjharpur Devendra Prasad Yadav, former MP Purnmasi Ram, former union minister Nagmani and a host of other leaders, including Asfaq Rehman, Imtiyaz Ahmad and former MLA Sidhnath Rai, Sinha said more leaders were in touch with him to give the people of Bihar a viable alternative, as they were badly looking for one after feeling cheated. Former Bihar Speaker Uday Naraayan Choudhary is also said to be in touch with Sinha. If this is the condition of Bihar 73 years after independence that every year 40-lakh people have to move out in search of livelihood, it speaks a lot about governance. If Bihar remains at the bottom of the human development index (HDI) index and poverty index, has the lowest per capita income of Rs 47541, which is one-third of the national average, and the education and health sectors remain in a deplorable state, there is not much left to explain, he added. Himself an alumni of Patna Univeristy, Sinha said the university had been left with barely one or two teachers in several post-graduate departments, as most of the posts had remained vacant in Bihars higher education institutions. In the last fiscal, barely 33% of the rural road construction target could be completed. Bihar has barely 1.5% share in industries across the country. And to top it all, there is all-pervasive corruption, with money disappearing from treasury, he said, in a direct attack on the Nitish Kumar government. He also urged the Election Commission to consider the prevailing situation before deciding whether it would be proper to hold elections. Virtual campaigns and digital voting are mere tools of cheating the people. It will be heavily loaded in favour of rich parties. Besides, one never knows what shape Covid-19 would take. It may peak in October-November. Right now, there is hardly any testing in Bihar, but the figure has gone past 8,000. There will also be flood scenario in 21 districts. The EC has to take a call taking everything into consideration, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 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 oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff New Delhi, Aug 27: Three months after the stand-off at the Galwan valley, a survey was conducted on India-China relationship by the Chinese mouthpiece, Global Times, and the results show that the Chinese citizens are not happy with the actions of their leaders. In this survey, it has been revealed that the Chinese citizens like India with more than 50 per cent holding a favorable impression of China. Almost 51 per cent respondents appreciate the Modi government. Newest First Oldest First For India, the LAC runs along 16 districts across one union territory (Ladakh) and four states (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh). Chinas biggest tech company Huawei is trying to woo India by running big advertisements on all leading dailies of India. More than 30 per cent feel the ties will improve, and almost nine per cent of the respondents said they see improvement in the short term, while 25 per cent feel things will improve in the long term. Nearly 70 per cent believe the anti-China sentiment in India is excessive. As efforts are on to de-escalate ongoing tension at Line of Actual Control, China on Wednesday said that it sees India as a partner instead of a rival and an opportunity instead of a threat. Relations between India and China have been tense after Indian troops clashed with PLA soldiers at Galwan Valley on June 15 leading to the death of 20 Indian soldiers, although Chinese troops also suffered casualties but China's foreign ministry has refused to divulge figures. Chinese ambassador to India Sun Weidong speaking at the China-India Youth webinar said that China sees India as a "partner instead of a rival and an opportunity instead of a threat." Darcha is 147 kilometres from Manali and lies on the highway to Leh after Jispa and Keylong across Rohtang La. The Darcha-Padum-Nimu route requires only a single 4.5 km tunnel through the 16,570 feet Shingo La between Darcha and Padum to ensure that the road is closed only for two months in winter. According to military commanders, the need to build the third axis was felt as tunnelling would be required under four more high mountain passes on the existing Manali-Leh route if the road has to be kept open throughout the year. In an effort to ensure that the project meets its two-year deadline, Gadkaris ministry has proposed that the task to build the tunnel should be given to the company that constructed the 9.02 km tunnel at Rohtang La on the condition that it meets the timeline. The project, which has been in the pipeline for a decade, is scheduled to be completed by the defence ministry within two years. Officials said the third route requires upgrading the Darcha-Padum-Nimu trekking route into a metalled road and building a 4.5 kilometre tunnel under Shingo La on the Darcha-Padum route. New Delhi perceives Beijings reluctance to disengage despite reminders as an effort to set a new normal at the border. The defence ministrys road project is being given its hardest push by road and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and his colleague Gen VK Singh after China provoked a standoff along the Line of Actual Control in East Ladakh and started mobilising troops in depth areas. Senior military commanders said the third route to feed Ladakh by road is urgently needed given how Pakistan and its all-weather friend, China were eyeing the Siachen Glacier and Daulat Beg Oldie. Nimu is 35 kilometres from Leh town and headquarters of XIV Corps responsible for the defence of East Ladakh and Siachen Glacier. Indias national security planners are pushing hard to complete an all-weather strategic route to Ladakh that will link Darcha in Himachal Pradesh to Nimu via Padum in Kargils Zanskar valley, people familiar with the matter said The Chinese ambassador also said that they will encourage language learning and communication. With the help of Indian colleges and universities, Chinese colleges and universities carry out the study of Hindi, Tamil and Bengali. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India 70 years ago, Sun said, bilateral relations have withstood tests and become more resilient. He said Chinas President Xi Jinping has said that Beijing will neither import foreign models of development, nor export the Chinese model and ask other countries to copy its practice. On a question on support to Indians aspiring to learn Chinese language, Sun said a strong team of Chinese teachers will help cultivate more Indian students who understand Chinese and love Chinese culture. China and India, neighboring countries, should live in peace and avoid conflicts, he said. Sun said that in order to achieve development goals, both countries need a peaceful and favourable external environment. In the webinar, Sun said, As two rising major neighbours, China and India should abandon the old mindset of drawing lines by ideology, and get rid of the old game of ones gain is anothers loss and zero-sum game. The CMC, which is the overall high command of the Chinese military is headed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. On August 14, Misri met Maj. Gen. Ci Guowei, Director of the Office of International Military Cooperation of Chinas Central Military Commission, (CMC) and briefed him about Indias stance vis-a-vis the situation on the borders in eastern Ladakh Union Territory. On August 14, Misri met Maj. Gen. Ci Guowei, Director of the Office of International Military Cooperation of Chinas Central Military Commission, (CMC) and briefed him about Indias stance vis-a-vis the situation on the borders in eastern Ladakh Union Territory. In recent weeks, Misri met a senior official of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and senior General of Chinese military and briefed them on Indias stance on the situation at the borders in eastern Ladakh Union Territory. Indian Embassy officials told PTI here that the closed-door meeting was part of the continuing outreach activities with all shades of Chinese opinion on the state of relations between the two countries. The Indian Army officer killed the clash was the commanding officer of a battalion at Galwan. There was no firing. Apparently the two sides clashed with stones and rods. There are various accounts on the number of casualties on the Chinese side. Some accounts suggest 5, while the others say it is 3. However there is no official word on the same. The visit by Army Chief General M M Naravane to Pathankot has been cancelled. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said if the Chinese can "shoot dead" three Indian soldiers during the 'de-escalation process', one can imagine how serious the situation must have been in the first place. Earlier in the day, the Indian Army said an officer and two soldiers were killed in a violent confrontation with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Monday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be discussing the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a short while from now. Singh has already met Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, the three service chiefs and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar. We will eventually learn about the details of what happened in Ladakh. That is our right. But right now, we must grieve with & stand by the families of our martyred soldiers. And stand solidly in support of our armed forces. anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 16, 2020 Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra's tweet: Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the situation along the Line of Actual Control. Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter to say that the nation wants to know why there is no talk of retaliation. Taking to Twitter, Mufti wrote,''Seems like China has hijacked the aggressive ghar main ghuske marengay militaristic approach. Nation deserves to know why there is no talk of retaliation to avenge the death of three Indian army personnel!.'' Congrress leader Shashi Tharoor: The tragic news from Ladakh is shocking & calls for resolute handling by our Govt. Meanwhile, let us bow our heads in tribute to the three martyrs who gave their lives to protect India, and honour those who serve on our borders every day, risking their lives for our nation. Both sides have been ascertaining that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is important to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. China has lodged solemn representations and protests to India. Here, we are sternly demanding India to earnestly abide by the relevant agreement and strictly restrain their frontline troops. They should not cross the borderlines says Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has met with External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar and Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat and discussed the situation along the LAC. Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said that China has lodged solemn representations and protests to India. Here, we are sternly demanding India to earnestly abide by the relevant agreement and strictly restrain their frontline troops. They should not cross the borderlines, Lijian said. "Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash", tweets Editor In Chief of Chinese Newspaper Global Times The happening in the #Galwanvalley is a continuation of violations by China. It is time now that the country stands up to these incursions. Our soldiers are not fair game that every few days officers and men are being killed and injured defending our borders. (1/2) Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) June 16, 2020 Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the happening in Galwan Valley is a continuation of violations by China and added that it is time now that India stood up to these incursions. The talks are being held between Major General Abhijit Bapat, the commander of the Karu based HQ3 Infantry Division and his Chinese counterpart. The talks are being held at the site of the clash. Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav took to Twitter and wrote, "Received the report of a commanding officer and two soldiers of Indian Army being killed in a 'violent face-off' with Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. Heartfelt condolences." He also said that he expects a clarification on the ground reality of situation. UPA LAC ? ? Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) June 16, 2020 Congress leader Kapil Sibal slammed the Union government for failing to respond to Chinese action in Ladakh. He also took pot shot on Prime Minister's 56-inch chest. Indian troops seriously violated consensus of the two sides by illegally crossing the border twice and carrying out provocative attacks on Chinese soldiers. This resulted in serious physical clashes, Chinas Global Times said while quoting foreign minister, Wang Yi. Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday termed as 'disturbing' the violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley and said the government should offer a clearer picture to the nation on the border issue. He sought to know as to how Indian soldiers lost their lives during a de-escalation process and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh should come out with a clearer picture. "Saddened by the news of the martyrdom of our boys in the Galwan Valley. I salute their indomitable courage, selflessness and sacrifice," said VK Singh. The editor of Global Times posted on Twitter, based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, dont be arrogant and misread Chinas restraint as being weak. China doesnt want to have a clash with India, but we dont fear it. The talks between the two sides are still continuing and efforts are on to defuse tensions between India and China after a violent clash occurred. The situation still remains fluid in Ladakh. Hectic talks are on to defuse the tensions along the Line of Actual Control. The Congress has termed as "shocking" and "unacceptable" the death of an Indian Army officer and two soldiers in a violent face-off with the Chinese troops, and asked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to confirm the development. "Shocking, Unbelievable and Unacceptable! Will the Raksha Mantri confirm," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter. Saddened by the news of the martyrdom of our boys in the Galwan Valley. I salute their indomitable courage, selflessness & sacrifice. Jai Hind!! Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) June 16, 2020 Saddened by the news of the martyrdom of our boys in the Galwan Valley. I salute their indomitable courage, selflessness and sacrifice, Union Minister, General V K Singh said. AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter to condemn the killings of three Indian army personnel. "India stands with the 3 brave martyrs who were killed by China today in Galwan. My thoughts are with families of Colonel & 2 brave soldiers. The commanding officer was leading from the front. The government must avenge these killings & ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain," Owaisi tweeted. The Farmington Hills Police Department is seeking the publics help finding a missing man last seen near Middlebelt and 10 Mile Road. Kehsaun Jones is described as black, 5-foot-11, 150 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a dark blue and orange Denver Broncos jersey, blue jeans and sandals. His family states he is cognitively impaired, and they are concerned for his welfare. Anyone with information is asked to call the Farmington Hills Police Department at (248)871-2610. NEW YORK - A federal judge on Friday blocked New York state from enforcing coronavirus restrictions limiting indoor religious gatherings to 25% capacity when other types of gatherings are limited to 50%. Judge Gary Sharpe enjoined Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Attorney General Letitia James from enforcing some of the capacity restrictions put in place by executive order to contain the spread of the virus. The plaintiffs religious activities will be burdened and continue to be treated less favourably than comparable secular activities, Sharpe said in his 38-page ruling from Albany. The plaintiffs, two Catholic priests from upstate New York and three Orthodox Jewish congregants from Brooklyn, argued that the restrictions violated their First Amendment rights to practice their religion. The plaintiffs said the restrictions forced the Rev. Steven Soos and the Rev. Nicholas Stamos, members of the breakaway Society of St. Pius X, to either turn away parishioners who wished to attend Mass or to hold more Masses per day than are possible. Christopher Ferrara, an attorney for the plaintiffs, called the unequal restrictions an irrational targeting of houses of worship. The idea that houses of worship are some deadly viral vector unlike anything else is just superstition, Ferrara said in a telephone interview. Theres no science to support that. Restrictions limiting the number of people who can attend outdoor religious gatherings will also be lifted by the injunction. The New York State Catholic Conference said New York bishops were not involved in the lawsuit. But spokesman Dennis Poust said he anticipated that our churches will continue to voluntarily follow state guidelines as a matter of prudential judgment. The judge noted that both Cuomo and de Blasio have expressed approval for protests against racism and police brutality that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month while continuing to support restrictions on religious gatherings. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio could have just as easily discouraged protests, short of condemning their message, in the name of public health and exercised discretion to suspend enforcement for public safety reasons instead of encouraging what they knew was a flagrant disregard of the outdoor limits and social distancing rules, he said. The Department of Justice called the decision a win for religious freedom and the civil liberties of New Yorkers. The courts decision is consistent with positions and arguments made by the United States Department of Justice in similar filings and letters, including in New York City and elsewhere around the country, said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division in a statement. The Department of Justice will continue to support people of faith who seek equal treatment against threats and actions by public officials who discriminate against them because of their religion. A spokesperson for Cuomo said the governors office will review the decision. A spokesperson for the New York City law department said, We will review this new ruling and work with the state on next steps. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the priests are members of Society of St. Pius X, not Roman Catholics. Film is a powerful tool when attempting to explore complex narratives. Whether were far removed from or close and intimate with the characters on screen, film encourages us to listen, reflect and analyze the stories of others, providing an escape from our everyday realities. Thats why movies are so compelling in teaching us about who we are and how weve been shaped by our history. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Film is a powerful tool when attempting to explore complex narratives. Whether were far removed from or close and intimate with the characters on screen, film encourages us to listen, reflect and analyze the stories of others, providing an escape from our everyday realities. Thats why movies are so compelling in teaching us about who we are and how weve been shaped by our history. While the exposure of injustice on Black lives is at the centre of todays public conversation, collective themes of resilience, passion, trauma and revolution echo in narratives of the Black experience in film. As the festival director for the Afro Prairie Film Festival, supporting emerging and established Black Canadian filmmakers on screen and behind the scenes has been my driving force. Hoping to confront and reshape the Eurocentrism of Winnipegs arts and film community, being the director of a Black film festival has been an experience of turbulence and progress. Alexa Joy (Supplied) It all started with a question I had back in 2013, when I was introduced to a pioneering Black Manitoba filmmaker. In February of that year, I attended a tribute retrospective screening for Winston Washington Moxam, whose work captured the essence of navigating as a Black person through the passive, awkward and communal aggressive traits of anti-Blackness in what we call "Friendly Manitoba." Little did I know that night would be the influence behind the work I do today. The screening presented four films of Moxams career back to back: From the Other Side (1992), The Barbecue (1993), Sand (1999) and his first feature-length, Barbara James (2001), played to a packed house of Winnipeg film enthusiasts, Moxams friends and family, and interested community members, such as myself at the time. As I watched each film, directed and delivered with captivating vulnerability, truth and awareness far ahead of Moxams time, I thought, "Why have I never heard of him before?" Its a frequently asked question, rooted in frustration for the lack of support and mainstream exposure Black artists continue to suffer from in the Canadian arts world. As we enter into a new stage of national attention on the voices and lives of Black people in Canada and around the world, one thing is clear: our stories will no longer go unheard. Film is a strong artistic element with which to explore our stories; filmmakers like Moxam give the audience a glimpse into Canadas backyard, peeking through a window this country has tried to keep shut for too long. Here are five Black Canadian films that help expose the structural white supremacy in our country that is rooted in anti-Blackness, delivered via an essential medium that forces us to sit and pay attention. While the rich history of Black cinema in Canada has been neglected in the mainstream Canadian film industry, there are too many brilliant Black Canadian directors to mention. But for todays conversation, the themes rooted in our collective resistance are, I think, beautifully depicted in these works that speak to the tumultuous times we live in now, but are no stranger to. NFB Sylvia Hamilton & Claire Prietos 1989 National Film Board of Canada documentary, Black Mother Black Daughter Sylvia Hamilton and Claire Prietos 1989 National Film Board of Canada documentary, Black Mother Black Daughter, follows the histories of Black women in Nova Scotia, sharing intimate memories of women who fought, contributed and invested in their communities. This film (available to view for $2.99 at nfb.ca), accompanied by an enduring musical backdrop, not only reminds us of the significance of resistance demonstrated by Black Scotians but provides an insight into the forgotten and misunderstood history of slavery in Canada. It leaves its audience with an education on the erasure of Black people across the country and what it means to pass on your history; it also reminds viewers that, yes, we have a rich Black history in Canada. https://www.youtube.com/watch?rel=0&wmode=transparent" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> The Skin Were In (2017), directed by Charles Officer and available to stream on CBC Gem, follows acclaimed journalist Desmond Cole as he researches his book of the same name. Coles exploration of Black activism in Canada exposes the age-old convenient ignorance and collective denial of racism in our country, though some of us like to proclaim we are "not as bad as the U.S." Through Officer and Coles documentation of structural violence inflicted on Black communities across Canada (building off the Black Lives Matter movement), this film interrupts the Canadian ignorance that continues to reject the idea that racism and white supremacy uphold our institutions. The Skin Were In gives you the tools to debate the idea that our country is free from oppression the next time you find yourself in a conversation that starts "Canada is not as bad as" https://www.youtube.com/watch?rel=0&wmode=transparent" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> At the risk of making this list seem Toronto-centric, its important to note that 80 per cent of Canadas Black population lives in Ontario. This statistic helps us understand, regionally, the contributions of historical Black activism and sets a strong tone for the history of Black resilience in Canada. Though the struggle is real across the country and around the world, Phillip Pikes Our Dance of Revolution (2019) a documentary about the history of Torontos Black queer community speaks to the new leaders of the movement in a community within a community, one that has, at times, been displaced or forgotten about in the history of Black liberation. The film exposes the invisibility of Black queer leadership and their contributions in the fight for systemic change and justice. Informed by the resilience, vulnerability and tireless direction of radical activists and organizers, Our Dance of Revolution opens the dialogue with the shutdown of Torontos Pride by Black Lives Matter Toronto. The film walks through four decades of Black queer rebellion in Toronto from the early days of Blockorama, an annual block party designed to interrupt the whiteness of Pride and dismantle the invisibility of Black queer communities. This documentary amplifies the history of Black queer resistance while making us aware that to deny those activists role denies the history of Black liberation in Canada. Inspired by documentary entitled The Woman I Have Become, Promise Me (2019), directed by Alison Duke, walks through the painful realities of a single-parent family as a young daughter Charlie sticks by her mother Yolonda, who is fighting a battle against HIV/AIDS. As Charlies school begins to grow more concerned with her absence and sliding academic engagement, Promise Me exposes the failing education, health and childcare systems disproportionately affecting Black families in Canada. Dukes ability to capture the anxiety Yolonda and Charlie experience while trying to manage overwhelming grief and stress, and dealing with state surveillance, educates the audience on how the child welfare system in Canada contributes to the dismantling of Black families. Though the end of the film depicts Charlies increasing lack of control over her and her mothers situation, the love and unbreakable bond between them remind us that family comes in many forms and love is always present even in times of pain. Its no coincidence that the suggested films focus on experiences of not just Black communities, but the women and queer folks in those communities. As we see a resurgence of young energy in todays Black Lives Matter movement, its notable that women are at the centre of this momentum. This shows us the importance of reinforcing the stories of Black women and queer voices. Storma Mcdonald as Barbara James Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Our last selection takes us back to Winnipeg with Moxams Barbara James (2001). Barbara James, a young woman whos struggling with a contentious relationship with her mother, faces an unplanned pregnancy that forces her to find herself under unforeseen circumstances. Moxams intriguing storytelling accurately re-enacts the complexities of interracial-relationships and again masterfully depicts how to navigate whiteness as a Black person in Winnipeg. (Actor Beverly Ndukwu, who is profiled on page G3 of todays Free Press, plays Barbara as a young girl.) This was Moxams first feature-length film, but his 1993 short film The Barbecue complements the themes in Barbara James: white-fetishization of the Black woman, white-Winnipeg ignorance and racism. It could be considered the Manitoban 90s version of Jordan Peeles acclaimed horror film Get Out in the way it attempts to pinpoint how to stay safe when youre the only Black person at the long-weekend barbecue, or how to confront the difference between fetishization and appreciation. However you read this film, its both comedic and a tad tragic, but appreciates the journey of a Black womans healing process and reminds us at no matter what age you are, you can always get a second chance in life. Exploring Black narratives on screen not only depicts our stories our history, resilience, pain and vulnerability but highlights the depths of our shared collective experience in this country. Whether in Halifax, Toronto or Winnipeg, we are in a time where Black voices will no longer go unheard. Using film to dive deeper in the experiences of our communities is a simple, immersive way to explore how our history has shaped our current moment. The power of Black cinema will always encourage audiences in and outside of the Black community to listen and pay attention. It reminds us that ignorance is a choice, not an option; film can teach us all something about ourselves. Alexa Joy is a Winnipeg writer, activist and researcher, and the festival director for the Afro Prairie Film Festival. @MC_Woke Two Birmingham pastry chefs have started a virtual cake auction to raise money for the Dannon Project, a program that assists people previously incarcerated with reentry and job training services. Bidding for the auction -- organized by Megan Lankford and Janet Norman -- launched around midnight on June 26 and ends at midnight on June 27. Bidding starts at $20, and so far, the highest bid is $500 for a double layer pistachio cake from Birmingham chef Hassan Gooden. Like many of their peers in the citys culinary scene, Lankford and Norman have a lot more time on their hands as restaurants navigate operating during the global health crisis. In a Thursday interview with AL.com, the chefs said theyve spent that time watching, listening and learning. Listening to conversations amid the groundswell of protests in Birmingham and around the nation demanding police reform and justice for George Floyd as well as past victims of police brutality; watching the removal of the Confederate monument in Linn Park; and reading the posts on social media from their peers. Members of Birminghams tight-knit culinary industry have been keeping a watchful eye on current events. Some have joined protests led and organized by activist and veteran bartender, Erica Starr Robbins. Others are raising funds from bail money for protesters to non-profits dedicated to social justice and equality. Last week, both Lankford and Norman donated their culinary technique for Bakers Against Racism, a virtual bake sale aimed at raising funds for social justice and ending the unjust treatment of Black people in America. Lankford is the co-founder of Bham Femme, a collective for women in Birminghams culinary industry and Norman, who is on the pastry team at Bottega and a member of Bham Femme, is also an organizer of Birmingham Bakers, a collective of a dozen bakers in the city who formed a group to raise funds to support anti-racist work. Fellow pastry chef Kristen Hall sparked the idea after suggesting bakers -- both professional and hobbyist -- combine talents to make boxes of cookies for the bake sale. We didnt know what to call it. Some of us are still furloughed. Some of us are still in between jobs, so we wanted to call it Birmingham Bakers, said Norman. Lankford and Norman, who started planning the virtual auction before joining the worldwide virtual bake sale, recruited nearly 35 professional and home bakers to make cakes for the auction. The end result is 30 cakes, including a dog-friendly cake, courtesy of The Urban Dog Mom. The assortment of cakes for the June virtual cake auction, organized by Bham Femme and Birmingham Bakers. (Photography by Emma Simmons, styled by Megan Lankford and Janet Norman) Dog friendly cake by The Urban Dog Mom (Photography by Emma Simmons, styled by Megan Lankford and Janet Norman) Norman says she chose to raise money for The Dannon Project after a woman approached her about the organization. Norman, who has dedicated some time in recent months to learn more about mass incarceration, wanted to find a way to contribute. Ive been wanting to do more volunteer work. But, like I said, before the pandemic, I didnt have the time. You work. Youre exhausted, and you go home, eat dinner and go to bed. Then you wake up and do the same thing again, said Norman. So, its really important to me that I am able to do what I can for the community now, especially because I dont know when Im going to have the time again. The pastry chefs say people came out in droves to help with the cause and spread the word about the auction. And the assistance wasnt limited to bakers -- some people donated cake stands and boxes. Others helped with the photo shoots and food styling. There was so much help, in fact, that Lankford and Norman may start planning a second auction. Some people couldnt drop off their own cakes, because they had to work. So they had people drop off their cakes for them, said Norman. As soon as some people who delivered the cakes saw what we were doing, they were like next time you do this let me know. So, theres a strong possibility that we may have another version. We spoke to Lankford and Norman about what inspired the initiative, how Birminghams food industry can impact social justice and why they dont want to stay silent. AL.COM: Talk a little bit about what inspired the idea behind the virtual cake auction. MEGAN LANKFORD: Obviously, ever since COVID hit, our country has constantly been disappointed. And I think that Janet and I were just angry one day. We were having a conversation over text messages and kind of wanted to put that anger to good use and bake it away, I guess. JANET NORMAN: Yes, find some way to make a difference in our community. The only thing we know how to do is bake some stuff. We might as well have a bake sale. MEGAN LANKFORD: And we have quite a lot of free time on our hands at the moment. So... There are so many projects for social justice coming out of Birminghams food and beverage industry right now. Talk a little bit about the climate and the inclination to do these projects. JANET NORMAN: The want has always been there, but the time hasnt. I think thats the beauty of the combination of COVID and just all of the racial injustice thats been brought to everyones attention right now. And I feel like its kind of backfiring on any political control thats happening. Because where they messed up was... we have all this time in the world to pay attention to articles and educate ourselves. So now were finally learning the real American history and its nauseating to be completely honest with you. And honestly, the service industry is a beautiful mix of all kinds of cultures and it wouldnt be the service industry without it. So, were made up of a team of people who are just completely different. And I think the fact that not everybody gets to experience the kind of diversity that we do, its just kind of like [I want to tell people] just shut up and listen. MEGAN LANKFORD: I think thats the driving force of the service industry being so involved. Were made up of nothing but diversity. And without diversity, the wonderful culinary experiences that everybody has wouldnt exist. On the other side, there have been situations like the one at Parkside and later, the Woolworth. What are your thoughts about people who arent... JANET NORMAN: People that arent quite as on board as we would have hoped? Yes, thats almost exactly what I was about to say. And not even just about the recent protests. But also on board with social awareness in terms of current events and reading the room. What are your general feelings about seeing those kinds of responses? MEGAN LANKFORD: For me personally, and I cant speak for everyone. Sometimes its a little bit shocking. But sometimes its a little bit heartbreaking. I guess for Parkside, I know a lot of people who work at Parkside and I know a lot of them dont feel the way that that one individual felt. So, it sucks that one person is taking down everyone along with them. But its also just...Its heartbreaking at the end of the day. Because you look at a lot of these business owners and you think Have you looked at your staff in the face and said those words that you just said? I know that your staff isnt all white and I know that your staff is so diverse. [I know you] havent looked at all of them in the face and...I...I dont know. Janet might have more to say on that. JANET NORMAN: Well, its just...Ive found a lot of disappointment. For me, I just always compare other people to myself and how I would react in situations. Im not saying that my way is the best way. But, its just disappointing when I notice silence. Silence is just disappointing. MEGAN LANKFORD: To me, silence is louder than anything. It will hit me randomly and Ill be like you know...so and so hasnt said a single thing about this topic. Its kind of like Where have you been? A screenshot of the virtual cake auction website before the photographs (Courtesy) JANET NORMAN: And its kind of like...none of this is new information. Ive noticed these things the day I moved to Alabama in 2000, I think was the year. So, its not a new thing for me to speak out on these injustices, but I feel like, now that Im an adult and I get to call the shots, I dont have to accept things that...[pauses]. You know, our whole lives we were told that we just have to suck it up and thats just how its always been. But its like, no, were the adults now and we can do things. MEGAN LANKFORD: Were responsible for the change thats happening. We can no longer look at the people who are older than us and expect them to change it. Were it now. We have to change it. And obviously generations before have done what they can. But theres still a lot of work that needs to be done. Lets talk a little more about how this all came together. MEGAN LANKFORD: Right now, we have a strange mix of people in the industry. We have people who are either unemployed and have all the time in the world on their hands, or you have people that are working, but they dont have a full staff right now. So, people who are working have absolutely no free time. There are people who have all the time and who have no time. So, we wanted to have something that was easy to drop off for people who didnt have a lot of free time and wanted to be involved. And if you did have a lot of time, they could help us take photos or spread the word or we could help us build the website. So, it could be as hands-on or hands-off as possible. JANET NORMAN: And we didnt want to put a dollar amount because we didnt want to limit the amount of money we could raise. We hoped that peoples generosity would shine through and people would set their own prices. So, it wasnt hard to convince people to get involved? JANET NORMAN: Ive been insanely surprised that people Im sure have never turned an oven on before wanted to make a cake [laughs]. MEGAN LANKFORD: Its so nice to see. There are so many people who just want to do good and they dont know how. JANET NORMAN: Thats part of the reason we wanted to do this. So many people...have the time on their hands and...everyone is so angry. And we can all sit on social media all day or we can do something. So thats kind of what were trying to do. Give everybody an outlet to do some good and do activities that make people happy and release a little bit of stress while doing good. DETAILS: Bidding for the virtual cake auction organized by Bham Femme and Birmingham Bakers ends at midnight on Saturday, June 27. Bids must be placed on the auction website. Syracuse, NY Preparation for last weekends Rye Day celebration started weeks ago, when Ryedell Davis began hyping his annual public birthday bash to friends on Facebook. First came the official Rye Day T-shirts, with a two-week pre-order deadline. Then came raffle tickets. A call to pool food stamps for water and food. A social media hashtag ##RyeDay2K20 and Snapchat filters. Johnesha Cardwell, a longtime Rye Day attendee, began posting in anticipation at 7 a.m. on party morning. I cant contain my excitement, she exclaimed on Facebook, under a meme of an excited girl. Like many other younger adults, she was busy that morning getting dressed to impress and getting psyched up for a good time. Nitch Jones, a youth pastor at Bell Grove Missionary Baptist Church, came to Rye Day, too, for another reason: to register young people to vote. He admitted Rye Day wasnt really his style but counted Ryedell as a friend. This was a celebration. This was a time for the community to come together, Jones said. Here it is during a pandemic where there is something to do and someplace to go. This is a time to be amongst my community, my friends. It was the first day of summer. Many Syracuse high school students had graduated that morning. There was lots of energy, he said. After closing his table, Jones said, he stayed for the party. Jones estimated hundreds, if not 1,000 people, came and went throughout the day at the party on the Near West Side. Police have confirmed only that hundreds of people attended Rye Day. Davis, 34, a liquor store owner, has been front and center at the party for 14 years. Until this year, Rye Day was held on public housing property at South State Street and Martin Luther King East. This year, it had grown to be so big and so crowded that Davis was told by the housing authority to find somewhere else because of traffic and safety concerns. After getting last-minute approval, Rye Day came to Performance Park, a common space with a small stage and parking lot at Wyoming and Marcellus streets, close to the James Geddes Public Housing complex. For nearly five hours, the people came in droves. Parking was tight and latecomers had to walk for blocks. Young people primped themselves before walking into the crowd. There was free food, live music, a dance party and, as Rye Day tradition, lots of Silly String. Jones, the pastor, said the vibe remained good and he saw no danger in staying around. Shortly before 9 p.m., the DJ played the last song of the night. People shouted encouragement to play one more tune. Organizers started to pack up. But moments later, the fun turned to horror as at least six people pulled guns and started shooting. The gunfire seemed to last for an eternity, Jones said. No one seen this coming, he said. A celebration turned into five minutes of war. Daviss mother, Annetta Peterson, said she ducked under a car to escape more gunshots than she could count. Jones said his first instinct was to run. But others around him ducked for cover and tackled him to the ground to get him out of the line of fire. He stayed on the ground near a gate to the WCNY building for several minutes as gunfire continued. The gunshots kept going and going and going, Jones said. A video of the scene indicated at least two dozen gunshots within a minute. People either ducked for cover or ran from the scene. When it appeared things had settled down, Jones stood back up. But thats when a second flurry of bullets came, sending him and others diving back for cover. When the shooting ended the second time, only around 50 people remained of the crowd that had, moments before, numbered in the hundreds, Jones said. And the nine victims, some screaming in pain, were scattered across the park. Every time I tried to move, there was somebody wounded by a gunshot, Jones said. One victim, 17-year-old Chariel Osorio, lay on his stomach in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his head. He was not moving. Another man was screaming after being shot in the leg. A woman was screaming. Another had fallen and appeared injured. I seen panic. I seen fear, I seen chaos, Jones said. I seen my city in a way Id never seen us before. Cardwell was stunned by the turn of events, too. Its always a good time, she said of past Rye Days. It has been peaceful for years... People were enjoying themselves and someone decided to act reckless. While not struck by a bullet, Cardwell fell during the chaos. Her sister began driving her to the hospital. On the way through downtown, she said, a police car turned and the vehicles collided, leaving her with injuries to her face. An ambulance took Cardwell and her sister to the hospital. (Syracuse police confirmed they were investigating that crash but offered no more details.) At the park, ambulance crews, firefighters and police arrived. Gurneys were carried into the park to pick up the wounded. Jones said he went to the emergency room, where he used to work, to minister to the grieving families. It turned out that the victims, who have not been identified by authorities, were a mix of young and old, African-American and Hispanic, men and women. Of the gunshot victims, five were female, four were male. Three were 19 or younger, four were in their 20s, one in their 30s, and the oldest was a 53-year-old woman. Chariel Osorio poses with his high school diploma, only hours before he was shot while attending a party in Syracuse on June 20, 2020. Chariel, the 17-year-old critically wounded, had just graduated high school six hours before being shot. Some at the party told his family he was being a peacemaker between warring gangs. After being kept on life support, Chariel died Thursday. A vigil Thursday drew about 150 people to the park where Chariel and others were shot. I dont want a mother to go through what Im going through right now. Ever, said Chariels mother Marcela Ornelas. It hurts like hell. The memories hurt even worse because they make me want to hug and kiss him. Chariel Osorio, 17, was shot and killed at a party on the Near West Side on Saturday. Eight others were also shot. On Thursday, at least 150 people mourned his death in a park at the intersection of Marcellus and Wyoming streets. Jones, the youth pastor, said he has no idea who the shooters were, or why someone began shooting first. There were dozens of bullets fired during the two bursts of gunfire, putting everyone at the party at risk, Jones said. The victims were spread all over. There was no one location, he said. It was across the entire park. Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said at a news conference Friday that police have have identified suspects in the mass shooting. He also confirmed that police believe the shooting is related to a gang dispute and that there were multiple shooters. We have some suspects, but we are in the process of trying to connect the dots to make sure that when we charge those individuals we ultimately get a conviction,' Buckner said. Syracuse.com staff writer Tim Knauss contributed to this report. UP Board exams result for the year 2020 is being declared by Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma today, via video conferencing from Lok Bhawan, Lucknow. In class 12, 74.64% students have cleared their board exam. This is higher than 70.2% pass percentage recorded last year. Meanwhile, for 10th board exams, 83.31% students clear intermediate exam. Last year, around 70% of the total students appeared for class 10th board passed the standard. Standard 12th toppers Anurag Malik has topped 12th board exam this year after attaining 97% marks. Pranjal Singh followed him to second rank with 96% marks, while third place is secured by Utkarsh Shukla after scoring 94.80%. Standard 10th toppers Riya Jain from Bhagpat has topped the 10th board result with scoring 96.67% marks. After her, Abhimanyu Verma scored the second spot with 95.53%. The third rank is obtained by Yogesh Pratap Singh, who scored 95.33%. UP board result 2020 live updates: UPMSP 10th, 12th result declared, check at upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in In 2019, UP board had registered 80.07 passing percentage in class 10 with Muzaffarnagar emerging as the best performing district. Meanwhile, Lucknow gave the best performance for class 12 result in 2019. At the press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said more thank 2 crore answer checked in record time of 21 days. He added that the results of both class 10 and class 12 is better than previous year. The board results for the year 2020 are being awaited by more than 51 lakh students. The UP Board Exam 2020 for class 10 and 12 was conducted from February 18 to March 3 and February 7 to March 2, respectively. Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said that Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shisksha Parishad will no longer distribute hard copies of marksheets and all the class 10, class 12 students will receive board results in the form of digital scorecards. Students can also check their results on the following websites - upmsp.edu.in - upresults.nic.in - upmspresults.up.nic.in Meanwhile, students can check the results on India Today Education. The UP Board 10th and 12th results will also be available on the following India Today websites - indiatoday.in/education-today/results - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-10 - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-12 Students having doubts in the evaluation process of any subjects can apply for re-evaluation post result. Students will have to apply for scrutiny within 25 days of the release of results. In case any student has failed in all 5 subjects, he/she will be marked as fail. However, is a student fails in one or two exams, they will have the option to appear for the compartmental exam. In 2019, UP board had registered 80.07 passing percentage in class 10 with Muzaffarnagar emerging as the best performing district. UP Board Result Today: Time, How, when and where to check UP board class 10th, 12th result online Whats new: Zambian police have arrested three people in connection with the killing of three Chinese nationals at a warehouse in the capital of Lusaka on Sunday, the BBC reported. Caixin has learned the victims were three men from Jiangsu province who had worked for a Chinese company in the country. It remains unclear whether the victims were known to the three suspects. Whats the background: Zambian Foreign Minister Joseph Malanji said on Tuesday that the murder is shocking to him, and added legal investors should not be threatened by this kind of behavior. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday that the Zambian government has promised to bring the murders to justice and protect all foreigners in the country, including Chinese citizens. This is not the first clash involving Chinese people in Zambia this year. An investigation was launched earlier this month after video showed a Zambian citizen being barred from entering a local Chinese restaurant, sparking talk of racism. Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use.To read the full Caixin article in Chinese, click here. Contact reporter Lu Yutong (yutonglu@caixin.com) and editor Doug Young (geyang@caixin.com) Vice President Mike Pence speaks after leading a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the Department of Health and Human Services on June 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. Joshua Roberts/Getty Images Several foreign lawmakers have taken jabs at the United States' failed coronavirus containment efforts. In Canada, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the US response as "reckless." First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon used the US surging cases as a way to remind residents for the need to practice social distancing. The European Union is set to bar Americans from traveling to its member states due to its failed containment efforts on Friday, The New York Times reported. The US has the highest number of infections and deaths of any country with close to 2.5 million cases with almost 125,000 deaths as of June 26. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Several foreign lawmakers have pointed to the United States as a failed example of what coronavirus containment is supposed to look like. In Canada, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is wary of reopening the US-Canada border on July 21 due to the rising cases in multiple US states. "I know it's inevitable, we've got to do it, I just don't think we're ready right now," Ford told local outlet CP24. Related: Sweden used a controversial way to fight coronavirus "You see what's happening down in the states, you look at Florida, you look at Texas, Arizona, California I don't want to be those states," he said. The US had two straight days of record-breaking daily coronavirus cases. On Thursday, the US announced more than 39,000 new coronavirus cases, breaking the single-day record of 36,000 cases it set the day before, according to data from The Washington Post. By contrast, for 10 out of the past 12 days, Ontario recorded fewer than 200 new daily cases. "This isn't over. I can't stress it enough. We're doing great because everyone listened," Ford said according to CP24. "But man, this thing comes back, that's what concerns me," he continued. "So we have to stay focused and we can't let our guard down for a heartbeat. We let our guard down and look what happened to Florida, look at what happened to California and Arizona and Texas. That's what happens when you're reckless, you're careless and you let your guard down." Story continues First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon used the US as a warning note to citizens when advocating for the need to take necessary measures to limit the spread of the virus. Sturgeon posted a chart highlighting the rapidly increasing cases in the US and wrote: "Here's what's happening in USA just now. If we don't take great care, it could happen here too." The US has the highest number of infections and deaths of any country with close to 2.5 million cases with almost 125,000 deaths as of June 26. The growing number of cases in the US has prompted the European Union to say it'll likely bar Americans from traveling to its member states, The New York Times reported on Friday. Americans are among those from a list of countries deemed too risky due to their poor containment of the coronavirus to allow travel from when borders reopen on July 1, according to The Times. Visitors from more than a dozen countries including China would be allowed entry. Chinese visitors would only be allowed if China allows European Union visitors. The bar on American residents is a major blow to America's image on the global stage, Business Insider previously reported. While President Donald Trump's administration barred European visitors in March due to the growing rates of infection in European countries like Italy. The outbreak has been largely contained in EU countries, but the ban still remains in place. Trump and other members of his administration including Vice President Mike Pence have maintained that the outbreak is under control in the US and advocated for the continued reopening of the economy, even as cases surge. Pence falsely claimed that the US had "flattened the curve," during Friday's White House coronavirus task force the first press conference in two months. He claimed that the surge in cases is due to increased testing. "We want the American people to understand that it's almost inarguable that more testing is generating more cases," Pence said. However, public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading US infectious disease expert, have warned that the outbreaks are not "embers," as Trump has previously suggested, and could lead to "full-blown outbreaks" if new restrictive measures are not put in place and social distancing isn't taken more seriously. He warned that the US healthcare system would be quickly overburdened by the cases. Hospitals in several states including Arizona, which has become a new epicenter, are already close to capacity. Based on the latest trends, the main model used to estimate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in the US now predicts close to 180,000 deaths by October 1. Read the original article on Business Insider A Facebook user named Adam Butsch went viral in May after he allegedly called for the genocide of white people. According to the netizens show shared the screenshot is that Facebook refused to take down the alleged post because it did not violate any of their rules. Is it true or just a hoax? The rumored screenshot of Adam Butsch's post has been circulating in conservative circles. It is spread around along with the accusation that Facebook is quick in taking down racist posts against Black people, but does not do anything about racist posts against white people. The site Snopes investigated the controversial post, however, the site stated that the posts do not include a link that can trace it back to the original post. The name Adam Butsch can't be found on Facebook. It is possible that the account was deactivated or the message was deleted, or it can be that someone created the fake screenshot and made a meme about it. The screenshot circulated at the exact same time that the Black Lives Matter protest started. Another thing that concerned the netizens is the alleged claim that Facebook refused to take down the post and allowing it to spread. The site Snopes reached out to Facebook for more information about the controversial post, as well as the rumors that the social media site deemed it as appropriate and that the post did not violate their community standards. Also Read: Fact Check: All Trump's Claims on His Tulsa Rally That May Have Been Misleading A spokesperson of Facebook told Snopes that they were not aware of such a post. The spokesperson also stated that they found no indication that a Facebook representative posted a response to the controversial message and saying that it did not violate the company's company standards. The content of the message, suggesting that white people should be hanged, is in clear violation of Facebook's hate speech policy, according to the spokesperson. He added that if Facebook encountered the post, the employees would immediately remove it and suspend the account. The controversial meme The meme that is spreading on social media is not a single screenshot, it is a combination of two separate images. The images are low quality so it is difficult to know if it has been altered. There is no concrete proof that the post was ever posted on Facebook. If it has been posted on the social media site by a user named Adam Butsch, it is possible it has been deleted. Meanwhile, the social media company and the French prosecutors are currently investigating the racist posts on a Facebook group that is used by the French police. The interior minister, Christophe Castaner, has ordered an inquiry after the comments on the private Facebook group were leaked by StreetPress. The controversy heightened the tensions between the French police and the protesters of the Black Lives Matter movement in the country. According to the public prosecutor's office, the Facebook group has 7.240 members and most of them are serving police. The group was founded in 2015 by a police officer and his civilian partner. Screenshots released by StreetPress showed that the comments were racists, sexist, homophobic, and mocked the deaths and injuries of the civilians during a police encounter. Related Article: Fact Check: Is Angelina Jolie Starving to Death? Doctor Allegedly Told Her to "Eat or Die" @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Country would use 'Australia terms' of no bespoke deal without an agreement Boris Johnson has repeated his threat of walking away from trade talks with Brussels after German chancellor Angela Merkel warned Britain would have to 'live with the consequences' of abandoning close ties. During a conversation on Saturday with Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Downing Street confirmed Mr Johnson reiterated that the UK was prepared to leave on 'Australia terms' if no agreement was forthcoming. Australia has no bespoke trade deal with the European Union, leading Brexit critics to describe the proposals as akin to leaving on no-deal terms, albeit with a number of mini-deals put in place to allow vital sectors, such as air travel, to continue. A Number 10 spokeswoman, issuing a readout of a phone discussion with Mr Morawiecki, said: 'On the UK's future relationship with the EU, the Prime Minister welcomed the agreement on both sides to an intensified process of negotiations in July. Boris Johnson has repeated his threat of walking away from trade talks with Brussels after German chancellor Angela Merkel warned Britain would have to 'live with the consequences' of abandoning close ties. Pictured: The leaders together in Berlin last year 'He said the UK would negotiate constructively but equally would be ready to leave the transition period on Australia terms if agreement could not be reached.' The remarks come after German leader Ms Merkel warned that Britons would have to 'live with the consequences' of Mr Johnson rejecting predecessor Theresa May's plan to continue close economic links with Brussels after Brexit. Ms Merkel spoke with six European newspapers ahead of Germany assuming the rotating presidency of the EU council on July 1, and a day after Mr Johnson's senior Brexit adviser signalled the next phase of talks with the bloc would be tough. Negotiations are still deadlocked after months of virtual talks - held by teleconferencing due to the Covid-19 pandemic - with fishing rights and EU calls for a so-called 'level playing field' proving to be major stumbling blocks. The UK, led by Boris Johnson, recently rejected a EU deal surrounding environmental and consumer protections and workplace rights In comments carried by The Guardian, Mrs Merkel said: 'With Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the British Government wants to define for itself what relationship it will have with us after the country leaves. 'It will then have to live with the consequences, of course, that is to say with a less closely interconnected economy. 'If Britain does not want to have rules on the environment and the labour market or social standards that compare with those of the EU, our relations will be less close.' Mrs Merkel, 65, who has led Germany since 2005 and will retire from politics when her fourth term as chancellor ends next year, also said a no-deal Brexit would not be a personal defeat for her. She said Europe could only respond appropriately to 'reality' as Britain sets out what it wants at the negotiation table. Former British Prime Minister Theresa May was keen on close economic ties with the European Union in the trade deal, a policy which Mrs Merkel was also satisfied with Mrs Merkel's comments come as the PM's Brexit adviser, known as 'the sherpa' on EU negotiations, said the 'intensified process' in discussions next week needed to be realistic. David Frost said the UK would not allow Brussels the right to hit back at changes in British law with tariffs. Mr Johnson has continually insisted that the UK would reject an EU offer to extend the Brexit transition period beyond the end of the year. In bullish language, Mr Frost insisted UK sovereignty over laws, courts, and fishing waters was 'not up for discussion'. He also said that what he called some of the EU's more 'unrealistic positions' would have to change in order to achieve progress. Mr Frost said he was looking forward to the resumption of face-to-face talks on June 29 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. He said: 'These meetings will be smaller and focused on seeing whether we can begin to make genuine and rapid progress towards an agreement.' The UK has a deadline of July 1 if it wants to extend the transition period beyond the end of the year. Santa Fe philanthropist Andrew Davis is expanding his scholarship program, and he recently pledged over $20 million specifically for northern New Mexico students who will become the first in their families to earn a four-year college degree. The Davis New Mexico Scholarship this year already is sending 35 New Mexicans to college, and the additional gift ensures that they will be joined by nearly 150 others in the next three years, Davis said in a news release. I believe in the students of New Mexico, he said in a statement. The Davis New Mexico Scholarships success has shown that students from our community are ready to face the challenge of higher education now its time to keep the momentum going. He noted that the scholarship boasts a 98% retention rate and has grown to include students from Albuquerque to Espanola and Santa Fe to Farmington. Without the Davis New Mexico Scholarship, I would never have dreamed of going away to college, said Gabriel Alarcon Macias, who will be attending the University of Denver next year, according to a news release. I can go into next year prepared no matter what the school year will look like, he said. This financial support comes at a time of extraordinary upheaval as students and their families wonder what school will consist of in the coming years and months, organizers said in a release. No matter what changes come to colleges and universities in this country, I firmly believe that a college degree will continue to be the most reliable ladder into the middle class for first-generation college students, Davis said in a statement. A college degree will remain the best way to be prepared for our inevitably dynamic economic and political future. Seventeen young women and men from the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas earned their college degrees this year with support from the program. Without (it), college out of state would not have been a realistic option, said Angelica Lopez, a recent graduate of St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas. The scholarship provided the tools I needed to focus on my schoolwork and get myself prepared to come back to New Mexico to strengthen our communities here. The Davis program, which currently has more than 100 students enrolled in six partner colleges around the West and Midwest, covers the full cost of attendance as well as academic, emotional and family support to provide guidance through college graduation. For more information and a complete list of this years scholarship awardees visit, www.davisnm.org. We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com. The infection is rampant in 16 states, some of which are now freezing their reopening plans. US infectious disease chief Dr Anthony Fauci says the nation has a "serious problem" as 16 states reel from a spike in Covid-19 cases. At the first White House task force briefing in two months, Dr Fauci said: "The only way we're going to end it is by ending it together." As health experts said more must be done to slow the spread, Vice-President Mike Pence praised US "progress". More than 40,000 new cases were recorded across the US on Friday The total of 40,173, given by Johns Hopkins University, was the highest daily total so far, exceeding the record set only the previous day. There are over 2.4 million confirmed infections and more than 125,000 deaths nationwide - more than any other country. During Friday's briefing, the White House task force also urged millennials to get tested, even if they are asymptomatic. Mr Pence said the president requested the task force address the American people amid surges in infections and hospital admissions across southern and western states. In Texas, Florida and Arizona, reopening plans have been paused due to the spike. While some of the increase in daily cases recorded can be attributed to expanded testing, the rate of positive tests in some areas is also increasing. Health officials in the US estimate the true number of cases is likely to be 10 times higher than the reported figure. What was said at the White House briefing? Dr Deborah Birx, coronavirus response coordinator, thanked younger Americans for heeding official guidance on testing. "Whereas before we told them to stay home, now we are telling them to get tested." She noted this "great change" in testing guidance would allow officials to find "the asymptomatic and mild diseases that we couldn't find before". Following Dr Birx's presentation of the recent data, Dr Fauci said: "As you can see we are facing a serious problem in certain areas." He added: "So what goes on in one area of the country ultimately could have an affect on other areas." Dr Fauci said the current rises were due to everything from regions "maybe opening a little bit too early", to opening at a reasonable time "but not actually following steps in an orderly fashion", to the citizens themselves not following guidance. "People are infecting other people, and then ultimately you will infect someone who's vulnerable," he said. "You have an individual responsibility to yourself, but you have a societal responsibility because if we want to end this outbreak, really end it... we've got to realise that we are part of the process." Dr Fauci added that if the spread was not stopped, eventually even the parts of the country doing well now would be affected. The vice-president, meanwhile, praised the nation's headway in handling the pandemic, noting "extraordinary progress" in former virus hotspots, like New York and New Jersey. "We slowed the spread, we flattened the curve, we saved lives," he said. Mr Pence also appeared to deny any link between states reopening and the increase in cases. Responding to a reporter's question, he said the southern states that have reopened did so months ago, when new cases and rates were low. Mr Pence instead blamed much of the rise on positive test results from asymptomatic young people, adding that while they may be at lower risk of serious symptoms, they should "take countermeasures" and listen to state governors' advice. BBC Wooden slabs were being laid out and the ground was being levelled with multiple machines set in motion at a large open field. The white makeshift tents, the roofs and the pillars being placed could be spotted right from the road near Mehram Nagar village in southwest Delhi, which goes up to the Delhi Airports domestic terminal. Construction work is on in full swing at the site to turn the place into a full-fledged temporary air-conditioned 1,000-bedded Covid facility to meet the need for more beds to house Covid-19 patients in view of the rapid surge in cases. Till Friday, Delhi had recorded 77,240 cases of the disease. The facility is being readied by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is under the Ministry of Defence. It has been roped in by the Union Home Ministry for the construction. The Directorate of Civil Works and Estates (DCW&E), a wing of the DRDO, is handling the construction. Officials said the hospital is likely to come up by early next month. According to officials at the site, the facility is coming up on around 25,000 square metres of land belonging to the Indian Air Force. Besides, patients and doctors blocks, a testing lab and a pharmacy will come up. A mortuary is also being planned. The structure is coming up fast to meet the need for extra beds for Covid-19 patients. All services will be available within the premises, from testing of samples to accommodation for staff. There will be a patient block with four hut-shaped sections housing 250 beds each. In each of the huts, there will be around 120 cabins such that two patients can stay per cabin, Gagan Wadhwa, chief construction engineer (CCE), DRDO said. Of the four sections to house patients, one will be dedicated for ICU beds with oxygen support. The complete facility will be fully air-conditioned. The facility is being designed as per World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for hospital care. Every bed will have oxygen support so that patients do not need to be shifted in case of a sudden drop in oxygen levels. Each section will have a set of toilets and bathrooms, he said. Authorities said they are working on logistics of shifting patients to the centre, and which hospital will be attached to the facility. Patients will be given charging points for mobile phones/laptops and storage units by their beds to keep their belongings. Alongside the patients block, will be the doctors area where patients will be assessed, plus another area to house the medical staff. Two doctors will be on duty for assessment. A separate block with cabins and an attached set of toilets is being built to provide on-site accommodation to around 50 doctors and paramedic staff. A cafeteria will be set up for medical staff, said another senior official on site, who did not wish to be named. Authorities said they were working out provisions for food and other such services. The doctors block will have a donning and doffing area for personal protective equipment (PPE) kits. There will be a three-metre corridor for the movement of medical and support staff in order to maintain physical distancing. The DRDO has tied up with BSES for power supply and back-up while Delhi Jal Board will be provide water supply. A separate waste disposal and sewage management system is being developed. We were able to get water and power connections in such a short time because of the support of the union home ministry, Wadhwa said. On Tuesday, union home minister Amit Shah had tweeted: I would also like to inform the people of Delhi that a 1,000 bed full-fledged hospital with 250 ICU beds is being developed for Covid patients. DRDO and Tata Trust are building the facility. Armed forces personnel will man it. This Covid Care centre will be ready in next 10 days. The Covid facility is being built to augment hospital infrastructure in the national capital. The Centre is collaborating with the Delhi government to set up adequate number of beds to cater to patients after a spike in Covid-19 cases. This will be the second such facility to be manned by armed personnel after the 10,000-bedded one at Chhattarpur Radha Soami Satsang Beas, where a large part of the facility is set to be operational from Friday and will be manned by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sharron Cooks, the owner & CEO of Making Our Lives Easier, a consulting firm that advocates for marginalized communities, in Cedar Park in West Philadelphia June 25, 2020. Read more Despite Pride months coinciding with the pandemic this year, Sharron Cooks still had plenty to celebrate. Just a month earlier, Cooks founder of Making Our Lives Easier, a Philadelphia-based consulting firm that helps people who have been marginalized and discriminated against because of their identity graduated from Temple University, earning a masters degree. And by the time Philadelphia and the nation were closing because of the coronavirus crisis, she was already quarantining, recovering from the surgery that had finally made her gender congruent as a Black woman. But this years celebrations also were tempered by the ongoing killings of Black trans women, including the slaying of Dominique Remmie Fells in Philadelphia. For Cooks, Fells death was a painful reminder of the progress still yet to be achieved for LGBTQ and African Americans. Cooks, 42, founded Making Our Lives Easier in 2012, and has also been an activist fighting racial and gender discrimination in the city. The recent unrest roiling the country has marked a return to the origins of Pride, she said, which celebrates the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City that was the catalyst for the gay liberation movement in America. We are literally fighting for our humanity, Cooks said of Black LGBTQ Americans. Pride is grounded in riots and community and protest. But we cant be selective on what Black lives matter and what Black lives dont. The Stonewall riots are a reminder of tensions between marginalized communities and police. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village. Raids and violence against the gay community were common then, but patrons fought back that night, prompting violent clashes with police that lasted days. Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman, is credited with throwing the first brick at Stonewall, and is considered one of the uprisings front-line fighters. Today, Cooks said her pride comes from her blackness first. I always tell people, before my mother knew what gender her child was, she knew she was having a Black child, she said. Black women and Black trans women are different, but have things in common that they can actually relate on. We have to realize that were all Black people up against the same institutional systems of white supremacy, and that its going to take all of us to dismantle those systems to replace it with something thats more suitable for our African worldview. Cooks said she is also focused on confronting the racism within the LGBTQ community amid the national reckoning. White [LGBTQ] people want to be protected as sexual minorities, and it doesnt work that way, she said. Youre not going to tell me your oppression is the same as mine as a Black person. The pandemic has exposed the inequality that exists for Black LGBT people in particular. A 2011 study found that Black transgender people had an unemployment rate of 26%, four times greater than the general population. And one in four Black respondents said they had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives, more than five times the national average. And 34% of Black transgender people live in extreme poverty, reporting a household income of less than $10,000 a year, compared with 9% of Black Americans overall and 4% of the general population. When Cooks was in her 20s, she dropped out of high school and struggled with addiction. I think about times when I was housing insecure how this pandemic is affecting Black LGBT youth is something that has been on my mind throughout the pandemic, Cooks said. What if theres someone living with family who isnt accepting of who they are? A lot of Black trans women are really scared to ask for help and dont want to go into the spaces to get the resources they need, because they dont want to encounter the discrimination. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Pride celebration, and the fifth anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage. This month, the court also declared that the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination on the basis of sex, also applies to LGBT employees. I have been able to benefit, in my lifetime, from policy changes I thought I would never be able to see, Cooks said. Where I am today, I never imagined when I was 23. Thats something I definitely hold a lot of pride in, because its an affirmation of my womanhood. A royal author has claimed that Prince Charles 'saw problems ahead' when Meghan Markle joined the Royal family, despite being a fan of her headstrong personality. According to Nigel Cawthorne, author of Prince Andrew, Epstein and the Palace, the Prince of Wales, 71, was worried as there's 'only room for one Queen'. Additionally, the royal was reportedly concerned about the Sussexes' rising popularity, and was keen to keep the monarchy 'small in size'. Scroll down for video Royal author Nigel Cawthorne has claimed that Prince Charles 'saw problems ahead' when Meghan Markle joined the Royal family, despite being a fan of her headstrong personality. Meghan and Harry are seen in September 2019 in Cape Town Speaking to Fabulous, the royal author said of Charles: 'I think he likes strong women, but in The Firm there is only room for one Queen.' Comparing their popularity to that of Andrew and Fergie when they met, he added: 'I think he foresaw considerable problems ahead for The Firm. 'For the sake of The Firm he will feel this outcome is better that the monarchy is small in size rather than a constellation of stars in separate orbits.' Palace insiders reported that a close relationship developed between Charles and Meghan after he walked her down the aisle in 2018, with the two sharing an interest in art, culture and history. According to Nigel, author of Prince Andrew, Epstein and the Palace, the Prince of Wales, 71, was worried as there's 'only room for one Queen'. The Queen and Charles are seen in 2019 in Scotland Prince Charles is reportedly a fan of Meghan Markle, and a source told the Mail On Sunday previously that he gave the Duchess of Sussex the Royal nickname Tungsten'. According to the insider, the name was given because she is 'tough and unbending', just like the very strong metal and the affectionate name stuck. The insider said at the time: Prince Charles admires Meghan for her strength and the backbone she gives Harry, who needs a tungsten-type figure in his life as he can be a bit of a softy. Its become a term of endearment. The reports come after Lady Colin Campbell claimed the Queen welcomed Meghan into the royal fold, due to her mixed-race heritage. Lady Campbell claims that the Queen approved of Meghan's mixed race background, and that she believed it would help the Royal Family appear modern> Pictured: Meghan and Harry at the Commonwealth Day service in March The Queen (pictured with Meghan in June 2018), who is well known to be a wit, said to a friend, 'Mr Corbyn will find it much more difficult to get rid of us now that Meghan's in the family', according to Lady C In an extract seen by FEMAIL, Lady Colin Campbell claimed the Queen felt Meghan's biracial identity 'made the monarchy both reflective and representative of multicultural, multiracial Britain in a way that a white California-born actress who had been a cast member of a popular television series could never have'. She continued: 'As a prince once told me, "Had Meghan not been a woman of colour, they would never have allowed the marriage. It was the only thing that was unreservedly in her favour".' Lady Campbell claims that the Queen approved of Meghan's mixed race background, and that she believed it would help the Royal Family appear modern. She wrote: 'The Queen, who is well known to be a wit, said to a friend, "Mr Corbyn will find it much more difficult to get rid of us now that Meghan's in the family".' Lady Campbell claims that the Queen approved of Meghan's mixed race background, and that she believed it would help the Royal Family appear modern. Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family is set to be released worldwide online on August 11 She wrote: 'The Queen, who is well known to be a wit, said to a friend, "Mr Corbyn will find it much more difficult to get rid of us now that Meghan's in the family".' The socialite, who is not known to have met the pair, made the claims in her new 'tell-all' book on the couple. At the beginning of the month Lady Colin told the Daily Mail about her new book,adding: 'It's called Meghan And Harry: The Real Story. 'There are plenty of revelations. I've had members of the Markle family to stay, but I'm not saying anything until closer to the book launch.' The release of her book comes ahead of Harry and Meghan's new biography Finding Freedom in August, which is co-written by Harper's Bazaar journalist Omid Scobie. Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family, written by is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20. A description of the biography on Amazon promises to offer an 'honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of the confident, influential, forward' Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38. The 320-page biography, due to be released in August, is expected to be a global bestseller. ' , Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) June 27, 2020 UP Result 2020: Follow these steps to check your grades Step 1: Visit the official website of the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad at upmsp.edu.in Step 2: To check the UP Board Class 10 Results 2020, click on the direct link for Higher Secondary Result Step 3: To check the UP Board Class 12 Results 2020, click on the direct link for Senior Secondary Result Step 4: On the log-in place, enter the required credentials including name, date of birth and roll number Step 5: Your scorecard and result for UPMSB Class 10,12 Exam Results 2020 will appear online A student needs to score a minimum 35% marks to qualify a subject in both the Higher Secondary and Senior Secondary examination under the UP Board. If a student fails to get 35% marks in any subject, the student will have to appear for the UPMSB Class 10, 12 Compartment Exam 2020, to be conducted later.In a first, the Uttar Pradesh High School and Intermediate results will be announced from Lucknow, and not Prayagraj. Meanwhile, all the preparations for the declaration of results have been done by the UP Education Department. Vinay Kumar Pandey, Director of Secondary Education, has written to ACS Information seeking permission to hold a press conference at the Lok Bhawan for the announcement of the results. The results, which were earlier scheduled to be announced in the month of April, got delayed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the UP Board results were declared on April 27.The checking of the answer sheets had started in the month of March, but was halted briefly due to the coronavirus pandemic and then a countrywide lockdown. Later, as the third phase of the lockdown ended, the evaluation of the copies was resumed. From May 5, the evaluation procedure was resumed from the districts, which were coming under Green Zone. Later, the work of checking of the copies was resumed in the Orange Zone and then the Red Zone, as well. However, there was opposition from teachers organisations, but the government continued to evaluate the copies by adopting secure measures.In light of the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown, the UP Board authorities will issue a digital mark sheet for now. The schools have been directed to make arrangements for downloading and issuing digitally signed mark sheets to the students. These digitally signed mark sheets will be acceptable for educational and employment purposes, as well. The Uttar Pradesh Board will first issue the digital mark sheets to the intermediate students so that students dont face any difficulty in admission sessions.This year, the UP Board high school and intermediate examinations were conducted between February 18 and March 6. A total of 56, 89, 622 students had registered for the High School and Intermediate Board exams and the board had made arrangements to install CCTV cameras at many examination centers to prevent malpractices. One important task for adults supporting young children in re-entry is to abandon the myth that children or any of us can be completely isolated from exposure. There is no cure for Covid-19, and no vaccine, nor is it clear when either of these might materialize. But this cannot mean that children remain isolated for months, or even years. The perfectly secure and sanitized environment is perhaps a delusion of the elite largely the white elite. Black families have long been compelled to weigh the realities of racist policing and other dangers against the need for children to practice independence and forge social bonds outside the home. The possibility of harm does not preclude exploration and independence; rather, it means that we take reasonable precautions, and instruct kids frankly about safety and risk. As communities begin to open up, how might we mitigate risk of exposure to illness while allowing our children to interact with others? For some this might mean podding with another family to share in the burden of child care, socializing with friends outdoors, or simply talking excitedly with children about future social interactions. For many of us, it may mean that we send our children back to a safety-conscious day care as soon as possible feigning cheerful calm for our children. Recent evidence from child care centers that have remained open during the pandemic suggests that with the right precautions children are not terribly likely to be vectors of transmission to adults. We must take a harm-reduction approach toward child care, advocating for the safety of kids and adult workers, while allowing children access to the world beyond their iPads and the stressed, overworked grown-ups theyve been living with. It will be important for adults to give even the youngest children language for what is happening: We havent been in school because we didnt want to spread coronavirus germs. But soon we will go back to school. There still might be germs, but we are going to be very careful so that we wont spread them. The threat is not vague and unspeakable; it may be invisible, but it is describable and specific. Our impulse is often to avoid giving kids potentially overwhelming information, but what we know is that a lack of explanation and communication can be quite terrifying in and of itself, leaving explanations to kids amateur imaginations. Language allows young children to symbolize and contain their experience, the first step to understanding and regulating emotions. Children require repetition of news. We will find ourselves explaining again and again that Teacher Laura will be wearing a mask but that she will still be Teacher Laura, and that they really, truly, seriously, like I said yesterday, must not pick their nose. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Mumbai: The Bombay High Court observed that COVID-19 patients from poor and indigent sections cannot be expected to produce documentary proof to avail subsidised or free treatment while getting admitted to hospitals. The court on Friday was hearing a plea filed by seven residents of a slum rehabilitation building in Bandra, who had been charged Rs 12.5 lakh by K J Somaiya Hospital for COVID-19 treatment between April 11 and April 28. The bench of Justices Ramesh Dhanuka and Madhav Jamdar directed the hospital to deposit Rs 10 lakh in the court. The petitioners had borrowed money and managed to pay Rs 10 lakh out of Rs 12.5 lakh that the hospital had demanded, after threatening to halt their discharge if they failed to clear the bill, counsel Vivek Shukla informed the court. According to the plea, the petitioners were also overcharged for PPE kits and unused services. On June 13, the court had directed the state charity commissioner to probe if the hospital had reserved 20 percent beds for poor and indigent patients and provided free or subsidised treatment to them. Last week, the joint charity commissioner had informed the court that although the hospital had reserved such beds, it had treated only three poor or indigent persons since the lockdown. It was unfathomable that the hospital that claimed to have reserved 90 beds for poor and indigent patients had treated only three such persons during the pandemic, advocate Shukla said. He further argued that COVID-19 patients, who are in distress, cannot be expected to produce income certificate and such documents as proof. However, senior advocate Janak Dwarkadas, who represented the hospital, said the petitioners did not belong to economically weak or indigent categories and had not produced documents to prove the same. A person who is suffering from a disease like COVID-19 cannot be expected to produce certificates from a tehsildar or social welfare officer before seeking admission in the hospital, the bench noted and asked the hospital to deposit Rs 10 lakh in court within two weeks. Activists and campaigners in Glasgow have warned of a toxic environment inside hotels used to temporarily house asylum seekers during the coronavirus pandemic, after six people were injured in a knife attack on Friday. Hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers were moved from their self-contained accommodation into six hotels across Glasgow in early April at the start of the lockdown by Mears, a company contracted by the Home Office to provide housing for asylum seekers in Scotland. On Friday the Park Inn, one of the hotels in Glasgow being used by Mears, was the scene of an unprovoked knife attack, where a man stabbed three residents, two staff and a police officer who responded to the chaos. All six remain in hospital and the suspect was shot dead by armed officers shortly afterwards. But volunteers working with refugees in the city have described the situation inside the hotels as a tinderbox and accused Mears of presiding over a disaster. Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Show all 11 1 /11 Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Emergency services in West George Street, Glasgow, as a serious incident closed roads in the city centre Milroy1717/PA Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Police confirmed the male suspect who was shot by armed officers has died James_J_Marlow/Twitter Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Four people were taken away from the scene in ambulances, according to one eyewitness Milroy1717/Reuters Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Police officers walk in through the main entrance of the Park Inn Hotel Getty Images Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down The Scottish Police Federation have said an officer was stabbed during the major incident Getty Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Police and forensic officers at the scene PA Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Emergency services at the scene in West George Street. Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has described the incident as "truly dreadful". She added in a post on Twitter: "My thoughts are with everyone involved. I am being updated as the situation becomes clearer. "Please help the emergency services do their jobs by staying away from the area - and please dont share unconfirmed information." PA Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down PA Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Police officers stand by a screen erected at the scene PA Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Police block off the road Jamie O'Neill/AP Glasgow stabbings: Man shot by armed police as city centre shut down Getty Shafiq Mohammed, who runs the Asylum Seekers Housing Project in the city and knows residents placed in the Park Inn, said the company had created a toxic environment where people are clearly going to be affected. Squeezing hundreds of people, mostly young men, many with mental health issues or post traumatic stress disorder, into hotels and cooping them up with nothing to do for three months was a recipe for disaster, he argued. One charity worker in Glasgow, who did not want to speak on the record, told The Independent they had heard from residents in the Park Inn that the suspect in the knife attack had already been the subject of complaints over his aggressive and erratic behaviour, but despite evidence of mental health problems little action was taken. According to the BBC, the suspect had told another resident in the hotel he planned to hurt people the day before he launched his sudden stabbing spree. I want to attack them, they are against me, they hate, an eyewitness reported the man saying. Some of the residents came from countries in conflict with each other, Mr Mohammed said, while others were offered food which was culturally inappropriate, he had been told. An allowance of 5.39 a day which asylum seekers used to be given each day for food was taken away when they were moved into hotels. Ako Zada, who also campaigns for refugees in Scotland, said the dehumanising and humiliating conditions had left some residents depressed. I was told that the hotel had been warned that one man had been pushed over the edge and was a great danger to staff, he told the Daily Record. We have been aware of very high tensions during lockdown. Robina Qureshi, director of Positive Action in Housing which also works with refugee housing, said the tragedy in Glasgow underlines our concerns about the conditions in which vulnerable asylum seekers are forced to live. Glasgow stabbing attack: Injured police officer named Many asylum seekers complained of hotel detention, of being denied urgent medical attention, of being told to stay in their rooms, of insanitary conditions and deteriorating mental health, she added, speaking to The Independent. Since the pandemic the numbers of people reporting to our charity about depression, suicidal thoughts and worries about money and complete isolation has rocketed. People are unable to socially distance and live in fear. Long before the incident on Friday, Mr Mohammed said he and colleagues had heard that the atmosphere inside the hotels was becoming more fraught and tense and feared confrontations could break out. Mohammad Asif, chair of the Afghan Human Rights Foundation charity in Scotland, was on the phone with a resident inside the Park Inn just moments after the attack had taken place. We hear horrible stories, especially in this difficult coronavirus time, he told the BBC on Saturday morning. It was so crowded, people have to use the same bathroom, the same toilet and you have the media telling people coronavirus is so dangerous. People were really scared. Mearss handling of the lockdown had earlier come under scrutiny after an asylum seeker died in a Glasgow hotel in May. Mr Mohammed said it seemed to him the firm was driven primarily by turning a profit out of housing vulnerable people. It seems [Mearss] primary motivation is to make a profit. The general approach is minimalist lets see what we can get away with We hope there is an open, fair, transparent investigation into the circumstances leading up to this gentleman doing this horrendous act, he added. A spokesperson for Mears referred a request to comment to the Home Office, although they also reiterated a statement from May after the earlier death. In that statement, the company said it had to move asylum seekers not yet in settled accommodation into good quality hotel accommodation to reduce the journeys made under lockdown by their staff to and from multiple locations. The daily allowance was stopped because the hotels offered a full board service. In cases where hotel accommodation was not suitable for particular service users, due to health or other welfare considerations, they have remained in alternative accommodation, the statement said. A spokesperson for the Home Office said: Police Scotland are investigating an incident at West George Street in Glasgow, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time. WASHINGTON More than four months into fighting the coronavirus in the United States, the shared sacrifice of millions of Americans suspending their lives with jobs lost, businesses shuttered, daily routines upended has not been enough to beat back a virus whose staying power around the world is only still being grasped. The number of new U.S. cases this last week surged dangerously high, to levels not ever seen in the course of the pandemic, especially in states that had rushed to reopen their economies. The result has been a realization for many Americans that however much they have yearned for a return to normalcy, their leaders have failed to control the coronavirus pandemic. And there is little clarity on what comes next. There has to be a clear coherent sustained communication, and that has absolutely not happened, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Weve had just the opposite and now its hard to unring a whole series of bells. There was real hubris on the part of public health officials at the very start, Dr. Schaffner said, that the United States could lock down and contain the virus as China had. That futile hope helped create an unrealistic expectation that the shutdown, while intense, would not be for long, and that when it was lifted life would return to normal. Members of the royal family have some of the best and most experienced chefs cooking all their meals for them so fans have become curious about what foods they actually eat. Chef Darren McGrady, who prepared meals for everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to Princess Diana has shared that he used to cook mac and cheese for Dianas sons, Princes William and Harry, when they were young. Read on to find out how you can make the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussexs favorite childhood dish at home. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | Eddie Mulholland WPA Pool/Getty Images RELATED: Meghan Markle Has a Unique Recipe for Banana Bread That You Can Make At Home Do Prince William and Prince Harry cook? We all remember the story of how Prince Harry proposed to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. In their joint interview, the two said that Harry popped the question as they were trying to roast chicken. Turns out the duke isnt exactly a master chef, but Meghan knows her way around a kitchen. Meg cooks for herself and Harry every single day, one of the duchess friends previously said. As for Harrys older brother, Prince William admitted that he enjoys cooking but doesnt have the best culinary skills either. I do like cooking, but Im not very good, he told People, adding, I like a roasta roast chicken or a steak. How to make mac and cheese fit for princes at home Macaroni and cheese | James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images RELATED: Kate Middleton Eats and Cooks the Same Foods for Dinner We All Do Long before they could even attempt to cook for themselves, the princes meals were made by McGrady who worked for the royal family for 15 years. He revealed that even as children the princes loved roast chicken and he would serve it with their favorite side which was macaroni and cheese. To make William and Harrys fave childhood dish youll need these ingredients: elbow macaroni pasta butter flour milk cream cheddar cheese parmesan cheese mozzarella cheese salt Then follow McGradys step-by-step instructions: Bring a pot of water to boil then add elbow macaroni While the pasta is cooking, mix the butter and flour together in a separate medium pot on low heat and add in the milk and cream Continue mixing so the sauce thickens and add a pinch of salt Next, pour in cheddar cheese and stir that well before adding parmesan cheese Allow the sauce to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, then stir in the macaroni and a handful of mozzarella cheese Pour the mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish, sprinkle a little more cheddar cheese on top, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes Following Princess Dianas death in 1997, McGrady was offered a position by Prince Chares to become his private chef at St James Palace. However, he turned down that offer and moved from the U.K. to Texas in 1998 where he and his wife, Wendy, still reside today. RELATED: Princess Dianas Favorite Stuffed Eggplant Recipe You Can Make At Home The biggest worry surrounding American Airlines Group (AAL) was the large debt load and whether the company could get back to cash flow positive quick enough to repay debt. For this reason, a lot of people have speculated on whether the weaker airline would go bankrupt. The airline just raised about $2 billion reducing the bankruptcy fears. The bigger question all along was whether the airline had value here around $12.50, not whether American Airlines was ever going to end up bankrupt. Equity Raise American Airlines raised nearly $2 billion via an equity offering of 74.1 million shares and $1 billion via convertible notes. In addition, the airline raised another $2.5 billion via a notes offering in anticipation of raising $4.75 billion via the Loan Program portion of the CARES Act. The airline issued the common shares at $13.50 for a steep discount from the $16.00 when the week started before the news of the planned equity raise. The equity raise of over $1 billion was upsized due to strong demand from an original plan of only $750 million. The convertible debt comes with a 6.5% coupon with a conversion price of $16.20 per share. With 422 million shares outstanding, the combined equity and convertible debt offering is dilutive by up to 135 million shares. In addition, the underwriters are granted $150 million in additional shares and convertible debt leading to another 20 million in share dilution. Cutting Debt For all of the investors worried about mounting debt, American Airlines has technically not raised any meaningful debt prior to this week. The airline started the virus panic with $7 billion in cash and had raised $1.6 billion via the loan portion of the grant. This fundraising, assuming the convertible debt is converted into equity, nearly offsets all of the previous debt. The company should have nearly $11 billion in liquidity ending the quarter and only the additional $4.75 billion loan from the U.S. Treasury actually adds substantial debt to the balance sheet. The airline would have ~$16 billion in total liquidity giving American Airlines the flexibility to draw down less of the government loan. Story continues American Airlines has already cut daily cash burn to $40 million in June and the amount doesnt even factor in the Payroll Support Program grant funds of ~$27 million per day. These funds require the company to keep payroll costs high, but the airline will be able to reduce costs on October 1. The combination of the additional funds and the reduced cash burn eliminate the bankruptcy fears and set American Airlines up for the continued rebound in passenger traffic. Takeaway The key investor takeaway is that shareholders of American Airlines are disappointed the company raised so much equity at $13.50 per share. The upside is that the airline no longer has the same bankruptcy risk with the equity raised here and the limited boost in net debt so far during the downturn. Cowen analyst Helane Becker views AAL as a "contrarian play" and believes the stock is likely to outperform as demand improve. The analyst noted, "[T]here is more opportunity in these shares than in some other airlines. We believe American should be considered in a basket of stocks for investors looking to play the recovery in demand." To this end, Becker rates AAL an Outperform (i.e. Buy) along with a $20 stock-price forecast, which implies about 60% upside from current levels. To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclosure: No position. Beauty salons are ready to reopen - although the 'riskier' treatments will have to wait a while. The phasing-in of treatments will mean those deemed higher risk, such as facials and make-up application, will be unavailable in some salons for the time being. Darragh Curtin, managing director of Bellissimo in Limerick City, told Independent.ie the salon wasn't looking at what other salons were doing: "We're looking at what should be done." While there are no official stipulations regarding what can be provided in beauty salons on Monday, the Limerick salon is one of many deciding to limit treatments. At Bellissimo Limerick, first-phase treatments will include nails, waxing, tanning, and laser treatments. But facials, massages and make-up application won't be possible in the initial days of reopening, in the interest of staff and client safety. "We took it in the context of how long you'd be spending with somebody with an uncovered face," he said. "There's a handful of treatments, like a lip wax, where the staff member would be wearing face protection but the client would have to remove their mask for the treatment - but it's not a long treatment." Mr Curtin said the salon also considered what may be deemed "absolutely essential" as opposed to what may be seen as "more of a treat". Mr Curtin said the comfort level of his staff had also been a key factor in deciding what treatments to offer next week. Bellisimo Limerick's "new salon experience" will put the safety of staff and clients as its top priority. As such, the new protocols advise clients to "leave the kids at home", arrive on time (not too early), wear a mask for the duration of the visit and bring minimal personal belongings. Clients will be given a disposable gown before being brought to the hair salon, and asked "to minimise all chat" when shampooing at the basin while their stylist is in close contact. There will temporarily be no tea, coffee or magazines. Mr Curtin said staff were used to moving to help in whatever area was busiest, but this would no longer be the case under new protocols. Staff members will now work within a single 'zone' and will be responsible for their own zone's sanitisation. Staff will be provided with packs containing reusable masks, face shields, sanitising spray for their equipment and hand sanitiser. While the salon is taking a measured and cautious approach to reopening, Mr Curtin is confident the salon will be a safe space for clients. "Within a salon, people are continuously washing their hands, they're sanitising every area, staff are wearing face masks and clients are wearing face masks. "Staff have fulfilled criteria before entering the building and have been temperature checked. The transmission possibility is... I don't want to say minuscule, but it has been enormously reduced." Elizabeth C Beauty Clinic in Galway city is also offering a "reduced treatment menu" for July, with its more intensive treatments unavailable. First-phase treatments will be limited to those where clients can wear masks including eyebrow, lash and nail treatments. Salon owner Eilish MacDonald said the length of time spent with a client was the main reason behind the salon's decision. "I wouldn't want to put a therapist into a room with somebody for an hour and a half on their first or second day back at work after three months," she said, adding the salon uses a lot of heat and steam for these treatments, and the client would be unable to wear a mask for the duration of the facial. "So we're holding off on doing facials for the first few weeks until the therapists are comfortable." In preparing to reopen, the salon has been retrofitted with screens on all manicure stations, new treatment beds in the rooms, and bought PPE for therapists. The salon is asking clients to come to the salon alone at their designated appointment time and wear a face mask. Clients are asked to use hand sanitiser on arrival, will have their temperature taken and supply contact details, in line with HSE guidelines for Covid-19 contact tracing. The salon's protocols mean clients will have to leave immediately after treatments - meaning clients cannot wait in the salon for their nails to dry. "You can't wait in a salon now, with social distancing. This is the difficulty. It's the same everywhere." CEO of the Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation Ireland Margaret O'Rourke-Doherty confirmed there was no stipulation for beauty workers on what they could or couldn't do when they returned to work on Monday. "It really comes down to what the client is comfortable with and what the therapist is comfortable with," she said. "Each business needs to risk assess and see what treatments they can provide, in a way that is reasonable and practical for them." Advertisement Police surrounded a statue of Churchill while thousands of Black Lives Matter protest descended on London again today and marched along Whitehall demanding justice for Somali schoolgirl Shukri Abdi. Black Lives Matter demonstrators waved banners reading 'justice for Shukri', 'silence is violence' and 'no justice, no peace' in the street near Parliament. Others carried fresh flowers, while holding up banners that said 'fight police brutality, fight racism! fight imperialism!'. It comes exactly a year after 12-year-old Shukri drowned in a river in Bury, Greater Manchester, which was not treated as suspicious by police. At least six Metropolitan Police officers formed a barrier around the former war-time Prime Minister's statue which has been the subject of vandalism during previous protests. Police again formed a ring around Britain's greatest ever Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill to protect it from vandals during the protests One protester stood next to the statue of the former Prime Minister which read 'Teach colonial history in schools' as officers watched on Police officers formed a protective wall around the statue of Winston Churchill which had been vandalised during previous demonstrations Demonstrators waved banners reading 'justice for Shukri', 'silence is violence' and 'no justice, no peace' in the street near Parliament A Black Lives Matter protester raises his fist in the air and yells during a demonstration in London earlier today. Next to him another demonstrator pulls down a protective face mask Others carried fresh flowers, while holding up banners that said 'fight police brutality, fight racism! fight imperialism!' It comes exactly a year after 12-year-old Shukri drowned in a river in Bury, Greater Manchester, which was not treated as suspicious by police. Pictured: Protesters today A social media post advertising today's march read: 'Peaceful protest for our sister Shukri. One year on, still no change. Does she not matter?' It said demonstrators would meet in Hyde Park and march to the Department of Education on Great Smith Street, Westminster. There was also a virtual protest, organised by LDNBLM and Educators for Justice, for people who wanted to be a part of the movement but could not make it in person. At the same time there was a Black Trans Lives Matter protest, which met at Wellington Arch at 2pm and marched to Downing Street for 3pm. Protesters hold up placards as they walk past the statue of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill earlier today during a Black Trans Lives Matter protest Supporters of Black Lives Matter protest march towards Downing Street in Westminster, central London, on Saturday afternoon A social media post advertising today's march read: 'Peaceful protest for our sister Shukri. One year on, still no change. Does she not matter?' Today's demonstrators met in Hyde Park and march to the Department of Education on Great Smith Street, Westminster A man with an England flag is removed by police after he was standing by the Churchill statue in Parliament Square and argued with people taking part in a justice for Shukri Abdi protest march today on the first anniversary of her death Shukri's mother previously said her daughter hated water and could not swim so would not have been near the River Irwell by choice. In February an inquest into her death heard a school girl 'told her to ''get in the water or I'll kill you'' but said it was said as a joke'. The foster carer of one of the four children with Shukri, called Child One in court, said the girl admitted to her three days after the death that she had threatened to kill the school girl if she didn't get in the water. Shukri and two of the children had been stopped in Primark earlier that day for shoplifting, the inquest heard. Giving evidence, her mother Zak Zam Ture said Shukri had never been swimming or been near a river in her life. Thousands of Black lives Matter campaigners march along Whitehall, London, to demand justice for 12-year-old Shukri Abdi who died in Bury, Greater Manchester, last year Giving evidence, Shukri's mother, Zak Zam Ture, said her daughter had never been swimming or been near a river in her life There was also a virtual protest, organised by LDNBLM and Educators for Justice, for people who wanted to be a part of the movement but could not make it in person Protesters holding banners during the Black Lives Matter protest asking for justice for the death of Shukri Abdi are pictured today Demonstrators crouch down and raise banners in the air to campaign for justice for Shukri Abdi whose body was found in the River Irwell last June Streets were flooded with protesters today demanding justice for Shukri Abdi. Many people hold signs in the air as they walk down Whitehall in London She told the court she had been expected home at 3.15pm that day - in time for mosque at 5pm. When her daughter failed to return, Ms Ture went to her school, a nearby park and called on other Somali families to help look for her. A friend told her she had seen Shukri walking on her own in the direction of her house with two girls following behind, her mother told the hearing. Police told her afterwards four other children were with her daughter at the river before her death and Shukri and two of the other girls had been stopped in Primark for shoplifting that day. Shukri's mother previously said her daughter hated water and could not swim so would not have been near the River Irwell by choice A woman holds up a sign saying 'justice 4 Shurki Abdi' as protesters gather in central London for another weekend of demonstrations A woman wearing a face covering watches on as another shouts through a megaphone during the rally in central London on Saturday One of the messages being promoted by Black Lives Matter demonstrators is the demand for justice for 12-year-old Shukri Abdi Black Lives Matter protests have erupted across the world since the death of George Floyd in police custody in the US. In recent weeks the statue to Britain's greatest ever Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill was defaced by BLM protesters and police officers have come under attack. Last week police formed a defensive ring around the monument, which even had to be boarded up after the plinth was defaced during a rally three weeks ago. But that protest was largely without incident, in stark contrast to the week before which saw ugly clashes between BLM demonstrators and thugs who pelted police with bottles, barriers and fireworks. Peaceful protesters make their way through the streets of central London as they campaign in support of Black Trans Lives Matter A protester smiles at the camera as he stands in a crowd demonstrating in support of the Black LGBTQ+ community today A campaign makes its way from Wellington Arch to Piccadilly in London today. The crowd are marching in support of the Black LGBTQ+ community Signs are held in the air saying 'Black trans lives matter' as campaigners marched down Piccadilly today in support of the Black LGBTQ+ Black Trans Lives Matter demonstrators hold placards and march along Northumberland Avenue earlier today to celebrate the Black transgender community This week, Sheree and Roy Marquez, the owners of Almas Latina, made a difficult decision. The Houston area, which had weathered the early months of the coronavirus pandemic relatively well, had begun emerging as a nationwide hot spot for COVID-19. And although the staff at Almas had been vigilant about wearing masks, social distancing and sanitizing, the Marquez family felt they could do more to prevent the virus spread. So Texas is open for business. But their dining room is not. On Thursday, Almas announced that it is returning to curbside and delivery only, for the time being. This temporary move is our effort to be part of the solution and not the problem, the couple explained in a Facebook post. We believe it is our responsibility to protect our staff, our community and give our hospitals a fighting chance. Our concern was exactly whats happening now that we werent ready as a state to open up, Sheree Marquez said Thursday evening. She pointed to the array of indicators that public health professionals have been tracking: positive cases, hospitalizations, ICU capacity and deaths. It is a sacrifice for us as a business. Sales will drop, she continued. But we know that ultimately the sacrifice were making right now should be something that will help sustain us for the long haul, because this is not going away anytime soon. Apparently not. All of the indicators Marquez mentioned have taken an ominous turn since Gov. Greg Abbott began formally reopening the state two months ago. We are, according to medical experts, approaching a bleak tipping point. And whether we can avoid the worst-case scenario well, thats up to us. Weve already let this thing go too long. Now the nightmare scenario is unfolding, Dr. Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said Wednesday. That same day, a group of executives from the Texas Medical Center warned that COVID 19-related admissions were increasing at an alarming rate. If this trend continues, our hospital system capacity will become overwhelmed, leading us to make difficult choices of delaying much-needed non-COVID care to accommodate a greater number of COVID patients, they wrote in a joint statement. The group walked that back a bit on Thursday, with Houston Methodist CEO Marc Boom explaining that they ended up unintentionally sounding an alarm bell too loudly. Still, if youre going to sound an alarm bell, theres no point in doing it at a discreet volume. Texas reported 5,100 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Friday another milestone. Weve entered a new phase of the pandemic, and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Friday that cities are going to have to fight this virus with one hand tied behind our back. Thats because Abbott believes in local authority except when he doesnt. Shortly after Hidalgo issued an order in late April that would have required residents to wear a mask in public or face a fine, pleading with people not to get complacent, Abbott superseded her order, reopening businesses and barring any such local fines. He touted his move at a joint appearance at the White House with President Donald Trump in early May. Abbott struck a different tone this week. The Republican governor on Thursday announced that he was pausing the states reopening, and banned elective surgeries in Harris, Dallas, Bexar and Travis counties to preserve hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients. He also encouraged people to stay home, in an interview with KBTX. Importantly, because the spread is so rapid right now, theres never a reason for you to have to leave your home unless you need to go out, Abbott said. On Friday he went a step further, ordering bars across the state to shut down again and capping restaurant capacity at 50 percent. He also closed tubing and rafting businesses, and directed that outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people be subject to local approval. But the governor has yet to issue a second statewide order telling Texans to stay home except for essential activities, to name one seemingly obvious step. Hes also refused to let local officials in hot spots such as Houston issue new stay-at-home orders, according to Hidalgos office. And by limiting the powers of local officials, hes undercut their front-line efforts to control the spread leaving leaders such as Hidalgo, for example, to resort to fighting a pandemic with strongly worded warnings. Today we find ourselves careening toward a catastrophic and unsustainable situation, she said Friday, announcing that Harris County is now at threat level red, meaning severe and uncontrolled spread of the virus, and urging us to stay home as much as possible, as we did in March and April. Houstonians should heed that advice, even if Hidalgo cant legally enforce it and we should commend business and community leaders like Sheree and Roy Marquez, whose concern for the community they serve has inspired them to make certain short-term sacrifices. The lack of guidance and the lack of leadership across the board from our state officials has been very concerning, Marquez said. Were sort of all left to decipher information as we choose, and to create our own models when were not on the same page, it gets very tricky. But theres an upside, she added, to the clarity of the rules Almas has adopted. People seem a little more at ease, if Im honest, she said. They walk in a lot more confidently, and were happy to see it. Thats the kind of leadership we could use more of from our state leaders. With the European Union moving toward reopening its external borders on July 1, travelers from the United States could be among those excluded over coronavirus concerns. (Benny Snyder / Associated Press) To the editor: It's all but certain that on July 1, Americans will be banned from entering the European Union. I commend those countries for placing the interests of their citizens ahead of economic concerns. It's too bad we can't say the same for the Trump administration. The United States has had more than 120,000 deaths because of COVID-19, and we are approaching 2.5 million confirmed cases. But for the acute level of presidential malfeasance, the aforementioned statistics would have been dramatically smaller, and many Americans would be preparing for their summer trips to Europe right now. The moral and intellectual bankruptcy of President Trump is there for anyone to see. Bob Teigan, Santa Susana .. To the editor: We're in the weeds of a pandemic, and we have no strategy in place to get us out. The European Union will soon say to us, "Stay home, Americans. We don't want you here." Since we've won the prize of having the most infections and deaths on the planet, shouldn't we rename this pathogen the "Trump virus"? James Boyd, Tustin .. To the editor: The claim of the administration that it is not trying to slow down testing is obviously not true. In fact, it is doing so in an underhanded way by cutting federal funding for testing, knowing that state budgets are stretched to the limit. At a time when the virus is roaring back, this is blatantly irresponsible and precisely what is causing the rest of the world to decide we are a nation not to be trusted and whose citizens cannot be allowed to cross their borders. Barbara Wilson, Altadena Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. People were queuing up outside a Lima health centre on Friday to be vaccinated against measles and other preventable diseases as part of an immunisation programme. Peru's government on Wednesday launched a vaccination initiative partly to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on lower-income neighbourhoods. The health ministry declared a health alert in 26 districts of Lima and Callao, including Villa el Salvador district, to prevent the resurgence of preventable diseases. In the poor district of Villa El Salvador, people with their children and the elderly formed long lines to get vaccinated. The Deputy Health Minister, Nancy Zerpa, overlooked the process saying the pandemicand subsequent lockdown had prevented many from accessing health services. With hospitals in the capital mainly being used to treat COVID-19 patients, vaccinations for preventable diseases have been disrupted, putting children at risk of diseases like diphtheria, measles and polio. (Image Credit Pixabay) By Dominique Patton BEIJING (Reuters) - China's customs authority has asked food exporters to the country to sign a declaration their produce is not contaminated by the novel coronavirus, three people who received a letter said on Friday. The declaration, seen by Reuters, may be an effort by China to reduce the additional testing it has carried out on imported foods over the last week and make exporters responsible for guaranteeing their products' safety, one meat importer who had signed it said. He declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. The French pork industry association Inaporc also received the notice, an official said. China's General Administration of Customs did not immediately respond to a fax seeking comment. The declaration says the exporter is willing to comply with Chinese laws and guidance from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization to ensure food imported into China is not contaminated with the virus that causes COVID-19. "In the event that a new case/suspected case of COVID-19 is detected in a food enterprise, or if there is a risk of contamination of food products exported to China, we are willing to take all necessary measures to eliminate food safety risks and protect consumer health," it adds. Beijing began testing imported food for the coronavirus after an outbreak in a wholesale food market last week. In Tianjin, the primary port for Beijing, authorities are testing all containers of meat, importers said. More than 30,000 samples of meat, seafood, vegetables and fruit were tested between June 11-17. All tested negative for the coronavirus, customs said on Thursday. "It's very costly and time-consuming to test all products. They're asking suppliers to sign this letter so they can go back to normal," said the meat exporter. How much weight the declaration will carry, however, is unclear. "If any shipments are found to have COVID-19, they will be destroyed anyway, with or without the letter," said another meat supplier who had not signed it. (Reporting by Dominique Patton; additional reporting by Emily Chow in Shanghai and Gus Trompiz in Paris; editing by Barbara Lewis) Two Vietnamese women returning from Kuwait and quarantined upon arrival were confirmed infected with the novel coronavirus, raising the countrys active cases to 25, the Health Ministry said Saturday. "Patient 354," 48, lives in Binh Chanh District in Ho Chi Minh City, while "Patient 355," 43, hails from Nhu Xuan District in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa. On June 18, both returned to Vietnam from Kuwait on repatriation flight QH9092 of Bamboo Airways that landed in Ho Chi Minh City before being sent to a quarantine camp in Hung Yen Province, northern Vietnam. On Friday, their samples were taken for Covid-19 tests and the results came back positive. They are being treated at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi. So far, 12 Vietnamese people repatriated from Kuwait, which has reported over 43,000 infections and 341 deaths, tested positive for Covid-19 and are being treated at Vietnamese hospitals. With the latest updates, Vietnam has 25 active cases after the recovery of 330 patients. The country has gone 72 days without community transmission of the virus. The nations most critical patient, a British pilot, has made great progress after being comatose for more than two months, and doctors are preparing to discharge him from HCMCs Cho Ray Hospital, where he has been treated for other health issues after recovering from Covid-19 more than a month ago. In the last few months, several special flights organized by the government have repatriated thousands of Vietnamese from several countries including France, India, Japan, Russia, the UAE and the U.S., as also other Southeast Asian countries. Passengers have paid their own fares. More of such flights are expected to repatriate Vietnamese citizens wanting to return home to avoid facing the Covid-19 pandemic elsewhere. The pandemic has hit over 210 countries and territories and around 490,000 deaths have been reported so far. Keir Starmer has dismissed calls by Labour left-wingers to reinstate Rebecca Long-Bailey after she was sacked for sharing an article online containing an allegedly anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. Members of the Campaign group of MPs held a conference call with the Labour leader to protest against Ms Long-Bailey's dismissal as shadow education secretary. But while they said the discussion had taken place in a "mutually respectful manner", they made clear Mr Starmer had stuck to his guns. The Labour leader's office declined to comment on the talks, saying it had been a private meeting. Ms Long-Bailey was fired on Thursday after refusing to take down a tweet linking to an interview with the actor Maxine Peake. In the interview, Ms Peake claimed that police linked to the death of George Floyd in the US had learned their tactics from the Israeli secret services. Mr Starmer said he had acted in order to rebuild trust with the Jewish community after years in which Labour has been embroiled in allegations of anti-Semitism under his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn. However, the move infuriated left-wing allies of the former leader, including ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who rejected claims Ms Peake's comments were anti-Semitic and said he stood "in solidarity" with Ms Long-Bailey. In a statement following its meeting with Mr Starmer, the Campaign group said: "On the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey from the shadow cabinet, it was clear that significant disagreement remains on this point. "The Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs made it clear that Rebecca Long-Bailey should not have been sacked and should be reinstated." Following Ms Long-Bailey's dismissal, Ms Peake acknowledged that her comments in 'The Independent' had been "inaccurate". The former shadow education secretary, however, insisted it was not "racist or anti-Semitic" to draw attention to concerns about police tactics. - Geoffery Kimani's wife was befriended by his friend not knowing his intentions were to steal from him - After earning Kimani's wife's trust, the man proceeded to persuade her to withdraw money from heir jointed account without telling her husband - Realising what had happened, Kimani reported the matter to the police and they were summoned by the chief and his friend was warned - Angry, the man attempted to attack Kimani with a knife but he knocked him down in self-defence and he died on the spot - He was arrested and detained for four years until when the judge acquitted him arguing he was defending himself If you are forced to protect yourself by ending the life of another who exhibits malicious intent to harm you, you will have overcome one of the most daunting challenges a human being can face. Unfortunately, determining whether or not your actions constitute manslaughter or self-defence is not always simple. READ ALSO: 28-year-old woman discovers she has 2 wombs with baby in each, may have double labour Geoffrey Kimani was jailed for four years when he knocked down a man to death in self-defence after he attempted to attack him with a knife. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Faces of 4 brilliant, youthful Kenyan women doing greatness behind progressive politics arena Of course, you took the necessary actions to protect yourself and but your assessment must corroborate with the opinions of the police, and if charged, a judge and jury. Geoffrey Kimani once found himself in such a situation when he knocked down a man to death in self-defence after he attempted to attack him with a knife. Narrating his experience to Switch TV, Kimani said he had just retired from Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) as a technician when his friend started interfering with his life. READ ALSO: University of Nairobi to readmit students expelled on disciplinary grounds According to Kimani, when he retired, he bought himself a car and started upgrading his life back in the village but that seemed to bother his friend who was not happy with his progress. The unidentified man then decided to befriend his wife with the intention of knowing what Kimani had to his name. Not knowing his intentions, Kimani's wife fell for his friend's trap and before he knew it, they had withdrawn KSh 60,000 from a bank account he shared with his wife. READ ALSO: Kisumu man who overcame abject poverty to become dentist builds elderly mom new house According to Kimani, when he retired, he bought himself a car and started upgrading his life back in the village. Photo: UGC. Source: UGC According to Kimani, he reported the matter to the police and the three of them were later summoned by the area chief and his friend was warned and he left immediately. On his way back home, Kimani said the man had been hiding in a bush waiting for him with a Knife and when he attacked Kimani, he knocked him down before he could stab him. " On my way home, he was hiding in a bush with a knife and I told God if at this man was going to kill me, God kill him before he kills me," narrated Kimani. READ ALSO: Gikomba: Stalls reconstructed by traders at market demolished day after fire razed businesses "So when he wanted to stab me, I gave him one blow on his cheek and broke his bone. He fell down and hit his head. That was when he died," he added. Kimani said the man died instantly and he went back to the police station report the incident but was immediately arrested and put in prison. Four years later, when the judge was hearing his case, he was asked him to tell his side of the story and on hearing him, he asked for evidence that had been taken by government chemists. READ ALSO: Mombasa woman accuses doctor of medical negligence that left her with life threatening condition Geoffery Kimani was released after four years when the judged ruled that he had killed another man in self-defence. Photo: UGC Source: UGC " The judge asked the knife that had been taken to the government chemist to be brought to the court," he said "When the knife was brought, the judge saw there was no blood neither was their blood on my shirt," he added. The judge ruled that Kimani had not done anything wrong and that he was defending himself and had he not done so, he would have been killed instead. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly Source: TUKO.co.ke Via Ann Althouse, check out this confrontation between a young woman who is a BLM activist and an older African-American man. They are standing in front of, and arguing about, the Emancipation Statue that freedmen paid for and where Frederick Douglass spoke. You dont have to understand the words the young woman is screaming to know that you are witnessing a dialogue between a normal person and one with serious mental or emotional problems: Why are you protecting it?! BLM activist gets into a verbal exchange with an older black guy who was speaking up against tearing the statue down.#emancipationstatue pic.twitter.com/4crUOJhDFP Sagnik Basu (@_sagnikbasu) June 27, 2020 I confess to being nonplussed as to why America is allowing itself to be bullied by people who are at best ignorant and hateful, and in many cases not in full possession of their faculties. I agree with Steve that Yale University will quite likely change its name. Why? Elihu Yale was a slave trader. So what? No one has seriously believedcertainly not in the last 200 yearsthat some guy named Elihu Yale had any meaningful connection with the university. Same with John Harvard. Who was he? What were his political opinions? Who cares? Dartmouth College is an amusing example of the irrelevance of college names. Eleazar Wheelock named the college after the Earl of Dartmouth, hoping that would lead Dartmouth to contribute to the institution. The Earl refused. There you have it. What were the Earls politics? Did he have some attenuated connection to slavery? Who knows? Who cares? The case of Woodrow Wilson is different. Wilson, as Princetons President and the driving force behind Princetons global renown, not to mention later being President of the United States, did have a vitally important connection to the modern university. But we have known that Wilson was a racist for a long time. What is the source of the universitys current panic? This is as close as the President of Princetons letter comes to an explanation: When Derek Chauvin knelt for nearly nine minutes on George Floyds neck while bystanders recorded his cruelty, he might have assumed that the system would disregard, ignore, or excuse his conduct, as it had done in response to past complaints against him. This is remarkably stupid. Derek Chauvin may have been callous, and he certainly was negligent, but there is no reason to think that he intended for Floyd to die. Killing Floyd on purpose would have been a suicidal act. The incident, intended or not, has destroyed Chauvins life and almost certainly doomed him to a term in prison. Those consequences were entirely foreseeable. If Chauvin had killed Floyd on purpose, he certainly would not have assumed that the system would disregard, ignore, or excuse his conduct. Rather, considering precedents here in Minnesota, his thoughts would have gone to Jeronimo Yanez, who shot Philando Castile four years ago during a traffic stop because he believed (likely correctly) that Castile was reaching for his gun. Yanez was prosecuted for manslaughter, acquitted by a jury, and fired from his job. His life was devastated. Or, more recently, Chauvin would have thought of Mohammed Noor, who shot Justine Damond for no apparent reason whileamazinglyresponding to Damonds own 911 call. Noor was treated with kid gloveswe can only speculate as to whyand eight months went by before he was finally charged. In the end, though, he was prosecuted for homicide, convicted of third-degree murder and manslaughter, and sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison, where he resides today. So for Princetons President, on behalf of its Board of Trustees, to speculate that Chauvin might have assumed that the system would disregard, ignore, or excuse his conduct in killing George Floyd reflects extreme ignorance. As for prior complaints against Chauvin, neither the President nor the Trustees have any idea what the merits of those complaints were, or how they were handled. Their comments are purely gratuitous, based on ignorance. Princetons case as it relates to Wilson is, as I said, unusual. But it is disheartening that in the war between the sane and the insane, Americas educational institutions cant find the wit or the courage to stand with the sane. KREMMLING, Colo. For months, Democrats have figured that Colorados U.S. Senate race, a linchpin of their strategy to take back the majority in November, was essentially in the bag, with the Republican incumbent Cory Gardner trailing by double digits behind their candidate John Hickenlooper, the well-liked and well-known former two-term governor and Denver mayor. But Mr. Hickenlooper, who was coaxed into the Senate contest after ending his brief presidential run, has faltered in recent weeks ahead of the primary race on Tuesday. He now finds himself in a tougher-than-expected contest with Andrew Romanoff, a former state House speaker and another longtime Colorado political presence, in a fight with significant implications for the general election and control of the Senate. At a time when Democrats sense fresh momentum for flipping the Senate amid national crises that have tarnished President Trump and threaten to drag down Republican candidates, Mr. Hickenloopers shaky primary performance has been a rare dark spot in an otherwise brightening landscape. Democrats would have a difficult time capturing the majority without a Centennial State victory. He has had a bad June, Kyle Saunders, a political-science professor at Colorado State University, said about Mr. Hickenloopers multiple travails and missteps. Chief among them was a contempt finding by the states independent ethics commission for defying a subpoena to appear at a hearing on a complaint against him an event that prompted disastrous news coverage across the state. A serological survey began in some parts of Delhi on Saturday to determine the extent of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)s spread, even as chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said his government was deploying five weapons testing and isolation, providing oximeters and oxygen concentrators, plasma therapy, screening, and survey in the fight against the infection. Blood samples will be taken from randomly selected people as part of the survey, which involves rapid tests for antibodies, to study the scale of undetected infections. Samples of 20,000 people will be tested by July 10 to ascertain the population-level presence of the IgG antibody, which indicates past infection. The activity will take place along with door-to-door screening in the Capital and increased testing for Covid-19. On Saturday, Delhi began the study in the Central district, which conducted about 700 blood tests. The Capital reported 2,948 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, taking the total infections in the city to 80,188. Delhi has reported 2,558 deaths so far from the infectious disease. The number of fresh cases across the nation surpassed the 20,000 mark for the first time, with 20,179 new infections. The results of the current study will be used as baseline data and such drives will be conducted periodically to monitor the trend of the infection in the community, according to the training material provided by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which is spearheading the study. The survey is part of a new Covid-19 response plan prepared by the Delhi health department, in accordance with the recommendations of a committee headed by NITI Aayog member VK Paul. The Centre and the Delhi government agreed on deploying a revamped strategy against the disease in the Capital at a recent meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah. Also read | Covid-19 pandemic prompts a changed world order Teams of lab technicians and auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) posted at government dispensaries and mohalla clinics will visit households and draw blood samples in all 11 districts of the Capital. On the first day of the survey, the Central district created 30 teams for the exercise, which is also called sero-surveillance. The other districts were in the process of arranging logistics, training the ground staff, and surveying their respective areas to select households. A senior revenue department official with the Delhi government said on condition of anonymity: We are in the process of making arrangements and training the staff for it. We have started with the Central district and will scale it up from tomorrow (Sunday). From Monday, it will start in all the districts. The New Delhi district, which will collect the lowest number of samples (169) based on the size of its population, will begin the exercise on Monday. The highest number of samples will be collected by the Northwest. In the East and West districts, the staff that will be deployed for sample collection were being trained on Saturday. There is a protocol which has to be followed. We have formed close to 25-plus teams, one per dispensary, to carry out the survey. The areas where the teams will go have been finalised as per the guidelines provided to us, said a senior official with the East district, requesting anonymity. The exercise is being jointly carried out by NCDC, which functions under the Union health ministry, and the Delhi government. The serological survey has started from Saturday and will cover 20,000 people. The survey is being conducted door to door and will reveal the extent of coronavirus spread in Delhi, chief minister Kejriwal said. He said Delhi was waging a difficult war against the Covid-19 pandemic and will emerge victorious, but it will take time. The Delhi government is combating the pandemic by augmenting hospital beds, increasing the number of tests, providing oximeters and oxygen concentrators to patients in home isolation, providing plasma therapy to patients, and through survey and screening, the CM said. Also read | The science behind Delhis five-pronged fight against Covid In the past one month, the number of beds was raised significantly at hospitals and now there was no lack of beds; out of 13,500 available, 7,500 were vacant, he added. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia tweeted: Sero Testing has been started from today in the fight against Corona in Delhi. Under this, 20 thousand blood sample will be taken from all over Delhi. This test will prove to be very effective in the Delhi governments campaign against Corona. Explaining the process of the serological survey, a doctor with the West district said: Our teams will be sent to 10-15 points or areas identified by us. In the North district, five teams have been formed. Each team will have a lab technician, a pharmacist, ANMs and ASHA workers. The teams will be supervised by a doctor, a senior doctor with the district said, asking not to be named. For random selection of the households, each ward in Delhi will be divided into four areas and the households will be selected using a list of homes available with the dispensary in the area. In the absence of such a list, the teams have been directed to stand in the middle of the areas designated to them and identify one household at random. The next household will be selected at an interval of about 5 or 10 houses, according to the methodology. We have been given a ward-wise break-up of the number of households that have to be included for the study. We have to randomly select these households for example, if we start from one point of a locality, then we collect samples from house number 1, 5, 10 like that. If a house is locked or people do not consent to be a part of the study, we will move to the next house, a doctor from the Central district said on condition of anonymity. At least 30% of the samples from each ward have to be from children (1 to 18 years of age). For the study, only those people who have been living in the city for at least six months will be included. The teams have to carry a questionnaire (about the health of the participant, travel or contact history), consent forms, blood collection kits, boxes that are used for vaccinations, appropriate personal protective equipment and bags for the disposal of biomedical waste. Each team has to collect up to 40 samples. For every five survey teams, there will be a supervisory team consisting of medical officers from the dispensaries or mohalla clinics, along with an intern or final-year postgraduate student and a nodal officer from NCDC. Earlier this month, the Indian Council of Medical Research revealed the result of its pilot sero-surveillance study of 26,000 people from across India. The overall percentage of general population that was found to have been infected in the past is 0.73%, with urban areas having shown higher Covid-19 prevalence of about 1.09%, the study had revealed. Gandhinagar, June 28 : Gujarat on Saturday reported its highest-ever number of coronavirus cases - 615, as rising number of infections were reported from Surat and other cities across the state. Gujarat has been witnessing around 570 to 580 new cases of virus infection per day, since the last couple of days. Of the new cases, Ahmedabad accounted for over a third, at 211. However, the city which was reporting around 300 plus cases daily has seen the number come down to over 200. But Ahmedabad's improvement has been negated by the rising cases elsewhere. Surat, which had recorded its highest number of cases, 182, on Friday, on Saturday breached it to record 184. At the third number, Vadodara, which has a steady daily count of around 45 positive cases, saw 47 new cases added on Saturday. It was followed by Navsari with 21, Mehsana with 16, Bhavnagar with 14, Rajkot with 12, Anand and Kutch with 11 each, Gandhinagar with 9, Bharuch with 8, Jamnagar, Sabarkantha, Chhota Udepur and Surendranagar with seven each, Aravalli, Panchmahals and Valsad with five each, Kheda, Narmada, Amreli and Morbi with 3 each, Botad, Patan, Gir-Somnath and Dahod with 2 each and Banaskantha, Mahisagar, and Tapi one each. One patient was from outside the state. However, one positive development for the last couple of days is that the number of deaths, which had been over 30 for almost entire June so far, have now reduced to under 20. There were 18 deaths on Saturday - 12 in Ahmedabad, two in Surat and a patient each succumbing in Rajkot, Gandhinagar, Botad and Junagadh. With this, the total number of corona death in Ahmedabad has reached 1,413, 148 have died in Surat, 49 in Vadodara, 28 in Gandhinagar, 15 each in Aravalli, Panchmahals and Patan, 13 each in Bhavnagar and Anand and 11 have died in Mehsana. Gujarat has one of the highest mortality rate for Corona in the country, at 5.81 per cent. With the new cases, the total count of corona infected persons has jumped to 30,773. Ahmedabad has the highest - 20,269, followed by Surat with 4,242, Vadodara with 2,126, Gandhinagar with 625, Mehsana with 251, Rajkot with 240, Bhavnagar with 239, Bharuch with 195, Anand with 193, Aravalli with 192, Jamnagar with 187, Banaskantha with 169, Panchmahals with 168, Sabarkantha with 166, Patan with 164, Kheda with 139, Kutch with 138, Mahisagar with 135 and Surendranagar with 119 cases. On Saturday, the health authorities carried out 5,969 RT-PCR tests, taking the total to 3,57,148. A total of 379 patients were discharged, taking the total to 22,417. The state has 6,566 active cases, out of which the condition of 6,497 is stable, whereas 69 critical patients are still on ventilator. Right now, there are 2,35,954 people quarantined - 2,32,524 at home and 3,430 in government facilities. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Kenya's herders hit by coronavirus curbs Peter Olankai, who keeps cattle, sheep and goats, has struggled to buy and sell his animals in Kenya's Kajiado County as the coronavirus pandemic closed markets and ushered in movement restrictions and curfews that have eaten away at his income. "Our livelihood is reliant on livestock - we sell these animals to get money to buy food and other family needs, but now we can't," he said earlier this month. Olankai, 46, lives in Kisamis village in remote Maasai territory where there is no road network and connecting with buyers is a challenge. Now at home with his four teenage children, the family's daily spending on food has gone up significantly. In 2018 and 2019, their community was hit hard by drought but this year, they have had a lot of rain and the livestock are healthy and in good condition. Olankai replenished his herd and hoped to fetch a decent price for his animals - but his plan has been ruined by market shutdowns aimed at stemming the spread of the novel coronavirus. 'Sometimes when I need money, I call one of the livestock buyers but its hard for them to come because of movement restrictions,' he said. "We are the most disadvantaged as a community." As Covid-19 cases in Kenya continued to rise, and community transmission became more common, the government tightened control measures, including further restrictions on movement in and out of Nairobi, for another 30 days until early July. The Covid-19 response has disrupted the livestock marketing system in the area, with many of the brokers who drive animals from the bush to the markets halting their activities for now. Traders like Mburu have had no choice but to go into Maasai country to collect livestock from individual keepers. JavaScript is not available. Weve detected that JavaScript is disabled in this browser. Please enable JavaScript or switch to a supported browser to continue using twitter.com. You can see a list of supported browsers in our Help Center. Help Center "I don't think I can get happier than this." That isn't something you would ordinarily expect to hear from a woman standing in the shell of her family home, which was all but destroyed by flooding a month earlier, but Penny Tyler and the situation she has found herself in is anything but ordinary. Like at unfortunately high number of her fellow Sanford residents, Tyler's life was turned upside-down on May 19, when the village was directly hit by the worst flood event in mid-Michigan's history. The damage done to Tyler's small family home on Lincoln Street, which she had lived in since the age of 3 (she's now 57), was devastating. Everything she owned from food and furniture to childhood photos was either washed away or irreparably damaged. The only thing she was able to evacuate with was her small dog, Bugsy. After her insurance company denied her claim, another unfortunately common occurrence for many Sanford residents, Tyler found herself living in a camper on her own front lawn, one with no electricity or water, and nowhere to go when the weather gets colder in a few months. Tyler's life was changed for a second time on the afternoon of June 24, and I was fortunate enough to be among the local journalists there to capture the moment. Initially thinking she was going to be interviewed about the flooding and her life in its aftermath, Tyler soon discovered she had been summoned for a very different occasion: the reveal that her house was going to be rebuilt at no cost to herself. Informed of Tyler's situation by a friend and driven by desire to "give back" to the community, David Dennis, owner of the Freeland-based Great Lakes Homes building company, worked with several people close to Tyler to set in motion a rebuilding project that will turn Tyler's life around. Anticipating help from many of his partners and subcontractors, Dennis plans to begin the rebuilding process within the next three weeks. In my duties as a reporter during this time of crisis brought about by the flooding which itself is stacked on top of another crisis in the form of a global pandemic I've mostly had to focus my attention on stories without happy endings or even clear-cut conclusions. Watching as Tyler surrounded by members of the community that had helped her stay afloat during both the flooding and the dire situation it left her in afterwards find out her life had just taken a sharp turn for the better, was one of the first times in almost four months that I've been able to report on a genuine story of hope. Tyler's story, as undeniably heartening as it is, can be more than just an anecdote of one woman's trials and tribulations and one man's generosity. It's a snapshot of the future can look like for Sanford and Midland if we look at ourselves and each other not as residents of the same area of Michigan, but as a deeply and inseparably interconnected community that leaves no one behind. It's a story of how even in a time of such widespread devastation, that community can still work together to win hard-fought, but well-deserved, victories. Thanks for reading, Mitchell Kukulka Daily News staff writer mitchell.kukulka@mdn.net Editor's note: This is a letter Mitchell Kukulka wrote subscribers in Thursday's digital afternoon newsletter that's for paid Daily News subscribers only. If you're a subscriber and wish to sign up for the Midland Insider newsletter, call our circulation department at 989-839-4211. Yo!Rent is a fully customizable platform to build rental eCommerce websites FATbit Technologies, an India-based leading software development company has launched the single-vendor variant (https://www.yo-rent.com/single-vendor-rental-ecommerce-solution.html) of its flagship product - Yo!Rent - an eCommerce software to set up rental websites. This variant will cater to the growing demand of entrepreneurs who wish to go digital and establish their presence across diverse niches in the online rental economy. It will provide the same industry-grade security, performance and an extensive range of features, associated with FATbit Technologies (https://www.fatbit.com/), to operate a successful rental website. Until now, Yo!Rent was a fully customizable platform to build rental eCommerce websites but with multi-vendor functionality. While the product was successful, it was due for an upgrade to accommodate the growing demand for single vendor rental websites. The single-vendor system offers an expansive set of features to simplify online rental management. It includes catalog management, which ensures the products are neatly organized with fixed attributes. Real time stock availability coupled with buffer days settings allows website owners to manage their inventory efficiently and provide accurate details to customers. With in-built analytics and report tools, owners can get a better understanding of their website's performance and gain crucial insights into users' behavior. The platform also includes an easy to use CMS, which facilitates hassle-free content publishing with regard to SEO guidelines, discount, promotion management, and much more. Furthermore, multiple payment gateways come pre-installed in the platform. With due consideration to the increasing use of mobile technology, Yo!Rent single vendor is built as a mobile-ready platform. While Yo!Rent may be popular as a rental eCommerce solution, it does more than just renting. A simple toggle in the settings allows owners to enable the selling functionality on their products. This is a useful feature to have should the website owner plan to sell away some of their products due to popular demand or stock-clearing. Yo!Rent single vendor is available with a flexi payment option. The installation is completely free, and there's a one year free technical support for glitches and bug-fixing. Online dresses, construction equipment, furniture, textbooks and travel gear are some of the rental niches where Yo!Rent powered marketplaces currently operate. This launch of a single-vendor variant is a clear indication of FATbit Technologies' aim to expand the capabilities of its flagship product. Mr. Manish Bhalla, Founder and CEO of FATbit says, "Yo!Rent introduced us to clients with unique and innovative business ideas from the whole spectrum of the rental industry. As our product matured and we learned more about our target audience, the need for a Yo!Rent single vendor variant became crystal clear to us." Interested prospects can now explore the free demo of Yo!Rent Single-Vendor to understand how the platform works and the numerous functionalities it has to offer. For more details and in-person demo, clients can book an appointment here https://www.yo-rent.com/. By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Friday said U.S. President Donald Trump was wrong to divert $2.5 billion meant for the Pentagon to build part of his long-sought wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. In a pair of 2-1 decisions, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the White House lacked constitutional authority for the transfer, noting that Congress had denied the funding and finding no "unforeseen military requirement" to justify it. The court also said California and New Mexico, which share a border with Mexico and were among 20 states suing the government, had legal standing to sue. Chief Judge Sidney Thomas said "the Executive Branch's failure to show, in concrete terms, that the public interest favors a border wall is particularly significant given that Congress determined fencing to be a lower budgetary priority and the Department of Justice's own data points to a contrary conclusion." Trump had declared a national emergency at the border in February 2019 to access the funds. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra praised the San Francisco-based court for halting Trump's "unlawful money grab," saying taxpayers deserve to know their money goes where Congress intends. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the decisions "a great victory for the rule of law," saying Trump undermined military readiness to fulfill his "outrageous campaign promise" to build a wall. The appeals court also ruled that the Sierra Club and Southern Border Communities Coalition could sue over the diversion and deserved an injunction. That ruling may be symbolic because the U.S. Supreme Court said last July the nonprofits likely had no legal right to sue. The Supreme Court also let the $2.5 billion be spent while litigation continued, blunting the likely impact of Friday's decisions. President Bill Clinton appointed both judges in Friday's majority. Trump appointed the dissenting judge. Friday's decisions totaled 184 pages and upheld lower court rulings. The cases are California et al v Trump et al, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 19-16299 and 19-16336; and Sierra Club et al v Trump et al in the same court, Nos. 19-16102 and 19-16300. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sonya Hepinstall) By Express News Service CHENNAI: The wife of a COVID-19 victim has died of suicide in Virudhunagar, on Saturday. Her 57-year-old husband was a railway booking staff working at Virudhunagar railway station while she was a teacher working at a private school, according to sources. Official sources said that the man had tested positive on Friday and the same was informed orally to their family. The husband succumbed to the virus and was declared dead during the wee hours of Saturday morning. His body was brought to the cremation grounds directly, and his wife and two daughters were quarantined. When they (the daughters) left to test themselves for coronavirus, the woman, who was alone at their residence, allegedly hung herself to death. Speaking to The New Indian Express, an official seeking anonymity said that apart from the grief of loss, social stigma might have been reason for her decision. Her body has been sent to the Virudhunagar Medical College Hospital for postmortem and an investigation is underway. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.) Missing for the past four days, a 23-year-old woman was found dead in a canal near Issewal village on Saturday. Suspecting suicide, police have booked her former classmate, Rohit Kumar, under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested him. Police said the woman, who worked at a salon in Gurdev Nagar, had not returned home since June 23. Her family had lodged a missing persons report at Division Number 5 police station on June 25. On Saturday, police informed the family about the recovery of the womans body from the canal near Issewal village. Her kin claimed that when they reached there, they found injury marks on the body. They alleged that she was sexually assaulted and murdered, before being dumped in the canal. Sub-inspector Richa Rani said prima facie, the woman appeared to have committed suicide. We have arrested her former classmate with whom she was in regular contact. The body has been sent to the civil hospital. Things will clear up further after postmortem, and we may add more sections in the FIR, she added. Judge of the Constitutional Court Alvina Gyulumyan told Pastinfo she did not sign a protocol on termination of her powers. Gyulumyan is a judge-rapporteur of 3-4 active cases. When asked about the fate of these cases she noted that it is assumed that the Constitutional Court chair or the acting chair will re-endorse them. The amendments to the Constitution of Armenia adopted by the National Assembly of Armenia on June 22, 2020 entered into force on June 26, 2020. As the PM Nikol Pashinyan has earlier noted on Facebook, from now on, Hrayr Tovmasyan is not the president of the CC, and Felix Tokhyan, Hrant Nazaryan, and Alvina Gyulumyan are not members or judges of the CC. Three new judges of the CC must be elected within two months. All state bodies of Armenia are obliged to take note of this reality and be guided by it. You cant turn on the television without seeing an advertisement from some kind of a dating service that suggests that it can find you a love interest. I would like to see myself as being that kind of a practitioner rather than that word which connotes something far more sinister. In fact, when I write something favorable about a politician, and I do that a lot, I am often called something unkind. Sometimes those unkind words, or those hinting at that, will come from some of the other people who make their living covering state politics. Since I have been interviewing the governor for a half an hour every week, they will tweet each other, real time, during my interviews castigating my questions to the governor. I dont want to be defensive, but if you look up my columns on Cuomo the Younger, you will see that I have always been fairly tough on the guy. Not everyone does that, of course, just a few. I love the aggregator, The Empire Report, which has been very kind to me. But we are moving far afield of the basic reason for writing this column. It involves a letter I received from a nice lady who wanted to be in touch with the governor. She asked me to facilitate a relationship with the guy. Now anyone, including me, who wants to send something to the governor can put it in an envelope and send it to the State Capitol in Albany, New York. Since it is safe to assume at a lot of people do that, one can only wonder why she chose me as the go-between. Perhaps she wrongly assumes that I have some special relationship with Andrew Cuomo, just as they thought I had with his father, who I interviewed statewide for so many years. So here comes the truth: I have never enjoyed a meal with either of the Cuomos. I never attended the holiday parties to which the two Cuomo governors invited the press. I just got lucky in both cases and had an opportunity to come face to face with their greatness. Did Mario ever get mad at me for a question? I remember the time when I asked him if he was opposed to the death penalty in every case. I asked him if he was opposed to the execution of Adolph Eichmann. Wow, did he not like that question, since he had so many Jewish constituents. I recently asked Andrew about his laudatory words about the press (in obvious contradistinction to Trump, who recently said that hed like to execute members of the press). I asked Andrew if he had ever changed his mind about anything based on what might be construed as a challenging question from the press. He said that he had not. Nuff said. In any case, the woman who wrote asked me to transmit a proposal to Andrew. In her opening, she said that if he was reading the letter it was because she had been aided and abetted by Dr. Alan Chartock good man that he is. Our letter writer said, I would like to invite you out to dinner. She suggested that since she lived two and a half hours from Albany, the restaurant could be somewhere in the middle your choice. She said that she had no ulterior motives; just a nice meal between two adults. Our writer wanted the governor to know that she is 54 with hazel eyes, dark red hair and while not willowy, I am not fat. She offered to send pictures. Finally, she made it clear that, no matter what the result, you have done a great job in all ways. Since I am pretty sure that Cuomo reads my stuff, consider the message delivered. But please, this is not in my portfolio. Sunday Freeman columnist Alan Chartock is a professor emeritus at the State University of New York, publisher of the Legislative Gazette and CEO of the WAMC Northeast Public Radio Network. Readers can email him at alan@wamc.org. After facing backlash from the US over the Vande Bharat Mission being conducted by India, it is now the UAE that has come forward with similar objections. Recently, the United States had described it as "discriminatory and restrictive" of the Indian government to not allow American carriers operate chartered flights on Indo-US routes even though Air India was doing so under the Vande Bharat Mission. This was followed by the US announcing that Air India will not be allowed to operate any chartered flight on Indo-US routes from July 22 onward unless specifically permitted by the US' Department of Transportation (DOT). Post this, the Aviation Ministry had announced that India is considering establishing "individual bilateral bubbles" with the US, the UK, Germany and France allowing airlines of each country in the pact to operate international passenger flights. Now, as per a report, UAE has barred Air India flights even if they are carrying UAE nationals from India. If anyone wants to fly from India to Dubai as part of the Vande Bharat Mission, then they have to take the approval of the Embassy of UAE in New Delhi. The process for this can be undertaken by those who are holding a Residency Permit / Work Permit of UAE and have an approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) applicable to Dubai. They will need to have specific approval from the UAE Embassy in New Delhi and their UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) in order to be able to take the repatriation flight, as per the Report. Currently, Air India is seeking Dubais permission to carry on with the repatriation flights given the huge demand for the India-UAE route. Also Watch: Air India started international chartered flights under Vande Bharat Mission from May 6 to help people stranded abroad to return home amid the Coronavirus pandemic. About eight million people have sought help with their debts during the coronavirus crisis, research by Virgin Money has found. The figures will raise fears of a growing debt bubble with Britain's consumer loans now standing at 220billion despite attempts by many families to pay down debts during the lockdown. Virgin Money surveyed more than 4,000 people to assess the state of the nation's finances as the taxpayer schemes propping up many bank balances are set to wind down. Trying to make ends meet: Banks are expecting large numbers to default on loans in the second half of the year It found around one in eight had called on their bank for help in the form of overdrafts and payment holidays on mortgages, personal loans and credit cards. Spending is expected to ramp up as the economy reopens, limiting the spare cash available to pay off credit cards. Banks are expecting large numbers to default on loans in the second half of the year. The Big Four lenders Barclays, RBS, HSBC and Lloyds have set aside a total 20.5billion to deal with bad loans. Howard Archer, chief economist at EY Item Club, said: 'You will probably see a surge of repayment in consumer credit in May. 'On the face of it, that's quite good news. But some people who are reasonably well off are less affected and it's the people with lower incomes that have had their finances squeezed. 'Overall repayments are improving, but there are people who are struggling financially and having to dip into savings.' Virgin Money found a quarter of people on the Government's furlough scheme have asked their bank for help, while 15 per cent of those still employed have requested assistance. In addition, 42 per cent of business owners have sought bank support. Nearly a third of people in employment have seen their income fall and 67 per cent of those furloughed have experienced a decline in money coming in. Banks are likely to bear the brunt of the pain when the furlough scheme closes on October 31 and customers' payment holidays run out. Households paid down debt of nearly 7.5billion in April the largest fall ever recorded by the Bank of England at a time when their outgoings were reduced substantially. Economists estimate consumers repaid 2.4billion in May. Gary Greenwood, banking analyst at Shore Capital, said: 'The big unknown is how many people are going to be able to keep making loan payments when all this taxpayer help starts to unwind.' The Bihar Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to provide a government job to a family member each of the soldiers from the state who lost their lives in the Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh. India lost 20 of its soldiers in the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops on the intervening night of June 15 and 16. Ten Indian soldiers were also held captive and later released. After the clash, Indian intercepts had revealed that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: The Delhi Police arrested at least four men who were on their way to allegedly rob a senior citizen near Seemapuri border. The police arrested the four accused from southeast Delhi's Lajpat Nagar area on Thursday (June 25). The accused have been identified as Zakir Nagar resident Tipu Sultan (26); Batla House resident Ismail (27); , Amar Colony resident Shakir (18) and , Okhla Mandi resident Chhotu (21). The police had on Thursday received a tip-off that four persons, who had gathered in a park near Vinobapuri metro station, were planning a robbery near Seemapuri border. Upon receiving the information, a team immediately rushed to the spot and laid a trap. The four persons were found near Vinobapuri metro station. Upon seeing the police team, the accused fired bullets at them, but were overpowered and apprehended. Fortunately, SHO Dharmadev of Lajpat Nagar police station was wearing a bullet proof jacket at the time of encounter as he was shot at by one of the miscreants. The police recovered 4 pistols, nine live cartridges, 16 mobile phones, one motorcycle and one scooter from their possession, and claimed that the gang was previously involved in as many as seven crime incidents. According to the police, Tipu and Shakir had looted a mobile near the Nehru Nagar Foot Over Bridge on June 22. On June 16, they had looted an Eco van and Rs 23,000 in the New Friends Colony area in capital. The police also found that Tipu Sultan has as many as 18 criminal cases registered against him. A case under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Lajpat Nagar police station against the four accused. Interrogation revealed that two days ago, the accused got information that the owner of a thinner factory has around Rs 1 crore in his house near Seemapuri border following which they planned to rob him. Police found that the senior citizen, a resident of Ghaziabad, had recently sold his thinner factory to start a new business. The senior citizen couple was living here alone whereas their two children were settled in Canada. Victoria is in the midst of a "second peak" of infections, according to the state's deputy health chief, as the state recorded 41 additional cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the largest single-day increase in almost three months. Of the total, 13 cases derive from routine testing (and could be attributed to a known outbreak after investigation), eight are linked to known outbreaks, one is from hotel quarantine and 19 are under investigation. There are 15 new cases of community transmission with no known source. A total of about 758,000 tests have been carried out, about 22,000 of which were completed on Friday. The last time the state recorded more than 41 cases was on April 3 when 49 cases were recorded. Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Wildlife experts in Vermont have warned that so-called vampire fish should not be disturbed during spawning season. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department said this week that two sea lamprey species in the states waters, sometimes labelled the vampire fish, had started to spawn. If you happen to see a spawning sea lamprey or a lamprey carcass, dont be alarmed, said Lael Will, the departments fisheries biologist, on Facebook. The fish provide a number of important ecological benefits, she added. And [they] are considered a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in both Vermont and New Hampshire. As a crucial species within the Connecticut River Basin and wider water system, people should not disturb the parasitic sea lampreys. The species has been dubbed the vampire fish due to its circular mouth and sharp teeth, which allows the fish to feed on decomposed matter and other marine organisms. Whilst young sea lampreys prey on other marine organisms in oceans, adult sea lampreys are non-parasitic when they return to the Connecticut River every spring to spawn, said Vermonts wildlife department. It added: While existing for over 350 million years in the Atlantic Ocean, anadromous sea lamprey have co-evolved with their oceanic hosts and their populations are considered to be in balance. Young sea lampreys typically head to the Atlantic Ocean after five years buried in freshwater river sediment. At the same time, Vermont also hosts non-native sea lamprey that state authorities class as a nuisance species. Those vampire fish, which can be seen at Lake Champlain, are not protected species because they are invasive. We believe it is important to highlight and contrast the conservation value of Connecticut River sea lamprey, educate the public and encourage folks to do their part to protect this important population of fish, added the wildlife department. Read more Indonesias Sumba island seeks lifeline in fishing and weaving Story continues Statue of slave trader Edward Colston fished out of Bristol Harbour Sea fishing should be banned in protected marine zones, review finds Deepwater Horizon oil spill still affecting fish in Gulf Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a news conference at Big Rig Brewery amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, June 26. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced Canada will contribute $300 million towards the international effort to battle COVID-19. Trudeau announced the new funds this morning in another virtual international fundraiser this one sponsored by an organization, Global Citizen, that is trying to raise $42.8 billion. Trudeau says Canada will contribute $180 million to address the immediate humanitarian and development impacts of the pandemic. And Canada will contribute $120 million towards a new initiative called the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was created in April by the World Health Organization, the French government, the European Commission and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to ensure equitable access to medical treatments. The ACT Accelerator supports organizations, health professionals and businesses in their efforts to develop a vaccine, as well as drug therapies and diagnostic tools to battle the pandemic. Canadian aid agencies and advocacy groups say the contribution will only be a fraction of what is eventually needed to fight the pandemic and to ensure that when a vaccine is developed it reaches poor countries that don't have the ability to pay for it. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2020. The campaign to convince marketers to ditch Facebook has added one of the world's largest advertising spenders. The global consumer packaged goods company Unilever announced Friday that it will halt its advertising on Facebook and Instagram, joining a growing movement to stop spending ad dollars on the social media platforms. The New Jersey-based conglomerate also said it would pull its advertising from Twitter because of a polarized climate on social media, which is being exacerbated by the November election. Dove is one of Unilever's best known brands. (Unilever) In a post on its website, Unilever referred to its "Responsibility Framework that calls for more responsible platforms, content and infrastructure." "Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society," the company stated. "We will be monitoring ongoing and will revisit our current position if necessary." Unilever joins a growing list of advertisers, including the wireless service company Verizon, in pausing its ad spending. On Friday evening, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola announced it would "pause" its social media advertising globally for the month of July. "We will take this time to reassess our advertising standards and policies to determine whether revisions are needed internally, and what more we should expect of our social media partners to rid the platforms of hate, violence and inappropriate content," the company said in a statement. The moves come as social justice organizations and advertising watchdogs have teamed up to pressure companies with details about how their ads are supporting hate speech. Later on Friday, Honda's American operations announced that it would also halt its Facebook spending. For the month of July, American Honda will withhold its advertising on Facebook and Instagram, choosing to stand with people united against hate and racism," said Alyssa Dominguez, a company spokeswoman. "This is in alignment with our companys values, which are grounded in human respect. Story continues The Wall Street Journal was first to report the Unilever news. Unilever is one of the biggest advertisers in the world, spending about $8.2 billion in 2019 on "brand and marketing investment," according to the company's annual report. It owns a variety of consumer brands including Lipton tea, Dove beauty products and the Axe line of men's grooming products. Unilever spent $42.3 million on Facebook in 2019, according to Pathmatics, an ad data firm, and spent $11.8 million through June 25. Unilever is one of a number of advertisers who are pushing for new rules for social media companies as part of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. Facebook has been the subject of criticism for its decision not to take action on statements from President Donald Trump that warned that looters during protests would be shot. While the platform has in recent years taken numerous steps to crack down on hate speech, civil rights groups remain critical of the social platform's role in the rise of extremism along with the latitude it gives to the president. Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said the company invests billions of dollars a year to keep its platform safe. "Weve opened ourselves up to a civil rights audit, and we have banned 250 white supremacist organizations from Facebook and Instagram," Stone said in an email. Stone also stressed a recent European Union report that said Facebook identified 90 percent of hate speech before it was reported and acts faster that Twitter or YouTube. The Facebook protest was mobilized by the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League and other groups such as Color of Change and Sleeping Giants, a group that targets advertisers that support certain right-wing content, among others. Rashad Robinson, president of Color Of Change, applauded Unilever's move. As one of the largest spenders on Facebooks platforms, Unilevers decision to halt advertising and commit to our #StopHateforProfit pledge brings us a huge step forward in holding Facebook accountable for enabling hateful, denigrating and discriminatory content against Black people," Robinson said in an email. "Facebook leaders should understand the gravity of this movement for civil rights and take urgent steps to remedy its harms, including implementing a permanent civil rights infrastructure. Facebook cannot afford to look away anymore. Facebook has endured some pressure in recent years from advertisers over how it moderates its platform, but those efforts have often failed to make much of a difference. Now, Unilever could end up influencing other companies to ditch Facebook, opening the door to a real impact on Facebook's business, according to Nicole Perrin, a principal analyst for the digital marketing analysis company eMarketer. Unilever's statement cites 'divisiveness' as well as hate speech," Perrin said. "That suggests a deeper problem with user-generated content platforms, as divisiveness is to be expected on any such platform that allows political expression. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke to advertisers this week to calm the storm of protest about how the company is handling both political ads and also the proliferation of hate-speech and untrue information across the board. Twitter has mostly avoided the controversy, in part because it put a warning label on Trump's incendiary tweets. Sarah Personette, vice president of global client solutions for Twitter, said in a statement: We have developed policies and platform capabilities designed to protect and serve the public conversation, and as always, are committed to amplifying voices from underrepresented communities and marginalized groups. Facebook stock was down 7 percent on Friday afternoon, though it had declined throughout the day along with a broader U.S. stock market decline. Unilever also said in a separate statement on its website that it would remove the words fair & lovely from a brand of skin whitening products sold in India as part of an evolution about definitions of beauty. Representative Image Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 1 officially launched the Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the Output and National Strength (CHAMPIONS) platform for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It is a grievance redressal platform for MSMEs where they can register issues faced by them in relation to finance, raw materials, labour, regulatory permissions among other things. The idea is to help smaller units grow by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding. As part of the system, a network of control rooms is created in a 'Hub and Spoke' model. The 'Hub' is situated in New Delhi in the MSME Secretary's office while the 'spokes' are in various offices and institutions under the MSME ministry, across states. The portal is enabled by Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Machine Learning tools, in addition to the ICT tools including telephone, internet and video conference. It is fully integrated on a real-time basis with the government's main grievances portal CPGRAMS and the ministry's other web-based mechanisms. Within five weeks since its launch, the portal has resolved nearly 50,000 complaints filed by MSMEs, a report notes to MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari as saying. Click here for our complete coverage of MSME day BRIDGEPORT A Stratford teenager is accused of firing multiple shots at two 14-year-old boys. Jacob Hernandez, 19, of Wiklund Avenue, was arrested Thursday at his home. Police said he was found with a .38-caliber handgun that had previously been reported stolen and 16 bags of marijuana. Hernandez was charged with stealing a firearm and sale of a controlled substance and two counts of attempted first-degree assault, two counts of risk of injury to a child and one count of first-degree reckless endangerment. According to police, on Feb. 9, two 14-year-old Stratford boys had been out driving around in a friends car. When they got on Mt. Carmel Boulevard, another car pulled up alongside them and a man pointed a handgun at them from the passenger side window, police said. Police said the teens bolted from the running car as a shot rang out. More shots went off as they ran down the street, police said. The car was still there running when police arrived. Police said they later found five spent bullet casings in the street. One of the teens identified Hernandez as the shooter from a photo array, police said. During Hernandezs arraignment hearing on Friday, Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Cornelius Kelly said Hernandez was suspected in other shootings in the area but when police went to question him in the teens shooting police, they learned he had apparently fled the state. Hernandezs lawyer, John R. Gulash, urged Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo to set a lenient bond, arguing that his client was prepared to live under house arrest with his mother. He later declined comment on the case as he left the Fairfield County Courthouse. Russo ordered Hernandez held in lieu of $35,000 and continued the case to July 27. Fans of Dr. Disrespect, a well-known Twitch streamer, have noticed that his account on the streaming platform has vanished, with many saying the Amazon-owned company might have banned him. Days After Twitch Banned Streamers Due to Controversy Interestingly, his disappearance from Twitch came just a few days after the platform has decided to break their silence about the allegations on tons of streamers and content creators on the site about sexual harassment and abuse. According to a recent report by Tech Times, dozens of people, mainly women, have come out on social media to share their experiences with Twitch and people in the gaming community in general. The company has started banning streamers and is reportedly issuing permanent suspensions after they investigate the cases. Now, is Dr. Disrespect banned from the platform for the same reasons? Read Also: Microsoft's Xbox Gives up on Retail Stores; Opens 'Showrooms' Instead No Confirmation From Twitch In a report by The Verge, the company hasn't yet confirmed whether they did ban Dr. Disrespect or whether he is permanently banned as well as the reason behind the decision. Dr. Disrespect, whose real name is Herschel "Guy" Beahm, has recently signed an exclusive two-year contract with Twitch for a "life-changing" amount of money, which was undisclosed, and has also made a deal with a particular production company that will create an animated TV series based on his online persona. For those who don't know, Beahm, aka Dr. Disrespect, became famous in Twitch and all across the internet for his exaggerated persona who takes gaming rather seriously. According to the news outlet, the personality is on the list of the top 10 most followed channels in Twitch along with well-known streamers, with several of them moving on from the platform and no longer using it, including Tyler "Ninja" Blevins. However, it doesn't seem like Dr. Disrespect was among the personalities who allegedly used their status to harass and abuse others, but he is indeed one controversial streamer. Back in 2018, Beahm was under fire after allegedly performing racist caricatures while he was streaming. There was also the controversy last year when he streamed from the men's bathroom during E3, to which he was temporarily banned. Dr. Disrespect Has Reportedly Violated Twitch's Terms This time, however, people are unsure what was Dr. Disrespect's violation, but in an email to the news outlet, Twitch did say that he has violated the community guidelines of the platform or their terms of service. Nevertheless, they did not state which one. "As is our process, we take appropriate action when we have evidence that a streamer has acted in violation of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service. These apply to all streamers regardless of status or prominence in the community," a Twitch spokesperson said. Some have been speculating that the ban of one of Twitch's most famous personalities does not involve the allegations of harassment and abuse, but instead, it might be due to a DMCA takedown, according to GameSpot. Earlier this month, Twitch has received an influx of copyright claims from past clips. A source has even told the gaming website that Dr. Disrespect's ban is permanent, but until Twitch or Beahm has officially announced it, take it with a pinch of salt. Read Also: One-Third of Americans are Playing More Video Games During the Coronavirus Quarantine 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Data from department of agriculture showed that kharif crops had been sown in around 31.56 million hectares till Friday, which was 104.25 per cent more than the same period last year. Acreage of almost all crops was higher than last year. The India meteorological department said on Friday that the southwest monsoon had covered the entire country, almost two weeks ahead of schedule. Thanks to the good rains so far, sowing of kharif crops, too, has picked up pace and area under cultivation was double the figure of the corresponding period last year. Data from department of agriculture showed that kharif crops had been sown in around 31.56 million hectares till Friday, which was 104.25 per cent more than the same period last year. Acreage of almost all crops was higher than last year. Data showed that even before the first month of the monsoon was over kharif crops had been sown in around 30 per cent of the area in which these crops are grown in the entire season. Oilseeds were sown in around 8.33 million hectares till Friday, compared to 1.33 million hectares in the corresponding period last year. Pulses were sown in around 1.94 million hectares till Friday, as against 0.60 million hectares last year. Cotton was sown in around 7.16 million hectares till Friday, compared to just 2.70 million hectares last year. Coarse cereals were planted in around 4.79 million hectares, as opposed to 2.44 million hectares last year. The monsoon usually sets in over Kerala on June 1 and takes 45 days to reach Sri Ganganagar in west Rajasthan, its last outpost in the country. Beginning this year, the IMD has advanced the onset date over Sri Ganganagar by a week and the new normal date for the monsoon to cover the country is July 8. The southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab and, thus, it has covered the entire country today, June 26, the IMD said. A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, which moved west-northwestwards, and another cyclonic circulation over central India helped advance the monsoon. In 2013, the monsoon had covered the entire country on June 16. This had also coincided with the Uttarakhand flash floods. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said after 2013, it was only this year that the monsoon has advanced this rapidly. Photograph: PTI Photo. An award-winning charity boss who has helped thousands of disadvantaged youngsters has been sacked after criticising the far-Left political agenda of the Black Lives Matter campaign. Nick Buckley was dismissed by the trustees of Mancunian Way, a ground-breaking charity he founded nine years ago, after an online mob accused him of inappropriate and insensitive views and demanded his removal. Mr Buckley, who was awarded an MBE six months ago for his work with vulnerable youngsters across Manchester, warned of the neo-Marxist policies of Black Lives Matter UK which include tearing down capitalism and abolishing the police and said they risked dividing communities. But his 570-word blog sparked uproar among campaigners who branded him a racist and launched an online petition demanding that he be sacked. The 52-year-old was dismissed within days. Nick Buckley (pictured left), who has helped thousands of disadvantaged youngsters, has been sacked after criticising the far-Left political agenda of the Black Lives Matter campaign In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, he said the charitys trustees had been put in a terrible situation by the pressure on social media to axe him, adding: Thats why the mob wins. They make people take a step backwards and once you take one step backwards, they know youll take another. Mr Buckley worked for Manchester City Council for seven years before setting up Mancunian Way in 2011. Its projects include helping youngsters in inner city areas to secure jobs and spot the signs that they are being groomed by criminal gangs. Those helped by Mancunian Way include thousands of black, Asian and minority ethnic youngsters. Mr Buckley wrote his blog after protests organised by Black Lives Matter UK following the killing of George Floyd by police in the US. BLM UK has received donations of more than 1 million, yet the identity of many of its leaders is unknown and it promotes a far-Left policy agenda. Writing on Medium.com on June 6 the day protesters clashed with mounted police in Central London Mr Buckley said its slogan is far too simple but is perfect for our modern age of social media and the willingness of social justice warriors to take up another cause. Mr Buckley worked for Manchester City Council for seven years before setting up Mancunian Way in 2011 He added: What is happening in the UK over the last few days has very little to do with the horrendous incident in the USA. It is better described as part new fashion craze and part an opportunity for anarchy. Do you know who Black Lives Matter are? Do you know what this self-proscribed political movement wants? According to their website, they want to end white supremacy, disrupt the Western prescribed nuclear family and dismantle the patriarchal practice. These are fancy words, what do they mean? They are exactly what post-modern, neo-Marxists use when they call for the destruction of Western democracy and our way of life. Referring to Mr Floyds previous criminal convictions, he provocatively questioned why the demonstrations were focused on the unlawful death of a career criminal in the US rather than UK issues including knife crime, female genital mutilation, honour killings and a lack of house-building. The response was immediate and furious. Writing on Mr Buckleys LinkedIn page, Reece Williams, a poet who works for a mental health charity in Manchester, said: Please know that we will be doing everything in our power to have you removed from your position. Expect us. A few days later, an online petition calling for Mr Buckleys removal was posted on Change.org by Karlet Manning, who also works for a mental health charity. The petition, with 464 supporters, claimed his views undermine the Black Lives Matter movement whilst working in a diverse community and were inappropriate, insensitive and have since been deleted. On June 13, the row exploded on Twitter when the petition and Mr Buckleys comments began to be tweeted by Left-wing campaigners and anonymous accounts. Two days later, Mr Buckley received an email from the charitys trustees informing him their relationship with him was terminated. A red flag and the word victory was later posted on the Change.org petition page. Mr Buckley said he stands by what he wrote, although he accepts he could have better conveyed some of his arguments. He said he had declined an offer from his trustees to issue an apology for the blog. A protest approaches Trafalgar Square during a march in support of the black LGBTQ+ community Thats the cowards way and Im not a coward, he said. If I had the guts to say what I said, then I need the guts to stand up and continue to say what I said. He holds no ill-feeling towards the trustees. They are lovely people but they werent ready for a fight. They found themselves in a terrible situation not of their making pressure online. Did I think it was controversial? Well, I knew it was going to upset some people because everything you put on social media upsets somebody. But it is not racist. I am not a racist. He maintains that the rhetoric of BLM UK risks harming black lives and stoking division. We have informed a whole generation of young black boys and men that the country is racist, everything is against them and they are lucky if the police dont kill them, he said. Last night, a spokesman for Mancunian Way said: We can confirm that the contract between Nick Buckley and Mancunian Way has been terminated. We are as committed as ever to changing lives and improving communities in Manchester. You may have felt glued to your computer or tablet during online learning. With school finished, its time to go outside. Its not a typical summer youre probably missing camps but theres still fun to be had. We know you will pull out favorite toys and games from years past, but we found a few new ideas for added fun in the backyard or nearby park. Hog Wild, ages 6 and older, $24.99. This catching game features two launchers that propel a small foam ball with the pull of the handle. Compressed air makes a popping sound as the ball shoots toward your partner. The launchers have a basketlike shape at the end that makes it easy to scoop up the ball from the ground. Its not simple to catch, however, as the little ball can easily pop right out of your basket. Nerf Bulls-Eye Digital Target Hasbro, ages 8 and older, $19.99. If you have a dart blaster, youre probably bouncing those little foam darts off just about anything. Set up this digital target in your backyard or driveway to stay far from breakable objects inside the house. The target has three game modes and can be set for one or two players. Hit some or all of the seven small targets in 60 seconds to earn points that appear on the battery-powered digital display. Most kids will need practice to improve their aim, something that may help save your parents collectibles. Glow in the Dark Rock Painting Kit Creativity for Kids, ages 6 and older, $13.99. Treasure hunts are big this year, and looking for painted rocks is a fun option. With this kit, you can create the colorful objects to find on a nighttime hunt with neighbors. The kit comes with 10 river rocks, two paintbrushes, six water-resistant fluorescent paints and five glow-in-the-dark puffy paint markers. Get a sheet of newspaper to catch spills, and set up an outdoor painting station. There are no templates, so the designs are up to you. After several hours of drying, your mini masterpieces are ready for their hiding spots. Blo-Rockets Stomp Rocket, ages 5 and older, $19.99. Challenge a friend or sibling to see who can launch a foam rocket the farthest with only lung power. A set of Blo-Rockets, a new twist on the popular Stomp Rockets, contains two handheld launching sticks that kids blow through to send foam rockets (four included) sailing through the air. Use them for target practice, catch, or dodge em, but as with many toys, its even more fun to invent your own game. Eighteen tonnes of this medical gear was sold to Russia at "a very low price" - 25 cents per mask. Ukrainian Member of Parliament Volodymyr Ariev says Ukraine sold over 500 tonnes of face masks abroad in January-February 2020. "The customs have finally managed to respond to my request filed almost three months ago," he wrote on Facebook on June 26. "So, in January-February this year, Ukraine sold over 500 tonnes (!) of medical masks abroad. Everyone remembers the lack of them at the beginning of quarantine." Read alsoPM Shmyhal elaborates on quarantine prospects for Ukraine In particular, Ukraine shipped 80 tonnes of masks to China in January-February, but already in March it started to buy Chinese masks. Ariev also noted that 18 tonnes of this medical gear was sold to Russia at a very low price. "China bought it for US$45,000 per tonne, Poland for US$18,700, and Russia got it the cheapest of all just for US$3,300, or 25 cents per mask," he said. Ukraine from March 12, 2020, banned exports of personal protective equipment, including face masks, until June 1, 2020. Later, the ban was extended until July 1. A federal district court judge today issued a preliminary injunction against Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio to stop them from limiting participation in outdoor religious gatherings as a response to the pandemic. The judge, Gary Sharpe (a Bush 43 appointee), emphasized that, notwithstanding the Wuhan coronavirus, Cuomo and de Blasio permitted, and indeed seemed to bless, outdoor protests following the killing of George Floyd. Judge Sharpe explained that the regulation limiting participation in outdoor religious services results in the curtailment of fundamental rights without compelling justification. The purported compelling justification is preventing the spread of the coronavirus. However, as the attorneys from the Thomas More Foundation who filed the lawsuit noted, this justification went right out the window as soon as [Gov. Cuomo] and Mayor de Blasio saw a mass protest movement they favored taking to the streets by the thousands. At that point, the limit on mass gatherings was no longer necessary to save lives. Judge Sharpe saw the same problem. He quoted this statement by Cuomo: Protest. Just be smart about it. With this virus, you can do many things now as long as youre smart about it, right? You can reopen, you can go into a store and you can do a lot of things, just be smart. Yet, the number of people allowed by New York to worship together outdoors was sharply limited, no matter how smartly the religiously observant were prepared to proceed. Allowing political protests, no matter the size, while limiting religious worship was obvious discrimination against one set of First Amendment rights. Judge Sharpe went on to say: Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio could have just as easily discouraged protests, short of condemning their message, in the name of public health and exercised discretion to suspend enforcement for public safety reasons instead of encouraging what they knew was a flagrant disregard of the outdoor limits and social distancing rules. They could have also been silent. But by acting as they did, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio sent a clear message that mass protests are deserving of preferential treatment. Im not sure that silence, or even non-enforcement, would have been sufficient to avoid the discrimination against religion worship resulting from an order expressly severely limiting gatherings for the purpose of worship. But Cuomo and de Blasio incorrigible leftist virtue signalers that they are made these questions irrelevant, and made it easy for the judge to shoot them down. UPDATE: Judge Sharpes opinion is here. In addition to his ruling on outdoor religious events, the judge also enjoined New York from enforcing its rule limiting indoor religious services to 25 percent capacity. He noted that on its face, the 25 percent rule applies only to houses of worship. No other secular entity, save for those that remain closed in their entirety until Phase 4 or beyond, is limited to only 25 percent capacity. Yet, entities allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity are not justifiably different from house of worship. the judge found. He cited offices, retail stores that are not inside of shopping malls, salons, and restaurants. NOTE: My original post about this case incorrectly characterized New Yorks rule as a ban on outdoor religious gatherings, rather than as a severe limitation on participation in them. Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020. The Bandra police, who are investigating the death of the late actor, last week revealed that there was no foul play and Sushant died by suicide. The investigation also revealed that Sushant was battling depression for the past six months, and fans believe it was due to B-town's outsider treatment towards the actor. Sushant Singh Case: YRF Shanoo Sharma |FilmiBeat The Bandra police has interrogated several friends of Sushant from the industry as well as his family to find out the source of his depression. According to reports, on Friday, two former senior officials of Yash Raj Films (YRF) were also interrogated for the case. Earlier, the police had also asked for the copy of the late actor's contract with the talent management agency. The contract with YRF in 2012 was signed by Ashish Singh, who was former Vice President Production at YRF, and Ashish Patil. Police sources revealed to India Today TV, that Ashish Singh's statement was recorded for around five hours and he has provided the authorities with the details of the contract. More details regarding the late actor's association with YRF till 2015 were also shared. India Today TV quoted Ashish Singh saying, "I cannot divulge details of the contract as it is mentioned in the contract itself". He added, "The parting was on very cordial terms and we had been in touch after that. We made two films. Some projects, some films don't work out. He had left YRF five years back and even after that we were in touch. There were no issues. We should pray for him." Along with Ashish Singh and Ashish Patil, police has till date recorded statements from 25 people, who were either close to the actor or had worked with him, including Rhea Chakraborty who was rumoured to be his girlfriend, and Publicist Rohini Iyer who was his close friend. Sushant Singh Rajput's School Pens Touching Tribute For Him; 'I Am The Thousand Winds That Blow' Sushant's Cousin Demands Theatrical Release Of Actor's Last Film Dil Bechara: We Will Go To Court A rally is is being held for Ejaz Choudry, 62, who was shot and killed by police in his apartment in Mississauga last week. His family says he suffered from schizophrenia and other illnesses. (Lorenda Reddekopp/CBC) Hundreds of peaceful protesters gathered for a rally outside Peel police headquarters on Saturday afternoon, demanding "justice" for Ejaz Choudry, who was killed by police officers one week ago. The rally, which was organized by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), officially started around 4 p.m. The victim's nephew, Hassan Choudhary, attended the rally, calling for answers in his uncle's death. "At the end of the day, we want answers for what occurred," he told CBC News Saturday. "It's been seven days since the murder of my uncle, and we still haven't got any answers." Ejaz Choudry's family, along with people in the neighbourhood, have described him as a gentle, giving person. His nephew said he would play with young children and talk to all of his neighbours. Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC "He would just say 'Hello' to everyone," Hassan Choudhary said. "Everybody understood how harmless he was. He was not a criminal." "It's so frustrating; we're grieving for the last seven days but we can't grieve properly because we haven't been given answers." Protesters held signs at the event Saturday, and could be heard chanting "Justice for Ejaz." A Peel Regional Police officer shot and killed Ejaz Choudry, 62, on June 20 in Mississauga, Ont., while responding to a call about a man in mental distress. According to his family, he suffered from schizophrenia and he was having a mental health crisis when police went into his home for a wellness check and shot him. His family said they had called a non-emergency line. Family members have said the officer responsible for the fatal shooting should be fired. Originally from Pakistan, Choudry was a husband and a father of four children. Hundreds of mourners wearing masks gathered in a Mississauga park for a public funeral on Wednesday evening to honour his life. Choudry is the third Canadian in the last month to die after police carried out a wellness check. Story continues His death comes amid growing anger and demands for answers in the death of D'Andre Campbell as well as Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who fell from her family's Toronto apartment balcony after her family called 911. Several rallies have been held in the area of Choudry's home in the days following his death. Lorenda Reddekopp/CBC "The only person he was in danger of harming was himseld," said NCCM CEO Mustafa Farooq in a speech at the event on Saturday. "He was shot, he was killed and he didn't deserve to die." Farooq said he's "tired of hearing the story, again and again, of violence." "We're here so that no more names get added to this refrain," Farooq said, speaking to the deaths of Campbell and Korchinski-Paquet, as well as the beating case of Dafonte Miller. "Change has to happen today," Farooq said to the backdrop of cheering and applause from the crowd. Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC 'I know and fully understand the grief within the community' Chief Nishan Duraiappah issued a statement on Saturday, saying he continues to extend his "heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends, and community" affected by Choudry's death. "I know and fully understand the grief within the community," Duraiappah said in the statement. "You have my commitment, as the Chief, and that of this entire organization, to continue to be accountable to the people we serve." The province's police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), has said it is continuing to investigate his death. Duraiappah said the officers involved in the "tragic events on June 20" are currently under investigation by the SIU. Once the investigation is concluded, he said police will advise the family and the community about their "next steps." Submitted by Choudry family Duraiappah also said that police are aware that there are "issues regarding the mental health system and the appropriate response to individuals in crisis." "These have been identified as areas requiring immediate, progressive, and sustainable change." 'All we're hearing is condolences' While Hassan Choudhary said he appreciates the chief's condolences, he says police have not been in touch with him or his family "at all." "Nobody understands what's going on," he said. "We want to know exactly what happened." "All we're hearing is condolences but we want an answer." Khizar Shahzad, who is also a nephew of the victim, agrees. Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC "It's been seven days and those officers are still out there," he said on Saturday. "I don't understand, everyone here knows, everyone has seen the videos." "Just do something about it, enough of your words." BJP MLA Devmani Dwivedi has tested positive for coronavirus infection, his family members said on Saturday. Dwivedi represents Lambhua assembly constituency of Sultanpur district. "A few days back, Dwivedi's health had deteriorated and he was admitted to a hospital in Sadar area of Lucknow. The doctors suggested him to undertake COVID-19 test. The test was conducted, and he tested positive for COVID-19. He has been shifted to KGMU for treatment," Dwivedi's brother Chintamani said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 18:12:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close --Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the freight trains have been playing a crucial role in supporting Europe's anti-epidemic fight by opening "green passages" for the transport of important supplies and raw materials. --Beyond the contributions to underpinning anti-pandemic actions, the rail connection between China and Europe, since the restoration of its regular operation, has also brought an impetus to economic resumption in the Eurasian continent amid the pandemic by stabilizing trade and supply chains. --Amid efforts to expand common interests in China-EU cooperation, the China-Europe rail transport service, which was initiated in 2011, is widely expected to play an increasingly important role in the post-pandemic era. Policemen checks an outbound China-Europe freight train at Horgos Pass in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 20, 2020. (Photo by Zhang Jia/Xinhua) FRANKFURT, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Departing from Nanchang, the capital of China's Jiangxi Province, a cargo train loaded with medical materials against COVID-19 arrived in Paris Tuesday morning, vividly reflecting the sustained pragmatic anti-pandemic cooperation between China and Europe. Among many China-Europe express operations for transport of much-needed medical supplies since the COVID-19 outbreak, this train had run over 11,920 km through seven countries before delivering some 20 million surgical masks and gloves, water-soluble bags, contactless gel dispensers and other resources, which marked the first dedicated rail transport of protective materials directly from China to France amid the pandemic. In the meantime, two additional China-Europe freight trains carrying anti-coronavirus supplies are on their way to Duisburg, Germany, and Madrid, Spain respectively, expected to arrive on Saturday and Monday. Aerial photo taken on April 11, 2020 shows a logistic station of the Erenhot Port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The port has handled 379 China-Europe freight trains in the first quarter of this year. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) ANTI-PANDEMIC "GREEN PASSAGE" Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the freight trains have been playing a crucial role in supporting Europe's anti-epidemic fight by opening "green passages" for the transport of important supplies and raw materials. From January to May, a total of 12,524 tonnes of anti-epidemic materials were sent from China to European countries by train. Lyazid Benhami, vice-president of the Paris Association of French-Chinese Friendship, was delighted to witness the arrival of the "medical train" from China. "In this period of health crisis, we are pleased to note that this important volume of materials transported (to France), including 20 million surgical masks and protective equipment, is up to meet the demand and needs of consumers and the market," he said. The smooth operation of this anti-virus supply train has proven the feasibility, punctuality and safety of this land corridor with lower delivery costs than air freight, but less time consumption and more flexibility than sea freight, said Yao Hongzhi, general manager of COSCO Shipping (France) Agency. "Against the backdrop of current international anti-pandemic cooperation, China-Europe freight trains have fully demonstrated their advantages in transporting medical materials," Yao added. Carrying 35 containers of COVID-19 control and prevention materials, all of which were manufactured in central China's Hubei Province, a freight train from Wuhan, the provincial capital, is expected to arrive in the western German city of Duisburg, a logistics hub in central Europe on Saturday, before running further towards Hamburg. A China-Europe freight train bound for Duisburg of Germany pulls out of the Wuhan terminal of China Railway Intermodal in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) "The original mode of transportation was container shipping to Europe, but now the products need to be delivered as soon as possible," said Gao Zandong, deputy general manager of COSCO Shipping Lines (Wuhan). Gao noted that only a little bit more than 10 days were needed to transport much-needed medical materials from Hubei to Germany. On June 29, Madrid will also greet a freight train from the city of Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, carrying 86 TEUs with about 257 tonnes of cargo, including 25.05 million face masks and 400,000 protective suits. Carlos Santana, who is responsible for the company which operates the Yiwu-Madrid line in Spain, told Xinhua that railway transport has been proven to be a reliable means of importing health materials from China in the midst of the pandemic. Chinese Ambassador to Spain Wu Haitao said the Yiwu-Madrid express with medical materials is a living proof of international anti-coronavirus cooperation. A China-Europe freight train carrying medical supplies bound for Madrid of Spain departs the city of Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 5, 2020. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua) ECONOMIC BENEFITS Beyond the contributions to underpinning anti-pandemic actions, the rail connection between China and Europe, since the restoration of its regular operation, has also brought an impetus to economic resumption in the Eurasian continent amid the pandemic by stabilizing trade and supply chains. From January to May, the number and shipments of China-Europe freight trains surged by 28 percent and 32 percent year-on-year respectively, according to the China State Railway Group. Aerial photo taken on April 3, 2020 shows a China-Europe freight train, also the "China Post" CR Express 1st block train, running under a bridge in Chongqing Municipality, southwest China. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) Notably, freight trains made a new high of 1,033 trips in May, up 43 percent year-on-year, transporting a record of 93,000 TEUs. China-Europe freight trains open an opportunity for boosting trade between France and China, Benhami noted, adding that "the 'win-win' approach is very real for everyone, including the environment, businesses and consumers." Xulio Rios, director of the Observatory of Chinese Politics in Spain, said the railway connection between Yiwu and Madrid offers an important route for goods traffic, from medical materials to items for everyday use during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. From Santana's perspective, rail transport from Asia continues to upgrade from moving small-sized, low-cost goods towards delivering goods with added value, as China is exporting goods with added value in greater quantities, such as watches, Bluetooth devices, automobile parts, electrical goods, and so on. From Spain, he added, top-end consumer goods like extra virgin olive oil, wine and cured ham are brought to China by rail as well, with clear advantages of being speedy, ecological and cost-effective. Laszlo Mosoczi, secretary of state for transport policy at Hungarian Ministry of Innovation and Technology, said that "as a transit country, Hungary benefits from freight traffic from Asia to Europe, and Hungary can become the logistics center of the region." PROMISING IN POST-PANDEMIC ERA China is willing to join hands with the European side to push for a more stable and mature relationship in the post-pandemic era and lift bilateral ties to a new height, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday when meeting via video link with EU leaders. "Our two major economies should play the role as dual engines of the world economy, drive the recovery of global economy, jointly support a scientific and orderly resumption of work and production, strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, and keep global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth," Xi said. Amid efforts to expand common interests in China-EU cooperation, the China-Europe rail transport service, which was initiated in 2011, is widely expected to play an increasingly important role in the post-pandemic era. Chinese-made Volvo XC60 vehicles exported to Europe via China Railway Express (Chang'an) are seen at the Port of Ghent in Belgium on July 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) The freight trains that link China and Europe have become a symbol of mutual benefits, said Rios. "If we refer to the ongoing Belt and Road Initiative, we notice that the land route brings hope for both French and Chinese companies," Benhami said, noting that the initiative brings new opportunities of economic development. The Yiwu-Madrid line can play an important role in cross-border e-commerce between China and Spain, Wu said. He stressed that local governments and companies in Spain have shown a positive attitude toward strengthening cooperation on Yixin'ou cargo line (Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe) by expanding exports to China in a more convenient manner. "We wish to offer French and Chinese companies occasional train solutions," said Xavier Wanderpepen, who is responsible for China-Europe rail freight activities at Forwardis, a subsidiary of France's national railway company SNCF Logistics. "And we wish to work with China on the development of freight wagons with variable gauge capable of adapting to the situation in Western Europe, Russia and China. In a few years, we will be able to connect China and Europe in 10 days," Wanderpepen added. (Xinhua reporters Shen Zhonghao in Frankfurt, Xu Yongchun and Liu Fang in Paris, Zhu Sheng in Berlin, Feng Junwei in Madrid, and Yuan Liang in Budapest contributed to the story.) (Video reporters Wang Pingping,Shen Zhonghao,Xu Yongchun,Yuan Liang,Tang Ji) (Video editor: Peng Ying) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As crime is on the rise in New York City, Staten Island has also begun to see an uptick, particularly in shootings. Heres a look at the top criminal-justice stories from around the borough this week: NYPD: DRIVER SHOT BY OTHER MOTORIST Pieces of caution tape and discarded medical gloves remained Sunday near the intersection of Targee Street and Dekalb Street, where police say a man was shot multiple times after a verbal dispute with a male suspect. (Staten Island Advance/Kyle Lawson) Police are searching for a gray sedan and its male operator in connection with a verbal dispute early Sunday morning that turned to gunfire. The unidentified suspect pulled alongside another vehicle at about 2:36 a.m. near the intersection of Dekalb and Targee streets in Concord, according to an NYPD spokesman. The male drivers of both vehicles exchanged words before the driver of the gray sedan allegedly fired multiple shots, police said. Click here for the story. MAN SHOT ON JERSEY STREET A 28-year-old man was shot multiple times on Jersey Street near Layton Avenue late on Monday night, June 22, 2020. (Anthony Spennato for the Staten Island Advance) A 28-year-old man was shot and injured late on Monday night in New Brighton. The man was shot multiple times in various part of his body in the incident reported at 11:39 p.m. on the 200 block of Jersey Street, according to an NYPD spokesman. He is considered likely to recover from wounds to the abdomen, leg and buttocks. He was transported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, the police spokesman said. Click here for more details. TEEN WALKS INTO HOSPITAL WITH GUNSHOT WOUND A 15-year-old male arrived by private means at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze after being shot in Clifton, according to police. The victim was involved in a dispute with an unknown perpetrator who fired a gun in the rear of a building on the 100 block of Park Hill Avenue around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, according to an NYPD spokesman. The teen suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the torso, including in the lower back and chest Click here for the full story. ALLIGATOR CARCASSES, FIREWORKS, 10 ARRESTS The NYC Sheriff's Office said 10 people were apprehended with significant amounts of illegal fireworks after interstate transport throughout various points of the Staten Island Expressway." (Sheriff's Office Twitter photo) Authorities said 10 people were arrested and charged on Wednesday after a massive bust on Staten Island uncovered a trove of fireworks and three alligator carcasses. We are not making that up, the Sheriffs Office wrote on Twitter Wednesday. The 10 people were apprehended with significant amounts of illegal fireworks after interstate transport throughout various points of the Staten Island Expressway, said Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Marcy Miranda. Click here for more details. COP: NORTH SHORE WILD WEST WITHOUT ANTI-CRIME Days after the disbandment of the NYPDs anti-crime unit, parts of the boroughs North Shore are like the Wild West, explained a law enforcement source with ties to the former unit. As part of a sweeping effort by city and state leaders to build trust between residents and police in low-income, high-crime areas, the plain clothed unit was eliminated earlier this month by Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. The transition to a department now without the unit has seen a spike in shootings across the city. Click here for the exclusive story. FORMER COP FROM S.I. ACCUSED IN QUEENS SHOOTING A retired NYPD officer from Staten Island stands accused in an incident where a bystander was struck by a stray bullet at a sushi restaurant in Queens. Dwayne Chandler, 52, faces up to 25 years in prison if he is convicted in the incident in Howard Beach, according to a news release from Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. Click here for the story. MAN TAKES PLEA IN BERRY HOUSES SHOOTING The fire department received a call for a shooting on Nov. 20 at 209 Jefferson St., the spokesman said. (Staten Island Advance/Irene Spezzamonte) West Brighton resident George Washington has pleaded guilty to an assault charge stemming from an incident last year in which a man was shot in the Berry Houses. The events unfolded shortly before 6 p.m. on Nov. 20 on the 200 block of Jefferson Street in Dongan Hills, said police. Washington, then 28, banged on the front door of a fourth-floor apartment, and a woman answered, a criminal complaint said. Click here for the story. A GUN, A PHONY NAME, AN NYPD TWEET An alleged gang member gave cops a fake name when they arrested him five months ago in New Brighton. But the gun Jahquan Jordan was carrying was real, and so is his prison sentence. Jordan was sentenced Thursday under a plea agreement to two years behind bars, plus two years post-release supervision. Click here for more details. HES ACCUSED OF SELLING COCAINE TO UNDERCOVER COP A 28-year-old man is accused of selling cocaine to an undercover officer in his home community of Midland Beach. Efren Garcia, of the 400 block of Midland Avenue, was arrested on June 17 at the 122nd Precinct stationhouse in New Dorp and charged with drug peddling and also a separate assault. Garcia exchanged the illegal stimulant for money in January, according to the criminal complaint. Click here for the story. Pompeo Acknowledges Differences With Europe Over Iran Arms Embargo Radio Farda June 26, 2020 Acknowledging that "there are some disagreements with the Europeans over Iran's arms embargo," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed on Thursday that talks are underway, and Washington would not allow the embargo to be lifted. Pompeo reiterated, "The United States will continue to negotiate with European countries in the coming weeks to pass a proposed resolution on the extension of the Islamic Republic's arms embargo." According to the United Nation's Security Council Resolution 2231, adopted in 2015 in conjunction with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers, Iran's arms embargo will expire on October 18. Therefore, in four months from now, Tehran could resume buying or selling weapons and military equipment. Pompeo, who was speaking at a video-conference at the German Marshall Fund Forum in Belgian capital city, stressed, "Ending Iran's arms embargo was another weakness of the JCPOA. The United States will ensure that this does not happen." He added this is not only a threat for the United States, but it is also for the Europeans, and the EU will have a hard time to defend the termination of the arms embargo against Iran. However, Pompeo immediately reminded that many European countries agree with the United States on the issue, and of course, Israel and the Persian Gulf states also want the sanctions to continue. Although the central part of Mike Pompeo's speech at the online meeting on Thursday was dedicated to China, the moderator of the German Marshall Fund Forum demanded Pompeo's position about those in Europe who believe the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and exerting maximum pressure on Tehran were contrary to the main goal of the nuclear deal, i.e., to keep the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons. "First of all, the policy of maximum pressure has been quite effective," Pompeo fired back, adding, "Look at Hezbollah, for example, whose funding has dwindled." He also said that although Washington and the Europeans have disagreements, it is over how to keep the Islamic Republic away from producing atomic bombs. "In the last year and a half, it has become clear that we are right and they were wrong," Pompeo noted. Referring to the Islamic Republic's "continuous violations of its nuclear commitments," the Secretary of State reiterated: "Ayatollahs' access to the atomic bomb is dangerous for the whole world." Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/pompeo- acknowledges-differences-with-europe -over-iran-arms-ambargo/30690950.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Many of those strategies can be found in the 30-page plan put together by the group that runs the Kentucky Bourbon Trail tours, The Distillers Association, a collection of 37 distilleries organized in road trip-friendly itineraries throughout the state. The organization got word that distilleries would be allowed to open gift shops with no on-site consumption on May 20, and on June 8 for limited tastings and tours. But according to Gregory, timelines are varying among distilleries. The actor has prima facie agreed to work with the Stree filmmaker and is waiting for both scripts Amar is working on Amar Kaushik first worked with Rajkummar Rao in Stree and then directed Ayushmann Khurrana in Bala. And now he has moved into the third actor from the new generation Varun Dhawan. The film in question is being written and Varun has prima facie agreed to the idea and asked for a complete script when it is done. Actually, Amar had two different ideas. He has been writing both of them and Varun has asked for both the scripts. So, once they are complete, they are expected to take a call on which one to do first. Varun not only has Sriram Raghavans Ekkees but also has a Raaj Shaandilyaa film and this one will be third in line to be shot. The scripts are being written keeping in mind that the world order would be back to normal by the time they are shot. Varun has liked a hardcore entertainer that Amar has proposed, says an industry source. Incidentally, Varun had also greenlit another project with director Anurag Singh of Kesari fame for Sajid Nadiadwala, but there is no update on that film as it has a lot of action scenes and will require the world to be back to normal. Glenn Foster, an activist seeking to tear down the Emancipation Statue, speaks near the memorial in Washington on June 26, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Group Fails to Take Down Emancipation Statue Before Attacking Reporters The attempt to tear down the Emancipation Statue in Washington ended in failure Friday night as some of those convened attacked reporters. A group called Freedom Neighborhood organized a gathering that was supposed to end in the statuefeaturing former President Abraham Lincoln and a freed slave and paid for by freed slaveson the ground. Strong barriers were placed around the memorial on Thursday afternoon. At one point, Harvard University student Glenn Foster, who organized the rally, shouted: Were going to tear that [expletive] down! A petition launched by another local activist says the Emancipation Statue should be taken down because it memorializes the intended subservience of black people in this country. The group faced opposition, including from Cedric Turner, who described himself as descendant of the black man depicted in the memorial, and Don Folden, a tour guide in the capitol. Tour guide Don Folden (R) speaks to people who want to tear down the Emancipation Statue, in Washington on June 26, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) A lot of people out here are talking about tearing down something that they dont even know the history of, Folden told the crowd. The situation devolved when part of the group, primarily individuals dressed like members of Antifas black bloc, attacked reporters, including the Daily Callers Vincent Shkreli and One America News Networks Jack Posobiec. Posobiec said on social media that he filed a police report. Video footage showed him being assaulted while filming the rally. Protesters later marched away from the statue and blocked traffic as they walked through city streets. We showed the world that we can get change peacefully, Aaron Covington, an organizer of the group, told one reporter. This isnt about us. This is about what God wants to have happen. He wants us to have our change. The Emancipation Memorial in Washingtons Lincoln Park depicts a freed slave kneeling at the feet of President Abraham Lincoln, June 25, 2020. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo) Protecting Statues The success at preventing the Emancipation Statue from being torn down comes amid efforts from the Trump administration to protect monuments. President Donald Trump announced late Friday that he signed an executive order promised earlier in the week that says the federal government will prosecute to the fullest extent under the law anyone who incites violence and illegal activity, which includes the damaging of monuments, memorials, or statues. President Trump will not tolerate the rampant violence and destruction that has occurred over the last five weeks, a White House statement announcing the executive order reads. Attorney General William Barr also late Friday said he created a task force dedicated to countering violent anti-government extremists. We have evidence that anti-government violent extremistsincluding those who support the Boogaloo, those who self-identify as Antifa, and otherswill pose continuing threats of lawlessness, Barr said in a memo to high-level Department of Justice officials. Some of the extremists may be fortified by foreign entities, he added, writing, The Department of Justice will respond to these violent groups in the same way we respond to other organized criminal or terrorist networksby disrupting their violent activities and ultimately dismantling their capability to threaten the rule of law. Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report. The delay in the planned election allowed Warsaws mayor, Rafal Trzaskowski, to enter the race as the candidate from the centrist Civic Platform coalition. Most polls indicate that no candidate is likely to secure the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff election. With just 285 new infections reported on Friday and the virus under control in most parts of the country, most people will go to their usual polling stations to vote. In areas where the virus is still believed to be spreading small communities in the southwestern part of the country that have experienced recent outbreaks the health ministry is requiring about 10,000 people to vote by mail. A four-member delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is in the country to monitor the process for fairness and to assess coronavirus precautions. It is impossible to know what the political fallout of the pandemic will ultimately be, but the election is a reminder that the many divisions coursing through Poland and across the continent have not disappeared because of the outbreak. In fact, they may have hardened. Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has reportedly sent a legal notice to his wife Aaliya, who had sent him a divorce notice on May 7. Nawazuddin's notice to his estranged wife alleges "engaging in fraud, willful and planned defamation" and "slander of character", as per a report in timesofindia.com. The notice adds that the actor had replied to Aaliya's divorce notice on May 19, within 15 days. Aaliya had reportedly complained in a recent interview that she is unable to pay her children's school fees as Nawazuddin Siddiqui has stopped paying her the monthly allowance. The actor's lawyer has rejected such claims. "EMI is still being paid by my client. Other children related expenses too. Divorce notice was replied to but again, she has stated the contrary in order to defame through this well thought slander campaign," Nawazuddin Siddiqui's lawyer Adnan Shaikh told the website. Furthermore, it has been stated that the actor in his notice has asked his wife not to make defamatory comments against him and also issue a written clarification for whatever she recently said. Ho Chi Minh City develops rooftop solar power. (Photo: congthuong.vn) HCM City - Ho Chi Minh City aims to have 1,000 MWp of rooftop solar power capacity installed by 2024 in its industrial parks, export processing zones and high-tech parks, up from 700MWp now. To meet the goal, the HCM City Export Processing Zones and Industrial Parks Authority (Hepza), Hepza Business Association (HBA) and Electricity of HCM City (EVN) launched a programme in the zones on June 19 to encourage businesses to participate. Nguyen Van Be, Chairman of the HBA, said more than 1,000 factories in the citys numerous industrial zones have signed up to install solar rooftop energy with BCG Energy, a subsidiary of Bamboo Capital Group. The city has 17 IPs and EPZs with a total area of more than 4100ha where rooftop solar can be installed on 500-1000ha. Installing solar panels on their roof would also enable the factories to reduce the temperatures inside by 4-5 degrees Celsius, Be said. The association said 1000MWp of solar power would mean a cut in carbon emissions of 23 million tonnes. Participating businesses would get technical and financial advice, add to their brand value, increase competitiveness, and could sell solar power to EVN HCM City, Be said. Nguyen Le Tan, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said the national grid was under increasing pressure to ensure supply of electricity. Since traditional sources such as thermal power affect the environment, renewable energy including rooftop solar would be one of the solutions to reduce the pressure, he added. Be said solar rooftop might hold the answer to the countrys energy shortage in future and cutting carbon emissions. Bui Trung Kien, Deputy Director of EVN HCMC, said amid climate change Vietnam also faced the problem of finding new sources of energy. Green and clean renewable energy could gradually replace traditional sources, and so rooftop solar is supported by businesses, he said. EVN HCMC would introduce popular rooftop solar models and brands to them and provide technological and technical support, he said. Camper fire claims the life of two people in Marshall County Senior Labor frontbenchers want suspended MP Shaoquett Moselmane to resign immediately from NSW Parliament after the Berejiklian government said it would move to suspend him. But the political future of Mr Moselmane is likely to split NSW Labor MPs, with some insisting the upper house MP deserves the presumption of innocence before his career is ruined. Labor leader Jodi McKay asked the party's general secretary, Bob Nanva, to suspend Mr Moselmane from the party immediately on Friday after his properties were raided by federal agents as part of an ASIO investigation into possible Chinese Communist Party influence. She has been briefed by ASIO and the Australian Federal Police on the investigation into Mr Moselmane. Shaoquett Moselmane leaves his home in Rockdale during a raid by federal agents on Friday. Credit:Kate Geraghty Mr Moselmane will not take part in Labor's caucus meetings and will sit on the cross bench. A man who raped a nurse while threatening to chop her head off with a machete has been jailed for 10 years. The victim, a 57-year-old nurse, was walking her dogs in a remote community in the Northern Territory when she was attacked by the 31-year-old man in January. On Friday the man appeared in the state's Supreme Court where he pleaded guilty to raping and threatening to kill the woman. The victim, a 57-year-old nurse, was walking her dogs in a remote community in the Northern Territory when she was attacked by the 31-year-old man in January (pictured is the machete) Crown prosecutor Stephen Geary described the attack as 'highly traumatic' for the victim, NT News reported. 'For many people in her position it's not just a job, it's about giving something and helping the people there. They need to feel safe or else they won't come,' he said. The accused's lawyer Marty Aust, told the court that his client had been up all night smoking cannabis and left home in a 'rage' following an argument before he attacked the nurse. 'This rage manifested itself in a completely horrendous, horrific piece of offending,' he said. Justice Jenny Blokland described the horrific attack as 'terrible and serious' before sentencing the man to 10 years' prison with a non-parole period of seven years. She noted his history of violent offending including his jail stint after spearing his cousin, the publication reported. Justice Blokland said the attack and threat to her life has 'deeply affected' the woman who had been a nurse for 37 years. 'You have to learn to respect women, you cannot offend in this way,' she ended. Polands right-wing president Andrzej Duda is fighting for a second term in an election on Sunday that will test whether he was helped by a campaign that depicted LGBT+ rights as a dangerous ideology, and a last-minute reception by Donald Trump at the White House. It will be another electoral test for populist leaders in Europe amid the coronavirus pandemic. Last weekend, Serbias autocratic right-wing president Aleksandar Vucic strengthened his hold on power there in a parliamentary election that was boycotted by opposition parties. The Polish election is widely seen as an important test for democracy, in this case in the fifth most populous country in the European Union. A crowded field of 11 candidates, all men, could make it harder for anyone to reach the required 50 per cent of votes on Sunday, in which case a run-off will be held on 12 July. Mr Duda is backed by Law and Justice, a nationalist, conservative party that is popular with many for introducing welfare spending programmes. Those policies have eased hardships for older Poles and others left behind in the dramatic economic transformation since communism fell in 1989. Poland has changed. It has changed for the better, Mr Duda said at a rally on Friday, while promising to keep working to make sure Poles achieve western European living standards. Mr Duda and Law and Justice, both in power since 2015, have also triggered tensions with the EU and provoked repeated street protests at home over controversial laws giving the party control over the top courts and other key judicial bodies. The EU has strongly condemned the judicial laws as violations of democratic standards. This year the US-based group Freedom House downgraded Poland in its ranking from consolidated democracy to semi-consolidated democracy. The destruction of the democratic state of law is close to completion, said Jaroslaw Kurski, the editor of the liberal daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, in an appeal this week for readers to choose a democratic candidate. If we, citizens, democrats, do not mobilise, the next elections will be as democratic as in Belarus, Russia or Hungary, Mr Kurski wrote. As he appeared to be losing support, Mr Duda seized on family values, vowing to protect Polish families from the propagation of LGBT+ ideology in public institutions. The election will take place four days after Mr Duda was hosted at the White House by Mr Trump, who praised Poland for its rule of law. Associated Press MONTREAL - Demonstrators denounced proposed changes to a Quebec immigration program that fast-tracks foreign students and workers, describing the reforms during several protests Saturday as a dehumanizing vision of immigration policy. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People hold up signs during a protest against changes to the Quebec experience program in Montreal, Saturday, June 27, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Demonstrators denounced proposed changes to a Quebec immigration program that fast-tracks foreign students and workers, describing the reforms during several protests Saturday as a dehumanizing vision of immigration policy. The changes to the Quebec experience program are expected to come into effect soon and demonstrators holding signs that read "A promise is a promise" and "Quebec is us too" called on the province's new Immigration Minister Nadine Girault to act. The experience program permits foreign students and workers already established in the province to quickly obtain a Quebec selection certificate to gain permanent residency. A new version of the program was introduced in May, following an ill-fated attempt to reform it last November that forced the provincial government to backtrack and apologize. The new rules require international students to acquire two years of full-time work experience, in addition to obtaining their diploma. For foreign workers, this requirement is increased from one to three years and less skilled workers don't qualify. That was heartbreaking for news for Carla Trigoso, a McGill University sociology student from Peru whose family went into debt to pay the $80,000 needed to complete her bachelor's degree. After four years of living in Quebec and her degree no longer enough, Trigoso now fears that her chances of finding work in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic will be slim, not to mention that many jobs require permanent residence. "We're not just file numbers and permits," she said, calling on Girault to show compassion. Quebec Liberal Kathleen Weil believes the program she presented as immigration minister under a previous Liberal government, was "the envy of many jurisdictions." "We had created this rapid immigration route because we wanted to retain these talents," she said, alongside several Liberal colleagues. "We are competing with the world to attract them." Weil said she's torn up inside about changes being made. "It is not a reform, reform is a progressive concept," Weil said. "We are regressing with this reform, we are not looking at human beings with all their potential." Quebec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois described the changes as a "solution to a problem that does not exist" and simply a way for the Legault government to fulfil its electoral promise to reduce immigration. "It is the program that makes it easier to successfully integrate, in particular because it allows people who are already in Quebec to stay there," Nadeau-Dubois said. "But from the moment the CAQ begins to obsess over this number, they are forced to close as many doors as possible." Quebec solidare denounced in particular the exclusion of less qualified workers often in essential services that were key jobs in recent months as things shut down during the pandemic. "The truckers brought the goods that fed Quebec during the pandemic, but with the new reform, these people will never be able to aspire to stay in the country permanently," said Andres Fontecilla, the left-leaning party's immigration critic. This was the case of Donalee Martinez, a trucker of Filipino origin who has travelled long distances for more than two years in the hope of being able to benefit from the program. "Good enough to work, good enough to stay," he told a downtown Montreal gathering. Similar demonstrations were held in Sherbrooke, Quebec City and Rouyn-Noranda an initiative of labour unions, student associations and migrants' rights groups. Last November, the Legault government was forced to backtrack after a reform proposed by former immigration minister Simon Jolin-Barrette would have seen hundreds of temporary workers and foreign students sent back to their countries due to a retroactive tightening of the program rules. They were also to include specific university and technical junior college programs in industries the government said were facing labour shortages. The government has since dropped that limited list. Girault, who is also international relations minister, added the immigration portfolio on Monday following a surprise cabinet shuffle. An official in her office said it will take her some time to get up to speed on the reforms, expected to take effect imminently. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2020. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version erroneously stated that the reform was coming into effect Saturday. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro appealed a court ruling Friday that requires him to wear a face mask in public during the coronavirus pandemic, calling it "unnecessary." The attorney general's office, which represents the government in legal matters, said the ruling was redundant since face masks are already mandatory in Brasilia. "This interference from the courts is unnecessary," a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office told AFP. However, it is a regulation the far-right president has repeatedly flouted, as Judge Renato Borelli pointed out in his ruling Monday. "The president has a constitutional obligation to follow the laws in force in the country," the judge wrote, ordering Bolsonaro to obey the regulation or face a 2,000-real ($365) fine. The case was brought by a lawyer who said the president should be held to account for his "irresponsible behavior." Since the ruling, Bolsonaro has worn a mask at all public appearances. Masks have been mandatory in public in Brasilia since April to curb the spread of the virus. Bolsonaro regularly breaks the social distancing measures in place in the capital, giving handshakes and hugs at rallies, hosting barbecues, hitting the shooting range and going out for hotdogs, generally without a mask. The president, who has famously compared the virus to a "little flu," has railed against the measures state and local authorities are taking to fight it, arguing that business closures and stay-at-home measures are needlessly wrecking the economy. Brazil has the second-highest COVID-19 death toll in the world, after the United States, at 55,000. So far, Bolsonaro has never been fined for failing to wear a mask. But his former education minister Abraham Weintraub was fined 2,000 reals last week for attending a pro-Bolsonaro rally in Brasilia without one. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has appealed to the Supreme Court against a ruling that he has to wear a mask against the coronovirus during public appearances A J Beirens dies Radio pioneer AJ Beirens passed away at the age of 73. He had been seriously ill for a long time. The past month his health had deteriorated so much that he opted for euthanasia. Jan Oosterveen wrote on Facebook: June 26th, 2020 Goodbye to A.J.Beirens. The name A.J. Beirens does ring a bell with most shorwave and offshore radio enthusiasts in the 1970s. A.J. as he is called was a big supporter of shortwave used for offshore radio. The first years of the 70s he presented a programm NORTHSEA GOES DX. For this programme he used the 2 shortwave transmitters on board the MEBO II that were even heard as far away as Australia/ He is also known as a radio presenter on Radio Atlantis, founded his own news service, wrote several books and during 30 years he was a correspondent for BBC and VRT. In May 2020 he wrote Hans Knot that he was not doing so well, his illness took so much of him that practically nothing came out of his 'pen' and still wanted to try to write some memories. Last Monday he wrote a very brief statement to Hans telling Hans he had decided to leave life this Friday June 26th. Today Radio 0511 and Radio Emmeloord join forces as we transmit a programme produced by Paul de Haan called A tribute to AJ. In this programme you can listen to a part of the very last NORTHSEA GOES DX from Saturday August 31, 1974. The programme will start at 18.00 Middle European Time (16.00 UTC). It can be heard on a lot of frequencies as well as several streams. 747kHz, 1485kHz and 1602kHz in Groningen and Friesland. 1224kHz and DAB+ channel 8D in NoordOost polder and a part of Northern Netherlands. Also it can be heard on 675 kHz. For this special occasion and to honour the shortwave work of A.J. we also switch on our shortwave transmitter on 6095 kHz which will blast the program all over Europe with a power of 125 kW. Streams : TuneIn http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ www.radio0511.com www.radioemmeloord.nl, http://212.238.176.66:8080/live Kanye Wests Yeezy fashion label is coming to Gap, a move that may bring some much-needed life to the apparel chain. The rapper and designer is teaming with Gap Inc. on a new line of apparel for men, women and kids called Yeezy Gap. Products are expected to debut in stores and online next year, the company said in a statement. Gap shares jumped the most since at least 1980 on the news. The deal is a multiyear partnership, according to a Yeezy spokesperson. West has been traveling to Gaps San Francisco headquarters from his ranch in Wyoming to work on the line, which is still in its design phase, the spokesperson said. The line wont include footwear, a market in which Yeezy already collaborates with Adidas AG. Gap shares soared as much as 42% in New York trading on Friday. The stock had fallen 43% this year through yesterdays close. The deal is the right move to draw a younger shopper, rebuild lost connections and get people to look at the brand again, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Poonam Goyal said. They still will need to do more to drive a full recovery and be a retailer of the future but this is a promising first step. The arrangement will expose Wests upscale brand to a broader market while letting Gap capitalize on Yeezys recent growth. Mark Breitbard, global head of the Gap brand, said in the statement that the new line would build on the aesthetic and success of the Yeezy brand. Gap could use a lift as it grapples with a difficult turnaround effort. In January, it called off a plan to separate its Old Navy brand from the rest of the business. Last quarter, net sales fell 50% as it struggled to cope with prolonged store closures due to the pandemic. Even before Covid-19, the company was struggling to attract shoppers, especially to its namesake brand. Wests compensation will be tied to sales and his business will earn royalties and potential equity under the terms of the deal. West, who worked at a Gap store as a teenager in Chicago, will also have input on presentation in stores and the e-commerce website. Adidas Agreement Last year, Bank of America Corp. valued the sneaker side of the Yeezys business alone at as much as $3 billion, Bloomberg has reported. The shoes are made and distributed by Adidas, while West retains creative control and sole ownership of his brand. Yeezys agreement with Adidas is in place through 2026. The brand was on track to generate $1.3 billion of shoe revenue in 2019, a 50% increase from a year earlier, according to Bank of America. Gap Chief Executive Officer Sonia Syngal took over the company in March -- just as much of the U.S. went into lockdown due to the coronavirus. She arrived with a transformation plan in place, but the pandemic has upended the situation. Syngal, who previously led the companys Old Navy chain, said Gap is renegotiating its rent agreements and in the meantime is paying what we consider fair rent. A number of the companys landlords are challenging this in court. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday visited COVID-19 Care Centre at Radha Soami Beas in Chhatarpur. CM Kejriwal had earlier written to Amit Shah inviting him to inspect the 10,000-bedded COVID care centre at Radha Soami Satsang Beas campus in Chhattarpur. He had also requested for deployment of doctors and nurses from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Army at the Centre. More than 2,000 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, including doctors, will treat and manage Delhis biggest COVID-19 care centre at Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur area, located near the Delhi-Haryana border. DG ITBP, SS Deswal, who went to check preparedness of the Centre yesterday, said that it is now fully ready and can accommodate 10,000 patients. Also Read: Priyanka Gandhi on UPs Rojgar Abhiyan: Will only publicity provide employment? Also Read: India China border issue: Troops move air defense missile systems into Eastern Ladakh Delhi has so far reported 77,240 COVID-19 positive cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Nearly 20,000 tests are being conducted daily and the number of beds for COVID-19 patients has increased to 13,500 in the national capital, which is following an aggressive five-pronged strategy to fight the rising number of novel coronavirus cases, said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier on Saturday. Addressing a virtual press conference, Kejriwal also thanked the Centre for providing testing kits to the Delhi government to ramp up its testing. He also listed out five weapons- increasing the number of beds, testing and isolation, providing oximeters, use of plasma therapy and conducting surveys and screening that has helped the national capital to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. Also Read: Gurugram locust attack: Delhi ATC urges pilots to be careful during landing, take-off For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Iran Reports Explosion At Gas-Storage Tank Near Sensitive Military Site By RFE/RL June 26, 2020 Iran's Defense Ministry says there has been an explosion at an Iranian gas-storage facility in an area with a sensitive military site to the east of Tehran. The explosion took place in the "public area" of Parchin rather than the military site, Defense Ministry spokesman Davoud Abdi told Iranian state TV on June 26. Western intelligence services believe Tehran had carried out tests at the military site more than a decade ago that were relevant to the development of nuclear weapons. Iran denies those reports. Abdi said a fire caused by the explosion was brought under control and that there were no casualties. He did not provide any information about the cause of the explosion. But the Fars news agency, which is close to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) quoted what it called "an informed source" as saying a gas storage tank had exploded near a military base. According to Fars, the source emphasized that the explosion had nothing to do with the military base itself. It also said police were investigating the blast. The Mehr News Agency issued a brief news alert saying a loud sound was heard in eastern Tehran. Mehr also quoted an official of Iran's emergency services saying that no requests for ambulances or emergency assistance had been received from the area. Videos and pictures posted on social media were picked up by local news outlets. They show an explosion with a bright orange flash occurring to the east of Tehran shortly after midnight on June 26. The flash was followed by a large plume of smoke. One social media channel known to be close to the Quds Force, a special forces unit within the IRGC that is responsible for operations outside of Iran, initially reported that the explosion was at Parchin. But it later retracted that report and said the blast had taken place in Khojir in the same area. Iranian authorities do not quickly and accurately report security-related incidents. With additional reporting by AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-explosion -military-site-gas-tank/30691489.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inaya Rakhmani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 08:34 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406620fe03 3 Opinion COVID-19,pandemic,identity-politics,black-lives-matter,George-Floyd,Papua,West-Papua Free Most countries were hardly prepared to face the speed and invincibility with which COVID-19 spread. The Chinese city of Wuhan was the first to see the outbreak emerge in late 2019; by Jan. 25, 2020, more than 10 countries had been affected with more than 1,000 cases (Foreign Affairs, 2020). The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, by which time it had already spread to hundreds of countries (WHO, 2020). As their healthcare systems became overwhelmed, governments around the world scrambled to put in place measures such as lockdowns and physical distancing to control the further spread of COVID-19 and flatten the epidemic curve. As the world slowed down, the economies of both developed and developing countries were put under unprecedented strain. COVID-19 is a stark reminder of how globalization has made humanity highly interconnected and interdependent, and of the precariousness of our existence in light of our increasing exploitation of and dependency on finite natural resources. For decades, scientists have warned governments that the way the extractive industries drive the global economy will not sustain the planet for long (Rouhad, 2020). Now is the moment for nations, as they start to recover from the economic downfall of the pandemic, to rethink their economic foundations to ensure that the planets limited resources can sustain humanity as long as possible. But the social conditions shaped by the very economic structure that has cost lives during the COVID-19 pandemic are also affecting the way we connect with fellow human beings. Global headlines in the first week of June covered the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands or rather, under the knee of a white police officer. The video of his killing while in police custody went viral on social media (Bhutto, 2020). Those who were privileged enough to work from home were central to the social process of raising global awareness on the racial oppression in the United States. However, the racial identity politics of the #BlackOutTuesday and #BlackLivesMatter movements, and in that sense, the Indonesian spinoff movement #PapuanLivesMatter, are reminiscent of the unfortunate fragmentation that occurred among progressive academics and civil society in democratic movements. We have become preoccupied with delineating who we are along the lines of race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexuality and many other issues to a point where we find it difficult to find a shared, common goal. More importantly, in our appeal for recognition of marginalized groups, right-wing political groups in both developed and developing democracies have been much more effective in exploiting identity politics. We see Trumpence in the US and Brexit in the United Kingdom among established Western democracies (Morelock, 2018); in developing Asian democracies we see Hindutva nationalism in Indias leader Modi (Morelock, 2018) and the 212 movement in Indonesia (Hadiz & Rakhmani, 2017). Why has the right been so successful at this? Some scholars have explained that the rise of right-wing identity politics was preceded by rapid transformations as demonstrated by the number of electoral democracies, the decline in extreme poverty and unprecedented economic growth. However, these rapid transformations came with a sharp increase in inequalities in both developed and developing worlds. Moreover, this increase was generally felt by the already privileged, which David Harvey (2007) calls an upward redistribution of wealth among the secure middle class. The middle class has access to private health care, housing, banking, insurance and other social services that will catch them in times of economic shock. State withdrawal in the provision of social services, and the increasing role of the private sector in supplying these services with the aid of market mechanisms, is one of the many consequences of neo-liberal transformations since the 1980s (Harvey, 2005). So what do we those of us who identify with progressive thinking and are usually of the middle class to do? I recall here Nancy Frasers appeal in 2000 for the politics of redistribution. Pressing times such as these, when we are socially disconnected and divided by class and culturally specific identity politics, while being ever reminded of our universal mortality by the global pandemic, is a historical juncture where we must find the lowest common denominator in our identity-based differences. We all deserve a social safety net that will catch us when we fall, and those who are able to provide this must do so as an act of self-governance, or the conduct of oneself (Foucault, 1990). Reformist bureaucrats, whether in state universities or ministries and also part of the secure middle class, are able to apply self-governance and provide safety nets through organizational instruments and resources. The politics of redistribution can be realized in everyday politics and larger social movements toward the inclusion of the socially, economically and culturally marginalized, all the while maintaining diversity so our society develops resilience on a foundation of cultural collaboration. As history has discovered, the competition that is social Darwinian, whether based on identity or externalized in the precarious labor market, is destroying our social and natural environments. It is within this framework that I believe we should reimagine our post-COVID societies in the world, and in Indonesia. *** The writer is Communications lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia (UI). This article is a reproduction of an original presentation at the ICONIC 2020 Public Intellectual Forum, held on June 12 by the Education and Culture Ministrys Culture Directorate General and the UI Faculty of Humanities. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. SAN ANTONIO - Texas and Florida - whose leaders were praised by President Donald Trump for being among the first to end coronavirus restrictions - abruptly reversed course Friday as virus infections soared to record levels, slamming the door shut on bars and imposing other measures in a bid to contain the pandemic. Both states are backtracking amid a crisis of rising hospitalizations and skyrocketing infection rates. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, ordered bars to close and restaurants to reduce occupancy, and he gave local governments authority to ban outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people. The changes came as statistics show 1 in 10 Texans tested is positive for the novel coronavirus and the state's largest hospital is at capacity in its intensive care unit. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, ordered bars to close immediately Friday because of "widespread noncompliance" with rules regarding capacity and social distancing. The surprise announcement came as state health officials reported a record 8,942 infections Friday. Average cases are up nearly 77 percent from a week ago. In Texas, the current surge of cases reflects the activity of recent weeks, including Memorial Day gatherings and summer activities that were permitted under Abbott's reopening plan, which began May 1. "Wishful thinking got us here," said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. The county, which includes Houston, leads the state in infections and is reaching maximum hospital capacity. Texas Medical Center, the state's largest hospital, had 100 percent of its ICU beds occupied Friday. The county elevated its color-coded threat meter to its highest level on Friday. "Consider us the canary in the coal mine. You can look at what is happening here and know there are no shortcuts for getting around the crisis," Hidalgo said. Nationwide, about 45,000 coronavirus cases were reported Friday - the third day in a row the country has had a record high number of cases, according to Washington Post data. Record seven-day case averages were reported by 13 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington. New York officials have begun to contact Arizona, Florida, Texas and other states where coronavirus cases are swelling, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, told reporters Friday. Jonah Bruno, a spokesman for the state health department, said his state would be able to provide "equipment, ventilators, staff, our experience and knowledge, whatever they need." New York's largest hospital system, Northwell Health, which by early May had discharged more than 10,000 coronavirus patients, will begin polling its employees next week to see whether they can be deployed in other states. It would be the return of a favor, of sorts: Clinicians from as far away as Salt Lake City traveled to New York to help this spring, said hospital spokesman Terry Lynam. Other municipalities halted reopenings Friday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, ordered Imperial County, where cases are skyrocketing, to shut down. San Francisco Mayor London Breed is temporarily delaying the reopening of businesses because of a rise in cases, as is Marin County to its north. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez plans to sign an emergency order closing all beaches from July 3 to July 7. In Washington, Vice President Mike Pence attempted to put a positive spin on the situation, claiming "remarkable progress" despite a surge in cases. "As we stand here today, all 50 states and territories across the country are opening up, and safely and responsibly," Pence said. At the same time, Abbott and DeSantis announced they would reverse course. The governors - both prominent supporters of Trump - had moved swiftly to lift lockdowns, even as some local leaders pleaded with them to keep restrictions in place. Squeezed by pressure from the conservative wing of his party, skyrocketing unemployment numbers and the business sector, Abbott reopened most of Texas's businesses, with adapted safety measures, by mid-to-late May - but he bypassed the metrics he established as crucial thresholds to dictate the pace. The governor warned repeatedly that if numbers began to surge, his administration would rethink the reopening. In an interview Friday with KVIA, Abbott said he regrets allowing bars to quickly reopen. "If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars," he said, adding the "bar setting, in reality, just doesn't work in a pandemic." Leaders of the state's population centers warned the reopening was too abrupt. Hidalgo was one of the earliest elected officials to threaten constituents with jail time if they did not comply with a mandatory mask ordinance. The Abbott administration quickly banned local governments from imposing penalties on people who violate mask or social distancing orders. As the state reopened, life in Texas began to return to some kind of normal - as epidemiologists were starting to see a gradual uptick in cases. As Texas families flocked to swimming holes, young adults imbibed happily at their favorite honky tonks and public parks flourished with big family cookouts, the numbers climbed. Individual Texans, confused by mixed messaging, judged their own risks but little stopped them from behaving as they wanted. "All of this was predicted and is predictable," said Peter Hotez, dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, "given the fact we relaxed social distancing before modelers said we could do it without putting in place a public health response that was commensurate with the economic recovery." Now, hospital beds are filling so rapidly in cities such as Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio that the governor has called on them to stop elective surgeries, said Diana Fite, president of the Texas Medical Association. Those hospitals still have some capacity - and they could add space, such as surge beds in stadiums, which were established in the spring but closed because they were not needed, she said. Kim Smith, a nurse in the intensive care unit at Doctors Regional in Corpus Christi, said the acute care hospital is nearing capacity for covid-19 patients with about 29 people confirmed or under investigation for infection. Negative pressure rooms to house these patients are in short supply, she said. "I'm feeling undervalued, honestly," she said. "We've had warning down here for two months now, we've known it could come." A few weeks ago, officials in Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, rewrote their mandates to require masks for businesses - not people - to get around the governor's order. Abbott, in turn, told a Waco television station that they had "finally figured" out how to do it. The governor has urged Texans repeatedly to follow masking and social distancing guidelines, but in an advisory, not mandatory, approach. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said that any state that wants to lift restrictions needs sustainable strategies, such as staying home when possible, mask wearing and contact tracing to prevent an acceleration in cases. "That seems to be where Texas is heading, unfortunately," Nuzzo said, adding that the virus has not disappeared. "If you don't have interventions in place, you are going to go right back and possibly be worse off. People are tired and bored and want to move on. But this is going to last until we have a vaccine," she said. John Henderson, CEO of the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals, said much of the rural part of the state has so far been spared the worst of the virus, with infections centered around prisons, meat packing plants and nursing homes. But he knows that may soon change, straining staff and equipment, including ventilators. "Hospital admissions are a lagging indicator of the trouble we have ahead," said Henderson, who believes the reopening was too fast, though he stopped short of critiquing the governor, saying that Abbott had to navigate a difficult balancing act. "Most Texans I deal with aren't even really listening anymore. They do what they are comfortable doing and suffer the consequences, in some cases," Henderson said. "Texas is pretty independent. It's not just the governor's orders." The coronavirus swept through Laredo this spring, shutting down the bustling border that connects the city to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, across the Rio Grande. An asymptomatic patient visited the city's largest hospital, the 326-bed Laredo Medical Center, in early March, triggering an outbreak in which more than 100 of the hospital's 1,200 workers tested positive. In mid-March, the city council approved what were among the most stringent lockdown restrictions at the time in Texas and was the first in the nation to mandate face coverings. By late April, admissions to the hospital had dwindled. "We were down to nothing. We thought it was over," said Ricardo Cigarroa, a Laredo Medical Center cardiologist. The hospital resumed elective surgeries on May 7. Two weeks ago, Laredo's restaurants and bars reopened. "There was no social distancing," Cigarroa said. "Three hundred people were packed into small bars and they were enjoying themselves." Coronavirus cases surged this week, jumping from three to 14 covid patients in the Laredo Medical Center's ICU. The hospital has 20 ICU beds available, but only enough staff for 14, Cigarroa said. Twelve of those patients are on ventilators. Fourteen other patients are in "step down" beds, for covid-19 patients not sick enough for the ICU but too sick to go home. Excess patients have been sent to the nearby Doctors Hospital of Laredo, Cigarroa said. The March crush sent elderly patients to the hospital, but the new wave of patients are younger, between 18 and 40. Cigarroa said he suspects they were clientele at the reopened establishments. Bouncers at bars have also been infected and are now intubated. He hoped the outcomes for the younger patients, with stronger immune systems, would be better. The hospital has sufficient protective equipment but remains understaffed, so the state sent 20 additional nurses, who arrived early Wednesday. "We were just crushed with covid admissions," Cigarroa said. "In essence, we are full, we are at capacity." In the border community of Cameron County, home to South Padre Island, a summer party destination, officials there have watched their cases nearly quadruple, from 569 in mid-May to 1,972. Fifty-two people have died. "The projections are such that we should be concerned" over the coming weeks, said Cameron County judge Eddie Trevino Jr. during a news conference Friday. He amended an emergency order last week to require facial coverings. "We need everybody to please, please start doing their part." - - - The Washington Post's Isaac Stanley-Becker contributed reporting from Washington and Lori Rozsa from West Palm Beach, Fla. This article is part of Viral Studies, a Slate series in which we break down recent viral articles andmost importantlytheir caveats. Even as Florida and Texas are taking steps toward reclosing, other states are continuing to open back up, and people are itching to return to their pre-COVID-19 routines. Many states have recently reopened gyms, but the question remains: Are they safe? According to a recent preprint paper (that is, a paper that has not yet gone through peer review) discussed in the New York Times , its safe in Norway, where the study was conducted and its authors say the results are generalizable to other parts of the world, with the caveat that there may be places where there is a lot of COVID, or where people are less inclined to follow restrictions. But thats a big caveatespecially if youre trying to generalize these results to the U.S.and in looking at the studys results, its unclear whether they reflect the transmission risk at gyms, or just the general, relatively low transmission risk in Oslo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the preprint study, which was commissioned by the Norwegian government, more than 3,700 Norwegians at five gyms in Oslo were randomly assigned to either work out at the gym or stay at home. After two weeks, researchers tested the participants again but lost around 20 percent of the original participants in the process. Of the roughly 3,000 people tested after two weeks, the researchers found no difference between the gym-going group and the staying-home group. But its noteworthy that only one person in the entire study tested positive for COVID-19. They happened to be in the gym-going group, but the authors note that the individual had been present at the workplace where two other individuals had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 shortly before the participant tested positive in the trial. The transmission was most likely unlikely related to the trial intervention. Advertisement Advertisement That one positive test result is not enough to draw conclusions, says Sandra Tilmon, an epidemiologist at the University of Chicago. She points to the overall low prevalence of COVID-19 in Norway; the preprint authors write that over the two-week period of their study, there were just 105 confirmed COVID cases in Oslo. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Florida has just announced its highest-ever single day total of nearly 9,000 cases. The background prevalence of COVID-19 is just generally low in Norway, which means these results could just be showing that its generally safe to be out in public in Norway. If you dont have community transmission, youre not going to have transmission in the gym, says Tilmon. Theres no way you can leap from one transmission to gyms are safe. If we got to low background transmission, then everything would be safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicole Carnegie, a statistician at Montana State University, also says she doesnt believe the researchers conclusions are supported by their results. There isnt enough information to make a call about the difference in risk between the two arms in the study, she says. Really what this says is we dont know; the rate was so low inside and outside the gym that we cant measure [a difference]. These different rates of community transmission mean that these results are not generalizable to other cities, says Tilman. To truly understand whether this study actually has anything to do with gym behavior, this study would need to be replicated in cities with varying COVID-19 prevalencebut that could be unethical, since gymgoers in areas with higher COVID-19 rates would be more likely to get sick. Advertisement Advertisement While this study concludes that the hand hygiene and 3 to 6 feet of distance the researchers mandated will keep people safe, that bears further investigation, too. Tilmon points out that being in an experiment can change peoples behavior, often for the betterand future studies could look at how people in the real world behave in gyms when they dont think anyones watching (or testing them later). Carnegie points out that there may just be lower overall compliance with distancing rules in U.S. gyms. And again, with an overall low COVID-19 rate, hygiene may not have made a huge difference at all, and other factorslike air flow at these facilitiescould play a role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there is one lesson the U.S. could take from the study. For the research, these scientists tested a sizable group of people who seemed otherwise healthy and reported no symptoms. Thats similar what many U.S. epidemiologists and public health specialists advise we do more of. Currently, much of the info about the U.S.s COVID-19 rate comes from people who are actively seeking out tests, which means those numbers represent primarily people who are potentially sick, or have had an exposure that makes them concerned enough to get checked. Random community sampling, on the other hand, can give us a better glimpse into the transmission rates in the community in general; it will include cases in folks who may be asymptomatic or mistook mild symptoms for a cold or allergies. Advertisement Advertisement The researchers write that they had expected that 1 percent of their participants in each group to come down with COVID, based on Norwegian data on COVID-19 rates. That wouldve been roughly 30 people, but only one tested positive; that could be a sign that community spread is low. More evidence from community testing would be necessary to draw any conclusions. The community sample taken could also account for the low rate. People who want to go back to their gym or at least have a gym membership are probably a bit healthier or lower risk than the general population, says Carnegie. But with massive spikes in cases and hospitalizations in many states, that type of good news does not extend to much of the U.S., where many experts believe community transmission might be significantly higher than revealed through our still-limited testing. I see people grasping onto any messaging that says we can go back to normal, says Tilmon. But were nowhere near normal. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. New Delhi, June 27 : The government on Saturday rubbished Pakistan's "readiness" to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor for Indian Sikhs, by calling it an attempt to create "a mirage of goodwill". Taking to Twitter, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday, announced:"As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh." The corridor was temporarily closed on March 16 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that originated in China's Wuhan city. Official sources in New Delhi said that Pakistan is trying to "create a mirage of goodwill" by proposing to reopen Kartarpur Corridor on June 29, at the short notice of two days, while bilateral agreement provides for information to be shared by India with Pakistan side at least seven days before the date of travel. This would need India to open up the registration process well in advance, the sources said. Besides, Pakistan has not built the bridge on their side across the flood plains of the Ravi river despite having committed to it in the bilateral agreement. With the advent of monsoon, the sources said, it would need to be evaluated whether pilgrim movement is possible through the corridor in a safe and secure manner. Official sources said cross border travel has been temporarily suspended as part of measures to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus. "Further view would be taken in consultation with health authorities and other stakeholders concerned," an official said. The 4.2 km corridor links Dera Baba Nanak town in Gurdaspur district with Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Shakargarh tehsil in Narowal district of Pakistan. India and Pakistan in October 2019 signed an agreement to operationalise the Kartarpur Corridor to allow Indian pilgrims a visa-free visit to the holy gurdwara, believed to have been built on the site where Guru Nanak died in the 16th century, and located some 4 km inside Pakistan. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty By President Donald Trump is not having a smooth ride. The road is getting rougher for the US President in an election year. American voters will be casting their ballots in November. Most American Presidents have been able to get re-elected for a second four-year term without much exertion. Riding a wave of popularity that began during the election campaign, with his America First and Make America Great Again slogans and an economy bouncing back in the pre-COVID era, Trump is now trailing his Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden by several percentage points. Bidens lead is growing and President Trumps reactions are becoming more intemperate, displaying some signs of nervousness. Twitter has had to flag his tweets as objectionable. The ban on H1B visa, new Green Cards and some other visa categories promulgated by a presidential executive order on June 2 has to be viewed in this context. The raging China-origin COVID pandemic in the US has skyrocketed, making it top of the global list for infections and deaths. The Trump administrations response to the pandemic has been patchy and incoherent, caught between the opposing pressure of whether to put healthcare first and saving lives or to protect the economy. Most countries are on the horns of a similar dilemma. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has been triggered off by a police force, widely regarded as racist, in its violent response to African-Americans. Random killings and maiming of African-American suspects by American police has set off a wildfire of protests across the country. Riots and looting have broken out in many cities. The BLM movement is taking its own toll on society and political discourse. Trumps reaction has been far from sympathetic. Instead, he has warned protesters that he will deploy the armed forces to quell the protests. The American military leadership is increasingly uneasy with such announcements by the President. The US Congress has geared up to pass a new legislation on police reforms which is expected to cause another round of partisan debate between Democrats and Republicans in the US Senate. Though immigration has been a subject of divisive debate in American politics, Trumps hard-line views on immigration has resonated with his vote bank. His move to temporarily ban issue of H1B and related work visa for foreign workers, is motivated by his desire to reclaim some of his dwindling popularity in the presidential race. The ban on H1B visa, till after the November election, is expected to contribute around 5.25 lakh jobs, at a time when the COVID pandemic has caused millions of job losses. At last count, job losses were hovering around 40 million. Millions of Americans and legal residents have signed up for government welfare, and Goldman Sachs has estimated that 25 per cent of the workforce may be without a job in the near future. President Trump has claimed that between February and April of 2020, more than 17 million United States jobs were lost in industries in which employers are seeking to fill worker positions tied to H-2B non-immigrant visas. The justification for the ban is to keep at bay the threat to employment opportunities for Americans caused by the COVID pandemic. Both the Indian and American IT industry have protested the ban. Technology giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Tesla have been vocal in their criticism. The Indian IT industry has also reacted adversely, and NASSCOM has urged the Trump Administration to limit the ban to 90 days. There are about 4 lakh Indians holding H1B visa and around 1 lakh holding L-1 visa in the US, working in the American IT sector. The immediate impact will be on costs that Indian IT companies operating in the US, since they will have to hire local Americans at higher wages or move work to the back-end in India. Any prolonged ban will cause human resource disruption in the IT industry which has become the backbone of India-US bilateral bonds. Canada will be a likely collateral beneficiary of this, as skilled professionals will prefer a welcoming Canada, rather than an unwelcoming US.President Trumps obsessive focus on trade deficit has led to a trade war with China that has not been resolved, despite several rounds of negotiations. Though the USs trade imbalance with India is around $24 billion, certainly not a large figure, it has become enmeshed in the debate on trade deficit. India-US trade is now one of the pillars of bilateral ties. Bilateral trade in goods and services have grown to around $142 billion in 2018, rising from a mere $16 billion in 1999, making India the eight largest trading partner of the US. Indias official reaction has been low key. Apart from acknowledging that it will impact adversely on the IT sector which is an important pillar of bilateral trade, the MEA has announced consultations with stake holders on this issue. The ban is unlikely to cause a huge upheaval in technology trade and may be a blip on the screen for overall ties. With the bloody clashes in Ladakh and China making aggressive moves along the LAC, threatening Taiwan, Hong Kong and all countries in the South China Sea littoral, Asias future is being jeopardised by Beijings overweening ambition and increasing rogue behaviour. The world is grappling with the China-origin COVID virus and stabilising ties among the major powers is the need of the hour. Chinas aggressive actions have cast a shadow and will have negative impact globally. India-US ties are strong enough to ride over the temporary H1B visa ban, at a time when China is becoming the migraine of the world. (Democratic presidential rival Joe) Bidens lead is growing and President Trumps reactions are becoming more intemperate, displaying some signs of nervousness. Twitter has had to flag his tweets as objectionable. The ban on H1B visa, new Green Cards and some other visa categories promulgated by a presidential executive order on June 2 has to be viewed in this context Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty former High Commissioner to Bangladesh & Secretary in MEA The monsoon has covered the entire country nearly two weeks earlier than usual, brightening prospects for healthy summer-sown crops and promising higher incomes New Delhi: Indias annual monsoon, crucial for farm output and economic growth, has rapidly advanced to cover the entire country, spurring crop sowing and alleviating the economic damage caused by a nationwide lockdown to stem the coronavirus. The southwest monsoon has further advanced into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab (states) and thus it has covered the entire country today, 26 June, the state-run India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement on Friday. The monsoon has covered the entire country nearly two weeks earlier than usual, brightening prospects for healthy summer-sown crops and promising higher incomes in the countryside where most Indians live. The farm sector employs more than half of the countrys 1.3 billion population and accounts for nearly 15 percent of Indias $2.9 trillion economy. A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and a cyclonic circulation over central India helped the monsoon cover the entire country earlier than expected, the IMD said. The normal date for this is 15 July, and in 2013 seasonal rains covered India on 16 June, the IMD said. Since then annual rains have either covered India around 15 June or later than expected. Monsoon rains arrived on the southernmost Kerala coast on 1 June. The monsoon delivers about 70 percent of Indias annual rainfall and waters nearly half of the countrys farmland that lacks irrigation. India is likely to receive above average monsoon rains for the second straight year in 2020, the IMD said in its revised forecast on 1 June. IMD defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96 percent and 104 percent of a 50-year average of 88 cm for the entire four-month season. Farmers plant crops such as rice, corn, cane, cotton and soybeans in the rainy months of June and July, with harvests from October. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Wahyu Kuncoro and Renar Berandi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 09:37 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066215368 3 Opinion Education,education-in-Indonesia,remote-learning,school-reopening,digital-divide,Internet Free The closure of schools due to COVID-19 in March was an urgent measure to protect both learners and educators while allowing education to continue. Since then, the closure has affected 646,000 schools and madrasas, shifting 62 million students and 3.1 million teachers to remote learning, according to data from the National Secretariat for School Safety (Seknas). The Indonesian Pediatrics Association (IDAI) found that as of May, 3,324 boys and girls were patients under monitoring and 584 had been infected with COVID-19. The pandemic has inflicted additional burdens on children who have been dealing with malnutrition, high rates of pneumonia and a lack of proper handwashing facilities in schools (United Nations Childrens Fund, 2020). Further to the joint decision of four ministries on the new academic year, which includes a procedure to reopen schools based on risk zones, mandatory approval of local authorities, parental consent and school-reopening checklists, it is high time to look back at the factual challenges to remote learning. First, the digital divide has disrupted quality education for boys and girls in remote places. Seknas data show 31.8 percent of students have no access to the internet and 7.1 percent of them do not even have access to electricity. With only 6 percent of the total schools and madrasas reopening when the new academic year begins in July, most schools have to make do with no internet connectivity. Second, school communities have yet to find an evaluation modality to understand the efficacy of home learning and the authorities need to define flexible student assessments during the transition period. Third, psychosocial distress experienced by teachers, caregivers and students must continuously be addressed; and last, the right to education of children with disabilities and in temporary shelters has only received minimal attention. As a global safe school leader, Indonesia is committed to a comprehensive school safety framework (CSSF) and has been a strong proponent of the ASEAN Safe Schools Initiative. The CSSF aims for the protection of learners and educators, plans for education continuity, the safeguarding of education investment and resilience strengthening with three pillars: safe learning facilities, school disaster management and risk reduction and resilience education. The pandemic, seemingly estranged from the conventional notion of disasters, is viewed as a hazard. Based on Law No. 24/2007 on disaster management, a pandemic is categorized under non-natural hazards and the CSSF advocates a school multi-hazard assessment with a multi-sectoral approach. The mindset of multi-risks should be embedded across the three pillars: conducting structural assessment and risk mitigation; developing school disaster-management plans and drills; and integrating resilience education in the intracurricular and extracurricular activities. As for safe learning facilities, we need to prioritize the availability of water and sanitation, including inclusive, gender-sensitive toilets and handwashing stations, disinfected school buildings, masks and gloves and other protective gear. In the post-recovery phase, a structural assessment should identify how school infrastructure can control communicable diseases with proper ventilation and hygiene and the cleaning of the entire school premises. Pillar two addresses the school-based risk assessment and education continuity plan. When a pandemic re-emerges, schools will be better able to cope with it. The standard operating procedures should include staggered school shifts, regular health checks and absenteeism monitoring, building the referral system to health care in the community, hygiene promotion and capacity building, social distancing and psychosocial support. The healthcare or first aid skills of the school community need to be enhanced. Meanwhile, to promote resilient education, schools can adopt age, gender and disability-appropriate learning with online and printed communication materials and dissemination through intra or extracurricular activities. It is recommended that feedback is collected from children and the school community on the appropriate methodology to be adopted if infection cases resurge: with online, offline or blended learning. Moving forward, it is important to heed these following suggestions: First, before and during the school reopening, the protection and safety of the entire school community will always take precedence. The mapping of risk zones and guides on school safety should be widely introduced and strictly adhered to with a mechanism in place to consult with and receive feedback from schools. Second, as the health crisis hits different dimensions of childrens welfare, key actors need to take into consideration childrens nutritional intake, the prevention of stigmatization of children suspected of COVID-19 infection, childrens participation in risk communication, psychosocial support and the needs of marginalized children: those with disabilities, living in temporary shelters and in poverty. Third, the government needs to prepare itself with a plan for a curriculum adjustment and make-up classes for students who experience learning setbacks. Finally, multi-stakeholder engagement and public-private partnerships to address different dimensions surrounding school safety continue to be promoted. All these should build up to the importance of investment in school disaster-risk reduction and the resilience of the education system to cope with multiple hazards. It requires the long-term commitment of all key actors so that if a crisis occurs, and a pandemic is one such, the education system will quickly bounce back to maintain childrens educational development. *** Wahyu Kuncoro has been a humanitarian worker and practitioner in disaster risk reduction in the education sector and education in emergencies for the last 15 years. Renar Berandi is regional disaster risk reduction specialist at Plan International Asia Pacific Hub, based in Yayasan Plan International Indonesia. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. The Delhi government on Saturday issued an advisory to contain the threat of desert locusts in the national capital after swarms entered neighbouring Gurugram in the morning and a small swarm entered Delhis South and West districts. All district magistrates have been advised to remain on high alert and to cooperate with the district fire department personnel for spraying prescribed pesticides/insecticides, the advisory said. A small swarm of locusts has entered the Delhi border. South and West districts have been put on high alert. We have also issued advisory to all district authorities to contain the spread of locusts, ANI quoted Delhi minister Gopal Rai as saying. District magistrates have been asked to deploy adequate staff to guide villagers and residents to distract the locusts by making loud noise by beating drums/utensils, bursting crackers, burning Neem leaves and other similar measures. On May 27, the Delhi government had issued a similar locust advisory. The government also advised people to keep doors and windows closed and cover outdoor plants with plastic sheets. Swarms usually fly during day time and rest during night. Therefore, should not be allowed to rest during night time, the advisory said. It also advised people to use PPE kits while spraying pesticides/insecticides. On Saturday, the swarms of locusts, spread across two kilometres, moved from west to east as they entered Gurgaon around 11.30 am, K L Gurjar of the Locust Warning Organisation, the Ministry of Agriculture, told PTI. Gurjar said the swarms were headed towards Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana. A swarm of locusts flies over DLF area in Gurugram,Saturday. (PTI) The short-horned grasshoppers are known to devour everything in their path, posing an unprecedented threat to food supply and livelihoods of millions of people. Over the past few months, locust swarms which first attacked Rajasthan have now spread across many other states including Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. In favourable wind conditions, locust swarms can travel 150 km a day SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON WASHINGTON - There was no presidential appearance and no White House backdrop when the governments coronavirus task force briefed the public for the first time since April in keeping with an administration effort to show it is paying attention to the latest spike in cases but is not on a wartime footing that should keep the country from reopening the economy. The Friday briefing at the Department of Health and Human Services was held as the number of confirmed new coronavirus infections per day in the U.S. soared to an all-time high of 40,000 higher even than during the deadliest stretch in April and May. In light of the new surge, task force briefers chose their words carefully to update the public about COVID-19, which has become both a public health and political issue. Vice-President Mike Pence had the most delicate line to walk. He acknowledged a surge in new cases across the South and West, while backing the presidents desire to get the economy up and running without mentioning that it will also help the prospects for reelection. As we see new cases rising, and were tracking them very carefully, there may be a tendency among the American people to think that we are back to the place that we were two months ago in a time of great losses and a great hardship on the American people, Pence said. But the vice-president also took note of positive job numbers and added: The reality is were in a much better place. Unbound by politics, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, sounded a more cautionary tone. As you can see, we are facing a serious problem in certain areas, Fauci said. But he also was careful not to blame the recent spike on gatherings where people havent worn face masks or adhered to social distancing guidelines. Pence deftly sidestepped pointed questions about the apparent dissonance between the administrations admonitions that Americans heed the guidance of local officials and President Donald Trumps decision to hold a political rally last week in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over the objection of health officials. And during a Trump event in Arizona on Tuesday, thousands of young attendees violated Phoenixs mandate to wear face masks. Insisting that Trump was taking proper steps, Pence invoked the constitutional protection of free speech, saying, we still want to give people the freedom to participate in the political process. The White House over the last two months all but eliminated coronavirus task force briefings and sharply curtailed public appearances by its medical experts as Trump shifted his focus to getting the country moving again. The return of the briefing was a sign that the administration knows it cant ignore growing anxiety over the increased number of cases as governors in some states pause or delay reopening. But the briefings are not expected to come back with the same daily frequency. And its no coincidence, officials said, that Fridays briefing took place at HHS rather than at the White House. The president is still dead-set on cheerleading an economic resurgence even in the face of the spike in infections. Pence announced that 16 states were seeing worrisome increases up from 12 states on Wednesday. He said there still is work to do, but that it was important to reflect on how much the federal and state governments and health care workers have done to respond to the pandemic. This moment in the coronavirus pandemic is different from the grim days when New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Orleans struggled under the weight of the outbreak, he said. America has since accelerated testing to 500,000 a day, which has contributed to the increase in reported new cases, Pence said. He plans to travel next week to Texas, Arizona and Florida; the previously scheduled trips to the hot spots of COVID-19 were initially to be more political in nature, but will now include greater focus on the virus. He said Dr. Deborah Birx, the task force co-ordinator, will accompany him to Texas and Arizona. I just encourage every American to continue to pray, Pence said in closing. Pray for all the families that have lost loved ones. Pray for our health care workers on the front lines. And just continue to pray that, by Gods grace, every single day well each do our part to heal our land. Back at the White House, Trump held a jobs-focused event in the East Room and offered this can-do message: We have a little work to do and well get it done. Were having some very good numbers coming out in terms of the comeback, the comeback of our nation and I think its going very rapidly and its going to be very good. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Jill Colvin contributed to this report. Members of the Valmiki Samaj, the Hindu refugees from erstwhile west Pakistan and the Gurkhas, got domicile certificates from the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) administration on Saturday after years of being denied equal rights. Earlier, they were not considered as permanent residents in the erstwhile J&K, which was bifurcated into two Union Territories (UTs) J&K and Ladakh after the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, 2019. Its a red-letter day for us. The first domicile certificate was given to Deepo Devi, who is 70 -years-old. She had retired from Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), as a safai karamchari (sanitation worker) long ago, said Gharu Bhatti, a leader from the Valmiki community. Were happy to be finally considered as legitimate citizens of J&K. Our youngsters see a new ray of hope. Now, they, too, can become officers and get good state government jobs, he added. Bhatti, however, took a dig at Kashmir-centric parties such as the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for opposing the new domicile law. These parties have been claiming from the outset that attempts are being made to change J&Ks demography. However, they were trying to turn it into a Muslim-dominated state for all these years. Be it Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah of the NC, or Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP, they never allowed us to enjoy equal rights, Bhatti said. He lauded the J&K authorities move to hand over the domicile certificates that have ended slavery by successive Kashmir-centric regimes. The Valmiki community was brought to erstwhile J&K in 1957 from Punjabs Gurdaspur and Amritsar on the assurance of the then Prime Minister of J&K, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed, that they would be given permanent resident status and other privileges. However, for over 62 years they worked as sweepers (safai karamcharis), irrespective of their educational qualifications, because they were never considered citizens of the J&K. Labha Ram Gandhi, the chairman of the West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee (WPRAC), praised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre for its humanitarian approach that helped his displaced community members to get respect and dignity for the rest of their lives. Nothing was done to solve our humanitarian crisis. We were betrayed by successive Central governments and erstwhile J&K authorities. We were denied our basic fundamental rights, as the majority of the refugees are Dalits, Gandhi alleged. Members of WPRAC have been ineligible for government jobs and admission to any professional course at a state-run institute. Most members of WPRAC had come from Sialkot in west Punjab during the Partition and are settled in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts in the Jammu division. Sanjeev Verma, divisional commissioner, Jammu, organised a special camp on Saturday to handover 50 domicile certificates to members of these three displaced communities. Under the Domicile Rules, all those people and their children, who have lived in J&K for 15 years, or have studied for seven years and appeared in Board examinations (Grade X or XII) from a UT-based educational institution are eligible for the grant of domicile. Children of central government officials; All India service officers; officials of public sector undertakings (PSU); and autonomous body of central government; public sector Banks, officials of statutory bodies, officials of central Universities and recognised research institutes of the central government, who have served in the UT for 10 years are also eligible for the domicile status. Besides, all those migrants and their children, who are registered with the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, will be granted a domicile certificate. Children of those residents of J&K, who reside outside the UT, because of their employment, business, or other professional or vocational reasons have become eligible for the grant of domicile status. West Pakistan refugees (WPRs), sanitation workers and children of Women married outside J&K, who were earlier deprived, are also eligible for a domicile certificate. WPRs were part of the parliamentary electoral roll, but not of the erstwhile state electoral roll. They will now be covered under the 15-year domicile rule or their children under the seven-year or class X/XII rule. Corporate advertisers are pulling their marketing dollars from Facebook and challenging the idea that they need the worlds largest social network more than it needs them. A growing number of big-name companies are signing onto an ad boycott that started days ago as a brushfire among a handful of socially conscious brands. Unilever, Coca-Cola and Honda were among those who joined the effort on Friday, citing concerns about their brands propping up divisive and hate-filled speech on social media. Facebooks share price dropped 8 percent after Unilever announced its boycott, which it said will last the rest of the year. Others, ranging from Verizon to Ben & Jerrys and Eddie Bauer, are pausing ads for July. The wave of announcements runs up against what has been powerful conventional wisdom in the world of online advertising that Facebook, with 2.6 billion members worldwide and unmatched insights into all their likes, dislikes, friendships and activities, is an essential platform for anyone who has a message to get out. Its the same understanding that has made Facebook central to political campaigns. President Donald Trump and his presumptive Democratic challenger Joe Biden have spent more than $65 million combined on Facebook ads in the past two years, despite offering fierce criticisms of the company. Now some corporate advertisers are pledging to give up Facebooks captive audience at least for a few weeks or months as they face their own pressures to respond to the heightened attention to racial injustice and election misinformation across the U.S. Still, the corporate brands that have announced Facebook boycotts are a sliver of Facebook's $70 billion in annual advertising revenue, meaning even the biggest advertisers will have trouble setting the terms. And Facebooks massive bottom line gives it ample cushion to sustain a financial hit. "I haven't seen a single example of an advertiser boycott having a material impact on the internet, said Mark Mahaney, who tracks Facebook and other internet companies at RBC Capital Markets. Perhaps a boycott could with enough support, Mahaney said, but he called that unlikely, even with Verizon and Unilever joining the campaign. "My gut sense is that Facebook's policy of having as little content moderation as possible, that policy isn't controversial enough to cause a widespread advertiser boycott." Story continues Matt Rivitz, whose advocacy group, Sleeping Giants, helped organize the Stop Hate for Profit boycott alongside Color of Change, NAACP and others, acknowledged that advertisers are in a tough spot. "There's a dearth of options for advertising now," he said."There's just a few monopolies and it's really hard to get around them. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced certain changes to how the company will label posts that violate its policies Friday. "Facebook stands for giving people a voice, and that especially means people who have previously not had as much voice or as much power to share their own experiences, he said. But those were in the works before the boycott and did little to assuage organizers. What we've seen in today's address from Mark Zuckerberg is a failure to wrestle with the harms [Facebook] has caused on our democracy & civil rights, Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, tweeted. If this is the response he's giving to major advertisers withdrawing millions of dollars from the company, we can't trust his leadership. Our fight for justice at Facebook is far from over, said Jessica Gonzalez, co-CEO at Free Press. Trump and Biden arent letting up on Facebook, either, despite having little luck getting the company to change its policies. Trump continues to hammer Facebook and other social media sites for alleged bias against him, and just last month shot off an executive order to rein them in. Biden, meanwhile, has been pushing a petition calling for Facebook to fact-check political ads something the company has so far declined to do. This Oct. 25, 2019 file photo shows Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaking at the Paley Center in New York. If you want a gauge for what the future of office work will look like, watch how the biggest tech companies are preparing for a post-pandemic world. During an employee town hall Thursday Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said We want to make sure we move forward in a measured way. Facebook, which has nearly 45,000 employees, is looking five to 10 years down the line as it plans for more remote work, even when COVID-19 is no longer a threat that keeps its employees working from home. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Even if Facebook can handle the boycotts financial risk and political heat, its reputation among advertisers and users is on the line. The changes Zuckerberg revealed Friday are part of an ongoing effort to curtail divisive speech and stop voter suppression that critics say has not gone far enough. The company has said it removes nearly 90 percent of hate speech before users flag it. Some organizers took Zuckerbergs announcement, albeit modest, as a sign of their collective power. Weird what happens when brands start demanding greater accountability, tweeted Sleeping Giants in response to the news. There is a pressure point here, said Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley who has testified before Congress on misinformation. That can't last forever, but look, if they can withhold 10 or 20 percent of revenue for a couple of months, I think it would get somebody's attention. Some of the funds companies are withholding are sizable, if not bank breaking for Facebook. Unilever spent $42.3 million on Facebook ads in the U.S. in 2019 and Coca-Cola spent $22.1 million, according to digital marketing researcher Pathmatics. And the company has spent recent days reaching out to advertisers to allay their anger. Neil Potts, Facebooks head of trust and safety policy, acknowledged to advertisers this week that the company has a trust deficit," according to the Financial Times. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg have been reaching out directly to companies. But Facebook also maintains it will not be bowed by pressure from clients. We do not make policy changes tied to revenue pressure, Carolyn Everson, the vice president of Facebooks Global Business Group, told advertisers last weekend in an email, according to the Journal report. We set our policies based on principles rather than business interests. Everson said in a statement we deeply respect any brands decision and will continue to remove hate speech and election misinformation. The presidential campaigns also find themselves grasping for leverage. Despite their criticisms, both continue to ply Facebook with money. Trump has spent $45 million and Biden $23.4 million on just their individual campaign accounts since May 2018, according to Facebooks ad library. Those figures are only going to climb as the November election nears. Just last week, the Biden campaign found itself buying ads on Facebook that criticize Facebook. The Trump campaign, meanwhile, is pushing supporters to its official app and rival social media platforms, particularly an upstart called Parler that has few moderation policies. But it has given no indications that it is pulling back on ads on more mainstream social media. Political advertising is a growing slice of Facebooks revenue as more campaign ads shift online, but campaigns also have limited bargaining power. Politicians have few other options to reach Facebooks critical audience, particularly with alternatives like Google and Twitter imposing some restrictions on political advertisers or banishing them altogether. Neither campaign commented for this story, but their behavior reflects the fact there are few places where advertisers can reach so many Americans, let alone target them granularly based on their location, demographics and interests. Facebook has about 175 million users in the U.S., according to research firm eMarketer. That appeal is hard to resist whether you're selling coats or soliciting votes. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) proclaimed this week that he has joined Parler, though he has no plans to quit Facebook, Twitter or other large-scale platforms, a spokesperson noted. Meanwhile, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said advertisers "have power to discourage platforms from amplifying dangerous and even life-threatening disinformation" at an event last week. She has spent more than $2 million advertising on the platform since May 2018, records show. The greatest power to influence Facebook policies still appears to lie in global capitals, including Washington, where regulators and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle now question the business models that have allowed internet companies to grow so large with relatively few checks. Facebooks dominance in the social media market has attracted investigations from state and federal antitrust authorities, some of whom suggest too much control over online speech is a symptom of poor market competition. And an increasing number of lawmakers are proposing legislation to change how social media companies govern online speech. There's pressure and public advocacy that's happening here, which is important, but it's not going to solve the underlying problem. That's going to be solved by regulators," said Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, a digital media trade group whose members include Disney, Conde Nast and The New York Times. Kint has been a fierce critic of the market power Facebook and Google have amassed, and he said advertisers' grievances offer proof to antitrust authorities that their size poses real harm. Kint is not directly involved with the boycott but has been an ardent supporter online, tagging companies like Coca-Cola, Nike and Under Armour on Twitter to urge them to participate. Trump has tried to wield the power of the executive branch against the social media companies, signing an executive order last month designed to punish social media giants for allegedly silencing conservatives, though it has already been challenged in court. As part of the order, Trump began a push to restrict federal agencies from advertising on social media sites deemed politically biased. But he has pushed back at liberals trying the same pressure tactic, and with many more dollars at stake. He recently told The Daily Caller he doesnt support the industry boycott. That has to be illegal in some form, the president said. How can you possibly allow this to happen? This is really a takeover of the whole system. Amid a new surge in coronavirus infections and deaths, Indonesia has passed the grim milestone of 50,000 confirmed cases. The spike in infection rates has come after the governments first steps towards reopening the economy earlier this month. The past three weeks have witnessed more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases almost every day. Yesterday 1,240 infections were recorded, bringing the total to 51,427 cases, with 2,683 deaths. Indonesia has now surpassed Singapore as having the highest number of cases in South East Asia. The death toll remains the highest in East Asia, outside of China. Achmad Yurianto, spokesman for the nations COVID-19 task force, claimed that the sudden climb in official figures aligns with the countrys increased testing capacity, which is now averaging close to the governments target of 20,000 tests a day. It must be noted, however, that Indonesias coronavirus testing rate is among the lowest in the world. Since the outbreak of the virus, it has performed just 731,781 tests in a country of over 273 million, or 2.7 tests per million people. Indonesia, the worlds fourth most populous country, is ranked 164th in the world for its testing. There is every indication that the real extent of the spread is significantly greater than official records suggest. The severe lack of testing across the archipelago nation has been accompanied by a proportionally high percentage of positive tests. On June 18, for example, 1,331 new infections were confirmed from testing just 10,381 peoplean infection rate of nearly 13 percent. Beginning early this month, the government pursued its plans to reopen businesses, abandoning any attempts to eradicate or even contain the virus, and placing millions of workers and their families at risk of infection and possible death. Offices, restaurants, and shopping centres have reopened, while public transportation has also resumed services. Other restrictions are expected to be gradually lifted through July. Prior to this, in mid-May the government began to urge workers under the age of 45 to return to work, even though a dramatic surge in cases had been reported. The overriding concern of the Widodo administration has been to prop up the struggling banks and transnational corporations, while reserving a pittance for the health sector and welfare payments. It has refused to make the necessary investments in public health infrastructure, mass testing, contact tracing, or adequate lockdown measures. Now it is enacting a criminal policy of reopening the economy under conditions where the virus is spreading through the population. From the outset, the Indonesian ruling class acted with utter neglect and indifference for the potentially devastating impact of the virus on workers and peasants. Both national and provincial governments knew about a surge of pneumonia-related cases in January, shortly after the virus emerged in China, but kept the facts hidden from the public. The first two cases were announced as late as March 2. Soon afterwards, President Joko Widodo admitted that authorities had withheld information from the public to avoid panic. In May, the government failed to implement significant social restrictions during the Idul Fitri religious holiday, which involves a mass exodus of city residents to the countryside. The lack of a swift travel ban allowed millions to migrate from viral hotspotsmajor cities such as Surabaya, Medan, Makassar, Banjarmasin, and the capital Jakarta (the countrys COVID-19 epicentre)to rural areas, resulting in a disastrous spread throughout towns and village communities. In addition, the decision not to close non-essential businesses over the holiday periodan annual source of business revenuerevealed the governments profit-driven calculations. Scenes emerged of overcrowded markets and bustling shopping strips, during which no physical distancing measures were imposed. The coronavirus has now spread to all of Indonesias 34 provinces. It took 60 days before the country had more than 10,000 confirmed cases, but the same increment was reached in only 21, 16, 10, and then nine days when the total crossed 50,000. East Java, home to around 39 million people, has replaced Jakarta this week as the new virus epicentre. Yesterday the province reported 356 new cases, bringing its total to 10,901 cases, topping Jakartas tally of 10,796. On Wednesday, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa pointed to the provinces high positivity rate as an indicator that figures would continue to climb over the coming weeks. The chance for probable cases to become positive in East Java is above 40 percent, she said, according to the Jakarta Globe. Many deaths are likely going undetected, as both East Java and Jakarta have reported sharp rises in the number of funerals over the past four months. A Reuters report noted that the March burial figure for Jakarta cemeteries, which was up by 40 percent, was the highest since such data began being collected a decade ago. It will never be known for certain how many of these fatalities were coronavirus victims, but the majority were held under COVID-19 burial procedures. In a recent visit to East Java, President Widodo ordered the provincial administration to decrease the transmission rate within two weeks. I demand integrated and serious controls from all institutions in the region so we can handle and lower the number of confirmed cases within two weeks, Widodo told the press in Surabaya. Any effort, however, to resolve the health crisis, in East Java or elsewhere, must involve an enormous expenditure in new health infrastructure and therefore cuts across the business interests that the Widodo administration represents. Indonesias under-resourced healthcare system is unable to cope with the new surge in infections. The chronic shortage of medical and protective equipment and facilities has meant that proper hospital care is denied to many COVID-19 cases or suspected cases who are admitted. In many cases, patients are sent home because there are simply not enough beds. In East Java, the number of ICU beds and isolation rooms in hospitals is estimated to be less than half the number of the provinces active cases. Capacity to provide treatment is far lower in poorer areas. Less than 10 percent of the nations physicians practice in rural communities, where 45 percent of Indonesias population live, according to a 2018 study in the Lancet. Shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been widely reported, with doctors in some regional areas ordered to wear plastic rain jackets. A photo of a specialist from Makassar, Dr Bernadette Albertine Francisca, wearing a flimsy rain jacket, went viral after she died from coronavirus in March. The toll on medical workers is assuming ever greater dimensions. At least 110 nurses in East Java alone have tested positive. In an Australian Broadcasting Corporation article Thursday, the Indonesian Doctors Association confirmed that 68 doctors and nurses have died from the virus. Deputy Chairman Adib Khumaidi said the COVID-19 mortality rate for health workers in Indonesia, after this new surge, would become the highest in Southeast Asia, and perhaps even the world. The scale of the economic crisis has seen countless hospitals cut pay for thousands of medical workers, even as they work longer hours in increasingly dangerous conditions. The Doctors Association also revealed that some have died from exhaustion due to overwork. The pandemics global economic impact is expected to cause Indonesias economy to contract by 0.3 percent this year, the International Monetary Fund has forecast. National Development Planning Minister Suharso Monoarfa told a parliament hearing this week that up to 5.5 million workers, mostly in the informal sector, may permanently lose their jobs. Further, he said the poverty rate was expected to rise more than a point to 10.2 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 16:25:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved a 93 million U.S. dollars credit for the Cambodia Land Allocation for Social and Economic Development Project III (LASED III), said its press statement on Saturday. The project will help improve land tenure security and access to infrastructure and agricultural and social services for landless and poor smallholders and indigenous communities in Cambodia, the statement said. "Access to land, better agriculture practices and extension services to improve productivity as well as access to better public services are crucial for the rural poor," said Inguna Dobraja, World Bank country manager for Cambodia. "LASED III will help the government to continue providing land and land titles to landless and land-poor families and to ensure land tenure security for indigenous communities in the project targeted areas," she added. The project will cover 71 sites and communities in all provinces in Cambodia except capital Phnom Penh, the statement said. It said the project will support building rural roads, small-scale irrigation systems, water supply and sanitation facilities, school buildings, teachers' houses, health posts and community centers. The project will also provide technical assistance to implement climate-smart agriculture techniques, establish farmers' organizations for production and marketing activities, and manage community funds to scale up local economic activities, it added. Through the World Bank's LASED and LASED II projects begun since 2008, Cambodia has allocated 17,000 hectares of residential and agriculture farmland to more than 5,000 landless and land-poor families, and 3,360 families have already received land titles, the statement said. Enditem live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Piramal Enterprises which announced sale of 20 percent stake in its pharma subsidiary Piramal Pharma for Rs 3,700 crore to private equity firm Carlyle, said it plans to use the divestment proceeds to invest on pharma acquisitions, expanding existing manufacturing operations and repaying debt. The company said it is looking at a range of pharma assets in India and abroad that include branded formulations, manufacturing sites, complex hospital generics and even possibly entering vaccines. "We will look at acquiring branded formulations in India, that is an interesting idea for us. Vaccines is something we don't know a lot about but will look at that. We also look at acquiring plants for manufacturing both in India and outside, complex hospital generics that are sold across the world in hospitals," Nandini Piramal, Executive Director, Piramal Enterprises told media. "The acquisitions will all depend on right asset at the right price," she said. Nandini Piramal didn't disclose the ticket size of acquisitions the company is looking at. "We also look at doing organic capital investments, in our plants to improve capacity, in order to serve our customers and patients better," Piramal added. Ajay Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Enterprises, there are many acquisition options available in pharma. "Many people think that it's a difficult time, if you want to acquire (valuations) are also reasonable today," Piramal said. On listing the pharma subsidiary, Piramal said he will work with partners to decide what is the most appropriate time to that. Piramal said the pharma business will be put into a subsidiary called Piramal Pharma, a 100 percent subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Ltd in which 20 percent of equity will be given to Carlyle. PEL will be the holding company. The proposed transaction values the pharma business at an enterprise value of $2.78 billion, with an upside component of up to $360 million depending on the companys FY21 performance. Piramal Pharma includes an end-to-end contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) business, a complex hospital generics business selling specialized products across over 100 countries; consumer products division that sells over-the-counter products in India, an investment in the joint venture with Allergan India, to make ophthalmology products in the domestic market and Convergence Chemicals, a joint venture with Navin Fluorine International to make fluorochemicals. The pharma business had revenues of Rs 5,419 crore in FY20, with an EBITDA margin of 26 percent. Piramal said he plans to use some portion of the proceeds to deleverage the balance sheet bringing down the debt equity ratio to 1.5 percent. Piramal in FY20 raised raised Rs 14,500 crore of additional capital through asset sales and fund raising including the sale of healthcare insights and analytics subsidiary Decision Resources Group (DRG) to US-based Clarivate Analytics for a sale consideration of $950 million in January this year. Its debt-to-equity ratio stood at 2.6 times versus 3.9 times a year ago. Piramal sold almost all of its domestic pharma business to Abbott in 2010 for $3.8 billion, following which it rebuilt the business over the last 10 years. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 07:30 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406620c4b0 1 World ASEAN,summit,COVID-19,travel,economy,growth Free With concerns over economic catastrophe taking center stage at the 36th ASEAN Summit, which kicked off virtually on Friday, some country members of the regional grouping are calling for the opening of an ASEAN travel corridor. Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo is one of the country leaders proposing the regional travel corridor arrangement, saying it could be a crucial measure to accelerate economic recovery. "I understand that some of us, including Indonesia, have started bilateral talks both with fellow ASEAN countries and with countries outside ASEAN regarding travel corridors. However, it is time for ASEAN, as a community, to think about ASEAN travel corridor arrangements," Jokowi said in his speech, delivered from Bogor Palace on Friday. "The travel corridor arrangements, of course, must be done carefully, measurably and gradually, starting from essential business travel that implements strict health protocols," Jokowi said. President Jokowi, who delivered the remarks after speeches from Brunei Darussalam's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, said regional leaders must give clear direction to accelerate post-COVID-19 ASEAN economic recovery. A number of countries in ASEAN have begun working on details of a plan to open a passage that would allow for safe travel during the pandemic. The proposed plans include Singapores "fast-lane" arrangement with China as well as Malaysias green lane with Singapore and Brunei. Indonesia is also discussing a fast lane arrangement with China, which is expected to be open by the end of June, according to information from the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta. In the latter part of his speech, President Jokowi said ASEAN travel corridors would be crucial to maintain regional connectivity, which would be central to economic growth. In addition, Jokowi said, the arrangement could signal the strategic significance of the ASEAN community in the region and the world. Jokowi also encouraged digital connectivity and called for the strengthening of regional economic cooperation through the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) this year. In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam, which is the current chair of ASEAN, warned that the virus pandemic could cause an economic calamity as it has swept away years of economic gains in the region. "It has swept away the successes of recent years [...] threatening the lives of millions of people," Prime Minister Xuan Phuc said in a sobering opening address as quoted by Agence France-Presse. He emphasized the "serious consequences" of the pandemic for economic development among ASEAN's members. The Vietnamese prime minister also said that in the coming months, ASEAN leaders would face a heavy burden to lead the region out of the difficult times. The successful completion of this task will stand as a testament to the lasting values and vitality of our resilient and dynamic community, he said. According to the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast, world economic growth would be lower than previously estimated, from minus 3 percent to minus 4.9 percent, making the crisis the worst economic contraction since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Other ASEAN country leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Brunei Darussalam's Hassanal Bolkiah, also tabled the travel bubble proposal, saying the plan is crucial to shore up investments and create job opportunities. As a first step, we can explore the possibility of sectoral exemptions for travel restrictions such as medical tourism, or high-value economic visits, Prime Minister Muhyiddin said as quoted by Malaysian national news agency Bernama. Malaysias "green bubble" or "green lanes" proposal, however, involves easing travel restrictions between two or more countries where local COVID-19 infections and cases are low. Malaysian officials have said that countries with no new cases of COVID-19 for 28 days could be considered to join the travel bubble. Foreign travelers from "green zone" countries like Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand and Australia may not need to undergo the 14-day quarantine, Bloomberg has reported. Epidemiologist Dicky Budiman, however, pointed out that as the COVID-19 response in the region was not uniform, with some showing some level of success in controlling the outbreak while others still facing surging cases, it would be difficult for countries to achieve a uniform travel bubble agreement. "Each of these countries, even though they are grouped under ASEAN, still need to protect their citizens from COVID-19. This continues to be the main priority of each country. So it won't be possible to have travel corridors when the response levels are not equal," said Dicky, who was involved in the ASEAN HIV-AIDS response in the mid aughts. Since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Thailand in mid-January, all 10 member states have progressed differently in their COVID-19 responses, with some countries succeeding at containing the virus and others still grappling with high rates of infection. Indonesia has the highest cumulative total of confirmed cases, as its daily tally of new cases continues to hover around 1,000. Meanwhile, other ASEAN states such as Vietnam, Brunei and Laos have all reported zero cases over the past few weeks. Dicky said that countries in the ASEAN region should make controlling the epidemic a priority rather than focusing on bringing the economy back to normal. "Look at other regions. Even the EU does not treat every member equally but gives them the freedom to arrange their own travel corridors based on the pandemic control status," he said. Rosalie Amacan is holding down three health care jobs in the midst of a pandemic. On the weekends, she dons a lab coat managing other nurses on a unit treating COVID-19 patients at Kaiser in San Leandro. On weekdays, she cares for a child with special needs in a private home in Hayward. She also runs a care home for the developmentally disabled on a quiet Fremont street. It may sound like a heavy workload. But its not uncommon among the Bay Areas Filipino Americans, a community of more than 400,000 that provides a disproportionately high percentage of health care workers standing at the epicenter of the regions coronavirus pandemic. Across the Bay Area, 17% of nurses are Filipino, according to the most recent California Board of Registered Nursing survey, compared with 5% of the total population. In San Francisco, nearly a quarter of workers at city-owned hospitals, clinics and nursing homes are Filipino, although only 4% of city residents are Filipinos. The Bay Area is home to one of the largest Filipino communities in the U.S. Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle Filipinos are right there on the front lines part of the front lines that is hidden, said Katrina Liwanag, immigration services program coordinator at the Filipino Community Center in San Franciscos Excelsior neighborhood. During the pandemic, the storefront center is making calls to check in and provide services to more than 300 community members. That includes 67 caregivers who work in private residences and nursing homes. Its nerve-racking, she said. Theyre all working under similar conditions and are afraid of spreading it. Whether Filipinos have been hit harder by the virus is hard to discern because their data are included with all Asian Americans, a group that has suffered the highest death toll by far in San Francisco. But its clear that a high number of Filipinos are caring for the sick, trying to keep themselves safe, and supporting families at the same time. For part of the pandemic, Amacan stayed in a hotel after her overnight shift at Kaiser to protect her family. Now she comes straight home, but first wipes her feet off on a disinfecting mat in the garage, stashes her scrubs in a plastic bin, and showers before her four children wake up. Amacans sister is also a nurse, and her father rents rooms to caregivers. To avoid infection, she hasnt seen either of them since shelter-in-place orders went into effect. Its impacting a lot of people, said Amacan, whose parents emigrated from the Philippines to the U.S. Filipinos are all over. All 20 staff members Amacan employs at her care home are Filipino. Some work in multiple facilities and live with family members who are also health care workers. Amacan is vigilant about making sure her employees dont come to work sick, screening them for symptoms at the door. Visitors are banned. She stocks the homes garage with boxes of hand sanitizer, plastic bags of hair nets, and a giant jug of alcohol for making sanitizer. The care home went on alert in March when one of the workers reported a high temperature at the end of the workday. He went straight to the emergency room and the next day tested negative for the coronavirus. The care home reported the incident to public health officials and tested all residents and staff. Were concerned because we take care of people who are really vulnerable, said Monsieur Martinez, the worker who had a high fever. As much as we dont want to expose them, we also have to take care of them because nobody will. Allyssa Vergara, supervising nurse at the care home, knows many Filipino friends caring for COVID-19 patients: She hasnt seem them for months to protect both of their families. Im trying to be there for them in a way without them feeling isolated, she said. Its tiring. Its lonely. Its draining. You have to be so cautious about everyone else. Amacan and other community advocates said the Filipino health care workers most at risk during the pandemic are those working under the table in less-regulated care homes and private residences who were already vulnerable to labor abuses. Amacans husband, San Amacan, said he won back wages from another care home where he worked 60 hours a week without overtime pay or meal breaks. He is documented now, but at the time, he was a new immigrant who had overstayed his visa and didnt know how labor laws worked. Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle One in 4 Bay Area Filipino caregivers is undocumented, according to a study by Valerie Francisco-Menchavez, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University. COVID-19 worsens the crisis of care under which caregivers are super-exploited, Francisco-Menchavez said. Everything that was happening pre-pandemic, its happening post-pandemic, but worse. Now these health care workers are worried about the availability of personal protective equipment and infecting people they live with, said Tess Brillante, a former caregiver and wage theft victim in San Jose who now works for Santa Clara County. Undocumented workers already living in proximity, and in poverty, are at higher risk of infection, said Robyn Rodriguez, director for the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies at UC Davis. 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. Undocumented caregivers who spoke with The Chronicle described living in houses with up to a dozen Filipino workers, making it nearly impossible to isolate when one of their housemates tested positive. Some were too scared to continue working in nursing homes that were hotbeds of virus infection. But giving up work meant slashing income used to support family back home. These workers dont qualify for federal stimulus funds and said they havent been able to access state aid for the undocumented, so turn to community organizations and rally other caregivers for support. During the pandemic, Bay Area Filipinos said theyre driven by strong cultural values of interdependence what they call a bayanihan response to support the vulnerable. Bayanihan is the coming together of everyone to be able to achieve something, said Luisa Antonio, the executive director of the Bayanihan Equity Center, inside the brightly colored building that originally served Filipino World War II veterans in San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood. About 330 of the centers clients are elderly Filipinos served by a government-employed caregiver who is almost always Filipino, as well, to understand their language and culture, Antonio said. Now those elderly clients are sheltering in place, some in single-room-occupancy hotels. The community center started conducting wellness checks via phone so clients wouldnt fall through the cracks. The center, which formerly served 150 clients with a weekly food pantry, now helps 300. The center also reached out to other organizations including the Filipino Community Center, which started a new food delivery program. On a recent busy Thursday food delivery day Antonio crouched on the floor organizing bags filled with sardines, rice, and kids snacks. The pandemic upended events at the center no annual cultural festival, no birthday bingo, no in-person registering for the census but the community is still supporting one another, she said. Antonio pointed out that the first part of bayanihan is bayani, which also means hero. Frontline workers are heroes, she said. They are the army that is fighting this invisible enemy. Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@mallorymoench Complimenting public sector banks for moving fast on Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for MSME sector, CII president Uday Kotak on Saturday expressed hope that the scheme will gather further traction in coming weeks from private banks side. The scheme is the biggest fiscal component of the Rs 20-lakh crore Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month. "Private sector banks in the case of the guaranteed loan scheme have taken a little longer than the public sector banks. I must compliment SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar and his team for moving at a great speed. So, I do accept that," Kotak, who is also managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, said. On May 21, the Cabinet had approved additional funding of up to Rs 3 lakh crore at a concessional rate of 9.25 per cent through ECLGS for the MSME sector, hit hard by economic slowdown triggered by outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme became operational from June 1. "Private sector banks started a few days later, but you will see catch up happen. "Three-four weeks from now, the MSME sector will be surprised at how both the private and the public sector have responded to this scheme of Rs 3 lakh crore and a very significant amount of money will be disbursed within the guidelines...you will see the significant growth happen in terms of the sanctions and disbursements," he said. Under the 100 per cent ECLGS, the loan amounts sanctioned by public sector banks increased to Rs 42,739.12 crore, of which Rs 22,197.54 crore has been disbursed at the end of June 20. Meanwhile, private sector banks sanctioned Rs 32,687.27 crore while disbursed Rs 10,697.33 crore. Kotak said that for private sector banks conservatism arises as they need to safeguard the interest of the depositors, whose trust in the private sector is critical for their functioning. On the issue of eligibility under the scheme, he said that in view of the revision in turnover limit for MSMEs from Rs 100 crore to Rs 250 crore, the eligibility conditions should also be relaxed similarly, and CII would be taking this suggestion to the government. Kotak advised MSMEs that they should not only depend on banks for accessing credit but also look at other avenues like raising private equity or risk capital. He also said that MSMEs are not only the backbone of the economy but are a critical part of CII theme for 2020-21 'Building India for a New World: Lives, Livelihood, Growth'. MSMEs need risk capital to grow and CII would help them in strengthening their internal housekeeping so that they can get better access to credit at competitive rates, he added. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As of the start of June, one in five New Yorkers had applied for unemployment due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite this, many companies across New York, and Staten Island specifically, are looking to hire seasonal, full- and part-time workers. Police in Florence, Ala., have charged 37-year-old John Patrick White with killing his father during a fight. The victim is identified as 57-year-old John Sherwood White. Police said they were called to 4270 Chisholm road Friday at about 10:30 p.m. They found the elder White in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. He was taken to North Alabama Medical Center where he died later.. John Patrick White was at the scene when police arrived, police said, and he was taken into custody and charged by detectives. White was in the Lauderdale County Detention Center Saturday with a bond of $150,000. Most Americans welcome a fireworks show on July 4th, the nations Independence Day. Many also enjoy them on New Years Day and in private celebrations. As a nightly event, however, the explosions are not so well received. But that is exactly what Americans in many cities across the country have reported experiencing over the last several weeks. Some people are angry about the fireworks and want them to stop. Some want to know who is responsible and want them to stop. Some people are afraid of what the nightly explosions might mean and want them to stop. Julie Heckman is wondering, herself. She leads the American Pyrotechnics Association, a fireworks industry trade group. Her industry had high hopes for 2020. Then came the Covid-19 crisis with its closures and cancellations. That had people who sell fireworks worried that sales would be low. Those fears, however, have gone up in smoke. Sales are off the hook right now, Heckman said. She added that the industry is concerned about reports of fireworks use in cities where it violates local laws. New York City is an example. And the citys mayor Bill de Blasio has set up a task force to deal with the illegal activity. New Yorkers were among the first in the country to report the late night noise. Many are losing sleep. One child was reported injured by an explosion this week. This is a real problem. It is not just a quality-of-life problem and a noise problem, de Blasio said. The task force will carry out operations to try to stop the sales of the explosives. The group is made up of police, firefighters and the Sheriffs Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Other officials express similar concern. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said there are too many reports of fireworks being set off across the state. This is no way to blow off steam, he told reporters recently in Trenton, the capital. Officials in Oakland, California, said they have received more complaints of illegal fireworks and reports of celebratory gunfire than usual this year. At least five fires have been linked to fireworks since late May, officials said. And in Denver, Colorado, police seized 1,360 kilograms of illegal fireworks during a traffic stop. There are many different opinions about why fireworks have gotten so popular. Some social media users are posting messages that blame the government. Some of them suggest the police are setting off fireworks to intimidate people protesting police violence around the country. My neighbors and I believe that this is part of a coordinated attack on Black and Brown communities by government forces, said writer Robert Jones Jr. in a Twitter post. His recent posts on fireworks have been retweeted thousands of times. A video captured in New York appears to show fire department workers setting off the explosives outside their station. Pyrotechnics expert and company owner Mike Tockstein has a different explanation. Fireworks are used across the entire country for a full month leading up to the Fourth of July, he said. There is a slight uptick, but I dont think its anything more than people are stuck at home and hey, look, fireworks are available. No matter who is responsible, the noisy light shows could last for some time. Many seasonal stores only opened this week. Tockstein predicts people will continue to buy fireworks in the days leading up to July 4th. Im Caty Weaver. Caty Weaver wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story gone up in smoke idiom to be destroyed by, or as if by, burning off the hook idiom without restraint or reserve blow off steam idiom to calm down and get rid of energy or anger by doing something active complaint n. an official report of someone has done something wrong intimidate v. to make (someone) afraid coordinated adj. organized well by a group We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Himachal orchardists are dealing with shortage of labour amid the apple harvesting season, anticipating losses they have asked the state government to increase the minimum support price. The apple season is scheduled to begin in a week but the orchardists are still scrambling to arrange manpower to help harvest and pack the fruit. For decades, the fruit growers have been dependent on the services of Nepalese labourers. This year, the labour could not return to the hill-state in wake of the pandemic. The Nepalese labourers have been the backbone of the states Rs 4,500-crore apple economy. They help with all kinds of strenuous work, including digging pits, planting saplings, spraying chemicals, plucking, packing and transportation. Representatives of the Federation of Apple Growers Societies (FAGS) conglomerate of different fruit grower associations had recently met chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and apprised him of their difficulties. 70% CROP MAY ROT FAGS convener Rajeev Chauhan said, If the state government fails to provide labour, 70% of the crop will rot in the orchards and the government has told orchardists that it will not be able to provide labour and they must make their own arrangements. The apple growers association had asked the government to approach the Nepalese government through the ministry of external affairs to allow Nepalese labour to travel to Himachal Pradesh for harvesting apples. They had also urged the horticulture minister to arrange labour from Bihar, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Now, farmers will not be able to repay their bank loans. The states economy will also be affected, Chauhan said, adding that the apple economy was the key contributor to the states gross domestic product (SGDP). Chauhan further said that the government should buy apple crop under the minimum support price (MSP) scheme instead of the market intervention scheme (MIS) during these difficult times. The MSP for apple should be at least 20 per kilogram as the apple production cost comes around 15 per kg, he said. MEAGRE INCREASE IN MSP Chauhan said that the government had increased the MSP by only 50 paise per kg to 8.5 per kg, which was not sufficient. There has been a sudden 30% increase in the prices of trays used for packing apples, Chauhan said. Chauhan said the federation had also raised the issue of charging 20 per box. Agriculture minister Ramlal Markanda has assured us that he will look into the matter, said Chauhan. He said the government had fixed labour rates in the market at 5 per box, for which the federation was thankful to the authorities. The matter of weather-based crop insurance was also raised in front of the chief minister, who assured us that a high-level meeting will be called soon and all the demands and suggestions of the farmers will be taken into account, Chauhan said. Congress demand state govt to increase apple support price State Congress president Kuldeep Rathore on Saturday hit out at state governments decision to hike apple support price by 50 paise and has demanded the state government to raise support price by at least 20 per kilogram. In a statement issued by Rathore said that orchardists have already suffered huge losses due to hailstorms and lockdown, therefore, the government should increase support money by 20 per kg in order to provide relief to them. He also demanded the state government pay the outstanding amount to orchardists and said that they need money so that they can make arrangements for transportation of their produce to markets. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Vice President and four-time running mate to President Akufo-Addo, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has pledged his unalloyed commitment to the New Patriotic Party and President Akufo-Addo after he was officially confirmed by the NPP as President Akufo-Addos running mate for Decembers Presidential election. President Akufo-Addo swiftly named the Vice President as his running mate when he filed his nomination to contest for President again earlier this year, and as the sole candidate for the NPP, the party officially acclaimed him and his running mate at a special conference in Accra on Saturday. Speaking after the acclamation and his nomination, Dr. Bawumia said he was honoured by his historic fourth successive nomination as running mate by President Akufo-Addo. I thank the Almighty Allah for this historic day. I want to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to H.E. the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for the honour of reaching out again to select me for the fourth time to serve as his running mate, and Insha-Allah, again as his Vice-President of the Republic, in his second term as President of the Republic, said Dr. Bawumia in his acceptance speech. This day is historic because it has never happened in the history of our country that a Presidential candidate will select the same running mate four times in a row! The president selected me in 2008, 2012, 2016 and now in 2020! While expressing his utmost gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for the resolute confidence he has in him, Dr. Bawumia also extolled the leadership qualities of the President. Ladies and Gentlemen, this (commitment) tells you about the man Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He is a strong leader, a caring leader, a God-fearing leader, a trustworthy leader, and a consistent leader. He could have easily dropped me in 2012 and 2016 but he stuck with me and I am so honoured that he did and so eternally grateful. I would never take the trust and loyalty he has reposed in me for granted and will continue to do everything in my capacity to support him in the execution of his mandate as President. Mr. President, it has been a privilege working for you all these years and I thank you for giving me the opportunity. God Bless you. The Vice President was confident his 4th successive selection as running mate to President would symbolically manifest in another 4-year term to do more for the people of Ghana. Mr. President, you have chosen me for the fourth time, and insha Allah the people of Ghana will give you for four more to do more, Dr. Bawumia said confidently. A call to serve Vice President Bawumia said he believed in President Akufo-Addos philosophy that politics is an avenue to serve the people, and deemed his nomination again as a call to duty and a privilege to serve the people without favour. Mr. Chairman I share the view of President Nana Akufo Addo that politics is a call to service. It is about serving your country and delivering concrete results that improve on the welfare of your fellow citizens with selflessness, dedication, honesty, transparency and with the utmost integrity. I believe that an opportunity to serve Ghana is an opportunity and a privilege to serve all of Ghana, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, education, income, etc, the Vice President noted. Dr. Bawumia thanked members of the party at all levels for their continuous confidence in his nominations, qs well as his family for their support. Dr. Bawumia, while declaring his readiness to continue his partnership with President Akufo-Addo, urged party faithful to collectively join for the task ahead and keep the vision of the party alive. Mr. Chairman, it is our collective responsibility, as members of the great Kukrudu family and as Ghanaians, to ensure that the sacrifices of these great men and women have not been in vain." "I am therefore acutely aware of the sacred responsibility that has once again been entrusted in me by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and our Great Party. It is a responsibility I will execute with the utmost integrity, respect for our elders, members of our party and members of other political parties. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Bola Ahmed Tinubu says he has not taken a decision to run in 2023 contrary to speculations, maintaining that he was more worried about t... Bola Ahmed Tinubu says he has not taken a decision to run in 2023 contrary to speculations, maintaining that he was more worried about the health and economic challenges facing the country at the moment. In a statement he released on Saturday afternoon, he commented for the first time on the ouster of the Adams Oshiomhole-led national working committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The NWC was dissolved on Thursday by the partys national executive committee (NEC) at an emergency meeting. This was seen as a blow on Tinubus rumoured presidential ambition because of his closeness to Oshiomhole. To those who have been actively bleating how the Presidents actions and the NEC meeting have ended my purported 2023 ambitions, I seek your pity. I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born, he said. At this extenuating moment with COVID-19 and its economic fallout hounding us, I cannot see as far into the distance as you. I have made no decision regarding 2023 for the concerns of this hour are momentous enough. THE FULL STATEMENT: BECOMING THE PARTY WE WERE INTENDED TO BE Our task as a party is to build upon the progress thus made so that both nation and party may advance to their better future. I wish to begin my remarks by commending members of the National Working Committee. Under their collective stewardship, the party earned great and important victories, not least the vital second mandate handed to President Buhari. President Buharis victory, and the overall electoral success of APC speak highly of them.Our task as a party is to build upon the progress thus made so that both nation and party may advance to their better future. Yet, we must acknowledge that something important has gone off track. For some months we have experienced growing disagreement within the leadership of the party. This unfortunate competition had grown so intense as to impair the performance of the NWC, thus undermining the internal cohesion and discipline vital to success. Some people have gone so far as to predict the total disintegration of our party. Most such dire predictions were from critics whose forecasts said more about their ill will than they revealed about our partys objective condition. Predictions of the APCs imminent demise are premature and mostly mean-spirited. However, an honest person must admit the party had entered a space where it had no good reason to be. The trouble is not that we would forfeit our collective existence but whether we were in danger of losing our collective purpose. In some ways, this possibility is of greater concern. A political party that has lost sight of the reason for its existence becomes but the vehicle of blind and clashing ambitions. This is not what drove the APCs creation. Those who believe Nigeria can be forged into a better nation and deserves good governance must harken back to the establishment of our party. Those who were there and contributed the most to the partys genesis embraced a common vision. Not only did we believe the venal, purblind PDP was leading the nation into a pit, we sincerely held a common vision of progressive good governance. This was the overriding reason for the APC. Those most intimately involved in founding the party remain faithful to this benign, timely assignment. Sadly, many members have lost their balance. Their personal ambition apparently came to greatly outweigh the obvious national imperatives. Even in the best of times, Nigeria is beset by myriad challenges. Poverty and economic inequality, insecurity, lack of infrastructure are longstanding obstacles that have blocked our access to national greatness for too long. We must focus on building roads and creating jobs. For the average man, watching politicians wrestle for position is a poor substitute to seeing politicians working for the benefit of all. Through no fault of our own, we now live in a moment of heightened difficulty. We did not ask for COVID-19 but it has found us. We must deal with it and navigate its rude economic consequences. At the same time we must grapple with the violent insecurity caused by increasingly desperate terrorists and criminals. People need concrete help from us.We must focus on building roads and creating jobs. For the average man, watching politicians wrestle for position is a poor substitute to seeing politicians working for the benefit of all. Yet, such intramural fighting has come to occupy the attention of many high ranking party officials and members. The National Working Committee, itself, became riven by unnecessary conflict. Those who disagreed with one another stopped trying to find common ground. Attempts were made to use the power of executive authority to bury each other. I must be blunt here. This is the behaviour of a fight club not the culture of a progressive political party. Some members went against their chairman in a bid to forcefully oust him. In hindsight, his fence-mending attempts were perhaps too little too late. I believed and continue to believe that Comrade Oshiomhole tried his best. Mistakes were made and he must own them. Yet, we must remember also that he was an able and enthusiastic campaigner during the 2019 election. He is a man of considerable ability as are the rest of you who constituted the NWC. It had been my hope that the disagreements could be resolved. After all, a political solution should not be beyond the ken of leaders of a major political party. But such resolution has failed to materialise. It was as if some unseen but strong force continued to stoke the embers. Instead of calling a prudent ceasefire, too many people sought more destructive weapons against one another. Order, party discipline and mutual respect went out of the window. Members instituted all manner of court cases, most of them destructive, some of them frivolous, none of them necessary. In the process, a dense fog fell upon our party. When this matter first came to a boil a few months ago, I issued a statement against this litigious tendency. President Buhari and former interim chairman Akande published strong words against this misuse of the courts as being contrary to the spirit of the party and the letter of its constitution. Each of us knew nothing good would come of such conduct. Instead of listening to this counsel, party members increased their trips to the courts. While busy providing ample livelihood for a gaggle of lawyers, these actions cast the good of the party to the wind. After the fusillade of lawsuits and countersuits, two NWC members laid competing claims to the chairmanship. One legitimately elected at our national convention; the latter whose claim was based on the questionable suspension of the former. With lawsuits so numerous one needed a spread sheet to keep track, President Buhari has reasonably decided that he has seen enough. I do not lament his intervention or its outcome. I lament that the situation degenerated to the point where he felt compelled to intervene. President Buhari is much more than a mere beneficiary of the party. He is one of its founding fathers. The APC does not exist in its current form without his singular contributions. That is not opinion; it is undisputed fact. Given these antecedents, he cares about the condition of the party as any parent would care for its offspring.President Buhari has done what any parent in his position and with his authority would do. The more troubling consideration is that so many trusted people acted in such a way as to force the president to put aside the issues of statecraft in order to address these problems. The President has spoken and his decision has been accepted. It is now beholden on all of us, as members of the APC, to recommit ourselves to the ideals and principles on which our party was founded. While we recognize that people have personal ambitions, those ambitions are secondary, not sacrosanct. Members must subordinate their ambitions to health and well-being of the party. Never should our party be defined by one persons interests or even the amalgam of all members individual interests. A successful party must be greater than the sum of its parts. In this vein, I appeal to all former members of the National Working Committee and all members of our party to sheathe their swords and look to the larger picture. We have governorship elections around the corner in Edo and a primary and elections in Ondo. On these important events we must concentrate our immediate energies. In the longer run, we must restore the collegial nature to the party so that it should be in the practice of coming to support the President instead of him having to rescue the party from itself. In Edo, we must rally round our candidate Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu. In this, Comrade Oshiomhole has a crucial role to play. I congratulate him for his equanimity and loyalty to the party and our President in accepting the dissolution of the NWC. I encourage him, now, to return to Edo State to energise the campaign for the election of Pastor Ize-Iyamu. In Ondo, we must set the procedures for primaries and conduct that exercise in a fair, transparent manner that shows the Nigerian people the party has left turmoil behind. In addition to the daily operation of the party, the Caretaker Committee has the mandate to prepare for a mini national convention within six months. We must give the committee the support needed to fulfil this assignment in an impartial manner. As I understand it, no one has been precluded from seeking any party office to which he is otherwise eligible. Former NWC members are free to seek re-election to the NWC. Provided they have the support of party members, they will have an opportunity to return to serve the party in a leadership capacity. This reflects our overriding desire to restore and maintain internal democracy not subvert it. To those who have been actively bleating how the Presidents actions and the NEC meeting have ended my purported 2023 ambitions, I seek your pity. I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born. At this extenuating moment with COVID-19 and its economic fallout hounding us, I cannot see as far into the distance as you. I have made no decision regarding 2023 for the concerns of this hour are momentous enough. During this period, I have not busied myself with politicking regarding 2023. I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face. I have devoted these last few months to thinking of policies that may help the nation in the here and now. What I may or may not do 3 years hence seems too remote given present exigencies. Those who seek to cast themselves as political Nostradamus are free to so engage their energies. I trust the discerning public will give the views of such eager seers the scant weight such divinations warrant. Personally, I find greater merit trying to help in the present by offering policy ideas, both privately and publicly, where I think they might help. I will continue in this same mode for the immediate future. 2023 will answer its own questions in due time. I have toiled for this party as much as any other person and perhaps more than most. Despite this investment or perhaps due to it, I have no problem with making personal sacrifices (and none of us should have such a problem) as long as the party remains true to its progressive, democratic creed. Politics is but a vehicle to arrive at governance. Good politics promotes good governance. Yet, politics is also an uncertain venture. No one gets all they want all the time. In even a tightly-woven family, differences and competing interests must be balanced and accommodated. My fellow party members who now feel aggrieved by the NEC meeting I urge you to accept the sacrifice you have been asked to make so that the air can be cleared, the party can assume its proper role of helping this government lead the nation toward enlightened improvement, and the party itself can grow and firmly establish itself as the best, most democratic party in the land. SIGNED Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu 27 June 2020. After swarms of crop-destroying desert locusts reached the outskirts of Delhi on Saturday, the city government directed the district magistrates to make all possible arrangements to distract them. The Delhi government has put all districts on high alert and asked the district magistrates to coordinate with the fire department for spraying of pesticides and insecticides to prevent a possible attack of the locusts. An advisory issued by the Delhi development commissioner said residents can distract the locusts by making high-decibel sound through beating of drums and utensils; playing high-volume music, bursting crackers, and burning neem leaves. It asked people to keep doors and windows closed and cover outdoor plants with plastic sheets. The district magistrates have also been advised to deploy adequate staff to make villagers and residents aware of these measure. "Swarms of locusts usually fly in daytime and rest during night. Therefore, they should not be allowed to rest during night time," it read. "Night spray of malathion or chlorpyrifos is useful. PPE kits may be used while spraying for safety." Over the past few months, locust swarms have attacked and destroyed crops in various states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Huge swarms of were seen in Gurugram reached on Saturday morning as residents posted multiple show massive clusters of the insects flying in and covering the skies. The invading insects attacked farms and houses in Chhatarpur in south Delhi. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has asked the national capital's south and west districts' administrations to remain on high alert, said officials. According to an official who attended the meeting, the minister was informed that a small swarm of locusts has also reached the Asola Bhatti area in South Delhi. Rai asked the Forest Department to play DJs, beat drums and dhols to repel the swarms of locusts, the official said. He has directed officials of the Agriculture Department to make field visits to areas close to Gurugram. Officials have said the migratory pests are likely to spare the national capital for now and instead head towards Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana. The swarms of locusts, spread across two kilometres, moved from west to east. They entered Gurugram around 11.30 am, said KL Gurjar of the Locust Warning Organisation, Ministry of Agriculture. Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurugram shared videos from their high-rise perches. At many places in Gurugram, residents kept their windows closed to prevent the insects from entering homes. In May, India battled a devastating desert locust outbreak. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and then spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. According to experts, broadly four species of locusts are found in India, desert locust, migratory locust, Bombay locust and tree locust. The desert locust is considered the most destructive. It multiplies very rapidly and is capable of covering 150 kilometers in a day. This insect, a type of a grasshopper, can eat more than its body weight. A one square kilometer of locust swarm containing around 40 million locusts can in a day eat as much food as 35,000 people. Experts blame the growing menace of desert locusts on climate change. They say breeding of locusts is directly related to soil moisture and food availability. As the months-long search continues for Private First Class Vanessa Guillen, the Fort Hood soldier who has been missing since April 22, the familys attorney has requested that U.S. Senator Ted Cruz open a congressional investigation into her disappearance. Vanessa Guillen (United States Army) Natalie Khawam told Dateline that she spoke with Sen. Cruz staffers on Thursday to formally request a Senate inquiry after what she described as a disconcerting meeting on Tuesday with Fort Hood leaders. The meeting, which also included the U.S. Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, was held with the hope of the Guillen family getting answers to at least some of their questions about their daughters disappearance. But Khawam said they did not receive any information they were promised. This is why we need a congressional investigation, Khawam told Dateline. The base command did not provide us with the information they promised us. They were not transparent, or forthcoming. We got nothing. The U.S. Army, under criticism from the Guillen family, spoke out this week, according to NBC News, addressing questions about the investigation into Vanessas disappearance more than two months earlier. The Army included with its list of answers to frequently asked questions about the case a message, saying: "We are very concerned for the welfare of PFC Vanessa Guillen and we fully understand the frustration felt by the family, friends and fellow Soldiers of Vanessa. We are doing everything in our power to get her back and will not stop until we do." Vanessa Guillen Vanessa, a 20-year-old private first class in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, was last seen April 22, in a Fort Hood parking lot. Her car and barracks room keys, identification card and wallet were found in the armory room where she was working the day she disappeared, Fort Hood officials said. According to Rep. Garcia at a press conference held Tuesday in Fort Hood, the Army is now convinced there was foul play involved in Vanessas disappearance. Story continues They have now used the words foul play. They are convinced now that there is foul play involved and they are following all the leads they can, the congresswoman said at the press conference that was live streamed on social media. Vanessas sister, Mayra, told Dateline that Vanessa had previously expressed to their mother, Gloria Guillen, that she felt unsafe at Fort Hood and that a sergeant had been sexually harassing her. Mayra said Vanessa never identified that person and never reported any incidents to the Armys Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program. The Army said that its criminal investigation unit has "no credible information or reports that Vanessa was sexually assaulted." "Additionally, we are not aware of any report of sexual harassment from Pfc. Guillen or any other Soldier on her behalf. However, we are looking at all possibilities and have not ruled anything in or out. Fort Hood has opened an investigation into reports of sexual harassment that the Guillen family has reported," the Army wrote. A spokesman for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) insisted to Datelines Missing in America that the agency is investigating all leads. We are completely committed to finding Vanessa and aggressively going after every single piece of credible information and every lead in this investigation, Army CID Chief of Public Affairs spokesman Chris Grey said. We will not stop until we find Vanessa. Khawam told Dateline that while the military provided some answers to their questions at the meeting Tuesday, she said that one of the key pieces of information they did not get was a detailed timeline of what Vanessa did the day she disappeared. Khawam added that she hopes a congressional inquiry will uncover what the family believes is a military cover-up. The goal is to find out what really happened to Vanessa, Khawam said. Something is happening at that base and people especially women are too scared to talk about it. She explained that the family does not believe that military leaders are telling them the truth. The family said they learned about Vanessas disappearance after her boyfriend and one of her sisters had been unable to reach her. Military leaders told the family they didnt know Vanessa was missing until 8 p.m. on April 22. It doesnt make sense, Khawam said. Where was she during the check-ins earlier in the day. How is it that she wasnt reported as absent if she missed those check-ins? According to Khawam, military officers said that all soldiers were accounted for that day during the afternoon check-ins. How do you check somebody in whos not there? They lied, Khawam said. She added that officers discussed it at the Tuesday meeting and characterized it as a mistake. Khawam, who is based in Florida, will remain in Washington, D.C. to do whatever it takes for a congressional investigation to be launched. She also met with LULAC, the oldest Latino civil rights organization in the U.S., and together they have launched the I am Vanessa campaign following an outpouring from women who have come forward on social media with their own experiences with sexual harassment in the military. The hashtag #IamVanessaGuillen has been trending on social media. Vanessas story is very dear to me and Ill do whatever I can to help the Guillen family, Khawam said. She added that she feels connected to the family, because her own parents are immigrants. Theres a language barrier with Vanessas mother, but that doesnt mean she cant get the same fight for her daughter. The same justice. They need to be heard and Im going to keep pushing until I find answers. Vanessa's disappearance has drawn local protests, while celebrities such as Salma Hayek and Houston rapper Baby Bash, have joined in the effort to draw attention to her case. Khawam told Dateline that a protest and national press conference is scheduled to be held in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 2. This is just the tip of the iceberg, Khawam said. I believe this is going to be the start of a movement. These women these soldiers they are the ones who keep us safe. They are our national security. We should be doing everything we can to keep them safe. And to make sure that if they dont feel safe, they can go to someone without repercussion. Anyone who wants to share their story can use the hashtag #IamVanessaGuillen on Twitter, or contact Khawam at nkkesquire@gmail.com. A reward of up to $50,000 is now being offered for credible information leading to the whereabouts of Vanessa Guillen. Vanessa is five feet, two inches tall, 126 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She has the tattoo of a cross with a flower on her left arm, another flower also on the left arm, and a mountain with a circle on her upper left shoulder. She has a small mole between her lower mouth, and her chin. Vanessa was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and purple fitness-type pants. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is urged to contact Army CID Special Agents at 254-287-2722 or the Military Police Desk at 254-288-1170. They can also anonymously submit information at https://www.cid.army.mil/report-a-crime.html. Eight states, including Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu, contributed 85.5 per cent of the active Covid-19 caseload and 87 per cent of the total deaths due to the disease in India, according to the Union Health Ministry. The ministry said it briefed the Group of Ministers on Covid-19 on the coronavirus situation in the country and the efforts to boost healthcare infrastructure on Saturday. It was mentioned that presently eight states - Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal - contribute 85.5 per cent of active caseload and 87 per cent of total deaths in India, it said in a statement. India has reported five lakh Covid-19 cases with the worst single-day jump of 18,552 cases on Saturday. The death toll has climbed to 15,685. The health ministry said it also briefed the GOM during its 17th meeting about the recovery and mortality rates, doubling rate and ramped up testing in various states. It told the GOM 15 central teams consisting of public health experts, epidemiologists and a senior joint secretary-level officer have been deployed to provide support to the states. Another central team is currently visiting Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana to strengthen ongoing efforts for management of Covid-19, it said. The GoM was also briefed about the utility of ITIHAS and Aarogya Setu in contact-tracing and prediction of potential hotspot areas. The Group of Ministers was told that the key focus areas continually communicated to states and UTs are strict containment measures and surveillance, utilizing full testing capacity and focus on monitoring of co-morbid and elderly population and predicting emerging hotspots leveraging digital tools such as Aarogya Setu. They have also been asked to ensure seamless patient admission processes, fatality mitigation by effective clinical management; focus on infrastructure preparedness (critical care beds, oxygen, ventilators and logistics) and ensuring that non-Covid healthcare services are not impacted. Balram Bhragava, the ICMR Director General, gave a detailed presentation on the testing strategy. He explained about the serological survey and the increasing capacity for enhanced per-day testing through various tests. The samples tested in the last 24 hours have increased to 2,20,479, taking the total number of samples tested so far to 79,96,707, the statement said. India now has 1,026 diagnostic labs dedicated to Covid-19. This includes 741 in the government sector and 285 private labs, Bhargava told the Group of Ministers. The GoM was also apprised that as of June 27, the Covid-related health infrastructure has been strengthened with the availability of 1,039 dedicated Covid Hospitals with 1,76,275 isolation beds, 22,940 ICU beds and 77,268 oxygen-supported beds, the ministry said. Also, 2,398 dedicated Covid Health Centres with 1,39,483 isolation beds, 11,539 ICU beds and 51,321 oxygen-supported beds have been operationalised. Moreover, 8,958 Covid Care Centres with 8,10,621 beds are now available in the country. The Centre has provided 185.18 lakh N95 masks and 116.74 lakh Personal Protective Equipment to the states, UTs and Central institutions. In a detailed presentation by K Shivaji, the chairman of the Empowered Group-10, the GoM was briefed that the stipulated redressal time on Covid-19 public grievances was brought down from the usual 60 days for normal public grievances to three days. The National Dashboard for Covid-19 was launched on April 1 for exclusive monitoring of related public grievances. From March 30 to June 24, the Empowered Group disposed 93.84 per cent of the 77,307 grievances received for central ministries and 63.11 per cent of the 53,130 grievances received pertaining to state governments. Cannabis stocks are in for their first big test -- a recession. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, things were looking good for the cannabis industry as people were stockpiling essentials, including pot. But let's take a look at how the industry's done since then and whether investing in pot stocks can be a safe way to protect your portfolio during a recession. What the numbers tell us To start, let's look at the Canadian cannabis market, the only legal one in North America. In March, adult-use cannabis sales in Canada totaled 181.1 million Canadian dollars. That was a sizable 19% jump from CA$151.9 million in February. In April, however, there was a slight decline, with sales falling to CA$180.1 million. It's not unheard of for pot sales to decline somewhat from month to month, and at first glance, the numbers do look pretty steady where they are. In the U.S. markets, the numbers have continued to show strength even as millions of Americans are losing their jobs. In Illinois, May was a record month for the new recreational pot market. Sales of $44.3 million were a new high for the industry. Previously, the sales record was $39 million in January. That was also the first month the recreational market opened for business in Illinois. The state's also on track to hit a record for medical marijuana sales this year. Oregon was another state that had a stellar month in May as its cannabidiol (CBD) sales hit the $100 million mark for the first time ever. The state has permitted cannabis sales since 2015, and May was the third month in a row in which it posted record results for CBD. In Oklahoma, medical marijuana sales also reached all-time highs of over $73 million in May. During the early stages of the recession, in several markets, there still seems to be strong demand for cannabis. Whether it's medical, recreational, in Canada, or in the U.S., there's a good cross-section of data suggesting that, at least for now, the cannabis industry's looking stable amid this recession. Why sales growth alone isn't enough to make pot stocks safe Although sales are rising in many markets, that doesn't mean cannabis stocks are recession-proof. Even if sales are likely to remain stable amid the economic downturn, pot stocks themselves are still extremely volatile. When Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ:ACB) released its third-quarter results on May 14, the stock got a big boost in share price as investors were encouraged by the pot producer's improved quarter. Aurora had a smaller loss than in the previous quarter, and its sales were also up. But year to date, the stock's still down around 50%, and it's continued to fall during the past month. Here's how it's done against both the Horizon Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (OTC:HMLSF) and the S&P 500: The reason for the volatility is simple: Pot stocks aren't stable or consistent. When you think of recession-proof stocks, you probably think of utility stocks or businesses that have recurring sources of revenue that will be there even if there's a recession. But Aurora's been anything but stable. The Alberta-based cannabis producer has recorded an operating loss in each of its last 10 quarters, and its sales have fluctuated between $CA56 million and CA$99 million during just the past four reporting periods. Without stability, pot stocks attract many speculators and short-term investors who can create volatility. But as cannabis companies mature and develop more sustainable businesses over the long term, investing in marijuana will become a lot safer, perhaps even recession-proof. Key takeaway for investors At a high level, you can argue that the industry is showing resiliency amid the pandemic and that it has the potential to be recession-proof. But that doesn't mean the underlying stocks are, at least not yet. Given the financial challenges many cannabis companies are facing today, they're nowhere near recession-proof. And they could even be dangerous investments to hold during a downturn, especially as investors turn to safer, more stable stocks during a recession. It could take years before pot stocks solidify their financials and become more stable investments to hold on to. Pauline Wood, from Grange Park in Sunderland, is under investigation for comments she made on a BBC radio station Parents have leapt to the defence of a star head teacher who was suspended for saying some lazy teachers were 'sat at home doing nothing during lockdown' - amid fears standards at the school will drop without her at the helm. Pauline Wood, from Grange Park in Sunderland, said some of her teachers had 'sat at home doing nothing' during lockdown and described some of her teachers as 'behaving like petulant kids'. She is under investigation after accusing her staff of bragging that they were spending 'more time watching Netflix' at home than they were working during the coronavirus pandemic as they were only coming in to school two days a week. But a concerned parent has said she is 'nervous' standards will now slip at the school, as her son is due to start in September. The mother, Louise Garroway, tweeted: 'Me and my husband selected Grange Park as our first choice for our little boy to attend in September. 'We have had the place accepted but I'm gutted you won't be head! Good on you for speaking the truth! I am slightly nervous that standards are going to drop! Hopefully not!' Another parent, Emma Pattison Peachment, wrote on Facebook: 'Our school needs help to keep Mrs Wood. She pulled our school out of the gutter, it's one of the best schools in the area for education and she's never failed to help the families of the children on top of being a head teacher. 'I'm asking everyone to please share this and please support us to keep our school going in the direction it has been!!!' Elizabeth Todd commented: 'I know I've just been reading, surely she's entitled to her own opinion like everybody else is.' A concerned parent has said she is 'nervous' standards will now slip at Grange Park Primary School and 'gutted' over the suspension, as her son is due to start in September Mrs Wood spearheaded the school's rapid ascent up the Ofsted grading system from 'inadequate' to 'outstanding' in 15 years Zoe Hall replied: 'Absolutely shocking this, she didn't say anything wrong. Can't believe they have suspended her for telling the truth. Why ask her a question and not want an honest reply? 'She didn't name names or slate anyone personally she just said some teachers go above and beyond and some take the mick, including her school. Can't see how that warrants a suspension and tarnishing her reputation.' Fiona Telford posted: 'Absolutely gutted that Mrs Wood is leaving the school now this. I am absolutely appalled at how she has been treated.' Deborah Thomas said: 'Ridiculous this!! She has done wonders with this school in my opinion and has been one hell of a head teacher'. Kay Roberts added: 'Genuinely gutted by this!! She is an amazing head teacher and honestly had every child at the front of her mind, she supported us all no matter what we decided to do for our children during lockdown. 'She got the school to one of the top in England, and she's been suspended four weeks before she retires for having her own opinion? She didn't name anyone'. Mrs Wood, a married mother-of-three, said she had been suspended on full pay on June 12 by the school's new chair of governors Mary Hodgson. She claimed Ms Hodgson had told her the action was being taken due to her 'bringing the school into disrepute' by making her comments about teachers in an interview on local radio three days earlier. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mrs Wood, who spearheaded Grange Park Primary School's ascent up the Ofsted grading system, said she had been left 'disappointed' by her suspension and believed proper procedures had not been followed. She disclosed that she had already handed in her notice at Grange Park School in Sunderland last January so she could leave in August, partly because she felt 'a small minority' of staff were not pulling their weight. Other social media users rallied to the defence of the head teacher, praising her for having a 'backbone' and some calling for her to be 'reinstated immediately' Mrs Wood was working out her notice, ready to leave at the end of August, when she was suspended over her and banned from going back into the 220-pupil school without permission. She said she and her former chair of governors 'who had been amazing' had handed in their notice, partly because they had 'seen a few signals' that they were being undermined by some staff. Mrs Wood said: 'We felt one or two staff were being niggardly and I thought, 'Do I really need this now?' 'So we both decided we would resign in January so that the school had a really good chance of recruiting the cream of the crop for September. In December, it felt we had this little group who were acting like petulant kids.' Other social media users rallied to the defence of the head teacher, with one posting: 'Well done Pauline Wood. The lack of support from some schools/teachers has been a national disgrace. You should be reinstated immediately.' Another said: 'A head teacher with a backbone! Anyone in Sunderland should write to their MP and local media showing support for this common sense, straight talking, award nominated Head Teacher. Well done Pauline Wood.' A third added: 'I think Pauline Wood deserves a pat on the back for being honest. I work with teachers every day and I can guarantee some really are lazy. Some have not worked 10 hours a week let alone flat out.' She blasted some teachers at Grange Park Primary School (pictured) for not pulling their weight during months of lockdown Mrs Wood (left) is being investigated for potentially bringing her school into 'disrepute' during an interview on local BBC radio earlier this month A fourth tweeted: 'My daughter hasn't even seen a teacher in three months...' Another parent wrote: 'Well done for speaking up. Our kids have missed three months already and are not going back until at least September. The kids in this country are being let down badly.' One former pupil praised the head teacher: 'Best HT ever!!! Speaking from my 4-11-year-old self. True inspiration, hard working, passionate (extremely glamorous) and dedication to educating her pupils. Huge respect'. It comes after education unions faced accusations they were sabotaging efforts to get children back to school, with the National Education Union insisting Boris Johnson's 'one metre plus' rule will still make teaching difficult. School closures are overwhelmingly impacting disadvantaged children, with a recent survey revealing two million children in the UK had done barely any schoolwork at home during the coronavirus lockdown. Around one in five pupils have carried out no schoolwork, or less than an hour a day, since schools closed partially in March. Meanwhile, only 17 per cent of children put in more than four hours a day. Other figures revealed that nearly a third (31 per cent) of private schools provided four or more online lessons daily, compared with just six per cent of state schools. Meanwhile parents who are left in the dark about the future of their children's education have to look after them at home, meaning they cannot get back to work and help kickstart the UK economy. Though the BBC interviewer praised Mrs Wood (far left) for her 'very refreshing' honesty, the school's governors suspended her after a complaint that she made 'potentially disparaging comments' about her staff Mrs Wood said her problems with a small number of staff continued after the country went into lockdown and her school was only open for vulnerable pupils or children of key workers. She said staff were originally required to come in just one day a week each to look after the children who were attending while those who were shielding did not have to come in at all. Mrs Wood took the decision to ask staff to come in for two days a week, so they could look after pupils on one day and use the second day to contribute to a 'learning platform' helping children being home schooled. She said she also expected them to spend their second day ringing around the parents and children in their class to check on them and ask if they needed printed work sheets. But she ran into problems when she tried to ask people to come in for three days, and suggested that teachers could also use their time to prepare powerpoint presentations about their performance in the year so that they could have their annual appraisals. She said: 'The full time people said they didn't want to work three days a week. They said they didn't mind doing an hour or two more on the second day, but they didn't want to come in on a third day. 'I pointed out that they were being paid for five days and it was their job. We got some really bizarre reasons in response. Two of them said, 'Well I know I am a key worker and my children can go tot heir local school, but I would much rather they were home with me so for childcare reasons, I don't want to come in.' 'Two others said, 'We don't mind being in front of the children, but we don't want to do any tasks'. I said the tasks they were being asked to do were in their teachers' pay and conditions. She has hit back at criticism, tweeting: 'As Headteachers, our job descriptions say we should hold staff to account' People took to Twitter to praise Mrs Wood's 'refreshing honesty', with one account posting: 'Pauline Wood head teacher from grange park tells the truth about lazy teachers doing nothing during lockdown and gets suspended' 'For example, there are assessments and planning ready for their classes in September, special needs provisions and stuff where you have to come in and get information from the secure server in school. 'I thought it was a bit of a gift and a nice thing to do for the new head.' But she said 'a small group of staff' responded by going to their unions behind her back. Instead of the unions talking to her, they went directly to the human resources department of the local education authority. Mrs Wood had praised some teachers for coming with 'imaginative things' during lockdown. She read out texts on BBC Radio Newcastle from parents concerned about the level of support schools have been offering children, including one which said a statement all schools were working hard to help pupils was 'simply wrong'. Gavin Williamson brands National Education Union 'No Education Union' as he vows to end 'softly, softly' approach and ensure all pupils are back by September Gavin Williamson has vowed to end the 'softly, softly' approach for dealing with teaching unions and get all children back in school by September. The Education Secretary said he plans for all children to go back to school at the start of the next school year 'come what may'. It was said Mr Williamson 'got the knuckle dusters out' while addressing backbench Tory MPs at a meeting this week, The Telegraph reported. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has vowed to end the 'softly, softly' approach for dealing with teaching unions 'He called the National Education Union the 'No Education Union' and said that William Wragg [the Conservative MP for Hazel Grove] is their only sane member,' a source said. Mr Williamson has previously come under criticism for his handling of reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. He argued on plans for primary school children to return to school before summer, but later changed his mind, saying this would be encouraged. Robert Halfon, a senior Tory MP and chairman of the education select committee, said: 'The risks to children not learning beyond September are enormous. We can't delay any longer.' This comes soon after education unions set up a fresh clash with politicians and parents over Boris Johnson's plan for full school attendance in September, branding it 'pure fantasy'. The Prime Minister told MPs on Friday afternoon that school education will restart fully at the start of the autumn term under 'one metre plus' rules. The plans allow people to sit less than two metres apart as long as they use some other mitigation measures, such as masks or plastic screens. Advertisement Mrs Wood remarked: 'Some teachers are coming up with the most imaginative, amazing things and other people do sit at home doing nothing. I won't defend those people.' When asked to comment further, though, she said: 'Some teachers have been in (schools), but many have not been in at any time. Safety is paramount, but don't make out teachers have all been working flat out.' She added: 'I think it's time we talked about the elephant in the room.' Though the BBC interviewer praised Mrs Wood for her 'very refreshing' honesty, the school's governors suspended her after a complaint that she made 'potentially disparaging comments' about her staff. In an interview with the Telegraph, Mrs Wood said she was standing up for colleagues who were afraid to intervene in the debate. 'I have broad shoulders, I am not going to lie,' she said. 'But the barriers for most heads are too great. 'There is a lot of pressure to toe the party line and there are lots of heads who think it's not worth raising their head above the parapet.' She was told this 'raised serious concerns about your professional conduct and judgement which potentially brings the school into disrepute'. An investigation is now underway. Mrs Wood claimed that some teaching staff had reportedly refused to work on site for three days a week - instead of two - citing problems getting childcare cover. After she was suspended, she told Schools Week: 'It is very concerning that a headteacher can be suspended for giving a truthful answer to questions posed by members of the public.' She has since tweeted: 'As Headteachers, our job descriptions say we should hold staff to account.' Mrs Wood has been at Grange Park for 15 years and has been repeatedly praised in Ofsted reports for her 'relentless' pursuit of 'excellence'. She was credited with overseeing an extremely positive impact on pupils' outcomes' and saw the school shortlisted for a prestigious TES award in 2012. The head teacher said she did not know who had nominated the school for the award, but said she was thrilled. She said at the time: 'The letter came as a fantastic surprise for us, the staff are absolutely buzzing about it. 'It was enough to be only one of three outstanding primary schools in Sunderland, but to be recognised nationally is even better. When you think of the area we are in, we don't get everything handed to us. 'We have to fight really hard for everything we get so this is wonderful.' Mrs Wood has also championed breakfast clubs to help low-income working families avoid going on the dole. She had kept the price of the school's club at just 1 for nine years to 2014 in a big boost for parents. She told the Sunderland Echo in 2014: 'The cost of childcare can be a big barrier to working, and the lower-paid the job, the less likely it is that parents will feel it is worth it. 'Even breakfast clubs can start to add up if parents have more than one child at school and need to use them every day. The cost can then eat into a salary and make it seem pointless for parents to work. 'But it is vital that parents are given the opportunity to work and set a good example for their children. And that's why we haven't raised the price of our breakfast club in almost a decade.' Grange Park, which is in one of the most deprived areas in the country and has 226 pupils, now sits in the top two per cent for phonics and maths at key stage two level nationally. A Whitehall source said the plans, to be published next week, would allow Boris Johnson to meet his pledge to get all children back full-time in September. Pictured, pupils are back in classes at Ortu Gable Hall School in Corringham, Essex Chair of Grange Park school governors Mary Hodgson said that she could not comment on personal circumstances as it would be a 'breach of confidentiality'. Mrs Wood was working out her notice period and a job advert for her position closed in March. It offered applicants a salary of between 57,986 and 67,183 a year for the permanent role, starting from September 1. The advert read: 'Grange Park Primary School is looking for a dynamic, ambitious and committed headteacher to join and lead our thriving, friendly and inspirational school in September 2020. Here at Grange Park Primary School honesty, integrity and ambition are qualities which lie at the heart of all we do. 'We believe that every child can achieve their potential. We strive to give the children in our school the lifelong learning skills to empower them to choose the life they want. Our lasting message is, ''never give up''.' General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Geoff Barton said head teachers can 'give their perspective and insight to the public via the media'. He added that general advice to workers is for them to have three key messages for the interviews and to be helped by someone when they prepare. It comes as education unions set up a fresh clash with politicians and parents this week over Boris Johnson's plan for full school attendance in September using reduced social distancing. The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) called talk of relaxing the two-metre social distancing rule to one metre to get children back to school 'conjecture' and 'pure fantasy'. Geoff Barton, of the ASCL, said: 'There has been a lot of conjecture that relaxing the two-metre social distancing rule to one metre will allow all children to return to school in September. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said Mr Johnson's claim was 'pure fantasy', and Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: If social distancing of one metre remains in place, that will still be difficult for schools' Social distancing measures as a child studies on a marked table at Kempsey Primary School in Worcester, May 18, 2020 Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is planning a 'double bubble' for primary schools, allowing class sizes of more than 30. Pictured, Year 10 pupils Ortu Gable Hall School in Corringham, Essex, return to school 'This is pure fantasy. It may be possible to accommodate more pupils in classrooms with a one-metre (plus) separation, but not all pupils. There just isn't enough space in many classrooms to do this. 'It isn't a magic bullet, and nor is the Education Secretary's suggestion on Friday of doubling the size of social bubbles to 30, in order to facilitate a full return to schools. We need a proper strategy to bring children back into schools and colleges based in reality and on public health guidance.' Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: 'The NEU is of course in favour of all children being back in school, but even with a one-metre rule that will need more teachers and more spaces. It is not clear whether in less than three months the science will permit classes of 30. If social distancing of one metre remains in place, that will still be difficult for schools.' 78% of education settings that normally have children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 or Year 6 were open to at least one of these year groups on June 18, DfE says This is up from June 11 when over two in three (67 per cent) primary schools opened more widely to pupils. 92 per cent of settings were open in some capacity on June 18 - the same as the previous week, according to the Department for Education (DfE) statistics. Around 1,160,000 children attended an education setting on June 18, representing 12.2 per cent of pupils who normally attend, up from 9.1 per cent on June 11. Attendance continues to be highest among Year 6 pupils, with 34 per cent of all Year 6 children in attendance on June 18, up from 26 per cent on June 11. Attendance was 26 per cent in Year 1, up from a fifth the previous week, and 29 per cent in reception, up from 22 per cent on June 11, the figures show. Advertisement Proposals being finalised by Gavin Williamson will continue the 'bubble' system that has allowed some primary classes to start up again already. Children will not be asked to maintain any distance between each other while at school under the proposed plans, however they will be expected to adhere to social distancing on the journey to and from school. While social distancing is to be scrapped, basic hygiene such as regular hand washing will still be encouraged within schools, with children told to 'catch it, bin it, kill it' if they sneeze or cough with a tissue nearby. Bubble schemes are being planned for secondary schools, where the situation is complex as pupils move around the school for different subjects. A Whitehall source said the plans, which will be published next week, would allow Mr Johnson to meet his pledge to get all children back full-time for the start of the school year in September. The move will allow ministers to bypass opposition from teaching unions, who warned that a full return will be impossible due to a need for social distancing. Alternative proposals to requisition public buildings and bring back an army of retired teachers have been abandoned as impractical. Ministers faced a backlash this month when they abandoned plans to get all primary school classes back for a month before the end of the summer term. Head teachers said it was simply not possible to get everyone back while the 15-child limit remained in place. But a Whitehall source said falls in virus cases meant Public Health England was ready to dramatically increase the guidance on the size of bubbles that can be operated safely. 'We can change the social distance rules and increase the size of the bubbles,' the source said. 'That is potentially a game-changer for schools.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 11:02:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday approved a legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. for the first time on Capitol Hill, a largely symbolic move since the White House and Republicans who control the Senate have already voiced their opposition. The bill was passed on a highly partisan vote of 232-180 in the Democrats-led House. Only one Democrat voted against it and all House Republicans opposed it. Independent lawmaker Justin Amash of Michigan also voted no. "People in the District of Columbia pay taxes, fight our wars, risk their lives for our democracy. And yet ... they have no vote in the House or the Senate about whether we go to war, and how those taxes are exacted and how this is all played," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said hours before the vote. "We're at a state of compromise, and we think it's very long overdue," Pelosi said. Maxine Waters, a Democratic lawmaker from California, said D.C.'s lack of full representation is a racial injustice since the U.S. capital city has a significant African American population. "More than 46 percent of its 700,000 residents are black," Waters said of Washington D.C. "Make no mistake, race underlies every argument against D.C. statehood, and denying its citizens equal participation and representation is a racial, democratic and economic injustice, we cannot tolerate," Waters was quoted by a Fox News report as saying. Meanwhile, Republicans slammed the Democrats' effort as a Democratic Party power grab in a presidential election year, citing the lopsided partisan leanings of D.C. residents. "This is about power. Make no mistake about it," said Republican lawmaker Chip Roy, noting the bill would "fundamentally alter what D.C. is." "What this is really all about is an attempt to get two more Democratic senators," Georgia Republican Representative Jody Hice claimed. "D.C. is not prepared -- financially and otherwise," Hice said, questioning whether the U.S. capital was even capable of self-governance. The critics also contend that D.C. statehood is unconstitutional, arguing that the nation's founders established the city as a neutral zone to govern outside the influence of state politics. Granting D.C. statehood would require a constitutional amendment, they say. Introduced by D.C.'s nonvoting House member Eleanor Holmes Norton, the bill would shrink the country's capital city to a small area encompassing the White House, Capitol buildings, Supreme Court, and other federal buildings along the National Mall, local media reported. The rest of the city would become the 51st U.S. state, named the Washington, Douglass Commonwealth after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, according to the bill. With the statehood, the bill would grant D.C. two senators and make the existing sole House representative a voting member. However, the bill is presumed dead on arrival in the Republican-led Senate and President Donald Trump has said he would veto the bill if it came to his desk. "D.C. will never be a state," Trump said in an interview with the New York Post in May. By passing the bill granting D.C. statehood months before the November elections, Democrats are hoping to highlight their legislative priorities for voters to see, a The Hill report said. The death of black man George Floyd in police custody a month ago has prompted weeks of protests and civil unrest across the country, unloosing a flood of pressure on Congress to tackle racism and thus giving new life to a host of years-old proposals designed, at least in part, to empower African Americans and other minorities, said the report. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and also known as D.C. or Washington, was founded in 1791 after the American Revolution as the seat of the federal government of the newly independent country under the Residence Act signed into law in 1790. The U.S. Constitution provided for a federal district under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress, and the district is therefore not a part of any U.S. state. As of June 2019, D.C. had more than 705,000 residents, making it the 20th most populous city in the U.S., data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed. The figure surpasses the populations of western state Wyoming and northeastern state Vermont. Furthermore, commuters from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city's daytime population to more than 1 million during the workweek, according to local media reports. Enditem CAIRO (AP) Russian and other foreign mercenaries have entered Libyas largest oil field, the country's National Oil Corporation said on Friday, describing the development as an attempt to thwart the resumption of halted oil production in the war-torn country. In divided Libya, Russia is a leading backer of the east-based forces led by commander Khalifa Hifter, who has been waging war against the U.N.-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, which is mainly backed by Turkey. The Russian mercenaries first met late on Thursday with the guards of Libyas vast southwestern Sharara oilfield, controlled by Hifter's eastern-based fighters, according to a statement from the National Oil Corporation, or NOC. Earlier this year, a militia known as the Petroleum Facilities Guard, which takes orders from Hifters forces, helped shut down oil production when Hifter-allied tribes led a blockade of Libyas oil ports a challenge to the Tripoli administration. While Hifters east-based forces control Libyas oil crescent, the Tripoli government in the west controls the national Central Bank reserves, mostly drawn from oil income. Although Libya has Africas largest oil reserves, it has been unable to export oil since Hifter's blockade started in January, costing the state corporation over $6 billion in lost revenue. Libyas was producing over 1.2 million barrels per day before the shutdown. While foreign mercenaries continue to be paid vast sums of money to prevent the NOC from carrying out its essential duties, the rest of the Libyan population suffers, said Mustafa Sanalla, the corporations chairman. He lamented the loss of oil revenues and the disastrous decay of our oil infrastructure due to the shutdown, which is preventing maintenance work at facilities. The Russian mercenaries are said to be employed by the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-backed private security company. The group has provided between 800-1,200 mercenaries to bolster Hifters 14-month offensive to capture Tripoli, according to U.N. experts, paying some fighters up to $1,500 a month. Moscow has repeatedly denied playing any role on Libyas battlefields. Hifters campaign largely collapsed earlier this month when Turkish-backed forces allied with the Tripoli government regained control of the capitals entry and exit points and drove their rivals from a string of western towns. Turkey, the main patron of Tripoli forces, has also deployed mercenaries, mainly from Syria, to help defend the capital from Hifters assault. Story continues Tripoli forces now say theyre mobilizing to retake Sirte, a strategic coastal city that would open the gateway to Libyas vital oil fields and facilities. Hifter and his foreign backers, including Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates, have pushed for a return to peace talks to avert a major escalation in the proxy war. Egypt last week warned that an attack on Sirte would trigger its direct military involvement in the conflict. With global oil prices hitting historic lows because of the coronavirus pandemic and OPEC countries agreeing to slash production, Libyas oil corporation has sharply criticized what it describes as the international communitys indifference to the shutdown. It is noteworthy that many countries are themselves benefiting from the absence of Libyan oil from global markets, said Sanalla, the chairman. Some states, he added, are working in the background to support blockading forces, in reference to Russia. The U.S. Embassy in Libya condemned the occupation by the oilfield by Wagner and other foreign mercenaries as part of an unprecedented foreign-backed campaign to undermine Libyas energy sector. Foreign powers meddling in oil-rich Libya are holding the country's lucrative resources hostage, the embassy said, while ordinary Libyans continue to suffer from a crumbling economy. Hitting back at the BJP, the Congress accused the president of the saffron party, JP Nadda, of "misleading" the country by raising the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) issue and said he has lost his political balance in his flailing attempts at distraction and diversion from the issues of national security and territorial integrity. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the RGF did not receive any direct funding from fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, as alleged by some. "The wild and insidious hatred of the BJP vis-a-vis the Indian National Congress unfolds every day in an embarrassing and uglier fashion. Sadly, BJP president JP Nadda has lost his political balance in his flailing attempts at distraction and diversion from the issues of national security and territorial integrity," he said in a statement. Surjewala instead accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of receiving foreign funding and posed several questions to Nadda. He said the BJP chief has made it his "favourite pastime to mislead the country by making sensational claims". "We reiterate that RGF had received a modest amount of Rs 20 lakh only from PMNRF in financial year 2005-06, which was duly utilised for undertaking relief activities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. No other amount was received from PMNRF," the Congress leader said. He also said "no amount has been received as donation from Mehul Choksi personally as has been falsely alleged. Nor has any loan ever been given by RGF to him". Surjewala said the RGF's records reflect receipt of a modest donation of Rs 10 lakh from Naviraj Estates Private Limited (in 2013), a company with Choksi as one of the directors. "Let the BJP and Modi government not bury their abject failures in defending India's territorial integrity in the din of concocted and wretched allegations repeated in a similar fashion for three days continuously. We urge the BJP president and the Modi government to rise from their fears, defend the nation and support our armed forces. This is the only true patriotism," he said. "Will the BJP, like the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has done, ask the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to make public the list of all its donors and the amounts received, including from all foreign sources including individuals, entities, organisations and governments?" Surjewala asked, wondering whether the ruling party will ask the Vivekananda Foundation and the India Foundation to make public the lists of their donors, including the international ones. "Will the BJP declare the names of the donors from whom it has received thousands of crores in donations through electoral bonds? Will the BJP disclose the source of funding, amounts received, names of donors (including those of Chinese origin) for 'Overseas Friends of BJP' (OF-BJP)? Has the BJP/RSS received funding from international foundations, funds, entities and organisations? If yes, how much amount has been received by the BJP-RSS over the last six years from international funding and donors?" the Congress leader asked. He said the BJP leadership is scared of questions being asked on its Chinese connections, its links to the China Association for International Friendly Contact (CAIFC) and its persistent interactions with the Communist Party of China (CCP), the ruling party in the neighbouring country. "What is the connection of the BJP to the Communist Party of China (CCP)? What is the historical relationship between BJP and CCP spoken about by the then BJP president Rajnath Singh during the visit of a CCP delegation on January 30, 2007 and reiterated by him during the meeting with members of politburo of the CCP on October 17, 2008?" Surjewala asked. He said all this is being done so that his party and the fellow countrymen stop questioning the Narendra Modi government on the Chinese transgressions on Indian soil. "Every day a new conspiracy is crafted by the delusional BJP leadership so as to spread disinformation, hysteria and commotion to bury the apparent incompetence and complete failure of the Modi government in defending our borders," the Congress leader said. Intensifying his attack on the Congress, Nadda on Saturday posed 10 questions to the opposition party, including about RGF's alleged links to China, and said the saffron party will leave no stone unturned in "exposing double-faced politicians". "I want to tell Sonia Gandhi that under the garb of China and the COVID-19 crisis, one should not shy away from answering the questions the nation wants to know.... It is a shame. It is a sacrifice of national interest by accepting money from foreign powers in personal trusts," Nadda told reporters while attacking the Congress president. General Motors Co. asked a federal appeals court to overturn a judges order requiring Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra to meet with her counterpart at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV to resolve a lawsuit over bribery of labor union officials. GM seeks to press ahead with the lawsuit, claiming Fiat Chrysler got better contracts than competing carmakers by bribing union officials. The added labor expenses increased GMs costs by billions of dollars, the company says. The companys commitment to justice includes a responsibility to expose corruption in our industry when we learn of it and seek damages when we are targeted and directly harmed," it said in a statement Friday. Not pursuing justice rewards wrongdoers at the expense of honest, hard-working people." U.S. District Judge Paul Borman in Detroit on Tuesday told Barra and Fiat Chryslers Mike Manley to talk in person by July 1 to try and resolve the lawsuit that he called a waste of time and resources" during the coronavirus pandemic. He also scheduled a video conference with the two CEOs on July 1 to get an update on the talks. Judge Borman has made clear what he thinks about this litigation: Regardless of its merits, it is a waste of time and resources that could be better put to this countrys most pressing social justice and health issues." GM said in its filing. To suggest that GM could still receive either the appearance or the reality of a fair day in Judge Bormans court after those comments would be to blink reality." GM asked the U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati to reverse Bormans ruling and reassign the case to another judge. Fiat Chrysler says the lawsuit is groundless and its ready to comply with Bormans order. It also said its moving ahead. The lawsuit will not distract FCA from its mission to provide its customers with outstanding and exciting cars, trucks and SUVs and the continued implementation of its long-term strategy to create further significant value for all its stakeholders," the company said in an emailed statement. This includes the landmark agreement to combine with Groupe PSA to create the worlds third largest global automaker by revenues." Nine union and Fiat Chrysler leaders were jailed as a result of a federal corruption probe. GM also claims that Fiat Chryslers bribes pushed union officials to go along with a proposed merger between the two automakers that former Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne wanted but GM rejected. Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann has publicly denied the allegations. The company has said GM may have even used the lawsuit to try to thwart its proposed merger with Frances Peugeot SA. The case is In Re: General Motors LLC, 20-1616, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit (Cincinnati). This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Mr. Glaser designed restaurant logos and menus and even interiors, including that of the Windows on the World restaurant atop the World Trade Center. He also reimagined the struggling Grand Union supermarket chain at the behest of its owner, tycoon James Goldsmith. Mr. Glaser began by giving the chain a new logo: a bright red circle nestled in the letter A. He then tackled labels, signs and the designs of the stores themselves, placing giant pears in front of some. Mr. Glaser said the grocery-store makeover appealed to him because it was anti-elitist. Across the country, cities and states are in various stages of reopening, even as cases of Covid-19 are rising, particularly in the South. Some people are lounging at the beach, without masks, or going out to eat and drink in restaurants and bars, where social distancing may be difficult. But others remain fearful. We dont have a vaccine yet. , said Vivian Lee, 32, a freelance writer and editor who lives in Sunnyside, Queens. We havent flattened the curve to the point where we can go around maskless. And yet were now allowed by the government to go outside and eat and be around a lot of people? She laughed in disbelief, adding, Its just unfathomable to me. With different messages coming from varying levels of the government, Americans can be left feeling there are few reliable answers about what precautions they should take or a clear sense of whether things are under control. For anyone, thats a weird and anxious place to be. Uncertainty drives anxiety. , said Dr. Ellen Hendriksen, a clinical psychologist at Boston University and the author of How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety. Anxiety is rooted in not knowing what is going to happen. SCHENECTADY - A fire broke out Saturday morning in a multi-family home on Crane Street in Schenectady affecting at least 10 people, according to a news release from the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Red Cross provided financial assistance for necessities such as shelter, food and clothing to seven adults and three children, ages 10 and 2, and an infant. Volunteers also offered emotional support, health services, comfort kits and stuffed animals for the children. The seven-day-average for the number of new coronavirus cases in the United States hit an all-time high this week a jump primarily fueled by large increases in the country's three most populous states: California, Texas and Florida. All three states reported their largest case increases of the pandemic last week, although case increases are not always indicative of spread of the virus since case totals will increase as testing increases. However, hospitalizations and the percentage of positive tests are also trending upwards in the three states, so the case increases cannot simply be attributed to increased testing. By Trend Georgia will open the skies for a number airlines from July 1, despite the decision to postpone the resumption of regular flights, said Prime Minister Georgi Gakharia, Trend reports via Georgian media. He made the remark in his annual report at the plenary session in the parliament. "We are already negotiating with major airlines of the European Union (EU) countries, and flights to many cities will open from July 1. It is easier for us to carry out direct flights to specific countries, to specific green zones," Gakharia said. The prime minister noted that the health of citizens remains the main concern for Georgia's authorities and this dictated the decision to extend the ban on regular flights. Meanwhile, the EU Commission at a meeting in Brussels on June 26 agreed that from July 1, access to the Schengen countries will be allowed for citizens of 14 countries outside the EU. Entry to Europe is provided for citizens of Georgia, Australia, Algeria, Canada, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Montenegro, South Korea and Japan. Atlanta police chief Erika Shields resigned the day after Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer. Shields served as the Atlanta police chief since December 2016 with extensive experience in the police force precedingly. Shields' resignation was announced by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in a statement, "Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country, Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief so that the city may move forward with urgency and rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our communities." On the Friday night of June 12, 2020, a 27-year-old African American man by the name of Rayshard Brooks was shot twice in the back by Atlanta police officer Garret Rolfe. Brooks was married for eight years with three daughters and a stepson. Brooks' wife, Tomika Miller said, "It was murder--that was not justified. He was shot running away. He wasn't dangerous. He wasn't coming at them in any kind of way to where they felt a threat, they shouldn't have felt threatened." "I want them to go to jail. I want them to deal with the same things as if it was my husband who killed somebody else. If it was my husband who shot them, he would be in jail. He would be doing a life sentence," Miller said. The tragedy started when Officer Devin Brosnan responded to a complaint that a man was asleep in a car blocking a Wendy's drive-thru. Rayshard Brook's blood-alcohol content was above the legal limit for driving and he was handcuffed but Brooks resisted, got a hold of Brosnan's taser, punched Rolfe and ran. Rolfe ran after Brooks only until Brooks turned and fired the taser toward Rolfe, who then shot Brooks twice in the back which eventually led to his death. Brooks' resistance from arrest evidently stemmed from the fact that he was on probation and his failed sobriety test would lead to the revocation of his probation and ultimately force him back to prison. Rolfe was fired and charged with felony murder and ten other offenses while Brosnan was placed on administrative duty and charged with aggravated assault and two counts of violation of oath. Philippine authorities are investigating immigration records that show the ex-chief operating officer of collapsed payments provider Wirecard entered the country this week before leaving for China, the Filipino justice secretary said Friday. Jan Marsalek, who was fired from the German company on Monday and is being targeted by a Philippine probe, flew into the city of Cebu on Tuesday, according to the records. Wirecard filed for insolvency on Thursday after admitting that 1.9 million euros ($2.1 billion) from its accounts likely do not exist. Its ex-chief executive was later arrested. "The results of the investigation may lead to various scenarios, including the possibility of employing diversionary tactics to mislead Marsalek's pursuers," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday. The immigration records show Jan Marsalek flew into the central Philippine city of Cebu on Tuesday before flying to China on Wednesday, he added. But CCTV footage from Cebu airport does not show him arriving, the minister said, and there was no flight to China from Cebu on the day Marsalek was supposed to have left the country. Immigration personnel in Cebu were placed under investigation over these discrepancies, he added. Marsalek, who is Austrian, had briefly visited the Philippines in early March, Filipino officials earlier said. The millions of dollars in missing cash was meant to be sitting in trustee accounts at two Philippine banks to cover risks in trading supposedly carried out by third parties on Wirecard's behalf. But the Philippines' central bank said the cash never entered its monetary system and both banks, BDO and BPI, denied having a relationship with Wirecard. cgm/tom UN says rescued migrants, including one woman who gave birth on a rubber dinghy, brought back to Libya. A woman who gave birth at sea was among 93 migrants rescued off Libyan shores as they tried to reach Europe, but six others died along the way, the UNs migration agency said. The survivors were brought back overnight to the port city of Khoms, 120km (75 miles) west of the capital Tripoli, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Twitter. Among them was a woman who gave birth on the rubber dinghy that had undertaken the perilous Mediterranean crossing, it said. Migrants reported to IOM staff that 6 people have died along the journey, it added. Libya was thrown into chaos after the overthrow and killing of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011. Meet the rescuers from across the world racing to save refugees from a sea of blood Traffickers have exploited the unrest to turn the North African country into a key route for migration towards Europe. The situation of refugees and migrants in Libya worsened after eastern Libya-based military commander Khalifa Haftar launched an assault on Tripoli in 2019 and the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic. These people arrive in Libya fleeing poverty, conflict, war, forced labour, female genital mutilation, corrupt governments and personal threats. Some arrive in Libya by choice, others by force. For some, Libya is a country of destination and not transit. Human rights groups have repeatedly criticised the systematic return of migrants intercepted in the Mediterranean to Libya, where they are held in crowded detention centres. These centres are said to be overcrowded with unhygienic and inhumane conditions, with abuse and violence rampant. There is a shortage of food and drinking water, but an abundance of torture and forced labour. The conditions in these centres are crazy, Alkaol, 17, a migrant from The Gambia, told Al Jazeera. Sometimes you get food, sometimes you dont. If they give you bread, you eat half and save half. You dont know when you will eat next. If you dont have money, your only way out is either escaping or death. If they catch people running away, they shoot at you. They may shoot you in the leg, they may shoot you in the head. The IOM said those rescued overnight were released after disembarking in Khoms. The latest operation came just days after French charity vessel Ocean Viking picked up dozens of migrants off the Italian island of Lampedusa after they had drifted from Libya. Nicholas Romaniuk, who coordinated the mission aboard that vessel, said rescue ships are often out-run by the Libyan coastguard who beat them to intercept migrants and return them to Libya. There is no coordination, no information sharing for life-saving operations. Were talking about people who were reported to be dying, a newborn baby on board, said Romaniuk. The fact that, even in this situation, they wont share information, its an absolute disgrace. More than 100,000 migrants tried to cross the Mediterranean last year with more than 1,200 dying in the attempt, according to the IOM. The team at Gorey Meals on Wheels: Catherine and Eve Quinlan, Cecilia ORiodran, Nuala Sinnott and Paddy DEathe Meals on Wheels Gorey, as well as Gorey Community Support, played a vital role to help the most vulnerable during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic here. As restrictions ease and cocooners re-enter society, the need may be somewhat less but the hard work continues on. While Gorey Community Support delivered its last meals on Friday, Meals on Wheels Gorey now enters its 15th week of Covid response. The team were recently joined by Sergeant Evelyn Reddan and Garda Kyrie O'Neill who assisted in delivering meals. Colin Webb explained that the gardai provided the 'wheels' in 'Meals on wheels', bringing the team around in the Community Policing cars. 'Evelyn was on Route C and Kyrie on Route A in Gorey. The Community Policing has really done amazing work in assisting many community groups in the response to the pandemic. They have kept in constant contact with us and have shown their concern for our elderly and isolated. 'Thanks to everyone at Wexford Garda Division for their continued support; it's very much appreciated,' he said. Donations have continued, with Irish Rural Link donating PPE supplies to volunteers, and one deliverer, Phelim Gallagher, dropping in some Boston donuts and all are hopeful that an end is in sight. Beijing on Saturday issued new Covid-19 containment guidelines as the city reported 17 confirmed cases for Friday, up from 11 for the day before and the most since June 20. The national health commission (NHC) reported 21 new confirmed infections for mainland China on Friday, up from 13 a day earlier and the highest since Monday. From June 11 to 26, Beijing, a city of more than 20 million, has reported 297 confirmed locally transmitted cases after not reporting any case for nearly two months. Most of the cases have been linked to the Xinfadi fresh food market in the southwest Fengtai district. At last 25 asymptomatic cases still under medical observation, the commission said. Confirmed cases have been reported from 11 of Beijings 16 districts. Overall, the number of confirmed cases in mainland China now stands at 83,483; the death toll remains at 4634. Meanwhile, the Chinese capital has issued fresh guidelines on Covid-19 containment, calling on its residents to continue to wear masks, maintain social distancing and wash hands frequently, official media reported Saturday. Masks have been made compulsory in hospitals, crowded scenic spots and public transports, according to Beijings disease control and prevention center. The guidelines stipulate that residents with respiratory infections should avoid going to public places and if they do under unavoidable circumstances, they must wear masks. People are advised to wash their hands frequently when processing raw meat, poultry, or aquatic products, and keep unwashed hands away from the mouth, nose, and eyes, according to the guidelines, news agency, Xinhua reported quoting the guidelines. In Beijings Chaoyang district, workers in the service industries, such as hair salons and clinics, are required to undergo nucleic acid tests to ensure the citys Covid-19 control and prevention measures are satisfied, local officials have told state media. China currently can offer 3.78 million nucleic acid tests for Covid-19 every day, a 200-percent increase from March, a health official said earlier this week. As of June 22, Chinese medical institutions had conducted 90.41 million nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 in total, said Guo Yanhong, an official with the NHC said. The total number of designated centers offering nucleic acid tests has increased from 2,081 in early March to the current 4,804, marking a 131-percent increase, Guo said, adding that 28,500 technicians are carrying out nucleic acid testing. Selma Mayor Darrio Melton signed an order Friday requiring people to wear face masks in many public places beginning at 5 p.m. today as COVID-19 cases continue to increase in Alabama. Melton is the latest Alabama local official to order masks or signal a willingness to require masks in most public places. AL.com reported Saturday that Alabama had 888 new cases of the virus overnight, bringing the states 7-day running average of daily new cases to a record 782.7. The previous high was 779, set on June 16. The 888 new cases is tied for the fifth most in any one day since the start of the pandemic, AL.com reported. The state has had high numbers for the last four days. Meltons order said masks arent required unless people are around 10 or more others and cannot maintain safe distancing of 6 feet or more. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimson tweeted Friday that he will ask the Mobile City Council to order face coverings in public to slow the spread of the virus in his city, according to reports. The council is expected to take up the proposal Tuesday. If passed, the new ordinance would set a $50 fine for the first offense. Masks are now required in public in Jefferson County and in Montgomery but not in Huntsville, the states second-largest city. Madison Mayor Paul Finley told reporters Friday that his city of 50,000 on the western border of Huntsville will require masks to enter public buildings. But Finley would not endorse a broader mask requirement at that time. Amidst a war of words between the Congress and the BJP over the face-off with China, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said matters of national security shouldn't be politicised and added that one cannot forget China had captured about 45,000 sq kms of Indian land after the 1962 war. Pawar's comments came in response to a query about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surrendered Indian territory to the Chinese aggression. Pawar also said the Galwan Valley incident in Ladakh cannot immediately be labelled as a failure of the Defence Minister, as Indian soldiers were alert during patrolling. Speaking to reporters, the former Union minister said the entire episode is "sensitive" in nature. It was China which played the provocateur in the Galwan Valley, he said. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash with their Chinese counterpart in eastern Ladakh on the night of June 15. The former defence minister further said India had been constructing a road in Galwan Valley within its limits meant for communication purposes. "What happened was they (the Chinese troops) tried to encroach on our road and were pushed physically. It was not somebody's failure. If somebody comes (within your territory) while you are patrolling, they may come at any time. We cannot immediately say it is the failure of the Defence Minister sitting in Delhi," Pawar said. Patrolling was on there. There was a scuffle, which means you were alert. Had you not been, you would not even have realised when the they (Chinese troops) came and went. Hence, I don't think it is right to make such an allegation at this juncture, he said. Responding to the allegation raised by Rahul Gandhi, Pawar said one cannot forget that China captured around 45,000 sq km of India's land, after the 1962 war between the two countries. "That land is still with China. I don't know if they (China) have encroached on some area now again. But when I make an allegation, I should also see what had happened when I was there (in power). If such big land was encroached upon then, it cannot be ignored. It is a matter of national security and it should not be politicised is what I feel," he said. Pawar further hit out at the Centre over the rising prices of fuel, saying he had never seen the rates going up daily. He noted the people are already in trouble and the economy is in crisis due to the extended lockdown. The Centre should take decisions that will bring the economy back on track, he said. "The rise in fuel prices does have an impact on the economy. I think the Centre is taking this decision as there already is lockdown. "People are not speaking up during this period. Due to some other reason, there already is a feeling among the people to tolerate what is going on (and) they (the Centre) are taking disadvantage of this situation (to raise prices)," he said. Asked about BJP MLC Gopichand Padalkar's recent remark against him, the NCP chief said the legislator was rejected by voters in the elections previously and there is no need to take note of his remark. Padalkar had said that "Pawar was a corona that has infected Maharashtra". Pawar also made light of former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' claim that the NCP had wanted to join hands with the BJP two years ago. "Right now, he has a lot of time. Hence, he keeps something or the other for publicity," Pawar quipped. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 10:43:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHICAGO, June 26 (Xinhua) -- A 48-year-old employee of a coffee-dispenser manufacturer opened fire on Friday at the company's warehouse in Springfield, capital of the U.S. Midwest state of Illinois, killing two men and critically wounding another. The suspect, Michael Collins, then fled the scene and was later found dead in his car of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a neighboring county, with two handguns besides his body. Shooting happened at the Bunn-O-Matic plant shortly after 11 a.m. local time, local media reported. Police officers found the bodies of the two male victims, one in his 20s and the other in 60s, in the building of the plant. A woman in her 50s was found injured in the parking lot and was rushed to hospital in critical condition, local media quoted Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow as saying during a news conference. The suspect is a coworker of the three victims, Winslow said. Police believe Collins acted alone in the shooting. His motive is still under investigation. Enditem Kano state governor, Umar Ganduje has revealed that the state is set to begin compulsory drug tests for civil servants, political office holders and students seeking admission into the states tertiary institution. Speaking via a statement by his commissioner for information, Mallam Muhammed Garba, Ganduje restates his administrations commitment to ensure the state stays free of cases of drug abuse. Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state, has entered into isolation after one of his daughters, tested positive for COVID-19. The announcement was made by the governor via his Twitter handle on Friday, saying he was obeying laid-down procedures by health agencies. Earlier today, Edith and I received the news that one of our daughters has tested positive for #COVID19. Hence, in-line with the laid out procedures, we are both going into isolation for the next 14-days. Advertisement Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki has come out to brag that nothing can stop him from becoming governor for another four years. Speaking on Friday morning following his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) flag bearer in the state, he added that his emergence is already synonymous with political freedom and victory. Fidelis Nwansa, a resident pastor of the Christ Holy Church, Asaba, the Delta state capital, has been arrested by the police in the state over allegation of possessing six rifles. Onome Onovwakpoyeya, the police spokesperson confirmed the news on Thursday, saying the rifles were discovered on the church premises. A house of representative ad hoc committee has launched an investigation into DSTV high tariff and also insisted that the cable television needs to introduce a pay-as-you-go subscription plan for customers. Speaking on the floor of the house on Thursday, Unyime Idem, the committee chairman, said excuses on why DSTV and other service providers have not introduced the PAYG plan are not tenable.In his comment, he added that the committee is only interested in how to go about ensuring that cable televisions in the country embrace pay-as-you-go noting that there is no going back on their resolve. The late ex-governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi didnt want any appointment after completing his eight-year tenure as governor says Bolaji Tunji, his spokesman. The former governor died on Thursday from complications of COVID-19.It will be recalled that the deceased had contested the Oyo South senatorial election after he left office as governor but lost to Muhammed Kola-Balogun, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Some members of the dissolved national working committee(NWC) of the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) have revealed that they are currently strategizing and consulting on how to assemble a team of lawyers to challenge the dissolution. This is despite warning from president Muhammadu Buhari that there would be dire consequences for any member who chooses to ignore the partys directives. #JusticeDone following intensive coordination between Germany and Lithuania via Eurojust The Regional Court of Heilbronn in Germany recently sentenced eleven members of a Lithuanian criminal organisation to imprisonment for up to eight years for stealing luxury cars in Germany. The court rulings followed close and intensive cooperation between the German and Lithuanian judicial and police authorities, coordinated via Eurojust, the EU's Criminal Justice Cooperation Agency, which supported the setting up of a joint investigation team (JIT). Thanks to this collaboration, the authorities were able to map out and take decisive action against the criminal group as a whole. It also enabled them to proceed to a consolidated trial against all eleven defendants, based on solid evidence. Heilbronn Senior Public Prosecutor Ms Mirjam Weisenburger said: 'Without the joint investigation team, this process and its, what I consider, successful conclusion would not have been possible. We have seen the advantages of this kind of cooperation in investigations on many occasions and that is what really enabled us to move forward in this case.' The organised criminal group (OCG), which was coordinated from a base in Lithuania, operated in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. The thieves cracked the locks of high-end, luxury keyless cars using radio wave extenders and then transported them in trucks through the Czech Republic and Poland to Lithuania. The leaders in Lithuania communicated in code language with the gang members on the ground in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Given the cross-border dimension of the investigation, a JIT was set up with funding and support provided by Eurojust and analytical support by Europol. This facilitated a quick and direct exchange of information among the authorities involved, who set to work as one team. The constantly changing plans of the OCG were gradually mapped out, including by way of interception means, and step-by-step this led to the identification of additional suspects and criminal facts. In addition to its financial and operational support to the JIT, Eurojust also assisted the national authorities with the organisation of two coordination meetings, where the team members were able to meet face to face, while interpreters were also on hand to provide help when needed. Eurojust also facilitated the execution of European Investigation Orders and requests for Mutual Legal Assistance. A carefully prepared action day was held in December 2018, which resulted in the simultaneous arrests of the eleven suspects. To enable a consolidated trial to be brought against all of them, the two gang leaders and five gang members, who had been arrested in Lithuania, were subsequently transferred to Germany. The two leaders of the criminal group were convicted to serve prison sentences of seven years and nine months and five years and nine months respectively. The judgements are final. The Court also ordered confiscation of the proceeds of the crimes, the highest single amount being 584,960, while several properties have also been seized in Lithuania. India on Saturday rubbished Pakistans readiness to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor for Indian Sikhs, by calling it an attempt to create a mirage of goodwill. Taking to Twitter, Pakistans foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday announced: As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The corridor was temporarily closed on March 16 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that originated in Chinas Wuhan city. Official sources in New Delhi said that Pakistan is trying to create a mirage of goodwill by proposing to reopen Kartarpur Corridor on June 29, at the short notice of two days, while bilateral agreement provides for information to be shared by India with Pakistan side at least seven days before the date of travel. This would need India to open up the registration process well in advance, the sources said. Besides, Pakistan has not built the bridge on their side across the flood plains of the Ravi river despite having committed to it in the bilateral agreement. With the advent of monsoon, the sources said, it would need to be evaluated whether pilgrim movement is possible through the corridor in a safe and secure manner. Official sources said cross border travel has been temporarily suspended as part of measures to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus. Further view would be taken in consultation with health authorities and other stakeholders concerned, an official said. The 4.2 km corridor links Dera Baba Nanak town in Gurdaspur district with Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Shakargarh tehsil in Narowal district of Pakistan. India and Pakistan in October 2019 signed an agreement to operationalise the Kartarpur Corridor to allow Indian pilgrims a visa-free visit to the holy gurdwara, believed to have been built on the site where Guru Nanak died in the 16th century, and located some 4km inside Pakistan. COVID-19 has upended just about everything in our lives. It was no different in New Yorks primary election this past Tuesday. Since so many mail-in ballots were requested, were not going to know which Democrat was victorious in the 12th Congressional District until next week. In a rematch from the 2018 primary, challenger Suraj Patel is behind longtime East Side Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney by just 648 votes. In the district, which covers sections of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, Maloney collected 16,473 votes (41%) to 15,825 votes for Patel (40%). Patel is one of several progressive challengers who performed well on Tuesday evening, taking on entrenched establishment political figures. He beat Maloney in Queens and Brooklyn, while she prevailed in Manhattan. 109,000 voters requested absentee ballots. 79,000 of them came from Manhattan, where Maloney is strongest, so her campaign has expressed confidence about ultimately prevailing. Patel has filed a lawsuit requesting court supervision of the counting. Two other candidates, Lauren Ashcroft and Peter Harrison, were on the ballot but only collected about 7,000 votes combined. If youd like to see the neighborhood breakdown, have a look at the is map prepared by Steven Romalewski at CUNYs Center for Urban Research: FWIW, a map of #NY12 primary results, based only on votes cast at polling sites, omitting absentee ballots (of which there are many). pic.twitter.com/oDjas0CRIW Steven Romalewski (@SR_spatial) June 24, 2020 Depending on where you live on the Lower East Side, you may be represented by Nydia Velazquez rather than Carolyn Maloney. No final result in this race either until next week. But Velazquez has a big lead in the 7th Congressional District. Shes pulled in about 73% of the vote compared to 17% for Paperboy Love Prince, her rather unconventional challenger. At the state level, Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou is well ahead in the 65th Assembly District with 4,440 votes (56%) to 2,741 votes (35%) for Grace Lee. Well report back when results in all of these races are final. When you need to warm up, what's your favorite winter comfort food? MOGADISHU, Somalia 26 June 2020 Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) strongly condemns the shooting against Radio Danan journalist, Abdifatah Abduqadir Sharif (Iqbal) by a uniformed Somali police officer at Sey Biyano neighbourhood in Hodan District in Mogadishu on Thursday 25 June 2020 and the seizure of the headquarters of the independent privately-owned Star TV in Hargeisa by Somaliland police on 25 June, 2020. Approximately 7:45 pm (local time), the radio journalist was heading home from work on a tuk tuk taxi when a bullet was shot from behind resulted the journalist to sustain injury on the back of his head, according to Radio Danan director, Mohamed Barre Fiyore who spoke to SJS. Colleagues and family members told SJS that Abdifatah was rushed to the hospital where he underwent a minor surgery on Thursday night and was out of danger as of Friday morning. Abdifatah who spoke to SJS on Friday afternoon said he was waiting for a second surgery before he is discharged. It was not immediately clear why the police officer shot the journalist and there were no any indications that the officer was arrested. Officials at the Federal Ministry of Information did not comment on the matter when contacted by SJS but officials at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) said they were trying to identify the officer who shot the journalist. SJS calls for a swift and honest investigation into the shooting incident and bring those responsible to justice. Separately, armed Somaliland police officers on Thursday around 1:30 pm (local time) forcibly entered and seized the headquarters of the independent privately-owned Star TV in Hargeisa while ordering journalists and other staff members to vacate the premises. According to Star TV board of management team member, Mohamud Hussein Jama, The police did not provide explanations or any court document to justify their actions. Meanwhile, the Erigavo-based Sanag Regional Court on Thursday morning ordered the Horyaal TV journalist, Jabir Said Duale (Bulshawi) to be remanded in jail for seven days after he was charged with filming a Erigavo youth groups protest against lack of inclusion into the recently concluded Somali Government-Somaliland talks in Djibouti. Bulshawi was first arrested on 16 June but was released the following day without charges. He was re-arrested on 22 June and was charged with filming an unlawful protest. According to colleagues, the journalist denied to have recorded the film of the protest, which took place in Erigavo on 15 June but the Sanag Regional Court judge, Sharmaarke Farah Ismail ordered the journalist to be remanded for seven days awaiting trial. We condemn the armed attack on Radio Danan journalist, Abdifatah Abduqadir Sharif by a police officer in Mogadishu on Thursday, and the illegal takeover of the Star TV headquarters by the Somaliland police, Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary General of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said We call for the federal authorities of Somalia to open a swift and a thorough investigation into the attack against journalist Abdifatah Abduqadir Sharif as we also call for Somaliland authorities to immediately withdraw police from the Star TV headquarters and allow the independent TV to resume its operations and free the imprisoned journalist Jabir Said Duale from Erigavo prison.. (END) Gavin Williamson has vowed to end the 'softly, softly' approach for dealing with teaching unions and get all children back in school by September. The Education Secretary said he plans for all children to go back to school at the start of the next school year 'come what may'. It was said Mr Williamson 'got the knuckle dusters out' while addressing backbench Tory MPs at a meeting this week, The Telegraph reported. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson (above) has vowed to end the 'softly, softly' approach for dealing with teaching unions and get children back in school by September 'He called the National Education Union the 'No Education Union' and said that William Wragg [the Conservative MP for Hazel Grove] is their only sane member,' a source said. Mr Williamson has previously come under criticism for his handling of reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. He argued on plans for primary school children to return to school before summer, but later changed his mind, saying this would be encouraged. Robert Halfon, a senior Tory MP and chairman of the education select committee, said: 'The risks to children not learning beyond September are enormous. We can't delay any longer.' This comes soon after education unions set up a fresh clash with politicians and parents over Boris Johnson's plan for full school attendance in September, branding it 'pure fantasy'. The Prime Minister told MPs this afternoon that school education will restart fully at the start of the autumn term under 'one metre plus' social distancing rules. A senior Tory MP and chairman of the education select committee Robert Halfon said 'We can't delay any longer' as he pushed for schools to return for the next academic year The measures introduced today, allow people to sit less than two metres apart as long as they use some other mitigation measures, such as masks or plastic screens. The Government faced widespread criticism last month after shelving plans to get all children back this term before summer, after finding there was not enough room in classrooms. Under the previous two metre social distancing regime classes were limited to just 15 pupils and union leaders tonight cast doubt on whether today's changes would make enough difference. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'There has been a lot of conjecture that relaxing the two-metre social distancing rule to one metre will allow all children to return to school in September. 'This is pure fantasy. It may be possible to accommodate more pupils in classrooms with a one-metre (plus) separation, but not all pupils. There just isn't enough space in many classrooms to do this. 'It isn't a magic bullet, and nor is the Education Secretary's suggestion on Friday of doubling the size of social bubbles to 30, in order to facilitate a full return to schools.' The Prime Minister told MPs this afternoon that school education will restart fully at the start of the autumn term under 'one metre plus' rules Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said Mr Johnson's claim was 'pure fantasy', and Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: If social distancing of one metre remains in place, that will still be difficult for schools' He added: 'We need a proper strategy to bring children back into schools and colleges based in reality and on public health guidance.' Approximately 78 per cent of education settings that normally have children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 or Year 6 were open to at least one of these year groups on June 18. This is up from June 11 when over two in three (67 per cent) primary schools opened more widely to pupils. Around 92 per cent of settings were open in some capacity on June 18 - the same as the previous week, according to the Department for Education (DfE) statistics. Approximately 1,160,000 children attended an education setting on June 18, representing 12.2 per cent of pupils who normally attend, up from 9.1 per cent on June 11. Attendance continues to be highest among Year 6 pupils, with around a third (34 per cent) of all Year 6 children in attendance on June 18, up from 26 per cent on June 11. Attendance was around a quarter (26 per cent) in Year 1, up from a fifth the previous week, and 29 per cent in reception, up from 22 per cent on June 11, the figures show. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: 'The NEU is of course in favour of all children being back in school, but even with a one-metre rule that will need more teachers and more spaces. 'It is not clear whether in less than three months the science will permit classes of 30. If social distancing of one metre remains in place, that will still be difficult for schools.' The Prime Minister told the Commons on Tuesday: 'Primary and secondary education will recommence in September with full attendance and those children who can already go to school should do so because it is safe.' His plea came as figures showed the number of pupils returning to school in England increased last week as more than three in four primary schools reopened their doors to more children. Schools, colleges and nurseries closed more than 13 weeks ago due to the Covid-19 outbreak, remaining open only for vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers. Last week, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said class size limits could be expanded to allow every child to return to school. Under Government guidance, primary school class sizes should be limited to 15 to minimise the number of people they come into contact with. But Mr Williamson told the daily Downing Street briefing on Friday that these so-called 'bubbles' could be expanded to include the whole class. The Nigerian authorities have failed to prosecute a single officer from the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in three years despite cases of rights violations reportedly perpetrated by the police unit, Amnesty International said in a report. In 2017, the country outlawed, with stiff penalties, the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. But the rights group said despite this, torture and ill treatment remain routine practice used by SARS operations to execute, punish and extract information from suspects, under the supervision of senior police officers. In its report, Time to End Impunity, the group documented at least 82 cases of torture, ill treatment and extra-judicial execution by SARS between January 2017 and May 2020. It said a bulk of the victims it documented are males between the ages of 18 and 35, from low-income backgrounds and vulnerable groups. The group said it bore witness to the scars, bruises, and dried blood on victims bodies, mostly due to beatings with sticks and machetes, and being denied medical care. Efforts to reach police spokesperson, Frank Mba, for a reaction, were unsuccessful. Calls to his known line were not responded to and a message sent was not replied even though it read delivered. Specific abuses The report cited an example of Miracle, 23, who in March 2017 was arrested and detained by SARS officers in Anambra State for 40 days, over an alleged theft of a laptop. He was tortured and hardly fed before he was charged before a court, the report said. Their leader directed them to go and hang me. They took me to the back of the hall and tied me with ropes. Then they started using all manner of items to beat me, including machetes, sticks, inflicting me with all kinds of injuries, Mr Miracle was quoted as saying in the report. One of the officers used an exhaust pipe to hit me on my teeth, breaking my teeth. I was left on that hanger for more than three hours, he added. The report also told the story of an amateur boxer, Sunday Bang, 24, who was in October 2018 arrested in Abuja by SARS officers for alleged robbery. He was held in detention for 5 weeks without access to family, lawyers or medical care and was not charged in court. While in SARS detention, he suffered bone fractures and other injuries due to torture and other ill treatment, Amnesty said. No circumstances whatsoever may be invoked as a justification of torture. In many cases, the victims are the poor and vulnerable, easy targets for law enforcement officers whose responsibility it is to protect them, the head of the group in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said in a statement. The systemic use of torture and other ill treatment by SARS officers for police investigations and the continued existence of torture chambers within the Nigerian Police Force points to an absolute disregard for international human rights laws and standards. The group said it wrote, on three occasions, the Inspector-General of Police asking for steps the police may have taken in investigating the cases outlined in the report, but there was no response. The report also said some of the challenges faced by victims of SARS violations include concerted opposition from the police authorities while seeking justice, including threats to their lives. Impunity sends the message to torturers that they will get away with it. Impunity denies victims and their relatives the right to have the truth established, the right to see justice served and the right to reparations, Mr Ojigho noted. The Nigerian authorities must go beyond lip service to ensure there is real reform within the Nigeria Police Force with an emphasis on SARS. These reforms must translate into holding police officers suspected of torture to account, ending torture, unlawful detention, extortion, extrajudicial execution and other human rights violations that SARS officers have been known for across Nigeria, Mr Ojigho added. General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu wants his colleague on the other side of the political divide to render an unqualified apology for wilfully misinforming Ghanaians. To him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chief Scribe is a disgrace to his party. Speaking in an interview on Okay FM's "Ade Akye Abia" morning show, John Boadu said the leadership of the largest opposition party have subjected themselves to needless public opprobrium. He believed they could have done the party a lot of good by agreeing from the very beginning to partake in the Electoral Commission's voter registration exercise. Landmark Ruling The Supreme Court, on Thursday, unanimously dismissed the NDC's case against the EC to compile a new voters register for the 2020 General Elections The 7-member panel presided over by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, in its decision held that the EC is an independent body and will only be directed by the court if it acts contrary to law. The seven member panel that heard the case included Justices Jones Dotse, Paul Baffoe Bonnie, Sule Gbagegbe, Samuel K. Marful-Sau, Nene Amegatcher, and Professor Ashie Kotey. Asiedu Nketia's Gaffe The NDC General Secretary, minutes after the decision expressed satisfaction at the ruling saying the apex court had ruled in the partys favour by calling for the inclusion of the existing voter ID card as one of the source documents for registration during the upcoming voter's registration exercise; a relief which the court did not grant. ...the court has just delivered the verdict which has granted our request for the inclusion of the existing voter card as breeder document for the compilation of the new voters register. We feel vindicated, he told the media at the forecourt of the Supreme court. Gone Into Hiding Ridiculing the NDC Scribe who John Boadu claimed has gone into hiding after misinterpreting the Supreme Court ruling, he added that the NDC is just a confused party seeking to bring their state of confusion on Ghanaians. "But we will not allow that because the good people of Ghana have their strong belief in the NPP and will not allow the NDC and their leader to take over the affairs of this country again," he said. John Boadu believes the NDC was secretly preparing for the registration exercise and that they just wanted to cause confusion like they usually do. Case Against EC Private citizen Mark Takyi-Banson and the opposition NDC filed the case in court asking that it stops the EC from compiling the register or allow the use of the birth certificate and voters ID card by prospective voters as proof of identification. But in its ruling on Thursday, the court said the EC can go ahead and compile the new register with the Ghana Card, denying the NDC and Mr. Takyi-Bansons request for the old voters ID to be used. Ghanaians have taken to social media to troll the NDC scribe who they accuse of misinterpreting the courts ruling. Watch Video Below Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] 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 France EU Passport Control Airport Pascal Guyot/AFP via Getty Images The European Union will bar Americans from traveling to its member states as US coronavirus cases continue to rise. The US is among dozens of countries excluded from a list of safe countries whose citizens may travel to Europe once the bloc reopens its borders on July 1. Countries on the safe list include Australia, Canada, and South Korea. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. European Union officials confirmed on Friday that the EU would bar American travelers when it reopens its external borders on July 1, The New York Times reported. The US is among dozens of countries deemed too risky because their coronavirus outbreaks are poorly contained, according to The Times. Travelers from more than 12 countries outside the bloc will, however, be allowed to enter starting July 1. The full list of safe countries includes Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Andorra, San Marino, Monaco, and the Vatican, according to The Times. China will also be included, as long as China allows European Union visitors. The list has been finalized and will be released officially next week, The Times reported. Reports of the list emerged earlier this week. According to The Times, the list has been backed by most countries' EU ambassadors but still must be formalized by member states and the central EU government. While member states will not be legally required to abide by the list, those that do not could see other EU states close their borders to them, which would inhibit their participation in the EU's recovering economy. Some countries with economies that are especially dependent on tourism are expected to allow more foreigners by implementing health-screening protocols for arriving visitors. Exceptions will be granted for essential workers, including healthcare workers and diplomats, as well as students, asylum seekers, and others, The Times reported. Story continues The inclusion of the US on the list of banned countries represents a major blow to America's image on the global stage and undermines the Trump administration's claims that the US outbreak is under control. The US has recorded more than 2.4 million coronavirus cases and 124,000 deaths, more than any other country. In early March, the Trump administration banned travel to the US from much of Europe, citing outbreaks in Italy, Germany, and elsewhere in the EU. The prohibition has not been lifted, even though Europe has largely contained its outbreaks. The European border closure, which came later in March, applied to visitors from most countries outside the bloc, not specifically Americans. The safe list will be reviewed every two weeks and include countries with rates of new cases that are the same or lower than the EU's. The primary benchmark is the EU's average number of new infections per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. For the EU, that number is 16. For the US, it's 107. Other criteria for inclusion on the list include the credibility of a country's public-health reporting. Prohibiting American travelers will have significant consequences for the EU. Millions of US tourists visit countries in the bloc each year. As travel demand recovers and Americans seek to venture abroad again and as economies normally reliant on tourism seek to curb the fallout from the pandemic the exclusion of a large and lucrative group of tourists could be damaging. Similarly, European leisure travelers spend millions in the US each year. The US could leave its ban on travel from Europe in place as retaliation. Read the original article on Business Insider Last week, Austrias lower house of parliament voted to make Covid vaccines mandatory for almost everyone 18 and over. They did so because they are concerned about the low rate of vaccinated people in their country. Do you know their vaccination rate is about 71 per cent and they are this concerned? Our rate is just over 48 per cent. In the last couple of days, we have had over 1,000 new cases daily. Green Party MEPs Grace OSullivan and Ciaran Cuffe have welcomed the result of the Green Party membership vote on entering coalition government. The result of the vote saw 76% of the membership endorsing the Programme for Government and agreeing to enter into coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Also read: 'Not today, not tomorrow but real change is coming' vows Longford / Westmeath Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke The MEPs also called for unity as the Party takes on the serious responsibility of implementing the Programme for Government. Green MEP for Dublin Ciaran Cuffe said: I campaigned for a Yes vote because I believe that this Programme for Government could be transformative for Ireland. It gives us the opportunity to move from climate laggard to climate leader on the European stage and to do so in a fair and just way. I am delighted that party membership agreed with this and have given the programme a resounding endorsement. I have also listened to and understand many of the concerns articulated by my colleagues on the No side. I hope that those fears can be allayed in the coming months as the new Government gets to work. The road ahead will be extremely challenging, but I hope that we can travel it as a strong and united Party. This is a time to lead, to listen, and to build. We are in unprecedented times as we continue to manage the fall out of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, both social and economic. Myself, Grace and our teams will be working hard in the European Parliament to progress the European Green Deal and support our colleagues at home and find ways to create meaningful, sustainable social and environmental change. MEP for Ireland South Grace OSullivan said: While Im satisfied at the outcome, I think our focus now needs to be on sending a clear message to membership that we have reached this decision by means of a democratic process and now its time to move forward in unity. I campaigned for a yes vote, but also shared many of the concerns of those who chose to vote no. Over the past few weeks many members of the party have engaged in animated and occasionally divisive debate. If we are to play an effective part in creating the transformative social and environmental change we so badly need, we need to redouble our efforts and work together as engaged activists inside and outside the Oireachtas, supporting efforts and tackling our key issues together, with urgency and vigour. Like most entrepreneurs, Hiba Malik is a natural optimist, even in the face of a pandemic. So when she spent two months off work, while her business shut down, the Winnipeg esthetician saw it as a time for self-reflection. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Like most entrepreneurs, Hiba Malik is a natural optimist, even in the face of a pandemic. So when she spent two months off work, while her business shut down, the Winnipeg esthetician saw it as a time for "self-reflection." Yet despite finding silver linings during April and May when businesses like hers were mandated to stay closed the 26-year-old owner of Seven K Beauty Bar located in a Stage 6 Salon on Academy Road admits she had plenty of anxiety, too. "I was pretty worried how long it was going to last." Even today, back at work, her business is not out of the woods yet. "Honestly, in running your own business, theres a lot of overhead, pandemic or not, but the pandemic definitely has affected my income," Malik says, adding she earned about $600 after expenses in her first two weeks back at work. Thankfully, Malik adds, she was eligible for a new provincial loan program to help cover costs. "The landlords were very good to us at the salon," Malik says, noting they did not charge her rent when her business was shuttered. But, returning to work, she had to come up with rent after living off the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). "That just covered basic expenses, so the loan certainly helps." Malik is among thousands of entrepreneurs who have accessed the $120-million Manitoba Gap Protection Program (MGPP), launched in early May. It provides a one-time, $6,000 loan to small businesses. Particularly noteworthy is the program is available to sole proprietors often self-employed individuals (with business numbers, and collecting sales tax) with few if any employees whose business income is taxed as personal income like employed individuals. For much of the pandemic, many of these micro-business owners probably found themselves stuck between using CERB supporting workers, and the handful of federal programs aimed at keeping businesses open. Among them is the CEWS (Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy) replacing up to 75 per cent of employee wages for enterprises that have seen a 30 per cent drop in revenue. Yet it was often not helpful to self-employed, sole proprietors so small that they slipped through the net of qualifying criteria. The Manitoba Gap Protection Program or MGPP stepped in to fill the void for Manitoba businesses. But thus far it has largely flown under the radar, likely lost amid the deluge of government announcements daily for the last several weeks. Thats not to say it hasnt helped a lot of small businesses. As of mid-June, about 6,000 have received the loan, borrowing more than $36 million. But the lions share of the $120 million remains unclaimed. A lack of awareness might be one reason for low uptake to date (the deadline for applying in July 31). But so, too, might be confusion over its rules. While the government is clear the loan is not meant as a personal income replacement, wording on the provinces web page for the program is open to interpretation. For example, it cites qualifying businesses must be negatively affected by the preventive health measures to stem its spread. But it does not mention by how much. And its most notably beneficial aspect is one even Malik was unaware of at first: The MGPP loan is potentially forgivable. "I had no idea," she says. "From what I read, I thought I had to pay it back by March 2021." Indeed repayment is required of the no-interest loan in full by March 31 next year. But it only needs to be repaid under certain circumstances. Provincial officials speaking off the record noted repayment will be determined by January 31 once the government can ensure if a borrower qualifies or not for having the loan forgiven. The fact Malik and others are in the dark about the programs ins and outs isnt surprising given how new it is, says chartered professional accountant Greg Huzel, partner in the tax group at MNP in Winnipeg. So far, he hasnt "had to walk clients through" the program like he has with federal initiatives such as the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), providing interest-free loans to struggling businesses. "We typically dive into these things when clients ask about it." That hasnt been the case with the MGPP. After reviewing its materials online, however, he says, "there are a lot of questions that even I have about it." Among areas lacking clarity is the forgivable loan criteria. "If its a bit of a grey area, the concern for entrepreneurs is it could go either way." According to the province, the key condition for the loan being forgiven is the business or owner cannot receive more than $6,000 in federal pandemic relief benefits. An entrepreneur can receive as much as $6,000 this year from those programs, including CERB, and still have the loan forgiven. But if the individual or business receives just $1 more, the loan must be repaid in full. Despite being potentially helpful for entrepreneurs, Huzel suggests they should only use the money if truly they need it. "If its black and white that you qualify, why wouldnt you take it and go ahead and spend it as you see fit on your business?" he says. "But if youre not sure, my advice is to be prepared to pay it back." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Even if the loan is forgiven, owners should be aware the money is likely taxable, he adds. Even in this respect, its unclear if the money counts as taxable income for sole proprietors or it falls under forgivable loan rules in the Tax Act, which involves more nuanced taxation. Given the uncertainty, Malik says she plans to be very prudent with the money. "My thinking is not to spend all of it, just what I need, and keep the rest to pay it back," she says. Now knowing the loan is potentially forgivable puts her more at ease. "Thats awesome," Malik says. "It is likely going to help a lot because maybe it will cover rent again or I can save it for a second wave who knows what may come?" A Chinese-born sunglasses salesman and part-time Labor staffer is at the centre of a spying probe involving a NSW politician, it has been revealed. John Zhang is a part time staffer to Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane, whose home and office were raided on Friday by national security officials. The ASIO believes the Chinese Communist Party has attempted to infiltrate the NSW Parliament through a Labor backbencher's office. According to The Australian the investigation is focused on activities carried out by Mr Zhang, although Mr Moselmane is also a person of interest. Mr Zhang was probed by the Australian Federal Police and ASIO on Friday, with search warrants executed at his home and the Moorebank warehouse of his sunglasses business. NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane arriving at his Rockdale home in Sydney on Friday In 2013, Mr Zhang travelled to Beijing for a propaganda training course organised by the Chinese Communist Party. Mr Zhang, who joined Mr Moselmane's office in 2018, is also the former chairman of the Australian Shanghainese Association and has served as the vice-president of Australia China Economics, Trade and Culture Association. In April Mr Moselmane stood down as assistant president of the NSW upper house after praising Chinese President Xi Jinping's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying Mr Xi had demonstrated 'unswerving leadership' and decisiveness. On Friday he was questioned about potential Chinese state interference into Australian politics at the NSW Parliament. There have been no charges laid against Mr Moselmane or Mr Zhang. The Australian Federal Police confirmed on Friday search warrants were executed in Sydney as part of an ongoing investigation and that there was no threat to the community. Mr Moselmane's part-time staffer John Zhang was also probed by the Australian Federal Police and ASIO, with search warrants executed at his home and the Moorebank warehouse of his sunglasses business Shaoquett Moselmane is pictured with his wife Mika Fukuta NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay on Friday said she'd been told authorities including ASIO officers entered Mr Moselmane's Rockdale home, in Sydney's south, and have a warrant for his office. She confirmed Mr Moselmane's membership of NSW Labor had been suspended and the upper house MP will no longer sit in the parliamentary caucus. 'It's dreadfully concerning, it's terrible,' she said on Friday, adding one of Mr Moselman's staff may also be involved. 'I am very restricted in what I can and can't say. 'This investigation needs to run its course.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was aware of an investigation that had been going on for some time which 'elevated to a new level today.' He described the developments in Sydney as 'extremely serious'. Mr Moselmane has been a member of the NSW upper house since December 2009 and between 1995 and 2009 served four stints as Rockdale City Council mayor. Mr Moselmane lashed out at anti-China racism in Australia in an essay for the East China Normal University in February. Mr Moselmane's home in Sydney's south was raided by Australian Federal Police on Friday morning amid an investigation into Chinese influence over Australian politics 'Today, media xenophobia and full-scale war against China have become the norm,' he wrote in the opinion piece, seen by the Sydney Morning Herald. 'Today, the obsolete scum of 'white Australia' is once again flooding, and the theory of yellow fever has once again surfaced. 'Some mainstream media have bred and spread these racial viruses in our multicultural community with the purpose of inciting hatred.' In a video circulating on social media from earlier in the year, Mr Moselmane congratulated the Chinese government for how they handled the COVID-19 outbreak. 'The Chinese government should be commended for the immediate action they took,' he said. She's known for her laid-back sense of style. And Margaret Qualley cut a casual figure in a white utility-inspired jumpsuit as she headed to Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles to meet up with a group of pals on Friday. The Once Upon A Time in Hollywood star, 25, teamed the casual one-piece with trainers and a cap as she met up with her friends in the sunshine. Low-key: Margaret Qualley, 25, cut a casual figure in a white utility-inspired jumpsuit as she headed to Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles to meet up with a group of pals on Friday Margaret opted for the simple white jumpsuit with a zipped front and utility-inspired pockets as she met up with her pals to enjoy the warm LA weather. The daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, 62, swept her brunette tresses into a simple up-do tucked underneath her green cap. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Margaret has been isolating with her famous mother Andie, as well as her older sister Rainey Qualley, 30. Casual: The Once Upon A Time in Hollywood star teamed the casual one-piece with trainers and a cap as she headed out to enjoy the sunshine Back in March, the Death Note star was quarantining with her pal Cara Delevingne, as well as the model's then-girlfriend Ashley Benson, and friends Kaia Gerber and Tommy Dorfman. Margaret is also keeping busy during isolation, recently serving a live remote performance. She played the titular lovesick Capulet in Romeo and Juliet for a star-studded Zoom reading of the Shakespeare classic. Happy: Margaret met up with her pals in the park to enjoy some beers and snacks as they enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather Netflix's Hollywood star David Corenswet played Romeo, alongside Brandon Flynn, Jackie Cruz, Skylar Astin and Kathryn Gallagher. Margaret - who was praised for her performance in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood last year - will next appear in My Salinger Year, which has been acquired by IFC. The film oroginally premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February and co-stars Sigourney Weaver. It's based on Joanna Rakoff's memoir of the same name and follows a young writer in 1990s New York City who begins to work for author J.D. Salinger. The union health ministry has advised the Delhi government to carry out an assessment of every person to die of Covid-19 in the city to check many days before their death they had been brought to the hospital and from where. This assessment has to focus on whether the person was in home isolation and whether (s)he was admitted to a hospital at the right time, according to the health ministry. This comes days after a flip-flop by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on allowing home isolation in Delhi. The authority had initially mandated a five-day institutional isolation, then said all Covid-19 patients including asymptomatic and those with mild symptoms would have to visit the Covid Care Centre for an assessment. The decision to discontinue home isolation was taken to prevent deaths that took place when people reached late to hospitals. With Delhi reporting over 3,000 cases of the viral infection every day, the centre has stepped in to provide support for infrastructure, testing and consumables. A 1,000-bed field hospital has been created in Dhaula Kuan, which will start working from next week. The hospital has been constructed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and manned by Army doctors and paramedics. The hospital will have oxygen, ICU and ventilator beds as well as a referral relationship with AIIMS, New Delhi. Around 2,000 of the 10,000 beds in the Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre set up at Radha Soami Satsang Beas, Chattarpur, have been operationalised with the support of medical teams from the Central Armed Police Forces and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. The central government has also provided 425 ventilators for Delhi government-run hospitals. Over 11 lakh N-95 masks, almost 7 lakh PPE kits, and 44.8 lakh HCQ tablets (used by healthcare and frontline workers, and the caregivers of patients to prevent the infection). To ramp up testing in the city, the union health ministry, through ICMR, also approved a rapid antigen test and provided 50,000 kits to the Delhi government. The Delhi government has placed orders for another 6 lakh kits. The central government has also provided 4.7 lakh RT-PCR tests to 12 laboratories in Delhi, along with viral transport medium and extraction kits needed to do the test, according to a release by the union health ministry. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, June 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EarthCam, the leading provider of construction camera technology and services, today announced the GigapixelCam X2 robotic camera, a premium quality solution for jobsite monitoring, live streaming visualization and continuous security recording. EarthCams rugged new camera is mounted on an ultra-precise pan/tilt/zoom base and delivers fast, responsive control over 4G wireless networks. Construction professionals will enjoy an ideal balance of 4K picture quality, ease of use and affordability. The GigapixelCam X2 creates highly-detailed 360 five gigapixel multilayered panoramas, meeting the highest standards of archival documentation. Weve designed the GigapixelCam X2 as a no compromise, reliable visualization tool, said Brian Cury, CEO and Founder of EarthCam. This is the latest in a camera line-up that has been transforming the way companies monitor, document and promote their projects for more than two decades. The GigapixelCam X2 is a true multitasking camera, starting with ultra-sharp 4K live video captured with a wide angle Canon Zoom lens and streamed efficiently to multiple platforms, along with unlimited video clips that can be shared on-demand. Secondly, the X2 is unparalleled for still image capture, from five gigapixel panoramas that are automatically stitched together and multilayered from hundreds of images, to quick-shot 10 megapixel photographs that can be annotated and shared with stakeholders immediately. Thirdly, for security recording, up to 120 days can be continuously archived with the Edge Video Recorder. Intelligent monitoring and motion detection alerts make the GigapixelCam X2 like a 24hr onsite security guard. The high quality still and video output from the GigapixelCam X2 also lends itself to a myriad of artificial intelligence (AI) analytic applications that are already being used, for example, to track jobsite activity, worker safety or to flag environmentally unfriendly waste in dumpsters. Story continues For virtual design and construction teams, the GigapixelCam X2 integrates smoothly with leading building information modelling (BIM) software. EarthCam provides the unique capability to control live camera movement in sync with model navigation - when the camera moves, the model follows, and vice-versa, using bi-directional model navigation. Additionally, weather logs and daily reports can automatically be updated with sequential images within project management platforms such as Autodesk, PlanGrid and Procore. All this content from multiple tasks can be recalled at any time using Broadway Media Player, EarthCams browser-based interface capable of displaying nine different types of media, making impactful public outreach for every project milestone effortless. The GigapixelCam X2 enclosure is IP66/IP67 rated for use in all weather, and an optional wiper can be installed to deliver crystal clear, maintenance free images. Solar power can be used making it a truly versatile system that can be installed in difficult locations. Unlike dome cameras which have limited vertical viewing capability, the X2 captures full vertical views of the largest scale construction projects, such as skyscrapers, bridges and stadiums. Whatever the application for the GigapixelCam X2, its advanced camera technology and unique software is supported by EarthCams onsite installation teams and long-established, industry-leading customer support. For more information, visit GigapixelCam X2. About EarthCam EarthCam is the global leader in providing webcam content, technology and services. Founded in 1996, EarthCam provides live streaming video, time-lapse construction cameras and reality capture solutions for corporate and government clients. EarthCam leads the industry with the highest resolution imagery available, including the worlds first outdoor gigapixel panorama camera system. This patented technology delivers superior multi-billion pixel clarity for monitoring and archiving important projects and events. EarthCam has documented over a trillion dollars of construction projects around the world. The company is headquartered on a 10-acre campus in Northern New Jersey. Projects documented by EarthCam include: Hudson Yards, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Los Angeles SoFi Stadium, Las Vegas Allegiant Stadium, Golden State Warriors Chase Center, LaGuardia Airport, TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Panama Canal Expansion, Qatar Rail, The Jeddah Tower, 56 Leonard Street, 432 Park Avenue, Whitney Museum of American Art, Louvre in Abu Dhabi, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, One World Trade Center, Statue of Liberty Museum, and the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Learn more about EarthCams innovative solutions at www.earthcam.net. Attachment Francesca DePalo EarthCam 201-488-1111 press@earthcam.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:49:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Saturday said that 57 new cases of COVID-19 infections had been confirmed in the capital, the highest single-day count since the state of emergency was lifted on May 25. The number of people in the capital who have tested positive for the pneumonia-causing virus now stands at 6,054, the Tokyo metropolitan government said, with the latest increase marked the second straight day that the daily number in the capital has topped 50. Among the newly confirmed 57 cases, 41 are people in their 20s and 30s, accounting for around 70 percent of the total, officials said Saturday. Meanwhile, 21 are known to have been in close contact with confirmed cases, while transmission routes remain unknown for the remaining 36. Across the country, the confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 89 to reach 18,406, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities on Saturday. The number excludes the 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo. The death toll in Japan from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at a total of 985 people, according to the health ministry, with the figure including those from the cruise ship. The health ministry said there are currently a total of 49 patients considered severely ill and are on ventilators or in intensive care units. The ministry also said that in total, 17,110 people, including 658 from the cruise ship, have been discharged from hospitals after their symptoms improved. Enditem A man with significant links to dissident republicans has been shot dead in west Belfast. The man, who is understood to be known to the PSNI, was killed at Rodney Parade on Saturday afternoon. Detectives and local police are at the scene. SDLP west Belfast councillor Brian Heading said the brutal crime has caused immense shock in the area. He said: Police have locked down the street where the shooting took place. I would urge everyone to co-operate with PSNI officers as they investigate. Those responsible for this barbaric crime have no support here. They need to be caught and brought to justice. I would encourage anyone with information to bring it to the police as soon as possible. Tragically, we have witnessed another brutal murder in West Belfast. I have been on the ground speaking to residents in the area this afternoon and people are outraged at this horrific attack. Gerry Carroll (@GerryCarrollPBP) June 27, 2020 People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said: Tragically, we have heard of another brutal murder in west Belfast. I have been on the ground speaking to residents in the area this afternoon and people are outraged at this horrific attack. These barbaric actions heap pain and trauma on our community. They have no place in our society. Thoughts with the individual and their family. Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said the local man was shot dead in a brutal and shameful attack. He added: My thoughts are with the family of the man who has been killed. No family should have to go through this heartache. Those involved in this act have absolutely no place in our community, they must cease their anti-community activities and get off the back of the people of west Belfast. Those responsible must be held accountable before the courts. A police operation is ongoing in the St James area and I would appeal to anyone with information on this shooting to bring it forward to the PSNI. Former Met Police chief Lord Ian Blair (pictured) said there needs to be a 'public conversation' about the violence officers faced in recent weeks A former Met Police chief said there needs to be a 'public conversation' about the violence officers have faced in recent weeks. Lord Ian Blair said it 'cannot be right' that officers have been injured both during illegal lockdown raves and in Black Lives Matter protests this month. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It cannot be right that this level of injury to officers is seen as acceptable.' He added: 'This is not a normal situation where an occupation carries this sort of risk of injury every day.' On Wednesday night in Brixton, 22 officers were injured during clashes with a large crowd which Downing Street condemned as an 'appalling' scene and Home Secretary Patel dubbed 'utterly vile'. On Thursday, violence flared yet again as Metropolitan Police officers had objects thrown at them while attempting to disperse a crowd at an illegal music gathering near Notting Hill. A massive block party in Maida Vale took place yesterday afternoon as riot police shields and truncheons dodged missiles thrown at them Police formed a barricade and raised their shields as various missiles were thrown at them A massive block party took place in West Kilburn yesterday afternoon before moving to Maida Vale where riot police with shields and truncheons battled hundreds of revellers who threw missiles at them. Earlier this month, a police officer fell from her horse during a Black Lives Matter protest, leaving her with a broken collar bone, broken ribs and a collapsed lung. She was flung violently into traffic lights outside Downing Street in central London after a protester hurled a bike and other missiles at her horse, causing the animal to bolt riderless back down Whitehall. Two men set about vandalising a police car after a party in Brixton erupted into violence on Wednesday night Earlier this month, a police officer fell from her horse during a Black Lives Matter protest, leaving her with a broken collar bone, broken ribs and a collapsed lung Police speaking with revellers as illegal raves break out across the UK this week He added: 'That seen as the policewoman riding her horse and being smashed against the road sign because people were so angry is just not appropriate. 'Obviously this is a matter for courts and sentencing but I also think it is actually a matter for public conversation. This should not be like this.' Police chiefs this week warned that a pressure cooker is building up which could erupt into an orgy of violence this summer as lockdown ends. Forces have begun cancelling leave and bolstering public order units in anticipation of widespread drunken disorder on so-called Super Saturday when lockdown is officially lifted on July 4. Privately, many police chiefs are furious at Boris Johnsons decision to lift restrictions on a Saturday because they fear it will lead to a carnival atmosphere as pubs reopen and people can finally reunite with friends and families. Revellers packed Maida Vale after a crowd marched from a party in West Kilburn yesterday CHARLOTTETOWN - Canada's smallest province, which once branded itself the "gentle island," is seeing some not-so-gentle attitudes emerging toward people perceived to be from other provinces a phenomenon Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says is likely driven by COVID-19 fears. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Conferation Bridge is viewed from Borden-Carleton, P.E.I. on Friday, Sept. 27, 2013. Canada's smallest province, which once branded itself the "gentle island," is seeing some not-so-gentle attitudes emerging toward people perceived to be from other provinces, a phenomenon Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says is likely driven by COVID-19 fears. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan CHARLOTTETOWN - Canada's smallest province, which once branded itself the "gentle island," is seeing some not-so-gentle attitudes emerging toward people perceived to be from other provinces a phenomenon Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says is likely driven by COVID-19 fears. The province has been closed to all non-essential travellers since April 17 and only began allowing seasonal residents from within Canada to submit applications to travel there on June 1. These travel restrictions have been lauded as being key to keeping the virus contained to only 27 cases in total since the pandemic began now all recovered with no hospitalizations, no deaths and no community spread of the disease. But with cottage owners now arriving on the Island, several people with out-of-province licence plates have had their cars vandalized, have been confronted or have had nasty notes left for them in incidents known locally as "plate shaming." Miriam Leslie, a local pastor, is leasing a car with Nova Scotia licence plates and discovered a note left on her windshield earlier this month that said, "Go the (expletive) back to the mainland." In place of a signature, the author signed it from "all of P.E.I." "When we found the note after a visit to a beautiful park, it definitely was disappointing," Leslie said Saturday. Leslie has now placed a sign in her front and back windows indicating she is an Island resident, which she believes has helped avoid further conflicts. Other similar incidents have been reported on social media in recent weeks. Jordan Bujold, a student at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown, published a photo of her car on Facebook last week showing a large note in the window saying, "AVC student. Been here since January. Please don't damage my car again!" In an accompanying note, she says her car with New Brunswick licence plates had been keyed and that the same thing had happened to a woman she'd been speaking with who has Ontario plates. Others with out-of-town licence plates have reported being challenged in parking lots of grocery and retail stores by residents who quiz them on their travel history. These incidents come on the heels of weeks of heated debate among locals about the province's decision to allow seasonal residents to come to their cottages from provinces with active cases of the novel coronavirus. This debate has even spilled into the provincial legislature, with the Opposition and Green party leader Peter Bevan-Baker blaming Islanders' uncharacteristic hostility toward outsiders on the King government for what he believes has been inconsistent messaging. King acknowledges the province's initial four-phase plan to gradually lift restrictions has been more accelerated, but he maintains all decisions to ease restrictions have been made in consultation with the province's chief public health office. "From the beginning of this, we realized that we had to evolve and adapt every day on a lot of the decisions that we've been making," he said in an interview Saturday. "I certainly feel confident in the process that we put together from the position that everything has been based on the best data and science and the best public health information." He characterized the anti-outsider sentiment as "isolated incidents" and believes they were sparked by fear of the unknown triggered by a concerning resurgence of COVID-19 cases in some American states. "My own belief is that many people in our province and beyond have been watching events as they transpire around the world and maybe transporting that back here," he said. "For example if you see what's taking place in Florida, it's vastly different than what takes place here, so I think that's a big part of it." Next week, starting July 3, travel and self-isolation restrictions for people within the four Atlantic provinces will be lifted, thanks to an "Atlantic bubble" announced by the four Atlantic premiers this week. King says he hopes Atlantic tourists will remember how hospitable P.E.I. has always been in the past and not see these recent negative incidents as a disincentive to come to the Island. "Certainly it is my great hope that we will roll out the welcome mat for those who are visiting P.E.I.," King said. "The experience, if it is a little bit different because of COVID, I certainly hope it won't be any different from a hospitality situation." Leslie echoed this, noting that P.E.I.'s economy relies heavily on the tourism industry, which has been devastated by the pandemic's travel restrictions to date. "These are anxious times for everyone. My hope is people will feel welcomed as visitors from off- Island," she said. "If only we had not become afraid of each other during these months, perhaps people could feel more at ease." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2020. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version mistakenly said seasonal residents were allowed to arrive starting June 1. The pedestal where the statue of Confederate general Albert Pike remains empty after it was toppled by protesters at Judiciary square in Washington, DC on June 20, 2020 The pedestal where the statue of Confederate general Albert Pike remains empty after it was toppled by protesters at Judiciary square in Washington, DC on June 20, 2020 Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images The Trump administration is pressuring social media outlets to take action against posts that encourage toppling statues and other "criminal activity" amid nationwide protests. The Department of Homeland Security sent a series of letters to companies including Facebook, Apple, Google, Twitter, and Snapchat encouraging them to take action against such posts. Business Insider obtained copies of the letters, which were sent Friday. The letters do not take issue with any specific posts, but claim that social media has encouraged "burglary, arson, aggravated assault, rioting, looting, and defacing public property." Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. As protests against police brutality and racism stretch into their fourth week across the US, the Trump administration is pressuring tech companies to take action against posts that encourage the toppling of statues, describing them as "criminal activity." Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf sent letters to companies including Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Snapchat Friday. They claim that social media sites have enabled "burglary, arson, aggravated assault, rioting, looting, and defacing public property," according to copies of the letters obtained by Business Insider. Related: 15,000 rallied in support of Black trans lives in Brooklyn "It is up to you to decide how to handle content on your platforms. I hope you will do your part in countering the misuse of your platforms to promote, incite, and coordinate criminal activity that threatens the security of all Americans," Wolf wrote in a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Protesters have torn down or vandalized dozens of statues across the US in the past month. The majority of them were monuments to Confederate soldiers, which protesters see as a glorification of slavery. Story continues The DHS letters to tech companies don't mention any specific posts, but rather ask the platforms to "put an end" to posts that encourage the vandalism. The letters were firstA reported by The Washington Post. A Twitter spokesperson told Business Insider it received the letter and intends to respond, but did not comment further. Representatives for Apple, Google, Facebook, and Snapchat did not respond to requests for comment. President Donald Trump has railed against protesters over the past month, and has repeatedly clashed with tech companies in the process. After Trump tweeted about protests that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts," Twitter applied a disclaimer to his tweet stating that it broke Twitter's rules against glorifying violence, igniting more fury from the president. Twitter applied a similar label to a more recent Trump tweet threatening "serious force" against DC protesters. More recently, Trump tweeted that he wants to imprison protesters for 10 years as punishment for destroying monuments. Read the original article on Business Insider MIAMI As coronavirus cases surge across much of the United States, leaders are urgently rethinking their strategies to curb the spread, which the nations top infectious disease expert said Friday were not working. For the first time, some governors are backtracking on reopening their states, issuing new restrictions for parts of the economy that had resumed. Leaders in Texas and Florida abruptly set new restrictions on bars, a reversal that appeared unthinkable just days ago. And Gov. Gavin Newsom of California told rural Imperial County, where hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients, that it must reinstate a stay-at-home order, the most restrictive of requirements. More than 44,000 new cases were reported Friday in the United States, according to a New York Times database. It was the third day in a row that the country set a daily record during the pandemic. At least six states Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Oregon, South Carolina and Utah hit daily highs Friday, but even leaders outside of the new hot zones in the South and West expressed mounting anxiety. This is a very dangerous time, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio said Friday as cases were trending steadily upward in his state after appearing to be under control for more than a month. I think what is happening in Texas and Florida and several other states should be a warning to everyone. We have to be very careful, he said. The stock market responded badly, with the S&P 500 dropping 2.4%. Losses accelerated after the Texas announcement, adding to investors concerns that the virus continued to be a threat to the economy. The shifting assessments of the nations handling of the virus stretched to the highest levels of the federal government, where Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made clear that the standard approach to controlling infectious diseases testing sick people, isolating them and tracing their contacts was not working. The failure, he said, was in part because some infected Americans are asymptomatic and unknowingly spreading the virus but also because some people exposed to the virus are reluctant to self-quarantine or have no place to do so. In a brief interview Friday, he said officials were having intense discussions about a possible shift to pool testing, in which samples from many people are tested at once in an effort to quickly find and isolate the infected. Fauci also issued an urgent warning that while coronavirus infections were spiking mostly in the South, those outbreaks could spread to other regions. Even in the face of the alarming news, the White House continued to praise its own efforts. We have made truly remarkable progress in moving our nation forward, Vice President Mike Pence said at what has become a rare public briefing by the coronavirus task force in Washington. Weve all seen the encouraging news as we open up. Pence did not wear a mask, although the health officials around him did. The renewed sense of urgency comes as the United States confronts a new, treacherous phase of the pandemic, no longer defined by a crisis concentrated in New York City, but by rising cases in many cities and states. Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas reported their highest single-day totals of new known cases this week, and the United States set records for daily new cases on both Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday, new daily cases were rising in 29 states. From Miami to Los Angeles, mayors were contemplating slowing or reversing their plans to return cities to public life. On Friday, San Francisco announced it was delaying plans to reopen zoos, museums, hair salons, tattoo parlors and other businesses Monday, citing a spike in new cases. Our numbers are still low but rising rapidly, Mayor London Breed wrote on Twitter, adding, I know people are anxious to reopen I am too. But we cant jeopardize the progress weve made. Mayor Carlos Gimenez of Miami-Dade County said late Friday that he would sign an emergency order closing beaches from July 3 to July 7, citing the surge of cases and fears about mass gatherings during the holiday weekend. Parks and beaches will be closed to fireworks displays, and gatherings of more than 50 people, including parades, will be banned. The closure may be extended if conditions do not improve, he said in a statement, adding, I have decided that the only prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk. The decisions in Texas and Florida to revert to stronger restrictions represented the strongest acknowledgment yet that reopening had not gone as planned in two of the nations most populous states, where only days ago their Republican governors were adamantly resisting calls to close back down. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas placed the states reopening on pause while remaining firm that going backward and closing down businesses was the last thing we want to do. But by Friday, he did just that, ordering bars closed and telling restaurants to limit themselves to 50% capacity rather than 75%. If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars, Abbott said in an interview with KVIA-TV in El Paso on Friday evening. People go to bars to get close and to drink and to socialize, he said. And thats the kind of thing that stokes the spread of the coronavirus. So sure, in hindsight, it may have been better to slow the opening of the bar setting. Eight weeks ago, Abbott started a phased-in reopening of Texas, when the state had reported about 29,000 cases and more than 800 deaths. Bars had been allowed to open since late May. New cases and hospitalizations have increased significantly in recent days in Houston, San Antonio and other large cities. By Friday, Texas had more than 130,000 known coronavirus cases and more than 2,300 deaths, and the leader of the third-largest county in America Harris County, which is home to Houston had deemed the region to be on a code-red coronavirus threat level. We find ourselves careening toward a catastrophic and unsustainable situation, the top elected official in Harris County, Lina Hidalgo, said at a news conference. She said the current hospitalization rate was on pace to overwhelm the hospital system in the near future. In Florida, the speed of the viruss growth was dizzying: State officials reported 8,942 new coronavirus cases Friday, by far outpacing its earlier single-day record of 5,508 cases, which had been set Wednesday. Officials announced limits on bars, immediately banning alcohol consumption on the premises. Bars can still sell food if they are licensed to do so, but their facilities must remain at 50% capacity. The return to stricter limits left local officials worried whether residents would follow the rules, especially now, months into the crisis. People are tired of being in a stay-at-home environment, and theyre not going to be compliant, said Carlos Migoya, president and chief executive of the public Jackson Health System in Miami. You cant put the genie back in the bottle. Weve got to deal with it being in the environment. Pete Boland, who co-owns the Galley, a restaurant and bar in St. Petersburg, Florida, was sorting through the details of Floridas latest order Friday to determine what the rules will be for establishments that also serve food. He had just reopened Wednesday, following a professional deep cleaning after some employees fell ill with the virus. I dont know if we can continue to do this: open, closing, open, closing, he said. You have people who desire to socialize and to earn and to live and to have some fun in this crazy world. In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey has held out on setting new limits in his state, even as cases there surged past 66,000, with an average of 2,750 new cases per day. He warned this week that hospitals were likely to hit surge capacity soon, but he has remained opposed to backtracking on reopening. This is not another executive order to enforce, and its not about closing businesses, he said this week. This is about public education and personal responsibility. Still, shutting down businesses again in Arizona is not out of the question, Daniel Ruiz, the states chief operating officer, said Friday. We want to treat that like a last resort, Ruiz said. Its a tool in the toolbox, but its something that were going to use very judiciously. California, which had the first stay-at-home order in the nation this spring, has surpassed 200,000 cases, and on Friday, Newsom announced new restrictions on Imperial County, which has the states highest rate of infection. The county has exceeded its hospital capacity so severely that some 500 patients have had to be moved to beds elsewhere, and hospitals as far away as the Bay Area have been seeing Imperial County patients. This disease does not take a summer vacation, said Newsom, noting that at least 15 of Californias 58 counties were being monitored closely as the virus surges. In Los Angeles County, health officials estimate that every 400th person may currently be infected. Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles said he planned to wait three to five days before deciding whether to pull back on the citys reopening. Were not in the red zone but were in the yellow zone, the mayor said Friday. From case counts to hospitalizations, he said, the citys metrics are moving in the wrong direction, in part because of a patchwork of responses in neighboring areas. Garcetti said he would like health officials in the state, the county and the surrounding region to come to a consensus strategy. If you dont move together, theres no point in being the lone holdout, he said. If you dont have an entire region working together, who cares if you keep your gyms closed? This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Ancestors are watching today, Niambi Aaliyah McCoy Thursday told the crowd of about 75 people who gathered in front of the statue of Christopher Columbus in a park in Trenton that bears his name. The demonstrators were there to decry police violence, and call for the removal of the statue. This isnt a protest, McCoy said. So if you came out here to just hold signs, and do chants, we are not here for that. We are here to libate, educate and liberate. McCoy then poured some water on the ground, echoing a libation, a pouring of a liquid or grain such as rice, a ritual common in many religions of antiquity. In African cultures, the ritual of pouring libation is an essential ceremonial tradition and a way of paying homage to ancestors. The movement in Trenton comes as Columbus statues across the state have been splattered with red, and others have been taken down. The one in Trenton was vandalized last week, and has since been covered up. We have these babies here that have to come to this park and walk past this statue every day, she said. So I want you internalize that this man that we glorify in the Chambersburg section of Trenton, New Jersey, raped and abused women who looked just like me. And he does not have a place here in Trenton. Once widely celebrated as the first European to land in the Americas, Columbus has come under scrutiny in recent years for atrocities he and his crew committed on indigenous populations. Several towns across the state have debated whether Columbus Day should be renamed. ALSO: Competing groups of protesters converge on Christopher Columbus statue in Essex County Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, speaking in a News12 report after last weeks vandalism of the statue, expressed a desire to not destroy it. It could be boxed up and removed, he said. Thats going to be a community discussion were going to have. Right now we are going through a lot of social unrest and Americans are insisting that history be accurate. Organizer Niambi Aaliyah McCoy speaks in front of the boarded-up base of the statue. Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Organizer Niambi Aaliyah McCoy speaks at Columbus Park in Trenton, during a call to action event to get the statue of Christopher Columbus removed. Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Jordan Csillan, who grew up in Chambersburg, speaks from the base of the statue.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Demonstrators on the Hamilton Avenue side of the park.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Michael Mancuso may be reached at mmancuso@njadvancemedia.com. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 22:33:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Tokyo: 57 new cases -- highest single-day count since state of emergency was lifted on May 25 Kyrgyzstan: head of Kyrgyz presidential administration contracts COVID-19 Iran: 2,456 new cases in past 24 hours, total number at 220,180 Moscow: 6,852 new cases in past 24 hours, total number at 627,646 BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - Visitors are seen at the sightseeing spot Asakusa in Tokyo, Japan, June 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi) TOKYO -- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Saturday said that 57 new cases of COVID-19 infections had been confirmed in the capital, the highest single-day count since the state of emergency was lifted on May 25. The number of people in the capital who have tested positive for the pneumonia-causing virus now stands at 6,054, the Tokyo metropolitan government said, with the latest increase marked the second straight day that the daily number in the capital has topped 50. - - - - People wearing face masks walk on a street in Tehran, Iran, June 23, 2020. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) TEHRAN -- Iran reported 2,456 new cases over the past 24 hours, taking the total confirmed novel coronavirus cases to 220,180 on Saturday, according to official IRNA news agency. Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, said during her daily update on Saturday that out of the new cases overnight, 1,139 have been hospitalized. - - - - Dosaly Esenaliev, head of the Kyrgyz presidential administration. BISHKEK -- Dosaly Esenaliev, head of the Kyrgyz presidential administration, has contracted COVID-19, the president's press service said on Saturday. After eight employees of the presidential administration tested positive for COVID-19 several days ago, all the employees have undergone medical tests, it said. - - - - DHAKA -- Bangladesh reported over 3,500 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total in the country to nearly 134,000. Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing Saturday afternoon that "3,504 new COVID-19 positive cases and 34 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh." - - - - HONG KONG -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported on Saturday one new case of COVID-19, taking the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong to 1,197. The newly reported case involves a 39-year-old female who had a travel history to the Philippines during the incubation period. - - - - DAKAR -- Senegal's COVID-19 deaths surpassed 100 since the outbreak of the pandemic, the country's health ministry announced on Saturday. In the past 24 hours, Senegal registered four additional deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the death toll up to 102, Senegalese health minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr said during the daily briefing. - - - - A woman takes photos of a projection honoring volunteers on the Kremlin wall during celebrations of Russia day, in Moscow, Russia, on June 12, 2020. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua) MOSCOW -- Russia has confirmed 6,852 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, raising its total number of infections to 627,646, its coronavirus response center said in a statement Saturday. The death toll grew by 188 to 8,969, while 393,352 people have now recovered, including 9,200 over the last 24 hours, according to the statement. The Minority in Parliament is demanding the withdrawal of military personnel deployed to some eastern border towns. The military personnel have been sighted in the Volta Region, Oti Region, Northern Region, Upper East Region and Upper West Region. But the Minority indicated that they were more concerned with happenings in the Volta Region, especially the Ketu North and South districts. The Minority MPs who are members of the opposition National Democratic Congress fear the deployment of the soldiers is meant to intimate citizens in the affected regions, which are known to be NDC strongholds, ahead of the voter registration exercise next week. There is a certain scheme which is designed by the government to intimidate our teeming supporters from coming out in their numbers to register and have their names on the new voter register, the Minority Spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga, said to the press. He maintained that the deployment was uncalled for because after all, we are all aware that our borders were shut down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is this second wave of employment meant to achieve? Is there a threat of aggression from our neighbouring countries, he questioned further. One of the soldiers tents erected in the border communities He thus charged President Akufo-Addo to immediately cause to be withdrawn the massive deployment we are witnessing along our borders. On the suggestions that this deployment was to secure Ghanas borders because of the pandemic, Mr. Agalga said that COVID-19 did not start today. The hotspots are not in the Volta Region. It is here in Accra, he added. Residents along the Ghana-Togo border in the southern part of the Volta Region told Citi News they are living in fear due to the presence of soldiers along the border. Mr. Agalga also said the Minority has heard a lot of complaints from the Volta Region. The people are scared. They are intimidated and yet we know of no major security threat along that particular frontier. ---citinewsroom China: 200 communist officials demolish church, beat Christians Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian man was arrested and at least two women were injured in Chinas Henan province after 200 communist officials stormed into Sunzhuang Church, which is part of a network of government-run churches, and brought it down using cranes and heavy-duty machinery. The officials from the Zhengzhou High-Tech Districts Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau did not show any legal documents when they demolished the church on June 12, the U.S.-based group China Aid said in a statement this week. They threw the churchs furniture and other belongings out of the building before razing it, reported China Aid, which helps those who are persecuted by the Communist Party in China. A Christian woman who tried to resist the officials lost consciousness after being pushed to the ground. She and another female member of the church who was beaten had to be hospitalized, the group said, and a male church attendee was taken into custody. Sunzhuang Church joined the Three-Self Patriotic Movement in June 2012, when the communist government allowed it to build a new church building. After the building had been constructed in June 2013, the church received eviction and demolition notices from the Sunzhuang village authorities. China Aid said the 2013 decision to demolish the church was made without the villagers' consent and authorities were barred from carrying out the demolition at the time. Instead, vehicles owned by Henan province threw tons of dirt and rocks at the churchs doorway. Officials also cut off electricity and water to the church. The Italian-based magazine Bitter Winter, a publication produced by the Center for Studies on New Religion which covers human rights issues in China, reported earlier this month that authorities removed crosses from more than 250 state-sanctioned churches in Anhui province between January and April. All Christian symbols are ordered to be removed as part of the governments crackdown campaign, a provincial employee from Maanshan city was quoted as saying. Chinas crackdown on religion and religious minorities has drawn scrutiny from international actors such as the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, rights groups, and the U.S. State Department. In its 2020 annual report, USCIRF noted that not only have authorities removed crosses from churches across the nation, but they have also banned youth age 18 and younger from participating in religious services. Reports have also indicated that authorities have required that some churches remove pictures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary inside of their buildings and replace them with images of President Xi Jinping. On Open Doors USAs World Watch List, China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians. The organization notes that all churches are perceived as a threat if they become too large, too political, or invite foreign guests. Gina Goh, a regional manager for International Christian Concern in Southeast Asia, recently said that China had resumed its crackdown on Christianity after the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic had reduced. In recent weeks, we have seen an increased number of church demolitions and cross removals on state-sanctioned churches across China, as house church gatherings continue to face interruption and harassment. It is deplorable that the local authorities not only conducted this raid without proper procedure but deployed excessive use of force against church members and bystanders, she said. New Delhi: The huge swarms of locusts attacked Delhi and the neighboring places on Saturday (June 27) forcing the official authorities to issue high alerts and precautionary measures. In the national capital, the south and west districts have been put on high alert and the Development Secretary, Divisional Commissioner and Director Agriculture & Horticulture have been ordered to take necessary steps. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Delhi issued precautionary measures that may keep the swarms of locusts away from the fields. The following are the measures that the farmers can take: - Beat utensils to make clanging noises to keep the insects away from the fields. - Make drains on the edge of the field and fill it with water. - Use the light trap. - Burn dried chilli that helps in producing a poisonous smell and the swarms of locusts run away from it. You can also try burning the chilli powder with grass and add some oil to it. - You can also try lighting up a fire so that the smoke can keep away the insects from the fields. - Insecticides that you can use per hectare in 400l of water: - 800ml of Lambda-cyhalothrin 5% EC - 1.2l of Chloropyriphos 50% - 1.85L OF Malathion 50 EC - 400ml of Prefronil 400 - 10 kg of Fenvalerate powder Notably, the swarms of locusts that are usually in lakhs cover around 100-150 km in a day and on average, one swarm of locusts eat the food of over 10 elephants, 25 camels, and 2,500 people in a day. Locusts usually take shelter on trees from sunset to sunrise. Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said, "Locust swarm was noticed in Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) on June 26 morning and control teams were deployed to eliminate locusts. Leftover locusts reached Rewari (Haryana) yesterday evening where control operations were undertaken till early today morning." They added, "Leftover locusts again regrouped and swarm divided into three groups, one of which moved towards Gurugram, and from there to Faridabad and onwards to Uttar Pradesh. Another locust swarm moved towards Dwarka in Delhi. From there to Daulatabad, Gurugram, Faridabad and this swarm has also entered UP. The third group was seen in Palwal (Haryana) and has also moved towards UP. As of now, no locust swarms are spotted in any city areas." Earlier in May, the crop-destroying swarms had rattled Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced an investigation into alleged dumping of tyre imports from Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). The DOC said it was also initiating a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of imports of passenger vehicle and light truck (PVLT) tyres from Vietnam. The investigation was initiated following an application filed in May and lodged by the United Steelworkers (USW) representing workers at US tyre plants. The department said the alleged dumping margins range from 106 to 217.5 percent for Thailand, 43 to 195 percent for the Republic of Korea, 21 to 116 percent for Taiwan, and 5 to 22 percent for Vietnam. The MoITs Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam (TRAV) said it has worked with ministries and businesses to provide the US with the most accurate information on development policies of the rubber industry, production costs and selling prices of tyre producers. Last year, the US imported tyres worth 4 billion USD from the four countries and territories. Of which, export turnover from Vietnam was 500 million USD. Tyre exports to the US increased by 20 percent in comparison with those of 2017. TRAV said trade-restrictive measures, notably anti-dumping and anti-subsidies, have increased rapidly recently. In the first half of this year, the ministry dealt with 176 trade defence cases applied by foreign countries to goods exported from Vietnam. It has sent warnings to localities and businesses to be cautious in their exports, especially when there was a surge in turnover. The ministry asked the Vietnamese exporters to provide information to the US and answering questionnaires timely. The investigations were expected to be carried out within 12 months and could extend another six months. During the investigation, the DOC may make preliminary conclusions and apply provisional anti-dumping and countervailing measures. Most recently, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) initiated an anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigation on Chinese plywood products imported from Vietnam on June 17. Export turnover of this product to the US was about 300 million USD last year./. 10,964 patients have been hospitalized since the first case was reported , most of them at Minsa hospitals attached to regional governments, or at healthcare facilities run by the Armed Forces and National Police. Only 1,223 were treated in private clinics. Of this total (10,964), 7,638 have been discharged from hospitals. However, when considering the number of COVID-19 positive patients who have been released from home isolation, the total number of discharges increases to 159,806. Mechanical ventilation is a therapeutic method that is used to mechanically assist patients spontaneous breathing when it is ineffective or absent. In this case, a patient can be assisted by a mechanical ventilator or a person manually pumping the bellows. According to the cumulative number of cases, only 1,172 patients (10.69%) have required mechanical ventilation since the pandemic began. As for the death toll, the Friday report indicates that the number of deaths had grown to 8,939, that means 178 new victims compared to Thursday The majority of these victims (71%) were men and 29% were women. Moreover, most deaths occurred in patients between 50 and 80 years of age. (END) RRC/RMB/MVB 89.3% of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in public and private health facilities have not required mechanical ventilation during the pandemic period, according to the Health Ministry's COVID-19 situation report.Published: 6/27/2020 Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:17:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday urged the Iranian Judiciary's steadfast fight with corruption, state TV reported. Khamenei made the remarks in a video conference meeting with the officials of the Judiciary. The Iranian leader expressed his satisfaction with the Judiciary's resolve and "legal" measures against corruption over the past year. "The anti-corruption fight without negligence offers hope to the people as financial and economic corruption, like the coronavirus, are very dangerous and highly contagious," Khamenei was quoted as saying. In the meantime, the Judiciary should base its determination in fighting corruption on the values like "rights, justice and law, with no encroachment and oppression of innocent people," he added. Over the past year, the Iranian Judiciary has launched a major campaign against economic and financial corruption within and beyond the executive systems of the country. Enditem By PTI CHANDIGARH: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday slammed the Congress-led government in Punjab, accusing it of trying to mislead farmers over the issue of ordinances related to the farm sector. While reiterating that the minimum support price regime will continue to stay, the Union minister said after the implementation of these ordinances, the farmers' income will grow. Attacking the Congress- led dispensation, Tomar said Punjab was moving towards bankruptcy and lagging behind in development under its regime and alleged that the ruling party has failed to fulfil its key promises of waiving complete farmers' loan and jobs for unemployed youths. Tomar's statement came days after many political parties, barring the BJP and the SAD, in Punjab pitched for the withdrawal of the three ordinances, dubbing them as anti-farmers. The Centre had recently promulgated three ordinances -- the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance. Addressing a virtual rally organised by the Punjab unit of BJP, Tomar said unlike other producers, farmers till now had no freedom to sell crops at their price. Farmers had to go to mandis and license holders purchased their crop and they decided the price of their produce, said Tomar. Farmers could not carry out inter-state trade either but traders could make profit by selling their crop at higher prices, said Tomar. What is farmers' fault and why is this restriction imposed on them? he asked. He said farmers now could sell their produce from any place be it home, field, warehouse or cold storage. There is no tax on sale and purchase of farm produce undertaken outside mandis, he said. Asserting that state mandis and state laws will stay, Tomar said farmers had now freedom to sell crops either in mandis or outside mandis. Tomar also alleged that Congressmen were trying to confuse farmers over the issue of ordinances. I want to ask whether farmers will not benefit if mandi tax on them is removed and if they sell their produce at their own rates, asked Tomar. But Congressmen are trying to mislead the people of Punjab and I want to tell them that the Modi government was committed to welfare of farmers, villages and the poor, he said. After the implementation of this Act (ordinances), farmers' income will grow and they will get the right price of their produce, he asserted. As far as MSP is concerned, it will continue to stay, he said. Tomar also attacked the Congress-led regime over its poll promises made before coming to power in 2017. In Punjab, there is a Congress government and Captain sahib (Amarinder Singh) is chief minister, he said. He said the Congress had promised complete waiver of farmers' loans besides promising jobs for each unemployed and making Punjab a drug-free state. But I am pained to state that neither farmers' debt was waived, nor unemployment was eliminated or Punjab became drug-free, alleged Tomar. Under the Congress regime, Punjab is moving towards bankruptcy. Corruption is rampant in the state and Punjab is lagging behind in development. The Congress government is fully responsible for this, he said. The Union minister said the Central government had always provided assistance for development projects in Punjab. Notably, on June 24, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had convened an all-party meeting to evolve a consensus on the three recent ordinances. The ruling Congress in the state had expressed apprehensions that these ordinances were a precursor to the disbanding the MSP regime and the assured marketing system. The Congress had also said the 'agriculture' and 'markets' are state subjects and these ordinances were against the spirit of Cooperative Federalism. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Overland Park saw its sales tax revenue decline more than any other city in Kansas during the pandemic's shutdown. The Johnson County suburb saw its sales tax collections decline 17.8% during April from the same period a year ago, the Lawrence Journal-World reports. Overland Park has the largest collection of shopping malls in the area. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 12:02:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is ahead in the polls, but experts said the winner of the 2020 race to the White House is still far from a done deal. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recent civil unrest, U.S. President Donald Trump has come under severe criticism on a number of fronts. A New York Times/Siena College poll released this week shows Biden with a strong, 14-point advantage, at a time when Trump is still fighting the coronavirus, as well as dealing with the economy, badly hit by the nationwide lockdown. The lockdown triggered by the pandemic has put millions of Americans out of work, and the jobless rate now stands at levels not seen since the Great Depression nearly 90 years ago. Many Americans still support Trump, as his administration rolled back years of red tape and regulations that slowed economic growth. But now, the thriving economy with a constant growth and a low level unemployment rate in the past recent years has been erased, and the president is racing against the clock to get the economy moving forward again in the next crucial months before November's elections. While Trump has maintained the economy will bounce back in a so-called "V shape", many economists are skeptical. Moreover, Trump's personal style may be a turn-off to many voters, although his supporters love his outspoken and sometimes outlandish persona. "The emotional basis for Trump's campaign is: things are bad, this is the fault of bad people... Such people are trying to stop me from fixing what's wrong. Join me and I'll crush them and then I'll make things better," Clay Ramsay, a senior research associate at the Center for International and Security Studies at University of Maryland, told Xinhua. At the same time, there are a number of worries for the White House. U.S. media is reporting a spike of COVID-19 confirmed cases in some U.S. states. And while that may simply reflect increased testing, the public may be fearful of going back to restaurants and movie theaters, or frequenting businesses in which they come into close contact with others. Those fears were reflected by the plunging U.S. markets this week. However, there are several X factors, one of which is that polls showing Biden ahead might not predict the general election, as there is evidence that while many Americans may not openly admit they support Trump, they support him in private. At the same time, polling guru Nate Silver, of the website FiveThirtyEight, told ABC News on Sunday that it's still possible for Trump to clinch the White House by winning the electoral college vote, as he did in 2016. There is also the issue of the protests that swept the nation in recent weeks, amid calls to defund the police. While Biden has openly said he does not support defunding the police, that nuance may be lost on a U.S. public that only sees images of radical protesters in the street. GOP Strategist and TV news personality Ford O'Connell told Xinhua that Democrats now realize they are "playing with fire," as calls to defund the cops are echoing in the Democratic Party's left wing. If that continues, "that is certainly winning more and more voters over to Donald Trump's law and order side," O'Connell said. Enditem Update: Tom Jones, a parishioner of St. Marks Episcopal Church in New Canaan, and resident of the town, was back for a continued discussion about Race in America in a livestream forum titled: Talking About Race in America, via the churchs website with the Rev. Peter Walsh, Sunday, June 28, 2020. They were also joined by Lisa Leist, (pictured), also a parishioner. It began at 9 a.m. and went until 9:47 a.m. It will continue in another form on another date, according to Father Peter. Viewers were asked to submit questions, during the livestream via the St. Marks website. Original story: St. Marks Episcopal Churchs livestream forum, Talking About Race in America, took place from 9 to 9:49 a.m. on Sunday, June 21. The last two weeks have featured Rev. Peter Walsh interviewing parishioner and New Canaan resident Tom Jones. This weekend they were joined by parishioner Lise Leist. They were joined by parishioner Lise Leist, director of Post Secondary Education for Future 5. She is responsible for engagement, development and membership experience for Future 5, which works with Stamford area high school students. She champions Future 5s mission: To unlock the potential of every student, playing a critical role in helping all with his or her college career transition, while developing and providing opportunities for financial support through local and national community organizations. Leist brings 20 years of leadership experience across multiple industries and scales of business. Prior to joining Future 5, she served as dean of Community Affairs for the King School in Stamford. She also teaches Etiquette and Protocol for students, adults and businesses. Leist and her husband of 40 years, Jeff, live in Pound Ridge, N.Y. They are parents of children, Zach and Anya. Leist and her family have been members of St. Marks for 20 years. Jones is author of From Willard Straight to Wall Street, which provides a front row seat to the author's triumphs and struggles as he was twice investigated by the SEC, and emerged unscathed. His searing perspective as an African-American navigating a world dominated by Whites reveals a father, a husband, a trusted colleague, a Cornellian, and a business leader who confronts life with an unwavering resolve that defies cliche and offers a unique perspective on the issues of race in America today, according to a press release. Jones is founder and senior partner of the venture capital investment firm TWJ Capital LLC. He served as chief executive officer of Global Investment Management at Citigroup; vice-chairman, president and chief operating officer at TIAA-CREF; and senior vice president and treasurer at the John Hancock Insurance Company. Jones received masters degrees from Cornell University, and Boston University, and holds honorary doctoral degrees from Howard University, Pepperdine University, and the College of New Rochelle. He is trustee emeritus at Cornell University. He and his wife Addie have been members at St. Marks for over 25 years. Viewers were asked to submit questions during the livestream via the St. Marks website. St. Marks plan to continue this series through the summer. An outdoor 9 a.m. service is scheduled to begin Sunday, July 5. Iceland's President Gudni Johannesson won a landslide election on Sunday, according to partial results, after the European country became the second to hold polls since coronavirus lockdowns were lifted. Since suffering spectacular bank failures in 2008, the volcanic North Atlantic island of 365,000 inhabitants has recovered some economic and political stability, which has worked in the 52-year-old president's favour. Early results late Saturday suggested Johannesson had secured a second four-year mandate with 90 percent of the votes, seeing off a challenge from rightwinger Gudmundur Franklin Jonsson. "I am honoured and proud," the president told AFP from his election night headquarters at Reykjavik's Grand Hotel. "This result of this election is, to me, proof of the fact that my fellow Icelanders... have approved of how I have approached this office." Opinion polls had predicted Jonsson had little chance of winning the support of the country, which has 252,217 eligible voters. "I send my congratulations to Gudni and his family," Jonsson, a former Wall Street broker close to Icelandic nationalists, told public broadcaster RUV. - Largely symbolic role - In this parliamentary republic, the president is largely symbolic, but he or she does have the power to veto legislation or submit it to a referendum. Several voters told AFP that "character" is a key criterion in choosing a candidate. "I try to read the character of the person," said Sigurbjrg Hansen, 57. "If the person is honest, that's number one for me." Voter surveys have since early June have predicted a landslide victory for Johannesson, an independent and former history professor. The coronavirus pandemic was not expected to affect voting, as the country has been only mildly infected. It has reported 10 deaths, and currently has around 11 active cases. - 'Not pompous, not very formal' - Johannesson, who in 2016 became the country's youngest president since independence in 1944, has enjoyed solid support throughout most of his first term, ranging from 76 to 86 percent according to the MMR polling institute. "He has been seen as a man of the people, not pompous, not very formal. So Icelanders seem to like him and want to keep him as president," said Olafur Hardarson, a political science professor at the University of Iceland. Jonsson has struggled meanwhile to make inroads with voters. The 56-year-old challenger has run a hotel in Denmark since 2013 and is a fan of US President Donald Trump. Jonsson entered politics in 2010 when he founded the rightwing populist movement Haegri graenir. He wants the president to play a more active role by exercising his right to veto legislation. That power has only been used three times, by Olafur Grimsson who served from 1996 to 2016. Grimsson also organised two referendums on compensating foreigners who lost money when an Icelandic bank went under in 2008. According to experts however, Iceland's constitution is ambiguous in particular regarding the president's role in calling snap elections and dissolving parliament. Gudlaugur Jrundsson, 60, said he had voted for Jonsson. "He won me over because I know he is a candidate for the people of this country and not just for one group of people." But 47-year-old Ragnhildur Gunnlaugsdottir appeared to be speaking for many when she credited Johannesson for speaking from the heart. "He has been good for the past four years and I think he is going to be good" again, she concluded. Iceland's President Gudni Johannesson is a 55-year-old independent and former history teacher Johannesson appeared to be headed back to the president's 'Bessastadir' residence in Alftanes, Iceland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence has concluded that the Russian military offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants in Afghanistan to kill American troops and other coalition forces, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing officials briefed on the matter. A Russian military intelligence unit linked to assassination attempts in Europe had offered rewards for successful attacks last year, according to the newspaper. It said Islamist militants, or armed criminal elements closely associated with them, are believed to have collected some bounty money. "This primitive informational dump clearly demonstrates low intellectual abilities of the propagandists at the American intelligence service," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement cited by the RIA news agency. The White House, the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined requests from Reuters for comment on the newspaper report. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the intelligence finding, the Times said. The White House has yet to authorize any steps against Russia in response to the bounties, it added. Of the 20 Americans killed in combat in 2019, the Times said, it was not clear which deaths were under suspicion. After nearly 20 years of fighting the Taliban, the U.S. is looking for a way to extricate itself from Afghanistan and to achieve peace between the U.S.-backed government and the militant group, which controls swathes of the country. On Feb. 29, the U.S. and the Taliban struck a deal that called for a phased withdrawal of American troops. U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan is down to nearly 8,600, well ahead of a schedule agreed with the Taliban, in part because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus, U.S. and NATO officials said in late May. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed, Mark Hosenball, Jeff Mason and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Mike Harrison) HSAs are savings accounts in which you set aside money, pretax, to spend on medical expenses, such as prescription medications and doctor visits. Read more Flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts known as FSAs and HSAs are popular ways for employers to allow workers to set aside pretax money for health care, child care and other expenses. The IRS loosened restrictions on these accounts to make them even more useful for families during the pandemic, but people who arent up to date on the changes and how FSAs and HSAs differ could be leaving money on the table. We talked to two employee benefit specialists about what you need to know: Jay Savan, partner, health & benefits, at Mercer, a human resources consulting firm. Jonathan P. Warner, CEO of Warner Benefits in Wayne. What is an HSA? HSAs are savings accounts in which you set aside money, pretax, to spend on medical expenses, such as prescription medications and doctor visits. Youre allowed to contribute $3,550 a year for an individual and $7,100 for a family in 2020, and the balance carries over from one year to the next. The account is owned by the employee, which means that you will continue to have access to the account and be able to spend it on medical expenses after you move on to another job or are laid off. What is an FSA? FSAs can be confused with HSAs because they are often called flexible healthcare spending accounts but they work differently. Employees can contribute up to $2,750 pretax in a health care FSA in 2020, but most of it must be spent during the year. Many employers allow workers to roll over up to $500 in their FSA at the end of the year and may grant a grace period for filing for reimbursement for eligible expenses after the year ends. Another difference thats particularly relevant for the thousands of workers who are newly unemployed: FSAs are owned by your employer, which means when you are laid off or leave your job, you forfeit your FSA and any remaining balance. What happens to my FSA if Im laid off? In most cases you will not be able to contribute to your FSA after you are laid off and any new medical expenses will not be eligible for reimbursement, though you can still seek payment for expenses that occurred before your termination. Check with your employer for exceptions to these rules many allow employees to get reimbursed for expenses through the end of the month in which they were laid off. Employers who are required to offer COBRA coverage for health insurance after an employee leaves the company are also required to offer COBRA coverage for FSA plans. You can opt into COBRA coverage for an FSA plan and continue to have access to its balance even if you do not choose to continue your health plan through COBRA. How can I use the money in an FSA if Im laid off? If youve been laid off and did not take out COBRA coverage for your FSA, the only way to use the money currently in your FSA is to seek reimbursement for medical expenses that predate your termination or the grace-period date your employer has set. Co-pays, eyeglasses, and prescription medications are popular health-care FSA expenses. Also fair game: over-the-counter medications and pharmacy products, such as first aid supplies, feminine hygiene products, vitamins, thermometers, sunscreen, and blood pressure monitors, according to FSAstore.com, a searchable list of eligible products for different types of FSA and HSA accounts. How can I make the most of my FSA or HSA while Im furloughed or working from home? As part of the CARES Act, the federal pandemic relief package, the IRS loosened contribution rules for FSAs and HSAs to allow employees to make mid-year changes to the amount they contribute. Some families struggling with routine monthly expenses may be relieved to be able to temporarily reduce or suspend payments to an HSA or FSA, especially if they are not currently accruing as many eligible expenses. For instance, many families with a dependent care FSA base annual contributions on the amount they plan to spend on daycare or summer camp expenses that may be on hold right now. Other families concerned about upcoming health expenses may want to increase the amount they contribute. Under the new IRS rules employees will be allowed to roll over an extra $50 in FSA funds a total of $550 in 2021 and may have longer to submit for expenses this year. A survey by Mercer found that nearly half of companies planned to allow these mid-year election changes, so it is important to check with your employer to see if they are adopting the new IRS rules. Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Facebook will start labelling inflammatory posts from president Donald Trump and other politicians, as Americas biggest companies suspend ads over the platforms hate speech policies. On Friday, Mr Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, announced that the social media site will be updating its hate speech and misinformation policies, after more than one hundred companies joined a boycott against advertising on their platform. Companies including Unilever, Verizon and Ben and Jerrys announced that they would stop advertising on Facebook, as part of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign. The boycott was called for by civil rights groups, in the wake of George Floyds death, and demanded Facebook do more to stop hate speech and misinformation on its site, according to Reuters. In a statement on Friday that caused Facebook shares to drop 7 per cent, major advertiser Unilever said it would boycott the social media site, as continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society. We will be monitoring ongoing and will revisit our current position if necessary. Shortly after the shares dropped in value, Mr Zuckerberg announced on his private Facebook page that the platform will be introducing four new policies to connect people with authoritative information about voting, crack down on voter suppression, and fight hate speech. Recommended Verizon joins list of companies boycotting Facebook advertising He announced that Facebook will be launching a voting centre, to share authoritative information on how and when you can vote, including voter registration, voting by mail and early voting. As part of the platforms attempts to combat voter suppression, Mr Zuckerberg wrote that they will remove false claims about polling conditions in the 72 hours leading into election day. The Stop Hate for Profit campaign called on Facebook to modify its policies on hate speech, and Mr Zuckerberg also announced that the site will now prohibit a wider range of hateful content included in ads. Specifically, were expanding our ads policy to prohibit claims that people from a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety, health or survival of others, he said. Additionally, in order to tackle hate speech, Facebook will now label inflammatory posts that violate its policies, but are still deemed newsworthy. The Associated Press reported that the social media site will flag posts from Mr Trump and from other politicians, as part of the new policy. We will soon start labelling some of the content we leave up because it is deemed newsworthy, so people can know when this is the case, Mr Zuckerberg said. Well allow people to share this content to condemn it, just like we do with other problematic content, because this is an important part of how we discuss whats acceptable in our society but well add a prompt to tell people that the content theyre sharing may violate our policies. The Facebook CEO clarified that the site will now take down posts that may lead to violence or deprive people of their right to vote, even if they are deemed newsworthy or from a prominent politician. This is a shift in policy and echoes the actions of Twitter, who last month flagged a tweet by President Donald Trump, for inciting violence but kept it on the site on the grounds that it was newsworthy. Mr Trumps post was also posted to Facebook, but Mr Zuckerberg decided against flagging or taking down the controversial status at the time, despite staff walkouts over the decision. Recommended Facebook prepares for month of boycotts Mr Zuckerberg said: I know many people are upset that weve left the presidents posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies. After announcing the new policies, he added that he was optimistic that were going to be able to make progress on these challenges. I think were going to be able to do that while maintaining our democratic traditions around free expression and voting, and Im committed to making sure that Facebook is a force for good on this journey. Europe Security Information and Event Management Market 2020 Industry research report explores analysis of historical data along with size, share, growth, demand, revenue and forecast of the global Security Information and Event Management and estimates the future trend of market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares market performance both in terms of volume and revenue and this factor which is useful & helpful to the business. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to our market research reports at https://www.businessmarketinsights.com/TIPRE00004311/request-trial The integration of AI and other advanced technologies for alerting and pattern based monitoring is anticipated to fuel the Europe Security Information and Event Management market growth. Rapidly modernizing security threats in the coming years is expected to raise its capability to hastily analyze a large amount of data with the help of disruptive technologies like Artificial Intelligence. The ability of Artificial Intelligence to provide quick mathematical calculations in order to augment the vital abilities of human intelligence is anticipated to generate the most significant growth opportunity for the Europe SIEM market in the near future. These initiative by the market player are enhancing the growth of Europe Security Information and Event Management market. Germany is anticipated to leads the Security Information and Event Management market across the Europe region through the forecast period. Germany is among the countries that have been persistently achieving the cybersecurity of its online ecosystem over the years. At present, the country is among the top five provinces in the EU member state. Furthermore, the country has also showcased improved performance when it comes to encounters with malware and the scale of infected computers. Thus, the country secures a prominent position in the SIEM market. This bolsters the Europe Security Information and Event Management market on the forecast period. The figure given below highlights the revenue share of Italy in the Europe Security Information and Event Management market in the forecast period: Companies Mentioned AlienVault DFLABS SPA Fireeye, Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (HPE) IBM Corporation LogRhythm, Inc. RSA Security LLC SolarWinds Inc. Splunk Inc. TIBCO Software Inc Business Market Insights provides affordable subscription with pay as per requirement at https://www.businessmarketinsights.com/TIPRE00004311/checkout/basic/single/monthly (30-day subscription plans prove to be very cost-effective with no compromise on the quality of reports) About Business Market Insights Based in New York, Business Market Insights is a one-stop destination for in-depth market research reports from various industries including Technology, Media & Telecommunications, Semiconductor & Electronics, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing & Construction, Medical Device, and Chemicals & Materials. The clients include corporate and academic professionals, consulting, research firms, PEVC firms, and professional services firms. For Subscription contact Business Market Insights Phone : +442081254005 E-Mail : sales@businessmarketinsights.com Intelligence says one members of Russia-led forces was killed and another two were wounded. Russia's hybrid military forces on June 26 mounted nine attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with one member of the Joint Forces reported as wounded in action. Read alsoRussia's hybrid military forces in occupied Donbas trying to recruit local miners intel "The Russian Federation's armed formations violated the ceasefire nine times in the past day," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters said on Facebook in an update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on June 26. "As a result, a Joint Forces serviceman was wounded in enemy shelling." Russian-led forces fired proscribed 122mm artillery systems, 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the villages of Krymske, Katerynivka, Novo-Oleksandrivka, Novozvanivka, Khutir Vilny, Shumy, and Slavne. Joint Forces returned fire to each enemy attack. According to intelligence reports, one member of Russia-led forces was killed and another two were wounded on June 26. "Since Saturday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near the town of Avdiyivka in the Skhid (East) sector, using 122mm artillery systems, 120mm mortars, hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, and heavy machine guns. Enemy troops have also engaged Ukrainian positions near the village of Vodiane, employing automatic grenade launchers, the report said. There have been no Ukrainian army casualties since Saturday midnight. China's recent aggression in eastern Ladakh is part of its large-scale military provocations against its neighbours and the US will not stand for unprovoked, premeditated military action for intimidating peaceful nations into submission, an influential American lawmaker has said. Congressman Ted Yoho said that now is the time for the world to come together and tell China that enough is enough. China's actions towards India fall in line with a larger trend of the Communist Party of China using the confusion of the COVID-19 pandemic as a cover to launch large scale military provocations against its neighbours in the region, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam, Yoho said on Friday. In a tweet, the Republican lawmaker said that the US will not stand for unprovoked, premeditated military action for the purpose of antagonising and intimidating peaceful nations into submission. Now is the time for the world to come together and tell China that enough is enough, Yoho said. Earlier in the day, Congressman Dr Ami Bera, the longest serving Indian-American lawmaker in the House of Representatives, expressed concern over the Chinese aggression along its India border. "I encourage China to use its longstanding diplomatic mechanisms with India to deescalate the situation rather than force to settle boundary issues," Dr Bera said in a tweet. As the Chair of the House Foreign Subcommittee on Asia, Bera said that he is concerned by the continued Chinese aggression along its border with India. While this is a matter between China and India, it is my view that increasing military forces on either side of the Line of Actual Control will be counterproductive and unhelpful, he said. In early June, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Representative Eliot Engel expressed being extremely concerned by the ongoing Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control. The Indian and Chinese militaries are engaged in a border standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. The two sides are engaged in diplomatic and military talks amidst escalating tension following the violent clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15. Twenty Indian Army personnel were killed in the clash. The Ukraine International Airlines flight was shot down on January by an Iranian ground-to-air missile, killing 176 people Paris: France said on Friday it would download the black boxes from a Ukrainian airliner shot down by an Iranian missile in January, easing a stand-off over where they should be read. Frances BEA crash investigation agency said it was acting at the request of Iran, which remains responsible under global rules for conducting a formal accident probe after acknowledging that the Boeing 737 was downed by its forces. The Ukraine International Airlines flight was shot down on Jan. 8 by an Iranian ground-to-air missile, killing 176 people in what Tehran termed a disastrous mistake at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. Work on repairing and downloading the cockpit voice and data recorders will begin July 20, the BEA said. Aviation authorities in Canada, 57 of whose citizens were killed, said they would send a team to Paris to participate. A spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said the agency is still participating in the investigation as the state of manufacture through our U.S. accredited representative but did not say if officials would travel to France to participate. Iran wants Canada to re-establish diplomatic ties that were broken off in 2012 but Tehran did not set this as a precondition for sending the recorders to France, a Canadian official said. It is not realistic to expect us to entertain any kind of discussions about this any time soon, said the official, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. Canadas priorities were a full probe into the crash and compensation for families of the victims, the official added. Irans envoy to the United Nations aviation agency said this month that the countrys Air Accident Investigation Board had asked the BEA to read the black boxes, though this was followed by conflicting ministerial statements. Fridays announcement suggests Western and Iranian officials will jointly witness the technical work, though one person following the case did not rule out last-minute changes. The BEA has a history of assisting with sensitive probes when tensions are high between parties directly involved. Protesters confronts riot police in front of a burning police car during a protest against police brutality in Miami, Florida., on May 30, 2020. (Adam DelGiudice/AFP via Getty Images) Not So Civil Disobedience Commentary American values, traditional individual liberties, were resurfacing as the pandemic curve flattened out. A barber in Michigan and a hair salon owner in Texas were emerging as symbols of traditional, principled, and independent-thinking business people. Americans with true grit. The pandemic wasnt having the expected effect of diminishing the president and destabilizing society as claimed by some. However, the tragic, brutal, in-custody death of George Floyd has resulted in a destabilizing element in our country, as peaceful protests were hijacked by anarchy and rebellion. Peaceful demonstrations are, of course, a fundamental right in the United States. However, when manipulated by agitators, they morph into something malevolent. Cynics may suggest that the stage had been set prior to the incident that ignited the flames of passion. Theres some irony in the denunciations of demonstrations calling for the lifting of work banson the grounds of virus-related contagion issuescontrasted with the virtual absence of such charges when thousands of rioters burn police cars and loot stores, disregarding nationwide admonishments to wear masks and maintain social distancing pursuant to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Not content with the prosecution of the police officers directly involved in the Floyd death, the anti-Trump forces have ratcheted-up the stakes to a point where their efforts will lead to self-destruction. First, they have chosen, ostrich-like, to disregard and minimize the widespread mayhem, in the hope, perhaps, that by ignoring the unpleasant truth, it will dissipate and eventually be talked away. The anarchy has now taken root, as seen in Seattle, where an entire district has been annexed and removed from the control of elected civil authorities, and from the protection of public safety officers. Next, has come self-abnegationwith the humiliation that is the necessary byproduct of virtue signalingby taking a knee in self-abasement. The lead was set, yet again, by the example of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), along with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Democratic lawmakers, who, swathedas described by Doreen St. Felix in The New Yorkerin identical kente stoles intent on conveying solidarity with their constituents, only made themselves models of obtuseness. Repeated in history, the assumption of guilt for the transgression of others, displays of weakness accompanied by abject pleas to be pardoned for any and all chargesbe they based on religious, political, or social groundshas led to contempt, aggression, oppression, and, all too often, annihilation. The kente ceremony was conducted prior to formally unveiling the Justice in Policing Act of 2020congressional legislation promulgated to further limit police powers, while not providing the funding to implement programs that would be mandatory were the bill to pass (adding insult to injury). Its unlikely that this complex piece of legislation was drafted over the week preceding its introduction. No doubt it had been ready, sitting in the pending files of the Democratic legislators, awaiting just the right incident, providing just the right environment, to enhance its success. The title of the act belies its true nature, intended essentially at further restricting the scope of police effectiveness, and further endangering the lives of all law enforcement officers. The bill would ban no-knock warrants, even though signed by a neutral magistrate, thus forcing arresting officers to advertise their presence before entering to arrest violent felons. And just as federal anti-police legislation is being proposed, the Defund the Police movement has arisen on the municipal level. Roughly translated, the defund movement equates to replacing the police with a new authority, something akin to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. That is, a revolutionary guard that the progressives would control, the advocates of the defund movement being composed exclusively of Democratic-majority elected local officials and city managers. We already know what they think of the Constitution. Existing police officers have all sworn to uphold the Constitution, so best to be rid of them, along with their antiquated notions of justice. Improbable as this scenario may appear to most, one need only listen to Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender respond to CNNs Brooke Baldwin when questioned as to the options available to homeowners who are being burglarized. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio has disbanded the NYPDs plainclothes anti-crime units, the municipalitys principal bulwark in the protection of the innocent from armed aggression in the streets and subways. This new revolutionary guard, in all likelihood unfettered by the Bill of Rights, would be empowered to arrest individuals and shut down businesses for a host of new political offenses. Reeducation camps would no doubt be the next step, along with the encouragement of spying and informing on ones neighbors and parents, in the event that they make inappropriate remarks. The best of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is what we have to look forward to if swift action isnt taken for a return to civil discourse and core constitutional values. Marc Ruskin, a 27-year veteran of the FBI, is a regular contributor and the author of The Pretender: My Life Undercover for the FBI. He served on the legislative staff of U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn, N.Y. Follow Marc on Twitter @mhruskin. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. "First and foremost, I would like to extend an apology on behalf of the District and the Board of School Directors to the student who was involved and to his family. They did not ask for this incident to occur, nor do they deserve the negative attention that it has brought." - school board President Tina Stoll Masks are mandatory on subways and buses in Washington, D.C. San Francisco is betting longer trains will help riders social distance. Crews disinfect New York's trains daily -- stations twice a day -- and are testing ultraviolet light devices to see if they kill covid-19 on surfaces. As states gradually reopen, transit agencies are taking steps to coax back passengers who've been told for months to avoid just such tight quarters with strangers -- an effort that will ultimately influence the economic recovery. "For certain businesses teleworking isn't really an option, so we still need to figure out ways to get those people to work," said Ed Mortimer, vice president of transportation and infrastructure at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Especially in urban areas, where many people don't own cars, mass transit will be crucial to reviving economies. But enticing passengers back on board may require adding trains and buses so people can space themselves farther apart -- adding stress to agencies already reeling from declining ridership and rising cleaning costs. The one-two punch of lower revenue from fewer riders and steeper cleaning costs has devastated the finances New York City's transit system, which has left only a quarter of the nearly $4 billion in federal aid received in March. Those funds could be exhausted next month, and the agency is urging Congress to approve additional emergency aid. "This is going to be an ongoing issue that agencies are definitely going to need some financial assistance from all levels of government to get through this difficult time," Mortimer said. "But it's all a balancing act in how do we make it work." Health experts say that the very nature of mass transit -- efficiently moving large numbers of people in confined spaces -- presents inherent risks. "The greatest risk occurs when you're in close contact -- within six feet -- with someone from outside your household for a prolonged period of time," said Hilary Godwin, dean of the University of Washington's School of Public Health. "Really crowded buses and crowded subway systems obviously are things that we're going to be worried about." Rush-hour crowds won't appear overnight, Godwin said. People will return to their offices gradually, while companies and governments in many places continue to ask people to work from home if possible. IBM Corp. polling of nearly of 30,000 U.S. adults between mid-April and early June found more than one in five typical transit users said they would no longer do so, and nearly a third said they'd use it less, the company said in an email. If a lack of ridership forces service cuts, the effect could be widening the divide between those who have the flexibility to work at home or the means to drive cars, versus those who must report to work and have no alternatives to public transportation. "It just becomes more likely than transit agencies will say maybe we just need to provide less frequent service, and then the people who really rely on it have a big mobility problem," said Deborah Salon, associate professor at Arizona State University's School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. Ultimately, covid-19 may force long-term changes in commuting patterns and infrastructure demands. "We know that at the end of the day that the public has to feel confident and feel good about riding transit, that it's safe for them from a health standpoint," said Paul Skoutelas CEO of the American Public Transportation Association, the transit industry's Washington trade association. That will cost money. While agencies received $25 billion in emergency aid from the federal virus stimulus bill, APTA has asked lawmakers and the Trump administration to authorize nearly $24 billion in additional emergency aid. "The stress on agencies is very real," Skoutelas said. "There is a need for additional funding across the board from New York to California for systems large and small." Transit systems have taken a range of actions to win back riders after ridership in some cities dropped by 90% or more during the initial wave of the pandemic. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system in San Francisco has been running longer trains throughout the day to prevent crowding on its cars. All riders and employees on New York's subways are required to wear masks and the system is handing them out to people who need them. Subway stations have been outfitted with new signs and floor markings to promote keeping at a safe distance where possible. Those actions may help allay the fears of riders, according to a report commissioned by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, an transit advocacy group for the greater New York City region. Some 92% out of roughly 1,000 regular transit users surveyed in April and May said they planned to return to public transportation after the pandemic. Those respondents said intensified cleaning, mandatory masks and more frequent service were among the actions transit agencies could take to make them feel safe enough to ride, while only 8% said they'd only return once there is a vaccine. "The positive sign for many transit agencies is that much of the precautions riders want to see, including increased cleanings and mask requirements, are already in place. Better rider education about the steps already underway would help riders feel that transit is safe for use," the report said. New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the largest U.S. transit agency, on June 8 began returning subway and bus systems to normal weekday schedules to coincide with the first phase of the city's reopening. After falling more than 90% from 8.3 million daily riders before the pandemic, ridership has been on the rise since May. NYC subway and bus ridership topped 2 million on Friday for first time since March. To be sure, even MTA leaders acknowledge social distancing will be difficult if not impossible as more riders return. "We do not believe that it is necessarily possible to get six feet of social distance in the New York City transit system," Sarah Feinberg, interim president of New York City Transit, said at a news conference earlier this month. Those concerns will keep some riders away, said Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Intensified sanitation efforts, enforcing mask policies and efforts to prevent crowding can mitigate risks, but those efforts can only do so much until there's a broadly available vaccine, he said. "As more stores open and more things open and as tourists start to come back to New York City, the subway is going to be really important and it's going to be an area where you might see a transmission risk," Adalja said. Subway and metro usage still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic levels in major Chinese cities that were struck by the virus in January. Although on the rise since February, daily subway ridership in Beijing was 32% below pre-virus levels in early June, while usage in Shanghai was still off 20%, according to a June 2 report by BloombergNEF. "Will commuters be willing to re-board transit with a high degree of medical uncertainty and a liberalization of work from home policy?" Adie Tomer, a fellow at the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program. "That's the question." Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 10:32:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Yosley Carrero HAVANA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- From an ocean-view apartment in central Havana, amateur Cuban photographer Mario Fernandez, 69, snaps pictures of beautiful sunsets caused by Saharan dust that has been affecting the Caribbean country over the last few days. Among them is one that shows Havana's famed oceanside promenade shrouded in a haze generated by the huge dust cloud, which has traveled over 4,000 miles from west Africa, on its way to Mexico and the United States. Fernandez says that although the dust has turned the country's blue skies brown, it has given him a chance to take advantage of his leisure time, as the air quality in Cuba has worsened, increasing the probability of contracting respiratory diseases. "Despite the fact that Saharan dust particles can only be seen by weather satellites, we should stay home for the moment to avoid getting sick. Elderly people like me are more vulnerable," he told Xinhua. Cuban health authorities ruled out any link between the Saharan dust cloud and a potential upsurge in the number of novel coronavirus infections on the island, where 13 of 15 provinces and the Special Municipality Isla de la Juventud have remained virus free for the last two weeks. Francisco Duran, the national director of epidemiology at the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), said, however, that the number of people affected by respiratory diseases and allergies in the country could increase due to the Saharan dust. Respiratory disease is the fourth cause of death among Cubans, and special areas to care for people suffering from breathing problems were set up at hospitals and clinics after the first confirmed cases of coronavirus were registered on the island on March 11. Mirta Alvarez Castellon, president of the Cuban Society of Allergies and Asthma, said Saharan dust can provoke eye, nose, and mouth irritation, leading to a significant increase in visits to doctors' offices and emergency rooms. "We recommend avoiding outdoor exercise. In addition, wearing face masks and sunglasses is essential as they work as barriers to avoid the contact of small particles with people's eyes, noses, and mouths," she said. During 2019, Cubans made more than 4 million visits to doctors' offices due to severe breathing problems, according to MINSAP. Currently, 1 million people in the country suffer from asthma and nearly 45 percent of adolescents suffer from allergies, according to health experts. Ailen Piquero, a 20-year-old asthma sufferer from the Marianao district of Havana, said that this week, she has used her inhaler more often. "I will stay home, keep the windows closed, and follow health measures as long as the Saharan dust is around. This is just temporary," she said. The Sahara Desert is the main global source of mineral dust that spreads across Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and North America and has a huge impact on the environment as well as the development of hurricanes and tropical storms. The massive Saharan dust cloud is nicknamed the "Godzilla Dust Cloud," with a concentration and size that have not been seen in half a century. Cuban meteorologist Eugenio Mojena said that Saharan dust clouds, which arrive in the Caribbean between March and October, are loaded with material that is "highly harmful to human health." Mojena said the dust clouds transport minerals as well as viruses, bacteria, and organic pollutants to the Caribbean, creating a phenomenon known as "The Asthma Corridor." "Saharan dust has the capacity to increase the likelihood of respiratory diseases in the world, which makes things more complex in the context of the COVID-19 crisis," he said. Enditem In the hours before his rally in Tulsa, President Donald Trump's campaign directed the removal of thousands of "Do Not Sit Here, Please!" stickers from seats in the arena that were intended to establish social distance between rallygoers, according to video and photos obtained by The Washington Post and a person familiar with the event. The removal contradicted instructions from the management of the BOK Center, the 19,000-seat arena in downtown Tulsa where Trump held his rally on June 20. At the time, coronavirus cases were rising sharply in Tulsa County, and Trump faced intense criticism for convening a large crowd for an indoor political rally, his first such event since the start of the pandemic. As part of its safety plan, arena management had purchased 12,000 do-not-sit stickers for Trump's rally, intended to keep people apart by leaving open seats between attendees. On the day of the rally, event staff had already affixed them on nearly every other seat in the arena when Trump's campaign told event management to stop and then began removing the stickers, hours before the president's arrival, according to a person familiar with the event who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. In a video clip obtained by The Washington Post, two men - one in a suit and one wearing a badge and a face mask - can be seen pulling stickers off seats in a section of the arena. It is unclear who those two men are. When Trump took the stage on Saturday evening, the crowd was clustered together and attendees were not leaving empty seats between themselves. The actions by Trump's campaign were first reported Friday by Billboard Magazine. As rally preparations were underway, Trump's campaign staff intervened with the venue manager, ASM Global, and told them to stop labeling seats in this way, Doug Thornton, executive vice president of ASM Global, told the magazine. "They also told us that they didn't want any signs posted saying we should social distance in the venue," Thornton said. "The campaign went through and removed the stickers." A spokesman for ASM Global declined to comment. Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh did not directly respond to questions about the sticker removal. "The rally was in full compliance with local requirements. In addition, every rally attendee received a temperature check prior to admission, was given a face mask, and provided ample access to hand sanitizer," Murtaugh said in an emailed statement. In a separate statement, the campaign said: "There were signs posted and we are not aware of any campaign staff asking that they be removed." Trump held his Tulsa rally despite opposition by Oklahoma health authorities and residents who feared that convening a large crowd indoors could accelerate the spread of the coronavirus. The number of coronavirus cases in Tulsa County was spiking in the days leading up to the rally and has continued to increase since. The director of the Tulsa Health Department, Bruce Dart, had recommended that the event be postponed until it was safer. A number of city residents and business owners brought a lawsuit against the venue manager, ASM Global, seeking to require all attendees wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines from health authorities. The Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected that suit. On June 13, a week before the rally, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, wrote to the venue management saying he understood that Trump's campaign "has presented plans to ASM Global in order to accommodate capacity crowds during a political rally." Stitt noted that Oklahoma was in "Phase 3" of its reopening plan and Trump's rally "proceeding as planned is consistent with the guidance" of that plan. Stitt's letter added that "we have also encouraged event licensees to refer to the general CDC guidelines for more information about COVID-19." Two days before the rally, the managers of the BOK Center had asked the Trump campaign to provide a detailed written plan outlining the "health and safety" measures it intended to use to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Before the rally, Murtaugh said in an emailed statement: "We take safety seriously, which is why we're doing temperature checks for everyone attending, and providing masks and hand sanitizer. This will be a Trump rally, which means a big, boisterous, excited crowd. We don't recall the media shaming demonstrators about social distancing - in fact the media were cheering them on." As the crowd entered the day of the rally, the Trump campaign handed out masks and small bottles of "Make America Great Again 2020" branded hand sanitizer. The BOK Center also put down floor decals in front of concession areas and put up plexiglass to protect vendors. At 1:47 p.m. that day, Fox 23 News posted on its Facebook page a photo from inside the BOK Center showing two members of the event staff putting stickers on seats. "Stickers are going on every other seat in the BOK Center saying 'Do Not Sit Here' to try to spread the crowd out for President Trump's rally tonight," the post read. After the majority of the stickers were in place, a member of Trump's campaign radioed staff in the event war room where arena management was monitoring preparations and told them to stop, according to the person familiar with the event. Event staff was told to continue applying the stickers. Later, the campaign began pulling them off, the person said. In video footage of Trump's rally, there appeared to be no effort to keep an empty seat between attendees. Attendance turned out to be less than Trump expected - he had said some 1 million people wanted tickets - and the arena was not full, particularly in the upper level. Trump had wanted every seat packed, and told advisers coming in on Air Force One and at the arena that he was displeased that the crowd was not larger, said two Trump advisers, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay private conversations. "He was quite angry," said one person who interacted with him. Trump had told Gov. Roy Cooper during a May 29 phone call that he would not hold a socially-distanced convention in Charlotte, N.C., because he had never had an empty seat since he came down the escalator at the start of his presidential campaign in 2015. Neither Trump nor the White House asked that the stickers be removed, said a senior White House official. While campaign staff and some attendees wore masks during the rally, many rallygoers did not. At least six members of the Trump campaign advance staff have tested positive for coronavirus, including two Secret Service employees. Dozens of Secret Service officers and agents who attended the Tulsa rally were ordered to self-quarantine. Since the rally, coronavirus cases in Tulsa County hit a new high of 259 new confirmed cases on June 23. - - - The Washington Post's Colby Itkowitz contributed to this report. After a legal battle lasting nearly 12 years the High Court will order the extradition of Liam Campbell, who was found civilly liable for the Omagh bombing, to Lithuania where he is wanted on international weapons trafficking charges After a legal battle lasting nearly 12 years the High Court will order the extradition of Liam Campbell, who was found civilly liable for the Omagh bombing, to Lithuania where he is wanted on international weapons trafficking charges. Campbell (58) was arrested in Upper Faughart, Dundalk, Co Louth, on December 2, 2016, on foot of the second European Arrest Warrant issued by Lithuanian authorities to be endorsed by the High Court here. It was the third attempt by Lithuania to seek Campbell's surrender. The arrest warrant stated that he allegedly organised the preparation for the smuggling of weapons in support of the "terrorist grouping" the Real IRA between the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007. Campbell's legal team had objected to his surrender based on the length of time he had been subject to the warrant and had argued that he could be subjected to "inhuman or degrading treatment" in prison there. Mr Remy Farrell SC said that the Lithuanian authorities were "culpable, with a capital C" over the delay, which amounted to an "abuse of process", and that they had been seeking his client's extradition for over 10 years. Mr Farrell added that the remand prison of Lukiskes in Vilnius had closed in July of last year, that his client's bail was "hanging over him for four years", and that the delay in proceedings was "shameful". In a judgment returned yesterday Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said she was satisfied that an order for the surrender of Campbell may be made. As the judgment was delivered electronically, Ms Justice Donnelly said she would formally make the order when Campbell next appears in person before the High Court on July 13. In 2017 Campbell's legal team had raised concerns about prison conditions in Lithuania, while he had also objected to his surrender on the grounds that it was "an abuse of process". Campbell had spent four years in custody in Northern Ireland during a second attempt to extradite him and was released when he succeeded in his objection that to do so would be a breach of his rights. "The position now is that Lukiskes prison has closed. I am satisfied that the point as regards prison conditions has no merit at this stage of the proceedings," said Ms Justice Donnelly in her judgment. "The respondent's own expert had no issue with the conditions in Kaunas Remand Prison, which was the alternative prison." Campbell will have one week to apply for a certificate of appeal from the day of the order, July 13. India on Friday warned China that trying to alter the status quo on the ground by resorting to force will not just damage the peace that existed on the border areas but can also have "ripples and repercussions" in the broader bilateral relationship, and demanded that Beijing stop its activities in eastern Ladakh. The only way to resolve the current military standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh was for Beijing to realise that trying to "change the status quo by resorting to force or coercion, is not the right way forward, India's ambassador to China Vikram Misri said in a hard-hitting interview to PTI. Asserting that actions taken by the Chinese forces on the ground have damaged "considerable trust" in the bilateral relationship, the Indian ambassador added that it was entirely the responsibility of the Chinese side to take a careful view of the relations and to decide which direction the ties should move. Noting that maintenance of peace and tranquillity "on the border is sine qua non for progress in the rest of bilateral relationship between India and China", Misri said: "The resolution of this issue is quite straight forward from our perspective. The Chinese side needs to stop creating obstruction and hindrances in the normal patrolling patterns of the Indian troops, he said. He also rubbished China's claim of sovereignty over Galwan Valley in Ladakh as "completely untenable, and asserted that these kinds of exaggerated claims are not going to help the situation. Whatever activities we may be carrying on have always been on our side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), so the Chinese need to stop activities to alter the status quo. It is very surprising that they should attempt to do so in a sector which has never before been a sector of concern. he said. Emphasising that India is "very aware and very clear about the alignment of the LAC in the Galwan Valley," he said our troops have been patrolling up to these areas without any difficulty for a very very long period of time. Misri's strong comments came in response to the recent claims by the Chinese military and the foreign ministry of sovereignty over Galwan Valley. On the Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong's assertion on Thursday that the onus is on India to deescalate tensions, Misri said, I think we have been very clear, and very consistent in pointing out that it has been Chinese actions over an extended period of time, that are responsible for the current situation. In fact beginning with the time frame of April and May, I would say there were a number of Chinese actions along the LAC in the Ladakh sector in the western sector that interfered with and hindered with the normal patrolling activities of our troops in that sector. This led obviously to a few face-off situations," he said. During an interview with PTI, Sun refused to reply to questions about China's transgressions of the LAC. He was asked why China has not been allowing Indian patrols from Finger 4 to Finger 8 areas in Pangong Tso even though the areas belonged in the Indian side of LAC. He was also asked why China has resorted to massive build up of troops in almost all areas of the 3500 km LAC. But Sun sidestepped the questions and remained mum. Misri said he "would underline the remarks of our External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) when he spoke to Foreign Minister Wang Yi that these developments cannot but have an impact on the bilateral relationship." "The bilateral relationship is of great value to the two countries. It is important not just for us but also regionally important, he said. So I think there should be a realisation on the Chinese side that there is no gain in trying to alter the status quo on the ground especially by resorting to force ... that will not just damage the peace and tranquillity that existed on the border but it can have ripples and repercussions in the broader bilateral relationship, Misri said. We have no wish and desire for that. Therefore, it is entirely the responsibility of the Chinese side to take a careful view of our bilateral relations and to decide which direction the bilateral relationship to move forward, he said. To my mind there is only one answer, I do very much hope that the Chinese side will also see it in that way, he added. Noting that in the Galwan Valley especially there has never been any difference as to where the LAC lay, the Indian envoy said :"It is very surprising that they should have chosen to, in the context of these recent developments, to do this kind of thing in a sector which has never before been a sector of concern." So for China to now voice these kinds of claims is completely untenable. These kinds of exaggerated claims are not going to help the situation. The kind of language that has been used is not helpful to the resolution of this situation, he said. In the ongoing meetings including at the military level that are going on "we hope that the Chinese side will realise its responsibility in de-escalation and disengagement", he said. "That would be a true resolution of this issue, he said. Misri's comments came a day after the external affairs ministry said China has been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since early May, and warned that continuation of the current situation would only vitiate the atmosphere for the development of the relationship. THE UK will dismiss a 14-day quarantine for the people arriving from countries with a low risk of infection and the spread of COVID-19, the British government announced on Friday. Official recommendations against all but essential travel outside the UK will also be eased for some countries and regions. Those changes will make it easier for Britons to travel abroad for summer vacation. An expert panel will rank countries into three categories based on infection levels - green, amber, and red. The travelers coming from green and amber countries won't have to self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival. "Our new risk-assessment system will enable us to carefully open a number of safe travel routes around the world," a government spokeswoman said. "But we will not hesitate to put on the brakes if any risks re-emerge," the government's spokeswoman said. The rules for red-category countries won't change. Advertisement Croatia to be announced as a low-risk country? Quarantine measures, implemented from June 8, came under fierce criticism from airline companies, ports, and food and beverage sectors because they think it discourages travelers from international travel in the period that should have recovered the tourism season. The categories are to be introduced next week, and the changes are to be put into effect the week later. They will be based on factors that include the spreading of COVID-19, the disease trajectory, and data reliability. Great Britain announced that it would likely discuss it with France, Greece, and Spain. The British Ministry of Foreign Affairs will next week announce the countries where public health risk is not considered to be unacceptably high. According to the Daily Mail, Croatia will be marked in green, along with Austria, Greece, and Germany. The federal government's COVIDSafe app has not identified any close contacts of a person infected with coronavirus who had not already been found through manual contact tracing, despite being downloaded by more than 6 million Australians in two months. As the number of infections soars in Victoria, Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick said the government was being dishonest about the effectiveness of the app, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison touted as "sunscreen" against major outbreaks and as the key to lifting restrictions. The COVIDSafe app has not identified a single close contact of a person infected with the coronavirus. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Senator Patrick, who has an engineering background and was a project manager involved in rapid-prototyping and testing, said the government was refusing to concede the app "wasn't working properly, if at all". "I think the Prime Minister and the government were dishonest with the Australian public and I think that that's very sad," said the senator, a supporter of the app concept who himself was diagnosed with COVID-19. Zelensky visits Chabad Synagogue in Kherson region, which was attacked by arsonists in April President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has visited the Chabad Synagogue in Kherson region, which was attacked by arsonists in April this year. "Two suspects in this case were detained three weeks after the incident. The head of state met with Chief Rabbi of Kherson and Kherson region Yossef Itzhak Wolff and examined the repaired sections of the building, which were damaged during the arson attempt," the president's press service said on Saturday. Wolff thanked the president for prompt response of the Ukrainian authorities to this act of anti-Semitism. Zelensky and the chief rabbi handed the letters of gratitude over to Chief of Police of Kherson region Oleksandr Prokudin and Chief of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kherson region Serhiy Kryvoruchko for rapid uncovering of the crime. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jun. 27 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Ukraine amounted to$257 million over first four months of 2020 compared to $447.7 million during the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Statistics Committee. The share of Ukraine in the total value of Kazakhstans trade turnover stood at 0.9 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 1.6 percent during the same period of 2019. Kazakhstans export to Ukraine amounted to $132 million over the period from January through April 2020 compared to $342.4 million during the same period of 2019. Ukraines share in the total volume of Kazakhstans export amounted to 0.7 percent during the reporting period of 2020, compared to 1.8 percent during the same period of 2019. In turn, Kazakhstans import from Ukraine amounted to $125 million over the reporting period compared to $105.2 million during the same period of 2019. Ukraines total share in Kazakhstans import reached 1.3 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 1 percent during the same period of 2019. Total volume of Kazakhstans trade turnover made up $28.1 million over the period from Jan. through Apr. 2020 which indicates a decrease from $28.8 million during the same period of 2019. Kazakhstans export amounted to $18.3 million during the reporting period of 2020 ($18.5 million in the same period of 2019), whereas import amounted to $9.8 million ($10.3 million). --- Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh Kagnew Battalion's chaplain in Gapyeong, May 5, 1952. Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff The chaplain's speech on May 5, 1952. Robert Neff Collection One of the least-known participants in the Korean War was Ethiopia. The first battalion of Ethiopian soldiers arrived in Busan in May 1951. Known as the Kagnew ("to bring order out of chaos") Battalion, it was viewed with a degree of skepticism by American officers. Many felt the Ethiopians should be placed in rear areas instead of the front line, but the Ethiopians insisted on being in the heat of battle with their American counterparts. So they were assigned to the American Seventh Division. Things were not easy. The Ethiopian soldiers could not speak English, were unfamiliar with American army tactics and many were leery of Western doctors. After several weeks of training (three to six weeks, depending on the source) near Busan, the Kagnew Battalion was sent north to the front and within days the unit distinguished itself in combat. The Ethiopian soldiers soon gained a reputation. The Chinese feared them. The Kagnew Battalion never left a man behind wounded or dead and none of their soldiers were ever captured by the North Koreans or Chinese. It was like they were ghosts. Perhaps even more alarming were the rumors of cannibalism by the Ethiopians. Of course, these were false, but they only made the Kagnew Battalion even more terrifying to the enemy. Fred Dustin, a young American soldier with the 7th Infantry Division's band, recalled seeing the Ethiopian soldiers at Gapyeong on May 5, 1952. For the most part, he knew little about the unit, save that his band would take part in one an Ethiopian celebration. Dustin was not in his own words "a fighter," so he was probably unaware of the Ethiopian unit's reputation in battle. He was also not very religious but there was something about the unit's chaplain and his "very beautiful costume" that left a lasting impression. Several years ago, I found a copy of the chaplain's speech in an old box of Dustin's photographs. I asked him about it but he only shook his head and smiled. Now that I have reread it, perhaps I do understand why a young soldier would carefully tuck it away into his rucksack and keep it for the rest of his life. Gapyeong village, May 1952. Robert Neff Collection BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: As many as 2,456 people have been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours in Iran, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Trend reports citing the ministry. According to Sadat Lari, 125 people have died from the coronavirus over the past day. The spokeswoman added that the condition of 2,928 people is critical. The official said that situation was dire in Khuzestan, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, Hormozgan, West Azerbaijan and Razavi Khorasan provinces. So far, more than 1.58 million tests have been conducted in Iran for the diagnosis of coronavirus. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 220,100 people have been infected, 10,364 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 180,600 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the coronavirus further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 5,318 fresh Covid-19 cases the fourth day in a row the state saw a record single-day jump in infections and the second consecutive day of over 5,000 cases. Additionally, the state has reconciled 1,050 cases from all districts and municipal corporations between March 9 and June 7, taking the total to 159,133. Mumbai on Saturday reported 1,402 new cases and 675 old cases have been reconciled, taking the days total to 2,077 the highest number of cases reported in a day in Mumbai. The total number of cases reported in Indias worst-hit city has reached 74,252. The state recorded 167 fatalities on Saturday, taking the toll to 7,273. The case fatality rate (CFR) in the state stands at 4.57%. Of the deaths reported in the state on Saturday, 86 occurred in the past 48 hours and 81 deaths were before that. These include five in Jalgaon, four in Dhule, two each in Ahmednagar and Nashik, one each in Vasai-Virar, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Jalna and Latur, data from the state health department revealed. Mumbai recorded 41 new fatalities in the past 48 hours,while 64 fatalities from earlier weeks have been reconciled, taking the citys toll to 4,284. The situation in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) continues to remain grave with a further rise in the satellite cities around Mumbai. Thane city and Kalyan-Dombivli continues to record a surge in cases. Thane city and Kalyan-Dombivli recorded its highest single-day spikes of 410 and 514 new cases, respectively. Navi Mumbai recorded 164 new cases, Thane district recorded 235 new cases. Bhiwandi and Vasai-Virar recorded 110 and 170 new cases, respectively. The Central government team is in Maharashtra to review the Covid-19 situation and planning in the state. A team headed by joint secretary of the Union ministry of health and family welfare, Lav Agarwal, visited Thane city to take a review of the situation on Saturday. The team asked the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) not to be scared of the increasing number of cases, instead, concentrate on decreasing the mortality rate, create awareness among residents, ensure norms of containment zones are followed, provide enough staff to Covid centres and hospitals, procure an adequate supply of necessary medicines and increase the number of screenings done every day. The team visited the new 1,000-bed hospital set up in the Global Impact hub in Saket and another hospital being set up in Kausa stadium in Mumbra. Even though the number of positive cases is increasing, instead of being scared, the corporation will have to focus on improving the efficiency of the system. Ensure that the old and critically ill patients are provided hospital beds, so that the death rate would come down. The screening of people should also increase so that infected patients can be identified early. There is a need for awareness among people, so that all measures taken are for their own benefit, while norms should be strictly followed in containment zones, Agarwal said. He added that movement in the containment zone should be strictly monitored and that the residents there should not go out of the zone, while outsiders should not be able to enter these zones. Agarwal added, Co-ordination between testing labs, hospitals, and the health department is also important so that the patient will get beds easily. State health secretary Dr Pradeep Vyas, instructed the corporation to vigorously carry out contact tracing, increase quarantine facilities and testing capacity and improve sanitation of public toilets to keep the count in check. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had a meeting with the health ministry team at the Bal Thackeray memorial plot in Shivaji Park after the team visited Covid hospitals in Thane. Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde and minister Aaditya Thackeray were also present in the meeting, along with state officials. Thackeray, in the meeting, discussed measures to control the spread of the virus in the state. State health minister Rajesh Tope said the state government expects more support from the Centre in its fight against Covid-19. The minister said that the Centre has not provided adequate ventilators and is delaying decisions that can make nearly 3,000 doctors available for the state. We have sought 5,000 ventilators from the Centre, but have only got 277 so far. We expect a lot from the Centre. We have also requested the prime minister to postpone final-year exams of postgraduate students pursuing medical courses or give marks based on internal exams. We have requested the Centre to make available trained doctors to work in ICUs. The Centre can do so, but they are not doing it. Around 3,000 trained doctors will be available in the state if the prime minister can convene a meeting in this regard as these laws are governed by the Centre, he said, adding that the decision would be in the interest of the nation and not one state. According to Tope, the contagious nature of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19), has led to so many cases, however, the fatality rate of the virus is lower than H1N1 or swine flu which is at 10%. He added that the state government is attempting to keep the CFR lower in Covid-19 by getting drugs, including remdesivir, life-saving medical equipment such as ventilators, etc. We have already decided to procure drugs including remdesivir and favipiravir, etc. for common people in each district in the state. It will not remain a drug for the rich and influential. This virus is contagious but the death rate through it is not as high as swine flu, which is over 10%. I think the mortality rate in Covid-19 will remain around 3%. But because the virus is contagious, the cases seem more. Even if there is a spike, we are working towards it not leading to death in cases. Our planning and goal is to further reduce the mortality rate, Tope said. Tope also refuted the allegations made by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on the state not reporting around 1,000 out-of-hospital Covid-19 deaths in the state. The minister said that there have been delays in reconciliation, but there is no intention to hide. Tope called Fadnavis a studious leader and said valid suggestions are welcome from him, but he should not politicise the fight against Covid-19. We are following ICMR guidelines. In some cases, a suspected Covid-19 patient dies, swab is collected for the test and the results come after two-three days. Doctors inform the local authorities, they in turn inform the department that brings out the daily figures. As reconciliation happens, all figures are reported. No death has ever been unreported and it will not happen in the future. There is a delay, but I told municipal commissioner and district collectors that it will not be tolerated. The Maharasthra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is working in a transparent manner and it has the trust of the people, he said. Meanwhile, 4,430 patients were discharged on Saturday across the state, taking the total number of discharged people to 84,245. With a recovery rate of 52.94%, the states active case tally stands at 67,600. Maharashtra has so far tested 8,96,874 samples and has a positivity rate of 17.74%. Currently, 5,65,161 people are in home quarantine and 36,925 people are in institutional quarantine. (Newser) Ivanka Trump can't win or she walked right into ittake your pick. Either way, the president's daughter is being mocked online after unveiling a new government strategy Friday to prioritize "skills-based hiring," the Huffington Post reports. "We are modernizing federal hiring to find candidates with the relevant competencies and knowledge, rather than simply recruiting based on degree requirements," she told the AP. "We encourage employers everywhere to take a look at their hiring practices and think critically about how initiatives like these can help diversify and strengthen their workforce." Of course, some saw a certain irony in Ivanka promoting the initiative. Among the snarky reactions on Twitter: story continues below Aaron Rupar: "I'm not sure Ivanka Trump is the best spokesperson for 'skills-based hiring.'" Norm Wilner: "'I'm grandfathered in. Well, fathered.'" Hart Hanson: "Does that mean you all will leave in favor of people with actual intelligence and ability?" Jennifer Hayden: "If White House hiring were 'skills-based'this woman wouldn't be within 100 miles of that building." According to Fox News , the initiative is designed to help "individuals from underprivileged areas" who might not be able to afford a college degree. (Ivanka wasn't happy after getting "canceled." Religious affiliation can add four years to an average American's life according to a study done at Ohio State University. "Religious affiliation had nearly as strong an effect on longevity as gender does, which is a matter of years of life," Lara Wallace the lead author of the study said. Scientists at Ohio State University studied over 1,000 obituaries in the U.S. and considered various factors such as marital status, sex, and religion to determine how long a person can live. After assessing over 500 obituaries in Iowa from between January and February of 2012 and documenting age, sex, marital status, social activities, volunteer activities, and religious affiliation of each deceased person, it was shown that people with a religious affiliation lived 6.48 years longer than those with none. A succeeding study widened its pool from only 500 obituaries from Iowa to more than 1,000 obituaries from 42 major U.S. cities in the year following August of 2010 and it was revealed that people with religious affiliations lived an additional average of 3.82 years than those with no religious beliefs. In a published Journal called "Social Psychological and Personality Science," researchers say that abstaining from drinking alcohol or taking drugs and volunteering and social activities that are vital in religious groups may explain the longevity. The journal also recognizes the fact that religion can act as a social identity and that it can affect people differently depending on the environment in a statement, "In highly religious cities, people who were not religiously affiliated had shorter life spans than those who were religiously affiliated. However, in less religious cities, non-religiously affiliated people lived just as long as the religiously affiliated. This pattern of effects is consistent with the theory that religion is a valued social identity, which can influence mental and physical health." The journal also acknowledged that their findings may not generalize younger generations "where the nature and degree of involvement with religious institutions are changing." BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 Trend: Uzbekistans Uzcard and Mastercard are preparing to release the first joint co-branding cards in August 2020, by order of one of the largest financial and credit institutions in Uzbekistan, Director General of the Unified Republican Processing Center of Uzbekistan Ahror Mahmudov said, Trend reports with reference to nuz.uz. One of the largest banks in the country, I cant tell yet which one, has signed a contract to release cards. I think that in August we will see the first co-branded Uzcard-Mastercard on the market. By this time, we will complete the preparation of the entire infrastructure, in particular, will re-sew the last terminals, Mahmudov noted. For the first time, Uzcard launched the co-branding project with the UnionPay international payment system at the end of 2018, and over 450,000 co-branding cards have been released so far. Their share in the total volume of transactions reaches 26 percent, he said. However, UnionPay cards are not accepted in all countries, added the director. From January through May 2020, the number of bank plastic cards in circulation increased in Uzbekistan by 8.9 percent to 22.4 million units, payment terminals - by 7.8 percent to 422,900 units, and the volume of revenues in cash through them grew by 10 percent up to 29.6 trillion Uzbek soms compared to the same period of 2019. By Tom Polansek CHICAGO (Reuters) - At least 65 U.S. meatpacking employees and 28 food-processing employees have died from COVID-19, the country's largest meatpacking union said on Thursday, reflecting the steep toll the contagious respiratory disease has taken on essential workers. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union said that more than 196 of its members who work in meat and food plants, grocers and healthcare facilities have died from COVID-19, which is caused by the new coronavirus. More than 2,300 members were exposed to or affected by the virus in the last month, the union told reporters on a call. New daily COVID-19 cases around the country have recently climbed to a near-record high and U.S. government experts said the coronavirus may have infected 10 times more Americans than reported. "Our country's frontline workers are still getting sick and dying," said Marc Perrone, the union's president. Many meatpacking employees are missing work because they are quarantined or afraid they will fall ill if they return to their jobs at plants that house thousands of workers. At a Tyson Foods Inc pork plant in Logansport, Indiana, about 200 employees out of 2,000 have not returned to work after the company temporarily closed the facility in April because of the pandemic, Dennis Medbourn, a union steward at the slaughterhouse, said on the call. "I believe it's strictly out of fear," Medbourn said. About 20 plants run by companies like Tyson, JBS USA [JBS.UL] and Smithfield Foods [SFII.UL] closed in April as thousands of workers tested positive for COVID-19. The shutdowns sent meat prices soaring and contributed to shortages of some products in grocery stores. President Donald Trump issued an order on April 28 telling meatpackers to stay open. Companies say they spent tens of millions of dollars stepping up cleaning at plants, installing physical dividers on production lines and implementing other measures to protect workers. (Reporting by Tom Polansek, Editing by David Gregorio and Lisa Shumaker) Protesters participate in the Hollywood talent agencies march to support Black Lives Matter protests in Beverly Hills, Calif., on June 06, 2020. (Rich Fury/Getty Images) Over a Dozen Protesters Arrested After Forming an Unlawful Assembly in Beverly Hills Protests for police brutality ended with arrests in California late on Friday after authorities were forced to intervene with a large group of Black Lives Matter activists who marched through several neighborhoods in Beverly Hills, forming an unlawful assembly. The large gathering started at about 7:30 p.m. in the area of Santa Monica Boulevard, between Alpine and Rexford drives, the Beverly Hills Police Department said in a statement. About 100 protesters decided to sit down in the middle of the street further in their march on North Santa Monica Boulevard westbound at Rexford, interfering with the traffic, police said on Twitter. Human Events Managing Editor Ian Miles Cheong posted a series of videos of the demonstration. In one video activists are seen marching through a residential neighborhood late at night, causing a disturbance. Activists took to residential neighborhoods in Los Angeles, blasting loud music and blocked the streets, Cheong wrote in a caption to the video. Authorities declared the march an unlawful assembly at about 11:40 p.m., when the protesters marched from the park along Santa Monica Boulevard to Rexford Drive, then north on Rexford Drive to Carmelita Avenue. The unlawful assembly in the area of Rexford Dr & Carmelita Ave has ended with arrests being made, the Beverly Hills Police Department said. Protesters have now left the City. The unlawful assembly in the area of Rexford Dr & Carmelita Ave has ended with arrests being made. Protesters have now left the City. Beverly Hills Police (@BeverlyHillsPD) June 27, 2020 Cheong also posted a video of police arresting the activists. Police showed up in full force to arrest members of the Black Lives Matter, he wrote in the caption of the video. One of the protesters seems to be pretending in the video that he got injured during his arrest. At first, he stands up himself and later forces police officers to drag him further as he lays down on the street. The department did not release a specific number for the arrests made that night. Though, a report from local outlet NBC Los Angeles said at least 24 people were arrested. Protesters participate in the Hollywood talent agencies march to support Black Lives Matter protests on June 06, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Rich Fury/Getty Images) Several weeks earlier, the City of Beverly Hills announced new rules that banned most nighttime gatherings of at least 10 or more people following violent nationwide riots that burned down buildings, attacked law enforcement, and looted businesses in the weeks following the death of George Floyd. To preserve the peace and tranquility of residential neighborhoods, effective tonight and until further notice, no more than 10 people shall gather in an assembly in a public right of way in a residential area between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m., the City of Beverly Hills said in a statement. An assembly is defined as any gathering or group of 10 or more people on a public street, sidewalk, or other public places if those 10 people have a common purpose or goal. Any assembly that is silent, such as a candlelight vigil, and gatherings on private property are exempt from this emergency order, the city added. Officials said residents who flout the order will be subject to arrest. The GOP-led state rules committee on Thursday denied a state agencys request to implement rules prohibiting the use of conversion therapy by licensed therapists, counselors and social workers to attempt to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. The Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules voted along party lines to suspend the proposed rule changes without holding a public hearing or allowing in-person testimony from the state Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board, which brought forth the proposal drawing heated criticism from Democratic members. I think thats a true disservice to democracy and to the citizens in this state ... 100% of the contacts that I have had are in favor of this rule, Rep. Gary Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, said during the meeting. Its really amazingly disappointing, especially during pride month, that were looking at not protecting all individuals in this state. Committee co-chairman Sen. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, said during the meeting that a public hearing was not required and the proposal was denied on the basis that such a change would run counter to legislative intent. Lee made the call at the 36th ASEAN Summit which was held on June 26th via video conference under the chair of Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chair of ASEAN 2020. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (Photo: VNA) In line with the summit's theme, "Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN", Lee proposed three ways to boost cooperation, namely sharing technologies to contain the virus and curb new infections, procuring equitable, steady and affordable supply of COVID-19 treatment and vaccines when they become available and maintaining the flow of trade. Regarding the treatment of COVID-19 patients, Lee spoke of the need to avoid shortages and improve the supply of affordable and quality vaccines. He told other leaders that Singapore is not only investing heavily in the research and development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics, but also building its vaccine manufacturing capacity, enabling manufacturers to use its facilities to meet the demands in the region. On trade and the economy, Lee said that the economic consequences of the pandemic "will linger long after the virus has been contained". He noted that many countries are turning inwards but said an open, stable and integrated ASEAN will attract investments to the region. On tourism, a sector badly battered by the pandemic, Lee proposed that a protocol be developed to progressively and safely lift the current intra-ASEAN restrictions on travel. Singapore has begun to ease the restrictions on travellers from some countries, including those from ASEAN, he noted, and will further ease them as the public health risk subsides./. World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan on Friday said that the organisation would require funding of up to $18.1 billion to deliver two billion doses by the end of 2021. Swaminathan also stated there are hopes that the vaccines will be ready in 12 -18 months. More than 200 vaccine candidates are at different stages of development and 15 are in human clinical trials, Swaminathan added. "At the moment, we do not have a proven vaccine but if we are lucky, there will be one or two successful candidates before the end of this year," Swaminathan said while addressing the media from Geneva. In a virtual media conference, Swaminathan stated that AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine candidate is the most advanced vaccine currently in terms of development, she said. As per the chief scientist of the UN-run health organisation, the pharma company has more global scope at the moment in terms of where they are doing and planning their vaccine trials. Swaminathan said. "They have advanced into phase 2 trials and are planning phase 3 in many countries. Moderna also has plans to go to phase 3 of clinical trials by mid-July." "However, until we see results from clinical trials, the efficacy and safety of these candidates remain unknown. Hence, this underlines the need to invest in clinical development of multiple vaccine candidates and maximising chances of success," she added. India better placed than many nations in fight against COVID-19 due to lockdown: PM Modi Coronavirus-induced economic crisis could test $1 trillion war chest, says IMF MD The Prime Minister has said it's 'not unreasonable' to assume international travel will be off the cards until July 2021. Scott Morrison believes Australia's borders may stay closed until then prevent the spread of coronavirus. Speaking on Friday he added that 'no one really knows' when it will be safe to travel 'and that's the problem'. However flights to New Zealand are likely to resume in the next few months, he said. Mr Morrison's comments come amid projections the Australian tourism sector will lose $55billion over the next financial year because of international border closures. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was 'not unreasonable' to assume international travel bans will remain in place, except to New Zealand, until July 2021 Speaking on Friday Mr Morrison added that 'no one really knows' when it will be safe to travel 'and that's the problem' Tourism expenditure is expected to fall from $138.5billion in 2019 to $83.8billion in 2020. The massive financial hit may be worse for the travel industry if state border restrictions aren't eased soon. A report by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission showed domestic holiday activity was worth $54.3billion in 2019. The revenue earned in 2020-21 is expected to drop by 26 per cent to $40.2billion. A similar decrease may also be seen between states as revenue from interstate travel is estimated to drop by 13 per cent to $19.5billion. Local business trips are expected to see a decrease of 35 per cent to $16.9billion. A source close to the government told The Sydney Morning Herald when borders eventually reopen, Tourism Australia is expected to ramp up domestic marketing. The tourism industry hopes this campaign will encourage Australian's to travel nationally which may recoup some of the losses from international travel. The government also put aside $1billion in March to help the tourism industry. Trips to destinations such as Santorini, in Greece (pictured), may be off the cards until July 2021 Australians hoping to fly to locations such as Lanikai, in Hawaii (pictured) will have to wait until next year The airline industry has also continued to struggle amid the coronavirus pandemic with Qantas boss Alan Joyce announcing on Thursday they will slash 6,000 jobs. 'Its clear that international travel is likely to be stalled for a long time,' Mr Joyce said. 'We are working on international operations not starting in any real size - we might get the Trans-Tasman before then, we may get other nations opening up with bubbles - but to real size from July of next year.' He said that the proposed 'travel bubble' between Australia and New Zealand would be in operation in the next few months but that Qantas will operate a skeleton international service for at least a year. In response to the mass job cuts, The Transport Workers Union said Qantas should have held off until the federal government reviewed JobKeeper - an announcement expected at the end of July. Thank goodness for the Earth's crust: It is, after all, that solid, outermost layer of our planet that supports everything above it. But much of what happens below that layer remains a mystery, including the fate of sections of crust that vanish back into the Earth. Now, a team of geochemists based at the Florida State University-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory has uncovered key clues about where those rocks have been hiding. The researchers provided fresh evidence that, while most of the Earth's crust is relatively new, a small percentage is actually made up of ancient chunks that had sunk long ago back into the mantle then later resurfaced. They also found, based on the amount of that "recycled" crust, that the planet has been churning out crust consistently since its formation 4.5 billion years ago -- a picture that contradicts prevailing theories. Their research is published in the journal Science Advances. "Like salmon returning to their spawning grounds, some oceanic crust returns to its breeding ground, the volcanic ridges where fresh crust is born," said co-author Munir Humayun, a MagLab geochemist and professor at Florida State's Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science (EOAS). "We used a new technique to show that this process is essentially a closed loop, and that recycled crust is distributed unevenly along ridges." In addition to Humayun, the research team included MagLab postdoctoral researcher Shuying Yang, lead author on the paper, and MagLab Geochemistry Group Director and EOAS Chair Vincent Salters. advertisement The Earth's oceanic crust is formed when mantle rock melts near fissures between tectonic plates along undersea volcanic ridges, yielding basalt. As new crust is made, it pushes the older crust away from the ridge toward continents, like a super slow conveyer belt. Eventually, it reaches areas called subduction zones, where it is forced under another plate and swallowed back into the Earth. Scientists have long theorized about what happens to subducted crust after being reabsorbed into the hot, high-pressure environment of the planet's mantle. It might sink deeper into the mantle and settle there, or rise back to the surface in plumes, or swirl through the mantle, like strands of chocolate through a yellow marble cake. Some of that "chocolate" might eventually rise up, re-melt at mid-ocean ridges, and form new rock for yet another millions-year-long tour of duty on the sea floor. This new evidence supports the "marble cake" theory. Scientists had already seen clues supporting the theory. Some basalts collected from mid-ocean ridges, called enriched basalts, have a higher percentage of certain elements that tend to seep from the mantle into the melt from which basalt is formed; others, called depleted basalts, had much lower levels. To shed more light on the mystery of the disappearing crust, the team chemically analyzed 500 samples of basalt collected from 30 regions of ocean ridges. Some were enriched, some were depleted and some were in between. advertisement Early on, the team discovered that the relative proportions of germanium and silicon were lower in melts of recycled crust than in the "virgin" basalt emerging from melted mantle rock. So they developed a new technique that used that ratio to identify a distinct chemical fingerprint for subducted crust. They devised a precise method of measuring that ratio using a mass spectrometer at the MagLab. Then they crunched the numbers to see how these ratios differed among the 30 regions sampled, expecting to see variations that would shed light on their origins. At first the analysis revealed nothing of note. Concerned, Yang, a doctoral candidate at the time, consulted with her adviser. Humayun suggested looking at the problem from a wider angle: Rather than compare basalts of different regions, they could compare enriched and depleted basalts. After quickly re-crunching the data, Yang was thrilled to see clear differences among those groups of basalts. "I was very happy," recalled Yang, lead author on the paper. "I thought, 'I will be able to graduate!'" The team had detected lower germanium-to-silicon ratios in enriched basalts -- the chemical fingerprint for recycled crust -- across all the regions they sampled, pointing to its marble cake-like spread throughout the mantle. Essentially, they solved the mystery of the vanishing crust. It was a lesson in missing the forest for the trees, Humayun said. "Sometimes you're looking too closely, with your nose in the data, and you can't see the patterns," he said. "Then you step back and you go, 'Whoa!'" Digging deeper into the patterns they found, the scientists unearthed more secrets. Based on the amounts of enriched basalts detected on global mid-ocean ridges, the team was able to calculate that about 5 to 6 percent of the Earth's mantle is made of recycled crust, a figure that sheds new light on the planet's history as a crust factory. Scientists had known the Earth cranks out crust at the rate of a few inches a year. But has it done so consistently throughout its entire history? Their analysis, Humayun said, indicates that, "The rates of crust formation can't have been radically different from what they are today, which is not what anybody expected." The MagLab is funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida. It is headquartered at Florida State University with additional locations at University of Florida and Los Alamos National Laboratory. An employee at Finger Lakes Center for Living in Auburn tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. Matthew Chadderdon, vice president of marketing and public affairs for Auburn Community Hospital, which owns the nursing home, said Saturday that the employee was asymptomatic when they tested positive for the virus. The state requires that all nursing home employees are tested at least once a week. It was part of the routine testing that the positive case was discovered. The employee received a rapid test, which means the results were available minutes after the sample was collected. After the nursing home learned of the positive test, Chadderdon said the employee was sent home. The state and Cayuga County health departments have been notified, he added. The nursing home has more than 75 residents. Families of the residents were contacted by phone to notify them of the case. "Residents are being tested (Saturday morning) and staff will continue to follow (state Department of Health) and epidemiologists recommendations and monitor residents and staff health regularly," Chadderdon said. "FLCL has met with staff and residents and reinforced all the appropriate health and safety requirements to keep residents and employees safe." Finger Lakes Center for Living will continue to monitor residents and employees will be screened at the beginning of each shift. Chadderdon said the residents tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday. Chadderdon noted that it's the first positive case at the nursing home. There has been one other case involving an employee at a Cayuga County nursing home a staff member at The Commons on St. Anthony in Auburn tested positive within the last month. It hasn't been revealed whether any nursing home residents in Cayuga County's four skilled nursing facilities have tested positive for COVID-19. Nursing homes have been a concern because they are congregate facilities where COVID-19 can easily spread. While Cayuga County hasn't had an outbreak in any of its nursing homes, other counties have reported numerous cases and deaths among employees or residents. Statewide, there have been 3,542 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 2,718 presumed deaths in nursing homes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been criticized for a March policy that prevented nursing homes from refusing to admit or re-admit residents "solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19." The directive also prohibited nursing homes from requiring hospitalized residents from being tested for COVID-19 before they are admitted or re-admitted. That policy has been reversed it's no longer available on the state Department of Health's website but there are other strict guidelines for nursing homes, including the mandate that every employee is tested at least once a week. It was previously a twice-a-week requirement, but Cuomo amended the order earlier this month. Nursing home visitation has been prohibited since mid-March. Chadderdon said Finger Lakes Center for Living implemented visitor restrictions before the state mandate took effect. "Auburn Community Hospital has very strict health and safety standards and will continue to aggressively ensure we are protecting our residents and our employees," he said. Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PM urges Asean travel relaunch BANGKOK: Thailand has called on Asean members to collaborate over public health in a bid to reopen intra-regional travel as part of post-COVID 19 measures to restore the regional economy. By Bangkok Post Saturday 27 June 2020, 09:47AM Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha joins the Vietnam-hosted 36th Asean Summit and related meetings via video conference at Government House on Friday. Photo: Government House It was among three proposals made by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as he attended the Asean Summit held by Vietnam via teleconference on Friday (June 27). Also participating were leaders of the other nine Asean member states and Asean secretary-general Dato Lim Jock Hoi, reports the Bangkok Post. The summit also announced the official establishment of the COVID-19 Asean Response Fund in which Thailand will make a voluntary contribution of US$100,000 (B3.1 million). Gen Prayut said that the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed Thailand and the global community into a new normal way of life, while the world is also moving into a volatile geopolitical phase which has impacted international security and stability. Asean should and must work together to counter geopolitical volatility by strengthening regionalism and the spirit of giving and sharing, as well as preserving Asean centrality in the regional architecture to avoid being forced to take sides. The prime minister took the opportunity to propose three paths of action so that Asean can advance in the post-COVID-19 era. The first proposal is to build a more connected Asean, Gen Prayut said. He urged member states to urgently connect up Asean by accelerating the implementation of the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and promoting connectivity and green infrastructure development to create a seamless and sustainable grouping. He also called on the regional bloc to consider shared approaches to easing measures that have become obstacles to travel in order to help restore businesses and people-to-people connectivity. Gen Prayut suggested that an agreement be made by those Asean members which are ready to create a special channel for businessmen and people for intra-regional based on public health measures acceptable to all member countries. The second proposal is to promote a stronger Asean by building strength from within through advancing economic integration and expediting the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within this year so that Asean can recover economically. Gen Prayut also proposed the promotion of investment in digital infrastructure as he said the digital economy is key to increasing the value of Aseans GDP. Asean must also use technology and innovation to produce high-value goods and services that are environmentally friendly, in line with the Business Model BCG, which stands for Bio, Circular, and Green economies. The third proposal is to create an Asean with enhanced immunity by promoting health security, food security, human security, protecting human rights, cooperation on business and human rights, and addressing terrorism, transnational crime, cyber threats, illegal migration, drug trafficking and illegal fishing for regional peace, Gen Prayut said. He called on Asean to prepare for volatility and challenges that could arise in the future. He also expressed Thailands support for all three main pillars of the Asean Community Council to start developing a recovery plan in order to set out the path to building immunity for Asean in the future, and building upon the successes which Asean have collectively achieved. The plan should cover the issues of health, food, human security and human rights problems. The COVID-19 crisis has clearly demonstrated that Asean must assign importance to looking after all groups within the population, particularly the vulnerable such as migrant workers, he said. New Delhi, June 27 : In more troubles for senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who is a close aide of party chief Sonia Gandhi, a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday reached his residence here and recorded his statement for over eight hours in connection with the alleged multi-crore rupees bank fraud by the Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech. However, the senior Congress leader described the questioning of him by ED as a diversionary tactics by the government to divert attention from India-China and Covid-19 situation in the country. The team of ED, which arrived at the residence of Patel in central Delhi's 23, Mother Teressa Crescent and recorded his statement till 8 p.m. under the sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED officials, has earlier this month asked Patel, who is also Congress treasurer to appear before it on June 8. However, Patel refused to appear before the financial probe agency citing novel coronavirus pandemic threat. An ED source related to the development told IANS, "The officials today recorded his statement and we will once again question him again in the coming days as well." The Ed source said that Patel, was non-cooperative on many questions related to his relations with Sandesara brothers (Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara and Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara). The source further said that the agency also wanted to about the charges made by Sunil Yadav, an employee of the Sandesara group who had made sensational revelations against his son. After ED's questioning speaking to media, Patel said, "Instead of taking action against China, dealing Covid-19 pandemic, they are attacking opposition. (Prime MInister Narendra) Modi's and (Union Home Minister Amit) Shah's people came and questioned me." Last year, the ED had also questioned Patel's son Faisal Patel about his relations with the Sandesara brothers, owners and promoters of the Vadodara-based pharmaceutical firm. The ED had also confronted Faisal with the statement of Sunil Yadav, an employee of the Sandesara group, in which he had alleged that the son of the Congress leader took his friends to a farm house to party and all the expenses were borne by Chetan. The ED suspected that Faisal and his brother-in-law Irfan Siddiqui were close to the Sandesara brothers. On July 30 last year, the ED had questioned Patel's son-in-law and advocate Irfan Siddiqui in connection with the probe. According to ED officials, Yadav alleged that Siddiqui and Faisal were allegedly given code names by Chetan Sandesara. "Chetan and Gagan referred to Siddiqui as Irfan Bhai," he said. Irfan's code name was 'i2' and Faisal's 'i1', Yadav had said. He also said, Faisal would take his friends to Puspanjali Farms to party and all the expenses were borne by Chetan Sandesara. The ED registered a money laundering case against the Sandesara brothers and others in August 2017 after a case of alleged bank fraud of Rs 5,700 crore was filed against them by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The ED probe revealed that the Sandesara brothers and others hatched a criminal conspiracy to cheat banks by manipulating figures in the balance sheets of their flagship companies and induce banks to sanction higher loans. HAIRDRESSERS in Henley are optimistic they will have a business to return to after the coronavirus crisis. Salon owners have been able to ease the financial pressures since they were forced to close in late March through a combination of the Governments employee furlough scheme and business grants. But while non-essential shops were able to open last week provided they took safety measure to prevent the spread of covid-19, hairdressers have been told they will not allowed to restart trading until July 4, along with beauty salons and pubs. Until Boris Johnsons announcement on Tuesday, many salon owners were wondering what more support might be available to them. Dorata Hairdressing in Hart Street furloughed all its eight staff. Director Angelo Dorata said: Nobody in the team is working at the moment because we are all respecting the message to stay at home. We do occasionally get messages from clients asking us to send someone to their house but we are not doing that. As bosses, we categorically encourage staff not to do any mobile hairdressing. Mr Dorata, who has run the business for 16 years, is largely happy with the help he has received from the Government. He said: The furlough scheme for the staff has been really good and at least we know our team is secure. But they could have thought a little bit better about directors as it is a little bit tough for me. This situation is nobodys fault and it shouldnt be that anyone gains out of it. We have got to look after the economy as much as we can so that we can pick up the pieces when this is all over and we can rebuild. It would be good if the Government took further steps if this carries on longer. It doesnt necessarily mean that they need to do more pay-outs, but just better guidelines. Our insurance has not paid out even though we have a business interruption plan and that is something the Government could do to help us. We have paid it for so many years and now that we need some help and make a claim we are not allowed. Nicola Chapman, who has owned Elements in Bell Street for more than five years, said the salon was having its best year ever when the coronavirus hit and she had recently signed a new five-year lease. She has 14 members of staff, having started with just three, and they have all been furloughed. Miss Chapman, who lives in Sonning, said: Having the option to furlough staff was fantastic. Obviously, there were still worries that if the lockdown went on for longer the cash would slowly go away and I have still got to pay rent and utilities. Our business rates have been stopped until next year and that has been a big help. I looked into bank loans but I just dont want to get myself into too much debt. I love what I do I have been doing it since I was 13 and it was always my passion to open up my own salon. Now that I have finally got it, I am not going to give up without a fight. We are going to come back with a bang and keep going as long as we can. Miss Chapman is thinking about how she will need to change her business with the social distancing rules still in place when she can re-open the salon. She said: I have been in contact with a guy who has a salon in Berlin which re-opened recently. He has given me lots of advice and if the Government tells us we have to meet a certain standard, then that is what we will do. Obviously, there will be no cash involved and a limited amount of staff working on rotas. We have got things in place like PPE, masks, gloves and hand sanitiser as well as leaving 15 minutes in between each appointment, so we can go in and clean. Every gown that has been used will go straight in the wash and we will use disposable towels. Members of staff will be wearing gloves and masks and change their equipment and sterilise all of their equipment. We might not have to do temperature checks. Lynda Parker, owner of Rudi Kartal in Duke Street, says the Governments support during the crisis has been amazing. She said: We have been given a 25,000 grant, we have had our business rates frozen and with furloughing the staff I dont think we could have been helped any more. Miss Parker, of St Annes Close, Henley, has owned the business for 18 years, having started working there on Saturdays when she was 14. Nine years ago, she was diagnosed with leukaemia and had stem cell replacement and chemotherapy before returning to work. Her cancer is incurable and she will require more treatment next year. All my life I have had to fight trauma and this is not going to beat me, said Miss Parker. I still have to pay my rent but I paid it a week before the lockdown, so I will not have any big debts. I am wise and am so glad I was taught as a child to save money for a rainy day as I have always stood by that. Jamie Belcher, who took over Bell Street Barbers in 2011, said: I was probably having the best year I have had before this hit us. Business was very good. The 28-year-old from Sonning Common received a 10,000 government busineess grant to help pay rent and utilities. Mr Belcher said: It was a great help. I would only take help if I needed it. I know there are some people that see it as a handout and I have heard about some businesses taking the money and then folding. If it goes on for another month, then I think we would need some more help. He has considered applying for a loan but wants to avoid it if he can. Mr Belcher said: It is just a case of waiting until I come back and I would hate to accumulate debt. I am not someone who would just give up I will fight to the end and I am blessed with the loyal clients that I have. I think you have to keep positive and I have always said, what will be will be. I dont pay myself a massive wage but I have had to pay myself something to get by. Mr Belcher, who is married with a three-year-old daughter, Tegan, and has another child on the way, said he had turned down all offers of work during the lockdown. He said: I have a long list of people that want me to come to their house but because my wife and I are in the high-risk category, I am reluctant to put my family at risk. It is a tough one because you want to provide for your family but you dont want to put them at risk and you cant do both. Nicole Hewitt, director of Salon of Chi in Reading Road, said: Things were going really well before the virus. Areas of the high street are struggling but you cant get a haircut on the internet and we cant be replaced in the same way as other services. She and her husband David, who live in Caversham with their three children, have owned the business for 14 years and Mrs Hewitt has been in hairdressing since she was a teenager. She said: We should be able to weather the storm based on our current projections. I really believe everything will be okay with the salon and we will get through this. If I was to lose my business then it would be through circumstance and not negligence and, in my heart, I can live with that. I have provided for my family all these years and I am good at what I do, so whatever will be will be. She has received a business grant and the staff have been furloughed. Mrs Hewitt added: I have looked into re-opening and dividing the team to reduce numbers. I have bought face shields and masks for my team because it looks like we will have to wear some sort of PPE. Customers will have to wear masks as well and may have to bring their own and there wont be any waiting areas. I have tried to think of the possible scenarios and tried to work around it. We have a team Zoom meeting every Monday and it has been really nice to keep in touch with each other. One customer asked if she would come to their home to do their hair but she refused. Mrs Hewitt said: Because of the furlough scheme people shouldnt be working at the moment and then there is the ethical side of it. For the health of the hairdresser, the client and the wider community, it is not worth it. A relative from Leicestershire was in intensive care with coronavirus. Mrs Hewitt said: He is now out of hospital but he was in there for 10 days. He was on a ventilator for six days and he had a 30 per cent chance of survival when he arrived. Most of us know someone who has had the virus by now and that is the great leveller in all this. If I come out of this alive then that is something to be thankful for; life is the most important thing. The CRA is providing CERB, an emergency benefit of $2,000 per month, to Canadians in need. This goes to show that the COVID-19 pandemic has far and wide impacts. Yet there have been previous economic downturns, and the pandemic will certainly not be the last. Will the government be there to help Canadians every time? Will it be able to give sufficient aid to all in need? Rather than relying on outside power, perhaps Canadians can consider getting their own CERB for future emergencies. That is, if you can accrue some savings, you can start building your own emergency benefit or passive income immediately. Here are a few solid dividend stocks to get your passive income started. Get passive income now Fortis (TSX:FTS) is a well-trusted dividend stock. Its known for its stable business and safe dividends. As a result, its stock also has a very low beta, which makes it easier to hold the stock. Additionally, the dividend stock has a long-term upward trend. Its earnings are stable because it earns very predictable returns from regulated gas and electric utilities. Fortis stock has a dividend growth streak of 46 years, making it a top TSX dividend-growth stock. Its 10-year dividend growth rate is about 6%. Incredibly, over the next few years, Fortis estimates a similar growth rate for its dividend. At $51.40 per share, Fortis stock offers a 3.7%, which makes it reasonable to start a position. Whenever the stock yields 4% or greater, consider buying the safe dividend stock more aggressively. Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) stock is another Canadian Dividend Aristocrat thats a good buy now. Its yield is even more impressive at 7.8%. ENB stock has a big yield now, as the stock sold off because its not entirely immune to COVID-19 impacts due to economic contraction and energy demand decline. The company has increased its dividend for 24 consecutive years at about 15% per year. Going forward, investors should expect a much more conservative dividend growth rate for a long-term growth rate of about 5%. Story continues At current levels, though, the stock can still deliver nice long-term returns thanks to its outsized dividend and attractive valuation. Big Canadian banks are some of the soundest banks on the planet. Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS)(NYSE:BNS) is one of the Big Five Canadians banks. At about $56 per share, it offers a compelling yield of 6.4%. You cant get this kind of yield when the economy is fine. In other words, if youre looking for juicy passive income, now is the time to buy bank shares to hold for the long haul. The dividend stock is discounted by about 30% from its normalized levels. Scotiabanks meaningful exposure (about 23% of earnings) to Pacific Alliance countries should give it greater growth potential down the road. The Foolish takeaway Across the three blue-chip dividend stocks, investors can get an average yield of almost 6% a very good start for your personal CERB. With persistence and careful management, Canadians can build a dividend portfolio that generates a passive income stream exceeding CERBs $2,000 per month. Are you up for the challenge? The post Get Your Own CERB for Future Emergencies appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Kay Ng owns shares of Enbridge and The Bank of Nova Scotia. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool recommends BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA and FORTIS INC. 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 (Bloomberg) The U.S. won arrest warrants for the former president of a China state-owned chipmaker and two other engineers charged with stealing secrets from Idaho-based Micron Technology Inc. The effort to apprehend the three men is notable because they were charged in 2018 in the first case filed under the Trump administrations China Initiative targeting trade-secret theft, hacking and economic espionage. A federal magistrate judge in San Francisco issued the warrants Wednesday after the three men failed to show for their arraignments. While the prosecution of Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co. has hobbled Chinas aspirations of mass producing memory chips, the case has crawled along, even as the Justice Department said the China Initiative would prioritize rapid action. The arraignments of the engineers were repeatedly postponed by agreement between the U.S. and their lawyers. Suddenly on Wednesday, in a three-minute hearing, a U.S. prosecutor requested the warrants, telling the judge she knew the defendants wouldnt show up after talking to their lawyers Monday. Their clients are not here for different reasons, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Vartain Horn told the judge, without offering details. The appropriate thing to do, and what the government requests, is a warrant for each of the individual defendants. Fujian Jinhua has pleaded not guilty and said its eager to go to trial. Taiwan-based United Microelectronics Corp., or UMC, has also pleaded not guilty. After the Justice Department billed the matter as a banner prosecution under a special initiative, there may be political pressure to do something about this case and chalk up a win, said Calvin Lee, a white-collar criminal defense lawyer. Beyond appearances, the U.S. also has a responsibility to pursue the accused engineers, said Preston L. Pugh, a former prosecutor who works with Lee. The warrants were issued for former Fujian Jinhua president Chen Zhengkun, or Stephen Chen; He Jianting, or J.T. Ho; and Wang Yungming, or Kenny Wang. All three are from Taiwan, and legal experts have said theres little motivation for them to appear in a U.S. court. Ho and Wang, who previously worked for Micron before moving to UMC, and a third UMC staffer were found guilty by a Taiwanese court two weeks ago of theft or assisting in the alleged theft of Microns secrets. The three men were sentenced to jail for periods ranging from 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 years and fined between NT$4 million and NT$6 million. The court also fined UMC NT$100 million ($3.4 million). UMC declined to comment. Fujian Jinhua spokesman Chad Kolton had no immediate comment. Mary McNamara, a lawyer for Chen, didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Vanessa Chuang, who represents Wang in Taiwan, declined to comment as she said she doesnt represent Wang in the U.S. Of the three, only Ho is still working for UMC. A call to the law firm that was listed two years ago in the indictment as representing Ho wasnt answered. In October 2018, a few days before the China Initiative was announced, the Commerce Department blocked sales of U.S. chip-making gear to Jinhua, grinding to a halt the companys plans to produce semiconductors. China, by far the largest market for dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, has made its production a national priority so it can end its reliance on hundreds of billions of dollars of annual imports. From the criminal case, prosecutors stand to win an order requiring Jinhua and UMC to forfeit chips and income derived from technology allegedly stolen from Micron, as well as a ban on using Microns secrets for as long as five years. The case is U.S. v. United Microelectronics Corp., 18-cr-00465, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). Contact editor Yang Ge (geyang@caixin.com) Finally! After nearly three decades of pleading to deaf Republican and Democratic congresses for a fair shake, American workers can celebrate. Breaking with his White House predecessors, all of whom displayed an addicted-like commitment to more employment-based visas, President Trump gave American workers a reason at long last to cheer. Whether low- or high-skilled, Trumps announcement that he would cut 525,000 visas from among those who would have entered and taken a U.S. job during this years final six months means that 45 million unemployed Americans futures are suddenly brighter. Trump expanded his April 22 Executive Order that only inconsequentially lowered legal immigration totals, and left employment visas untouched. For the remainder of 2020, the following visas, all of which include work permission, will be restricted: H-1B, mostly for tech; H-2B for seasonal nonagricultural workers that ludicrously include lifeguards, leisure industry employees and amusement park workers as if young American wouldnt do those jobs. Also included are J visas that allow au pairs to work on the cheap in tony D.C. suburbs; H-4, an Obama-era program, never congressionally approved, that gives work permission to H-1B spouses, and L visas that allow, for example, a Hong Kong-based IBM accountant to transfer to the Armonk corporate headquarters as if the New York/Connecticut region has no available bookkeepers. By the way, accompanying L visa holders will be their spouses and unmarried children age 21 or younger. Bringing family members keeps the U.S. population exploding and assures that K-12 schools remain overcrowded, both of which reduce Americans quality of life. But President Trump put extended family chain migration on hold. Only Green Card holders nuclear family will get Green Cards, making them eligible for lifetime-valid work permits. The president moved to correct another preposterous immigration flaw. The Trump administration announced a new regulation that will prevent most of those who come to the U.S. illegally from getting work permits while they apply for asylum or make other pleas for special dispensation. Currently, aliens can obtain work permits while their cases are pending, a period that often stretches out for years. This misguided policy represents an obvious incentive to enter illegally, and then be rewarded with work permission. When they learned of the presidents order, expansionists that include the Chamber of Commerce, the tech lobby and some in Congress went apoplectic, and sounded foolish. FWD.us, the immigration advocacy group that Mark Zuckerberg cofounded, pulled out the predictable hysterical claims that President Trumps newest order was a full-frontal attack on American innovation and our nations ability to benefit from attracting talent from around the world and that it will hurt our economy, another tired old saw. Not surprisingly, but nevertheless disappointing, Senate House Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham is in complete accord with Zuckerbergs group. In a series of tweets, Graham criticized President Trump, and predicted that his order would have a chilling effect on our recovering economy. Grahams career voting record on increasing employment-based visas is the same as those of notoriously anti-American worker sellouts Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and dozens of other congressional globalists. No intelligent argument can be made that the U.S. needs employment-based visas or for that matter more people. Americans agree with President Trumps immigration pause. A Zogby Analytics poll taken in swing states Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin showed that a strong majority, about 60 percent of registered voters, favor immigration reductions. In all ten states, majorities of voters concurred that limiting admission of new immigrants and guest workers will improve the chances of laid-off American workers being rehired. With record high unemployment, for Congress to force unemployed Americans to compete with imported labor is an outrage. While Trumps order doesnt go far enough, or last as long as it should, hes taken an important step in the right direction to protect beleaguered, job-seeking U.S. workers. Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Indicted Kosovar President Accuses International Judiciary Of Attempt To 'Rewrite History' By RFE/RL's Balkan Service June 26, 2020 Kosovar President Hashim Thaci, indicted this week for war crimes and crimes against humanity, has accused the international justice system of attempting to rewrite history. In his first comments since being indicted along with several others for offenses allegedly committed during or after the Kosovo conflict in the late 1990s, Thaci said on June 26 that he was returning to Kosovo after cutting short a trip to Washington and will address the nation in two days. "Nobody can rewrite the history of Kosovo," he wrote in both English and Albanian in a post on Instagram. The former Serbian province declared independence in 2008 -- a move Serbia, Russia, and a handful of European Union member states refuse to recognize. Thaci was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group that fought against Belgrade's security forces in the 1998-99 war. On June 24, the Specialist Prosecutor's Office (SPO) said in a statement that Thaci and other suspects were "criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders," as well as the "enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture." The alleged crimes involved "hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and include political opponents," according to the SPO. Thaci has previously denied involvement in any war crimes. The Kosovar president had been scheduled to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the White House on June 27 for talks aimed at leading to a normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Vucic said from Brussels on June 26 that Belgrade would show restraint in its response to the news. "For us, the most important thing is to be restrained. We know terrible crimes have happened. In everyting else, we have to show restraint and by it, we will be protecting Serbs in Kosovo from any kind of violence, incidents, and attacks," Vucic said. A 10-count indictment against Thaci and several other unidentified suspects was filed with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) in The Hague on April 24, but the prosecutor only decided to unveil them publicly two months later. Prosecutors said the charges resulted from a "lengthy investigation" and they were confident they can prove "all charges beyond a reasonable doubt." A KSC pretrial judge is currently reviewing the indictment to decide on whether to confirm the charges. The prosecutor accused Thaci of repeated efforts "to obstruct and undermine the work" of the tribunal. Kosovo was part of Serbia until an armed uprising by the ethnic Albanian majority population in 1998-99 triggered a Serbian crackdown. The conflict ended following a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to force Serbian troops out of Kosovo. The war left more than 10,000 dead and over 1,600 are still unaccounted for. The KSC was established in 2015 to investigate crimes committed during and after the war in Kosovo. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/indicted-kosovar -president-accuses-international-judiciary-of-attempt- to-rewrite-history-/30692328.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Passengers check in at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Photo by Shutterstock/gracethang2. The Airports Corporation of Vietnam expects a pre-tax profit plunge of 80 percent this year to VND2 trillion ($86 million) due to coronavirus impacts. The state-owned company, which operates 21 airports, also anticipates its revenue to fall 45 percent to VND11.3 trillion ($488 million), according to a release. It said passenger numbers passing through Vietnam airports is set to plunge 41 percent from last year to 69.2 million in 2020. Cargo delivery is set to fall 13 percent to 1.3 million tonnes. Although domestic flights have been resumed, international routes have yet to follow suit, the latter contributing a larger revenue, ACV stated. During the following two years, the company plans to prioritize investment in the construction of a second terminal at Phu Bai International Airport in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and a third terminal at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will release the class 10 and 12 results from Lucknow today. UP Board exams result for the year 2020 will be declared by Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma today, via video conferencing from Lok Bhawan, Lucknow. The press conference for the same will begin at 12 PM. Where to check the UP 10th, 12th results 2020 Students can check their results on the following websites - upmsp.edu.in - upresults.nic.in - upmspresults.up.nic.in How to check the UP HS and UP Intermediate results 2020 As soon as the High School (class 10th and class 12th) results will be declared on upmsp.edu.in, students can follow the guidelines below and check their respective results Step 1: Log on to the official websites of UPMSP - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in or upmspresults.up.nic.in Step 2: Click on the 'UP Board Result 2020 Class 1' or 'UP Board Result 2020 Class 12' link on the homepage Step 3: Students are then required to fill in the required details and credentials like admit card roll number, name and date of birth to check their results. Step 4: Download the UP Board Result 2020. If required, candidates can also take a print-out of the results for future reference. How to check results via App-UP Board Results 2020 Alternatively, students can also check their board results via the app, known as 'UP Board Results 2020', which can be downloaded from Google Play Store. The app has got four stars and has been downloaded by 5 lakh users have already. Students can also rely upon another app, called 10th, 12th Board Result, ALL Board Results 2020, which has received positive feedback from the students. UP Board Result 2020 Live Updates: Class 10th, 12th result to be declared at 12 pm UP Board Result Today: Time, How, when and where to check UP board class 10th, 12th result online As the Mumbai police continue to investigate Sushant Singh Rajput's unfortunate death, it is now reported that two former senior officials from Yash Raj Films have been questioned for several hours and their statements have been recorded over the late actor's contracts with the production house. Indiatimes According to a Mumbai Mirror report, these two former senior executives were in-charge when Sushant Singh Rajput signed a film contract with Yash Raj Films in the year 2012. A source quoted by the report said that the police have received only Sushant's agreement contract copy, however, his exit from the contract in 2015 has not been provided yet. " The questioning largely revolved around the terms of references in the agreement to join and exit the firm by the actor," sources said. Agencies According to police sources, the two officials questioned are Ashish Singh, former Vice President Production at YRF, and Ashish Patil, who was also with YRF earlier, were the two signatories on the contract that Sushant Singh Rajput had signed with YRF in 2012. "I cannot divulge details of the contract as it is mentioned in the contract itself. However, the parting was on very cordial terms and we had been in touch after that. We made two films. Some projects, some films don't work out. He had left YRF five years back and even after that we were in touch. There were no issues. We should pray for him," Ashish Singh said. Sushant Singh Rajput / Instagram Earlier this week, the police requested contract copies from Yash Raj Films, and after the investigation ends will we have answers to what compelled to take such a drastic step. It should also be noted that people have been demanding a CBI probe in the investigation as there is massive distrust in the police. India admits amassing troops near site of deadly fighting with China Iran Press TV Friday, 26 June 2020 6:39 AM India has deployed hundreds of troops near the site of recent deadly border clashes with China, in what it says came in response to China's military deployment to the Himalayan border region. The Indian foreign ministry acknowledged, for the first time on Thursday, that the military had sent troops to the border, accusing China of causing the tensions by starting military deployments. The two sides keep blaming each other for this month's deadly fighting during which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. The fighting, the deadliest since 1967, occurred in the border area that lies between China's Tibet and India's Ladakh regions. India's foreign ministry spokesman, Anurag Srivastava, said on Thursday that "both sides remain deployed in large numbers in the region, while military and diplomatic contacts are continuing." He blamed "Chinese actions" on the unofficial border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), for this month's deadly fight with rocks and batons. No shots were fired. "At the heart of the matter is that since early May, the Chinese side has been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the LAC," he said. Srivastava also accused Chinese forces of building "structures" on the Indian side of their demarcation line in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. "While there have been occasional departures in the past, the conduct of Chinese forces this year has been in complete disregard of all mutually agreed norms," the spokesman said. He warned that a "continuation of the current situation would only vitiate the atmosphere for the development of the relationship." Top military commanders from both sides held talks last week and their foreign ministers also discussed ways to end the showdown. China says Indian forces caused the battle in mid-June by attacking its troops, calling on New Delhi "to immediately stop all infringing and provocative actions." Chinese ambassador to India, Sun Weidong, said on Thursday that the overall situation in the border region is "stable and controllable" and that "mutual respect and support" is a sure way and meets the long-term interests of both countries. He said both sides are able to properly manage their differences, calling on New Delhi to avoid taking actions that may "complicate" the situation in eastern Ladakh. "China and India are both large developing countries and emerging economies with more than one billion people, and both have the historic mission of realizing our own development and revitalization," he added. In the meantime, India a major defense partner to the US keeps deepening its alliance with Washington. Experts say that in the face of China's military power, New Delhi has little option but to align more closely with Washington and other rivals of China. They also believe that this recent border confrontation "is caught up in the US-India-China situation." An editorial in China's Global Times suggested earlier this month that India's tough stance on border issues may, in part, be because of the US wooing India to formulate a joint Indo-Pacific strategy. "New Delhi must be clear that the resources that the US would invest in China-India relations are limited," it said. It also said that the US wanted to use India to serve "Washington's interests" to contain China. Under the government of Prime Minister Narandra Modi, the basic elements of closer military cooperation with the US have developed further than under previous governments of India. Modi has signed military foundational agreements with Washington, which have enabled access to advanced technologies from the US, along with an agreement which facilitates US military companies to partner with the Indian private sector for military manufacturing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 23:15:14|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ANKARA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish navy carried out operational readiness training in the Mediterranean from June 22 to June 26, Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Saturday. "Operational readiness training was conducted between June 22-26 by the Turkish Maritime Task Group, which is comprised of four frigates and one oiler operating in the central Mediterranean," the ministry tweeted. The Turkish army recently increased its exercises in the Mediterranean where tensions grow due to the conflict in Libya, and a dispute with Cyprus and Greece over offshore hydrocarbon resources. On June 12, Turkey's military conducted air and naval exercise in the eastern Mediterranean. Enditem It is not entirely clear when and how the coronavirus began. But if there's something people know for sure, it did not result from 5G wireless technology as scientists have found absolutely no evidence linking COVID-19 to 5G. However, there are still many who believe it. Learning Where the 5G Conspiracy Begun With that, four experts decided to take it upon themselves to get to the bottom of things and know where the theory all began and how it got massive, namely Marc Tuters, an assistant professor of new media and digital culture from the University of Amsterdam along with Peter Knight, a professor of American studies at the University of Manchester. With them are Joseph Downing, a nationalism research fellow from the London School of Economics and Wasim Ahmed, a lecturer in digital business at Newcastle University. According to StopFake.org, there are several versions of the 5G conspiracy theory, each with their own details and each more implausible than the other. However, the first one said that it was not a coincidence that the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, China, as it was also where 5G technology was trialed--but that already proved to be false as 5G was already being rolled out in several places. There is even one theory that wireless technology directly transmits COVID-19. Another suggested that elites like Bill Gates have planned the global pandemic to cause a need for vaccination, where they could insert chips and then activated by the 5G waves. Read Also: Here are Telltale Signs of a Conspiracy Theory Recycled Theories There are tons and tons of theories online, but according to Tuters and Knight, some of them are new, while most of them are nothing but mutations of existing theories that are made relevant through current themes. For example, the 5G conspiracy theories have similarities with about a 1990 theory about HAARP, which is a large radio transmitter, which conspiracy theorists believe is nothing but a weapon for weather and mind control. So, basically, many of these theories are nothing new and are only recycled materials from past fake news. How it Trended Meanwhile, Ahmed and Downing led a study that was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research regarding how the 5G conspiracy theory trended. "The 5G and COVID-19 conspiracy theory became a trending topic on Twitter, which we saw, and this initially sparked our interest in the subject," Ahmed explained. And so, the two decided to analyze Twitter data that included the keyword "5Gcoronavirus" as well as the hashtag #5GCoronavirus over a period of seven days back when it was trending in the United Kingdom from March 27 to April 4 of this year. The analysis showed a total of 10,140 tweets from 6,556 Twitter users. According to the PsyPost, only 35% of the people who tweeted about it were in support of the COVID-19 theory, while 32% of them denounced and mocked it, bringing unintentional attention to the theory and making it trend. Thus, the theory has garnered more public attention making it easy for theorists worldwide to share. Read Also: [COVID-19 Update] Coronavirus Turns Into Zombie-Like Cells Once a Person is Infected 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Beverly Hills police arrested 28 people during a peaceful protest Friday night. (AFP / Getty Images) Beverly Hills is facing criticism after officers arrested 28 people during a peaceful protest against police violence overnight, two weeks after imposing an unusual ordinance banning demonstrations in residential areas that "disrupted the tranquility." The latest protest, which began about 7:30 p.m. Friday and drew about 75 people, was the third demonstration in Beverly Hills organized by the Black Future Project, but the first that resulted in arrests, said organizer Austin Tharpe, 29. Were protesting for Black lives," he said. Specifically in Beverly Hills, because of the privilege and the whole makeup of the community, we felt like our voices needed to be heard over there. He said that after protesters marched for several hours, police deployed a long-range acoustic device, also known as a sonic cannon, and declared the demonstration an unlawful assembly shortly before midnight. We put the signs on the ground, he said. We turned around and faced away from the cops with our knees on the ground and our hands behind our head. He said that officers continued to yell out orders to disperse, while protesters continued to kneel. A total of 28 people were taken into custody, most on suspicion of unlawful assembly, though one person faced an attempted arson charge after allegedly trying to set fire to a large American flag that was attached to a building, said Sgt. Thomas West of the Beverly Hills Police Department. That person was associated with the protest but not the Black Future Project, Tharpe said. They were given multiple warnings to leave, and as arrests were being made we were continually asking people to leave, so it was just the people who absolutely refused to leave who were placed under arrest, West said. Initially, the Police Department planned to hold the protesters under whats called a misdemeanor non-release, which would have required that they post $5,000 bail to get out, West said. Later in the day, citing a directive from command staff, the department reversed course and said the protesters would be cited and released on their own recognizance, provided that they did not have outstanding warrants. The demonstrators remained in custody late Saturday afternoon, prompting concern from activists who said they should have been cited and released more quickly. Story continues That came after the National Lawyers Guild issued a statement decrying the $5,000 bail as unacceptable and calling for the protesters to be immediately freed. It is outrageous that during a statewide health crisis and when, as we have been hearing from our local, state, and federal officials, the number of COVID-19 cases in California are continuing to rise that the Beverly Hills Police Department would hold these peaceful protesters in custody, the organization said in a statement. Keeping these men and women in custody will unnecessarily expose them to significant health risk and endanger their lives. Many of the protesters still had not been released by 7 p.m. Saturday. West said they were in the process of being physically booked, "and that booking process takes time," particularly due to the volume of arrests. Its very retaliatory, Tharpe said. We've had this situation before, and were usually detained, given a citation and in and out within two to three hours. Its extremely aggressive for them to be detained for almost 14 hours and still not processed, still no word from them. In a statement Saturday evening, a city spokesman said that the Police Department had added additional staff to facilitate the process. Asked to comment on the arrests and the strong rebuke from the National Lawyers Guild, Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman released a statement saying that protesters were given multiple warnings before being taken into custody. Last nights protest in a residential area, Friedman said, was a violation of the Citys Civil Emergency Order. The arrests occurred in a residential section of the city north of the glitzy shopping district. The order, which took effect June 13, states that no more than 10 people are allowed to gather for an assembly in a residential area between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. An assembly is defined as a gathering in a public place that consists of 10 or more people who have a common goal. The order restricting nighttime assemblies cites the events of May 30, as well as an Occupy protest that was held Friday from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The protest included bullhorns and amplified music and disrupted the tranquility of the residential neighborhood during hours when many people would ordinarily be sleeping, the order states. The city has deemed it necessary to limit the use of residential neighborhoods at night to allow residents to sleep, according to the order. Those who violate the order can face arrest and be charged with a misdemeanor. Mumbai: Sushmita Sen has shared on Instagram a photo of a handwritten love letter that a fan sent to her. "Sushmita Sen I love you," the note reads. "The ultimate #loveletter. I am blessed to receive a lot of love and kindness over the years, from all my #fans. My favourite being the old fashioned way...hand written letters!!! I've read every letter ever send to me, it's usually been an outpouring of emotions, filling pages with the overwhelming power of love and belonging!!! Yet, this is the first time, I've received a letter that took a second to read but it's simplicity will resonate a lifetime!!! I LOVE YOU TOO!!! #sharing #love #simplicity #depth #awesomeness #duggadugga," the actress wrote on Instagram. Sushmita recently made a comeback after five years in the web series "Aarya". The series, which marks her digital debut, saw her return to the screen five years after her last outing, the Bengali arthouse film, "Nirbaak". A familiar face in local government has been chosen to lead the Lake County Port and Economic Development Authority. Former longtime Willoughby Mayor David E. Anderson was unanimously selected by the Ports board June 24 to become the bodys new executive director, ending a six-month search. Anderson, 68, fills the role previously held by Mark Rantala who retired at the end of January after serving for nearly seven years. Tim Cahill, director of public finance and controller of the Port, served as executive director in the interim while the board sought Rantalas successor. Dave brings great experience and is broadly respected, which will allow him to have an immediate positive impact on Port activities throughout the county, Cahill said. According to the Port, a pool of 30 applicants was narrowed down to three finalists until the novel coronavirus pandemic halted the interview process. After the state began to reopen and social distancing was established as a measure of safety, the final interview was conducted. Given the reality of the current economic uncertainty, coupled with our funding source as being a portion of Ohios casino revenue, we felt hiring Mr. Anderson as our part-time director was a perfect fit, said Board Chairman Art Lindrose. Anderson was immediately given three main projects to complete by Lindrose: * The Kennedy Parkway extension into the Lake County Executive Airport (formerly Lost Nation) property * Development of a facility for the reuse of dredge material per the states requirement beginning in 2020 that will enable the continuation of maritime operations on the Grand River * Development of the trail envisioned in the master plan completed by the Port Authority in 2017 in collaboration with Lake Metroparks Anderson, a lifelong resident of Lake County, graduated from Willoughby South High School in 1970 and attended Cleveland State University. He was elected mayor of Willoughby in 1991. His key interests were strategic planning, fiscal management and economic development. Prior to being elected mayor, Andersons experience included 20 years in sales, sales management and business management positions. During this time, he served as the executive director of a private electronics training school and also served as a consultant to private college administrators in the areas of business planning and strategic planning. He retired after serving as mayor for 26 years. Anderson said one of the most enjoyable and challenging aspects of being mayor was economic development, adding that knowing all the players out there remains a key advantage. Although I was enjoying my retirement, when I became aware of this position opening at the Port I started thinking of the possibility of being involved with economic development on a countywide basis. I knew this was something I could get excited about and I felt my prior experience would lend itself well to this endeavor, and the timing is just right with what were going through, he said. Ive heard your directives and Im extremely pleased and excited to have this opportunity and so much look forward to getting started. More than 5,000 returning travellers refused to be tested for coronavirus in Victoria before being allowed to return to their homes, it has been revealed. On Friday, Victoria's deputy chief health officer Annaliese van Diemen acknowledged that about 30 per cent of returned travellers have refused a COVID-19 test. Those people, around 5,000 in total, were then allowed back into the community even though they may have been infectious. Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said states do have the power to force people to stay in quarantine until they return a negative test. Victoria said they will look into further enforcement measures while NSW said they will detain people for an extra 10 days if they refuse to be tested. More than 5,000 returning travellers in Victoria refused to be tested for coronavirus and were allowed to return home On Friday, Victoria's deputy chief health officer Annaliese van Diemen (pictured) acknowledged that about 30 per cent of returned travellers have refused a COVID-19 test. About 4,800 infrared thermometers are being shipped to vacation spots while more testing clinics are being set up as the state struggles through a second spike in coronavirus infections. Dr van Diemen acknowledged that some people are automatically allowed into the community and said she was 'happy with the current regime'. 'At the moment there is no requirement that they must undertake testing,' she said. 'Everybody's offered testing on multiple occasions throughout their stay and we have, you know, very good uptake of that. 'At this point in time we're pretty happy with the current regimen. It's more stringent than most other places.' In the wake of the revelations, Professor Murphy said all travellers arriving in Australia will be tested before they are quarantined and again once they are allowed to leave. 'That 30 per cent is quite a high rate, other states haven't seen the same rate of refusal,' he told reporters in Canberra on Friday. 'But states have the powers ... to say to someone, 'well, we won't let you out of quarantine until you've been tested and had a clear test'. 'We will ... make sure that people understand before they come that this is a requirement. I think most people will cooperate with that arrangement.' Victoria recorded 30 new cases on Friday with five of those in hotel quarantine, five detected through routine testing and another seven linked to known outbreaks. Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy (pictured) said states have the power to make people stay in quarantine until they test negative to coronavirus About 4,800 infrared thermometers are being shipped to vacation spots while more testing clinics are being set up as the state struggles through a second spike in coronavirus infections (pictured is a testing site in Melbourne shopping centre) Another 13 cases are still under investigation. Premier Daniel Andrews announced plans to carry out a 'testing blitz' in 10 COVID-19 hotspot suburbs across Melbourne to bring the deadly virus under control. Officials say 20,000 tests have been done since Thursday, bringing the total tests undertaken in Victoria to date above 736,000. Testing clinics will be set up on the Great Ocean Road and in the Victorian Alps to coincide with the holidays. The health advice for Victorians is that they can travel within the state during the fortnight of the school holidays - as long as they are healthy. Anyone with virus symptoms, however mild, must stay home and undergo testing. A health worker at the Orygen Youth Mental Health Facility has the virus, Dr van Diemen said on Friday. 'That facility is now in lockdown and we are working very closely with Melbourne health who run the facility,' she said. 'All of the deep cleaning requirements have been done there and testing will be undertaken as required.' Victoria said they will look into those enforcement measures while NSW said they will detain people for an extra 10 days if they refuse to be tested Victoria recorded another 30 cases on Friday as the state undergoes a test blitz A McDonald's worker has also been confirmed as having COVID-19 and is linked to an outbreak in Wollert, which stemmed from 'various household parties and gatherings'. 'The St Monica's outbreak has been renamed as the Wollert outbreak because it has been apparent the major driver of this outbreak has been social occasions with some spillover into the school, so the worker at McDonald's is linked to that outbreak,' she said. Meanwhile, dozens of Centrelink contract staff who live in Victoria's coronavirus hot spots have been stood down amid concerns at the risk of community transmission. Hank Jongen, the general manager of Centrelink's parent agency Services Australia, said fewer than 100 staff who live in the affected COVID-19 hot spots work outside those areas. 'These staff have been advised to stay at home while we review and adapt to the latest health advice and prevent unnecessary movement in and out of those areas,' Mr Jongen said in a statement on Friday. A person wearing a face mask in Melbourne on Thursday. There are 183 active cases in Victoria as of Friday There are 183 active cases in Victoria with six people currently in hospital. More than 1,700 people have recovered from the virus in the state. Dr van Diemen added health officials were working to contain two cases confirmed at a Coles distribution centre in Laverton in south-west Melbourne. 'One of those cases is very clearly linked to a large outbreak at Keilor Downs, so we do have a very clear source of acquisition for that,' she said. The Keilor Downs family outbreak in north-west Melbourne has now swelled to 19 infections, while a North Melbourne cluster has reached 15 cases. Official White House Photo by Shealah CraigheadBY: ELLA TORRES, ABC NEWS (PHOENIX) -- The attorney general of Arizona issued a warning letter to a megachurch that claims its air filtration system "kills 99 percent of COVID within 10 minutes." Attorney General Mark Brnovich sent the letter to Phoenix's Dream City Church on Thursday, saying that their claim -- which Brnovich said was not backed by any science -- may be illegal. "In the absence of scientific evidence regarding COVID-19 specifically, statements suggesting that a product could provide nearly guaranteed protection from COVID-19 infections create a misrepresentation or a false promise. Misrepresentations and false promises are illegal under A.R.S. 44-1522," Brnovich wrote. The church, which can seat 3,000 people, had also claimed "when you come into [the church's] auditorium, 99 percent of COVID is gone" and "you can know when you come down here, you'll be safe and protected," according to his letter. Dream City Church, which has six other locations, made some of the claims in a Facebook video ahead of hosting President Donald Trump this week. The video has since been removed. Dream City Church did not immediately respond to ABC News for comment. However, before the warning letter was sent, they issued a statement saying they used the words COVID and coronavirus interchangeably. "Our statement regarding the CleanAir EXP units used the word COVID when we should have said Coronavirus or COVID surrogates," the church said. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus, of which there is more than one. The church's air filtration system was purchased from Clear Air EXP, Brnovich said. Brnovich sent a cease-and-desist letter to Clean Air EXP the same day, demanding the company stop advertising air purification systems with suggestions the systems neutralize COVID-19. He said that the company has and continues to advertise that its air filtration products eliminate 99.9% of "airborne coronavirus surrogates." In a statement posted on the Clear Air Exp website, the company reiterated that claim. "Our coronavirus surrogate testing results are significant for the future of clean air," the company claimed. Brnovich said the message is not based on scientific research or public health authority certification, and that the message implies Clean Air EXP's products can prevent the virus' transmission and infection. An expert who spoke to ABC News said the public should be skeptical of any technology that claims to eliminate all airborne viruses and especially COVID-19. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. The fugitive Iranian judge Gholamreza Mansouri who was found dead in suspicious circumstances at a Bucharest hotel on June 19, had told an extradition hearing in Romania that the corruption charges against him had been a "bogus scenario". Mansouri was wanted in Iran for corruption and in Germany for human rights violations. Iranian authorities filed a case for his extradition on June 11 for complicity in setting up a criminal group and taking bribes. The news about Mansouri's presence in Europe earlier this month prompted Iranian human rights activists and Amnesty International to demand his arrest for detaining, torturing and jailing dozens of Iranian journalists. He was arrested in Romania and an extradition hearing was held in court. According to the minutes of the hearing regarding Mansouri's extradition held on June 12 in Bucharest that has been provided exclusively to Radio Farda, Mansouri told the court that he had been a judge for thirty years, performed his duties with diligence and a bogus scenario had been prepared by the authorities against him after his retirement last year. Gholamreza Mansouri was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court by the ex-Chief Justice Sadeq Amoli-Larijani before he retired. The corruption case is highly damaging to the ex-Chief Justice who now heads the very influential Expediency Council appointed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Mansouri did not offer details about the "scenario" but the court-appointed lawyer who represented Mansouri and also acted as his translator said the corruption charges brought against Mansouri were "unfounded" and "political" in nature. The prime suspect in the corruption case is former Deputy Chief Justice Akbar Tabari. Mansouri's court-appointed lawyer said the main charge brought against him was receiving bribes to make favorable rulings for individuals later implicated in a major corruption case in Iran. The lawyer claimed that judge Mansouri had no authority to do so and "simply implemented the verdicts of another judge" who was not named in the hearing. In the trial in Iran there has been no mention of any other judges in conjunction with Mansouri's alleged crimes. Mansouri allegedly received a half million euro bribe (about $560,000) from one of the defendants in the corruption case to ensure that he was acquitted. The said defendant escaped the country last year and is considered a fugitive now. In total, eight defendants fled Iran including Mansouri. Another defendant in the case who personally delivered the money to Mansouri in several installments said Mansouri had demanded that in the corruption trial he should say the money was paid to him as a loan. Mansouri's lawyer argued that there were serious grounds to believe extradition would not meet the conditions provided by law and that there was no danger if he was released considering that he voluntarily showed up at the Iranian embassy when he found out about being prosecuted in Iran and would continue to work with the criminal investigation bodies. According to the lawyer, medical records in the file showed that Mansouri had suffered some convulsive seizures the previous night and was also afraid not only for his own life but also for his family back in Iran. Mansouri also stated that he was in possession of evidence in Romania about his innocence and would prepare it for presentation to the next session of the court if he was not held in detention. The court decided that while Mansouri could be extradited in principle, Iranian authorities had not offered sufficient evidence and ruled against pre-trial detention but required that he remain in Romania under judicial control and supervision for a period of 30 days to prevent him from evading the extradition trial. He was released and stayed in the Duke Hotel, where he mysteriously fell from height and died on June 19. With assistance from the Romanian Service of RFE/RL A view of DEEP C Industrial Zone in the northern port city of Hai Phong. The country drew US$6 billion of FDI into IZs in the first half of the year. - Photo congthuong.vn The ministry said Viet Nam attracted 335 FDI projects in the period. The country has welcomed a total of 9,835 with registered capital of $197.8 billion so far. The disbursement capital at IPs and EZs reached 72.3 per cent of the total. Meanwhile, IPs and EZs have received VND62.7 trillion in terms of newly-registered capital and additional capital poured into 282 projects by Vietnamese investors during the six-month period, said the MPI. Overall, domestic investors have committed VND2.3 quadrillion to IPs and EZs, of which 46.3 per cent of the amount has been disbursed. The ministry said by the end of June 2020, the country has 336 IPs with total area of some 97,800 ha, of which 261 are operational, while 75 are in the process of site clearance and construction. The occupancy rate reached 76 per cent at operating IPs. The country has 17 coastal economic zones covering a combined area of approximately 845,000 ha on land and water surface. Le Dang Doanh, former director of the Central Insitute for Economic Management (CIEM), said the approval of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has been an advantage for Viet Nam in attracting FDI. Doanh said Viet Nam should consider some issues when appealing for FDI from the EU. Viet Nam 's advantage of attracting FDI comes from the early conclusion of the EVFTA. However, this advantage only exists in the short term because the orientation of both ASEAN and the EU would create a regional FTA between the two blocs. Nguyen Thuong Lang from the School of Trade and International Economics said when the EVFTA takes effect, not only trade but the flow of investment capital from the EU to Viet Nam would also increase significantly. Attractive fields for EU businesses to invest in Viet Nam are clean industries, processing industry, manufacturing and high technologies. In addition, partners from other countries could also choose Viet Nam as an investment location for export to EU to take advantage of the agreement. Dinh Trong Thinh, a senior specialist from the Academy of Finance, said COVID-19 exposed the dependency on markets, disrupting supply chains around the world, including Viet Nam. With good prevention and control of the pandemic, Viet Nam is scoring strong points with foreign investors. They see the consensus of the people and the Government in the battle against COVID-19. At the same time, investors see that the country has a stable economy, politics and culture as well as FTAs with many large markets. Therefore, many would choose Viet Nam as an investment destination over other countries, he said. However, it is because of the above advantages that some could commit origin fraud. If approved, Xolair (omalizumab) will provide patients who have severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, not adequately controlled by intranasal corticosteroids, with the first anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody specifically designed to target and block IgE, a key driver in the inflammatory pathway Decision based on results from the Phase III POLYP 1 and 2 studies, in which omalizumab* significantly reduced the size of nasal polyps (defined by Nasal Polyp Score) and improved nasal congestion (defined by Nasal Congestion Score) compared with placebo* 1 Among secondary endpoints, omalizumab reduced post-nasal drip and runny nose, improved sense of smell, and patients reported an improvement in quality of life measures 1 Omalizumab has a well-established safety record from over 1.3 million patient years of exposure and real-world evidence in severe allergic asthma and chronic spontaneous urticaria1 Basel, June 26, 2020 Novartis today announced that the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion recommending the approval of Xolair (omalizumab) as an add-on therapy with intranasal corticosteroids (INC) for the treatment of adults (18 years and above) with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), for whom therapy with INC does not provide adequate disease control. If approved, omalizumab will be the first treatment for nasal polyps specifically targeting and blocking immunoglobulin E (IgE), which helps to reduce the size of nasal polyps (as defined by Nasal Polyps Score; NPS) and improve symptoms. The European Commission reviews the CHMP recommendation and usually delivers its final decision within two months. Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps suffer from persistent symptoms, such as nasal congestion, facial pain, loss of sense of smell and taste, difficulty breathing and sleep problems, which can significantly impair their quality of life. Unfortunately, many patients continue to experience symptoms despite standard-of-care, and multiple sinus surgeries, said Professor Philippe Gevaert, Upper Airway Research Laboratory, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. Omalizumab is specifically designed to block immunoglobulin E, which is a key driver in the inflammatory pathway; if approved, it will provide patients, for whom intranasal corticosteroids do not provide adequate disease control, with a treatment option that has been shown to improve both symptoms and quality of life. Story continues The CHMP positive opinion is based on results from the Phase III POLYP 1 and 2 studies, which were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in June 20201. These replicate studies demonstrated that patients treated with omalizumab achieved statistically significant improvements in mean NPS (POLYP 1: -1.08; p<0.0001, POLYP 2: 0.90; p=0.014) and daily Nasal Congestion Score (NCS; POLYP 1: -0.89; p=0.0004, POLYP 2: -0.70; p=0.0017) compared to placebo at Week 241 (co-primary endpoints). All patients received INC (mometasone nasal spray) as background therapy. In both studies, patients treated with omalizumab demonstrated significant improvements in NPS and NCS as early as first assessment (Week 4), compared to placebo1. Among secondary endpoints, improvements were observed in the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test22 (SNOT-22; a health-related quality of life assessment), the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), the Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) and in sense of smell. Additionally, reductions in post-nasal drip (posterior rhinorrhea) and runny nose (anterior rhinorrhea) were seen1. In the studies, omalizumab was generally well tolerated and its safety profile was consistent with previous studies1. Novartis has a mission to reimagine and advance the care of respiratory patients by developing innovative treatment options that treat the disease, reduce symptoms and improve quality of life, said Linda Armstrong, MD, Respiratory Development Unit Head, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. This CHMP positive opinion builds on the established efficacy and safety profile of omalizumab, which has over 1.3 million patient years of exposure and the potential to become an additional treatment option in the EU for patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Novartis is committed to bringing omalizumab to patients with severe CRSwNP and additional regulatory filings are currently underway in multiple countries, including the US and Switzerland. More broadly, Novartis is dedicated to addressing unmet needs in the wider respiratory area, developing innovative medicines for diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and more. *All patients received INC (mometasone nasal spray) as background therapy. About Xolair (omalizumab) Xolair (omalizumab) is the only approved anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody treatment specifically designed to target and block IgE. By reducing free IgE, down-regulating high-affinity IgE receptors and limiting mast cell degranulation, Xolair minimizes the release of mediators throughout the allergic inflammatory cascade. An injectable prescription medicine, Xolair is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe or severe persistent allergic asthma in more than 100 countries, including the US since 2003 and the EU since 2005. Xolair is approved for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria in over 90 countries including the EU and for chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), as it is known in the US and Canada. Xolair has over 1.3 million patient years of exposure. In addition, a liquid formulation of Xolair in pre-filled syringes has been approved in the EU and in more than 20 countries outside of the EU, including Canada, the US, and Australia. The self-administration indication for Xolair in pre-filled syringes was also approved in the EU in 2018, and has since been approved in several other countries, including Australia, Taiwan, Argentina and Brazil. In the US, Novartis and Genentech, Inc. work together to develop and co-promote Xolair. Outside of the US, Novartis markets Xolair and records all sales and related costs. If approved, Xolair will be indicated as an add-on therapy with intranasal corticosteroids (INC) for the treatment of adults (18 years and above) with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, for whom therapy with INC does not provide adequate disease control; the first approval in the world for omalizumab in this indication. About POLYP 1 and POLYP 21 POLYP 1 and POLYP 2 are replicate Phase III studies designed to determine the efficacy and safety of omalizumab compared with placebo in adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) who have had an inadequate response to daily intranasal corticosteroid (INC) therapy. All patients received INC (mometasone nasal spray) as background therapy. Both trials were randomized, multicenter, double-blind and placebo-controlled. POLYP 1 involved 138 patients and POLYP 2 involved 127 patients, with and without a history of surgery or prior use of systemic corticosteroids. The co-primary endpoints for both trials were change from baseline in average daily Nasal Congestion Score (NCS), and change from baseline in Nasal Polyp Score (NPS) at Week 24. Patients in the studies were administered either omalizumab or placebo by subcutaneous injection every 24 weeks. Secondary endpoints included change from baseline at Week 24 in Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22), University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), mean daily sense of smell, post-nasal drip, runny nose, and Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS); change from baseline at Week 16 in NPS and NCS; and percentage of patients requiring rescue therapy (systemic corticosteroids for 3 consecutive days and/or nasal polypectomy) by Week 24. Reduction in need for surgery through Week 24 was predefined as patients achieving NPS of 4 (2 for each nostril) and at least minimal clinically important difference improvement (8.9 points) in SNOT-22. The percentage of patients with comorbid asthma demonstrating minimal clinically important difference improvement (0.5 points) in Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) through Week 24 was also assessed. Exploratory endpoints included percentage of patients in the pooled population achieving 2point and 1-point improvement in NPS and 1-point improvement in NCS. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed for severity and potential causal relationship to the study drug. Patients were monitored to Week 28 as safety follow-up. About Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP) Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) impacts up to 4% of people worldwide. It is a potentially debilitating condition in adults that is characterized by inflammation of the nose and paranasal sinuses with the presence of benign inflammatory polyps (nasal polyps) on the lining of the nasal sinuses or nasal cavity, which can block normal airflow2-4. It is possible to have a single polyp or several, and the size of the polyps can vary from microscopic to several centimeters5,6. Symptoms can include nasal blockage/obstruction, nasal congestion, nasal discharge, facial pain/pressure and reduction in, or loss of, sense of smell2,3. CRSwNP is diagnosed by physical examination with endoscopy. The condition can be associated with asthma, cystic fibrosis and aspirin sensitivity7. It is also associated with significant morbidity and decreased health-related quality of life, with quality of life impairment8-13. Patients with CRSwNP experience significantly lower health-related quality of life than the general population, with a greater impact for patients with more severe disease, other conditions (comorbidities), or whose CRSwNP has not responded to treatment (refractory disease)11. Currently, after standard-of-care, surgery and systemic steroids are the main treatments for this disease all over the world. Many patients choose them; however, they are often not effective in controlling chronic symptoms over time, due to nasal polyps regrowth. After sinus surgery, nasal polyps recur in up to 80% of people, with approximately 40% requiring at least one additional surgery8. Approximately 80% of people remain uncontrolled 35 years after sinus surgery14. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as potential, can, will, plan, may, could, would, expect, anticipate, seek, look forward, believe, committed, investigational, pipeline, launch, or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AGs current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Novartis Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend peoples lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the worlds top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 109,000 people of more than 145 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at https://www.novartis.com. Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at https://twitter.com/novartisnews For Novartis multimedia content, please visit https://www.novartis.com/news/media-library For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com References 1. Gevaert P, et al. Efficacy and safety of omalizumab in nasal polyposis: two randomized phase III trials. J Allergy and Clin Immunol 2020; In Press Journal Pre-Proof. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2020.05.032. 2. Stevens W, et al. Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2016;4(4):565-572. 3. Newton JR and Ah-See KW. A review of nasal polyposis. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2008;4(2):507-512. 4. Bachert C. Evidence-based management of nasal polyposis by intranasal corticosteroids: from the cause to the clinic. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2011;155:309-321. 5. Nasal Polyps. Available at: https://patient.info/ears-nose-throat-mouth/nasal-polyps-leaflet. Accessed June 2020 6. Could nasal polyps be the cause of your stuffy nose. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/articles-and-answers/ask-the-expert/stuffy-nose-nasal-polyps. Last accessed June 2020. 7. World Allergy Organization. Nasal Polyposis: A Multifactorial disease. Available at: https://www.worldallergy.org/educational_programs/world_allergy_forum/sydney/pawankar.php. Last accessed June 2020. 8. Bachert C, et al. Current and future treatment options for adult chronic rhinosinusitis: focus on nasal polyposis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2015;136:1431-1440. 9. Erskine S, et al. A cross sectional analysis of a case-control study about quality of life in CRS in the UK; a comparison between CRS subtypes. Rhinology 2016;54:311-315. 10. Hoehle L, et al. Symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis differentially impact general health-related quality of life. Rhinology 2016;54:316-322. 11. Khan A, et al. The GALEN rhinosinusitis cohort: chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps affects health-related quality of life. Rhinology 2019;57:343-351. 12. Naclerio R, et al. Clinical research needs for the management of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in the new era of biologics. A National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases workshop. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2020;8(5):1532-1549.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.02.023. 13. Ye Z, et al. A head-to-head comparison of EQ-5D-5 L and SF-6D in Chinese patients with low back pain. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2019;17:57. 14. van der Veen J, et al. Real-life study showing uncontrolled rhinosinusitis after sinus surgery in a tertiary referral centre. Allergy. 2017;72(2):282-290. doi:10.1111/all.12983. # # # Novartis Media Relations E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com Peter Zuest Phil McNamara Novartis Global External Communications Global Head, Respiratory Communications +41 79 899 9812 (mobile) +41 79 510 8756 (mobile) peter.zuest@novartis.com philip.mcnamara@novartis.com Eric Althoff Novartis US External Communications +1 646 438 4335 eric.althoff@novartis.com Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944 E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com Central North America Samir Shah +41 61 324 7944 Sloan Simpson +1 862 778 5052 Thomas Hungerbuehler +41 61 324 8425 Isabella Zinck +41 61 324 7188 As a former trade commissioner and mother of three daughters, Elena Kirillova is concerned that the increase in fees for humanities courses will have a disproportionate impact on career options for women. Her concerns come as new analysis by Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre shows that young women can expect to pay an extra $498 million each year towards their education, and young men an additional $339 million under the changes. Elena Kirillova with her daughters, from left, Katerina, Mariika and Nina. Credit:Wolter Peeters The federal government has announced a plan to more than double university fees for humanities subjects and reduce them for science subjects. Education Minister Dan Tehan says the government wants students to think about choosing university subjects that would boost their employment prospects. With the benefit of a free education, Ms Kirillova graduated with a law degree from the University of Sydney in 1984. Ten years later she became one of the youngest female law partners in London. By PTI CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced lifting of restrictions on the number of passengers in buses in view of operators refusing to ply buses with reduced occupancy due to rising fuel prices. Wearing face masks will be mandatory for all those travelling in buses, he said. Singh made the announcement during a Facebook Live session of 'AskCaptain', according to a government release issued here. The chief minister said he had learnt that operators were refusing to ply buses with reduced occupancy due to the financial losses it entails, especially in the current situation when the prices of petrol and diesel are going up on a daily basis. This was causing problems to commuters, he said. He stressed that people will have to mandatorily wear face masks, which can reduce the spread of COVID-19 by 70 per cent. The state government had earlier allowed buses to ply with 50 per cent occupancy to ensure social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On the issue of petrol and diesel price hike, Singh said the Congress Working Committee (CWC) has already passed a resolution on the issue and he hoped the central government would roll back the increase. The CWC had on Tuesday passed a resolution expressing shock and concern over the repeated and "unjust" increase in petrol and diesel prices as also excise duty over the last three months of the lockdown. While diesel rates were hiked for the 21st straight day on Saturday, petrol prices have been increased on 20 occasions in three weeks. ALSO READ | Decision on further extension of lockdown depends on situation: Punjab CM On Saturday, the price of petrol was hiked by 25 paise per litre and diesel by 21 paise per litre, taking the cumulative increase in rates in three weeks to Rs 9.12 and Rs 11.01, respectively. Singh also announced extension of the deadline for applying for minibus permits till July 15. The last date for submitting the applications was June 30. Applications have been invited by the state government for permits covering more than 1,400 rural routes. This step is aimed at breaking the monopoly of the existing bus operators, while also providing employment opportunity for jobless youths. Singh, during the budget session of the Legislative Assembly, had announced the issuance of 5,000 minibus permits, and the transport department had accordingly issued public notices inviting applications for grant of such permits. The process was initiated in early March 2020 through a public drive. Seven more people died of coronavirus in Punjab on Saturday, raising the toll to 128, while 100 new cases pushed the state's infection count to 5,056. Three deaths were reported in Sangrur, two in Amritsar and one each in Jalandhar and Bathinda, as per the medical bulletin issued by the government. One fatality earlier reported in Fatehgarh Sahib has now been removed from the death toll figure as the deceased belonged to Uttarakhand, it stated. There was no let up in the rising number of new coronavirus cases in the state, with 100 more people testing positive for the infection on Saturday. Among the fresh cases, 19 each were reported in Amritsar and Sangrur, 17 in Jalandhar, 13 in Ludhiana, eight in Mohali, five in Hoshiarpur, four each in Bathinda and Barnala, two each in Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Moga and one each in Rupnagar, Muktsar, SBS Nagar, Gurdaspur and Patiala, as per the bulletin. Of them, six were foreign returnees while eight had travel history to other states. As many as 119 coronavirus patients were discharged from various hospitals on Saturday after they recovered from the infection. A total of 3,320 people have been cured of the infection so far, according to the bulletin. There are 1,608 active cases in the state as of now, it stated. Amritsar continued to top the COVID-19 tally in the state with 871 coronavirus cases. It is followed by 742 in Ludhiana, 686 in Jalandhar, 363 in Sangrur, 275 in Patiala, 242 in Mohali , 208 in Gurdaspur, 205 in Pathankot, 187 in Tarn Taran, 171 in Hoshiarpur, 128 in SBS Nagar, 126 in Muktsar, 107 in Fatehgarh Sahib, 102 in Rupnagar, 101 in Faridkot, 94 in Moga, 90 each in Fazilka and Ferozepur, 89 in Bathinda, 85 in Kapurthala, 50 in Barnala and 44 in Mansa, as per the bulletin. Seven patients are critical and are on ventilator support while 22 are on oxygen support, it stated. A total of 2,84,431 samples have been taken for testing so far, as per the bulletin. 'There is no UPA now': Mamata Banerjee takes swipe at Cong, calls for unity of regional parties against BJP Stop politicising national security, says Pawar in apparent dig at Rahul Gandhi India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: Nationalist Congress Party president and former defence minister, Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that matter relating to national security should not be politicised. His comments came in response to a question about Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi's charge that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had surrendered Indian territory to Chinese aggression. The NCP chief said that the first time something like this had happened after the 1962 war when China had laid claim on large tracts of Indian land. We cannot forget what happened in 1962 when China occupied 45,000 square kilometres of India's territory. Don't be afraid, speak truth: Rahul Gandhi to PM Modi in latest attack on 'Chinese intrusion While making these allegations, one should also look at what happened in the past. This is an issue of national interest and one should not bring in politics here, Pawar said. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News Our soldiers tried to push back Chinese Army men when they tried to encroach upon Indian soil. To say this is the failure f anyone or of the defence minister is not correct. If the Army was not on alert, we would not have known the Chinese assertion, he also said. The scuffle itself means that we were vigilant. Hence I do not think such allegations are fair to make, Pawar also said. He further cited the agreement between India and China when the two nations decided not to use guns at the Line of Actual Control. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, June 27, 2020, 16:17 [IST] BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jun. 27 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: Eight more lethal coronavirus cases were reported in Kazakhstan bringing the overall number to 158 deaths countrywide, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Ministry of Healthcare. The ministry said that all of the cases were reported in Nur-Sultan city. These are men born in 1959, 1947, 1943, 1954, 1955, and women born in 1976, 1942 and 1948. The first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany on March 13, 2020. The total number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan since the virus was first confirmed in the country amounted to 20,319. This includes 12,589 people who recovered from the coronavirus, and 158 patients who passed away. --- Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh With swarms of locusts descending on neighbouring Gurugram, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday asked the south, west and south-west districts administrations of the national capital to remain on high alert. In view of the possibility of a locust attack, the Delhi government gave the development commissioner, divisional commissioner and agriculture director instructions to take all necessary steps. The Agriculture Department has issued a detailed advisory to all the district magistrates, three MCDs and NDMC to take immediate steps, said Gopal Rai. The Forest Department has been instructed to drive locusts away near Jasola Bhati by sprinkling medicines, playing DJs, beating drums and dhols. At the same time, there are instructions for spraying the chemical. A large swarm of locusts is slowly moving towards Haryana's Palwal, but a small contingent has entered the border of Delhi towards Jasola Bhati. The Delhi government is monitoring the entire situation. The wind direction is currently going towards the south. If there is a change in the wind direction, then perhaps their course may change. "We will also be in touch with the Central government officials so that there is a change in the locust movement in Haryana, then we will be ready for it and take action in time," said Rai. Earlier in the day, the skies over many parts of Gurgaon turned dark as swarms of locusts descended on the town. The swarms of locusts, spread across two kilometres, moved from west to east. They entered Gurgaon around 11.30 am, K L Gurjar of the Locust Warning Organisation, the Ministry of Agriculture, told PTI. The pests, he said, were headed towards Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana. Alarmed at the invasion by locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurugram shared videos from their high-rise perches. In May, India battled a devastating desert locust outbreak. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and then spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. According to experts, broadly four species of locusts are found in India -- desert locust, migratory locust, Bombay locust and tree locust. The desert locust is considered the most destructive. It multiplies very rapidly and is capable of covering 150 kilometres in a day. This insect, a type of grasshopper, can eat more than its body weight. One square kilometre of locust swarm containing around 40 million locusts can in a day eat as much food as 35,000 people. Experts blame the growing menace of desert locusts on climate change. They say breeding of locusts is directly related to soil moisture and food availability. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:59:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAMASCUS, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Two explosions hit Kurdish-controlled areas in the northern province of Raqqa overnight, a war monitor reported on Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an explosive device went off in the eastern part of Raqqa, near a position of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition. Later, an explosive device went off in the western part of Raqqa, causing unknown losses. The UK-based watchdog group didn't provide further details about the party behind the explosions. It's worth noting that the areas in Raqqa and Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria are controlled by the SDF and the U.S.-led coalition. Enditem C lashes broke out between police and revellers as London was blighted by a string of illegal block parties for the third night running , despite warnings that the gatherings are flouting health regulations. Around 100 officers were forced to break up a huge gathering in west London, while another two illegal events were halted by police in other parts of the capital, days after 22 officers were injured at a huge block party in south London. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick admitted it had been a very difficult few weeks of lockdown easing in the city, with officers coming under attack as they tried to break up crowds. She also warned that the force had a duty to stop unlawful music events during the Covid-19 pandemic and would be on the lookout for those who were being "reckless". Big street parties are illegal and reckless. These events should not be happening, she said. In one of the latest incidents, officers were called to an unlicensed music event on Harrow Road, in west London, at about 3pm on Friday. Clashes broke out as people there refused to leave when asked, with footage posted on social media showing scores of young people in a standoff with officers in riot equipment outside a block of flats. Clashes broke out as police tried to break up the gathering in west London / Twitter In the video, projectiles are seen being thrown at the line of officers, as one swings his baton at a group standing under a gazebo. Another video appears to show officers being prevented from entering the melee by revellers. A man shouts: Youre not coming in. A Met spokesman said in an update given at about 6.30am on Saturday that there were no known arrests. A section 60 order granting police additional stop and search powers had been granted overnight until 6am on Saturday. Police break up massive block party in Harlesden Meanwhile, a Twitter account for officers in Newham, east London, said they were called to Hoskins Close shortly before 5pm on Friday to a report of a large gathering of people who were setting up a sound system. Officers dispersed the crowd and after remaining at the scene discovered and seized a firearm. A man was arrested for possession of a firearm, police said. Elsewhere, reports indicated officers were also called on to try to disperse a gathering on Riverton Close, in west London, on Friday night. On Wednesday, 22 police officers were injured when an unlicensed street party in Brixton, south London, descended into violence . A block party took place in Brixton earlier this week The following night, officers sent to break up another gathering in Notting Hill, west London, were pelted with objects as they tried to disperse the crowd . Following the violence and other illegal gatherings in Streatham and Tottenham, Commissioner Dick said thousands of officers were being deployed across the capital to target unlicensed events. Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Saturday, Met Police commander Bas Javid said officers were doing a very good job in some difficult circumstances. He said policing efforts were focused on building relationships with local communities, with the majority of interactions with police at events being positive. Were not going to arrest our way out of the situations like this, but what I can be clear about is if these situations do descend into chaos and violence and disorder, which is completely unacceptable, we will take a much more thorough and a robust position, he warne He added: Its the communities that are very, very upset by this, as much as the police are. This is much more about the impact its having on those communities that these people live in. Dame Cressida has also warned that consequences will follow for those who attack officers and damage property. In her Sun article, she said: The officers I met this week were poised to deal with whatever they faced. Hundreds ready in full kit, should there be a violent or aggressive crowd to deal with. My message to those involved in thuggery and criminal damage is consequences will follow. Former Met Police commissioner Lord Blair said there needed to be a public conversation about the amount of violence being directed towards police in recent weeks, including at Black Lives Matter protests. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme said: It cannot be right that this level of injury to officers is seen as acceptable. Meanwhile in Liverpool, police have been granted more power to disperse crowds after part of the Liver Building caught fire amid celebrations over the citys Premier League triumph. Merseyside Police issued a section 34 dispersal order for the city centre, allowing officers to break up groups of more than two people, until Sunday. The force has urged fans to put safety first and save their celebrations for when they may be permitted in the future. In a statement about the incident on Harrow Road, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: Police are responding to an unlicensed music event on Harrow Road, W9. Officers were called to the location around 3pm following concerns from residents. Officers engaged with the attendees, who refused to leave the location. The police helicopter is also assisting. Following engagement within the local community we are hopeful that crowds are dispersing. No arrests at this stage." A section 60 has been authorised in the vicinity until 6am on Saturday, 27 June. Officers will remain in the area in order to provide reassurance. New Delhi: Days after the cancellation of bail of RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin by the Supreme Court after which he was sent back to jail, another petition was on Thursday filed in the apex court against him. The petition has sought Shahabuddins transfer from Siwan to another jail in other states. On September 30, Shahabuddin was back in prison 20 days after his release, as the Supreme Court set aside the Patna High Court order granting him bail in a murder case saying the discretion to release must be applied in judicious manner and not as a matter of course. Shahabuddin was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 7 in the Rajiv Roshan murder case and was released from Bhagalpur jail on September 10. He has already remained in jail for 11 years in connection with several cases. Roshan, the eye witness to the gruesome killings of two of his younger siblings, was also killed few days before his proposed testimony in the murder case of his brothers. (With inputs from PTI) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 Trend: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world, the Republic of Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev has been putting forward the necessary initiatives and taking tangible steps to strengthen international solidarity in the fight against coronavirus at the regional and global levels, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said, Trend reports. Hikmat Hajiyev noted that the pandemic had not only created serious health problems that endanger people's lives, but also created devastating global socioeconomic and humanitarian threats, the negative consequences of which will be felt for a long time. In the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic that is comparable to World War II, there is a greater need for global solidarity and global vision than for measures of self-isolation and fragmentary events. To this end, an extraordinary summit of the heads of state and government of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States was held on the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev as chairman of the organization in April. The Turkish Council was the first international organization to hold a summit on the fight against COVID-19. On the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, an online summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in response to COVID-19 pandemic was held on 4 May. The event was attended not only by members of the Non-Aligned Movement, but also by the UN Secretary-General, the President of the UN General Assembly, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, senior representatives of international organizations such as the African Union and the European Union. The Non-Aligned Movement, an organization that brings together 120 countries, is the second largest political institution in the world after the United Nations. The assistant to the President stressed that the Republic of Azerbaijan had made a donation to the World Health Organization as an example of global solidarity in the fight against COVID-19, and also provided humanitarian assistance to more than 30 countries. As an example of global solidarity, President Ilham Aliyev suggested in his remarks at the Non-Aligned Movement's online summit that a special video conference of the UN General Assembly be held at the level of heads of state and government to combat the pandemic. Under the UN Charter, the General Assembly may convene special sessions if necessary. Special sessions may be convened by the Secretary-General at the request of the UN Security Council or the majority of its member states. A limited number of special sessions of the General Assembly have been held since the founding of the United Nations. The proposal was unanimously agreed by 120 non-aligned countries in New York. After that, the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev sent an appeal to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement with a proposal to hold a special session of the UN General Assembly at the level of heads of state and government in the format of a video conference. On 28 May, the UN Secretary-General appealed to all member states in accordance with Article 9 (a) of the General Assembly's Rules of Procedure, asking them to respond to the initiative within 30 days, i.e. by 27 June. According to the rules, a special session is to be convened if the majority of UN member states (97 countries is enough) support the initiative. According to the official information available to the Azerbaijani side, about 130 countries have informed the Secretary General's office that they support the initiative before the indicated deadline. Hikmat Hajiyev noted that the support by about 130 UN member states for the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev acting in the status of Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement to hold a special session of the General Assembly is further evidence of the great confidence in Azerbaijan on the part of the international community. The countries that have supported the initiative represent all regions of the world. They range from permanent members of the UN Security Council to small island nations. The letters sent from such states to the UN Secretary General in relation to this issue emphasize that President Ilham Aliyev's initiative to hold a special session of the General Assembly is very timely and appropriate. We express our gratitude to all the countries that have supported Azerbaijan's initiative. We believe that these countries have once again demonstrated their commitment to the UN Charter, multilateral cooperation and multilateralism, Hikmat Hajiyev said. In the coming days, the UN Secretary General is expected to officially inform member states. The Azerbaijani side hopes that a special session will be held as soon as possible. Since the initiative put forward by President Ilham Aliyev, supported by the Non-Aligned Movement member states and has been approved by the majority of the world's states, holding the special session has become a common matter not only for the countries involved, but also for all UN member states. The Republic of Azerbaijan is open to cooperation with all member states to determine the format and modalities for the organization of the special session of the UN General Assembly on pandemic control at the level of heads of state and government in the format of a video conference, and to achieve results at the end of the special session. We believe that all member countries will show maximum flexibility during the consultations. The Prersidents Assistant said: We are confident that the special session will create conditions for the full mobilization of the international communitys efforts in the fight against the pandemic and make a positive contribution to finding a global response to this global threat. The continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates once again that there is a great need and demand for the heads of state and government of the world to come together without delay in a special session of the UN General Assembly, which is regarded as parliament of the world, to discuss ways out of the COVID-19 scourge and find the necessary solutions. During its chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the Republic of Azerbaijan will continue its activities focused on multilateralism, joining the global efforts in the face of common threats and strengthening global solidarity. British Airways (BA) cabin crew have responded angrily to company emails inviting them to accept massive pay cuts and reduced conditions as an alternative to redundancy. The emails were sent to BAs legacy Worldwide (WW) and EuroFleet (EF) cabin crew on Thursday. BA, with revenue of 13.3 billion last year, and whose Chief Executive Willie Walsh has pocketed 13 million in pay since 2011, wrote, in order to protect jobs and avoid redundancies weve proposed new market-competitive pay rates that are sustainable in the long-term. A British Airways jet The airline is preparing to lay off 12,000 of its 42,000-strong workforce, seizing on the coronavirus pandemic to force through a long-planned assault on pay and conditions. The same agenda is being rolled out by airline companies globally, with hundreds of thousands of jobs under threat. BAs email stated, Our proposal would guarantee that if you secure a corresponding role in our new team, we will safeguard your basic pay at least 80% of your current rate. In reality, the pay cuts are far deeper, with BA confirming, Pay protection would apply to basic pay only, not variable pay. Cabin crew have taken to social media slamming BAs assault. 20% PAYCUT is the headline. In reality, it is 60% as basic salary is made up with meal allowances and incorporated flight pay. Also, no mention of the 6 week stand down on zero pay, or decimation of current Ts&Cs. BA spelled out a new low-wage flat pay-rate, As we move away from an incremental pay scale, basic pay would be fixed at current levels and no further basic pay increments would be paid. Pay protection as outlined here will only apply to colleagues who move over into a corresponding role. If following selection you choose to accept an offer to move into a different (lower grade) role as an alternative to redundancy, pay protection as outlined here will not apply. On board a British Airways Airbus A320 flight from Barcelona to London the cabin crew were, as usual, kept busy [Credit: Mike McBey, Flickr] #BABetrayal and #NoWayBA were trending on Twitter yesterday, with cabin crew exposing the companys fine print. Allowances as per new fleet structure (are) (3K-5K a year!), one worker tweeted, referring to the variable allowances that would be lost. They have subjected us ALL to feeling like we are worth nothing. They have no morals, no shame and they are a disgusting company, wrote another worker. Legacy staff currently have differing pay rates depending on when they joined BA. However, they all receive Contractual Flying Pay (CFP) and additional allowances for longer flights. This means that WW and EF cabin crew receive higher pay if they work longer hours. Short haul flights staffed by Mixed Flight (MF) crew operate on lower rates that were introduced after the 2010 BA strike was betrayed by the Unite union. Angela, a legacy BA crew member, told WSWS, I am at the top of the pay scale with basic pay at just under 29,000 a year. CFP [contractual flying pay] is 9,654 a year pro rata. I work 75 percent, so I earn just over 36,000. This offer would mean a base pay of just over 23,000, a 20 percent reduction of basic pay. Thats a 13,000 pay cut, or a 37 percent basic pay cut, plus losing terms and conditions. I know that not all of staff are on that much, but I have 25 years experience. The new contracts came in after 1997. Angela said that she and other legacy crew believe the company is setting out to divide them from their worse paid MF colleagues, but she said they were all in the same boat. We made BA 45,000 profit last year each, thats every single of the 42,000 staff made them 45k each a year. This offer is a total insult. The email has all of these graphics trying to make it look all rosy. While Unite and BASSA (British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association) are currently refusing to meet with BA over the proposed job cuts, no trust can be placed in the unions. Unite has issued no public reply to BAs outrageous email and has refused point-blank to issue any call for industrial action. Unites refusal to call strike action is aimed at dividing BA workers and wearing down united opposition. The unions various publicity stunts, including projecting the logo of its #BAbetrayal campaign onto Liverpools Liver Building, are empty gestures that conceal a refusal to take on BA. Unite is promoting nationalist crocodile tears from Labour and Tory MPs who bemoan BAs actions as un-British, a ludicrous claim belied by the decades-long offensive against the working class dating back to Margaret Thatcher. BA workers must break free of the corporatist grip of the trade unions and fight for rank-and-file committees, organising joint action with airline workers in Europe, the United States and across the globe. The conditions for such a united fight already exist, with pilots and cabin crew facing an historic assault. Recent job cuts in Europe alone include 3,000 at Ryanair, 26,000 at Lufthansa, and 6,000 at Air France-KLM. The failure of the major airline companies to protect staff and passengers during the coronavirus pandemic is an argument for socialism. The international airline companies must be expropriated and placed under the democratic control of the working class to protect the welfare and safety of airline staff and the travelling public throughout the world. Charities and local authorities are calling on the Johnson government to suspend the no recourse to public funds (NRPF) stipulation for migrant workers for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Being categorised as NRPF has resulted in one million migrant workers and their families falling into poverty, destitution, and homelessness. UK immigration law states that migrant workers have no recourse to public funds if they are subject to immigration control. This draconian attack on democratic rights was introduced by the last Labour government in Section 115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. It was subsequently strengthened with the NRPF policy introduced in 2012 by the May government and became symptomatic of the hostile environment for immigrants policy of successive Conservative governments. Under its provisions, migrant workers can work in the UK but are prevented from accessing most state benefits if they become unemployed. It ensnares even those who moved to the UK to live with their British families. Many of these individuals work in the restaurant and hotel industry and have lost their jobs since the lockdown closed their workplace and are now struggling to feed their families and pay rent. An increasing number now face becoming homeless once the restrictions on evictionsthat were put in place during lockdownare lifted. Although exact figures are difficult to obtain, at least 100,000 and up to an estimated 250,000 children could directly be threatened with poverty due to the NRPF status of their parents. According to the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils in England and Wales, increasing numbers of NRPF workers struggling to survive during the pandemic have approached councils for emergency assistance. A consortium of over 40 migrants rights organisations has called on the government to scrap the NRPF status permanently because it bars most migrants from accessing a vast proportion of the social security net we all rely on in times of crisis. Among the state benefits that workers with an NRPF status are excluded from are: Universal Credit, disability allowances, local authority homelessness support, free school meals and access to mainstream refuges for victims of domestic violence. Sally Daghlian, the chief executive of the migrant rights charity Praxis (associated with the uncovering of the Windrush scandal), said, We have seen parents going without food to try to ensure their children eat, and people facing homelessness and mounting debt. In the face of this pandemic, people with NRPF have not been supported through the governments COVID-19 safety net. If the government is committed to ending destitution, child poverty and homelessness, it should permanently suspend NRPF as a matter of urgency. During the lockdown, which began on March 23, charities across the country have been desperately trying to feed NRPF families after they were plunged into unemployment and potential destitution. The Guardian recently cited a typical NRPF case in London: Ali and Noreen (who asked for their full names not to be printed, due to fear of complicating their immigration applications) moved to the UK from Pakistan 15 years ago. Until lockdown, Ali ran a business assisting international students hoping to study in the UK. This came to a virtual halt during the lockdown and he and his wife have been unable to pay rent on their one-bedroom flat and struggle to buy food for their three teenage children. The family now rely on food banks to survive. The cost for visa renewals for a family of five is around 12,000, payment of which is mandatory every two-and-a-half yearsuntil eligibility to apply for British citizenship after a process that lasts 10 years. This has meant the family have no savings and do not know where they will find the money to renew their visas again this October. The family have been told that they will face eviction later this summer if they are unable to pay their arrears in rent. We came here legally. I had a respectable job and paid taxes. It feels unfairthere is no safety net, Ali said. Noreen found a part-time job as a care worker in a care home but her precarious minimum wage, zero-hours contract does not pay enough to cover their rent. In the nearby London borough of Newham, charities have begun feeding hundreds of mainly Indian students who have lost their part-time jobs in local shops and restaurants, which had subsidised their studies. Their international student visas also have an NRPF status attached, and some of them have faced starvation in the capital. The secretary of the Tamil Sangam local community centre, Kumar Arumugam, said, Weve seen real desperation. People have been queuing in the streets in their hundreds and we have had to turn people away. Homelessness across Britain had already reached record levels months before the COVID-19 pandemic. As with all social ills under capitalism, the pandemic has tremendously exacerbated the already immense suffering of the most vulnerable who are homeless. Now, thousands are to be thrown back onto the streets from temporary accommodation as part of the governments back to work drive. Government spokespeople have briefed the press about various ways in which those with NRPF status can supposedly extricate themselves from their difficulties by applying for assistance. However, when asked recently, the Home Office was unable to say how many had applied for an exemption, or how many had been granted it. Charities say getting the NRPF status lifted is extremely difficult, to near impossible, as it requires actual proof of destitution. Furthermore, the governments advice to anyone eligible to submit an application, is a thinly veiled threat to jeopardise their immigration status. An open letter to council leaders published on June 18, and signed by more than 100 charities (including; Refugee Action, Praxis and the Big Issue Foundation) urged them not to evict homeless people with NRPF status and not to share their information with the Home Office without their consent. The letter read, As lockdown measures are eased, we are extremely concerned that some homeless people, particularly those with NRPF, may be evicted from council-provided accommodation and be forced to return to destitution. Benjamin Morgan, coordinator of the homeless rights project at the Public Interest Law Centre, told the Independent he had seen at least two cases where homeless people with NRPF had approached councils during the pandemic and had been told their information would be shared with immigration enforcement if they accepted support. Although the local authorities relented following intervention by the charity, he said, this raised concerns about what happens to people who dont have a charity supporting them. Last month, a case was brought to court to force a legal challenge to the status of NRPF. An unnamed 8-year-old British national had the claim brought on his behalf by his mother, a Ghanaian national who had been granted leave to remain as his parent subject to NRPF conditions. She worked as a carer but the imposition of the NRPF conditions led to her and the claimant enduring periods of destitution where they were forced into living on the streets. They had to move house repeatedly, with the claimant having to change school five times before the age of eight. Their applications for the NRPF condition to be lifted were refused. Although in R (W, a child) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, the court ruled NRPF as unlawful, it is clear the government will treat this as a technicality as it is left to the Home Secretary to determine whether there is an imminent risk of destitution. This is of a piece with Prime Minister Boris Johnsons appearance before an online liaison committee, at the end of last month, in which he unconvincingly feigned ignorance of the issues surrounding NRPF workers. This sparked media speculation about an imminent change of government position on the issue. Within days, this was shown to be smoke and mirrors. When Home Secretary Priti Patel was asked if the status would be suspended during the pandemic, she said unequivocally, The answer is no. The government will not be deterred by legal challenges from its stated aimwhich preceded and will follow the pandemicof completing the Thatcher revolution and boosting the wealth of the super-rich while imposing austerity on workersnative and foreign-born. An international medical hub for developing new medial devices across a range of healthcare fields is being opened in Wexford. i360 Medical, based at Spawell Road, is expanding, bringing up to ten staff, along with surgeons and other medical experts from around the world, to the town later this year to brainstorm and develop new medical devices - which will ultimately be sold on to large medical manufacturing companies. i360 Medical owner Derek Young said he chose to locate his company in Co Wexford because of the quality of life and reduced costs of operating from here, pointing out that creative minds need to have great leisure options nearby and Wexford has those in spades. Mr Young invented a key hole surgery device when he was 23, working with an engineer from America and a clinician from Denmark. After seven years the idea was developed into a product which was sold on. This international, collaborative approach has informed his business decisions ever since. 'Over the years once we had one success then lots of other ideas started coming to us. For over ten years I was involved in starting up lots of specific ideas in clinical practise from orthopaedic, cardio, general surgery, urology, women's health. We always took an idea from a napkin and move it right through to a real life product through clinical trials, get regulatory approval, putting that into a start-up and then selling it on to a bigger player.' He entered the Royal College of Surgeons where he established an innovation group where people came to him with ideas. In 2012 he opened i360 Medical. 'We have an international business. We create eco systems for innovation and work with large hospital systems like NorthWell in New York. We take part in the innovations that come from that. We create a portal so ideas come from doctors, nurses etc and are reviewed and a decision is made which to progress. On average we have 300 ideas a year per system coming to us which is a lot to get through. In essence of those 300 ideas, we whittle them down to five real live projects that make it to the stages of taking into a company, building it up, taking it into human trails and selling it on to a bigger company again.' Clinicians come to i360 with an idea and in recent times i360 Medical has invested in women's health and orthopaedics start-ups. 'We take that on the same journey. The equity position is different. We work in partnership with the clinician and raise capital and take it through to a start-up, put resources in that start-up and then exit that start-up and then take it through to human trial,' Having proven itself in the US, the company is now doing the same in Europe, so much so that the European Institute of Innovation Technology (EIT) are looking for i360 to come up with ideas. 'We have around 400 ideas from them. We have become the turnkey operation from taking an idea from the start to getting it to a human being. We have exploded during Covid because a lot of people have seen our model as a very quick, very efficient and very safe way and a fair way to get an idea from start to finish and everybody succeeds out of that in a very transparent and focussed approach. Our time-lines are a lot quicker and costs are a lot less. During Covid everyone is looking for solutions quickly, but also they have to be safe. They are looking at i360 Medical as a way of doing this.' The company are getting ideas from Orange County, California and New Zealand, Japan, Europe. 'They are looking at us to move these ideas forward.' i360 has offices in Dublin, New York and Galway and in 2018 they opened an office in Wexford around the time Mr Young and his family relocated to live in Blackwater. 'I see Spawell Road as a greenfield site. We feel we can develop an innovation hub.' i360 has a whole floor in Block B of Spawell. 'I brought my team before Covid happened and they are doing brainstorming sessions here. After Covid we are looking at bringing at least two of the start ups down here between now and the end of the year and on top of that we are looking to bring in, if the government allows us to do, to bring in surgeons from Europe to have a brainstorming session around cardiology and also in orthopaedics.' The company is bringing start-ups to Wexford, where teams of four to five will spend up to two years developing ideas until they are ready to be made. 'You are also leveraging other local contractors around that so you're bringing in three or four of those. We plan innovation forums and work with the EIT. It's not just about start-ups, it's about creating an eco system and it's really reaching out to other sources of innovation around the world. We see a lot of ideas that are duplicated and there are elements of the same idea that could be better designed so you might see an idea in Israel and another idea in Ireland and there are elements that are benefit to both we bring those two ideas together as one and that is what we are looking to do in Wexford here now.' For each start-up there are initially five people working on them, but once the project is advanced the number increases to around ten. With two start-ups moving to Wexford, this means i360 will have up to 20 additional staff working from its Wexford hub this year or in early 2021. 'They are engineers, marketing, quality and clinical experts. We can do a lot of 3-D printing first so we don't need much space. They work on the start-up from start to finish. What normally happens is that project gets sold and another idea comes out of that start up. Two or three projects emerge out of that, so you are adding more people to the teams because there are other projects spinning out of it.' Keeping costs down is key; 'We leverage off of the local engineering and logistics firms as we don't need all the equipment all of the time. In essence we subcontract work out to them.' Mr Young's vision for Co Wexford is to create an eco, innovation hub in Wexford with a global focus. 'One where you can bring clinicians, doctors, IT health people to Wexford to create health brainstorming forums. This will create the awareness of Wexford, in itself, for being a hub for innovation. I have seen this in Florida with Baptist Health with the local economy.' He said there will be a boost to the local economy. 'These are young surgeons, young engineers, young doctors and they want to experience the expertise. We are bringing all of the expertise into one area, leveraging the local community and making that a central hub in the global stage.' Once at concept stage, the ideas these young bright minds have developed can be manufactured in Galway or Wexford, depending on the skill sets that are created. 'Wexford can be the real epicentre. These projects are always acquired by the big players and that, in itself, will attract the big multinationals to Co Wexford.' Most of the acquisitions are done from the US but the manufacturing is done in Ireland. We create idea flow. 'My first job was as a design engineer in Wexal. Why here? You have lovely beaches and lots of places for downtime, which is an important factor of innovation. You need that headspace to do it and I think Wexford has a lot to offer, all those elements that give you a quality of life.' Proximity to Dublin, a good road system with access to Dublin Airport, cheaper cost of living also factored into his decision to locate his business here. 'If you can remove those elements from people's lives they are going to become much more comfortable about taking risks and in innovation and more creative and more focussed on new things. You need to give people the balance in life to make that happen and remove the stresses.' He thanked Ed Murphy of Invest Wexford and Wexford County Council CEO Tom Enright for their support so i360 can dovetail within the local community. 'I think the skill-sets are here but they are being deployed to other parts of the country every day. If people we bring in set up base within Wexford it will enhance the local economy.' It is not unusual to come across headlines about pollution or global warming and find that they reach different conclusions depending upon the data source. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis used a harmonized approach, incorporating data from multiple satellites and ground monitors with computer modeling to compile a comprehensive, consistent map of pollution across the globe. Their data spans 1998-2018, providing a current picture of the state of the world's air quality that reveals some surprises, both for better and for worse. The research was led by Melanie Hammer, a postdoctoral research fellow in the lab of Randall Martin, professor of energy, environmental and chemical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering. Results of their study that looked at PM2.5 -- tiny particles that are able to make their way deep into a person's respiratory system -- were published June 3 in Environmental Science & Technology. "Prior studies that look at long-term PM2.5 haven't used data as recent as we have," Hammer said. Older data can't capture the results of many programs aimed at curbing pollution -- even if they have been in effect for nearly a decade. That turned out to be the case in China, where a significant drop in pollution in the recent past was the result of strategies begun in earnest around 2011. Other data sets don't capture the drop. advertisement And in India -- another area of concern -- the story was not as positive. "It seems there's a bit of a plateau of PM2.5 levels," Hammer said. Though still, levels are not rising as steeply as other reports may suggest. PM2.5 refers to the size of particles -- 2.5 microns. These tiny particles are created in nature, but also by human activities, including some manufacturing processes, car exhaust and the use of wood-burning cookstoves. It's not easy to measure the amount of PM2.5 on the ground because there isn't any kind of comprehensive monitoring network covering the globe. North America and Europe have extensive monitoring systems, as does China. But, Martin said, "There are large gaps in ground-based monitoring. People can be living hundreds of kilometers away from monitors." To develop a comprehensive pollution map, then, ground-based monitors are simply insufficient. To capture a global snapshot, Martin's team started with satellite images of columns of atmosphere that spanned the ground to the edge of space. Using the established GEOS-Chem model, which simulates atmospheric composition, they could infer how much PM2.5 should be on the ground, at the bottom of any given column. advertisement When comparing the predictions to actual levels measured by ground monitors, the agreement was striking. In fact, Martin said, "It's the best level of agreement found to date." But the researchers still went a step further. The agreement was great, but not perfect. So Hammer added the differences between the observed and predicted amounts of PM2.5 and expanded the ground-based predictions across the globe, filling in the massive gaps between monitors. This extra step brought the observed and predicted levels of PM2.5 from 81% to 90% agreement. Once they were able to take a good look at the most recent pollution levels around the world, the researchers saw some stark changes from previous trends. Particularly in China. "We're used to seeing just large, increasing trends in pollution," Hammer said. But in China, "What we found, from 2011 to 2018, is that there actually is a particularly large negative trend." Elsewhere in Asia, the picture wasn't as positive. While pollution levels did not seem to be increasing in India, the country seems to be in a plateau phase. "The broad plateau of very high concentrations, to which a large population is exposed, is quite concerning," Martin said. "It affects the health of a billion people." However, the takeaway from this research can be, on the balance, a hopeful one: It seems to show one possible way forward. "The data Melanie's analysis reveals is a real success story for air quality controls," Martin said. "It shows they can be remarkably effective at reducing PM2.5." Although scientists have known these controls contain the potential to make an impact, he said, "The changes in China are very dramatic, larger than we have seen anywhere in the world over the observational record. "It illustrates a real opportunity to improve air quality through effective controls." Pollution, health around the world In people already sick with illness such as asthma, PM2.5 can have immediate health consequences. Long-term, however, breathing in these particles carries consequences for everyone. "PM2.5 is a major public health concern globally," said Melanie Hammer, postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Randall Martin in the McKelvey School of Engineering. "It's important to get accurate exposure estimates to estimate health impacts." That's why organizations, including World Health Organization and Global Burden of Disease, use data from Martin's lab. It was like a single candle being lit in the dark of night. Then, another, soon joined by dozens of candles, and soon, hundreds. Points of light in the darkness, giving hope. This is how #TogetherNJ began. An initiative designed by NJ.com to highlight moments of grace in a trying time, it has quickly emerged as one of our most popular sections. Its a coordinated effort involving the entire newsroom, with stories, videos and podcasts that appear on NJ.com and on social media, from Twitter to Facebook to Instagram and YouTube. We have every reporter in the virtual newsroom looking for #TogetherNJ stories, said Jessica Mazzola, a managing producer at NJ.com who has overseen the project. This has been a full team effort which has been fantastic. Sharing stories about how New Jerseyans have come together to support each other is something vital journalists do during times of crisis and everyone in the newsroom continues to do this week in, week out. Its one reason why, for the first time, were asking readers to voluntarily subscribe and help us to continue providing the best local, regional and statewide news. Acting today by clicking this link will help essential reporting information that guides all of us through the worst of times continue as our industry confronts another advertising crisis. #TogetherNJ began with a question from Alyssa Passeggio, director of audience development, about how these stories can be told. She posed the question to Mazzola, How can we do this in a way thats going to bring people good news every day? Mazzola said #TogetherNJ began organically, as people across New Jersey shared stories of sacrifice, hope, resiliency and kindness as the coronavirus pandemic swept across the world. In the early days of the pandemic, it was wild. It was just one thing after another after another, said Mazzola, who heads up #TogetherNJ. Everything that people were reading and seeing, it could just take a toll on you after a while. There have been dozens of stories, from two teen sisters who organized a local card drive for the elderly, to how merchants in Little India are helping their community and the unemployed casino chefs who are making meals for those in need to everyday people collecting donations for a local food bank. But one of the most memorable of these stories has been that of Joe Wojtecki, assistant of patient experience at Clara Maass Medical Center, who was helping grieving families share one last goodbye with loved ones dying from COVID-19, including a colleague, Dr. Francis Molinari. Wojtecki set up a FaceTime call with Molinaris family so they could speak with him one last time, even if he could not talk back, something he had done for countless other families. Youre putting your life at risk every day. ... But youre also providing a service that you have no idea how it touches our lives, Lisa Molinari told Wojtecki. " I could not thank you enough and please know how much we appreciate that." Natalie Paterson, a social & video producer for NJ.com, helped set up a FaceTime call between Wojtecki and Molinaris family. That was one of those days where the reality of the entire experience really hit, Paterson said. This healthcare worker, in real time, appeared he was talking through all the emotions that have come along with his job. You could see him processing as he was talking to us and it was extremely emotional. It doesnt get any more real than that. Paterson said this became an inspirational moment for her because you are seeing the resiliency of the people of our state and I think it is a very moving thing to witness firsthand. Mazzola said this was a story she would not soon forget. People who had never met either of those folks felt so much for their situation," she said. "The feedback has been heartening. Readers have shared their support for the stories highlighted by #TogetherNJ, and, Mazzola explained, those featured in the articles have as well, particularly if they are hoping to raise money or collect donations. Sometimes, she said, you get a note back from someone who has been profiled and often they are humbled, but appreciative, that their cause has gotten help thanks to #TogetherNJ. Ive been struck by the messages that weve got from just general members of the community who may have nothing to do with the particular topic weve written about but are just really touched by whats been happening out there, Mazzola said. Some of those helping produce #TogetherNJ include Jessica Remo, who, Mazzola explained, took the idea of doing a Together NJ podcast and ran with it, spearheading efforts to use the platform to tell stories in a different way. NJ.com editor Jess Mazzola, who tested positive and recovered from the coronavirus earlier this year, spearheads the #TogetherNJ initiative. Amy Z. Quinn, Mazzola said, uses the NJ.com newsletters to get these uplifting stories to more people, while Paterson is heading up the video efforts. I dont know if there are any that Ive watched that havent made me tear up, Mazzola said. They are beautiful and moving. ... When you see one of Natalies videos, you think Oh my God. Paterson said some videos supplement what the reporters have written, while others have been standalone pieces; a collaborative effort between reporter and producer. You can always use the hashtag #TogetherNJ to show us acts of kindness that you are doing, things that are keeping your spirits up in your community, whether thats playing with your kids in the backyard or volunteering for a food pantry," Paterson said. Just as #TogetherNJ launched, Mazzola received news that she tested positive for coronavirus. I worked through the whole time I was sick, which was helpful for me, she said, explaining she was fortunate to have gotten a mild case. It helped me do something to distract myself. ... Being able to focus on working in general, on stories that are uplifting. The exact kind of story I needed in that moment as I was fighting off the virus. Paterson, too, said her work on #TogetherNJ has reminded her of the inner strength of New Jerseyans. Say what you want about New Jersey, we are a resilient bunch and are so quick to jump in when others need a helping hand," Paterson said. We are basically battle tested at this point. Weve lived through 9/11, we lived through Hurricane Sandy, so jumping in to help is nothing new to us." Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Sign up for the #TogetherNJ newsletter here. Find the Together NJ podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you like to listen. Pakistan to fly to UK on Sunday as plans for Test series against England continue The trip was briefly thrown in doubt when 10 Pakistani players and one member of the backroom team tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the week, but PCB chief executive Wasim Khan has remained adamant that the tour should still go ahead Pakistan's players and support staff will travel to the UK on Sunday as planned, as preparations continue for the proposed Test series against England in August. The trip was briefly thrown in doubt when 10 Pakistani players and one member of the backroom team tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the week, but PCB chief executive Wasim Khan has remained adamant that the tour should still go ahead. And those members of the touring party who have twice tested negative for the coronavirus will now fly out of Lahore on Sunday. Once Pakistan have arrived in the UK, they will undergo a 14-day quarantine period at Blackfinch New Road in Worcester, where a hotel is in close proximity to the ground facilities. That isolation period will expire on July 13, when the group will transfer to Derbyshire's The Incora County Ground for a further training camp, including two internal four-day warm-up matches. Those players who have previously tested positive for Covid-19 must serve a period of self-isolation in Pakistan and, subject to two further negative tests, will fly out to join their team-mates. Pakistan had named a 29-man squad for the trip initially, prior to the swathe of positive results earlier in the week. The PCB are expected to announce on Saturday the names of the players and support staff who will fly to the UK. The governing body has previously stressed that many of those who tested positive are much more likely to be considered for selection in the white-ball element of the tour - three T20Is in late August and early September - rather than the Tests and therefore have additional time to join the rest of the party. The ECB has yet to confirm the locations and dates of the Tests or T20Is. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton and Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester have been turned into bio-secure "bubble" venues for the three-Test series against West Indies, which is due to begin on July 8. Save 30% when you subscribe to The Cricketers print & digital bundle. 35 for 12 issues The Communist Party of Swaziland supports calls for an end to atrocities being committed by the Cameroonian military in Ambazonia, the former UN Trust territory of Southern Cameroons, also known as English-speaking Cameroon. The Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) condemns the continued atrocities committed on the people of Ambazonia by the Cameroonian government and its security forces. A former UN Trust territory Under British administration, the people of Ambazonia have for decades been denied their right to self-determination. The region has been characterised by the systematic burning down of entire villages, targeted kidnapping and killing of human rights activists, the rape and killing of women, men and children, by the Cameroon military. The government has in some instances shut down the internet in attempts to hide the atrocities. The CPS calls for the working class of the world to unite in the call for the halting of human rights violations in the region. The CPS also supports calls for the United Nations Security Council to mandate an Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on this conflict and for the African Union to actively resolve the conflict. Since September 2016, the Cameroon military has carried out a systematic and ruthless military campaign against the minority Ambazonian communities. Initiated in 2016 to suppress peaceful demonstrations for the rights of the populations in the regions, the campaign has relentlessly violated international human rights law. These include, among others, the burning down of more than 400 villages by the Cameroon military along with the burning of the old and the sick in their own homes in some cases. The military has forced tens of thousands to seek refuge in neighbouring Nigeria, and also internally displaced close to a million people. In March 2019, the United Nations reported that about 4 million people in the region had been affected by the conflict. The Cameroonian government and its military have ignored all calls for an end to the atrocities committed by its soldiers in the region, including ignoring a call from the African Unions Special Rapporteur on Human Rights on Cameroon to: 1. Investigate the alleged killings, rapes, inhumane treatment and human rights violations on peaceful protesters by the riot police, elements of the gendarmerie, the military and the BIR in Bamenda, Buea and Kumba; 2. Immediately end the alleged violence against civilians and take necessary steps to ensure that the human rights of its citizens and all its inhabitants are respected; 3. Uphold the right to freedom of expression, assembly, 4. Cease all arbitrary arrests and detention; and 5. Release all individuals unlawfully arrested during the protest. In the months that followed there were peaceful protests by the people in the region, countered by more vicious persecution of peaceful protesters by the Cameroonian government. The violent suppression of the voices of Ambazonians is clearly systematic and will not end without united decisive action from all peace-loving people across the world. The Communist Party of Swaziland calls for the African Union to also play a decisive leadership role in the conflict. The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights has the duty to promote and protect human rights within the African continent. Cameroon is a State Party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. The Communist Party of Swaziland thus also calls upon the Commission to engage in practical programs of action for these atrocities committed upon the Ambazonian people by the Cameroonian government to end. Issued by the Communist Party of Swaziland CONTACTS: Thokozane Kenneth Kunene General Secretary (+27)72 594 3971 OR Pius Vilakati Information and Publicity. (+27)81353 3383 Email: [email protected] Facebook: Communist Party Of Swaziland CPS Twitter:@CPSwaziland The Delhi Police on Saturday busted a module of Sikh separatist group Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and arrested its three sympathisers who were allegedly planning to execute target killings and extortions in various north Indian states on the directions of Pakistans ISI-sponsored Khalistani leaders. Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said at least four persons were on the target list of the arrested men but they could not execute the killings because of the lockdown announced in the country to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The three had already procured arms and ammunition to execute the killings on the directions of their handlers who are Khalistani militants living abroad and sponsored by the Pak spy agency ISI. The lockdown had also foiled their plan to cross over to Pakistan for terrorist training, said DCP Yadav. The three men, identified as Mohinder Pal Singh, 29, Gurtej Singh, 41, and Lovepreet Singh, 21, were arrested from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana in separate operations by the city polices anti-terror squad, special cell, in the last 10 days. Police said three pistols and seven cartridges were seized from them. Three smartphones, including an iPhone, containing many incriminating videos and photographs related to Khalistani movement and their propagators were also seized, the police said. Yadav said that Gurtej, the son of a subedar in the Indian Army, was in touch with an ISI handler, Abdullah, apart from having contacts with Avtar Singh Pannu of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan group banned by the Indian government, and Gopal Singh Chawla, who is based in Pakistan and is a close aide of Hafiz Saeed, co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Abdullah had asked Gurtej to recruits like-minded people and send them to Pakistan for terrorist training. Gurtej recruited five men, including Lovepreet, who has been arrested along with him. He was also planning to extort Rs 10 lakh from two businessmen for arranging more weapons and logistics, the DCP said. The DCP said that Mohinder originally belongs to Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir but had moved to Delhi in 2007 for studies. In 2013, he began developing orientation towards Khalistan movement and started attending Delhi court hearings of Jagrat Singh Hawara, a Babbar Khalsa militant convicted for assassinating former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. He came in touch with other sympathisers of the KLF and started working for the outfit, said Yadav. During interrogation, DCP Yadav said, Lovepreet, who worked at a computer repair shop, revealed that he developed an inclination towards Khalistan movement three-four years ago and was recruited by Gurtej, who promised to send him to Pakistan for weapon training. Lovepreet is active on social media and using the platforms to remain in touch with Khalistani militants settled abroad. He also used to upload incriminating posts, videos, images and songs supporting Khalistan movement and its leaders, the DCP added. Sonia Gandhi should answer: BJP attacks Congress over Mehul Choksi India pti-PTI New Delhi, June 27: Intensifying his attack on the Congress, BJP president J P Nadda on Saturday asked the opposition party 10 questions, including about alleged links between the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and China, and said that his party will leave no stone unturned in "exposing double-faced politicians". "I want to tell Sonia Gandhi that under the garb of China and COVID-19 crisis, one should not shy away from answering the questions the nation wants to know... It's a shame. It's a sacrifice of national interest by accepting money from foreign powers in personal trusts," Nadda told reporters while attacking the Congress president. Amid the standoff with China, he asserted that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is safe and secure, and that its brave armed forces are fully capable of protecting the country. The central government has also handled the COVID-19 crisis in the best possible manner, he added. Nadda alleged that the RGF, which is headed by Sonia Gandhi, received donations every year from the Chinese embassy between 2005-09 and from the "tax haven" of Luxembourg, which is full of "hawala transactions", between 2006-09. NGOs and companies with "deep commercial interests" also donated to the foundation, he alleged. This is time for unity, solidarity; relaunch of 'scion' can wait: JP Nadda in swipe at Rahul Gandhi The Congress had earlier dismissed Nadda's attack on the RGF over alleged donations to it from the Chinese embassy and the Prime Minister National Relief Fund as a "diabolical game of deception" by the ruling party to divert attention from the alleged Chinese occupation of Indian territory. Hitting out at the Congress, Nadda said, "Congress and corruption are synonymous. Our party will contribute to the nation's development to change its face, and will also leave no stone unturned in exposing double-faced politicians." Nadda asked the Congress on Saturday to come clean on its "links" with China, and the details of its MoU with the Communist Party of China. He said India's trade deficit with China soared to USD 36.2 billion in 2013-14 from USD 1.1 billion in 2004 and asked if it was "quid pro quo" from the Congress. The Congress-led UPA was in power between 2004-14. The Congress "weakened" India's economic position by entering into trade pact, which included China, he said. The BJP president also took a jibe at former prime minister Manmohan Singh, accusing him of allocating Rs 100 crore to the foundation as the finance minister in 1991 when India was going through its "worst financial crisis". "Since then it has regularly received donation from ministries. Yet, the RGF refuses to be audited by the CAG or even come under the Right to Information Act. What does Manmohan Singh have to say on this monumental loot and organised plunder," Nadda asked. Singh had used "monumental loot and organised plunder" barb to criticise the Modi government's demonetisation decision in 2016. The Gandhi family, Nadda said, believes in "authority without responsibility" and asked the Congress president to answer the questions raised by him. He also had a dig at Congress leader P Chidambaram, who had asked earlier if Modi would assure the country that China would vacate Indian territory and restore status quo ante at the border, seeking to know if the RGF returned Rs 20 lakh it had taken as donation earlier. Chidambaram's comments, Nadda said, were an "admission of guilt". Chidambaram is also facing corruption charges and was in jail before getting bail, he said. With the opposition often attacking the Modi government over Mehul Choksi, accused of defrauding banks, fleeing India, Nadda said Choksi had donated money to the RGF. The "crown prince" of the Congress had used the most "obnoxious" language for Modi after Choksi fled but he was helped by the Congress to get bank loans, Nadda alleged. Raising another question, he asked, "The RGF worked with the China Association for Internationally Friendly Contact, which is just a vehicle of the Central Military Commission of China to infiltrate and influence top voices in other countries. Sonia Gandhi must answer how much influence and infiltration of this Chinese agency happened in India." "The RGF not only takes money from scams but also gives dodgy donations to their own organisations. Why did it turn donate money to Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust controlled by the family and Christian Missionary organizations like World Vision?" he asked. The BJP and the Congress have been engaged in a bitter war of words, with top leaders of the opposition party, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, attacking the government repeatedly for the alleged Chinese intrusion into Indian territory and asking the prime minister to take the nation into confidence over the border situation. FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - People in the deserts of Arizona flee to the White Mountains when the triple-digit heat is too much to bear, cooling off in the forest a few hours away. That worries a Native American tribe that calls the area home, as coronavirus infections and temperatures have both spiked in one of the hardest-hit states. The White Mountain Apache Tribe is taking some of the most drastic actions in Arizona to protect its 13,500 residents, more than one-eighth of whom have already tested positive for COVID-19. Its taking cues from severe measures imposed by other tribes nationwide, including the Navajo Nation, which has curtailed an outbreak that once made it a national hot spot. Those living on the White Mountain Apache Tribes reservation in northeastern Arizona face the risk of fines and other penalties if they venture beyond their own yards this weekend. A two-week shelter-in-place order will follow. The tribes Fort Apache Reservation also is closed to the summertime visitors who flock to the area to fish, hike and camp among ponderosa pines. The tribes confirmed infections and 20 deaths as of Friday make the reservation one of the hardest-hit places in a state thats recording over 3,000 cases a day and running short on hospital space. COVID has just turned our world upside down, White Mountain Apache Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood said. The tribe also is ordering homeless people who test positive for the virus to quarantine at the tribes casino-hotel now closed to visitors and is banning the sale and use of alcohol for the rest of the year. Lee-Gatewood hopes it will help keep people safe if they get lax about social distancing and other measures when theyre drinking. The tribes strict steps come as Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on businesses like other states where confirmed cases are surging. Fellow Republican governors in Texas and Florida cracked down on bars Friday. Ducey, who lifted a stay-at-home order in mid-May, has now paused further efforts to reopen the economy and allowed cities to require face coverings, without bowing to pressure for a statewide mandate. Lee-Gatewood said the White Mountain Apache Tribe took that into consideration, along with the typical summer crowds, when deciding how to target the pandemic on its land. Were seeing these visitors not paying attention to social distancing and wearing masks, and the governor had a real relaxed attitude about all of that in reopening the businesses back up, she said. Elsewhere in Arizona, officials on the Havasupai reservation deep in a gorge off the Grand Canyon warned river rafters they would be detained if they stepped foot on land the tribe traditionally uses but isnt part of its formal reservation. Known worldwide for its towering blue-green waterfalls, the reservation has been shut down for months and has no reported COVID-19 cases. We are left to take aggressive action to maintain the safety of our tribal members and the future of the Havasupai Tribe, Chairwoman Evangeline Kissoon wrote in a notice to river guides. After talking with Grand Canyon National Park, the tribe said it would station law enforcement at its boundary with the park, miles from the Colorado River shore. The nearby Navajo Nation, the nations largest Native American reservation that spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, has attributed a slowdown in infections to a daily curfew its had in place for months, a shutdown of government offices and tourist sites, weekend lockdowns and a mask requirement. On tribal land elsewhere, residents of the tiny Alaska Native village of Napaskiak are being advised to stay home until July 5, leaving only for medical needs or quick runs to the grocery store. A health care corporation that serves the village and dozens of other rural communities pointed to a strong likelihood of community spread. In Montana, tribal leaders on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation said this week that they closed their boundary with popular Glacier National Park for the tourism season to protect their residents. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has kept up roadblocks since March despite criticism from the states governor. Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier said this week that the tribe took the step because it realized it had to protect its people. All we have is ourselves, he said. In Arizona, the White Mountain Apache Tribe said people can travel on a highway through its land, but they cant stop along the way. Tribal police also are considering checkpoints, and a COVID-19 testing blitz is planned. Theres frustration, theres impatience, theres a lot of things, tribal Councilman Jerold Altaha said in a video. But remember, we are doing the best we can, we are doing everything we can to help you. Theyre looking to prevent more people from dying, like Apache elder Timothy Clawson Sr., 91. He married his sweetheart under a tree on the reservation and spent his life in the White Mountains, working as a rancher and at a sawmill. Lee-Gatewood, the tribal chairwoman, recalled their last conversation. Clawson called earlier this month and said, Well, chairwoman, Im at the hospital, and they told me I have this virus. They treated me, and the doctors said I wouldnt leave here, and Im calling to say my goodbyes. Lee-Gatewood said Clawson told her that he was proud of her. Youre a tough cowboy, she responded. Ill keep you in my prayers. The next day, Lee-Gatewood got a text from Clawsons granddaughter: He had died. ___ Associated Press writers Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, and Matt Volz in Helena, Montana, contributed to this report. Click here to read the full article. PARIS The brick-and-mortar side of the retail scene may already seem awfully bleak, but it looks set to worsen, with Hennes & Mauritz AB planning to add to the wave of store closures no longer the temporary sort sweeping across Europe and the U.S. The Swedish fast-fashion retailer, which owns Cos, Monki, Weekday and & Other stories, as well as its namesake chain, said Friday it would close around 170 stores, revealing its intentions just weeks after rival Zara-owner Inditex said it would close as many at 1,200 stores over the next two years 500 to 600 annually. More from WWD To be sure, the fashion groups also have expansion plans in the works, with H&M targeting 130 openings while Inditex expects to open 150 stores a year over the next two years while expanding stores. But as the Spanish retailer focuses on weeding out smaller stores while emphasizing larger flagships outfitted with state-of-the-art garment tracking technology and H&M flags a net decline in its fleet of around 40 locations, deeper change is under way. We believe a more significant restructuring will be required, potentially announced at [full-year 2020], if the company is to protect profitability, said Michelle Wilson, an analyst at Berenberg, referring to H&Ms net figure of 40 closures. Without a doubt given youre probably seeing five years worth of digital shift in one year this year, said Richard Chamberlain, analyst with RBC. Store rationalization of the sector will be highest in the U.S., predicts Chamberlain, where pressure on shopping malls is most acute. Retailers are operating in a new reality, said Michelle Evans, senior head of digital consumer at market research firm Euromonitor International. Apparel and footwear specialist retailers are among the hardest hit, said Evans. As of 2019, 13 percent of goods were bought online globally, up from 6 percent in 2014. The pandemic will accelerate such shifts as many consumers learn or perfect the skill of online shopping. Story continues Indeed, Inditex and H&M noted that lockdown periods served to boost business online, with Inditex saying e-commerce sales were up 50 percent over its last quarter, which started in February, while H&M said online sales rose 32 percent in local currencies over the second quarter. Inditex expects the online channel to account for over a quarter of total sales in 2022, compared to 14 percent last year. The Spanish retailer is betting on digital prowess to navigate the choppy environment, with plans to invest nearly 3 billion euros over the next two years in bolstering its digital platforms and integrating store and online stock. Inditexs plans to continue culling smaller stores while focusing on spruced up flagships were not changed by the arrival of COVID-19, even as some industry observers noted consumers were opting to shop in smaller, closer locations. Highlighting the struggle of brick-and-mortar to survive in a digital era, Microsoft has abandoned its 11-year experiment with retail, closing a network of 83 stores around the world while keeping only a handful of locations as experience centers. And in the U.K., where mall operator Intu went into administration Friday, stores in the country are set to shut at a higher pace this year, with 27.1 percent more closures than last year, according to the Centre for Retail Research. H&M said Friday it plans to accelerate the integration of online channels, and is using RFID tracking technology in 20 markets. We can already see that the pandemic has caused changes in customer behavior that will accelerate the digitalization of our industry, said chief executive officer Helena Helmersson, speaking to analysts in a conference call. We have increased our customer base online and many of our customers in-store customers are now multichannel customers, she added. More men have embraced online shopping, executives also noted in the conference call. Looking to the future, the group seeks to meet the customer wherever they choose to go, Helmersson said, describing the omnichannel approach. H&M reported a first-half loss after tax of 3.06 billion Swedish kroner, or $328 million. Executives flagged a faster recovery rate in recently reopened stores. It is encouraging to see that sales are starting to pick up even though market conditions are still challenging, there is no question about that, our sales recovery so far has been better than was expected, Helmersson said. Sales in June, through June 24, were down 25 percent in local currencies compared to the same period last year. Most of the labels stores have reopened, but 350 units, or 7 percent, remain closed. Earlier this month, the Swedish firm reported sales of 83.61 billion Swedish kronor, or $8.96 billion, for the first half, down 24 percent in local currencies, with the strongest impact from the COVID-19 crisis felt in the second quarter. The groups inventory decreased 3 percent year-on-year in local currencies at the end of May, compared to a rise of 2.5 percent at the end of April, which was a positive surprise, noted Chamberlain. The analyst had expected an increase due to delayed shipments from China and Bangladesh but noted the company was able to make rapid adjustments to purchasing plans. Remington Arms Co., America's oldest gun maker, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection that could come as early as Sunday night and is in advanced talks for a sale to the Navajo Nation, according to a source familiar with the matter. The Native American tribe is planning to vote to approve the deal as soon as Friday, the source said. The tribe previously had bid for Remington, planning to drop its most controversial semi-automatic rifles, the New York Times has reported. U.S. retailers have placed restrictions on gun sales after school shootings, hurting manufacturers such as Remington. A Remington Bushmaster rifle was used in the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in Connecticut in 2012 that killed 20 children and six adults, making it central to debates over gun policy. The gunmaker has filed for bankruptcy before, in March 2018 after sales faltered and the company had trouble meeting requirements of its lenders. Remington emerged from bankruptcy the same year, owned by its former creditors, including Franklin Templeton Investments and JPMorgan Asset Management. The sources cautioned that the timing of the bankruptcy filing could slip, and that the deal with the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the United States, may not come to fruition. The sale to the tribe would occur through a court-supervised process, the source said, subject to higher and better offers and approval from a judge. The Wall Street Journal first reported the company's plan to file for bankruptcy and sell to the Navajo Nation. Remington and a representative for the Navajo Nation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Navajo Nation made a bid in 2018 for Remington, planning to use an investment trust to fund a purchase that would transform the company by dropping assault-style weapons and focusing instead on hunting firearms for consumers, sales to law enforcement and smart gun technology, the New York Times has reported. Weve all known work martyrs. Theyre the ones who flaunt their ability to toil tirelessly. You can spot them by their catchphrases: Im working 'round the clock. Burned the midnight oil last night. Ive been at my desk since 4:00 this morning and didnt stop to eat breakfast or lunch. Work martyrs may get ahead sometimes; its true. But in an age when everyone has good cause to be stressed out, they can also bring people down with their nonstop action and competitiveness. As a leader, you probably see the downfall of work martyrdom in your staffers, but what if the biggest work martyr at your company is the one in the mirror? Related: Can We Finally Say Goodbye to the Work Martyr? If youve spent the past several months eschewing work-life balance because of economic fears, you can be sure its having a negative effect on your crew. How can they feel comfortable taking time off, even when you say its OK, if youre always texting, emailing and available? Your direct reports will inevitably follow your lead, even if it heads into risky, stressed-out territory. Instead of inadvertently sending mixed signals to your employees, resolve to start practicing what you preach about wellness, health and off-the-clock time. You can temper your penchant for going gangbusters 24/7 by taking these four steps. 1. Include yourself in companywide wellness mandates It makes sense to set up wellness directives and expectations during quarantine for workers who are struggling with their changing worlds. Just dont forget that youre a worker, too. Jeff Bettinger, Nu Skin's chief employee experience officer, notes in a post to the company's blog, As leaders we need to prioritize self-care because individuals are looking to you as the example of personal and professional life balance. At Nu Skin, we recently mandated our employees an extra day off dedicated to wellness. We need to continue to remove the stigma from mental health issues. If youre having trouble sticking to a more balanced lifestyle, consider talking about those difficulties with your team. Admit that its hard for you to fully unplug. Your openness could help take the stigma away from other personnel struggling with the same frustrations. Nothing brings people together like common problems. Plus, you might be able to hold one another accountable for adding much-needed downtime to your calendars. Related: Startup Founders Can't Afford to Ignore Mental Health 2. Experiment with shorter workweeks What if people still arent blocking off hours and engaging in non-work activities on a daily basis, even with you as their role model? Perhaps instituting a workweek that includes shorter hours of operation can get you all on board. Economist Rutger Bregman recently talked about his support of a four-day workweek with Business Insider. He added that the notion wasnt new, as "all the major economists, philosophers, sociologists, they all believed, up until the 1970s, that we would be working less and less. Unfortunately, many leaders still cling to the theory that more isnt less; its more. Actually, shortening the workweek may increase your teams overall productivity, not take a bite out of it. Why? Essentially, no one will fret about what she's not accomplishing personally, like housework and childcare. People tend to prioritize more thoughtfully when time is limited. As you test a shorter workweek, ask for feedback, and submit your own. When you feel yourself starting to overwork, pull away. The only way to know whether a shorter workweek can reduce everyones anxiety is to be part of the potential solution. Related: How to Keep Your Team Motivated in the Midst of Uncertainty 3. Go forward steadily, not at a breakneck speed With news breaking constantly on multiple intense topics, you might feel like your head is spinning. At those moments, pay extra attention to how fast youre making decisions. Are you going for knee-jerk reactions? Do you keep wishing you'd been less impulsive? While its fine to sprint and pivot, you dont want to move so quickly that you make avoidable mistakes. A Harvard Business Review study showed that steady progress and problem-solving was key to higher profitability over the long term. In fact, companies that took more pragmatic approaches to change-making saw their sales figures increase 40 percent. Thats reason enough to remind yourself to take a deep breath when youre surrounded by what feels like chaos. 4. Engage in stress-reducing endeavors with your people Even before recent economic and social unrest, four-fifths of workers reported experiencing high levels of stress, costing American businesses billions annually. Those rates have only risen since the start of sheltering in place and remote work. Set aside more time than you might normally do for fun or rewarding activities. For instance, bring in an expert in person or via video conferencing who can teach an interesting activity, like cooking a certain dish or learning an at-home exercise routine. Be present, and participate in every event. Your visibility will indicate that the activity is relevant and supported by upper management, which will take away worries that its just a frivolous attempt at reducing everyones anxiety. Related: The Surprising High-Performance Habit That Entrepreneurs Can Use to Survive (and Thrive) During Any Crisis If you feel like youre in the spotlight more than ever, youre right. Employees look for guidance in times of uncertainty. Strip off the work martyr costume, and just be yourself. When your workers see you taking your own health and wellness into consideration, theyll feel free to do likewise. And thats bound to improve engagement while boosting your workforces imagination, efficiency and performance. Related: Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who pushed through the countrys new political map in an effort to consolidate his position in Nepal Communist Party, or NCP, and the government is coming under intense pressure from within to quit one of his two posts. PM Oli is also one of the NCPs two chairpersons, a post that he shares with his arch rival Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known by his nom de guerre Prachanda. PM Oli on Friday absented himself from the meeting of the NCPs powerful standing committee though the party panel was meeting at his official residence. PM Oli had sent word to the panel that he would join them later but never turned up, according to reports in the Kathmandu media. The standing committee meetings were initially scheduled to begin on May 7 but Oli, who is severely short of support within the 44-member panel, had put them off. Kathmandu watchers in Delhi say he had expected the new political map rushed through parliament this month to project himself as one prime minister who stood up to its giant neighbour to shield him from pressure from within. That didnt appear to be happening when PM Oli attended the first meeting of the standing committee on Thursday. Prachanda, reports in the Nepal media suggest, was merciless in his criticism. Prachanda, according to a report in The Kathmandu Post, had expressed regret for a November pact that agreed to let Oli run the government for five years while he leads the party as executive chair. Either we have to part ways or we need to mend ways Since parting is not possible, we need to mend our ways, for which we must be ready to sacrifice, Prachanda said, according to the Post. PM Oli, who has already been a target of attacks for his governments handling of th Covid-19 pandemic, did mount a counter attack at Thursdays meeting. But on Friday, PM Oli, as one Nepal newspaper headlined its report, decided to play hooky. A chairman avoiding his own partys meeting is disgraceful. He should have listened to his party leaders, Gokarna Bista, a Standing Committee member who is counted in Prachandas camp said, according to the Post. Many leaders are preparing to seek Olis resignation as a majority of the party feels that Oli cannot be trusted to run the government anymore, said Matrika Yadav, a Standing Committee member also close to Dahal, told the newspaper. PM Oli, according to reports, had hoped to pin down the rival camp with a new political map that depicts Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura that have been controlled by India as part of Nepalese territory. It did get complete support from parliamentarians because no one wanted to be seen to be going against the countrys territorial integrity. But at NCPs meeting on Friday, there were also suggestions that the Oli government should have handled the entire row better. The Post quoted two NCP members as saying that the Oli government was criticised for not doing adequate homework to hold talks with India, failing to cultivate alternative lines of communication with New Delhi, and also failing to propagate Nepals claim to its lands on national and international platforms. The pandemic has spread its tentacles into just about every area of life at this point, forcing us to change our behaviours significantly. This has led to a sharp increase in digital activity, as amidst this lockdown period alone, over 87% Indians have reportedly turned to social media for all sorts of content consumption, says a survey conducted by Hammer Kops . And according to cyber experts, this has led to an alarming surge in cybercrimes such as sexual harassment, abuse, stalking, trolling and rape threats, as miscreants take advantage of the globe's new-found dependence on the virtual world. Traditionally, many men and women are taught to simply 'ignore it' - making many of us resign ourselves to thinking this is all that one can do. This attitude has, however, caused much mental harm and keeping silent is simply not a pliable solution anymore - these are crimes punishable by the law. Keeping the current scenario in mind, Malini's Girl Tribe and Huzaifa Lightwalla have launched a campaign to build awareness and take strict legal action against these abusers. Under the #IgnoreNoMore social media campaign, Malini Agarwal (founder) has personally curated a series of educational webinars with experts from the industry who will join hands to encourage rapid and strict action against cyber bullies and cyber crime.. India figures among the top five countries to be affected by cyber crime. However, Maharashtra Cyber Department has only been able to register 410 offences so far and have arrested 213 persons in connection with these. Though Central and state agencies are constantly at work, the vulnerabilities are more pronounced, the threat more real. Malini Agarwal founder MissMalini and Malinis Girl Tribe opines, They spam comments, creep into our DMs and overwhelm our lives (even on Instagram LIVE). As we move to the "new normal" of living our virtual lives, the impact on our mental and emotional health is insurmountable. Most importantly, this is not just a cause for women, but equally traumatising for men as well. This problem deeply damages us all, and makes social media a nightmare for countless. We have finally found a way to take action against the abusers via the cybercrime division. Which means we can actually make a difference and need to educate everyone on their rights and the creeps of the consequences. Via this campaign, Malinis Girl Tribe is spreading awareness of our digital rights and encouraging action via active dialogue, whilst educating all men and women to come forth and report more cases. It also aims to aid those accused by helping them understand the repercussions of their actions, which in many cases, are innocent youngsters who may be doing this to seem cool and to fit-in. We can do this by spreading awareness and making a list of the abusers you want to report, including their usernames/ URLs/handles to the cyber cell in Mumbai for a legal investigation (cyberpst-mum@mahapolice.gov. in, shubhamcybercrime@gmail.com). By gathering their virtual information and screenshots to help in the case as evidence, we can also make an online complaint on www.cybercrime.gov.in adds Malini. Answering this call are celebrities/ Influencers such as Teena Singh, Shweta Salve, Nitin Mirani, Aashka Goradia, Faye Dsouza, Rohit Roy, Acquin Pais, Siddhant Kapoor, Shibani Kashyap ,Manasi Scott, Narayani Shastri , Pia Trivedi and many more Together Lets Standup against Cybercrime and say #IgnoreNoMore Bernstein described the men as in their early 20s and said they looked like frat boys. Two were wearing floral shirts and blue jeans and two were in all black and wearing masks, she told police. One wearing a salmon-colored floral shirt sprayed the left side of her face with what she thought was lighter fluid from a bottle and then threw a flaming lighter at her. Bernstein said she was able to pat out the flames before she drove home, where her mother encouraged her to go to the hospital. She reported the incident to police at about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to the police report. Indonesia declined this month to negotiate with China over a tract of sea where Beijing says it should have usage rights. But Beijing isn't pressuring Jakarta like it does Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam when they offend Chinas sovereignty claims. The populous Southeast Asian archipelago can snub China because of its international clout, and the approach has indirectly helped other countries resist Chinese influence in the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea thats prized for natural resources. Unlike smaller Asian nations, Indonesia with its 273 million people represents a military and political middle power, a giant market and a core force in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is a key country in the Islamic world extending into the Middle East, says Enrico Cau, Southeast Asia specialist with the Taiwan Strategy Research Association. Indonesia is not really the type of country you can actually force to coercion as you can do in other cases, Cau says. Indonesia is a very different case for a variety of reasons. Scholars say that confronting Indonesias maritime claims could put tens of billions of dollars in Chinese trade at risk, and in the worst case, spark a backlash against ethnic Chinese people in Indonesia reminiscent of anti-China riots in 1998. Beijing and Jakarta dispute a swathe of the South China Sea north of Indonesias outlying Natuna islands. Indonesia says there is no cause for dispute because its claim follows international maritime law. China is keeping quiet, as Indonesia bolsters military defenses near the contested waters. After a 2016 incident when an Indonesian navy corvette fired warning shots at Chinese fishing fleet, the Southeast Asian country upgraded a Natuna air base to let two types of fighters and attack helicopters operate nearby. Indonesia is expanding on its own and growing really fast, Cau says. To sit down for talks would imply China has rights to the tract of sea and give it more leverage in the wider dispute involving other countries, said Evan Laksmana, senior researcher for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think-tank in Jakarta. Its about the potential legality of Chinas claim overall, Laksmana said. If we implicitly or inadvertently acknowledge Chinas rights, either we haphazardly negotiate or have talks or even give China rights to fish and all that, then it would strengthen their overall claim against the other claimants in the area. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam claim all or parts of the sea. China, which has Asia's strongest armed forces, has alarmed other parties to the dispute since 2010 by landfilling tiny islets for military use. In recent months, China has sent survey ships and coast guard vessels in waters it disputes with Malaysia and Vietnam. It also flew eight military planes along the edge of Taiwans air defense zone this month through June 24. Indonesia should expect to find more Chinese vessels near the Natuna islands, scholars say. China needs the fish because catches are thinning closer to its own coasts, said Carl Thayer, Southeast Asia-specialized emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia. China is drilling for undersea fossil fuel in some parts of the sea as well. China and Vietnam have polluted their coast and coastal waterways, traditional fishing grounds (and) overfished, so the most lucrative fishing is in the south. Thayer said. Indonesia would keep pushing back with its navy coast guard and lodge diplomatic protests, Laksmana said. China is unlikely to raise its game, he said. Indonesia found about 60 "trespassing" Chinese vessels in 30 locations within its maritime exclusive economic zone in December, the research platform East Asia Forum says. More Chinese vessels came a month later and media reports from Jakarta said Chinese coast guard vessels had escorted some. Indonesia protested to the Chinese ambassador then and sent warships plus F-16 fighter jets to patrol the region. The United Nations is the latest forum for the two sides claims. The Chinese government told U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a letter this month that China and Indonesia have overlapping claims in parts of the South China Sea. China normally cites historical documents to back its claims. China was responding to a note from the Indonesian government to the U.N. head on May 26. Jakarta had rejected Beijings nine-dash line that it uses to demarcate South China Sea claims. TORRINGTON A Torrington High School graduate and longtime city resident died with the coronavirus at age 86, according to her obituary. Lucretia Lamphier Huxley was born on a farm in New Hartford on Jan. 7, 1934, the child of Charles and Nina Twining Harrison, family members said in her obituary. She graduated from Bakerville School and Torrington High School before settling in the city with Walter Huxley, her loving husband and soulmate, and raising a family. She died May 2. In her professional life, Huxley worked at the A&P, Blake Motor Lines, Dileos Restaurant, as a cook at Southwest School, and as a special needs aide for Dufour Bus Company, family members said. In her personal time, she enjoyed cooking, baking, and canning fruits and vegetables, and was proud of blue ribbons awarded to her from the Bethlehem Fair. She loved rides with Dad through the country to nowhere, vacations with her kids, and Kelly bus trips. A selfless soul, she was very giving, and always thought of others before herself. Whenever asked how she was doing, her answer was always Im okay. She made nightly phone calls to her children, and if she got the answering machine, the message that was always left was just Mom, family members said. Much more than just mom, she was stubborn, kind, loving, and caring, and a wonderful mom, grandmother, great grandmother, and great great grandmother. There was never a phone, a piece of bread, or a piece of chocolate cake that she didnt like. Vegetables did not have the same appeal. She will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her. Huxley is survived by her sister, children, grandchildren and great-grandchild, family members said. Huxleys family offered their thanks to the emergency room staff at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and Hartford Hospital for their professionalism and caring during these very trying times. In lieu of flowers, the family asks well-wishers to please leave a fond remembrance of our Mom, and tell us how you knew her, and what you remember most about her, which can be done on the website of the Phalen Funeral Home. Memorial contributions can be made to the Hartford Health Care Covid 19 Fund, Autism Speaks, or to a charity of your choice, or do a random act of kindness to anyone in her name, family members said. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com On June 20, Iran will deliver to France the black boxes of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752, that was shot down by mistake shortly after takeoff from Tehran, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said in a Twitter post, Trend reports citing TASS. "Iran has advised todays ICAO Council Session that PS752 black boxes are to be read-out in France on 20 July, employing COVID19 protocols while assuring the participation of representatives from all countries involved," the international agency said. "ICAO advisors will continue supporting all parties." On January 8, the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 plane crashed shortly after takeoff near Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Pristayko, 176 people on board died. Among them were citizens of Afghanistan, Germany, Iran, Canada, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Sweden. On January 11, Irans Armed Forces General Staff released a statement admitting the plane had been mistakenly shot down. According to Iranian Brigadier-General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, the plane was misidentified as a cruise missile by the air defense force. A federal judge on Friday ordered Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to release migrant children held in three family detention centers across the U.S. by July 17, the New York Times reports. Catch up quick: Some children in an ongoing court case had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, per the Times. The ruling affects 124 children who have been held in ICE detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania for over 20 days, the Times reports, citing the order from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Go deeper: ICE pauses most immigration enforcement amid coronavirus outbreak FARGO, N.D. A 37-year-old Winnipeg woman has been sentenced to six years behind bars after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to a charge that alleged she travelled to North Dakota to obtain a chemical weapon that she bought on the dark web. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FARGO, N.D. A 37-year-old Winnipeg woman has been sentenced to six years behind bars after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to a charge that alleged she travelled to North Dakota to obtain a chemical weapon that she bought on the dark web. Sijie Liu will remain in the Cass County Jail until she can be transferred to Canada to serve her sentence, documents filed in North Dakota U.S. District Court show. Liu was given credit for time served since her arrest in March 2019. According to court documents, Liu crossed into North Dakota from Manitoba at the Pembina, N.D., port of entry on March 5, 2019. Liu told a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer that the purpose of her trip to the U.S. was to go shopping in Grand Forks. She said she intended to return to Canada later that day. After crossing into the U.S., Liu drove to a commercial mail receiving agency in Pembina, where law enforcement officers in plainclothes observed Liu pick up several packages claiming her name to be Julie Chen. Liu was arrested as she left the business with the packages. Court documents state Liu recently pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to acquire a chemical weapon. In order to do that, she went to a hidden services website on the dark web, a part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires special software or authorization to access. There she communicated with an undercover FBI official to obtain 10 ml of a toxin. The type of toxin involved was not clear. The court documents say Liu also attempted to acquire protective equipment that could be used to handle the toxin safely. As part of a plea agreement signed in March, federal prosecutors and Lius attorney agreed on a recommended sentence of six years, which was a downward departure from sentencing guidelines. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. It is not clear from the court documents how the toxin was intended to be used. Court documents say that after Liu was arrested and before authorities questioned her, she told law enforcement officers: "I know what I did was wrong." Later, when Liu spoke to someone she identified as her husband, she was overheard to say she had broken the law and had been arrested, court documents said. Two other charges Liu was facing as part of a federal indictment were dismissed. Additional details regarding that indictment were not clear, as the document was one of several associated with the case that have been sealed by the court. The U.S. Attorneys Office for North Dakota and Lius attorney did not respond to requests for comment. Grand Forks Herald Historically, half or more of people with type 1 diabetes develop kidney disease, which frequently progresses to kidney failure requiring hemodialysis or a kidney transplant for survival. The high rate of this diabetic complication has dropped slightly in recent years, with the advent of better ways to control blood glucose (sugar) levels and improved blood pressure drugs, "but diabetic kidney disease is still a huge problem," says Alessandro Doria, MD, PhD, MPH, Senior Investigator in Joslin Diabetes Center's Section on Genetics and Epidemiology. Progression of kidney disease in type 1 diabetes is correlated with increased amounts of a compound in the blood called uric acid. Hoping that a drug that reduces these uric acid levels would slow the disease, Doria and his colleagues launched a multi-institution randomized clinical trial that enrolled 530 participants with type 1 diabetes and early-to-moderate kidney disease. Results of the Preventing Early Renal Loss in Diabetes (PERL) study were just published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), the leading clinical research journal. Unfortunately, this study did not show the desired clinical benefits. "This is not the result that we wanted," says Doria, "but it does give a very clear answer to an important scientific question." A second trial by Australian researchers on patients with a variety of chronic kidney diseases, some with diabetes, published alongside the PERL study in the NEJM, found similar results. The PERL trial grew out of several studies that followed a cohort of people with type 1 diabetes, including one in which Doria partnered with Andrzej Krolewski, MD, PhD, head of the Section on Genetics and Epidemiology. In a 2011 paper, the Joslin scientists demonstrated that in this cohort, people with higher levels of uric acid in their blood were more likely to display a high rate of kidney function loss. Two other research groups in Denver, Colorado and Copenhagen, Denmark obtained similar results. "This was an actionable discovery, because allopurinol, a drug that's been on the market since the 1960s, can easily reduce uric acid," says Doria, who is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. advertisement Allopurinol is prescribed for gout, an inflammatory condition caused by excess uric acid, he explains. It's an inexpensive generic drug with known side effects that can largely be avoided. Additionally, allopurinol produced apparent benefits in much smaller clinical trials among people with chronic kidney disease, a minority of whom had diabetes. Doria teamed up with S. Michael Mauer, MD, of the University of Minnesota Medical School to design and carry out a clinical trial with support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and JDRF. The PERL consortium eventually grew to 16 sites. Participants in the three-year, placebo-controlled and double-blinded trial received the current standard of care, including a renin-angiotensin system inhibitor -- an existing type of drug shown in the 1990s to slow kidney damage, albeit incompletely. The key measurement of kidney function for PERL was glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a measure of how much blood is filtered every minute by the kidneys. GFR drops as kidney disease progresses. Over the three years of the study, levels of uric acid dropped about 35% on average among people given allopurinol compared to those who weren't. "But despite this very nice reduction in uric acid, we could not see any effect on GFR," Doria says. He and his colleagues will continue to follow participants through their medical records and through national databases that track people who eventually progress to dialysis or kidney transplants. Researchers at Joslin and other institutions continue to examine other potential routes to guard against kidney disease among people with type 1 diabetes. Despite its disappointing conclusion, "PERL was a textbook example of using epidemiology to find treatment targets, and then designing a study to translate those findings and try to find a new intervention," Doria says. "In this case, it didn't work. But this is exactly why we do epidemiological studies, and how our scientific understanding advances." FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - People in the deserts of Arizona flee to the White Mountains when the triple-digit heat is too much to bear, cooling off in the forest a few hours away. That worries a Native American tribe that calls the area home, as coronavirus infections and temperatures have both spiked in one of the hardest-hit states. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. This Thursday, June 25, 2020 photo provided by C.M. Clay, shows sign at the entrance to the Whiteriver Indian Hospital in Whiteriver, Ariz., on the Fort Apache Reservation, The reservation, home to the White Mountain Apache Tribe, will be under lockdown this weekend to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. (C.M. Clay/White Mountain Apache Tribe via AP) FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - People in the deserts of Arizona flee to the White Mountains when the triple-digit heat is too much to bear, cooling off in the forest a few hours away. That worries a Native American tribe that calls the area home, as coronavirus infections and temperatures have both spiked in one of the hardest-hit states. The White Mountain Apache Tribe is taking some of the most drastic actions in Arizona to protect its 13,500 residents, more than one-eighth of whom have already tested positive for COVID-19. It's taking cues from severe measures imposed by other tribes nationwide, including the Navajo Nation, which has curtailed an outbreak that once made it a national hot spot. Those living on the White Mountain Apache Tribe's reservation in northeastern Arizona face the risk of fines and other penalties if they venture beyond their own yards this weekend. A two-week shelter-in-place order will follow. The tribe's Fort Apache Reservation also is closed to the summertime visitors who flock to the area to fish, hike and camp among ponderosa pines. The tribe's confirmed infections and 20 deaths as of Friday make the reservation one of the hardest-hit places in a state that's recording over 3,000 cases a day and running short on hospital space. COVID has just turned our world upside down, White Mountain Apache Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood said. Volunteers prepare donations for delivery to those affected by COVID-19 on tribal lands Thursday, June 25, 2020, in Tempe, Ariz. The resource drive is for families isolated due to COVID-19 on Navajo, Hualapai, Havasupai and White Mountain Apache tribal lands. (AP Photo/Matt York) The tribe also is ordering homeless people who test positive for the virus to quarantine at the tribe's casino-hotel now closed to visitors and is banning the sale and use of alcohol for the rest of the year. Lee-Gatewood hopes it will help keep people safe if they get lax about social distancing and other measures when they're drinking. The tribe's strict steps come as Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has declined to impose new restrictions on businesses like other states where confirmed cases are surging. Fellow Republican governors in Texas and Florida cracked down on bars Friday. Ducey, who lifted a stay-at-home order in mid-May, has now paused further efforts to reopen the economy and allowed cities to require face coverings, without bowing to pressure for a statewide mandate. Lee-Gatewood said the White Mountain Apache Tribe took that into consideration, along with the typical summer crowds, when deciding how to target the pandemic on its land. Were seeing these visitors not paying attention to social distancing and wearing masks, and the governor had a real relaxed attitude about all of that in reopening the businesses back up, she said. Elsewhere in Arizona, officials on the Havasupai reservation deep in a gorge off the Grand Canyon warned river rafters they would be detained if they stepped foot on land the tribe traditionally uses but isn't part of its formal reservation. Known worldwide for its towering blue-green waterfalls, the reservation has been shut down for months and has no reported COVID-19 cases. Volunteers prepare donations for delivery to those affected by COVID-19 on tribal lands Thursday, June 25, 2020, in Tempe, Ariz. The resource drive is for families isolated due to COVID-19 on Navajo, Hualapai, Havasupai and White Mountain Apache tribal lands. (AP Photo/Matt York) We are left to take aggressive action to maintain the safety of our tribal members and the future of the Havasupai Tribe, Chairwoman Evangeline Kissoon wrote in a notice to river guides. After talking with Grand Canyon National Park, the tribe said it would station law enforcement at its boundary with the park, miles from the Colorado River shore. The nearby Navajo Nation, the nation's largest Native American reservation that spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, has attributed a slowdown in infections to a daily curfew it's had in place for months, a shutdown of government offices and tourist sites, weekend lockdowns and a mask requirement. On tribal land elsewhere, residents of the tiny Alaska Native village of Napaskiak are being advised to stay home until July 5, leaving only for medical needs or quick runs to the grocery store. A health care corporation that serves the village and dozens of other rural communities pointed to a strong likelihood of community spread. In Montana, tribal leaders on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation said this week that they closed their boundary with popular Glacier National Park for the tourism season to protect their residents. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has kept up roadblocks since March despite criticism from the state's governor. Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier said this week that the tribe took the step because it realized it had to protect its people. All we have is ourselves, he said. In Arizona, the White Mountain Apache Tribe said people can travel on a highway through its land, but they can't stop along the way. Tribal police also are considering checkpoints, and a COVID-19 testing blitz is planned. Theres frustration, theres impatience, theres a lot of things, tribal Councilman Jerold Altaha said in a video. But remember, we are doing the best we can, we are doing everything we can to help you. They're looking to prevent more people from dying, like Apache elder Timothy Clawson Sr., 91. He married his sweetheart under a tree on the reservation and spent his life in the White Mountains, working as a rancher and at a sawmill. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Lee-Gatewood, the tribal chairwoman, recalled their last conversation. Clawson called earlier this month and said, Well, chairwoman, I'm at the hospital, and they told me I have this virus. They treated me, and the doctors said I wouldn't leave here, and I'm calling to say my goodbyes. Lee-Gatewood said Clawson told her that he was proud of her. Youre a tough cowboy, she responded. Ill keep you in my prayers. The next day, Lee-Gatewood got a text from Clawson's granddaughter: He had died. ___ Associated Press writers Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, and Matt Volz in Helena, Montana, contributed to this report. Daniel Itai The Zimbabwe Daily Kinshasa, DRC Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ebola free after two years of fighting the deadly pandemic. Close to three thousand people succumbed to the virus. Although, the virus was contained in the central African country, insurgencies contributed in the Ebola virus taking time to be fully extinguished. Rebel group, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has been destabilizing and killing civilians in the regions of Beni, Kivu, and Ituri. Last weekend, close to 20 people were killed by the ADF, the victims were five men, three women and two children, some were killed with machetes and others with firearms, said Raphael Bon Benogo, a civil rights activist. - Advertisement - The ADF has been blamed for killing about 500 people since last year in retaliation for an army crackdown on their bases in the forests around the Beni region. Dozens of armed groups operate in eastern DRC, last year, the DRC army launched a campaign against the ADF. Like this: Like Loading... The time for serious police reforms has come. There is no ignoring that fact. Cities and states around the nation are already working on what those reforms will look like. Colorado just implemented a new set of standards that other jurisdictions are sure to study. It includes: Banning chokeholds Limiting an officers use of deadly force to life-and-death situations only Prohibiting police from shooting at a fleeing suspect Mandating body cameras for all local and state police by 2023 Releasing publicly all body camera footage Requiring officers to report other officers for wrongdoing Requiring officers to report every contact with a criminal suspect and include the persons race, gender and ethnicity Holding officers personally liable up to $25,000 if they are found guilty of violating an individuals civil rights A good template to contemplate, I suppose. That last point is a nod to the current call to do away with the qualified immunity law enforcement officers and other public officials currently enjoy that shields them from citizen lawsuits. The idea being that if an officer knows he or she will have to pay out of their own pocket if they violate someones constitutional rights they might be more careful when dealing with the public. There has been so much focus on qualified immunity lately you would think it was an idea chiseled in stone. It is not. In fact, it isnt even a law. It was the U.S. Supreme Court, circa 1967, that first embraced the idea that a police officer should not be hindered during duty by worry that his or her split-second decision might result in a lawsuit. The justices declared cops should be protected by limited immunity to citizens suits. Over the years that umbrella of protection was expanded by the courts. I wont bore you with all the legal mumbo jumbo, but various judges allowed officers ever more wiggle room to claim protection from legal action. Important to note: officers do not have absolute immunity. They can, and have been, held liable for violating citizens rights and their local or state governments have covered the payouts. In several fatal shooting cases officers have been sentenced to prison, but that is rare. The U.S. Supreme Court, the place where this idea was birthed so many decades ago, just recently declined to review a lower court decision that gave two San Antonio police officers immunity from a wrongful death suit. It was filed by the family of a Black man who, in 2015, was shot with police Taser guns multiple times during a domestic dispute. Norman Cooper, 33, died at the scene. The cause was found to have been intoxication with methamphetamine complicated by his prolonged struggle with police. Legal experts have wondered for years why Congress hasnt stepped up to pass legislation that either outlaws the practice of qualified immunity for cops or crafts a more definitive way to apply it. Now that there is an unstoppable movement to reform the nations police departments, lots of citizens are wondering when Congress will act, not just on the question of limited immunity but on a broader set of federally mandated standards for police conduct. Dont hold your breath. Members with a D after their name continue to be at war with colleagues who sport an R, and vice versa. Democrats worked up a bill that included a clear way around limited immunity protections and would allow victims of rogue cops to sue. The Republican version made no mention of qualified immunity. The idea of compromise between the two political parties remains a foreign concept, even in the face of such a diverse and nationwide call for change. This lack of leadership during these troubled times reminds me of the days following the massacre of schoolchildren at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It was hoped that from the profound trauma a consensus would emerge about responsible gun ownership. It didnt happen. My greatest fear today is that even after the prolonged protests against police racism, destructive riots and occupations, and the multitude of calls for law enforcement reforms, Congress will continue to do nothing. That leaves long overdue changes up to your local and state officials. Think they are up to the task? Diane@DianeDimond.com. TEMPE, Ariz. A Phoenix suburb has reached a $2 million settlement with the family of a 14-year-old Hispanic boy who was fatally shot in the back by a police officer as the youth ran away while holding a non-lethal pellet gun. The Tempe City Council on Thursday approved the settlement in Officer Joseph Jaens shooting of Antonio Arce. The shooting occurred January 2019 in an alley after the officer responded to a 911 call about a possible vehicle burglary. Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell on Thursday offered condolences to the youths family. We know that the Arce family was left with the devastation of losing a son and a family member, Mitchell said. We understand this settlement from the city does not compensate your loss of Antonio, but were settling this with the Arce family because the city recognizes and acknowledges that Officer Jaen was outside police department policy and procedure and that his actions were wrong. We wish the Arce family peace as they continue to grieve. The teens family in February filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit seeking unspecified damages, and the settlement was approved amid a national outcry against use of force by police. The familys attorney, Danny Ortega, said in a statement that the lawsuit was always about holding the Tempe Police Department accountable for the death. It is not uncommon for young Latinos and Blacks to die at the hands of law enforcement. As with other police shooting cases, the Arce family and the community are unjustifiably left in the dark for too long about whether there was an actual need to use excessive and ultimately deadly force, Ortega said. The lawsuit said Jaen shot the youth though he did not present a threat and did not point the pellet gun at the officer. Jaen, who resigned about four months after the shooting, was later granted an early disability retirement. He had worked for 17 years as an officer, 14 in Tempe and three in Bullhead City. Jaens attorney, attorney, Kathleen Wieneke, said in a statement provided to The Associated Press that the ex-officer, like Arce, was the son of an immigrant family and mourns the loss of this young life, and hopes the quick resolution of the civil matter will bring some solace to his loved ones. The statement added: In the tense, uncertain, and rapid evolving circumstances in which officers must make split second judgments, they do so without the certainty of knowledge that 20/20 hindsight brings. While in no comparison to the familys grief, former Officer Jaen will live with this day forever, which has left his soul wounded. Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel said Jan. 31 that Jaen would not be charged in the incident because prosecutors likely would not have won a conviction. Adel said Jaen didnt know when he fired his gun that the boy was 14. She also said the teen was believed to be armed and about to run out of the officers view. Police officials have said Jaen fired because he thought the gun was real and perceived an imminent threat. In those few split seconds, Officer Jaen believed that someone was fleeing the scene of a crime, that they were in possession of a handgun and holding it in a manner where the weapon could be easily discharged, Adel said. A separate internal investigation by Tempe police concluded that Jaen had violated the agencys use-of-force policy. Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel said in January that discipline would have been recommended for Jaen had he not resigned. "Our community has stood by us, knowing that the vital work of our community must prevail against the challenges of these times. The FSHD Society announced the opening today of its FSHD Connect Classroom, the first online, full-day educational conference in the organizations history. The online conference takes the place of FSHD Connect, the premier global educational meeting for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), which was cancelled this year due to COVID-19. Nearly 300 individuals and families living with FSHD are attending the online meeting, alongside researchers, clinicians, industry representatives and patient advocacy organizations from around the world. Because of COVID-19, we had to switch from an in-person meeting to online, but this has opened the opportunity to participate for many families who previously were unable to attend, noted Mark Stone, CEO of the Society. Our organizing committee has devised an informative and exciting program everyone living with FSHD will want know. We hope attendees will come away feeling invigorated, empowered, and entertained. This years program will include an exciting array of talks explaining the cause of FSHD, how to address symptoms, make adaptations to homes, use orthotics, and understand the benefits of psychodynamic approaches to managing chronic conditions like FSHD. Leading researchers will explain various strategies and the progress being made toward developing treatments. The field is in the midst of a Phase 2b clinical trial for the first disease-modifying therapy for FSHD. Researchers speaking at FSHD Connect Classroom will discuss how this trial as well as a large natural history study called ReSOLVE have responded to the challenges of collecting data while keeping volunteers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 FSHD Connect Classroom will also recognize two individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the FSHD Society. Amy Bekier of San Diego, California, is receiving the Community Hero award for her decades-long advocacy and service as founder of the Southern California Celebrity Walk & Roll to Cure FSHD, Director of the San Diego Chapter, and member of the FSHD Society board of directors. Judith Seslowe, of White Plains, New York, will receive the Legacy Award for chairing many fundraising events, including the Festive Evening of Song, a benefit concert and appeal, that was held from 2009 to 2019 and raised more than $2.3 million. We are delighted to honor these 2 people in our community that have gone above-and-beyond to raise awareness and critical funds for everyone living with FSHD, says Beth Johnston, Chief Community Engagement Officer. This years foundation and industry supporters include: Allard, the James Chin Scholarship Fund, National Institutes of Health, Optum Health, and PerkinElmer Genomics. The dedication and generous support of our community and sponsors is what makes events like FSHD Connect Classroom possible, said Stone. They have stood by us, knowing that the vital work of our community must prevail against the challenges of these times. About the FSHD Society The FSHD Society is the worlds largest research-focused patient organization for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), one of the most prevalent forms of muscular dystrophy. The Society has catalyzed major advancements and is accelerating the development of treatments and a cure to end the pain, disability, and suffering endured by one million people worldwide who live with FSHD. The FSHD Society has transformed the landscape for FSHD research and is committed to making sure that no one faces this disease alone. The Society offers a community of support, news, and information through its website at https://www.fshdsociety.org. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Los Angeles, United States Sat, June 27, 2020 11:08 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066217158 2 Entertainment Ron-Jeremy,porn-actor,rape,Sexual-assault,united-states,adult-film Free Adult film star Ron Jeremy pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom on Friday to charges of raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth in incidents from 2014 to 2019, City News Service reported. Jeremy, 67, is among the biggest names in the pornography industry, having appeared in more than 2,000 adult films starting in the 1970s. A preliminary hearing was set for Aug. 31 to determine if there is sufficient evidence to allow the case to proceed. Jeremy, whose real name is Ronald Jeremy Hyatt, was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of a $6.6 million bail. Prosecutors said Jeremy forcibly raped a 25-year-old woman at a home in West Hollywood in May 2014. They also accused him of sexually assaulting two women, aged 33 and 46, on separate occasions at a West Hollywood bar in 2017, and forcibly raped one of them. Read also: Porn actor Ron Jeremy charged with rape of three women In a fourth incident, prosecutors said Jeremy forcibly raped a 30-year-old woman at the same bar in July 2019. On Tuesday, the day charges were filed against Jeremy, he wrote on Twitter that he was innocent of all the allegations. "I cant wait to prove my innocence in court! Thank you to everyone for all the support," he wrote. If convicted of all the charges, Jeremy faces a possible maximum sentence of 90 years to life in state prison A group of Black and bi-racial students is calling for change at the University of Calgary's faculty of law to include more people of colour in the classroom and offer anti-racism training. Keshia Holloman-Dawson is the president of the Calgary chapter of the Black Law Students Association. The fourth-generation Calgarian is currently one of three Black and bi-racial students out of more than 350 students at the law school while three others have graduated this year. "There seems to be a general lack of understanding [about racism] among students," says Holloman-Dawson, whose father is African-American and mother is white. "As law students, we are the next lawyers and judges. We provide a certain service to people that gives them access to the law. Without diverse perspectives, we can't give them unbiased views of equality." The second-year law student is presenting the group's calls to action to the faculty on Friday. The move comes weeks after international protests against the killing of George Floyd, a Black American, by a white police officer in Minneapolis that raised the issue of systemic racism to the forefront around the world. "We are using the momentum of this movement," says Holloman-Dawson. "We're using this small space of time where our voices are amplified to make tangible change." Second-year student David Isilebo, from Nigeria, agrees the time is now to speak up. "If they don't hear us now, they'll never hear us." Contributed by David Isilebo The group's calls to action include an increase in diversity among students through reforming the admissions process, financial support and mentorship. The group also wants to see diversity among faculty members. "Seeing yourself in places of power matters," says third-year law student Bethlehem Tesfay. "We should have representation in all places where decisions are being made, not just as a token but in numbers where you can make a difference and feel comfortable speaking out loud without feeling like you're speaking for the whole Black community." Story continues 'I wasn't really Black until I moved here' Tesfay moved to Calgary from Ethiopia when she was 16. "I wasn't really Black until I moved here," she said. "Growing up in Ethiopia, I saw myself everywhere in positions of power doctors, teachers, just everywhere. ... But it was different when I came to law school and saw that I was the only Black student in my year and I thought about how long it would take for us to go into positions of power and how there would be only one of me in my year. And combine that with the effect of also being a woman." Photo: Lydia Tesfay The group is also calling for training on anti-racism and privilege for both students and staff. It's something Tesfay wants to see made mandatory. "When you have optional courses or training, it's people already interested in doing the work who join these programs," she said. "So I think mandatory anti-racism training brings about a bigger impact." Nationwide issue If Tiana Knight had to give a grade on how Canadian law schools are doing when it comes to diversity, she says she'd give them a C-minus. "There are a lot of schools that have made great strides and recognize the historical and systemic barriers that have hindered Black students from applying to law schools," said Knight, a third-year Windsor University law student and the national president of the Black Law Students' Association of Canada. "But there are a lot of schools that don't recognize that there is an issue or don't care to make active steps to assist Black students in reaching law school." Contributed by Tiana Knight Holloman-Dawson acknowledged that, unlike many law schools in the country, the University of Calgary has a more holistic admissions system where students aren't assessed solely on their grades or LSAT scores. It looks at the applicant's volunteer work and community involvement as well. "But we don't have anything for Black students," she says. The dean of law at the University of Calgary agrees that more needs to be done, adding that they've been working on it for a number of years. "The students are right that we need to boost enrolment," said Ian Holloway. "We're hampered a bit because there are legal issues associated with requiring ethnic information but that's not to make an excuse. We can do more on this front." But he said at least half of the graduate program enrolment have been made up of Black students for the past number of years. The school has also been running an LSAT prep course for people of diverse backgrounds. Holloway said this issue has been important to him for a long time. "I was the first law clerk hired by the late Julius Isaac, [the first Black Canadian to become Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada]," he says. "We became friends and remained friends until shortly before his death. In fact, after I became a dean, I took a trip to the West Indies with him to talk about developing links between Canadian law schools and law schools in the Caribbean." Isilebo is hopeful changes will be made, given the dean and faculty have already reached out to talk to the group. "I give credit to the dean," said Isilebo. "He's been hearing us out. Although he hasn't done anything yet, he really wants to help." "Even if the faculty is not as aggressive with change, we have a bunch of allies and partnerships that are willing to make this a reality," said Holloman-Dawson. "If we could make a bit of a positive change and make it slightly easier for the next round of students then I think we've done important work and made the best of our time at law school." Tiff Macklem, the Bank of Canadas new governor, is starting his seven-year term at a critical time in the fight against climate change. While people mostly associate Canadas central bank with setting monetary policy, assuring price stability and promoting economic growth, its mandate as defined in the Bank of Canada Act is actually much wider. According to the Act, BoCs role is: generally, to promote the economic and financial welfare of Canada. Since there is no doubt that climate change has and will have a growing impact on the economic welfare of Canadians, the bank and its head need to be seriously involved. But how exactly and to what extent? For Macklem, two prominent bankers can serve as an example and also as future partners. The first is Christine Lagarde, appointed as head of the European Central Bank in November after leading the International Monetary Fund for eight years. As reflected in some of her recent speeches, Lagarde has included climate change as one of her top priorities. My personal view is that any institution has to actually have climate change risk and protection of the environment at the core of their understanding of their mission, she said, going as far as expressing that for her, climate change and environmental risk are mission-critical. The second banker is none other than Macklems former boss at the BoC, Mark Carney. The top banker, who served both as governor at both the Bank of Canada and later the Bank of England, is currently the United Nations special envoy on climate action and finance. Carney is a climate champion and helped establish the Network for Greening the Financial System, a growing forum where central banks and supervisors can exchange views and best practices with regards to climate-related risks for the financial sector and the development of green finance. Currently, NGFS consists of 66 members and 12 observers, with the BoC as one of its members. But climate action isnt new to the incoming BoC governor. While serving in his previous job as dean of the University of Torontos Rotman School of Management, Macklem was head of Canadas Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance, which delivered a detailed report last year to the minister of environment and climate change and the minister of finance. The panel came up with 15 policy recommendations, some of them directly addressed to the BoC. Recommendation 8, for example, is to embed climate-related risk into monitoring, regulation and supervision of Canadas financial system. It endorses the BoCs decision to build climate-related risks into its Financial System Review process and develop a multi-year research plan focused on climate-related risks to the macroeconomy and the financial system. In recommendation 10, the panel suggests promoting sustainable investment as business-as-usual within Canadas investment industry, and calls on the BoC to convene with Canadian asset managers to exchange information on climate-related risks. Governor Macklem put this recommendation in his own words in an address in Toronto last year: Put simply, climate-conscious risk management and investment need to be part of the everyday savings and investment decisions made by individuals and businesses across Canada. I asked former BoC economist Michael King, now associate finance professor at the University of Victorias Gustavson School of Business, where he thinks Macklem can have the most impact when it comes to climate change? The BoC can be viewed as the governments think tank, King explained. The BoCs research capacity, access to data, and resources are unique in Ottawa. By researching climate risks, adaptation and sustainable finance, the BoC can inform the development of new policies by Finance Canada and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) the federal regulator of banks, financial institutions and pension funds in Canada. Another place where BoCs tenth governor can set a greener tone is in discussions with federal and provincial authorities through financial-system committees such as the Heads of Regulatory Agencies (HoA). The HoA is a federal-provincial forum for the discussion of financial sector issues that is chaired by the BoC Governor. Sitting together with members of Finance Canada, OSFI, and the provincial securities commissions, Governor Macklem can make sure that sustainable finance and climate change are high on the agenda, King added. As an advocate for the environment, Macklem will have the opportunity to use his powerful position and extensive network to promote a greener Canadian financial landscape. Governor Macklem: we need your leadership on climate change. Dont miss the opportunity to emerge as Canadas finance climate champion. 86% Website vustudents.ning.com uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 37735 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 110546 bytes (107.96 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2022-01-14, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. A lab technician holds the COVID-19 treatment drug "Remdesivir" at the Eva Pharma Facility in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday (local time). Reuters The government has added Gilead's anti-viral drug remdesivir to its COVID-19 treatment guidelines in its first revision of recommendations since the coronavirus pandemic began and urged caution in the use of the steroid therapy dexamethasone. South Korea, widely praised around the world for its handling of the pandemic without a full lockdown, has reported 12,602 coronavirus infections as of midnight Thursday, with 282 deaths. Remdesivir is designed to prevent certain viruses, including the new coronavirus, from making copies of themselves and potentially overwhelming the body's immune system. The drug previously failed trials as an Ebola treatment. The updated guidelines come after a study showed that the cheap and widely used dexamethasone reduced deaths in very sick COVID-19 patients. They advised doctors to take caution until a full study is published. "It seems appropriate to administer (dexamethasone), limited to severe cases with acute respiratory syndrome, as long as doctors monitor the patient's condition," Kim Young-ok, director general of the Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau at the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, told reporters in a briefing Friday. This AI action thriller is starting to feel a bit like the second season of Netflix hit, Stranger Things. The intriguing premise, likeable characters and spooky stuff that would make a great movie are strung out longer than seems necessary. There are only so many times Allison Tolman (pictured), as the star cop, can be expected to do her scared, worried face. To her credit, she pulls it off again tonight, as the forces pursuing her young charge, Piper (Alexa Swinton), close in. Forged in Fire Credit: FORGED IN FIRE Series return 6.15pm weeknights, SBS Viceland In addition to the practice of law, Ruddy also held many civic and political positions, including serving as city attorney and then corporation counsel for the city of Aurora from 1969 until 1976. In 1970, the Illinois Junior Chamber of Commerce selected him as one of three outstanding young men in the state. Detectives have shared pictures of ten people they want to speak to after 'a minority' of Black Lives Protesters 'were intent on behaving violently'. The Metropolitan Police issued the images following the arrest of 238 people accused of violence during demonstrations across central London. Commander Bas Javid, frontline policing, said: 'Our investigation into violent disorder at several protests in central London over the past few weeks remains ongoing.' Earlier this month Boris Johnson condemned 'racist thuggery' after clashes between far-right yobs, Black Lives Matter supporters and riot police erupted in Trafalgar Square and at Waterloo station. The appeal for information on 10 individuals today comes in addition to the 60 others, who have been pictured by the Metropolitan Police over the last few weeks. Mr Javid revealed five people were arrested yesterday in connection with violence at protests. The Metropolitan Police issued the images (pictured) following the arrest of 238 people accused of violence during demonstrations across central London 'Whilst we acknowledge that the vast majority of people who attended the recent protests and, who are continuing to protest in order to make their voices heard, have behaved peacefully, we witnessed a minority who were intent on behaving violently and causing harm. 'The violence that was directed towards police officers will not be tolerated.' Police need to 'identify and speak with' the people photographed, who mostly appear to be wearing face coverings - four went without any mask whatsoever and one had his mask around his neck. The photographs were taken using CCTV, body worn video from officers and footage that went viral online over the last couple of weeks. 'Today, we have issued images of a further 10 people who we need to identify and speak with. And I would again encourage anyone who recognises them to phone police,' Mr Javid added. Earlier this month Boris Johnson condemned 'racist thuggery' after clashes between far-right yobs, Black Lives Matter supporters and riot police erupted in Trafalgar Square and at Waterloo station The force revealed the investigation was ongoing and said more images will be released soon These images are among eight others police are searching for The force revealed the investigation was ongoing and said more images will be released soon. It comes after a 28-year-old man was arrested in Essex on suspicion of outraging public decency. A 'far-right' protester was photographed urinating next to the memorial dedicated to PC Palmer, the officer who was stabbed to death in the 2017 terror attack in Westminster. Armed only with a baton and pepper spray, PC Keith Palmer was stabbed to death by terrorist Khalid Masood on March 22, 2017. He was awarded a posthumous George Medal for his bravery in confronting the killer. Weeks of protests were sparked across the world by the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 after a police officer pressed his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes. He had been placed under arrest under suspicion of using a counterfeit banknote. The Prime Minister, who had urged protesters to avoid the demonstrations all together, wrote on Twitter: 'Racist thuggery has no place on our streets. Anyone attacking the police will be met with full force of the law. 'These marches and protests have been subverted by violence and breach current guidelines. Police need to 'identify and speak with' the people photographed, who mostly appear to be wearing face coverings - four went without any mask whatsoever and one had his mask around his neck Mr Javid revealed five people were arrested yesterday in connection with violence at protests 'Racism has no part in the UK and we must work together to make that a reality.' Met Police previously confirmed more than 100 people were arrested during June 12's protest. Offences included breach of the peace, violent disorder, assault on officers, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of class A drugs, and drunk and disorder. In a statement at the time, Mr Javid said: 'Thousands have travelled to London despite being asked not to and some of those have been intent on causing harm. 'We understand why people want to express their concerns and have worked hard to keep people safe. 'Many people have complied with these conditions, and have listened to officers during the day, and have behaved as we have requested in order to keep them safe. A man was seen urinating next to a plaque honouring PC Keith Palmer who was stabbed to death during a terrorist attack in Westminster in 2017 Protesters gather in support of the Black Lives Matter movement for a protest action in Hyde Park 'A number of people have not followed these conditions, putting officers, and others' safety at risk. 'There have been pockets of violence directed towards our officers. This is completely unacceptable and I condemn those involved.' Statues and monuments to controversial figures from Britain's imperial past have become the focal point of many demonstrations since a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston was torn down in Bristol and dumped in the harbour. Several hundred demonstrators, mostly white men, attended a protest organised by far-right groups, including Britain First, claiming they wanted to protect statues such as Winston Churchill from vandalism. Police officers wearing riot gear addressed a man in a hood and balaclava during protests in Trafalgar Square on June 13 A group of police officers spoke to a man in Trafalgar Square yesterday as the Black Lives Matter demonstrations continued But fights erupted in areas near the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square as demonstrators repeatedly hounded police officers with foul-mouthed chants and missiles, smoke grenades and flares. The Home Secretary tweeted a video of the affray and wrote: 'Throughly (sic) unacceptable thuggery. Any perpetrators of violence or vandalism should expect to face the full force of the law. 'Violence towards our police officers will not be tolerated. Coronavirus remains a threat to us all. Go home to stop the spread of this virus and save lives.' Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wrote on Twitter: 'Millions of Londoners will have been disgusted by the shameful scenes of violence, desecration and racism displayed by the right-wing extremists who gathered in our city today. 'In the face of attacks and abuse, our police did a fantastic job to control the situation. Thank you.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the violence shown towards the police had been 'completely unacceptable'. He tweeted: 'Any violence against our police is completely unacceptable. No ifs, no buts. 'Today's protests in London were led by those intent on causing violence and sowing hate for their own ends. We must not let them win.' There remain more than 1,500 Confederate monuments in the U.S., according to the Whose Heritage? data project by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Stacker mined the SPLCs research and ranked states according to which have the most Confederate memorials. This article was first published on Stacker As the deadly coronavirus continues to spread across Brazil, including the smaller towns of the countrys interior, health experts are worried about the risk of the virus returning to major cities. While calling it the boomerang effect, experts noted that the country lacks specialised medical treatment which is forcing the infected patients into larger urban centres. Brazil is the worlds second worst-hit country. As per reports, the experts believe the impact of a potential second wave of a new case in urban centres could further complicate attempts to reopen businesses and revive the hard-hit economy. While speaking to an international media outlet, Miguel Nicolelis, who is coordinating a coronavirus task force advising the state governments of Brazils northeast, said that the boomerang of cases that will return to the capital of the country will be tsunami. READ: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Says He May Have Had COVID-19 Despite Negative Tests The deadly virus has already infected over 1.2 million people in Brazil. The virus has been reportedly spreading mostly in larger cities, however, since late May it has been spreading faster in the interior of the country. According to reports, last week the country also reported that 60 per cent of the new cases were registered in smaller cities. The Brazilian health ministry further noted that the deaths are also rising outside of the major cities. COVID-19 is feeding off people's movement Nicolelis reportedly noted that with the virus spreading the interiors, doctors are also facing constraints as only 10 per cent of Brazils municipalities have intensive care units. Seriously ill patients are mostly transported to cities. Nicolelis said that the virus moves into the interior, along the highway and through community transmission, people fall ill and return to the capital to be treated. READ: Brazil Crowded Public Transport As Lockdown Is Lifted A public health professor, Gonzalo Vecina also reportedly said that the disease is feeding off peoples movement. He said that the deadly virus goes to the interior with truck drivers and it also goes to the interior with people who come to the large cities to buy things. The pattern has left several health experts worried as cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have reopened most of the restaurants and cafes to boost the economy. While some believe that the spread should have been better contained at first, others also reportedly said that one possible mitigation option is to create testing checkpoints along highways to contain the spread. Meanwhile, the Brazilian President has also been criticised globally for not adhering to international health guidelines and allowing public places to be open despite the rising cases of COVID-19 infection in the country. (Image: AP) READ: Brazil Drive-in Cinemas Return Amid Pandemic READ: Brazil Declares Crop Emergency As Locust Plague Nears Border Almost a week ago, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, said Washington has reduced its troop level to 8,600 in Afghanistan, fulfilling the first phase of the planned withdrawal specified in the the deal the country signed with the Taliban in Doha on February 29. Kabul/Washington, June 27 (IANS) The US is close to finalizing a decision to withdraw more than 4,000 troops from Afghanistan as per the Washington-Taliban deal, a media report said on Saturday. TOLO News cited a CNN report as saying that the new move would reduce the number of troops from 8,600 to 4,500 and would be the lowest number since the very earliest days of the war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001. The report came a day after a meeting between US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. "We will also follow up on our discussion on Afghanistan. NATO will continue to adjust our presence in support of the peace process," TOLO News quoted Stoltenberg as saying on Friday. "This will be done in close coordination with Allies and partners." The US has committed to withdrawing all of its forces from Afghanistan by next April under the agreement it signed with the Taliban. But it was when the withdrawal would take place. --IANS ksk/ By PTI NEW DELHI: Six days after it recorded four lakh infections, India's COVID-19 tally raced past five lakh on Saturday with the highest single-day surge of 18,552 cases, while the death toll climbed to 15,685, according to Union health ministry data. The COVID-19 caseload zoomed to 5,08,953, while 384 fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours, the updated figure at 8 am showed. It took 110 days for coronavirus infection in the country to reach one lakh while just 39 days more to go past the five lakh-mark on June 27. This was the fourth consecutive day when coronavirus infection increased by more than 15,000 fourth day while there has been a surge of 3,18,418 infections from June 1 till 27. The number of active cases stands at 1,97, 387 while 2,95,880 people have recovered and one patient has migrated. "Thus, around 58.13 per cent patients have recovered so far," an official said. The total number of confirmed cases include foreigners. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), cumulative total of 79,96,707 samples have been tested up to June 26 with 2,20,479 samples being tested on Friday, the highest in a day since the beginning of the pandemic. Of the 384 new deaths reported till Saturday morning, 175 were in Maharashtra, 63 in Delhi, 46 in Tamil Nadu, 19 in Uttar Pradesh, 18 in Gujarat, 13 in Haryana, 12 in Andhra Pradesh, 10 each in West Bengal and Karnataka, seven in Telangana, four in Madhya Pradesh, two in Punjab, one each in Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Of the total 15,685 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra tops the tally with 7,106 deaths, followed by Delhi with 2,492 deaths, Gujarat with 1,771, Tamil Nadu with 957, Uttar Pradesh with 630, West Bengal with 616, Madhya Pradesh with 546, Rajasthan with 380 and Telangana with 237 deaths. The COVID-19 death toll reached 211 in Haryana, 180 in Karnataka, 148 in Andhra Pradesh, 122 in Punjab, 91 in Jammu and Kashmir, 58 in Bihar, 37 in Uttarakhand, 22 in Kerala and 17 in Odisha. Chhattisgarh has registered 13 deaths, Jharkhand 12, Assam, Puducherry and Himachal Pradesh nine each, Chandigarh six, Goa two and Meghalaya, Tripura, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh have reported one fatality each, according to the health ministry. More than 70 per cent deaths took place due to comorbidities, it said. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 1,52,765 followed by Delhi at 77,240, Tamil Nadu at 74,622, Gujarat at 30,095, Uttar Pradesh at 20,943, Rajasthan at 16,660 and West Bengal at 16,190, the ministry data stated. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 12,884 in Haryana, 12,798 in Madhya Pradesh, 12,349 in Telangana, 11,489 in Andhra Pradesh and 11,005 in Karnataka. It has risen to 8,716 in Bihar, 6,762 in Jammu and Kashmir, 6,607 in Assam and 6,180 in Odisha. Punjab has reported 4,957 novel coronavirus infections so far, while Kerala has 3,876 cases. A total of 2,725 people have been infected by the virus in Uttarakhand, 2,545 in Chhattisgarh, 2,290 in Jharkhand, 1,325 in Tripura, 1,075 in Manipur, 1,039 in Goa, 946 in Ladakh and 864 in Himachal Pradesh. Puducherry has recorded 502 COVID-19 cases, Chandigarh has 425, Nagaland has 371 and Arunachal Pradesh has 172. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu together have reported 163 COVID-19 cases. Mizoram has 145 cases, Sikkim has 86, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has registered 72 infections so far while Meghalaya has recorded 47 cases. "Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)," the ministry said, adding that 8,023 cases are being reassigned to states. State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it added. If I can start by changing a couple peoples minds on a daily basis, thats where it has to start. Then they can go and cast their votes and Ill have made a difference, she said. I feel this particular obligation to get up, get dressed, go back out, stand in the sun, possibly be brutalized and yell until I dont have a voice because I think about my future son or daughter and I want to do what I can to create a world where they dont have to do what Im doing. China shut down 48 churches after lifting lockdown Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment After easing the COVID-19 lockdown, the communist government of China has intensified its crackdown on state-controlled churches, removing crosses from their rooftops and closing them down in the southeastern province of Jiangxi, according to a report. In Yugan county, authorities shut down at least 48 Three-Self churches and meeting venues between April 18 and 30, according to Bitter Winter, an Italy-based online magazine on religious liberty and human rights in China, published by the Center for Studies on New Religions. Of the more than 1 million people who live in Yugan county, over 10 percent are Protestants who attend over 300 officially registered Three-Self churches. A member of a local Three-Self church, who was not identified, said that officials, including the mayor, of the Shegeng town stormed the church in April and forcibly removed its podium, cross and all other religious symbols. Some congregation members wept in distress, the believer said. If you try to protest, they will accuse you of fighting against the Communist Party and the central government. A believer in Yugans Daxi township told the magazine that a village Party secretary told area Christians that authorities wanted to shut down churches and demolish crosses because there were too many believers in the county. When so many believe in God, who will listen to the Communist Party? There is no other choice but to remove crosses from your churches, he quoted the secretary as saying. On Open Doors USAs World Watch List, China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to persecution of Christians. The organization notes that all churches are perceived as a threat if they become too large, too political, or invite foreign guests. Bitter Winter reported that countless number of churches were ordered to remove their crosses in Jiujiang, Fuzhou, Fengcheng, Shangrao, and a few other cities in the province in April. A believer in the Yangbu town said local authorities in mid-April demolished the cross of a Three-Self church, with plans to convert the 300-square-meter church into a facility for the elderly. The churches that are outside of the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement are considered illegal by the Chinese Communist Party, and are, therefore, persecuted more severely. Gina Goh, a regional manager for Southeast Asia at International Christian Concern, recently said that China has clearly resumed its crackdown on Christianity after the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic has reduced. In recent weeks, we have seen an increased number of church demolitions and cross removals on state-sanctioned churches across China, as house church gatherings continue to face interruption and harassment. It is deplorable that the local authorities not only conducted this raid without proper procedure but deployed excessive use of force against church members and bystanders, she said. The crackdown on churches has been underway since before the pandemic began. David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA who was in China on a fact-finding trip days before COVID-19 emerged from Wuhan province, witnessed firsthand how the Chinese government is using mass surveillance and data modeling to monitor and punish citizens who choose to attend church or share religious material. The forced closure of thousands of churches and the removal of crosses from buildings are now-commonplace tactics by the Chinese government in order to limit, if not extinguish, Christian practice, Curry wrote in an op-ed for The Christian Post. Even charitable coronavirus relief provided by people of faith is strongly discouraged by the regime. Last December, at the height of the coronavirus epidemic, numerous crosses were removed from Three-Self churches in Hegang, a prefecture-level city in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. In November, government officials ordered the removal of the cross from the Ranfang Church in Gushi county in the central province of Henan, telling believers that its the Communist Party that gives you food and money, not God. I know. You're sick of being subjected to Mr Trump's relentless antics. However, that won't stop this docuseries from being morbidly fascinating. Essentially the anatomy of a car crash in excruciating slow-mo, it recounts how a raging bunch of contradictions became POTUS. Spanning from 1975 until 2015 - when Trump announced his intent to run for president, again - it's the Butterfly Effect of 40 years. Perhaps you caught its first airing on Channel 4, in which case, please shimmy your eyeballs down to Also Streaming. If it's new to you and you're thinking: "Trump Tower, Atlantic City casinos, The Apprentice - what's left to know?" The answer to that, dear reader, is plenty. From pretending to be his own PA when reporters called, to inserting his own narrative into a fatal helicopter crash in 1989 - no depth is too deep for Donald. While it's not surprising, especially in light of his current rallying cries, it's still necessary viewing. Whether we like it or not, we're living in historical times. Future grandkids will ask, "How did people let that happen?" You can say it all boiled down to six men, including: 'The Body' Ventura; a very sleepy Roger Stone; Obama; and the man who showed Trump Twitter. Sadly, no one suggested he set up a wrestling company to rival Vince McMahon's WWE. That would've ticked a lot of Trump's boxes. It also would have saved the world a lot of grief. Also streaming Rick & Morty, season 4 Netflix, streaming now And now, for something completely different Meet Rick, a cantankerous, latently sociopathic "genius" who monopolises his family (mostly grandson Morty), railroading them into endless flights of sci-fi fantasy. You may, or may not, have binged the newly dropped Season 4, however - if this is new to you - you're in for some mind-bending. Expect beyond meta scenarios, serious reflux issues, teen hormones, face-huggers, and more moments of warped randomness than any adult cartoon you've ever encountered before. Promise. Video of the Day Hanna Amazon Prime, July 3 It seems teenage girls being turned into killing machines will never become a jaded genre The second season returns to Prime with eight, one-hour episodes, and follows the jaunts of 15-year-old Hanna as she evades the endless pursuits of a sinister government agency (because being 15 isn't enough to be dealing with). Season 2 kicks off with Hanna risking her freedom to rescue friend, Clara, from The Utrax program. The Sinner, Season 3 Netflix, streaming now Since Season 3 landed last week, Jessica Biel's executive produced series has consistently been in Netflix's Top 10 list. Starring Bill Pullman as Detective Harry Ambrose, the psychological thriller serial sees Matt Bomer play this season's unsuspecting bystander, claiming to know nothing about the death of his college friend. Frozen 2 Disney+, July 3 It's unavoidable. You said it cost too much to see in the cinema/rent from your preferred platform. But now, it's coming to the very competitively priced Disney+ indefinitely... You no longer have any excuse not to go "into the UNKNOOOWHN!" For those dreading the prospect of a summer set to the backing track of Idina Menzel's latest warble, the film itself is thrilling. Just ask 'Samantha.' The Baby-Sitters Club Netflix, July 3 The '90s TV series based on the '80s books is getting a reboot, and Alicia Silverstone is playing "the mom". Yep, we're all feeling a bit old right now. Man impersonating CFE employee to extort businesses arrested Arriaga, Chiapas The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) has denounced Jorge Luis N before the Attorney General of the Republic for the crimes of improper use of uniforms, insignia or acronyms to which a person has no right. The complaint came after CFE was alerted that Jorge Luis N was posing as a CFE employee and extorting money from business owners. According to the investigation Jorge Luis N was detained by members of the Secretary of State Public Security when he was located inside a business in Arriaga in the state of Chiapas. At the time of his arrest, Jose Luis N was found wearing a long-sleeved shirt with the CFE Federal Electricity Commission logo. CFE reported that complaints verified that Jorge Luis N also sometimes wore a field staff uniform when visiting CFE clients. He has been transferred to federal facilities in the municipality of Arriaga to face charges. San Antonio officials reported 405 new COVID-19 cases and one new death Friday as leaders of the citys major hospital systems implored residents to take precautions to slow the march of the coronavirus. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Bexar County has now reached 8,857, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at the daily city-county coronavirus briefing. The latest death brings the countys total to 105. The victim was a Hispanic woman in her 50s who had been hospitalized at University Health System, Nirenberg said. Some 699 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday evening, an increase of 71 from the day before. Its June, folks, and were in the highest peak weve ever had, Nirenberg said. If we dont get a handle now, I shudder to think what its going to be in the fall. On ExpressNews.com: A timeline of COVID-19 in San Antonio Of those hospitalized, 221 were in intensive care, 19 more than on Thursday, and 117 were dependent on ventilators to breathe, an increase of 23. Those numbers were significantly higher than at the start of June, when there were 93 COVID-19 patients in area hospitals, 39 in intensive care and 20 on ventilators. The hospital system as a whole continues to be under significant stress, the mayor said. The positivity rate the percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive has increased dramatically, even as providers have greatly expanded testing. On June 1, the positivity rate was 7.1 percent. On Friday, it was 19.4 percent. That means its just going to be so much easier to transmit it out in the community without you realizing that youre potentially transmitting it to other people, said Jennifer Herriott, deputy director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. State officials, meanwhile, reported 5,102 people in hospitals with COVID-19 across Texas on Friday, the highest number since the start of the pandemic. The state reported 5,707 new confirmed cases for a total of 137,624. On ExpressNews.com: Coronavirus by the numbers in San Antonio and across the country The spike in cases prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to close bars immediately and place further restrictions on how many people can sit inside restaurants. Abbott had allowed restaurants to operate at 75 percent of occupancy but scaled that back to 50 percent starting Monday. It looks to me like hes moving in the right direction, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said Friday. At the start of the pandemic, Abbott left decisions such as stay-at-home orders and restrictions on businesses to city and county leaders. But the governor later took that authority away from local officials and asserted control over the reopening of the Texas economy. Amid the recent explosion in cases, Abbott has allowed local leaders to set new restrictions. Last week, Wolff and Nirenberg handed down orders compelling businesses to require customers and employees to wear masks or face coverings while on their premises. If businesses dont comply, they face fines of up to $1,000. In a surprise, Abbott allowed the orders to stand and other cities and counties followed Wolffs and Nirenbergs lead. Nirenberg, who spoke with Abbott by phone Friday, said the governor indicated he might allow additional local restrictions if cases and hospitalizations continue their rapid ascent. Nirenberg said he very candidly told him, Were in a rough spot here in San Antonio. We need either some local latitude or some state action to scale things back. The mayor said Abbott described the public health crisis as a dynamic situation, adding: He recognizes the local needs and is going to act accordingly to make sure that we can get a grip on this virus. On ExpressNews.com: 18 hours inside a COVID-19 intensive care unit On Friday, City Manager Erik Walsh limited the size of gatherings in city parks and plazas to no more than 10 people starting Saturday. Pools and splash pads slated to reopen July 3 will remain closed, he said. That limit on gatherings will apply to political protests if demonstrators congregate in city parks, Nirenberg said. We are going to kindly ask people to think about the pandemic that were in and disperse, Nirenberg said. This is about making sure that we dont overwhelm our hospitals. Were going to ask you to please not do that right now. Nirenberg also promised to step up enforcement of the mask rules. We are going to be making visits to businesses to make sure they are complying, Nirenberg said. Were not going to wait for calls anymore. In light of the surge in cases and hospitalizations, the CEOs of the citys major hospital systems including Baptist Health System and Methodist Healthcare wrote a joint letter asking residents to wear masks while in public, maintain a 6-foot distance from others and wash or sanitize hands frequently. COVID-19 is spreading quickly because too many people thought it was safe to go back to life as usual, the CEOs wrote. Executives at Christus Santa Rosa, Southwest General Hospital, University Health System, STRAC, South Texas Veterans and UT Health San Antonio also signed the letter. Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio government and politics. To read more from Joshua, become a subscriber. jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports Leaders of Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt said they were hopeful that the African Union could help them broker a deal to end a decade-long dispute over water supplies within two or three weeks, Trend reports citing Reuters. Ethiopia, which is building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which worries its downstream neighbours Egypt and Sudan, said it would fill the reservoir in a few weeks, as planned, providing enough time for talks to be concluded. Tortuous negotiations over the years have left the two nations and their neighbour Sudan short of an agreement to regulate how Ethiopia will operate the dam and fill its reservoir, while protecting Egypts scarce water supplies from the Nile river. Ethiopias water minister, Seleshi Bekele, said that consensus had been reached to finalise a deal within two to three weeks, a day after leaders from the three countries and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chairs the African Union, held an online summit. Billene Seyoum, a spokeswoman for Ethiopias prime minister, said that in Fridays agreement there was no divergence from Ethiopias original position of filling the dam. The Egyptian presidency said in a statement after the summit that Ethiopia will not fill the dam unilaterally. ST. LOUIS Protests and commemorations again dotted the St. Louis area Friday as demonstrators and mourners took to the streets to demand change, as well as to remember the life of a local protester. Fridays events come after weeks of demonstrations across the region, including marches against police violence and rallies to close the St. Louis Medium Security Institution, also known as the workhouse. After a Friday morning protest that called for the city to close the workhouse, Mayor Lyda Krewson in a Facebook Live briefing read the names and addresses of several protesters who had handed her suggestions for alternative city budgets. The move drew ire online, including a petition calling for Krewsons resignation that, as of 11:30 p.m., had garnered more than 8,000 signatures. Earlier Friday, a crowd of more than 50 marched outside the workhouse, one of two city jails that has long been controversial because of claims of inhumane conditions. Fridays was the second of two Close the Workhouse protests in as many weeks. Protesters then moved to City Hall and found the outer gates to the building locked. A short time later, when most protesters had left, Krewson and Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards briefly stepped outside. The officials went back inside after a protester shouted questions through a megaphone for a few minutes about the medium-security jail. Calling the appearance by the two a victory for the demonstrators reform movement, protest organizer Inez Bordeaux, manager of community collaborations for Arch City Defenders, also said it was not a good-faith effort to engage with us. They are in crisis mode, Bordeaux said. They are in spin mode. They know that theyre on the ropes. We have majority support on the Board of Aldermen. We have broad citywide support for defunding the workhouse. I believe they came out here as a photo opportunity to be able to say that protesters were outside and they came outside to speak, especially after they locked the gates. The group then held a peoples budget hearing on the sidewalk to list their demands for the citys 2021 budget as aldermen met inside to discuss the next years budget, including proposed cuts in funding for the workhouse. Protesters say city officials should reduce funding for police, jails and prosecutors in favor of housing, mental health programs and other social services. After appearing with protesters, Krewson held the Facebook Live briefing. They presented some papers to me about how they wanted the budget to be spent, Krewson said, holding up a stack of crumpled papers with names and addresses of Fridays demonstrators. Krewson then began reading the names of demonstrators and their demands. Heres one that wants $50 million to go to Cure Violence, $75 million to go to Affordable Housing, $60 million to go to Health and Human Services and have zero go to the police, the mayor said. She then read the name of the individual and the persons address. Krewson listed several other names and addresses, and stated that each individual shared a desire for no money to be allocated to police. As the mayor spoke, comments flooded the live Facebook comment section, with viewers asking the mayor to stop sharing the demonstrators personal information. By 8 p.m Friday, the mayors public page and the video had been removed from Facebook. The ACLU of Missouri tweeted Friday evening that the mayors decision to read the names and addresses of St. Louis residents was shocking and misguided and served no apparent purpose beyond intimidation. I would like to apologize for identifying individuals who presented letters to me at City Hall as I was answering a routine question during one of my updates earlier today, Krewson said late Friday in a statement through a spokesperson. While this is public information, I did not intend to cause distress or harm to anyone. On June 17, at Krewsons request, a city panel voted to cut spending on the workhouse to free up money to hire mental health and social workers to aid police. That $860,000 shift was in addition to plans to cut the $16 million jail budget nearly in half as inmate counts decline. The mayor and her public safety team insist the jail is still needed. The city has spent more than $5 million since 2017 on upgrades to the jail. The city also has closed two floors with cells. The jail on Friday held 92 inmates. It has a capacity of 436. Chesterfield march Later in the day, about 35 people marched down Olive Boulevard in Chesterfield, halting traffic for more than a mile to protest police violence. The march was organized by students from Parkway Central High School. Kamilah Gamble, 17, an incoming senior, said marching makes her feel empowered. She said people in her age group are driven and headstrong (for) change. Although all lives matter, right now, this is about Black people and us feeling like were not being treated equal, Gamble said. As demonstrators walked down North Wood Mills Road, Amy Falke, 41, and her son Evan, 12, stood along the road and watched. Its interesting and its really good, Evan said as his mothers eyes filled with tears. Its good that there is change. I personally just didnt realize what people were going through until I saw Michael Brown, and I was like This is so bad, Amy Falke said. I just hope to instill it in the kids, that things are not easy for everybody. Others honked and waved to protesters in a show of support, but not all welcomed the halted traffic and chants of the demonstrators. One man yelled, Get a (expletive deleted) job, and a female driver shouted, Go home! But Brenda Brown, 47, of Chesterfield, said change often comes with a sacrifice. What the students wanted to do is send a message that change doesnt happen unless there is a sacrifice, Brown said. The sacrifice this afternoon was (for drivers) to wait. George Floyd died in the public, so why would we hide our protest? Ferguson commemoration In honor of a protester and, as those who knew her best called her, a social justice fighter, about 50 people stood in the street for more than an hour in front of the Ferguson Police Department Friday evening, shutting down traffic on South Florissant Road. Debra Kennedy, 59, a well-known Ferguson protester and critic of the police, died June 12. Her cause of death as of Friday was unknown, according to family members. In the parking lot across the street from the police station, family and friends recalled fond memories of Kennedy before releasing balloons in her honor. Kennedy grew up in East St. Louis and had planned to retire after working as a postal worker. She was an Air Force veteran and was honorably discharged from the military, according to her obituary. She was remembered Friday as a person who tirelessly fed the homeless, advocated for Black and LGBTQ rights and hated racist police. The history of what happened here in Ferguson is also Debras history. She inspired people to take action over and over. Debra was a civil rights leader, said Steven Hoffmann, a St. Louis University law student who worked with Kennedy through the National Lawyers Guild. State Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal spoke during Kennedys balloon release, and Ferguson Councilwoman Fran Griffin also attended the event. When Ferguson was slow to comply with its 2016 federal consent decree concerning racial biases in the department, Kennedy pushed for compliance. She was also quoted in various media criticizing the city after it was sued by the Department of Justice. Most recently, Kennedy protested the police killing of Terry Tillman and also attended city council meetings in Richmond Heights, where she firmly addressed city leaders. Kennedys funeral will be Monday, according to an obituary from Lake View Funeral Home in Fairview, Illinois. At about 9:15 p.m., as the group remained on the road, police gave an order to disperse. Joel Currier 314-340-8132 @joelcurrier on Twitter jcurrier@post-dispatch.com Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Joel Currier Joel Currier is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter here: @joelcurrier. Follow Joel Currier 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 Sarah Teague Follow Sarah Teague 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 Andrew Kelly/Reuters On Monday, New York City moved into Phase II, allowing New Yorkers their closest sense of normalcy in months. But even though the transition to the second phase of reopening symbolizes New York Citys progress in containing the coronavirus, it doesnt necessarily provide a reprieve from the restrictions and worries for New Yorkers. The reopening has not really changed how I feel, Dior Vargas, a 33-year-old resident of Upper Manhattan, told The Daily Beast. My assumption is to just hunker down, stay in, and see what happens next. Im very wary of making any sudden movements. Hopefully, The Virus Is Dying in That Room: A New York Nurse Bids Farewell to a Coronavirus ICU COVID-19 hit Vargas and her family incredibly hard. She, her sister, her mother, and both of her maternal grandparents had the virus, with the latter having to be hospitalized. Pretty much all of April I was terrified. Every text or call I got from my mom or sister, I assumed either one of them [her grandparents] had died. Vargas has trouble understanding people who are ready to hit the town, especially when they are not wearing masks. I wonder, do these people who are going out immediately and/or not wearing masks, did they not have people in their lives that they almost lost? Did they not go through this terror every single day? Pamela Grossman, 53, lives in Brooklyn and can easily recall the wailing hospital sirens going by every day and the horrible news from every corner. She lost two friends during the pandemic, one a confirmed case of the coronavirus and one suspected. Like Vargas, she is amazed (and appalled) that some New Yorkers can be so cavalier. She said she recently walked by a BBQ of 40 people, drinking, no social distancing, and no masks. She thought, Who are you? Did you just get to New York yesterday? Did you not hear the ambulances I heard? Elischia Fludd, a 37-year-old living in Manhattan, told The Daily Beast that she worries we are going to have to shut things down again because of the way this country is operating on a federal level, along with the inadequate health measures she feels individual state governors have taken. As a result, despite the transition to Phase II, Fludd said, I continue to take the same precautions. Story continues For some New Yorkers, the transition to reopening is hardly a panacea (or even a Tylenol) for their concerns. From Vargas perspective, the fact that the city has reached certain benchmarks hasnt changed her worries, especially when much is unknown about coronavirus immunity. I feel like we cant be too comfortable, she said. Im still somewhat on pins and needles. In theory, reopening should bring a sigh of relief. But not only are some New Yorkers uneasy and hesitant to loosen the coronavirus restrictions, some experts note that the reopening may actually see an increase in mental health issues. Matthew Shapiro, associate director of public affairs at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) New York State said their hotline experienced a spike in calls at the start of the pandemic, but then there was a plateau and decrease. With the reopening, though, they are starting to see a new rise. Initially, we were very valiant and determined to flatten the curve, he said. As we advanced and move forward, a whole new set of anxieties set in. Dr. James Murrough, associate professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and director of the Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said their depression center call volume has had a similar pattern. There was an increase in calls at the start, but then the number of New Yorkers calling in dropped. I think they were bracing and weathering the storm, he told The Daily Beast. However, Now, in the last several weeks, weve seen a substantial increase in call volume. Some of that may not only be attributable to fears surrounding the health effects of the virus. Theres the effect the pandemic has had on the economy, including widespread job loss. There have also been the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Elijah McClain and many other Black people that have had a traumatizing effect. Were facing three different storms at once, Shapiro said. Were dealing with COVID. Were dealing with the economic situation. Were dealing with all the racial injustice. This three-headed monster is really having an impact. There is also the fact that New Yorkers may be facing post-traumatic stress symptoms as they move out of practical survival mode, Murrough explained. He compared New Yorkers anxieties in the wake of coronavirus improvement to the that of a solider returning to the calm and safety of home after experiencing combat. You can tell the patient the war is over, but that doesnt make the symptoms go away, he said. They still carry the primed activation response state. To one degree or another, were experiencing that. He pointed to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks as a model for understanding the potential long-term mental health effects of the pandemic. He stressed that over time the risk and cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) tapered off. However, the flipside is that to this day, there are 9/11 monitoring clinics around this city to monitor the physical and mental health effects. Moreover, because uncertainty is an innate part of the pandemic, it may actually make its long-term mental health effects more severe. Part of what perpetuates post-traumatic stress reactions is the uncertainty that another threat will happen againand thats what were in, Murrough said. For everybody, lingering in the back of their minds is, Is there another peak? Is there a second wave coming? Even though the numbers look good, the uncertainty thats inherent to the situation is fueling the anxiety. Dr. Anne Marie Albano, Columbia University professor of Medical Psychology in Psychiatry, told The Daily Beast that with the Sept. 11 attacks, there was an identifiable enemy. In contrast, Here, we have something you cant see; you cant see the droplets of virus. Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that the virus, unfortunately, doesnt give us a timeline for getting back to normal. But some New Yorkers have already accepted that normal is just one of the many things that is lost to the pandemic, and the return of outdoor dining, hair salons, and department stores cant bring it back. Im reading the coronavirus is going to be part of our lives in some ways for the rest of our lives, said Vargas. I just feel this sadness about how the life I had before this is never going to be like that again. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. After last weeks heatwave and a scorching spring, you might have thought shops needed little help selling suncream. But in a move seemingly designed to boost demand still further, Boots is now advising people to wear it indoors, too. Next to a picture of its own-brand Factor 30 Soltan suncream, the high street chemist posted a Facebook message saying: Did you know UVA rays can get through windows and clouds? Wear sun cream indoors to protect your skin. In a move seemingly designed to boost demand still further, Boots is now advising people to wear it indoors, too But what Boots described as great advice has been dismissed by leading dermatologists and has earned ridicule online, with customers accusing the chain of shamelessly trying to increase profits. One Facebook user commented: What a stupid advert... I am not applying sun cream to sit in my lounge and watch Loose Women thank you very much! Another sarcastically quipped: Remember the UVA rays will bounce off the moon and come through your windows at night. Always wear in bed as well. Professor Brian Diffey of the British Association of Dermatologists said that in most cases there is no need for people to wear sunscreen indoors. The UVB waveband is largely responsible for sunburn and is strongly associated with the risk of skin cancer, he explained. UVA is associated with skin ageing, and, to a lesser extent, skin cancer. Window glass blocks UVB rays but allows most UVA rays to pass through, whilst the laminated glass on car windscreens blocks virtually all UV rays. There is rarely any need to wear sunscreen sitting by a window or when in a car, unless you are abnormally sensitive to sunlight. Dr Daniel Atkinson, GP and clinical lead at Treated.com, added: It is possible to get sunburned indoors if youre in a conservatory or greenhouse, or sat next to an open window for long periods. Otherwise, its very unlikely if youre indoors. But skincare expert Dr Rekha Tailor said people could wear sun cream indoors if concerned about their skin ageing, adding: By wearing a high-factor lotion at all times, youre providing your skin with the best barrier against damage. A Boots spokesman said: Applying a sunscreen can help to protect your skin indoors if you are sitting close to a window or in direct sunlight whilst at home or in the car. Weve updated the Facebook post to clarify this advice. Tuolumne County Public Health View Photo Sonora, CA Tuolumne County Public health officials disclose that the recent cases, including seven, announced on Thursday, appear to be four separate clusters that led to the person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus. The contact trace investigations are ongoing. The clusters that led to the positive cases were of various sizes and through different types of activities. While health officials did not disclose those activities, on Monday they reported that one of the infected individuals attended a baby shower and a birthday barbeque in the county and that some of those contacted were refusing to isolate, as detailed here. Many tests are pending, and health officials add that more will be conducted in the next two weeks which should provide further information on these cases. Additionally, county health officials released the Friday Coronavirus testing update. There were no new positive cases reported today. Total tested* 2856, total negative 2834, total Tuolumne residents positive 22, hospitalized 1, in isolation 12, total recovered 9. Active** Coronavirus cases by county (as of 6/26/20 5:00 PM) Alpine 0, Amador 8, Calaveras 16 as detailed here, Mariposa 5, Madera 141, Merced 448, Mono 3, San Joaquin 1,093, Stanislaus 446, Tuolumne 13. **Active cases as reported by the county or; recovered and deceased known positive cases minus total known cases, for Mono County new cases with in the last 14 days, for San Joaquin rolling 14-day total of new cases. * Tuolumne County testing numbers include those routed through Public Health to a Public Health Laboratory and those reported through the State infectious disease reporting system. All positive cases of Tuolumne County residents must be reported to Public Health. State data is here. County Healths Latest Updates: Our case investigations are ongoing, and at this time there appear to be 4 separate clusters of person-to-person transmission, of varying sizes and involved various types of activities that led to transmission of the virus. A large number of tests are pending and more will be conducted in the next two weeks which may provide more information. There were seven new positive cases reported yesterday, click here for details. The no-cost state testing site is open at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds Tuesday Saturday 7am to 4pm. Appointments must be scheduled ahead of time at www.lhicare.com/covidtesting Some screening questions may be asked, but they will not exclude you from getting a test. There is no cost to the individual. Individuals in the following groups should get tested: Those who have traveled outside of the county (test 3-5 days after travel) Those who interact with the public as part of their job and/or work in essential critical infrastructure jobs (every 14-28 days) Those who have interacted with people outside of their household, including constitutionally protected gatherings (3-5 days after exposure) It is important that people continue to follow prevention guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including: Practice physical distancing at all times. Keep 6 feet space between yourself and others who are not part of your household. Stay in your household bubble! Wear a face mask in public. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. Stay home if you are sick. Avoid unnecessary travel, and limit your outings to essential tasks. LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION & RESOURCES Community Resources Portal: https://bit.ly/TCcovidPortal Tuolumne County Public Health Website: www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov/publichealth Public Health COVID-19 Call Center: (209) 533-7440 California COVID-19 website: www.covid19.ca.gov State Testing Site info and Appointments: https://lhi.care/covidtesting Tuolumne County Business: www.tcdisasterassistance.com CDC COVID-19 website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html Thank you for your support and efforts to protect the safety and health of our community For the first time in U.S. history, a body of Congress voted in favor of making Washington D.C. the 51st state in the country. On Friday, the House of Representatives approved the historic legislation by a 232-180 vote, though the bill is not expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law. The legislation was led by the district's nonvoting Congressional representative, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton. Norton, and the 232 Democrats who supported the House bill, largely argued in favor of D.C.'s statehood based on the idea of "taxation without representation," an idea the United States was partly founded upon and the motto that Washington D.C. uses on its license plates. But if the bill passed the House, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a Republican and fierce Trump loyalist has said he would make sure the legislation wouldn't even be debated in the Senate, according to The Washington Post. President Donald Trump also waved off the idea of making Washington D.C. the nation's 51st state in a recent interview with the New York Post in May, saying Republicans would be "very, very stupid" to allow the Democrat-leaning district to gain voting power in Congress. DC will never be a state, Trump told the Post. You mean District of Columbia, a state? Why? So we can have two more Democratic Democrat senators and five more congressmen? No thank you. Thatll never happen. The 705,000-plus Americans who live in the nation's capital, including Norton, disagree and say it should. BREAKING The House just passed the #DCStatehood bill (#HR51), marking the first time since the creation of the District of Columbia 219 years ago that either chamber of Congress has passed a bill to grant statehood to D.C. residents and, with it, equal citizenship. Eleanor Holmes Norton (@EleanorNorton) June 26, 2020 Washington, D.C. has 700,000+ residentsmore than some statesbut they are denied full representation in Congress. Its time to grant D.C. statehood. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 26, 2020 DC will be the 51st State. Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) June 26, 2020 Norton argued Friday that D.C.'s request for statehood "has both the facts and Constitution on its side." Story continues "The Constitution does not establish any prerequisites for new states, but Congress generally has considered three factors in admission decisions: resources and population, support for statehood and commitment to democracy," Norton told her colleagues. Arguing that point further, Norton said D.C. "pays more federal taxes per capita than any state," said the district's population is larger than states, such as Wyoming and Vermont, and cited that 86-percent of D.C. residents voted in favor of making it a state in 2016. "D.C. residents have been fighting for voting rights in Congress and local autonomy for 219 years," Norton said. RELATED: Barack Obama Says Progress Happens When 'We Stand Up, Speak Out and Demand Change' in Stonewall Day Speech Tasos Katopodis/Getty Nancy Pelosi wears a pro-statehood mask on the House floor Friday in support of Washington D.C. becoming a state. Some Democrat lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, wore pro-statehood facemasks with "51" embroidered on them on the House floor Friday to show their support for D.C.'s call for state recognition. "Statehood for the District is about showing respect for our democracy," Pelosi said, according to local NBC 4 Washington. Republican lawmakers argued the country's founders had not intended for D.C., the nation's capital to become a state. The Founding Fathers never intended for D.C. to become a state, and carefully crafted the Constitution so that the seat of the federal government would NOT be within a state," Rep. Dan Meuser, a Republican from Pennsylvania, said Friday. Meuser also argued that the roughly two-hour debate over D.C.'s statehood on Friday equated to Congress "wasting time" amid the coronavirus pandemic and widespread calls for police reform given that the bill had virtually no Republican support in the Senate or from the White House. Our country faces unprecedented crises that demand immediate action from Congress," the Pennsylvania Republican argued. "Instead of working towards solutions on pressing issues like calming the unrest in our communities and safely reopening our economy, House Democrats are focusing their efforts on granting statehood to Washington, D.C. Without support in the Senate or from the White House, this is another political messaging bill from Speaker Pelosi that will go nowhere." 2/ As Washingtonians and as taxpaying American citizens, we are demanding what is owed to us the rights guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution. Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) June 26, 2020 RELATED: Daughter of Republican Candidate in Michigan Goes Viral for Telling People Not to Vote for Him Today, the House rightly recognized that D.C.'s 700,000 residents deserve full citizenship as Americans. If Senate Republicans are sincere in their belief that there can be no taxation without representation, they must immediately schedule a vote to grant statehood to D.C. https://t.co/x1eJM05cMX Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 26, 2020 But despite the fact the bill likely won't progress through other arms of Congress, advocates took to Twitter to celebrate what proponents see as a "historic" show of support for D.C.'s journey to becoming the 51st state. "With this historic vote, DC is closer than we have ever been to becoming the 51st state," Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote in a lengthy thread celebrating the House vote. "As Washingtonians and as taxpaying American citizens, we are demanding what is owed to us the rights guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution," Mayor Bowser continued, adding, "I was born without representation, but I swear I will not die without representation. Together, we will achieve DC statehood, and when we do, we will look back on this day and remember all who stood with us on the right side of history." South African lawmakers on Saturday threw their weight behind the government to continue a ban on the sale of tobacco products as the COVID-19 pandemic was raging in the country, Trend reports citing Xinhua. This came after the Pretoria High Court ruled on Friday in favor of a government decision to ban the sale of tobacco products as part of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Responding to the ruling, Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said it welcomed the court ruling to dismiss the application by the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association against the ban. The judgement "is welcomed as it promotes and protects the right to life and the right of access to the healthcare facilities," Committee Chairperson Faith Muthambi said in a statement emailed to Xinhua. The ban, along with other lockdown regulations, was not meant to be punitive, but for the protection of all the people living in South Africa, said Muthambi. Justin L. Fowler | State Journal-Register (AP) A man being sought in a workplace shooting in Springfield was found dead in his car in Morgan County on Friday afternoon. Two employees were fatally shot at Bunn-O-Matic in Springfield about 11 a.m. and a third was critically injured, according to authorities. The cost of taking dual-credit Central Community College classes is going down for high schoolers in the region. The Central Community College (CCC) Board of Governors recently approved changes that will keep tuition charges for its early college credit opportunity program between $0 and $92 per credit hour. Where each participating school falls in that range will be determined by how much each school covers of the instructional and facilities costs. Student fees will remain at $15 per credit hour. Its a college-level course, taught by a faculty member who is appropriately credentialed and who is right there in their high school. So thats why we call it early college opportunity for college credit, CCC-Columbus Campus President Kathy J. Fuchser said. Columbus High School Principal David Hiebner said 276 CHS students took part in dual credit options last year. There are multiple dual-credit classes offered at CHS, and some students enroll in more than one. Columbus High is basically going to be half the tuition cost plus fees of what they were paying in the past. Thats a significant reduction and a real positive, Hiebner said. In the press release announcing the change, CCC Director of Extended Learning Services Ronald Kluck said the college anticipates more early enrollments thanks to the decreased rates. A drop in tuition is really important for us to get kids into the program and also create more opportunities for our students to have college credit walking out of high school, which I think is extremely important, Hiebner said. High school students who attend participating schools do not go to CCC and take a college class there. In the case of CHS students, they are taught by qualified high school instructors at their high school. The classes that CCC is talking about are the courses that are taught by our instructors who are dual-credit certified, Hiebner said. They are staff members for us, and then they have the certification need to be able to teach at the college level. CCCs early college credit opportunity program is for high school students who wish to pursue more rigorous coursework and earn college credit while doing so. The potential for reduced early college tuition will come into play as early as the fall, Fuchser said. There are 80 participating schools in CCCs 25-county service area. The college has campuses in Columbus, Hastings and Grand Island. We always look for ways to maximize our constituents opportunities and to maximize the success of those students and communities. This is just another way to be able to do that and, in some ways, ease some of that financial responsibility for students and families, Fuchser said. Molly Hunter is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at molly.hunter@lee.net. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Eight people, including two children, who swam across a river in a bid to enter Vietnam from China illegally have been found and quarantined by border guards in the northern Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh. According to the border guards in Hai Hoa Ward of Mong Cai City in Quang Ninh, they chanced on four illicit migrants at the border marker 1373 (2)-700 at around 3:15 am on Saturday and placed them in quarantine in collaboration with a local novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) task force. The migrants were identified as Nguyen Tien Manh, 28, from the northern province of Ha Nam, Lai Ngoc Son, 28, from the northern province of Thai Binh, Vu Thi Thom, 46, from Quang Ninh, and Dang Van Lam, 29, from the northern province of Son La. In their initial confessions to the functional forces, the four said that they had previously illegally exited Vietnam to work at a lumber mill in Dongxing City in Guangxi, China. As Chinese authorities have recently beefed up inspections to arrest and handle Vietnamese nationals illegally residing in their country, the four made an illicit attempt to return to Vietnam. They swam across the Beilun River or Ka Long River in Vietnamese which runs along the last stretch of the China-Vietnam land border between Guangxi and Quang Ninh. As they reached the Vietnamese side, the four were found and held. The functional forces in Quang Ninh booked the case and took the four people for medical examination before placing them under quarantine at a facility in Mong Cai City as per the current Vietnamese regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control. Two adults and two children who swam across a river to illegally enter Vietnam from China are pictured in Hai Ha District, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, June 26, 2020 in a supplied photo. Photo: Quang Ninh Information Portal On Friday, the border guards in Quang Duc Commune of Quang Ninhs Hai Ha District also found a family of four members, including two adults and two children, having crossed the Ka Long River to illegally enter Quang Ninh from Guangxi. The two adults were identified as Nguyen Hai Dinh, 55, and Nguyen Thi Hanh, 36, while their two children are aged one and four. The family hail from the northern province of Thai Binh. Dinh confessed to the functional forces that the family had legally completed customs procedures at the Mong Cai International Border Gate to enter Dongxing City for him and Hanh to work as paid laborers last November. On Friday, they traveled on motorbike taxis from Dongxing to near the Lihuo Border Gate, which connects with Bac Phong Sinh Border Gate on Vietnams side, and swam past the Ka Long River before being found. The whole family has undergone health checks and is now placed in a COVID-19 quarantine center in Mong Cai City. Vietnam has made it mandatory for all arrivals to be quarantined for at least 14 days after entry for COVID-19 monitoring, with those failing to do so facing an administrative fine of VND10 million (US$430). Those who infect others as a result of their disregard for disease prevention measures can be criminally charged under Article 240 of Vietnam's 2015 Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 12 years, according to the country's top public prosecutor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On the 12th anniversary of his death on June 27, the nation would do well to remember the extraordinary life and times of the legendary army chief Sam Manekshaw. I remember an incident in December 1971, which underscores the rapport the army chief had with his men and his indomitable valour. Such a long time ago but not long enough for me to forget even an hour of those days. I was then a lieutenant colonel commanding the 5/8 Gorkha Rifles, which belonged to Sam Manekshaws regiment, the 8 Gorkha Rifles. He was proudly referred by the soldiers as Sam Bahadur. We were deployed in the Chhamb sector where the most ferocious fighting of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war took place. While the operations against the Pakistan army in East Bengal (now Bangladesh) were launched by the Indian Army after Pakistans atrocities against the Bengalis in East Bengal and everyones attention was on it, Pakistan launched a pre-emptive attack in the Western Theatre in Chhamb. By now, it was a full blown war. Pakistan had some initial successes due to the surprise factor and overran the brigade defending Chhamb. By this time, the Indian Army had reacted and deployed the 68 Brigade to defend the line of Munnawar Tawi by occupying the East Bank of the Tawi. While the Tawi was not deep and the infantry could wade through it in most areas, there were only two possible crossings for tanks near the Chhamb Bridge over Tawi and the other about three kilometres south opposite a village called Darh. My battalion was deployed to defend the Chhamb crossing and another battalion was deployed to defend the Darh crossing. I had already demolished the bridge. That night the Pakistanis attacked Darh with tanks and after fierce fighting they were able to establish a bridge head at Darh by the morning. While the reserve forces of our Brigade were able to prevent the bridge head from going deeper, Pakistan was rapidly building up more forces in the bridge head during the day and it was assessed that during the night they would be able to have sufficient forces to launch a thrust towards Akhnoor about 25 KM east of Chhamb where the bridge over the Jammu Tawi was located. Its loss would have severed the eastern part of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) from India and enabled Pakistan to attack Jammu from the rear, thus cutting off J & K from India. Consequently the divisional commander ordered me to launch a counter-attack supported by a squadron of T-72 tanks of the 7/2 Armed Regiment. I launched the counter-attack soon after sundown in the darkness and after very fierce fighting and heavy casualties on both sides we succeeded and drove the Pakistani forces back across the Tawi. The progress of our action was being monitored by an anxious army headquarters and the chief of the army staff General Manekshaw was informed immediately. He was away at the Eastern Theatre overseeing the operations against East Bengal which led to an eventual surrender. The first thing next morning, Sam Bahadur was with us. He had come personally to compliment the soldiers for their brave action. He insisted on going right up to the forward positions. The subedar sahib cautioned that going up to the forward positions would draw enemy fire, especially if they had any inkling of who was in the field. Sam nonchalantly waved aside the objection saying: Dont worry, let them know that I am here. They wouldnt want to tangle with me. In any case they are bad shots and will probably miss me. Then striding forward he looked back at the subedar sahib and said with a twinkle in his eye. Now, you be careful, sahib, they might get you instead. With that, off we went to the forward positions. The Pakistani soldiers were still on the ridges above and looking down at us. For whatever reason no one fired even one shot. Throughout the light-hearted camaraderie of those hours with Sam, the men could see the steel behind those green eyes and it left them with renewed resolve and hope. Lt General AS Kalkat was army commander & former commander Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), Sri Lanka. He is the first person in India to be awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, the highest award for leadership in war and conflict. The views expressed are personal To the editor: The law enforcement community has gone from getting spontaneously cheered and gifted during the pandemic to getting vilified, murdered, assaulted and disrespected all of a sudden. This was all because of the murderous actions of one Minneapolis police officer who very likely will be convicted and spend life in prison. The three who stood around and watched will also be held responsible. The police department has had problems for years and had trouble keeping up staffing levels because they could not find enough officers. That particular officer had many prior disciplinary problems including excessive use of force. Senator Amy Klobuchar was the local prosecutor at the time and she declined to prosecute him. Someone has to now stand up for police officers. I, a criminal defense lawyer, will. There is no "systemic white racism" in our criminal justice system. I have been every week in courthouses while handling criminal cases all over the Lower Peninsula for 30 years and I have never seen a case where race appears to have been a factor. A recent study by an African American researcher at Harvard showed there were double the incidents involving unarmed Caucasians being shot than there were involving unarmed African Americans, of which only 10 were identified. I have taught criminal justice classes at Delta College for 19 years and I never had one student who I thought had any racist tendencies. These students who now want to still protect us and keep the peace and show up for classes in the fall when certain activists are calling for the murder of officers and politicians who want to defund the police are people we all should be cheering for. ROBERT J. DUNN Midland Texas experienced its third highest single-day increase for confirmed COVID-19 cases Friday, topping 5,000 new cases again. The statewide total of confirmed novel coronavirus cases increased by 5,463 to 141,111 total cases. Thirty-six more deaths were confirmed, bringing the Texas total to 2,448. In the Houston region, the total jumped 1,898 in a day, bringing the total to 39,071 cases. Ten more people died from the virus in the region, making the total 514. Harris County elevated its COVID-19 threat to Level 1 on Friday. The virus is spreading rapidly across Harris County, reads an emergency alert sent to county residents Friday afternoon. Local Hospitals are approaching capacity. The message also asked residents to remain at home when not performing essential duties, to wear face masks and to cancel planned gatherings. hannah.dellinger@chron.com FILE PHOTO: An office building with the logo of Westpac Banking is seen in Sydney By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian appeals court on Friday threw out a regulator lawsuit against Westpac Banking Corp , saying the country's second largest lender's method for determining whether homebuyers could service their mortgages had not broken the law. The case became one of the most closely watched of numerous regulator lawsuits against leading banks after a financial misconduct inquiry in 2018 and 2019 prompted a crackdown on a sector accused of rampant fee gouging and irresponsible lending. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) had lodged the appeal after a judge found in the bank's favour last year, saying borrowers could cut back on "wagyu beef ... washed down with the finest shiraz" to make repayments. But a three-judge panel of the Federal Court found again that Westpac did nothing wrong by using an automated system rather than manually checking each applicant's living expenses. "A consumer may choose to, and can be expected to, forgo particular living expenses in order to meet their financial obligations under a credit contract," wrote one of the judges, Michael Lee. Another judge, Jacqueline Gleeson, wrote that Westpac had not identified a single case among the 262,000 mortgage borrowers where the person was given a loan when they should not have been. "The case concerned a large data set in which Westpacs algorithm did not demonstrably fail to achieve the result for which it was said to have been designed," she wrote. In a market filing on Friday, Westpac acknowledged the appeal ruling without commenting further. An ASIC representative was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) P Rajan, a 26-year-old supervisor in a cargo company on furlough, begins his day attending a roll call at the corporation ward office at 7.30 am. He then goes around in his two-wheeler to the six streets assigned to him in ward no. 76 of Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, one of the most densely populated localities in Chennai which has reported more than 3,981 Covid-19 positive cases and 81 deaths, where he checks on 11 families under home quarantine. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage He is among the 3,500 young volunteers, contracted since mid-June till September by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to monitor and support 18 different categories of people under home quarantine. Volunteers, who range from college students to office-goers are called FOCUS (Friend of Covid Person Under Surveillance). They form part of a strategy developed by the GCC that is pegged on home quarantining even those who are likely to be infected to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Chennai accounts for 66.5% of the total number of Tamil Nadus cases, and is among the top five cities in the country in terms of case-load. This comes at a time when the state placed Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpet -- the worst affected districts -- under complete lockdown till June 30. Earlier this month, Chennais civic body developed 18 categories, comprising mixed groups of people, under their new uniform strategy called home quarantine and isolation monitoring system (HQIMS). These include those awaiting Covid-19 test results, positive patients undergoing home treatment, discharged patients, international and domestic passengers coming via flights, trains, road or sea, family and extended contacts, and people with influenza-like illness identified through the 500-odd fever clinics run by the corporation, among others. Most people in these categories are already mandated to be in 14-day isolation, but it has widened the net on who must undergo isolation. Home quarantine is the crux in controlling an epidemic, says Dr Prabhdeep Kaur, deputy director, National Institute of Epidemiology and one of the members of the state appointed medical panel to assist in the governments Covid-19 management. If people follow it properly and they are monitored and supported, it can be very effective in reducing transmission. Currently 117,000 homes in Chennai are under HQIMS. The cyclical strategy of 14-days of home quarantine makes these numbers dynamic and at any point 250,000 houses out of 1.075 million houses in the city are expected to be under quarantine and volunteers will be scaled up proportionately. This new system was developed to keep up with the evolving situation of the pandemic. In April, all positive patients were treated at the hospital. The concept of home quarantine for treatment progressed at a later stage, says the corporations deputy commissioner for revenue and finance, Meghanathan Reddy who is overseeing this project. In the early days of the pandemic, larger geographical areas were designated as containment zones. This was later limited to rows of streets and then half a street. But the virus continued to spread internally when people interacted inside the quarantine zones or slipped outside. Also when lockdown restrictions eased, officials found it harder to control movement. So barricading specific homes became more effective. The only challenge was to ensure a familys basic needs were met while they stayed inside which is now addressed through thousands of these volunteers. Several states have roped in citizens to help out with the health crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, including Delhi. Rajan lives in ward 75 in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar and signed up to be a volunteer for the ward adjacent to his on June 15 (Ive changed to 15). He delivers groceries, picks up prescriptions and arranges for the garbage disposal, by calling up the conservancy worker once the yellow bags (meant for disposal of Covid-19 waste) are full. But the bulk of his work involves pleading with families under quarantine and their neighbours to wear masks and maintain social distance during interactions. The volunteers also engage with other field workers of the corporation, such as the medical team that conducts fever camps every day, (and a team of surveyors) going door-to-door with thermal scanners. I wanted to help in some way when I saw news reports of sufferings across the world and of our people walking back home to their native states, Rajan said. I just put myself in the position of these affected families. If my family had to be isolation, who will help us? Thats how I go about serving these families, he said. His family was worried about the risk of infection. My mother was the most worried, but they understood, he said. The corporation has provided gloves and masks for the Focus volunteers, and he carries a sanitiser too. They carry ID cards issued by the corporation. Every day we get data of 10,000-15,000 people who need to be home quarantined under various categories, Reddy said. We send that data to the various zones who forward it to the volunteers. Each volunteer is assigned anywhere from five to 10 streets for the citys 200 wards. They are paid Rs 500 a day. The volunteers file details in a booklet which is collected by ward level officers and sent back to the HQIMS desk at the corporation headquarters. This system is only for those who can effectively isolate themselves at home. For those who dont have facilities like separate bathrooms for instance, their contacts are taken to quarantine facilities, and those who test positive for the infection are either kept in hospitals, or healthcare centres and Covid care centres, depending on the severity of the symptoms. Even if there is 70% accuracy, we are limiting lakhs of people from going out and transmitting the virus, GCC commissioner G Prakash said about the HQIMS, adding, Under these categories, we are able to isolate people who are positive, possibly positive and potential carriers. Who is Anil Menon? One among the 10 selected for future moon mission by NASA Bad weather forces delay in launch of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope: When and where to watch Huge asteroid to fly past Earth today: Here's how you can track it Watch: NASA releases stunning 10-year time lapse of Sun India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, June 27: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released a stunning 10-year time-lapse video of the Sun, condensing a decade of activity into one hour. Titled 'A Decade of Sun', the video has collected over 6 lakh views on YouTube since being released on Wednesday. The SDO, which has been observing the Sun non-stop for more than a decade now, captures an image of the Sun every 0.75 seconds, according to the space agency. "SDO has gathered 425 million high-resolution images of the Sun, amassing 20 million gigabytes of data over the past 10 years. This information has enabled countless new discoveries about the workings of our closest star and how it influences the solar system," NASA said in a release. NASA astronaut shares striking 'ring of fire' Solar Eclipse 2020 images from space "The dark frames in the video are caused by Earth or the Moon eclipsing SDO as they pass between the spacecraft and the Sun. A longer blackout in 2016 was caused by a temporary issue with the AIA instrument that was successfully resolved after a week. The images where the Sun is off-center were observed when SDO was calibrating its instruments," the space agency said. As the number of people hospitalized in Texas from the coronavirus surpassed 5,000 on Friday, Governor Greg Abbott said he should not have rushed ahead with reopening bars. The news comes as Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, said Friday that Texas is one of the two states with the largest increase in positive coronavirus cases as the country reported the highest single-day increase in new cases. "If I could go back and redo anything, I would slow down the re-opening of bars," Abbott told ABC affiliate KIVA in El Paso. Abbott added that a "bar setting, in reality, just doesn't work with a pandemic." "At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars," Abbott said in a news release Friday announcing he was shutting down the bars. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who heads up the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said Friday that there has been a "paradigm shift" in the new cases of the coronavirus that is largely driven by young people. Abbott has previously said people between the ages of 18-40 are driving Texas' surge. A bartender wearing a facemask makes a drink at a restaurant in Austin, Texas, June 26, 2020. / Credit: SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images Bars were first allowed to reopen in Texas on May 22 at 25% capacity and then it was increased to 50% on June 3. But as the number of new cases of the coronavirus in Texas reached record highs this week, Abbott rolled back some of the state's reopening. Abbott issued an order Friday that bars must shut down indefinitely and restaurants, which were allowed to open at 75% capacity, now had to reduce capacity to 50% capacity. Abbott told ABC affiliate KVUE in Austin that "if people do not follow the rules, that could lead to even more ratcheting back of the opening of businesses in Texas." On Friday, there were 5,707 new coronavirus cases in the state, according to the Texas Department of Public Health. It was a slight drop from the single-day record of 5,996 cases reported on Thursday. The numbers of new cases have been on the rise since May 26. Story continues The number of people hospitalized has increased for 15 consecutive days as the state nears its ICU capacity. As of Friday, there were 1,284 ICU beds available, according to the Texas Department of Public Health. The number of people hospitalized increased to 5,102, the first time it topped 5,000. In Houston, the state's largest city, more than 10% of people being tested for COVID-19 are positive, according to Dr. David Persse with the Houston Health Department, CBS affiliate KHOU reports. That's a 30% increase from three months ago. Patrons at the West Alabama Ice House have beers before Texas Governor Greg Abbotts order that all bars are to be closed at noon today in Houston, Texas on June 26, 2020. / Credit: MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images COVID-19 expert Dr. Peter Hotez warned if current trends continue at this pace, Houston could see 4,000 new cases a day by mid-July, KHOU reported. The city has hovered between 800 to 1,000 new cases a day this week. Texas and Arizona have reported the largest increases in coronavirus cases, followed by Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada and Utah, Birx said Friday. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Texas and Arizona next week. Synthetic coronavirus vaccine in development in the UK could be easier to mass produce Darrell Wallace, Sr. talks son Bubba's NASCAR family, noose incident White Island volcano survivors sue Royal Caribbean and New Zealand tour company Even if omicron peak nears, Long Beach cases and hospitalizations will still be up for weeks, official says New Delhi: Pakistans prominent journalist who reported spar between Nawaz Sharif Government and Pak army has been banned from leaving the country. Paks leading daily Dawns senior columnist and reporter, Cyril Almeida said that he has been informed that he has been put on exit control list days after penning a front-page story about a dramatic confrontation between Pakistans civilian and army leadership over militant groups that operate from Pakistan but engage in war against India and Afghanistan. Almeida tweeted the news and his concerns on Monday night: I am told and have been informed and have been shown evidence that I am on the Exit Control List. cyril almeida (@cyalm) October 10, 2016 Was a long-planned trip, for at least several mths now. There are certain things that I will never, ever forgive. cyril almeida (@cyalm) October 10, 2016 I feel sad tonight. This is my life, my country. What went wrong. cyril almeida (@cyalm) October 10, 2016 Puzzled, saddened. Had no intention of going anywhere; this is my home. Pakistan. cyril almeida (@cyalm) October 11, 2016 Dawns investigative report about the undisclosed meeting between civilian and military leadership of the country had created a major uproar, resulting in complete rejection of the story by Pak government. Also read: Pak civilian govt tells its army to take action against terrorism or else face international isolation Nawaz Sharif Govt rejects report of any directive to army; calls it speculative and misleading For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Google Maps A burnt body was found Saturday morning near a dumpster outside a business in north Houston, where crews were responding to a trash fire. Firefighters were called around 6 a.m. to a report of a trash fire in the 4800 block on Moore Street, said Houston police spokesman John Cannon. They found a mans body on the scene and called for police. Earlier this week, Luxembourg's Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume was leading by example and donated blood at the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Centre. Red Cross Luxembourg launched an appeal for blood donation in March to prevent blood shortages during the pandemic. The association stressed that one blood donation can help up to three people. Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume was leading by example earlier this week and donated blood at the Red Cross Transfusion Centre. Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. You can find more information about donating blood in Luxembourg here. CLEVELAND, Ohio A federal judge has shaved 28 years off the prison sentence of a convicted bank robber through a compassionate release that stemmed from the mans deteriorating health. U.S. District Judge James Gwin ordered the release of Timothy Wise, 47, of Stow after Wise served less than half of his 50-year term in federal prison. In the past few months, federal inmates from across the country have filed for compassionate release because they claim they are susceptible to the coronavirus, which has spread quickly in prisons across the country. Few of those requests, however, have been approved. Gwin, however, stressed in a ruling Thursday that the coronavirus was not the driving force behind the decision involving Wise. He said inmates attacked Wise in a prison recreation yard in 2007, and they beat him unconscious. He suffered two spinal fractures, a broken jaw and a broken nose. Wise continues to have neurological problems, including debilitating headaches and seizures. He also struggles to care for himself. Wises attorney, Catherine Shusky, argued that Wises poor health, the exceptionally long prison sentence and his chance of getting the virus were grounds for a compassionate release. Federal prosecutors opposed the move. Gwin disagreed. In short, Wises worsening neurological condition tends to show an extraordinary and compelling reason for compassionate release, Gwin wrote. Gwin also said Wises prison term was overly long. In 1998, when Wise was convicted, federal law called for his sentence to be in the range of 50 to 52 years. Since then, federal sentencing guidelines have changed, making the guidelines advisory. Today, Wise would have been sentenced to about 20 years in prison for the same crimes. A sentence of [50 years] is disproportionate to similarly situated defendants being sentenced today, Gwin said. In 1997, Wise bought crack cocaine from a youth, according to court records. Wise then proposed robbing banks with him. They attempted heists at banks in Stow and Mayfield Height, making off with more than $8,000. The youth was arrested on the third try, and authorities later tracked down Wise. A jury convicted Wise of aiding and abetting bank robbery and three gun charges. The gun charges carried mandatory, consecutive sentences that added 45 years. Gwin ordered the Federal Bureau of Prisons to take measures to release Wise, who is serving his sentence in a federal prison in West Virginia. The measures include a 14-day quarantine before he leaves and appropriate testing. DR MEGHA BHARGAVA Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai, Dr Megha Bhargava organises health camps, food and school kits for underprivileged kids when off-duty. The 35-year-old Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai, Dr Megha Bhargava radiates enthusiasm and energy. Having cleared her first civil service exam while working as a doctor, she got posted in Nainital cantonment under the Indian Defence Services. My belief and commitment towards selfless service to the nation come from working with the armed forces, she says. In her second attempt at the civil services exam, she got the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), and after training in Nagpur, she has been posted in Mumbai since 2015. Despite her career success, something was missing. There was a lot of satisfaction in terms of how we at IRS are contributing to the national exchequer for building the nation but what we cant see is the direct impact of it. This is the missing link, says Megha, noting that 41 percent of her city-folk live in slums. I began to think that there was more to my life than looking into balance sheets of corporate houses. I believe that my story should resonate with the person I believe I am and my place in society. And so, supported by her sister, a health professional, and her mother, a retired school principal, Megha got out of her comfort zone to work at the grassroot level for health and education. While her sister Dr Ruma Bhargava founded the NGO Samarpan in 2016 and is the trustee, Megha became its driving force and roped in several doctors and civil servants on board. The NGO provides essential health services in the interiors of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. They conduct diagnostic and treatment camps in villages, mainly treating nutritional deficiency, skin disorders, eye problems and conducting awareness sessions on hygiene and nutrition. Megha adds, Topics of menstrual health are still taboo, and girls miss school or drop out after attaining puberty. To counter this, Samarpan conducts regular sessions for adolescent girls and provides them with biodegradable sanitary pads. They also provide Adhyan Kits to encourage children to go to school, including shoes, bags and stationery. Megha Bhargava. With COVID striking the nation, the Samarpan team tied up with government bodies, companies and citizen groups to serve home-cooked meals to daily-wagers, migrant labourers, tribals, old-age homes and orphanages across four cities. In all, they have served 5 lakh cooked meals, distributed 25,000 milk packets and dry rations for a month to 25,000 families. Megha believes that people have to be brave enough to care: Significance in life doesnt come from status or any position of power. It comes from serving. It is in giving to others that we find meaning. RUBY AHLUWALIA Principal Financial Advisor of the Central Railways, Ruby Ahluwalia set up an NGO to support underprivileged cancer patients after surviving stage-three cancer herself. Everything had been going well for Ruby Ahluwalia. The daughter of a police officer brought up in the hills of Uttarakhand, she had joined the civil services in 1986, travelled extensively, and raised a family. Then, in 2009, she was diagnosed with stage-three cancer. While undergoing treatment at Tata Cancer Hospital, Mumbai, what struck her most was the plight of fellow cancer patients who did not have the resources she did. I saw people sitting on the floor of the hospital with no hope in their eyes... Those eyes would haunt me. It took Ruby three years to beat cancer. As soon as she was on her feet, she launched her NGO, Sanjeevani Life Beyond Cancer, in collaboration with Tata Cancer Hospital, to work with underprivileged cancer patients. The first project we launched was Can Sahayogi. Doctors spend just a few minutes with patients, so I decided that I would be there for patients as soon as they came out of the OPD, the 57-year-old narrates. Sanjeevani navigates patients through the hospital process, emotionally supports them and helps them with their stay in the city. If there is a shortage of funds, which is normally the case, Sanjeevani assists them in the paperwork to avail the funds made available by the government or various trusts for cancer patients, says Ruby. The Can Sahayogi project now runs in 14 cities of 10 states, hand-holding 2.2 lakh cancer patients. Soon, Ruby realised that with her job responsibilities as the Principal Financial Advisor of Central Railways, she could not be available all the time for Sanjeevani. There was a need to hire trained cancer caregivers, but there was no programme to prepare people for a niche role such as this. Hence, she wrote her own curriculum for a four-month course called Can Saarthi. Sanjeevani has trained six batches so far. Next, she launched the Satori awareness programme to educate cancer patients on how to raise their immunity levels. Then came Can Chetna and Can Varta to inspire patients to build their lives and health once again. With COVID spreading like wildfire in Mumbai, things have become worse for cancer patients. Treatment plans have altered or come to a halt; many are not able to reach their hospitals for check-ups. To address their anxiety, Sanjeevani handles over 700 calls a day, besides daily online sessions for over 200 persons at a time. We compromise our immunity by suppressing emotions, desires, anger and anxiety. This builds toxicity and is a conducive environment for lifestyle diseases from hypertension to cancer, says Ruby, whose book on the subject, Fragrance of a Wild Soul, launched in March. SANGEETA GUPTA Artist, filmmaker, founder of Prithvi Cultural Centre Sangeeta Gupta has had an exceptional journey outside of her public role as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax. Known for her refusal to fit into labels, Sangeeta Gupta, who this year retired as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, has had an exceptional life outside of her public role. She is an acclaimed artist, poet, documentary filmmaker, and founder of the Prithvi Fine Arts and Cultural Centre in Delhi. Born in Gorakhpur, UP, Sangeeta studied in a convent boarding school from a young age. Fiercely determined yet introverted by nature, she fell in love with art and literature in her youth. I started reading the classics quite early. My love for literature, especially poetry, began there recalls Sangeeta. She studied political science in college, and joined the civil services soon after, quickly earning a name as an outstanding performer and earning a gold medal for Best Probationer in 1986. Alongside, her world of poetry and art bloomed. Her first book was published in 1988, and her first solo exhibition got a grand opening in Kolkata in 1995. To date, she has 20 books, which have been translated into several languages, and 35 solo exhibitions under her name. The 62-year-olds latest artwork, based on the theme of Lord Shiva and inspired by Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and Nirvana Shatkum, is considered the longest in the world. Painted on hand-spun khaddar, Sangeeta used the dabu, a tool traditionally used by block painters of Rajasthan, along with a muddy paste with brush. Later, sawdust was applied, after which the painting was sun-dried, soaked in indigo dye, and then washed and dried again. Documentary filmmaking happened unexpectedly to Sangeeta. I wanted to produce a film on my mentor Keshav Malik, the poet and art critic, she narrates. Unfortunately, the director didnt spare any time, and I ended up shooting the entire film. In that process, I also learnt filmmaking, she beams. Sangeeta Gupta's Song of the Cosmos. Sangeeta has so far shot, scripted and directed seven films, six of which are with the US Library of Congress, and have been screened in many other parts of the world. In 2011, Sangeeta founded the Prithvi Centre to promote Indias art, literature and music. It helps young artists pursue their education in fine arts, and has produced several documentary films and books. Song of the Cosmos. But accomplishments dont shield us from adversity. In March 2019, Sangeeta met with an accident that smashed her wrist. It led to an implant, over 150 physiotherapy sessions and nagging pain, but she didnt put a brake on her art project. Doing a 100-metre painting with a smashed wrist was my ultimate test. I kept challenging my physical and mental faculties. Eventually, the universe conspired, and my faith in Shiva helped me heal, she says. If you are connected with the universe, everything spreads out before you, even your strength and resilience. You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person. Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else. Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School did their Grade 12 graduation ceremony on Friday different than anyone else in town. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Crocus Plains graduate Suany Lecama holds up her mortarboard cap for a photo before walking into the school to accept her diploma on a sunny and hot Friday afternoon. Translated from Spanish, the decorated cap states: "Succeed without thinking what they will say, in order to achieve your goals." (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School did their Grade 12 graduation ceremony on Friday different than anyone else in town. Unlike Ecole secondaire Neelin High School and Vincent Massey High School, which held their ceremonies at the Keystone Centre, Crocus Plains held its graduation event on campus. Students lined up with their families outside in the schools parking lot. When it came time for a student to accept their diploma, their group walked inside and strode the red carpet into the gym. The students names were called along with their accomplishments and awards, and they received their diploma while loved ones followed them. Then they moved their caps tassel from one side to the other and left the school by the front door. Various stations were set up all over the campus to give families a chance to take some final photos before they headed off. Newly graduated Crocus Plains Grade 12 student Omotola Afolabi, originally of Nigeria, looks through photos of her graduation day with her friends Kemi Adebayo, left, and Bukunmi Adebayo, middle, on Friday afternoon. Afolabi plans to attend the University of Manitoba in September. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) One of the students moving on is student council president Ariana Rice, who is going to the University of British Columbias Okanagan campus in Kelowna, B.C. in September to study computer science. "Theyre No. 2 in the country for computer science," she said. "And also, its just beautiful country and Im just excited to go there and be closer to some of my family members." Not only is she going to one of the countrys top-ranked universities, shes also arriving with a Presidential Scholars Award scholarship worth $30,000. Suany Lecama from Honduras poses on her graduation day from Crocus Plains High School with her mother Yessica Soviano while her boyfriend Arliss Enamorado takes their picture, minutes before entering the school to accept her diploma. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) "Its awarded based on a combination of academic achievement and stuff outside of the classroom," Rice said, adding that she was in tears when she found out she was one of this years recipients. Accompanying Rice on Friday were her parents, her brother and her three grandmothers. "She has worked incredibly hard all through high school and especially this last semester," mom Wendi Rice said. "Coronavirus couldnt keep her down, she powered through all her (advanced placement) exams and did exceptionally well and now shes off to UBC." Newly minted Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School grad and student council president Ariana Rice poses for a photo with her mother on Friday afternoon after receiving her diploma. Rice graduated with a $3,000 scholarship to UBC. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun A lasting legacy Rice is leaving behind at the school is the coding club she founded and hopes will continue on after her departure. "Were all about getting younger kids interested in STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) technology and stuff," she said. Rice was grateful to school staff for organizing Fridays ceremony and thanked computer science teacher Sheryl Klimack, physics teacher Christopher Sarkonak and English teacher Allyson Wronowski, who she said all made a difference for her during her studies. Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School grad Kassidy Kretchmann adjusts her tassle after accepting her diploma on Friday afternoon in front of her family. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) Although shes not pursuing English further, she said Wronowski is "an awesome teacher." Talking to the Sun, Wronowski had many compliments in turn for her graduating pupil. "She was so exceptionally humble and kind and passionate to learn," Wronowski said. "Everything I gave her, she worked her hardest always. She challenged me to be a better teacher every day. She was just a wonderful student to have in class." Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School grad Austin Newing poses for a photo with his brother Cole, who will start his first year at Crocus in the fall, and his sister Breanna, on Friday afternoon. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) This summer, Rice will be participating in a Google summer computer science program before she moves out west. Shes also hoping to get a summer job. Later Friday, Rices family was planning on continuing the festivities at home with more family members and a celebratory cake. cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark The Home Secretary is planning root and branch reform of the Governments controversial deradicalisation programme amid fears that large areas of the country are dangerously unprotected from extremists. In the biggest shake-up of the Prevent strategy since its launch in 2003, Priti Patel has proposed dividing England and Wales into nine regional hubs. Dedicated teams would operate from extremist hot spots within each. Officials believe it will give Prevent officers better access to extremists in rural areas and allow for the rapid deployment of teams in the event of an attack. The review was ordered after intelligence highlighted the changing nature of extremism in Britain, with an increasing number of Islamic terrorist offenders living in neighbourhoods outside traditional Muslim areas, and most far-Right extremists based in areas with little or no previous extremist activity. There has also been a significant rise in the number of far-Left, animal rights and environmental extremists and those with no fixed ideologies. The Home Secretary is planning root and branch reform of the Governments controversial deradicalisation programme amid fears that large areas of the country are dangerously unprotected from extremists At present, Prevents structure sees about 50 councils categorised as high-priority areas. They have dedicated deradicalisation teams and receive most of the annual 45 million budget, but it leaves much of England and Wales designated as non-priority areas. Sources have told The Mail on Sunday that the latest Home Office data shows that as many as 22 per cent of Islamic terrorist offenders now live in council areas that have been deemed non-priority areas. Sixty-five per cent of far-Right extremists and up to three quarters of far-Left, animal rights and environmental extremists are also found in non-priority areas. An insider said the terrorist attack at Parsons Green Tube station in 2017 had provided stark evidence of the problem. Ahmed Hassan, then 18, detonated a crude bucket bomb on a morning rush-hour Tube train, injuring more than 30 commuters. At the time, he was living in the non-priority area of Spelthorne, Surrey. Sources have told The Mail on Sunday that the latest Home Office data shows that as many as 22 per cent of Islamic terrorist offenders now live in council areas that have been deemed non-priority areas In Hassans case, the influence of a dedicated Prevent officer may have helped to mitigate the risk beforehand, a source said. There has been a campaign by some groups to curtail Prevent, or even get rid of it, but these proposals mean Prevent will actually expand. It shows the Government definitely does not want to get rid of the strategy. Prevent was created after the 9/11 attacks as part of Contest, the Governments overall counter-terrorism strategy. It initially focused on deradicalising Muslim extremists but critics have described it as national spying programme. A senior Whitehall source said: We always said that we wanted to look at Prevent to make it more effective and we are looking at it structurally. We want to make sure that everyone who needs it has access to it. We have begun consulting with local authorities and our ambition is to have the new model in place by April next year. A Home Office spokesman said: There is an independent review of Prevent and the Government wants to see it concluded as soon as possible. Prior to the Charlottesville debacle regarding a Confederate generals statue in summer 2017, I had been researching for some time on the life of Frederick Douglass. Before the uproar over the Robert E. Lees likeness in a public park in Old Dominion, I had taken up Douglass scholarship to learn about Americas slave past, the Civil War, and its aftermath, because so much in our current civic discussion has been affected by the historical reality of slavery. I was interested in developing a theatrical work about Douglass life, which I believed would entertain the audience, while elevating public discourse about race relations in America. The first element of Douglass life that caught my attention, and which I had not known previously, was that he had a personal, albeit limited, friendship with Abraham Lincoln. They first met face-to-face during Douglass unannounced visit to the White House in August 1863, a few weeks after the Massachusetts 54th Regiment composed of black soldiers (recruited largely by Douglass himself) had fought a brutal campaign against the Confederates at Fort Wagner. Douglass had gone to the White House to complain to Lincoln that these troops were not receiving the same pay as white soldiers. Of this encounter, Douglass later reported that Lincoln was the first white man to treat him without either condescension or flattery, but merely as one man to another. A year hence in August 1864, Lincoln made a direct request to have Douglass come to Washington, D.C. to provide him counsel on a policy matter during his re-election run. Their final meeting occurred on the evening of March 4, 1865, when Douglass (despite police interference) managed to make his way into the executive mansion for Lincolns second inaugural ball. Upon seeing the abolitionist, the president spoke up loudly enough for his Caucasian well-wishers to hear him: Here comes my friend Douglass. Honest Abe proceeded to ask Douglass for his thoughts on his inaugural address given earlier that day. Douglass replied to Lincoln that the presidents speech was a sacred endeavor. On April 14, 1876, Douglass was called upon to give the keynote address at the unveiling of the Freedmens Monument in Washington, D.C. This statue, also known by the name Emancipation, was commissioned by the Western Sanitary Commission (a private charity that assisted with the care of Civil War soldiers) and paid for by donations of some $17,000 largely from black donorsthe first of whom was a former slave named Charlotte Scott, who gave $5 to initiate the effort to build a monument to Lincolns memory after his assassination. The artwork was controversial even in the Reconstruction era as it features Lincoln with an outstretched hand blessing a freed black manwhose likeness was based on an actual escaped slave named Archer Alexanderjust starting to rise from his chains: Image credit: David, via Flickr Douglass did not particularly like the image of the emancipated slave still kneeling before a white man, but he understood that the image expressed the condition of the age, and his keynote address contained both critiques and praises of Lincoln. Throughout Douglass last three decades of life he routinely invoked Lincoln as an icon of justice and progress, even with his imperfections and slowness to arrive at the point of openly supporting emancipation. I knew in 2017 when the riot in Charlottesville took place over the Robert E. Lee statue that the Freedmans Monument, as evocative as it is of the slave experience, would at some point come under attack. My concerns were heightened less than a week after Charlottesville when a report emerged that a bust of Lincoln (dating back to 1926) was burned in Chicago. About two years later, I was perusing Facebook and noticed the following post, of which I took a screenshot: Image credit: John Steinreich / Facebook The individual who posted this item was mistaken about the statues location (there is however a statue of Lincoln on the University of Wisconsin campus). But the fact that the Freedmens Monument had inspired a question to a group of some 9,000 mostly black conservatives regarding their thoughts about this depiction of a slave on his knees before Honest Abe caused me consternation. Robert E. Lee had been taken down (and understandably so in the modern context, given that he had fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War); Lincolns bust was burned (in the state where he started his political career) in spite of heroic status. Now, as I had feared two years earlier, Lincoln and Archer Alexander were coming under scrutiny. Would desecration be next? Less than a year after this post, during the national uproar over racial injustice, my prediction that the Freedmens Monument would become an object of the iconoclasts wrathful frenzy became a reality. A replica of the Freedmens Monument has stood in Boston since 1879: Image credit: Yeowatsup, via Wikimedia Commons Todays political leftfar removed from the times in which the statue was built, and rejecting any historical contexthas decided that this artwork (which was cautiously supported by the greatest black intellectual of the 19th century and personal friend of the one president who had the will to do something to stop slavery) must be taken down. It is now just too offensive for some people to look at a metallic Lincoln standing tall next to a barely rising black man. If Christopher Columbus is no longer welcome in Beantown where American liberty was birthed, how then can this woke metropolis possibly let Lincoln stand up with a black man crouching in front of him? The ahistorical mob confirmed my fears; they have come after the Freedmens Monument. These woke puritans have deemed that none of Americas iconography is worth displaying in our era of absolute political correctness. Even Lincoln, who consistently polls in the top 10 of American presidents, cannot be allowed to keep his place of veneration. While fair-minded progressives may indeed take offense at Mr. Archer kneeling before our 16th President, the true object of leftist wrath is the Great Emancipator. If Lincolns image is allowed to remain, it might cause some people to think fondly of American history, since this backwoods railsplitter came to power to usher in an age when two and a half centuries of chattel slavery would be ended. If Americas heroes with both their beauties and blemishes are allowed to stand, the political leftwhich is counting on the erasure of American history as a tactical instrument in its pursuit of powerwill be blunted. After removing the Freedmens Monument, perhaps the left will dismantle statues of Frederick Douglass as well. Why do I say this? Because his take on race relations is out of step with our times. In the twilight of his life, the great orator made a statement that could easily be interpreted as violating modern orthodoxy: My cause was and is that of the black man; not because he is black, but because he is a man. In our age, when we are encouraged to give ourselves over to the basest and most hysterical of our emotions, even the greatest among Americas statesmen must be jettisoned because they do not qualify as woke. May we be well prepared to have history, replete with its strife and suffering, revisit us. John Steinreich has an M.A. in Church History from Colorado Theological Seminary. He has authored two Christian-themed books available on Kindle: The Words of God? and A Great Cloud of Witnesses. His works are also on Lulu Press. He is currently writing a non-fiction work on and developing a stage production about the life of Frederick Douglass www.facebook.com/freementheater. Rose Byrne says she was mortified when she found out she would have to lick Steve Carell's face in her first big screen appearance with The Office star. The Australian actress, who is probably best known for her comedic role as the perfect best friend in Bridesmaids, says her panic was increased by the fact she has a "longstanding acting-crush" on the 57-year-old . Byrne told Backstage: "That was my first scene. I was so nervous. I'd just met Steve. I was absolutely terrified thinking, 'How am I going to do this?' "I mean, can you imagine trying to do that scene now [amid the coronavirus pandemic ]?" Despite her worries about "screwing up" the face-licking scene, she says Carell put her at ease, and "could not have been more sweet or professional". Largely credited with being one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, Bryne's description of Carell as "a truly hardworking guy who's always trying to get home to his family" only adds to his nice guy credentials. But aside from the lure of Carell, Byrne says she was also attracted to the project thanks to writer and director Jon Stewart. The former host of political chat show The Daily Show, Stewart is now as well known for his activism as for his TV fame after advocating veterans and 9/11 first responders. Calling him "a singular voice in politics", Byrne credits Stewart with the ability to make politics accessible to everyone, adding "even a layman like me". Byrne plays Faith Brewster, a Republican political strategist who is the thorn in the side of democratic strategist Gary Zimmer (played by Carell) who's attempting to win back the heartland from the Republicans. :: Listen to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker When Zimmer happens upon a retired Marine colonel (played by Chris Cooper) who's gone viral on social media, he thinks he's found just the man to run for mayor in a small town in the swing-state of Wisconsin. Story continues But, of course, all is not what it seems. Byrne clearly relished the role, calling Faith "a political animal who truly lives for the fight and the blood on her hands. A product of Washington and of the Machine". And the timing couldn't be more perfect for the political satire, as America heads into five months of relentless campaigning before a November election when Donald Trump will stand for re-election. With Stewart clearly keen to highlight what he considers to be a broken political system in America, the movie depicts a political landscape led by division, and a system which is largely influenced by money. Shot over a year ago, Byrne says the political messages in the film are needed now more than ever. "If I'd had a crystal ball to think, 'Oh, we'll be in the middle of a global pandemic and a civil rights uprising' It's extraordinary what's going on in the world. I just hope people vote." Irresistible also stars Mackenzie Davis, Topher Grace and Natasha Lyonne, and is available now on streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. Hear more from the interview and a review of the film on this week's episode of Backstage - Sky News' entertainment podcast 2 cops deputed for CM Bommai's security held for trying to 'extort' money from drug peddlers Is there Karnataka weekend lockdowns or night curfew? Here's what minister has to say Will Karnataka govt lift weekend and night curfew? CM likely to decide today Karnataka quarantine rules: 7-day Institutional quarantine for arrivals from Maharashtra India oi-Deepika S Bengaluru, June 27: The Karnataka government on Saturday tweaked its quarantine rules and said only people coming from Maharashtra will be placed in seven-day institutional quarantine followed by seven-day home quarantine in Karnataka. While people coming from other states will need to undergo 14-day home quarantine. Earlier institutional quarantine was also mandatory for those coming to Karnataka from New Delhi and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka tweaks quarantine rules for travellers returning from TN, Delhi Karnataka has registered a record 918 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with 596 alone being recorded in Bengaluru, raising the state's tally to 11,923, said an official on Saturday. Out of the 2,531 cases, 1,913 are active cases. All Government offices shall remain closed on all Saturdays in the state with effect from July 10 in wake of coronavirus, according to Karnataka Chief Minister's Office (CMO). From: Thomas H. Greco, Jr. -- Economist For Immediate Release: Dateline: Tucson , AZ Saturday, June 27, 2020 In this issue: Facts about Covid-19, a report from Swiss Policy Research Analysis of Crisis Management from the German Ministry of Interior Perspectives on the pandemic, one nurse speaks out Mass surveillance begins with kids: WIRED Magazine The injection fraudits not a vaccine: Catherine Austin Fitts All Governments Lie: Oliver Stone Meet Bill Gates: The Corbett Report Coronavirus: It is governments not coronavirus which threatens our lives: Dr. Vernon Coleman My (tentative) final thoughts Because this is a long one Ive posted only the list of contents. You can read the entire newsletter here. If youd like to be added to my mailing list to receive my newsletter directly, please fill out the subscription form below. Join my email list By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. Processing Success! You're on the list. Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again. Share this: Like this: Like Loading... John N. Hoefer, 88, of La Crosse died Thursday, June 25, 2020, at his home. He was born in Rockford, Ill., Jan. 29, 1932, to John and Beatrice (Griffin) Hoefer. Raised in Freeport, Ill., he graduated from Freeport High School in 1949. Enlisting in the U.S. Navy he attended electronics school in Great Lakes. He first served on the USS Brinkley Bass DD 887 and later transferred to the USS Forest Royal DD 872. Both ships were deployed in Korean waters, where he served from November 1950 through June 1951. Returning to the U.S. eastern coast he was further deployed in the Caribbean, North Sea and Mediterranean. He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans organizations. He was honorably discharged in 1953. John married Betty A. Collett in Rockford on June 26, 1954, and she preceded him in death Aug. 16, 2010, after 54 years of marriage. Utilizing the benefits of the GI Bill, he graduated with honors from the University of Illinois-Urbana with his bachelor of science in 1956 then receiving his masters degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1959. He taught geography and earth science, notably Pleasant Valley High School in Iowa and the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse for a total of 34 years. He retired early and was awarded Emeritus status by the University of Wisconsin system. In retirement, he enjoyed working part time for the Departments of Natural Resources and Transportation, doing environmental work as he used to say, doing what I taught my students to do. That stint lasted 10 years. He then worked as the field supervisor for the U.S. Census Bureaus 13-county Northern Wisconsin District for the 2000 Census. Keeping a promise to Betty not to stay up north during the winter, they traveled south annually for 10 years in a motor home touring in the Southern U.S. from the Carolinas throughout the Gulf coast to the southwest, stopping in Arizona. Bettys health prompted a return to La Crosse for retirement at last in 2003. John is survived by his four children, Karen A. Schaller of La Crosse, John C. Hoefer of Minneapolis, Minn., Susan L. Hoefer of La Crosse, and Jeffrey S. (Kari) Hoefer of Baldwin, Wis.; as well as six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and his sister, Norma B. Wallace of Bend, Ore. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; and younger brother, Glenn. Private family burial with military honors will take place in the cemetery he co-founded; Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner, Wis. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the La Crosse American Legion Post 52. Online guestbook may be signed at www.schumacher-kish.com. The base of the statue of former president Andrew Jackson is power washed inside a newly closed Lafayette Park, in Washington, on June 24, 2020. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo) Trump Announces Executive Order to Protect Monuments, Memorials, Statues President Donald Trump late Friday announced he has signed an executive order aimed at protecting the countrys monuments, memorials, and statues. I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statuesand combatting recent Criminal Violence. Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country! the president announced on Twitter. I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and combatting recent Criminal Violence. Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020 A text of the order says the federal government will prosecute to the fullest extent under the law anyone who incites violence and illegal activity, which includes the damaging of monuments, memorials, or statues. The Veterans Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003 authorizes a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment for destroying or attempting to destroy monuments commemorating those who served in the U.S. armed forces. President Trump will not tolerate the rampant violence and destruction that has occurred over the last five weeks, a White House statement announcing the executive order reads. Left-wing extremists are rioting, looting, and calling for the destruction of the United States system of government, the statement continues. Through mob intimidation, these violent extremists are attempting to impose their ideology on the law-abiding citizens of this country. Some state and local governments are failing their citizens by not distinguishing between peaceful protest and violent chaos. The executive order says that federal support may be withdrawn from state and local law enforcement agencies that fail to protect monuments, memorials, and statues. Rioters have toppled and vandalized dozens of statues and monuments across the nation, including those that represent Confederate soldiers and generals. The White House in its announcement noted that rioters have torn down and defaced statues representing other notable figures, including statues of founding fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in Portland, a statue of Ulysses S. Grant in San Francisco, and a statue of Hans Christian Heg, who died fighting for the Union Army during the civil war, in Wisconsin. These monuments memorialize the history we all share as Americans, and they deserve to be defended for future generations, reads the White House statement. Earlier on Friday, Trump called for the arrest of protesters involved in an attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson from a park directly in front of the White House on June 22. MANY people in custody, with many others being sought for Vandalization of Federal Property in Lafayette Park. 10 year prison sentences! Trump wrote in a Twitter post where he shared an FBI-wanted poster of 15 rioters wanted for vandalization of federal property. MANY people in custody, with many others being sought for Vandalization of Federal Property in Lafayette Park. 10 year prison sentences! @FBIWFO pic.twitter.com/mrLyxbWNvq Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020 Hundreds of unarmed Washington, D.C., National Guard troops are on standby to assist law enforcement personnel with protecting monuments following the Andrew Jackson statue-toppling attempt. At his first reelection campaign rally in months at Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 20, Trump explicitly denounced the recent wave of statue-toppling. This cruel campaign of censorship and exclusion violates everything we hold dear as Americans, he said at the rally. They want to demolish our heritage so they can impose their new oppressive regime in its place. Trump added that an unhinged left-wing mob is attempting to vandalize our history tear down our statues, and punish, cancel, and persecute anyone who does not conform to their demands for absolute and total control. Were not conforming, he said. It is unclear who has been behind each monuments vandalism and attack. However, Attorney General William Barr said recently that the Department of Justice has evidence that Antifa and other similar groups have hijacked initially peaceful protests. Trump said on Thursday at a Fox News town hall that statues can come down but the removal process should be done legally, as opposed to the vandalism seen in Washington and other cities. We can take things down, too. I can understand certain things being taken down, but they ought to go through a process legally, he said. Government officials in a number of states, including the Carolinas, have removed statues of slaveowners with plans to place them in museums or educational institutions. Zachary Stieber, Bowen Xiao, and Reuters contributed to this report. Read More Trump Authorizes Federal Government to Arrest Anyone Who Vandalizes, Destroys Statues I squinted at the stone memorial in the bright sun, trying to hold back my hair as the wind blew it around my face. My husband, daughter, and I had just pulled up to a small green building located behind the Thurleigh Airfield in Bedford, England. Aside from the memorial I saw in the corner of the fenced lot, the field was empty. But that small marker was why we had come; why we had driven out of our way from the Cotswolds to my grandmothers house in Kent to see it. This plaque, which read, Always First: First U.S.A.A.F. Unit Over Germany, was the physical remnant of the stories my husband had grown up hearing about his grandfathers service in the war. Reich Wreckers Andrews grandfather, Edmund Ted Deeter, served as an accountant in the 306th Bomb Group, known as the Reich Wreckers, during World War II. In 1943, at the age of 22, Ted left his country for the first time to sail across the ocean on a military ship that slept people five high in bunks. He was stationed in Bedford for the next two years, where he experienced homesickness, victories, and deep personal losses. Ted was a lover of history, and as Andrew grew up, he would take him to places such as Gettysburg and Valley Forge. He passed on to my husband his love of George Washington, the American Revolution, and the Civil War. Ted loved to visit statues and memorials, to honor the places that paid tribute to those who had given to their country. I met Ted when I was in college. After finding out my family was from England, he talked animatedly with me about cups of tea, double-decker buses, and the smell of the sea. I asked him if he would ever want to go back to Bedford. Thats when I found out no one in his family had seen the place where he was stationed; the man who loved to visit memorials where history was made hadnt visited his own. Ted had a tag on his license plate that referenced his time in the 306th Bomb Group. A few years before our trip, we came across letters that he had written to his mother during his time overseas, talking about the rations and the food he missed from home. Before his death, he and one of his sons had traveled to England, but Ted, like so many other soldiers, wasnt emotionally ready to revisit the place where he had watched so many friends leave on a mission and not return. Edmund Ted Deeter Jr (top R), served as an accountant in the 306th Bomb Group, known as the Reich Wreckers, during World War II, circa 1943-45. (Courtesy of Rachael Dymski) Power of Place Ive walked past memorials my whole life. Ive had picnics next to them, Ive used them as a meeting place, Ive walked by them and thought they were interesting. But I wasnt prepared for the way it would feel when you know the person for whom the memorial was erected. The meaning changes entirely when the memorial is personal. When I stood at this memorial that honors the 306th Bomb Group, one of its members being the man who played a vital role in my husbands life, that stone became a touchpoint of our familys story. Memorials are a testament to the power of a place. The Thurleigh Airfield and its surrounding area looked entirely different than it had in the 1940s, but the memorial was a marker for who had been there, and what they had given. I looked around the green lawn wondering, how many memories were stored up here? How many people were changed because of their time at this airfield? The World War II memorial on the outskirts of Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, UK. (Gary and Caroline Kidd/CC BY-SA 2.0) Its so far from home, Andrew said, after he had stared at the memorial for a solid two minutes. I understood what he meant. We live in the same small town in Pennsylvania where his grandfather grew up. Most of his family has stayed in that area. To imagine his grandfather so far away from anything familiar at such a young age, fighting a war against a tyrannical power gave us a new insight into what so many men and women were willing to give up. Since that day in the airfield, I look at memorials differently. I understand that they are place markers, but that to somebody, they are also deeply personal. They are a way honoring the value of a persons life, of thanking them for what they were willing to give up. While Ted never saw the tribute to the 306th Bomb Group in person, it made Andrew and me so proud to know that it was there. The memorial honored the deep, painful sacrifice Ted chose to make for his country, and it honored the person he became after the warthe kind, thoughtful, family-oriented man he remained his whole life. The memorial was a tangible testament to what we already knew: Edmund M. Deeter Jr. and the rest of the 306th Bomb Group lived those years with bravery and persistence, and our world today is better because of it. Rachael Dymski is an author, florist, and mom to two little girls. She is currently writing a novel about the German occupation of the Channel Islands and blogs on her website, RachaelDymski.com Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. So the Washingtons came up with an elaborate shuffling plan to cycle in and out of Pennsylvania so their slaves would never hit the legal threshold for freedom. Sometimes they would take a trip back to Virginia. Sometimes they would just make an excuse to go across the river to New Jersey. The schedule was complicated and burdensome, but Washington kept it up because he and Martha were determined to keep the people they owned in bondage. Man Charged in Brutal Attack of Macys Employee Authorities announced charges Friday against a man identified as the assailant captured on video brutally beating a Macys employee. Damire Palmer, 18, was charged with assault to do great bodily harm less than murder. He faces up to 10 years in prison. A man authorities say is Palmer was seen on video approaching a Macys manager in the mens clothing section of a store in Flint, Mich., on June 15. The man punches the manager in the head from behind, knocking him to the floor, before continuing to pummel the employee while he tries to shield himself from the blows. Palmer then exits the store with another man. A police investigation uncovered no evidence of provocation by the store manager. This was an unprovoked attack on a Macys employee, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said in a statement. This behavior as seen on the video is unacceptable, it is criminal, and it cannot be allowed. The video was captured by FT Quay, a rapper who is Palmers brother. The rapper claimed his brother made a petty joke before the store employee used a racial slur. We dont believe any racial slur was made by the store manager, Leyton said, and even if there had been, it does not condone nor justify the assault by Mr. Palmer. The Macys in Flint Township, Mich., where the assault occurred. (Google Maps) There is no audio on store surveillance video of what the employee said to whomever he was speaking with over the phone before being assaulted. Palmer is black and the store employee is white and some called for hate crime charges to be filed. Layton said there isnt enough evidence to support a hate crime charge. Palmer is still being sought. Investigators havent been able to locate either of the brothers since the assault happened. The victim is shook up and hes emotionally upset, as well as physically upset, Layton told a local broadcaster. But, hes emotionally upset to think that, you know, anybody would think he said the alleged vile, racial, provoking slur; because he says he didnt say it, and his history suggests he didnt say it. The charges came three days after the prosecutor noted that lots of discussion was taking place over the assault. He told members of the public that his office was working with law enforcement to make sure the incident was investigated thoroughly. Macys in a statement after the attack said it was deeply saddened over what happened. Violence in the workplace of any kind is unacceptable. All the materials from the evening have been reviewed and it is clear that the attack was unprovoked. We are working closely with local authorities on this investigation, and will defer any further comments about the case to them per policy, the company said. Security was increased at the location where the assault happened. Members of the U.S. Army's Security Force Assistance Brigades are trained to form tight bonds of trust with foreign counterparts, a culture that set the conditions for Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Bolyard to lose his life in a 2018 green-on-blue attack in Afghanistan, an Army investigation shows. On the morning of Sept. 3, 2018, Bolyard and his fellow soldiers from the Headquarters, 3rd Squadron, 1st SFAB were visiting Forward Operating Base Maiwand in Logar province, Afghanistan. They planned to attend a local meeting, or shura, with the commander of the 4th Brigade, 203rd Corps of the Afghan National Army on the topic of election security. Read Next: The Army Is About to Get its First Female Green Beret Conditions were peaceful. SFAB members had removed personal protective equipment such as body armor as a show of trust to their Afghan counterparts. The quiet afternoon changed drastically at 12:10 p.m. when a gunman with the Afghan National Police opened fire on the Americans as they walked with ANA members to the nearby dining facility. That's according to an AR 15-6 Army command investigation of the attack, dated Oct. 10, 2018. Military.com obtained a redacted copy of the report through a Freedom of Information Act request. Military Times was first to report on the investigation's findings. One gunman fired a short burst from his AK-47 rifle. The second assailant opened up with his PKM light machine gun, firing two bursts of approximately four to six rounds each toward the Americans, the report states. Both U.S. and Afghan troops scattered along the narrow path to the dining facility, trying to find cover and locate the origin of the gunfire. Bolyard, who was walking with a second group of personnel, was hit, the report states. "He was shot while moving to cover," according to the investigation. "Witnesses observed CSM Bolyard draw his pistol, turn around toward the Shura and then turn back toward the [dining facility] before falling to the ground. "CSM Bolyard was not wearing any of his PPE or body armor." SFAB soldiers told investigators later that they were unable to locate where the gunfire came from because it ended abruptly, according to the investigation. Bolyard's fellow soldiers rushed to his side to administer first aid. "CSM Bolyard was lying on his stomach in an awkward position, indicating possible spinal injury and struggling to breathe," according to the investigation. First responders found a bullet had entered his upper middle back, with no exit wound. They put a chest seal over the wound, but Bolyard was still having trouble breathing. "They noticed an unevenness in his chest cavity, indicating a collapsed lung," the report states. The unit's quick reaction force arrived on scene in minutes and Bolyard was loaded into a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP, for transport to a nearby forward surgical team. Bolyard arrived at nearby FOB Dahlke-East at 12:38 p.m., but "had no pulse and no cardiac activity," the report states. Medical personnel attempted to stop the bleeding and restart his heart, but their efforts failed. He was pronounced dead at 1:24 p.m., according to the investigation report. "There were no significant delays in the medical process," the report states. Bolyard, 42, joined the Army in 1994 and in his career was the recipient of six awards of the Bronze Star, two of them with combat "V" device for valor. Another soldier was wounded in the attack when he took a round to the back of his ballistic helmet. "Although the bullet did not fully penetrate his helmet, the impact of the round indented the back of the helmet," the report states. The investigation is heavily redacted and the recommendations in the report are not releasable to the public, Arnell Credle Jr., a FOIA analyst for Third Army and U.S. Army Central, told Military.com. Prior to the attack, the threat level was assessed as moderate, "with no known or reported incidents of green-on-blue in historical reporting at FOB Maiwand, the report states, adding that SFAB leaders made a calculated decision to allow advisors to move without body armor after considering the environment. "None of the witnesses noticed any suspicious behaviors or insider threat indicators during the Shura," according to the report. "No one reported any tensions or arguments between U.S. personnel and their Afghan partners." After the attack, ANA leaders discussed the incident and "determined that the ANA [personal security detail] personnel were the perpetrators," the investigation states. All ANA and ANP leaders told their American counterparts they would cooperate fully with any investigation and "showed great remorse following the incident," the report states. ANA soldiers witnessed the two shooters open fire, but no one "knew the individuals who committed the attack," according to the report. "None of the witnesses knew why the attack was committed." The two shooters and their two accomplices were able to leave the FOB in the confusion but were apprehended at 6:50 p.m. that evening, according to the report. The SFAB advisors were "trained extensively on countering insider threats" during pre-deployment training both at the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana and at their home station at Fort Benning, Georgia, the report states. "Insider threats are the number-one risk associated with the [train, advise and assist] mission and was constantly discussed and trained for throughout the deployment as it was considered the enemy's most dangerous course of action for every mission and location," according to the investigation. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Related: Soldier Killed in Insider Attack Was SFAB Command Sergeant Major Green Party TD Ossian Smyth has said he was not surprised at the scale of the endorsement of the programme for government by his partys members. In his conversations with people during the previous week he had seen the level of support. It was better that there was a clear result, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland. He said he was glad that there was such a Read More: Mr Smyth defended the length of the count of Green Party votes. We wanted to be seen to be fair. Counting had been outsourced and the company responsible had been very cautious. When asked if he thought the party would lose members because of the vote, he said no and that the TDs who had opposed the programme for government had already indicated that they will work to implement the programme. The plan is only the start, he said. The hard work is delivering line by line. The three Cabinet portfolios that will be taken by Green Party TDs will be a surprise to him today. He would be happy with any position for the party, he liked transport and climate action, but pointed out that there will be new configurations and ministerial portfolios. The Green Party would be delighted to have a role in agriculture, he replied when asked if his party would like that portfolio. On the same programme, Fianna Fail TD Jack Chambers said the agreement between the three parties is about the future of the country not the differences of the past. The three parties have a new vision and can provide a really transformative five-year programme. Fine Gaels Martin Heydon acknowledged that there had been much soul searching among members of the party for whom the prospect of coalition with Fianna Fail did not sit well. He had no doubt that the three parties would all come together to deliver the very ambitious programme and that the government would last five years. I trust Fianna Fail and the Green Party to buy into this wholeheartedly, to have a genuine approach to this partnership. As talk channels go quiet, Chinese increase activity at Pangong Tso India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: There are apprehensions galore that China is asserting its claim and are showing no inclination for the restoration of status quo ante in the disputed territory along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The apprehensions come in the wake of all talks channels going quiet for now and the Chinese constructing a helipad at Finger 4. There is also a considerable amount of increase in the number of Chinese troops at the Pangong Tso, south banks. India warns China that attempts to alter status quo will have 'ripples, repercussions' The construction of the helipad is in addition to all the other infrastructure works that the Chinese have undertaken in the past 8 weeks, an official familiar with the developments told OneIndia. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News While talks have been held on numerous occasions, the Chinese have shown no signs of disengagement. They have not agreed to the restoration of status quo as on April, the officer cited above said. While the Indian forces are also deployed in great numbers, there are some tactical challenges in the area, owing to the terrain. India has also matched the sudden increase in the number of Chinese troops on the southern bank of the lake. When asked if there are any talks scheduled, the official said that for now there are none. No talks have been scheduled as of now and the last one that was held was on June 22. I cant imagine Toronto without the contributions of Black artists. It would be a city without a soul, without a beating heart, lifeless without the films of Charles Officer, the art of Michele Pearson Clarke, the music of dvsn or the sculptures of Esmaa Mohamoud. But it isnt easy for Black poets, musicians, filmmakers, artists and playwrights to stitch themselves permanently into the citys cultural tapestry systemic barriers work tirelessly to keep them marginalized. Whiteness permeates every aspect of professional life in this city. A 2017 study found that even though visible minorities make up more than half of Torontos population, they only make up 3.3 per cent of corporate boards and 9.2 per cent of the private sectors senior management. Essentially, if you want to succeed or simply wade your way through the bureaucratic waters, you anticipate having to contend with the white powers that be. Its an inescapable and stifling endeavour. And that is especially true for Black artists. Despite their numerous cultural contributions to the city, there is a glaring disparity between the amount of Black artists who receive solo exhibitions, media coverage and sustainable careers, compared to their white counterparts. There is a lack of institutional support to foster their careers. If the doors dont open for you, how can you be expected to get in? Thats a question that Black artists and curators have been grappling with long before this moment where anti-Black racism and systemic racism are trending in mainstream news. Major art institutions in Canada are rooted in colonialism, so naturally they still continue to insidiously uplift white hegemony. Canadian Art Magazine recently reported that across the four main Canadian galleries, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, 96 per cent of senior executives are white. These numbers specifically reflect the state of the art world, but are indicative of an endemic issue. When those determining policies and setting budgets dont look like you, dont reflect your lived experience and, by consequence of that difference, dont work to platform your work, you get a sense that the institutions arent built with you in mind. And yet, there are spaces where Black art gets the agency to thrive, where it flourishes despite underrepresentation, limited access, and minimal acknowledgment within mainstream cultural institutions. Thats largely thanks to Black-owned and Black-run arts organizations, non-profits, collectives and galleries, who play a crucial role in this moment of civil unrest and always in platforming and centring the work of Black artists. Rather than attempting to placate or bend to the will of hindering forces, Black-owned and -run arts organizations help to fill in some of these systemic gaps by creating different models, building their own spaces and looking within the community for representation. Organizations like Black Artists Network in Dialogue (BAND), Nia Centre for the Arts, Obsidian Theatre, Black Artists Union Collective (BAU), Urban Arts and Wedge Curatorial Projects are born out of this necessity. Take BAND gallery for example. The cultural centre in Parkdale was founded in 2008 by Julie Crooks, Maxine Bailey, Karen Carter and Karen Tyrell, powerhouse mobilizers who have created a space to showcase and platform the works of emerging Black artists. Their gallery documents the artistic and cultural contributions of Black artists in Canada and abroad, and has helped jump-start the careers of numerous creators over the years as an accessible exhibition space that lets artists and curators see their work displayed in a professional setting while introducing their art to the general public. Founded in 2016, BAU formed its collective because its members felt Black representation was missing in Torontos art scene, despite Black creators being major contributors to the arts culture. Navigating Torontos insular art world together, in just a few years theyve launched numerous initiatives to support other artists. Currently theyre raising money for a COVID-19 relief fundraiser to help Black artists who are out of work and a series of micro-grants to support Black entrepreneurs and creatives in developing new business ideas. Recently, they used their social platforms to disseminate information about Black Lives Matter Toronto, protests and social activism. Theyre also working with arts programmers and an art store to provide free art supplies to Black artists in the city. Another organization promoting the works of Black artists is Nia Centre, which is in the midst of finalizing plans to renovate its facility into the largest professional multidisciplinary artspace dedicated to Black art in Canada. The new space on Oakwood Avenue in Little Jamaica will include a live performance venue, a digital art studio, visual and recording studios, a gallery and an event space. Since the centres inception in 2009, it has run professional development courses, community events and programming for young artists to bridge the gap between Black artists and substantial employment opportunities. In 2019, they hosted a school trip for students from Etobicoke School of the Arts to visit BAND gallerys Ears, Eyes, Voice exhibition of 30 years of photography by Black Torontonian photojournalists. The tour was followed by a workshop led by artist Tim Hunter, a member of BAU. This is just one example of these organizations working in tandem to change the landscape. The goal, throughout all their initiatives, is to bring Afro-diasporic art to a larger audience and to counteract the omission of Black artists from the collective narrative of Canadian art. In my research for this piece, I reached out to Black creative leaders in this city, asking if there were any organizations I wasnt aware of that were helping to platform Black artists. Most struggled to think of more than a handful a testament, I believe, to the fact that there arent enough and the ones that do exist are not as widely known as they should be. Across disciplines from dance to photography to film, organizations and initiatives like the aforementioned, as well as Ballet Creole, The Youth YYZ, Black Gold and KasheDance are doing work that is imperative to the proliferation of Black art in Toronto. Put simply, if we want the artists creating work in this city to be representative of this city as a whole, these groups need our collective support. It is still unclear when Vietnam will reactivate international flights and reopen its market to foreign travelers, but agencies and travel firms all are making hectic preparations. Tran Trong Luu, director of HARAtrans, a transport firm, told reporters that three foreign partners of the company have discussed cooperation to organize tours to Vietnam in 2021. Vietnam has become well known all over the world for its great achievements to contain the Covid-19 epidemic, and its actions to both create favorable conditions to develop the domestic travel market and reassure foreign travelers to Vietnam, Luu said. According to Indochina Capital, Vietnams success in containing the epidemic has helped Vietnam obtain advantages over other countries in attracting foreign travelers. Nguyen Trung Khanh, general director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), said the agency has built up three scenarios for receiving international travelers. The first foreign market that VNAT plans to attract are nearby markets, in ASEAN and northeast Asia. It is highly possible that the first foreign travelers would arrive in Vietnam in Q4 and foreign investors will return by early 2021. Travel firms will be able to receive domestic travelers soon after they launch demand stimulus programs. They will have to prepare 4-6 months in advance to receive foreign travelers. However, experts said that there are differences between the domestic travel market and inbound market. Travel firms will be able to receive domestic travelers soon after they launch demand stimulus programs. They will have to prepare 4-6 months in advance to receive foreign travelers. Tran Thi Nguyen from Sun World Group said Taiwanese travel firms are ready to send travelers to Vietnam. Anex Vietnam has proposed resuming the flights to receive Russian travelers from October. Therefore, it is necessary to build reasonable plans to receive tourists now. According to Vo Anh Tai, deputy CEO of Saigontourist, there should be a master plan that clearly defines which markets are the key markets for Vietnam. Resuming flights Dinh Viet Phuong, deputy CEO of Vietjet Air, wants to know about, hen airlines can begin running advertisements and selling air tickets to receive foreigners planning to travel to Vietnam later this year. The air carrier plans to provide flights to Taiwan, commencing inJuly, but will only carry passengers from Vietnam to Taiwan, not from Taiwan to Vietnam. The domestic travel market has restarted, but domestic passengers just account for 50-60 percent of the total, he said, adding that if the international markets cannot be opened, aircraft will still continue to be idle and tourism stagnant. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) asked the government to conduct bilateral negotiations soon with other countries on loosening entry/exit policies and reopening air routes. Kim Chi Alliance of airlines, travel and hotels to boost domestic tourism Deals among airlines, travel companies and hotels are expected to help boost tourism as the sector deals with the ravages of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom Of The Opera, which was previously adapted into the blockbuster musical of the same name, is expected to get the small screen treatment. A new report from Deadline has said that Gaumont, a French production company behind the likes of Narcos, will have its UK unit tackle the book in a new six-part series. The company are said to be working with writer Anthony Horowitz (whose Alex Rider TV series has just premiered on Amazon Prime) to create the show, which will be presented in a similar way to the 2018 BBC version of Les Miserables. It is expected that the show will not use any of Andrew Lloyd Webber's music, but will be based on the same story beats. The musical, which was turned into a film in 2004, is currently closed in the West End until 2021 while the pandemic continues. Find out more about building works being done to the West End show. By PTI SHIMLA: The Union government has provided 500 ventilators to Himachal Pradesh in its ongoing fight against coronavirus, a senior Health department official said on Saturday. Of these, 178 are transport ventilators and the remaining 322 are ICU ventilators, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said here. The Centre has provided the ventilators free of cost to the state as Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur raised the issue of inadequate ventilators in a recent video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, he added. FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES HERE Manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited, the ventilators have been provided through HLL Lifecare Limited, Dhiman said. The ventilators are being installed in medical colleges, district hospitals and other health institutions dealing with COVID cases, he added. The medical staff is being trained to operate these ventilators, the official said. The ACS said the state Health department would be able to fight COVID-19 more efficiently with these ventilators. In case the number of COVID-19 patients increases, the ventilators will help in handling serious cases in a better way, he added. Gandhinagar, June 27 : Welcoming the five new members from the Congress, who had resigned prior to the Rajya Sabha elections and donned the saffron colour on Saturday, Gujarat BJP Chief Jitu Vaghani said if the Congress resorts only to blaming the BJP for its failure then it should shut shop in the state. Vaghani formally welcomed the five former Congress MLAs JV Kakadiya (Dhari), Pradyumansinh Jadeja (Abdasa), Brijesh Merja (Morbi), Jeetu Chaudhari (Kaprada) and Akshay Patel (Karjan) into the BJP fold on Saturday at the party headquarters at Kamalam, Gandhinagar. These five were out of the eight Congress legislators who had resigned from their constituencies prior to the Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat for four seats. The state BJP president said: "Congress party is falling into pieces. Apart from that there is intense infighting within the party, which is now surfacing. Because of these reasons, members are quitting the Congress. The party who cannot keep its flock together is time and again blaming the BJP for their members quitting and allege horse trading, which I am outrightly rubbishing. If the leaderless Congress party in Gujarat has only one thing to resort to, that is to blame the BJP, then they should close their shop in Gujarat." "The public of Gujarat has been putting their trust in the BJP since 1995 and have allowed us to serve them. After getting inspired by the BJP's nationalist, public oriented and developmental policies these five MLAs joined the party. The addition of these new members will only strengthen the party structure," added Vaghani. After a third worker succumbed to Covid-19 on Saturday, and with a rise in the number of cases, the labour union of Bajaj Autos Aurangabad factory has made a fresh appeal to the management to shut the unit for 15 days, according to people familiar with the matter. The plant, which makes three-wheelers and a few brands of motorcycles, has reported over 140 cases so far. An official at Bajaj Auto confirmed the death of the third worker, adding that the person was pursuing treatment with his own doctor. On whether the management had received a request from the union to ... HALIFAXProsecutors are arguing that fully revealing the information used to obtain search warrants following the provinces recent mass shooting could compromise the massive police investigation and identify innocent parties. A media consortium is seeking to have a provincial court judge release blacked-out sections of the court documents submitted by the RCMP, as well as the results of the searches. Provincial Crowns Mark Heerema and Shauna MacDonald say in a submission to the court that material sealed to protect the investigation including the models of guns the killer used should remain sealed for six months. They also say in the document released Friday that material blacked out to protect the interests of innocent persons should be sealed permanently. The investigation is understandably massive and only in its infancy ... The medias interest in this story should not trump truth and accuracy, both of which will only be accomplished through maintaining the integrity of the investigation at this early stage, they wrote. The Crowns legal arguments have yet to presented before the provincial court. Some family members of the 22 victims of the April 18-19 shootings have stated publicly that theyve not been told enough about what occurred in the rampage of Gabriel Wortman. Most of the families are seeking to register a class-action suit against the RCMP over their response during the shooting and arson events that went on in five communities for over 12 hours. Advocates for gun control, along with advocates for women whove suffered domestic abuse, have called for greater public revelation of what kind of weapons were used and the details of prior violence Wortman is alleged to have committed. The gunman was shot and killed by police in Enfield, N.S., but investigators are still looking into how he obtained his weapons and whether he had any assistance in creating a replica RCMP vehicle and acquiring a police uniform. The Crown argues that the redactions are necessary to protect the investigation. It cites a series of recent court decisions that allowed blacking out of documents in the early stages of investigations. Investigations are becoming complex ... Courts acknowledge that a complex investigation takes time to fully corral, the prosecutors write. They note that in 2012 a court in New Brunswick allowed a sealing order related to search warrants in the Dennis Oland murder case to be extended by six months. Portions of the search warrants were eventually released. Some of the key legal principles on when search warrants can be released stem from a landmark 1982 Supreme Court of Canada decision, in a case launched by investigative reporter Linden MacIntyre. The highest court ruled that once a search warrant is carried out, the warrant and supporting documents must be made public, but exceptions can be made, such as protecting innocent parties if the search didnt yield evidence. In his ruling, Justice Brian Dickson wrote, the rule should be one of public accessibility and concomitant judicial accountability, and public access should only be restricted to protect social values of superordinate importance. However, the Crown lawyers argue one of the areas of superordinate importance is protection of the innocent. They argue that in court decisions since MacIntyres landmark case, the courts have widened the definition of innocent parties, and that it would cover many of the witnesses used to obtain the search warrants. The Crown lawyers argue that naming witnesses who spoke to police may connect them to the worst mass shooter in Canada. Federal lawyers representing the Canada Border Services Agency make similar arguments in a brief that argues their investigation into the potential smuggling of weapons that Wortman used is in its early stages. They are also asking for materials blacked out for investigatory purposes to remain sealed for six months, and information blacked out for protection of the innocent, to be permanently sealed. Lawyer David Coles, representing a variety of news organizations including The Canadian Press, will be presenting the medias arguments in upcoming hearings. During an April 24 news conference, RCMP Supt. Darren Campbell said the RCMP has a responsibility to determine the actions of the gunman over the almost 13 hours of the rampage. He said the priority was to determine the gunmans movements and whether anyone assisted him prior to the attacks or in obtaining weapons. Read more about: From the carefully selected demure colours to the blank facial expression, 14-year-old Juliette Bourne sees more than just her face staring back at her when she looks at her self-portrait. To her, the work is a reflection of the strange time that has been COVID-19. To someone viewing the artwork, they might think its just a portrait that doesnt show much but with my process that I took, it reflects a lot of my life in quarantine. Juliette Bourne, 14, with her lockdown self-portrait. Credit:Simon Schluter The keen artist says she deliberately took a photo of herself that felt more monotone and picked simple colours for the oil painting, which involved five layers over 10 hours. I wanted all the pieces to go together and not be too extravagant, which relates back to quarantine being nothing to be excited for. The past week witnessed many developments with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic in India and across the globe. While the global coronavirus cases near the 10 million-mark, India is also racing toward a grim milestone as the number of fresh infections rise unabated. While the cases are on the rise, scientists and drugmakers are also making great strides in arriving at a potential Covid-19 vaccine. Heres taking a look at the top Covid-19 developments from this week: India added over 80,000 fresh coronavirus cases to its tally this week. On Monday morning, the national figure was updated to 425,282 which stood at 508,953 on Saturday morning - an increase of 83,671 new cases. On Saturday, authorities in Delhi will begin the campaign to determine the spread of the Covid-19 in the national capital. The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca Plc.s experimental vaccine, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, is the first to enter the final stages of clinical trials. If the trial is successful, the Oxford Vaccine Group expects to launch the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of this year. A top US public health official has said that the actual number of cumulative Covid-19 infections in the country is around 10 times the reported number, which stood at 2.42 million Friday. Also read: India reports over 18,000 daily Covid-19 cases for first time; tally at 5.08 lakh The UK has started immunisation of about 300 people with a new coronavirus vaccine as part of a trial led by experts at the Imperial College London. As the surge in new cases continue in the US, infections went up by nearly 40,000 in another one-day record. According to the World Health Organisations draft landscape of Covid-19 vaccines, on June 22, there were 13 experimental vaccines in clinical trials and another 129 in the preclinical evaluation stage. The latest WHO draft notifies 16 experimental vaccines to be in clinical trials and another 125 in the preclinical evaluation stage as of June 24. The global health body has stated that AstraZeneca, Moderna are ahead in the Covid-19 vaccine. Certainly in terms of how advanced they are, the stage at which they are, they are I think probably the leading candidate, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said. On Friday, the WHO said that nearly $31.3 billion, over the next 12 months, will be needed to develop and roll out tests, treatments and vaccines for Covid-19. Gilead Sciences experimental antiviral drug remdesivir has been added by South Korea to its coronavirus treatment guidelines. Seoul has also urged caution in the use of the steroid therapy dexamethasone. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Tuesday launched drugs under Patanjali Ayurved that claimed to cure coronavirus. The AYUSH Ministry sought all information on its trial and banned advertising it as a drug to cure coronavirus. She admitted in September that she spends $30,000 a month on clothes. And on Saturday, PR queen Roxy Jacenko gave Instagram fans a look inside her designer walk-in wardrobe at her $6.6million Sydney mansion. The 40-year-old drew attention to a Christian Dior 'Book Tote Bag', retailing for approximately $3,600 AUD, shelves of stilettos and a rack of Balmain blazers, setting her back at least $2,700 a piece. Luxe life: PR queen Roxy Jacenko (pictured in November), 40, gave Instagram fans on Saturday a look inside her designer wardrobe, after revealing she spends $30,000 on clothes a MONTH 'Home,' Roxy simply captioned the photo and video of her envy-inducing wardrobe. Also featured inside the space were Chanel ballet flats, at around $1,130 a pair. Earlier this month, Roxy showed off a few of her handbags, estimated to be worth $1million in total. Two photos shared to Instagram saw a number of Hermes' classic Birkin bags in size 35cm, with prices starting at around $20,000 for calfskin. Pride of place: Roxy showed off a Christian Dior 'Book Tote Bag', retailing for approximately $3,600 AUD Luxury garments: Shelves of stilettos and a rack of Balmain blazers (top right), were also displayed, setting her back at least $2,700 a piece As seen in one picture, Roxy has at least three of the 35cm size - considered the most popular bag in the world among fashion collectors. The mother-of-two also showed off a 25cm Togo design in black, with a retail value of $24,000. Two of the Mini Kelly in pink and black are located on the bottom shelves of her walk-in wardrobe, with a price point of approximately $11,845. Walking in style: Also featured inside the space were Chanel ballet flats (left), at around $1,130 a pair Pride of place: Earlier this month, the mother-of-two showed off a few of her Hermes Birkin 35cm bags (left), retailing for approximately $20,000 Mini Kelly: Two of the Mini Kelly in pink and black are located on the bottom shelves of her walk-in wardrobe, with a price point of approximately $11,845 Classic black: Roxy also has a 25cm Togo design in black, with a retail value of $24,000 Roxy's closet is also home to the ultra-rare crocodile skin Birkin, which can retail at anywhere between $70,000 and $435,000. Her Birkin handbag collection is estimated to be worth a whopping $1million. In addition to Hermes, Roxy also boasts a range of designer bags from the likes of Chanel, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Dior and Fendi. The luxe life: In addition to Hermes, the Sweaty Betty PR founder also boasts a range of designer bags from the likes of Chanel, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Dior and Fendi Art: 'It's like artwork for me - it's a sense of achievement,' Roxy told viewers of her bags in her TV special I Am...Roxy in September last year 'It's like artwork for me - it's a sense of achievement,' she told viewers of her bags in her TV special I Am...Roxy in September last year. 'People buy artwork for walls, I buy handbags!' The bestselling author added that she doesn't have a standout favourite. Now that's a collection! 'People buy artwork for walls, I buy handbags!' Roxy added 'I don't buy based on what I like. It's more about what's most saleable long-term as I look at my collection as an investment,' she said. The entrepreneur also admitted in an interview at the time, to spending $30,000 a month on clothes but makes a 'conscious effort not to buy trend pieces that are overly expensive'. 'I spend $30,000 a month on clothes, which is a lot, but at the same time we could be talking a bag and a couple of jackets, and already you're at that figure,' she told News.com.au. The United Nations has decided that the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago lies with Mauritius. The United Kingdom and the Unites States believe that the UN's views on the matter are inappropriate. Mauritius says that UK will further isolate itself on the international scene by holding on to the islands. The United Nations celebrates its 75th anniversary on 26 June. For the small island state of Mauritius, this thing ('le machin'), as General De Gaulle called it in 1960, embodies hope following decades of struggle to restore its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. The islands were excised from Mauritius in 1965, before it gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos islands, was then leased by Britain to the United States, for use as a military base. True to its mission to give a voice to the voiceless, the United Nations served Mauritius pretty well. The United Nations has allowed Mauritius to be part of this large committee of nations where we have been able to network and exchange views. Its very principle of self-determination has enabled us to lay our claims, said Ambassador Jagdish Koonjul, the permanent representative of Mauritius to the United Nations. On 25 February 2019, the UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded that the decolonisation of Mauritius was not lawfully completed in 1968. On 22 May 2019, the United Nations General Assembly voted an overwhelming 116 to 6, in favour of a resolution demanding that the United Kingdom withdraw its colonial administration from the Chagos Archipelago within six months. The UN also stressed that it is urgent to proceed with the resettlement of Chagossians and urged the UK to cooperate with the process. The United States, Hungary, Israel, Australia and the Maldives backed the UK in the vote and 56 countries abstained, including France and Germany. China and Russia, the other two permanent members of the Security Council, voted in favour of Mauritius as did India. Britain and the USA vehemently rejected the decisions of both the Court and the Assembly, as they not the appropriate forums to resolve what in their view is purely a bilateral matter between two States. Unlawful British occupation Britain failed to leave the Chagos Archipelago by November 2019, as instructed by the UN. A response, wrote Philippe Sands, legal counsel for Mauritius at the ICJ, that placed it [Britain] in the rogue-state company of apartheid-era South Africa, which in 1971 defied a similar opinion from the International Court on the status of Namibia. Mauritius called UK an illegal colonial occupier. Meanwhile, the island is garnering global support for its cause. The African Union and the Non-Aligned Movement back Mauritius on the Chagos issue. As did Pope Francis when he visited the island in September of last year. 30 cross-party British MPs including Labour, SNP, LibDem signed a letter, on 19 June, calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to immediately act on the ICJ ruling. We are concerned that the government's refusal to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands risks undermining our country's credibility in these matters on the world stage, wrote the MPs. In February 2020, the United Nations published an updated world map where the Chagos Archipelago is clearly depicted as part of Mauritius and no longer as 'British Indian Ocean Territory' which is how the UK government continues to refer to the archipelago. Henri Marimootoo, veteran journalist at Le Week-End, a Mauritian weekly, told RFI the change is a great leap forward. In the context of the dispute between Mauritius and its former colonial master, it is very important that the UN insisted that the Chagos Archipelago is a Mauritian territory, he said. Blackmailed into ceding Chagos Marimootoo wrote a series of articles, the Diego Files, after he examined pre-independence talks when UK declassified its records in 1997. He says Britain blackmailed the Mauritian delegation led by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam who will later become the island's first Prime minister. On 23 September 1965, Sir Seewoosagur met Prime minister Harold Wilson who told him that The Premier [Ramgoolam] and his colleagues could return to Mauritius either with independence or without it. The best solution of all might be independence and detachment by agreement According to Marimootoo, the UK records show that Wilson was advised by the Colonial Office to take a tough line with this guy. 'This 'guy' refers to Sir Seewoosagur. It is not only contemptuous, like a master to slave attitude, but it clearly shows how Britain threatened the Mauritians ahead of independence. Wilson later wrote in his memoirs that it was 'a fair deal', declares Marimootoo. Britain insists that the 1965 agreement is legally binding and was confirmed in 2015 by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea arbitral tribunal. Any suggestion that Mauritian independence was conditioned on detachment is simply not based on fact, Britain argues at the UN. However, the ICJ clearly said that it is not possible to talk of an international agreement when [Mauritius] was under the authority of the latter [United Kingdom]. You see, the UK was both the buyer and the seller. On top of it, it is in complete violation of the 1960 UN Resolution 1514 which forbids a colonial power to dismantle a territory prior to its independence, explains Marimootoo. Diego Garcia, a crucial military base In 1966, UK and the United States entered a uniquely close partnership to use the Chagos as a joint military base. The agreement now runs till 2036. To make this possible, all Chagossians (around 1,500) were forcibly removed between 1968 and 1973 and transported to Mauritius and Seychelles. When Mauritius announced a visit to the archipelago early 2020, the United States reacted strongly. The US, through its Embassy in Mauritius, called it a provocation that will severely damage relations between the United States and Mauritius. For the US, the islands' status as a UK territory is essential to the value of the US/UK military base on Diego Garcia. But Ambassador Koonjul told RFI that Mauritius can certainly do what the UK is doing and even more. Come 2036, UK will not be able to renew the US lease on Diego Garcia. But we, Mauritius, are prepared to give a 99-year lease to the United States, he added. Money for rights Britain earmarked, in 2016, a support package of 40 million (over 44 million) for Chagossians in the UK, Seychelles and Mauritius. The funds cover support for improved access to health, education, employment and cultural conservation. The 40 million is meant to divide the Chagossians because Britain is in dire straits. It is facing mounting pressure from the Chagossians and the international community, says Marimootoo. He added that the funds are also meant to put Mauritius in an embarrassing position. How can Mauritius possibly tell the Chagossians not to accept any money? It's the same divide and rule policy that has served Britain well in the past. Marimootoo believes that most Chagossians would like to live in UK. They know the value of money and that of a British passport. If they had to choose between living on the archipelago, in the UK or Mauritius, most of them would choose UK, he says. But for Olivier Bancoult, leader of the Chagos Refugees Group, the fundamental rights of Chagossians cannot be traded for money. The British support package also includes visits to the various islands of the archipelago. Around eight have so far taken place since 2017, the latest being in February 2020. This is a trap, Bancoult told RFI. We cannot accept visits if our rights are not respected. He added that, apart from short visits to the islands, the Chagossians have received none of the other benefits promised in the support package. I was born on Peros Banhos, and I am to be treated like a visitor in my homeland, while there are foreigners paying six month permits to enjoy barbecues on our land. Belongers cannot be visitors! For Koonjul, the position of the United Kingdom is untenable. We don't have an army to go to Chagos and just claim it back. Sooner or later, they [UK] will have to talk to Mauritius if they want to be respected as a nation committed to the rule of law. Don't you think it is ironical that the UK, a founding father of the UN, should go against the very values and ideas it brought to this institution? The future of Britain's top civil servant came into question yesterday after he was accused of lacking the skills to deal with the domestic coronavirus crisis, it has been claimed. Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, has been the target of increasingly hostile briefings in Downing Street ahead of an expected overhaul of the Cabinet Office and senior ministers. The question mark left over his position as the most powerful official in Government came ahead of what is regarded as an inevitable public inquiry into how the government has handled the pandemic. Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, has been the target of increasingly hostile briefings in Downing Street ahead of an expected overhaul of the Cabinet Office and senior ministers It has also been reported that Dominic Cummings, the PM's senior advisor, has vowed to take an axe to the civil service after coronavirus 'fundamental' flaws in the government machine. Mr Cummings, a well-known critic of the civil service, is said to have told colleagues the Cabinet Office will be stripped of powers after being found wanting during the crisis, adding: 'A hard rain is going to fall.' There were even claims of a bruising exchange between the PM and Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill at a meeting on the lockdown 'exit strategy' recently. Downing Street yesterday refused to say that Sir Mark Sedwill would serve as cabinet secretary into next year. But Mr Johnson's increasing use of individuals from the private sector instead of Government officials could be a sign that Sir Mark may not have long left in the Cabinet Office. Downing Street yesterday refused to say that Sir Mark Sedwill (second from left, at Cabinet) would serve as cabinet secretary into next year He most recently appointed Baroness Dido Harding, the former chief executive of Talktalk, to head the government's Test and Trace programme. She is also the Chairwoman of NHS Improvement. The Cabinet Office, where Sir Mark is based, has been criticised for being unwieldy, unfocused and unresponsive to political pressure as ministers have attempted to avoid crises on PPE and ventilator shortages. Another concerning move is the return of career civil servant Simon Case to Downing Street, who was seconded from his role as private secretary to the Duke of Cambridge last month. Mr Case is seen as closer to Sir Jeremy Heywood, Sir Mark's predecessor, than Sir Mark, who joined from his role as permanent secretary at the Home Office under Theresa May. It has also been reported that Dominic Cummings , the PM's senior advisor, has vowed to take an axe to the civil service after coronavirus 'fundamental' flaws in the government machine Critics fear that Sir Mark, who served as an envoy in Afghanistan, is too steeped in security and foreign policy concerns and lacks the skills to tackle a complex domestic crisis. 'Mark could convene a loya jirga [legal assembly] of Pashtun elders, wire up GCHQ and probably kill a man with his bare hands but Simon's rather better at solving a series of ticklish problems and making the whole thing "tick",' a source told The Times. When asked at a briefing whether Sir Mark was being sidelined, a Downing Street spokesman said: 'Sir Mark continues to work closely with the senior team to ensure that the government receives all the advice that it needs.' As protests and rallies against racial injustice sweep our country, there is heightened public awareness about racial discrimination and inequality in America. Many people are looking for ways to educate themselves about these issues. As an entrepreneur, its imperative that you understand the context behind these flashpoints and absorb the importance of this moment in our history. But where do you start to fill in your knowledge gaps and broaden your understanding of whats going on? Movies can be effective in bringing meaningful stories to life and offer an easy way to help us start addressing these complicated issues. Related: How This Tech CEO Is Leading His Company Through Racial Unrest These films offer big-picture ideas with key messages, like the importance of diversity, tolerance and acceptance. They provide excellent jumping-off points to further inform yourself and pursue a deeper understanding of these obstacles and problems. The titles below deal with characters, situations and encounters that delve into prejudice and systemic racial issues, making them great conversation starters. To help you delve deeper into these issues, Ive included additional resources that will broaden your perspective and further inform your worldview. This must-see movie has helped shape the conversation around capital punishment in the U.S. The film highlights the racial bias that permeates our criminal justice system. Based on the bestselling book by attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), and his real-life experiences, this intense drama focuses on Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), who is a defense attorney working to appeal the wrongful conviction of Walter McMillian, a black man who was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. Deeper dive: Stevensons book of the same name goes much deeper into his efforts to change sentencing practices, particularly for teens and children, and those with mental health problems. If you are in the Montgomery, Ala., area, the EJIs Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice offers visceral and impactful displays of the history of slavery and racism in America, including the enslavement of African Americans, racial lynchings, segregation and racial bias. Although this film is labeled a teen movie, it offers one of the most authentic portrayals of police brutality in pop culture. Like the award-winning book it's based on, this drama about a black teen named Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) who witnesses the fatal police shooting of a close friend deals frankly and powerfully with race and racism. The movie shows her grappling with the difficulties of being a black teenager in a predominantly white area, and the feeling of belonging to one world while living in another. How she stands up for justice is inspiring. Deeper dive: One character in the movie comments that "white folks want diversity but not too much diversity," which touches on a subtle bias against living in highly diverse communities or communities that are resistant to organizations effort to promote diversity. However, there are many studies that prove the positive impact diversity will have on your office and corporate environment. Focused on the untold true story of the black women who played vital roles in NASAs development of the U.S. space program, this is a feel-good female empowerment movie. The film highlights three brilliant women who worked at NASA in the 1950s and 60s and offers a realistic look at the racial tensions of the civil rights era. Its also infused with many positive messages about integrity, perseverance, teamwork and communication. Deeper dive: The movie is a fictional interpretation of the book by the same name, which is definitely worth a read. There are also many other resources out there that highlight these women and their accomplishments. Check out these articles by NPR and the New York Times. This highly lauded drama follows the Youngers, a black family living together in an apartment in Chicago. Following a death in the family, they come into a substantial amount of money and must decide how to use it. Walter Lee (Sidney Poitier) wants to make a business investment, while his mother, Lena (Claudia McNeil), is intent on buying a house for them all to live in two differing views of the American Dream. This was one of the first films to really depict how everyday racism affects black families just trying to get by. The films story still resonates for many today. Deeper dive: A Raisin in the Sun not only explores the tension between white and black society; it also examines the strain within the black community over how to react to an oppressive white community. Black communities still face economic disparities, as this Time article relates. The Brooking Institution has resources to help you better understand how racial and regional inequality affect economic opportunity. This is a genre-defining film in every sense of the word. The film tells the tale of young black teen Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who is raised in a tough Los Angeles neighborhood in the mid-1980s through early 90s. Legendary rapper Ice Cube has his acting debut in the film, playing one of the three central characters wrapped up in the drama of the streets. Boyz also made John Singleton the first African American to be nominated for best director at the Academy Awards. Deeper dive: The films blistering depiction of growing up in inner-city Los Angeles raises questions about the impacts of growing up in economically challenged areas, which the Economic Policy Institute has examined. If you want to know more about the backstory and what went into the making of Boyz n the Hood, which Singleton directed when he was just 23 years old, watch the documentary Friendly Fire: Making an Urban Legend. This Oscar-nominated historical film depicts a significant period in Dr. Martin Luther Kings life, when he planned and led the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., to secure equal voting rights for African Americans. The first attempt at this march led to brutal police violence against peaceful demonstrators. This event, known as Bloody Sunday, generated anger across the nation and prompted President Lyndon B. Johnson to push the Voting Rights Act through Congress. Deeper dive: As recent events have shown, many Americans are still fighting against racism. This movie is a reminder of how far we have come as a nation and how much further we have to go. The Hutchins Center for African and African American Research recently unveiled a free online curriculum to bring the voting-rights movement to life. This movie confronts several issues at once police violence, gentrification, re-entry after incarceration and, as its name suggests, implicit bias (blindspotting is when a situation can be interpreted two ways, but your limited perception means you only see one interpretation). These are heavy duty, serious topics, but because the film often takes a comedic approach, its one of the more accessible movies for viewers. Written, produced by and starring Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, the movie depicts Collin, played by Diggs, a black parolee who witnesses a white cop shooting a black civilian. The complications of racism, relationships and urban gentrification in Oakland play out through Collins interactions with his short-tempered and reckless white best friend Miles, played by Casal. Deeper dive: In many ways, the film is asking audiences to examine their own blind spots. Its a call to action that we all become more aware of our implicit biases. To help you examine your own implicit biases, Harvard has developed this online test. Loving is a biographical film about Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple who were arrested for their interracial marriage in 1958. Their Supreme Court case was a landmark decision that resulted in the end of laws banning interracial marriage, and this movie shows the powerful impact of standing up and fighting for what you believe in. Deeper dive: While interracial relationships are on the rise, most Americans say that overall race relations in the U.S. are bad and getting worse. And while interracial dating isnt as taboo as it used to be, many younger people in the black community have been warned that doing so may put you in a vulnerable position. Jordan Peele's directorial debut turns white supremacy into a horror flick. The films premise is what happens when a black man goes to visit his white girlfriends seemingly liberal parents, though they have a very twisted underlying motive. The movie is the personification of the sentiment I wish people loved black people as much as they love black culture. Deeper dive: Get Out addresses a more subtle form of covert racism and discrimination, which is often concealed in the fabric of our society, hiding behind the facade of politeness. Fighting this means learning to become an antiracist, and is the topic of a bestselling book by Ibram X. Kendi. This film tells the true story of Oscar Grant III (Michael B. Jordan), a young man who was killed in 2009 by a police officer in Oakland, Calif. It opens with the actual footage of Grant and his friends being detained by the BART police, who oversee the Bay Areas public transit system, and goes on to portray the last day of Grants life through flashbacks. It offers a window into a real-life example of racial discrimination within law enforcement. Deeper dive: The film depicts how lack of opportunity, routine incarceration and racism conspire to devalue the lives of young black men in America. Some studies have suggested that increasing community connections between police and young black men could lead to a reduction in violent encounters. Related: 10 Movies All Entrepreneurs Should Watch on Hulu Related: #10 Tips to Stay Healthy During the Self-isolation Days of Covid19 6 Fourth of July Sales on Home Workout Gear Get a Huge Fourth of July Discount on This Gym-Quality Rower Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, file photo, Borden milk rests on a shelf in a cooler in Richmond Heights, Ohio. Elsie the cow has a new home. Borden dairy, which filed for bankruptcy protection in January, has been sold to two private equity firms, the company announced Friday, June 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File) Elsie the cow has a new home. Borden dairy, which filed for bankruptcy protection in January, has been sold to two private equity firms. Dallas-based Borden said Friday it was sold for about $340 million to Capitol Peak Partners and KKR. Colorado-based Capitol Peak will be the majority owner while New York-based KKR will be a minority investor. Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Bordens 12 U.S. plants which produce 500 million gallons of milk per year will remain open and its 3,300 workers will keep their jobs, the company said. Borden CEO Tony Sarsam will step down when the sale is completed, and Capitol Peak and KKR will appoint a new board of directors. There was no word, however, on the fate of Elsie, the smiling cow that has been Bordens mascot since 1936. The sale is expected to be wrapped up in mid-July. Borden, founded in 1857, has been hammered by changing American tastes. Milk consumption is down as U.S. refrigerators are increasingly stocked with juice, soda and milk substitutes made from soy or almonds. Liquid milk consumption in the U.S. has tumbled more than 40% since 1975. Capitol Peak Partners was founded by Gregg Engles, who is the former chairman and CEO of Dean Foods and the former chairman and CEO of WhiteWave Foods, which makes Horizon organic milk and Silk plant-based milk. Engles sold WhiteWave to Danone SA in 2017. Dean Foods, which is also based in Dallas and is the nations largest milk producer, filed for bankruptcy protection in November. It sold nearly all of its assets to the Dairy Farmers of America in a transaction completed last month. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:10:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A study conducted in India's villages has found that 86 percent of the health providers in rural India were private "doctors" and 68 percent had no formal medical training like Bachelor of Medicine or MBBS. The survey, conducted in 1,519 villages across 19 states, revealed that 75 percent of villages had at least one health care provider, and a village on an average had three primary health providers. But, at least two of every three "doctors" in rural India were informal providers of care, with no qualifications in modern system of medicine. The study titled "Two Indias: The structure of primary health care markets in rural Indian villages with implications for policy", is being described as the country's first comprehensive assessment of public and private health care availability and quality, as measured by their medical knowledge. The study was conducted by researchers from the Delhi-based "Centre for Policy Research (CPR)" and its findings have been published in the "Social Science and Medicine" journal. Its findings support the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2016 report on The Health Workforce in India, which had also found that 57.3 percent people practicing allopathic medicine in India did not have a medical qualification, and 31.4 percent were educated only up to secondary school level. The study also found that formal qualifications were not a predictor of quality, even as, in sharp contrast, the medical knowledge of informal providers in southern states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka was found to be higher than that of trained doctors in eastern state Bihar and northern state of Uttar Pradesh. In a press release, president and chief executive of the CPR Yamini Aiyar said "The COVID-19 crisis has placed unprecedented demands on our health care, making it clear that we need to have an urgent discussion on how it needs to be structured moving forward. This crucial paper uncovers fundamental features of our rural health care system with key insights for regulation, training and capacity. It is also a testimony to CPR's unflinching commitment to rigorous research that guides policy and enables much needed reform." English daily Hindustan Times quoted lead author and professor at Washington-based Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University Jishnu Das as saying that for the vast majority of rural households, informal providers, usually called quacks, were the only option that was locally available. "Public health clinics and/or MBBS doctors are so few and far between that they are just not an option for most villagers. So the idea in health policy circles that as states get richer, informal providers will automatically vanish, is just not true in the data," added Jishnu Das. One of the findings also stated that India was divided into two nations not just by quality of health care providers, but also by costs, even as better performing states provide higher quality at lower per-visit costs. This trend was consistent with significant variation in the availability and quality of medical education across the state. Enditem Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk on Saturday called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos a copycat after the e-commerce company announced its decision to acquire California-based ride-hailing company Zoox. "@JeffBezos is a copy[cat] haha," Musk tweeted on Friday with a link to an article about Bezos' Zoox purchase. Amazon will reportedly shell out over a billion dollars to buy the six-year-old self-driving vehicle technology startup. "Zoox is working to imagine, invent, and design a world-class autonomous ride-hailing experience," said Jeff Wilke, Amazons CEO, Worldwide Consumer. "Like Amazon, Zoox is passionate about innovation and about its customers, and we're excited to help the talented Zoox team to bring their vision to reality in the years ahead," he added. Zoox reportedly settled a lawsuit with Tesla in April after admitting that some new employees it hired from Tesla possessed documents when they joined Zoox. Tesla had filed a lawsuit last year against four former employees and Zoox. Public benches in the Costa del Sol village of Casares are to display painted diversity messages in time for the celebration of LGBTI day this Sunday 28 June. Councillor for Equality, Antonia Pineda, explained that the aim was to "pay tribute to all those people who have fought and who keep fighting to achieve a fairer world". Using the slogan 'Casares, municipio orgulloso' (Casares, a proud municipality), the town hall will also be running a social media campaign as normal marches have been suspended. Residents are also urged to hang the colours of the rainbow from their balconies as well as supportive messages. France is increasingly optimistic about the effectiveness of its anti-jihadist campaign in the Sahel, but experts caution that short-term successes will not by themselves bring lasting victory. President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott on Tuesday for a summit of West African leaders to discuss their joint effort to roll back jihadists in the sprawling region. Armed groups gained the upper hand in the Sahel last year, stepping attacks on Malian and Nigerian military bases. France responded by beefing up its Barkhane anti-jihadist force in West Africa -- now over 5,000-strong with 600 recently-added troops. Earlier this month, the French army claimed one of the biggest successes in its seven-year campaign, with the killing of the head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Abdelmalek Droukdel. The operation's main focus now is to track down militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS) in the border area shared by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The IS-GS has itself been fighting Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups, according to the French army, and has sustained heavy losses in recent months. "We have reversed the principle of uncertainty. We are the ones who are unpredictable for terrorist groups," a senior officer in the French general staff, asking not to be named, told AFP. "Today in the Sahel, victory is possible and this idea is taking hold among our partners," added an advisor to Macron. - 'Limited impact' - Despite rising French confidence, many struggles lie ahead, say specialists of the region. Jean-Herve Jezequel, an analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG) said it was "undeniable" there had been "tactical" successes but self-congratulation may be premature. Killed: Abdelmalek Droukdel, head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) / Hand-Out/AFP/File "The French have already talked like this on several occasions," he told AFP. A source with a humanitarian group in the area, who asked not to be named, told AFP: "There have been big tactical successes but the long-term impact is limited or even zero." In the immediate, the Barkhane force has left areas where jihadists had been defeated to focus on other places. In doing so, they have "left the field open to the very jihadists they had chased away," added the source. Macron earlier this year signalled that all the options were on the table for the future of the French force, including withdrawal. But now officials in Paris emphasise that while French troops will not be there forever, it is too soon to pull out. The governments of these countries, among the poorest in the world, are struggling to reinvest in the newly-retaken territories and win hearts and minds. They have to provide security, education, justice and basic services -- "the military are only one tool" in a strategy to defeat jihadism, French Defence Minister Florence Parly warned recently. - G5 Sahel hopes - The US State Department's 2019 report on terrorism, issued this month, noted the problems facing French allies, which have suffered a 250-percent rise in attacks since 2018. Show of solidarity: Sahel leaders gathered with French President Emmanuel Macron in January to lay wreaths in honour of seven French soldiers who died in a helicopter crash in Mali / POOL/AFP "Partner countries remain strong-willed against terrorism but lack the means to contain or degrade the threat on a sustained basis," it said. A key part of French strategy lies with the so-called G5 Sahel force -- a scheme to create a 5,000-man joint force gathering Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, Mali and Niger. But the force lacks equipment, training and funds. It "is not yet capable of disrupting the growing terrorist footprint across the Sahel but has potential as a coordination mechanism", the State Department report said. France has lobbied hard for military support from its European friends, and this is now bearing fruit. A group of European special forces called Takuba is mustering to help Malian troops. Around 100 Estonians and French will be deployed in the coming months, followed by 60 Czechs later this year and 150 Swedes in 2021. dab-dla-ah-sjw/mlr/ri/je Mumbai, June 27 : Actor Shekhar Suman has launched legal proceedings against writer, director and producer Saif Hyder Hassan for recording "Ek Mulaqaat", claiming that the latter recorded the play without his consent and knowledge. He has also mentioned the ticketing portal BookMyShow in his legal notice, which he sent on June 26. Suman and Hassan had collaborated together for "Ek Mulaqaat", for which they toured Dubai, Singapore, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Indore and New Delhi. The play, also featuring Deepti Naval, was launched in 2014. The notice sent by the actor's advocate Ajatshatru Singh via registered post to Hassan places on record the infringement of copyright and violation of intellectual property rights, with a restraining order on the distribution of "Ek Mulaqaat" on any digital platform without mutual consent. The notice states that the agreement entered by both the actors at the time of signing was for the play to be exclusively performed only in the theatres with no agreement with respect to webcast or broadcast. "I have explored theatre for the sheer passion of it and I will not permit any party to jeopardise my career. The director had recorded the entire play during one of the performances without my consent and knowledge. It is an industry norm that the technical set-up required for a web or theatrical telecast differs considerably with the set-up allocated for a live stage performance," Shekhar said, talking about his legal action. "Moreover this is a sheer violation of the performers right under Section 38A of the Copyright Act, 1957, as I have not authorised the director to record, store and webcast my work and there is no written agreement to the effect. When the public advertisements were noticed by me three days ago, I had personally communicated my concerns to the team of bookmyshow.com, who specified that the director had given an undertaking stating that all the rights to publish and commercialise the digital version of the play were vested in him," he said while explaining why he opted for the legal route. He continued: "It is pertinent to mention that I have never formally authorised the director to publish my work on any portal and nor has the director bothered to apprise me in this regard, and selling the same to any digital portal on false pretense of having digital rights tantamount to fraud under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Further, any such assurance is nothing but an act of misrepresentation and cheating. The director is liable to pay Rs 15 lakh towards the income generated by him from advertisement and digital use of the play without any authorisation within one week as the income is nothing but royalty. If the director fails to comply with the directives then I will be constrained to initiate all such legal measures available in this regard including but not limited to initiating civil and criminal proceedings against him." It is being claimed that the director also defaulted in payment of the remuneration of the actors, which was addressed by the actors on repeated instances, following which the actors stopped performing the play in 2018. The play is scheduled to be webcast on the website of the ticketing platform later this month. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Aleppo: Regime ally Russia carried out its heaviest strikes in days on Syrias Aleppo on Tuesday, as at least five children were killed in rebel fire on a school in the war-torn countrys south. The raids killed 16 civilians, a monitor said, and caused massive damage in several residential areas of the citys rebel-held east. Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile cancelled a planned trip to Paris in a row over the violence in Syria, where Moscow is helping President Bashar al-Assads forces in an operation to recapture all of Aleppo. Syrias army announced a bid last month to retake the city, which has been divided since mid-2012. The assault began after the collapse of a short-lived truce negotiated by Washington and Moscow, and has seen the besieged east of the city come under fierce aerial assault. The army said last Wednesday it would reduce its bombardment, after days of bombing that killed hundreds and destroyed the largest remaining hospital in the rebel-held east. But an AFP correspondent and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported renewed heavy bombing on today. This is the heaviest Russian bombardment since the Syrian regime announced it would reduce the bombardment last week, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. The 16 dead, among them four children, were killed in raids in the Bustan al-Qasr and Fardos neighbourhoods, the Observatory said. An AFP correspondent in Bustan al-Qasr saw a multi-storey residential building that had been destroyed, its facade sheared off in the air attack. Members of the White Helmets rescue force pulled two lifeless toddlers from the building and wrapped them in white sheets. Footage by the Aleppo Media Centre activist group showed a toddler, blood smeared across her face, lying on a hospital bed. An older man near her is wailing in pain as a team of medics bends over him, calling out instructions to the nurses. The Britain-based Observatorywhich relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its informationsays it determines what planes carried out raids according to their type, location, flight patterns and the munitions involved. Backed by Russian air raids, government forces have been advancing street by street into rebel-held parts of Aleppo. At least 290 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by government or Russian fire since the operation began, according to the Observatory. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tripping the Light Fantastic: Remembering Inez Hunter by Jo Anne Quinn January 2010 Many a local boy recalls being forced to dance with GIRLS (ewwwcooties!!) during the weekly classes led by Mrs. Inez Hunter at a number of Catholic grade schools in the Sunset and Richmond Districts. Our teacher was born Inez Alma Berine on November 15, 1902, the daughter of Raymond Berine and Florence (Eisfelder) Berine, both of California. She graduated from San Francisco's Girl's High School in 1920. She married Thomas "Jack" Hunter. Mrs. Hunter was a real character and her husband was like-mindeda big man with a hearty laugh and a deep, scratchy voice, who always sported a HUGE cigar. They were a perfectly matched couple. She had two daughters, Nancyhelen and Carol Inez (now known as Rabia) and saw Nancyhelen go on to be a major feminist force in Washington State in the area of encouraging women to run for political office. Nancyhelen passed away on December 1, 2008 at the age of 77. Rabia, now 74, is currently an Advisory Council Member for the Sonoma County Council Committee on Ageing. Why and how Mrs. Hunter decided to become involved in the art of dance is not known. Aside from teaching in Catholic schools, she also had a dance studio that she operated out of her own home, teaching ballet, tap, jazz and acrobatics. Your author was one of her students. She gave recitals at places like the Laguna Honda Home and the San Francisco Maritime Museum, usually during the holiday seasons. They were always great fun, despite the grueling rehearsals, mothers laboriously sewing elaborate costumes and dads building props. In 1985, the St. Cecilia Class of 1960 invited Mrs. Hunter, along with our other teachers, to a 25th reunion held in the school's auditorium. As the photo shows she did not hesitate, just like in the "old days," to pick out the tallest boy to engage in an honorary dance. She also danced with a few of the girls, just to make sure they had remembered their long-ago lessons. Seeing this wonderful woman again, after so many years, added a welcomed and whimsical touch to the gathering. On the occasion of her 85th birthday, she threw a big party at a hotel in San Francisco, and invited not only friends and family, but also former students. The turnout was impressive. Everyone brought old photos of their dance school days, which were pinned up on a bulletin board next to Mrs. Hunter's contributions. Her husband, with his ever-present large cigar, delighted in being surrounded by such an enthusiastic group. Mrs. Hunter even did a little dance for us. By golly, she still had all the right moves Two contributors to the this Web site's message boards remembered Mrs. Hunter in previous posts: Paul Judge: "Over in the Outer Richmond, Inez Hunter provided folk dancing lessons to every 1st through 8th grade on Tuesday mornings at St. Thomas the Apostle. She was regularly outfitted in one of her colorful folk dresses and soft dance shoes. She impressed me with how effortlessly and gracefully she glided across the floor. She worked pretty hard to teach us and didn't truck resistancethus we ended up being able to dance. It was nearly obligatory for us boys to decline interest or outward enthusiasm to this weekly task. I don't know how the girls felt, but it sure beat spending time at the chalkboard perpetually diagramming sentences. Like many youngsters in the neighborhood, my younger sister Mary took ballet lessons from Mrs. Hunter at her studio in the garage of her home on 44th or 46th and Cabrillo. It wasn't unusual to see grade school girls, dressed in their tights, toteing toe shoes and making their way to afternoon dance lessons while us boys played ball in the street." W.M.: "I went to St. Cecilia from 1st grade (1961) through 4th grade. I remember dance classes with Mrs. Hunter. Because I was tall for my age, she always made me dance with her as my partner. It made me a better dancer." One of her students recollects, "Mrs. Hunter was a godsend to me after my Mom died. Don't know what I would have done without her! Even though I quit ballet eventually, I still kept in touch with her. We went out to dinner quite frequently as she always wanted to eat somewhere that she couldn't go to on her own after her husband died. Because I could drive, we went to places all over San Francisco. And she was in pretty good health until she got cancer in one of her feet (isn't that ironic since she taught dancing). She went downhill pretty fast after that, and ended up with pneumonia." Our teacher pirouetted into the Light of that Great Studio in the Sky on November 14, 1992, one day short of her 90th birthday and the big party her daughters had planned for her. We owe a huge vote of thanks to Inez Alma Beirne Hunter for trying to teach a bunch of awkward pre-adolescents how to be social and graceful. Perhaps she did not always succeed, but she left us with some wonderful memories and a few dance steps to impress our dates with. Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places! Coronation Street star Daniel Brocklebank has revealed he was banned from a dating site after operators thought he was an impersonation of himself. The soap star, 40, took to Twitter to reveal the hilarious mix-up on Thursday, after being convinced by his mum to try and find love through a dating site. Daniel - who plays vicar Billy Mayhew on Corrie - also took to social media on Saturday to celebrate Global Pride by reflecting on the moment he came out to his family. What? Coronation Street star Daniel Brocklebank, 40, has revealed he was banned from a dating site after operators thought he was an impersonation of himself Taking to Twitter Daniel hilariously revealed: 'My mum suggested I join a dating site... I did & they banned my profile because they thought I was impersonating myself.' An amused fan then asked him whether he'd been allowed to rejoin the dating site, with Daniel responding that he was still barred. He penned: 'Nope. I figured it was the universe suggesting it was the wrong move.' What went wrong? The soap star took to Twitter to reveal the hilarious mix-up on Thursday, after being convinced by his mum to try and find love through a dating site Not yet! When asked by a fan if he had been able to rejoin the dating site, Daniel revealed that he is still barred Daniel also took to social media on Saturday as the nation celebrated Global Pride from their homes, with most public events cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Reflecting on the moment he came out aged 15, the soap favourite told fans he would still openly embrace his sexuality. He tweeted: 'I came out to my family in 1995 at the age of 15. I have been out & proud ever since. I will continue to be proud & hold my head high & you should too because you're awesome! Happy Pride beautiful people. Beloved: Daniel is best known for playing vicar Billy Mayhew on Coronation Street, and joined the soap in 2014 Love is Love! On Saturday Daniel also reflected on the moment he came out to his family as he celebrated Global Pride Despite being loved by fans for his role as Billy on Corrie, Daniel revealed last year he still suffers vile homophobic abuse. Speaking on Good Morning Britain last year, Daniel said he sometimes responds to the vile abuse to remind people that it still exists. He said: 'I choose to highlight it actually. I think it's important to highlight in 2019 that it still exists. 'People do it less now because I call them out on Twitter, so I think they've stopped because they know I'll highlight it.' Coronation Street recently resumed filming after almost three months off when production was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is big news concerning retired Lt. General Michael Flynn. An appellate court has sided with the governments motion to dismiss the criminal charges against him . While the rest of us rejoice that the rule of law seems to be prevailing in this matter, at long last, that the great injustice being perpetrated against Flynn and indeed against all of us has been at least temporarily stymied, we hear belligerent lost souls screaming out: But Flynn pled guilty. To which one should reply, No, he did not. The short explanation is that the statute requires materiality. As the DOJ pointed out, the false statement must be material to an investigation. (And arguably only regarding a criminal one; non-criminal, counter-intelligence, investigations dont have a criminal purpose, hence concepts of materiality would be problematic because they're speculative, since the purpose of the counter-intelligence investigation is unmoored to the criminal law.) A good working equivalent of materiality in this context is large enough to matter. Speaking more in the vernacular, the falsity of the statement must have been such as to have screwed up an investigation in an important way, in some way that mattered. There werent any criminal investigations against or concerning Flynn. (Criminal includes espionage; spying. Espionage is a crime.) Non-existing investigations cannot be screwed up. And therefore one cannot plea guilty to a non-crime. (Yes, yes, such a plea might appear proper on its face, so that in some sense one could plead guilty to a non-crime. But the same argument undercuts the belligerent lost souls protest that Flynn had pled guilty. Sentence had not been passed, and it was at the very least procedurally permissible for the federal prosecutor to request dismissal. So if its procedurally possible to plead guilty to a non-crime, its procedurally possible to dismiss it before sentencing.) In passing, we may note that many people who have pled guilty have later been found to have been innocent . Another reason there really was no crime is again tied to the requirement of materiality. Flynn purportedly lied about what he had said on the telephone. If this is to be a crime, the lie must have materially screwed up an investigation. But the people to whom Flynn made the statements had the transcripts of what he had said on the phone. Their investigations could not have been materially screwed up by his statements (even if there had been any). Indeed, the questioning of Flynn without an underlying criminal investigation in order to trap him was a perversion. A perversion of the statutes purpose, the purpose being to protect the information gathering process. (See this University of Chicago law review article which describes such entrapment as perversion, p. 1278 ) The fundamental principle of Western law is that statutes are to be interpreted according to their purpose. (Even the dynamic theory of statutory interpretation requires interpretation in light of societal and legal context.) But the Soviet rule of interpretation was exactly opposite. Fundamentally untied to precedent, unrestrained and arbitrary, it sought only to impose order (qua the silence of the grave) as convenient to those in power. Sound familiar? Those who bent and perverted our system of justice to get Flynn committed the great sin of legal perversion. Soviet-style. They must receive their just reward. Tadas Klimas is a former FBI agent, awarded the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement ( NIMA ). He is also a former law professor and is the author of Comparative Contract Law . Laois Offaly based Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett is set to join her constituency Fianna Fail colleague Barry Cowen in the Department of Agriculture after being nominated by the new Taoiseach Micheal Martin. In what represents a huge step in a rapid rise in a fledgeling political career, Sen Hackett will be a Minister of State responsible for land use and biodiversity. It is a surprising but also historic appointment as senators are rarely appointed to any type of ministerial posts. The post she will fill is not a regular junior ministry position. It is described as a 'super junior ministry' meaning she will sit at the cabinet table with the Taoiseach and other senior Government members for some meetings. To date, Sen Hackett has been the Green Party's spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Animal Welfare. Both Minister Cowen and Minister of State Hackett will have to cross the border into Laois on occasion as many of the Department of Agriculture staff were relocated to Portlaoise under decentralisation. A native of Ballindine in Co Mayo, she is also an organic farmer near Geashill on the Laois Offaly border and stood for the Green Party in the constituency in the 2020 General Election. She came sixth but lost out on one of the five seats on offer. Sinn Fein's Brian Stanley topped the poll. It is a remarkable rise for the politician joined the Green Party around 2016 on the recommendation of neighbour and Green Party founder Christopher Fettes. She was elected to Offaly County Council in 2019. Later that year she was elected to the Senate in a byelection - a seat she retained in 2020. She holds a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Essex, a postgraduate diploma from University College Dublin, and a PhD from the University of Limerick. She lives on a mixed organic farm (suckler cows, sheep, hens and horses) with her husband Mark and four young children. Sen Hackett joins Fianna Fail TD in the Department of Agriculture. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden holds a roundtable meeting on reopening the economy with community leaders at the Enterprise Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 11, 2020. Joe Biden has accused Donald Trump of betraying his duty as president, after a report claimed the White House knew for months Russian intelligence offered Afghan militants bounties to kill U.S. soldiers but did not punish Moscow. "His entire presidency has been a gift to Putin, but this is beyond the pale," Biden said during a virtual town hall Saturday. "It's betrayal of the most sacred duty we bear as a nation to protect and equip our troops when we send them into harm's way. It's a betrayal of every single American family with a loved one serving in Afghanistan or anywhere overseas." The New York Times reported Friday that the U.S. determined months ago a Russian military intelligence unit offered Taliban-linked militants bounties to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Trump was briefed on the intelligence and the White House National Security Council discussed the findings at a meeting in late March, according to the Times, which cited officials briefed on the matter. Officials developed options from a diplomatic complaint to sanctions, but the White House has not yet authorized a response, the Times reported, citing the officials. The Wall Street Journal also reported Saturday that a Russian spy unit paid militants in Afghanistan to attack U.S. troops, citing people familiar with classified American intelligence. The assessment was delivered to the White House earlier this spring, a person familiar with the intel told the Journal. The White House on Saturday denied that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were briefed on the matter, but did not dispute the validity of the intelligence as described in the New York Times' report. "The United States receives thousands of intelligence reports a day and they are subject to strict scrutiny," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said. "While the White House does not routinely comment on alleged intelligence or internal deliberations, the CIA Director, National Security Advisor, and the Chief of Staff can all confirm that neither the president nor the vice president were briefed on the alleged Russian bounty intelligence." "This does not speak to the merit of the alleged intelligence but to the inaccuracy of the New York Times story erroneously suggesting that President Trump was briefed on this matter," she added. Trump said on Twitter Sunday that he, Pence and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows were not briefed on what he referred to as "the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians." The Trump administration reached a deal with the Taliban in February to reduce the U.S. troop presence and established a cease-fire, with the goal of completely withdrawing from Afghanistan in 14 months. Biden, the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, slammed Trump for inviting Russia to join a summit meeting of seven world powers, known as the G-7, in Washington this September after allegedly being briefed on the plot to kill U.S. soldiers. Russia was kicked out of the group in 2014 after annexing Crimea from Ukraine. "President Trump, the commander in chief of American troops serving in a dangerous theater of war, has known about this for months according to the Times and done worse than nothing," Biden said. "Not only has he failed to sanction or impose any kind of consequences on Russia for this egregious violation of international law, Donald Trump has continued his embarrassing campaign of deference and debasing himself before Vladimir Putin," Biden continued. "He has had this information according to the Times and yet he offered to host Putin in the United States and sought to invite Russia to rejoin the G7." The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul, said he immediately reached out to the Trump administration after reading the New York Times' report and "will be talking with them in the very near future." "If accurate, the administration must take swift and serious action to hold the Putin regime accountable," McCaul said. The Texas congressman said the report deepens his concerns about the Russian government's "malicious behavior globally." "From invading Ukraine, propping up dictators around the world and interfering in U.S. and European elections, the Putin regime has shown time and again it cannot be trusted and is not our friend," McCaul said. Biden said he took the report personally as the father of a soldier who served in a war zone. His son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015, deployed to Iraq in 2008 with the Army National Guard. "But I don't just think about this as a candidate for president. I think about this as a dad, a father who sent his son to serve in harm's way for a year in the Middle East and in Iraq, and I'm disgusted on behalf of those families whose loved ones are serving today," Biden said. On June 11, Beijing's confirmation of a COVID-19 case ended the 55 days wherein the city did not report any local transmission. Since then, the outbreak has spiked and the city has responded with fierce determination to rein it in. As of June 27, Beijing has tested 356,000 people and overall there are 137 new cases. According to Xinhua, Beijing went on total lockdown after the sudden increase in cases this month. Residential compounds were locked down again, all schools are closed and the flights going in and out of the city have been canceled. Were the new cases linked to fish? All of the infections in the city were linked to a wholesale food market that is now shut down temporarily. The link to the market as compared to the seafood market in Wuhan where the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic took place, there was also speculation that the virus arrived in fish that were imported from Europe. However, the real source of the coronavirus outbreak in Beijing is still not known. In mid-April, the city reported its last case of COVID-19 transmission. The current outbreak began when a man with no history of travel in the past few months visited a doctor on June 10 with chills and fever. He then tested positive for COVID-19 and was hospitalized. The officials think that he or a close contact was infected at the Xinfadi Agricultural Wholesale Market, which is a 112-hectare complex with 2000 stalls and sells seafood, produces, and meat. Every day around 10,000 customers and workers are in the area. This then led to the effort to test customers, market workers, and residents nearby the area. Also Read: FDA Warns Consumers to Avoid These 9 Hand Sanitizers With Fatal Ingredient Medical experts have reported that the surfaces that they tested in the market are positive of the coronavirus. They found a cutting board that was used for salmon that was positive of the virus but they did not discover any evidence that it infected fish. The medical experts think that the packaging was contaminated during processing before the fish was shipped to China from Europe. According to China Daily, the sequencing shows the reason behind the new coronavirus outbreak in the city. The report stated that it may have been from those who returned from Europe. Yang Peng, an official with the Center for Disease Prevention and Control in Beijing, stated that the meat that was imported from Europe may have been the culprit. He said that the visitor or market employee may have been infected and unknowingly spread the virus to other people. Where it started A veterinary epidemiologist at the City University of Hong Kong, Dirk Pfeiffer does not believe that the virus arrived at the market through fish delivery. He said that it is more possible that the virus as brought in by infected humans who went to the market and spread it, as reported by Science Mag. Back in January, a lot of the earliest COVID-19 cases were connected to another market, the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China. Many scientists believe that COVID-19 originated in bats and have passed through an intermediate host before jumping to humans. Pfeiffer added that thousands of people go to the market and hundreds of people work there. The markets are also not hygienic and it can contribute to the increased risk for the virus. Markets also have humid, chilled air that provides an environment in which the virus can thrive. Related Article: Fact Check: Companies Allegedly Installed COVID-19 Tracking Apps on Phones During Service Outage @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. FCA announces voting results from its Annual General Meeting Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA or the Company) (NYSE: FCAU / MTA: FCA) announced today that all resolutions proposed to shareholders at the Companys Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) held today in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, were passed. The AGM advised positively in relation to the 2019 Remuneration Report and adopted the 2019 Annual Accounts. The AGM re-elected all FCA directors standing for re-election. John Elkann, Michael Manley and Richard Palmer were re-elected as executive directors of the Company. Ronald Thompson, John Abbott, Andrea Agnelli, Tiberto Brandolini d'Adda, Glenn Earle, Valerie Mars, Michelangelo Volpi, Patience Wheatcroft and Ermenegildo Zegna were re-elected as non-executive directors of the Company. In addition Ernst & Young Accountants LLP were appointed as independent auditors of the Company. The AGM also renewed, for a period of 18 months from the date of the AGM, the existing delegations to the Board of Directors of FCA of the authority to issue common and special voting shares, to grant rights to subscribe for common and special voting shares, and to limit or exclude pre-emption rights for common shares. Furthermore, the AGM renewed, for a period of 18 months from the date of the AGM, the existing authorization of the Board of Directors to repurchase up to a maximum of 10% of the Companys common shares issued as of the date of the AGM. Pursuant to the authorization, which does not entail any obligation for the Company but is designed to provide additional flexibility, the Board of Directors may repurchase common shares in compliance with applicable regulations, subject to certain maximum and minimum price thresholds. Finally, the AGM approved the proposed amendments of the Companys Remuneration Policy and of the special voting shares terms and conditions. Details of the resolutions submitted to the AGM are available on the Companys corporate website ( www.fcagroup.com ). Story continues London, 26 June 2020 Attachment Deaths of P Jayaraj and his son J Bennix in police custody in India, have caused an outcry against custodial deaths. The death of a father and son in police custody in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has caused outrage after the victims family accused the police of torturing the duo in custody. P Jayaraj, 59, and his son J Bennix, 31, were imprisoned by police last Friday in Thoothukudi district for violating coronavirus lockdown orders in the state. The police accused them of opening their mobile phone shop beyond the 8pm limit. The police claim Bennix complained of chest pain and Jayaraj suffered from high fever while they were lodged inside the sub-jail of Kovilpatti. They were taken to Kovilpatti government hospital where both of them died within hours of each other, the police said. But family members say the duo were subjected to torture in custody. They also accuse the police of sexually assaulting the victims. https://twitter.com/suchi_mirchi/status/1276218996602228737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Jayaraj and Bennix were thrashed again after they were taken to the police station, even as some of us were witnessing it from the entrance of the police station, the relatives told The Hindu newspaper. Tamil Nadu, one of the states worst-affected by the coronavirus in the country, has continued its lockdown to check the spread of the virus. More than 70,000 cases have been reported in the southern state, with 911 deaths. Most parts of India have lifted lockdown measures despite the number of virus cases crossing half a million. Protests against deaths The state government, headed by the regional All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), announced compensation of Rs 2 million ($26,450) would be paid to the family of the victims. It also suspended two police officers and transferred several other officials. A local court is monitoring an investigation into the case, which has sparked protests in the state with the main opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party calling for the guilty to be charged. Post-mortems for the men have not yet been released but initial medical reports showed injuries on the bodies of the victims, according to local media reports. Their legs and hands were swollen, and Bennix was bleeding from the buttocks. (Jayaraj) had bad injuries in his knees. The police even asked for new lungis (sarongs) because the ones they wore were bloody, S Rajaram, a lawyer and Bennixs friend, told the Singapore-based The Straits Times news website. Amnesty India called on the Tamil Nadu government to end impunity for police officers. The deaths of Jayaraj and Bennicks [Bennix] once again signal towards Indias continuing failure to hold its police accountable, said Avinash Kumar, Executive Director of Amnesty International India in a statement. The poor conviction rates in cases of custodial torture and deaths have further created a climate of pervasive impunity, emboldening the police officers. This must end now. According to the 2018 National Crimes Record Bureau data, Tamil Nadu accounted for the second highest deaths in custody. But not a single police personnel was arrested. The hashtag #justiceforjayarajandbennix was trending on Twitter. A video post by radio jockey Suchi calling for action against the police for the alleged torture went viral. The leader of Indias main opposition Congress party condemned police brutality. Police brutality is a terrible crime. Its a tragedy when our protectors turn into oppressors. I offer my condolences to the family of the victims and appeal to the government to ensure #JusticeForJeyarajAndFenix, he tweeted. The Israeli prime minister has broken with the Israeli right-wing policy of creeping annexation. Why the shift? Akiva Eldar is an Israeli author and was formerly an editorial writer and columnist for Haaretz. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gears up to fulfill his pledge to advance Israeli sovereignty over 30 percent of the West Bank starting July 1, politicians and analysts around the world are wondering what is motivating this annexation drive. Successive Israeli governments have refrained from imposing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank for more than half a century, since Israel occupied the land in 1967. The right-wing ideologues who preceded Netanyahu, such as Prime Ministers Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir and Ariel Sharon, adhered to a policy of quiet, creeping annexation. After the occupation of East Jerusalem and the application of Israeli law to it in 1967 and its annexation of the Golan Heights in 1981, they adopted the recommendations of jurists, demographers, senior security officials and veteran diplomats, and claimed Israel is just a temporary custodian of the West Bank lands until their fate can be determined in negotiations. Netanyahu himself had been following this strategy until recently. One explanation for Netanyahus rush to move from de facto to de jure annexation is the upcoming United States presidential election that could remove US President Donald Trump from power and bury the peace plan bearing his name, which for the first time in 53 years gave Israel the green light to annex Palestinian territories. Presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who holds a significant lead over Trump in the polls, has clearly expressed his opposition to unilateral Israeli annexation, telling Jewish donors during a May 20 fundraising webinar, Im going to reverse Trump administration steps which I think significantly undercut the prospects of peace. However, the implementation of the annexation plan is not going to be easy under Trumps presidency, either. Even the lead architect of Trumps peace plan, Jared Kushner, is not wild about allowing Netanyahu to start the annexation of Palestinian lands in a hurry. According to recent reports, he is concerned that allowing Israel to move too fast could further alienate the Palestinians. The international community is overwhelmingly against annexation. If implemented, annexation would constitute a most serious violation of international law, grievously harm the prospect of a two-state solution and undercut the possibilities of a renewal of negotiations, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said at a recent Security Council meeting. I call on the Israeli government to abandon its annexation plans. The European Union has also made it clear that it would not turn a blind eye to Israel annexing parts of the West Bank in violation of international law. On June 10, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas flew to Israel just to warn Netanyahu that annexation could prompt European sanctions and possibly the official recognition of a Palestinian state. Settlement leaders are not keen on annexation, either. They have launched a public campaign against the Trump plan. They say annexation would risk opening the door for a Palestinian state while ending any expansion of Israeli settlements in much of the West Bank. David Elhayani, who chairs the umbrella council of the settlements, went as far as to claim Trump and Kushner are not friends of the State of Israel. The Arab states of whose friendship Netanyahu likes to boast are also refusing to accept his plans for unilateral annexation. On June 12, Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the US, took the extraordinary step of penning an op-ed in Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth to express his countrys rejection of unilateral annexation in the West Bank. In the UAE and across much of the Arab world, we would like to believe Israel is an opportunity, not an enemy, he wrote. Israels decision on annexation will be an unmistakable signal of whether it sees it the same way. Top Israeli security officials, meanwhile, are warning that annexation would give rise to violence and bolster Hamas at the expense of the Palestinian Authority. Israeli ambassadors in world capitals say they fear an avalanche of condemnations and even economic sanctions. And for what? For a largely symbolic move that would achieve nothing other than focusing the worlds attention on Israels ongoing human rights violations and stripping the mask of temporary custodianship from what has evolved into an apartheid regime in the West Bank. Netanyahu, a seasoned prime minister, cannot be blind to all these repercussions. He is also well aware of the clause in his coalition agreement with Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz stipulating that they would seek to advance the Trump plan while pursuing the security and strategic interests of the State of Israel, including the need to maintain regional stability, preserve peace agreements and pursue future peace agreements. Following Jordans warning about the dire consequences of annexation for regional peace, Gantz could argue that annexation does not comply with the terms of the coalition deal and quit the government. Netanyahu does not seem overly concerned about a possible Blue and White walkout that could lead to new elections. Actually, for Netanyahu, such a scenario could be one of the most positive consequences of annexation. An election campaign would delay his criminal trial and could boost his political power. Results of a June 8 poll aired on Channel 12 in Israel suggest that if elections were held now, Netanyahus Likud party would gain 40 Knesset seats (compared to its current 36), making it by far the countrys largest political party. Blue and White under Gantz would plunge from its current 33 seats to 12, two less than his one-time allies Yair Lapid and Moshe Yaalon would garner. Jewish voters would accept a supposed ideological reason for dismantling of the so-called unity government, especially with the blessing of a US president who they adore, even if they do not like the idea of additional elections. Thus, if Trump gives the go-ahead, territorial annexation would turn into political separation. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. BRADY ANDERSON, Chariho, Wrestling, Sophomore; Anderson finished first in the 152-pound weight class at the Griswold Midseason Invitational tournament. Anderson went 3-0 in the tournament, pinning all of his opponents in the first period. Anderson is 10-4. LYDIA LASKEY, Stonington, Gymnastics, Senior; Laskey finished first in all four events in meets against NFA and Westerly. Laskey had an all-around score of 33.75 against NFA and 34.60 against Westerly. RILEY PELOQUIN, Westerly, Girls Basketball, Sophomore; Peloquin scored 22 points and had 19 rebounds in two games. Peloquin is averaging 7.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game for the Bulldogs. DEONDRE BRANSFORD, Wheeler, Boys Basketball, Sophomore; Bransford scored 25 points and had 28 rebounds in a pair of Wheeler victories. Bransford is averaging 10.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per contest for the Lions. Vote View Results At least 150 beds of the 450 total earmarked for the treatment of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients in Delhi governments newly constructed hospital in Burari will be ready within a week, according to a city administration plan. As per the plan, prepared by Delhis health department, 38 doctors newly appointed to posts of chief district medical officers will join the hospital along with some specialists, and experienced doctors will be diverted from other hospitals. The hospital has also been directed to hire resident doctors. The construction of two other Delhi government hospitals in Ambedkar Nagar and Dwarka are also nearly complete. For nursing staff, the hospital has been asked to hire employees on posts that have already been created. Some nursing staff from other hospitals will also be provided to start the hospital. Nursing orderlies, house keeping staff, kitchen or canteen, sanitation workers will be outsourced by expanding the existing contracts that the government has with various agencies for its other hospitals. For labs and tests, the hospital has been asked to tie-up with private laboratories on rates applicable under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) or Delhi Arogya Kosh scheme, which covers the cost of tests and over 1,000 procedures at private hospitals and labs for patients going to Delhi government hospitals. Oxygen cylinders will be given to the hospital from the Centres supply, while refilling will be done by the hospital. Other medicines and consumables will be procured by the central procurement agency from open market or nominating existing suppliers, according to the order, signed by the principal health secretary Vikram Dev Dutt. Linen, pillow cover, patient gowns, and staff uniform will be on rental from laundry services. Ambulances will be provided by the governments Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS), the order states. All purchases for the hospital will be made under the disaster management act accounting, which was allowed for all its hospitals by the Delhi government last week. The payments will be made from the Delhi State Health Mission Covid-19 funds and Delhi health budget. Saturday: Spectre (2015) ITV, 8.30pm - The last theatrically released Bond adventure to date sees the newly appointed M (Ralph Fiennes) battling political forces, including Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), to protect the integrity of MI6 following a merger with MI5. A cryptic message reveals ghosts from Bond's past and 007 (Daniel Craig) follows a chain of evidence that leads to Dr Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux), daughter of fugitive Mr White (Jesper Christensen). Aided by technical wizard Q (Ben Whishaw) and plucky agent Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), Bond criss-crosses the globe 10 and infiltrates a menacing organisation named SPECTRE, fronted by the enigmatic Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz). A robust tale of espionage and dark family secrets that can't quite live up to its tour-de-force opening at a Mexican day of the dead parade. Sunday The Mountain Between Us (2017) Channel 4, 9pm Storm clouds amass over Salt Lake City, grounding all commercial flights. Photojournalist Alex Martin (Kate Winslet) is poised to marry fiance Mark (Dermot Mulroney) the following day in New York. She charters a two-person plane from avuncular pilot Walter (Beau Bridges), and offers the second seat to Dr Ben Bass (Idris Elba). During the flight, Walter suffers a stroke and the plane careens into a snow-laden peak in the High Uintas Wilderness. Walter perishes; Ben suffers bruises and broken ribs, and Alex's leg is injured. When she regains consciousness, the strangers confront the reality that Walter didn't log a flight plan so they are alone in the sub-zero wilderness. Based on the novel by Charles Martin, director Hany Abu-Assad's drama remains airborne thanks to solid performances from Winslet and Elba. God's Own Country (2017) Channel 4, 11.10pm Shot on location in West Yorkshire, writer-director Francis Lee's award-winning, heart-breaking love story draws comparisons to Brokeback Mountain - albeit in chillier surroundings - for its tenderly observed coupling of a disenchanted farmer's son and a Romanian migrant worker. John Saxby (Josh O'Connor) bears the heavy burden of running his family's farm now that his father Martin (Ian Hart) is partially paralysed following a stroke. Adding to his woes, John is wrestling with his sexuality and he engages in fumbling encounters with local men, without any emotional engagement. As the lambing season approaches, Martin hires a casual worker, Gheorghe Ionescu (Alec Secareanu), to help John repair damage to a stone wall. The two men bed down in an old outhouse and sparks of passion fly. Monday 12 Years a Slave (2013) Film4, 9pm Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) lives with his family in 1841 Washington City. Following a meeting with two seemingly respectable gentlemen, Solomon is sold into slavery. His first master, Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch), is kind - up to a point - but fate delivers the lead character to sadistic Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). This master spites his unfeeling wife (Sarah Paulson) by taking a shine to one of the slave girls, Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o), and Solomon is caught in the crossfire. Based on Northup's autobiography of the same name, 12 Years a Slave made a big splash at the Oscars, and deservedly so. Steve McQueen's bravura third feature is a sensitive yet unflinching portrait of suffering that delivers its message of brutality and endurance with the full force of a sledgehammer to the solar plexus. Section 1 Content ACE hosted its first virtual summit, Race and Crisis at a Crossroads, June 22 in partnership with American University, bringing together over 100 higher education professionals to explore findings from a new ACE report and what institutions can do going forward. The conversation was particularly timely as the country continues to be rocked by the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and subsequent calls for racial justice. As American University President Sylvia Burwell said in her opening remarks, As leaders of educational institutions across this country, I think we all know that our missions provide us with an opportunity and obligation to take up this challengeracism, criminal justice reform. Thats why events like todays event are so important. They can help us all learn to better understand the role of leadership in supporting the campus community in the midst of ongoing racial trauma. Your commitment to turn these insights into action is not just what we as universities need, but also what our nation needs. The first panel presented findings from Leading After a Racial Crisis: Weaving a Campus Tapestry of Diversity and Inclusion, ACEs recently released second report on the 2015 racial crisis at the University of MissouriColumbia, also known as Mizzou. Report co-authors Adrianna Kezar and Sharon Fries-Britt spoke about the rare opportunity to examine a racial crisis and recovery in real time, while Mun Y. Choi, president of the University of Missouri System and interim chancellor of the University of MissouriColumbia, spoke about the vulnerability it took to be so public about the incident, but how the work of the reports has helped improve the university. Im glad we did it, he said, The discomfort that we feel as university leaders is nothing compared to the discomfort that our students and faculty members of color felt. Only through the process of opening up will we find ways to improve. Kezar also talked about the importance of examining context that leads up to and may give warning of bubbling racial unrest, looking at it from the institutional, local, state, and national levels. Fries-Britt examined how Mizzou raised its capacity to address issues of racial injustice after the incident by bringing in new leaders, getting the students and community involved, and providing funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Following the panel, participants were divided into breakout groups and provided with guiding questions. This gave them time to reflect on the session, reframe key takeaways in their own words, and apply what they learned to the specific contexts of their own institutions. The second panel focused on navigating diversity, equity, and inclusion going forward. Fanta Aw, vice president of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence at American University, expressed that campuses must go beyond merely creating a task force and report after a crisis. They must take actions that build trust and sustain it, which involves connecting with people who have credibility in the affected community and making sure to communicate with authenticity. She also talked about the importance of language, of not using diversity and inclusion as a euphemism for issues specific to race. NaTashua Davis, interim vice chancellor of the Division of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity, and executive director of access and leadership development at Mizzou, pointed out that institutions must begin preparing now for what looks like will be a divisive election season this fall. Two other major takeaways were that every single person in the campus community has to take personal responsibility for educating themselves and speaking up and that students need to be taught racial fluency just as they are taught math and writing before they go out into the world as colleagues, citizens, and leaders. After that, participants returned to their breakout groups for another short discussion about what actions they will take as a result of attending the summit before being called back together for final remarks. This summit was generously supported by EAB, a member of the ACE Thought Leaders Circle. A recording of the panelist sessions is available on ACE Engage, ACEs online community and learning platform. Create a complimentary account to view the recording and join the Race and Equity discussion group to continue the vital conversations about race and equity in higher education. Please also keep an eye out for information from ACE about an in-person event at American University, in partnership with Sodexo connected to this summit, once health and safety conditions allow. The Southeast Asian block rejects Chinas plan for Air Defence Identification Zones in the South China Sea. They defend the principle of freedom of navigation in the disputed waters. They face the difficult task of balancing trade integration with China and the need for diversified partners and investors. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) In the final communique of their annual summit, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have stressed the importance of freedom of overflight in the South China Sea, weary of Chinas increasing assertiveness. The ten-member organisation has rarely taken a common position against Beijing's territorial claims of almost 90 per cent of the South China Sea. On their own, ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia strongly oppose them. Last April, the Philippine government condemned the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea, which Hanoi blames on a Chinese coastguard ship. In an official note sent to the United Nations in late May, Indonesia backed a ruling by the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague against the "Nine-Dash line," Beijings historic territorial demarcation claim, which it says has no legal basis and violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. In addition to occupying and militarising a series of islets and coral reefs in the sea, China did not rule out the possibility of imposing an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the area. Beijing in 2013 did just that with the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. The ASEAN statement shows that member states are concerned by "the land reclamations, recent developments, activities and serious incidents" in the sea, insisting on the principle of freedom of navigation in the disputed waters. The United States and its Asian allies share this view. Territorial issues with China overlap economic ones. ASEAN is in fact concerned about its economic stability, threatened by the post-coronavirus recession. The pandemic has shown the vulnerability of supply chains linked to China, Southeast Asian countries main trading partner. For analysts, ASEAN countries will be forced to find on new point of balance in their relations with Beijing. Efforts at boosting trade with China, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, will have to be accompanied by diversification of partners and investors. To this end, the United States and Japan are offering opportunities to move businesses away from China. Speaking to a small crowd on Union Square Saturday morning, the Rev. Reggie Longcrier reflected on the time he was put in a chokehold by a police officer. Longcrier said he was involved in criminal activity before he entered the ministry. He recalled screaming that he could not breathe. However, the strongest memory of that moment for Longcrier was the faces of the wide-eyed, startled children who witnessed him being put in the hold. He wondered how the trauma may have affected those children, how witnessing brutality might have led some to express their rage through actions like looting or destroying buildings. Longcrier spoke about the anxiety Black Americans feel because of the ever-present threat of violence and the longtime experience of seeing violence against Black Americans going unpunished. He detailed the long history of violence against Black Americans from Emmett Till in the 1950s to Rodney King in the 1990s and George Floyd in the present day. We live in a constant state of terror, Longcrier said. Day by day, memory is survival. Were constantly looking over our shoulders, wondering where the next shoe is going to drop. Will it be with my family? For Kennedy, her destiny flipped after a chance meeting in 2010 at an Atlantic City conference on mental health, with then-Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.) headlining. He was winding down the last months of a 16-year career in Congress, one that had seen plenty of public battles with substance abuse. His familys history with mental illness had made that the central cause of his public service. Heather Cornelius hopes the Foreign Secretary will persuade the Dubai authorities to release her husband on humanitarian grounds - Eddie Mulholland The wife of a British businessman jailed in Dubai has asked Domninic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, to appeal for clemency over fears that he will succumb to coronavirus while in prison. Heather Cornelius has written an open letter to Mr Raab, pleading with him to intervene with the Gulf kingdom's authorities on behalf of her husband, Ryan. She fears he will contact the virus amid what she describes as the prison's unsanitary conditions and hopes the Foreign Secretary will persuade the Dubai authorities to release him on humanitarian grounds. Mr Cornelius has spent 13 years in prison after being convicted of fraud involving a $500 million loan to his business from the Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB). The 66-year-old served his original 10-year sentence, handed down in 2009, but in 2018 was given an additional 20 years under retrospective application of Dubai's Law 37, designed to keep debtors prison until they can discharge their debts. Mr Cornelius is already suffering from tuberculosis, caught from an infected inmate, and is being held in a jail in which coronavirus is circulating, leaving his family in Britain terrified that he may catch the virus and die. In her letter to Mr Raab, Mrs Cornelius says: "Last December, my husband contracted tuberculosis through proximity to a prisoner in an adjacent cell. He has still received no treatment for it. Covid-19 is now spreading rapidly in a prison whose authorities will not even supply soap for inmates to wash their hands. "At 66, his immune system already weakened by tuberculosis and 12 years in prison, my husband is unlikely to be alive at the end of his sentence. "I have never asked FCO [the Foreign and Commonwealth Office] to intervene in a Dubai legal process. I have simply asked you to support a plea of clemency from me to the Ruler of Dubai. Your officials have consistently refused. "My husband has surely suffered enough. I have made pleas of my own to the Ruler, but received no reply. He would listen to one which came with your support." Story continues Mr Raab has been asked to intervene with the Gulf kingdom's authorities - AFP Mr Cornelius's family and friends have accused British ministers of ignoring his plight for fear of offending the Gulf emirate. In a letter to James Cleverly, the Minister for the Middle East seen by The Telegraph Liberal Democrat peer Lord Clement-Jones, a member of the Saudi-Britain Joint Business Council and a Law Society Ambassador to the City of London, urged the British Government to intervene. He wrote: "Your predecessors all chose to look the other way. You do not have to make the same choice. Please, even at this late date, may I ask you to support a plea for clemency to the Ruler of Dubai." The case highlights the plight of British nationals held in overseas prisons in conditions that leave them at risk of contracting potentially deadly coronavirus. It is estimated that around 6,000 British nationals are currently imprisoned overseas, many in developing countries struggling to cope with the spread of the pandemic. DIB's chairman, Mohammed al Shaibani, is the current director-general of the Ruler's Court in Dubai. A fact-finding hearing at the Royal Court of Justice, made public in March, noted that Mr Shaibani had confirmed the identity of three individuals involved in the alleged abduction of Princess Shamsa, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, who was snatched from a Cambridge street in 2000, when she was 19. Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the family division of the High Court in England and Wales, stated in his judgment that senior Dubai officials use the state and its apparatus "to threaten, intimidate, mistreat and oppress, with total disregard for the rule of law". Mr Shaibani denies any involvement in the alleged abduction. He also denies claims that Mr Cornelius was arrested on his orders. Whitehall sources said concerns had been raised with the UAE government about the potential spread of Covid-19 in its prisons and the welfare of Mr Cornelius. An FCO spokesperson said: "We continue to provide assistance to British nationals in the UAE and are in touch with the local authorities." Islamabad, June 27 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved a 100 million PKR grant for the construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad, it was reported on Saturday. The request for the grant was made to Khan by Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri during a meeting on Friday, reports Dawn news. The meeting was also attended by a delegation including Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi, Pakistan Hindu Council founder Ramesh Vankwani and several other MNAs belonging to religious minorities. The delegation sought the support of the government for the construction of first temple in the capital to which the Prime Minister gave a verbal approval. Haq told Dawn news that the summary in this regard had already been sent to the Prime Minister Secretariat. "We will pursue the matter... and it is expected that it will be signed next week," the Minister said. The Hindu Panchayat Islamabad will manage the Shri Krishna Mandir. The Panchayat's president, Mahesh Chaudhry, said a large number of people from various parts of the country, including Balochistan and Sindh, had shifted to Islamabad, mainly due to insecurity in those areas. "Now when we have families here, there is a need for a crematorium, a place for collective prayers and marriage ceremonies," Chaudhry said, adding that "currently, we hold Holi and Diwali functions in government's community halls or marquee". According to Malhi, the Hindu population in Islamabad had reached to around 3,000. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Passengers queue at a security check point at Sydney Airport on July 30, 2017. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images) 30% Returned Overseas Travellers Refuse to Be COVID-19 Tested in Victoria Federal politicians from both sides of the divide have labelled as reckless and selfish returned travellers in quarantine in Victoria who are refusing COVID-19 tests. Victorias Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen revealed on June 26 about 30 percent of international travellers are refusing to be tested, despite multiple offers during their 14-day stay. Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman was shocked by the figures. Frankly, I think it is recklessly indifferent of people in quarantine not to agree to have a test, because weve seen the number of people that are in quarantine testing positive is obviously a lot higher than the rest of the population, he told ABC television on Saturday. If they are not prepared to do that, they shouldnt come back. Labor frontbencher Linda Burney thought their actions were really selfish. The reason that Australia is doing relatively well in terms of the virus is because of the testing regimes and we know how important they are, she told ABC television. But she wouldnt go as far as Zimmerman in calling for mandatory testing. Melbourne remains a worrying coronavirus hotspot, and testing is being ramped up as Victoria enters the school holidays. Victoria recorded 30 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, its 10th continuous day of double digit infections. As of Friday, there were 7595 confirmed virus cases across the country since the outbreak began, which has seen 104 people die, two of which were in the past week. More cases of coronavirus are expected, with hundreds of Australians set to return from overseas in coming days to begin mandatory 14-day quarantine. About 260 people arrived in Adelaide from Mumbai on Saturday morning, while hundreds are expected to follow from South America, Indonesia and India. South Australian Health Minister Stephen Wade is preparing for about five to 10 percent of returnees to have the virus, as was the case when people arrived from Indonesia in other states. Despite the outbreak of coronavirus cases in parts of Melbourne, restrictions are being eased across Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the spike in cases is being managed appropriately, and he believes its reasonable for states to bar residents from hot spots. We remain on track, the curve remains flat, he told reporters in Canberra. Except for Western Australia, all jurisdictions will restart domestic travel during July, a commitment Morrison expects states to uphold. There will be no exemption for churches from the 50-person limit on indoor gatherings when they reopen on Monday, the Irish Independent has learned. Lobbying by the Catholic Church over the past week to have the cap on worshippers attending indoor public Masses lifted for larger churches failed, despite the outgoing Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, suggesting that a specific protocol might be worked out with the churches to allow for more flexibility. A document sent by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to his priests yesterday evening revealed that the chief medical officer and the public health authorities were "strongly against" making any exception for churches from the maximum number of 50 at indoor gatherings. The Archbishop of Dublin learned of the decision in an online meeting with Martin Fraser, secretary general of the Department of the Taoiseach. The State's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan and the public health authorities expressed specific concerns about the challenges for churches, including the problem of access and exit. They felt that the larger a gathering the greater the risk of infection, and they referred to examples from overseas where outbreaks had occurred around church gatherings. Dr Martin was told that while the Cabinet was anxious to widen the possibilities for churches it was not prepared simply to lay aside the view of the chief medical officer. In his communication to his priests, seen by the Irish Independent, the Archbishop stated: "The result is that the number of 50 remains the norm for churches at this moment." Flash Leaders from the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have reaffirmed their strong commitment to alleviating the adverse impacts of COVID-19 through a comprehensive recovery plan in a vision statement released on Friday. The plan will focus on improving stability and resilience of the regional economy, preserving supply chain connectivity, while staying vigilant of the second wave of infections, said the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN from the virtual 36th ASEAN Summit held on Friday under the chair of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. ASEAN has achieved positive results in controlling the pandemic, with low fatality rate and reduced cases of infection, and is entering a "new normal" phase, Phuc said at a press briefing held on Friday afternoon to announce the result of the summit. The bloc's leaders agreed in the vision statement to undertake necessary measures for gradual revitalization of its economic activities to implement facilitative measures and to expedite recovery of the ASEAN economies. The ASEAN member countries will duly address disruptions in trade links, promote and support regional and global supply chain connectivity and ensure unimpeded flow of essential goods and services, said the statement. To tackle the socio-economic consequences of COVID-19, the ASEAN will support workers in the sectors affected, address employment and unemployment issues during the time of unprecedented crisis, besides many other measures. The leaders also vowed to strengthen the capacity of the ASEAN and existing regional mechanisms on public health and emergency response, with practical measures including utilization of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and establishment of the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies. In early June, economic ministers from the 10 ASEAN member states approved the Hanoi Action Plan on strengthening economic cooperation and supply chain connectivity in response to the COVID-19. The 36th ASEAN summit had been scheduled for April in central Vietnam's Da Nang but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic Established in 1967, the ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Max Huntsman has already squared off against Sheriff Alex Villanueva as Los Angeles County's first-ever inspector general, overseeing accountability for both the sheriff's and probation departments. Huntsman was tasked with the job of cleaning up the department after allegations of widespread abuse in L.A. County jails. Now, Huntsman will investigate how to strengthen oversight for skilled nursing home facilities, which have seen the majority of the county's coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on May 26 to create that role, and they're looking to Huntsman to fill it on an interim basis, until they can make a final selection. "Max is strategic and engaged and has the experience we need to bring much-needed accountability to the County's skilled nursing homes," said Celia Zavala, executive officer of the Board of Supervisors, in a written statement. As inspector general, a job he's held since 2013, Huntsman has frequently come into conflict with Villanueva, who he says has routinely resisted oversight. In one report, Huntsman wrote that the sheriff has "delayed, hindered, ignored and in some cases denied outright" the inspector general's requests for information. With renewed scrutiny of police violence nationally following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the tension remains. Huntsman says the sheriff is refusing to share evidence from the recent deaths of Andres Guardado and Terron Boone, who were both shot and killed by deputies. In addition to his oversight of the sheriff's department, Huntsman is now tasked with digging into the level of care at the county's skilled nursing homes. Both the state and the county have come under fire for a policy that encourages these facilities to take on COVID-19 patients, despite the risk to elderly patients. Older people with underlying conditions are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus. The county acknowledged in its statement that many local skilled nursing homes have historically received low marks for quality of care, patient satisfaction and employee pay. "I am in strong support of the Board's desire to do everything we can to improve nursing home care," Huntsman said. The county says Huntsman will start by reviewing its current oversight mechanisms for skilled nursing facilities. He's expected to provide an initial plan of action by Aug. 1 and provide updates every 60 days until a final report is completed. MORE CONTEXT: Emily Elena Dugdale contributed to this story. Dawn O'Porter has shared a sweet throwback back snap with her late friend Caroline Flack as they enjoyed a trip to Glastonbury together with pals. The TV presenter and writer, 41, shared a snap huddled with Caroline and BBC Radio 1's Gemma Cairney, as they all flashed beaming smilies at the festival. Dawn said that the annual event is where she and Caroline had 'the most fun' and admitted she has been imagining them there together all week. Memories: Dawn O'Porter has shared a sweet throwback back snap with her late friend Caroline Flack as they enjoyed a trip to Glastonbury together with pals Thanking Gemma, who originally posted the snap, Dawn wrote: 'Thanks @gemagain for posting this picture. The best of the best times. 'Glastonbury is where we had our most fun. All week I've been imagining us there. We must be grateful we did it at all, rather than be sad we won't do it again. She ended the post by adding: 'If those fields could talk... such memories [heart].' The Love Island host, who passed away aged 40, was found dead in her London home on February 15 after taking her own life. Emotional: Thanking Gemma, who originally posted the snap, Dawn wrote: 'Thanks @gemagain for posting this picture. The best of the best times' Earlier this year, Dawn opened up about struggling with grief following the death of her close friend and regularly shares memories of the two of them together. Since her death, Dawn has regularly posted tributes to the star on her Instagram page and shared touching insights into their friendship. Dawn candidly detailed her experience with grief and shared an old photograph of the duo at an event together in 2015. Alongside the image, Dawn penned: 'This was a big night for me. Caroline showed up, as she always did. I keep waiting for it to feel easier. It doesnt. Touching: Earlier this year, Dawn opened up about struggling with grief following the death of her close friend and regularly shares memories of the two of them together 'I guess this is just a feeling that a lot of us have to live with now. Grief shouldnt feel lonely when so many billions of people have felt it, but still it does.' She added: 'Maybe thats because no one can replace what you lost, and everyone is someone different to everybody else.' Reflecting on some of her friend's favourite qualities, she said: 'Caroline meant a lot to me. She meant a lot to a lot of people in a lot of different ways. Because she was special. That laugh. That humour. That loyalty. I miss it all.' Tribute: The Love Island host, who passed away aged 40, was found dead in her London home on February 15 after taking her own life Opening up: In her latest post on Tuesday, Dawn candidly detailed her experience with grief and shared an old photograph of the duo at an event together in 2015 Dawn also speculated on how Caroline would have dealt with coronavirus isolation, and said: 'To think she didnt even know about any of whats happened to the world. Shed still have worn her stick on nails in isolation, I bet. I miss you my love.' The author has also previously shared shared a snap of herself and Caroline at a party together. She touchingly wrote in the caption: 'Missing this one grabbing my boobs. I know it's still so new, but I can't imagine a day ever again, where I don't expect her to text.' Throwback: The author shared as snap of herself and Caroline at a party together Caroline tragically took her life at her Stoke Newington home on February 15, a day after learning the CPS would be pursuing a case of assault against her following a row with beau Lewis Burton at her home in December. Following her passing, Dawn was one of Caroline's many friends to post a tribute to her on social media along with a selection of photographs. Dawn thanked her 'funny' and 'silly' friend for all the memories and added that no dance floor will 'ever be the same again'. If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Tamilla Mammadova Trend: Associated Agreement with the European Union (EU) created a base for strong and growing relations between Georgia and EU, said the EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell, Trend reports citing Georgian media. Hartzell congratulated Georgia on the 6th anniversary of signing Associated Agreement (AA) with the EU and the progress achieved. He said that the EU expected more enthusiasm with respect to legal reforms, and fair and free parliamentary elections planned to be held in autumn. The EU ambassador expressed hope that EU and Georgia would work together for strengthening of economy and creation of more attractive environment for investors. For me, the Association Agreement is like a recipe book that we took home six years ago and have been making food together ever since. Some of the dishes we made together turned out to be really tasty, such as visa liberalization or Erasmus + student exchange programs, which are enjoyed by many people. Other dishes are more like vegetables, you dont expect much to taste it. However, you end up with realizing that they are essential for health. I expect to cook together next year as well, EU ambassador said. Meanwhile, Georgia began negotiating with the EU on its AA deal in July 2010 and the final agreement was initialed at the Vilnius Summit in November 2013. Although the essential elements of the AA partially came into force from September 1, 2014, the agreement fully came into force on July 1, 2016, after the national parliaments of all EU member countries ratified the agreement. --- Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 09:34:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump Friday said on social media that he has signed an executive order to protect the country's monuments. "I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence," Trump tweeted. "Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!" the president said on Twitter. The order enforces laws prohibiting the desecration of public monuments, the vandalism of government property, and recent acts of violence, withholds federal support tied to public spaces from state and local governments that have failed to protect public monuments, and withdraws federal grants for jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies that fail to stop their desecration, said a Fox News report. It also provides assistance for protecting federal statues, according to the report. Also on Friday, Attorney General Bill Barr directed the creation of a task force to counter anti-government extremists, specifically naming those who support the far-right "boogaloo" movement and left-wing radicals who identify as Antifa. Trump said on Tuesday he would sign such an executive order, one night after police thwarted demonstrators' attempts to tear down a statue of former President Andrew Jackson near the White House. Four hundred National Guard troops have been activated in Washington D.C. to guard monuments and infrastructure and Trump has personally instructed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to restore the only Confederate statue in the U.S. capital city after it was torn down on June 19, local media reported. Trump's order came as numerous controversial statues across the country have been targeted amid weeks of protests and civil unrest across the country following the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by a white police officer who held him down with a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes a month ago. Protesters supporting the statues' removal have said that the monuments are in memory of figures believed to be symbols of racism. Trump warned that protesters who deface statues would face up to 10 years in prison, calling them "vandals, hoodlums, anarchists and agitators." The Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, a federal law passed in 2003, already makes it a crime to destroy or attempt to destroy a plaque, monument or statue "commemorating the service" of anyone who served in the armed forces. The law carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, according to a USA Today report. Enditem Members of the Evangelical Theological Society released a joint statement called "Evangelical Statement on the Gospel and Racism" condemning racism as "contrary to the evangelical Gospel." The statement released on Monday of June 15, 2020 reads, "Today's situation requires more than a statement, but certainly no less than a statement," "As evangelical academic voices, we condemn racism as contrary to Scripture and to the evangelical gospel." "As we grieved over recent events in our communities, we realized that although a statement is insufficient, it is necessary. We are compelled to declare that the Gospel stands opposed to racism, and so, too, must people of the Gospel." The mission of the statement is to 'listen, mourn, speak, and act in accordance with the gospel in our own lives, in our institutions, in our churches, and in our communities." Several churches have also issued evangelical statements on race in the U.S. within the several weeks before this statement was announced following the controversial deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and most recently Rayshard Brooks. The National Association of Evangelicals, a network with more than 40,000 churches worldwide shared their correspondence on the issue in a statement, "We condemn racism and the violent abuse of power, call for justice for victims and their families, and exhort churches to combat attitudes and systems that perpetuate racism." In addition, Summit Church Committee on Oneness and Reconciliation said, "The fight for racial justice is one God himself began as far back as Genesis 12 when he promised to reunite the ethnically diverse and contentious world through Abraham." Matt Chandler of a Texas megachurch called out the behavior of Christian Churches when faced with racial issues in the past, "Now one of the things that has happened is the Church, by and large, has refused to participate, which means that we have turned over--God help us-- we have turned over what is our inheritance to dark ideologies." Southern Baptist Convention(SBC) President J.D. Greear ordered to stop opening its annual meetings with a gavel that carries the name of John Broadus because Brodus was a slaveholder. John Broadus was a Southern Baptist leader in the 1800s. The Moroccan government has decided to suspend what is known in Spanish as 'Operacion Paso del Estrecho' (Operation Crossing the Strait). It is a huge annual logistics exercise designed to smooth the crossing of some three million people who return to Morocco and other parts of North Africa by ferry from their homes in northern Europe for a summer holiday, before coming back again several weeks later. The postponement has come as a big relief to the Andalusian regional government. The operation is coordinated by the Moroccan and Spanish authorities each year and the Junta de Andalucia regional government had been worried about the risks of mass road travel to Algeciras, Tarifa and other local ports during the coronavirus crisis. The risk of contagion and new outbreaks led the Moroccan Foreign minister, Nasser Burita, to say that the extra logistical support won't be put in place. This is because there is no time to organise it as normally planning starts in April for what the Moroccans term 'Operation Marhaba'. He added that Moroccans would be free to return home by land, sea or air, but only when borders were open, and no date has been given for that yet. "It isn't just a simple crossing, but a series of activities that have to be put in place, so it's clear and natural that the operation as we know it will not take place," he explained. This will be the first time that it has been suspended in the 32 years since special planning was put in place to make the mass transit across the Strait of Gibraltar throughout July and August run more smoothly. Burita also said that strict controls would be put in place for visitors to Morocco, including a nine-day quarantine and a Covid-19 test at the start and end of confinement. Reaction The president of the Junta, Juanma Moreno, applauded the Moroccan decision, saying it was "prudent" and "sensible" in the light of the pandemic. Moreno offered to fully cooperate with the Moroccan authorities as "the priority is protecting everyone's health". Spain's Ministry of Health had also been worried about the risks of the large-scale travel plans, because of the build-up of people at the ports and on board the ferries, making it hard to observe social distancing. The government's chief scientific spokesperson, Fernando Simon, explained that many of those travelling across Spain by road to Andalusian ports were from lower income groups and therefore more likely to be living in conditions in their home countries, such as in larger households, that encouraged the spread of the disease. Babies appear helpless, and until quite recently experts generally agreed that infants are blank canvases waiting to be shaped by the world. But now many ideas about newborns have been debunked. For example, did you know babies can distinguish right from wrong? Or that a three-month-old can understand complex ideas like gravity, and can differentiate between every monkey they see? The second part of fascinating Netflix series Babies reveals astonishing details about how smart they really are. It comes as no surprise to Amelia and Rich of south London, whose son Pascoe was filmed. We expected Pascoe to be pretty static, but early on we saw he was alert, says Rich. From just days old he was following us with his eyes, trying to connect with us. The second part of Netflix's Babies series explores infants' ability to understand gravity and morality (file image) Now Pascoe is nearly three, he plays imaginary games in which good guy Spider-Man defeats the baddie. But scientists on the show have discovered Pascoe may have understood this morality from birth. Kids in pre-school evaluate others behaviour, explains Kiley Hamlin, associate professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. But no ones asked if babies are noticing whats good and bad. Professor Hamlins research tool was the puppet show. Babies were shown a character trying to climb a hill. One puppet is helping it up, while another is pushing it back down. Babies cant tell us in words what they like more, but they can make choices, she says. We bring out a board with the bad and good puppets on to see which the babies touch first. Almost every baby chooses the helper. Susan Hespos, who is a professor of cognitive psychology at Northwestern University, conducted an experiment that revealed infants have an expectation that unsupported objects fall. Pictured: Parents Amelia and Rich with baby Pascoe in the Netflix series To observe such a thing in a baby barely three months old is unbelievable. I had a strong sense that humans are taught morality over time, but these results opened up the possibility that theres some innate basis to our capacity for morality. Babies also seem to have an understanding of gravity. They love throwing things on the floor, but even before that game they realise things fall down. Are babies born knowing how the world works? asks Susan Hespos, a professor of cognitive psychology at Northwestern University, near Chicago. Professor Hespos did an experiment with children aged four to six months. A block is pushed back and forth on top of a box. Then the block is pushed off the top but instead of falling, the block magically floats in the air. Babies instantly recognise that a floating block is not normal and look longer at that incident. Its not very hi-tech, says Professor Hespos. But as early as we can test, infants have an expectation that unsupported objects fall. Dr Kang Lee, who is a psychology professor at the University of Toronto, explained that the process of pruning makes a baby's abilities to recognise other species die out. Pictured: A scene from the Netflix series A 2005 British study showed us another baby skill: they can distinguish between individual monkeys. Monkeys are unique but if you show faces to adults they cant tell them apart, says Dr Kang Lee, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto. But babies at three months old can easily. Yet as babies see more human faces, by 12 months they lose the skill. This is called pruning, says Dr Lee. As babies recognise their mothers, those neural networks get stronger, while those for recognising other species die out. Through their research, scientists have found that even tiny babies are a lot cleverer than we thought. Id never thought about babies having to learn a language, how to walk, how to grab, says Pascoes mother Amelia. But when you see a baby learning to become a person, its pretty amazing. Babies is on Netflix now. Friday, June 26, 2020 The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Alphabet (GOOGL), AT&T (T) and Philip Morris International (PM). These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today. You can see all of todays research reports here >>> Alphabet shares have outperformed the Zacks Internet Services industry over the past year (+33.9% vs. +12.2%) despite the pressure on advertizing revenues as a result of the economic downturn. The Zacks analyst attributres the stock's momentum to the company's strengthening cloud unit, which has emerged as one of the top players in the space along with Amazon (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT). Further, major updates in its search segment are enhancing the search results, which is a major positive. Moreover, Googles robust mobile search is gaining solid momentum. Additionally, strong focus on innovation of AI techniques and the home automation space should aid business growth in the long term. Further, its deepening focus on wearables category remains a tailwind. However, the companys growing litigation issues and increasing expenses might hurt profitability. (You can read the full research report on Alphabet here >>> ) Shares of AT&T have lost -24.3% over the past six months against the Zacks Wireless National industrys fall of -12%, reflecting the company's debt-heavy balance sheet during a period of economic uncertainty. The Zacks analyst believes that AT&T is well placed to benefit from streaming services like AT&T TV and HBO Max. The company is committed to a three-year financial framework with sustained investments and debt-reduction efforts. AT&T intends to deploy a standards-based, nationwide mobile 5G network in 2020 to spur growth. The company expects to gain a competitive edge through edge computing services that offer the flexibility to better manage data traffic. Story continues However, AT&T is witnessing a steady decline in linear TV subscribers and legacy services. Its wireline division is also facing loss in access lines due to competitive pressure from VoIP service providers. As it tries to woo customers with discounts, freebies and cash credits, margins tend to fall. The company canceled its stock buyback program due to the severity of the virus outbreak and withdrew guidance. (You can read the full research report on AT&T here >>> ) Philip Morris shares have gained +2.2% over the past three months against the Zacks Tobacco industrys rise of +8.9%. The Zacks analyst believes that its second-quarter show is likely to be hurt by lower duty-free sales and delay in minimum price enforcement in Indonesia stemming from coronavirus-led restrictions, among others. The stock further declined when management said that it expects coronavirus to be detrimental to 2020 performance, during its first-quarter 2020 earnings release. The company withdrew its 2020 earnings view and offered guidance for the second quarter, which is expected to bear the largest quarterly impact of COVID-19 this year. Nonetheless, the company doesnt expect facing any out of stock situation in core operating income markets. Also, its first-quarter earnings and sales grew year over year, reflecting continued momentum in the smoke-free portfolio and a solid combustible tobacco pricing. (You can read the full research report on Philip Morris here >>> ) Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include T-Mobile US (TMUS), Texas Instruments (TXN) and United Parcel Service (UPS). Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside? Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. See the pot trades we're targeting>> Sheraz Mian Director of Research Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>> Today's Must Read Alphabet (GOOGL) Rides on Diversification; Legal Troubles Ail AT&T (T) Rides on Streaming Services, 5G & Debt Reduction Philip Morris (PM) Troubled by COVID-19 Woes, Pricing Aids Featured Reports Solid 5G Deployments, Subscriber Growth Aid T-Mobile (TMUS) Per the Zacks analyst, robust 5G deployments, accelerated subscriber growth and continuous network modernization efforts drive T-Mobile's performance. Texas Instruments (TXN) Banks on Solid Data Center Demand Per the Zacks analyst, rising data center demand is accelerating Texas Instruments' revenues in the enterprise systems market. E-Commerce Boosts UPS Amid Coronavirus-Induced Adversities The Zacks analyst believes that the surge in e-commerce demand amid current market volatility is a huge positive for UPS. Solid Pricing Aids Altria (MO) Amid Weak Cigarette Volumes Per the Zacks analyst, Altria has been benefiting from its solid pricing, which aided the company in first-quarter 2020. Core MedSurg Unit Aids Stryker (SYK), Pricing Pressure Ails Per the Zacks analyst, Stryker continues to gain from solid prospects of its core MedSurg arm. Essentials Items Lift Target's (TGT) Sales, Margin a Concern Per the Zacks analyst, Target witnessed higher sales for Essentials and Food & Beverage categories in the first quarter with solid contribution from digital channel. However, margins remain a concern. Solid User Growth & Premium Content Demand Aids Snap (SNAP) Per the Zacks analyst, Snap benefits from an improving user growth driven by strong adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) Lenses and demand for premium Discover content and Shows. New Upgrades RH Banks on Multi-Channel Platform Strength & New Galleries Per the Zacks analyst, RH's strength of the multi-channel platform and membership model, along with new Galleries are likely to boost near-term sales. Strong Markets & Acquisitions Aid Commercial Metals (CMC) Per the Zacks analyst, robust key end markets, acquisitions, favorable rebar-margin environment and construction demand in the United States and Poland will drive Commercial Metals' results. Cost-Saving Moves and Buyouts to Aid Applied Industrial (AIT) Per a Zacks analyst, Applied Industrial's (AIT) cost-saving actions, including pay reduction and others, to help it mitigate the pandemic-induced financial stress. New Downgrades Pandemic-led Sales Disorder, Weak Margin Irks Omnicell (OMCL) The Zacks analyst is worried about Omnicell witnessing slowdown in product booking and hospital purchasing decisions amid the pandemic-led chaos. Gross margin contraction is discouraging too. SkyWest (SKYW) Hit by Coronavirus-Led Weak Air-Travel Demand Per the Zacks analyst, the low demand scenario, thanks to coronavirus, is hurting SkyWest's bottom line. The company's high operating expenses add to the woes. Investments Aids Hawaiian Electric (HE), Cyber Attacks Hurt Per the Zacks Analyst, systematic investments in transmission and distribution projects will drive growth over the long haul. However, eminent cyber attacks might deter the stock's growth. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN) : Free Stock Analysis Report TMobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report ATT Inc. (T) : Free Stock Analysis Report Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Bubba Wallace understands that people may continue to protest NASCARs Confederate flag ban. And he also understands that they have the right to do so peacefully. The Cup Series race at Talladega on Monday was the first at the track and in the state of Alabama since NASCAR banned fans from flying the Confederate flag at tracks on June 10. Some fans protested with Confederate flag outside the track and a group paid for a large flag to be flown by a small plane over the track on Sunday. Its the right for peaceful protests, Wallace said, when he was asked about the protests. Its part of it. But you wont see them inside of the race tracks where were having a good time with the new fans that have purchased their tickets and purchased their favorite drivers apparel. You wont see it flying in there. Outside, theyre just going to be making a lot of noise. Its part of it. Its exactly what you see on the flip side of everything going on in cities as they peacefully protest. But we wont see cops pepper-spraying them and shooting them with rubber bullets, will you? Wallaces last line is, of course, a reference to police actions that have been documented across the country in social media posts and news videos during the largely peaceful protests after George Floyds death in Minneapolis. The most infamous example is the violent way that peaceful protesters were cleared out of Lafayette Square near the White House to make way for President Donald Trump to take a picture with a Bible in front of St. Johns Episcopal Church. That was in contrast with the scenes in Michigan and in other states earlier this year during the coronavirus pandemic when armed protesters voiced their disagreement with stay-at-home orders and other rules designed to stop the spread of coronavirus. Wallace ran a car in support of Black Lives Matter on the same day NASCAR banned the Confederate flag. NASCARs ban came two days after Wallace said NASCAR should bar fans from flying the flag at tracks and three days after NASCAR held a moment of silence ahead of its Cup race at Atlanta. Story continues Bubba Wallace and Richard Petty on Monday. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Well never shut them up Wallace, the only Black driver racing full-time in NASCAR, received a lot of vitriol over the past five days as NASCAR and federal investigators looked into the discovery of a noose in his teams garage stall. The FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Nothern District of Alabama said Tuesday that no charges would be filed because the noose had been in Wallaces garage stall since October. Wallace never saw the noose on Sunday, the day it was discovered. He was told about the noose by NASCAR president Steve Phelps. Yet those pesky facts and the fact that federal investigators said it was a noose didnt stop an unfortunately vocal set of opinion-havers from claiming Wallace was part of an elaborate hoax or setup. I know people are going to try to knock me and bump me off the throne, the pedestal Im on, the same pedestal that Ive been on for 16 or 17 years now since I started, Wallace said. So, Im fine with it. Its fine. I love to get out and compete and have really good runs. Its just motivation to go out and to have really good races. Well never shut them up. Theyre afraid of themselves. Theyre afraid of change. Sometimes those are the people that you cant help throughout all the chaos in the world. Those are the ones who need the most help. But, you quickly realize they dont give a damn about you and I dont give a damn about them. Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. More from Yahoo Sports: By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday "rejected" the grant of domicile certificates by India to the people not originally from Jammu and Kashmir. As per the new domicile law, non-permanent residents who have residency proof of at least 15 years in Jammu and Kashmir are entitled to get domicile certificates. Over 30,000 people have till now received domicile certificates online in Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian government changed laws to grant residency to different categories of non-residents in the Union territory. The Foreign Office "rejected" the grant of domicile certificates by India to the people not originally from Jammu and Kashmir. "The certificates issued to non-Kashmiris including, among others, the Indian government officials under Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure), 2020' are illegal, void and in complete violation of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and International law including the 4th Geneva Convention," the FO said. It asked the international community to intervene to stop India from what it called "changing the demographic structure of Kashmir". PSU major Oil India Limited (OIL) said on Saturday that all ongoing work to douse a fire at a damaged gas well site in Assam's Baghjan was suspended as floodwaters have inundated the site and submerged the pumps installed to put out the fire. The company said all the rivers in and around Baghjan are rising rapidly, while the Dangori river is overflowing and has submerged the pumps installed for extinguishing the fire at the mouth of the well. All connecting roads to the site are submerged in floodwater and a key approach road has been closed by the Tinsukia district administration to all traffic. This has been done as the road from a bridge over the Maguri-Motapung Beel has been severely damaged by the floodwaters and at many places, knee-to-waist-deep water is flowing on it. Following a blowout on June 9, the well number 5 at Baghjan in Tinsukia district has been spewing gas for the last 32 days and it caught fire on June 9, killing two of OIL's firefighters. "Working conditions at the site have been considered unsafe and all operations have been called off for the day. PWD and OIL engineers are jointly inspecting the roads," the company said in a statement. OIL said various assessment and impact studies of the blowout as well as the blaze in villages and nearby forest areas by multiple agencies are also put on hold due to the flood. On the relief-and-rehabilitation process, OIL said the surveys for assessment of damage for compensation by a committee formed by the district administration have been affected due to the heavy rainfall and flood. So far, the assessment for 540 families has been completed in Doomdooma and Tinsukia circles, it added. Over 9,000 people were shifted from nearby areas following the blowout and the subsequent fire that broke out in the gas well and they are now staying in 13 relief camps. The company said there was an output drop of 88 MT of crude oil and 0.13 million metric standard cubic metres (MMSCM) of natural gas on Friday due to disruptions in 15 oil wells and a gas well. "Cumulative production loss since May 27, 2020 due to bandhs and blockades: 8,658 MT crude oil, 11.12 MMSCM of natural gas," the OIL statement said. (With inputs from PTI) NHS England also wants to see 'tailored communications' to help support women from BAME backgrounds - Dominic Lipinski/PA Pregnant women from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds should be fast-tracked into hospital because of their heightened risk from coronavirus, NHS bosses have said. It follows research from Oxford University indicating that 55 per cent of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are BAME, even though these groups make up only a quarter of births in England and Wales. The new protocols instruct doctors to "lower the threshold" for admitting BAME expectant mothers. They also encourage medics to discuss low vitamin D levels - more common among people with darker skin or those who always cover their skin - which may render people more vulnerable to the virus. Hospitals are also being urged to record the ethnicity of every woman, as well as other risk factors, such as whether they live in a deprived area, what other health conditions they have, their body mass index and their age. NHS England also wants to see "tailored communications" to help support women from BAME backgrounds. Research from 194 obstetric units in the UK, published in the British Medical Journal at the end of May, found that black pregnant women are eight times more likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid-19 than white women, while Asian women are four times as likely. Chief midwifery officer for England, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, has written to all maternity units outlining the action they must take. "While Public Health England is continuing to assess and advise on the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on ethnic groups, I want to make sure that the NHS is doing everything we can to reach out, reassure and support those pregnant women and new mums most at risk," she said. Nadine Dorries, the Minister for Maternity, said: "No woman should have to worry that the colour of their skin will have any impact on their pregnancy. "I am committed to tackling health inequalities wherever they arise and ensuring BAME women get the right support and the best possible care." These satellite images, taken on April 17 and June 25, 2020, show a section of Woody Island, in the Paracel chain. Dredging is visible by the discoloration of the water and new sand structures built up nearby. China is dredging in a bay at Woody Island, its biggest settlement in the South China Sea, a likely effort to expand the artificial islands northwest corner, satellite imagery shows. This development in the disputed Paracel island chain, in the northern part of the sea, comes amid mounting concern in Southeast Asia over Chinas assertion of its sweeping territorial claims. In an unusual move Friday, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders called for maintaining free airspace over the South China Sea in reaction to reports that Beijings plans to establish an Air Defense Identification Zone over the region. Woody Island, where the dredging appears to have been under way for several weeks, includes Sansha City, Chinas main administrative center in the Paracels an archipelago of rocks and reefs disputed between China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Commercial satellite imagery between April 17 and June 25 shows the shallow fringing reef off Woody Islands Northwest coast, right next to the smaller of the islands two harbors, has had a chunk dug out of its center. Also visible are a web of new land bridges that could be a foundation for more land reclamation, to expand the island. Cranes or heavy machinery can be spotted working in the same spot on May 8. Based on BenarNews review of the imagery, sand was likely dredged out of Woody Islands shallows to create this new structure. The coastline nearest the foundation has been been reinforced with what looks like a sea wall and several smaller artificial jetty-like structures have been built at points along the coast to the east. Woody Island often hosts ships of the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinas maritime militia before they deploy elsewhere, harassing shipping of other South China Sea claimants. Satellite imagery taken on Friday shows three CCG ships in the islands harbor, along with what looks like a barge carrying material or supplies. China undertook a massive land reclamation campaign between 2014 and 2016 to create new artificial islands in the South China Sea, destroying the natural environment and militarizing the occupied rocks and reefs. Virtually all of Chinas occupied features in the South China Sea have had parts dredged up to make way for new settlements and military outposts. But the four biggest bases China maintains in the South China Sea Subi Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Mischief Reef, and Woody Island are virtually unrecognizable since land reclamation was finished in 2017, granting them deep-water harbors, airstrips, and living facilities. But small-scale dredging has continued, as this latest satellite imagery shows. Dredging concerns The new dredging on Woody Island comes at a sensitive time. Last month, Indonesia joined with Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia in denouncing Chinas sweeping assertion of sovereignty over the entirety of the South China Sea in a series of notes to the United Nations. Indonesia cited a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that struck down the legal basis of most of Chinas claims to the disputed waters, definitively stating none of Chinas islands could generate exclusive economic zones and were only rocks. More recently, China has tried to intimidate Vietnam, another claimant in the South China Sea, from exploring for oil within its waters with an international partner by sending a government-operated survey vessel into Vietnams exclusive economic zone on June 17. Vietnam chaired Fridays virtual summit of ASEAN leaders. All the claimants to the South China Sea were taking part, save for China and Taiwan. While the world is fighting against COVID-19 pandemic, there are irresponsible actions, violating international law, effecting to security environment and stability in some regions, including the ASEAN region, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in his opening remarks. The 10-member ASEAN bloc has struggled to reach a consensus on issues related to the South China Sea, so Fridays joint statement implicitly criticizing Beijings reported plans for an ADIZ was an unusually pointed expression of concern over rising tensions. On Sunday, China adopted a revision to its law governing the Peoples Armed Police (PAP), a paramilitary branch of its armed services that has been placed under the Central Military Commission alongside the Peoples Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN). The reform may signal that China wants to beef up the security forces it can draw on to police the South China Sea. The amended law tasks the PAP with maritime rights enforcement and allows it to participate in joint exercises with the Peoples Liberation Army. The China Coast Guard is a constituent part of the PAP. This week, navies of several governments have been on maneuvers in the South China Sea which is widely viewed as an effort to push back against Chinas assertive behavior. Japan performed a bilateral training drill with Singapore on Monday, and a bilateral exercise with the United States in the same area on Tuesday. The U.S. and Taiwan both sent maritime patrol aircraft south of Taiwan on Wednesday, seemingly tracking Chinese submarine movements in the area after a submarine was detected by Japan in the East China Sea last week. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 21:07:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Valentini Anagnostopoulou ATHENS, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Despite the novel coronavirus crisis, investors' interest in Greece remains steadily strong, and there is solid ground for Greece to look at the future with optimism, investment expert Andreas Giannopoulos told Xinhua in a recent interview. As the founder of the "InvestGR -- foreign investments in Greece" forum, which will bring together this July and October for the 3rd consecutive year foreign companies, government officials, academics and experts to discuss the topic of foreign investments in Greece, Giannopoulos is in a key position to assess the extent to which the pandemic is affecting and reshaping the investment landscape. "My clear takeaway from my discussions with the companies is very straightforward: no foreign direct investment has been postponed due to the pandemic crisis, and most importantly none of them has been canceled," he stressed. According to Giannopoulos, it is the successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Greek government that not only protected the country's reputation, but also acted as the best showcase of its potential. Greece managed to keep its infection and fatalities rates relatively low. As of June 26, the country counted 3,343 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 191 deaths. "This is a solid ground for Greece to look at the future with optimism, despite the obvious economic constraints, the additional burdens on the economy due to the pandemic, but I think Greece has good prospects in view," he suggested. Having so far emerged from this world-scale challenge, Greece is now looking to keep up its good performance and at the same time successfully restart its economy. But as the pandemic and lengthy lockdowns have put a serious strain on many of the world's economies, foreign investments have become one of the most burning issues of the day after. "It is very clear that what we call 'smart money' is abundant all over the world and especially during crisis periods. This 'smart money' is seeking opportunities in new investment destinations. I think Greece can take advantage of this," Giannopoulos explained, referring to international investment trends. According to data provided by the Bank of Greece, in 2019 the net inflows of foreign direct investment in Greece amounted to 4,137 million euros (4,641 million U.S. dollars) compared to 3,364 million euros in 2018, presenting an increase of 23 percent and marking 2019 as the fourth consecutive year of increase of net foreign direct investment in Greece. Energy, especially renewable energy resources, tourism, a timeless investment staple, technology, and infrastructures are only some of the most promising and investment-stimulating sectors in Greece, according to the expert. Real estate, which was booming during the past five years thanks to a Golden Visa program and suffered a serious blow from the pandemic, is also expected to bounce back within the next year, provided travel constraints will be lifted. The most active investors are European superpowers -- Germany, France and Italy -- and the United States and China, which is behind one of the most emblematic investments of recent years. "During the 10-year financial crisis in the country, China and Chinese investors have been active and have shown faith in the prospects of the Greek economy. The most important case of these investments has been and still is the COSCO investment, a huge investment in the port of Piraeus, which has allowed Piraeus to become one of the most important ports of Europe," Giannopoulos noted. As Giannopoulos said, Greece's strong geopolitical advantages are what make it a prime attraction for strategic investments. "It's one of the oldest member states of the European Union with political stability and, most importantly I would say, with a very friendly political environment," he underlined. Giannopoulos insisted that Greece has now achieved a broader political and social consensus on this issue. "We all know and we all agree that Greece definitely needs foreign investments in order to have again growth and economic recovery," he said. "I think this is the right moment for foreign investors to invest in Greece. The reason is very simple. Foreign investors look at the long-term of an economy and I think the long-term prospects of the country are better than ever. Despite the new constraints due to the COVID crisis, I think Greece is entering into the post-pandemic era in a kind of a pole position," Giannopoulos concluded. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) A flock of sheep are seen amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Villalobar By Juan Medina VILLAFALE, Spain (Reuters) - Brought to Spain on a special flight amid the coronavirus lockdown, some 250 Uruguayan sheep shearers race against time to shear millions of Spanish sheep as the sweltering summer temperatures hit. The Uruguayan shearers come to Spain every year, where farmers value them for their skills, their speed and particular care for the animals' wellbeing. This year the pandemic delayed their arrival by about a month to mid-May, leaving the sheep in urgent need. The shearers are so prized in Spain, that farmers chipped in to charter a plane for the Uruguayans after border closures, flight cancellations and restrictions on movement threatened to leave them unable to make the journey. The farmers, who even asked the Spanish King for help, convinced the government to authorise their stay after the Uruguayans underwent medical tests before flying. Federico Ventura is one of the workers each shearing around 10,000 sheep over a 70-day campaign in the northern region of Castilla y Leon. They use special machines and an animal restraint technique that further speeds up the process. "I've been coming here for six years. Because of the coronavirus, everything was delayed, but we're moving at a good pace," Ventura told Reuters at a farm in Villafale, around 300 kilometres northwest of Madrid. The Spanish season is crucial to his livelihood. "With the 70 days here we live for a year in Uruguay." Three or four shearers can shear 750 sheep on a farm in just one day, while with less skilled workers it could take up to a month, said farm owner Angel Leon. The Uruguayans earn 1.5 euros ($1.68) plus tax per animal. "Had they not come, we would not have been able to shear," said farmer Jose Moran, one of those to help fund their flight. (Additional reporting and writing by Emma Pinedo, editing by Andrei Khalip and Alexandra Hudson) Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle started dating, the press has been quick to accuse her of any and all wrongdoing within the family. And when Harry and Meghan announced they would step down from their royal roles back in January, Meghan was immediately to blame. But Harrys plan to leave the family was actually more than 20 years in the making. Princess Diana and Prince Harry | Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the royal family in March When Harry and Meghan returned from a much-needed six-week break in North America, the world thought life for them would return as normal. However, the two made a surprising announcement shortly after the new year: They were stepping back from their roles as senior royals. Meghan had had a difficult time dealing with the press since she and Harry started dating. The constant negativity made it hard for her to win over the public, and it certainly played a role in their decision to step down. Privacy was a big issue for the two Harry had grown up in the spotlight. He was used to the camera flashes and tabloid rumors, but he didnt enjoy it. Hed always dreamt of a life where he was something other than Prince Harry, which he revealed in a 2017 Newsweek interview. When Harry and Meghan welcomed their son, Archie, they chose not to give him a royal title. It had largely been assumed that this was so Archie could have a chance at a more normal life but it might have hinted that the two were planning to leave the family all along. Harry reportedly wanted to leave the family right after his mother died When the couple officially stepped down in March, Meghan was largely to blame, according to the press. But Harry said the decision to leave the family was his and he probably wasnt lying. After Princess Diana died, Harry was forced to walk behind her casket while millions of people watched. And from that moment, he wanted no part of the fanfare of the royal family. Harry struggled mentally and emotionally with his mothers death for years; even in his 20s, he was lashing out. Partying, drinking, and smoking were just a few of the negative habits hed developed as a result of living in the bubble that was the royal family and having nowhere else to go. Harry hinted for years that he wanted something more. He even revealed in a 2019 interview that the lights and cameras were only constant flashbacks of what had happened to his mother. And when Meghan came along an unsuspecting American actress with no ties to the royals or their social circles she was just what Harry needed to finally realize there was a world beyond the British royal family. Prince William, Prince Harry, and Prince Charles at Princess Dianas funeral in 1997. | Anwar Hussein/WireImage His military career might have played a role in the departure as well Harry did catch a slight break from royal life when he served in the military. It was a chance for him to eat, sleep, and work in the same way as everyone else without any kind of royal treatment. You forget, I was in the military for 10 years so Im more normal than my family would like to believe, Harry once said, according to Insider. Harry and Meghan might have come to a joint conclusion that now was the right time to step down, but it had been on the princes mind since he was young. Mary Jo Laupp told the New York Times that one of her first projects would be to help build a group of pro-Biden content creators on TikTok. (Photo | Twitter - Mary Jo Laupp) New York: An American woman who helped turn a Donald Trump rally into a fiasco has been hired by a grassroots organisation campaigning for the election of presidential challenger Joe Biden. Mary Jo Laupp has been dubbed TikTok Grandma since earning fame for her impassioned social media call for opponents of Trump to book out his campaign appearance in Tulsa, Oklahoma last week. The result was a poorly-attended speech in a stadium filled to less than a third of its capacity, despite the presidents re-election team boasting of huge interest ahead of time and more than a million ticket requests. Laupps call on the short video sharing platform TikTok has been viewed more than two million times and was boosted by online communities of American fans of South Korean pop music, also known as K-pop. Biden Digital Coalition codirector Caitlin Gilbert said Friday that the 51-year-old, a mother to four and grandmother of six, had joined her group to help with online campaigning for Novembers presidential race. Laupp told the New York Times that one of her first projects would be to help build a group of pro-Biden content creators on TikTok. The Iowa resident works in the music department of a high school and earlier participated in the unsuccessful Democratic campaign of Pete Buttigieg, a former Indiana mayor. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 09:38 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406621579c 1 City Jakarta-administration,COVID-19,anies-baswedan,society,compliance,health-protocol,governance,WHO Free Jakarta, the first epicenter of the COVID-19 epidemic in Indonesia, has reportedly brought the outbreak under control, officials have said, in a statement that has raised eyebrows as new cases still appear in the city. The capital of Indonesia continues to have more cases than most other places in the country with a total of 10,796 confirmed cases as of Friday, while the number of daily new cases always ranks among the top three provinces. Home to about 10 million people, the city has logged 1,128, 874 and 949 new cases per week for the past three consecutive weeks until June 26, according to data from the national COVID-19 task force. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said new cases remained low thanks to the double testing that officials had been exercising since early June to shore up negative results. He also claimed Jakartas epidemiological statistics, comprising the reproductive rate and positivity rate, were on the decline. The three are among the city administrations main considerations for easing restrictions under the so-called transitional phase of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), the governor said. As of June 21, the COVID-19 reproductive rate in the city was 0.98, according to the city health agency. The World Health Organization (WHO) requires a region to have, among other things, a testing capacity of below 0.1 percent of the population per week and a positivity rate of below 5 percent, before it can begin to reopen the economy. Jakarta has tested 0.22, 0.18 and 0.13 percent for each week during the three weeks of the transitional PSBB, according to data compiled from the city's official coronavirus website, corona.jakarta.go.id. The time taken to receive test results had also reduced from more than one week in March to two days as of mid-May, Anies said. Jakarta has had a positivity rate ranging between 3.3 and 6.2 percent for the past two weeks, according to data gleaned from the city administration's website. Yes, we still have cases. [The pandemic] has yet to end. However, we have those numbers relatively under control when compared to the situation in April, Anies told the Post in a recent exclusive interview. In addition to the metrics, the governor said the capitals healthcare facilities for treating COVID-19 patients had much improved. The city health agency recorded 4,556 beds and 659 intensive care units last week, an increase from 904 beds and 80 ICUs in March. Only around 30 to 35 percent of all the facilities were occupied, Anies said late Thursday at a zikr (Muslim prayer chant) event live-streamed on Youtube. The evaluation of [the transitional PSBB] is that our epidemiological numbers show we are under control, health facilities are not overwhelmed and we did not see a jump in the number of patients and [visitors] in public places, Anies said last weekend, citing occupancy rates of just 17 percent in shopping malls after reopening. University of Indonesia (UI) epidemiologist Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono said when it came to public health, the decision to ease restrictions must account for more than just numbers, especially when the daily number of new cases was still high. "I agree that [the reproductive rate and positivity rate] is about to decline, but it is not safe and under control yet, because it may rise again," Miko said. "Let's redefine what 'under control' means. For instance, new cases must not be above 100 per week not per day." He acknowledged that Jakarta had been facing a severe economic contraction, which forced the administration to reopen the economy even though, as a former epicenter, it should have been the last to reopen. As of Friday, East Java leapfrogged Jakarta to become the new national epicenter of the disease in Indonesia, according to the official daily tally. With the inevitability of economic repercussions, Miko called on the city to impose health protocols that were stricter than existing efforts and warned against resuming activities that made no direct contribution to the economy. He noted the resumption of Car Free Day (CFD) on Jl. Sudirman and Jl. M.H. Thamrin on Sunday with a ban for street vendors. More than 40,000 visitors descended on the street that day. The city administration responded midweek by shifting CFD this weekend to 32 spots for sporting activities across Jakarta in an attempt to reduce crowd numbers. Jakarta Public Order Agency head Arifin admitted that the public was still lacking in compliance with the order to not gather in large crowds, among other basic health protocols. Arifin said the agency had been patrolling residential neighborhoods every day over two shifts morning and afternoon to remind people to observe health protocols. The agency has collected Rp 200.92 million (US$14,139) in fines from 1,150 individual violators for not wearing masks during the transition period. Public health specialist Baequni of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN), the head of the Indonesian Public Health Expert Associations (IAKMI) Jakarta branch, demanded the city administration involve public health professionals to oversee the implementation of health protocols at the grassroots level. He argued that inconsistent compliance with health protocols was largely due to a lack of knowledge and public awareness, which is why he believes it is important to supervise the efforts rather than merely reminding people. Do not be satisfied with the numbers [] The only way to adapt [to COVID-19] is by instilling a culture of public health [awareness], he said. It is too early for us to claim success in controlling the disease, unless we are able to educate society and health protocols are fully implemented. Editor's note: Corrected opening paragraphs for clarity The Chinese national who has been charged with shooting and injuring two people at a mine in Gweru over a salary dispute will receive a fair trial, without discrimination, in accordance with the countrys laws, President Mnangagwa said yesterday. Speaking at State House when he received donations to fight the Covid-19 pandemic from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) and the Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe (CCEZ), the President made it clear that the mine manager would be treated the same as every other citizen and resident. Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Guo Shaochun, had earlier said the incident did not represent the behaviour of the Chinese community in Zimbabwe. Zhang Xuelin, a manager at Reden Mine, allegedly shot Mr Kenneth Tachiona (39) on both legs as well as Ms Wendy Chikwaira (30) on the arm after they confronted him over outstanding salaries at the mine last Sunday. He has since been arrested on attempted murder charges and appeared in the magistrates courts in Gweru where he was remanded in custody to July 7. Let me assure you that our laws are not discriminatory; there will be no favour, there will be no discrimination. The law must apply to every citizen and resident in this country equally. So the man involved will not be disadvantaged at all. He will receive a fair trial and fair treatment as any other Zimbabwean would have, said the President. Making it clear that Zimbabwe recognised that crimes were committed by individuals not communities, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans were mature enough to recognise that a crime by one person did not brand others of the same group. Ambassador Guo had expressed concern over the incident and reiterated his support for the countrys law enforcement agencies to investigate and handle the matter in a transparent manner as required by the countrys laws. I would also like to emphasise that this is an isolated incident, and no matter what had happened to the enterprise before the incident took place, this is not what we want to see. The behaviour of the Chinese employee involved in the case does not represent China, the Chinese Government and all Chinese nationals and Chinese enterprises in Zimbabwe. Any possible illegal acts and persons who violate the law should not be shielded, he said. Ambassador Guo said China and Zimbabwe had long-standing friendship and cooperation, and called upon all relevant sides to safeguard the relations carefully. Meanwhile, CCEZ, which represents a swathe of Chinese-owned companies in Zimbabwe, donated medicines and personal protective equipment to institutions worth US$55 000. The goods were handed over by the organisations vice president, Ms Shanel Liu. They include US$5 000 worth of medicine to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, 20 000 surgical masks each to Matabeleland South and Midlands provinces and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority while the Immigration Department got 45 000 masks. The MMCZ, through its acting board chairman Mr Jemister Chininga, donated 1 300 litres of hand sanitiser, 950 N95 face masks, 480 re-usable overalls, 57 000 pairs of latex gloves and three automated sanitising booths to be installed in Zimbabwes three international airports. President Mnangagwa thanked the Chinese business community and the mines for their donations that he said had contributed to the countrys improved readiness to handle the Covid-19 pandemic. He reiterated that Government would ensure fair distribution of the donated goods and had put in place mechanisms to ensure transparency. China on Saturday expressed strong opposition to the US wrongful decision to impose visa restrictions on Chinese officials over Hong Kong-related issues, and vowed to continue taking strong measures to uphold national security. A spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the US said in a statement on Saturday that China urges the US side to immediately correct its mistakes, withdraw the decision and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs. The Chinese side will continue to take strong measures to uphold national sovereignty, security and development interests. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Friday visa restrictions on current and former Chinese officials who "were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong's freedoms. His announcement came just a day after the US Senate passed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which calls for mandatory sanctions against any individuals responsible for undermining Hong Kongs autonomy. The embassy spokesperson said legislating on national security is a power and obligation of the central government, and also an international practice, and that Hong Kong affairs are China's domestic affairs and allow no external interference. The legal basis for the Chinese government to govern Hong Kong is China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. No one has any legal grounds or right to make irresponsible comments on Hong Kong affairs citing the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the spokesperson said. In response to the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, the HKSAR government on Friday night expressed strong opposition to its passage. "We urge the US Congress to immediately stop interfering in HKSAR's internal matters. The Act and the so-called sanctions are totally unacceptable and will only harm the relations and common interests between Hong Kong and the US, read the Hong Kong governments statement. The implementation of the one country, two systems principle in the HKSAR falls entirely under the umbrella of the internal affairs of China. No other state or legislature has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, in those internal affairs. Many of the Congress' comments on HKSAR affairs in the Act are seriously misleading and absolutely unfounded, the Hong Kong government said. "Any 'sanctions' imposed under the Act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law. We, however, urge the US side to act responsibly by refraining from taking measures that may potentially affect the normal operations of financial institutions and the vast number of customers they serve, the Hong Kong government said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 18:20:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIGALI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Four unidentified gunmen from the Burundian military were killed Saturday after they attacked a defensive position of the Rwandan military in southern Rwanda, the Rwandan military said. The gunmen attacked a defensive position from the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) at the Ruheru sector at about 12:20 a.m. (2220 GMT) and intended to harm people living in a model village built by a development program protected by the attached RDF position and one kilometer away from the border with Burundi, the RDF said in a statement. The attackers retreated to Burundi through the Burundian troops' position and left behind military equipment including weapons and communication radios, it said. Three Rwandan soldiers sustained minor injuries during the attack, the statement said. Enditem Ambulance service witnesses increase in teenage suicides and domestic abuse incidents in Wales during coronavirus lockdown This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jun 27th, 2020 Ambulance crews in Wales have witnessed an increase in teenage suicides and domestic abuse incidents during the coronavirus lockdown, its been revealed. The Welsh Ambulance Service said there had been a rise in mental health problems among adolescents since the pandemic started in March. A report to senior officials shows that there have been six call outs to cases where youngsters have taken their own lives during this period. Meanwhile, frontline emergency workers have highlighted a spike in domestic abuse incidents, with Womens Aid also detailing a 25 per cent increase in calls to their phone helplines. The health trusts chief executive Jason Killens said the social implications of COVID-19 had been a cause of concern to the service. Speaking at a virtual board meeting yesterday, he said: Vulnerability and the impact of the pandemic is a live issue for us now, not only as we begin to emerge from lockdown and the control measures are eased further. Particularly here were thinking about safeguarding issues relating to children and domestic abuse. Were actively engaged with emergency services and other colleagues across Wales in raising awareness among our people of the likelihood of increased reporting of safeguarding concerns and how we should respond and signpost people to the support thats available. Theres also a long term issue that will inevitably emerge as a result of the last three months of lockdown that we will continue to work with partners on. At the outset of the pandemic, the service introduced mental health professionals into its 999 call centres to provide extra support to people with related conditions. The additional staff have now returned to their own organisations, meaning the specialised mental health desks have stopped running. However, Mr Killens said a review would quickly be carried out to look at how assistance can be provided in the future. He said: We had our own clinicians and others from across the system deployed to provide professional advice to 999 callers in mental health crisis. That is coming to a close as we come out of the pandemic and we will review that internally for best practice and then to inform an ongoing review on access to mental health. If you need someone to talk to about mental health issues, you can call the Samaritans for free support at any time of the day on 116 123. By Liam Randall BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme) Some officials have theorized that the Russians may be seeking revenge on NATO forces for a 2018 battle in Syria in which the U.S. military killed several hundred pro-Syrian forces, including numerous Russian mercenaries, as they advanced on an American outpost. Officials have also suggested that the Russians may have been trying to derail peace talks to keep the United States bogged down in Afghanistan. But the motivation remains murky. Pottawattamie County Public Health reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total tracked by the county to 724. The new cases include 12 Council Bluffs residents and a Crescent resident. Two are 17 or younger; six are between 18 and 40 years old; three are 41 to 60; and two are 61 to 80. None of the new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel (new) coronavirus, are epidemiologically-linked. The individuals were tested between Monday and Wednesday, according to Pottawattamie County Public Health. Around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, coronavirus.iowa.gov listed 656 cases in Pottawattamie County out of 8,296 tests, for a 7.9% positive rate. The state does not track epidemiologically-linked cases. Of the current cases, 186 individuals are self-isolating at home and seven are hospitalized, Pottawattamie County Public Health said. The department said 494 individuals have recovered. Based on contact tracing investigations, 202 cases are the result of community spread. Pottawattamie County Public Health said it continues to urge residents to continue to practice social distancing, wear a face covering in public, wash your hands often, use hand sanitizer, and disinfect surfaces regularly. If you are sick, stay home. Even those who are mildly ill spread the virus. A TestIowa site is located in Council Bluffs at the Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave. To get tested for COVID-19, residents must complete a health assessment at TestIowa.com and receive a testing date and time. All Care Health Center offers drive-up COVID-19 testing and helps those without transportation and/or health insurance. Call All Care at 712-325-1990 for an appointment. Iowa coronavirus deaths exceed 700 Iowa surpassed 700 deaths from the coronavirus on Friday. State health data shows the state with 27,594 confirmed positive cases of coronavirus, about 9.8% of those tested overall. Eight additional deaths that were reported in the last 24 hours put the state at 702 total known deaths since state officials began tracking the virus in March. Gov. Kim Reynolds acknowledged Thursday that positive test results among young adults has been increasing, with 55% of positive cases statewide since June 1 occurring in adults aged 18 to 40. Thats a significant increase from April when positive tests in that age group were 41%. That age range makes up the highest amount of cases in Pottawattamie County, at 315. Union Pacific Railroad Museum announces plans to reopen in July The Union Pacific Railroad Museum said Friday it plans to reopen sometime in July. Once a firm reopening date is announced, you will be able to reserve your visit time here, the museum said, noting the facility will be open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. Reservations must be made at least two hours in advance. Until this pandemic has passed or a vaccine is widely available, we will be making a few changes to keep our community safe, the museum said, noting there will be new signage to communicate changes and. To visit the Union Pacific Railroad Museum visitors will need to: Make a reservation online at least two hours in advance. Its still free to visit, but the museum will only be admitting one party of visitors at 30 minute intervals to encourage social distancing and avoid crowding. Come in family or household groups of less than 10 people. Everyone in a party must be registered. The museum is allowing one party of up to 10 people to enter the museum every 30 minutes. Wear a facemask or face covering. All visitors over the age of 2 are required to wear a face mask or covering. Come to the museum entrance at the appointed time. If visitors arrive early, they will have to wait outside. Late arrivals will not be able to enter. Follow all posted directional signage and information. The museum said the reopening date is subject to change. COVID-19 cases in southwest Iowa According to coronavirus.iowa.gov, Crawford County has six new cases, Shelby County has four new cases, Harrison County has two new cases. Heres a look at numbers in southwest Iowa, based on data from the counties and coronavirus.iowa.gov: Pottawattamie County 656 cases (Pottawattamie County Public Health is tracking 724, including epi-linked cases), 494 recoveries (per the county), 8,296 tests, 7.9% of those tested have come back positive, 11 deaths Mills County 32 cases, 25 recoveries, 1,831 tests, 1.7% Harrison County 47 cases, 41 recoveries, 927 tests, 5.1% Cass County 16 cases, 16 recoveries, 735 tests, 2.2% Shelby County 97 cases, 58 recoveries, 866 tests, 11.2% Montgomery County 10 cases, seven recoveries, 720 tests, 1.4%, two deaths Monona County 66 cases, 23 recoveries, 713 tests, 9.3% Crawford County 654 cases, 388 recoveries, 2,747 tests, 23.8%, two deaths Page County 20 cases, 17 recoveries, 1,101 tests, 1.8% Fremont County six cases, two recoveries, 348 tests, 1.7% In Regional Medical Coordination Center region four which includes Pottawattamie, Mills, Harrison, Cass, Crawford, Shelby, Fremont, Montgomery, Page, Adams, Audubon and Taylor Counties there were six patients hospitalized with COVID-19, with two in intensive care, both remaining the same from Thursday. The region has 189 inpatient beds available, 20 intensive care beds available and 62 ventilators available. One hospitalized COVID-19 patient is on a ventilator, the same as Thursday. Information about COVID-19 Symptoms in people who have been exposed to coronavirus can include fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are among those particularly susceptible to more severe illness, including pneumonia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the use of masks when out in public. Make sure it covers the mouth and nose. Face shields are an option as well, as they cover the eyes. For those struggling with mental health during the pandemic, yourlifeiowa.org has several resources, including a hotline at 855-581-8111 and a text-friendly line at 855-895-8398. Also, the Hope 4 Iowa Crisis Hotline is available 24 hours a day. Call 84-HOPE-4-IOWA (844-673-4469). The University of Nebraska Medical Center has a COVID-19 screening app 1-Check COVID, enables users to answer a series of questions and assess their likelihood of having COVID-19. Based on the users input, the screening app will issue a low-risk, urgent risk or emergent risk assessment and guide the individual toward possible next steps. David Pitt of the Associated Press contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 17:11 574 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406623d65d 1 National TNI,TNI-AU,Air-Force,TNI-angkatan-udara,Halim-Perdanakusuma-Airport,female,gender-equality,military,Indonesian-Military Free Second Lt. Dewa Ayu Ardikna Suari has been named by the Indonesian Air Force as its first female loadmaster, in an unprecedented move in the male-dominated military force. Graduating from the Air Force Academy in 2017, 25-year-old Ayu completed her three-month loadmaster training on Wednesday. She is currently assigned to the 2nd Squadron at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta. As the loadmaster in the Air Force, she will be responsible for the safe loading and unloading of cargo. Commander of the 1st Wing Transport, Col. Fata Patira, conferred the title on her in the training closing ceremony held at the base on Wednesday. A native of Gianyar, Bali, Ayu expressed her gratitude for her assignment in the force. Without the blessing of God, my parents and sister and the support of my seniors, I could not possibly be a loadmaster like I am now, she said in a press statement on Thursday, adding that she hoped there would be more female loadmasters in the Air Force. Ayu said that becoming an Air Force officer was not her initial plan as she had dreamed of becoming a policewoman when she was a child. The dream, she said, was to follow in the footsteps of her father who serves in the police force. Her career in the military started after she became a member of the national flag-hoisting team back in 2012 representing Bali. The Air Force Academy was accepting one member from the flag-hoisting team. I was called and told that I was eligible for selection, Ayu said in an interview with tribunnews.com on Thursday. After passing the selection process in Bali, she enrolled in the Air Force Academy in 2013 and began her career. Now, she is excitedly awaiting her first flight schedule as a loadmaster. I continue to receive tremendous support from my juniors, seniors, family and other colleagues. I hope that I can carry out this new task smoothly, Ayu said. In May, 25-year-old Second Lt. Ajeng Tresna Dwi Wijayanti became the first female fighter pilot in the Indonesian Military. She now pilots a KAI T-50i Golden Eagle light attack aircraft with the 15th Squadron of the 3rd Wing Fighters stationed at Iswahjudi Air Force Base in Madiun, East Java. Parks and Recreation was a hit when it first debuted on television in 2009, and it remains hugely popular in reruns to this day. The show, which deftly blended political satire with workplace humor, featured big-name stars such as Amy Poehler and was partially responsible for launching the careers of stars like Chris Pratt. Fans still love learning everything that they can about the series, including the interesting reason why Leslie Knopes father wasnt a prominent character in Parks and Recreation. Fans love Parks and Recreation RELATED: All the Parks and Recreation Easter Eggs You Missed in The Good Place When Parks and Recreation premiered in 2009, fans had never seen anything quite like it before. Based in a fictional town in Indiana, the show focused primarily on Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler. Knope, a high-ranking bureaucrat in the Parks Department, often has her hands full due to her dealings with her co-workers and staff. The shows heavy use of political satire quickly became legendary, and supporting actors like Chris Pratt, Nick Offerman, and Aubrey Plaza all earned kudos for their excellent performances. Over the years, as Parks and Recreation became ever more popular, many real politicians made cameos on the show. People like John McCain and Michelle Obama made brief appearances on the series, proving that the show had incredible appeal across platforms and political divides. Fans especially loved the show, and a vibrant online community formed around the characters and situations in Parks and Recreation. When it went off the air in 2015, fans were devastated but the series has been able to stay alive through countless reruns and even a 2020 reunion special. Leslie Knopes mother was a series mainstay Amy Poehler | Michael Tran/FilmMagic RELATED: Parks and Recreation: Amy Poehlers Leslie Knope Was Modified After Season 1 to Seem Less Ditzy With a large and diverse cast of characters, there were many side plots in Parks and Recreation. One of the most long-running plot points involved Leslie Knopes relationship with her mother, Marlene Griggs-Knope. Like her daughter, Griggs-Knope is involved in politics, but with the local school system rather than the Parks Department. That isnt the only point of difference between Griggs-Knope and her daughter, however. Griggs-Knopes personality differed wildly from her daughters. Where Leslie Knope was often cheerful and chipper, Griggs-Knope was portrayed as tough and very often willing to resort to unethical politics in order to get stuff done. In spite of her sometimes questionable political practices, Leslie Knope is ultimately supportive of her mother, and the two share a complicated yet loving relationship. Griggs-Knope was a mainstay all throughout the run of Parks and Recreation and was the central character in many major episodes. Why wasnt Leslie Knopes father featured in the series? RELATED: Parks and Recreation: Chris Pratts Improvised Line Made Creator Michael Schur Furious Although Leslie Knopes mother was an almost constant presence in Parks and Recreation, her father was rarely mentioned. There were several reasons for this, as showrunners later revealed. Early on in the series, it was revealed that her father, Robert Knope, died when Leslie Knope was only ten years old. Little is known about him, although he was apparently buried in Florida, rather than in Indiana, where the show is set. Robert Knope was likely involved in politics, just like his wife and daughter, although again, details are scarce about his life. It seems as though one reason for Parks and Recreations vagueness about Robert Knope stems from a desire to focus more on Leslie Knopes relationships with the women in her life, rather than the men and especially her mother. Ultimately, Robert Knope will go down in Parks and Recreation history as a fringe character, allowing more established personalities such as Marlene Griggs-Knope, to really step forward and take the spotlight. The Toronto Islands cant seem to get a break. One of the greatest city parks in Canada, it manages to feel rural and wild, but with a front-row view of Canadas biggest metropolis. Thats a wondrous feat to pull off, but twice in the last three years high water levels kept the islands closed to most visitors for a big part of the summer season. That, coupled with erosion, has also shrunk some of the island beaches, particularly Hanlans Point, a mere sliver of what it used to be. A shame, as it is has been a special place for Torontos queer community since the 1970s. This year the coronavirus kept the island closed to visitors. Its cottage country for those without cottages. Despite it being such a vast public space on the doorstep of downtown, the antiquated ferry system has proven to be a perennial bottleneck getting people to and from their park, another case of something that was a problem before the pandemic evolving into more of a problem during and after it. A break did come this past week when Mayor John Tory announced ferry service would resume, albeit each vessel reduced to 50 per cent capacity and only 5,000 reserved tickets available per day. In normal times 1.4 million people head to the island per year, and on peak summer days more than 20,000 might be on the island. You can begin to see a problem here. On those glorious summer days before the pandemic, days that are meant to be spent on the island, getting there could be an exercise in unpleasant long lines, crammed in the holding pens that are the ferry waiting terminals. Demand was high then. Reduced service will make it worse. Some people surely like fewer people on the island, and like that it can be hard to get to. Thats an elitist inclination. Last week some friends and I rented kayaks at Harbourfront and went for a paddle across the Toronto Harbour to the island. Holding a double-sided paddle means physical distancing is built in, and being on the open water was an antidote to so much time spent indoors. Once we reached the island, we paddled the shallow channels, finding secret lagoons only accessible by small boats and floated around islands most visitors dont see. Apart from us in rental kayaks that, at $45 for two hours are not the cheapest way to reach the island, we had it to ourselves but for people in larger cabin cruisers and sailboats. Private watercraft were moored on dock walls and their occupants had what amounted to a private park. If you can afford a way over, the islands were never closed off. Weve already seen the demand placed on mainland Toronto beaches during warm days recently, triggering yet another round of panic and shaming the people using them. A beach party is definitely not a good idea right now, but the freak-out over simply the sight of people, even lots of them, outdoors, in the same park or beach, needs to stop. If youve got an opinion on this while sitting in your private back yard or at your cottage, maybe keep it to yourself. As ever, beware of telephoto lens photos that compress large public spaces making them seem more crowded than they are. The scarcity of quality public spaces for people in a city of small apartments places to spread out has been made more profound now. This constant battle for public space is exhausting and depressing. Barries city council recently voted to triple the price of parking at its beaches after residents complained out-of-towners were using them. Does Ontario, the province we all live in, presumably together, even exist or matter any more? Perhaps its time to rethink road tolls on the highways and arterials that are bloated with lanes allowing out of towners to drive into Toronto. At any rate, a solution within Toronto is needed. Though the city has more than 50 kilometres of shoreline, there are relatively few places to actually swim. Mark Mattson, the Lake Ontario waterkeeper and president of Swim Drink Fish Canada, an organization that does water quality testing, says there are untapped places on our waterfront where swimming can happen, like Ontario Place, where the water is deep and clean. That, and long-term solutions to island access are needed, as these problems wont go away when the coronavirus does. Romantics love the ancient ferries, but what worked literally 100 years ago doesnt work any more. Theyre also costly for families simple going to a city park. Keep a ferry running for those romantics, but a bridge or extended Island airport tunnel is needed for this city of three million. At the very least, new ferries should be purchased and run like they do in Amsterdam, with multiple, non-stop boats going back and forth that load and unload in just a few minutes. The Marvel family soon made Chris Evans feel at home, though (Image by Marvel Studios) Chris Evans said joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe was both intimidating and overwhelming. The Captain America actor, who made his debut as the superhero in The First Avenger back in 2011 before playing the character 10 more times up until last years Avengers: Endgame, made this admission to his fellow Marvel cohort Paul Rudd during Varietys most recent Actors On Actors series. Read More: Chris Evans turned down Captain America several times due to anxiety With a character in [the Marvel Cinematic Universe], youre the first tracks in the snow [for viewers]. Its intimidating and overwhelming. But working at Marvel, everyone makes you feel so comfortable. Its such a group effort, you know that every decision is going to be vetted over endlessly. Very quickly you put down your fear and realise youre in good hands. Evans then opened up about Rudd joining the MCU as Ant-Man, insisting that everyone involved knew that he was going to gel with the rest of the cast and crew, as Rudd is like sorbet, a palate cleanser, an always welcome addition. Everyone at Marvel knew that Rudd would fit in (Image by Marvel Studios) Despite Evans claims, Rudd opened up about the pressure that he felt. Theres pressure at every single movie youre making in the Marvel world. You dont want to be the weak link. It probably helped that most people didnt know anything about Ant-Man, although that also usually meant that theyd laugh when Rudd gave a description of the superhero. Read More: Chris Evans has no interest in returning as Captain America A character like Ant-Man, yeah, very few people knew. Theyd say, Well, what does Ant-Man do? And Id say, He can shrink to the size of an ant, but he also retains strength, and he can control ants and talk to ants. And people would just laugh. While Endgame looks destined to mark Evans final ever appearance as Captain America, Rudd says that its still the idea for him to appear in Ant-Man 3, which will mark his fifth appearance as the character, and is likely to be released in 2022. New Delhi: India has questioned the intent of Pakistan's proposal on the opening of the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims with two-day notice peroid as against the bilateral agreement that requires a seven-day prior notice period. Indian govt sources said on Saturday, "It is to be noted that Pakistan is trying to create a mirage of goodwill by proposing to resume Kartarpur Corridor on June 29, at a short notice of 2 days." The sources explained that as per the bilateral agreement between the two neighbouring countries, the information on Kartarpur corridor reopening should have been shared from the Pakistan side to Indian at least seven days in advance. With this, India would have opened up the registration process to visit Kartarpur Gurudwara well in advance. The cross border travel through the 4.2 km corridor was temporarily suspended on March 16 this year in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. With Pakistan deciding to reopen the corridor for Sikh pilgrims on Monday on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th century leader of the Sikh empire, New Delhi will now hold consultation with health authorities and the Home Ministry on the matter. Sources also highlighted that despite having committed to it in the bilateral agreement, Pakistan has not yet built the bridge on their side across the flood plains of Ravi river. With the advent of monsoon, it would need to be evaluated whether pilgrim movement is possible throught the corridor in a safe and secure manner. India has also expressed concerns over Pakistan limiting the corridor to Sikh pilgrims. As per the Agreement, the corridor was supposed to be opened for all Indian pilgrims and those holding OCI cards. Pakistani foreign ministry SM Qureshi tweeted, "As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh." Pakistan says it has invited India to work out necessary Standard Operating procedure or SOPs for reopening of the corridor that links Dera Baba Nanak town in Gurdaspur district with Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Shakargarh tehsil in Narowal district of Pakistan. In November 2018, India and Pakistan announced the establishment of a direct border-crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak, to Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district. Kartarpur is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the Ravi river, about 4 km from Dera Baba Nanak, India. Over a dozen Rikers Island correction officers were disciplined on Friday after an investigation into the death of a transgender detainee revealed that she was left unattended in solitary confinement for almost an hour. Earlier this month, the Bronx County District Attorney's Office found after a six-month investigation into the death of Layleen Polcano, no criminal charges were ever filed. The prosecutors forwarded their findings to the city's Department of Investigation, which recommended to the Department of Correction to take internal disciplinary action. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Correction Commissioner Cynthia Brann announced that 17 uniform jail staffers will be disciplined for their conduct. Of those disciplined are three officers and a captain who will be suspended without pay, effective immediately. PHOTO: A person holds up a picture of Layleen Polanco, a transgender person who died at the Rikers Island prison, during a Black Trans Lives Matter rally in Brooklyn, NY., June 14, 2020. (Stephanie Keith/Reuters) "We are committed to ensuring that all of our facilities are safe and humane. Even one death in our custody is one too many and this swift and fair determination on internal discipline makes clear that the safety and well-being of people in our custody remains our top priority," said Brann in a statement. Polanco, 27, was held on Rikers Island on $500 bail since April 2019 for alleged possession of a controlled substance and assault of a cab driver, court records show. At some point, she was placed in solitary confinement. MORE: 'No criminality' found in the death of transgender inmate on Rikers Island: Prosecutor During the investigation, officials found a 47-minute gap between tours of Polanco's housing area. Inmates in solitary confinement are required to be checked on at least once every 15 minutes at irregular intervals, officials said. Polanco was found dead in her cell on June 7, 2019. An autopsy report from August found that the manner of death was natural and that the cause of death was from complications of an epileptic seizure. PHOTO: A rally was held for Layleen Polanco on Monday, June 10, 2019, after the transgender woman died in a cell at Rikers Island earlier in the week. (WABC) "The death of Layleen Polanco was an incredibly painful moment for our city," said de Blasio. "What happened to Layleen was absolutely unacceptable, and it is critical that there is accountability." Story continues The Correction Officers Benevolent Association President Elias Husamudeen called the disciplinary actions against the jail staffers "an egregious abuse of power that is unprecedented." "Our members are being thrown under the bus when even the Bronx District Attorney found they did nothing wrong ... We will vigorously fight these suspensions and refuse to allow this city to demonize Correction Officers. This is a disgrace!" said Husamudeen in a statement. PHOTO: In this June 20, 2014, file photo, the Rikers Island jail complex stands in New York is shown with the Manhattan skyline in the background. (Seth Wenig/AP, FILE) 17 Rikers Island correction officers disciplined after detainee's death originally appeared on abcnews.go.com People's Power Party founder Goh Meng Seng with Democratic Progressive Party secretary-general Mohamad Hamim Aliyas at the MacPherson Market & Food Centre on Saturday morning (27 June). (Photo: Christalle Tay / Yahoo News Singapore) SINGAPORE With three days to go till Nomination Day, another opposition party has pulled out of the electoral race in a bid to avoid three-corner fights widely seen to dilute opposition votes and favour the incumbent Peoples Action Party (PAP). The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which had plans to contest in the Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC), along with Marymount and Kebun Baru Single Member Constituencies (SMCs), said on Saturday (27 June) that it was pulling out of the election altogether. Its secretary-general Mohamad Hamim Aliyas told reporters that after deliberating with some of the other opposition parties, the DPP CEC is pleased to announce that we have decided not to contest in this election to avoid three-corner fights. Hamim made the announcement after a walkabout at MacPherson Market & Food Centre with Peoples Power Party (PPP) founder Goh Meng Seng in a show of solidarity. The DPP fully supports the informal alliance between RP (the Reform Party), PPP and ourselves to continue to participate in Singapores democracy process, he said. Hamim added that his party will be helping other opposition parties in their campaigning where possible. Insya Allah (God willing), we will continue our groundwork and prepare for the next election, he added. The announcement comes two days after opposition party Singaporeans First, or SingFirst, said it had been dissolved, with secretary-general Tan Jee Say saying the decision was made to avoid three-corner fights against other opposition parties. Opposition unity and cooperation have always been a guiding principle of our party, Tan wrote in a letter posted on the partys Facebook page. We believe a strong opposition is best achieved with consolidation. In this light, the central executive committee of Singaporeans First has decided to dissolve the party. The decision was not made lightly, but we believe that this move is in the best interests of Singapore, he added. Story continues There are 93 parliamentary seats up for grabs - 17 GRCs and 14 SMCs. A total of 10 opposition parties have indicated that they will be contesting in the polls. Apart from RP and PPP, the others are the Workers Party, Singapore Democratic Party, Progress Singapore Party, National Solidarity Party, Singapore Democratic Alliance, Singapore Peoples Party, Peoples Voice and Red Dot United. The Elections Department on Saturday said it has received a total of 226 applications for the Political Donation Certificate a requirement for every candidate who wants to contest the General Election before Fridays application deadline. People's Power Party founder Goh Meng Seng meeting residents at MacPherson Market & Food Centre on Saturday morning (27 June). (Photo: Christalle Tay/Yahoo News Singapore) Goh Meng Seng has no expectation going into campaigning Meanwhile, PPP founder Goh has said that he will be contesting in the MacPherson SMC. Asked by Yahoo News Singapore for his view of the incumbent MP, Goh said, I think Tin Pei Ling is a nice lady. She has done a lot of grassroots work in this area. I hope she will continue to do it whatever the election outcome. He added, However, what I can do is what she cannot do in Parliament - thats (to be) a very strong voice and (to engage in) policy debates on all aspects of the economic policies as well as the social policies. Pressed by another reporter on how different he would be from Tin, Goh said, She's under the same party. How else do you expect her to be more critical about the own party policies. He added that with a background in statistics, I can contribute more in the parliamentary service for the nation. Goh also told reporters that this would be his last GE contest. He had first fought in GE2006 in Aljunied GRC as part of the WPs then A-team, including WP chairman Sylvia Lim and academic James Gomez, garnering about 44 per cent of votes. The results heralded Lims entry into Parliament as a Non-Constituency MP. Then in GE2011, he contested in Tampines GRC as secretary-general of the NSP, with the team garnering nearly 43 per cent of ballots. And in GE2015, he founded PPP and contested in Chua Chu Kang GRC, winning about 23 per cent of votes. Asked by Yahoo News Singapore how confident he was of winning a seat in the House this time round, Goh said, I always go into a campaign without any expectation because this is Singapore. Sad to say: because this is Singapore. If I always go into an election expecting to win, I will not be contesting now. Because after losing three times, you still want to waste money? Nobody would do that. But it's always for the country. What I think is needed. As a countercheck and balance to the government in whatever aspects of the policies. And I believe from my training as an economist and a statistician, I have that capacity to do it. On three-corner fights widely seen as diluting opposition votes, Goh said, Im one of those who have been working very hard for the past two weeks to persuade, to mitigate, to mediate between parties to avoid three-corner fights. I've done my best. Whatever will be will be. Asked about releasing his manifesto, Goh said, The simple campaigning manifesto is already there: A strong united Parliament. Mediocre leaders: do not give them more powers. Its dangerous to give them more powers. Because for every single mistake they make, it will cost us a lot: (nearly) a hundred billion (dollars to tackle COVID-19) and 41,000 infections. That is a result of (a) single mistake... Do we still want to give them more power? No, we should give them more checks. And the checks will come from a strong Parliament. Additional reporting by Lauren Ong and Christalle Tay Follow Yahoo News Singapores GE2020 coverage here. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Related stories GE2020: SingFirst dissolved, says it is to avoid 3-corner fights GE2020: No 'formal agreement' with RP over Yio Chu Kang, says PSP's Leong Mun Wai GE2020: No indications of three-cornered fights, say SDP leaders #GE2015: The irrelevance of three-cornered fights GE2020: A primer for first-time voters from role of MPs to GRCs GE2020: Bread-and-butter issues to dominate more than ever amid COVID-19 analysts Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 03:56:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PARIS, June 26 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had an "in-depth and substantial exchange" during a video call on Friday afternoon, the French presidential office Elysee Palace announced. The exchange made it possible for both sides to review the dialogue of confidence and security launched by the two countries a year ago during Putin's visit to France, said the Elysee in a statement. On Libya, Macron called for an end to "foreign interference" and noted the importance of consolidating the work undertaken for a cease-fire and the resumption of dialogue, it said. The two leaders also talked about the situation in Ukraine and Syria. On the bilateral level, they agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of health, environmental protection and biodiversity and culture, according to the statement. French media reported that during the two-hour video call, Macron accepted an invitation from Putin to visit Russia soon, "probably before the end of the year." In August 2019, Putin visited Fort de Bregancon, the French President's holiday residence in the south of France. Enditem 211 points target populations to the right resources. How it works After picking up the phone and dialing 2-1-1, enter your zip code and select a language. Then an operator may ask you a some important questions. 1. Are there any children in the home? 2. Is there someone in your home with a disability? 3. Are there any people over 60 in your home? 4. Are you a veteran? All of those questions we ask because it gives us a window into a few more resources, said Sarah Kile, Executive Director of 211 Northeast Michigan. The four target population groups make up a bulk of 211 calls. Kile said the operators are equipped to handle them and anyone else in need of help. 211 is an organization that connects people to other organizations and resources that can help with needs, such as food, shelter, substance abuse and more. Anyone in the 23 counties it serves can seek out assistance. Early childhood Normally 211 doesnt receive calls from children, but its not uncommon for a parent to call in need of assistance. 211 can direct parents to childcare services, preschool programs or organizations that offer food and clothing for children. Kile says every county has a group working on early childhood services called the Great Start Collaborative. In Midland, Great Start is Directed by Micki Gibbs. She said the job of the collaborative is to bring all partners together that have anything and everything to do with young children. When I say partners, I mean everything from early care and education, physical health, social/emotional health, businesses, philanthropy, anything that has to do with young children and their families, Gibbs said. Individuals with disabilities 211 operators are trained to direct people with physical or mental disabilities to resources they need. Of those calling 211 last year, Kile said 12% reported having or living with someone with a disability. This could be physical with some people requiring transportation or assisted living or it could be cognitive. Kile said 211 has ramped up their directory for mental health referrals. Especially in Midland, weve started a specific program that is now statewide, MIHopePortal.org, Kile said. 211 is mainly for nonprofits, but when it comes to mental health, there were so many gaps in service so for Midland. We tested the program while we tested for-profit mental health providers with their permission because we wanted one place for folks to go and find those. The new program can get people emergency help or help with finding a mental healthcare provider. Mental health is definitely been a very serious focus a laser focus in the past few years at our 2-1-1, Kile said. Older adults About 10% of people who call 2-1-1 report that someone in their house is over 60. In this scenario, Kile said the next step is to refer them to the local commission on aging. We have an agreement with most county commissions on aging to refer folks their because thats their everyday job is helping those over 60, Kile said. We spend a lot of time making sure if someone does (have) someone in the house over 60, that we send folks their way. Charlie Schwedler is executive director of Midland County Senior Services. He said the organization is the go-to resource for anyone over 60. Our mission is to help folks stay in their homes, Schwedler said. So we can deliver meals to people or they can pick them up, we help them with Medicare, we have caregiver support, home care services, a ton of education and enrichment services and all of this is for people over 60. Veterans and active military Unfortunately, many people are proud and dont want to ask for help, Kile said. But in the case of our veterans, they entered the military and we promised them help. Kile said 5% of total call volume are veterans. 211 prioritizes veterans by directing them to benefits programs and counseling. Brad Blanchard is works at the Great Lakes Bay Veteran Coalition while also serving as Vice President on the 211 board of directors to capitalize on their service to veterans. Theres so many programs out there that help veterans and its so essential they connect to those programs, Kile said. Get connected To get connected to 211 Northeast Michigan, dial 2-1-1, text your zip code to 211, or visit https://www.211nemichigan.org/ to chat with someone online or browse local resources. Editor's note: This article is the sixth installment of a weekly, local impact campaign the Daily News is launching in partnership with 211 Northeast Michigan to raise awareness and provide continuing education about this vital service. If you have lived in Northeast Philadelphia in the last 15 years, chances are fairly good that you had dinner or attended a banquet at Randis Restaurant, a destination in Grant Plaza II in the Bustleton section. There was a Randi out front: Randi DAmico, who with her husband, Jim, took over an upmarket Italian restaurant called La Padella in 2005. They kept the white-tablecloth airs, broadened the menu, and featured live music some nights. Mrs. DAmico, 56, born Randi Levine, died Wednesday, June 24, at her Northeast Philadelphia home, where she had been under hospice care. She was beautiful, said Jim DAmico, her husband of 20 years. And she was a fighter, one of the toughest people Ive ever met. She had pancreatic cancer, and she had it for six years. Thats how you know how tough she was. A 1980 graduate of Northeast High School, Mrs. DAmico started as a bartender when she was 21. Her husband said he was unsure whether her first job was at the old Frostys Saloon in Rhawnhurst or at the Frontenac Bar in Oxford Circle. She worked her way up to manager, and landed at a restaurant called Little Daves Bistro near Northeast Philadelphia Airport, where she met her husband. The couple later ran Alberts Cafe & Grille for seven years before striking out on their own with Randis. Jim DAmico said she doted on her dogs and cats and just loved people. And they loved her back. Both her husband and her father, Norton Levine, noted her popularity. If this [funeral] was not [happening during the pandemic], you would need two funeral homes to take care of all the people whod come, her father said. Chapel services at Goldsteins Rosenbergs Raphael-Sacks Suburban North in Bucks County are now limited to 150 people; masks must be worn. Besides her husband and father, she is survived by her brother, Mitchell Levine; stepsons James and Nicholas DAmico; and a granddaughter, Mia Castro. Services will begin at 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 29, at Goldsteins Rosenbergs Raphael-Sacks Suburban North, 310 Second Street Pike, Southampton. Burial will be in Montefiore Cemetery, Jenkintown. Contributions toward a college fund for Mia Castro may be directed to Jim DAmico in care of the restaurant, 1619 Grant Ave., Philadelphia 19115. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, has sent a legal notice to his wife Aaliya Siddiqui, stating that she retract her statements given to two media platforms. The notice sent through his advocate Adnan Shaikh, asked her to issue written clarifications, failing which, he will initiate legal action against her. According to a report in the Free Press Journal, the defamation notice talks about Aaliya's interview with a media platform, that quotes her as saying that Nawazuddin has not replied to her divorce notice. The notice also adds one of her other interview with a media outlet that claims that Nawazuddin is not paying her maintenance, nor paying their children's school fees. Nawazuddin in his legal notice stated that these statements made by Aaliya are untrue. He claims to have replied to her notice within the stipulated 15 days of its receipt. It also stated that Aaliya's claimsof Nawazuddin not paying maintenance and children's fees are a lie and were stated with the intention to defame him. Advocate Adnan Shaikh reportedly said, "My client has been paying maintenance and other expenses including EMIs during the lockdown, just as he did before. It all reflects on his bank account." On the other end, the report also stated that Aaliya Siddiqui has decided to stand by her claims. She said that she has not lied, has proof and is ready to face legal action if necessary. Nawazuddin is currently staying in his hometown, Budhana, Uttar Pradesh and seems to have been keeping busy with something other than acting. Earlier this week, the actor took to his Instagram page and shared a video of himself helping out at the farm. He captioned the video, "Done for the day !!!". While talking to a media portal the actor said farming is in his DNA. "It's not about 'feeling good' or 'enjoyment' because this is a habit and a part of my DNA now. My forefathers were into farming and even I did the same initially -- for close to 25 years of my life. When I moved to Mumbai, it -- of course -- came to a halt but whenever I have gone back to my village, I have always indulged in farming. Honestly, it gives me a lot of peace of mind, and plus, it all also comes very naturally," said Nawazuddin. Nawazuddin Siddiqui Shocked By Wife's Legal Notice Seeking Divorce Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Niece Files Sexual Harassment Complaint Against The Actor's Brother In March 2017, a pipe had exploded in the hills outside of Pocatello, Idaho, and the son of a local doctor was injured. The long time detective, Tony Manu, was on the case and detailed his disbelief because they were not aware that there was a pipe bomb in the area. Cyanide bombs According to the report published by The Guardian, Manu went to the home of Dr. Mansfield and that was when they saw that their family dog was dead and the then 14-year-old son of the doctor, Canyon Mansfield, was injured. The police report stated that Canyon and his dog were playing in the wood behind the family home. Both stumbled upon a device that sprayed them in the face with a dose of sodium cyanide. The boy was able to clean the poison out of his eyes but the dog collapsed and started convulsing. Dr. Mansfield wanted to give the dog CPR but Canyon told him that if he did, he will get infected as well. Detective Manu and his team found out that the cyanide bomb was not done by a terrorist or random group, but it was installed by a federal employee on official business. Canyon's mother, Theresa Mansfield, said that the United States government put a cyanide bomb 350 ft from their house, and it killed their dog and poisoned her child. Also Read: John Bolton Said Trump "Turned a Blind Eye" To the Pandemic Three years later, she and her husband are still in the middle of a legal and political campaign to hold the government accountable and to ban the use of cyanide bombs across the United States. What alarmed the couple is the number of people who had not heard about the US agency that placed the bomb. Wildlife Services The Wildlife Services has operated in obscurity for years, it also had limited oversight from Congress or the American public. Housed in the Department of Agriculture, the agency works on behalf of private farmers and ranchers, killing wolves, bears, coyotes, birds, and other animals that cause problems for agricultural interests. According to an artilce published by Biological Diversity, in 2018 the agency exterminated around 1.5 million native animals and a massive number of invasive animals. There are times when its agents shoot coyotes or wolves from helicopters. There are also times when they employ leg traps and snares and they also place poison devices on private and public land. Cyanide bombs, also known as M-44s, are baited and spring-loaded tubes that spray an orange plume of cyanide powder when it is triggered. It is aimed at coyotes and other animals that predate livestock, the bombs killed 6,500 animals in 2018 alone. Peter DeFazio, the congressman of Oregon and a long-time critic of the agency, has described it as more secretive than the Department of Homeland Security. Even local law enforcement agencies are unaware of the extent of the agency's activities. The supporters of the agency include agriculture organizations. The American Sheep Industry Association called the cyanide bombs as critical tools that have a proven track record of protecting livestock and the environment. However, critics say that the use of the said bombs and the agency that administers them is out of control. Related Article: Two Staff Fired After Exposing Horrific Conditions Inside a US Nursing Home @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Agra, June 27 : One more fatality took Agra's Covid-19 death toll to 85, with a total of 1,184 corona cases in the Taj city, while 991 patients have so far been discharged upon recovery, health officials said on Saturday. The number of active cases now is 109, according to the district magistrate P.N. Singh. The total number of samples collected so far is 20,610. Health department officials said efforts were being made to increase the daily size of samples, particularly in the 64 hotspots. The administration is trying hard to involve the private nursing homes and clinics in its strategy to combat Covid-19. A local private laboratory has been permitted to test samples at the government rates. With the railways announcing postponement of regular train services, a large number of people have lost their livelihood. The state roadways bus stands also look largely deserted. However, the pressure on borders with Rajasthan and MP has increased as a large number of vehicles from Delhi are heading home. The police deployment on inter state borders has been increased as each passenger in buses or other vehicles has to go through the screening process. The UP border at Fatehpur Sikri saw a long queue of vehicles waiting to cross the checkpost to enter Bharatpur district to head for different locations in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, the divisional commissioner Anil Kumar has directed the district administration to up the testing facilities and streamline treatment procedures to help people in need. An official said the focus now was on how to contain the spread of the virus in the hot zones where people were being screened and provided medical assistance. On Friday, health camps were held at 21 spots to provide treatment to people. The technological upgradation and improved management has helped a large number of people after Dr Sanjay Kala took over as the principal of the SN Medical College, a few weeks ago. The constant worry of the health department is the complacency that has set in after the lockdown was lifted, as the markets are not seen observing the guidelines. Customers crowding up shops are neither wearing masks nor observing social distancing, an official said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said that he does not believe that Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin struck any deals with Independents during phone calls on Friday. I dont believe any deal was struck with them on how they voted today, he told RTE radios News at One. PATNA Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Saturday announced he would work for a new political alternative in Bihar to replace the Nitish Kumar government due to its utter failure on multiple fronts. Assembly elections are due in Bihar in October-November. Sinha, who quit the BJP in April 2018, said at a press conference that the new formation was in the process of making and would contest elections on the agenda of Is Baar Badlo Bihar (Change Bihar this time). The government will have a big role to play in the making of a better Bihar and the present dispensation is incapable to doing it, as has been proved in the last 15 years. The focus is on replacing it with a government that is sensitive to peoples needs, he said. A former Union finance minister, Sinha did not rule out the possibility of contesting the elections himself. I dont cross my bridges before I get to them. I am known for surprising at times. I have decided to devote the rest of my life for changing Bihar after the worst ever humiliation I have had to face due to heart-rending sight of migrants from Bihar returning to the state braving untold miseries, he said. Flanked by former ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, Renu Kushwaha, Narendra Singh, former Jehanabad MP Arun Kumar, five-time MP from Jhanjharpur Devendra Prasad Yadav, former MP Purnmasi Ram, former union minister Nagmani and a host of other leaders, Sinha said more leaders were in touch with him to give the people of Bihar a viable alternative, as they were badly looking for one after feeling cheated. Former Bihar Speaker Uday Naraayan Choudhary is also said to be in touch with Sinha. If this is the condition of Bihar 73 years after independence that 40 lakh people have to move out every year in search of livelihood, it speaks a lot about governance. If Bihar remains at the bottom of the human development index (HDI) index and poverty index, has the lowest per capita income of Rs 47,541, which is one-third of the national average, and the education and health sectors remain in a deplorable state, there is not much left to explain, he said. Himself an alumnus of Patna University, Sinha said the university had been left with barely one or two teachers in several post-graduate departments, as most of the posts had remained vacant in Bihars higher education institutions. In the last fiscal, barely 33% of the rural road construction target could be completed. Bihar has barely 1.5% share in industries across the country. And to top it all, there is all-pervasive corruption, with money disappearing from treasury, he said, in a direct attack on the Nitish Kumar government. He also urged the Election Commission to consider the prevailing situation before deciding whether it would be proper to hold elections. Virtual campaigns and digital voting are mere tools of cheating the people. It will be heavily loaded in favour of rich parties. Besides, one never knows what shape Covid-19 would take. It may peak in October-November. Right now, there is hardly any testing in Bihar, but the figure has gone past 8,000. There also could be a flood situation in 21 districts. The EC has to take a call taking everything into consideration, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Area animal shelters showered with funds in memory of Betty White The online fundraiser challenged fans of actress Betty White to donate to a local animal rescue or shelter in honor of her Jan. 17 birthday. The Thunder Bay Museum will be hosting a travelling quilt exhibit starting Jan. 31. The exhibit, titled Threads of Hope, explores hope, longing and desire for the future of the world. Fibre Art Network artists express world issues through their work in the exhibit. Each artwork is connected Amen Brown, who is poised to become the next state representative from the 190th District, shown here in West Philadelphia on the block where he grew up, near 56th and Market Street. Read more Amen Brown had on a face mask covering his nose and his mouth when I ran into him earlier this month but I could tell he was smiling. He had good reason. The 33-year-old entrepreneur had just pulled off a stunning upset against Democratic incumbent G. Roni Green in the race for a state House seat representing the scandal-plagued 190th District, anchored in West Philly. Even though votes were still being tabulated, Brown was in the lead. Since then, Brown has been officially declared the winner, with 43.1% of the vote to Greens 38.9%. Attorney Danyl Patterson came in third with 13.2%. Come November, he will face off against Republican challenger Wanda Logan. It shouldnt be much of a contest, since 87% of the districts voters are registered Democrats. If things go as expected, Brown will be the third state rep from the 190th in four years, which is pretty much unheard of. The father of two has come a long way from just a year ago, when he launched his political career by announcing his candidacy in the special election to fill the seat vacated when former State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown was convicted of bribery and other charges. He lost that race to former State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell. She served less than a year before resigning in December and pleading guilty to stealing $500,000 from a charity she founded. I am very, very excited about what happened on June 2, Brown told me, adding that he is planning a public event to celebrate his victory. This is something thats been in the works for 20-plus years. Hopefully, hell be able to do what three state representatives who preceded him were unable to stay out of legal trouble. The residents in the 190th have been through more than enough in recent years, which is why I focused on this particular race. I feel like Ive been preparing for a position like this my entire life without even knowing, Brown told me on Tuesday. All of the community work I did, even back when I was a child, a lot of the people who stood in those lines [to vote]. These were citizens who I had helped in some shape or form, whether it was going to the store or shoveling their snow. Brown grew up in a single-parent household at 43 S. 56th St. Money he earned doing odd jobs went to buy food for his eight siblings. At age 12, an assailant shot him and a friend in the back while they were standing near his home at 56th and Market Street. A few years later, he was working in the after-school program at what was then Sayre Middle School when he got caught up in a police raid at a corner store while he and his friends were hanging out nearby. He spent about 45 days behind bars before he was released and the drug charges were dismissed. After graduating from Overbrook High School in 2006, he attended Community College of Philadelphia with the intention of becoming a school principal, but said he dropped out because it wasnt fast enough for me. When he was 22, he and a business partner opened a child-care facility in Frankford called Education Nation Learning Academy. That was followed by a second facility. Brown eventually left that partnership and started the Overbrook Beacon Community Center at 56th and Lancaster Avenue. Meanwhile, he was dabbling in real estate. These days, hes out of the day-care business. Brown spends his time holding listening sessions with residents and learning more about the legislative process. This win wasnt about what we did the last six or seven months. It was the work that we put in for years, he added. Im known for helping people. Heres hoping that unlike others who have been where he might soon be, that will be what Brown continues to be known for doing. The British government says it will lift its two-week coronavirus quarantine rule for visitors arriving from countries such as France, Greece and Spain. "Our new risk-assessment system will enable us to carefully open a number of safe travel routes around the world," a UK government spokesman said. A list of the countries from where people will be allowed to enter Britain without needing to self-isolate for 14 days will be published on 6 July, the spokesman added. Boris Johnson's administration introduced its quarantine regime for most travellers arriving in the country on 8 June. Interior minister Priti Patel said the policy would be reviewed every three weeks. The government says by using factors such as the spread of the virus and the reliability of data, it has created a rating system for countries of green, amber and red. Rethink Countries in the green and amber categories, says the government, are considered to have a low risk and their citizens can enter Britain. However, all travellers will be required by law to wear face coverings on planes and ferries, it added. The rules also applied to any Britons who had left the country and were returning. Since Patel announced the clampdown, Britain has faced criticism and and legal challenges from airlines as well as from others in the travel industry who have argued the policy will devastate the domestic tourism sector in a country with more than 43,000 deaths from the coronavirus. The government maintains the new measures will be kept under constant review and quarantine rules could be reintroduced for individual countries if their situation changes. "We will not hesitate to put on the brakes if any risks re-emerge," added the government spokesman. "This system will enable us to take swift action to re-introduce self-isolation measures if new outbreaks occur overseas." Photo: Unsplash/hal9001 Following a vacation gone wrong and a vehicle held as collateral, the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal has ordered a man to pay nearly $2,500 to his ex-girlfriend. Sherry Bereziak and Todd Kennedy started dating in Oct. 2019. According to tribunal documents, Bereziak had planned an international vacation before meeting Kennedy, but she then decided to add him to the trip with the understanding that he'd pay her back, according to CTV News Vancouver. But once the pair went on the vacation, the relationship "deteriorated significantly." Each blames the other for the tumultuous vacation, where they did not spend the last few days together and returned separately, according to the decision. Bereziak submitted text messages to the tribunal to prove that Kennedy owed her for the vacation, revealing that he offered to pay her back for the trip. She also claims that he had left his vehicle in her parking garage as collateral for the vacation payment. However Kennedy claims that she took his keys and kept the vehicle against his wishes. Tribunal member Chad McCarthy found that no evidence that the vehicle had been left as collateral. I find it more likely that Mr. Kennedy left his vehicle in the garage because he and Ms. Bereziak drove her vehicle to the airport and left it there during their vacation, McCarthy wrote. And in the end, it was a victory for Bereziak as Kennedy was ordered to pay $2,465.47 for his portion of the vacation as well as interest and Civil Resolution Tribunal fees and dispute-related costs. -With files from CTV News Vancouver Paris: France said on Friday it would download the black boxes from a Ukrainian airliner shot down by an Iranian missile in January, easing a stand-off over where they should be read. Frances BEA crash investigation agency said it was acting at the request of Iran, which remains responsible under global rules for conducting a formal accident probe after acknowledging that the Boeing 737 was downed by its forces. The Ukraine International Airlines flight was shot down on Jan. 8 by an Iranian ground-to-air missile, killing 176 people in what Tehran termed a disastrous mistake at a time of heightened tensions with the United States. Work on repairing and downloading the cockpit voice and data recorders will begin July 20, the BEA said. Aviation authorities in Canada, 57 of whose citizens were killed, said they would send a team to Paris to participate. A spokesman for the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said the agency is still participating in the investigation as the state of manufacture through our U.S. accredited representative but did not say if officials would travel to France to participate. Iran wants Canada to re-establish diplomatic ties that were broken off in 2012 but Tehran did not set this as a precondition for sending the recorders to France, a Canadian official said. It is not realistic to expect us to entertain any kind of discussions about this any time soon, said the official, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation. Canadas priorities were a full probe into the crash and compensation for families of the victims, the official added. Irans envoy to the United Nations aviation agency said this month that the countrys Air Accident Investigation Board had asked the BEA to read the black boxes, though this was followed by conflicting ministerial statements. Fridays announcement suggests Western and Iranian officials will jointly witness the technical work, though one person following the case did not rule out last-minute changes. The BEA has a history of assisting with sensitive probes when tensions are high between parties directly involved. During the nations most tumultuous times, including the Suez crisis, the miners strike, Brexit and the pandemic, there has been one steadfast presence the Queen. And helping to steer a steady course through it all are Her Majestys weekly meetings with her prime ministers. She has had 14 PMs, and their get-togethers at Buckingham Palace have been at the heart of our constitutional monarchy. They inspired the hit series The Crown (its creator Peter Morgan wrote a play called The Audience about them before his epic series), and now The Queen And Her PMs, a new documentary for Channel 5, gives us more insight. Channel 5 documentary delves into the conversations the Queen has with her prime ministers in the audience room of the palace. Pictured: The Queen with Winston Churchill in 1955 What is said at the audience is kept private. It is a place where PMs can talk about legislation in a way they cant talk with colleagues or rivals, says Charles Anson, who was both the Queens press secretary and has worked behind the scenes at Downing Street. The meetings, which can last for up to 90 minutes, take place in the audience room at the palace. If the Queen is away the two will talk on the phone instead. The documentary, which features the Mails editor-at-large Richard Kay and several historians, begins with Winston Churchill, who proved a vital mentor when she became Queen upon the premature death of her beloved father George VI in 1952. He was the most seasoned prime minister she could have hoped for as a young monarch, adds Charles Anson. Now she is the steadying hand for younger and less experienced politicians. The documentary also looks closely at the Queens relationship with Labours Harold Wilson. The two got on very well. She called him Harold most prime ministers are Mr or Mrs and even allowed him to smoke his pipe inside the audience room. Relations with Margaret Thatcher, however, began badly when the PM signed off a letter to the Queen with Yours sincerely, earning her a stern rebuke from a courtier who informed her it should be, I remain Maam, your humble and obedient servant'. The documentary examines the Queen's close relationship with Labours Harold Wilson. Pictured: The Queen with Harold Wilson in 1969 Thatcher found the weekly audiences terrifying. She showed up 45 minutes early and was mocked for her elaborate curtsies. The big falling-out came in 1986 when Mrs T went up against Commonwealth leaders who wanted sanctions for apartheid-era South Africa. She believed this would further impoverish the nation, but the Queen sided with the Commonwealth, as became clear when her press secretary gave an off-the-record briefing to the Press calling the PM uncaring, socially divisive and confrontational. But, as the documentary reveals, the Queens respect grew for Britains first female PM. When she resigned, the Queen gave her the rare honour of becoming a member of The Order of Merit. And she attended Thatchers 80th birthday, where they were seen walking around together smiling and laughing. John Major was in power during the collapse of Prince Charless marriage to Princess Diana, while Tony Blair had to help steer the monarchy through its most difficult time, with the death of Diana. The Queen was put in an awkward position a year ago, when she agreed with Boris Johnson that parliament should be suspended. Pictured: Her Majesty and Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street in 2002 Blair joked about his meetings with the Queen, saying, There are only two people to whom a prime minister can say what he likes about his Cabinet colleagues, the wife and the Queen. It did not go down well. More recently, David Cameron was overheard betraying the Queens confidence over Scottish independence when he joked she had purred with pleasure to discover her realm was not going to be broken up. Then a year ago Boris Johnson put her in the awkward position of agreeing to suspend parliament, ahead of the UKs scheduled departure of the EU only to then have the move deemed illegal. A constitutional monarchy tempers extremism, says Charles Anson. And the Queen is always constructive in her advice. Jim Callaghan described it as her not offering her prime ministers friendship but friendliness. And thats something they often need the chance to speak frankly to someone who wants to help. The Queen And Her PMs, next month, Channel 5. As part of its safety plan, arena management had purchased 12,000 do-not-sit stickers for Trumps rally, intended to keep people apart by leaving open seats between attendees. On the day of the rally, event staff had already affixed them on nearly every other seat in the arena when Trumps campaign told event management to stop and then began removing the stickers, hours before the presidents arrival, according to a person familiar with the event who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. Money laundering case: ED knocks Sonia Gandhi's aide Ahmed Patel's residence in Delhi India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, June 27: An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team, on Saturday landed at veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel's residence in Delhi residence in connection with a money laundering case involving Sterling Biotech Ltd, a company promoted by the absconding Sandesara brothers. According to reports, the Sandesaras, Nitin and Chetan, are said to be allegedly hiding in Nigeria and Indian agencies are trying to have them extradited. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi tests positive for COVID-19 Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News The ED knocked the doors of Patel's house to record his statement in the case. He was earlier summoned for questioning, but the leader cited COVID-19 guidelines and expressed his inability to visit the ED. Earlier, the health ministry issued advisory for citizens above 65 years to stay at home to save themselves against the novel coronavirus. It is alleged that Sterling Biotech took loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank, which later turned into non-performing assets. The total volume is pegged at Rs 8,100 crore. Swarms of desert locusts attack Gurugram; Likely to enter Delhi The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Friday carried out searches at multiple premises linked to Ratul Puri, the nephew of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The search party comes in connection with a fresh FIR registered against him on Thursday for allegedly cheating a consortium of banks led by Punjab National Bank (PNB) of Rs 787 crore. WATERFORD Plans for a temporary RallyCross race course along Highway 36 in western Racine County have been given the red flag. The Village of Waterford Public Works & Utilities Committee voted against approving the RallyCross proposal by Jordan Karweik. This decision came at the Waterford Public Works & Utilities Committees meeting on June 15, after members of the Village Board, residents and the Village of Rochester Village Board expressed concerns and dissatisfaction with the idea. Karweik submitted a proposal to the village earlier this year for the Mercury Business Park, about 54 acres of land along Highway 36, across from The Equitable Bank, 701 Trailview Crossing. The RallyCross project would have been temporary and would have occurred before or during the start of the development of the whole piece of land. Karweik proposed to rent the land for RallyCross use within the Waterford Motorsports Park. RallyCross is a form of auto racing held on a closed racing circuit. Only one car goes through the track at a time and competes for the fastest time. Racers would come from all over Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan, Karweik wrote in the proposal. At least two events would be held per month and there would be potential for hosting additional types of motorsports there. Small temporary buildings would be put up per the proposal, but nothing permanent. Karweik offered to pay the Village of Waterford $1,800 annually and the contract would be voided when the Village of Waterford begins land development. After an initial brainstorming session with the Village Board in April, the topic went before the Village of Waterford Public Works & Utilities Committee. After the committees recommendation not to approve it, the proposal will go on to the Village Board, which will decide if the proposal comes to a screeching halt or gets the green flag to move ahead. The next Village Board meeting is July 13. Many in opposition Don Houston, Waterford village president and chairman of the Public Works & Utilities Committee, said hearing negative opinions about the proposal was a factor in his decision to vote to not recommend the RallyCross idea. I dont know what other board members took into account, but they were aware of it, Houston told the Journal Times. I personally always take peoples thoughts and considerations into account. These negative opinions came from those including the neighboring Village of Rochester and area residents. The Waterford Village Board had also expressed concerns in April with noise levels after the idea of motorcycle racing was brought up for the land. The Rochester Village Board meeting on May 11 resulted in the delivery of a letter to Houston, the Waterford Board of Trustees and the Plan Commission. This letter was dated May 20 and acted as an official opposition to the RallyCross proposal due to the negative impacts it could have on Waterford and Rochester residents. Several reasons for opposition were brought up, including noise, air and site pollution, ground contamination and spectator management. The (Rochester) Village Board respectfully requests that full and thorough consideration be given to address and mitigate these concerns should the proposal move forward, Betty Novy, Rochester administrator and treasurer, wrote in the letter. Mike and Lori Kedrowicz also submitted an email to Colleen Schauer, communications director/public information officer for the Village. The email stated that they dont live far from the proposed site and they are very concerned about the noise and dust which could cause poor air quality. Residents with asthma or other conditions could be adversely affected, they wrote. With the noise issue, doors and windows will have to be closed most of the summer. Houston said that in addition to these complaints, the land is already going to begin development this fall. When the land starts development, Houston said sometimes things come up with the engineering of the land and extra land may be needed for the construction process. Its going to be started; its already planned, Houston said. Thats been one of the factors all along. We dont want to put any roadblocks into possible development. To me, I think we should leave it. Village administration has interacted with several other parties who are interested in the land for permanent development at the site. The permanent development has been named the Mercury Business Park by village officials. The Mercury Business Park is broken into five lots ranging from 1 to 8.1 acres. The mixed-use development has a large, dense, multi-family opportunity, along with three big box retail sites, and one smaller restaurant/retail outlet, according to the Waterford Economic Development website. The village is currently working on infrastructure. Its (RallyCross) basically a waste of time here. Its not worth the trouble, Houston said. The end goal is more important than the temporary. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Global advertising economy will fall by 11.8%: GroupM GroupM announces the mid-year forecasts in their global advertising report 'This Year, Next Year'. The report states that "the consequences of the pandemic have only barely begun to play out as we reach mid-year, not least as we have only experienced its first wave so far." Failure, Embarrassment & Rejection became my best friends: Josy Paul The Masterclass by Josy Paul, Chairman and CCO of BBDO India, as part of the Lions Live programme, was a candid account of the creative genius of Paul, his way of thinking, his failures and his many successes that have shaped his work over the years. Read More - Week at a glance: Spotlight on TV ratings; SEO Masterclass; Design Dialogues Ogilvys Sukesh Nayak on fortifying Asian Paints campaign strategy during lockdown Asian Paints latest ad campaign Toy Car is high on emotions, even as it gives the dual message of a fathers willingness to leave no stone unturned to provide for his family as well as Asian Paints various initiatives to support the painter community during these tough times. Brands follow, as multi-lingual content paves the path to reach Bharat There is a growing base of language users on the Internet, with as much as 18 per cent language users accessing the Internet every year compared to 3 per cent English users, as per a KPMG report. Most language users are based in non-metros and collectively outspend metro consumers in categories like FMCG, apparel and footwear. Neither are they shying away from big ticket purchases as e-commerce sales in these regions are growing at 3x. Andy Main to take over from John Seifert as Global CEO of Ogilvy Andy Main is set to join WPP's Ogilvy by July as the global CEO. He will be taking over from John Seifert who has spoken about his plans to retire in 2021 after 41 years with agency. Seifert was the Global CEO for nearly five years. Digital spends will be up by 57.5% by 2022: Sir Martin Sorrell As part of the Masters Speak initiative by Future Generali India Life Insurance, Anant Rangaswamy, Editor, Melt and Wion TV, engaged Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman, S4 Capital, in a discussion on COVID-19 - The Digital Accelerator. The idea of Masters Speak comes from one of Future Generalis core values Live The Community. Dentsumcgarrybowen's Merlee Jayme decodes business of creativity in current times Creative leadership is required now more than ever and thats I would want to encourage everybody to bring back creativity to the core of our businesses, because this is the only way we can lead the future, said Merlee Jayme, Global President, Dentsumcgarrybowen, in her address on Day 2 of the Lions Live 2020 programme. Dentsu India elevates Indrajeet Mookherjee to the role of President Dentsu India, the brand solutions agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN), has promoted Indrajeet Mookherjee, erstwhile Executive Vice President, to the role of President, effective immediately. He will continue to report into Simi Sabhaney, CEO, Dentsu India. How HUL, RB, Colgate-Palmolive, P&G advertised on TV in lockdown period As per TAM AdEx TV Advertising Report Part 3, during the period April20-20 June20, there were 2,800+ active advertisers and 4,300+ brands visible across 380+ categories. Average Ad Volumes/Day in Jun20 grew by 51 per cent, compared to April20. BFSI sector often considered Barometer of the economy: Pankaj Gupta Before COVID-19 struck, HDFC Life revealed data from their Life Freedom Index for FY2020. According to the survey participants from Metro, Tier I and Tier II cities, an individuals confidence towards achieving financial planning goals in the future was not affected by macro-economic factors. Weve been a Vocal for Local organisation since 1968: Kunj Bihari Agarwala Kunj Bihari Agarwala, Managing Director, Rupa, is very enthused about Prime Minister Narendra Modis call for Voval for Local. He affirmed, We remain committed to strengthening India by embodying the true essence of Make in India. We are For the Indians. Of the Indians. By the Indians. Agarwala further says, We are the first and foremost brand to make and provide quality hosiery products (innerwear and outerwear) in India for the last 50 years. Why brands shouldnt ignore the power of conversational content The way brands interact with audiences on social media is distinctly different from other platforms, including digital. While promotional offers, contests and product marketing are still the mainstay of e-commerce, consumer electronics, and apparel brands, the services as opposed to product categories like OTT, food delivery, ride sharing, and hospitality and travel, have taken a more conversational approach. Often, pharma, auto, FMCG, accessory categories hijack viral moments to resonate with the pulse of a younger audience. Brands & influencers turning to fitness, wellbeing, Yoga to gain traction Indias ancient practice to maintain holistic health, Yoga today has made deep inroads throughout the world and even gained recognition from the UN General Assembly as International Yoga Day in 2014. Under the Narendra Modi Government, Yoga has gained further prominence. How Webboombaa drove online sales for TN- based jeweller during COVID During the auspicious period of AkshayaTriti, between late March and early April, Chennai-based digital agency Webboombaa delivered 15X RoI for Tamil Nadu-based jeweler Sree Kumaran Thangamaligai (SKTM). MX Player has been exploding as a platform, recording 2.5x growth: Gautam Talwar The lockdown period has been a boom time for digital content consumption as people remained confined to their homes and there has been a lack of fresh content on TV due to cessation of all shooting work. BARC Wk 24: Star Utsav dislodges Dangal from No. 1 on All Platforms Week 24 (Saturday, 13th June 2020 to Friday, 19th June 2020) on All Platforms saw quite some upheavals and new entries in the top 10 Hindi GEC rankings on All Platforms. Making the shift to FTA in March 2020 has paid off for Star Utsav, Colors Rishtey and Zee Anmol. As per BARC data [HSM (U+R) : NCCS All : 2+ Individuals], Star Utsav and Colors Rishtey registered huge gains this week. Lockdown Lessons Lockdown Lessons: Empowered people build empowered societies Neliswa Nkani Neliswa Nkani is the Hub Head MEISEA at South African Tourism. During the lockdown imposed in her country, she is working out of a hotel in Johannesburg, while her team is based in India. Here, she talks about how she has adapted herself to the new normal and what the lockdown period has taught her. Lockdown Lessons: All market data points indicate that things will turn out positive Minal Srivastava, Vice President - Growth, Strategy & Marketing, Shalimar Paints, writes about the unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 crisis to businesses and how it has taught us the significance of being future-ready to sail through any crisis. She also stresses on companies working doubly hard to ensure that employees working from home do not feel alienated or disconnected. Lockdown Lessons: We need so little, and we want so much Meenu Bagla Meenu Bagla, Vice President & CMO, Cyient Ltd, writes about how she has kept herself gainfully engaged during the lockdown period and the valuable lessons that she learnt about life, work and money. She also switched jobs during the lockdown period. Lockdown Lessons: Personal ownership for work has increased significantly Abhishek Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance, talks about how he has evolved in his work habits during the lockdown period, and also remained continuously with his team working remotely. Lockdown Lessons: It has forced a re-think on both personal & professional pursuits Pankaj Gulati, Chief People & Marketing Officer, Fincare Small Finance Bank, advises people to be conservative in their spends in these times and stick to the long term goals. He also believes that COVID-19 has probably permanently changed the rules of working. #TwitterChat: How new age PR agencies are carving a robust edge in COVID-19 times Effective, transparent and concise communication is the need of the hour during the global COVID-19 crisis be it for spreading awareness, in giving instructions, assuring people, or avoiding panic reactions. Companies and brands have had to continue their communication with their stakeholders and customers even though the communication channels have been fewer. How Radio can reinvent to be effective & attractive for brands in tough times Radio has been a source of local news and feel-good content during the lockdown months. It has been one of the few mediums that is currently churning out interesting fresh content and new offerings for listeners as well as brands. According to various reports, the stay-at-home radio listenership during the lockdown went up by as much as 23 per cent, compared to pre-COVID-19 times. Only 21% would un-install TikTok because it is Chinese The Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) conducted a gun-shot telephonic survey over June 17 & 18 to gauge consumer sentiment on celebrities endorsing Chinese brands, post the news of the loss of life of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley. 408 respondents were asked some quick-fire questions. Indian consumers shift to digital commerce, show no sign of slowing down: Mastercard study The way we shop is changing and how we pay is evolving. As COVID-19 alters our daily lives, consumers in India and across Asia Pacific are rapidly going digital with purchases of everything from groceries to movies in a shift that looks set to become a permanent habit after the pandemic passes, Mastercard research shows. All tallied, it was 15 kilometres of polyester rope, four kilometres of bungee cord, hundreds of nylon hooks, 10 pounds of thread, three sewing machines and one unprompted phone call. Thats what it took Kevin Piper to turn his Hamilton sail shop into an overnight mechanical aviation warehouse in the heat of a pandemic. Bay Sails, Pipers sailmaking and design shop near the harbour, is the architect behind some 300 snug-tight engine covers that were fitted onto scores of Air Canada planes grounded inside of a service hanger at Torontos Pearson Airport. The once-in-a-lifetime project Piper had zero prior experience with aircraft began with an unexpected morning phone call in mid-March. On the line were two Air Canada aviation mechanics and practical strangers. They had some questions. An engine cover manufactured by Bay Sails in place on a jet engine. Courtesy of Bay Sails Can you sew big things? Piper recalled them asking. Can you help us get some prototypes and specifications together? Piper had just returned from a sailing trip in the Caribbean to a country gripped by COVID-19. Businesses near Bay Sails were now closed and struggling, his kids now out of school and back at home. But he could sew big things. Kevin Piper is pictured working on a sail at his Hamilton-based Bay Sails sewing and design shop. Normally, he makes sails for boats. When COVID-19 struck, he was contracted to make covers for Air Canada jets. The Hamilton Spectator I was officially intrigued when they said that, Piper says. That afternoon, Air Canada mechanics Sandro Rizzi and Jairo Jimenez drove from Pearson to Pipers shop on Bay Street North. The trio worked deep into the night, designing prototypes of engine covers to test fit a 787 Dreamliner grounded back at the service hanger. The prototype fit like a glove. By morning, Bay Sails and Air Canada had agreed to a contract that would see the small businesses build a first batch of 70 additional engine covers. In all, they would go on to build about 300. I never saw this coming, Piper says. But I felt kind of lucky because so many other businesses were closing and somehow this (opportunity) pops up. It was good timing. Air Canada was forced to ground about 225 planes due to tanked travel demand and border shutdowns from COVID-19. Engine covers typically massive patches of foam-filled fabric are critical to the integrity of idled aircraft because aluminum, a base material within engines, erodes when exposed to the atmosphere. Kevin Piper is pictured working on a sail at his Hamilton-based Bay Sails sewing and design shop. The Hamilton Spectator If they dont have engine covers at all, the engines have to run roughly every 48 hours to get the moisture out, Piper says. It takes about 1,000 kilograms of fuel just to warm up one engine If youre looking at 120 aircraft, the amount fuel that gets lost is staggering. As far as production went, everything was smooth sailing. Piper said his shops loft setup was almost tailor-made for producing engine covers. With sewing machines inset into the floor and large seaming tables stretching waist-high, much of the aviation design was similar to a sailing project. Parts for a jet engine cover laid out on the sewing floor of Bay Sails on Bay Street North. Courtesy of Bay Sails Engine covers arent as big as sails, nor as complicated, but there were so many of them, Piper says with a chuckle. Bay Sails has been open since 1998. Surprisingly, the past three months in which staff worked from dawn until dusk and through the weekends wasnt its busiest on record. That comes at peak sailing season, usually in the thick of summer. But it certainly has been the weirdest. Weve done stuff for other industries, but this was just the weirdest. Ive never needed so many supplies, let alone kilometres of rope and bungee cord, Piper says, noting supplies were procured from across North America. It also shows we can manufacture things here in Canada. These engine covers could be the difference in getting an aircraft back up, and Im grateful to be able to help protect them so theyre ready to fly when we are. An engine cover manufactured by Bay Sails in place on a jet engine. Courtesy of Bay Sails Read more about: The new Governor of Gibraltar, Vice Admiral Sir David Steel, paid a courtesy visit to St Bernard's Hospital and the Primary Care Centre this week. After meeting the Minister for Health and Care, Paul Balban, Principal Secretary Evelyn Cervan and the Medical Director (Ag) Doctor Krish Rawal and other senior management staff, Sir David was briefed on some of the daily tasks at the Gibraltar Health Authority and how GHA staff had worked on making every possible preparation for the potential spread of Covid-19 on the Rock during the pandemic. He said afterwards that he had been delighted to meet members of "Team GHA" and looked forward to seeing more in the future. The Governor only took up his new post earlier this month and has now embarked upon familiarising himself with Gibraltar, its institutions and its people and business community. He succeeded Lieutenant General Edward Davis, whose term of office ended earlier this year. With the best of intentions, the prominent Canadians who would have Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enter into a quid pro quo with China to secure the freedom of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor have done their cause more harm than good. In a letter to Trudeau dated June 23, 19 high-profile signatories, including former parliamentarians and senior diplomats, called on the federal government to drop the extradition case against Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in exchange for the release of the two Canadians. Their intervention comes at a time when fears are on the rise that Kovrig and Spavor, who have already been detained for over 500 days, are going to be crushed by the wheels of Chinas arbitrary justice system. Those fears are well founded. After more than a year in detention limbo, the two have now been formally charged with espionage. The conviction rate on such charges in China is virtually 100 per cent and the process, to put it mildly, is opaque. But noble motives often lead to unintended negative consequences. Given the collective public service experience of the letters signatories, they would have had to at least have known that their appeal was a very long shot. The best possible opportunity for the Trudeau government to veer from its current path actually vanished when the B.C. Supreme Court ruled last month that the extradition hearing could proceed. A different ruling could have provided Ottawa with enough legal cover to advise the United States that it could go no further on the latters extradition request. That would have been consistent with the governments long-standing line that it was guided by the rule of law in the conduct of the controversial file that has landed Canada in the China-U.S. crossfire. There is no doubt many in the federal backrooms hoped for such a lifeline. Instead, the courts finding closed what could have been a politically defensible avenue of resolution. It cut the legs from under any rationale for the minister of justice to use his power to abandon the extradition process short of a complete reversal from the governments previously stated position. The very existence of that power is hardly reason enough for it to be used in the Meng case. Whether the former diplomats and parliamentarians who signed the letter factored in the risk that their pressures could make things worse is an open question. That, in any event, is pretty much what happened. By weeks end, both sides in the dispute were more entrenched in their respective public positions. On Thursday, Trudeau dismissed the letter writers suggestion in unequivocal terms. Where the prime minister had previously sketched a line in the sand at engaging in hostage-style negotiations with China to bring the two Michaels home, he has now drawn a deep one. The minority status of the government is unlikely to force a change of strategy. This is one Trudeau stance that finds the official opposition and the government on the same page. If anything, the latest pressures may push the Liberals closer to the Conservatives more hardline position. The letter argued that for as long as Kovrig and Spavor remain in detention, Canada would be condemned to deal with China with one diplomatic hand tied behind its back. But the prime ministers unusually firm response to the appeal could be a prelude to a hardening of the countrys tone in its dealings with China. Here again, one could argue that the signatories of the letter forced Trudeau to publicly bolt the door to what has long been Beijings insistent demand. With China emboldened by the high-level domestic pressures exerted on the prime minister, the latter was left with little room for diplomatic equivocation. At the end of the day, the quid pro quo proposed this week rests on two equations that do not easily add up. The first is the inference that the American extradition request is as illegitimate as Chinas decision to retaliate by detaining two Canadians and putting them on trial. It takes a fair amount of rhetorical twisting to put a totalitarian regime with a demonstrated history of contempt for the rule of law on a level playing field with one whose justice system, notwithstanding the current American administration, remains robust. The other dubious parallel involves George W. Bush and Donald Trump, and the notion that just as the first got over his disappointment at Jean Chretiens refusal to sign Canada up for the Iraq invasion in 2003, the second would similarly come around to a federal decision to drop the Meng extradition. That argument may become more compelling should the U.S. presidential election brings about regime change and a less mercurial administration to the White House in November. Kyrgyzstan confirmed on Saturday 309 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 4,513, Trend reports citing Kabar. In total, 3,887 laboratory tests were conducted in the country in the last 24 hours, which detected 309 new cases, the countrys Deputy Health Minister Mademin Karataev told a news briefing. He said that among the new cases, five cases are imported, the rest 304 are identified within the country. Karataev noted that among the new cases 43 are medical workers, bringing the total number of contracted medical workers to 712, including 414 recoveries. Karataev said that 50 people were discharged from various hospitals in the country after receiving treatment, bringing the total number of people who have so far recovered to 2,212. He also reported three virus related deaths, raising the death toll to 46. Currently, 628 people remained hospitalized, 12 patients are in intensive care. In addition, 1,627 asymptomatic patients are in home quarantine, in total 17,929 people had contact with infected patients. I am ecstatic that we have a bipartisan historic passage of a bill to transform policing in the United States, she said. And now I look forward to getting my other Republican colleagues on board. Many, many of them came over and approached me. And so, I'm going to celebrate tonight, and I'll be back at work tomorrow. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (on the screens) speaks at a virtual press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Xie E) The UN Charter "remains our touchstone for a world mired in a pandemic, torn by discrimination, endangered by climate change and scarred by poverty, inequality and war," the UN chief said. UNITED NATIONS, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN Charter "brought rules and hope to a world in ruins," Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a virtual ceremony on Friday, commemorating 75 years since the organization's foundational text was signed. The Charter was signed in U.S. San Francisco on June 26, 1945 when World War II was ending, and came into force on Oct. 24, 1945. Conceived above all as a means to save future generations from the scourge of war, the Charter calls for the organization to maintain international peace and security; promote social progress and better standards of life; strengthen international law; and promote human rights. The UN Charter "remains our touchstone for a world mired in a pandemic, torn by discrimination, endangered by climate change and scarred by poverty, inequality and war," the UN chief said. Speaking of the post-war multilateral arrangements, Guterres said that they "have compiled a solid record of service - saving millions of lives, advancing the human condition and fulfilling its cardinal task of preventing World War Three." Talking about trust, Guterres noted that "people continue to lose trust in political establishments." "Today's marches against racism were preceded by widespread protests against inequality, discrimination, corruption and lack of opportunities all over the world - grievances that still need to be addressed, including with a renewed social contract," he said. Photo taken on June 26, 2019 shows the United Nations General Assembly holding a commemorative event to mark the day of the signing of the Charter of the United Nations at the UN headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) Recalling what the founding people of the UN did 75 years ago, Guterres said that the delegates in San Francisco in 1945, "having themselves lived through a global pandemic, depression and war, seized their opportunity to plant the seeds of something better and new." "Today, we must do the same," he stressed. The UN chief encouraged the international community to drive onward by displaying "heroism and solidarity" in the fight against the pandemic; embracing the Sustainable Development Goals; and advancing "equality, climate action and green economy." The penholders of the Charter "dared to imagine a better world defined by peace and equality," General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told the commemoration. "As we work towards the future we want, and the UN we need, we must be results-focused," he asserted. "Now more than ever, we need a strong UN development system and effective collaboration between the UN and international financial institutions." In pursuit of inclusive multilateralism, the Assembly president said that "we must continue to create space for civil society and ensure the full participation of voices that have gone unheard for too long," such as women, youth, indigenous persons and people with disabilities. "This is a moment of reckoning for our shared planet and shared future. This is a time for action, ambition and partnership," he said. Mona Juul, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) pledged "to continue engaging ... to ensure that ECOSOC remains as relevant today and, in the future, as it was when first envisioned in the Charter 75 years ago." "Today, the world is shifting beneath our feet," she said, calling the COVID-19 pandemic "a wake-up call for us to strengthen international collaboration." "Seventy-five years ago, today, the UN Charter was signed in San Francisco," chief for UN political and peacebuilding affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said. "A declaration of unity of purpose after the ravages of the Second World War, it set out our mission: 'to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war' (and) guides us to this day." Spreading the word about a new business is always hard to do. And when lockdown struck in March, that suddenly became an even greater hurdle for thousands of people who were trying to get a money-making idea off the ground. Without a large established customer base, Susan Leonard was one of those who found it increasingly difficult to drum up interest in her face products company, Eva Skin Care. Formerly a civil servant, 63-year-old Susan was forced to give up her career a few years ago after an accident damaged her back and made it impossible to continue in a desk job. Uplifting: Susan Leonard saw a tenfold rise in sales of her skincare products While looking for something to do instead, her family suggested that she should turn her hobby of making natural skincare products for friends into a full-time business. 'I made a lot of my sales at craft fairs, events, house parties and so on,' says Susan, 'so when lockdown hit, it was a bit of a disaster.' She tried Facebook adverts, but that had little effect, and traditional advertising in newspapers, magazines, radio or TV was completely beyond her budget. So when The Mail on Sunday launched a groundbreaking advertising offer to help struggling small businesses get back on their feet, Susan jumped at the chance. She secured one of 1,600 packages of free adverts worth 3,000 across our newspaper group's titles, which include The Mail on Sunday, the Daily Mail, Metro and the i. And to Susan's delight, she was inundated with new customers. 'It was unbelievable,' she says. 'I was immediately doing ten times the number of sales than before. It was quite exciting.' Susan makes all of her chemical-free skincare products, which include face creams, serums and soaps, at home (the name Eva is a combination of her granddaughters' names, Evie and Isla). While traffic and sales to her website evaskincare.co.uk shot up after her adverts appeared, she was also getting orders by phone. 'Several people phoned up to get some advice about their skincare issues and I was able to help them over the phone as well as take their orders,' says Susan. 'Some people are still quite cautious about shopping online so that gave them peace of mind and I am sure it will help my business survive during these difficult times.' Almost 6,000 small businesses applied for the Daily Mail and General Trust's advertising grants, which were launched at the peak of the lockdown to help businesses survive the potentially catastrophic impact of coronavirus. Thousands of small businesses across the UK have had to shut up shop due to the coronavirus The 5 million scheme, funded by DMGT and launched in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses trade body, was designed to rescue the local businesses who are the lifeblood of communities across the country. It also aimed to raise awareness of the part we could all play in helping our neighbourhood businesses as they struggled to cope with the almighty blow to sales dealt by the Covid-19 lockdown. To qualify for the scheme, applicants had to employ no more than 150 people and have an annual turnover of no more than 6 million. All of the entries went before a judging panel from DMGT and FSB and the selected recipients of the 3,000 grants have over the past few weeks had free adverts running in The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail, the i newspaper and the Metro as well as online adverts on Mail Online, one of the world's biggest news websites, and Metro.co.uk, which is read by millions across the UK. Experts from Mail Metro Media, our advertising arm, were on hand to craft the adverts and the messages to potential customers to help small firms get the most from the scheme. You will see today's 50 adverts on pages 126 and 127 and we urge you to get behind the businesses to give them a much-needed boost. The scheme is due to run until September, giving more and more businesses the opportunity to get their name in front of our millions of readers each week in print and online. This has been one of the most challenging periods for small businesses in modern times - Mike Cherry, Federation of Small Businesses Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, says: 'This has been one of the most challenging periods for small businesses in modern times and the Mail Metro Media's generous package of support has been invaluable. 'On behalf of our members and the small business community, we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail, Metro and the i paper for creating this hugely generous scheme. 'It has helped ease some of the burden many small businesses have faced over the last few months and the businesses featured say they are absolutely delighted with the impact their adverts have had.' Another entrepreneur to get a boost from the free adverts is David Cherrington, whose Shepherd's Hut Company was the very first to build shepherd's huts from scratch for home use, such as a home office or a summer house. 'When lockdown hit we had to put everything on hold,' he says. 'We couldn't finish off some huts or deliver others, we couldn't get the timber supplies either, and we basically closed for four weeks while our income went down to zero. It was like a zombie time.' 'Real boost': David Cherrington says the ads for his shepherd hut firm have helped his business pick up After a month David was able to restart by working on his own another employee is furloughed and another has just restarted and business has started to get back on track. Being a recipient of the coveted 3,000 DMGT advertising grant was a real boost to business, says David. 'It was great to be able to advertise across all the different titles,' he says, 'and traffic to our website noticeably increased, as did the number of calls enquiring about purchasing one of our huts. 'Now I'm able to visit potential customers and find out what space they have, as well as talk them through all the different huts we make, I'm hoping there will be some great results.' David launched his business in 1999 when he sold his family farm in Wiltshire and moved to west Devon. His bespoke huts which retail from 10,950 to more than 21,000 (the company also makes the 'complete home' Wayfarer's Hut for 125,000) have been snapped up by everyone from celebrities to Oscar-winners although he will not reveal any names and his business is likely to benefit from the rapid rise in working from home as well as hotels and campsites wanting to add extra rooms and offer 'glamping' opportunities. 'I believe home-working and glamping will be sectors that will survive and even thrive,' he says, 'which means we should be all right if we can survive this four-month hit. It was great to benefit from the DMGT adverts during this tough time.' GRANT HELPS MEAT WEBSITE RACK UP ORDERS There's nothing like a crisis to make you move a little faster. Cornish butchers M&W Meats had supplied pubs and restaurants for more than 30 years but when lockdown forced the industry to close, M&W's long-term plans to launch a website were hastily speeded up. Box of tricks: Dean and Dino Myatt get ready to load an order for delivery Claire Myatt, who runs the business with her husband Dean and their son Dino, says: 'Our wholesale business was initially flat out due to people panic-stocking their fridges and freezers, but our catering arm which delivered to butchers who supplied pubs and restaurants lost a lot of business. So we decided to get a move on with launching our website.' After a lot of hard work, Meatsupermarket.com was launched at the start of April and, thanks to a boost in publicity from DMGT's 3,000 advertising grant, has been racking up sales alongside some glowing reviews. 'We still need to give it a bit more of a push and get more customers, but the advertising really helped,' Claire says. With the reopening of the hospitality industry next month alongside the two-metre rule being cut to one, Claire hopes that things can quickly recover for Cornwall, which is heavily reliant on the tourism industry. 'Our business is really going to pick up again and I think it's going to be the making of Cornwall, particularly as there are several months of summer left,' she says. 'If they weren't going to be allowed to open then a lot of businesses wouldn't have been able to survive.' Claire is planning to keep the website going even once the lockdown is lifted. She says: 'A lot of people tried online shopping for the first time during lockdown and will continue to do so afterwards, as it's a great product, delivered chilled straight to your door and there's absolutely no need for queuing.' Freight shipping and flip-flops might not be obvious business partners, but entrepreneur Matt Waring is behind both of them. Having set up international shipping company Frontier Express 13 years ago, it was while on holiday in Turkey that Matt bought a pair of Ceyo flip-flops and was instantly impressed. 'I like wearing flip-flops and realised straightaway these were a little bit different,' he says. 'They were basically the most comfortable and best quality flip-flop I'd seen.' Trying to buy another pair once back in the UK proved to be impossible and he quickly realised that there was a gap in the market. Last year, he launched The Flip Flop Hut to sell Ceyos exclusively and said he was 'thrilled' to be one of the winners of the coveted 3,000 advertising grants. 'The print adverts in particular were really good,' says Matt. 'I was really impressed with them and we saw a noticeable increase in traffic to flipflophut.co.uk as well as sales as a result. It was an instant effect.' The federal government is looking to announce a permanent increase in Centrelink payments for unemployed Australians. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is likely to make an announcement during the mini budget next month on an increase to welfare payments of $75-a-week, the Herald Sun reported. This would result in an extra $3,900 a year for Newstart recipients, and come into effect to coincide with the end of the COVID-19 Jobseeker package. The federal government is looking to announce a permanent increase in Centrelink payments for unemployed Australians (pictured, a queue outside a Sydney Centrelink office) Unemployed Australians have seen dole payments double to $1,100 thanks to coronavirus emergency measures aimed at propping up the economy. Thousands are currently receiving $550 extra every fortnight on top of the existing Newstart payment of $559 every two weeks. With the changes, the new fortnightly payment for singles with no dependents would be around $634, or $682.70 for singles with children. The previous JobSeeker or Newstart payment was $559 per fortnight for singles with no children, and $604.70 per fortnight for those with children. An anonymous minister told the Herald Sun it was the only solution considering the state of unemployment across Australia. A shut down cafe for sale in Mollymook on the NSW south coast (pictured on April 7) after businesses across the country were hit by COVID-19 restrictions Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured on June 18 in Canberra) is likely to make an announcement during the mini budget next month on an increase to welfare payments 'There is no way it can go back to what it was. We have people on welfare that have never been out of work and now they are lining up outside Centrelink,' the minister said. The new measures follow years of lobbying from social services groups to increase the payment. The boost in the government's welfare package comes after a pub boss said he was struggling to find employees willing to lift a finger for their $1,100-a-fortnight JobSeeker allowance. ALH Group WA manager Ric Torchia says young people who live in affluent areas are particularly reluctant to return to work at the 27 bars he manages across the state. It comes as some businesses struggle to get employees to work on Job Seeker because they're being paid too much to do nothing (pictured, crowds wander Bondi Beach on June 6) One bar manager suspects young people in well-off suburbs have moved back in with their parents (pictured, young people enjoy the views in Byron Bay on June 20) Mr Torchia desperately needs more workers since Western Australia moved to phase four of its restrictions on Saturday. The state now allows pub-goers to drink and eat provided they have two square metres between them. 'I'm calling people offering them their shifts back and they're saying, 'I'm good, thanks. I'll come back when JobSeeker ends',' Mr Torchia told The West Australian. 'JobSeeker is actually hurting us because it's like this designer drug they don't want to get off. They're not interested in coming into work for 20 hours a week when they can earn the same amount at home.' WA Premier Mark McGowan has since urged those reliant on JobSeeker to get off their backsides, saying 'our economy needs you'. A woman pours a dark ale at a Melbourne bar. Young bar workers on the $1,100-a-fortnight JobSeeker allowance are reluctant to go back to work, according to ALH Group WA manager Ric Torchia WA Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) urged West Australians on the JobSeeker allowance to return to work if they have been offered a job on Saturday Mr Torchia said people who live in 'tougher areas' are more likely to return to work than those in affluent areas. He suspects young people in well-off suburbs have moved back in with their parents and are living comfortably on JobSeeker while poorer people still struggle. 'In the past, they (affluent people) would not have considered the dole but it has become so widespread now,' he said. WA Premier Mark McGowan urged those on the JobSeeker allowance to return to work if they have been offered a job on Saturday. 'If you can get a job, take it. This is a time when our economy needs you, our state needs you,' Mr McGowan said. 'There's lots of roles out there that a lot of people haven't traditionally done - we've relied upon backpackers or we've relied upon people with certain visas - they're not here now. 'So we need West Australians to do all sorts of roles out there across the state, particularly in the regions. It's a great opportunity to do something different.' People lining up for JobSeeker payments outside of Centrelink (pictured in Adelaide) after payments were increased Centrelink penalties for not accepting suitable work have been temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means there is no way to reprimand young welfare recipients not looking for work while receiving the JobSeeker allowance. But the JobKeeper wage subsidy, which is $1,500 a fortnight, works very differently. If an employee refuses to work, the employer is required to tell the government so they can cut off subsidies for that particular worker. Some 1.6 million Australians currently claim the JobSeeker allowance, which is now $1,100 per fortnight since it was doubled in April. On September 27, the JobSeeker payment is set to return to $550 a fortnight. The revelation that some JobSeeker workers are refusing to return to work comes after news that the basic allowance could be increased. Mr Torchia (pictured) said people who live in 'tougher areas' are more likely to return to work than those in affluent areas as wealthier people tend to rely on their parents more Once the $550 COVID-19 supplement is scrapped in September, recipients will be left with just $40 a day. An increase to the unemployment benefit's basic $550 allowance is reportedly coming into effect on September 27. Sources told ABC News the JobSeeker benefit may be inflated by the government to cushion Australians from the ongoing impact of the pandemic. Daily Mail Australia understands the increase to JobSeeker could be permanent, beyond the old Newstart rate. The Belgian Beer Cafe in Perth, which Mr Torchia manages along with 26 other bars in WA. He said JobSeeker was like a 'designer drug' keeping people away from work I am OMI | Events | People | Places | Participate Patti Poole As a six-year-old Ingleside Terraces resident, Patti ended up being the "star" in one of San Francisco's better-known racial incidents. In 1958, she discovered a burnt cross on her front lawn and because her father was a public figure, local historians, reporters and columnists have over the years kept the tale alive: "Herb Caen used to bring it up, and it used to embarrass the living daylights out of me. [...] He'd drag it out about every fifteen years... And it was usually when I was at work, so I would say, "Oh, that." I don't know who confessed to it, but I do know there was sentiment from other people in the neighborhood that didn't want us around." Despite occasional incidents that came with being the first African-American family in Ingleside Terraces, Patti remembers a glowing childhood and great friends: "I can't think of one really seriously bad thing about Ingleside Terraces. It was such a physically interesting place to grow up. I mean, I remember walking up one morning and Kathy standing outside going, "It's snowing," and we made snowmen, and the snow stuck for two days. "The hail in July, you know. The Mark Twain famous thing about the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco, and it's true. But I mean, just thinking back on it, being able to see the Farallones, being able to hear the animals at the zoo. It was that quiet. I remember thinking, god, it's that quiet." Patti remembers biking all over the west side, Playland, Stonestown, Fleishhacker's pool and zoo... With her best friend Kathy Cleary, she would put on neighborhood plays and musicals. "We'd send out invitations and programs, and a couple of them we did on either my porch or Kathy's porch or we did them inside in the living room. We had a set staged and the whole thing. Oh, we did a Wagnerian one. We did the Ring Cycle. [...] We did Midsummer Night's Dream. "I mean, we got about twenty people, and for that it's pretty good. Of course, our parents and then some other people in the neighborhood. It was really kind of funny. A couple of my mother's friends (would come), I think she probably threatened them, because I know they didn't live in the neighborhood at all, but they showed up." Being the daughter of a U.S. Attorney (in his career Cecil Poole served as San Francisco's Assistant District Attorney, the California governor's clemency secretary, and later as a judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals), Patti got to meet a wide-range of important figures from the 1960s---Robert Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Thurgood Marshall---but as she grew older having a famous father could be a drawback. "I knew that if I got caught in anything, it would get blown up. I also had friends that said, 'Well, if we're ever in (an anti-war) demonstration or anything ever happens, I should get handcuffed to you, because you're the U.S. Attorney's daughter, and we'll all get out.' "And I'd say, 'No, if you get handcuffed to me, you'll stay there a lot longer, because my dad will keep you there.' "Dad knew, but when I would go to demonstrations at the Federal Building, I'd stay in the back of the crowd, because I would see the FBI agents out there taking photographs, and I knew that I was on their photographs. But I didn't want to be right there smack in the front, because I didn't want to compromise him, and that's kind of how I carried myself." Some of Patti's fondest memories are of the wonderful craftsmen home she grew up in Ingleside Terraces. She's happy 90 Cedro Avenue has been recognized by San Francisco as a city landmark: "I think it's great. I think it's kind of ironic that my dad's name is attached to it when the covenants of that neighborhood restricted anybody of color from owning a house, and that my father, himself, could not have bought that house with somebody, an individual, selling it to him. So I think it's rather ironic, and I think my dad would have been really happy with that." Read the complete Patti Poole interview! Images: 1) Patti Poole, January 17, 2004. (WNP photo); 2) Poole family 1961, courtesy of Patti Poole (John Gorman photo). Contribute your own stories about the OMI! This project is made possible by a grant from the CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES with generous support from the San Francisco Foundation, as part of the Council's statewide California Stories Initiative. The COUNCIL is an independent non-profit organization and a state affiliate of the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES. For more information on the Council and the California Stories Initiative, visit www.californiastories.org. is sending users to sites 24 billion times every month, providing an opportunity for publishers to grow their audiences and show users ads or offers for subscriptions, the tech giant has revealed, saying it is invested in helping journalism not only survive, but thrive. puts a value of each click for large publishers at roughly between 4-7 US cents. According to Richard Gingras, VP, News, the value of to is about informing and educating, not economics. "Nearly all of our revenue comes not from queries, but from queries with commercial intent, like someone searching for a new 'toaster' and clicking on an ad. Google gets paid for search ads only when someone clicks on one," he said in a statement on Friday. Google on Thursday announcing a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content to help them weather the Covid-19 crisis. To begin with, Google has signed partnerships with local and national publications in Germany, Australia and Brazil, and is in discussions to expand to more partnerships and countries. ALSO READ: Google Photos gets a revamp with map view, enhanced search, and more Gingras said that the company invests in ad technologies that thousands of news publishers around the world choose to use to grow their digital advertising businesses. "We analyzed the revenue data of 100 news publishers globally with the highest programmatic revenue generated in Google Ad Manager. On average, we found news publishers keep over 95 percent of the digital advertising revenue they generate when they use Ad Manager to show ads on their websites," he stressed. Five years ago, it took an average of 19 seconds to load a page on a mobile browser. "Instead of building a format to work just on Google, we combined forces with publishers and other tech to improve the mobile web for everyone. That was how the Accelerated Mobile Pages Project, or AMP, was born," informed Gingras. Following feedback from publishers who wanted to participate in the Top Stories Carousel feature in Google Search without using AMP, the company recently announced page performance signals. "This change will allow all qualifying web content to be eligible for this feature while keeping a high-quality user experience as a top priority," said Google. To date, The Google News Initiative (GNI) has provided funding to more than 5,300 local publications globally via a Journalism Emergency Relief Fund, an ad-serving fee waiver on Google Ad Manager and a $15 million Support Local News Campaign to help alleviate some immediate economic constraints. - Three people have died, three are in critical condition, and one is permanently blind after ingesting hand sanitiser - The cases were related to alcoholism with authorities noting that hand sanitizer is sometimes consumed for its high alcohol content Three people died and one is permanently blind from methanol poisoning after drinking hand sanitizer in New Mexico. The New Mexico Department of Health in a statement said three other people were in critical condition. READ ALSO: Gikomba: Stalls reconstructed by traders at market demolished day after fire razed businesses The cases were related to alcoholism with authorities noting that hand sanitizer is sometimes consumed for its high alcohol content. Photo: CNN. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Nairobi man narrates how wife of 32 years betrayed him with a friend The earliest case, as reported by the New York Times was reported to the New Mexico Poison Control and Drug Information Center on May 7, and the rest occurred after May 29, 2020. "All seven people are believed to have drunk hand sanitiser containing methanol," the statement read. The spokesman from the Health Department said the cases were related to alcoholism, noting hand sanitizer is sometimes consumed for its high alcohol content. READ ALSO: Faces of 4 brilliant, youthful Kenyan women doing greatness behind progressive politics arena The announcement came a week after the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers against buying nine sanitizer products manufactured in Mexico. This was because they contained methanol, which could be toxic if absorbed through the skin or ingested Whether the products involved in the deaths were among those listed in the advisory is under investigation, according to the Health Department. READ ALSO: University of Nairobi to readmit students expelled on disciplinary grounds It, however, did not provide additional details on the victims or where the incidents happened. "If you think you may have used or consumed hand sanitiser containing methanol, please seek medical care," state health secretary Kathy Kunkel said. "An antidote to methanol poisoning is available, but the earlier someone gets treated for methanol poisoning the better the chance of recovery," she added. READ ALSO: Kisumu man who overcame abject poverty to become dentist builds elderly mom new house Some people have been known to use hand sanitiser to get intoxicated due to its alcohol content. Before the pandemic, hand sanitizer was banned in most prisons in the US based on fears that inmates would drink it or use it to start fires. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that facilities consider relaxing restrictions on alcohol-based sanitizer to help combat coronavirus. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly Source: TUKO.co.ke I wrote here about South Dakotas Governor Kristi Noem, who is approaching heroic status. She stood alone against the tide of governors issuing stay-home fiats amid the coronavirus panic, taking the principled position that Americans are free people, not subject to arbitrary orders from their governors. What a refreshing idea! She also said that South Dakotans are smartsmart enough to do a better job of looking after their own health than the government could ever do. Therefore, her administration compiled and published data and gave advice, but she steadfastly refused to order anyone to do anything. For that, she withstood a torrent of abuse from the likes of the Washington Post, the Associated Press and her home state newspapers. (Even in South Dakota, reporters are Democrats.) On Wednesday, July 8, at noon Central, Center of the American Experiment will sponsor a webinar featuring Governor Noem. She will talk about her approach to the COVID epidemic, and how it has worked so far. (Preview: South Dakota has the nations lowest unemployment rate and a COVID fatality rate that is a fraction of Minnesotas and most other states.) You can sign up here. I will ask her about the politics of COVID shutdowns. It seemed obvious to me that most governors were keeping an eye on one another, moving more or less in concert, on the theory that if they all did more or less the same thing they couldnt be criticized. Like members of a cartel, they were horrified when one member of the groupGovernor Noemdeclined to participate and went her own way. That allowed a comparison of results that liberal governors were desperate to avoid, which I think accounts for the viciousness of the attacks on Governor Noem. I may ask her about her interest in being on the GOPs national ticket in 2024a great idea in my opinionand I definitely will ask her about reports that leftists may attack Mount Rushmore. Not on my watch. https://t.co/U6gGap5Ib6 Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) June 23, 2020 It will be a fun and interesting conversation and, who knows, maybe an introduction to a woman who could play a major role on the national scene. Go here to register; needless to say, its free, and I highly encourage you to attend. Advertisement Prime Minister Boris Johnson's new RAF Voyager has been pictured refuelling Lighting and Typhoon fighter jets, showing that it is still fit for active services after its almost 1 million Union Jack paint job. It refuelled the jets in during 'Exercise Crimson Thunder' on Friday after taking off from its RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire. The refuelling took place over the North East coast of the United Kingdom as part of a joint RAF and Royal Navy exercise. The aircraft took off on Friday 26 June and was seen refuelling two fighter jets in mid-air off the North East coast of the UK The refuelling was part of 'Exercise Crimson Thunder' on Friday after taking off from its RAF Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire 'The new livery looks superb but the reality is that flying this aircraft is no different to any of the other aircraft that make up the Voyager Force,' Wing Commander Alistair Scott, Officer Commanding 10 Squadron, said to Gloucestershire Live. 'It is capable of conducting the same essential Defence tasks, not least of which is the air-to-air refuelling role that allows us to deploy our Typhoon and Lightning aircraft to every corner of the globe. 'Taking part in Exercise Crimson Ocean is a great opportunity to show what Voyager can do.' The exercise is being undertaken to allow the Royal Navy and the RAF to hone their ability to deliver fighter jet and helicopter operations from the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier. The Voyager can reportedly carry up to 111 tonnes of fuel, and can dispense 50,000 kilograms of fuel to a broad range of other aircraft. While the newly painted VIP Voyager was still fulfilling its Air Force duties on Friday, it will be soon taking up its VIP role in transporting government and Royal delegations abroad. The RAF Voyager, which will used by the Prime Minister and the Royal Familym is pictured during its first operational outing after receiving its Union Jack paint job The refuelling jets break away from the Voyager and fly away as it continues on its journey, leaving the fuel pipes trailing behind the wings The exercise is being undertaken to allow the Royal Navy and the RAF to hone their ability to deliver fighter jet and helicopter operations from the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier Critics have claimed the 900,000 red, white and blue paint job on the RAF Voyager plane has been bungled. Enthusiasts said they thought the Union Flag on its tailfin had been done upside down as Boris Johnson's official aircraft took off from Cambridgeshire yesterday. Social media users were quick to vent their anger online, with one asking how the Ministry of Defence 'could allow this to happen'. Another put: 'Union Flag is upside down on the RAF Voyager! Really can't make it up how incompetent this government is!' The plane, which had been a military grey colour, has been resprayed in white, with the Union Flag on the tailfin and United Kingdom written in gold on the fuselage. Critics have questioned whether the Union Flag on the tail fin of the RAF Voyager (pictured) has been painted upside-down (right). The correct way up is shown on the left The aircraft used by the Prime Minister and members of the Royal family takes off from Cambridge yesterday on its first flight since receiving the 900,000 makeover The plane, which had been a military grey colour, has been resprayed in white, with a Union Flag on the tailfin and United Kingdom written in gold on the fuselage How to tell if someone is being patriotic or signalling for help The Union Jack was first introduced in 1606 as the 'British flag' to be flown at the main masthead of all ships from England and Scotland. In the 1600s the flag was referred to as 'the Jack', 'Jack flag', 'the King's Jack' and 'His Majesty's Jack'. As for what it should be called in what situation nowadays, the Flag Institute says: 'It is often stated that the Union Flag should only be described as the Union Jack when flown in the bows of a warship, but this is a relatively recent idea. The key to working out if it is the right way up is to look at the top left corner. The thick white bar in the top corner closest to the flagpole should be along the top edge of the flag 'From early in its life the Admiralty itself frequently referred to the flag as the Union Jack, whatever its use, and in 1902 an Admiralty Circular announced: 'Their Lordships had decided that either name could be used officially'. 'Such use was given Parliamentary approval in 1908 when it was stated that 'the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag'.' An upside-down Union Jack is traditionally used as a coded distress signal by British forces. The key to working out if it is the right way up is to look at the top left corner. When the flag is flown correctly, the thick white bar in the top corner closest to the flagpole should be along the top edge of the flag. Advertisement But the Royal Air Force was quick to defend the paint job, with a source saying it was the correct way round. They told the Telegraph: 'The design is correct in all respects and carefully follows the correct protocol for displaying the Union Flag on an aircraft. 'The convention is for the flag design to appear as though it is flying from a flag placed on the nose of the aircraft as it travels through the air. 'When viewing the starboard side [right side], this can give the mistaken impression that the design is backwards, or upside down, when in fact the observer is simply viewing the reverse side of the flag.' The PM will share the plane with members of the Royal Family who wish to use it when they travel abroad. Britain does not have a prime ministerial plane used solely by Downing Street, unlike many other countries such as America's presidential jet, Air Force One. Labour said it showed the government had the wrong 'priorities' when people across the country were worried about jobs and the education of their children. But Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the government was willing to spend money to 'promote' the UK abroad. 'The work on voyager is part of that promotion,' he had told the daily coronavirus briefing. Officials insisted the plane would still be able to fulfil its military role as an air-to-air refuelling tanker. Downing Street also defended the 900,000 price tag. At the time the cost was revealed, the PM's official spokesman said: 'That incorporates the cost of creating a design that will promote the UK around the world without compromising the plane's vital military role. 'At every stage we have worked to ensure value for money for the UK taxpayer and all of the work has been undertaken in the UK, directly benefiting British suppliers.' They added: 'That incorporates the cost of creating a design that will promote the UK around the world without compromising the plane's vital military role. 'At every stage we have worked to ensure value for money for the UK taxpayer and all of the work has been undertaken in the UK, directly benefiting British suppliers.' The interior of the Voyager had a 10million makeover in 2016, when David Cameron was PM. Following the sprucing up, RAF Voyager was used to take David Cameron and other ministers to the Nato summit in Poland in July 2016. Mr Johnson has previously questioned why the plane was grey, saying he would like to have a 'Brexit plane' to help him travel the world and promote the Government's vision of global Britain. He also complained in 2018 while foreign secretary the RAF Voyager jet, which is shared by the PM, Cabinet members and the Royals, 'never seems to be available'. The new appearance bears a striking resemblance to the retro livery that adorned the British Airways fleet from 1974 to 1980, known as the Negus design. A file photo of the RAF Voyager in its usual military grey, which makes it less visible in the sky - unlike the colourful new design Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the government was willing to spend money to 'promote' the UK abroad The Negus livery first adorned the BA planes from 1974 to 1980 after the merger of BOAC and BEA, which led to the formation of the airline customers see today. The Negus livery was the first time an aircraft had carried 'British Airways' since 1939, when the original British Airways Limited merged with Imperial Airways to form BOAC. History behind British Airways' Negus design Boris Johnson's new 900,000 red, white and blue RAF Voyager plane bears a striking resemblance to the retro Negus livery. The Negus livery first adorned the British Airways fleet from 1974 to 1980, directly after the merger of BOAC and BEA, which led to the formation of the airline customers know today. The new appearance bears a striking resemblance to the retro livery that adorned the BA fleet from 1974 to 1980, which was known as the Negus design When it initially flew, the Negus livery was the first time an aircraft had carried 'British Airways' since 1939, back when the original British Airways Limited merged with Imperial Airways to form BOAC. In the design, the Union Jack is not present on the body of the plane and is instead adorned on the tailfin of the aircraft. The livery was designed by creative agency Negus & Negus, giving it its name. As BEA and BOAC merged to become British Airways in 1974, elements of both of their liveries were incorporated together to create the Negus. Now, to mark BA's centenary, a Boeing 747 will be repainted in the Negus design. The 747-400, registration G-CIVB, entered the IAC paint bay at Dublin Airport last Saturday where it is being repainted with the first version of the Negus livery. The repainted 747 will return to Heathrow and enter service later this month flying to long-haul destinations served by the Boeing 747, with the design remaining on the aircraft until it retires in 2022. The Negus is the fourth and final heritage design to be painted on a British Airways aircraft. Alex Cruz, British Airways' Chairman and CEO, said: 'Rumours have been circulating for quite some time about this final livery, so it's exciting to confirm it is the Negus design. It's particularly significant for us because it's the first design worn by the British Airways that we all know today, with the distinctive lower case 'a' and the Union Flag on the tailfin.' Advertisement In the design, the Union Flag is not present on the body of the plane and is instead adorned on the tailfin of the aircraft. The livery was designed by creative agency Negus & Negus, giving it its name. As BEA and BOAC merged to become British Airways in 1974, elements of both of their liveries were incorporated together to create the Negus. Now, to mark BA's centenary, a Boeing 747 will be repainted in the Negus design. The 747-400, registration G-CIVB, entered the IAC paint bay at Dublin Airport last Saturday where it is being repainted with the first version of the Negus livery. The repainted 747 will return to Heathrow and enter service later this month flying to long-haul destinations served by the Boeing 747, with the design remaining on the aircraft until it retires in 2022. The Negus is the fourth and final heritage design to be painted on a British Airways aircraft. Alex Cruz, British Airways' Chairman and CEO, said: 'Rumours have been circulating for quite some time about this final livery, so it's exciting to confirm it is the Negus design. 'It's particularly significant for us because it's the first design worn by the British Airways that we all know today, with the distinctive lower case 'a' and the Union Flag on the tailfin.' An RAF source said: 'Boris and others will use it to go around the world and wave the British flag. 'It will be diplomatic and it will be appropriate. I imagine it will be in great demand when it gets its new and smart paint job.' The source played down the prospect of a lurid Austin Powers look for the plane, adding: 'The aircraft will not be a flying Union Jack. It won't be the whole of the aeroplane, it will be a part of it.' The source said the plane could be changed back to grey 'very quickly' if deemed necessary in a wartime scenario. They added: 'It will have a lot of functionalities. If we went to war, and all the assets needed to deploy to the Middle East for example, we would change the colour.' Labour's Louise Haigh said: 'When families across the country are worried about their jobs, health and the education of their children, they will rightly question the Government's priorities when they are spending almost a million pounds redecorating a plane which in all likelihood has been grounded for months because of the coronavirus.' In May 2018 Mr Johnson asked why the Voyager needed to be grey as he said he needed his own plane in order to boost Britain's post-Brexit trade prospects. Mr Johnson added it was 'striking' such a plane did not yet exist and suggested it could be a different colour. He added: 'And also, why does it have to be grey? The taxpayers won't want us to have some luxurious new plane. 'But I certainly think it's striking that we don't seem to have access to such a thing at the moment.' China Eastern Airlines has announced plans to launch a new carrier despite a severe global downturn in passengers caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, said a report. Joining forces with various partners including China's biggest online travel agency Trip.com, the new airline will be focused on the island destination of Hainan, home to eight million and a free-trade hub, said the BBC report. China Eastern will own a majority 51 per cent share in the new carrier, which will be called Sanya International Airlines. Other backers include Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines and a unit of Trip.com. The partners are hoping to capitalise on Hainan's growing significance in China. The island is about 30 times the size of Hong Kong and is a popular holiday destination for Chinese tourists. No timeframe was given for the launch of the new airline, which will need regulatory approval, the report said. The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will declare the UP Board 10th, 12th Result 2020 today i.e. June 27, 2020. UP Board UP Board exams result for the year 2020 is being declared by Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma today, via video conferencing from Lok Bhawan, Lucknow. The press conference is going has started. The UP Board Results are ready and will be uploaded soon on the official website at upmsp.edu.in. and India Today Education. UP Board Result 2020 Declared: Check out result at India Today, official websites upresults.nic.in, upmsp.edu.in UP Board Result 2020: List of websites, App to check UP board class 10th, 12th results online UP Board Result Today: Time, How, when and where to check UP board class 10th, 12th result online Class 10th, 12th Board Exam Results 2020 Live Updates 12. 58 PM: Check 10th, 12th board exam results here at Indiatoday Education page Here's the direct link to check UP Board 10th, 12th Results on Indiatoday Education: 10th UP board result page: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-10 12th UP board result page: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-12 12.55 PM: Passing percentage for 10th, 12th standard While 74.63% students cleared 12th standard exam, 83.31% students cleared the class 10 exams. 12.52 PM: Last year figures In 2019, UP board had registered 80.07 passing percentage in class 10 with Muzaffarnagar emerging as the best performing district. Meanwhile, Lucknow gave the best performance for class 12 result in 2019. 12. 46 PM: Toppers of UP board announced Standard 12th toppers Anurag Malik has topped 12th board exam this year after attaining 97% marks. Pranjal Singh followed him to second rank with 96% marks, while third place is secured by Utkarsh Shukla after scoring 94.80%. Standard 10th toppers Riya Jain from Bhagpat has topped the 10th board result with scoring 96.67% marks. After her, Abhimanyu Verma scored the second spot with 95.53%. The third rank is obtained by Yogesh Pratap Singh, who scored 95.33%. 12. 41 PM: Clearance for 10th, 12th standard exams In class 12, 74.64% students have cleared their board exam. This is higher than 70.2% pass percentage recorded last year. Meanwhile, for 10th board exams, 83.31 students clear intermediate exam. Last year, around 70% of the total students appeared for class 10th board passed the standard. 12. 37 PM: Answer sheet checked in 21 days The Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said that Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) 2020 has cleared board results after clearing answer sheets in record time of 21 days. 12. 31 PM: UPMSP to send 10th, 12th students digital scorecards Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said that Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shisksha Parishad will no longer distribute hard copies of marksheets and all the class 10, class 12 students will receive board results in the form of digital scorecards 12. 22 PM: UP board class 10th, 12th result: Where to check Results for class 10 and 12 will be declared within a few minutes and available at official websites - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in and results.gov.in. Results will also be available at India Today Education. 12. 17 PM: The Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said more thank 2 crore answer checked in record time of 21 days. He added that the results of both class 10 and class 12 is better than previous year. 12. 00 PM: Where to check UP board result Students can check their results on the following websites - upmsp.edu.in - upresults.nic.in - upmspresults.up.nic.in The UP Board 10th and 12th results will also be available on the following India Today websites - indiatoday.in/education-today/results - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-10 - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-12 11. 55 AM: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma announced last Tuesday that the UP Board exams result for the year 2020 will be declared at around 12 pm on the official website 11. 52 AM: The board results for the year 2020 are being awaited by more than 51 lakh students. The UP Board Exam 2020 for class 10 and 12 was conducted from February 18 to March 3 and February 7 to March 2, respectively. 11.44 AM: The UP Board 10th and 12th results will also be available on the following India Today websites - indiatoday.in/education-today/results - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-10 - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-12 11.35 AM: Last year, Tanu Tomar with 97.80% topped the UP Board Class 12 Exam 2019. Gautam Raghuvanshi with 97.17% topped the UP Board Class 10th Exam 2019, securing 583 marks out of 600. 11. 20 AM: Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will release the class 10 and 12 results from Lucknow today. UP Board exams result for the year 2020 will be declared by Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma today, via video conferencing from Lok Bhawan, Lucknow. The press conference for the same will begin at 12 PM. 11. 15 AM: How to check results via App Alternatively, students can also check their board results via the app, known as 'UP Board Results 2020', which can be downloaded from Google Play Store. The app has got four stars and has been downloaded by 5 lakh users have already. Students can also rely upon another app, called 10th, 12th Board Result, ALL Board Results 2020, which has received positive feedback from the students. 10. 52 AM: Students having doubts in the evaluation process of any subjects can apply for re-evaluation post result. Students will have to apply for scrutiny within 25 days of the release of results. 10. 40 AM: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to twitter to wish the students of UP Board of class 10th and 12th good luck for their results, awaited to be declared by today. , - Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) June 27, 2020 10. 34 AM: Coronavirus led lockdown had impacted the evaluation of the results. The evaluation process was stopped and resumed back on May 05, 2020. 10. 28 AM: The UP board completed the entire evaluation process in the first week of June 2020. The evaluation process was conducted in green, orange and then red zones with restrictions and strict norms of social distancing, due to Covid-19 outbreak. 10. 12 AM: The students will be able to get their respective mark sheets after 10 days of declaration of results. The mark sheets first will be sent to regional offices then district heads. Later the mark sheets will be disseminated to schools who will further ensure they reach the students. 10. 05 AM: In 2019, the UP class 10th and class 12th board results were declared on April 27 at 12 pm. Overall 80% of the total students appeared for the class 12th board cleared the examinations, while around 70% of the total students appeared for class 10th board passed the standard. 9. 40 AM: While 56 lakh candidates appeared for the exam, 4,80,591 students did not appear for the exams. 9. 37 AM: As per UPMSP, dates for the compartment test, that are to be taken after a student fails, will be announced after the board releases the results. 9. 25 AM: How to check the UP HS and UP Inter results 2020 As soon as the High School (class 10th and class 12th) results will be declared on upmsp.edu.in, students can follow the guidelines below and check their respective results Step 1: Log on to the official websites of UPMSP - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in or upmspresults.up.nic.in Step 2: Click on the 'UP Board Result 2020 Class 1' or 'UP Board Result 2020 Class 12' link on the homepage Step 3: Students are then required to fill in the required details and credentials like admit card roll number, name and date of birth to check their results. Step 4: Download the UP Board Result 2020. If required, candidates can also take a print-out of the results for future reference. 9. 05 AM: All educational boards of India declare 10th and 12th class results, separately. 8. 51 AM: How to check the UP HS and UP Inter results 2020 via SMS The students awaiting their class 10th and class 12th results can also receive their results on their mobile phones via SMS. Class 10th candidates can receive their results on mobile by sending 'UP10ROLLNUMBER' to 56263, while the class 12th students have to send 'UP12ROLLNUMBER' message to 56263. 8. 45 AM: As per the UPMSP rules, candidates need to score at least 35% in each subject to clear the inter and matric exams. 8. 37 AM: The results for UP Board High School and Intermediate examinations 2020 were expected to be released by April this year. The delay in exams results this year was due to halt in the evaluation process, on back of the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown imposed to check the spread of the deadly disease. 8. 30 AM: UP Board Exam 2020 for standard 10 and 12 were conducted from February 18 to March 3 and February 7 to March 2, respectively. 8. 25 AM: Where to check the UP 10th, 12th results 2020 Students can check their results on the following websites - upmsp.edu.in - upresults.nic.in - upmspresults.up.nic.in 8. 15 AM: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma announced last Tuesday that the UP Board exams result for the year 2020 will be declared at around 12 pm on the official website of UP Board at upmsp.edu.in. 8. 10 AM: As per the State Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma, over 56 lakh candidates across Uttar Pradesh appeared for the exam. A total of 30,24,632 students from Class 10 and 25,86,440 students from Class 12 were registered for the board exams this year. 8. 00 AM: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will declare the UP Board 10th, 12th Result 2020 today i.e. June 27, 2020. The results for the UP Board 10th and 12th will be available on the websites upmsp.edu.in. Donita Jose By Express News Service HYDERABAD: In a time when the pandemic is wreaking havoc across the world, there is no peace even in death -- this is what families, who have lost their loved ones to the highly contagious disease, feel. On Thursday, one such family in Hyderabad had to wait for almost eight hours to get clarity on the cremation procedure for their loved one who succumbed to COVD-19. They were caught in the chaos at a private hospital in Hitec City, where the staff had no clue about the government protocol on where and how to keep the body in the mortuary. "Around 1 pm we got to know that my friend's mother had passed away. We reached the hospital and found that the staff was completely clueless about the protocol. They made us go up and down the building to meet different officials. Every official directed us to someone else. We wanted to keep the body in the mortuary so that we could get some time to prepare for the funeral. But we got to know that only Gandhi Hospital keeps bodies of the Covid-19 deceased, which is about 20 km away. So, we dropped the plan," Ramanjeet Singh Aulakh, a family friend, said. He continued to explain how hospitals lacked empathy and did not bother to counsel the bereaved. "If only they had a counsellor, who would run us through the process, and give us a list of contacts to seek various permissions, things would have been easier. The government should, at least, have a standard operating procedure for hospitals regarding breaking the bad news to the families of the deceased," Aulakh said. But their pains didn't end there. When the family found a crematorium, a fresh set of hiccups involving governmental formalities surfaced. "The hospital insisted that a police officer be present while handing over the body to the family. But there was no police present. We had to make many calls to take the body out of the hospital," he said. After finally receiving the body at 6 pm from the hospital, they left for the crematorium near ESI Hospital, where again no SOPs were in place. "These are the hard realities of #Covid_19, my friend's mother expired due to COVID and only shoulder available to him was me, no last rights, body put on cremation along with 7 other bodies which were burning nearby. Should a bereaved family member mourn for his loss or run about to fulfil formalities? (sic)" tweeted Aulakh. Prince Harry has been patron of the expedition in previous years. (Getty Images) Prince Harry has launched a 248-mile (400km) walk across Oman for veterans who are overcoming injury. Harry is supporting this years Walking With The Wounded expedition, which will see a team trek between 12 and 13 miles (20 to 22km) a day across the Omani desert, while carrying a 660lbs (300kg) cart. The trek pays homage to the travels of intrepid writer Wilfred Thesiger across the Arabian Peninsula in the 1940s. Harry, expedition patron, said: At the end of this year, a year that has seen unprecedented global challenges, a group of veterans will be tackling a challenge unlike anything theyve faced before. Facing searing temperatures and pulling a cart that weighs more than three times their own body weight, these veterans will need to summon incredible physical and mental strength. I am proud once again to support them and support the veterans whose courage, determination and resilience is a credit to all of us who have served. To the men and women selected for this team, good luck. I know people all over the world will be cheering you on. Prince Harry with members of the Walking With The Wounded team in 2015. (Getty Images) Read more: England Rugby fans delighted as Prince Harry makes surprise video appearance The walk will begin on 20 November and end of 11 December and will include part of the Empty Quarter, one of the toughest regions on Earth. Temperatures on the walk could reach 35C. The Walk of Oman will be in partnership with the Omani armed forces, and has support from the royal office of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq. The team will be made up of ex-service personnel, who have physical or cognitive injuries, picked up while serving their countries. During the trek, they will battle hunger, thirst and extreme temperatures, showing the courage of other men and women who have served in the forces. Prince Harry joining Walking with the Wounded's Walk of Britain in 2015. (Getty Images) Read more: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pictured volunteering with ex-gang members In previous years, Harry, 35, has taken part in some of the walks, and spent four days on a trek to the north pole in 2011. Two years later he joined the team trekking to the south pole, and in 2015 joined the walk of Britain. Story continues Its not yet been stated if he will join this years event. The team will be followed by a support team, which will be on hand in case of emergencies. Details of the selection process and expedition team will be announced in the next couple of months. In May, Haines had the highest unemployment rate in the state, according to preliminary numbers released by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The numbers could change slightly before being finalized, but theres no way... The city of League City has canceled its annual July fireworks display as the number of COVID-19 cases increases throughout the area. Gov. Greg Abbott announced measures to slow spread of the virus and has given local governments new authority to regulate gatherings of over 100 people. The UK is on track to suffer another 30,000 coronavirus deaths because lockdown has been lifted too early, an 'alternative SAGE' panel of experts warned today. Infection rates have stopped falling for the first time in months due to people starting to meet up again, the independent scientists say. About 3,000 people are still catching the coronavirus every day in England, according to the Office for National Statistics which said new cases had 'levelled out' in recent weeks. England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned this week he expected daily infections to remain the same through winter and into next spring. If the death rate also stalls at current levels - with 100 to 150 people being killed per day - then the overall toll could eclipse 80,000 by next March, the independent scientists warned. The grim predictions were made by 'the Independent SAGE' group, which is separate from the team of experts who advise the Government. The group - led by former chief scientific adviser Sir David King, who advised Tony Blair during the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in 2001 - has been fiercely critical of the Government's response during the pandemic. It slammed the latest lockdown-loosening measures due to come into force on July 4, saying they 'send a message that the pandemic is over - and it's not over.' The UK is on track to suffer another 30,000 coronavirus deaths because lockdown has been lifted too early, according to the Independent SAGE group - led by Sir David King, a former Government chief scientific adviser (pictured) July 4 - dubbed Super Sunday - will see pubs, restaurants, cinemas and cultures venues reopen. Independent SAGE said the lockdown easing measures are coming too soon because the Government's test and trace programme is still not up and running fully. It predicts that just a third of symptomatic Covid-19 patients are being found through the system. Experts have previously said the programme will need to catch eight out of 10 infected patients to continue to bring daily infections down. Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London and a member of Independent SAGE, said: 'We are adding a lot of risk all at once in the context of infections not reducing anymore and test and trace not fully functioning. 'They are sending a message that the pandemic is over and it's not over. New daily infections have stopped their downward trend and have been level for the last few weeks. 'I think Chris Whitty said recently that he was expecting this kind of level to carry on for about another nine months in to next year. 'If we carry on with 100 to 150 deaths a day thats over 30,000 deaths. I think we really, really need to keep that downward trend.' Pointing to a 'massive surge' in cases in the US and Germany after curbs were lifted, she added: 'I am worried that we will be in a situation here where we don't spot these increases until it's too late.' Gabriel Scally, professor of public health at the University of Bristol, urged Boris Johnson to set out a clear strategy 'for the next nine months' to prevent hundreds of people dying every day. A major incident was declared in Bournemouth on Thursday after it became overrun by about 500,000 visitors A view of the beach in Brighton on Thursday when people flocked to the Sussex coast to make the most of the warm weather and ignored social distancing rules He said: 'That's what the people of this country deserve we can't go on with uncertainty and hoping things will be alright.' Professor Whitty estimated that current levels of the virus would persist throughout the year and into next year. At Tuesdays final Downing Street daily briefing with the prime minister, he said: 'I would be surprised and delighted if we werent in this current situation through the winter and into next spring. 'I expect there to be a significant amount of coronavirus circulating at least into that time and I think it is going to be quite optimistic that for science to come fully to the rescue over that kind of timeframe.' It comes after Boris Johnson warned on Friday that 'immortal and invincible' young people are taking risks by potentially spreading the disease to elderly people. He was addressing the hundreds of thousands of people who ignored social distancing rules and flocked to beaches and parks during this week's mini heatwave. The PM warned of a 'serious spike' in coronavirus infections in the UK if people do not follow social distancing guidance before lockdown restrictions are eased further in just over a week's time on July 4. The official number of coronavirus deaths in the UK stands at 43,414 - but separate grim government statistics show the real number of fatalities since the crisis began to spiral out of control is closer to 55,000. It makes the UK the third worst-hit country in the world, behind only the US and Brazil. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry said the decision to open on July 1 was aimed at helping domestic tourism which had been severely hampered due to the pandemc and all archaeological sites, monuments, national museums and other sites would reopen, reports Xinhua news agency. Colombo, June 27 (IANS) Sri Lanka will re-open all museums and other cultural attractions from July 1 for local tourists after being shut for over three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cultural Affairs Ministry said. The Public Reference Libraries run by the National Archives would also reopen. All of these sites will maintain limits on the number of visitors and the people will have to adhere to COVID 19-guidelines issued by the Health Department. Sri Lanka is also set to open its airports on August 1 for foreign tourists with strict health guidelines in place but decided to suspend short staying of foreign seafarers when transferring through the country, following the detection of several COVID-19 cases recently. The Daily Mirror newspaper quoted Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Additional Secretary to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for Foreign Relations, as saying that about 20 Indian and seven Sri Lankan seafarers who arrived from Mumbai had tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival in the island nation. A total of 122 seafarers arrived in the country from Mumbai. "We first facilitated Sri Lankan seafarers and allowed others also to use our ports and airports to transfer seafarers, if they are interested. The 122 seafarers had undergone tests in India which were found negative for the virus. However, more than 20 were tested positive when they were tested again in Sri Lanka," he said. Accordingly, the President has ordered to suspend the process of allowing foreign seafarers into the country if they are to stay for a short period, he added. Sri Lanka has so far reported over 2,000 COVID-19 patients out of which over 1,600 have recovered and been discharged. The death toll stood at 11. --IANS ksk/ As protests in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer turn to defunding police departments and then to removing police presence from schools, we would do well to remember a few names: Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. The heavily armed seniors killed a dozen students and a teacher at Columbine High in Colorado in 1999. Another 21 were injured by gunfire. The pair committed suicide in the school library. Nikolas Cruz. The 19-year-old former student was dropped off at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida., in 2018. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle, he killed 17 and injured 17 others. He fled, was ultimately arrested, and was charged with 17 counts of murder. William Atchison. The 21-year-old former student walked into Aztec High in 2017 with a 9 mm Glock. He killed two students and took his own life as police closed in. While there are many positives to having a police presence in our schools a crucial element of community policing providing a safe and secure environment tops the list. Our elected officials and administrators at the Albuquerque Public Schools have long recognized that. APS has its own police force consisting of 58 sworn officers who carry weapons and 70 civilian service aides who do not. The plainclothes CSAs primarily work in elementary and middle schools, with sworn officers in high schools and on patrol duties. Albuquerque Police Department officers and Bernalillo County sheriffs deputies are at some high schools. Those calling for their removal, including University of New Mexico law professor Maryam Ahranjani, contend the $6.5 million APS spends on police would be better used for teacher training, social workers and programs. Theres a lot of unfortunate downstream negative repercussions for children from having police officers in schools, she wrote to the school district leadership. Of course if you continue to re-enforce the message police are bad, that likely affects how they are viewed by kids. But many who actually work in schools have a different take. Brad Winter, a former APS assistant principal, chief operating officer and superintendent, says students often forge positive relationships with officers. One former school board member says having the officers is a positive not a threat and a lot of good comes from it. The primary responsibility of a school police officer is to maintain order and security while nurturing positive and respectful relationships with students, says APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta. APS police are trained in mediation techniques and restorative justice. Arrests, she says, are a last resort but necessary when guns are found on campuses or lives are threatened. APS police arrested a total of seven students last school year. APS is huge. Its police force is responsible for the safety of more than 140 campuses, 80,000 students and thousands of teachers and staff. The Board of Education voted in 2007 to allow officers to carry weapons. In the wake of school shootings, APS has calculated it needs $13.2 million in security upgrades for about 70 schools. The proposals range from classroom door locks and fencing to card-key access. School safety isnt a social science project. We need trained officers who can practice de-escalation and restorative justice and stand between students and a dangerous assailant. And its important young people are exposed to police in a nonconfrontational setting, where the daily message is they are there to ensure everyones safety. APS administration and board should look at the evidence and track record, make needed improvements and reject the dangerous defund mantra in our schools. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:18:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANOI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The 36th ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit, which was held via video conferencing on Friday under the chair of Vietnam, emphasized the importance of unity, cooperation and integration to address the challenges brought about by rapid changes in the regional and global landscape. Speaking at a press briefing on Friday evening, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the summit was a success with the presence of representatives from all member states, and adopted the Chairman's Statement and several documents which reflected the bloc's high consensus in important discussed issues. According to the prime minister, the ASEAN member countries discussed issues including the COVID-19 pandemic control and socio-economic recovery, the building of a strong community, as well as expanding and deepening ASEAN's external relations with partners. In the Chairman's Statement of the 36th ASEAN Summit released Saturday, the ASEAN leaders announced the establishment of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. This comes with the commencement of the process of moving forward the ASEAN's efforts to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and develop a comprehensive recovery framework effective in taking the region through the reopening and recovery stages. Recognizing the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the region and the world, the ASEAN leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to implementing targeted policies to alleviate its adverse impact. The leaders have tasked the ASEAN Community Councils to undertake relevant works in their respective pillars to contribute to the ASEAN comprehensive recovery plan to be submitted to the 37th ASEAN Summit, according to the Chairman Statement. ASEAN member states remained committed to keeping markets open for trade that is free from unnecessary trade restrictions as well as for investment, and to coordinating the implementation of pertinent policy measures to mitigate the economic impacts of the epidemic, said the statement. The ASEAN leaders noted in the statement that free trade agreements and comprehensive economic partnership agreements are important in transforming the region into a global ASEAN and in contributing to the post-pandemic recovery and in creating resilient supply chains. While welcoming the progress made for the full conclusion of the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and looking forward to the signing of this deal by the end of this year, they noted that the agreement demonstrates "the firm commitment of ASEAN and its partners to upholding an open, inclusive and rules-based multi-lateral trading system." The summit adopted the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN, which was released Friday, showing the ASEAN's strong commitment to upholding ASEAN unity, solidarity and centrality while enhancing ASEAN's capacity to embrace the opportunities and effectively address emerging challenges. The ASEAN leaders also jointly adopted the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work, which commits ASEAN member states to promote lifelong learning. The view of this move is preparing the region's human resources to adapt to the changing world of work due to technological advances, demographic transition and greening economies. The leaders looked forward to the finalization of a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder roadmap to translate those commitments into actions for notation at the 37th ASEAN Summit, according to the summit's Chairman's Statement. With the successful holding of the Special Session of the ASEAN Leaders on Women Empowerment in the Digital Age, ASEAN countries also reaffirmed their steadfast commitment and staunch efforts to promote gender equality and empowerment. The special session was held for the very first time within an ASEAN Summit, which was a vivid manifestation of ASEAN's contributions to the effective realization of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. During the framework of the 36th ASEAN Summit, other meetings including the ASEAN Leaders' Interface with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), representatives of ASEAN youth and ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) also took place. These initiatives have further demonstrated the ASEAN's consistent approach of engaging multi-stakeholder contribution to the ASEAN Community building process, toward an inclusive, people-centered, people-oriented ASEAN Community, according to the Chairman's Statement. The 36th ASEAN summit had been scheduled for April in central Vietnam's Da Nang but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Established in 1967, the ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Amid the ongoing border tensions with China, the Indian armed forces have moved the air defence missile systems into Ladakh sector. The deployment of the advanced quick-reaction surface-to-air missile defence systems comes after the Chinese side reportedly increased fighter aircraft and helicopter activities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the past few days. "As part of the ongoing build-up in the sector, the air defence systems of both Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have been deployed in the sector to prevent any misadventure by the Chinese Air Force fighter jets or the People's Liberation Army choppers there," news agency ANI reported citing unidentified government sources. India may very soon also get a highly capable air defence system from a friendly country for deploying in the region, the news agency also said. Chinese choppers have been seen in the regions including the Sub Sector North (Daulat Beg Oldie sector), Galwan valley near Patrolling Point 14, Patrolling Point 15, Patrolling Point 17 and 17A along with the Pangong Tso and Finger area, according to the news agency's sources. Meanwhile, twenty Indian soldiers, including a colonel, were killed on June 15 in a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan valley, following which both sides held several discussions on further disengagement at the LAC. Though China has not confirmed the casualties on its side, it's estimated that around 35-45 Chinese died in the clash. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) articulated recently that PM Modi was clear that India would give a befitting reply to any transgression attempts at the LAC. Also read: Can you assure China will leave Indian land if RGF returns Rs 20 lakh: Chidambaram to PM Modi Also read: 'Is it a crime to test?': Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw slams ICMR for 'not permitting' asymptomatic testing The face of Tou Thao haunts me. The Hmong-American police officer stood with his back turned to Derek Chauvin, his partner, as Chauvin knelt on George Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds and murdered him. In the video that I saw, Tou Thao is in the foreground and Chauvin is partly visible in the background, George Floyds head pressed to the ground. Bystanders beg Tou Thao to do something, because George Floyd was not moving, and as he himself said, he could not breathe. The face of Tou Thao is like mine and not like mine, although the face of George Floyd is like mine and not like mine too. Racism makes us focus on the differences in our faces rather than our similarities, and in the alchemical experiment of the U.S., racial difference mixes with labor exploitation to produce an explosive mix of profit and atrocity. In response to endemic American racism, those of us who have been racially stigmatized cohere around our racial difference. We take what white people hate about us, and we convert stigmata into pride, community and power. So it is that Tou Thao and I are Asian Americans, because we are both Asian, which is better than being an Oriental or a gook. If being an Oriental gets us mocked and being a gook can get us killed, being an Asian American might save us. Our strength in numbers, in solidarity across our many differences of language, ethnicity, culture, religion, national ancestry and more, is the basis of being Asian American. But in another reality, Tou Thao is Hmong and I am Vietnamese. He was a police officer and I am a professor. Does our being Asian bring us together across these ethnic and class divides? Does our being Southeast Asian, both our communities brought here by an American war in our countries, mean we see the world in the same way? Did Tou Thao experience the anti-Asian racism that makes us all Asian, whether we want to be or not? Story continues Let me go back in time to a time being repeated today. Even if I no longer remember how old I was when I saw these words, I have never forgotten them: Another American driven out of business by the Vietnamese. Perhaps I was 12 or 13. It was the early 1980s, and someone had written them on a sign in a store window not far from my parents store. The sign confused me, for while I had been born in Vietnam, I had grown up in Pennsylvania and California, and had absorbed all kinds of Americana: the Mayflower and the Pilgrims; cowboys and Indians; Audie Murphy and John Wayne; George Washington and Betsy Ross; the Pledge of Allegiance; the Declaration of Independence; the guarantee of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; all the fantasy and folklore of the American Dream. Two immigration officers interrogate Chinese immigrants suspected of being Communists or deserting seamen at Ellis Island. | Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Part of that dream was being against communism and for capitalism, which suited my parents perfectly. They had been born poor to rural families, and without much formal schooling and using only their ingenuity and hard work, had become successful merchants. They fled communist Vietnam in 1975, after losing all of their property and most of their fortune. What they carried with themincluding some gold and money sewn into the hems of their clothesthey used to buy a house next to the freeway in San Jose and to open the second Vietnamese grocery store there, in 1978. In a burst of optimism and nostalgia, they named their store the New Saigon. I am now older than my parents were when they had to begin their lives anew in this country, with only a little English. What they did looms in my memory as a nearly unimaginable feat. In the age of coronavirus, I am uncertain how to sew a mask and worry about shopping for groceries. Survivors of war, my parents fought to live again as aliens in a strange land, learning to read mortgage documents in another language, enrolling my brother and me in school, taking drivers-license examinations. But there was no manual telling them how to buy a store that was not advertised as for sale. They called strangers and navigated bureaucracy in order to find the owners and persuade them to sell, all while suffering from the trauma of having lost their country and leaving almost all their relatives behind. By the time my parents bought the store, my mothers mother had died in Vietnam. The news nearly broke her. Somehow the person who wrote this sign saw people like my mother and my father as less than human, as an enemy. This is why I am not surprised by the rising tide of anti-Asian racism in this country. Sickened, yes, to hear of a woman splashed with acid on her doorstep; a man and his son slashed by a knife-wielding assailant at a Sams Club; numerous people being called the Chinese virus or the chink virus or told to go to China, even if they are not of Chinese descent; people being spat on for being Asian; people afraid to leave their homes, not only because of the pandemic but also out of fear of being verbally or physically assaulted, or just looked at askance. Cataloging these incidents, the poet and essayist Cathy Park Hong wrote, We dont have coronavirus. We are coronavirus. Looking back, I can remember the low-level racism of my youth, the stupid jokes told by my Catholic-school classmates, like Is your last name Nam? and Did you carry an AK-47 in the war? as well as more obscene ones. I wonder: Did Tou Thao hear these kinds of jokes in Minnesota? What did he think of Fong Lee, Hmong American, 19 years old, shot eight times, four in the back, by Minneapolis police officer Jason Andersen in 2006? Andersen was acquitted by an all-white jury. A classroom composed of Chinese children in New York, 1900 | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images Confronted with anti-Asian racism from white people, the Hmong who came to the U.S. as refugees in the 1970s and 1980s were often resettled in diverse urban areas, some in dominantly Black communities where they also confronted racism. Stories abounded within our community of battery, robberies and intimidations by our Black neighbors, Yia Vue wrote recently. Hmong people live side by side with their African-American neighbors in poorer sections of town, with generations of misunderstanding and stereotypes still strongly entrenched on both sides. Yet when Fong Lee was killed, Black activists rallied to his cause. They were the loudest voices for us, Lees sister Shoua said. They didnt ask to show up. They just showed up. Unlike the engineers and doctors who mostly came from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and Indiathe model minority in the American imaginationmany Hmong refugees arrived from a rural life in Laos devastated by war. Traumatized, they were resettled into the midst of poverty and a complicated history of racial oppression of which they had little awareness. Even the Hmong who condemn Tou Thao and argue for solidarity with Black Lives Matter insist that they should not be seen through the lens of the model-minority experience, should not be subject to liberal Asian-American guilt and hand-wringing over Tou Thao as a symbol of complicity. Christian minister Ashley Gaozong Bauer, of Hmong descent, writes, Weve had to share in the collective shame of the model minority, but when have Asian Americans shared in the pain and suffering of the Hmong refugee narrative and threats of deportation? Like the Hmong, the Vietnamese like myself suffered from war, and some are threatened by deportation now. Unlike many of the Hmong, a good number of Vietnamese refugees became, deliberately or otherwise, a part of the model minority, including myself. The low-level racism I experienced happened in elite environments. By the time I entered my mostly white, exclusive, private high school, the message was clear to me and the few of us who were of Asian descent. Most of us gathered every day in a corner of the campus and called ourselves, with a laugh, or maybe a wince, the Asian invasion. But if that was a joke we made at our own expense, it was also a prophecy, for when I returned to campus a couple of years ago to give a lecture on race to the assembled student body, some 1,600 young men, I realized that if we had not quite taken over, there were many more of us almost 30 years later. No longer the threat of the Asian invasion, we were, instead, the model minority: the desirable classmate, the favored neighbor, the nonthreatening kind of person of color. Or were we? A couple of Asian-American students talked to me afterward and said they still felt it. The vibe. The feeling of being foreign, especially if they were, or were perceived to be, Muslim, or brown, or Middle Eastern. The vibe. Racism is not just the physical assault. I have never been physically assaulted because of my appearance. But I had been assaulted by the racism of the airwaves, the ching-chong jokes of radio shock jocks, the villainous or comical japs and chinks and gooks of American war movies and comedies. Like many Asian Americans, I learned to feel a sense of shame over the things that supposedly made us foreign: our food, our language, our haircuts, our fashion, our smell, our parents. What made these sentiments worse, Hong argues, was that we told ourselves these were minor feelings. How could we have anything valid to feel or say about race when we, as a model minority, were supposedly accepted by American society? At the same time, anti-Asian sentiment remained a reservoir of major feeling from which Americans could always draw in a time of crisis. Asian Americans still do not wield enough political power, or have enough cultural presence, to make many of our fellow Americans hesitate in deploying a racist idea. Our unimportance and our historical status as the perpetual foreigner in the U.S. is one reason the President and many others feel they can call COVID-19 the Chinese virus or the kung flu. Japanese-American residents of Los Angeles wave a farewell to relatives and friends who are being deported to Japan in October 1941. | Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis/Getty Images The basis of anti-Asian racism is that Asians belong in Asia, no matter how many generations we have actually lived in non-Asian countries, or what we might have done to prove our belonging to non-Asian countries if we were not born there. Pointing the finger at Asians in Asia, or Asians in non-Asian countries, has been a tried and true method of racism for a long time; in the U.S., it dates from the 19th century. It was then that the U.S. imported thousands of Chinese workers to build the transcontinental railroad. When their usefulness was over, American politicians, journalists and business leaders demonized them racially to appease white workers who felt threatened by Chinese competition. The result was white mobs lynching Chinese migrants, driving them en masse out of towns and burning down Chinatowns. The climax of anti-Chinese feeling was the passage of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, the first racially discriminatory immigration law in American history, which would turn Chinese entering the U.S. into the nations first illegal immigrant population. The Immigration and Naturalization Service was created, policing Chinese immigration and identifying Chinese who had come into the U.S. as paper sons, who claimed a fictive relation to the Chinese who had already managed to come into the country. As the political scientist Janelle Wong tells me, while European immigrants were confronted with widespread hostility, they never faced the kind of legal racial restrictions on immigration and naturalization that Asian Americans experienced. American history has been marked by the cycle of big businesses relying on cheap Asian labor, which threatened the white working class, whose fears were stoked by race-baiting politicians and media, leading to catastrophic events like the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942. The person who wrote that sign I remember seeing as a child, blaming the Vietnamese for destroying American businesses, was simply telling a story about the yellow peril that was always available for fearful Americans. The reality was that downtown San Jose in the 1970s and 1980s was shabby, a run-down place where almost no one wanted to open new businesses, except for Vietnamese refugees. Today, Americans rely on China and other Asian countries for cheap commodities that help Americans live the American Dream, then turn around and blame the Chinese for the loss of American jobs or the rise of American vulnerability to economic competition. It is easier to blame a foreign country or a minority, or even politicians who negotiate trade agreements, than to identify the real power: corporations and economic elites who shift jobs, maximize profit at the expense of workers and care nothing for working Americans. To acknowledge this reality is far too disturbing for many Americans, who resort to blaming Asians as a simpler answer. Asian Americans have not forgotten this anti-Asian history, and yet many have hoped that it was behind them. The slur of the Chinese virus has revealed how fragile our acceptance and inclusion was. In the face of renewed attacks on our American belonging, the former presidential candidate Andrew Yang offered this solution: We Asian Americans need to embrace and show our Americanness in ways we never have before We should show without a shadow of a doubt that we are Americans who will do our part for our country in this time of need. Many Asian Americans took offense at his call, which seemed to apologize for our Asian-American existence. Yangs critics pointed out that Asian Americans have literally wrapped themselves in the American flag in times of anti-Asian crisis; have donated to white neighbors and fellow citizens in emergencies; and died for this country fighting in its wars. And is there anything more American than joining the police? Did Tou Thao think he was proving his belonging by becoming a cop? None of these efforts have prevented the stubborn persistence of anti-Asian racism. Calling for more sacrifices simply reiterates the sense that Asian Americans are not American and must constantly prove an Americanness that should not need to be proven. Japanese Americans had to prove their Americanness during World War II by fighting against Germans and Japanese while their families were incarcerated, but German and Italian Americans never had to prove their Americanness to the same extent. German and Italian Americans were selectively imprisoned for suspected or actual disloyalty, while Japanese Americans were incarcerated en masse, their race marking them as un-American. Asian Americans are caught between the perception that we are inevitably foreign and the temptation that we can be allied with white people in a country built on white supremacy. As a result, anti-Black (and anti-brown and anti-Native) racism runs deep in Asian-American communities. Immigrants and refugees, including Asian ones, know that we usually have to start low on the ladder of American success. But no matter how low down we are, we know that America allows us to stand on the shoulders of Black, brown and Native people. Throughout Asian-American history, Asian immigrants and their descendants have been offered the opportunity by both Black people and white people to choose sides in the Black-white racial divide, and we have far too often chosen the white side. Asian Americans, while actively critical of anti-Asian racism, have not always stood up against anti-Black racism. Frequently, we have gone along with the status quo and affiliated with white people. The Japanese owner of this grocery store in Oakland, California displays a sign reminding pedestrians of his loyalties to America, and not Japan, in 1944. | Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images And yet there have been vocal Asian Americans who have called for solidarity with Black people and other people of color, from the activist Yuri Kochiyama, who cradled a dying Malcolm X, to the activist Grace Lee Boggs, who settled in Detroit and engaged in serious, radical organizing and theorizing with her Black husband James Boggs. Kochiyama and Lee Boggs were far from the only Asian Americans who argued that Asian Americans should not stand alone or stand only for themselves. The very term Asian American, coined in the 1960s by Yuji Ichioka and Emma Gee and adopted by college student activists, was brought to national consciousness by a movement that was about more than just defending Asian Americans against racism and promoting an Asian-American identity. Asian-American activists saw their movement as also being antiwar, anti-imperialism and anticapitalism. Taking inspiration from the 1955 Bandung Conference, a gathering of nonaligned African and Asian nations, and from Mao, they located themselves in an international struggle against colonialism with other colonized peoples. Mao also inspired radical African Americans, and the late 1960s in the U.S. was a moment when radical activists of all backgrounds saw themselves as part of a Third World movement that linked the uprisings of racial minorities with a global rebellion against capitalism, racism, colonialism and war. The legacy of the Third World and Asian-American movements continues today among Asian-American activists and scholars, who have long argued that Asian Americans, because of their history of experiencing racism and labor exploitation, offer a radical potential for contesting the worst aspects of American society. But the more than 22 million Asian Americans, over 6% of the American population, have many different national and ethnic origins and ancestries and times of immigration or settlement. As a result, we often have divergent political viewpoints. Todays Asian Americans are being offered two paths: the radical future imagined by the Asian-American movement, and the consumer model symbolized by drinking boba tea and listening to K-pop. While Asian Americans increasingly trend Democratic, we are far from all being radical. What usually unifies Asian Americans and enrages us is anti-Asian racism and murder, beginning with the anti-Chinese violence and virulence of the 19th century and continuing through incidents like a white gunman killing five Vietnamese and Cambodian refugee children in a Stockton, Calif., school in 1989, and another white gunman killing six members of a Sikh gurdwara in Wisconsin in 2012. The murder of Vincent Chin, killed in 1982 by white Detroit autoworkers who mistook him for Japanese, remains a rallying cry. As do the Los Angeles riots, or uprisings, of 1992, when much of Koreatown was burned down by mostly Black and brown looters while the LAPD watched. Korean-American merchants suffered about half of the economic damage. Two Asian Americans were killed in the violence. All of this is cause for mourning, remembrance and outrage, but so is something else: the 61 other people who died were not Asian, and the majority of them were Black or brown. Most of the more than 12,000 people who were arrested were also Black or brown. In short, Korean Americans suffered economic losses, as well as emotional and psychic damage, that would continue for years afterward. But they had property to lose, and they did not pay the price of their tenuous Americanness through the same loss of life or liberty as experienced by their Black and brown customers and neighbors. Many Korean Americans were angry because they felt the citys law-enforcement and political leadership had sacrificed them by preventing the unrest from reaching the whiter parts of the city, making Korean Americans bear the brunt of the long-simmering rage of Black and brown Angelenos over poverty, segregation and abusive police treatment. In the aftermath, Koreatown was rebuilt, although not all of the shopkeepers recovered their livelihoods. Some of the money that rebuilt Koreatown came, ironically, from South Korea, which had enjoyed a decades-long transformation into an economic powerhouse. South Korean capital, and eventually South Korean pop culture, especially cinema and K-pop, became cooler and more fashionable than the Korean immigrants who had left South Korea for the American Dream. Even if economic struggle still defined a good deal of Korean immigrant life, it was overshadowed by the overall American perception of Asian-American success, and by the new factor of Asian capital and competition. This is what it means to be a model minority: to be invisible in most circumstances because we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, like my parents, until we become hypervisible because we are doing what we do too well, like the Korean shopkeepers. Then the model minority becomes the Asian invasion, and the Asian-American model minority, which had served to prove the success of capitalism, bears the blame when capitalism fails. The National Guard at the Korean Pride Parade in Los Angeles on April 29, 1992 following the riots that swept the city after three of four police officers accused of the 1991 beating of Rodney King were cleared of all charges. | Ted SoquiCorbis/Getty Images Not to say that we bear the brunt of capitalism. Situated in the middle of Americas fraught racial relations, we receive, on the whole, more benefits from American capitalism than Black, brown or Indigenous peoples, even if many of us also experience poverty and marginalization. While some of us do die from police abuse, it does not happen on the same scale as that directed against Black, brown or Indigenous peoples. While we do experience segregation and racism and hostility, we are also more likely to live in integrated neighborhoods than Black or Indigenous people. To the extent that we experience advantage because of our race, we are also complicit in holding up a system that disadvantages Black, brown and Indigenous people because of their race. Given our tenuous place in American society, no wonder so many Asian Americans might want to prove their Americanness, or to dream of acceptance by a white-dominated society, or condemn Tou Thao as not one of us. But when Asian Americans speak of their vast collective, with origins from East to West Asia and South to Southeast Asia, who is the we that we use? The elite multiculturalism of colored faces in high places is a genteel politics of representation that focuses on assimilation. So long excluded from American life, marked as inassimilable aliens and perpetual foreigners, asked where we come from and complimented on our English, Asian immigrants and their descendants have sought passionately to make this country our own. But from the perspective of many Black, brown and Indigenous people, this country was built on their enslavement, their dispossession, their erasure, their forced migration, their imprisonment, their segregation, their abuse, their exploited labor and their colonization. For many if not all Black, brown and Indigenous people, the American Dream is a farce as much as a tragedy. Multiculturalism may make us feel good, but it will not save the American Dream; reparations, economic redistribution, and defunding or abolishing the police might. If Hmong experiences fit more closely with the failure of the American Dream, what does it mean for some Asian Americans to still want their piece of it? If we claim America, then we must claim all of America, its hope and its hypocrisy, its profit and its pain, its liberty and its losses, its imperfect union and its ongoing segregation. To be Asian American is therefore paradoxical, for being Asian American is both necessary and insufficient. Being Asian American is necessary, the name and identity giving us something to organize around, allowing us to have more than minor feelings. I vividly remember becoming an Asian American in my sophomore year, when I transferred to UC Berkeley, stepped foot on the campus and was immediately struck by intellectual and political lightning. Through my Asian-American studies courses and my fellow student activists of the Asian American Political Alliance, I was no longer a faceless part of an Asian invasion. I was an Asian American. I had a face, a voice, a name, a movement, a history, a consciousness, a rage. That rage is a major feeling, compelling me to refuse a submissive politics of apology, which an uncritical acceptance of the American Dream demands. But the rage that is at the heart of the Asian-American movementa righteous rage, a wrath for justice, acknowledgment, redemptionhas not been able to overcome the transformation of the movement into a diluted if empowering identity. In its most diluted form, Asian-American identity is also open to anti-Black racism, the acceptance of colonization, and the fueling of Americas perpetual-motion war machine, which Americans from across the Democratic and Republican parties accept as a part of the U.S. Refugees from Vietnam descend a flight of stairs from an airplane in Oakland, California, April 1975 | Ted StreshinskyCorbis/Getty Images My presence here in this country, and that of my parents, and a majority of Vietnamese and Hmong, is due to the so-called Vietnam War in Southeast Asia that the U.S. helped to wage. The war in Laos was called the Secret War because the CIA conducted it and kept it secret from the American people. In Laos, the Hmong were a stateless minority without a country to call their own, and CIA advisers promised the Hmong that if they fought along with them, the U.S. would take care of the Hmong in both victory and defeat, perhaps even helping them gain their own homeland. About 58,000 Hmong who fought with the Americans lost their lives, fighting communists and rescuing downed American pilots flying secret bombing missions over Laos. When the war ended, the CIA abandoned most of its Hmong allies, taking only a small number out of the country to Thailand. The ones who remained behind suffered persecution at the hands of their communist enemies. This is why Tou Thaos face haunts me. Not just because we may look alike in some superficial way as Asian Americans, but because he and I are here because of this American history of war. The war was a tragedy for us, as it was for the Black Americans who were sent to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem, as Martin Luther King Jr. argued passionately in his 1967 speech Beyond Vietnam. In this radical speech, he condemns not just racism but capitalism, militarism, American imperialism and the American war machine, the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today. In another speech, he demands that we question our whole society, which means ultimately coming to see that the problem of racism, the problem of economic exploitation and the problem of war are all tied together. Little has changed. The U.S. is still a country built on war and for war. This is why Vietnam, meaning the Vietnam War, continues to haunt this country, stuck in a forever war. And this is why Tou Thaos face haunts me. It is the face of someone who shares some of my history and has done the thing I fear to do when faced with injusticenothing. Addressing Tou Thao, the poet Mai Der Vang, also Hmong, wrote in her poem In the Year of Permutations: Go live with yourself after what you didnt do. Thao was complicit in adding to the/ perpetration of power on a neck Never truly to be accepted/ always a pawn. While the life of a Hmong-American police officer descended from refugees is different from that of a stereotypical model-minority Chinese-American engineer or a Vietnamese-American writer like me, the moral choices remain the same. Solidarity or complicity. Rise against abusive power or stand with our back turned to the abuse of power. If we as Asian Americans choose the latter, we are indeed the model minority, and we deserve both its privileges and its perils. Our challenge is to be both Asian American and to imagine a world beyond it, one in which being Asian American isnt necessary. This is not a problem of assimilation or multiculturalism. This is a contradiction, inherited from the fundamental contradiction that ties the American body politic together, its aspiration toward equality for all, bound with its need to exploit the land and racially marked people, beginning from the very origins of American society and its conquest of Indigenous nations and importation of African slaves. The U.S. is an example of a successful project of colonization, only we do not call colonization by that name here. Instead, we call successful colonization the American Dream. This is why, as Mai Der Vang says, the American Dream will not save us. Asian Americans should not exist in a land where everyone is equal, but because of racisms persistence, and capitalisms need for cheap, racialized labor, Asian Americans do indeed exist. The end of Asian Americans only happens with the end of racism and capitalism. Faced with this problem, Asian Americans can be a model of apology, trying to prove an Americanness that cannot be proved. Or we can be a model of justice and demand greater economic and social equality for us and for all Americans. If we are dissatisfied with our countrys failures and limitations, revealed to us in stark clarity during the time of coronavirus, then now is our time to change our country for the better. If you think America is in trouble, blame shareholders, not immigrants; look at CEOs, not foreigners; resent corporations, not minorities; yell at politicians of both parties, not the weak, who have little in the way of power or wealth to share. Many Americans of all backgrounds understand this better now than they did in 1992. Then, angry protesters burned down Koreatown. Now, they peacefully surround the White House. Demanding that the powerful and the wealthy share their power and their wealth is what will make America great. Until then, race will continue to divide us. To locate Tou Thao in the middle of a Black-Hmong divide, or a Black-Asian divide, as if race were the only problem and the only answer, obscures a fatal statistic: the national poverty rate was 15.1% in 2015, while the rate for African Americans was about 24.1% and for Hmong Americans 28.3%. Youa Vang Lee speaks in front of thousands of people attending a memorial rally for George Floyd at the Minnesota State Capitol on May, 31, 2020. | Brooklynn KascelPolaris The problem is race, and class, and wara country almost always at war overseas that then pits its poor of all races and its exploited minorities against each other in a domestic war over scarce resources. So long as this crossbred system of white supremacy and capitalist exploitation remains in place, there will always be someone who will write that sign: Another American Driven Out of Business by [fill in the blank], because racism always offers the temptation to blame the weak rather than the powerful. The people who write these signs are engaging in the most dangerous kind of identity politics, the nationalist American kind, which, from the origins of this country, has been white and propertied. The police were created to defend the white, the propertied and their allies, and continue to do so. Black people know this all too well, many descended from people who were property. My parents, as newcomers to America, learned this lesson most intimately. When they opened the New Saigon, they told me not to call the police if there was trouble. In Vietnam, the police were not to be trusted. The police were corrupt. But a few years later, when an armed (white) gunman burst into our house and pointed a gun in all our faces, and after my mother dashed by him and into the street and saved our lives, I called the police. The police officers who came were white and Latino. They were gentle and respectful with us. We owned property. We were the victims. And yet our status as people with property, as refugees fulfilling the American Dream, as good neighbors for white people, is always fragile, so long as that sign can always be hung. But the people who would hang that sign misunderstand a basic fact of American life: America is built on the business of driving other businesses out of business. This is the life cycle of capitalism, one in which an (Asian) American Dream that is multicultural, transpacific and corporate fits perfectly well. My parents, natural capitalists, succeeded at this life cycle until they, in turn, were driven out of business. The city of San Jose, which had neglected downtown when my parents arrived, changed its approach with the rise of Silicon Valley. Realizing that downtown should reflect the image of a modern tech metropolis, the city used eminent domain to force my parents to sell their store. Across from where the New Saigon once stood now looms the brand-new city hall, which was supposed to face a brand-new symphony hall. I love the idea that a symphony could have sprung from the refugee roots of the New Saigon, where my parents shed not only sweat but blood, having once been shot there on Christmas Eve. But for many years, all that stood on my parents property was a dismal parking lot. Eventually the city sold the property for many millions of dollars, and now a tower of expensive condominiums is being built on the site of my parents struggle for the American Dream. The symphony was never heard. This, too, is America. So is this: the mother of Fong Lee, Youa Vang Lee, marching with Hmong 4 Black Lives on the Minnesota state capitol in the wake of George Floyds killing. I have to be there, she said. She spoke in Hmong, but her feelings could be understood without translation. The same happened to my son. Nguyen is a Pulitzer Prizewinning novelist and a University Professor at the University of Southern California Correction, June 29, 2020 The original version of this story misstated the spelling of the last name of the police officer who killed Fong Lee. It is Andersen, not Anderson. "They're like a charley horse," says Rebecca Wilchynski, explaining the involuntary spasms that take hold of her legs breathtaking and sudden. "It's not just in one muscle, it can be in all the muscles or a few," she said. "Cerebral palsy, every case is individualized, and there are definitely more severe cases and some that are less severe. I have the less severe." Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition affecting body movement and muscle co-ordination, resulting from an injury to the brain. It does not get worse over time, though the exact symptoms can change over a person's lifetime. As a result of an injury to the brain, cerebral palsy interferes with messages from the brain to the body, and from the body to the brain. "It's very painful. I have spastic and athetoid [cerberal palsy], which means they move without me wanting them to, so it can make life a little bit interesting." Submitted by Kim Ewart Support Wilchynski, 48, has struggled with cerebral palsy from a very young age, a lifelong condition which has changed and evolved just as much as she herself has within that period of time. As a child, Wilchynski recalls being able to walk around, with only the help of crutches. Now, as her condition has deteriorated over the years, she relies on her motorized wheelchair to perform everyday tasks, like going to the grocery store and trips to the hospital. She can no longer do all the things she used to, to help me out. Rebecca Wilchynski Living with her physical disability has meant that Wilchynski isn't able to work, and she relies in part on social assistance and disability subsidies to survive. For much of her life, she's also relied on the financial, emotional and physical support of her family. Largely coming from her mother, her primary caregiver who has up until recently made daily visits to Wilchynski's apartment in Charlottetown, where she lives independently. Submitted by Kim Ewart 'She got sick all of a sudden' Story continues But in March, Wilchynski's mother, 83, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that forms in plasma cells, a kind of white blood cell. She's been in hospital since March. The family is unsure of when or if she will be able to leave hospital care. For the purposes of this article, Wilchynski's mother has given consent for her daughter to talk about her medical condition. The diagnosis has caused the intricately-woven support system Wilchynski and her mother have built over the years to become uncertain and fragile. "She got sick all of a sudden," Wilchynski said. "About three months ago. Her diagnosis says she can live one to three years and if she gets out of the hospital, we're not sure what that's going to look like. Sam Juric/CBC "Therefore, she can no longer do all the things she used to, to help me out." Wilchynski said her mother's illness, and the unexpected gap in care, has sparked discussions within her family on whether she should make the move to a long-term care facility to ensure round-the-clock care is available. Life has got to get better because my future does not look bright. Rebecca Wilchynski In her mother's absence, Wilchynski has been paying what she can to a friend to provide home care, one hour per day. "I'm definitely between a rock and a hard place. I can either starve and live independently, or I can give up my independence and wish I was starving," she said. "I can roll with the punches but there comes a point where it's like, 'OK, that's enough. Like life has got to get better because my future does not look bright." Kim Ewart says watching her sister face a lifetime of barriers has been painful. "It has been a real struggle. It's been a struggle financially and it's been a struggle with accessibility to basic supports and services that she just needs to just function as an adult trying to live on her own," she said. Submitted by Kim Ewart 'They become invisible' "Basically what Rebecca and I have noticed over the years is, people with physical disabilities that are not seniors she's only 48 years old, trying to live her life they become invisible." Ewart said because many adults living with physical disabilities end up in long-term care to be able to access the care they need, they fade into the background of society, "out of sight, out of mind." "Rebecca doesn't want to live her life like that, she's too young to be in a nursing home," she said. "People need to think, you know, 'If I was 48, would I want to live in a nursing home? Would I want to have to ask for permission to maybe have to go out to the corner store?" Sam Juric/CBC Far from uncommon Wilchynski's challenging circumstances are regrettably far from uncommon, said Marcia Carroll, executive director of the P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities. "When it's the parents that are doing the primary care and those parents pass on it's extremely difficult for people with disabilities to be able to move forward if there's been no planning, support and interventions done prior to the caregiver dying," Carroll said. There was a period in the 1960s leading up into the 1970s in Canada, Carroll said, where there was a move toward de-institutionalizing care for people living with disabilities, taking people out of community-care facilities and institutions and integrating them into community. It's staggering, the level of poverty that people with disabilities live in. They are absolutely the poorest people in our communities. Marcia Carroll, P.E.I. Council of Disabilites However, government funding soon diminished during the 1980s and the independent living model never developed the way it could have, she said. Parents then became primary providers of disability-related supports, "as opposed to moving their children through a continuum of care to independence," Carroll said. "And so now there's a number of folks who are in their 50s, they have parents who are in their 80s and both individuals, the parents and the child, are going to have to be looking at some type of long-term care or support to be able to manage." Lifetime of extreme poverty If you're born with a severe physical disability, Carroll said, the chances that you will live in extreme poverty in Canada is high. "For instance, if you had a high level of disability and you were living in the community on your own, your income would probably be $12,000 a year with some disability-related supports on top of that. But when you live with your parents and you stay with a family member that support becomes even more minimal," Carroll said. Jessica Doria-Brown/CBC "Depending on your needs, your disability-related needs those supports would be paid for, but your income if you're unable to work or engage in the labour market, your income would probably be $250 a month. "It's staggering, the level of poverty that people with disabilities live in. They are absolutely the poorest people in our communities." To make sure she can stretch her monthly income, Wilchynski said she keeps a reserve of high protein drinks to ensure that if she can't make it to the grocery store in her wheelchair because her chair suddenly breaks down, or there's a snow storm, or money becomes too tight, she can subsist on them for a little while. It would be nice if my mother knew that I was going to be OK before whatever happens, happens to her. Rebecca Wilchynski "You can buy the thing for like $11 and sometimes it's on sale for $7 ... so you can eat one of those a day and you have all the nutrition you need." Anxiety over her future and the gap her mother will one day leave financially and emotionally is stifling, if she let's herself think about it. "I can't really go there yet, because I'm still fighting for my life because I want to live independently. I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet, I'm determined to make it and I will," she said. GagliardiPhotogra/Shutterstock "It would be nice if my mother knew that I was going to be OK before whatever happens, happens to her," she said. "I'm her baby, I'm her last kid and I'm thinking she wants to know that I'm going to be OK." It's just part of that whole issue of human value and worth and the right to live a life that is respected. Kim Ewart While the friend who provides Wilchynski with care now is full time, it's only temporary, Ewart said. Come September, she will return to her substitute teaching job, which will reduce the number of hours she'll be able to offer. The deadline has Ewart concerned over how her sister will access the care she needs, without giving up her independence. "The support she would have had has diminished significantly," Ewart said. "I do what I can but I can't fill my mom's shoes." 'Right to live a life' Ewart said there is a systemic neglect of people living with disabilities that can no longer be ignored. "I think it's just part of that whole issue of human value and worth and the right to live a life that is respected," she said. "There's been a turning of the eye, turning a blind eye toward it." Both Wilchynski and Ewart each recall instances of prejudice that have been directed toward the 48-year-old while navigating the world from her motorized wheelchair. From being bullied as a child with disabilities in school, to a lack of understanding from teachers, to being "rammed" into by shopping carts by frustrated people out doing errands. 'None of them ever told me I couldn't do it' Now, faced with the prospect of perhaps having to surrender her independence and live in a long-term facility, Wilchynski said there's nothing left to do but to continue to fight for autonomy and visibility, for the kind of world she wants to live in. Today, that means sharing her story. Sam Juric/CBC "When I was a kid, my cousins had a tree house that I was determined that I was going to get up to," she recalls. "I would climb up and it was just boards nailed onto a tree to get up, so I would climb up and get stuck halfway up. And it would be pretty scary ... and I would scream and my grandfather or my father or my uncle would come and rescue me. "None of them ever told me I couldn't do it. They would just say, 'Next time dear, let us know so [we'll] be a little closer, so if you need help we can get to you. "I never made it up the tree house, but I had fun trying." More from CBC P.E.I. Federal prosecutors say Aleksei Burkov of St. Petersburg filled a unique niche in the world of cybercrime, describing his Direct Connection website as the most exclusive criminal forum on the web. Would-be participants had to put up a $5,000 bond and have three existing members vouch for them. Once inside, members could buy and sell stolen credit card numbers, hacking services and malware, and criminals with different skill sets could join forces to launch schemes. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 10:47:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A military officer holds a portrait of late Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza during his funeral in Gitega, Burundi, June 26, 2020. Late Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, who died in office of heart attack on June 8, was laid to rest on Friday at a state funeral in political capital Gitega, central Burundi. (Photo by Evrard Ngendakumana/Xinhua) GITEGA, Burundi, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Late Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, who died in office of heart attack on June 8, was laid to rest on Friday at a state funeral in political capital Gitega, central Burundi. Burundian people dressed in white mourned him at the Ingoma stadium in Gitega, after his remains were conveyed from the hospital in Karusi province where he received treatment and died. His coffin, covered by Burundi's national flag, was then escorted to the site of a monument and laid to rest. Newly-inaugurated Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye praised his predecessor for having qualities of bravery, patriotism, humility and love of work in a speech during the solemn ceremony. "Your unexpected death was felt like a very hard blow to the Burundian people and ourselves," said Ndayishimiye. Denise Nkurunziza, Nkurunziza's wife, in her address thanked all the people who have brought comfort to Nkurunziza's family during "moments of hard trials." She expressed gratitude to Ndayishimiye for his various support to herself and her five children before and after taking office. Senior delegates from other African countries including Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete attended the funeral. Born in 1964 in northern Burundi's Ngozi province, Nkurunziza, the former Hutu rebel leader, was elected president of Burundi by lawmakers in 2005, and was re-elected through universal suffrage in 2010 and in 2015. Chip Somodevilla/Getty When an attorney in a sprawling civil case dropped Richard Spencer as a client on Monday, the white nationalist became the eighth person to lose representation in the lawsuit, which takes aim at participants in the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The lawsuit Sines v. Kessler names as defendants many of the major far-right participants in the Unite the Right rallyas it was brandedwhich plaintiffs say left lasting physical and emotional scars on Charlottesville and its people. Since the lawsuit was filed in late 2017, defendants have struggled to find or retain legal representation. Some, like Spencer and the former leader of the fascist Traditionalist Worker Party, got dropped for unpaid legal fees. A lawyer representing the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement has filed, unsuccessfully, to drop clients over a supposed conflict of interest. And multiple defendants have lost representation after their lawyers said they were impossiblein one case, repugnantto work with. Much of the American legal system has ground to a halt in recent months, with courtrooms closed over COVID-19, delaying civil and criminal cases alike. But the defendants in the Unite the Right case have a different problem: in a country with a long history of repugnant figures securing A-list legal representation, no one wants to hold them down. Spencers lawyer, John DiNucci, filed to drop him as a client earlier this month, citing unpaid fees and his alleged lack of cooperation with the case. In a hearing this month, Spencer claimed his reputation prevented him from making enough money to pay his lawyer. (This month Spencer also faced, but avoided, jail time over unpaid fees related to his ongoing divorce in Montana.) Neither Spencer nor DiNucci returned The Daily Beasts request for comment. Sines v. Kessler is being backed by the civil liberties group Integrity First For America. Its executive director, Amy Spitalnick, said defendants lawyers were jumping ship for a variety of reasons. Story continues In some cases, these attorneys have moved to withdraw because they havent been paid or their clients havent been communicating with them, Spitalnick told The Daily Beast. In other cases, theyve cited their clients repugnant conduct. At the end of the day, the clients and their attorneys, to the extent they have them, are obligated to comply with the court orders and the defendants discovery obligations. That is what our plaintiffs are focused on right now. Although Sines v. Kessler is scheduled to go to trial in October, the discovery process is long underway. Plaintiffs are pushing defendants to turn over communications and evidence relating to the planning of the rally, where a neo-Nazi drove a car into a crowd of counter-demonstrators, killing one and wounding dozens more. But some of the defendants own lawyers accuse their clients and former clients of impeding the discovery process. Attorneys Elmer Woodard and James Kolenich, who represent many defendants, abandoned the neo-Nazi group Vanguard America last June, claiming that the now-disbanded hate group had stopped communicating with them in the discovery process. Dillon Hopper, the groups one-time leader, told The Daily Beast he hadnt turned in the necessary information. The reason I was dropped is due to my own failure to provide proper documentation in a timely manner, which caused the lawyer to become disgruntled and not want to represent me any further, Hopper said in an email. In a filing last year, he also claimed that he was broke, and could not pay more urgent medical bills. Though they still represent a host of far-right defendants, Woodard and Kolenich have apparently given up on three others. In January 2019, the pair successfully withdrew from representing former Traditionalist Worker Party leader Matthew Heimbach. (It was their second attempt, after their first motion to withdraw was denied.) The lawyers said Heimbach hadnt paid them, and that hed cut off communication with them. In a message to The Daily Beast, Heimbach said the lawsuit was too expensive, and accused Woodard and Kolenich of jacking up their rates because most attorneys dont want to be labeled a Klan lawyer. (Neither Woodard nor Kolenich returned requests for comment.) He also cited campaigns by anti-fascists to boot white supremacists off online fundraising platforms like GoFundMe. Woodard and Kolenich (the latter of whom previously gave an interview parroting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory and claiming that white people are the chosen people in the New Testament) have also dropped a pair of far-right internet-personalities in the case. In July, they withdrew representation from Christopher Cantwell and Robert Azzmador Ray. Ray has been difficult to work with, the lawyers argued, because hes been on the run since at least June 2018, avoiding charges for allegedly using tear gas at Unite the Right. (His defense in that case is shaky, because he boasted on video that I personally, literally, gassed half a dozen k*kes.) The lawyers only means of contacting Ray was via the comments section on a white supremacist site. Counsel had to request contact through an alternative means (an online Alt-Right comment area) and Mr. Ray would then call, they wrote in a filing, adding that he had not paid his bills. (Ray could not be reached for comment.) Woodard and Kolenich also dropped Cantwell, after he made violent comments about the plaintiffs lead attorney on the messaging app Telegram. Mr. Cantwell has rendered Attorneys continued representation of him unreasonably difficult, has created a conflict of interest between himself and Attorneys other clients, and has engaged in conduct Attorneys consider repugnant or imprudent, the lawyers wrote in a withdrawal motion, also citing his unpaid legal fees. (Cantwell could not be immediately reached, as he is in jail awaiting trial for incitement after he allegedly threatened to rape a woman in front of her children.) Meanwhile, an attorney representing the group National Socialist Movement and its former leader has filed to withdraw, so far unsuccessfully. Attorney William ReBrook, who did not return a request for comment, claimed that representing both the group and its former leader constituted a conflict of interest. That former leader, Jeff Schoep, claims to have abandoned decades of neo-Nazism just in time for the lawsuit, a claim that some observers of the far right have met with raised eyebrows. (Schoep did not return a request for comment.) In a filing opposing ReBrooks withdrawal, plaintiffs lawyers argued that ReBrook knew Schoep had already stepped down by the time he took the case. The plaintiffs accused ReBrook of being a willing participant in an increasingly complex bid not to turn over discovery evidence. Spitalnick said the defendants had spent years trying to avoid handing over records that might indicate their complicity in the violent rally. It was hard not to see the fiasco that is their quest for legal representation as an extension of that. Its been over two and a half years since this case was filed, she said, and the defendants have tried every trick in the book to avoid accountability. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. In one case, the folks at SWAN discovered that of the Rs 1,500 they'd transferred as relief in the account of a stranded worker, the bank had deducted Rs 800 as penalty for not having minimum balance! Geetanjali Krishna reports on a group of volunteers who are highlighting the plight of workers. IMAGE: A child drinks water while the infant's mother waits in a queue in Ahmedabad for transport to their native village. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters On May 26, the Supreme Court took suo motu, cognisance of the migrant crisis triggered by the lockdown. It directed state governments not to charge travel fares and ensure that migrants were given food and water. Yet, in the midst of an unforgiving Indian summer and two cyclones, the dismal saga of their long march home continues. Their collective experience and stories of shared deprivation wouldn't have been as visible if it weren't for Stranded Workers Action Network or SWAN. A group of volunteers associated with different campaigns and organisations that came together in the early days of the lockdown to connect migrant workers stranded across India to relief efforts closest to them, SWAN has been documenting migrant workers from the beginning of the lockdown in India. A fair mix of quantitative data and qualitative experiences, their reports present a picture of the misery that workers across the country have faced because of the long, poorly planned lockdown. "When the lockdown began, our initial needs assessment of migrant workers made us realise we had to create a holistic picture of the problem at hand," says Sakina Dhorajiwala of SWAN, who has co-authored the reports with Azim Premji University faculty members Rajendran Narayanan and Seema Mundoli, and Anindita Adhikari, PhD scholar at Brown University. Photograph: Kind courtesy Stranded Workers Action Network/Facebook SWAN's first report, 21 Days and Counting: COVID-19 Lockdown, Migrant Workers, and the Inadequacy of Welfare Measures in India was released on April 15. A survey of the 11,159 workers they'd helped directly or indirectly, revealed a massive hunger crisis. "At this time, the primary need was for rations and cooked food," she says. When they were compiling their second report, 32 Days and Counting, the folks at SWAN found evidence of growing distress amongst migrant workers and the inadequacy of current relief measures. Many were being evicted or threatened with eviction for non-payment of rents. Others had loans they weren't in a position to repay. In one case, the folks at SWAN discovered that of the Rs 1,500 they'd transferred as relief in the account of a stranded worker, the bank had deducted Rs 800 as penalty for not having minimum balance! They forced the bank to reverse the charge. Among the 16,863 workers contacted for the report, 4,823 were stranded in Maharashtra; 4,736 in Karnataka; 1,869 in Uttar Pradesh and 1,361 in Delhi. Photograph: Kind courtesy Stranded Workers Action Network/Facebook Thirty two days into the lockdown, SWAN found that four out of five workers they spoke to hadn't been able to access government rations, while 68 per cent still didn't have access to cooked food! Half the people surveyed reported having rations for less than one day; almost all had been eating sparsely to make whatever they had, last longer. As of April 26, only about six per cent of their respondents had received full wages during the lockdown. About 78 per cent hadn't been paid at all. Over 99 per cent of the self-employed (such as street vendors and rickshaw pullers) earned nothing during the lockdown. "At this juncture we realised that the magnitude of this problem was such that it needed government intervention," says Dhorajiwala. "Whatever civil society did was simply not going to be enough..." IMAGE: A family looks for transport to reach a railway station where a Shramik special train will take them to their village. Photograph: PTI Photo SWAN volunteers (now differentiated into regional and task-specific groups) have been documenting migrants' journeys home. "Fearing the disease, people just want to somehow get home in spite of job opportunities again becoming available in cities," Dhorajiwala reports. "But the lack of information and limited means of transport has rendered the situation chaotic." The group is discovering that people are willing to pay bribes and hefty premiums just to somehow get home -- even though many are unable to pay rent or repay outstanding loans. "We've been helping people find tickets by using less-frequented routes and lesser known stations," she says. "We've also found some district administrations, such as Ludhiana, Goa and Delhi, to be most responsive to the plight of workers." Going forward, the folks at SWAN plan to continue documenting the impact of the lockdown. The idea is to develop a Standard Operating Procedure for travel as well as to advocate for more compassionate policies. "Most of all," says Dhorajiwala, "we want to continue giving voice to the workers' misery and ensuring their experiences don't go unheard." Learn more about SWAN from their Facebook and Twitter handles. Their reports are on https://covid19socialsecurity.wordpress.com Production: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal As the number of people hospitalized with serious cases of the coronavirus has steadily declined, hospitals around New Mexico are slowly lifting bans that kept loved ones and friends from visiting sick in-patients. We are reaping the rewards now of a lot of proactive behavior in the state that has minimized the spread of the disease and were seeing that in our hospitals. And as the census has come down for COVID-19 positive patients, its not putting as much of a strain on us, said Troy Greer, CEO of Lovelace Medical Center and the Heart Hospital of New Mexico. Hospital officials at Presbyterian and the University of New Mexico Hospital joined Lovelace on Friday in announcing new visitation policies. Other hospitals in southern New Mexico and rural hospitals are expected to also allow visitors back, Greer said. In some hospitals, only one visit per day will be allowed and visitors must wear masks. The number of patients hospitalized statewide with the virus was 128 on Friday the lowest reported since April 24. Compared to the peak of virus cases in April and May, Lovelace is down well over 50% in terms of the number of patients needing hospitalization for COVID-positive symptoms, Greer said. The total number of COVID-19 patients in Lovelaces ICU has also dropped by more than 50%, Greer added. Tim Johnsen, senior vice president of hospital operations at Presbyterian Healthcare Services, told the Journal fewer COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized since mid-May. Across the Presbyterian system, about 46% of our intensive care beds are currently occupied by confirmed COVID-19 patients, he added. But the decision to allow some type of limited visitation comes as top state officials this week announced a troubling uptick in new COVID-19 cases throughout New Mexico. Dr. David Scrase, secretary of the state Human Services Department who is leading Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams medical team, said new cases reported this week could impact hospital capacity in the future. We would expect to see an increase in hospitalizations to follow two weeks from now, all other things being equal, Scrase said. Moreover, the total number of non-COVID patients requiring ICU beds around the state is up. Its up and actually holding relatively steady right now not because of COVID patients but we have a lot of other patients with other needs that are in the ICU right now, Greer said Friday. Along with barring visitors, hospitals in New Mexico temporarily halted elective surgeries and other procedures in mid-March to ensure space for potential COVID-19 patients. That restriction was lifted last month. The majority of the fullness of hospitals right now is related to the surge of non-COVID patients catching up on delayed care, or hospitalized from complications possibly related to staying away from the health-care system, Scrase said. Also looming is the possibility that new COVID-19 surges in neighboring states, such as Arizona, could lead to transfers of out-of-state patients into New Mexico hospitals. Lujan Grisham said at a COVID-19 update on Thursday, she is monitoring ICU beds in the region every morning, and in Arizona and Texas they are filling up very fast. She said she is concerned those cases are going to start being diverted to New Mexico. Previous protocols Hospitals voluntarily opted to close their doors to visitors early in the pandemic for staff and patient safety and because of a shortage of personal protective equipment, like masks. Previously it was just a bit of a challenge because of the number of patients coming in and the importance of keeping them safe with PPE, Greer said. Now that theres fewer patients, were able to allow a limited amount of visitation with appropriate protections to our team members, to the patient, to the patients family members. We feel like the time is right. The three main hospitals in Albuquerque have adopted similar loosened visitor restrictions, Greer said. At Lovelace, one family member or visitor per patient will be allowed each day, and if the visitor leaves the patients room, he or she must leave the hospital. No visitation is permitted of COVID-19 patients at either Presbyterian or Lovelace except in specific circumstances. UNM permits no visitation of COVID-19 patients, recommending video visits instead. Visitors to the hospitals will be screened for fever or other health conditions and must stay in the patients room for their visit. Lovelace and Presbyterian will permit one support person for patients in the emergency department receiving critical care. But at UNM Hospitals ER, visitors will still not be allowed because of space limitations and social distancing rules, said spokesman Mark Rudi on Friday. Greer said allowing even restricted visitation will enhance communication and emotionally, obviously its going to be a big pickup for family members as well as the patient. Our staff enjoys the interaction with families. And sometimes its helpful when you have a patient whos maybe not able to articulate some of those important pieces of information. Such involvement is crucial to the human experience, Greer said, and especially when you are going through an illness. Yemen: millions of children facing deadly hunger, amidst aid shortages and COVID-19 26 June 2020 - Millions of children in the heart of the world's worst humanitarian disaster could be pushed to the brink of starvation, due to huge shortfalls in humanitarian aid funding amid the coronavirus pandemic, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday. Marking more than five years since conflict escalated in the country between Government forces and their allies, against Houthi rebel militias, the new UNICEF report warns the number of malnourished children could reach 2.4 million by end of year, almost half of all under-fives. An additional 30,000 children could develop life-threatening severe acute malnutrition over the next six months. Yemen five years on: Children, conflict and COVID-19 warns that as Yemen's devastated health system and infrastructure overall struggles to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, the already dire situation for children is likely to deteriorate considerably. Systemic failure UNICEF reported that an additional 6,600 children under five could die from preventable causes by the end of the year. With a health system teetering closer to collapse, only half of health facilities are operational, with huge shortages in medicine, equipment and staff. More than eight million people, nearly half of them children, depend directly on the agency for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), amid ongoing conflict, cholera outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic. "We cannot overstate the scale of this emergency as children, in what is already the world's worst humanitarian crisis, battle for survival as COVID-19 takes hold", said Sara Beysolow Nyanti, UNICEF Representative to Yemen. "As the world's attention focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic I fear the children of Yemen will be all but forgotten. Despite our own preoccupations right now, we all have a responsibility to act and help the children of Yemen. They have the same rights of any child, anywhere", Ms. Nyanti added. In the report, the agency alerts for almost 10 million children without proper access to water and sanitation, as well as for 7.8 million children without access to education, following school closures. Widespread absence from class and a worsening economy could put children at greater risk of child labour, recruitment into armed groups and child marriage, the report highlights. 'Brink of starvation' "If we do not receive urgent funding, children will be pushed to the brink of starvation and many will die. The international community will be sending a message that the lives of children in a nation devastated by conflict, disease and economic collapse, simply do not matter", Ms. Nyanti pointed. Yemen five years on: Children, conflict and COVID-19 warns that unless US$54.5 million is received for health and nutrition services by the end of August, more than 23,000 children with severe acute malnutrition will be at increased risk of dying; there will be shortages on the children's immunization, and 19 million people will lose access to healthcare, including one million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and their children. The report also highlights that crucial water and sanitation services for three million children and their communities will begin to shut down from the end of July, unless US$45 million is secured. "UNICEF is working around the clock in incredibly difficult situations to get aid to children in desperate need, but we only have a fraction of the funding required to do this", conlcluded Ms. Nyanti. Support Yemen or watch the country 'fall off the cliff' On Wednesday, the UN humanitarian chief warned that Yemen will "fall off the cliff" without massive financial support. Speaking to a closed virtual Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Mark Lowcock said that coronavirus was spreading rapidly across Yemen, and about 25 percent of the country's confirmed cases, have died. "At a minimum, we can expect many more people to starve to death and to succumb to COVID-19 and to die of cholera and to watch their children die because they are not immunized for killer diseases", he said. The UN relief chief warned that the coronavirus pandemic is "adding one more layer of misery upon many others". Caling for funding, he told members that the choice was between "supporting the humanitarian response in Yemen and help to create the space for a sustainable political situation, or watch Yemen fall off the cliff." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Google Maps The Ector County Law Enforcement Center reported that 10 inmates have tested positive, and tests are currently pending on 10 additional inmates, according to a press release. In addition, one officer has tested positive and has been quarantined; tests are pending on six other officers, who also are being quarantined. Transportation of inmates outside the facility, except for medical reasons, has been suspended. Recreation for inmates has been temporarily suspended with the approval of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, according to the release. No inmates or jail employees are or have been hospitalized for coronavirus. The Ector County Sheriffs Office has reduced the movement in the jail so as to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The jail is sanitized throughout the day. All individuals who are arrested and brought to the jail are screened by a nurse, according to the release. With a slew of bestselling international authors announcing new titles for late 2020 or the first half of 2021, there will at least be a few good books to keep us company in our socially distanced lives. With the coronavirus pandemic sending the world indoors and extended lockdowns only just beginning to ease, 2020 has offered little reason to cheer. Amid the gloom, however, there's a sliver of good news for bibliophiles to look forward to. With a slew of bestselling international authors announcing new titles for late 2020 or the first half of 2021, there will at least be a few good books to keep us company in our socially distanced lives. Here's a ready reckoner of upcoming releases: FICTION Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwans new book is a romance which follows Lucie Churchill, who cant stand George Zao, and vehemently denies having any feelings for him. But several years later, when he suddenly shows up in the East Hamptons where shes weekending with her fiance, Lucie finds herself drawn to him again. Soon, shes spinning a web of deceit with her family, fiance, the co-op board of her Fifth Avenue apartment building, and even herself. Releasing on 30 June | Doubleday Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer A companion to the Twilight series, the book is a retelling of the first book in the saga through the perspective of Edward Cullen, instead of the series usual narrator, Bella Swan. Releasing on 4 August | Little, Brown and Company Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro Kazuo Ishiguros first novel since winning the Nobel Prize tells the story of Klara, an "artificial friend" at a store that sells them, who carefully observes the behaviour of those who come in to browse, and those who pass by the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her. But soon the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, and shes warned to not get too invested in the promises of humans. Releasing in March 2021 | Knopf NON-FICTION Intimations by Zadie Smith A volume of six essays written by Zadie Smith during the early months of the lockdown, the book explores ideas and questions prompted by this unprecedented situation. The questions she tackles range from What does it mean to submit to a new reality or to resist it? and How do we compare relative sufferings? to What is the ratio of contempt to compassion in a crisis? and When an unfamiliar world arrives, what it does it reveal about the world that came before it? Ebook and audiobook releasing on 28 July; paperback on 6 August | Penguin Random House Mantel Pieces by Hilary Mantel The book is a collection of reviews, essays, memoirs, and other writings by Hilary Mantel from over three decades of contribution to the London Review of Books. There are essays about Jane Boleyn and Christopher Marlowe, among others, which examine the Tudor mind. Her lecture Royal Bodies examines the place of royal women in society and our imaginations. Other writings range from subjects like Saudi Arabia, where she lived for four years; John Osborne; and an examination of Helen Duncan, Britains last witch, among many others. Releasing in October 2020 | HarperCollins How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division by Elif Shafak In this polemic, Shafak reflects on the age of pessimism we live in, discussing how emotions guide and misguide our politics, and how misinformation and fear are the norm. In a world that seems to be falling apart, Shafak draws on her personal memories and delves into the power of stories, revealing how writing can nurture tolerance and democracy. The book answers questions like How do we keep hold of our optimism? How do we nurture the parts of ourselves that hope, trust and believe in something better? And how can we stay sane in this world of division? Releasing in August 2020 | Wellcome Collection Untitled memoir by Chelsea Manning In 2010, Chelsea Manning disclosed classified military documents while working as an analyst in the US Army in Iraq. A day after being sentenced to 35 years in military prison, she declared her gender identity and began the process of transitioning. In 2017, President Barack Obama commuted her sentence and she was released. In this memoir, she recounts how her pleas for institutional transparency and accountability took place along with the fight to defend her rights as a trans woman. As Covid-19 cases in Odisha crossed 6,000 and number of active cases neared 2,000, some coronavirus hotspots in the state have started enforcing strict shutdown and quarantine conditions to prevent further spread of the virus. In Ganjam district, where the number of cases have crossed 1,100 the local administration started a complete shutdown from Saturday to Tuesday allowing only opening of medicine shops and delivery of milk. Since a large number of non-resident Odias have returned to the district over the past one month, the corona positive cases have increased. We will have to be more alert and cautious. People of rural areas should not visit the urban areas in the district for next 15 days unless there is an emergency. said Ganjam district collector Vijay Amrit Kulange. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage. In the last 24 hours, Ganjam district reported 58 new Covid-19 cases including 13 policemen taking the tally to 1,195, out of which 811 have recovered and 375 still in various hospitals. So far nine people in the district have succumbed to the virus. Following the footsteps of Ganjam, the administration of Gajapati too decided to enforce complete shutdown in the district from June 28 to June 30 to contain the spread of Covid-19. Since the beginning of June, the administration in 11 districts including Khurda where cases are going up regularly, have enforced two-day weekend shutdowns. In Bhubaneswar, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has meanwhile announced compulsory 14-day institutional quarantine for those returning to the city slums from other Covid hotspots like Ganjam, Cuttack, Balasore, Gajapati and Jajpur. They will have to undergo institutional quarantine before moving into the slums, said Municipal Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary. With 282 cases in the last 17 days, many of them home quarantine cases, officials said the institutional quarantine will be enforced strictly as social distancing conditions are impossible in slums areas. Social distancing is not possible in slums because of high population density. In such a situation, asymptomatic people can spread the virus to many others, he said. Similarly, in Puri town, where the nine-day Rath Yatra is underway, the district administration is going to impose a 48-hour curfew in the district from the night of June 30 to July 2 morning, said district collector Balwant Singh. Puzzles hub Visit our brain gym where you will find simple and cryptic crosswords, sudoku puzzles and much more. Updated at midnight every day. PS ... We would love to hear your feedback on the section right HERE The lessons Canada can take from the U.S.'s mishandling of COVID-19 Nearly two months ago, a health-care adviser to two U.S. presidents burst out in frustration when asked whether Americans would see a quick spike in new COVID-19 cases as states reopened. Zeke Emanuel, who served in the Obama White House and has informally advised President Donald Trump, expressed exasperation that people kept looking for an immediate effect. Launching into a sermon about the mathematical realities of exponential growth rates, Emanuel said the disastrous consequences of reopening too early would only emerge around early summer. "Two months, not two weeks," Emanuel said in early May. "That's likely when you'll see the effects of what we're doing today. ... That's when people will recognize, 'Wow, now we've got 1,000 cases today, 3,000 cases tomorrow, 6,000 the next day.'" He predicted the country would awaken to the disaster around mid-July. It's happening ahead of schedule. Mike Blake/Reuters The U.S. has surpassed 127,000 deaths and case counts are rising rapidly in numerous states, mainly in the south. An alarming surge has forced Texas to pause its reopening plans. Hospitalizations have hit record highs in Arizona and in California. Florida has backpedaled on its reopening bullishness. A governor who recently accused the media of fear-mongering over COVID-19 wagging his finger at reporters over what he characterized as "black helicopter" conspiracy theories was forced to announce Friday that bars would close again as Florida experienced an astronomical spike in positive tests. "This is what happens when you reduce social distancing measures and you have community transmission ongoing and those two things collide and it just spreads," said Jason Kindrachuk, an assistant professor of viral pathogenesis at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and Canada Research Chair of emerging viruses. Kindrachuk said that Canadians would be well-advised to take lessons from the American response to the pandemic. Story continues "We can take that information and posit here in Canada that as we reduce social distancing, especially in regions that are more population-dense, we're likely going to see a resurgence in cases, because ultimately the virus is still in our communities and it's still able to spread." U.S. South hard-hit On Friday, the troubling trendline in the U.S. prompted the White House to resume its previously suspended coronavirus press conferences. Vice-President Mike Pence maintained the country is largely better off than a few weeks ago, but said 16 states have rising case totals and, more worryingly, a rising percentage of positive test rates. While this virus is an evolving phenomenon, rendering any broad conclusions risky, here's what we know about the places in the U.S. experiencing outbreaks: they're mostly in the south; mostly in states that reopened early and aggressively and resisted the widespread use of masks; and mostly run by Republicans, unlike an earlier wave that primarily struck northern, Democrat-led states. The rapid increase in cases and hospitalizations is due to the push to reopen states without first establishing proper systems of tracking and treating cases, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "It's never been a question whether or not we would get more cases when people started to socially interact," he said. "The question always was, could we keep those cases occurring at a pace that was manageable?" Adalja said, "clearly in those states that are under stress right now, there hadn't been enough preparation for these cases." He said states facing a strain on their health-care systems squandered opportunities during lockdowns to expand their capacity and prepare for a spike in cases. Matt York/Associated Press "From the very beginning, this outbreak has really been mismanaged in terms of what the government response should have been," he said. "People thought that they could get away with going back to the norm not realizing the virus was still there." Adalja said some parts of the U.S. that were spared large outbreaks of COVID-19 early in the pandemic wrongly assumed they wouldn't be hit hard after lifting lockdown measures or that they could adequately handle the number of new cases. He said that's the main takeaway for Canada as provinces hit hard by COVID-19, like Ontario and Quebec, move to lift lockdown measures. "What you can learn is that the virus hasn't disappeared, that social interaction is going to drive new cases," Adalja said. "The key thing is: Can you handle those new cases?" U.S. testing more, finding more cases The initial debacle over the lack of testing in the U.S. is well-documented, as are Trump's boasts about the amount of testing and his later suggestions that the government should reduce tests, because they only reveal more positive cases. Another story about U.S. testing is less well-known. It's that the U.S. has surged ahead of Canada in testing per capita, thanks to public-private partnerships. In Canada, all COVID-19 testing is done through the health-care system at hospitals or designated testing sites. But in the U.S., different people have different access to tests. For example, Washington, D.C., resident Carlos Sabatino said he got a test in 20 minutes. Feeling some symptoms, he went to a drive-thru at a CVS Pharmacy, was handed a kit, told how to perform a nasal swab, cleaned the kit with sanitary wipes and gave it back. Three days later, he went online and got the results, which was negative. His health insurance covered the cost. "The whole experience, door to door, took 45 minutes," he said. "I was surprised how efficient it is. Frankly, I was impressed." Sabatino learned about the pharmacy's testing after giving up trying to get a test from the city government. He was deterred by the brutally long lines and the news that he would only get results by mail, in a week. But Sabatino is one of the lucky ones. Disparities in U.S. health care are a constant problem. Some Americans have access issues, while others describe ghastly insurance bills. Video from some locations in the U.S. south shows huge lineups. WATCH | Large lineups at U.S. testing sites: This pandemic has exposed deep inequalities in U.S. health care, with Black Americans less likely to access care and far likelier to become critically sick. This week, a former U.S. health-insurance executive said the system had failed and he apologized for previously disparaging Canadian public health care. Testing capacity was slow to ramp up in the U.S. early in the pandemic, leaving the virus ample time to spread across the country before it could be exposed. Even now, testing shortages are being reported in the latest hot spots. That's why experts say the percentage of tests turning up positive results in the U.S. is drastically higher per capita than in Canada. If you test early and often, you identify cases quickly. If you test late, early cases will be missed and the positivity rate will be higher. For each positive case in Canada, an average of 110 people are being tested. In the U.S., that number currently sits at about one for every 17 tests. "When I look at the U.S. scenario, it's ... almost like watching a train wreck in slow motion, because a lot of it is quite predictable, mostly because they were really, really behind on getting testing started," said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease physician at the University of Alberta. "They're expanding their testing now, but the percent positivity of their test is still going up, which is horrifyingly scary." Saxinger said that leaves only one tool to address the rising case numbers in the U.S. reinstating lockdown measures, which is what Texas and Florida have done. "The problem that I see coming is if you open when you don't have the capacity to control things, it's really hard to get the genie back in the bottle, because the populace is not down with that," Saxinger said. "I don't know how well the reinstitution of public health measures will go if a place has had the more stringent measures, releases them and then goes back." In U.S., masks turn political One difference between the Canadian and American experience is that partisan politics has infected the U.S. response. Seemingly every aspect of this pandemic has taken on a partisan tinge, from social distancing to medicine for instance, being for or against hydroxychloroquine, once thought to be an effective COVID-19 treatment, became a proxy for whether Americans were pro- or anti-Trump. Masks have also become something of a political status symbol. Jim Bourg/Reuters, Drew Angerer/Getty Images "There is a sense of, 'This is the US of A and I can do whatever I damn well please,'" said Dr. Linsey Marr, an expert in the transmission of viruses by aerosol at Virginia Tech. There are "certain segments [of the population] that are very anti-government, that don't want to be told what to do." That much was acknowledged by the country's largest movie chain: AMC Theatres said masks had become politicized and would not be mandated for moviegoers. In the ensuing public uproar, it reversed course. A Pew survey this month found a 23-percentage-point gap between Democrat and Republican voters on whether they claim to wear masks in stores all or most of the time. WATCH: Trump holds controversial rally in Tulsa, Okla.: The president's own statements helped shape that conversation. They include early predictions that COVID-19 would quickly disappear, mockery of politicians and reporters for wearing masks and his repeated demands that states reopen faster than recommended by the White House's own guidelines. In battling the spread of COVID-19, masks may be a game-changer. An investigation by the Philadelphia Inquirer found a strong correlation between a state's mask rules and its recent case rate. "The irony here is that if everyone were willing to put on a mask, I think we could get back closer to normal without having this huge spike in cases," said Marr. "Otherwise, we're all going to be restricted in our movements and the economy." Trump rally exposes divide When it comes to masks, staunch Trump supporters made their feelings clear at a recent indoor rally in Tulsa, Okla. A minuscule percentage of the crowd wore masks this despite a surge in cases in that state and news that a handful of Trump campaign staffers had tested positive. Event organizers were even handing out masks. Most attendees took one. Few put them on. Win McNamee/Getty Images "Science [has come] out to show this coronavirus is a lot less deadly than people thought it was going to be," said rallygoer Jason Yeadon. "I think the numbers are overblown and data will show that in the end." He blamed the "supposed professionals" for pressuring elected officials to shut down the economy and insisted governments overreacted in the first place. 'I'm not a prophet' The current spike in cases across the U.S. comes as no surprise to Zeke Emanuel, the former Obama health-care adviser. "Anybody who's studied two weeks of epidemiology could have predicted this," he said in a follow-up interview this week. "I'm not a prophet this was entirely predictable." Saxinger said given the high percentage of the population in both the U.S. and Canada still susceptible to COVID-19 infection, neither country is out of the "line of fire" when it comes to major outbreaks of the disease. "Although we might be feeling like we dodged that bullet, that bullet is still possible in a lot of places in Canada," she said. "People are just so hungry for everything to be normal and so they're acting like it is but it clearly is not. The virus is not gone and as soon as you start mingling, it starts going up." New Delhi: The Shiv Sena on Saturday (June 27) hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its charge that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) had accepted donations from the Chinese embassy, and asked it whether the issue had any connection with intrusion by the neighbouring country in Ladakh and the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers. The Sena also alleged that those raising questions against the government over the standoff with China were being labelled as Chinese agents by the BJP. "What do you mean by Congress gets money from China? Instead of responding to the issues raised by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the Chinese incursions, the BJP leaders accused the Congress of receiving funds from China," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "Will BJP's revelations about the donations stop the Chinese activities along the border? The BJP should tell what connection does these donations have with the Chinese incursion and the martyrdom of 20 soldiers," it added. "In our country, many political leaders and parties, and not just the Congress, are beneficiaries of foreign countries. The BJP speaking about this is like throwing stones in the mud," it said. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said that Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India twice in the last six years. "He was hosted in Gujarat. But it is a fact that China has betrayed. Holding talks on the one hand and continuing with the offensive along the border on the other hand is China's old policy," it said. In the present scenario, the entire country stands firmly with PM Modi. This crisis is not for the BJP or the Congress, but for the entire country, whose prestige is at stake, it said. "The BJP can fight with the Congress any time later. But now is the time to fight against China. It should speak on that," the Sena said. BJP President JP Nadda had on June 26 accused the Congress of receiving huge donations from the Chinese Embassy in 2005-06 and alleged that the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was misused during the UPA rule. Citing a list of donors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, the BJP asked the Congress the need for taking the donation from a foreign country. Alleging a 'secret' relation between Congress and China, the BJP chief said the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received Rs 90 lakh from China and its embassy in 2005-06. "PMNRF, meant to help people in distress, was donating money to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in UPA years. Who sat on the PMNRF board? Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Who chairs RGF? Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Totally reprehensible, disregarding ethics, processes and not bothering about transparency," he tweeted on Friday. "One familys hunger for wealth has cost the nation immensely. If only they have devoted their energies towards more constructive agenda. The Congress Imperial Dynasty needs to apologise to the unchecked loot for self-gains!" Nadda said in a series of tweets. The charges were however dismissed by the opposition party as an attempt to divert the attention of the country from issues of national security. SAN JOSE, June 26 (Reuters) - The World Bank on Friday said it had approved a $300 million loan for Costa Rica to ease the economic blow from the coronavirus on small and medium-sized businesses and develop environmentally sustainable projects. Seynabou Sakho, the World Bank's director for Central America, said in a statement the loan would contribute to "efforts to conserve jobs and to prevent people from falling into poverty during this difficult time." (Reporting by Alvaro Murillo Writing by Julia Love; Editing by Tom Brown) The Haryana government has issued a high alert after a swarm of locusts entered Rewari and Gurgaon districts, with officials on Saturday asserting that all necessary measures have been taken, including deploying tractor-mounted spraying facilities. Swarms of locusts from Rajasthan after passing through Mahendragarh district of Haryana settled in various villages of Jatusana and Khol blocks in Rewari district on Friday evening. On Saturday, they went towards Jhajjar and entered Gurgaon district with insects covering the skyline in some parts of the "millennium city". Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurgaon shared videos from their high-rise perches. At many places in Gurgaon, residents kept their windows closed to prevent the insects from entering homes. "It was a huge swarm of 5 km in length and 2 km in width which passed through Mahendragarh and settled down in Rewari. In the night, this swarm was near Jatusana block," Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Sanjeev Kaushal told PTI. "Heavy insecticide spray was done during the night and early morning. About 35 per cent of the swarm was destroyed, but the rest which was still uge in number took off from there and crossed Jhajjar district and then got on to Gurgaon," he said. Kaushal said that according to the inputs he had received from the central government, "it is likely that from the wind velocity and direction, it (locust swarm) will cross Palwal district and may then head towards Uttar Pradesh". About the measures taken by the Haryana government, he said, "We are fully on alert, our districts have been alerted. We have sufficient quantities of insecticides stored there. We have tractor-mounted spray guns and these were deployed wherever necessary." Officials said when locusts entered Rewari district, they settled on trees and standing crops like cotton and bajra, which had been recently planted. Any damage caused was being assessed, they said. To take stock of the situation, state Agriculture Minister J P Dalal visited Rewari and enquired from villagers and officials about the damage caused by locusts. Talking to reporters in Rewari, Dalal said Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Rewari districts had been put on alert on Friday itself. About Rewari district, he said 15 fire tenders, besides several tractor-mounted spray facilities were pressed into service during a night-long operation, which was carried out and personally monitored by Deputy Commissioner Yashendra Singh. Dalal said even experts from the central government who visited Rewari to take stock of the situation had appreciated the timely measures taken by the district administration. Replying to a question, he said that while the locusts are air-borne there was not much that could be done and measures are taken only after they have settled down on trees and in fields. In many villages where locusts were spotted, the farmers beat 'thalis' (plates) and other utensils in a bid to ward off the insects away while local administration deployed tractor-mounted spray facilities. Officials from the agriculture and other departments were keeping a close watch while supervision teams had been formed to tackle the situation. Village-level WhatsApp groups too had been formed to keep the farmers informed, the officials said. A month ago too Haryana had issued a high alert after locust swarms had attacked crops in neighbouring Rajasthan and a few other states, but luckily the insects had moved away from the state. Earlier in January, locusts were spotted in some villages in Punjab's Fazilka and Muktsar districts but were effectively contained then. Locusts, popularly known as ''tiddi dal'', are short-horned grasshoppers with highly migratory habits and voracious feeding behaviour. Also Read: Delhi schools to remain close till July 31, 50% syllabus cut on anvil Also Read: India better placed than many nations in fight against COVID-19 due to lockdown: PM Modi Several civil rights groups, including the NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League, have called for a Facebook ad boycott for the month of July. "Every day," the Anti-Defamation League wrote in an open letter, "we see ads from companies placed adjacent to hateful content, occupying the same space as extremist recruitment groups and harmful disinformation campaigns. Your ad buying dollars are being used by the platform to increase its dominance in the industry at the expense of vulnerable and marginalized communities who are often targets of hate groups on Facebook." In response, a number of companies--including Patagonia, North Face, Eddie Bauer, Upwork, and Ben & Jerry's--have announced they will stop running Facebook ads. Add Verizon, the telecommunications giant that reportedly spends $2 million on Facebook and Instagram advertising. (If you're curious, Procter & Gamble--more on that later--and the Biden and Trump campaigns currently spend the most.) Verizon announced on Thursday it is pulling its ads "until the company can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable." Granted, Verizon's move could be viewed as at least partly self-serving. While the company spends considerable sums on Facebook advertising, that spending is a drop in its reported $2.6 billion ad budget. But since many companies have publicly stated support for the Black Lives Matter movement, each must now must put their (advertising) money where their mouth is or be seen as simply paying lip service. Procter & Gamble, one of the largest ad spenders in the world, has threatened to pull spending on any platform that doesn't put "appropriate systemic action" in place to address hate speech. Facebook certainly takes those concerns seriously. The company has already invested considerable sums to better monitor its platforms and has vowed to invest in A.I. technologies that better detect hate speech. But Facebook has also vowed to resist making policy changes because of external pressure. In an email to advertisers, Facebook global business group vice president Carolyn Everson wrote, "We do not make policy changes tied to revenue pressure. We set our policies based on principles rather than business interests." Clearly Facebook can afford to stand on principle since it generates an estimated $70 billion in advertising revenue. The platform is such a powerful marketing tool--ask direct-to-consumer brands where the bulk of their ad spending goes, and many will point to Facebook--that creating and maintaining a large and lasting boycott will be difficult. All of which makes for a difficult decision for small-business owners who might be considering joining the Facebook ad boycott. Verizon can "afford" the move--Facebook makes up a single-digit percentage of its total advertising budget. But if the bulk of your revenue is generated through Facebook advertising, the decision is much tougher. If you spend $5,000 a month--or $50,000 a month--on the platform, Facebook won't miss you if you walk away. In fact, even though the company has faced criticism for content and user privacy issues for several years, ad revenue still increased by 27 percent from 2018 to 2019. The audience is huge. The targeting is relatively precise and often effective. And overall ad spending should only increase, as businesses continue to re-open. If you decide to join the boycott in order to put greater pressure on Facebook to change its policies, that decision may not make an impact. But if you decide to take a stand--not just on this, but any issue--that's a different decision. You can always decide you don't want to run the risk that your ads will appear next to content you disagree with, or that you feel reflects poorly on your employees, customers, and brand. You can always decide which businesses you associate with. You can always decide which stands you take and which causes you support. That might mean you disassociate from certain ad platforms. Or suppliers. Or customers. Or it might not. The only right decision is the decision that is right for your business, and for you. What matters is what you do, and how that makes you feel about your business. And about yourself. JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Mississippi House of Representatives Saturday took the first step towards changing the state flag by getting the required two-thirds majority to approve a resolution to suspend the rules and allow a vote on the bill which would remove the current state flag and create the process through which state voters would choose a new one. The resolution passed 85-34 at about 1:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon, after the House returned from its lunch break and then recessed again for a meeting of the Rules Committee, which controlled the resolution to suspend the rules, which was required because the normal deadline for consideration of bill had passed. When House Speaker Philip Gunn announced the vote total, rousing applause was heard throughout the House chamber. Now the House, which immediately after the vote adjourned until 2 p.m. Sunday, will wait on the Senate, which also must approve the resolution to suspend the rules before a vote on the bill can take place in either chamber. It was unclear as of 3 p.m. when the Senate planned to vote on the resolution. While the resolution to suspend the rules requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers, a vote on the flag bill itself would only require a simple 50+1 majority. Should the bill ultimately pass, it would result in the current state flag, adopted by the state legislature in 1894, being retired and set in motion the process to select a new state flag. A committee comprised of state and business leaders, members of the art and history communities and others would solicit flag designs from around the state and then ultimately select one, which would then be put on the November ballot. If a majority of voting Mississippians were to reject that design, the committee would go back to work to select another one, which in turn would be put on a ballot for state voters. Rep. Jason White, the Speaker Pro Tempore, introduced the resolution for the vote. The eyes of the our state, the national and, indeed, the world are on this House this morning, he said. History will be made here today. In a moment like this, I think its appropriate to talk about a few things, White continued. Whether we like it or not, the Confederate emblem on our state flag is viewed by many as a symbol of hate. Theres no getting around that fact. I know many people who have ancestors and love everything about the bravery of the people they read about, hear about in their lineage, who fought for the Confederacy. I know those people. I get it. I know there are many good people who believe this flag is a symbol of our southern pride and heritage. But for most people throughout our nation and the world, they see that flag and think it stands for hatred and oppression. That, too, is simply a fact. We cannot sit here and deny that. White then noted the House opens each days session with a prayer. The God we pray to created us all in His image. He created each one of us in his image, equal in His eyes. That belief was the basis of our countrys founding idea, that each of us is created equal. Each day, we pledge allegiance to that idea -- One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. I havent seen a person in here deny to say that part. That is the heritage we should all cherish. That is what we should preserve. As an elected leader, part of my job is to defend our American ideals. That is your job, as well. We cannot carry the banner of freedom in one hand and the banner of hate in the other. It doesnt work that way. White also noted many opposed to changing the state flag have claimed those supporting the change are caving in to outside pressure. Im not for changing the flag because of outside pressure, he said. Im not for changing it because its better for business. Im here today because it is simply the right thing to do. Im more than willing to accept economic hardship and outside pressure to defend what is right. Lord knows, weve done that over and over again in this state. But we should not have to defend something we know is wrong and should change. Two representatives stood to oppose the resolution and the idea of changing the state flag without a vote of the people. One of those was Rep. Jeff Guice of Ocean Springs, who said he had in previous years introduced bills to change the state flag, but always with the caveat it go to a statewide vote. Right or wrong, in 2001 the people of our state were granted the right to vote on the state flag, our flag, and theyve come to expect that where I live, Guice said. So dont think Im up here with a light heart or without having explored this for an extended period of time. Guice also said, because he is rigid in his opinions, he had multiple opponents during his last reelection campaign, leading to many discussions with constituents about the state flag. So I had to visit with my constituents a lot, he said. Many of them I went back to their front porch more than three times. In the bulk of House District 114, the question I was asked, like many of you, is Where do you stand on the flag?' My response was consistent. Im not going to vote to change our flag without you having an opportunity to vote on it. Two other representatives spoke prior to the vote -- Rep. Edward Blackman Jr., who spoke in favor, and Rep. Chris Brown, who spoke again, telling House members not to take the joy from the people in voting on the flag. White returned to the podium for final remarks before the vote, noting, in response to Browns remarks, that the U.S. had gone to war without a nationwide vote, and that Mississippi seceded from the U.S. in 1861 without a statewide vote. We didnt stop and weigh all the things and run a ballot out to everybody in this nation, when Pearl Harbor was bombed, if we were going to war, he said. This state seceded from the Union and they didnt run a ballot box up through the Mississippi River and back down the middle of the state on a railroad to see where everybody weighed in on it. Delegates went, took a vote and moved. Earlier this legislature, earlier this session, said to different folks in different branches of government, that this body has a duty and a right on certain things. I submit to you, this is one of those things. Earlier Saturday, Gov. Tate Reeves, for the first time, that he would sign a bill to change the flag if the Legislature passes one. He had previously said that he would not veto one a more passive stance. The legislature has been deadlocked for days as it considers a new state flag, Reeves said on social media. The argument over the 1894 flag has become as divisive as the flag itself and its time to end it. If they send me a bill this weekend, I will sign it. Legendary songwriter, producer, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Nile Rodgers has always been a crusader for equality. After joining the Black Panther Party when he was 16 and then meeting his musical partner and Chic bandmate Bernard Edwards while touring in the Sesame Street stage show, he went on to be a leading songwriting light in the 1970s disco scene. For the past 20 years, hes overseen the We Are Family Foundation, which has just launched the Youth to the Front Fund to support BIPOC activists under 30 who are at the forefront of the fight against systemic racism and injustice in America. Rodgers should also be credited for one of the biggest, most beloved LGBTQ anthems of all time, Diana Rosss Top 5 hit Im Coming Out. Four decades after Rodgers and Edwards co-wrote it, as their first major musical project for hire outside of Chic, the ebullient crossover classic is still a Pride playlist staple. But incredibly, Rodgers tells Yahoo Entertainment that back in 1980, the biggest radio DJ in the country, Frankie Crocker of WBLS in New York, had warned Ross that the song would alienate her fan base and destroy her career. Luckily, due to a fateful experience at a Manhattan nightclub, Rodgers knew that Rosss fan base comprised many gay people, who would quickly prove Crocker wrong. As Pride Month comes to a close, Yahoo Entertainment caught up with Rodgers to discuss the lasting legacy of Im Coming Out as well as the future legacy of his Youth to the Front Fund initiative. Yahoo Entertainment: Im Coming Out is one of the most enduring gay anthems of all time. Was it written with that intention? Nile Rodgers: This is actually a wonderful story. So, right near Studio 54, there was a string of clubs ... and there were two clubs in that area that were very, very, very popular trans clubs. One was called the Gilded Grape. Typically, I would go club-hopping around there, and the Gilded Grape on Eighth Avenue was totally hot. One night there I went into the bathroom, and on either side of me, there were at least I always try and make it sound plausible, because people don't believe how many Diana Ross impersonators were hidden there that night, so let's just make it sound believable and say there were only maybe three or four deep on either side. Lets say, like, six to eight. So there I was, in the bathroom, surrounded by Diana Ross impersonators. And I was the middle of producing my first superstar in my life and it happened to be Diana Ross. Imagine you're in a Fellini movie that's what this was like. Story continues I looked around me and I was so excited. I wanted to yell to these people, Hey, you won't believe it, but Im producing Diana Ross! But nobody would have believed me. So I couldn't even get excited. But what I did get was motivated. I had an idea. A light bulb went off, and I thought, Wait a minute. If I write a song for Diana Ross and talk about a disenfranchised part of her fan base and sort of make it for them, this would be an important record. This was something I hadn't thought about before, and here it was, right in front of my face. And so I ran outside and I called Bernard. He was dead asleep. I tried to explain the situation to him. I told him it would be like when James Brown wrote, Say it loud, I'm Black and I'm proud. No one had particularly thought of James Brown as a leader in the Black Power movement, but when he wrote that song, that was one of the most powerfully political things that could have ever happened. So I said, No one thinks of Diana Ross necessarily on the frontlines of this, but [the gay] community and her [gay] fans love her and idolize her. Let's write this song for them! And Bernard got it. It totally made sense to him. What was Dianas reaction when you presented her with the song? Diana loved it. We never delved into the meaning or why we wrote it until she played it for Frankie Crocker, who had now become the No. 1 radio personality in the world. She left our studio floating on air, she just loved her album, but when she played it for Frankie, it was not a good experience. He told her it would ruin her career. And she came back to our studio crestfallen and heartbroken. Of course, what's really cool about Diana is that even when she's pissed off, she's still elegant. But she comes back and she says, Why are you guys trying to ruin my career? And this was out of the clear blue sky an hour or two before, she had been the happiest woman in the world! But we could see she was brokenhearted. And we said, Diana, come on now. If we really ruin your career, we're ruining our career! You're already Diana Ross. Were just starting out. Why would we want to go down in history as the guys who ruined Diana Rosss career? Do you think anyone's ever going to work with us again? Why did Frankie think Im Coming Out would mean career suicide for Diana? The thing is that we had conducted all these interview sessions with her [before making the Diana album]. Diana Ross had dictated to us her whole life. For instance, she had talked about Upside Down and how she wanted to turn the world upside down, turn her career upside down; those were her exact words. She had already known that we were writing every song about her life. So she may have misconstrued the idea when Frankie Crocker told her what I'm coming out meant that she thought we were trying to imply that she was gay. Nothing of the sort. Diana is definitely not homophobic, that's for sure. She is one of the coolest people you could ever meet. It was just that she now thought that we were saying that she was coming out. LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 01: Singer Diana Ross receives an award for the sale of her Motown single 'Upside Down' during a visit to England in 1980 in London, England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images) She didnt know what the term coming out meant? She didn't understand that this song was about the gay community. Youve got to remember, doing this album to us was like doing a documentary. We got invited to her apartment and we did those interviews there, and we didn't write a note of music until after we finished those interviews with Diana, not one note. She thought it was the coolest thing because it was the first time in her entire career that somebody had sat down, interviewed her, and wrote an album about her life. But we were writing the songs about her world through our eyes. So I never told her about [the Gilded Grape experience], because I didn't have to. But what I did was, unfortunately I had to lie to her because she was so upset due to [Crockers remarks]. What did you tell her? I said, Diana, there's a lot of things that Bernard and I say that you have to ask us what we mean, because we're speaking in slang. We're an R&B band. Whenever we're about to start a show, we say, Hey man, what's our coming-out song tonight? Diana, don't you say to your band, Hey guys, what song are we going to come out with tonight? And she says, No, I've never heard that before. I say, Well, we do it all the time! And that's the only time in my life and this is a promise that I have ever lied to an artist. But later, I said to her, Diana, when you start your show, you will never ever come out with another song ever again, even though you've had so many hits. This is going to be the song that you come out to every night. Well, have you ever seen a Diana Ross show in the last 35, 40 years? Thats what she does! Her concerts always start with Im Coming Out. Obviously you proved Frankie Crocker wrong. That must have felt pretty great. Yes, he wound up playing this record like crazy. It felt amazing, but you got to understand, it wasn't us against Frankie Crocker. It was us only for Diana Ross. When you write from your heart and you're sincere and you're trying to write for the artists, you're trying to do the best thing you can to move their story arc forward. Thats what was important to me. It had nothing to do with proving Frankie Crocker was wrong. I was just upset that he thought that, and that he had said what he said. Its interesting that this was around 1979, 1980. This was around the time of the Disco Sucks! backlash, which I think was rooted in a lot of homophobia. Oh yeah, big-time. And sexism too, believe me because look at how powerful women became as recording artists during disco! I mean, Donna Summer just ruled, and Gloria Gaynor and Diana. It was just unbelievable. And what happened is disco sort of upset the rock n roll power structure which dominated the charts. Diana Ross with Nile Rodgers. (Richard Corkery/N.Y. Daily News Archive via Getty Images) And then in 1980, you still had a huge hit with a disco song aimed at a gay audience. Did you expect it would still be such a Pride anthem 40 years later, especially after everything youve told me? Well, we didn't expect it to last this long. But when Bernard and I finished writing it, I said, This song may go gold, just via the gay community alone. We were thrilled. Your foundation is named after another hit that you and Bernard wrote early in your songwriting partnership for a female disco act, Sister Sledges We Are Family which also has an inclusive, positive message that has stood the test of time. Tell me about the We Are Family Foundations new Youth to the Front Fund. Well, in [the We Are Family Foundations] almost two decades of existence, we have found that there are many youth organizations that we supported that would probably still be going if they had more resources and capital. Our global team leaders of made us aware that some of these organizations that need that extra help to get over the hump. so we decided to start the fund as a means to keep these organizations in business and actually help them to accelerate their message. This movement that's happening right now is a worldwide movement, and I think that it's because younger people in today's world have so many [diverse] friends that they actually have real affinity with. They have a lot of Black friends, they have a lot of gay friends, they have a lot of friends that are disenfranchised. They really understand on a personal level. I don't know if you saw the clip that's going around of the young girl trying to explain to her mother about the burning house scenario, where she says, Mom, if you pass a burning house on the street, would you throw water on it? And the mother says right away, Of course I would! And the girl says, That's the point, Mom. Our house is not on fire. [Black peoples] house is on fire. That's what Black Lives Matter means. it doesn't mean that our lives don't matter. It doesnt mean that other lives don't matter. It's just that our house is not on fire. Their house is on fire. I'm not sure if the mom completely understood it, but I was proud of this girl for thinking of a metaphor like that, because that's exactly what's going on now. The We Are Family Foundation has been around now for 20 years now, and young people teach us every year how to make the program better, how to do this better. So we started the Youth to the Front fund as now part of our program for them. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: RuPaul talks punk, politics: Most people are still living in the Dark Ages The stranger-than-fiction tale of Circus of Books: How a straight, married, suburban couple became accidental gay porn pioneers Pop prodigy MNEK on being a Black gay role model: 'There's nothing wrong with being myself' Country hitmaker Shane McAnally on coming out: I was so afraid of what it would mean to my career 'Queer Eye' singer Vincint on smashing stereotypes and coming out at 'probably age 5 or 6' The ugliness and unrest of 1979's Disco Demolition Night Follow Lyndsey on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Amazon, Spotify. House of reps aspirant and the Asiwaju Odo Oodua of Yoruba Land, Rotimi Ajanaku, a close ally of the late politician has mourned his sudden demise. The APC Chieftain in a statement said his contributions to Oyo state politics will forever be remembered as he says his death is an irreparable loss to the nation and a personal loss to him. He described him as a great man blessed with mental cleverness, a superb sense of humour and charisma. His statement Im deeply anguished by the demise of our extremely valued political leader, a seasoned political brain, sharp mind, astute strategist, exemplary parliamentarian, exceptional communicator and outstanding governor after much battling to return to life within the short time he contracted the terrible virus. We have lost a great man blessed with mental cleverness, a superb sense of humour and charisma. He was a proficient administrator by profession and an efficient politician by passion. He made Oyo polity better and I am honoured to have been in the same party with him. We have today lost a Tiger of democracy and a powerful ally in the fight for the soul of our dear Pacesetters state. His contributions to Oyo state polity will forever be remembered. His death is an irreparable loss to the nation and a personal loss to me. A distinguished governor, who contributed immensely to nation-building. A great security chief, who ran the state peacefully for eight years, a feat that would not be easy for any one to equal. Every of his projects were outstanding including, Oyo State Technical University, restoration bridge, Eleyele-Dugbe expressway and other great road throughout the state. It was in Ajimobis tenure that flood became thing of the past in Oyo State. In his days Ajimobi always admitted quickly his wrong doings and apologised, this distanced him from other political leaders. So, picking quarrel with his way, manner and style of approach in addressing people was a great mistake and our unfairness to him. Instead, we ought to have applauded him for being a true son, an epitome of a warlords that Ibadan represents. An outstanding unassuming son of Oduduwa, who didnt care of attacks from people just to make the state great. He was a soul of the APC caucus in the state, a dignified leader with a voice that could move mountains, he had solution to nearly every problem. Oyo APC will be guided by his powerful memory and incomparable legacy. We will always feel the vacuum, his lasting contributions to the making of the new and modern Ibadan city, likewise landmarks road networks in other major cities in Oyo State shall remain feats to be beaten by any governor after him, Asiwaju eulogized. Conclusively, Ajanaku prayed for the departed former governor, Ajimobis soul and his family. On behalf of myself, family and political associates, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of our great leader in this time of deep grief. I pray God Almighty to grant him eternal rest. Ill miss our discussions, on politics as much, he said. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Washington, Jun 27 (AP) Democrats are intensifying their attacks on President Donald Trump and his Republican allies over health care, hoping that an issue that helped lift the party during the 2018 midterms will prove even more resonant as the White House seeks to repeal the Affordable Care Act during a public health crisis. Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, told an audience in the swing state of Pennsylvania this week that efforts to undermine the Obama-era health care law were cruel and callous. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump beyond stupid for trying to roll back the law and introduced legislation that would expand the scope of the overhaul, essentially daring Republicans to vote against it. The health care law has been a flashpoint in American politics since its enactment a decade ago. Once a cudgel Republicans used against Democrats, the tables have turned as the law and its protection for preexisting conditions has become more popular. Democrats believe that their advantage on the issue will only grow as the Trump administration renews its push to nullify the law even as coronavirus infections surge. 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 Trying to take away health care in the middle of a pandemic is like throwing out the sandbags during a hurricane, said Jesse Ferguson, a longtime Democratic strategist. The pandemic has made clear for people how important it is to them that their neighbors have health care. It's no longer a nicety that others have health care; it's now a necessity. Still, the Trump administration filed a brief Thursday urging the Supreme Court to strike down the health care law in its entirety, in support of a lawsuit brought by Texas and other conservative states against it. The brief came on a day that the U.S. saw a record number of new coronavirus cases, with 37,077 reported Thursday. If the lawsuit is successful, some 20 million Americans could lose their health coverage, and protections for people with preexisting health conditions also would be put at risk. Trump has long expressed a desire to protect those with preexisting conditions but has not said what he would do instead. Even some Republicans say the party should avoid relitigating the issue. Doug Heye, a longtime Republican strategist, said the Democratic attack ads essentially write themselves. For me, it's really easy to see how Democrats will be able to out-message Republicans on this," he said. You lay out the COVID statistics, and you blame President Trump and whoever the Republican is that you're running against. David Flaherty, a Colorado political consultant not associated with GOP Sen. Cory Gardner's reelection campaign, said the pandemic and the White House legal filings without question made the issue even more helpful for Democrats. It's only good for Republicans from conservative districts who want to avert a primary from a GOP rival, Flaherty said of the White House repeal effort. It's only good for the base; it's not good for middle voters. It's nothing but upside for Democrats. The Trump campaign, however, slammed Biden for what communications director Tim Murtaugh called the Obamacare disaster" and hinted at the GOP's lines of attack on health care to come this fall. Joe Biden has no credibility on healthcare ever since the Obama/Biden administration's Obamacare disaster kicked Americans off of their preferred plans. His support for a government-run 'public option' for healthcare, which endangers 180 million Americans' private insurance and threatens more than 1,000 rural hospitals, is an admission that Obamacare was fatally flawed," he said. After Republicans' unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace the law in 2017, Democrats turned GOP opposition against them and their efforts bore fruit, both by helping the party pick up seats in the midterms and by seeming to improve public perception of the law. In a May poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans were more likely to have a favorable than unfavorable opinion of the law, 51% to 41%. Opinions of the law have long been divided along party lines, but polls conducted by KFF over the past several years have consistently found that more Americans overall now favor than oppose the law. And the 2018 midterms suggested repealing the law was not the rallying cry it once was for Republicans. According to AP VoteCast, a survey of the electorate, only half of voters who supported Republican House candidates in the 2018 midterm elections said they thought the law should be repealed entirely, while about 4 in 10 preferred to repeal parts of the law. About 1 in 10 said it should be left as is or expanded. Among those who voted for Democratic candidates, about 6 in 10 wanted the law expanded, about 2 in 10 preferred it be left as is and about 2 in 10 wanted at least parts of the law repealed. Democrats have been airing ads focused on health care for months, but Priorities USA Action, the major Democratic super PAC supporting Biden, seized on the Trump administration's latest move Thursday and launched a new ad in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan three states key to Democrats' hopes this fall arguing that Trump is failing on health care. One group focused specifically on the issue of health care, Protect Our Care, is also looking to make it a problem for Republicans in down-ballot races as well. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Tamilla Mammadova Trend: Eastern Partnership has considerably reduced the distance between the partners and the European Union (EU), Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Head of Georgian Mission to the EU Natalie Sabanadze said, Trend reports via Georgian media. The EU is much more present in the region. The linkages, be they institutional, socio-economic or simply emotional are much stronger and political ties deeper, Sabanadze said. According to her, EUs assistance is having a real impact on the lives of people and in general, bilateral relations of each partner with the EU are at a more advanced state than ever before "Georgia was not even considered as a neighbour in the beginning of 2000s, but today it is an associated partner of EU with free trade and visa free travel. It even hosts the first European school outside of the EU," ambassador said Six years ago on June 27, Georgia signed the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU) in Brussels, which includes the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). Georgia began negotiating with the EU on its AA deal in July 2010; negotiations on the DCFTA started later in December 2011. The final deal was initialled at the Vilnius Summit in November 2013, when the negotiations had already ended. Although the essential elements of the AA partially came into force from September 1, 2014, the agreement fully came into force on July 1, 2016 after the national parliaments of all EU member countries had ratified the agreement. --- At the end of 2004, Director Joseph Santiago eliminated the Trenton street crime narcotics unit, the Narcotic Enforcement Bureau. In his assertion that there was no gang problem in Trenton, he did not see how important this type of unit was in keeping the lid on the violence that would come. In 2005, under Director Joe Santiago, the homicide record was broken at 31 homicides, almost 15 more than the yearly average of murders during that time. Director Santiago believed that having a Metro Unit that provided horses Downtown and having officers standing on the corners of the entryways into and out of the city would give the impression that crime was under control. Publicity stunts to distract from the realities that he had no idea how to control the violence. In 2006, Director Joseph Santiago, after having no other recourse, created the Trenton Anti-Crime Unit (TAC Unit). This unit worked to target violent offenders, hot spot areas, and gang members. This unit was able to get a handle on the violence and it dropped to pre-2005 levels. In interviews with some of the worst offenders, these individuals related that without the police keeping them in check, they had to resort to defending themselves which was the reason the violence had spiked after the elimination of the Narcotics Enforcement Bureau. At the end of 2012, Director Ralph Rivera decided that Trenton did not need the services of the TAC Unit (Trenton Anti-Crime Unit). He proceeded to city council and stated that the city did not need the type of policing the men in black were designed for. Obviously Director Ralph Rivera had no clue as to what type of policing that was but soon found out. In 2013, the record for homicides was broken at 37 homicides, six more than the previous record of 31, set in 2005 under Director Joe Santiago, and about 20 more than the yearly average during that time. Director Ralph Rivera did not realize the importance of having a crime-fighting unit that would target the worst offenders. His rationale that the city could do without this unit and the targeted enforcement they provided was no longer necessary and transferred those officers back to patrol functions. In 2014, Director Ralph Rivera, after having no other recourse, created the IMPACCT Unit. This unit worked to target violent offenders, hot spot areas and gang members. This unit was able to get a handle on the violence and it dropped to pre-2013 levels. In interviews with some of the worst offenders, these individuals related that without the police keeping them in check, they had to resort to defending themselves which was the reason the violence had spiked after the elimination of the TAC Unit. The IMPACCT unit was replaced by Director Ernest Parrey in 2014 with the Street Crimes Unit to reflect the true purpose of the unit, and that was to target street-level crime. Since 2014 until 2019, violence and murder had been on the downswing, averaging 18 homicides a year over the last three years. In 2020, Director Sheila Coley has decided to redirect the Street Crime Units efforts into patrol functions. While not officially disbanding the Street Crimes Unit, she has decided to remove them from conducting targeted investigations of violent offenders, hot spot areas and gang members. Already at the number of last years total number of 16 homicides in less than half that time, Director Coley is following in the footsteps of Director Joseph Santiago and Ralph Rivera. At what number will the new record be? Some will say that during this spike in violence during the first half of this year, the Street Crimes Unit was in place. But was that unit being utilized effectively to target those bent on chaos and mayhem? Did she support them in their efforts to drive down crime? I write this not as disrespect to Director Coleys career in Newark, or in East Orange, or to her as an African-American or as a woman. Director Coley rose through the ranks and reached the highest pinnacle of her career in those areas. But that only gets her through the door. Director Coleys lack of response and lack of plan to adequately deal with the violence is alarming. She would rather have a show of officers walking in Mill Hill, probably one of the safest areas in the city, instead of reinforcing street crime initiatives in the worst. Sending out a call to action to the community is not a plan. The community has to have faith in the police department that it is doing its best and that they can count on the police to protect them. Without that faith, the community decides to sit it out until that faith is renewed. Which at this point, is not happening. I write this as a warning that Trenton is not Newark or East Orange. The State of NJ does not support the capital as it does Newark. The people of Trenton will hold her accountable for what is happening. And what may have worked in other places, does not always work in Trenton. Directors Joseph Santiago and Ralph Rivera learned that the hard way. 17:31 | Lima, Jun. 26. According to the Ministry of Health (Minsa) , the valuable cargo was carried by air on Thursday. At 9:30 p.m., Tumbes Region's Health Director Harold Burgos received 5,000 molecular tests, 3 ventilators, 25 oxygen cylinders, and 5 particle aspirators from Lissete Ortega, an adviser from the Ministry of Health. Three hours earlier, in La Libertad, Ortega handed over 4 mechanical ventilators, 5,000 molecular tests, 10 particle aspirators, 2 tons of personal protective equipment, and medications to Governor Manuel Llempen and Regional Health Director Constantino Vila. Minsa's representative claimed that such aid is a clear example of the strategic alliance and articulated work with regions under the ' Health Unites Us ' strategy led by Health Minister Victor Zamora On June 24, a Black woman in Madison, Wisconsin, suffered third-degree burns on her face after she said that four white men threw lighter fluid at her and a lighter while she was in her car. The 18-year-old victim, Althea Bernstein, talked to Madison 365 and said that the men yelled a racial slur at her before attacking her. Racist motive According to Bernstein, she was listening to music at a stoplight when she heard someone yell the N-word. She turned her head to look and a lighter fluid was thrown at her. A lighter was thrown at her as well, and her neck caught on fire. She tried to put the fire out but it spread to her face. After she got the fire out, she drove through the red light and kept on driving until she got to her brother's home. According to Madison 365, Bernstein's mother drove her to the hospital where the hospital staff identified the lighter fluid on her face and neck. A police incident report stated that the four men used a spray bottle to spray the lighter fluid on her face. Bernstein expressed her disbelief in what happened. She said that she grew up in Madison and she would go around town with her father on the same streets where she was assaulted. She added that she now feels it is weird to have happy memories because what happened to her ruined it. Bernstein did not know that people could hate others just by looking at them, she said she was just driving and minding her own business. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the authorities are now investigating the incident and they believe that what happened to Bernstein is a hate crime. On June 25, Joel DeSpain, the Madison police spokesman, said that the police are reviewing the surveillance images in the area to check if the attack was captured on camera. Bernstein will need continued medical treatment for her third-degree burns but instead of financial support, she is asking people to sign petitions and support the Black Lives Matter movement. Also Read: Public Demands Justice for Elijah McClain, a Black Man Killed by 3 Cops in 2019 On June 25, Bernstein's family released a statement and said that they have asked the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County and its CEO, Michael Johnson, to represent them. The statement reads that their family is saddened at what happened to the victim and that it was an unprovoked attack. They added that they are asking for privacy as Althea is recovering from the burns on her face and neck. The police are now asking the public to come forward if they have any information about the attack or about Bernstein's assailants. Attack on the Black community These past few weeks, there have been reports of dead Black men hanging from trees. There have been a total of five bodies found earlier this month and although the authorities had ruled them all out as suicide and stated that there was no foul play found, the public is insisting that it is impossible. According to the Washington Post, netizens are now asking for all cases to be thoroughly investigated as they feared that it could be modern-day lynching, and it is a retaliation for the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement which asking for systemic racism and police brutality to end. Related Article: Woman Deliberately Coughed on a Baby After Arguing with Mother @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Embargo on imports from a neighbouring country would send a chilling signal to foreign investors who look for transparency and companies with manufacturing units in India had requested the government to publish any change in port policy to provide the business community with the visibility they need to function, says United States-India Strategic Partnership Forum. American companies looking at destinations other than China due to global geopolitical pressures are now increasingly favouring Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, CEO of industry body United States-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Mukesh Aghi has said. While the forum is advocating India not just as a preferred market but also as an export hub, many of its member firms have raised concerns about sudden policy changes impacting inbound global investments. Companies fear returns on long-term investments getting hurt, Aghi said citing the recent move by some customs authorities to detain import consignments from China. On the issue of Chinese goods being detained at Indian ports, the forum argued that the embargo on imports from a neighbouring country would send a chilling signal to foreign investors who look for transparency. Member companies with manufacturing units in India had requested the government to publish any change in port policy to provide the business community with the visibility they need to function. Many American companies, including Apple, have tieups with manufacturing companies based in China, thereby impacting the business due to the customs disruption. However, Foxconn and Wistron, iPhone manufacturers for Apple, recently applied for the production-linked incentive scheme seeking to establish India as an export hub. Aghi said frequent changes in e-commerce and foreign direct investment rules, besides the recent customs problems, were also hurdles for multinationals. US firms will not abandon China since they want access to the Chinese market. They will look at other geographies because of current experience and start manufacturing for that local domain, be it India or other domains, Aghi said. But somehow, countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia are able to attract a lot of US firms rather than them coming to India, he added. In the e-commerce sector, as Walmart came in and acquired equity in Flipkart, the policy got changed. You can't have changes coming in like this because the boardrooms are saying we want long-term predictability. Policies can change but there needs to be a consultative process," said Aghi. Since February 1, 2019 foreign-owned e-commerce services are barred from selling products of the companies in which they have stake. Exclusive deals with vendors to only sell products on a single platform is not allowed. Aghi also flagged the issue of foreign contracts being cancelled after new governments coming to power at the state level. He referred to the current government led by Jaganmohan Reddy cancelling contracts for a commercial area development project in the state's new planned capital of Amaravati as well as demanding that power purchase agreements (PPAs) be revised, after coming to power. However, the department for promotion of industry and internal trade's (DPIIT) stance of not offering company specific incentives to investing firms may not hinder FDI flows, as companies are not "seeking special treatment, Aghi stressed. The USISPF CEO also ruled out the lack of a bilateral investment treaty between India and the United States as being a major hurdle to incoming American investments. The Union Cabinet had earlier this month set up an empowered group of secretaries headed by cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba with the objective of making India a more investor-friendly destination. It had sought to ensure investments, especially from large companies seeking to diversify into new geographies and mitigate risks. It's a scenario that you've likely heard about from time to time. Police are sent to respond to a call of a mental health emergency and in some cases, there are tragic results. While some departments have implemented protocols to address these situations, sending in teams of experienced officers with special training, using police in these scenarios been called into question amid the larger conversation about law enforcement reform surrounding George Floyd's death. Some mental health experts warn that sending officers to calls involving severe suicidal thoughts or a person experiencing a violent psychological episode is not always the best solution. Although officers are trained to handle tense situations, foiling a robbery or assault is not the same as someone who is in deep mental distress, according to Dr. Adwoa Akhu, a clinical psychologist and an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. It can be terrifying and depending on how the police person shows up, it could escalate things or it can comfort it. It depends on how police officers present themselves, she told ABC News. MORE: What to know about police reforms after George Floyd's death and why 'defunding' might be a solution A report issued this month by The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law found of the nearly 1,000 people shot by police officers in 2018, a quarter had a mental illness. PHOTO: In this Dec. 31, 2015, file photo, NYPD Emergency Service Unit officers watch over revelers in Times Square on New Years Eve in New York. (Van Tine Dennis/Sipa USA via AP, FILE) Akhu and other experts say some police departments are making progress with new training and specialized teams that are deployed to mental health emergencies, but there is still a way to go. Ajima Olaghere, an assistant professor of criminal justice at Temple University, said a major roadblock for effective responses to mental health emergencies is the fact that there is no uniform policy across the nearly 18,000 police departments across the country. We can safely assume that there is a lot of variation in how police academies and police departments may train officers to respond to individuals in crisis, she said in an email to ABC News. Across this variation, there are differences in how crisis intervention training may be prioritized and institutionalized as an aspect of police services. Story continues Olaghere said that there has been some progress over the last couple of decades as some major police departments have been enacting reforms to better prepare their officers and other first responders to mental health emergencies. In 1988, the Memphis Police Department unveiled a model known as the Crisis Intervention Team. Under CIT training, select officers receive a 40-hour preparation from mental health workers on how to handle persons with mental illness, dispatch operators are given training on how to spot an emergency call involving a person with mental illness and officers drop off the person at a centralized mental health facility instead of jail. There are currently 2,700 CIT programs in use throughout the country, which represent about 15 to 17% of the nations police forces, according to the JAAPL report. One of the departments that use CIT is the NYPD, which receives an average of 175,000 911 calls a year for emotionally disturbed persons, or EDPs, according to an NYPD spokesman. EDPs are defined by the NYPD as "persons who appear to be mentally ill or temporarily deranged and are conducting themselves in a manner in which a uniformed member of the service reasonably believes is likely to result in serious injury to themselves or others," according to the department's 2018 use of force report, the latest available. The NYPD spokesman said that 15,000 officers have been certified through its CIT program since it started in 2015, and during emergencies involving an EDP, highly trained Emergency Service Unit (ESU) officers are deployed. If the situation involves a person who has isolated themselves and refused to comply with officers, the Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) will be requested, according to the NYPD spokesman. In 2018, the NYPD used force in 1,400 EDP calls (about 0.8%), and in 80% of those instances, officers used the "lowest level of physical force," according to the 2018 use of force report. A stun gun was used in 0.1% of the encounters, according to the report. Our patrol officers and supervisors work in tandem with our elite units to deescalate and offer quick and effective aid to those with behavioral health concerns, the spokesman said in a statement to ABC News. The NYPD spokesman added the department is always evolving and adapting its mental health response training and recruits are given training on de-escalation tactics. Akhu, who helps the NYPD train its ESU and HNT units, said there is still a problem when it comes to other officers, who she said only receive a day of exercises about mental health issues. She said their basic training for emergencies might supersede the limited understanding of a mental health emergency. Officers in the ESU and HNT units, by comparison, get five days of training on mental health issues, she said. Police officers who are trained as paramilitary may not recognize a mental health crisis and treat it as something else, Akhu said. Dr. Jennifer Skeem, a professor of psychology at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, who has researched police mental health reforms, agreed and said this stems from the general stigma of mental health in the country. Although CIT training has shown some successes, Skeem said it should not be sole solution to improving mental health emergency responses. Its been reduced to this idea that you give 40 hours of training to this team and theyre ready to answer mental health calls, she told ABC News. Skeem said police departments should come up with new tactics and strategies to address these problems. Most importantly, they should expand the use of programs that have been established in some precincts where psychology professionals are deployed to handle those emergency calls that involve mental health. MORE: Law enforcement groups urge mental health awareness amid coronavirus The NYPD has Co-Response Teams, which pair two officers with a city Department of Health & Mental Hygiene clinician to emergency calls that involve a person with mental health issues. Two years ago, the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Fire-Rescue Department and Parkland Hospital created the Rapid Integrated Group Healthcare Team or RIGHT Care where specially trained paramedics, police officers, and mental health professionals are deployed to emergency mental health calls in four ZIP codes. A mental health clinician is staffed in the citys 911-call center and coordinates with the team. Jason Evans, a spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue, said last year RiIGHT Care received over 4,000 calls and the unit helped 3,377 patients connect to appropriate care. Parklands psychiatric emergency room admissions from those ZIP codes decreased by 20% after the programs first year, according to the hospital. The departments are making a push with the city council to expand the program to other parts of the city, according to Evans. In the first two years we feel the program has been doing great, he told ABC News. PHOTO: In this March 6, 2017, file photo, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Emergency Services officers work at the scene of a standoff in Brooklyn, NY. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters, FILE) Skeem said researchers are currently studying the effectiveness of this program, but in general, having cooperation between trained mental health professionals and law enforcement is a step in the right direction. That will help build a bridge between the police, community and other agencies, she said. In the meantime, Skeem said it is vital that law enforcement agencies focus training on mental health problems and the use of effective de-escalation tactics to crack down on the stigma and avoid any use of force. A lot of these reforms or model programs have been developing already. I hope this creates the human, political and agency will to implement the strategies that are quite different, she said. Amid calls for police reform, better training needed to handle mental health emergencies: Experts originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A nurse evaluates a patient that had just been admitted to the emergency room at Regional Medical Center on May 21, 2020 in San Jose, California. Frontline workers are continuing to care for coronavirus COVID-19 patients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images DETROIT Critical care nurse Kelsey Ryan wakes up choking at night, reliving the trauma of treating and losing patients to Covid-19 during the height of Michigan's pandemic in the early spring. In her dreams, she's laying in a hospital bed, unable to breathe as her colleagues at Beaumont Health in metro Detroit force a ventilator tube down her throat. "I still have nightmares every night. My managers and best friend at work putting a tube down my throat while I'm crying and begging them not to. Just like all of my patients did. I wake up choking," said the 28-year-old registered nurse in Michigan. Ryan was also a Covid-19 patient after testing positive in late-March, but she was able to recover at home without being hospitalized. Shell shock She lost more patients in March and April than she had lost over the previous six years. For nurses like Ryan, the peak of the coronavirus pandemic felt like a war, she said. And much like a soldier with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, it left her with a scarred psyche and nightmares. "It was a little bit of a shell shock. Everything just happened so fast. It just didn't give us time to cope with everything that was going on," said the mother of two. Life and death decisions of who would get a ventilator were made in seconds and multiple times a day. "It literally felt like we were in war." She and her colleagues "need a lot of mental health assistance," but she hasn't had the time or energy to deal with it until recently. Cases across the state have since fallen and the hospital system became less overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. Kelsey Ryan, a registered nurse at Beaumont Health Systems in Michigan. Kelsey Ryan "I know that it has changed me, and forever will," she said. "I coded and intubated more patients in three weeks then I did throughout six years in critical care." PTSD Ryan isn't alone. Health-care workers are fighting a new battle with the coronavirus as many struggle with PTSD, which can include flashbacks, nightmares and extreme anxiety. Many have witnessed more death than soldiers during war with the coronavirus taking more than 120,000 lives in the U.S. alone. Anyone experiencing severe depression or suicidal thoughts should reach out for help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week at 1-800-273-8255 or text "HELLO" to 741741. Many doctors and nurses with less severe symptoms are anxious and stressed and still live in fear of spreading the disease to family members. They also worry about a resurgence in cases as states allow more and more businesses to reopen as well as the financial stress on the economy, public health officials say. "The pandemic and how it has impacted health-care workers and the population as a whole has been significant," said Dr. Lisa MacLean, director of physician wellness at Henry Ford Health System in Michigan. "In this recovery phase, we are now noting a lot of exhaustion, guilt, anger and these PTSD-like symptoms nightmares, a flashback, a sense of reliving the events." At the height of the pandemic on April 7, Henry Ford was treating 863 Covid-19 patients. That number was down to 13 to begin this week. The coronavirus has taken an emotional toll on the country, but none have been affected more than front-line workers and their families, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. About two-thirds of those living in a household with a health-care worker said they experienced at least one adverse effect on their mental health or well-being. That compares to nearly half of Americans overall. In Covid-19 hotspots such as Detroit and New York, where health-care systems were overrun with patients, hospitals are offering outreach programs, interventions and support groups for workers. They've launched peer-to-peer groups and online programs with access to one-on-one assistance with mental health experts and psychologists. Mental health crisis But not all could be helped in time. After the suicides of two New York City health-care workers in April, Mayor Bill de Blasio said U.S. military trauma specialists would assist the city's front-line workers. In recent months, the city has significantly expanded efforts to also help citizens, many of whom couldn't afford counseling. De Blasio called it a "mental health crisis within the crisis." The father of Dr. Lorna M. Breen, a Manhattan doctor who committed suicide, told The New York Times that she had "described devastating scenes of the toll the coronavirus took on patients." "She tried to do her job, and it killed her," Dr. Philip C. Breen, her father, told the newspaper. The hospital system where Breen worked, NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, started offering support programs for employees in March, according a spokeswoman for the hospital. They include team-based crisis support, urgent counseling services and a "Psychiatric Symptom Tracker and Resources for Treatment (START)," which is for staff to self-monitor their depression or anxiety symptoms and if they develop over time. More than 1,800 sessions have been conducted with more than 10,000 of the hospitals 47,000 employees participating, according to NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital. The system declined to comment on whether Breen sought any assistance. "Recognizing that our colleagues have been facing sustained stress and anxiety, NewYork-Presbyterian began offering robust mental health services, including an urgent counseling service, to all of our front-line staff in March," Williams said in an emailed statement. "Even as we hope to have confronted the worst of this pandemic, it is essential that our colleagues on the front lines continue to have access to emotional support and practical strategies to enhance coping as they process their experiences." Recovery Dr. Anne Browning, assistant dean for well-being at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said it will take about one to three years for health-care workers to emotionally recover from Covid-19. "Some are reliving the hardest moments of their days and months in their dreams," she said. "It can be incredibly disruptive." Medical staff attend to a patient suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, California, U.S., May 12, 2020. Lucy Nicholson | Reuters In Washington state the first hotspot for Covid-19 in the U.S. hospital systems such as UW Medicine and EvergreenHealth quickly mobilized to assist their workers who were battling with stress and anxiety. They launched peer-to-peer support systems, coping resources and other online tools as well as in-person counseling. Different methods of communication and outreach are meant to reach as many employees as possible in their preferred way, according to Dr. Joy Hampton, EvergreenHealth director of care management. "The teams are experiencing a level of critical illness and death like most of them have not experienced," she said. "In general, it's hitting people a little bit differently." EvergreenHealth, which treated the first Covid-19 outbreak in the nation, started offering online resources for coping with stress and other issues, followed by team leader outreach and live webinars in March. The online conferences allowed those who wanted individual help to reach out. The hospital system also launched a web page where employees can anonymously submit their thoughts, called "55 Word Stories." The page is filled with comments and issues about Covid-19, including some poems. Dr. Anne Browning, assistant dean for well-being, UW School of Medicine UW School of Medicine Browning and her team at UW Medicine have focused on assisting employees with coping with anxiety, stress and the uncertainty of the disease, for which there is no cure and a vaccine is still months, if not a year or more, away. UW Medicine luckily established a peer-to-peer counseling program in January weeks before Covid-19 took hold to assist with regular burnout. That helped workers cope with the stress from the pandemic, Browning said. The system also launched group and online counseling, including Zoom sessions for family members. "We were recognizing that people's anticipatory fear was definitely spilling over to their families and the well-being of their family members was affecting them," she said. Getting help Night and weekend curfew in Jammu and Kashmir 2022: Know guidelines, rules: What is allowed, what is not In a first, Amit Shah releases district-based Good Governance Index for Jammu and Kashmir Cops seize 1.5 crore worth heroin in J&K India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Jammu, June 27: Police seized around 1.5 kilogram of heroin wrapped in packets marked with Pakistan markings along the Line of Control (LAC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Friday, officials said. On a reliable input, a police team launched a search operation in the areas of Dabbi, Dhaarati and Basooni in Balakote sector after suspicious movement of some people with respect to drug peddling was noticed across the LoC near the Dabbi forest area, they said. ISI charges Rs 10 lakh per kilogram of narcotics that a Khalistan terrorist sells Chinese build helipad in Pangong Tso, Tuticorin custodial deaths spark row & more | Oneindia News Another team also launched a search operation in the Dabbi forest area and it found a polythene bag lying in the bushes and covered by stones near Dabbi village, the officials added. During the opening of the suspected material, approximately 1,500 grams of heroin was found wrapped in three packets and covered in a polythene bag which had an address of a shop in Lahore, Pakistan, they said. A case was registered at police station Mendher in this regard, the officials said. YEREVAN. Zhoghovurd daily of Armenia writes: The letter sent yesterday by the President of the Venice Commission, Gianni Buquicchio, to now former President of the Constitutional Court, Hrayr Tovmasyan, was a cold shower for the representatives of the [Armenian] halls of power. "I have been following closely the developments in Armenia concerning the constitutional amendments. I regret that they are not in line with the clear recommendations of the Venice Commission. I cannot but recall the need to respect the Constitution," the letter reads. The thing is that on June 22, the Venice Commission had published its conclusion on the process of constitutional amendments in Armenia (). And yet, although an attempt was made to present that conclusion in a positive light, it actually contained open criticism. And yesterday's letter probably became the last straw, and representatives of the [Armenian] halls of power () again considered it the omission of Minister [of Justice Rustam] Badasyan, as the latter worked closely with the Venice Commission, in essence, failing to "persuade" them. As many as 20 US senators have urged the Trump administration to grant emergency refugee protection to Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan facing persecution as religious minorities. In a bipartisan letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the senators called on the State Department to prioritise resettlement opportunities under the US Refugee Admissions Program allocation ceilings for Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities. The population of Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan have plummeted markedly due to years of persecution by the Taliban and more recent terrorist actions perpetrated by ISIS Khorasan (ISIS-K), they said. This Administration has repeatedly highlighted protecting religious freedom as a top foreign policy priority, the senators wrote. Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan face an existential threat from ISIS-K because of their religion. To protect religious freedom, we urgently ask that you take these essential steps to defend these threatened religious minorities, they said in the letter. The letter also calls on Pompeo to offer additional support to members of the Sikh and Hindu communities that choose to remain in Afghanistan, and to ensure that Afghan religious minorities benefit from the $20.6 million in American aid already provided to address Covid-19. For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here Ensuring that religious minorities receive US Covid-19 assistance should be a priority in all countries where protection of religious minorities is a challenge, the senators added. The letter was written by Senator Robert Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and senators Thom Tillis, Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, Tim Kaine, Kamala Harris, Bob Casey, Chris Van Hollen, Bernie Sanders, Patty Murray, Chris Coons, Ed Markey, Tammy Duckworth, Jack Reed, Mark Warner, Ben Cardin, and James Lankford. ISIS-K targets religious minorities in Afghanistan and poses an existential threat to Afghanistan's Sikh and Hindu communities in particular, the letter said. The Sikh and Hindu communities once numbered around 250,000 people but now have fewer than 1,000 individuals due to decades of persecution, they added. The communities continue to face discrimination in access to housing and employment, and the Taliban has previously mandated that Sikhs and Hindus wear yellow armbands or patches as a marker of their religious status, the senators wrote. In recent years, a new threat to Afghanistan's Sikh and Hindu communities has emerged: terrorist attacks from ISIS-K. In March, ISIS-K launched an attack on a Sikh gurdwara in Kabul that killed 25 worshippers, and later carried out an explosion during a funeral service for those victims. As ISIS-K continues to attack civilians and international troops draw down in Afghanistan, Sikhs and Hindus are likely to face more violence, they wrote. Last week here on the blog I discussed whether it ever will be possible to have a historically accurate biography of Jesus of Nazareth. (Spoiler alert: Probably not.) So what if we back up about 1,000 years and ask something... Less than a week after opening to customers for the first time since mid-March, businesses will be required to raise the minimum wage of workers to $10 on July 1. This is the second increase in minimum wage this year. Anytime the minimum wage goes up, prices go up, John McPeek, manager of Mackies Pizza, said. Its going to cause the price of food at local restaurants to go up. A lot of our members are making allowances for the increase with subtle changes to service fees and products, Karen Mullins, executive director of Marion Chamber of Commerce, said. Our businesses are more focused on reopening. Gov. J.B. Pritzker in February 2019 signed Senate Bill 1 into law, increasing the minimum wage in phases to $15 an hour by 2025. The minimum wage at the time was $8.25, set in 2010. The Illinois rate went up $1 in January to $9.25, then goes to $10 starting Wednesday. Another $1 increase will occur each Jan. 1 until 2025. The legislation also includes a tax credit for businesses with fewer than 50 employees to offset the additional cost. McPeek, who also serves as mayor of Harrisburg, said that the cost of everything has gone due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gas prices, while initially cheaper, are going up. Food prices have jumped, with the cost of cheese rising to $2.92 per pound. This (minimum wage) will affect my business. I will have to cut back on labor costs to keep employees, but wont be able to work them as much, he said. With passage of the legislation, Illinois became one of the first states to raise the minimum wage to $15. The approval by lawmakers was seen as an early victory for Pritzker, a Democrat, who had made the issue a central campaign message. Pritzker defeated one-term GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner, who previously vetoed a plan to raise the rate to $15 by 2022. The labor-backed Fight for $15 movement led efforts to change the amount. California, Massachusetts and New Jersey also are on track to implement a $15 rate in coming years. Several states including neighboring Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Kentucky dont have minimum wage and default to $7.25 an hour, the amount set by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Republicans and business groups have raised concerns that the jump will cause employers to reduce hours or positions and that businesses would flee across state lines. Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens mugshot mug Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens is pictured downtown in June 2018. Will Stephens, mayor of Murphysboro, said the structure of the states plan was ham-handed in his eyes he said it was an un-nuanced way of dealing with what he sees as a regional issue. That said, it hasnt put the city in dire straits. Its not putting us in a position where we are having to consider laying people off or anything like that, Stephens said. However, thats not to say the steady increase hasnt hit the citys wallet when it comes to union negotiations and funding future pensions. But, Stephens said it's his job to find ways of making the money work. Its just one of those things you dont get to manage, he said of the state's decision to raise the minimum wage. In Carbondale, Cristaudos co-owner Rachel Cristaudo said while she understands concerns that raising the minimum wage will potentially raise costs of goods and services, she and the other three owners of the shop are on board to support the increase. Overall were in support of increasing the minimum wage across the board, we always have been, she said. She believes customers will understand any potential uptick in prices because it wont be isolated to just one store it will likely be across the board. The new law maintains provisions for employers to count gratuities to offset wages for workers, such as food servers, who regularly earn tips. Tipped employees may be paid a minimum of 60% of the hourly minimum wage. These workers must still earn the minimum wage after receiving tips. Workers who are under 18 years old and work fewer than 650 hours in a year will earn a minimum wage of $8 per hour. I hate that my employees will not benefit from the increase in wages. The person making minimum wage will have to pay higher prices for the things they buy, McPeek said. In February, it was estimated 1.4 million Illinoisans currently made less than $15 an hour. Lee Enterprise's Central Illinois News Bureau contributed to this report. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated minimum wage would increase $1 each July 1 until 2025. After the $1 increase on July 1, 2020, minimum wage will increase each Jan. 1 until 2025. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Police have named the man shot by officers during an attack in Glasgow on Friday as Badreddin Abadlla Adam, 28, from Sudan. In a statement on Twitter, Police Scotland said the identity is based on information the deceased provided to the Home Office earlier this year. Six people were injured, including a police officer, in the attack at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street. The man who died after being shot by armed officers in #Glasgow has now been named. pic.twitter.com/SsPZQjjEnF Police Scotland (@policescotland) June 27, 2020 In a statement on Twitter, Police Scotland said it will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident in Glasgow. It added: The police discharge of firearms resulting in a fatality will also continue to be fully investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). Both of these inquiries, which take place under the direction of the Lord Advocate, are ongoing and it would not be appropriate to speculate either about the events or the outcomes of these investigations. Earlier, the police officer injured in the knife attack thanked his colleagues for saving lives. Constable David Whyte, 42, was one of six people injured during the incident at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street on Friday, in which a male suspect was shot and killed by police. Three of the other people who were injured are asylum seekers, Police Scotland said, while two are members of staff. All remain in hospital, one in a critical but stable condition, the others in a stable condition. In a statement posted on Twitter by Police Scotland, Mr Whyte said the scene officers attending the incident were confronted with is something he will never forget. Story continues He added: As the first responders on scene, myself and my colleague did what all police officers are trained for, to save lives. The officer, who remains in a stable condition, thanked his colleagues who put themselves in harms way to contain this incident and assist with the vital treatment given to myself and others at the scene by other emergency services. Mr Whyte added: Despite suffering serious injuries myself, I know that the swift actions of colleagues saved lives and prevented a far more serious incident. I would like to thank the medical staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for their outstanding care in the hours following this incident. Finally, I would like to thank the public for all their kind messages of support and for the good wishes from all at Police Scotland. It means a lot and has brought both myself and my family great comfort at this difficult time. Statement from Police Constable David Whyte, who was injured in the incident at the Park Inn Hotel, West George Street, #Glasgow, on Friday, 26 June, 2020 pic.twitter.com/rzIwmlQsHs Police Scotland (@policescotland) June 27, 2020 The constable also asked that his privacy be respected. Police Scotland, which has said the attack is not being treated as terrorism, has launched an appeal for any witnesses to come forward. Officers were called to the hotel at 12.50pm and the incident was quickly contained, the force said. The suspect was shot by an armed unit and died at the scene. Following an update from Police Scotland on Saturday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: My thoughts today remain with Constable Whyte whose bravery we are all deeply grateful for and the other people who sustained injuries in yesterdays terrible incident. I wish them all a full and speedy recovery. The Park Inn hotel was being used to house asylum seekers. All of those injured are aged between 17 and 53. Police remain at the scene of the attack on West George Street, Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA) Meanwhile, a man who said he knew the perpetrator claimed he warned of the attack the night before. Giving his name as Siraj, he told ITV: He said I will attack so everyone should take it seriously. I told him no, theres no need to attack and he said they hate me, I hate them, they are against me. He started to say a lot of stuff like that but I said nobody hates you, nobody knows you, nobody knows each other. I reported him to the hotel reception and then the next day, yesterday morning, the housing manager talked to me and I said to him everything he (the attacker) said to me. And in the afternoon, it happened. The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), backed by the Iraqi and international coalition aircraft, carried out a two-day operation against IS hideouts in the mountainous area of al-Khanouga in the northern part of the province, the CTS said in a statement, Xinhua reported. Baghdad, June 27 (IANS) A total of 24 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in a security operation and airstrikes in Salahudin province in north of Baghdad, the Iraqi military said on Friday. The operation resulted in the killing of 16 IS militants in the first day and eight others in the second, the statement said without exactly specifying the days. The Iraqi and coalition airstrikes destroyed a number of IS hideouts and several caves and tunnels, where the militants were holed up, the statement added. The operation came as the extremist IS militants have intensified their attacks on the security forces, including Hashd Shaabi forces, and civilians in the formerly IS-controlled Sunni provinces, resulting in the killing and wounding of dozens. The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017. However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerrilla attacks against security forces and civilians. --IANS pgh/ Secretary General welcomes US Secretary of Defense to NATO HQ for talks NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 26 Jun. 2020 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to NATO Headquarters on Friday (26 June 2020). They had discussions to follow up the decisions taken by NATO Defence Ministers last week on issues including the Russian missile threat, NATO's response to COVID-19, and the Alliance's missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Secretary General highlighted NATO's plans to deal with a possible second wave of COVID-19, with an operation plan, a stockpile of medical equipment, and more funding. He stressed that across the Alliance, armed forces have been supporting civilian efforts and that it was important that Allies continue to invest in their militaries to keep them strong. The Secretary General also welcomed the recent talks between the United States and Russia on arms control. He and Secretary Esper agreed that China, as a rising global power, has a responsibility to take part in global arms control. The Secretary General thanked Secretary Esper for his strong commitment to NATO and for the vital contribution of the United States to the Alliance's shared security. They discussed US military presence in Europe. The Secretary General welcomed that the US is consulting with Allies on their plans for repositioning forces, while making clear that the US commitment to European security remains strong. In recent years the US has been increasing its military presence in Europe. It leads the NATO multinational battlegroup in Poland, has established a presence in Romania and Norway, and stationed Ballistic Missile Defence-capable destroyers in Spain. Mr. Stoltenberg said: "The US military presence in Europe is important for Europe, and it's also important for North America. Because only by working together can we address the great challenges we face." The Secretary General and Secretary Esper also discussed Afghanistan. Mr. Stoltenberg underlined that NATO will continue to adjust its presence in support of the peace process and that this will continue to be done in close coordination with Allies and partners. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The mysterious disappearance of a grandmother could finally be solved three years after she went missing without a trace in Malaysia, but her heartbroken family fear a cover-up by police. Adelaide grandmother Annapuranee 'Anna' Jenkins, 66, has been missing since December 13, 2017 after vanishing on the streets of Malaysia after a dentist's appointment. Just as the family was ready to give up hope, a good Samaritan sent through an anonymous tip off which could reveal her final resting place. They now fear the fresh evidence could point to foul play amid accusations of a damning cover-up by by the Malaysian police. Adelaide grandmother Annapuranee 'Anna' Jenkins (pictured), 66, was visiting Malaysia to check in with her sick 101-year-old mother on December 13 2017 The family recently received photographs (pictured) showing human remains and belongings which were dug up from a multi-million dollar construction site metres from her last sighting The family recently received photographs showing human remains and personal belongings which were dug up from a multimillion dollar construction site only metres from her last sighting, reported the Sunday Mail. This included a blue top the grandmother was wearing before she disappeared, as well as a keycard for Hotel Jen where she was staying. Photos also show a dental appointment card, Clare Country Club pen, rosary beads, glasses case, asthma inhaler and a mix of Malaysian and Australian coins, which were all found on the worksite. Photos also show a dental appointment card, Clare Country Club pen, rosary beads, glasses case and an asthma inhaler at the site (pictured) A blue shirt the grandmother was wearing before she disappeared was also found at the construction site (pictured) The evidence was reportedly unearthed in close proximity to the Goh Dental Surgery - where Ms Jenkins had an appointment before vanishing three years ago. A concerned local sent the family the images on June 14 after tracking down their contact details off a missing persons poster. The evidence was allegedly dug from the site of a $107million villa development in March, and has already been seized by the Royal Malaysian Police. Police allegedly denied the existence of bones near the Penang Turf Club to the family on June 16, after communicating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. However conflicting reports emerged claiming officers had uncovered bones belonging to a man on the site six days later. The family want the bones tested and the possessions examined for DNA, but they're concerned a failure to initially acknowledge the discovery could be part of a cover-up. A concerned local sent the family the images on June 14 after tracking down their contact details off a missing persons poster (pictured) Ms Jenkin's son, whose job prevents him being identified, told the Sunday Mail the family is fearful police may destroy evidence. He said it's hard to determine if a failure to address and act on the new clues is intentional. 'With the Royal Malaysian Police, we don't know if it's apathy, ignorance, incompetence or a combination of all three,' he said. He said police didn't declare a crime scene after the items were uncovered, and already disposed of some of the evidence. 'If the police get it we fear they will do exactly what they did with the bones and get rid of it,' the son said. Annapuranee 'Anna' Jenkins, 66, was visiting Malaysia to check in with her sick 101-year-old mother when she disappeared on December 13 2017 Meanwhile Ms Jenkins' daughter, Jen Bowen, is hopeful the new development could finally relieve some of the family's emotional trauma. 'Knowing what happened to mum would allow us to feel at peace and us some closure,' Ms Bowen said. She believes her mother's disappearance has exacerbated her father's ill health, including the onset of dementia and a diagnosis of breast cancer last year. The family want Malaysian police to pursue the new lead as part of a their investigation. Mrs Jenkins' daughter, Jen Bowen (pictured), is hopeful the new development could finally relieve some of the family's emotional trauma But they are also concerned the only way police will act is if the good Samaritan comes forward. Ms Jenkins, 66, was visiting Malaysia to check in with her sick 101-year-old mother when she disappeared. She was on her way back from a dentist appointment in an Uber, when she suddenly fled the car and vanished on the streets of Penang. The driver of the car said she left the car in a hurry and never saw her again. That was the last time anyone saw the beloved grandmother. While both Malaysian and Australian authorities have provided assistance, the family has felt it hasn't been enough and have hired private investigators. 'It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but we've got 100 haystacks,' Mrs Bowen told 7 News. The family also set up a Facebook page to garner support for their cause. It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Shares have lost about 21.9% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Ulta due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Ulta Beauty Q1 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates In first-quarter fiscal 2020, Ulta Beauty posted an adjusted loss of $1.12 per share against earnings of $3.08 reported in the year-ago period. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings stood at 44 cents. The dismal performance can be accountable to lower sales and margins. Net sales of this beauty retailer slumped 32.7% year over year to $1,173.2 million and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,199 million. Sales were hurt by coronavirus-led store closures. Comparable sales or comps (including stores temporarily closed due to the pandemic and e-commerce sales) plummeted 35.3% against 7% growth recorded in the prior-year quarter. Comps rose 4% in the preceding quarter. During the quarter, the company registered a transaction increase of 38.6%, partly made up by a rise in average ticket of 3.3%. Gross margin collapsed from 37% to 25.9% due to fixed store cost deleverage, unfavorable channel mix shifts and deleverage of salon costs due to lower sales. This was somewhat offset by reduced promotions. The company posted an operating loss of $101.5 million against an operating income of $237.5 million in the year-ago period. Notably, SG&A expenses (as a percentage of sales) escalated from 23.1% to 32.5% on account of a deleverage stemming from lower sales due to COVID-19. Pre-opening expenses grew 9.5% to $4.6 million. The company, which had withdrawn its fiscal 2020 guidance on Mar 17, did not offer any earnings guidance at this juncture. Other Financials Ulta Beauty ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1,043.5 million and total stockholders equity of approximately $1,754 million. Net merchandise inventories summed $1,340.6 million at the end of the quarter, increasing 7.2% from the year-ago period. Average inventory per store rose 1.5% year over year. Net cash used in operating activities was $24,318 million in the first quarter. Ulta Beauty bought back 326,970 shares for $73 million in the reported quarter. The company had shares worth $1.58 billion outstanding, as of May 2, 2020, under its $1.6-billion share repurchase plan announced in March 2020. On Apr 2, the company announced that it suspended its buyback program to protect financial position amid the crisis. Moreover, the company has curtailed its capital expenditure plan and now anticipates spending $200-$210 million in this regard in fiscal 2020. Apart from this, in the first quarter, the company drew down $800 million from its credit facility of $1 billion as a safety measure amid the pandemic. During the quarter, Ulta Beauty opened 11 stores, relocated one and permanently closed another. The company ended the quarter with 1,264 stores. Owing to the current situation, management has lowered its store opening and relocation plans. It now anticipates opening 30-40 stores in fiscal 2020 alongside undertaking nearly three relocation projects. Earlier, the company expected to open about 75 stores, remodel or relocate roughly 15 and refresh nearly 42. Story continues Update on COVID-19 We note that the company has been taking all steps to ensure the safety of its customers and employees amid the pandemic. In this regard, it temporarily closed all stores on Mar 19, though it kept its important online operations active. The company also furloughed many store and salon workers temporarily on Apr 19. Additionally, it is curtailing several costs and undertaking measures like suspending share buybacks and reducing store openings, among others, to protect its financial flexibility amid the pandemic. Notably, Ulta Beauty has started reopening stores and has 333 stores open for visitors and 840 stores offering curbside pickup as of today. The company is seeing greater-than-expected sales in reopened stores. Management plans to continue reopening stores and extend services in a phased manner, per the regulatory guidelines. However, the company, which had withdrawn its fiscal 2020 guidance on Mar 17, did not offer any earnings guidance at this juncture. Update on COVID-19 We note that the company has been taking all steps to ensure the safety of its customers and employees amid the pandemic. In this regard, it temporarily closed all stores on Mar 19, though it kept its important online operations active. The company also furloughed many store and salon workers temporarily on Apr 19. Additionally, it is curtailing several costs and undertaking measures like suspending share buybacks and reducing store openings, among others, to protect its financial flexibility amid the pandemic. Notably, Ulta Beauty has started reopening stores and has 333 stores open for visitors and 840 stores offering curbside pickup as of today. The company is seeing greater-than-expected sales in reopened stores. Management plans to continue reopening stores and extend services in a phased manner, per the regulatory guidelines. How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then? It turns out, estimates revision have trended downward during the past month. The consensus estimate has shifted -74.58% due to these changes. VGM Scores Currently, Ulta has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with a D. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of this revision indicates a downward shift. Notably, Ulta has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ulta Beauty Inc. (ULTA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. The TikTok grandmother whose viral video post helped disrupt a Donald Trump rally and infuriate the president, has revealed she is formally putting her digital skills to work for Joe Biden. A week ago, Mary Jo Laupp, 51, posted a video on the site in which she urged people to reserve seats for the presidents controversial Tulsa rally and not show up. A large number of people apparently took up the suggestion, resulting in a much smaller crowd at the Oklahoma event than the Trump campaign had been anticipating. The White House angrily denied that the post by Ms Laupp, along with spoof reservations by K-Pop fans who seized on the idea, had impacted the event, which had been criticised for failing to promote social distancing at a time when coronavirus infection were soaring. Leftists and online trolls doing a victory lap, thinking they somehow impacted rally attendance, dont know what theyre talking about or how our rallies work, Mr Trumps campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said in a statement. Now Ms Laupp, a musician and who works in the music department at the high school in Fort Dodge, Iowa, has revealed she has agreed to put her skills to work for the Democrats presumptive presidential challenger. Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Show all 18 1 /18 Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Jessica Canicosa, a precinct captain for Bernie Sanders, waits to greet caucus voters at Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Hotel workers at the Bellagio in Las Vegas get to grips with voting papers during the Nevada caucuses AFP via Getty Images Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A caricature of Bernie Sanders is projected on to a tree during a rally in Las Vegas EPA Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A woman waits to have a photo taken with Elizabeth Warren during a town hall meeting in Las Vegas REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures The threat of coronavirus and other germ-borne illnesses was on some voters' minds at the Democratic caucuses in Henderson, Nevada Getty Images Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Former vice-president Joe Biden takes a selfie with a voter in Las Vegas ahead of the Nevada caucuses REUTERS Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Amy Klobuchar changes her shoes backstage after giving a speech in Exeter, New Hampshire AFP/Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A warmly-wrapped-up dog attends an Elizabeth Warren event at Amherst Elementary School in Nashua, New Hampshire AFP/Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Bernie Sanders, who romped to victory in New Hampshire against Hillary Clinton in 2016, talks to the media in Manchester Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Joe Biden was hoping to improve on his poor showing in Iowa in the New Hampshire primary Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren, renowned for giving time to supporters for selfies, works the crowd at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Joe Biden takes a selfie with a supporter and his child outside a campaign event in Somersworth, New Hampshire on 5 February Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders quarrel after a confrontation in a TV debate in which Sanders claimed that Warren was not telling the truth about a conversation in which she claimed he had said a woman could not win the presidency on 14 January AP Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Supporter Pat Provencher listens to Pete Buttigieg in Laconia, New Hampshire on 4 February Getty Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Pete Buttigieg speaks at a campaign event in Concord, New Hampshire while awaiting the results of the Iowa caucus Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures Elizabeth Warren is presented with a balloon effigy of herself at a campaign event in Nashua, New Hampshire on 5 February Reuters Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A Trump supporter rides past a rally for Amy Klobuchar in Des Moines, Iowa on 14 January AP Democratic candidates compete on the campaign trail: In pictures A man holds up a sign criticising billionaires in the presidential race in front of Michael Bloomberg in Compton, Califronia. The former New York mayor skipped the first caucus in Iowa and instead campaigned in California on 3 February Reuters Its called the digital coalition, and its focusing on using social media as a campaign tool, Ms Laupp told The Independent. Im specifically working with a team thats targeting young voters. And so were focusing right now on TikTok. Theyve also talked to me to take a look at Instagram. The New York Times, which was first to report on Ms Laupps decision to work in support of Mr Biden, said she would be part of the so-called Biden Digital Coalition, a grass-roots organisation of around 100 people that seeks to amplify pro-Biden messages and build engagement on social media. It said while it is not an official part of the former vice presidents campaign, it is in contact with its staff members. Joe Biden rages at Trump over Obamacare and coronavirus Clearly, something she had done had worked out really well, so we wanted to harness that energy, Caitlin Gilbert, a coalition co-director, told the newspaper. The coalition is part of a belated attempt by the Biden campaign to compete with Mr Trump on social media platforms. Earlier this spring, the campaign asked volunteers to apply to join the coalition, aware that the presidents reach and spending on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook was vastly greater than that of Mr Biden. Onetime rivals such as Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren have been urging people to help. Ms Laupp said she had spent much time on social media and elsewhere, educating herself about issues, and had decided the nation could not handle another Trump term. Right now, all of the poll numbers show [Mr Bidens] in the lead. And Id like us to keep that momentum going, she said. I dont know that we can handle another four years of a president who mocks everybody whos not exactly like him to have a president who tries to run the country like youre trying to run a company. BRASILIA, Brazil - The Brazilian government announced on Saturday an agreement with Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to produce a promising coronavirus vaccine that is undergoing tests. Brazilian Health Ministry authorities said at a news conference that the country will pay $127 million and receive material to produce 30.4 million doses in two batches in December and January, which would allow it to quickly start inoculation efforts if the vaccine is certified to be safe and effective. They said the total deal is for 100 million vaccines for a country of about 210 million residents. It will be produced by local vaccine maker Fiocruz. Vijay Rangarajan, the British ambassador, said on Twitter that the 30 million doses will be available in Brazil and Fiocruz will prepare for local production, without making reference to the promised additional 70 million doses. The British Embassy said in a statement that the 70 million will come in a second moment, without giving more details. Fiocruz said in statement that it still had to reach a deal with AstraZeneca for the transfer of technology of the vaccine if it works. After the production (of the shots), it will still be necessary (to follow) phases of registry and validation before a possible distribution, it said. Fiocruz added it will be possibly responsible for producing the vaccine for the rest of Latin America. The Brazilian government said the first to get the Oxford shot would be high-risk groups such as the elderly, people with comorbidities and health and security professionals. Arnaldo Correia de Medeiros, secretary of health surveillance, said distribution will be fast because of Brazils public health care system. This country has extensive experience in extremely fast vaccination, he said. British researchers started testing the experimental shot in May aiming to immunize more than 10,000 people, including older people and children. The vaccine is one of about a dozen in the early stages of human testing. Brazil, where coronavirus infections are still on the rise, counts more than 1 million confirmed cases and more than 55,900 fatalities. The British ambassador told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the vaccine maker has the capacity to produce 2 billion doses in its first batch, which is expected by the end of the year, but said that much of the global production was already purchased. On May 21, the United States announced a deal for at least 300 million doses of the Oxford shot and committed up to $1.2 billion to the effort. On June 13, AstraZeneca agreed to supply up to 400 million doses of the experimental vaccine to European Union nations. Other negotiations are ongoing with Russia and Japan, among other countries, the companys CEO said this month. Another experimental vaccine in development by Chinese company Sinovac Biotech will be tested in Brazil in July, according to the Sao Paulo state government. Sinovac has a deal with the states Instituto Butantan to produce it. Some 9,000 Brazilians are expected to participate. The World Health Organizations chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, said Friday that AstraZenecas experimental vaccine is probably the worlds leading candidate and most advanced in terms of development. ___ Associated Press writer Daniel Carvalho reported this story in Brasilia and AP writer Mauricio Savarese reported from Sao Paulo. AN Offaly woman who was left in limbo awaiting urgent knee surgery has urged people to keep pressure on the health service and politicians to ensure their procedures are carried out. Stephanie Connor was one of hundreds of private patients around the country whose procedures were put on hold during the Covid crisis. She was due to undergo surgery on her left knee at a private hospital but just four days before her procedure the facility, along with all other independent hospitals in the country, was brought under the control of the Health Service Executive [HSE] to cope with the expected surge in Covid cases. The surgery was indefinitely postponed but the Clara woman applied pressures on the health sector and local politicians while also campaigning in the local media to highlight her situation. Stephanie, from Clara, has now received word that her surgery will be carried out in early July in Santry. She has urged all people in similar circumstances to herself to highlight their plight in the local media and with politicians. Stephanie suffers severe pain and has spent hundreds of euros on patches to alleviate her situation. She also suffers from stomach pain due to the amount of painkillers she is ingesting. Now on crutches, Stephanie, who farms with her husband, David and family outside Clara, also has to contend with hip pain brought on by her knee condition. There are lots of other people in the same boat as me, Stephanie told the Tribune when speaking before she received notification that her surgery had been rescheduled. She added; I'm not just speaking for myself but for the hundreds of other people around the country in the same situation. We are being brushed aside, she added stressing that she and others had paid voluntary health insurance all their lives. There are cancer and heart patients far worse than me, she stressed. Stephanie said she spoke with a man with prostrate cancer who was due to have a biopsy but the procedure had been cancelled with no word of a new date. She added that many people, not just cancer patients, were in similar circumstances and urged them to highlight their plight. Describing the situation as scandalous, she warned of the consequences for people's health. Stephanie paid tribute to her G.P., Dr Raymond Campbell and his team at the Market Square Medical Centre in Kilbeggan who she said had been a great support to her. I would have been in utter despair without him and his staff, she outlined. Stephanie urged people in a similar position to her to make as much noise as possible. She has contacted local T.D.s and paid tribute to Deputies Carol Nolan and Clara-based Barry Cowen for their advocacy on her behalf. She also thanked local Tullamore area councillor, Neil Feighery for his assistance The situation private patients awaiting surgery are in was highlighted last month by Dr Turlough O'Donnell, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Beacon Hospital in Sandyford, Dublin and also Associate Professor in Clinical Surgery at University College Dublin. Expressing outrage: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Capitol Hill ahead of a vote on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Photo: Yuri Gripas/Reuters The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to overturn President Obama's Affordable Care Act, telling the court that "the entire ACA must fall". The move comes as hundreds of thousands of Americans have turned to the government programme for healthcare as they've lost jobs during the pandemic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to the brief by saying there is "no moral excuse for the Trump Administration's disastrous efforts to take away Americans' healthcare." Dismantling the ACA would leave more than 23 million people without healthcare plans, according to a recent analysis by the liberal-leaning think tank, Centre for American Progress. "President [Donald] Trump and the Republicans' campaign to rip away the protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act in the middle of the coronavirus crisis is an act of unfathomable cruelty," Ms Pelosi, who on Wednesday filed a bill to expand the ACA, said in a statement. The administration's brief was filed in support of a challenge to the ACA by a coalition of Republican attorneys general, following through on Mr Trump's pledge to overturn former president Barack Obama's healthcare legislation. The filing came the same day that a government report showed nearly half a million Americans turned to the ACA in April and May amid covid-19's economic devastation. According to the Thursday report from the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 487,000 Americans took advantage of the special enrolment period on Healthcare.gov after losing their healthcare plans. The numbers mark a 46pc increase from enrolments in April and May 2019. Former vice president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, said during a campaign trip in Pennsylvania on Thursday that axeing the healthcare law as the nation is still reeling from the pandemic would amount to a double whammy for Covid-19 survivors. He worried insurers would view Covid-19 as a preexisting condition, and without the ACA, would be free to deny survivors coverage. "Those survivors, having struggled and won the fight of their lives, would have their peace of mind stolen away at the moment they need it most," Mr Biden said. "They would live their lives caught in a vice between Donald Trump's twin legacies: his failure to protect the American people from the coronavirus, and his heartless crusade to take health-care protections away from American families." White House spokesman Judd Deere brushed aside concerns that dismantling the ACA or "Obamacare" could worsen the crisis, saying in a statement: "A global pandemic does not change what Americans know: Obamacare has been an unlawful failure and further illustrates the need to focus on patient care." Mr Deere added: "The American people deserve for Congress to work on a bipartisan basis with the president to provide quality, affordable care." Oral arguments are scheduled for next term but it's unclear if they'll happen before the election. A decision in the case may not come until 2021. Mr Trump has said he wants to protect healthcare coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions, which a White House spokesman reiterated on Thursday night. But the administration has not presented any plan showing how it would accomplish that, and the Justice Department's brief takes the opposite position. In the brief, Solicitor General Noel Francisco argues that all of the ACA should be struck down because one of its core provisions, the individual mandate, is unconstitutional, rendering the rest of the law invalid as well. Mr Francisco argues that the individual mandate provision became unconstitutional when Congress reduced penalties to zero in 2017. Without any remaining tax penalty, Mr Francisco argued, the provision could no longer be considered a constitutional use of Congress's taxing power - the reason the Supreme Court upheld it in a previous challenge. ( The Washington Post) Washington Post Too Hot To Handle star Harry Jowsey announced his split from Francesca Farago last week. And on Friday, the reality television star looked single and ready to mingle while out with friends in Los Angeles. Dressed casually in a grey sweater, black cropped pants and white sneakers, the 22-year-old was all smiles as he left celebrity hotspot Catch. Single and ready to mingle! Too Hot To Handle star Harry Jowsey (right), 22, enjoyed a night out with friends in Los Angeles on Friday, after splitting from Francesca Farago The sighting comes after the Australian native revealed details of his breakup with Francesca, 26. Last week, he posted on his Instagram Story, before uploading an emotional YouTube video titled 'I broke up with her'. Harry has been living in Los Angeles while Francesca has been at home in Vancouver, Canada. The lengthy video gave fans more details of what happened, saying that he wanted to 'take ownership' of the split. Out on the town: Dressed casually in a grey sweater, black cropped pants and white sneakers, the reality TV personality was all smiles as he left celebrity hotspot Catch 'I saw Francesca and I remember holding her... and I could feel how much she still loved me and I just didn't have that feeling anymore,' Harry said in the video. 'But I didn't want to go because I knew what we had was super, super rare,' he added. Harry finished the video on a high note, praising Francesca, saying: 'She's a wonderful person, she's so gorgeous and everyone's right. She's well and truly out of my league. She's a superstar and I'm so proud of her.' Over: The sighting comes after Harry revealed details of his breakup with Francesca (pictured), 26. In a YouTube video last week, the Australian native said that he wanted to 'take ownership' of the split The video was posted after Francesca had disclosed in her own YouTube video that Harry had been the one to end the relationship. She tearfully asked: 'How could you have a wedding ring folder with someone and how could you propose to someone, but you're also saying I can't be with you because of the distance?' The couple, who were known for their frisky antics on Netflix's Too Hot To Handle, had became engaged via Zoom during the Netflix reunion episode in May. The largest oil company in the United States is preparing to let go between 5% and 10% of its US-based employees subject to performance reviewed, anonymous sources told BNN Bloomberg. Exxons job cuts will be characterized as performance-based, and not considered layoffs, technically speaking. Employees who are not subject to performance reviews will not be affected, the source said. Exxon told Bloomberg in a statement that there was no specific reduction target. Exxon has not been immune to the drastic effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the oil price war that has destroyed demand for crude oil and eaten into profit margins for that reduced demand, and it has attempted to tighten its belt in response. In Q1, Exxon swung to a $640 million lossits first loss in a decade after a $2.9 billion market-related charge. It also cut 2020 capex by a staggering $10 billiona 30% cut. It has also cut its production from the Liza field in Guyana, although that was related to the risk of excessive flaring and not the coronavirus or prices. In addition to offloading some lower-performing employees, the oil giant is preparing to rid itself of its UK North Sea assets, for which it can no longer expect as much money thanks to the downturn. The news comes as Minnesota and D.C. launch climate-related lawsuits against Exxonand others--alleging that they have deceived oil consumers for years about the effects of climate change, and about their role in causing climate change. Exxon, headquartered in Irving, Texas, employed nearly 75,000 people globally at the end of 2019. Shares in Exxon fell on Friday by 3.43% by 4:11 pm EDT, to $43.62. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Googles Verified Calls will be integrated within its official Phone app. Here is how it works. Google is looking to crack down on pesky marketing callers. The company has developed a new feature that will give you more and verified information about a business call. The feature will be integrated into Googles Phone app. Dubbed as Verified Calls, Google will also launch a new platform which will allow businesses to verify their identities, show the recipient their names, and reason for calling them. These verified calls will also showcase the business logo. Google said it does not share sensitive information about users with its business partners. Android Police, which first spotted the upcoming feature, reports the Verified Calls will require businesses to send call information to Googles secure server. The server then shows the data to the users phone. In this process, the Phone app will verify the callers data before allowing them to make a call. Googles servers will delete the data minutes after the call is completed. When the business calls you, your device compares the incoming call information with the information Google received from the business. If theres a match, the Phone app displays the call as a Verified call, said Google on its support page. Googles Verified Calls will be enabled on the Phone app by default. Users, however, will have the option to opt-out. As said earlier, Googles Verified Calls will help users to respond only to legitimate business calls. The platform could also help reduce telemarketing frauds as well. In India, Truecaller has become popular for similar features. The application also allows users to report and label such spam calls. He has been open about his battle with the coronavirus, earlier this year. And Andy Cohen seemed to be in good health while virtually visiting EXTRA on Friday. The Watch What Happens Live host told Billy Bush that he was no longer experiencing symptoms and that he 'gained back' the weight he lost and a little more. Recovered: Andy Cohen told Billy Bush that he was no longer experiencing symptoms and that he 'gained back' the weight he lost and a little more, while virtually visiting EXTRA on Friday When asked how he was doing relating to his previous battle with the coronavirus he said 'I lost a ton of weight and I gained it all back, and then some.' He went on to say that he recently had a chest X-ray done and the doctors noted 'cloudiness' in his lungs which was to be expected of someone recovering. 'I had a chest X-ray a few weeks ago and there was a little cloudiness in the lung,' he said. 'They said thats commensurate for someone who is recovering. Otherwise I feel pretty good. ' The Bravo host announced back in March, that he tested positive for the novel virus, and he took time away from WWHL to recover. Asked: When asked how he was doing relating to his previous battle with the coronavirus he said 'I lost a ton of weight and I gained it all back, and then some' Before: Andy is shown in April, after recovering from the coronavirus in late March, looking much more slender 'It took 10 or 11 days to work through my system,' Cohen said previously on his SiriusXM show Radio Andy, admitting the hardest part was being away from his young son Ben. Adding: 'You know, it takes a bit to get your energy back. Theres a thing where you feel mentally like, "Oh, Im okay." And then you realize, you go downstairs and make a piece of toast and you come upstairs and youre like, "Now I need to relax." He previously railed against what he called 'antiquated and discriminatory guidelines' that he encountered when trying to give blood as part of a program seeking plasma donations from those who've recovered from the disease. In spite of the fact that there is of course a heightened demand for plasma from coronavirus survivors at present, Cohen was still told he was 'ineligible to donate blood because I am a gay man.' Signs of the virus: He went on to say that he recently had a chest X-ray done and the doctors noted 'cloudiness' in his lungs which was to be expected of someone recovering Not ok: He previously railed against what he called 'antiquated and discriminatory guidelines' that he encountered when trying to give blood as part of a program seeking plasma donations from those who've recovered from the disease 'Tonight I've got a bit of a rant, so please indulge me,' the reality TV host and father of one began in the Watch What Happens Live clip, which he uploaded to Instagram. Cohen went on to say that since recovering from the virus which has been sweeping the globe and has claimed close to 200k lives to date, he naturally 'wanted to see if there was something I could do to help people who were infected.' But after signing up for a plasma donation program, Cohen's blood was denied. It was at that point that Andy mentioned the 'antiquated and discriminatory guidelines by the FDA,' which he then said were in place in order to prevent the transmission of HIV, from a time when much less was understood about that disease. Not OK: Andy previously spoke out about discrimination he recently experienced since recovering from Covid-19, when his blood was denied as part of a plasma donation program According to the American Journal of Managed Care, those guidelines were instituted by the FDA in 1985, barring any man who had sex with another man after 1977 from being able to donate blood in light of what was then considered high rates of HIV transmission among that population. However, in 2020, HIV and AIDS are scientifically proven to be associated with all types of populations, rendering the ban on blood from gay men in particular discriminatory. What's more, Cohen pointed out, 'all donated blood is screened for HIV,' before adding that now, 'a rapid HIV test can be done in 20 minutes or less.' Toward the end of his statement on the matter, Andy said, 'My blood could save a life, but instead it's over here boiling.' Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran's big move to create a FMCG giant - combining the consumer products businesses of Tata Global Beverages and Tata Chemicals - is finding buyers in the stock market. The share price of Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL), which launched on May 15, 2019, has recovered fully from the lows in March. It increased 70 per cent in the last three months. The company is the fourth largest business, considering its market capitalisation of Rs 35,500 crore, in Tata Group after Tata Consultancy Services or TCS (Rs 7.96 lakh crore), Titan (Rs 85,835 crore) and Tata Steel (Rs 36,750 crore). It is expected to overtake Tata Steel soon. Tata Motors (Rs 33,450 crore), Trent (Rs 24,600 crore), Voltas (Rs 18,000 crore), Tata Power (Rs 12,565 crore) and Indian Hotels (Rs 9,720 crore) are behind TCPL. The value had crashed 40 per cent at the beginning of the lockdown. TCPL's product portfolio currently spans a mix of iconic and emerging brands in tea, coffee, water, salt, pulses, spices and packaged foods, said Chandrasekaran in the latest annual report. "This gives us broader exposure to the large and fast growing FMCG market in India as well as the ability to explore options in the international markets where we have an existing strong base," he said. Also read: 'Is it a crime to test?': Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw slams ICMR for 'not permitting' asymptomatic testing The integration of the company's foods and beverages businesses in India is well underway. "Unlocking the synergies from this process, and using a combined scale to achieve rapid growth, will be critical for our future. We expect these revenue and cost synergies to add significant shareholder value," he added. Analysts say that the future of the company will depend on its new brands and expansion of its existing brands in the new markets. "TCPL has the potential to become a major food and beverages player like Nestle India and Britannia in the near future, if Tata group nurtures it properly," a Mumbai based analyst said. Nestle India is valued at Rs 1.61 lakh crore in the stock market. TCPL stock is the top conviction pick of brokerage house Motilal Oswal. The brokerage says that it is well positioned to ride the Rs 30 lakh crore consumption wave in India. "To realize its vision, the group has not only consolidated Tata Chemical's consumer business with TCP, but has also brought in a new CEO and MD to steer the company in the right direction. The merger marks the company's entry into an additional segment of staples, with an addressable market size of Rs 77,000 crore," the report stated. Sunil D'Souza, who took over as the MD & CEO of TCPL in April, said, TCPL is the flag-bearer for the Tata group's aspirations in the FMCG space. The combination of the consumer products business of Tata Chemicals and the beverages business of Tata Global Beverages allows us to participate in opportunities spread across all three segments of the food and beverage consumer basket - in-the-kitchen, on-the-table and on-the-go. "We are integrating the businesses effectively and unlocking synergies in terms of growth and efficiency," he said. The consumer products company has also deep penetration in the US, UK and Canada. "In India, we have a combined reach of almost 200 million households and a wide distribution network of 2.5 million retail outlets," he said. TCPL houses popular brands like Tata Salt, Tata Tea, Tetley, Eight O' clock and Himalayan Water. TCPL's growth drivers include multiplying distribution, innovation and stronger cashflows to invest in growth, he said. The company has access to Tata Chemicals' innovation centre in Pune for product development. D'Souza sees digital transformation as a key driver for growth. He said that the company is strengthening the capability in this area, including a digital platform for commodity buying, enabling the entire supply chain from demand planning to procurement and embedding digital technology and decision-making at the frontline of the sales organisation. Consolidated revenue of TCPL grew by 33 per cent and consolidated EBITDA by 56 per cent in the last financial year. On a like-to-like basis (excluding the India Foods business) the topline growth was 4 per cent and EBITDA up by 12 per cent. It has net cash of Rs 1,300 crore on its balance sheet. "We have a proven track record of creating category-defining brands, the likes of Tata Tea and Tata Salt. While there is still a large headroom for growth in our core categories, we see similar opportunities in the staples and packaged foods space too, where Tata Sampann is a mega brand in the making," D'Souza said in the annual report. Also read: Can you assure China will leave Indian land if RGF returns Rs 20 lakh: Chidambaram to PM Modi Los Angeles, June 27 : Actor James McAvoy says there was a pre-shoot ritual that he used to follow, but then he stopped because he found it "just stupid". Talking about what he does before the director says 'action', McAvoy shared: "I for a little while or couple of years, was trying to make myself sort of tense as possible before doing a take and then just relax because it really made you feel relaxed. I would just repel myself into the scene but I stopped doing that because it's just stupid to do that." McAvoy is known for his roles in movies like "The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe", "The Last King Of Scotland" and the "X Men" franchise in which he played Charles Xavier aka Professor X. He has most recently reprised the role of Professor Xavier in "X Men: Dark Phoenix", which released theatrically last year and will be telecast on Star Movies on Sunday. On what it is about the character he finds juicy, McAvoy said: "It's Sir Juicy Charles! I mean he has changed and I have done four films and he has been pretty radically different in this psychological makeup every time I have played him but particularly the 1st one, 2nd one and this one and that is just as an actor that is like almost playing new character every time I come back to him. So it's fresh each time." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Pierce Brosnan said he 'vaguely' remembers saving Halle Berry from choking on the set of Die Another Day. The Oscar-winning actress said the former James Bond, 67, performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on her when she started choking in the middle of a love scene. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Brosnan admitted he was 'not sure' what happened during filming for the 2002 action movie. Hero: Pierce Brosnan stopped Halle Berry from choking on a fig while filming Die Another Day by performing the Heimlich manoeuvre He said: 'I vaguely remember it, I've seen little quotes in the press recently. We were on the set, I'm not quite sure what I did, I might have Heimliched her, I'm not sure.' A laughing Brosnan added: 'I just patted her on the back.' Berry, 53, had told Fallon in April that Brosnan came to the rescue when a fig got stuck in her throat. Scary: The Oscar-winning actress said the former Bond saved her when she started choking in the middle of a love scene Accident: The film, which was Brosnan's final James Bond film, saw Berry starring as Jinx Johnson, an NSA agent She said: 'I was supposed to be all sexy, trying to seduce him with a fig. I end up choking on it and he had to get up and do the Heimlich. So not sexy.' She added: 'James Bond knows how to Heimlich! He was there for me, he will always be one of my favourite people in the whole world.' Die Another Day was Brosnan's final outing as Bond. Lifesaver: Halle added: 'James Bond knows how to Heimlich! He was there for me, he will always be one of my favorite people in the whole world.' Halle and Pierce are pictured in 2003 And it wasn't the only scary moment for Halle while filming Die Another Day. The actress suffered an injury during an action sequence in Cadiz, Spain, when debris from a smoke grenade stunt lodged in her left eye. According to EW.com at the time, she was transported to a local hospital where doctors removed the piece of shrapnel from her cornea. She was soon back at work after suffering an inflamed eye. Die Another Day was also famous for Halle's recreation of the celebrated scene in Dr. No where Ursula Andress emerged from the ocean dripping in water. Jinxed: Halle also suffered an injury during an action sequence during the film in Cadiz, Spain, when debris from a smoke grenade stunt lodged in her left eye Bond girl: Die Another Day was also famous for Halle's recreation of the celebrated scene in Dr. No where Ursula Andress emerged from the ocean dripping in water Halle was last seen on the big screen in last year's John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum opposite Keanu Reeves. Next up will be Bruised, a drama set in the world of mixed martial arts which the actress not only stars in but also directs. She is also set to star in a remake of the 1985 classic Jagged Edge, which starred Jeff Bridges as an accused wife murderer and Glenn Close as the celebrated attorney he hires to convince a jury of his innocence. Simone Wellington was looking forward to spending her birthday afternoon at Bay Beach in Fort Erie but she was turned away at the entrance Friday by municipal staff because shes from out of town. When the Toronto resident and two other women got to the gate, they learned a season pass is required to get onto the popular beach along the Lake Erie shore in Crystal Beach. And passes, they were told, are only being given to people with a Fort Erie address this year. They said they drove two hours from the big city. After being denied entry, the trio said they were going to follow the advice given them by an on-site town employee that other spots like Crescent and Bernard beaches are open to anyone. I know the beaches are open, but I didnt know only for local residents. It is disappointing, she said, adding they might head to Nickel Beach in Port Colborne, which also opened to the public Friday without restrictions regarding place of residence. Bay Beach opened to locals Friday. Ridgeway residents Alyssa and Scott French, holders of the required passes, were enjoying the weather their with their children around 2 p.m. In previous summers, the couple would wait until the evening to go to the beach to avoid the thousands of people it often attracts on sunny weekends. Theyre more comfortable going in the middle of the afternoon, now, with the new rules in place. I think it will be a welcomed change, not being swarmed by so many other people, said Alyssa, sitting on a blanket about 10 feet from the waters edge. We get a front row seat to the water, without a fight to get through anybody, she added. Scott said they skipped going to the busy beach often in 2019 when it reopened after a nearly $3-million overhaul that created new parking options, a playground, pavilion, sidewalks, park area, washrooms and lockers. After the revamping, it got really busy and we havent really been here so much, he said. Alyssa said the timing of the beach reopening couldnt have been better, as the kids just wrapped up their final day of doing school from home. Its a great reward for them after more than three months of adapting to life during the pandemic. Today is really the first official day of summer, so they couldnt wait to get out here, she said. There appeared to be about 100 people there mid-afternoon Friday. The beach is open to people with passes from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. To ensure room for physical distancing, beach staff is only allowing a maximum of 2,000 people each day. On its website, the town lists beach attendance. At 3:30 p.m. it said the site was less than half full. Passes can be picked up at the Leisureplex, Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to noon. They are being offered to Fort Erie residents, taxpayers and short-term rental operators with proof of address such as a driver's license, passport, tax bill or any bill that shows the persons name and address, says a news release from the municipality. Spokeswoman Janine Tessmer said there are about 6,000 season pass holders currently in the community. By 3:30 p.m. Friday, about 500 people had visited the beach throughout the day, she said. Asked about people from out of town trying to visit the beach, she said parks and facilities manager Sean Hutton had not heard of any issues. Kris Dube is a St. Catharines-based reporter for the Welland Tribune. Reach him via email: kris.dube@niagaradailies.com President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden agree on one thing the other side is trying to steal the election. Trump told a gathering of students in Phoenix this will be, in my opinion, the most corrupt election in the history of our country. He amplified the point, a constant theme of his, in a tweet: RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES! The president of the United States actively undermining faith in the electoral process is gross and unprecedented, but hes not alone. READ MORE: Lowry: A presidency is a terrible thing to waste Asked by Trevor Noah of The Daily Show whether he worried the election would be rendered moot by his supporters being prevented from voting, Biden replied: Its my greatest concern. My single greatest concern. This president is going to try to steal this election. This wasnt an isolated comment. Mark my words, he warned in May, I think he is going to try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it cant be held. Yes, if there is one thing everyone can now agree on, its our inability to pull off a free and fair election. We are probably headed to the ugliest electoral smashup since 1876, when the contest between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel Tilden went into overtime, with each party claiming it had won Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina. READ MORE: Lowry: Thomas Jefferson must stand Perhaps a handy victory by Biden or, much less likely, Trump will take the edge off the postgame acrimony, but it is going to be ugly regardless. If the election is close, the aftermath will be a norm-busting extravaganza of conspiracy theories, lawsuits and, at the least, threats to take it to the streets. If Trump loses, theres unlikely to be a concession phone call one of the little grace notes of our democracy and he will argue he was undone by Democratic cheating. Heck, he won in 2016 and still maintained hed been cheated. The transition would surely be unlike any weve seen, with the incumbent routinely insulting his soon-to-be successor. Trump would be likelier to live-tweet Bidens inauguration than to attend. And if he wins, it could be even worse. There were protests in the streets after he won in 2016. In the supercharged atmosphere of 2020, we shouldnt be surprised by riots. After once again believing hed inevitably lose and facing another intolerable four years of Trump, the lefts shock and despair would be unlike anything either side in our politics has experienced in memory. One of the ironies of the 2016 election is that Democrats rightly scolded Trump for preparing the ground not to accept the election result. Then, when he won, they resisted accepting the result, preferring to believe the election had been stolen by Russia. READ MORE: Lowry: Property destruction is violence, and the pain is real A close result will obviously magnify feelings on both sides. The Florida vote controversy of 2000 was the height of recent domestic contention over a presidential election. Looking back, though, it was remarkably tame. With control of the presidency hanging by a thread in Florida, there were no large-scale demonstrations, let alone violence. Legal briefs flew fast and furious, and both George W. Bush and Al Gore wanted to win and distrusted the legal and electoral maneuvers of the other side. Yet there were things that neither of them would say in public, and both of them were willing, if it came to that, to concede with grace. Both men were shaped by the post-World War II consensus in American politics. They had absorbed its standards and reflexively honored its guardrails. That was 20 years, and an eon, ago. @RichLowry Addressing the virtual ministerial meeting of Alliance for Multilateralism, Minister of External Affairs directs attention to a "transformative moment" introduced by the pandemic, the rise of misinformation and miscommunication, calls Covid-19 an "infodemic". External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that dispassionate scrutiny and reform of all multilateral entities are needed to make them purpose-built for the present times and representative of this century. Delivering his remarks at the virtual ministerial meeting of Alliance for Multilateralism, Jaishankar underlined that the world stands at a transformative moment and is facing a two-pronged attack of a pandemic and misinformation going viral. Today, once again, we stand at a transformative moment. A pandemic has devastated our globalised economic system, apart from taking a toll of over 400,000 lives. It has fundamentally affected the way we live, work, travel and indeed, relate to each other, he said. Also read: Reconsider decision to allow 100% FDI in coal sector: Mamata Banerjee urges PM Also read: India China standoff: Army Chief briefs Rajnath Singh about on-ground situation in Ladakh While it is too early to say that the coronavirus has altered our way of life forever, it has reduced humanitys instinctive comfort in the presence of others. Suspicion of human interaction is fuelled, more often than not, by fake news, wrong information and targetted disinformation, he added. So widespread are these phenomena today that we are truly facing a two-pronged attack of a viral pandemic and misinformation going viral. In other words, this is an era of both a health crisis and an infodemic, Jaishankar stated. The External Affairs Minister said that the way forward to address both of challenges is similar and there is a need to strengthen the belief in scientific approaches. We must set aside politics and focus on facts whether it is the effort to dispassionately analyse the causes and drivers of the current coronavirus pandemic, or to assess what changes our multilateral health mechanisms need to implement to improve preparations for a future pandemic, Jaishankar said. He stressed that the resolution adopted at the World Health Assembly last month is an opportunity to use facts and science to assess our response to this pandemic and take those lessons to prepare better for the future, while adding that India, as chair of the WHO Executive Board, is ready to work towards these goals. Jaishankar called on the need to restore faith in meaningful and equal partnerships. Trust, partnership and cooperation draw people, societies and countries together especially during crises, particularly when fake news and disease engender isolationism and unilateralism. In this context, India was pleased to be part of cross-regional group presenting a statement on the ongoing Infodemic in the context of COVID-19 at the UN, he said. As you know, it received wide political support from over 130 states and observers. Our alliance must also continue to take concrete steps to counter the infodemic through its working group in this regard, the minister added. It is an empirical fact that every process and institution must evolve to meet the needs of its time. No institution, howsoever important, can remain frozen at the moment of its foundation. Just as we need to consider the resourcing and regulatory parameters set out for the WHO, to address and resolve shortcomings, so too do we need dispassionate scrutiny and reform of all multilateral entities, to make them purpose-built for our times and representative of this century, Jaishankar said. He stated that this is why we continue to call for reformed multilateralism one that is relevant for the age in which we live, not when this architecture was erected. Our alliance must stand for a dynamic multilateralism, for a purposeful reform of existing structures, which must continue to serve the international community even more in this complex and uncertain time, Jaishankar further said. Also read: Bhutan denies reports of stopping water supply to Assam, calls it a baseless and distressing allegation For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are backing the campaign #StopHateForProfit, which is calling for major companies to pull their advertising campaigns from Facebook until the social media giant takes action to stop the spread of so-called hate speech, civil rights group NAACP has confirmed. The Baltimore-based civil rights organization, which was founded in 1909, took to Twitter this weekend to thank the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 'for their leadership', adding 'your commitment to truth, justice, and equality are appreciated'. The organisation, which stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, tweeted: 'We are grateful for the leadership of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in recognizing the importance of solidarity in this moment. Your commitment to truth, justice, and equality are appreciated.' Shares in the platform went crashing 8.3 percent to $216.08 by the closing bell Friday - its lowest in three months - after more than 100 advertisers boycotted the firm for its failure to stop content perceived as hate speech and misinformation being posted on its platform. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (seen in London in March) are backing the campaign #StopHateForProfit, which is calling for major companies to pull their advertising campaigns from Facebook until the social media giant takes action to stop the spread of so-called hate speech, civil rights group NAACP has confirmed. The Baltimore-based civil rights organization, which was founded in 1909, took to Twitter this weekend to thank the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 'for their leadership', adding 'your commitment to truth, justice, and equality are appreciated' Speaking about their involvement, an insider told Town and Country magazine: 'As we've been developing Archewell, one of the areas The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been keen to address is online hate speech, and we've been working with civil rights and racial justice groups on it. 'Over the past few weeks, in particular, this issue has become even more vital and they have been working to encourage global CEOs to stand in solidarity with a coalition of civil and racial justice groups like the NAACP, Color of Change, and the Anti-Defamation League, which are calling for structural changes to our online world.' FEMAIL has contacted Harry and Meghan's representatives for comment. The Sussexes representatives confirmed their stance to The Insider. Shares in the platform went crashing 8.3 percent to $216.08 by the closing bell Friday - its lowest in three months - after more than 100 advertisers boycotted the firm for its failure to stop hate speech and misinformation posted on its platform. Seen: CEO Mark Zuckerberg Facebook shares have dropped a staggering $56 billion after major companies including Unilever and Coca-Cola pulled their advertisements from the social media giant, despite CEO Mark Zuckerberg promising action on hate speech and putting a warning label on a Republican National Committee (RNC) video. This wiped $56 billion off Facebook's market value and dealt a hefty $7.2 billion blow to Zuckerberg's personal fortune, pushing him down from third to fourth place on Bloomberg Billionaires Index and leaving him with a new net worth of $82.3 billion. This came after Coca-Cola and Unilever became the latest major corporations to pull the plug on Facebook advertising Friday, joining several firms including Dove, Honda and Ben & Jerry's in a show of support for the #StopHateForProfit campaign. Coca-Cola announced a pause on all paid social media advertising globally for at least 30 days saying 'there is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media' while Unilever, one of the world's biggest advertisers, said it would stop spending money with Facebook for the rest of the year. Zuckerberg buckled under the pressure Friday and announced new content policies for the platform, including tighter restrictions on advertising and labels for 'harmful' posts from public figures. Facebook has put a warning label on a video posted by the Republican National Committee about 'left-wing anarchists' after CEO Mark Zuckerberg caved and said the social media giant would ban hate speech on the platform following a boycott by 100 advertisers The GOP appears to be one of the first to face the clampdown on 'harmful' and 'hateful' content, after Facebook put a warning label on a video posted by the RNC about 'left-wing anarchists' Friday. The platform put a 'violent or graphic content' warning on the video named 'It's about destroying America' which features footage of cop cars on fire alongside snippets of speeches made by Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors as well as Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 'This video may show violent or graphic content,' the Facebook warning reads. 'We covered this video so you can decide if you want to see it.' The video opens with footage of Cullors saying 'we are trained Marxists' before it goes on to show snippets of violent scenes across America amid the ongoing civil unrest in the wake of the Memorial Day 'murder' of black man George Floyd by a white cop in Minneapolis. 'The 'trained Marxists' are on a violent rampage,' flashes up on the screen as the video shows select scenes of a cop being hit by a car, an LA police cruiser on fire, a toppled statue of Ulysses Grant and St. John's Church on fire during protests calling for an end to police brutality and racism. It also contains undated, edited footage of Democrat rivals. Zuckerberg said in a Facebook Live video on Friday that the company would begin labeling 'harmful' content from politicians that remains 'newsworthy' Companies that have joined Facebook ad boycott Unilever Verizon Eddie Bauer Eileen Fisher Ben & Jerry's Patagonia North Face REI Upwork Rakuten Viber Magnolia Pictures Goodby Silverstein Dove Coca-Cola Dockers Levi's Honda Advertisement Speaker Pelosi is heard saying 'I don't even know why there aren't uprisings all over the country and maybe there will be' while presidential candidate Biden says 'we have an incredible opportunity to fundamentally transform the country'. 'Make sure police departments are defunded,' Ocasio-Cortez says in a clip followed up by Rep. Ilhan Omar who makes a call to 'completely dismantle' the Minneapolis Police Department. The footage, which ends by telling viewers to 'Vote for Trump', makes claims that the so-called 'anarchists' are attacking police officers, 'ripping apart communities' and 'destroying America'. The warning sign comes as the social media giant has come under fire for not removing or labeling content believed to be hate speech, such as posts by Donald Trump and misinformation about the Black Lives Matter protests. More than 100 companies have so far joined the Facebook boycott with Coca-Cola announcing Friday it was joining the likes of Dove, Unilever and Verizon. 'The Coca-Cola Company will pause paid advertising on all social media platforms globally for at least 30 days,' Coca-Cola CEO and Chairman, James Quincey, said in a statement, adding the company is not joining the official boycott. 'We will take this time to reassess our advertising policies to determine whether revisions are needed. We also expect greater accountability and transparency from our social media partners.' Zuckerberg responded to the boycott in a Facebook Live video Friday where he announced the company would begin labeling 'harmful' content from politicians that remains 'newsworthy'. Though he did not name Trump, the policy comes in response to a campaign demanding Facebook impose tighter restrictions on 'misinformation' in the president's campaign ads, and on his inflammatory posts. Twitter has already slapped warning labels on some of the president's tweets that it deemed abusive or threatening, and unlike Facebook, Twitter banned all political campaign ads. Zuckerberg slammed the move when Twitter first labeled a Trump tweet, saying it wasn't up to social media companies to be the 'arbiters of truth' - but the Facebook CEO appears to have had a change of heart following the punishing advertiser boycott. Coca-Cola announced a pause on all paid social media advertising globally for at least 30 days saying 'there is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media' North Face was first to pledge its allegiance to the civil rights groups last week and now several major companies including ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's have joined the boycott 'We will soon start labeling some of the content we leave up because it is deemed newsworthy, so people can know when this is the case,' Zuckerberg said in the livestream. 'We'll allow people to share this content to condemn it, just like we do with other problematic content, because this is an important part of how we discuss what's acceptable in our society - but we'll add a prompt to tell people that the content they're sharing may violate our policies,' he continued. Zuckerberg also announced new policies cracking down on hateful language in ads, as well as guidelines on voting information. 'We already restrict certain types of content in ads that we allow in regular posts, but we want to do more to prohibit the kind of divisive and inflammatory language that has been used to sow discord,' Zuckerberg said. 'So today we're prohibiting a wider category of hateful content in ads. Specifically, we're expanding our ads policy to prohibit claims that people from a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety, health or survival of others,' he said. 'We're also expanding our policies to better protect immigrants, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers from ads suggesting these groups are inferior or expressing contempt, dismissal or disgust directed at them,' he continued. It follows an advertiser boycott that grew rapidly over the past week, organized by activists demanding Facebook impose greater restrictions on hate speech and misinformation. Honda and Unilver were the latest large companies to join the boycott. However, Zuckerberg did not directly address the boycott in his address. At least some of the boycott organizers said that Zuckerberg's new policies were inadequate. 'Zuckerberg's address was 11 minutes of wasted opportunity to commit to change,' tweeted Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, an organizer of the 'Stop Hate For Profit' boycott campaign. 'I hope companies advertising on Facebook were watching - if they want to put their money where their mouth is on racial justice, then it's time to #StopHateForProfit,' Robinson added. 'Today, Mark Zuckerberg responded with small changes that don't adequately address #hate & misinformation,' tweeted Johnathan Greenblatt, president of the Anti-Defamation League, a key backer of the boycott. Greenblatt said that if Facebook were 'serious', they would have enacted the activists' detailed list of demands. Unilever said on Friday it will stop advertising on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the United States for the rest of the year, citing 'divisiveness and hate speech during this polarized election period in the U.S.' The consumer goods company, which owns brands like Dove Soap and Lipton tea, joins a growing advertising boycott against Facebook as part of the 'Stop Hate for Profit' campaign started by U.S. activists after the death of George Floyd. The effort called on Facebook, which owns Instagram, to do more to stop content perceived as hate speech, and criticized the company for not doing more to restrict posts and campaign ads from President Donald Trump. Unilever subsidiary Ben & Jerry's, which has an independent board, previously announced it would join the boycott on Facebook earlier this week, possibly putting pressure on the parent company headquartered in London, which has an annual global advertising budget of nearly $8 billion. Unilever said on Friday it will stop advertising on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the United States for 2020 'Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society. We will be monitoring ongoing and will revisit our current position if necessary,' Unilever said in a statement. The company, which is based in the Netherlands and Britain, joins a raft of other companies halting advertising on online platforms. Facebook in particular has been the target of an escalating movement to siphon away advertising dollars in a bid to pressure the social media-giant to do more to prevent racist and violent content from being shared on its platform. 'We have decided that starting now through at least the end of the year, we will not run brand advertising in social media newsfeed platforms Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the U.S.,' Unilever said. On Thursday, Verizon joined others in the Facebook boycott. Sarah Personette, vice president of global client solutions at Twitter, said the company's 'mission is to serve the public conversation and ensure Twitter is a place where people can make human connections, seek and receive authentic and credible information, and express themselves freely and safely.' She added that Twitter is 'respectful of our partners decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time.' Shares in Facebook, which is based in Menlo Park, California, fell about 7 percent Friday. San Francisco-based Twitter's shares were also off about 7 percent. The #StopHateForProfit campaign comes as Facebook faces growing pressure over its hands-off approach to misinformation and inflammatory posts, including from Trump. The social media company made an estimated $70 billion annually from ads, the coalition claimed in a statement on the ADL website. The campaign has criticized Zuckerberg's decision to not moderate the president, after the CEO again defended his decision not to limit Trump's often controversial, incendiary and inaccurate posts. Twitter's decision in May to hide one of Trump's tweets for 'glorifying violence' exposed turmoil at Facebook, with employees rebelling against Zuckerberg's refusal to sanction false or inflammatory posts by the president. Facebook last week said it removed ads by Trump's re-election campaign that contained a symbol used in Nazi Germany for political prisoners, a move welcomed by rights activists. The activists called on Facebook to crack down harder on Trump and his campaign as the November election looms. 'It is clear that Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, are no longer simply negligent, but in fact, complacent in the spread of misinformation, despite the irreversible damage to our democracy,' the NAACP said in a tweet. The coalition criticized Zuckerberg's decision late last month to leave up a particularly inflammatory Trump post, which stated in part: 'When the looting starts, the shooting starts'. Twitter hid the same message behind a warning that said the post 'incited violence'. Several Facebook employees staged a 'virtual walkout' over Zuckerberg's decision. The Facebook co-founder then held a conference call with civil rights leaders who condemned him for failing to remove the post. In a subsequent statement, Rashad Robinson of Color of Change, Vanita Gupta of the Leadership Conference and Sherrilyn Ifill of LDF said: 'He [Zuckerberg] did not demonstrate understanding of historic or modern-day voter suppression and he refuses to acknowledge how Facebook is facilitating Trump's call for violence against protesters. Mark is setting a very dangerous precedent for other voices who would say similar harmful things on Facebook.' Dermot O'Leary, 46, and his wife Dee Koppang, 41, have become parents for the first time after welcoming a baby boy on Tuesday. The presenter took to Instagram to announce the news as he gushed he was 'enjoying the cuddles in a newborn bubble.' Posting a sweet photo of the personalised baby grow, Dermot revealed they'd welcomed a son together, after first announcing that they were expecting in February. Oh baby! Dermot O'Leary, 46, and his wife Dee Koppang, 41, have become parents for the first time after welcoming a baby boy on Tuesday Baby news! The presenter took to Instagram to announce the news as he gushed he was 'enjoying the cuddles in a new born bubble' In his post, Dermot penned: 'Welcome to the world baby Koppang O'Leary... We're delighted to announce that we've had a baby! 'A little boy born on Tuesday 23rd June 2020 (Sankthansaften / Midsummer for you Norwegians) at 8.19am, weighing in at 6lb 13oz. 'Enjoying the cuddles in the newborn bubble... cats yet to be 100% convinced. Lots of love, Dermot & Dee x.' Queen: Just a day before their son was born, Dermot revealed that he and Dee were celebrating their impending arrival with a 'summer solstice' theme baby shower Just a day before their son was born, Dermot revealed that he and Dee were celebrating their impending arrival with a 'summer solstice' theme baby shower. Dermot and his wife Dee announced in February that they were expecting their first child together. Taking to Instagram, they shared a fun picture of a message board decorated with a floral wreath which said 'Koppang O'Leary productions' would be welcoming a 'new arrival coming soon'. In the post Dermot penned: 'We're pleased to announce that we're expecting a little Koppang O'Leary...' Lovely: Dermot and his wife Dee announced in February that they were expecting their first child together Dee debuted her baby bump for the first time at the British Academy Film Awards 2020 Nominees' Party in February. Since then, the private couple have shared rare glimpses of Dee's pregnancy during lockdown. In April, the Norwegian producer and director showcased her growing baby bump as she revealed she had to do Dermot's hair and make-up for the One World Together highlights show. Dee joked: 'No pressure... had to do @radioleary hair & make up for tonight's @bbcone @glblctzn live show... (7.15pm). 'Apologies in advance if he looks orange on the show There's only so much @sarahexley1 could teach me on a Zoom tutorial...' Big news: Dee debuted her baby bump for the first time at the British Academy Film Awards 2020 Nominees' Party in February (pictured) The presenter's news sparked a slew of congratulatory posts from stars including Holly Willoughby, Tamzin Outhwaite and Ruth Langsford. Dermot tied the knot with Dee in 2012 after ten years together at St Mary's Church in Chiddingstone, Kent. It proved to be a star-studded occasion with guests including Holly Willoughby, James Corden and Bear Grylls. In 2015 Dermot hinted that he was ready to start a family with wife Dee, telling Fabulous Magazine: 'I definitely want kids, but I've got a very busy wife with a very busy life. Baby joy: Since then, the private couple have shared rare glimpses of Dee's pregnancy during lockdown (pictured at the BAFTAs in February) 'It's not fair for me to say, ''I want kids now''. I do want kids with my wife, but I want them when we both think it's the right thing to happen.' Late last year ahead of his seventh wedding anniversary, Dermot also spoke about the secret to his happy relationship, telling Fabulous: 'It's a work in progress, isn't it? 'The key for me is giving each other space, not giving each other a hard time and actually having fun together. And we do.' Dermot and Dee met in 2002 when they worked for the same TV production company, and got engaged in New York in December 2011. YEREVAN. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan doesn't care about the Constitution and the laws. Opposition figure Ruben Hakobyan, a member of Vernatun Club, and Director of the Akunk Center for the Political Analysis, on Saturday told this to reporters outside the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia. "Today, the behavior of the opposition is not adequate because you wake up every day and everyone is talking about the fact that the halls of powerrepresented by [PM] Nikol Pashinyanhave taken an illegal and unconstitutional direction. We understood very well that he [Pashinyan] doesn't care about both the Constitution and the laws, he does what he wants, his family ties do what they want, and state structures do not exist today, or the branches of power dont exist today, they are under his direct coercion and compulsion and, of course, we say, Enough is enough. He doesn't pay attention to it, naturally, we have to take equivalent steps, and those () are the mechanism whereby Pashinyan came to powerby closing off streets, breaking the door of the radio house [Public Radio], he said. According to him, if the law enforcement agencies did not give criminal assessments to Nikol Pashinyan's actions at that time, then every citizen can do what Pashinyan did. Ruben added that he was summoned to the NSS in connection with calls to overthrow the constitutional order, in an interview Friday. "Indeed, we must stand up for the Constitutional Court because it is the only bastion that is able to show signs of life and does not obey the dictatorial aspirations of the prime minister," Hakobyan said. One would think that with demonstrations against police brutality raging throughout the state, even in small rural towns, officers who monitored the protests would have been on their best behavior. Not so. Gratuitous violence against marchers, innocent bystanders and reporters wearing identifying vests and/or displaying credentials was rampant. In Vallejo, which has a sorry history of police killings, Detective Jarrett Tonn, riding in a patrol car during demonstrations, saw Sean Monterrosa carrying what he thought was a gun and fired five shots through the cars window, killing the young man. Vallejo police didnt even announce Monterrosas death for a day and a half, but finally declared that Monterrosa had no gun and was on his knees with his arms raised when Tonn shot. Dan Walters: CalPERS gambles on risky investment move Facing a vicious circle of conflicting demands and priorities, the California Public Employees Retirement System is turning to debt - a risky scheme to borrow billions of dollars in hopes of juicing its investment returns, columnist Dan Walters says. They executed him. There was no reason for them to kill my brother like that, Monterrosas sister, Ashley Monterrosa, told ABC7 News. Its an old story, sadly reminiscent of what happened in Sacramento two years ago when two cops fired about 20 bullets at a shadowy figure they thought had a gun. A young black man, Stephon Clark, was shot eight times and died with a cellphone in his hand, not a gun. Clarks death supercharged a long-nascent campaign to change Californias deadly force laws. Last year, after much negotiating, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 392, which says deadly force is legally allowable only when necessary in defense of human life. Monterrosas death in Vallejo may become the first test of the new law. Dan Walters: Budget No. 4 wont be the last Gov.Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders have agreed on a new state budget but it's not the last word and taxes may be on the agenda to fill its holes, columnist Dan Walters says. Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that he will review the Vallejo Police Department, whose officers have killed 19 suspects since 2010. No Vallejo officer has been charged for an on-duty shooting, but taxpayers have paid out more than $7 million to settle civil lawsuits. Becerra stopped short of intervening in the Monterrosa case, but the Solano County district attorneys office is on notice as it decides whether Tonn should be prosecuted. California clearly has a problem with police violence, not only in the long list of dead unarmed suspects, but in the aggressive tactics during protests of George Floyds suffocation death with a Minneapolis policeman kneeling on his neck. Dan Walters: George Floyd protests challenge politicians The George Floyd suffocation protests generate both opportunity and peril for politicians, including those in California, columnist Dan Walters says. Police unions have long had a cozy arrangement with the Democratic politicians who dominate California, trading campaign endorsements for hefty benefits and special legal protections. California is one of the very few states, for instance, that dont revoke the certifications of officers who are fired, thus allowing them to continue working elsewhere. That unholy alliance cracked a bit last year with the passage of the new shooting standard, and with events this year, the unions know that their clout is fading. In full-page newspaper ads this month, the unions representing cops in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose proposed a slate of reforms. No words can convey our collective disgust and sorrow for the murder of George Floyd, the unions said in the advertisement. We have an obligation as a profession and as human beings to express our sorrow by taking action. Dan Walters: Whither California after crises abate? How will California evolve after pandemic, recession and civic unrest abate? We have a choice, columnist Dan Walters says. Their plan includes reforms adopted by some individual agencies, a national database of former police officers fired for gross misconduct, and a national use-of-force standard that emphasizes reverence for life, de-escalation, a duty to intercede, proportional responses to dangerous incidents and strong accountability. Its a start, but only a start. We need good cops to deal with those who prey on the public, and we need alternatives to police for purely social problems such as public intoxication. The onus is on Newsom, Becerra and other Democratic officials to step up. CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Queen and the Prime Minister have saluted the work of British servicemen and women, as the country marks Armed Forces Day while under coronavirus lockdown. The Red Arrows left a trail of red, white and blue smoke as they performed a flypast in North Yorkshire on Saturday morning as part of this years more muted celebrations. The Hawk fast-jets took to the skies above the coastal town of Scarborough which had been due to host an event which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Armed Forces Day flag has been raised in tribute at locations across the country. In a statement, the Queen thanked the countrys armed forces, saying: Having had members of my family serve in each of the Armed Services, I know only too well of the pride service personnel take in their duty. Plans to celebrate Armed Forces Day in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, this year were cancelled due to coronavirus (Danny Lawson/PA) As your Commander-in-Chief, I send my warmest best wishes to you all, your families, and the entire Armed Forces community. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson shared a video message on Twitter in which he hailed the contribution of the heroes from the British Army, RAF and Royal Navy during the Covid-19 crisis. He highlighted the Armys logistical support in building the new NHS Nightingale hospital, the RAFs assistance in repatriating Britons stranded abroad and the Navys provision of air ambulances for rural communities. The Duke of Edinburgh and I join many around the United Kingdom in celebrating Armed Forces Day, and the efforts of our military both at home and overseas A message from Her Majesty The Queen on #ArmedForcesDay pic.twitter.com/GRYzzhja4u The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 27, 2020 The Prime Minister said: Theres a grim irony in the fact that the pandemic which our military is doing so much to fight, means we cant hold the Armed Forces Day festivities at which we could thank you for doing so much. Story continues The Red Arrows fly over Scarborough Castle (Danny Lawson/PA) But take it from me, whether youre a regular, a reservist, a civilian contractor, a veteran, or the family and friends who support our military in so many ways, we as a nation salute you. Drawing a link to the celebrations that marked the end of the Second World War, Mr Johnson added: And we will know that, day and night, at home and aboard, at sea, on land, in the air, even in space and online, our fantastic armed forces are there for us now, just as you were when the nation celebrated more than 75 years ago. And its for all that and more, that Im proud to salute our armed forces. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also thanked serving personnel for their work during the pandemic such as running testing sites or getting personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline workers. We proudly salute our Armed Forces #ArmedForcesDay pic.twitter.com/Z5TrDKB3BS Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) June 27, 2020 The first duty of any government is to keep its people safe and its you, our armed forces, who every day stand ready to put your lives on the line for our country, he said in a tweeted video. Sir Keir said the country must address the challenges the armed forces face around pay, recruitment and support for veterans. To mark Armed Forces Day, he has announced a new group, the Labour Friends of the Forces, in a move designed to strengthen the partys connections with veterans, active personnel and forces families. Air Vice-Marshal Chris Elliot, controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund, urged people to remember some of the 300,000 RAF veterans in need of support, be that through financial difficulties or loneliness, who are particularly vulnerable during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today is #ArmedForcesDay2020 and I want to say thank you to our serving personnel, their families and our veterans. Im proud of my country and proud of those who serve it. pic.twitter.com/XdwMdbAfhV Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 27, 2020 With this years celebrations being held virtually for the first time in history, military bands are due to give performances streamed on the armed forces Facebook and Twitter pages. Behind-the-scenes views of the Royal Navys HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier will also be shown. Ahead of Saturday, Mr Johnson spoke with military personnel including Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Pynn, who led a team of 20 military medics supporting the London Ambulance Service transporting patients to the NHS Nightingale hospital in London, and Wing Commander Claire Collis who was involved in the repatriation of British citizens from India and Pakistan. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace commended the military for its professionalism, commitment and versatility through the pandemic. The Ministry of Defence announced in May that Scarborough will host the Armed Forces Day national event in 2021. As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases declines, the government has set June 27 as the date for reopening. Tunisia is about to welcome back tourists. It is hoping visitors will revive an industry which suffered many setbacks even before the pandemic shut everything down. As Al Jazeeras Mohammed Jamjoom reports, it is likely to be a long road to recovery. A global fundraising meeting on Saturday raised 6.15 billion euros ($6.9 billion) from the United States, the European Commission and numerous countries to fight Covid-19, with many participants stressing that an eventual vaccine should be available to anyone who needs it. The pledging summit, part of a joint initiative by the EU executive and advocacy group Global Citizen, also included a globally televised and streamed fundraising concert featuring Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Chloe X Halle, Usher and others. The Commission together with the European Investment Bank ... In politics, as in life, unrequited love is a tragic thing. In the Republican runoff for the 23rd Congressional District, Raul Reyes Jr. has made it abundantly clear how much he adores President Donald Trump. He has referred to the GOP as the Trump Republican Party and put out campaign mailers that could almost fool you into thinking that he, and not Mike Pence, will be Trumps running mate in November. One mailer features the smiling side-by-side images of Reyes, a retired Air Force officer based in Castroville, and Trump. Rely on Reyes, the ad proclaims, to fight for Trump, for Texas and for you. Reyes also has attacked his runoff opponent, former Navy cryptologist Tony Gonzales, for accepting the endorsement of outgoing District 23 Rep. Will Hurd, a fellow Republican who has dared to offer occasional criticisms of Trump. One recent Reyes mailer came to the attention of Trump campaign reps, and the results were not pretty. The ad photoshopped images of Reyes and Trump to create the impression that theyre standing together behind a lectern, with both of them giving the thumbs-up sign. Raul Reyes fully supports President Trumps plan to build a strong border wall from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, the mail piece promises. All this fawning, however, has done Reyes no favors. In fact, it earned him a scolding from Team Trump. Katrina Pierson, a senior adviser and spokesperson for the Trump campaign, responded to Reyes ad Friday by tweeting, This is misleading, and possibly unethical. There has not been an endorsement awarded in this race. (The connection between Team Trump and the District 23 runoff is Dwight Parscale, a Gonzales supporter who happens to be the father of Trumps campaign manager, Brad Parscale.) On Friday, Reyes found himself in the awkward position of publicly arguing with the spokesperson for his political role model. Within a couple of hours, Reyes shot back, No deception here. The mail is true: I am the only TRUMP REPUBLICAN. Wake up before you realize Tony G (Will Hurd clone/2.0) is in Congress. Reyes and Gonzales are slugging it out for the chance to take on Democratic nominee Gina Ortiz Jones in this sprawling, heavily Latino swing district that stretches from South San Antonio to El Paso County. Given that there isnt too much to separate these two conservatives with long military backgrounds, its not surprising that the race has gotten petty and personal. Reyes did not respond to an interview request for this column. Gonzales said, Ive been in this race with him for 11 months now, and Ive learned one thing: You know Reyes is lying when his lips are moving. Its misinformation after misinformation. Heres the strange aspect to Reyes efforts to wrap himself up in a Trump blanket: Trump isnt very popular in District 23. Four years ago, Trump lost the district to Hillary Clinton by 3 percentage points, even while carrying the rest of the state by a comfortable margin. Hurd was able to keep the congressional seat in Republican hands only by distancing himself from Trumps coarse rhetoric. This year, with polls showing Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in a dead heat in Texas, Trumps standing in District 23 is surely worse than ever. Of course, the twisted nature of our politics is such that what works in a general election often bears little relation to what works in a primary. In the GOP runoff, Reyes is playing to the party base, which is still loyal to Trump. If Reyes Trump worship carries him to a runoff win, it could also send him to defeat in November. Roy staffer takes leave On June 24, this column looked at a series of inflammatory tweets from Wade Miller, a retired Marine who serves as chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Chip Roy. That afternoon, Roy announced that Miller would be taking a temporary leave from his job. It came to my attention in recent days that my Chief of Staff, Wade Miller, exercised poor judgment and used inappropriate language while engaging with individuals on social media, Roy said in a statement. It was wrong, and in response, my first step was to reprimand him privately, request that he back away from social media, and relay to my entire staff that under no circumstances is this kind of profane language acceptable on social media or any other platform. The first-term congressman added that Miller, an infantry combat veteran who served in Iraq, apologized to him and the congressional staff and decided to make appointments for post-traumatic stress disorder counseling. I have put him on leave subject to completing appropriate counseling, Roy said. And he has taken himself off of all forms of social media, effective immediately. Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Gilbert, become a subscriber. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 18:38:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BISHKEK, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Dosaly Esenaliev, head of the Kyrgyz presidential administration, has contracted COVID-19, the president's press service said on Saturday. After eight employees of the presidential administration tested positive for COVID-19 several days ago, all the employees have undergone medical tests, it said. Another nine employees, including Esenaliev, got a positive result, taking the total number of infections in the administration to 17, it added. Kyrgyzstan has reported 4,513 cases of COVID-19 with 46 deaths. Among them, 2,212 patients have recovered. Enditem Amid the ongoing economic woes created by the coronavirus pandemic, the Reserve Bank has decided to extend the enhanced borrowing facility provided to the banks to meet their liquidity shortages till September 30. The RBI, as a temporary measure, had increased the borrowing limit of scheduled banks under the marginal standing facility (MSF) scheme from 2 per cent to 3 per cent of their Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) with effect from March 27, 2020. Under the MSF, banks can borrow overnight funds at their discretion by dipping into the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR). This relaxation, which was granted till June 30, 2020, has now been extended till September 30. "On a review, it has now been decided to extend this enhanced limit till September 30, 2020," the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a circular. Banks may continue to access overnight funds under the MSF against their excess SLR holding, it added. The marginal standing facility rate currently stands at 4.25 per cent. The RBI has also extended the relaxation on the minimum daily maintenance of the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 80 per cent for a further period of three months till September 25, 2020. On March 27, the minimum daily maintenance of the CRR was reduced from 90 per cent of the prescribed CRR to 80 per cent till June 26, 2020. This was done in view of the continuing of hardships faced by banks in terms of social distancing of staff and consequent strains on reporting requirements. The global food processing industry has been struck by a series of coronavirus outbreaks in processing plants around the world. Case in point, at a Dole Foods plant in Springfield, Ohio, 230 workers have tested positive for COVID-19. Despite more than a quarter of the workforce contracting the virus, Dole and the state of Ohio have refused to close the factory. The company claimed that the plant is not likely the source of transmission and closure is not warranted, according to WHIO-TV. Such a statement exposes the contempt the ruling class possesses for the working class. Regardless of where the source of transmission began, the plant is now a center of infection. To ignore that the virus is spreading between workers is not just neglectful, but criminal. Opposition to this murderous policy was expressed by Barry Scuttles, a worker at the Dole plant. In an interview with WHIO-TV he stated, Corporate America is worried about money. Theyre not worried about their workers. I can get another job. I cant get another life. He also noted that workers would be working 12-hour shifts to make up for the time lost by infected employees missing work. Workers in a food processing plant [Credit: UNIDO] In a similar event, PepsiCo China announced the closure of a food processing plant in Beijing on June 15 after at least one employee tested positive for the virus. Beijing reported its first case in a recent outbreak on June 11 in a resurgence of nearly 230 cases linked to its Xinfadi wholesale food district, according to Reuters. The resurgence of COVID-19 in China is a prime example of how food processing centers can be hotbeds of transmission, even in places in which the virus had been believed to have been largely contained. Seven workers tested positive last week at Champlain Valley Specialty of NY, a food processing company that packages sliced apples in Oswego, New York. Oswego County is preparing, along with much of upstate and western New York, to move on to Phase 4 of reopening in the coming weeks. This phase marks a near complete reopening of economic and school activity with some minor caveats for social distancing. In the United Kingdom, several meat processing facilities have been forced to halt operations. Oscar Mayer reported that 38 workers were infected at their Rowan Foods plant in northern Wales but have refused to close the plant. Asda, the UKs third largest meat packager, closed its plant in Kirklees, West Yorkshire after several workers tested positive. Meanwhile, the company 2 Sisters has reported that the number of workers infected in its plants has reached 158 as of June 21 and has closed its poultry plant in Wales. In Gutersloh, Germany, more than 1,500 workers have been infected in the Toennies meat processing plant. The outbreak has spurred the state of North Rhine-Westphalia to impose a lockdown on more than 360,000 people living in the district. The fact that food processing plants are major centers of infection should come as no surprise. Dozens to hundreds of workers are crammed into factories with little to no social distancing and mediocre protective measures. Additionally, workers typically work in enclosed, refrigerated areas that are a prime environment for the virus to thrive and transmit. The vulnerability of food processing workers and the persistence of outbreaks in them demonstrate the anti-scientific and murderous character of the back-to-work drive. The pandemic is far from over and a reckless back-to-work drive in countries that have already seen large outbreaks will inevitably fuel an explosion of cases. These policies demonstrate the incompatibility of the profit system with public health. All sick workers could be provided with full pay and all essential workers could be provided with the protective equipment they require. The money exists, but only for the benefit of corporations and the ruling elite. Trillions of dollars have been doled out to big business in the CARES Act. Yet hardly a penny can be spared to save the lives of workers and their families without squeals of pain from the financial oligarchy. A Maryland man who has helped organize 'reopen' protests against measures intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus says he has been sickened with COVID-19. Tim Walters, a co-founder of the ReOpen Maryland movement, announced this week on social media that he has tested positive. 'I was diagnosed yesterday at the ER with COVID-19 and here I am months after not wearing a mask at rallies, churches and so on and so it's funny how capricious this thing is,' he said in a Facebook video. The co-founder of ReOpen Maryland, Tim Walters, 53, pictured, who organized rallies to pressure Gov. Larry Hogan to lift the state's stay-at-home order has tested positive for COVID Tim Walters, ReOpen Maryland Facebook administrator, makes a speech against stay-at-home restrictions. He drove across Maryland to rally protesters in May of this year Walters, a two-time Republican candidate for the state legislature, helped organize ReOpen Maryland protests in Annapolis, on the Eastern Shore and elsewhere in Maryland demanding that Governor Larry Hogan lift restrictions that were imposed to slow the spread of the virus. According to the Washington Post he declined an interview request from the newspaper, which reported that he said he would not provide any information to public health officials trying to trace the spread of the disease. 'I will not share anybody's information with the government. I will not do it,' he said online. Supporters of the group Reopen Maryland wave to vehicles filling Church Circle to protest the state's stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in Annapolis in April Tim Walters, a co-founder of ReOpen Maryland, said on social media this week that he has had a dry cough for months but it recently worsened. He then began to experience an excruciating headache, a fever and the inability to focus with one of his eyes, which led to vertigo This is despite public health officials stressing that contact tracing is a key part of fighting the spread of the virus. Walters emphasized he had contacted people he'd recently interacted with and claims that he believes providing the names could infringe upon people's rights. It led to some people commenting on his Facebook page that he was selfish for stating that he would not help contact tracers. Walters has promised to continue to post videos on his Facebook page about how he is dealing with the virus and has urged people who came into contact with him over the past two weeks to seek medical attention if they have symptoms. Governor Hogan posted a link to a similar story in the Annapolis-based Capital Gazette to his own Facebook page Friday. 'Our health experts are strongly encouraging anyone who attended a demonstration or mass gathering to immediately get tested for coronavirus, and they are also advised to avoid contact with vulnerable populations,' Hogan wrote. Walters said on social media this week that he has had a dry cough for months but that it recently worsened. He then began to experience an excruciating headache, a fever and the inability to focus with one of his eyes, which led to vertigo. In his Facebook video he said that he suspected he might have the virus but was surprised by the toll it was taking on him this week. Reopen Maryland call on the state to lift the stay-at-home order and reopen the economy. Most protesters rallied from inside their cars as they caused gridlock 'It was nothing like what I thought,' he said. 'The challenge with this is all the symptoms for everybody are completely different.' He urged those who think they have already had the virus to not 'make that assumption to the point where you're being less prudent about how you're behaving.' During a Facebook Live video shot on Friday, Walters told how he was on the mend but having trouble eating. 'My throat is a little raw today because I couldn't keep any food down yesterday,' he said in a video recorded in his kitchen. 'My headache is still with me,' he said. The Congress on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to retract his statements made at the all-party meeting on the Galwan Valley skirmish with Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) that left 20 Indian Army soldiers dead on June 15. Addressing a virtual press conference, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, It is not too late for the PM to retract his ill-advised misstatements. When Indias security is in issue no Prime Minister should hesitate to state facts to build trust. Otherwise the Chinese will use his statement to their advantage which will hurt us persuading our friends globally. The PMs statements must be based on facts and instil confidence, he said. During the all-party meeting on June 19, the PM had said, No one has intruded into our territory. No one is present in our territory. None of our posts are in possession of anyone. Sibal said, But yesterday Indian Ambassador to China in an interview said that India hopes China will realise its responsibility in de-escalation and disengagement by moving back to its side of the LAC. Sibal was referring to Indian ambassador in Beijing, Vikram Misri, comments made during an interview to news agency PTI on Friday. Misri said, India hopes China will realise its responsibility in de-escalation and disengaging by moving back to its side of LAC. The Congress had earlier sought a clarification on the PMs remarks alleging that both the defence and the external affairs ministry had acknowledged the presence of Chinese troops on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). For Wyomings soon-to-be senior U.S. Senator John Barrasso to call John Bolton the darling of the liberal left, is to blatantly ignore the outrage that Democrats feel for Bolton to choose his book deal over supporting the impeachment trial, and to totally overlook the profoundly serious allegations of corruption and ignorance that threaten the trust that both liberals and conservatives need constituents to have for our government especially during a crisis. All Americans, regardless of partisan politics, should be angry at the thought of corruption in our highest office, and even angrier that someone would willingly withhold evidence to keep us in suspense for a mediocre memoir. The easy dismissal of someone as far right as Bolton as a darling to left-leaning Democrats should be a warning sign to all of us on how unwilling Senator Barrasso is to criticize President Trump. The former National Security Adviser tells us that our president is a danger for the Republic, and the response from Senator Barrasso is the same unabashed deference hes shown towards Mr. Trump since he was elected. What makes matters worse is that Barrasso pulled his Wyoming constituents into this mess during his defense of President Trump. What Barrasso referred to in his interview with Fox Business as simply a President thinking about his own reelection is a shocking reduction of Boltons allegations that Trump has used his foreign influence to solicit help winning Novembers presidential election. Senator Barrasso then had the audacity to invoke Wyoming farmers. Bolton writes in his book that Trump pleaded with Chinese president Xi Jinping to buy up soybeans and grain to win him favor and agricultural clout in the upcoming election. Barrasso doesnt seem to care what the cost is for national security or the Constitution itself, saying flatly Im for that! When it comes to deals to sell Wyomings agricultural products, it seems like no cost is too high for the senator, even when it concerns our freedom itself. The fact that Barrasso invokes Wyoming as an agricultural state in response to these allegations that agriculture is being used by the president to subvert the Constitution and steal an election is more than worrisome. It is disqualifying for federal office. Wyoming, like all agricultural states, has suffered deeply under President Trumps leadership. We cannot act as if the trade war Trump started with that same Chinese leader did not devastate Wyoming farmers by interfering with one of the largest agricultural markets in the world, or that his failure to lead during the COVID-19 crisis has not plunged this states agricultural economy into chaos, forcing Wyoming farmers to destroy food and people to go hungry. To see Barrasso blatantly ignore Trumps comments on concentration camps while defending his interactions with the Chinese leader is hard to stomach. Trump allegedly told President Xi that his concentration camps for Chinas ethnic minority Uyghurs was exactly the right thing to do and to go ahead building the camps. It is horrible to see any senator make light of this, but Wyoming has a painful enough history of Japanese internment camps with the Heart Mountain Relocation Center right here, that you would think we dont have to sit through watching the Wyoming senator make light of Trumps support for Chinas concentration camps. Barrassos dismissal of Boltons allegations is also in contrast to the terrible context of the historical trauma of the Holocaust for Jewish and Romani U.S. citizens who are now facing a new threat as the COVID-19 pandemic decimates what is left of the Holocaust survivors, stealing away our last living testaments to some of the gravest crimes against humanity ever witnessed that were, lest we forget, committed in concentration camps. But maybe we shouldnt be surprised. Barrasso has failed Wyomingites as consistently as he has defended President Trumps corruption. He has virtually given away Wyomings public lands in his role as the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, favoring the interests of his major campaign contributors over Wyomings citizens. He has also ignored the plight of some of our states most vulnerable people: when he was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs he did absolutely nothing to address the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) crisis that is devastating our indigenous communities. U.S. Congressional candidate Lynnette Grey Bull (D) from the Wind River Indian Reservation can be reached at www.lynnettegreybull.com Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Chennai, June 27 : The death of a father and son in police custody in Tamil Nadus Thoothukudi district was worse than that of Geroge Floyd in the US, said Abraham Mathai, founder of Harmony Foundation and former Vice Chairman of Maharashtra State Minorities Commission. Floyd was killed by a policeman in Minnesota, US while being taken into custody. Jayaraj and Benicks, aka Fenix were booked for not closing their mobile shop in time on June 19 by the Sathankulam police in Tuticorin district in Tamil Nadu. They were remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Kovilpatti jail on June 21. Jayaraj died on June 22 night and his son Benicks on June 23 morning in judicial custody. The families alleged that police assault led to their deaths. "Today, there is deafening silence from a large portion of those very people who demanded action in George Floyd's case. When it is closer home, our voices should be raised even louder. No one should get away with murder. Least of all those whom we trust with ensuring law and order," Mathai said. Meanwhile the demand for stringent action against the police personnel and others involved in the alleged deaths due to torture is increasing. According to P.S.Raman, Convener, the Tamil Nadu Senior Advocates Forum has passed a resolution demanding action against the guilty involved in the brutal deaths of Jayaraj and Bennix. "The Magistrate who remanded them to judicial custody, the duty doctor who issued the fitness certificate as well as the jailor have all wholly failed in their duties and contributed to the tragedy," the resolution said. "We strongly condemn the incident which demonstrates lack of respect for the rule of law and leads to failing public confidence in administration in these trying times. We call for justice to be done by swift meaningful steps in accordance with law and bring the guilty to book," the resolution reads. Mathai wondered whether policemen are given a licence to kill the minute they don their uniform. "The brutal torture and murder of this father and son in Tamil Nadu in police custody is terribly shocking and demands for drastic and punitive action to be taken with immediate effect. Should it be inferred that our law enforcement officers are following the example of their counterparts in the United States?," Mathai said. "If that be the case then, the same punitive action of arresting and charging them with murder should be applied in the killing of Jayaraj and his son Bennix," he added. According to Mathai, the state government need not await directions from the Madras High Court which has taken suo moto cognizance but should immediately register an FIR and arrest these policemen to show the world that they operate and govern with a conscience. In the US the government didn't wait for any court directive but immediately charged the guilty policeman with murder, he pointed out. As many as 417 personnel of the Thane police commissionerate have tested coronavirus positive so far, an official said on Saturday. Three of them, all constables, have died due to the infection till now, Thane police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said. A total of 313 police personnel have been discharged after recovery, while 101 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals. The patients include officials, she said. Apart from Thane city, the Thane police commissionerate covers areas under Bhiwandi, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ambarnath, Ulhasnagar and Badlapur. Meanwhile, Thane Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has urged the personnel to remain extra cautious while performing their duties in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. He was speaking at a health camp organised on Friday for the police staff in Thane. The Bradley County Sheriffs Office cleared 68.56 percent of all offenses reported in 2019, according to the annual Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime statistics report. With 1,666 cleared of the 2,430 reported offenses in 2019, the BCSO reports a 68.56 percent clearance rate for the year. The TBI annual crime statistics report for agencies across the state was released on Thursday which showed an overall 2.17 percent improvement for total cleared cases compared to 2018. Of the 68.56 percent overall clearance rate includes an 87.19 percent clearance rate of all reported Crimes against Persons, a 48.94 percent clearance rate of reported Burglaries and a 60.19 percent clearance rate of reported Thefts from Motor Vehicles. I am very pleased with the results we received from the TBI, says Sheriff Steve Lawson. I believe that this two percent increase in cleared cases from 2018 to 2019 speaks to the exceptional teamwork of our countys law enforcement. From dispatchers to patrol officers, from detectives to corrections officers we cant do this job without each player doing his or her part and doing it well. This 68 percent clearance rate represents a team of dedicated public servants who are focused on getting better everyday. The TBIs state wide report can be viewed here: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tbi/documents/CrimeInTennessee2019.pdf Cuba has sent 15 doctors to the French overseas territory of Martinique to help staff deal with health emergencies as well as respond to the Covid-19 crisis. This comes as patients from French Guiana are being evacuated to Martinique and Guadeloupe to alleviate pressure on the hospitals. The Cuban doctors arrived in Martinique for a two-month mission on Friday, the first of its kind in the French territory. Under a decree issued in March, Cuban medical teams can intervene in French territories such as Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthelemy, and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. The team, which will also assist in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis, includes specialists in pulmonology, infectious diseases, radiology and emergency medicine. Doctor Cobaz Mesa told RFI that the mission represented more than just medical help, it was a source of pride for his Cuba. "France like with any country needs medical help and above all, unselfish, disinterested help. The only thing that motivates us is to save lives, that's the most important thing in the eyes of a Cuban doctor." In total, some 30,000 Cuban doctors have been deployed in the yearly programme which operates in 60 countries, under a scheme put in place by Fidel Castro in 1960. Since 2000, when Cuba began charging wealthier countries for this service, it has become one of the key sources of revenue for the nation. Medical evacuees from Guiana arrive in Martinique In a separate development, local news reports that four Covid-19 patients in intensive care from Guiana have been transferred to Martinique and one from Haiti. Two others will arrive in Guadeloupe. Health authorities said other evacuations would occur in the coming days to alleviate pressure on the emergency services in Guiana. A protocol is being drafted between hospitals and medical crisis directors sent by French public hospital management to define the conditions for these medical evacuations. Story continues Annick Girardin, France's minister for overseas territories, said on Wednesday that the peak of the epidemic was due to hit French Guiana around mid July and the situation was worsening. She called for staff from the mainland to join colleagues in Guiana where there is talk of reintroducing lockdown measures due to the rapid rise in the number of Covid-19 cases. The rise in cases in neighbouring Brazil has been one of the key reasons behind the difficulty in containing the virus. The White Sox have agreed to a deal with second-round draft pick Jared Kelley, according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. Kelley, an 18-year-old right-hander from Refugio High School in Texas, will receive a $3MM signing bonus, which comes in well above the $1.58MM slot value for the 47th overall pick. Despite being chosen in the second round, Kelley by all accounts boasts the talent to warrant a first-round selection, with MLB Pipeline touting Kelley as the 12th-ranked prospect in this years draft class. That, along with a commitment to the University of Texas, means that Kelley commands a considerable signing bonus. Kelleys a big right-hander with a fastball to match, running the pitch up to 98 with an effortless delivery. The changeup is a surprisingly polished pitch for a high-schooler, and its easily his second-best offering. All that said, the biggest question in the way of Kelleys path to becoming a top-flight Major League starter will be the development of his breaking ball, which is at best an average offering. Even if Kelley fails to develop and quality third pitch, the fastball-changeup combination will be enough to carry him to a high-leverage bullpen role. And while theres value in that, such an outcome would still be considered a disappointment given Kelleys high potential. If China was setting out to sow political divisions in Canada in the case of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, it must have been frustrated by the political unity it has encountered in this 18-month saga until this week. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is getting a remarkable degree of cross-partisan support for his firm decision to not intervene in Mengs extradition case, despite a letter from 19 prominent Canadians urging that he do just that. But the letter has highlighted one political schism that is a recurring theme in Trudeaus career the one between this current regime and Liberals who governed before him. Jean Chretiens signature was not on the letter signed by 19 of some of Canadas most serious legal and foreign-policy thinkers, including former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour and former justice minister Allan Rock. But Chretiens name has been surfacing almost from the moment that this Canada-China tension exploded, and consistently on the side of political intervention to release Meng. As Joan Bryden of the Canadian Press reported, Chretien called Rock this week to convey his support for the letters arguments in favour of Mengs release. Chretien also turns up in the new book by John Bolton, the former national security adviser to Donald Trump. Bolton doesnt write much about Canada in his nearly 600-page tome but the Meng case, and Chretien, made the cut. Canada was under great domestic pressure, which Trudeau was having difficulty resisting, Bolton writes in The Room Where it Happened. Former prime minister Jean Chretien, never a friend of the U.S., was arguing that Canada should simply not abide by our extradition treaty. Bolton may be exercising a bit of literary licence there with this great domestic pressure reference. Conservatives are onside with Trudeau staying out of this, including the two top leadership contenders, Peter MacKay and Erin OToole, who restated their support for non-intervention this week. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh went on the record ages ago to distance himself from one of his own MPs, Don Davies, who was arguing for Canada to stay out of the politically motivated extradition. Not exactly great domestic pressure on Trudeau then, until that letter surfaced this week, which the prime minister immediately rejected as a bad idea. Had Bolton been a little more acquainted with Canadian politics, he would know that Trudeau has not had much difficulty resisting voices from the past especially the Liberal past. Another former prime minister, Brian Mulroney, was floating Chretiens name a year ago as the best envoy to deal with China in this complex web of extradition and political detention of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. That idea went nowhere. Put simply, some key Chretien-era Liberals and Trudeau Liberals have definitely not been on the same page when it comes to Mengs extradition though it should be said that both are motivated by the goal of ending this nightmare for the two Michaels as soon as possible. Chretiens former deputy prime minister, John Manley, publicly and controversially announced in December 2018 that Canada screwed up when it arrested Meng. Manley argued that authorities should have exercised some creative incompetence and simply failed to catch the Huawei executive as she was passing through this country. One thing should be clear to anyone who has been watching Trudeaus life in the politics this is not a prime minister likely to be persuaded by arguments from former Liberals. From the moment he ejected Liberal senators from his caucus as a newly elected leader in 2014, Trudeau has shown a near-complete lack of deference to Liberals who came before him, including those who worked with his father. His clear no to the letter this week very much echoed the tone of the senators ejection. Its not so much hostility (although it isnt hard to find Liberals of earlier vintage who are deeply offended by Trudeaus disregard for them). The letter this week, even though it came from more than just Liberals, was another reminder of the wall Trudeau has erected between himself and the Liberals past. All that said, there may be one Liberal ghost influencing Trudeau at this juncture, and thats former attorney-general Jody Wilson-Raybould. Thanks to the 2019 controversy over SNC-Lavalin, which also revolved around whether politicians should be dabbling in the legal process, Trudeau would be understandably averse to going down that road again even if the two cases are very different. Some political struggles are sweeping and global such as the current one between China and the United States. Other political battles are historical and intensely domestic such as the Liberals versus Liberals in Canada. This week, those two types of political intrigue collided in one letter, reminding us again that relationships within Canadian political families can be just as complicated as battles between international superpowers. Huntsville police will remain under public scrutiny in weeks to come following protest rallies in which tear gas was used to disperse participants speaking out against police brutality. Mayor Tommy Battle on Thursday called for a work session of the city council next month to discuss proposed changes to the department from community groups and chart "the way forward for the police." The city council also approved a resolution to maximize independence for the citys police citizens advisory council as it reviews police actions with the focus on the June 1 and June 3 protests when the tear gas was deployed. The work session will take place July 29 at 5 p.m. at city council chambers. By nature, governing bodies do not take action at work sessions which are intended as public discussions among council members concerning a specific issue. The only other item on the work session agenda, city leaders said, will be a report on the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Related: As Huntsvilles police chief defends using tear gas, protesters call for apology Battle pointed to recommendations submitted by the NAACP, the Citizens Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform as well as two civic organizations: 100 Black Men and 100 Black women. "We will be seeing how that can fold in for a better police force," Battle said at Thursday's council meeting. "We're all here for one thing we're here for a better Huntsville, a better police force, a better group. We will be working toward that goal." The city council heard from about 40 citizens at the meeting, many calling for police Chief Mark McMurray to be replaced. Citizens cited aspects of McMurray's lengthy presentation to the city council last week in defending actions police took to break up the protests. Councilwoman Frances Akridge took issue with explanations provided by McMurray first at a press conference on June 4, the day after a second protest ended in tear gas, as well as last weeks briefing to the council. "At the press conference on June 4, the justification centered on proof of out-of-town agitators coming here to incite people to riot and having the young people do their bidding," Akridge said. "The debriefing on June 18, the focus was on online anarchist sympathizers getting people organized in military tactics to do their bidding on the ground. "In neither case did the chief of police offer what might have been done differently. Yet there were other options. They were rejected internally." Council President Devyn Keith also apologized for McMurray's use of the word "oriental" during his presentation last week. A city official told AL.com that McMurray misspoke in reading notes as he addressed the council. "I ask for nothing but grace," Keith said of McMurray. "I don't believe it was said in a malicious sense. But you don't have to be intentional to hurt somebody." Community feelings remain raw weeks after the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd while in custody of Minneapolis police on May 25. Some of the same speakers at the council meeting on Thursday providing photos of injuries incurred from rubber bullets fired into the crowd by law enforcement also addressed the Madison County Commission at its meeting on Wednesday. Sheriff Kevin Turner told the commission that his department would present an after-action report, though no format or date for that presentation was discussed publicly. McMurray said that Huntsville police did not use rubber bullets at the protests but he could not speak for other law enforcement agencies at the protests. Turner declined an interview request Wednesday by AL.com. "Your comments are well noted," Huntsville councilman Bill Kling said following the dozens of speakers Thursday. "There are six elected officials who are up here listening and hopefully you will see some things that make this community a little bit better." The council also unanimously adopted Klings resolution empowering the citizens advisory council in its review of police actions. The citizens advisory council will have access to any resources at Huntsville police. The advisory council will remain independent of influence from the City Council, the mayors office and police department though the city ordinance creating the advisory council calls for members to be appointed by the council, mayor or police chief. The city council also opted not to put a deadline on the citizens advisory council to submit its report, citing the fact that all advisory council members are volunteers. The report will be made to the city council in open session. China and the EU have to be two major forces for world peace and stability, two major markets for world development and prosperity, and two major civilizations for upholding multilateralism and improving global governance, said Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi made the remarks when meeting with President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen via video link on the evening of June 22. Xis proposal has chartered the course for the China-EU relationship to grow more solid and mature and reach greater heights in the post-COVID-19 era. China and EU account for 1/3 of the global economy. Their sound interaction carried out at the critical moment of the global fight against the pandemic not only has sent a positive signal for joint anti-pandemic efforts, cooperation and global economic recovery, but also will inject more stability and positive energy into the instable and uncertain world. Cooperation and win-win results have always remained a basis for the bilateral relationship between China and European Union (EU) in the past 45 years. The trade volume between the two sides now is 300 times more than that when they just established diplomatic ties, and eight million visits are exchanged between them every year. China and the EU have established dozens of dialogue and consultation mechanisms in different areas and at different levels, and their cooperation has been extended to peace and security, environment, science and technology, culture, education and health. China and the EU have jointly built a partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization, and continuously deepened their comprehensive strategic partnership. They enhanced cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations (UN), jointly promoted global public health government, and worked together to cope with global challenges such as climate change, so as to make their relationship more globalized and strategy-oriented. China-EU cooperation has improved the welfare of the two peoples, and serves as an important stabilizer in the ever-changing world. Facing the severe COVID-19 pandemic, China and the EU offered mutual help to overcome difficulties. The heads of two sides maintained frequent exchanges, and carried out constructive communication over emergency material supply, the steady and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains, and strengthening macroeconomic policy coordination. China and the EU offered huge medical materials to each other, and maintained smooth operation of the China-France air bridge. China has sent multiple medical teams to support Europes fight against COVID-19, which left a beautiful story of China-Europe joint anti-pandemic efforts. The two sides established joint expert team, and multiple video conferences were arranged for Chinese and European scientists and medical workers to share experiences. Besides, the fully loaded China-Europe freight trains also offered strong support for European countries in the pandemic. Italys former Prime Minister Romano Prodi described Chinas donation as a sign of friendship and solidarity, saying he hopes that the world understands that China and Italy are really in the same boat. The strong vitality of China-EU relations demonstrated at the special moment once again proved that all roads run parallel without interfering with one another. China and EU have different civilizations and systems, but they do not have conflict of fundamental interests. Both sides adhere to multilateralism, safeguard the open world economy and are committed to seeking welfare for the people in their exchanges. They pursue the same goal and act in one, no matter in combating COVID-19, accelerating drug and vaccine R&D cooperation, supporting the World Health Organization (WHO), or promoting international cooperation within the UN and G20 mechanisms, and jointly supporting Africas anti-pandemic efforts. Chinese and EU economies are deeply integrated, and their open cooperation in the process of economic revitalization will set an example for and lead the world. For instance, the fast track program between China and Germany is a highlight in the global anti-pandemic efforts. It demonstrated that China and the EU are partners that share opportunities. They have larger space for cooperation than competition, and far more consensuses than differences. As Germany is about to chair the EU, German Councilor Angela Merkel recently stressed that the EU has a great strategic interest in maintaining cooperation with China. Though the pandemic is spreading globally and unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, solidarity and cooperation are still buzzwords for China-EU high level exchanges. China and EU share infinite cooperation potential, and the two sides will work closely to advance bilateral political agendas and bring their relations onto new levels. A series of consensuses were achieved at the recent 22nd China-EU Summit, which indicated that China-EU relations are comprehensive, strategic and mutually beneficial. Both sides agreed that China-EU economic and trade cooperation is reciprocal, and expressed the hope for an early investment agreement that is comprehensive, balanced and high-quality. As two major forces, two big markets and two great civilizations, China and Europe can make a difference for the world by demonstrating what they stand for, what they oppose and what they can achieve in cooperation, Xi said. His remarks profoundly explained the significance of developing China-EU relations. The two sides shall firmly stick to mutual respect, seek common ground while shelving differences, look for harmony in diversity, and constantly enhance mutual understanding and trust, to expand common interests in cooperation, solve problems in development, and make the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the EU more influential in the world. The two sides shall join hands to seek new opportunities in crisis and changes, constantly enhance the welfare of the two peoples, and make contribution to the common development and prosperity of all countries. After a legal battle lasting nearly 12 years the High Court will order the extradition of Liam Campbell, who was found civilly liable for the Omagh bombing, to Lithuania where he is wanted on international weapons trafficking charges. Campbell (58) was arrested in Upper Faughart, Dundalk, Co Louth on December 2, 2016, on foot of the second European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by Lithuanian authorities to be endorsed by the High Court here. It was the third attempt overall by Lithuania to seek Campbell's surrender. The arrest warrant for Campbell stated he allegedly organised the preparation for the smuggling of weapons in support of the "terrorist grouping" the Real IRA (Rira) between the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007. Campbell's legal team had objected to his surrender based on the length of time he had been subject to the warrant and had argued that he could be subjected to "inhuman or degrading treatment" in prison there. Mr Remy Farrell SC said the Lithuanian authorities were "culpable, with a capital C" over the delay, which amounted to an "abuse of process". Mr Farrell added that the remand prison of Lukiskes, in Vilnius, had closed in July of last year, that his client's bail was "hanging over him for four years" and that the delay in proceedings was "shameful". In a judgment returned yesterday, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said she was satisfied that an order for the surrender of Campbell may be made. As the judgment was delivered electronically, Ms Justice Donnelly said she would formally make the order when Campbell next appears in person before the High Court on July 13. In 2017, Campbell's legal team had raised concerns about prison conditions in Lithuania, while he had also objected to his surrender on the grounds that it was "an abuse of process". Campbell had previously spent four years in custody in Northern Ireland during a second attempt to extradite him and was released when he succeeded in his objection that to do so would be a breach of his rights. He was to be incarcerated at Lukiskes prison, which had been held by the High Court in the past to have been in breach of the Convention of Human Rights. In her judgment, Ms Justice Donnelly said now that Lukiskes prison has closed, there is "simply no other evidence that demonstrates that there is a real risk that this respondent [Campbell] will be subjected to inhuman and degrading prison conditions". The EAW had sought Campbell to prosecute him on three offences: preparation of a crime, illegal possession of firearms and terrorism. The maximum sentence for the offence of terrorism is 20 years. Campbell will have one week to apply for a certificate of appeal from the day of the order, July 13. Mexico Citys chief of police was shot and injured and two of his bodyguards killed in an assassination attempt early on Friday that he quickly blamed on one of Mexicos most powerful drug gangs, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Reuters reported. The citys public security chief Omar Garcia Harfuch suffered three bullet wounds as he and bodyguards came under heavy fire around dawn in an upscale Mexico City neighborhood, where the attack was captured on security cameras. Some three hours later, apparently from his hospital bed, Garcia sent out a message on Twitter blaming his injuries and the death of two bodyguards on a cowardly attack by the CJNG. A 26-year-old woman, however, was killed in the gunfire. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said the attack showed that authorities were putting pressure on criminal gangs in the capital city, which has rarely witnessed such brazen outbreaks of violence. Bhubaneswar, June 27 : The COVID-19 death toll in Odisha increased to 18 with the death of a 68-year-old male of Ganjam district, informed the health department on Saturday. The patient was also suffering from the comorbid conditions of hypertension and diabetes. "Regret to inform the death of a 68-year-old COVID positive male of Ganjam district. He was also suffering from the comorbid conditions of hypertension and diabetes," said the department. As many as 170 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state in the last 24 hours, taking the total number to 6,350 on Saturday. Of the new cases, 143 cases have been reported from various quarantine centres while 27 are local contact cases. The number of active cases in the state rose to 1,903 while 4,432 patients have recovered so far. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Huawei Nova 7i with quad cameras and Kirin 810 could launch in India in July Huawei Nova 7i could launch in India sometime in July, according to a new report doing rounds of the Internet. The Nova 7i debuted in Malaysia in February earlier this year and features quad cameras on the back, support for fast charging out-of-the-box and is powered by an octa-core processor to boot. As per an exclusive report by Pricebaba that cites a trusted source, Huawei is preparing to launch the Nova 7i in India in July. It can be noted here that Huawei hasnt officially revealed any plans to launch the Nova 7i in India yet. The company had launched the Huawei Y9s in India last month in May alongside the Huawei Watch GT2E and much recently the Huawei Freebuds 3. Huawei Nova 7i specifications and expected pricing Huawei Nova 7i features a 6.4-inch Full HD+ (2310 x 1080 pixels) resolution display with a punch-hole cutout in the top-left corner for the selfie camera. The phone measures 8.7mm at its thickest point and weigh 183 grams. The Nova 7i is powered by Kirin 810 processor with an octa-core CPU and Mali-G52 MP6 GPU. This is paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage with an option to expand the storage further up to 256GB. The phone runs on EMUI 10 and doesnt come with support for Google Play Services. The phone will likely come with Huawei AppGallery as weve seen previously with the Honor 9X Pro. It features a quad-camera setup on the back which consists of a primary 48MP camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro camera and another 2MP depth sensor. On the front, theres a 16MP selfie camera housed within the punch-hole cutout. The Nova 7i is fitted with a 4,200mAh battery with support for 40W fast charging out-of-the-box. Huawei claims that the phone can go from 0 to 70 per cent in 30 minutes. In Malaysia, the Huawei Nova 7i is priced at RM 1099 which roughly translates to Rs 19,300 by direct conversion. We expect Huawei to launch the Nova 7i at a similar price here in India. The phone comes in three colours, black, green and pink. Mechanical engineer Doug Loose is optimistic after presenting an ambitious proposal to residents of the recently flooded Village West Condominiums at a meeting on Thursday evening. Loose is offering to purchase all 46 units, repair all flood damage in them, and rent to those who wish to stay on a lifetime lease at 75% of the market rate. Taxes, assessments and building insurance would transfer to him as the new owner. Loose told the Daily News on Friday morning that he hopes to close a deal in the next few weeks. "I did tell them time is of the essence. It really is important and critical we decontaminate (the condos) in the next three to four weeks (because of the likelihood of black mold developing)," Loose said. Now, Loose will communicate individually with each homeowner in hopes of getting buy-in from everyone. "My plan is to send out invitations, with offer letters, and do one-on-one (meetings) to negotiate the purchase agreements individually," said Loose, who is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional, has been a project manager and project engineer for Dow and Dow Corning and has worked in real estate. "My offer is contingent on 100% (participation)," he told the residents at Thursday's meeting. The meeting, held outside on the Village West grounds, drew at least 25 residents in person along with others via Zoom, and was also attended by Midland Mayor Maureen Donker and City of Midland Director of Planning and Community Development Grant Murschel. Loose assured the residents that he is completely committed to this endeavor, indicating he is committing his "entire 401K" as part of the financing and will be moving into one of the condos himself. "The goal isn't to make a gazillion dollars," he said. "The goal is to get people who want to stay here back in their homes. Every unit is going to get reconstructed. Just, some won't have basements." He hopes the Village West association board of directors will endorse his plan. "I do want the board's buy-in to the project. I think it's important," Loose said. Logan Richetti, owner of Modern Realty of Midland, spoke on behalf of the board to the Daily News. "As of right now, the board of directors is reviewing the terms presented to them (on Thursday) and is in active discussions with Doug (Loose) currently," Richetti said. "We are still open to receiving other offers as well. But also, in good faith, we are reviewing Doug's offer," he said. Should Loose's offer be accepted, and if a future offer is made at some point to buy out Village West, the current homeowners would be entitled to a certain percentage of the proceeds based on the time elapsed, Loose said. For example, if President Donald Trump issues a major disaster declaration for Michigan, as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has requested, Village West could apply for a Hazard Mitigation Grant, of which FEMA would pay up to 75% and the remaining 25% would have to come from local funding. But Donker stressed at the meeting that the city does not currently have funds available for such a purpose. The current homeowners would retain all rights to litigation that may result from the flood or other conditions prior to closing of the sale. Within two weeks of closing on all the purchase agreements, Loose said he would secure all 10 buildings in the complex, of which he said five are currently unsecured. At least 25 units are accessible to the public, which he said leaves those owners liable for any personal injury to anyone who might enter them. From there, contents of the condos will be put into temporary storage and Loose's goal is to complete all necessary restoration so that everyone can move back into the condos by November or sooner although any units that have to be brought up to floodplain standards may take longer, he acknowledged. Along that line, he is fairly confident that seven of the 10 buildings will not have to be raised to meet those standards. "My personal opinion is, we can do the reconstruction within the guidelines of FEMA (for those seven buildings)," Loose said. "But the official calculation has not been completed." The other three buildings at Village West have "significant foundation issues," Loose said. "(Of those three buildings), the one building has no finished basements. But the other two buildings have quite a few finished basements," he said. "So the calculations might drive me to elevate the buildings (according to the FEMA guidelines)." One way to elevate a basement, Loose explained, is to drill holes in the foundation and pump cement through the holes with a hydraulic pump. Furnaces will be moved to the garages and all electrical wiring will be above the floodplain elevation, he said, and all wood and drywall will be removed from basements. "If (another flood) happens, the people who live here will be back (in their homes) in three weeks," Loose said. According to an information sheet that Loose distributed to residents at the meeting, 23 of the 46 condos are dried out and ready to be rebuilt, 12 condos have their contents and carpeting removed, and the other 11 have not yet begun the clean-up process. She has shored up her emotional defences, steeled herself against tears; stayed strong in the face of crushing setbacks. But on the day her only child Oscar was declared free of cancer, the dam burst and Olivia Saxelby cried with joy. When a stem cell transplant in the UK failed, Olivia and her partner Jamie Lee made the trip with their desperately sick son from their home in Worcester to Singapore. Funded by 500,000 from an online charity appeal, they were pinning their hopes on a revolutionary new treatment to give six-year-old Oscar a last chance of life. Brave: Oscar with his parents Olivia and Jamie. When a stem cell transplant in the UK failed, they made the trip with their desperately sick son from their home in Worcester to Singapore But the little boy was beset by problems: his parents feared their final, Herculean effort to save him could end in utter tragedy. Then, last month, came the news that they had prayed for. The life-saving therapy had been a success: Oscar was finally clear of the rare and virulent form of leukaemia diagnosed in 2018. And yesterday morning, after six months in the Far East, he finally came home. To bring him home safe and sound is everything we could have wished for, Olivia said joyfully. It was so emotional, the minute those wheels landed on UK ground we were all just in tears. Oscar was screaming, he was so, so proud of himself as he should be. Before they left Singapore, I spoke to Olivia and Oscar. In an exclusive interview, the first since Oscars transplant, Olivia recalled the moment that his medical team in Singapore gave the family the results they had desperately hoped for. They said, Its a happy day today. You wont believe this. And thats when I cried bucketloads. I couldnt speak. I was too overcome with emotion. I wanted to question it, but I have the evidence in black and white: the cancer has gone. Its surreal; wonderful; just phenomenal! When I told Oscar, who has been in a hospital bed for over a year, I said, Youll never guess what, youve done it! Your results are clear! He beamed with joy and asked when we were going home. 'It has been a truly unimaginable time, a time to rejoice. That Oscar is now home is all the more astounding because his recovery came after a series of relapses. When I told Oscar, who has been in a hospital bed for over a year, I said, Youll never guess what, youve done it! Your results are clear! He beamed with joy and asked when we were going home. In the event, on Friday, March 13, Oscar had the bone marrow transplant. This time Jamie was his sons donor. Although not a perfect match a six out of ten instead of the ten out of ten of his first donor the Singapore team deemed it close enough to proceed. Above, Oscar lands at Heathrow after spending six months in a Singapore hospital Only a few months earlier, his doctors in Singapore were saying, He might not ever be the boy he was before, Olivia recalls. He wasnt speaking, he was almost paralysed; his temperature spiked and he wasnt responding to antibiotics. Oscar was due to have another stem cell transplant (his second in two years) and his medical team thought he might not pull through it. But we had to believe. We had to have faith and hope. I could have said, Dont do it but we would have lost him. So my partner Jamie and I said: We dont want to give up. Oscar deserves the chance of a future. No mother could have devoted more energy into seeking a cure for her child than Olivia. And Oscar has repaid his mum with unfailing courage and cheerfulness. I met him via video call. He was beaming, wearing his favourite dinosaur jim-jams and taking his first tentative steps unaided. He told me he felt good, that hed been playing a game of dinosaur bingo and was learning phonics, on his way to reading for himself. Oscar is a cheeky little character and every day hes surprised us with his sheer determination to get through. 'Even through his worst struggles he found something to smile about. When my strength of purpose has faltered, he has shown me the way. Hes the light of my life, smiles Olivia. But Oscars chequered journey from diagnosis to all-clear is also heart-warming proof of the generosity and altruism of others; friends and strangers alike. He was first diagnosed with acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia shortly after Christmas 2018 and the prognosis was poor. He would need a stem cell donor and transplant swiftly and there was no match on the national register. Celebrations: Oscar and his dad dropped in on his school in Worcester to say a socially-distanced hello to his friends So mustered by the rallying cry Save Oscars Life, a record-breaking near 5,000 would-be donors turned up at his school in Worcester to be tested to see if they were a match for him. It was a rain-lashed day in spring and they waited in a queue that snaked round the block outside Pitmaston Primary School. Olivia was overwhelmed by their kindness. Its so heart-warming to know that every one of them wants to help our little boy, she told me then. We just cant thank people enough. A near-perfect bone marrow match was found and last May Oscar, who was being treated at Birmingham Childrens Hospital where he had been confined for five months having chemo to prepare him for the op underwent a bone marrow transplant, thanks to his anonymous donor. Oscar had just begun school and Olivia was only three months into a degree in social work when their lives were put on hold. Jamie, 27, a builder, would get up at 4am to work so he could spend afternoons in hospital with his little boy. And it seemed, for two short months, that Oscar would recuperate and their lives would continue. But then came the first setback. Our consultant came in to see Oscar at 5pm one evening. I knew it was bad news. He had consistent high temperatures, hed been bruising easily, sweating profusely and had huge bags under his eyes each symptoms of leukaemia. Before the doctor opened her mouth I said, I know what youre going to say. The cancer had come back with a vengeance, says Olivia. They faced a desperate dilemma. The NHS would not pay for a second bone marrow transplant within a year of the first. Tears flowed at the Worcester primary school when Oscar made his surprise visit, leaving children and parents overwhelmed with joy 'All they could do was give Oscar top-up cells from his donor, which we knew was just buying time. They were very sorry but palliative care was all that was left, says his mum. Olivia is just 24, but her determination belies her years. I went back home, she recalls. I didnt sleep. I researched. I eventually came across a pioneering treatment in Singapore. The complex treatment involved removing and genetically modifying a patients immune cells, known as T cells that fight infection and disease and multiplying them in the lab. They become chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) and are designed to target cancer cells. Put back in the patients blood via a drip, they then recognise and kill the cancer cells. And following the CAR-T therapy, Oscar would be given a second bone marrow transplant. Olivia contacted a doctor at the National University Hospital in Singapore, where the treatment was available. At that point, no other child had been treated with CAR-T therapy, she says. I asked them to treat Oscar. They said, Its a big step. Youll have to come to Singapore and have a minimum of 500,000 to pay for it. 'It was the biggest risk I would ever take, knowing I may not bring him home again. Others may have balked at the sheer scale of the task ahead. But Olivia and her friends launched a huge effort to raise 700,000; at the time, the fastest-ever crowd-funding effort of its kind. The responsibility of taking her sick child 7,000 miles for experimental treatment weighed heavily on her. I asked Oscars consultant, What would you do if this was your child? She couldnt recommend the treatment but she said: Id do the same as you, and she promised Oscars team in the UK would stand by him. It was a tough decision. I questioned myself. I felt so alone. Sometimes, at night I sat and cried my heart out wondering if it was the right thing to do. 'We were petrified of anything happening to him but once wed made the decision to go, we booked our tickets and flew out two days later. On Christmas Eve 2019, Oscar duly had CAR-T therapy at the hospital in Singapore. His immediate response was very good, but a few weeks later he started to deteriorate. His speech was slurred, he lost interest in life, says Olivia. He had an MRI brain scan which revealed damage. Soon he couldnt pick up a spoon to feed himself or talk. He was more or less paralysed. 'Oscar was due to have a second bone marrow transplant and I was thinking, Will we regret putting him through this treatment? It was an awful dilemma because if Id said, We cant do this, we would have lost him. So I asked his team to re-evaluate him in a couple of weeks. No mother could have devoted more energy into seeking a cure for her child than Olivia. And Oscar has repaid his mum with unfailing courage and cheerfulness When the time came to reassess his case, Oscar with still ailing. His doctors were loath to give him the stem cell transplant and I remember thinking, What are you saying? That youre going to give up on him? I said, Arent we here to save Oscars life? He deserves this future, the shot a transplant will give him. But they didnt think hed make it through because he couldnt move or speak, his brain damage was so severe. In the event, on Friday, March 13, Oscar had the bone marrow transplant. This time Jamie was his sons donor. Although not a perfect match a six out of ten instead of the ten out of ten of his first donor the Singapore team deemed it close enough to proceed. Afterwards, Olivias aim was to stay resolutely positive and her little boy cheeky and ebullient slowly picked up. We focused on all the little things that lifted him, whether it was playing a game of cards or sitting him up and having a giggle. Jamie drew pictures on a whiteboard which Oscar loved and slowly he began to communicate. We told him, We need you to speak to us, then we can help you. Olivia is a young mum just 19 when Oscar was born freighted with more worries than any parent should endure. But it is her blend of toughness and optimism that has help carry her boy through For months hed just say yes or no but one day I said to him, We know its very hard work and youre tired but Daddy and I love you so much and we want you to try to speak, and it was then that he said, I love you. At this point Olivias quiet composure deserts her and she cries. Today he strokes my face and ruffles my hair and he loves his cuddles with Daddy. He has pushed on, ploughed through all the treatment and were so proud of what he has accomplished. 'Hes a kind little boy. When we lag behind him, he buoys us up, gives us strength. She is a young mum just 19 when Oscar was born freighted with more worries than any parent should endure. But it is her blend of toughness and optimism that has help carry her boy through. While Olivia and Jamie initially hoped they might be home by the end of July, they have now achieved that goal with a month to spare. Oscar, isolated in his hospital bed for not far short of 18 months, has endured his own form of lockdown, something of which his classmates are now getting a taste too, but he is raring to return to school. We hope Oscar will start school again in September, says Olivia. But his immune system is so fragile. She was anxious about taking him home, but now that challenge has been completed the family can finally celebrate. A video posted on the Hand In Hand For Oscar Facebook page showed the little boy being given a guard of honour by medical staff as he walked out of hospital. Some of the 4,800 donors that queued through the gates of Pitmaston Primary School, Worcester, in a bid to save Oscar's life Oscar was then shown waving out of the car window shouting: Bye hospital, thank you! Olivia wrote on Facebook: The day weve dreamt of has now become a reality! Were actually bringing him home!!! Having landed, they paid a visit to his school for a socially-distanced reunion with friends, then the young family headed home, where they will be quarantining for the next 14 days. She said the plan was to just enjoy our home for the first couple of days before a socially-distanced reunion with other relatives. Of course the question on everybodys lips: is he cured? Id like to say he is, and he could well be, says Olivia carefully. But I prefer to say hes cancer-free and can move on with his life again. At last, it seems, he can. Bay District Racing Track by Angus Macfarlane This article is one of a series on the history of west San Francisco racetracks. Read from the beginning. | Previous track story: Golden Gate Driving Park In early August 1873, a group of San Francisco's wealthiest men signed a ten-year lease for a 60-acre, one-mile race track between First Avenue, Fulton Street, Fifth Avenue and Point Lobos Road. The Bay District Racing Track formally opened on September 7, 1874, but its grand inaugural event came on November 14, 1874, when the second "Great Race," this time with a $25,000 purse, was run. This was the largest purse ever offered in America. The entrants included Thaddeus Stevens and Joe Daniels, who had raced the year before at the Ocean Course. Also entered were Katie Pease, Alpha, Hockhocking, Hardwood, and Henry. Sentiment and loyalty favored the current champion and native son, "Old Thad," but on race day the odds-makers gave Katie Pease, the Eastern mare, the nod. Nonetheless, the cheering for Old Thad was loud and prolonged when he was in the lead or in contention, but this lasted only through three miles of the first four-mile heat. Despite the hopes that Thad would repeat his soul-stirring victory of the year before, Katie Pease was the winner. The San Francisco Chronicle headline, "THAD'S WATERLOO," told the whole story. The last Great Race was witnessed by 25,000 on February 22, 1876. Amid great controversy, it was won by Foster. During its first years, with a few notable exceptions, all that the track offered were harness races. By the end of 1877 the Bay District was in noticeable decline. There were several factors, one of which was the surrounding hills which frequently had more spectators than were inside the track. Another problem was difficult access. It took longer to reach the Richmond District course than the new Oakland track, a short ferry boat ride from downtown San Francisco. But the main reason for the decline of the Bay District Track was poor early financial planning. When the track was conceived and built, it was envisioned as being as lavish as the grandest eastern tracks. Because of the silver boom, the members represented more wealth than any other race track in America. The initial 10-year memberships produced a lot of up-front money and created a lavish facility, but lack of annual dues precluded necessary annual improvements and basic maintenance. The subsequent crash of the silver market choked off additional members. When the start-up money ran out, the cash-flow ended, and for three years there was no racing at the track. Also, during this time, the city had caught up with the sand dunes of the Outside Lands, and the track found itself surrounded by development, setting the stage for years of confrontation between the track and its encroaching neighbors. By 1890 it seemed that the track's epitaph was written, but Thomas Williams, a dynamic 30-year old, assumed control of the Bay District and brought the dead back to life. He changed its direction by emphasizing thoroughbred racing. These horses were the runners, the racers, the epitome of horseflesh that gave their all over single races between a half mile and 1 mile. This was the end of trotting and pacing; this was the future of racing in San Francisco. As action heated up inside the track, passions were intensifying on the other side of the fence. On June 18, 1891 the Board of Supervisors considered a petition from the Point Lobos Improvement Society demanding the removal of the fence around the track and to fill in the ground. In October 1892 the Richmond Improvement Club appeared before the Board of Supervisors to protest the existence of the race course and demand the opening of the streets which had been closed to allow the track's operation. No action was taken against the track on these matters, and in 1893, for the first time in San Francisco racing history, horsemen from the east brought their racing stables to San Francisco for the winter season. Something never offered in San Francisco was about to happen this year: continuous thoroughbred racing. Not a few days or a few weeks, but five days a week for month after month. Previously, races had been held for a week or two every several months. The extended season was a success, but it was not universally appreciated. The residents of the Richmond District once again expressed their objection to the continued existence of the race track and renewed their efforts to have the closed streets opened and the open track closed. They were especially opposed to the saloons on Fulton Street and on 5th Avenue facing the track, an area infamously known as Beer Town. However, the following week the Richmond Banner leapt to the track's defense. In response to the Banner's support of the track, "a voluminously signed petition" was presented to the Board of Supervisors by the residents of the Richmond District in favor of keeping the streets closed and the track open. On July 30, 1895 the San Francisco Call headed an article "THE OLD TRACK DOOMED. Racehorse Men Look With Longing to the Opening of the Ingleside Course." This was not the first mention of the Ingleside Race Track. More than a year earlier the city's newspapers reported that Ed Corrigan and others had purchased 110 acres of land in the Ingleside District from Adolph Sutro for $165,000. With pressure from too many sources, Tom Williams was unable to continue operating the track. On May 27, 1896 the Bay District Track closed in a sentimentally nostalgic affair unprecedented in San Francisco race course history. Next racetrack: Ingleside Race Track Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places! Segregated schools were declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954. The segregation of schools by race is a remnant of a past era, something that was a part of Americas history of racism, and something that seems like it was happening long ago. However, segregated schools still existed until recently. The last school that was desegregated was Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Mississippi. This happened in 2016. Yes, there was a high school that was segregated by race until 2016, as impossible as it may seem. The Case Of Diane Cowan The order to desegregate this school came from a federal judge, after decades of struggle. This case originally started in 1965 by a fourth-grader. Diane Cowan turned 57 once the school was finally desegregated, and the entire legal saga is often referred to by using her name. The history of racism in the United States runs deep, and the Jim Crow laws that segregated various institutions did a lot of harm to many people. In this small town, a railroad that runs through it was used as a physical boundary for segregation. The history of racism in the United States runs deep. Image credit: wsj.com On the east side of the railroad tracks is where the black people live, and you can find the white people on the west side of the tracks. The fact that this is still going on to this day might seem surreal to many, but it just goes to show how deeply integrated racism is into society. Towns Separated By Railroads If you research a bit further, many cities in the United States are separated by roads or railroad tracks clearly, to enforce racial segregation. These borders mostly do not serve that purpose nowadays, but as we can see, there are exceptions. Schools in America were still segregated by race in the 1960s, and it did not matter where anyone lived, the color of their skin determined which school they would go to. Oxford, MS, USA July 21 The James Meredith Monument, honoring the first African American to attend the University of Mississippi, stands in Oxford, Mississippi. Image credit: James Kirkikis / Shutterstock.com The Cleveland School District was racially segregated for five decades, split into two schools, Cleveland High School that was attended by white students, and East Side High School attended by black students. For decades attempts were made to desegregate schools and unify them; however, it turned out to be extremely hard to do. Whenever a court ruling was made that allowed the school to be desegregated, there was another law that would stop it. Most of the time, it was tied to the place of residence, and schools continued to remain segregated. With time, even the faculty in these schools was not distributed by race anymore, so the students were encouraged to try and transfer between schools, but it was all to no avail, the schools remained segregated. This was deeply ingrained into the core of the society living in Cleveland, Mississippi. This finally ended in 2016, when it was decided that the schools would merge, and thus end the era of segregation in this small town. The schools merged in 2017 and created Cleveland Central High School. BLANCO It began without warning on the afternoon of March 29. Physician Teri Albright was making sun tea at her Hill Country ranch, expecting that when she put the pitcher under the kitchen faucet shed see her pristine well water bubbling out of it. Instead, it looked like chocolate milk. She ran to the other faucets. Same thing with the shower, the toilets, the hose outside: sludge. She and her husband, also a medical doctor, had bought their ranch along the banks of the Blanco River to enjoy the scenery and solitude. Its where they wanted to grow old together and spoil the grandkids. When Houston-based energy giant Kinder Morgan announced plans in 2018 to build a natural gas pipeline nearby, Albright said she felt stomach sick. Their plans didnt include watching construction crews cut through limestone and rip out 100-year-old live oak trees. She worried an explosion might kill them all. Neighbors protested, warning about disturbing the Hill Countrys karst features which include vast underground caves and channels that hold and carry their groundwater. We have a very good plan in place to address the uniqueness of the karst features in the Hill Country, said Kinder Morgans Allen Fore, vice president for public affairs, at a Kerrville Rotary Club meeting in January. We will not be impacting the aquifer. But months later, that is precisely what happened. Just as the coronavirus pandemic was beginning to spread throughout Texas, a crew drilling horizontally under the Blanco River hit a void and lost 36,000 gallons of drilling fluid, primarily composed of bentonite clay, into the Trinity Aquifer. The spill fouled at least six wells that draw water from it, including Albrights, records and interviews indicate. The accident also halted the drilling operation under the Blanco, triggered a state violation notice and likely fines, and set the stage for yet another federal lawsuit targeting the project. Fore said in an interview with the Houston Chronicle that Kinder Morgan was sorry for the accident in Blanco. The company would ensure that the residents whose wells were impacted would be taken care of and compensated for their losses, he said. Whatever they need, he said. But months after Albright first discovered the sludge in her pipes and a water sample heavily contaminated with lead it was still coming out cloudy. Now Albright and other Blanco County residents in the same boat are wondering if they can ever trust the water from their wells again. Now Playing: After crews working for Kinder Morgan spilled drilling fluid during a boring operation near the Blanco River in late March, several homeowners say their wells were contaminated. Video: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Early opposition From the moment Kinder Morgan and its business partners announced that their 430-mile Permian Highway Pipeline would cross the Texas Hill Country, landowners, environmentalists, elected officials and groundwater protection agencies along or near the route have fought tooth and nail to move it or stop it. And they openly warned of the precise danger landowners such as Albright now face: disturbing the karst features below their property. Like underground Swiss cheese, they serve as conduits for groundwater that, in a huge swath of Central Texas, millions depend on for household, agricultural and industrial use. In a single meeting convened in early 2019 in Wimberley, about a half-hour southwest of Austin, one pipeline opponent after another expressed the worry that cutting and drilling in and around the underground caverns and springs to bury miles of pipe measuring 3 feet in diameter would harm their most precious resource. Linda Kaye Rogers, board president of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, said that if something goes wrong digging into a karst feature, it can be very, very scary. Any surface disturbance is going to affect our water, added David Baker, executive director of the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association. Even the construction of it is going to be very impactful. Kinder Morgan pushed back, saying it always put safety first and had a handle on the geology of Central Texas. At that Rotary Club meeting earlier this year, Fore said it had hired a top karst expert and would use ground penetrating radar to avoid environmentally sensitive areas and protect their water. The company later said Fores vow not to impact aquifers applied to typical trenching operations that only go to a depth of 9 feet. Kinder Morgan touts the economic benefits of the 42-inch pipeline, the largest ever to cut through the heart of the Hill Country, saying the $2.1 billion Permian Highway Pipeline will create 2,500 temporary construction jobs and generate an additional $42 million in annual tax revenue for state and local governments. When its fully operational, the pipeline will carry more than 2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from West Texas to the outskirts of Houston, which the company notes will reduce environmentally harmful and wasteful flaring, or burning off, of natural gas at well sites in the oil-rich Permian Basin. The pipeline, now about 65 percent complete, has been a life-changing experience for people whose wells were contaminated. Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Oh my God For Albright, basic hygiene was the first big worry after a seemingly endless supply of sticky brown drilling fluid poured from her familys water well. She and her husband specialize in geriatric care and work in assisted-living and long-term-care facilities, where the elderly face a particularly high risk of coronavirus infection and death. Yet, just washing their hands suddenly got complicated. Taking a bath was impossible. Even getting appliances safely repaired became difficult. She couldnt go to a hotel. Couldnt stay with her kids in Austin. Couldnt wash the dishes or their clothes. All the while she was trying to conduct telehealth appointments, do patients visits and help those in her workplace navigate the intensifying pandemic. It takes a lot of bottled water to wash your hands for two minutes, Albright said. She did her best to make do with sponge baths, but after going six days without clean running water Albright was desperate for a shower; so she decided to try the bathroom in their barn. With any luck, she thought, it would be far enough away from the gunk in her well that she could steal a quick bath. Seeing clear water coming out of the sink faucet enticed her to go for it, and for a few glorious minutes she got what felt like the best shower of her life. Then she started to rinse off. I looked down and its just brown water coming out, she said. And I was like oh my God its all in my hair. And I mean you cant like rinse it some more to get it out. It was getting worse by the second. She was literally showering in mud and it was caked in her hair like lacquer. It soon dried hard like a mud pack on her head, Albright recalled. And even after her husband rinsed it repeatedly with bottled water while she tilted her head back on their porch, they just couldnt get it all out. She felt like she was covered from head to toe in a greasy film. After two days she finally broke down and went to her sons house in Austin, making sure to enter and exit the back door to minimize potential virus exposure. Finally, she got all the mud off. That was one week after her well was contaminated. She hasnt had a sip of it or bathed in it since. Water samples drawn from her well a few days after her water turned brown showed arsenic and metal contamination well beyond whats considered safe, according to tests conducted by the Lower Colorado River Authority. The lead content alone in those early samples hit 0.168 parts per million, comparable to some of the worst samples first taken in Flint, Mich., and more than 10 times the maximum allowable concentration in public drinking water supplies. Paula Fowler, Handout / Paula Fowler No easy fixes Albright isnt the only Blanco County resident reeling from the spill. Katherine McClure, who rents a house about a half mile from the now-abandoned drilling site, has been using bottled water delivered by Kinder Morgan for all her household needs including baths since early April. Her well got tested after her water went cloudy and then turned brown, and she said initial results also showed high concentrations of heavy metals in water from the well. It costs me a great deal of time out of each day, McClure said. Im sure not going to be showering in water with lead in it. She said the water used to be some of the most pristine, perfect, beautiful tasting, crystal clear water in the whole county. And once youve ruined it, you cant undo it, she said. I dont really know how this can be fixed. Subsequent test results of samples of the affected wells, conducted by the local groundwater district and others, have shown heavy metals in allowable ranges, and Kinder Morgan said in a written statement that these metals naturally exist in the earth the wells are sitting in. Max and Paula Fowler, a retired couple, found brown water suddenly shooting out of their faucets two days after Albright did. Paula Fowler, 70, a retired speech therapist from Dallas, said their well service company and the local groundwater district told her not to drink it until the sediment cleared up but downplayed the risk of it for household use. So she took a quick bath and instantly regretted it. A day and a half later I ended up with a bladder infection, she said. I havent had one in 50 years. A subsequent test of her water showed she had total coliform and E. coli bacteria in her well. If thats attributable to us, and I cant say whether that is or isnt, Fore said, were going to be responsible for things that are attributable to our project. On the day the Chronicle visited the Fowlers, the local congressman, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, showed up. He was making the rounds of affected well owners in his district in part to find out what Kinder Morgan representatives were doing to fix what they broke. You and anybody else impacted by this need to be made whole and then some, Roy told the couple. If I put my lawyer hat on Id be beating the living snot out of them on what being made whole is. The bills have been adding up: Both Albright and the Fowlers spent thousands to install a giant tank outside their homes and about $800 a month for water to be trucked in. So did another neighbor whose water suddenly turned cloudy about five weeks after the spill. Now both Albright and the Fowlers say Kinder Morgan is offering to install a rainwater collection system which cost about $50,000 each to ensure they have a permanent and reliable source of water for their property. The discussion with the congressman outside the Fowler residence highlighted a political fault line the spill has exposed: While conservatives such as Roy generally support the oil and gas industry, they also back landowners private property rights including the right to use and enjoy the water under the ground. You know oil is king out west, Roy said. Water is a big deal around here. Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Unchecked power? But lawmakers also have given pipeline companies immense power. The for-profit companies are entrusted with an authority normally associated with the government: eminent domain, or the power to condemn land for public use in this case energy infrastructure. When government uses eminent domain for utility lines or a transportation project, there are typically several layers of oversight and planning, mandatory public hearings and notification. Not so for pipeline projects in Texas. While Kinder Morgan has to obey state and federal environmental regulations and permitting rules, the company decides the route. The law allows it to take the land it needs, as long as people are fairly compensated for it. State District Judge Lora Livingston, a Travis County Democrat, said last summer that she was concerned with a power that, when exercised by a governmental entity, must be done in the harsh light of public scrutiny of open meetings and public notices, but, when exercised by a private entity, may be determined without public notice by a select few driven primarily by their financial gain. But she sided with Kinder Morgan in a lawsuit waged by landowners who tried to stop the pipeline on the grounds it was an unconstitutional power grab. Livingston found the Texas Legislature and court precedent clearly gave the company that power and tossed out the lawsuit. Houston Chronicle Requirements or not, Kinder Morgan says it has gone out of its way to keep landowners informed, accommodate requests to minimize impacts on their property and hold numerous public meetings even though it didnt have to. The company also notes it made more than 150 route adjustments based on the input it got. These landowner relationships are important to us and, and its really, really important to get off on the right foot, Fore said. We feel good about our efforts to communicate and be available and respond. After trying without success to restrict pipeline powers last year, state Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood, who represents Blanco County at the Capitol, said she will fight like hell in the next session of the Texas Legislature, which gets underway in January of next year, to require more oversight of pipeline routes. Its absolutely wrong that a company can take this many peoples land and that these people have no elected official or accountability process or opportunity for public comment, Zwiener said. A private company that wields (eminent domain powers) should have the exact same oversight and accountability that the government has when they use it. Any reforms will come too late for constituents such as Albright, the Fowlers and others whose wells were contaminated. Albright and her husband, the Fowlers, and the Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association are suing in federal court in Austin, saying the company violated the Safe Drinking Water Act by injecting contaminants, including a cocktail of carcinogens, into the aquifer that feeds their wells. Kinder Morgan says its drilling mud, known as AMC gel, is nontoxic, but the safety data sheet it provided to state regulators, which cites chemical additives acrylamide and silica, says the material is regarded as carcinogenic to humans. Tests of the AMC gel requested by the plaintiffs attorney, Jeff Mundy, also showed contamination from metals and arsenic, a known carcinogen, in concentrations similar to that found in their wells. The plaintiffs are seeking fines (payable to the government) of up to $57,000 for every day that the company fails to clean up the plume of drilling fluid suspended in their aquifer. Theyre also asking Kinder Morgan to stop using AMC gel anywhere it might get into the drinking water supply. This stuff is still down there in the aquifer and theres been no attempt to clean it up, Mundy said. Until its cleaned up its going to keep drifting down and affecting other well owners. In a written statement released after the lawsuit was filed, the company said the lawsuit was unfounded and without merit. The same metals in question naturally exist in the very earth that this groundwater is flowing through, and they are naturally present there at levels that are orders of magnitude higher than the concentrations present in the drilling mud used at the Blanco River site, the company said. Kinder Morgan also said the same drilling mud is certified as safe to use when drilling water wells. For Albright, nothing will restore the serenity she had before this whole mess began. Shes not the jittery type. She had three babies while she went to medical school, after all, she said. But now she feels worn down by nonstop anxiety. She worries shell never be able to use her well again. That her rainwater system will fail in a drought. That her dream home has lost its luster. We were trespassed, Albright said. They harmed the value of our home, the safety of our property all of that. I feel violated. But the pipeline is still cutting through Hill Country. People who live close to the Pedernales River near Fredericksburg fear theyll be next. Drilling under the river was set to get underway this weekend, Kinder Morgan officials said. The company planned to use the same drilling fluid. jay.root@chron.com Shares of Agora, a China and U.S.-based "real-time engagement" API company, soared today after it went public. Yesterday Agora priced 17.5 million shares at $20 apiece, up from its target range of $16 to $18 per share. The firm raised $350 in its debut, or around 10 times its Q1 2020 revenue and is now amply capitalized and has runway for effectively forever, given its modest cash consumption as an ongoing concern. But while the debut was a success, seeing Agora's share price rise as quickly as it did was not universally popular. Regular critic of the traditional IPO process Bill Gurley -- a venture capitalist, so someone with a stake in this particular gambit -- weighed in: Pretty amazing that there is a financial exercise on this planet involving hundreds of millions of dollars where its OK to not even get to 50% of the actual end result. The process is so rigged/broken at this point. They missed by more than the original guess. #marketpricing pic.twitter.com/MqmmYRw3ZM Bill Gurley (@bgurley) June 26, 2020 Let me translate. Gurley is irked -- rightly, to at least some degree -- that as Agora opened at $45 per share, the company's IPO was awfully priced. By that we mean that the company should have sold its IPO shares not at $20, but at $45, the value at which the market quickly repriced them. As $45 is more than twice $20, its bankers "missed by more than [their] original guess." Given the number of shares the company sold, the mis-pricing could be worth up to $437.5 million! There's merit to this argument, but it's not as complete a slam dunk as it might appear. Chat with CEOs of public companies and they will tell you about how important it is to have steady, stable, long-term shareholders of their equity. Those you might, say, meet on a roadshow and get to invest in your IPO shares. Story continues Those groups -- the long-term investors that tech folks claim to love so dearly -- are likely a bit more price conscious than the momentum traders eager to find upside in recent debuts. That is, folks more likely to hold onto shares for a shorter period of time. So, if you want long-term shareholders, you may have to price you IPO under the price the market may initially bear once trading begins. Still, holy shit $20 per share is not close to $45. Gurley has a point. The future Change may be coming. The Agora news rotates back to what the NYSE, an American exchange, is doing. Namely trying to come up with a way to let companies direct list (to just start trading, sans pricing or raising new capital), and raise capital. This gets rid of the issues that Gurley highlighted above. At least in theory. Obviously, if that model becomes possible and long-term investors are willing to pay for shares in a slightly different manner, the new method will be far superior than the old for companies that are great. What sort of companies get burned from first-day pops the most? I reckon it's the most attractive, or hyped companies. The companies that would make the most attractive IPOs would use the new method, leaving -- what? The detritus to go out the old-fashioned way? Signaling issues abound! Anyway, it was a zany first day for Agora. U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Russian military intelligence offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, The New York Times reported. The newspaper, citing anonymous U.S. officials briefed on the matter, reported on June 26 that a secret unit of Russias GRU military intelligence linked to assassination attempts in Europe and other activities offered rewards for successful attacks last year. The Russian Embassy in Washington immediately slammed what it called baseless and anonymous accusations. In the absence of reasons to #BlameRussians, @nytimes is there to invent new fake stories, the Russian embassy tweeted. Spokesmen for the National Security Council, the Pentagon, and the CIA declined to comment on the allegations that were later also reported by The Washington Post. The New York Times reported U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed on the intelligence in March, but the administration has not yet decided how to respond. The Times said Taliban-linked militants, or armed criminal elements closely associated with them, collected some of the money. But it reported that it was not clear whether the alleged payments are linked to any of the 20 American soldiers killed in Afghanistan last year. It claimed the intelligence was based partially on interrogations of captured Afghan militants and criminals. The allegations come as the United States seeks to advance a nascent peace process in Afghanistan after signing a deal with the Taliban in February that could see U.S. troops leave the country next year. The Times reported that U.S. officials were not sure how high in the Russian government the covert operation had been approved and what its goal could be. The three reporters who wrote the story obviously lack information on cooperation between Russia and #US on the Afghan peace process, on Syrian, North Korean, Venezuelan, Iranian agendas, the Russian Embassy tweeted. Some U.S. officials speculated that Russia may seek to retaliate for a 2018 fight in Syria in which the U.S. military killed Russian mercenaries. Another idea is that maybe Russia intended to bog down American forces in Afghanistan. During the Soviet Unions war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, the United States backed Afghan and foreign militants that bogged down Russian soldiers. - Patrick Njoroge said there was a slight decline in gross domestic product when the first case was reported in March - The CBK boss explained agricultural sectors which had posted significant improvement in May helped cushion Kenya's economy - However, he warned the country was not out of the woods yet despite the data showing otherwise Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) governor Patrick Njoroge has said data have shown Kenya's economy has performed well despite coronavirus pandemic Though there was a slight decline in gross domestic product when the first case was reported in March, Njoroge disclosed the key sectors of economy began to pick in May. READ ALSO: Anne Waiguru thanks lawyer husband Waiganjo for standing with her during impeachment: "You're are from heaven" President Uhuru Kenyatta after receiving a dummy cheque from CBK boss Njoroge. Njoroge said Kenya's economy was doing well. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: CS Magoha hints colleges will reopen before secondary, primary schools The expectations that we are going to sink much further has not been born by the reality, even so, I dont think the numbers in the end reveal the pain to individuals," he said. The CBK boss explained agricultural sectors which had posted significant improvement in May, helped cushion Kenya which largely depends on farm produce. READ ALSO: Battle of learned friends: Lawyers Kaluma, Nelson Havi tear each other over Waluke's sentencing READ ALSO: Fahamu madhara ya kiafya yanayokusubiri wakati unapotumia sukari nyingi kwenye vyakula We are a diversified economy. We depend 20 % on our immediate neighbours, 40 % on the regional market and we boast of a diversified export market, he said. However, he warned the country was not out of the woods yet despite the data showing otherwise. We do not want to be bullish, I would even say its foolish to say the worst is behind us. We need to be cautious. At the end of the day, its not GDP that matters, he said. Njoroge was speaking at Monetary Policy Committee press conference on Friday, June 26. Speaking to NTV on May 31, President Uhuru Kenyatta said opening up economy will solely depend on commitment of Kenyans to follow the COVID-19 containment measures. "How disciplined are we as Kenyans in maintaining and observing the protocols. If we say if we are opening up everyone must wear a mask as you go about your duties. Are you going to be social distancing? If we are going to adapt to this social norm, I strongly believe we can get back to a place close to where we were ," he said. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. My mother did not want me, I was called a man eater - Antony Wanjiru | My Story | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke But we may have to wait for November to try to restore sanity, along with a coherent national effort to control the virus. That wait will guarantee thousands of unnecessary virus deaths and a much harder economic recovery, along with a further drop in U.S. influence abroad. Either way, it is essential to recognize what the Europe ban on Americans reveals. The reaction there is largely one of astonishment that the United States could be so inept. I certainly would not feel safe traveling to the U.S., a columnist for Italys La Repubblica told Bloomberg News, echoing what Ive heard from colleagues in Europe. Think about that. Not safe visiting the USA, and not just due to gun violence, but because we cant cope with a pandemic that most European nations have controlled for now. And then there is astonishment at American behavior. A Bloomberg columnist in Singapore wrote: Hovering over all this is incredulity that the U.S., which most here still see as a great nation and important counterweight to China, is engaged in a culture war over something so straightforward as wearing a mask. Nurses in SEIU local 121 at the Riverside Community Hospital in California have gone on strike and plan to protest for 10 days until the HCA Healthcare hospital chain provides safety equipment for employees and resumes the staffing ratios agreed to last year. Since the start of the pandemic, nurses at 19 HCA hospitals complained to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that they lacked protective gear like respirator masks and were forced to reuse medical gowns. The Guardian and Kaiser Health News have identified 679 health care workers in the US who have died from COVID-19. Nurses at HCA have repeatedly complained about not being provided with safety equipment, medical technicians and cleaning staff. Executives threatened to lay off thousands of nurses if they didnt agree to wage freezes and other cuts. A nurse at an HCA hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, Celia Yap-B, died from COVID-19 in April, a month after her coworkers complained to OSHA that she had to treat a patient without safety gear. At HCAs hospital in Riverside, California, Rosa Luna died after cleaning patient rooms and contracting the virus. Her colleagues warned executives in emails that hospital cleaning staff were not being provided with safety masks. Now, with California and states across the country lifting social distancing measures, COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing. Riverside itself is a hotspot, with the second largest number of cases and deaths in California. On Friday, Riverside County confirmed 501 new COVID cases. It has been responsible for roughly 10 percent of new cases across the state over the past two weeks. The efforts of nurses and hospital staff to brace for this storm have been undermined by HCAs cost-cutting. With a wave of new cases developing and available ICU beds across the county dropping to just 86, HCA executives have threatened to lay off 10 percent of the workers unless the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and National Nurses United accept wage freezes, the elimination of company contributions to workers pensions and other cuts. Rather than call a system-wide strike in response to this threat against all of its members at HCA hospitals, the SEIU has called an isolated action, limited to the Riverside facility. SEIU Local 121 alone has members at two other HCA hospitals nearby. The isolated character of the work stoppage in Riverside allows HCA to bring in strike-breakers without significant expense. Already, the hospital has brought in at least 400 nurses from other hospitals to offset the strike. HCA Healthcare recently offered nurses who cross the picket line up to $980 per shift, a $150 show up bonus and a continental breakfast. Demonstrating the incapacity of privately-owned health care to respond with anything but greed to the pandemic, HCA received almost $1 billion in bailout funds set aside for the hospital industry by the federal government, part of the economic stimulus package misnamed the CARES Act. Many hospital chains continue to lay off or cut the pay of workers while compensating their executives with millions. Collectively, the hospital chains are sitting on billions of dollars of cash reserves. HCA earned more than $7 billion in profits over the last two years and its CEO made $26 million in 2019. The company is worth $36 billion. The CEO at HCA, Samuel Hazen, has responded to criticisms of penny-pinching by donating two months salary toward a fund to help furloughed workers. This amounts to $237,000, less than 1 percent of his $26 million annual pay. Erin McIntosh, a nurse and member of SEIU Local 121RN, told the Guardian: When the pandemic hit, I thought HCA, our hospital, would be revving up the resources, that we would have more resources, more staff. But unfortunately it was the opposite. They started making cuts, and were working with skeleton crews. Were being cut to the bare minimum. The union and the hospital reached an agreement last year that capped the number of patients per nurse. The number ranges from two to five patients. That agreement expired on May 31, forcing nurses to take on additional patients as well as other tasks such as housekeeping. Although the Riverside Community Hospital has not laid off or furloughed any workers because of COVID-19, they have stopped calling in per diem nurses, who typically fill the schedule by working only one day a week. The hospital has also started a pandemic pay program, which pays nurses 70 percent of their regular pay for hours not worked. However, it requires them to be on call. The SEIU intends to end the walkout after 10 days, whether or not its conditions are met. Nurses looking to protect their patients and themselves must reject the straitjacket being imposed by the union bureaucracy. Just last week, SEIU Local 1,000 accepted an 11 percent pay cut demanded by Californias Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, affecting 96,000 nurses, custodians and administrators employed by the state. To carry the fight forward, nurses should take the struggle into their own hands by forming rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, to demand full protective gear and equipment, full compensation for all staff and no furloughing of workers. This must be combined with a political fight to unite all sections of workers in opposition to the corporations and the government, and demand the replacement of for-profit medicine with a socialized system to provide free, equal and high quality health care for all. New Delhi: India on Friday (June 26) warned China that trying to alter the status quo on the ground by resorting to force will not just damage the peace that existed on the border areas but can also have ripples and repercussions in the broader bilateral relationship. It demanded that Beijing stop its activities in eastern Ladakh. "The only way to resolve the current military standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh was for Beijing to realise that trying to change the status quo by resorting to force or coercion, is not the right way forward,?" India's ambassador to China Vikram Misri said in an interview on Friday. He said that Chinese side needs to stop creating obstruction and hindrances in the normal patrolling patterns of the Indian troops. He also rubbished China's claim of sovereignty over Galwan Valley in Ladakh as "completely untenable", and asserted that these kinds of exaggerated claims are not going to help the situation. Misri emphasised that India is 'very aware and very clear about the alignment of the LAC in the Galwan Valley', and said that troops have been patrolling up to these areas without any difficulty for a very very long period of time. Misri's strong comments came in response to the recent claims by the Chinese military and the foreign ministry of sovereignty over Galwan Valley. As many as 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley earlier this month after an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation in eastern Ladakh. The clash came even as the two countries were in talks to resolve the dispute at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In a series of tweets, Misri said he told a news agency that "maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas is sine qua non for progress in rest of bilateral relationship. For resolution, Chinese side needs to stop creating obstructions and hindrances in the normal patrolling patterns of Indian troops." "Chinese actions over an extended period of time are responsible for the current situation," he said in another tweet. "Whatever activities we may be carrying out have always been on our side of the LAC so the Chinese need to stop activities to alter the status quo. It is very surprising that they should attempt to do so in a sector which has never before been a sector of concern," the Indian envoy said. "Chinas claim of sovereignty over Galwan Valley in Ladakh is completely untenable. These kinds of exaggerated claims are not going to help the situation," he added. We hope that the Chinese side will realise its responsibility in de-escalation and disengagement, he further said. Police are searching for a man who exposed himself to two teenagers while wearing nothing but a latex gimp mask. The man, who hasn't yet been identified, was spotted wandering around Kirkcaldy, Fife, in Scotland, wearing the mask on June 24. He walked towards two teenage girls, aged 15 and 16, who were sat next to each other on some grass, in a park, while talking a break from walking a trail. The man is described as being in his mid-20s to early 30s, of a medium build and at the time of the incident he was wearing a black item covering his face, a pair of brown shoes and dark sunglasses. He was also carrying a pile of dark clothing The man, who hasn't yet been identified, was spotted wandering around Kirkcaldy, Fife, in Scotland, wearing the mask, and nothing else on June 24 The police were called but the man made off before they arrived. A local community page on Facebook 'warned' parents not to let youngsters walk alone in the area. Rabbit Braes Development Group said on Facebook: 'Just a word of warning. A naked man was seen up in the 'horsey' field this afternoon. 'He started walking around in front of/towards two teenage girls. Police were called, but they were unable to catch him. 'Please tell your children to be safe if they are out and preferably not to walk around alone.' A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 4.50pm on Wednesday, 24 June, we received reports that a man had exposed himself to two women in the Rabbit Braes area of Kirkcaldy. 'Enquiries are ongoing and anyone who may have information can call 101.' Detective Duncan Thompson of Central Fife CID added: 'This was a very distressing incident for the girls involved and although they were not physically harmed they have been left shaken. 'We are eager to trace the man responsible as soon as possible and I would appeal to anyone who may know who this is or may have any information to get in touch. 'There would have been other people in the Rabbit Braes area at the time of the incident, and we are appealing for anyone who thinks they saw this man or anyone acting suspiciously in the area to get in touch with us.' Kabul, June 27 : Two Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) staffers were killed on Saturday in a bomb blast in Kabul, police said. The blast took place at around 7.45 am in the capital city's Botkhak when the two staffers were on the way to work. "The blast caused by a magnetic Improvised Explosive Device (IED) targeted" the car they were travelling in, Kabul police spokesperson Firdaws Faramarz told Efe news. Muhammad Reza Jafari, an AIHRC spokesperson, told Efe news that the victims comprised a female, but refused to reveal their identities. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack triggered widespread condemnation from rights and aid groups in the country. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan condemned the killing, saying there could be "no justification for attacks against human rights defenders". "Immediate investigation (is) needed with perpetrators held to account," the UNAMA tweeted. Like those of all presidents, Lincolns legacy is complex and contains actions which, 150 years later, appear flawed, she said in a statement. However, when the totality of his tenure is considered, Lincoln is widely acknowledged as one of our greatest presidents, having issued the Emancipation Proclamation, persuaded Congress to adopt the 13th Amendment ending slavery and preserved the Union during the Civil War ... I believe that Abraham Lincolns legacy should not be erased but examined, that it should be both celebrated and critiqued. Complex legacy University of Connecticut professor and Civil War historian Manisha Sinha said she would be horrified if UW-Madison took Lincolns statue down because of his long list of redeeming qualities. She characterized the recent push to expand statue removal beyond Confederate generals and other obvious symbols of slavery to include widely celebrated individuals with complicated pasts, such as slave-owning presidents, as misplaced. The United Nations has said it is 'shocked and deeply disturbed' by a video clip which appears to show two of its workers 'having sex' in an official UN vehicle in Tel Aviv. In the 18-second video which was posted on Twitter, a man in the back seat of a white car marked with the UN letters is seen being straddled by a woman in a red dress who is moving up and down. The man is just wearing a t-shirt and shorts and another male passenger in the front of the car appears to be asleep. The vehicle is then driven further down the road. The UN said all of the car's occupants are believed to be workers from the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), a peacekeeping force based in Jerusalem. The United Nations has said it is 'shocked and deeply disturbed' by a video clip which appears to show two of its workers 'having sex' in an official UN vehicle in Tel Aviv Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said: 'We are shocked and deeply disturbed by what is seen on the video. 'The behaviour seen in it is abhorrent and goes against everything that we stand for and having been working to achieve in terms of fighting misconduct by UN staff.' Mr Dujaarric added that the UN expects the investigation to be completed 'very quickly' and the couple are close to being identified. The UN was first made aware of the video earlier this week and they said they know where it was filmed. Viewers on Twitter expressed their dismay at the clip, with one writing: 'Why am I not surprised.' In the 18-second video which was posted on Twitter, a man in the back seat of a white car marked with the UN letters is seen being straddled by a woman in a red dress who is moving up and down. In the front of the car, a male passenger appears to be asleep The person who posted the video, Canadian woman Mattea Merta, is a 'pro-family representative' at the UN, according to her Twitter profile. She wrote above the post: 'I present to you.....the UN'. Another viewer wrote in response to the clip, 'No big surprise is it?' Ms Merta replied: 'Nope, not at all. Compared to stories I've heard from people who have left their UN jobs...this was an innocent situation.' Although the UN has strict regulations governing sexual misconduct by its workers, it has repeatedly come under fire for breaches in recent years. In December, a report claimed peacekeepers at the UN had 'hundreds of babies with women in Haiti before abandoning the young mothers. The person who posted the video, Canadian woman Mattea Merta, is a 'pro-family representative' at the UN, according to her Twitter profile. She wrote above the post: 'I present to you.....the UN' Viewers on Twitter expressed their dismay at the clip, with one writing: 'Why am I not surprised' Another viewer also said the video was not a 'big surprise'. Ms Merta replied: 'Nope, not at all. Compared to stories I've heard from people who have left their UN jobs...this was an innocent situation' The study into the UN mission in the disaster-hit Caribbean country said girls as young as 11 were left pregnant after being sexually abused. Some of the girls were traded for 'a few coins' in order to get food and would have sex with the peacekeepers so they could survive, the British academic-led study found. After their children were born, the young mothers were left to a life of poverty, according to the Times. Soldiers from as many as 12 different countries, including Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Canada and France, were found to have impregnated local women, the report stated. The UN also knew of charity workers offering refugees food in exchange for sexual favours for more than a decade, it has been revealed. An 84-page report on 'food-for-sex' practices in West African refugee camps was compiled and handed over to the UN in 2002, but was never published. It claimed that workers at more than 40 aid organisations, of which 15 are major international charities including Save the Children and Medecins Sans Frontieres, sexually exploited young refugees. It marked yet another aid worker sex scandal in the spotlight. Last June a charities watchdog found Oxfam failed to investigate the sexual abuse of children as young as 12 and 'lost sight of the values it stands for', following an 18-month investigation. 142-page report finds 'systematic weaknesses' in Oxfams' attitude to safeguarding The 142-page report investigated Oxfam's conduct since 2012. It found there were 'systematic weaknesses' in its attitude to safeguarding, and there was no up-to-date safeguarding strategy in place as recently as 2018. This included weaknesses in human resources practices, including on vetting, referencing, recruitment and induction. There was also a failure to consistently hold people to account for poor behaviour and to ensure robust and consistent action was taken, resulting in a culture of tolerance of poor behaviour, the regulator's investigation concluded. This was likely to have resulted in putting victims off speaking up. The report found the risk to and impact on victims 'appeared to take second place at times' and was not taken seriously enough, and that victims, whistleblowers and staff who tried to raise concerns were let down. Advertisement Oxfam was plunged into crisis in February 2018 when it emerged that some of its workers engaged in 'sex parties' with prostitutes after the humanitarian disaster in the Caribbean country of Haiti in 2010. The commission launched its inquiry amid concerns Oxfam may not have fully and frankly disclosed material details about the allegations at the time in 2011, its handling of the incidents since, and the impact these have had on public trust and confidence. The report said the incidents in Haiti identified in 2011 were not 'one-offs', with evidence of behavioural issues as early as June 2010. It also found serious allegations of wrongdoing including sexual abuse of children were not fully disclosed. The Charity Commission for England and Wales said there was a 'culture of poor behaviour' among Oxfam staff sent to help victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It also said Oxfam did not report allegations of child abuse by charity staff in Haiti, and that senior staff implicated in sexual misconduct claims were dealt with more leniently than junior figures. Commission chief executive Helen Stephenson said at the time: 'What went wrong in Haiti did not happen in isolation. 'Our inquiry demonstrates that, over a period of years, Oxfam's internal culture tolerated poor behaviour, and at times lost sight of the values it stands for.' A year before the inquiry findings, the aid sector was accused of 'complacency verging on complicity' in 2018 when a damning report into the Oxfam scandal was published three years after the Charity Commission was first told. The International Development committee said only superficial action was taken to tackle abuse carried out by Oxfam staff in disaster zones. Committee chairman Stephen Twigg said at the time that abuse remains 'endemic' and the sector 'deluded' in its denial of 'the horror of sexual exploitation and abuse' (SEA). He said: 'Humanitarian organisations and the UN cannot continue a 'culture of denial' when confronted with allegations of SEA. 'The committee is deeply concerned that previous attempts have amounted to limited action in order to quell media clamour with no lasting impact or redress.' We get elated even when we find some money by chance in a pocket of a pant or shirt. Think of happiness of a person who finds a valuable item after many, many years. This is exactly what happened with Amy Goetz who found her lost ring after 18 years. Amy has narrated the interesting story on Facebook. She had misplaced the ring on a beach in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2002. On the morning of June 16, 2020, she got a call from Gwinnett County police department to verify something. Well, after confirming my high school and graduation year, the officer told me that someone had found my class ring while metal detecting on the beach in Jacksonville, Florida, read her post. Amy said that she had thought about it all these years and now she was overwhelmed with excitement. She also thanked the man who found it. People can be wonderful! The gentleman who found it went through a lot to find me and I am just so incredibly thankful. I am in shock. THANK YOU to John for his kindness and efforts in returning this to me, Amy added. John Porcella discovered a ring on the Jacksonville beach and took to social media to find the real owner. Porcella posted pictures of it on Jacksonville Beaches Lost, Found & Stolen, a Facebook group. As a result of this, he got responses from netizens informing about the owner of the ring. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 26) Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said overseas Filipino workers in a viral video were not scavenging for food from garbage, but were sorting out rejected food by groceries. That truth of the matter, I was a witness of things like this, sa mga groceries in Riyadh, ay mga nagde-deliver na kapag ni-reject ng groceries, yun ang pinag-aagawan ng mga kasama natin, Bello said during a Friday hearing with the House committee on public accounts. [Translation: The truth of the matter, I was a witness of things like this, in groceries in Riyadh, there are those who deliver deliveries that were rejected were those being sorted out by Filipinos.] He also said he does not believe that any Filipino will eat garbage, and that he has never seen one yet. Philippine Ambassador Adnan Alonto also warned OFWs there to strictly follow cyber laws of Saudi Arabia. He said if ever there will be criminal charges pressed against them, it will be harder to bring them back to the Philippines. A video of OFWs that seem like scavenging for food from garbage in Saudi Arabia went viral last week. DOLE recently said that an investigation is ongoing regarding the matter and appropriate actions will be imposed. It also said that it is already arranging flights to bring home the 12 OFWs seen in the video. Labor Attache Nasser Mustafa said the company of these workers has agreed to discuss their evacuation. READ: Labor Dept. working on evacuation of OFWs seen picking food from trash Meanwhile, Bello also said that Filipinos selling blood to earn has been a long time practice for some even before the pandemic came. He said that this is for them to send additional money back to their families in the Philippines. By PTI SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday launched his ruling People's Action Party's manifesto for the July 10 general election, promising a slew of initiatives to focus on saving jobs, restarting the economy dented by the coronavirus pandemic and migrant workers welfare. Lee, 68, on Tuesday announced snap general elections to allow a fresh five-year mandate to a new government to take important decisions to revive the city-state's economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic. He advised President Halimah Yacob to dissolve the 105-seat Parliament and order a fresh election, 10-months ahead of schedule. Titled "Our Lives, Our Jobs, Our Future", Lee launched the manifesto pointing out that the election will take place "in the middle of the most severe crisis the world has faced for many decades". Lee, who is the secretary-general of the PAP that has ruled Singapore since independence, said taking care of Singapore's economy was an urgent requirement. "Right now, keeping Singapore going, flying straight and level safely through the turbulent weather is the most challenging and urgent priority for the Government," the Channel News Asia quoted Lee as saying. Lee highlighted issues on the top of voters' minds: keeping Singaporeans and migrant workers safe from COVID-19 and keeping the disease from overwhelming the healthcare system, and providing care and support to Singaporeans amid the uncertainty and dangers. The manifesto underlined the need to support each other to stay safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Singapore has more than 300,000 foreign workers living in dormitories which were the main clusters spreading coronavirus disease in recent months. About 120,000 migrant workers have either recovered from or tested negative for COVID-19 so far. Singapore has reported 42,955 coronavirus cases and 26 deaths. Over 36,299 patients with the infection have recovered. The government has acknowledged the importance of migrant workers, mostly South Asians and Indians, as builders of Singapore. Singaporeans will go to the polls on July 10, while political parties have started preparing for fielding their candidates who would be nominated on June 30. Lee said the central focus of the manifesto is how the PAP wants to work together to overcome this "crisis of a generation". He said: "This includes how it will keep Singaporeans and migrant workers safe and prevent COVID-19 from overwhelming Singapore's healthcare system". "How it will restart and transform the economy, save jobs and businesses, and reskill workers for new jobs. How it will provide care and support to one another, so that people can keep themselves safe amid the uncertainties and dangers," he said. Lee said these issues are at the top of people's minds, adding that Singaporeans understood this was not business or politics as usual, and that they want to know how the Government would solve their problems. Beyond COVID-19 and jobs, Lee said the manifesto also sets out the PAP's longer-term plans to build a "better Singapore", adding that its aim was not just to survive the storm. "But, also to maintain the long-term direction for the country, and keep on building and improving Singapore," he stated. The PAP is fielding 27 new candidates, consisting of entrepreneurs, businessmen and women, lawyers, social workers, public servants and military officers. Representing more than a quarter of its total slate, this was the highest number of new candidates the PAP has fielded in any election, Lee said, with double the number of new women candidates compared to the General Election in 2015. Lee also revealed that about 20 Members of Parliament were retiring this year, including Deputy Speaker Charles Chong, who has served seven terms in total. [June 27, 2020] RMO LLP Conservatorship Attorneys Thwart Nigerian Scammers A Los Angeles judge granted temporary conservatorship to help relatives stop a family member who was losing millions of dollars to a Nigerian fraud ring. RMO LLP, founding and managing partner, Scott E. Rahn, and partner, Matthew F. Baker, demonstrated to the Los Angeles Superior Court that the victim needed protection from these criminals, who had originally targeted the victim through Match.com in a romance scheme. That romance slowly turned profitable for the fraudsters, who manipulated the victim ovr a number of years, originally securing trivial "gifts" like phones under the auspices of needing them for secret, special military-like operations, before slowing asking for money via gift cards, wires and bank transfers. Over time, the fraud changed, with the scammers eventually convincing the victim that they needed even more additional capital to help them secure as much as $40 million from a purported gold and diamond mine, which they proffered to share with the victim. The fraudsters were so unrelenting that they convinced the victim not only to send significant sums of money, but to travel alone internationally, including traveling to war ravaged parts of Africa where kidnappings are rampant, to verify the booty. "They sometimes get people to come to them and then hold them for ransom, and in our case the victim actually was making plans to travel to meet the fraudsters where the victim might have been put in harm's way," said Rahn, whose Century City firm specializes in litigating family trusts and other conservatorship matters. "So we stopped the fraud not only to cut off the financial drain but also keep the victim safe." The RMO team obtained the emergency, temporary conservatorship over the victim's objections by helping the judge understand the scammers' tricks constituted undue influence of the victim and that intervention by means of conservatorship was the best and safest way to protect her. RMO LLP provides personal, cost-effective litigation services to individual and institutional clients. The firm's trust attorneys and probate lawyers focus on beneficiary disputes, contested inheritance rights, disputed creditor claims, breaches of fiduciary duty, will and trust contests, capacity issues, claims of undue influence, financial elder abuse, contested powers of attorney, contested accountings, fraudulent transfers, partition actions, trustee theft, securities and business litigation. RMO has offices in Los Angeles, Orange (News - Alert) County, San Diego, Miami and Kansas City. For more information, please visit https://rmolawyers.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200627005010/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] realtor.com, Peter Foley/Bloomberg Geoffrey Berman, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is still looking for a buyer for his home in Princeton, NJ. The brick manor, which has been on the market since last fall, is available for $2.7 million. The New York Post first reported on the home's availability last October. The Post noted that the Stanford law graduate had been spending so much time in NYC handling high-profile cases that he had less need for a home in New Jersey. Berman was recently ousted from his position in a high-profile firing, which may further complicate his housing plans. But Professor Schmidt said that would be too late as universities must plan for 2021 now, and important research was on the chopping block. University research has been subsidised by fee revenue from overseas students, which has plunged due to COVID-19. Education Minister Dan Tehan is consulting sector leaders and is expected to make an announcement on research by the October budget. Australian National University head Brian Schmidt's comments came as several vice-chancellors backed a potential research funding model that would allocate money to fewer, higher quality projects, and cover more of their cost. A leading vice-chancellor is warning the federal government's failure to articulate a vision for higher education will destroy universities, and a lack of new investment in research will tank Australia's long-term economic forecasts. "There is an opportunity to fix this but we'd better fix it soon," he said. "I don't think they can do it without adding some extra money to the system. Anything budget neutral: someone is going to lose ... and lose badly. "I really want to see a vision of what the government wants out of its university system and then we design the future around that vision, rather than just quite frankly not having that vision because it's going to kill us. "And if we know what the government wants us to be, we will be that, even if there's a painful transition. I'd rather quit guessing, which is what I'm doing now." If it decided the country did too much research, "that would tank Australia's long-term [economic] forecast," Professor Schmidt warned. "If they want that, model it, put it in forward estimates." Vice-chancellors approached by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age backed moving to a model similar to that of Britain, which treats research funding as separate to teaching money, covers more of the cost, and gives priority to those with a track record of success. Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ricardo Ceppi/Getty Images US intelligence officials assessed that Russia's military intelligence agency offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill NATO troops in Afghanistan which include American forces, according to a New York Times report. Interrogations of Afghan militants and criminals reportedly yielded the information indicating that Taliban-linked militants were offered bounties from Russian agents, specifically Unit 29155, a branch of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. One theory floated by some of the officials is that Moscow may have been retaliating after an embarrassing defeat during a battle in Syria in 2018. President Donald Trump was briefed of the intelligence assessment, but the White House had yet to respond to it, The Times' sources said. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. US intelligence officials assessed that Russia's military intelligence agency paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill NATO troops in Afghanistan which include American forces, according to a New York Times report on Friday. US officials discovered information about the bounties earlier this year. Some of the bounty money was collected by either Islamist militants or those associated with them, The Times reported. In 2019, 17 US troops were killed in combat in Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department. Interrogations of Afghan militants and criminals yielded the information indicating that Taliban-linked militants were offered bounties from Russian forces, The Times reported. The intelligence officials believe the bounties involve Unit 29155, a branch of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. Unit 29155, which is believed to be made up of former Russian special-forces troops, has been blamed for a series of assassination attempts throughout Europe, including the poisoning of Russian defector Sergei Skripal in 2018. One theory floated by some of the officials is that Moscow may have been retaliating after an embarrassing defeat during a battle in Syria in 2018. Between 200 and 300 mercenaries from a Russia-linked security firm were killed during a four-hour battle at a military base that housed US-led coalition forces. Story continues It is unclear whether the Kremlin sanctioned the bounties. Russian officials said they were not aware of the allegations, according to The Times. President Donald Trump was briefed of the intelligence assessment, but the White House has yet to respond to it, The Times' sources said. The National Security Council had developed plans to address the report as early as March plans that included making diplomatic complaints or sanctions, according to The Times. US forces have previously accused Russia of providing material aid to the Taliban and subverting the US's efforts to stabilize the region: "Clearly, they are acting to undermine our interests," then-US commander in Afghanistan Gen. John Nicholson said in 2018. "We've had weapons brought to this headquarters and given to us by Afghan leaders and [they] said, this was given by the Russians to the Taliban," he added. The Trump administration, by comparison, has threatened Iran with massive retaliation for a single American's death and accused Iran of complicity in the deaths of 600 US troops in Iraq. Read the original article on Business Insider June 27 : Corona-virus has made everybodys life upside down. Though COVID-19 lockdown was imposed to prevent in spreading the virus but for children, it was nothing but bored to tears vacation. Kids didnt get to enjoy it at all. No outings, no celebrating birthdays, or attending any functions. Stuck up at home children are now being pressurized to attend online classes. The school which instructed parents to keep their children away from a cell phone are now insisting on phone use as medium of education. Children sitting for long hours with phones in their hands are ultimately spoiling their health. Now the real dilemma arises, online classes are source of education or alarming bells of health crisis? After doing some research, I came across with kids of 3rd, 4th, 5th standard, some pre-primary kids attending online classes. The kids, for whom the radiation of cell phone is considered too harmful and damaging, are forced to attend lectures, because the school wants to do its duty and charge their dues. They want to present an idea of learning, and perhaps show the government that they are contributing in shaping up kids future! But the truth of the matter is, kids are staring at screen for long hours, hunched over, glued to screens without breaks, the class starts at 9 Am and goes till 2 PM, thats dangerous amount of screen time for a child! Due to this, kids are complaining about headaches, watery eyes, neck pain and severe cases of sleeplessness and that is just the beginning. According to neurologist Dr. Sushil Tandel, children as young as seven will develop hunchbacks and curved spines because of the hours spent bending over smart phones and tablets. Parents, who raise red-flags about online classes are bullied by school administration, in some cases, their kids are rusticated from school! School is not mere a place of knowledge, its business now, biggest corporate in India, which is brutal, ruthless and filled with crooks, who arent much worried about health as much as their next pay-cheque! - Four attacks of such kind have been reported in the capital Kampala in the last three months raising concern - According to the police, the gang attacked a government vehicle registration number UG 0450T on June 23, but the occupants managed to escape unhurt - The city's police spokesperson said the bottle exploded into flames next to the driver's seat but was the fire was luckily put out by passersby Police in Uganda are investigating a sniper gang that has been notorious in attacking government vehicles with petrol bombs to stop them against enforcing various health guidelines meant to curb the spread of coronavirus. Four attacks of such kind have been reported in the capital Kampala in the last three months raising concerns. READ ALSO: Nandi Hills residents compel MP Alfred Keter to convey Ruto's, not Uhuru's message on extra-judicial shooting Uganda's capital city Kampala. The police are pursuing five suspects who hurled petrol bombs at government vehicles. Photo: Discover Africa. Source: UGC READ ALSO: It's not over yet: Kirinyaga MCAs vow to kick out Governor Anne Waiguru again Three latest incidents were reported in Katwe, Nateete and Busega within Kampala, the city's metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said on Saturday, June 27. We suspect the criminals' intention is to force the government to stop various safety measures on carrying of passengers by boda-boda operators that the government put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19," Onyango said in a statement. Over 800 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Uganda since March. Photo: CDC. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Watu 278 zaidi wapatwa na coronavirus, 4 wafariki dunia The spokesperson said the men in uniform were pursuing five suspects who were using motorbikes and would bring them to book. According to the police, the gang attacked a government vehicle registration number UG 0450T on June 23, but the occupants managed to escape unhurt. In the second incident, the suspects politely asked the driver of motor vehicle registration number UG 0182H to stop for them to cross. When the driver stopped, they pulled out a hammer and hit the windscreen. "The criminals were unable to execute their crime and fled after their hammer fell in the car. The third was conducted at Busega-Mityana roundabout when criminals hurled a flammable liquid in the bottle in a government vehicle registration number UG 0199K, a Toyota Fortune on June 26, 2020,Onyango said. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has imposed tough measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Photo: Yoweri Museveni. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Anne Waiguru thanks lawyer husband Waiganjo for standing with her during impeachment: "You're are from heaven" The officer said the bottle exploded into flames next to the driver's seat but was the fire was luckily put out by passersby. We are using all the available technology at our disposal to have them arrested and charged with malicious damage to government property and other offences, he added. Uganda has so far confirmed 833 cases of COVID-19. Out of these, 761 have recovered while none has died. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. We lost five children before our daughter Charisa came - Shinel Wanja | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke The United States on Friday announced visa restrictions on current and former officials of the Chinese Communist Party, and their families, deemed responsible for undermining Honk Kongs high degree of autonomy guaranteed by a Sino-British pact joint declaration from 1984. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited a proposed move by Beijing to supervise policing in Hong Kong under a new national security law and also intervene directly in some areas as the immediate provocation for the visa curbs. Chinas parliament is expected to adopt the new law next week. Precise details of the law remain secret. But it is expected to make it a criminal offence to secede, subvert, support terrorism and collude with foreign governments, the BBC has reported in an explainer. Among other things, Beijing will have the authority to interpret the law when needed, not any local authority. Hong Kong enjoys freedoms and rights not extended to mainland Chinese, under the 1984 joint declaration that paved the way for the 1997 transfer of Hong Kong by the British, who had administered it since conquering it in 1840 after the Opium War. Its a legally binding agreement under which Chinas basic policies regarding China will remain unchanged for 50 years, and it included, among other things, that guarantee of a high degree of autonomy The United States calls on China to honor its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration namely that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy and that human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, will be protected by law and respected by governing authorities in Hong Kong., Pompeo said in the announcement. The United States will continue to review its authorities to respond to these concerns, he added. Tensions and rhetoric the United States and China have risen dramatically in the aftermath of the Covid-19 epidemic. The Trump administration has accused China of misleading the world about the disease and concealing its mistake and the exact magnitude of the epidemic. Negative views about China have shot up in polls of Americans and a spate of legislations are making their way through congress against China. Trump signed one of them into law last week that seeks to punish China with sanctions over its treatment of Uighur Muslims. The Chinese embassy in Washington denounced the visa restrictions as interference. We urge the US side to immediately correct its mistakes, withdraw the decisions and stop interfering in Chinas domestic affairs. The Chinese side will continue to take strong measures to uphold national sovereignty, security and development interests, it said. Incoming Taoiseach Micheal Martin has promised a major national economic recovery plan and multi-billion euro stimulus as early as next month to get people back to work. Mr Martin described as unique and historic the deal agreed between his party, Read More: Read More: Mr Martin will be formally elected the countrys leader during a special sitting of Dail Eireann held at Dublins Convention Centre due to social distancing requirements. All three parties voted by large majorities to endorse the proposal to enter government. Speaking exclusively to the Irish Examiner, Mr Martin said: I am calm enough but daunted by the significant challenge ahead. We will get working straight away. I will be working on all fronts to deliver an economic recovery plan in July, looking at a jobs and recovery plan, looking at a stimulus plan to help people get back to work. That will be the immediate focus. I am delighted with the outcome in all three parties. It is an emphatic endorsement of all three parties by their membership who are clear a government needs to be formed. It was a very mature decision by my party. The emphatic nature of the vote was telling. How the parties voted Mr Martin confirmed that his new Cabinet will meet tonight and again early next week to begin preparing that national recovery plan. He also confirmed he will appoint his 11 Seanad nominees today while the appointment of junior ministers will take place early next week. In terms of the results, Fine Gael members voted by 80% to 20% while Fianna Fail members voted by a margin of 74% to 26% in favour of entering government. The Green Party, needing a two-thirds majority, voted by 76% to 24% in favour of the deal. Mr Martin will become the countrys 15th Taoiseach and the first Cork Taoiseach since Jack Lynch retired in 1979. Outgoing taoiseach Leo Varadkar after announcing that Fine Gael members have voted in favour of the programme for government agreed with Fianna Fail and the Green Party, in Dublin. Picture: Damien Eagers/PA Wire Outgoing taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar, who is set to become Tanaiste, said that the vote of his party was significant as all four sections of the electoral college voted for the deal. It is a result that Mr Varadkar, the Fine Gael president, said he wasnt entirely sure he would win, but he said it was a strong mandate for entering government. So Fine Gael is going to enter a third term in government and this new coalition united and strong, and were looking forward to helping get the country through the Covid emergency, getting people back to work, businesses open and pursuing some of the reforms we got started in the last couple of years, he said. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said there is a sense of responsibility on us now because we do have a job to do. Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin TD and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan TD in Brookes Hotel, Dublin today, as he announces that the party has voted in support of the proposed programme for government. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie In terms of Cabinet appointments, Mr Martin looks set to appoint his Cork South Central constituency colleague Michael McGrath, his deputy leader Dara Calleary, Offaly TD Barry Cowen, and Galway TD Anne Rabbitte. Others in contention include Thomas Byrne, Jim OCallaghan, and Jack Chambers. Mr Varadkars team looks set to include Simon Coveney, Paschal Donohoe, Heather Humphreys, Simon Harris, Helen McEntee, and possibly Hildegarde Naughten. Mr Ryan and his deputy leader Catherine Martin are certain to be Green ministers while the third Cabinet slot could go to Joe OBrien, Roderic OGorman, or Ossian Smyth. President Donald Trump's transfer last year of $2.5 billion in military funds to pay for border wall construction was an illegal overreach of executive authority, a three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled Friday. The 2-1 ruling was a setback to the president's increasing reliance on the Pentagon to finance hundreds of miles of new barrier along the Mexico border. Its long-term implications were less certain, as the Supreme Court ruled in Trump's favor in a similar case last year and Friday's decision only affects a portion of the funds the White House has budgeted for what has become one of the largest federal infrastructure projects in U.S. history. The president, who ran for office in 2016 promising that Mexico would pay for the border wall, has obtained more than $15 billion in U.S. federal funds for his signature project, including $5 billion provided by Congress through conventional appropriations. The president has tapped into Pentagon accounts for the remaining $10 billion, including the $2.5 billion transfer last year that the 9th Circuit said Friday was unlawful. Some of those funds already have been awarded as contracts to the private builders hired to construct the barrier. In its ruling, the court said the White House "lacked independent constitutional authority to authorize the transfer of funds" from the military. "The panel noted that the Appropriations Clause of the U.S. Constitution exclusively grants the power of the purse to Congress," the judges ruled. "The panel held that the transfer of funds violated the Appropriations Clause, and, therefore, was unlawful." The Department of Homeland Security, a defendant in the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees construction of the barrier, did not immediately respond to questions about the financial impact of the ruling on work currently underway. The Trump administration is expected to appeal Friday's ruling to the Supreme Court, which last year sided with the White House and lifted a 9th Circuit injunction freezing transfers of funds from military accounts. The Sierra Club and a collection of border activists sued the administration again last year when Defense Secretary Mark Esper tapped new funding streams for a fresh $2.5 billion. Private contractors have completed about 220 miles of new fencing along the Mexico border, and DHS officials say they remain on track to deliver on Trump's pledge to finish 450 miles by the end of 2020. The pace of construction has proceeded swiftest on federal land already under government control, including wildlife preserves, national forests and other protected areas, outraging environmental groups, tribal authorities and others who view the 30-foot steel structure as wasteful and destructive. Gloria Smith, a Sierra Club attorney, called the ruling Friday "monumental" and said the court had "put a stop to Trump's unconstitutional wall construction." "We should be protecting communities, our democracy, and the environment, not tearing these things apart as Trump hoped to do," Smith said in a statement. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who has filed multiple challenges to the administration's construction plans, also hailed the panel's decision in a statement Friday. "While the Trump administration steals public funds to build an unauthorized wall at the southern border, families across the country are struggling to pay their bills," he said. "They deserve to know that their hard-earned dollars are going where Congress intended - to benefit them and their communities." The Supreme Court last year lifted the lower-court injunction without ruling on the legality of the administration's Pentagon transfers. But the administration has insisted the White House has the legal authority to pay for physical barriers as part of a wider effort to protect and defend the country's borders. The Trump administration also has argued in recent months that security at the southern border is a crucial element of preventing further influx of the coronavirus, though the outbreak within the United States is by far the worst in the world. The court's conservative majority ruled that the government had "made a sufficient showing at this stage" that private entities could not challenge the transfer of money by the executive branch. But the 9th Circuit panel said "it is for the courts to enforce Congress's priorities" and found the Sierra Club "may invoke separation-of-powers constraints, like the Appropriations Clause, to challenge agency spending in excess of its delegated authority." The showdown between Trump and Democratic lawmakers over border wall funding led to a 35-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. It ended last January when the president dropped his funding demand for $5 billion, reaching into military accounts instead. A three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit also ruled this year in favor of the administration, lifting a lower-court injunction blocking the use of military funds for barrier construction in the El Paso area. - - - The Washington Post's Robert Barnes contributed to this report. A tour of Tibetan areas given recently to foreign diplomats by authorities in western China fell short of showing a true picture of conditions faced by Tibetans living under Beijings rule, an advocacy group said this week. The June 17-18 tour organized by the foreign affairs department of Chinas Sichuan province focused mainly on visits to scenic areas, tourist centers, and a school for the study of traditional art, the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet said on June 23. Tourism and related facilities are the least of the problems that the Tibetan people face under Chinese rule, ICT said. Freedom of religion or belief is often violated in Tibet, and restrictions to access to the region are also in place, the rights group said, quoting a 2018 statement former EU Foreign Affairs Chief Federica Mogherini to the European Parliament. Tightly restricted and controlled tours by handpicked government delegations are staged by Chinese authorities as an integral part of [Chinas] global strategy to hide the realities of what is happening in Tibet today, ICT said. ICT calls on members of such delegations from other countries to be mindful of their visits possibly being used for propagandistic means, and to be ready to counter any such state media portrayals, also in public. 'A certain narrative' It was quite a rigorous program, but we did also speak with some local people,a European diplomat, told RFA in an interview, describing the tour joined by 21 diplomats from Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Israel, Pakistan, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United States. And obviously, the Chinese side had a certain narrative that they wanted to portray, the diplomat said, adding that if tour members saw anything that caused them concern, they raised their concerns immediately with their Chinese hosts. Obviously, the Chinese side would prefer that we not talk about these kinds of issues, but we do, said the envoy. Calls are mounting in Europe for member states of the EU to enact legislation demanding that European diplomats, journalists, and researchers be granted unrestricted access to travel in Tibet, a region largely barred to outsiders while Chinese nationals can freely travel throughout European countries. Writing in an op-ed appearing this month in European media outlets and newspapers, 57 parliamentarians from 19 European countries called on their governments to pass a law barring access to Europe to Chinese officials who block foreign travel in Tibet, a formerly independent Himalayan country now ruled from Beijing. In December 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, a law under which Chinese officials responsible for excluding U.S. citizens, including Americans of Tibetan ethnic origin, from Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), could be banned from entering the United States. The law also requires the State Department to provide to the Congress each year a list of U.S. citizens blocked from entry to Tibet. Reported by Tashi Wangchuk for RFA's Tibetan Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. Coronavirus patients of Indian origin top the list of patients who have succumbed to the virus among the non-white population in England, according to latest figures released by the National Health Service, as the UK prepares to ease lockdown further from July 4. NHS England figures show that 763 patients categorised as Indian died as of June 25, followed by patients of Caribbean heritage (636) and of Pakistani origin (479). The Indian category accounts for 3 per cent among the non-white patients who died due to contracting the virus. Together, the non-white patients categorised as BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) accounted for 3,794 deaths. Several reviews have concluded that the virus has affected the BAME communities disproportionately. Besides higher incidence of diseases such as diabetes among BAME communities, the reviews highlight the fact that individuals from such communities make up a large share of jobs considered essential in tackling the virus, many of which are public-facing. Several doctors and nurses of Indian heritage working in the NHS are among the dead. A report by Public Health England said: Historic racism and poorer experiences of healthcare or at work may mean that individuals in BAME groups are less likely to seek care when needed or as NHS staff are less likely to speak up when they have concerns about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or risk. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have showed that there is a significantly higher risk of death from the virus among Indian and other non-white communities than the white community. The ONS said Indian and other non-white males are 4.2 times more likely to die from a Covid-19-related death and non-white females are 4.3 times more likely than white ethnicity males and females. The UKs Indian-origin population is estimated to number 1.5 million. The ONS said: People of Bangladeshi and Pakistani, Indian, and Mixed ethnicities also had statistically significant raised risk of death involving Covid-19 compared with those of White ethnicity. According to Kamlesh Khunti, medical expert at the University of Leicester, the reasons Indian and other non-white people figure more in the statistics, despite accounting for only 14 per cent of the UK population, include many coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, working in public-facing occupations, holding different cultural beliefs and behaviours or being at high risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The government is committed and making all-out efforts to provide quality education in Himachal Pradesh with thrust on strengthening the existing educational infrastructure so as to prepare the students for state and national competitions according to their aptitude, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Saturday. He was presiding over a review meeting of the education department. Thakur said that the government has constituted the HP State Higher Education Council under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) for the development and growth of higher education institutions. Under RUSA, the authorities are working access, equality and quality status of higher education in the state, said Thakur. He said that since the RUSA grants and funds were linked to NAAC accreditation, there would be a healthy competition amongst the colleges to be on the top of the ladder. He added that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Cluster University Mandi has been set up as per RUSA guidelines. The Centre has approved 55 crore for this university out of which 27.50 crore has already been released, said Thakur directing the officers to expedite work to make the institute functional. He said that since 2018 funds amounting to 92 crore has been sanctioned for Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla as infrastructure grants to 26 colleges. Thakur said that there were 929 high schools and 1871 senior secondary schools in the government sector besides 138 government colleges. The state government has allocated 3,671.95 crore to the education sector for the current financial year, said the chief minister. He said that 116.37 crore capital budget had been earmarked for buildings and educational infrastructure. While 1171 construction works had been completed, work on 314 projects was in progress, he added. Thakur directed the officers to implement the national flagship schemes including scholarship schemes, RUSA, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Khelo India School Games and National Disaster Management Programme, etc. He said that 98.98 crore had been spent on centrally sponsored scholarship schemes during the year 2018-19. The education department has been ensuring maximum use of information technology for teaching students in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, he said. Education minister Suresh Bhardwaj thanked the chief minister for regularising the services of about 10,097 PTA, PAT and PARA teachers serving in different schools of the state. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-28 06:12:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Foreign Ministry of Libya's UN-backed government on Saturday said that there are "mercenaries" allied with the rival eastern-based army shutting down oil exports inside oilfields and ports. "The Foreign Ministry followed up reports and information confirming presence of foreign mercenaries of the Russian Wagner, Janjaweed, and other mercenaries inside Libyan oilfields and ports, and lately Sharara oilfield," the ministry said in a statement. The ministry said the mercenaries shut down oil supplies in cooperation with the eastern-based army. "In this regard, Libya calls on foreign countries concerned with the oil sector and have companies in Libya to cooperate with the Libyan Foreign Ministry to expose these violations and the countries involved in this blatant interference, and to work together to put the individuals and entities involved in those acts under international sanctions urgently and directly," the statement said. The eastern-based army made no comment regarding the statement so far. The UN-backed government was engaged in a deadly armed conflict for more than a year against the eastern-based army in and around the capital Tripoli, before the UN-backed government recently announced taking over all of western Libya. According to the UN-backed government's National Oil Corporation (NOC), Libya so far has lost more than 6 billion U.S. dollars as a result of the closure of the country's oilfields and ports since January. Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of the late leader Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Enditem Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would assure the country that China would vacate Indian territory and restore status quo ante at the border, if the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation returned Rs 20 lakh it had taken as donation earlier. Taking on BJP president J P Nadda on the charges made against the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), Chidambaram accused him of speaking "half-truths" and asked him to "come to terms with reality" and not live in the past. Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante? P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 27, 2020 He also asked the BJP president to answer the questions raised by the Congress on the Chinese intrusion into the Indian territory. "Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante," he asked on Twitter. Spot the differences between May 22 and June 22, 2020 on the INDIA-CHINA border. pic.twitter.com/nLZzc3fjuQ P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 27, 2020 "Mr Nadda, come to terms with reality, don't live in the past that is distorted by your half-truths. Please answer our questions on Chinese intrusion into Indian territory," Chidambaram said in another tweet. Nadda had alleged that the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) had donated money to the "family-run" RGF when the Congress-led UPA was in power, claiming that it was a "brazen fraud" and big betrayal of the people of the country. The BJP chief had targeted the Congress and the Gandhi family on Thursday for the RGF allegedly accepting donations from the Chinese embassy. Chidambaram also shared two satellite images of May and June of the Galwan Valley showing the build-up of troops and structures along the river-bed. "Spot the differences between May 22 and June 22, 2020 on the INDIA-CHINA border," he said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had late on Friday night come out with a statement, saying the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) issue raised by the BJP government was a "manufactured charge" and "diversionary tactic" to deflect attention from the LAC crisis. He said the money the NGO received from China was used for the welfare of differently-abled people and research on the Sino-India relations. "Diversion, disinformation and distraction are the diabolical hallmarks of the BJP and the Modi government when exposed and caught lying on issues of national security and territorial integrity," Surjewala had said. He said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nadda and the Modi government keep referring to a 2005 grant of Rs 1.45 crore received by the RGF from the Embassy of China for the purpose of a welfare programme for differently-abled people and research on Sino-India relationships. "This grant was used for the purposes specified. RGF accounts were duly audited and statutory returns filed under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) to the government of India. This grant has been duly reflected in all filings to the Income-Tax department and home ministry and no authority has ever found any wrongdoing of any nature," Surjewala said. He also said pursuant to the unprecedented tsunami in the last week of 2004, the foundation received a "modest" amount of Rs 20 lakh from the PMNRF in financial year 2005, which was duly utilised to undertake relief activities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Two Republicans are competing in the Aug. 4 primary election for a spot on the November ballot to represent Ottawa Countys 90th District in the Michigan House of Representatives. Rep. Bradley Slagh, R-Zeeland, won his first term representing the district in November 2018, and is seeking his second term in office. Hes facing Hudsonville Mayor Mark Northrup, who has served as mayor for the past five years. The winner will face Democrat Christopher Banks in the November general election. Banks is running unopposed in the primary for the Democratic Party. The conservative-leaning 90th House District encompasses Holland, Hudsonville, Zeeland and Jamestown Township. This year, MLive Media Group partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide candidate information for readers. Each candidate was asked to outline their stances on a variety of public policy issues. Information on all state and federal races and many of Michigans county and local races will be available at Vote411.org, an online voter guide created by the League of Women Voters. Heres information on both candidates: Slagh, 63, lives in Zeeland, and was first elected to the state House in November 2018. He graduated from Hope College with a degree in business administration and a teaching certificate. Prior to serving in the state House, he was the Zeeland Township Supervisor for six years and the Ottawa County Treasurer for 12 years. Before he began his career in state and local government, he worked in the banking and finance industry for 18 years. Northrup, 62, lives in Hudsonville. He was elected to the Hudsonville City Commission seven years ago, and has served as the citys mayor for the last five years. He earned a degree in biology from St. Olaf College and a masters degree in business administration from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Coast Guard for 14 years, and worked for two decades in various leadership roles in the manufacturing industry. MLive Media Group partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide candidate information for readers. Each candidate was asked to outline their stances on a variety of public policy issues. Information on all state and federal races and many of Michigans county and local races is available at Vote411.org, an online voter guide created by the League of Women Voters. All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for a necessary cut if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should not be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. Heres a look at where the candidates stand on some major issues: What is your position on the role of public funding of education in Michigan? What measures do you support/propose to improve educational outcomes and accessibility for all Michigan students? Slagh: Quality education for every Michigan child should be the expectation. We need flexibility in the options including traditional public, public academies, private or parochial schools and home schooling. To improve we must allow innovation, best practices and flexibility for instructors. It needs to include on-line, possibly year round options, and the Governors recent Executive Orders eliminated almost 100 specific education expectations, and if they were not necessary in a Pandemic they should all be reviewed and many likely permanently jettisoned. Northrup: Wherever and whenever education should be a local concern with minimum state involvement. What policies do you support to increase jobs and help Michigan residents improve their economic positions, in general and given the pandemic? Slagh: Reduce state and local ordinances, laws and rules as they increase the cost of doing business thereby negatively impacting ability to hire and pay workers. Regarding the pandemic we must allow businesses to all come back on line, as the shut down is killing business and the incentive to work. Northrup: Michigan is the worse state in nation for revenue sharing, return the sales and gas taxes to local communities. The State balances their books with local money to pay for unfunded liabilities, handsome government pension plans not of the local communities. BILLIONS of dollars! We need to restore this money to the local governments. Fiscally responsible local governments are picking up the bill for the irresponsible, predominantly generous government pensions. What state policies do you support regarding Michigan elections, voting and campaign funding? Do you support mailing ballots to all eligible voters? Slagh: I support a no reason absentee ballot. I support a voting day that the polls are open for voters to walk in and cast ballots. I support having to show a pictured Michigan identification to vote. I do not support mailing ballots to all. Northrup: Voting by mail should be the exception not the rule. In person voting with picture ID is needed to ensure honest elections. What actions or policies do you support to protect Michigans water, air and land for current and future generations? What is your position on energy efficiency and renewable energy? Slagh: We must be stewards of our environment and protect it. We need to continue to look for ways to be more efficient in our use of all resources. This includes not only a first use but can we reuse materials and land fill less. Renewable energy sources and wise usage should be sought out but the government should not be subsidizing general utilization of any energy sources. Northrup: Traditional energy sources and efficiencies needs to be improved with a focus on natural gas, less coal. Many clean energy sources are still too expensive and not without environmental impact: wind energy kills millions of birds and creates noise. How would you address the racial, economic, health, education, etc. inequities, including Michigans 20% of children and 17% of seniors living in poverty? Slagh: I believe that Michigan as a state is doing a fair job in trying to address these issues. A better part of the solution is for the local community (churches, families and other community organizations) to come alongside these disadvantaged members of our society. We need to continue to build locally infrastructure that provides ways for each individual to be a part of getting ahead. Northrup: We need to focus on children having fathers again. We need economic growth and full employment. Do you believe that Michigan has a gun violence problem? If so, what measures would you support to alleviate this problem? Slagh: I believe we have individuals with violence problems therefore the answers lie in our mental health efforts. Northrup: Dont focus on the guns, focus on criminals. More on MLive: The Rapids CEO, deputy step down Hope College to start fall semester two weeks early History and character highlight Jackson condominium home listed for $369K WASHINGTON - A federal judge has ordered Roger Stone to report to prison July 14, granting him a two-week delay because of the coronavirus pandemic, but not the two months that President Donald Trump's confidant had requested with prosecutors' assent. Stone, 67, had been due to surrender June 30 to a federal prison in Jesup, Ga., while he appeals his November conviction for lying and witness tampering in a congressional investigation. In an order and sealed opinion late Friday, U.S. District Amy Berman Jackson granted a two-week delay. Prosecutors had not opposed Stone's request for a delay until Sept. 3, saying the Justice Department's policy during the pandemic has been to grant up to a 60-day extension upon defendants' request "without respect to age, health, or other covid-19 risk factors." In a short public notice, Jackson said she agreed to a two-week extension based on reasoning explained in a sealed opinion, which she asked if both sides would agree to unseal next week. "This affords the defendant seventy-five days beyond his original report date," Jackson added in the notice, noting she originally ordered Stone to surrender to prison within two weeks after she denied his motion for a new trial in mid-April. Jackson also allowed Stone to remain under home confinement until then, in according with Justice Department policy and "the strong medical recommendation submitted" by his defense. Jackson's notice indicated that would allow Stone time to quarantine so as not to bring virus from South Florida into prison. Stone, a longtime GOP operative and friend of Trump's, was expected to seek a stay of his 40-month prison sentence since he appealed his case in April to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The judge's order came days after a federal prosecutor testified that top Justice Department officials pressured government lawyers to cut the longtime Trump adviser "a break" in his sentencing. Briefing for Stone's appeal is expected to continue into October, making any decision unlikely before the presidential election. Trump has also strongly suggested that he will pardon Stone. Stone has been out on bail since Jackson sentenced him in February and denied his request for a new trial in mid-April. Stone was convicted by a federal jury in Washington of lying during his September 2017 testimony to the House Intelligence Committee to conceal his central role in the 2016 Trump campaign's efforts to learn about Democratic computer files hacked by Russia and made public by WikiLeaks to damage Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton. Stone, the last defendant charged in special counsel Robert Mueller III's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. He lost his motion in district court for a retrial April 16. Before Stone's sentencing, Attorney General William Barr and senior Justice Department officials intervened to recommend a lower sentence for the longtime Trump ally, prompting all four front-line prosecutors to quit the case and 2,600 former prosecutors to call for Barr to resign. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday that the global economic crisis spurred by the coronavirus could ultimately test the Fund's $1 trillion in total resources, "but we're not there yet." Georgieva told a Reuters Newsmaker webcast event that it was now clear that an economic recovery would have to get underway without a medical breakthrough and the virus' presence still widespread throughout the world. IMF member countries were standing by to provide more support to the Fund if necessary, she said. The IMF on ... Nigerias foremost investigative newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, has called on the public to be a part of its membership programme by making a modest donation for the sustainability of its fearless journalism. Dapo Olorunyomi, the publisher, made the call in a note to the newspapers teeming readers and friends, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit hard on both the public and private sector, including the media. As anxiety grows and the future appears foggy, the nations need for crucial, up-to-the-minute, accurate, and reliable information has not been more urgent, Mr Olorunyomi said. Such extraordinary times call for a redoubtable media, unwavering in its editorial independence, integrity and commitment, yet steeped in the best ideals of professional ethics. Mr Olorunyomi said with the economic downturn further complicated by the COVID-19 crisis, the Nigeria media is currently facing an existential threat of unimaginable proportion. Massive layoffs, pay cuts, bruised morale and, invariably, accommodation and compromises defining a new norm of professional vulnerability elect a rare platform like PREMIUM TIMES to man the barricades and lead the charge to defend the truth, citizens liberties and the challenge of democracy, he said. Founded in 2011, PREMIUM TIMES has grown to become one of the most respected and reliable news media in Africa, harvesting a basket of awards and recognitions along the way. In addition to a Pulitzer (which it shares with ICIJ colleagues who worked on the Panama Papers), the Global Shining Light Award, and the One World Award; the newspapers journalists have also carted home other numerous local, national, and international awards in the platforms less-than-a-decade of operation. Last April, the famed Nobel laureate in economics, Joseph Stiglitz, announced PREMIUM TIMES editor-in-chief, Musikilu Mojeed, as one of his favourite journalists in the world, reinforcing the newspapers reputation for delivering quality, verifiable, and courageous journalism. But good journalism costs money, Mr Olorunyomi said. Dapo Olorunyomi, Publisher/Chief Executive Officer of Premium Times This is why we call on you now to kindly accept membership of a noble community that invests a modest donation to the making and sustainability of our accountability and fearless journalism that will defend our security through incisive and diligent investigations while holding power accountable at all times and standing as a tribune against the growth of autocracy in the land, he added. Below is the note from Publisher Dapo Olorunyomi in full. _______________________________ Dear friends of Premium Times, Nigeria faces dire economic challenges today, following the recent debacle in the global oil market, and the virtual collapse of its 2020 federal budget. Matters have become even more debilitating with the coronavirus pandemic. As anxiety grows and the future appears foggy, the nations need for crucial, up-to-the-minute, accurate, and reliable information has not been more urgent. Such extraordinary times call for a redoubtable media, unwavering in its editorial independence, integrity and commitment, yet steeped in the best ideals of professional ethics. Emerging from a recent legacy of perhaps the hardest hit industry by the economic downturn further complicated by the COVID-19 crisis, the media in Nigeria today face a truly existential threat of an unimaginable proportion. Massive layoffs, pay cuts, bruised morale and, invariably, accommodation and compromises defining a new norm of professional vulnerability elect a rare platform like PREMIUM TIMES to man the barricades and lead the charge to defend the truth, citizens liberties and the challenge of democracy. Unblemished by proprietary pressures that frame media agenda for political or business purposes, or dribble professional goals to cut corners on facts and accuracy, it takes a rare publication like PREMIUM TIMES, the only Nigerian publication to have on its belt a Pulitzer Award, the Global Investigative Journalist Network [GIJN] Shining Light Award, the One World Award, and numerous regional and national laurels to lead this new charge to renew journalism in Nigeria. In April this year, the famed Nobel laureate in economics, Joseph Stiglitz announced the editor in chief of this paper Musikilu Mojeed as one of his favourite journalists in the world, reinforcing our reputation for delivering quality, verifiable, and courageous journalism that, in less than 10 years of existence, has established the paper as the market leader in investigative journalism in Africa. But good journalism costs money. This is why we call on you now to kindly accept membership of a noble community that invests a modest donation to the making and sustainability of our accountability and fearless journalism that will defend our security through incisive and diligent investigations while holding power accountable at all times and standing as a tribune against the growth of autocracy in the land. Thank you. Dapo Olorunyomi =============== ______________________________ Advertisements How To Join The Premium Times PT Membership Club If you accept this expression of our mission, the challenges of our current national malaise, and the belief in the power of a professional and ethical journalism platform, kindly consider making a modest contribution ($5 or its naira equivalent of N2000 or more) on a monthly basis, to our journalism of courage and truth. In exchange, we will be compelled to provide you with an elevated service which could include: A members-only newsletter, called The Brief. Starting as a monthly newsletter, the Brief will provide additional insights to the news, on topics such as politics, business, culture, and health. It would feature groundbreaking (international) investigations, success stories in the Nigerian diaspora, and diaspora (relevant) news. It would also have a segment, PT Extra, which takes an inside look into operations in the Premium Times newsroom. 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Kindly complete this form to JOIN Sushant Singh Rajput's final film Dil Bechara is all set for a global premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on July 24. However, the family of the late actor has demanded that the movie should be released on the big screen as a tribute to Sushant, reports Republic TV. Sushant's cousin brother and BJP MLA Neeraj Singh said that the makers of Dil Bechara should wait for the cinema halls to re-open. If the producers and the director don't wait, Singh will seek legal recourse. "I have come to know that my brother's last movie Dil Bechara is being released on a digital platform, but the wish of the family and fans of Sushant is to release it on the big screen whenever it opens because in remote areas many people do not have internet access. Fans and well-wishers of Sushant wants to see him on big screen one last time. I will also talk to director Mukesh Chabbra, after performing puja in a couple of days to release the movie on the big screen. If not then we will go to court," Singh told Republic TV. Meanwhile, addressing the disappointed fans, the film's lead actress, Sanjana Sanghi, in her latest Instagram post, wrote: "Let's make this a time to celebrate a legendary life, a film." With the theatres being shut and keeping into consideration the current scenario of the coronavirus pandemic, Sanjana wrote: "A time to give a tribute, to embrace these extremely challenging circumstances we all are in. And not a time to revolt, asking for something that in our present reality cannot be made possible. Let's not make it about the size of the screen we get to watch this labour of love on, his last, and in my humble belief, his finest." Congratulations, renobob.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Renobob.com scored 96 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 5/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 10 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. renobob.com is very popular in Twitter and Facebook. It has 615 twitter followers. Furthermore its facebook page has 599 likes. Add a widget like this on your site: click here This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the renobob homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if renobob has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the renobob homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the renobob homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the renobob homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the renobob homepage on Twitter + the total number of renobob followers (if renobob has a Twitter account). Basic Information PAGE TITLE Home Renovation, Commercial Services | RenoBob - Access to Reliable Contractors DESCRIPTION RenoBob's mission is to facilitate the task of finding qualified contractors quickly and easily, and to provide a one-stop platform for contractors to list and advertise their services and expertise. KEYWORDS Homes, Condos, Commercial, Services, RenoBob.com, Home, Builders, Contractors, Cleaning Service OTHER KEYWORDS The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache (PHP/5.3.3) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. The language of renobob.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for renobob.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/RenoBobcom DESCRIPTION Whether you need a contractor tomorrow LIKES 599 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 3 PAGE TYPE Internet/software TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/RenoBobcom DESCRIPTION '} ACCOUNT CREATED ON 12 Oct 2010 LOCATION null TWEETS 778 FOLLOWERS 615 LISTED 0 Florida Bans On-site Drinking at Bars as COVID-19 Numbers Spike By VOA News June 26, 2020 The U.S. state of Florida has banned consumption of alcohol at its bars just minutes after the state health department reported a record 8,942 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in one day. Florida Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation Halsey Beshears announced on Twitter that, effective immediately, he was suspending on-premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide. Beshears' agency is responsible for governing bars. There was no indication bars were ordered to completely close. Under the stay-at-home orders issued earlier this year, bars could sell alcohol to go. Restaurants had recently been allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity inside and no limits outside. State officials have attributed much of the new outbreak to young adults flocking to bars after they reopened in most of the state about a month ago, with many of them ignoring social distancing restrictions aimed at lowering the virus's spread. At a news conference earlier Friday, before the record-setting new COVID-19 numbers were released, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would not comment on when the state would begin the next phase of its reopening. He stressed wearing masks, avoiding big crowds and maintaining distance from others indoors to avoid the virus. The Florida Department of Health reports more than 24,000 new confirmed cases have been reported in the state since Saturday, more than a fifth of the total 122,960 cases confirmed since March 1. There have been 3,366 deaths since that time. The department reports the seven-day average for positive tests dropped slightly to 13.4%, down 1 percentage point from Thursday but still triple the rate of 3.8% on June 1. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hong Kong Journalist Groups Appeal to UN Over Police Violence 2020-06-26 -- Journalists' associations in Hong Kong have written to the United Nations calling for help to end police violence against them. The Hong Kong Journalists Association and the Hong Kong Photojournalists Association wrote to U.N. agencies in a formal complaint about repeated violence meted out to journalists by the Hong Kong police. Since the anti-extradition protests escalated in June 2019, police have repeatedly prevented the media from reporting at the scene of clashes, attacked journalists, and detained and arrested them, the two groups said in a letter. The letter quoted an HKJA survey as finding that more than 80 percent of journalists covering the protests had experienced some form of police violence, or had been prevented from doing their jobs by police. "Since the start of this year, such obstructions have become more systematic, targeted, and larger in scope, including the insistence by officers that journalists verify their identity before trying to work, large-scale stop-and-search operations, with police going so far as to detain reporters at the scene [of protests], or driving them away," the letter said. It said a total of 143 complaints had been filed with the Independence Police Complaints Council by news organizations and individual journalists during the past year. But not a single police officer has been sanctioned or criticized over their treatment of the media, it said. The letter called on U.N. human rights organizations to send officials to Hong Kong to investigate the complaints made and any government action taken, and make recommendations to the authorities. HKJA chairman Chris Yeung said the situation has deteriorated for journalists covering the protest movement. He said the HKJA had continually issued statements about the violence suffered by journalists and met with Hong Kong government officials, police representatives and even the Commissioner of Police to try to make their opinions known. Attempts to hold the police accountable through judicial procedures, had met with no success, however. "Hong Kong participates in some meetings of the United Nations via the central government [in Beijing] and also issues reports on the human rights situation in Hong Kong, including press freedom," Yeung told RFA. "That's why we thought that the U.N. ... might be a more effective way to reach the Hong Kong government, and to get some pressure put on the Hong Kong police," he said. "The international community actually wants Hong Kong to keep its freedoms, including the freedom of the press," Yeung said. Value more symbolic than practical Bruce Lui, journalism lecturer at Hong Kong's Baptist University, said the complaint letter could be of more symbolic than practical value, however. "I'm not hugely optimistic that this will have any effect, because ... Beijing is committed to upholding the authoritarian tactics of the Hong Kong police," Lui said. "But it's worth trying, if only because it is another legitimate channel to express [journalists'] views," he said. The HKJA has also expressed serious concern about an imminent new national security law for Hong Kong that will be imposed on the city by the standing committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), bypassing Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo). In a move widely condemned by foreign governments and rights groups as signaling the end of Hong Kong's autonomy and status as a separate legal jurisdiction, the law will outlaw "actions and activities" deemed subversive, seditious, or pro-independence, or that involve collaboration with overseas powers or organizations. The move has been criticized by foreign governments, legal experts, and rights activists as being in breach of China's obligations under the 1984 treaty governing the 1997 handover of Hong Kong, and as paving the way for further political prosecutions of peaceful critics of the government, democracy campaigners, and rights activists. Concerns for personal safety A recent survey by the HKJA found that 98 percent of respondents thought that the law would seriously or considerably affect freedom of the press. And 92 percent had concerns about their personal safety after the law is passed. "Some respondents pointed out that the law enforcement agencies would target the press, foreign journalists would be barred from visa application, and people would avoid doing press interviews," the group said in a report published on its website on June 18. The U.S. Senate on June 25 backed legislation that would impose mandatory sanctions on individuals or companies that back efforts by China to restrict Hong Kong's autonomy, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party moves to implement a new security law for the city. The Hong Kong Autonomy Act passed by unanimous consent, but must also pass the House of Representatives and be signed into law by President Donald Trump. The bill almost passed earlier this month, but was blocked by Republican Senator Kevin Cramer at the request of the Trump administration, which made a late request for technical corrections. Reported by Lu Xi and Tseng Yat-yiu for RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Copyright 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content June not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Srinagar: In a joint operation, the Indian Army and Kupwara Police on Saturday (June 27) busted a narco-terror module and arrested two persons in connection with the case. The teams seized approximately 13.5 kg of narcotics estimated to be worth Rs 65 crores, besides arms and ammunition from their possession. On Friday, The Jammu and Kashmir Police had claimed that there was no presence of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terrorists in the Tral area of Pulwama district, adding that it had happened first time since 1989. The statement of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar came after three terrorists were on Friday killed in a near 15-hour long gunbattle with security forces in the Chewa Ullar village of Tral. On June 26, security forces killed at least three terrorists during a gunbattle in Chewa Ullar village ni Tral. According to reports, bodies of all three terrorists along with arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot. Reports stated that all three terrorists were local residents of the Valley. The killed terrorists were identified as Mohammad Qaasim Shah alias Jugnu, Basit Ahmad Parray and Haris Manzoor Bhat. Qaasim, a Madoora Tral resident and son of Gh Mohammad Shah, was pursuing a B.Tech Degree in Civil Engineering prior to joining militancy. He was carrying out terror-related activities in the Valley since March 2017. This was the 12th encounter in south Kashmir in the month of June alone in which 38 terrorists have so far been eliminated. The total number of terrorists killed in Kashmir this year is now 111. The Hizbul Mujahideen had many youths who were introduced to the life of terrorim. Several top commanders of the outfit, like Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa, were from Tral. VANCOUVERKashif Sheikh had practice as a father figure from the age of nine. Young Kashif would take Saqib Sheikh, his baby brother, by the hand, and make sure his three younger siblings knew he would protect them at all costs. He treated me like his own kid, Saqib Sheikh remembered Friday. If there were any difficulties ever, he would take it as a father. He would never let us worry. The protective instinct stayed with him to the end. Kashif Sheikh, 46, from Surrey B.C., died on Fathers Day drowning after he had jumped into a waterfall in Mill Creek near Kelowna to save his teenage daughter. His daughter survived, but Sheikh died, leaving his two sons, two daughters and wife shocked and grieving. He did not think one minute, he just jumped in to save his daughter, Saqib said. He sacrificed himself. Thats the best thing a father can do on Fathers Day. At his funeral Friday, people mourning Sheikh had to be turned away to keep attendance within the 50-person limit allowed by COVID-19 restrictions. Thousands more viewed part of the service online. News of Sheikhs death has sent ripples far and wide. Family members and longtime friends have received calls and messages from hundreds of people who knew him over the past week, including former patrons grateful for the food he served them free of charge at the restaurant he used to run, and a couple who passed the Sheikh family on their walk in Mill Creek on the day of his death, touched to have shared smiles and warm conversation with the man in his last hours. To the close friends and family who were at Fridays funeral, Sheikhs loss was a heavy weight. Often the main attraction in groups of friends, known for bringing others together with his smile, Sheikh would be missed in any gathering he did not attend, said family friend Syed Asif Iqbal. Everyone was crying and everyone was missing him so much, Iqbal said of the funeral, which took place in Chilliwack, mountains towering over Sheikhs burial site. Ive never seen anything like this everyone has lots of memories of Kashif. Interviews with Sheikhs brother and friends paint a picture of a jolly and generous man loved by many, devoted to his family and who wanted to be remembered for his many travels and adventures. Recently, he said, I want to be remembered by my kids as the father who travelled the world, Saqib Sheikh said. He travelled so many countries, I dont even remember anymore. Whenever he got a chance, he would travel new places in the world and explore. The trip to Kelowna was one adventure that nearly did not materialize. The family of six had packed up for their planned trip to the Okanagan for Fathers Day weekend when they lost their keys. They almost didnt go, but with the kids packed up, Sheikh and his wife decided to rent a car and go anyways. The family found the keys on their lawn days after the fathers death. Originally from Pakistan, Sheikh kept close contact with friends on two continents. Muhammad Jamal, a friend since 1993 who lives in Lahore, wrote in a message to the Star how he would tell his family and friends to drop everything once he found out Sheikh was coming for a visit. We will have lunch dinner breakfast wherever we like, he wrote. He was such a lovely guy. Just days before Sheikh drowned, he visited Iqbals office to tell him he was hoping to travel back to Pakistan again soon because he was missing family and friends. Sheikhs family said its been a comfort knowing how broad and deep the mans impact was on other peoples lives. Just yesterday I had a man coming to cut the grass and he just said he was upset, Saqib Sheikh said. Kashif was helping him arrange his immigration documents to Canada he helped him even though he hardly knew him. Hes been loved by every single person. Read more about: Julie Bishop is the former Minister for Foreign Affairs who has since become a fashion icon. Speaking to Australian newspaper The Sun-Herald this weekend, the 63-year-old revealed the surprising fashion advice she was given by American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Julie, who is known for her crisp blazers and designer heels, said that after meeting the British-American journalist, 70, in 2019, she now can't live without sneakers. 'I've taken her at her word': Former Australian politician Julie Bishop (right), 63, revealed in Australian newspaper The Sun-Herald, the surprising fashion advice given by American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour (left), 70. Pictured at the 2019 Australian Open During her interview with the newspaper's lift-out Sunday Life Magazine, Julie was asked whether there's a current fashion trend she likes. 'When Anna Wintour was here for last year's Australian Open and was asked about future trends, she said wearing sneakers. I've taken her at her word,' she responded. Julie said she lives in 'Armani, Louis Vuitton and Isabel Marant sneakers' amid the coronavirus pandemic, whereas previously it was 'Aquazzura black stiletto pumps'. Comfortable flats: Julie, who is known for her polished appearance, said that after meeting the British-American journalist, 70, in 2019, she now can't live without sneakers Advice: 'When Anna Wintour was here for last year's Australian Open and was asked about future trends, she said wearing sneakers. I've taken her at her word,' Julie told The Sun-Herald Elsewhere in the interview, the former deputy leader of the Liberal Party revealed Amal Clooney to be her style muse, describing her as 'classic' and 'sophisticated'. 'We had lunch one day in London and she wore a beautiful tweed suit; I also saw her in New York where we both wore simple black dresses. Her clothes always seem appropriate for the occasion,' she said. Throughout her career, Julie's fashion-forward ensembles have often attracted just as many headlines as her political endeavours. Comfy, but make it fashion: Julie lives in 'Armani, Louis Vuitton and Isabel Marant sneakers' amid the coronavirus pandemic, whereas previously it was 'Aquazzura black stiletto pumps' Taking notes: Elsewhere in the interview, Julie revealed Amal Clooney (pictured in April 2019) to be her style muse, describing her as 'classic' and 'sophisticated' Reputation: Throughout her career, Julie's fashion-forward ensembles have often attracted just as many headlines as her political endeavours. Pictured in February 2019 In a previous interview with News.com.au, Julie described her style as 'classic'. '[It] hasn't changed a great deal over the years in the sense that I dress in a pretty classic way,' she said. Referencing Giorgio Armani in Sydney, Julie revealed: 'I have a favourite designer and I often contact them, they'll send me photographs of things and I'll choose it.' Julie also said that she's been collecting 'investment pieces' over the years, but tries to 'live within' her means. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday the first pardons of her administration, marking the first time in eight years a New Mexico governor has invoked the power of executive clemency. There were 19 people forgiven for state court convictions, the governors office announced in a news release. The majority of them were for non-violent offenses such as forgery, drug possession, burglary, larceny, issuing a worthless check and conspiracy. Lujan Grishams predecessor, Gov. Susana Martinez, issued three pardons during her eight-year term, Associated Press reported. All offenses were at least a decade old, according to the news release. The power of executive clemency is an exercise in compassion, Lujan Grisham said in a prepared statement. Each of us, in our own way, in our own lives, has the obligation to find forgiveness in our hearts for those individuals who have paid their debts, who have expressed genuine contrition and made sincere and forthright amends for their offenses. The governors power of executive clemency is an avenue for that exercise available to me, and I am humbled by the opportunity to deliver it. My administration will continue to evaluate all applicants in a responsible, methodical and even-handed manner. Pardons are filed with the Secretary of States Office. The documents show that men and women from various judicial districts throughout the state were issued pardons. Seven of the 19 cases were from the 5th Judicial District in southeast New Mexico. A year ago, Lujan Grishams office issued guidelines outlining how pardons and other forms of clemency would be evaluated. Those guidelines included whether the applicant has demonstrated personal growth, shown remorse and participated in restorative justice an effort to repair harm to crime victims or society. The majority of those who were provided clemency on Friday had also applied under Martinez and Gov. Bill Richardson, according to the governors office. Faury Gonzales, 59, and Jeffrey Holland, 50, for example, were pardoned for convictions that happened in Bernalillo County. Gonzales was convicted of conspiracy to commit drug offenses in 1996, and Holland was convicted of larceny and two counts of conspiracy to commit larceny in 2000. BRIDGEPORT City police are investigating a reported crash with injuries Friday night. The police department said units responded to the area of Pembroke Street and Boston Avenue shortly before 9:30 p.m. for a report of a crash with apparent injuries. Police said there was no further information regarding the extent of those injuries immediately available. Initial dispatch reports indicated a road closure Boston Avenue between Brooks and Pembroke streets as of 9:40 p.m. The closure is in effect until further notice, a dispatcher said. This story will be updated when more information becomes available. Cornelius D. Murray Albany, N.Y. To the Editor: A mob in Portland, Ore., has taken down a statue of George Washington. Mobs cannot be expected to be discriminating, but the Portland mob was clearly picking on the wrong patriot. Washington owned slaves, but he was among the few founders who (in his will) freed his slaves, and all of us are in his debt for the examples he set as the commander of the Continental Army who was deferential to Congress and a president who gave up power gracefully. Fortunately, in Washingtons case, one mob does not a reputation break. As the British historian Marcus Cunliffe pointed out, Washingtons name has been securely attached not just to the capital of the United States and a national holiday, but also to one American state, seven mountains, eight streams, ten lakes, thirty-three counties; for nine American colleges; for one hundred and twenty-one American towns and villages to say nothing of having his likeness on currency, postage stamps, Mount Rushmore and statues throughout the world. Some statues should be moved from public squares to museums. That of Washington in Portland should be restored to the public square. Ira D. Gruber Houston The writer is professor emeritus of history at Rice University. To the Editor: We should not attempt to destroy our history. We should learn from it. I fully understand the anger of having to view statues of Confederate leaders that appear in our cities. We should follow Hungarys lead and dedicate a park where these memorials can be moved. In 1991 Hungary announced the creation of Szoborpark (Memento Park), where the statues of Lenin, Marx, Engels and many Hungarian Communists hold forth. They date from Hungarys Communist rule from 1949 to 1989. Arthur Lieb Boulder, Colo. To the Editor: Re How Statues Are Falling Around the World (nytimes.com, June 24): While various statues dedicated to racism are being toppled or removed, they remain at Gettysburg National Park in Pennsylvania. Off to the side of the battlefield are an array of statues and monuments dedicated to various regiments from different Southern states. What is most objectionable about these monuments are the words etched on the plaques that these soldiers died for a just, a noble or an honorable cause. Slavery is neither just nor noble and certainly not honorable. Jane A. Gigler Portland, Ore. To the Editor: Re G.O.P. Defends Monuments to Traitors (editorial, June 20): On the day before Juneteenth, Nancy Pelosi announced that portraits of past House speakers who were part of the Confederacy would be taken down. Instead, plaques should have been added under these portraits to educate viewers about former House members who were on the wrong side of history and why. I think it is harmful to try to rewrite or erase what has happened in the past; that makes us no better than totalitarian regimes. And though I am all in favor of renaming buildings that glorify those who promoted slavery and advocated for the dissolution of the Union, I do not support destroying or removing art. Sculptures, paintings and murals all provide an opportunity for learning about our countrys horrific past regarding racism. Tom Goodman Chicago The film American Woman will be screened via Mermaid Arts Centre up to Saturday, June 27. Tickets are 5 via mermaidartscentre.ie. American Woman finds poignant drama in one woman's gruelling odyssey, thanks in no small part to Sienna Miller's outstanding work in the leading role. In a blue-collar town in Pennsylvania, a 32-year-old woman's teen daughter goes missing and she is left to raise her infant grandson alone. Police are investigating a shooting outside a busy Moonee Ponds restaurant on Friday night that is a well-known haunt for Melbourne's underworld. No one was injured in the incident near the Escagrill though some patrons only narrowly missed being hit when a bullet passed through a window and lodged in a booth holding four diners. Shots fired from the street struck a Porsche Cayenne parked nearby and the exterior wall of the building at 10.40pm. Police are investigating a shooting into a restaurant and car on Friday night. Credit:Picture: Nine News Detectives are investigating a report that two unknown men and a woman were heard shouting in the area prior to the shots being fired. A man and woman were seen leaving the area in a red-coloured car shortly after the incident. An episode of the US version of The Office has been edited to remove a depiction of a character in blackface. The shows creator, Greg Daniels, made the change to the Christmas episode from the ninth series, entitled Dwight Christmas. The episode from 2012 features a brief scene of a character in blackface as part of Dwights (Rainn Wilson) efforts to get the Dunder Mifflin staff to celebrate a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas. Dwight can't come to the phone right now, he's busy manifesting the ability to fly. pic.twitter.com/jpAFXFQiht (@theofficenbc) June 23, 2020 It comes after a string of shows have removed scenes or whole episodes featuring the use of blackface, including 30 Rock and Scrubs, while Little Britain was dropped from Netflix, BBC iPlayer and BritBox. Daniels said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: The Office is about a group of people trying to work together with mutual respect, despite the inappropriate actions of their boss and assistant manager. The show employed satire to expose unacceptable behaviour and deliver a message of inclusion. Today we cut a shot of an actor wearing blackface that was used to criticise a specific racist European practice. Blackface is unacceptable and making the point so graphically is hurtful and wrong. I am sorry for the pain that caused. US keeps targeting Iran metal industry with more sanctions Iran Press TV Thursday, 25 June 2020 5:31 PM The United States has, in its most recent move to target Iran's record-holding metal industry, issued sanctions against four steel, aluminum, and iron companies operating in the Islamic Republic, and also taken aim at the sales of Iran's largest steel manufacturer. On Thursday, the US Treasury Department said in a statement that it had imposed sanctions on Tara Steel Trading GmbH, an offshore subsidiary of Mobarakeh Steel Co., three overseas' sales agents serving the steel company, and Iran-based Metil Steel. The Treasury said the sales agents "generated tens of millions of dollars annually from the foreign sale of Mobarakeh Steel Company products, providing significant contributions to the billions of dollars generated overall by Iran's steel, aluminum, copper, and iron sectors." Mobarakeh Steel Co is the largest flat steel producer in the Middle East and North Africa and contributes 1% to Iran's gross domestic product, the statement added. The United States returned its sanctions against Iran after illegally and unilaterally leaving a historic nuclear accord between the Islamic Republic and major world powers that has been endorsed by the United Nation Security Council as a resolution. Thursday's action also blacklisted three large aluminum, steel, and iron producers in Iran, similarly claiming they contributed billions of dollars in sales and export of Iranian metals. The sanctions came after back-to-back signs that the bans have failed to adversely affect the country's metal works. A report in May showed that daily crude steel output at the Chadormalo factory, a major mill located in eastern Iran, had reached an all-time high of 3,887 metric tons. In January, the country had reported that it expected its steel exports to touch 10 million tonnes in the year running to March 21, 2020. Back in July 2019, the country operationalized its first alumina refinery, setting a milestone in its production of the strategic metal. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Four candidates are running for two available Ingersoll Township Trustee positions. The race is contested between Ron Garrett, R-Freeland; Jeff Noyes, R-Hemlock; Andy Shaffner, R-Freeland; and Jacob Terwillegar, R-Hemlock. The race for Ingersoll Township supervisor is between Kim D. Heisler, of Freeland, and Charles Tabb, of Midland. Tabb did not return an election Q&A for today's edition. Kim D. Heisler, 64, of Freeland, is retired from GreenStone Farm Credit Services after a 42-year career, and he presently runs a small specialized appraisal business. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Ingersoll Township supervisor? The township supervisor needs to be the leader of the township board and a sounding board for the residents of the township. He/she is also a liaison between county government and departments on behalf of the township understanding the duties of each county department. He should present a positive image of the township to those he encounters. 2. As Ingersoll Township supervisor, how would you accomplish the above duties? I will endeavor to get to know all township board members on a personal basis, to develop a trust in me. My plan would be to use the semi-annual township newsletter to increase residents knowledge about the township website, then utilize the website to keep residents up to date on township happenings. I will get to know department heads at the county level so I know who to direct residents to when issues arise. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Ingersoll Township supervisor? I would work with the township clerk to see about providing more detail in the meetings that are published in the newspaper and on the township website. My plan would also be to put out feelers for potential candidates to sit on township committees, probably via the website and, if timing works, in the semi-annual newsletter encouraging more residents to participate in their government. Transparency is important to me and we need to be sure residents can read what their board is doing and how board members are voting on issues. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Ingersoll Township supervisor will encounter? Ingersoll Township is a wonderful mix of agricultural, residential, recreational and commercial lands. The population is a mix of blue-collar, white-collar, business owners, farm owners and operators and retirees. All land and population types need to be represented in the township government. I have spent the last four weeks driving around the full township, driving down each road to acquaint myself with the whole township. With the diverse population, it can be a real challenge, as at times the needs of one group is in direct contrast to another group. Charles Tabb, 76, of Ingersoll Township, retired after 22-plus years with Dow Chemical Co. 1. What are the main duties of the Ingersoll Township supervisor? The main jobs and duties of the supervisor consist of serving as the township agent for transacting all legal business, moderating township board meetings and annual meetings, as well as responsibility for assessment administration. The supervisor is the face of the township for other issues impacting the health and welfare of the township and its citizens, not legally defined in other board member responsibilities. There is broad fiduciary responsibility shared with the other board members to assure the protection and proper management of township assets. 2. As supervisor, how would you accomplish the above duties? Currently, I am in the process of completing my fifth year as township supervisor and understand the importance of continuous communication with other board members regarding new issues as they arise. With the increasingly litigious nature of our culture, it has become necessary to review many new issues with legal counsel before taking any action. We are here to serve the residents of Ingersoll Township. Their primary interests are good roads, ours are rated the best in the country, and they want consistent, timely, ordinance enforcement. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as supervisor? Within the past year, we have added a zoning administrator/ordinance enforcer position as a resident resource to listen to the desires and issues related to the zoning ordinance, giving options for the way forward. I would expand on the offerings of this new position as it fleshes out. I would work to promote enforcement of the spirit of the ordinance rather than the letter. The objective of ordinance enforcement should be to find the sweet spot between residents and their neighbors. I would work to improve the effectiveness of the township website. 4. What challenges will the supervisor encounter? Several years ago, the township went through a very difficult time developing a wind ordinance. With financial benefits of wind farms still attractive to some residents, we might need to seek township resident consensus again to find the way forward. Ron Garrett, 57, of Midland/Freeland, is a former and school bus driver. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of a Ingersoll Township trustee? As a trustee of the Ingersoll Township board, I would be the eyes and ears for our residents. The trustee is an important part of the public body" and can be a valuable connection between the board and the residents of the township. A trustee must work with other board members to perform the township business. 2. As Ingersoll Township trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? I am open to the ideas of others and am willing to use cooperation and compromise in order to accomplish the duties and responsibilities of a township trustee. It is important that all deliberations, discussions, actions and decisions be made according to the laws that empower the township board. The board must follow the Michigan Constitution and statutes that the township government obtains its power from. I have attended many educational classes during my 18 years of serving on the township planning commission. This knowledge and experience will be very helpful in serving our community. I would continue to attend the learning opportunities that are offered by the Michigan Township Association, Michigan Association of Planners and Michigan State University Extension. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Ingersoll Township trustee? The Ingersoll Township Board has always been very financially responsible with the township budget. I will continue with that approach as well as taking time to answer questions from township residents and helping people understand what is happening. I feel very strongly that our residents need someone that they can approach with questions and concerns and I am open and willing to be that person. 4. What challenges do you anticipate Ingersoll Township trustee will encounter? A challenge I see is better communication to the people of Ingersoll Township. The people who live here need to know the board and how they can better access the public servants who have been elected to be the governing body of their township. It is important that there is public trust for the township officials and that residents feel confident their voices will be heard and their questions and concerns will be acknowledged and addressed. Jeff Noyes, 44, of Hemlock, is an occupation instrument gas mechanic for Consumers Energy. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of a Ingersoll Township trustee? We, as trustees, will be working with the other board members and the county road commission to determine which roads need repair, maintenance, or repaving. Also, we will work with the planning commission and the other board members to uphold the township ordinances and develop new ordinances. As a team, we will work together to make sound financial decisions that benefit the township. 2. As Ingersoll Township trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? It's not a job that I would take lightly. There is a lot of responsibility for this position. Everything from financial decisions, road maintenance, and upholding ordinances. All of these things need to be well thought out. I will gain knowledge and information on the issue at hand before making any decisions. I would also rely on common sense and the voice of the residents of Ingersoll Township. One thing I think is lacking in government today is those in charge are not representing the constituents who elected them. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Ingersoll Township trustee? I would assure that ordinance proposed changes are based on the recommendations of the township planning commission. Furthermore, I would make sure that any future ordinance proposed changes are in agreement with the majority of our township residents. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Ingersoll Township trustees will encounter? One of the most decisive issues that faced Ingersoll Township was the wind turbine controversy. The planning commission was challenged with rewriting the wind ordinance. In doing so, there was much controversy. But ultimately, in the end, a very safe and well thought out ordinance was developed. I anticipate there could be some challenges with upholding our current wind ordinance in Ingersoll Township. I am in favor of upholding the ordinance in its current state due to the fact that is going to protect the health, safety, and well-being of every Ingersoll Township resident. Andy Shaffner, 48, of Freeland, is a farmer. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Ingersoll Township trustee? The main duties of the township trustee are to actively participate in and vote on matters that are being decided by the township board. The trustee has fiduciary responsibility to act on all issues in the best interest of the township residents and to contribute solutions to emerging problems. 2. As Ingersoll Township trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? First and foremost, as a trustee, I would work to continue the long history of fiscal responsibility within Ingersoll Township. I will listen to the residents concerns and issues as their voice on the board. My experience on the Ingersoll Township Planning Commission will also contribute to my understanding of township issues. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Ingersoll Township Trustee? I have no major changes in mind, as I feel the township has been managed very well through the years especially with respect to our roads. Long term, I have a constant eye on the overall appearance of our township and would work to minimize brush, overgrowth, and littering along our roadsides and ditches. I also keep water drainage in the back of my mind, as its importance is often overlooked or forgotten. 4. What challenges do you anticipate Ingersoll Township trustees will encounter? The most likely challenges will come from residents challenging our ordinances for monetary or personal gain. The future direction of our township and the best wishes of our residents could be at stake. I want to make sure they are represented. Jake Terwillegar, 27, of Ingersoll Township, is a farmer. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of an Ingersoll Township trustee? I learned four years ago at a MTA (Michigan Township Association) meeting for trustee training that they are to represent township residents and to be the "watchdog" of the township officials. 2. As Ingersoll Township trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? In the last four years, Ive accomplished this by attending every meeting, including both township board and planning commission (I have been the township board representative on the planning commission for the last four years) and talking to many residents throughout the year, whether it was before or after a meeting, a phone call, or just a friendly in person visit. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Ingersoll Township trustee? I dont plan on making any changes, most of the time, the township meetings have very few attendees, some meetings, there are none. When no one is attending meetings, this makes me to believe that everything is good and there are no reasons to make changes. If a future event were to cause concern and residents showed up to be heard, that is when the board should act. 4. What challenges do you anticipate Ingersoll Township trustees will encounter? Some of the challenges I expect to encounter are dealing with the budget, future road work plans, and the master plan review. Officials continue to encourage riders to consider the Metro a last option, even on July 4. They are stressing the importance of social distancing onboard but said they cannot guarantee that there will always be adequate space to keep several feet between passengers. Many foreign news agencies covered the teleconferenced 36th ASEAN Summit chaired by Vietnam on June 26, highlighting COVID-19 as one of its focuses. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the press conference following the 36th ASEAN Summit on June 26 (Photo: VNA) Notably, AP reported that the event aimed to show unity and discuss a regional emergency fund to respond to the immense crisis brought by the coronavirus pandemic. The news agency said the ASEAN leaders talked online due to regional travel restrictions and health risks that delayed dozens of meetings and shut out the ceremonial sessions, group handshakes and photo-ops that have been the trademark of the 10-nation blocs annual summits. Despite this, Vietnam still organised a colorful opening ceremony with traditional songs and dances in Hanoi for about 200 Vietnamese officials and foreign diplomats. They showed up without masks and sat close to each other while the heads of state watched remotely on their screens, the article wrote. AP also cited Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as saying that the COVID-19 pandemic is a test for ASEAN, and it is fanning the flame of dormant challenges in the political, economic and social environment and helping escalate frictions among major powers. Southeast Asian nations have been impacted by the pandemic differently, with hard-hit Indonesia grappling with more than 50,000 infections and more than 2,600 deaths, and the tiny state of Laos reporting just 19 cases. The diverse region of 650 million people, however, has been an Asian COVID-19 hot spot, with a combined total of more than 138,000 confirmed cases that have well surpassed those of China, where the outbreak started. The economic toll has been harsh, with ASEANs leading economies, including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, facing one of their most severe recessions in decades, according to the news agency. AP noted that a high-priority project was the establishment of an ASEAN COVID-19 response fund which could be used to help member states purchase medical supplies and protective suits. A regional stockpile of medical supplies has also been approved. 36th ASEAN Summit makes history amid COVID-19: Malaysian news agency Malaysias news agency Bernama has run an article titled 36th ASEAN Summit made history amid COVID-19. According to the article, the 36th ASEAN Summit, which was held virtually for the first time, witnessed leaders of the member states reaffirming their commitment for the need to further bolster cooperation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although restricted by movement and space, where leaders of the grouping had not been able to meet physically in Vietnam this time including to perform the ASEAN tradition of crossover handshake the meetings and interactions had proceeded virtually and in high spirit, it wrote. Under the chair of Vietnam, the one-day summit, which carried the theme Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN, saw leaders discussing a wide range of issues and cooperation concerning the region, with focus on the need for a comprehensive post-pandemic recovery plan for ASEAN. Bernama quoted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in his opening remarks at the 36th ASEAN Summit as saying that ASEAN must also be prepared to deal with the challenges ahead. He said for the latter half of 2020, the challenge would be for governments of the ASEAN member states to lead ASEAN out of this period of adversity, adding that if succeeded, it will stand as a testament to the lasting values and vitality of ASEAN Resilient and Dynamic Community. According to PM Phuc, in addition to maintaining good control of the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEAN should promptly repair its damage, and revitalise the economy and resume our economic development. The 36th ASEAN Summit will be an occasion for ASEAN member states to reassert our spirit of solidarity, our strong political will and commitment to rise above the adversities of the pandemic and keep forging ahead, he said. The article said the Summit this time also saw the ASEAN Leaders' Special Session on Womens Empowerment in the Digital Age which was to affirm the leaders commitment to promote gender equality and womens empowerment and to enhance the role of women in building the ASEAN Community being held for the first time. The 36th summit was initially scheduled to be held on April 6 to 9 in Da Nang, but was rescheduled due to COVID-19.VNA Shimla, June 27 : Former Himachal Pradesh legislator and Congress leader Neeraj Bharti, who was slapped with sedition charges, was sent to four days of police remand by a local court on Saturday. A day earlier he was arrested for allegedly posting "anti-national and objectionable" content on social networking site Facebook after violent face-off between India and China. In a series of posts, he made offensive comments against the Prime Minister and the RSS after the face-off between India and China in the Galwan valley of Ladakh. Bharti, who was the chief parliamentary secretary in the previous Congress government in the state, was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) here for questioning. After questioning for three days, he was arrested on Friday evening. Former legislator from Jawali in Kangra district was arrested under Sections 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code. The former legislator is not new to controversies. He had been targeting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and even his party leaders through his posts on the social media. His father Chander Kumar, a former Member of Parliament, is a prominent OBC leader from the state. "The state government is trying to silence the opposition leaders. The case against my son is politically motivated," Kumar told the media. Several Congress activists in the state capital staged a protest on Saturday, demanding dropping of charges against him. By Akbar Mammadov The Azerbaijani governments active fight against terrorism has been reflected in the US State Departments counter-terrorism report for 2019. The report highlighted that the Azerbaijani government actively worked to deter, detect, and defeat terrorist efforts to move people, money, and materials across its land and maritime borders and within the South Caucasus. The report further highlighted that the Azerbaijani government actively worked to deter, detect, and defeat terrorist efforts to move people, money, and materials across its land and maritime borders and within the South Caucasus. Azerbaijani law enforcement and security services conducted operations to disrupt and prevent terror attacks, arrested and prosecuted suspected terrorists, and prosecuted returning Azerbaijanis suspected of joining or financing terrorist groups fighting outside Azerbaijan. Regarding Azerbaijan's Law Enforcement, the report said that Azerbaijani law enforcement and security services had demonstrated adequate capacity to detect, deter, and prevent acts of terrorism in Azerbaijans territory. The report also touched upon Azerbaijan's Border Security agencies. It said that the State Border Service (SBS) and the State Customs Committee jointly manage border security. They also interdict terrorist efforts to move people, money, and materials including weapons of mass destruction across Azerbaijans land and maritime borders. "The SBS is also responsible for defending offshore oil platforms against terrorism", the report added. Furthermore, the report noted that Azerbaijan used terrorist and criminal watchlists and biographic/biometric screening at ports of entry. "Azerbaijans law enforcement and security services share information among themselves, and with regional and international partners regarding terrorism matters", the report reads. Noting that Azerbaijan is a member of MONEYVAL and the country's Financial Intelligence Unit is Financial Monitoring Service which is a member of the Egmont Group, the report said: "In 2019, Azerbaijan continued implementing its National Action Plan for 2017-2019 on combating criminally acquired money, legalization of other properties, and financing of terrorism. It should be noted that MONEYVAL or the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism is a permanent monitoring body of the Council of Europe, which was established in 1997. Azerbaijan began to be represented in MONEYVAL in 2002. The Egmont Group is a united body of 164 Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) around the world. In addition, the report also gave brief information about Azerbaijan's cooperation with international and regional organizations. The report reads: "Azerbaijan maintained membership in the CoE, the OSCE, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other international bodies. Azerbaijan supports NATO CT initiatives as one of the Alliances Partnership for Peace countries. Azerbaijan participated in NATOs Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, where it deployed 120 peacekeeping troops, and contributed to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund." --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Short sellers have been raking it in on their Wirecard shorts, but most havent cashed their positions out yet. Analysis from one firm shows that just 12.5% of Wirecard shorts have been covered over the last week, which means most short sellers are letting their position ride in hopes of further declines. Wirecard stock plunges after insolvency notice Wirecard stock was already tanking after the company said billions of dollars was missing from its balance sheet. Then the ADR shares of Wirecard plummeted another 74% today into penny stock territory after the Germany company announced that it has begun insolvency proceedings. The company announced today that it will file for insolvency proceedings in Munich "due to impending insolvency and over-indebtedness." The announcement comes after Monday's announcement that the US$2.1 billion that was previously believed to have been missing from the balance sheet probably didn't exist. The company said in a press release that there is a "prevailing likelihood that the bank trust account balances in the amount of 1.9 billion EUR do not exist." Wirecard also said it previously "assumed" that the trust accounts that supposedly held that US$2.1 billion had been established "for the benefit of the company in connection with the so called Third Party acquiring business." According to CNBC, Wirecard tried to locate the missing money, which was supposedly held by a pair of Filipino banks. However, both banks denied that they did any business with Wirecard. Documents that supposedly showed that Wirecard had deposited money with them were found to have been falsified. Just a week ago, Wirecard was valued at $14.5 billion (13 billion), but after today's stock crash, its valuation tumbled to less than 500 million. Before June 18, the company's valuation was even higher. The decline is a startling turn in what has been a high-flying tech stock in Germany for quite some time. Story continues Also this month, former CEO Markus Braun was arrested on allegations of inflating the company's balance sheet. Additionally, the Philippines is trying to find former COO Jan Marsalek in connection with an investigation of those who may have been involved in the case. Wirecard short sellers letting it ride Data from S3 Partners shows that short sellers raked in $2.6 billion in paper profits off Monday's plunge, and that didn't even count today's decline. Analysis from Ortex shows that just 12.5% of Wirecard shorts have been covered within the last week, which leaves about 16.8 million shares or 15% of the float still being shorted. The analytics platform estimates that open short positions were worth at least 1.6 billion at the beginning of the incident. Hedge funds that are shorting the stock now stand to gain much more. According to Ortex, some hedge funds have even increased their short positions in Wirecard over the last week. Among the funds that are shorting the German tech firm are Maverick Capital, Coatue Management, Coltrane Asset Management, Samlyn Capital, Viking Global Investors, Darsana Capital Partners, and Slate Path Capital. According to MarketWatch, Slate Path, TCI Fund Management and Marshall Wace had the largest short positions as of Wednesday. Slate Path gained $206 million, while TCI was up 161 million and Marshall Wace was up 136 million over the last two days, according to data from Breakout Point. "In a week when the share price dropped by over 90% and the CEO was arrested, it would have been easy for hedge funds to take a profit and run," Ortex Co-founder Peter Hillerberg said in an email. "However, our data shows that the vast majority of short sellers have been holding their positions, and in some cases increasing them, in anticipation of a further reduction in the share price. It looks like their patience will pay off." In central Mali, community fighting and impunity, 'overwhelming' efforts to protect civilians 26 June 2020 - Feeding an entrenched cycle of violence and reprisal, 580 civilians have been killed in Mali so far this year, as worsening security conditions and widespread impunity undermine efforts to protect people caught in intercommunal fighting, the UN Human Rights chief said on Friday. Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said violent disputes between the Peulh and Dogon communities have risen in recent months, with community-based militias initially formed to defend communities becoming increasingly involved in attacks against others. From 1 January to 21 June, 83 incidents of fighting across communal lines were documented in the restive central region of Mopti by the UN Stabilization Mission's (MINUSMA) Human Rights and Protection Division. Community-based militias from the Peulh community, who are primarily herders, were responsible for at least 71 of these incidents, leading to the deaths of 210 people. Those from the Dogon community, who are mainly farmers and hunters, carried out 12 attacks, leaving at least 82 people dead. People were also abducted, forced to join community-based militias or displaced. Armed groups expand to central regions These attacks across community lines have also been fuelled and instrumentalized by militant Islamist groups such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, so-called Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, and the Group to Support Islam and Muslims, who have bolstered their presence in Mali's central regions following push back in the north by national and international armed forces. These groups are responsible for 105 human rights abuses that have occurred in Mopti, including 67 killings, since the start of 2020. As well, members of the Malian Defence and Security Forces sent to the area to counter such violence, have themselves been involved in human rights violations, mostly targeting members of the Peulh community. The Human Rights and Protection Division documented 230 extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions attributed to members of Mali's security forces in the central regions of Mopti and Segou. Forty-seven of these killings - which occurred in five incidents in March 2020 - are attributed to these forces presumably acting under the command of the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel). Instances of enforced disappearances, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment have also been documented. 'Overwhelming impunity' "All these violations and abuses have been perpetrated in a context of overwhelming impunity," said Bachelet. The lack of accountability is eroding confidence in State institutions. "The vicious cycle of retaliatory attacks between Dogon and Peulh militias, coupled with the violations and abuses committed by Malian Defence and Security Forces and armed groups, has created a situation of chronic insecurity for the civilian population, who are not able to count on the protection of the Malian forces", she asserted. "This needs to stop." Bachelet called on national forces to restore State authority across the country, and on Malian authorities to establish "prompt, thorough, impartial and independent" investigations into all alleged human rights violations, and to ensure proper accountability processes are established. "People need justice, redress and reparations," she said. "This is the only way to reverse this trend of continuing violence." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The following editorial appeared in Saturday's Japan News-Yomiuri: - - - It has become conspicuous that China is taking intimidating actions against many other countries. The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is urged to understand that escalating confrontations will only trigger concerns and distrust from the international community, undermining China's own national interests. Indian and Chinese troops have fought each other along a disputed border. The clash killed 20 Indian soldiers and also left some casualties on the Chinese side. The two neighbors have engaged in confrontations for many years, but the incident was said to be the first deadly clash between them in 45 years. There are persistent suspicions that China may have seized the opportunity to launch an offensive by taking advantage of a time when India is struggling in its fight against the novel coronavirus. Relations between China and Australia are also deteriorating. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, with an eye on China, that his country has been targeted by "a sophisticated state-based cyber actor." Australia receives a large number of Chinese tourists and is also a popular destination for studying for its students. However, Beijing advised its people not to travel to the Oceanian country. The advisory is said to have been issued in retaliation for Australia's demand for an international probe into where the coronavirus came from. China has also made many other moves that can destabilize regional situations, such as beefing up military operations in the South China Sea. Australia and India have moved toward strengthening bilateral security cooperation. Anti-China sentiments are also spreading among European and Southeast Asian countries, which up to now have avoided confrontations with Beijing because they have given priority to economic ties with the country. This tendency must be a strategic loss for China. China's stance, as if it were out to make enemies around the world, has become more aggressive since the onset of the coronavirus crisis. This approach is dubbed "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy, after the title of a Chinese action movie that has become a big hit in the country. As the movie's tagline says, "Anyone who insults China must absolutely be eradicated," the country intimidates those it considers hostile. A Chinese diplomat criticized Europe's "poor" response to the coronavirus, while Beijing demanded appreciation for its medical assistance. It is widely believed that China's "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy has been driven by its own domestic troubles. China's economy has been stalled because of trade friction with the United States and the coronavirus pandemic, and the country's employment situation has also worsened. The Xi administration has claimed that the fact that China has contained infections demonstrates the superiority of the country's system. However, this claim sounds less persuasive as the number of cases is rising again in Beijing. It is a dangerous approach that China - aiming to maintain its leadership - promotes to the public a hard-line stance against other countries, while also fueling nationalism and hostility toward foreign countries. It will surely be difficult for Beijing to win support from a wide range of countries, even though it stresses that it will lead the international order in place of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been promoting his "America First" policy. It is also unacceptable that Chinese government ships have become more active in waters around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. The Japanese government must again tell the Xi administration that improvements in bilateral relations cannot be made without stability in the East China Sea. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday (June 27) accepted the draft notification issued by the CBSE to cancel the remaining Class 10 and Class 12 board examination that could not be held due to the coronavirus pandemic. It also approved the board's scheme to award marks to students for the cancelled papers, based on their performance in previous exams held before the COVID-19 situation worsened. The Central Board of Secondary Education filed an affidavit in the top court detailing the assessment scheme. According to the notification, for students who have appeared in the examinations in more than three subjects, the average of the marks obtained in the best three performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre in the matter, also said, "For students who have appeared in the examinations in only threee subjects, the average of the marks obtained in the best two performing subjects will be awarded in the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted." The CBSE said that there are very few students of Class 12, mainly from Delhi, who have appeared in the examinations in only one or two subjects. "Their results will be declared based on performance in the appeared subjects and performance in internal/practical/project assessment. These students will also be allowed to appear in the optional examinations conducted by CBSE to improve their performance, if they desire to do so. "Results of these students will also be declared along with other students," said the draft notification submitted in the apex court. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, which holds the Class 10 ICSE and the Class 12 ISC exams, also told the bench its exams have also been cancelled and they will publish the assessment soon. Taking note of these contentions on record, a bench comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjiv Khanna disposed of the petitions, along with other similar pending cases in the High Courts. "After perusing the same and taking into account the suggestions given by the counsel appearing for the concerned parties, we see no difficulty in permitting the CBSE to issue the said notification forthwith... all these petitions pertaining to CBSE examinations pending in this Court or any other Court shall be deemed to be disposed of in terms of the proposed notification to be issued by the CBSE," said the top court. The response from the CBSE came on petitions filed by a group of parents who moved the top court against its decision to conduct the remaining Board examination in July. The apex court was informed that both the CICSE and the CBSE will declare results together by mid-July. The CBSE told the apex court that its decision is pro-students. The CICSE told the apex court that they may give an option to Class 10 students to give exams at a later stage, and their averaging marks formula is different from the CBSE. For the CICSE, the top court noted that two aspects have been highlighted during the hearing by its counsel. First, the board may consider conducting optional examinations for Class 10 as well and abide by the same terms as regards the optional examination regarding Class 12 referred to in the draft notification of the CBSE, reproduced above. Secondly, the assessment scheme of the CICSE is different, which would be notified within one week from today on its website. "We make it clear that this order does not deal with any other issue which may arise for consideration in some other proceedings pending before the High court or this Court except the subject matter of conducting examinations for classes 10 and 12 for Academic Year 2019-2020 by the CBSE and ICSE respectively," added the top court. (With IANS inputs) Next year, state lawmakers will redraw the congressional district maps based on the 2020 census, a process mandated by the Constitution. In anticipation of this new redistricting cycle, Slate is revamping our gerrymander puzzle game from 2013 as part of our Who Counts? initiative. Well be releasing new puzzles over the upcoming weeks, highlighting the worst and weirdest gerrymanders in the country. Find out how quickly you can put these states back together and learn everything thats at stake in the next round of redistricting. Advertisement Please enable Javascript in your browser to view Slate interactives. Ohio Republicans got greedyand sloppywhen drawing their aggressive congressional gerrymander after the 2010 election. GOP lawmakers packed most Democratic voters into just four out of the states 16 districts, creating ragged blue smudges that are, in some spots, barely contiguous. The map has served its purpose, consistently handing Republicans 12 districts, a number wildly disproportionate to the partys actual share of the statewide vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But these mapmakers flew too close to the sun. Through lawsuits and public records requests, progressives peered behind the scenes of Ohios redistricting process and discovered legal and ethical rot. Republican mapmakers rented a covert hotel room nicknamed the bunker so they could meet in secret with political operatives. Thomas Hofeller, the GOP gerrymandering guru now notorious for perfecting racist redistricting, helped lead the project. He described the heavily Democratic area of downtown Columbus as dog meat voting territory. Advertisement Advertisement ThenSpeaker of the House John Boehner, a Republican, also played a role. Boehner aide Tom Whatman tinkered continually with the map, apparently at the behest of the speaker himself. Most notably, Whatman ordered mapmakers to keep a specific manufacturing plant in Rep. Jim Renaccis district. Top officials at the plant, along with its owners, had given $210,000 to Renacci over the last two years. This change, Whatman explained, was very important to someone very important to us all. The public disclosure of these unseemly details appears to have turned Ohioans against gerrymandering. In 2018, they overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative that will require bipartisan cooperation and transparency in future redistricting, starting next year. The days of the bunker are over. A Tanzanian subsistence miner Saniniu Laizer hit the jackpot on Wednesday after the government handed him a cheque for 7.74 billion Tanzanian shillings ($3.35 million) for the two largest tanzanite gemstones ever found in the history. The two dark violet-blue gemstones, each about the size of a forearm, were discovered by Saniniu Laizer in one of the tanzanite mines in the north of the country which are surrounded by a wall to control cross-border smuggling of the gemstones. The first gemstone weighed in at 9.27 kg while the second weighed 5.103 kg, a mines ministry spokesperson said. Tanzanite is a gemstone found only in a small northern region of the East African nation. Todays event... is to recognise the two largest tanzanite gemstones in history since the beginning of mining activities in Mirerani, Simon Msanjila, mines ministry permanent secretary, said at a ceremony in Simanjiro district in Tanzanias northern Manyara region. Laizer was pictured on Tanzanian television being presented with a large cheque after the Bank of Tanzania bought the gemstones. President John Magufuli phoned to congratulate Laizer live on television. This is a confirmation that Tanzania is rich, Magufuli told minerals minister Doto Biteko. Tanzania last year set up trading centres around the country to allow artisanal miners to sell their gems and gold to the government. Artisanal miners are not officially employed by any mining companies and usually mine by hand. Magufuli inaugurated the wall around tanzanite mining concessions in northern Tanzania in April 2018, in an attempt to control illegal mining and trading activities. At the time he said 40 percent of tanzanite produced there was being lost. You are here: China Beijing issues fresh guidelines on COVID-19 prevention - Xinhua | English.news.cn The Chinese capital has issued fresh guidelines on COVID-19 containment, calling on its residents to continue to wear masks, maintain social distancing and wash hands frequently. Masks have been made compulsory in hospitals, crowded scenic spots and public transports, according to Beijing's disease control and prevention center. The guidelines stipulate that residents with respiratory infections should avoid going to public places and if they do under unavoidable circumstances, they must wear masks. People are advised to wash their hands frequently when processing raw meat, poultry, or aquatic products, and keep unwashed hands away from the mouth, nose, and eyes, according to the guidelines. Besides, members of the public are asked to cooperate with health monitoring at residential compounds, workplaces and other public facilities. Since June 11, the Chinese capital has seen a resurgence in locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases, prompting the municipal government to tighten containment measures. Pregnant women from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) groups are up to eight times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19 than white women, a study has found. NHS England is now recommending BAME mothers-to-be with mild Covid symptoms be fast-tracked into hospital due to their heightened risk of falling critically unwell. The move follows an Oxford University study earlier this month that looked at 427 pregnant women admitted with the disease between March 1 and April 14, when the virus was growing exponentially in the UK. More than half of patients were from a BAME background, despite only accounting for a quarter of the births in England and Wales. The study found black mothers-to-be were eight times more likely to be admitted than white pregnant women, and the risk for Asians was quadruple that of whites. NHS England is now telling doctors to 'lower the threshold' for admitting them to hospital due to the heightened risk. It is also urging midwives to provide tailored support and advice to pregnant women from BAME backgrounds and discuss vitamin D supplementation. The Oxford study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), follows a string of damning research showing BAME groups are being disproportionately hit by Covid. Scientists are struggling to pin down exactly why BAME Brits are more susceptible to falling ill with the virus. But they believe it may be because minority groups in the UK have considerably higher rates of health problems that raise their risk of catching a severe bout of Covid-19, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Links to higher rates of vitamin D deficiencies are also being investigated by health chiefs in the UK. People with darker skin need to spend more time in sunlight in order to get the same amount of vitamin D as a person with lighter skin, which makes BAME people living in Britain more likely to be deficient in the vitamin. Pregnant women from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) groups are up to eight times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19 than white women, a study of 427 expectant mothers struck down by the virus found NHS England is now recommending BAME mothers-to-be with mild Covid symptoms be fast-tracked into hospital due to their heightened risk of falling critically unwell (file) Currently the NHS recommends Brits take 10 micrograms of the 'sunshine' nutrient each day during lockdown 'to keep your bones and muscles healthy'. But it says on its website that 'there is currently not enough evidence to support' claims that the immune system-boosting nutrient reduces the risk of coronavirus. Some babies born to Covid-infected mothers ALREADY have antibodies to protect them against the disease Some babies born to coronavirus-infected mothers already have antibodies against the viral disease, one of the UK's top doctors revealed today. Dr Patrick O'Brien, vice president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said a 'very small' number of newborns seemed to have developed an immune response against the virus while still inside the womb. Antibodies are substances produced in response to infection and are stored by the immune system to fight off the same virus, if it returns in the future. IgM antibodies - which the body makes when it first becomes infected - cannot be transferred from mother to child through the placenta, meaning the babies must have developed them on their own, scientists said. IgM antibodies are formed early and essentially incite the immune system to destroy the virus, while other types - mainly IgG antibodies - store the memories of what to attack for years after someone has had an illness. This suggests mothers pass the life-threatening disease to their unborn children in the womb, a theory that has been debated throughout the crisis. Some experts had previously argued that babies with Covid-19 were catching it from their mothers after birth, or from an infected midwife or doctor in the hospital. The finding was revealed in the UK's first major study into coronavirus's effect on mothers-to-be, which looked at 427 women infected with the disease across the country. Advertisement England's most senior midwife, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, has written to all maternity units in the country calling on them to be extra vigilant with BAME pregnant women. She wants these expecting mothers to have tailored support and advice, and access to vitamin D supplements. Ms Dunkley-Bent has also urged doctors to lower the threshold for admitting these women to hospital, because they can fall severely ill with Covid quickly. She said: 'I want to make sure that every pregnant woman in England knows that the NHS is here for them - if you have any doubt whatsoever that something isn't right with you or your baby, contact your midwife immediately.' Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), told the BBC: 'Even before this pandemic, women from black, Asian or ethnic-minority backgrounds had poorer pregnancy outcomes, and Covid-19 has sharpened this inequality further. 'We support the steps the chief midwifery officer has asked maternity units to undertake and we are calling for these actions to be implemented swiftly. ' Pregnant women are no more likely to catch coronavirus than anyone else, with the majority of expecting mothers experiencing flu-like symptoms. But as a precaution, pregnant women are being advised to be stricter than the rest of the public when it comes to social distancing. The Royal College of Midwives advice is to 'call your midwife if you have a cough, are breathless or feel hot and shivery'. If you are worried about your baby's movement or are concerned about losing too much blood, 'call the midwife immediately'. The Oxford study found that 70 per cent of pregnant women admitted to hospital were obese - another huge risk factor for Covid. Thirty-four per cent of them had underlying health conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, which also make Covid more deadly. But when these factors were taken into account, there was still a much higher proportion from ethnic minority groups than expected, the authors said. The researchers behind the Oxford University study said the findings about BAME mothers now require 'urgent investigation and explanation'. This was still the case when mothers-to-be in hospitals in major cities, where the virus was spreading much quicker, were excluded from the analysis. During the research, five pregnant women died, three of which were a direct result of complications with coronavirus. It's not clear what ethnic background these women were from. Of all the 233 BAME pregnant women in hospital for coronavirus 41 (10 per cent) needed respiratory support in a critical care unit. Most of the women in the study, which was based on data from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System, were in the late second or third trimester of their pregnancy. Ministers are accused of treating NHS and care workers from BAME backgrounds as 'cannon fodder' during the coronavirus crisis NHS and care workers from BAME backgrounds have been treated like 'cannon fodder' during the Covid-19 pandemic, ministers have been told. Labour's Rushanara Ali said the Government has been 'inadequate in protecting' those from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds as MPs debated calls by members of the public to reward health and care workers on the front line. She said: 'We know that BAME NHS workers and care workers have had the highest death rate and yet the Government has been inadequate in protecting them. 'To be frank, the Government has treated them like cannon fodder and the fact that it doesn't have proper recommendations is scandalous and they need to get a grip before more lives are lost. Labour's Rushanara Ali (pictured) said the Government has been 'inadequate in protecting' those from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds amid the Covid-19 pandemic 'If the minister thinks health workers and care workers should be protected she should act instead of saying appalling things about them, and I hope she'll apologise for the remarks she made recently about care staff.' Ms Ali also demanded an apology from care minister Helen Whately after it was reported she said student nurses in training are 'supernumerary and are not deemed to be providing a service'. 'Unison predicts that we'll need another million extra care workers by 2025, it is vital we learn the lessons now and make sure we have a resilient, well-resourced NHS where people are properly rewarded and recognised, where their skills and expertise are recognised rather than being treated shoddily which is what we've seen,' she said. 'We also need to make sure that junior doctors are properly rewarded. [The Government's] behaviour in recent years was appalling and yet these doctors, nurses and carers have been the people on the front line saving people's lives and protecting us.' Petitions relating to Covid-19 have received more than 4.6 million signatures, including 290,000 calling on the Government to 'reward those caring for us and our loved ones at this time of national need', according to Petitions Committee chairwoman and Labour MP Catherine McKinnell. Ms McKinnell said NHS workers needed a pay rise, or for student debt to be written off. Ms Ali also demanded an apology from care minister Helen Whately (pictured) after it was reported she said student nurses in training are 'supernumerary and are not deemed to be providing a service' She said: 'One NHS worker wrote to me to say "I've heard whisperings of NHS staff getting medals after the pandemic. '"Please don't let this happen, it's utterly ridiculous when we're working in understaffed and under-resourced settings. For money to be spent on medals is outrageous".' Meg Hillier, Labour chairwoman of the Commons Public Affairs Select Committee said: 'Medals don't put food on the table and there are many people working in our NHS and social care settings who work through agencies and are paid minimum wage or less.' Conservative MP Tom Randall highlighted one of his constituents suggested a medal for NHS workers, telling the Commons: 'I understand the Cabinet Office is looking into that measure.' Tory Alexander Stafford suggested a memorial event should be held in Whitehall to celebrate the heroism of health and social care staff. Mr Stafford told MPs: 'I believe this proposal merits serious consideration too and should be taken forward. 'Ultimately, it is of the uttermost importance that this House pursues all avenues, including looking at pay and rewards, in recognising and rewarding the heroism of our health and social care workers, and the selflessness of those who have helped the NHS both in Rother Valley and across the United Kingdom. 'Without them, we would not have been able to pull through this crisis.' Founder and Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has slammed the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for 'not permitting' asymptomatic testing in large numbers. Shaw added that every individual had a right to know whether they were positive or negative for coronavirus. Shaw said asymptomatic testing has to be freed up. And hospitals have to manage patients in a triage way so that they don't get overwhelmed. The biotechnology industry veteran also said it was obvious that when the economy will fully be opened up, there will be an increase in coronavirus cases due to the country's gigantic population. "Some of them might be positive, some of them might be carriers, some of them might be supercarriers. How do I know? Why are they (ICMR) preventing us from testing? I don't understand. Everywhere in the world, they are allowing testing," Shaw said. The 67-year-old business tycoon further expressed her anger saying that governments were acting like testing was a crime. "Is it a crime to test? it's not because, as an individual, I would like to know whether I am positive or negative even if I am asymptomatic," Shaw said. According to Shaw, if patients have mild symptoms, they should be given treatment in quarantine centres where their health can be monitored. Only people with complaints of breathlessness and oxygen needs should go to hospitals. Shaw also stressed on the need for testing people based on their risk profile. A person's risk profile map can be easily worked out by knowing how often the individual uses public transport, the frequency of his travel for work, number of people at the workplace, and if he or she is diabetic and has hypertension, among other factors. Public workers, particularly bus drivers and conductors and delivery service personnel, should be tested as they come in touch with people so much, Shaw added. India, on Saturday, reported 5 lakh cases of coronavirus. Since June 2, India logged more than 3 lakh coronavirus cases in 26 days. However, India's recovery rate is higher than the active number of cases. According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the country's total number of active cases are at 1,97,385, whereas tally of cured/discharged patients stands at 2,95,880. (With PTI inputs) Also read: Coronavirus update: India crosses 5 lakh mark; reports highest single-day spike of 18,552 Also read: Patanjali's Coronil row: FIR against Ramdev, Balkrishna, 4 others over coronavirus medicine claims Artist and and head of the painting department at the Faculty of Fine Arts Sameh Al-Banany (1945-2020) passed away a few days ago, following infection with coronavirus. Al-Banany belongs to an artistic family. He is the son of the late artist Hosny Al-Banany, and the grandson of the late artist Youssef Kamel, one of the pioneers of the plastic art movement in Egypt. Al-Banany earned his BA in Painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 1969, earning a master's degree in 1975, then travelling to Rome, Italy to for his doctorate, which he completed in 1979. On the work of Al-Banany, critic Mohamed Al-Nasser said he didnt echo the style of his father Hosny Al-Banany but rather created his own. Al-Nasser also revealed that a month before his death, Al-Banany told him over the phone that he was planning to compile a book of art with his father and grandfathers work as well as his own. As well as a painter, Al-Banany is a remarkable photographer. He is best known for his images of Egyptian nature, rural, tribal and urban life, devising his own rules of harmony in dimensions, proportions and perspective and a unique colour palette. *A version of this article appears in print in the 25 June, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Delhi's leading private hospital Sir Ganga Ram, which was on June 4 declared a COVID-19 facility by the state government, has decided to restart its normal OPD services from July 1. After three months of suspension due to nationwide lockdown, the OPD services at the hospital will return to normal levels from July 1 with precautions, Dr D.S. Rana, Chairman (BoM) Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) said. The OPD services will function from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as they were functioning during pre-lockdown times. "Although our OPD services will be normal, still we have undertaken sufficient precautions to safeguard the health of patients. All our OPD chambers are located in Green Covid Safe Zone," Rana said. "Hospital will undertake all standard safety protocol measures which will be strictly followed keeping in mind the safety of our esteemed patients and their attendants." Rana further added that our hospital will ensure best infection control measures and a safe environment to protect the health of our patients in Covid times. Earlier this month, an FIR was lodged against the hospital for allegedly violating COVID-19 regulation norms. According to the complaint, the hospital was allegedly not using RT-PCR app while collecting COVID-19 samples. As per the guidelines, it is mandatory for labs to collect samples through RT-PCR app. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is a leading private hospital with 675 beds. It was declared COVID-19 facility by the Delhi government on June 4 and was told to reserve 80 per cent beds for coronavirus patients. Delhi government later sent a communication to the management of the hospital directing it to keep 540 out of its 675 beds for COVID-19 patients. Orton Caswell Cas Walker would have to be described as one of the most unorthodox businessman, politician, and/or radio and television personalities. The stories about this East Tennessean have to be distinguished between fact and fiction but he was a public figure that lit up the skyline in his adopted hometown of Knoxville with his wild and unusual antics that were displayed in an open forum to an adoring number of citizens so the majority of them have to be true. Cas Walker was born in Sevier County, Tennessee on March 23, 1902, and quit school when he was 14 years old to start working in a variety of jobs in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky. When he had earned and saved enough money to go into business for himself, he returned to Knoxville in 1924 and established the first Cas Walkers Cash Store. From this beginning he developed and operated 27 stores in Tennessee and Kentucky which grossed over $60,000,000 in one year. He was famous for his low prices compared to his competitors, his aggressive marketing, and innovative advertising. His stores had as his logo a pair of shears indicating price cutting in his grocery locations. He threw thousands of discount coupons out of airplanes in the neighborhoods near any of his stores to advertise his weekly specials. One of his most outrageous stunts was to hire an individual by the stage name of Digger ODell (stolen from the undertaker in the popular Life of Riley radio program) to be buried alive in the parking lot of a Cas Walker Store on Chapman Highway in Knoxville for $100 a day with a pipe to breathe and a telephone to answer calls during the day or night. The intended underground entombment was supposed to be for 30 days. Because the gimmick was so successful with breaking crowds and grocery sales Cas refused to let Digger out before the scheduled 30 days. No way said Cas, sales were too good and a deal was a deal! Digger tried to get dug up by calling the newspaper claiming he was having a heart attack and that Cas was denying proper medical treatment. Cass solution to his complaints was to dress two women up who worked for him in nurse uniforms and station them above the grave selling barbecued chicken sandwiches. Another money providing gimmick was when Cas one Saturday started throwing live chickens off the roof of one of his stores with the announcement that if you could catch one, it was yours! This became a regular Saturday night event and drew crowds by the thousands and record grocery sales. Other sales promotions included greased pigs contests, free flea dips, and other promotions that ranged from the crafty to the ridiculous. In 1929 Walker created a variety of radio shows known as the Farm and Home Hour to help promote his grocery sales. In 1953 he went on television in Knoxville which aired until 1983. The show featured established county music performers such as Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, Jim Nabors, Chick Athens and others. It also launched the music careers of Dolly Parton who first performed on Cass show at the tender age of 10 in 1956 as well as the Everly Brothers who were regulars on the show in the mid 1950s and Barbara Mandell and Con Hunley. However, Cas fired the brothers when he claimed that they were beginning to play too much rock and roll and that jumpin' up and down music don't sell groceries." Cas also started a newspaper called the Watchdog that was distributed at his stores and was basically a rant by Cas as to what he was hacked off about at the moment. He loved to get on political rivals and police who he had seen hanging around his competitors while on duty. He also hated dog dealers and women who wore hot pants and then accused Cass friends of raping them. As to politics he projected himself as a hick, a redneck, and sometimes a just plain idiot. Cas was first elected to the Knoxville City Council in 1941 and was elected mayor in 1946 but after a few weeks of rowdy meetings and the firing of the city manager the other members of the council ousted him in a recall decision. Nevertheless, he was re-elected repeatedly until he retired voluntarily in 1971 and remained a political force and champion of the little people into the 1980s. One of his early mentors who turned political opponent and enemy was George Dempster who invented the Dempster Dumpster and served as city manager and mayor of Knoxville. After the relationship cooled and became bitter Dempster once said, If I ordered a whole carload of SOBs and they just sent Cas Id sign for the shipment. His most famous political stunt which got him in Life Magazine on March 19, 1956, occurred during a meeting of the Knoxville City Council when he exchanged punches with fellow councilman, J.S. Cooper, a former political supporter over tax rates and property assessments. In later years Cas was in a nursing home and he confided in reporter Betty Bean that it was a made-up fight between the two of them. Rumors about Cas putting ice in the hamburger meat to make it weigh more and chemicals in stale meat to preserve it longer also dogged Cas over the years but he managed to survive each allegation. The antics of Cas Walker are too numerous to cover in a short article! Many of the stories about his life are contained in a book entitled Cas Walker: Stories on his Life and Legend published by U.T. press in Knoxville and edited by Joshua Hodge, who at the time was a PhD student in the History Department but passed away while the book was in its final stages of completion. The book can be found at www.utpress.org/title/cas-walker. * * * Jerry Summers (If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. - Premier Jason Kenney says his government's blueprint to reboot Alberta's distressed economy will be announced Monday in Calgary. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney updates media on measures taken to help with COVID-19, in Edmonton on Friday, March 20, 2020. Premier Jason Kenney says the blueprint to reboot Alberta's distressed economy will be unveiled Monday in Calgary. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. - Premier Jason Kenney says his government's blueprint to reboot Alberta's distressed economy will be announced Monday in Calgary. "It will be a bold and ambitious plan to make strategic investments to get people working right now when we need it most, but also to invest in the long-term productivity of our economy," Kenney said Friday. He said it will involve the largest ever spending on public infrastructure, including areas such as health care and transportation. There will be also be a focus on diversifying the economy in critical growth sectors while buttressing the existing oil and gas industry. It will be a plan for a province that was looking at a $7-billion budget deficit this year before the COVID-19 pandemic drained away jobs and business activity, and a global oil price war collapsed profits for its wellspring industry. The budget deficit for this year is now pegged at $20 billion. In March, Kenney announced a 12-member economic advisory panel, including former prime minister Stephen Harper, to provide guidance on the relaunch. Kenney has been sharply criticized by the NDP Opposition for pursuing growth strategies in oil and gas while ignoring emerging industries such as high-tech and artificial intelligence. Kenney's government, when it took power, cancelled tax incentives designed to grow high-tech. He said those programs were ineffective as they reached a small percentage of the tech market. On Thursday, Kenney said part of Monday's plan will include the outline of a new program to incentivize job-creating investment in the information technology, digital and innovation sector. "We will be outlining a number of sectoral strategies in areas of our economy that we need to grow in order to diversify while also articulating policies that ensure a strong future for the oil and gas sector." Kenney won last year's election on a promise to galvanize Alberta's economy, struggling even then with low oil and gas prices. He promised a pan-economic, less-is-more approach, championing broad incentives and then letting the free market take its course. To that end, his government cut the corporate income tax rate, reduced the minimum wage for those under 18, and scrapped the provincial consumer carbon tax, though that levy was later replaced with a federal version. Albertans have the lowest overall tax burden among Canadian provinces, and Albertans do not pay a provincial sales tax. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Since then, as the oil and gas economy has continued to struggle, Kenney has assumed a more direct interventionist approach. In March, his government agreed to provide $1.5-billion to Calgary-based TC Energy Corporation, enabling the completion of the KXL pipeline to ultimately take Alberta crude across the United States to refiners and shippers on the Gulf Coast. The $1.5 billion in equity investment will be followed by a $6-billion loan guarantee next year. Kenney has said Alberta will be able to sell its shares for a profit after the pipeline is built and it will generate a net return of more than $30 billion through royalties and higher prices for its oil over the next two decades. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2020 By Dean Bennett in Edmonton I very much doubt that Joe Bidens selection of a running mate will affect the outcome of this years election. However, the selection is important because (1) Biden has a pretty good chance of winning the election, in my opinion and (2) considering his age and diminished capacity, theres a fair chance that, if elected, Biden wont serve four years. By deciding to select a woman, Biden has already restricted the field. If he also decides to select an African-American, which some say is his strong inclination, he will restrict it further. Normally, a vice presidential candidate is, or has been, a U.S. Senator, a governor, or a House member of considerable prominence. But of the reported leading African-American candidates for Bidens running mate, only Kamala Harris fits this description. The other leading candidates seem to be a former National Security Adviser who has never run for office, an obscure congresswomen, and a mayor. The mayor is Atlantas Keisha Lance Bottoms. She appears to have replaced Stacey Abrams as the leading contender from Georgia. This Washington Post piece profiles Mayor Bottoms. I should preface my discussion of her by disclosing that, as an attorney, I worked closely with Bottoms husband (also an attorney) on half a dozen or so litigation matters. I liked him a lot. I never had the pleasure of meeting his wife, the future mayor. Mayor Bottoms seems considerably more qualified for the VP job than Stacey Abrams does. Unlike Abrams, she has governed something one of Americas major cities. However, Bottoms has only governed Atlanta for two and a half years (although given events the pandemic, the mass protests, and the killing of Rayshard Brooks it might seem like longer). Moreover, mayors do not deal with foreign policy. Bottoms also seems more sensible than Abrams, and indeed most big city Democratic mayors of whatever race. When protests in Atlanta got out of hand, she admonished: I am a mother to four black children in America. . . so youre not going to out-concern me or out-care about where we are in America. This is not a protest. . . this is chaos. A protest has purpose. Go home. However, Bottoms response to the killing of Brooks was problematic, in my opinion. She fired Garrett Rolfe, the officer who killed Brooks, almost immediately after the incident in what I consider a rush to judgment. The firing might have staved off violent protests, but it struck me as grossly unfair. (Presumably, Rolfes union will fight the discharge and, perhaps, he will get a fair hearing.) Rolfe was than charged with murder an egregious case of overcharging. However, I understand this to be the decision of an opportunistic and possibly corrupt district attorney, not Mayor Bottoms. Bottoms struck the right note after a number of police officers, in a show of solidarity with Rolfe, did not report for work. She told CNN: We value our officers in Atlanta. I also recognize that our communities are hurting and our officers are hurting. And so, in the same way our demonstrators need an opportunity to vent and to express their frustration and their concern, understand that our officers need the opportunity to do that as well. (Emphasis added) Bottoms recognizes the consequences to a city when its police force becomes badly demoralized due to lack of support from its politicians. Baltimore provides an unmistakable lesson. Whether Mayor Bottoms can prevent crippling demoralization in view of the treatment of Rolfe remains to be seen. What, then, is the likelihood that Bottoms will be the vice presidential nominee? If Biden decides he wants an African-American running mate, I think he will give Bottoms strong consideration. Kamala Harris seems to be the frontrunner among blacks on the shortlist. But she has lots of enemies on the left because of her record as a prosecutor. The Posts article shows that Bottoms has enemies on the left, too. However, they are neither as numerous nor as vociferous as Harris. Susan Rice is also said to be a leading candidate. But she has never run for office and, as an establishment personage, hasnt established her bona fides as a left-liberal or as a defender of African-American interests. Furthermore, Bottoms is younger than Harris and Rice and presents a fresher face. In addition, unlike these two, she might well help Biden in a swing state. The other African-Americans frequently mentioned as VP possibilities are obscure figures who havent been in the spotlight the way Bottoms has been recently. The risk of selecting Bottoms lies mainly in her inexperience and, indeed, lack of any real experience in foreign policy and national security matters. Biden isnt a risk taker, so I doubt that he will pick a less than one-term mayor as his running mate. However, its not beyond the realm of possibility that he will do so in these exceptional times. Bismah Malik By Express News Service With nearly 93% of its 2,40,000 employees having been able to work from home within the first few weeks of the COVID crisis, IT services major Infosys said that it will focus on introducing a 'flexible work from home model' for its employees permanently. Infosys Chief Operating Officer (COO) U B Pravin Rao told shareholders during the 39th Annual General Meeting on Saturday that the work from home model has not impacted the productivity of employees so far. Depending on the client requirements and projects, a flexible work from home option for employees will be introduced, he added. Rival Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) had earlier said that it is looking at 75% of its employee base(4.48 lakh) to permanently work from home by 2025. Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani said in his address that the IT services provider has been able to tide over the global crisis triggered by the COVID pandemic. He said that much of it has been possible due to nearly 93% of its 2,40,000 employees across 46 countries working from home which was made possible within a few weeks. Our remote access infrastructure was expanded 10x for virtual private network bandwidth and back-end capacity scaled by 4x to support the increase in concurrent connected remote users, Nilekani said. Infosys CEO Salil Parekh said that the IT services firm has a strong $3.6 billion balance sheet due to healthy deal signings and increase in the digital revenues. The companys standalone revenues grew by 8.1% in FY20 to Rs 79,047 crore. 97.4% were export revenues whereas 2.6% were domestic revenues. 39% of the companys revenues came from digital services and solutions, as per the Infosys 39th annual report. Regarding the contentious H-1B visa ban, Parekh said the company has launched localisation components to build more resilient businesses in different geographies to navigate better with changing visa regulations. More than 60% of our workforce in US comprises locals, Infosys COO Rao added. Infosys said that it has surpassed its Spring 2017 commitment to hire 10,000 American workers. LOCAL authorities haven't done enough to step up to the plate in terms of integrating migrants in our communities with the wider community, according to Deputy Niall Collins. Speaking in the Dail the Fianna Fail TD for Limerick said that while he does agree that as a society and as a people the Irish arent racist unfortunately there is a small minority who engage in racism and it is beginning to creep and grow amongst our population and our community and I think thats very, very regrettable. I think it goes without saying that we have to recognise that our hate crime legislation has been largely absent in terms of dealing with the modern forms of racism which are prevalent amongst people who are promoting racism, said Mr Collins. I think the government should do more through our local authority structures to promote better integration of our emigrant community because we know it is our emigrant community, it is our minorities, its the LGBT community and its the Traveller community who are most impacted by racism and I feel that local authorities haven't done enough to step up to the plate in terms of integrating migrants in our communities with the wider community. I think that is a role that needs to be looked at and expanded upon. Mr Collins said that it was encouraging to see in last years local elections that many parties stood candidates from various communities. We had a good candidate elected in Limerick city Cllr Azad Talukder who came from Bangladesh and has done great work in promoting and seeking to integrate the migrant community and will become the deputy mayor of Limerick city and county quite shortly. And I think we need to build on that. Weve never seen diversification like we have now beginning at local authority level, in the Oireachtas and Id welcome if that started. said Mr Collins. A Queens man who was seen on video being strangled until he was unconscious by an NYPD officer is so traumatized by the Father's Day attack, he has checked himself into the hospital for a mental evaluation, his family said Friday. "Ever since this has happened to Ricky, he has been been overwhelmed. ... He don't sleep. The most he does is close his eyes for five minutes," Judith Ceno, Ricky Bellevue's sister-in-law, said at a press conference outside of Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx. Bellevue, 35, and his two friends were allegedly taunting and heckling several police officers as they responded to the Rockaway Beach boardwalk for a call of someone shouting at strangers. Bellevue has a history of mental illness, his family said. PHOTO: In this photo taken from police body cam video, New York Police officers, including officer David Afanador, right, arrest a man on a boardwalk in New York's Rockaway Beach on Sunday, June 21, 2020. (New York Police Department via AP) As two of Bellevue's friends were recording with their cellphones, he asked the officers if they were scared. When Bellevue allegedly picked up a can from the trash, four of the officers, including David Afanador, grabbed him. MORE: NYPD officer suspended after filmed using chokehold on suspect Bellevue was pinned to the ground as Afanador allegedly wrapped his arm around the man's neck. "He says to me, 'Judy, I cannot close my eyes, every time I close my eyes I feel the officer choking me and I feel like I'm going to die,'" Ceno said, wiping away tears, with the family attorney Sanford Rubenstein and civil right activist Rev. Kevin McCall by her side. MORE: NYPD officer arrested on strangulation charges after caught-on-camera incident Afanador allegedly continued to utilize the illegal chokehold as other officers handcuffed Bellevue. Within seconds, Bellevue's body appears on recordings to go limp and he loses consciousness, prosecutors said. "Even under the most difficult of circumstances, this maneuver, this kind of action, is exactly the kind of police conduct that the NYPD has banned and our State Legislature criminalized," Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement on Thursday. Story continues PHOTO: Ricky Bellevue allegedly sustained a head injury while he was seen on video tackled and held in a chokehold by NYPD Officer David Afanador. (Sanford Rubenstein) Afanador's only removes his arm from around Bellevue's neck after another police officer pulls on his back. Less than a week after the incident, Afanador was suspended, arrested and charged with strangulation and attempted strangulation. MORE: Millions in lawsuit settlements are another hidden cost of police misconduct, legal experts say If convicted, Afanador faces up to seven years in prison. His attorney, Stephen Worth, said on Thursday that Afanador intends to "vigorously" fight the charges. McCall blasted the district attorney's office for failing to contact Bellevue or his family at any point in the initial investigation. PHOTO: In this photo taken from video, New York Police officers arrest a man on a boardwalk, June 21, 2020, in New York. (NYPD via AP) "The NYPD and the district attorney's office did not provide support for Ricky Bellevue knowing that officer David Afanador violated his rights. ... It is unfortunate the victim had to find out about this arrest from news reports," said McCall. A spokesperson for the district attorney's office said in a statement to ABC News, "The Queens District Attorney's Office refutes this allegation. We have been in touch with Mr. Ricky Bellevue throughout this process." Bellevue's twin brother Fritz is concerned that this incident has sent him over the edge. "We don't know what's wrong with him yet. He needs to be OK," said Ceno. Family of NYPD chokehold victim concerned about his mental health originally appeared on abcnews.go.com She followed her older sister into the upper echelons of modelling and into the riotous, hedonistic lifestyle that so often accompanies it. Yet even among the hard-partying elite who fill the VIP nightclubs of London and Los Angeles, Lottie Mosss wild antics caused concern, with friends fearing her rollercoaster lifestyle was taking its toll. But to their great relief, the 22-year-old sister of supermodel Kate Moss has become a changed woman, and all because of the lockdown. With the coronavirus pandemic closing the fashionable nightspots, the compulsion to fit in with her most decadent friends has faded, and Lottie has been confronting the issues that drove her towards such an unbridled lifestyle. With her dream of spending this summer trying to build a career in Hollywood in tatters, Lottie sloped off to Oxfordshire instead, since she is renting her London home out. She is pictured above going from one party to another back in January To the surprise of many, she has embraced the quiet life imposed on her by confinement to her sisters secluded Cotswolds country house. But, like so many of her generation, the transformation has not entirely been played out in private, but on social media, where she can gain affirmation from her fans. In a statement shared with her 303,000 followers on Instagram, Lottie announced that, after the upheaval of lockdown, she is now the best version of herself. She wrote: Honestly can say I have never been happier mentally. Ive struggled a lot in the last few years with myself and anxiety and other things, right now is the first time I have ever put myself first and actually worked on myself to make sure I get the best out of my life and am actually feeling like the best and truest version of myself! And I love her! Perhaps the self-awareness came from the mindfulness books that line the shelves of the 2.5 million ten-bedroom Oxfordshire retreat 46-year-old Kate shares with her photographer boyfriend Nikolai von Bismarck. But Lottie also has the first-hand experiences of her big sister to draw upon, as Kate now proudly proclaims that shes been sober for two years. Those who know Lottie well understand how big a challenge she faces to maintain her newfound clarity. One friend says: Just like Kate was once everywhere holding court at all of the cool parties, fashion launches, pop concerts Lottie has been doing the same. 'Shes the life and soul of every gathering she attends, always with a drink in her hand, and sometimes two. The only difference is that while Kate took the Never complain, never explain approach to life, Lottie is more of an attention-seeker. Like most celebrities desperate to feel relevant during lockdown, social media is the conduit to remind the world she still exists. So in the last month, Lottie has posted a host of pictures of herself, often pouty and flirtatious. Among several of her with hair dyed pink are photos of her bare bottom with the words NOT yours tattooed on the cheek. She has also signalled her support for the Black Lives Matter movement, just last week posting a plea for Justice for Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old who died in police custody in Colorado last year. Lottie also has the first-hand experiences of her big sister to draw upon, as Kate now proudly proclaims that shes been sober for two years. Pictured above, Lottie as a teenager with Kate But it was her post about improvements in her state of mind which was the most personal, and most revealing. She explained: My struggles have caused me to act out of character and ultimately I think I was becoming a person that I didnt really like, which is why I numbed myself with substances and put myself down through neglect of my mental health and my general health. Going down that road made it very hard for me to get out, I was surrounding myself with people who were a similar mental state to me and I can see now that was not helping. Hearteningly, she added: Manifest good things and good things will come back! Im ready to be better for my family, friends and for me! I hope others take this time to self-reflect and figure out who and where you want to be in life. What Lottie has always wanted to be in life is as successful as Kate. The sisters share the same dad, airline worker Peter Moss, but Kates mum is former barmaid Linda Shepherd, while Lottie is the daughter of Peters second wife, Norwegian model, Inger. Lottie The Lash, as she became nicknamed, frequented Embargos nightclub in West London and mixed with the super-affluent stars of the E4 reality show Made In Chelsea, including Georgia Toff Toffolo, Alex Mytton and Jamie Laing Lottie was born in London in 1998, before the family moved to West Sussex where she attended the 21,000-a-year St Bedes School in Hailsham, a far cry from Kates less salubrious upbringing in Croydon. Her first noted public appearance was as a shy 13-year-old, when she was one of the bridesmaids at Kates wedding to rock star Jamie Hince. She soon took part in her first photoshoot for Teen Vogue and modelling jobs snowballed, including a catwalk debut at Paris Fashion Week despite being just 5ft 5in tall, three inches shorter than the normal height for the runway. She signed to Storm Management, the agency which launched Kates stellar career, then followed her on to the party circuit just as big sister was stepping away from it. Lottie The Lash, as she became nicknamed, frequented Embargos nightclub in West London and mixed with the super-affluent stars of the E4 reality show Made In Chelsea, including Georgia Toff Toffolo, Alex Mytton and Jamie Laing. She was romantically linked to the latter pair, while she has also been close to Brooklyn Beckham, the eldest son of David and Victoria, Gary Linekers eldest son George, and Rafferty Law, Jude Law and Sadie Frosts eldest son. Lottie was born in London in 1998, before the family moved to West Sussex where she attended the 21,000-a-year St Bedes School in Hailsham, a far cry from Kates less salubrious upbringing in Croydon The friend added: Lottie laps up male attention. She just loves men, she cant get enough of them. As Lottie matured, her clubs of choice became a little more sophisticated, even if her behaviour hardly calmed. She began to lead the charge at Soho House and the Chiltern Firehouse, where she had a reputation as being the last one standing. Just days before the Firehouse closed for lockdown, Lottie reportedly lost a Louis Vuitton bag containing her passport during a wild night out, preventing her from flying to Los Angeles. That was so typical of Lottie, says a friend. She often gets into scrapes but shes a real scream. Shes a social butterfly who really knows how to entertain a room. With her dream of spending this summer trying to build a career in Hollywood in tatters, she sloped off to Oxfordshire instead, since she is renting her London home out. Without doubt the past four months with her now-sober sister have involved a major change of pace and a period of calm self-reflection. The test, though, will come when the party scene kicks into gear again when lockdown lifts: will her new-found restraint be able to withstand the temptations? Srinagar: Security forces pounded the government building in Pampore near here with mortars and blasted IEDs for the second day Tuesday to target the militants believed to be holed up there but there seems to be no early end to the operation. Army personnel fired mortar shells at the multi-storey building of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) at Pampore on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway at regular intervals with the aim of flushing out the militants or cornering them to one side of the building, officials said here. The ultras did not fire in retaliation, they said The operation has been now going on for 36 hours and unlikely to end before day break tomorrow. It was launched in the wee hours yesterday. Most part of the concrete building has been reduced to a skeleton as many of its walls have been blown up. Elite Para commandos of the army have also been called in to neutralise the militants but the security personnel are not rushing in to the building to avoid casualties, the officials said. The area around the EDI premises has been cordoned off to prevent the militants from escaping, the official said. Two to three militants stormed into the EDI complex in the wee hours yesterday and took positions inside one of the buildings. The ultras could have entered the complex from the riverside after travelling by boat but that can only be ascertained once the operation is over, the officials said. After getting inside the complex, the militants set on fire few mattresses inside a hostel room to attract the attention of the police and other security forces, which arrived within minutes of the smoke emanating from the building. In the initial exchange of firing, one army soldier was injured, the officials said. The security forces yesterday used mortar shells, Light Machine Guns and other small arms to flush out the militants. Militants had targeted the EDI building in February this year as well. Five security force personnel including two young army officers and a civilian employee of the Institute and three militants were killed in that operation which lasted 48 hours. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Press Release June 27, 2020 Senators mourn demise of Revilla Sr. Senators mourn the demise of legendary action star turned politician Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr., who succumbed to heart failure Friday afternoon, June 26, 2020 at the age of 93. Sen. Bong Revilla Jr. confirmed the news in a Facebook video yesterday. "Wala na po ang tatay ko (My father is gone)," a teary-eyed Revilla said. Senate President Vicente Sotto III conveyed last night his condolences to the Revilla family, saying the elder Revilla had a kind and good heart. "I share the grief of the family of my good friend and former colleague, former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr., 'Don Ramon' to many of us, on his passing this afternoon. His love for the masses and his deep concern for the welfare of our underprivileged brothers and sisters was an inspiring light that laid down the parameters of authentic public service," he said. Sotto, who worked with Revilla from the 9th Congress in 1992 until the 12th Congress in 2004, said the elder Revilla taught him that "public adulation was not and should never be used as a benchmark for who and what a true public servant is." "As our nation mourns his passing, may his family be comforted with the fact that their patriarch was well loved by the people. Thank you for the friendship and the lessons, Don Ramon. May your soul rest in eternal peace," Sotto said. Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri said Revilla was a real-life hero who had a profound influence on the country. He said Revilla did well in all his endeavors-as an actor, producer and politician. "Ramon Revilla did it all, and he did it all well. His films entertained and shaped generation upon generation of Filipino audiences. As an actor, he was so good in making us believe in his characters' outsize strength and invincibility that I can hardly believe that he's gone," Zubiri said. "What was truly remarkable about him was that his real-life work easily overshadowed the heroics of his film roles. He was a hero both on and off screen," he added. Zubiri said Revilla was a hardworking public servant who championed vital measures that put the country on tract to development. He said Revilla fought for infrastructure development as a gateway to economic development. He attributed the infrastructure projects today to the roots of Revilla's work who he called the Father of the Public Works Act for his authorship of Republic Act 8150. Sen. Richard Gordon expressed his sympathy to the Revilla family. He said the elder Revilla was not only a legendary public servant when he was a member of the Senate, but was also a legend in the movie industry. "To Bong and the rest of the Revilla family, I'm extremely sorry for your father's passing. I hope the warmth and sympathy of numerous friends who love and cherish him will provide comfort in this moment of grief," Gordon said. "My wife, Kate, and I offer prayers and condolences. Keep strong always, Bong. We are behind you," he added. Senators Win Gatchalian and Sonny Angara likewise expressed their sympathy on tweeter. Born Jose Acuna Bautista in Imus, Cavite, Revilla completed his Bachelor's Degree in Commerce at the Far Eastern University. He served at the Customs Bureau as Sr. Intelligence Officer with the rank of Major from 1965-1972 as head of the Secret Service Unit. In 1992, he won in the senatorial race. He became known as the Father of the Public Works Act for his authorship of Republic Act 8150, which was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on September 8, 1995. The act identified the infrastructure projects to be pursued all over the country, including remote and less developed barangays. The infrastructure projects are important in the movement of goods and services in and out of the country. The program also known as the Public Works and Highways Infrastructure Program Act of 1995, specifies the State's policy on infrastructure development. He also batted for tougher drug laws to stop the spread of illegal drugs in the country and worked for the advancement of the Philippine Motion Picture Industry. JP Nadda New Delhi: Intensifying his attack on the Congress, BJP president J P Nadda on Saturday asked the opposition party 10 questions, including about alleged links between the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and China. "Under the garb of China and Covid-19 crisis, one should not shy away from questions the nation wants to know," Nadda told reporters while attacking Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Advertisement Union Health Minister JP NaddaHe asserted that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is safe and secure, and that its brave armed forces are fully capable of protecting the country. Nadda alleged that the RGF, which is headed by Sonia Gandhi, continuously received donations from the Chinese embassy between 2005-09. National interest was "sacrificed" and donations into the family-run foundation were accepted, Nadda said. Advertisement Sonia Gandhi and JP Nadda Nadda asked the Congress on Saturday to come clean on its "links" with China, and the details of its MoU with the Communist Party of China. He said India's trade deficit with China soared to USD 36.2 billion in 2013-14 from USD 1.1 billion in 2004 and asked if it was "quid pro quo" from the Congress. The Congress-led UPA was in power between 2004-2014. The Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme (73) steams alongside the U.S. Navy Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE 7) during a replenishment-at-sea. The U.S. Navy routinely conducts cooperative operations with partner nations throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme (73) steams alongside the U.S. Navy Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE 7) during a replenishment-at-sea. The U.S. Navy routinely conducts cooperative operations with partner nations throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link The Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme (73) steams alongside the U.S. Navy Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE 7) during a replenishment-at-sea. (Picture source U.S. Navy) The Formidable-class multi-role stealth frigates are the latest surface platforms to enter into service with the Republic of Singapore Navy, and are multi-mission derivatives of the French Navy's La Fayette-class frigate. The Formidable class have a significantly reduced profile than the La Fayette class and its other derivatives,[8] due to the smaller superstructure and the use of enclosed sensor mast technology.[9] The frigate is also constructed entirely of steel, unlike the La Fayette class which makes extensive use of weight-saving composite structures in its aft superstructure block. The frigates are equipped with Boeing Harpoon missiles and Oto Melara 76 mm guns for surface defence. The Harpoon missile has a range of 130 km and uses active radar guidance. It is armed with a 227 kg (500 lb) warhead. There is space for as many as 24 Harpoon missiles at the center of the ship. The gun fires 6 kg shells to a maximum range of 30 km at a firing rate of up to 120 rounds per minute. The frigates are also equipped with the EDO Corporation active low frequency towed sonar to enable long range submarine detection and classification, as well as EuroTorp A244/S Mod 3 lightweight torpedoes fired from two B515 triple-tube launchers hidden behind the bulwark. The frigates are equipped with Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopters, an international derivative of the United States Navy Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk. The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in January 2005 to acquire six of these helicopters, which will be organic to the frigates. Each of these naval helicopters are equipped with a Telephonics AN/APS-143 Ocean Eye X-band maritime surveillance and tracking radar, a L-3 Communications Helicopter Long Range Active Sonar (HELRAS) dipping sonar, EuroTorp A244/S Mod 3 torpedoes and a Raytheon AAS-44 electro-optic system to provide infrared detection and tracking. The naval helicopters will be raised as a squadron in the Republic of Singapore Air Force and piloted by air force pilots, but the system operators will be from the Navy. The USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy. The contract to build Carl Brashear was awarded to General Dynamics's subsidiary National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) of San Diego, California, on January 11, 2005. Her keel was laid down on November 2, 2007. The completed ship was delivered to the U.S. Navy on March 4, 2009 The Lewis and Clark class of dry cargo ship is a class of 14 Combat Logistics Force (CLF) underway replenishment vessels operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. As part of Military Sealift Commands (MSC) Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (NFAF), the ship's mission is to deliver ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to carrier battle groups and other naval forces, serving as a shuttle ship or station ship. - Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said he was happy Jalang'o was fired because he will now work even harder - He blessed the comedian and held he will soon be blessed with his own TV station - The MP also used the opportunity to condemn the mass firing at K24 and other Mediamax-owned entities Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi has celebrated the firing of comedian Jalang'o from Mediamax-owned radio station, Milele FM. The vocal MP disclosed that he was very happy the station fired the revered comedian. READ ALSO: Voluptuous TZ socialite Poshy Queen rumored to be pregnant for Diamond Platnumz Jalang'o had earlier announced his exit from Milele. Photo: UGC Source: Instagram READ ALSO: Uhuru's niece Nana Gecaga stuns netizens with lovely photos of her 3 adorable sons Speaking in an interview with the comedian on his Bonga Na Jalas YouTube show, Oscar said the firing is a blessing in disguise for Jalang'o. According to Sudi, Jalang'o will now think and work hard now that he is self-employed, something he could not do while in employment. ''I am happy they fired you,'' Sudi said. The legislator went on to give the comedian his blessings saying the show (Bonga Na Jalas) will grow so fast that it will soon morph into a TV station. ''You know, now you will progress, now you will think and work hard unlike when you were employed by someone else. And within no time you will even have your own TV station,'' Sudi added. READ ALSO: Video emerges of man amazingly walking after praying that God heals him from paralysis READ ALSO: Nakuru: Kijogoo atemwa na mke kwa kuchovya asali ya kijakazi wao Clearly, Sudi was not happy literally as he was only trying to encourage the comedian and many others who were recently laid of by Mediamax. The MP also used the opportunity to join millions of Kenyans in condemning Mediamax owned TV station K24 for firing over 100 of its employees. As earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, Jalas had announced online he had resigned barely two days after Mediamax dropped an axe on its employees. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. I married a man every woman wanted - Pastor Joan Chege | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Attorney General William Barr speaks during in a roundtable with law enforcement officials in the State Dining Room of the White House on June, 8, 2020. (Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images) Barr Creates Task Force to Stop Violent Anti-Government Extremists Attorney General William Barr has established a task force aiming to put a halt to violent anti-government extremists of all persuasions. Barr made the announcement in a June 26 memo to all heads of department components and U.S. attorneys, shared publicly by Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Kerri Kupec. Some pretend to profess a message of freedom and progress, but they are in fact forces of anarchy, destruction, and coercion, Barr wrote in the memo, noting that the aim of the task force is to lead DOJ efforts to investigate and prosecute those who commit violent acts, prevent extremist violence before it happens, and ultimately eliminate it as a threat to public safety and the rule of law. Protests in the wake of the police-custody death of George Floyd, who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis officer restrained him by kneeling on his neck, have largely been peaceful. At times, however, the protests have descended into scenes of looting, arson, and violence. A person in front of the burning 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis Police Department, on May 28, 2020. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo) In recent weeks, we have witnessed significant threats to the rule of law, Barr wrote in the memo. Amid peaceful demonstrations protected by the First Amendment, we have seen anti-government extremists engaged in indefensible acts of violence. Barr noted attacks on police officers and other government officials, destruction of public and private property, and threats to innocent bystanders. Clashes with protesters in Seattle several weeks ago led police to abandon a precinct and prompted the establishment of a so-called autonomous zone. While largely peaceful, the zone has also been the site of acts of violence, including a recent shooting. There have also been reports of armed activists patrolling the zone, checking IDs, and extorting businesses. Nearby property owners and businesses on June 24 filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Seattle for its tolerance of the zone, saying officials had been complicit in depriving them of their rights to their property. Barr said extremist groups targeted by the new initiative seek to deny constitutional rights to others and resort to methods that are illegal. Although these extremists profess a variety of ideologies, they are united in their opposition to the core constitutional values of a democratic society governed by law, Barr wrote in the memo, adding that the DOJ has obtained information suggesting that some extremists intend to sow more chaos. We have evidence that anti-government violent extremistsincluding those who support the Bugaloo, those who self-identify as Antifa, and otherswill pose continuing threats of lawlessness, Barr wrote, adding that some of those who in recent weeks have undercut public order and tried to become a law unto themselves through violent acts may be supported by foreign entities seeking to sow chaos and disorder. Unidentified Rose City Antifa members beat up Andy Ngo, a Portland-based journalist, in Portland, Ore., on June 29, 2019. (Moriah Ratner/Getty Images) The task force will provide training and resources to local law enforcement in an effort to arrest perpetrators of violence. It will also work closely with the FBI to develop detailed information about violent anti-government extremist individuals, networks, and movementsand will share that information as appropriate with federal, state, and local law enforcement, especially in places where these extremists pose a threat. Barrs announcement came on the same day President Donald Trump signed an executive order protecting American monuments, memorials, and statues from being destroyed. I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statuesand combatting recent Criminal Violence, Trump wrote in a tweet. Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country! Amanda Vibelius, a stay-at-home mother in rural Arizona, is angry and overwhelmed. Her father is diabetic, a condition that cost him work because of the coronavirus. As cases skyrocket in her state, shes nervous about allowing her 11-year-old daughter to join friends at the playground. And she has warned her husband, a doctor, that if he contracts the virus, she will kick him out of the house to quarantine. But, like a striking number of frustrated Americans, Ms. Vibelius says she is also hopeful. A Republican-turned-independent, who is leaning more and more Democrat every day, Ms. Vibelius thinks a rebound may come quickly as long as President Trump loses in November. It took too long to take precautions and it reopened too soon, and thats why were getting these spikes, she said. The country will come back, she said, when we get rid of the current administration. Nearly six months after the first case of coronavirus reached the United States, a majority of registered voters say they are anxious, exhausted and angry, according to a poll by The New York Times and Siena College. Yet even as they brace themselves for months of challenges from the virus, many remain optimistic about the countrys future, viewing this moment of pandemic, economic devastation and social unrest as an opportunity for progress one they can help shape. President Akufo-Addo has named his Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate for election 2020. The President disclosed this at a short ceremony held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra today, June 27, 2020 immediately he was officially acclaimed as New Patriotic Partys (NPP) presidential candidate for the 2020 polls. The President said, The rules of the electoral commission and the constitution of the Republic of Ghana requires that at the time of filing my nomination, I need to indicate the identity of my running mate. If God permit will be the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the 2020 general elections. The constitution of our party provides in Article 13 (3) that the vice-presidential candidates shall be selected upon the nomination of the presidential candidate in consultation with the National Council. So today, I have the great honor to put in consultation with the members of the national council my choice of running mate for the fourth time is the excellent, hardworking vice president Dr. Alhaji Mohamudu Bawumia." Dr. Bawumia nomination was subsequently endorsed by the NPP National Council. The acclamation was done at a special National Council meeting of the Party. The acclamation was preceded by a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Friday. This is the fourth time that President Akufo-Addo has chosen Dr Bawumia as his running mate. 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 I can't recall a worse opening to a drama than the first five minutes of The Luminaries (BBC1). In this pre-credits sequence, a young woman in a long dress was dimly perceived running in slow motion through night-time woods and then a shot was heard and she was lying on the ground beside a man's corpse as men gathered around her. What was going on? I hadn't the foggiest, but this was the way Eleanor Catton chose to begin the TV adaptation of her 2013 Man Booker-winning blockbuster, which I haven't read but which concerns gold prospecting adventurers in the New Zealand of the 1860s. Anyway, if truth be told, the main reason why many Irish viewers, myself included, opted to watch this week's first two episodes was to have a gander at Eve Hewson (daughter of Bono, don't you know) in a major dramatic role. Very impressive she was, too, effortlessly commanding the screen, just as Daisy Edgar-Jones did in Normal People. Hewson had to rely on sheer poise and presence rather than any assistance from a sometimes implausible plotline, which asked you to believe that a young, illiterate woman, who had just undergone an arduous sea journey from England, would arrive in New Zealand's south island as if she were on her way to a fashionable salon. Soon, though, she was penniless and working in a brothel and it was a mark of Hewson's luminous persuasiveness that you bought into most of the contrived plot machinations - which included murderous scoundrels, racist misogynists, star-crossed lovers and a good deal of mystical mumbo-jumbo. As the scheming brothel keeper, Eva Green gave one of those flamboyant turns that some people mistake for good acting, but Ewen Leslie was very engaging as her rakish husband, and it's for him and for Hewson that I'll keep faith with this period potboiler for at least another episode or two. The other major dramatic offering of the week came courtesy of Talking Heads (BBC1). Alan Bennett's monologues were first televised, to considerable acclaim, in the late 1980s, with Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, David Haig and Thora Hird among the actors inhabiting the various characters. Now they have been refilmed with a new set of actors, starting off this week with Imelda Staunton playing the sad, monstrous busybody who was performed 30 years ago by Patricia Routledge. She was chillingly good in this reinvention, though in the second playlet (newly written by Bennett) Sarah Lancashire struggled to convince as a mother incestuously fixated on her teenage son. But that, I think, was mainly due to the writing which, unusually for Bennett, failed to engage or even convince. Yet these monologues, delivered by lonely and sometimes miserable characters, are eerily suited to our Covid times. Over the next couple of weeks viewers can also savour dramatic turns by Jodie Comer, Martin Freeman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Lesley Manville. Also worth a look is Perry Mason (Sky Atlantic), though you can banish all memories of the formidable lawyer made famous by Raymond Burr, first in the 1960s and then continuing in the 1980s. Video of the Day Here he's the young Perry, scraping a grubby private eye living in the 1930s by photographing Hollywood starlets in flagrante until summoned by legal mentor Elias to investigate the killing of a baby who had been kidnapped for ransom. This is the world of Chinatown, with corruption polluting the LA air and with dark motives everywhere, along with some extremely dark deeds. I've seen only the first of eight episodes but it looks superb and is greatly enhanced by the playing of Matthew Rhys as the troubled Perry, John Lithgow as the benignly nonchalant Elias and Juliet Rylance as the feisty Della who was to become Perry's loyal and doughty assistant in the long-running Raymond Burr series. I wish I could say even one good word about RTE1's new British sitcom import, Kate & Koji, but it's just dire. With a gruesome laugh track, this could have been made in the 1970s - the 1970s of Open All Hours rather than Fawlty Towers, though I'm being unfair to Open All Hours, which at least had Ronnie Barker and David Jason to keep you watching. Here you have Brenda Blethyn playing a cranky cafe owner in a forlorn seaside town sparring with a snooty asylum seeker from an unidentified African country. "Why is going home a problem?" she asks him. "I'd get killed," he replies. "I'd rather not be killed. Call me a snowflake." Or how about this? "There are four things in life I hate," she declares, "scroungers, foreigners, doctors and posh people, and he's all four." I can't believe that Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin (Drop the Dead Donkey, Outnumbered) wrote the lamentable dialogue and nor can I believe that RTE saw fit to buy it. Oh no, I groaned at the outset of Saoi Sa Chathaoir (RTE1), not yet another outing for Micheal O Muircheartaigh - hasn't the former GAA commentator already been interviewed at least a zillion times on every radio and television show you can think of? But I was wrong, because he turned out to be engrossing company in this first instalment of a series that invites celebrities to reflect on their most vivid memories. He recalled teaching Luke Kelly in inner-city Dublin, going to Croke Park for the first time, seeing Christy Ring in his sporting heyday, sharing a state car with former Taoiseach Jack Lynch and being thrilled by Riverdance. This was all delivered in his mellifluously lilting Kerry gaeltacht Irish and it was quite lovely. As crop-threatening locust swarm enters the outskirts of Delhi, the Union Agriculture Ministry on Saturday said more teams from Rajasthan have been deputed to help in the control operations being undertaken in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The locusts keep flying during day time and settle down only after dark in the evening. Ground control teams are constantly tracking them and will undertake major control operations once they settle down, it said, adding the control teams in Uttar Pradesh have been alerted in this regard. The control operations are underway in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, it added. "More control teams from Rajasthan have been moved to Haryana and UP to help in the locust control operations being carried out in these two states," the ministry said in a statement. Locust swarms were noticed in Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) in the morning of June 26, and control teams were deployed to eliminate the locusts. The leftover locusts regrouped and reached Rewari in Haryana on June 26 evening, where control operations were undertaken till Saturday early morning, it said. The leftover locusts again regrouped and the swarm divided into three groups, one of which moved towards Gurugram, and from there to Faridabad and onwards to Uttar Pradesh, it added. According to the ministry, another locust swarm moved towards Dwarka in Delhi, from there to Daulatabad, Gurugram, Faridabad and this swarm has also entered Uttar Pradesh. The third group was seen in Palwal (Haryana) and has also moved towards Uttar Pradesh. "As of now, no locust swarms are spotted in any city areas," it said. All the groups of locust swarms are being tracked by teams of the State Agriculture Departments of Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, local administrations and officials of the Central Locust Warning Organisation, and control operations are underway, the ministry added. Rahul seeks compensation for farmers Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged the government to grant compensation to states and farmers who have suffered damage to crops due to locust attack."Locusts have destroyed crops in Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, UP, MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Government Of India must provide support to the states and farmers who have suffered this menace," he said on Twitter. Delhi Environment Minister: Delhi on high alert Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai asked the national capital's south and west districts' administrations to remain on high alert, said officials.According to an official who attended the meeting, the minister was informed that a small swarm of locusts has also reached the Asola Bhatti area in South Delhi. The agriculture department asked to issue a detailed advisory to all district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates to deal with a possible locust attack in Delhi. The minister also asked the forest department to play DJs, beat drums and dhols to repel the swarms of locusts, the official said. Rai also asked officials of the Agriculture Department to make field visits to areas close to Gurgaon. Regulars at Charlies Steak House know that there is no menu, that the extra-large T-bones will arrive sputtering in iron pans and that proprietor Matthew Dwyer will always be on hand. With his easy smile, snappy jokes and genuine hospitality, he seemed like the personification of this scrappy, beloved old New Orleans dining institution. Now, Charlies regulars and Dwyer's many friends across the community are mourning his loss. Dwyer was found dead at his Algiers home on Friday morning, confirmed his longtime friend Glenn Bove, manager of Charlie's. Dwyer was 49. Steven Moore, a close friend, said that early signs indicate a heart condition led to Dwyer's death. A New Orleans native, Dwyer grew up in Lakeview. He started working as a bartender as a young man and spent 10 years pouring drinks at Madigans, the Carrollton Avenue bar he later managed. He was living Uptown in a shotgun house that happened to be next door to Charlies Steak House. He eventually picked up shifts behind Charlies bar too, opening St. Pauli Girl beers and mixing old fashioneds for a crowd who came by like clockwork. Tucked in to its Uptown neighborhood on Dryades Street, Charlies goes back to 1932. It was named for founder Charlie Petrossi Sr., an immigrant from Ustica, an island off Sicily, and subsequently run by his son, Sonny Petrossi, and daughter, Dottye Bennett. In the New Orleans that existed before Katrina, Charlies was an unchanging time capsule of old traditions, oddities and lore. The nights menu was dictated over the table, and waiters often simply decided which customer would get which steak. The prices were low, the fusty ambiance of windowless paneled walls and sagging ceilings was somewhere between diner and VFW hall. To Dwyer, it became a second home, a place where he could swap stories with the customers at the bar and observe the inner workings of a New Orleans classic. Damaged by flooding after Katrina, the restaurant sat empty and its prospects were in limbo until Dwyer bought it from the Petrossi family in 2007. The task before the bartender and first-time restaurateur was to bring back a restaurant that nobody wanted to see change but that needed a massive overhaul to return. He reopened Charlies in 2008 with a scratch crew of friends he recruited one by one and the full knowledge that customers would be watching closely. Dwyer struck a balance by keeping the restaurants character intact while fixing up the physical trappings, and updating the menu a tad. He did it by infusing Charlies with his own personality. He kept the place immaculate but he never tried to make it something it wasnt, said Justin Kennedy, a close friend and manager of Parkway Bakery & Tavern. He kept it a classic. Dwyer saw himself as a caretaker of an institution that began long before he arrived, and the beneficiary of the relationships Charlies regulars already had with the old place. Its Charlies with our twists to it, the tradition continues, Dwyer said in a 2018 interview. While the kitchen staff had all retired after Katrina, Dwyer tracked down old recipes to ensure his menu would match expectations. He continually consulted with Dottye Bennett, who gave her blessings to the changes he did make. "I know my family is up there in heaven and looking down at Matt and saying 'go, man,'" Bennett, now deceased, said in a 2007 interview. "He's going to be successful because he loves people and that's what Charlie's was all about." Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Eventually, Dwyer became part of the Charlies lore himself. He once claimed that he was born a wiseass, and that his years as a bartender only refined the innate skill. Always careful to avoid mentioning a menu, verboten at Charlies, he still managed to create a list of snacks to serve at the bar under the title drinking accoutrements. When a customer pined for the pre-Katrina days when Charlies house pour was cheap boxed wine, Dwyer fetched up a bottle, put it in a box and proclaimed it boxed wine. When old customers would recount the times they saw celebrities at Charlies who never actually visited, Dwyer would usually just let the stories ride. I used to try to correct people, but its pointless. Its their story, said Dwyer. The ambiance across Charlies remained easygoing. If some steakhouse dining rooms resemble a corporate board room, Charlies embraced its vintage vibe. Preserving the laid-back feel, but keeping the old restaurant viable in the ever-changing New Orleans dining scene was a tribute to Dwyers skills behind the scenes, Bove said. He had such an eye for detail, he didnt miss a thing, said Bove. All the little things that seemed insignificant, that all added up to what he wanted Charlies to be. Charlies was closed Friday. Bove couldnt yet say what the future plans for the restaurant will be. Many of Dwyers friends have contacted him, however, eager to pitch in shifts at the restaurant when the time is right. Theres been an outpouring of support, he said. Matt was really loved. Funeral arrangements are pending. Note: this story has been updated with additional information about Dwyer's cause of death +16 Dixie Beer, the oldest brewery in New Orleans, will change its name New Orleans has been hoisting Dixie beer for more than a century. Soon, that beer -- and the company behind it -- will have a new name. +14 Downtown New Orleans is quiet, but Victory Bar still raises a toast for better times Behind his bar, beside his trusty, homemade Chartreuse dispenser, Daniel Victory has a gift for reading the mood when people walk in. The victim is thought to be linked to the murder of Dublin hitman Robbie Lawlor Detectives and local police are attending the scene on St Katharine's Road Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said the man was shot in a 'brutal and shameful attack' A Belfast man with links to dissident republicans was chased by two masked gunmen through the streets of west Belfast before he was shot dead. The victim was shot a number of times on St Katharine's Road just before 1pm on Saturday, after he was chased through streets packed with people and motorists. The PSNI have launched a murder investigation after the man, who had significant links to dissident republicans, was killed in broad daylight. The man, believed to be a 'drug kingpin' by police, is understood to have been linked to the murder of slain Dublin hitman Robbie Lawlor. A man, who is thought to be known to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), was killed on Saturday afternoon in west Belfast (scene pictured above) The victim of the shooting is understood to have been linked to the murder of slain Dublin hitman Robbie Lawlor (pictured) The victim is thought to be one of the five suspects questioned in relation to the gruesome killing on April 4, DublinLive reported. It is believed he was arrested at the time on suspicion of being either the shooter or getaway driver when 35-year-old Robbie Lawlor was shot dead at close range. The victim also had his house searched following Lawlor's murder but was later released without charge. A source told Dublin Live: 'The victim in this shooting was arrested in connection with the killing of Robbie Lawlor. 'Notorious criminal Lawlor had travelled to Ardoyne in Belfast along with three other men when he met his gruesome end - a gunman spraying him with bullets before fleeing the scene with the trio who had led him to his death.' Detectives and local police attended the scene at Rodney Parade today. Detective Chief Inspector Darren McCartney criticised the 'brutal murder'. The victim was shot a number of times in St Katharine's Road in broad daylight after two masked gunmen chased him through streets packed with people and motorists PSNI and forensic officers at the scene where a man was shot dead in Rodney Parade in the Lower Falls area of Belfast today He said: 'I have launched a murder investigation following the fatal shooting of a man in his late 20s this afternoon. 'I believe the man was chased from the junction of Rodney Parade and St James's Road along Rodney Parade by two masked gunmen before he was shot a number of times at close range in St Katharine's Road. 'This was a brutal murder and the brazen recklessness of the killers completely beggars belief. 'They did not give any thought to the risk posed to local people in this community who were going about their business at lunchtime when they ran through the streets firing shots. Nor did they care who may have been collateral damage in this highly populated residential area during their mission to kill. 'My thoughts are very much with the family of the victim who are tonight in a state of shock and grieving for their loved one. No family should ever have to go through this heartbreak.' Detective Chief Inspector Darren McCartney has criticised the 'brutal murder' in west Belfast Detectives and local police are attending the scene of the shooting at Rodney Parade (above) Detective McCartney said it is too early to speculate on the motive for the murder but added that police will be working to piece together all the information and evidence. He said: 'I know the community is in shock but I would appeal to anyone who has information about this appalling murder to bring that forward to the police so that we can remove these dangerous gunmen from the streets. 'I would like to hear from anyone who saw the victim being chased by the two gunmen in the Rodney Drive, St James's Road, Rodney Parade and St Katharine's Road areas before and after the shooting. 'I am aware the area was busy with pedestrians and motorists so I am asking anyone who may have captured any footage of the incident to please make that available to us also. 'Please call detectives with any information on 101.' Police will be working to piece together all the information and evidence as it is 'too early to speculate on the motive for the murder' Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said the local man was shot dead in a 'brutal and shameful attack'. He said: 'My thoughts are with the family of the man who has been killed. No family should have to go through this heartache. 'Those involved in this act have absolutely no place in our community, they must cease their anti-community activities and get off the back of the people of west Belfast. 'Those responsible must be held accountable before the courts. 'A police operation is ongoing in the St James' area and I would appeal to anyone with information on this shooting to bring it forward to the PSNI.' SDLP west Belfast councillor Brian Heading said the 'brutal crime' has caused immense shock in the area. Police officers have not yet released any further details about the shooting (pictured, a police car at the scene in west Belfast) Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said the man was shot dead in a 'brutal and shameful attack' (pictured, police attending the scene on Saturday) He said: 'Police have locked down the street where the shooting took place. I would urge everyone to co-operate with PSNI officers as they investigate. 'Those responsible for this barbaric crime have no support here. 'They need to be caught and brought to justice. I would encourage anyone with information to bring it to the police as soon as possible.' People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said: 'Tragically, we have heard of another brutal murder in west Belfast. 'I have been on the ground speaking to residents in the area this afternoon and people are outraged at this horrific attack. 'These barbaric actions heap pain and trauma on our community. They have no place in our society. Thoughts with the individual and their family.' #BuenasNoticias Con la suscripcion del acuerdo entre el Peru y el Reino Unido, se ejecutaran un conjunto de obras del proceso de reconstruccion con una inversion de mas de S/ 7 mil millones, generando puestos de trabajo y mejores condiciones de vida para millones de peruanos. pic.twitter.com/kTGPly0Fv3 Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. While brands are starting to make improvements to uplift and support Black creators, designers, and people as a whole, others have already been doing so. And the Little Haiti Gabrielle Union New York & Company line is here to bring the colorful spirit of Little Haiti to your summer wardrobe. Not to mention, you can snag it for 3080 percent off. Plus, you can shop Unions other collections and rest of the NY&C site on discount, too. For those who are coming outside again in style, the Little Haiti Gabrielle Union NY&C line is waiting for you to experience color in your clothes in a way you may not have thought of before. The collection highlights the vibrance of Little Haiti, Miamis history, art and overall culture. Union shot the campaign in various dresses at memorable Little Haiti locations including the Little Haiti Cultural Center, Historic Hampton House, African Heritage Cultural Arts Center and MMJ Beauty Salon, a local beauty salon in the community. Credit: New York & Co. Youll find color all over this collection with sophisticated dresses like the Print Maxi Shirt Dress and even some leisure resort-wear like Unions Draped Sheath Dress. But if youre like me and in fear of chub rub, the Little Haiti collection highlights some super cute lightweight jumpsuits including the orange and blue Cape V-Neck jumpsuit and the strapless Shimmery Classic jumpsuit to keep you looking and feeling cool. Its not lost on the actor-turned-designer that bringing attention to cultural differences is important. In 2019, it was reported that she exited NBCs Americas Got Talent after speaking out against racism in the workplace. Story continues My goal is to create the happiest, most high-functioning, inclusive, protected and healthy example of a workplace, she told Variety in May. From her words to her clothes, its been shown that inclusion matters. The entire collection is available in sizes 020. Plus, the line ranges from $39.95$149.95 (the discount is automatically applied at checkout). Though the line (and the whole NY&C. site) is on sale without an end date for now, snag a few pieces in the Little Haiti-inspired collection while the sale lasts. Credit: New York & Co. Credit: New York & Co. Credit: New York & Co. Credit: New York & Co. Credit: New York & Co. Credit: New York & Co. If you found this story helpful, check out the Phluid Projects Pride 2020 collection. Other Posts From In The Know: Kanye West forges Yeezy Gap deal Shop our favorite beauty products from In The Know Beauty in TikTok Subscribe to our daily newsletter to stay In The Know 11 Honore launches in-house private label collection of elevated basics The post Gabrielle Unions Little Haiti-inspired NY&C line is here and on sale appeared first on In The Know. U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Russian military intelligence offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, The New York Times reported. The newspaper, citing anonymous U.S. officials briefed on the matter, reported on June 26 that a secret unit of Russias GRU military intelligence linked to assassination attempts in Europe and other activities offered rewards for successful attacks last year. The Russian Embassy in Washington immediately slammed what it called baseless and anonymous accusations. A spokesman for the Taliban leadership said on June 27 that the group "strongly reject" the allegation. It insisted the Taliban "is not indebted to the beneficence of any intelligence organ or foreign country and neither is the [Taliban leadership] in need of anyone in specifying objectives." Spokesmen for the National Security Council, the Pentagon, and the CIA declined to comment on the allegations that were later also reported by The Washington Post. The New York Times reported U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed on the intelligence in March, but the administration has not yet decided how to respond. The Times said Taliban-linked militants, or armed criminal elements closely associated with them, collected some of the money. But it reported that it was not clear whether the alleged payments are linked to any of the 20 American soldiers killed in Afghanistan last year. It claimed the intelligence was based partially on interrogations of captured Afghan militants and criminals. The allegations come as the United States seeks to advance a nascent peace process in Afghanistan after signing a deal with the Taliban in February that could see U.S. troops leave the country next year. In its statement, the Taliban alleged that "these rumors are being circulated to create hurdles for the departure of American troops," among other goals. The Times reported that U.S. officials were not sure how high in the Russian government the covert operation had been approved and what its goal could be. The three reporters who wrote the story obviously lack information on cooperation between Russia and #US on the Afghan peace process, on Syrian, North Korean, Venezuelan, Iranian agendas, the Russian Embassy tweeted. Some U.S. officials speculated that Russia may seek to retaliate for a 2018 fight in Syria in which the U.S. military killed Russian mercenaries. Another idea is that maybe Russia intended to bog down American forces in Afghanistan. During the Soviet Unions war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, the United States backed Afghan and foreign militants that bogged down Russian soldiers. (Natural News) The so-called Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) in Seattle is finally being broken up, with city transportation crews now removing barricades in an attempt to get things back to normal. But let us not forget that prior to this, CHOP occupiers had demanded delivery of soy burgers after homeless people in the six-block containment area stole the occupiers rations. In a hilarious tweet that went largely unnoticed, a female member of the Antifa domestic terrorist group had publicly asked that supporters bring in more food because the homeles (sic) people we invited took away all the food at the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. But it was not just any food that this Antifa member wanted. In her tweet, she specifically asked for vegan meat substitutes to keep the area operational. She then listed fruits, oats, soy products, etc. as examples of what she wanted, followed by anything to help us eat. If you have followed Natural News over the years, then you should know that soy is an endocrine disruptor that is more of a toxin than it is a food. In men, it depletes testosterone, muscle mass, and other masculine traits, turning them into effeminate shells of their former selves. Coupling these facts with Antifa Seattles food deprivation and demand for more soy, it is no wonder that the CHOP failed to last more than just a few weeks before ultimately being dismantled by city officials. In the following episode of The Health Ranger Report be sure to watch! Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how at one point in the CHOP (formerly known as CHAZ), there were unconfirmed reports emerging of Black Lives Matter terrorists going door-to-door and raping people: Did soy weaken Antifa and render it impotent in achieving its goals? Even before the bulldozers came and started to take down the CHOP, reports indicate that it had dwindled down to just a few dozen people occupying it anyway. This suggests that Antifa pretty much gave up before its members were even told to give up. Could it be that secret deliveries of soy patties, soy milk, soy protein, and other toxic soy products weakened Antifa occupiers so much that they quietly gave up and fled the CHOP before they were even confronted? We are hearing chatter that some of the protesters have since moved their tents over to Interstate 5 where they have reestablished an occupation zone near the East Precinct building. At the same time, this new threat appears to be minimal, and likely will not last for long. In a public statement, Stephanie Formas, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkins chief of staff, told local media that the takedown of the barriers and other filth is intended to make the CHOP zone easier for actual residents and businesses to navigate. Theres been a makeshift barrier between 12th and 13th, so our goal today was to remove that configuration to allow more access to the residents in the neighborhood, she said, noting that she and her team will be speaking with organizers for how we can remove that one makeshift barrier. As is often the case with Antifa, once the dust settles with whatever tantrum of the week they decide to throw, the movement ultimately fizzles out and disappears. And once again, we ask: Is it the soy? The best thing to come out of all this is liberals eating liberals, commented one Twitter user. Antifa vs. homeless, protestors turning into paramilitary / police, liberal city councils vs. police labor unions and protected labor policies To keep up with the latest news about the unraveling of American society, be sure to check out Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: KOMONews.com Twitter.com NaturalNews.com Bhojraj Patidar is quite worried these days. The farmer had procured a farm loan waiver certificate for Rs 83,000 during the Kamal Nath government term. Now, the bank has been calling Patidar and his son to deposit that very amount. Patidar, the owner of a ten-acre farm at Misrod village, located in the outskirts of Bhopal, is among the 22 lakh farmers whose loans had been waived off by the former Congress government. He had secured a loan of Rs 3 lakh from a co-operative society, and he, along with his fellow farmers had got a loan waiver certificate of Rs 83,000. But the loan waiver process was stalled after the Congress government was brought down after a mass exodus of MLAs in March. Now farmers like Patidar are staring at the defaulter tag. The bank is asking us to pay us the money but I have no means to fulfill their demand, Patidar says. Another farmer, Santosh Patidar, says that they (farmers) will not deposit the amount being demanded by banks and instead will sue the government, as the loan waiver certificate was offered by it. "We dont care even if the government has changed," he says. According to the co-operative society, the loans of the farmers will be waived off once the current state government deposits the money. Nadim Khan, the manager of the co-operative society of Misrod says that "going by the certificates, the loans have been waived off and once the money is received, it will be adjusted in the societys account." In accordance with its pre-poll promise, the previous Congress government led by ex-Chief Minister Kamal Nath had decided to waive off the farm loans of 48 lakh farmers. In a year, the state government waived off loans up to Rs 1 lakh and 2 lakh in two different phases for 22 lakh farmers. But before the loan waiver could be implemented, the Kamal Nath government was dethroned. The CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan-government is maintaining silence on the loan waiver issue, pushing about 15 lakh farmers into absolute uncertainty. As the assembly bypolls near, however, the issue of farm loan waivers is gathering steam again in the state. While on one hand the current BJP government is mum on whether the loan waiver will continue or not, Agriculture minister Kamal Patel is urging farmers to lodge complaints against the previous government for cheating them. On the contrary, the Congress party, presently in the opposition, is accusing the state government of betraying the farmers. Previously in Congress, and now a cabinet minister in the BJP state government, Govind Singh Rajput says that it was the Congress government which had come up with farm loan waiver announcement but "could not fulfill the mark completely." The Chief Minister says that no harm should befall farmers. Patel has also accused Congress of promising farmers of a loan waiver within ten days of coming to power but that "they did not do it." The Congress instead destroyed co-operative banks and left credit societies in defaulter status, he says, adding these societies are not in a position to extend credit. "Farmers should lodge cases of fraud against Rahul Gandhi and Kamal Nath," Patel says. Former Agriculture minister Sachin Yadav has asked the BJP government to clarify its stand on farm loan waiver, and says that farmers are in a conundrum of whether they are required to pay the farm loans or not. How political leaders react in the face of crisis decides the fate of nations for years to come. For example, when the Great Depression ravaged the United States in the 1930s, President Franklin D Roosevelt introduced the New Deal to address the desperate need for reform and to accelerate the recovery rate from the economic collapse, which eventually led America into an era of prosperity by the 40s. A contrasting instance is how President Thomas Woodrow Wilson handled the Spanish flu during the midterm polls of 1918 in the United States. As local governments struggled to enforce social distancing norms and cancelled several public gatherings, closed theatres and parks, Wilson neither publicly acknowledged that a health crisis existed, nor made any effort to tackle it, which eventually resulted in 6,75,000 deaths in the United States alone. Needless to say, Wilson did pay the price for it. He not only caught the flu a year later, but his party also lost both the chambers of Congress to the Republicans during the 1918 elections. Circa 2020, politicians know better than to repeat Wilson's mistake. Although the American President, Donald Trump, did try to downplay the impact of coronavirus pandemic in the initial days, as it became clearer that there is no way of brushing aside a crisis of this magnitude, Trump along with most politicians and political parties across the world began to accept the pandemic as the next big poll agenda on which elections can be won or lost. Several parties have already started rebranding their campaigns as well as the image of their leaders for the post-COVID-19 political landscape, using this crisis as an opportunity to adjust the fulcrum of their political ideology. Closer home, the CPI(M)-led Kerala government as well as the Congress are making endeavours to revamp and prepare for a challenging new future, through ideological discussions, as well as political and economic discourse. 'Kerala Dialogue', a new online platform to discuss and debate global development amid the pandemic is one such endeavour that was launched on Thursday by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. In his opening address, Vijayan said, We now know that we will have to change for this new world (the post-pandemic era). Our priorities are going to change, even the way we organise our society may change. Some of the common knowledge that we take for granted might become useless, and we may have to get new knowledge to adapt. This is not something that governments alone can do and a society-wide conversation is necessary. We have to search, develop, discuss and debate ideas, and models through these conversations. Like many other occasions, Kerala would be a pathfinder in this quest too. The Kerala government, so far, had been successful in decelerating the rapid growth of COVID-19, with one of the lowest mortality and highest recovery rate in the country. However, the online endeavour is a clear indication that the party is not resting on its laurels before the upcoming Assembly elections due next year. Ironically, the CPI(M) is the same party which fought hard against computers and digitisation for years, before embracing it recently, and it seems they do know how to use it to their advantage now. As part of discussions of Kerala Dialogue, the audiences also heard academician, linguist and libertarian socialist Noam Chomsky, Nobel laureate and developmental economist Amartya Sen, and WHOs Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan. They discussed the shifting socio-political topography across the world due to the pandemic and how that would impact the future. Amartya Sen, whose works generally focus on social welfare and social justice, said that the pandemic can represent a watershed moment in Kerala. Praising the state governments efforts in dealing with the pandemic, Sen said, Kerala has managed to combat bureaucracy and red tape-ism while doing things with exceeding speed in dealing with COVID-19. It is really very important, not just in dealing with COVID-19, but also for economic development, to get going at a high speed. Recalling the Bengal famine of 1943, Sen drew parallels between how imperialist powers of Britain and in modern times, the US, (which also has imperialist features) demonstrate an utter lack of sympathy to the perils of non-dominant groups, in the face of adversity. The same period when the British were fed better than ever before, is also the period when the Bengal famine happened in India and the British had no sympathy at all. Those who did not have the means to buy food were perishing in large ways said Sen. Imperialism manifests in many forms, and one of them is an utter lack of sympathy to another group of people who are oppressed compared to the dominant metropolitan population, he added. In some ways, America has the feature of looking a bit like an imperialist country. Slaves were brought in America hundreds of years ago, and yet that distinction between we and they remains. It may be, at long last, receiving some real resistance, in public action, connected with whats going on in America right now (the Black Lives Matter protests). And, I see some hope in that. What we do and how we understand the problem makes a big difference. Every adversity, every dialectical challenge is a potential learning experience. But, it need not go that way if people refuse to learn, explained the economist. In the United States, the Black Lives Matter protests, coupled with COVID-19 crisis has already started impacting the upcoming poll predictions. Donald Trump is trailing behind Joseph R. Biden in a national poll of registered voters by The New York Times and Siena College. What will be a post-pandemic world will depend on what people are doing right now, said Chomsky. The academician said there is a distinct divide between two political ideologies that is gathering strength in the world during this pandemic, and a tug-of-war between these two forces will decide the future of the world. Chomsky said there are people in power who are working relentlessly to ensure the world that comes out of this pandemic will be structurally similar to the one that caused it. The only difference would be that it would have even harsher authoritarian controls, and surveillance. However, he added that there are also significant counter-forces across the world, which, if they join forces, will be powerful enough to oppose these authoritarian powers. Two weeks ago, there was an announcement of progressive international, based on the Sanders movement in the US. Yanis Varoufakis DiEM25 in Europe is a transnational movement in Europe seeking to preserve what makes sense in the European Union, and overcome the deeply flawed parts of it. They are forming progressive international voices from all over the world from India, Africa, Global South, United States, Europe. The prime minister of Iceland is a member, and their first meeting will be in Iceland, in September. They are trying to create a different world. How will this conflict (of two forces) emerge we can never predict. But, it is going on right now, and it will intensify he added. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also used the pandemic to broaden his social media presence and tried to establish his image as that of a leader who wants to understand the socio-economic impact of the current crisis. The Gandhi scion recently hosted talks with the likes of ex-RBI governor Raghuram Rajan and Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee to analyse Prime Minister Narendra Modis policies and sought recommendations from the economists on how to move forward in a post-COVID-19 world. While Rajan suggested that prioritising is important because Indian has limited resources, he said ensuring food security is the first essential task to be taken care of. Places where public distribution system doesnt go, Amartya Sen, Abhijeet Bannerjee and I have talked about temporary ration cards. But you have to treat this pandemic as a situation that is unprecedented. We need to break norms to tackle what is needed. While keeping in mind that there are overall budgetary limits, he said. Banerjee, on the other hand, propounded that giving money in the hands of the bottom 60% of the population is the key to increasing demand because spending is the easiest way of reviving the economy. Apart from the sessions, Gandhi has not only been proactively tweeting, and doing press conferences online, but also started his own Telegram channel. As people socially distance themselves for the fear of the virus, and campaign trails and rallies become a distant dream, social media is the new bastion where election battles will be fought in future, and it seems Indian political parties are wasting no time in stepping up their online game in anticipation of post-COVID-19-era elections. Casper Sleep Inc. duped investors into pouring $100 million (U.S.) into its IPO, knowing its financial prospects were far dimmer than it promised, according to a lawsuit seeking class action status. Its the latest in a series of blows to the online mattress retailer, which went public at $12 a share in February. The stock closed at $13.50 on its first day out, for a market capitalization of less than half the $1.1 billion Casper was valued at in a private funding round last year. The bed-in-a-box startup ended Friday with a share price of $8.50 and a market value of $337.2 million. In registering for the initial public offering, Casper failed to disclose that its profit margins were narrowing and that it was selling a glut of old and outdated mattress inventory at clearance prices, according to the lawsuit, which was filed last week in federal court in New York and demands unspecified damages. Then, in April, Casper said it was working to improve its cash position and business model, the suit continues, notwithstanding the fact that the company had raised more than $100 million in gross offering proceeds from the IPO less than three months earlier. The claims in this lawsuit are without merit, and we will defend against them, a Casper spokesperson said. Caspers IPO followed the stock market debuts of much bigger unicorns private startups valued at more than $1 billion such as Uber Technologies Inc. and Peloton Interactive Inc., whose shares have taken investors on their own roller-coaster rides but which are still valued at billions of dollars. To read the lawsuit, thats not in the cards for Casper. In the complaint, Robert Lematta, the individual investor seeking to represent others who bought the stock, notes that the New York retailer has retrenched its global operations and announced a 21 per cent reduction in its workforce. He cites its ballooning losses and deteriorating cash position as responsible for these drastic measures and calls the departure of chief financial officer Gregory Macfarlane an extraordinary move so soon after the IPO. Caspers troubles could colour investors view of other brands that cut out the middleman and entice consumers with the savings. The categorys heavy reliance on social media advertising lowered barriers to entry, spurring the arrival of competitors and making it costlier to get new customers. A raft of online brands started opening stores and adding ancillary products. Founded in 2014, Casper popularized the practice of buying a mattress online that arrived bundled in a box. It won acclaim through marketing campaigns featuring YouTube stars and other celebrities, expanding rapidly. Casper attracted a series of famous investors, including the rapper Nas and the actor Ashton Kutcher. Kylie Jenner posted about the brand on Instagram in 2015. As the IPO approached, the company claimed to have significantly improved its profit margins, placing it on a path to profitability, according to the suit. Still, it slashed its offering price, to a range of $12 to $13 a share from $17 to $19, just before it listed. During its expansion, Casper incurred net losses of $73.4 million in 2017 and $92.1 million in 2018, according to the suit, and in its first quarter as a public company posted a net loss of $34.5 million on net revenue of $113 million. It spent $423 million on marketing from 2016 to September, Casper said in a January securities filing. In the run-up to the stock offering, the retailer reassured investors that its fortunes would be driven by revenue growth and profit margin improvements, according to the suit. Shortly after the IPO, Lematta said in the suit, it announced a downward trend in its gross margin and substantially impaired operations as a result of an increasingly dire cash flow situation. Decision to Reduce Troops in Germany Aims to Tackle Chinese Threat to India, East Asia - Pompeo Sputnik News 07:29 GMT 26.06.2020 New Delhi (Sputnik): While addressing the Brussels Forum in a virtual format, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed that "China's expansionist policies" are the real challenge in the contemporary world. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday attributed the move to reduce troops in Germany to facing threats in other countries, including the alleged Chinese threat to India and Southeast Asia. While answering questions during a virtual conference, the German Marshall Fund's Brussels Forum, Pompeo said: "I just talked about the threat from the Chinese Communist Party, so now threats to India, threats to Vietnam, threats to Malaysia, Indonesia, South China Sea challenges, the Philippines. We're going to make sure we're postured appropriately to counter the PLA (People's Liberation Army)". US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of nearly 10,000 troops from Germany earlier this month, highlighting the European nation's "failure" to reach 2 percent of GDP payments for NATO and its "economic ties with Russia". Secretary of State Pompeo noted that the decision to reduce troops was a part of a "long overdue strategic posture review of the US military". While emphasising the importance of placing troops according to the current nature of conflicts, Pompeo spoke about the PLA's "provocative military actions" and "deadly border confrontations in India". "I talked about the People's Liberation Army's provocative military actions. They include its continued aggression in the South China Sea, deadly border confrontations in India, an opaque nuclear programme, and threats against peaceful neighbours", Pompeo said. India and China have been attracting international attention in view of the recent deadly border clash in the eastern Ladakh region. While India lost 20 soldiers, China is yet to reveal the number of its casualties. The military build-up continues along the poorly demarcated Line of Actual Control between the two nations in Ladakh, despite both countries agreeing to de-escalate tensions during commander level talks to resolve the issue earlier this week. On Thursday, the Indian Foreign Ministry claimed that the "Chinese side had been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the Line of Actual Control since early May", which is not in accordance with the provisions of various bilateral agreements between the two countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MUNICH (dpa-AFX) - Wirecard AG (WRCDF.PK) said Saturday that its business activities will be continued. The company on Thursday decided to file an application for the opening of insolvency proceedings amid a massive accounting scandal that left the German payment-processing firm scrambling to find 1.9 billion euros missing from its balance sheet. As a first step, the competent Munich Local Court has commissioned the Munich lawyer Dr. Michael Jaff as an official expert, the company said in a statement on Saturday. The company expects a provisional insolvency administrator to be appointed for Wirecard AG shortly. The business operations of the Group companies including the licensed units are currently ongoing. The parent company performs some central functions for the subsidiaries. As previously reported, it is being continuously reviewed whether insolvency applications also have to be filed for subsidiaries of the Wirecard Group. With the exception of a small development branch office, no insolvency applications have been filed by Group companies at present. Wirecard Bank is currently not part of the insolvency proceedings. The electronic funds transfer of Wirecard Bank are not affected. Wirecard Card Solutions Limited, headquartered in Newcastle, UK, has suspended its business operations due to an order issued by the competent supervisory authority, Financial Conduct Authority. The company has discussed measures with the authorities. The measures are being undertaken and will hopefully enable it to continue operations. The TPA business in question is still under review. The newly appointed CEO of Wirecard AG, James H. Freis, Jr., took a new approach to investigating the known allegations immediately upon taking office. On Friday, the European Commission asked its markets regulator to investigate German financial watchdog BaFin over its handling of accounting scandal at Wirecard AG, which led to the collapse of the payments company. The accounting scandal at Wirecard had led to the arrest of its former chief executive officer Markus Braun by the German police. Braun resigned last week as member of the management board of Wirecard as the auditor Ernst & Young found that no sufficient audit evidence could be obtained of cash balances on trust accounts to be consolidated in the consolidated financial statements in the amount of 1.9 billion euros. Later, Wirecard said the missing 1.9 billion euros of cash probably does not exist. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Two employees of the countrys human rights body killed after a bomb attached to their car exploded, the agency said. Two employees of Afghanistans human rights body were killed in a bomb attack in Kabul on Saturday, the agency said. The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission said the pair died when a homemade sticky bomb attached to their vehicle exploded in the morning. Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws Faramurz confirmed the attack, which has not been claimed by any group. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan condemned the killings. There can be no justification for attacks against human rights defenders, it said on Twitter, calling for an immediate probe. It comes less than a week after two prosecutors and three other employees from the attorney generals office were shot dead by gunmen on the outskirts of Kabul. On May 30, a television journalist was killed when a minibus carrying employees of private channel Khurshid TV was hit by a roadside bomb in the city. That attack was claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) group. Violence had dropped across much of the country after the Taliban offered a brief ceasefire to mark the Eid al-Fitr festival last month, but officials say the group has stepped up attacks in recent weeks. Most attacks by the Taliban have targeted Afghan security forces, although there are regular police reports that civilians have been killed in roadside bomb blasts. On Saturday, the National Security Council said 21 civilians were killed and 30 wounded in attacks over the past week across 14 provinces. The Taliban and the Afghan government are preparing to enter into much-delayed peace talks aimed at ending the war in the country. The so-called intra-Afghan talks come after the Taliban signed an agreement with the United States. US President Donald Trump wants to withdraw troops from the country after nearly 19 years. It had toppled the Taliban from power in an invasion in 2001. Reference is made to previous updates from Norwegian Finans Holding and Bank Norwegian regarding the strategy of European expansion and the ongoing Exploratory Phase for authorization as a credit institution with the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), initiated in October 2019. The Exploratory Phase in Ireland has been concluded, and CBI recommends that Bank Norwegian does not advance to the Draft Application phase at this point in time. CBI has considered the significant and evolving effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the banks loan portfolio, funding base and limited product suite, which are all subject to continuous management attention of the Bank. The bank agrees with CBI that the current timing to proceed is not optimal. A decision on submission will be evaluated based on a running analysis of costs, benefits and timing of strategic options for European expansion. The bank will closely monitor the effects of Covid-19 as part of the evaluation. For any questions please call: CEO Tine Wollebekk; phone: +47 40 80 55 57 Head of Treasury Mats Benserud; phone: +47 95 89 15 39 Head of Communication and Public Relations Kai Morten Terning; phone +47 90 53 18 98 This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act Girls Basketball: Watertown drops home games to No. 4 Rapid City Stevens, No. 5 Rapid City Central Watertown High Schools girls basketball team lost to fifth-rated Class AA Rapid City Central 43-24 on Saturday and to fourth-rated Rapid City Stevens 50-29 on Friday in non-conference games played in the Civic Arena. Holidays are going to appear different this summer and so are we. But we dont have to cover ourselves in ugly PPE to stay safe as we jet off to Europe. Here are the best accessories to pack in these health-conscious times. SANITISER NECKLACES For the ultimate high-fashion hand sanitiser statement, New York designer Sarah Coleman has created sleeves made from repurposed leather vintage designer bags Supermarkets quickly sold out of hand sanitisers at the beginning of the pandemic. Theyre now back on our shelves and can be dressed up in fancy sleeves and even made into necklaces. Etsy has a huge selection of leather covers in different colours with keychains (etsy.com). For the ultimate high-fashion hand sanitiser statement, New York designer Sarah Coleman has created sleeves made from repurposed leather vintage designer bags, right, including Louis Vuitton and Gucci. You can choose to buy the sleeve only or turn it into a long gold chain necklace (from 65, plus shipping from U.S., sarahcoleman.co). FANCY FACE MASKS The internet is now awash with pretty face masks. You can even co-ordinate your face mask with your outfit by choosing matching prints or colours Masks are mandatory on most flights. Surgical masks may be effective, but theyre hardly attractive and the shade of baby blue may not always go with your outfit. Thankfully, the internet is now awash with pretty face masks, including a set of three pastel print ones by New York designer Lele Sadoughi, a favourite of Kate Middleton (32, lelesadoughi.com) or Bodens three-pack vibrant print masks (20, boden.co.uk). If youre after something more robust, try Vista Prints collection of funky masks with a replaceable filter system (vistaprint.co.uk, 17). For the ultimate fashion statement, PRITCH London has collaborated with BEBOLD to produce a mask cover made with crocodile leather and silk which is worn on top of surgical masks (290, pritchlondon.com). You can also co-ordinate your face mask with your outfit by choosing matching prints or colours. CUTLERY Inflight meals will be a thing of the past while coronavirus is in existence, so invest in a reusable bamboo cutlery set to eat your Pret salad with on board. These can be used at restaurants, too. Eco Bravos travel set includes a fork, spoon, knife, chopsticks, straw, cleaning brush and case (11.95, ecobrava.com). Eco Friendlys set of four reusable straws come with a coconut hair brush and fibre bag (4.99, amazon.co.uk). GAPLESS GOGGLES Coronavirus spreads easily when droplets containing virus particles are inhaled. But it can also enter your body if you touch your eyes after being in contact with an infected surface. Oakleys new Clear Collection is the perfect fashion substitute for the safety eyewear seen in most laboratories, and are PPE qualified. Designed to mould around your face with minimal gaps, you can wear them comfortably to sleep without worrying about the potential virus particles in the air or accidentally touching your eyes (from 93, oakley.com). For a cheaper alternative, try My Accessories oversized visor sunglasses with moulded nose pads (9.10, asos.com). VIRUS-BUSTING GLOVES Atsuko Kudo makes a range of ladies gloves using high quality latex The Queen sent the internet into a tailspin when she wore gloves to an investiture for the first time since the 1950s, in March as the pandemic took hold. Many designers are creating virus-busting gloves. Danish brand Rhanders has created a collection of antibacterial gloves that are hypoallergenic and come in different materials and styles. Its crochet style is 100 per cent cotton and treated with technology that stops up to 99.99 per cent of microorganisms and bacteria passing through the fabric onto hands even after washing (from 48, rhanders.com). Atsuko Kudo makes a range of ladies gloves using high quality latex.They are reusable and easy to clean (from 175, atsukokudo.com). COVID BUMBAG Youre going to need to put all these accessories somewhere, and within easy reach. No longer the accessory of choice for cliched tourists, these ultra-convenient bags are having a renaissance, with labels from Nike to Burberry putting out their own versions. Hunter Boots has a collection of colourful, easy clean, water resistant bumbags (21, hunterboots.com). BLANKETS BAN Dont expect to be handed a pillow and blanket on your next long-haul flight. Take your own. The Worlds Best microfleece travel blanket, in eight prints (7.95, amazon.com). - Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru faced charges of gross violation of procurement laws, mismanagement of public funds as well as abuse of office - Malala said the County Assembly failed to substantiate the allegations as they did not provide evidence directly linking the county boss - David Mathenge, the budget committee chairman said they would impeach the county boss until she is removed from office Governor Anne Waiguru's victory in the Senate may be short lived if recent events are anything to go by. Kirinyaga MCAs have vowed to kick her out of office once again in yet another impeachment even as the county chief faces investigations by the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC). READ ALSO: Comedian Jalang'o discloses he's moving back to Radio Africa Group Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waigur survived the Senate axe on Friday, June 25. Photo: Anne Waiguru. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Man rewarded 6 month supply of noodles after returning KSh 490k he found inside noodles carton The ward reps who were angered by the Senate's decision to let the first-term governor off the hook said they would no longer work with her as he was "undermining them and was uncooperative" They were led by Majority Leader Kamau Murango and Mutira ward MCA Kinyua Wangui who moved the first impeachment motion. We are going to impeach the governor once again whether the Senate likes it or not. The Senate has let us and the people of Kirinyaga down, said Wangui. Kirinyaga MCAs led by Mutira ward's Kinyua Wangui who moved the first impeachment motion said Waiguru must go. Photo: County Assembly of Kirinyaga. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Fahamu madhara ya kiafya yanayokusubiri wakati unapotumia sukari nyingi kwenye vyakula David Mathenge, the budget committee chairman said they would impeach the county boss until she is removed from office. Waiguru, the former Devolution CS, was acquitted by the upper House on Friday, June 26, after the 11-member select committee led by Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala cleared her of all the impeachment charges. Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala chaired the 11-member Senate committee that absolved Waiguru. Photo: Cleo Malala. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Kenyans tickled after Lilian Muli sneezes live on air while reporting about COVID-19 Malala said the County Assembly failed to substantiate the allegations as they did not provide evidence directly linking Waiguru abuse off office, corruption and procurement irregularities. "The committee having investigated the matter in accordance with its mandate under section 33(4) of the county governments act and standing order 75(2) of the Senate Standing Orders reports to the Senate that it finds that the two charges against the governor have not been substantiated, its report read. The team however, found the attitude of the county boss as wanting even as they requested the EACC to investigate some officers in the county. The condescending attitude of the governor towards the county assembly is uncalled for and does not inspire confidence and trust in the county executive leadership, the report added. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. We lost five children before our daughter Charisa came - Shinel Wanja | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2020 | GRAVES COUNTY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2020 | 12:05 PM | GRAVES COUNTY A Graves County man was arrested on multiple charges, including a 4th DUI, after a pursuit on Friday night. The Graves County Sheriff's Department was dispatched to US Highway 45 North after getting a complaint of a vehicle stopping at random times in the highway. The caller suggested the driver might be intoxicated. An officer attempted to pull over the vehicle after seeing it being driven recklessly, but the driver reportedly sped up, exceeding 70 MPH on back roads and in 35 MPH speed zones. Deputies pursued the vehicle from Highway 1276 near Mayfield to Pottsville and then Lowes. Deputies say the driver was on the wrong side of the road, running stop signs, and almost struck several vehicles. The pursuit continued south on KY 339 to Fancy Farm. After the driver almost struck an oncoming vehicle, an officer was able to perform a PIT maneuver, causing the vehicle leave the road and overturn. The driver, 28-year-old Matthew T. Shultz of Mayfield, was checked by EMS but refused treatment or transportation to a hospital. Officers say he appeared to be under the influence and numerous alcoholic beverage containers were found in the vehicle, but he refused to submit to a breath test. Deputies say Schultz has three prior DUI arrests in Calloway, Graves and Jefferson counties. He was taken to Graves County Jail, and faces charges of speeding, reckless driving, fleeing or evading, DUI 4th offense with aggravating circumstances, eight counts of disregarding a stop sign, wanton endangerment, wanton endangerment of a police officer, criminal mischief, and possession of an open alcohol container in a vehicle. By Express News Service MADURAI: Pointing out that Sathankulam, the native of the deceased - P Jeyaraj and J Benicks - is nearly 100 km away from Kovilpatti, the judges told the Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate, who is conducting the inquiry into the incident, to work from the Sathankulam camp office for the time being. They suggested the magistrate to conduct spot inspection at places of occurrence, seize CCTV footage and case diary in the Sathankulam police station and visit female members of the deceased at their house to get their statements. The judges added that the case diary and other original documents may be submitted before the Chief Judicial Magistrate for safe custody. Appeal to public They expressed hope that the relatives, the local Bar Association, NGOs and the general public would provide a congenial atmosphere for the magistrate to conduct the inquiry. The judges appealed to the public to avoid issuing statements about the issue in social media as they could ignite problems. ALSO READ: Police brutality is endemic - Madras High Court on custodial death Earlier, Thoothukudi S P Arun Balagopalan submitted his status report stating that Sathankulam has returned to normalcy. The judges also directed DSP of Kovilpatti to take charge of the investigation into the case registered at Kovilpatti East police station. Regarding the postmortem report and video, the AAG explained that the report could not be submitted due to lockdown restrictions. The judges directed the authorities to expedite the process and adjourned the case to June 30. ALSO READ: DMK MP K Kanimozhi writes to NHRC over 'custodial' death of two men in Tuticorin Jail inmates injuries During the hearing, the judges took cognizance of another inmate of Kovilpatti Sub-Jail, one Raja Singh, undergoing treatment for serious injuries. They directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate to conduct a separate inquiry into the matter and file a report. These will not be tolerated In a joint statement, CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM said, The party will not tolerate such incidents. The family has lost its father and son. We convey our deepest condolences to the family. Traders down shutters Condemning the alleged custodial death of two Sathankulam traders, businessmen in Tenkasi and Dindigul downed shutters on Friday. ALSO READ: TN opposition parties condemn Sathankulam custodial death, demand action against cops In Alangulma, even medical shops remained closed. In Tenkasi, Sankarankovil and Kadayanallur, only a few vegetable and flowers were opened. The traders also took out a rally in support of Jeyaraj and Beniks at several places. Minister hands over cheque Information and Publicity Minister Kadambur C Raju handed over 20 lakh cheque as compensation to the family on behalf of the State government. Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi also handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh on behalf of DMK. Kanimozhi said Tamil Nadu tops in custodial deaths as per the NCRB. Denying the charge, Kadambur Raju said the situation is not as bad as the DMK MP was suggesting and that the government will do everything to avoid such incidents. No milk supply to cops Meanwhile citing harassment during the lockdown, the Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers Welfare Association has announced that they would be no milk supply to police personnel from Saturday. ALSO READ: The vehicles seats were soaked in blood - Eyewitnesses say Thoothukudi traders who died in police custody were grievously injured Though the government announced milk supply would be allowed during complete lockdown, dealers and agents were often being harassed and their vehicles seized by the police, said S A Ponnusamy, State President of TNMDWA. Even though sale is allowed between 6 am and 2 pm, often police threaten to shut the shops even before 10 am, claimed Ponnusamy. Aavin officials; however, said supply to its cardholders and retail shops will continue. DMK files plaint with NHRC DMK MP Kanimozhi has filed a complaint to the National Human Rights Commission over the Sathankulam custodial death issue. She urged the commission to issue necessary directions so that no lives are lost in police custody. (With inputs from Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Dindigul and Chennai) Hong Kong groups protest outside the United States consulate general in Hong Kong on Friday over a new US bill that would sanction those supporting the national security law for Hong Kong. They criticized what they said is US meddling in China's affairs. Protesters expressed support for the national security legislation as a way to return social stability to the city. CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY Solidarity demonstrated in support of national security legislation for the SAR The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Friday expressed strong opposition to the passage of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act by the United States Senate. "We urge the US Congress to immediately stop interfering in the HKSAR's internal matters. The act and the so-called 'sanctions' are totally unacceptable and will only harm the relations and common interests between Hong Kong and the US," a government spokesman said. "Any 'sanctions' imposed under the act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law. We, however, urge the US to act responsibly by refraining from taking measures that may potentially affect the normal operations of financial institutions and the vast number of customers they serve," the spokesman said. Academics and residents in Hong Kong also lambasted what they called the latest move by the US to meddle in the city's internal affairs. The chorus of condemnation came in response to the US Senate passing the act, which requires the sanctioning of individuals and companies, including SAR government officials, for enforcing the pending national security law and police officers for stopping protests. To become law, the act must also pass the US House of Representatives and be signed by US President Donald Trump. On China's part, this is regarded as a move by Washington to push back against the decision of China's top legislature to tailor a national security law for the HKSAR. Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, a leading think tank on Hong Kong affairs, said the US is less likely to actually take strong actions against Hong Kong, considering its own enormous economic interests in the city. "Up to now the US government has not imposed any sanctions on Hong Kong or the mainland because it's also concerned about counter sanctions from Beijing," said Lau, who described US politicians' remarks targeting China's Hong Kong policy as "empty rhetoric and empty threats". The sociology professor expected rising hostility from US politicians against China in the run up to the upcoming US congressional and presidential elections. "The US government already has a lot of legal weapons against Hong Kong. One more act does not make much difference." Tian Feilong, executive director of the Center for Legal Studies in One Country Two Systems at Beihang University in Beijing, said the move clearly illustrates the logic of hegemony in US diplomacy, as well as its attempt to interfere in another country's domestic affairs. "American enterprises in Hong Kong will suffer if the act is passed in the end as the sanctions for sure will strike a blow to their business," Tian said. More than 1,300 US companies now have offices or regional headquarters in the city. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the largest party in the city's legislature, denounced the act as an escalation of US meddling in the affairs of the Hong Kong SAR. Hong Kong lawmaker Holden Chow Ho-ding of the alliance said the US has applied double standards when meddling in China's national security legislation, which is designed to protect Hong Kong residents and safeguard national interests. Top US officials have repeatedly stressed that the nation's tough handling of racism-related riots in its own backyard was intended to protect the safety of its citizens, Chow said. The Hong Kong party strongly urged the US government to give up on such "fatuous acts that harm both sides". Dozens of Hong Kong residents on Friday protested against the bill at the US consulate general in Hong Kong. They condemned the US for placing politics over law and acting against international norms by attempting to derail China's own security legislation for Hong Kong. By Trend Head of International Relations department of the Azerbaijani community of Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region Aybaniz Ismayilova sent an appeal to UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie on behalf of the community's women on the occasion of World Refugee Day which was marked on June 20, Trend reports citing the community. There are more than one million refugees and internally displaced persons in Azerbaijan. These people have a common destiny because of the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia. Azerbaijan has been suffering from the aggressive and occupational policy of Armenia for about 30 years, the appeal said. Despite the fact that the ceasefire regime has been announced 25 years ago, periodical short-term hostilities take place on the line of contact, military personnel die and are injured, and sometimes civilians also lose their lives in the conflict zone. During the first five years of the war, about one million people became refugees from the territories of Azerbaijan, occupied by Armenia. Thus, one million people displaced from the occupied cities, districts and villages were forced to settle in the safe districts of Azerbaijan," said the document. In American schools where Black history is taught, students often learn about historical figures including Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, and Harriet Tubman. But studies have shown that Black history education is often inadequate, superficial, and misinterpreted. Getty Images The US doesn't have federal requirements for teaching Black history in school curriculums, and only a handful of states have mandated it. LaGarrett King, an African American History education expert and director of the Carter Center for K-12 Black History Education at the University of Missouri, told Insider about a few different ways educators can work to fix that. Existing curriculums, King said, lack Black perspectives and sanitize versions of Black history. In order to help solve the problem, teachers could attend professional development trainings, work to promote Black perspectives, and develop curriculums that explore multiple themes within Black history, King advised. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. As protests against racism and police brutality sweep the nation, US schools are still behind in teaching Black history to students. To date, there are no federal requirements for teaching Black history in the US, and only a handful of states have mandated curriculums to ensure that teachers discuss any Black history subjects. Even then, a lack of oversight makes it difficult to determine if teachers are truly following curriculum guidelines. A 2015 study conducted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture and Oberg Research found that, on average, only 8% or 9% of history class time is devoted to Black history, and some states neglect the subject altogether. In states where Black history is discussed, students often learn about seminal figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks, but frequently receive failing grades when tested on the Civil Rights movement. History textbooks also vary drastically from state to state, with some offering up sanitized versions of Black history than others. In some cases, textbooks refer to slaves as merely "workers," while others fail to address Civil Rights, white supremacy, and oppression altogether. Story continues This isn't a new problem. Carter G. Woodson, known as "the father of Black history," created the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History to promote the study of Black history way back in 1915. But there's still a lot of work to do. LaGarrett King, an African American History education professor at the University of Missouri, has researched the issue extensively. He's developed the Carter Center for K-12 Black History Education to promote Black history research, the education of teachers, and networks to help solve the problem. Here's what King sees is wrong with African American history education in the US, and how he thinks we can fix it. This isn't a new problem Carter Goodwin Woodson (1875-1950), African-American historian is shown in a head and shoulders portrait. Getty Images The most recent wave of activism within the Black Lives Matter movement has brought to light issues of police brutality, systemic racism, and a lack of Black history education. But none of these are new concepts, and Black Americans have been fighting for change for hundreds of years. "Historically, whenever there has been some form of social upheaval, civil rights, or civil disobedience as it pertains to Black people, there has always been a call for more Black history," King told Insider. "For some strange reason, we still cannot get it done." Woodson's development and promotion of Negro History week conceived and announced in 1925, and which we now know as Black history month came in reaction to a mass lynching movement of Black Americans throughout the late 19th to early 20th centuries, King explained. "He basically said 'there would be no lynching if lynching didn't start in the classroom,'" King said. During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, an explosion of Black history interest led to the development of Black history courses around the country. During that time, California become one of the first states to implement Black history education into law. Civil rights demonstration addressing education rights outside GOP convention hall, 1960's. The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images Following that decision, seven other states "passed laws requiring or recommending that the contributions and achievements of minority groups be included in school curricula," according to a special report analyzing the status of Black history in US schools and society that King wrote in 2017. But today, only 12 states formally recognize the importance of teaching Black history in state law. In his 2017 report, King found that only seven of those states have Black history oversight committees. Without an oversight committee, there isn't much accountability for teachers actually addressing the subject in the classroom, he said. In a CBS News analysis, reporters found that seven states don't even mention slavery directly in their state standards, while eight states do not mention the Civil Rights movement at all. Furthermore, the study found that only two states specifically address white supremacy, and 16 states list "states' rights" as a cause of the Civil War. All of these issues culminate in a lack of a thoughtful, holistic, and effective understanding of Black history throughout the country. And, according to King, much of that begins at the teacher level. Teachers often lack the content knowledge to effectively teach Black history Rain could not stop hundreds in front of NYC Department of Education Building in Lower Manhattan of New York City demanding to bring Black History to classrooms during Black History Month on February 6, 2020. Ryan Rahman/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Part of the direction of the Carter Center is to provide education for teachers who may not be equipped with the content knowledge needed to effectively teach Black history, King said. "Teachers overwhelmingly are the most important people in teaching Black history, because the curriculum can say anything, but the teachers are the curriculum gatekeepers," King said. "They're the ones that figure out the connections throughout history, and they're the ones that create activities and instructional aspects for students to attend to." According to a 2015 study conducted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture and Oberg Research, a majority of teachers "considered Black history as influential in understanding the complexity of US history," yet the level of class time dedication was far too low. On average, the study found that only one or two history lessons are devoted to the subject, if at all. King said teachers a majority of whom are white often lack the knowledge necessary to teach Black history properly. "While a lot of them would like to teach more Black history and I do believe that the majority of teachers want to be inclusive the problem is that a lot of them do not have the content knowledge to teach Black history in a way that is really effective," he said Part of that is due to a lack of mandated Black and ethnic studies courses in teacher education, King said. Often, curriculums present a "Eurocentric" view of history in which ethnic and Black perspectives are left behind. Part of the mission at the Carter Center is to provide workshops on Black history education for teachers around the world. Last year, King led a seminar for 300 teachers on the topic of slavery. And this year, the seminar will focus on examining Black history from a female perspective. King also addressed the importance of white teachers acknowledging identity and privilege within the classroom, and viewing students as citizens who will one day hold their own positions of power. "Talk about notions of white identity and privilege within those spaces, and help them understand that this is not something that is supposed to just give you grief or guilt," he said. "It's something to really understand humanity and how our society works, and to create a better society." In order to teach Black history, instructors must work to promote Black perspectives Demonstrators arrive at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial during a Juneteenth march in Washington, DC on June 19, 2020. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images Another essential part in improving the education system is to understand what Black history really is, explained King. "A lot of people don't understand what Black history is, or they don't have a theoretical model of what Black history is," he said. "Many people would just say Black history is just history with Black people. Sometimes I like to call that 'white history in blackface."' American classrooms also tend to introduce Black people for the first time through slavery, omitting thousands of years of African history, and contextualizing Black American origins with oppression and violence, which can have a dehumanizing effect, King said. Black and white people have not experienced history in the same way. To simply discuss Black history in the context of white history can provide a dangerous narrative, King said. Just look at Independence Day. "July 4, 1776, means nothing to Black people historically," he said. "The majority of Black people were still enslaved, so when we say Independence Day is July 4th, 1776, and we teach that in our curriculum, what are we saying about Black people and other non-white people that were not necessarily free during that particular time?" Rather than recognizing the Fourth of July as Independence Day, many Black communities have long celebrated Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the ending of slavery, as their day of freedom. The Monroe School historic site of Brown v Board of Education, what is considered the start of the Civil rights movement in the United States. Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images Juneteenth gained more significant attention this year in the aftermath of George Floyd's death, but the holiday has historically been overlooked in American classrooms. Similarly, King discussed the idea of implementing Black perspectives into the classroom through the teaching of the Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education. While most American students understand the case be a seminal decision in the advancement of civil rights, King noted the decision had some negative repercussions on Black schools and teachers that have been seldom discussed. "What happened was, white people defined inclusion and integration as Black people integrating into white schools. They didn't integrate into Black schools, so therefore Black teachers and administrators lost their jobs," he said. It's a microcosm about how even the Civil Rights movement has been taught within the framework of the country's white majority, and not always how it's affected the Black minority. Learning only the good things about Brown v. Board of Education feeds the narrative that Black schools were underdeveloped and Black students could only receive a good education by attending white schools, King said. There is no perfect way to teach Black history, but educators need to approach it with an open mind A demonstrator makes a sign reading 'Invest In The Students Period' as Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles supporters protest. Mario Tama/Getty Images Black history is a massive subject, and not all educators agree on exactly how it should be taught. Before teachers begin to form lesson plans, King suggests educators first recognize they need to learn what Black history is, and then work to implement Black perspectives into the wider teaching of American history. King explained that its important to balance the difficult reality of white supremacy, slavery, and systemic oppression with Black agency and the way that Black Americans have continuously fought for their rights and persevered. Similarly, King said learning about Black joy and love, and the ability for Black communities to stand together is an important way to focus on humanity within Black history. "Black joy just raises the human side of Black people. Because sometimes in our curriculum we always focus on suffering, and we don't focus on Black people being human," he said. A delegation demonstrates over the policing of Black students before the Peel District School Board in Mississauga, Ontario, on March 10, 2020. Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images One way to ensure Black history is being implemented into schools in a thoughtful manner is through discussions between administrators, community educators, parents, and university personnel, King suggested. "All of these different people need to come together and design a plan," he said. "I believe those are the things that we need to do initially, to get us there. And then after that, we need to help educate our teachers through professional development." The Black Lives Matter movement has increased interest in Black history, but sustained momentum is key In many ways, widespread Black Lives Matter protests and the recent increase in social media exposure has created an environment where people "no longer have an excuse" to not educate themselves on Black history, King said. "The beautiful thing about social media is that it has connected us with people all over the world. It gives people the opportunity to learn things that they may not have learned," he said. "The great majority of people stop learning history in high school, and having a social media presence for people to share Black history websites and teaching Black history through threads on Twitter and sharing through Facebook and Instagram are very positive ways to help people understand history, and begin the knowledge process." show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement 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. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images But that being said, the US has still a long way to go to implement Black history into schools. Though King expressed optimism an uptick in conversations and activism, he said he's not "holding his breath." "I'm hopeful, but I'm trying to be as reserved as possible to see how everything is going," he said. "Will school districts provide the money for special development? Will they take time to really develop a good Black history curriculum? Will they provide accountability for those teachers who are teaching particular classes?" A step in the right direction, however, would be an increase in professional development and engagement with teachers. If more educators become knowledgeable on the subject of Black history, the school system could start to change. "Professional development can't just be one day and then we're through. It has to be constant," King said. "Black history is about understanding Black history from Black perspectives, and people need to continuously educate themselves and attend professional development to learn and get better at understanding Black history as humanistic and nuanced." Expanded Coverage Module: black-lives-matter-module Read the original article on Insider London (AFP) - A troubled British teenager who threw a six-year-old French boy from a viewing platform at London's Tate Modern art gallery was on Friday jailed for life. Judge Maura McGowan told Jonty Bravery, 18, he would spend at least 15 years in custody for attempting to murder the boy in front of horrified crowds on August 4 last year. But she also said: "You may never be released." The young victim, who cannot be identified because of his age, was hurled head first off the 10th floor gantry at the gallery and plunged 30 metres (100 feet) on to a fifth-floor roof below. He broke his spine, legs and arms and suffered a head injury. His condition has since improved but he still requires round-the-clock care and may never fully recover. McGowan said what Bravery had done was "callous" and "beyond imagination". She told him he would remain "a grave danger to the public", adding: "You almost killed that six-year-old boy... The injuries you caused are horrific. "That little boy has suffered permanent and life-changing injuries." - 'I am mad' - Bravery has been detained in a high-security psychiatric unit since the attack, which he said he carried out because he had not been given proper treatment for mental health issues. The burly teenager, who was 17 at the time, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the age of five and has a personality disorder. Psychiatrists said he also had psychopathic traits, although he had not been formally assessed for the condition. When challenged about what he had done on the day of the attack, he is said to have smirked and replied: "Yes, I am mad... It's not my fault. It's social services' fault." British media have questioned how he was able to carry out the attack, since he was living in supported accommodation and under the care of social services. The court was told he had also indicated he would carry out such an attack, in a secret recording purported to have been made by his carers that was never shared. Story continues McGowan said she had weighed the submissions of medical experts and concluded that he would not get more treatment in a secure unit than in prison. She reduced the sentence because of his age and his early guilty plea. But she told him: "I cannot emphasise too clearly that this is not a 15-year sentence. The sentence is detention for life. The minimum term is 15 years. "Your release cannot be considered before then. You may never be released." Bravery, who followed proceedings via videolink, showed no emotion as the sentence was passed. - 'Unspeakable' - The boy's parents were not in court to hear the sentence but issued a statement via London's Metropolitan Police in which they said Bravery's actions were "unspeakable". "Words cannot express the horror and fear that his actions have brought upon us and our son who is who is now wondering why he is in hospital," they said. "How can someone explain to a child that someone deliberately tried to kill him?" Their son faced "many years" of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Since January he has been able to eat again but he remained tired, spoke little and was very weak. Nearly one year on, he is in a wheelchair, has splints on his left arm and both legs, and has trouble sleeping. Family life has been put on hold, they said. The London council which was responsible for Bravery's care before the attack said it extended its "sincere sympathies" to the French boy and his family. "A serious case review is under way," a spokesman said in a statement. "We are cooperating fully and will learn from the findings." Video: The International Criminal Court Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha reacts to the ongoing debate over nepotism in Bollywood after the sudden demise of Sushant Singh Rajput and says that the Kai Po Che! actor was never made to feel like an outsider. He also praised the film industry and said that no discrimination happens here. Sushant breathed his last on June 14. He died by suicide and left the entire nation mourning over his loss. Reacting to his sudden demise, Shatrughan Sinha told Subhash K Jha, "Only God knows what prompted a young handsome talented superstar like Sushant Singh Rajput to take his life. But why are we unnecessarily dragging this issue? Suddenly everyone is Sushant's friend, offering two-bits on him. People whom Sushant had never met are an authority on his mental health. This must stop. Let Sushant rest in peace." He further added, "The debate on nepotism that's being applied to Sushant's career is just so irrelevant. The young man had a very successful career. And he was never made to feel like an outsider. This industry welcomes actors from everywhere, from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, everywhere. There is no discrimination here." Sinha also reacted to the constant trolling of Karan Johar and said that the director is accused of nepotism, but he also launched Siddharth Malhotra, who was not an industry person's son. Sushant Singh Rajput's Suicide Case: INSIDE DETAILS Of Rhea Chakraborty's Interrogation! "Even Alia Bhatt is not Karan's rishtedaar, so how is it nepotism? I think it's time to put a lid on this absurd controversy. Because you have Ayushmann Khurrana from the outside being welcomed, and then you have his brother being welcomed. I don't know of any other industry in India that is so welcoming of outsiders," asserted Sinha. China would realize that it is not more clever than Hitlers Germany. But, then, It would be too late. by N.S.Venkataraman China has not concealed its aim and determination to become super power in the world. It has not left anyone in doubt about its self centred schemes to dominate the world and expand its territories. China gives an impression that it would combine different types of strategies in the trade front, propaganda campaign and military warfare to achieve its objectives, depending upon the circumstances. Obviously, most countries in the world are concerned about Chinas methodologies and practices and its goal. Any attempt to dominate the world or expand its territory by China is bound to negatively impact the interests of the affected countries but China seems to be over confident that it can afford to ignore the concern of other countries , as it moves on with its plans to achieve its objectives. These strategies of China are largely similar to that of Hitler and many dictatorial regimes in the past across the world , that have adopted such methods in different measures . Ultimately, history has shown that such ill conceived , unethical plans do not provide the intended end results and the initiator of the schemes suffer and fall out in the process. China is once again doing the same mistakes that Hitler did and seems to think that it can succeed where Hitler failed, by modifying its strategies and schemes in a manner that would be more clever than that of Hitler. Obviously, China seeks to implement its schemes to dominate the world in several stages over the coming years. Its One Belt One Road scheme is part of the grand plan to make the economically weak and developing countries to firmly fall under Chinas control. As India has refused to enter the OBOR trap, China considers India as a stumbling block and thinks that India should be weakened in all possible ways. As part of this scheme to weaken India and also as part of global domination plans , China is trying to encircle India ,by bringing all the Indias neighbours namely Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka as well as nearby Maldives under its thumb. It is adopting combination of methods for this purpose. China is reported to be bribing the political leaders in these countries in variety of ways , participating in infrastructure projects and enabling such projects to be implemented by extending financial assistance from China and sending Chinese equipment and technicians to these countries to implement the projects and in the process making these countries debt ridden to China and dependant on China. It has already succeeded to some extent in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan and enough evidence are there to prove this. However, China seems to have ignored the ground reality that while it can buy the politicians and sectarian groups in Indias neibhouring countries and even the political and activist groups in India and make the economy and territory of these countries vulnerable to influence and coercion from China , it cannot over power the people in these countries. Over powering the territories is totally different from over powering the people living in these territories. The people in the neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka , Bangladesh and others have tasted freedom of speech and have participated in the democratic process. If and when the domination of China and coercion by China would extend beyond a limit, which is likely,the people are bound to protest, as it is now already happening in Pakistan. It is known that Pakistan military is now protecting the Chinese technicians working in the projects in Pakistan.Protests are already heard in Pakistan, as the government has virtually handed over Gwadar port and several important mines to China. Protests are also heard in Sri Lanka ,as the government has virtually handed over the Hambantota port to China. The protests are still not loud enough, but they are bound to intensify ,as people would realize the extent of dependence on China. Indias neighbouring countries are already burdened due to the debt that they owe to China, which they cannot repay in the foreseeable future . In the course of time , these countries may fail to repay the debt or even refuse to honour the debt , terming the terms of debt as unreasonable and exploitative. China will not be able to handle such situation, particularly when it would happen in several debt ridden Asian and African countries. Public protest on large scale would become inevitable against China. If China would try to enforce terms of debt agreement, it would lead to a war like situation. China can ruthlessly suppress protest by people in China but not in other countries. Is China biting more than what it can chew? Finally, China would realize that it is not more clever than Hitlers Germany. But, then, It would be too late. Retailers in Portlaoise have been advised that Laois shoppers cannot use the Portlaoise Gift Card or the Me2You gift cards. The issue is related to the freezing of 50,000 An Post currency cards due to problems with the suspension of a licence of a company called Wirecard Solutions Ltd. The Downtown Portlaoise retail group issued an urgent message to its members about a temporary transaction disruption on Saturday morning, June 27. The advice outlined to shops how to deal with customers presenting these cards in the coming days. "For anyone who accepts the Portlaoise Gift Card or any form of Me2You gift cards, the company who operate this have advised that the service is temporarily suspended," said the message. The key points in the advice are: The customers' funds on the cards are safe, however, they are temporarily not accessible. FromMe2You Gift Cards operate the - Portlaoise Gift Card scheme similar to say a One4All Gift Card, so neither Downtown Portlaoise nor any other local groups or businesses have access to funds on the gift cards. In the meantime, the gift cards cannot be accepted by local businesses and will not go through if someone tries to process them on a credit card terminal. Downtown Portlaoise explained that the issue relates to a licencing issue with a UK company that processes each transaction but it will hopefully be resolved soon. An Post also issued a statement about how it has been impacted by Wirecard Card Solutions Limited as it is the issuer of the An Post Money Currency card. It said the UK financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has required Wirecard Card Solutions Ltd to cease all regulated activities. As a result, An Post said, all existing An Post Money Currency cards issued by Wirecard Card Solutions Limited have been suspended until further notice. The postal company said this means that they cannot currently be used by customers in Ireland or abroad. "An Post greatly regrets this inconvenience to our customers and we are working to ascertain what impact this situation will have on customers who hold an An Post Money Currency Card. We will issue a further statement when more information becomes available," it said. The company said the issue only affects An Post Money Currency cards and no other An Post financial services are affected. An Post said its Money Currency Card is an An Post-branded prepaid Mastercard issued by Wirecard Card Solutions Ltd that allows customers to purchase and top up 16 currencies on a single card. This is the communication to shoppers from Me2You Dear FromMe2You Customers, Your FromMe2You gift card and all associated FromMe2You transaction services will be temporarily suspended with immediate effect, due to reasons beyond our control. Please be assured, your money and card details held at FromMe2You are safe and secure. Why has this happened? This action is not related to FromMe2You. This has happened because the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK financial regulator, has this morning suspended its permission for Wirecard Card Solutions Limited (the company who currently issues FromMe2You gift cards) to operate, without prior notice.FromMe2You currently depends on Wirecard Card Solutions licence for the operation of the FromMe2You cards and therefore transactions services on FromMe2You cards have been temporarily suspended. The Financial Conduct Authority has taken the protective action to temporarily suspend the operations of Wirecard Card Solutions Limited to allow Wirecard Card Solution Limited verify some important operational processes for the FCA. This action is not related to FromMe2You and it does not affect the security of your money. What does it mean to me? FromMe2You uses Wirecard Card Solutions to process payments. The FCA action means the money on FromMe2You customers card accounts will be temporarily frozen. Your money remains safe, however, the FCA action over Wirecard means that you will not be able to access it until the issue is resolved. Is my money protected? Yes, your money is safe, it is ring-fenced in a safe-guarded account, but regrettably, you cannot use it for now. You will be able to make a transaction once the FCA has reinstated Wirecard Card Solutions licence to process transactions. When will this be resolved? FromMe2You was made aware of the FCA action this morning (26th June 2020). We had no prior warning that Wirecard Card Solutions Limited would be temporarily suspended by the FCA. As soon as we find out more, we will update our website. FromMe2You is here to support all our customers. Should you have any questions please visit our website for the latest information. FromMe2You looks forward to be fully operational shortly and we apologise for any inconvenience caused to our customers. This is the communication received by retailers: 26/06/2020 - Wirecard Card Solutions Limited Licence Suspended Dear FromMe2You Retailers, FromMe2You gift card and all associated FromMe2You transaction services will be temporarily suspended with immediate effect, due to reasons beyond our control. Please be assured, your money and card details held at FromMe2You are safe and secure. Why has this happened? This action is not related to FromMe2You. This has happened because the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK financial regulator, has this morning suspended its permission for Wirecard Card Solutions Limited (the company who currently issues FromMe2You gift cards) to operate, without prior notice. FromMe2You currently depends on Wirecard Card Solutions licence for the operation of the FromMe2You cards and therefore transactions services on FromMe2You cards have been temporarily suspended. The Financial Conduct Authority has taken this protective action to temporarily suspend the operations of Wirecard Card Solutions Limited to allow Wirecard Card Solutions Limited to verify some important operational processes for the FCA. This action is not related to FromMe2You and it does not affect the security of the money on FromMe2You gift cards. What does it mean to me? FromMe2You uses Wirecard Card Solutions to process payments. The FCA action means the money on FromMe2You customers card accounts will be temporarily frozen. The money on the card remains safe, however, the FCA action over Wirecard means that you will not be able to access it until the issue is resolved. Is my money protected? Yes, the money is safe, it is ring-fenced in a safe-guarded account, but regrettably, the card cannot use it for now. You will be able to process a transaction once the FCA has reinstated Wirecard Card Solutions licence to process transactions. When will this be resolved? FromMe2You was made aware of the FCA action this morning (26 th June 2020). We had no prior warning that Wirecard Card Solutions Limited would be temporarily suspended by the FCA. As soon as we find out more, we will update our website. FromMe2You is here to support all our customers and retailers. Should you have any questions please visit our website for the latest information. FromMe2You looks forward to be fully operational shortly and we apologise for any inconvenience caused to our customers and retailers. The company is based at Unit 10, Leopardstown Office Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18 3 1 of 3 Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 BRIDGEPORT A store seen as a long-time magnet for illegal activity by police and city officials is no more. The shop at 604 Newfield Ave. was demolished Thursday to make way for neighborhood improvement and the adjacent Honey Locust Square Retail plaza on Stratford Avenue, the city said. E-Mails on the Go to read over a decade Ago, you could move in Japan, even on crowded sidewalks, without that it ever came to physical contact. The courtesy of the Japanese people to avoid touching or shoving. Today, this mindfulness is often there. One reason is the advent of the Smartphones. Also in Japan, many pedestrians around, pay attention now more on the small screen in the Hand than on the people around you. Patrick Welter a correspondent for Economics and policy in Japan, based in Tokyo. F. A. Z. Facebook Twitter Minami-rinkan, a suburb of Yokohama with around 230,000 inhabitants, wants to counteract this bad habit with the law. The city Council decided on Monday a regulation, according to which Smartphones in public space when not in use may be. If the citizens receive E-Mails or messages you want to read in social networks, not to imagine, in the future, so to the side or in corners that you do not hinder the normal traffic. Penalties are provided for Breach of course. Yamato is the first city in Japan that has decided such a cell phone ban while walking. It is based the regulation on a study, according to which of about 6000 pedestrians, around 12 percent used when you Go to their Smartphones. Updated Date: 26 June 2020, 21:19 The Trump administration has released its final plan to expand oil drilling in the Arctic Reserve of Alaska. The plan calls for 18.6 million acres of the 23 million acres in the reserve to be leased for oil and gas exploration. The plan would overturn protections that have been afforded to the sensitive area, although the Obama administrations plan allowed development Iraqs parliament has approved a $5-billion loan from abroad to tide it over during the oil price crash. OPECs #2 producer has been hit particularly hard by the effects of the pandemic and resulting oil price crash, not least because of its political turmoil. The loan will be used in part to pay government salaries in this fragile rentier country. Shell has begun to evacuate its staff from its 225.000 bpd Bonga FPSO in Nigeria after a number of workers were diagnosed with Covid-19. Bonga FPSO had already been partially shuttered for maintenance. The United States has now added more names to its sanctions list for Venezuela-related transgressions. Five oil tanker captains--all Iranian nationals--who brought 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline and supplies to Venezuela earlier this year have been added. The sanctions not only block any US assets the captains may have, but they also bar any US persons from any dealings with them. These are just the latest in a string of related sanctions on Venezuela in an attempt to oust Maduro. Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict The United States has now added more names to its sanctions list for Venezuela-related transgressions. Five oil tanker captains--all Iranian nationals--who brought 1.5 million barrels of Iranian gasoline and supplies to Venezuela earlier this year have been added. The sanctions not only block any US assets the captains may have, but they also bar any US persons from any dealings with them. These are just the latest in a string of related sanctions on Venezuela in an attempt to oust Maduro. Shell has begun to evacuate its staff from its 225.000 bpd Bonga FPSO in Nigeria after a number of workers were diagnosed with Covid-19. Bonga FPSO had already been partially shuttered for maintenance. Iraqs parliament has approved a $5-billion loan from abroad to tide it over during the oil price crash. OPECs #2 producer has been hit particularly hard by the effects of the pandemic and resulting oil price crash, not least because of its political turmoil. The loan will be used in part to pay government salaries in this fragile rentier country. The Trump administration has released its final plan to expand oil drilling in the Arctic Reserve of Alaska. The plan calls for 18.6 million acres of the 23 million acres in the reserve to be leased for oil and gas exploration. The plan would overturn protections that have been afforded to the sensitive area, although the Obama administrations plan allowed development in half of the reserve. The move is part of a broader push from the Trump administration to bolster oil production in the United States to increase energy independence. The plan could increase US crude oil production by 500,000 bpd for up to 20 years. The UN has said that an oil tanker idling off the coast of Yemen with 1 million barrels of crude is taking on water into the engine compartment and is at risk of sinking. Houthi rebels have denied the UN access to inspect the vessel, which has idled without repairs for five years. ESG Megatrend Developments It is apparently the season for oil company lawsuits, with both Minnesota and D.C. suing Exxon and a handful of other oil giants for a litany of climate-related issues, including knowing the impact that oil had on the climate and suppressing it. These lawsuits are not the first of their kind, but signal a growing concern as oil companies are short on cash. Eni has acquired 100% of the shares in three wind farms, CDBG Enrico, CDBG Laerte, and Wind Park Laterza. Combined, the farms have an installed capacity of 35.2 MW and can produce 81 GWh annually, enough to offset 33,400 tonnes of Co2 emissions each year. The divestment craze is now targeting Liberty Mutual, with state legislators in Massachusetts asking the insurance giant to stop investing in fossil fuel projects. Whats more, the legislators are also asking Liberty to stop providing coverage for fossil fuel projects. S&P Global Platts has projected that fossil fuels will account for only 50% of the energy supply by 2050 if the world takes steps to meet the 2c warming target laid out by the Paris Agreement. Currently, fossil fuels share of the energy mix is about 77%. The IEA is warning that the EU is suffering the largest decline in nuclear reactors of the advanced economies, possibly tanking the blocs share of nuclear energy supplied electricity to just 5% by 2040, compared to 25% today. This is due to the EUs 126 aging fleet of reactors, most of which have a lifespan of 35 years, were built in the 70s and 80s. After this, the pace at which new nuclear reactors were constructed has slowed considerably. 89 of the 126 are now in a decommissioning phase. Deals, Divestments, M&A UAEs state-run ADNOC has struck a $20-billion deal with six global firms in what will surely be 2020s largest energy infrastructure deal in the world. Under the deal, ADNOC has formed a new subsidiary, ADNOC Gas Pipeline Assets, which will have lease rights to 38 pipelines. The six-companies will hold a combined 49% stake in the new subsidiary, leaving ADNOC with the rest. ADNOC will retain ownership of the pipelines. The project will bring more than $10 billion in direct investments to the UAE. The six companies are Brookfield Asset Management, GIC (Singapores sovereign wealth fund), Global Infrastructure Partners, NH Investment & Securities, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board, and Snam. After two decades, with four exploration licenses and 8 development and production leases, Italian giant Eni is now exploring an exit from Pakistan, where it is considering divesting producing assets in Bhit, Badhra and Kadanwari, as well as processing facilities and non-operating assets. Occidental Petroleum is looking for bids for its properties in Wyoming and Colorado by July 1 as part of its divestment campaign after it amassed nearly $40 billion in debt from its Anadarko Petroleum acquisition. Occidental is the largest private landowner in Wyoming thanks to its holdings in the Powder River Basin. Potentially millions of acres are up for grabs in what could fetch the oil company as much as $700 million. In separate news, Occidental said this week that it would take $9 billion in impairment charges for Q2 related to its assets as oil prices are expected to remain low. Discovery & Development After resolving the question about how far north oil companies can drill, Norway is planning to auction off as many as 136 new oil and gas exploration blocks, 125 of which are located in the Arctic Barents Sea off Norways coast. Norways 25th licensing round is an attempt to woo back oil majors who have stopped exploring off its coast because many prospects have come up dry or have been lackluster. The Barents Sea is still thought to hold a significant amount of oil despite some disappointing recent history. BP Oman is preparing to launch its Ghazeer field project, which is--at the time of writing--99% complete. The gas project will produce 500 mmcf. Overall, BP, which has invested over $9 billion out of its targeted $16 billion, is eyeing production of 10.5 trillion cubic feet from renewable gas resources at the Khazzan and Ghazeer projects in Oman. This update comes only a couple weeks after it was confirmed that BP was in early-stage talks to divest around a 10% stake (it holds 60%) in Khazzan for an estimated $1 billion. Kazakhstans state oil company KazMunayGas has found oil during a geological exploration in the Bekturly Vostochny exploration block in the western region of the country. The oil inflow fountain is coming out at a rate of up to 100 cubic meters per day. The project is operated by Becturly Energy Operating--a joint operation between KazMunayGas and Kokel Munai. KMG announced earlier that it had scrapped its idea of a 2020 IPO due to the pandemic as well as the state of the oil market. Energy Tech A Russian cybersecurity company is working on an anti-drone system that would discourage drones from flying over oil facilities. This comes just nine months after the devastating attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure took offline 5% of the worlds oil supplies last September. Flash The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) held a virtual seminar on ruling party building on June 19. The theme related to building a powerful ruling party which exercises governance for the people and is able to always advance with the times. Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC); Wu Yingjie, Secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee; Prachanda, Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and former Prime Minister of Nepal; Pokhrel, Member of the NCP Central Secretariat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Nepal; and more than 100 party members of the two sides took part in the seminar's opening ceremony that took the form of a video conference. Song firstly conveyed CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping's cordial regards to Prachanda, saying that China and Nepal have been good neighbors, good friends and good partners for generations. Xi's historic visit to Nepal last year had prompted the two parties to reach an important consensus on strengthening their exchanges in regard to experience in good governance. To hold the seminar was to implement the consensus between the two party leaders, further deepen mutual trust, advance bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework, better serve the people and promote common development, Song said. He also expounded China's stance and policy on Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and other issues. Wu introduced the historic achievements Tibet had obtained under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core since 2012. He said that the Tibet autonomous region paid special attention to deepening cooperation with Nepal in civil aviation, energy, trade, tourism and cultural exchanges, and was dedicated to the construction of an inter-connecting network across the Himalayas, to assisting Nepal to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and helping it to realize its vision of Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali. Tibet will continue to implement the CPC Central Committee's decisions and plans to strengthen its exchanges with Nepal at various levels and promote pragmatic cooperation with the neighbor to contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for the two countries, he pledged. Prachanda warmly echoed Xi's regards, and sent their good wish to the forthcoming 99th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. They spoke highly of the tremendous achievements China has made in pandemic control and economic development under the leadership of the CPC. They firmly believed that China would undoubtedly overcome the negative impacts of the pandemic, and realize its two centenary goals of national rejuvenation. Nepal appreciated the valuable support China was providing in its fight against the COVID-19, they said. The NCP highly approved the CPC's governing concept, and will continue to uphold the one-China policy and oppose any external forces interfering in China's internal affairs, the two officials added. The NCP expects to strengthen its exchanges with the CPC on governance experience, and take the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year as an opportunity to realize new development of Nepal's strategic partnership with China. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) Miriam College says it has formed an independent committee to investigate reports of harassment by some faculty members and promises to do better in providing a safe learning environment for its students. "The school has formed an independent institutional committee to look into reported incidents of sexual harassment committed by teachers on their students. The Committee is likewise mandated to recommend sanctions for those found guilty of inappropriate behavior," Miriam College said in a statement. "We encourage all aggrieved to speak out and voice their concerns to the Committee. Rest assured that all parties involved will be afforded due process through an impartial and objective proceeding," it added. MCHS said it will start accepting written reports of incidents on Monday, June 29 at safespaces@mc.edu.ph. Several students and alumni called for justice and accountability from Miriam College, after numerous reports of harassment by some faculty members surfaced online this week. At least 200 members of Miriam College High School (MCHS) batch 2006 signed and submitted a letter to the school's administration on Saturday, expressing support for their fellow students and calling for justice. "Today, we demand the accountability and action that students rightfully deserve," MCHS Pink 2006 said in a statement. The group of former students called upon the school to take action, including re-evaluating and improving reporting and investigation procedures for allegations of sexual harassment, empowering students to report incidents of abuse, establishing and implementing clear rules for student-teacher interaction, and requiring all school employees to undergo anti-sexual harassment training. "We, the members of Pink '06 have now been driven to act based on what Miriam education taught us: to do what is right in the face of blatant injustice. As former students, as critical thinkers, and as adults who believe in the collective cry of our young students, we ask Miriam College to do the same," it added. MCHSs student publication, The Magnificat, released a statement on Friday strongly condemning all forms of sexual harassment. "As an institution grounded in truth and justice, we must ask the school for transparency and accountability, demand justice for all victims, and take concrete action in making sure future students do not encounter the same kind of trauma ever again," The Magnificat said in a statement. The hashtag #MCHSdobetter was trending in the Philippines this week, with several students and alumni speaking up about their personal experiences of harassment by MCHS teachers. We can and should expect the same rigorous standards for clinical trials and regulation in alternative medicine as we do conventional ones. Editors Note: This copy was originally published on 27 June, 2020, days after Patanjali Ayurveda claimed that its medicine Coronil had shown favourable effects on COVID-19 patients. It has been republished on 1 July ahead of Ramdevs press conference at 12 pm. After a public launch of an alleged cure for COVID-19, Patanjali Ayurveds marketing stunt with Coronil has effectively backfired. The two COVID-19 treatments that the Ayurveda and FMCG giant launched last week were publicised prematurely and with no clinical data to prove they were even safe, let alone effective. The news was met with harsh criticism on social media, dragged through the dirt on Twitter within minutes of making headlines. Hours later and well after the controversy had erupted, the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) responded to the news with a stern statement, urging that Patanjali stop advertising their product till its claims were verified by the ministry, and the product given approval. If youve seen the trial report that Patanjali has sent out, it excludes everybody below 10 years and above 59 years, people with diabetes, hypertension, respiratory diseases, cancer, says Dr Om Srivastava, Visiting Professor (Infectious Diseases) and Director of the Infectious Diseases Department at Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai. To people who are asymptomatic in the mild form of the disease, the recovery rate is between 95 and 97 percent already. So what are you really achieving? Moreover, some practitioners are confused as to how Patanjali could have named, developed, and advertised a product without receiving approvals from the AYUSH ministry in the first place. If you look at the Pharmacopoeial Medicines R&R page which is applicable to homeopathy and any form of medication under AYUSH for that matter, the medicine requires approval before which you cant name a medicine. And till that happens, they cannot issue a public notice claiming and naming their drug, says Dr Radhika Tonsey, a homoeopathy physician who also consults at the Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children and Research Centre in Mumbai. The AYUSH ministry chief has since denied giving Patanjali clearance to sell or advertise Coronil, in an interview with Times Now. Meanwhile on Saturday, the Rajasthan Police lodged an FIR against Ramdev for launching the drug without regulatory approval, PTI, reported. Four others, including the MD of Ramdev-promoted Patanjali Ayurved Acharya Balkrishna, director of National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMS), Jaipur, BS Tomar, his son Anurag Tomar and senior scientist Anurag Varshney have also been named in the FIR, as per the report. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ashok Gupta said a case has been registered at the Jyoti Nagar Police Station in Jaipur on the basis of a complaint lodged by advocate Balram Jakhad. He said multiple complaints were received against Ramdev at various police stations. The five have been booked under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, according to police. The main accusation is cheating people under the garb of selling COVID-19 medicine, Jakhar told Indian Express. I will also approach the court to demand a CBI inquiry. It is our demand that action be taken against the accused. Jakhar, who identified himself to the newspaper as an independent advocate subscribing to the ideology of the Congress party, cited previous cases registered against Tomar to demand a detailed investigation into the matter. Stating that FIRs had earlier been registered against Tomar in different matters and he was also in judicial custody, Jakhar further told the newspaper, It should be investigated how Tomar, who runs a hospital not related to ayurved, launched this alleged COVID-19 medicine with Ramdev. We demand a detailed investigation into roles of every accused in the case. Tomar claimed that Patanjali had permission to conduct Coronil trials on patients, India Today reported. He said, "We had all required permissions for conducting the trial on patients. Prior permission for testing was taken from CTRI, which is a body of ICMR. I have papers to show permission." "Trials were conducted on 100 patients at NIMS, Jaipur and 69 percent of them were cured in three days, while 100 percent were cured in seven days," he further told India Today. He added, "The question of whether Coronil should have been propagated as an immunity booster or cure should be asked from Patanjali. We had informed the Rajasthan health department on 2 June." Patanjali claimed that it has complied with all legalities. The licence for the drug was obtained on the basis of the traditional knowledge and experience related to the medicinal virtues of Ashwagandha, Giloy and Tulsi, Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijarawala said, as per PTI. No illegal claim has been made on the label of the medicine, he further said. Patanjalis lax ethical standard is old news In the past, Patanjali has been reprimanded twice for flouting rules. The first, for its atta instant noodles, which it launched in 2016 without a mandatory approval from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The second was the sale of its amla juice, which was suspended after the Ministry of Defence's canteen stores department found it unfit for consumption in an adverse state-laboratory test on the product. Considering the impressive spread of over 45 kinds of cosmetics products, 30 types of food products, and hundreds of medical formulations under the Patanjali Ayurved umbrella, the lack of a mention anywhere on the companys website of a certificate of safety, ethics or good manufacturing is surprising. In 2019, a series of investigative reports by Business Standard reveal that the company acquired 400 acres of forested, hilly common land in Kot, in the Aravalli region by bending norms. In June 2019, the Maharashtra government handed over another 400-acre-plot of land to Patanjali reserved for Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), in Latur. In 2020, the Uttar Pradesh government offered the company a land subsidy to set up a proposed food park in Greater Noida. This, despite reports of the companys unplanned expansion, poor supply chain, inconsistent product quality and business practices, combined with an economic slowdown in 2019 having hurt its revenues, as per a report in The Print. Patanjalis ambition train hasnt quite run out of steam yet. 'No ethics, no medicine' Patanjali Ayurved has undeniably made a range of products easily accessible to the masses. Its Aloe Vera gel, for instance, has helped a lot of people overcome acne, skin allergies, and other dermatological problems, Tonsey says. It also has rave reviews on Amazon.in. And while some of their products have empirical evidence to stand on, can the same be said for all 2,500+ products made available at jaw-droppingly affordable prices countrywide on its website? Its Amla Churna, priced at Rs 24 for a 100g-bottle, has the listed ingredients Amla and the benefits Boosts digestion and reduces constipation, cures eye problem, reduces hair fall, cures cold, has antioxidant properties. Only two of the six surprisingly clear claims made and displayed are verifiable as per research studies carried out in the past. It doesnt help that Patanjalis formulations for its many thousands of products are not in the public domain, leaving the decision entirely to consumers to take on an implied degree of risk. Tonsey, says that Patanjali products have helped many consider Ayurveda as an accessible option for the first time. But for me, thats where it ends. Because the ethics at every stage are questionable...and when it comes to medicine, no matter what the system is, no ethics means no medicine, she said. Systems around alternative medicine are far from developed Alternative medicine has suffered a great deal more pressure to compete for the faith and attention of the public. More tangibly, the science of alternative medicine is seriously stunted by research funding in that it receives a dearth of it. This is the same case in many countries worldwide, not just India. Allopathy, on the other hand, has a track record to show for its growth and development over the years. It is considered more reliable, owing to its tried-and-tested format, with a potential drug today having to jump several hoops and pass through many hands in safety and efficacy tests before making it to consumers. These systems around allopathy have also expanded and evolved to meet rising demand and address a wide range of medical needs. Conventional medicine in India is governed and supervised by the Drug Controller General of India and has a competitive manufacturing market with local and international players. It also has a powerful body setting standards for drugs and medical devices across the country [the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)]. All three aim to serve the diverse and dynamic Indian pharmaceutical market in their own way. In stark contrast, the research, systems, and regulations governing alternative medicines in India are relatively rudimentary. The Ministry of AYUSH is the foremost authority in India that both governs and regulates the five distinct disciplines under its domain. Directly under the AYUSH ministrys wing are five research councils, two regulatory bodies for education and practice (with a separate body for homoeopathy), three testing and research laboratories, and eleven educational institutions. Apart from these, the ministry bands together Task Forces, as and when needed for special circumstances. Most recently, an interdisciplinary Task Force was formed under AYUSH to look into suitable research avenues in addressing COVID-19 with AYUSH treatments. This was announced after the backlash it received for its controversial advisory dated 6 March, which listed many general preventive medicines for boosting immunity in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Questionable medical advice from AYUSH without supporting research In a COVID-19 advisory published on 6 March, AYUSH made a variety of recommendations for symptomatic relief from COVID-19. As per the report, these are based on classical texts of which there are several, and scientific literature which is universally and traditionally used in research with citations, not as an unlisted bibliography at the end of the report. The lack of sources cited for the specific recommendations made in the advisory, and other guidelines for COVID-19 treatment published around the same time, has left practitioners of alternative medicine either hunting for valid proof themselves, or flouting further unsupported claims about these medicines in the news. The preventive ayurvedic medicines Camphora 1M and Arsenic album 30 recommended by the ministry's COVID-19 advisory have reportedly been flying off shelves, being distributed to police officers, and even preemptively popped by the general public without seeking the advice of a medical professional. Allopathic medicines that are being considered as treatments for COVID-19 are being subjected to rigorous clinical trials to test their efficiency against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Some candidates have even been shown to work in specific cases, in preliminary clinical settings. For instance, the inexpensive steroid drug dexamethasone, too, has reportedly been stockpiled without a valid prescription. Any misuse could have potentially dangerous consequences. There is not a single published study or trial, specific to the coronavirus, that proves arsenic alba, or any other compound for that matter, is effective to prevent infection. And yet, the advisory recommended a sizable list of preventives and prophylaxis for COVID-19, including Arsenic album 30 and camphora. Some Unani medicines are even listed with unclear instructions for how to use them; phrases like boil it till it remains half- filter it appear to be unedited after a language translation to English. The real dangers of AYUSHs messaging, without follow-through AYUSHs approach of prescribing preventive medicine for COVID-19 brings out the plausible loophole that Patanjali themselves have openly flouted. The huge gaps in acceptable research standards for alternative medicine in India, and regulation of AYUSH practice in accordance with guidelines, have left considerable room for error and malpractice. In an interview with Infinity Foundation, Dr Dayananda R D from Prakruthi Ayurveda Prathishtana in Mysore, explains that the equivalent of vaccination for prevention in Ayurveda is not easy, but possible with personalised advice from an Ayurvedic doctor. To improve ones immune defense...(Ayurveda) prescribes certain improvements through food, lifestyle and certain medicines, to be taken with regulations. To make it generalised is a slightly difficult task, and so the person can go to a doctor and personalise it according to their desa (place of birth), the disease, and their prakriti (nature), Dayananda says. This important condition is not highlighted by AYUSH in any of their advisories, making for incomplete advice. The potential dangers of popping allopathic medicines may very well be greater than their plant-based counterparts. But the combination of subjective medical advice and a lack of regulation in AYUSH drugs as it stands today, leaves room for improper dosage, interpretation and potential misuse. Those taking AYUSH-recommended medicines are likely to develop a false bravado vis-a-vis the extent to which theyre protected from infections. With medicine, particularly ones that are not prescribed by a medical professional and given out as general advice, the potential for misuse needs to be considered with added caution. Camphora is given in a state of collapse...when there are so many symptoms similar to a state of collapse, like sweating profusely, or not responding, semi-conscious or comatose, Tonsey says. If something happens to anybody, who is going to take responsibility for it? Half-baked recommendations in a pandemic could also potentially worsen the load on the already-burdened public healthcare system, and ongoing efforts to ensure the pandemic doesnt spread further. Coming at a time when the public has been advised to be cautious and alert for symptoms of an infection that we are only now beginning to understand, it is arguably unacceptable. The AYUSH ministrys attempt to quell publicity around Patanjalis Coronil was about as effective as its general approach to misinformation going around about remedies effective to prevent COVID-19 that is, not at all. The ministry has also not followed through on its own advice, as of April 2020, to take necessary action against Patanjali for contravening the relevant legal provisions they outlined for advertising unapproved AYUSH products. After The New York Times published a report by The Associated Press on 17 April titled Some People Turn to Herbal Medicine for Virus without Proof, the Press Information Bureaus Director-General responded to the NYT editor (instead of AP's Editor) with a letter pointing out the authors unprofessional attempts to revive cliched stereotypes and assertions...not aligned to the facts of the matter. Nonetheless, the PIBs effort to defend the governments and AYUSHs debatable actions is admirable. But PIB doesn't appear to have considered the larger threat to people who swear by Ayurveda and homoeopathy. The consequences of the government's and AYUSH's actions spill over to the development of these disciplines themselves, which cannot afford to be compromised any further than they already are. Ayurveda and homoeopathy work very differently than conventional medicines do Ayurveda and homoeopathy are arguably two of the biggest pseudoscientific* practices under the AYUSH umbrella. Started in 2014, the Ministry was set up with the goal of "optimal development and propagation" of the systems of health care under its domain, through education, research and propagation of indigenous alternative medicine systems. [*pseudoscientificfalsely or mistakenly claimed or regarded as being based on a scientific method] Homoeopathy and Ayurveda are both rooted in solid philosophies of their own and are among the most popular forms of alternative medicine around today. They also have two very different origins and governing principles. Homeopathy claims that like cures like (i.e. that a substance causing symptoms in large doses, can be used in minute doses to treat similar symptoms). Ayurveda is based on the principle of preventing and treating illness by maintaining balance in different senses of humour in the body, and harmony between the body, mind and environment. Fundamental to the sciences of both homoeopathy and Ayurveda is a strong belief in personalised medicine that there is no one size fits all in treatment. To add, some remedies take time to work on the body and dont guarantee sure-shot cures to an illness any illness. They also dont have active ingredients and the associated benefits of a specific action that allopathic medicines do. By design, they aim to address an ailment from the roots, and as a result, take a varying amount of time to act depending on how acute or chronic the ailment is. Often, a patient requires other prescribed lifestyle changes alongside treatment to improve their quality of life. We can and should expect the same rigorous standards for clinical trials and regulations in alternative medicine as we do conventional ones. Experts say that a serious shortcoming in the veracity of AYUSH research is the lack of digitised manuscripts, so researchers can authenticate their findings based on original sources. This, along with the stronger regulation of AYUSH medicines and higher standards for practitioners of these fields could give Ayurveda and homoeopathy a fighting chance at breaking unfounded stereotypes and appealing to a wider range of people as a true, viable alternative to conventional medicine. The Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH was approached on the morning of 25 June with the following questions via email: What proof does AYUSH have that Arsenic alba and camphora are effective to prevent COVID-19? How was Patanjali Ayurved granted permission to name and launch their product without finding the required 'Genus epidemicus'? Does AYUSH intend to reprimand Patanjali for going against the rules set by them? The Secretary hasn't responded with his comments till the time of publication. The story will be updated with the ministry's responses if/when we receive them. Welcome to New York! Now dont come near us for two weeks. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are the latest states to enact 14-day traveller quarantines to try to check the spread of the coronavirus. After being slammed by the outbreak this spring, the states governors hope they can preserve their hard-won recovery by making travellers from more than a half-dozen hot-spot states isolate themselves. There were few details Friday on how the newly enacted quarantine will be enforced, but playbooks from other states include everything from making new arrivals fill out forms to having National Guard members knock on doors. And while its impossible to keep an eye out on every hotel, every highway, every airport and every bus terminal, the policies could have an immediate effect if they discourage people from coming in the first place. Right now, I think youre going to find that a lot of people who maybe were thinking about flying to Connecticut from Miami Beach or Dallas-Fort Worth are going to take a pause, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said. I think most of them will be staying at home. Thats what I want to have happen. ALSO READ: Covid-19 Travel Guidelines: All you need to know about travel precautions during Unlock 1 in India The three states have previous experience with travel quarantines though as targets instead of enforcers. In March, as caseloads climbed ominously in the New York City area, Florida and Texas separately issued orders requiring people flying in from the New York tri-state area to quarantine for 14 days. In Florida, travelers from the three states arriving on commercial flights or via Interstate-95 fill out a form that includes their phone number and address where they will be staying. The Florida Highway Patrol makes sure quarantines are being followed, including through in-person visits, according to a state spokesperson. Officials in Rhode Island took more aggressive steps that same month, deploying National Guard troops door to door in coastal areas to inform any New Yorkers who may have come to the state that they must self-quarantine for 14 days. Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo also had state police stopping vehicles with New York license plates and giving the occupants copies of her quarantine demand. The door knocks and vehicle stops were halted within weeks and Rhode Island eventually extended the mandatory quarantine to visitors from every other state except those from bordering Massachusetts and Connecticut who were merely commuting to and from work. Did Rhode Islands hard line work? Raimondo said it did as part of a broader effort including testing and mask mandates. I think its a good idea, she said this week. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield was less sure about state-to-state quarantines. We dont have any evidence-based data to support the public health value of that decision, he said when asked Thursday about the move by Northeast states. Alaska and Hawaii both implemented a 14-day quarantine for people arriving in those states. Hawaii has been especially aggressive in enforcing the ban and has arrested violators. When travellers land in Hawaii, airport officials verify their arrangements by contacting hotels. Tourism officials follow up to verify travellers are in quarantine. Authorities rely on tips from hotel workers and other residents to catch quarantine breakers. Theres even a 4,000-member Facebook group dedicated to making sure visitors adhere to the rules. Alaska this month gave travellers the option of testing to avoid the mandatory quarantine. Hawaii on Wednesday announced it was adopting a similar plan to Alaskas which would take effect in August. Now, as pandemic hotspots shift, states in the New York City region are asking travellers to quarantine if theyre coming from states with high infection rates. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the initial list of states include Texas and Florida, as well as Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina and Utah. We are talking to the airlines right now about our ability as a state to question people ... coming into, our airports, gathering information from them, doing checks ... on them, temperature checks etc., Cuomo told reporters Friday. Cuomo on CNN on Thursday mentioned random checks to make sure people are quarantining. The operators of the three major New York City region airports which had more than 300 flights arriving from Florida airports over the week ending Wednesday have already put up Covid-19 Travel Advisory signs with targeted states outlined in red. Signs also were being posted at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. City hotels will ask if incoming guests have travelled from states on the quarantine list, said Lisa Linden, a spokesperson for the Hotel Association of New York City. Airbnb was notifying its hosts in the three states about the quarantine as it took steps to make sure potential guests were informed, said spokesman Sam Randall. In Connecticut, portable electronic signs were placed along major interstates near the borders. The operators of Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, said they are working with carriers to make clear they expect on-board announcements about the quarantine on arriving flights. Messages are also posted throughout the terminal building, said Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. Dillon noted that flights to places like Florida, North Carolina and Texas are being affected. There no doubt it will have an impact at Bradley airport, he said. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter IDBI Bank on Saturday announced that its board has approved the proposal to sell a portion of its 48% stake in IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company Limited (IFLI). The lender plans to sell a part of its stake to Federal Bank and its Dutch partner Ageas Insurance International NV. The stake sale of 27% in the venture will result in IDBI Bank's holding coming down to 21%, as per the regulatory filing. Post the stake sale, Ageas's stake in the insurance company will increase by 23% to 49%, while Federal Bank's stake will increase by 4% to 30%. Bank has to divest its stake in its insurance joint venture due to the insurance regulations, according to which an insurer cannot own more than 10% stake in another insurer. LIC received indirect ownership at the insurance firm after it had acquired a 51% controlling stake in IDBI Bank in January 2019. "The decision is subject to all regulatory approvals to be taken by all related parties and agreements which are yet to be finalised," IDBI Bank said in a statement. India better placed than many nations in fight against COVID-19 due to lockdown: PM Modi Coronavirus-induced economic crisis could test $1 trillion war chest, says IMF MD New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday extended warm wishes and felicitations to his Madagascar counterpart Andry Rajoelina and the Malagasy people on the occasion of Madagascar's 60th Independence Day. "I extend warmest wishes and felicitations to His Excellency @SE_Rajoelina, Govt and people of Madagascar on the occasion of Madagascar's 60th Independence Day. I fondly recall visiting Madagascar in 2018. India deeply values its ties with Madagascar," the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on its official twitter page. The President noted that the partnership between India and Madagascar has been the best, based on a common vision for peace, prosperity and security in the Indian Ocean and beyond. "I take this opportunity to convey my best wishes to your Excellency and through you to the people of Madagascar for good health, well being and early recovery from the challenges of the covid pandemic," Kovind said in his message to Rajoelina. (ANI) By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States and European Union need a shared understanding of China to resist it, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday, calling Beijing a threat and accusing it of stealing European know-how to develop its economy. Pompeo said he had accepted a proposal by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to create a formal U.S.-EU dialogue on China and would travel to Europe soon to host the first session. "There is a transatlantic awakening to the truth of what's happening," Pompeo told a think-tank event via video link. "This isn't the United States confronting China, this is the world confronting China," he said. Borrell raised the idea of a U.S.-EU dialogue earlier this month at the end of a video call between Pompeo and EU foreign ministers. While details are thin, Pompeo said it would be run by senior officials and would be open-ended. Two EU diplomats said the dialogue could be a forum for tackling issues such as how to combat what the West says is Chinese disinformation, rather than forging a common trade policy. However, while the EU shares many of Washington's concerns about what it says are predatory Chinese trade practices to dominate strategic industries, Brussels wants to tread a middle path between China and the United States. The EU, the world's biggest trading bloc, held talks with Chinese leaders on Monday and sees Beijing as a partner in fighting climate change as well as an economic rival. Pompeo said the EU needed to act against China, whom he accused of stealing intellectual property in Europe and abusing the rules-based trading system, to protect its economies, not as a favour for the United States. "They have access to our capital markets in ways we don't have access to theirs," he said of China's financial system. Pompeo added that the new U.S.-EU dialogue would share information on China. While he said there would be differing opinions in the committee, he hoped it would be "a catalyst for action", although he did not go into details. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Mark Heinrich) A crisis exposes the contradiction inherent in a society in various forms. That is an important lesson from history. The confusion caused by the COVID-19 crisis has brought various problems of Japanese society into focus. But that also means an opportunity to drastically reform society in one go. It must be closely watched whether the government will address those problems in its basic economic and fiscal policies and growth strategy to be released this summer. The first question concerns promoting cashless payments. Among major developed countries, the ratio of cashless settlement remains low in Japan, along with Germany. Symbolic of this problem is the old-fashioned system of settlements among banks. In such countries as the United States, Britain and France, interbank transfers do not require any fee equivalent to the one charged in Japan because a fee is commonly imposed on the maintenance of bank accounts. In Japan, a fee of A117 is required for transfer of less than A30,000 and A162 for A30,000 or more. The high fees are hampering the spread of cashless settlement. The interbank transfer fees in Japan have not been changed for more than 40 years. In a sense, Japanas banking system was solidly built over the industry's long history. On the other hand, it is tough to adapt to a new system. Whether reform of the interbank settlement system will proceed this time will serve as a touchstone for overall reform of Japan for better or worse. Also important will be the next phase of reform a how to make use of the big data that promotion of cashless payments is expected to collect. Japan needs to promptly build a strategy to deal with this kind of leading-edge issues so that it can use the fruits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for economic growth. The second problem that needs to be addressed is ways of working. The average working hours per day in April this year was one hour and 23 minutes shorter than a year ago. According to a survey taken in April and May amid the COVID-19 crisis, 66 percent of the respondents a the largest group a said that enabling people to take side jobs would be the most effective solution to such work-related problems. Japanese companies, in particular major firms, still cling to long-term employment and seniority-based promotion. However, promoting side jobs for employees is also necessary from the viewpoint of increasing the level of mobility in the labor market that is required in the "100-year life" era. One problem here is that many companies do not allow their employees to hold side jobs for practical reasons a because under current labor laws employers are required to manage the employees' work hours including the time spent on side jobs. A practical solution must be presented to managing the work hours of those employees. The third issue relates to a topic that's gaining attention recently: the method of distributing cash payouts and subsidies to individuals and businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some opposition parties and the media have criticized the government for commissioning certain private-sector companies to do the actual work of distributing the cash on its behalf. However, discussions over the matter must go deeper a to structural reform of the nation's administrative system. Page Content In the second half of 2020, the Government of Sint Maarten, assisted by the World Bank, will embark on the US$15 Million Digital Government Transformation Project. This project aims to improve selected public services for citizens and businesses. In addition, the project will increase the reliability and resilience of Governments information systems. More information about the project can be found at https://nrpbsxm.org/digitalgov/. Call for stakeholders and publics feedback An important requirement of this project is that it does not cause any negative environmental or social impacts. To address this, an Environmental and Social Assessment of the Project has been carried out in compliance with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) requirements. The measures which will be applied to address any potential environmental or social risks are published on the project website. The public is encouraged to visit https://nrpbsxm.org/digitalgov/ to review the project details and provide feedback using the online forms available on the site. You may also email your comments to dtpinfo@nrpbsxm.org. Consultation plan Given the importance of close consultation and to ensure proper and effective consultation, the Digital Government Transformation Project is calling on all stakeholders and beneficiaries to review the three ESF documents; namely the Environmental and Social management Framework, the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan. These draft documents require input from stakeholders and beneficiaries for finalization. Please go to https://nrpbsxm.org/digitalgov/ and scroll to the ESF section to review the following ESF documents: 1. Environment and Social Management Framework 2. Environment and Social Commitment Plan 3. Stakeholder Engagement Plan The Digital Government Transformation Project is financed by the Sint Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience Trust Fund. The Trust Fund is financed by the Government of The Netherlands, managed by The World Bank, and implemented in collaboration with the Government of Sint Maarten by The National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB). Contacts: In Washington, Hannah McDonald-Moniz, +1 202 458-2896, hmcdonaldmoniz@worldbank.org In Philipsburg, Giselle York, +1 721 585 6404, g.york@nrpbsxm.org For more information, please visit: Twitter: @WBCaribbean On February 11 in Geneva, a brand new term was uttered by Tedros Adhanom, head of the World Health Organisation. "I'll spell it," the director-general said carefully to the assembled global media. "C-O-V-I-D hyphen one nine." It is the word that will define this year, and possibly the decade. Whatever other legacies the virus will bestow on us, it has had an impact on our language, with a whole lexicon of occasionally mystifying words and phrases. As far as the menacing spread of neologisms and jargon is concerned, Covid-19 has been the biggest "super spreader event" of the century. There does not seem to be any herd immunity from this newfangled verbiage. When it comes to bamboozling jargon, cliches, and random quotes in the Covid-19 crisis, "the limit does not exist". The last phrase was used by Leo Varadkar, and it was borrowed from the 2004 teenage comedy film Mean Girls, apparently after the Taoiseach was dared to do so by actor Sean Astin from Lord of the Rings. That was after our most powerful politician quoted a line uttered by Astin (who played Samwise Gamgee in the movie trilogy) in an earlier statement. As one commentator has noted, Varadkar has found his inner hobbit during this crisis. Quoting directly from the JRR Tolkien epic, he said: "In the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines, it'll shine out the clearer." In other words, don't worry, the bars will soon open, and the hairdressers will have their scissors out in phase 3. When it comes to contamination with a bewildering array of infectious terminology, there is no sign that the country is "flattening the curve". That was the term used for trying to bring down the steep slope in the graph as the number of cases grew. New Zealand's government went to greater extremes to stop the virus and was said to have "crushed the curve". Throughout the crisis, Boris Johnson has seemed incapable of gravitas and talked about how he would "squash that sombrero". Blundering Boris has seemed like a model statesman when compared with Donald Trump, who started out suggesting that Covid-19 was no more serious than the "common flu". Since then he has drawn criticism for referring to the disease as the "Chinese virus" and even "kung flu". How we long for the days before January of this year, when knowledge of the term 'coronavirus' was largely confined to earnest scientists in white coats and goggles. But we are all virologists, immunologists and epidemiologists now. Video of the Day Any "covideo" party bore can regale us with the latest details of the "case fatality rate", the "incubation period", and the shameful shortage of "PPE" - personal protective equipment. They may have had plenty of time to do so now that they may be on "furlough", the strangely Americanised term for being laid off temporarily. One can only look back with fondness to a time, just four months ago, when the word "covidiot" was unheard of. This was the finger-wagging technical term for the individual who insisted on flagrantly ignoring public health advice by, say, sunbathing and drinking cans in the park. Then the Taoiseach was spotted drinking a can with his top off in the Phoenix Park, and it became the "new normal". Early in the crisis, we wagged our fingers at the "covidiots" who responded to the pandemic by loading their shopping trolleys with toilet rolls. Before it became part of everyday parlance, "cocooning" was thought to be a stage in the lifecycle of a butterfly. Then its meaning suddenly referred to forcing old people to stay at home. Superheroes The Government defined "cocooning" as a "measure to protect people who are over 70 and those who are extremely medically vulnerable by minimising all interaction between them and others". With over-70s confined to their homes, "cocooning" sounded so much more reassuring than what was in effect house arrest. Varadkar veered between uplifting lines from Seamus Heaney and the sort of quote you would read on a T-shirt bought in a 1 store: "Not all superheroes wear capes some wear scrubs and gowns." It was left to Tony Holohan, as big a celebrity as Ryan Tubridy by now, to give us the definitive expert commentary on "community transmission". The chief medical officer told the nation: "While Ireland remains in a containment phase, we will eventually move to delay phase and then on to mitigation phase." Few had the foggiest notion of what he was talking about, but it had a reassuring air to it. Holohan knew how to put things delicately. Asked whether people should follow the Dutch model and have a "sex buddy", he talked euphemistically of "engagements between people in different households" and "intimate contact". The video-conferencing app Zoom came of age in the crisis, and there were mentions of the "elephant in the zoom" (a bizarre and unforeseen happening in a digital meeting that nobody cares to mention, such as an MEP not wearing trousers). In the longueurs of the lockdown, some were tempted to indulge in "zoomshaming", pointing out the trashy volumes and tasteless knick-knacks on participants' bookshelves. Some of the new Covid-19 terms have caught on more than others. Anybody for a "quarantini" (an alcoholic drink consumed at home) or will it be a "locktail"? Or are you too busy "doomscrolling" (addictively following grim coronavirus news) or "zoombombing" (intruding on private video-conference meetings)? Of course, the language has varied across the world. In parts of America, the virus is known as "Miss Rona" or "the rona". In Germany, the panic buyers who hoarded food were said to be engaging in a "hamsterkauf" ('hamster buying'), while "coronaspeck" (corona fat) is defined as the fat deposited by weeks of stay-at-home grazing. It remains to be seen how many of these phrases will survive as the virus subsides. They could disappear as Covid-19 vanishes. But then we could have a second wave and they really will be the new normal. Thank God for social distancing. Violent protests and civil unrest continue to sweep the US, with police clashing with demonstrators in Virginia after riots broke out in Portland and Seattle during another night of chaos. Six people were arrested in Richmond on Friday night after protesters faced off with cops, pelting them with paintballs and other 'hard objects', police said. Chaos broke out near the Robert E. Lee statue where a crowd of 75 to 100 people had gathered and remained at 10pm - despite grounds closing at sunset. Richmond Police declared an unlawful assembly minutes later after protesters began to fire paintballs at officers, leaving four cops and one trooper injured. One officer required hospital treatment after he was struck in the back of the helmet with a hard object, authorities said. Violent scenes unfolded at Richmond's Robert E. Lee statue grounds on Friday night, where protesters faced off with police VA State Police released bodycam footage they say shows fireworks being launched by protesters It feels like tear gas has been deployed. Explosives everywhere. Staying safe and backing away pic.twitter.com/AspjsDWVQR Andrew Ringle (@aeringle) June 27, 2020 Demonstrators face police during a protest against racial inequality in front of the City Hall in Richmond on Tuesday The memorial has become a site of recent clashes and unrest as protesters call for the removal of Confederate statues Chaos broke out near the Robert E. Lee statue on Friday where a crowd of 75 to 100 people had gathered and remained by 10pm - despite grounds closing at sunset. Pictured: Crowds gather around the defaced monument earlier this month The RPD said they did not use tear gas on demonstrators but one officer discharged pepper spray at one point 'due to ongoing assaults from the crowds.' Five adults and one minor were arrested in the confrontation. Their charges range from unlawful assembly, obstruction of justice, trespassing and assaulting a law enforcement officer. Shortly after the area was cleared out at 11.30, protesters allegedly began shooting fireworks at officers, VA State Police said. The department released body cam footage that showed the explosives being launched. 'At least one of the protester's pyrotechnics spun out of control & struck an individual in the media,' state police said. The memorial has become a site of recent clashes and unrest as protesters call for the removal of Confederate statues and other monuments across the country. SEATTLE: On Friday, a group of rioters were seen hurling rocks at Seattle's West Precinct, smashing one of the windows Photos on social media showed damaged to the windows after angry protesters smashed them SEATTLE: A person tries to take away a hammer from a man at left who was using it to remove artwork on barricades Friday at the CHOP (Capitol Hill Occupied Protest) zone in Seattle on Friday SEATTLE: Protesters lie down and sit in the street after workers and heavy equipment from the Seattle Department of Transportation arrived at the the CHOP with the intention of removing barricades The 12-ton, 21-foot statue of Lee is especially symbolic in Richmond, the former capitol of the Confederacy. Friday's skirmish comes amid weeks of demonstrations across the US, triggered by the death of George Floyd on May 25. Across the country on the west coast, protests in Seattle and Portland have escalated into chaos as police precincts have come under siege. Seattle officials have come under mounting pressure to regain control of the city where protesters established a 'police-free' Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ). On Friday, a group of rioters were seen hurling rocks at Seattle's West Precinct, smashing one of the windows, KOMO-TV reported. Officers dressed in riot gear quickly intervened and dispersed crowds. No officers were injured. Protests carried on into the night in Portland after the police North Precinct was set on fire earlier that morning. Video footage released by Portland Police Friday showed the moment a man was assaulted by 'violent demonstrators' downtown. PORTLAND: Photo released by the Portland Police Department shows damage to buildings after protesters vandalized businesses and set fire to a precinct earlier that morning PORTLAND: Videos and images posted to social media by demonstrator James Martin showed several separate fires set up at barricades placed between protesters and police on Thursday night and into Friday morning PORTLAND: Demonstrations turned violent in Portland on Thursday night and Friday morning, with protesters started several fires and cops firing tear gas in an attempt to disperse crowds The group was seen beating and kicking a man between Morrison Street and 4th Avenue around 4am on Wednesday, local news station KOIN reported. One of the attackers was allegedly seen with a gun before the attack, police said. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan met with demonstrators Friday after some lay in the street or sat on barricades to thwart the city's effort to dismantle an 'occupied' protest zone that has drawn scorn from President Trump and a lawsuit from nearby businesses. Crews arrived with heavy equipment early Friday morning at the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, an occupied protest zone in Seattle, ready to dismantle barriers set up after protesters seized the area June 8 following clashes with police. But by mid-morning, they appeared to have backed off rather than risk conflict. A spokesperson said late Friday the mayor met with Black ministers and some of the organizers and suggested 'steps that she believes can be taken in the coming days, including the removal of the barriers to create more access.' Seattle police had no plans to return this weekend to a nearby precinct that was abandoned following clashes with demonstrators, Durkan's spokesperson said. Angola, IN (46703) Today Snow during the morning will give way to some clearing during the afternoon. High 23F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low around 10F. Winds light and variable. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 26, 2020) - Osoyoos Cannabis Inc. (CSE: OSO) ("Osoyoos" or the "Company") announced today that it has agreed to acquire 100% of the shares (the "Acquisition") of 1196691 B.C. Ltd. d/b/a "PCAI Pharma" (the "Parent") the parent company that holds 100% of the shares of AI Pharmaceuticals Jamaica Limited ("AI Pharma"). AI Pharma is engaged in the research and development of cannabis (cannabinoids) and mushrooms (psilocin) based pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical formulations and related intellectual property. In connection with the Acquisition, the Company has entered into a share purchase agreement (the "Share Purchase Agreement") dated June 26, 2020 between the Company, as purchaser, and the shareholders of the Parent, as vendors. Under the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company agreed to purchase from the vendors and the vendors agreed to sell to the Company all of the issued and outstanding shares (the "Parent Shares") of the Parent. In consideration for the Parent Shares, the Company agreed to pay to the vendors a purchase price of $2,520,000, to be satisfied by issuing to the vendors an aggregate of 36,000,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.07 per share. The transaction was negotiated at arm's length with the vendors. The Share Purchase Agreement contains representations, warranties, covenants, and conditions, including conditions precedent, that are typical of a transaction of this nature. The completion of the Acquisition expected to occur on or around June 30, 2020. About AI Pharma AI Pharma is a private corporation incorporated and operating under the laws of Jamaica, 100% owned by 1196691 B.C. Ltd. d/b/a "PCAI Pharma" (www.pcai.ca). The business of AI Pharma involves science, research, treatment, data mining and artificial intelligence, focused on the development of combinatorial pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals utilizing compounds from cannabis (cannabinoids), psychedelic mushrooms (psilocybin), fungi and other psychedelic formulations and their related medicinal global intellectual property protection, which may lead to the development, testing and production of high-quality, legal, medicinal products and treatments that can be brought to market and used to treat clinical conditions and improve wellness. AI Pharma's business, with its combinatorial discovery research utilizing cannabis in association with a Jamaican-based Cannabis License Authority licensed partner, is at an early stage and has not yet generated revenues. Story continues About Osoyoos Cannabis Inc. Osoyoos Cannabis Inc. has a joint-venture agreement with a private, vertically-integrated licensed producer under the Cannabis Act (Canada) to offer contract tolling extraction services to third-party businesses. The Company is also seeking out other opportunities within the cannabis industry both in Canada and internationally. For further information, please contact: Graham Simmonds Chief Executive Officer (416) 843-2881 jgrahamsimmonds@gmail.com DISCLAIMER & READER ADVISORY Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "may", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the Acquisition, the completion of the Acquisition and the business of AI Pharma. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the parties. The material factors and assumptions include regulatory and other third-party approvals; licensing and other risks. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/58703 By Shadia Nasralla LONDON (Reuters) - Last fall, European Space Agency satellites detected huge plumes of the invisible planet-warming gas methane leaking from the Yamal pipeline that carries natural gas from Siberia to Europe. Energy consultancy Kayrros estimated one leak was spewing out 93 tonnes of methane every hour, meaning the daily emissions from the leakage were equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide pumped out in a year by 15,000 cars in the United States. The find, which has not been reported, is part of a growing effort by companies, academics and some energy producers to use space-age technology to find the biggest methane leaks as the potent heat-trapping gas builds up rapidly in the atmosphere. Kayrros, which is analysing the satellite data, said another leak nearby was gushing at a rate of 17 tonnes an hour and that it had informed Yamal's operator Gazprom about its findings this month. Gazprom did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the leaks identified by Kayrros. Up to now, estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from industries have relied mainly on paper-based calculations of what's pouring out of tailpipes and smokestacks, based on the amount of energy consumed by people and businesses. But as satellite technology improves, researchers are starting to stress test the data - and the early results show leaky oil and gas industry infrastructure is responsible for far more of the methane in the atmosphere than previously thought. Such a revelation would heap pressure on energy companies already targeted by climate activists and investors for their contribution to carbon dioxide emissions - to find and plug methane leaks. The new satellite discoveries of methane leaks could also lead to more stringent regulatory regimes targeting natural gas, once seen as a "clean" fossil fuel, as governments seek to combat climate change, experts say. While scientists generally agree that calculating emissions based on consumption works well for carbon dioxide, it is less reliable for methane, which is prone to unexpected leaks. Story continues Methane is also 80 times more potent during its first 20 years in the atmosphere and scientists say that identifying methane sources is crucial to making the drastic emissions cuts needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. "What this now shows is that the avoidance of that fossil leakage actually can have a larger impact than what was anticipated earlier," said Imperial College London climate scientist Joeri Rogelj, who is one of the authors for reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). GRAPHIC-Global methane intensity on the rise https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/oakpeazljpr/Global%20methane%20intensity.png PIVOTAL DISCOVERY A study in February's Nature magazine reinforced the idea that the oil and gas industry produces far more methane than previously thought as it suggested emissions of the gas from natural causes have been significantly overestimated. The findings don't let farming off the hook - it's still responsible for a quarter of the methane in the atmosphere - but they suggest mud volcanoes and natural oil and gas seepages have been taking some of the heat for the energy industry's leaks. Some big oil and gas companies such as BP and Royal Dutch Shell are tackling the issue by investing in satellite companies or signing monitoring deals so they can find and plug their leaks and stick to pledges to slash emissions. The push to detect emissions from the sky began when U.S. advocacy group Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and universities including Harvard used aerial measurements to show methane leaks from America's oil and gas heartland were 60% above inventories reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That 2018 report was pivotal, said Christophe McGlade, a senior researcher at the International Energy Agency (IEA). "What they found from actual ground and aerial measurements is that the engineering-based approach can really underestimate total emissions," he said. "Maybe if emissions were higher in the United States than previous estimates, maybe they were higher in other parts of the world too?" A year later, Canadian greenhouse gas monitoring company GHGSat found another major leak at pipeline and compressor infrastructure near the Korpezhe field in Turkmenistan. In an October report, GHGSat estimated the leak released 142,000 tonnes of methane in the 12 months to the end of January 2019 and said then it was the biggest on record. GHGSat said the leak was plugged in April 2019 after state oil company Turkmen Oil was notified. Turkmen Oil officials could not be reached for comment. The company declined to comment when asked about it in November. "That one emission that we found together represents about one million cars taken off the road per year," said GHGSat founder Stephane Germain. Now, the more recent Kayrros discovery has added to the evidence that undetected methane leaks from the energy industry are a global issue and a major one. RUSSIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT Kayrros said its analysis of the satellite data showed concentrations of methane around compressor stations along the pipeline linking Russian gasfields to Europe. The Yamal-Europe pipeline stretches 2,000 km (1,250 miles) from Germany through Poland and Belarus to Russia where it joins the 2,200 km SRTOTorzhok pipeline to Siberia's gasfields. Gazprom estimated that about 0.29% of the 679 billion cubic metres of gas it moved through its pipeline network escaped as methane emissions in 2019. Yamal has an annual capacity of about 33 billion cubic metres. "These figures correspond to the best global practices," Gazprom said in a June 10 statement about its emissions. Kayrros also discovered leaks from oil and gas installations in the Sahara Desert in North Africa. "Early results show that the estimates we have been relying on for the last years and decades are probably too low and we're finding more methane coming out of various industries and regions than we thought was the case," said Christian Lelong, director for natural resources at Kayrros. McGlade said the IEA increased the projected contributions of several countries in central Asia and North Africa in its Methane Tracker this year because of the satellite detections. He singled out Russia as one country where official methane emissions estimates were likely too low. According to current IEA estimates of methane emitting countries, Russia is closely followed by the United States, with other large oil and gas producers such as Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia further down the list. "Our estimates suggest that Russia is actually among the higher emitters globally. There does appear to be evidence from satellites of leaks along some of its large gas pipeline routes," McGlade said. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the IEA estimates. GRAPHIC-Estimates for Russian methane emissions https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/rlgpdllmnpo/Estimates%20of%20Russian%20methane%20emissions.png MORE SATELLITES The scrutiny from space is set to intensify. GHGSat aims to launch two new satellites this year while the EDF advocacy group plans to launch its own satellite in 2022. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is also working on a satellite monitoring programme for greenhouse gas emissions, specifically in the United States. Shell signed a deal with GHGSat last year to work towards covering its sites globally, saying it hopes to get its methane leakage rate down to 0.2%, or below, by 2025. BP is planning to cover its sites with constant measurements by 2023 and invested $5 million this month in Satelytics, an analytics firm that tracks methane emissions using satellites. BP, Shell and U.S. non-profit EDF - along with Eni, Total, Equinor and Wintershall Dea - sent policy recommendations to the European Union in May, asking the world's biggest gas importer to standardise the gathering of methane emissions data by 2023, using satellite technology. U.S. oil companies have also been exploring ways to detect methane emissions, said Howard Feldman, senior director for regulatory and scientific affairs at the American Petroleum Institute. Exxon Mobil Corp, for example, said this year it was field testing eight detection methods, including satellites and aerial surveillance with drones, helicopters and planes. (Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Richard Valdmanis, David Clarke and Jon Boyle) RTHK: US legislators vote to make Washington 51st state US House lawmakers made history on Friday by voting for Washington to become the nation's 51st state, but the move, a push for equal voting rights for the capital's residents, is doomed in the Senate. A small chorus of cheers went up as the measure passed along party lines, with all but one Democrat in support and every voting Republican opposed. "For more than two centuries, the residents of Washington, DC have been denied their full right to fully participate in our democracy" despite paying taxes, serving in the military and operating businesses, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said before the vote. "Today, we will bring our nation closer to the founding ideals that all are created equal and all deserve a say in our democracy." More than 705,000 Americans live in the District of Columbia, a Democratic stronghold with a population greater than two states, Wyoming and Vermont, and comparable to two others. Democratic lawmakers frame the DC statehood bill as an overdue remedy to disenfranchisement perpetuated since Congress made Washington the nation's permanent capital in 1790, and a longstanding civil rights issue for a city that's nearly 50 percent black. The statehood vote is the first in Congress since 1993. Never has such a bill -- appropriately titled HR-51 -- cleared the House or Senate. "Congress has two choices: it can continue to exercise undemocratic autocratic authority over" Washington, "or Congress can live up to this nation's promise and ideals and pass HR51," said Washington's House delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who does not have floor vote privileges and therefore was unable to cast a vote for DC statehood. Under the Democratic proposal, Norton said, a small federal district would remain, encompassing government buildings, Congress, monuments, the National Mall area and the White House. Republicans who oppose the effort say it runs counter to the intent of the framers of the US Constitution who sought to create a unique federal district not influenced by any state. "Washington DC was set apart as a seat of government, not as a part of the federation of states that the constitution grants us," Republican Jody Hice said. Washington officials have long bristled at Congress's role in the capital's affairs, as the US Constitution grants Congress the right to exercise control over the city's business "in all cases whatsoever." Maryland and Virginia ceded land in the 1780s for the creation of a federal capital along the Potomac River. But unlike other American citizens, Washington residents have never had voting representatives in Congress, leading the city to print the famous, colonial-era battle cry, "Taxation without representation," on its vehicle license plates. In an example of unwelcome federal intervention, the president this month sent federal forces to clear out protesters near the White House without coordinating with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. The new state would be known as Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, taking the names of the nation's first president George Washington and prominent black abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The movement has some high-profile backers. "DC should be a state. Pass it on," tweeted Democrat Joe Biden, who is challenging Donald Trump in November's presidential election. But House Republican Mo Brooks likened the statehood effort to a power grab by Democrats seeking "two more guaranteed leftwing senators." Republicans float a concept known as "retrocession," in which Washington would return its residential land to Maryland, which would allow city residents to vote for senators and have a voice in Congress. Statehood is highly unlikely to succeed for now. Trump is opposed, and Republicans who control the Senate have said they have no intention to bring it to a vote. The last time the nation expanded was 1959, when Alaska was admitted as the 49th state on January 3 and Hawaii became the 50th state seven months later. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2020-06-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. No one in the world talks quite like this and no politician has ever issued statements like it either: Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest and you all know it! Thats the unmistakeable style of Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States and compulsive tweeter sometimes sending out messages to his 82 million followers on Twitter more than 100 times a day. To the wider world such online streams of consciousness from the most powerful man on the planet is seen by many as crass at best, and terrifying at worst. Donald J. Trump (pictured), 45th President of the United States, sometimes sends out messages to his 82 million followers on Twitter more than 100 times a day Its hard to imagine any of his predecessors such as John F Kennedy or Ronald Reagan lashing out at a famous actress, as Trump did last year when he labelled Bette Midler a washed up psycho and a sick scammer for criticising him. But a BBC documentary that analyses Trumps use of Twitter argues that, far from being an international embarrassment, the messages are central to his success. Online sloganeering such as Fix the laws NOW and The press has gone Crazy. Fake News! has replaced the tradition of presidential addresses to a television camera. Contrary to what The Donald might want people to believe, he didnt invent his Twitter strategy overnight. In fact, it took years before he began to perceive the power at the tips of his thumbs. Trump has taken to Twitter to speak out against Sadiq Khan,Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton and Meryl Streep The concept was first suggested to him by marketing consultant Peter Constanza, hired by Trump in 2009 to help him promote his latest book on business. Knowing that his boss was really terrific at self-promotion, he asked for a face-to-face meeting: Trumps secretary gave me seven minutes on his calendar. The property magnate, then best known as the thrice-married host of The Apprentice in the U.S. and as a hotel and casino owner, seemed to grasp rapidly how Twitter worked but what really got his attention was the revelation that an imposter was already tweeting with the username @DonaldTrump. I said we should use @realDonald Trump, says Constanza, and it was really clear that this resonated with him, it represented who he was. He said, OK, lets go with it. When people first discover that I was the person who introduced Donald Trump to Twitter, they say things like, How do you sleep at night? and Rot in hell! TRUMPS TWEETS September 29, 2014: Every time I speak of the haters and losers I do so with great love and affection. They cannot help the fact that they were born f****d up! October 14, 2012: I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke. October 8, 2013: President Obama wants to change the name of the White House because it is highly discriminating and not at all politically correct! May 12 2009: My persona will never be that of a wallflower Id rather build walls than cling to them October 29, 2014: Just out - the POLAR ICE CAPS are at an all time high, the POLAR BEAR population has never been stronger. Where the hell is global warming? December 5, 2016: If the press would cover me accurately & honorably, I would have far less reason to tweet. Sadly, I dont know if that will ever happen! January 9, 2017: Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesnt know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes. She is a... Hillary flunky who lost big June 3, 2019: @SadiqKhan, who by all accounts has done a terrible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly nasty to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom. He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me... Advertisement Constanza adds: It was pretty obvious at that time that Mr Trump was not the most technical person at using computers or smartphones. He wrote Trumps tweets for the next year, and the first (on May 4, 2009) could not have been more innocuous: Be sure to tune in and watch Donald Trump on Late Night with David Letterman tonight. When Constanza left, Trumps advisors encouraged him to be more abrasive and confrontational online. He began picking fights with celebrities: I like Russell Brand, but Katy Perry made a big mistake when she married him, he sneered. Sacha Baron Cohen is a moron... Cher should stop with the bad plastic surgery... He waded into conspiracy theories too, suggesting a link between vaccines and autism, and claiming to have reliable evidence that President Barack Obama was born not in Hawaii but in Kenya which would make his presidency illegal. It was the beginning of a simmering feud that continues to this day. Even when the exasperated Obama produced his birth certificate, Trump hinted that he believed it was a forgery. Then, as he launched his campaign for the White House, he accused the outgoing president of tapping the phones in Trump Tower an accusation that echoed the Watergate scandal which brought down President Richard Nixon in 1974. Trump called Meryl Streep (left) 'one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood' and Sadiq Khan (right) 'foolish' Trump labelled it Obamagate, a word he continues to tweet without explaining exactly what it means only that it is the greatest political scandal in the history of the United States. A reporter who questioned this last month [MAY] was told, Its been going on for a very long time. You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody. But as his political statements on immigration and global warming became more combative, his Twitter following surged past two million making him an online megastar. It was at the outset of his war with Obama that Trump took a momentous step. He started posting his own tweets. Until then, his staff wrote them, often following Trumps dictation but always correcting his spelling and grammar, and softening his most outrageous or libellous statements. One day in 2013, he picked up his phone, logged into the account and sent a message unsupervised, uncensored. In 2013 Obama, pictured last year at an Obama Foundation event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, began followed Trump's lead and writing his own Tweets Constanza describes it as that moment in Jurassic Park when they realise velociraptors could open doors and get out. The monster was loose. And he was planning to run for president. His opponents failed to take him seriously at first, regarding him more as a joke than a threat. But they had no defence against Trumps super-power, his ability to shape every debate with slogans on Twitter. The favourite contender as Republican nomination was Jeb Bush, son of President George Bush and brother of President George Walker Bush. Trump labelled him Low Energy Jeb, a jibe that turned the Florida Governors laid-back persona into a crippling defect. When Texan senator Ted Cruz was dubbed Lyin Ted, his compure was destroyed along with his reputation. Goaded, Cruz launched into a tirade in a television interview that left him looking emotionally unstable. Trump branded Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, a former First Lady and Secretary of State 'crooked' on Twitter The Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, a former First Lady and Secretary of State, was expected to with the 2016 election with ease. But she couldnt shake off the aura of corruption fostered when Trump labelled her Crooked Hillary. The nicknames kept flowing after Trump arrived in the White House. Former FBI chief James Comey, who was investigating allegations of Russian influence on the election result, became Slippery James. Enemies who tried to hold him to account were dismissed with playground insults: Sneaky, Wacko, Low-IQ, Weirdo, Braindead, Dummy, Flakey. Financier Anthony Scaramucci, who served briefly as Trumps director of communications, saw at first hand how devastating the tactic could be. You have this orange wrecking ball coming into your life. He took everybody off their game. Thats how he used Twitter, it was a strategic device to put people on their heels. In 2016 Trump, pictured with wife Melania before his presidency, defended himself on Twitter following allegations of sexual assault Trumps opponent in this Novembers election will be Joe Biden first dubbed Sleepy Joe and then, when allegations emerged of sexual harassment, SleepyCreepy. With widespread though unproven claims against Trump of rape, molestation and consorting with prostitutes, the sheer chutzpah of that slur is breath-taking. No one, however, ever accused Donald Trump of lacking self-confidence. In 2016, despite being caught on camera boasting that as a star it was easy for him to get away with sexual assaults, he flatly denied all claims against him: Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me! All the Twitter name-calling came to a head in 2017 when Trump appeared ready to launch a nuclear attack on North Korea in retaliation for dictator Kim Jong-uns atomic missile tests. In a flurry of tweets taunting Kim as Little Rocket Man, the president sneered that negotiation was a waste of time: Well do what has to be done! All the Twitter name-calling came to a head in 2017 when Trump appeared ready to launch a nuclear attack on North Korea in retaliation for dictator Kim Jong-uns atomic missile tests. The pair are pictured in South Korea last year Former press secretary Sean Spicer defends the outburst: That shows an understanding of the culture of North Korea. Thats what it takes to get an initial response. When North Korea called his statement the reckless remarks of an old lunatic, Trump flashed back, Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me old, when I would NEVER call him short and fat? Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend and maybe someday that will happen! And happen it did, the following year, with a peace summit which ended in a climbdown on both sides. Trump was able to claim that his Twitter diplomacy had succeeded, though many thought the threats of nuclear confrontation were beyond all justification. Is that an appropriate thing to do? Scaramucci demands in the documentary. He might not have early stage dementia but he has early stage Fascism. Many believed he had gone too far when he attacked two female politicians in 2019, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. So interesting to see Progressive Democrat Congresswomen, he tweeted, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe... viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. This year has finally seen signs that Trumps pre-eminence on social media is waning. Pictured, Meryl Streep after taking a photo of herself with Hillary Clinton in 2012 Why dont they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came... These places need your help badly, you cant leave fast enough. Omar was born in Somalia, Ocasio-Cortez in the Bronx, New York. This year has finally seen signs that Trumps pre-eminence on social media is waning. A political rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earlier this month intended to kick-start his campaign for a second term in the White House was turned into a laughing stock by teenage saboteurs. Co-operating over the picture messaging platform Instagram, they booked tens of thousands of tickets... then failed to show up. Staffers said Trumps rage at the prank registered 15 out of 10. If he continues to be outmanoeuvred with such embarrassing ease, The Donald might find himself lumbered with the insulting nickname he loathes most of all: Loser Trump. BBC Threes Trump In Tweets will be available on BBC iPlayer from July 6 MANITOBA Court of Queens Bench Justice Joan McKelvey recently ruled that the Manitoba governments Bill 28, which legislated wage freezes for all public-sector workers, represented substantial interference that resulted in unnecessary disruption that harmed the operations of the University of Manitoba. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion MANITOBA Court of Queens Bench Justice Joan McKelvey recently ruled that the Manitoba governments Bill 28, which legislated wage freezes for all public-sector workers, represented "substantial interference" that resulted in unnecessary disruption that harmed the operations of the University of Manitoba. Unfortunately, the provincial governments disruption and harm to Manitoba universities has been a reliable feature of the summer months. First, the province announced that universities had to come up with a plan to cut 30 per cent of their wage bill. Then it was "only" 10 per cent. Then it was about five per cent (for the U of M). Most recently, those cuts would be reversed, as long as universities could put together a strategy that satisfied the provinces desire to "orient programs toward labour market demands" by September. To this end, the Manitoba government formed the Manitoba economic opportunities advisory board, made up almost exclusively of business representatives, tasked with providing advice on what skills are in demand in the province. In support of his demand, Premier Brian Pallister claimed that "virtually every academic leader in the country" is on side. This is simply not true. When similar proposals were advanced in Ontario and Alberta, the opposing coalitions not only included faculty on the front lines faced with micro-management of thoughtfully honed curriculum, but also student groups such as the Canadian Federation of Students. Pallisters statement was also misleading because university administrations whose budgets depend on provincial funding can hardly be expected to speak frankly about their disapproval. Finally, the Alberta and Ontario plans have been shelved, at least temporarily. So why did proposals almost identical to Pallisters falter so quickly in two other jurisdictions? First, it should be noted that universities are already delivering labour-market skills. Manitoba universities follow (and contribute to) the standards established by the national and international university community and professional certifying organizations so that their students can enter graduate programs and qualify for jobs around the world. Manitoba universities train the vast majority of the provinces professionals in health sciences, agriculture, engineering, science, social work, business and education. Second, the proposal suggests an inappropriately narrow function for universities in a number of ways. The composition of the advisory board would appear to focus predominantly on the requirements of private/for-profit enterprises. The bias towards the private/for-profit sector ignores the public sector and the not-for-profit sector, which provides an enormous array of vital services which, regrettably, are taken much for granted. It is only in times of crisis, such as the financial meltdown of 2008, the flood of 2011 and now COVID-19, that some individuals and businesses recognize the importance of the public sector as their only source of critical aid. The final point on the constraints of the plan is its narrow concept of imparting particular skills for particular occupations. Microsoft president Brad Smith argued that the broader skills of the liberal arts were crucial to the future of artificial intelligence research. Real economic prosperity is highly dependent on basic research and development, and a broad-based education enables students to adapt to a rapidly changing economy. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The role of a university is not only to subsidize firms by training their future workers. Along with labour-market skills must come abilities and values required for a properly functioning democracy, which are especially important in this time of public-health, economic and social crisis. Part of the role of a university is to educate society to participate in a public debate about how to address wide-ranging social questions. A recent article in the New York Times argues these "answers will sooner come from history, philosophy and literature than from drug companies, social media and outer space. Put another way, whom do you trust: Pfizer, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, or the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Plato and Jane Austen? Its not a close call." Last, but by no means least, university independence from the interests of business is crucial. Learning and research that benefit democratic societies sometimes have little direct commercial application. Indeed, they can, in some cases, run counter to short-term business interests. For example, the policy solutions that are required to combat the environmental crisis and inequality have been opposed by many businesses. The skills necessary to evaluate policies that will effectively combat climate change and the broader economic impact of those policies are not narrow labour-market skills. The underfunding and narrowing of purpose of Manitoba universities will damage their ability to deliver high-quality education, harming their reputation and, therefore, the ability of their graduates to find employment. The situation has worsened in the short time since a Free Press editorial argued Pallister "could cripple academic programs and the future education of students." Robert Chernomas and Ian Hudson teach economics at the University of Manitoba. You just have to look at the YWCA of San Antonios Facebook page to get an idea about its bandwidth. Along with rejoicing the Supreme Courts ruling on LGBTQ civil rights protections and its reprieve to young undocumented Dreamers, the YWCA drove home the importance of answering the 2020 census. It high-fived a sister organization in Baton Rouge for raising money for a Juneteenth bail-out fund for jailed Black Lives Matter protesters. Its page also has quoted the wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr., and the hashtags #EliminateRacism and #EmpowerWomen have been oft-repeated. They reflect the national organizations century-old mission. The YWCA, the only one in San Antonio, can multitask. But its core strength rests on providing a myriad of services, from teen programs to breast cancer awareness and childcare to front-line health workers, most of them women, too. A new project just got tacked on to its agenda. Its a $100,000 grant from the Voices for Economic Opportunity Grand Challenge, sponsored by several philanthropies, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The YWCA was one of 28 nonprofit agencies that received a grant. The grant asks that the YWCA counter the inaccurate narratives about U.S. poverty. No matter how many studies say otherwise, a great many see the poor as lazy, idle and more willing to depend on handouts than not. Theyre blamed for being poor. The reality is quite different. People in poverty are often unable to get out of low-paying jobs. Theyre kept there by economic structures that weigh them down. They have no bootstraps to pull themselves up. The grant will underwrite a series of videos produced by San Antonio women who know poverty first-hand. Their video journals will capture their realities. Over the next 18 months, the YWCA will be part of a national cohort of grant winners that will exchange ideas and best practices as they develop their projects. Their first electronic gathering was Friday. The local Ys CEO Francesca Rattray isnt a newcomer to this sort of undertaking. She deals with misconceptions about the poor all the time. She explains that women in poverty cant just go back to school or get another job to get out of poverty. They face complication after complication. They may not have cars to get to and from work or job interviews, to school and doctors appointments. To get anywhere, they must take two or three buses. They congregate in low-wage, service-industry jobs that San Antonio long ago welcomed as economic development. Big payoffs materialized for only the very few. The poor made the mistake of being born in certain zip codes. They went to low-performing schools that didnt always view them with high expectations. Their jobs dont provide benefits, such as health insurance, paid sick leave and maternity leave. Domestic violence places more obstacles before them. Theres no silver bullet, Rattray said. Its not as easy as doing A, B and C. I havent been able to convince my friends on the North Side of that. Because its one of the most ethnically and economically segregated cities in the United States, she said, You can live on the North Side of San Antonio and never know about poverty in San Antonio. The grant application was a long shot, but the Ys approach made a difference, Gates Foundation officials said. In an interview, senior program officer Caira Woods said the YWCA made clear that poverty was structurally designed into the citys geography a century ago, making economic advancement and opportunity all but impossible. Ryan Rippel, the foundations director of U.S. economic mobility and opportunity, said powerful misconceptions around poverty obstruct understanding. The YWCAs videos can make a dent on those misconceptions. We dont think that this work is going to solve the problems of racism or poverty in America, Rippel said in a blog post. But it might catalyze systems change by causing the people who perpetuate those systems to see things with more humanity and insight. In March, the YWCA was facing daily decisions on how to deal with the coronavirus. When its staff heard news of the grant, it was emotionally overwhelming, Rattray said. It gave them hope at a time in which the country has been responding to change, and when changing the narratives around poverty has become more important than ever. eayala@express-news.net Ancestors of a distinctive pollinating bee found across Australia probably originated in tropical Asian countries, islands in the south-west Pacific or greater Oceania region, ecology researchers claim. Describing the likely dispersal corridor for the ancestral lineage of the bee genus Homalictus will help understand the social evolution of the vibrant halictine bees, South Australian, Czech and PNG researchers say in a new paper. It follows earlier research* connecting the origin of other Australian bees to the polar south or Antarctica routes millions of years ago - helping to explain the diversity and complexity of natural ecosystems and their resilience or susceptibility during periods of climate change. Ecologists are hopeful that the diverse origins of native bees are giving them an edge in withstanding and adapting further to climate change. "Homalictus bees are a leading generalist plant pollinator across Australia and as far north as southern China," says Flinders University PhD candidate, photographer and native bee expert James Dorey. "Our study highlights the importance of the habitat and ecology of tropical regions, including Papua New Guinea and the Fijian islands, for our endemic species and shows us how these bees might have expanded across the Pacific and possibly higher latitudes of Southeast Asia." SA Museum senior researcher Associate Professor Mark Stevens says the ongoing research aims to better understand the origin and radiation of insects and other animals, help environmental management during changing climates and mitigate the effects of further human expansion and habitat destruction. "Many species historically evolved under difference climatic conditions and those different histories may determine how they will cope with new climates," he says. "As climates change, species that have narrow thermal tolerances that are unable to adapt either track their preferred climate by moving, or become extinct. We see this in our studies on tropical bees and also in the studies of Antarctic biodiversity." "What has not been fully appreciated is the movement of bees in the southern hemisphere that included Antarctica as a likely dispersal corridor before it became the glacial continent that it is today." Antarctica was the crossroads between South America, Africa and Australia as the supercontinent of Gondwana was breaking up. The last landmass connections between Australia and Antarctica finished about 35 million years ago while the interchange with Asia began about 20 million years ago. In contrast to the colourful tropical varieties, SA researchers have previously explored the origins of the cooler adapted and less colourful Exoneurine allodapine bees, believed to have originated in Africa but dispersed to Australia about 42-34 million years ago from Antarctica when there was still a land bridge connection to Tasmania. Co-author on the online Homalictus paper, Associate Professor Mike Schwarz says Australia has the most unusual bee fauna in the world, resulting from three major events - the gradual breakup of Gondwana, then a period when the bees evolved in "splendid isolation", long before humans arrived. "Thirdly, there was a northern influx of species from tropical Asia as the Australian continent collided with Asia. "Australia's complex systems diversity if a key ingredient for survival of our species," Flinders Associate Professor Schwarz says. "Hopefully, the diversity of our native bees will make them more resilient to future climate scenarios, which will be critical for agriculture in a changing world. ### The new paper, Origin and dispersal of Homalictus (Apoidea: Halictidae) across Australia, Papua New Guinea and Pacific (2020) by S Ibalim, SVC Groom , JB Dorey, A Velasco-Castrillon, MP Schwarz and MI Stevens has been published in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, DOI: 10.1080/03721426.2020.1740957 This work was supported by the Australia and Pacific Science Foundation *Biogeographical origins and diversification of the exoneurine allodapine bees of Australia (Hymenoptera, Apidae) (2011) by L Chenoweth and M Schwarz was published in the Journal of Biogeography DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02488.x China warned US not to interfere with its relations with India With no sign of disengagement along LAC by China, Delhi pins hopes on diplomacy Are the Chinese trying to fix LAC alignment as per their 1960 claim? India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: A close assessment of what is transpiring at the border suggests that China may be trying to fix the alignment at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as per its claims during the discussions on boundary with India in 1960. The 1960 claim line was followed by Nehru's forward policy in 1961. This eventually led to the Indo-China war in 1962. This claim line has been disputed by India and since 1960, there have been suggestions to demarcate the LAC. However there has been no success on this front. Looking at the build up by the Chinese in the various points only suggests that they are trying to align the LAC as per their claim in 1960. At LAC, India preps for a long haul with no immediate disengagement in sight Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News There has been a build up at Finger-4 north of Pangong Tso. This was done to block the Indian Army from moving eastwards. Further there was a build up at Galwan Valley, following which a violent brawl erupted on June 15. There has also been a build up at Gogra in the Hot Springs area and also new radars were set up apart from observation posts. The Chinese have also stationed tanks at the Depsang Plains. The 1960 Chinese Claim Line was originally proposed by Zhou Enlai during his talks with India. During the 1960 cartographic aggression in 1960, the Chinese had claimed an additional 5,100 square kilometres area. A woman has been charged with murder after she allegedly drove into her former partner deliberately at his home in Sydney's west, fatally pinning him against a wall. Police allege Jackline Musa, 44, and Payman Thagipur, 31, argued before Ms Musa got into her Toyota Kluger SUV and drove towards him in a unit complex car park at Wentworth Point about 8.30pm on Saturday. A crime scene was established and examined by forensic police. Credit:Nine News Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and feeling the concrete shake. Police arrived to the Hill Road address to find Mr Thagipur, who had been pinned against a brick wall, with severe injuries. He died at the scene despite being treated by police and paramedics. New Delhi, June 27 : The Union Health Ministry Saturday said that eight states, which include Maharashtra, Delhi and Tamil Nadu, contributed 85.5 per cent of active Covid-19 cases and also accounted for 87 per cent deaths due to the viral infection. "It was mentioned that presently eight states - Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal - contribute 85.5 percent active case load and 87 percent total deaths in India," said a Health Ministry statement on the briefing it gave to the Group of Ministers (GoM) on the Covid-19 situation in the country. The death toll in India due to viral infection was 15,685 so far, and coronavirus cases have crossed 5 lakh. The Health Ministry said it has informed the GoM that Central teams comprising epidemiologists, public health experts and a senior joint secretary level officer have been formed to aid the states in their fight against Covid-19. It added that another central team is visiting Maharashtra, Gujarat and Telangana to take stock of Covid-19 situation in these states. ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava gave a presentation on testing strategy, where he explained the serological survey and the enhanced testing capacity per day. "The samples tested in the last 24 hours have increased to 2,20,479 taking the total cumulative number of samples tested, as on date, to 79,96,707. India now has 1,026 diagnostic labs dedicated to Covid-19. This includes 741 in the government sector and 285 private labs," the ministry statement said. According to the ministry, the GoM was also apprised about the growing medical infrastructure in the country. As on June 27, the Covid-related health infrastructure has been strengthened with the availability of 1,039 dedicated Covid hospitals with 1,76,275 isolation beds, 22,940 ICU beds and 77,268 oxygen supported beds; 2,398 dedicated Covid Health Centres with 1,39,483 isolation beds, 11,539 ICU beds and 51,321 oxygen supported beds have also been operationalised. "Moreover, 8,958 COVID Care Centres with 8,10,621 beds are now available to combat Covid-19 in the country. The Centre has also provided 185.18 lakh N95 masks and 116.74 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to the states/UTs/ Central Institutions," the statement added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Only 2 per cent of travellers in quarantine in Sydney hotels have refused to be tested for COVID-19, NSW Health said, as the state reported six new cases on Saturday amid record testing with the onset of cold and flu season. Nurse Alison Clifton at the Summer Hill COVID-19 clinic on Saturday. Credit:Cole Bennetts NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard will not make testing mandatory but is updating the public health orders to ensure returned travellers would have to stay an extra 10 days in quarantine if they refuse to be tested for the virus. He said it was "very concerning" that about 150 people had so far refused to be tested on the 10th day of quarantine. "My view is this will encourage those who have been reluctant to be tested to actually have the test. Thats a positive outcome for the NSW community," he said. While nobody who has refused the test has brought the virus into the community, Mr Hazzard said the government was "not prepared to run the risk going forward". And thats how Neil Herrington, senior vice president for the Americas, US Chamber of Commerce, views reports that the US administration is considering re-imposing tariffs on aluminum imports from Canada."Bringing back these tariffs would be like a bad horror movie. Most of the US aluminum sector opposes them, and they'll hurt American manufacturers who use aluminium as an input, Herrington said.Canada will surely retaliate against US exports. This is the wrong way to mark the entry-into-force of the new North American free-trade agreement on July 1, he added, referring to the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.According to people familiar with the matter, though, Canada was given until Friday June 26 either to cap or decrease its exports to the United States - or a recommendation would be made to the US government to reintroduce tariffs.As expected, the Canadian government summarily dismissed the option of caps or quotas. It... New York, June 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Car Care Products Market Research Report by Product, by Solvent Type, by Consumption, by Application, by Distribution Channel - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05913722/?utm_source=GNW On the basis of Product, the Car Care Products Market is studied across Cleaning and Caring, Polishing and Waxing, and Sealing Glaze and Coating. On the basis of Solvent Type, the Car Care Products Market is studied across Foam Based Solvents and Water Based. On the basis of Consumption, the Car Care Products Market is studied across Autobeauty Shops, Individual Sources, and Service Centers and Garages. On the basis of Application, the Car Care Products Market is studied across Exterior and Interior. On the basis of Distribution Channel, the Car Care Products Market is studied across DIFM/Service Centers and Diy/Retail Stores. On the basis of Geography, the Car Care Products Market is studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region is studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region is studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region is studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Company Usability Profiles: The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Car Care Products Market including 3M Corp, Armored Auto Group, Auto Magic, Autoglym, Bullsone, Guangzhou Biabong Car Care Industries Co.Ltd, Illinois Tool Works, Jopasu Systems Pvt Ltd, Liqui-Moly GmbH, Northern Labs, Simoniz USA, Soft99 Corporation, Sonax Gesellschaft MBH, Tetrosyl Ltd, Turtle Wax Inc, and Wurth Group. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Car Care Products Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on sulfuric acid offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Car Care Products Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Car Care Products Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Car Care Products Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Car Care Products Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Car Care Products Market? 6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Car Care Products Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05913722/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Advertisement The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Thursday, June 25, 2020, arraigned two Indians, Sahil Sharma and Pranjal Singh, before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, for offences bordering on alleged illegal dealing in petroleum products. Sharma, 31, and Singh, 20, were arraigned separately after they were arrested by officers of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Nguru, aboard a vessel, MV Bount, containing 45.9metric tonnes of AGO on January 31, 2020. The defendants were subsequently handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution. One of the counts read: M.V. Bount and Sahil Sharma, on the 31st day of January 2020, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: dealing in 45 metric tons of petroleum products without appropriate licence and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act. Another count read: M.V. Bount and Pranjal Singh, on the 31st day of January 2020, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without appropriate license attempted to export 45 metric tons of petroleum products and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(19) and punishable under Section 1 (17) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation if Nigeria, 2004. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Abbas Muhammed, prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution prove its case against them. Defence counsel, Nelson Otaji, however, told the court that bail applications for the defendants had been filed and were before the court and further pleaded that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the EFCC pending the hearing of their bail applications. In his response, Muhammed told the court that he just got the applications for bail and would, therefore, need time to file counter-affidavits. Muhammed further told the court that the defendants would be tested for COVID-19 as part of the requirements for them to be taken into the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCS. After listening to both parties, Justice Aikawa adjourned until October 15, 2020 for trial and also fixed July 2, 2020 for hearing of the bail applications, while granting the application for them to be remanded in the EFCC custody in the interim. Likewise, we should never honor public figures who, by the standards of their own time as well as ours, abused a public trust. Case in point: The more we learn about J. Edgar Hoover, the more outrageous it is that the F.B.I. building in Washington is still named for him. These are the easy cases. Equally easy are the opposite cases. Hans Christian Heg, an ardent abolitionist whose statue in Madison, Wis., was pulled down this week, fell at the Battle of Chickamauga trying to make a more perfect union. Robert Gould Shaw, who commanded one of the first black Union regiments and whose monument in Boston was defaced last month, was killed at Fort Wagner trying to make a more perfect union. Ulysses Grant, who did more than any other general to defeat the Confederacy and more than any other president to defeat the Klan, and whose statue in San Francisco was pulled down last week, devoted his life to trying to make a more perfect union. What about, say, Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson or George Washington? The central case against Washington and Jefferson is that they were slaveholders, albeit ones who knew slavery was wrong. If their fault lay in being creatures of their time, their greatness was in their ability to look past it. An unbroken moral thread connects the Declaration of Independence to the Gettysburg Address to Martin Luther Kings I Have A Dream speech. An unbroken political thread connects the first president to the 16th to the 44th. Its impossible to imagine any union, much less the possibility of a more perfect one, without them. Jackson and Roosevelt? Both were avowed racists, and the Indian Removal Act of 1830, enacted during Jacksons presidency, stands with the Chinese Exclusion Act as one of the most shameful pieces of American legislation. But theres historical irony in the fact that some of todays progressives are eager to bring down statues to the two most progressive presidents of their times. Roosevelt busted trusts, championed conservation, and caused a scandal by inviting Booker T. Washington to dine with his family in the White House. Were those not acts in the service of a more perfect union? Iraqi Security Says Arrested Group Planned Attack on Baghdad's Green Zone, Reports Say Sputnik News 15:26 GMT 26.06.2020 CAIRO (Sputnik) - A group detained by the Iraqi security services during a recent night raid has been preparing attacks on governmental facilitates in Baghdad's so-called green zone, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported on Friday, citing the Iraqi armed forces' joint command. On Friday night, Iraq's counter-terrorism units busted an underground rocket workshop south of Baghdad, arresting 14 people, according to the agency. The command has said that the arrest was performed on the basis of intelligence on a group that had attacked the green zone and the city's international airport several times. The security services have also uncovered preparations for another attack against the green zone. The arrested persons have been handed over to a specials commission, which includes members of the Interior Ministry and other security agencies. The green zone occasionally suffers from rocket attacks on account of it being the location where the government facilities and foreign embassies are situated. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The personnel report analyzing the responding officers performance cited them for, among other things, keeping Ingram-Lopez face down in cuffs, putting weight on him even after he was compliant, putting a mesh spit sleeve on his head while face-down, and for missing the signs the call was turning from one of disorderly conduct to medical distress. Even after Mr. Ingram-Lopez complied with commands, they could have stopped and slowed things down, but they did not, the report says. Rather than deescalate, they focused on the arrest and missed the significance of the situation. Magnus said of the officers failure to de-escalate, This is a reality in all professions, not just policing. You can provide your employees or your personnel with the best policies and training. But you can never guarantee with 100% certainty that every employee is going to follow training. I asked Magnus whether the cynicism that comes with dealing with difficult people, day after day, can override officers training. I think its possible that a degree of callousness can creep into how people react to situations like this over time, he said. For a second year, the Department of Defense will provide extensive support to 'Salute to America' events in honor of Independence Day, the Pentagon announced Friday. In all, some 1,700 troops will work to support the Department of the Interior with demonstrations in Washington, D.C. and flyovers of other historic U.S. cities and locations, including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota, according to a statement from Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell, a Pentagon spokesman. "The flyovers provide an opportunity for DoD to demonstrate the capabilities and professionalism of the United States Armed Forces," Mitchell said in the statement. "Flying hours are a sunk cost for the Department of Defense, and these aircraft and crews would be using these hours for proficiency and training at other locations if they were not conducting these flyovers." Officials did not say which military aircraft would participate in the flyovers, but described them as a mix of current DoD and heritage aircraft. It's also not clear what units and services will be involved in the flyovers and other demos. The military will also give "musical and ceremonial support" to July 4 celebrations in Washington, D.C., according to the statement. "The highlight of this year's celebration will be our salute to the Great Cities of the American Revolution.," Mitchell said. "The flyovers will begin in Boston and proceed to New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore. From there they will join other Department of Defense and heritage aircraft in the Salute to America over our nation's capital." Last year's 'Salute to America' celebration involved flyovers by the B-2 stealth bomber, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor, as well as static ground vehicle displays. It's not completely clear how the novel coronavirus pandemic will limit ground gatherings in Washington, D.C., where the city is proceeding with a cautious and gradual reopening process and groups are limited to 50 people or fewer. The city's annual July 4 parade has been canceled amid virus concerns. "There will be an Independence Day celebration this year and it will have a different look than 2019 to ensure the health and safety of those attending," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement earlier this month. "The American people have shown tremendous courage and spirit in the fight against this global pandemic just as our forefathers did in the fight to secure our independence, and both deserve celebration on America's birthday this year." Military officials' statement that resources used for July 4 flyovers contribute to pilot proficiency and training follows controversy over last year's celebration and the costs the Defense Department incurred to support it. On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that the 2019 Independence Day festivities and demonstrations ordered by President Donald Trump cost $13 million, twice as much as those of the previous year. "DoD is proud to help celebrate the nation's 244thbirthday," Mitchell said. "We are grateful for our nation's support as we defend our country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year." -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. SANTA FE The state of New Mexico will not allow an equestrian center near Santa Fe to hold its annual Summer Series because it would violate the states public health order aimed at reducing the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. HIPICO Santa Fe, located on South Polo Drive just west of the Santa Fe Regional Airport, requested an exception to the public health order so it could open a four-week series of hunter/jumper equestrian competitions that were scheduled to begin July 15. But state officials denied the request, saying it would be both unfair and unsafe. The state doesnt grant exceptions to the public health order, Nora Meyers Sackett, press secretary for the Governors Office, said in an email to the Journal. On top of being unfair to other entities, all of whom have been hurt by this pandemic, it would be unsafe, as these events bring hundreds of people every year. HIPICO Santa Fe co-owner Phyllis Gonzales said the equestrian center had presented a COVID-19 Safe Practices plan to the DOH and made changes based on the feedback it got. We were told that our event would not fall within the anticipated public health order guidelines for mass gatherings expected to be in effect during July/August, she wrote in an email to the Journal. We had been attempting to get a response from someone in DOH or the Governors office for weeks, without any luck other than a blanket response from the Acting Secretary of Finance and Administration that we should listen to governors press conferences and read the public health order(s) to find guidance. Gonzales said HIPICOs Summer Series was a low-risk event for transmission of the virus that would be held outdoors and without spectators. She said there were 10 warm-up arenas and 34 barns spread over the 137-acre site. She said between 25 and 220 competitors, trainers and support staff would be on hand at any given time. Gonzales said the cancellation of the event will be devastating to HIPICO Santa Fe. Without the Summer Series, HIPICO Santa Fe as a venue would not exist, she wrote. The loss of the event that brings an estimated $2.5 million in gross revenue to HIPICO is simply not one that we can recoup through small events throughout the year, many of which are underwritten annually in part by the income from the Summer Series. - with reporting from Neil Michael A boy involved in a collision with a jeep in Co Carlow on Thursday has died. The 10-year-old had been airlifted from the scene in the Ballymartin area of Borris to Temple Street Children's University Hospital in a critical condition. But his condition deteriorated and he was pronounced dead on Friday. Gardai are continuing to appeal for anyone with information, particularly any road users who may have dashcam footage of the incident on Thursday at 1.30pm, to contact them at Carlow Garda Station. Detectives are also investigating a fatal road collision between a bicycle and a car on Hyde Road, Limerick just after midnight yesterday morning. The male driver of the car and a male cyclist were both pronounced dead at the scene. A front seat passenger in the car, a male youth in his teens, was also injured and was taken by ambulance to University Hospital, Limerick, with non-life-threatening injuries. No other injuries were reported. Local priest, Fr John Walsh, who was called by gardai to attend the scene overnight to bless the bodies, described the aftermath at the side of the road as total carnage. The driver of the car was named locally as Paddy OReilly, aged 17, from Castletroy. The male cyclist is understood to be a native of Eastern Europe. Fr Walsh, PP, Our Lady of Lourdes, said he was called to the scene around 2am to administer the last rites to both victims. When I arrived there the whole place was sealed off and I was assisted by the gardai up to the scene, he said. What I saw was a body beside a car and there was another body in the car. I said the prayer of the holy anointing over them both, and I blessed them and prayed for their families of course. To be honest there was a kind of an eery quietness about the place at the time. Total carnage, thats what it really was. He added: "The sad thing about it is it is not the first time Ive been called to a scene on that road. My thoughts immediately went after the two men that were found dead, and to their families,. Neither of these two lads are from the community itself, but it has left the community bereft. We are all praying for them and their loved ones. A dark coloured car resting on a grass verge off the side of the road was covered by a tarpaulin and later removed from the scene for a garda technical examination. Last July, on the same stretch of road, Fr Walsh gave a blessing to the then pregnant partner of champion Irish boxer Kevin Sheehy (20), in the hours after Mr Sheehy was fatally injured in an alleged hit and run. The road deaths come a day after a man in his 60s was killed in a farming accident at around 9pm on Thursday just outside Carrigaline in south Cork. New Taoiseach Micheal Martin has caused widespread shock and anger in his own party at his decision to exclude his own deputy leader Dara Calleary from his list of full Cabinet ministers. Mr Calleary has been confirmed as Mr Martins Government Chief Whip which will allow him to sit at Cabinet, but he will not have a portfolio. It had widely speculated that Mr Calleary would be one of Mr Martins first picks to be in Cabinet. Breaking: @fiannafailparty deputy leader @daracalleary confirmed as @MichealMartinTD's chief whip... Will be disappointing for the Mayo TD who has slogged since 2011 for his party #iestaff Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) June 27, 2020 However, he was only called over to Government Buildings after Michael McGrath, Darragh OBrien, Stephen Donnelly, Barry Cowen and first time TD Norma Foley, who will be the Education Minister. Ms Foley won out against Anne Rabbitte, who had been tipped to be in Cabinet, given her prominent role in the government formation talks. Fianna Fail TDs openly saying at Dublins convention centre for Dail sitting that they are shocked that Dara Calleary, party deputy leader, given role of government chief whip. #iestaff Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) June 27, 2020 Speaking to the Irish Examiner, numerous Fianna Fail TDs expressed their shock at the decision. That will not go down well. Dara is a party man through and through and has worked his backside off since 2011. This is not a good move at all, said one TD. Several others have hit out at the decision to appoint Stephen Donnelly to a full ministry in the health portfolio, ahead of Mr Calleary. What the F***, he puts Donnelly into Health and he only a blow in since 2017. Calleary has in fairness to him done more than enough to merit being in Cabinet, said another TD. Mr Calleary was first elected to the Dail in 2007 and was appointed a junior finance minister by Brian Cowen in 2008. He was appointed to the position of deputy leader by Mr Martin in 2017. -More to follow By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The severity of coronavirus crisis in Telangana became clearer on Saturday, as the state recorded its biggest single-day spike till now of 1,087 new cases. This takes the total number of cases in the state to 13,436 cases, of which 8,265 cases are active cases, almost double the total number of discharged cases - 4,928. The death toll too went up to 243 with six new fatalities. The case load in areas under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits continued to increase with 888 of the new infections reported from there, followed by Rangareddy (74) and Medchal (37) districts. The state government also said that the testing capacity will be increased to 6,600 per day. Door to door survey will also be conducted to identify people with symptoms including common cold, fever and cough. Those with coronavirus symptoms should visit the King Koti Hospital, Fever Hospital, Chest Hospital, Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, Kondapur and Vanasthalipuram area hospital, the state government informed. Private labs scrutinized Meanwhile, Minister Eatala Rajender and senior health officials on Saturday reviewed the status of the inspections being conducted on private labs, that have revealed a host of violations and shortfalls. The minister's office released a statement that in some labs the percentage of positive cases among samples tested was at 70 per cent. Also stating that stringent actions will be taken against those labs found flouting rules. TIMS recruitment complete Futher, the recruitment process for 499 posts for Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) has been completed. Of the 13,000 applications received by government they finalised appointment for 499 posts. The selected candidates will join services from Monday. WINNIPEGThe Manitoba Metis Federations president says the province has left vulnerable foster children out of pandemic response plans. When this pandemic came into play the province did not give us one penny more, knowing full well the complications we are going to face as an agency, David Chartrand said. Not one ... penny was issued to us to help us during this time of COVID. Chartrand said Metis Child and Family Services is facing multiple hurdles caused by the pandemic to ensure safety of more than 1,200 children. But the provinces block funding model will inevitably force agencies to cut programs or fall into a deficit, he said. The province changed to single envelope funding, also known as block funding, last year. Manitoba provides finances up front to child-welfare authorities based on a three-year agreement. The previous system based funding on the number of children in care and the number of days they were in care. Many agencies voiced their concerns about the switch saying the funding levels were based on a year when there were less children in care and the new model would not cover current needs, let alone fund preventive services. There was no increase in funding for child and family services authorities in the Manitobas 2020 budget released in March. There are about 10,000 children in care in Manitoba. About 90 per cent are Indigenous. When asked about additional funding, Families Minister Heather Stefanson said the government is working with agencies. We are assessing what some of the challenges are with respect to COVID and will continue to do that throughout, she said, adding personal protective equipment was provided. The Families department said in an email that the move to single envelope funding means that authorities and agencies are responsible for managing and overseeing expenditures based on the needs of the families they serve. However, the department recognizes that the pandemic is creating new challenges, and is monitoring for financial implications. Chartrand said the bills are adding up and falling to agencies that are already financially strapped. He said the Metis federation itself gave $400,000 to its agency to help cover costs during the pandemic. Chartrand said the agency needed to get kids tablets so they could do school work. It needed to find ways to have employees work from home and come up with creative ways to keep children in contact with family. When schools and camps were closed that put even more pressure on agencies and their staff. A letter sent to foster families from Southeast Child and Family Services last month provided to The Canadian Press by the Manitoba NDP said the agency was being forced to reduce its respite pay. Respite pay gives caregivers a short-term break from the unique demands of caring for a child with disabilities. The letter said the agency was forced to make changes due to provincial funding cuts and the deficit incurred as a result. A pandemic is perhaps the worst time to freeze funding for children, especially those in the CFS system, said Amanda Lathlin, the NDP critic for child and family services. Agencies need the provincial government to lift funding freezes, stop cuts to supports and actually increase funding so that kids in care are safe and have the supports they need to be successful. Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth Daphne Penrose said her office has received concerns about block funding both before and during the pandemic. Penrose said young people are also struggling to access mental health and addictions services. With the provincial government moving so quickly on pressing issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope implementing child-centred services is at the top of their agenda. Read more about: 2.4 million children in Yemen could go malnourished amid pandemic: UNICEF Iran Press TV Friday, 26 June 2020 1:53 PM The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, has warned that the shortage of humanitarian assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic threatens to push more children in Yemen to the brink of starvation. The UNICEF reported on Friday that the number of malnourished children in Yemen could increase to 2.4 million by the end of the year, which would be equivalent to nearly half of all Yemeni children under the age of five. The UNICEF report "Yemen five years on: Children, conflict and COVID-19" added that as the country's "devastated health system and infrastructure overall struggles to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, the already dire situation for children is likely to deteriorate considerably." "If we do not receive urgent funding, children will be pushed to the brink of starvation and many will die," UNICEF Yemen representative Sara Beysolow Nyanti said. "We cannot overstate the scale of this emergency." Yemen was turned into the scene of the world's worst humanitarian crisis after Saudi Arabia and a number of its allies launched a war against the country about five years ago. The ongoing war was meant to subdue a popular uprising that had toppled a Riyadh-friendly regime. While the Saudi-led coalition has failed to achieve that objective, it has been continuing often blind operations that kill and maim civilians, including children. The US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, estimates that the war has claimed more than 100,000 lives over the past five years. More than half of Yemen's hospitals and clinics have been destroyed or closed as a result of the war by the Saudi-led coalition, which is supported militarily by the UK, the US, and other Western countries. The UNICEF report also said that nearly 7.8 million children were without access to education, adding that could put them "at risk of child labor, recruitment into armed groups and child marriage." "UNICEF has previously said, and again repeats, that Yemen is the worst place in the world to be a child and it is not getting any better," Nyanti said. UNICEF has received only 39% of its 461-million-dollar appeal for its humanitarian response to Yemen, and only 10% of its 53-million-dollar appeal for its COVID-19 response in the country has been funded. Yemen has recorded more than 1,000 coronavirus cases, but the figure is believed to be much higher and the country's shattered health system is unprepared to battle the pandemic. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address I adore beat-up, used-up cars. Ive lusted after a dented Volvo 850, a rusty Toyota Camry. I cannot help it: There is something to be admired about these mangled machines. In fact, I think everyone who is able should own and operate a beater car. The benefits are near limitless. They are humbling, have merit whether you lean left or right, are eco-friendly, and encourage personal responsibility. By beater car, I mean a vehicle one can hit with a shopping cart without much upsetting the owner. Beaters can differ from person to person. For instance, I own a 1999 Toyota Camry I bought for a grand. The car has done 254,000 miles and I hope to take it to 300,000. It creaks at odd times, starts more often than not, and three of the four handles work. You could take a hammer to my trunk lid and I really would not mind. However, if you had done the same to my 1995 Lexus LS400, which is worth maybe two grand, I would have been apoplectic with rage. It is not the cash value of a vehicle that makes it a beater as much as it is the owners viewpoint seeing the vehicle in question not as an extension of ones ego but as a tool to get oneself from point A to B. It is difficult to put on airs when stepping out of a 1999 Camry with a zip strip for a door handle. In an age of Instagram perfection, Facebook family moments, and the elusive pursuit of the grandest of all flexes, we could all stand to acknowledge our flaws. I have enough ducats tucked away that, if I were so inclined, I could go and lease myself a Mercedes C-Class with options. A vehicle that says, Im at least middle management with a fairly profitable company. Yet this would be a heinous fabrication and a horrible financial decision on my part throwing away thousands of dollars to appear to have a modicum of wealth. As a kid, I expressed to my mom amazement at the money that guy must have as he drove past us in a two-door Mercedes SL that retailed for $100,000 at the time. She chuckled at me and said, What you see is a poor man trying to look rich. Confidence gained by the acquisition of goods is fleeting. Practice humility and get yourself a beater. It keeps one grounded and away from the financial hardships that attend new or high-end vehicles. Story continues But what if you consider yourself a progressive, you think Bernie is a cool USSR- karaoke-dabbling sort of dude, and you think he would usher in an age of equity and prosperity for the put-upon masses? You should still get a beater. Why? Because you will be sticking it to the man ten ways from Sunday, thats why. Corporations make jack squat from your purchasing a 1997 Geo Metro on Craigslist. And because your Geo is long past its warranty, you need not have it serviced at another large corporate entity like Pep Boys. Instead, you can go down to Pat the Proletariats Collectivized AutoShop and have them fix it up provided they dont exclusively work on Ladas supporting your fellow worker. Plus, the vehicle is long past being beautiful, so you are at liberty a strange concept for Marxists, but bear with me to slap as many Bernie Bro, Coexist, or Feel the Bern stickers on there as you wish without harming the value of the vehicle. Conversely, if you think every statue torn down should be replaced with one of Ronald Reagan high-fiving Margaret Thatcher, if you land squarely on the right, boy, do I have the car for you. What do conservatives like? Limited taxes, small government, and tradition. What if I told you that you can have all three of those things by owning a beater? Get a hot and ready 1996 Honda Civic and you can slap a collector plate on it, ensuring that, after your one-time fee, the government cannot take any more of your hard-earned post-tax income on a per annum basis for ridiculous titling fees. We of the Right know General Motors should have never been bailed out; they made and make a poor-quality product and survived only by the benevolence(malevolence) of government intervention. Why support such a company by purchasing one of their brand-new vehicles? Get yourself a square-body 80s Chev from Dan in Illinois. You get your truck, and those schmucks at GM get nothing, as they so richly deserve. In the words of the greatest musical ever made: Tradition! A tradition like a car that refuses to quit being passed from generation to generation. Do you know who quits? Commies, and you aint no commie. Before computers and other doodads were introduced to vehicles, all you needed was a working transmission and an engine, maybe seatbelts if you were feeling frisky. Imagine your kids and grandkids driving the same 2000 Lincoln Town Car you did, putting the odometer up past 500,000 miles. What an incredible gift to your family. Preserve the past. Get a beater, oh conservative reader. The eco-friendly reader/consumer should get a beater as well. But why not a brand-new Prius or Tesla with their planet-friendly marketing and great mpg/range? Because the production of either of these vehicles is an environmental disaster on a scale not seen since the widespread 1980s Aqua Net abuse. Each new such vehicle increases the demand for nickel and lithium mining because of the battery-dependent nature of these vehicles. My 1999 Camry has already been manufactured, making my acquisition a net-zero impact on the environment. Owning a beater also makes you a better person. Owing to their vintage, most are mechanically simple to understand, and much of the work can be done yourself aided by a bevy of make/model-specific resources freely available on YouTube. This keeps down costs and fosters your DIY capabilities. You will save oodles of money compared with your fellow citizens who purchase new vehicles, and you can use that scratch to travel, pay back student loans, and enjoy life. Do yourself and the world a favor: Get yourself a beater. More from National Review The Madhya Pradesh government constituted a migrant labourers commission on Friday to employ the workers according to their skills and ability, said an official release from the state government. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Madhya Pradesh is committed to providing employment to migrant labourers, who returned to the state in this crisis of Corona pandemic, according to their ability and for the welfare and development of their families. With this objective, Madhya Pradesh State Migrant Labourer Commission has been constituted. We will make their livelihood in the state so comfortable that they will not have to go outside the state for the same, the release stated. As per the official information, the department of labour issued an order to the effect on Friday. Also read: Over 5 lakh people infected with coronavirus in India The tenure of the commission will be two years. An individual nominated by the state government will be the chairman of the commission, the release read. As its duties have been defined, the commission will provide the state government with suggestions and recommendations for the strengthening of the socio-economic status of the migrant labourers of the state after interacting with the members of the commission, individuals, organisations, departments, boards etc. The commission will work on the welfare of migrant labourers and their families, creation of employment opportunities and skill development. The commission will also ensure effective implementation of existing laws for the protection of the interest of migrant labourers. Also read: Migrants are returning, trains from UP, Bihar, WB fully booked - Railways Along with this, the commission will also be able to give recommendations as regard to providing benefits of existing social security and welfare schemes to the migrant labourers and their families and any other recommendation in their interest. In the order issued by the department of labour, it has been stated that whole Madhya Pradesh will come under the jurisdiction of the commission. Under this, those labourers will be covered who are in the domicile of Madhya Pradesh and were working in other states as labourers and have returned to Madhya Pradesh on March 01, 2020, or later, stated the official release. Several tourists have voiced their wish to do a spacewalk but nobody has signed a contract yet, the president of Space Adventures, Eric Anderson, said Friday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th June, 2020) Several tourists have voiced their wish to do a spacewalk but nobody has signed a contract yet, the president of Space Adventures, Eric Anderson, said Friday. On Thursday, Rocket and Space Corporation Energia said it signed a deal with Space Adventures on taking two tourists to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2023. One of the tourists is expected to do a spacewalk accompanied by a Russian cosmonaut. "Several candidates wanted an opportunity to try for a spacewalk but none have done it. Interest is there but still a huge challenge to org. We're only at the beginning. I'd surmise clients commitments by around end of next year. in short: not yet!" Anderson said on Twitter in response to a query from another Twitter user. From 2001 to 2009, Russia's Soyuz ships took seven tourists to the ISS. By Express News Service BENGALURU: A day after the retaining wall along Vrishabhavathi river near Mylasandra was washed away in heavy rain on Thursday evening, the traffic police and BBMP closed the west lane of Mysuru Road to vehicular traffic to carry out repair works.The decision was taken after BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar and Mayor M Goutham Kumar, along with other officials, inspected the site on Friday. The duo issued immediate orders to BBMP engineers to take all measures to prevent any mishaps on the stretch of road following the wall collapse. However, the engineers blamed the National Highway Authority of India and the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, alleging that because of Metro works, the foundation of the road and surrounding areas had become weak, leading to the wall collapse. Surprisingly, they remained mum on the fact that other portions of the wall had collapsed in previous years during heavy rainfall. A bike that got washed away | Pandarinath B Speaking to reporters after the inspection, the mayor said the retaining wall was constructed 20 years ago and NHAI had recently built another one on it, without taking up any repair works. So, because of the heavy downpour on Thursday, the wall collapsed. Instructions have been issued to take up immediate works. Many stretches on Mysuru Road have also been damaged because of the wall collapse and heavy rainfall, so the westward lane has been closed for repair works and alternative arrangements have been made. To ensure there are no more damages, sandbags have been placed and barricades erected, the mayor said. The commissioner said apart from heavy rain, the water level in the river had also risen by three-four feet which increased the pressure on the retaining wall, leading to its collapse. Temporary bunds are being put up to ensure that there is no further damage. A meeting of all officials from BBMP, NHAI and BMRCL will be held to find a permanent solution, he added. Work not up to the mark Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Rakesh Singh on Friday wrote to BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar instructing the civic body to take all preemptive action to mitigate any adverse monsoon effects. The letter pointed out that the collapse of the retaining wall on Mysuru Road shows that implementation of (preemptive) work has not been up to the mark. Since storm water drains are the only conduits to safely carry the discharge, the minimum expectation is that the concrete structures designed to withstand the flood level flows are not washed away under moderate discharge. An inquiry may be held to ascertain what went wrong. Also, details of the works done and amount spent by the BBMP should be submitted to the government. BBMP must also form a team and make an assessment of all recent major SWD works, the letter said. The Trump administration's diversion of military funds to construct additional barriers to the United States-Mexico border wall was "unlawful," ruled a federal appeals court on Friday or three days after President Donald Trump visited a section of the wall in Arizona. The $2.5 billion from the Pentagon was redirected to build 130 miles of barriers in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. In the 2-1 ruling, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel found that the administration defied the Congress' constitutional authority over federal funds. "The Executive Branch lacked independent constitutional authority to authorize the transfer of funds," the ruling said. "The transfer of funds violated the Appropriations Clause, and, therefore, was unlawful." The court sided with environmental groups that filed the lawsuit. However, a Supreme Court ruling issued last year stay, which allows the funds to be used and remains in effect for the time being, a report from CNN said. In a report by The New York Times, Dror Ladin, a staff lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union's National Security Project, said the 9th Circuit decision would help their argument before the Supreme Court, calling it "a win for the rule of law." "There's no undoing the damage that's been done, but we will be back before the Supreme Court to finally put a stop to this destructive wall," said Ladin, pointing out the destruction of wildlife and desecration of cultural sites that has been brought by the construction of the border wall. For his part, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra praised the court ruling. "We applaud the court for taking action to immediately halt Trump's unlawful money grab," he said in a report from NBC News. The administration took hold of the military fund last year after Congress refused to allocate money for the wall. A national emergency at the border was declared by Trump in order to access the money. Haywood S. Gilliam Jr., U.S. district court judge, found that the administration could not prove "unforeseen military requirements" were needed to receive the money. The 9th Circuit agreed, noting that problems at the border wall, like drug smuggling, is not "unexpected." The majority judges, Sidney Thomas and Kim McLane Wardlaw, were nominated to the court by former president Bill Clinton, while the dissenting judge Daniel Collins is a Trump appointee. Collins said the filing parties, Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition, did not have sufficient justification to stop the transfer of military funds. He wrote in his dissent that the administration has the authority to use the money for the border wall. "By building fencing to stop international drug smuggling, the acting secretary of defense did not have to give even the slightest consideration to whether that reprogramming of funds would disrupt views of the desert landscape or affect local flora and fauna," Collins wrote, referring to the Department of Homeland Security. Trump has faced a number of legal challenges regarding his border wall and his attempt to get additional funding from other government agencies. With about $15 billion border wall funding, the administration has completed over 200 miles of the wall system. "My administration has done more than any administration [in history] to secure our southern border. Our border has never been more secure," Trump said. Some 2,600 people pledged nearly $110,000 mostly in gifts of under $50 to a GoFundMe campaign to help Dafonte Miller pay for medical treatments not covered by OHIP or private insurance. Miller, who is Black, lost his left eye after a brutal, sustained beating from a white off-duty Toronto police officer and his brother. My prayers go out to you and your family, a $400 donor posted. I hope Dafonte is doing better today. The original goal of $90,000 was easily surpassed, reaching $107,765 by Sunday morning. That came two days after Ontario Superior Court Justice Joseph Di Luca found Const. Michael Theriault guilty of assaulting Miller with his fists and a metal pole. Theriaults younger brother, Christian Theriault, also participated in what the judge called a one-sided and horrific beating of Miller, who was then 19 and struggled to call 911 for help. Michael Theriault was also found not guilty of attempting to obstruct justice and aggravated assault, while Christian Theriault was acquitted on charges of assault and attempting to obstruct justice. Comments posted on the GoFundMe page showed that many of the donors were also among the 20,000 YouTube viewers who watched Di Luca deliver his verdict in a special online arrangement due to COVID-19 court restrictions. The beating on a residential Whitby street occurred after Const. Theriault chased down Miller in the winter of 2016 for allegedly stealing change from his parents truck. The high-profile case was racially charged and that was reflected by many of the comments on the GoFundMe page, including Black Lives Matter! Dafonte MATTERS. Others showed support specifically for Miller and his family: Hope you can rest while the rest of us pick up the fight. Our thoughts are with you and your mom, Dafonte. We are all connected to each other and what affects one affects all. I will keep you and your family in my meditations. Many donors wrote that they considered the beating, and verdict, evidence of systemic anti-Black racism, including: I hope the appeal of this matter goes a long way toward justice reform. Good luck! Some spoke of fear for the future, such as a $100 pledger who posted: As a parent of a Black son I cant imagine how alone I would feel without the help of my community. #HereforDafonte #JusticeforDafonteMiller #TeamDafonte #Proudofcommunity #DurhamBlackAccountabilityCoalition. Others said they were tired of feeling helpless. Wrote Lee C., who pledged $50: Glad to be able to do something concrete to help beyond sharing Facebook posts. Justice for Dafonte. Peter Edwards is a Toronto-based reporter primarily covering crime for the Star. Reach him by email at pedwards@thestar.ca SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Facebook Inc messaging service WhatsApp said on Thursday that Brazil's central bank had said it intended to find a way to restore the payments service in the country by working with Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc . "The central bank made clear that they support platforms like WhatsApp that are innovating in digital payments," Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, said in a statement. On Tuesday, Brazil's central bank and antitrust watchdog suspended WhatsApp's newly launched payments services, as they see potential damage in the areas of competition, efficiency and data privacy. Regulators blocked WhatsApp partnerships with Visa, Mastercard and Cielo SA . As Cielo is the only card acquirer in a deal with WhatsApp, Brazil's antitrust watchdog Cade is investigating if the terms of the partnership could favor it in terms of exclusivity. Cade estimates WhatsApp could increase Cielo's card transactions by 10% in a conservative scenario. Cielo is already the country's biggest acquirer with a 41% market share Still, Whatsapp reinforced in the statement its plans to open the service to more players in the future and to provide payments via central bank payments platform PIX. Brazil is the first country where WhatsApp has announced a nationwide payments service. It has over 120 million users, its second largest market behind India. The central bank did not immediately comment on the matter. (Reporting by Carolina Mandl, in Sao Paulo, and Gabriel Pontes, in Brasilia; Editing by Christian Plumb and Jonathan Oatis) Amid a spirited and sometimes wrenching congressional debate over what should be done about cops who brutalize minorities, one Louisiana representative stayed largely quiet, though he may have more personal experience with the subject than any of the Houses other 434 members. U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, a Lafayette Republican who parlayed his image as a tough-talking cop nicknamed the Cajun John Wayne into a seat in Congress, nearly saw his nascent law enforcement career derailed ignominiously 13 years ago when he repeatedly assaulted a Black bystander and then lied about it to investigators. Higgins, 58, who previously sold cars for a living, began working as a police officer in Opelousas in 2004. But his career with the Opelousas Police Department ended less than three years later after he used excessive force on Andre Red Richard, who had pulled up near a residence where police were serving a search warrant. Without justification, Higgins struck Richard, grabbed him by the neck and may have kicked him as he lay handcuffed, face-down. Higgins then lied about it to his superiors and falsely accused Richard of battery, records show. He quit the force soon after, as the department was about to impose hefty discipline on Higgins for his misconduct, says Perry Gallow, then chief of the Opelousas Police Department. Higgins mostly avoided the House debate over a Democrat-sponsored police bill last week, though four of his five Louisiana colleagues took the mic to weigh in. He did issue a news release after the passage of the bill, which he voted against, claiming it would most certainly legislate many of Americas best, most experienced street cops out of law enforcement. The bill might well have ended his police career, if it had become law while Higgins was still in uniform. Among other things, the bill would create a registry of law enforcement officers who have been found guilty of misconduct, as a way of preventing bad cops from jumping from agency to agency. Thats exactly what Higgins did after the Opelousas incident in 2007, moving on to the Port Barre Police Department and then to the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office. Two of Higgins previous bosses in law enforcement, including the chief at the time of the incident and the sheriff who unknowingly hired him after it, now say the congressmans misconduct shouldve cut short his decade-long career and drummed him out of the ranks. Higgins declined an interview request for this story and did not respond to requests for comment about the incident or his policing career. A spokesman for Higgins provided a statement that he insisted be attributed only to Congressman Higgins office. Congressman Higgins answered these questions in depth in 2016 only to be misquoted, quoted out of context, and unrighteously attacked by unscrupulous journalists in league with establishment career politicians. His record as a street cop stands. Were not going to participate in the liberal fake news Advocates attempt to tear down law enforcement and demonize police officers. ...The Congressman advises that if you want to know what it is to be a street cop, then put on a badge. Call your backyard lawyer The 2007 incident, which was reported in detail by the Lafayette Independent during Higgins congressional campaign in 2016, occurred as Higgins and several other Opelousas SWAT officers were serving a search warrant on Planters Street, and Richard pulled up in his car. Richard told the first officer he spoke with that his cousin lived at the house and he decided to stop and see what was going on after spotting a number of police cars parked outside. An Opelousas Police Department internal affairs investigation which included interviews and statements from Richard, Higgins, three other officers present and two civilian witnesses closely described what happened next. As Richard spoke with another policeman, Higgins started peering in the windows of his parked car, and then opened one of the doors. When Richard quickly stepped in to close it telling Higgins he didnt have permission to search the car Higgins and another policeman, John Chautin, grabbed Richard by the neck, threw him to the ground and handcuffed him. A number of witnesses, including two other police officers, later testified that Higgins grabbed Richard roughly by the hair as he lay face-down and handcuffed on the ground, jerked his head to the side and as the commanding officer at the scene, Lt. Graig Twin LeBlanc, later recalled spewed insults at Richard and told him, Now go call your backyard lawyer now, motherf---er. Richard later said he felt someone kick him and LeBlanc, who was looking across the street, believed he saw Higgins deliver the blow. LeBlanc ordered the officers to help Richard to his feet. Richard implored LeBlanc to intervene and to tell the truth after he filed a complaint about his treatment. To Higgins, Richard said something to the effect that everybody needs to die eventually and face judgment for their actions. Higgins apparently took those words as a threat and became enraged. He took off Richards handcuffs, then shoved him against a car, grabbed him a second time by the neck and delivered a blow across Richards face before another cop, Sgt. Bill Ortego, stepped in to tell Higgins to leave him alone. Two civilian witnesses later told an Opelousas Police Department internal affairs investigator that Higgins backed off and started to walk away from Richard after noticing them staring in shocked disbelief from a porch across the street. But Higgins wasnt quite done. Before leaving, Richard pulled out a cigarette and went to light it. Higgins wheeled around, ripped the cigarette from Richards mouth and yelled, according to Richard, Who gave you permission to smoke? Completely unacceptable As promised, Richard filed a complaint with the Police Department, and when the Opelousas Police Departments internal affairs investigator, Capt. Craig Thomas, interviewed Higgins, he lied about the entire incident. He falsely accused Richard of grabbing him while closing his car door, and flatly denied ever grabbing or hitting Richard. The next day, Thomas interviewed Ortego, whod seen Higgins hit Richard. According to Ortego, Richard never touched Higgins before Higgins and Chautin threw him to the ground. Ortego confirmed Richards account that Higgins had roughly grabbed him by the hair as he lay face-down in handcuffs. Ortego also recounted how Higgins shoved Richard onto the car, grabbed him by the neck and after Ortego told Higgins to leave Richard alone slapped Richard across the face. Higgins dialed up Thomas just after 11 p.m. that same night to come clean, admitting hed lied about what happened and said hed been convinced to tell the truth after discussing the incident with a counselor from Las Vegas. The next morning, Higgins acknowledged hed falsely accused Richard of committing a battery, acknowledged grabbing him around the neck and jerking a cigarette from Richards mouth. He also admitted hed struck Richard across the head, though Higgins contended hed only cuffed Mr. Richard on the side of the head only using 10 to 15% force, not an actual strike. But Thomas, in his report on the incident, was convinced that the real reason Higgins confessed was because hed spoken to Ortego, and learned that Ortego hadnt gone along with the story Higgins and Chautin concocted. As punishment for the beatdown, Gallow recommended Higgins be suspended for 160 hours without pay, demoted a rank, removed from the SWAT team and reassigned to a patrol shift so he could be directly supervised. The Opelousas City Council signed off on that discipline. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Higgins quit days later before it ever took effect. At the time, he was also facing a separate internal probe for stopping on his way to a regional SWAT competition to buy two 12-packs of beer at a gas station while in uniform and driving a marked police car. That internal affairs probe also apparently looked at whether SWAT members including Higgins had disparaged or mocked Gallow during the trip. In a recent interview, Gallow called Higgins' conduct "completely unacceptable" and said Higgins quit to avoid discipline. Gallow, who served as chief until early 2015, said that once Higgins quit, he never would have rehired him. "No sir, absolutely not," Gallow said. "The way in which it happened, the fact that he attempted to cover it up, thats not a person I would want under my command. I hold the badge dearly to my heart, I appreciate and understand the integrity that is required, and anything of that magnitude no, I would not attempt to rehire an individual like that." Current Opelousas Police Chief Martin McLendon referred questions about the incident to Gallow. But McLendon, who was an officer with the department at the time, said the department wouldnt consider Higgins for another job. Not under my administration, said McLendon. Im not entertaining that. Anything that had disciplinary action, I dont want to engage in it. I couldnt live with that During his first congressional campaign in 2016, Higgins again misrepresented the incident, claiming to the Lafayette Independent that hed been disciplined merely for pulling a cigarette from Richards mouth and claiming Richard was belligerent after breaching an established perimeter around the search. He was parked on the street; there was no perimeter set up for Richard to see, Thomas, the internal affairs investigator, told the Independent in 2016 when asked about Higgins claims. Higgins acknowledged to the Independent that hed made some false statements in his initial interview but claimed he decided to come clean as a matter of conscience: I couldnt live with that, he told the paper. I couldnt sleep. He never responded when a reporter at the Independent followed up after obtaining the full internal affairs report. The incident could have derailed Higgins brief law enforcement career long before he rose to viral fame as the brash, bombastic star of local CrimeStoppers TV segments which drew massive viewership once uploaded to YouTube while working as a spokesman for the St. Landry Parish Sheriffs Office. Instead, he wound up working 9 more years in law enforcement. Bobby Guidroz, the longtime sheriff in St. Landry Parish, said he never wouldve hired Higgins as a deputy if hed known about his misconduct. Absolutely it would have disqualified Higgins from a job, Guidroz said Wednesday. If Id have known that before he came to work here, I would not have hired him. Guidroz said he couldnt recall any similar complaints against Higgins during his time as a sheriffs deputy, which included a stint as a night-shift patrolman before Higgins was moved to public affairs. But the sheriff and Higgins repeatedly clashed over the insults Higgins hurled at suspects during the Crime Stoppers segments including, according to Guidroz, calling one suspect a disease, a parasite, a cancer; another an imbecile with limited brain cells; and claiming another wasnt worth the bullet to kill and over the ways Higgins sought to profit off his growing fame. Higgins abruptly resigned from the Sheriffs Office at a fiery press conference in February 2016, claiming that Guidroz was trying to muzzle and silence him in the segments, which drew throngs of viewers online. You wont walk away Higgins last and perhaps most controversial segment in which he challenged members of the so-called Gremlins Gang in neighboring Vermilion Parish to meet on solid ground, any time, anywhere, light or heavy, makes no difference to me, you wont walk away has recently gone viral again, reframed by conservatives online as a message aimed at antifa demonstrators. Guidroz said he found Higgins inflammatory insults aimed at suspects unprofessional, and he had been cautioned by lawyers that they could create legal problems for the agency. Guidroz also said that despite Higgins boast to Gremlins gang members in the video that, Im easy to find a fearful Higgins soon came to him to request extra body armor and permission to strip the markings off his sheriffs office truck. Emails from that time obtained by news outlets including KATC-TV and the Independent showed that Higgins spent time during his paid shifts marketing merchandise and trying to pitch himself as the star of a reality show. Guidroz said Higgins also filmed commercials in his Sheriffs Office uniform, a violation of agency policy and, potentially, state law. He had a private little enterprise going where he was selling cups, mugs and other trinkets with his logo Captain Clay on some stuff, which he had no permission to do, Guidroz said. When he left, he resigned. My idea was I was going to fire him, but he decided to just pack up and go. Guidroz declined to discuss his opinion of Higgins as a congressman, saying his clashes with Higgins as a sheriffs deputy had left him feeling very negative and with a bitter pill in my mouth. I dont monitor him, I dont follow him in Congress, said Guidroz. Hes not my congressman, so hes not my problem. Soon after leaving the St. Landry Sheriffs Office, Higgins landed a new badge and gun to wear as he campaigned for congress in 2016 from then-Lafayette City Marshal Brian Pope, who made Higgins a reserve deputy. Higgins turned in that honorary commission after Pope was stripped of his post following his criminal conviction for malfeasance in office. Before turning in his gun and badge, Higgins had lined up another reserve commission, asking Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry to deputize him as a reserve officer with the Louisiana Department of Justice. A spokesman for Landry said the Attorney Generals Office ensures Congressman Higgins remains current with his yearly training and requirements but didnt answer questions about whether Higgins has ever done law enforcement work for the agency. Staff writers Mark Ballard and John Simerman contributed to this story. Gandhinagar, June 27 : Former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) General Secretary Shankersinh Vaghela has gone into self-quarantine at his residence, here on Saturday, after testing positive for coronavirus. He was suffering from fever for 3-4 days. Vaghela, fondly known as 'Bapu' by supporters, on Monday tendered his resignation from his post as well as the primary membership of the Sharad Pawar-led party. He was upset with his replacement by Jayant Patel (Boski). He had also expressed displeasure over the lone NCP legislator in Gujarat Kandhal Jadeja voting for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls by violating the whip. He set up his own political front called 'Praja Shakti Morcho' and had been raising the fuel price hike in the past couple of days. Vaghela served as the Gujarat Chief Minister in 1996. France and its allies in the Sahel next week will discuss the region's mounting struggles with a jihadist insurgency and ethnic bloodshed. Militant attacks and ethnic massacres have become routine in parts of the vast semi-arid region, and state armies are increasingly accused of indiscriminately killing civilians. Leaders of the so-called G5 Sahel military alliance -- comprising Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger -- plus President Francois Macron, are due to meet on Tuesday in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott. The summit is a follow-up to talks in the French city of Pau in January that gave a political reboot to the flagging war against the jihadists. Islamist insurgents in the Sahel first emerged in northern Mali in 2012, during a rebellion by Touareg separatists which was later overtaken by the jihadists. Despite the presence of thousands of foreign troops, the conflict has since spread to the centre of the country, as well as to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed in the conflict to date, while hundreds of thousands have had to flee their homes. The Nouakchott meeting follows up a summit in January in the southwestern French city of Pau, which sought to reboot the campaign against jihadism in the Sahel. By Guillaume HORCAJUELO (POOL/AFP) Following the Pau summit, France upped its military presence and has boasted of several recent successes -- its forces notably killed Abdelmalek Droukdel, the head of a notorious group called al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), in northern Mali in June. International opinion about the situation in the Sahel differs. The United States, at a UN Security Council meeting in June, said security was deteriorating in the region and there had been no "significant progress." In contrast, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has hailed "important" advances. 'Disarray' Tuesday's talks are taking place against a backdrop of entrenched problems, particularly in Mali, where the jihadist onslaught has pitched ethnic groups against each other. Local infighting in Mali's volatile centre has gone "largely unnoticed," according to Ibrahim Maiga, a Bamako-based researcher for the Institute for Security Studies think tank. And in a new development, jihadists respectively linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have begun to battle each other in central Mali, after long steering clear of one another. Mali's peace process is also faltering, although few people are paying attention, said a European diplomat in Bamako, who declined to be named. Mali's government signed a peace accord with some rebel groups in 2015, which is meant to lead to decentralisation in the vast country -- an option experts argue could defuse long-standing tensions. UN, African and French forces in the G5 Sahel region. By (AFP) On another front, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is facing protests over his perceived mismanagement of the country after years of bloodshed. Mounting opposition to his leadership -- led by a newly resurgent opposition -- has Mali's international allies concerned about the stability of the war-torn country. Other problems abound in the Sahel conflict. A contingent of Chadian troops to the border region linking Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, promised after the Pau summit, has yet to deploy. But there are also increasing concerns about the conduct of local troops. Rights groups have accused Sahel armies of conducting indiscriminate killings of civilians this year, for example. Mahamadou Savadogo, a Burkinabe researcher, said that these alleged killings show the "disarray of security forces" confronted with continued militant attacks. A French government official, who requested anonymity, said that the danger is that the chaos in the Sahel will spread south, into West Africa's populous coastal states. That fear already appears to be materialising. In mid-June, Islamist militants killed 12 soldiers and a policeman in a border raid in Ivory Coast, the country's first jihadist attack since 2016. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources supports a lawmaker's proposal to establish an enforcement unit under the agency which shall pursue the stricter implementation of environmental laws. "Well, basically it will serve as deterrent, no, kung talagang meron na tayong enforcement bureau na talagang day to day ay walang ginawa kundi manghuli nang manghuli, no, at maipakita ang kanilang presence," said DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda during the Laging Handa online briefing on Saturday. [Translation: The enforcement bureau will serve as a deterrent (to crime) as it will do nothing but keep making arrests and making its presence known.] Earlier this week, Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda filed House Bill No. 6973, which proposes the creation of the Environment Protection and Enforcement Bureau (EPEB). This shall strengthen the department's ability to address environmental violations, she said. Antiporda said it's difficult to monitor environment protection especially in the provinces and mountainous areas. He pointed out that only one DENR personnel or forester can head to problem areas with a short pistol, while the enemies all have "high-powered firearms." "How can we protect the environment and natural resources wherein we cannot protect ourselves?" the official said. Antiporda likewise noted Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has also pushed for the creation of an enforcement bureau, arguing this will put an end to the killings of DENR personnel. Just last month, a DENR Region VIII employee was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in the DENR Eco-lodge in Burauen, Leyte. Several DENR personnel were also killed in separate incidents from September to November last year. READ: DENR to intensify drive vs. environment law offenders after worker's death During the briefing, Antiporda also revealed that while the number of cases of environmental violations such as illegal trading of products like agarwood did not go up during the community quarantine, the volume of traded goods did. For instance, this Monday, joint operatives of the DENR and National Bureau of Investigation arrested four individuals for transporting almost 20 kilos of agarwood, which DENR describes as a "threatened and much sought-after" tree species. The confiscated kilos were valued at 3.2 million. The first of a series of Royal Air Force (RAF) flights taking medical supplies to Africa to help fight the coronavirus pandemic departed the United Kingdom on Saturday, June 27. The RAF C-17 took off from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire on a journey funded by the Department For International Development. The transport aircraft was carried a field hospital, which will be used as a backup facility for frontline aid workers in the region. Aid workers from around the world are playing a crucial role in West Africa working to improve health systems, prevent the spread of coronavirus and save lives. It comes after the UK responded to a request by the United Nations (UN) to NATOs Euro-Atlantic Disaster Relief Coordination Centre. The UN is leading global logistics efforts to make sure supplies reach those who need them most during the pandemic. With commercial flights disrupted and the cost of cargo flights having escalated, the UKs support is crucial. The field hospital has been organised by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), whose work is supported by UK aid. It will have the capacity to care for up to 92 people. The UK has previously announced 15 million of support to the WFP to support its coronavirus response. The UK's International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: This field hospital will play an important role in the global battle against coronavirus. Aid workers are on the frontline of the coronavirus response, and it is critical they are protected so they can continue their life-saving work. This is the best of British the UK military and UK aid working together to solve a global problem for the benefit of all of us. No one is safe until we are all safe. The field hospital, which weighs approximately 130 tonnes - the equivalent of seven buses - will be transported to Accra in up to five flights. WFP will then arrange for it to be built to support the coronavirus response where the need is greatest. The UK's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: The RAF and NATO are always here to help our Allies, friends and those in need around the world. Im proud that while dealing with coronavirus we are able to provide such support to Ghana and other countries. The World Food Programmes Executive Director, David Beasley, said: "WFP is incredibly grateful for this support from the UK Government in transporting essential humanitarian infrastructure and medical supplies to Africa. Commercial transport is massively disrupted. This kind of action allows humanitarian and health staff to stay and deliver on the frontline to battle the COVID-19 pandemic." British High Commissioner to Ghana Iain Walker commenting on the arrival of the WFP cargo said: Coviv-19 is a global problem that requires a global response. This UK RAF flight, working in conjunction with NATO and the World Food Programme, funded by UK development aid, shows how the UK government is using all of its resources to solve global problems. I am pleased that Ghana is the country of destination for the first of a series of UK funded RAF flights that will transport vital supplies and equipment to assist the World Food Programme and other agencies in saving lives and supporting the vulnerable. Alongside existing UK support on health, the economy and security today is another example of UK collaboration with Ghana in tackling Covid-19. UK Defence Adviser in Accra and Non Residence Attache Lieutenant Colonel .A.R. McKechnie RE said: The UK Military and Ghana Armed Forces have a long history of working together and partnering. Today, Ghana Air Force has facilitated with Ghana Airport Authorities this Royal Air Force flight to deliver World Food Programmes vital equipment. Thank you to the UKs Department for International Development and Ministry of Defence working with NATO to enable the WFP and Ghana tackle Covid-19 in West Africa together. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: "NATO Allies are working together to address the COVID-19 pandemic and to support our partners. Last month, NATO agreed to support the UN's global call for airlift assistance. I warmly welcome that the United Kingdom is the first NATO Ally to come forward with an aid flight, delivering supplies to build a field hospital in Ghana. This is a concrete demonstration of solidarity in action NATO Allies stepping up to save lives." Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A federal judge on Friday ordered Roger Stone, President Donald Trumps longtime friend and adviser, to report to prison by July 14 to begin his sentence after being convicted of seven criminal counts last year, granting him a 14-day extension over concerns about the coronavirus. The 67-year-old veteran Republican operative and self-described dirty trickster, who lives in South Florida, had been scheduled to report to a federal prison in Jesup, Georgia, by next Tuesday. Florida is experiencing rising numbers of coronavirus infections. Stone was found guilty by a jury last November of obstruction, witness tampering and lying to Congress under oath during its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who in February sentenced him to three years and four months in prison, granted the extension sought by Stone and ordered him placed in home confinement. This will address the defendants stated medical concerns during the current increase of reported cases in Florida, and Broward County in particular, and it will respect and protect the health of other inmates who share defendants anxiety over the potential introduction and spread of the virus at this now-unaffected facility, Berman said. Trump, who has argued that Stone was treated unfairly, declined to answer directly when asked in a Fox News Channel interview on Thursday whether he would issue him a pardon. Stone was one of several Trump associates who were convicted or pleaded guilty to charges stemming from former Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation that detailed Russian meddling in the 2016 election to boost Trumps candidacy. He was convicted of lying to the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee about his attempts to contact WikiLeaks, the website that released damaging emails about Trumps 2016 Democratic election rival Hillary Clinton that US intelligence officials have concluded were stolen by Russian hackers. ABANTU for Development, a female-based non-governmental organization, has urged government as a matter of urgency to pass Ghanas affirmative action bill into law. According to the NGO, they believed when Ghanas affirmative action bill is passed into law, it will ensure that a critical number of women in key positions in governance, public life and in decision-making spaces will improve the lives of women in the country. In a statement copied to Peacefmonline said; "...gender equality in decision making is a top priority, not only because equality between women and men is an important development goal, but also because womens participation in the decision-making process is vital for growth, peace and national stability. Having both men and women involved in decision-making broadens the perspectives, diversifies the pool of talents and competencies, as well as improves the process of decision-making. The absence of women from positions of leadership is at odds with the strategy of exploiting human resources to promote business and performance," portion of the statement read. Below is the statement An Affirmative Action is an act of supporting or recommending a cause of action to remedy an imbalance. An Affirmative Action is a temporary measure that is often instituted to redress the effects of past and current discrimination that is regarded as unfair and unjust. Affirmative Action is therefore used to correct issues regarding discrimination in the political, social, economic and cultural lives of any people. Ghanas Affirmative Action Bill defines Affirmative Action as A set of measures adopted by the Government, public and private institutions to address a history of systemic discrimination and exclusion of women and to encourage their efforts towards addressing political, social, cultural, economic and educational gender imbalance in the public and private sectors in accordance with clause (4) of Article 17 of the Constitution. The Bill seeks to promote a progressive increase in the active participation of women in public life from a minimum of 40% to a parity of 50% by 2030 in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ghanas Affirmative Action Bill when passed into Law, will ensure that a critical number of women are in key positions in governance and public life and in decision-making spaces that will improve the lives of women generally and will also lead to consequential changes in existing laws and policies to improve the lives of women. Though various efforts have been made in Ghana to balance political representation and participation between women and men, these efforts have not yielded desired results, mainly due to the low commitment and the political will to back such initiatives. Ghana began its quest for an Affirmative Action Law as far back as 1998, where guidelines on the Law were passed by the Cabinet. However, as at June 2020, the Bill has still not been passed. This is due to the low commitment on the part of stakeholders towards pushing for the passage of the Bill into Law. This low commitment has been realised because the purpose, relevance and benefits that we stand to gain as a country have not been clearly spelt out and disseminated to all citizens. This article therefore provides us insight into the basis for the passage of the Bill and the need for its passage. Ghana is signatory to several international and national protocols and laws such as, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Platform for Action, Solemn Declaration for Gender Equality in Africa, which set out the need to push for gender equality and govern womens equal participation. However, despite the ratification of these protocols, equal representation of women and men, is yet to be realised in the country. There are currently only thirty-eight (38) women, representing, 13.8% in Ghanas Parliament out of a total of two hundred and seventy-five (275) Members of Parliament. At the ministerial and ambassadorial levels, womens representation stands below 25%. In Ghanas Local Governance system, the situation is worse, as women constitute less than 5% of the elected. This low representation of women is in spite of the fact that women form 51.2% of Ghanas total population. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the passage of an Affirmative Action Law to address these inequalities. According to the United Nations, without the active participation of women and the incorporation of womens perspective at all levels of decision-making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved and development interventions and planning will not achieve sustainable results. Womens participation and representation will bring about sustainable development which will improve the lives of all citizens. Furthermore, an Affirmative Action law in Ghana will promote equality in participation and representation in decision making processes which will enable women to protect and promote their rights and the country as a whole. With gender equality in participation and decision making, women will bring on board alternative development, their experience, knowledge and expertise in key areas of governance, such as education, child care and health issues as well as improve the delivery of social services in remote areas. Higher gender inequality in decision making is also associated with slower development of a country. Women account for approximately 50% of Ghanas labour force and are found in almost all kinds of economic activities in the country. When women are inadequately represented in decision making process, it is very unlikely, that that their needs and suggestions would be treated with priority which inadvertently affects the economic development of the country. This is because womens labour, experience, expertise, knowledge and best practices will not be considered in any decision relating to economic development. Thus, 50% of the population are likely to remain underdeveloped. The Affirmative Action law will therefore guarantee for equal representation of women and men in decision making spaces which will result in gender balanced policy making at all levels of governance. Research has shown that institutions and companies greatly benefit from increasing employment and leadership opportunities for women, which has shown to increase organisational effectiveness and growth. With an Affirmative Action law in place, more women would have the opportunity to hold managerial positions, which will increase organisational performance. An Affirmative Action Law will also increase womens interest in public and political office and would make a valuable contribution through their participation in decision making and will address socio-cultural prejudices against women. Finally, gender equality in decision making is a top priority, not only because equality between women and men is an important development goal, but also because womens participation in decision making process is vital for growth, peace and national stability. Having both men and women involved in decision-making broadens the perspectives, diversifies the pool of talents and competences, as well as improves the process of decision-making. The absence of women from positions of leadership is at odds with the strategy of exploiting human resources to promote business and performance. ABANTU for Development and the African Womens Development Fund are therefore calling on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) to expedite processes to get Ghanas Affirmative Action Bill into Parliament. We are also calling on Ghanas Legislature to pass the Affirmative Action Bill with urgency in order to ensure an increased womens representation in the 2020 General Elections. Finally, we call on all stakeholders including civil society, political parties, traditional and religious leaders and all citizens to collectively increase the ongoing advocacy towards the passage of the Bill into Law. This Article is produced by ABANTU for Development with support from the African Womens Development Fund (AWDF) 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 Sir Keir Starmer has appointed banker-turned child poverty activist Kate Green MP as Labour's new Shadow Education Secretary today. The Stretford and Urmston MP replaces Rebecca Long Bailey, who was sacked from the frontbench for allegedly peddling an 'anti-Semitic conspiracy theory'. Sir Keir said: 'I'm delighted to appoint Kate Green as shadow education secretary. 'Kate has spent a lifetime campaigning against child poverty and educational inequalities. I look forward to working with her in this new role.' Ms Green, the newly-appointed Labour shadow cabinet member, said: 'It's a privilege to have been asked to serve as shadow education secretary. 'The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on children's education. 'I look forward to working with teachers, unions, parents and councils to help ensure we get our children back in school as soon as possible.' Sir Keir Starmer has appointed banker-turned child poverty activist Kate Green MP (pictured) as Labour's new Shadow Education Secretary today The Stretford and Urmston MP replaces Rebecca Long Bailey (right), who was sacked from the frontbench by Sir Keir (left) for allegedly peddling an 'anti-Semitic conspiracy theory' For Ms Green, it is a return to the shadow cabinet after serving as shadow minister for women and equalities under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. She quit after the referendum, in what was seen by left-wing critics as a coup against the Islington North MP, and went on to chair Owen Smith's failed leadership bid. Sir Keir gave her the role of shadow minister for child poverty strategy in April, before elevating her to education spokeswoman two months on. The Stretford MP worked for Barclays Bank from 1982 to 1997 after university. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, welcomed Ms Green's appointment, adding: 'At a time of such difficulty for the early year sector, an effective opposition is more important than ever'. Ms Green replaces Ms Long Bailey, who was sacked from the frontbench after allegedly peddling an 'anti-Semitic conspiracy theory'. Ms Long Bailey had praised an interview with actress Maxine Peake, a Corbyn supporter, in which the 45-year-old 'Shameless' star claimed that Israeli spies had taught US police tactics which led to the killing of George Floyd. A spokesman for the Labour leader confirmed he had asked her to step aside, and stressed his commitment to 'restoring trust with the Jewish community'. Sir Keir's swift action was praised by Jewish organisations including the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council. For Ms Green, the promotion is a return to the Shadow Cabinet after serving as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities under Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn visits Stretford High School with Kate Green, in Trafford, March 2018 Ms Long Bailey was sacked from the frontbench after retweeting a link to the interview He was also applauded by ex-PM Tony Blair, Lord Mandelson - a key New Labour architect - and former Home Secretary Lord Blunkett. Ms Long Bailey's sacking was seen by MPs like John McDonnell and Diane Abbott as a declaration of war by Sir Keir on the hard-Left of the party. The Socialist Campaign Group - seen as the hard-Left caucus of the parliamentary party - said there had been 'significant disagreement' over the dismissal, and had urged Sir Keir in talks to reinstate Ms Long Bailey to his Shadow Cabinet. Sir Keir's office declined to comment on the meeting, but reiterated: 'The article Rebecca shared earlier today contained an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. 'As leader of the Labour Party, Keir has been clear that restoring trust with the Jewish community is a number one priority. Anti-Semitism takes many different forms and it is important that we all are vigilant against it.' In a statement following the talks, the Group said it had also raised the issue of the freedom of party members to speak out on the issue of Israel. Actress Maxine Peake was accused of peddling an 'anti-Semitic conspiracy theory' this week John McDonnell weighed in to insist that Peake's comment was legitimate criticism of Israel Ms Long Bailey's sacking was seen by MPs like John McDonnell and Diane Abbott as a declaration of war by Sir Keir on the hard-Left of the party 'On the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey from the shadow cabinet, it was clear that significant disagreement remains on this point,' the statement said. 'The Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs made it clear that Rebecca Long Bailey should not have been sacked and should be reinstated.' The Group then said: 'The imminent annexation of the West Bank by Israel's government was discussed and the need for the Labour Party, MPs, party members and supporters to speak out against Israel's illegal annexation and ongoing human rights abuses by the government of Israel was raised. This was a businesslike exchange of views which took place in a mutually respectful manner.' Ms Long Bailey had tweeted: 'Today I retweeted an interview that my constituent and stalwart Labour Party supporter Maxine Peake gave to the Independent. 'Its main thrust was anger with the Conservative government's handling of the current emergency and a call for Labour Party unity. These are sentiments are shared by everyone in our movement and millions of people in our country. 'I learned that many people were concerned by references to international sharing of training and restraint techniques between police and security forces. In no way was my retweet an intention to endorse every part of that article.' Peake was forced to publicly condemn racism on Twitter and 'clarified' that the claims she had made were 'inaccurate'. Yes, we would all like to enjoy the growth of high-tech stocks, as they continue to dominate the S&P 500. But for prudent investors, high-tech suggests high risk, and that's not good. Is there a stock that allows us to reach for the big returns without taking on a lot of risk? Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM) offers big-tech types of gain and has a five-year dividend yield on cost of 8.52%. Regarding capital gains, this 10-year chart shows the company has delivered a six-fold increase in its share price: Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with TSM. Click here to check it out. High Yield Dividend Stocks in Gurus' Portfolio describes itself as "the world's largest dedicated chip foundry, with over 50% market share in 2018 (according to IC Insights). TSMC was founded in 1987 as a joint venture of Philips, the government of Taiwan, and private investors. It went public as an ADR in the U.S. in 1997." It claims its scale and high-quality technology generate robust operating margins, and despite being in the highly competitive foundry business, that its shift to the fabless business model has given it tailwinds. It also boasts of global customers, including such notable companies as Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA). GuruFocus gives it these overall ratings: Predictability (of revenue and earnings growth): 3 out of 5 Financial strength: 8 out of 10 Profitability: 9 out of 10 Valuation: 2 out of 10 In the latest annual report to investors, Chairman Mark Liu and CEO C.C. Wei noted that the 5G protocol (and the internet of things that goes with it) is an important driver of growth: "We expect a faster worldwide penetration of 5G smartphones with higher silicon content over the next several years. The need for higher power efficiency, speed and more complex functionalities in 5G smartphones will lead to increasing use of TSMC's leading edge technologies." To support its opportunities in this area, it raised its 2019 capital spending to $14.9 billion. Story continues Overall, we're left with the impression that Taiwan Semiconductor is a strong company with opportunities for growth. Next, we analyze the company's dividend quality and reliability to try to determine if that 8.52% yield on cost is realistic. We use data from the Dividend & Buy Back section of the summary page: GuruFocus Taiwan Semiconductor dividend table Dividend yield The table tells us the current yield is 2.77%. What does that mean? First, it is modestly higher than the S&P 500 average. Second, the green bar shows it is paying a higher dividend than most of its peers. GuruFocus reports that its dividend is higher than 81% of the 434 companies in the semiconductor industry. The red bar indicates the dividend yield is not as high as it has been in the past. According to GuruFocus, the current yield is well below its 10-year high: "NYSE:TSM' s Dividend Yield % Range Over the Past 10 Years: Min: 1.95 Med: 3.31 Max: 10.18." The maximum may have occurred when the share price plunged, along with the rest of the market, earlier this year. Dividend payout ratio At 94%, the dividend payout ratio is relatively high; it means that 94% of its earnings are going to dividends. In some cases, we would question the sustainability of the dividend, however, the 94% level appears to be a blip. In the preceding nine years before 2019, the payout ratio varied between 39% and 59%, which is a comfortable range. Where did that blip come from? The company offers no explanation in its reporting. However, we know that the payout ratio is calculated by dividing dividends per share by earnings per share before non-recurring items. This chart shows the relationship between dividends per share and earnings per share: GuruFocus Taiwan Semiconductor dividends and earnings chart We find the answer in that relationship: During 2019, the dividends per share kept increasing while the earnings line flattened out. At the end of 2019, the dividend was $2.05 while the earnings (per share) were $2.26, a 21-cent difference. A year earlier, the difference was 97 cents. Dividend growth rate The chart showed a strong upward trend for dividends from 2016 and, over the past three years, the dividend growth rate has been 18.6% per year. To put that into perspective, we know from using the rule of 72 that the dividend will double in 3.8 years. That's very fast, so we must ask ourselves if it is sustainable. To check, we look at the trend in free cash flow: GuruFocus Taiwan Semiconductor free cash flow chart That's not the kind of chart that would make an investor confident that Taiwan Semiconductor can continue to grow its dividends at 18.6% per year. Margins may be strong, but they haven't translated into free cash flow. Forward yield When the forward yield is greater than the trailing 12-month yield, as it is here at 5.04% versus 2.77%, then we expect to find that the most recent dividend was worth more than those of the previous year. And, indeed, that is the case since the dividend data shows an increase from 41.7 cents to 42 cents. Five-year yield on cost Finally, on the dividend table, we look at Taiwan Semiconductor's projected yield on cost over the next five years. It is substantial at 8.52% per year. But it is only realistic if the company can finance higher dividend payments. As we saw in the dividend growth rate section, the company needs to get its free cash flow back on track before we can feel confident about the yield on cost. Buybacks There is no reference to buybacks in the table, suggesting the company has not bought back any of its shares in the past three years. When we look at a graph of shares outstanding over the past 10 years, we see a remarkably stable trend, with no buying and no new issuances: GuruFocus Taiwan Semiconductor shares outstanding Valuation Taiwan Semiconductor's valuation rating at GuruFocus is just 2 out of 10, telling us that this stock is no bargain. It might have been recently, but the price chart shows that moment has passed: GuruFocus Taiwan Semiconductor price chart The discounted cash flow calculator finds it to have a negative, -12.6%, margin of safety. The PEG ratio at 3.32 argues that the valuation is too high. The price-earnings ratio is 22.31, down from the high 20s at the beginning of the year. Gurus Nineteen of the GuruFocus gurus have positions in Taiwan Semiconductor. Ken Fisher (Trades, Portfolio) of Fisher Asset Management had 29,674,267 shares on March 31. First Eagle Investment (Trades, Portfolio) had 10, 126,647 shares and Sarah Ketterer (Trades, Portfolio) of Causeway Capital Management had 6,237,317 shares. Conclusion Investors who have owned Taiwan Semiconductor since 2010 have enjoyed an exciting ride, as the company grew both its share price and its dividend payments. For aggressive investors, this may be an opportunity to get a potential 8.5% per year on dividends alone, before capital gains. Income investors, on the other hand, will be cautious about this name because of its unsteady cash flow, and a share price that leaves no room for error. Disclosure: I do not own shares in any companies named in this article and do not expect to buy any in the next 72 hours. Read more here: AT&T: A Higher-Than-Average Yield With Relative Safety Could The Cheesecake Factory Deliver Big Returns in the Next 5 Years? The Promise and Perils of Owning Pfizer Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Banks have quietly launched a vital security crackdown to prevent fraudsters intercepting payments. Online bank transfer payments will now be blocked if the recipient's name and account number do not match. A box will pop up asking you to check the payee's details for errors and alerting you to potential fraud. This will happen even if you only enter one wrong letter or use someone's nickname. Previously, banks did not check whether the name was correct on a bank transfer. It meant you could put down 'Bugs Bunny' and, as long as the right sort code and account number were entered, your payment would go through. Security: When all the payee's details match, money will be sent But that made it too easy to get a digit wrong and send money to a stranger's account. Some customers have struggled to get their money back again after these so-called fat-finger errors. Fraudsters also found ways to exploit the loophole, masquerading as Revenue & Customs or a victim's builder or estate agent while giving out their own bank sort code and account number for payment. All the major banks were originally told to introduce the new 'confirmation of payee' name-check system by the end of March. But because of the Covid-19 crisis, the deadline was extended to June 30. The Mail on Sunday can reveal all the big banks have now rolled out the technology. Here's what you need to know... SO HOW DO BANK PAYMENTS WORK NOW? If all this new technology sounds like a big headache, it needn't. There are no new security passwords to remember you just need to know exactly who your money is being sent to. When you make a banking payment online or via a mobile banking app you will be asked to put the recipient's account number, sort code and name as usual. If the name you enter matches the one registered for that account number and sort code, you will receive a confirmation on screen and the payment will go through. However, 'fat-fingered' users will find that any spelling mistakes or typos will flag up an alert. This includes abbreviations when you believed the correct details have been provided. For example, paying someone you know as Dan Smith whose full bank account name is Daniel Smith may not work. If you've entered the wrong details, a confirmation of payee alert will pop up asking you to check for errors. You will be able to cancel the payment, edit the recipient's details or send the money anyway, over-riding the security warning. If the name entered is close to the real one linked to the account the alert should tell you. When making a banking payment online or via a mobile banking app you will be asked to put the recipient's account number, sort code and name as usual ARE ALL THE BANKS USING THIS SYSTEM? No. It has taken until now for the Payment Systems Regulator watchdog to knock the heads of the banks together to get them to agree to the changes because ultimately beating the fraudsters saves both customers and banks money. But not all banks are involved at this stage. Those signed up to the deal include Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest (as part of Royal Bank of Scotland), Santander, HSBC and Nationwide Building Society. Yet others, including Co-operative Bank and Metro Bank, are not being told they must also fall into line. According to the watchdog, major banks have until the end of June to ensure they have introduced this new checking system to avoid a fine. WHY BRING IN THE EXTRA HASSLE? To beat criminals. According to the consumer group Which?, bank transfer fraud has seen people cheated out of 320million over the past three years. This new move aims to put a stop to some of the most brazen scams. For example, say you get an email from a crook pretending to be your builder and providing an account number and sort code for payment. Now, the system will prove a major help. According to the consumer group Which?, bank transfer fraud has seen people cheated out of 320million over the past three years. When you enter your builder's name in your online banking payments screen, an alert will flash up saying that name doesn't match the account and sort code. You can cancel the payment and contact your builder directly to confirm the scam. Beware, though, the security isn't totally foolproof. Far from it. For example, the crook may have set up an account with a very crafty name which may not raise suspicion. Equally, they may try to trick you into believing that the unfamiliar name on the account is nothing to worry about. Frankie Dowling, head of compliance for the online banking service Amaiz, says: 'Although this is a step in the right direction, I fear the system is potentially flawed and it might catch less than 10 per cent of fraudsters so customers should remain wary. Crooks can get around these checks. It will not stop you being defrauded if you use the account details given to you by the scammer and then tap in a name used by them.' She adds: 'It may also cause problems for people wanting to make a genuine payment. It might be a typing error or caused by you putting in an abbreviation of a name, perhaps the one you know them by not the one officially registered.' Frankie Dowling, head of compliance at Amaiz, fears the new system is potentially flawed and might catch less than 10 per cent of fraudsters so customers should remain wary WILL ALL PAYMENTS BE CHECKED? Most everyday payments to friends, family and businesses will be checked. This is because confirmation of payee will be used for sending money via so-called faster payments where cash goes within a couple of hours by electronic transfer. Also included are new standing orders. Same-day electronic payments using CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System) will also be subjected to the name checks. CHAPS is run by the Bank of England and enables different banks to seamlessly transfer money between each other. It can be used for transferring high values, such as buying a house. But payments that are used through another electronic payment system used for bank-to-bank transfers known as BACS (Bankers Automated Clearing Services) are not signed up to confirmation of payee. These can take three days for money to move between accounts. Also excluded are direct debits and payments authorised via third parties such as PayPal or Visa. WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE I'VE PAID BEFORE? If you've paid someone before, often those details are stored for quick access in your online banking. The banks told us these payments shouldn't be affected by the new confirmation of payee checks. However, there are reports of gremlins in the system so be wary. And any 'amended payments' people or businesses that you have paid in the past but have changed bank account details or perhaps a name will be affected. If one of the major banks signed up to the security checks fails to flag up an alert and you fall victim to a scam, the Payment Systems Regulator says the bank should reimburse you. It might also face a fine for having failed to offer the new service. The body of Michael Mammone, 47 (pictured), was spotted by passers-by in a car park opposite Rangebank Primary School A man whose body was found outside a Melbourne school has been identified, as police try and track down his missing car. The body of Michael Mammone, 47, was spotted by passers-by in a car park at Donnelly Reserve on Lesdon Avenue, opposite Rangebank Primary School in Cranbourne, on Friday morning. Police do not know when Mr Mammone's body was left in the car park and want anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area on Thursday or Friday to come forward. Detectives are also searching for Mr Mammone's silver 2008 BMW sedan with Victorian registration XUD525. Photos of Mr Mammone and his car have been published by police. Mr Mammone's missing silver BMW has Victorian number plates and police are searching for the vehicle The Age has reported that Mr Mammone's hands were tied when his body was discovered. Drivers who were in the area and who may have dash-cam footage are also being asked to contact police. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Detectives are also searching for Mr Mammone's silver 2008 BMW sedan (pictured) amid hopes it could solve the mystery By Moira Warburton and Steve Scherer TORONTO/OTTAWA, June 26 (Reuters) - A fast-track visa program that Canada launched in 2017 has attracted a growing number of tech workers, and U.S. President Donald Trump's latest immigration crackdown is set to further boost intake once COVID-19 restrictions ease, lawyers say. The number of successful applicants to Canada's Global Skills Strategy (GSS) program rose five-fold over its first three years, with more than 23,000 workers approved under the top five tech categories, data provided to Reuters by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows. More than 2,300 applications for those same top five tech roles were approved from January to March 2020, ahead of the COVID-19 shutdowns that led to border closures and a sharp drop in immigration. The program boasts a two-week processing time. Immigration lawyers told Reuters they were broadly in favor of the program, which some described as transparent and consistent, and an example of how Canada has been able to take advantage of Trump's immigration stance since he entered the White House in 2017. "There are employers who have non-U.S. employees in the U.S. who are definitely looking seriously at Canada," said Kyle Hyndman, a partner with McCrea Immigration Law in Vancouver, who was contacted this week by a "major" company about bringing employees to Canada. On Monday, Trump issued a presidential proclamation that temporarily blocks foreign workers from entering the United States on certain visas, which a Trump administration official said would create 525,000 jobs for U.S. workers. "The fact that people started contacting me pretty much the next day is perhaps a suggestion that there are going to be more people interested," Hyndman said. U.S. technology companies including Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet Inc, Facebook Inc and Netflix Inc have in recent years expanded their Canadian operations, although most companies declined to comment on their GSS usage or how Trump's recent announcement will impact their hiring plans. Story continues Tobi Lutke, the chief executive officer of Canadian e-commerce company Shopify, was quick to tout the Canada's attraction following Trump's immigration move. The program "has made it possible to hire top talent beyond our borders," said Sandeep Anand, senior lead on the global mobility team at Shopify, adding that it has helped relocate employees to Canada. The majority of approved applicants to the fast-track visa program were computer programmers and interactive media developers, followed by information systems analysts and consultants, the IRCC data shows. Indian citizens accounted for 62.1% of successful applicants to the fast-track program, followed by Chinese citizens. Nearly 1,000 U.S. citizens also have seen their applications approved. The GSS data only covers the period up to March of this year, just before broader immigration in Canada fell off a cliff due to border closures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Lawyers, however, don't expect it to last. Betsy Kane, one of the founding partners of Capelle Kane Immigration Lawyers in Ottawa, said the program is going to see a surge of applications. "Whenever one door shuts, the other door is sought." (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Toronto and Steve Scherer in Ottawa; Additional reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa Editing by Denny Thomas and Paul Simao) Calm, masked at least for the most part and physically distanced; that was the atmosphere at Texas and Florida closed bars and imposed other measures on Friday to combat a surge in coronavirus cases that has put the brakes on reopening the economies of two of the largest US states. As warnings mounted worldwide over lifting lockdowns too soon, Southeast Asian leaders said the COVID-19 pandemic has swept away years of economic gains, particularly in tourism-driven and export-reliant countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. Britons sweltering in a heat wave were told meanwhile to avoid packed beaches, and a major Australian city faced a surge in infections. Paris's Orly airport reopened on Friday after closing three months ago, but traffic was thin and also briefly disrupted by climate protesters storming a runway. More than 490,000 people worldwide have died from COVID-19 since it emerged in China late last year, and the number of confirmed cases is expected to reach 10 million within the next week. Countries have been balancing the need to reopen economies shattered by coronavirus shutdowns with the need to maintain sufficient safety measures to prevent a feared second wave. In the United States, the country hardest hit by the pandemic, the number of cases hit a single-day record Friday and is rising daily in 16 states, mostly in the south and west. "We are facing a serious problem in certain areas," top US disease expert Anthony Fauci said at the first briefing given by the White House Coronavirus Task Force in two months. The United States is recording more than 30,000 cases a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With nearly 125,000 lives lost overall, it has by far the highest confirmed toll in the world. - 'Corral the spread' - Two of the US states which have been hardest hit -- Texas and Florida -- closed bars on Friday, allowing only take-out and delivery service. Texas was among the most aggressive states in reopening in early June under Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican ally of President Donald Trump, who has faced sharp criticism for his handling of the crisis. But the strategy has backfired and both Texas, the second most populous US state, and Florida, the third, are seeing daily records for the number of new cases. "It is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars," Abbott said. "This temporary pause will help our state corral the spread." Restaurants can remain open with 50 percent capacity indoors, and outdoor gatherings of 100 people or more require local government approval. Harris County, which includes Houston, issued a stay-at-home advisory and raised the threat level to "severe," or Level 1. Florida reported a record-breaking 8,942 new cases Friday and slapped the restrictions back on bars. "I think people were naturally just wanting to get back into a normal swing of things," said Governor Ron DeSantis, another Trump ally. In Hanoi, leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) described the toll inflicted by the pandemic. "It has swept away the successes of recent years... threatening the lives of millions of people," Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said. ASEAN General Secretary Lim Jock Hoi warned that the region's economy is expected to contract for the first time in 22 years. - 'Stop it' - The World Health Organization said meanwhile that a global initiative to speed up the development and production of COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments will require more than $30 billion over the next year. So far, $3.4 billion of that had been pledged, the UN health agency said. The announcement came ahead of a major pledging event in Brussels on Saturday in support of the so-called ACT accelerator, launched in April and aimed at pooling international resources to combat the pandemic. Sweden lashed out at the WHO for listing it among at-risk European countries, in a sign of the sensitivities at play as countries try to manage the crisis. The Scandinavian country has made headlines for its high death toll after it opted not to introduce strict lockdowns. "We have an increase in cases because we have begun testing much more in Sweden the past week," said Swedish state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, adding that "all the other parameters" showed the number of serious cases was falling. In Britain, people were urged to abide by social distancing rules after tens of thousands swarmed the seaside resort of Bournemouth during a heat wave. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people were "taking too many liberties with the guidance." Britain has Europe's highest death toll with 43,230. In Brazil, the hardest-hit country in Latin America, President Jair Bolsonaro appealed a court ruling that requires him to wear a face mask in public, calling it "unnecessary." With 55,000 fatalities, Brazil has the second-highest COVID-19 death toll in the world. In Australia, supermarkets imposed limits on purchases of toilet paper following panic buying by people rattled by a surge in cases in Melbourne, the country's second-biggest city. "Stop it, it's ridiculous," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told his compatriots. The United Sates set another single-day day record for new Covid-19 infections with 45,255 cases reported on Friday as public health officials blamed the new surge on states that opened too soon or without necessary precautions and younger people returning to public life. Anthony Fauci, the top epidemiologist, has called the changed focus of the epidemic on to younger people a paradigm shift. They are going to be asymptomatic, and people who are getting infected in a community setting, not an outbreak setting where you know who to identify, isolate and contact trace, he said at the first briefing of the White House coronavirus task force in two months on Friday. The states worst affected by the surge are reviving restrictions that they had rushed to lift earlier, against the advise to public health. Texas, for instance, which saw another day of more than 5,000 new infections, has shut down bars and restaurants and certain outdoor activities. States governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, sounded contrite in an interview to a local TV station:If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars, now seeing the aftermath of how quickly the coronavirus spreads in the bar setting. Florida, another state in the eye of the new surge with a daily record of close to 9,000 news infections on Friday, has also brought back some restrictions. Bars are prohibited from serving alcohol now, its Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, a close ally of President Donald Trump, has resisted calls to do more. Different counties, however, are taking their own measures. Miami-Dade county has shut down beaches and public parks in view of the upcoming July 4 independence day weekend, and another county is mailing reusable masks to all its residents. The states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, that were the hardest hit earlier, are continuing their reopening. Connecticut has become the first state to announce plans to resume in-school education in the fall. Brussels, 27 June 2020 (SPS) - Participants in the political symposium, entitled "Settlement of the conflict in Western Sahara: one year after the resignation of UN Envoy Horst Kohler," on Wednesday called for the resumption of negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front, urging the UN chief to hasten the designation of a personal envoy for Western Sahara. The symposium, held via videoconference, has been attended by Oubi Bouchraya Al-Bashir Sahrawi ambassador to Europe and the European Union, Pierre Galand President of the EUCOCO, Said Ayachi Head of the Algerian Committee for Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (CNASPS), and Gilles Dover Lawyer of the Polisario before the European courts and Francesco Bastagli former representative of the UN Secretary General in Western Sahara. In the Final Declaration, a solemn appeal was launched to the UN chief to designate as soon as possible a new envoy for this non-self-governing territory with a view to relaunching the negotiations in a deadlock since Horst Kohler's resignation in May 2019. The Participants stressed the importance of the effective implementation of the right to self-determination, and the liberation of political prisoners. They condemned Moroccos destabilizing actions aiming at evading its international obligations and slowing down the process of decolonization of Western Sahara territory, reminding the Spanish government of its responsibilities to end the colonization and to recognize the inalienable right of the Sahrawis to build their state as affirmed by the African Union. In the same context, the speakers denounced the position of the European Commission with regard to this conflict between the Polisario Front in Morocco, demanding that it respect the relevant decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on the Association Agreement between the European Union and Morocco. They also recalled that the decisions of the CJEU on this conflict say that Morocco and Western Sahara are two distinct and separate territories. Reaffirming their support for the legitimate demands of the Sahrawi people, the participants stressed the urgency for the UN Security Council to fulfill its promises regarding the Western Sahara decolonization. (SPS) 062/SPS/APS Producers of The Simpsons say white actors will no longer voice non-white characters on the show, while the white actor who plays Cleveland Brown on Family Guy is stepping down from the role. The announcements about the Fox animated series arrive two days after Jenny Slate said she would no longer voice Missy, a biracial character in the Netflix series Big Mouth, and Kristen Bell said she would no longer voice Molly, a biracial character in the Apple TV Plus series Central Park. The changes also come after Hank Azaria said in January that he would no longer voice Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, a character he has played since 1990. The statement from producers further affirmed Azarias decision. Its been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years. I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role. pic.twitter.com/FmKasWITKT Mike Henry (@mikehenrybro) June 26, 2020 Its been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years, actor Mike Henry tweeted Friday. I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role. In addition to Family Guy, which has aired since 1999, Henry played Cleveland in a Fox spinoff called The Cleveland Show from 2009 to 2013. The announcement from the producers of The Simpsons followed shortly after Henrys statement. Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters, the statement said, as reported by Variety and other outlets. Comedian Hari Kondabolus 2017 documentary The Problem with Apu addressed the subject of a white man Azaria voicing an Indian American character that advances stereotypes on The Simpsons. Re: The Simpsons using People of Color to voice minority characters, Kondabolu tweeted Friday. All it took was 30 years, a documentary, more relevant shows doing it first & a conversation about racism spurred by police brutality & murder. Going off social media now until next wave of death threats pass. Azaria also voices Carl Carlson, a Black character on The Simpsons who is often seen alongside the white character Lenny Leonard, voiced by Harry Shearer. Azaria also voices Lou, a Black Springfield police sergeant, Julio, a Latino character, and Bumblebee Man, a Spanish-speaking character, while Shearer voices Dr. Julius Hibbert, a Black character. Re: The Simpsons using People of Color to voice minority characters. All it took was 30 years, a documentary, more relevant shows doing it first & a conversation about racism spurred by police brutality & murder. Going off social media now until next wave of death threats pass. Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) June 26, 2020 In a statement on Instagram Friday, Azaria said hes extremely pleased by the producers decision to recast the characters. I recognize that by voicing these roles, I have taken away roles from People of Color and in doing so, have been part of the problem, he said. Representation matters. I am committed to continuing my education by participating in anti-racism work, Azaria continued. I have learned that one of my blind spots was how much racism has also impacted my own humanity: I continued to be complicit with a harmful practice even as I believed I was already doing the right thing. I believe that as white people our humanity is compromised by unconsciously or consciously perpetuating the things we say we are against. Racism impacts our ability to be truly empathetic to what is happening to all People of Color, especially Black people, because racism keeps us from seeing ourselves in them. I hope that I can actively and meaningfully contribute to ending this and other kinds of systemic oppression, and in a way that lessens this burden for People of Color, who for far too long have been tasked with dismantling it themselves. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 21:33:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DUBLIN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been elected as new prime minister of Ireland in a vote held here on Saturday at a special meeting of the lower house of the Irish parliament. Announcing the voting results, Sean O Fearghail, speaker of the lower house of the Irish parliament, declared that Micheal Martin has won the election by receiving 93 votes in favor, 63 votes against and 3 votes in abstention. There are altogether 160 seats in the current lower house of the Irish parliament with one seat going to the speaker of the house who was not involved in the vote. Sean O Fearghail is a member of Fianna Fail. All the 84 parliamentarians of the three parties, namely Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Green Party, which will form a coalition government led by Micheal Martin, have voted for his nomination as the new prime minister while nine independents also supported his nomination in the vote, reported Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE. Following the announcement of his win in the vote, Martin delivered a short speech before he headed for the official residence of the Irish president where he will receive the seal of office of prime minister from President Michael D. Higgins. After that, he will go to Government Buildings where he is expected to announce the formation of a new cabinet, said local media. Enditem The peak body for lawyers is seeking new anti-harassment measures aimed at judges and a federal judicial watchdog in the wake of the scandal enveloping former High Court justice Dyson Heydon. The Law Council of Australia resolved at a board meeting on Saturday to call on the Morrison government to amend the Sex Discrimination Act to close loopholes and extend anti-sexual harassment laws to "judges, other statutory office holders and barristers". Former High Court justice Dyson Heydon was found in an inquiry ordered by the High Court to have harassed six associates. Credit:Dean Sewell The council believes the coverage of the laws is "irregular, patchy or piecemeal" and "barristers and certain statutory office holders or appointees" are not "expressly covered". The council also renewed its longstanding call for a federal judicial commission to receive and investigate complaints about judges at arm's length. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that he is finalizing 'very substantial' cuts to the NYPD budget, even as skyrocketing police retirements raise questions about adequate staffing. 'We're working with the City Council right now. We don't have a final dollar figure, but we're going to do something very, very substantial,' de Blasio told WNYC-FM on Friday. 'We'll know more in the next few days,' he added. 'I think we are moving in a very good direction.' New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson has called for the NYPD to be defunded to the tune of $1 billion, out of the department's $6 billion annual budget. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that he is finalizing 'very substantial' cuts to the NYPD budget, as crime in the city skyrockets and De Blasio said that funds cut from the city's police budget would be diverted toward youth services and other unspecified 'community needs'. 'I am convinced in the next days I'm very hopeful that we'll get to a positive outcome with the council, a major shift in funds from the NYPD to youth services and other community needs,' the mayor said on WNYC. Meanwhile, 272 uniformed cops filed retirement papers from May 25 through June 24, the NYPD says. That's a 49 percent spike from the 183 officers who filed during the same period last year, according to the department. Department insiders fear that the surging retirements could leave the department of roughly 36,000 badly understaffed. 'We are worried about a surge in attrition reducing our headcount beyond what we can sustain without new recruits, and are afraid the City Council has not taken the surge into account,' one department source told the New York Post. New York City police officers watch protesters march past them during a rally for George Floyd on June 4 in Brooklyn Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, said an 'exodus' from the NYPD has begun. He said nearly 80 of his members have recently filed for retirement, and that morale is 'at the lowest levels I've seen in 38 years.' 'People have had enough and no longer feel it's worth risking their personal well-being for a thankless position,' he added. 'There is no leadership, no direction, no training for new policies,' he said. 'Department brass is paralyzed (and) too afraid to uphold their sworn oath in fear of losing their jobs. Sadly, the people of this city will soon experience what New York City was like in the 1980s.' The spike in retirements comes amid massive anti-police protests in the wake of George Floyd's in-custody death on May 25 in Minneapolis. Protesters demanding that police be defunded march in defiance of a citywide curfew on June 5, 2020 in New York City In the same time period, violent crime has also skyrocketed in New York City, which is on track to see the highest number of murders for the month of June since 1996. In the past seven days, the number of shooting victims in New York was up 400 percent from the same period last year, according to NYPD stats. Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Lynch said cops are 'at their breaking point, whether they have 20 years on the job or only two.' 'We are all asking the same question: 'How can we keep doing our job in this environment?' And that is exactly what the anti-cop crowd wants,' the union boss added. 'If we have no cops because no one wants to be a cop, they will have achieved their ultimate goal.' Rincon de la Victoria town hall awarded the contract to restore the Roman villa in Torre de Benagalbon to the temporary consortium (UTE) made up of Obras Generales del Norte S. A. and Copesol S. L. last Friday. The work, which is expected to take 12 months to complete, involves turning the Roman settlement in Torre de Benagalbon into a three-floor museum. Mosaics, ceramics and other artefacts discovered between the Granadillas and Benagalbon streams in 1989, along with the remains of Roman baths and tombs, are believed to have belonged to a luxury Roman villa dating back to the seventh century AD. It is thought to have been the first human settlement on that part of the coast. Included in the discovery is a well-preserved mosaic depicting a scene from Greek mythology of Jupiter disguised as Satyr, who is seducing Antiope of Thebes. By Express News Service CHENNAI: A 41-year-old senior cameraman working for a private Tamil channel died of COVID-19 on Saturday. He is survived by his wife and son. E Velmurugan, a resident of Periyar Nagar in Thirumullaivoyal, had been undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for the last two weeks. However, he failed to respond to treatment and passed away, leaving behind his wife who is a contract staff in RGGH and a 12-year-old son. Colleagues remember him as being serious at work and cheerful otherwise. "He was always smiling and he knew exactly how to bring out the story that the reporter had in mind," said Velmurugan's former colleague, G Jayakumar. Following his demise, various party leaders and the Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash condoled his death. DMK president MK Stalin, in a statement, said that mediapersons were at the forefront alongside other frontline workers such as doctors, nurses, police and conservancy staff in the fight against the pandemic. Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, on Twitter, said that the news of the cameraperson's demise has brought him shock and grief. "I request with love that friends from the media who are involved in this service exercise caution," the tweet said. WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court declined Friday to force Texas officials to offer mail-in ballots to all voters in the state because of the threat of the coronavirus, not just those over 65. The justices, without comment, turned down a request from the Texas Democratic Party to reinstate a district judge's order that would affect the upcoming primary election in July and the general election in November. There were no noted dissents to the order, but Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the case raised "weighty but seemingly novel questions" regarding whether special conditions for those over a certain age violated the constitutional rights of younger voters. She said an emergency request like the one before the Supreme Court was not the right time to consider them. But she added that she hoped the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit "will consider the merits of the legal issues in this case well in advance of the November election." In May, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction allowing all Texas voters who feared exposure to the coronavirus to ask for a mail-in ballot, not just those older than 65. But the decision was immediately appealed by the state's Republican leaders: Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Secretary of State Ruth Hughs, an Abbott appointee. A unanimous three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit put Biery's ruling on hold, saying such decisions were best left to state officials. Besides the recent age exception, the state allows absentee voting only for voters who are out of state or have a disability. The state's decision to allow older voters an absentee ballot was a concession to the coronavirus outbreak. Texas faces a spike in reported covid-19 cases. But Democrats said such protection from voting in person must be offered to all. Once Texas decided to expand the absentee ballot process for older Texans - or make any change to voting procedures - it was constitutionally obligated to extend the benefit to all, the party argued. "Texas can no more limit vote-by-mail to voters over the age of sixty-five than it could limit its early voting period only to voters under the age of sixty-five (perhaps on the theory that older voters are less likely to face childcare or employment responsibilities that make it difficult to get to the polls on a Tuesday)," the Democrats argued in their filing to the court. "Whatever right to vote a state creates - whether it involves polling hours, early voting, or vote-by-mail - must be extended to all voters without regard to their race, their sex, their payment of a tax . . . . or their age." Texas countered that the appeals court got it right, and that voting accommodations are not constitutionally protected. "The Fifth Circuit correctly explained that petitioners' ineligibility to vote by mail does not implicate 'the right to vote' protected by the Twenty-Sixth Amendment - or any other constitutional provision," Texas told the Supreme Court in its legal filing. "There is no constitutional right to vote by mail, and each petitioner acknowledges that he or she has the option to vote by personal appearance on election day or during the extended early-voting period Texas is offering before the July primary." The Texas legal battle comes as states adjust their procedures in response to the pandemic and expand voting by mail. All voters in every state but two - Mississippi and Texas - have the right to cast mail or absentee ballots for the midyear primaries after the pandemic led 14 states to relax their rules. Many states are now considering extending those changes for the general election in November. - - - The Washington Post's Michelle Ye Hee Lee contributed to this report. Local churches will reopen for public mass from Monday June 29, but St Peters PP, Canon Eugene Sweeney has reaffirmed the policy that 'the safety and health of parishioners is of paramount importance' and some normality will return with Government direction and the Framework Document issued by the Irish Bishops' Conference. The following applies in both St Peter's Our Lady of Lourdes Churches from 29 June: 1. The dispensation from the Sunday and Holy Day obligation continues. 2. People who are vulnerable or unwell, and especially those with any symptoms that might suggest Covid-19 infection, should stay at home. The same applies to those who have been in recent contact with someone who has the virus, in accordance with public health advice. 3. A Covid-19 Support Team has been put in place in both St Peter's and Our Lady of Lourdes Churches to prepare for and implement the return to public Mass. 4. Stewards will be available at all Masses to assist. 5. Automatic hand sanitisers will be available at all entrances to the churches, and parishioners are asked to use them as they enter the church. 6. Mass times will be as they were prior to the cancellation of public Mass in March: St Peter's; Saturday Vigil, 6.15pm. Sunday, 8.00am, 11.00am, 12.15pm. Monday to Friday, 8.30am, 10.30am. Tuesday, also 7.30pm. Saturday, 10.30am. Our Lady of Lourdes Saturday Vigil, 7.30pm. Sunday, 9.30am, 10.30am, 12.00 noon. Monday to Saturday, 10.00am. 7. All Masses will continue to be broadcast live by parish webcam on the parish website, www.saintpetersdrogheda.ie. 8. Memorial Masses for those who died during the time of no public Mass, Month's Mind Masses and First Anniversaries may be held, for the time being, on a weekday evening in either church. 9. Signage will be in place in both churches. Regular cleaning and sanitising will take place. The Parish has acquired an electric ULV fogging machine for the sanitising of seats. 10. The physical (social) distancing demands of the public health authorities, currently two metres, will be maintained. This means that the maximum number of people who can be accommodated at any given time will be much reduced. Some rows of seats will be cordoned off. The specific part of a seat which may be used will be marked by a praying hands sticker. Those from the same household can sit together, while those who come to Mass alone will require a place to themselves. Seats will be allocated on a first come basis. 11. Holy Water fonts will not be used. 12. The Sunday collection will be taken up at the church entrances and exits. 13. Designated seats will be available for Ministers of the Word and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion on the sanctuary for the duration of Mass. 14. The Sign of Peace will be omitted. 15. As in the period before the cancelation of public Masses, Holy Communion may be received on the hand only. 16. Priests and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will sanitise their hands both before and after the distribution of Communion, and wear a face-covering while distributing Communion. 17. Baptisms will recommence on the weekend of 4/5 July. Details are as follows: Our Lady of Lourdes Church: Every Saturday at 5.00pm. Register at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Sacristy, Friday and Saturday, 9.30am - 12 noon. Tel 041 983 1973. St Peter's Church: Every Sunday at 1.00pm. Register at St Peter's Church Sacristy, West Street, Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 12.30pm. Tel 041 984 5355. 18. Confessions, observing social distancing and hygiene requirements, will be held as follows: St Peter's Church: Wednesdays, 12.30-1.00pm; Saturdays, 12.30-1.00pm, 5.45pm - 6.10pm. Our Lady of Lourdes Church: Saturdays: 7.00pm-7.25pm. 'Returning to public Mass with considerable constraints is a challenge. The Covid-19 support teams, the sacristy teams, the Parish Pastoral Council, ushers, collectors and many others have done fantastic work, and will continue to do so. Many people have felt it a real deprivation to be away from public Mass for so long, though webcam has really helped. It will be a great relief and blessing for many to be able to receive Holy Communion again,' the Parish Priest stated. 'With the other priests I look forward again to the privilege of saying Mass with a congregation in the pews. It has been very difficult for families to be restricted to such small numbers for funerals, and it is great that this will now change. We look forward in hope to the day when the People of God can fully, freely and without restriction assemble again in the church, for community is central to the Christian way of life,' he added, on behalf of clergy, Parish Pastoral Council and sacristy teams. Security Forces on Saturday arrested two alleged drug and weapon smugglers and recovered narcotics worth Rs 65 crores besides a cache of arms and ammunition in north Kashmirs Kupwara district. Officials said that police and army launched a joint operation after getting inputs about the delivery of a consignment at Kralpora in Kupwara. We got information about a narco-terror smuggling module and a joint operation was executed by Indian Armys 17 Bihar and Kupwara Police which led to arrest of two smugglers, said Kupwara senior superintendent of police (SSP), Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar. The officer said that approximately 13.5 kg of narcotics estimated to be worth Rs 65 Crores in market and arms and ammunition including two pistols, four magazines, 55 pistol rounds, four hand grenades and 10 detonators were recovered from their possession. The two individuals were identified as Manzoor Ahmed Lone, 38 and Ghulam Mohd Lone, 40 both residents of Lachipora, Bijhama of Baramulla district. For Coronavirus Live Updates Both Kupwara and Baramulla are frontier districts along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). It is a big success. The two were in contact with their handlers in Pakistan. We suspect a link with Lashkar-e-Taiba, he said. The duo was working in close tandem with POK-based terrorist handlers and were involved in drug trade and supply of weapons to the terrorists operating in the valley, the officer said. The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19 The officer said that they have also taken the driver of the vehicle, in which the duo was travelling, into custody. But his role has not been established in the crime so far, he said. Ambarkar said that they were also looking into the two other aspects of this consignment. We are investigating who delivered the consignment and who it was meant for, he said. Police said that this is not the first time that the security forces have recovered a drug and weapon consignment together. In 2018, 12 kilograms of contraband substance was recovered along with two AK-56 rifles by the BSF in Tangdhar. Four persons had been arrested in that case. We have observed that the network to smuggle drugs and weapons from Pakistan was the same, Dinkar claimed. Earlier this month, the Police also claimed to have busted a narco-terror module in which three LeT militants were arrested. 21 kg heroin worth Rs 100 crore and Indian currency valuing Rs 1.34 crore was seized from their possession SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON LEWISBURG The third man wanted in connection with an exchange of gunfire in Lewisburg on June 1 has been arrested in North Carolina. U.S. Marshals on Friday said Daevon Kymm Bodden, 19, of Lewisburg, was found in a house in Raleigh about 6:30 a.m. Thursday. He is being held in North Carolina awaiting extradition back to Union County to face charges of aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure and illegal possession of a firearm. Bodden was with Jaheem Lewis, 18, of Northumberland, on the front porch of half of a double house in the 1700 block of West Market Street when they were wounded by a drive-by shooter. Bodden, according to arrest documents, admitted returning fire with a .40-caliber Glock for which police said he did not have a license. Bullets from that gun struck a car in front of the one from which shots were fired and went into two structures, police said. Julio Abdiel Gonzalez, 24, of Sunbury, has been accused of shooting at the two from a car driven by Justin R. Calzada, 24, of Northumberland. Each is charged with attempted homicide, conspiracy and other counts. They are being held without bail. Bodden was shot in the upper right thigh and Lewis suffered a grazing wound to the back of the neck. Police have not disclosed a motive for the seven-second exchange of gunfire but Gonzalez attributed it to a beef, an affidavit states. 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. Internships are a two-way street. Young people get training, experience, connections and, in the case of journalists, published clips. But their older bosses arguably get even more from the deal. Their students bring fresh ideas and tech savvy, teaching their on-the-job mentors how to, say, build a line graph on a Google spreadsheet. Interns offer important insight into Gen Z tools such as TikTok and Snapchat. They also help fill in when regular employees are on vacation or family leave. And, perhaps most important, they bring the energy of youth. I find the enthusiasm that the interns bring is even a bigger payoff, says OHara. It just revitalizes the whole department. New Delhi, June 27 : Chinese expatriates living in India have not been impacted by the deteriorating bilateral relations between the two countries. Industry sources said that they have no urge to leave India even as relationship between two countries nosedived after China's military aggression over the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which left 20 Indian soldiers dead. According to estimates, there were about 20,000 Chinese expats in India. However, many of them returned to China to observe their New Year's festival in January. They could not return to India due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. In February, India suspended flights plying between the countries to avoid the spread of the disease. The Chinese expats, who did not return home and continue to live in India, have indicated that they face no problems here and are not in any mood to relocate. "Living conditions, personal and political freedom are basic pillars in India and all expats including the Chinese understand that," an analyst said. In fact, two people IN spoke to said that the Chinese, working in various companies in India, are keen to resume work here. "Many of the Chinese who had gone home for a vacation have been stuck there for months. They are keen to return to India as early as possible and resume work," Sanjeev K. Ahuja, editor, Asian Community News (ACN), told IN. Ahuja, whose work involves tracking the southeast Asian community in India, said that the recent backlash and the growing anti-Chinese sentiments within the country have had little impact on their morale. Following the border clash, there has been an unprecedented rise in anti-China sentiments in India with citizens calling for a boycott of Chinese goods. On Thursday, the Delhi Hotels & Restaurant Owners Association (DHROA) announced that Chinese nationals would not be allowed to stay in budget hotels or guest houses. India's trade with mainland China and Hong Kong dropped by 7 per cent in 2019-20 to $109.76 - the sharpest fall in the last seven years. From December 2019 to mid-March 2020, China's economic activities had been badly impacted due to the spread of the coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan. In 2018-19, trade between the two Asian giants grew by only 3.2 per cent after a huge increase of 22 per cent in the previous financial year. Interestingly, there have been reports suggesting that many Chinese living in China are keen to relocate to other countries as conditions there remain uncertain with a second wave of Covid 19 hitting people. Besides, the dragon nation's offensive with many other countries has also brought much flak to the Chinese Communist Party. A senior executive engaged with a South Korean multinational added that India continues to remain a favourite spot for foreign companies. "While many Indians feel that the government could have handled the coronavirus crisis better, the fact is that this is not related to India alone. It has impacted the world and therefore expats have taken it in a more positive and matter-of-fact manner," the executive said on condition of anonymity. (This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Columbia-Greene Media has recently teamed up with the US Postal Service to provide same-day delivery of your local newspaper with your mail. Our expanded daily delivery of your local news reaches into the following areas: According to a report by Coalition for the Homeless released earlier this month, as of May 31, there were 926 confirmed COVID-19 cases amongst New York Citys homeless in 179 shelter locations with at least 86 deaths. In the month of April alone 58 homeless people died of COVID-19. When adjusted for population, sheltered homeless adults have died at a rate of 321 per 100,000 compared to 200 for the citys population as a whole. The WSWS recently spoke to a social worker for the not-for-profit Housing Works in New York City about the coronavirus crisis among the homeless. Using a pseudonym, Jacob said, The number of infections and deaths must be very high, the city of New York is very good at keeping the reported number of homeless infected low. The numbers they are citing37 homeless deadare just ridiculous. There is no way that they are true. With cases and deaths being systematically underreported across the US, the true extent of the disease amongst New Yorks homeless both in and outside of shelters will perhaps never be known. In the center of global finance, which 105 billionaires call home, there have been nearly 18,000 deaths from COVID-19. The homicidal approach of the ruling class to the pandemic has left the homeless abandoned to face the virus on their own. The premature reopening of the citys economy, which began in earnest this week, will disproportionately affect the citys poorest layers. As of April 2020, there were 60,422 homeless people in shelters in New York City, 61 percent higher than 10 years ago. Of this number, 20,494 are children. The majority of the Coalition studys data comes from within shelters. Information is scarce, however. The report acknowledges, The mortality rate for those living in shelters may well be even higher because it was calculated without the inclusion of probable deaths due to the lack of complete public reporting. One homeless shelter employee told The City website that New Yorks Department of Homeless Services (DHS) enforced a culture of dont ask, dont tell amongst its employees. There are also thousands of unsheltered individuals who sleep on New Yorks streets each night. The true number is unknown; however, it is clear that in the midst of the pandemic and the intensifying economic crisis numbers have been sharply increasing. The Coalitions website reported that one site with a pre-pandemic nightly average of people seeking a hot meal of 180 had soared to 400 by late May. According to an update from June 23, this has soared to 1,000. The Coalition report also documents a number of incidents that expose the mismanagement of the DHS and which undoubtedly abetted the spread of the virus in this layer. These included: Individuals being forced to remain in a dormitory with a positive individual. Individuals being advised to return to a dormitory or practice social distancing on the streets while waiting for positive test results to be returned. New arrivals being ineligible for isolation in a shelter because they had not received DHS services in the past 12 months. Doctors reporting multiple instances of the premature admittance of homeless individuals to hospital beds due to the lack of isolation alternatives. At least one patient being denied an isolation bed due to their need to receive medication while isolated. Emergency rooms being unable to contact a DHS official by phone for hours. DHS advising hospitals to return individuals with COVID-19 symptoms to congregate shelters rather than isolation shelters. In fact, the city authorities only meaningful action has been to brutalize this vulnerable layer. In mid-April a campaign to cleanse the citys subways of the homeless began. From May 6 onwards the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) shut down the subway system overnight with the ostensible aim of removing homeless individuals. Ever since the shutdown, officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) have entered the subways at closing time to flush out homeless individuals using the system for warmth and shelter. This action was partially justified by a promise from city authorities to house all of those expelled from the system. However, as of May 28 only 281 people removed from subways had gone into shelters. The Coalitions report states that many of those thrown out were forced to congregate and bed down in large groups for shelter, particularly in the second week of May when temperatures were unseasonably cold. Social workers who provide essential services for the homeless have been under immense pressure during the pandemic. Jacob told the WSWS, In recent weeks, every day other individuals were being let go. From what Ive seen, theyre not furloughing anyone but theyre permanently laying off people, targeting people who have tried to unionize, are taking their paid time off and women who are pregnant or have just had children. One woman who was about to go on maternity leave was terminated. While thousands are left on the streets and staff are laid off, the leadership of the New York-based non-profit Housing Works is taking home hundreds of thousands of dollars. Charles King, the companys CEO, had a reported salary of $0 in 2018. However, he took home $374,378 in compensation from a related organization. The second in command, Matthew Bernando, earned $289,640 in the same income category that year. Jacob explained, Housing Works just made a big name for themselves with the Hotels for the Homeless. Some hotels were turned into shelters when there was a lot of advocacy about the thousands of empty hotel rooms in the city to use them for the homeless. But they [Housing Works] are making a ton of money off of this because of state contracts. Charles King is a king when it comes to propaganda and flipping this. In line with its wider criminality, the response of the American ruling class to the pandemics effects on the homeless has had brutal consequences. A March report by the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) called for an additional $11.5 billion in federal funding to provide appropriate housing for the nations nearly 600,000 strong homeless population. This is spare change by the standards of the inaptly named CARES Act, which injected trillions into Wall Street at the drop of a hat. The act provided a paltry $4 billion for the homeless. Furthermore, the allocation of these funds is at the discretion of local and state authorities. So far, it is unclear how and where the money has been spent. A good portion of it may well have ended up in the back pocket of figures like King. A fresh round of budget cuts in New York City led by Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio will leave workers and the homeless furthered exposed to the virus. This follows years of hollow initiatives by the de Blasio administration, while homelessness has rapidly risen since the beginning of his tenure in 2014. In the midst of a deadly pandemic, the question of housing is a deadly one for hundreds of thousands of Americans and millions around the world. Leilani Farha, former UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, stated, housing has become the front-line defense against the coronavirus. Home has rarely been more of a life or death situation. In New York City alone there are 250,000 vacant properties. According to the US Census Bureau, there were 17,019,726 vacant homes throughout the country. As the Socialist Equality Party stated in its demands at the onset of the pandemic on March 17, the working class must demand the taking over [of] office buildings and similar structures, many of which are now empty, and rapidly converting them into hospitals and clinics. These structures can also be used to provide emergency housing for the homeless. The deprivation of adequate housing for 600,000 homeless Americans, and millions more who live in temporary or unsafe accommodation, is not something unfortunate but unavoidable. It is, rather, a product of class rule. Responding to this reality, Jacob remarked on the point of view of the ruling elites, The majority [of the homeless] could certainly be put up properly, but wheres the money in that? But the real number in many parts of the United States is more than 10 times higher than the reported rate, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The analysis is part of a wide-ranging set of surveys initiated by the C.D.C. to estimate how far the virus has spread. It found, for instance, that in South Florida as of April 10, under 2 percent of people had been exposed to the virus. (The proportion is likely to be much higher now, given the surge of infections in the state.) The C.D.C. estimated that 117,400 people in that region had been infected about 11 times the reported number of 10,500 cases. The results confirm what some scientists have warned about for months: that without wider testing, scores of infected people would go undetected and continue to circulate the virus. Our politicians can say our testing is awesome, but the fact is our testing is inadequate, said Scott Hensley, a viral immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the research. The numbers indicate that even in areas hit hard by the virus, the overwhelming majority of people have not yet been infected, Dr. Hensley said. Many of us are sitting ducks who are still susceptible to second waves, he said. The difference between recorded infections and those that were missed was even more significant in Missouri, where about 2.65 percent of the population was infected with the virus as of April 26, although many people might not have felt sick. This number is about 24 times the reported rate: nearly 162,000 compared with the 6,800 believed to have been infected by then. Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the C.D.C., noted this trend on Thursday during a call with reporters. BLOOMINGTON Sixteen people who police accuse of various crimes related to the looting and unrest at Bloomington-Normal businesses were in court Friday. Out of 31 people charged with felonies, 15 were scheduled for preliminary hearings on Friday and set next court dates. All pleaded not guilty to their charges. Yazmine A. Evans, 21, of Normal was in custody court and formally charged with burglary, mob action and looting in connection to an incident on May 31 at Target in The Shoppes of College Hills in Normal. The following people, listed with their charges according to court documents, appeared Friday: CHARGES RELATED TO TARGET LOOTING Mary Bailey, 38, of Bloomington, with burglary, mob action and looting. Travis Blake, 22, with burglary, looting and misdemeanor mob action. Jordan Gilliam, 19, of LeRoy, with burglary, looting and four counts mob action. Angel Hicks, 27, with burglary, looting and misdemeanor mob action. Jessica Mills, 28, of Bloomington, with burglary, looting and mob action. Ian Price, 19, with burglary, looting and mob action. Cornelius Prince, 39, of Bloomington, with burglary, mob action, looting and aggravated battery of an officer. CHARGES RELATED TO KOHL'S LOOTING Charles Foster, 27, of Bloomington, with burglary, mob action and looting in connection to a break-in at Kohls in the Eastland Mall in Bloomington. Stephanie Lancaster, 37, of Bloomington, with burglary, mob action and looting. Joseph Matthews, 39, of Normal, with burglary, mob action and looting. Micah Pacquette, 22, of Bloomington, with aggravated battery, burglary, looting, mob action and criminal damage to government-supported property (a police vehicle). Deangelo Glass, 19, of Bloomington, with burglary, mob action and looting. OTHER CASES Andrew Menssen, 31, of Bloomington, is charged with a hate crime and two misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct, two misdemeanor counts of aggravated assault, three misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and one misdemeanor count of endangering the life/health of a child. His charges are in connection to a smoke-device released into a crowd of protesters outside the McLean County Law and Justice Center. Marshall Blanchard, 21, of Bloomington, is charged with two counts of failure to give information after a motor vehicle accident involving injury; four counts of aggravated battery; four counts of hate crime within 1,000 feet of a school; four counts of hate crime; one count of aggravated assault; and two misdemeanor counts of battery. His charges were brought after he allegedly drove a motorcycle into a protest rally, striking two people. Donald Jackson, 23, of Normal, is charged with burglary, looting, misdemeanor mob action and two counts of misdemeanor resisting an officer in connection to a break-in at Read's Sporting Goods, 812 IAA Drive. A warrant was issued Friday for 27-year-old Darrius Robinson of Normal for failure to appear at his scheduled hearing. He is charged with burglary, looting, mob action and obstructing an officer for his alleged involvement with a burglary at Reads Sporting Goods on June 1. The looting erupted in cities across the country in the days following the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minnesota. McLean County Jail mugshots Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 23 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Syracuse, N.Y. The family of a Syracuse man and protesters against police brutality are charging that officers beat the man during an arrest early Friday morning. In protest, demonstrators Friday night occupied the entrance to the Onondaga County Justice Center jail, where the man was being held. They played music and chanted his name. They also protested in front of the Public Safety Building, where an officer held up his phone and appeared to take photos of the protesters from inside the building. The protesters dispersed after several hours. Joshua A. Felton, 31, was arrested Friday after a chase through the South and Southwest sides of Syracuse that started shortly after 3 a.m., police said. Virginia Edwards, Joshua Feltons mother, said the family plans to file a complaint with the Citizen Review Board over the arrest. I want them to release my son, Edwards said Friday afternoon. Im going further with this. Im filing a formal complaint and Im pressing charges on the Syracuse Police Department. As the protesters chanted his name in front of the county jail, Felton called his mother to let her know that he heard the protesters. Feltons brother, Dramar Felton, is one of the leaders of Last Chance for Change, a group that has been marching through Syracuse each day to protest police brutality. Joshua Felton faces at least 13 charges in connection with the chase and drugs found in his car. Syracuse police officers first saw Joshua Felton run a stop sign at Richardson Avenue and West Newell Street, according to police spokesman Matthew Malinowski. Officers began pursuing him in the 200 block of West Calthrop Avenue, according to scanner reports and Malinowski. Joshua Felton drove from the 200 block of West Calthrop Avenue to 205 Grace Street, where he lives. Police followed him with their lights on, police said. According to scanner reports, he was driving about 40 mph. As officers followed, he drove erratically and passed a stop sign, Malinowski said. When he got home, he got out of his car and began to flee the officers, police said. Officers arrested him, police said. Police said he began to resist arrest as they tried to get him into custody. After a brief period, he was placed in handcuffs, police said. In all, the chase spanned just over 2 miles and lasted about five minutes, according to scanner reports. After the arrest, Joshua Felton was taken to Crouse Hospital and was treated for facial injuries, according to Malinowski. Officers found ecstasy in Joshua Feltons car, Malinowski said. While in jail, he called his mother to tell her what happened. According to Feltons mother, he didnt see the officers lights in the 200 block of West Calthrop Avenue and believed the officer put his lights on near his home. He had his dog in the car and was trying to get himself and the dog out of the car, Edwards said. Once he stopped for officers, police asked why he didnt stop, Edwards said. He told the officers he hadnt seen their lights, and asked why they believed he needed to stop, Edwards said. Officers then told him theyd been following him from West Calthrop Avenue. His mother said her son didnt know why theyd followed him. Edwards neighbor saw the arrest and woke Edwards up, she said. When I came out, he was handcuffed and they were still beating on him, Edwards said. When Edwards talked to officers, she said they told her they had a high-speed chase with her son. Edwards said neither her nor her neighbor heard sirens prior to her neighbor seeing the commotion. Initially, only two police cars followed Felton, Edwards said, but by the time Edwards came outside, she saw several other officers, a Crime Scene Unit van and a K9 car. Felton got stitches and had several knots on his head, Edwards said. Felton was scheduled to be arraigned Friday evening. He is no longer listed in the jails inmate lookup. He was charged with: Fourth-, fifth- and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance Unlawful possession of marijuana Resisting arrest Possession of drug paraphernalia Driving while intoxicated Driving while ability impaired Refusal to take a breathalyzer Failure to keep right Third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation Failure to stop at a stop sign Failure to stop at a red light Unsafe turn Reckless driving Speed not reasonable 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. Rumours have been spreading around the United States President Donald Trump confirmed there would be a second stimulus check that will be distributed to American citizens. The fact is, however, that Trump confirmed not a stimulus check but rather a stimulus package. The misunderstanding stems from an interview of the US president by Joe St. George, where Trump was asked about the possibility of a second stimulus check. Confirmation of a second stimulus check? According to Forbes, George said that many of his viewers in Florida have been struggling financially after having spent all the money from their first stimulus check. He then asked Trump if a second stimulus check was coming to them. The US president answered the government was planning on sending out a second stimulus check. The interview, however, did not end there and continued off to where Trump explains that rather than a stimulus check, they would be making a stimulus package. Trump noted that the next stimulus package would be beneficial to the citizens and give generous benefits. While George's questions centred around a second stimulus check, Trump did not confirm or commit to a second stimulus check. The president added that the next stimulus package would be coming soon and would be bi-partisan. Previously, Trump had expressed his support of a second stimulus check to be distributed to Americans to help them after the devastation the coronavirus pandemic created on the economy, as reported by CNET. Last week, the US president announced they were working on something in the lines of assisting the United States citizens amid the declining economy. He said that they are currently looking at Phase 4 of the plans and noted that Phases 1, 2, and 3 have looked well and would generously help citizens. The Phases Trump mentioned, refers to the economic stimulus package that the federal government had produced, but only one contained stimulus checks that were distributed to individuals and families. Also Read: Stimulus Check Update: How Would a $4,000 Travel Tax Credit Work? If and when the next stimulus comes While rumours spread about when the next stimulus package could be delivered, Congress had not made a decision yet on when the official release date would be. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, remains firm on his expected July release. On Friday, McConnell said he expects the next stimulus package, if it passes, to come sometime in July. He noted they would have to monitor the economic situation and make their decision based on if the economy is reviving. The senator also expressed his expectations that a second relief package would be the last that Americans receive amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate, however, is looking to take its annual two-week break starting from July 3 and will return on July 17, reports CBS News. This timeline adds to the delay of the bill being decided on by officials. Officials inside the White House also expect that the executive branch will work through its proposal in July as previously stated. White House officials and Republicans would need to assert how much money allocated into the first stimulus check, and other financial aids focused on businesses was spent before they decide on whether or not to discuss the potential of a second stimulus proposal. When the government officials do begin discussions, however, they would be pressured into accelerating talks as the $600 per month enhanced unemployment allowances are set to expire on July 31. Related Article: 12 Million People Might Not Get Their Stimulus Payments: Are You One of Them? @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement Press Statement Mocks APC for Holding Illegal NEC MeetingDemands Buni, Malamis Resignation The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) berates President Muhammadu Buhari for violating his oath of office by using the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Chambers and government resources to conduct the affairs of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Our party describes this action of Mr. President, in using public facilities and resources for APCs National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, as the height of corruption as well as a desecration of the sanctity of the seat of power and our national values. The PDP says never in the history of our nation has governance been so devalued to the extent of using the hallowed chamber of the highest executive body in the country, where high-level executive decisions are taken, for an illegal, wrongly constituted and Nicodemus meeting of a political party. This shameful development is a further manifestation of the level of impunity, recklessness, disrespect for rules and disdain for our laws by the APC administration, whose latest action exposes a move towards instituting the art of running processes and programmes through illegality, illicitness, illegitimate and unlawful means driven by crude force and naked power. Furthermore, it is an indefensible double standard for President Buhari, whose administration has been hounding and prosecuting innocent Nigerians for allegedly using public resources for activities of their political parties, to use the resources and facilities of the FEC chamber for his partys NEC meeting. It is even more distressing that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, is part of this desecration of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) by functioning as a notary public to a political party and using official facilities of FEC chamber to administer oath of office to a functionary of a political party, in total disregard to his oath of office, the code of conduct prohibitions under the 5th Schedule and extant public service rules. This is the same Attorney General, who has been prosecuting others for alleged but unsubstantiated use of public resources for activities of their political parties. The PDP holds that by using government facilities and resources to promote the activities of his party, the Attorney General has become culpable of the same offence for which he has been prosecuting innocent Nigerians. Malami has therefore become ethically challenged to continue in office as the Chief Law Officer of our nation. Our party therefore demands that the Attorney General should immediately resign from office and surrender himself for prosecution It is even more disgraceful that the furtive APC NEC meeting at the FEC Chamber was convened in total violation of the APC Constitution, which prescribes 14 days notice for regular NEC meeting and 7 days notice in the case of an emergency meeting under Article 25 (b) (i) and (ii) respectively. Such a coup against their own partys constitution renders the purported APC NEC meeting illegal and decisions taken therein, a complete nullity. Significantly, the kind of marshal orders and threats which President Buhari was issuing out at the so called NEC meeting without allowing for a debate was a sad reminder of his days at the Supreme Military Council in 1984. This raised questions on the democratic content of the charade called a NEC meeting by the APC. Moreover, now that the Governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni, has been sworn in as the Chairman of APC Caretaker Committee, he has made himself a full administrative officer of the APC and as such, should immediately resign as the Governor of Yobe state, in keeping with Article 17 (iv) of the APC Constitution which prohibits such dual mandate. The PDP counsels APC leaders to note that Nigeria is a nation governed by law and as such their party will not be allowed to use their crisis to destroy our democratic order. Signed: Kola Ologbondiyan National Publicity Secretary MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MI - Local clergy and residents gathered Saturday, June 27 along Hackley Avenue in to pray and highlight the disproportionate number of African Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The afternoon event in Muskegon Heights is a part of a national movement. There were similar events in a dozen other cities across the country. Pastor Toney Hines, one of the organizers, said the event was part of a National Day of Prayer organized by a new grassroots and faith-based organization, Six Feet in the Streets. Its not gone, Hines previously told MLive about COVID-19. Its rearing its ugly head again. We want people to know what to expect, we want people to know whats going on. Dozens of participants wore masks and stood six feet apart, emphasizing social distancing during the pandemic. They occupied 13 blocks along Hackley Avenue between Getty and Baker streets. Rally participants said prayers in unison during the rally. Long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put some members of racial and ethnic minority groups such as African Americans at increased risk of getting COVID-19 or experiencing severe illness, regardless of age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We (the congregation) have been talking about this event for a while and we wanted to come together as a community. Every church is experiencing the same thing with COVID-19, said Bishop Avery Burrel, of Christ Apostolic Church. Our churches are made up of the community and so we should come together as a community to combat this in prayer and solidarity. The Lord hears us, and you dont have to come up with some flamboyant or beautiful prayer, just pray from the heart and be real with God. Nationally, African-American deaths from COVID-19 are greater than would be expected based on their share of the population. In Muskegon County, where there have been 775 confirmed cases of COVID-19, more than 40% were among African American residents. Thirteen African American residents have died of the virus, comprising 27.7% of the countys 47 COVID-19 deaths. By comparison, African Americans comprise 13.7% of all county residents, according to national data. That disproportionate experience is seen through the state. The Muskegon Heights residents and clergy were joined in prayer by State Representative Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon, and Muskegon Heights City Manager Troy Bell. Six Feet in the Street was founded on April 30 and seeks to partner clergy with local elected leaders to bring attention to systemic racism, according to its website. MLive Multimedia Specialist Alison Zywicki contributed to this story. Read more on MLive: Roll on with Muskegon Pride bike ride raises funds, community awareness Coronavirus cases continue month-long downward trend in Muskegon County The coronavirus was tailor made to devastate densely populated black Michigan communities Click here to read the full article. Domestic violence, child trafficking, Caribbean myths, cyber terrorism and psychological thrillers were among the weighty subjects presented at the Dominican Republics June 25 online pitching sessions during Cannes virtual Marche du Film. Some projects, however, were inspired by the millions of tourists that visit the country each year and one took on the COVID-19 lockdown that has forced families and friends to share confined spaces for months. More from Variety The pitching sessions were preceded the day before by the DR Film Commissions pitch to detail the countrys generous incentives and let it be known that it was opening for business on July 1, albeit with health and safety protocols in place. Film Commissioner Yvette Marichal led her team that included lawyer Boni Guerrero and Manuela German who fielded legal and technical questions. They were joined by Pinewood Dominican Republic Studio/Lantica Media COO, Albert Martinez, who expanded on the horizon water tank facilitys amenities, which will include a covered water tank in the future. When asked how developed the audiovisual industry is in DR, Martinez said he points out that 30 to 35 local features and 10-15 sizeable international projects are made each year in the country. Among the various local projects pitched on Thursday were 15 Hours from director Judith Colell who seeks to shed light on domestic violence among the upper classes. In the drama, a young violinist married to a successful orchestra conductor seems to have a perfect life of art, fame and wealth, but she hides the fact that he mistreats her. Psychological thriller The Final Act also takes place in the world of art, in this case, ballet, where a renowned dancers dark past comes back to haunt him as he prepares to resume dancing, three years after a car accident. Writer-director Christopher James Lopez, said he was able to trim $1.3 million off the budget when he changed the setting of his drama to the Dominican Republic. Story continues Some filmmakers pitched multiple projects. Jose Gomez de Vargas of Emporium Media presented four projects, all of which are seeking co-production partners. A standout among them was What Lurks in the Shadows, which turns on a foreign landowner whose murdered fiancee returns in the form of a Ciguapa, the Dominican succubus a female demon to avenge her own death. Francis Disla described his mythical creature film Xiguapa as Predator meets Apocalypto where a DEA agent finds himself hunted by a beast with an acute sense of hearing. Fronteras, Una Historia Jamas Contada, directed by Mexicos Francisco Vargas (El Violin) and produced by Disla, Jalsen Santana and Leticia Brea, takes on real events surrounding the aftermath of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, which left some 250,000 dead and millions displaced, including many children who lost their parents. Fronteras turns on a journalist sent to investigate the disappearance of some children in a refugee camp. Drama is in post and is seeking a sales agent and distribution. At least three projects explore the challenges of sharing spaces: Convivencia, A Family in Quarantine and Posada, which revolves around tourists whose lives intersect at an inn. Bradley Bixlers Hotel Paraiso, set in a beachside resort, is a study of contrasts between the tourists and the people who silently work to make their holidays perfect. In it, a Haitian immigrant who fled Haiti after the earthquake, is forced to deal drugs when his job at a hotel doesnt yield enough for him to support his family. In Capotillo, a man released from jail is unable to make it in normal society, so he turns to drug dealing and eventually becomes a powerful drug lord. Taba Blanchards cybercrime thriller, The App, takes place in multiple countries, with desert scenes shot in DR standing in for Afghanistan. With some scenes filmed at Pinewood DR Studios, The App turns on a hacker who creates an app that makes him the target of spy agencies bent on seizing control of it. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Oakland (LCS 24) Independence-class littoral combat ship June 26, 2020, during a ceremony at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Four additional Independence-variant ships are under construction at Austal USA: Mobile (LCS 26), Savannah (LCS 28), Canberra (LCS 30) and Santa Barbara (LCS 32). Three additional ships are awaiting the start of construction. The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Oakland (LCS 24) Independence-class littoral combat ship June 26, 2020, during a ceremony at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Four additional Independence-variant ships are under construction at Austal USA: Mobile (LCS 26), Savannah (LCS 28), Canberra (LCS 30) and Santa Barbara (LCS 32). Three additional ships are awaiting the start of construction. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link U.S. Navy USS Oakland (LCS 24) Independence-class littoral combat ship. (Picture source U.S. Navy) The USS Oakland (LCS 24) is the 22nd littoral combat ship (LCS) and the 12th of the Independence variant to join the fleet. Its delivery marks the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy, bringing the service's inventory up to 300. It is the final milestone prior to its scheduled commissioning in early 2021. The future USS Oakland is the third U.S. Navy ship to honor the long history its namesake city has had with the Navy. The first Oakland was commissioned in 1918 and used to transport cargo. In 1943 the second USS Oakland was commissioned. Though in service for less than seven years, she was key to many anti-aircraft missions in the Western PacificMarshall Islands, Pagan Island, Guam, Iwo Jima, Rota, Peleliu and Okinawa. After the war, Oakland performed two duty patrols off the coast of China before her decommissioning in 1949. The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking and winning against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines and swarming small craft. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence. The future USS Oakland is the third LCS delivered to the Navy in 2020. The future USS St. Louis (LCS 19) was delivered Feb. 6, and the future USS Kansas City (LCS 22) delivered Feb. 12. Two additional shipsMinneapolis-St. Paul (LCS 21) and Mobile (LCS 26)are planned for delivery this year. USS Oakland (LCS-24) is an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy, the keel laying was held t the Austal USA shipyards in Mobile on 20 July 2018. The vessel launched on 21 July 2019 from Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. The Independence variant is an aluminum trimaran design originally built by an industry team led by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works for LCS 2 and LCS 4. Currently, Independence variant LCS (LCS 6 and subsequent even-numbered hulls) are constructed by Austal USA in the company's Mobile, Alabama, shipyard. The USS Oakland (LCS 24) is powered by two gas turbines, two diesel engine, four waterjets, retractable Azimuth thruster, and 4 diesel generators. It can reach a maximum speed 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph). The armament of the USS Oakland includes one BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm gun, four .50 cal (12.7 mm) guns (2 aft, 2 forward) and Evolved SeaRAM 11 cell missile launcher. It can carry two MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopter and one MQ-Fire Scout unmanned autonomous helicopter. This African fruit bat and her pup were trapped by Bucknell University biologist DeeAnn Reeder and colleagues. Reeder is now studying such bats to see how they carry coronaviruses without getting sick, in hopes that the knowledge could help treatment of humans. Read more In stout metal cylinders chilled to negative 112 degrees, DeeAnn Reeder and Ken Field store the intestines and other tissues from hundreds of bats. Little brown bats from the caves of Upstate New York and Wisconsin. Amber-eyed fruit bats from Uganda with white epaulettes on their shoulders. From each, carefully labeled bits of spleen, lymph nodes, and lungs. If that gives you the shivers, the two Bucknell University scientists would counsel you to feel a touch of gratitude instead. These nocturnal flying mammals might hold the key to fighting the coronavirus. Bats are thought to be the original host for all coronaviruses, including the one now causing so much pain, yet for some reason the animals do not get sick. Reeder and Field think the secret might be locked in their genetic code. Starting in July, in a level-2 biosafety lab on Bucknells Lewisburg, Pa. campus, they and colleagues will carefully thaw 240 samples of bat tissue, treat them with a chemical to deactivate any viruses within, then extract and purify any genetic material for analysis on a supercomputer. These samples do not have the virus that causes COVID-19, which is thought to have originated in bats in China, but they are expected to contain other coronaviruses in some cases more than one variety. Yet when the mammals were alive, they were perfectly healthy, with none of the harmful swelling and inflammation that has felled thousands of the sickest human patients worldwide. For bats, its almost like these coronaviruses are part of their microbiome, Field said. Were using the bats as a tool to tell us How do you survive? said Reeder. The idea started in late April, when the pair learned the National Science Foundation was distributing rapid grants for research tied to COVID-19. It turned out the agency was not kidding. The scientists submitted their $200,000 proposal on May 7, and got the thumbs-up a week later. A lab technician already has been hired, and at least two Bucknell undergraduates will join the effort as well. Reeder and Field both are professors in the universitys biology department, but with very different backgrounds. Hes a lab guy, with expertise in immunology, while she is happiest in the field. An ardent conservationist, Reeder has been trekking to Africa every year since 2004, first to South Sudan, more recently Uganda, studying bats, chimpanzees, and elephants in their natural habitat. Among other projects, she assembled a team of citizen scientists to analyze the output from automated, remote cameras in a South Sudan game preserve a half-million images to date. READ MORE: How the coronavirus jumped to humans is a story as old as evolution Bats are her special favorite, because of their unique physiology they are the only mammals that fly, of course, but thats just the start and the fact that they are easy to study. She can catch them in a net, extract a tiny blood sample, and send them on their way. And while she realizes many people view the animals with distaste, she is dazzled. Some of them are strikingly beautiful, she said, placing the epauletted fruit bat in that category. Some of them are so ugly that only their mothers would love them. The African bats in the new study were collected for an earlier study of the mammals immune response, including a quest to see if they might harbor the Ebola virus. (They did not.) The North American bats in the Bucknell study originally were collected for research on white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease. While bats seem to coexist easily with a wide array of viruses, the fungus has somehow outwitted their immune systems, killing them by the millions. The scientists euthanize the animals sparingly, preferring to study them alive in the wild. Those that get sacrificed are seen as a precious resource, preserved with liquid nitrogen in case they prove useful for future experiments. That was the case for the new study. While coronaviruses are not known to infect the lungs of bats, as they do in humans, the microbes can infect the gastrointestinal tracts of both species. So Field and Reeder immediately thought of all their bat intestine samples in storage, and realized that they compare the same organ in the two mammals ideally figuring out why the virus could inflame one but not the other. Physicians have sought to quell harmful inflammation in human COVID-19 patients by treating them with steroids. But those are broad-based drugs that can suppress the immune system an approach that could backfire for someone fighting an infection. Bats, on the other hand, are thought to employ a more targeted approach, their bodies producing some sort of internal substance that tamps down inflammation without making the animals susceptible to a virus, Field said. The genetic analysis will reveal two things: which viruses are in the bat samples, and which pathways have been activated to keep inflammation under control. If humans share anything like that pathway, the research could guide the way to a treatment. READ MORE: Couple who recovered from COVID-19 donate plasma for coronavirus research Then again, bats are very different. One theory for why they can harbor many viruses with no ill effects is called flight as fever. They fly for hours at a time at night, expending so much energy that their body temperatures rise several degrees, possibly keeping viruses in check as a result. In order to fuel these demanding aerial excursions, some bats eat close to their body weight in insects every night, Reeder said. Its like me having 500 quarter-pounders every night, she said. Field, her research partner, is not so sure fever is the answer. He thinks bats may simply have co-evolved with coronaviruses over thousands of years. The viruses engage in self-selection, finding a host that allows them to reproduce. If the bats died, the virus could no longer spread. Both the pathogen and the host adapt to each other, he said. Then, when the virus jumps from bats to another host that hasnt had that coevolutionary history, the immune system responds in a way thats inappropriate. Like what has happened in humans. Scientists still do not know how that jump happened with the new coronavirus, but the thinking is that it passed through an intermediate host. The original theory, that it originated at a live-animal market in Wuhan, has now been discredited, as some of the first Chinese patients had no connection to that market. Reeder speculated that it might have happened at another market. But she does not blame the bats for spreading disease. She blames humans for interacting with them. When spillover happens, its always because of human activity, Reeder said. Spillover is a human problem, not a bat problem. ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters. On occasion, people wary of infectious bats have tried killing the animals, with disastrous results. In one such case, a new colony of the mammals came back, bearing higher levels of the virus in question, she said. And ecologically, getting rid of bats is a disaster, as they play a crucial role in nature by eating insects and distributing seeds. Bats are our friends, she said. And if Field and Reeder are successful, they just might teach us how to ward off the next pandemic. (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. won arrest warrants for the former president of a China state-owned chipmaker and two other engineers charged with stealing secrets from Idaho-based Micron Technology Inc.The effort to apprehend the three men is notable because they were charged in 2018 in the first case filed under the Trump administrations China Initiative targeting trade-secret theft, hacking and economic espionage. A federal magistrate judge in San Francisco issued the warrants Wednesday after the three men failed to show for their arraignments. While the prosecution of Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co. has hobbled Chinas aspirations of mass producing memory chips, the case has crawled along, even as the Justice Department said the China Initiative would prioritize rapid action. The arraignments of the engineers were repeatedly postponed by agreement between the U.S. and their lawyers. Suddenly on Wednesday, in a three-minute hearing, a U.S. prosecutor requested the warrants, telling the judge she knew the defendants wouldnt show up after talking to their lawyers Monday.Their clients are not here for different reasons, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Vartain Horn told the judge, without offering details. The appropriate thing to do, and what the government requests, is a warrant for each of the individual defendants. Fujian Jinhua has pleaded not guilty and said its eager to go to trial. Taiwan-based United Microelectronics Corp., or UMC, has also pleaded not guilty. After the Justice Department billed the matter as a banner prosecution under a special initiative, there may be political pressure to do something about this case and chalk up a win, said Calvin Lee, a white-collar criminal defense lawyer.Beyond appearances, the U.S. also has a responsibility to pursue the accused engineers, said Preston L. Pugh, a former prosecutor who works with Lee.Even if theres no way for prosecutors to realistically get the men into a U.S. court, they cant lay down and not do anything about it, he said. The Justice Department may be also be asking Taiwan to extradite the men in return for the U.S. doing if not the same, some other gesture, Pugh said.This is not an off-the-shelf agreement, and not one that happens often but it has happened, he added. Story continues The warrants were issued for former Fujian Jinhua president Chen Zhengkun, or Stephen Chen; He Jianting, or J.T. Ho; and Wang Yungming, or Kenny Wang. All three are Taiwanese nationals, and legal experts have said theres little motivation for them to appear in a U.S. court. Neither China nor Taiwan has an extradition treaty with the U.S. Read More: Engineers Found Guilty of Stealing Micron Secrets for China Ho and Wang, who previously worked for Micron before moving to UMC, and a third UMC staffer were found guilty by a Taiwanese court two weeks ago of theft or assisting in the alleged theft of Microns secrets. The three men were sentenced to jail for periods ranging from 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 years and fined between NT$4 million and NT$6 million. The court also fined UMC NT$100 million ($3.4 million).UMC declined to comment. Fujian Jinhua spokesman Chad Kolton had no immediate comment.Mary McNamara, a lawyer for Chen, didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Vanessa Chuang, who represents Wang in Taiwan, declined to comment as she said she doesnt represent Wang in the U.S. Of the three, only Ho is still working for UMC. A call to the law firm that was listed two years ago in the indictment as representing Ho wasnt answered.In October 2018, a few days before the China Initiative was announced, the Commerce Department blocked sales of U.S. chip-making gear to Jinhua, grinding to a halt the companys plans to produce semiconductors. China, by far the largest market for dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, has made its production a national priority so it can end its reliance on hundreds of billions of dollars of annual imports.From the criminal case, prosecutors stand to win an order requiring Jinhua and UMC to forfeit chips and income derived from technology allegedly stolen from Micron, as well as a ban on using Microns secrets for as long as five years. The case is U.S. v. United Microelectronics Corp., 18-cr-00465, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco). (Updates with comments by legal experts starting in sixth paragraph) For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Supermodel Lauren made her catwalk comeback at the Valentino couture show in July 2019, after a three-year break, and was declared a street-style star when she was snapped wearing yet another upbeat colour combination in New York. Lauren Hutton. Credit:Getty Images As well as championing older models, Lauren is also taking on the beauty world again via a deal with skincare firm StriVectin, 47 years after she was the first model to demand a contract to represent a cosmetics brand, signing with Revlon in 1973. At 41, she was fired and told women over 40 dont wear make-up. Now 76, she has as much selling power as ever. Dame Helen Mirren, 74 As well as starring in four new films and playing the lead in TV drama Catherine the Great, Helen has had an impact on other worlds recently. Helen Mirren walks the runway during the Le Defile L'Oreal Paris show as part of Paris Fashion Week 2019. Credit:Getty Images Last September, she bounded down the LOreal catwalk wearing Giambattista Valli, proving that while she may be the beauty giants oldest ambassador, she still has the energy and presence for the job. She also sat front row at Victoria Beckhams show, later saying the designer was being kinder with her sizes, and that she could now fit into them. Meryl Streep, 71 The triple-Oscar-winner turned 71 last week and is celebrating with an outstanding career streak, book-ended by her return to television in Big Little Lies and her role as Aunt March in Little Women. Much like Anna Wintour, shes a woman who knows her own style, largely ignoring trends and instead choosing classic, flattering block colours. Meryl Streep poses at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival. Credit:AAP Within this sophisticated approach, though, Meryl has a lot of fun with her clothes. Her stylist, Micaela Erlanger, presents her with wild-card options from the catwalk, resulting in major fashion moments such as when she wore a sparkling cerulean Givenchy gown at the Venice Film Festival last September. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 72 As she prepares to become Princess Consort in her 70s, the Duchess of Cornwall has been taking on more royal duties, clocking up a personal record number of public engagements in the first half of last year. Whether shes shaking hands with foreign dignitaries or petting sheep on a farm, the Duchess has been favouring a softer silhouette of late, rather than her heavy country attire. Cream, beige and duck-egg blue are fresh colours that really suit her, particularly combined with a pleated midi-skirt and a low block heel. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in 2019. Credit:Getty Images Diana Ross, 76 It was the 60th anniversary of Motown Records last year, and one of the labels figureheads, Diana Ross, is enjoying an incredible career comeback. She was a guest performer at last years Grammys and was booked to perform at English music festival Glastonbury in 2020 before it was cancelled. Diana Ross at the American Music Awards 2017. Credit:Getty Imgaes Dianas red-carpet style steers towards classic diva territory: sequins, feathers and crystals on full-length gowns in black, red or navy. Pity about Glastonbury; her take on festival chic would have been unmissable. Glenn Close, 73 Last year, Glenn received her seventh Oscar nomination for her lead role in The Wife, a film that took 15 years to be commissioned due to producers originally seeing its message of empowerment for older women as irrelevant to a mainstream audience. Glenn Close attends the 91st Oscars Nominees Luncheon, 2019. Credit:Getty Images Glenn also had the red-carpet fashion run of her life in 2019, appearing more confident and being more experimental than ever. Brands from Dior to Armani and Alexander McQueen vied to dress her in classic suits made of exciting fabrics and regal caped dresses. Carla Zampatti, 78 The iconic Australian fashion designer recently celebrated an incredible 55 years in the business, and to mark the occasion launched a 90-page magazine in her name honouring the women who have played a major part in the eponymous label. Carla Zampatti at Melbourne Fashion Festival in 2019. Credit:Getty Images Her brand is best known for its sophisticated tailoring and timeless gowns and, of course, the classic jumpsuit which Carla can still rock as well as the brands younger devotees. With her signature blonde bob, tinted glasses and impossibly chic style, Carla is a role model to women of all ages. But its her head for business that has firmly secured her position as the queen of Australias fashion scene. Long may she reign over us. Jacki Weaver, 73 Jackie Weaver at the 2019 AACTA Awards. Credit:AAP A household name in Australia for decades due to her numerous film, TV and theatre roles, Jacki broke all the rules by cracking Hollywood in her 60s. An Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2010 for her portrayal of matriarch Janine Smurf Cody in Animal Kingdom was backed up with a second Oscar nod for Silver Linings Playbook, in which she worked alongside the likes of Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. Now, at 73, Jackis career shows no sign of slowing down shes appeared in half a dozen films in the past year alone, as well as starring in the second series of Stans Bloom. With her long blonde hair, bold red lips and polished sense of style, Jackis red-carpet looks ooze the confidence she rightly owns. This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale June 28. New Delhi, June 27 : After BJP President J.P. Nadda asked 10 pointed questions to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi in relation to the funding, association and working of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, the Congress responded, but only with 10 counter questions. However, the Congress clarified that it did not receive any donations from fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, as was being alleged. "No amount has been received as donation from Shri Mehul Choksi personally as has been falsely alleged. Nor has any loan ever been given by the RGF to him. The records of RGF reflect receipt of a modest donation of Rs 10 lakh from Naviraj Estates Pvt. Ltd. (in the year 2013) of which Choksi was one of the Directors," the Congress said. Congress's Communication incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala hit back at the BJP chief, saying: "J.P. Nadda has lost his political balance in his flailing attempts at distraction and diversion from the issues of national security and territorial integrity." Alleging that the BJP is crafting "conspiracies", the Congress leader alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "deliberately misled the nation". The party claimed that China transgressed into India, despite Modi asserting that India has not ceded an inch of land. A day after it came to the fore the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has links to the China Association for International Friendly Contact, which was branded by US in 2018 as a front for intelligence gathering, the Congress counter alleged that it is the BJP which has links to the said body. However, the foundation's website seems to suggest otherwise. Without answering any questions posed by Nadda, be it about alleged quid pro quo, connections with CAIFC, absconder Mehul Choksi, Surjewala chose another route - counter asking separate 10 questions to Nadda.A Surjewala asked about the BJP's connection to Communist Party of China. He raked up Rajnath Singh's 2007 alleged visit to make his point. He even dragged in the RSS into the controversy, by asking why did its leaders allegedly go to China in January 2009? Surjewala also brought in an alleged visit of former BJP President Nitin Gadkari on a five-day visit in January 2011 at the invitation of the Communist Party of China. "Why did the then BJP President, Amit Shah send a delegation of MPs/MLAs in November 2014 to China for a week-long study in 'The Party School' of the Chinese Communist Party?,"he asked. The Congress even asked for the reason for Modi's four visits to China as Gujarat Chief Minister and 5 visits as the Prime Minister. Finally, coming back to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, which seems to be at the eye of a political storm, the Congress asked: "Will the BJP, like the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has done, ask the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to make public the list of all its donors and the amounts received including from all foreign sources including individuals, entities, organisations and governments?" It posed the same question to the Vivekananda Foundation and the India Foundation. It even asked the BJP to disclose its name of donors for the donations received through electoral bonds. It also posed questions about the funding of "Overseas Friends of BJP". Surjewala also asked to know, "Has the BJP/RSS received funding from international foundations, funds, entities and organisations? If yes, how much amount has been received by BJP-RSS over the last 6 years by international funding and donors?" The BJP on Saturday fronted its President to lash out at Congress for the alleged fund gate involving the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, labelling it as "sin". In a no holds barred attack on the Congress Chief, Nadda questioned: "What is the exact relationship between INC and the Communist Party of China? What is the tacit understanding? What is the signed and unsigned MoU? The country wants to know." Flash The legal liability for the recent COVID-19 outbreak at a slaughterhouse of German meat processing company Toennies is being evaluated, an official said Friday. "It is currently being evaluated very carefully whether and against which rules the company has violated and where it can be held liable," Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) state Armin Laschet told the German media RND, stressing that he would consider Toennies "as responsible." In the wake of the outbreak that has left more than 1,500 Toennies employees infected with COVID-19, Laschet criticized the company's lack of cooperation with the local authorities. "There was no cooperation anymore, there were orders," Laschet said earlier this week. A series of recent COVID-19 outbreaks at a number of German slaughterhouses have prompted criticisms of the working conditions in the meat industry and of the use of cramped communal housing for subcontractors. In May, the German government adopted an employee protection plan for the entire meat industry. As of next year, the hiring of subcontractors as well as labor leasing models would be prohibited for German companies whose main business is slaughtering and meat processing. On Tuesday, Toennies said it would cancel all its subcontract arrangements effective January 2021 but to employee workers and would "quickly create sufficient and appropriate living space" for its employees. Following the COVID-19 outbreak at the Toennies plant, severe restrictions have been reimposed in the affected districts which will remain in force until June 30 in order to protect the population. By Friday, the district of Guetersloh that was most affected by the outbreak at the slaughterhouse had recorded around 178 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last seven days, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). West Australian egg producers are fearful for their futures given the push by supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths to ban caged eggs. They say the cost of production will skyrocket as they try to keep up with demand, which is rising by 3 per cent every year while they also bear the costs of converting from cages to barn or free-range models. WA's biggest egg producer, Golden Eggs, is run by Peter Bell and his family, out of Gingin. What theyre trying to do is get barn eggs to be sold at a similar price to cage eggs and barn has its inherent costs, which is above what you would find for a cage facility, and then free range is a cost again on top of barn, says Commercial Egg Producers of WA president Ian Wilson. The returns are very, very low. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) Cebu City Councilor and former congressman Antonio Cuenco succumbed to the coronavirus disease on Saturday, his family confirmed. He was 84. Cuenco, a former House Deputy Speaker was principal author of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2000. Cuenco's son, former Cebu City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco in a statement said the family was shocked by the sudden death of their patriarch. "It happened so fast and has left us very shocked to realize that the good man that we have had the opportunity to have as our father (with my siblings Ronald, Antonio Jr and Cynthia) and a good husband to my mother, Nancy, is gone," the younger Cuenco said. Despite testing positive for COVID-19 last week, the elder Cuenco attended the virtual council sessions on Wednesday. He was rushed to the hospital the next day and passed away this afternoon. He was the first confirmed COVID-19 case among Cebu City officials. Twelve barangays considered as COVID-19 "hotspots" in Cebu City are under hard lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. Cebu-based stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report. Hong Kong, June 27 : Police in Hong Kong announced on Saturday that the annual pro-democracy rally which takes place every year on July 1 has been banned for the first time in 17 years. The protest rally has been taking place every year since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, reports Efe news. Hong Kong had been under British colonial rule until then when the control of the territory was handed back to the Chinese. The July 1 rally this year took aim at China's national security law which human rights groups fear could smother the semi-autonomous region's freedoms. China announced a draft national security law in May that would be imposed across its territory, including Hong Kong, to tackle "terrorism", "separatism" "subversion of state power" and foreign interference. The sweeping bill, which would bypass Hong Kong's legislature, would mean that mainland China would implant its national security apparatus to operate in the semi-autonomous region for the first time. In a letter sent to the pro-democracy group Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), authorities allege violent episodes have occurred in recent protests of this nature and that the march would put "pose a severe threat to public health" given the safety regulations in place to curb the coronavirus pandemic. "Due to persisting social unrest, Hong Kong police have cautiously assessed the risks and believe that some participants of this public assembly and public procession may depart from the planned rally location and marching route and violently vandalise buildings as listed above," the letter published by the CHRF on Facebook says. Despite the fact demonstrations called by CHRF have been mostly peaceful, Hong Kong police said activists "may pose a severe threat to the safety of other participants, citizens, journalists and police officers and you do not have the capacity to control their acts". Authorities said the rally would exceed the rule in place to stem the spread of Covid-19 whereby gatherings have been limited to 50 people. Since the pandemic struck police have repeatedly rejected applications to hold public assemblies including the 30 year-old commemoration to honour victims of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. Since 1989, a candlelit vigil has taken place on June 4 and despite this year's ban thousands defied the order and gathered nonetheless. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has denied that there are any political motivations behind these prohibitions, but many critics are cynical given Hong Kong's Disneyland, public pools and bars have been authorized to operate freely. Hong Kong has been rocked by pro-democracy protests which have had a knock-on effect on the financial hub with local GDP falling by 2.8 per cent and 3 per cent in the last two quarters of 2019, and 8.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2020. The civil unrest combined with the dramatic impact of the pandemic on the global economy has further worsened the semi-autonomous region's economic forecasts. The political landscape in the former British colony has also deteriorated particularly since the announcement of Beijing's national security bill. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which articulated Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese hands in 1997, established a legally binding treaty whereby Hong Kong's freedoms and autonomy had to be safeguarded for at least 50 years from that date. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said on numerous occasions that the clauses of the treaty were fulfilled at the time. He declared that Wyoming, a state with a smaller population, was a well-rounded, working-class state superior to Washington, which would amount to an appendage of the federal government full of lobbyists and civil servants. Wyoming is more than 80 percent white, while the majority of the District of Columbia is composed of people of color. The arguments against statehood on the House floor barely shifted since the full chamber last debated the merits of granting statehood to Washington more than a quarter of a century ago. Opponents questioned the constitutional merits, arguing that the founding fathers intentionally did not establish the nations capital as a state. Others questioned whether the District of Columbia was geographically and economically viable to be a state. Our nations founders made it clear that D.C. is not meant to be a state, said Representative Jody B. Hice, Republican of Georgia. They thought about it, they debated it, and they rejected it. Representative Collin C. Peterson of Minnesota was the sole Democrat to join Republicans in opposing the measure on Friday. Top Democrats, several wearing masks with a symbol of the statehood movement, took to the floor to argue passionately for its passage, denouncing the disenfranchisement of Washington residents. Applause broke out on the floor as soon as the bill reached the necessary 218 threshold to pass. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at her weekly news conference in the Capitol, dismissed as shortsighted the Republican arguments that the new state would simply give Democrats a political advantage. Alaska and Hawaii, she pointed out, had entered the union as overwhelmingly Democratic and Republican states and then flipped politically. What the state is, that can change over time, Ms. Pelosi said. But the fact is, people in the District of Columbia pay taxes, fight wars, risk their lives for our democracy and yet in this place, they have no vote in the House and Senate. A birthday celebration on a swanky rooftop bar in Manhattan's Flatiron district turned deadly Friday morning after an argument erupted over a butt groping incident - and ended with one club-goer fatally shooting a 19-year-old woman and wounding her 21-year-old boyfriend, DailyMail.com has learned. The boyfriend, Andres Arias, told DailyMail.com exclusively that his girlfriend Erica Lopez may have saved his life by shoving him out of the way when the gunman opened fire. 'Erica pushed me out of the way, and one bullet went through her chest and grazed me through the left side of my ribs,' he said. 'I saw my girlfriend Erica falling to the ground, and I dove to grab her so she didn't hit her head,' he explained. 'I turned her over, and she was bleeding through her left chest.' Andres Arias, 21, and Erica Lopez, 19, are pictured at 230 Fifth Rooftop hours before she was killed in a fatal double shooting on leaving the club Friday morning. The couple had been celebrating Arias's cousin's boyfriend's birthday at the swanky rooftop bar in Manhattan's Flatiron district before the night turned deadly Certified in CPR, Arias said he performed chest compressions to try and keep her alive before he then blacked out. 'Once I came back to my senses, I saw EMTs putting Erica onto a stretcher and other EMTs putting me onto another stretcher,' he said. The couple were taken by ambulance to Bellevue Hospital and placed in the same room, separated by a curtain, where Lopez died a short time later. The night started out as a celebration at 230 Fifth Rooftop, located near Madison Square Park at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 27th Street. Arias, a student at Southern Connecticut State University, and Lopez, a hostess in a restaurant in a Norwalk mall, had taken a train into the city from their hometown in Norwalk, Connecticut Thursday afternoon. In the city, they met up with about 10 people, including Arias' cousin and the cousin's boyfriend who was turning 27 years old. NYPD cops investigate the scene of the shooting that left Lopez dead and Arias wounded in Manhattan in the early hours of Friday morning Arias spoke to DailyMail.com exclusively Friday and said the couple had been celebrating his cousin's boyfriend's birthday in Manhattan's Flatiron district At the bar, they struck up conversations with another group of about six young men and women. 'They were complete strangers but we were all having conversations,' Arias recalled. 'We were all buying each other drinks and food. We were getting to know each other. It was a really good time.' Then a woman in the other group grabbed Erica's butt and also groped another one of their female friends, Arias said. 'That girl in the other group started the whole incident,' he said. 'She was drunk. My girlfriend told me she was touching their butts, without their consent.' Arias confronted the other group and an argument broke out. Arias told DailyMail.com Lopez (pictured) may have saved his life when she 'pushed me out of the way and one bullet went through her chest' Arias, Lopez and their friends left the bar. He said they were talking about the argument as they walked down the street. Then they realized they'd been followed by the others, who drove up to them in their vehicles. It was about 12:30 a.m. Friday at the time. 'That's when we see one guy get out of his car and he's confronting us and saying, "do we have a problem here? I hear you guys are talking smack about us,"' Arias recalled. 'We told them, "there's no problem here, we just want to tell you tell your girl to keep her hands to herself because she was getting all touchy touchy with me and my boy's girlfriends."' At that point, the man from the car was joined by his girlfriend, who stepped out of his vehicle and shouted, 'I could do whatever I want,' Arias said. The man ordered the woman to get back into the car, he said. Arias said another vehicle then pulled up driven by a black man who was about 6 feet tall, had dreadlocks and was wearing a black shirt and black jeans. The driver of the second vehicle, a gray sedan, then exited the car with a gun and fired a shot into the air, Arias said. "Do we have a problem?" Arias said the shooter then shouted. 'Me and my boy said, "No, we don't have a problem because you just brought a gun to a situation that's already being handled,"' Arias recalled saying. That's when the gunman fired twice more, in their direction. Officers at the scene early Friday morning. An argument erupted over a butt-groping incident, Arias told DailyMail.com Arias said an argument broke out when a girl in another group began grabbing some of the women's butts. He said he, Lopez and their group then left, but were confronted by some of the group in the street before another car pulled up and a man exited it with a gun and opened fire Arias said one of the bullets penetrated Lopez's chest and then grazed him, leaving a hole in the left side of his rib cage. It was later that morning, as Arias was recovering and sedated, that staff told him his girlfriend had died. 'I told the nurses to leave the room, then I started screaming and crying,' Arias recalled. 'This is the second person that's died in my hands. My grandpa died in my arms two years ago from a heart attack.' Arias was released from the hospital a few hours later and was recovering at home Friday evening. One of Lopez's best friends, 19-year-old Alma Johana Corona, told DailyMail.com back in Norwalk Friday night that she was struggling not to cry as she tried to console her friend's parents and younger brother. 'I have cried so much I don't have any more tears,' Corona told DailyMail.com. 'She's my best friend. We've known each other since pre-school.' She added: 'She had so many friends. She was nice to everyone. She had a beautiful personality, energy. I just can't believe this was meant for her. 'She doesn't have any enemies. I just don't understand why anyone would do this to her.' Police were called to the scene of the fatal, double-shooting in the Flatiron District at around 12:30a.m. Friday morning. As of Friday evening, no arrests had been made and the gunman has not been located. Police are continuing their investigation. - Sarkodies wife has criticised the government on the requirement for mandatory quarantine - She said they are stuck within the four corners of their hotel room, which is not healthy - Tracy said they are not even allowed on the compound of the hotel for fresh air - She said even prisoners are treated better than what they are being made to go through Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Ghana Tracy Sarkcess, the wife of Ghanas celebrated rapper, Sarkodie, has spoken out on their mandatory quarantine. Tracy has complained that they are being treated poorly in a way not even prisoners experience. She said they are stuck between the four corners of their hotel room, and with two little children with them, they do not feel safe. Tracy Sarkcess. Photo credit: YEN.com.gh Source: Original READ ALSO: Video showing Serwaa Amihere without tummy support drops; fans feel deceived According to Sarkodies wife, they aren't even allowed to take a stroll on the hotel premises. It doesnt feel healthy, mentally and physically. Arent prisoners even allowed out for 30 minutes? Tracy Sarkcess complained. A screenshot of Tracy Sarkcess' rant about the mandatory quarantine. Photo credit: Twitter Source: Twitter This is not the first time Tracy has spoken out without mincing words on a situation she feels is not right. In an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, she blasted Akufo-Addo over the closure of Ghanas borders for so long. Tracy deemed it useless because, according to her, coronavirus was already in Ghana. READ ALSO: Are you safe? - Fans worried as video of Sarkodies damaged room after earth tremor drops She asked the government to open the borders because they had been abroad for nearly six months and were tired. Ghanaians descended on her, accusing her of being disrespectful. Meanwhile, Sarkodie has been affected by the earth tremor that rocked part of Accra on the night of 24 June. A video published earlier by YEN.com.gh shows some items of Sarkodies room damaged. READ ALSO: Nana Aba finally tells 'sponsor' who gifted her Range Rover; went to police Traders at the Madina Market share their thoughts on the mandatory wearing of masks Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Ministry of Health warns about buying COVID testing kits online Riviera Maya, Q.R. The head of the Ministry of Health is calling on the general public to be aware of the inefficiency of a rapid COVID test kit that is being sold through social networks. Alejandra Aguirre Crespo, the Secretaria de Salud del Estado de Quintana Roo, says that many of these fast testing kits are not certified by Cofepris (the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risk) and have a high margin of error, which can lead to false positives. She explained that laboratories provide conclusive testing with a low margin of error, adding that these false negatives can alter state figures. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: As many as 12 Opposition political parties on Friday staged a protest at Master Canteen Square here targeting Odisha Government and the Centre over Covid-19 mismanagement and rising fuel prices. Representatives of the political parties, including Congress, CPI, CPIM, RJD, NCP, AAP and Samajwadi Party, later submitted a memorandum to Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal over the issues. Addressing the protest meeting, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik said the people are suffering a lot as both the Centre and State Government have failed to manage the coronavirus crisis. Working president of OPCC Pradeep Majhi alleged that both the governments have looted money which was allocated for the management of the coronavirus pandemic. Odisha Government is the first government in the country which has swindled the money meant for Covid-19. We need to make the people aware of this. This is why 12 Opposition parties have come together, he said. The 17-point charter of demands of the parties included an independent probe into the mega scam in the procurement of masks, PPEs and other materials purchased by the Government, direct payment of `7,500 each to all BPL families for six months, supply of seeds to farmers for kharif crop and purchase of rabi produce at minimum support price, assistance of `10,000 each to all street vendors and revival of all small and medium industries in the State to create employment opportunities. However, Government chief whip Pramila Mallick said the State Government has taken all measures for the people affected by the Covid pandemic. WASHINGTON A federal judge ordered Roger Stone to surrender on July 14, denying his request for a two-month reprieve from serving his prison sentence because of the coronavirus pandemic. Stone, who was initially supposed to surrender on Tuesday, asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to allow him to stay at home until Sept. 3, saying his age and medical conditions make potential exposure to COVID-19 life-threatening. The Justice Department did not oppose extending Stone's surrender date by two months, saying it has become its policy to allow defendants to make such requests since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic as long as defendants are not public safety threats or flight risks. The U.S. attorney's office in Washington, D.C., which prosecuted Stone, has routinely consented to requests to delay imprisonment since March, prosecutors said. 'What had happened was wrong': DOJ lawyers accuse agency leaders of abusing power in Roger Stone case, other probes 'Unprecedentedly favorable treatment': DOJ gave Roger Stone favorable treatment because he is an ally of the president, prosecutor says Stone will serve his time at a federal prison in Jesup, Georgia. No one has tested positive at the facility. Jackson also ordered that Stone be placed on home confinement in the two weeks before he surrenders, presumably so he can self-quarantine before he goes to prison. Roger Stone, former political advisor to President Donald Trump, arrives for his sentencing hearing at the Federal District Court in Washington on Feb. 20, 2020. "This will address the defendant's stated medical concerns during the current increase of reported cases in Florida, and Broward County in particular," Jackson said, referring to the county where Stone lives, "and it will respect and protect the health of other inmates who share the defendant's anxiety over the potential introduction and spread of the virus at this now-unaffected facility." The deadly virus has killed dozens of prisoners and infected thousands across the federal prison system. In response to the pandemic, Attorney General William Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons to expedite moving vulnerable prisoners from the most affected facilities to home confinement. Story continues Stone, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, was sentenced to a little over three years in prison. A jury convicted him of seven crimes, including lying to lawmakers to protect Trump and his campaign and obstructing Congress' investigation on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race. One of the prosecutors in Stone's case has accused the Justice Department of giving Stone favorable treatment for political reasons. Aaron Zelinsy, who resigned from the case in protest, testified before Congress Wednesday that the Justice Department leadership pressured them to recommend a more lenient sentence for Stone because he's Trump's ally. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Roger Stone: Trump ally ordered to surrender amid coronavirus concerns The International Monetary Fund's (IMF's) latest forecast does not have too much good news for India. Its World Economic Outlook forecasts a 4.9 percent contraction in the global economy due to the coronavirus disruption. India's growth rate in 2020 is tipped to come down from 1.9 per cent as forecasted in IMFs April report to -4.5 percent. Indias economy is projected to contract by 4.5 percent following a longer period of lockdown and slower recovery than anticipated in April, the outlook read. If the projection holds true, India's economy could see a contraction for the first time since 1980. The IMF has been projecting a below-par economic scenario for India even before the coronavirus pandemic. In January 2020, it cut the projected growth rate for 2019 (FY20) from 6.1 per cent to 4.8 per cent, citing slowing domestic demand and a stressed non-banking financial sector. In July 2019, the IMF downgraded the growth rate for FY20 from 7.3 per cent to 7 per cent. In January, IMF blamed the sluggish growth in India for the projected decline in the global economy in FY 20. The sharp drop for India accounts for the lion's share of the downward revisions, the WEO forecast read. The IMF has repeatedly pointed to demonetisation and glitch-ridden GST reforms as two of the many reasons for the abrupt economic slowdown in India. IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva has said, "The Indian economy witnessed an abrupt slowdown in 2019 due to turbulence in NBFCs and reforms like GST and demonetisation. Nevertheless, even amid the global slowdown, the IMF, until 2019, continued to peg India as the fastest growing major economy. In fact, the IMF along with the World Bank and ADB said they consider the fallouts of demonetisation and GST as short-term impacts, but with major benefits in the long run. Indias economic position on gloomy forecasts has always been: Better than other major economy. But pandemic and the lockdown have robbed India of its cockiness. Corona double whammy The downturn in growth projections has come at a time when India is struggling to unlock the coronavirus lockdown. The World Bank has already projected a 3.2 per cent contraction in the Indian economy this fiscal year, while the United Nation in its World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2020 report pegged Indias growth rate at 1.9 per cent. India is no longer the fastest growing economy. It has lost that tag to China, which is expected to grow at 1 per cent in 2020. India faces the threat of receiving junk' rating by credit rating agencies. That would mean that buying Indian debt instruments would be risky, consequently impacting Indias ability to attract foreign investment. Two agencies Fitch and Moodys already have a negative outlook on India, largely due to prolonged low growth, the fragile financial sector and ultimately the long lockdown period. In 2019-20, the Indian economy grew by 4.2 per cent down from 6.1 per cent in 2018-19. India has endured below-par growth for seven quarters consequently the worst streak in the post-liberalisation era. While external factors like the global economic decline have had a bearing on India, internal factors like demonetisation, faulty GST implementation, declining investments in infrastructure and poor automobile sales due to lower demand have had bigger impacts on the economy. Demonetisation, as experts have said, impacted small and medium scale enterprises, which are the biggest job providers in India. The decline in cash flow adversely impacted the real estate sector which continues to struggle. The biggest impact of the exercise was on the unorganised sector, which is not just cash-dependent but also a job generator. GST has fared better, but the complicated tax structure and the Centres delays in paying states dues only reflect that GSTs fiscal impact is yet to fructify. In 2018, Amit Mitra, West Bengal finance minister and an economist, had estimated Rs 4.8 lakh crore loss to the economy due to demonetisation and GST. A May 2020 estimate by the State Bank of India pegged the total loss due to the lockdown at Rs 30 lakh crore more than the Rs 20 lakh crore Atmanirbhar Bharat package. The Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative is being touted as the third economic reform - after note ban and GST - of the Modi government. But in the absence of a strong manufacturing base, the exodus of guest workers during the lockdown, and the looming job creation crisis, the unfolding of the initiative will be closely watched. New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (June 27, 2020) said Delhi is fighting the most difficult war against coronavirus pandemic and it will emerge victorious, but it will take some time for it. Kejriwal said that the Delhi government in trying every possible measure to fight the pandemic by increasing beds for COVID-19 patients, raising the number of tests to four times, providing oxymetres and oxygen concentrators to patients in home isolation, providing plasma therapy, and through survey and screening. ''In the last 1 week, the number of beds has increased significantly. There are 13500 beds present in Delhi now, of which 6500 are occupied. Also, 20000 tests are being conducted daily. I thank Centre for providing us the needed testing kits,'' said Kejriwal in a media briefing. He also informed that the Delhi government has bought 4000 oxygen concentrators for COVID19 patients. He said a serological survey has started for ascertaining the level of coronavirus spread in the city. Under the survey started on Saturday, 20,000 samples will be collected, the chief minister said. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal tweeted that Delhi on Friday conducted 21,144 test in a day which is the highest number of tests conducted in India till date. ''Delhi conducted highest no of tests in a singly day yesterday- 21,144 We have increased testing 4 times Delhi now following strategy of very aggressive testing and isolation,'' the tweet read. The chief minister had earlier tweeted that testing in the national capital had increased by four times. Meanwhile, Delhi has reported 77,240 confirmed cases making it the second worst-hit state in India. By Gina Lee Investing.com Asian stocks were mostly up on Friday morning, with markets remaining stubbornly upbeat despite the U.S. Federal Reserve limiting capital limits for banks and the ever-rising number of COVID-19 cases limiting gains. The Fed said on Thursday that it would impose a cap on bank dividend payments as well as halting share repurchases until the end of 2020. The limits were imposed after the central banks latest stress tests on the sector showed significant capital losses for lenders when tested against the economic impact of COVID-19. Some investors were positive about the Feds latest directive. "Futures are pointing to gains, it's just a question of how they interpret the latest directive from the U.S. Federal Reserve...we could see a flow-on effect of regulators stepping in and making sure banks maintain financial health now that we see the pandemic take on different qualities, with the challenges drawn out over a long period of time, Tom Piotrowski, CommSec markets analyst, told Reuters. But other investors held a more negative view. The Fed is going to support this market one way or the other...[still,] I think there are going to be a few more dips to come. Its amazing, the market doesnt care about fundamentals or earnings at this point, they care about the pandemic and the pandemic only, Sandy Villere, portfolio manager at Villere&Co., told Bloomberg. Investors were also monitoring a surge of COVID-19 cases in some U.S. states, with Texas announcing a delay to its re-opening. The total number of global cases was almost at 9.6 million as of June 26 according to Johns Hopkins University data. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index was down by 0.43% by 11:29 PM ET (4:29 AM GMT). The U.S. Senate passed a measure sanctioning Chinese companies involved with the enaction of national security laws in Hong Kong and Macau. Meanwhile, the National Peoples Standing Committee is due to convene over the weekend, with the laws expected to be enacted before the end of the month. Story continues The Chinese markets were closed for a holiday. Japans Nikkei 225 rose 1.02% and South Koreas KOSPI gained 0.99%. Down Under, the ASX 200 rose 0.64%. Related Articles Major U.S. airline CEOs to hold White House meeting Friday Stocks going nowhere as virus fears hold optimism in check Bain selected as winning bidder for Virgin Australia: administrator Hours after two rockets were fired into southern Israel, IDF aircraft conducted an airstrike late Friday against a rocket manufacturing workshop and a weapons manufacturing facility, Xinhua news agency quoted the IDF as saying in a staement. Jerusalem, June 27 (IANS) Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday. There were no immediate reports from the Gaza Strip on the extent of damage or injuries. "The IDF views any kind of terror activity aimed at Israel with great severity and will continue operating as necessary against attempts to harm Israeli civilians," the statement said. The mutual exchange of fire came after 10 ten days of quiet in the area, but tensions were running high in the region as Israel may announce annexation of territories in the West Bank. Earlier this week, Hamas warned that it would respond violently to the expected Israeli move, calling it "a declaration of war". In response, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz warned Hamas that "they will be the first ones to pay for any aggression". --IANS ksk/ Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 22:08:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on June 27, 2020 shows a temporarily closed speedboat dock on the Yellow River in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province. Water level of the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River has risen due to continous rainfall and operations of reservoirs in the upper reaches. Some tourist attractions and facilities along the river have been temporarily closed. (Photo by Lang Bingbing/Xinhua) After that amount of volatility in six months, it is tempting to say that we will see an extended pause now that a level has been found, but that is unlikely. Globally, things are calming down as the coronavirus pandemic recedes, but here in the U.S. there has been a massive setback in the re-opening plans as new cases have hit an all-time high. Oh, and lest you say that is simply down to more testing, the positivity rate of tests has also climbed. That has come mainly in states that re-opened early, so it is clear that while shutting down is unpopular After filling the massive gap caused by the Saudi/Russia price war in March though, then peaking twice before falling back, the big bounce is now over as a continuous, momentum-driven move, with this week looking to end as a small net negative for crude futures.. Then began a bounce that, in some ways was just as spectacular. From the switch to the June contract onwards, CL has jumped close to 500% in a couple of months. Looking back on the first half of 2020 in energy, it has been marked by one of the most volatile periods in the history of crude. The main WTI futures contract, CL, hit a peak of $65.65 early in January before beginning a collapse that would see the May contract do the unthinkable on its expiration date and turn negative. At one point, traders were paying $40 for you to take a barrel of oil off their hands. Looking back on the first half of 2020 in energy, it has been marked by one of the most volatile periods in the history of crude. The main WTI futures contract, CL, hit a peak of $65.65 early in January before beginning a collapse that would see the May contract do the unthinkable on its expiration date and turn negative. At one point, traders were paying $40 for you to take a barrel of oil off their hands. Then began a bounce that, in some ways was just as spectacular. From the switch to the June contract onwards, CL has jumped close to 500% in a couple of months. After filling the massive gap caused by the Saudi/Russia price war in March though, then peaking twice before falling back, the big bounce is now over as a continuous, momentum-driven move, with this week looking to end as a small net negative for crude futures.. So, whats next? What will be the direction of CLs next $10 move? After that amount of volatility in six months, it is tempting to say that we will see an extended pause now that a level has been found, but that is unlikely. Globally, things are calming down as the coronavirus pandemic recedes, but here in the U.S. there has been a massive setback in the re-opening plans as new cases have hit an all-time high. Oh, and lest you say that is simply down to more testing, the positivity rate of tests has also climbed. That has come mainly in states that re-opened early, so it is clear that while shutting down is unpopular and damaging in the short term, it does save lives. The distribution may be uneven, but the second wave of the pandemic is here. The reaction to that second wave, and to the disparity of outcomes to this point between the states in the U.S., is going to create a problem for crude. This week, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced a recommended 14-day quarantine for those coming to those states from areas seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases in an attempt to preserve their states hard-won declines in infection rates. How long will it be before other governors who took the hard decision and resisted calls for a quick relaxation of the rules follow suit? They took a huge political risk and wont want to see the impact of their correct decision undermined by states that took the easier path. And, therefore, how long will it be before recommended becomes mandatory, despite the obvious difficulties of identification and enforcement that would present? There is a very real risk here that interstate travel within the U.S. plummets over the next few weeks, even if the second wave of coronavirus falters. As it is, that second wave has already prompted the governors of Texas, California and Florida, three of the most populous states in the union, to pause their reopening plans. Driving mileage and therefore gasoline consumption, that have been bouncing back quickly in America, could easily plummet again. So, crudes next $10 move looks far more likely to be down than up. That impression is reinforced if we look at where, rather than when, crudes rally ended. It was a result of completely filling the big March gap, creating a massive resistance point. So, the technical picture also makes down more likely than up for the next move. Ultimately, of course, the direction of crudes next $10 move will be decided by news that affects oils fundamental supply and demand conditions. On balance though, given the likelihood of a drop, or at least a stop to gains, in gasoline demand for at least the next week or two, down is the path of least resistance. A recently-established African committee formed to deal with the issue of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will present its report to the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) and President of South Africa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa within one week, a statement by the AU said on Saturday. The AU statement said the Bureau of the Assembly agreed to augment the Tripartite Committee dealing with the GERD issue, which consists of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan. The committee was augmented with the participation of observers, namely South Africa in its capacity as Chairperson of the AU, members of the Bureau of the AU, and experts from the Commission, with a view to addressing outstanding technical and legal issues. The AU held on Friday an emergency online summit of leaders of the three countries chaired by Ramaphosa to revive the deadlocked negotiations over the $4.8 billion GERD after the last round of negotiations had failed to produce an accord last week. During the meeting, the participants agreed to reconvene in two weeks from the date of issuance of this communique to consider a report on the outcome of negotiations of the outstanding issues concerning the GERD. The meeting of the Bureau was held pursuant to consultations undertaken by Ramaphosa with the three negotiating parties concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), namely, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, the statement said. "The Bureau of the Assembly and participating heads of state and government welcomed the intervention of Ramaphosa and expressed their deep gratitude for his initiative to bring together the three parties to the GERD in order to find a negotiated solution on outstanding matters," the AU said. According to the AU statement, all the members of the AU Extraordinary Bureau of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government participated in the video-teleconference meeting, including Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi, President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, and President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The teleconference also saw the participation of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmad, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Moussa Faki Mahamat. The Bureau of the Assembly noted that the three negotiating parties are founding members of the former Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the African Union (AU), and have contributed significantly to the unity, integration and the development of the continent. They further noted the potential of the GERD project for Africa. With regards to their respective positions pertaining to the GERD matter, the Bureau of the Assembly was addressed by the Egyptian president and the two prime ministers of Sudan and Ethiopia during its Friday's meeting. The Bureau expressed its deep appreciation for the positive and constructive approach displayed by the three parties in finding a peaceful, negotiated settlement on all outstanding matters, and emphasised the importance of a win-win outcome in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation The statement added that the AU Bureau received with appreciation a report from AUC head Mahamat, which, inter alia, noted that "more than 90 percent of the issues in the tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have already been resolved." "The Bureau of the Assembly decided to lend renewed impetus to the tripartite negotiations and urged the three parties to expeditiously work towards finding a mutually acceptable and amicable solution on the outstanding technical and legal issues in the negotiations process," the AU statement said. It also welcomed the commitment by the three parties to refrain from making any statements or taking any action that may jeopardize or complicate the AU-led process aimed at finding an acceptable solution on all outstanding matters. Accordingly, the Bureau of the Assembly and the participating heads of state and government requested that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) take note of the fact that the AU is seized of this matter. The UNSC is scheduled to discuss the GERD dispute in an open session on Monday. The Egyptian presidency issued a statement on Friday saying that "the technical committee will try to strike a deal within two weeks," and that it was agreed upon during the AU summit to "refrain from taking any unilateral measures, including the filling of the dam" before an agreement is reached. Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdouk also echoed the same conclusion on Friday, saying the three leaders have agreed to postpone the filling of the reservoir until an agreement is signed." This development comes against the backdrop of Ethiopia's previous assertions that it would begin filling the dams reservoir in July, even after the latest round of talks with Egypt and Sudan had failed. Earlier on Wednesday, Sudan said in a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that it is deeply concerned about Ethiopias decision to start filling its controversial dam on the Blue Nile without prior agreement with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan. Khartoum believes that the unilateral filling of the dam, located around 15 km from the Sudanese border, could cause substantial risks to Sudan and endanger the lives of millions of people living downstream. It also fears the GERD will put the operation of its Roseires dam at risk if not properly designed, filled and operated. Sudan's letter to the UNSC came after Egypt sent a letter to the UN body on 19 June requesting its intervention to resolve the dam, stressing that filling the dam without a deal would threaten international peace and security. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 95 percent of its fresh water, fears the dam will significantly diminish its water supply, which is already below scarcity level. Search Keywords: Short link: The Pose-a-thon in honor of Pride month is airing today, Friday, June 26, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX and Freeform. You can also catch it on Sling and on Hulu (free trial) the next day. Emmy, Grammy and Tony-award winning actor and activist Billy Porter, along with co-star Mj Rodriguez, will host the event with Pose cast members and producers to celebrate Pride month, which is coming to a close. The stars of Pose will perform stories and songs in support of LGBTQ+ education, social change for sexual and gender minority people of color, and transgender equality through legal services and policy efforts. Pose features the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles, and the show spotlights New Yorks underground ball culture, which first garnered attention in the 1980s. In the Pose-a-thon, youll see Angel Bismark Curiel, Sandra Bernhard, Dyllon Burnside, Steven Canals, Dominique Jackson, Jeremy McClain, Janet Mock, Indya Moore, Our Lady J, Jason Rodriguez, Angelica Ross, Hailie Sahar, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Charlayne Woodard and Patti LuPone. The virtual event is in partnership with GLSEN, The Hetrick-Martin Institute and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. What channels are Pose-a-thon on? Its on FX and Freeform. You can find which channels they are 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 it on Sling. You can also watch it on Hulu (free trial). People can subscribe to Hulu for as low as $5.99/month to watch FX shows the day after they air on the network. If viewers are already Hulu subscribers, they might want to consider switching to the Hulu bundle. Viewers can get access to Hulu, ESPN+ and Disney+ for $12.99/month, so essentially ESPN+ is free. Brussels: European diplomats are poised to approve an agreement on which foreign travellers they want to welcome starting on July 1 as the European Union reopens its external borders for the first time since March. Europe's draft in-and-out list reflects its assessment of how well other countries have managed to control their outbreaks. EU countries were hit hard by the pandemic, but most now have the virus under control and have been willing to consider opening their borders to other countries where the novel coronavirus is similarly in check. People wait in line to visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The iconic landmark reopened on Thursday after its longest closure since WWII. Credit:AP China is among the 15 countries set to make the cut, despite EU scepticism about how transparent it has been about its outbreak. Visitors from China would be allowed to enter Europe only if Beijing drops measures against EU travellers. Also expected to be approved are visitors from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, in addition to Algeria, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. Like many companies in the Bay Area and beyond, Boba Guys posted social media messages expressing solidarity with Black Lives Matter earlier this month as protests began to sweep the region. But co-founder Andrew Chaus videos on Instagram didnt draw widespread approval. Instead, they disturbed former employees, especially Black and brown workers who said their experiences working at the local boba tea chain did not line up with Chaus words. It made me really angry seeing he was preaching diversity and inclusion when he was completely passive when it came to overtly racist comments made on his companys time, said Kira Roman, a former employee at the chains San Carlos location. Romans complaint that she overheard a manager making racist statements in 2018 circulated online this month, leading Chau and cofounder Bin Chen to finally part ways with the manager. That sparked more stories from other workers of color. One said he faced sexual harassment, another said she regularly dealt with racist customers and several said they didnt get support when they reported problems to management. Chau and Chen were surprised to hear about some of these allegations, which have arisen on social media and in an interview with The Chronicle. But they say theyre focused on making Boba Guys a better, safer and more inclusive place to work. Since Romans complaint went public, theyve invested in bias training; rolled out a new way to report harassment, hired a third-party investigator and enlisted human resource services. Previously, Boba Guys lacked an HR staff despite employing nearly 400 people across more than a dozen locations in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and New York. After the coronavirus spurred mass layoffs, Boba Guys now employs about 100 people as it slowly reopens stores. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Similar reckonings are playing out at businesses nationwide as workers speak out against what they deem performative allyship, a term thats caught on since last months killing of George Floyd to refer to surface-level support of the Black community without any real action. After such uproar, Dandelion Chocolate CEO Todd Masonis publicly acknowledged that a past incident at the San Francisco company was racist. The chef-owner of seminal Macanese restaurant Fat Rice in Chicago apologized for creating a hostile work environment. And Mission Chinese Foods New York location is once again making headlines for past allegations of racial discrimination. While Boba Guys workers thought their individual experiences were unique, the social media uproar has led them to band together and consider legal recourse. Its a disappointing development to employees who were initially thrilled to work for Boba Guys, believing in its stated mission of bridging cultures. The company, born in 2011 in San Franciscos Mission District, has always made progressive values central to its identity. But over time, these workers began to think more critically about the Boba Guys mission. It honestly feels like theyre trying to bridge cultures from the Asian elites to the white elites, said former San Francisco employee Tori Santiago. When Roman saw Chaus Instagram posts about Black Lives Matter earlier this month, she spoke out on social media about a comment from a manager she overheard in 2018. He said that he would not take a drink made by a Black person because they have a poor work ethic and are lazy, Roman said. In response to her posts, Chau uploaded a 15-minute video to the Boba Guys account, since deleted, stating he didnt fire the manager at the time because he couldnt get to an actual truth. Was it racist or this person doesnt really hear how he talks? Chau said in the June 7 video. He said the manager was eventually demoted a year later, in 2019 because of other complaints. Now, Chau and Chen say that video wasnt a sufficient apology. We really had to sit and listen to hear loud and clear the pain and frustration, and it was super valid and warranted. We apologize for that. Thats the first step, to take ownership of that, Chen said. We realize how biases can play out and how much we just dont know. Jen Fedrizzi / Special to The Chronicle 2016 But Roman told The Chronicle that it wasnt just the initial comment that infuriated her. When she told the manager his words were inappropriate at work, he said she must have heard him wrong, that hes not racist and that he has a Black friend, she said. After that confrontation, she said she found her hours the next week cut from 40 a week to zero. My white counterparts were praised for mediocrity and as soon as I brought up these racist comments, I was essentially blacklisted in the company, said Roman, who is half Caribbean and half Central American. Roman quit. In a resignation letter sent to the manager as well as Chau, she explained her reasoning and cited the racist comment. Chau never responded, though more than a year later, he emailed her about the incident, saying, There is more nuance to it that you probably wont believe. We just have to do better. Theres no excuse, Chen told The Chronicle. We had an opportunity to exercise these values on behalf of the Black community and other minority groups and we failed to act. Chau and Chen said they thought the 2018 incident involving Roman was isolated but recently have heard other concerning stories. Jasmine Fossett, a Black woman who worked as a barista at the Union Square location, transferred to one of Boba Guys New York cafes for the summer of 2018. There, she told her new manager about how a worker once got fired from the Union Square shop for stealing out of the cash register. He asked her if the fired employee was Black. He was like, Yeah, Black people start stealing after the first three weeks of working, said Fossett. I shut him down right away. Fossett says the New York manager told her it was just his sense of humor. But after that, she said, she felt the manager was overly critical of her work and reduced her shifts. She said she didnt complain further since it was a temporary post. When she got back to San Francisco, Fossett said she relayed the managers comment to someone in upper management, who apologized but did not act further. As of this month, the New York manager is no longer with the company, according to Chau. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle 2018 Fossett says she also felt that white and Asian colleagues were getting promotions before her, even though she had worked at Boba Guys longer. When she did get promoted to a shift lead, she said, she didnt receive a raise because of her score on a customer service test. Though she scored 87%, she said, the test was graded on a curve, meaning some employees couldnt score high enough. In one simulation, she was docked points for verbally wishing a customer happy birthday instead of writing a birthday message on their cup, according to an email of her test results. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. They try to make you feel youre contributing toward something and you have opportunities for growth, but you start to realize only certain people have those opportunities, Fossett said. She was laid off in March when shelter-in-place forced Boba Guys stores to close. Wen Neale, who worked as a shift lead at the Mission District cafe for two years, noticed these dynamics too though he believes he benefited from them as an Asian employee. Still, Neale said he dealt with a manager who sexually harassed him at work, constantly asking him out on dates when he wasnt interested. When he complained to a different manager , nothing happened, he said . Chau and Chen told The Chronicle they were aware of some tension between the two employees but didnt know about the sexual harassment allegation. Neale said he also observed the same manager insult Black and Latino employees, calling them lazy and half-assed workers. The manager was relocated to a different store, where another employee, Tori Santiago, said these comments continued. The manager has since left the company. They promote this feeling like were a family, we have to look out for each other. They use that intentionally or not to manipulate our mind-sets about coming forward, said Neale said, who quit in frustration. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Other Black employees who spoke with The Chronicle said they felt disrespected and accused of having attitude problems. Tamia Proctor worked at the Union Square location for two years. She said she regularly served Asian tourists who likely had never encountered a Black person before. A lot of customers were being openly racist to me, throwing their credit cards at me, throwing money at me, accusing me of charging them wrong, Proctor said. Ive been cursed out before. A group pretended they dont speak English so they could talk to someone else. Fossett, who worked at the same location, confirmed these incidents. Serving these customers was demoralizing for Proctor, who said she didnt receive support when she talked to managers about it. We were told we were the problem, she said. Earlier this year, she quit, feeling overworked and undervalued. Dealing with customers exhibiting racial bias is tricky territory, said Chen. He hopes the diversity firm they recently hired can provide guidance. I dont know if Boba Guys can change guests opinions, but ultimately we have to create a safe environment for our team members, he said. To do so, former employees said, the company needs to uphold a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to racism. They also recommended hiring more Black and brown people in top positions; creating a system where people arent afraid to voice concerns; and eliminating any favoritism that might lead to keeping problematic employees. Chau and Chen said they are working on all of that and more. Weve been very intentional about building a company people want to work for, that people admire, that people say did more good than bad, Chau said. That was always the spirit of what we were trying to do. Hopefully our actions will speak for it. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker The Chechen leader has publicly humiliated the mother of a young woman who was killed in a suspected domestic violence incident during the coronavirus crisis. Ramzan Kadyrov brushed off beatings as something that can happen in a marriage and urged the victims mother to provide witnesses to prove she had been killed. Madina Umayeva died in the war-ravaged Islamic republic on Russias southern border under suspicious circumstances earlier this month. Neighbours of the 23-year-old, who married her husband at the age of 16, say they heard screams coming from her house on the day she died, and saw her lying near the stairs. Ms Umayeva, a mother-of-three, was buried by the family in the middle of the night that same day despite the Muslim tradition of not burying the dead after sunset. (Grozny (Grozny) While her in-laws say she had died after falling down the stairs while having an epileptic seizure, her mother says she did not suffer from epilepsy. Her cousin told a local news site called Caucasian Knot that the young woman described her husband as becoming unruly, crazed like an animal during beatings and that she had tried to end the relationship on a number of occasions. Recommended Hundreds of divorced couples forced to get back together in Chechnya Ms Umayevas mother told the media outlet her daughter came to see her after a fight with her husband several days before she died. She returned with black knees, they beat her with a belt, Ms Umayevas mother said. I asked my girl: Will you go back? She said that she didnt want to. And Ms Umayevas aunt said the victims four-year-old daughter said her mother was strangled and hurled down the stairs. Rumours that Ms Umayevas husband, Viskhadzhi Khamidov, had killed her started spreading on WhatsApp with public outrage over the death prompting the local prosecutors office to launch an inquest and to order her body to be exhumed. The Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has now accused Ms Umayevas mother of disseminating gossip about the death of her daughter during a meeting with her earlier in the week shown on official TV channel Kadyrov. Mr Kadyrov, who is allegedly responsible for the killings of several leading critics, said that despite the fact the inquests results have yet to be released, it demonstrates there is no evidence a violent death occurred. The Chechen leader, who has been credibly linked to the abduction, torture and murder of LGBT+ people in the Chechen republic, voiced anger she had been dug up and said it contradicted Islam and public agencies attempt to make sure that when Chechens die, there is no autopsy. Sometimes there are arguments and fights, and sometimes the husband uses his fists, Mr Kadyrov said. Recommended Ramzan Kadyrov is waging a war on his own people In Russia, a traditional saying goes: If he beats you, it means he loves you. The Russian parliament implemented fiercely criticised legislative amendments in February 2017 that decriminalised first battery offences among family members marking a setback that decreased punishments for abusers and put victims even more at risk. Ms Umayevas mother looked visibly scared on camera as she said sorry to Mr Kadyrov. She said: I apologise for having listened to rumours. I apologise to [you]. Ms Umayevas husband, who lives in Gudermes, which is near to the republics capital Grozny, insisted during a recent TV interview that he was not at home when his wife died. Tanya Lokshina, associate director of Europe and Central Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, said: Public humiliation of people who speak out isnt new in Chechnya, but these circumstances were especially egregious. And they will block badly needed justice for a victim of domestic violence and reinforce a dangerous message that those seeking redress for abuse should stay silent. Russian authorities have an obligation to ensure women are safe from violence, including in their homes. She added: Chechen traditional laws, often upheld by local authorities even when contravening Russias laws and international human rights standards, stipulate that children belong with the father and his family. This often dissuades women from fleeing abusive marriages. As part of its military readiness plan to deter any aggressive move by Chinese forces in eastern Ladakh, India has deployed its air defence weapon systems in the sensitive sector where tensions rose sharply after a brutal brawl in Galwan Valley left 20 Indian troops dead, people familiar with the developments said on Saturday on the condition of anonymity. The June 15 clash left an unconfirmed number of Chinese troops dead. In this heightened state of readiness, necessary measures have been taken by all services working in an integrated environment to ensure that we are ready for all eventualities, said one of people cited above. The air defence weapons in the Indian military arsenal include the indigenous Akash, the Israeli SpyDer and Soviet-origin Pechora and OSA-AK systems. Air defence systems can engage targets such as fighter jets, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Both India and China have significantly reinforced their deployments with fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, heavy artillery and missiles in the region that has garnered extensive global attention in recent weeks, particularly after the bloodshed along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Galwan Valley. Also read | India waits for Chinas PLA to disengage at Ladakh, says wont allow a new normal We have strengthened our deployments responding to the military buildup on the Chinese side. We are keeping a strict vigil along the LAC and are fully prepared to respond to any threatening action by the PLA, said the second official cited above. Senior Indian and Chinese military commanders reached a consensus on disengaging from friction points along the LAC on June 22. However, China has not halted and instead ramped up its military activity in Galwan Valley, with a concentration of soldiers, military vehicles, earth-moving machinery, and erection of structures, including near the same point where Indian and Chinese troops clashed on June 15. When the end state of a situation cannot be predicted, military prudence says you should be prepared for the worst, said Lieutenant General BS Jaswal (retd), a former Northern Army commander. India has moved thousands of additional troops to the Ladakh sector along with air, artillery and armour support to cater to any eventuality, said a third official. The Indian Air Force and the Indian Army have deployed their air defence systems in eastern Ladakh even as the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force has activated several of its bases in both Xinjiang and the Tibet Autonomous Region with Chinese fighter jets regularly making a show of strength in the Aksai Chin area, said the first official cited above. Also read | China, the common link between Ladakh and 3 US super carriers in the Indo-Pacific Air defence refers to protecting military assets from an aerial threat by the enemy. India is working on setting up an air defence command to enhance military synergy and optimally utilise the resources of the armed forces. The IAF has raised its guard to deal with any military provocation by the Chinese forces and forward bases have been ordered to be on their highest state of alert, the first official said. Apart from Sukhoi-30s and upgraded MiG-29 fighter jets, the IAF is operating Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and CH-47F (I) Chinook multi-mission helicopters --- both imported from the United States --- in the region. The Indian Army has deployed its new US-origin M777 ultra-light howitzers, which can provide accurate artillery fire support in mountainous terrain, in eastern Ladakh, said the second official cited above. The 155 mm/39-caliber M777 howitzers can be sling-loaded to helicopters and swiftly deployed to high-altitude areas. India ordered 145 howitzers from the United States for $750 million in November 2016. The howitzers have a range of 24-30 km. Disengagement of Indian and Chinese forces from friction areas along LAC is likely to be cumbersome and long-drawn, and it could take weeks, or even months, for the border situation to improve, as reported by Hindustan Times on Friday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Malawi's President Peter Mutharika on Saturday said this week's general election re-run was marred by "irregularities", as unofficial tallies showed him losing to the opposition leader. Voters in the southern African country went to the polls on Tuesday after the Constitutional Court scrapped the initial May 2019 presidential poll due to mass fraud. Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called on Malawi's Electoral Commission (MEC) to annul the results of the second vote and declare a third election. "We expected an election without irregularities," Mutharika told reporters in the second city of Blantyre on Saturday. "Sadly, as all Malawians have seen, this election is the worst in Malawi's history of our elections." The president said DPP monitors were "hacked, abducted and intimidated" and therefore unable to verify tally sheets. "We believe most of the results that were sent to MEC are not a true reflection of the people," Mutharika added. However, he did not echo his party's calls for another re-run. Unofficial tallies compiled by public broadcaster MBC gave opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera a dominant 60 percent lead, with the incumbent Mutharika trailing on 39 percent. 'Kicks of a dying horse' DPP administrative secretary Francis Mphepo in a statement highlighted "several incidents that may potentially affect the integrity and credibility of the presidential election results". The DPP listed polling stations from which their monitors were allegedly excluded and said more than 1.5 million votes had been marred by "violence and intimidation". "There is no doubt that these irregularities and malpractices will substantially affect the results in one way or another," Mphepo continued. Malawi voted on Tuesday in its second presidential election in 13 months. By AMOS GUMULIRA (AFP) "We therefore seek... a declaration that the presidential election has been inconclusive." MEC spokesman Sangwani Mwafulirwa did not immediately respond to the DPP's accusations. "The commission is looking into the complaint and will give a determination soon," Mwafulirwa told reporters at a briefing on Saturday. Political analyst Henry Chingaipe dismissed Mutharika's allegations as "total fabrication". "These are the kicks of a dying horse," he said. "In the history of this country, there has been no election as transparent as this, especially in the management of results." Mutharika, in power since 2014, won 38.5 percent of last year's discredited vote in which Chakwera garnered 35.4 percent. 'Circus is over' In February, Malawi's top court found the first election was marred by widespread irregularities, including the use of correction fluid to tamper with result sheets. The landmark ruling made Malawi just the second country south of the Sahara to have presidential poll results set aside, after Kenya in 2017. Victory in the rerun will be determined by whoever garners more than 50 percent of the votes -- a new threshold set by the court. Some 6.8 million people were asked to choose between Mutharika, Chakwera and an underdog candidate, Peter Dominico Kuwani. The MEC has until July 3 to unveil the outcome, although the announcement is thought likely to come later on Saturday. Results from 80 percent of Malawi's 28 districts have been tallied and verified so far. Mutharika did not mention whether he would concede defeat, although his party has threatened to reject the outcome of the vote. "He is in denial, he has always been in denial. But reality will catch up with him soon," said Gift Trapence of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition, which led months of street protests against last year's election results. Chingaipe highly doubted the possibility of a second re-run. "The only way to get a fresh election is to make a compelling case in the High Court," said Chingaipe, who heads the Malawi-based Institute for Policy Research and Social Empowerment. "It is an uphill task, almost impossible, to build a credible case in court," he told AFP. "The circus is over. There will be no such a thing as a fresh election." Islamabad: Iran, which is keen to join the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has started talks with Pakistan to extend the ambitious project to the oil-rich nation. Irans envoy to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost held talks with CPEC Projects Director Zahir Shah to discuss fields in which Iran would be able to participate and play an active role in the CPEC, Pakistan Today newspaper reported. Iran had showed willingness to become part of the CPEC in a recent meeting between President Hasan Rouhani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in New York last month. Irans different private sectors have huge capabilities in different fields including technical, engineering, energy projects, road and construction, building energy transmission line and are fully prepared to participate in different projects of CPEC, said Honardoost. The ambassador also stressed that Iran is ready to meet the energy needs of Pakistan, including natural gas and electricity, which is crucially important for Pakistan to move faster on completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Shah praised Irans willingness and readiness to participate in the projects of CPEC and emphasised the importance of cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in different fields. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor should be extended to Iran, Shah said. India has already expressed concern over the USD 46 billion CPEC project that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The lifting of international sanctions against Iran has paved the way for resumption of economic relations between Iran and Pakistan. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 26) The National Bureau of Investigation is inviting Filipino lawyer Mark Tolentino for questioning in relation to the $2.1 billion Wirecard scandal, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Friday. Guevarra said Tolentino, who runs a law firm and is tagged as a trustee of the embattled German payments firm, will be probed to shed light on his involvement in the billions of missing cash. Tolentino was a former assistant secretary in the Department of Transportation who was sacked by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018 for pushing for a railway project involving Duterte's sister. The DOJ chief added that Immigration officials are also being investigated in connection with the travel records of Jan Marsalek, the chief operating officer of the German firm, who appears to have traveled to the Philippines earlier this week. The Immigration database showed that the foreigner flew in June 23 and left for China on June 24 via Cebu, but there were no scheduled flights to the mainland that day. Covered by the investigation are members of the bureau's Management Information Systems division. RELATED: Wirecard files for insolvency after ex-CEO arrested in $2 billion scandal "The results of the investigation of the MIS personnel may lead to various scenarios, including the possibility of employing diversionary tactics to mislead Marsalek's pursuers," Guevarra said regarding Immigration employees. On Thursday, Guevarra said BI records showed that the sacked Wirecard official arrived in Manila on June 23, and left for China from Cebu the next morning. However, there was no trace of him in the CCTV footage at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The probe will establish if the record was merely caused by a glitch, or if there was some wrongdoing involved. Initial information revealed that Marsalek traveled with his Filipina wife, which was how he got to enter the country despite travel restrictions due to COVID-19. Marsalek last visited Manila from March 3 to 5, right before lockdown measures kicked in. In a fresh statement, Tolentino said he was being framed for the mess involving the German firm's finances, which has triggered the resignation of its chief executive officer Markus Braun and forced the company to file for insolvency. Tolentino denied holding the missing cash or knowing where the funds are, saying he was only approached by men "early this year" who offered to make him a trustee for the shares of a local financial technology company they will put up. "I cannot be a part of that group [when] I only knew these gentlemen in early this year," he said, noting that he couldn't possibly take part in the scheme "when the image and honor of the banking system of my country is at stake." BDO Unibank and the Bank of the Philippine Islands, two of the country's biggest lenders, have denied that they held Wirecard's money. Tolentino said the money is probably hidden away in a private banking unit of an Asian or European institution, and that he may again be accused of secretly managing the missing funds. He said six of his own bank accounts have been linked to Wirecard and are supposedly holding the missing money. "It is possible that there would be fabricated documents which will surface in the future that contains my name as holder of accounts in international banks," Tolentino said. The foreign payments firm saw its stock market value collapse by 90 percent in the span of a week following the report of the missing funds. Wirecard officials said the money may not have existed after all. CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - Rwandan Army has repelled an attack in the southern Nyaruguru district by around 100 unidentified gunmen who retreated to Burundi after four assailants were eliminated, a military Spokesperson said on Saturday Lt VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trevali Mining Corporation (Trevali or the Company) (TSX: TV, BVL: TV; OTCQX: TREVF, Frankfurt: 4TI) regretfully announces that 19 workers at the Santander mine in Peru tested positive for COVID-19. These workers are asymptomatic and have been provided with safe and preventative quarantine. The Company has temporarily suspended operations at the mine and mill to undertake additional testing on site. On June 23rd, prior to a roster change, 69 workers were screened with COVID-19 serological rapid tests of which 19 yielded positive results. These tests detect the presence of antibodies that have been produced in response to a COVID-19 infection. In response, all workers on site are proactively being quarantined and will be tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. This is the most common diagnostic test used to identify people currently infected. Additional medical professionals are being brought to the operation to provide support and to perform the testing and diagnosis. Checks on existing controls, such as physical distancing, body temperature readings, cleaning and disinfection will occur as part of the investigation. New transport options and protocols between the operation and the main areas where our workers live will also be agreed and implemented before a re-start occurs. The Company has decided to temporarily suspend mining and milling operations to focus on the health and safety of Santanders workforce. No timeline for the restart of operations has been defined at this time. Trevali continues to engage with the Government of Peru, local communities, and other mining companies to refine best practices in the screening and prevention of COVID-19. ABOUT TREVALI Trevali is a global base-metals mining company, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The bulk of Trevalis revenue is generated from base-metals mining at its three operational assets: the 90%-owned Perkoa Mine in Burkina Faso, the 90%-owned Rosh Pinah Mine in Namibia, and the wholly-owned Santander Mine in Peru. In addition, Trevali owns the Caribou Mine, Halfmile and Stratmat Properties and the Restigouche Deposit in New Brunswick, Canada, and the past-producing Ruttan Mine in northern Manitoba, Canada. Trevali also owns an effective 44%-interest in the Gergarub Project in Namibia, as well as an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Heath Steele deposit located in New Brunswick, Canada. Story continues The shares of Trevali are listed on the TSX (symbol TV), the OTCQX (symbol TREVF), the Lima Stock Exchange (symbol TV), and the Frankfurt Exchange (symbol 4TI). For further details on Trevali, readers are referred to the Companys website (www.trevali.com) and to Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Investor Relations and Media Contact: Brendan Creaney Vice President, Investor Relations Email: bcreaney@trevali.com Phone: +1 (778) 655-6070 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management of the Company as of the date the statements are published, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect managements expectations or beliefs regarding future events including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys operations, including the temporary suspension of operations at the Santander mine and the Company's efforts to minimize the impacts of same, the refinement of practices for the screening and prevention of COVID-19, discussions with government authorities and other stakeholders, and the timing of the resumption of operations at Santander. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of zinc, lead, silver and other minerals and the anticipated sensitivity of our financial performance to such prices; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recoveries; dependence on key personnel; potential conflicts of interest involving our directors and officers; labour pool constraints; labour disputes; availability of infrastructure required for the development of mining projects; delays or inability to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals for mining operations or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; counterparty risks; increased operating and capital costs; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; operating in foreign jurisdictions with risk of changes to governmental regulation; risks relating to widespread epidemics or pandemic outbreak including the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce, suppliers and other essential resources and what effect those impacts, if they occur, would have on our business; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; land reclamation and mine closure obligations; challenges to title or ownership interest of our mineral properties; maintaining ongoing social license to operate; impact of climatic conditions on the Companys mining operations; corruption and bribery; limitations inherent in our insurance coverage; compliance with debt covenants; competition in the mining industry; our ability to integrate new acquisitions into our operations; cybersecurity threats; litigation and other risks and uncertainties that are more fully described in the Companys most recent annual information form filed and available for review under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Trevali provides no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events may differ from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Source: Trevali Mining Corporation By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. You can find out more by clicking this link The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that a controversial clause that forced Uber drivers to arbitrate workplace complaints in the Netherlands is invalid. The decision means a proposed $400 million class action against Uber can move ahead in Ontario, a lawsuit that could shake the foundations of the gig economy. Fridays Supreme Court ruling stems from a 2017 case launched by UberEats drivers David Heller arguing that he and other gig workers were employees of the ride-sharing giant, not self-employed entrepreneurs. The class action stalled because Uber argued it couldnt be sued in Ontario courts. According to a clause in its employment contract, drivers must take all workplace disputes to arbitration in the Netherlands at a personal expense of more than $14,500. After an Ontario court ruled that the arbitration clause was an unfair bargain for drivers, Uber appealed to the Supreme Court to uphold the requirement. On Friday, Uber lost that appeal. Supreme Court Justices Abella and Rowe wrote in their decision that Ubers arbitration clause was unconscionable, paving the way for Hellers lawsuit against Uber to move through the Ontario court system. Michael Wright, who acted as co-counsel for Heller said he was relieved at the decision. We thought we had a good case, but its always very difficult to predict outcomes, said Wright, a partner at Toronto-based law firm WrightHenry LLP. This was an arbitration provision that the court says was essentially designed to prevent access to justice. There was no realistic way to actually assert and protect rights, he added. So the message is, that is not permitted in Canada. In response to the ruling Friday, a spokesperson for Uber confirmed that the company plans to amend our contracts to align with the courts principles. Going forward, dispute resolution will be more accessible to drivers, bringing Uber Canada closer in line with other jurisdictions, the spokesperson said. We are proud to offer a flexible earning opportunity to tens of thousands of independent drivers throughout Ontario. Fridays Supreme Court ruling found there was an inequality of bargaining power because the clause was part of a non-negotiable employment contract and that Heller could not be reasonably expected to know the full financial and legal implications of the clause. Lawyer Lior Samfiru, who started the class action against Uber in 2017, said allowing Ubers arbitration clause to stand would have effectively ended employee rights in this country. After all, all the legal rights in the world are of no value if there is no way to enforce them. For a company to try to require employees to give up the laws of Canada is unconscionable and offends our sense of fairness and common sense, he said. The Supreme Court decision Friday did not weigh in on whether Ubers arbitration clause represented an illegal contracting out of provincial employment legislation. As a result, the Ontario Court of Appeals original ruling that the clause did unfairly circumvent that legislation remains undisturbed, said Wright. The gig economy is currently facing a legal reckoning centred around its employment model that designates workers as independent contractors a category of worker that is not protected under employment laws and cannot unionize. That is what Hellers lawsuit can now tackle. The first step is for the proposed class action to be certified as such by the courts. Earlier this year, the Ontario labour relations board issued a groundbreaking decision ruling that couriers for food delivery app Foodora were not true independent contractors and had therefore had the right to join a union. Drivers for Uber Black, the companys luxury ride-sharing service, are also challenging their classification as independent contractors and have filed for union certification. I think the tide is turning, said Wright, who is also representing Uber Black drivers in their union case. I think the population generally was very caught up with the convenience and accessibility of the various services that can be obtained through an app and didnt really think about much more than that. I think Canada more generally has started to appreciate that theres some gross unfairness. A Welsh MP has been cautioned by police after being arrested last month on suspicion of attacking his wife. Welsh nationalist MP Jonathan Edwards, who has represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 2010, was released after being questioned by officers over the alleged domestic assault. He has since been suspended by Plaid Cymru after referring himself to the party's disciplinary committee. His wife Emma Edwards says that she has accepted her husband's apology and considers the matter closed. Welsh nationalist MP Jonathan Edwards (above) has been cautioned by police after he was arrested last month on suspicion of attacking his wife Emma Edwards She said: 'I have accepted my husband's apology. Throughout the decade we have been together he has been a loving and caring husband and father. As far as I am concerned the matter is now closed.' Father-of-three Edwards, 44, said he is 'deeply sorry' and described it in a personal statement as 'by far the biggest regret of my life'. He said: 'I complied fully with the Police and acted with the best interests of my wife and children as my primary motive throughout. 'I have referred myself to an investigation by my party. My priority now is to work with my wife to ensure as stable a future as possible for our family.' Edwards and his wife Emma have three children together and live in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, in a 600,000 detached house. He was seen being taken from the house by three police officers after the early-morning bust up on May 20. His wife's mother, Erica, previously told The Sun that after arriving home with bags of shopping, her daughter had thrown Edwards out. Edwards, who has represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 2010, has been suspended by Plaid Cymru after referring himself for investigation by the party She said: 'Yes, the police were called. Jonathan was arrested and taken by the officers. 'He is no longer living here. I do not know where he is living now but he won't be coming back here. I'm looking after Emma and my grandchildren.' Edwards acted as Plaid Cymru's Brexit spokesman and was critical of the knock-on effect of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union on the Welsh economy. Plaid Cymru party chair Alun Ffred Jones said: 'We are aware of the personal statement made by Mr Edwards, who recognises his actions fall below what is expected. Mr Edwards issued the statement with the support of his family and we ask that their privacy is respected. 'Mr Edwards has referred himself to the party's disciplinary committee and has been suspended. As this process is ongoing we will not be commenting further at this time.' Officers from the Dyfed-Powys force are not releasing any further information about the allegation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Fidan Babayeva Trend: The foreign trade operations between Azerbaijan and Spain surpassed $121.9 million from January through May 2020, which is 3.7 times more compared to the same period of 2019, Trend reports citing the statistical bulletin of the State Customs Committee (SCC) of Azerbaijan. According to the report, the export of Azerbaijani products to Spain amounted to $95.9 million in the first five months of this year, while a year earlier it was $426.4 million. Spain's share in total exports of Azerbaijan decreased from 4.95 to 1.38 percent. The import of products from Spain to Azerbaijan dropped 1.1 times from $28.6 million to $25.9 million year-on-year. Spain's share in total imports of Azerbaijan also decreased - from 0.49 to 0.62 percent of the total. In the reporting period, the ratio of export-import operations in the foreign trade relations of the two countries shifted towards export. In the first five months of 2019, there was also a significant shift towards export in the foreign trade relations, and the ratio of export to import for January through May 2020 amounted to 78 and 22 percent, respectively. Thus, the balance of foreign trade between the two countries during the reporting period was positive and amounted to $69.9 million. In general, the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan amounted to $11.1 in the first five months of this year, having shown a 22.9-percent annual drop. The balance of foreign trade turnover on an annualized basis increased by 0.9 percent and remained positive, amounting to $2.8 billion. --- Follow the author on Twitter: Fidan_Babaeva Geoprise, maker of the GM-X enterprise resources planning (ERP) application suite, and Service 101, an IT consulting company, jointly announced today the availability of Tracy and The Kid, the worlds first end-to-end smartphone and backend contact tracing solution. It is the culmination of a collaboration between the two firms which began in late April 2020. Contact tracing is a well-established process for discovering a patients movements and the people with whom the patient had close contact after becoming contagious. When done in tandem with rapid testing, it is regarded by the medical community as an essential tool for reopening society as quickly as possible while reducing the likelihood as well as the ultimate severity of second and subsequent COVID-19 waves in the future. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, public attention has focused on the allure of tech for smartphones, and other mobile devices like wearables, to slow the spread of the disease, said Nelson Nones, Geoprise CEO. All the mobile solutions which have been proposed or rolled out so far by tech firms such as Apple and Google require a central server and database of some kind, yet fail to provide those backend systems or leave integration with legacy backend systems up to public health agencies and healthcare providers who are already stretched thin fighting the pandemic, he added. Tracy and the Kid is the first turnkey solution on the market which provides round-trip communication between smartphones and servers and can be implemented immediately and economically either on a perpetual-use or subscription basis. Traditionally, contact tracing applications have been developed by, or for, local and regional as well as national government agencies and large healthcare providers. Considering the scale and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Geoprise and Service 101 foresee additional demand arising from private businesses which would benefit from investments in rapid testing and contact tracing solutions that enable them to reopen faster and safer. If government-sponsored programs are delayed or prove inadequate, consortia of private enterprises could, for their own benefit, step up to sponsor the deployment of systems operated by capable and mutually trusted NGOs or healthcare providers, said Jonathan Javier, CEO of Service 101, while individually bearing only a fraction of the deployment and operating costs. Tracy, developed by Service 101, is a mobile application which uses the Bluetooth radios embedded in most smartphones to automatically log histories of encounters with other smartphones which come within close range. It is derived from the open source TraceTogether app published by the Singapore Government Technology Agency and Ministry of Health in March 2020. TraceTogether, with 2 million downloads by mid-June 2020, was the worlds first contact tracing application for smartphones to take advantage of Bluetooth technology, and ranks among the top eight contact tracing apps in use throughout the world today. The Kid, developed by Geoprise, is the server application which registers Tracy smartphone installations and receives encounter histories voluntarily uploaded from smartphones by owners who have caught the COVID-19 virus. It is an adaptation of the GM-X ERP application for use by human contact tracers to identify other persons who were in close contact with COVID-19 patients during the viruss incubation period, and advise them to self-isolate in order to contain the spread of infection. The GM-X application, in turn, provides a highly secure blockchain platform for exchanging contact tracing information between healthcare providers and public health agencies, or between the operators of systems sponsored by private enterprises and public health agencies, in a manner that is permanent, tamper-proof and verifiable. For mobile contact tracing apps, two architectures centralized and decentralized are being adopted within various countries and states, said Javier. Currently, Tracy and The Kid follow Singapores centralized protocol as a reference implementation, but our platform can readily support decentralized protocols as well. This would be a necessity for any country or state which decides to use the Bluetooth APIs rolled out by Apple and Google in May 2020, he added. Privacy protection is a critical concern, particularly when contact tracing apps combine Bluetooth proximity sensing with geolocation tracking. We were committed at the outset to build a solution which protects the privacy of individuals, said Javier, which means that Tracy and The Kid make no use of geolocation tracking whatsoever, just like the Apple and Google APIs and Singapores protocol. The product names, Tracy and The Kid, evolved from the fictitious server user Tracy Tracer which Geoprise and Service 101 initially created for their proof-of-concept work. I remember the movie Dick Tracy, which was based upon Chester Goulds renowned comic strip featuring a police detective who wore a two-Way Wrist Radio back in 1946 and a two-Way Wrist TV starting in 1964, presaging the advent of todays smartphones by many decades, Javier recalled. The Kid was a nameless throwaway who stole for his stepfather but was smart and resourceful, so Dick Tracy converted him to crimefighting. The Kid joined so many of Tracys investigations that Tracy eventually adopted him, Javier explained, just like the collaboration between Geoprise and Service 101. About Geoprise Geoprise Technologies Corporation was formed in 1999 by a group of software executives with over a century of previous cumulative experience building enterprise resources planning (ERP) and manufacturing operations management systems, and implementing them worldwide. The privately-held companys mission, then and now, is to create exceptional value for its customers by harnessing the power and economy of information technology to enable lean, world-class industrial operations on a global scale. Today, Geoprise focuses exclusively on delivering its state-of-the-art GM-X ERP for Blockchain solution to businesses operating in North America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Geoprise values integrity by maintaining strict independence, intense commitment to business ethics and profound respect for intellectual property rights. For further information, visit the companys website at https://www.geoprise.com. About Service 101 Service 101 plus Consulting Inc. (Service 101) is a Philippine-based information technology software and services company founded by passionate, experienced, and expert information technology professionals; and backed by a combined 75+ years of work experience with various multinational and local companies engaged in wholesale distribution, utilities, retail, healthcare, and professional services. Service 101 is in the business of implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, deploying web and mobile solutions, delivering technical support through outsourcing engagement, and providing technology governance consulting. For more information, please visit: https://www.service101plus.com. Shardul Pandit revealed he had started taking steroids after suggestions that he needed to gain muscles. However, this only led him to suffer three relapses of jaundice. Television actor Shardul Pandit has shared a post on Instagram chronicling his battle with depression, substance abuse and financial crisis. According to a report in India Today, the actor, who started his career with the television show Bandini alongside Ronit Roy, has been out of work for the last eight months and has had to shift to Indore. The young actor shared an earnest post on his Instagram speaking up about his ordeal, saying he would be grateful if anything would materialise out of him asking for work. He added that he could have ended up dead, but was lucky to have friends who held him when he could have tripped and urged him to go home. Among the friends he said helped him are actor Karan Patel and his wife Ankita. Read Pandit's post here In the post, Shardul mentioned how he started taking steroids after suggestions that he needs to gain muscles. However, this only led him to suffer three relapses of jaundice. In an earlier interview with Times of India, Shardul had revealed that he had been unwell for almost a year and had to let go of the reality show Mujhse Shaadi Karoge. "I was offered a web series before the lockdown, but I have no clue whats happening on that front. I was already facing a financial crunch, and my savings, too, dried up during these three months," he said. The actor last featured in 2018 TV serial Siddhi Vinayak. He has also acted in Kitani Mohabbat Hai (Season 2) and Kuldeepak. Voters across Russia have taken to the polls as part of a nationwide, week-long vote on constitutional changes that would allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036. The amendments have already been approved by both houses of the Russian parliament, the country's constitutional court and were signed into law by Putin, and the vote is seen as an effort to put a veneer of democracy on the controversial changes. Putin says he's sure the "absolute majority" of Russians approve of them. The biggest problem vote organisers faced was turnout after weeks of coronavirus lockdowns and at a time when public support for Putin is dwindling. In April and May, his traditionally high approval ratings reached an all-time low of 59%, according to the Levada Center. In the Siberian Krasnoyarsk region, a constitutional quiz was organised conveniently near polling stations with top prizes of a car or an apartment. Participants needed to answer several questions about the constitution of Russia and keep the stub. The first results of the quiz were announced on June 26 on local TV. Local human rights activist Olga Suvorova called the quiz "a simple bribery of the voters," adding that a law recently adopted allowed for such games. Separatist officials in the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics organized bus services to polling stations in the neighboring Rostov region in Russia, in what is seen by many as another effort to boost turnout at the controversial plebiscite. On Friday morning, dozens of people gathered at a bus station in Donetsk, a rebel-controlled city in eastern Ukraine, waiting for their turn to get on a bus to Russia. Some of the voters told The Associated Press that the reform would boost the powers of the Russian authorities and bring peace to the region, while others expressed hope that the reform would allow separatist republics to become part of Russia. Over 220,000 Ukrainians living in areas held by Russia-backed rebels received Russian passports last year, after Putin signed a decree expediting citizenship applications from residents of the self-proclaimed republics. Russia's borders have been closed since late March because of the coronavirus outbreak. Yet, there are procedures in place to allow Russian citizens to enter the country, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, commenting on the fact that voters from eastern Ukraine are able to travel to Russia. According to separatist officials, there are 12 polling stations in the Rostov region where residents of eastern Ukraine can vote. The regional election commission confirmed to the AP that polling stations for Russian citizens not registered as residents were operating all across the region. Click here for an updated version of this story An alleged domestic assault occurred on I-94 in Taylor early Thursday morning that ultimately led to a police chase and apprehension of the suspect near I-96 in Detroit. The suspect, a male, had two small children in the car with him during the chase. Taylor Police Chief John Blair said the suspect assaulted the female inside the vehicle on eastbound I-94 in Taylor, near Telegraph, and pushed her out. The female was the driver* and the suspect was a passenger. Blair said a Taylor police officer witnessed the incident and quickly responded. At that point the suspect drove off at a high rate of speed. Instead of pursuing the suspect, the Taylor officer tended to the seriously injured victim and the Michigan State Police were called for assistance. He beat her up pretty good, Blair said. He smacked her head and shoved her out of the car and she ended up on I-94. He got out of the car to continue hitting her and there was our cop and he jumped in the car and took off. She was bleeding so bad that our officer just stayed there with her and called it in. Lt. Michael Shaw, an MSP spokesman, said MSP first spotted the vehicle in Allen Park. They followed and then attempted to make a stop near the I-94/I-96 interchange, which the driver didnt comply with. As MSP pursued the suspect, he attempted to get onto eastbound I-96. It was then that an MSP officer boxed him in on the ramp, using a tactical maneuver with her vehicle, and he was arrested without further incident. Video from the final two minutes of the chase, taken from the troopers dash cam, was posted on social media by MSP and had 3,000 views as of Friday afternoon. The two children in the vehicle were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Taylor is investigating the domestic assault portion of the case while MSP was set to request that the Wayne County Prosecutor charge the driver with fleeing and eluding, resisting and obstructing and child endangerment. *An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the victim was the passenger in the vehicle and not the driver. (CNN) Police are investigating video of an alleged assault that occurred at a Yogurtland in California where a woman is seen coughing in the face of a baby, allegedly because the mother was not maintaining proper social distance. The incident took place June 12 when a White woman described as being in her 60s was standing in line for frozen yogurt in front of another woman and her child in a stroller, the San Jose Police Department said. "The preliminary investigation revealed the suspect was upset the female was not maintaining proper social distancing so the suspect removed her face mask, got close to the baby's face, and coughed two to three times," said police Sgt. Enrique Garcia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended people stay at least 6 feet or two arms' length from others. The CDC is urging people to cover their mouths and noses during the Covid-19 pandemic because droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks can infect others. The San Jose Police Department confirmed to CNN the unnamed suspect has not been apprehended as of Friday morning. "We can't release the names of suspects until there is a warrant for their arrest, they were booked into jail, or they were issued a criminal citation," Sgt. Garcia said. "We are not sharing additional information at this time. The investigation is ongoing and we are following up on tips." CNN has attempted to reach the baby's mother for comment and CNN has reached out to Yogurtland for a statement. Suspect may be school district employee After video of the coughing incident went viral online, Oak Grove School District in San Jose confirmed the suspect who coughed on the baby may be one of their employees. "We are aware of an incident allegedly involving one of our employees who was videotaped coughing on a baby at a local Yogurtland," the district said in a statement. "We have been in contact with the San Jose Police Department, which is investigating this incident and working to confirm the identity of the individual involved." The district said it has been directed by police to refrain from taking any action on this matter while the investigation is pending. "The employee who has been identified as a person of interest in this matter is currently off of work and not providing any services to our district students," the statement read. Oak Grove School District said in a statement the district has received numerous threats of violence and damage to their schools stemming from the incident. "We understand and share the feelings of anger around this incident," the statement read. "Please be assured that we hear you, we share your sense of outrage, we will take appropriate steps once the identity of the individual in question is confirmed." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Police seek a California woman they say coughed on a baby in a social distancing dispute." The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court late on Thursday to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was signed into law by Barack Obama in 2010. The filing came the same day the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported that nearly half a million Americans had signed up in April and May for health care plans under the program, popularly known as Obamacare, amid the economic devastation from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ending the ACA would wipe out health care coverage for as many as 23 million Americans. In a week that has seen the highest number of new cases since the coronavirus outbreak began, the filing shows the indifference and contempt of the government for the American people, who are struggling with unemployment, sickness and death as a result of a pandemic that has been allowed to ravage the country. Some 45 million people have lost their jobs over the past three months, in many cases losing their employer-sponsored health insurance as well. The administration submitted an 82-page brief to the high court an hour before the midnight deadline on Thursday. It joined Republican officials in Texas and other states who argue that the then-Republican-controlled Congress had rendered the entire law unconstitutional when it reduced to zero the ACAs tax penalty for those not covered by employer- or government-provided programs who fail to buy insurancethe so-call individual mandate. Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco argued in his brief: Nothing the 2017 Congress did demonstrated it would have intended the rest of the ACA to continue to operate in the absence of these three integral provisions. He added, The entire ACA thus must fall with the individual mandate. The Supreme Court has already ruled on two legal challenges to Obamacare, both times leaving most of the law intact. Trump had previously supported preserving the laws more popular provisions, such as guaranteed coverage for those with preexisting medical conditions and allowing those up to age 26 to remain on their parents insurance coverage. With his hardline stance against the ACA, Trump is playing to his base and the ultra-right in the lead-up to the November election. However, some officials in his administration, including Attorney General William Barr, had urged the president to take a less aggressive position against ACA, fearing the stance could backfire against Republicans in the election. The Democrats seized on Trumps move as the occasion to posture as the champions of workers health care. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to the brief by saying, President Trump and the Republicans campaign to rip away the protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act in the middle of the coronavirus is an act of unfathomable cruelty. Lost in this bluster is the reality that Obamacare has always served to enrich the private insurance companies. Its central component, the individual mandate, forces individuals to purchase coverage from a private insurer or face a penalty, thus funneling billions into the coffers of the insurance monopolies. While this mandate was shot down by the 2017 Congress, private insurers, pharmaceuticals, giant hospital chains and their CEOs continue to enrich themselves, as the ACA provides little oversight of what these private entities charge for their products and services. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democrats presumptive presidential candidate, offered a particularly demagogic response to Trumps attack on Obamacare. He argued that if the ACA is struck down, Americans would live their lives caught in a vise between Donald Trumps twin legacies: his failure to protect the American people from the coronavirus and his heartless crusade to take health care protections away from American families. In remarks in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on Thursday, Biden criticized Trumps filing, making promises about what his administration would do to improve health care that he knows would never be fulfilled. While pointing out that ending the ACA under conditions of a pandemic would be devastating for the 23 million Americans who receive coverage under the program, he did not touch on the murderous return-to-work campaign now taking place across the county, in which meatpacking, auto and other industries are forcing workers back on the job under conditions of rampant COVID-19 infection and no personal protection against the virus. Like Trump, the Democrats are concerned about corporations continuing to run their profit-making enterprises and boosting their stocks on Wall Street. Biden said, We need to find a way to run the economy as we bring the number of cases down. However, the former vice president provided no details on how he intends to go about this. The Democrats are complicit in the return-to-work campaign, presiding over states and cities across the country that are prematurely reopening in accordance with Trump de facto policy of herd immunity. Their major action in the course of the pandemic has been to authorize the doling out of trillions of dollars to big business through the CARES Act, while allocating pittances to workers in the form of supplemental unemployment pay, which is set to run out in a month, and a one-time stipend. Among the promises Biden made Thursday was that he would restrict health insurance premiums to 8.5 percent of household income, and an undefined smaller percentage for those with low incomes. For a single individual making 200 percent of the official poverty income, an absurdly low $25,520 a year, 8.5 percent would amount to about $2,170 annually, or $180 a month. A household earning the median annual income of $59,000 would pay over $500 a month, or more than $6,000 a year. It is only under conditions where the health care system is entirely beholden to private interests that such out-of-pocket costs are presented as a major improvement! Biden also pledged to introduce a public option on the ACA exchanges. It is possible that the administrations suit against the ACA could be argued before the Supreme Court in October, before the November election. The earliest a ruling could be delivered is some time in 2021. Press Release June 27, 2020 PH RED CROSS SET TO INAUGURATE BIGGEST MOLECULAR LAB IN THE COUNTRY AS IT FORMALLY OPENS TESTING CENTER IN MANILA The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is set to inaugurate the biggest molecular laboratory in the country as the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing center at the PRC's former headquarters in Port Area, Manila formally opens today. PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard J. Gordon said the opening of the Red Cross' molecular laboratory in Manila will be a great help in containing COVID-19 in the country as more testing can be conducted. "Our molecular laboratory in Manila is equipped with seven (7) RNAs with 14 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines that are capable of testing 14,000 samples per day. This will really help us ramp up our testing capacity so that more people will get tested all over the country. With more testing capacity, we can easily identify those who are positive and segregate them from those who were tested negative," said Gordon. Gordon has been consistently pushing for a massive testing so that those who are tested negative can go back to work especially those who lost their jobs during the pandemic and so that the country's economy can be revived immediately. "Testing is the key. The whole testing in the Philippines right now is at 0.4 percent and that is very far from the 13-percentage standard of the World Health Organization. We have not tested enough but we have the capacity. We have to move our economy and so we have to move testing," he said. The PRC's molecular laboratory in Manila, where the PRC's Hemodialysis Center is also located, received its accreditation from the Department of Health (DOH) as a certified COVID-19 testing center on May 15. As of this writing, it has tested over 18,000 samples out of the 149,116 specimen samples that the PRC has processed. Aside from Manila, other testing centers of PRC are located in Mandaluyong, Pampanga, and Zambales. Twenty-six percent of the total tests conducted so far in the country has been done by the PRC. The country has the fourth-highest number of infections globally, behind the United States, Brazil and Russia. India has more than 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to government figures that showed a record daily leap of 18,500 new infections on Saturday. Authorities said a total of 15,685 people had died after another 385 deaths were added to the toll in 24 hours. The pandemic is not expected to peak in India for several more weeks and experts say the number of cases could pass one million before the end of July. Some state governments are considering imposing new lockdowns. A hard-hitting nationwide lockdown that started March 25 is gradually being eased because of the damage caused to the economy. The virus has particularly hit Indias densely populated cities and there are now major concerns for New Delhi which has overtaken Mumbai with nearly 80,000 cases. The citys government has predicted it will have 500,000 infections by the end of July. It is already using railway carriages to house patients and has taken over hotels and banquet halls to relieve the pressure on hard-pressed hospitals. The government has been criticised over a lack of testing that experts say has hidden the true number of cases in India. The number of confirmed cases now stands at 509,000. Authorities said a total of 15,685 people had died after another 385 deaths were added to the toll in 24 hours [Adnan Abidi/Reuters] Fourth highest cases The country is currently fourth in the world for the number of infections, behind the United States, Brazil and Russia, though it has a much lower death toll. In a bid to boost tracing efforts, Delhi authorities have called in 33,000 health workers to screen about two million people in sealed off zones across the city of 20 million people. However, cities across the nation of 1.3 billion people are braced for a huge wave of new cases in the coming weeks. 200626060045684 It is likely that were going into a state, unless we are able to reinforce a strict physical distancing mechanism or a hard lockdown, where the rate of infection will continue to increase, said Anant Bhan, a leading public health expert. Unlike China, where the pandemic was relatively more concentrated around Wuhan and a few other cities, India has a more diffused spread that makes it a bit more challenging for the healthcare system, he told the AFP news agency. Bhan said India might see several peaks in coming months because the spread of the virus is variable across the country. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 26 Trend: Azerbaijan marks the countrys Armed Forces June 26, Trend reports. Despite that Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), established on May 28, 1918, existed only 23 months, it did a lot in a short period of time. The country started the creation of the national army, understanding that its own armed forces were needed to protect the achievements of the young republic. At the same time, the situation in the region was extremely tense. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was on the verge of losing parts of its territory. Azerbaijan achieved significant results in creating its own armed forces in a short period of time. The Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted a decision on the establishment of the national army on October 9, 1991. June 26 was declared the Armed Forces Day in accordance with Azerbaijani president's decree dated May 22, 1998. Military parades were held on June 26, 2011 in Baku, in connection with the Armed Forces Day and the 20th anniversary of restoration of the country's independence and in 2013, on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Armed Forces Day. Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev delivered speech at the military parades. Sunscreen? Check. Towel? Check. Mask? Disinfectant? At least six feet of space? Depends on where and what beach. As tourists and travelers start to return to many of the world's seasides, government health officials and scientists are turning their attention to every inch of sand to assess the risk of the coronavirus's spread. But while the novel coronavirus may dislike direct sun and open air, it loves a crowd and shared spaces. That's why officials in southern England were so shocked last week by what they classed as a "major incident" amid a heat wave: thousands of people packing beaches, all in violation of social distancing measures. In Brazil, beachgoers have similarly flocked to sandy shores while flouting face mask recommendations. From "beach bubbles" to drones to censors and cellphone tracking, here's how some countries are readying their beaches for a summer of social distancing. - Greece Greece's picturesque sandy seasides have long been an alluring summer destination. But this year, the Mediterranean country has a new attraction: a low coronavirus count and, as a of mid-June, borders open to some foreign tourists. Greece also wants to keep it that way, despite the risk of a resurgence posed by letting in travelers. So the government has devised a plan for mandating disinfectants and maintaining physical distances since it began to reopen beaches in mid-May, with updates since. Under current regulations, only up to 40 people will be permitted per every 1,000 square meters of beach, or about a quarter acre. A maximum of two chairs can be under each umbrella, which must be placed at least 13 feet from another. (An exemption is made for families, who are allowed to be in proximity to one other as a group.) Beachgoers are supposed to place a towel on their chair, which staff are required to sanitize after every use. To further discourage crowds, beach-based restaurants were initially allowed to serve only takeaway meals, and no alcohol, to people waiting at least five feet apart while in line. Beachgoers who violate these rules can face a fine from the police of up to $1,120, according to the BBC. - Belgium Cellphone tracking and censors will be deployed to keep Belgium's seaside resorts and beaches less crowded this summer, Reuters reported. Beaches are allowed to open as of Saturday, and the government has devised a tracking system aimed at rerouting residents and tourists to less-populated areas. Using cellphone data and 130 censors stationed around towns, authorities will be updating a public website sharing in real-time that areas are more or less crowded. Dark green will indicate an area is calm, while orange will denote high density, according to the Reuters news agency. Some local governments have devised their own designs. In the town of Knokke-Heist, tourism council member Anthony Wittesaele came up with "beach bubbles" - or markings in the sand to indicate 32-square-foot boxes, or about the size of a medium-size carpet. "We have implemented what we call 'beach bubbles,' where one family or friends can be together in a safe way and to visualize the distance that they should be from one another," he told Reuters. - Dubai The financial center of the United Arab Emirates is beginning to reopen, months after its upscale malls and lavish hotels shut down. During scorching summer days, much of life in the Emirates happens in the air-conditioned indoors, which now poses a problem for coronavirus infection-control. But in public, the politically restrictive city-state is trying to enforce its new beach protocol. Dubai has made mask-wearing at the beach mandatory and banned groups of more than five. Masks while in the water, though, are not required. (Masks in general are required in public, except in some instances like strenuous exercise.) Between May 29, when beaches reopened, and June 7 the government reported that 316 people were penalized for violating the rules, according to the Abu Dhabi-based the National newspaper. On just one Friday in early June, police cited 221 offenders. The fine for violating face mask-wearing and social-distancing rules is more than $800. Police told the National they have also made use of drones to zone in on rule breakers. - Thailand Thailand still remains closed to international travelers, so its beloved beaches have fewer crowds and possible pitfalls to worry about. In the meantime, mask-clad workers at the entrance of beachside venues screen and count everyone entering to keep a low capacity. In the coastal city of Pattaya, beachgoers are required to stay around three feet apart. Residents told the South China Morning Post that they had never seen the water so clean or sand so empty. Like many Southeast Asian countries, Thailand's confirmed coronavirus count remains comparatively low to other European or Latin American countries. But it has still taken the virus seriously. Some beaches reopened only on June 1. And after kick-starting local tourism, the government is considering travel corridors with China and Japan, among others, Bloomberg News reported. - Spain Drones are also buzzing above the carefully monitored beaches of Lloret de Mar, a resort town in northeastern Spain. Spain is readying for the return of foreign travelers after curbing its initial coronavirus outbreak, which killed more than 28,300 people. "The way we go to the beach this year has changed but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy it," urged a promotional video for one resort very popular with British tourists, AFP reported. At Lloret de Mar, sensors are also in place to alert the municipality when an area's capacity has been reached. Visitors can then access this information via a designated app, according to AFP. So far, crowding hasn't been an issue. But Lloret de Mar is prepared for all kinds of beach conditions. The local government has additionally devised plans for cordoning off sections based on age, such as designating special areas for the elderly, families with children, and groups without kids. - France In May, France initially reopened its beaches to short-term exercising but banned most other activities. That prompted one resort to experiment with social-distancing compliant sunbathing, The Washington Post reported. The resort town of La Grande Motte near Montpelier roped off 75 squares to keep people separated. The municipality's website then offered beachgoers the chance to reserve a three-hour spot up to two days in advance. Openings quickly filled up. As of June, restrictions at beaches are more loose, though people are still recommended to keep wearing face masks, wash hands and stay at a distance from others. Browser does not support frames. 389 new cases, 1 new death Michigans daily report of new coronavirus cases saw an increase Friday, June 26, for the fifth consecutive day. State health officials reported 389 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1 death over the last 24 hours, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. The additions brought Michigans totals to 62,695 known cases and 5,888 deaths linked to the infectious respiratory illness. The U.S. Coast Guard patrols the annual Jobbie Nooner boat party on Lake St. Clair.U.S. Coast Guard Jobbie Nooner proceeds amid pandemic Jobbie Nooner, which annually attracts thousands of boats and people to Lake St. Clair each summer, was officially set to begin at noon on Friday. Many boaters docked around submerged Gull Island in St. Clair County. Sgt. Marty Stoyan of the county sheriffs marine division told the Detroit News that social distancing would be up to the participants. Harper's in East Lansing is closed on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. A usually raucous St. Patrick's Day in the college town was very subdued due to concerns over the coronavirus and many students leaving town.J. Scott Park | MLive.com 37 new cases traced to East Lansing bar A coronavirus outbreak stemming from an East Lansing bar has climbed to 51 cases in a matter of days. Health officials first warned of the exposure site on Tuesday, June 23, when there were 14 known COVID-19 coronavirus cases associated with visits to Harpers Restaurant and Brew Pub between June 12-20. On Wednesday, the case total jumped to 25. By Thursday evening, June 25, 51 cases had been identified, including two in people who didnt visit the bar but contracted the virus from someone who did, ClickOnDetroit reports. Oceana County has seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases that health officials are attributing to outbreaks at local farms and businesses. (MLive file photo) Oceana County outbreak linked to farms At least 127 coronavirus cases in Oceana County are linked to outbreaks among workers at five farms or manufacturing facilities in the rural county, health officials say. Thats about 60 percent of the countys 214 confirmed positive cases, according to data from District Health Department #10, which serves 10 northwestern Michigan counties including Oceana, Newaygo and Mecosta. Health officials held a press conference Friday, June 26, to discuss a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Oceana County. The number of new daily cases tripled this week compared to the week before. Nursing home coronavirus Whitmer moves to protect nursing homes Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday, June 26, issued two executive orders meant to protect residents and staff at nursing homes, which have been hit disproportionately hard by the coronavirus pandemic. As of June 25, the state had recorded 7,304 confirmed cases and 2,064 deaths involving nursing home residents, in addition to 21 staff deaths and 3,207 cases. Nursing home patients account for more than a third of Michigans 5,887 deaths. Whitmer on Friday ordered the formation of a 20-member nursing home preparedness task force aimed at analyzing and reporting nursing home data, issuing recommendations to Whitmer on a possible action plan on how to prepare nursing homes for any future wave of COVID-19 cases, among other duties. The three Detroit casinos are temporarily closing on March 16, 2020 due to coronavirus. (Photo by Edward Pevos | MLive) Detroit casinos prep for reopening The teased date of Michigans move to phase 5 of reopening amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is coming up next week, and that could mean the reopening of Detroit casinos. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said earlier this month that shed like to open businesses like gyms by the Fourth of July. Gyms, along with state-licensed casinos and movie theaters, are part of phase 5 of Michigans economic reopening plan. Long Road Distillers, at 18 Washington Ave., in Grand Haven, closed Friday, June 26, after one of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus. (Kayla Renie | MLive.com)Kayla Renie | MLive.com Grand Haven distillery closes over infection An employee of a Grand Haven distillery has tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the business to temporarily close until all of its employees are tested. Long Road Distillers, 18 Washington Ave., announced on Facebook that the employee last worked a shift at the bar on Thursday, June 18. The employee did not show any symptoms of COVID-19 and passed a required wellness check at the start of her shift, Kyle VanStrien, the distillerys co-owner, told MLive on Friday, June 26. The employee was wearing a mask during her shift, which is required for all the distillerys employees, he said. Coronavirus cases continue decline in Muskegon Despite businesses across the state reopening and residents venturing out of their homes, the number of new coronavirus cases has not swayed from its downward trajectory in Muskegon County, health officials say. The countys residents have continued to do an amazing job at containing the virus, said Kathy Moore, director of the Muskegon County health department. Health officials reported 41 new positive cases in Muskegon County over the past week, averaging 5.86 new cases a day. That compares to one month ago, when the county reported 70 new coronavirus cases between May 21 and May 27, or an average of 10 new cases a day. Coronavirus halts bank acquisition The Bank of Ann Arbor is terminating its contract to acquire First National Bank in Howell, the company announced this week. Ann Arbor Bancorp, Inc., the holding company, announced in February that it would acquire the Howell bank but the two decided to terminate the agreement in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced on Thursday. The merger would have brought together $2.2 billion in assets and 300 employees in 17 locations in Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne and Oakland counties, the company previously said. Kent County to offer free testing The Kent County Health Department is hosting a free COVID-19 community testing days on Monday, June 29 in partnership with the Black Impact Collaborative and LINC UP. The community testing event scheduled from 2 to 7 p.m. at the LINC UP Gallery, located at 1167 Madison Ave. SE, according to a Friday, June 26 press release. Health officials say African Americans have 19.25% of the COVID-19 cases but make up 10% of Kent Countys population, while the Latinx community account for 39.4% of the COVID-19 cases and also comprise 10% of the population. Competitors take off on the swim at the Grand Rapids Triathlon. (File: Randy Riksen for Grand Rapids Triathlon) Traverse City IRONMAN rescheduled It was a difficult decision for Traverse City Tourism president and CEO Trevor Tkach to make but its one many annual events and celebrations have been resigned to given the current global coronavirus pandemic. Tkach released a statement Friday morning announcing the official cancelation of the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 Traverse City Triathlon in response to the health and safety issues that would be presented during a large gathering such as the popular northern Michigan competition. Whitmer extends eviction restrictions An ongoing suspension on evictions proceedings in Michigan will be extended through July 15, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered Friday. The new order, which extends a temporary ban on evicting renters due to the COVID-19 pandemic, also establishes a new Eviction Diversion Program to help people still struggling with rent get financial assistance or establish a manageable payment plan. Under the new program, $50 million in rental assistance will be available beginning July 16, according to a news release from Whitmers office. Funding for the program comes from federal coronavirus aid awarded to the state and approved in a spending bill passed by the Michigan Legislature on June 17. COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. A man in a white protective suit, a mask, goggles, latex gloves and blue booties walked into the downtown offices of Direct Focus Marketing Communications, Inc., on Thursday afternoon. Then, it got a little misty in there. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A man in a white protective suit, a mask, goggles, latex gloves and blue booties walked into the downtown offices of Direct Focus Marketing Communications, Inc., on Thursday afternoon. Then, it got a little misty in there. Somewhere underneath the personal protective equipment was Mariano Velazco, a cleaner who started working four months ago for eShine, a locally owned company. In his hands was an industrial fogger. He flipped a switch, and the machine began puffing a hospital-grade disinfectant called vital oxide into the air, coating the lobbys lounge chairs, carpet, walls, and even the front desk, which was already covered in an assortment of Lysol and rubber gloves. These days, even the sanitizer needs a good sanitization. JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mariano Velazco fogs, a method of disinfection, at Direct Focus Marketing. Employers such as Direct Focus, which has 80 employees in the city, are slowly seeing their offices transition from ghost-town to workplace after three months of working from home. Though much of its business can be done remotely, the company started inviting employees back to work for half a day each week on June 20, chief operations officer Kyla Gibson says. But its not enough to extend an invitation. "When we sent a survey to our employees about a return to the office, the main concern, above all, was cleanliness," said Gibson. Before the pandemic, the company had daily cleaning, but to make it worth employees while to come back, they had to up their cleaning game. "The survey showed that previous levels of cleaning wouldnt be sufficient," she said. JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Kyla Gibson, the COO at Direct Focus Marketing, says keeping a workplace clean is important. Thats where Mariano Velazco and companies such as eShine come in. Founded in 2011 by Elias Torres, 33, eShine has had by far its busiest stretch in a decade over the last three months. "Its been pretty much non-stop," said Torres. In March, the company invested in equipment such as foggers, which cost up to $1,500, and got COVID cleaning certifications from organizations such as the Global Biorisk Advisory Council. Dozens of new clients called, and eShine hired over 20 cleaners since March to keep up with demand. Torres, whose parents worked as cleaners when they moved to Canada from Nicaragua in the 1980s, says cleaning used to be seen by many companies as a necessity, but not necessarily an investment. Often, businesses sought cheap quotes and didnt ask many questions about the services they were getting as long as the trash was taken out and the toilets were scrubbed. "Before the pandemic hit, a lot of companies were very frugal with what theyd spend on cleaning," said Scott Dunsire, owner of Bison Janitorial Ltd. "Since March, they have to be more conscious. If an office used to get cleaned once a week, theyve probably doubled or tripled that." In the three months of COVID shutdown, Bison has brought in 34 new clients (its also lost seven due to closures) and a significant portion of its 300 existing ones have switched to more extensive cleaning plans. Some offices are spending as much as $30,000 more than they used to on cleaning and supplies each month, Dunsire said. Elias Torres, owner of eShine cleaning services, has hired over 20 cleaners since March to keep up with demand. (Jesse Boily / Winnipeg Free Press) The financial implications of the pandemic on the cleaning industry are huge: ResearchAndMarkets.com forecasts that the global industrial and institutional cleaning products market will grow by an estimated US $16 billion by 2027. However, Clean Canada, the magazine of ISSA Canada (an sanitation trade organization) says while companies are eager to invest now, that could change if remote work becomes the norm and office leases lapse. Cleaning is playing a major role in when and if employees feel comfortable at work, and if employers drop the ball, it could have long-lasting effects on employee satisfaction, retention, and hiring. As many workers realize working from home is not only possible, but efficient, expectations are high for how employers make the workplace feel safe. "Nobody budgeted for this," Dunsire said. "But staff want to know, What are you doing to protect me? Theyre coming out of a cocoon, going to the office, and theyre afraid. They want to know what their employer is doing to keep them safe." "Staff want to know, 'What are you doing to protect me?' They're coming out of a cocoon, going to the office, and they're afraid. They want to know what their employer is doing to keep them safe." Scott Dunsire, owner of Bison Janitorial Ltd. A survey from recruiter Robert Half Canada Inc. found 73 per cent of Canadian employees expected their workplace to implement better cleaning protocols. If companies fall short, they risk not only their employees health, but their companys. Torres and Dunsire say its normally a tough sell to get businesses to commit to extensive cleaning protocols. Lately, firms are seeking it out unsolicited. Bison sends at least 10 cleaners a day to diligently disinfect some large offices and warehouse facilities. eShine Cleaners such as Velazco have been working around the clock cleaning touchpoints such as doorknobs and countertops. The daily job has become an all-day job. It might feel like overkill, but companies big and small see it as a worthwhile investment. Canada Life, one of the citys largest employers, currently has 95 per cent of its staff of 3,300 working remotely, says Cathy Weaver, the companys senior vice-president of human resources. Even with tentative plans to have only 25 per cent, or 825 staff, back in the office by October, the company is upping its sanitation efforts significantly. Prior to the pandemic, professional cleaning of each workspace was only done weekly. As staff return, it will be done daily. JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mariano Velazco cleans a touch point at Direct Focus Marketing. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. At Direct Focus, eShines contract as daily cleaners takes effect in July, when workers could come in as often as twice weekly. The company has also spent "in the tens of thousands" of dollars buying PPE and sanitizing products for personal use by the employees, says Gibson all part of the cost of doing business. Of course, Canada Life and Direct Focus have the benefit of doing work that can be done remotely: restaurants, bars, or dental offices, among other businesses, dont. Some hire professionals, while others are taking on cleaning themselves, said Dunsire. One things for sure: everyone is thinking about cleanliness and strategizing for the future. "The world has changed," says Gibson, who only joined Direct Focus in February. "And this has to continue being a priority." The new world is a stressful and busy one for cleaners, says Velazco, who didnt expect when he was hired in February to be interviewed while wearing a white protective suit and bright blue booties, or to be working in such a risk-filled time. "Its the new normal," he said of the added precaution and busy schedule. "Were happy to do it." ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca Tui has cancelled all holidays to Florida until December following the introduction of new hygiene rules at Walt Disney World Resort (WDWR) such as mandatory face coverings. The travel firm said it made the decision because the regulations would significantly impact the holiday experience for its customers. WDWR, which includes four theme parks, will require visitors aged two and older to wear face coverings at all times except when eating or swimming once it reopens. Were doing everything we can to bring you complete peace of mind as you begin to think about travel. Find out more about the TUI Holiday Promise >>> https://t.co/M0mdcAPSjo pic.twitter.com/8f8Of3oXun tuiuk (@TUIUK) June 19, 2020 Temperature screenings may be required for entry to some locations, and the number of entry tickets will be limited. Tui said in a statement: As part of Tuis new holiday promise, the UKs biggest tour operator commits to only operating holidays where its able to guarantee an enjoyable, relaxing and safe holiday without significant changes at their destination. Customers are being offered a range of alternative options, including delaying their trip until next year or changing their destination both with a booking incentive or a full refund. The company is to resume its holiday programme by serving eight destinations across Spain and Greece from July 11, as long as Government travel restrictions are eased. WDWR is planning to partially reopen on July 15, but more than 11,000 people have signed a petition calling for a delay due to the recent increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Florida. 'That needs to change. And needs to change now.' IMAGE: Rahul Gandhi, the Congress MP from Wayanad, who is likely to return as party president later this year. "The party dropped me as a spokesperson for showing a roadmap. It shows that the party either has a high level of arrogance or they are completely detached from ground realities," Sanjay Jha, who was abruptly removed as Congress spokesperson, tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf in the concluding segment of a two-part interview. What, according to you, is the BJP doing right and the Congress doing wrong? The difference is between hunger. In politics you don't get a runner-up award. You don't get a silver or bronze in politics. You either win or you don't. The winner takes all. Therefore, the winner needs to have hunger to win and to defeat the opposition. The hunger to set up a goal and chase it. In two elections, 2014 and 2019, the Congress got only 90-plus seats in the Lok Sabha and this is a party that had won 400-plus seats in 1984. On average they won 300-plus in its history. It means the BJP of 2020 has replaced the Congress party of 1984. Does it mean just like it took the BJP 30 years to reach where it is today, the Congress will take another 30 years to reach back to its 1984 position? More than the seats, the real disappointment is the way Congress party has allowed its vote share to collapse. The only good thing is that even if you won 44 seats in 2014, you won 20 percent of the votes. If you want to come back, then you need to win another 10 percent of votes and for that you need hard work. You need to go out and communicate with people on what their problems are. You cannot sit in Delhi with a high command culture. You need to empower your leaders at the district level and block level. The Congress has not demonstrated any appetite for power. After the 2019 election loss you knew the only way to checkmate the BJP was in state elections, but instead we gave away Karnataka right under our nose. What is the logic of losing Madhya Pradesh to the BJP? These two states where the Congress was in power were literally given on a silver platter to the BJP. You call it hunger? Goa and Manipur -- are they hunger? Maybe Congress leaders are not cunning enough to play politics. Or they do not have enough money to stop their MLAs from joining the BJP. I don't think it is a question of being cunning, but the Congress party lacks political instinct. It has become slow and unresponsive. It seems to have disconnected with its own people. It doesn't seem the Congress wants to regain power. And what worries me most, is the Congress is out of power from Gujarat for the last 25 years. In Madhya Pradesh more than 15 years now. How many years out of power in Uttar Pradesh? And how many years out of power in Tamil Nadu? And in West Bengal? Start looking at the data and you will get an idea that there is a disturbing trend that once the Congress begins to lose elections, very often it struggles for a long time to come back. And if this syndrome happens in Delhi (in Parliamentary elections), the Congress will be in big trouble. My articles were written with a message to the party. It is about time the Congress wins 2024 or else it will be very tough times for the party. What about the Congress party leadership? Sharad Pawar said Rahul Gandhi should not have said what he said on China. Do you think Rahul is being wrongly advised? I am no one to comment on the Congress leadership. Mr Gandhi is a former Congress president and he has enough political experience to know what calls he has to take. I do believe, however, that when he resigned in 2019 saying he is not going to come back as Congress president and nobody from the family must become Congress president, the Congress should have elected a leader and it was the job of the CWC (Congress Working Committee) to elect a new leader. The Congress party requested Mr Gandhi to take on the leadership, but he refused. Now without wasting any time, the Congress must get a new leadership and give the party direction that is required. In the last 20 years the Congress has seen only two presidents, either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi whereas the BJP has seen more than half a dozen party presidents. Internal democracy is clearly lacking in the Congress party. How can one revive a party which is only the Gandhi family party? That needs to change. And needs to change now. Rahul Gandhi refused to become the Congress president after resigning and he has refused to come back. The message he gave the Congress party was that they should get a new leader. Then the question needs to be answered, why did the Congress not elect a new leader in the last one year? That is intriguing and letting down the party big time. And therefore, the Congress party cadres are so demoralised. You have defended the party on numerous television debates in the last six years when it was almost indefensible. After you were relieved as party spokesperson, are you one step short of expulsion? I was appointed national spokesperson without being told. The party appointed me when I was in New York for some work and I got this communication from the media that I was appointed a Congress media panellist. I am grateful to the party for that opportunity and I discharged my duty to the best of my abilities. I agree with you that I defended the party when many people were not willing to go on TV debates. I was dropped as national spokesperson with immediate effect with a terse note and not a line of gratitude for what I did for the party for the last seven years. It is a reflection on the party, and not me. At the end of day that basically vindicates my criticism of the Congress which I wrote in my article, that it has not enough of internal democracy. The decision must have hurt a lot. I joined the Congress party as a loyal soldier. I joined the Congress because I believed in the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Netaji Bose, Sardar Patel and others. I wrote that Nehru said the Congress party cannot afford to be so thin-skinned and hypersensitive that they cannot listen to one of its own. And my suggestions were constructive and that would have helped the party. The party dropped me as a spokesperson for showing a roadmap, and it shows that the party either has a high level of arrogance or they are completely detached from ground realities. So, my article vindicates my stance. And it further corroborates my fears and my apprehensions. Today, the Congress party has become cocooned in its own internal shell. And now probably lives in its own echo chambers. If it allows itself to do that and chooses not to listen to other views and wilfully becomes blindfolded, then they would be committing hara-kiri. I will continue to bat for the Congress because I am liberal, secular, progressive and tolerant. I believe in India's Constitution. I believe India needs inclusive growth and the Congress is the best party to do that. And if the Congress does not understand it, either it will wither into extinction or make the BJP the sole party in the country. The people of the country will never forgive the Congress (for it). Advertisement The Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, on Friday, June 26, 2020, upheld the six years jail sentence handed one Olutope Oladipo after being convicted of stealing by Justice Mohammed Owolabi of the Oyo State High Court on November 20, 2018. Justice Simon Haruna Tsamani, who delivered the lead judgment on behalf of Justice Tijani Abubakar, affirmed that the lower courts decision was consistent with the spirit and letter of the law against the offence committed and, therefore, dismissed the appeal. After running a full trial, Justice Owolabi had, in 2018, found Oladipo guilty of a four-count charge bordering on stealing. The offence was contrary to Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State. The court also ordered him to restitute to his victim a sum of N10,499,600 (Ten Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand, Six Hundred Naira). Dissatisfied with the judgment, Oladipo headed to the appeal court to challenge the verdict. His hope of a reprieve was, however, dashed on Friday. Oladipos journey to prison started with a petition by a foreign-based complainant who alleged that sometimes in May 2015 he was advised by the convict (his supposed spiritual adviser) to make some investments in Nigeria and also pledged to manage same for him pending his return to the country. According to him, between 2015 to 2016, he had sent a total of N16,050,000 to the convict for the purchase of a landed property in Ibadan, establishment of a Gari Processing Plant and purchase of a truck. Oladipo, the petitioner further alleged, failed to carry out the investment plans, but rather converted the money to personal use. The case was prosecuted by Ifeanyi Agwu and Sanusi Galadanchi. Keir Starmer's war with Labour's hard-Left intensified yesterday after he launched a thinly veiled attack on Jeremy Corbyn for saddling the party with a reputation for being weak on defence. The new Labour leader chose Armed Forces Day to reach out to the military and distance himself from his predecessor, who famously said he would never use the Trident nuclear deterrent. Sir Keir said: 'People need to know that under my leadership, Labour will always prioritise the first duty of any government to keep its people safe.' Sir Keir Starmer, pictured this week, said he no longer wanted to hear voters say they 'don't think the Labour Party values the Armed Forces' Troops enjoy a Bond treat Serving soldiers have been invited to the international premiere of the latest Bond film at the Royal Albert Hall. Scores of military personnel will attend the red-carpet event in London in November after the Tickets for Troops charity struck a deal with the makers of No Time To Die. Several soldiers have roles as extras in the movie alongside 007 star Daniel Craig. Since it was founded by David Cameron in 2009, Tickets for Troops has given away more than 1.6 million tickets for major artistic and sporting events to Armed Forces personnel and their families. ticketsfortroops.org.uk Advertisement In a dig at Mr Corbyn, he said he no longer wanted to hear voters say they 'don't think the Labour Party values the Armed Forces'. The bid to reset the party's links came with a video highlighting key Labour figures' former military service including darling of the Left, the late Tony Benn, who was in the RAF during the Second World War. The initiative including a hint Labour would do something about military pay came just 48 hours after the new leader sparked fury on the Left by sacking Corbyn ally Rebecca Long Bailey from the Shadow Cabinet for retweeting a story Sir Keir said contained an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. She was replaced as schools spokesman yesterday by her next-door neighbour MP in Greater Manchester, Kate Green, who in 2015 rebuked Mr Corbyn for not singing the national anthem at a Battle of Britain service. Supporters of Mr Corbyn angrily rejected suggestions he was feeble on defence, saying the ex-leader's policies should be 'built on, not trashed'. Left-wingers also mocked Sir Keir for a Tony Blair-style 'macho defence' posture, citing the disaster of the Iraq war. The new push by Sir Keir comes amid concern at the perceived damage done to Labour's reputation by the Corbyn era. Sources also claimed the Labour Friends of the Forces organisation, originally launched in 2011, had fallen into disuse after Mr Corbyn became leader in 2015. In a video conference call with activists and veterans yesterday, Sir Keir made little attempt to disguise the fact that he was seeking to repair the party's links with the military. The new Labour leader launched a thinly veiled attack on his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, pictured, for saddling the party with a reputation for being weak on defence He said: 'I want to open up Labour again to our Armed Forces, their families and the veterans who served to protect us. I want them to play a bigger part in our party.' John Healey, his new defence spokesman, said that although 'respect for our British military is one of the few things that still holds us together for many, Labour has seemed recently to stand apart from that'. Mr Healey, a 'Red Wall' MP who survived the Tory onslaught in last year's Election, added: 'Some of the hardest doors to knock were those with Help For Heroes or British Legion stickers in the window. Police in Northern Ireland recovered the body of missing Belfast teenager Noah Dononoe from a storm drain, six days after he vanished while riding through the city. Detectives say they believe the 14-year-old fell off his bike and hit his head before stripping off naked and then continuing to cycle through the city, based on witness statements from people in the area. His body was recovered from a storm drain which could not be searched earlier this week because of high tides. A postmortem will be performed to determine the exact cause of death, although the tragedy is being treated as 'not suspicious'. It is believed Noah may have suffered concussion after banging his head when he fell from his bicycle and became confused. Superintendent Muir Clark said his body was found in the storm drain complex. He described the area as 'incredibly complex' and 'challenging'. Superintendent Clark confirmed foul play is not suspected. He condemned people on social media who were sharing false and malicious information on social media. The Police Service of Northern Ireland believe they have found the body of missing teenager Noah Donohoe, pictured In a statement this afternoon, Superintendent Clark said: 'We did have access to the storm drain complex and it has been searched over the last number of days before we got to the end of the complex. 'It's an extremely challenging environment in which to work and that is why it has taken the length of time to go through that complex. 'In my 30 years in the police, this is one of the most unusual missing person inquiries that I have dealt with.' He also appealed to the public to refrain from posting rumours about the teenager online. 'It is disappointing that I again need to call on people circulating a number of rumours about Noah's disappearance, which are completely without foundation,' Supt Clark added. 'This type of commentary and rumour is distressing for Noah's family and is extremely unhelpful. 'An investigation into the circumstances of Noah's disappearance is still continuing but there is no evidence to suggest foul play. 'If people post distasteful and patently untrue rumours on social media, we will investigate that.' Noah left home around 5.30pm on Sunday and was last seen heading towards north Belfast Police spent almost a week searching north Belfast to find the missing teenager On Friday, officers found a bag containing the teenager's laptop, which is being examined by specialist officers. 'We're continuing to examine the electronic equipment which we have recovered and obviously that forms part of the investigation into the disappearance of Noah,' Supt Clark added. 'In any electronic device there are massive amounts of information, so we continue to sift through that information, just to build the picture. 'There will be a post-mortem examination which will be conducted and that will very much, hopefully, give some answers.' He also said that shorts and a coat belonging to Noah are still missing. Yesterday officers following his trail found a backpack belonging to the boy containing a Lenovo laptop, and a copy of the book 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson. The disappearance of Donohoe has mystified Belfast after boy vanished six days ago and officers failed to find any trace of him. His coat and his shorts have not yet been found. A PSNI statement said: 'Police can confirm that a body was recovered in the North Belfast area just before 9.45am today. Officers believe it is the missing teenager Noah Donohoe and are continuing to provide support to his family at this very difficult time.' Police are providing support for Noah's family, including his mother Fiona, pictured centre outside Musgrave Road PSNI station in Belfast The bag contained his laptop, which is now being examined by police as a major line of inquiry in the search to find the 14-year-old who had not been seen since Sunday evening. Noah left his home in south Belfast at 5.30pm on Sunday and was seen on Ormeau Avenue, heading towards the city centre, 15 minutes later. He was then seen on Royal Avenue and York Street before he was again spotted at 5.57pm on North Queen Street. A few minutes later, a boy fitting Noah's description was seen falling from a bike around a quarter of a mile further up the road. A final sighting of Noah was believed to have taken place around 6pm on Queen Street / York Road. Superintendent Clark said a 26-year-old man has been arrested following a social media post concerning Noah. 'Last night we became aware of social media posts. We are aware of the content of these social media posts and are content that there is no truth behind their content,' he said. Superintendent Muir Clark, pictured, said a 26-year-old man has been arrested for 'improper use of electronic communications' and sharing unfounded speculation on social media 'A 26-year-old male was arrested in the early hours of this morning on suspicion of improper use of a public electronic communications network and he is currently helping with inquiries.' Alliance Party leader Naomi Long thanked the PSNI and Community Rescue for their work. She tweeted: 'My thoughts & prayers are with Noah Donohoe's family at this heartbreaking time: this is not the outcome we were hoping for & I want to extend my deepest sympathies to them. Thank you to everyone who helped in the tireless search to find Noah @PoliceServiceNI @CommunityRescue.' Chennai: At a time when Tamil Nadu has been disoriented by the coronavirus pandemic, single-use plastic, banned since 2018, has slowly made a comeback. In the past five months, as Covid 19 cases soared in the state, requiring use of a large number of PPE kits, gloves and face masks, plastic has sneaked back into our midst, and unscientific disposal has gone back to the pre-pandemic era. Making this very point, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Greater Chennai Corporation to file status reports on single-use plastic ban. It specifically wanted details of fines issued and prosecutions launched against violators. It was June 25, 2018 that the Tamil Nadu government banned single-use plastic. Peitioner Antony Rubin, who moved the NGT, says the use of plastic has been indiscriminate as the authorities are disoriented by the pandemic. I think it is high time we implemented the government order strictly. A lot of stores are back to using plastic bags. We have seen that manufacture of plastic carry bags continues to happen in Chennai. I want heavy penalties to be imposed on plastic manufacturers," he said. In its order, the NGT directed TNPCB to file a status report regarding the implementation of the law including action taken against persons who violate it and and a report on the implementation of the Extended Producers Liability provided under the rules. Asked whether TNPCB has carried out any study on plastic use during the pandemic, a TNPCB official told Deccan Chronnicle that they have done such analysis so far. So whats it been like to spend five years on the Hamilbeat? I sensed right from the start that this musical, with its cast made up mostly of actors of color and its score influenced by hip-hop and pop music, was going to be a huge story. I remember being determined, that summer, to land an article about the production on the front page, convinced that the paper needed to make a big early statement about the show as a game-changing reflection on our culture, our politics and our history. Ultimately, the Page 1 gods agreed. I was traveling in Spain when it happened; I felt so affirmed that I didnt mind the time-zone-busting copy desk questions. A feature that followed about Lin-Manuel Mirandas musical upbringing was particularly fun to report as we explored the Venn diagram in which show tunes and hip-hop overlap, he started playing random songs from his iTunes library and riffing about what each one meant to him. (He insisted I keep one track off the record: It was a Polynesian song, part of his secret research for Moana.) But for me, the moment that really illustrated Mirandas passion for the musical songbook came on the afternoon I joined him to watch Hamilton from a hidden bandstand at the Public (his alternate played the lead role while Miranda looked for weaknesses he could address before the Broadway transfer). He asked why I was wearing a tie he was in a hoodie and when I explained that after Hamilton I was going to the opening of Fun Home, he burst, from memory, into a passage from Ring of Keys, the shows yearning anthem, beautiful but at that point little-known. Ive seen the show about eight times, and over the years Ive taken deep dives into its finances and have written about its prices and its profits and its people. Theres been a persistent, although rarely discussed, tension over how much coverage is too much the theater desk periodically experiences Hamilton fatigue, and producers of other shows occasionally criticize what they see as an overemphasis on the show. But readers seem to love Hamilton stories, and that means assigning editors and not just those in the culture section do too. The story I waited longest for was about Mirandas relationship to Puerto Rico, where his parents grew up and where he spent his childhood summers. The islands influence on his art had always struck me as significant and underexplored. I knew the best way to tell that story would be to see Puerto Rico through his eyes, at least as much as a journalist can, and when he announced that he was bringing Hamilton to San Juan, I had my peg. I asked to meet him there, and in fall 2018 he agreed; a devastating hurricane and campus unrest made the story more complex than either he or I could have anticipated, and Im glad we did it. Several television shows and movies are adapted from famous books each year but when was the last time you heard that an adaptation inspired a change in the source material? Author George RR Martins beloved series A Song of Ice and Fire was famously adapted on the small screen by HBO, resulting in their most successful show ever -- Game of Thrones. But did you know that there was something about the show that made George RR Martin second guess his own work? In 2011, soon after the shows first season debuted, George was asked by Collider if watching the show and the actors playing his characters on screen changed his mind about anything. George said only Natalia Tena, who played the Wilding Osha, left an impact on him. Natalia Tena as Osha and Isaac Hampstead-Wright as Bran on Game of Thrones. The only actress whos really made me rethink a character is Natalia Tena as Osha. Shes younger, more attractive and more dynamic than I had initially written that character. And, when Osha comes back into the story, as I hope that she will, Im definitely going to take that into account. Other than that, I dont know. There may be some sort of subconscious influence, but I dont think its going to be a major factor, he said. Natalias Osha was introduced in season one but she dies in season six at the hands of Ramsay Bolton. She carries Bran around the wilderness to save him and his brother Rickon from being murdered. The actor has also played Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter franchise. Also read: Gemma Whelan was almost fired from Game of Thrones for this big blunder: No one told me to keep quiet about it The writer said nine years ago, It does occur to me, while Ive been finishing A Dance With Dragons, that I sometimes have these moments when Im doing horrible things to characters, where the actor comes to me and I find myself thinking, Oh, god, what am I doing to this perfectly nice person here? Theyre going to have to act out this horrible scene that Ive just written for them. But, thankfully, most actors seem to thrive, the more you do terrible things to their character. It gives them a chance to really show their acting chops. So, I think that theyll do just fine, when they get to some of this stuff. The author recently said he has made steady progress in writing The Winds of Winter, the long-pending penultimate instalment of his saga. In his latest blog post, he said he spent several months on lockdown in a cabin in the mountains and that the enforced isolation has helped me write. Also read: Salman Khan drops shirtless picture post midnight workout. See pic But no, this does not mean that the book will be finished tomorrow or published next week. Its going to be a huge book, and I still have a long way to go, he added. Of late I have been visiting with Cersei, Asha, Tyrion, Ser Barristan, and Areo Hotah. I will be dropping back into Braavos next week. I have bad days, which get me down, and good days, which lift me up, but all in all I am pleased with the way things are doing, he wrote. After the disappointing conclusion to the show, fans are eagerly looking forward to Georges version of the story. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON T he Red Arrows have performed a flypast in Scarborough for Armed Forces Day, as planned events had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Hawk jets took to the skies above the coastal town in North Yorkshire, flying over the Army's Catterick Garrison and RAF Leeming, while the Queen and Boris Johnson led tributes to veterans and serving military personnel. The monarch said in a statement: "Having had members of my family serve in each of the armed services, I know only too well of the pride service personnel take in their duty. "As your commander-in-chief, I send my warmest best wishes to you all, your families, and the entire armed forces community." Normally the week-long event is held across the country, but lockdown has caused most celebrations to move online this year. Commodore Phil Waterhouse, naval regional commander for the north of England for the Royal Navy, described the cancellation as a huge disappointment but totally understandable. The armed forces have been involved in the UK's response to Covid-19 by helping to repatriate British citizens from abroad, designing and distributing PPE and constructing hospitals. The Red Arrows performing a flypast over the British Army Catterick Garrison, RAF Leeming and the coastal town of Scarborough in North Yorkshire / SAC Hannah Smoker/MoD/PA Wire Marking the occasion with a Twitter video message, the Prime Minister said: "Whether you're a regular, a reservist, a civilian contractor, a veteran, or the family and friends who support our military in so many ways, we as a nation salute you. "We know that - day and night, at home and abroad, at sea, on land, in the air and even in space and online - our fantastic armed forces are there for us." The Red Arrows perform a flypast over Scarborough Castle in North Yorkshire / Danny Lawson/PA Wire Instead of the usual parades, military bands commemorated the day with performances streamed on the armed forces' Facebook and Twitter pages, where behind-the-scenes views of the Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth and the Red Arrows were shown. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: "The armed forces community cannot celebrate in person this year, so we are doing our best to show you through social media who our people are, what they do, and how you can show your support." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also shared his thanks to military personnel "for the role they play both at home and abroad". Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said the original plans for 2020 included flypasts, over 1000 people marching along the seafront, and ships in the harbour, which were expected to attract over 100,000 visitors over the week. However, The Ministry of Defence has already announced that next year's Armed Forces Day will take place in Scarborough. Mr Siddons said: "What were looking forward to now is next year... its going to be an even bigger and better event." Boris Johnson has repeated his readiness to go ahead with a no-deal Brexit if negotiations fail to produce agreement on future trade and security relations with the EU. The prime minister was speaking just days ahead of the 30 June deadline to request an extension to the transition period to post-Brexit arrangements, currently due to conclude at the end of December. Mr Johnson has already formally notified Brussels he will not take up the option of an extension of up to two years to allow more time for negotiations. Speaking by phone to Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Mr Johnson promised the UK would negotiate constructively in face to face talks due to resume on Monday. But he repeated his position that the UK was ready to leave on what he referred to as Australia terms, meaning without a trade deal. Australia currently has no free trade agreement with the EU, but its government opened negotiations in 2018 to try to secure an ambitious and comprehensive FTA, which it believes would be better for the country than the current arrangements. Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Show all 66 1 /66 Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A message projected onto the White Cliffs of Dover Sky News/AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Big Ben, shows the hands at eleven o'clock at night AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Nigel Farage speaks to pro-Brexit supporters PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-Brexit demonstrators celebrate on Parliament Square REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU The Union flag is taken down outside the European Parliament in Brussels PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU campaigners outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-Brexit supporter jumps on an EU flag in Parliament Square PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU EU Council staff removed the Union Jack-British flag from the European Council in Brussels, Belgium EPA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-Brexit supporter pours beer onto an EU flag PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pedestrians pass in front of the Ministry of Defence Building on Whitehall, illuminated by red, white and blue lights in central London AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A Brexit supporter shouts during a rally in London AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU campaigners outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU campaigners take part in a 'Missing EU Already' rally outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A large pro-EU banner is projected onto Ramsgate cliff in Kent PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU supporters light candles in Smith Square in Westminster PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man waves Union flags from a small car as he drives past Brexit supporters gathering in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU The five-year old Elisa Saemann, left, and her seven-year old sister Katie hold a placard during a rally by anti-Brexit protesters outside the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Europe supporters gather on Brexit day near the British embassy in Berlin, Germany EPA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Anti-Brexit protester hugs a man while holding a placard REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A decorated, old fashioned fire pump in Parliament Square PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit Elvis impersonator performs at Parliament Square Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU An anti-Brexiteers stands with his dog in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Paddy from Bournemouth wears Union colours as he sits next to an EU flag decorated bag in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-EU activist plays a guitar decorated with the EU flag during a protest organised by civil rights group New Europeans outside Europe House, central London AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU People celebrate Britain leaving the EU REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A Pro Brexit supporter has a Union Jack painted onto his face at Parliament Square Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Men hold placards celebrating Britain leaving the EU REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporters dance in the street draped with Union Jack flags at Parliament Square Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU An anti-Brexit demonstrator spreads his wings during a gathering near Downing Street AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro EU supporters display a banner ' Here to Stay, Here to Fight, Migrants In, Tories Out' from Westminster bridge EPA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-Brexit supporters burn European Union flags at Parliament Square Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man poses for a picture on Parliament Square in a 'Brexit Day' t-shirt Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU People celebrate Britain leaving the EU Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man wears a pro-Brexit t-shirt Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Anti-Brexit demonstrators visit Europe House to give flowers to the staff on Brexit day Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporter wears a novelty Union Jack top hat outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Customers Scott Jones and Laura Jones at the Sawmill Bar in South Elmsall, Yorkshire, where a Brexit party is being held throughout the day PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU activists protest Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-Brexit demonstrator burns a European Union flag AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporters Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporters Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A Brexit supports holds a sign in Parliament Square AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man carries an EU themed wreath Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Ann Widdecombe reacts with other members of the Brexit party as they leave en masse from the European Parliament PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Anti-Brexit demonstrators in Parliament Square PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro EU supporters let off flares from Westminster Bridge Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU British MEPs Jonathan Bullock, holding the Union Jack flag and Jake Pugh leave the European Parliament, in Brussels on the Brexit day AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Newspapers and other souvenirs at a store, near Parliament Square Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Brexit supporters hold signs in Parliament Square AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU protesters hold placards in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU French newspapers PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald with a Border Communities Against Brexit poster before its unveiling in Carrickcarnon on the Irish border PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU National growers organisation British Apples & Pears has renamed a British apple to EOS, the Greek goddess of dawn, to commemorate Brexit day AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU protesters hold placards in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Britain's departure from the European Union was set in law on January 29, amid emotional scenes, as the bloc's parliament voted to ratify the divorce papers. After half a century of membership and three years of tense withdrawal talks, the UK will leave the EU at midnight Brussels time (23.00 GMT) on January 31 Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man poses with paintings on Parliament Square Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU People sporting Union Flags gather in Parliament Square Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man walks with a St. George's flag at Westminster bridge on Brexit day Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A British bulldog toy and other souvenirs at a souvenir store Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU British pro-brexit Members of the European Parliament leave the EU Parliament for the last time Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Jonathan Bullock waves the Union Jack as he leaves the European Parliament EPA Detailing Mr Johnsons discussion with Mr Morawiecki, A Downing Street spokesperson said: On the UKs future relationship with the EU, the Prime Minister welcomed the agreement on both sides to an intensified process of negotiations in July. He said the UK would negotiate constructively but equally would be ready to leave the transition period on Australia terms if agreement could not be reached. German chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday that the UK would have to live with the consequences of Mr Johnsons approach, which was likely to lead to less trade connectivity with Europe. We need to let go of the idea that it is for us to define what Britain should want. That is for Britain to define and we, the EU27, will respond appropriately, said Ms Merkel, whose country takes on the six-month rotating presidency of the EU next week. With prime minister Boris Johnson, the British government wants to define for itself what relationship it will have with us after the country leaves. It will then have to live with the consequences, of course, that is to say with a less closely interconnected economy. New Delhi: Delhi University on Saturday postponed to July 10 the online open-book examinations (OBE) for final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students that were to begin on July 1, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a varsity statement. In the statement signed by DUs dean of examinations Vinay Gupta, the varsity said all stakeholders, especially students may find it difficult to attend their scheduled activities of examinations. The city added 2,948 cases of the infectious disease on Saturday, taking the citys total to 80,188, of whom 2,558 have died. Dean (exams) Vinay Gupta said the new date sheets will be announced by July 3 and students can appear for mock tests, designed to facilitate open book exams, from July 4. All other activities/facilities notified by examination branch related with OBE mode of examinations adopted as one-time measure for academic session 2019-20 through various notices/notifications shall remain unchanged and no further notification shall be issued either as corrigendum or amendment, Gupta added. The development comes after the Union minister for human resources development, Ramesh Pokhriyal, on Wednesday advised the University Grants Commission to revisit the guidelines issued earlier for intermediate and terminal semester examinations and academic calendar. The minister had said the revisited guidelines would have the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff as its foundation. Some DU officials, however, said they are not pleased with the move. Rajesh Jha, a member of the varsitys executive council, said, Instead of postponement, there must be cancellation of OBE exams. Arbitrary decisions like these will leave psychological scars on final-year students. Former DU academic council member Pankaj Garg said, The University is making a mockery of examinations for final year students. The Covid-19 situation is not going to improve in the next 10 days. This decision will further create an atmosphere of confusion, and add to stress on teachers and students of DU. The dean of examinations, however, said the decision was taken keeping in mind the demands of students also. We postponed the exams because students wanted more time to appear for the mock tests, since this is the first time online OBEs are being conducted. We had earlier planned to conduct a mock test on two days but will now give students four-five days to appear for the mock papers, Gupta said. DU academic council member Saikat Ghosh said the postponement was a direct result of the administrations failure to conduct mock tests. DUs OBE system is clearly faulty and not able to cater to the needs of students. The administration wants to buy time to try and rectify technical shortcomings. Hence, the postponement has no relation to students welfare, he said. Maidnee Goja, a final-year student of microbiology, said, I dont understand the idea of postponing semester exams for 10 days. We have been asking them to promote us on the basis of previous semesters. This is not like board exams where the score of one paper is being considered for promotion and we have grades for the past five semesters. Yet, everyday there is a new notification on the exams which is causing students more stress. DU Students Union (DUSU) also opposed the development. We demand the DU administration comes out clear on issues and lets us know if exams are going to take place or not. If yes, we need to know the arrangements, said Shivangi Kharwal, DUSU joint secretary. Have you noticed the stark differences between the Marxist Party and its members and the Republican Party and its members? The Marxist Party has the right to destroy America, burn stores, loot stores, beat up the elderly, close cities, close streets, rape our daughters, beat up our sons, go into parks that are not open due to COVID-19 and destroy whatever may be there. Block entrance to churches, restaurants, stop people from making a living and laugh about it and then dare you to say anything because it is hate speech. And you cannot stop them because the public of America approves of what is going on. They, the Marxist party, are now led by the Black Lives Matter Movement (a Marxist organization, true - look it up), supported by Nancy Pelosi George Soros, Bill Gates, The Clintons, Amazon, PetSmart, Google, Apple. too many to name (I forgot the Supreme Court if you can call it a court). This organization wants to destroy what black, brown, and white Americans built. They bow down to a man or men, forgetting there is a God, but proclaiming that they are God-fearing Christians and mocking true Christians, who believe the Bible. (Show me a true Christian Democrat/Socialist/Marist? You cannot.) They will be in their churches on Sunday or maybe not, listening to having the Bible preached with what they want to hear from the Bible, not Gods true word. They have eliminated chapter after chapter of Gods truth and mocked much of his word. I could mention several of the denominations, but I will not. Sadly, I have friends (I will always be their friend, not sure about them with me) with whom I grew up in the same city and they have become part of the Marxist Party and are proud as they can be. I can remember back when my dad was alive, and a Democrat, that there were actually lots of Democrats that I voted for in elections, not because of the party, but because of the person. I cannot find a person who is in todays Democratic (Marxist) party who is worthy to vote for as a person. They are not there. When Obama was President, in my opinion the worst president we have ever had, the reason this country is like it is today, because he let everyone do what they wanted to do, he, who apologized continually for our actions and he continually bowed down to foreign rulers and let them make the decisions for America, I did not protest, I did not block streets, I did not loot, oh, I wanted to, but as a civilized person I did not. Because this is America and things will work their way out. Well, this is no longer America, and things will not work their way out. The Marxist party controls most of our cities (cities they controlled are the most dangerous in the country and the most in debt), several of the large states in America (are again states with no leadership and debt ridden). A side note, the Marxists want to make Washington D.C. a state, what a joke, it is hardly a city, there is no control, high crime and Marxists are everywhere laughing and shouting for the protesters to destroy, destroy, destroy. In addition, the Marxists, if they already do not want to control our public schools, they now control the medical society, hospitals, doctors. Will it soon be you? This will probably be the countrys last 4th of July, if we even get to celebrate. There is no civility among people. The public lives in fear of COVID-19 and puts no faith in our Father, God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The public has bowed down to man, how easy it will be to plant the mark of the beast on most Americans. By the way we are not there, just read your Bible, for those of you who can read. But the times, in a way, are scary, but I do not live in fear of anything but my father God. Republicans may not always be right, and they are not a lot of time. As a supporter of the Republican party I do not agree with everything they do. But they are not protesting, burning our cities, raping women, and sitting at home going, more rioting, protest, yelling, kill, kill. No, they are trying to work within the system, or what is left of the system. There is so much hatred towards Donald Trump, how as a human being can you hate someone who you have never met, you do not know, how can you do that? I never liked Obama, but I did not hate him. I did not know him, I never met him, how could I hate him? But I did not have to like him, or his policies and I did not. The reason the Marxist party has become the rage is because they cannot control the country, as they did under Obama, with Trump as President. They cannot destroy America and American families with their liberal policies, and their destruction of Gods word in the Bible. But that is okay, because their day is coming, as is mine, when we all will have to bow down before our Savior and not man. The Marxist party and the majority of Americans want to destroy this country. Let me tell you people, once you let a Marxist get on a committee, school board, company board, in government office, you can forget common sense, freedom, sound reasoning and sensibility. You will soon have a tyrant ruling and controlling all you do and you will be afraid to open your mouth. Are you a proud member of the Marxist party or a member of the Republican party or no party at all? Whatever party you are in, you need to stand up for America and quit destroying it. Douglas Smith She became Melbourne Fashion Festival's first Muslim model to wear a hijab on the runway last year. And Hanan Ibrahim told The Sunday Telegraph's Stellar magazine that she never envisioned a career in the industry. The 27-year-old who previously worked as a full-time radiation therapist said: 'I never imagined that a woman who wears a hijab would - or could - be used as a model.' 'I never imagined it': Hanan Ibrahim (pictured), 27, reflected on being one of few Muslim models to wear a hijab on the Australian runway, in The Sunday Telegraph's Stellar magazine Two years ago, Hanan's fate was sealed when she attended a runway show and was approached by a talent scout. The following year she walked the runway at the Melbourne Fashion Festival, balancing her burgeoning modelling career with odd jobs. Hanan told Stellar that it's an 'honour' to represent Muslim women in fashion. Never in her wildest dreams: Hanan, who previously worked as a full-time radiation therapist, said: 'I never imagined that a woman who wears a hijab would - or could - be used as a model' Incredible achievement: The social activist became Melbourne Fashion Festival's first Muslim model to wear a hijab on the runway last year (pictured at the event) 'To work in an industry that many of us young Muslim girls have never felt represented in is a huge honour and privilege,' she said. Alongside runways, Hanan has featured in campaigns for brands including Mimco and Remuse Designs. The social activist told Fashion Journal in August last year that she feels Australia is making waves in terms of diversity in fashion. Encounter: Two years ago, Hanan's fate was sealed when she attended a runway show and was approached by a talent scout Representation: Hanan told Stellar that it's an 'honour' to represent Muslim women in fashion. Pictured at the 2020 Melbourne Fashion Festival 'Every photographer, designer and stylist that I've been fortunate enough to work with this past year has just been incredibly open and receptive to me and who I choose to stand in this world as,' she said. It's been such an amazing journey.' Hanan also reflected on walking the runway for the first time. 'Ever since I've been on that runway, I've just loved it so much,' she gushed. Egypt's health ministry reported on Saturday 1,168 new coronavirus infections, bringing the countrys total number of confirmed cases to 63,923 since the detection of the first case on 14 February. Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement that the new cases were detected through the ministrys investigation and contact tracing protocols. The statement added that the total number of COVID-19 deaths has now reached 2,708 nationwide, after announcing 88 deaths today. Megahed also said that 403 patients have fully recovered and left isolation hospitals on Saturday, which brings the total number of recoveries from the virus so far to 17,140 cases. The number of people whose test results have turned from positive to negative, including the full recoveries, has now reached 18,658. A wide range of restrictions, most in place since March, were lifted starting today as part of a government move to reopen the economy. Restaurants, cafes, and sporting clubs across the country are now allowed to open to the public, albeit under new hygiene and safety restrictions. Mosques are also allowed to host services except for Friday congregational prayers. A nighttime curfew was also lifted starting Saturday. Search Keywords: Short link: A longtime white friend phoned me to talk him down from the cliff. He is concerned about how the new racial hatred dominating our country will impact his grandkids. For the first time, he and his wife believe they should purchase a gun for home protection. This headline confirms my friend's instinct to arm himself to protect his family. BEWARE: The Woke Mob is Targeting You Next, Small-Town America. My friend also confided that he is feeling racial resentment he has never felt before. I told him racial hatred and division is exactly what leftists hope to achieve with their Black Lives Matter hysteria. Mary and I are an interracial couple married for over 40 years. A white millennial family member absurdly believes she is showing respect for me by being a strong advocate for BLM. My response is bending over and grabbing your ankles and kneeling in worship to an anti-American racist hate group disturbs me. I love my country. America is the greatest land of opportunity on the planet for all who choose to pursue their dreams. The BLM movement has nothing, I repeat nothing, to do with empowering blacks. Leftists are exploiting blacks as useful idiots to implement their transformation of America away from the divinely inspired vision of our Founding Fathers. For decades, public education, Hollywood, Democrats and fake news media have infected youths with a poisonous lie that America is a hellhole of racism and the greatest source of evil on the planet. Our passivity allowed leftists to transform our kids into their social-justice army of anarchists. What we are experiencing across America is leftists' frustration over their inability to remove Donald J. Trump from the White House. After a long list of failed schemes to remove him, leftists say, Screw you, America! We're cutting to the chase. We're forcibly transforming your country into a Communist nation by using violence, shaming, white-guilt and unconstitutional decrees. And there's nothing you can do to stop us! Boldly, the co-founder of the BLM Global Network vows to make Trump resign before the November election. Lord knows what violence BLM will unleash upon We the People to force Trump out. Leftist governors and mayors are tripling down on their absurd overreaching COVID-19 mandates to depress Americans and stop the remarkable comeback of Trump's unprecedented booming economy. One of Mary's favorite stores in Virginia was empty of merchandise. Are you going out of business? she asked a clerk. The clerk said, No. He explained that upon reopening, customers purchased everything. The store had not restocked its shelves yet. His explanation was in keeping with the 2.5 million new jobs and amazingly swift comeback of our economy. Maryland mandates that shoppers wear masks. However, stores and shoppers have begun relaxing the absurd decree. With a 98% recovery rate, more and more Americans realize the COVID-19 hysteria was created to shutdown our country to destroy our economy to block Trump's reelection. And yet, a middle-aged masked-woman shopper insisted that the store manager order me and other shoppers to wear masks. Probably fearful that the woman would report his business, the manager yelled as I passed him. Sir, you must wear a mask! Irrational fear of COVID-19 purposely created by fake news media has citizens ratting to big brother on those who disobey draconian mandates. Only 1 in 6 of the BLM protesters are black, 46% are white. It doesn't take a political genius to realize that leftists are exploiting COVID-19 and the rare bad behavior of a cop to bludgeon Americans into surrendering our country over to them. Quite frankly, these spoiled-brat young anarchists are out of their freaking minds if they think that vets and baby boomers will allow them to transform us into a Communist nation. We baby boomers and our parents sacrificed, suffered, and died to gift our kids a wonderful life. They are spitting in our faces, calling us racist and seeking to destroy everything we hold dear. Far too many modern parents want to be friends with their children rather than parents. Their kids come home from school with their heads filled with leftist anti-American and anti-Christian garbage. Instead of opposing the indoctrination, cowardly parents sign on to it. I watched a detective movie on Amazon. Unable to stomach it, I fast-forwarded pass the scene of the detective's disrespectful 13-year-old daughter scolding him as if he were her peer. The detective's daughter represents the young white women in our streets angrily screaming their loyalty to BLM. The disrespectful teen-aged daughter appears to be a standard character in far too many movies. Encouraging kids to disrespect and disobey their parents is included in leftists' agenda. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land. (Ephesians 6:1-3) My stomach turns every time I hear conservatives, Republicans, and Christians say we must create meaningful dialog with the protesters to discuss their grievances. The problem is their grievances are purposely rooted in the lie that my beloved country is a racist hellhole. I refuse to pander to that concept. Its like saying we are going to discuss how long you have been beating your wife. You reply, But I don't beat wife. They ignore your reply and proceed forward discussing the solution to your bad behavior. Still, I am confident of two truths. One: God did not allow Trump to survive all the unprecedented attempts to remove him from office to drop him now. Trump will be reelected. However, this does not mean we can sit on our duffs. We must fight like we have never fought before to reelect Trump. Two: At some point, the American people will no longer tolerate spoiled-brat anarchists wreaking havoc across our great nation. Anarchists will receive the well-deserved spanking of their pampered snowflake lives. Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American Help Lloyd Spread the Truth https://www.trumptrainusa2020.com/ http://LloydMarcus.com London: Police shot dead an asylum seeker who went on a knife rampage in central Glasgow on Friday after complaining about the hotel meals served to him during the COVID-19 pandemic. The knifeman, who was from Sudan, had threatened violence against other refugees and complained he was "very hungry" in recent days after being rehoused in the hotel, a local activist said. Police at the scene of the incident in Glasgow. Credit:Getty Images Europe The attacker stabbed six people, including a hotel receptionist and handyman, as well as an unarmed police officer who was the first on the scene. Police Scotland have ruled out terrorism as a motive for the attack at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street, Glasgow, just before 1pm. American private equity group Bain Capital plans to scrap Virgin Australia's high-end comforts and half of its fleet while saving around 6,000 jobs. Virgin Australia entered administration in April owing nearly $7 billion to creditors. On Friday, American company Bain Capital agreed with Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd to buy Australia's second-biggest airline for an undisclosed sum. The private equity firm already has plans to reshape the airline company into a mid-market value service, the Australian Financial Review reported. It has also vowed to scrap its high-end airport lounges and half of its fleet, while refocusing its flight routes and keeping as many staff as possible. American private equity group Bain Capital plans to scrap Virgin Australia's high-end comforts and half of its fleet while maintaining most of the airline's staff The airline's exclusive and invitation-only 'The Club' is expected to be massively overhauled with the future of its lounges thrown into doubt The airline's exclusive and invitation-only lounge, 'The Club', is expected to be massively overhauled. 'Things like a fancy club and fancy meals and all of that are relevant to a very small portion of customers,' Bain Capital's managing director in Australia Mike Murphy said. 'But for the vast majority of customers, they just don't value that as much. 'The Club' members could previously access the lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth through plain-looking doors that were simply labelled 'private'. Airport transfers by limousine and free upgrades from economy to business class were among the many perks available to members. The fleet size of the airline will also be cut in half with the number of planes reduced from 130 to 70. The number of routes and frequency of flights will also be slashed, with a greater focus on its more profitable flight lines between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne - known as the golden triangle. Mr Bain plans to strengthen Virgin's regional services and ensure the airline offers good value for leisure customers while continuing to serve business travellers. 'We are determined to see that Australians have access to competitive, viable aviation services for the long term,' Mr Murphy said. 'Under our ownership, we will strengthen Virgin's regional services and ensure the airline emerges offering exceptional experiences at a great value while continuing to service business travellers, as well as those of us travelling for fun or to visit loved ones.' Virgin Australia has about 9,000 employees and Bain plans to keep 5,000 to 6,000. Chief executive Paul Scurrah's management team at Virgin are all expected to keep their jobs. Virgin Australia entered administration in April owing nearly $7 billion to creditors, before Bain Capital said on Friday it had agreed with Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd to buy Australia's second-biggest airline for an undisclosed sum (pictured, founder of Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson) 'The Club' members could previously access the lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth through plain-looking doors that were simply labelled 'private' Bain's bid was chosen over a rival offer from Cyrus Capital Partners and a recapitalisation proposal put forward by Virgin Australia bondholders, administrator Deloitte said. Deloitte said it was not yet possible to estimate the return to creditors and did not expect any return to shareholders. An update on the return will be provided ahead of a creditor's meeting in August, it said. Many contracts with suppliers and aircraft lessors must be renegotiated before the return to creditors can be finalised, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The deal will need to be approved by 50 per cent of creditors by value and 50 per cent by number to be finalised. A spokesman for the 6,000 unsecured bondholders owed $2 billion said that despite Deloitte's selection of Bain, they would continue to push for genuine consideration of their rival debt-to-equity swap proposal. Bain's bid was chosen over a rival offer from Cyrus Capital Partners and a recapitalisation proposal put forward by Virgin Australia bondholders, administrator Deloitte said (pictured, Bain Capital's managing director in Australia Mike Murphy) Bain is using private equity as well as its distressed and special situation funds for the deal, according to Deloitte, which said the deal provided a 'significant' injection of capital into the airline Bain is using private equity as well as its distressed and special situation funds for the deal, according to Deloitte, which said the deal provided a 'significant' injection of capital into the airline. Bain will inject $600 million of cash up front, $600 million to cover travel credits held by customers and $450 million to cover employee entitlements, without saying where it got the information. Deloitte and Bain declined to comment. Cyrus on Friday morning said it had pulled out of the bidding, citing Deloitte's unwillingness to engage in meaningful talks. A 13-year-old boy repeatedly beat an elderly passenger with an iron bar before mugging him in front of his wife on a Luas tram, a court has heard. Now aged 14, the boy appeared before Dublin Children's Court charged with assault causing harm to the 69-year-old man, having the iron bar as an offensive weapon and theft. The teenager, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was remanded on bail to appear in court again next month for a preliminary ruling on his trial venue. The Director of Public Prosecutions has recommended that the case should stay in the juvenile court and not be sent forward to the circuit court, which can impose lengthier sentences. Judge Brendan Toale said he did not consider it a minor offence, and will hear submissions from the boy's barrister on grounds for retaining jurisdiction. In an outline of the allegations, Judge Toale heard gardai received a call from the man, who had been travelling on the Luas with his wife last December 23. Garda Ailis McBrien said the man alleged "the accused got on with an iron bar in his possession, which he used to intimidate the injured party and his wife". The court heard the teenager waved it in a manner that intimidated the couple. When the tram stopped at St James's Hospital, the boy allegedly grabbed a rucksack from the man, who tried to chase him. Gda McBrien said the teenager used the iron bar to beat the man, striking him several times and causing bruising to his lower back and legs. The man was taken to hospital, the court heard. CCTV footage of the incident was available, Gda McBrien said. The boy, who did not address the court, was accompanied to the hearing by a member of his family. His barrister, Simon Donagh, said he was not yet in a position to comment on the strength of evidence or how the boy was likely to plead. The Children Act gives the court wide discretion in relation to accepting jurisdiction for a range of serious offences. Submissions will be prepared by the defence on the teenager's age, level of maturity and possibly other factors relevant to the case, such as whether he wants to plead guilty. Disclosure of evidence was ordered. UP Board 10th, 12th Results 2020: Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP), popularly known as UP board, on Saturday declared the high school (Class 10) and intermediate (Class 12) exam results on its official website. Students of who have appeared in the UP Board exams matric and intermediate exams will be able to check their results online at upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in and upmspresults.up.nic.in. Over 5.61 million students have registered for the class 10 and class 12 examinations of UP board this year. Out of this, 3.02 million appeared in high school exams and 2.58 million in intermediate examinations. The board had conducted the high school examination from February 18 to March 3 while the intermediate examination was held from February 18 to March 6. Students can also check their results on our Hindustan Times Result portal. Heres the direct link to check the UP Board 10 and 12 results 2020. Here is how to check the UP board 10th ,12th results on the official website Visit the official website of UP board at upresults.nic.in . Click on the link for UP Board high school or intermediate (Class 10 or 12) Examination - 2020 Results. Key in your roll number and school code (as given in the admit card). Submit. Your result will be displayed on screen. Download and take its print out. UP Board 10th, 12th 2020: How to check the results on hindustantimes.com 1) Visit the official website of Hindustan Times at hindustantimes.com 2) On the home page, go to the Education section and click on the Exam Results section 3) Go to the UP Board tab 4) Click on the link that reads UP Board 10th Result 2020 or UP Board 12th result 2020 5) Key in your roll number in the rectangular box provided for the purpose and submit In 2019, the pass percentage for high school was 80.07%, and for intermediate exams was 70.06%. Last year, 58,06,922 students had registered to appear in UP Boards High School and Intermediate examinations including 31,95,603 in High School and 26,11,319 in Intermediate exams. The Australian tourism sector is expected to cop a $55 billion hit over the next financial year amid uncertainty over the reopening of state borders and the assumption international travel bans will remain until July 2021. Tourism expenditure is forecast to fall from $138.5 billion in 2019 to $83.8 billion, and the dire forecast is spurring warnings that regional economies will be devastated if JobKeeper payments for workers aren't extended beyond the current September end date. Tourism operators are calling for JobKeeper payments to be extended beyond September. Credit:Tourism Queensland The prediction comes from a report in May by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission seen by The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. It assumes international travel bans will remain until at least July 2021 but state border restrictions will be lifted. The economic impact could be even worse if internal travel restrictions aren't eased as anticipated, which is worrying tourism lobby groups and operators. The report shows domestic holiday activity was worth $54.3 billion in 2019, but is expected to drop 26 per cent to $40.2 billion in 2020-21. KCPD releases video of looting of Country Club Plaza clothing store Kansas City police are asking for help in identifying people seen looting a plaza clothing store on May 30 and May 31.Authorities identified the store as the H&M clothing store.Investigators ask if anyone recognizes the people in the video to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. Masks and illicit booty are accessory of the Summer . . . Accordingly, have a look at a great many "peaceful protesters" raiding this location. Take a look: A man was killed in Jackson Township late Friday night during a collision involving his motorcycle and another vehicle, according to the York County Coroners office. The man reportedly was driving a motorcycle westbound in the eastbound lane in the 5900 block of Route 30, according to the report. A Hyundai Tiburon traveling in the eastbound lane attempted to swerve to miss it, but the motorcycle struck the front passenger side of the vehicle. The man was dead at the scene, the report said. The coroner was dispatched at approximately 10:40 p.m. The Northern York County Regional Police Department responded at the scene and is investigating the matter. The conditions of any other people involved in the crash are unknown at this time. There will be no autopsy, but a routine toxicology report was completed. The mans identity will be released when next of kin is notified, the coroner said. The Queen and the Prime Minister have saluted the work of British servicemen and women, as the country marks Armed Forces Day while under coronavirus lockdown. The Red Arrows left a trail of red, white and blue smoke as they performed a flypast in North Yorkshire on Saturday morning as part of this year's more muted celebrations. The Hawk fast-jets took to the skies above the coastal town of Scarborough which had been due to host an event which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, the Queen thanked the country's armed forces, saying: 'Having had members of my family serve in each of the Armed Services, I know only too well of the pride service personnel take in their duty. The Red Arrows left a trail of red, white and blue smoke as they performed a flypast in North Yorkshire on Saturday morning as part of this year's more muted Armed Forces Day celebrations The distinctive Hawk fast jets flew over the British's Army Catterick Garrison and the coastal town of Scarborough. Scarborough were due to host this year's Armed Forces Day National Event which was unfortunately cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak The Red Arrows seen flying over RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. They were led by Red 1, Squadron Leader Martin Pert, the other 8 Hawk aircraft following in close formation 'As your Commander-in-Chief, I send my warmest best wishes to you all, your families, and the entire Armed Forces community.' Meanwhile, Boris Johnson shared a video message on Twitter in which he hailed the contribution of the 'heroes' from the British Army, RAF and Royal Navy during the Covid-19 crisis. He highlighted the Army's logistical support in building the new NHS Nightingale hospital, the RAF's assistance in repatriating Britons stranded abroad and the Navy's provision of air ambulances for rural communities. The Prime Minister said: 'There's a grim irony in the fact that the pandemic which our military is doing so much to fight, means we can't hold the Armed Forces Day festivities at which we could thank you for doing so much. Boris Johnson shared a video message on Twitter in which he hailed the contribution of the 'heroes' from the British Army, RAF and Royal Navy during the Covid-19 crisis With this year's celebrations being held virtually for the first time in history, military bands are due to give performances streamed on the armed forces' Facebook and Twitter pages 'But take it from me, whether you're a regular, a reservist, a civilian contractor, a veteran, or the family and friends who support our military in so many ways, we as a nation salute you.' Drawing a link to the celebrations that marked the end of the Second World War, Mr Johnson added: 'And we will know that, day and night, at home and aboard, at sea, on land, in the air, even in space and online, our fantastic armed forces are there for us now, just as you were when the nation celebrated more than 75 years ago. 'And it's for all that and more, that I'm proud to salute our armed forces.' With this year's celebrations being held virtually for the first time in history, military bands are due to give performances streamed on the armed forces' Facebook and Twitter pages. In a statement, the Queen thanked the country's armed forces, saying: 'Having had members of my family serve in each of the Armed Services, I know only too well of the pride service personnel take in their duty' Behind-the-scenes views of the Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier will also be shown. Ahead of Saturday, Mr Johnson spoke with military personnel including Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Pynn, who led a team of 20 military medics supporting the London Ambulance Service transporting patients to the NHS Nightingale hospital in London, and Wing Commander Claire Collis who was involved in the repatriation of British citizens from India and Pakistan. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace commended the military for its 'professionalism, commitment and versatility' through the pandemic. The Ministry of Defence announced in May that Scarborough will host the Armed Forces Day national event in 2021. She's arguably one of the biggest celebrities in Australia. But despite her A-list status, Sophie Monk has never forgotten her down to earth side. On Saturday, the 40-year-old was spotted smoking a cigarette in her dressing down and Ugg boots while on a smoke break in Sydney's Leichhardt. Puff puff: Sophie Monk was spotted smoking a cigarette in her dressing down and Ugg boots while on a smoke break in Sydney's Leichhardt The TV personality was on set filming a commercial with comedian Peter Helliar. While Sophie got her nicotine fix, Peter was spotted chowing down on lunch. At one point, he was seen holding a white piece of paper, which may have been the script for the commercial. Underneath her dressing gown, Sophie was sporting a sparkly gold cocktail frock. Smoking hot! Sophie gingerly lifted the cigarette up to her plump pout and took a puff Quick fix: The blonde beauty looked relieved to have her nicotine fix for the day Sophie has been busy filming commercials recently, with the Love Island Australia host recently teaming up with her boyfriend Joshua Gross to film an ad for Hello Fresh. The ad has raised eyebrows due to the couple dropping several engagement hints in it. In the commercial Sophie is seen whipping up some burgers from Hello Fresh. Relaxed: The Love Island Australia host was dressed in a dressing gown and Ugg boots Lunch time! Comedian Peter Hellier grabbed lunch instead of a cigarette during the break Working hard: The comedian and the TV personality were filming a commercial together Once they are plated up, she exclaims: 'My fiance is gonna love this.' Joshua quickly questions: 'Fiance?' 'Oh quiet fiance,' Sophie responds before pointing out her bare ring finger to Joshua. Sophie's hints come after the blonde beauty revealed earlier this month that she wants to be with Joshua 'forever'. 'I know I want to be with Josh forever,' she told the Sun Herald before adding that there was no time frame on an engagement. The 1982 cold case murder of an 8-year-old Ohio girl abducted and killed while walking home from school was linked to a now dead, convicted child sex offender, authorities on Friday said. Cops in Columbus investigating the murder of Kelly Ann Prosser said DNA evidence identified Harold Wayne Jarrell as the child's killer. Jarrell, who spent five years in prison for an unrelated, child sex crime, died in 1996 at the age of 67. Prosser was found beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled to death after she was abducted on September 20, 1982 while on her way home from the Indianola Elementary School in Columbus. Police said they used the help of Advance DNA, a company that maintains a genealogical database, to trace genetic evidence recovered from the crime scene 38 years ago back to Jarrell. The 1982 cold case murder of 8-year-old Kelly Ann Prosser, who was abducted and killed while walking home from school was linked to a now dead, convicted child sex offender, authorities on Friday said Cops in Columbus investigating the murder of Prosser said DNA evidence identified Harold Wayne Jarrell as the child's killer. Jarrell (pictured) spent five years in prison for an unrelated, child sex crime and died in 1996 at the age of 67 'We've had the (DNA) profile, we just didn't have a name to go with it,' said Deputy Chief Greg Bodker, the Columbus Dispatch reports. The investigative approach used to link the killer's DNA, initially through a third cousin, has emerged as a revolutionary technique in solving cold cases and was instrumental in identifying 'Golden State Killer' Joseph DeAngelo Jr. Cops said they had wanted to look at Jarrell, but did not have the evidence to bring him in as a suspect. The man, who also was known as Warren Jarrell, passed away in Las Vegas and had no connection to Prosser's family. He would have been 53 at the time of the child's murder. 'When Kelly Ann left for school the morning of Sept. 20, 1982, we did not expect our time with her would abruptly end or that our future would change in every way imaginable,' the relatives said. 'One moment we had this dazzling, mischievous 8-year-old little girl. Then suddenly all we had left were memories, photographs that will never age, a calendar marking a dreadful new 'holiday,' a grave and pieces of Kelly's life stored in a box.' Columbus Deputy Chief Greg Bodker said police had a DNA profile after the 1982 slaying, but were unable to identify who it belonged to. Investigators years later recruited help from a genealogical database that linked the genetic information to Jarrell. Prosser's relatives cooperated with investigators over the years. The solving of her murder was one of those 'bittersweet moments that has been a long time coming,' the family said, adding their gratitude to authorities. 'Thank you for never giving up, thank you for never forgetting about this innocent child and thank you for never forgetting that you were working for Kelly Ann,' the relatives said. 'Today, you have given us the most incredible gift. And this gives us hope that other homicide cold cases will be solved.' Solving Prosser's murder was one of those 'bittersweet moments that has been a long time coming,' her family said, adding their gratitude to authorities Cops said that an anonymous tip left with authorities in 2014 also had pointed to Jarrell as a possible suspect. Detectives, however, backed away because the tip had used a variation of Jarrell's name and had discrepancies in the spelling. The cold case remained such a high priority for investigators that a 2019 podcast known as 'The Fifth Floor' - referring to the detective office at police headquarters - debuted with Prosser's case. 'This little girl's name came up with everyone I talked to, whether it be a scientist at the crime lab, an administrator, detectives,' Bodker said. 'They all say it's the one they really wanted to solve before they retired.' GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. - Premier Jason Kenney says his governments blueprint to reboot Albertas distressed economy will be announced Monday in Calgary. It will be a bold and ambitious plan to make strategic investments to get people working right now when we need it most, but also to invest in the long-term productivity of our economy, Kenney said Friday. He said it will involve the largest ever spending on public infrastructure, including areas such as health care and transportation. There will be also be a focus on diversifying the economy in critical growth sectors while buttressing the existing oil and gas industry. It will be a plan for a province that was looking at a $7-billion budget deficit this year before the COVID-19 pandemic drained away jobs and business activity, and a global oil price war collapsed profits for its wellspring industry. The budget deficit for this year is now pegged at $20 billion. In March, Kenney announced a 12-member economic advisory panel, including former prime minister Stephen Harper, to provide guidance on the relaunch. Kenney has been sharply criticized by the NDP Opposition for pursuing growth strategies in oil and gas while ignoring emerging industries such as high-tech and artificial intelligence. Kenneys government, when it took power, cancelled tax incentives designed to grow high-tech. He said those programs were ineffective as they reached a small percentage of the tech market. On Thursday, Kenney said part of Mondays plan will include the outline of a new program to incentivize job-creating investment in the information technology, digital and innovation sector. We will be outlining a number of sectoral strategies in areas of our economy that we need to grow in order to diversify while also articulating policies that ensure a strong future for the oil and gas sector. Kenney won last years election on a promise to galvanize Albertas economy, struggling even then with low oil and gas prices. He promised a pan-economic, less-is-more approach, championing broad incentives and then letting the free market take its course. To that end, his government cut the corporate income tax rate, reduced the minimum wage for those under 18, and scrapped the provincial consumer carbon tax, though that levy was later replaced with a federal version. Albertans have the lowest overall tax burden among Canadian provinces, and Albertans do not pay a provincial sales tax. Since then, as the oil and gas economy has continued to struggle, Kenney has assumed a more direct interventionist approach. In March, his government agreed to provide $1.5-billion to Calgary-based TC Energy Corporation, enabling the completion of the KXL pipeline to ultimately take Alberta crude across the United States to refiners and shippers on the Gulf Coast. The $1.5 billion in equity investment will be followed by a $6-billion loan guarantee next year. Kenney has said Alberta will be able to sell its shares for a profit after the pipeline is built and it will generate a net return of more than $30 billion through royalties and higher prices for its oil over the next two decades. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2020 By Dean Bennett in Edmonton The owners of Cherry Grove Nursing Home in Priesthaggard, Campile have issued the following statement, saying they have been inundated with well wishes and messages of support following the publication of our article last week: Cherry Grove Nursing Home can confirm as of 23rd May the Home is Covid-free. Covid-19 testing of residents and staff has confirmed such. We take this opportunity to extend our thanks to residents, relatives and staff. Staff have provided residents with outstanding care and have shown tremendous commitment to meeting the clinical, health, and social care needs of our residents during this most challenging time. For our residents, we acknowledge and appreciate the loss of loved ones physical presence, personal touch and visits. Within our local community, county, and the country we owe a great debt of gratitude to the wonderful staff working in our nursing homes. We grieve the loss of some of our residents to COVID 19. May we extend our deepest condolences to their families and friends. Our prayers and thoughts are with you. Our exceptional team here in Cherry Grove are focussed on enhancing the lives of our residents by providing great care, comfort and support. This too has been a particularly difficult and traumatic time for our staff as they have a deep emotional connection with all residents. In truth, this experience will never be forgotten. Thank you also to the families of residents and the extended community for your continued support during these challenging times. We have had exceptional support throughout this time from the HSE, Public Health Department, Local General Practitioners, and Local Representatives, support agencies, suppliers. Our local community was outstanding- offering: collections and deliveries, housing accommodation, donations for residents and staff, letters of support and encouragement. (one from Scotland with no connection to area which was extremely uplifting). Our representative organisation Nursing Homes Ireland is actively engaged with the health authorities with regard to easing of visitor restrictions, with the advice of Government and NPHET (the National Public Health Emergency Team) critical in this regard. We are turning towards slowly building up resources and resilience of residents and staff alike, our focus now is restoring health and wellness - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Various supports such as physiotherapy, nutritional therapy, occupational therapy, mental health supports, pastoral care, visiting, will be added and offered slowly in a consistent, considered, and planned approach based on official guidelines and residents needs. We look forward to your continued support in ensuring the continued safety and welfare of our residents and staff. Stay safe and stay well. Tom & Siobhan Cummins Cherry Grove Nursing Home So many aspects of life slowed down in the last few months as people hunkered down at home in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately scammers only seemed to pick up the pace of their work. For years now warnings have been coming from all directions about the need to be vigilant as perpetrators of fraud continue their constant search for victims. Its imperative that people be on their guard, especially when someone contacts them out of the blue and tries to extract money or sensitive personal information. Its been so bad that not only do people have to worry when they know theyre talking to a stranger, but when someone claims to be a relative, a law enforcement officer or someone with whom they do business. While people of all ages are susceptible to scams, older individuals are particularly vulnerable. State officials say thats particularly true during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state Department of Banking and Securities recently issued a warning about signs of senior financial exploitation and ways to help prevent this type of abuse. Acting Secretary Richard Vague said the social isolation caused by the pandemic makes it easier for practitioners of fraud to prey on the elderly. Social distancing and other mitigation efforts have helped to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but it provides more opportunities for scammers to take advantage of seniors, Vague said in the departments announcement. Its important for all of us to know the signs of elder financial abuse and what to do about it. The government warning notes that perpetrators often strike during vulnerable moments such as during a health crisis or after the death of a loved one. Scammers gather personal details from obituaries and social media posts and use this information to target their victims. Some even will exploit trust within seniors social and support groups to become more involved in their lives, according to the banking department. Warning signs include: * A new and overly protective friend or caregiver or surrendering control of finances to a new friend or partner. * Fear or sudden change in feelings about somebody. * A lack of knowledge about financial status or reluctance to discuss financial matters. * Sudden or unexplained changes in spending habits, a will, trust or beneficiary designations. * Unexplained checks made out to cash, unexplained loans or unexplained disappearance of assets. Watch for suspicious signatures on the seniors checks or other documents. State officials have been reinforcing these messages for a long time, but theyre particularly important right now. People can help by being sure to stay in contact with older family members, friends and neighbors. Inform them that scammers have found ways to exploit the pandemic. Make them aware of that any time someone asks them for money or information such as a Social Security number, extreme caution is in order. A few basic guidelines: * Anytime someone calls asking for money, even if they claim to be a close relative, dont take their word for it without further verification. * If someone informs you that you won a contest that you dont recall entering, hang up. * The IRS and law-enforcement agencies wont demand money from you by phone. If you need assurance, look up the number of the agency in question and call them directly. * Dont comply with anyone who requests payment in gift cards rather than cash. * Dont click on links or respond to emails claiming to be from financial institutions. If youre not sure, contact your financial institution directly. The state offers a 24-hour hotline for reports of elder financial abuse at 1-800-490-8505. If you believe you or a loved one have fallen victim to a scam, contact local law enforcement. But the best practice of all is vigilance to prevent such crimes from happening in the first place. A 140-bed nursing home in Millbrae, the site of one of the largest coronavirus outbreaks in the county, has a history of health violations that includes a failure of infection controls, an unsanitary environment and inadequate care of its residents, records show. More than 100 residents and 32 staff members at Millbrae Skilled Care have been infected by the coronavirus since March and 16 people have died, in one of the worst flareups among Bay Area nursing homes. The virus has been so widespread in the building that county officials removed some residents. Now, the state has intervened and is regularly on-site to help. COVID-19 deaths and infections at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities have helped drive the pandemic, with nearly half of infections occurring at these locations. Deaths at nursing homes account for more than 40% of all COVID-19 fatalities in the state, state public health data show. The majority of facilities with the largest outbreaks had previous problems. When you have outbreaks like this, this is very serious, said Patricia McGinnis, director of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. Millbrae Skilled Care had plenty of problems. The California Department of Public Health oversees the 140-bed, for-profit nursing home. Medicare gave the facility a two-star overall rating and a one-star health inspection rating, on a scale of one to five, with one being the lowest. In the nursing homes most recent health report on Jan. 23, inspectors said Millbrae Skilled Care failed to create a comprehensive care plan for all of its residents. One resident had no pain-management plan and another lacked a care plan for oxygen administration. The inspectors also faulted the home for allowing an oxygen tube to kink while the resident used it. As a result, inspectors concluded that nurses and aides lacked the appropriate training to care for every resident. In 2018, Medicare penalized the nursing home $43,804. Violations included a strong fecal-sewage odor that seeped into residents rooms and flies in the kitchen. Inspectors found a toilet inside the kitchen near storage rooms, and the floor stained with a suspicious brown liquid. Residents complained that they didnt want to stay in their rooms due to the stink and some reported wearing masks to cover the smell, according to the health inspection. The nursing home also failed to store food in sanitary conditions, leaving residents at risk for foodborne illnesses, the report said. Inspectors found flies in the kitchen and bathroom and dead flies in storage areas, according to the health inspection. Since the Millbrae Care Center corporation took over operations in July, the nursing home has not received any penalties, said Abby Ma, the homes administrator. Ma gave The Chronicle a statement on the nursing homes coronavirus response, but declined to answer questions. The same month the new corporation took over, a Medicare health inspection found 15 deficiencies, including failing to help a resident with tooth brushing and allowing that person to have a thick, white layer of saliva covering inside and outside of the mouth, dry, peeling skin on the lips, yellow, and white patches on tongue, according to the report. The nursing home also failed to submit a residents assessment to the state within the required time period. Inspectors also concluded that the nursing home had no infection controls in place. Staff werent instructed on how to properly use personal protective equipment for a resident. Such infection-control and staffing problems are common in the nursing-home industry, critics say. The coronavirus pandemic highlights existing problems within such settings. People are dying, McGinnis said. The mortality of residents is going way up. This is no way to be treating our elders. On April 20, the county and state sent a team of infection-control workers to Millbrae Skilled Care to provide personal protective equipment, training, testing and guidance on infection-control practices. Our staff received and continues to receive training on current and updated infection control protocols, Ma said by email. These measures have been in place throughout this health crisis. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. She added that the facility has sufficient protective equipment for staff and patients. Meanwhile, 32 staff members at the home have tested positive for the virus since March. In response, the county staff worked at the facility from May 15 to June 9. The team also helped isolate residents. The California Department of Public Health continues to be onsite regularly, the states public health department said in an email. The county transferred some residents to other facilities during the height of the surge, but all have since returned, said Ma, the facility administrator. Since the stay-at-home orders came down in March, the county has started an aggressive plan to mitigate the spread of the virus, officials said. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted congregate living facilities across the United States, and we continue to provide resources and coordination locally in the interest of protecting the publics health and assuring the delivery of quality care and the safety of patients and staff, said Travis Kusman, director of emergency medical services for San Mateo County. Since June 19, a county team has visited 373 nursing homes and assisted-living facilities 508 times. The team has also tested residents for the coronavirus at 105 such locations with another 22 scheduled, the countys health department told The Chronicle by email. And the county has responded to more than 1,500 requests for personal protective equipment. Weve identified where the problem is, and I think what the county is doing is being aggressive in trying to figure out how we are going to solve this problem, said county Supervisor David Canepa. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani There will be a contested race for the next Geneva Township treasurer in November, featuring Joseph Grabowski, a Coleman Democrat, and Nancy Robison, a Coleman Republican. Joseph Grabowski, 74, of Geneva Township, is retired Coleman Community School teacher, and is the incumbent Geneva Township treasurer. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Geneva Township treasurer? The Geneva Township treasurer is responsible for maintaining accurate records of all financial transactions that takes place in Geneva Township. Monthly financial reports for township board members to question review and understand funds available for township services is very important. The township treasurer also collects taxes during the summer and winter tax season and distributes monthly funds collected during the tax season. Funds collected are distributed to Midland County, Intermediate school district, Delta College, Coleman Community schools and Coleman Area Library. The township treasurer also mails a newsletter at the start of each tax season giving tax payers information that they can use in regards to methods of payment such as paying at the Township Hall or at Coleman Branch of Chemical Bank. The township treasurer also receives requests by mail or phone by financial institutions or real estate agents with concerns or questions in regard to properties in Geneva Township. Prompt replies to their requests for information is very important. The Geneva Township treasurer is also a voting member of the Geneva Township Board and as such attends the monthly meetings of the board and hears concerns of citizens and reviews the monthly minutes of the boards agenda each month. The Geneva Township treasurer has been selected by the Geneva Township Board to represent Geneva Township on the Coleman Fire Board and Coleman Library Board. 2. As Geneva Township treasurer, how would you accomplish the above duties? I believe the office of the Geneva Township Treasurer has achieved the duties mentioned above by providing monthly financial reports to Geneva Township Board members. The Geneva Township treasurer is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records of all financial transactions that takes place in Geneva Township. Monthly financial reports for township board members to question and review and understand funds available for township services is very important. The township treasurer also collects taxes during the summer and winter tax season and distributes monthly funds collected during the tax season to Midland County, Intermediate School District, Delta College, Coleman Community Schools and Coleman Area Library. The township treasurer also mails a newsletter at the start of each tax season giving information that tax payers can use. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as the Geneva Township treasurer? At the present time, due to COVID-19, Geneva Township is looking into making changes in the treasurers office area so that if citizens need services at the Geneva Township Hall, they can be provided in such a way that will protect citizens and Geneva Township treasurer officials alike. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Geneva Township treasurer will encounter? The COVID-19 virus will pose a serious challenge, as the Geneva Township depends on state revenue sharing for its yearly budget. As it appears state revenue is declining during the COVID-19, revenue sharing for the township could also be reduced in the future. As revenue sharing is reduced, it will be the duty of the Geneva Township treasurer to alert the township board members about the possibility of reduced state funding impacting the township budget. The Census 2020 is also very important as state revenue sharing is determined by the number of people counted. COVID-19 could reduce the number of Geneva Township residents who reply to the census. That would result in a cut in state revenue sharing funds and other services. The Geneva Township treasurer will attempt to encourage Geneva Township residents to take part in the 2020 Census. Nancy Robison, of Coleman (Geneva Township), is a math and English teacher at Coleman Jr/Sr High School. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Geneva Township treasurer? The main job of the Geneva Township Treasurer is to collect all real and personal property taxes and maintain accurate records. Further duties also include attending monthly township board meetings and serving on committees within Midland County in which Geneva Township needs representation. 2. As Geneva Township treasurer, how would you accomplish the above duties? There are set times to collect taxes from the residence of Geneva Township. The board also has monthly meetings that the treasurer will attend. I believe it is essential that Geneva Township is represented at the county level, and I will do what I can to make sure we are represented. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Geneva Township treasurer? As with any job, there is always room for improvement. I am sure there are ways to make the job more efficient, and I will determine ways to improve efficiency if elected. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Geneva Township treasurer will encounter? As with all new opportunities, there will be a learning curve. I am ready for the challenge and I am excited to take on the position of Geneva Township treasurer. New Yorks largest hospital system, Northwell Health, which by early May had discharged more than 10,000 coronavirus patients, will begin polling its employees next week to see whether they can be deployed in other states. It would be the return of a favor, of sorts: Clinicians from as far away as Salt Lake City traveled to New York to help this spring, said hospital spokesman Terry Lynam. TURKMENABAT, Turkmenistan -- Two hours of electricity a day. Phone and Internet mostly cut off, though users can catch an occasional signal. And homes still lying in ruins. It's the grim state of life in Turkmenistan's northeastern Lebap Province since devastating windstorms slammed it and neighboring Mary Province in late April. They downed power and phone lines in many areas, and the government has provided little or no support to some remote settlements as residents struggle to rebuild their homes, livestock shelters, and livelihoods. It marks a continuing crisis for them that the rest of the nation has seemingly ignored, despite dozens of deaths reported by eyewitnesses including RFE/RL correspondents. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov made no mention of the catastrophes when they sliced through this section of northeastern Turkmenistan, near the borders with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, on April 27. The state-dominated media, closely controlled to quell dissent and prop up a cult of personality around Berdymukhammedov, the country's second post-Soviet leader, also failed to cover the tragedy. And the silence mostly continues, bolstered by tight security precautions around Lebap. Officials in Lebap would not comment on recovery efforts or residents' complaints of a lack of support from the government. Checking Phones In villages where rebuilding work hasnt yet begun, residents tell RFE/RL, police and intelligence officers monitor peoples movements and question visitors. The officials check mobile phones as people enter such areas and again when they leave, in an effort to ensure that no photos or videos of the lingering destruction go with them. Some residents suspect that authorities are deliberately blocking Internet service in many places to prevent information from getting out. We think that until the recovery work is completed, the WiFi will remain blocked in Lebap, one resident told RFE/RL. Residents are even turning up at government offices in the provincial capital, Turkmenabat, and in the Charjew and Farap districts to complain, something they were previously reluctant to do out of fear of retribution. The governments handling of the situation led to a rare protest rally in Turkmenabat on May 14. Several hundred people gathered in front of a government building to demand that authorities restore water and electricity and help residents repair their homes and clear away debris. Locals openly criticized the authorities during recent conversations with an RFE/RL correspondent, a rare occurrence in a country that U.S.-based democracy promotion NGO Freedom House describes as "a repressive authoritarian state where political rights and civil liberties are almost completely denied in practice." Scale Of Damage Still Unclear Some sources put the number of dead from the windstorms and severe rains that first struck on April 27 at at least 37 people, but that number could not be verified. Homes still lie in rubble in the villages of Vatan and Osty in the Dyanev district, with similar scenes in many neighborhoods in the Charjew district, where life is far from returning to normal. In the absence of a developed and transparent home-insurance system, many homeowners long accustomed to the vestiges of Soviet life rely heavily on the government in such circumstances. For many of Turkmenistan's 6 million people, the fierce storms added to the woes of years of financial crisis, widespread unemployment, and mounting price hikes for food. It was through social media and smartphone images and clips that the outside world learned of the windstorms and their devastating aftermath in Turkmenistan. Having remained silent for months, Berdymukhammedov visited Mary and Lebap provinces in early June as part of his traditional tour of each region of the country. During the trip, which was extensively covered by state media, the president avoided visiting areas hit by the spring storms or meeting with any of the residents who lost family members, homes, or livelihoods. Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by an RFE/RL Turkmen Service correspondent in Lebap President Woodrow Wilson's name will be removed by Princeton Princeton has stripped the name of 28th President Woodrow Wilson from a college and public policy school due to his 'racist thinking.' Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber announced on Saturday the institution will remove Wilson's name from its public policy school and a residential college. 'On my recommendation, the board voted to change the names of both the School of Public and International Affairs and Wilson College,' Eisgruber said in a statement. He added: 'the trustees concluded that Woodrow Wilson's racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school or college whose scholars, students, and alumni must stand firmly against racism in all its forms.' Princeton University's president announced Saturday the institution will remove President Woodrow Wilson's name from its public policy school (above) and a residential college Wilson served as president from 1913 to 1921, during the period following Reconstruction that is known as the nadir of American race relations. A Democrat, he oversaw progressive policies and led the nation in World War I, as well as establishing the UN-precursor League of Nations. He was also the first southerner to be elected president after the Civil War, and oversaw the segregation of the federal government. In a July 1913 letter to a civil rights activist, Wilson defended the segregation of government offices, arguing that it removed 'friction' between the races. Famously during Wilson's presidency, D. W. Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation, which celebrated the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, was the first motion picture to be screened in the White House. The film also quotes Wilson's historical scholarship on the KKK, but after seeing it Wilson disavowed the movie, saying he had been 'unaware of the character of the play before it was presented.' Wilson as a Princeton alumnus and later served as president of the university. He is seen above, holding his hat, as an undergraduate with the Princeton University 'Alligator Club' Wilson had deep ties to Princeton, where he studied as an undergraduate, and later became president of the university before going on to become the governor of New Jersey and U.S. president. In 2016, Princeton's board rejected activist demands to remove Wilson's name. opting instead to take steps to highlight troublesome aspects of his administration. Eisgruber cited the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Rayshard Brooks as the reason for reconsidering the move. All were black people who died in encounters with police or civilians. 'This searing moment in American history has made clear that Wilson's racism disqualifies him' as a role model, he said. 'Wilson's racism was significant and consequential even by the standards of his own time,' Eisgruber said, adding that the former president's segregationist policies 'make him an especially inappropriate namesake for a public policy school.' Princeton's public policy school will now be known as the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Eisgruber said. Princeton had already planned to close Wilson College and retire its name after opening two new residential colleges currently under construction but will change the name to First College immediately. Candid photograph of Woodrow Wilson, sitting at roll-top desk at Princeton University, 1909 Eisgruber said the conclusions 'may seem harsh to some' since Wilson is credited with having 'remade Princeton, converting it from a sleepy college into a great research university,' and he went on to become president and receive a Nobel Prize. But while Princeton honored Wilson despite or perhaps even in ignorance of his views, that is part of the problem, Eisgruber said. 'Princeton is part of an America that has too often disregarded, ignored, or excused racism, allowing the persistence of systems that discriminate against Black people,' he said. Four years ago, a 10-member committee gathered input from Wilson scholars and more than 600 submissions from alumni, faculty and the public before concluding that Wilsons accomplishments merited commemoration, so long as his faults were also candidly recognized. The committee report also said using his name 'implies no endorsement of views and actions that conflict with the values and aspirations of our times.' Earlier in the week, Monmouth University of New Jersey removed Wilsons name from one of its most prominent buildings, citing efforts to increase diversity and inclusiveness. The superintendent of the Camden school district also announced plans to rename Woodrow Wilson High School, one of the district's two high schools. Passengers will be expected to wear masks on planes. Photo: Getty. Restrictions on non-essential foreign travel will be eased from 6 July, allowing Brits to holiday abroad this summer. The government announcement will be welcomed by the struggling airline industry, which has been on the brink of collapse since flights were grounded in March. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said airlines are expected to lose $84.3bn (101.91bn) in 2020 for a net profit margin of -20.1%. It also expects revenues will fall 50% to $419bn, from $838bn in 2019. In 2021, losses are expected to be cut to $15.8bn as revenues rise to $598bn. Travellers are expected to be allowed to travel to certain European countries without having to spend 14 days in quarantine when they return. These are most likely to include Spain, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Turkey, Germany and Norway - but not Portugal or Sweden. The full list of "air bridges" will be published next week. A traffic light system will be introduced with countries classified as green, amber and red depending on the prevalence of COVID-19. READ MORE: German and Dutch governments put up billions to save airlines UK holidaymakers will still have to present the address they plan to stay at on their return from abroad, and they will be legally required to wear face masks on planes and ferries. Airlines have slammed the government's rigid 14-day quarantine rule for anyone entering the UK, claiming it is exacerbating pressure on the industry, leading to greater job losses. Last week, Irish airline Aer Lingus (IAG.L), owned by British Airways parent IAG, announced its plans to axe 500 jobs, citing the quarantine as a mitigating factor. Meanwhile British Airways, EasyJet (EZJ.L), and Ryanair (RYA.L) launched legal action against the UK governments travel quarantine measures, arguing that the rules would have a detrimental impact on the countrys tourism sector. Travel industry group ABTA described the relaxation of quarantine rules as "encouraging" and said confirmation of travel corridor countries "should encourage customers to book." New Delhi: An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team on Saturday visited senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel's residence in Delhi and questioned him in connection with the Sandesara brothers money laundering case, officials said. They said a three-member team reached Patel's home at 23, Mother Teresa Crescent in the Lutyens zone of central Delhi around 11:30 am. The team members were seen carrying files and wearing masks and gloves as precautionary measures against coronavirus spread. Patel's statement is being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the politicians' purported links with the Sandesara brothers are under the scanner, they said. The ED had summoned Patel, 70, twice for questioning in the case but the Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat later cited prevailing COVID-19 guidelines that advises senior citizens to stay indoors in order to remain safe from the pandemic. The agency then assured the Congress party treasurer that all care will be taken while he is questioned at its office but it was pointed out by his legal team that there are media reports about coronavirus cases being found in the ED Headquarters too. The agency then told him that they are willing to visit his home as taking the probe forward in the case was important. Subsequently, the time for home visit was fixed and the agency informed Patel that they will send the investigating officer of the case to him for questioning. Patel has earlier been the political secretary to UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and considered one of the most powerful persons in the grand old party. This money laundering case pertains to the alleged Rs 14,500 crore bank loan fraud that is said to have been perpetrated by the Vadodara-based pharma firm Sterling Biotech and its main promoters -- Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara and Deepti Sandesara -- all of whom are absconding. The agency has said that this is a bigger bank scam in volume than the PNB fraud involving diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. The total fraud amount pegged in the PNB case is about Rs 13,400 crore. The Sandesaras are also facing separate probes by the CBI and the Income Tax Department for their alleged nexus with some high-profile politicians and charges of corruption and tax evasion, respectively. At present, they are stated to be based in Nigeria, from where India is trying to extradite them. The ED registered a criminal case in connection with the alleged bank loan fraud on the basis of an FIR and a charge sheet filed by the CBI. The agency, last year, had questioned Patel's son Faisal and son-in-law Irfan Siddiqui in this case and recorded their statements. The two were questioned in context with the statement of one Sunil Yadav, an employee of the Sandesara group, who earlier recorded his statement before the agency. In his statement to the ED, Yadav had told the agency that he bore "expenses of Rs 10 lakh" for a party which was attended by Faisal, "arranged" entry in a night club for him and once delivered "Rs 5 lakh" to his driver in Khan Market on the instructions of Chetan Sandesara, one of the promoters of the pharma firm, sources had said. Yadav had told the ED that the cash was "meant for Faisal Patel", the sources said. The ED has made one of its largest PMLA attachments in this case and frozen assets worth over Rs 14,000 crore of the group in India and abroad, including oil rigs in Nigeria and ships registered in Panama. It is alleged that the company took loans of over Rs 5,383 crore from a domestic consortium led by Andhra Bank, which had turned into non-performing assets. Shopping malls in Gurgaon to reopen from July 1; Dos and don'ts Rajasthan man who robbed more than 20 banks arrested by Gurugram Police Which is the most suitable city to live in during COVID-19 Swarms of desert locusts reach Delhi outskirts after Gurugram India oi-Deepika S Gurugram, June 27: Swarms of desert locusts have reached the outskirts of Delhi after entering Gurugram this morning. Multiple videos shot by residents of Gurugram city and villages show thousands of locusts covering the sky near the Cyber Hub area of Gurgaon. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has asked the national capital's south and west districts' administrations to remain on high alert. According to an official who attended the meeting, the minister was informed that a small swarm of locusts has also reached the Asola Bhatti area in South Delhi. The Agriculture Department has been asked to issue a detailed advisory to all district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates to deal with a possible locust attack in Delhi. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News The minister also asked Forest Department to play DJs, beat drums and dhols to repel the swarms of locusts, the official said. Rai also asked officials of the Agriculture Department to make field visits to areas close to Gurgaon. The development secretary, divisional commissioner, director, agriculture department and district magistrates of South Delhi and West Delhi attended the meeting, the official said. Earlier in the day, the skies over many parts of Gurgaon turned dark as swarms of locusts descended on the town. The Gurugram administration had issued an advisory on Friday to keep windows, doors shut in the event of such an attack after a swarm was sighted in the Mahendragarh district. Navy helicopter to be used to tackle new locust attack in Rajasthan The administration had asked the residents to clang utensils to ward off the locust attack. Massive swarms of desert locusts have ravaged parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and few other states for over a month after the swarms entered the country from Pakistan, termed as one of the worst in the past two decades. Pakistani Locusts achieved what Pakistani airforce could never do, by reaching interiors of India #LocustsAttack in Gurgaon. pic.twitter.com/lpAz3jvuCf Vishal. (@glahsiv) June 27, 2020 Are Locust tasty when cooked? Asking for friends in Gurgaon.....!#LocustsAttack pic.twitter.com/CAKoiFWptQ Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) June 27, 2020 Adding to the already existing woes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is the locust attack that threatens the damage standing crops and mess with the food security in the country. According to UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a swarm the size of Paris can eat the same amount of food in a day as half the population of France (based on the calculation that one person eats 2.3 kg of food a day). These migratory pests can migrate over large distances. The desert locust, now found in India is said to be the most destructive. They can form dense swarms in response to environmental stimuli. During a plague, it has the potential to affect 20 per cent of the Earth's land and also damage the livelihood of one-tenth of the world's population. Recently, the Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow, advised farmers to spray chemicals like lambdacyhalothirn, deltamethrin, fipronil, chlorpyriphos, or malathion to bring things under control. However, On May 14, the Centre had banned the use of chlorpyriphos and deltamethrin. Malathion is also included in the list of banned chemicals but has been subsequently allowed for locust control. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 09:04 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406621396f 1 Business retail-sales,retailer,PSBB,PSBB-Masa-Transisi,reopening-economy,shopping-mall Free Easing mobility restrictions in various regions across Indonesia will not provide an instant boost to the countrys retail sector as wary consumers are expected to still limit their store visits amid a steady rise in COVID-19 cases, analysts have said. Mirae Asset Sekuritas Indonesia economist Anthony Kevin found that customers did not immediately flock to shopping malls despite the reopening, adding that even those visiting malls still avoided durable goods stores. Alive but sort of dead. This is what we thought when visiting several malls in Jakarta and Bekasi [in West Java] as we found that people are still holding back from visiting malls, he wrote in a research note dated June 19. In stark contrast to the minimum-to-no visits to durable goods, besides F&B [food and beverages] stores, people are still rushing to supermarkets to buy basic necessities, while staying vigilant about maintaining their health by purchasing vitamins at drug stores. The large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) implemented in several regions, such as virus epicenters and business centers Jakarta, Bandung in West Java and Surabaya in East Java, forced retailers, factories and offices to shut down to contain the coronavirus spread, severely limiting demand as people stayed at home. Retail sales slumped by 7.5 percent year-on-year (yoy) in April, signaling weaker private consumption. Meanwhile, the trade, services and investment sector on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) has recorded a 21.87 percent fall so far this year as investors have dumped such stocks. The main gauge, the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI), lost more than 22 percent of its value during the same period. Mirae equity analyst Christine Natasya in a research note on June 3 expected the retail sector to recover gradually starting the second half of this year following the governments decision to postpone the Idul Fitri collective holiday to December. The holiday postponement was taken to prevent people from going on mudik (the Idul Fitri exodus) in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. The governments decision to gradually lift the PSBB has allowed shopping malls to re-open their doors and retailers to go back to business, albeit in a limited way and with strict health protocols. Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto signed on June 19 a decree on health guidelines for public facilities, including hotels, restaurants and shopping malls. Such establishments are obliged to provide hand sanitizers in public spaces, clean these areas with disinfectant at least three times a day and maintain proper ventilation. It is mandatory for both employees and guests to undergo temperature checks and wear face masks in these areas. Meanwhile, the 50 percent cap on venue capacity that has been widely used by businesses is not included in the decree, which instead has a 1-meter social-distancing rule. Pilarmas Investindo Sekuritas equity analyst Maximilianus Nico Demus also said on Thursday that the malls re-opening might not necessarily boost retailers performance as the COVID-19 pandemic had shown no sign of subsiding. As long as the number of confirmed cases has yet to show signs of slowing down, consumers will prefer to save their money instead of going shopping, he told The Jakarta Post over the phone. Indonesia recorded more than 1,200 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total infection number to over 50,100 with at least 2,600 deaths, official data show. Maximilianus believes the recovery in the retail companies performance might not happen before next year. The recovery will start to happen if the spread of the virus declines, scientists find a vaccine for the virus or the government provides a huge fiscal and monetary stimulus package, he said. Despite the bleak projection, some stocks have an advantage over other publicly listed retailers. Retailers that have an established online presence can reap more advantages because customers will still have a shopping alternative, Maximilianus said. Publicly listed retailer PT MAP Aktif Adiperkasa chief digital officer Amit Keswani seemed to be managing his companys expectations, along with its parent company publicly listed PT Mitra Adiperkasa (MAP), about business prospects this year. [The year] 2020 is about riding through it, continuing investment and connecting with our customers more closely. I dont think well start seeing 2019 numbers until 2021, he said during an online discussion organized by the British Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia on Tuesday. MAP Aktif sales jumped by 19.2 percent yoy to Rp 7.4 trillion (US$517.61 million) in 2019, while its net profits skyrocketed by 96.14 percent yoy to Rp 693.18 billion. Meanwhile, MAP recorded a 12.47 percent increase in sales to Rp 8.14 trillion last year with net profits of Rp 1.03 trillion, up by 6.8 percent yoy. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW) is a little-known medical device company that produces medical hardware including aortic valve replacements, blood sampling systems, and surgical recovery equipment. Though established medical device companies like Edwards may not be the first place that would-be investors look to find companies with a chance of massive growth in the medium-term, there are still several important tidbits that investors should know about before they write the company off. The case in favor of Edwards being a millionaire-maker There are a handful of promising features about Edwards Lifesciences for investors seeking a millionaire-maker stock, all of which stem from the company's highly effective core business. With trailing 12-month revenue of $4.48 billion, 13.7% quarterly revenue growth year over year, and a profit margin of 24.7%, Edwards is both a steadily growing and an efficiently operating company. Unlike many of its peers, Edwards has only $675.2 million in debt compared with $1.03 billion in cash on hand, meaning it won't have any problem continuing to expand its operations or acquiring smaller competitors while servicing its debts. Edwards' products will likely continue to experience sales growth as the company attains regulatory approval in the United States and China. Expanding existing approvals for new indications will also be a driver of growth. In 2019, the company received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to expand the indications of one of its heart valve replacement products, paving the way for higher revenue. Subsequently, the FDA also gave Edwards the green light to start early trials of one of its other valve replacement products, laying the groundwork for other future revenue streams. Last year, Edwards invested 17.3% of its net sales in research and development, ensuring that the company's product offerings and product indications will continue to expand in the future. The case against Edwards being a millionaire-maker That said, there are two pieces of data that indicate Edwards may not make anyone a millionaire. First, the company has a trailing 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of only 40.2, which is lower than the biotech industry's average of 77.3. This may mean that the market expects Edwards to experience slower stock growth compared to other companies in the industry. Second, Edwards is probably too large a company to experience the kind of rapid growth that is necessary to turn a relatively small investment into millions of dollars. With a market cap of $44.3 billion and more than 50 years in operation, Edwards is organizationally very distinct from a start-up on the verge of taking off. Though Edwards' stock has handily beat the market over the past three years, it hasn't posted triple-digit price growth, nor is the company's management planning any major shift in strategy that might pave the way for such growth. In the same vein, Edwards posted an impressive 18% growth in sales revenue last year -- but that's nowhere near the level of growth required to cause a massive rush of investment that would drive up the company's stock price, based on the market's lack of reaction to the news. Edwards may not make you rich, but it might make you wealthier Edwards may have been a millionaire-maker back when its stock price was much lower. Now that the company is mature, steadily expanding its core operations won't deliver fast enough growth to make any millionaires. But investors shouldn't give up on Edwards just yet, as it still warrants a buy as a company with strong fundamentals and a set of products that are in demand. Edwards posted double-digit sales growth for every year of the 2010s, and its first-quarter sales data suggest that this trend will continue. Even if it probably won't make you a millionaire, Edwards is still a sound investment, and the company's stock likely has a bright future in the years to come. WASHINGTON (AP) As calls for police reform swell across America, officers say they feel caught in the middle: vilified by the left as violent racists, fatally ambushed by extremists on the right seeking to sow discord and scapegoated by lawmakers who share responsibility for the state of the criminal justice system. The Associated Press spoke with more than two dozen officers around the country, Black, white, Hispanic and Asian, who are frustrated by the pressure they say is on them to solve the much larger problem of racism and bias in the United States. They are struggling to do their jobs, even if most agree change is needed following the death of George Floyd, who was Black, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis. Most of the officers spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation or firing. You know, being a Black man, being a police officer and which Im proud of being, both very proud I understand what the communitys coming from, said Jeff Maddrey, an NYPD chief in Brooklyn and one of many officers who took a knee as a show of respect for protesters. All of officers interviewed agreed they'd lost some kind of trust in their communities. For some, the moment is causing a personal reckoning with past arrests. Others distinguish between the Floyd case and their own work, highlighting their lives saved, personal moments when they cried alongside crime victims. I have never seen overtly racist actions by my brothers or sisters in my department, wrote white Covington, Kentucky, police specialist Doug Ullrich in an Op-Ed. In fact, I believe that my department is on the leading edge of doing it right." Of course, hardly all police support change. Some are incensed deriding colleagues as traitors for taking a knee or calling out sick to protest the arrests of some police for their actions amid the protests. For Dean Esserman, senior counselor of the National Police Foundation and past police chief of Providence, Rhode Island, and New Haven and Stamford in Connecticut, the result so far has been for communities and police to pull away from one another. That will mean fewer personal connections and more problems, he said. Story continues Many police leaders who are saying dont call us' when there are emergencies miss the point," he said. "I delivered nine babies in my career, and I never shot anybody. The community isn't part of the job. It IS the job. Its not the first time that police officers have found themselves caught in the middle. The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement earlier this decade spawned a blue lives matter campaign and the belief among many Americans that cops were being unfairly stigmatized over the actions of a few or split-second decisions during tense situations. But now, Americans are largely united behind the idea that change is necessary: 29% think the criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul, 40% say it needs major changes. Just 5% believe no changes are needed, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The long, often dark history of American policing has meant minority communities are treated one way, and white ones another. Floyd's killing cracked open the pain anew, but minorities have long begged for officers to stop seeing them as criminals and to police with equity. While many activists acknowledge that the problems they're fighting go beyond police departments, they say that doesn't mean individual officers aren't guilty. People who try to sell you police reform are trying to sell you the idea that you can (asterisk)train(asterisk) the anti-Black racism out of an institution built upon and upheld by anti-Black racism, activist Adam Smith tweeted. A culture that allows racism to fester in law enforcement hasnt yet changed because that would take deep structural shifts, new blood and a lot of time, said Sandra Susan Smith, a criminal justice professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Its not just about the institutional mandate to control and confine, its also about the views individual officers bring to neighborhoods, she said. The difference now is top police officials nationwide are increasingly supporting reform. Patrick Yeos, president of the national Fraternal Order of Police, said change must come from the top down and lawmakers must play their role. These issues are not created by officers," he said. Police don't always have the autonomy their elected leaders claim they do. When NYPD officers were stopping hundreds of thousands of mostly Black and Hispanic men a year, top brass said officers were exercising their judgment and the stops were necessary. But officers testified at a federal trial over the stop-and-frisk tactic they felt pressured by superiors to show they were cracking down. And those stops rarely resulted in arrest. Cerelyn Davis, police chief in Durham, North Carolina, and president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, said reform is possible, but there must national accountability standards, and teeth behind them. They talk about one bad apple," she said. "In this field we cant afford to have one bad apple. One bad apple can have grave consequences. As the debate has played out, the tensions have led to violence. Officers are accused of harming protesters. And theyre getting hurt and killed, too. A sheriff's deputy in California was killed and four others officers wounded by an Air Force sergeant with links to a far-right group, officials said. He was also charged with killing a federal security officer outside a courthouse. A 29-year-old police officer was shot in the head during a protest on the Las Vegas Strip and has been left paralyzed from the neck down. Hundreds of officers have been injured in the protests in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, some critically. This, too, has happened before. In 2014, after the grand jury declined to bring charges against a cop in the death of Eric Garner, a man angry over the death shot two officers dead in their patrol car. Across the nation, others were targeted. In New York, where an officer was charged with strangulation Thursday after an apparent chokehold the same tactic used on Garner Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said continued reforms are needed and he lauded the push for them. But, he said: "Its also a moment in time where its a pretty tough time to be in law enforcement. ___ Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo and Gary Fields in Silver Spring, Maryland, contributed to this report. 5 differences between Democrat, GOP police reform bills Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As protesters across the United States continue to demand that cities defund police departments in the wake of George Floyd's death, a stalemate between Democrat and Republican lawmakers could thwart the passing of nationwide police reforms. Both the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democrat-controlled House have introduced police reform bills. Even though the Senate bill was blocked by Democrats this week, the Houses billpassed 236-181 on Thursday, with three Republicans voting for it. The legislation is unlikely to pass in the Senate. While there are major differences, there are also similarities that could indicate areas of common ground. Below are five areas where there are some similarities or differences between the two police reform bills. Chokeholds Many outraged demonstrators have been calling for a ban on police use of chokeholds following the videoed death of the 46-year-old Floyd underneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., introduced the GOP police reform package earlier this month that sought to increase transparency at police departments and incentivize state and local agencies to ban the use of chokeholds by their officers. However, Scotts bill was opposed by Senate Democrats, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., calling the bill woefully inadequate. Democrats argue that the GOP bill does not outright ban what they are calling chokeholds more accurately known as a "vascular neck restraint" or "carotid restraint control hold." These are sleeper holds that temporarily reduce blood supply to the brain and render a person unconscious for seven to 10 seconds. These holds do not restrict a person's ability to breathe because they do not compress the trachea. The other type of hold is a respiratory hold that puts pressure on the trachea and restricts a person's ability to breathe. "This type of hold should never be used by law enforcement unless lethal force is justified," says Police magazine. The GOP bill would condition federal funding on whether state and local police departments enact policies that restrict the use of chokeholds defined as maneuvers that block the ability for suspects to breathe except in cases where deadly force is authorized. Scott contends that requiring state and local agencies to adopt policies that restrict the use of chokeholds to get federal funding is essentially a default a ban on chokeholds. His bill also instructs the Justice Department to develop a policy for federal law enforcement agencies that would ban chokeholds except when deadly force is authorized, according to The Wall Street Journal. One criticism by Democrats of the GOP bill is that while it also incentivizes bans on the use of chokeholds, it does not expressly call on agencies to ban the use of carotid restraint control holds. Scott has said that he's open to amending the language of the bill but accused Democrats of stonewalling the legislation. According to The Associated Press, the House bill goes as far as banning respiratory holds and carotid restraint control holds for federal law enforcement agents. It would also condition federal funding for state and local law enforcement agencies based on the enactment of bans on both. No-knock warrants Many have also called for a ban on no-knock warrants following the police shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this year. Taylor was shot when police officers executed a no-knock search warrant of her apartment. Democrats oppose the GOP bill because it doesnt ban no-knock warrants while the Democrat bill does. No-knock warrants are court orders allowing police to enter a property without knocking on a door or ringing a doorbell before they enter. The practice is typically used in more dangerous police investigations and raids. The House bill the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 would specifically ban the use of no-knock warrants by federal agents investigating drug cases and would incentivize through federal funding that state and local law enforcement departments prohibit the use of no-knock warrants. AP reports that the Republican proposal requires through the threat of withholding federal funds that state and local law enforcement agencies report specific data on their uses of no-knock warrants to the Department of Justice every year. Scotts bill would require the Justice Department to produce a yearly public report on the use of no-knock warrants nationwide. Scott has said that Republicans in the Senate want to collect more data on no-knock warrants before instituting a sweeping change banning the practice. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced a standalone bill in the Senate earlier this month that would require federal law enforcement officers to provide notice before they execute a search warrant. His bill would also require state or local law enforcement agencies to adopt a similar policy to receive Justice Department funds. Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer, praised Pauls bill. "I think it's just the beginning, but I'm definitely satisfied," Palmer told The Courier-Journal. "I definitely think it will help families after mine." Qualified immunity The House bill seeks to end what is known as qualified immunity, a legal principle that provides government officials with immunity from civil lawsuits relating to their actions as government agents. The immunity generally should not protect actions that violate established legal precedent. The immunity principle has been seen as a way to guard against unnecessary legal action filed against government officials. Because of the qualified immunity doctrine, police officers are not typically held responsible for questionable actions on the job, even in cases where people have died. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the qualified immunity principle in the past, and the court recently turned down other challenges to the doctrine in its next term. The House bill would radically change federal misconduct laws to make it easier for courts to hold officers personally liable for violating the rights of suspects. GOP leaders argue that eliminating qualified immunity will open officers up to unnecessary legal liabilities and hurt efforts to recruit qualified police officers. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., argued on the House floor this week that the recent elimination of legal shields in precincts around Atlanta could result in an exodus of officers who are applying for jobs elsewhere because they don't think they can get backed up. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told media this week that she believes the Democrat bill would undermine the due process rights of every officer by making pending and unsubstantial allegations available to the public, causing reputational damage based on allegations alone. In the Senate, one Republican, Mike Braun of Indiana, has introduced his bill seeking to reform the doctrine of qualified immunity. Braun argues that the current interpretation of qualified immunity allows law enforcement in high-profile excessive force and abuse-of-power cases to avoid civil suits. He says that government employees have access to an overly broad qualified immunity defense that is extended to cases when officers commit egregious acts. Scott has proposed the idea of implementing a decertification process for officers who commit misconduct. Scotts bill also calls for and would fund training for law enforcement officers that touches on alternatives to using force, de-escalation strategies, and when officers should engage when another officer is using excessive force. The Democrat bill does not address this concern, according to a side-by-side comparison of the legislation by AP. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., called the Republican-backed proposal a "token, half-hearted approach," which many took as a racial slur since Scott is black. "To call this a token process hurts my soul for my country, for our people," Scott, the author of the legislation, said. National registry and database Both bills call for greater reporting by police departments to the federal government when it comes to cases that involve police use-of-force. The Democrat bill calls for a national registry that logs complaints and disciplinary records of police officers. The House bill also requires states to report to the Justice Department any incident in which force is used against a civilian or law enforcement officer, AP reports. Additionally, under the House bill, agencies would be required to report to the Justice Department the reason why force was used as well as information on the race, sex, age, ethnicity, national orientation and housing status of every civilian who was handled by use of force. The Senate bill would require state and local law enforcement agencies to report all use-of-force incidents and officer-involved deaths to the FBI every year. Under the bill, the FBI would produce a yearly report based on the national use-of-force data collected from all agencies. The bill holds that jurisdictions that do not comply could lose federal funding. Scotts bill also calls for the creation of commissions to study the criminal justice system and the status of black men in America. Changes to federal law According to AP, the House bill would amend federal civil rights law that governs police misconduct to no longer require prosecutors to prove something that carries a high burden of proof if they want to prosecute officers: that an officers actions were willful. Such a measure would make it easier to hold police officers criminally responsible under federal law for violating the rights of an individual knowingly or with reckless disregard. By comparison, the Senate bill does not amend that section of civil rights law. Eoin OBroin has said Sinn Fein councillors nominating Paddy Holohan for Mayor of South Dublin was wrong. The Sinn Fein housing spokesman told RTE that he was not happy about the decision and that he would not support Mr Holohan. I heard after the vote had taken place, he said. Paddy received a five-month suspension for his comments, comments that dont reflect our party policy and caused enormous anger, internally within the party and offence to members of the public. He was re-admitted, but I have to say I think it was wrong for the party councillors to nominate him and if I was on the council I wouldnt have supported such a proposition. Sinn Fein has reinstated the controversial councillor and former MMA fighter after a suspension, a move that has disappointed some members. It is understood a number of staff in Sinn Feins headquarters have told party chiefs that they are disappointed Mr Holohan is back in the party. Mr Holohan posted a picture to social media yesterday confirming the party's councillors on South Dublin County Council nominated Mr Holohan for Mayor of the county. Mr Holohan was not elected to the position. A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: Cllr. Paddy Holohan was recently readmitted to membership having served a five-month suspension. Nominations in respect of Council positions are a matter for Council groups. The party was not aware of his nomination. The ex UFC star was suspended from the party in January after it emerged he had made comments regarding the alleged use of sexual extortion by women on his podcast. Those comments followed other remarks Mr Holohan made about Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's Irish heritage and the fact that he, in Mr Holohans opinion, does not represent a family man. Sources within the party have questioned whether the suspension was still in effect, but a party spokesperson confirmed that it was and that a disciplinary process was underway. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had declared herself "shocked and deeply disappointed" by Mr Holohan's comments on his No Shame podcast, where he had claimed underage girls were extorting men for money. "There is some f****** scum women out there as well. And I just want to say to you, theres a situation that I heard during the week somebody was underage, the person didnt know they were underage, the girl pursued the guy. Got whatever she needed, had pictures, had videos, and then said I want 10 grand." Conte promises Italian schools will start again in "complete safety." Italy's schools are to reopen on 14 September following a nationwide covid-19 lockdown that began on 5 March. The news, announced by Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte and education minister Lucia Azzolina on 26 June, came after a deal was reached between the central government, regional authorities and the national association of school principals. The government's initial draft guidelines had been shot down on 25 June by the regions and the principals for not providing necessary funds or clear instructions, resulting in the education ministry going back to the drawing board. The new deal has seen an injection of an additional 1 billion in funding which will allow, among other things, the employment of 50,000 extra teachers and auxiliary staff. Key to the plan is the formation of a task force of principals to assess the needs of schools and to help them to meet the social distancing rules which require students to be seated one metre apart. The central points of the plan include classes being divided into various learning groups, staggered entry into schools, and opening for lessons on Saturdays. Distance learning, or remote teaching, will only apply to senior schools, and then only in a complementary capacity - if required - to education in the classroom. "We are giving clear but flexible solutions: each school is structurally different from the other, we must take this into account," said Azzolina. The education minister added that Italy's teachers would receive a bonus in July of between 80 and 100, in what she described as a "recognition they deserve because the salaries of Italian teachers are among the lowest of Europe. Conte said the additional 1 billion funds "must allow us to start again in September in complete safety, to have a more modern, safer, more inclusive school. We want less crowded classes", adding that "we can not tolerate the so-called 'chicken coop' classes anymore." A police officer who was injured during a mass stabbing in Glasgow has shared his first public statement from his hospital bed. PC David Whyte, 42, was one of six people injured during the knife attack at the Park Inn Hotel on Friday, which say the suspect fatally shot by police. Three of the casualties were asylum seekers staying at the hotel, while two were members of staff. All six victims remain in hospital, with one in a critical condition. Glasgow stabbing attack: Injured police officer named In a statement shared by Police Scotland, PC Whyte described the scene that confronted him and his colleagues. He said: "The incident myself and colleagues faced in West George Street was extremely challenging. "The scene we were confronted with is something I will never forget. "As the first responders on scene, myself and my colleague did what all police officers are trained for to save lives. "I would like to thank my colleagues who put themselves in harm's way to contain this incident and assist with the vital treatment given to myself and others at the scene by other emergency services." Glasgow Attack - In pictures 1 /22 Glasgow Attack - In pictures Emergency services staff with a person on an ambulance trolley at the scene in West George Street in Glasgow Milroy1717/AFP via Getty Images Getty Images Armed officers @ThatReilz/PA Emergency respoders are seen at the scene @Milroy1717/Reuters Sky News Sky News @JATV_scotland/PA @JATV_scotland/PA Sky News @Milroy1717/Reuters @JATV_scotland/PA @JATV_scotland/PA Sky News @Milroy1717/PA @Milroy1717/PA Getty Images Getty Images He continued by thanking the medical staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for their outstanding care in the hours following the incident. Finally, I would like to thank the public for all their kind messages of support and for the good wishes from all at Police Scotland, he said. It means a lot and has brought both myself and my family great comfort at this difficult time. The constable also asked that his privacy be respected. Police Scotland, which has said the attack is not being treated as terror related, has launched an appeal for any witnesses to come forward. Officers were called to the hotel at 12.50pm and the incident was quickly contained, the force said. The suspect was shot by an armed unit and died at the scene. Following an update from Police Scotland on Saturday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: My thoughts today remain with Constable Whyte whose bravery we are all deeply grateful for and the other people who sustained injuries in yesterdays terrible incident. I wish them all a full and speedy recovery. The Park Inn hotel was being used to house asylum seekers. All of those injured are aged between 17 and 53. Meanwhile, a man who said he knew the perpetrator claimed he warned of the attack the night before. Giving his name as Siraj, he told ITV: He said I will attack so everyone should take it seriously. I told him no, theres no need to attack and he said they hate me, I hate them, they are against me. He started to say a lot of stuff like that but I said nobody hates you, nobody knows you, nobody knows each other. I reported him to the hotel reception and then the next day, yesterday morning, the housing manager talked to me and I said to him everything he (the attacker) said to me. And in the afternoon, it happened. Wearing personal protective equipment, nurse Kristen Wilson checks on a COVID-19 patient at El Centro Regional Medical Center on June 10. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Local and state officials met Saturday in El Centro to hash out a plan to deal with a high number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that have at times overwhelmed the healthcare system in Imperial County. The meeting, which included attendees from local hospitals, involved listening sessions and several breakout meetings, but no concrete decisions have been announced, said Linsey Dale, a county spokeswoman. "There will be more details as solutions develop in the coming days," she said. El Centro Mayor Efrain Silva said the goal of the meeting was to come up with a mitigation plan to drive down Imperial Countys high positivity rate and increase its hospital capacity. State officials didn't say much during the meeting, Silva said, but focused on taking notes, which they intended to relay back to others in Sacramento. They made a commitment that theyll provide the resources the Imperial Valley needs, Silva said, noting that some of the topics they addressed included hospital capacity, the need for faster testing turnaround and the hiring of more contact tracers. The meeting came a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he was urging Imperial County to reimpose stricter stay-at-home orders amid a per-capita case rate and positivity rate that both rank as the states highest. The county has averaged 1,173 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, as well as a test positivity rate of 23%. Over the last five weeks, more than 500 patients have been transferred to other counties to relieve pressure on the rural countys hospitals. Still, it remained undecided whether additional businesses in Imperial County would be directed to close as a result of the governors recommendation. The countys Board of Supervisors elected to take no immediate action during an emergency meeting Friday night to discuss Newsoms announcement. Instead, officials said, they are urging residents to adhere to the stay-at-home rules that are in place. Story continues At this point, there is no decision to make any change yet, Supervisor Luis Plancarte said at a news conference that followed the meeting. I think over the next few days we will be working with representatives from the governors office and seeing what the best path going forward will be. Some locals, including Calexico resident Luis Flores, are frustrated with the Board of Supervisors timeline and want to see stricter stay-at-home orders reinstated immediately. Its a drastic step, but were experiencing a chart-topping crisis, said Flores, who is part of a group of community advocates who have joined together during the pandemic to raise awareness about underlying health inequities in the region. While Flores advocates for stricter stay-at-home restrictions, he said its critical that they be coupled with other policy decisions that make it possible for people to stay home and stay healthy. Those steps, he said, must include expanding a moratorium on evictions and adding more Spanish-speaking contact tracers. Imperial Countys health officer first issued a stay-at-home order in March. The county is currently in Stage 2 of relaxing that order, most recently amending it May 26 to permit in-store shopping and the resumption of religious services, provided certain precautions are taken. The county is one of only a few in California that has not obtained a variance to move more quickly through Stage 2 into Stage 3 of rolling back restrictions, despite a push by local business associations and the county Board of Supervisors for the state to give county authorities control over the timetable. Even after the governor's announcement, local officials appeared reluctant to backtrack on the countys limited reopening, saying that its geography might mean thats not the best way to mitigate the virus spread there. Imperial County is bordered by Arizona to the east, Riverside County to the north, San Diego to the west and Mexico to the south. We are surrounded by communities that are in a different opening stage than us and therefore able to provide services that are not available here, Silva said. So I think that were fooling ourselves if we think that if we shut down further that our citizens are not going to travel very short distances in every direction and be able to still look for those services. Other complicating factors include a large number of U.S. citizens living in Mexico who cross the border each day to work and to seek healthcare, which has at times put a strain on the county's hospitals and forced them to divert patients, Silva said. That's not only because of a lack of beds but because the hospitals lack the equipment and expertise to deal with certain severe cases of COVID-19, he said. For that reason, local officials plan to ask the state to increase the capacity of a field medical station so its able to treat COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms, Silva said. The medical station, which is at Imperial Valley College, currently has 80 beds to care for patients whose cases are not acute, according to the state. Local officials are also considering asking the state for help creating a public information campaign aimed at getting more people to wear face coverings and observe social distancing, Silva said. "As we have heard from experts, the solution is actually not that complicated in that if we all adhere to the recommendations the face masks and the distancing and the sanitation suggestions this would be much better," he said. "But even here locally we see resistance to some of those preventive measures." Three minority-owned business owners in Rio Rancho said they feel supported by the community, business organizations and city government. Magic Mirror Photo Booth NM rents out mirror photo booths, bouncy houses and more. Co-owner Keiosha Miller said Mayor Gregg Hull and Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce are supportive. The mayor does really well in trying to support what I do and in how to help business in the community, she said. I think (the chamber) tries to stay active with every type of business, small or large, Miller said. I think they try to make sure that businesses, minorities, from all aspects are promoted, and they try everything they can to help businesses stay afloat. Miller is also a part of a group of volunteers who represent the chamber to support the business community called the Ambassadors, according to the RRRC website. Rio Rancho Regional Chamber of Commerce is the leading business-support organization in Rio Rancho, Sandoval County and west Albuquerque. Minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs make up a significant portion of our membership and minority-owned businesses are the fastest-growing area of the chamber, said Jerry Schalow, president and CEO of the chamber. Over 50 percent of the chamber is made up of minority-owned businesses, he said. The chambers goal is to help business owners be successful in delivering a wide range of tools that includes mentoring, training, advocating and networking, Schalow said. Uncle Ts Sangwiches, Stews and Coffee co-owner Clinton Ellison III also said the chamber is supportive. I think our experience has been very positive, he said. Ellison said the only thing Rio Rancho could improve on is inspiring more home-grown business owners, as well as shopping local. I grew up out here, I think we have our neighbors go down the hill too often, he said. The shop is at 1520 Deborah Road Suite O. Rio Rancho president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Linda Townsend-Johnson said the NAACP provides a service to the community if someone feels there is any type of discrimination or inequity. She said the group has not had any businesses reach out to acquire their services in Rio Rancho. Karen Johnson-Bey owns KLynns Southern & Cajun Fusion at 4300 Ridgecrest Drive, Suite O. I have lived in Rio Rancho since 1977 and we have nothing but awesome things to say. That is why we are still here, she said. Johnson-Bey said her customers have always been wonderful and they have been even more wonderful by supporting her business through the pandemic. Credit: Getty. The Post Office is lifting the suspension of travel money services as the lockdown eases and Brits prepare for the summer holidays. The UK's biggest travel money provider stopped a number of its services in late March as the public were told to stay home. Travellers can now order foreign currency online and click and collect will be available from some branches nationwide from 1 July. Both of these services will have a 400 ($493) minimum. The news comes as the government prepares to announce plans for a series of travel corridors, or air bridges, with popular Europeans destinations including France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Greece. This would mean travellers would not have to quarantine for 14 days when returning to the UK, which is the current rule. Pre-ordering of foreign currency in branches is restarting gradually as customer demand grows. Some in-person exchange in branches did continue during the COVID-19 lockdown but this was relatively low due to people staying at home. Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money said: "We have been monitoring the position carefully in recent weeks and are aware of growing consumer interest in holidays as lockdown rules have relaxed. "We're following FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) advice closely and we advise holidaymakers to do the same." For several months now, the FCO has advised only essential travel continues. During the pandemic there has been a sharp fall in the value of the pound against the euro, meaning travelers will receive less than they would have done in February. The Post Office rate is 8.2% lower than the February peak, with 1 now buying just 1.08. Customers obtaining currency from the Post Office, whether online or in branch, will be refunded if their holiday is cancelled owing to coronavirus. Other foreign exchange have continued with online orders throughout the virus outbreak with Travekex delivering to people's homes but closing bureaux. Granting Ukraine with Membership Action Plan in NATO, EU membership prospectives are most painful sanctions for Russian president Yeliseyev The most painful sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the cheapest ones for Ukraine's western allies are the granting Ukraine with the Membership Action Plan in NATO and European Union membership prospects, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine in 2007-2010, Ukraine's Ambassador to the European Union in 2010-2015, Diplomatic Advisor of the President of Ukraine in 2015-2019 Kostiantyn Yeliseyev has said. "The most painful sanction against Putin and the cheapest one for the western allies is to grant Ukraine with a membership action plan in NATO and the European Union membership perspective. Huge incentive for reforms and development of Ukraine. And at the same time the huge blow for Putin's aggressive and revanchist policies to bring back Ukraine to the Soviet Union," he said during an online discussion within Kyiv Security Forum on June 26. Yeliseyev also called four steps that could help to settle the situation in Donbas. "Number one. There is no better strategy in dealing with Russia than showing strength and unity. We must be firm and clear in our messages to Kremlin and consistent in our actions vis-a-vis Putin. No appeasement, no unconditional return to business as usual," he said. Secondly, the diplomat said that political and economic sanctions on Russia must be strengthened. "They will keep Russia form further invading Ukraine and keep Putin sitting at the negotiation table," he said. Thirdly, it is necessary to return to the idea of deployment of UN peacekeeping operation in Donbas, Yeliseyev said. "Fourthly, keep building upon military resilience in Ukraine, including supplying defensive lethal weapon, anti-air and helicopter forces. It is important that the U.S. to not revise the policy concerning Ukraine," he said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More A day after Hindustan Unilever announced that it will drop the word 'fair' from Fair & Lovely brand, LOreal, the worlds biggest cosmetics company, has said that it will remove words referencing white, fair and light from its skin-evening products, a spokeswoman said on Friday. Unilever and LOreal are two big players in the global market for skin whitening creams used in many Asian, African and Caribbean countries where fair skin is often considered desirable. Unilever, in particular, came under fire for its Fair & Lovely brand at a time of worldwide focus on racial injustice following weeks of protests sparked by the May death of George Floyd, a Black man, in police custody in the United States. LOreals products include Garnier Skin Naturals White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream. Johnson & Johnson went a step further, saying it would stop selling skin whitening creams sold in Asia and the Middle East under its Neutrogena and Clean & Clear brand. Kolkata-based FMCG firm Emami, which owns fairness cream brand Fair & Handsome, had said it is evaluating the current situation. "We, as responsible corporate citizens value consumer sentiments and take cognizance of the holistic approach that is required to be taken to address their needs. We are studying all implications currently and evaluating internally to decide our next course of action," an Emami spokesperson had said. (With agency inputs) Social media was supposed to be the great equalizer, but a new study suggests that most elected officials in Canada, the United States and elsewhere are struggling to connect with people on Twitter. (Matt Rourke/THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/) 500,000 Users Join Parler After Twitter Bans 2 Conservative Accounts Social Media platform Parler received 500,000 user signups after Twitter banned popular conservative user accounts from its site, according to multiple reports. Parlers user metrics data, acquired by Mediaite, show that Parler, which has been active for about two years, saw a boost of around 50 percent in their user base, bringing the total number of users to 1.5 million. The rise in sign-ups came after Twitter banned two popular conservative figures from its platformone of which is Carpe Donktum, a well-known content creator whose content is often shared by President Donald Trump, and the second being Raheem Kassam, an editor for National Pulse, according to Mediaite. Although Kassams account wasnt banned like Carpe Donktums, his account was nonetheless locked. As a result, many people called out Twitter for unfairly banning conservative-leaning user accounts. Some lawmakers even encouraged others to join Parler, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who said that he had also joined the platform on Thursday, calling the platform a social media outlet that understood what free speech was all about, according to Mediaite. Cruz maintains an account on both platforms. And Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) also joined Parler, but also has an active account on Twitter. Parler, created in 2018 by John Matze and Jared Thomson, brands itself as the free speech alternative to Twitter. Big tech is not too big to topple, in fact, they are blinded by their size/power and are hurting themselves by ideologically targeting groups, Matze said in 2018, the news outlet reported. Reasons For Banning and Locking Accounts National Pulse reported on the locking of the Kassams Twitter account, writing that on June 20, Kassam shared a post on Twitter regarding multiple stabbings in the vicinity of a Black Lives Matter protest. However, three days after it was posted, Twitter notified Kassam and told him that his account was locked. Twitter alleged that by posting the tweet, Kassam violated the platforms regulations to refrain from sharing content that featured deceased individuals in which they die with the intent to abuse, or if the media is excessively gory. Kassam called out Twitters double standard, especially regarding content involving George Floyd, saying that while videos of Floyd portrayed similar contentall of which depicted content of deceased individualscontent and videos regarding George Floyd was okay to be kept on Twitter. Kassam told the National Pulse: As a REAL news person, you deeply think aboutevery timewhether or not youre showing something people dont see to see. On balance I made the calculations that there was serious breaking news that would aid the public during a terror attack in England. This is the same thought people had when [they] shared the George Floyd video. They wanted people to know the truth and tweeted it. But for some reason, the Floyd death remains up on Twitter but the deaths of three white men at the hands of a Libyan asylum seeker must come down? People can draw their own conclusions. Carpe Donktum, a pro-Trump content creator, on the other hand, had his Twitter banned for violating copyright infringement, according to Lacorte News. Twitter said of the case, per our copyright policy, we respond to valid copyright complaints sent to us by a copyright owner or their authorized representatives. The account was permanently suspended for repeated violations of this policy. Carpe Donktum said he always complies with rules pertaining to copyright. I have ALWAYS complied with DMCA takedown rules, and I have submitted counterclaims when necessary, but I have NEVER uploaded content that has been removed. I have abided by the community guidelines, and followed the rules. It doesnt matter. I have been banned for being effective and they wont even look at me in the eye as they do it, Carpe Donktum said. Furthermore, he said that Twitter has not offered him information on how he can get his account back, leading him to believe that he is permanently banned from the platform. From NTD News Decision comes as entertainment industry comes under growing pressure to give more opportunities to non-white actors. The Simpsons will no longer use white actors to dub ethnic minority characters, the producers of the long-running animated series have announced. The decision, announced on Friday, includes a recurring character from the series Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, a grocer of Indian origin voiced in the American version of the show by white actor Hank Azaria. The character has long been seen as problematic and conveying racist stereotypes. Last January, Azaria announced that, in agreement with producers, he was abandoning the role. Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters, Fox Studios said in a statement to AFP news agency. The change will also affect the character of Dr Hibbert, a black man dubbed by the white actor Harry Shearer who also lends his voice to many other characters on the series from Homer Simpsons boss Mr Burns to the chirpy neighbour Ned Flanders. So: -Yes, @TheSimpsons (& other animated series- but I don't really care about any of the others) *should* have nonwhite characters voiced by nonwhite actors. AND should hire nonwhite actors rather than kill nonwhite characters. -BUT some characters (#BumblebeeMan?) should go. Jonah Blank (@JonahBlank) June 27, 2020 I understand we must change in these times. I get it. It is just hard watching my favorite show @TheSimpsons and the characters slowly disappear.. I fear the end.. the show has been my life.. Billy Eastwood (@weastwoodv) June 27, 2020 Meanwhile, Mike Henry, the white actor who voices the black character of Cleveland Brown in Family Guy, another animated series produced by Fox, announced on Twitter that he was giving up the role. Its been an honor to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years. I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role, he wrote. Americans are in the midst of a reckoning on systemic racism and discrimination ignited by the killing of George Floyd, an African American man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. Jayaraj and Fenix died at a Kovilpatti hospital on 23 June after being arrested for allegedly extending business hours of their cellphone shop in violation of lockdown norms. Their relatives have accused police of severely thrashing the father and son at Sathankulam Police Station. The deaths of P Jayaraj and his son Fenix, allegedly in police custody in Madras's Tuticorin, have caused massive outrage across the country. Jayaraj and Fenix died at a Kovilpatti hospital on 23 June after being arrested for allegedly extending business hours of their cellphone shop in violation of lockdown norms. Their relatives have accused police of severely thrashing the father and son at Sathankulam Police Station. It is a tragedy that this occurred, allegedly at the hands of those meant to uphold law and order. While it is important to note that an official report affixing responsibility is yet to be released, this is hardly an isolated instance of police brutality. Indeed, the history of policing in India is closely intertwined with oppressive colonialism. The first formal system of policing was established in the mid 19th Century via the Indian Councils Act of 1861. This was in the aftermath of the mutiny. The establishment of such a control structure was to micromanage the colonial aspirations and impose control. In contrast, for instance, the police established in the United Kingdom (widely through the Peel Reforms) was to assist the administration of justice. The idea of police as control centres led to a culture of fear rather than trust. Forces have, of course, emerged from the shadows in many ways: India certainly has one of the finest trained forces despite grappling with huge numbers, cumbersome bureaucracy and lack of infrastructure. In fact, according to a number of reports, India has one of the worst per capita police numbers. According to some reports, the numbers are as low as 144 per 1,00,000 of the population. This is in contrast to the world median of 300 per lakh population around the world. There are, in many ways, two watershed moments in the recent history of the police. One in 1974 and the other around 1996. In 1974, the Criminal Procedure Code came into force on 1 April. This Act moved away from the colonial undertones of arbitrary power and a number of duties attributed to the police. Provisions of how arrests could be made, how much force police could use, mandatory registration of First Information Report and some rights of the arrestee were defined. It was also made clear how investigations are to be carried out, by whom and in what way. Later, a letter was sent to the then Chief Justice of India by retired police personnel raising concerns of reports of police brutality in the media. The court treated it as a writ petition and passed a judgment that had a far-reaching impact on police powers. The court outlined a number of guidelines for the police to follow, including a police officer wearing a visible badge at all times, a detailed memo of the arrest being prepared, the arrested person having the right to inform a friend or relative and making the arrested person aware of his rights. Additionally, a note of any injuries on the arrestee must be made and a mandatory medical examination carried out within 48 hours of arrest. These guidelines have certainly helped in assuring fair practices of arrest, however, examples of police brutality still surface with alarming frequency. It has been suggested that perhaps guidelines need to be reviewed and technological advances should be used for the benefit of policing. For example, the use of CCTVs will be helpful in conducting online hearings. The task the police is entrusted with is certainly extremely onerous and requires tremendous sacrifice. It is made even more difficult by long hours, lack of adequate facilities and pressure. Nonetheless, as a country we must direct our attention to the police forces. The law, without their complete dedication and assistance, is not worth the paper it is written on. Proper training, sensitisation and an awareness of the gold standards of policing are a must. Complete independence of the police is non-negotiable. What is also crucial are checks and balances: internal inquiries need to be transparent, robust and fair. Citizenry must be made aware of their rights. It is incumbent upon the courts to ensure a fair policing system as any derogation from these standards invites criticism of the legal system. This, in turn, erodes the confidence that the rule of law enjoys. We must step out of the shadows of colonial policing: fear of the police must be replaced by confidence and trust. Training of personnel should reflect this. A system of transparency and fairness, both for the forces and the citizens, should be implemented. Any democracy is only as good as the freedom it enjoys. One custodial death is one too many. Hope this time we act and bring about the extremely essential and pressing changes. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Stepping up the ante on the Congress with revelations on donors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, BJP chief J P Nadda on Friday alleged that the think tank had got grants from the PMs National Relief Fund (PMNRF) in 2007-08. The PMNRF, meant to help people in distress, was donating money to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in the UPA years. Who sat on the PMNRF board? asked Nadda, adding that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi chaired the Foundation. The BJP, incidentally, had defended the constitution of the PM CARES fund in the aftermath of the Covid outbreak with the argument that Sonia remained a member of the PM National Relief Fund. Nadda said Sonia Gandhi had been in the board of the PMNRF when it donated to the Foundation which she headed at that time. People of India donated their hard-earned money to the PMNRF to help fellow citizens in need. To divert this public money into a family run foundation is not only a brazen fraud, but also a big betrayal of the people of India, Nadda tweeted. The donor list of 2005-06 shared by Nadda also mentioned the Ministries of Home Affairs and Health and Family Welfare, the Embassy of Luxembourg as donors. Nadda has been accusing the Foundation of undertaking studies to lobby for free trade pact with China, which swelled the bilateral trade deficit to 33 times in favour of Beijing. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 21:47:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Local government in India's capital Delhi Saturday issued an advisory on measures to contain and control the menace of desert locusts in its territory. The advisory was issued as swarms entered neighboring Gurugram in the morning and some of them in Delhi's border districts in south and west. Reports said in the afternoon the invading insects were seen attacking farms in Chhatarpur in south Delhi. "In continuation to the advisory issued on 27-05-2020 on preventive measures to be taken to control and contain the outbreak of locusts, attention of all concerned is hereby drawn with reference to media reports about the movement, attack of swarm of locusts from Gurugram, Haryana to Delhi," said the advisory. The advisory issued by Delhi's agriculture department has asked deputy commissioners to coordinate with district fire department personnel to make arrangements for spraying insecticide and pesticide. The district magistrates were also advised to deploy adequate staff to make all possible arrangements for guiding villagers and residents to distract the locusts by making high decibel sounds through beating of drums and utensils, besides playing high volume music, setting off firecrackers and burning of leaves. The authorities also urged people to keep doors and windows closed, and cover plants with plastic sheets. The advisory called for organizing awareness programmes for public and farmers to prevent the probable attack of swarms of locusts in the national capital territory (NCT) of Delhi. "As the swarm of locusts flies in daytime, and rests during the night, it should not be allowed to rest at night," said the advisory issued by Development Commissioner of Delhi. "Concerned authorities may carry out spraying of insecticide, pesticide as per need during the night." Swarms of locusts, which first attacked Rajasthan, have now spread to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. During the morning the swarms of desert locusts were seen moving in clusters in Gurugram. Though Gurugram is a district in the adjacent state of Haryana, it forms part of Delhi's national capital region. Many people recorded the videos of the swarms from their apartments and posted them on social media. Locust, a large-size insect, is a short-horned grasshopper of migratory habit, which attacks crops or green vegetation. It causes extensive damage due to its feeding behavior. Officials said the locust swarms usually enter the scheduled desert area of India through Pakistan for summer breeding in the month of June and July with the advent of monsoon. This year, however, the incursions of locust hoppers and pink swarms have been reported much earlier. The migratory pest has the ability to fly hundreds of kilometers collectively. Enditem Nearly 1 in 3 black Americans know someone personally who has died of covid-19, far exceeding their white counterparts, according to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll that underscores the coronavirus pandemic's profoundly disparate impact. The nationwide survey finds that 31 percent of black adults say they know someone firsthand who has been killed by the virus, compared with 17 percent of adults who are Hispanic and 9 percent who are white. Adding in those who know someone with symptoms consistent with covid-19, slightly more than half of black Americans say they know at least one person who has gotten sick or died of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Fewer than 4 in 10 white or Hispanic Americans say they do. Taken together, the poll's findings attest to sharp racial differences in the sense that the virus is close at hand, after nearly a half-year in which it has sparked the nation's worst public health calamity in more than a century. According to authorities on health disparities, those differences arise from the nation's deep-seated socioeconomic inequality and help explain the recent spasm of unrest across much of the country in a drive for racial justice. "This pandemic has really unearthed - shone a real bright light on - the ways these disparities should not be accepted and are not tolerable," said Joseph Betancourt, vice president and chief equity and inclusion officer at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The differing close-up exposure to the virus's ravaging effects is accompanied by divergent attitudes about the best way for the country to recover. Asked whether it is more important to try to control the spread of the coronavirus or to try to restart the economy, even if one hurts the other, 83 percent of black Americans say trying to control the virus is a higher priority. By contrast, when the same question was asked in a Washington Post-ABC News poll last month, just about half of white Americans said trying to control the virus is more important. The differences in proximity to coronavirus sickness and death align, too, with political attitudes, the survey shows. More than 8 in 10 black Americans say that, in deciding which presidential candidate to vote for in the November election, the coronavirus outbreak will be one of the most important factors or very important. Nearly as many Americans who are Hispanic say they hold that view - but fewer than 6 in 10 who are white say the same. The survey "tells us a lot about how the life experiences of individuals in the United States are different by race," said Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. "Life experiences drive a lot about how you view the world, how you make decisions and what you do." The poll's central findings - the frequency of knowing someone killed by the virus - hold a mirror to the well-established pattern that the coronavirus has made its deepest inroads in the United States among black Americans. The virus has been more likely to infect black Americans and more likely to have a devastating effect on their bodies if they contract it. "A lot of people have lost folks, and who knows who will be next?" said Lois R. Travillion, 82, a retired Chicago math teacher and school administrator who has had two friends die of covid-19. In early April, Travillion got a call that a former co-worker in the Chicago school system - a man whom she still saw now and then and still played in his own band - had died of the virus. Travillion said the other was a man, sharp and mobile in his mid-80s, who always sat two seats away from her at the monthly seniors breakfast, followed by Bible study that she attends at St. Stephen AME Church. Next thing she knew, he was infected, in the hospital, on a ventilator. On one of the last days of April, he died. She found out just last Sunday that a member of her own church, Kelly Woodlawn United Methodist, had tested positive and is quarantining at home. And another man she knows, Travillion said, "was on a ventilator for a long time - and we thought he wasn't going to make it, but by the grace of God, he pulled through." When she was a young woman still living in Mississippi, she took part in a 1963 Woolworth lunch counter sit-in to protest segregated seating. When she was new to Chicago in the late 1960s, she took part in the Black Manifesto, a set of demands to improve education at a high school where she taught. The past months, she has shut herself in against the virus, relying on a former student to bring her groceries, wearing a mask when she walks down the hall to empty trash in the incinerator in the complex where she lives near Lake Michigan. "People's lives are more important" than focusing on restoring the economy, Travillion said. "There are so many people who have died. You won't even need the economy because there won't be anybody around." Lester Danner, 28, who lives in northwest Mississippi, has the same view. "It's important to control the virus because we have a walking-dead society with the virus in the air," he said. "A lot of people have died." Early on, a cousin got infected working in a nursing home laundry, Danner said. But she did not develop symptoms. Then, an aunt called to tell him a family friend's brother had died. He got sick in March, held on for a month in a hospital, then succumbed. The man and Danner's father were born on the same day 66 years ago. And now, just across the Tennessee line in Shelby County, cases are spiking - 400 new cases one day this week, more than twice as many as any day in March, April or May. Last week, the city council in Memphis, the county seat, voted to require residents to wear masks in public. "People, they were so excited to be out of quarantine, they probably thought it would be okay, but now we are getting another wake-up call," said Danner, who does branding and marketing work. "You can't take anything for granted." According to the poll, there is not much difference among racial and ethnic groups in the proportion of people saying they know someone who has had possible symptoms of covid-19 but do not know anyone who died. Among white Americans, 28 percent say they know someone with symptoms. That is slightly higher than among black and Hispanic Americans, both at 21 percent. It is the proximity to death that is stark. Among black Americans, the percentage knowing someone who died increases steadily with age. Nearly 1 in 4 adults younger than 35 say they know someone, compared with more than 4 in 10 people 65 and older. The findings are "a true indication of reality," said Betancourt, of Massachusetts General Hospital. He said people of color in the United States tend to live with "a series of preconditions" that put them at greater risk of becoming infected with the virus and of then faring poorly. They include higher rates of poverty and the varied effects of structural racism, Betancourt said. The downstream effects, he said, include crowded housing, more frequent asthma, diabetes and other chronic diseases, and a greater likelihood of being in jobs that do not allow them to work from the greater safety of home. The Post-Ipsos poll was conducted June 9-14 through Ipsos's KnowledgePanel, a large online survey panel recruited through random sampling of U.S. households. Results among the sample of 1,153 non-Hispanic black adults have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points; the error margin is 3.5 points among the parallel sample of 1,051 U.S. adults overall, four points among the sample of 742 white adults and 10 points among the sample of 115 Hispanic adults. - - - The Washington Post's Scott Clement contributed to this report. White does not mean white. White in radical parlance means anyone of any race, creed, nationality, color, sex, or sexual preference who embraces capitalism, free markets, limited government, and American traditional culture and values. This philosophical concept belongs to Noel Ignatiev, a white American of Russian origin, who is the ideological founding father of numerous radical black movements in America. The author of this concept was even lucky enough to see his best students -- Black Lives Matter (BLM) -- in action. Research into the work of this former Harvard professor finally answered the question of why BLM proponents are so negative about the perfectly rational slogan All Lives Matter. The fact is that the black in the interpretation of Ignatiev is a revolutionary Marxist. All those who do not agree with the Left ideology should, according to Ignatiev, be eliminated. The slogan All Lives Matter blurs the concept of the enemy and brings confusion to the minds of revolutionaries. That is why any mention of All Lives Matter (or its version in support of the police -- Blue Lives Matter) provokes such an acute reaction of the Left. According to Ignatiev, black is not the level of pigment in the skin, but the level of adherence to the Marxist doctrine. According to this definition, the great American free-market economist Thomas Sowell, although he has quite enough black pigment, is not black. The conservative justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas is not black either. According to Ignatiev, many black Americans are not black just because they do not want to follow the Marxist dogma. Noel Ignatiev (1940-2019) was born in America in a family of Jewish immigrants from Russia and was a third-generation communist. Moreover, he was not just a member of the Communist Party of the USA from the age of 17 but belonged to its most radical, ultra-left Marxist-Leninist wing. What was his most outstanding contribution to American philosophy? Here it is: Eventually white women can breed out, but my feeling is that if you are a white male, you should kill yourself now. If you are a thoughtful person, with a social consciousness who considers himself white, you will consider suicide. It was he, a convinced, uncompromising, and resolute communist, who in 1967 proposed the doctrine of white privilege. Not as a racial term, but as a somewhat modified Marxist term of the class struggle. The notorious eradication of white privileges is simply the standard Marxist wealth redistribution, expressed in newspeak. Of course, the primary task for Ignatiev was never the physical extermination of whites. He was talking about the ideological purification of the whites from the principles of private property, individualism, and freedom -- all concepts profoundly alien to the Marxists. Supporters of Ignatiev, aiming for socialism in America, have chosen a very peculiar way -- the mass transformation of whites and squeezing out of them of all their whiteness. He sees a happy future as an all-American Gulag, where the re-education of whites into blacks takes place. In this case, Ignatiev has no doubts about his righteousness: The goal of destroying the white race is simply so desirable, it boggles the mind trying to understand how anyone could possibly object to it. The showcase kitsch concentration camp CHAZ/Antifastan in Seattle, with its intolerance of dissent, is the pinnacle of the realization of Ignatieffs ideas. The kneeling of some American police offices, military personnel, and politicians in front of a crowd of blacks (blacks from a Marxist point of view, of course) is an acknowledgment of the supremacy of left-wing ideology over the law. This is a recognition of the supremacy of the leftist dogma over the Constitution and the oath. Kneeling is a confirmation that America is not suffering from systemic racism but from systemic neo-Marxism. Before citing another statement of Ignatiev, lets consider its antithesis: Make no mistake about it: we intend to keep bashing the dead black males, and the live ones, and the females too, until the social construct known as the black race is destroyed. No, this is not black racism. This is a systematic, canonical, and ideologically correct approach to the class struggle, designed to accomplish a dogmatic Marxist wealth redistribution. Why? Because since the 60s, all leftists have known the maxim: The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution. That is why the two paramilitary wings of the Democrat party -- the white Antifa and the black BLM -- perfectly understand each other. After all, the race is not a problem. The main goal is the revolution. (By the way, the white wing of the stormtroopers was also created by the communist: Soviet agent Ernst Thalmann established Antifa in Germany in 1932.) BLM stormtroopers are trying to provoke a racial war in America in the hope that it will develop into a civil war -- simply because it is much easier to make a revolution during a war. One of the founders of BLM, Patrisse Cullors, does not hide the fact that BLM members are trained Marxists who read Marx, Lenin, and Mao. Of course, the entire Ignatievs clink clank is hardly perceived by an unprepared audience. Therefore, for brevity, we formulate the quintessence of Ignatieffs philosophy in a simplified form: racism is a form of anti-communism (meaning the white racism, of course). Actually, many readers are familiar with such definitions. For example, Zionism is a form of racism has been an official UN slogan for many years. Therefore, the militant anti-Semitism of paleocommunist Ignatiev should not surprise anyone. Indeed, according to Ignatiev, it follows that Zionism is a form of anti-communism. Moreover, Ignatiev hated Christianity as much as Judaism (he especially hated Christmas and, oddly enough, Christmas trees). The Race Traitor magazine published a policy article by Ignatiev in 1997 entitled The Point Is Not To Interpret Whiteness But To Abolish It: "When it comes to abolishing the white race, the task is not to win over more whites to oppose racism; there are anti-racists enough already to do the job. The task is to gather together a minority determined to make it impossible for anyone to be white. It is a strategy of creative provocation. Of course, by minority here Ignatiev means a group of fiery revolutionaries, and creative provocation means riots and vandalism. The analogy with the Russian Bolsheviks here is direct the lumpenproletariat was used in the communist coup in Russia; in America, Ignatiev proposes to use the lumpenblacks as cannon fodder. No, not all immigrants from Russia became great Americans, such as Sergei Rachmaninov, Igor Sikorsky, Vladimir Nabokov, Joseph Brodsky, and Ayn Rand. Unfortunately, Russia also offered the arch-communist Noel Ignatiev and the founder of Russian fascism Ivan Ilyin. Thats where the Democrats, who are looking everywhere for the Russian fingerprints, can come unrolled -- after all, if one believes Democrats, even President Trump is the puppet of the Kremlin. Where is the noble indignation of the leftist press about the Russian interference in the United States internal affairs? After all, it was Ignatiev who made titanic efforts to turn American youth into brainless, self-righteous fanatics of a Marxist utopia. The question, of course, is rhetorical. Leftists in America -- despite intraspecific ideological competition and the amount of skin pigment -- are not on the American side of the barricades.. Gary Gindler, Ph.D., is a conservative columnist at Gary Gindler Chronicles and the founder of a new science: Politiphysics. Follow him on Twitter and Quodverum India's desire for peace is born out of strength, should not mistaken otherwise: Army Chief Naravane Indias massive build up will deter Chinese from indulging in misadventure India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: India's Army Chief General M M Naravane has told the political leadership that matching the strength will deter any offensive or misadventure by the Chinese along the Line of Actual Control. The Army Chief who returned to the national capital on Thursday after his visit to the forward areas in eastern Ladakh briefed both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. During the briefing, General Naravane said that the Chinese are unlikely to attempt any misadventure. The Chinese are flexing their muscles and have deployed a large number of troops weaponry along the unresolved LAC. There is a heavy build up especially at the Daulat Beg Oldie Depsang area, the Army assessment says. India has deployed thousands of additional troops. They are also backed by tanks, combat vehicles and howitzers in the region. The IAF fighters such as the Sukhoi-30 MKIs and MIG-29s are also regularly patrolling the skies. Also Read: The Indian troops are in a state of full preparedness and as a result of these actions, the Army's assessment is that the Chinese will not indulge in any misadventure. There would be clashes and face-offs owing to the tensions at the Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso. For now both the Indian and Chinese forces are maintaining stand-off distance from each other. The Indian Army has however vowed not to let China grab any more territory and would continue to press for the restoration of status quo ante. The assessment also says that the de-escalation and disengagement will take many more months. Looking at how matters are on the ground, the internal assessment says that it may drag on at least until October before the situation normalises. The chief was on a two day visit to eastern Ladakh, where he took stock of the situation amidst the rising tensions with China. Chinese build helipad in Pangong Tso, Tuticorin custodial deaths spark row & more | Oneindia News The Indian Army in its assessment says that the situation along the LAC is a tricky one. There is mutual consensus for disengagement, but the continuing build up by the Chinese army is a cause for concern. In addition to this the Army Chief would also be holding discussions with Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat and the Indian Air Force and Navy chiefs. He would brief them about the force requirements on the ground. A decision on this would be handled by the CDS. During his two day visit, he had an on the spot assessment about the stand off points with China in east Ladakh. He had also directed the troops to enhance patrolling of all the 65 points on the Line of Actual Control with the support of the Indo-Tibet Border Police. Even as diplomatic talks continue, India still remains skeptical of China. Following the virtual meet of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs said that both sides promised to implement disengagement. A classified American intelligence report discovered that a Russian spy unit allegedly paid members of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan to attack United States troops residing within the country lethally. Bounties for US troops According to the Wall Street Journal, an assessment of the involvement of the GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency, in urging attacks on US troops, comes after United States President Donald Trump is demanding the Pentagon to send back the majority of the soldiers from Afghanistan. The suspicions also come amid attempts of US diplomats in coming to peaceful negotiations with the Taliban group and the Afghan government. The intelligence report of Russia's alleged role in the incidents in Afghanistan reached the White House earlier this year. Before it arrived at the White House, only a handful of government officials knew of its contents. Several months ago, the United States had concluded that the Russian unit that had previously been linked to attempts of assassination and other secretive operations in Europe attempted to undermine the West, had offered bounties to Taliban members last year to attack US troops, as reported by The New York Times. Islamic militants or those closely linked to them allegedly collected some of the bounty funds, said officials. In 2019, 20 American soldiers lost their lives during combat in Afghanistan, but it is still unclear which of the killings were due to the bounties. Also Read: Top Pentagon Official Resigns After White House Doubts Loyalty to Trump President Trump was briefed on the contents of the intelligence report, and afterwards, in an interagency meeting in March, the White House's National Security Country deliberated the issues. Several officials offered up potential solutions, including making a formal diplomatic complaint against Moscow and demanding it to cease its operations. The option would also include placing sanctions and other possible actions. The White House, however, has not yet stepped into any formal steps regarding the matter. Russia's embassy, located in Washington, DC, did not immediately respond to questions or requests for comments. Ignoring the risks The discovery of Russia's alleged involvement in harming US troops in Afghanistan had drawn Democratic lawmakers to express their criticism of Trump's administration. A member of the House of Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Ted Lieu, said in a Twitter message that if found to be accurate, the actions are outrageous misconduct by Russia. Lieu also noted that Trump was risking the lives of American soldiers by ignoring the dangers and doing nothing to help them. According to Express UK, the battle between the United States and the Taliban has been raging for nearly two decades, and the US government is looking to end the war with negotiations. The encounters began in 2001 when a US coalition entered Afghanistan in the hopes of demolishing Al-Qaeda and cutting away the power of the Taliban. The United Kingdom was considered to be a key ally of the United States during the times. The initial invasion followed a civil war that previously raged within the country that pitted the Taliban against the North Alliance groups. Related Article: Supreme Court Blocks Trump from Ending 'Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals' @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A team of Special Cell, Delhi Police has arrested three hardcore supporters of Khalistani movement who were planning to execute target killings in various states in the northern part of India on the directions of Pakistan ISI sponsored Khalistani leaders. Three pistols with seven live cartridges have been recovered from the possession of the Khalistan Liberation Force terrorists. An iPhone and two Android phones have also been recovered with many incriminating videos and photographs related to Khalistani movement and their propagators, said Delhi Special Cell Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav. The trio has been identified as--29-year-old Mohinder Pal Singh a resident of Delhi, 41-year-old Gurtej Singh a resident of Punjab, and 21-year-old Lovepreet a resident of Haryana. The Delhi Police received secret information regarding the activities of an activist, Mohinder, of the Khalistan Liberation Front namely who was planning to commit a terrorist activity in Delhi. Acting on this input, a trap was laid down near Ganda Nala, Hastsal, Delhi on June 15 and at about 9 pm, accused was correctly identified on a motorcycle and was overpowered by the team members. During interrogation, he disclosed his identity and permanent address as Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir. During his search, one sophisticated pistol with two live rounds was recovered from him. Accordingly, a case was registered in appropriate sections of law. On further interrogation, Mohinder led the team to Punjab and on his instance, Lovepreet was arrested. Two illegal firearms with five live rounds were recovered from him. The duo later led the team to Punjab from where third co-accused Gurtez was also arrested. The arrested persons have disclosed their links with KLF leaders settled abroad and revealed their plans to commit target killings on instructions from Khalistani terrorists sponsored by Pakistan's ISI. Gurtej was in touch with a Pakistan's ISI handler Abdullah and Avtar Singh Pannu of Sikhs For Justice (banned in India) and Gopal Singh Chawla, who is based in Pakistan and is a close aide of Hafiz Saeed. Although he was inclined towards Khalistan movement for long, it was in January 2019 that he met Narayan Singh Chaura in Chandigarh and expressed his willingness to contribute actively to Khalistan movement. He was then included in the 21-member Hawara committee. He started luring youth and succeeded in inducting Lovepreet and more than five others into the Khalistan movement. Schools across Italy are scheduled to reopen starting September 14, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Education Minister Lucia Azzolina announced on Friday. Why it matters: Parents in Italy started returning to work in early May, per the New York Times, as the country gradually reopened after weathering one of the worst early coronavirus outbreaks in the world. Some families and working parents struggled with childcare in the time between businesses and schools reopening, per the Times. Details: Social distancing in classrooms should be enforced as schools reopen, with staggered morning arrivals and meals served in class instead of cafeterias, the government announced, per CNN. Where it stands: COVID-19 infections and fatalities have remained low in Italy throughout June after a steady decrease in May, per data from the World Health Organization and Johns Hopkins. The country reported 255 new cases and 30 new deaths on Friday, per WHO. Go deeper: Spain and Italy try reopening their economies amid the coronavirus New York City police officers who drove their vehicles into a crowd of people protesting police brutality did not violate the New York Police Departments (NYPD) policy on the use of force, Commissioner Dermot Shea declared last week. The commissioner made this remark during a public hearing convened by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who is investigating the NYPDs response to the massive protests that erupted in the city over the brutal murder of George, Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, actions that are continuing a month later. Knowing that city and state officials from both the Democratic and Republican parties will support him, Shea had no hesitation in defending his officers, despite the broad outrage that greeted a video that documented the incident. The police assault took place in Brooklyn on May 30. Video that circulated widely on social media shows a police car stopped in front of a barricade in the middle of a road. A crowd of demonstrators are standing in front of the car. A second police van passes the first, driving straight into the crowd. Then the first car suddenly moves forward and pushes the barricade into the group of protesters. When James asked Shea during the hearing whether driving into the protesters was an appropriate use of force, Shea replied, Im not saying that the police car was used as a use of force. The officers were set upon and attacked, and thankfully they were able to get out of that situation with, to my knowledge, no injuries to anyone. Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio initially responded to the incident by defending the police and blaming the protesters. The police didnt start this situation, he said, instead The situation was started by a group of protesters converging on a police vehicle, attacking that vehicle. De Blasio added that it was inappropriate for protesters to surround a police vehicle and threaten police officers, even though the videos do not show protesters surrounding either police car. The mayor said he was not going to blame officers who were trying to deal with an absolutely impossible situation. After harsh criticism, de Blasio tempered, but did not withdraw, his remarks. Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo also felt obliged to respond. He called videos of some of the protests inexplicable. Echoing de Blasio, he said that the police are in an impossible situation. Talking out of the other side of his mouth, he said that the people deserve answers and accountability. This was followed up by his appointment of James to investigate the police, a gesture aimed at mollifying the public. Officers who violated NYPD policy during the protests will be punished, Shea told the hearing. But the commissioner then admitted that fewer than 10 policemen are facing disciplinary measures, despite widespread reports that officers kicked, shoved, pepper sprayed and cuffed protesters so tightly that it cut off their circulation. One of the few cases of discipline involved a cop who was caught on video violently shoving a 20-year-old woman to the ground and cursing at her during a protest near the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The woman suffered a concussion. In this case, the officer was later suspended without pay and charged with assault and several other violations. The May 29 and 30 incidents in Brooklyn are only two examples of police intimidation and violence against peaceful protesters. The WSWS provided a detailed first-person account of the police kettling a peaceful protest in the South Bronx on the night of June 4. The demonstrators, hemmed in by the police, faced mass arrests before the 8 p.m. curfew deadline had even passed. They were held overnight under abusive conditions. Other instances of kettling, the use of pepper spray and mass arrests are documented in news reports and on a Wikipedia page on the George Floyd protests. As the WSWS reported last week, 18 notices of claim alleging police brutality in the recent protests have already been filed in New York. This is the only a small reflection of the nationwide campaign of that has seen massive, militarized police deployments against peaceful protests. The problem of police violence is not a matter of a few rogue officers. A new generation of protesters, multi-racial and including many teenagers and students, are discovering what the working class has always known. While there is no shortage of racist police, their fundamental role is as the enforcer of capitalist law and order, the armed defenders of the status quo of poverty and exploitation. The everyday brutality of the police, as well as their ability to act with impunity, was graphically illustrated in a recent report in ProPublica, the investigative news website. A reporter for ProPublica gave a detailed report of an incident his family witnessed eight months ago. When his wife and young child were trick-or-treating in Brooklyn last Halloween, they saw an unmarked police car speeding the wrong way on a one-way street. The car seemed to be chasing a few teenagers, and suddenly it hit one of them. The child slid over the length of the police car, hit the pavement, and then got up and ran away. The cops then started bullying a group of younger children who had no apparent connection to the group of teenagers. Officers lined them up, shone lights in their eyes, and questioned them. They arrested and cuffed three of the children. When a mother who had witnessed the interrogation asked the boys for their phone numbers so she could notify their parents, a cop walked up to the woman and shouted her down. The police drove the children to the station and failed to notify their parents as required. The parents nonetheless found out and came to the station, only to be refused entrance. After four hours, when it was almost 1 a.m., the children were allowed to leave. The parents received no paperwork and were not told the arresting officers names. A spokesperson for the police denied that the police had hit a child with their car, contradicting the accounts of at least four witnesses. The ProPublica account goes on to document the aftermath of this abuse. New Yorks Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) announced that it would investigate the incident, but ultimately the NYPD controls these investigations, most of which are not completed. The CCRB was created more than 60 years ago, and during its existence has done next to nothing to curb police brutality. The CCRBs requests for body camera footage, for example, are often denied. Since the pandemic began, the NYPD has not allowed the CCRB to interview officers remotely, thus halting investigations into complaints. The CCRB is understaffed, and de Blasio recently cut its budget by 6 percent. The police commissioner can intervene in investigations at any time and has the final say over punishment. For the most serious cases, the NYPD has rejected the CCRBs recommended punishment approximately two-thirds of the time. In 2018, the CCRB investigated approximately 3,000 alleged violations of policy on the use of force. It substantiated 73 of these cases, barely 2.5 percent. The most serious result where the police were found at fault was that nine officers lost vacation days. Responding to public anger, de Blasio recently announced reforms such as posting NYPD discipline records online and mandating prompt investigations and the release of footage when alleged abuse causes serious injury or death. But none of de Blasios moves affect the commissioners complete authority over discipline. More than six years ago the hated stop-and-frisk policy, used by the police to conduct hundreds of thousands of stops and searches of primarily African-American and Hispanic youth on a yearly basis, was ruled unconstitutional as carried out and its use has since sharply declined. As the above events demonstrate, however, nothing was fundamentally changed by the stop-and-frisk ruling, and de Blasios cosmetic reforms will deliver nothing as well. The role of the police is not susceptible to such measures. It is no more possible to eliminate police brutality than it is to eliminate poverty, inequality and war under the capitalist system. De Blasio, Cuomo and other big business politicians may occasionally pledge a new day in police-community relations, but that is only to defend the interests of the ruling oligarchy. The police forces must be dismantled and transformed by bringing the working class to power and building a socialist society. Its the Pride Weekend and we couldnt think of a better time than this to bring you a string of Bollywood films that have depicted the community realistically on the big screen. From Margarita With A Straw, My Brother Nikhil, Kapoor & Sons to Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, scroll through for the complete list As workers used power-washers to rid the outer walls at Portlands North Precinct of vulgar and derogatory graffiti tags against police, members of Portlands Black community stood with the citys police chief outside the building Friday to decry the vandalism, barricading of precinct doors and setting of a nearby fire the night before. Chief Chuck Lovell called the actions not only reprehensible, but theyre evil, ' emphasizing that people were inside the precinct when vandals blocked side doors by nailing wooden beams across them, and then pushed a dumpster, from which flames were shooting out, along the west side of the building. It needs to stop, and it needs to stop today,' Lovell said. Other Black leaders in the community called the criminal activity the work of terrorists,' delinquents,' and the act of a coward.' They blasted those responsible for undermining the Black Lives Movement and causing damage to Black-owned businesses in an area where the Black community has struggled to maintain its historical hold. Mayor Ted Wheeler called the destruction a horrible, horrendous miscalculation.' You attacked our community,' said Nike Greene, director of the citys Office of Youth Violence Prevention. We will never stand for that.' Longtime community activist Ronnie Herndon, director of Albina Head Start, said the Black community has had its churches burned, its schools burned, but it is not going to tolerate that continuing today. When I hear about somebody burning something down, I think that is an act thats always been used against Black people,' he said. That is a tactic thats been used to destroy Black people, not help Black people. So whoever the demented individual is who did thisyou are not helping us. Does there need to be reform in the police department? Whos going to argue with that? Does there need to be reform in the school system? Yes, but are you going to reform it by burning down the school?' Herndon continued. Do not do this and think somehow you are doing Black people a favor. You are not.' Late Thursday night, dumpsters from businesses along Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard were moved to the intersection with Killingsworth Street, blocking traffic. A fire was set inside one and the dumpster was pushed up to the west side of the police precinct. Graffiti was left on businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, north of the precinct, and windows of the Top To Bottom clothing store were broken and merchandise stolen. Police Deputy Chief Chris Davis said officers used tear gas after they had trouble clearing people from the area once flames were shooting out of the dumpster. They were working to allow firefighters to get in to put out the blaze, he said. Police are under a court order restricting tear gas use to only life-threatening situations. At that point, where they had set the fire and we couldnt get the crowd to move, yeah we had to use CS gas finally after some warnings. That was clearly a life-saving need,' Davis said. There were officers inside the precinct, as well as four people who were in custody at the time, Davis said. Portland native and ex-gang member Lionel Irving Jr., who started a nonprofit called Men Building Men, said he came out to Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Killingsworth Street late Thursday into early Friday to try to talk to those intent on causing damage. He estimated that 30 to 40 people, who were largely white, were involved in the vandalism out of a crowd of about 200 people. I challenge the brothers in this community to come out to these protests. Youve got to come up here and be on the front line. Dont allow them to speak for us,' Irving urged. Dont let them represent you. Dont let them tear our neighborhood down.' You cant oppress the oppressor. That will never work,' he said. Portland police Sgt. Ken Duilio, who introduced himself as a former member of the soon-to-be-defunct Gun Violence Reduction Team and who has raised his family in Portland for more than 25 years, said its disheartening and hurtful to show up to work and see the police precinct covered in nasty messages aimed at police. I want everyone to know, for officers, this is painful,' Duilio said. Its tearing them up inside.' Duilio said the officers in the city stand against police brutality and were sickened by what happened to Minneapolis George Floyd, who died after a police officer there knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while handcuffed and not resisting. Outrage over his death, caught on video, has spurred worldwide marches and demonstrations against police brutality and systemic racism. Officers are for change. We are against what happened in Minneapolis. Were against police brutality. Were against division amongst races and were against the violence. This support means a ton to officers,' Duilio said. We hear that, yeah, the community still supports you,' but we havent felt it for the last several weeks. Its been really hard. Antoinette Edwards, who retired as the citys director of the Office of Youth Violence Prevention, said Thursday morning she was headed to Mid-K Beauty Shop when she saw the building and precinct tagged with offensive graffiti. I cried. This is not OK, ' she said. She thought of a Latino woman who she had encouraged to join the Police Bureau and worried whether she was safe. Chief Lovell, after a news conference, visited with some of the Black business owners at the corner, which has become a hub for the local Black community, a place they gather for free coffee, get their hair cut, shop and just connect. Its hard-working people just trying to make a living,' he said. Jamal Lane, who runs the Champion Barber Institute at the corner, thanked the chief and other community leaders for speaking out in support of people like him. You guys are examples for people like myself,' he said. You have shown us what the fight looks like...whatever went on last night is not about our community.' -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 22:20:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DOHA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Qatari health ministry on Saturday announced 879 new infections of COVID-19, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 93,633, official Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported. Meanwhile, 1,153 people recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 77,225, while the death toll increased by one more case to 110, according to a ministry statement quoted by QNA. The ministry attributed the increase in coronavirus infections to gatherings and visits as well as ignoring the preventive measures such as staying at home and social distancing. A total of 345,691 people in Qatar have taken lab tests for COVID-19 so far. Enditem Green Party councillor David Healy is the new Mayor of Fingal after the council's Annual General Meeting was held in very unusual circumstances at the National Show Centre in Swords. The larger venue was to facilitate social distancing and councillors sat individually in rows, looking for all the world like they were about to take their Leaving Cert exams. As council officials explained the protocols for the meeting, one almost expected the phrase 'turn over your papers now' to echo over the venue's speakers. But the business at hand was to elect a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Fingal and once the technology had been sorted out, that is what councillors got down to doing. Cllr Healy was elected Mayor, defeating Cllr Joan Hopkins (SD) and Cllr Puname Rane (FG) for the council's top ceremonial job. Cllr Robert O'Donoghue of Labour was elected Deputy Mayor. The new Mayor paid tribute to his predecessor, Cllr Eoghan O'Brien for his work in the office and paid glowing tribute to council staff for their work during the COVID-19 crisis. He said that crisis was a 'terrifying reminder that we are not insulated from the biosphere'. He added: 'But it's been a demonstration at the same time that we are capable of rapid, radical and collective action in the face of a global crisis. Fingal has been developing its approach and we have good commitments in our climate action plan towards sustainability in relation to water and biodiversity. 'As a global society, particularly developed countries, we have a lot more to do and Ireland is an integral part of that. We are an innovative council and therefore we are well placed to be part of the major changes we know are needed to protect our environment and that means protecting ourselves.' With a new emphasis on social distancing, Mayor Healy said that more room for pedestrians and cyclists would have to be found and the council should look to countries where this has proven to be successful, to deliver best practice in this area, across the county, in the future. Cllr Healy, who represents the Howth-Malahide Electoral Area, was first elected as a councillor in 1991. Based in Howth, he works as a climate change policy researcher. Cllr O'Donoghue, who represents the Rush-Lusk Electoral Area, has been an elected member since 2018 when he was co-opted to replace retiring councillor, Ken Farrell. Tributes were paid to the outgoing Mayor, Cllr Eoghan O'Brien by councillors and Fingal County Council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly who also presented Cllr O'Brien with a Commemorative Medal and a Photograph Album recording his year in office. Rohan Pednekar On Selling Dried Fish In an interview with ETimes TV, Rohan Pednekar said, "Before lockdown, everything was well and after 3 months we got to know that shoots will begin with 35 people. And among those 35 people, will I be included or not it was disturbing me and I got to know that only famous and top celebs will get work. Then, what about actors like me? I discussed it with my friends and family then we came to the conclusion that I have a piece of good knowledge about fishing because my father used to sell dried fish. I thought I have good knowledge about the same so why should I hesitate to sell it? I started selling dried fish and started to spread the word. As an actor, there is nothing to feel ashamed about selling dried fish, hunger doesn't know your profession." Rohan Pednekar On Hard Work Rohan Pednekar is very hardworking and doesn't believe in taking debts from anyone, even in his tough time. He said, "If someone lends me Rs.1 lakh, I will not take it. You can buy my dried fish packets but I don't want anything in the form of sympathy." Rohan Pednekar After Sushant Singh Rajputs Death After learning about Sushant Singh Rajput's death, Rohan Pednekar had uploaded a video in which he revealed that he is suffering from depression, and explained how he is dealing with it. He said, "I read about Sushant Singh Rajput and made a video on how I am dealing with the financial crisis and depression at the same time. Depression forces you to commit suicide and I don't want to be the next Sushant Singh Rajput. I have been dealing with depression for the last 3 months but I will fight back. I am the only one who is earning in the family and I have a 6-month-old child, my wife is jobless. Then how am I going to help my family financially, what will happen once the shoot gets started? I am not a rich brat and rather belong to the middle-class family. Even if I am an actor, a writer of a few films, I was worried about my future." Rohan Pednekar On Dealing With Depression Rohan Pednekar said, "I was doing well in the first month of the lockdown. Then I saw people are committing suicide, dying because of hunger. I was doing the serial Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and thanks to the production house, I played the role of Sahastrabudhe and got the payment too. I got so depressed later because that period was challenging for me financially. I spent all savings of Rs 3 to 4 lakhs. I am not rich that I have Rs 10 or 15 lakh as savings. I have EMIs, bills pending and other things as well but I accepted the fact and started this new thing." Rohan Pednekar Urges Everyone Rohan Pednekar urged everyone to do any kind of work by keeping their ego aside. He said, "I am feeling really good now that after taking inspiration from me, a few actors have also started selling fruits and vegetables. They might be hiding it earlier but now they are not hesitating to announce it." Kabul/Washington, June 27 : The US is close to finalizing a decision to withdraw more than 4,000 troops from Afghanistan as per the Washington-Taliban deal, a media report said on Saturday. Almost a week ago, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US Central Command, said Washington has reduced its troop level to 8,600 in Afghanistan, fulfilling the first phase of the planned withdrawal specified in the the deal the country signed with the Taliban in Doha on February 29. TOLO News cited a CNN report as saying that the new move would reduce the number of troops from 8,600 to 4,500 and would be the lowest number since the very earliest days of the war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001. The report came a day after a meeting between US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. "We will also follow up on our discussion on Afghanistan. NATO will continue to adjust our presence in support of the peace process," TOLO News quoted Stoltenberg as saying on Friday. "This will be done in close coordination with Allies and partners." The US has committed to withdrawing all of its forces from Afghanistan by next April under the agreement it signed with the Taliban. But it was when the withdrawal would take place. If there's one thing that foretold the City of London's ambition to become the epicenter of finance it was the founding of the Royal Exchange almost 500 years ago. The driving force behind the capital's first purpose-built center for trading stocks was Sir Thomas Gresham, whose legacy survives in the college, City street and law of economics that bear his name. Less celebrated is the role of his prominent backer in the venture, Sir William Garrard: former Lord Mayor and pioneer of English involvement in the slave trade. The City of London is interwoven with so many layers of history, from Roman to Medieval, Civil War and the age of empire, that the lives of the myriad figures who contributed to its status today are often obscured by time. But with outside scrutiny comes the realization that many made their fortunes off the back of slavery and colonial oppression, a fact that is now being acknowledged by some of the financial district's most venerable names, shaking the foundations upon which many of these institutions were built. The Bank of England apologized last week for "some inexcusable connections" to slavery by former governors. Barclays is examining its own history. While "we can't change what's gone before us," the bank is committed to "do more to further foster our culture of inclusiveness, equality and diversity." "We understand that we cannot always be proud of our past," Lloyd's of London, which began life insuring ships and their cargo in the late 17th century, said in a statement. "In particular, we are sorry for the role played by the Lloyd's market in the 18th and 19th century slave trade -- an appalling and shameful period of English history, as well as our own." Those cases were far from isolated. According to Richard Drayton, professor of imperial history at King's College London, Britain became the principal slaving nation of the modern world, with the City providing the finance to facilitate trade with the plantation colonies. "This was big business, and the rich men of the City were in the thick of it," Drayton said in a lecture delivered in the Museum of London last October. The "triangle trade" involved shipping manufactured goods to western Africa and exchanging them for human beings, who were transported in appalling conditions to the Caribbean and sold as slaves to work in the plantations. The tobacco, rum and most of all the sugar that were the fruits of their forced labor were then taken back to Europe. "The formation of the City of London was shaped significantly by sugar," said Nick Draper, one of the lead researchers on University College London's groundbreaking Legacies of British Slave Ownership project. "Merchants in London would advance credit to planters and guarantee remittances to slave traders so that London merchant houses became the center of this economic system built on Caribbean slavery." That uncomfortable, probing questions are now being asked of the institutions that profited from the trade is down to the Black Lives Matter movement that began in the U.S. and crossed over the Atlantic, prompting a re-examining of the role of prominent figures with sometimes contradictory histories in London, but also in the mercantile cities of Liverpool, Bristol and Glasgow. Walking through the warren of ancient streets lined with discrete Victorian facades and modern steel-and-glass towers that make up London's Square Mile -- effectively a city within a city -- it's possible to find echoes of that legacy. Pubs with names like the Jamaica Wine House in St Michael's Alley, or the Sugar Loaf on Cannon Street -- while both housed in 19th century buildings constructed after the abolition of slavery -- hint at what came before. Whereas in the Elizabethan age, financiers like Garrard invested in the voyages of glorified privateers, by the 17th century the trade was more developed, if no less barbaric. Barbados became England's first sugar producing colony in the 1640s, followed by Jamaica after it was seized from Spain. Cargoes of cane were landed at the sugar wharf beside the Tower of London at what is now Customs House. Cannon Street was the site of sugar refineries that helped fuel the rise of England, and after the union of 1707, Great Britain, to a world power. In 1672 came the founding of the Royal African Company, an enterprise backed by the Crown that historian William Pettigrew has said "shipped more enslaved African women, men and children to the Americas than any other single institution" during the transatlantic slave trade. Its shareholders included 15 Lord Mayors and 38 City of London council members known as Aldermen, according to Drayton. Edward Colston, whose statue was torn down and dumped in Bristol harbor this month, was a deputy governor. Its symbol -- as stamped on guineas of the day made with African gold -- was an elephant with a riding carriage, or houdah: the Elephant and Castle. It's not known if the symbol bears any relation to the London landmark of the same name, such are the layers of juxtaposed history. Take the Lloyd's building: Located off Leadenhall, it occupies the site of the headquarters of the former East India Company, which employed a private army to appropriate the subcontinent's wealth. The East India Company's original marble fireplace was incorporated into the Foreign Office in Whitehall when it opened in 1868. The Guildhall off Moorgate, the ceremonial and administrative center of the City since the 15th century, illustrates the difficulty in unpicking and assigning guilt to institutions. Inside is a statue of William Beckford, a two-times Lord Mayor and owner of thousands of acres of Jamaican plantations worked by slaves. The Guildhall was also the scene of a court case over the killing of more than a hundred slaves at sea that spurred the anti-slavery movement, leading to full Abolition in 1833. Even then, Drayton said, slavery continued for decades in other countries in the Americas. "London was the close partner of the expansion of the cotton south in the United States, creating complex mortgage-backed securities which provided a paper veil for a new kind of slave-ownership," he said. David Barclay, one of the founders of the eponymous bank, was a "keen and committed advocate for abolition of the slave trade," even as his bank then in Lombard Street financed plantation mortgages, causing him to suffer a "moral dilemma," according to the UCL slave ownership project. The City's institutions are now confronted with their own moral dilemma. Lloyd's is among those to have pledged to invest in programs to attract and develop Black and Minority Ethnic talent. In 2018, 28% of the City's workforce was of non-White origin. The City of London Corporation, the financial district's governing body, said it understands "it's not enough to say that we are against racism but we have to work to eradicate racism in all that we do." Sajid Javid, the former chancellor of the exchequer, has spoken about his decision to leave the City for New York early in his career in part because of his ethnicity and class. "The U.K. has come a long way since then," he told PBS. "But we still need to make sure we're not complacent and we keep tackling racial injustice wherever we find it." Kehinde Andrews, a professor of Black studies at Birmingham City University, says the wealth generated then is still with us now, helping to perpetuate the racial divide. "It's not past, it's very much the present and a continuation, and the banks are one of the key drivers," he said. "The idea they can just apologize and have some more diversity is frankly insulting." The son of a father whose own parents came from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean immigrants invited to the U.K. after World War II, Dominic Burris-North has a personal connection to the dilemmas raised. He is one of just two qualified "Blue Badge" guides who provide tours of the City focusing on its historic ties to the slave trade. The reactions, he says, are predominantly shock, horror and dismay. "It's really hard to separate slavery from so many things that we know of in modern Britain, from the royal family to our galleries to the British Museum to the Bank of England to former prime ministers -- all of these names, all of these institutions," he said. "As more people start to understand and hear about these things, eventually there will be a reckoning." The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), Senyo Hosi says African leaders must pay close attention to the lessons from COVID-19 for the continent to be self-reliant. Mr. Hosi was speaking during a panel session on the theme COVID-19: Pathways to Africa's Economic Recovery and Growth The place of policy response and private sector mobilization in Africa's recovery efforts at the virtual Africa Summit 2020. Hosi, an economic policy analyst told the panel the coronavirus pandemic has pushed the continent to look within to solve its problems. Africa has a perfect opportunity under Covid-19 to reset its thinking and to trigger the paradigm shift that it has been waiting for. We've always said that Africa is going to be the next economic frontier, but the question is a frontier for who? Is it going to be a frontier for ourselves? If Covid-19 hasn't taught us anything at all, I think it should tell us the need for ourselves to be self-reliant on very key issues and basic things and to be a bit more futuristic in our thinking and our planning. In Africa, over 335,000 thousand coronavirus cases have been recorded with attendant deaths of over 8,850. Many African countries closed their borders in line with the imposition of lockdowns and other restrictions measures to deal with the pandemic. Although this may have caused a strain on economic activities, the halt on importation meant the continent had to look within to fill the gap. In Ghana, indigenous companies took charge of the production of personal protective equipment such as facial masks, ventilators and alcohol-based sanitizers. This somewhat spurred economic activity. Senyo Hosi said it is no longer be acceptable for the continent to be dependent on foreign support while she [Africa] sits on arable lands and has a vibrant youth population. He believes the proper use of agriculture, human resource, education and value addition are the surest ways for the continent to recover from the pandemic and achieve economic development. Vice President of Liberia Jewel Howard-Taylor, a keynote speaker, maintained it was Africa's job to keep its economies afloat during the pandemic, but said it was more important not to miss the negative effect of Covid-19 on women and girls because of their significant roles. There's a lot of loss of income for women, there's a loss of mobility (where to go to settle sexual reproductive health issues), there's a loss of empowerment of women, but most importantly there is an increase in sexual and gender-based violence across our world. She called for the prioritization of empowering women and girls during this global crisis. The virtual Africa Summit 2020 organised by the Africa Leadership Magazine (ALM) was graced by other distinguished speakers including the Prime Minister of Eswatini Ambrose Dlamini, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland, Former Director of Communications of the African Development Bank Dr. Victor Oladokun and Member of the UK House of Lords and Prime Minister's Envoy to Uganda and Rwanda Lord Dollar Popat. On Friday, the Lehigh Valley rolled into the green phase of Pennsylvanias coronavirus reopening plan, the final step of the three-part plan. While many precautionary safety measures are still in place, like mask-wearing, social distancing and a crowd limit, life is inching ever closer to normalcy. The biggest benefit of the green phase to the average consumer is the reopening of many businesses and attractions. Dorney Park announced Friday that theyd be reopening in July, and Wind Creek Bethlehem will be welcoming patrons on Monday. Theres plenty more to come, as establishments have been making announcements in preparation for crowds to come back after a long few months. We compiled many of the areas biggest destinations that are making their long-awaited return. America on Wheels: The downtown Allentown museum will open on July 2 with various safety measures and requirements in place. We are thrilled to announce that America On Wheels is reopening on Thursday, July 2. Temperatures will be checked at the... Posted by America On Wheels on Wednesday, June 24, 2020 ArtsQuest: The ArtsQuest campus will be open for numerous events, including free concerts this weekend, weekly outdoor dining and its Independence Day event, which starts at 5 p.m. on July 4. Colleges and universities: Most of the colleges around the Lehigh Valley have announced the reopening of campuses for the fall, including: Cedar Crest College, East Stroudsburg University, Kutztown University, Lafayette College and Lehigh University. Lehigh Valley Mall: The Lehigh Valley is open for business, according to their website. A link on their homepage details all of the precautionary measures the mall is taking. Lehigh Valley Zoo: The zoo, which has stayed busy during the shutdown, has circled July 1 as its reopening date. Admission can be purchased in advance starting on June 29 at 3 p.m. National Museum of Industrial History: NMIH opened its doors again on Friday with new safety measures in place, detailed on its website. Palmer Park Mall: The Palmer Park Mall announced that its reopening on Friday with new hours, and including a list of all the reopened stores on its Facebook page. Mall Hours are Monday through Saturday 11am-7pm, and Sundays 11am-6pm. If a store has hours that differ from Mall hours,... Posted by Palmer Park Mall on Thursday, June 25, 2020 The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley: Most of the shops around The Promenade are open for business. The shopping centers Facebook page and website includes a list of all the open stores and restaurants. Welcome to green! Please see below for a list of who is open as of this weekend (6/26/2020), and we hope to see you... Posted by The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley on Friday, June 26, 2020 Any other shopping centers, museums or other attractions opening in green? Let us know what we missed. Email information on reopening establishments to clagore@njadvancemedia.com Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Lehighvalleylive.com. Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board in the East Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 26, 2020. President Donald Trump used Twitter on Friday to call for the arrest of protesters involved in this week's attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson from a park directly in front of the White House. He also tweeted that he had signed an executive order to protect monuments, memorials and statues. Trump retweeted an FBI wanted poster showing pictures of 15 protesters who are wanted for "vandalization of federal property." He wrote, "MANY people in custody, with many others being sought for Vandalization of Federal Property in Lafayette Park. 10 year prison sentences!" Trump later Friday announced his executive order, which he had promised earlier in the week. He described it as "strong" but did not immediately release the text. He also said on Twitter that he had scrapped plans to spend the weekend at his central New Jersey home to stay in Washington "to make sure LAW & ORDER is enforced." "These arsonists, anarchists, looters, and agitators have been largely stopped," Trump tweeted. "I am doing what is necessary to keep our communities safe and these people will be brought to Justice!" Protesters on Monday night attempted to drag the statue down with ropes and chains. Police repelled the protesters and sealed off Lafayette Park, which had been reopened to the public for more than a week after protests against the death of George Floyd at police hands in Minnesota. On Tuesday, police cleared out the entire area around the corner of 16th and H streets and pushed demonstrators away from the intersection, which had recently been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by the city. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 14:14:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes on Friday carried out air strikes on Hamas targets in the southern Gaza Strip in response to a rocket attack, said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a statement. Hours after two rockets were fired into southern Israel, IDF aircraft conducted an airstrike against a rocket manufacturing workshop and a weapons manufacturing facility, according to the statement. There were no immediate reports from the Gaza Strip on the extent of damage or injuries. "The IDF views any kind of terror activity aimed at Israel with great severity and will continue operating as necessary against attempts to harm Israeli civilians," the statement said. The mutual exchange of fire came after over ten days of quiet in the area, but tensions are running high in the region as Israel may announce annexation of territories in the West Bank. Earlier this week, Hamas warned that it would respond violently to the expected Israeli move, calling it "a declaration of war." In response, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned Hamas that "they will be the first ones to pay for any aggression." Enditem ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - More than 90% of issues in the tripartite negotiations on the giant Nile dam between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have been resolved, the African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement on Saturday. The African Union has two weeks to help broker a deal to end a decade-long dispute over water supplies. ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - More than 90% of issues in the tripartite negotiations on the giant Nile dam between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have been resolved, the African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement on Saturday. The African Union has two weeks to help broker a deal to end a decade-long dispute over water supplies. The statement said a committee composed of representatives of the three countries, South Africa and technical personnel from the African Union would work to resolve the outstanding legal and technical issues. The committee will issue a report on the progress of the negotiations in a week. (This story refiles to fix typo and dropped word in paragraph 3.) (Reporting by Giulia Paravicini; Editing by Alison Williams) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Police have set a goal to detect almost 300,000 crimes across NSW this year and are using area-specific targets to drive results, which has raised concerns from lawyers and criminologists about officers pursuing "the usual suspects" and "low-hanging fruit". The targets, obtained by The Sun-Herald under freedom of information laws, show police aim to carry out almost 18,000 search warrants this year, with quotas in the Broken Hill and Kings Cross area commands significantly higher than on Sydney's north shore. NSW Police have targets to detect almost 300,000 crimes across 15 categories this year. Credit:Edwina Pickles Quotas have also increased by more than 5 per cent over the past four years despite the actual number of crimes detected falling by 5 per cent over the same period. Police say the targets are based on a three-year average of actual incidents. The "proactive" approach to policing sets targets for the number of detections in 14 categories of crime, including theft, robbery, sexual assault, drug detection, malicious damage and fraud. A Russian military spy unit offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to attack coalition forces in Afghanistan, including U.S. and British troops, in a striking escalation of the Kremlin's hostility toward the United States, American intelligence has found. The Russian operation, first reported by the New York Times, has generated an intense debate within the Trump administration about how best to respond to a troubling new tactic by a nation that most U.S. officials regard as a potential foe but that President Donald Trump has frequently embraced as a friend, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence matter. The officials said administration leaders learned of reported bounties in recent months from U.S. intelligence agencies, prompting a series of internal discussions including a large interagency meeting that was held in late March. According to one person familiar with the matter, the responses discussed at that meeting included sending a diplomatic communication to relay disapproval and authorizing new sanctions. Spokesmen for the National Security Council, the Pentagon, and the CIA declined to comment. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the story, "illustrates the low intellectual abilities of propagandists from American intelligence, who instead of inventing something more reliable have to come up with such nonsense... However, what else can be expected from intelligence, which miserably failed the twenty-year war in Afghanistan" The Taliban denied any involvement. "We categorically reject the notion of ever planning or carrying out targeted attacks against U.S. or foreign forces at the behest of foreign intelligence or for the sake of collecting bounty," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement, "and we also reject receiving material support from foreign intelligence because such undertakings are harmful for the sovereign decision-making of any country and movement." The reports of Russian involvement in operations targeting Americans, if confirmed, sparked anger on Capitol Hill and questions about why the administration has not responded to it. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a combat veteran who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized Trump for supporting Russia's return to the G-7 group of nations at a time when Moscow was, according to U.S. intelligence, seeking to harm American troops. "Donald 'America First' Trump is literally placing Russian interests ahead of American lives, and Republicans do nothing," she said on Twitter. "Putting party before country doesn't just empower Trump to continue serving his own interests, it can cost American lives too." Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he had requested additional information from the Trump administration, saying that such an operation would deepen his concerns about Moscow's actions beyond Russian borders. "If accurate, the administration must take swift and serious action to hold the Putin regime accountable," he said on Twitter. It was not immediately clear whether the militants approached by Russia as part of the operation had succeeded in killing Americans or allied forces. News of the murky initiative comes as American diplomats attempt to kindle political talks that could put an end to America's longest war, now in its 19th year. Earlier this year, the administration struck an initial peace deal with the Taliban. The agreement, which outlined the full withdrawal of the U.S. military within 14 months, was supposed to lead to a prompt start to talks between militant representatives and the Afghan government. But the Afghan parties have failed to complete interim steps, and with the coronavirus crisis taking hold in Afghanistan, those talks have yet to materialize. Hanging over the process is Trump's oft-stated desire to remove U.S. forces from the country, where local forces have been unable to secure an edge over the Taliban despite two decades of foreign funding and advising. The attempt to stoke violence against Americans, if confirmed, would also represent a significant departure from Moscow's earlier position toward Islamist militants in Afghanistan. Previously, U.S. officials had cited what they characterized as sporadic, low-level Russian support for the Taliban, including the supply of small arms via Afghanistan's northern neighbors. After the Soviet Union's own punishing insurgent war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Moscow remained largely in the background in the years after U.S. and NATO forces entered the country in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But as the U.S. intent to withdraw fueled uncertainty, Russia has attempted to wield greater influence. While Moscow's motives for offering alleged bounties were not immediately clear, officials said they might include retaliation for the U.S. military's 2018 killing of Russian mercenary troops working for Yevgeniy Prigozhin, an oligarch with links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Syria, or simply, as one official put it, an attempt to "muddy the negotiations on Afghanistan by throwing a stick in that." During the Soviet war in Afghanistan, which ended in 1989, the U.S. government provided weaponry and funds to Afghan mujahideen rebels fighting against Soviet forces. The unit that officials identified as responsible for offering the bounties has also been linked to the poisoning and attempted murder of former Russian military spy Sergei Skripal in Britain in 2018. While that attack - along with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its role in the war in Syria - has generated strong criticism in Europe and from many of Trump's most senior advisers, the president himself has frequently appeared to have a chummy relationship with Putin, downplaying the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 U.S. election and other Russian transgressions. The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia over various issues, including Moscow's annexation of Crimea, cyberattacks, and election interference. Military officials this month spoke out in unusually harsh terms over what they said was Russia's decision to move fourth-generation fighter jets into Libya, adding to a spiraling proxy conflict there. News of the cloaked operation comes as speculation mounts about the future of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. While the Pentagon has completed its initial drawdown to about 8,600 servicemembers, a first step toward a full withdrawal that under the Feb. 2020 peace deal is supposed to occur by the spring of 2021, officials describe the exit plans as "conditions-based" and say those terms have not yet been met. Even as Taliban forces halt attacks against U.S. forces as part of that deal, the militants have continued to assault Afghan troops, making for what one senior Afghan official described this week as the deadliest situation in 19 years. CNN reported on Saturday that the administration was "close to finalizing" a decision to remove an additional 4,000 troops by the fall. Officials say that no final decisions have been made but that, conditions allowing, several thousand more will likely be withdrawn by fall. - - - The Washington Post's Karen DeYoung and Dan Lamothe contributed to this report. South African mobile networks refuse to be drawn into discussing the prospect of French telecommunications giant Orange entering country. This follows comments by Orange CEO Stephane Richard, who was speaking to French newspaper Les Echos. It could make sense for Orange to have a larger African geographic base than today and to be present in the large African economies of Nigeria and South Africa, said Richard. Richard said that the companys consideration of such a move is because Orange needs to be more aggressive in its strategy. A crisis creates problems but also causes opportunities, said Richard. Orange must put itself in the spirit of seizing these opportunities. South African mobile networks decline to comment South African mobile networks chose not to comment on the comments made by Richard. Cell C is focused on its turnaround strategy and we do not comment on speculation, said Cell C. Vodacom and MTN also declined to comment. Likewise, when Richard was asked by Les Echos specifically about interest in MTN Group, he too declined to comment. According to Richard, if Orange decides to make a move in the South African market, it would not take a long time before such a plan would be executed. If one considers there are things to do, the time frame I am considering is rather a few months than a few years, Richard said. Expanding its African business Oranges expansion strategy in the African market is not new. In January 2020, Orange hired advisors BNP Paribas SA and Morgan Stanley to provide the telecommunications giant with advice regarding a possible initial public offering (IPO) of its Middle-East and Africa business. An IPO was a vehicle through which the company could attain growth, and Orange evidently continues to investigate other strategies to drive growth in the Middle East and Africa region. In 2018, Oranges Middle East and Africa business reported $1.8 billion in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation. Orange is also reportedly considering its options in smaller African regions and has shown an interest in the ongoing telecommunications privatisation process that is taking place in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has put a minority stake in state-owned Ethio Telecom up for sale, and is also selling two new licenses, Bloomberg reported. This move is designed to attract foreign investment and improve competition and, by extension, the quality of the sector. It is very encouraging for us to see several companies pulling together resources that will be required to acquire these valuable spectrum licenses, said Ethiopian finance ministry adviser Brook Taye. Having a consortium of companies coming in and showing interest is a great testament to the appreciation of the value of these spectrum licenses. Both Vodacom and MTN are also reportedly looking into Ethiopias privatisation process. Now read: Vodacom and MTN in bid for Ethiopia licence Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social media platform will address some of the challenges in the 2020 elections. This includes labeling politicians' posts that violate Facebook's policies. According to The Next Web's latest report, finding the right balance between allowing free speech while moderating inappropriate content is still a struggle of different social media companies. However, the report claimed that the ongoing issue has taken on a complicated new layer after the United States President Donald Trump entered the White House. It is still a question whether private companies should censor the posts of the U.S. President even if the company's posting guidelines are violated. One of the big social media platforms that finally began taking a stand this year is Twitter, hiding calls for violence, but not removing the posts, and placing warning labels. On the other hand, Facebook confirmed that it would follow a similar set of rules. Mark Zuckerberg announced on a Facebook post on Friday, June 26, that the social media platform will be placing a label on content, which would violate its policies, rather than remove it from a government official or politician. According to Facebook Newsroom, against racial injustice and to prepare for the 2020 United States Elections, Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social media platform will be sharing some updates, much of which is a direct result of its civil rights audit. It is also a part of a broader set of initiatives to fight against misinformation during the 2020 U.S. election. "A handful of times a year, we leave up content that would otherwise violate our policies if the public interest value outweighs the risk of harm. Often, seeing speech from politicians is in the public interest, and in the same way that news outlets will report what a politician says, we think people should generally be able to see it for themselves on our platforms," said Mark Zuckerberg. "We will soon start labeling some of the content we leave up because it is deemed newsworthy, so people can know when this is the case," he added. Here are other changes that were included in the announcement. Fighting voter suppression: Posts that discuss voting will be labeled by Facebook with a link to its Voting Information Center. "Elections Operations Center" will be used by the company to quickly respond and remove false claims about polling conditions. Providing authoritative information on voting during the pandemic: To ensure that people will be able to locate factual information about when and how they can vote, Facebook will be creating a Voting Information Center. The new feature will show up on Instagram and Facebook over the coming months. Regulating hateful content in ads: The social media platform said it will be tightening up rules around divisive content ads that will allow the expansion of its policy to allow claims that people from the specific national region, race, ethnicity, caste, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, immigration status, or gender identity are a threat to the health, physical safety, and survival of other individuals. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TAOISEACH Micheal Martin unveiled his new Cabinet this evening as Fianna Fial, Fine Gael and the Green Party carved up the 15 seats between them. So, who got what? As Tanaiste and to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar Expand Close Fine Gael leader and outgoing taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Maxwell Photography) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fine Gael leader and outgoing taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Maxwell Photography) Leo Varadkar, 41, was elected to the Dail after the 2007 General Election and was reward for his success with a position on Enda Kennys frontbench. When Fine Gael was elected to Government in 2011 he was appointed Transport Minister. Despite the country being in the grips of recession, Varadkar did enjoy some success in the Department of Transport, Sport and Tourism, such as The Gathering initiative and the commencement of Luas Cross City project. Following a Cabinet reshuffle he was appointed as Health Minister where he had less success. After the 2016 General Election, Mr Kenny moved him to the Department of Social Protection. He later replaced Mr Kenny as Fine Gael leader and became Taoiseach. Minister for Climate Action, Communications Networks and Transport, Eamon Ryan Expand Close Eamon Ryan arrives at the Convention Centre / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eamon Ryan arrives at the Convention Centre Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, 56, was Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in the ill-fated Fianna Fail-Green government between 2007 and 2011. After losing the Dail seat in Dublin South he had held since 2002, he was elected party leader within three months of that electoral drubbing and set about trying to rebuild the Greens. He was close to being elected to the European Parliament in 2014 before landing a Dail seat in the constituency next door to his old one, Dublin Bay South, in 2016. He retained it in Februarys general election when the Greens returned an unprecedented 12 TDs off the back of the publics growing interest and concern in climate change issues.Despite the electoral success, Ryans leadership has come under pressure internally partly as a result of a series of gaffes. In tandem with getting to grips with his expansive new role he faces a leadership contest against Catherine Martin which kicks off in the coming days. Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe Expand Close Paschal Donohoe / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paschal Donohoe Prudent Paschal will return to the Department of Finance where hes going to have to work on paying for the massive ramping up of State spending during the coronavirus crisis. Mr Donohoe, 45, got much of the credit for Irelands finances briefly returning to the black after the last recession. Now he has to do it all over again. The Dublin Central TD is an affable politician and a book lover with a penchant for displaying Star Wars figurines in his office. He could be in line for one of the top jobs in Europe after it was confirmed his name has gone forward as a candidate for President of the Eurogroup. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath Expand Close Michael McGrath. Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael McGrath. Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins Michael McGrath has been Fianna Fail TD for Cork South Central since 2007. He shares the constituency with his party leader, Micheal Martin, and Fine Gael deputy leader, Simon Coveney. A chartered accountant by profession he has been a long-time Fianna Fail finance spokesman and has also been a key party government formation negotiator in 2016 and again this year. He also contributed to the banking inquiry in 2015/2016. He first came into politics as a poll-topping county councillor in the 2004 local elections. Previously worked as an accountant with the firm KPMG. Minister for Department of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney Expand Close Simon Coveney is set to stay as Foreign Affairs Minister / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simon Coveney is set to stay as Foreign Affairs Minister The outgoing Tanaiste Simon Coveney, 47, bounced back from defeat in the Fine Gael leadership battle with Leo Varadkar carving out a strong role in Irelands fight to reduce the harmful impact of Brexit. From one of Corks prosperous 'merchant prince' families, Mr Coveney was first elected in 1998 in a by-election following the death of his TD father Hugh. Mr Coveney handled the horse meat crisis well during his stint as Agriculture Minister but he over-promised in the housing brief, failing to end the practice of homeless families living in hotels. His renewed tenure at Foreign Affairs will see crucial trade talks with post-Brexit UK and Irelands time on the United Nations Security Council. Minister for Department of Education, Norma Foley Norma Foley, aged 51, has joined a small group of first-time TDs to win promotion directly into Cabinet. The Kerry Fianna Fail was elected to the Dail for the first time on February 8 last having failed in one previous attempt in May 2007. A teacher and Kerry County Councillor since 2004 she was also a member of the old Tralee local council and served as mayor of that town on three occasions. Norma Foley is the daughter of the late Denis Foley a former TD for Kerry North and also a senator over many years. Minister for Department of Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, Roderic OGorman Expand Close Roderic O'Gorman / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Roderic O'Gorman The Green Party justice spokesman, 37, has contested 10 elections in 15 years, missing out on a Dail seat in four general elections and two by-elections before finally becoming a TD for Dublin West in February. A long-serving Green activist, he lectured at the Brexit Institute and School of Law and Government in DCU, specialising in EU, climate change and planning law prior to becoming a TD. Well-liked across the party and known as a bit of a policy wonk, he played a prominent role in the government formation talks in recent weeks. The Tyrrelstown native was a strong advocate for the civil partnerships bill - the precursor to same-sex marriage - when the Greens were last in government and was critical of what he perceived to be the delaying tactics of Fianna Fail. He will be wise to such tactics this time around. Minister for Department of Agriculture and the Marine, Barry Cowen Expand Close Barry Cowen / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Barry Cowen Barry Cowen, aged 52, has been a TD for Laois-Offaly since 2011. He is the brother of the former Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, and his father, Ber, was a Fianna Fail TD for the years 1969-1973 and 1977-1984. He has been a high-profile and influential party member engaging in government formation talks in 2016 and again this year. He first entered politics by being elected to Offaly County Council in 1999. Mr Cowen was spokesman on public finance and held a number of other high-profile party posts since being elected to Leinster House. Minister for Department of Justice, Helen McEntee Expand Close Helen McEntee (Liam McBurney/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Helen McEntee (Liam McBurney/PA) The Meath East TD, 34, found herself accompanying then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel just two days after being appointed as European Affairs Minister. She was a constant presence at senior-level EU meetings for more than two years after that as the Brexit saga played out. She is well-regarded in the EU for her behind the scenes diplomatic work. She first entered politics in a by-election following the tragic death of her father, Fine Gael minister Shane McEntee in 2012. She has carved out a successful a career first as a junior health minister and then on the European stage. She was perhaps the most obvious choice to be promoted to Cabinet by Mr Varadkar. Minister for Department of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, Heather Humphreys Expand Close Heather Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Heather Humphreys Fine Gaels no-nonsense Cavan-Monaghan TD, 57, was heavily involved in the preparations for a feared no-deal Brexit in her role as business minister. Her attempts to reassure coronavirus crisis panic-buyers about supermarket supply lines may have fallen on deaf ears, but the work put in for no-deal preparations paid off in keeping food on our shelves. An Ulster Presbyterian, she was widely praised for her work in kicking off the decade of Centenaries commemorations when she was Culture minister. Her record over the last four years makes her an indispensable member of Cabinet for Fine Gael. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OBrien Expand Close Darragh O'Brien TD / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Darragh O'Brien TD Darragh OBrien, aged 44, is the Fianna Fail TD for Dublin Fingal since 2016. He previously represented that area from 2007-2011 after which he narrowly lost his seat and moved to the Seanad where he served for five years. A native of Malahide he previously worked as an insurance company executive and was a high-profile and combative party spokesman on housing and also served as finance spokesman. He came into politics as a member of Fingal County Council in the 2004 local elections when he was among the younger successful candidates nationwide. Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin Expand Close Catherine Martin. Picture: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Catherine Martin. Picture: Tom Burke The Green Party deputy leader, 47, was first elected to the Dail in 2016 for the Dublin Rathdown constituency two years after she won a seat on Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. She easily retained the seat this year when her husband Francis Noel Duffy was also elected to the Dail in neighbouring Dublin South-West. Her brother is Vincent P Martin, who narrowly missed out on a Dail seat for the Greens in Kildare North. The Monaghan native has served as the partys education spokeswoman and spent over a decade teaching English and Music at St Tiernans Community School in Dundrum. She said she was inspired to join the Greens in 2007 following the birth of her first child. Her decision to back the government deal was crucial to securing the support of many grassroots Greens and her popularity in the party puts her in a strong position to unseat Eamon Ryan and win the oddly-timed leadership contest that begins next week. Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly Expand Close Deputy Stephen Donnelly / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Deputy Stephen Donnelly Stephen Donnelly, 44, was first elected to the Dail in 2011 after regularly appearing on current affairs shows where he would give polished analysis of the financial crash. At the time, Mr Donnelly was an ardent critic of Fianna Fails handling of the economic crisis and also took Fine Gael to task over their attempts to bring the country back from the brink of financial ruin. The former McKinsey management consultant formed the Social Democrats with fellow Independent TDs Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall in 2015. All three returned to the Dail after the 2016 General Election but Mr Donnelly left the party later that year. He then joined Fianna Fail and contested the recent election for the party. Minister for Higher Education, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris Expand Close Minister Simon Harris / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Minister Simon Harris The outgoing health minister, 33, is the great survivor from the last Cabinet. It was the prospect of a no-confidence vote in Mr Harris that prompted Leo Varadkar to call the election. During his time as health minister Mr Harris has had to deal with the annual trolley crisis, the spiralling cost of the Childrens Hospital, the cervical cancer screening scandal and now the Coivd-19 emergency. He backed the wrong horse in the Fine Gael leadership race but also achieved massive popularity in some quarters for his role in campaigning for a Yes vote in the referendum to Repeal the Eighth Amendment on abortion. A move to an education role will be a relief from such a tumultuous time in health, where the youthful ministers hair turned grey. Chief Whip Dara Calleary Expand Close Dara Calleary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dara Calleary Dara Calleary, aged 47, is the Fianna Fail deputy leader and a TD for Mayo since 2007. He went to primary and secondary school in his native Ballina before going to Trinity College Dublin to do a BA in business and politics. He was national chairman of his partys youth wing, Ogra Fianna Fail, for a year soon after his election as a TD. In 2009 he was appointed junior enterprise minister as the economy badly foundered. Calleary regained his Dail seat in 2011 as Fianna Fail suffered huge losses. His father and grandfather were TDs for Mayo. Attorney General, Paul Gallagher Paul Gallagher SC is to serve a second spell as Attorney General having previously held the role between 2007 and 2011 under the Fianna Fail-Green government. During that tumultuous period he offered legal advice on the bank guarantee, the establishment of Nama and the initial measures taken under the Troika bailout programme. Mr Gallagher has been practicing at the Irish Bar for 40 years and has been a senior counsel since 1991. More recently he has served as part of the State's legal team in its challenge to the EU judgement that Apple owes the Irish exchequer over 13bn in back taxes. Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett Expand Close Pippa Hackett, Catherine Martin, Neasa Hourigan and Eamon Ryan during the Green Partys general election manifesto launch (Caroline Quinn/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pippa Hackett, Catherine Martin, Neasa Hourigan and Eamon Ryan during the Green Partys general election manifesto launch (Caroline Quinn/PA) The Green Party's Pippa Hackett is the first Senator who will sit at Cabinet meetings since Fine Gael's James Dooge served as Minister for Foreign Affairs in the early 1980s. She has been appointed as a 'super junior' minister in the Department of Agriculture and will have responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity. Her surprise appointment is a testament to her work on the agriculture section of the programme for government. She holds a BSc in Agriculture from Essex University and lives on a mixed organic farm with her four children and her husband Mark Hackett, who was co-opted to her Offaly County Council seat last year. Minister of State in the Department of Transport with Responsibility for International and Road Travel and Logistics, Hildegarde Naughten Galway West TD Hildegarde Naughton ,43, could be the most unexpected promotion to Cabinet from Fine Gael amongst the general public. But it wont surprise political insiders who have watched her star quietly rise as an effective chairperson of both the Communications and Climate Action committees. A keen singer outside Leinster House, her work as a TD has seen her campaign for online safety. He talent for striking compromise in committee work saw her recruited for Fine Gaels government formation team. Her elevation to the Cabinet is reward for her steady work as a backbench TD. Gaspar Gomez's coffin sits ready for burial in a North Hollywood cemetery. Gomez died May 3 after a three-week battle with the coronavirus. (Photo courtesy of Lucy Gomez) The accordion hummed, the snare snapped, and a warm baritone voice rolled out over the cemetery lawn. Yo se lo dije a mi padre, quiero que vengas conmigo. I told my father, I want you to come with me. A Catholic priest stood over a white enameled coffin with gleaming brass fittings. One at a time, each member of the small funeral party tossed a handful of dirt into the grave in a North Hollywood cemetery. Quiero pistiar esta noche, como dos grandes amigos, para decirte papa, lo mucho que te he querido. I want to drink tonight like two old friends, so I can tell you, Dad, how much I've loved you. The corrido, "La Troca del Mono Negro" by norteno band Los Originales de San Juan, is a tender plea from a son to a father, a request that if the son dies, the father not cry and in place of a hearse use the sons black pickup truck, adorned with a black bow. But as Gaspar Gomezs family buried him in the shade of a tree, the melody and words carried a different weight. Instead of the fated death of a child, the mourners wept over the loss of a father. Chosen by one of his daughters, Lucy Gomez, the song was a tribute for a corrido-loving, hardworking man who spent many dark years estranged from his children and who often failed to be the stalwart father the lyrics describe as a man of steel. The tribute was made all the more poignant by the knowledge that the coronavirus caught up to Gaspar even as he was working to repair a life marred by substance abuse struggles and legal trouble. How does your life straighten up and then youre taken again? Lucy asked. Cuando raye el sol, tengo una bronca pesada. Si no me vuelves a ver, la suerte ya estaba echada. Gaspar Gomez turned a corner after he met Elba Regalado. He stopped drinking and began attending Mass with her. (Photo courtesy of Elba Regalado) Once the sun shines, I'll face a tough reckoning. If you don't see me again, we were already out of luck. Gaspar was born in Santo Domingo de Atani, a small town in the Sierra Juarez mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. As a teenager he immigrated to the United States along with his sweetheart, Maria. Story continues He didnt have papers, so he found work as a day laborer on construction projects, the same work he would do for more than three decades until COVID-19 made him too weak to continue. The couple moved to Van Nuys and had four children: Maria, Lucy, Stacie and Cristian. Gaspar loved to take them to the beach, to the pool and to the park every Sunday after Mass. He was a really good dad when we were kids, said Maria de Jesus Gomez, his oldest daughter. He worked so hard for us. He just wanted to be happy and loved. When the children were still young, Gaspar and his wife divorced. The children went with their mother. Lucy called the divorce his downfall. He begged for us to stay with him. But we were just kids. I dont know if he understood that we didnt have a choice, Maria said. If you dont have help and you dont have loved ones, its destructive. Desde muy chico crei que eras el hombre de acero. Since I was very young, I believed you were the man of steel. In real life, there are few men of steel. Gaspar began to drink heavily and soon turned to drugs. His brother Marcelo, who worked alongside Gaspar on construction projects for decades, joined him. We were lost in alcohol and drugs, Marcelo said in Spanish. We'd do crack and crystal. Whatever we could find. You find so much in the streets. Court documents show Gaspar pleaded no contest on three occasions to reckless driving and driving without a license, grand theft and possession of controlled substances for sale. Family members say that this was only a fraction of his legal troubles and that he spent at least five stints in jail and that government officials deported him at least three times. If they [the police] saw him on the street with a beer they'd be like Vamonos pa'fuera.' Lets go, youre out of here, said Marcelo, laughing. He was en malos pasos" on a bad path. When Gaspar was deported, hed call Marcelo for help. At times, Marcelo would tell his brother he needed to get clean first. But I would always bring him back. Hes my brother. His ex-wife and children settled in Madera, four hours north of Los Angeles. Sometimes Lucy and Maria would ride down on the bus to visit. He shared an apartment with a few other men, but when the girls came for Christmas, he made sure to decorate with Christmas lights so theyd feel at home. He liked to take the two to local restaurants to dance. Before he fell ill with COVID-19, Gaspar Gomez had begun reconciling with his children after several years of estrangement. (Photo courtesy of Lucy Gomez) For the children, life back in Madera was hard. Maria joined the Army at 17 and eventually resettled in Washington state. Lucy remained close with Gaspar and was eventually adopted by a couple in Porter Ranch who had employed Gaspar off and on for years. Tu has sido mi protector, tambien mi madre querida. You have been my protector, so has my dear mother. Often, instead of Gaspar protecting his family, it was family that protected Gaspar. The third time Gaspar was deported, Lucy said that at first, he didnt want to come back. But Gaspar had spent his adulthood in the United States. His life was here. His children were here, even if he didnt see them often. Lucy, then just 17 years old, said she helped raise the $1,500 to pay for a coyote to smuggle him across the border. But then the coyote called. Gaspar made it across the border, but the smugglers were holding him at a "drophouse" somewhere in Arizona. If the family didnt find an extra $1,500 per Lucys recollection they would kill Gaspar. No one is really sure why Gaspars smugglers-turned-captors eventually relented maybe they got softer, maybe they realized they wouldnt get the money, maybe Gaspar got sick but they did, allowing a family member to come pick him up. Gaspar didnt talk about the ordeal afterward, but Lucy said he didnt emotionally recover for a few years. And still, Gaspar struggled with substance abuse. Eventually even Lucy cut off contact. If you dont want to change, I cant change you," Lucy recalled telling him. "I hope that one day you do get to find that family. Then one day, while waiting in line at the supermarket, he met Elba Regalado. Gaspar was abundantly friendly and quickly struck up a conversation it was in his nature, Elba said. She was getting ready to pay, and Gaspar wouldn't stop chatting. They became friends, and eventually a couple. She loved his charm, his charisma, his dancing. Like many of his close friends and family, she fondly referred to him as el gordito (the little chubby man). Lucy said some people didnt know him by any other name. At first, he still drank. A lot. Elba said he sometimes carried around cans of beer in a backpack. She said that once, after a night of heavy drinking, he tried to hit her. She decided she was done. But Gaspar wasnt. She ignored his calls, over and over, until finally picking up to tell him she couldnt be with him. He begged for a second chance and she agreed, cautiously. And it was then, his family said, that he began to turn a corner. I stayed in my world and I would see [Gaspar and Elba] go out to eat, to the park. He had changed so much. He seemed so, so happy, said Marcelo, who continued to struggle with substance abuse until himself quitting two years ago, partially thanks to Gaspars encouragement. He needed a family to take care of. It gave him that chance of living again, Lucy said. Gaspar stopped drinking and began attending Mass with Elba. Gaspar Gomez and partner Elba Regalado in a playful moment. "He had changed so much. He seemed so, so happy," his brother Marcelo said. (Photo courtesy of Elba Regalado) My brother and I started getting closer to God, Marcelo said. I talk to God every day and thank him that Im alive. Elba and Gaspar moved in together with her teenage daughter, Janette, in Pacoima (Elba's older daughter, Marisela, lived in Mexico at the time). Lucy started talking to him again. She got to dance with him one more time at Elba's daughters quinceanera a few years ago. He even began communicating with his other children again. On April 13, Gaspar told Elba he was feeling sick. A few days later, he tested positive for COVID-19, then was hospitalized with respiratory problems. On May 3, after almost three weeks on a ventilator, Gaspar died. He was 51. The last time Maria saw Gaspar was seven years ago, while she was visiting a relative in Los Angeles. After five years in the military and a tour in Iraq, Maria had gone to college in Portland, Ore., then moved to Washington. Every once in a while daughter and father would catch up over the phone, but after years of distance, the reconciliation process was painstakingly slow. Im 31 years old and Ive spent half my life without my dad, she said, sobbing. I didnt even know if I was entitled to mourn him. Dame un abrazo papa, tal vez sea la despedida. Give me a hug, Dad, maybe itll be our goodbye. Times staff writer Tomas Mier contributed to this report. KITCHENER Indigenous activists are camped out in Victoria Park and say they will not leave until they are given back land to use as a gathering and ceremonial space. We are exercising our treaty rights by being here, said Amy Smoke, a local Indigenous activist and part of the Haudenosaunee nation. Having to pay for space on our own land is insulting. We want our land back. We want a ceremonial space here. In the past, local Indigenous groups were required to pay the city for permits to host cultural celebrations in the park. Last weekend the group decided to set up in the park to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day without a permit. They have been there ever since. A cluster of tents and a teepee can be seen in the back of Victoria Park, close to the playground. Smoke said the small group is following public health protocols. Victoria Park was once a traditional gathering, feasting and ceremonial space for people of the Chonnonton, the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabe people who lived on this land before German settlers arrived, Smoke explained. Smoke wants to reclaim a permanent place for Indigenous peoples to use to practice their culture. If we had our land back it might bring down rates of suicide and incarceration (among Indigenous people), Smoke said. We want land for infrastructure like a sweat lodge, a space for healing, she said. Last year, the City of Guelph built a sacred fire space in Guelphs Royal City Park to honour the traditions of the Indigenous peoples who once lived there, and for local Indigenous communities to gather and celebrate. Smoke said she would like to see the City of Kitchener do something similar. She was hoping for dialogue with city officials to discuss ways in which the city can return land to Indigenous people for ceremonial use. It wasnt until Friday afternoon, six days after Smoke and others set up camp in the park, that Kitcheners Mayor Berry Vrbanovic and Waterloos Mayor Dave Jaworksy visited the campsite to discuss Smokes demands. In the week Smoke and fellow campers have been in the park, she said city of Kitchener bylaw officers came by to check on them twice. Waterloo Regional Police officers have also paid the camp a visit. She said the encounters were civil. No one has asked them to leave, Smoke added. Friends and strangers have dropped off donations of tents, food and water. There have been celebrations with drum circles, ceremonies with Indigenous youth, and conversations with passersby who are curious about why they are there. It is problematic for me to educate white people when you can just Google it, Smoke said. Education is important, she said, but she added that is painful for her to be the one to educate non-Indigenous individuals about the horrors of residential schools. This is our land back camp, Smoke said. We hope to stay here as long as we can. Kitchener is part of the Haldimand Tract, a portion of land that was promised to Haudenosaunee Six Nations in 1784. The area is identified as the length of the Grand River and spans ten kilometres on either side of the rivers banks. It was promised to the Haudenosaunee people for the loss of their traditional lands and also for their role as British allies. COUNCILLORS didnt beat about the bush at their area meeting in voicing their frustration over the long wait to see detailed drawings of the Abbeyfeale Traffic Management Plan. Im disappointed with the Abbeyfeale Traffic Management Plan, I wont beat around the bush, said Cllr Liam Galvin of the project which is expected to cost over 3m. The Abbeyfeale man said he got a response after the December meeting of the Council that the Council would bring forward a detailed set of drawings to councillors for the January meeting but that didnt happen. Cllr Galvin said that there was a public meeting where a commitment was given that no shovel would be put to the ground until we have a full set of drawings. Now Im glad to say we're very close to an agreement, he said before adding in relation to the delay: But thats giving us the two fingers. Gordon Daly, director of Community Development, responsible for the Newcastle West Municipal District said he wouldnt agree they had been given the two fingers and suggested inviting his colleague Seamus Hanrahn to the July meeting to update them on projects. Cllr Francis Foley said: The business people and the people of the town need to know exactly where were at, when were going to start, and when it is going to get finished. I think we need to get a road map now to see whats going on. Cllr John Sheahan said he had been at a few public meetings in relation to the traffic management plan. He said it was his understanding that we gave one commitment to the committee that came before us that all the side projects involved in the Traffic Management Plan in Abbeyfeale would be done before anyone went to tear up the main street. I hope that is the way this is going to operate, he said. Cllr Sheahan questioned what a start to the project would look like- whether it would be a line through a map somewhere or a digger on a road. Cllr Francis Foley said it was his understanding that Riordan's would be knocked and a car park provided. The car park is to be located on the site of Riordans old public house. Cllr Liam Galvin said: I genuinely dont know what's happening inside in the town now at the moment. Speaking to the Leader following the meeting Cllr Galvin said: All Im asking is to make sure that the Abbeyfeale Traffic Management Plan doesnt interfere with the new works that are currently being done. I dont want to see work being laid today and dug up tomorrow. Im looking for a detailed report at our next meeting regarding the Abbeyfeale Traffic Management Plan. Its going on long enough. The people of the town, he said, have been very patient. We have numerous properties bought. We still haven't received a set of detailed drawings regarding the new town car park. Cllr Galvin said they are also waiting for detailed drawings for other areas of the town including the Killarney Road and the main street. And most importantly for the town we need a set of plans as to where the new public toilet will be going in the new car park. Senior executive engineer for Newcastle West Municipal District, Gerard O'Connor said he understood the frustration and pointed out that the TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland, formerly the NRA) are the financial people and you have to go through the processes which can be frustrating. Mr OConnor pointed out at the meeting on June 10 that over the past week or 10 days we got another 155,000 for various schemes on the N21 and N69. For decades, the idea that we were all minorities was enough for people to just say, OK, thats what we have in common, so if I win, that means you automatically are winning, too, said Peppermint, a black trans activist who co-hosted the Black Queer Town Hall, a three-night series of virtual performances and discussions this month. I think that the notion of intersectionality is becoming more readily available for people to understand that a win for one group or one identity doesnt necessarily equal an automatic win for the other. While L.G.B.T.Q. people have secured many legal rights and protections, black transgender women are still killed so often that the American Medical Association has declared it an epidemic. Last year, 91 percent of the transgender or gender-nonconforming people who were fatally shot were black women, according to the Human Rights Campaign. This year, at least 16 trans people have been killed almost certainly an underestimate, because many cases go unreported and many victims are misgendered. So much money and resources and energy has been put into legislative fights or judicial fights, which is important those wins are important, the activist Raquel Willis said. But as a black trans woman, I often have to grapple with the question of, what do any of these protections mean if I am dead, if I am still at risk of literally being killed? Violence against transgender people increased after President Trump was inaugurated, advocacy groups found in 2017, and Mr. Trump has singled out trans people in his policies since the beginning of his presidency. His administration reversed Obama-era protections for transgender students, reimposed a ban on trans people serving in the military and, just this month, erased rules protecting them from discrimination in health care. It also sought to define gender as an immutable trait assigned at birth an effort that would, essentially, define trans people out of legal existence. For many states and counties in the U.S., the dark days of the coronavirus pandemic in April unfolded on their television screens, not on their doorsteps. But now, some places that appeared to have avoided the worst are seeing surges of infections, as worries shift from major cities to rural areas. While much of the focus of concerns that the United States is entering a dangerous new phase has been on big Sunbelt states that are reporting thousands of new cases a day like Texas and Florida the worrying trend is also happening in places like Kansas, where livestock outnumber people. In early June, Kansas looked to be bringing its outbreak under control, but its daily reported case numbers have more than doubled in recent weeks. On June 5, the seven-day average for daily new cases hovered at around 96; by Friday, that figure was 211. As cases rise, the U.S. Army commander at Fort Riley in the state's northeast ordered his soldiers to stay out of a popular nearby restaurant and bar district after 10 p.m. Idaho and Oklahoma have seen similarly large percentage increases over the same three-week period, albeit from low starting points. In Oklahoma, the seven-day average for daily new cases climbed from about 81 to 376; Idaho's jumped from around 40 to 160. Many rural counties in states including California, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Texas and Florida have seen their confirmed cases more than double in a week, from June 19 to Friday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Lassen County, California, went from just nine cases to 172, and Hot Spring County, Arkansas, went from 46 cases to 415; both spikes were attributed to outbreaks at prisons. Cases in McDonald County, Missouri, more than tripled after Tyson Foods conducted facility-wide testing at a chicken plant there. Missouri itself is seeing a worrying trend, and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas ordered employees and patrons of businesses to wear masks, when 6 feet (about 2 meters) of separation isn't possible. "Case numbers in Kansas City continue to rise, and we are taking all steps we can to ensure public health and safety," he said Friday. The daily number of confirmed infections in the U.S. surged to an all-time high of 45,300 on Friday, eclipsing the high of 40,000 set the previous day, according to Johns Hopkins. The biggest spikes have been seen in populous states in the West and the South. Vice President Mike Pence scrapped a planned bus tour of Florida, amid a surge there, though he will still travel to the state. Florida and Texas have both recently pulled back on their reopening plans in response to increasing cases. And to the west, Nevada reported Saturday that there were nearly 1,100 new confirmed cases in one day, a total that is nearly double the state's previous single-day record. While the rise in the U.S. partly reflects expanded testing, experts say there is ample evidence the scourge is making a comeback, including rising deaths and hospitalizations in parts of the country and higher percentages of virus tests coming back positive. Deaths are running at about 600 per day, down from a peak of around 2,200 in mid-April. Some experts have expressed doubt that deaths will return to that level because of advances in treatment and because many infections are happening in younger adults, who are more likely than older ones to survive. The virus is blamed for about 125,000 deaths and nearly 2.5 million confirmed infections in the U.S., by Johns Hopkins' count. But health officials believe the true number of infections is about 10 times higher. Worldwide, the virus has claimed close to a half-million lives with nearly 10 million cases. The resurgence in the U.S. has drawn concern from abroad. The European Union seems almost certain to bar Americans in the short term from entering the bloc, which is currently drawing up new travel rules, EU diplomats confirmed Saturday. But the U.S. is not alone. German Chancellor Angela Merkel cautioned Saturday that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over. India reported more than 18,000 new cases, pushing its cumulative total over the half-million mark, the fourth highest globally behind the U.S., Brazil and Russia. German authorities renewed a lockdown in a western region of about 500,000 people in the past week after about 1,300 slaughterhouse workers tested positive for COVID-19. "The risk posed by the virus is still serious," Merkel said. "It's easy to forget because Germany has gotten through the crisis well so far, but that doesn't mean we are protected." Elsewhere, Egypt and Britain said they would ease virus controls, while China and South Korea battled smaller outbreaks in their capitals. Britain was expected to scrap a 14-day quarantine requirement for people returning from abroad in a bid to make summer vacation travel possible. Only travelers from "red'' zones, places with a high level of COVID-19, will be told to self-isolate. A full list of countries is due to be published next week. Egypt on Saturday lifted many restrictions put in place against the coronavirus pandemic, reopening cafes, clubs, gyms and theaters after more than three months of closure, despite a continued upward trend in new infections. Authorities in other countries were taking a more cautious approach, with the Indian city of Gauhati, the capital of Assam state, announcing a new two-week lockdown starting Monday, with night curfews and weekend lockdowns in the rest of the state. India's death toll has reached 15,685. China saw an uptick in cases, one day after authorities said they expect an outbreak in Beijing to be brought under control in the near future. The National Health Commission reported 17 new cases in the nation's capital, the most in a week, among 21 nationwide. South Korea, where a resurgence in the past month threatens to erase the country's earlier success, reported 51 new cases, including 35 in the Seoul metropolitan area. Officials, worried about the fragile economy, have resisted calls to reimpose restrictions eased in April. By DON BABWIN and PAUL J. WEBER, Associated Press ELKTON - Elkton Prayer Fellowship will meet at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 8 at the Elkton Missionary Church, 220 N. Main St., in Elkton. Jan Moore will be ministering and sharing the Word. Rev. Jan and his wife, Deborah, are seasoned ministers who have a heart for the Kingdom of God and for the lost. They minister the Word of God with power and love, with a freshness and zeal that lifts the heart. They pioneered Good News Fellowship in Owosso and pastored for 33 years, during which time they obtained and renovated a building, administered a Christian school, traveled to foreign fields and ministered faithfully to the church, training and building the people. Tesco CEO Dave Lewis. Photo: Associated Press More than two thirds of investors voted against a 6.4m ($7.9m) departure package for Tesco (TSCO.L) boss Dave Lewis. The "bloke who saved Tesco" was snubbed by shareholders in one of the biggest-ever FTSE 100 pay revolts on the supermarket group. Voters were angry that Tesco had removed rival Ocado from its performance benchmark in order to boost board bonuses. Independent advisory group Glass Lewis had urged shareholders to vote against the pay report which lifted Lewis' long-term bonus from 800,000 to 2.4m. Tesco's board were accused of being "completely out of step" with the views of shareholders, reports The Daily Mail. Luke Hildyard of the High Pay Centre, said: "Moving the goalposts so blatantly to help the chief executive plunder more money at a moment of national economic crisis shows the Tesco board must be completely out of step." READ MORE: Tesco customers do fewer but bigger shops as sales rise But the vote is not binding and to date Lewis has refused to hand back his bonus. He is due to step down in September and be replaced by Irish-born Walgreens Alliance Boots executive Ken Murphy. Tesco reported an 8% increase in sales to 13.4bn in the three months to May, due to the coronavirus lockdown. Through a very challenging period for everyone, Tesco colleagues have gone above and beyond, and I'm extremely proud of what they've achieved, chief executive Dave Lewis said in a statement on Friday. Their selfless efforts, combined with our embedded strategic advantages in stores and online, have helped to ensure that everyone can get the food they need in a safe environment. Owen is highly regarded for his role in turning the failing supermarket's fortune around, dragging it back into profit from a 6.4bn loss in 2014. It is not the only company under fire for handing out large bonuses and profiting from the global pandemic. Earlier this month a third of Morrisons (MRW.L) shareholders revolted, voting against a 24% pension contribution rate for chief executive David Potts and chief operating officer Trevor Strain. And online retailer Boohoo (BOO.L) faced backlash from investors over plans to award bonuses and pay rises to its executives. The Nigeria government has said it is almost ready to reopen the aviation industry for domestic flights amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known at a press briefing in Lagos on Saturday following an Aero Contractors plane dry test run flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. We must make sure the aircraft are airworthy and certified fit to fly. We will ensure that every single pilot and aircrew have done their proficiency test, Mr Sirika said. All of these procedures are recommended practices and we are almost ready to begin. At least about 90 per cent in that aspect, he said. The test run of airports facilities is to determine their readiness for the resumption of domestic flight operations four months after it was shut, the minister said. Nigeria shut its airports, except for essential flights, in March as the country began to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic which has caused over 500 deaths in the country. The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 had earlier announced that some domestic flights would resume on June 21. The teams national coordinator, Sani Aliyu, said the aviation industry had three weeks to develop a protocol for the proposed resumption. The aviation ministry, however, said it is not ready to resume flights operation on the proposed date. Protocols According to the minister, passengers for domestic and international flights will arrive three and five hours respectively before boarding as part of measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This, he said, will help reduce all sources of contamination. He said all protocol guidelines put in place by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) must be observed. He also said persons not permitted to be at the airport will not gain access in as all protocols will be enforced right from the drop off points. Mr Sirika explained that passengers will remove their face masks for security operatives to confirm their identity before flying. He said part of the readiness of the airports is the automated dispensing of soap and water at the toilets and limitation to a maximum of five persons in the restroom. He assured that efforts will be made to ensure aircraft accommodate everyone without creating additional burdens for passengers. He noted that airlines have been given permission to carry out a dry run of flights across the country to ensure the airworthiness of the planes. Preparedness At the briefing, the national coordinator of the PTF, Sani Aliyu, expressed his satisfaction with the level of preparedness by the aviation sector. He stressed the need for citizens to comply with all rules set up at various airports in the country. Im pleased to say the aviation industry has done spectacularly well. They have shown what they are able to do as a highly regulated sector. It now depends on Nigerians to be disciplined because some people are not still wearing their masks properly. Advertisements What will protect you is yourself and your behaviour and you have to challenge other citizens putting you at risk, he said. A 42-year-old woman traveling with a pre-teenage girl was killed late Friday night in Franklin County when she hit a tractor-trailer stopped in traffic on Interstate 81, authorities said. The Martinsville, Va., resident and her 12-year-old passenger were driving north around midnight when they struck an 18-wheeler from behind near Southampton Township, causing significant damage and injury, according to a Pennsylvania State Police report. The tractor-trailer was stopped for traffic in the right lane when the crash occurred, state police said. The 12-year-old girl was taken to the hospital in unknown condition. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, state police said. The tractor-trailer driver a 40-year-old man was uninjured. READ MORE: Treatment that reduces PTSD should be allowed to be used by more veterans: lawmaker 69 Dauphin County jail inmates have COVID-19, and mass testing has just started Woman shot Friday night in Harrisburg; suspect at large: police About the organizations NC Department of Health and Human Services 2001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2001 Ph : (919) 855-4840 : (919) 855-4840 news@dhhs.nc.gov The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has awarded grants to five local North Carolina organizations to help address the disparate impact COVID-19 is having among the state's Hispanic and LatinX communities.Association of Mexicans in North Carolina Inc. (AMEXCAN), El Centro Hispano, Latin American Coalition, Que Pasa Media Network and True Ridge will each receive $100,000 to help support disease prevention measures in high-risk Hispanic/LatinX communities. The five organizations selected to partner with NCDHHS represent the eastern, central, western and major metropolitan areas of North Carolina.Measures to be addressed include prevention practices such as wearing face coverings, social distancing and frequent hand-washing; access to COVID-19 testing; engagement with contact tracers; participation in quarantine and isolation measures; and coordination with NCDHHS messaging around these efforts.said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D.In June 2020, North Carolina saw a sustained increase in its confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the general population, and a disproportionately high percentage of cases statewide are among historically marginalized populations. In particular, North Carolina's Hispanic/LatinX communities are being hit hard by the virus, representing 44% of cases statewide (as of mid-June) where race and ethnicity are known.Many people in Hispanic/LatinX communities provide essential services and work in industries North Carolina relies upon, such as construction, child care and food processing. Often, this work is in environments where social distancing can be challenging, health insurance is not provided and for a sick person, staying home could create a significant financial burden. These are all factors that may be contributing to the high rate of COVID-19 spread among Hispanic/LatinX communities.The grants will be funded through the end of 2020 by the NC General Assembly's Department of the Treasury.Association of Mexicans in North Carolina (AMEXCAN) (Greenville) is an advocacy organization with offices throughout eastern North Carolina and a mission to encourage the active participation of Mexicans and other Hispanic/LatinX individuals in their destination and origin communities in promoting appreciation, understanding and prosperity of the community through their actions. More at http://amexcannc.org/blog El Centro Hispano (Durham, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, Raleigh) is a Latino nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the community, building bridges and advocating for equity and inclusion for Hispanics/Latinos in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. More at https://elcentronc.org/about-us Que Pasa Media Network (Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro) is widely known as the link to and the voice of the Hispanic community in North Carolina through various media properties. More at https://www.quepasamedia.com Latin American Coalition (Charlotte) envisions a diverse and vibrant North Carolina which embraces, supports and respects people of all cultures and backgrounds. More at https://latinamericancoalition.org/ourmission True Ridge (Hendersonville) works to connect members of the LatinX community with the resources and opportunities to help them grow personally, professionally and spiritually. More atFor more information about North Carolina's response to COVID-19, visit nc.gov/covid19 27.06.2020 LISTEN June 2020 Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a global health problem affecting millions of people around the world. It is estimated that more than 300,000,000 individuals worldwide have sickle cell trait (AS), the benign carrier condition. More than 500,000 infants are born with major haemoglobin disorders inclusive of more than 400,000 with SCD in Africa. In Ghana, about 15,000 babies are born with SCD every year. World Sickle Cell Day is marked on 19th June every year ever since it was officially designated by the UN in December 2008 and first commemorated in June 2009. The goal is to increase public knowledge and understanding of SCD and related conditions, and the challenges experienced by patients, their families, and healthcare providers. On World Sickle Cell Day (WSCD) and within the month of June, individuals, groups, and organizations host several activities across the world to further give hope to persons living with the disease to manage the disease and live more normal lives. As part of its public awareness activities to mark this year's WSCD, the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana (Foundation) organized a virtual lecture via zoom webinar which brought together hundreds of health workers, families, persons living with SCD and health experts to deliberate on the management of the disease amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the 2nd Annual WSCD Lecture of the Foundation, and it was themed Managing Sickle Cell Disease in the Storm of a Deadly Global Pandemic. Professor Isaac Odame, Alexandra Yeo Chair in Haematology at the University of Toronto, Canada and Medical Director, Global SCD Network, in a presentation on Effects of COVID-19 on a Person with Sickle Cell Disease noted that the symptoms of COVID-19 and those of SCD are not very different. They include fever, chest pains, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia (acute chest syndrome in SCD), end organ damage and kidney failure. According to him persons living with SCD are at a high risk for severe COVID-19, hence the advice for serious adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. In response to the pandemic, routine outpatient clinics have been suspended or scaled down in most centers. Telephonic consultations and parental visits for prescriptions without the child have been encouraged to minimize risk to patients. However, patients with acute illness should have 24-hour access to the emergency room and only patients who are sick are advised to come to the clinic to be seen. Prior to emergency room visit, he advised patients to call hotlines to be assessed. Professor William Ampofo, Head of the Department of Virology at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, educated participants on the testing procedures for the Coronavirus of 2019 in Ghana. He educated participants on the two main patient categories for testing: those showing up at hospitals and suspected cases from contact tracing. He also spoke of the mandatory screening of people coming in from abroad. He explained that the adopted national protocol directed that samples from the northern and part of the middle belt of the country are sent to Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (KCCR) for testing while Noguchi covered part of the southern and most of the middle zones of Ghana. He also noted that the governments strategy to close borders early and impose mandatory quarantine on travelers arriving from abroad helped in screening for the virus and revealed several imported cases. With the help of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), scientific centers and laboratories have been established to aid in the testing for coronavirus among other diseases, he said. He also stated that the Komfo Anokye Hospital in Kumasi and the University of Allied Health Sciences in Ho, in the Volta Region have also joined in the screening and are currently providing diagnostic testing. About 230,000 Ghanaians have been tested so far with two-thirds (2/3rd) tested at Noguchi. He made mention of some private health facilities that are establishing their capacities to perform PCR testing for COVID-19. These include Nyaho Hospital, MDS Lancet, and Akai House which have submitted their proposals for approval. All these and more to expand our testing centers available to manage the virus. In his Keynote Lecture: Coping with Sickle Cell Disease in the Shadow of the Coronavirus, the Guest Speaker for the day, Dr. Kofi Anie, MBE, Consultant Psychologist at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust Haematology and Sickle Cell Centre, Central Middlesex Hospital, explained that SCD causes much distress to patients and their families and poses significant psychosocial problems. Due to lack of knowledge about the disease, myths, and misconceptions, the perception around sickle cell disease is still not favorable. Some societies believe that someone living with sickle cell disease does not survive beyond childhood. The use of the term Sickler by many creates the perception that sickle cell disease patients are always sick. He cautioned participants about stigmatization saying, stigma may only cause loneliness, worry, and guilt; it makes people feel devalued, shunned, embarrassed and isolated. Dr. Anie advised people with SCD and their caregivers on how to handle anxiety: talk to family, friends, and health workers about their worries, cross-check information to avoid fear and panic, have personal time and space when needed, talk to children and reassure them, keep a daily routine and structure your day and, most importantly, maintain social contact. Speaking on the state of SCD in Ghana, the President of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana, Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, mentioned the Ghana-Novartis Public-Private Partnership in Sickle Cell Disease. He stated that we were providing penicillin to children to protect them from infections that may lead to death. And now our partnership with Novartis which brought about the Ahodwo Programme has made hydroxyurea affordable to Ghanaians. To date Novartis has delivered more than 6,000,000 capsules of hydroxyurea to Ghana and provided the Foundation with support to supervise the training of health workers on the use of the medicine. He noted that: Ghana currently has 18 active sickle cell treatment centers but needs about 40 to help in the management of the disease nationally. He appealed to government to expand the newborn screening programme to help in screening all babies at birth. Head of Global Health and Corporate Responsibility for Novartis Group, Dr. Patrice Matchaba also shared some insights on initiatives by Novartis in the management of COVID-19. He stated that Novartis is working with Harvard University scientists to use our associated virus technology to study the coronavirus to produce a gene-based vaccine expected to go into human studies soon. As the largest medicine manufacturing companies in the world, Novartis will continue to discover innovative medicines, make them accessible, and deliver them ethically. On behalf of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Sponsor of the Kumasi Sickle Cell and Blood Centre, currently under construction, Dr. Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, General Manager for Sustainability at GNPC, reported that GNPC finds its partnership with the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana a good one and we support all activities for the benefit of society and development. He reiterated that GNPC would remain committed to the partnership and completion of the construction project. Ahead of the Lecture, the Foundation had visited selected media organizations in Accra to educate the public about the disease. The organization also joined the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) in a MaskUp4SickleCell campaign which saw each member wearing a red face mask and taking pictures which were shared on social media with the hashtag #MaskUp4SickleCell to demonstrate support for sickle cell patients. About The Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana The Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana (SCFG) is a non-governmental organization with the mission to support the development of resources and services to improve the health and quality of life of people with sickle cell disease and related conditions. The organization serves as an Agency of the Ministry of Health (MoH), as Programme Managers of the National Newborn Screening Programme for SCD. In addition, the SCFG, together with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service is a member of the Ghana-Novartis Public-Private Partnership in Sickle Cell Disease. Unemployed and career-nervous Australians are turning to the Defence Force in droves through the COVID-19 pandemic, with year-on-year applications up close to 40 per cent in April alone. The decimation of the aviation industry amid global travel restrictions has been one of the factors behind the influx, according to recruiters, as people look to stable employment in a crumbling job market. Applications to join the Defence Force have been increasing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Credit:Getty Images Director of military recruiting Captain Jan Noonan (RAN) said there had been applications spikes before, but the "acceleration" in the 2020 period was something new. During the global financial crisis, for example, the impact on applications was not seen until about four months after the job crunch began, she said. The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two armed robbery suspects, who claimed to be dispatch riders and a man producing their locally-made gun for operations. A reliable source told the News Agency of Nigeria that the suspects were arrested in a rented Uber car at about 9:30pm on Thursday by the operatives of the Anthony Police Division. The arrests of the suspects, Sule Karimu and Joseph Celestine, took place during a stop-and-search operation led by the Divisional Police Officer, Superintendent of Police Patricia Amadin. NAN gathered that the vehicle was stopped in front of a commercial bank on Anthony Village road. The source said the driver, acting ignorantly to the instructions of the suspects, who were with gun, attempted to escaped but was forced to stop at gunpoint by the officers. NAN gathered that all the occupants of the car were asked to come out for search, where the arm and ammunition were discovered under the seat of the car. NAN learnt that their arms manufacturer was later arrested at Obalende area after the suspects confessed to the police that they worked in same company as dispatch riders and hailed from Kogi State. Contacted, the spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the arrests, stressing that the case had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for further investigation. Elkana said: Policemen from Anthony Village Police Division,on routine patrol led by the DPO, SP Patricia Amadin, intercepted a wine coloured Toyota Corolla car with Registration Number: KSF 257 FQ, occupied by three suspicious and uneasy looking adult males. Upon searching the vehicle, a locally-made pistol with a single live cartridge was recovered under the car seat. All three occupants arrested and the vehicle recovered were taken to the station for investigation. Nepal crisis will not come in the way of bi-lateral ties with India: Sources India watches closely as crisis hits Oli in Nepal International oi-Vicky Nanjappa Kathmandu, June 27: India is watching closely the developments in Nepal as cries for the resignation of K P Oli are on the rise. Reports from Nepal say that their Prime Minister is already facing a crisis with calls for his resignation. India has been watching closely following reports that said that Nepal may have ceded territory to China. This has however been denied by Nepal's foreign ministry. During the standing committee meeting of the Communist Party, both Oli and P K Dahal Prachanda accused each other of failing the government andante party. Get back our land from China, opposition MPs in Nepal demand While quoting party members, Kathmandu Post said that Prachanda had made a sensitive revelation as to what Oli was upto to survive as PM. We have heard that Pakistani, Afghani or Bangladeshi models are being worked out to remain in power, but such attempts are not going to succeed, Dahal had said. Chinese build helipad in Pangong Tso, Tuticorin custodial deaths spark row & more | Oneindia News Oli's faction is in a minority in the important standing committee. Prachanda during the meeting had also said that it was not going to be possible for anyone to send people to jail on false charges of corruption. It is not easy to rule the country with the help of the army and it is not possible to split the party and run the government by allying with the opposition, he was quoted saying at the meeting. While Prachanda too is not seen as exactly friendly towards India, his government had however never undermined India's interests the way Oli has. Women who have access to mobile phones in less or least developed countries are more likely to be involved in decision making, hence, bringing a chance of empowerment, according to a recent study. Putting smartphones in womens hands could be a powerful tool to support sustainable development goals in the developing world, according to researchers from McGill University, University of Oxford, and Bocconi University. The study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences covers 209 countries between 1993 and 2017 and shows that access to mobile phones is associated with multiple indicators linked to global social development, such as good health, gender equality, and poverty reduction. In an effort to better understand how mobile phones empower women, the authors also conducted an individual-level analysis on 100,000 women from Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe between 2015 and 2017. Though these sub-Saharan countries show slow fertility decline and infant and maternal mortality rates remain high, the adoption of mobile phones is fast spreading. Results indicate that other things being equal, women who own mobile phone have a 1 per cent higher probability of being involved in decision-making processes about contraception, 2 per cent higher likelihood of using modern contraceptive methods, and a 3 per cent higher likelihood of knowing where to get tested for HIV with respect to women who do not own a phone. These effects are sizeable, as they are comparable to, if not bigger than, the effects of living in an urban area compared to living in a rural area. Similar effects are estimated on higher overall decision-making power within the household. According to the researchers, improved knowledge and enhanced decision-making power are the likely pathways through which the macro-level results emerge. The analysis of individual data also confirms that the effects are stronger in poorer and more isolated areas. Still, despite the proliferation of mobile networks, the researchers acknowledge that digital divides by gender and socioeconomic strata persist in the developing world. Women are less likely to own mobile phones on their own, use them less often when they have access, and have poorer information and communications technology skills compared to men, creating second-level (skill-related) digital divides on top of first-level (access-related) ones. Our results suggest that deploying mobile-phone technology might serve to complement the role of other development processes such as educational expansion and economic growth rather than a replacement for it, said Luca Maria Pesando, a professor in the Department of Sociology and Centre on Population Dynamics at McGill University. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during his daily CCP virus press briefing at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y., on April 28, 2020. (Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images) Federal Judge Bars Pandemic Capacity Restrictions on New York Religious Gatherings A federal judge has blocked New York state from enforcing its pandemic restrictions on religious gatherings, saying that the capacity caps imposed on religious institutions have not been applied equally to secular activities. U.S. District Judge Gary Sharpe on June 26 granted a preliminary injunction (pdf) that barred Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and state Attorney General Letitia James from enforcing the states 25 percent indoor capacity cap on religious institutions in phase two of the reopening process when other gatherings, such as in some retail stores and salons, enjoy a limit of 50 percent capacity. He said that those nonessential businesses that enjoy the 50 percent cap are not justifiably different than houses of worship. The order gives the plaintiffstwo Catholic priests and three Orthodox Jewish congregantsand other people of faith the ability to congregate at indoor places of worship at 50 percent capacity provided they follow social distancing guidelines. The state was also blocked from enforcing any limitation for outdoor gatherings, but its not immediately clear whether that only applies to religious gatherings. The ruling is a victory for people of faith and religious leaders who have been at odds with state and local officials over CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus lockdown measures, which they say unfairly target faith-based activities. The ongoing tension has prompted the federal government to intervene by warning localities that impose restrictions that run afoul of the constitutional rights and civil liberties of citizens. The plaintiffs in the case argued that New Yorks restrictions had violated a number of their First Amendment rights, such as their right to practice their religion. Sharpe acknowledged in his ruling that the loss of plaintiffs free exercise rights was adequate to show that they would suffer irreparable injury. The judge also noted that New York officials had over the last few weeks encouraged the George Floyd protests or carved out exemptions for graduation ceremonies. He said that the state had failed to show compelling justifications for why those group gatherings should be afforded preferential treatment compared to religious gatherings. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio could have just as easily discouraged protests, short of condemning their message, in the name of public health and exercised discretion to suspend enforcement for public safety reasons instead of encouraging what they knew was a flagrant disregard of the outdoor limits and social distancing rules. They could have also been silent. But by acting as they did, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio sent a clear message that mass protests are deserving of preferential treatment, Sharpe wrote. In the granting the injunction, he said that without it, the plaintiffs religious activities will be burdened and continue to be treated less favorably than comparable secular activities. A lawyer from the Thomas More Society, who represented the plaintiffs, said they were pleased by the ruling. We are pleased that Judge Sharpe was able to see through the sham of Governor Cuomos Social Distancing Protocol which went right out the window as soon as he and Mayor de Blasio saw a mass protest movement they favored taking to the streets by the thousands, Christopher Ferrara, Thomas More Society special counsel, said in a statement. Cuomos press office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile, the Justice Department called the ruling a win for religious freedom and the civil liberties of New Yorkers. Government cannot discriminate by protecting free speech and the right to assemble while threatening or limiting religious exerciseit must protect all rights guaranteed under the First Amendment, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division said in a statement. The courts decision is consistent with positions and arguments made by the United States Department of Justice in similar filings and letters, including in New York City and elsewhere around the country. The Department of Justice will continue to support people of faith who seek equal treatment against threats and actions by public officials who discriminate against them because of their religion. The Constitution and our oath to defend and protect it require nothing less. Attorney General William Barr has been vocal about the need to protect constitutional rights and civil liberties even during a public health crisis. Barr has previously said that while it is important that state and local officials put in broad measures to mitigate the spread of the pandemic at the beginning, these measures should be rolled back when the flow of cases begins to ebb. He said officials should then look into more targeted approaches. Infosys Ltd is well prepared" with a strong localisation strategy" to address the near-term challenges due to the H-1B visa ban imposed by the US government, its management said addressing shareholders during the 39th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held virtually on Saturday. In the last 24 months, we have implemented our localisation initiative at scale in the US, recruiting more than 10,000 US nationals or permanent residents and significantly reduced our dependence on visa," said U.B. Pravin Rao, chief operating officer, Infosys. Currently, 60% of our US employees are visa independent." Infosys has earlier stated that 78% of its senior management staff was hired locally in FY20. We are committed to strengthening local hiring practices and continuously increasing the proportion of senior management hires from the local regions of our operations," Infosys said in its Annual Sustainability Report 2020. The company recruited over 6,932 employees locally in its markets, of which 2,035 were fresh graduates during FY20. According to Infosys, 92% of the hires made in each location are principally local. Infosys is also actively looking" for acquisitions especially in areas of cloud and data in new geographies, said Salil Parekh, chief executive officer and managing director, addressing shareholders at the AGM. Infosys is seeing new areas of interest from its clients in a post-covid world, Parekh said. The new areas of client interest include cloud/ digital, cost efficiency & automation, and consolidation," he said. Addressing concerns on potential layoffs, Rao said Infosys has no plans for mass layoffs" though performance-based exits will continue. Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani said the company is well positioned to tide through the covid-19 crisis. Over the last few years, we have made huge investments in making Infosys stronger and more resilient, while bringing agility and speed in everything we do," Nilekani said. Nilekani added that their clients continued to benefit from the remote delivery capabilities of the companys digital delivery centres in the US, Europe and Asia. To meet the growing demand for direct in-market engagements, in early FY20, we added a new centre each in Arizona in the US and in Dusseldorf, Germany," Nilekani said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! The man shot dead by police after the stabbing attack in Glasgow has been named as Badreddin Abadlla Adam. Police Scotland confirmed the man's identity in a statement, saying he was 28-years-old and from Sudan. Sky News reported earlier that the attacker was an asylum seeker, who came to the UK six months ago and had been staying at the Park Inn hotel in West George Street. Six people, including a police officer, were injured when he launched his attack at the hotel on Friday. "The identity is based on information the deceased provided to the Home Office earlier this year," the force added. "Police Scotland continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident in Glasgow. "The police discharge of firearms resulting in a fatality will always continue to be fully investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner. "Both of those inquiries, which take place under the direction of the Lord Advocate, are ongoing and it would not be appropriate to speculate either about the events or the outcomes of these investigations." It comes after it emerged staff at the hotel had been warned that the suspected attacker was mentally unstable the night before he struck. Sky News's Scotland correspondent James Matthews reported that fellow residents had relayed concerns about his mental state prior to the incident, and that the warning was passed to staff in a phone call on Thursday evening. Sky News was told the man had begun to behave erratically, with one fellow resident saying that he had told him he wanted to attack other people in the hotel, including staff. Other Sudanese asylum seekers had become scared of him and said they made their concerns known to a Glasgow-based liaison worker who deals with asylum issues. The suspected attacker had been complaining about living conditions in the hotel, and was said to been having a particular difficulty with noise. Three of those injured in the attack - which is not being treated as terrorism - were asylum seekers staying at the hotel. The other two were members of staff. Story continues Of those five, aged 17, 18, 20, 38 and 53, one was in a critical but stable condition, and the others stable. An asylum seeker who was in the same hotel, Siraj, told Sky News that Adam had made violent threats in the past. "He was saying the people are against him, the people hate him," he said. "The next room, they were making some noise and he was saying the noise was just to disturb him. The room on top of him the same. "One day he said 'I want to attack them. I want to attack that room next to me. That room on top of me'. He said 'I want to attack the hotel workers'." Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 00:49:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BARCELONA, Spain, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Researchers at the University of Barcelona, one of Spain's most prestigious universities, had detected the presence of the novel coronavirus in waste water samples collected here on March 12, 2019, the university said in a statement on Friday. "These results, sent to a high impact journal and published in the archive medRxiv, suggest the infection was present before knowing about any case of COVID-19 in any part of the world," the statement said. The study was led by researchers from the Enteric Virus Laboratory of the University of Barcelona in collaboration with the public-private company Aigues de Barcelona, which is responsible for managing the water cycle in Barcelona's metropolitan area, it said. The study "has not been peer-reviewed," the researchers said on medRxiv, an online archive distributing unpublished health sciences documents. EARLIER PRESENCE IN SPAIN "Although COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, researchers proved there are large quantities of the coronavirus genome in the excrements that reach waste waters. This situation made the waste water-based epidemiology a potential tool for early detection of the circulation of the virus among the population," the statement said. Since April 13 this year, the researchers have analyzed weekly the obtained samples in Barcelona's two major water treatment plants. "The levels of the SARS-CoV-2 (or novel coronavirus) genome coincided with the evolution of COVID-19 cases in the population," Albert Bosch, professor at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona and coordinator of the study, said in the statement. During systematic sampling, the researchers analyzed frozen samples from previous months, which revealed the growing apparition of the novel coronavirus genome between early January and early March this year, it said. The findings brought the date of the coronavirus' arrival in Spain even earlier -- the presence of the virus was detected on Jan. 15, 41 days before the official announcement of the first case of COVID-19 on Feb. 25, said the statement. According to the researchers, these results show the validity of the surveillance of waste waters to anticipate cases. "Those infected with COVID-19 could have been diagnosed with flu in primary care by mistake, contributing to the community transmission before the public health authorities took measures," said Bosch, who is also president of the Spanish Society of Virology. SHOCKING RESULTS These results encouraged the researchers to analyze frozen samples taken between January 2018 and December 2019, which led to "the shocking results of the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in March 2019," the statement said. "All samples were negative regarding the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome except for those taken on March 12, 2019, in which the levels of SARS-CoV-2 were low but were positive, using two different targets," said Bosch. "Barcelona receives many visitors for both tourism and professional reasons, and it is possible for a similar situation to have taken place in other parts of the world, also because most of the COVID-19 cases show a similar symptomatology to the flu. Those cases could have been disguised as an undiagnosed flu," he said in the statement. The novel coronavirus has to date been contracted by nearly ten million people and killed half a million around the world since China's central city of Wuhan first reported the outbreak at the end of 2019. Enditem Three women, who were arrested on suspicion of belonging to the Boko Haram jihadist group, were on a retrial in Cameroon this Friday on charges of espionage. The case, which dates back to 2014, was deferred to 24 July for the fourth time in the absence of the head judge. The women have been in custody for over five years. The prisoners are Marie Dawandala, Damaris Doukouya and Martha Weteya. When they left their home village in northern Cameroon six years ago in search of a better life, they could not have imagined that they would later end up behind bars. In 2014, the women, aged 17 at the time, had crossed the Nigerian border with their husbands to work as domestic servants. It was at the height of the Boko Haram insurgency, marked by the notorious kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from the Nigerian town of Chibok. As the insurgent attacks increased, the three women were forced to flee back across the border, like countless others to find safety. Upon their return, they were arrested by Cameroonian authorities, accused of belonging to the same militant group they had narrowly fled. Wrong place, wrong time "They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," explains Marie-Lina Samuel, Africa Project Coordinator at the organisation ECPM (Together Against the Death Penalty). "If they [Cameroonian authorities] could have taken someone else, they would have taken someone else. They were there, not by mistake, because they were running away from Boko Haram. But they were there when the Cameroonian authorities decided to take what they thought were terrorists," she told RFI. During 2014, Boko Haram extended armed attacks into northern Cameroon, sparking a ground campaign from the Cameroonian military. The spill-over saw combatants and Nigerians pour into Cameroon's north, leading to a wave of arbitrary arrests of alleged Boko Haram supporters. "Between 2014 and 2016, more than 200 people were sentenced to death after very speedy trials, without meeting a lawyer or sometimes even having a legal representation," says Samuel. "They would enter the court, say two words and be sentenced to death." This is what happened to Martha, Marie and Damaris in April 2016. Wrong language Brought before Maroua's military tribunal, they were charged with espionage, conspiracy to commit insurrection, and membership in an armed gang. All three were given the death penalty. None of them understood why. The pre-trial investigation had been conducted entirely in French, a language none of them spoke. "Everything happened around them and about them without them understanding what was happening and what was at stake," comments Samuel, denouncing the absence of a fair trial. "When they were sentenced to death, none of them understood. It was their prison warden later on who informed them," she said. French remains the official language of Cameroon's administration, which has often left many English-speakers feeling marginalised. The language problem is at the root of the country's anglophone crisis that has triggered deadly protests in the north west and south west of the country, including several arrests for espionage. Unlike separatists however, "these women did nothing to threaten the state," insists Samuel, pointing to the lack of evidence against them. Death penalty quashed In 2019, recognising that it lacked jurisdiction over minors, the military tribunal quashed the women's death sentences. Their legal battle, which had begun three years earlier, should have ended there. But it didn't. The public prosecutor decided to retry the women before a civilian court. That retrial scheduled for Friday 26 June was eventually postponed until 24 July. According to sources, the head judge failed to show up and the investigating judge decided it was too sensitive a matter to take up himself. Where does that leave the three women? In limbo, argues Samuel. "They have been in prison now for over five years. Two of them have children and have had to bring them up in very difficult conditions." The Covid-19 outbreak has put additional strain, forcing the mothers to hand their children over to a religious group to limit transmission of the virus. "They hope that getting their children back will not be another struggle," confides Samuel, who hopes their legal woes will come to an end now that they have a "better qualified" defence lawyer. "So far it has been injustice after injustice," she admits. "I guess for the moment we just have to wait and see what happens." New Delhi: Indian defence forces have deployed their advanced quick-reaction surface-to-air missile defence systems in the Eastern Ladakh sector after PLA air force increased its air activity near LAC in Ladakh and Chinese aircraft were seen last week landing in a Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) airbase. The air defence systems of both Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have been deployed in Ladakh to take on any aerial threat. India has also filled the surveillance gaps to ensure that no enemy aircraft would be able to go undetected. Indian quick reaction air defence missile includes the Akash missile which can take down fast-moving combat aircraft and drones in few seconds. It has been modified to make it suitable for deployment in the high mountainous terrain. A Chinese refueller aircraft is reported to have been seen in Skardu airbase in PoK last week, which is 100 kilometers from Leh air base. In case of a confrontation, Pakistan could provide its air bases to the China to use against India. The Chinese air force is reported to have deployed advance fighters at Hotan airbase in Xinjiang. It has also brought in aircraft like the Sukhoi-30 and its strategic bombers to the rear locations, which have been detected flying near the Indian territory. There has also been an increase in helicopter activity near the LAC. The Indian Air Force has also deployed Sukhoi-30MKI, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar fighter aircrafts to advanced positions. It is also carrying out sorties in Leh. Last week, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria had visited Leh and Srinagar air bases, which will be important for any action in Eastern Ladakh. He checked the operational readiness and reviewed the preparation of all platforms deployed in these bases. Coronavirus cases are on the rise again in Louisiana. On Friday, June 26, the state reported an increase of 1,354 cases, 26 deaths and 47 hospitalizations, bringing the totals to 54,769, 3,077 and 700 respectively. Earlier in the week, on June 23, the state reported 1,356 new cases, the largest single day increase since April 7. The states percent positive test rate has steadily increased since late May. Louisiana moved into Phase 1 of reopening on May 15 and into Phase 2 on June 5. In response to the increasing number of cases and hospitalizations, Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards announced the state would remain in Phase 2 for at least another 28 days, rather than advancing to Phase 3. Remaining in Phase 2 is a mild restriction. Businesses are allowed to operate at 50 percent occupancy and include such venues as restaurants, cafes, bars, shopping malls, gyms, barbershops and beauty salons, movie theaters, racetracks, video poker establishments, museums, spas and tattoo parlors, bowling alleys and event centers. Additionally, businesses that are directed to remain closed under Phase 2 are allowed to petition to reopen under a plan approved by the State Fire Marshal in consultation with the Louisiana Department of Health. A few high-profile clusters emerged in the wake of the reopening and lifting of restrictions. Over 100 people tested positive after going to bars on the weekend of June 14 in Baton Rouges Tigerland area, a hangout for Louisiana State University (LSU) students near the campus. In New Orleans, at least 25 cases were traced to a series of graduation parties for Isidore Newman High School students. Additionally, 95 percent of new cases reported on June 23 came from community spread, rather than large gatherings. Speaking to local news 4WWL, Warner Thomas, CEO of Ochsner Health system, said that hospitalizations around New Orleans were increasing, especially among people under age 40: If you go back to the beginning of March, about 25 percent were 40 and under. Today, its about 50 percent, he said. The 18-29 demographic now has the most cases in the state, accounting for 18 percent of infections. Amidst the continuing spread of COVID-19, the Louisiana Department of Education released guidelines for how school districts across the state should plan to reopen for the 2020-2021 school year. Ultimately, each district will decide how to reopen, but they are instructed to prepare for three possible scenarios: traditional, hybrid or distance/remote learning. Should students or staff contract the virus, which the document admits is to be expected, the decision to close the school will be an individual, case-by-case process decided by school leadership. The emphasis of the document, titled Strong Start 2020: Guidelines and Resources for Reopenings, reiterates the most rudimentary protections offered by the CDC: wash hands often, wear face coverings and practice social distancing. Only a few requirements are listed, presented in a three-phase model in accordance with the state model. In Phase 2, groups must be limited to 25 people; students must have temperatures checked upon arrival; hand washing must be enforced upon arrival and every two hours thereafter; school buses must operate at 50 percent capacity. Local universities plan to reopen for the fall semester as well. Tulane University in New Orleans will adjust its usual schedule and open five days earlier than planned, on August 19, and send students home early on November 24. Citing the universitys financial position, the private institution plans to test all individuals returning to campus and provide frequent tests throughout the school year. LSU, in Baton Rouge, plans to open in the fall following the states phased-guidelines. The school plans to require physical distancing, face coverings, increased cleaning protocols and recommended hand washing. The school will conduct random testing of between 10 and 16 percent of the population of all LSU system campuses statewide; students and employees will be encouraged to participate. Those who test positive will be interviewed in an effort to conduct contact tracing. The economic and social consequences of the pandemic continue to ravage the working class throughout the state. A study by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette estimated that one out of every four workers in New Orleans is without a job because of the pandemic. During the week of May 15, 321,700 people received unemployment payments in Louisiana, twenty-four times the number a year prior. The state pays a maximum of only $247 per week in unemployment benefits. The federal addition of $600 is due to expire at the end of July, plunging tens of thousands of unemployed workers and their families into absolute destitution. Gary Wagner, economics professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, has warned that Louisiana is projected to experience a recession more severe than the economic impacts of Hurricane Katrina and the Great Recession. A moratorium on evictions in Louisiana expired on June 15. The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate reported that the First City Court in New Orleans witnessed a flood of newly filed requests for eviction orders. A clerk for the court said his office typically receives 25 filings a day, but received 63 new filings on June 16, the day after the ban was lifted. Dr. Brendan OFlaherty, economics professor at Columbia University, projects an increase in homelessness nationwide of 4045 percent by the end of the year. In response to the latest rise in cases, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell, a Democrat, said, If the city has to shut down we will do that, without any hesitation, but she has yet to make any serious movements in that direction. She announced the creation of a task force that includes the Department of Code Enforcement, the New Orleans Police Department and state agencies to enforce compliance among businesses with city regulations, including mask and distance requirements. The citys Health Department director, Dr. Jennifer Avegno, blamed young people for the rise in cases: There seems to be a lack of understanding or a lack of responsibility among our young people and in some cases their parents Im imploring all of you to recognize your responsibility to your community. Despite the measures that individuals must take to protect themselves from the virus and prevent its spread to others, the blame for the horrific scale of the pandemic does not rest with citizens or young people. It is the result of the conscious, homicidal policies of the ruling class--including the politicians who claim to prioritize the safety of their communities. The financial interests of the oligarchs have driven the back-to-work campaign, the de facto policy of herd immunity, and the gutting of social and health care infrastructures over many decades which has made the US fertile ground for the virus. As the International Committee of the Fourth International wrote in its June 23 statement on the World Socialist Web Site: The implementation of the necessary measures to stop the coronavirus depends on the intervention of the international working class. All the actions required to stop the virusthe shutdown of nonessential production, quarantining, mass testing and contact tracingrun up against the profit interests of the ruling class. Ensuring support for all those impacted by these measures requires a massive redirection of social resources. Judge Grants Roger Stone 2-Week Delay Before Start of Prison Sentence A federal judge on Friday partially approved Roger Stones motion to postpone the date when he has to report to prison, giving the longtime ally of President Donald Trump an additional two weeks and a total of 75 days beyond his original report date on grounds of the danger to inmates from the COVID-19 pandemic. An order from U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, published by Courthouse News (pdf), shows that Stone now must report to prison on July 14. This will address the defendants stated medical concerns during the current increase of reported cases in Florida, and Broward County in particular, and it will respect and protect the health of other inmates who share defendants anxiety over the potential introduction and spread of the virus at this now-unaffected facility, Jackson wrote in the order. Stone asked for a delay through Sept. 3 in light of his heightened risk of serious medical consequences from exposure to the COVID-19 virus in the close confines of a BOP facility, according to a motion (pdf) filed on June 23. A federal jury convicted Stone on charges including obstruction, witness tampering, and lying to a congressional committee that was investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Stone was sentenced on Feb. 20 to three years and four months in a federal facility, which according to a message Stone posted on Instagram, is known to have a substantial presence of coronavirus. He announced in a post on Facebook last week that he was going to court to try and delay the start of his sentence in what he called a COVID-19 infested prison. He said the consequence of his being forced to serve time in a facility with a known presence of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, was tantamount to a death sentence. The danger posed by the deadly bug to the U.S. prison population led Attorney General William Barr to call on the Bureau of Prisons to expand the use of home confinement for older inmates at higher risk of infection. The virus affects the elderly and those with underlying respiratory conditions far more seriously. At 67 years old and with a history of asthma this is a certain death sentence, Stone wrote in a post on Instagram. There has been widespread speculation that Stone may be in line for a presidential pardon. President Donald Trump on Friday retweeted a post by social and political commentator Lori Hendry calling for Stone to be pardoned. While the president said in February that he wouldnt be pardoning Stone, he seemed to leave open the possibility for a later time. Im not going to do anything in terms of the great powers bestowed upon a president of the United States, I want the process play out, I think thats the best thing to do, Trump said at a Hope for Prisoners graduation ceremony in Las Vegas in February. Because Id love to see Roger exonerated and Id love to see it happen because I personally think he was treated very unfairly. At some point Ill make a determination, Trump said, but Roger Stone and everybody has to be treated fairly. And this has not been a fair process. In an interview with The Sara Carter Show Thursday, Stone asked Trump for a commutation of what he called his deep state sentence. At the end of the day, I think its going to be in the presidents lap that he is the only one who can save me, and Im just praying fervently that he will do the right thing, Stone told Carter. Based on his tweets, he knows that I have been subjected to a miscarriage of justice. Please, Mr. President, Im going to need your help, Stone said. Im praying fervently for it. ALBANY New York lawmakers are calling on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to implement stricter oversight of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities after the coronavirus pandemic exposed serious shortcomings in policy, staffing levels and infection control. Sen. Liz Krueger and 19 other state senators signed a letter to the governor this month asking him to consider nine recommendations they say will help control virus outbreaks and protect residents health in a setting that makes them inherently vulnerable to outbreaks. Lawmakers are also planning to hold public hearings on the topic very soon, Sen. Gustavo Rivera told the Capitol Pressroom this week. We believe that these recommendations will address many of the dangerous conditions in nursing homes and other adult care facilities during the COVID-19 crisis by providing adequate staffing, testing resources, and proper infection protocols, the senators wrote. Among the recommendations is a widely-supported call to establish a designated SWAT team that would provide immediate assistance to facilities when an outbreak reaches a certain size, or when there is a significant increase in complaints about a facility. The letter also recommends the state Department of Health establish a protocol that would enable residents to leave a nursing home during a pandemic. Some families have reported encountering difficulties when trying to pull their loved ones from long-term care settings after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Several of the recommendations center around routine testing and transparency in reporting. One calls for homes to provide daily public updates on the number of confirmed cases among both residents and staff, as well as deaths that occur inside the facility and deaths of residents who are transferred to hospitals. In the early stages of the pandemic facilities shielded this information, and it wasnt until complaints were publicly aired that the state required homes to report at least some of it. The states own count of virus deaths in long-term care facilities leaves out residents who were infected inside facilities but who died after being transferred to a hospital obscuring the true scale of the pandemics devastation across long-term care settings. Other recommendations from the letter include: Require complete testing of all nursing home, adult care facility and home care staff and residents when outbreaks occur, as well as contact tracing procedures when a positive result is discovered. Require home care providers to be tested once a week. Deploy qualified people back into facilities to do the work of Long Term Care Ombudsmen Program volunteers while they are unable to physically enter facilities. Allow DOH inspection teams back into facilities to conduct needed inspections beyond those that constitute immediate jeopardy. Provide PPE to those who are entering facilities for these purposes. Furthermore, the DOH should reevaluate its entire nursing home inspection system. Require all nursing homes and adult care facilities to report to DOH daily staffing levels, and if staffing levels fall below a metric determined by DOH, prohibit the nursing home or adult care facility from accepting new residents. Require each nursing home to employ a qualified, full-time infection preventionist throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Require adult care facilities to, at a minimum, immediately consult with an infection control preventionist to plan and implement an infection control plan. Require the DOH and state Office for the Aging, in consultation with experts in long-term care representing facilities and consumers, to create a reimagining plan for future pandemics similar to plans to be made for hospitals, and to address underlying vulnerabilities exposed by the crisis to reexamine staffing levels, infection prevention, inspections protocols, and the impact of such protocols on resident mental health and well-being. State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker responded to the letter writers Thursday to say that "many" of their recommendations have already been implemented or are "part of the state's plan" going forward, though he didn't specify which. He also outlined steps his department has taken to combat the crisis in long-term care facilities, such as a ban on visitations, temperature screenings, weekly testing of staff, and over 1,000 on-site infection control inspections. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. He said the state is currently working on ways to expand the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program's volunteer base and provide them with options to communicate with residents that are "less reliant on in-person visits" though advocates contend in-person visits are crucial to identifying potential neglect and abuse. "Protecting our most vulnerable New Yorkers is our top priority and I both appreciate your suggestions and share your concerns on how to keep them safe in the midst of this worldwide pandemic where nursing homes have been the epicenter in virtually every corner of this nation," he wrote. As of June 25, more than 6,400 New York residents had died from the novel coronavirus inside nursing homes and adult care facilities a figure that doesnt include those who were transferred to hospitals when their infections became severe. The Cuomo administration has fielded considerable criticism for a March 25 directive some say fueled nursing home deaths. The policy instructed homes that they couldnt turn away COVID-19 patients being discharged from hospitals, and they also couldnt require a resident to be tested before being admitted. While the governor has said his administration was simply following federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, fact-checkers have disputed that noting that the CDC guidance included a disclaimer that the states directive did not, which was that homes should only accept a COVID-19 patient if they had the capacity to care for them. The policy has since been rescinded in New York. Details on front of the Gothic revival architecture of the Historic Landmark Building Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) at 118 N. Broad St. Read more More than 850 alumni and students of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, along with members of the greater arts community, have signed a petition calling for restructuring the leadership of the nations oldest museum and school of fine arts, starting with the immediate termination of CEO and president David Brigham. The petition went up Thursday on the website changeatpafa.com. It denounces a June 12 memo to faculty and staff from Lisa R. Biagas, vice president of human resources, reminding them not to state their PAFA affiliation in petitions and protests supporting Black Lives Matter, as first reported by Billy Penn on June 19. As we all continue to participate in our democracy, Biagas memo read, I want to remind you that we do so as private, individual citizens, and that we do not represent ourselves by our PAFA affiliation or titles in these forums. The petition calling for Brighams ouster also highlights the stark contrast between Biagas memo and the lofty ideals expressed in a June 1 letter from PAFAs senior staff proclaiming the institution to be united in our grief and outrage over the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other Black Americans whose lives continue to be cut short by brutal acts of racial violence. READ MORE: Amid Black Lives Matter movement, PAFA has more work to do | Opinion Brigham said Friday that he stands by the June 1 letter. PAFA declared itself in solidarity with Black Lives Matter ... and weve never really backed off from that, he said. The policy against associating staff and faculty members activism with the institution actually protects free speech. Because it says that you can sign any petition, you can be involved in any protest, you can be involved in any legitimate political movement. You can take any form of free speech, but you should do so in your own name as a citizen. He said that includes support for both mainstream views And I would say that as of today, Black Lives Matter is a mainstream view as well as very unpopular views that most of the PAFA community might disagree with. While the petition calls for Brighams ouster, it also calls for review and possible termination of two deans, a complete overhaul of the board of trustees and the womens committee with additions of people of color, and reviews of public statements by board members on matters of racial justice and equity. In addition, it calls for a revamped curriculum that reflects a more diverse and inclusive sense of art and its past. And it seeks a strong commitment to diversity in hiring at the school, in the administration, and at the museum. The voices behind the petition The petition started coming together on the weekend after the Billy Penn story, said one organizer, Yikui (Coy) Gu, an artist and professor who received his M.F.A. from PAFA in 2008. I was just really disgusted by just how incredibly tone-deaf PAFAs administration just continues to be, Gu said Friday, citing Inquirer stories about the schools handling of sexual assault allegations. The Billy Penn article came out Friday. By Sunday, we already had a Zoom meeting all organized and set up, he said. Nearly 50 people participated, including some members of PAFAs staff, alumni, and students from PAFAs various programs. Gu, who lives in Philadelphia and teaches art at a college in Maryland, has resigned in protest as president of the Alumni Council, an unpaid position that included a nonvoting seat on the board of trustees. I felt really conflicted because part of me feels I can effect change from the inside. However, that place is just such a dumpster fire that I just cannot have my name associated with them right now in a public way, he said. As one of the handful of people of color there that they love to trot out for like any kind of visibility when theres a marketing opportunity ... theres a degree of guilt if I kind of stay on and continue to be used as a tool for them, said Gu, who is Chinese American. Im not a Black man. I dont have the same fears, and I dont bear the same degree of racism that African Americans do, but I want to be a good ally. Eustace Mamba, a Black recent graduate of PAFA who is entering its M.F.A. program, said in an email Friday what he sees as the disconnect between the institutions championing of the work of Black artists and his experience as a distinct minority at the school. The PAFA museum also has one of the most important collections of African American artwork in the world, Mamba wrote. It makes me proud as a Black artist to walk through the same halls as Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Barkley Hendricks, Henry Ossawa Tanner, and many more. But I also often wonder if they experienced the same feelings of inequality and loneliness here at PAFA? I wonder if they were passed over for opportunities, simply because they looked different? For Mamba, who helped write an open letter from undergraduates that accompanies the petition on the changeatpafa.com website, the news of the Biagas memo was a really big surprise and a disappointment. After being pleased by the schools initial response to the Black Lives Matter protests, he said in an interview Friday, I was really surprised that they were taking a stance almost devaluing our lives. When people sign petitions that identify them with PAFA, I think it really speaks to how proud people are of the school. They want to stick their PAFA affiliation on anything they do, Mamba said, adding that hes hopeful the protests within the PAFA community will result in a school hes even prouder to attend. Brigham told The Inquirer on Friday that a demand to defund the police that some PAFA faculty had endorsed in a citywide petition called Philly Arts for Black Lives was a sticking point for him. That petition had called for, among other things, the defunding and redistribution of police funding toward human services. It was the specific language around defunding the police that we felt was something we didnt want to take a position on, Brigham said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 06:36:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman raises her arms as riot police fire tear gas during a protest outside the 5th Police Precinct in Minneapolis, the United States, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua) Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has previously said he doesn't support dismantling the police, criticizing the proposal as lacking clarity and being rushed. WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The city council of Minneapolis, U.S. state Minnesota's largest city where black man George Floyd died in police custody last month, unanimously approved a proposal on Friday that would amend the city's charter to allow the city police department to be dismantled. The passage in a 12-0 vote is the first step toward making the decision a ballot measure in the November general election, local media reported. The proposal requires the head of the city police department would be somebody with "non-law-enforcement experience in community safety services, including but not limited to public health and/or restorative justice approaches," according to a The Hill report. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has previously said he doesn't support dismantling the police, criticizing the proposal as lacking clarity and being rushed, said the report. Combo photo shows the recent shots of white police officer Derek Chauvin (L) and 46-year-old African American George Floyd. (Xinhua) Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck for almost nine minutes. His death has prompted weeks of protests and civil unrest in at least 140 cities across the United States since then. Several cities across the country have banned chokeholds and reduced police department budgets this month as a result. Workers continued their courageous production stoppage at the Fiat Chrysler Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP) in Detroit on Friday. Workers on B crew entered the plant at 4:30 p.m. and refused to work under conditions where basic safety and health protocols, including social distancing measures and cleaning guidelines, are being flouted by the corporation and the United Auto Workers union (UAW) in order to maximize profits. Production at the plant remained at a standstill due to the workers action against the corporation and the UAW and a lack of labor due to the refusal of workers to report for work out of legitimate health concerns. The production halt at the plant, which employs 5,000 people, began Thursday at noon when workers on A crew stopped work after hearing that at least three coworkers had tested positive for COVID-19. Workers on B crew continued the work stoppage from 4:30 p.m. Thursday until nearly 2 a.m. Friday morning, when management and UAW officials tried to force some workers back onto the line. But C crew workers continued the struggle after they arrived at the plant at around 3:30 a.m. Friday morning, Workers have posted videos to appeal for support, one of which has over 1,600 views on Twitter alone. Workers at Jefferson North Assembly Plant halt production [Credit: Twitter, @GIMMEAPCNOW15] The workers are taking action independently of and in opposition to the UAW, resuming the struggle carried out in March by autoworkers in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Ontario, Canada, who refused to work under unsafe conditions and forced the shutdown of the auto industry in North America for nearly two months. The World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter was the first to report the work stoppage at JNAP after being alerted by workers at the plant as it developed in an article that reached tens of thousands of workers within hours. The wildcat action was blacked out by the national media and first reported by local news outlets only on Friday afternoon. Those reports repeated the dubious claims of management that there were no confirmed cases of the virus in the plant. The critical struggle of JNAP workers unfolds under conditions of growing militancy and resistance by workers in the face of the ruling class assault on the lives and rights of working people in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The back-to-work drive, spearheaded by Trump but implemented at the state and local level by Democratic officials, continues unabated even as its catastrophic consequences are seen in record high daily infections and an explosion of hospitalizations in states across the country. The outright criminality of the policies of the ruling elite and both of its parties is fueling the growth of conscious opposition to capitalist exploitation among broad layers of workers. This is a world process, as capitalist governments internationally are pursing the same homicidal policy of herd immunity and sparking anger and opposition among workers throughout the world. As one Fiat Chrysler worker at the Kokomo Transmission plant in Indiana told the Autoworker Newsletter: They are exposing all of us to this virus for the almighty dollar. You cant put a price on a life. Our lives are worth more than a transmission. Nobody is buying cars right now anyway. Its sad that they put transmissions over lives. The corporate ruling class has restarted production across the world in the absence of mass testing and contact tracing protocols in the majority of countries, putting workers lives, health and safety on the line for profits produced in the factories, warehouses, retail outlets, hospitals, meatpacking plants, farms, offices and other workplaces. But workers are increasingly fighting back. A group of 50 agricultural workers at pistachio producer Primex Farms near Wasco, California has been on strike since Thursday to demand free face masks, gloves and transparency about confirmed positive cases. The workers organized the strike after learning through local television news that 31 farmworkers at the company had contracted COVID-19. They had been told nothing about the infections by the company, which owns 5,000 acres of pistachio orchards in California in addition to other nut and dried fruit facilities. One thousand nurses and support staff who are members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 121RN at Riverside Community Hospital in California have struck against HCA Healthcare. They are opposing the imposition of pay cuts, chronic short-staffing and the lack of high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect medical personnel and staff from the risk of contracting COVID-19. On June 19, 3,200 auto parts workers in Matamoros, Mexico carried out a wildcat strike against Tridonex Cardone after learning that two coworkers had died after having likely been infected with COVID-19. The workers demanded more information and that the facilities be closed until safety conditions have been met. In these actions, the workers come into irreconcilable conflict with the capitalist system and the trade unions, which are collaborating in the back-to-work drive and helping enforce unsafe conditions. The unions seek to isolate from each other workers around the world who work for the same corporations and are fighting against the same capitalist system for the same job and health protections against a virus that recognizes no national boundaries. The World Socialist Web Site calls on all autoworkers in the US and internationally to come to the support of the JNAP workers and to spread the fight to the entire industry. Central to this is the fight for workers to take the struggle into their own hands independently of the trade unions. The WSWS calls for workers to establish rank-and-file safety committees, democratically organized and controlled, to fight for demands that protect the health and economic security of all workers. These should include the shutdown of all nonessential industry until the pandemic is over, full compensation for lost income, full health care benefits, the right to a safe workplace, the highest-quality PPE and free medical care for workers who fall ill. The committees will be able to monitor conditions in the plants and demand reduced line speeds, air conditioning and adequate rest. They will communicate and coordinate with workers and plants across the country and around the world, and, where necessary, halt production to protect the safety and health of the workers. US workers must unite with their brothers and sisters around the world to demand the measures needed to halt the pandemic and save livesmeasures that will not be carried out by capitalist governments because those governments serve the interests of the corporate-financial elites, which are in conflict with science, international collaboration and the marshaling of the resources required to stop the pandemic. The struggle for workers basic rights is a political struggle against the capitalist system. Councillor Erin McGreehan has called for the next Government to announce at least one but ideally two more Bank Holidays before the end of the year as soon as possible. Cllr McGreehan feels that it would boost the 'tourist industry and boost local economies, an increased number of bank holidays can generate economic activity and jobs'. It is also true that Ireland has a lesser number of public holidays than most of our European Union counterparts so possibly this could be more than just a once off. The North Louth Councillor believes that 'we must be innovative to think differently and by having an extra bank holiday you are giving people an opportunity to go away for the weekend, the boost of that to our local economy would be fantastic. We have missed out on three bank holidays this year due to Covid Lockdown. It would give us extra time to get out to our cafes and restaurants, shop in our local shops and enjoy our beautiful Island'. An Illinois College music professor and composer has released an album featuring performances of some of his biggest works of the past three decades. Timothy Kramer, ICs Edward Capps Professor of Humanities and Professor of Music, released Sentinels, performed by the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra of Ostrava, Czech Republic, under the direction of conductor Jiri Petrdlik, on June 12 through the Navona Records label. Like the immutable, unchanging Stonehenge rocks sitting there (on the album cover), these are my sentinels, the tried and true musical gestures that composers rely on, Kramer said of the albums musical works. The touchstone is not going anywhere, its built to last. The album is the result of years of work, both the years of a career spent composing and, more recently, the years it took to bring the album into being. I have a number of CDs where Im a composer on a CD with other composers, Kramer said. I have maybe six other CDs (like that). Thats usually more typical. But while those recordings are nice, they arent Kramers, he said. Instead, they belong to the orchestra that made the recording. I have recordings of every piece (on Sentinels), but none was commercially available, he said. It was broadcast over radio, but I didnt own the recording, so I couldnt post it on a web page or send it to a conductor. I know what the pieces sound like, and some of the recordings are really pretty good, but I thought Id go for the whole thing and go for an orchestral CD. More Information Available Timothy Kramer's album "Sentinels," featuring the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra of Ostrava, Czech Republic, is available for purchase as a CD or mp3 download through Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and Arkiv Music. See More Collapse The album pulls its name both from that idea of timelessness and from Sentinels of the Dance, a three-part work Kramer composed in 1986. As music historian and Trinity University associate professor of music Carl Leafstedt mentions in the liner notes for the album, Sentinels of the Dance is a marker from the start of Kramers career that helps show how his style has grown in an abstract, circular pattern, with later works evolving yet returning to the principles the sentinels of that early piece. The albums largest work, Symphony B-A-C-H, plays off the name Bach, with each movement focused on a different musical texture polyphony, monophony, homophony and cacophony. The first movement in the piece, BACH meets EsCHeR, was influenced by Douglas Hofstadters Pulitzer Prize-winning 1979 book Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, in which the author explores common themes in the works and lives of logician Kurt Godel, artist M.C. Escher and composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It uses concepts of math, symmetry and intelligence to consider how self-reference and rules give meaning to otherwise meaningless things. Codes and puzzles are a big part of that idea, and Kramer pulls those into his compositions, using the R in Escher, for example, to represent the re in the musical solfege system in laymans terms, think do-re-mi. Among other works on the album are A Fivescore Festival, a five-piece work commissioned by the city of Kent, Washington, to celebrate its centennial, and All in Golden Measure, which Kramer composed in 2013 for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestras 50th anniversary celebration. The orchestra got its start at MacMurray College and now performs at Illinois College, so Kramer incorporated bits of both schools alma maters into the piece, along with sounds common to Jacksonville train whistles, cicadas and the racetrack on a summer evening. While the album has been years in the making, the timing of its completion and release is ideal, Kramer said. I have been inching toward slowing down, this year, maybe next year, he said, noting that hell be 61 in July. The COVID-19 pandemic sped up his timeline a bit, and Kramer is retiring from teaching at IC, though he will continue to work with the colleges Fine Arts Series and still will be around campus in a limited capacity, he said. He now intends to focus on his composing, and the album is expected to help with that by making his music more readily available to the conductors who might commission a piece or wish to have their orchestra perform a piece hes already written. In this digital age, if you dont have a recording of your music, it doesnt really exist, he said. Other recordings of his music, the ones he doesnt own, have been broadcast in such far-flung places as Croatia, he said. A radio station up in Boston, the MIT radio station, played the second movement of Sentinels of the Dance the second movement only between 2 and 3 p.m., he said. It was on their playlist. With more and more people streaming music, the conductors and CEOs of symphonies are among them, stumbling on tunes they might not have known to go looking for in the course of listening to XM Radio or a music streaming service, he said. He was a student in Michigan when a professor of his released an album of his compositions, and it had an impact on Kramer, he said. He didnt do it until his 70s, Kramer said. I always felt it was better to get it done in your 50s or 60s, get more interest in your music while you can still write more music and do workshops and master classes. Im still interested in writing orchestral music. In that sense, (the album) is an introduction to what Ive done. Its a long-term project and a long-term investment that, hopefully, I will do for the next 20 years or so. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who will stand trial for corruption in November, has called for the rule of law to be respected after explosive media reports this week claimed prosecutors spied on lawyers from top Paris firms while they tapped his own phone in a failed bid to find out if a judiciary mole had been leaking information. A report in the Le Point weekly on Wednesday said the National Financial Prosecutor's Office had carried out a secret parallel investigation alongside its main corruption and influence-trading probe into Sarkozy and his lawyer, Thierry Herzog whose phone was also tapped. Sarkozy is facing charges of seeking to obtain, through Herzog, classified information from former judge Gilbert Azibert about another case in 2014 that has since been dismissed. In return, the judge was allegedly offered help in obtaining a post in Monaco. Police wire taps on Sarkozy's official phone line, as well as a second phone line he opened under the alias of "Paul Bismuth", were ruled legal in 2016. The second line was a pre-paid mobile phone card that Sarkozy allegedly used for the sole purpose of communicating with Herzog. Inquiry conducted 'in secret' The fresh allegations concern a clandestine probe lasting nearly six years that reportedly sought to uncover the identity of a mole suspected to be feeding inside information to Sarkozy about the court proceedings against him. It was set up after the former president, under the Bismuth moniker, suddenly withdrew his support for Azibert on 25 February, 2014 leading investigators to conclude that Sarkozy knew he was being tapped. Le Point alleges that prosecutors hacked the telephone bills of dozens of top Paris lawyers and tracked their laptops via geolocation monitoring any contacts they made with judicial sources. All of the lawyers surveilled had either telephoned or or attempted to telephone Herzog on 25 February, 2014. The November trial will mark the first of several graft proceedings against Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012. Sarkozy also faces accusations he accepted millions of euros towards his 2007 presidential campaign from the late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi. In addition, he is to stand trial for the alleged illicit financing of his 2012 presidential campaign. 'French Watergate' This week's revelations have been described as France's Watergate by national assemby deputy Eric Ciotti, a fellow member of Sarkozy's Les Republicans party, who told Le Point it was alarming that politically motivated spying activities usually seen in authoritarian countries were happening in France. Set up by former Socialist president Francois Holland in 2013 to handle financial crimes, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office had crossed a line, Ciotti said, by hacking the phone records of prominent law firms and by systematically targeting political opponents on the right. French criminal defence lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti, who was named in the Le Point report but is not otherwise linked to the Sarkozy cases, said he would file a complaint against the prosecutors for actions which he said posed a danger to France's democracy. He was among the lawyers who spoke to Herzog on 25 February the day that prosecutors believe Sarkozy had been contacted by an informant from the judiciary. I am amazed, flabbergasted that they could have delved into my private life, my intimate life, my professional life by hacking my phone records and my geolocation, Dupond-Moretti told FranceInfo radio. Movie stars are no longer in high demand. At least not on Instagram. Fed up with following flippant accounts where actors post glam images, youngsters are seeking new icons. Thats why they are following successful professionals, who offer them more than just pretty pictures. Today, the new age insta gurus are experts, who have excelled in their chosen fields and command respect in the virtual world. These are people who are not just passionate about their craft but share their knowledge too. Thats why their well-earned blue tick marks are a symbol of their authenticity for their followers. We zoom in on five top professional Instagram accounts in India. Samyukta Nair Food and Fashion Entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of Jamavar and Bombay Bustle and founder of Clove and Dandelion. Insta debut: 2010 Followers: 88.3 k (Sonam Kapoor, Sandeep Khosla, Poorna Patel amongst others) USP factor: It offers a very personal viewpoint on everything I love from food, travel and design. It includes my friends, family and everyday inspiration that I draw from and value immensely. Proactive mantra: With the creative community, it only helps foster closer relationships with like-minded professionals as Ive experienced at my restaurants. Non-filmi accounts: Following someone that inspires you or you can learn from in my opinion only helps foster positive human interaction and increase our sense of belonging within a larger community. Troll alert: Knowing that you cant please everyone makes for a good starting point and once youve made peace with that you can only grow from strength to strength. Vinita Chaitanya She is the founder of Prism Interiors Insta Debut: 2016 Followers: 29.9 k (Deepika Padukone, Shaleena Nathani, Manoviraj Khosla amongst others) USP factor: I like to mix up my posts, dont want to post on work every day. That is not just who I am. I get a lot of DMs from youngsters asking for guidance on various subjects, when you reach out to somebody, it makes a difference. Proactive mantra: It is quite helpful. Some of my clients have found me through Instagram. Today, one of the largest projects that I am doing is courtesy this. Of course, they do a lot of research once they find your account interesting. But there is that connect that works. Non-filmi accounts: I think people are looking for authentic pages but there is still a lot of interaction on my account especially in the last three months. I feel they look to you when they know your page is authentic and look for guidance when they feel they can respect the person they can see behind the page. Troll alert: I block them. It happens often. It is not trolls but silly comments, or too much interaction. I dont want this kind of followers. I dont care about losing these followers. Deepika Mehta Ashtanga yoga teacher Insta debut: 2015/16 Followers: 212.k (Alia Bhatt, Kriti Sanon, Sonam Kapoor amongst others) USP factor: I have always been attracted to the artistic aspect of yoga besides the spiritual and health benefits. Its a great medium for artistic expression but you will have to ask my followers why! Proactive mantra: I didnt really start off being in Instagram to promote yoga but yes, I have definitely had a lot of people reaching out to me ever since I got on Instagram. Non-filmi accounts: I guess they are looking to get inspired by real people they can relate to. When who you really are resonates with people, it makes them connect and thats what I guess works finally. Freddy Birdy Bar and restaurant designer; artist and adman Insta debut: 2018 Followers: 46.5k (Karan Johar, Neetu Kapoor and Shweta Bachchan amongst others) USP factor: I write from my heart, I like to write spontaneously, just as I think, without worrying too much about how my words might appear. Proactive mantra: I joined Insta to promote my paintings and my art. But everyone seemed to love the words more, so I just let the art part be. Non-filmi accounts: I think for something different. Something more personal. Something totally non glamorous. And something totally heartfelt. Something they can relate to, rather than blindly adore. Troll alert: Thats why God and Instagram invented the Block button. Say a rude word and you will be blocked. I have no patience for negative people. Or fools. Or Kartik Aryan fans. Ashiesh Shah Architect and visual thinker, founder of Ashiesh Shah Architecture + Design Insta debut: 2016 Followers: 70.8k (Sheetal Mafatlal, Kalyani Saha, Amrita Arora amongst others) USP factor: Art is very important for me because my inspirations come from art. It is an assemblage of intriguing objects of art and design. It has been a natural progression being a patron of the arts and a practitioner of architecture. Proactive mantra: Whilst the spaces I create are experiential, Instagram is a medium of collaboration bringing together the design industry across the globe facilitating conversation and contribution through a digital connection. Non-filmi accounts: Unique content - people steer towards pages that either create conversation or foster a learning. Troll Alert: None so far Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Monies was diagnosed with coronavirus after attending Trump's rally in Oklahoma A journalist who attended President Donald Trump's rally in Tulsa last week said Friday he has tested positive for COVID-19. Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Monies said he was notified Friday of his positive diagnosis. The news came after the president's entire campaign staff who attended the event were quarantined over fears of contact with eight officials who already tested positive for coronavirus. 'Im pretty surprised,' Monies wrote on Twitter. 'I have zero symptoms (so far) and I feel fine. In fact, I ran 5 miles this morning.' Monies said he was inside the rally for about 6 hours on Saturday at the BOK Center and that he wore a mask and mostly practiced social distancing, except for when he went to the concourse to get a snack. He said he was never close to the president. An epidemiologist at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department who notified Monies of his positive result said it's difficult to determine if he contracted the coronavirus at the rally. 'I can't say definitively that I got it at the rally,' Monies said. 'But it's someone I've been in contact with in the last two weeks.' This wont be painful, but it will be uncomfortable. We have this big Q-Tip that well put up your nose for 10 seconds. Ill count out loud. Got my post #TulsaTrumpRally #COVID19 test. Called Monday for appointment & got one for this morning. Results in 2-3 business days. pic.twitter.com/yZX9v0x5Ev Paul Monies (@pmonies) June 25, 2020 Only 6,200 turned up for the 19,000-seat venue, as the area was experiencing a rise in coronavirus cases Monies said he hasn't yet been contacted by contact tracers to try and determine everyone he's been in contact with, but he has taken it upon himself to reach out to anyone he has been close to in the last two weeks. 'I spent a couple of hours reaching out to anyone I was in contact with indoors, a few friends in the neighborhood,' Monies said. 'I just felt it was my responsibility to tell people I knew myself that I have tested positive.' Six of Trump's campaign staffers and two members of the Secret Service working in advance of the Oklahoma rally also have tested positive for COVID-19. All campaign staffers who attended the rally are being asked to quarantine at home as a precaution. This wont be painful, but it will be uncomfortable. We have this big Q-Tip that well put up your nose for 10 seconds. Ill count out loud. Got my post #TulsaTrumpRally #COVID19 test. Called Monday for appointment & got one for this morning. Results in 2-3 business days. pic.twitter.com/yZX9v0x5Ev Paul Monies (@pmonies) June 25, 2020 Monies tweeted pictures from inside the event in Tulsa The Trump campaign revealed the decision to impose a quarantine in order to contain possible further spread of the coronavirus among those who worked the event to their families and others in the community. The decision comes after the U.S. Secret Service ordered dozens of officers who worked the event to quarantine upon return to their homes. Dr. Bruce Dart, the executive director of Tulsa City-County Health Department, had recommended that the rally be postponed because of a surge in reported positive cases of coronavirus linked to large indoor gatherings. The White House dismissed concerns about health risks at the rally before it happened. They noted that masks and hand-sanitizer would be available to attendees but that masks would not be required. Six of Trump's campaign staffers and two members of the Secret Service working in advance of the Oklahoma rally also have tested positive for COVID-19 The health concerns compound other problems that turned the event into a tactical failure. Only 6,200 turned up for the 19,000-seat venue, as the area was experiencing a rise in coronavirus cases. The campaign had predicted a record turnout, and both Trump and campaign manager Brad Parscale touted 1 million online RSVPs, only to later say as many as 300,000 were fake sign-ups from TikTok users and K-pop fans who decided to troll the campaign. Trump brushed off critics of the event, saying: 'We had a nice crowd.' Meanwhile, Trump trails in key battleground states he won, according to a new New York Times / Sienna poll. Oklahoma has reported record daily highs of reported positive COVID-19 cases in the last week. P olice have arrested seven people within 24 hours following a spate of illegal gatherings in London. The arrests include two people in east London, who were carrying a Rambo-style knife and a gun between them. Officers were called to the area at 4.50pm on Friday after local residents reported that a large group of people were setting up a sound system in Hoskins Close, Newham. Three more people were arrested at an event in Third Avenue, near Kensal Green, on suspicion of violent disorder, a breach of Covid-19 health regulations and racially aggravated public order towards officers. Another two people were arrested at the same event for attacks on officers one for throwing a bar stool at an officer, who was uninjured, and the other for racially abusing an officer. Two officers suffered injuries while policing the incidents but did not require hospital treatment. Metropolitan Police have spent three consecutive nights tackling unlicensed events across the capital, with Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick vowing to shut down any gatherings that flout health regulations. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick on London violence Following news of the arrests on Saturday, Scotland Yard Commander Bas Javid said: We have made it very clear this type of behaviour will not be tolerated and there are a number of post-event investigations now under way. Residents living near where these events took place were understandably scared and concerned. We received numerous calls for police to attend and disperse the large, intimidating groups. Our officers have done a very good job in some very difficult circumstances. I applaud the way they have been able to tackle some difficult situations. He continued: My big push to people today, particularly to those who have taken to disregarding the current health regulations, is to very much comply with those health regulations. They are there for your own safety, as well as that of your family and communities. Earlier, Dame Cressida said it had been a very difficult few weeks of lockdown easing in the city, with officers coming under attack as they tried to break up crowds. Writing in The Sun newspaper, she said the force had a duty to stop unlawful music events during the Covid-19 pandemic and would be on the lookout. Big street parties are illegal and reckless. These events should not be happening, she said. Officers were also called to an unlicensed music event on Harrow Road, in west London, at about 3pm on Friday. People there refused to leave when asked, though a Met spokesman said in an update given at about 6.30am on Saturday that there were no known arrests. Police attacked as they try to clear crowds at illegal music event in Notting Hill Dame Cressida has also warned that consequences will follow for those who attack officers and damage property. In her Sun article, she said: The officers I met this week were poised to deal with whatever they faced. Hundreds ready in full kit, should there be a violent or aggressive crowd to deal with. My message to those involved in thuggery and criminal damage is: consequences will follow. Her warning comes after officers sent to break up a street party in Notting Hill, west London, were pelted with objects on Thursday night. Dozens of officers were also injured in violent scenes in Brixton, south London, on Wednesday evening. Former Met Police commissioner Lord Blair said there needed to be a public conversation about the amount of violence being directed towards police in recent weeks, including at Black Lives Matter protests. He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: It cannot be right that this level of injury to officers is seen as acceptable. Meanwhile in Liverpool, police have been granted more power to disperse crowds after part of the Liver Building caught fire amid celebrations over Liverpool FCs Premier League triumph. Merseyside Police issued a section 34 dispersal order for the city centre, allowing officers to break up groups of more than two people, until Sunday. The force has urged fans to put safety first and save their celebrations for when they may be permitted in the future. This page is being updated. Actor Alia Shawkat has finally addressed rumours that she is dating Brad Pitt, after a year in which she described tabloid attention around her as being uncontrollable. Alia and Brad were first spotted together at an art exhibit last year. Were not dating, she told Vulture in an interview published Friday. Were just friends. She said that after those initial rumours emerged, her friends were just as curious as the rest of the world. All my friends were like Whats going on? and sending me photos, she said. I just felt overwhelmed. Its that feeling of being naked in school, like, Oh my God, everyones looking at me. Also read: Brad Pitt clears up dating rumours: I dont know how many women theyve said Ive been dating Alia said that as an actor who has been working since the age of nine, Ive gotten press, but not like that. She said that she became acquainted with Brad through director Spike Jonze. We just became friends, and Brad introduced me to his group of friends, and it grew from there, she said. About the media coverage around her, she said, To them its like, We dont get it! This girl is weird! Shes so different! Why are they hanging out? You get too close to the prom king, and all of a sudden, everyones like, Well, who is this bitch? People.com quoted several sources as saying that while the two are close, their relationship doesnt go beyond friendship. Brad separated from his wife, actor Angelina Jolie, in 2016. One source said the two are just friends absolutely nothing romantic is going on. Another said, Brad loves the art world. He has a large group of artist friends that he hangs out with. Several are women, but he isnt dating them. He just loves surrounding himself with good friends. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The USA presidential elections take place in 2020. In November, we will know who the president of the United States will be for the next four years. There has been considerable controversy over who is and isn't eligible to vote with Donald Trump, the current president, being accused of trying to suppress voters. Some republicans politicians do now want voters to cast their ballot by post with Donald Trump claiming thousands of fake votes can be counted this way. He used an anecdote about a friend of his whose son had tragically passed away but received a voting card. Trump has used this tactics in the past. He said illegal immigrants were voting en masse for Barack Obama in 2016 and said busloads of out of state voters were driven to New Hampshire to cast illegal votes in 2016 also. Trump uses it mostly to raise question marks if he loses but it also make some people question their own right to vote. This muddying of the waters has been successful for Trump in the past and leads has led us to a post-truth world, nobody knowing what is actually true and what is a lie. So who can vote in the presidential elections in 2020? The best place to check is the government's own website. If you are 18 years old on or before election day, you can vote for the outcome of the presidential elections in 2020. In almost every state, you can register to vote before you turn 18 if you will be 18 by Election Day according to the government website. See a table of voter registration age requirements by state. If you are homeless, you are allowed to vote. In all 50 of the United States, you can register to vote if you are experiencing homelessness. Most states have some duration of residency requirements for voter registration for example, having resided for 30 days or more before the Election Day in the state or county. Contact your local elections officials to find out what the rules are in your state. Who can't vote? If you have a felony, you can't vote in some states bit you should check your state's laws on this. Again, depending on the state, some people who ar ementally incapacitated are not allowed to vote. Check your state's laws on this issue. For example, in some states, you can not vote if you are declared an idiot or legally incompetent or legally insane. You can also not vote if you are not a citizen of the United States even if you are a permanent legal resident. While reporting his sixth book, Life of a Klansman (FSG, Aug.), Edward Ball put himself in a deeply uncomfortable position. He met three descendants of Black Creole men who were badly beaten at a massacre that killed 200 people in New Orleans in 1866. He says he had to explain to them that one of his ancestors was a member of a white militia in the city at the time and probably took part in the atrocities. It was stressful, Ball says via Skype from his home in New Haven, Conn. I had to share with this family that my people may have been part of the group that carried out a massacre in which some of their people were affected. Ball believes conversations like this are difficult but essential, and he has devoted much of his career to shining daylight on history many would rather forget. For his first book, 1998s National Book Awardwinning Slaves in the Family, he sought out and met the descendants of slaves from his ancestors South Carolina plantation. Balls subsequent books, all works of narrative nonfiction, also tackle large historical subjects through the prism of individual actors. In The Inventor and the Tycoon, Ball displays the virtues and vices of the American West through the partnership of the murderer who invented motion pictures and the robber-baron who built the railroads. In Peninsula of Lies, he describes the life of an English writer who in 1967 underwent one of the early transgender surgeries. With Life of a Klansman, Ball turns his attention back to his family history, examining his ancestors role in the rise of white supremacy in New Orleans after the Civil War. The book is centered on Constant Lecorgne, Balls great-great-grandfatheran unremarkable man who struggled professionally and financially in the shadow of more successful siblings and cousins. He was also a foot solider in the movement that reestablished white domination after the reconstruction and whose members were, up until the mid-1960s, venerated in public ceremonies and monuments. As a child, Ball heard about Lecorgne, but the stories were swaddled in the gauze of family lore. In Life of a Klansman, he seeks to correct these apocryphal stories. The kernel of the whole project is claiming white supremacy as mine and ours, he explains. My people are capable of terrific violence on behalf of their tribe. Throughout the interview, Ball never refers to Lecorgne by name. Instead, he calls him our Klansman; his racist ancestors are my people. He clearly wants to claim this shameful legacy. The son of an Episcopal minister, Ball grew up in the Deep South, moving around as his father took up new church posts every few years. Now, however, he speaks without any trace of a Southern accent. Instead, he has the clipped elocution of a New Englander and the straight-backed poise of an Ivy League professor. (He used to teach at Yale.) When asked how his family feels about Life of a Klansman, Ball replies, The poet Czeslaw Milosz has a funny observation that when a writer is born into a family, the family is lost. Its condemned to exposure, embarrassment, and disclosure. And then Ball says, yes, he doubts his people are pleased about Life of a Klansman. It depends on whom you ask. I dont think anyone in our family really wants to have the story of our Klansmen aired. For much of his life, Ball didnt care to go there either. For years, he tried to get as far from his roots as he could. At 17, he moved north for the first time to enroll in Brown University; after graduating, he moved to New York City to become a journalist. He didnt start writing Slaves in the Family until he was in his mid-30s, after a family reunion at the former plantation got him thinking about the descendants of the slaves who worked the land. In 1998, when the book was published, numerous relatives opposed it, though since then many have said they understand why he wrote it. Lecorgnes lack of distinction has made him easier to evade. Theres a kind of a disavowal: Were the good white people, and this particular man was an extremist, Ball says. Thats actually a common response on the subject of the Ku Klux Klan in general for all of the United States. We project our worst antipathies onto the Klan. They are those people over there; those are the real racists. The project originated with the journals of Balls aunt Maud, Lecorgnes granddaughter. In 2003, Ball inherited Mauds notebooks, which told uplifting tales of people who migrated, married, and prospered. To Aunt Maud, Lecorgne was a redeemer who brought Louisiana back under the control of white people and protected family wealth. But there was a lot of silence in the pageswhat exactly did his great-great-grandfather do? Relying on public records and cultural artifacts, Ball builds a circumstantial narrative of Lecorgnes life, deeds, and psyche in the book. Alexander Star, Balls editor at FSG, says that when he first read the manuscript, he was struck by how vividly Ball rendered the inner lives of reconstruction-era Louisianans. He has a rare gift for breathing palpable life into his characterswhile remaining scrupulously faithful to the documentary record, Star says. Ball also keeps the historical narrative in a 21st-century context and makes clear he doesnt think his family story is unique. By his estimate, 50% of white people have ancestors linked to the Ku Klux Klan, and even those who dont are the beneficiaries of white supremacybe it the work of militants in 1866 or police officers in 2020. White supremacy is the unacknowledged power wheel of our national life, Ball says. As the majority ethnic group, I think we get a lot of personal nourishment from this sense that we belong in command of others with our hands on the levers of power. But Ball does see hopeful signsthe many universities undertaking self-study about their relationship to slavery, and the New York Times 1619 Project, an unflinching history of slavery in the United States, and the strong and growing support of Black Lives Matter movement. Its a paradoxical time, he says. On the one hand we have white supremacy thats reinvigorated, but we also have a vigorous countermovement. Its undeniable that the countervoice will prevail, but its a rough time right now, isnt it? Cleaning crews work to deep clean Keilor Views Primary School in Melbourne, Australia on June 23, 2020. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) Victoria Records 41 New Coronavirus Cases Victoria has 41 new COVID-19 cases, as residents in hot spots are urged to get tested and authorities seek advice on mandatory testing for returned travellers. Victoria has 41 fresh coronavirus cases as it notches an 11th day of double-digit rises. Were very concerned, Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said on Saturday. Eight of the new cases are linked to known outbreaks, one is a returned traveller, 13 are from routine testing and 19 are being investigated. Dr. van Diemen said 15 of the new cases under investigation were the result of community transmission with no clear source. The state has 204 active cases, including five in hospital, including one in intensive care. Emergency text messages are being sent to residents in Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows, where there is a large proportion of fresh cases, urging them to get tested. Residents in those areas are being told there are testing vans, door-knockers, and expanded community engagement teams in their area. Of the eight cases linked to known outbreaks, all but one are existing close contacts of known cases at Wollert, North Melbourne, Albanvale Primary School, and Stamford Plaza. Dr. van Diemen said tests that return a very low positive or are undetermined are being re-analysed. Victoria is seeking legal advice on whether testing for returned travellers can be made mandatory following the revelation that 30 percent are refusing to be tested. Dr. van Diemen said the 30 percent refusal rate related to overall numbers of travellers since hotel quarantine began and that recent refusal rates were lower. She said there was no evidence of community transmission being linked to people leaving hotel quarantine and said it was not ideal to have to compel travellers to stay longer. This differs to NSW where returned international travellers who refuse to have the test on day 10 must stay an extra 10 days in quarantine. NSW has a two percent test refusal rate, authorities have confirmed. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Saturday it was important to test and trace, otherwise lives would be endangered. Victorian Opposition Leader Michael OBrien said it made no sense that people could refuse the test, and if so, should pay for their stay. Victoria has ramped up testing with a focus on 10 suburbs with high community transmission: Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir, and Pakenham. More than 758,000 total tests had been done to date on Saturday, an increase of close to 22,000 in the past 24 hours. The total number of recorded cases is now 1987, with 1762 recoveries, and the death toll remains at 20. Some of the 200 specialist medical and support personnel from the Australian Defence Force are understood to have arrived in Victoria to help in the states efforts. Meanwhile, almost 5000 thermometers are being shipped to Victorian vacation spots as the school holidays begin. Christine McGinn and Andi Yu By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) - The following is a brief roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. COVID-19 antibody tests not backed by solid data Studies assessing the accuracy of COVID-19 antibody tests had major shortcomings, an analysis released on Thursday found, indicating that existing research does not prove the tests can confirm with certainty whether people have been infected with the novel coronavirus. Cochrane, a British-based journal that reviews research evidence, looked at 54 studies that sought to measure the reliability of the antibody blood tests. The studies were often small, did not use the most reliable methods, and their results were often incomplete, the analysis found. The analyzed studies looked at nearly 16,000 blood samples, 89% of which had a high risk of bias because patients were unlikely to match the general population. The review identified data from 25 commercial COVID-19 tests, a fraction of the roughly 300 such tests that exist. The review did not include tests offered by Roche or Abbott Laboratories, which were approved by regulators after the analysis began. (https://reut.rs/2CAXSf1; https://bit.ly/2YyTxlb) Pregnant women have greater risk for severe COVID-19 Pregnant women face an increased risk of severe coronavirus infections, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released on Thursday showed. Pregnant women with COVID-19 are 50% more likely to need intensive care and 70% more likely to be put on mechanical ventilators than non-pregnant women, although pregnant women did not have a higher risk of death, CDC researchers reported in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black pregnant women appear to be disproportionately affected by the coronavirus infection during pregnancy, the study also found. Earlier in the pandemic, researchers in China and Britain reported no extra risk for pregnant women. But last month, a large study in Sweden found pregnant women infected with the virus were more than five times as likely to need intensive care and four times more likely to need invasive mechanical ventilation. The CDC study did not include data on how COVID-19 affects the outcomes of pregnancies. (https://reut.rs/38aqHe3; https://bit.ly/2CKVF0P) Story continues Coronavirus traces found in Spanish sewage from March 2019 Spanish researchers have found traces of the novel coronavirus in Barcelona wastewater collected in March 2019, nine months before COVID-19 was identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan. University of Barcelona virologists led by Albert Bosch had been monitoring wastewater since April of this year. When they decided to test older samples, they said they found genetic material from the virus in one sample from March 12, 2019. The presence of the virus genome so early in Spain, if confirmed, would indicate the pathogen appeared much earlier than previously thought. In their not-yet-peer-reviewed paper posted on Friday on medRxiv, the researchers also said they found the virus in Barcelona wastewater from Jan. 15 of this year, 41 days before the first case was officially reported there. Joan Ramon Villalbi of the Spanish Society for Public Health and Sanitary Administration said it was still early to draw definitive conclusions based on these findings. "When it's just one result, you always want more data, more studies, more samples to confirm it and rule out a laboratory error or a methodological problem," he said. (https://reut.rs/2Zb8sBb; https://bit.ly/382ZNot) Flu vaccine use in elderly may be linked to community coronavirus mortality COVID-19 death rates may be lower in communities where large proportions of elderly residents received flu vaccines, based on data from more than 2,000 counties around the United States. Researchers found that a 10% increase in vaccination coverage among people older than 65 was associated on average with a 28% decrease in the COVID-19 death rate in a given county. It is possible that social, economic and health factors contributed to lower coronavirus mortality in counties where more seniors got flu vaccines, the researchers said. Their findings were based on data reported by counties, not by individuals. Still, the researchers said, "The significant public health implications of this possibility point to an urgent need for studying the relationship between influenza vaccination and COVID-19 mortality at the individual level, to investigate both the epidemiology and any underlying biological mechanism." On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said flu vaccination during the pandemic is very important to reduce the overall impact of respiratory illnesses on the population and ease burdens on the healthcare system. (https://bit.ly/3dBQnkP) Bring sick kids for medical care during lockdown, doctors say With lockdown orders in place, parents may hesitate to take sick children to the doctor. But research by pediatricians in Britain concluded that if medical care is delayed - particularly when a child appears seriously ill - "the unintended consequences of the lockdown will do more harm and claim more children's lives than COVID-19." Among nearly 2,500 pediatricians surveyed for the study published on Thursday in Archives of Disease in Childhood, one in three said they had dealt with medical emergencies in children who probably would have sought medical care before becoming so ill were it not for the pandemic. Children with diabetes were most often involved, but also those with life threatening blood infections and cancer, survey responses indicated. (https://bit.ly/3i4CSNY) Open https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/yxmvjqywprz/index.html in an external browser for a Reuters graphic on vaccines and treatments in development. (Reporting by Nancy Lapid, John Miller, Caroline Humer, Emma Pinedo, Nathan Allen and Inti Landauro; Editing by Will Dunham) Tirupati June 27 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday offered prayers at Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala. Accompanied by family members, he had 'darshan' at the famous hill shrine and participated in various rituals conducted by the temple priests. Chouhan told reporters that he prayed for an end to the Covid-19 pandemic and more strength to the Indian soldiers for safeguarding the country's borders. "I prayed for the country to become free from coronavirus. I had the good fortune of participating in the special rituals organised by the temple authorities," he said. Earlier, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal and Additional Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy welcomed Chouhan and his family members when they reached the temple. The Chief Minister and his family members had arrived at Tirumala Friday night and after darshan on Saturday, returned to Bhopal. Chouhan is the first Chief Minister of any state to offer prayers at Tirumala temple after it was re-opened for devotees earlier this month. The temple was closed for devotees for 80 days due to Covid-19 induced lockdown. This was also the first visit by Chouhan to the famous temple since he took over as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for a fourth term in March. France and its allies in the Sahel next week will discuss the region's mounting struggles with a jihadist insurgency and ethnic bloodshed. Militant attacks and ethnic massacres have become routine in parts of the vast semi-arid region, and state armies are increasingly accused of indiscriminately killing civilians. Leaders of the so-called G5 Sahel military alliance -- comprising Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger -- plus President Francois Macron, are due to meet on Tuesday in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott. The summit is a follow-up to talks in the French city of Pau in January that gave a political reboot to the flagging war against the jihadists. Islamist insurgents in the Sahel first emerged in northern Mali in 2012, during a rebellion by Touareg separatists which was later overtaken by the jihadists. Despite the presence of thousands of foreign troops, the conflict has since spread to the centre of the country, as well as to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed in the conflict to date, while hundreds of thousands have had to flee their homes. Following the Pau summit, France upped its military presence and has boasted of several recent successes -- its forces notably killed Abdelmalek Droukdel, the head of a notorious group called al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), in northern Mali in June. International opinion about the situation in the Sahel differs. The United States, at a UN Security Council meeting in June, said security was deteriorating in the region and there had been no "significant progress." In contrast, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has hailed "important" advances. - 'Disarray' - Tuesday's talks are taking place against a backdrop of entrenched problems, particularly in Mali, where the jihadist onslaught has pitched ethnic groups against each other. Local infighting in Mali's volatile centre has gone "largely unnoticed," according to Ibrahim Maiga, a Bamako-based researcher for the Institute for Security Studies think tank. And in a new development, jihadists respectively linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have begun to battle each other in central Mali, after long steering clear of one another. Mali's peace process is also faltering, although few people are paying attention, said a European diplomat in Bamako, who declined to be named. Mali's government signed a peace accord with some rebel groups in 2015, which is meant to lead to decentralisation in the vast country -- an option experts argue could defuse long-standing tensions. On another front, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is facing protests over his perceived mismanagement of the country after years of bloodshed. Mounting opposition to his leadership -- led by a newly resurgent opposition -- has Mali's international allies concerned about the stability of the war-torn country. Other problems abound in the Sahel conflict. A contingent of Chadian troops to the border region linking Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, promised after the Pau summit, has yet to deploy. But there are also increasing concerns about the conduct of local troops. Rights groups have accused Sahel armies of conducting indiscriminate killings of civilians this year, for example. Mahamadou Savadogo, a Burkinabe researcher, said that these alleged killings show the "disarray of security forces" confronted with continued militant attacks. A French government official, who requested anonymity, said that the danger is that the chaos in the Sahel will spread south, into West Africa's populous coastal states. That fear already appears to be materialising. In mid-June, Islamist militants killed 12 soldiers and a policeman in a border raid in Ivory Coast, the country's first jihadist attack since 2016. A soldier on patrol between Mopti and Djenne in central Mali, one of the most dangerous areas in the Sahel The Nouakchott meeting follows up a summit in January in the southwestern French city of Pau, which sought to reboot the campaign against jihadism in the Sahel UN, African and French forces in the G5 Sahel region Prasar Bharati is the largest subscriber of PTI, which is a not-for-profit privately-run news agency and has over 1,000 full-time employees India's state broadcaster Prasar Bharati has reportedly threatened to cancel the subscription of privately-run news agency Press Trust of India alleging "anti-national reportage". The state broadcaster shot off a strongly worded letter to the news agency asserting that its contract was under review, following its "anti-national reportage", reports said. The news, confirmed by various journalists on Twitter, comes after PTI published an interview of Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong on Friday in the wake of the clashes between Chinese and Indian armies in the Galwan Valley. The article, part of India's largest news agency's syndicate feed, was also carried by several publications. However, reports say that Prasar Bharati deemed this interview "anti-national". Livemint, quoted a source at the state broadcaster as saying, "This kind of news coverage no longer makes it tenable to continue the relationship the two had shared for decades, as part of which the public broadcaster has been supporting PTI with huge annual fees running into several crores." In the said interview, the Chinese Ambassador had claimed that Beijing was ready to "work with India" but the onus of easing tensions rested with India. "The onus is not on China. The Indian side crossed the LAC (Line of Actual Control) for provocation and attacked the Chinese border troops. The Indian forces seriously violated agreements on border issues between the two countries," he was quoted as saying. However, PTI had also mentioned India's stand in the interview: "In the course of the interview, Sun repeated the Chinese governments stand which has been rejected by India that Indian troops are responsible for the Galwan valley clashes, and indicated that the onus was on India to improve the situation in eastern Ladakh." Prasar Bharati is the largest subscriber of PTI, a not-for-profit privately-run news agency which has over 1,000 full-time employees. It took over the operations of the Associated Press of India from Reuters after India's independence in 1947. Prasar Bharati, which comprises the state-owned Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, pays an annual fees of Rs 9.5 crore to the agency. Reports indicated that Prasar Bharati had broached rationalisation of this annual fees more than once before. Reports in Livemint and The Hindu along with tweets by several independent journalists claimed the aforementioned article was the cause of Prasar Bharati's displeasure. However, journalist Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of online publication The Wire, said that the state broadcaster was miffed over a tweet by PTI where the latter quoted the Indian Ambassador to China Vijay Misri. The said tweet contradicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's earlier statement that "there (is) no Chinese presence on our side of the LAC" in eastern Ladakh. Vindictive move comes after PTI tweeted a quote from Indian ambassador Vikram Misri in Beijing contradicting PM Modi's controversial 'no intrusion by China' claim. TIll now, the government has not denied the accuracy of Misri's quote.https://t.co/WTIQZGkj3d via @thewire_in Siddharth (@svaradarajan) June 27, 2020 Firstpost also carried the statement in which Indian envoy to China Vikram Misri had told PTI that India hopes that China will "move back to its side of LAC". "India hopes China will realise its responsibility in de-escalation and disengaging by moving back to its side of LAC," Misri had said on Friday, adding that "China has to stop the practice of transgressing and trying to erect structures on the Indian side of the LAC". Misri's statement had come just days after the government had clarified that Chinese soldiers are no longer on Indian side of the LAC. The statement put out by PTI has neither been denied by Misri nor the Ministry of External Affairs, so far. PTI, meanwhile, said that the criticism directed towards it was unwarranted, unjustified and unfair. The comment was not directly in relation to Prasar Bharati's purported threat but was a reaction after several journalists slammed the news agency for giving space to China's propaganda. The agency told The Print, "Interviews with newsmakers are routine business for media organisations during which a range of questions are asked. Some of the comments make news. It is clear that the one-sided criticism of the PTI interview has been generated by the truncated version put out by the Chinese Embassy." An abridged version of the PTI interview with Sun was published by the Chinese Embassy. The version, left out all paragraphs related to India's stand and the MEA's statement on the issue, which were part of the original PTI article. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- The European Commissions plan for a 750 billion-euro ($842 billion) fund to deal with the economic consequences of the pandemic is a quantum leap in Europes crisis response. Yet, for all the good intentions, political leaders still have to agree on the details of the scheme. The European Council a gathering of prime ministers and presidents will meet on Friday to discuss the plan, although most observers only expect a breakthrough to happen in July. The EU is still wrestling with the opposition of the so-called frugal four: Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. The countries leaders penned a letter to the Financial Times this week, expressing their doubts over several aspects of the proposal, including the fact that a chunk of the money will come as grants. The four nations should be careful about the fights they pick. Theres a strong economic case for having a hefty instrument to support European countries most affected by the crisis. This would be a great show of solidarity by the continent. However, it would be reasonable for Sweden and Denmark to ask whether such a mechanism should involve all 27 European Union countries or just be limited to the 19-strong euro area, to which the Swedes and Danes dont belong. And it would be entirely rational for the fiscally cautious Dutch and Austrians to insist on adequate checks and balances to make sure any emergency funds are well spent by recipient nations. Its hard to be confident that they will be. The decision to set up a recovery fund at the EU, rather than at the euro-zone level, makes practical sense. The Commission can use its existing powers to borrow the money on the financial markets, rather than setting up a new mechanism. For their part, euro-area countries have spent months haggling over the possibility of creating some form of joint budget, only to produce a minuscule pot of money that couldnt even be used in the event of a shock. Story continues By contrast, the EU already has a budget, used to fund pan-European projects and to support its more vulnerable regions. And yet, it isnt clear why well-run EU countries such as Sweden or Denmark should sign up to a system of further fiscal transfers that would chiefly benefit ailing euro-zone nations. Europes fiscal problem is mostly to do with its single-currency union, which has a joint monetary policy but no system of transfers to support countries that face an isolated shock. The Covid-19 pandemic is a common threat, but its having asymmetric effects across the union, as some countries such as Spain and Italy suffer more than others. It seems right that some of these governments receive help in the form of grants, rather than loans, as the pandemic is no ones fault and it would be dangerous to make financially strained countries even weaker. But this is essentially a question for the euro zone. The other significant problem with the recovery fund relates to how the money will be spent. The biggest share of the 750 billion-euro pot will be disbursed to individual member states after they present their own post-crisis economic reform programs. In theory, the Commission should oversee the quality of these proposals and only hand out the money if a country sticks to its early commitments. But its far from certain whether the Commission will have the political strength or even the legitimacy to refuse the money to a country because it doesnt like its proposal. Even worse, Brussels may choose to disburse later rounds of funding even if a country has reneged on its initial pledges. In a recent panel discussion, Luis Garicano, a member of the European Parliament and an early proponent of a recovery fund, told me hed like to see more of a role for MEPs in vetting the grants and unlocking the money. The Netherlands and Austria may want to pick up on his idea, or come up with more precise and stringent criteria for the Commission to allocate resources. Unfortunately, theres a long history of countries mismanaging EU funds, so theres a strong case for better supervision this time around. The leaders of the frugal four may feel they have domestic support for their battle, but they risk becoming isolated at the European level. Instead of pushing back against a necessary upgrade to Europes economic infrastructure, they should seize their chance to improve its functioning. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Ferdinando Giugliano writes columns and editorials on European economics for Bloomberg View. He is also an economics columnist for La Repubblica and was a member of the editorial board of the Financial Times. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. " " A detail of an image printed in "The Boston Globe" showing the aftermath of a disastrous 1919 industrial spill. Boston Globe/Getty Images Jan. 15, 1919, is a date that will forever live in infamy for the residents of Boston, Massachusetts. It was an unseasonably warm day, and witnesses in the area recalled hearing shots like gunfire just after noon. All of a sudden, a 2.3-million-gallon wave of molasses flooded down Commercial Street in the city's North End. After the sticky deluge subsided, property was severely damaged, 21 people died and 150 bystanders were injured. "Ensnaring in its sticky flood more than 100 men, women, and children; crushing buildings, teams, automobiles, and street cars everything in its path the black reeking mass slapped against the side of the buildings footing Copp's Hill and then swished back towards the harbor." The Boston Globe, Jan. 16, 1919 How could what became known as the Boston Molasses Flood happen? Advertisement The Purity Distilling Company was a manufacturer of rum and industrial alcohol in Boston's North End. In 1915 they had erected a massive steel tank, 52 feet (15.9 meters) tall, 90 feet (27.4 meters) across, and able to hold 2.5 million gallons (9.5 million liters) of molasses, which was a prime ingredient for their enterprise. Later investigation found that the tank wasn't structurally sound to begin with in fact, it had even been quickly painted brown to hide the fact that it leaked molasses constantly. Just before the disaster, the tank had been filled close to capacity with a recent shipment of molasses. Then, on Jan. 15, 1919, just a year before Prohibition would go into effect, the tank ruptured. Initial reports suggested that anarchists might have blown the massive tank owned by the Purity Distilling Company. The Jan. 16 edition of "The Boston Globe" suggested that an internal explosion could have been the culprit. But the reason for the tank's explosion was much more insidious: reckless craftsmanship. With little in the way of regulation at the time, the Purity Distilling Company tossed together its molasses tank without the benefit of anyone qualified to design so massive a tank. "It's a common misconception that the tanks exploded," says Jamie Windon, owner and co-founder of Lyon Distilling in Maryland, via email. "The tanks actually broke, because at the time they were made of steel that was too thin, reportedly below standards, even for the time, and the sheer weight of over 2 million gallons of molasses was far too much to bear, eventually causing the tank to fatigue and break, spilling ungodly amounts of molasses out of the warehouse and into the streets." Since the tank wasn't a building or a bridge, there was no regulatory agency responsible for inspecting or regulating it. Jesse Brenneman, co-founder of the Deacon Giles Distillery in Massachusetts explains why a flood of this nature wouldn't even be possible today. "Modern day distillers store molasses in small totes of about 275 gallons each, or in stainless steel tanks at larger volumes," he says via email. " " The lethal aftermath of the Boston Molasses Flood. Boston Globe/Getty Images "Stainless steel has many wonderful properties," continues Brenneman, "which include an extreme resistance to rust or deterioration and incredible high strength and rigidity. And smaller 275 gallon totes clearly do not present a flood risk. Tanks are well vented, often with two or more pressure and vacuum relief devices. Additionally, most very large outdoor storage tanks also include secondary containment a trough or bowl built around the base of the tank that can hold it's entire contents should it leak or rupture." A Sticky Investigation The Massachusetts Superior Court eventually assigned an auditor to get to the bottom of the flood. It took decorated World War I veteran Hugh Ogden six years to collect more than 45,000 pages of testimony from more than 3,000 witnesses. He eventually discovered that no one with any with any engineering or architectural expertise reviewed the plans for the tank at any point during its construction or use. These findings changed regulatory laws in Boston, and they required architects and engineers to sign off on plans and file them with the city. Once Boston had adopted this standard, many other municipalities across the country followed suit in a requirement that stands to this day. At a time where companies were rarely held accountable for their practices, the United States Industrial Alcohol (the Purity Distillery's parent company) was forced to pay almost a million dollars in damages to those affected and their families. This tragic flood was a major step forward in corporate accountability and more meaningful regulations in the United States. " " The front page of an extra edition of "The Boston Globe" following the disaster. Boston Globe/Getty Images Now That's Cool The commander of the U.S. Navy training ship Nantucket witnessed the explosion from the deck of his ship in the harbor and sent more than a 100 cadets ashore to help deal with the cleanup and rescue effort. Three Colorado police officers involved in a deadly confrontation with a 23-year-old Black man last year were moved to "non-enforcement" duties as Elijah McClain's arrest gains renewed scrutiny, officials said Friday. The Aurora Police Department said the action was "done in an effort to protect those officers" who arrested McClain on Aug. 24 in a struggle that ended in his death. "They are now working in a non-enforcement capacity," Det. Faith Goodrich said. "This can be in a variety of different assignments but is usually administrative in nature." Officers Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt were moved to desk duty on June 13, and officer Randy Roedema was re-assigned on June 20, officials said. McClain was pronounced dead on Aug. 27, three days after he was confronted by police officers who were answering a call about a suspicious person in the area. Officers applied a chokehold during the confrontation, authorities have said. The call to police was received at 10:32 p.m. on Aug. 24 reporting that a suspicious person was "walking on Billings Street near East Colfax Avenue, wearing a ski mask and waving his arms at the caller," officials said. McClain often wore a ski mask when he felt cold, his family said, and it would have been in the mid- to high-60s that night, according to weather records. "The male would not stop walking down the street from the officer," according to a police statement at the time. "The male resisted contact, a struggle ensued, and he was taken into custody." The coroner for Adams and Broomfield counties found that McClain's death was due to "undetermined causes." But the coroner did not rule out whether the police chokehold, in addition to the sedative ketamine injected into McClain by paramedics, might have contributed to his death. Protesters across the nation have been calling for action against systemic racism and police brutality since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 18:16:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BISHKEK, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan reported 309 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, raising the total number of infections to 4,513. Among the new cases, five are imported, and the remaining 304 are contacts of confirmed cases, the country's Deputy Health Minister Mademin Karataev told a news briefing. He also reported three virus-related deaths, raising the death toll in the country to 46. Karataev noted that among the new cases 43 are medical workers, bringing the total number of infected medical workers to 712, including 414 recoveries. Meanwhile, 50 people were discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2,212. Currently, 628 people remain hospitalized, including 12 in intensive care, while 1,627 asymptomatic patients are under home quarantine. Kyrgyzstan has conducted 3,887 laboratory tests in the last 24 hours. Enditem When something bad happens, repeatedly, to women, so often that they caution each other to avoid someone: not to attend certain lectures, not to accept certain invitations or jobs, not to be left alone with a certain man, then two questions arise. First, why is it that the women are the ones who always need to modify their behaviour, to avoid assault or harassment? Why not the perpetrator? The second is: who also knew what was going on and failed to do anything about it? People always look for patterns in the behaviour of alleged predators. With former High Court judge Dyson Heydon, were told, it was champagne: a moment when women were asked to his chambers, ostensibly for fine French bubbles. But should we not also look for a pattern of protection of predators? Of blind or turned eyes, of the possession of power intimidating people into some kind of complicity, of the normalising of women as playthings or subordinates in a profession where they remain a distinct minority, and of well-connected boys clubs creating a system in which men harass without consequences, and women are repeatedly punished for avoiding them, rejecting them or worst of all reporting them. This reeks of a culture of impunity. Former High Court justice Dyson Heydon was found in an inquiry ordered by the High Court to have harassed six associates. Credit:Ben Rushton If a woman cannot be safe in the highest court in the land, a place of probity, integrity and rectitude, then where can she be? And if there arent women in positions of leadership, will anyone hold the blokes to account? How the hell do these guys get away with this for so long? When Dyson Heydon was appointed to the High Court by John Howard in 2003, he replaced the only woman judge Mary Gaudron thereby restoring an all-male bench on the most illustrious court in the land. There were capable women around, of course, including Susan Kiefel, listed by journalists as potential contenders. But, NSW judge Roddy Meagher told a reporter from The Australian, women just didnt have enough of that elusive quality men seem to naturally hog: merit. If you find a woman who is No. 1 in the merit list, he said, of course she should be appointed, but there is no such person. By Express News Service KOCHI: Nine persons, including an Alappuzha native who arrived from abroad, tested positive for Covid-19 in the district on Friday. Of the total cases, eight returned from Gulf countries including six from Kuwait and one from Maharashtra.The new patients are a 31-year-old Kadamakudy native who arrived from Kuwait on June 12, a 25-year-old Varappuzha native and a 46-year-old Malayidamthuruth native who arrived from Kuwait on June 13, a 39-year-old Thiruvaniyoor native and a 30-year-old Chellanam native who came from Kuwait on June 14, a 48-year-old Eloor native who arrived from Riyadh, a 27-year-old Mookkannoor native who arrived from Dubai on June 13 and a 14-year-old Parakadavu native who arrived from Madhya Pradesh. The 46-year-old Alappuzha native too arrived from Kuwait on June 25. The 14-year-old was in the contact list of the Nayarambalam native who was tested positive on June 21. The swabs of the Nayarambalam natives close relatives and family members have been sent for testing.Health officials said 22 persons were identified as contacts of the two Amballoor grama panchayat natives who tested positive on June 25. Of the 22, 11 are in high-risk category and their samples were sent for testing, said an official. Three persons recovered. They are a 28-year-old Palarimangalam native who tested positive on June 3, a 51-year-old Tamil Nadu native who tested positive on June 14, and a 28-year-old Maharasthra native who tested positive on June 9. A total of 155 people are being treated for the disease in the district. Six came from Kuwait Of the total nine cases, eight persons returned from Gulf countries and one from Maharashtra. Of the eight people who returned from abroad, six came from Kuwait between June 12 and 25, while one person each came from Riyadh and Dubai. Meanwhile, 22 persons were identified as contacts of the two Amballoor grama panchayat natives who had tested positive on June 25 The Varanasi district authorities have made arrangements for three entry and exit gates for devotees for a jhanki darshan of Lord Shiva, the reigning deity of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, during the Hindu holy month of Shravan, beginning July 5, amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, said Deepak Agarwal, divisional commissioner, Varanasi. The bureaucrat said kanwarias, the saffron-clad Shaivites, have been barred from visiting the temple town during the holy month because of the viral outbreak. Devotees wouldnt be allowed to enter the shrines sanctum sanctorum and only permitted a jhanki darshan, he added. Agarwal shared this information with media persons after holding a meeting with the Kashi Vishwanath Trust authorities, the district, and police administrations regarding the special preparations for the holy month amid the pandemic. He said that the predetermined routes for the temples entry and the exit had been obstructed due to the ongoing construction work of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. He instructed the officials to put up a zig-zag barricade from Maidagin crossing to Godaulia and mark prominent circles on the ground to maintain a six-feet social distance for devotees while standing in a queue. Sanitiser cans would be placed at every 100 metres along the queue, he added. The temple authorities have been directed to hold a meeting with the members of the Yadav community called Yadav Bandhus and other people regarding tweaking of rules while performing the over two-century-old special puja during the holy month because of the viral outbreak. In a marked departure from the age-old tradition, only five persons would be allowed to perform the special puja on Shravan Mondays this year instead of the usual group of 100, Agarwal said. The authorities are also making arrangements for heightened security, uninterrupted power supply, and maintaining cleanliness in and around the ancient shrine during the holy month. Saima Afreen By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Phirni is an amalgam of culinary osmosis served in a clay saucer/bowl. A Persian word, it is also spelled as phereni, fereny, or ferni. The dessert, prepared with milk, sugar and coarsely ground rice is said to have originated in Persia which travelled to the subcontinent with the Mughals. Its a close cousin of kheer whose description is mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts derived from the word sheer which means milk both in Sanskrit and Persian. It is because of the Persians that rose water and dry fruits are used in this sweet dish. Also called Sheer Branj or Sheer Brinij, which means milk and rice, the dessert in the earlier days was thought to be the fare for angels as per Oxford Companion to Food. And, Hyderabad platter is known to have the influence of the cuisine thanks to the strong ties of the then realm with Persia which is now modern-day Iran. Thats how firnis in different flavours become elixir to be savoured during not just Ramzan but other days as well. Other than restaurants, now serving through takeaways, a startup named Treat Your Sweet Tooth by Nyla has come up in Hyderabad to deliver the bowls of fresh homemade phirni at the doorstep. Its 29-year-old founder, Nyla, says, I started this venture during Ramzan this year. And it turned out to be really fruitful despite the lockdown and the pandemic threat. Nyla operates from her home at Lakdi Ka Pul. Her day starts at 6 am as she begins preparing the orders received the previous day though her Instagram page. It takes me two to three hours to prepare the phirnis, The recipe is traditional Hyderabadi she says as she gets ready to deliver the parcels herself. She drives her car to the clients homes and comes back before sunset to play with her pet dog, who doesnt bother her much while she works. So how did it all begin? I was going through severe depression after a failed marriage. To keep myself busy, I had already done a world tour. I didnt know what to do next. So, one fine day after having my tea I just went to the kitchen and decided to prepare phirni. Later I posted photographs on Instagram; the orders started pouring in, says the Computer Science graduate from IIMC, Khairtabad. She lost her parents at a young age and has a sister, whos a chef and lives in Canada. Shares Nyla, My venture inspired my sister and shes also started an enterprise of her own. She plays with flavours. As of now shes serving phirnis prepared with nuts, saffron, litchi, mango, and rose among others. Shes soon going to add more to the list. Other than rice and milk does she add kewra or rose water to the phirnis? No, the ingredients release their own aroma which is what makes the delight unique, she says. And she makes sure that the clay bowls are soaked in freshwater for at least two hours before the dessert is served and kept aside to set. She puts Chandi Ka Varq to complete the dish and give it the royal look for which its known. Each bowl weighs around 300 gm and costs `250 onwards. Saima Afreen saima@newindianexpress .com @Sfreen Yezidis: A History of Persecution The ISIS genocide in 2014 against Yezidis in Iraq and Turkey's occupation of parts of northern Syria since 2018 have brought a long-suffering people to the attention of the world. The Yezidis (or Yazidis/Ezidis) are a non-Muslim community indigenous to northern Mesopotamia. Named after their ancient faith, Yezidis have a rich oral tradition combining aspects of various ancient Mesopotamian religions such as Zoroastrianism. According to their oral history, Yezidis have suffered from 72 massacres prior to the 2014 genocide of Yezidis in Iraq. "Over the course of 700 years," according to the Yezidis International Organization, "nearly 23 million Yezidi people have been murdered, thus bringing their civilization to the brink of extinction." Territory and political power in the Middle East are often fought over by Muslims. But one thing appears to have united them: their obsessed desire to exterminate Yezidis. Historian Amed GAkAen, the author of several books on Yezidis, said in a 2014 interview: "We do not know when each of the 72 Yezidi massacres took place. But we do know who the perpetrators are. Everybody in the Middle East: Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmens." Like GAkAen, other scholars also agree. Sociologist Dr. Asmail BeAikAi writes: "Yezidis have been persecuted enormously a particularly at the hands of Muslims a throughout history. Islam has grown and spread since the mid-seventh century. In this process, the Arab conquerors have tremendously persecuted Yezidis in Iraq, Syria and Iran. They took all kinds of measures to Islamize them and implemented those measures. They massacred those who wanted to remain Yezidis in masses, and seized their properties." As examples of Kurdish persecution against Yezidis, BeAikAi mentions the ethnic Kurdish commanders "Muhammad Pasha of Rawandiz in 1810s, and Bedir Khan Beg in 1930s and 1840s who persecuted Yezidis enormously to Islamize them." This persecution, however, is not just from Muslim governments, armies or organizations. Local Muslims have also participated in the severe mistreatment and pressures against the vulnerable community. A book published in 2014 by Yasar Batman details the varied social, religious, and economic pressures Yezidis were subjected to in Turkey, particularly at the hands of their Kurdish neighbors. For example, "when a Yezidi brought a few sacks of wheat and a donkey to a mill, they immediately asked him where he was from. When he said 'I am from Mishacerk' [a Yezidi village], they said 'You are a Yezidi. Why don't you convert to Islam?' Then they poured his sack to the ground. Meanwhile, his donkey ran away. Then they also beat him. So the Yezidi would not only lose the wheat with which he would feed himself, but also lose his donkey." Through his many interviews, Batman heard stories of Yezidis threatened with death if they did not convert and Muslims refusing to trade with Yezidis. Muslims called them "haram," meaning forbidden. Ottoman Persecution against Yezidis According to historian GAkAen, the Ottoman policy on Yezidis was slaughter and forced conversion. The Ottoman archives contain evidence concerning the Yezidi treatment by Muslims such as "sending the slaughtered tongues aato the sultan" and "selling women... And all of them [the archives] are about death," GAkAen said. "So there is not a positive idea about the Yezidis in the Ottoman archives. Let's kill them, let's build mosques to make them Muslim, let's try to bring them to the right path and give a salary to those who try to bring them to the right path... After a while, [Yezidi] people did not want to live here anymore.... And this is very natural and justified... They now live in Europe, and nobody can bring them back here even if an apocalypse breaks down." In his 2009 book "Yezidism in Europe: Different Generations Speak about their Religion," Professor Philip Kreyenbroek wrote: "We know relatively little about the history of Yezidis from the 12th till the 16th century, but they were probably an influential, more or less coherent community under the authority of their own Prince. In the course of the 16th century, however, many Yezidis converted to Islam, thus weakening the community, which increasingly became objects of persecution. The massacre of Yezidis by the Bey [Muslim chieftain] of Rowanduz [or Rawandiz] in 1832 is still part of the communal memory of Iraqi Yezidis." He continues, "under the Ottoman Empire, whose heartland was Turkey and which ruled large parts of the Middle East from the 14th until the 20th century, the Yezidis were never recognized as a millet [i.e. a community in its own right, such as Jews or Christians], and did not enjoy any protection by the state." During the 1914-23 Christian genocide in Ottoman Turkey perpetrated against Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks, Yezidis were also targeted and driven from their lands. According to author Batman, there was a slogan common during the genocide: "Those who kill 7 Armenians will go to heaven." The version "those who kill 7 Yezidis will go to heaven" was also used. "In addition to the Armenians," writes Dr. Maria Six-Hohenbalken, "demographically smaller groups of Christian denominations as well as non-Christian groups such as the Yezidi were targeted by the politics of annihilation. It is nearly impossible to know the number of the victims; about 12,000 Yezidis managed to find refuge in Armenia, where they established a diasporic community in the Soviet realm." Yezidi persecution in Turkey Following the genocide, modern day Turkey was founded in 1923. The state made intense efforts to Islamize the Yezidis by using widespread state terror, according to Dr. BeAikAi: "As a result, many Yezidis took refuge in other countries such as Armenia and Georgia... Many of them immigrated to Europe. Those who stayed in Turkey had to convert to Islam and led a half-Yezidi, half-Muslim lifestyle." Batman writes that the Turkish state changed the names of Yezidi villages and gave them Turkish names. They destroyed Yezidi temples and defaced Yezidi graves. Yezidis lay their dead in graves on their backs facing the sun. But according to Batman, many Yezidi graves were opened and the dead bodies were placed again according to Islamic rules: facing the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca. A 30-year old man from Diyarbakir, Turkey, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the author: "There were few Yezidis left in the village of Mishacek that I knew. But they pretended to be Muslim because they were scared. And when they died, they were buried according to Islamic faith. Can you imagine that? Even though you are not Muslim, your burial ceremony is held in a mosque. This is so devastating, isn't it?" Approximately 80,000 Yezidis lived in Turkey until the 1970s. But the majority of Yezidis migrated from Turkey to Europe in decades following due to the continued persecution they faced, as well as because of the violent conflicts between the Kurdish PKK and the Turkish army. "After they moved to Europe, even their private registered lands were invaded. Their trees were ripped off. The Yazidi owners of those lands were threatened, and some of their villages were abandoned and became uninhabitable places," read a 2014 parliamentary motion in Turkey. Today, the Turkish government still does not officially recognize Yezidism as a religion. The religion box on the ID papers of the Yezidis are either marked as an "unknown religion" or marked with an "X". In many cases, Yezidis are registered as either Muslim or "irreligious." The Islamic State: The Latest Persecutor In August 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists invaded the Yezidi-populated Sinjar region in Iraq. Some Yezidis managed to flee for their lives. But those who couldn't were murdered. Yezidi women were raped and sold as sex slaves. One victim was Zinab, a 31-year-old Yezidi who was captured by ISIS in Kocho on Aug. 3, 2014. "She was made a sex slave, endured constant rapes and beatings; she escaped her captors three times, was caught and sold again four times. On March 21, 2016, she was sold to a man who turned out to be a rescuer sent by her family," reported Maclean's, a Canadian weekly news magazine. "Her uncle's two daughters, ages 12 and 15, are still in the hands of ISIS." The number of Yezidi children and women who are still missing after being kidnapped by ISIS is about 2,800, according to Saad Murad, the Director of Media and Relations of the Yazda organization. Not Even "People of the Book" What is it that has united so many Muslims from different ethnic backgrounds in their hatred and aggression against Yezidis? Islamic theology distinguishes two types of non-Muslims: Ahl al-Kitab ("People of the Book"), a euphemism for Jews and Christians All others The common assertion that the "People of the Book" are protected in Islamic law is actually false. "People of the Book" are dhimmis -- second-class subjects a who are forced to buy their lives from Muslims with a "dhimmi pact." According to Islamic theology, the "People of the Book" must be fought against until they either convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax to Muslim rulers. The jizya tax is a symbol of non-Muslim submission to Islamic hegemony. Only conversion to Islam can make them "equal" to Muslims. Otherwise, they are exploited, humiliated and impoverished. The Yezidis, however, are not even a "People of the Book." Thus, they are not given the opportunity to submit. Instead, they are often given two choices: conversion to Islam or death. Yezidis -- like other non-Muslims -- are also considered "kafirs" by Islamic theology. "Kafir is an actual word the Koran uses for non-Muslims," notes Dr. Bill Warner. "It is usually translated as unbeliever or infidel, but that translation is wrong. The word unbeliever is neutral, while the attitude of the Koran towards unbelievers is very negative. The Koran defines the Kafir as hated by Allah. A Muslim is never the true friend of a Kafir. Kafirs can be enslaved, raped, beheaded, plotted against, terrorized, and humiliated. A Kafir is not a full human." This seems to be the main reason why Yezidis have historically been persecuted by several Muslim peoples since the Islamic takeover of the Middle East. The Yezidis, one of the most peaceful peoples on earth, have been suffering enormously for centuries. They have been largely forgotten by world governments and the international community. The world should finally pay attention to them in their moments of greatest suffering. Uzay Bulut is a Turkish journalist and political analyst formerly based in Ankara. In The Mood For Love is the definitive film of Wong kar-wai's career. One of my favourite film anecdotes has Orson Welles and Peter Bogdanovich talking about Greta Garbo. The younger filmmaker said, Isnt it a pity with all the movies she made, she did only two great ones! And Welles said, Well, you only need one. He should know. He made Citizen Kane. He made many, many movies afterwards, but in a sense, he neednt have bothered. Had he made Citizen Kane and retired, hed still be ORSON WELLES! Well, you only need one. In the case of Wong Kar-wai, that one movie would be In the Mood for Love, which turns 20 this year. You could describe this great film in a number of ways: humanistic, profound, stylistic, melancholic, musical, tragic. But above all, I think its a poetic film, and poetry is what the film opens with. We get a prelude: It is a restless moment. She has kept her head lowered to give him a chance to come closer. But he could not, for lack of courage. She turns and walks away. What is this restless moment? Is it something about the films location and time frame: Hong Kong, from 1962-66? The male protagonist Chow is a journalist, after all. Hes presumably covering the restless moments of the time. The director told Indiewire that he wanted to make a film about this period, because its very special in the history of Hong Kong, because it is right after 1949 and a lot of people from China are living in Hong Kong and they still have their dreams about their lives back in China. So like the Chinese communities in the film, there are people from Shanghai and they have their own languages and they dont have contact with the local Cantonese. Late in the film, there is an explicitly political stretch: documentary footage of Charles De Gaulle arriving in Cambodia in 1966. But the restless moment that remains upfront is a summation of the key plot point, which could loosely be described as unrequited love. This is a languorously paced film, and this moment between the leads, Chow and Su swells to fill its running time. Chow falls for Su in the oddest way, when they realise that his wife is having an affair with her husband. This scene of mutual realisation is the stuff of high drama, but it plays out like a poem. Chow and Su are in a restaurant, casually probing how much the other one has caught on. What confirms the affair isnt anything overtly physical or vulgar: say, a handkerchief with another womans perfume. Its the most mundane of things. In Chows case, its a tie that his wife bought him, a tie that resembles the one Sus husband likes to wear. In Sus case, its a handbag thats a replica of the one Chows wife carries. Even their meeting is most mundane. Chow and Su choose the same day to move into a cramped building, and some of their things mundane things like books, furniture get mixed up. With colour and shadows and music and two extraordinary leads (Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung), In the Mood for Love works these bits of everyday ordinariness into ravishing poetry. Even the exact passage of events resembles a poem that you might have to read a couple of times to fully get: say, the significance of the lipstick smeared cigarette Chow finds in his ashtray. But it doesnt matter because the mood of the title envelops you so thoroughly. Part of this mood is created through Sus wardrobe, a series of cheongsams whose colours contrast vividly with the drabness of the building, the drabness of the nosy people around. Watching Su walk by, a neighbour comments, She dresses up like that to go out for noodles? But like unhappy, unfulfilled women in the movies think of Sridevi in English Vinglish, parading around in Sabyasachi saris Sus not-a-hair-out-of-place look is a facade for the turmoil inside. Describing the Sridevi character, Sabyasachi told The Telegraph, Shes a simple middle-class Indian woman who has had no global exposure it was a look that someone insensitive would call behenji... Its prissy and very matchy-matchy Here was a woman who doesnt know a world beyond saris. Thats Su, too. The most subverseive aspect of the film is how Chow and Su fall in love without actually wanting to fall in love. After discovering that they both know about the affair, Chow and Su walk home. She says, l wonder how it began. A little later, she says, Its late. Wont your wife complain? Chow replies, Shes used to it. She doesnt care. And your husband? Su says, He must be asleep by now. As we are still in real time i.e. walking alongside Chow and Su we are shocked when Chow places his hand on Sus and says, Shall we stay out tonight? The first time I saw the film, I thought he was making an overture. But then, Su gives him a hard look and says, My husband would never say that. And we see that they are play-acting. They are imagining how their spouses got together. And this play-acting slowly turns real. Their feelings escalate to a point where they decide to rehearse how their separation will take place. (From play-acting about their spouses, theyre now play-acting about themselves.) Maybe shell say hed better not see her again and hell tell her to keep a closer eye on her husband and walk away after holding her hand one last time. The maybe is because the director doesnt give us the actual scene of separation. Like the affair, we are left to imagine it. The ending, too, we are left to imagine. In one of the temples of Angkor Wat, Chow cups his hands over a hole and says something. The action harks back to the time he told a friend what people did in the old days when they had a secret they didnt want to share. They went up a mountain, found a tree, carved a hole in it and whispered the secret into the hole. Then they covered it with mud. And leave the secret there forever. As in the films beginning, we get a stretch of text that resembles poetry. He remembers those vanished years. As though looking through a dusty window pane, the past is something he could see, but not touch. And everything he sees is blurred and indistinct. But the closing visuals are not of Chow. We are left with the magnificent ruins of the temples, one of which will hold this mans secret till the end of time. Theres something breathtakingly poetic about these visuals of stone after deathless stone, this sense of permanence: the body will perish, but its essence or soul will last forever. This ending is similar to the one in the film Wong Kar-wai made just earlier. In Happy Together, another ill-fated romance, the Tony Leung character is seen dwarfed by the monstrous Iguazu Falls on the Brazil-Argentina border. Its a place hes wanted to visit with his boyfriend, but like Chow, hes now alone, and theres only a memory of being in the mood for love. Baradwaj Rangan is Editor, Film Companion (South). All images from Twitter. Ministers are being accused of breaking a pledge to end the culling of badgers, instead expanding projects to trap and shoot the animals across England. Another 100,000 badgers could be killed by the end of the year as the government prepares to broaden culling from Cornwall to Cumbria, activists claim. That would add to the estimated 100,000 already killed since 2013, in an effort to protect the dairy farming industry from bovine tuberculosis (TB). In March, following a review, the government had announced the phasing-out of its controversial mass badger culls, replacing them with vaccines, in a change of strategy widely welcomed by nature campaigners. But Natural England, the governments nature adviser, has this year approved seven badger cull licences in new areas and three in existing areas, and the Badger Trust expects 10 more to be agreed by the end of August. Each licence runs for four years. Fifteen new licences were issued last year and 11 in 2018. A lot of the public and politicians have been misled by this policy, said Dominic Dyer, chief executive of the trust. The government is betraying public trust and carrying out an act of ecological vandalism. At a conservative estimate, this will result in 60,000 more dead badgers this year, but the number could well rise to over 100,000. Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Show all 15 1 /15 Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Grand title winner and Joint Winner, Behaviour: Mammals The moment by Yongqing Bao, China Yongqing Bao/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners 11-14 years old Winner Night glow by Cruz Erdmann, New Zealand Cruz Erdmann/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Plants and Fungi Winner Tapestry of life by Zorica Kovacevic, Serbia/USA Zorica Kovacevic/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Behaviour: Birds Winner Land of the eagle by Audun Rikardsen, Norway Audun Rikardsen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Black and White Winner Snow exposure by Max Waugh, USA Max Waugh/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Joint Winner, Behaviour: Mammals The equal match by Ingo Arndt, Germany Ingo Arndt/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Earths Environments Winner Creation by Luis Vilarino Lopez, Spain Luis Vilarino Lopez/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio Award Winner The huddle by Stefan Christmann, Germany Stefan Christmann/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners 10 years and under Winner Humming surprise by Thomas Easterbrook, UK Thomas Easterbrook/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Wildlife Photojournalism: Single Image Winner Another barred migrant by Alejandro Prieto, Mexico Alejandro Prieto/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Rising Star Portfolio Award Winner Frozen moment by Jeremie Villet, France Jeremie Villet/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners 15-17 years old Winner Early riser by Riccardo Marchgiani, Italy Riccardo Marchegiani/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles Winner Pondworld by Manuel Plaickner, Italy Manuel Plaickner/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Animal Portraits Winner Face of deception by Ripan Biswas, India Ripan Biswas/Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The Winners Animals in Their Environment Winner Snow-plateau nomads by Shangzhen Fan, China Shangzhen Fan/Wildlife Photographer of the Year When the plan to inoculate animals was announced, ministers openly warned that culling would remain an option where scientific opinion favoured it. Cull supporters say that killing badgers reduces TB in cows because they spread infection, but opponents say culling is ineffective. The Badger Trust, the RSPCA and others have written to environment secretary George Eustice, highlighting the vaccination announcement, saying: The resulting headlines across the media, supported by the Defra press office, talked of a seismic shift in policy and an imminent end to badger culling, a view now largely accepted by both politicians and the wider public." The groups claimed that key aspects of the TB strategy review have now been dropped, and plans to cull badgers even longer term and across the whole country have been laid bare. Mr Dyer warned that expanding culling could push the species to the verge of local extinction in areas of England inhabited since the ice age, in a programme that has cost taxpayers 70m so far. He claimed the government had not yet taken any action to replace culling with vaccination. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it planned to introduce vaccination in specific areas where four-year culling licences had ended. The letter to Mr Eustice was also backed by Born Free, Ifaw, Wild Justice and the League Against Cruel Sports. A spokesperson for Defra said: We want to eradicate bovine TB by 2038, and while badger culling is a necessary part of this, no one wants to see it continue indefinitely. As our response to the Godfray review set out, we will phase out intensive culling in the next few years. That is why we intend to start deploying badger vaccination in areas where the four-year cull cycle has ended. One of the countrys biggest pub chains has said it will not force drinkers to hand over their contact details fearing the policy will put them off. Ralph Findlay, chief executive of Marstons, is also refusing to make staff wear masks, claiming pubs should not feel like hospitals. He said customers would be able to prop up the bar when pubs open next week ignoring another safety guideline issued by the Government. Ralph Findlay, chief executive of Marstons, is also refusing to make staff wear masks, claiming pubs should not feel like hospitals Marstons will re-open 90 per cent of its 1,400 sites from July 4 and others in Wales and Scotland will follow once local lockdown restrictions are eased. The brewer will spend several hundred thousand pounds on personal protective equipment for employees who want to use it for their own peace of mind but not as a matter of course. The Wolverhampton-based group, which owns the Pitcher & Piano and Revere chains, said it would leave pens and paper for customers to fill out their details if they wanted to. It means this voluntary information, and potentially the records of those making digital bookings, will be the only data it can provide to help the Governments track and trace efforts. The brewer will spend several hundred thousand pounds on personal protective equipment for employees who want to use it for their own peace of mind but not as a matter of course [File photo] It comes after industry body the British Beer and Pub Association raised privacy concerns about the collection and storage of personal customer data. A spokesman said: We do have significant concerns over the collection and storage of personal customer data when visiting the pub. We welcome the Prime Ministers pledge to work with the sector to make this manageable as it poses significant logistical challenges. The reduction of the two-metre social distancing rule threw a lifeline to pubs and restaurants but has caused confusion, with some venues set to impose strict measures and some planning to introduce none at all even within different pubs owned by the same company. The guidance also stands in stark contrast to rules on public transport, where masks are mandatory. Mr Findlay, 59, said issues such as PPE and contact details were requests from the Government and not rules. He added there is a degree of grey area and flexibility of guidance that is very helpful, letting publicans make up their own minds about which bits they want to enforce. The Wolverhampton-based group, which owns the Pitcher & Piano and Revere chains, said it would leave pens and paper for customers to fill out their details if they wanted to [File photo] Rival Wetherspoons which is opening its 750 pubs in England from next week has spent 11million on PPE and measures such as hand sanitiser machines and distancing signs to keep staff and customers safe. But, like Marstons, it also will not force staff to wear it. The group has set up screens at the bar and between tables that are less than two metres apart. Mr Findlay estimates Marstons sites will need takings to be at around 50 to 60 per cent of pre-Covid levels in order to break even. Marstons said lockdown wiped 40million off sales in March. Mr Findlay urged ministers to lower VAT from 20 per cent to 5 per cent in hospitality to encourage punters to get out and spend. He said it will also be crucial to make pubs enjoyable places to visit, adding: Its important to me for pubs to look like pubs and not like hospitals because if they do, people wont want to come here. A historical reenactor who portrays the freed slave who donated the first $5 to build the Abraham Lincoln statue in Washington DC that is currently under fire has spoken out, saying that protesters who want to tear it down don't understand its history. Marcia Cole is a member of the Female RE-Enactors of Distinction (FREED) who portrays Charlotte Scott, the freed slave who pledged her first wages to the statue in 1865 upon hearing of Lincoln's assassination. The statue, which was the first ever built of Lincoln and was meant to symbolize his role in ending slavery in the U.S., was funded entirely by donations from former slaves, including many black Union veterans, according to the National Park Service. Over the past week, Black Lives Matter protesters have vowed to tear the statue down, saying that its depiction of the kneeling freed slave before Lincoln is demeaning and racist. 'I'm here to speak on behalf of the legacy of Charlotte Scott,' Cole told WJLA-TV. 'I understand there's a big campaign trying to raise money to either take it down or mend it, and I say 'no' on behalf of Ms. Charlotte.' Historical reenactor Marcia Cole (left) portrays Charlotte Scott (right), the freed slave who pledged her first wages to the statue in 1865 upon hearing of Lincoln's assassination 'I say 'no' on behalf of Ms. Charlotte' Cole told reporters, defending the statue against those who wish to see it torn down or removed The Emancipation Memorial in Washington's Lincoln Park depicts a freed slave kneeling at the feet of President Abraham Lincoln. Calls are intensifying for its removal Cole argued that the depiction of the freed slave, who is modeled on actual former slave Archer Alexander, is not demeaning. 'People tend to think of that figure as being servile but on second look you will see something different, perhaps,' she said. 'That man is not kneeling on two knees with his head bowed. He is in the act of getting up. And his head is up, not bowed, because he's looking forward to a future of freedom.' She also points out that the shackle on the portrayed freedman's wrist is attached to a broken chain. Over the past week, Cole and other reenactors from the African American Civil War Museum have been confronting angry protesters who are demanding that the monument be torn down. Cole (center) is seen with fellow members of the the Female RE-Enactors of Distinction (FREED), an auxiliary of the African American Civil War Museum A reenactor portraying abolitionist Frederick Douglass (right) stands in Lincoln Park during a debate about whether or not to remove the Emancipation Statue, in Washington, DC Greg Turner (center) argues with protesters against the removal of the Emancipation Statue Carolivia Heronn holds a sign in support of leaving the statue up, with a photo of herself taking her first steps in the very same park 75 years ago On Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered demanding the removal of the statue, which has now been surrounded by tall fences and barricades. 'It's beautiful but demeaning,' said Angie White, a resident to NBC News. 'They need to take it down and it probably should be put in a museum somewhere because of the craftsmanship. But as a black woman, I'm tired of seeing us at a lower level.' 'We may have come to the time where this statue should come down, but I don't want to see this statue come down with a rope. It needs to be brought down with dignity,' said another local, Dione Shears. The statue, which is near Capitol Hill sits on federal land. Concrete barriers and 8ft high fences have been erected. President Donald Trump has announced an Executive Order 'protecting American Monuments', and promised prison sentences of up to 10 years for those who damage them. The president tweeted: 'I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence. Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!' Melania Douglass (C) speaks in Lincoln Park to demand the removal the Emancipation Statue Protesters for and against the removal of the Emancipation Memorial debate in Lincoln Park in Washington, DC Protesters who want the Emancipation Memorial removed gather at Lincoln Park The order calls on Attorney General William Barr to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any person or group that destroys or vandalizes a monument, memorial or statue. Federal law authorizes a penalty of up to 10 years in prison for the 'willful injury' of federal property. The order also calls for maximum prosecution for anyone who incites violence and illegal activity, and it threatens state and local law enforcement agencies that fail to protect monuments with the loss of federal funding. Trump's announcement came on Friday after the president also tweeted a photo of an FBI wanted poster asking the public for information about 15 people suspected of vandalizing the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square on Monday. Critics said the Lincoln statue, originally constructed in 1876 to celebrate slave liberation, looks more like black subservience and white supremacy in 2020. Conservative activist and Trump supporter Jack Posobiec gets into an argument with antifa in front of the Emancipation Memorial at Lincoln Park in Washington, DC on Friday Protesters set fire to an American flag at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, amid racial inequality protests in Washington. This was taken on Tuesday night in the nation's capital The Emancipation Statue stands behind a fence at Lincoln Park in Washington, DC Frederick Douglass, the famous abolitionist who escaped slavery, was known to have disliked the image of a black man kneeling at the feet of his white emancipator. The Emancipation Memorial, also known as the Emancipation Group and the Freedman's Memorial, was erected in Washington's Lincoln Park in 1876. A copy of the Washington statue was also installed in Boston, home to the statue's white creator Thomas Ball, in 1879. The Boston figure is also on the radar of activists and a petition is being circulated to have the memorial removed. Environmentalists have raised objection to the Chhattisgarh governments move to conduct a survey for the multi-purpose Bodhghat project on the Indravati river in a bid to provide irrigation facilities to farmers in the three Communist Party of India (Maoist)-hit districts of the Bastar region. The project, which is estimated to cost Rs 22,000 crore and likely to generate 300 megawatt (MW) of hydel power, seeks to construct a dam near Barsoor village in Dantewada district to irrigate 3,66,580 hectares (ha) of farmland in Maoistaffected Dantewada, Bijapur, and Sukma districts. The state government has entrusted the responsibility to conduct the survey, research and obtain requisite approvals from various ministries to WAPCOS Limited, a consultancy organisation and public sector undertaking (PSU) under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. Earlier, though the project had got the environmental nod in 1979 for the generation of hydro-power, when the area was still under an undivided Madhya Pradesh (MP), the work never got started because the then government had felt that the venture was not suited for the tribal-dominated people in the Bastar region. Now, the project has been modified into an irrigation project that aims to provide water to thousands of parched villages under the Bastar division. The projects survey started a few days ago. Earlier, it was conceived as a hydel project, but the state government stalled it owing to protests among the local tribals in the Bastar division over displacement and deforestation fears. It is being developed as an irrigation project. All necessary approvals will be taken afresh from the Central government, said Ravindra Chaubey, state minister for agriculture and water resource. Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel held a meeting with public representatives of the Bastar region on June 20 to discuss the implementation of the Bodhghat project and also sought their feedback and opinion. The CM told us that the people of Bastar have not been directly benefitted for all these years because of the setting up of any new industries and business ventures. However, this project will be a game-changer for the local tribal population, said a tribal leader, who was present on the June 20 meeting, requesting anonymity. A senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official, who was also present at the meeting and privy to the development, said that the 300-MW generated from the project would be solely utilised for lifted irrigation, or a mechanised water flow, because the Bastar region has poor irrigation facilities. Only 4.6% of farmland in the Bastar division has an irrigation facility. The region suffers from drought, despite dense vegetation. The Bodhghat irrigation project aims to cover 72% of arable land in Bastar in a major fillip to agriculture activities, Choubey said. However, the project will also lead to a submergence of 42 villages and wipe out 5,704 ha of forests, 5,010 ha and 3,068 ha of private and government land, respectively. The bureaucrat said 500 million cubic metres of water would be used for Bastar-based industries. Activists working for tribal rights in Chhattisgarh said discussions about the projects must be done at gram-sabha level. This is a welcome step that the government have started consulting with the public representatives of the Bastar region on the Bodhghat project. The gram sabhas and villagers should also be consulted, said Alok Shukla, convener, Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, a pressure group that was formed in 2009 and focuses on peoples issues in the mineral and forest-rich state. He cited that the project was stalled earlier because of fears over its adverse ecological impact. It is the state governments priority to provide irrigation facilities in the Bastar region, but it shouldnt happen at the expense of the environment and the local tribal population, he said. Manish Kunjam, a local Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and also a tribal, however, claimed that the project is a non-starter, as it wouldnt be able to provide irrigation facilities in the region. The places that the state government seeks to make canals to irrigate the farmlands are inaccessible because of the Maoist insurgency and also the hostile terrain. No official has visited these areas after salwa judum (an anti-Maoist militia) because of the Maoist rebels, said Kunjam. He demanded that the states tribal advisory committee should first approve the project because it is being constructed in tribal-dominated areas. Choubey said that CM Baghel has assured rehabilitation of the affected local tribal population and representatives of gram sabhas would also be consulted. The displaced will getter better houses and land as compensation than their existing assets, the minister added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ritesh Mishra State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh. Reports Maoism, Politics, Mining and important developments from the state. Covered all sorts of extremism in Central India. Reported from Madhya Pradesh for eight years. ...view detail A police inspector in Odishas tribal-dominated Sundargarh district was suspended on Friday over his alleged involvement in the gang rape and subsequent abortion of a 13-year-old girl over a period of two months. Anand Chandra Majhi, the inspector-in-charge of Biramitrapur police station in Sundargarh district, was suspended a day after a case was lodged against him and five other people, including a doctor, for the alleged gang-rape and abortion attempt, said Kavita Jalan, the deputy inspector general of police (Western Range). The girl had come to witness a fair at Biramitrapur area on March 25 but it was cancelled at the last moment due to the lockdown. The girl failed to return home and was roaming near the bus stand when a police patrolling team saw her and brought her to the police station. Inspector Majhi allegedly raped her at the police station. She was dropped at her home the next day. However, she was called to the police station regularly and raped by the inspector and other police officials. The girl later got pregnant following which Majhi tried to abort her foetus. S Jena, the district child protection officer of Sundargarh, who came to know about the crime, lodged a complaint with Raiboga police against Majhi, another police personnel, the doctor who conducted the abortion at a community health centre, the stepfather of the girl and two others. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON From a total of 8100 employees including contracted workers, 140 were found to be COVID-19 positive at Bajaj Auto's Aurangabad plant in Maharashtra. This is the single largest instance of cases found from one manufacturing location. The cases surfaced despite the company following SOPs. More on this later in the copy but here is a brief look at what else made headlines in the automotive space during the week. Audi opens bookings for RS7 Sportback German luxury car maker Audi on Tuesday announced the opening of bookings for its all-new performance car RS 7 Sportback, which is expected to be launched in the domestic market next month. The five-seater second-generation Audi RS7 Sportback can be booked either online or from the nearest dealership at an initial amount of Rs 10 lakh, and deliveries will commence in August, the company said in a release. Indian co hit by Maharashtras Chinese MoU freeze The decision by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government to put Chinese memorandum of understanding (MoU) on hold has inadvertently hit an Indian company hard. Foton PMI Bus Manufacturing Company, a joint venture (JV) where 70 percent equity is held by Haryana-based PMI Electro Mobility Solutions, is one of the three companies that now have their MoU on hold by the Maharashtra government. Indias share in Suzukis basket goes down Growing influence of its neighbours and the cyclical slowdown saw India report its lowest share since 2016 in Suzukis global automotive sales during FY20. Indias share in Suzuki Motor Corporations (SMC) worldwide automotive sales ended at 50.35 percent last financial year reporting sales of 1.43 million units. A year ago, it was 52.72 percent. Imports from China stuck at Indian ports Auto components procured from China are very likely to face unaccounted delays after cargoes landing up on Indias sea ports are being subjected to unusual and extended scrutiny. Several auto component and vehicle manufacturing companies have complained of very high congestion at the Mumbai port after their shipments that sailed from China got stuck. Honda opens bookings for the new City Honda has officially opened up bookings for the next-gen Honda City. The car's launch was pushed back due to the lockdown and the launch will now finally take place in July. The company has started accepting bookings for the car and deliveries too, are expected to begin from July onwards. 300 Honda dealerships across the country are operational. Bajaj Auto hit by COVID-19 cases Two workers who lost their lives were among the 140 confirmed COVID-19 positive cases found at the Bajaj Auto plant in Aurangabad, the Pune-based company said on on June 26. This is the first time that Bajaj Auto has reported COVID-19 positive case since easing of the lockdown restrictions and partial resumption of production activity. This is also the first in corporate India that such a large number of COVID-19 positive cases have been found from a single manufacturing location. In earlier instances, workers at Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai plants were reported to have contracted the disease. The Tamil Nadu chief minister had even decided to enforce another lockdown in the Chennai and Kanchipuram districts (having multiple auto plants) to restrict the spread. The cases have been detected despite the affected companies claiming to have put in place the standard operating procedures (SOPs) formed internally and also those mandated by the state and district administration. Either the rules were not followed or plant heads were not alert. In both conditions this does not augur well for the rest of the manufacturing industry and not just the automotive industry, said a mid-level executive of a tyre manufacturing company. Before getting the green signal automotive companies were busy convincing the state governments to allow them to restart production operations after having kept them shut for more than 40 continuous days. While at first states allowed only negligible staff to return to work, the cap was revised upwards to 30 percent in subsequent days. Some companies are presently operating at 50 percent of their worker strength. Subdued demand conditions have prevented the companies to ramp up production to 100 percent levels. Maintaining social distance, adhering to sanitation norms and avoiding public transport were some of the several SOPs formed by the industry. Entry and exit of non-employees to and from the offices and manufacturing plants were strictly controlled. However a vehicle is made of hundreds of parts, most of which are produced by vendor partners. Constant unhindered supply of such parts to feed the plants continuously is required which raises the risk of COVID-19 transmission. If cases continue to grow it may force the state or the central authorities to put in some undesired counter measures. This could be stoppage of production or reduction in number of workers, the executive mentioned above feared. Almost all automotive plants in India have now become operational. 70-80 percent of showrooms have also reopened. Demand has started to pick up although showroom footfalls have been low. Several enquiries have come through the digital means. After cases of redundancies and cut back in salaries and other overheads auto companies were hoping to scale up production and introduce new products in the market. If their manufacturing plants do not keep the disease at bay output will take an impact. A Canada Post driver in Chilliwack, B.C., has tested positive for COVID-19, as B.C. health officials confirmed Friday 10 new cases of COVID-19 within the last 24 hours and one more death. Phil Legault, a spokesperson for Canada Post, said it was informed Wednesday that a driver under contract at its Chilliwack depot tested positive for the disease. The driver's last day of work was June 19. They were feeling well and showing no symptoms, Legault said. The entire first floor of the depot and post office underwent a deep cleaning and sanitization Wednesday as a precaution, he said, adding Canada Post is in contact with the Public Health Agency of Canada and following its recommendations. "We continue to keep our employees informed, while stressing the importance of following physical distancing protocols within the facility and conducting proper hand hygiene," he said. "We will continue to work with public health authorities and our unions when it comes to putting safety first in our facilities." Canada Post did not immediately respond when asked whether the driver had any contact with other employees and whether any other workers are self-isolating. Legault said PHAC and the World Health Organization have assured Canada Post there's a low risk of spread from products or packaging. 159 actives cases in B.C. B.C. now has a total of 2,878 cases, 159 of which are active, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said Friday in a written statement. The new figures include a correction from yesterday's numbers: the province announced 20 confirmed cases, when there were actually 19. A total of 174 people have died from the virus in B.C. The latest death was linked to the Vancouver Coastal Health region. Seventeen people are in hospital, five of whom are in intensive care. There are no new community and health-care facility outbreaks, and an outbreak at Nicola Lodge has been declared over. Story continues Six outbreaks persist, including five in long-term care and one in an acute-care facility. A total of 2,545 people have recovered from COVID-19. Earlier Friday, health officials said First Nations communities in B.C. have fared better during the pandemic compared to the rest of the province. Eighty-seven people have tested positive for the disease between Jan 1. and June 14, said Dr. Shannon McDonald, acting chief medical health officer for the First Nations Health Authority. Four people have died, and there are only three active cases in the FNHA region. McDonald said 42 of the test-positive cases live on or near a reserve. The numbers come as the province moves into Phase 3 of its reopening plan and further eases COVID-19 restrictions. The phase allows for "careful" travel across the province, and the reopening of hotels, resorts, spas and RV parks. Some Indigenous leaders say they should have been consulted before the announcement on Wednesday. In their statement, Henry and Dix said communities need to assess the risks and do what is right for them. The two said they recognized the measures to keep rural and remote communities safe have come with hardship. "The need to put aside important cultural gatherings, to maintain a safe physical distance and to limit visitors has had a great social, mental and economic impact on many," their statement said. "It also reminds us of the resilience that First Nations communities continue to display in the face of hardships." Maru/Blue Hires Leader for New Public Opinion Arm Respondent access specialist Maru/Blue has hired former Ipsos Reid pollster John Wright to lead its newly launched Public Opinion Research division. The business, which was launched in 2018, provides access to 'deeply engaged, well-curated respondents' through communities. These include Maru Voice Canada (formerly operating as the Angus Reid Forum), Maru Voice Business Canada, Springboard America, and Maru Voice UK, as well as the Maru Voice UK Omnibus. The new division, headquartered in New York City, will provide clients with rapid turnaround omnibus and custom research, media polling release services, public affairs and community / stakeholder engagement surveys, membership and social media measurement, and qualitative research. It will operate throughout Canada and the United States, and service global clients via offices in Europe and Latin America. Wright (pictured) joins with more than three decades' experience in the public affairs arena. He was previously SVP and MD of Ipsos Reid's specialist Ipsos Global @dvisor global polling practice; and he spent eleven years at Ipsos Reid Public Affairs, latterly as SVP, MD, North American Public Opinion. Earlier, he spent a decade at Angus Reid Group (later sold to Ipsos for a reported $100m). During his career, Wright has managed polling for the Associated Press, Reuters International, CNN International, McClatchy News Service, the Economist, the National Post, the Globe and Mail, CTV News, Global News, CBC, and NEWSTALK 1010. In addition to his research work, Wright will act as media spokesperson for Maru/Blue polling releases. Maru/Blue MD Rob Berger comments: 'With more than three decades of experience probing and measuring public opinion in Canada, the United States, and in over 30 other countries, John's insights are valued because he has perspective and foresight'. Web site: www.marublue.com . Beirut: The Islamic State group has said that a senior operative considered the groups information minister had been killed, confirming an earlier Pentagon report. An IS statement on social media affirmed the martyrdom of Abu Mohammad al-Furqan, the nom de guerre of Wail Adil Hasan Salman al-Fayad, saying he was an emir of the groups central media body. It did not release any further details. Last month the Pentagon said al-Fayad, also known as Dr Wail, was killed in a precision strike on September 7 near Raqa, the Syrian city that is the de facto capital of the Islamic State jihadist group. He oversaw the groups media production of videos showing torture and executions, said the Pentagon, describing him as one of ISILs most senior leaders and a close associate of Abu Mohamed al-Adnani, the IS group spokesman killed on August 30. Since it announced a self-styled caliphate across Iraq and Syria in 2014, IS has become notorious for broadcasting its macabre tactics.The groups online network has taken advantage of social medias instant publishing power to circulate footage of mass killings and beheadings. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Petoskey High School band directors, assistant principal remain on administrative leave Superintendent Chris Parker addressed the situation regarding three band instructors and an assistant principal who are all currently on paid leave during Thursday's board of education meeting. The Finland company Wartsila, in its continued thrust to usher newer and safer sea travel and better shipping options, is set to design and equip Norway with two electric ferries. (Photo : Pexels) The Finland company Wartsila, in its continued thrust to usher newer and safer sea travel and better shipping options, is set to design and equip Norway with two electric ferries. (Photo : Pexels) The Finland company Wartsila, in its continued thrust to usher newer and safer sea travel and better shipping options, is set to design and equip Norway with two electric ferries. Some weeks prior, CleanTechnica reported on the company's new barge, which is notable for being emissions-free and having interchangeable battery containers. The company also produced a hybrid tugboat three years ago, and in the near future, electric ferries may become the norm. Wartsila is an energy and marine manufacturing business that works in vessels powered by batteries. They have recently been awarded the contract of designing and equipping two brand-new ferries that are battery operated and have zero emissions. The ferries will be constructed for Boreal Sjo, a Norwegian operator based in the Netherlands' Holland Shipyards. The orders were placed last April of this year. The ship design will be customized and tailored specifically to the route and operating profiles where the ferries are intended to operate. The vehicles are projected to start operating by the autumn of 2021. Aside from designing and constructing the ferries, Wartsila will also provide the batteries, thruster motors, battery charger for both onboard and onshore purposes, various electrical systems, and the back-up generators. The company shares how the ferries represent the first fruit of its many years of research and development efforts on lower carbon marine vessels. Wartsila also highlights how vertical integration benefits its customers. The company says that there is a definite advantage in having such equipment being contracted from only one supplier. There is the benefit of convenience once vessel operation starts because the client will only need to talk to one business entity for its concerns on spare parts, customer support, and maintenance of the marine craft. The two ferries have different specifications. One is going to be 30 meters in length and will be able to carry around 100 passengers and ten cars. Meanwhile, the second ferry will have a length of 50 meters and a capacity of 149 passengers and 35 cars. These ferries, according to Wartsila, will be servicing specific Norwegian routes, which are: Launes to Kvellandstrand and back, and Abelnes to Andabely and back. Finland and Norway, along with businesses like Wartsila, make a real positive impact in their efforts to bring about greener technology that eases the burden on our planet. For example, Evoy is another leader in manufacturing electric marine vehicles. It is also Norwegian, with a base of operations in Flor. Such trends are welcome in the industry of marine shipping. Hybrid shipping is now a thing, and Norsepower CEO Tuomas Riski has recently provided insights and perspectives regarding the most exciting innovations in this aspect of the industry. In France, one such innovation involves repurposing old batteries from Renault EVs for use in electric boats used for tours. It is important to educate and improve the awareness of travelers, corporations, consumers, and shippers regarding the threat of global warming, sea-level rise, and acidification of the oceans so that they can be united with us in the effort to face the challenges that these dangers pose. Our seas and oceans needless pollution, much like our atmosphere, and every step made towards the realization of zero emissions will be a big help. Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Oakland (LCS 24) Navy News Service Story Number: NNS200626-10 Release Date: 6/26/2020 11:39:00 AM From PEO Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) Public Affairs MOBILE, Ala. (NNS) -- The Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Oakland (LCS 24) June 26 during a ceremony at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. Oakland is the 22nd littoral combat ship (LCS) and the 12th of the Independence variant to join the fleet. Its delivery marks the official transfer of the ship from the shipbuilder to the Navy, bringing the service's inventory up to 300. It is the final milestone prior to its scheduled commissioning in early 2021. "This is a great day for the Navy and our country with the delivery of the future USS Oakland," said LCS program manager Capt. Mike Taylor. "This ship will play an essential role in in carrying out our nation's future maritime strategy." Four additional Independence-variant ships are under construction at Austal USA: Mobile (LCS 26), Savannah (LCS 28), Canberra (LCS 30) and Santa Barbara (LCS 32). Three additional ships are awaiting the start of construction. The future USS Oakland is the third U.S. Navy ship to honor the long history its namesake city has had with the Navy. The first Oakland was commissioned in 1918 and used to transport cargo. In 1943 the second USS Oakland was commissioned. Though in service for less than seven years, she was key to many anti-aircraft missions in the Western PacificMarshall Islands, Pagan Island, Guam, Iwo Jima, Rota, Peleliu and Okinawa. After the war, Oakland performed two duty patrols off the coast of China before her decommissioning in 1949. The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, while capable of open-ocean tasking and winning against 21st-century coastal threats such as submarines, mines and swarming small craft. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence. The future USS Oakland is the third LCS delivered to the Navy in 2020. The future USS St. Louis (LCS 19) was delivered Feb. 6, and the future USS Kansas City (LCS 22) delivered Feb. 12. Two additional shipsMinneapolis-St. Paul (LCS 21) and Mobile (LCS 26)are planned for delivery this year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In absence of migrant labourers, who left for their native states amid the Covid-19 pandemic, farmers in the Doaba region had little choice but to hire high-priced local labour for sowing and transplanting paddy. Some enterprising farmers also made arrangements to bring back the migrant labour. Paddy transplantation had begun in the state from June 10, which was ten days in advance because of labour shortage. However, due to shortage of migrants, most of farmers are still transplanting paddy and also paying higher wages than the previous years. Transplantation traditionally begins on June 20 and lasts around 20 days. Jagjit Shergill of Bajwara village in Hoshiarpur said he had hired local village women for sowing paddy. He is paying each labourer Rs 4,000 per acre. I decided to transplant paddy on 10 acres of my land against last years 20 acres as this year the process is proving to be very costly. There is shortage labour and there is no clarity on the MSP rate of paddy, Shergill said. He said that migrants were demanding Rs 5,000 per acre while he had paid them Rs 3,100 last year. Harmanveer Singh, a farmer from Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district, said all his labourers had gone to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and the ones that had stayed behind were demanding Rs 4,500-Rs 5,000 for sowing paddy as compared to last years Rs 2,800-Rs 3,200. LOCALS TAKE LONGER, WASTE PADDY I hired some local people who had recently lost the job and paid them Rs 3,500 per acre. Though they took more time and also wasted some of the paddy but it solved my problem, Harmanveer said. He owns 60 acres of land. Sukhpreet Singh of Mahal village in Jalandhar a group of farmers from the village had collaborated to bring 33 migrants from Bihar. It cost Rs 4,500 to bring each labourer. Covid-19 has made paddy sowing very expensive for farmers. We have almost spent double the amount we usually spend, he said. Avtar Singh of Bajuha Khurd village in Jalandhar said many small farmers had hired unemployed locals to sow paddy. Paddy transplantation is still under progress on my 40-acre land. I have hired at least 20 local villagers and also brought in seven migrant workers after spending Rs 45, 000 as they are experts, he said. A driver, Sundeep Kumar, who was fired by a leather factory, said, I was unable to find work. My family is dependent on me so I have been working in fields for the last two weeks and have earned Rs 500. District agriculture officer Naresh Gulati said some farmers had brought back the migrants while some had opted for direct sowing by machines. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Delhi government called an emergency meeting on Saturday after swarms of locusts were seen in several areas in nearby Gurugram, environment minister Gopal Rai said. News agency PTI cited Gopal Rai as saying that the Delhi government will issue an advisory to deal with the situation after the meeting. Development secretary, divisional commissioner, agriculture director and district magistrates will also attend the meeting, according to news agency ANI. Also Watch: Locust swarms spotted in several areas of Gurugram Several residents of Gurugram posted videos of the invading insects flying on social media as some clanged kitchen utensils and played loud music to repel the swarms of locusts. The Gurugram district administration had on Friday issued a warning about a likely invasion by swarms of locusts and asked residents to play loud music and beat utensils to repel the insects that feed on standing crops and green vegetables. The short-horned grasshoppers are known to devour everything in their path, posing an unprecedented threat to food supply and livelihoods of millions of people. An adult locust can eat quantity equal to its weight daily, and just a single square kilometre of the swarm can contain up to 80 million adults. Locusts can fly up to 150km daily and a one square km swarm can eat as much food as 35,000 people in terms of weight in a single day. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram slammed the BJP-led government on Saturday saying that would Prime Minister Narendra Modi assure the country that China would leave Indian borders and restore status quo in the region if Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) returned the Rs 20 lakh it had taken as donation earlier. Chidambaram gave this statement after BJP President JP Nadda had made claims against the RGF. Chidambaram accused the BJP president of speaking "half-truths" and asked him to "come to terms with reality" and not live in the past. Chidambaram has also asked the BJP president to answer the question raised by Congress regarding the recent Galwan valley incident and the alleged Chinese intrusion into Indian territory. "Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante," he asked on Twitter. In another tweet, Chidambaram added, "Mr Nadda, come to terms with reality, don't live in the past that is distorted by your half-truths. Please answer our questions on Chinese intrusion into Indian territory," Chidambaram also shared two satellite images of the Galwan Valley, one taken in May and the other in June. Drawing attention to the build-up of troops and structures along the river, Chidambaram said, "Spot the differences between May 22 and June 22, 2020, on the INDIA-CHINA border,". Earlier, Nadda had claimed that the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) had donated large sums of money to the "family-run" RGF fund back when the Congress-led UPA government was in charge. Nadda had called this a "brazen fraud" and a betrayal of the people of the country. Nadda had further gone on to say that the Congress party and the Gandhi family had accepted donations from the Chinese embassy in India. Late on Friday, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had issued a statement, responding to Nadda's allegation against the party. He said that the RGF Foundation issue being raised by the BJP government is a tactic to divert attention from the situation at the LAC in Ladakh. "Diversion, disinformation and distraction are the diabolical hallmarks of the BJP and the Modi government when exposed and caught lying on issues of national security and territorial integrity," Surjewala had said. Surjewala also said that the BJP keeps referring to a 2005 grant of Rs 1.45 crore received by the RGF from the Chinese embassy. He said that the grant was issued for the purpose of a welfare programme for the differently-abled and research on the Sino-India relationship. "This grant was used for the purposes specified. RGF accounts were duly audited and statutory returns filed under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) to the government of India. This grant has been duly reflected in all filings to the Income-Tax department and home ministry and no authority has ever found any wrongdoing of any nature," Surjewala said. Also Read: Delhi schools to remain close till July 31, 50% syllabus cut on anvil Also Read: India better placed than many nations in fight against COVID-19 due to lockdown: PM Modi Another day, another press conference, a potentially significant find - but still no sign of Noah. And, as we begin the sixth full day of searching for the Year 10 pupil, vital questions remain unanswered. What was the 14-year-old, who hails from the south of the city, doing in that part of north Belfast? Was he on his way to meet someone and, if so, who? Why did he have a laptop with him, when he already had a phone? And, more generally, how can anyone disappear without a trace, let alone a young boy who was supposedly naked on a bicycle? Read More Detectives are of course hoping the recovery of Noah's Lenovo laptop in the rucksack a member of the public brought to detectives' attention might unlock some of the secrets. Perhaps it will contain something that wasn't found on his phone, which the police have had in their possession since shortly after he went missing. The one thing we're sure of is that time is of the essence. On Sunday it will be a week since the popular St Malachy's schoolboy set off on his Apollo mountain bike across the city. His mother Fiona expected him, her only child, back later that evening but initial concern eventually morphed into the deep trauma she has been experiencing ever since. At Friday's press conference, Superintendent Muir Clark told reporters that Noah's family had been "extremely helpful" and "highly cooperative" during what was an exceptionally difficult and distressing time. But he added that Noah's reason for being in that particular area of north Belfast "is still unclear to both the family and us". Presumably the detectives working on this most baffling of cases know considerably more than they're currently making public. It is clear, however, that there is a missing link in the chain of evidence and hopefully Supt Clark's assertion on Friday that the laptop was a "significant" find will indeed prove to be just that. The search operation is less conspicuous than it was earlier in the week, when hundreds of people from north Belfast and beyond joined in. Fiona Donohoe on Friday used the medium of this newspaper to express her gratitude towards those who spent hours canvassing every house, shed, outbuilding, back alley, scrubland and inch of parkland while out looking for her son. Their efforts augmented those of the specialist teams including PSNI divers, who've been crawling through drains and sewers over the past few days. It is understood the search has been extended to include the Antrim Road and Belfast city centre. You get the feeling, however, that the clues as to Noah's whereabouts remain undiscovered within the boundaries of the area of north Belfast where he was last seen. As Sean McCarry, head of operations at the Community Rescue Service, which has been assisting the PSNI in the search for Noah, told me on Fridays: "We are expanding our search slowly and methodically to wider areas, although we also keep looking behind. We're bearing in mind that people can come into an area that has already been searched." With Noah's picture having been on newspaper front pages, websites, bus shelters, posters and social media for almost a week now, it is hard to imagine someone not recognising him should he reappear. People go missing in Northern Ireland all the time, many of them Noah's age. The majority, however, are found or return home within a relatively short time, even though every hour will feel like a day for their distraught loved ones. Fiona Donohoe can only sit by the phone, willing it to ring with the news she is praying for. She will have been encouraged by the laptop find; let's hope it is as significant as police believe. A former mayor of Larne has flatly rejected any suggestion that the town's McGarel Hall should be renamed. Tommy Robinson, an ex-Ulster Unionist councillor who served two terms as mayor, from 1983 until 1984 and from 1985 until 1986, has defended the use of the McGarel name. Mr Robinson was speaking after Amnesty International questioned the use of Charles McGarel's name for a civic facility because of his links to slavery. The McGarel Hall, which is located within Larne Town Hall, is named after Charles McGarel, a slave owner, whose wealth financed the building, Magheramorne House and McGarel Cemetery. Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland programme director, urged the Larne community to consider the source of funding for the hall after its link to a slave owner was highlighted. But Mr Robinson (right) said: "This is a historical record and Charles McGarel, like many others, had business interests which involved the use of slave labour. "That is not what is being commemorated through the use of his name in modern times but his contribution to the town." Expand Close Defence: Tommy Robinson / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Defence: Tommy Robinson The issue was given prominence recently after protesters in England tore down a statue of Bristol slave trader Edward Colston before dumping it in the city harbour. The statue was toppled during a protest against racism following the death of African American George Floyd during police arrest in Minneapolis last month. Mr Corrigan said he believed it was important to "highlight the debate" and let local people decide on whether a name change may be appropriate or not. "If we stay silent, there is some level of complicity," he suggested. Commenting on Charles McGarel's contribution to the town, Mr Corrigan said: "Ultimately, his wealth came off the backs of people enslaved." He stressed that the full story surrounding local public figures needs to be told and if there is "no explanation, a big part of history is missing". "It is a matter for people in the borough to consider," he added. But Mr Robinson responded: "Charles McGarel was a major benefactor to 19th century Larne. He provided the town with a town hall, alms houses and a cemetery among other charitable deeds. "History tells us that McGarel was involved in a sugar plantation in Demerara, and of course, no-one in Larne would condone slavery. "Clearly, some people have been trying to remove historical record from the public landscape and this is an extremely dangerous path as George Orwell's novel 1984 shows clearly. "Amnesty International should focus more on modern issues including, for example, modern slavery and the terrible attacks on farming families in South Africa and leave history as a legacy. "If we do not accept that people may do wrong things but have the capacity to do good as well, then in Northern Ireland politics, we would have to consider wiping out references from the records to quite a number of politicians, some quite high profile." Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has stated it has no plans to change the name of the McGarel Hall. A spokesperson said: "The building is named Larne Town Hall; within the building, the larger room is called the McGarel Hall. There are no plans to change the name." This one is for both, those who love cooking and those who cant wait to gulp it down. Were sorry to show you all these delicious movies when eating out is really not possible. But look at the brighter side! These movies might inspire you to cook at home, which is a safer option any day. Here is a list that will make your mouth water. Oh and dont forget to make some more room in your stomach because you will be hungry after reading this. Storyful Fighting continued between Kurdish-led forces and Islamic State (IS) fighters in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakah on Saturday, January 22, after militants attacked a major prison in the city.On Thursday night, prisoners began revolting in Gweiran Prison, where thousands of suspected IS members have been held following the defeat of the terror group in 2019. Farhad Shami, a spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said prisoners burned blankets and plastic in their dormitories.On the same evening, fighters attacked the prison and a car bomb was exploded nearby, according to reports. Shami later said that some 89 prisoners had been recaptured, but fighting continued near the prison into Saturday.In a statement, the SDF said that 17 of its members and those affiliated with allied groups had been killed since the assault in Hasakah began. The SDF also reported that 22 IS fighters had died. According to officials with the anti-IS coalition, its aircraft carried out strikes targeting suspected militants in the area, though few additional details were provided.The attack in Hasakah, along with a Friday assault in Iraq that left at least 11 soldiers dead, represents some of the deadliest activity attributed to IS since their official defeat.This footage, provided on Saturday by the media arm of Kurdish-led YPG forces, shows ongoing fighting in Hasakah. YPG fighters can be seen firing weapons from a rooftop, as smoke rises from nearby locations. Credit: YPG Press Office via Storyful St. Louis: The second presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump has become the most tweeted debate of all time, with over 17 million messages tweeted over the showdown. This is now the most Tweeted debate ever, Nick Pacilio, spokesman of Twitter said. Donald Trump accounted for 64 per cent of the conversation on this social media website, while Clinton accounted for 36 per cent, according to the Silicon Valley-based social media company. At the end of the 90 minute debate, Clinton earned 25,000 new followers, while Trump got 16,000 new followers. Im a Muslim, and I would like to report a crazy man threatening a woman on a stage in Missouri, by Moustafa Bayoumi, author of The Muslim American Life and How does it Feel, became the most retweeted tweet from the debate. The 70-year-old saying that he disagrees with his running mate Mike Pence in regards to Syria policy was the most tweeted moment during the debate. This was followed by trying saying that he is a gentleman and Trump saying that Clinton, 68, would be in jail in his administration. Pence congratulated Trump for winning the debate. Congrats to my running mate on a big debate win, he tweeted. The former Deputy Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said that Clinton won the debate. Hillary Clinton won this debate on judgment, intelligence, maturity. Trump showed how disastrously ill-suited he is for the Presidency, Burns tweeted. Tonights #debate was the most Tweeted ever, with more than 17M debate-related Tweets sent, Pacilio said. Today was the most Tweeted day of the entire 2016 election, with nearly 30 million Tweets sent, the spokesman said. The number of tweets during the first presidential face-off between Clinton and Trump exceeded the 10.3 million messages, Twitter had said. Meanwhile, Trump also defended his early morning tweets in the recent week. Tweeting happens to be a modern day form of communication. You can like it or not like it. I have, between Facebook and Twitter, I have almost 25 million people. Its a very effective way of communication. Im not un-proud of it, to be honest with you, Trump said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Izaias Nascimento leads a double life. By day, he dons his protective suit to help poor families bury loved ones lost to COVID-19. By night, he is an evangelical pastor, holding services in the homes of the faithful to try to help them get through the pandemic. Nascimento, 49, lives and preaches in Manaus, the biggest city in the Brazilian Amazon, and one of those hit hardest by the new coronavirus. In his day job, he works for a municipal program called SOS Funeral. Created to help families living in poverty hold funerals for their relatives, it is also helping hospitals and cemeteries handle the surge in deaths caused by COVID-19. Nascimento's job includes going to hospitals or homes where victims have died, bringing their remains to the public cemetery and helping lower their coffins into the mass graves the authorities are using to cope with the outbreak. It is hard work in a pandemic. He typically starts his 12-hour work day at 7:00 am. At the height of the outbreak in Manaus, "we never rested," says Nascimento, a solidly built man with brown skin and an easy smile. The city's health system was on the brink of collapse in May, when the number of daily deaths jumped by 200 percent. Nascimento's team, one of eight operated by SOS Funeral, was performing up to 10 burials a day, he says. In recent days, the pace has slowed to about three a day. Still, with nearly 70,000 infections and 3,000 deaths, Manaus is one of the cities suffering most from COVID-19 in Brazil, the country with the second-highest number of cases and deaths in the world, after the United States. - 'Calling from God' - By night, Nascimento has a different calling -- though lately, it overlaps with his day job in many ways. At 7:00 pm, he heads home, disinfects himself and has dinner with his family. Then he goes back out to hold services a pastor for Reaching Lives Pentecostal Church, one of many evangelical churches that have taken hold in traditionally Catholic Brazil in recent years. Four years ago, he says, he got a message from God. "'You are going to care for my children when they are in need of a friendly word,'" he says he heard in his prayers. The authorities have banned church services as part of their measures to contain the virus, but the faithful have been gathering at private residences. Nascimento's voice boomed through the kitchen of the "sister" who hosted prayers one recent night in her small brick house. Wearing face masks, he and his flock lifted their arms to the sky and gave thanks to God, the pastor's words resonating through the night. It is a vocation that has helped him reach out to families hurting from the abrupt loss of loved ones to COVID-19, he says. - Loss and solace - That is something important in his work at SOS Funeral, too. "I feel my neighbor's pain. That's why this job is the thing I love most in the world. God put me here to do this," he says. Some mourners are left in anger by their loss, and part of Nascimento's job is to deal with that. "Sometimes when we arrive, people scream. 'Don't take my mom, don't take my dad.' We have to handle it. Sometimes they attack us," he says. "I know it hurts." At one recent funeral, Nascimento consoled a young man who had just buried his father. Because of municipal rules on funerals for coronavirus victims, he was the only mourner present. Nascimento gave him words of comfort. "God gave me a gift for words. I use it with love and dedication. I don't care if this is a high-risk job," he says. LAKE GEORGE Every summer, hundreds of foreign students arrive to this vacation destination not to relax, but to work and immerse themselves in American culture. It's been a positive arrangement for both the students and Lake George residents, said Kathy Muncil, CEO of the Fort William Henry Hotel; the students make money that they often send back to their families, while local businesses depend on their patronage. That won't happen this year. President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order suspending several types of visa programs for foreign workers, claiming the move will make it easier for out-of-work Americans to find jobs and get back on their feet as they attempt to recover from the economic devastation brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. But Muncil and other business leaders in the Capital Region say the executive order will have the opposite effect. "It's going to be a really difficult year for every business in our area because of the lack of students," Muncil said. "It's so poorly thought out, relative to small business, to make this decision." Between 35 to 40 foreign students work at Fort William Henry every summer, in jobs ranging from staffing the front desk to waiting tables and housekeeping. But most of those students work multiple jobs, meaning Muncil expects to be out about 100 positions this year amounting to 25 percent of her total workforce. She stressed that none of those jobs were ever being taken away from Americans. "We would never, ever, replace an American with a foreign student," Muncil said. "Weve always been desperately (understaffed). We've always needed people." The suspension affects four types of visas crossing a variety of industries, from housekeepers and landscapers to doctors and scientists. H-1B visas are held by people in specialty occupations that require higher education; H-2B visas are for temporary, non-agriculture workers; L visas are typically held by folks who work at multi-national companies and wish to move to a U.S.-based work location, while J visas are held by exchange visitors, including teachers and students. The proclamation represents the latest effort by the Trump administration to curb legal immigration to America, following another executive order in 2017 barring travel from several Muslim-majority countries and a ban this April on the issuance of new green cards, which was also extended to the end of the year as part of this week's executive order. Trump's own businesses have hired dozens of H-2B visa holders, the Palm Beach Post in Florida reported. H-1B visas are popular among American technology companies, and the president's order was criticized by big-tech executives from Amazon, Microsoft, Twitter, Tesla and Google parent Alphabet. Locally, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Albany Medical Center and St. Peter's Health Partners said they were all reviewing the executive order to determine how they would be affected. The University at Albany employed 33 H-1B visa holders as of April 1, but since the visa is effective for six years, only a handful are added every year, spokesman Jordan Carleo-Evangelist said. Another eight H-1B holders are employed through the UAlbany SUNY Research Foundation, with hopes to submit another five petitions this year. "In terms of impact, its too soon to know for sure, but its something we will keep a keen eye on given how important international teaching and research partnerships are at any major research institution," Carleo-Evangelist said. One industry that relies heavily on foreign workers, farm working, will not see a major impact as those employees are typically hired with H-2A visas, which are not included in the president's order. "The new suspensions though may cause some issues for farms that hire labor through the other visa programs to assist in their agritourism operations or horticulture businesses," said Steve Ammerman, a spokesman for the New York Farm Bureau. "We will be closely monitoring to see if our members are affected and will reach out to our congressional representatives as well as to the White House to try and resolve the situation." The order 's biggest blow will be dealt to the Capital Region's tourism and hotel industries, which are already struggling to get back on their feet and retain customers as they continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. "Even when unemployment was very low, there was still a great need at a lot of our resort properties to attain workers form the visa programs," said Mark Dorr, president of the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association. Lake George alone hosted 1,400 J-1 visa students last year, who accounted for nearly $3 million in regional economic impact, Mayor Robert Blais said. Muncil, the Fort William Henry CEO, said she wishes the government had simply made the effort to talk to small business owners before its ham-fisted efforts to limit foreign workers. "If someone would just take a small business person aside and say, "What do you think of these things?" we could solve a lot of these problems before they come up," Muncil said. Rep. Elise Stefanik, whose district includes Lake George and who is usually a staunch ally of the president, told the Times Union shortly after the order was passed that she disagreed with the decision and recognized the important role foreign visa holders play in the local economy. On Thursday, following advocacy from the congresswoman, the Trump administration said Canadian workers would not be affected by the executive order. Foreign workers hold a special place in the Lake George community every summer. Fort William Henry hosts a picnic every year featuring food from all the cultures represented by the students. Muncil remembers the days after 9/11, in which about 40 students were stuck at the resort, unable to travel and broke after having already sent their money home. The community came together, answered sad phone calls from the students' parents and took care of them, Muncil said. "Theyre wonderful young people and we're going to miss them," she said. "You know who's going to miss them more? The older mom-and-pop shops." Michael.Williams@timesunion.com After remaining suspended for three months, OPD services at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital will resume from July 1 with precautions against the novel coronavirus, hospital authorities said on Saturday. The OPD services will function from 8 am to 8 pm as they had been functioning before the coronavirus-induced lockdown. SGRH is a leading private facility in the national capital with 675 beds. On June 4, the Delhi government had declared it a COVID-19 facility and asked it to reserve 80 per cent of the beds for coronavirus patients. DS Rana, Chairman (Board of Management), SGRH, said, "Although our OPD services will be normal, still we have undertaken sufficient precautions to safeguard the health of patients. All our OPD chambers are located in the Green Covid Safe Zone." "The hospital will undertake all standard safety protocol measures which will be strictly followed, keeping in mind the safety of our esteemed patients and their attendants," Rana said, adding the hospital will ensure best infection control measures and a safe environment to protect the health of the patients. Mumbai Police on Saturday questioned casting director Shanoo Sharma in the alleged suicide case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The interrogation session of the casting director of Yash Raj Films (YRF) took place at Bandra Police Station. Shanoo Sharma at the Bandra Police Station. (Varinder Chawla) The actors detailed post-mortem report has also confirmed that he died by asphyxia due to hanging. The final report quoted, No signs of any struggle before death, nothing found from his nails. The report was analysed by a team of five doctors. Police are now awaiting the viscera report. Mumbai Police had earlier recorded statements of 23 people in connection with the case.Those questioned include actor Rhea Chakraborty, his father and sisters, his close friends, domestic help and other staff, besides director Mukesh Chhabra who was helming Sushants upcoming film Dil Bechara, among others. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajputs school pays heartbreaking tribute to late actor, Shah Rukh Khan seen shooting in his balcony A complaint was filed last week before a court in Bihar accusing Rhea, of having abetted the deceased actors suicide. Kundan Kumar, a resident of Patahi locality in Muzaffarpur, filed his petition before the court of chief judicial magistrate Mukesh Kumar and the same has been posted for hearing on June 24. This is the second petition filed before the CJMs court in the north Bihar town of Muzaffarpur in connection with the suicide of the Patna-born actor, who was found hanging from the ceiling of his Mumbai residence on June 14. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918 (With agency inputs) Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 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 Health insurers are calling for rule changes to make their products more appealing to young Australians, whose exodus from funds has accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic as unemployment soars. Funds are struggling to hang on to members despite offering temporary premium waivers, delayed annual increases and even cash-back offers for those unable to use their insurance. They say they need a long-term solution to reverse the decline. Nib CEO Mark Fitzgibbon says young people question the value of the current system. Credit:Ben Rushton With delayed annual premium rises due to kick in on October 1, five days before the federal budget, health funds are lobbying for changes such as allowing parents to keep children on their family policy until age 30 and allowing funds to pay for GP visits to help prevent young people from leaving the private healthcare system. Health funds generally allow young adults to stay on their parent's policies only if they are under 25, unmarried and earning less than $20,000 a year, and the current rules prevent them from extending the age limit. He was addressing the 90th birthday celebrations of Rev Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan in Pathanamthitta. New Delhi/Thiruvalla (Kerala): Asserting that the government's guiding light is the Constitution of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the government does not discriminate between faith, gender, caste, creed or language and is led by the desire to empower 130 crore Indians. Addressing the 90th birthday celebrations of Rev Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan in Pathanamthitta of Kerala via video conference, the prime minister said his government has been guided by a long-term vision to make India a growth engine. "We have taken decisions not from comfortable government offices in Delhi but after feedback from people on the ground," he said. "It is this spirit that ensured every Indian has access to a bank account," he said. Modi said Ayushman Bharat is the "largest healthcare scheme in the world" through which over a crore people have got "quality treatment." "For women, we are ensuring that their health gets due attention via various schemes.And, their career path is not compromised through extension of maternity leave," Modi said. The prime minister asserted that Government of India does not discriminate between faith, gender, caste, creed or language. "We are guided by the desire to empower 130 crore Indians and our guiding light is the Constitution of India," he told the gathering. The prime minister said the government had brought the one nation-one ration card scheme to help the poor from wherever they are and for the middle class several initiatives have been introduced to boost the ease of living. On India's COVID-19 battle, Modi said the country was firmly fighting the pandemic. "Earlier this year, some people had predicted that the impact of the virus in India would be very very severe. But, due to lockdown and many initiatives taken by the government as well as a people driven fight, India is much better placed than many other nations. India's recovery rate is rising," Modi said. India's death per million due to Covid is under 12 while the death rate in Italy was 574 per million,he said. India was much better placed than many other nations, Modi said and pointed that the figures in the United States, Spain, Britain and France were much higher than India. Lakhs of villages, home to almost 85 crore people remain almost untouched by the coronavirus, he said. "The people-driven fight has given good results so far," Modi said, cautioning that people can't let their guards down yet. "In fact, we have to be even more careful now. Wearing masks, following social distancing, avoiding crowded places remain important," he said. Pointing out that the coronavirus is not only a physical sickness but a threat to the lives of the people, he said "It also takes our attention to unhealthy lifestyles. A global pandemic implies that humanity as a whole needs healing. Let's do everything possible for further harmony and happiness on our planet." Modi said the wheels of trade and commerce have to move even as the fight against thepandemic continues. "At the same time, we have to focus on economic growth and prosperity for 130 crore Indians.The wheels of trade and commerce have to move.Agriculture has to flourish. In the last few weeks, the government of India has addressed both short-term and long-term issues relating to the economy. From the sea to space, from the farms to the factories, people-friendly and growth friendly decisions have been taken," the prime minister said. Conveying his birthday greetings to the Metropolitan and wishing him long life and best health, Modi said "Dr.Joseph Mar Thoma has devoted his life for the betterment of our society and nation. He has been particularly passionate about removal of poverty and women empowerment." Modi said the Mar Thoma Church is closely linked with the novel ideals of St Thomas, the apostle of Lord Christ. It is with this spirit of humility that the Mar Thoma Church has worked to bring a positive difference in the lives of fellow Indians, he said. They have done so much in areas such as healthcare and education, he said. India has always been open to spiritual influence from many sources,the prime minister said, adding that the contributions of St Thomas and the Christian community are deeply valued. Modi said the church, which has played a role in India's freedom struggle, was in the forefrontworking towards national integration and had fought the emergency. It has also "worked to bring a positive difference in the lives of our fellow Indians." "The Mar Thoma Church played a role in India's freedom struggle.The church was at the forefront of working towards national integration.Church fought the Emergency. It is a matter of immense pride that the Mar Thoma Church is firmly rooted in Indian values.The contribution of the Church has also been recognized at the national level," Modi said. The prime minister said "the Holy Bible talks extensively about togetherness" and urged the church to work together for the advancement of the nation. While the country was moving towards self-reliance, the Mar Thoma Church, in line with its values, will surely "rise to the occasion and play a key role" in India's growth trajectory in the times to come,he said. Various programmes have been scheduled as part of the one-year birthday celebrations. The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian church is believed to have been founded by St Thomas, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ. The Thiruvalla headquartered church in Pathanamthitta district is one of the oldest denominations of Christianity. The church has approximately over 1.6 million followers across the globe and has 13 dioceses. Karan Johar & Farah Khan have their own 'Weekend ka Vaar' going on social media with a fashion face-off and it's hilarious In the United States, the number of within a day of newly reported Coronavirus climbed a stand-infections, according to media reports, a new high. For Friday, local authorities reported more than 45,000 confirmed new infections, such as the New York Times reported on Saturday. The Covid-project of the magazine "Atlantic" was one of about 44 400 positive test results which would still be a record. The numerator of the "Washington Post", in turn, registered 45.755 infections. The official data from the health authority CDC for Friday will only be given with delay. especially in southern States such as Florida, Texas and California, the number of new infections is within a few days, increased considerably. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo offered to other Federal assistance to States. "We will forget this mercy never and we'll give you in every possible way," he said on Friday, and recalled the assistance of other States, as the New York-based health system in the Coronavirus pandemic was overloaded. Specifically, he offered Arizona, Texas and Florida, medical equipment and other support. In the United States, there is the data of the Johns Hopkins University, according to meanwhile, almost 2.5 million known infections with the Virus of Sars-CoV-2. More than 125,000 people have died after infection with the Virus. The previous peak of new infections was the CDC, according to the 6. April, with around 43,000 cases have been reached. The day was a Monday, so the day also infections of the weekend followed reports had been, what should have led to a significantly higher total number. Updated Date: 27 June 2020, 10:19 Hyliion, a leader in electrified powertrain solutions for Class 8 commercial vehicles, has announced the launch of its hypertruck electric range extender (ERX), a long-haul, fully electric powertrain delivering superior performance, emissions reductions and cost-savings to the global trucking industry. The launch of the Hypertruck ERX is anchored by Agility, one of the worlds leading logistics companies with $5.2 billion in revenue and offices in 100 countries. Agility has confirmed a pre-order of up to 1,000 trucks and has agreed to invest in a private offering of securities to be issued by Tortoise Acquisition in connection with Hyliions recently announced business combination. Hyliion is leading the way in electrified trucking, remarked its CEO and founder, Thomas Healy. "Our practical solution addresses the most important needs of todays fleets: cost savings, lower emissions and a fueling infrastructure that can support long-haul transportation," he stated. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Hyliions mission is to reduce the carbon intensity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of commercial transportation Class 8 vehicles by being the leading provider of electrified powertrain solutions. Leveraging advanced software algorithms and data analytics capabilities, Hyliion offers fleets an easy, efficient system to decrease fuel and operating expenses while seamlessly integrating with their existing fleet operations. Were already seeing robust interest in the Hypertruck ERX from fleets like Agility who are looking for electric solutions that can be seamlessly integrated, he added. Combined with a fully electric drivetrain and a natural gas-powered onboard generator to recharge the battery, the Hypertruck ERX will provide more than 1,000 miles of range. The powertrain also produces electricity locally at roughly 30 percent less than the average grid cost, which yields a seven-year cost-of-ownership unmatched by any diesel, battery-electric (BEV) or hydrogen fuel-cell (FCEV) Class 8 truck under development. The Hyliion technology is so game-changing that all companies, especially those with consumer-facing brands, will be forced to adapt, remarked Tarek Sultan, vice chairman and CEO of Agility. Its a triple win: Protect the environment, keep customers happy and benefit shareholders by improving the bottom line. We look forward to bringing significant cost savings and greater efficiency to our customers, he stated. With more than 700 public stations across the US, the Hypertruck ERX leverages a robust natural gas refueling infrastructure. The truck is the only electric Class 8 vehicle that can achieve a net-negative greenhouse gas emissions footprint using renewable natural gas (RNG). Police have confirmed that a TTC train on Line 2 was pulled from service Saturday afternoon after riders discovered anti-Black slurs written inside. Witness statements and photos of the incident have been provided to police, said TTC spokesperson Stuart Green. There is no place for this kind of vile, racist hatred on public transit or, frankly, anywhere, Green said in a statement to the Star. We want those responsible to be found and held accountable. We will work with Toronto Police as they investigate this matter and provide all the information we have. Officers met with one of the witnesses on Saturday morning, police said. Green said the incident happened on a train that doesnt have cameras. Miriam Lafontaine is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @mirilafontaine Many inventions created by scientists and research institutes cannot be applied in real life even though businesses need new technologies. Tran Doan Son of the Mechanical Engineering Faculty in HCM City is the author of three out of eight outstanding inventions honored by the HCM City authorities under the HCM City Patent Award 2019-2020 program. Son said in addition to the three inventions which won second, third and consolation prizes, he has other six patented products. Some inventions have been transferred to businesses or sold abroad. His first product which was granted a patent in 2002 included equipment and a process of steaming cashew nuts with saturated steam. To date, more than 10 cashew processing plans in Vietnam and the world have been using the technology. Later, Son and his co-workers invented the equipment to make fresh rice noodles which replaced manual production, helped increase productivity and ensured food hygiene. Many inventions created by scientists and research institutes cannot be applied in real life even though businesses need new technologies. His other work, equipment to make soft noodles, received second prize at the HCM City Invention Award 2020. The technology has been transferred to nine businesses in Vietnam, the US, South Korea and Laos and is going to Europe in some days. Most of Sons inventions have been successfully commercialized. However, Son said the number of such inventions is modest. Many research works and inventions conducted by universities are projects ordered by the Ministry of Science and Technology, local departments of science and technology, and the universities themselves. The problem is, according to Son, most universities focus on training and are not good at cooperating with businesses to commercialize their inventions. As a result, many inventions, after receiving certificates, have been put into mothballs or just used in teaching. Experts repeatedly say that managers, scientists and businesses need to cooperate closely in order to apply science and technology to production and business, thus improving the competitiveness of businesses. However, the link among the three partners remains loose. Businesses say they dont place orders with Vietnams universities and institutes because their technology level is not good enough to create products that satisfy businesses requirements. Meanwhile, scientists criticize Vietnamese businesses for not having long-term development strategies. They say businesses just hit and run and dont want to spend money on technological solutions. A business bought one machine from us and then created 70 similar machines, a lecturer at one university said. Son believes that there should be a playing field where scientists and businesses can meet each other. HCM City authorities, for example, should organize invention trade fairs for research teams to display products and seek mechanical engineering or manufacturing company clients. Kim Chi "Passion - The Mother of Invention", says Vietnamese scientist No half measures. Thats the one thing that has stood out about Vu Ngoc Tam since he was a kid. The Government of Ghana has said the 75th Anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter must engender the world body's inter-governmental negotiations towards the much-needed reforms of the Security Council. Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said the negotiations to reform the UN Security Council to make it more broadly representative, efficient and effective in addressing conflicts had been ongoing for many years. She noted that having served on the Security Council for three terms as a Non-Permanent member, Ghana attached importance to these negotiations and had over the years supported ongoing initiatives for the reform of the Security Council to reflect geo-political realities. "Seventy-five years ago, when the Charter that we are commemorating today was signed, the world was distinctly different from what we know today," Madam Ayorkor Botchwey stated in her address to Parliament, on Friday, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. "It is therefore, imperative that the Security Council is reformed in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Ezulwini Consensus, which advocate a fair representation of Africa on the Security Council," she said. The African Union consensus demands that at least two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats be allocated by the AU. In addition, the AU set forth that either all permanent membersincluding the new permanent membersmust have the right to the veto; if not, then non-permanent members may have the right to the veto. At present, the Council is composed of 15 Members: Five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly (with end of term year). "Ghana will thus continue to work with other African Member States towards a more representative and democratic Security Council to enhance its efficiency to address the current threats to international peace and security," the Minister said. " Seventy-five years ago, some 50 nations convened in San Francisco to declare their commitment to peace, signaling an end to a six-year world war that had caused great destruction to mankind. "As we commemorate this important milestone of the UN today, it is important to reflect on both the successes and lessons learned in implementing the UN Charter over the last 75 years". She noted that conscious of the opportunity to examine how best to collectively overcome current and emerging global challenges, the Comity of Nations, unanimously agreed that the theme for this important commemoration should be The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism. "Several years of global conflicts and strife, have taught us that our world was better-off when nations work together," she said. She noted that the institutions and systems that were born out of the ashes of World War II, particularly the UN, had promoted social cohesion and allowed their societies to flourish. Madam Ayorkor Botchwey said through shared responsibility and accountability, shared burden and costs, the UN had helped to reduce global conflicts, ensured significant reduction in famine and poverty, coupled with massive gains in development and the protection of human rights. She recounted that Ghana became a member of the UN two days after attainment of independence on 8th March, 1957. "Since then, Ghana, guided by the commitment to the principles and ideals of the UN Charter as enshrined in our national foreign policy, has pursued balanced and principled positions on a wide range of issues on the agenda of the Organisation". The Minister said Ghana's active involvement within the UN spanned the period of decolonisation of the African continent, during which Ghana used the UN as a platform to advocate freedom from colonialism and formulate joint African positions. Madam Ayorkor Botchwey, said the promotion of international peace and security remained a critical pillar of the UN, adding that the UN Peacekeeping remained the most effective tool available to the Organisation in the maintenance of peace and security under Chapter VII of the Charter. She said Ghana had since independence fully supported UN and Regional peacekeeping operations in Africa and around the world. "Ours is an unwavering commitment to a world free from strife and instability." She said Ghana remained resolute in the conviction that though daunting, the challenge to the Comity of Nations could be surmounted through innovative, bold, realistic and achievable decisions by Member States. "As we deploy efforts to search for global solutions to global challenges, we must appreciate the fact that there is no entity that is more representative of global cooperation and multilateralism than the UN," she stated. "It is, therefore, imperative that we continue to promote mutually reinforcing and coordinated efforts among the main organs of the UN to enhance and uphold the ideals of multilateralism," she said. She noted that the international community had a responsibility to sustain the relevance of the UN in this era and the years ahead. "The future we desire; the UN we need: can only be realized when the international community remains committed to multilateralism," she said. "Ghana, alongside other countries, is determined to play its part in this noble endeavour to proudly leave a legacy for generations yet unborn." ---GNA WARSAW, Poland - Polands conservative president, Andrzej Duda, was the frontrunner in Sundays election, but fell short of the 50% of votes needed to win in the first round, according to the projection of an exit poll. The results, if confirmed, pave the way for what is building into a very tight race in July 12 runoff that will most likely pit the populist incumbent against the centrist Warsaw mayor, Rafal Trzaskowski, who was in second place. Whether Duda ultimately wins a second five-year term in two weeks time will determine whether the ruling nationalist party that backs him, Law and Justice, keeps its near-monopoly on political power in Poland. The party has been in conflict with the European Union over laws that have given it control over top courts and key judicial bodies, something the 27-nation bloc has denounced as an erosion of democratic European values. Since the Polish president has the power to veto laws, Duda winning a second term is crucial to the party as it seeks to continue to reshape the nations laws in line with its conservative worldview. The pro-EU Trzaskowski has vowed to block any new laws that violate constitutional norms. In a speech to cheering supporters late Sunday in the town of Lowicz, west of Warsaw, Duda noted that his result was better than in the first round five years ago. I have this result after five years of being in politics, of being criticized in many ways, attacked, of taking difficult decisions, Duda said. After these five years many more people voted for me. According to the projection by the Ipsos polling firm, Duda won 41.8% and Trzaskowski 30.4% in Sundays vote. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Polands state electoral commission has said it would release the final official results by Wednesday evening. The candidate with the third most votes according to the exit poll was Szymon Holownia, a TV personality and journalist who had once studied to be a priest. He was projected by the Ipsos poll to have 13.3%. Holownia is unaffiliated with any party and generated enthusiasm among some Poles tired of years of bickering between Law and Justice and Civic Platform, the countrys two main parties. A far-right nationalist candidate, Krzysztof Bosak, was projected by the exit poll to win 7.4% of the vote, and his voters would also be up for grabs in the runoff. In his speech to supporters late Sunday, Duda lost no time in reaching out to supporters of other candidates, saying he shares some views with those on the left, but making particular mention of Bosak. Duda said there is very little that separates him from Bosak and that we are of a similar mind on very many issues. Trzaskowski told his supporters that it was good news the majority opposed Duda. I want to say clearly to all these citizens - I will be your candidate. I will be the candidate of change, he said. A left-wing politician who was Polands first openly gay presidential candidate, Robert Biedron, was projected to win 2.9%, while an agrarian candidate, Wladyslaw Kosiak-Kamysz had 2.6% in the exit poll. All other candidates in a field of 11 polled even lower. The vote had been scheduled for May 10 but was postponed in a chaotic political and legal battle as the ruling party pressed to hold it despite the pandemic. Poland hasnt been as badly hit by the pandemic as many countries in Western Europe, and most people voted in person, wearing masks and observing other hygiene rules. There was also a mail-in voting option, and thousands of voters in some southwestern regions with higher virus infection numbers were required to vote by mail. In April, Duda had very high support and was expected then to win in a single round. He was helped by adulatory coverage in state media and the inability of other candidates to campaign. But as restrictions eased, Trzaskowski replace an earlier candidate fielded by his Civic Platform party who had dismal poll numbers, adding a new dynamic and suspense into the race. As of Sunday, Poland had nearly 34,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among its 38 million people, with over 1,400 deaths. Dudas campaign focused on defending traditional values in the mostly Catholic nation while promising to keep raising living standards to Western European levels. He took a position against same-sex marriage and adoption and denounced the LGBT rights movement as a dangerous ideology. That kind of rhetoric along with the judicial overhaul and the partys harnessing of public media to promote the governments image have raised concerns among some that Poland is following Hungary in eroding democratic norms established after communism collapsed three decades ago. On the campaign trail, Trzaskowski promised to keep the ruling partys popular social welfare spending programs while vowing to restore constitutional norms and Polands relationship with the EU. ___ Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced an initiative to pair police, prosecutors, and community liaisons in each of the city's six police divisions in hopes of more holistically addressing the effects of gun violence on communities at a news conference Friday in West Philadelphia. Read more Philadelphia law enforcement officials and community leaders unveiled new collaborative strategies Friday to address the citys rising tide of homicides and shootings while improving relationships with the neighborhoods most affected by gun violence. District Attorney Larry Krasner announced that he had assigned prosecutors to work alongside investigators and community liaisons in each of the citys six police divisions. The goal is to improve the rate of successful prosecutions and to foster better cooperation among his office, police, and neighborhood groups as the citys homicide rate is on track to reach a 13-year high. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw also highlighted the newly assigned assistant district attorneys and community members in a strategic policing plan released separately Friday, her first since she was appointed to her job last year. In it, Outlaw announced several changes to her top command staff and outlined broad goals including increasing the departments clearance rate the percentage of cases considered cleared by arrest. Her plan calls for increasing the clearance rate to 65% for homicides and 30% for non-fatal shootings. Thats about 13 percentage points and 5 percentage points higher, respectively, than the rate in recent years. Though Outlaw and Krasner delivered their separate announcements Friday with fanfare, neither offered much in the way of specifics on how their proposals would be funded or work in practice. Both plans came as the citys homicide count stood at 193 victims so far this year a number 21% higher than this time last year and on track to become the highest the city has seen since 2007. The police commissioner also pledged to rededicate the department to rebuilding bonds with minority communities a move that comes after a month of protests against systemic racism that laid bare already strained relations between officers and some of the communities they are sworn to protect. By committing ourselves to the performance goals we will achieve long-term sustainable neighborhood change together, Outlaw said. READ MORE: How George Floyd's death changed Philadelphia from 1,100 miles away The commissioners plan came in the form of a 40-page document titled Crime Prevention and Violence Reduction Action Plan. Fine print in the report noted that no money has been allocated for the specific programs or initiatives mentioned. The document outlined plans to assign staff to track and monitor the outcomes of shooting cases and to expand what the department calls pinpoint zones specific blocks or neighborhoods targeted for more resources because cops consider them at high risk for crime. She also listed among her goals to reestablish a positive working relationship between the police and the District Attorneys Office, after years of strained relations between Krasners office and some of the rank-and-file officers. Krasner, meanwhile, stood flanked by city and state lawmakers and anti-violence and community groups Friday at a splashy news conference outside of Siddiqs Real Fruit Water Ice on South 60th Street in West Philadelphia. He likened the new approach to assign prosecutors and community workers to specific police divisions to a similar tactic deployed in Chicago, which has seen a 20% reduction in homicides and shootings in the years since. Philadelphias version would be heavily focused on crime prevention and community involvement, he said. As an example, he highlighted the work of the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement program a grant-funded effort by his office to support families affected by gun violence by pairing them with people who have lived through similar experiences. The connection between the building the community, and also enforcement, is absolutely crucial to any intelligent and modern approach to reducing gun violence, Krasner said. The work that these folks will be doing is at the core of the gun crime strategies and prevention collaborative. Elected officials and community leaders lauded the change and said they look forward to a more constructive working relationship with prosecutors and police. When we see on the news a murder occurring, its not just that one person that is shown in the news. Its a rippling effect that goes throughout a whole family, said Stanley Crawford, whose son was shot three times and died in West Philadelphia in 2018. Crawford went on to launch the Black Male Community Council, a group that has organized 200 men now deployed to improve conditions in three of the citys most violent spots. READ MORE: Philly Council moves to diversify police, strengthen oversight, curtail stop-and-frisk City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, who represents West Philadelphia, said the effects of any one particular shooting are felt even further. Shootings are traumatic events, not just for the victims and their families, but for neighbors and coworkers and classmates and for whole communities, she said. And in this time when we as a city and we as a country are confronting issues of racial justice and equity, gun violence has to be a top priority for every elected official, because its our communities of color that are suffering disproportionately from gun violence. Staff writer Chris Palmer contributed to this article. I really, really wanted to go to [Frankston] High School with all my friends, Sienna said. Everyone has been blindsided by this, her mother added. There was no public consultation I know families who have bought within the last few months thinking they are still in the zone. Nick DAssisi, who moved from Dandenong North so his children could attend Frankston High, was also shocked to discover he was no longer in the zone. Nick and Kate D'Assisi moved from Dandenong North so their children could attend Frankston High. Credit:Simon Schluter Me and my wife are devastated, he said. "We specifically came to this area to buy a house to be in the zone. When I was looking, I saw houses I liked better than the one I bought, but they were not in the zone. The Education Department said 35 school zones were changed for the 2021 school year but refused to name the affected schools. School zones are reviewed annually to take into account new schools, changing provision at existing schools or changing demand and demographics of the local population, a spokesperson said. The department said that since 2015, Frankston High School had a non-standard school zone resulting in some areas being excluded from guaranteed access to their nearest government school. (The department refused to clarify what a non-standard school zone was or why Frankston High had one for the past five years.) It said Frankston Highs zone had been standardised for enrolments in the 2021 school year to ensure students had guaranteed access to the school nearest to where they lived. Every child has the right to enrol at their closest government school or at another school of their choice, provided that school has sufficient space to accommodate them, a spokesperson said. But Ms Leeves worries there will be no room for those who live outside the zone. Frankston Highs student population has increased over the past few years: there were 1889 students enrolled last year, up 8 per cent from 1743 in 2014. A Facebook page set up to take action against the rezoning has already accrued 250 members. Liberal member for the south-eastern metropolitan region, Gordon Rich-Phillips, said he had received many emails from distressed parents who now found themselves outside the zone and were being stonewalled by the Education Department. Releasing this new map without telling anyone is causing a great deal of upset and chaos. Whats needed here is for the department to be very transparent, he said. Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Leah Calnan said the impact of popular public schools on property prices was a phenomenon that was especially pronounced in Melbourne. She said properties in the zones for Glen Waverley Secondary College, Balwyn High School, McKinnon Secondary College and Mount Waverley Secondary College also sold at a substantial premium. Its been like that for many years, Ms Calnan said. Parents weigh up the decision of paying for private schools which cost an average of $25,000 a year per child or buying within a good school zone and having an asset that will continue to accrue in value. Dr Emma Rowe, a senior lecturer in education at Deakin University, said Australians had a culture of shopping for schools. We often think of public schools being outside the market, but if parents are buying houses specifically to get into a school zone, they are paying fees in real estate, Dr Rowe said. For me, that highlights there is a blurring between public and private, which points to a much bigger systemic issue about the segregation in our schools. Dr Rowe said Australia had one of the most segregated school systems in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, with highly concentrated pockets of advantaged and disadvantaged students. Wearing face masks and carrying colourful signs, about 350 people yesterday took to the streets of Bloor West Village and Torontos wet-end Swansea neighbourhood to oppose racism in their community. Organized and led by long-time area resident Ayan Kailie, the inaugural Stop Racism in Swansea march also aimed to be a show of solidarity with Black Lives Matter and a demand for justice for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour. The family-friendly event was inspired by another recent anti-Black racism walk, organized by the Black Student Success Committee at Parkdales Queen Victoria Public School. The school is currently at the centre of an investigation into a racist letter. During yesterdays march, various community leaders who have been affected by and are working to overcome racism shared their stories of strength and resistance. Local politicians MPP Bhutila Karpoche and MP Arif Virani were there and lent their words of support. This is about people coming together as friends and neighbours to say we wont accept racism, we dont want it here, it doesnt belong here, said Kailie, a mother of three who is actively involved in her Swansea neighbourhood. This march is a chance to meet your neighbour, to make a difference If youre wondering what you can do, come out and connect. This is what you can do. Standing before the large crowd, Kailie, who was the first-ever Black Muslim parent council chair at Swansea Public School, which her children attend, spoke about the racism and discrimination shes experienced both with the Toronto District School Board and in her community. Kailie, who has lived in the Swansea Mews complex for about eight years, pointed to constant reminders of her familys socio-economic disadvantages. She also shared the feelings of otherness shes experience being a Black woman in her west-end neighbourhood. I was called many derogatory and disgusting names. My Black children were brought up unnecessarily in racially charged conversations. There were references to disgusting hate groups in conjunction with my children, said Kailie, who also pointed to instances where privileged white parents attempted to tell her what she, as a Black person, should or shouldnt find racially inappropriate. My children were ostracized and were not included in many things, after I spoke up against racism. For these many reasons, Kailie said theres no better time than the present to mobilize people in her community to do something meaningful to combat racism and promote justice. She said todays march was the start of that grassroots effort. I want this to be more than just a march. I want this to be a movement. An organization, said Kailie. Anyone interested in getting involved should email sriswansea@gmail.com. Joanna Lavoie is a reporter with toronto.com. Reach her via email: jlavoie@toronto.com WESTLAKE, Ohio Sexual assault warrant: Sperry Drive Westlake police officers at 7 a.m. June 18 identified a man staying at the Super 8 motel as an individual wanted by Cleveland police for felony sexual assault of a child. Officers took the 44-year-old Cleveland man into custody without incident. He was driven to the Cuyahoga County Justice Center in downtown Cleveland to answer to his charges. Identity theft A resident on June 17 reported falling victim to possible identity theft. The man had learned from his employer that someone had filed for unemployment benefits with the state using his identity. His company flagged the claim as fraudulent, as the victim was still employed. Police are investigating, along with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Possible scam: Holly Lane Officers at 9 a.m. June 17 responded to Holly Lane for a suspicious condition. A person had shown up to look at a house advertised for rent on Craigslist. The problem was that the home was not actually available for rent. The complainant was not out any money, and the real estate agent in charge of the house was advised about the possible scam. The fictitious advertisement had been taken off the website by the time investigators looked into the complaint. Read more news from the West Shore Sun. At least 353 migrants are dead. For the Philippine ambassador in Riyadh, most died of "natural causes, a few from COVID-19. He mocks workers' poverty. The Bishop of Balanga wants to know what really happened to them. NGO complains that Christians are discriminated in access to medical treatment. Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) A Philippine bishop and a migrant rights organisation are calling for an investigation into the recent death of more than 350 Philippine workers in Saudi Arabia. According to the Philippine ambassador in Riyadh, Adnan Alonto, 353 Philippines died in the country as of last Monday, of which at least 200 must be brought home. Most died of natural cause, he said; only a few deaths [are] related to coronavirus, plus a few crime-related deaths. The Catholic Church and an NGO are not convinced and want to know more. Migrants face serious difficulties in the region, as evidenced by the suicide of a young Philippine woman in Lebanon. Saudi Arabia is a major point of destination for Philippine migrants; up to a million live and work in the kingdom, often in precarious conditions, victims of abuse and harassment by their Muslim employers. Job insecurity, non-payment of wages, confiscation of passports, physical assault and sexual violence are among the recurrent issues, but they are rarely reported. The death of hundreds of people in a short period of time has raised suspicions that the Philippine Church wants investigated. Bishop Ruperto Santos of Balanga head the Commission for Migrants and itinerant people of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). He is not certain that most of the deaths are due to natural causes. There should be an investigation for the specific causes of death to prevent and avoid future loss of life, he said in a statement. Migrante International, an alliance of NGOs defending the rights of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), agrees with the prelate, and does not mince words for the way the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia has tackled the issue. According to its spokesman, Francisco Buenaventura, the families of deceased Philippine workers deserve to know the cause of death of their loved ones. The government cannot simply say they died due to natural causes. There must be medical records to support the claim. Saudi Arabia is the country most affected by COVID-19 in the Gulf region. For the activist, Philippine workers who test positive for COVID-19 are not treated because of their faith. Christians and Muslims must receive the medical attention needed for our workers to recover from the virus, he said. Our nurses are taking care of Muslim patients, but this does not happen to Christians. What is more, only Islam is allowed to be practised in the country. In addition to unexplained deaths, another issue is that of migrants who want to return home but are unable to do so. According to the latest unofficial figures, at least 23,000 Philippine workers have appealed to their government to help them get home. Since they were laid off, they have been without work for months, scrounging for some food among Riyadh rubbish. Ambassador Alonso denies this version. If reports reaching me are true, Im disappointed with some of our people who have resorted to theatrics to catch attention. [The] Fact is food assistance was given. Mamulot ng basura? [Picking up trash?] Cmon! he twitted. Migrante International reacted immediately. He can say what he said because he still has his job and continues to receive his huge salary, said Marlon Gatdula, Migrantes Saudi Arabia chair. If Alonto had tried to live for three months with the one-time assistance given to OFWs, he would know that OFWs scavenging for food are not merely engaging in theatrics or are just trying to call the publics attention. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Maria Panina (Agence France-Presse) Moscow, Russia Sat, June 27, 2020 12:01 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066217307 2 Art & Culture Russia,Court,theater,director,Fraud,Kirill-Sebrennikov Free A Moscow court on Friday handed outspoken Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov a three-year suspended sentence following a fraud conviction denounced by his supporters as politically motivated. Known for his daring statements and groundbreaking projects, Serebrennikov has angered Russian conservatives and criticized censorship of the arts in Russia, warning of a return "to the most pathetic Soviet practices". "Serebrennikov's rehabilitation is possible without a real prison term," judge Olesya Mendeleyeva said, adding that the acclaimed theater and film director would have to pay a fine and be on probation for three years. Hundreds of supporters who had gathered outside the courthouse broke into applause on hearing news of the sentence. "A huge thank you for your support and for the fact that you believe in my innocence," Serebrennikov, 50, told supporters, wearing sunglasses and a black facemask. "Respect social distancing, do not infect each other. Because you have to fight for the truth," he said. Prosecutors had asked for a six-year prison term for Serebrennikov, who was on Friday found guilty of misappropriating the equivalent of two million dollars in state funds meant for a theatrical project. The judge had said that Serebrennikov and co-defendants Yury Itin and Konstantin Malobrodsky "carried out actions directed at personal enrichment" that misled employees of the culture ministry. Itin and Malobrodsky were also given suspended sentences and ordered to pay fines. The prosecution had been criticized in Russia and abroad as trying to clamp down on artistic freedom. A fourth defendant in the case, Sofia Apfelbaum, was "unaware" of the fraud but had acted with negligence, the judge said. She was also given a fine but it was immediately rescinded. Serebrennikov, who heads one of Moscow's top theater venues, the Gogol Centre, was arrested in 2017 but the case against him stalled last year when a judge handed it back to the prosecution due to "inconsistencies". It restarted with a new judge, and the amount of the alleged fraud was slightly revised from 133 million rubles to 129 million rubles. Serebrennikov spent more than a year and a half under house arrest but was finally allowed to return to work, leading many to believe the case would be dropped. But on Friday, the judge backed charges by the prosecution that Serebrennikov masterminded the theft of state money allocated to the Platforma project he ran between 2011 and 2014. Serebrennikov and his co-defendants insisted they are innocent. "Kirill is devastated by the conviction but very happy to be going home," his lawyer Dmitry Kharitonov said. Read also: Russian theater directors stage daring plays despite crackdown Arts trailblazer Olivier Py, the director of the Avignon Festival in France and a friend of Serebrennikov, denounced "a political trial, a return to the Stalinist USSR". "It was necessary to send a clear message to all the dissidents. He is the one who pays the price but he fought for freedom of expression," he said. With coronavirus restrictions still observed in Moscow, only a small number of people were allowed in the courtroom, but hundreds of supporters were gathered outside. "Platforma was an incredible project, it gave huge opportunities to contemporary artists, composers, directors, actors who had nowhere to go," one of the supporters outside, actor Gladston Makhib, told AFP. But traditionalists attacked Serebrennikov's work after he rebranded the Gogol Centre from a dusty venue to a top location on Moscow's cultural map. One of Russia's most acclaimed directors, Serebrennikov has created works spanning from opera to theater and film, with productions regularly winning awards. Artistic figures abroad spoke out in his defense including Cate Blanchett and Ian McKellen. German arts figures including director Thomas Ostermeier gathered near the Russian embassy in Berlin Friday with a huge banner reading "Free Kirill", while Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert urged Moscow to respect freedom of artistic expression. The mayor of Tucson, Arizona on Thursday said city police chief Chris Magnus should not resign despite his offer to step down in his post, following the fatal death of a Hispanic man, who died handcuffed in police custody. Magnus offered his resignation after the body camera video, which recorded the arrest of Carlos Ingram-Lopez, 27, was released to the public. Ingram-Lopez died on April 21, while he was handcuffed and restrained facedown, but the death wasn't made public until this week, as reported by Fox News. In a statement, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said Magnus should stay in his job. "The best way to honor Carlos Adrian's memory is by coming together and taking immediate action to build a better, more just community," Romero noted. "After listening to the feedback of my colleagues on the Council, I do not believe the Chief should resign," she added. Romero continued by saying that Magnus has improved the police department since he became police chief four years ago and should remain the city's chief of police. "Chief Magnus has brought forward-thinking changes to [Tucson Police Department] policies, practices and trainings, and has built strong relationships with our community," the mayor wrote on her Twitter. Romero also called for unity and told the police department that it is time to rebuild public trust. She added that she looks forward to working with Magnus to fulfill these goals. Magnus received heavy criticism for failing to disclose the incident earlier. In a report by NPR, Magnus said, "I cannot stress strongly enough that I feel terrible about the death of Carlos Ingram-Lopez during his encounter with officers from our department." He said three of the officers, who responded, failed to handle the situation and has committed multiple violations in doing so. "It is, however, important to note there is no indication of malicious intent, nor did any of the officers deploy strikes, use chokeholds, or place a knee on Mr. Ingram-Lopez's neck," he said. The three police officers on the scene, both Black and white, resigned but would have been fired nevertheless as their actions fell short of the police department's standards, said Magnus. He also stressed that Ingram-Lopez's death shouldn't be taken as similar to George Floyd's at the hands of Minnesota police, where Black men and women were killed during arrest, as reported by Fronteras Desk. The Death of a Hispanic Man Reports from the NPR and ABC described how Ingram-Lopez hysterically cried, screamed, and whimpered. He was looking for his grandmother and asking for water, while restrained for some 12 minutes before suddenly going unresponsive. The officers on the scene administered an overdose antidote and attempted to resuscitate him, but the Hispanic man died on the scene. The medical examiner's office said he died of sudden cardiac arrest from intoxication with cocaine and physical restraint. The death of Ingram-Lopez sparked outrage as protests around the United States call for an end to police brutality. The hashtag #AyudameNana circulated to bring attention to some of his last words, along with online tributes that showed pictures of new father Ingram-Lopez with a baby girl. Vice President Mike Pence is moving forward with a trip to Texas on Sunday as the state rushes to respond to a coronavirus surge. For over a week, Pence has been scheduled to speak at First Baptist Dallas, a church led by Pastor Robert Jeffress, an enthusiastic supporter of President Donald Trump. But the coronavirus situation in Texas has deteriorated quickly in recent days, and Pence indicated Friday that his Texas visit will at least partially focus on the outbreak now. Pence, who chairs the White House coronavirus task force, said during a briefing that he will bring another task force member, Dr. Deborah Birx, to Texas on Sunday as part of a tour of hotspot states to get a ground report. Pences office announced later Friday that Pence will meet with Gov. Greg Abbott and his healthcare team following the church appearance. The briefing in Washington came just a few hours after Abbott announced his most significant action yet to address the growing outbreak in Texas, closing bars and reducing restaurant capacity to 50%, among other things. Pence said Abbott was among the governors that he has spoken to in the last 12 hours. Texas was one of the states the task force highlighted during the meeting as a site of a concerning outbreak. Birx noted that testing has been going up in the state, but the rise in positivity rate the ratio of cases to tests is what showed this was becoming an alert. The seven-day average of that rate hit 11.76% on Wednesday, exceeding the 10% threshold that Abbott had identified as cause for alarm. That rates seven-day average is now nearing its record high of 13.86% set in April. Dallas, which Pence is visiting Sunday, has been particularly hard hit by the virus. The county judge, Clay Jenkins, said Friday morning the county will report another record high of daily new cases 496 later Friday. At First Baptist, Pence is participating in an event billed as Celebrate Freedom Sunday. The church says it will feature an annual fireworks celebration, patriotic music and a special message from Pence. The church has also said Pence will be joined by Abbott and U.S. Housing Secretary Ben Carson. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will also join Pence in Dallas, according to a Cornyn spokesperson. It remains to be seen how large the First Baptist event will be. The church says on its website that there will be temperature screenings at the door, and no one whose temperature is over 100.4 degrees will be allowed to remain on the premises. Masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged, according to the website. Speaking during a Texas Democratic Party conference call Friday morning, Jenkins said he understands Pence will appear as part of a large indoor event. The county has tried to confer with [the church] about best practices for Sunday, Jenkins added. There is currently no occupancy limit for religious services in Texas, though it is unclear if the First Baptist event fits that category. In any case, Jenkins noted Texas is still asking people to generally avoid gathering in groups of 10 or more and that Abbott banned outdoor gatherings of over 100 people unless local officials approve. If they have to do it, I hope they do it outside, and if they do it outside, I hope they keep it to less than 100 people, Jenkins said, and thats not really safe, but they have a right do it. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. NMCB-5 Completes 100th U.S. Navy Seabee Project in Timor-Leste Navy News Service Story Number: NNS200626-09 Release Date: 6/26/2020 11:31:00 AM By Lt. Dylan S. Sylvester, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 Public Affairs DILI, Timor-Leste (NNS) -- U.S. Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5's Detail Timor-Leste conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 100th Seabee project in Timor-Leste, a two-room education facility at the Ensino Basico Central Fatumeta Pre-Secondary School, June 23. Seabees have operated in Timor-Leste for over 10 consecutive years providing high-quality construction and humanitarian assistance. By working in coordination with the U.S. Embassy and local defense forces, the Seabees have strengthened the enduring relationship between the U.S. and Timor-Leste's government, military, and local communities. "Seabees have really made their mark here in Timor-Leste since they arrived in 2009," said U.S. Ambassador to Timor-Leste Kathleen Fitzpatrick. "They rehabilitate schools, health clinics, and other facilities that support the educational development and wellbeing of thousands of Timorese. The facilities they construct have a direct impact on improving Timorese communities, especially in remote locations." Seabees completed their first projects in Timor-Leste in 2009 constructing a pump-house and renovating an electrical system that provides well-water to a school. Since then, multiple community facilities have been renovated, many schools and medical clinics have been built, and two cable bridges were engineered and constructed to provide medical and logistical access to communities otherwise isolated due to adverse weather impacts during the year. The 100th project replaces a degraded existing structure in the Fatumeta School compound that serves over 1,300 students in the area. The new schoolhouse benefits the local Timorese community by providing an improved learning environment with space to educate and develop children in the nation's capital. Starting April 1, Builder 3rd Class Jahrual Lloyd, deployed with NMCB-5, led a crew of 10 in the construction of the new two-room school. Set on a concrete slab, the building consists of columns, concrete masonry unit blocks, interior electrical, louvered glass windows, wooden doors, stucco, and corrugated roofing. Working during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Seabees were forced to adjust how they operate to meet U.S. military and Timor-Leste requirements regarding crew sizes and social distancing. By quickly adapting to new restrictions, the team was able to overcome unforeseen challenges and complete the project under budget and ahead of schedule. Builder Chief Charles Sprague, Detail Timor-Leste Operations, expressed his admiration for the crew. "I am amazed by the crew's ability to adapt and overcome the unique challenges faced while operating in the changing environment of a pandemic," said Sprague. "Coming together and growing to new heights, they were able to consistently accomplish all daily goals and maintain the operational tempo needed to finish the project. I have high aspirations for the men and women of this Detail." The Seabees have been working alongside the local Timorese and the U.S. Embassy Dili, Timor-Leste, for the past decade, constructing humanitarian projects and participating in joint exercisesto include building schools and cable bridges, and participating in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training. This project commemorates the long-standing U.S. commitment to maintain an extremely important and mutually beneficial partnership with Timor-Leste. NMCB-5 is deployed across the Indo-Pacific region conducting high-quality construction to support U.S. and partner nations to strengthen partnerships, deter aggression, and enable expeditionary logistics and naval power projection. The battalion stands ready to support Humanitarian Aid/Disaster Relief and Major Combat Operations throughout the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. The CA exams are scheduled to be held from 29 July and candidates may submit application for opting out till 30 June The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has pushed back the last date for opting out of the Chartered Accountant (CA) May 2020 exams to 30 June. CA May 2020 exam is scheduled to be held from 29 July. In view of feedback received from the students who have already submitted online examination application for May 2020 Examination, it is decided that the request of students for allowance of some more time for exercising the Opt-Out option be extended till 30th June 2020 (Tuesday) up to 11.59 PM, said the ICAI in a fresh notice. Those who want to withdraw from CA May 2020 exams can do so by visiting the official website of the ICAI at https://icaiexam.icai.org/. The ICAI had issued a notification regarding the opting out facility on 15 June, but as per that, the deadline was 20 June. Then, the institute again put out a notification informing that the last date to opt-out had been extended till 27 June. The option to withdraw from May exam has been provided due to the coronavirus pandemic. Candidates who want to avail this facility carry forward their candidature to CA November exam. If they have paid examination fees, it will automatically be shifted and carried forward to next examination i.e. November 2020 cycle. Those opting out will have to apply afresh for November 2020 examination cycle. The fees will be adjusted and differential fees, if any, will only be charged. According to Careers360, students will not be able to change opt-out option, if once selected. Their choice will be treated as final and no requests will be entertained in any circumstance. ICAI also allowed candidates appearing for the upcoming CA exams to select new centres on the official website from 11 am on 17 June to midnight of 20 June. Those taking exams will have to follow COVID-19 guidelines issued by the ministry of home affairs. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc: 36th ASEAN Summit a success Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmed that the 36th ASEAN Summit which was held on June 26 via video conference was a success. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the international press conference (Photo: VNA) During an international press conference following the event, PM Phuc, who is also ASEAN Chair 2020, affirmed that it is the first time in more than half of the century the ASEAN Summit has been held online with the attendance of leaders of all ASEAN member states who reached high consensus on important issues within the bloc. Asked about regional cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 over the past time, the PM said the pandemic has spread worldwide, with over 130,000 infections and nearly 4,000 deaths in the region, adding that the bloc took drastic and rapid actions in the cohesive and responsive spirit, including holding ASEAN summit and ASEAN 3 summit, and ASEAN meetings with partners and initiating the establishment of COVID-19 response found, a medical warehouse and a standard process that were applauded by the community both inside and outside the region. As a result, the ASEAN member states gradually curbed the pandemic and are striving to build the community, he said. The bloc has proved the power of its community to overcome unprecedented difficulties for the sake of common peace, stability and prosperity. Regarding the impacts on Vietnam and ASEANs economic recovery following COVID-19 when the US and China two major economic and trade partners of ASEAN, are competing geo-politically and economically, PM Phuc said the ASEAN and China as well as the US have bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation frameworks, which lay an important foundataion for them to strengthen economic links. The ASEAN always wants mutually-beneficial cooperation for regional peace and future development of partners, including China and the US, he said, adding that fighting COVID-19 and economic recovery are two major taks for the common interest of the international community, the US and China. He expected that China and the US would optimise similarities, overcome differences, build trust and bolster collaboration for the common interests of the region and the world. According to the PM, Vietnam together with the ASEAN countries are embarking on a comprehensive plan on post-COVID-19 recovery, upholding the blocs central role, holding conferences with China and the US to maintain and facilitate trade and investment, and step up regional and global economic recovery. Answering reporters' query about the pandemics impacts on Vietnams agenda on the negotiations on the East Sea issues, PM Phuc affirmed that peace, security and stability in the region and the East Sea in particular are the common interest and aspiration of the community, especially the ASEAN. The summit has reaffirmed the ASEANs determination to build the East Sea into a sea of cooperation, development, security and safety, he stressed. As COVID-19 has disrupted discussions on the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) between the ASEAN and China, he said, adding that Vietnam and the ASEAN are working with parties concerned to exercise self-restraint, prevent actions that could complicate the situation at sea, comply with international law, build an East Sea of peace, friendship, cooperation, maritime and aviation freedom, seriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and accelerate talks on an effective and efficient COC in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Black Southern Baptists urge removal of names of slaveholders from seminary Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Prominent black Southern Baptist pastor Dwight McKissic and others are calling for the removal of the names of former slaveholders from buildings at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Just registered with me, that the college at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky, Dr Al Mohler, President, is named after a slave master, and a man whod spoken with great disregard for people of African dissent. Integrity demands that SBTS change the name, McKissic, who leads Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, wrote in a tweet on Juneteeth when many people generally celebrate the anniversary of the day the last group of slaves in the United States were told of their freedom on June 19, 1865. McKissics initial call to rename Boyce College, the private college located at SBTS, comes amid a general cry from activists across the country for the removal of statues of slaveholders from public spaces as well as their names from buildings. Boyce College, according to the schools website, derives its name from James P. Boyce, founder and first president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is remembered as a Southern Baptist statesman, who sought to innovate the world of theological education by making it more convictional, rigorous, and accessible. In the Report on Slavery and Racism in the History of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, it was noted that the seminarys founding faculty Boyce, John A. Broadus, Basil Manly Jr., and William Williams all owned slaves. Together, they owned more than 50 persons and invested capital in slaves who could earn for their owners an annual cash return. The seminarys early faculty and trustees also defended the righteousness of slaveholding. Current SBTS President Albert Mohler previously noted in June 2015 that he had no intention to remove the names of any of the founders from the schools buildings. I intend to keep those names on our buildings and to stand without apology with the founders and their affirmation of Baptist orthodoxy. But those names on our buildings and college and professorial chairs and endowed scholarships do not represent unmixed pride. They also represent the burden of history and the urgency of repentance. We the living cannot repent on behalf of those who are dead, but we can repent for the legacy that we would otherwise perpetuate and extend by silence, Mohler said. McKissics Juneteenth call on Twitter quickly drew the attention of scholar James White, director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, in Phoenix, Arizona, who has been branded by some critics as racist. Dwight, a quick question: Is the college named Boyce because of his theological work, or his stance on slavery? Oh, and, since he died in 1888, isn't he a perfect saint today? Did he not possess the imputed righteousness of Christ? White asked. It doesnt matter. You cant with a clear conscience endorse, honor & celebrate, one with such callous disregard for the second commandment, of which Boyce was a passionate violator/defender. You cant separate his theology from his practicology. Creation is regurtating racism, McKissic shot back. White insisted that Boyce was honored for his contribution to the seminary and theology and not for slavery. You cannot compartmentalize between his theology & lifestyle. His lifestyle represented his theology related to anthropology. I leave judgement on his eternal destiny to God. Its not within my power to pronounce perfection on him. The slaves wouldnt have labeled him perfect, McKissic argued. Noah Wright, a former Boyce student, said he and others had previously started a petition to change the name of the college but they were denied. We started a petition to change the name after a brave Baptist History professor (whos no longer there) showed us some of Boyces letters where he described himself as ultra-pro slavery. We were denied, Wright wrote. Celucien Joseph, English professor at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida, noted: Not only the College, Southern Seminary's library is also named after James Boyce. It's called James P. Boyce Centennial Library. Also, some of the Halls at the Seminary are named after some of the most racists and segregationists in the SBC. In a blog post on Saturday, Joseph highlighted several reasons why be believes the names of the SBTS founders should be removed from the institutions buildings. The most pressing, he said, relates to the message the seminary is sending to its increasingly diverse community. The most pressing cause I am requesting the removal of the names of the four founders from Southern seminarys halls, library, undergraduate college, chapel, and elsewhere on campus is that they do not belong to todays multiethnic, multiracial, and multicultural Southern Baptist Convention and SBTS, Joseph wrote. The names of these four gentlemen bring too much pain and suffering to African Americans, Black Christians, SBTS Black seminarians and alumni, and the numerous African American and ethnic churches affiliated with the SBC. Also, their names on the Seminarys halls, library, chapel, and undergraduate college remind us of the long-held tradition of suppressing the freedoms and rights of Blacks and people of color in this country and in the Convention, concurrently. To continue to honor these figures at Southern Seminary and the SBC is to express racial insensibility and to undermine the dignity and humanity of Blacks and African American people, and people of color. On April 14, 1876, Frederick Douglass arrived at the unveiling ceremony for the Emancipation Memorial, the statue now under attack by some protesters in Washington's Lincoln Park. A crowd of 25,000, many of them African American, had gathered to hear Douglass speak on the 11th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination. By all accounts, Douglass, the great orator and abolitionist, was not pleased with the monument, which depicted Lincoln holding a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation while towering over a kneeling black man who had broken his chains. Douglass, who commanded audiences across the world with his dignified poise and intellect, extended polite platitudes in the speech about the beauty of the monument, which had been designed and sculpted by Thomas Ball and had been financed mostly by donations from formerly enslaved people. Then Douglass, a tall man with a nearly white crown of hair, launched into a 32-minute rapid-fire discourse on the conflicted legacy of Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, as the country moved into the third year of the Civil War. Lincoln's proclamation had declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." As great as the proclamation was, Douglass explained, Lincoln had issued the document of freedom reluctantly. Lincoln's motivation was to save the union. According to the Library of Congress, in response to a challenge in the New York Tribune by the journalist Horace Greeley that he take a clear stance on abolition, Lincoln had provided a response stating, "If I could save the union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that." In his speech at the 1876 statue unveiling, Douglass exposed Lincoln's legacy. "Truth compels me to admit, even here in the presence of the monument we have erected to his memory," Douglass said, "Abraham Lincoln was not, in the fullest sense of the word, either our man or our model. In his interests, in his associations, in his habits of thought, and in his prejudices, he was a white man." Douglass, who had met Lincoln on several occasions at the White House, said that Lincoln was not a president for black people and that Lincoln's motivation above all was to save the union, even if it meant keeping black people in bondage. "He was preeminently the white man's president, entirely devoted to the welfare of white men," Douglass said, according to the speech stored at the Library of Congress. "He was ready and willing at any time during the first years of his administration to deny, postpone, and sacrifice the rights of humanity in the colored people to promote the welfare of the white people of this country." More than 144 years later, the controversy surrounding Lincoln's legacy and the "Emancipation Monument" has erupted again. This week, protesters demanded the removal of the monument, which is also called the Freedmen's Monument. Police built barriers around the monument to protect it after some protesters threatened to tear it down. On Thursday, D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the city should debate the removal of the statue, and "not have a mob decide they want to pull it down." Historians say the threats offer an opportunity to explain Lincoln's complicated legacy to general audiences that know only the simplistic view of Lincoln as the president who freed the slaves. C.R. Gibbs, a historian and author of "Black, Copper & Bright: The District of Columbia's Black Civil War Regiment," explained that the kneeling slave depicted in the Emancipation Monument was most likely inspired by an old abolitionist image used to fight for freedom for enslaved black people. "It was probable that the white sculptor was influenced by the poster with the words, 'Am I Not a Man and Brother' over a kneeling slave," Gibbs said. At the time of the monument's commissioning, Harriet Hosmer, who was considered one of the first female professional sculptors, designed an alternative sculpture that would have depicted several figures, including a black Union soldier. "Some scholars and historians believe that would have been too revolutionary," Gibbs said, "and perhaps too expensive. But it was an opportunity missed." Douglass used his speech at the unveiling, Gibbs said, "to clean up and clarify exactly what Lincoln's contributions were with respect to black people." "For black people, Lincoln was neither our man nor our model," Gibbs said, echoing Douglass. In his speech, Gibbs said, Douglass told the crowd that Lincoln "was important in the struggle and we honor that. But Douglass wanted Lincoln to emerge from the myth." In August 1862, Lincoln told a group of black leaders during a visit to the White House that they were to blame for the Civil War. "He said, 'But for your presence amongst us, there would be no war.' " "Basically, he was saying, 'you all are the cause of the war,' " Gibbs said. "Lincoln had said he was not an abolitionist. When we say Lincoln freed the slaves, we leave out the agency and sacrifice of U.S. colored troops and those in the Navy who fought and died for this freedom." According to the Library of Congress, "Lincoln honored Douglass with three invitations to the White House, including an invitation to Lincoln's second inauguration. During his first visit, Douglass petitioned Lincoln to pay African American Union soldiers as much as their white counterparts. Lincoln answered that African American soldiers would get their fair wages when the time was right, which frustrated Douglass, although he came to understand Lincoln's reasoning." In the speech at the unveiling of the monument, Douglass gives the audience an idea of how complicated his relationship with Lincoln was. "The name of Abraham Lincoln was near and dear to our hearts in the darkest and most perilous hours of the republic," Douglass said. "We were no more ashamed of him when shrouded in clouds of darkness, of doubt, and defeat than when we saw him crowned with victory, honor, and glory. Our faith in him was often taxed and strained to the uttermost, but it never failed." Douglass criticized Lincoln as not moving fast enough to free thousands of enslaved black people: "When he tarried long in the mountain; when he strangely told us that we were the cause of the war; when he still more strangely told us that we were to leave the land in which we were born; when he refused to employ our arms in defense of the Union; when, after accepting our services as colored soldiers, he refused to retaliate our murder and torture as colored prisoners; when he told us he would save the Union if he could with slavery; when he revoked the Proclamation of Emancipation of General Fremont; when he refused to remove the popular commander of the Army of the Potomac, in the days of its inaction and defeat, who was more zealous in his efforts to protect slavery than to suppress rebellion; when we saw all this, and more, we were at times grieved, stunned, and greatly bewildered; but our hearts believed while they ached and bled." Douglass also said that Lincoln's slow pace was frustrating and bewildering. In short, Douglass said, Lincoln tried the patience of abolitionists who wanted a speedy end to slavery: "Despite the mist and haze that surrounded him; despite the tumult, the hurry, and confusion of the hour, we were able to take a comprehensive view of Abraham Lincoln, and to make reasonable allowance for the circumstances of his position," Douglass said. "We saw him, measured him, and estimated him; not by stray utterances to injudicious and tedious delegations, who often tried his patience; not by isolated facts torn from their connection; not by any partial and imperfect glimpses, caught at inopportune moments; but by a broad survey, in the light of the stern logic of great events, and in view of that divinity which shapes our ends, rough hew them how we will, we came to the conclusion that the hour and the man of our redemption had somehow met in the person of Abraham Lincoln." Douglass said abolitionists cared little about how Lincoln proclaimed emancipation. "It was enough for us that Abraham Lincoln was at the head of a great movement, and was in living and earnest sympathy with that movement, which, in the nature of things, must go on until slavery should be utterly and forever abolished in the United States." In the speech, Douglass concluded that despite Lincoln's failings, he should be remembered for the great accomplishment of freeing thousands of enslaved people. "Though he loved Caesar less than Rome, though the union was more to him than our freedom or our future," Douglass said, "under his wise and beneficent rule we saw ourselves gradually lifted from the depths of slavery to the heights of liberty and manhood." Then Douglass recalled the scenes of black people waiting for the emancipation to take effect. "Can any colored man, or any white man friendly to the freedom of all men, ever forget the night which followed the first day of January, 1863, when the world was to see if Abraham Lincoln would prove to be as good as his word?" Douglass asked. "I shall never forget that memorable night, when in a distant city I waited and watched at a public meeting, with three thousand others not less anxious than myself, for the word of deliverance which we have heard read today. Nor shall I ever forget the outburst of joy and thanksgiving that rent the air when the lightning brought to us the emancipation proclamation." New Delhi, June 27 : The Congress was indulging in semantics when it put out a counter to allegations of fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi having made donations to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF). On the Mehul Choksi donation, the Congress clarification was, "No amount has been received as donation from Shri Mehul Choksi personally as has been falsely alleged. Nor has any loan ever been given by RGF to him." Here the operative part is the word, "personally" used in the Congress counter. The facts are that it was not claimed that the amount or donation was given by "Shri Mehul Choksi personally". Choksi, who was running a large empire in 2013 is unlikely to make a personal donation, like other businessmen. Industrialists make donations via corporate entities whether it is companies or trusts. But after having denied that no amount was received from Choksi, in the very next sentence or minute, Congress party accepted that there indeed was a donation made by a company connected with Choksi. "The records of RGF reflect receipt of a modest donation of Rs 10 lakh from Naviraj Estates Pvt. Ltd. (in the year 2013) of which Shri Choksi was one of the Directors," the Congress clarified. The Congress clearly vindicated media reports that a Rs 10 lakh donation was made by Naviraj Estates Pvt. Ltd. of which Choksi is one of the two directors. As per records, there are only two directors in Naviraj Estates, of which Mehul Choksi is one of them. This is a private limited company with two directors. New Delhi, June 27 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday asked the Centre to support farmers and states who have suffered damage to crops due to locust attacks. "Locusts have destroyed crops in Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, UP, MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra. GOI (Government of India) must provide support to the states and farmers who have suffered this menace," Rahul tweeted. The former Congress President raised the issue when a swarms of locusts, which descended upon Gurugram on Saturday morning, entered Faridabad by afternoon and were expected to head towards Uttar Pradesh. The swarms were spotted at DLF Phase 1 and MG Road in Gurugram at 11 a.m. Dr K.L. Gurjar, Deputy Director, Directorate of Vegetation Conservation, Quarantine and Collection, told IANS that the locusts had reached Haryana for the first time on Friday night and there was an outbreak in areas around Delhi. He pointed out that the locust swarms are moving towards Palwal in Haryana and could move towards Delhi since they travel in the direction of the wind. Locust swarms could be seen in Gurugram and Rewari in Haryana. The swarms are widespread in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh at this time, while smaller swarms have reached Rohtas in Bihar and Varanasi and Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. The number of coronavirus cases in Oregon reached a new second-highest daily number Saturday with 277 cases, just one day after it was set at 250. Another death from coronavirus has been reported, as well. Multnomah County saw the highest increase of any county with 59 cases. Umatilla County had the second-highest increase with 56. Washington County had the third-highest with 44. The Oregon Health Authority reported the new cases Saturday, one case shy of the daily record, while eclipsing 8,000 total cases across the state. Officials did not list a reason for the large increase in cases for either Friday or Saturday, but cases have been increasing for a month. Public health experts have said the increase is a result of Oregons reopening, which began in most counties on May 15, and Oregonians who have not been following public health measures. The previous daily record of 278 cases was linked to a church in Union County. Gov. Kate Brown told members of the media Saturday she finds the increase alarming but noted other states have more cases. Brown did say all options are on the table, in how the state will respond to the increase in cases. I would hope to avoid a wholesale shutdown of the economy, Brown said. Thats not my preferred approach but Oregonians must take this seriously. The Oregon Health Authority also issued a correction after incorrectly reporting the death of a woman yesterday. The total number of coronavirus deaths in Oregon remains at 202. As of Saturday, officials have identified 8,094 confirmed or presumptive cases of the disease. Oregons numbers reflect a nationwide trend. The numbers of new U.S. cases have set records for each of the past three days -- surpassing the previous high set in April. According to The New York Times, 30 states are seeing upward trends in new cases. On Friday, the Oregon Health Authority said residents should prepare to see exponential growth in coronavirus infections in the next three weeks with roughly 900 to 5,000 new daily infections possible under moderate to pessimistic models. The latest reported death was an 84-year-old man in Multnomah County who died Monday. The Oregon Health Authority reported he had underlying medical conditions. Where the numbers grew: New cases announced Saturday were from the following counties: Benton (2), Clackamas (16), Columbia (1), Coos (1), Crook (1), Deschutes (3), Jefferson (3), Josephine (2), Lake (1), Lane (14), Lincoln (2), Linn (4), Malheur (12), Marion (32), Morrow (5), Multnomah (59), Polk (2), Umatilla (56), Union (11), Wasco (2), Washington (44), and Yamhill (4). Umatilla County set a new record with 56 new infections. The previous record was 53 new cases announced Friday. The Oregon Health Authority has yet to answer a request for information about the increase in Umatilla County. Washington County set a new record with 44 new infections. The previous record was 39 cases, announced Friday. Death toll: The 202 people whove died were from 16 counties -- 69 people from Multnomah, 41 from Marion, 24 from Clackamas, 20 from Washington, 12 from Polk, nine from Linn, eight from Yamhill, five from Benton, four from Umatilla, three from Lane, two from Lincoln, and one each from Josephine, Malheur, Morrow, Union and Wasco. Their ages ranged from 36 to 100. Among them, 114 men and 88 women have died. All but six had underlying medical conditions. The breakdown of deaths by age: ages 30-39 (1), ages 40-49 (3), ages 50-59 (9), ages 60-69 (40), ages 70-79 (55), ages 80-plus (95). How the disease is spreading: Part of the problem is that contact tracers have been unable to identify the sources of an unsettling percentage of new cases: one-third statewide. In the Portland metro area, they havent pinpointed the sources of 34% of cases in Washington County, 42% in Clackamas County and 45% in Multnomah County, according to the latest data available from June 15-21. Public health officials have set a goal of keeping those figures below 30%, which they say is necessary to keep the diseases spread under control. Officials say other than the significant proportion of unknown sources, they know the disease is spreading through outbreaks at food processing plants, group living situations such as nursing homes and prisons, and during social gatherings when friends and family get too close, dont wear masks or meet up indoors. County case totals: Multnomah County surpassed 2,000 infections. Two counties -- Marion and Washington -- have more than 1,000 known coronavirus cases each. Another 10 counties -- Clackamas, Deschutes, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Polk, Umatilla, Union and Yamhill -- have reported at least 100 coronavirus cases. Gilliam and Wheeler havent identified any. Heres the overall count -- confirmed and presumptive cases -- by county: Baker (1), Benton (82), Clackamas (681), Clatsop (48), Columbia (28), Coos (40), Crook (10), Curry (7), Deschutes (162), Douglas (38), Grant (1), Harney (1), Hood River, (88), Jackson (97), Jefferson (94), Josephine (30), Klamath (111), Lake (13), Lane (136), Lincoln (307), Linn (140), Malheur (85), Marion (1,432), Morrow (53), Multnomah (2,087), Polk (136), Sherman (1), Tillamook (7), Umatilla (419), Union (320), Wallowa (8), Wasco (60), Washington (1,258) and Yamhill (113). Oregons Latino population has been disproportionately hit hard by the coronavirus. Though Latinos make up 13% of the states population, they represent about 35% of all positive cases. Testing: The number of tests conducted wasnt immediately available Saturday. Public health officials have said, however, that the disease is spreading more. The higher numbers arent just because of increased testing. Recoveries: At least 2,649 COVID-19 patients have recovered from the illness, according to the latest numbers, published Friday. Nationwide: More than 2.5 million people have been diagnosed with the disease, and 127,000 are known to have died. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter This article has been updated with comments from Gov. Kate Brown. Aimee Green, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and Hillary Borrud of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report. -- K. Rambo krambo@oregonian.com @k_rambo_ Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Hyderabad, June 27 : Prominent cleric Moulana Mohammed Naseeruddin, who was jailed but later acquitted in the killing of former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya, passed away here on Saturday, following brief illness. The leader of Tehreek-e-Wahdat-e-Islami breathed his last at his residence in Saidabad. He was 75. Police tightened the security in the area as a precautionary measure for Moulana's burial scheduled later in the day at Eidgah Ujale shah. Popular among a section of the community, the cleric was known for his frank and fearless views on various issues but always remained under the scanner of law-enforcing agencies as they suspected him to be radicalizing Muslim youths. It was in April 2004 that Moulana was arrested by a team of Gujarat police in the case relating to assassination of Pandya. Naseeruddin's supporters tried to stop the Gujarat police team from whisking him away and the police officer leading the team Narendra Amin (who was later arrested in the encounter killings of Sohrabuddin and Kausar Bi) had opened fire killing Mujahid Saleem (26), son of well-known cleric Moulana Abdul Aleem Islahi. Naseeruddin had denied his involvement in the killing of Pandya, who was found murdered in his car after a morning walk in Ahmedabad on March 26, 2003. Gujarat police charged him with instigating Pandya's killers and subsequently also booked him for alleged conspiracy to avenge 2002 Gujarat riots. Naseeruddin spent six years in Gujarat jails before he was acquitted by a POTA court in 2010. After his return to the city, he merged his organisation Tehreek-e-Tahffuz-e-Sha'air-e-Islam or the movement for protection of Islamic signs with Wahtdat-e-Islami. Naseeruddin had shot to prominence in 1992 when he led prayers on a road at Abids in the heart of the city following demolition of Babri Masjid. He and some others were booked under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (prevention) Act (TADA). He remained under the surveillance of intelligence agencies after his release from Gujarat prison. He had led funeral prayers in absentia for Osama Bin Laden after he was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011 and also for Afzal Guru, a convict of attack on Indian Parliament who was hanged in 2013. Naseeruddin's three out of his four sons were also arrested and jailed for involvement in various terror incidents and conspiracy cases in states like Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. However, all were acquitted. He had stated on many occasions that he and his family were implicated in false cases and a lot of injustice was done to them as each one spent several years in jail. Denying involvement in terrorism or violent activities, Naseeruddin had stated that their only crime was to raise their voice against injustices. Mr Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says many Nigerian looters are hiding in neighbouring Ghana. Speaking in Abuja on Friday, Magu said the commission was putting resources together to go after them and recover the countrys wealth stashed in that country. The EFCC boss spoke when a delegation of the Chartered Institute of Public Resources Management and Politics (CIPRMP) visited the commissions headquarters. According to him, the EFCC is partnering with its counterpart in Ghana on the impending asset recovery operation. Corruption is a borderless crime. We are putting our resources together to allow us go to Ghana without restrictions and recovery our stolen property back home. I am appealing to Nigerians to trust the Commission with relevant information about corrupt practices in the country. There are a lot of looters hiding in Ghana. We are already talking, we will bring them back. We will go bring the assets back to the country, he said. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Kerala has started tracing contacts of people from the state who have tested positive in neighbouring states even as it recorded 195 Covid-19 cases on Saturday, the highest since the outbreak began in January. At least 110 people who returned from Kerala-- 98 in Tamil Nadu and 12 in Karnataka-- tested positive in neighbouring states in the last two weeks and initially the state government dismissed them. But later it said it had started tracing their contacts. Though the state boasts of many records like low mortality and the highest recovery rate in the country, its testing rate is still poor. As on Saturday 2,11,211 people were tested-- they include sentinel, rapid body, TrueNat, augmented and RT-PCR tests. There is criticism that the state is keeping its tests abysmally low to keep its records but the government has denied it. The government has also decided to lift the lockdown on Sunday till further orders. But the night curfew (9 pm to 5 am) will continue, said a statement from the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. For the last two months, the state has been observing complete lockdown on Sundays. With 195 new cases, the total number of Covid-19 cases has risen to 4,071. Out of this, 2,108 people have recovered and active cases now stand at 1,939. At least 1,67, 978 people are under observation. The state has reported 23 deaths so far. Keralas tally is likely to go up as more than 50 flights are expected daily, all from the Middle-East in the next one week. The state and the Centre had crossed swords after the former insisted on Covid-19-free certificates for returning expatriates. Later, it was forced to tone down the demand after the Centre made it clear that it will affect evacuation. At least three lakh more people are expected to return from the Gulf countries. Over one lakh people have returned since special flights began on May 8. Kingman, Ariz., in Mohave County, where 73% of the vote went to President Trump in the 2016 election. (Bob Carey / Los Angeles Times) In this dry stretch of northwestern Arizona, Trump campaign signs dot the desert landscape, and Trump flags fly from the backs of dusty pickup trucks. Last fall, an event called Trumpstock outside the town of Kingman featured a President Trump impersonator, a pro-Trump rapper and a menu of MAGA Subs." Last month, thousands of people blasted classic rock and circled Lake Havasu in a Trump-themed boat parade. "This whole area is based around people who have the same thing in common," said Alan Morris, a 36-year-old who participated in the parade. "God, guns and Trump." Yet now, as the nation confronts the COVID-19 pandemic, an economic recession and mass protests against police brutality and racism, some voters in the longtime Republican stronghold of Mohave County have begun to have second thoughts about the president. Hes an embarrassment," said Ron Kennedy, 72. "And I voted for him." A veteran of the Air Force, Kennedy said he had grown wary of the president's blunt style over the last few years. But the turning point for him came this month when protesters outside the White House were pushed back by authorities so Trump could walk to St. John's Episcopal Church to be photographed by news crews. It turned me off," Kennedy said. "Breaking up a peaceful protest just for a photo op. Recent polls show Trump now trails presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the presidential race a reversal driven in part by the erosion of his once-commanding lead among white voters in battleground states such as Arizona. To try to shore up support, Trump has visited the state three times in the last five months, including last week for an appearance at a Phoenix megachurch. In Mohave County, a vast expanse of desert where 90% of the 212,000 residents are white and 73% of the vote went for Trump in 2016, there is still deep support for the president. But he is facing new challenges here, such as assuaging concerns that he and the federal government have mishandled the coronavirus. The U.S. death toll of more than 127,000 is the highest in the world. Story continues Four years ago, 57-year-old Keith Eaton viewed Trump as a refreshing change an outsider who didn't speak like a politician and appeared to act based on his gut. I just wanted to see what would happen," said Eaton, who told himself: At the very least its gonna be a circus we can watch. But Trump's novelty has worn off, he said. "The lack of leadership with this whole COVID thing, the lack of respect for the professionals that do this stuff the last four months have turned me way, way more against him," said Eaton, a firefighter. "Theres no way I would vote for him at this point. And a lot of guys I know feel the same." Eaton still expects Trump to win Mohave County, though by a lesser margin than he did four years ago. Sam Scarmardo, head of the Mohave County GOP, at his gun store in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. (Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times) Sam Scarmardo, head of the Mohave County Republican Party, said that if people have been changing their minds on Trump, it's only because of "the left-wingers who are doing everything they can to destroy him and bring the country to its knees." A lot of people think coronavirus was blown out of proportion to damage Trump," he said. Scarmardo said voters in Mohave County have a Wild West mind-set and are naturally drawn to Trump's defense of gun rights, his disdain for government regulation and his vow to stop unauthorized immigration from the Mexican border, which lies 150 miles to the south. In an interview in the back room of his Lake Havasu City gun store, where his four rescue dogs circled underfoot, he ticked off what he sees as Trump's accomplishments: the rollback of Obama-era clean energy rules, the movement of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and new policies that make it harder for migrants to seek asylum in the United States. "Hes gotten more done than the last 20 presidents," Scarmardo said. His shop, Sam's Shooters Emporium, features a life-size cardboard cutout of the president by the front door and a bulletin board that looks like Trump's Twitter feed come to life. One poster questions the legitimacy of President Obama's birth certificate; another compares the hijab worn by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar to a diaper. In the bathroom are copies of former First Lady Michelle Obama's autobiography whose pages are used as toilet paper. Such unapologetic displays of the kind of bigoted and divisive views embraced by Trump have never been a problem here, Scarmardo said. "We don't get much argument," he said. And yet, a few weeks ago, a surprising thing happened down the street from the gun store. A couple dozen people gathered for a Black Lives Matter protest. More protests were held in Kingman, about 60 miles away. At each event, participants were outnumbered by counterprotesters, some of whom were armed with rifles. Government officials who monitored the event said they were less afraid of looting than of the protesters getting shot. The demonstrations ended peacefully and even sparked new kinds of soul-searching. Retired police officer Jeff Page, 57, said the protests made him question whether racial bias had ever played a role in his own policing. He concluded that it hadn't. I did 28 years in law enforcement in Idaho, and I can tell you that theres not one person that I ever worked with who wanted to go out and find somebody to kill or beat up," he said on a recent afternoon at No Name Public House, a saloon in Lave Havasu City where he, his wife and some friends had gathered for beers. Its been very painful, Page said of the recent protests. "It's been horrible," agreed his wife, Victoria. He plans to vote again for Trump in 2020, but he said that his daughter, who voted for Trump four years ago, is undecided. She works for the local school district and is repelled by the president's immigration policies that make life harder for Latino students and their families. They have had conversations as a family about the topic, with Jeff arguing that illegal immigration is a law-and-order issue. But those talks don't typically end well. So the family came up with a solution, said Victoria: "We just don't talk politics." With Indias Missile Man and former president late APJ Abdul Kalam as his role model, this years UP Board intermediate exam second rank-holder Pranjal Singhs dream is to become an IAS officer and serve the country. Sixteen-year-old Pranjal hails from the rural area of Koraon located in trans-Yamuna region of Prayagraj district. Pranjal had bagged the fifth position in the state in UP Board high school exam with 93.83% in 2018. A student of Sardar Patel Intermediate College in village Sikaro, Koraon town area, Pranjal says he devoted an average of six hours daily to his studies besides his school hours while preparing for class 12th board exams. Also Watch | UP Board results out: Ria Jain tops class 10th, Anurag Malik ranks 1st in 12th He says his father, Awadhesh Kumar Singh, principal of the same college, was a great inspiration and motivator who always encouraged him to excel in his studies. Pranjals next goal is to enrol and complete his BA while preparing for his ultimate dream of becoming a civil servant. I believe I can serve my country the best and also help in the development of rural areas as an IAS officer. It is for this reason that I wished to clear the UPSC Civil Services examination and extend my contribution to the progress of my motherland just like my ideal APJ Abdul Kalam, he shared while accepting wishes from his family and friends on his achievement. He said that students must always undertake systematic preparation for any exam and devote equal time to all subjects instead of being overconfident and neglecting subjects which one believes he/she is good at. Pranjal said his favourite subjects include English which still requires constant hard work for him to excel in the discipline. I did attend tuition for PCM subjects before the exam to give an edge to my preparations, he shared. Pranjals mother Geeta Singh is an assistant teacher at a Junior High School in Sikaro while his elder sister Sneha Singh is preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Under Graduate (NEET). June 26, 2020 News By David Vergun , DOD News Defense.gov AI Gleaned Information About Emerging Threats, Future Plots From bin Laden Raid On May 2, 2011, U.S. Navy special operators carried out a Central Intelligence Agency-led operation to kill or capture Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaida, the group responsible for many terrorist activities, including the 9/11 attacks. The raid on the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, owned by OBL, as he was called, was launched from Afghanistan. Here's the rest of the story: The operators that entered the compound gathered a treasure trove of documents explained Brian Drake, Defense Intelligence Agency's Science and Technology director of artificial intelligence, as he spoke via a webcast discussion yesterday. The webcast, titled "Human Machine Team: The Intersection of Diverse Skill Sets" was sponsored by Defense One. DIA's National Media Exploitation Center, working with the CIA, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and others, collaborated on this, Drake said. The media that was captured was flown to NMEC, where rudimentary artificial intelligence was able to exploit the data to discover future al-Qaida plans. NMEC invested early in AI capabilities across the board, he said, in things like text recognition, object detection, machine translation and audio and image categorization that allowed them to go through petabytes of data that they get from document exploitation. The result was tens of billions of pieces of relevant data that allowed analysts to quickly delve into the terrorist organization. The data alerted them to future plots, emerging threats and a greater understanding of mysteries they didn't understand before, he said. "Their installation of AI was the most impressive in government I've seen," he added. Had AI not been used in that instance, it would have taken the entire federal workforce to piece the puzzle together and it still probably wouldn't have succeeded, he noted. AI can enable analysts not only to discover what they're looking for, but also enable them to gain insights from things they don't know they're looking for but are relevant and important, he added. The speed of AI analyzing the media after the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was approximately a couple of hours. Today, AI can deliver the same information analysts need in mere milliseconds, he said. Jane Pinells, the chief of test/evaluation of AI for the Defense Department's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, who also spoke, said that AI will soon deliver an even greater competitive advantage to warfighters. Part of that effort, she said, will be done with interdisciplinary teams from such fields as neuroscience, education and experimental psychology, who can understand how the human-machine teaming with AI can be best integrated with the warfighters. Communications will be especially key, she added. "Operators need to understand how the technology works, and what the limitations and risks with AI systems are." Another important piece of AI is ethics in using these systems. If AI cannot be employed in a responsible way on the battlefield "then we will not use AI for that mission," she said. Everyone at the JAIC is responsible for ensuring this. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prescription medicine use has only intensified during the coronavirus crisis: Express Scripts, a prescription benefit manager with over 100 million customers, saw spikes in March for three-month refills and new prescriptions for conditions associated with higher coronavirus risk. The problem has expanded, said Representative Kim Schrier, Democrat of Washington and a pediatrician. Because of border restrictions amid the pandemic, Ms. Schrier said, some in her state can no longer drive to Canada to purchase insulin at a fraction of what it costs in the United States. Theres this fear that were going to run out of medications, so people are trying to get more in hand, she said. Mr. Mitchell said that his group had observed significant price increases on drugs needed for coronavirus patients, including anticoagulants for blood clots. Theres more of a sense of urgency, said Representative Frank Pallone Jr., Democrat of New Jersey and the main sponsor of the House bill, called H.R. 3, which was given a low number to reflect its top ranking among Democratic priorities. So many people have lost their jobs. So many people have lost income. Theyre more conscious than ever of the price of health care. Mr. Grassleys bill would cap the growth of drug prices in Medicare at inflation level, and impose a $3,100 limit on out-of-pocket costs for tens of millions of seniors and Americans with disabilities enrolled in its drug coverage program. The plan would provide nearly $100 billion in savings, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The House bill goes further in seeking to control the growth of drug costs, calling for the secretary of health and human services to negotiate prices with manufacturers, a provision that is projected to save more than $500 billion over a decade, according to the C.B.O. The House will vote on that provision again as part of a bill it plans to bring to the floor next week to bolster the Affordable Care Act. Despite record oil exports in April as Saudi Arabia flooded the market with excess oil, the value of the Kingdoms crude exports plunged by US$12 billion from April 2019 levels as the lowest oil prices in years hit revenues. In April, the value of Saudi Arabias oil exports plummeted by 65.4 percent, or by US$12 billion (45.3 billion Saudi riyals), dragging down the value of the total merchandise exports of the worlds top oil exporter, data from Saudi Arabias General Authority of Statistics showed on Thursday. The value of Saudi oil exports plunged by 23.5 percent compared to March, the statistics office said. The share of oil exports in total exports fell from 77.4 percent in April 2019 to 64.7 percent in April 2020. China was Saudi Arabias main trading partner for merchandise trade in April 2020, with Saudi exports to China valued at US$1.9 billion (7.16 billion riyals). Saudi Arabia made good on its promise to flood the market with oil after the collapse of the previous OPEC+ deal in early March, exporting a record 10.237 million barrels per day (bpd) in April 2020, up from 7.391 million bpd in March, data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) showed last week. OPECs largest producer also saw oil export revenues fall in Q1 2020, by 21.9 percent to US$40 billion, when Brent Crude prices fell by as much as 60 percent. Under the OPEC+ deal sealed in April, Saudi Arabia is reducing its oil production to 8.5 million bpd in May, June, and July, restricting exports to some customers in Asia, and significantly cutting shipments to the United States. Even though oil prices are now higher than they were in April, reduced oil shipments are set to continue impacting Saudi oil revenues, a main source of income for the Kingdoms budget. Saudi Arabias economy is set to shrink much more this year than initially expected, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said earlier this week in an update of its projections from April. According to the IMF, the Saudi economy will crash by 6.8 percent this year, compared to an initial estimate of a 2.3-percent decline, as disruptions due to the pandemic, as well as significantly lower disposable income for oil exporters after the dramatic fuel price decline, imply sharp recessions in Saudi Arabia as well as in its key partner in the OPEC+ deal, Russia. Story continues By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Read this article on OilPrice.com Wirecard AG (OTCMKTS: WRCDF) is under investigation by the European Union after the company said it could not account for $2.1 billion in cash that was listed on its balance sheet. The European Commission has launched an independent analysis to determine the "adequacy" of Germany's financial regulator, the BaFin, DW reported Friday. What Happened: Wirecard announced that $2.1 billion in cash had gone missing and admitted that loans in the billions could be terminated based on additional delays in publishing its financial results, which had already been delayed four times. The missing amount of money accounts for about 25% of the company's balance sheet. The auditing company Ernst & Young could not confirm the location of the missing cash. The company has filed for insolvency. What's Next: The investigation is focused on whether Wirecard issued false or misleading statements or failed to disclose correct information to investors. Shares of Wirecard have traded down by 74% since the scandal broke. Why Its Important: The case has shocked many investors around the world. The scandal is especially worrying because it occurred within a country, Germany, that is renowned for its strong institutions, says Professor Kenneth Amaeshi, chair in business and sustainable development at the University of Edinburgh Business School. Corporate scandals on the scale of Wirecard are usually the product of weak institutional contexts. Strikingly, Germany has a reputation for possessing one of the strongest sets of safeguards against corporate malpractice in the world, along with Japan, says Amaeshi. The professor says that Wirecards demise, when coupled with similar scandals in Japan in the last decade, suggests a worrying pattern: we may have to rethink our sense of the best methods of ensuring good corporate governance. Both Germany and Japan practice a form of capitalism often referred to as stakeholder capitalism, a system where companies are orientated to serve the interests of all their stakeholders rather than just their shareholders (unlike, for example, the US). Story continues He highlights an accounting scandal similar to the one now engulfing Wirecard that occurred in 2011 when the Japanese manufacturer of optical equipment Olympus fired its chief executive for whistleblowing. As with Wirecard today, the scale of the corporate corruption exposed at Olympus suggested widespread failings in the Japanese system of corporate governance. Together the two scandals suggest stakeholder capitalism may not be so effective at preventing corporate malpractice as often believed. Related Link: Wirecard Short Sellers Bank .2B In Profits Off Accounting Scandal Photo by Leo Molatore via Wikimedia. See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. When it comes to staffing, the Biden campaign is working with a group called Inclusv, which seeks to ensure that employees of color can be found at all levels of politics. Alida Garcia, the founder of Inclusv, said it plans to promote job opportunities to its members. The figures released Saturday amounted to a great first step, she said, but they indicate there is a lot of room for growth. Princeton to Drop Woodrow Wilsons Name From Public Policy School Princeton University is dropping the name of former President Woodrow Wilson from its public policy school and one of its residential colleges, citing his racist views and policies. Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber made the announcement on June 27. Wilsons racism was significant and consequential even by the standards of his own time. He segregated the federal civil service after it had been racially integrated for decades, thereby taking America backward in its pursuit of justice. He not only acquiesced in but added to the persistent practice of racism in this country, a practice that continues to do harm today, he said in a message to the New Jersey universitys community. Wilsons segregationist policies make him an especially inappropriate namesake for a public policy school. When a university names a school of public policy for a political leader, it inevitably suggests that the honoree is a model for students who study at the school. This searing moment in American history has made clear that Wilsons racism disqualifies him from that role. Wilson, a Democrat, was Americas 28th president, serving from 1913 to 1921. Wilson introduced segregation into federal government agencies, separating black employees from other workers in offices, restrooms, and cafeterias, according to the Library of Congress. Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber speaks in Princeton, N.J., in a file photograph. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Wilson, an 1879 graduate of the university, served as its president from 1902 to 1910; he was New Jerseys governor from 1911 to 1913; as U.S. president, he asked Congress to declare war on Germany, leading to Americas entry into World War I. He also was the founding father of the League of Nations, the forerunner of the United Nations. Princetons Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs will now be known as The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, while Wilson College is to be known as First College. Eisgruber recommended to the Princeton University Board of Trustees a change to the names of the schools. The board voted on June 26 to remove Wilsons name. We have taken this extraordinary step because we believe that Wilsons racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school whose scholars, students, and alumni must be firmly committed to combatting the scourge of racism in all its forms, the board said in a statement. The issue became more urgent with the recent killings of black people by police officers, the board said, naming George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis in May, as well as Rayshard Brooks, a black man who was shot after resisting arrest and shooting at officers with a Taser he stole from one of them. Eisgruber acknowledged that Wilson had a dramatic impact on the school, converting it from what he called a sleepy college into a great research university. Princeton Universitys Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in a file photograph. (Google Maps) Many of the virtues that distinguish Princeton todayincluding its research excellence and its preceptorial systemwere in significant part the result of Wilsons leadership. He went on to the American presidency and received a Nobel Prize. People will differ about how to weigh Wilsons achievements, he said. Princeton, he said, is part of an America that has too often disregarded, ignored, or excused racism, allowing the persistence of systems that discriminate against Black people, recounting how Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was later fired and faces murder charges, knelt on Floyds neck, leading to the mans death. Monmouth University, also in New Jersey, made a similar move earlier in June. The college renamed its Woodrow Wilson Hall as the Great Hall at Shadow Lawn. Monmouth President Patrick Leahy in a podcast mentioned the death of Floyd. The renaming came as part of efforts to more fully live up to our commitments to becoming a truly diverse and genuinely inclusive community, he said. New Delhi, June 27 : Amid threats from China at the borders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought realistic ideas from his Council of Ministers to transform the country into a global manufacturing hub. The Prime Minister has asked Ministers to come up with original and realistic ideas that can be transformed into a policy to promote industrial growth and create jobs. At the 165-minute virtual interaction that started at 5 p.m. on June 20, the Prime Minister asked the Ministers to put the economy on a growth trajectory. The interaction was about China and manufacturing challenges before India. The virtual platform was set up by the National Informatics Centre. A few Ministers, including the Defence Minister and the External Affairs Minister, were not present at the interaction. On June 19, the Ministers were informed about the agenda of the interaction. When the Prime Minister asked them to make their presentations of implementable suggestions, except one, all were "caught unprepared". The Prime Minister "pulled up" a few Ministers for not doing much, sources said. He said Ministers were not kings and queens or belonged to royalties. He said all (the Ministers) had "struggled from the ground" over years to reach this position and yet no innovative ideas were coming out, said several sources who confirmed about the meeting to IANS. A furious Prime Minister said he didn't want ideas from the departments, the ministries or the bureaucrats and asked Ministers to come up with their "own original and realistic ideas that can be implemented". He also said how the bureaucrats were reluctant to new thoughts or ideas of governance during his first tenure and asked the Ministers not to take bureaucrats' words as final. Pointing out that the key driver of India's current economic growth is the services sector, the Prime Minister asked them to concentrate on how to make the country a global manufacturing hub. Later on June 25, a few Ministers went to the Prime Minister's residence and presented between 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. their suggestions and thoughts how India could become a manufacturing hub. There is a growing distrust against China and the government is looking to reduce the trade dependence. The Prime Minister has decided to make India self-dependent and push to make the country a manufacturing hub. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Dublin City Council has received a number of requests for extra outdoor seating from businesses. Phase 3 of the coronavirus restrictions being eased begins on Monday, with 8 in 10 Dublin businesses expected to be open. The council is also appealing to the public to leave space on public transport for essential workers. Lord Mayor Tom Brabazon says they are working out how to provide businesses like restaurants, with extra space. Mr Brabazon says: "There is also work done to try and facilitate businesses to open out into the public domain. "There has been a good number of applications received by the city council and they are all being processed and you will see some of them being rolled out from Monday." Transport authorities however were keen to underline the new Covid-19 travel regulations in place as the city opens up further. National Transport Authority CEO Anne Graham said: "From next week, capacity on buses, trains and trams will increase from 20% to about 50%. "In conjunction with this move, face coverings will be compulsory on all public transport services. "Wearing a face covering in crowded situations such as public transport is already strongly recommended. "Now it is to become mandatory." Ms Graham said compliance will be important for sustaining public trust as many workers return to using public transport over the coming weeks. Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy thanked the public for their ongoing compliance in recent weeks but warned: "Everything hasnt returned to normal just yet, so its vital for the public to continue to take it easy and be mindful of health and safety measures required to protect all citizens." "With this in mind we would urge people to wear face masks while on public transport or in locations where appropriate social distancing cannot be achieved." . WASHINGTON There was no presidential appearance and no White House backdrop Friday when the governments coronavirus task force briefed the public for the first time since April in keeping with an administration effort to show it is paying attention to the latest spike in cases but is not on a wartime footing that should keep the country from reopening the economy. The briefing at the Department of Health and Human Services was held as the number of confirmed new coronavirus infections per day in the U.S. soared to an all-time high of 40,000 higher even than during the deadliest stretch in April and May. In light of the new surge, task force briefers chose their words carefully to update the public about COVID-19, which has become both a public health and political issue. Vice President Mike Pence had the most delicate line to walk. He acknowledged a surge in new cases across the South and West, while backing the presidents desire to get the economy up and running without mentioning that it will also help the prospects for reelection. As we see new cases rising, and were tracking them very carefully, there may be a tendency among the American people to think that we are back to the place that we were two months ago in a time of great losses and a great hardship on the American people, Pence said. But the vice president also took note of positive job numbers and added: The reality is were in a much better place. Unbound by politics, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, sounded a more cautionary tone. As you can see, we are facing a serious problem in certain areas, Fauci said. But he also was careful not to blame the recent spike on gatherings where people havent worn face masks or adhered to social distancing guidelines. Pence deftly sidestepped pointed questions about the apparent dissonance between the administrations admonitions that Americans heed the guidance of local officials and President Donald Trumps decision to hold a political rally last week in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over the objection of health officials. And during a Trump event in Arizona on Tuesday, thousands of young attendees violated Phoenixs mandate to wear face masks. Insisting that Trump was taking proper steps, Pence invoked the constitutional protection of free speech, saying, we still want to give people the freedom to participate in the political process. The White House over the last two months all but eliminated coronavirus task force briefings and sharply curtailed public appearances by its medical experts as Trump shifted his focus to getting the country moving again. The return of the briefing was a sign that the administration knows it cant ignore growing anxiety over the increased number of cases as governors in some states pause or delay reopening. But the briefings are not expected to come back with the same daily frequency. And its no coincidence, officials said, that Fridays briefing took place at HHS rather than at the White House. The president is still dead-set on cheerleading an economic resurgence even in the face of the spike in infections. Pence announced that 16 states were seeing worrisome increases up from 12 states on Wednesday. He said there still is work to do, but that it was important to reflect on how much the federal and state governments and health care workers have done to respond to the pandemic. This moment in the coronavirus pandemic is different from the grim days when New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Orleans struggled under the weight of the outbreak, he said. America has since accelerated testing to 500,000 a day, which has contributed to the increase in reported new cases, Pence said. He plans to travel next week to Texas, Arizona and Florida; the previously scheduled trips to the hot spots of COVID-19 were initially to be more political in nature, but will now include greater focus on the virus. He said Dr. Deborah Birx, the task force coordinator, will accompany him to Texas and Arizona. I just encourage every American to continue to pray, Pence said in closing. Pray for all the families that have lost loved ones. Pray for our health care workers on the front lines. And just continue to pray that, by Gods grace, every single day well each do our part to heal our land. Back at the White House, Trump held a jobs-focused event in the East Room and offered this can-do message: We have a little work to do and well get it done. Were having some very good numbers coming out in terms of the comeback, the comeback of our nation and I think its going very rapidly and its going to be very good. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Jill Colvin contributed to this report. Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland has said that while wardens will shoot foxes to protect the little tern colony in Kilcoole, this is as an absolute last resort. 'I can't stress how reluctant we are to ever kill a fox,' he said. Mr Hatch was responding to concerns raised locally regarding the management of foxes at the site, which is there for the protection of the endangered species of bird. The numbers are tiny and the bird is very much close to extinction. He said that the largest little tern colony in the country is located at Kilcoole beach. While it is managed by Birdwatch Ireland, that is under the authority of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. He said that the species is under threat from predators of all types, including human beings. 'The eggs and chicks are very highly camouflaged, they look like stones,' said Mr Hatch. The colony moves a bit each year. They are protected by a portable fence which can be rebuilt. 'Occasionally foxes do get in, or chicks wander out,' said Niall. 'That poses a risk. The National Parks and Wildlife Service mandated that there has to be fox control.' The majority of that is non-lethal, with a lights system installed to scare foxes away. Wardens also patrol the beaches and have spotlights to scare them away. 'One fox could wipe out an entire colony and make the little tern extinct,' said Niall. 'Most colonies have disappeared, so drastic measures are needed.' The little tern was once very common in Ireland but human activity has led to it reaching such small numbers. 'Having to kill a fox is not something we would derive pleasure from,' said Niall. 'It's a terrible thing to have to do, but it's the only way to save the species. We hope dearly that it would not happen, but sometimes it's a necessary conservation tool. It's also required by the NPWS.' Niall addressed a claim that someone reported Birdwatch Ireland shooting starlings some years ago. 'If someone doing that said they were from Birdwatch Ireland, then they were lying,' he said. 'We have never killed a starling and we never would. It would in fact be a criminal act.' He said that the starling is not a predator to the little tern. Hedgehogs, however, are, as they will eat the eggs. 'On one occasion a few years ago a single hedgehog nearly wiped them out.' It was early enough that the adults were able to lay more eggs. 'Hedgehogs are easy to catch, they can be picked up and relocated, so have never been harmed.' The practice of shooting foxes has been under way at the site for several decades, but has happened less frequently as Birdwatch Ireland introduce other measures to deter the predators. 'If there were no wardens and no fences there would be no terns,' said Niall. Kilcoole is the largest colony in the country, with around 120 pairs of the birds. 'It's the only substantial colony in the country,' said Niall. There is another in Louth with fluctuating numbers, sometimes several dozen, sometimes none, and occasionally up to 100. Other areas will see just a couple of pairs. Putin wants to replace G7 with P5 in order to be able to veto any decision, former Ukrainian Prime Minister and chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum Arseniy Yatsenyuk has said. "Russia's agenda is completely different from the rest of the free worlds. Putin's agenda is the restoration of the Soviet Union. Putin's plan is to seize even more European territories and to become the strongest autocratic leader on the European continent. He does not want Ukraine to succeed. That is why he will never execute the Minsk deal. He can execute it only "in the Russian translation," Yatsenyuk said during the Kyiv Security Forum online discussion on June 26. Yatsenyuk stressed that Putin's so-called article for National Interest can be described as "back to the USSR in Putin's interpretation": "Putin wants to consolidate his electorate and the Russian people with a very clear message -"look, it is the West who collaborated with the Nazis." This is what he actually wrote in the article. It is as if Stalin and Hitler did not start a war against the whole world. But it was their Molotov-Ribbentrop pact that triggered World War II. This article is a deception and the conspiracy theory that Putin is trying to spread." The most important thing in Putin's article is the idea to substitute G7 with P5. "This is his ultimate goal. As the president of Russia, he wants to block any decisions using the veto power," Yatsenyuk emphasized. "It is very important for all of us to understand - we must defend the truth, we must defend the facts. And we have to be very open and to tell our nations: we defended the world, we won the Second World War, we defeated the Nazis, it's us who suffered. And we will build our future - not with the archaic outdated Putin's approaches. But we will build our future based on the values of the free world, real facts, evidence, and truth," he said. The chairman of the KSF stressed that there are a number of voices that say that the compromise with Russia has to be found. He recalled that at one time both our American and European partners "tried to reset, reload, find a compromise": "But we all failed. Because the convictions we have are different than Russias." "From the Ukrainian standpoint, it is practically impossible to find any kind of compromise with the Russian Federation. The key precondition for even starting a dialogue is to get back Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. This is the key precondition. Look at the list of criminal charges against the Russian president and the Russian Federation. The illegal annexation of Crimea, occupation of Donetsk and Luhansk, assassination and killing of Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian military. So how can we get along with the country that invaded Ukraine?" Yatsenyuk emphasized. He stressed the importance of strong leadership of the United States and Germany and the maintaining of the unity of the European Union. "One of the most challenging issues in contemporary Ukraine is to have very strong leadership of the incumbent Ukrainian government. We must follow the same page with our Western friends. And the Ukrainian leaders have to realize that this is the historic mission of the incumbent president, of this government and all the political leadership - to save Ukraine, to restore territorial integrity, to continue the path of reform, to be successful, to fight for our independence and our freedom. Together with our American and European friends," Yatsenyuk emphasized. Donald Trump has used Twitter to call for the arrest of protesters involved in this weeks attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson from a park directly in front of the White House. He also tweeted that he had signed an executive order to protect monuments, memorials and statues. The president retweeted an FBI wanted poster showing pictures of 15 protesters who are wanted for vandalisation of federal property. He wrote, MANY people in custody, with many others being sought for Vandalization of Federal Property in Lafayette Park. 10 year prison sentences! MANY people in custody, with many others being sought for Vandalization of Federal Property in Lafayette Park. 10 year prison sentences! @FBIWFO pic.twitter.com/mrLyxbWNvq Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020 Mr Trump later on Friday announced his executive order, which he had promised earlier in the week. He described it as strong but did not immediately release the text. I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues and combatting recent Criminal Violence. Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020 He also said on Twitter that he had scrapped plans to spend the weekend at his central New Jersey home to stay in Washington to make sure LAW & ORDER is enforced. These arsonists, anarchists, looters, and agitators have been largely stopped, Trump tweeted. I am doing what is necessary to keep our communities safe and these people will be brought to Justice! Story continues I was going to go to Bedminster, New Jersey, this weekend, but wanted to stay in Washington, D.C. to make sure LAW & ORDER is enforced. The arsonists, anarchists, looters, and agitators have been largely stopped Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2020 Protesters on Monday night attempted to drag the Jackson statue down with ropes and chains. Police repelled the protesters and sealed off Lafayette Park, which had been reopened to the public for more than a week after protests against the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota. On Tuesday, police cleared out the entire area around the corner of 16th and H streets and pushed demonstrators away from the intersection, which had recently been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by the city council. Statistics released by the Metropolitan Police Department show nine people were arrested on Tuesday night and a total of 12 arrested between Monday and Wednesday. There were no protest-related arrests on Thursday, according to the MPD data. The statue of Confederate general Albert Pike lying toppled in Washington (Maya Alleruzzo/AP) Demonstrators have grown increasingly emboldened about targeting statues deemed offensive or inappropriate. Last week on June 19, or Juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery in the United States, cheering crowds pulled down a statue of former Confederate general Albert Pike. The statue stood on federal land and had withstood previous attempts by the Washington DC government to remove it. According to participants, police officers were on the scene but did not attempt to interfere. The targeting of the statues has become a rallying cry for Mr Trump and other conservatives. Immediately after the Pike statute was toppled and set ablaze, Mr Trump called the incident a disgrace to our Country! on Twitter. On Tuesday he tweeted, I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent. Canada welcomes Irans decision to finally download the data of the flight recorders of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 at Frances Civil Aviation Safety Investigation and Analysis Bureau, Global Affairs Canada has reported. We welcome todays announcement at the International Civil Aviation Organization Council meeting that Iran has finally formally committed to July 20 for the download of the data of the flight recorders of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 at Frances Civil Aviation Safety Investigation and Analysis Bureau, the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, said in a statement on June 26. He emphasized that Canada will continue to hold Iran to account and seek accountability, transparency, justice and compensation for the victims of this tragedy, including a thorough, credible and transparent investigation. On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 was shot down near Tehran by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, killing 176 people, including nine crew members (all Ukrainians) and 167 passengers (citizens of Ukraine, Iran, Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan, Germany, and the UK). ish Instead of its once haloed existence as the year of lofty goals and vision statements, it is now staring at an epitaph that may well read: The year when death ran amok and the gods went missing, notes Arundhuti Dasgupta. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Marauding locusts, earthquakes, cyclones and a killer virus that continues to wipe out thousands of people every day; the year 2020, barely a few months into its calendar, has quickly earned itself apocalyptic status. Instead of its once haloed existence as the year of lofty goals and vision statements, it is now staring at an epitaph that may well read: The year when death ran amok and the gods went missing. Nearly every event since the start of the year has marked this out as an end-of-the-world moment. Be it the manner in which the virus has tightened its grip over humankind, the bizarre turns of weather and the everyday battles against the wanton will of cruel rulers. Everywhere time seems to have wrapped itself in a strange loop, tossing the routine ordinariness of life into a chaotic snarl. Myths ascribe many reasons for extraordinary times, linking the despair and devastation (man-made and natural) to the wrath of a god and at times, a missing one. A Hittite myth talks about the anarchy that follows when one of the major gods goes missing. Telipinu is the god of agriculture and son of weather god, Teshub, who is the most powerful deity in the firmament. Slightly bratty, Telipinu is short-tempered and unpredictable. And one day (no one really knows why), he goes into hiding. The world blacks out in his absence. Nature dries up, famine wrecks kingdoms and no children are born. Finally, the mother goddess Hannahanna sends out a procession of beasts on his trail. They all come back empty-handed until a bee locates the god and stings him back into action. The pain (and ignominy) of a bee sting, however, drives the god into a rage and the world slips deeper into the abyss until Telipinu is suitably assuaged by the other gods and agrees to return home and restore normalcy. Like the bee that came to the aid of the Hittite people, termites were summoned by Brahma to awaken Vishnu, who has often had to be woken up from a slumber to fight demons or save the universe or protect the faithful. According to one such story (in the Devi Mahatmya), Vishnu dropped into a stupor after a particularly gruelling battle with a set of feisty demons. He slept with his head resting on his bow and none dared to wake him up. As the universe spun into chaos, Brahma created a hive of termites (vamris) and ordered them to gnaw through the string on which Vishnu's head rested, hoping to snap him out of his reverie. However, the termites went at it with such force that the string cut into Vishnu's neck and severed it clean. If a sleeping god spells disaster, one with a missing head is doubly catastrophic. A panicked set of gods appealed to the mother goddess who helped them find a solution, albeit with many twists and turns. Eventually, Vishnu retrieved his head and the world regained its rhythm. Similar stories about sleeping or absconding gods are found in other mythologies too, as are those about insects that come to the aid of gods and locusts that spread his curse. How does one read such myths in times like these? Mythology has often posed a problem of interpretation, as its vast web of symbols and metaphors opens up differently to different people. Some read these myths as stories that foretell doom, while others see these as narratives meant to instil deference for the divine. The true meaning of myths is never as direct, or simple. Context, culture and geography, all play a role in assigning function and purpose to mythology. But most importantly, myths about the end of the world, missing gods, flying demons and so on reveal the way early human minds handled fear and calamity. When nature turned on man, the fear and helplessness caused by such events led to its deification. When early agricultural societies struggled to protect their crop against pests, rodents and the like, they made them gods or a gods' aide (for example, a regular field pest, the rat is the vahana of Ganesa) or devised elaborate rituals around their elimination. In Albania, where fields were often ravaged by locust swarms, women would assemble with dishevelled hair, catch a few of the insects, march to the nearest river to drown the creatures and then sing dirges in their memory (J G Frazer, The Golden Bough). Sometimes fear can be beaten back by standing up to it, jointly, or drowning it in the nearest pool of water. Production: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com The Houston Chronicles tasting panel remains on hiatus until further notice, but we havent stopped swirling and sipping on our own. Here are five recommendations, sampled blindly, from a mix of eminently trustworthy individual tasters. Summer sipper 2018 Matanzas Creek Winery Sauvignon Blanc Alexander Valley Overall score: 19.2 (9.2 for quality, 10 for value) Tasters notes: Expressive citrus, peach and pineapple notes. Bright minerality, bracing acidity. Refreshing! Winemaking: The blend includes semillon (7 percent) and a touch of sauvignon musque, too, with the fruit sourced from three Alexander Valley Vineyards featuring distinctly different terroir, giving the wine a surprising complexity for the price. The vintage was almost perfect, with a long growing season and a sizable yield. Alcohol: 13.8 percent. Winemaker notes: Zesty citrus with fresh tropical fruit flavors including fresh pineapple and mango on the palate. Savory notes of wet stone and distinct minerality round out the lengthy finish. Critical acclaim: 91 points from the Wine Advocate and 90 points from Jeb Dunnuck, who praised its good acidity, terrific purity of fruit and a deliciously balanced profile that's already a joy to drink. Price: $22 at matanzascreek.com Drink pink 2019 MacRostie Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Rose Overall score: 19.3 (9.3 for quality, 10 for value) Tasters notes: Dry, fresh and fruity. Ripe cherry, peach and tangerine with dried herbs. Very drinkable. Winemaking: Most of the grapes came from MacRosties Russian River Valley Thales Estate Vineyard, a block that winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen says provides a fruit profile thats ideal for rose with its high acid and bright, aromatic red-berry flavors. Alcohol: 13.5 percent. Winemakers notes: The only perception of sweetness is from this wines alluring peach, tangerine and ripe strawberry aromas. In the glass, it has an inviting pale pink color that hints at its delicate aromas and flavors. The strawberry and peach notes are echoed on the palate, alongside hints of tangerine and watermelon, all of which are underscored by a beam of acidity that carries the wine to a long, soft finish. Price: $28 at shop.macrostiewine.com Grillin and chillin 2018 Bonterra Young Red Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value) Tasters notes: Blackberries and rose petals on the nose. Ripe cherry flavors. Plush finish. Winemaking: Using only organically grown grapes, winemaker Jeff Cichocki utilized the same ruby-hued hard press from its rose program but added some malbec to whats otherwise a Rhone blend for added character. Yes, it should be served chilled. Alcohol: 13.4 percent. Winemakers notes: Aromas of red roses, fresh fig, red berries and orange peel give way to a lively palate of raspberries, watermelon rind and pomegranate. Critical acclaim: The Tasting Panel awarded it a 91, saying, This youthful, rhubarb-hued beauty offers up a tartly sweet nose of peppered cranberry and rose petal. Spiced raspberries and fig coat a dry, lean mineral core as bright acidity and red berries lend a lovely accent similar to a cru Beaujolais. Price: $12 at Bonterra.com Splurge a little 2017 Rams Gate Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Overall score: 18.6 (9.1 for quality, 9.5 for value) Tasters notes: Deep, rich and earthy forest floor. Mushrooms. Savory, elegant. Winemaking: Director of winemaking Joe Nielsen mostly used certified sustainably farmed grapes from vineyards near Acumens Carneros estate. Alcohol: 14.4 percent. Winemakers notes: Fresh raspberry, hibiscus tea, dried cranberry and wet steel bring this cool-climate Pinot Noir to life. An alluring Asian plum sauce builds a contrast between the fresh fruit aromas, making this wine enjoyable on its own or with the company of food. Price: $48 at ramsgatewinery.com Splurge a lot 2017 Cliff Lede Dancing Heart Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District Overall score: 19.2 (9.7 for quality, 9.5 for value) Tasters notes: Rich, fruit forward, nicely structured, integrated tannins. Raspberry, blackberry, violets, pie crust, pencil shavings, smoky tobacco note, long slightly savory, spicy finish. Winemaking: Winemaker Christopher Tynan, who is from the Houston area, blends a little petit verdot (7 percent) and even less malbec (1 percent) with cabernet, then keeps the wine in elevage for 21 months in French oak (85 percent new). Alcohol: 15.2 percent. Winemakers notes: A spark of intensity in the luscious cassis and raspberry flavors are tinged with savory iron, graphite, and grilled steak juices. Bright and fleshy, the finish carries a dark mix of roasted red peppers, slate and dried fig flavors. Price: $110 at ledefamilywines.com sportywineguy@outlook.com Nawaz Sharif Lahore: Pakistan's anti-graft body has filed a corruption case against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and three others for their alleged involvement in the illegal allotment of land in Punjab province about 34 years ago. An arrest warrant has been issued against the 70-year-old three-time premier who is in London for medical treatment. Advertisement Former prime minister Nawaz SharifThe National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approached an anti-corruption court to declare Sharif a proclaimed offender since he did not respond to any of its summons. The three other accused named in the case filed by the NAB are Jang/Geo media group owner Mir Shakilur Rahman, former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director Humayun Faiz Rasool and former director (land) Mian Bashir. In 1986, when he was the Punjab chief minister, Sharif had allegedly allotted 54-'kanal' (canal) land in Lahore to Mir Shakilur Rehman in violation of rules. Advertisement Rahman, who was arrested on March 12, is on judicial remand. Nawaz SharifSharif had left for London in November after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission to go abroad for treatment. Last month, a fresh picture of ailing' Sharif having tea at a London cafe along with his family went viral on social media, sparking a debate on his health with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf members demanding his return to face corruption cases. Advertisement Sharif was given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case, in which he was serving a seven-year prison sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was also given bail in a money-laundering case to facilitate his travel abroad. Sharif was diagnosed with "complicated coronary artery/ischemic heart disease with significant disease burden". Dam Break Deepens Worries at the Three Gorges Dam; CCP Hints at Prisoner Exchange On May 1, 2020, a dam wall collapsed at the Sardoba reservoir in the region of Sirdaryo in Uzbekistan. It happened after five days of storms, and just three years after its construction had been finished under a $23 million contract with China. The case has symbolic significance in China, where its facing floods from its heaviest rainfall in over 70 years, and where a flood alert was just raised near the Three Gorges Dam. And China is hinting at a prisoner exchange with Canada, suggesting they could free two Canadians for the release of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. These stories and more in this episode of Crossroads. Crossroads is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube. Join Patreon to Support Crossroads: https://www.patreon.com/Crossroads_Joshua The COVID-19 pandemic is raging disastrously out of control in the United States. On Friday, the country recorded by far its highest-ever number of COVID-19 infections, at over 47,000. The average number of new cases daily has surged 60 percent, from its low of 21,000 in the first week of June to over 34,000 this week. The resurgence of the pandemic was the entirely foreseeable outcome of the homicidal campaign by the Trump administration, with the support of the Democrats and the media, to force workers back into factories and workplaces that have become hotbeds of the disease. For months, the entire political establishment has waged a campaign to claim that the protection of human lives must be balanced against the economy, and that the cure cant be worse than the disease. It has become clear that the outcome of this campaign will be death on a massive and unprecedented scale. Just two months ago, Trump declared that the United States would see approximately 60,000 deaths from the pandemic. But already, more than twice that number have died127,640 people, with some scientists predicting 200,000-300,000 deaths by the end of the summer, potentially eclipsing the death toll of the Second World War. The US now has one-quarter of the worlds casesand one-quarter of the worlds deathseven though it only has 4 percent of the worlds population. Across the country, more than half of all states are facing surges of the pandemic. One hundred percent of beds at Houstons Texas Medical Center are now occupied, while the entire state of Alabama is at 82 percent capacity. In the face of this disaster, the White House held its first Coronavirus Task Force briefing since April 27, when the US death toll was just 57,000. At the briefing, Vice President Mike Pence absurdly bragged about the governments response. We have made truly remarkable progress in moving our nation forward, he said. Weve all seen the encouraging news as we open up... The reality is were in a much better place. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to cripple the federal response to the disease. The White House is planning to end federal support for COVID-19 testing sites throughout the country at the end of this month. Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week that the White House told the National Institutes of Health to cut off funding for a long-standing coronavirus research project involving collaboration between US and Chinese scientists. In the six weeks since the resumption of nonessential production by the Detroit automakers, the Trump administration and major corporations have made every effort to downplay and ignore the disease as it spread through factories, food processing plants and logistics facilities. GM, Ford, Chrysler and Tesla have refused to inform workers when employees at their factories have gotten sick. And the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), despite having received thousands of complaints, has issued only one citation related to the pandemic. Despite the claims by the media and politicians that the reopening of businesses would involve stringent safety measures, the back-to-work campaign has been accompanied by the effective abandonment of broader measures to contain the disease. Workers have reported inadequate social distancing and protective equipment. Even as tens of thousands of meatpacking workers have contracted COVID-19 and hundreds have died, the Trump administration has forced meatpacking plants to remain in operation. Unlike many other developed countries, the United States has no national contact tracing program, which is vital for any successful effort to contain the pandemic. Its not going well. I have to tell you, its not going well, Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNBC Friday when asked about contact tracing in the United States. Earlier this week, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield said that only about 27,000 people are employed as contact tracers in the US, one-third the amount he estimated was necessary. Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden has warned that the US needs 10 times more contact tracers than it presently has. In the face of the resurgence of the pandemic, the political establishment has made clear that there will be no return to lockdowns. The US cant shut down the economy again, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin said earlier this month, echoing the declaration by President Donald Trump that whether its an ember or a flame were not closing our country. On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal summed up the overall attitude of the ruling class toward the pandemic, declaring, [T]he inevitable truth is that Americans will have to learn to cope with the virus. That is, the population will have to accommodate itself to death on a massive scale. The media has played a central role in promoting the back-to-work campaign. On March 22, Times columnist Thomas Friedman published an op-ed titled A Plan to Get America Back to Work, claiming that the cure of closing businesses to prevent the spread of COVID-19 was worse than the disease, and arguing that the time had come to allow non-essential workers back on the job. Friedmans column appeared the same day as the first procedural vote on what would become the CARES Act, which set the stage for a $6 trillion bailout of major corporations and Wall Street. Friedmans phrase summed up the sentiment within the US ruling class: With the bailout secured, it was time for workers to get back on the job and generate returns for shareholders. We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself, Trump declared just two days later, demanding that US corporations resume business within just two weeks. Now, with the pandemic surging, the White House has made clear there will be no extension of the critical $600 per week in emergency federal unemployment aid to laid-off workers, seeking to economically blackmail workers into returning to work. The resurgence of the pandemic was entirely predictable. On April 24, the World Socialist Web Site warned that the back-to-work campaign would lead to a surge in coronavirus deaths, stating: The American ruling class is attempting to rapidly resume production and send workers back to work. If this policy is carried out, countless thousands more people will get gravely sick or die. The WSWS stressed that the White Houses push to reopen businesses marked the systematic abandonment of any effort to contain the disease. We wrote on April 18: The Trump administrations cynical announcement of a set of fraudulent guidelines that will serve to legitimize a rapid reopening of businesses and a forced return to work, in unsafe conditions, brings to an end any public pretense of a systematic and coordinated effort within the United States to prioritize health and to protect human life in combatting the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The massive surge of coronavirus cases makes clear the urgent necessity of taking the response to the pandemic out of the hands of the Trump administration. The fight against the pandemic is the fight against the government and the corporations. It is a fight against capitalism and for socialism. This demands mass action by the working class, including the formation of rank-and-file committees to ensure safety procedures and an end to production at unsafe facilities. Such a movement has already emerged in Detroit. At the Fiat Chrysler Jefferson Avenue Assembly Plant, workers shut down production with a wildcat strike Thursday and Friday, while a thousand nurses at HCA Healthcare in Riverside, California have gone on strike to demand safe working conditions. We urge all workers and young people seeking to oppose the ruling classs homicidal back-to-work campaign to join the Socialist Equality Party in waging this fight. Government virus expert Anthony Fauci told reporters in a press briefing on Friday that contact tracing efforts to contain the coronavirus are "not working." Why it matters: Without a vaccine, contact tracing of cases is the best tool available to stem the spread of an outbreak. But understaffed public health agencies, privacy concerns, disappointing technology, and the sheer size of the pandemic are limiting the technique's effectiveness. By the numbers: The public health standard is that a state should have at least 30 contract tracers public health employees dedicated to investigating the contacts of positive cases for every 100,000 people during a pandemic. According to a June 25 report by Nephron Research, however, just seven states have met that standard. Another seven have near-term plans to sufficiently increase contact tracing capacity. Many of the states experiencing the biggest surges in cases are well below the recommended number of tracers and have no near-term plans to reach that level. That includes states like Texas, where hospital executives in Houston were warning that ICU use from COVID-19 could soon exceed capacity, and Arizona, where hospitalization numbers are surging. CDC Director Robert Redfield testified that there are 27,000 to 28,000 people doing contact tracing work. That's up from 11,000 at the start of the pandemic, but it is well below the minimum 99,000 tracers that the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials estimated are necessary for the U.S. to safely reopen. Other public health experts believe the true need is closer to 300,000 tracers. Even those states that have sufficiently beefed up their contact tracing systems are struggling to get people who have tested positive to report whom they were in contact with or, in some cases, to even pick up the phone. New York state currently has nearly 50 tracers per 100,000 people, the most in the U.S. But in New York City, long the epicenter of the pandemic, contact tracers were only able to successfully complete an interview with about half of all positive cases between June 1 and June 20. That's well below the 75% rate public health experts say is needed to keep an outbreak contained. The situation is worse in other hard-hit cities like San Antonio, which has only received responses from about 300 of the 2,500 cases currently under review. Context: The U.S. has had great success in the past controlling diseases like HIV and tuberculosis through contact tracing. But COVID-19 would present enormous challenges to even a well-funded and well-staffed national contact tracing effort which the U.S. assuredly does not have. Unlike tracing the spread of STDs, where contacts can be narrowed down to sexual partners, COVID-19 requires tracers to quiz a positive case for everyone they may have come into contact with, even for a relatively short period of time. Early hopes that app-based smartphone contact tracing might help have largely gone unfulfilled. At least 60% of the population would need to download such apps for them to be effective, but according to a recent study, just 29% of Americans would consider downloading one. Privacy concerns are a major obstacle to successful contact tracing. South Korea's success in controlling outbreaks was partly due to its use of phone GPS records, credit-card transactions and even security camera footage to augment its contact tracing methods that would likely not fly in the U.S. Black Americans are being infected and dying of COVID-19 at higher rates, but a long history of discrimination including by doctors has made them "less willing to line up and trust a public agency right now, public health included," writes Katelyn Esmonde, a postdoctoral fellow at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. The bottom line: More than four months after the first recorded U.S. COVID-19 cases, the virus is still outpacing our ability and willingness to track it. The Bombay high court (HC) has directed Mithibai College to explain why the facts pertaining to allowing students with 60% attendance to appear for the semester 4 exams were not disclosed to the court in its affidavit filed on June 18. The institute had filed the affidavit in response to a petition of a student with 58.9% attendance. The student had sought directions to the college to declare her eligible for the exams, as the institute had allowed students with 60%, through a March 6 decision, to appear for exams and also promoted them. As the college had failed to disclose the fact in its affidavit, the court said it was granting time to the institute to take adequate steps. A division bench of justice SJ Kathawalla and justice NR Borkar, while hearing a petition filed by the student through video conferencing on Friday, was informed by advocate Harshad Bhadbhade, that though the rules had stipulated 75% overall attendance, the college had permitted students with 60% attendance to appear for the exams. Bhadbhade submitted that his client had an attendance of 58.9% and hence she should also be treated on the same lines as students with 60%. When the court asked the college why the fact that studnets with 60% attendance could appear for exams had not been disclosed in the June 18 affidavit, institute principal Rajpal Hande was unable to justify the reason. The June 18 affidavit had stated, Student/s who secure less than 75% of attendance had to take re-admission in the same semester in the subsequent academic year. The affidavit signed by Hande had also denied that the college had permitted, .. students having attendance of 59% to appear in the examination as allegedly stated or at all. However, in the written submissions filed by the college on June 25, it admitted that students with 60% attendance had been allowed to appear for the exams and promoted too. On being questioned when the decision was taken, Hande said that it was taken on March 6. In light of these submissions, Kathawalla questioned as to why the March 6 decision was not mentioned in the June 18 affidavit, to which the college submitted that it had been missed out as instructions while preparing the affidavit were given on telephone. Kathawalla observed, There is no question of any fact being left out because of the alleged telephonic instructions, because statements are made in the said affidavit which are completely contrary to the facts now disclosed, and in any event the principal has signed every page of the said affidavit. The bench further observed, Keeping in view that the matter involves serious issues pertaining to attendance discipline, which the college wants to assert, and also as the same involves the future of several students, we are granting time to the college to take adequate steps in the matter. The petition has been posted for hearing on June Monday. Work On Black Boxes Of Ukrainian Jet Downed By Iran To Start Next Month By RFE/RL June 26, 2020 The French BEA air-accident investigation agency says "technical work" on the black boxes of a downed Ukrainian airliner is expected to kick off in France next month. The cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 were the subject of an international standoff after the plane was shot down by Iran's air defenses on January 8, killing all 176 people on board. The Kyiv-bound aircraft was struck after taking off from Tehran's main airport in what Iran days later acknowledged was a "mistake." Iran said on June 22 it would send the black boxes to France in the "next few days." BEA, which is known as one of the world's leading organizations for reading flight recorders, tweeted on June 26 that Iran had "requested...technical assistance" with repairing and downloading data from the black boxes of the Boeing 737. "Technical work [is] planned to start July 20," it said, adding that "the safety investigation is led by Iran." The International Civil Aviation Organization said it had been informed by Iran that the black boxes "would be read out in France on 20 July...assuring the participation of representatives from all countries involved." The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said that it "will be sending a team of investigators to participate in the download" of the black boxes, which are expected to contain information about the last moments before the aircraft was struck and crashed. The 176 victims of the crash included 82 Iranian citizens and 63 Canadians, many of them of Iranian origin. Iranian forces had been on high alert at the time of the tragedy, which came hours after Iran launched missile strikes on an Iraqi military base housing U.S. troops. The Iranian strikes were carried out in response to the killing of a top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad's airport. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/france-work-on- black-boxes-of-ukrainian-jet-downed-by-iran -to-start-next-month/30692740.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's national carrier has written to foreign missions and regulatory bodies to inform them it has grounded 141 pilots suspected of obtaining licenses through unfair means in a bid to allay global concerns over the issue, officials said on Saturday. The issue of commercial pilots possessing dubious licences came to light after the preliminary probe report of the Karachi plane crash blamed the pilots and the air traffic control for the tragedy that killed 97 people. Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan disclosed in the National Assembly on Wednesday that a large number of commercial pilots possessed 'dubious licences'. After the severe backlash, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) moved into action and wrote to foreign missions and regulatory bodies. A PIA official said that letters signed by PIA Chief Executive Arshad Malik were sent to all heads of foreign missions and international aviation regulators to assuage the fears of the global community. Malik informed the international community that 141 suspected pilots were grounded and PIA was following international protocols to ensure safety, according to the official. Boston will become the second largest city in the US to ban facial recognition software for government use after a unanimous city council vote. Following San Francisco, which banned facial recognition in 2019, Boston will bar city officials from using facial recognition systems. The ordinance will also bar them from working with any third party companies or organizations to acquire information gathered through facial recognition software. The Boston City Council voted unanimously to ban all facial recognition software from official city use, and officials will be barred from seeking to obtain facial recognition data from third parties The ordinance was co-sponsored by Councilors Ricardo Arroyo and Michelle Wu, who were especially concerned about the potential for racial bias in the technology, according to a report from WBUR. 'Boston should not be using racially discriminatory technology and technology that threatens our basic rights,' Wu said at a hearing before the vote. Wu and Arroyo cited a recent MIT study that showed facial recognition error rates for women with darker skin can be as high as 35%. '[I]n a time where we're seeing so much direct action in the form of marches and protests for rights, any kind of surveillance technology that could be used to essentially chill free speech or...more or less monitor activism or activists is dangerous,' Arroyo said. In early June, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said the department had no plans to use facial recognition in law enforcement and would wait for evidence the technology was less biased before considering it. The ordinance will have a few minor exemptions - city officials will be allowed to use facial recognition to unlock smartphones or laptops issued by the city. City Councilors cited concerns that facial recognition software is racist, pointing to an MIT study that showed it was 35% less accurate with women who have darker skin tones They'll also be allowed to use facial recognition software to blur or otherwise redact faces to protect people's identity in official documents or other materials. However, the ban won't prevent private businesses from using facial recognition software in and around Boston. That includes JetBlue, which began using facial recognition software in 2019 to match passengers departing from Boston Logan International Airport with photos on-file with the Department of Homeland Security. In recent months, a number of businesses have distanced themselves from facial recognition programs as negative public perception has mounted. Businesses will still be able to use facial recognition software, including JetBlue, which uses facial recognition software for boarding at Boston Logan International Airport Amazon announced it would suspend facial recognition services provided to police departments around the country for the next year. IBM announced it would stop developing its own facial recognition software, while appealing to lawmakers to establish clearer guidelines on how the technology might be used. 'We believe now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies,' IBM CEO Arvind Krishna wrote in a letter sent to congress. Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon argued that there might be some fundamental conflict between facial recognition software and basic civil rights. 'Surveilling our population at large and doing facial identification is not necessarily the way we want to go in a free society,' Breadon said. On Thursday, IANS had reported that Thimphu has stopped releasing channel water for irrigation along its border with India near Assam, affecting thousands of farmers in 25 villages of the region. New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) The government on Friday said that the water supply from Bhutan to India for irrigation purposes in Assam, had been blocked naturally and not out of any tension between the two countries. Official sources told IANS on Friday that it was not true. "In fact, the Bhutanese side has categorically denied saying that they have been doing repairs in channels to ensure smooth flow of water to Assam." Chief secretary of Assam, Kumar Sanjay Krishna said the water blockage incident "has been incorrectly reported". The actual reason, he said, is "the natural blockage of informal irrigation channels into Indian fields". Bhutan has been actually helping to clear the blockage, Krishna tweeted along with the pictures of dozens of people working on fixing the channel. The editor of The Bhutanese newspaper in ThimpHu, Tenzing Lamsang had earlier in a series of tweets said HAD said that every year Bhutan allows Assamese farmers to come across and divert section of a river in Bhutan into channels that irrigate few farms in Assam. "This year border is sealed to all foreigners due to COVID-19," he said adding that even Bhutanese coming into Bhutan since March have to undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine and tests before being released into the population. "This is how we have prevented community transmission so far. Please don't politicize this or draw non-existential inferences. Situation is not as heartless as it is being made out to be as local government on Bhutan side there had earlier agreed to maintain those water channels," he tweeted. However in monsoon, sudden rainfall and floods also damage Bhutanese irrigation systems including the drinking water in Thimphu, Lamsang had said. Sources in Guwahati had said that farmers staged a protest against the blocking of water which flows from a man-made irrigation channel 'Dong' for growing paddy. The channel has been used by farmers of Bhutan and India in the region since 1953. --IANS aat/ksk/ Mrs. Schatz (second from the right) cuts the ribbon in October 2012 at the reopening of Weavers Way Co-op following renovations to the Mount Airy store. Read more Vivian Schatz, 95, an educator, environmentalist, and peace activist, died Tuesday, June 16, of complications from dementia at her home in Mount Airy. Mrs. Schatz was a junior high science teacher who was fascinated with animals, butterflies, clouds, rocks, and insects that live in and on ponds. In her backyard, she planted milkweed to create a butterfly habitat. She kept a summer compost pile for vegetable scraps and a worm box for the same purpose in winter. She used her fascination with nature to enrich her classes at the Crefeld and William Penn Charter Schools, and what is now Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, all in Philadelphia. Mrs. Schatz consulted for the School District of Philadelphia, showing teachers how to use elements from nature and household objects such as bread in a jar to watch mold grow. These provided a hands-on science lesson for pupils. In the 1960s, while teaching science in St. Louis, she kept small animals in her classroom, including two baby goats and ducklings. The ducklings followed a student down the school hallway one day, hopped down the stairs, and went outside to scavenge for food in the dirt. After their snack, the parade occurred in reverse, back to Vivians classroom, her family said in a statement. Teachers and students viewed the procession with amazement and joy. An early environmentalist, Mrs. Schatz cared about the condition of the planet and often wrote articles and letters to the editor about it. She was a leader in peace and social justice organizations in Philadelphia, including the Nuclear Freeze campaign and the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). She advocated against the use of torture and for civil rights, nuclear disarmament, and a living wage for all. She was a frequent demonstrator and followed up on her areas of concern by calling local lawmakers. On May 27, 2017, the Greater Philadelphia Branch of WILPF honored her with its Peace and Justice Dove Award for helping make the world a more humanitarian place. During the Vietnam War, Mrs. Schatz and her husband, Albert, produced thousands of antiwar leaflets in their living room. Vivian lived her life with great purpose and determination, her family said. She was a peacemaker in the truest sense of the word. Born in Philadelphia, she grew up in northern New Jersey, where she enjoyed taking walks and riding her bike. She studied the wildflowers in her neighborhood. There was a dark side, though. Mrs. Schatz, who was Jewish, told family she experienced anti-Semitism at an early age. It was everywhere on the radio, at friends houses, and in the fact that her father, an electrical engineer, could not get a job in his field, family members recalled her saying. Mrs. Schatz earned a bachelors degree in science at Cook College in New Jersey. She earned a masters degree in biology from Drexel University and a second masters degree in medical biochemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1962, Mrs. Schatz and her family moved to Chile, where she became acting director of Colegio Nido de Aguilas, a bilingual K-12 school for Chilean and foreign students. She moved the school from Santiago to a rural area nearby. When she saw the groundskeepers killing snakes and tarantulas on the relocated schools grounds, she paid the keepers to bring them to her alive. Then she climbed the surrounding hills and let the creatures go. Later, she lived a block from Weavers Way Co-op in Mount Airy. A founding member of the co-op, she headed its education committee and wrote articles about environmental and social justice issues for its monthly news bulletin. Mrs. Schatz and her husband spent three weeks camping at a Vermont state park every summer for 19 years until his health failed. He died in 2005. She is survived by daughters Linda Schatz and Diane Klein, four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held later. Donations may be made to All Together Now Pennsylvania via www.alltogethernowpa.org or the Environmental Defense Fund Monarch Butterfly Restoration Project via www.edf.org/monarcheffect. Lorraine Harrington who, along with her husband, came to the aid of three children who got into difficulty at Ballymoneys north beach It was a day Lorraine and Michael Harrington will never forget, as the husband and wife rescued three children from drowning at the north end of Ballymoney beach. The children - two boys and a girl who were all aged between ten and eleven years old - got into difficulty last week due to a strong current which left them struggling to keep their heads above water while at the same time being thrown onto rocks which they were unaware of. Lorraine and her family have now started a campaign to warn others about the hidden dangers in the area, namely the currents and the rocks that tend to go unnoticed underwater. She said that she has written to Wexford County Council about signage, but says that this is really an awareness campaign. 'I went swimming with my husband, my eight year old Sean and my aunty, Ellen Shaw, who lives on Sea Road. We were enjoying the water but also talking about how there's no lifeguards there on weekdays. 'The next thing, we look over towards the rocks and see three children and one had gone down, another one was dragging the other kid down. It was my husband that identified the stress initially, and we thought maybe they were messing around but in the next minute, we realised the danger and that's how quick it can happen. 'My husband went straight over and I started swimming for it. I swam the girl out and the boys were having a really difficult time. Those kids took a beating, they got battered really badly on the rocks,' she said. Lorraine said that, at most, the whole dramatic episode, from noticing the danger to getting the kids back on dry land, took about two minutes. 'One child still 20 minutes later was shaking and panicked but the other two seemed okay. The family were just out for the day, but the mother was very grateful. She came running down the beach and she said she didn't know what she was going to do. 'The tide is funny around those rocks, it's very deceptive. It drops from when you're in up to your hips and then there's no footing. We want to warn kids about this, but the point here is that this could have been anybody,' she said. Lorraine, who is originally from Melbourne in Australia and is a very strong swimmer, said that she didn't think twice about the rescue. 'You could very easily end up in this situation if you're not an experienced swimmer, I don't think the kids had any idea of the danger they were in. There have been other cases of this, my aunt has lived up there for 20 years and it's an ongoing issue. 'It was terrifying for those kids, but even we couldn't believe how fast it all happened. It was just luck that we were there, up to now we have been going to the beach usually at very quiet times to stay away from people. We're not superheroes, but my son told me I should quit my job and be a lifeguard instead'. Lorraine and her family have begun a campaign for signage warning about the dangerous rocks. 'The main message is that there aren't any lifeguards there usually until school is out and there's no warning about the rocks,' she said. Controversial social justice warrior Shaun King has found himself at the center of controversy again after he first sparked the anger of Donald Trump by calling for 'white European' Jesus statues to be torn down and then alleged cops in Long Beach are plotting to kill him. Trump fueled confusion in a press conference Wednesday when he linked the debate over racist and Confederate statues to images of Jesus. 'I think many of the people that are knocking down these statues don't even have any idea what the statue is... Now they're looking at Jesus Christ,' the president said. It soon surfaced that his comments had been fueled by a social media post from King, a key figure in the Black Lives Matter movement whose own racial identity has been called into question, where he said figures of Jesus as a white man are 'a form of white supremacy' and should be toppled. 'Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down,' King, 40, posted on Twitter last Friday. 'They are a form of white supremacy. Always have been. 'In the Bible, when the family of Jesus wanted to hide, and blend in, guess where they went? EGYPT! Not Denmark. Tear them down.' Shaun King (left) has called for 'white European' Jesus statues to be torn down as he alleges cops are plotting to kill him in the latest controversy for the liberal activist. Donald Trump (right) fueled confusion in a press conference Wednesday when he linked the debate over racist and Confederate statues to images of Jesus - sparked by King's tweet King, a key figure in the Black Lives Matter movement whose own racial identity has been called into question, waded into the debate over racist and Confederate statues last week when he tweeted that figures of Jesus as a white man are 'a form of white supremacy' King reinforced his calls in another tweet this week where he blasted all 'murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends' as 'racist propaganda'. His comments come as racist and Confederate statues and symbols have been toppled by protesters across the US in recent weeks as calls mount for an end to systemic racism following the 'murder' of George Floyd by a white cop. The likeness of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, colonialist Christopher Columbus and slavery advocate John C. Calhoun have all come under fire due to their links to racism and black oppression but King is urging the movement to go further still by taking down images of white Jesus. This came just days before the controversial activist then alleged in a blog post that several former members of local law enforcement are plotting to kill him. King penned a blog post on Medium Thursday detailing how he had been made aware of a private Facebook group of ex-cops from Long Beach where multiple officers 'were openly plotting and planning my assassination.' The controversial activist then alleged in a blog post that several former members of local law enforcement are plotting to kill him King said he 'receive[s] death threats daily' but they are 'mainly from anonymous strangers and seem more designed to intimidate me and my family than they appear to be imminent threats of physical harm'. He blasted the content of the Facebook group as 'altogether different'. 'These were men and women, in a private group that they had no idea I'd ever see, using their real names and identities, openly plotting to kill me and organizing each other to execute it,' he wrote. King included screen grabs of some of the comments. 'Does anyone know here this Shaun King can be found?' read one of the comments. In another, an apparent retired LAPD officer, said: 'Need a sniper.' According to the blog post, the conversation escalates with calls for 'a #6' - a long distance operation' - and several people reportedly joining in and saying they are 'in'. King shared the comments (above) found in a private Facebook group of ex-cops from Long Beach where multiple officers 'were openly plotting and planning my assassination' Another writes 'remember at my age life in prison is not a deterrent' while another posted a picture of a gun. King went on to question how to escalate the concerns given the threats were made by former cops and because the vocal police critic lacks 'confidence in any law enforcement system to handle this'. The Long Beach Police Department said it has launched an investigation into the threats. This is far from the first time King has found himself at the center of controversy. In 2015, questions were raised about his biracial identity after his birth certificate was found to list both his parents as white. The author and writer had long said he was the victim of a horrific racial hate crime in his youth and that his father is black and his mother white. In 2015, questions were raised about his biracial identity after his birth certificate was found to list both his parents as white (above) King hit back saying the man in his birth certificate is his adopted father and his mother had told him his biological father is black. King as a teenager His own race was also found to be listed as white in the police report of the attack that happened while he was in high school. King hit back saying the man in his birth certificate is his adopted father and his mother had told him his biological father is black. His supporters also slammed the attempts to discredit him as trying to distract from the racial justice movement he was a prominent figure in. The former pastor hit headlines again in 2018 when he accused a white Texas state trooper of raping black woman Sherita Dixon-Cole. King repeatedly said on social media and in interviews that the trooper had committed 'rape'. Bodycam footage later exonerated the officer and King backtracked, deleting his comments from social media and publishing a blog post where he said he had been conned by Dixon-Cole. Questions have also been leveled at the activist over his fundraising efforts, with numerous allegations over the years that funds were not received by the causes he was raising for. These include alleged discrepancies in the amounts raised for the Haiti Relief Project and a fundraiser for the family of Tamir Rice - a 12-year-old black boy who was killed by cops in 2014. Shaun King with his wife Rai King. The former pastor hit headlines again in 2018 when he accused a white Texas state trooper of raping black woman Sherita Dixon-Cole Civil rights activist Deray Mckesson last year questioned King's 'integrity' over the fundraising doubts. 'We never aim to replicate the power dynamic of the system we are up against a system that embraces a devious lack of transparency, willingly sacrifices the vulnerable to protect itself, and replaces truth with convenient lies. Yet Shaun King has done just that,' Mckesson wrote in a Medium post. 'Shaun has followed a uniform pattern over the years, a pattern that has compelled me to speak up, again.' Mckesson also pointed to a 2019 audit report of his fundraising activities that was controversially put together by the activist's allies. Other scandals include accusations of stealing content from collaborators. Activist Aurielle Marie said she contributed 'countless' ideas for a podcast project she was working with King on only for him to plow ahead with the project without her and not credit her ideas that he used. 'He lied to us, y'all. He lied, he manipulated me & he let organizers down,' she wrote in a 2017 tweet. King denied the allegations saying it 'never happened. Not once'. 'I've never borrowed content and not properly credited it,' he said at the time. The EU's loss of 15 National Parks on December 31 as a result of Brexit, is the perfect opportunity to research the possibility of making North Leitrim a National Park, according to Cllr Justin Warnock. The Fianna Fail councillor put forward a motion at the recent Manorhamilton Municipal meeting asking that Leitrim County Council write to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD, to seek funding for a feasibility study for the development of North Leitrim as a National Park". He said that under Regional Policy Objective of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Northern and Western Regional Assembly there was scope for the development of such an idea. This is not the first time that Kinlough Cllr Warnock has raised this idea, but he said in light of Brexit, there will never be a better time to look at this. I believe North Leitrim has everything we need and more to meet the criteria for a National Park, he said, adding I gave a commitment to the people of North Leitrim when I was seeking re-election, that I was going to push on with this idea. And I will. Cllr Warnock also said the idea could provide scope for Kiltyclogher to become a designated heritage village - which he said would safeguard the future of the community and the historical sites linked to this area. We have a great opportunity here. We may be a small population but I believe in this and I believe it could bring huge benefits to the region. We are the one part of Ireland which has never been abused or destroyed by development and we need to see where this idea can bring us. He suggested that the Leitrim County Council Executive meet with members of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly executive to thrash out what can be done. Cllr Mary Bohan said she was in favour of the further exploration of this idea and the idea of such a meeting. We need to make sure that this wouldn't affect more people seeking to build rural houses in Leitrim. We need to see if (making North Leitrim a National Park) would restrict development in any way if it went ahead, she said. Cllr Frank Dolan also offered his support for further investigation of this proposal admitting I haven't quite gotten my head around what exactly this would mean but said it should be looked at it in more detail. He said living in a Special Area of Conservation he knows what it means and it can make things difficult for those of us living there. He noted that SACs were drawn up by someone on a map far away from here adding we need a clearer picture of exactly what a National Park will mean. Cllr Padraig Fallon also expressed concerns over the possible implications for development agreeing further analysis is needed. Cllr Sean McDermott and Cllr Felim Gurn also added their support. A spokesperson for the council pointed out Regional Policy Objective 5.3 gives "consideration" to the areas of North Sligo and North Leitrim and the hinterland as a potential National Parks/Recreational Areas. It is also considered broader in its scope than a national park, noted the spokesperson adding the first step should be to speak with the Regional Assembly before contacting the relevant minister. Explained: Why you will have to pay more for petrol, diesel from April 1 2020 Fuel price continues to surge in national capital; Petrol, diesel cost above Rs 80 per litre India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, June 27: The fuel prices in the country were once again hiked for the 21st day in a row on Saturday with petrol and diesel prices crossing the Rs 80-mark in Delhi. Following the increase in rate, Diesel now costs Rs 80.40 per litre and petrol costs Rs 80.38 per litre in Delhi, taking rates up by 25 paise for petrol and 21 paise for diesel in 20 days. It can be seen that the price of diesel crossed the price of petrol for the first time in the national capital on Wednesday, costing Rs 79.76 a litre. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News All you need to know about the serological survey being conducted in Delhi However, the price of the diesel is seen costlier than petrol only in the national capital where the state government had raised local sales tax or VAT on the fuel sharply last month. In May, the Delhi government had increased 30 per cent VAT on diesel from 16.75 per cent and 30 per cent from 27 per cent on petrol, which lead to a price gap of Rs 7.3 per litre between the two fuel. Metro cities like Mumbai and Kolkata also saw an increase in the fuel price where Mumbai saw 21 and 17 paise hike in petrol and diesel prices, Kolkata saw around 21 paise hike, while Chennai saw 19 and 15 paise hike per litre on petrol and diesel prices, respectively. With Zsuzsi in the late 1960s It was one of the 20th centurys grandest passions, but was riven by heartache and controversy and ultimately vetoed by the Queen. Royal writer Christopher Wilson looks back at the tragic love affair of Prince William of Gloucester Prince William of Gloucester was arguably the most glamorous royal of the 20th century. Tall, sporty and handsome, he was a role model and all-round hero for a young Prince Charles, who named his first son after him. The grandson of King George V and a first cousin of the Queen, William could have had any woman but the woman he wanted turned out to be one that he couldnt have. His love affair with Zsuzsi Starkloff, though full of passion, was fraught with tragedy and controversy. And although their story began in the 1960s, elements of it will chime with royal fans today because, like Meghan Markle, Zsuzsi was an attractive, intelligent American divorcee. But whereas Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made it to the altar, back in 1970 Queen Elizabeth put a stop to Prince Williams relationship with Zsuzsi because she was thought to fear another Wallis Simpson moment in which her uncle Edward VIIIs relationship with the glamorous American divorcee caused a constitutional crisis that concluded in his abdication. It was devastating for Zsuzsi. And it begs the question, was the Queen right to break up their relationship? Was she right to fear the effect that another American divorcee might have on the stability of her family? Left: Prince William with the queen, Princess Anne and representatives of the order of st John at Buckingham Palace, 1971. Right: Photographed by Patrick lichfield in 1965 At his birth in 1941, Prince William was fourth in line to the throne, just as Prince Harry was when he was born just over 40 years later. Like Harry, William was educated at Eton, but he then graduated from both Cambridge University and Stanford before joining the Foreign Office. In the late 1960s, William was an important weapon in the royal armoury. One day he would inherit his fathers title of Duke of Gloucester and take on an increasing range of state and constitutional duties. From the earliest days, therefore, it was expected that he would marry well, and marry suitably. Unlike Wallis Simpson and Meghan Markle, Zsuzsi (pronounced Juji) wasnt born in the US but in Budapest, Hungary. At the age of 20 she fled the Communist regime that had overrun her homeland and made her way to America where she was soon granted US citizenship. Initially making a living as a model in New York, she later became a flight attendant, travelling all over the world for the now-defunct Overseas National Airways. During this time she met and married a pilot, Ed Starky Starkloff, and before long she had earned her pilots licence, which enabled her to become a flight instructor. The marriage to Starkloff didnt last, and Zsuzsi moved to Tokyo, learning Japanese and teaching English. It was while she was there that she met the prince at a cocktail party in 1968, soon after he was dispatched to the city by the Foreign Office as a 26-year-old junior diplomat. He immediately dubbed her Cinderella. Zsuzsi was five years older and a great deal more worldly wise than the prince. Knowing nothing of stuffy protocol, the next day she wrote him a note and sent it round to the British Embassy. Dear Prince Charming, it read, I have a slipper missing. Would you like to come to a party? It did the trick. William came running, and very soon they were lovers. He was quite a man, Zsuzsi told me in 2013. Very manly. Very passionate. And mature beyond his years. Away from the public eye, the relationship blossomed. She knew almost nothing about the royal family, recalls the TV director Brian Henry Martin, who filmed her in Colorado in 2015, and almost nothing about Britain. She didnt perhaps realise what it all meant, this relationship. To her William was just an attractive single man. Like the Duke of Windsor and Prince Harry, William had fallen under an American divorcees spell. He wrote to his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, asking how theyd feel if he proposed marriage. They were against it, Zsuzsi told me. Totally against it. It came as no shock I was older than William, divorced and of a different religion [she was Jewish]. I knew it was doomed. Left: Zsuzsi at Heathrow airport in the 1970s. Middle: William preparing his plane before the crash that killed him in 1972. Right: The couple in Japan William, however, refused to be put off. Hed become obsessed and, as his old school friend Giles St Aubyn remarked, The relationship overshadowed everything else. It resulted in a period of great anguish for him, involving disagreements with his friends and family. What qualities drew the prince to the older woman? St Aubyn said, She was witty, intelligent, attractive. William sparkled in her company. A close friend from that time, Japanese businessman Shigeo Kitano, agreed: Prince William was obviously deeply in love with her. She was very beautiful with large brown eyes and long auburn hair. When she smiled, she had a big dimple. She conversed in flawless Japanese and was clearly a very clever woman. But suitable material for a royal wife? The royals themselves didnt think so. Even by the late 1960s the abdication of King Edward VIII was still raw as fresh in their minds as the death of Princess Diana is today. In that climate the Queen, surrounded by ranks of compliant and protective courtiers, was appalled at the prospect of a re-run of the Wallis Simpson affair and set about making sure it didnt happen. The Queen, Princess Margaret and the Queens Private Secretary Sir Alan Tommy Lascelles all conspired to steer the prince off-course; their plan being to allow him to sow his wild oats before reeling him in confident that, in the end, they would win. With the affair still in its infancy, Princess Margaret was dispatched with her then husband, Lord Snowdon, to Japan. Ostensibly a state visit, the trip masked a more important task to give Prince Williams girlfriend the once-over. In Tokyo, the two women were introduced and, as Zsuzsi later told me, On the surface she was friendly. She told William, Im not surprised youre in love with her, and we all had dinner together. But within days Margaret had written to her cousin, warning him off. I was pleased to have the opportunity of a quick word with you, she said. I do think you would be wise to wait for a bit, then come home and see how everything looks. Zsuzsi in 2015 Unknown to the prince by then 28 Margaret had also had a word with his boss, the British Ambassador Sir John Pilcher, passing on her concerns and those of the Queen. Margaret encouraged the prince to confide in Pilcher every last detail of his affair with Zsuzsi information which Pilcher then passed straight back to London. I uncovered a private report penned by Pilcher in which he recalled, I heard that delectable feminine presence was frequently to be discovered in Prince Williams home. We thought it wise of him to be attached to such an attractive and adult person. What these smooth words actually meant were, well allow the prince to let this passion burn out while hes here in Japan, but dont worry, well fix the problem. Pilcher met William to offer a warning and, as he notes in his report: He was very good-natured, and took in remarkably good part the observations I felt bound to make. I had to point out the constitutional aspects of marrying a foreigner. He undertook to pause and think. Maybe he did, and maybe he didnt. We were in love, passionately in love, recalled Zsuzsi. William wasnt going to be pushed around by some officious diplomat. He wanted to escape, to get away from the straitjacket his job had become. And there was another reason to get away. The prince had recently been diagnosed with porphyria the royal disease that struck down King George III, leading to his so-called madness. Just before leaving for Japan, William had visited London specialist Dr Henry Bellringer, complaining of fever and nausea, and blisters that appeared on his hands, chest and face. Bellringer diagnosed William as suffering from variegate porphyria, inherited through the Hanoverian gene pool he was the only royal of his generation to contract the condition. William was a keen skier, seen here on a trip with Zsuzsi In Tokyo, Zsuzsi took her lover to visit a haematologist, Professor Ishihara, who confirmed the alarming diagnosis. It meant a bleak and uncertain future for William, who was a strong man, an athlete and a fine polo player. The details of the last years of George IIIs life, quite apart from the madness from which he temporarily recovered, do not bear repeating, and William must have viewed the possibility, however remote, that his life would end in similar misery and agony. At that point Zsuzsi became not only Williams lover but his protector. According to her, around this time the prince received a letter from the Queen telling him to cool things down. It was telling him not to rush into anything, she recalled, but his response was to take time out from his diplomatic post, scoop up Zsuzsi and head for America. The couple took off on a road trip, anonymous lovers in a car unhurriedly going nowhere. As a token of his love he gave her his gold signet ring, engraved with the royal coat of arms, and she hung it on a chain around her neck, commissioning a jeweller to make a replica, which he wore constantly. Zsuzsi recalled, We did a lot of wonderful things together during those weeks, and for the most part he wasnt recognised. He relished the anonymity it was wonderful for him not to be bothered by people. They devised an alternative life plan, living in California, flying planes and just being themselves. But the Palace, now alarmed at the thought of losing William altogether, reeled him in. He had left strict instructions that, during his time in America, he was not to be disturbed by messages from London. But then he received a cable from the Queen, ordering him to represent her at the independence celebrations of the South Pacific archipelago of Tonga. William and Zsuzsi shared a love of flying William buckled. In that one pincer movement, the royals claimed back their errant prince, who finally decided that duty must come first. William returned to England, took over his fathers estate in Northamptonshire and prepared himself for an unhappy, possibly loveless, future. By now it looked to the royals as though Williams affair with Zsuzsi was well and truly over. But the prince hadnt forgotten the love of his life. Zsuzsi later recalled, He wrote me a letter. In it he said he wanted to come to New York and talk to me, to see if there was something we could do. He wanted us to be together. But it wasnt to be. On 28 August 1972, William died at the controls of his light aircraft. He had entered an air race near Wolverhampton in the West Midlands and died instantly along with his co-pilot Vyrell Mitchell when the plane crashed and burst into flames. He was just 30. An official inquiry blamed pilot error. Zsuzsi continued to live in America, in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She never remarried. There was a sadness about her, a regret, reflects director Brian Henry Martin. Her sadness was about the loss of William and that he never had his own life. That he never had his own children. Zsuzsi died last month, aged 83, still loving her prince and wearing his ring, just as he was still wearing hers when he died 48 years before. Theres something about American divorcees U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at a press conference at the State Department in Washington, on June 24, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) EU Awakens to Threat Posed by Chinese Communist Party EU, US Will Defend Freedom and Democratic Ideals Together The EU seeks a partnership with the United States to defend our values and our interest within the transatlantic community against China. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on June 25 that the United States has accepted the proposal made by EUs High Representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell to establish a U.S.-EU Dialogue on China with a goal to address the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Pompeo hopes that this initiative to preserve our free societies, our prosperity, and our future will be kicked off in a few weeks and will continue for an extended period of time. Confronting the threats posed by the CCP does not mean that countries have to choose business over confronting the Chinese Communist Party, Pompeo said, but the ruleset on which that trade engages has to be reciprocal and fair. Both the United States and the EU have a big trade relationship with China. Its a market of a billion-plus people, said Pompeo. On the other hand China needs markets too and it also needs access to Western knowledge, Western knowhow, he said. However, both communities on both sides of the Atlantic no longer allow the Chinese Communist Party to dictate the rules and terms and conditions of those relationships when theyre not fair and equitable to our peoples. An example of the CCP unfair practices is intellectual property theft that takes place in Germany, across Europe, and in the United States, said Pompeo. The hardworking German people created that intellectual property, worked hard for that intellectual property, built that, protected it in their system, and the Chinese came and stole it. The prosperity of the transatlantic world owes much to the protection of intellectual property, Pompeo added. Britains then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond (C) and Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua (C-R) applaud the launch of a stock link between the Shanghai and London stock exchanges, in London on June 17, 2019. (Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images) China has access to the Western capital market in ways Western countries cannot access Chinese capital markets, Pompeo said. For our relations to develop further, they must become more rules-based and reciprocal, in order to achieve a real level playing field, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said after the EU-China summit earlier in June. Engaging and cooperating with China is both an opportunity and a necessity. But, we have to recognize that we do not share the same values, political systems, or approach to multilateralism. We will engage in a clear-eyed and confident way, robustly defending EU interests and standing firm on our values, President of the European Council, Charles Michel said after the summit. In 2019, China became the third U.S. trading partner falling from its top position among the U.S. trading partners, which it held several years prior, according to Forbes. U.S. exports to China in 2019 were $106 billion while imports from China were $452 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2019, China was the third-largest EU partner for goods export (at $222 billion) and the largest EU partner for goods import (at $407 billion), according to the European Commissions data. Threats Posed by the CCP Pompeo described several threats posed by the Chinese communist regime that can challenge free societies. One of them is breaking international commitments by the Chinese Communist Party including those to the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations, and the people of Hong Kong. The Chinese regime plans to impose the new national security law for Hong Kong thus undermining the one country, two systems arrangement that separates Hong Kongs political, legal, and financial infrastructure from mainland China. If imposed, the law will violate Chinas own promises to the Hong Kong people under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a UN-filed international treaty, Pompeo said in a statement. Predatory economic practices such as coercing nations to use 5G services offered by Chinese company Huawei, an arm of the Chinese Communist Partys surveillance state, threatens peoples freedoms and privacy rights. Violations of European sovereignty by the CCP, including its browbeating of companies like HSBC, is also considered a threat, Pompeo said. Pedestrians wear face masks as they walk past HSBC signage outside a branch of the bank in Hong Kong on April 28, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images) HSBC (Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corp.), a London based multinational corporation operating in Hong Kong has recently cast its support for Beijings national security law imposed on Hong Kong. That move has drawn criticism from the U.S. and UK governments for supporting the crushing of political dissent in Hong Kong and from the CCP for its reluctant and delayed support of the security law as well as the banks previous efforts in cooperating with the United States. Pompeo also brought up shocking human rights abuses taking place in China. According to a State Department report the Chinese regime imprisons religious minorities in internment camps, kills prisoners of conscience to harvest their organs for transplant surgery, persecutes lawyers for defending pro-democracy dissidents, house-church activists, Falun Gong adherents, or government critics. Falun Gong practitioners are subjected to especially severe persecution at the hands of the Chinese regime. China also engages in provocative military actions such as aggression in the South China Sea, deadly border confrontations in India, an opaque nuclear program, and threats against peaceful neighbors, Pompeo said. Can the EU Stand Up to the CCP? The EU and the United States need to first agree on the shared understanding of the core facts that constitute this threat, and then both the EU and the United States can begin to take action, Pompeo said. He predicts that there may be different views on this issue, especially among business communities. They may not want to confront the CCP because they make money in China and will accept doing business with it based on conditions set by the CCP. I dont accept that argument. There is no compromise between freedom and authoritarianism, Pompeo said. Pompeo believes that Europeans have every incentive to demand from the CCP reciprocity and fair treatment. They should not bow to the CCP because China is a billion-people market, he explained. The United States told the CCP to stop stealing their intellectual property. A pro-democracy protester waves a British colonial flag during a Lunch With You rally at a shopping mall in the Central district in Hong Kong on June 1, 2020. (Issac Lawrence/AFP/Getty Images) The G7 group has already condemned Chinas national security law targeting Hong Kong. The UK has strongly opposed this attempt to undermine Hong Kongs autonomy. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, consisting of lawmakers from both sides of the Atlantic, has been established with a goal to reform the ways democratic countries approach China. The Czech Republic has led the charge in encouraging countries to allow only trusted 5G service providers and suppliers in their networks, Pompeo said. The United States is not forcing Europe to choose between the free world or Chinas authoritarian vision. China is making that choice between freedom and democracy, Pompeo said. WASHINGTON, June 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army Contracting CommandDetroit Arsenal announced today that GM Defense LLC, a subsidiary of General Motors, has been awarded the production contract to build, field and sustain the Army's new Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). Designed to provide rapid ground mobility, the expeditionary ISV is a light and agile all-terrain troop carrier intended to transport a nine-Soldier infantry squad moving throughout the battlefield. The ISV is light enough to be sling loaded from a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter and compact enough to fit inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter for air transportability. The total production ISV contract award value is $214.3 million to procure the initial Army Procurement Objective of 649. The approved Army Acquisition Objective is 2,065 vehicles. GM Defense's solution to the Army's next-generation transportation needs is based off the award-winning 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize truck architecture and leverages 90 percent commercial off-the-shelf parts. These parts include the Multimatic dual spool-valve dampers and Chevrolet Performance suspension components. The durability and performance of those components have been proven in the grueling Best in the Desert race series, where Colorado is one of only four vehicles to complete 11 consecutive races (out of a total of 434 competitors). As a result, GM Defense can deliver an ISV with world class manufacturing efficiencies, ease of maintenance and a well-established global supply chain. All ISV models will be equipped with an occupant and cargo superstructure powered by a 186-horsepower, 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel engine, and six-speed automatic transmission. "Winning this Army award is well-deserved recognition for the hard work and dedication of our GM Defense team and their production of a fantastic vehicle. We are confident the GMD ISV will meet and exceed all of our customers' requirements," said David Albritton, president of GM Defense. "It's indeed an honor to leverage our parent company's experience as one of the world's largest automotive manufacturers to design, build and deliver the best technologies available to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and our allies." In 2019, GM Defense partnered with Ricardo Defense after the U.S. Army awarded three $1 million contracts to competing industry providers to develop ISV prototypes for testing, evaluation and down-selection for the production contract. Ricardo Defense will support key product logistics and fielding requirements of the GM Defense ISV. "The entire Ricardo team is proud to continue our work with GM Defense on the ISV contract, and to provide our infantry troops in harm's way with this highly-capable, and much needed vehicle," said Chet Gryczan, president of Ricardo Defense. "Being awarded the ISV program is a testament to Ricardo's success in developing and delivering key integrated product logistics and life-cycle sustainment plans for our customers' top priorities. The ISV will showcase the speed at which the Army can rapidly produce, field and sustain new equipment by leveraging a proven commercially available vehicle and the global supply chain infrastructure of General Motors, supported by Ricardo." GM Defense is driving the future of military mobility by leveraging the best-in-class capabilities of General Motors for unmatched innovation, proven performance and breakthrough life-cycle economics. Stay tuned for future updates on www.GMDefenseLLC.com . GM Defense LLC delivers integrated vehicles, power & propulsion, and mobility & autonomy solutions to global defense, security, and government markets. The exceptional reliability of GM Defense's technologies results from decades of proven performance and billions of dollars spent in independent research and development by its parent, General Motors, a world leader in global design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities. SOURCE General Motors Co. Related Links http://www.gm.com In Starr County, Texas, the pandemic has become a "before and after" story before the state took over, and after it did. The large but sparsely populated county on the Texas-Mexico border had managed to keep the coronavirus contained in the early months by imposing 14-day quarantine restrictions on people who tested positive, closing businesses before the state ordered closures, linking with private businesses to provide testing, and implementing a curfew with fines and jail penalties. Then, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott overrode the local decisions and began a phased-in reopening of businesses in the state in April. They took the teeth away from us to be able to enforce anything, said Alberto Perez, the city manager for Rio Grande City, the largest city in the county with a population of more than 64,000. In the two months after Abbott exerted his authority, Starr County has watched its handful of cases on many days there were no new ones steadily climb and spike this month. On June 22, the county, located in the Rio Grande Valley, saw a peak of 75 new cases. It had reported no deaths from the virus until Tuesday, when there were three. The county had recorded 407 total cases of the coronavirus by Friday, compared to the nine cases it had up to April 29, the day after Abbott made clear his rules trumped those of local officials. It has been a dramatic change here, said Dr. Jose Vasquez, the local health authority and head of the Starr County Memorial Hospital Board. As the county was forced to reopen businesses, the reopenings created a false sense that it was OK to get together to go out, to gather between families, and that led to a significant increase in cases, Vasquez said. "The governor erred," Carlos Martinez, a Rio Grande City restaurant worker, said. "We were doing very well" under the stricter regulations. He acknowledged the stricter rules had an economic impact on businesses, but said "health is more important" because "without health, there is no economy." Story continues Across Texas, the closings had taken their economic toll and there had been pressure to reopen as unemployment rose. Texas' economy was also being rocked by the drop in oil prices. But Rose Benavidez, president of the Starr County Industrial Foundation, which helps the local government and businesses develop the local economy, said the countys early experience shows there is always a way to try to reconcile the safety and the economic needs of our county." "We know theres metrics to try to get a feel for how things should go, but our community can be an example of how quickly things went wrong, Benavidez said. Most of the cases at the beginning of the pandemic were travel-related, meaning a person who had traveled from outside the county brought it into Starr County. But over about the last month, the county has seen a lot of community and family spread, sometimes through family gatherings, Perez and Vasquez said. In one family alone, up to 20 people have been infected, Vasquez said. For six to eight weeks in my county, we were able to get the situation very, very well controlled. There was a time where we went through 21 straight days without any COVID cases. At some point, we had eight to 10 cases, where in the neighboring counties they had about 200 cases, Vasquez said. That is no longer the situation here after the governor released activities and we went back to business, and the measures we had taken were lifted and the capability of imposing restrictions and fines were lifted. We have seen a dramatic increase in our numbers, he said. Vasquez said the county has increased testing, but he said the increases in cases cannot be attributed to testing alone. On Friday, after four straight days of more than 5,000 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 22,743, Abbott scaled back on the capacity allowed for restaurants and ordered bars to close by noon (but allowed for them to continue with takeout and delivery sales), closed rafting and tubing businesses that are popular in summer with young people, particularly in Central Texas, and issued requirements for permission to hold certain gatherings of 100 or more people. Image: Greg Abbott (Eric Gay / AP file) At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars, Abbott said in a statement. As in other states, the county is seeing many of the new cases in younger people, many in their early 20s, who are not becoming as ill as older residents. But they still have the potential to spread the virus to their own parents or grandparents or older residents who will need critical care. Vasquez said he and other medical personnel are very concerned about whether they could handle an increase in hospitalizations. The county is one of the poorest in the nation and the state, is majority Latino, and many are not insured or are underinsured. The county has a 49-bed hospital. Critical cases usually go to a hospital in McAllen, about 50 minutes away, but neighboring Rio Grande Valley counties are seeing their hospitalizations and emergency room numbers increase too, Vasquez said. Neighboring Hidalgo County has had 2,503 positive cases with 947 in the last four days, while Cameron County, where Brownsville is the largest city, has had 1,881 cases, with 335 between June 23 and 25. We have now several hospitals which are having to turn away patients because they are at full capacity, Vasquez said. Rural hospitals in Texas were facing challenges before the coronavirus hit, but their woes have been amplified by the pandemic, said John Henderson, CEO and president of the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. Of the 157 rural hospitals in Texas, defined as hospitals in counties with populations of 60,000 or less, about 30 to 40 dont have ventilators and many dont have ICU beds, he said. Staffing too is an issue because rural locations may lack specialists, such as critical care physicians and pulmonologists. Henderson said 44 percent of Texas rural hospitals had negative operating margins and in 2019, 60 of the 157 in the state had less than 30 days cash on hand. Congress included money for rural hospitals in the coronavirus relief package it approved in March to help with the strain on their budgets. Benavidez said local officials succeeded early in getting the public to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and accept other precautions. She said as the governor scales back his reopening, he could consider one more thing. The governor was very astute when he started," she said, "knowing officials knew their community locally really well and knew what their community responded to. And if we had more latitude to work on that, I think wed have a much better public response. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Now that New York is beginning to reopen as infection numbers in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic fall, you might have received an invitation to visit a friends beach or lake house. But, just how risky is an overnight stay with friends or family? If you know the hosts and other guests well, and can be sure their recent activities have been low-risk, its not a bad idea to go, said Dr. Eric Cioe-Pena, director of Global Health for the Northwell Health System, which operates Staten Island University Hospital. You really have to know those people and trust them,' he said. With an overnight stay, its much harder to maintain social distance.' Its important to be certain that other guests havent been out and about in states with high incidence of the coronavirus, the doctor said. Currently, those states include several in the south and west, including Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Tennessee and Texas. Also, during the visit, outdoor activities are safest, he said, and good hygiene always goes a long way toward keeping people healthy. When possible, choose larger rooms, decks or patios to gather. Dont be in the bathroom with other people,' he said, noting that opening the door after using the restroom, but before washing your hands, prevents the spread of germs. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** While socializing, stay aware of social distancing protocols, he said, adding that now isnt the best time to over-indulge. Alcohol and social distancing are not compatible,' he said. We have to make sure we have our wits about us.' Also, before visiting others overnight, consider who youll be returning to, Cioe-Pena said. If everyone is young and healthy, you can be less worried,' he explained. But, if youre living with Grandma, and Grandma has diabetes and heart disease, skip the sleepover and drive home that night.' Though activities like overnight visits do bring additional risk, they also provide health benefits, the doctor said. Some of these activities bring a higher likelihood of transmitting the virus, but huge benefits to our mental health and sanity,' he said. You cant look at this stuff in a vacuum. Theres a lot of factors in play.' An Egyptian misdemeanour court sentenced on Saturday controversial Egyptian belly dancer Sama El-Masry to three years in prison and a EGP 300,000 fine after she was convicted of inciting debauchery and immorality. El-Masry, detained in April, was found guilty of inciting immorality via social media through posting what authorities had described as indecent photos and videos of herself. The sentence can still be appealed. On 23 April, El-Masry was arrested for posting sexually suggestive videos on social media, and had her detention renewed multiple times pending investigation. The prosecutor-generals office said earlier it received a number of complaints from citizens over El-Masrys posts. El-Masry denied the charges, saying the videos had been taken from her mobile phone which was stolen in June 2019. The controversial belly dancer, who had previously released videos online mocking the Muslim Brotherhood group during the one-year rule of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, claimed that members of the outlawed group were the ones who reported her to the prosecution over her political views. Search Keywords: Short link: The BJPs Madhya Pradesh unit is in a dilemma over organising chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans rallies in all the 24 assembly constituencies, which will witness by-polls in the coming months, as the number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases are on the rise in the state, according to party leaders. They said social distancing norms will be difficult to ensure even if the party gets permission to hold the rallies from the district administration Leaders said the Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to hold the rallies in all the 24 constituencies by mid-July as Election Commission of India is expected to announce the dates of election by July end. Organising of virtual rallies was discussed in the party meetings and it will be held too given the present Covid situation but what worries the party at this moment is dissidence within the party at the local level in many of these constituencies which is difficult to quell through virtual rallies only, a senior BJP leader familiar with the partys plan said. Of the 24 assembly constituencies in 14 districts, 16 fall in Gwalior-Chambal region including five in Morena district alone. Twenty-two of the 24 seats fell vacant in March when Congress MLAs resigned from the state assembly in a rebellion against the then chief minister Kamal Nath. All these former MLAs are loyalists of Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia. who quit Congress to join the BJP on March 11. A traditional rally with the thin presence of people will send out a wrong message about the partys base and the CMs popularity but with a large gathering, it will be difficult to ensure social distancing among participants. Another problem is how to get permission from the district administration as the state government itself has banned in the state social, political and religious gatherings and programmes, the BJP leader cited above said. At the same time, said the leader, The party leadership wants party workers meetings in every constituency in a bid to mobilise them for the election but given the Covid situation several party leaders are scared as to how to protect themselves from corona if such meetings are held and they have to attend these meetings. Notably, on Thursday, the BJPs national president JP Nadda had emphasised on the importance of virtual rallies. Whereas in traditional rallies a gathering of even 2 lakh persons is considered an impressive gathering through virtual rallies the party could reach out to lakhs and lakhs of people, Nadda had said. A second BJP leader said, Virtual rallies are in the offing as a part of the election campaign but the party wants at least one traditional rally in each of the constituencies to be addressed by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other leaders. The districts which will witness by-polls include Morena, Gwalior, Bhind, Datia, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashok Nagar, Sagar, Anuppur, Raisen, Dewas, Dhar, Indore and Mandsaur. Many of these districts are hotspots. On Thursday, the district administration in Morena sealed the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border after a spurt in Covid-19 cases. As of now, the party is planning virtual rallies for the entire state to be addressed by our leaders, including chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state BJP president VD Sharma, on the completion of one year of the NDA government at the Centre in its second term, Rajneesh Agrawal, the BJP spokesperson of the state unit, said. The dates will be announced soon. I am not aware of any such rally about state assembly constituencies, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi, June 27 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will visit the 10,000-bed Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre at Radha Soami Satsang Beas at Chattarpur in south Delhi around 5 p.m. on Saturday. The Covid-19 centre is being developed under the Union Home Ministry's supervision to meet the beds shortage amid rise in number of novel coronavirus cases in Delhi. Of the 77,204 cases reported in the national capital, 27,657 are active cases and 2,492 people have died. Around 2,000 beds are also being made operational at the Sardar Patel Covid-19 care centre. The operation of this centre, including availability of adequate medical personnel, has been entrusted to the central armed police forces, led by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). While the Delhi government has been providing all administrative support, the Radha Soami Beas, the campus, housing and other infrastructure as well as food. The centre's bed capacity may rise to 10,200. It will be the largest Covid-19 care facility in India. More than 1,000 doctors, nurses and paramedic staff of the ITBP and other paramilitary forces have been deployed at the facility. An additional 1,000 paramedical, assistant and security staff have also been posted there. The centre will have two segments - Covid care centre, where asymptomatic cases will be treated, and the dedicated Covid health care. The Covid care centre will account for 90 per cent of beds, the dedicated Covid health care, the rest 10 per cent of beds. More than 75 ambulances will be deployed at the centre. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend: Turkmenistan and the United Nations (UN) have considered joint actions to combat the pandemic and its economic impact during a videoconference, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. During the videoconference, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General on Reforms Jens Wandel noted the importance of uniting all countries to fight the pandemic. The participants stressed the measures taken in Turkmenistan to prevent dangerous infectious diseases. In particular, they include activities of the country's Emergency Commission to Combat the Spread of Diseases, the implementation of the Turkmenistan Preparedness and Response Plan for Acute Infectious Disease, and the country's accession to The COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). Earlier, Turkmenistan proposed to consider the possibility of creating new international legal mechanisms within the UN aimed at ensuring the stable functioning of international transport and transit corridors during emergencies. To date, there are no registered cases of coronavirus infection in Turkmenistan. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva The Houston Association of Realtors has quietly decided to allow its members to drop use of the word 'master' from its sales listings after some complained of its references to slavery. The association made the decision, which affects its website and Multiple Listing Service, or MLS, on June 15. Listings, instead, began using the word 'primary' in references to the main rooms and baths on sale and rental properties. The change came in response to requests made by the association's members, according to a statement from the association. The Houston Association of Realtors has quietly decided to drop use of the word 'master' from its sales listings after members complained of its references to slavery However, the association will continue allowing use of the word 'master' in marketing materials and in public speaking when deemed appropriate, reports the Houston Chronicle. A DailyMail.com review of the association's website Friday revealed listings with the change, including one for a home on Burdine Street that lists a 'primary bedroom'. But the same listing goes back to using the word 'master' in a description of the property, which is selling between $215,000 and $250,000. A DailyMail.com review of the association's website Friday revealed listings with the change, including one for a home on Burdine Street that lists a 'primary bedroom' The same listing goes back to using the word 'master' in a description of the property, which is selling between $215,000 and $250,000. The association is still allowing use of the word 'master' in marketing materials and in public speaking when deemed appropriate Tiffany Curry, a black Houston real estate broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, said use of the word master 'represents a stigma and place in time that we need to move forward from,' in an interview about the change with the Chronicle. 'As a progressive, diverse city, Houston should be reflective of its citizenship,' she said. The suggested word change also came after the police-related slaying of George Floyd on Memorial Day set in motion Black Lives Matter protests across the country. Tiffany Curry, a black Houston real estate broker and owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, said use of the word master 'represents a stigma and place in time that we need to move forward from,' in an interview about the change with the Houston Chronicle Demonstrators have called for an end to police brutality and systematic racism after the 46-year-old father of five died while being arrested by former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin, who is white, was charged with Floyd's murder after he pressed his knee against the black man's neck for almost 9 minutes, leading to his death. Floyd's passing was caught on video by a bystander, sparking outrage over the slaying and sparking change, including the removal of Confederate statues and the renaming of brands deemed racist in origin, including Aunt Jemima pancake and syrup mix. The suggested word change also came after the police-related slaying of George Floyd on Memorial Day. The 46-year-old father of five is pictured in video footage of his slaying with ex-cop Derek Chauvin pressing his knee against his neck for almost nine minutes Floyd is not mentioned in the association's statement, which was sent to its members and explains, 'the MLS Advisory Group regularly reviews the terms and fields used in the MLS to make sure they are consistent with the current market environment.' 'The updates to Primary Bedroom and Primary Bath were among nine requests for review that were submitted by members and considered at the most recent meetings,' the association explained. The association said that it had received an 'overarching message' from its members about the continued use of the word master in listings, saying they were 'concerned about how the terms might be perceived by some other agents and consumers.' 'The consensus was that Primary describes the rooms equally as well as Master while avoiding any possible misperceptions,' the association said. D etectives have released images of 10 people they believe have engaged in serious violence and violent disorder during clashes at London protests. A total of 238 people have now been arrested in connection with demonstrations across central London in recent weeks. Scotland Yard previously released 60 images of people they were seeking following action in the capital by far-right affiliated groups and Black Lives Matter protesters. On Saturday, Met Police commander Bas Javid said the force's ongoing investigations were proving fruitful, with another five people detained on Friday. Johnson slams racist thuggery as violence escalates in London after day of protests Mr Javid said: Our investigation into violent disorder at several protests in central London over the past few weeks remains ongoing. "We are continuing to arrest those responsible, including another five people yesterday, and I would like to thank everyone who has contacted us in response to our recent appeals. Whilst we acknowledge that the vast majority of people who attended the recent protests and, who are continuing to protest in order to make their voices heard, have behaved peacefully, we witnessed a minority who were intent on behaving violently and causing harm. The violence that was directed towards police officers will not be tolerated. Today, we have issued images of a further 10 people who we need to identify and speak with. And I would again encourage anyone who recognises them to phone police. Detectives have been carefully analysing hours of CCTV, body worn video from officers, as well as footage which has been widely circulated on social media. It is likely more images will be released over the coming days and weeks as enquiries progress, police said. Anyone with information is asked to contact the investigation team on 020 8246 9386 or Tweet @MetCC on Twitter quoting the relevant image number. Anyone with footage of the violent clashes is asked to send it to officers via ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk, selecting the incident Operation Minorca Central London Protest Disorder. Coronavirus Updates: Maharashtra reported the biggest single-day spike of 5,493 COVID-19 cases so far on Sunday, which took the tally of patients in the state to 1,64,626. Auto refresh feeds With over 25.2 lakh reported cases till date, the United States is the worst-affected country in the world. The US is followed by Brazil, Russia, India and the United Kingdom. Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world stand at 99.8 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University CSSE. This figure includes COVID-19 patients who have recovered and the overall global death toll which stands at 4.9 lakh. Assam has reported 7,165 COVID-19 patients, of which 4,814 have been discharged, a daily bulletin of the Assam Health and Family Welfare Department said. It said the state has 2,338 active COVID-19 cases, reports PTI. The number of coronavirus cases in Assam crossed the 7,000-mark yesterday after 246 more people, including 31 police personnel, tested positive, while the death toll due to the disease rose to 10, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. "A complete lockdown would be imposed in the city of Guwahati from June 28 (7 pm), for 14 days. The instructions have been issued by the government. Lockdown will be implemented very strictly in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Munna Prasad Gupta, Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, told ANI on Saturday. A complete lockdown would be enforced in Guwahati for the next 14 days beginning Sunday, said the Guwahati Commissioner of Police. This is for the first time that an Indian prime minister addressed the annual meeting of the AAPI, a representative body of more than 80,000 Indian-American doctors in the US. In an address during the virtual meeting of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) on Saturday, Modi said COVID-19 had been used as an opportunity to work towards making the country self-reliant. India's fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic is driven by its people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, attributing the "success" against the pandemic to the implementation the nationwide lockdown in its initial phase. The milestone will come as many hard-hit countries are easing lockdowns while making extensive alterations to work and social life that could last for a year or more until a vaccine is available. The figure is roughly double the number of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to the World Health Organisation. Global coronavirus cases neared 10 million on Sunday according to a Reuters tally, marking a major milestone in the spread of the respiratory disease that has so far killed almost half a million people in seven months, reports Reuters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation at 11.00 am today, via his monthly radio show Mann ki Baat. The prime minister is likely to talk about the novel coronavirus pandemic and Indias response, among other things. The reported active COVID-19 cases in India now stand at 2,03,051, with as many as 3,09,712 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged so far, the Union Health Ministry has said in its latest update. Indias cases on Sunday rose by 19,906 to 5,28,859. This is the highest daily rise in cases so far. The toll is up to 16,095, with 410 more deaths reported. With 1,59,133 COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of infections, followed by Delhi (80,188) and Tamil Nadu (78,335). The company said in a news release Friday that it tested 1,142 employees at the plant in Noel from June 17 to June 19, and 291 tested positive for COVID-19. Of those 291, Tyson said 249, or 85%, were asymptomatic. Tyson Foods has announced that 371 employees at its chicken processing plant in the far southwestern corner of Missouri have tested positive for COVID-19, reports AP. Thirty-three Border Security Force personnel test positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, reports ANI. BSFs overall count rises to 944. This includes 637 recoveries and five deaths. Salons and parlours across Mumbai opened on Sunday with precautions. Under the Mission Begin Again phase IV, only services like haircuts, dyeing hair, waxing and threading can be offered. Any services related to the skin have been prohibited. In addition, some salons are requesting patrons to download the Aarogya Setu mobile application, while a few others have made wearing gloves and mask mandatory. The United States on Saturday surpassed 2.5 million coronavirus cases, a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University showed, as the world's hardest-hit country grappled with a surge of infections in several states, reporTs AFP. The country also recorded 43,121 new infections in 24 hours, concluding a week with the most newly reported cases since the start of the pandemic. Huge rush of people at a market in Guwahati before complete lockdown is imposed in the entire Kamrup Metropolitan district from midnight today for the next 14 days, due to rise in COVID-19 cases, reports ANI. Narendra Modi on Sunday during his 'Mann Ki Baat' address said that the nation needs to be more careful during Unlock than the previous phases lockdown. I appeal to the people to not be careless, he says. Please wear masks and observe physical distancing guidelines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Unlock also helped open certain sectors of Indias economy. India is unlocking, be it in sectors like coal, space, agriculture and more, he says. This is the time to work together to make India self-reliant and technologically advanced he said. They said the count of containment zones is expected to jump further as the authorities in some districts were yet to complete the task of redrawing such areas following the Centre's directions. Before the re-mapping exercise, the number of containment zones was 280 in the city, an official said. The number of COVID-19 containment zones in Delhi has risen to 417 after re-mapping of such areas, while around 2.45 lakh people have been screened in a mammoth exercise to check the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital, officials told PTI on Sunday. Shankersinh Vaghela, former chief minister of Gujarat, tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. He was suffering from fever for last three-four days and was quarantined at his home in Gandhinagar under doctor's guidance, his aid told PTI. "He tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday and was shifted to a private hospital on Sunday morning on the advice of his doctor," the aide said. The Indian Council of Medical Research says so far, 82,27,802 samples have been tested for the virus, of which 2,31,095 were tested yesterday. Around the second week of June, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that by 31 July there will be 5.5 lakh persons infected with the virus. He said that there will be no place left, no beds left and the situation will be difficult. This created a lot of fear in the minds of people in Delhi, Shah said in an interview to news agency ANI. Union home minister Amit Shah has said he disagrees with Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia that the national capital will have 5.5 lakh Covid-19 cases by the end of July. He further added, "Such a situation appeared because of the total tests done, earlier 30% turned out to be positive and that was happening because tests were done at the last moment. Now that we have started doing 20,000 tests on average, this condition is not there. I have held technical discussions on this...today this situation is not there in Delhi. There is no need to fear, Shah told ANI. Amit Shah also said that there is no community transmission in Delhi. When asked about the difference of opinion between the Centre and Delhi government on announcing whether community transmission had begun in the country, the Union minister said, I have talked to three senior-most officials - Dr Paul (from NITI Aayog), IMCR chief Dr Bhargava and Dr Guleria (AIIMS New Delhi Director). This situation has not come to Delhi." Taking a dig at the opposition, Union home minister Amit Shah in an interview to ANI, said, "The Indian government fought well against coronavirus. I can't advise Rahul Gandhi, that's the job of his party leaders. Some people are 'vakradrashti', they see wrong even in the right things. India fought well against and our figures are much better compared to the world." A retired police constable died of COVID-19 while 29 fresh cases were reported, taking the toll to 11 and the tally of infections to 648 in the Union Territory on Sunday, PTI reports. "There is coordination...Arvind Kejriwal is always kept in the loop. He is also involved in decision making. Some political statements may have been made but no impact on decision making. After Manish Sisodias statement (of 5.5 lakh cases by July-end), Narendra Modi also asked the Home Ministry to help Delhi government. Soon after, a coordination meeting was called and a number of decisions, including testing of all individuals in containment zones, were taken," he said. Amit Shah while talking to ANI on Sunday said that there was coordination between Centre and Delhi's coordination to tackle the virus. "We decided that within two days last rites of bodies will be done as per religion. Today, no body is left for last rites. Now last rituals are conducted same day," he added. Amit Shah said that after Manish Sisodia made the remark of Delhi's COVID-19 tally reaching 5.5 lakh mark by July-end, the home ministry assisted the state government and helped it take several measures including testing of all individuals in containment zones. At the time, there were also more than 350 bodies of people who had died due to the virus that were waiting to be cremated, he said. "Since lockdown began, both Narendra Modi and I spoke to all CMs and told them to make stay and food arrangements for migrants. Arrangements were made for around 2.5 crore people. Rs 11,000 crores from the National Disaster Relief Fund was transferred to the states. It was ensured that hospitals and quarantine centres were operational in the receiving states. Soon after, the Prime Minsiter decided to run Shramik Special train services, and till now, around 63 lakh migrants have travelled by 4594 trains," Amit Shah said. Amit Shah on Sunday said that India will successfully overcome the twin challenges posed by the coronavirus crisis and the face-off with China. The recovered cases have exceeded the active cases by 1,06,661 as on Saturday, the ministry said. A total of 3,09,712 patients have been cured of COVID-19 so far with 13,832 patients having recovered in the last 24 hours, it said."The recovery rate is 58.56 per cent amongst COVID-19 patients," the ministry said. The gap between recoveries and active cases of COVID-19 has crossed 1,00,000, the Union health ministry said on Sunday as coronavirus cases in India mounted to 5,28,859 and the death toll rose to 16,095. Uddhav Thackeray via online video conferencing on Sunday announced that the lockdown in Maharashtra is still 30 June." What is going to happen after June 30? We have to keep the word 'lockdown' aside. But after June 30, will lockdown be lifted? No, strictly speaking, lockdown won't be lifted but things won't remain the same," said Thackeray. Udhhav Thackeray on Sunday said, "It's not as if because we are opening up things, the threat of the disease has passed. Do not go out for non-essential things, only step out for essential things." "We are fighting the coronavirus crisis by using any weapon that we can get since March. We also started plasma therapy. Our state might probably turn into the biggest user of plasma therapy. I want to ask the patients who have recovered to come and donate plasma, so that you can save other lives," said Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the cases in the state have risen because "We have opened up, but we have also ramped up testing. We are also increasing the health care facilities. " "By 30 June, 30,000 beds will be available. 8000 beds are available in railway coaches and 8000 more will be added. DRDO is also setting up a dedicated hospital with 250 ICU beds," said Home Minister Amit Shah on tackling COVID-19 crisis in Delhi. Uddhav Thackeray said Tuesday, 30 June, will be observed as National Doctors Day in Maharashtra, reports ANI. They are fighting for us, I offer my gratitude to them, he adds. COVID-19 is not over yet, we will tackle this issue together. We should not be restless and go out unnecessarily. About a week after the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had issued a show-cause notice to 32 board of management members and trustees of Rajasthan Hospital in Shahibaug, for the delay in admitting a COVID-19 patient, resulting in his death, the urban local body on Saturday registered an FIR against the hospital board of management members and trustees while also imposing a penalty of Rs 77 lakh, reports The Indian Express. COVID-19 total in Odisha rose to 6,614 with 264 new cases reported in last 24 hours, according to the latest update from the health ministry/ Of new positive cases, 234 have been detected from quarantine centres and 30 are local contacts. The cases were reported from 23 districts. Former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal says Class 10 board exams should be scrapped next year as a big part of this academic year has been lost due to the pandemic, reports PTI. The Haryana government announces that shopping malls will re-open in Gurugram and Faridabad districts from 1 July, reports ANI. The shopping malls will have to follow the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the central government. "He lost the battle today after a valiant fight," a hospital source said. Sources said the doctor died in the ICU of Max Smart, a dedicated COVID-19 facility in Saket. Several hundreds of healthcare workers have been infected with COVID-19 till date in Delhi. A doctor of the city government-run LNJP Hospital died of COVID-19 in the ICU of a private dedicated coronavirus facility on Sunday, sources told PTI. The doctor, a consultant anaesthesiologist, died in the morning, they added. LNJP Hospital is a dedicated COVID-19 facility under the Delhi government. The process to waive off farm loans has been delayed due to the model code of conduct during local body elections and COVID=19 pandemic in Maharashtra, said the chief minister. "Now, we have decided to write off loans of the remaining farmers," said Uddhav Thackeray Karnataka reports 1,267 new coronavirus positive cases including 783 cases from Bengaluru Urban, taking the total number of cases to 13,190. Death count rises to 207 after 16 deaths were reported today, reports ANI quoting the state health department. Maharashtra reported the biggest single-day spike of 5,493 COVID-19 cases so far on Sunday, which took the tally of patients in the state to 1,64,626, a health official said. The state also reported deaths of 156 coronavirus positive patients, due to which the number of victims grew to 7,429, the official said. Of the 156 fatalities reported on Sunday, 60 had taken place in the last 48 hours, while the remaining patients had succumbed to the infection before that, although COVID-19 was not mentioned as the cause of their deaths earlier, he said. The COVID-19 case count in Odisha reached 6,614 on Sunday with 264 fresh infections and the death toll rose to 21 after three more people succumbed to the disease, a health department official said. The deceased persons include a 73-year-old man from Bhubaneswar, who was suffering from diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney ailments; a 65-year-old man from Cuttack and a 75-year-old man from Ganjam, both of whom had diabetes and hypertension, the official said. As many as 137 patients recovered from the highly infectious disease on Sunday, taking the number of cured persons to 4,743, which is 71.71 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases in the state. The state has 1,843 active cases. he said. As many as 402 new coronavirus positive cases were reported in the Haryana on Sunday, taking the total number of cases to 13,829. The toll rose to 223 with five more deaths, reports ANI quoting the state health department. Dr Gaurav Pandey from IP University, Dr Anurag Rathore from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and Mr Prateek Mittal from Medsource Ozone form a translational team which will "develop a scalable process to produce the required antigens components and manufacture the point of care lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) device". The LFIA test provides the results in maximum 15-20 minutes and is almost resource independent, the statement said. "It doesn't require high-end equipment and can be used in remote settings. The partnership with an industrial partner Medsource Ozone Pvt. Ltd will ensure faster diffusion of technology, manufacturing and commercialization," it added. The Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University will lead a project to develop a low-cost test for rapid detection of COVID-19 antibodies, a statement from the university said on Sunday. The translational project of Rs 98 lakh was submitted to BIRAC-DBT by Dr Gaurav Pandey of the University School of Biotechnology (USBT). It has been selected for funding in response to a research consortium call on COVID -19, the statement added. Telangana recorded 983 new #COVID19 positive cases today, taking the total number of cases to 14,419. Death toll rises to 247 after 4 deaths were reported today. There are 9000 active cases and 5,172 patients have been discharged till date: State Government pic.twitter.com/MZcTVN1JqX Jharkhand reports 22 new coronavirus positive cases and 69 recoveries today. Total number of cases in the state stands at 2,342 including 606 active cases,1724 recoveries and 12 deaths, reports ANI quoting the state health department Religious places in rural areas of the state where limited number of devotees visit are allowed to open from 1 July, ANI quotes the Rajasthan Chief Minister's Office as saying. "He (ward boy) was put on staggered duty and did not come after 19 June. He had diabetes and hypertension. He was admitted on June 26 and on Saturday was shifted to emergency block COVID ward," a senior official said. He had developed kidney failure and died on Sunday afternoon, the official said. A 53-year-old man, who was employed as a ward boy in the NDMC-run Hindu Rao Hospital, died of COVID-19 on Sunday, officials said. He tested positive for the disease on Saturday, they said. The Hindu Rao Hospital, run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), was on June 14 declared a dedicated COVID-19 hospital. It is the largest civic facility in the national capital. 84 new coronavirus positive cases have been reported in Chhattisgarh today, taking the total number cases such cases to 2,964 including 619 active cases, 2,062 discharges and 13 deaths, reports ANI quoting the state health department. Coronavirus Updates: Maharashtra reported the biggest single-day spike of 5,493 COVID-19 cases so far on Sunday, which took the tally of patients in the state to 1,64,626. Confirmed cases in Tamil Nadu surged to 82,275 as state reported 3,940 new coronavirus positive cases and 54 deaths today. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced that the government has decided to extend lockdown for another 15 days - from 1 July to 15 July. The Haryana government announces that shopping malls will re-open in Gurugram and Faridabad districts from 1 July, reports ANI. The shopping malls will have to follow the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the central government. Uddhav Thackeray via online video conferencing on Sunday announced that the lockdown in Maharashtra is still 30 June. 'What is going to happen after 30 June? We have to keep the word 'lockdown' aside. But after June 30, will lockdown be lifted? No, strictly speaking, lockdown won't be lifted but things won't remain the same,' said Thackeray. Amit Shah also said that there is no community transmission in Delhi. When asked about the difference of opinion between the Centre and Delhi government on announcing whether community transmission had begun in the country, the Union minister said, 'I have talked to three senior-most officials - Dr Paul (from NITI Aayog), IMCR chief Dr Bhargava and Dr Guleria (AIIMS New Delhi Director). This situation has not come to Delhi.' Narendra Modi on Sunday during his 'Mann Ki Baat' address said that the nation needs to be more careful during 'Unlock' than the previous phases lockdown. I appeal to the people to not be careless, he says. Please wear masks and observe physical distancing guidelines. Indias COVID-19cases on Sunday rose by 19,906 to 5,28,859. This is the highest daily rise in cases so far. The toll is up to 16,095, with 410 more deaths reported. A complete lockdown would be enforced in Guwahati for the next 14 days beginning Sunday, said the Guwahati Commissioner of Police. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in Assam crossed the 7,000-mark on Saturday after 246 more people, including 31 police personnel, tested positive, while the death toll due to the disease rose to 10. India's coronavirus case count soared to 5,08,953 on Saturday with the highest single-day surge of 18,552 cases, while the death toll climbed to 15,685 with 384 fatalities, according to Union health ministry data. On the backdrop of an increase in infections, the Karnataka government announced a range of measures including limiting working days of government offices to five days and revising night curfew timings. According to news agency PTI, it took 110 days for coronavirus infection in the country to reach one lakh while it took just 39 days more to go past the five lakh-mark on 27 June. Saturday was the fourth consecutive day when coronavirus infection increased by more than 15,000 while there has been a surge of 3,18,418 infections from 1 till 27 June. Of the 384 fatalities reported till Saturday 8 am, 175 were in Maharashtra, 63 in Delhi, 46 in Tamil Nadu, 19 in Uttar Pradesh, 18 in Gujarat, 13 in Haryana, 12 in Andhra Pradesh, 10 each in West Bengal and Karnataka. of the remaining, seven deaths were reported in Telangana, four in Madhya Pradesh, two in Punjab, one each in Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Of the total 15,685 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra tops the count with 7,106 deaths, followed by Delhi with 2,492 deaths, Gujarat with 1,771, Tamil Nadu with 957, Uttar Pradesh with 630, West Bengal with 616, Madhya Pradesh with 546, Rajasthan with 380 and Telangana with 237 deaths. According to the health ministry, more than 70 percent deaths took place due to comorbidities. Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of cases at 1,52,765 followed by Delhi at 77,240, Tamil Nadu at 74,622, Gujarat at 30,095, Uttar Pradesh at 20,943, Rajasthan at 16,660 and West Bengal at 16,190, the ministry data stated. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 12,884 in Haryana, 12,798 in Madhya Pradesh, 12,349 in Telangana, 11,489 in Andhra Pradesh and 11,005 in Karnataka, the data showed. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)," the ministry said, adding that 8,023 cases are being reassigned to states. Recoveries near 3 lakh According to the morning update issued by the health ministry, the number of active cases stands at 1,97,387 while 2,95,880 people have recovered and one patient has migrated. Thus the recovery rate stands at 58.13, the health ministry said. Among the states, Maharashtra has the highest number of recoveries (73,214), followed by Gujarat (21,476) and Delhi (18,574), it stated. Noting that India's recovery rate is rising, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is much better placed than many other nations due to lockdown and many initiatives taken by the government as well as a people-driven fight. However, he cautioned people against letting their guard down. "In fact, we have to be even more careful now. Wearing masks, following social distancing, avoiding crowded places remain important," he said addressing a public event in Pathanamthitta in Kerala via video conference. '87 percent deaths from eight states' In another statement released in the evening, the health ministry said that a Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 was informed that eight states Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal contributed to 85.5 percent of the active COVID-19 caseload and 87 percent of the total deaths due to the disease in India. The health ministry said it also informed the GOM during its 17th meeting that the COVID-related health infrastructure has been strengthened with the availability of 1,039 dedicated COVID-19 Hospitals with 1,76,275 isolation beds, 22,940 ICU beds and 77,268 oxygen-supported beds, the ministry said. Also, 2,398 dedicated COVID-19 health centres with 1,39,483 isolation beds, 11,539 ICU beds and 51,321 oxygen-supported beds have been operationalised. ICMR Director General Balram Bhargav told the GoM that India now has 1,026 diagnostic labs dedicated to COVID-19. This includes 741 in the government sector and 285 private labs. According to the ICMR, till 26 June, a cumulative total of 79,96,707 samples have been tested with 2,20,479 samples being tested on Friday, the highest in a day since the contagion began to spread in India. The GoM was also told that 15 central teams consisting of public health experts, epidemiologists and a senior joint secretary-level officer have been deployed to provide support to the states. Another central team is currently visiting Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana to boost the ongoing efforts for managing COVID-19, it said. Meanwhile, a Central team consisting of Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Civil Affairs Kunal Kumar and others, visited Maharashtra's Thane district which has reported 27,479 cases till Friday. While Agarwal said efforts should be focused on reducing the mortality rate and suggested testing capacity be increased in the district, Pradip Vyas, principal secretary (health) in the Maharashtra government said the need of the hour was large-scale contact tracing, increasing the number of tests and setting up of more quarantine facilities. Karnataka announces Sunday curfew from 5 July Amid a rise in coronavirus infections, the Karnataka government announced a slew of decisions, including total lockdown on Sundays starting 5 July and revision in night curfew timings from 9 pm to 5am to 8 pm to 5 am with effect from 29 June. The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa with ministers and officials amid growing outcry by the Opposition to impose stringent lockdown measures to contain COVID-19 cases in the state. "Lockdown would be imposed every Sunday, with effect from 5 July, 2020 until further orders. No activities shall be permitted on that day except essential services and supplies. All government offices shall remain closed on all Saturdays, along with second and fourth Saturdays with effect from 10 July," said an official statement. According to a bulletin released by the Karnataka health department, confirmed cases in the state surged to 11,923 as 918 more persons tested positive for the novel coronavirus while 11 succumbed to the diseases, taking the toll to 191. Four persons have so far died due to non-COVID-19 causes, the bulletin added. States report new cases New cases and fatalities were also reported in other states and UTs including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi. Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 1,59,133 with a record 5,318 new patients confirmed positive on Saturday. The toll due to the virus reached 7,273 with 167 fatalities coming to light on Saturday. Mumbai recorded 1,460 fresh COVID-19 cases and 41 deaths, taking the total number of infections in the metropolis to 73,747 and toll to 4,282, reported ANI quoting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Gujarat too reported its highest single-day spike with 615 patients testing positive for the virus, taking the overall caseload to 30,773, the state health department said. With the death of 18 patients on Saturday, the number of fatalities has gone up to 1,790. But the number of the recovered cases climbed to 22,417 after discharge of 379 patients in the day and the state now has 6,566, it said. Former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela too tested positive for the novel coronavirus, reported News18. He is displaying mild symptoms and is currently quarantined at home. Delhi on Saturday registered 2,948 new coronavirus cases and 66 deaths, taking the total number of cases to 80,188 and toll to 2,558. On Saturday, a serological survey to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the spread of COVID-19 in the National Capital commenced in some parts of the city. "The serological survey has started from Saturday and will cover 20,000 people. The survey is being conducted door to door and will reveal the extent of coronavirus spread in Delhi," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in an online briefing. Tamil Nadu reported 3,713 fresh COVID-19 infections and 68 deaths, taking the total number of cases to 78,335 and toll to 1,025 while Kerala recorded 195 new cases and 102 recoveries. In the meantime, West Bengal recorded 521 new cases and 13 deaths, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16,711 and death toll to 629, reported ANI quoting the state health department. Dexamethasone included in revised treatment protocols In another development, the health ministry allowed the use of steroid drug dexamethasone for the treatment of COVID-19 patients who are moderately to severely ill. In its revised 'Clinical Management Protocols for COVID-19', the ministry said that dexamethasone can be used as an alternative choice to methylprednisolone for managing moderate to severe cases. The change has been made after considering the latest available evidence and expert consultation, it added. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the corticosteroid dexamethasone was tested in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in the United Kingdom's national clinical trial 'RECOVERY' and was found to have benefits for critically-ill patients. According to preliminary findings shared with the WHO, for patients on ventilators, the treatment was shown to reduce mortality by about one-third, and for patients requiring only oxygen, mortality was cut by about one-fifth. Globally, the viral infection has now affected as many as 96,52,307 while 4,91,115 people have died due to the disease, according to that WHO COVID-19 database. With inputs from agencies Maryland National Guard troops who went without June 15 paychecks should be reimbursed for missing wages by July 1, a Guard spokesman said Friday. Many Guard members should have received checks on June 24, and the rest will be reimbursed by July 1, said Capt. Ben Hughes, a Maryland National Guard spokesman. Read Next: The Army Is About to Get Its First Female Green Beret He did not have a count for how many Maryland Guard members activated for COVID-19 response and civil unrest missed getting paid, but said "all indications" were that the backlog would be cleared up by the end of the month. The pay problem appears to be isolated in the Maryland National Guard, and there were no immediate reports of similar issues in the other 49 states, four territories and the District of Columbia, where National Guard members have been activated in unprecedented numbers. The initial indications were that there were "no systemic issues involved in pay for Guard members" in other jurisdictions, a spokeswoman for the National Guard Bureau said. Several members of Congress expressed concern about the pay glitch while praising the Guard's efforts during a time of national crisis. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, had his staff confirm with the Maryland Guard that paychecks had been missedm and received assurances "that any missed pay can be made up quickly," a spokeswoman said. "It is concerning that such an error would occur," she said. Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Maryland, a retired Army colonel, said the missing paychecks demonstrated the need for continued oversight to ensure timely pay for Guard members performing vital missions. "The Maryland National Guard has stepped up to serve our communities during this time of crisis, aiding in testing, field hospitals and other vital roles," and their continued service "will be critical as our state continues toward recovery and prepares for additional infections," Brown said in a statement. "I trust there will be and urge a quick resolution to pay issues for these guardsmen and their families," said Brown, vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee. Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Mississippi, a brigadier general in the Mississippi Army National Guard, said the nation owes a debt of gratitude to Guard members "for their selfless sacrifice answering the call during the COVID-19 pandemic." "I understand that delays in pay, especially after being called away from their traditional employers, places an unnecessary burden on our service-members," said Kelly, ranking member of the HASC Personnel Subcommittee. "I will be monitoring this matter closely to ensure that every service-member who answered the call to duty receives their due pay," Kelly said in a statement. In a statement late Thursday, the Maryland National Guard attributed the pay problem to an extension of federal orders for Guard members in COVID-19 response under Title 32 of the U.S. Code. When the orders were extended, "it caused a delay in receiving pay on the regular 1st and 15th monthly cycle" from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, the statement said. FEMA's involvement stems from President Donald Trump's March 22 order directing the Secretary of Defense to permit full federal reimbursement by FEMA to states with Guard members activated under Title 32. A FEMA spokeswoman said that approval of 50 National Guard requests for federal support for the use of National Guard personnel in a Title 32 duty status through August 21 had been granted, and a total of 31,970 National Guard troops had been activated under federal orders as of June 24. The spokeswoman did not reply directly on the paycheck problem in the Maryland National Guard, and referred questions to the National Guard Bureau. In a later statement Saturday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, called the paycheck delays unacceptable. "Our guard members deserve to be paid -- and paid on time," he said. "I urge the state to address this issue immediately." Cardin's spokeswoman also added that the senator's office was awaiting a detailed response from the Maryland Guard on assurances that any missed pay would be made up quickly. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related: Maryland Guard Soldiers Miss June Paychecks She's never been one to be shy when it comes to flaunting her amazing toned curves. Now back at her East Coast digs, Emily Ratajkowski stunned in an earth-toned body suit that showcased her undergarments during a dinner with her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard in the East Village neighborhood in New York City. And to make things more of a family affair, the couple brought along their beloved pet pooch Colombo. Revealing: Emily Ratajkowski, 29, was nothing short of a head-turner in a see-through ensemble when she arrived for dinner in Downtown New York City on Friday Thinking safety first, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the I Feel Pretty star wore a black protective mask when she arrived at the ATLA restaurant in Downtown Manhattan. But within a New York minute, all eyes turned to Ratajkowski and her see-through outfit from her Inamorata Woman brand Mesh Collection. The sheer fabric gave gawkers a pretty clear view of her black bra and matching underwear. She rounded her ensemble out with her new new dyed blonde tresses that was styled long and with a part in the middle. Bootylicious: The model-actress-entrepreneur enjoyed her dinner date with husband Sebastian Bear-McClard and dog Colombo Own best advert: The outfit is from Ratajkowski's Inamorata Woman brand Mesh Collection. Grand arrival: The British-born star donned dark sunglasses and a black protective mask when she arrived, but that eventually came off as the dinner date went on The lifelong brunette also made sure to give her social media 26.6 million Instagram followers a glimpse of the look from several angles. She posted several photos of herself in the revealing outfit on her Instagram Story, which included zeroing in on her toned derriere and ample assets. There's also a quick video of herself laying in bed in a colorful top as she played with her hair. The beauty debuted her new status of a blonde bombshell on her Instagram page just this week for the brand Kerastase. Accessorizing: The fashionista also carried a black purse for the outing Accessorizing: She also tried to kept in casual by wearing white sneakers Four-legged family members: Ratajkowski kept her beloved dog Colombo close to her side For over two years the sizzling sensation has been the face of Kerastase, a Paris-based brand that is a subsidiary of L'Oreal. Firing up her Instagram this Wednesday, she uploaded a string of smoldering bikini snaps to celebrate 'Day 1 as a blondie.' Ratajkowski, Bear-McClard and their dog Colombo had been hunkering down at their West Coast home in the Venice Beach neighborhood of Los Angeles. Sizzling sensation: Ratajkowski also proved she is still her own best model as she plugged her line Inamorata Woman on Insta Stories this Friday Baby got back: The 29-year-old focused on her bombshell figure when she posted pictures of herself in the see-through outfit from her brand's Mesh Collection The couple were initially quarantining in New York City when the pandemic reached a fever pitch, but when things turned from bad to worse in the New York/New Jersey regions in mid April, they flew to Los Angeles. The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention had issued an advisory on March 28 asking 'residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately.' This past Sunday model and entrepreneur wished a happy Father's Day to her own 'Papa' John David Ratajkowski and to Sebastian, who's 'Colombo's Dad.' Terrific: The lifelong brunette, who went blonde earlier this week, made sure her fans caught a glimpse of the look from several angles Smoldering: In one close-up post she made sure her 26.6. million followers could catch sight of her black lace bra as she played with her hair T he man shot dead by police during a knife attack in Glasgow has been named as Badreddin Abedlla Adam. Adam, 28, from Sudan was gunned down by officers following a mass stabbing at a hotel in the city on Friday. Police Scotland said confirmation of his identity was based on information the deceased provided to the Home Office earlier this year. Six people were injured, including a police officer, in the attack at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street. Glasgow Attack - In pictures 1 /22 Glasgow Attack - In pictures Emergency services staff with a person on an ambulance trolley at the scene in West George Street in Glasgow Milroy1717/AFP via Getty Images Getty Images Armed officers @ThatReilz/PA Emergency respoders are seen at the scene @Milroy1717/Reuters Sky News Sky News @JATV_scotland/PA @JATV_scotland/PA Sky News @Milroy1717/Reuters @JATV_scotland/PA @JATV_scotland/PA Sky News @Milroy1717/PA @Milroy1717/PA Getty Images Getty Images The force said in a Twitter statement on Saturday night that detectives will "continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident." It added: The police discharge of firearms resulting in a fatality will also continue to be fully investigated by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC). Both of these inquiries, which take place under the direction of the Lord Advocate, are ongoing and it would not be appropriate to speculate either about the events or the outcomes of these investigations. Glasgow stabbing attack: Injured police officer named Earlier, the police officer injured in the knife attack thanked his colleagues for saving lives. PC David Whyte, 42, was rushed to hospital alongside three asylum seekers who were staying at the hotel and two members of staff. All six casualties remain in hospital, with one in a critical condition. In a statement shared on Twitter, PC Whyte said the scene of the incident was "something he will never forget". He said: As the first responders on scene, myself and my colleague did what all police officers are trained for, to save lives. The officer, who remains in a stable condition, thanked his colleagues who put themselves in harms way to contain this incident and assist with the vital treatment given to myself and others at the scene by other emergency services. He added: Despite suffering serious injuries myself, I know that the swift actions of colleagues saved lives and prevented a far more serious incident. I would like to thank the medical staff at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for their outstanding care in the hours following this incident. Finally, I would like to thank the public for all their kind messages of support and for the good wishes from all at Police Scotland. It means a lot and has brought both myself and my family great comfort at this difficult time. Police Scotland, which has said the attack is not being treated as terrorism, has launched an appeal for any witnesses to come forward. At least nine Nigerian soldiers were reported dead Saturday as suspected Boko Haram insurgents ambushed a military van escorting travellers from Maiduguri to Damboa town, witnesses and security sources said. The incident is the first in a long time that soldiers escorting travellers along that route would suffer such an attack. Damboa, 85 km south of Maiduguri, has been one of the most attacked local government headquarters in Borno State. Although soldiers have been protecting the town from being attacked or seized by insurgents, the highway to Damboa, which also leads to Chibok local government has been considered one of the most dangerous roads in the state. Every day, vehicles conveying travellers to and from the route would have to queue up to be escorted by armed security personnel, including soldiers. The escort team would also be responsible for accompanying travellers coming to Maiduguri from either Chibok or Damboa. On Saturday, travellers from Maiduguri reportedly ran into an ambush by Boko Haram who targeted the military escort van. It happened at about 2 p.m. when the convoy of travellers arrived Abbari village, said a.traveller who survived the attack. We were almost getting to Damboa when suddenly we heard some loud sound, and before one could figure out what was happening, we saw the escort vehicle up in flames and thick smoke. Then we began to hear sporadic shootings. The survivor, a 37-year-old male who requested anonymity due to security concerns, said all the passengers in the vehicles debarked and fled the scene. I know many soldiers may have died because the shooting at the military vehicle had hit it badly. READ ALSO: A leader of the Civilian-JTF, Bunu Malam, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that nine soldiers died in the attack. We lost nine of our soldiers that were escorting travellers from Maiduguri to Damboa, he said. The attackers had also gone away with a patrol vehicle belonging to our vigilante operatives who were also part of the escort team. The source said the attackers did not touch the civilian travellers. The military has yet to comment on the matter. A text message to the acting director Army Public Relations, Sagir Musa, was not replied Saturday night. 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. P.B.G. writes: In April last year, I paid Sash Home Improvements 9,600 to replace all the double glazing in my home. One of the windows leaked during bad weather so I contacted the company to claim a repair under its ten-year guarantee. I was told it had gone into liquidation and the guarantee would not be honoured. I then found that Sash had been dissolved in 2016 and replaced since then by a series of companies with the same Bolton works address and involving members of the same family. Can companies really avoid their obligations simply by reinventing themselves like this? Opaque: The Primefold doors (right) and Bolton businessman Peter Gray Sash has more lives than a particularly lucky cat. If you go back far enough, there was a business in Huddersfield that used the Sash Windows name. It folded about seven years ago and one of its creditors, Premier Conservatory Supplies Limited, adopted the name. Premier was run by Bolton businessman Peter Gray, until he put it into liquidation in July last year. Gray also ran Sash Home Improvements Limited, which he set up in 2013. It was compulsorily struck off by Companies House in February 2016. But you would not know this from the website of Sash Home Improvements, which continued to advertise that the business was 'founded two decades ago'. Gray told me that he left the running of Sash to his employees, including all marketing. His only interest for some time was the orders they would bring in for Premier. Then early last year, Premier's main supplier collapsed, and Gray has told me that 'effectively, Premier Conservatory Supplies became insolvent'. His answer was to put it into liquidation last July and set up a new company, Premier Conservatory and Glazing Supplies, which took over the name Sash Home Improvements. But this collapsed too. Gray told me he blames 'a terrible supplier'. He quit as a director and the company went into liquidation last December. The story is not quite over though. For last October, along came Prime Glazing Supplies Limited, set up by one of Gray's salesmen who quit within weeks. One reader found the company he had used for home improvements had been dissolved after trying to contact them to make a claim on their service which had a ten-year guarantee This latest company, which operates from the same Bolton address, is registered to William Gray, the 78-year-old father of Peter Gray, who told me: 'My father took on the business and I am helping to run the sales element.' So, when you contacted what you thought was the same business, at the same address, you were told: 'We are very sorry to inform you that the company you purchased your goods from went into administration on November 24, 2019, and therefore the guarantees given by the company you dealt with are no longer applicable.' This is serious stuff. For a start, the van that brought the glazing supplies to your door was decorated with the logo of FENSA, the industry trade body, yet FENSA's list of accredited businesses shows no mention of Gray's firm. I asked Gray about this, and he blamed an employee who 'took it upon himself'. But even if we ignore this, what about the original paperwork you were given, which offers an insurance-backed 'fully underwritten ten years guarantee'? Who is the insurer? Who underwrites the guarantee? I asked Gray, but he came up with no answers. The best he could offer was to say he would visit you 'and look at helping get any repairs done'. So what happened to the fully underwritten ten-year guarantee backed by insurers? Or was that just a sales tool? As for the latest company, Prime Glazing Supplies, its website displays an impressive series of pictures. For example, there is Primefold, a system of folding glass doors, with the claim that, 'We are delighted to be your manufacturer for Primefold.' You might think that Prime Glazing installed the doors shown. It didn't. Exactly the same picture was being used in advertising by a completely different company in the US as long ago as 2018, before Prime Glazing even existed. Gray explained that the images came from various suppliers, with no intention to suggest they were installations by Prime Glazing. But that still leaves Prime Glazing's own terms and conditions. These offer what seems to be a loyalty scheme called 'Premier Club', with the explanation that, 'The scheme is operated by Premier Glazing Supplies Limited.' Yet according to Companies House, there is no such British company. Perhaps it is next on the list to be formed! Whether or not you accept Gray's offer to help with repairs is up to you of course. The blunt fact is that you were deceived into a contract that offered a rock solid guarantee that turned out not to exist. Gray was in charge when his company tricked you. He has assured me there was no intention to do this. Let's see if he stands up to his word. Shocking: Ms E.T. has sent numerous emails and made numerous calls to Together Energy, requesting a refund, Together, we get a result Ms E.T. writes: My house was divided into two flats over 30 years ago. The upper flat is occupied by a customer of Together Energy. I live in the lower flat and have never been a customer of Together Energy. Nevertheless, for several months Together Energy used the direct debit system to take 147 a month from my Santander account. I have sent numerous emails and made numerous calls, requesting a refund, and while the company agrees a mistake was made, it has not refunded my money. Together Energy told me you and your daughter did telephone to enquire about transferring to it from your existing electricity supplier. However, staff failed to update the National Grid database that shows which company supplies which customers. You told me that you do not agree with this, but as Together Energy failed to register you as a customer and, after I made contact, it has now refunded all your money. Santander told me that when you queried the direct debits, it should have moved faster to apply the indemnity scheme, so it has sent you an apology and 50 to make up for this. 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. Every day there seems to be a new entry into the lexicon of social justice to add to the already burgeoning list that includes no- platforming, trigger warnings, hate speech and cultural appropriation. One of the latest is the barb directed at author J. K. Rowling, who has been accused of being radicalised online. This alarmist phrase previously associated with jihadi terrorists brings to mind all manner of transgressions. Had she joined a fanatical death-cult, or endorsed a national policy of eugenics, or embedded subliminal Nazi propaganda into her forthcoming new childrens book? No. Rowlings so-called radicalisation is her belief that there are biological differences between men and women. If sex isnt real, she had said, 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. Writer and comedian Andrew Doyle The Harry Potter author has since been targeted with a torrent of vitriol, much of it aggressively misogynistic. The ferocity increased after she published a measured and compassionate 3,600-word blog in which she fully explained her position. She wrote that her involvement in the trans debate had originated in her experiences as a victim of domestic abuse and that she was worried about the possibility that single-sex spaces for women might be compromised if a man can simply declare himself to be female. Whether one agrees with her or not and millions do it would be myopic not to accept that these are legitimate concerns. At the very least, we should be able to have an adult conversation. Unfortunately, prominent social justice activists have decreed that rational debate is a form of violence. The mantra that trans women are women has become a clarion call, echoed most shamefully by the three main stars of the Harry Potter movie franchise: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Tragically, this is what happens when slogans are substituted for serious thought. For most people, the furore over Rowlings comments is inexplicable. It is only in recent months that the culture war has exploded into the mainstream, and many of us are struggling to keep up. Why has declaring the truth become such a subversive act? How have we reached the point where artists and writers, the most outspoken members of society, are so often intimidated into silence? In trying to make sense of the Rowling controversy, it is important to realise that this is part of the broader problem of a new and pervasive ideology that promotes social justice and which is a direct threat to freedom of speech and liberal values. It is perhaps best understood as a kind of religion. It demands moral purity and brooks no dissent. It seeks to control public discourse by deeming certain words and ideas problematic or supporting legislation against hate speech. It advances a modern-day equivalent of Original Sin in the form of concepts such as systemic racism, whiteness or unconscious bias: unproven theories that are nonetheless asserted as truth. TAKING A STAND: J. K. Rowling has refused to back down to critics Although heretics are unlikely to be burned at the stake, its inquisitors are convinced that non-believers must convert for their own good. In other words, it empowers its disciples to feel a sense of righteousness even as they are engaging in the most unempathetic and cruel behaviour. One of its weapons is something known as cancel culture a system of public humiliation which frequently leads to the targets losing their means of income and becoming social pariahs. More often than not, those who are cancelled feel obliged to issue a grovelling apology, which rarely succeeds in placating the mob. Once theyve tasted blood, the appetite is insatiable. The extent of the rage against Rowling can be partly explained by the fact that the social justice bullies have grown accustomed to getting their own way. They cannot comprehend the idea that one of their victims might refuse to apologise or to kowtow to their superior authority, or retreat entirely from public life. As an author whose novels have sold at least 500 million copies worldwide and grossed 6 billion, Rowling cannot be cancelled, and so the tactic has limited efficacy. In truth, many trans people have offered their support to Rowling and are understandably anxious about the way in which extremists are claiming to speak on their behalf. 'Rowlings so-called radicalisation is her belief that there are biological differences between men and women,' says Andrew Doyle Trans writer and YouTuber Blaire White released a video in which she pointed out that the vast majority of trans individuals accept that sex differences are innate and immutable. Biological sex exists, she wrote. Without it, there is no such thing as being trans. The 26-year-old American has observed that many of those attacking Rowling are not trans themselves, but are so-called trans allies. One of Rowlings more vociferous critics is the actor George Takei (who played Mr Sulu in Star Trek), who has claimed that When you defend so-called biological sex you sound scientifically ignorant and you elevate transphobia. It goes without saying that Takeis denial of reality would see him fail the most rudimentary of courses in human anatomy. Apart from the trans issue, we have recently seen the rule of law flouted by groups who are determined to assert their worldview by force, and sow racial division in the name of anti-racism. The reluctance of the Government led by a Prime Minister who has often spoken of the need to uphold the values of liberalism to openly defend those principles tells us all we need to know about the power that such activists now wield. This new religion has even infected our major cultural institutions. Many of its acolytes occupy leading roles in higher education, the arts, the law, the mainstream media and the managerial classes. One of Rowlings more vociferous critics is the actor George Takei (pictured) (who played Mr Sulu in Star Trek), who has claimed that When you defend so-called biological sex you sound scientifically ignorant and you elevate transphobia This is why celebrities, broadcasters, corporations, quangos, universities, HR departments and law enforcement agencies tend to be far more woke than the average member of the British public. This disparity has led to a general mistrust of authority figures and an atmosphere of conformity in which many people feel afraid to challenge the new orthodoxies. With so many losing their jobs, investigated by the police or harassed online for expressing commonly held opinions, it is hardly surprising that most of us are learning to keep quiet. The policies of our public broadcaster are now driven by this mindset. The BBC has recently committed to spending 100 million on improving diversity in television even though, according to the most recent survey from the Creative Diversity Network (of which all UK broadcasters are members), those who identify as female, transgender, BAME and lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) are all represented at levels comparable with (or above) national population estimates. In other words, the BBC is spending a significant amount of licence-payers money to resolve an imaginary problem. In addition to this obsession with diversity and representation, broadcasters and publishers are becoming more risk-averse when it comes to the possibility of causing offence. Many publishing houses have sensitivity readers to scour books for any signs of material that might be considered offensive to minority groups. In doing so, they are implicitly endorsing the patronising notion that minorities are in need of their protection. No amount of homophobia in a novel is likely to offend me more than the prospect of woke publishers deciding what gay people such as myself should and shouldnt read. We have seen further evidence of this suffocating worldview in the recent removal of some comedy shows from streaming services such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Episodes of Little Britain, The Mighty Boosh and The League Of Gentlemen have been booted down the memory hole, with more to follow. Trans writer and YouTuber Blaire White (pictured) released a video in which she pointed out that the vast majority of trans individuals accept that sex differences are innate and immutable Sky Cinema has introduced warning labels to films deemed to have outdated attitudes, language and cultural depictions which may cause offence today, including Breakfast At Tiffanys, Gone With The Wind and, most baffling of all, the sci-fi epic Aliens, because it features a white actress wearing extensive make-up to play a Hispanic character. None of which amounts to a crisis of mass censorship, of course. The true threat to free speech in the arts is the pressure that creatives now feel to self-censor for the sake of their careers. Rowling is in the privileged position to be able to speak her mind, but only because she is so well established. That is not to downplay the courage she has shown in the face of such sustained abuse, but there is little these zealots can do to ruin her life and reputation. Admirably, the publishing house Hachette which is due to release her latest book, The Ickabog, in November, has faced down internal complaints from members of staff. And after four authors parted ways with Rowlings literary agency (the Blair Partnership), it put out a statement to assert its belief in freedom of speech for all. It added that it refuses to acquiesce to the protesting authors demands to be re-educated to their point of view. One cannot help but wonder whether such a stance would be maintained had Rowling been a less lucrative author. Doyle says: 'Episodes of Little Britain, The Mighty Boosh and The League Of Gentlemen have been booted down the memory hole, with more to follow.' Pictured: Comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliamswho creators of Little Britain For some social justice activists, silence is violence. The answer to social injustice is not merely preventing certain forms of speech, but compelling people to speak up and say what they may not actually believe, which is only ever likely to generate resentment. As for the arts, I fear the future looks bleak. While too many gatekeepers of the creative industries remain frightened of online activists, they will always think twice about offering a platform to those with an unfashionable perspective. How ironic that their apparent zeal for diversity does not seem to extend to diversity of opinion. Ultimately, this is guaranteed to produce a kind of cultural stagnation, which is surely in no ones best interests. Of course, social justice activists should be free to make their appeals as rudely or provocatively as they please, but that does not mean that they are always right. There is the temptation, though, in the short term to capitulate to their demands, but this would simply store up trouble for the future. As Winston Churchill said: Each one hopes that if he feeds the crocodile enough, the crocodile will eat him last. We are rapidly approaching a very important point at which those of us who still care about liberal values will have to fight for them. Nobody can flourish in a climate of ideological conformity and this is as true for artists as it is for everyone else. Rowling deserves our support for refusing to genuflect before the high priests of social justice. If we do not learn from her example, it wont be long before the crocodile turns on us. Dolph Lundgren is engaged. The 62-year-old action star proposed to personal trainer Emma Krokdal - who is in her twenties - a week ago in Stockholm. Dolph shared a picture of them on Instagram, with Emma showing off her engagement ring, and wrote: "Something very special happened here in Sweden. D[heart emoji]E." His close pal Sylvester Stallone was one of the first to congratulate him, writing: "Congratulations my good friend. You're the best. Sly." Dolph - who was previously married to Anette Qviberg from 1994 to 2011 - reportedly started romancing Emma last year and they went public at the Cana Dorada Film & Music Festival in the Dominican Republic in January. Dolph previously revealed how he used to have group sex with Grace Jones and "four or five" other women - but complained it left him too tired for work. The 'Creed II' actor dated the 'Pull Up to the Bumper' hitmaker in the 1980s and though he admitted their life in the bedroom was eventful, he insisted it wasn't always a "good thing". He said: "That happened on occasions, with or without Grace. Sometimes she would bring a girlfriend home and then I'd have to get up for work the next day and that kind of thing. "I'd say at the most it was four or five girls, perhaps. It's great in theory but when you have to get up and fight Sylvester Stallone in the morning it's not such a good thing." Dolph met Grace when he was hired as her bodyguard but once he found fame after playing notorious villain Ivan Drago in 'Rocky IV', their relationship quickly deteriorated. He said: "I literally walked in the theatre [for the movie premiere] as her boyfriend with people trying to shoo me out of the way to take pictures of her and, 90 minutes later, when I walked out, people were trying to take pictures of me, instead. "It was one of those things that happens once in a while in Hollywood, somebody totally unknown becomes famous overnight. "Other women showed up, she got jealous and she couldn't handle it. People wanted me to go to openings. It was a lot of strain and, within six months, the relationship was over." A deadly crash on Interstate 290 Friday evening is under investigation. Massachusetts State Police were called to a crash involving a Jeep on the ramp from 290 eastbound to Interstate 190 northbound in Worcester around 7:45 p.m. Friday. The preliminary investigation indicates the man driving a 2014 Jeep Wrangler east on 290 when he drove onto the Burncoat Street ramp toward the northbound lanes of I-190. While on the ramp, the Jeep traveled over the sidewall of the left lane side of the overpass and came to rest on the travel lanes of I-290 eastbound, Massachusetts State Police said. The eastbound lanes of I-290 were closed for three hours following the crash. The driver, a 50-year-old man from Worcester, was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has been withheld pending family notification. A 18-year-old female passenger in the vehicle suffered minor injuries. Police believe a second vehicle may have been involved in the crash. State police ask anyone with information or video recording of the crash to contact them at 508-829-8410. The crash remains under investigation by Troop C of the Massachusetts State Police along with the Collision Analysis Reconstruction Section, and Crime Scene Services Section. Troopers were assisted on scene by Worcester PD and FD, MassDOT, and the Medical Examiners Office. Sandra Oh has insisted the UK is 'behind' America in terms of racial diversity as the progression of people of colour behind the camera is 'very slow'. The Killing Eve star, 48, spoke candidly with Kerry Washington during an episode of Variety's Actors on Actors: At Home about working on the hit programme. Sandra and Kelly both caught their acting breaks working for Shonda Rhimes' production company Shondaland, which created Grey's Anatomy and Scandal. Candid: Sandra Oh has insisted the UK is 'behind' America in terms of racial diversity as the progression of people of colour behind the camera is 'very slow'. During the chat, Kelly quizzed Sandra on what it's like to be an Asian actress on set and she replied: 'That I'm totally used to, I'm so used to being that.' Sandra admitted that she believes that the UK hasn't come as far as America in giving people of colour opportunities in the film industry. She said: 'The UK I'm not afraid to say is behind. I am not only the only Asian person on set, sometimes it changes - which is very exciting when someone comes on set, but the development of people behind the camera is very slow in the UK.' Candid: The Killing Eve star, 48, spoke candidly with Kerry Washington during an episode of Variety's Actors on Actors: At Home about working on the hit programme Breakthrough: Sandra and Kelly both caught their acting breaks working for Shonda Rhimes' production company Shondaland, which created Grey's Anatomy and Scandal During the chat, Kelly quizzed Sandra on what it's like to be an Asian actress on set and she replied: 'That I'm totally used to, I'm so used to being that' 'I don't know about the rest of Europe, so sometimes it was a little sometimes it would be me and 75 white people and I have not come from that in my film career, which has been much more independent.' Explaining that usually her experiences have been more diverse, Sandra said: 'Mostly working with women and women of colour, in the United States it hasn't always been all white, but being the only Asian person is definitely a familiar place for me.' 'I've got to tell you. Even more than that, I think being the only American on that set [for Killing Eve], in Europe, informed me more than the physicality. I've not even really talked about this, but there is something about constantly feeling like the observer or the outsider.' Honest: Sandra admitted that she believes that the UK hasn't come as far as America in giving people of colour opportunities in the film industry She said: 'The UK I'm not afraid to say is behind. I am not only the only Asian person on set, sometimes it changes - which is very exciting when someone comes on set, but the development of people behind the camera is very slow in the UK' MailOnline has contacted representatives at Killing Eve for comment. Sandra's statement echoes similar comments recently made by director Sir Steve McQueen, who said the UK has a 'shameful' lack of diversity in its film industry. The film director and artist added that the country lags 'far behind' the US in representing ethnic minorities in production. The 12 Years A Slave director told The Observer newspaper that he is 'fed up' with the situation, adding that it is 'blatant racism'. Speaking out: Sandra's statement echoes similar comments recently made by director Sir Steve McQueen, who said the UK has a 'shameful' lack of diversity in its film industry 'I don't want to hear anyone say, "Oh yes, it's terrible" ever again,' Sir Steve said. 'I've heard it a thousand times. They all agree, but nothing gets done. 'What I want is to see change, not hear excuses.' The director said he had been shocked on a recent visit to a film set that his friend was working on. Using his platform: The 12 Years A Slave filmmaker said the lack of diversity in British film is 'blatant racism' 'It felt like I had walked out of one environment, the London I was surrounded by, into another, a place that was alien to me,' he said. 'I could not believe the whiteness of the set. 'I made three films in the States and it seems like nothing has really changed in the interim in Britain. 'The UK is so far behind in terms of representation, it's shameful.' He said that issues of race and class 'overlap', adding: 'It's the Oxbridge thing and it's throughout the media. 'Basically, if you want to examine race and class in this country, start by going in a film set.' Sir Steve added that he 'tried very hard' with his upcoming BBC series Small Axe, saying they 'created our own training scheme with one trainee per department'. The situation worsened when production was moved from London to Wolverhampton, he said, adding: 'We had tax breaks, incentives, financial support, but the only BAME people were the drivers and one electrician. 'The stark reality is that there is no infrastructure to support and hire BAME crew.' The artist and filmmaker said it is not enough to see more black people working on black films, saying they need to be working on all films and TV. He then posed the question, how many black people worked on the crew for the Harry Potter films. Pakistans aviation authorities have grounded 262 airline pilots whose flying licenses may be fake or falsified in a widening scandal following a fatal plane crash in Karachi last month. Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said June 26 the pilots are under investigation and five senior officials at the Civil Aviation Authority who were sacked over the scandal may be prosecuted. The pilots include 141 at state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which employs 450 pilots. The remaining pilots worked for private airlines and charter services. On June 25, PIA said it grounded 150 of its pilots for obtaining a license through cheating and began to terminate their contracts. The scandal emerged this week when Khan announced in parliament the findings of an initial inquiry into a PIA Airbus A320 crash on May 22 that killed 97 people, including all crew members. The initial investigation concluded the pilots were talking about the coronavirus while they attempted to land the aircraft in Karachi without putting its wheels down. A first attempt to land the plane damaged the engines. The plane then lost power and crashed near the airport as the pilots attempted a second landing. Authorities have not said whether the pilot and co-pilot had fake licenses. Khan said during the June 24 parliamentary session that another inquiry had found 262 pilots -- out of a total of 860 active pilots in the country -- had obtained their licenses through cheating and having others take exams for them. He said there has been an investigation into collusion between pilots and civil aviation officials since late 2018. The disgrace has put the financial viability of PIA into doubt and cast a shadow over the credibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) voiced alarm over the issue, calling it a serious lapse in the licensing and safety oversight by the aviation regulator. Fahad Masood, a retired Pakistan Air Force officer and former employee of the International Flight Safety Foundation, told RFE/RLs Radio Mashaal that the news will tarnish the image of the countrys aviation industry and result in massive financial losses at PIA. PIAs reputation has already suffered in recent years amid mismanagement, frequent cancellations, and financial difficulties. Khan sought to deflect the blame for the crisis from the current government. Khan insisted that since Prime Minister Imran Khan's government came to power two years ago, no pilot with a fake license received a job at the PIA. "These pilots against whom inquiries are being conducted were all recruited before 2018," Khan said. We are clearing up the mess that was created by the previous government," he said. With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, Dawn, and Radio Mashaal Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) The Philippines has secured fresh funding from the World Bank for a project that will help facilitate the provision of land titles granted through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. "The World Banks Board of Executive Directors today approved the US$370 million Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling Project (SPLIT)," said the multilateral lender in a statement on Friday. "The project is designed to accelerate the subdivision of collective Certificates of Land Ownership Award and generate individual titles on lands awarded under the CARP." A project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), SPLIT involves the subdivision of around 1.38 million hectares of collective land titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries, which the Washington-based lender expects to be around 750,000 in number. According to the project's Environmental and Social Assessment (ESA), the proposed budget for SPLIT is $475.3 million, with $370 million to be "sourced on loan proceeds from the Bank and $103 million as counterpart of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GoP)." Many farmers who were granted lands under the countrys agrarian reform program have been waiting for individual titles, sometimes for decades, said Achim Fock, World Bank Acting Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. The project will provide farmers legal proof and security of individual land rights, which will contribute to the reduction of poverty and rural economic growth and help them weather the various impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fock added. "Over the past three decades, CARP has distributed 4.8 million hectares 16 percent of the nations land to almost three million beneficiaries. However, only approximately 53 percent of lands distributed was in the form of individual titles," noted World Bank. "Especially in the 1990s, the government issued mostly collective land ownership awards to speed up land distribution, with the intention of subdividing and titling them individually at a future time." DAR proposed the program last year pursuant to the CARP legislation and in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte's order to fast track the issuance of individual CLOAs back in April 2019, according to the project's ESA. SPLIT received the nod of the National Economic Development Authority-Interagency Coordination (NEDA-ICC) in September 2019 for possible financing by the World Bank. It shall be subject to the Bank's Environmental and Social Framework, read the document. This February, both DAR and World Bank held project identification, preparation and appraisal missions to assess potential risks and impacts that may be linked to the project, among others. "[T]he SPLIT Project will support the governments on-going efforts for parcelization and individual titling through the adoption of improved technologies and digital platforms, improvements in regulations, streamlining of procedures in the titling process, and enhanced consultations with beneficiaries," World Bank said. Governors of the ruling All Prressives Congress (APC) were at the State House, Abuja, on Friday to assure President Muhammadu Buhari of the validity of the resolutions made at the Thursday National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja. The APC National Executive Committee (NEC) at the Thursday meeting in Abuja, among other resolutions dissolved the partys National Working Committees (NWC) and appointed a Caretaker Committee led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State. The meeting also ordered party members to withdraw all suits in the court of law and return for internal resolution of all conflicts. The NEC made it clear that anyone who resists to withdraw the suits from the court will be doing so at his own risk. The governors commended President Buhari for leading the process that led to the convening of the emergency NEC meeting. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Report Summary: The report titled "Intra-City Express Service Market" offers a primary overview of the Intra-City Express Service industry covering different product definitions, classifications, and participants in the industry chain structure. The quantitative and qualitative analysis is provided for the global Intra-City Express Service market considering competitive landscape, development trends, and key critical success factors (CSFs) prevailing in the Intra-City Express Service industry. Historical Forecast Period 2013 - 2017 Historical Year for Intra-City Express Service Market 2018 Base Year for Intra-City Express Service Market 2019-2027 Forecast Period for Intra-City Express Service Market Key Developments in the Intra-City Express Service Market To describe Intra-City Express Service Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Request For Report sample @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/12389 To analyze the manufacturers of Intra-City Express Service, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers in Global, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type and application, from 2013 to 2019; To analyze the key countries by manufacturers, Type and Application, covering North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle-East and South America, with sales, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications; Intra-City Express Service market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2018 to 2026; To analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc. To analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers); Todescribe Intra-City Express Service sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc. To describe Intra-City Express Service Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers SF Express BancoPosta DHL FedEx UPS Royal Mail ZTO Express Japan Post Group China Post YTO Expess STO Express Yunda Express Aramex Market Segment by Countries, covering North America (United States, Canada, Mexico) Market Revenue and/or Volume Europe (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy) Market Revenue and/or Volume Asia Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia) Market Revenue and/or Volume Middle-East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa) Market Revenue and/or Volume South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.) Market Revenue and/or Volume Market Segment by Type, covers Business City Express Convenience City Express Certificate City Express Others Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into Household Commercial More Info of Impact Covid19 @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/12389 Young people listen to U.S. President Donald Trump as he delivers an "Address to Young Americans" at the Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., June 23, 2020. Carlos Barria/Reuters Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich issued cease and desist letters to Phoenix's Dream City Church and Clean Air EXP on Friday. Brnovich said in a press release that the megachurch and air filtration company may have misled consumers by saying they could neutralize the coronavirus. Dream City Church, which hosted President Donald Trump on Tuesday, posted a video on Facebook over the weekend claiming its Clean Air EXP filtration system could kill "99% of COVID within 10 minutes." The church and Clean Air EXP later said they could not kill the coronavirus through an air filtration system. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich issued cease and desist letters to a megachurch and an air filtration company after the church claimed its air filtration system could kill the coronavirus. President Donald Trump visited the church for a campaign event on Tuesday. In a press release on Friday, Brnovich said Dream City Church and Clean Air EXP may have misled consumers by suggesting air systems could neutralize the novel coronavirus. "We will not tolerate companies or individuals attempting to deceive or exploit the public during this public health crisis," he said. Related: 6 times Trump contradicted public coronavirus officials Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, posted a video on Facebook over the weekend featuring senior pastor Luke Barnett and chief operations officer Brendan Zastro, in which they claimed their air filtration system from Phoenix-based Clean Air EXP could kill "99% of COVID within 10 minutes." The video has since been deleted, and the church issued a clarification in which it said the filtration does not eliminate the virus. "We have heard Coronavirus and COVID used interchangeably," the church said. "Our statement regarding the CleanAir EXP units used the word COVID when we should have said Coronavirus or COVID surrogates. We hope to alleviate any confusion we may have caused." Story continues Clean Air EXP says on its website that its air filtration system can eliminate test surrogates from some coronavirus strands, but not the one that causes the COVID-19 disease. The company performed tests on active coronavirus 229E test surrogate one of the viruses responsible for the common cold. The attorney general's office said in its press release about cease and desist letters that Clean Air EXP "has advertised and continues to advertise that its air filtration products neutralize 99.9% of viruses that are 'COVID-19 surrogates.'" "Moreover, previous representations made by Clean Air EXP under the heading 'COVID-19 REPORT' on the company's website suggested that its filtration systems would neutralize 99.9% of 'coronavirus,' when in fact this was based on testing of coronavirus 229E, a virus which causes the common cold," the attorney general's office said. The attorney general's office said Dream City was "placed on notice that misrepresentations and false promises related to the safety of church facilities may violate the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act." Dream City hosted the president for a Students for Trump rally on Tuesday. Photos from the event showed many people not wearing masks and sitting in close proximity to one another. More than 66,000 cases of the coronavirus have been recorded in Arizona, and at least 1,535 people have died from the disease in the state. On Thursday, the Department of Health Services reported 88% of intensive care units were in use. Read the original article on Insider Uttar Pradesh Board will declare the class 10th results today. Around 30 lakh students will get their high school exam results at 12 noon today. Students who have taken the exam will be able to check their results online at upresults.nic.in or upmsp.edu.in. Students will not have to go anywhere to check their results. The scores can be checked on the official website. Follow UP Board 10th, 12th Results 2020 Live Updates here This year, the UP Board is expected to issue digitally signed marksheet.This would allow students to take admissions in further classes with these online issued marksheets. Later as situation normalizes and permits, the board plans to make hardcopy of the marksheets available to students through their schools, the board officials told HT. The board might upload the marksheet bearing digital signature of the UP Board secretary as well as the photograph of individual students concerned on the website. UP Board 10th, 12th Results 2020: How to check the results on HT Result Portal 1) Visit the official website of Hindustan Times at hindustantimes.com 2) On the home page, go to the Education section and click on the Exam Results section 3) Go to the UP Board tab 4) Click on the link that reads UP Board 10th result 2020 or UP Board 12th result 2020 5) Key in your roll number in the rectangular box provided for the purpose and submit Japanese experts come to Vietnam to appraise Vietnamese litchi PHOTO: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT The flights were jointly organized by the Vietnamese authority, the Japan External Trade Organization in Hanoi and HCMC, Japanese business associations in Vietnam, Danang, HCMC and a travel agency, marking the first step in the easing of travel restrictions by the two countries since the outbreak of Covid-19. On May 9, with the support of the Vietnamese Government, 68 Japanese employees of resident agencies had reentered Vietnam.SGT New Delhi: Amid the rising number of coronavirus confirmed cases in the national capital, the 10,000-bed Sardar Patel COVID care centre will provide a huge relief to the Delhiites. It is reportedly one of the largest COVID-19 care centre in the world. The Centre is being set up by the state government for treating mild and asymptomatic patients. It also has the capacity to provide oxygen support therapy on a section of the beds in case of drop-in any patients oxygen saturation. Reports say that over 875 doctors will be put on-duty along with the same number of second medical staff. Located at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas campus at Chhatarpur, it will be operated by the Indo Tibetan Border Police personnel. It was visited by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (June 27). The ministers reviewed the preparedness of the centre which will start functioning in the next 3-4 days. Taking to Twitter Amit Shah wrote, "I applaud our courageous ITBP personnel, who would be operating this COVID Care facility during these trying times. Their commitment to serve nation and people of Delhi is unparalleled." He added, "Modi govt at the centre is committed to provide all possible help to its citizens." I applaud our courageous @ITBP_official personnel, who would be operating this Covid Care facility during these trying times. Their commitment to serve nation and people of Delhi is unparalleled. Modi govt at the centre is committed to provide all possible help to its citizens. pic.twitter.com/p5RaDomna4 Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 27, 2020 CM Kejriwal said, "In this hour of difficulty, I sought help to save Delhi and everyone has come forward to contribute enthusiastically. With the support of the Central government and Radha Soami Satsang Beas, such a large corona centre has come up for Delhiites." pic.twitter.com/OqRYdL2Z03 Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 27, 2020 Notably, several other private and non-profit organisations have provided their support in the setting up of the Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre. Meanwhile, the national capital recorded 2,948 new COVID-19 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi breached the 80,000-mark on Saturday. There are 80,188 COVID-19 infections in the national capital now, which is second on the list of most coronavirus cases after Maharashtra in India. New Delhi: An ITBP constable allegedly shot himself dead with his service weapon inside the premise of Karol Bagh police station in the national capital on Friday (June 26). According to police, Sandeep Kumar (31) of ITBP 22 Battalion Sangam Vihar with other staff arrived at the police station Karol Bagh for duty. After performing the duty, Kumar was waiting for his bus when he took out his service revolver which he was carrying and shot himself. The incident took place at around 6:30 pm on Friday. He was immediately rushed to the Lady Hardinge Hospital in New Delhi where doctors declared him brought dead. Kumar, had joined as a constable in ITBP on February 12, 2009, and originally hailed from Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur. Kumar was performing duty under the supervision of Asst Commandant Rajan Babu, who has been informed and the necessary proceeding is being conducted, police said, adding that the post-mortem would be conducted only after the deceased's family members arrival. The police is yet to ascertain the cause behind the suicide. Pakistan on Saturday announced its readiness to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor to Indian pilgrims on June 29, though people familiar with developments said India will decide on the matter after consulting health authorities and other stakeholders. The corridor that allows Indian pilgrims visa-free access to Durbar Sahib gurdwara in Pakistans Narowal district, where Sikhisms founder Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life, was closed on March 16 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted on Saturday that Islamabad has conveyed to New Delhi it was ready to reopen the corridor on June 29, the death anniversary of Sikh leader Maharaja Ranjit Singh, as places of worship across the world were opening up. As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) June 27, 2020 A statement from the Foreign Office is Islamabad, which described the corridor as a true symbol of peace and religious harmony, too said Pakistan has informed the Indian side of its readiness to open the corridor on June 29. The people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said cross-border travel continues to be temporarily suspended as part of measures to prevent and contain the spread of the Coronavirus, and the Indian side will decide on the matter in consultation with health authorities and other stakeholders. However, one of the people noted that Pakistan is trying to create a mirage of goodwill by proposing to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor on June 29 - at a short notice of just two days. The bilateral agreement on the corridor states India has to share information about pilgrims with the Pakistani side at least seven days before the date of travel, the person pointed out. This would need India to open up the registration process well in advance, the person added. The people also pointed out that Pakistan has still not built a bridge on its side across the flood plains of the Ravi river despite having committed to do this in the bilateral agreement. With the advent of monsoon, the Indian side will need to evaluate whether the movement of pilgrims is possible through the corridor in a safe and secure manner, the people added. The Kartarpur Corridor, which links Dera Baba Nanak in Indias Gurdaspur to Durbar Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan, was opened on November 9 last year. The Pakistani statement said necessary health precautions are being taken regarding the corridor and the Pakistani side has invited India to work out standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the reopening. The statement also said the opening of the corridor on the eve of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak fulfilled a long-standing desire of the Sikh community and was appreciated by Sikhs across the world. The Indian government last year agreed to the opening of the corridor despite security concerns and opposition to a service fee of $20 charged from every Indian pilgrim. Four teenagers are in hospital with stab wounds after a brawl broke out in Sydney's west on Saturday afternoon. Police were called to the main shopping strip in Auburn just before 5pm following reports that up to 20 men were in a brawl. A brawl broke out in Auburn on Saturday afternoon. Credit:Nine News The group had dispersed when police arrived at the scene but four teenagers were found with non-life-threatening injuries. One 15-year-old and two 14-year-olds were found with stab wounds and taken to Westmead Children's Hospital. Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom speaks during a meeting at the government complex in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap South Korea's population is expected to decline this year for the first time since the nation began compiling data, as the number of monthly births has hit a record low, Vice Finance Minister Kim Yong-beom said Friday. In April, the number of births fell for the 53rd consecutive month and South Korea has seen a natural decline in population since November last year, Kim said. A natural population decrease occurs when the deaths outnumber births. "This year is expected to become the first year of a population decline," Kim told a meeting of senior officials on demographic changes. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Czech Republic and Azerbaijan will sign an energy cooperation agreement soon, Martina Tauberova, deputy Minister for EU and international trade at Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade told Trend. "Our countries cooperate very closely in the energy field. Czech and Azerbaijani experts made considerable efforts to create Agreement in the field of energy cooperation between the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic," noted Tauberova. She believes that the agreement is supposed to enhance the bilateral energy relations and to support the communications of the experts on the platform of the Joint Commission on Economic, Scientific-Technical and Cultural Cooperation. "The signature of the Agreement was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak and we hope, it would be signed as soon as possible after the opening of the borders," said Tauberova. Moreover, the deputy minister said the untapped potential exists in many fields, vainly in a matter of modernizing of the transport infrastructure, such as reconstruction of the road and railway network and usage of Smart technologies. "Czech companies can also succeed as a supplier of technologies for the environment, for example in field of remediation of old environmental burdens, as well as in the field of pharmaceutics, electrical engineering, and many others. We find a promising field in aviation and aviation technologies also. Our ministry together with the Czech Embassy in Baku and CzechTrade Baku organized the project to support the Czech companies producing light planes and training for pilots," she added. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn President Donald Trump's administration said Friday it was restricting US visas for a number of Chinese officials for infringing on the autonomy of Hong Kong, announcing action as Congress seeks tougher sanctions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States would curb visas for unspecified current and former officials of the Chinese Communist Party "who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong's freedoms." The officials who were targeted were "responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy," which Beijing promised before regaining control of the territory in 1997 from Britain, Pompeo said. "The United States calls on China to honor its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration," Pompeo said in a statement, urging protections of "freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly." A State Department spokeswoman declined to say how many people were affected or even if they would all be denied entry to the United States. "Individuals subject to this visa restriction policy will be evaluated for their eligibility under this policy when they apply and may be refused visas," she said. China is moving forward on a security law that would enforce punishment for subversion and other offenses in Hong Kong, which saw massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests last year. Activists say the law would effectively undo the freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong, one of the world's premier financial hubs. But the Chinese embassy in Washington insisted in a statement that "no one has any legal grounds or right to make irresponsible comments on Hong Kong affairs citing the Sino-British Joint Declaration. "We urge the US side to immediately correct its mistakes, withdraw the decisions and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs. The Chinese side will continue to take strong measures to uphold national sovereignty, security and development interests," it continued. - 'Not nearly enough' - Pompeo's action comes one day after the US Senate unanimously approved a bill that would impose mandatory economic sanctions in the United States against Chinese officials and Hong Kong police identified as hurting the city's autonomous status. In one element of pressure that could have far-reaching consequences, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act would also punish banks that do "significant transactions" with identified violators. Supporters of the bill, which needs to be passed by the House of Representatives, say they want to impose real costs on Chinese officials rather than just issue condemnations. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, who teamed up with Republican Pat Toomey on the act, said the visa action announced by Pompeo was insufficient. "Visa restrictions are not nearly enough to deter China from continuing its crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong," Van Hollen said. "The administration must impose additional sanctions, and now that the Senate has acted, the House must pass our Hong Kong Autonomy Act, and the president should sign and implement it fully without delay," he said. Trump has not publicly said if he would sign the Hong Kong Autonomy Act into law, but in the past, he has criticized legislation that ties his hands. Led by Pompeo, the Trump administration has furiously denounced China on issues from its initial handling of the coronavirus pandemic to human rights to its military spending. But Trump is also hopeful that China will implement a bilateral trade deal and has praised President Xi Jinping personally. An explosive new book by former national security advisor John Bolton alleges that Trump asked Xi to boost his re-election chances by buying produce from politically crucial farmers. Pompeo earlier declared that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous in US eyes, but initial actions taken by Trump have been vague, including ordering changes to an extradition treaty. Pro-China activists holding placards and flags hand over a petition at the US consulate general in Hong Kong -- Washington has now imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials over curbs on the city's autonomy Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong pay their respects in June 2020 to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of a man who took a fatal fall after hanging a banner against a now-withdrawn extradition bill that sparked mass protests Riot police gather on a road in Hong Kong as protesters take part in a pro-democracy rally against China's proposed new security law in May 2020 US Senator Chris Van Hollen, seen here in January 2020, has been co-leading a push to impose sanctions over the infringement of Hong Kong autonomy Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nina A. Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 07:58 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406620e02d 1 National coal-fired-power-plant,Banten,South-Korea,power-plants,PLN Free Dozens of environmentalists and residents of Banten staged a rally in front of the South Korean Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday to protest Korean state-owned utility company Korea Electric Power Corporations (KEPCO) plan to invest in two new coal-fired power plants in Cilegon, Banten. The group of protesters, which included activists from the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), Trend Asia and Pena Masyarakat, demanded KEPCO to withdraw from the projects, saying that the new power plants could pose great health risks among locals, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Trend Asia researcher Andri Prasetyo, who participated in the protest, said the power plant projects contradicted South Korea's Green New Deal a set of goals for the country to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and end the financing of coal plants overseas. The new deal was initiated by President Moon Jae-in's political party. "We ask for the realization of President Moon Jae-in's Green New Deal," Andri said on Thursday. "One of the commitments of the plan is to stop financing coal industry projects, so we demand that South Korea cancel their investment plan for the new coal-fired power plants, the Java 9 and 10 [projects]." According to recent research by Trend Asia and Pena Masyarakat, the projects will not only carry health risks for locals but also be unprofitable and unnecessary given that the Java-Bali electricity network already exceeds its consumption demands. The two new power plants, expected to be operational by 2023 with a combined capacity of 2,000 megawatts, cost around US$3 billion in development, 70 percent of which came from external funding, tempo.co reported. Citing data from state electricity firm PLN, the research argued that the utilization rates of power plants along with the existing Java-Bali electricity network only reached 57.3 percent; therefore, the operations of the Java 9 and 10 power plants would only add to an electricity capacity surplus. Read also: Court moves on with Jakarta air pollution lawsuit Trend Asia and Pena Masyarakat, citing a pre-feasibility study conducted by the Korea Development Institute (KDI) on KEPCO's involvement in the development of the two plants, suggested that the projects were not likely to bring a profit. "Therefore, South Korea should withdraw from financing the construction of the Java 9 and 10 [power plants] in Banten because there is no justification in terms of utilization for the benefit of the people," the study concluded. "On top of that, financing for the [power plants] increases the risk of negative impacts on the environment and the serious health risk of premature death, as well as the heavy burdens that will be borne by the community due to coal expansion." Mad Haer, head of Pena Masyarakat Banten, said the number of local residents suffering from upper respiratory tract infection in Cilegon was very high, as there were already many other coal-fired power plants in the area. "Air pollution from dozens of coal power plants in Banten has also resulted in a lot of premature deaths. This project would only increase the suffering experienced by vulnerable age groups, especially toddlers," he said. Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said that In-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre), the new national nodal agency, which was approved by the Cabinet in the middle of the week, would take 6 months to start functioning and had seen interest from startups, while larger players were yet to come out with their proposals. "Isro's projects including Chandrayaan 3 are in progress, but have been delayed due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic," said K Sivan, chairman of Isro. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Vietnam recorded two more imported COVID-19 cases on June 27 evening, raising the total number of infections in the country to 355, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. Passengers at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh province (Photo: VNA) The two new female patients returned to Vietnam from Kuwait on June 18 and were put under quarantine upon arrival in a facility in the northern province of Hung Yen. At present, they are being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases No. 2 in Dong Anh district, Hanoi. Vietnam has gone through 72 days in a row without local transmissions. At present, 7,846 people having close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering from pandemic-hit areas are quarantined at hospitals, concentrated quarantine establishments, and at home. As many as 330 out of 355 patients or 93 percent have recovered so far, while the remainders are being treated at medical facilities and in stable condition. Five tested negative for the coronavirus once and five others at least twice. In its response to the George Floyd protests, the US failed to meet the standards that it demands of other countries. As human rights researchers covering places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, and Yemen, we have spent years documenting how repressive governments use excessive force and other abuses to quash dissent: firing on peaceful protesters and beating or arresting critics and activists. Despite its own record of abuse abroad, which we have also documented, the US government has rightly if inconsistently condemned crackdowns by repressive governments making public statements, raising concerns in private meetings with government officials, suspending military assistance, or imposing targeted sanctions against those most responsible. The credibility of those actions, or what was left of it, now lies in ashes. Over the past three weeks, police across the United States have unleashed some of the same tactics against peaceful protesters at home that the US has condemned abroad. No matter what distinctions the current administration might try to draw, the ability of the US to promote respect for human rights abroad has been further harmed. Following the May 25 killing of George Floyd, protests broke out in all 50 US states, condemning police brutality and structural racism. The police in many places responded with excessive force and abuse: beating up protesters, mass arrests, or using military force to discourage protests. We are investigating about 100 separate incidents in which police reportedly used so-called less lethal weapons to disperse protesters, including tear gas, pepper spray, stun grenades, and rubber bullets. In several cases, police used kettling tactics, trapping protesters in an enclosed space, then arresting them, often using these weapons. Many of those arrested said they were held for hours, and sometimes more than a day, in crowded, filthy conditions with no protection from COVID-19. They were not allowed to make a phone call, and many were moved from one precinct to another, making it nearly impossible for their families and lawyers to track them down. Upon release, many were given a summons to appear in court for breaking curfews, blocking traffic, and other minor offences. Many journalists have been among those attacked, arrested, or otherwise harassed during the protests sometimes on live camera. Police shot a journalist in Minneapolis with what she thought was a rubber bullet that left her permanently blinded in one eye. Legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild were attacked, tear gassed, and arrested while monitoring protests in at least a dozen cities, despite their visible neon green hats and other identifying markers. One observer in Sacramento was shot in the face with a rubber bullet and hospitalised with a concussion, while several observers in Detroit were beaten with batons, punched, tear gassed and then arrested while trying to record the names of arrested protesters. Street medics deployed to provide emergency medical support to protesters injured during the demonstrations have also been targeted. In New York City, police assaulted and arrested a medic with a clearly visible red cross on his helmet. As we have repeatedly told authorities during meetings in Kinshasa, Baghdad, and elsewhere, peaceful protesters should not be thrown into jail for expressing their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Journalists, medical workers, legal monitors, and human rights activists are protected under international human rights law and should never be targeted just for doing their jobs. Tear gas a chemical irritant that can cause a burning sensation in the eyes and difficulty breathing and other less lethal weapons are governed by strict necessity and principles of proportionality under international law. The police should make use of non-violent means before resorting to force and avoid the use of force to disperse non-violent protests, regardless of whether the authorities deem the protests illegal. Less lethal weapons should only be employed when strictly necessary to obtain a lawful and legitimate law enforcement objective, and should be preceded by clear warnings. In Iraq, we documented how security forces in late 2019 used excessive force against often peaceful protesters, including by firing tear gas canisters directly at them, causing deaths and injuries, and by breaking up protesters tents, including in the middle of the night. Security forces also routinely attacked journalists and wounded medics as they treated protesters. The US government condemned the violence throughout. As the DRCs president held on to power beyond the end of his constitutional mandate, we documented how security forces fired live ammunition and tear gas at largely peaceful protesters, killing nearly 300 people and arresting more than 2,000 protesters and activists between 2015 and 2018. The US government repeatedly condemned the crackdown and imposed targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, against senior government and security force officials implicated in the abuse. The US needs to live up to international human rights standards, the standards that US administrations have demanded of other countries, when people are out on the streets protesting, and every day. The recent mass arrests and excessive force used by the police during protests are not surprising for many Americans, especially Black and brown people who experience the reality of an abusive, racist law enforcement system on a daily basis. But let us hope the swell of protests, global outrage, and increased public scrutiny of police behaviour nationally and around the world serve as an impetus for meaningful reforms. Systemic, fundamental changes to policing and public safety are needed throughout the US to ensure that the basic human rights of Americans are respected. These changes are also crucial if the US government, including future administrations, hopes to have any credibility on the world stage as an effective promoter of respect for human rights and the rule of law. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Hanoi chairman Nguyen Duc Chung has said that authorities in the Vietnamese capital city are set to issue investment licenses for 229 projects with combined registered capital of VND405.57 trillion (US$17.6 billion). Chung made the announcement at the Hanoi 2020 Investment and Development Cooperation conference in the Vietnamese capital city on Saturday morning. The conference was attended by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Vietnamese ministers and 1,850 international and domestic delegates, including 1,200 domestic and foreign investors and business representatives. Chung affirmed that despite the severe impacts of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of Hanoi grew by 3.39 percent with 12,650 newly registered enterprises in the first half of 2020. The total registered capital also reached VND175 trillion ($7.5 billion), up nine percent over the same period last year. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (center) attends the Hanoi 2020 Investment and Development Cooperation conference in Hanoi, June 27, 2020. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre FDI [foreign development investment] attraction in the six months reached $4 billion. The state budget revenue for the six months is expected to meet 50 percent of the estimate, the chairman said. At the conference, Chung announced that the city will award investment certificates to 229 projects with a total capital of VND405.57 trillion. He also announced a list of 282 projects in Hanoi whose developers are wishing to attract investment with a total estimated capital of VND483.1 trillion ($20.8 billion). At Saturday's event, the city's leaders and investors signed 38 memorandums of understanding with a total investment of $28.6 billion. Hanoi's Party chief Vuong Dinh Hue speaks at the Hanoi 2020 Investment and Development Cooperation conference in Hanoi, June 27, 2020. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre In his remarks at the event, Hanois Party chief Vuong Dinh Hue said that the capital city is the leading development driver in the Red River Delta and the whole country, currently contributing 16.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and nearly 19 percent of the state budget revenue despite accounting for only one percent of Vietnams land area and 8.5 percent of the national population. Hue emphasized that the Hanoi 2020 Investment and Development Cooperation conference is an opportunity to exhibit cohesion between the authorities and leaders in Hanoi as well as other provinces and cities and investors, businesses, agencies and organizations. He affirmed that Hanoi will continue to show its determination to be a pioneer in Vietnam's post-pandemic economic recovery and development in 2020. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! John Bolton said Thursday that he has no regrets about who he did and didn't raise alarm bells to about potentially impeachable conduct by President Donald Trump while he was Trump's national security adviser. "I passed this information to the people I thought I should pass it to, and I don't have any second thoughts about that," Bolton said in an interview with Nicolle Wallace on MSNBC's "Deadline: White House." The people Bolton said he reported his concerns to about Trump's dealings with Ukraine and the presidents of China and Turkey are two of Trump's staunchest defenders, Attorney General William Barr and White House counsel Pat Cipollone. "I've known Bill Barr for well over 30 years. He's a man of integrity," Bolton said. "I thought he would do his job." Bolton said he'd known Cipollone for a shorter period of time but believed he was a man of integrity, as well. "They were unhappy with what they were hearing about the president's conduct," Bolton said. Cipollone wound up acting as Trump's lead lawyer in his Senate impeachment trial, where he was charged with withholding military assistance to Ukraine because he wanted it to turn over dirt on Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics Bolton, as he has done repeatedly while promoting his new book, defended his decision not to cooperate with the House Democrats who were investigating Trump's Ukraine conduct, which Bolton witnessed. "I don't march to Nancy Pelosi's drum," Bolton said, referring to the House speaker. "The Democratic leadership in the House committed impeachment malpractice" by not working harder to involve Republicans in the process, Bolton said, suggesting that Democrats were interested only in "virtue signaling." Asked why he didn't raise more alarms with more people and saved the allegations of misconduct for his book, Bolton said, "I'm not into virtue signaling." In an interview Thursday with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump said Bolton was "crazy" and "didn't do a good job" in the White House. "He wasn't smart," Trump said. "He's the only man I think I ever met I knew him for a year I don't think I ever saw him smile once. I said to him, 'John, do you ever smile?' And it tells you something about somebody." TURKEYS The borough of Washington has asked state authorities to look into the management and maintenance of Washington Cemetery, following complaints about conditions there. The latest was the discovery of unearthed human remains. The Warren County Prosecutors Office determined that the human bones were disturbed accidentally and no crime had occurred. Still, local officials asked the New Jersey Cemetery Board to look into that and other issues. People posting complaints on a Facebook page say they want the Washington Cemetery Association to make repairs and prevent any further damage to their relatives memorials. Among the complaints are reports that headstones have been toppled or smashed by fallen trees, and buried under brush. Some worry that digging an influx of new graves may be disturbing existing ones. A spokesperson for the cemetery association disputed the reports, saying some damage was caused by trees felled by storms and that memorials have not been bulldozed, as some have alleged. The Government Accountability Office said this week that nearly $1.4 billion in coronavirus stimulus payments went to 1.1 million people who are deceased, according to a data review by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The fact that some checks went to dead people was already known, but not the scope. The Treasury Department was supposed to check Social Security death records before sending out the payments, but it relied on outdated lists. The information used to send out the payments was based on a previous relief effort during the Great Recession of 2008. The Internal Revenue Service said it didnt expect people to return the money if errors were made. President Trump, who supports another round of stimulus checks, is insisting that the money be returned. TROPHIES Step By Step Learning, a Lehigh Valley company that works with school districts to improve literacy, partnered with PBS-WLVT to raise money to help local restaurants and people working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Company president Mike Grabarits presented a $20,000 check to officials at St. Lukes University Hospital Network to support Feeding the Frontlines, which distributes restaurant gift certificates to health care workers. Step by Step used raised the funds during an online literacy conference. My colleagues and I wanted to acknowledge the professionalism and expertise of the St. Lukes team and help our local restaurants too, so we partnered with PBS-WLVT to create a virtual literacy conference for educators, Grabarits said. Lauren Lesko, 23, has been dealing with epilepsy since she was 8 sometimes experiencing 30 seizures a day. Over the years she saw medical experts in several cities, looking to manage the symptoms and deal with medication that made it difficult to comprehend complex subjects and communicate her thoughts. Even as the seizures got worse in high school, the Lehighton resident worked out an individualized education plan and graduated in 2014. She put off college until 2017, when a new medication helped manage her condition. This spring she received an associates degree in communications and design from Northampton Community College, after meeting another challenge finishing her final semester through online classes. A Niagara Falls man caught selling fentanyl not long after he had been released on bail for selling carfentanil in quantities that could have taken out a neighbourhood has been sentenced to seven years behind bars. He has committed offences that are contrary to the basic principles of human decency that we should all have in this community, and that specific act needs to be strongly denounced and deterred, federal prosecutor Darren Anger said at the sentencing hearing for Ryan Wilson in an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines, Friday. Mr. Wilson is an individual who did not care about humanity. If you traffic carfentanil so you can make some money, you cannot be a person who cares about fellow members of our community or humanity. The Crown had requested a sentence of 10 to 11 years in a penitentiary on four drug trafficking-related offences. Such a penalty, Anger said, is similar to what someone convicted of manslaughter might receive. The difference here is a person who commits manslaughter gets 10 years for taking one life. People like Mr. Wilson have the potential to take the lives of many. Wilson, 36, was arrested in April 2019 after Niagara police seized more than $18,000 worth of drugs including crystal methamphetamine, cocaine and an ounce of carfentanil. He was released from bail and then arrested a second time, this time for trafficking fentanyl. Carfentanil is approximately 100 times more toxic than fentanyl, and 10,000 times more toxic than morphine. Carfentanil is exponentially worse than fentanyl, Anger said, adding the amount of carfentanil the defendant was trafficking had the potential to take out a neighbourhood or community. Defence lawyer Scott Buchanan had advocated for a four-year penitentiary term. Court heard Wilson has a long-standing struggle with addiction and sold drugs as a way to make money. Judge Joseph De Filippis said a 10 to 11-year sentence could crush the defendants hope for rehabilitation, and imposed a sentence of seven years. Based on the amount of time Wilson spent in pretrial custody the equivalent of 16 months he must now serve an additional 68 months behind bars. BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - ams AG said that it approached the Austrian authorities on its own initiative with regard to investigations alleged in Thursday media reports. According to the company, the Austrian financial market authority has stated that there was no investigation into the company. The authorities have further indicated an investigation related to possible insider trading into natural or legal persons who may be related or unrelated to ams. There were reports that the Austrian financial market authority was investigating ams's management on suspicion of illegal share transactions during the ongoing takeover of Osram Licht. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. The first of several days of critical test flights could come as early as Monday, sources tell Bloomberg. Boeing Co. and federal regulators are preparing to hold a critical set of test flights on the 737 Max early next week, and laying plans for other milestones toward ending the jetliners 15-month grounding including convening a panel of pilots to go over a proposed training course. Aviation industry officials briefed on the plans, which still havent been finalized, said that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has reviewed Boeings safety analysis of fixes it has made and is comfortable moving to the next step: putting the plane through its paces with test pilots. The first of several days of test flights could come as early as Monday, according to three people familiar with the plans who werent permitted to discuss the still-tentative situation publicly. Boeing had privately targeted hosting the FAA flights by the end of June. The team is making progress toward FAA certification flights in the near future, the agency said in a statement. The FAA is reviewing Boeings documentation to determine whether the company has met the criteria to move to the next stage of evaluation, the agency said. We will conduct the certification flights only after we are satisfied with that data. Boeing declined to comment. Regulators and Boeing are also hoping to convene an international panel of airline pilots to test a proposed new training course for Max flight crews, possibly in late July and early August, the people said. Travel restrictions related to the global pandemic have added uncertainty to how such sessions would occur. Plans are being discussed to allow the group to perform its work remotely in flight simulators around the world, rather than flying to Boeings main training center in Miami, Florida, where a Covid-19 outbreak is raging. Boeing pared losses on Bloombergs report of the certification flight and declined 2.8% to $170.01 at the close in New York. The shares had tumbled as much as 4.2% in the trading session after Bernstein analyst Douglas Harned downgraded the company to the equivalent of hold. He cited uncertainty over the 737s comeback and the prospect of a pandemic disrupting air travel through mid-decade. Setting a date for certification flights is one of the most critical steps on Boeings road to resuming service on its best-selling jet, which was grounded in March 2019 amid a worldwide furor following the second fatal crash in less than five months. However, several more hurdles remain before the plane can get its final certification from regulators. Airline customers have been told that it could come as soon as September if all goes well. For one, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson and his deputy, Dan Elwell, both of whom were airline pilots, plan to also fly the plane after the certification flight in an attempt to reassure the public. The controversial issue of new training must also be addressed. Boeing decided in January to ditch its long-held stance that pilots of an older 737 model would only need a short computer course to fly the Max, a crucial selling point before the crashes. As well as working with the international pilots, a group known as the Joint Operations Evaluation Board, the FAA is also convening its own group to evaluate training. The FAAs Flight Standardization Board will propose minimum training requirements and give the public a chance to comment before finalizing them. Additionally, the FAA and its counterparts in other countries will have to legally mandate that repairs to the plane are performed before it carries passengers. Governments will also lay out requirements for inspections and maintenance on the almost 400 planes around the world that havent flown since the grounding. And, even if regulators approve the Maxs return to service later this year, that likely wont be the end of required changes to the plane. Regulators have told Boeing to expect that additional requirements will be phased in, according to people familiar with the discussions. The test flights will come after more than a year of harsh criticism from Boeings skeptics, multiple investigations of the plane and a federal criminal probe. Successfully completing the tests would provide some rare good news for Boeing and CEO Dave Calhoun at a time when the aviation industry is reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic and could help unlock billions of dollars in inventory from about 450 planes the company has built but been unable to deliver. For Boeing, it could close a chapter thats gone on longer than they wanted and kills a lot of speculation in the marketplace that the plane will never fly again, said George Ferguson, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. Some short sellers have fanned speculation that the jet will never return. An Oregon family is mourning after a six-month search for an "incredible" 20-year-old woman came to an end. The last time anyone saw Allyson Watterson was on December 22, 2019 walking with her boyfriend Benjamin Garland in a wooded area near North Plains, about 18 miles northwest of Portland, police said at the time of her disappearance. Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to a property on June 20 where the owner found a body while clearing brush. MORE: Remains believed to be found of missing 20-year-old; boyfriend is person of interest The day before the discovery, Watterson's mother Misty posted an emotional plea on Facebook. PHOTO: Allyson Watterson, 20, went missing while hiking on December 22. (Washington County Sheriffas Office) "This is my beautiful, amazing courageous incredible daughter AllysAn Watterson. The day she was taken out of my life will forever be the worst darkest day any mother could experience," wrote Misty Watterson. "To whom is responsible for taking my daughter out of my life I want you to know that you took my life my breath my soul my everything has been ripped away from me and my life and those lives around me that love and adore this child will forever be dark until she comes home to us." A day after Allyson Watterson was reported missing on Dec. 23, Garland told police he got separated from her during their hike, police said. MORE: New clues in search for Oregon woman who vanished during hike with boyfriend, police say Garland, 21, was later arrested on several charges unrelated to her disappearance and is serving time in prison, police said. "There is no evidence pointing directly to him, except that he was the last person seen with Allyson," Brian van Kleef, public information officer with Washington County Sheriff's Office, told ABC News on Saturday. The Washington County Medical Examiner announced on Friday that the body was identified as Allyson Watterson. No final cause of death has been determined, authorities said. Van Kleef said the investigation is ongoing as they follow any tips and await the results of Allyson Watterson's autopsy report that may take a few weeks. "The Sheriff's Office offers our sincerest condolences to the family as they have faced unthinkable circumstances for the past six months since Allyson was first reported missing," the sheriff's office said in a statement. Body of missing 20-year-old from Oregon identified originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Hotstar launched its latest web show Aarya on June 19. The show has garnered a highly positive response from the viewers. Created by Ram Madhvani, the series marks Sushmita Sen's comeback to acting as well as her digital debut. With many stars praising her performance, the latest celebrity to join the list is actor Salman Khan. He took to his social media to post a video and was all praise for the show. Salman Khan is all praise for Sushmita Sen's Aarya In the video, Salman Khan narrates a dialogue from Aarya and urges people to watch the show if they wanted to hear more of such dialogues. Adding in a reference from the show, the actor said that Sushmita Sen's decision to make a comeback could either be "Sahi" or "Bohot Sahi". Further modifying one of his popular dialogues, Salman said that once he started with the first episode, he could not stop without watching the entire show. ALSO READ | Amitabh Bachchan And Salman Khan Have Worked In THESE Films Together, See Full List Here He wrote in the caption, "Swagat toh karo Aarya ka! What a comeback and what a show! Congratulations @Sushmitasen47 aur dher saara pyaar!". [sic] Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen have worked together in multiple films together. Some of their popular films include Biwi No 1, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge. ALSO READ | Sunil Grover Has A Message For 'paid Trollers' After Tweet Supporting Salman Khan What is Sushmita Sen's Aarya about? The crime thriller series revolves around a homemaker named Aarya whose life turns upside down when she finds out that her husband deals in illegal medicines. She then threatens to divorce him if he does not fix his ways. Later, someone attempts to assassinate her husband in broad daylight. ALSO READ | Mahika Sharma To Be A Part Of Salman Khan's Bigg Boss 14? Read Details When an investigation is launched, Aarya discovers that Tej Sareen is actually involved in an international drug racket and that the lives of her family are in danger. Taking matters into her own hands, Aarya wipes off her tears and picks up a gun. She transforms into a ruthless criminal for the sake of her family and to save them. Sushmita Sen plays a dominant character in the show and asserts that she can go to any lengths to save her family. She bears out her claws and dives right into her husbands murky line of business. ALSO READ | Salman Khan Raises Temperature In Shirtless Post-workout Pic, Flaunts Ripped Physique 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. Coronavirus cases have accelerated among Air Force recruits in San Antonio since the service ramped up testing five weeks ago, including a recent spike of 13 cases in one week. So far, a system of isolating positive cases and quarantining small groups developed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland has allowed basic training there to continue. A cumulative total of 48 recruits have tested positive, with most recovering and re-entering training, but 13 of those cases were discovered in the week ending June 22, the latest period covered by updates provided by the Air Education and Training Command. The command said increased testing of all recruits on the base began May 19 and resulted in a correlating uptick of positive cases. Prior to universal screening, AETC had tested only recruits who showed symptoms when screened upon arrival at Lackland. The first infection by the virus of a military training instructor, or MTI, at Lackland was confirmed June 23, but the Air Force said it didnt have a number when asked if any of the instructors family had tested positive. The safety measures we have in place allowed for quick action to get the MTI the care needed as well as prompted the immediate start of contact tracing to protect and isolate potentially exposed populations, AETC spokeswoman Marilyn Holliday said in an emailed response to questions. All who may have had contact have been placed into quarantine as a necessary safety measure. Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News Even with the recent spike, Air Force basic training has had fewer cases when compared with other services. Both AETC and the 59th Medical Wing said most of the recruits turning up positive had shown no symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, which has killed 126,000 Americans. No airman has died of the disease, but one Air Force dependent and three civilians working on Air Force installations have. A spokesman for the medical wing, Kiley Keenzel, said those at Lackland who had symptoms so far have not been sick enough to be hospitalized. Faced with the threat of outbreaks that could cripple or even shut down basic training at Lackland, the medical wing in March developed a plan that required new recruits to be isolated from all other personnel on the base for two weeks after arriving, Some 7,260 trainees have gone though the restriction of movement process since March 17, receiving instruction far from other personnel, wearing protective face coverings and sleeping farther apart. They then go through regular basic training in groups of 40 to 60 to allow social distancing. Those in the group can be quarantined if one of the cohort tests positive and tracing finds that they were in close proximity. On ExpressNews.com: Tracking coronavirus recruits, Air Force slowed outbreak at San Antonio training hub The Navy and Marines briefly shut down their training pipelines in late March but have since restarted them. The Air Force chief of staff, Gen. David Goldfein, in April called coping with the virus the new abnormal as the nation awaits a vaccine, something not expected to occur this year. The Air Force also created a second basic training facility at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Miss., during the first week of April. Like recruits at Lackland, flights of 60 trainees will undergo a shortened version of boot camp six weeks, rather than 8 prior to the pandemic and remain at Keesler for their technical training. No one there has tested positive. Bob Owen /San Antonio Express-News Recruits at Lackland train for seven weeks, and graduation standards remain unchanged, but blocks of training have been adjusted to deliver more values-based content and academic instruction up-front while in the restriction of movement phase, said Holliday, the AETC spokeswoman. Activities requiring increased physical exertion and specialized training infrastructure occur later in the training schedule, she said. The decision to add Keesler to the mix of basic training was historic because Lackland had been the sole location for that task since 1968, but commanders say the idea has worked well, and they will keep the installation in Mississippi as a second recruit hub at least through the end of September. It could run for as long as the current situation demands, Holliday said. A recruit from Kentucky became Lacklands first confirmed case after showing COVID-19 symptoms March 22. Prior to a May 12 Pentagon order to screen all recruits, only those showing symptoms were tested. A study published in the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report early this month examined the first seven weeks of what it called nonpharmaceutical interventions and praised the work of the 59th Medical Wing. Out of 10,579 trainees, it said, the incidence of COVID-19 was limited to five cases. The report noted that about 40,000 fledgling airmen are trained each year at Lackland, with about 800 of them arriving on the base every week a number that has been cut by about a third since March to allow social distancing of bunks and separation of groups of trainees. The recruits now sleep 9 feet apart. A sixth case was reported April 20. By mid-June, the AETC had updated the total to 35, coinciding with the increase in testing that began May 19. One week later, by June 22, the total had increased to 48 cases. Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News The news about the uptick in coronavirus cases at Lackland was shared with Defense Secretary Mark Esper during a recent visit here. News media in San Antonio were not told of the visit by the Pentagon and AETC or invited to cover the event. As it stands, coronavirus may not impact the bottom line at basic training: the number of graduates. The Air Force last year graduated 39,000 recruits at Lackland, and the plan now is to produce 40,000. As we continue to navigate this ever-evolving environment, we remain vigilant with our safety precautions and evaluate our protocols to adjust as required, Holliday said. 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 A forest on the largest island in the Con Dao archipelago off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in southern Vietnam is on the verge of being cut down to make way for a resettlement project, stirring up strong opposition from locals. The forest is located on a 16,500 square meter sand dune in a residential neighborhood on the islands Nguyen Van Linh Street, near the Quang Trung Reservoir and Hang Duong Cemetery a memorial cemetery for Vietnamese soldiers and prisoners who died in Con Dao Prison in the war. Data from authorities reveals that the forest is home to more than a thousand resin trees, ranging from eight to 30 centimeters in diameter. Early this month, the dunes surroundings were leveled as trees were chopped down to make room for a ring road, and metal frames were put up to build pre-engineered houses for construction workers. Discovering an area of the forest was cleared, officials from the Forest Protection Unit of Con Dao National Park ordered the immediate suspension of logging operations. The sand dune is right at the center of the town. Its such a beautiful forest! said a resident of Con Dao District. It should remain intact. Felling the forest is meant to make way for a project which would provide the technical infrastructure for a resettlement neighborhood. The Peoples Committee of Con Dao District, which administers the group of islands, is the projects primary developer. Metal frames are put up to build pre-engineered houses in a resin forest in Con Dao Islands off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in southern Vietnam. Photo: Dong Ha / Tuoi Tre Late last year, the Con Dao authority announced its intention to acquire more than 16,500 square meters of public forest in order to make way for the resettlement project but it was not until this past March that the local government proposed the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development designated this forest area as the land for the project. The resin forest functions as a natural protection forest, according to the proposal. No official decision has been made about the conversion of the forest to a residential area, according to Do Thanh Phuong, deputy director of the Construction and Investment Project Management Board in Con Dao District, who represents the Peoples Committee. But the district is in desperate need of land for resettlement purposes, Phuong added. Phuong also explained that the decision to develop a resettlement project was made before land had been chosen to carry out the project, causing workers to begin clearing the site despite there not having been a land conversion decision. In 2011, then-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung excluded forests in Con Dao from a master plan for forest protection. Those forests can instead be used for the districts economic development, according to Con Dao District chairman Le Van Phong. Meanwhile, local residents want to keep the resin forest so that the nearby Quang Trung reservoir can be protected. The Vietnamese government later adopted a resolution which disallows the conversion of existing natural forests to other uses throughout the Southeast Asian nation. Exceptions are made for those projects whose aims are to safeguard national defense and security, or boost the countrys socio-economic development. However, such projects must get the nod from the prime minister. After a Tuoi Tre reporter mentioned the resolution, Phong said the regulation is only applicable to special-use forests. He noted that forests on the island are left out of the master plan for protection forests, so the resettlement project does not require approval from the government leader. The resin trees in a forest in Con Dao Islands off Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in southern Vietnam are eight to 30 centimeters in diameter. Photo: Dong Ha / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the permanent loss of capital. It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. We can see that Premier Investments Limited (ASX:PMV) does use debt in its business. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky. What Risk Does Debt Bring? Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. When we think about a company's use of debt, we first look at cash and debt together. Check out our latest analysis for Premier Investments How Much Debt Does Premier Investments Carry? As you can see below, Premier Investments had AU$103.8m of debt at January 2020, down from AU$138.8m a year prior. But it also has AU$216.9m in cash to offset that, meaning it has AU$113.1m net cash. ASX:PMV Historical Debt June 26th 2020 A Look At Premier Investments's Liabilities Zooming in on the latest balance sheet data, we can see that Premier Investments had liabilities of AU$343.3m due within 12 months and liabilities of AU$393.6m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of AU$216.9m as well as receivables valued at AU$15.5m due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling AU$504.5m more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined. Given Premier Investments has a market capitalization of AU$2.68b, it's hard to believe these liabilities pose much threat. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Premier Investments boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load! Story continues Also good is that Premier Investments grew its EBIT at 18% over the last year, further increasing its ability to manage debt. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately the future profitability of the business will decide if Premier Investments can strengthen its balance sheet over time. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting. But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. Premier Investments may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. Over the last three years, Premier Investments recorded free cash flow worth a fulsome 83% of its EBIT, which is stronger than we'd usually expect. That positions it well to pay down debt if desirable to do so. Summing up While Premier Investments does have more liabilities than liquid assets, it also has net cash of AU$113.1m. The cherry on top was that in converted 83% of that EBIT to free cash flow, bringing in AU$239m. So is Premier Investments's debt a risk? It doesn't seem so to us. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet - far from it. To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Premier Investments . Of course, if you're the type of investor who prefers buying stocks without the burden of debt, then don't hesitate to discover our exclusive list of net cash growth stocks, today. 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. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Japan's Defence Minister Suggests Kim's Health, Bad Economy Behind North Korea's Recent Actions Sputnik News Tim Korso. Sputnik International 14:28 GMT 26.06.2020 Following the mysterious disappearance of Kim Jon-un from public radars in April and reappearance in May, North Korea took a u-turn in relations with its southern neighbour that culminated in the destruction of the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong last week. Japanese Defence Minister Taro Kono has suggested that the DPRK's recent actions regarding South Korea can be explained by a set of internal factors affecting the country's foreign policy. Kono named purported health issues of Kim Jong-un, which so far have not been confirmed, and economic problems caused by a bad harvest in 2019, as one of the main reasons. "We have some suspicion about his health [] The economy in North Korea is not doing well, so Kim Jung-un or his regime need some scapegoat so that people would look outside of North Korea", the Japanese official said. The defence minister went on to suggest that North Korea is struggling to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite Pyongyang officially denying the presence of the disease in the country. Kono supported his allegations by suggesting that the pandemic was the reason behind Kim Jong-un's rare public assurances purportedly caused by fears of catching the virus. The Japanese official said that at the moment the country is gathering information about the situation within the country following the recent clash with its southern neighbour. Last week, following the cessation of ties with Seoul, the DPRK demolished the inter-Korean liaison office in the border town of Kaesong, threatening South Korea with military action if the country's activists continue provocations involving anti-DPRK propaganda leaflets being floated over the border via balloons. The threat of "military action" was made by the DPRK leader's sister, Kim Yo-jong, who is widely regarded in the media as gaining political strength rand by some journalists as rivalling the positions of her brother. The threat was, however, called off soon after the demolition of the liaison building, which was the key line of communication between the two states. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nairobi, June 26, 2020 Tanzanian authorities should immediately restore Tanzania Daima's license and allow all newspapers to publish freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In a June 23 statement, Tanzania's Information Services Department, which registers print media, announced it would revoke Tanzania Daima's distribution and publication license as of June 24, according to news reports and a copy of the statement, which CPJ reviewed. The statement accused the publication of breaching the law and professional ethics and banned its distribution domestically and abroad. The statement did not cite specific content from the newspaper that was allegedly illegal, nor did it specify which laws the paper was accused of breaking. Tanzania Daima was previously banned for 90 days in 2017 on allegations of publishing false information, according to media reports from the time. The paper is owned by the family of Freeman Mbowe, a prominent opposition politician, according to reports. Tanzania's government has used flimsy pretexts to repeatedly crackdown on journalists for simply doing their jobs. From this pattern the only obvious intent is to smother critics and independent voices, said CPJ's sub-Saharan Africa Representative, Muthoki Mumo. Amid a pandemic and with elections scheduled for October, Tanzanians need access to diverse sources of news. Authorities should restore Tanzania Daima's license and cease this assault on the press. The statement said that Tanzania Daima had previously been warned over 10 times for legal and ethical breaches, and accused the publication of contempt of national authorities and ill intent. The statement, signed by Patrick Kipangula, whose office is charged with print media registration, said the Information Services Department had the authority to revoke the paper's license under the Media Services Act, a 2016 law that CPJ has previously called on the government to repeal. Tanzania Daima has an option to reapply for its license or appeal to the minister for information, according to the statement. Two people familiar with the matter, who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal, said they believed the revocation was sparked by a June 20 front-page article in Tanzania Daima, which cited a local bishop calling on the public to protest on June 7, the Saba Saba public holiday, to demand an independent electoral commission. Tanzania is due to hold presidential and National Assembly elections on October 25, according to reports. In a joint statement issued on June 24, the Media Council of Tanzania and the Tanzania Editors' Forum, two local press rights groups, expressed concern at the use of the 2016 law, which allows the government to be complainant, prosecutor and judge of its own case. Since March 2019, authorities have issued suspensions against at least three other media outletsKwanza TV, The Citizen newspaper, and the online services of Mwananchiaccording to CPJ research. CPJ called and texted chief government spokesperson Hassan Abbasi for comment, but did not receive any replies. When CPJ called Information Minister Harrison Mwakyembe, the person who answered the phone was inaudible, and then did not respond to text messages. When CPJ called back, a message said that number was unreachable. When CPJ called the Ministry of Information at the phone number listed on its website, a representative gave CPJ the number of another official, named Rodney, whom they said would respond to questions. When CPJ called that number, Rodney declined to comment or give his last name, saying that he was out of the office and that another official would call CPJ. CPJ did not immediately receive any phone calls from the ministry. COVID-19 is not peculiar to us. That is why it is called a pandemic. And we are not the only ones suffering either although we might have been among the loudest to complain about how miserable our lives have become and how our government officials have largely made it so. But lets take a look at how the disease has impacted the lives of people in other parts of the world and how their governments have responded or are responding to the crisis. In the United States, the nations top infectious disease expert admitted that their strategies to curb the spread of the disease were not working as cases surged across the country. According to the latest figures posted in the Johns Hopkins University dashboard, the US has recorded 2,467,658 Covid-19 cases and 125,046 deaths. The worlds total numbers are 9,777,889 cases, 493,609 from 188 countries/regions. In California, the governor reinstated a stay-at-home order in Imperial County because its hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients. New York has ordered arrivals from states with high incidence of Covid-19 cases to undergo a 14-day quarantine. The Texas governor has ordered hospitals in Houston to defer elective surgery because their ICUs were nearing full capacity. Florida recorded 8,142 cases in one day last Friday (The New York Times). And for the first time in modern history, Americans may be barred from entering European Union countries when they reopen their borders on July 1 (BBC). In Africa, the number of confirmed cases had doubled to 200,000 in 18 days, according to the World Health Organization. Experts have warned of a catastrophic shortage of health professionals. Nigerian doctors have announced that they will go on a nationwide strike to protest the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) in government hospitals and hazard pay for treating Covid-19 patients. A number of Nigerian health care workers have been infected. The health minister of Ghana and four staff members of the president of Kenya also have the disease (The New York Times). Story continues In Sweden, the WHO has noted a recent rise in infections (155 for every 100,000 inhabitants) but the government said this was due to the increased testing that they were implementing. Sweden did not order a lockdown, preferring the herd immunity approach to the disease. It has so far recorded 5,230 deaths, which is considered high for a country with a population of 10 million (BBC). In India, the lockdown has caused a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. In Mumbais slums, families have no employment, packed into crouching spaces under sizzling tin roofs. In one slum area alone, 77 have already died (Nikkei Asian Review). There is a glimmer of hope though, amid our uncertainties. The University of Oxford has announced that its research for a vaccine is progressing quickly. The university said it is now into advanced staged of its studies to evaluate how well the vaccine induces immune responses in older adults, and to test whether it can provide protection in the wider population. The BBC has reported that there are 120 coronavirus vaccine being developed all over the world although most of them will not get past the laboratory phase. But 13 are now in clinical trials: five in China, three in the U.S., two in the UK and one each in Germany, Australia and Russia. There is growing hope that a vaccine will be distributed in early 2021. So there you are. In the meantime, stay at home but if and when you have to go out, wear a mask and practice social distancing, The life you save could be your own. Sajin Shrijith By Express News Service There are some movie characters that make a strong impression without doing much. Sometimes the nature of a character is informed by their dialogues and their interaction with other characters. Sometimes they dont have to do either. All we have to do is just stay with them, for as long as it takes and youll know what kind of people they are. Memo, the protagonist of Nobody Knows Im Here, the first Chilean original from Netflix, is one such example. The title of the film is a reference to a song that holds a special significance for Memo (Jorge Garcia), an overweight recluse living with his uncle (Neruda-fame Luis Gnecco). The two earn their living from the wool-making business. This is not something that Memo was supposed to do. He was a child prodigy whose dreams were shattered by a few selfish individuals, including his father, who abandoned him when he was little. Jorge is suitably restrained in the role. His body language conveys volumes. He plays Memo as this shy, socially awkward man who is more comfortable expressing his feelings to trees than people. The only person who gets him is his uncle. Nobody Knows Im Here boasts some of the most stunning, serene locales ever put to film. Cinematographer Sergio Armstrong makes use of wide, panoramic frames to do justice to this infinitely photogenic place. Its the sort of serene location that someone living in the city for a long time would dream of settling in. One can see why this film, helmed by newcomer Gaspar Antillo, appealed to its producer Pablo Larrain. The latter has explored similar themes in some of his earlier directorial features. I was initially under the impression that this was a rags-to-riches tale, but thankfully, it does something fresh and inventive. Its a film that becomes pertinent in this age of internet celebrities. Its about the price one has to pay for chasing fame and the conflict between ones looks and talent. The world is sometimes unfair to talented folks who dont have media-friendly looks. But when they suddenly go viral for some odd reason, everyone wants to take advantage of them. Memo is not a sympathy-seeking character despite being tormented by painful memories of a childhood incident involving a fake child prodigy named Angelo, the man who ruined his dreams and now makes his living as a motivational speaker. Memos unpredictable quality is what mostly elevates the film. This is one of those films that makes the viewer work for the answers theyre seeking. Its neither interested in spoon-feeding nor melodramatic outbursts. Since Memo likes to fantasise often, some of the imagery is quite surreal. In one scene, Memo pukes what can only be described as glitter fluid. The final moments, in which Memo is allowed a short moment of glory, is likely a subtle nod to the final shot of Martin Scorseses Taxi Driver. Black and Native American drivers receive 26% of all driving while suspended charges in Oregon, even though they make up a combined 4% of the population, according to state police statistics. Lawmakers say that disparity creates a significant disadvantage for people of color who are disproportionately stopped and cited by law enforcement. If a driver is unable to pay a fine, a judge can suspend their license, setting off a compounding cycle of debt that could ensnare a driver for decades. House Bill 4210 repeals judges ability to suspend licenses because of fine and fee debts. The bill passed the Oregon Senate after a brief debate on the floor Friday, one day after it moved through the House largely along party lines Gov. Kate Brown and state lawmakers said a priority during the special session was to pass legislation to address racial inequality. The days-long session followed widespread protests in the wake of Minneapolis police killing George Floyd in late May. Brown is expected to sign House Bill 4210, along with several other reforms, into law after the special session concludes. In communities of color, disproportionate numbers of this have really devastated the ability for families to take care of their basic needs, drive to school, go to work, said Sen. James Manning Jr., D-Eugene, as senators debated the bill Friday. Manning is one of four Black legislators in Oregon. This is a bill that has some humanity in it, Manning said before the Friday vote, adding that the negative impact of debt-based license suspensions is devastating and broad. House Bill 4210 does not forgive debt owed from fines, and still allows courts to suspend the license of drivers who fail to appear in court. But debt-based license suspensions will go away as a result of the bill. Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, said she had a lot of emotions after the bills passage in the Senate. I felt there was urgency, and I didnt understand why we were always asking for people to wait for justice, Bynum said, in reference to some lawmakers arguing the issue should not be discussed during the special session. Advocates of the bill say debt-based license suspensions are emblematic of broader systemic issues disproportionately impacting marginalized people. Our communities and underrepresented, underserved communities are disproportionately impacted by not having a structure in place to allow them the opportunity to get to work, to pay their bills, etcetera, said William Miller, community advocacy manager for Native American Youth and Family Center in Portland. This law now allows additional protections for Black, Indigenous communities of color to enhance economic prosperity and growth, not only for themselves and their families, but for all communities. Its not the first time this year that lawmakers have considered a similar bill to stop suspending drivers licenses because people arent able to pay fines. A nearly identical bill, House Bill 4065, had bipartisan support in the 2020 regular session that ended in March. A Republican walk-out over a climate cap-and-trade bill stopped House Bill 4065 from making it to a vote in the Senate, after passing the House with a 42-16 majority and two representatives excused. When the bill surfaced again Wednesday, it met opposition from Republicans. Most Republican members of the House voted against the bill Thursday, and most Republican members of the Senate voted it down Friday. Only three Republicans voted for the bill: Sen. Denyc Boles of Salem, Sen. Kim Thatcher of Keizer and Sen. Tim Knopp of Bend. One Democrat, Sen. Betsy Johnson of Scappoose, voted against it. Some voiced concerns that repealing debt-based suspensions could remove the incentive to pay fines and lead courts to lose money, particularly if people opt not to pay when they could afford to do so. Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, countered that court revenue should not be a consideration. Thats not how the courts are supposed to be operated, Prozanski said. Theyre not there to raise money to run their courts. Bynum also took issue with a loss of revenue factoring into some lawmakers concerns. Funding our courts on the backs of poor people not cool with me, Bynum said. In February, the bill drew support from the criminal justice community, including Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton, who testified that debt-based suspensions contribute to racial disparities in policing. One Portland woman submitted written testimony Wednesday to recount how fines had a devastating impact on her family. Angela Donley, who grew up in Bend, told lawmakers her mothers license has been suspended for 25 years after she received a speeding ticket while following an ambulance transporting Donleys stepfather to the hospital. Donleys stepfather died shortly after, leaving her mother without the main financial provider for their family. Donley said her mother forgot about the ticket in the face of such tragedy. Donleys mothers license was revoked, but she had to keep driving to support her family. The fines continued to pile up, and the suspension was often extended. Donley is now a policy director for Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal and said her mother has yet to regain her license, even with Donleys extensive knowledge of the system. Our story is an example of how a license suspension, during an extremely difficult time for my family, led to decades of economic instability, trauma for me as a child, and countless barriers for my mom and our family, Donley wrote. Other advocates said debt-based license suspensions not only function as a way to criminalize poverty and create additional barriers for people in poverty to be able to address their situation and take care of their families. Debt-based driver license suspensions trap Oregonians in a cycle of poverty, Matt Newell-Ching, public policy manager of the Oregon Food Bank, said in written testimony. There is a direct line from these suspensions to the racial disparity seen in police citation data for driving while suspended, specifically for Black Oregonians. -- K. Rambo krambo@oregonian.com @k_rambo_ Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Riddhima Kapoor Sahni is treasuring her old memories. On Saturday morning, she shared a childhood picture, posing along with her mom and dad, Bollywood actors Neetu and late Rishi Kapoor. Riddhima shared the throwback picture with a heart-eyed emoji. While Neetu looks fluffy with white flowers on her hair, Rishi is all smiles as he dons a bearded look. The baby girl can be seen playing with something, with her eyes closed. Ever since the loss of veteran actor Rishi Kapoor in April this year, their family has been living on for memories, cherishing the good old times. On Fathers Day, Riddhima shared a picture of the famous Bollywood Jodi, along with a note, Happy Fathers Day papa! I miss you love you always! Rishi passed away on April 30 due to leukemia. Riddhima, who was in Delhi at that time, took special permission from Delhi Police to travel to Mumbai to be with her family. Follow @News18Movies for more One of Sherlock Holmess most famous statements is that It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. A couple of so-called journalists in San Francisco would have done well to study Holmes before they wrote their articles accusing the San Francisco Police Department of systemic racism during the height of the Wuhan Virus lockdowns. The original report comes from a man named Camden Avery, who got a BA in English from Brown University. In other words, he is not an educated man. Avery wrote an article for the hoodline, a San Francisco blog, with a headline that, in todays atmosphere, is explosive: Black San Franciscans disproportionately targeted by SFPD curfew arrests, records show. The trigger word there is targeted. According to Avery, San Franciscos police went hunting for blacks during the Wuhan virus curfews. Avery, however, theorized before he had the data. What data does exists fails to show that police targeted blacks. Instead, it shows only that blacks were detained and arrested in numbers greater than their proportionate representation in San Franciscos population: The data was requested anonymously under the city's Sunshine Ordinance, and shared by a source with Hoodline. It shows that during the five days of curfew from May 31 to June 4 110 people were cited and 30 people were arrested by police for violating the curfew. 28% of the former group and 43% of the latter group were Black, even though African-Americans represent only 5% of San Francisco's population. Meanwhile, white people were underrepresented in both citations and arrests in comparison to their population size. 41% of those cited and 30% of those arrested were white. White people represent 45% of San Francisco's population. In all, 31% of overall citations and bookings during curfew fell on black San Franciscans, nearly as many as the 39% of the total that white San Franciscans accounted for. This means police confronted Black citizens for breaking curfew at a rate of over six times the percentage that would be indicated by the city's demographic distribution. And of people actually arrested by the police, 43% were Black compared to 30% white meaning Black citizens were more likely to be physically detained, rather than cited and released, than white ones. Avery summarizes the data well enough. However, as noted above, on the data available, the only thing we know is that blacks were detained and arrested at a higher rate than their numbers in San Francisco would suggest. Objectively, that data leads to two equally likely conclusions: (1) That San Franciscos police were targeting blacks or (2) that blacks were more likely to violate the curfews and that they did so in ways that merited detention. Avery also quoted a police spokesman, Robert Rueca, who explained that the police had a simple metric for detaining and arresting people they were on the street after hours: In response to the statistics, SFPD spokesperson Robert Rueca said that all of the people detained were "reasonably believed to be committing criminal acts." He noted that legally, anyone standing outside after 8 p.m. would be self-evidently committing a crime. "What we do know is, there was a lot of damage done to businesses and a lot of looting done after the peaceful protesters had finished doing their marches and their assemblies," he said. The police's simple metric suggests that, perhaps, the problem was black behavior, not police racism. Avery, though, had a theory and he was sticking to it. By doing so, he reached an unsupported conclusion, and may well have slandered the police. Of course, hoodline is just a little blog, so it doesnt matter. Or does it? Well, it matters because the San Francisco Chronicle, the leading San Francisco newspaper, picked up the story and repeated it almost verbatim. There, the headline is Data reveals [sic] SFPD curfew arrests disproportionately targeted Black people. Then, with a nod to hoodline, Andrew Chamings repeats the same data and the same quotation from Rueca, and then reaches the same slanderous and unsupported conclusion. These people arent just biased; they lack even the most rudimentary knowledge of logic and reason. Its unnerving to realize that theyre driving much of the public discourse in this country. Ontarios top doctor has a prescription for the summer as cases of COVID-19 spike in the United States and hit new a new low in this province: dont let your guard down. Surges of the highly contagious virus in the sun belt from Florida to Texas, Arizona and California with thousands of new cases daily provide ample warning of the dangers of complacency as people flock to restaurant patios, malls, beaches, barber shops, hair and nail salons here. Its not open up and be casual, its open up and be careful, chief medical officer Dr. David Williams said as Ontarians get used to being out and about after months in lockdown. Im so proud of the people of Ontario versus the reckless approach, in my opinion, south of the border, Premier Doug Ford told his daily news conference Friday after the Ministry of Health announced just 111 new cases of COVID-19. Everyone just goes hog wild and doesnt worry about anything, Ford added of the problem states. Well, thats come back to bite them. We just pray to God it doesnt happen here. The 111 new cases marked Ontarios lowest daily increase since late March as testing reached a new high of 30,780 samples processed the previous day. While very welcome news, we shouldnt draw too many conclusions from one day of data, Health Minister Christine Elliott cautioned on Twitter. Well continue to keep a close eye on what is hopefully the continuation of our downward trend, she added, noting 19 of 34 health units across the province reported no new infections. The 111 new cases as of 4 p.m. Thursday included 45 people in their 20s and 30s, and 44 between the ages of 40 and 59. Toronto had a total of 30 new cases, Peel 29 and York Region 13. Calling the U.S. spikes alarming, Williams noted that Ontario which has a population of almost 15 million never experienced a day with more than 700 new cases. Meanwhile, states like Florida with 21 million people and Texas with 29 million have seen days each with 5,000 new cases recently with Florida reporting a whopping 8,942 new infections on Friday and 13 per cent of all people tested turning up positive for COVID-19. The United States hit a new daily record Thursday of about 39,000 cases. Ontario is not immune to coronavirus hot spots as the economy reopens more, said Ford, citing 18 recent cases linked to a nail salon in Kingston, with public health officials there reaching out to about 500 patrons who may have been exposed. Ford urged people to wear face masks in public where physical distancing is difficult and to stick to one social circle of the same 10 people including members of their own households to keep any spread of the highly contagious virus in check. Health officials say being in more than one social circle increases the risk of infection. Williams aimed his message of caution particularly at young adults, who represent the majority of new cases of COVID-19 lately and may feel its effects on them will be mild. The doctor said he is hearing anecdotal reports from physicians about younger patients experiencing prolonged symptoms with unknown impacts on their future health from a new disease about which much is not yet known. He also warned that young adults can easily spread COVID-19 to parents and grandparents, who wont fare as well. Just because you may be young you dont know what the longer-term aspects are, Williams said. Prevention is still important. The number of active cases in Ontario has fallen to 1,918 and the number of patients in hospital with COVID-19 has fallen by 14 to 256 people, with 61 in intensive care and 41 of them on ventilators. That compares to 69 in ICU and 47 on ventilators the previous day. But new infections continue in nursing homes, with nine more residents and 10 more staff members testing positive for the novel coronavirus that has now killed 1,807 residents in long-term care. Seven staff have also died. The number of outbreaks in long-term-care facilities held steady at 57, with the number of residents and staff still infected down to about 500 in the provinces 626 nursing homes. Elliott told the news conference that staff shortages are easing at nursing homes that were hard-hit by the virus because there is more personal protective equipment such as masks and face shields, better infection control and improved working conditions. Were finding many of those staff members are coming back, she said. Ontario has had more than 36,000 cases of COVID-19, with about 2,700 deaths. Hyderabad, June 27 : 'China apps/products are forbidden in this college', declared a banner put up at Police Training College in Karimnagar town of Telangana. The trainees at the college on a suggestion from the principal deleted Chinese apps and stop using Chinese products as a mark of protest over the recent killing of 20 Indian soldiers by the neighbouring country in Ladakh. The move by the training centre came amid ongoing debate in the country on boycotting Chinese apps and goods. Majority of over 800 trainees and 150 staff members at the training college have deleted Chinese apps and have stopped using Chinese goods. Police Training College (PTC) incharge principal G. Chandramohan said no order was issued to the trainees or staff. He said it was only a suggestion but the majority of them welcomed it and deleted the apps. The trainees feel that by boycotting Chinese products and apps they can voice their anger over the killing of Indian soldiers including Colonel Santosh Babu, who hailed from Telangana's Suryapet district. The clash in Galwan Valley in Ladakh has already sparked a debate on the boycott. People at a few places staged protests, demanding the government to ban the import of Chinese goods. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on June 20 called for a ban on TikTok to impact China economically. He said 15 crore Indians use the Chinese app and that country makes crores in profit from this. "Ban Chinese video app TikTok in India. 15 crore people of India use TikTok due to which China gets profit of crores. Stop TikTok to impact China economically! I humbly request all Indians to boycott TikTok," Ramdas Athawale had tweeted. OAKVILLE, Ontario, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) has issued a Notice of Hearing alleging that Saint Jean Carbon Inc. and its CEO, Paul Anthony Ogilvie (Ogilvie) made misleading statements that would reasonably be expected to have a significant effect on the market price or value of Saint Jean Carbon's securities. The misleading statements are alleged to have been made in two news releases issued in February and March 2017. The allegations have not been proven. An appearance to set a date for a hearing will be held on August 12, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. On March 21, 2017, the ASC issued an Interim Order against the "reporting insiders," as that term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 55-104 Insider Reporting Requirements and Exemptions, of Saint Jean Carbon Inc. The Interim Order prohibits all trading in the securities of Saint Jean Carbon Inc. by the reporting insiders. The Interim Order was extended on April 4, 2017 and remains in effect until the proceedings commenced by the Notice of Hearing are concluded. A copy of the Notice of Hearing can be found on the ASC website at albertasecurities.com. About Saint Jean Carbon Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation and green re-creation, with holdings in graphite mining claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jeans properties and news please refer to the website: http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/ . On behalf of the Board of Directors Saint Jean Carbon Inc. Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director Information Contact : Email: info@saintjeancarbon.com Tel: (905) 844-1200 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jeans business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements include those with respect to: (i) the belief that the market would not support the acquisition at this time; and (ii) the date when the shares of the Company will commence trading. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. There are risks which could affect Saint Jeans future results and could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements including closing failure or delay, the impact of general economic conditions in Canada and globally and the risk that they will deteriorate, industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of supplies and the risk that they will increase, that required consents and approvals from regulatory authorities will not be obtained and the liabilities and risks inherent in Saint Jeans operations. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. A three-member team reached Patel's home at 23, Mother Teresa Crescent in the Lutyens zone of central Delhi around 11:30 am. New Delhi: An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team on Saturday visited senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel's residence in Delhi and questioned him in connection with the Sandesara brothers money laundering case, officials said. They said a three-member team reached Patel's home at 23, Mother Teresa Crescent in the Lutyens zone of central Delhi around 11:30 am. The team members were seen carrying files and wearing masks and gloves as precautionary measures against coronavirus spread. Patel's statement is being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the politicians' purported links with the Sandesara brothers are under the scanner, they said. The ED had summoned Patel, 70, twice for questioning in the case but the Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat later cited prevailing COVID-19 guidelines that advises senior citizens to stay indoors in order to remain safe from the pandemic. The agency then assured the Congress party treasurer that all care will be taken while he is questioned at its office but it was pointed out by his legal team that there are media reports about coronavirus cases being found in the ED Headquarters too. The agency then told him that they are willing to visit his home as taking the probe forward in the case was important. Subsequently, the time for home visit was fixed and the agency informed Patel that they will send the investigating officer of the case to him for questioning. Patel has earlier been the political secretary to UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and considered one of the most powerful persons in the grand old party. This money laundering case pertains to the alleged Rs 14,500 crore bank loan fraud that is said to have been perpetrated by the Vadodara-based pharma firm Sterling Biotech and its main promoters -- Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara and Deepti Sandesara -- all of whom are absconding. The agency has said that this is a bigger bank scam in volume than the PNB fraud involving diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. The total fraud amount pegged in the PNB case is about Rs 13,400 crore. The Sandesaras are also facing separate probes by the CBI and the Income Tax Department for their alleged nexus with some high-profile politicians and charges of corruption and tax evasion, respectively. At present, they are stated to be based in Nigeria, from where India is trying to extradite them. The ED registered a criminal case in connection with the alleged bank loan fraud on the basis of an FIR and a charge sheet filed by the CBI. The agency, last year, had questioned Patel's son Faisal and son-in-law Irfan Siddiqui in this case and recorded their statements. The two were questioned in context with the statement of one Sunil Yadav, an employee of the Sandesara group, who earlier recorded his statement before the agency. In his statement to the ED, Yadav had told the agency that he bore "expenses of Rs 10 lakh" for a party which was attended by Faisal, "arranged" entry in a night club for him and once delivered "Rs 5 lakh" to his driver in Khan Market on the instructions of Chetan Sandesara, one of the promoters of the pharma firm, sources had said. Yadav had told the ED that the cash was "meant for Faisal Patel", the sources said. The ED has made one of its largest PMLA attachments in this case and frozen assets worth over Rs 14,000 crore of the group in India and abroad, including oil rigs in Nigeria and ships registered in Panama. It is alleged that the company took loans of over Rs 5,383 crore from a domestic consortium led by Andhra Bank, which had turned into non-performing assets. A pub manager is struggling to find employees willing to work because they are living comfortably on their $1,100-a-fortnight JobSeeker allowance. ALH Group WA manager Ric Torchia says young people who live in affluent areas are particularly reluctant to return to work at the 27 bars he manages across the state. Mr Torchia desperately needs more workers since WA moved to phase four of its restrictions on Saturday. The state now allows pub-goers to drink and eat provided they have two square metres between them. 'I'm calling people offering them their shifts back and they're saying, 'I'm good, thanks. I'll come back when JobSeeker ends',' Mr Torchia told The West Australian. 'JobSeeker is actually hurting us because it's like this designer drug they don't want to get off. They're not interested in coming into work for 20 hours a week when they can earn the same amount at home.' WA Premier Mark McGowan has since urged those reliant on JobSeeker to get off their backsides, saying 'our economy needs you'. A woman pours a dark ale at a Melbourne bar. Young bar workers on the $1,100-a-fortnight JobSeeker allowance are reluctant to go back to work, according to ALH Group WA manager Ric Torchia WA Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) urged West Australians on the JobSeeker allowance to return to work if they have been offered a job on Saturday Mr Torchia said people who live in 'tougher areas' are more likely to return to work than those in affluent areas. He suspects young people in well-off suburbs have moved back in with their parents and are living comfortably on JobSeeker while poorer people still struggle. 'In the past, they (affluent people) would not have considered the dole but it has become so widespread now,' he said. WA Premier Mark McGowan urged West Australians on the JobSeeker allowance to return to work if they have been offered a job on Saturday. 'If you can get a job, take it. This is a time when our economy needs you, our state needs you,' Mr McGowan said. 'There's lots of roles out there that a lot of people haven't traditionally done - we've relied upon backpackers or we've relied upon people with certain visas - they're not here now. 'So we need West Australians to do all sorts of roles out there across the state, particularly in the regions. It's a great opportunity to do something different.' People lining up for JobSeeker payments outside of Centrelink. Employers with workers on the JobSeeker allowance are not required to notify the government if employees refuse to work Employers with workers on the JobSeeker allowance are not required to notify the government if their employees refuse to work. Centrelink penalties for not accepting suitable work have also been temporarily suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the JobKeeper wage subsidy, which is $1,500 a fortnight, works very differently. If an employee refuses to work, the employer is required to tell the government so they can cut off subsidies for that particular worker. Some 1.6 million Australians currently claim the JobSeeker allowance, which is now $1,100 per fortnight since it was doubled in April. On September 27, the JobSeeker payment is set to return to $550 a fortnight. The revelation that some JobSeeker workers are refusing to return to work comes after news that the basic allowance could be increased. Mr Torchia (pictured) said people who live in 'tougher areas' are more likely to return to work than those in affluent areas as wealthier people tend to rely on their parents more Once the $550 COVID-19 supplement is scrapped in September, recipients will be left with just $40 a day. An increase to the unemployment benefit's basic $550 allowance is reportedly coming into effect on September 27. Sources told ABC News the JobSeeker benefit may be inflated by the government to cushion Australians from the ongoing impact of the pandemic. Daily Mail Australia understands the increase to JobSeeker could be permanent, beyond the old Newstart rate. KYODO NEWS - Jun 27, 2020 - 09:52 | Coronavirus, Japan, All H.I.S. Co. plans to close around 80 to 90 outlets in Japan, or about a third, within a year as part of cost-cutting efforts after the major travel agency was left reeling at the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. H.I.S. has also decided to suspend new-graduate recruitment for the year starting April 2021. The company reported Wednesday a group net loss of 3.45 billion yen ($32.19 million) for the fiscal 2020 half-year through April, falling into the red for the first time on an interim basis since its listing in 2002. It cited a host of overseas package tour cancellations as the main reason for the dismal results, and did not give an earnings forecast for the year through October. Speaking during an online press conference, H.I.S. Chairman Hideo Sawada said it is difficult to see demand for overseas trips recovering before next year due to the impact of the virus. The company aims to slash spending by about 20 billion yen this year by cutting personnel and advertising costs, among other measures. It has also decided not to pay summer bonuses to staff. Overseas package tours were hit hard from March as many countries imposed entry bans on tourists, and the Japanese government requested people stay home to avoid infections. The number of Japanese nationals departing the country in April plunged 99.8 percent from a year earlier to 3,915, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Related coverage: Japan prefectures offer hotel discounts to revive virus-hit tourism JAL to raise 500 bil. yen amid pandemic struggles Freedom of travel restored across Japan as virus fears ease Iran Oil Minister Says Gasoline Sent To Venezuela 'Not For Free' Radio Farda June 26, 2020 Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar-Zanganeh on Friday denied that his country has shipped gasoline to its Latin American ally for free and said Iran has already received part of the payment from Venezuela. "Some people have claimed that we gave the gasoline to Venezuela for free. We sold our gasoline to them at the market price and had the necessary guarantees for the payment," Zanganeh said and added that a portion of the money "is already in the country". The Iranian Oil Minister did not explain how the money has been transferred despite U.S. banking sanctions on both countries involved in the transaction. It is possible that Zanganeh is referring to gold bars allegedly carried by Iran's sanctioned Mahan Air or other channels from Venezuela to Iran. Zaganeh also claimed that the United States tried to "bribe and threatened" the five captains of the sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) who delivered the gasoline to Venezuela in Iranian flagged tankers. Zanganeh added that the attempt failed and the U.S. sanctioned these individuals on June 24 . Last month, Iranian tankers carried 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and chemicals to Venezuelan refineries. The United States has also sanctioned four shipping lines and four tankers that have helped the Venezuelan oil trade. The Iranian oil Minister also said talks are in process about the continuation of exports to Venezuela. Last week an Iranian-flagged ship carried foodstuff and other supplies to Caracas to stock the shelves of a newly established Iranian supermarket. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran- oil-minister-says-gasoline-sent-to- venezuela-not-for-free-/30691960.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yahne Ndgo, Chief Visionary Officer with Deep Blu Womyn Company, speaks to press and people in the community about the 13 demands for the city to defund police and abolish carceral systems targeting black communities, at the Presidents House Slavery Memorial on Friday. Read more A collective of local Black organizations is demanding that Philadelphia permanently end the Police Departments use of gas, grenades, assault rifles, and surveillance of protests and neighborhoods one day after Mayor Jim Kenney and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw issued an apology for letting officers use tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets on protesters gathered on I-676. After weeks of defending police actions during the June 1 protest on the Vine Street Expressway, Outlaw said Thursday that the department was placing a moratorium on the use of tear gas to disperse crowds. But the citys temporary action and apology ring hollow, said members of 10 Black organizations gathered near Independence Hall on Friday. They noted that protesters were arrested again this week and that the city has remained largely silent on the use of tear gas in a predominantly Black neighborhood in West Philadelphia. The group announced a list of 13 demands for the city, which included ending the Police Departments use of military weapons and protest surveillance; reducing its already-flat-funded police budget by 20% and directing the money toward the removal of lead and asbestos from Philadelphias schools; and launching independent investigations into mostly white violent mobs in South Philadelphia and police use of force against protesters. They also demanded the city remove a sign in Overbrook Farms dedicating a portion of 59th Street to former Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr., who in 1985 authorized police to bomb a house on Osage Avenue, killing 11 MOVE members including five children and burning two city blocks. READ MORE: Renaming a Philadelphia street after former Mayor Wilson Goode is a really bad idea | Jenice Armstrong The citys apology is not for me, that apology is for the white faces that came down to protest, said activist Kamau Mshale, noting the lack of attention paid to the police use of tear gas in West Philadelphia on May 31 compared with on I-676 the following day. READ MORE: This West Philly neighborhood had been struggling to rebuild. Then the looting started. Its evident in how the police responded on 52nd Street vs. how they responded anywhere else in the city that its racist, its intentionally racist, Mshale added. We do not accept it. We want to see actual action. As outcry from protesters pushing to defund and in some cases abolish police departments has swept the nation in the wake of George Floyds death, Philadelphia officials have made changes to the citys police budget and structure by canceling a $19 million budget increase, moving crossing guards and public safety officers out of the department, and introducing a broad set of goals for reforming the force. READ MORE: Philly budget deal cancels $19 million increase in police funding, moves another $14 million elsewhere READ MORE: After days of protests against police brutality, Mayor Jim Kenney pledges police reforms And on Thursday, addressing police response to violent mobs, District Attorney Larry Krasner told reporters that many investigations are ongoing. But radical change, not just reform, is needed, collective leaders said. The recent police reform plan has not led to an authentic defunding of the Philadelphia Police Department, said Megan Malachi of Philly for REAL Justice. The decision to move crossing guards to a different agency does not constitute a new investment in community-controlled public safety. It simply provides elected leaders with a convenient cover for their unwillingness to commit to radical change. The group also called for disbanding all city private police departments, such as SEPTA transit and university police; abolishing the Fraternal Order of Police union; and gradually defunding the Police Department over the next five years. Organizers of the collective said they intend to continue to hold demonstrations throughout the city. We are working for the liberation of all our people, said YahNe Ndgo of Black Lives Matter Philly. And the truth is that when you liberate all Black people, you liberate all people. Yediyurappa is made of sterner stuff and is not going to yield so easily. Aditi Phadnis reports. IMAGE: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo In the Indira Gandhi era, leaders like Janardhana Poojary were thrust upon Karnataka because the central leadership did not want strong state leaders. Today, the Bharatiya Janata Party is going through the same syndrome, said a veteran BJP leader from Karnataka calmly, without heat. The comment came as a stoic Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, posed for pictures along with the two candidates for the Rajya Sabha as they filed their nomination papers: Neither was recommended by the party's state unit not out of any malice or factional considerations, but simply because neither Ashok Gasti nor Eranna Kadadi struck the state leadership as being influential or charismatic. They were front of-the-mind recall for just one person: B L Santhosh, national organising secretary who has deep roots in the BJP in Karnataka where he has served. The perceived diminution of the state leadership is nothing new for Karnataka. Veterans recall how Rajiv Gandhi sacked Veerendra Patil who was fighting for life after a stroke via a letter dictated at the Bangalore airport: A move that cost the Congress in the state for years to come. The Congress suffered its most humiliating defeat ever in the 1994 elections. Its seat tally collapsed from 179 to just 36 and it faced a 17 per cent loss of vote share, which was shared predominantly by the BJP and the Janata Dal. The BJP's vote share increased from 4 per cent to 16.99 per cent and Janata Dal's from 27.08 per cent to 33.54 per cent. In some ways, that led to the rise of the Lingayat leadership in the BJP. Yediyurappa is a prime beneficiary. No one in the party disagrees that of all BJP leaders, it is only Yediyurappa who has a pan-Karnataka presence. But there are critics aplenty. In 2016, when he was made the party's Karnataka unit president, he had to manage enormous friction within his party. K S Eshwarappa, from the Kuruba (shepherd) caste, went to great lengths to mobilise his caste, offering it as a social coalition to fight the might of both Lingayats (Yediyurappa) and Vokkaligas (H D Deve Gowda). Sadananda Gowda, a Vokkaliga, and Jagadish Shettar, a fellow Lingayat, had many complaints. They found a sympathetic ear in B L Santhosh, the coordinator between the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and the BJP in the state. Then came the 2018 assembly election. The BJP won 105 MLAs; the Congress 78; the Janata Dal-Secular 37 in a House of 224. The JD-S and the Congress cobbled together a precarious coalition which broke down with some elbow grease by the BJP. From being a runner up -- though he thought he had come first in the race -- Yediyurappa assumed what he felt was his rightful place with quiet satisfaction: He became chief minister. Around the same time, B L Santhosh was moved to Delhi and national politics and Yediyurappa supporters heaved a sigh of relief. "But north Indian politics is complicated, and I would see Santhosh returning to Bangalore as often as he could, even for small functions. His heart was clearly in Karnataka," says a BJP veteran. The Santhosh effect was evident in the choice of candidates for more than a handful of Lok Sabha seats in the last election. And old-timers noted with raised eyebrows, the organising secretary's presence on the dais along with the party president -- something that had never happened when leaders like Kushabhau Thakre or Sunder Singh Bhandari or even K N Govindacharya occupied that position. Most BJP veterans translate this to mean that a political position would not be anathema. And why should it be? The first RSS pracharak to become chief minister was Narendra Modi; He was followed by M L Khattar. Being 'lent' by the RSS to the BJP meant one taboo had been broken and politics was no longer a dirty word for an individual trained to think the RSS is limited to being a socio-cultural organisation. But Yediyurappa is made of sterner stuff and is not going to yield so easily. He may be under the influence of his family and various business cabals, but he also ensured the party won 25 of the 28 seats in the general election; in by-elections in December, his candidates won 12 of the 15 seats. Elections to seven vacancies in the legislative council are also due on June 29. Let's see what happens then. By Express News Service KOCHI: Eighteen international repatriation flights are expected to bring 3,630 expatriates at Kochi airport on Saturday. Air India will operate a stopover flight from Paris via Delhi and Azur Air is scheduled to operate a direct flight from Kiev in Ukraine. Repatriation flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Kuwait, Doha, Muscat, Paris and Ukraine are scheduled to arrive on Saturday. On Friday, 21 flights brought 3,960 passengers at the airport. Rapid antibody tests were conducted on 85 passengers who arrived till 6pm. IndiGo airlines cancelled its Riyadh flight while Spice Jet rescheduled its Ras Al Khaimah flight to Saturday. The domestic terminal witnessed 24 arrival and departure operations on Friday. One departure flight each to Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Pune, and one round trip to Mumbai were cancelled. Boris Johnson this week urged the nation to enjoy a 'staycation' in Britain, as part of the Government's plans to ease the lockdown in England from next weekend. With campsites and hotels able to reopen from July 4, there has already been a surge in interest in campervans that provide flexible, mobile and self-contained accommodation. Manufacturers say they are getting calls from both stir-crazy couples and families wanting to explore the country safely and avoid the hassle of travelling overseas and quarantine on return. A day in the sun: Manufacturers say they are getting calls from both stir-crazy couples and families wanting to explore the country safely Campervans are ideal for creating self-contained hotels-on-wheels 'bubbles' with beds, fridges, cookers, kitchen and often a shower on board. And there's a good choice on the market to buy or rent. Volkswagen is a leading player with its recently launched, and refreshed, California 6.1. It costs from 55,339 in Coast trim, up to 69,889 for Ocean. Based on the Transporter van, the 2.5-ton 2m-tall model sleeps four and has a raised roof. It comes with a table, cupboards, double gas hob, kitchen sink, a side awning and a sleeping space. Powered by a 2-litre 148 hp diesel, with seven- speed automatic gearbox, it averages 33.6 mpg with CO2 emissions of 221g/km. The larger Grand California, from 72,745 to 82,258, based on the Crafter van, sleeps two or four, and has a wet room with a toilet and shower. In March and April, online requests for quotes went up 250 per cent for the California. Nearly 1,500 were sold in Britain last year. They are factory built not conversions and can be serviced at VW's 97 UK van centres and authorised repairers. To be truly authentic, a secondhand hippy-trail VW 'bus' will cost from around 10,000 to 40,000. Other new options include: the Mercedes-Benz V Class Marco Polo, from 37,980 to 69,800 and the oddly-named Ford Transit Custom Nugget, from 59,608 to 63,334. Horsham-based converter Sussex Campervans turns a Renault Trafic or Nissan NV300 into its Manhattan and Paradise ranges, from 41,995 to 51,995. If 'glamping' is more your style, then bespoke luxury motor home firm GlamperRV.co.uk offers an office-hotel on wheels, from 75,000 plus VAT. Five of the best campervans Rob Hull picked out five of the best campervans to buy new - and and some budget options like the camping trailer inset If a campervan sounds right up your street, This is Money and MailOnline deputy motoring editor Rob Hull has picked out five of the best. Be warned, they're not what you'd call 'cheap' - but he has also included a couple of alternative options for those on tighter budgets. The comprehensive round-up looks at the VW California, Mercedes Marco Polo, Ford Transit Custom Nugget, Renault Trafic and Fiat Talento conversions. > Read: Five of the best campervans to buy now The Transit Custom Nugget might have a terrible name, but its a camper kitted out with some features other simply don't have, says Rob Hull in his comprehensive round-up Dacia is first to offer LPG Bi-fuel cars from the factory I've just been driving a new dual-fuel Duster from budget-priced Dacia. The no-frills sibling of Renault is the first car firm to offer 'bi-fuel' Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and petrol versions of its cars as cleaner, cheaper alternatives to diesel. They give owners a claimed average saving of 594 on annual fuel bills, or nearly 2,400 over a four-year life of a personal contract purchase, depending on model. They also provide a minimum combined range of more than 620 miles, of which 240 miles is down to the LPG. What a gas!: Our man Ray has been driving a new dual-fuel Duster from budget-priced Dacia The new Romanian-built Duster, Sandero and Logan variants use a new 1-litre turbo-charged dual-fuel powertrain combining petrol and LPG capabilities and are badged TCe 100 Bi-Fuel. The five-speed manual in Comfort trim I tested costs 14,695, though the entry level Essential version starts at 13,195. Political analysts highlight the unusual communication style of PM Igor Matovic. They are not impressed. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The first hundred days are given to a new government to warm up, we do not criticise, PM Igor Matovic said on a televised debate on TA3 about the 100-day milestone his government will mark on June 28. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Slovakia was the only European country where power changed hands in the middle of the pandemic. The Peter Pellegrini government was replaced by Igor Matovic and his ministers from the four ruling coalition parties, the prime-ministerial Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO), and its partners Sme Rodina, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and Za Ludi. No predecessor of the Matovic government had taken over in such a hard situation, observers have noted. The new government faced the task of grappling with the crisis that even experienced governments in the world have struggled with, Gabriel Estok, political analyst of Pavol Jozef Safarik University, told The Slovak Spectator. Despite its lack of experience in public administration, the Matovic government is generally seen as having handled the containment of the COVID-19 epidemic in Slovakia rather well. The government ministers tend to brag about Slovakia being the best in Europe at handling the public health crisis, although there have been some questions, particularly about the compulsory quarantine practices. Experts warn of deeper recession if COVID-19 cases spike Read more Yet it is less clear whether measures for the elimination of the economic consequences of the coronavirus crisis were sufficient and accepted early enough, Estok noted. We will see that a bit later, but the outlook does not seem positive, he noted. With the pandemic raging around the world, there was not much space for another agenda, Estok admitted. The analyst stressed that the government should now pay attention to other aspects of life in Slovakia. Viera Zuborova, political analyst and director of the Bratislava Policy Institute, does not ascribe the good pandemic numbers to the Matovic government but to the mental setup of society, which she says is very submissive towards authorities and threat. People felt that they had to obey because knowing the health care [condition] they realise the country would not make it if the virus hit really hard. Matovic does not talk like a statesman Even if the pandemic had been the number one problem in the past three months, political analyst Pavol Babos from the Comenius University said some creaks have appeared in the ruling coalition. He also pointed to the unusual style Igor Matovic applies when communicating with the public, not necessarily with a positive outcome. NY officials cant impose greater restrictions on religious services than businesses, protests: judge Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A federal judge has blocked New York officials from enforcing state restrictions on outdoor and indoor religious gatherings that are stricter than those imposed on comparable secular entities. U.S. District Court Judge Gary L. Sharpe issued a preliminary injunction Friday on behalf of two Catholic priests and three rabbis who are suing Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Letitia James, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The injunction prevents New York from enforcing any indoor gathering limitations against plaintiffs greater than imposed for Phase 2 industries and enforcing any limitation for outdoor gatherings, provided that the houses of worship adhere to social distancing guidelines. The balance of hardships tips in plaintiffs favor. Indeed, in the absence of an injunction, plaintiffs religious activities will be burdened and continue to be treated less favorably than comparable secular activities, Sharpe wrote. An injunction, on the other hand, does not undercut defendants interest in controlling the spread of COVID-19, provided that plaintiffs abide by social distancing guidance. The judge also took issue with Cuomo and de Blasio voicing their support for thousands gathering at Black Lives Matter protests, noting the double standard. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio could have just as easily discouraged protests, short of condemning their message, in the name of public health and exercised discretion to suspend enforcement for public safety reasons instead of encouraging what they knew was a flagrant disregard of the outdoor limits and social distancing rules, Sharpe continued. But by acting as they did, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio sent a clear message that mass protests are deserving of preferential treatment. The Thomas More Society, which has been representing the clergy, celebrated the injunction as a blow against selective enforcement of social distancing guidelines. Christopher Ferrara, special counsel for Thomas More Society, said in a statement released Friday that they were pleased that Judge Sharpe was able to see through the sham of Governor Cuomos Social Distancing Protocol which went right out the window as soon as he and Mayor de Blasio saw a mass protest movement they favored taking to the streets by the thousands. Suddenly, the limit on mass gatherings was no longer necessary to save lives. Yet they were continuing to ban high school graduations and other outdoor gatherings exceeding a mere 25 people, he continued. This decision is an important step toward inhibiting the suddenly emerging trend of exercising absolute monarchy on pretext of public health. What this kind of regime really meant in practice is freedom for me, but not for thee. Earlier this month, the clergy filed a lawsuit against New York in the District Court for the Northern District of New York. At issue were state orders on reopening that treated houses of worship differently than comparable secular entities. For example, houses of worship remained limited to 25% indoor capacity during Phases 2 and 3 and a 25-person outdoor gathering limit for Phase 3 locations, while mass protests and businesses faced no attendance limits. De Blasio garnered controversy in April when he warned New York Citys Jewish and Christian communities that he would permanently shut down synagogues and churches if they did not comply with lockdown orders. Earlier this month, New York City workers welded shut gates to a park in a predominantly Hasidic area of Brooklyn after residents continued to take their children to the park. This was done as part of Cuomo's state order to prevent crowds from gathering. However, at the same time park gates were welded shut to keep out children and their mothers, thousands were allowed to protest in mass gatherings throughout the city. By PTI LAHORE: Pakistan's anti-graft body has filed a fresh corruption case against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and three others for their alleged involvement in the illegal allotment of land in Punjab province about 34 years ago. An arrest warrant has been issued against the 70-year-old embattled three-time premier who is in London for treatment. Several corruption cases have been filed by the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan against Sharif since his ouster from the office by the Supreme Court in July 2017 in the Panama Papers case. Sharif, the supremo of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was disqualified as prime minister in 2017 by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The NAB said that it has approached an anti-corruption court to declare Sharif a proclaimed offender since he did not respond to any of its summons in the land allotment case. The three other accused named in the case filed by the NAB are Jang/Geo media group owner Mir Shakilur Rahman, former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director Humayun Faiz Rasool and former director (land) Mian Bashir. In 1986, when he was the Punjab chief minister, Sharif had allegedly allotted 54-'kanal' (canal) land in Lahore to Mir Shakilur Rehman in violation of rules. Rahman, who was arrested on March 12, is on judicial remand. In the case, Sharif and the two officers were accused of the misuse of authority in allotting the precious land along the canal to Rahman in violation of the rules. On May 29, an accountability court in Islamabad issued an arrest warrant against Sharif for failing to appear before it in a corruption case that accused him of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from foreign dignitaries, which were property of the state. Gifts are routinely exchanged between heads of states or officers holding constitutional positions. According to the gift depository rules, these gifts remain the property of the state unless sold at an open auction. Sharif had left for London in November after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission to go abroad for treatment. He had submitted an undertaking to the court to return to Pakistan, citing his record of facing the law and justice, within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors. Last month, a fresh picture of 'ailing' Sharif having tea at a London cafe along with his family went viral on social media, sparking a debate on his health with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf members demanding his return to face corruption cases. In the picture, he was seen sitting at a roadside cafe with his granddaughters. He sported a blue shalwar kameez and a cap and apparently looked in better health. Earlier in January, a picture of Sharif having tea at a London restaurant had gone viral, inviting a lot of criticism and raising suspicion that he might have gone out of Pakistan 'under some deal'. Three corruption cases -- Avenfield properties, Flagship investment and Al-Azizia steel mills -- were registered against the Sharif family by the anti-graft body National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in 2017 following the Supreme Court judgment removing Sharif from the office of the prime minister. Sharif was given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case, in which he was serving a seven-year prison sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was also given bail in a money-laundering case to facilitate his travel abroad. Sharif was diagnosed with "complicated coronary artery/ischemic heart disease with significant disease burden". His daughter Maryam Nawaz had said that her father was a high-risk patient therefore his cardiac catheterisation/coronary intervention had been postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. A Melbourne nightclub promoter locked up in a Bali prison has revealed his newfound drive to promote mental health awareness after he tried to hang himself with a makeshift noose. Will Cabantog is serving a one year sentence at Kerobokan prison after police raided the Lost City nightclub in Bali hot spot Canggu and found 1.12 grams of cocaine on July 19. Fellow promoter David Van Ierseal was also arrested though only served nine months. Will Cabantog is serving a one year sentence at Kerobokan prison after police raided the Lost City nightclub in Bali hotspot Canggu and found 1.12 grams of cocaine on July 19 Cabantog reveals the near death experience was just the tip of the iceberg of his traumatising time in jail life Although he only has one month left behind bars, Cabantog admitted to Herald Sun it has been a difficult journey that has involved paying for his safety from other dangerous prisoners and a failed suicide attempt. One night, the 36-year-old waited until after guards carried out the last head count. He then headed to the jail bathrooms with a noose fashioned out of t-shirts. Cabantog stepped up onto a stand made of gallon bottles before the makeshift noose snapped and his body hit the bathroom tiles, leaving him in a broken heap of tears. 'I didn't want to be remembered for coming to Bali and doing a line of coke and getting caught and thrown in a Bali jail and taking my life,' Cabantog said. 'When you are stripped of everything and don't have much left. It's all about the legacy you want to leave.' Cabantog reveals the near death experience was just the tip of the iceberg of his traumatising time in jail life. Kerobokan jail was built to house 300 criminals, though currently holds more than 1,400. To make matters worse, maximum security prisoners, such as rapists and murderers, share open spaced dorms with minimum security prisoners. Cabantog says he has rented his own private cell - which can cost $250 a month - as a safety precaution. Even access to clean water comes costs $50, while cell protection and cleaning is set at $150. With all odds against him, Cabantog has worked hard to reshape his life and breaks up his day with meditating, teaching English and working on his fitness while he studies for an online certificate in mental health. Cabantog was sentenced to one year in jail following a raid on the Lost City nightclub in Bali hot spot Canggu Kerobokan jail was built to house 300 criminals, though currently holds more than 1,400 Prior to his arrest, Cabantog was often photographed enjoying the party scene and posed for pictures along the likes of Australia's Honey Badger and Eddy Maguire He has also received support from Bali Nine's Matthew Norman - who also shares the prison and has become a spiritual leader of sorts to other prisoners as he serves his life sentence for drug trafficking. His experiences have also prompted him to kickstart a mental health awareness campaign #speaklesslistenmore. Cabantog observed he had become a very different man to the lavish nightlife identity he peddled on social media. Prior to his arrest, Cabantog was often photographed enjoying the party scene and posed for pictures along the likes of Australia's Honey Badger and Eddy Maguire. If you or anyone you know is experiencing mental health issues contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Market benchmarks Sensex and Nifty closed with gains for the week, ending June 26. The S&P BSE Sensex rose 1.2 percent while the Nifty50 gained 1.3 percent for the week ended June 26 compared with 3.5 percent rally seen in the S&P BSE Midcap index, and the S&P BSE Smallcap index closed with gains of 2.8 percent in the same period. As many as 55 stocks in the S&P BSE 500 index rallied 10-30 percent in a week that includes names like Union Bank of India, SPARC, Hindustan Zinc, ABB India, Glenmark Pharma, BHEL, Bandhan Bank, Adani Gas, Indian Bank, IDBI Bank, Future Consumer, and Indian Overseas Bank, etc. among others. Rising COVID-19 cases in the US and India, the military stand-off between India and China at the border and the ongoing spat between China and the US on many issues including trade and the source of the pandemic remain pressure points for the markets across the globe. Eminent market experts tell us how to trade in such times and what will be the course of the market going ahead. Take a look: Morgan Housel, Partner at Collaborative Fund and former columnist at the Motley Fool & Wall Street Journal (to CNBC-TV18) Being a realistic optimist and believing in the importance of compounding are among the basic tenets of investing. "Being an optimist does not mean you believe everything is going to go well, the world will not fall apart at times and we are not going to have pandemics and recession. Being a realistic optimist means we are going to have such issues. The world is going to be a constant chain of breakage, disappointment and sometimes collapse but those things do not preclude the long-term growth," Housel said. Compounding is not something for which you could go to school and become an expert. "It is not intuitive. Compounding does not work for 2-5 years. It works for the next 20-30 years. For instance, Warren Buffett added most of this wealth after his 65th birthday," said Housel. Shankar Sharma, Vice-Chairman and joint MD of First Global (to CNBC-TV18) The rally in the market is being driven by the beaten-down stocks and not the quality stocks, said Shankar Sharma. "If you see the complexion of this rally of the last three months and in particular of the last 30-35 days, quality stocks like Hindustan Unilever, Nestle, Asian Paints have not rallied. In fact, what has rallied is the Bank Nifty, Realty and stuff like that which I consider the low-quality of the market or high beta of the market," said Sharma. The moratorium may be bad for the financial sector. "I believe there are still problems ahead and this moratorium is encouraging and will encourage a lot of bad behaviour. We have to be careful with financials as it is the riskiest end of the market," he said. Small-caps have witnessed significant gains over the last one month period. Sharma attributed the rise in small-caps to the fact that they had been in a bear market for the last three years. "From the peak of 2017 to the bottom of March 2020, the Smallcap index had corrected 50 percent. A 50 percent fall in an index, the odds are you are going to see a substantial rally. I won't be surprised if they continue to outperform for some time now given that they had been in a bear market for the last three years," he said. Joseph Thomas, Head of Research - Emkay Wealth Management After an unbroken rise in the last two weeks, the markets turned a bit volatile during the week gone by. This was mainly influenced by factors like the phenomenal rise in the coronavirus cases in the US and India, the military stand-off between India and China at the border, and also with the ongoing spat between China and the US on many issues including trade and the source of the pandemic. The modification of the US visa regulations, which may likely affect some of the tech companies adversely, and the not so encouraging weekly numbers from the US, also added to the uncertainties. It is felt that the very same factors continue to be relevant for the markets and would be of consequence to the markets as we move into the next week, and the month-end. The FPI activity in the coming weeks is something that needs to be watched closely as there are already reports of likely rebalancing of portfolios and resultant trimming of positions. It is also significant that the domestic markets, for the most part of the week reflected the broad trends in other global markets. Sanjeev Zarbade, VP PCG Research, Kotak Securities "Markets are seen entering a consolidation phase in the coming weeks with no major trigger. Geopolitical concerns and the possibility of the second wave of COVID-19 remain the near-term risks that could impact investor sentiments. We advise investors to buy on declines from these levels," said Zarbade. Jimeet Modi, Founder & CEO, SAMCO Securities & StockNote Statistical evidence suggests that sometimes monthly expiries have registered intermediate tops and bottoms. July expiry is expected to see lower short interests in the beginning and therefore the velocity of the up-move rally that was witnessed in the month of May and June may not occur again in July. In fact, July can give a negative surprise and can fall decently, if no fresh delivery-based buying emerges. Markets are still going to be significantly influenced by updates on India-Sino standoff and US-Sino trade talks. While these influences might only be sentimental but if FPIs start selling, markets can really fall from the cliff as they have already bounced back 38 percent which statistically is a good number for markets to start drifting lower. All the positives, if any, are discounted, however, any negative surprises may take markets lower. Investors are advised to be cautious, conserve cash and wait on the sidelines. Nifty50 closed the week at 10,383.00, up by 1.35 percent. Rahul Sharma - Associate Director & Head Technical & Derivatives Research, JM Financial Services On the Derivatives front, options data is suggesting a range of 10,000 to 11,000 for this week which is much larger than usual. On Friday, fresh writing was seen across strikes in Put options whereas the highest addition was witnessed in 10,500 & 11,000 Calls. India VIX has continued its decline which can be a good sign for Bulls. Nifty July futures saw an addition of 14 percent in OI (as per provisional data) whereas Banknifty OI data remained subdued. Nifty has closed above its 200-week moving average for the second consecutive week which is a bullish sign. Supports for the Nifty are seen at 10,200 & 10,000. Advice to maintain longs as long as Nifty sustains above 10,000 for targets of 10,550 & 11,000 in July series. From the sectoral front, Telecom, Metals and Private Banks are expected to do well. Deepak Jasani, Head Retail Research, HDFC Securities Nifty broke out upwards of the previous band of 10,205-10,362 but has formed a new band 10,311-10,408. On an upward breakout of this band, the Nifty could attempt to test the recent highs of 10,554 once again. The uptrend could accelerate if the highs of 10,554 are taken out convincingly. On breakdowns, 10,195 remains a crucial level. Shibani Sircar Kurian, Executive Vice President, Fund Manager & Head- Equity Research, Kotak Mahindra AMC While the economy appears to be gradually coming back to normalcy, there are challenges. Coronavirus cases across India continue to rise with the change in strategy from saving lives to focusing on livelihood and the opening up of the country. The supply of labour also remains a challenge with the migration of laborers from urban centres to rural areas. Global equity markets remained volatile over the last week on the back of the fear of the second wave of coronavirus cases. However, hopes of continued monetary and fiscal stimulus remain alive. The central banks the world over have infused liquidity in order to support their economies. The rhetoric around the US Presidential elections remains high and the outcome would likely be monitored closely by the markets. From hereon, for India, the pace of return to normalisation would be the key along with trends of the coronavirus case curve. Border tension with China would also remain monitorable. Jyoti Roy, DVP Equity Strategist, Angel Broking Markets will be keenly watching out for key US economic data points like pending home sales, manufacturing PMI numbers followed by the all-important US non-farm payrolls numbers at the end of the week. On the domestic front, auto companies will be declaring the monthly sales numbers for the month of June which will be keenly watched by the markets. Therefore, while markets may be marginally positive at the beginning of the week it can turn volatile in the second half of the week based on key data points. Siddhartha Khemka, Head - Retail Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Given the concerns over economic de-growth and rising infections, the market seems to be taking a pause and consolidating at this juncture. "Investors would keep a close watch on global cues and geo-political tensions between US-China and India-China to get market direction. We would advise investors to stay cautious and focus more on quality large caps with select exposure to good mid-cap names," said Khemka. Nifty has to continue to hold above 10,300 levels to get the stability to witness an up move towards recent swing high of 10,555 while on the downside support exists at 10,300-10,250 zones, Khemka said. Ajit Mishra, VP Research, Religare Broking "In the coming week, we believe global cues will continue to dictate the market trend, in the absence of any major domestic event. Besides, macroeconomic data and auto sales figures will also be on the participants radar. Needless to say, they would continue to keep a close eye on India-China border dispute and any news of fresh escalation might not go well with the markets," said Mishra. Mishra expects further consolidation in the Nifty index ahead and probable range could be 10,050-10,550. "On the sectoral front, were seeing rotational buying interest across the board. So, traders should focus more on stock-selection and prefer hedged positions until Nifty resumes the trend," Mishra said. Arun Kumar, Market Strategist at Reliance Securities Nifty formed a Doji pattern on the weekly timeframe, which usually indicates indecision and mostly acts as a precursor to a reversal. This formation has occurred near its psychological resistance zone of 10,500 10,650. The near-term oscillators display mixed signals, while the medium-term measures continue in buy mode. The market internals of Nifty and the broad-based NSE500 index is overbought on near-term and probably reverse over the next couple of weeks. One should approach the market with utmost caution at this juncture. Since the reversal formations indicate a change in trend, one should note that the market may slip into consolidation or may fall significantly, said Kumar. "Considering various data points, the index has strong support around the zone of 10,000 10,100. Till this range is not broken on a decisive basis, one can expect consolidation. A failure to hold 10,000 decisively could lead to a deeper correction. Select media and communication, energy, commodity stocks may perform better, while FMCG and consumption stocks could be muted," said Kumar. Dharmesh Shah, Head Technical, ICICI direct "In the coming week, we expect Nifty to consolidate in the broader range of 10200-10600 with a positive bias wherein the broader market would continue to outperform. Meanwhile, volatility at higher levels cannot be ruled out therefore stick to quality stocks. Only a decisive close below 10200 would lead to extended breather," Shah said. Shrikant Chouhan, Executive Vice President, Equity Technical Research at Kotak Securities Traders need to be cautious while adding long positions between the levels of 10,450 and 10,550. The reason for the caution is the severe sell-off that the market witnessed after hitting the 10,550 levels. Below the level of 10,180, Nifty would fall to 10,000 or 9,750 levels. "Our strategy must be to reduce pending long positions below the level of 10,180 as the fall could be severe. For Bank Nifty, the view is the same. We need to reduce long positions below the level of 20,900. It may fall to 20,100 or 20,000 levels. Buy select stocks between 9,800 and 9,750 levels," said Chouhan. 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. President Donald Trump participates in a news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on June 5, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Trump Urges Illinois Governor, Chicago Mayor to Establish Law and Order Amid Ongoing Violence in City President accuses Pritzker, Lightfoot of putting political interests ahead of citizens' safety President Donald Trump called on Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to establish law and order amid crime and lawlessness in Chicago, the third largest city in the United States. In a letter on Friday (pdf), Trump urged Pritzker and Lightfoot to take action on the violence taking place in Chicago. He accused the two of putting political interests ahead of the lives, safety, and fortunes of Chicago citizens, adding that the people of Chicago deserve better. While I have been heartened to see crime reductions nationally the last few years, I have been horrified by the continued violence in this great American city, the president wrote. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (L) announces a shelter-in-place order to combat the spread of COVID-19, as Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot (R) listens, during a news conference in Chicago on March 20, 2020. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo) Trump expressed concern over an article from Chicago Sun-Times on June 8 which reported 18 murders in 24 hours on May 31, which made it the most violent day in 60 years in the city. The article also noted that from late May 29 through early June 1, 85 people were shot and 25 were killedthe most in modern history in Chicago. Your lack of leadership on this important issue continues to fail the people you have sworn to protect, Trump wrote to Pritzker and Lightfoot, citing the article. I am concerned it is another example of your lack of commitment to the vulnerable citizens who are victims of this violence and a lack of respect for the men and women in law enforcement. More Americans have been killed in Chicago than in combat zones of Afghanistan and Iraq combined since Sept. 11, 2001, a deadly trend that has continued under your tenure, Trump later emphasized. The combination of crime, high state and local taxes, and onerous state and local government regulations have caused thousands of Illinoisans to flee to other states, he also wrote. Between 2010 and 2019, Illinois lost more of its population than any other state in the nation. A Chicago police officer in a file photo. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Trump said that despite millions of dollars of federal funding that has been allotted each year to support public safety in Chicago, these substantial sums of taxpayer money are not being turned into results, and the safety of [Chicagos] most vulnerable communities continues to deteriorate. The president offered Pritzker and Lightfoot the option of meeting with members of his cabinet to help create a plan to make Chicago safe. My administration would also welcome the opportunity to engage with you and your colleagues as you develop bipartisan policy recommendations to improve policing and make our great cities safer for all, Trump wrote. If you are willing to put partisanship aside, we can revitalize distressed neighborhoods in Chicago, together, he added. But to succeed, you must establish law and order. Related Coverage Trump Signs Criminal Justice Reform Bill Into Law The president said that his administration has already taken a number of steps to support disadvantaged communities, including signing the First Step Act into law in December 2018a move that marked the first of major reforms to the U.S. criminal justice system in over a decade. This brings historic reforms to make our justice system fairer and to help inmates successfully transition back into society by providing prisoners with a second chance through rehabilitative programs and fair sentencing, Trump said of the move. Trump also noted that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law in 2017 has created Opportunity Zoneswhere investors can qualify for special tax incentives when investing in certain economically distressed communities. Nationwide, nearly 9,000 communities have designated Opportunity Zones, including over 130 in Chicago, which are incentivizing investments in areas that have been forgotten for far too long, Trump said. Trump pointed to an Executive Order he signed on June 16 to help strengthen trust between police officers and their communities. The order stipulates that certain federal grants will only be awarded to police agencies that reform their use-of-force rules and send data on officer use-of-force misconduct to a national database. My administration continues to work closely with Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and others across the political spectrum to advance further policy improvements and meaningful reforms, he wrote. Early Saturday morning, Lightfoot responded on Twitter, saying she didnt need leadership lessons from Donald Trump. Petr Svab contributed to this report. Russian and other foreign mercenaries entered the Sharara oilfield on Thursday evening to prevent the resumption of oil production at the largest Libyan oilfield, Libyas National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Friday. Early this month, NOC resumed production at the 300,000-bpd Sharara oilfield after negotiating the opening of an oilfield valve that had been closed since January. Libyas national oil company lifted the force majeure on crude oil exports from the Sharara and El Feel fields, confirming the return of production at El Feel, which is linked to Sharara. But just a day later, Sharara was shut down again, after an armed force had told the workers on the field to stop working. The El Feel oilfield was also shut down days after restarting production following a months-long blockade amid Libyas civil war. Libyas oil industry has been in total disarray after a group of paramilitary formations affiliated with the Libyan National Army (LNA) of eastern Libyan strongman General Khalifa Haftar occupied Libyas oil export terminals in January along with pipelines and fields. The blockade came amid continued fighting between the LNA, which is loyal to the eastern Libyan government, and the forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA), which is recognized by the United Nations. Russia has allied with Haftars forces in the Libyan conflict. Commenting on the foreign, including Russian, mercenaries present at Sharara, NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla said: Libyas oil is for the Libyan people, and I completely reject attempts by foreign countries to prevent the resumption of oil production. It is noteworthy that many countries are themselves benefitting from the absence of Libyan oil from global markets. Some of them cynically express their public regret for Libyas continued inability to produce oil while all the time working in the background to support blockading forces. We do not need Russian and other foreign mercenaries in Libyan oilfields whose goal is to prevent oil production, Sanalla said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: President Donald Trump arrives on stage to speak at a campaign rally at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla. President Donald Trump is sharpening his focus on his ardent base of supporters as polls show a diminished standing for the president in battleground states that will decide the 2020 election. Read more In the hours before his rally in Tulsa, President Donald Trump's campaign directed the removal of thousands of "Do Not Sit Here, Please!" stickers from seats in the arena that were intended to establish social distance between rallygoers, according to video and photos obtained by The Washington Post and a person familiar with the event. The removal contradicted instructions from the management of the BOK Center, the 19,000-seat arena in downtown Tulsa where Trump held his rally on June 20. At the time, coronavirus cases were rising sharply in Tulsa County, and Trump faced intense criticism for convening a large crowd for an indoor political rally, his first such event since the start of the pandemic. As part of its safety plan, arena management had purchased 12,000 do-not-sit stickers for Trump's rally, intended to keep people apart by leaving open seats between attendees. On the day of the rally, event staff had already affixed them on nearly every other seat in the arena when Trump's campaign told event management to stop and then began removing the stickers, hours before the president's arrival, according to a person familiar with the event who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. In a video clip obtained by The Washington Post, two men - one in a suit and one wearing a badge and a face mask - can be seen pulling stickers off seats in a section of the arena. It is unclear who those two men are. When Trump took the stage on Saturday evening, the crowd was clustered together and attendees were not leaving empty seats between themselves. The actions by Trump's campaign were first reported Friday by Billboard Magazine. As rally preparations were underway, Trump's campaign staff intervened with the venue manager, ASM Global, and told them to stop labeling seats in this way, Doug Thornton, executive vice president of ASM Global, told the magazine. "They also told us that they didn't want any signs posted saying we should social distance in the venue," Thornton said. "The campaign went through and removed the stickers." A spokesman for ASM Global declined to comment. Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh did not directly respond to questions about the sticker removal. "The rally was in full compliance with local requirements. In addition, every rally attendee received a temperature check prior to admission, was given a face mask, and provided ample access to hand sanitizer," Murtaugh said in an emailed statement. In a separate statement, the campaign said: "There were signs posted and we are not aware of any campaign staff asking that they be removed." Trump held his Tulsa rally despite opposition by Oklahoma health authorities and residents who feared that convening a large crowd indoors could accelerate the spread of the coronavirus. The number of coronavirus cases in Tulsa County was spiking in the days leading up to the rally and has continued to increase since. The director of the Tulsa Health Department, Bruce Dart, had recommended that the event be postponed until it was safer. A number of city residents and business owners brought a lawsuit against the venue manager, ASM Global, seeking to require all attendees wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines from health authorities. The Oklahoma Supreme Court rejected that suit. On June 13, a week before the rally, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, wrote to the venue management saying he understood that Trump's campaign "has presented plans to ASM Global in order to accommodate capacity crowds during a political rally." Stitt noted that Oklahoma was in "Phase 3" of its reopening plan and Trump's rally "proceeding as planned is consistent with the guidance" of that plan. Stitt's letter added that "we have also encouraged event licensees to refer to the general CDC guidelines for more information about COVID-19." FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered. Two days before the rally, the managers of the BOK Center had asked the Trump campaign to provide a detailed written plan outlining the "health and safety" measures it intended to use to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Before the rally, Murtaugh said in an emailed statement: "We take safety seriously, which is why we're doing temperature checks for everyone attending, and providing masks and hand sanitizer. This will be a Trump rally, which means a big, boisterous, excited crowd. We don't recall the media shaming demonstrators about social distancing - in fact the media were cheering them on." As the crowd entered the day of the rally, the Trump campaign handed out masks and small bottles of "Make America Great Again 2020" branded hand sanitizer. The BOK Center also put down floor decals in front of concession areas and put up plexiglass to protect vendors. At 1:47 p.m. that day, Fox 23 News posted on its Facebook page a photo from inside the BOK Center showing two members of the event staff putting stickers on seats. "Stickers are going on every other seat in the BOK Center saying 'Do Not Sit Here' to try to spread the crowd out for President Trump's rally tonight," the post read. After the majority of the stickers were in place, a member of Trump's campaign radioed staff in the event war room where arena management was monitoring preparations and told them to stop, according to the person familiar with the event. Event staff was told to continue applying the stickers. Later, the campaign began pulling them off, the person said. In video footage of Trump's rally, there appeared to be no effort to keep an empty seat between attendees. Attendance turned out to be less than Trump expected - he had said some 1 million people wanted tickets - and the arena was not full, particularly in the upper level. Trump had wanted every seat packed, and told advisers coming in on Air Force One and at the arena that he was displeased that the crowd was not larger, said two Trump advisers, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay private conversations. "He was quite angry," said one person who interacted with him. Trump had told Gov. Roy Cooper during a May 29 phone call that he would not hold a socially-distanced convention in Charlotte, N.C., because he had never had an empty seat since he came down the escalator at the start of his presidential campaign in 2015. Neither Trump nor the White House asked that the stickers be removed, said a senior White House official. While campaign staff and some attendees wore masks during the rally, many rallygoers did not. At least six members of the Trump campaign advance staff have tested positive for coronavirus, including two Secret Service employees. Dozens of Secret Service officers and agents who attended the Tulsa rally were ordered to self-quarantine. Since the rally, coronavirus cases in Tulsa County hit a new high of 259 new confirmed cases on June 23. - - - The Washington Posts Colby Itkowitz contributed to this report. A woman wearing a face mask passes by a poster about precautions against the new coronavirus in Seoul, Thursday. AP The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Saturday it was lifting some restrictions on activities by its personnel in the central Seoul district of Yongsan, citing the continued low numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases there. The USFK has decided to adjust the health protection condition (HPCON) from the current "Charlie" to "Bravo" for residents in the area, effective from noon, June 29. Authorized activities in the Yongsan District include seated dining at restaurants and visiting hotels, barbershops and hair salons, child care facilities and gyms, as well as outdoor activities, it said in a press release. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Records of text exchanges between actor Johnny Depp and his assistant Nathan Holmes have been introduced at a recent hearing, ahead of Depps lawsuit trial against a British news organisation, which published a story claiming that he had physically abused his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Depp denies the claims, as well as the implication that he failed to reveal his drug abuse in the proceedings. Depps lawyer said, according to Mirror online, that the actors drug use has nothing to do with the subject of the trial, which is whether or not he attacked his ex-wife. The news organisations lawyer, however, said that Depp went on a drug spree before holding Heard hostage for three days in Australia, during which he allegedly assaulted her. Also read: Johnny Depps former romantic partners come to his defence in domestic violence case In text messages to his assistant, lawyer Adam Wolanski said that it was clear that Depp was trying to arrange for ecstasy and cocaine. We should have more happy pills - can you? Depp wrote, which Wolanski said is a reference to ecstasy. Depp texted Holmes to ask wheres the other one?, to which Holmes replied: There was 2g in that jar. Wolanski said: That is a reference to grams, grams of coke. Holmes told Depp that the guy only carries two a day because if hes caught with more than two here its 20 years in prison, and that he was getting more in the morning. Also read: Johnny Depp says ex-wife Amber Heard sliced his finger off, and it erupted like Vesuvius Shortly after the three-day episode, Depp texted Holmes, asking, May I be ecstatic again? On the same day, he texted saying, need more whitey stuff ASAP. Subsequent texts by the actor revealed his growing impatience with the procurement of the drugs, Wolanski said. F**king give me the goddamn numbers, I will take care of this s**t, dont bother, Depp texted Holmes. Holmes replied, If they dont have it, I cant get it. Its someone that works on the film, not a professional dealer. I will bring it to you. Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary. They were married from 2015 to 2017. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Dolph Lundgren, 62, was glimpsed in West Hollywood this Friday enjoying lunch with his new 20-something fiancee Emma Krokdal. The Rocky IV hunk proposed to the blonde bombshell personal trainer a week ago in Stockholm, he revealed on Instagram. However the Scandinavian couple have returned to Los Angeles where they both live and were spotted out and about this Friday. Out and about: Dolph Lundgren, 62, was glimpsed in West Hollywood this Friday enjoying lunch with his new 20-something fiancee Emma Krokdal The duo could be seen settling down at an alfresco table in West Hollywood and then strolling off down the sidewalk together. Dolph zipped a bomber jacket over his T-shirt and shorts combo, while Emma teamed a pair of Daisy Dukes with a sweater. Emma hails from Norway while Dolph is originally from Sweden, which is where he popped the question to his girlfriend last week. He made the big announcement on his Instagram page, posting a snap of Emma flashing her pink engagement ring as the pair posed on a balcony. Bride to be: The Rocky IV hunk proposed to the blonde bombshell personal trainer a week ago in Stockholm, he revealed on Instagram Back in town: However the Scandinavian couple have returned to Los Angeles where they both live and were spotted out and about this Friday Legging it: The duo could be seen settling down at an alfresco table in West Hollywood and then strolling off down the sidewalk together Both of them were in formal wear, with Dolph modeling a perfectly fitted navy suit and Emma in a set of chic powder blue slacks. The pair enjoyed champagne and finger food including macarons on a terrace, within sight of what appeared to be the 18th century Hedvig Eleonora Church. 'Something very special happened here in Sweden. D[heart]E,' captioned Dolph, in a post that was liked by his Rocky IV director and co-star Sylvester Stallone. Romantic: He made the big announcement on his Instagram page, posting a snap of Emma flashing her pink engagement ring as the pair posed on a balcony Swank: The pair enjoyed champagne and finger food including macarons on a terrace, within sight of what appeared to be the 18th century Hedvig Eleonora Church Emma posted her own Instagram album of the occasion, including a close-up of her glittering pink ring and captioning: 'Pinch me.' The couple's relationship went public this January, when a Page Six insider revealed the romance was months old. Dolph was previously married to jewelry designer Anette Qviberg from 1994 to 2011 and they share two daughters, Ida, 24, and Greta, 18. His dating history has also included singing sensation Grace Jones, model Paula Barbieri and karate champion Jenny Sandersson. The Senate budget committee on Friday approved a $7.7 billion stopgap spending plan to temporarily fund state government while leaders assess COVID-19s long-term economic consequences. Every Republican lawmaker on the committee voted against the short-term budget, which they said ignores bipartisan cost-savings proposals from the Legislature. Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers. A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBuckets secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you. 1. Verification and registrar choice After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. We also provide a link to our tracking system, where you can communicate with us, check on the status of your transfer, view your invoice, and download your logo files. In most cases, if a domain is moved between accounts at a single registrar, the transfer is quick and usually completes within 48 hours. If a domain changes registrars (in other words, you would like to move it away from where it is currently registered), the transfer is slower. The total transfer time can then be anywhere from 48 hours to 7 days. BrandBucket has vetted and supports the following registrars: GoDaddy Namesilo Uniregistry NameCheap Google Domains Network Solutions Name.com Dynadot Amazon Route 53 123 Reg Gandi 2. We request the name from the seller. Once we know where you would like the domain transferred, BrandBucket will request the domain from the seller. All of our sellers are very responsive, making for a quick process. 3. Transfer the name into your account As soon as we receive the name from the seller, we start the transfer into your account and guide you through the whole process. 4. Verify with the buyer that the transfer is complete Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the domain seller. She has been locked down with her husband and their two sons. Yet Caprice Bourret made the most of the eased restrictions as she headed to a friend's house in Notting Hill on Friday, armed with a bottled of champagne. The TV personality, 48, proved to be the model guest as she arrived with a 140 bottle of boxed Dom Perignon at her friend's west London pad. Glam! Caprice Bourret made the most of the eased restrictions as she headed to a friend's house in Notting Hill on Friday, armed with a bottled of champagne Caprice looked typically glamorous in an eye-catching red lace dress, which she teamed with a pair of studded skyscraper heels. The Dancing On Ice contestant accessorised her ensemble with a pair of heart-shaped hoop earrings and a long pendant necklace. She carried her essentials in a gold beaded evening bag, while wearing her highlighted locks in a poker straight style with a slick of make-up. Luxury living: The TV personality, 48, proved to be the model guest as she arrived with a 140 bottle of boxed Dom Perignon at her friend's west London pad Stylish: Caprice looked typically glamorous in an eye-catching red lace dress, which she teamed with a pair of studded skyscraper heels Caprice's outing came as a source told MailOnline: 'Now the boys are back at school Caprice said it feels really great to be back at work. 'It has been tough having a slower pace of life over the past few months as Caprice is always on the go and she is very entrepreneurial.' Caprice has spent lockdown at her London home with her millionaire husband, Ty Comfort, and six-year-old sons, Jett and Jax. She was recently shocked to learn that she tested negative for coronavirus antibodies, despite her family contracting the virus. Statuesque: The Dancing On Ice contestant accessorised her ensemble with a pair of heart-shaped hoop earrings and a long pendant necklace A source told MailOnline: 'Caprice had her household tested for antibodies, and everyone apart from Caprice herself had tested positive for previously having had the virus. 'It was a bit of a shock for her as she took care of everyone and even kissed her husband when he was contagious.' They added: 'She is so happy the boys are back at school. She said that she is not made for home schooling in any shape or form. Blonde beauty: She carried her essentials in a gold beaded evening bag, while wearing her highlighted locks in a poker straight style with a slick of make-up 'She is pleased they have their routine back and the boys couldn't be happier to be with there friends and teachers again. 'She has tried to keep on top of their studies but let's be honest no one is as good as a trained teacher. 'She is not anxious about them returning to school because studies show that children are not really affected by Covid-19.' Establishment Republicans are on the war path. They are determined, in unison with woke Democrats, to get rid of Donald Trump come November. In 2019, a number of these Republicans formed the so-called Lincoln Project, an organized effort to trash Trump and throw support behind Joe Biden, thus once again demonstrating there is very little difference between establishment Republicans and Democrats. On June 27, Darth Vader of the neocons, former vice president and war criminal Dick Cheney, joined the establishment resistance to the reelection of Trump. The Lincoln Project says it will work to defeat Trump and restore the Constitution. If the latter is true, why the hell did Republicans welcome Constitution-buster Cheney to the party? In addition to filling the Pentagon with Israel-first neocons and kick-starting the disastrous Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Cheney claimed special powers under the unitary executive, a theory that asserts that all executive authority must be in the Presidents hands, without exception. In addition, Cheney proclaimed the VP office to be a fourth branch of the state that does not answer to the American people. Cheney has tried to increase executive power with a series of bold actions some so audacious that even conservatives on the Supreme Court sympathetic to Cheneys view have rejected them as overreaching, Dana Milbank wrote in 2004 for the establishment newspaper The Washington Post. Many of the restraints on executive authority the War Powers act, anti-impoundment legislation, the legislative veto and the independent counsel statute have already disappeared or become insignificant. The Lincoln Project is holding accountable those who would violate their oaths to the Constitution and would put others before Americans, according to its website. Sadly, Cheney was never held to account for his constitutional violations, most notably engineering a war behind the back of Congress and the American people, a war predicated on lies and falsification. His inclusion makes a mockery of the Lincoln Projects supposed principles: Our many policy differences with national Democrats remain. However, the priority for all patriotic Americans must be a shared fidelity to the Constitution and a commitment to defeat those candidates who have abandoned their constitutional oaths, regardless of party. Electing Democrats who support the Constitution over Republicans who do not is a worthy effort. The shared fidelity to the Constitution does not apply to Cheney and his neocon coconspirators. It is interesting anti-Trump Republicans decided to use Abraham Lincoln as a mascot. He was a serial violator of the Constitution. Lincoln took it upon himself to arbitrarily redefine treason, not by amending the Constitution, but by using brute military force, writes Thomas DiLorenzo. His new definition was any criticism of himself, his administration, and his policies. He illegally suspended the writ of Habeas Corpus (illegal according to this own attorney general, Robert Bates) and had the military arrest and imprison without due process tens of thousands of Northern-state citizens, including newspaper editors, the Maryland legislature, the mayor of Baltimore, the grandson of Francis Scott Key who was a Baltimore newspaper editor, Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio, his chief critic in the U.S. Congress, and essentially anyone overheard criticizing the government. So much for the First Amendment and habeas corpus. The establishment deals in illusion and deception. The real history of Lincoln his racism, his connection to big business, railroad magnates, and vested interests of the day, his indifference to the suffering his war created is buried under the Lincoln Myth, a fictional story of a brave man who emancipated and freed the slaves (never mentioned: he wanted to deport former slaves). President Abraham Lincoln led the United States through its bloodiest, most divisive and most decisive period of our history. He fought not because he wanted to, but because he knew the dual goals of preserving the Union and the end of slavery would be achieved only through armed conflict. Left out of this lopsided patriotism is the right of the people to secede from a corrupt central government and exercise the right of self-determination, and the right of a people to establish their own government, as put forth in the Declaration of Independence. Republicans and Democrats no longer believe in constitutional principles and law. They insist the United States is a democracy, not a constitutionally limited republic as originally envisioned. In a democracy, the state propagandizes the people in order to gain consensus. President Donald Trump and those who sign onto Trumpism are a clear and present danger to the Constitution and our Republic, the Lincoln Project argues. Only defeating so polarizing a character as Trump will allow the country to heal its political and psychological wounds and allow for a new, better path forward for all Americans. Trump was elected in the mistaken belief he would punish the corporate and bankster swamp creatures and return America to the rule of law. He promised to end the illegal and immoral wars. Trump said he would audit the Federal Reserve. He did none of these things and, quite frankly, his inability to do anything but pump up his own grotesque and narcissistic ego was obvious during and well before the campaign. 77-year old Joe Biden is the perfect candidate for the establishment. His encroaching dementia and ignorance of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, along with his inappropriate behavior around children and women, are not a problem for the ruling elite. Not even his threat to have the Obama administration pull a billion dollars in loan guarantees to Ukraine if it didnt immediately fire Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin at the time investigating Bidens son, Hunter, for corrupt dealings while at the natural gas firm Burisma Holdings will derail the Biden trajectory to the White House. The primary objective is the removal of Donald Trump, a grossly incompetent and mentally deranged hotel magnate and reality TV host naively elected to the presidency by Americans sick and tired of government corruption. In doing so, both sides of the one-sided corporate establishment political class are pushing for an equally incompetent and flawed candidate to defeat Trump. But this does not matter so long as Joe can still read a teleprompter. The three countries will try to hammer out a deal within two weeks Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed that Addis Ababa will delay the filling of a hydropower dam it is building on the Blue Nile until a final binding deal is reached, the Egyptian presidency said on Friday, signaling progress in talks over the disputed project. Renewed negotiations over the $4.8 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) failed to produce an accord last week, and Ethiopia insisted it will begin filling the dam in July even without approval from the two downstream countries. On Friday, the three countries agreed to form a committee of legal and technical experts to draft a final binding deal, and to refrain from taking any unilateral measures, including the filling of the dam, before the agreement is reached, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. The announcement came after an emergency African Union online summit of leaders of the three countries chaired by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa. Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdouk said in a statement that the three leaders have agreed to postpone the filling of the reservoir until an agreement is signed. The technical committee will try to strike a deal within two weeks as suggested by Ethiopia, his office said. The committee will also include leaders of Kenya, Mali and Kongo, as well as international observers -- which include the US, the EU and South Africa, the current chairman of the African Union. Sudan described the meeting as positive and said the leaders of the three nations discussed the need to reach a solution that satisfies all parties," according to Sudanese state news agency SUNA. Egypt last week called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to restart talks on the mega-project and warned that filling the dam without a deal would threaten international peace and security. Sudan joined Egypt in expressing concerns to the UNs most powerful body, saying in a letter on Wednesday that the unilateral filling of the dam, located around 15 km from the Sudanese border, could cause substantial risks to Khartoum and endanger the lives of millions of people living downstream. Sudan fears the giant Ethiopian dam will put the operation of its Roseires dam at risk if not properly designed, filled and operated. A letter about the conclusion of Friday's virtual session will be submitted to the Security Council to consider during its session discussing the dam dispute on Monday, Egypt said. Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Twitter the discussions were fruitful, adding that the African Union offers the right space to dialogue. Earlier this week, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric urged the three countries to work together to intensify efforts to peacefully resolve outstanding differences. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 95% of its freshwater, fears the dam will significantly cut the rivers flow, while Ethiopia says the project is key to its development efforts. Search Keywords: Short link: By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A pledging summit on Saturday raised 6.15 billion euros ($6.9 billion) to tackle COVID-19. The event was part of a joint initiative by the European Commission and the advocacy group Global Citizen and included a star-studded globally televised and streamed concert By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A pledging summit on Saturday raised 6.15 billion euros ($6.9 billion) to tackle COVID-19. The event was part of a joint initiative by the European Commission and the advocacy group Global Citizen and included a star-studded globally televised and streamed concert. Pledges by the following countries: Belgium - 11.5 million euros to the World Food Programme, 4 million euros to the WHO's COVID-19 solidarity response fund Canada - C$120 million for the ACT Accelerator, C$180 million for COVID-19 humanitarian and development aid Denmark - DKK16 million to the United Nations Population Fund Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) - US$25 million towards West Africa's COVID-19 relief and development European Commission jointly with European Investment Bank - 4.9 billion euros to help countries recover from the pandemic Germany - 383 million euros to support the Global Fund's response mechanism and Global Citizen's crisis network Luxembourg - 800,000 euros to the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator Netherlands - 25 million euros for procurement of a vaccine for countries needing it the most Norway - $10 million to vaccine alliance GAVI Qatar - US$10 million to the WHO Serbia - 100,000 euros to vaccine alliance CEPI for vaccine research Spain - 10 million euros to the Coronavirus Global Response initiative Sweden - 46 million euros to the WHO Solidarity Response Fund Switzerland - 20 million euros to ensure equal access to a vaccine and testing United States - $545 million for COVID-19 relief ($1 = 0.8915 euros) (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Frances Kerry) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Military-level talks between India and China continued for de-escalation in the Galwan region of eastern Ladakh on Friday with top army commanders from both sides meeting to resolve the face-off. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, June 27 : The Indian military is amassing more men and material as a precautionary deployment along the 3,488-km-long disputed border with China. The deployment, perhaps one of the biggest in the recent years, comes at a time when India and China are locked in a hitherto unprecedented standoff - for eight weeks now - at multiple points along their border. Sources said that Indian Army has deployed three more divisions in eastern Ladakh region to bolster its position on the Line of Actual Control. Apart from tanks and artillery, the Army has deployed their advanced very quick-reaction surface-to-air missile defence systems, including Akash missiles which have the capacity to take down very combat aircraft and drones. It was stated that four weeks ago an important division had started acclimatising for high-altitude warfare and two weeks later, parts of it were deployed at the 18,000-foot-high Depsang plains, a plateau located north of the Galwan valley. Similarly, reserve forces have been moved to forward locations to match up the Chinese deployments. Asked whether it is full deployment, a senior Indian Army officer said: "It is a mirror deployment." Indian Army spokesperson, Colonel Aman Anand was, however, unavailable for comments. In a separate domain, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force are also on full operational alert. The IAF has deployed a number of SAGW systems to Ladakh. The movement of additional men and material to the border comes when talks between military commanders at the Chushul-Moldo in Ladakh have ended in a stalemate. The situation at the four flash points -- Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, Depsang and Pangong Lake -- in eastern Ladakh is tense. At Pangong Lake, Chinese troops have moved upto Finger 4 where they have brought over 120 vehicles and dozens of boats. The Chinese Army has also opened up a new front in the area near the Depsang Bulge, north of Galwan. They have built camps and deployed vehicles and troops. At Patrol Points 14 at Galwan, Patrol Points 15 at Kongka La and Patrol Points 17 at Hot Springs, the Chinese Army has been deployed to a large extent. In response, the Indian Army has also upped the deployment in these positions. Chinese People's Liberation Army troops have even returned to Patrolling Post 14 in Galwan Valley where the barbaric June 15 attack, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, occurred. The clash was on the south bank of Galwan river, which flows in an east-west direction before its confluence with Shyok river. The killing of the 20 soldiers became the first fatalities faced by the Indian Army in a clash with the PLA since 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian Army said that its soldiers went to the spot where the clashes happened without any animosity to check if the de-escalation agreement was being followed as promised and were displaying friendly gestures to the Chinese side when they were attacked. "It was the deadliest attack carried on Indian Army personnel by the Chinese military personnel to our memory," a government source said. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, says the commission will soon be going after Nigerian looters currently hiding in Ghana. Speaking when a delegation of the Chartered Institute of Public Resources Management and Politics (CIPRMP) paid him a visit in Abuja on Friday, June 26, Magu said the commission is putting resources together to go after the looters and recover the stolen wealth stashed in that country. Corruption is a borderless crime. We are putting our resources together to allow us go to Ghana without restrictions and recovery our stolen property back home. I am appealing to Nigerians to trust the Commission with relevant information about corrupt practices in the country. There are a lot of looters hiding in Ghana. We are already talking, we will bring them back. We will go bring the assets back to the country, he said. Advertisement READ ALSO EFCC Not Involved In Hushpuppis Arrest Ibrahim Magu Reacting to allegations that the Commission is not transparent in its activities, the EFCC boss said We follow the international best practice when it comes to areas of investigations, tracing of looted assets, recovering looted assets. We all have our records. We are aware that we have ruffled many feathers. We have touched the untouchables and we have dared lions in their dens. We are doing all these, not because we love dangers and death, we are doing them because we value the comfort and development which anti-corruption brings. Buhari at the NEC After his controversial dissolution of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari is making moves to break the ranks of the sacked NWC members who have rejected the presidents action. The Hilliard Eta-led 18 members of the NWC, in a statement on Thursday said the National Executive Committee meeting where the decision was taken to dissolve the NWC violated the APC constitution. Article 25(B) of the Constitution of the APC is explicit that only the National Chairman or the National Working Committee (NWC) is given the prerogative of summoning meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party either for statutory quarterly meetings or for emergency meetings, the statement said. The same provision of the constitution makes it compulsory for a notice of a minimum of 14 days in respect statutory quarterly meetings and 7 days in respect of an emergency meeting. The statement was signed by Mr Eta and the partys acting national secretary, Waziri Bulama. They said they were studying the unfolding drama and would be consulting with stakeholders and a team of lawyers on the next line of action. The APC NEC meeting which was held at the presidential villa appointed a 13-member caretaker committee to run the party. The committee is headed by Governor Mala Buni of Yobe State. Mr Buni was the national secretary of the APC until his election as governor in 2019. The caretaker committee is to conduct the party National Convention to elect new leadership for the APC within six months. The NEC also ratified the APC governorship primary in Edo State, which produced Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the partys governorship candidate. Apart from President Buhari, the NEC meeting was attended by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, state governors and some members of the NWC. If the NWC members head to court over the issue, they could have the dissolution upturned, embarrass Mr Buhari and plunge the ruling party into further crisis. But it appears the president understands this and would not wait for such to happen. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Buhari has reached out to governors of the states where the NWC members hail from, requesting the governors to put pressure on the intransigent party officials not to seek redress in court or take further action on the issue. Most NWC members are usually nominated by state chapters of the party before they are elected into the NWC during the party convention. So, in most cases, the NWC members owe some degree of loyalty to their state governors (in the states where APC is the ruling party). More so, they rely on their governors for patronage. Two of the sacked NWC members, one from the North, the other from the South, told PREMIUM TIMES they have received a call from their state governors who told them to withdraw from the group. The governors are claiming that the president is on their neck. He wants them to talk to the officials of the sacked NWC not to embarrass the party and to remind them of the resolution that APC members should not be taking the party to court and that they would be other opportunities for them to serve the party in the future. It is too early to say they shouldnt have put my name (on the Thursday statement expressing the position of the sacked NWC members), but I am not too keen because I have been called by my state governor who told me the president asked him to get in touch with me, a member of the sacked NWC told PREMIUM TIMES, Thursday night. Presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina did not respond to calls and a text message on Friday. The APC was thrown into a fresh leadership crisis when the Court of Appeal a few days ago upheld the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the partys national chairman. A faction of the party which is loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has been engaged in an intense and devastating power-tussle with a faction loyal to the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, who is regarded as the national leader of the party. *** Source: PREMIUM TIMES The former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, has suggested the possibility of the embattled former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, recontesting his position during the partys planned mini-convention. He added that other 17 members of the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) of the party are also eligible to seek elective positions whenever the convention holds within the next six months. Mr Tinubu on Saturday afternoon broke his silence on the multiple crises rocking the ruling party, and the far-reaching decisions of its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting attended by President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr. Oshiomhole, who is seen by many as Mr. Tinubus loyalist, had earlier on the same day, addressed the media, expressing his acceptance of the NEC decisions, even as he reeled out what he described as his many achievements in his two-year tenure. In a statement signed by Mr Tinubu, the former governor commended Mr Oshiomhole-led NWC, listing the reelection of the president as one of the committees achievements. While acknowledging the decision of the NEC led by the president, Mr Tinubu suggested that the members of the NWC are eligible to take part in the election that may be conducted by the caretaker committee. He said; In addition to the daily operation of the party, the Caretaker Committee has the mandate to prepare for a mini national convention within six months. We must give the committee the support needed to fulfil this assignment in an impartial manner. As I understand it, no one has been precluded from seeking any party office to which he is otherwise eligible. Former NWC members are free to seek re-election to the NWC. Provided they have the support of party members, they will have an opportunity to return to serve the party in a leadership capacity. This reflects our overriding desire to restore and maintain internal democracy not subvert it. Many believe Mr Tinubus rumoured 2023 presidential ambition is amongst the many issues that have polarised the party. He has denied having such ambitions yet. As chairman of the party, Mr Oshiomhole fought many battles, with his critics, including Edo governor Godwin Obaseki, blaming his leadership style for the partys several crises. In a lengthy decision, Ontario Superior Court Justice Joseph Di Luca found Michael Theriault, an off-duty constable with the Toronto police, guilty of assaulting Dafonte Miller, a young Black man whom he accused of breaking into cars in December 2016. Theriault's brother, Christian, was also charged in the incident and found not guilty. Charges against Miller were later dropped. Despite significant public and media interest in the case, Justice Di Luca emphasized that his decision was entirely based on the evidence presented by both the Crown and the defendants. However, he took pains to address the racialized elements of the case, and noted that they "raise significant issues involving race and policing that should be further examined." Here are excerpts from the justices decision. Some details are graphic. Scroll to the bottom to read the full judgment. [Section 11] My task is also not to conduct a public inquiry into matters involving race and policing. In stating this, I want to make one thing very clear. I am not saying that race has nothing to do with this case. Indeed, I am mindful of the need to carefully consider the racialized context within which this case arises. Beyond that, I also acknowledge that this case, and others like it, raise significant issues involving race and policing that should be further examined. To give but one example taken from the evidence in this case, one could well ask how this matter might have unfolded if the first responders arrived at a call late one winter evening and observed a black man dressed in socks with no shoes, claiming to be a police officer, asking for handcuffs while kneeling on top of a significantly injured white man. [46] According to Mr. Miller, once he made it to the front door (of the Silverthorn residence) he started knocking. He then turned towards Michael Theriault who was holding the metal pipe. He said you are going to kill me and he was then hit in the eye with the pipe. He noticed the blood pouring from the wound and saw blood on the ground. When he realized that no help was coming from inside the house, he walked over to the driveway. Michael continued to hit him in the head with the pipe. [57] When asked to describe his injuries, Mr. Miller explained that his left eye was burst, like split four ways. He explained that he had damage to the structural bones around his face including his forehead, cheeks and jaw, his wrist was broken, and he had related physical problems including a very sore back and bruises. He lost vision in his left eye and also had difficulty seeing out of his right eye. He was advised by doctors that there was a risk of further vision loss due to the build up of pressure. [137] At no time while pursuing the male, who was later identified as Mr. Miller, did Michael identify himself as a police officer or call out words of arrest. While Christian recalled hearing Michael say stop, stop, stop, Michael had no recollection of doing so. [169] On this call, Christian Theriault can be heard speaking to Mr. Miller, indicating Im on 911 you fucking, you fucking in our cars and shit, eh? You picked the wrong cars. [171] Mr. Silverthorn describes his observations and indicates that he sees one male in shorts bent over right in front of the driveway. He then advises that he sees one guy bent over his wifes car and another guy holding a stick that is approximately four feet long. He then states Jesus, I think hes gonna strike the guy again. [190] Exhibit 3 is a hollow aluminum pipe approximately four feet long, with a slight bend in it. The parties agree that this is the pipe that was involved in the altercation between the parties on December 28, 2016. The provenance of the metal pipe is the subject of significant dispute between the parties. [191] The pipe was examined at the Centre of Forensic Sciences and blood was found on one end of the pipe. The blood was tested for DNA comparison purposes and Mr. Miller could not be excluded as the contributor. The random match probability of someone else being the contributor was 1 in 440 quadrillion. [214] Mr. Federico explained that proper arrest procedure generally requires that police officers identify themselves to an arrestee and state their intentions in a loud clear voice. The purpose of identification and a statement of intention is to secure quick compliance with an arrest, without escalation. [238] I also remind myself that I can accept some, none or all of a witness testimony. I can draw reasonable inferences from the evidence but must guard against speculation. I must apply the same degree of scrutiny to the Crown and defence evidence. I must assess the evidence that favours the defence in accordance with R. v. W.(D.), and I must not treat this case simply as a credibility contest. [239] I will start with the defendant, Michael Theriault. I have carefully considered his evidence in context with the whole of the evidence at trial, including the scene evidence and the evidence of the independent witnesses. There are aspects of Michaels evidence that I accept as I will detail momentarily. That said, there are significant aspects of his evidence that I do not accept. I reject his assertion that his initial intention was to arrest Mr. Miller. I am troubled by his description of how Mr. Miller first produced the metal pipe. I also have significant concerns about his description of what happened in between the Silverthorn and Forde residences. Lastly, I do not accept his evidence about what happened at the front door of the Silverthorn residence. His evidence is contradicted by the physical evidence at the scene and the evidence of other witnesses. [240] In terms of Christian Theriault, while he did not testify, the Crown tendered several statements which are exculpatory and, as such, I must determine whether the statements are credible. I conclude that there are portions of the statements that I accept. However, as with Michael Theriault, there are portions of the statements that I do not accept. For instance, I reject the suggestion initially advanced by Christian that the pipe possibly came from Mr. Millers pants. There is simply no way that Mr. Miller could have been running with a four foot long segment of pipe down his pants. I find this suggestion, even though it was delivered as a possibility, was an obvious attempt to paint a less than favourable picture of Mr. Miller. It may also have been an attempt by Christian to distance himself and his brother from the pipe. I am also troubled by the comment Christian can be heard saying to Mr. Miller while he is on the call with 911. The comment You picked the wrong cars which is shouted towards Mr. Miller, who at this point is being held on the ground by Michael, undermines the self-defence narrative that is advanced in the later statements. It also suggests a belief that a degree of deserved retribution had been administered. [241] Ultimately, while there are aspects of Michael and Christian Theriaults evidence that I accept, there are significant aspects of their evidence that leave me concerned about their overall credibility. Below I will detail the areas where I have specific credibility concerns. I do so mindful of the legal analysis mandated by R. v. W.(D.). In particular, I remind myself that even if I do not accept Michael and/or Christians evidence and/or any of the other evidence that supports the defence position, I must nonetheless assess whether I am left with reasonable doubt by that evidence. [254] The Crown forcefully argues that the metal pipe came from the garage at the Theriault residence. The Crown posits that as a trained police officer, Michael Theriault would not simply have rolled out under the opening garage door to confront whomever was in the vehicle on the driveway without some form of weapon or defensive device. He was confronting a person or persons who posed an unknown, though potentially serious threat. He was using an element of surprise by rolling under the garage door as it opened. He did not have access to his usual use of force equipment. In this context, the Crown argues it makes perfect sense that Michael would have armed himself with something typically stored in a garage and readily accessible, like a metal pipe. [255] The Crown further argues that Michael Theriaults evidence provides implicit support for a finding that he was initially armed with the metal pipe when he body checked Mr. Miller. In this regard, the Crown argues that the reason why Michael body checked Mr. Miller instead of simply grabbing him is because he was holding the metal pipe in his hands. [268] The defence position is that Mr. Miller was caught in the commission of an indictable offence and that the defendants, at all times, wanted to arrest him and hold him for the arrival of Durham Police. [273] To be blunt, I would have expected the first thing out of Michael Theriaults mouth as he was chasing Mr. Miller while wearing only socks would have been Stopyou are under arrestIm a police officer, or words to that effect. The fact that nothing was said during the chase is telling, especially in view of the distance covered. [278] In terms of Christian Theriault, when he is on the call with 911, he can be clearly heard yelling at Mr. Miller who by this point is being held on the ground by Michael Theriault. He states: Im on 911 you fucking, you fucking in our cars and shit, eh? You picked the wrong cars. This comment is telling. It suggests that, at least in Christians mind, retribution had been served. [289] The one-sided nature of the fight is also supported by the evidence suggesting that Michael Theriault had no injuries whatsoever, apart from perhaps some soreness. While I cannot reject the evidence that Christian Theriault had a concussion based on self-reported symptoms and that this concussion was possibly caused by a strike with the pipe, I am not prepared to find that he suffered other significant injuries. The wound on his hand is best described as a scratch, and the fact that his hand and thumb were sore is hardly surprising given that he was punching Mr. Miller. Christian claimed that his thigh was bruised and his eye was darkened. I pause to note that Michael never noticed the fact that his brothers eye was darkened. I also note that no photographs of these injuries were taken, despite the suggestion being made by police officers. Ultimately, even accepting that Christian had a concussion and some bruising after the event, I find that these injuries do not detract from the fact this encounter quickly became a one-sided fight. [302] I am satisfied that Mr. Miller was vigorously banging on the door. It is also clear that he was badly injured and was trying to get help. [334] The issue in relation to Christian Theriaults second statement is more difficult. This statement was not given moments after a violent incident, perhaps without time for collecting thoughts and reflecting on events. This statement was given on January 9, 2017, almost two weeks after the incident. This is a relatively lengthy statement that goes well beyond the what happened? nature of the initial statement taken at the scene. In this statement, Christian is asked specific questions. He provides a detailed narrative of what happened. Again, in view of my findings on the issue of self-defence, I cannot find any liability in relation to the self-defence narrative advanced in this statement. However, I remain troubled by Christians failure to mention Michaels involvement with the pipe. He is also not asked detailed questions about how the incident ends. Ultimately, when I consider the context in which the statement is given, including the nature of the questions asked and the answers given, I find that Christian Theriault was not completely open and forthright about what happened. However, I am not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the failure to mention Michael Theriaults possession and use of the metal pipe at the end of the incident amounts to an attempt to obstruct justice. [335] Michael Theriault, I find you not guilty of aggravated assault but guilty of the lesser and included offence of assault. I also find you not guilty of obstruct justice. [336] Christian Theriault, I find you not guilty on both counts, you are free to go. R. v. Theriault, 2020 ONSC 3317 View document on Scribd A couple of Amish children look out the window of a horse-drawn cart during a rainy day ride along Old Philadelphia Pike in Gordonville, Lancaster County, in March. Read more The coronavirus is showing signs of spiking in Lancaster County, known for its bucolic farmland and large Amish population. The countys daily count of new COVID-19-positive test results has been trending upward, with an increase of about 135% from June 19 to June 25, according to state data. Statewide, the number of new cases grew over the course of that week by about 18%. Pennsylvania Department of Health officials are closely watching the increased case count there and in York County, just west of Lancaster, a spokesperson said. For these two counties, the majority of the cases are tied to known outbreaks, such as long-term-care facilities, Health Department spokesperson Nate Wardle said. York County saw a spike of cases on June 21, state data showed, but since then the daily number of new COVID-19 cases has dropped to 11, on June 25. Statewide, the number of daily positive test results has increased gradually since Thursday. The state does less sampling for COVID-19 than most other states in the country, but a low rate of positive results statewide has given the state breathing room as it increases testing. Lancaster County officials agreed that nursing home infections were driving the numbers there, but said the increased cases reflected comprehensive testing at long-term-care facilities, rather than spread in the community at large. They didnt rule out the possibility of wider transmission, though. The extent of the virus spread among the countys 39,000 Amish residents is unclear, officials said. Amish families typically avoid using technology due to their faith, but have differing philosophies about modern medical care. Anecdotal evidence, though, indicates many Amish and Old Order Mennonites are not seeking testing for the coronavirus, said Edwin Hurston, the countys COVID-19 public health emergency adviser. We dont know, because a lot of the Amish are not being tested, he said. Theyre choosing not to be tested. Health-care providers are seeing people of Amish or Old Order Mennonite denominations with COVID-19-like symptoms, but those people are declining tests to confirm the illness, Hurston said. READ MORE: Pennsylvania does less coronavirus testing than almost every other state The population could be at particular risk from the virus, experts have said, through church gatherings and because many households include older relatives. The county, which does not have a public health department, has sought to coordinate with some health-care centers in the area that have gained the trust of the regions Amish population to grasp how significantly the virus has affected the community, Hurston said. The county has also hired contact tracers that speak Pennsylvania Dutch, a variant of German spoken in Amish communities. The county tapped $95 million in federal CARES Act funding to make COVID-19 tests available to nursing homes for all residents and staff in mid-May, before the state mandated testing at those facilities. State records show there are 31 long-term-care facilities in the county. We are testing nursing homes more aggressively than almost anyone else in the state, said Joshua Parsons, chairman of the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners. The rate of positive results among all COVID-19 tests taken in the county was about 8% over the last 14 days, said Hurston, but he didnt have the rate over the last week. In late April, he said, the rate was about 26%. We feel were doing everything we need to do to make sure our folks are protected, said Ray DAgostino, another county commissioner. The countys positive rate is comparatively high. The states positive rate is about 4%, officials have said. Philadelphia has a rate of about 5% over the last seven days, according to city data. Hurston noted that the Lancaster positive rate varied day by day, sometimes dipping to 5% Positive rates should remain around 5% or lower for 14 days before a region should consider reopening, the World Health Organization has recommended. READ MORE: For Pennsylvanias Amish, the coronavirus and the call for social distancing are a challenge From June 19 to June 25, Lancaster County logged 363 new COVID-19-positive test results, accounting for about 10% of the states overall count of positives. The countys population of 545,724 makes up about 4% of Pennsylvanians. Lancaster County has reported 4,185 cases and 354 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. The county moved to the green phase of reopening Friday. (Newser) An explosion that rattled Irans capital came from an area in its eastern mountains that analysts believe hides an underground tunnel system and missile production sites, satellite photos showed Saturday. What exploded in the incident early Friday that sent a massive fireball into the sky near Tehran remains unclear, as does the cause of the blast, the AP notes. The unusual response of the Iranian government in the aftermath of the explosion, however, underscores the sensitive nature of an area near where international inspectors believe Iran's Islamic Republic conducted high-explosive tests two decades ago for nuclear weapon triggers. The blast shook homes, rattled windows, and lit up the horizon early Friday in the Alborz Mountains. State TV later aired a segment from what it described as being the site of the blast. story continues below One of its journalists stood in front of what appeared to be large, blackened gas cylinders, though the camera remained tightly focused and didn't show anything else around the site. Satellite photos of the area showed hundreds of yards of charred scrubland not seen in images of the area taken in the weeks ahead of the incident. The building near the char marks resembled the facility seen in the state TV footage. Defense Ministry rep Davood Abdi blamed the blast on a leaking gas he didn't ID and said no one was killed in the explosion. Abdi described the site as a "public area," raising the question of why military officials and not civilian firefighters would be in charge. The gas storage area sits near what analysts describe as Iran's Khojir missile facility. The explosion appears to have struck a facility for the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group, which makes solid-propellant rockets, a researcher says. (Read more Iran stories.) David Whyte has been named as the police officer who suffered serious stab wounds while trying to stop an attack in Glasgow. Police Scotland chief constable Iain Livingstone has paid tribute to the 42-year-old officer who was one of six people injured during the incident at the Park Inn Hotel in West George Street on Friday. All of the victims are still in the hospital, with PC Whyte currently in a "critical but stable" condition. A male suspect was shot dead by an armed unit and the attack was not being treated as terrorism. Paying tribute to his officers and those injured, Mr Livingstone said in a statement: My thoughts and very best wishes are with those who have been injured and their families, including our colleague Constable David Whyte who was seriously injured in the course of doing his duty. I offer my personal support to all those affected. Read more: Bank boss jailed after stealing nearly 3m from employer to splash out on cars Armed police at the scene of an incident in Glasgow (Picture: PA) Emergency services attend the scene where six people were injured (Picture: PA) Mr Livingstone added: Officers have once again run into danger to protect their fellow citizens. Their professionalism as police officers was outstanding. I pay tribute to their bravery, selflessness and commitment to protecting the public. I briefed the first minister and the prime minister earlier today on the circumstances and advised them both that we are not treating the attack as a terrorist incident. It is essential enquiries are now carried out to establish the full circumstances and all speculation must be avoided. The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) confirmed a male officer had been stabbed and his family had been informed. The other victims were men aged 17, 18, 20, 38 and 53. Read more: Council spent thousands trying to keep name of Tate teenager's name a secret A male suspect was shot dead by an armed unit (Picture: PA) One witness, who gave his name as John, said he saw two receptionists stabbed in the hotel. He said he came down from the third floor of the hotel to see the reception covered in blood. Witness Craig Milroy, who saw the aftermath of the incident from an office building nearby, said he had seen four people taken away in ambulances. Story continues He added: I saw a man lying on the ground, of African descent, with no shoes on. He was on the ground with someone holding his side I dont know if it was a bullet wound, a stab wound, or what it was. A spokeswoman for campaign group Positive Action In Housing said the 91-room hotel was housing asylum seekers for the Mears Group, which moved them there during the coronavirus lockdown. The order calls on the attorney general to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any person or group that destroys or vandalises a monument, memorial or statue, authorising a penalty of up to 10 years in prison Washington: President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to protect monuments, memorials and statues facing new scrutiny amid fresh debate over the nation's racist beginnings. Trump had promised to take action earlier this week after police thwarted an attempt by protesters to pull down a statue of Andrew Jackson in a park across from the White House. The order calls on the attorney general to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any person or group that destroys or vandalises a monument, memorial or statue. Federal law authorises a penalty of up to 10 years in prison for the willful injury of federal property. The order also calls for maximum prosecution for anyone who incites violence and illegal activity, and it threatens state and local law enforcement agencies that fail to protect monuments with the loss of federal funding. Trump announced earlier Friday on Twitter that he had signed the order and called it strong". Earlier in the day, the president used Twitter to call for the arrest of protesters involved with the attempt to bring down the Jackson statue from Lafayette Park. He retweeted an FBI wanted poster showing pictures of 15 protesters who are wanted for vandalization of federal property". Trump wrote, MANY people in custody, with many others being sought for Vandalization of Federal Property in Lafayette Park. 10 year prison sentences! He also said on Twitter that he had scrapped plans to spend the weekend at his central New Jersey home to stay in Washington to make sure LAW & ORDER is enforced. These arsonists, anarchists, looters, and agitators have been largely stopped," Trump tweeted. "I am doing what is necessary to keep our communities safe and these people will be brought to Justice!" Protesters on Monday night attempted to drag the Jackson statue down with ropes and chains. Police repelled the protesters and sealed off Lafayette Park, which had been reopened to the public for more than a week after protests against the death of George Floyd at police hands in Minnesota. On Tuesday, police cleared out the entire area around the corner of 16th and H streets and pushed demonstrators away from the intersection, which had recently been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by the city. Statistics released by the Metropolitan Police Department show that nine people were arrested Tuesday night and a total of 12 arrested between Monday and Wednesday. There were no protest-related arrests Thursday, according to the MPD data. Demonstrators have grown increasingly emboldened about targeting statues deemed offensive or inappropriate. On 19 June, or Juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery in the United States, cheering crowds puled down a statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike. The statue stood on federal land and had withstood previous attempts by the Washington, DC, government to remove it. According to participants, police officers were on the scene but did not attempt to interfere. The targeting of the statues has become a rallying cry for Trump and other conservatives. Immediately after the Pike statute was toppled and set ablaze, Trump called the incident a "disgrace to our Country! on Twitter. On Tuesday he tweeted, I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the US with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent. Pakistan Sentences 5 Men for al-Qaida Links By Ayesha Tanzeem June 26, 2020 A court in Pakistan Friday convicted and sentenced five men for being members of al-Qaida and supporting terrorism. A statement by the counter terrorism department of Punjab province said the court in Gujranwala city found the men guilty of terrorism financing, possessing explosives, membership in a proscribed organization, and possessing literature of a proscribed organization. Each of the men has been sentenced to 16 years imprisonment along with financial penalties. Their personal property has also been confiscated according to the statement issued by CTD Punjab. The men, Abdullah Umair, Ahmadur Rehman, Asim Akbar Saeed, Muhammad Yaqoob, and Muhammad Yousaf, were arrested in Gujranwala, around 75 km north of Lahore, in December of 2019. At the time the statement said they were preparing to carry out a terrorist attack. According to Pakistan's English daily Dawn newspaper, the men were running a media cell of al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, the local chapter of al-Qaida. While the conviction rate in terrorism linked cases in Pakistan has increased since 2016, Muhammad Amir Rana, a security analyst and director of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, an Islamabad based think tank, said the addition of terrorism financing charges in the case may have been due to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force, an international body that monitors terrorism funding. Pakistan is currently on a FATF watch list and the organization has demanded that the country increase its crackdown on terrorism financing. "I'm sure the men belong to the group, but I think the terror financing charges are under FATF pressure because usually, in the organizational structure of such groups, finance and media are separate departments," Rana said. FATF placed Pakistan on its grey list in June of 2018 and has since given the country several extensions to comply with its demands. The next deadline is in October of 2020 when the country's performance will be judged. Getting off the grey list is important for the South Asian country as its economy falters. The coronavirus pandemic has added to Pakistan's already sputtering economic engine, pushing the growth rate into the negative. Being on the FATF grey list raises the cost of doing international financial transactions because of added scrutiny by banks or financial institutions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Business Roundup The Irrawaddy Business Roundup -- Though many sectors of Myanmars economy have resumed operations, Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi spoke via video conference this week about how the government remain wary of the risk of a second wave of COVID-19 infections. In this week, Myanmar managed to approve additional foreign and local investments for the country and Yoma Strategic announced plans to acquire Telenor Groups majority stake in Myanmars leading mobile money company, Wave Money. A new report by the World Bank said that Myanmar could see its economic growth drop from 6.8 percent to 0.5 percent this fiscal year due to the impacts of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the Myanmar government said that it will launch its latest Investment Policy Review. Myanmar approves over US$30 million in foreign investment This week, the Myanmar government approved more than US$30million in foreign investments for projects in Yangon, regions, according to the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA). On Wednesday, the Yangon Regional Investment Committee approved almost US$9.2 million in foreign investments by three investors from China and about 2.3 billion kyats (US$1.7 million) from a local investor. The three Chinese investments are focused on the garment sector and the one local investment is in the food production sector. The investments in Yangon Region are reportedly expected to create job opportunities for 3,038 people. On Thursday, the Bago Regional Investment Committee (BRIC) also approved US$13.3 million in foreign investments by the three new foreign investors as well as an extension of one existing foreign investment. BRIC expected that the investments would employ 1,200 workers. In addition, the Tanintharyi Investment Committee has approved US$7.5 million and 12 billion kyats (US$8.7 million) in investments by two local investors. The investments focus on the electricity sector in the region and are expected to create job opportunities for 730 people. In Myanmars north, Kachin State approved 965 million kyats (US$700,000) in local investments focused on the agriculture sector, which will reportedly employ 117 people. Yoma Strategic to buy stake in Wave Money from Telenor On Wednesday, Yoma Strategic Holding, headed by Chinese-Myanmar tycoon Serge Pun, announced that it will acquire the majority stake in Wave Money, worth US$76.5 million, from Telenor. Currently, Wave Money is running a network of more than 57,000 agents across 295 townships in Myanmar, covering approximately 89 percent of the country. More than 21 million people have used Wave Moneys services, including Wave Pay, for remittances, utility payments, airtime top-ups and digital payments, accoding to Yoma Strategic. Yoma Strategic also said that it will invest up to an additional US$25 million in Wave Money. Myanmar to launch its Investment Policy Review On Wednesday, Myanmars Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relation (MIFER) said in their annual press conference that they have finished their second Investment Policy Review (IPR) and will publish it in the next three months. The review was finalized with the help of the France-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and identifies policy reforms required to make the country a more attractive destination for quality, responsible investment. MIFER said the OECDs review provides Myanmar with a comprehensive overview of global and regional investment trends, including policies and practices affecting the investment climate of Myanmar. MIFER Permanent Secretary U Aung Naing Oo said that the latest policy review identifies investment policies that need to be improved and makes it clear what Myanmar needs to do to pursue more investment. Myanmars economic growth could drop This week, the World Banks latest report said that Myanmars economic growth could drop from 6.8 percent to 0.5 percent this fiscal year due to COVID-19. The report also said Myanmars GDP growth rate is projected to bounce back to 7.2 percent in the 2020-21 fiscal yearif Myanmar controls the local spread of COVID-19 and the global economy swiftly recovers. According to the World Bank, the slowdown in economic growth threatens to partially reverse Myanmars recent progress in poverty reduction while reducing the incomes of households who are already poor. Also, the bank warmed that precautionary behavior and travel bans continue to negatively impact wholesale and retail trade, tourism-related services, and transportation. You may also like these stories: World Bank: Myanmar Economy to See Growth Drop by 6.3% This Fiscal Year Due to COVID-19 Myanmar to Launch Investment Policy Review Construction on Chinas BRI Deep Sea Port to Start Soon in Myanmars Rakhine State: Govt Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) Video bloggers should make sure their content is not offensive to anyone, especially during this pandemic, says celebrity vlogger. Alex Gonzaga said Saturday that vloggers must think carefully about their content, given their limitations with the ongoing community quarantine and knowing that more people spend time on social media than before. "Kailangan maging sensitive din po tayo sa nangyayari outside and sa society natin," Alex Gonzaga said in an interview. [Translation: We also need to be sensitive to what is happening outside and in our society.] "Kailangan 'yung ipapakita niyo or malalabas mo, wala kang ma-ooffend na ibang tao or wala kang pwedeng ma-aapektuhan sa mga ginagawa mo," she added. [Translation: You need to make sure what you show will not offend other people, and there is no one who will be affected by what you are doing.] Gonzaga admitted that creating content while under quarantine has been challenging, adding that she makes sure to post at least once a week. Gonzaga, who often includes her family in her social media posts, also took some time to talk about Mommy Pinty. "Minsan hindi niya alam, kinukunan ko siya. Everyday is a struggle kung paano ko sasabihin sa kanya na nailabas ko na [ang video]," Gonzaga said. [Translation: Sometimes, she doesn't know that I'm filming her. Everyday is a struggle for me to tell her that I already uploaded the video.] Gonzaga emphasized that her vlog is meant to be entertaining, the same way she remembered how watching other people's Youtube channels used to make her feel happy and stress-free. "After watching my vlog, my aim is that, at least, nakalimutan nila 'yung kanilang problema or nakalimutan nila 'yung kanilang mga pinagdadaanan," Gonzaga said. "Minsan, konti-konti nagbibigay po kami, nagbibigay ako ng mga lesson." [Translation: After watching my vlog, my aim is that, at least, they forget their problem or they forget what they are going through. Sometimes, we give little, I give lessons.] Gonzaga advised aspiring bloggers and vloggers to showcase who they really are when creating content, adding that they should not just follow trends. "When you start making your channel or creating content, make sure that you're authentic to yourself, genuine, hindi gumagaya [not copying]," Gonzaga said. "So mag-vlog ka or mag-post ka sa Instagram na gusto mong ipakita kung ano talaga 'yung nasa puso mo, kung sino ka talaga, not because 'yun ang gusto ng social media mo, kasi social media is created for us, not to be us," she added. [Translation: So when you vlog or post on Instagram, you want to show what is in your heart, who you are, not what social media wants because social media is created for us, not to be us.] HANOI Under a pitch-black night sky, a group of Vietnamese farmers planted rice this week in a paddy field on the outskirts of the capital Hanoi using head lamps to illuminate the water-logged ground in front of them. The farmers of the Tam Thanh Commune say they have been forced to work at night in the fields to avoid searing temperatures that they say have got worse over the years. Temperatures are rising one or two degrees [Celsius] every year, said Le Van Ha, 40, who blames the felling of trees in the area for making temperatures more extreme. Ha, who doesnt want his children to follow his path into agriculture, said he now gets up at 2:00 am to avoid having to cope with stifling daytime conditions. Even though working at night has slashed productivity, he says they can keep working much longer by avoiding the heat. Vietnam reportedly experienced its highest temperature on record last year at 43.4 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit) in Ha Tinh Province in north-central Vietnam. A farmer plants rice on a paddy field during early morning to avoid the heat in Hanoi, Vietnam June 25, 2020. Photo: Reuters An official at Vietnams National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said many parts of the country were suffering new heat waves this year, though temperatures so far were below last years record highs. Temperatures in northern and central parts of Vietnam ranged between 35C and 40C on Thursday, according to the center. Another farmer, Thai Hong Ngoc, 50, said planting at night meant that far fewer rice plants wither due to the extreme heat and is grateful that they now have machinery to use for harvesting. If I had to manually harvest crops like before, surely I would just leave it. Its just too hot, said Ngoc. As many as 450 Japanese experts and businessmen have boarded the first commercial flights post-pandemic to Vietnam between Thursday and Saturday as the two countries begin to relax travel restrictions on a mutual basis, Japanese media have reported. The first of these flights, organized by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines with support from the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in Vietnam, carried 150 Japanese experts to Vietnam from Japan on Thursday, the Japanese broadcaster Nippon TV reported. The flight departed from Narita International Airport near Tokyo and landed at Van Don International Airport in the northern Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh on Thursday afternoon. All passengers wore protective suits and informed authorities of their medical status upon entry. They had their body temperature scanned and their luggage sanitized. They will be quarantined for 14 days at hotels as per Vietnam's existing regulations on prevention and control of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corporation said that 130 employees of its factory in Vietnam were on the flight. I am more relieved than happy. We will now have the human resources we need to restart our operations, Sharp Manufacturing Vietnam chairman Wada Kazuhito told Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Another flight touched down in Vietnam on Friday while one more trip was scheduled for Saturday, bringing a total of about 450 Japanese businesspeople to the Southeast Asian country in three days, the Japanese media reported. Vietnam has barred entry to foreign nationals since March 22 and suspended international commercial flights from March 25 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, Japan is closed to foreign visitors from more than 100 countries and territories. Vietnam is the first country that Japan has eased pandemic-related travel restrictions, the NHK said. The two countries agreed on June 19 to phase out travel restrictions for business people only in the pilot period of the travel relaxation. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Dr Damien Punguyire, the Acting Upper West Regional Director of Health Services has announced that all 35 cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases recorded in the region had been discharged from treatment according to the revised case management protocol. He said the 35 cases were recorded in six out of the eleven districts and municipalities in the region. Dr. Punguyire, who made this known at the launch of a Sexual and Reproductive Health Right and Sexual and Gender Based Violence campaign (SRHR?SGBV) in Wa on Friday, said no covid-19 related death had since been recorded in the region. The SRHR/SGBV campaign was launched by Plan International Ghana as part of the implementation of its COVID-19 Gender Emergency Response Programme aimed to ensure the welfare of vulnerable and deprived children, especially girls after Ghana recorded her first cases of COVID-19. Per the revised discharge guideline, for cases exhibiting symptoms, discharge after a period of time of being symptom free and for those not showing any symptoms, a period of time after initial test was done. The Regional Health Director noted that as part of efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19, the government had painstakingly taken the decision to re-organise staff and other resources into combating the pandemic. He said health workers who hitherto, had been involved in providing essential services for women, children, and adolescents including issues related to sexual and reproductive health are now fully engaged in contact tracing and other covid-19 related activities. He said the effects of COVID-19 were glaring in the region as Family Planning coverage had reduced from 58.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 to 34.5 per cent in the same period in 2020. Dr Punguyire said the percentage of pregnant women making fourth visit for antenatal care services had also reduced from 82.4 per cent in first quarter of 2019 to 75.7 per cent same period in 2020. Mr Kamaldeen Iddrisu, the District Development Coordinator, Upper West Regional Programme Unit of Plan International Ghana, said as part of efforts to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Plan International Ghana donated GH50,000.00 to the National COVID-19 Fund. He said they also donated GH20,000.00 to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in the early days of the pandemic as well as GH20,000.00 to the Upper West Regional Health Directorate to help fight the outbreak of the Cerebrospinal Meningitis in the region. 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 A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed at Jyoti Nagar police station in Jaipur against Baba Ramdev, his aide and the chief executive officer (CEO) of Patanjali Ayurved, Acharya Balkrishna, and three others for allegedly making misleading claims that the herbal medicine company has found a cure for the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) called Coronil. Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna, Dr. Balbir Singh Tomar, Dr. Anurag Tomar and Anurag Varshney, have been booked under Section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, on the basis of the FIR lodged by Balbir Jakhar, said Avnish Parashar, additional deputy commissioner of police (DCP), south, Jaipur. The accused have put the life of common people at risk. Neither the Rajasthan government nor the Centre was informed about the clinical trials about Coronil, said Jakhar, an advocate. Two of the accused, Dr. Balbir Singh Tomar and Dr. Anurag Tomar, are the chairman and the director, respectively of the Jaipur-based NIMS University. While the fifth accused, Varshney, is a scientist at Patanjali Ayurved. Patanjali Ayurved has launched Coronil tablet and Swasari vati medicine that claimed to cure the contagion within seven days. The herbal medicine firm also claimed that the two Ayurveda-based medicines have shown 100% favourable results during clinical trials on Covid-19 patients except those on a life support system. However, the Union Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) said it was unaware of Patanjali Ayurveds claims. The ministry has sought a report from the company about the composition, testing and other data of the drugs. Patanjali Ayurved has also been asked to stop advertising/publicising the drug until the ministry examines its claims. Add CoolSocial badge. Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Hdmoviesmp4.com scored 42 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 23 Nov 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Add a widget like this on your site: click here The total number of people who shared the hdmoviesmp4 homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the hdmoviesmp4 homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the hdmoviesmp4 homepage on Twitter + the total number of hdmoviesmp4 followers (if hdmoviesmp4 has a Twitter account). 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Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Ikua Purdy might not have known a soul in Cheyenne when, after travel by steamship and train, he arrived in the frontier town from Honolulu in 1908. But by the time he was done at Cheyenne Frontier Days, Purdy was well-known by most, if not all, of the rodeos 10,000-plus attendants. As a paniolo, which refers to the Hawaiian cowboy tradition that traces back to Mexican-Spanish vaqueros, Purdy won the top steer roping prize at that years rodeo, becoming the first non-Wyomingite to come out victorious in the competition. Though already inducted into the CFD Hall of Fame, Purdy was further honoured Monday afternoon when a lei brought by Purdys grandson was buried near where the Hawaiian won the 1908 competition at the arena. Mike Kassel, the assistant director of the CFD Old West Museum, conducted the burial, which is one of several ways to dispose of a lei in honour of someone. Purdys grandson, who made the lei with leaves from Hawaii, brought it to Cheyenne in 2018, hanging it at Purdys portrait in the museum gallery, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. As it started falling apart, we thought it would be a good idea to dispose of the lei in an honourable and purposeful way, said Kassel. The 1908 rodeo that Purdy won was also the first CFD at Frontier Park, after about a decade of it being held at Pioneer Park. Purdy was joined by two other Hawaiians, one of whom Archie Kaaua placed third in the same competition. The Hawaiians did an amazing job of demonstrating the paniolo skills of how they did roping, Kassel said. Though this years CFD has been cancelled due to concerns about spread of COVID-19, Kassel said the rich history of Cheyennes world-famous rodeo is a good reminder of why CFD will bounce back. Were going to be doing (Frontier Days) again next year, and its going to be bigger and better than ever before, Kassel said. We still have a great legacy that means so much to so many people. Any chance to remember that is worthy. ANN ARBOR, MI The University of Michigan said in a court filing this month that it doesnt have to give refunds to students for switching to online classes in March because universities can choose how classes are taught. In April, two UM students Kliment Milanov and Trenten Ingell filed a class-action lawsuit against the university seeking restitution for everyone who paid tuition for the winter 2020 semester, everyone who paid the costs of room and board for the winter semester and everyone who paid unspecified fees for or on behalf of students enrolled for the winter semester. Earlier this month, lawyers for UM said in a motion to have the case thrown out that because universities have academic freedom, which the suit defines as four essential freedoms: Who may teach, what may be taught, how it shall be taught and who may be admitted to study. The filing with the Michigan Court of Claims argues that the Michigan Constitution gives the UM Board of Regents exclusive power to control all expenditures and affairs of the university, because the regents are considered a separate, independent state entity. Thus, courts may not interfere with the regents control over university expenditures or management of university affairs, except under very limited circumstances, none of which is present in this case, UMs lawyers wrote in the motion. UM students were sent home for the remainder of the winter 2020 semester in March as instruction was moved online for the remainder of the semester, which court documents say was 27 days. The university offered students a $1,200 credit if they moved out of their residence halls, but Milanov and Ingell felt the credit is not commensurate with the financial losses to the universitys students and their families. University of Michigan offering $1,200 refund for students who move out of university housing Milanov and Ingell acknowledge that the transition to online classes and request for students to leave campus were the right decisions, but they say its unlawful and unfair for the university to retain full tuition and fees. No matter the reason for its decision, the universitys actions are unlawful and unfair, and equity demands disgorgement of the fees and monies paid, their court complaint says. Milanov and Ingells lawsuit asserts claims of breach of contract and unjust enrichment, but UMs lawyers say their complaint doesnt identify any actual damages, but instead contains repeated references to restitution, disgorgement, remediation and other equitable principles. The university argues that the students unjust enrichment claim fails because there is no allegation that the regents used funds for anything other than educational purposes, and the breach of contract claim fails because, among other reasons, Michigan law does not recognize a contractual relationship between students and the university. UM spokesperson Kim Broekhuizen emphasized the point that the coronavirus pandemic was well beyond the control of the university, and the university was not at fault. Broekhuizen also said both students accepted, and neither tendered back, the $1,200 refund, as well as full academic credit for the courses completed in the winter 2020 semester. David Fink, a managing partner of Fink Bressack in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and counsel for Milanov and Ingell, said that the university took the position that the students who received the $1,200 refunds waived their rights to collect the full amounts theyre owed. What appeared to be a magnanimous gesture to provide some immediate financial assistance to students in a difficult financial time has turned into an attempt to force the students to release their legitimate claims, Fink said. Its a rather startling position for the university to take. Fink said hes representing students at nine other Michigan universities involved in similar lawsuits, including Michigan State University, which offered students a $1,120 credit for moving out of campus housing by April 12. Most students, Fink said, lost 40% of what they paid for the semester in housing, meals, classes and other services, but the refund that UM offered only amounts to about 20% of just housing and meals. Fink said he plans to file a response to UMs motion, which he says will explain the difference between academic freedom and the contractual rights of students. If you move out of your apartment at the request of your landlord, you dont expect to pay rent. If you buy a meal plan and the meals cannot be provided to you, you expect a refund. And if you pay tuition expecting in-person classroom education the opportunity to meet with professors and other students, labs and other hands-on experiences and you get the same kind of online education offered by the University of Phoenix, you expect a refund, Fink said. (Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. shares tumbled Friday after Unilever, one of the worlds largest advertisers, said it will halt all U.S. advertising on both platforms, fueling concerns that other major consumer brands may follow suit. Unilever, which owns names like Hellmanns mayonnaise and Axe shower gel and has an annual advertising budget of almost $8 billion, said it wont advertise on Facebook, Twitter and Facebook-owned Instagram for the rest of the year because of the hate speech and polarized politics that users often post. Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society, Unilever said in an emailed statement. We will be monitoring ongoing and will revisit our current position if necessary. Facebook shares extended a decline after the news. The stock had dropped 4.6% earlier Friday, then fell 8.3% to $216.08 at the close. Twitter shares dropped 7.4% to $29.05. Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg responded Friday to the growing criticism about misinformation on the site, announcing the company would label all voting-related posts with a link encouraging users to look at its new voter information hub, and expanded its definition of prohibited hate speech for in advertising. Unilevers decision follows similar moves by a growing list of high-profile consumer companies, including outdoor gear company Patagonia and Verizon Communications Inc., which claim that technology platforms -- particularly Facebook -- profit off user posts that promote hate and spread misinformation. A consortium of civil rights and other advocacy groups, including Color of Change and the Anti-Defamation League, have called on advertisers to stop spending on Facebook-owned platforms for the month of July to protest the companys policies. Honda Motor Co.s U.S. unit said Friday that it would join the boycott and halt advertising on Facebook and Instagram in July. Unilevers commitment extends that pledge through 2020, and adds rival social network Twitter to the mix, which has also struggled to deal with offensive posts but has recently taken a more active stance than Facebook in some cases related to U.S. President Donald Trump. Story continues More brands joined the fray as the day wore on. Coca-Cola Co. said it will pause paid advertising on all social media for at least 30 days. Hershey Co. intends to halt Facebook spending in July, according to Business Insider. So far, the boycott organizers say that more than 100 companies are participating. We invest billions of dollars each year to keep our community safe and continuously work with outside experts to review and update our policies, a Facebook spokeswoman said in a statement, adding that the company has banned 250 White supremacist organizations from its platforms. We know we have more work to do, and well continue to work with civil rights groups, GARM, and other experts to develop even more tools, technology and policies to continue this fight. Facebook has had a rocky relationship with civil rights groups for years, which have fought to diversify Facebooks board of directors, accused the company of enabling voter suppression tactics, and took issue with Facebooks decision to name the Daily Caller, a right-wing news outlet with ties to white nationalism, as one of its formal fact-checking partners in 2019. Frustrations were renewed after Zuckerberg said that a series of posts from Trump about race-related protests were not a violation of the companys rules. In one last month, Trump said that when the looting starts, the shooting starts, a post that was flagged on Twitter as a violation but not on Facebook. A number of unhappy Facebook employees staged a walkout to protest the decision. As the boycott has grown over the past week, Facebook has been reaching out to advertisers to share details about the companys existing policies, and its efforts to automate the flagging and removal of hate speech on its service. Its also been highlighting its work to increase voter registration, and on Friday Zuckerberg said the company would now prohibit ads that target certain races or ethnic groups as dangerous. In an email to marketers this week, the company said that it bases its policies on principles, not business interests. Twitter, which has not been the target of the formal ad boycott but has faced similar criticisms as Facebook over the years, says that Unilever reached out to alert the company of its decision before making the announcement publicly. Our mission is to serve the public conversation and ensure Twitter is a place where people can make human connections, seek and receive authentic and credible information, and express themselves freely and safely, said Sarah Personette, Twitters vice president of global client solutions, in a statement. We are respectful of our partners decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time. (Updates with Coca-Cola and Hershey in eighth paragraph.) For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. A conservative black group asked the Kennedy Center on Friday to rescind a prestigious comedy prize awarded to Tina Fey a decade ago following the comedian's recent blackface controversy. Project 21, a branch of the conservative National Center for Public Policy Research, said the center has "not received a proper return on its ill-advised investment" and should immediately revoke Fey's 2010 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The actress made headlines this week after asking NBC to pull from streaming services and television four episodes of her hit comedy show "30 Rock" because they featured actors in blackface. "We are not trying to cancel Tina Fey. Tina Fey cancelled herself when she asked Hulu to purge offensive episodes of '30 Rock,' calling the fruits of her creativity 'ugliness,'" Project 21 member Horace Cooper said in a letter. "We are simply alerting the Kennedy Center which has acted in the past to protect itself and the integrity of the Twain Prize to do so again in light of Tina Fey's admission," he wrote. The former "Saturday Night Live" cast member joins a growing list of white celebrities who are apologizing for their past behavior in the wake of sweeping protests against racism across the country. Fellow comedians Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, for instance, recently apologized for wearing blackface in the 1990s. In a note to streaming services, Fey said taking those "30 Rock" episodes out of circulation is a step to "do better in regards to race in America." "I understand now that 'intent' is not a free pass for white people to use these images. I apologize for pain they have caused," she wrote. "Going forward, no comedy-loving kid needs to stumble on these tropes and be stung by their ugliness. I thank NBC Universal for honoring this request." In 2018, the Kennedy Center rescinded two awards it had given Bill Cosby after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman a lifetime achievement award from 1998 and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from 2009. At the time, the center's board members said Cosby's conviction had "overshadowed" his career accomplishments. Project 21, which once defended the disgraced comedian against "opportunistic" accusers, also noted that Fey's problems with race go beyond "30 Rock." The 50-year-old writer and producer has yet to address a similar controversy involving her Netflix show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," which features white actress Jane Krakowski portraying a Native American woman pretending to be white. Tribune News Service Digital destination links fans, artists Earlier this century, Andy Levine founded Sixthman, the travel experience company that birthed the Rock Boat and other cruises that provided fans the chance to mingle at sea with artists such as Bon Jovi, Chris Stapleton, Kiss and Brandi Carlile. A few years ago, Norwegian Cruise Line acquired Sixthman, and Levine bowed out as CEO to become a board chairman. But his mitigated duties in the music cruise business allowed the Atlantan to create Topeka, a "digital destination" that provides fans the opportunity to connect with artists via live, interactive video aka a "Hang Session." The concept is "somewhere between MasterClass meeting Cameo," Levine said in an interview earlier this week, referencing the celeb-driven online opportunities that offer video lessons or personalized messages. "For years I watched fans on the Rock Boat or at a concert try to have a real conversation with an artist, and there's always so much distraction and chaos, but when they do have those interactions, it's beautiful. So, I wanted to create a way that this could happen." Along with the aforementioned musicians, John Hiatt, Shawn Mullins, Edwin McCain and Marc Broussard are among the artists connecting with fans on Topeka. Cox Newspapers "Pop, Lock & Drop It" rapper killed A St. Louis rapper who went by the stage name Huey was killed in a shooting that also wounded another man, authorities say. St. Louis County police said in a news release that the shooting happened just before 11 p.m. Thursday in Kinloch. Police identified the man who was killed as 32-year-old Lawrence Franks Jr., known by fans as Huey. The Kinloch native was best known in the rap community for his 2006 debut single, "Pop, Lock & Drop It." It eventually reached the No. 6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The music video has more than 50 million hits on YouTube. Associated Press A serious public health concern, is how a councillor has described a smell which he says is coming from the waste water treatment plant in Drogheda. 'Barely a day goes by without a pungent smell from the plant,' said Cllr James Byrne. 'I believe something is broken and needs to be fixed. 'Something is seriously wrong. This is a serious public health concern and we need to get to the bottom of it.' Cllr Byrne called for a root and branch review of the services at the plant. 'This has to stop and has to be investigated and fixed once and for all.' Cllr Michelle Hall added a smell has extended to rural areas as well, including Termonfeckin. 'It is really, really bad on a windy day.' Head of finance, Bernie Woods added she would raise the issue regarding a smell in Termonfeckin. She also said that Louth county council has 'no day-to-day activity' in the plant, but does raise issues with Irish Water. 'The smell is not coming from the plant but we are interested in finding out.' She referenced 'people spreading muck'. Residents have complained of the smell on the southside of Drogheda for a number of years, with many feeling it has gotten a lot worse this summer. A 'Stop The Smell Drogheda Waste Water Treatment Plant' group has been set up, aiming to highlight the issues. They have logged numerous complaints with the EPA in relation to the odours. 'This is a yearly occurrence for many (too many) years. People are so tired of this abuse of our breathing air. From its stench there could be nothing good in it and toxin levels must be high and damaging to health,' the group recently claimed. A body found Saturday near North Plains was identified as Allyson Watterson, a 20-year-old reported missing in December, authorities said Friday. The Washington County Medical Examiner has not determined how Watterson died. Her body was discovered by a property owner on farm land, several hundred yards away a road. Washington County Sheriffs detectives are still investigating Wattersons death. The initial investigation into her disappearance generated widespread attention. Deputies said at the time that there was a 30-hour delay between when Watterson was last seen and the time she was reported missing. Her boyfriends father told deputies his son, Benjamin Garland, and Watterson had been on a hike before they became separated. Wattersons mom, Misty Watterson, told reporters her daughter and Garland had been in North Plains to visit a friend when their car broke down. The sheriffs office said at the time it had no evidence to support either claim. Deputies suspended the search for Watterson in late December, but it was briefly resumed back in January. Some of her belongings were discovered in North Plains in March. Deputies arrested Wattersons boyfriend, Garland, the day after Watterson was reported missing on charges unrelated to her disappearance. He was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to several charges, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, in April. -- Celina Tebor ctebor@oregonian.com @CelinaTebor New Delhi, June 27 : The locust swarms threatening crops in many states amid the coronavirus crisis have now reached the doors of the national capital. The locusts swarming areas in Haryana, bordering Delhi, could overrun the capital city any time, an official said on Saturday. Dr K L Gurjar , Deputy Director, Directorate of Vegetation Conservation, Quarantine and Collection, told IANS that the locusts had reached Haryana for the first time on Friday night and there was an outbreak in areas around Delhi. He pointed out that the locust swarms are moving towards Palwal in Haryana and could move towards Delhi since they travel in the direction of the wind. Locust swarms can be seen in Gurugram and Rewari in Haryana. The locust swarms are widespread in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh at this time, while smaller swarms have reached Rohtas in Bihar and Varanasi and Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. According to a Union Agriculture ministry report 84 districts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, spread over an area of 114,026 hectares, have been in the grip of locusts till June 21, 2020. Charles Webb, a lifelong non-conformist whose debut novel The Graduate was a deadpan satire of his college education and wealthy background adapted into the classic film of the same name, has died. He was 81. Webb died June 16 in Eastbourne, England, of a blood condition, said his friend Jack Malvern, a Times of London journalist to whom Webbs final book was dedicated. Webb was only 24 when his most famous book was published, in 1963. The sparely written narrative was based closely on his years growing up comfortably in Southern California, his studies in history and literature at Williams College in Massachusetts and his disorienting return home. Webbs fictional counterpart, Benjamin Braddock, challenges the materialism of his parents, scorns the value of his schooling and has an affair with Mrs. Robinson, wife of his fathers business partner and mother of the young woman with whom he falls in love, Elaine Robinson. I got interested in the wife of a good friend of my parents and ... (realized) it might be better to write about it than to do it, Webb told the online publication Thoughtcat in 2006. His novel initially sold around 20,000 copies and was labeled a fictional failure by New York Times critic Orville Prescott. But it did appeal to Hollywood producer Lawrence Turman and the film company Embassy Pictures. In 1964, a brief item in The New York Times noted that Embassy had brought in Broadway director Mike Nichols, who had yet to make his first movie, to work on the screen version of The Graduate. The 1967 movie became a touchstone for the decades rebellion even though Webbs story was set in an earlier era never referring to Vietnam or civil rights. Nichols film, starring a then-little-known Dustin Hoffman as Braddock and Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson, was an immediate sensation. Nichols won an Academy Award, Hoffman became an overnight star and the film is often ranked among the greatest, most quoted and talked about of all time. Webbs book went on to sell more than a 1 million copies, but he hardly benefited from the film, for which he received just USD 20,000. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inspected on Saturday the Armed Forces' facilities and medical isolation equipment at Cairo's International Exhibition Centre, a statement by the presidency said. Presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady said El-Sisis tour included field hospitals and isolation halls with a total capacity of 4,000 beds. A video published on the official Facebook page of the Armed Forces' spokesperson later on the same day showed the facilities contain four halls that host four isolation hospitals, each with a capacity of 700 beds. In addition, five field hospitals were constructed with a capacity of 1,000 beds, including 40 ICU beds. The field hospitals also have surgical rooms and a radiology department. The Armed Forces' facilities at the exhibition centre also include 50 ICU ambulances and medical aircraft, as was shown in the video. On Saturday, Egypt's health ministry reported 1,168 new coronavirus infections, bringing the countrys total confirmed cases to 63,923 since the detection of the first case on 14 February. Search Keywords: Short link: She regularly rides the waves to keep up her trim figure. Helen Hunt was back on the beach in Malibu on Saturday as she enjoyed a swim in the surf. The 57-year-old Mad About You star showed off her age-defying figure while bodyboarding on the waves. Catching some waves: Helen Hunt, 57, showed off her age-defying figure as she went bodyboarding in Malibu on Sunday Helen kept herself warm with a black short-legged wetsuit with olive panels over her sides. The 5ft7in actress kept herself tethered to her board with a spiraling black cord. She was joined for her surf session by her ex Matthew Carnahan. It takes two: Helen kept herself warm with a black short-legged wetsuit with olive panels over her sides. She was joined for her surf session by her ex Matthew Carnahan Safety first: The 5ft7in actress kept herself tethered to her board with a spiraling black cord The end: Helen split from the 59-year-old writer and producer in 2017 after 16 years together Didn't see it coming: She reportedly ended the relationship over fears of infidelities, which shocked their friends at the time Helen split from the 59-year-old writer and producer in 2017 after 16 years together. She reportedly ended the relationship over fears of infidelities, which shocked their friends at the time. The former couple, who collaborated on the 2014 surfing film Ride, share a 16-year-old daughter named Makena. Matthew is best known for creating, producing and writing the Showtime series House Of Lies, which starred Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, as well as co-writing the environmental thriller Dark Waters (2019), starring Mark Ruffalo. Matthew is best known for creating Showtime's House Of Lies, starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, as well as co-writing the Mark Ruffalo thriller Dark Waters (2019); shown in 2013 The former couple, who collaborated on the 2014 surfing film Ride, share a 16-year-old daughter named Makena Lei Gordon Carnahan Last month, Helen celebrated her daughter's birthday with a sweet photo of the two hugging as she stared deep into her eyes. 'Its just my favorite thing to do...looking at this face. Deep kindness, resilience (even in a f*ing pandemic) curiosity, empathy as it relates to injustice, ambition, humor and more then anything youre just so fun!! Happy Birthday my darling. Im the luckiest mother in the world,' she captioned the picture. Last year, the Oscar winner reunited with her Mad About You costar Paul Reiser for a revival of the romantic comedy series, which originally ran from 19921999. The series followed the two newlyweds as they navigated their relationship and living in New York. Old school: Last year, the Oscar winner reunited with her Mad About You costar Paul Reiser for a revival of the romantic comedy series; shown in December 2019 The eighth season found their relationship strained but still functioning 20 years later while their almost-grown daughter had left the nest to attend nearby New York University. The series, which originally aired on NBC, was picked up by Spectrum Originals as a one-off limited series. 'I have remained very, very close friends with Paul, she told People last year. 'Reboot, or no reboot we have lunch once a month. We really enjoy and care for each other.' OnScene A woman was killed after midnight Saturday when she crashed her car into an overpass pillar in southwest Houston, police said. The woman was traveling on Stella Link Road around 12:45 a.m. and didnt complete a turn onto Main Street, according to Houston Police Sgt. David Rose. She was pronounced dead at the scene, and nobody else was in the vehicle. Foodie fans will go hungry this year after news that Savour Kilkenny is off the menu for 2020. Despite Ireland accelerating through the roadmap to recovery after the coronavirus pandemic, restrictions on mass gatherings means that this years festival will not go ahead. Billed as one of Irelands leading food festivals, more than 50,000 visitors descended on Kilkenny city for last years event. Held on the October Bank Holiday Weekend the festival traditionally features food demos, healthy talks and dining events led by chefs and food personalities, all coming together to celebrate Irish food culture. Hope were high that the 2020 Savour, which would have been the 14th year of the festival, would have been the biggest and best yet. Organisers are looking at the possibility of running several events throughout the latter months of the year to show their continued support local food producers before returning to a traditional format in 2021. The city of Taylor is offering small business relaunch grants of up to $7,500 as part of its Taylor Together: Small Business Relaunch Grant Program. The program will aid the business community in overcoming the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will be accepted through July 20. Businesses or non-profits that employ fewer than 25 employees and are physically located in Taylor are eligible for the grant. Those applying must be current with property and personal taxes paid through 2019. In addition, they must show proof of insurance have been a licensed business in Taylor prior to Feb. 29, 2020. Businesses applying for the citys relaunch program should be ready to supply copies of the following: Profit and loss or tax statements for 2017, 2018 and 2019 Estimated revenues for January-May 2020 Estimated revenue losses for April-May 2020 Proof of location in Taylor (lease or deed) Complete W-9 form and voided check If eligible for the grant, a business owner can apply at www.cityoftaylor.com/1450/Small-Business-Relaunch-Grant. All requests will be numerically scored and judged by an internal committee. The city has up to $200,000 in grants. Another $26,000 is allocated to personal protection equipment and cleaning support, which will be rolled out at a later date. In the application process, qualifying businesses can request a grant, PPE assistance or both. The Taylor Community Development Department is a vested partner in assisting businesses by leveraging funding that was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The program will use U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants to aid in various relaunch costs incurred after March 23, 2020, including: Rent, lease or mortgage Payroll Health care Utilities Personal protection equipment, sanitation supplies or electrostatic cleaning According to 2016 data, businesses with 20 or fewer staffers employ 16 percent of the nations total workforce. Firms with 500 or fewer staff members employ 46 percent of Americas workers, and firms with 100 or fewer employees account for another 33 percent of the workforce. Americas unemployment rate was 13.3 percent last month, among the highest recorded figures in U.S. history. Official numbers for April and May should have been worse due to errors in the data collection process, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Michigan has been hit hard its unemployment rate of 22 percent trends higher than every state except Nevada. It was one of only six states that lost more than 1 million jobs. So there is plenty of work to do in an effort to reset the economy. Were focusing on getting applications from small businesses, micro-businesses, that were substantially affected in a negative manner from the states stay home orders, Community Development Manager Jeff Baum said. Shutting down non-essential businesses put them in a tough spot. It effected their ability to make their payroll, pay their rent or mortgages, supplies and such. Not every applicant will receive funding, and not every application accepted will receive the highest award of $7,500. We have developed a scoring system that will help the committee judge the needs of the applicants, in an attempt to award the relaunch monies, Baum said. The goal is to partner with our business community, help them over this hurdle, give them a boost and keep economic development in our city healthy. The Taylor Together program is multi-faceted and ever changing. Before the relaunch grant program was announced, Taylor created and approved an emergency ordinance streamlining a businesss ability to expand use of outdoor property, events, signage and other activities related to governmental restrictions due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. This Temporary Emergency COVID-19 Recovery Ordinance immediately enabled restaurateurs and bar owners to, in certain circumstances, expand outdoor seating and other offerings. They still go through a step-by-step process to receive an Outdoor Dining & Seating Permit, but the entire program has been streamlined. For more information, call the Community Development Department at (734) 258-4180. (NOTE: Wayne County is running a larger, parallel, Back to Work grant program, with $50M in available funding and will be offering some 5,000 grants. The county offers up to $10,000 per grant and its applications must be received by July 10. Learn more about the county grant at www.waynecounty.com/backtowork/small-business-grant-program.aspx. Ivanka Trump was blasted on Friday after she touted a new White House initiative that promotes skills-based hiring, as Twitter users called her Nepotism Barbie. President Trumps eldest daughter appeared alongside her father at the White House on Friday as he signed an executive order directing the federal government to overhaul its hiring to prioritize a job applicants skills over a college degree. The president signed the order outlining a new direction for the nations largest employer during a meeting of the board that advises the administration on worker policy. Ivanka Trump, the presidents daughter and adviser, is co-chair of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board and has worked on improving job training to meet employers changing needs. The federal government is the nations largest employer with 2.1 million civilian workers, excluding postal service employees. Ivanka Trump (right) joined her father, President Trump, at the White House on Friday to announce the signing of a new executive order that would promote hiring based on an applicant's skills rather than on a college degree Ivanka Trump, the presidents daughter and adviser, is co-chair of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board and has worked on improving job training to meet employers changing needs Ivanka Trump predicted the change in federal government hiring would create a more inclusive and talented workforce. She encouraged the private sector to follow the administrations lead. We are modernizing federal hiring to find candidates with the relevant competencies and knowledge, rather than simply recruiting based on degree requirements, she told The Associated Press in a statement. We encourage employers everywhere to take a look at their hiring practices and think critically about how initiatives like these can help diversify and strengthen their workforce. On social media, however, critics of the president said that Ivanka Trumps position as a White House adviser was a result of her father being elected. The backlash on Twitter was so fierce that the hashtags #NepotismBarbie and #ByeIvanka were trending. One Twitter user posted a mock book cover titled The Ivanka Trump Mystery Stories: The Case of the Narcissists Unqualified Daughter. One Twitter user posted a mock book cover titled The Ivanka Trump Mystery Stories: The Case of the Narcissists Unqualified Daughter. The book cover, which is a play on the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series by the pseudonymic author Carolyn Keene, shows Ivanka Trump with a flashlight climbing up some stairs So nepotism is now a skill? tweeted another Twitter user Kim Mangone, a Democrat running against House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for the 23rd congressional district seat this November, tweeted: Retweet if you think Ivanka Trump is a disgrace. Magones tweet was retweeted more than 9,000 times. Comedian Marie Connor tweeted: What's scarier than socialism? Nepotism. Another Twitter user referred to Ivanka Trump as Kremlin Barbie, saying she (raspily) claims that her daddy hires the best people based on their skill and competency. She added: Yet Trump hired Ivanka and know-nothing Kush. Kush is a reference to Ivanka Trumps husband, Jared Kushner, the real estate heir who is also a senior adviser to his father-in-law, the president Another Twitter user wrote: 'Abolishing education requirements for federal employees is right on brand for people like the Trumps, who rely on solely on nepotism rather than actual achievements. The official Twitter account of The Lincoln Project, a group made up of Never Trump Republicans, tweeted: Bring your daughter to work day. Every day. One Twitter user was also scathing, writing: Nepotism Barbie is nothing more hushed voice, fake smiling, phony grifter who, like her daddy, is always and only, driven by her need for more money & more power. Shes a con and shes a fraud. She has no business serving in any administration, and she needs to go. The book cover, which is a play on the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series by the pseudonymic author Carolyn Keene, shows Ivanka Trump with a flashlight climbing up some stairs. Another Twitter user referred to Ivanka Trump as Kremlin Barbie, saying she (raspily) claims that her daddy hires the best people based on their skill and competency. Yet Trump hired Ivanka and know-nothing Kush. Kush is a reference to Ivanka Trumps husband, Jared Kushner, the real estate heir who is also a senior adviser to his father-in-law, the president. Kushner has also been roundly criticized for wielding power in the Trump administration even though he had no prior experience as a public servant before the 2016 election. Comedian Marie Connor tweeted: What's scarier than socialism? Nepotism. Another Twitter user wrote: 'Abolishing education requirements for federal employees is right on brand for people like the Trumps, who rely on solely on nepotism rather than actual achievements. One Twitter user was also scathing, writing: Nepotism Barbie is nothing more hushed voice, fake smiling, phony grifter who, like her daddy, is always and only, driven by her need for more money & more power. Shes a con and shes a fraud. She has no business serving in any administration, and she needs to go. Another Twitter user wrote: So nepotism is now a skill? Kim Mangone, a Democrat running against House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for the 23rd congressional district seat this November, tweeted: Retweet if you think Ivanka Trump is a disgrace. Magones tweet was retweeted more than 9,000 times. The official Twitter account of The Lincoln Project, a group made up of Never Trump Republicans, tweeted: Bring your daughter to work day. Every day. Ivanka Trump on Friday praised her father for the initiative. President Trump holds an executive order on "Continuing the President's National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board" which he signed Friday. It pledged to change the way the federal government hires staff US President Donald Trump and his daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump as the executive order was announced during a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board Friday 'You are once again leading by example today with the EO signing,' she said to her father during the meeting. 'As the nation's largest employer, we are always seeking to retain the best and the brightest to serve the American people. 'Today were taking that next step, as you mentioned, and signing an executive order that directs federal agencies to hire based on skills and knowledge not just outdated degree requirements,' Ivanka continued. 'This will allow us to better recognize the talents and competencies of all Americans we hire.' President Trump struck the same tone as he discussed the order at the meeting, stating that it would 'replace outdated ... degree-based hiring with skills-based hiring. 'The federal government will no longer be narrowly focused on where you went to school but the skills and the talents that you bring to the job,' he said. Ivanka continued to praise the president as she addressed him and the rest of the board, claiming that 'you built once the most inclusive economy in this countrys history and youll build it again'. She added praise for his response to the coronavirus and providing aid to workers as unemployment figures soared. 'Last December, you fought for and secured paid leave for every federal worker,' she said. Ivanka praised the president on Twitter after the announcement Friday Ahead of the meeting, the White House shared a video of Ivanka explaining the new order 'This was a first - creating a workplace that reflect our American values of both work and family and helping us retain talent. 'Its also why you fought so hard this spring when COVID hit to secure paid sick leave for Americans employed by small businesses and additional funding for childcare providers,' she added, 'helping millions and millions of Americans remain employed and providing relief to small businesses across the country. 'This is going to ensure a stronger and faster recovery.' Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board's other co-chair, said the need for skills training and apprenticeships is as great as it was before the coronavirus pandemic forced millions of people out of work, pushing the national unemployment rate above 13 percent in May. The president talks with his daughter, White House adviser Ivanka Trump, on Friday as they announced a new executive order that will lessen the importance of a degree in federal hiring 'Americans are eager to get to work but they need our help,' Ross told AP. The White House isn't eliminating degree requirements altogether but instead will stress skills in jobs where having a degree is less important. Aides say the change will create more opportunities for Americans to work for the federal government by recognizing that some learning happens outside of classrooms. Ivanka Trump and other administration officials have pushed to increase opportunities for apprenticeships and have promoted such training and vocational education as alternatives to traditional two-year or four-year college degree programs. The Office of Personnel Management will be responsible for implementing the president's order. IBM is among the companies that have moved in this direction. Last year, 15 percent of its new U.S. hires had nontraditional backgrounds because they were evaluated based on skills instead of looking only at their degrees, Ginni Rometty, the companys executive chairman, said via the White House. 'We hired from new areas of the country, including under-served communities, and this promoted more diversity in the applications we received,' said Rometty. At the meeting, the workforce advisory board also announced details of a private-sector ad campaign led by Apple, IBM and the nonprofit Ad Council to promote alternate pathways to education. She's just flown back to her native Australia from her new home in Italy, for a visit. And on Saturday, radio presenter Kate Langbroek revealed she was getting tested for COVID-19 and even celebrated her 'first fresh air break in 10 days,' while in mandatory hotel quarantine in Melbourne. The 54-year-old shared pictures and videos of herself and son Lewis, 16, getting tested for coronavirus. Testing: Kate Langbroek revealed on Instagram on Saturday that she was getting tested for COVID-19 after flying into Melbourne from Italy and celebrated her 'first fresh air break in 10 days' while in hotel quarantine In one video, Kate stands ready to take the test and says: 'Covid test.' She captioned the image: 'Okay. I'm taking the test,' adding hashtags including 'vius be gone.' She also shared a clip of Lewis having his temperature taken and a swab being taken from his mouth, as a nurse tells him he's going 'really well.' Safety first: She also shared a clip of Lewis having his temperature taken and a swab being taken from his mouth, as a nurse tells him he's going 'really well' Fresh air! On Saturday, she also shared a picture of herself in sparkly gold pants, a colourful jacket and face mask while on the rooftop of their hotel On Saturday, she also shared a picture of herself in sparkly gold pants, a colourful jacket and face mask while on the rooftop of their hotel. 'Quarantine update: First fresh air break in 10 days... glorious Melbourne day on the roof... and later, our COVID TEST!' Kate and Lewis have just jetted back to Melbourne from their new home in Bologna, Italy. She has kept her fans updated with their mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine, which is required for all passengers after arriving from overseas to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Lockdown: Kate and her family have just spent 10 weeks in lockdown in Italy at their apartment in Bologna, amid the coronavirus pandemic Kate and her family have just spent 10 weeks in lockdown in Italy at their apartment in Bologna, amid the coronavirus pandemic. In May, Kate revealed that spending 10 weeks in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic has made her a 'better mother' to her four children. Kate shared a sweet photo of herself and her son Artie, 12, standing on some steps near their Bologna apartment. 'Through our lockdown, I have become a better mother. Isn't that an amazing thing to happen?' she wrote in the Instagram caption. Kate's fans were quick to praise her on how well she has coped during the difficult period. Kate 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 was was supposed to be a 'family gap year,' but they decided to extend the break for an additional 12 months. British tourists have been given the green light to travel to places with low risk of coronavirus infection, without having to quarantine for 14 days when they get back. The British Government has unveiled a new traffic-light system which means Brits will only have to self-isolate if theyve been to countries rated as Red, but warned that if there's a sudden spike in infections in an Amber or Green country whilst they're on holiday, quarantine will be necessary when they return. Our new risk-assessment system will enable us to carefully open a number of safe travel routes around the world, but we will not hesitate to put on the brakes if any risks re-emerge, said a Government spokesperson. The Green List includes Austria, Greece, Germany, Croatia, Barbados, Thailand and Vietnam and talks are underway to include Australia and New Zealand. The Amber List includes France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain. The Red List includes America, Brazil and India. All tourists will have to hand over their contact details when they get back to the UK, so that the authorities can contact them if someone on their flight is diagnosed with coronavirus at a later date and anyone who refuses to share their address and phone number could be fined. It will also be mandatory for holidaymakers to wear face masks and respect social distancing on planes and ferries. The new measures are expected to come into force on July 6 when the UK coronavirus lockdown ends. Japanese startup creates 'connected' face mask for coronavirus new normal Japanese startup Donut Robotics' c-mask and its application in Tokyo By Tim Kelly and Akira Tomoshige TOKYO (Reuters) - As face coverings become the norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, Japanese startup Donut Robotics has developed an internet-connected "smart mask" that can transmit messages and translate from Japanese into eight other languages. The white plastic "c-mask" fits over standard face masks and connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone and tablet application that can transcribe speech into text messages, make calls, or amplify the mask wearer's voice. "We worked hard for years to develop a robot and we have used that technology to create a product that responds to how the coronavirus has reshaped society," said Taisuke Ono, the chief executive of Donut Robotics. Donut Robotics' engineers came up with the idea for the mask as they searched for a product to help the company survive the pandemic. When the coronavirus struck, it had just secured a contract to supply robot guides and translators to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, a product that faces an uncertain future after the collapse of air travel. Donut Robotics' first 5,000 c-masks will be shipped to buyers in Japan starting in September, with Ono looking to sell in China, the United States and Europe too. There has been strong interest, he said. At about $40 per mask, Donut Robotics is aiming at a mass market that did not exist until a few months ago. One aim, he said, is to generate revenue from subscriber services offered via an app that users will download. Donut Robotics built a prototype connected mask within a month by adapting translation software developed for its robot and a mask design that one of the company's engineers, Shunsuke Fujibayashi, created four years ago for a student project to interpret speech by mapping face muscles. Ono raised 28 million yen ($260,000) for development by selling Donut Robotics shares through Japanese crowdfunding site Fundinno. "We raised our initial target of 7 million yen within three minutes and stopped after 37 minutes when we had reached 28 million yen," he said. (Reporting by Tim Kelly and Akira Tomoshige. Editing by Gerry Doyle) Britons should be able to take a summer holiday after all. As the country prepares to ditch its 14-day quarantine for people arriving from countries it sees as low risk. And official travel advice, warning against all but essential travel outside Britain, will be eased for some countries and regions. The changes will happen in two weeks' time, all being well. An expert panel will put nations into red, amber and green categories depending on COVID-19 risk. Passengers arriving from green and amber countries will no longer have to quarantine themselves for 14 days after arriving. The countries falling into those categories should be announced next week. According to the BBC, the new travel corridors are expected to include France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey -- but not Portugal or Sweden where infection rates are up. The two-week quarantine was introduced on June 8, to heavy criticism from airlines, airports and the hospitality industry. An Offaly river is full of rubbish and rats a local councillor has claimed. Cllr Declan Harvey also alleged that raw sewage is going into the Tullamore River. He has reported this to Irish Water but the utility says it is an issue for Offaly County Council. Speaking at this month's meeting of Tullamore Municipal District, Cllr Harvey said he contacted the Environment Section of the council who confirmed it was a matter for Irish Water. Cllr Harvey, a native of Dillon St, said at that street and the Healy St end of the river, an overflow area was full of rubbish. The amount of rats, magpies and crows pulling at these bags is unbelievable, he added. Cllr Sean O'Brien noted there was a bad stench coming from the bags dumped in the river. Environment and Housing Officer, Mary Hussey said the council will be putting pressure on Irish Water to carry out works there. She added that she would get the town's litter wardens to investigate the dumping issue at Healy St and Dillon St. Ms Hussey also revealed that no submissions had been received on the Tullamore Living River Project and the Manager's Report is now being prepared to bring to the full council. The Tullamore Living River Project Part VIII planning process advertised the commencement of public consultation from February 24 until April 9 but due to the Covid 19 extension the consultation continued until June 4, she outlined. Ms Hussey explained that the idea of the project was improve water quality in the river and to create a wetland area to the west of Tullamore. Cllr O'Brien asked that some timelines be placed on the project as it will have an impact on the centre of Tullamore. Cllr Tony McCormack recalled the council was to have received a waste water report from Irish Water referring to the northside of the town in 2018. 'I would ask what is the situation with that report, he added. Ms Hussey said she had been reliably informed the council will soon be getting the report and the delay was due to the amount of data which had to be collected. Some held homemade signs. Others wheeled strollers or held the tiny hands of their children. No matter their background, each person who was a part of the more than a dozen gathered Saturday morning outside the Dauphin County Prison had the same goal to make sure their loved ones were safe from the facilitys growing number of coronavirus cases.. Eighty-four inmates and staff members have tested positive so far, and although most havent shown symptoms, three people have been hospitalized, according to Corrections Director Brian Clark. Clark at one point came out to hear the protesters concerns. While some had their questions answered, others left the discussion still feeling upset with how the outbreak is being handled. Yaritza Garcia attended the protest with her two young daughters, and angrily spoke out about how she believes her husband is cared for. She said he told her prison officials dont change their gloves between interactions with inmates, and arent properly sanitizing cells when people move in and out. Some guards dont wear masks, Garcia claimed. Theyre not animals theyre inmates, Garcia said. We wouldnt accept animals being treated that way. But Clark pushed back against accusations that prison officials arent doing everything they can to help the inmates. I understand. If I was in your shoes, and it was one of my family members in there, Id feel the same way right now, he said. I can assure you were doing everything we can, Clark said. But we have to work together to make sure that we spend all of our time focusing on what the real issue is, and thats keeping everyone healthy. The corrections director said everyone is asymptomatic at this point. But he previously told PennLive theyve only tested a fraction of the inmates so far, in the housing units where the virus is most likely to spread. Clarks assurances didnt satisfy the protests organizer, Breonn Elby. She told PennLive before the director arrived that her boyfriend who tested negative was put in a cell immediately after an inmate who tested positive moved out. When some brought up what they perceived as a lack of transparency between the prison and the public, Clark contended hes trying to bring reform, but change takes time. Theres a lot of myths and a lot of bad information thats being put out through social media. Some of those things youre hearing are not true, he told the protesters. Brandon Flood, a member of the prisons Community Advisory Committee, pointed out Dauphin County is one of only two in the state thats testing the entire prison population for the virus. Dauphin is trying to be proactive, he said. Were trying to make some reforms, but folks need to be patient. While protesters blamed the recent outbreak on unsanitary practices, Clark said the virus could come from the influx of new inmates who are constantly entering the facility. Prison officials are using contact tracing to try to determine where the virus is coming from. Those who test positive are moved to a separate housing unit, but thats only done once every inmates received their results, Clark said in the PennLive interview. Being a part of the outside world while their partners, siblings or parents were inside with the virus has taken a toll on many. Harrisburg resident Briana Janae, pregnant with her and her fiances first child, said hes had the virus since May and was put back in the general prison population, despite continuing to feel sick. She said he has many of the tell-tale symptoms but hasnt received medication. I want him to get real medical treatment and come home so he can be with his loved ones, she said. I just want everyone to be in the proper environment and get better. Prison officials are encouraging members of the community to speak out when they have concerns about how the facility is being run. Flood said concerns can be directed to his email, bflood22@live.com. READ MORE: York County Prison official accused of pointing loaded gun at neighbors while drunk Migrant children must be freed from family detention centers in Pa. and Texas, federal judge rules I was just trying to survive: Dauphin County woman chased by stranger on drive home COLUMBUS, Ohio - To date, at least 48,638 people have had confirmed or probable coronavirus, according to the Ohio Department of Health on Friday, up 987 from a day earlier. Its the largest jump in cases since heavy prison testing in mid-April. It also indicates that a surge first noticed 10 days ago continues. New cases over the past 21 days averaged 518, but over the last three days the increases have been 987, 892 and 632. The Ohio case figure includes at least 2,788 confirmed or probable deaths, up 16 from Wednesdays state report. Average new deaths are 21 over the last 21 days. The figures to watch are hospitalizations and intensive-care unit admissions, which indicate serious cases, some of which can lead to death. Ohio is testing more people but Ohio physicians -- as well as Gov. Mike DeWine -- say the surge cant be blamed on increased testing alone. Hospitalizations are up 68 between Thursday and Friday, and an increase over the 21-day average of 56. ICU admissions, on the other hand, are 7 -- below the 21-day average of 13. To date, there have been 718,086 tests performed. Thats an increase of 21,886 tests, and the largest day-over-day increase in testing since the outbreak settled in the state. About the data The increase in cases and deaths doesnt necessarily mean they all occurred in the past 24 hours. There is some lag time between when they occur and when local entities notify the state. The Ohio Department of Health also offers data about the date of onset of illnesses, which is separate from the new cases figure. Top dates of cases The highest dates of new cases reported by the Department of Health are as follows: April 18, when there were 10,222 cases, an increase of 1,115 cases April 19, with 11,602 cases, an increase of 1,380 April 20, with 12,919 cases, an increase of 1,317 That was during testing of inmates and staff at Ohio prisons. Since then the number hasnt reached 1,000. However, in recent days, the number of new cases has been creeping up -- though not yet hitting 1,000. June 18, with 43,122 cases, up 700 June 19 with 43,731 cases, up 609 Saturday with 44,262, up 531 Sunday, with 44,808, up 546 Monday, with 45,537, up 729 Tuesday, with 46,127, up 590 Wednesday, with 46,759, up 632 Thursday, with 47,651, up 892 Friday, with 48,638, up 987 Outside Ohio Across the globe, there have been at least 9.6 million COVID-19 cases, and nearly a half million deaths, according to John Hopkins Universitys Coronavirus Resource Center. In the U.S., there have been at least 2.4 million cases, and at least 124,000 deaths. Rich Exner of cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer contributed to this report. More coverage: Ohio sees biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases: Capitol Letter Ohio has had 47,651 coronavirus cases, up 892: Thursday update Ohio board may allow medical marijuana for cachexia. What is it and could cannabis help? Majority of Ohio voters agree with Gov. Mike DeWines pace of lifting coronavirus restrictions, poll finds Ohio Supreme Court blocks Toledo from using traffic camera appeals process Northeast Ohio vehicle traffic, which can precede coronavirus spikes, down 20% Addis Ababa, June 28 : The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases across the African continent reached 359, 408 as of Saturday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC in its latest situation update issued on Saturday said that the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases across the continent rose from 337,315 on Friday morning to 359, 408 as of Saturday afternoon, Xinhua reported. The continental disease control and prevention agency also disclosed that the death toll from the pandemic also rose to 9,283 as of Saturday afternoon. Amid the rapid spread of the virus across the continent, the highly affected African countries in terms of positive cases include South Africa with 124,590 confirmed cases, Egypt with 62,755 confirmed cases, Nigeria with 23,298 confirmed cases, and Ghana with 15,834 confirmed cases. The Africa CDC also said that the Southern Africa region is now the most affected area across the continent in terms of positive Covid-19 cases. John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC, on Friday urged the African continent to brace itself for a rise in the number of cases after easing of lockdowns, as he noted that the onset of Covid-19 pandemic was delayed in Africa but the number of cases and deaths "is increasing rapidly every day." Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Ten days after it was designated a dedicated Covid-19 facility, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run Hindu Rao Hospital on Saturday finally started admitting patients suffering from the disease. According to officials in the north civic body, initially, the facility has started with 50 beds, and another 150 are to be added soon. We did not want to delay the process, and since we had the logistics ready for 50 beds, we have started the facility. More beds will be added in phases soon, said a senior corporation official who asked not to be named. However, some doctors raised concerns that donning and doffing areas for PPE kits had still not been created in the ward. An official from the hospital administration said, So far we have got one Covid patient in the intensive care unit (ICU). We are expecting more patients by tonight. The hospital had started a flu clinic where around 70-80 Covid-19 samples have been collected every day since June 16, when the hospital was supposed to operate as a Covid facility. Earlier this week, around 200 non-Covid patients were discharged or referred to other hospitals in order to vacate the hospital to prepare it for Covid patients. There are still around 15-20 non-Covid patients admitted in the hospital, who too will be shifted to other facilities. We have not been admitting any non-Covid patients from last week itself, the official said. The hospital authorities on Saturday morning issued directions to doctors, nursing staff and paramedics to shift out to the designated accommodations that have been provided in hotels and other such facilities for their stay during Covid duty, as per norms. As per the norms, doctors will be accommodated in five-star hotels around Connaught Place, nursing staff in three-star hotels in Karol Bagh, while paramedics will be housed in budget hotels in Paharganj, the above quoted corporation official said. The hospitals resident doctors association had on Saturday morning staged a demonstration outside the main building for a slew of demands, including payment of pending salaries, providing separate accommodation during Covid duty and installation and repair of air-conditioning in the wards. Doctors had said wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for 12-hour shifts without proper air-conditioning was not possible. Our protest was fruitful, and the demands have been agreed upon. We will be shifting to the accommodations now as per duty. A batch of 80 doctors including senior residents, junior residents and interns have been assigned on Covid duty. A roster has been prepared. Also, the air conditioners were being repaired and we have been assured of getting the due salaries soon, said Dr Sagar Deep Singh, a senior resident and vice-president, RDA. A senior North corporation official said, The protests by doctors and paramedic staff have been called off. The salaries for June will be disbursed. We are waiting for the rest of the funds for pending dues. On Friday, the paramedics and nursing staff association had protested non-payment of salaries for the last two months. A nursing officer, however, said, We have been given assurance that the salaries will come for this month by next week. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vatsala Shrangi Vatsala Shrangi joined HT Editorial team on July 2, 2018 as Principal Correspondent. She covers Environment, Civic bodies and the Social Sector. ...view detail FILE PHOTO: Riot police disperse pro-democracy demonstrators as they take part a singing song protest at Mong Kok, in Hong Kong BEIJING (Reuters) - Offering protection to "rioters" from Hong Kong will only harm Taiwan's people and is an interference in the Chinese-ruled city's affairs, China's government said, denouncing plans by Taiwan to help Hong Kongers who decide to flee to the island. Taiwan said on Thursday it will set up a dedicated office to help those thinking of leaving Hong Kong as Beijing tightens its grip on the former British colony, including planned new national security legislation. The new office begins operations on the sensitive date of July 1, the day Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule from Britain in 1997 with the promise of continued, wide-ranging freedoms under China's "one country, two systems" formula. In a statement late on Friday, China's policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office said the plan by the "Democratic Progressive Party authority" - China's standard way of referring to Taiwan's government - was a political plot to meddle in Hong Kong affairs and sabotage its stability and prosperity. "Providing shelter for and taking onto the island the rioters and elements who bring chaos to Hong Kong will only continue bring harm to Taiwan's people," it said. The plots of forces that advocate independence for Hong Kong and Taiwan and also seek to damage "one country, two systems" and split the nation will never succeed, the office said. Months of anti-government, pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong won widespread sympathy in democratic and Chinese-claimed Taiwan, which has welcomed those who have already moved to the island and expects more to come. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last month became the first government leader anywhere to pledge measures to help Hong Kong people who leave due to what they see as tightening Chinese controls, smothering their democratic aspirations. China denies stifling Hong Kong's freedoms and says the national security legislation is needed to return order to the global financial hub. (Reporting by Tom Daly; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by William Mallard) Nigeria's former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fan-Kayode has visited the family of Master Oluomachi Joseph Opara, the talented 9-year old boy singing praises to God with a melodious golden voice while hawking in the streets of Owerri. Femi Fani-Kayode's visit was in fulfilment of his promise of supporting the child's education with N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). The minister who was represented by his brother Inlaw, yesterday handed over the aforesaid money to the father of Little Oluomachi Joseph Opara, Mr Bethran Opara at their Owerri residence. Recall that the very respected Nigerian politician and human rights activist, Barr Femi Fan-Kayode had through his social media post called for the contact and identity of Oluomachi Joseph Opara when his video went viral on the social media. "Please listen to this over and over again. It is enchanting. I simply cannot believe that this young boy has such an extraordinary voice and that he is singing such beautiful songs of praise to the Lord. Does anyone know his name and can anyone trace him? He is singing in Igbo so I assume he is in the south- east. Once I can confirm his identity and reach his family I will send 250,000 naira to him and pay for his school fees right up until university level. I urge others to help him too. This talented, gifted and blessed child should NOT be hawking and selling things in the streets." Femi said: "I wish I knew what state he comes from and who his Governor is. Such talent must not be wasted. For the first time in days I have something to smile and be happy about. Despite his circumstances this boy is still praising God in such a beautiful way. He has brought tears of joy to my eyes. The Lord is faithful and He will never abandon or forsake this little boy that sings songs of praises to Him whilst selling pears and coconuts on the streets!" On Friday, 25th June, 2020, Mr Nnamdi Stanley who first identified and recorded the young boy, accompanied the representatives of Chief Femi Fan Kayode as he made his presentation to the family of Oluomachi. In addition to the N250,000 support fund, the foremost Nigerian, Fan Kayode said: "Again there will be no more street hawking or selling of food items by the side of the road for him because I will also send him an allowance every month. His golden voice, which is his gift from God, and his obvious love and passion for the Lord has certainly made a way for him and his life will NEVER be the same again." He called "on all other prominent personalities and public figures that have made a similar pledge to him to please honor them and I reiterate my intention to be responsible for his school fees from now until he finishes University. We must ensure that his gift and talent does not go to waste. I am so proud of this young man who is doing such a great work and who has said he wants to be a priest." The judge says centres, where 124 children are being held with family, are on fire amid the coronavirus pandemic. A federal judge has ordered the release of children held with their parents in US immigration jails and denounced the Trump administrations prolonged detention of families during the coronavirus pandemic. The order by US District Judge Dolly Gee applies to children held for more than 20 days at three family detention centres in Texas and Pennsylvania operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some have been detained since last year. Citing the recent spread of the virus in two of the three facilities, Gee set a deadline of July 17 for children to either be released with their parents or sent to family sponsors. The family detention centres are on fire and there is no more time for half measures, she wrote. Gees order said ICE was currently detaining 124 children in its centres, which are separate from US Department of Health and Human Services facilities for unaccompanied children, which were holding about 1,000 children in early June. The numbers in both systems have fallen significantly since 2019, when the Trump administration began expelling most people trying to cross the border or requiring them to wait for their immigration cases in Mexico. The order does not directly apply to the parents detained with their children and says that ICE can decline to release a child if there is not a suitable sponsor, the childs parent waives the right to the childs release, or if there is a prior unexplained failure to appear at a scheduled hearing. Fear of separation Most parents last month refused to designate a sponsor when ICE officials unexpectedly asked them who could take their children if the adults remained detained, according to lawyers for the families. The agency said then it was conducting a routine parole review consistent with the law and Gees previous orders. Meanwhile, advocates have called on ICE to release all families from detention, especially as the coronavirus has spread rapidly through immigration detention. In court filings revealed on Thursday, ICE said 11 children and parents have tested positive for COVID-19 at the family detention centre in Karnes City, Texas. At the detention centre in nearby Dilley, at least three parents and children including a child who turned two this week were placed in isolation after two private contractors and an ICE official tested positive for the virus. Amy Maldonado, a lawyer who works with detained families, told The Associated Press news agency that the judge clearly recognised that the government is not willing to protect the health and safety of the children, which is their obligation. They need to make the sensible choice and release the parents to care for their children, she said of the government. More than 2,500 people in ICE custody have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak began in the US in February. The agency says it has released at least 900 people considered to have heightened medical risk and reduced the populations at its three family detention centres. In court filings last month, ICE said it considered most of the people in family detention to be flight risks because they had pending deportation orders or cases under review. US President Donald Trump had made immigration a keystone of his 2016 election campaign and it remains so in his 2020 campaign. In 2018, his administration was roundly derided for instating a so-called zero-tolerance policy that saw thousands of migrant children separated from their families. After a national and international outcry, Trump signed an executive order ending the policy. Citing record-breaking increases in COVID-19 cases and feedback from businesses, medical officials, community faith leaders and residents, Fort Bend County Judge KP George recently enacted an order requiring face coverings in businesses and county offices. All our stake holders believe it is time for us to do something because this issue is kind of spiraling out of control, George said at a press conference Tuesday, June 23. Of approximately 17,500 residents who responded to a online poll, roughly 77.5 percent supported a mask order, George told reporters. We are listening to our business community. We are listening to our hospital community and our residents, George told reporters. However, it appears not everybody had a chance to voice their opinion, according to two Fort Bend County Commissioners who posted statements Wednesday criticizing the mask order and the process used to put it in place. Precinct 1 Commissioner Vincent Morales said residents began calling him with questions the day after the mask order was announced, which came as surprise news to his office. Commissioners have been kept in the dark about what decisions are being made on this new order, and no public meeting has been held to try and work through all of the issues it has created, Morales said in a statement posted to social media. It is my understanding that a media advisory and a conference call with local mayors was held yesterday afternoon, but I had no advance knowledge of those actions. Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers voiced similar concerns. Judge George did not inform the other members of Commissioners Court of his impending action on June 23rd, even though he had ample opportunity since there was a Closed Session Item on the issue on the Courts June 23rd Agenda, Meyers said in a statement posted to social media. Other members of Commissioners Court were also caught unaware of the Judge's plan and frankly, that is no way to treat the other elected members of this deliberative body, Meyers wrote. Related: COVID-19: Fort Bend County Judge KP George issues mask order The new order requires businesses to post signs that face masks are required inside their business and allows owners and workers to refuse service to those who do not wear masks. Like Harris County's recent mask order, a business that fails to comply will be fined. Fort Bend County's fine is up to $500 and Harris County businesses can receive fines up to $1,000. Commissioner Meyers called the order an overreach of the judges powers and voiced opposition to fining businesses at a time when many are struggling to survive financially. He also questioned how the order would be enforced. The question remains - who will enforce this over the next five days? Or who will enforce this beyond that time frame, if the Judge continues to pursue punitive actions against businesses, Meyers wrote. For my part, I've been working with local business leaders and Chamber of Commerce directors to find ways to help businesses save money and stay afloat with grant funds from the CARES Act. A punitive order against businesses is a slap in the face to everyone who has worked hard to facilitate the distribution of these relief funds. When asked to respond, Judge George said businesses owners reached out to his office saying they were concerned about their employees being exposed to the virus from customers who refused to wear a mask and asked him for help. As for not bringing the matter to court for a vote, George said Commissioner Meyers and Morales voiced opposition previously to extending the countys existing disaster orders and he expected they wouldnt support enacting a new disaster order. I have nothing to hide and Im not doing anything illegal. I felt it was time to act and thats what I did, George said by phone Saturday, June 27. That day, I had people from the medical community calling me calling me with concerns and warning me that we could run out of space in our hospitals and asking me to do something. Despite what many people think, we know this disease is real. The danger is real and I did what I felt was the right decision for the citizens of our county. Related: Fort Bend County reports record-breaking number of new COVID-19 cases The mask order, which expires June 30, is scheduled for discussion during the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting scheduled Tuesday, June 30. knix@hcnonline.com Follow me on twitter: @kristi_nix The EU is planning to ban American travellers when it reopens on July 1, but those from countries with lower infection rates - like China - are set to be welcomed. The decision - which still needs to be formalised in member states' capitals - risks angering Donald Trump who has been widely criticised for his handling of the crisis. The United States, Russia, and several other countries are considered too risky because they have not controlled the coronavirus outbreak, EU officials said Friday. The list of safe countries was put together by senior diplomats in Brussels following discussions on how to reopen the bloc to business and tourism following lockdown. The EU is planning to ban American travellers when it reopens on July 1 but those from countries with lower infection rates - like China - are set to be welcomed. The decision is likely to anger Trump (pictured) One of the 'safe countries' will be China - but only if it allows European Union travellers to visit as well, the officials said. EU officials disclosed earlier this week that the US - which has reported more coronavirus deaths and infections than any other country - was highly unlikely to make the final list. The decision has been made despite the fact that the US is an important source of tourism for the European Union. On the safe list are countries like Canada and Australia. The countries were judged on criteria including infection rates and the credibility of public health authorities reporting data. EU officials disclosed earlier this week that the US - which has reported more coronavirus deaths and infections than any other country - was highly unlikely to make the final list The list will be updated every two weeks, which mean countries excluded at the start may be added to the safe list. The officials who revealed the contents of the final list spoke to the New York Times on condition of anonymity ahead of its official release next week. EU officials tried to base the data on science in order to depoliticise the process. However that has been made difficult and officials said the United States and other nations had been lobbying intensely to get on the safe list. The US banned most EU travellers in March and has not eased restrictions since, even when European infections and deaths have fallen. Mike Pompeo on Thursday said that many European countries were eager to admit American visitors. 'We'll work closely with our European friends, broadly, because I know there's different views,' he said. 'We've heard from a dozen or more countries that have very different views about their willingness to open up their borders to anyone, not only folks from the United States of America.' The CBI has informed the Supreme Court that its probe into allegations of sexual and physical exploitation in 17 shelter homes in Bihar has been completed, except in two cases where further investigation is on, and they have recommended departmental action against erring public servants including district magistrates in several matters. The CBI has said that evidence of gross negligence was found on part of public servants and NGOs running the shelter homes in several cases, and reports have been sent to Bihar government for taking departmental action against erring government officials and also for cancellation of registration of NGOs and blacklisting them and their office bearers. In an application filed in the apex court, the CBI has said that further probe regarding Muzaffarpur shelter home and a short stay home at Motihari is going on and final reports have been filed before the competent courts in 13 cases. The top court had in November 2018 asked the CBI to probe into the allegations of physical and sexual abuse in remaining 16 shelter homes in Bihar which were flagged in a report of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). The issue had cropped up before the apex court which was hearing the Muzaffarpur shelter home case where several girls were sexually abused. Later, 19 people were convicted by a trial court in connection with the Muzaffarpur shelter home case. In its fresh application filed in the top court, the CBI has said that in pursuance to the November 2018 order it had taken over probe of remaining 16 shelter home matters and lodged 12 regular cases and four preliminary enquiries spread over 10 different districts of Bihar, including Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur. Enquiry of all four preliminary enquiries has also been completed and no evidence proving commission of criminal offences could be gathered in the said preliminary enquiries, it said. However, evidence of gross negligence was found on part of public servants and NGOs running the shelter homes for which CBI reports have been sent to the Government of Bihar for taking departmental actions against erring government officials and cancellation of registration of NGOs and blacklisting them and their office bearers for future social/governmental contracts, the application said. It said the CBI reports and notes have been forwarded to chief secretary of Bihar for taking action against erring public servants, including several district magistrates, in these cases. The CBI has said that enquiries have been completed in these 17 shelter home cases, except the ongoing further probe in two matters. In its application, the probe agency has sought the apex courts permission for utilizing services of team members of the investigating team of Bihars shelter home cases for other official works, saying the assigned task has been completed except further investigation in Muzaffarpur shelter home case and short stay home, Motihari case. The top court, in its October 2018 order, had said that CBIs investigating team of the Muzaffarpur shelter home case should not be changed without its permission. In 2018, the apex court had said that report of TISS, which was also given to the Bihar government, had raised grave concern about 17 shelter homes in the state and the CBI must look into all of them. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Ethiopia is set to start filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) within the next two weeks, during which the remaining construction work will continue, according to the Office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed A Canadian man told how he spotted a goose trailing 47 goslings - and concluded she was caring for other geese's babies. Mike Digout, from Saskatoon, first saw the goose with 16 goslings during a walk along the Saskatchewan riverbank - and was startled by how many goslings swam behind her in the water. After taking a snap to document the fascinating scene, which was shared on Bored Panda, he decided to re-visit the same spot to see if he could find the family once again. However, he was shocked to see that every time he came back, the goose was trailing more goslings - and increased from 16 to 47 in just a matter of days. Mike Digout, from Saskatoon, saw the goose with 47 goslings during a walk along the Saskatchewan riverbank in Canada - and was startled by how many goslings swam behind her in the water (pictured) Mike was fascinated by the geese after initially seeing her trail 16 goslings, and decided to revisit the family (pictured) Mike, who is interested in photographing geese in his local area, told how he was looking to take pictures of freshly hatched goslings when he spotted the ultimate mother goose. 'I was stunned that this mom had 16 babies, so I started going back every night looking for this mom and her goslings,' he told the publication. 'And every day it seemed like she had a bigger group.' 'It was incredible how calm she was with so many goslings around,' he added, speaking to The Dodo. 'She seems like such a patient mom.' The phenomenon has been documented before and is called gang brood - which is where an adult goose ends up with a swarm of goslings to look after. The phenomenon is called gang brood - when an adult goose looks after her own goslings as well as other geese's. Pictured, the family Mike revisited The goslings (pictured) are growing up well under the care of several adult geese who mind them on outings - just like a babysitter On average, geese can nest five to six goslings per season, but numbers can also reach ten to twelve. Geese mate for life, and while some raise their goslings by themselves, others prefer to mind each other's gaggles as a form of special goose daycare. This is because goslings, being very independent, tend to venture away from their own mothers and get lost. Geese then share parental duties to keep their brood safe. When out swimming, one goose will have no problem minding her own goslings as well as a gaggle of other goslings who would have joined the group halfway through. Mike said he was impressed with how calm the mother goose was as she trailed more than 40 at a time Goslings are very independent and will venture away from their mothers, but because they are so young, they sometimes get lost. Pictured, the goose going for a swim with 26 little goslings Karni Sena supporters hold banners featuring Chinese President Xi Jinping and shout slogans during a protest against China in Ahmedabad, India, Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Chinese and Indian military commanders have agreed to disengage their forces in a disputed area of the Himalayas following a clash that left at least 20 soldiers dead, both countries said Tuesday. The commanders reached the agreement Monday in their first meeting since the June 15 confrontation, the countries said. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) As a populist political statement, boycotting Chinese goods or snapping economic ties with China may sound like a vengeful theme, given the current ugly mood of the Indian public seeking retribution for Galwan. The economic fallout of such an action, however, is altogether too drastic to envisage. India, a consumer- and service-based economy, will have to think right through till the end, the consequences of severing economic ties with a manufacturing hub like China. China is one of Indias largest trading partners. Between April 2019 and February this year, it accounted for 11.8 percent of Indias total imports. However, Indias total exports to that country was a mere 3 percent. This trade deficit with China, also a major contributor to India's overall trade deficit, is one of the world's biggest between any two nations. The deficit with China stood at $3.3 billion in February, a 13 percent rise from the year-ago period. This is even as Indias overall trade deficit remained flat from a year ago at $9.8 billion, according to the Union Ministry of Commerce data. As per a Brookings India Report, the total amount of current and planned Chinese investment in India has crossed $26 billion or around Rs 1,98,000 crore. China-based companies are also stepping up their investments in Indian companies, including start-ups. The numbers reveal India's heavy reliance on Chinese imports and any disruption of trade ties will substantially hurt Indian businesses. To be sure, China will lose a vast market like India, but the collateral damage could hit India harder. Related stories This imbalance could be addressed if India opens its oil and energy sector to Chinese investment, but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon. The boycott call goes beyond merely throwing out low-cost artefacts such as Chinese toys, bindis and crackers. That does not mean much. It has major ramifications for the Indian economy and is certain to impact the import of capital goods, machinery and electricals, chemicals, as well as intermediate and consumer goods. Interestingly, while India has declined to be associated with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for heavyweight projects, China has quietly created a significant place for itself in India in the last five years in the technology domain. Unable to persuade India to sign on the BRI, China has entered the Indian market through venture investments in start-ups and penetrated the online ecosystem with its popular smartphones and their applications, says Gateway Houses Chinese Investments in India study. Chinese funding to tech firms Chinese funding to Indian tech start-ups is making an impact disproportionate to its value, given the deepening penetration of technology across sectors in India. TikTok, owned by ByteDance, is already one of the most popular apps in India, overtaking YouTube; Xiaomi handsets are bigger than Samsung smartphones and Huawei routers are widely used. According to this report, these are investments made by nearly two dozen Chinese tech companies and funds, led by giants like Alibaba, ByteDance and Tencent, which have funded 92 Indian start-ups, including unicorns suchas Paytm, Byjus, Oyo and Ola. The findings are remarkable: 18 of the 30 Indian unicorns have a Chinese investor. This means that China is nicely embedded in the Indian economy, and the technology ecosystem that influences it. Unlike a port or a railway line, these are invisible assets in small sizes rarely over $100 million and made by the private sector, which doesnt set alarm bells ringing. With closely enmeshed businesses, separation from China is going to entail huge costs. Since India imports well above 60 percent of electronic products and components from China, a snapping of economic ties would impact the prices of electrical gadgets and smartphones. Chinese companies such as Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus nearly control over 66 percent of India's over $8 billion smartphone market, as of the first quarter of 2019, points out Counterpoint, India Smartphone Market Share: By Quarter. There is increased penetration of smartphones and apps, like TikTok, especially in the countrys Tier-II and Tier-III cities. The potential to influence Indian minds is massive. By 2024, Indias smartphone users are expected to double to 1.25 billion from 610 million in 2018-9. India's emergence as the biggest overseas market for Chinese mobile phone companies is one of the most significant developments in China's relations with India over the past five years. The India sales of those top Chinese smartphone brands totalled more than $16 billion in 2019. Interestingly, these smartphone makers have embraced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" programme with a zeal. Xiaomi, for instance, locally manufactures 95 per cent of the phones it sells in India. Any adverse announcements forcing Chinese businesses to shut shop will makethese employees jobless. In the power sector, especially renewable energy, India is heavily dependent on China. The countrys import dependence for meeting its solar equipment demand stood at over 90 percent in the past three financial years, Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh told the Lok Sabha last year. Most of these imports were from China. Key sectors of the Indian economy, like health, are critically dependent upon China. In 2018-19, China supplied a whopping 80 percent of the antibiotics imported by India. In this time of a health epidemic, India can scarcely afford to let the supply of medicines take a hit. Not surprisingly, the single largest Chinese investment in India is the $1.1 billion acquisition of Gland Pharma by Fosun in 2018. This accounted for 17.7 percent of all Chinese FDI into India. To be able to boycott Chinese goods, India needs to reduce its trade deficit with China and strengthen its manufacturing sector to be able to produce goods back home, providing cheaper products to customers. That, however, is easier said than done. The cost of production of Indian manufacturers is high due to expensive raw material, old worn-out techniques of production and higher fixed cost. As a result, Indian products cannot compete with Chinese products not just at the global level, but even in India. And there are good reasons. Notes the Encyclopaedia Britannica in its chapter on the Chinese economy: The development of industry has been given considerable attention since the advent of the communist regime. Overall industrial output often has grown at an annual rate of more than 10 percent, and Chinas industrial workforce probably exceeds the combined total for all other developing countries. The low price of Chinese products is a big attraction for Indian buyers. The cost of production in China is competitive due to the availability of cheap labour force and because the all-powerful manufacturing sector in the country gets a subsidy from the government, which reduces the cost of production. The result: India has turned into a hub for assembling, rather than manufacturing goods. Then there are wheels within wheels. Chinese funds and companies often route their investments in India through offices located in Singapore, Hong Kong, Mauritius and other safe havens. For example, Alibabas investment in Paytm was by Alibaba Singapore Holdings Pvt. Ltd. These dont get recorded in Indias government data as Chinese investments. Thus, official FDI inflows from China to India do not present the full picture of Chinese investments in India. Can India prevent the supply of Chinese products in the Indian market? The answer is `No, because as per World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, it is not possible to impose a full ban on imports from any country even if there are no diplomatic, regional and trade relations with that country. But India has banned some Chinese products based on health and security issues. According to government data, India had prohibited Chinese mobiles not carrying IMEI numbers. China, in retaliation, had also prohibited Indian milk products, using health standards as the ruse for doing so. Under the circumstances, with businesses so enmeshed and economic stakes so high, to talk of a ban on Chinese goods is like putting the cart before the horse. Ranjit Bhushan is an independent journalist and former Nehru Fellow at Jamia Millia University. In a career spanning more than three decades, he has worked with Outlook, The Times of India, The Indian Express, the Press Trust of India, Associated Press, Financial Chronicle, and DNA. Ibrahim Magu Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has said that many Nigerian looters are hiding in Ghana, SaharaReporters reports. Magu disclosed this when a delegation of the Chartered Institute of Public Resources Management and Politics visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Friday. He said the commission was putting resources together to go after the treasury looters and recover the countrys wealth stashed in the neighbouring West African nation. Magu also urged Nigerians to disregard reports about him and the commission, saying the EFCC activities are transparent. He said, Corruption is a borderless crime. We are putting our resources together to allow us go to Ghana without restrictions and recovery our stolen property back home. I am appealing to Nigerians to trust the commission with relevant information about corrupt practices in the country. There are a lot of looters hiding in Ghana. We are already talking, we will bring them back. We will go bring the assets back to the country. We follow the international best practice when it comes to areas of investigations, tracing of looted assets, recovering looted assets. We all have our records. We are aware that we have ruffled many feathers. We have touched the untouchables and we have dared lions in their dens. We are doing all these, not because we love dangers and death, we are doing them because we value the comfort and development which anti-corruption brings. We value good lives for our fellow men and women and we value better future for all our children. The costs of fighting corruption may be grave, but the costs of not fighting it is more deadly. This is why we continue to call on every Nigerian to enlist in the anti-graft war. A good war is a war that is waged by the majority for the good of all. OTTAWA - A failure to clearly articulate positions on social conservative issues and a weak climate change plan are often cited as reasons the federal Conservatives failed to woo enough voters to win the last federal election. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Conservative Party of Canada leadership candidates Erin O'Toole, left to right, Peter MacKay, Derek Sloan and Leslyn Lewis wait for the start of the French leadership debate in Toronto on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn OTTAWA - A failure to clearly articulate positions on social conservative issues and a weak climate change plan are often cited as reasons the federal Conservatives failed to woo enough voters to win the last federal election. The party's most ardent supporters, many of them more likely to cast a ballot in the ongoing leadership race, include staunch social conservatives and fierce opponents of carbon taxes. So the party faces a dilemma: if they were to more firmly commit not to reopen the abortion debate, and put out a more definitive plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, would it grow or diminish its support? A new poll suggests the answer to that question is complicated. The survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that overall, 23 per cent of those polled would be more likely to vote Conservative if a Conservative government clearly committed to not reopening the debate on abortion, or allow MPs to introduce legislation on the issue. Forty-four per cent said it wouldn't change the likelihood, while 13 per cent said it would make them less likely to vote for the Conservatives. Among voters who intend to vote Conservative in the next election, 31 per cent say they'd be more likely to consider it if the party took a firmer stand on ending the debate. Seventeen per cent would be less likely to do, and 38 per cent say it wouldn't change their mind either way. The survey also explored whether voters could be persuaded if the party had a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a whole, 32 per cent of those surveyed may be more likely to vote Conservative, 11 per cent would be less likely and it would not sway 44 per cent one way or the other. Among likely Conservative voters, 33 per cent would be more likely to cast a ballot in the party's favour, 16 per cent would be less likely and 46 per cent wouldn't be moved either way. The online poll of 1,521 adult Canadians was conducted June 19 to 21 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples. That was right after the four leadership candidates faced off in a pair of back-to-back debates, where both abortion and climate change were key issues. With all suggesting they are best placed to challenge the Liberals, where do they stand? Abortion: Leslyn Lewis promises four specific policies to address abortion: a ban on sex-selective abortions, measures to protect women from coerced abortions, increased support for crisis pregnancy centres, and ending funding for international abortions. Peter MacKay supports abortion rights. He had previously said he wouldn't allow his cabinet to vote in favour of any bills restricting abortion. More recently, he said while he hopes all MPs will adhere to official party policy that a Conservative government wouldn't reopen the debate, he would allow free votes on conscience issues. Erin O'Toole said during the recent leadership debate he is "pro-choice," and believes it is a woman's right to have an abortion. He has said MPs can bring forward whatever bills they like, and MPs will be able to vote their conscience. Derek Sloan has a 12-point "pro-life plan." At number one: a pledge to try to get the official party policy on not introducing laws to limit abortion repealed. He also promises to introduce legislation that could see people charged for harming two people if they harm a pregnant woman the woman and the fetus. Reducing emissions: While all four candidates have spoken about their respective positions on the environment and none support broad carbon taxes their platforms containing varying levels of details on the question of how, if at all, they'd work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lewis: Her platform bundles together promises for "responsible" resource development, encouraging green investments and renovations and funding conservationist practices. With regards to emissions, she says she'd encourage businesses to lower them. MacKay: His platform lists five ways he says he will bring down emissions: replace coal in Canada and globally, invest in carbon sequestration, "achieving advances in technology," increased conservation efforts, and meaningful consultation. O'Toole: He devotes three pages of his 50-page platform to the environment and climate change. On emissions specifically, it includes getting the oil and gas sector to net-zero by incentivizing the use of technology, and promises Canada would help lower global emissions by, among other things, exporting nuclear technology and helping countries get off coal. Sloan: He says he'd pull Canada out of the Paris climate agreement, which sets the goal of reducing emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. His listed policies to date are silent on climate change. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2020. Farrukh Dhondy OF CABBAGES AND KINGS O come with old Bachchoo and leave the lot Of Vyas, Homer and Shakespeare forgot Let triviality and pop lyrics prevail Let poets spread their insights heed them not! From The Boobaiyat of Bachchoo A slogan for the day: Let those who are without historical fault pull down the first statue. The living dont traditionally have statues erected in their honour. The exceptions are dictators with overbearing egos. Saddam Husseins statue was pulled down as Bush and Blair commandeered the invasion of Iraq. His claim to immortality was as vain as that of Percy Shelleys Ozymandias. Very few in the US and Britain objected to this desecration. Winner takes all, including absolution from the sin of vandalism. Resentment is in the mind of the resenter. Historical outrage against a person, nation, race, religion or caste, can be proved. That the statue commemorating the life and racially determined philanthropy of Edward Colston in Bristol deserved its depedestalisation (Vocabulary Copyright fd. Very ugly invention, now get on with it Ed.)? He was manifestly responsible for the enslavement of, cruelty towards and untimely murder of hundreds of fellow human beings. As were in the last century, Hitler and Stalin? These were not simply responsible for the deaths of soldiers in war, but for the genocide of millions of citizens of their own country. Show me a statue of Adolf or of Yusuf Yugashvili (Stalins real name) and I am ready, comrades, with my pickaxe and rope. I must admit, gentle reader, that I have been contemplating this mission to topple statues and to rename roads and buildings. Though it may sound paradoxical, I am thinking about what I think. For instance, my good friend the historian Charles Allen, who has in the past written in praise of Rudyard Kipling and in defence of the benefits that colonialism brought, wrote a letter which the Guardian published regretting his earlier stance. Not only that, he said he was in favour of removing the statue of M.K. Gandhi because the Mahatma (he didnt use the word) was, while championing the rights of Indians in South Africa, in favour of certain aspects of apartheid against black people. In London, the mob which gathered outside the Houses of Parliament to protect the statue of Winston Churchill against people who may want it demolished were right-wing thugs who called themselves ultranationalists. These would probably be the same people who would seek to demolish the statues of Gandhi in Tavistock Square or in Parliament Square on the grounds that he was not white or perhaps on the wider ground that he was a leader of the movement that caused the Empire to withdraw from the subcontinent. I havent, as a loyal Indian nationalist, as yet received a request on social media to gather at these spots and defend the Mahatmas statues there. I suppose one leaves that to the police under the instructions of Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, who certainly wants Indian votes for a second term next year. Southall in west London has a large population of Sikhs. On TV and in the news this week I saw and read about several granthis from the local gurdwaras demanding that Havelock Road in Southall be renamed because Henry Havelock was commemorated for his part in 1857-58 of suppressing what some people refer to as the Indian Mutiny and others as our First War of Independence. What seemed ironic abut the demand, coming from Sikh religious leaders, was that the Sikhs, if the several histories of that period are accurate, sided with the British East India Company against that uprising. Havelock was not their oppressor but their ally. In my boyhood, my family lived in an army bungalow in Kanpur on Havelock Road. That was decades ago and perhaps the road has been renamed as it should be, because what did start as a mutiny of Indian mercenaries in the British army, went on to become a war in which local rulers sought independence from colonial hegemony. Cawnpore, as Kanpur then was, became, with the capital of the province, Lucknow, a centre of this conflict. I must add that the move to rename Havelock Road may have appealed to the granthis because the suggestion is that the road be renamed Guru Nanak Road. So, what one is enthusiastically for may excuse the error of being what you are mistakenly against. The call for demolishing the statue of Robert Clive is perhaps more contentious. He was undoubtedly a rogue and made his fortune through realising that the East India Company couldnt sell British woollies to India and the only way to make money was to rent out their army as mercenaries to different Indian claimants to the various thrones. He deployed British troops to fight and defeat Siraj, but he did it to champion Mir Jaffar, who was very much a Bengali himself. And so with Warren Hastings who looted the Begums of Oudh. But where did the princelings and therefore the Begums get their wealth? Didnt they loot it from their citizens and were they on their best behaviour with their Hindu subjects? And for that matter were the sanctimonious upper castes of India great humanitarian benefactors of the castes now known as scheduled from the Appendices of the Indian democratic constitution or as Dalits? And now that Aurangzeb Road in New Delhi has been renamed, what of the road next to it named after Man Singh, a prominent Mughal general who did a lot of their dirty work? Gentle reader, I wont leave you with just that question, but with another one closer to my heart. Somewhere in the world, in some Macedonian city perhaps, there must be statues of that SOB, Alexander the Vandal, who committed genocide against the Zoroastrian population of Persia, demolished its cities and monuments, as savages often do, and is commemorated by the idiots and apologists of this world. Zoroastrian Lives Matter! Alexander must go! In 2018, Britain published its National Security Capability Review, outlining a new Fusion Doctrine. This called for the use of all our capabilities; from economic levers, through cutting-edge military resources to our wider diplomatic and cultural influence on the worlds stage to project our global influence. The BBC, especially its World Service, was named as a key instrument of UK soft power. The BBCs three-part The Salisbury Poisonings, aired on consecutive nights last week, employs drama as a major piece of state propaganda, designed to reignite the Skripal affair that dominated UK politics during 2018. It marked a major turning point in British foreign policy towards an aggressive imperialist confrontation with Russia. The Salisbury Poisonings On March 4, 2018, former Russian turned UK intelligence operative Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury. A police officer involved in the investigation, Nick Bailey, also fell ill. Within days, Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative government had launched an international campaign accusing the Russian government of having attempted to assassinate the pair with a weapons grade nerve agent, novichok, described as the most powerful and unique chemical weapon in the world. Hundreds of police and military officials descended on Salisbury, cordoning off different sections of the city. Three months later, local residents Charlie Rowley and his partner Dawn Sturgess were admitted to hospital, having apparently come into contact with the same toxic substance as the Skripals. Sergei, Yulia, Bailey, and Rowley all recoveredthe Skripals have not been heard from since. Sturgess tragically died. On September 5, the British government identified two Russian citizens as the alleged assassins. The six-month saga, based on unproven allegations and riddled with unanswered questions and major inexplicable inconsistencies, provided the backdrop to a relentless anti-Russian political campaign. This included the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats, the boycott of broadcaster Russia Today, the imposing of sanctions, allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections and an escalated war drive against the Russia-allied government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The UKs National Security Capability Review made a special point of targeting Russia in Britains plans for military confrontations. Every major newspaper and broadcaster played its part, parroting each twist, turn and accusation made by British officials over the Skripal affair and issuing their own sabre-rattling denunciations of Russia. No outlet was more fervent than the Guardian. In addition to numerous outraged editorials and opinion pieces, the paper organised an event in June 2018 titled, The Skripal case: a new Cold War? attended by ferocious anti-communist and warmonger Anne Applebaum and long-time anti-Russia agitator and Guardian writer, Luke Harding. The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) wrote on March 28, 2018, The orchestrated outcry over the Skripal poisoning is part of an endless series of provocations, ranging from the Olympic doping scandal to the endless propaganda about Russian meddling in the US election, all designed to prepare the population for war. While this campaign was pushed into the background for a period, the ending of the lockdown and return to politics as usual in the midst of unprecedented social and geopolitical crisis has signalled a relaunch of the British ruling class warmongering agenda. Director Saul Dibb and producer Karen Lewis said that The idea of the drama was never to tell the spy story and the global politics. Whether or not they are naive enough to believe this, the supposed rejection of political questions only means the two created a drama in which the political agenda was spoon-fed to them by the British state and its accomplices. Warmonger and chemical weapons expert Lieutenant Colonel Hamish De Bretton Gordon is listed as a military advisor and Guardian journalists Caroline Bannock and Steven Morris are credited as script consultants. The Salisbury Poisonings de facto begins with the same claims made by May and her then Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson that Russia had deployed a chemical weapon on the streets of Britain. Its opening sequence consists of contemporary news footage reporting on the Beast from the East approaching the UKreferring to cold winds from Siberia given pathetic Cold War overtones in response to the Skripal events. This is punctuated with an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin participating in a traditional Russian Orthodox ritual. The meaning is clear: this is a story about the threat posed by Russia. The drama is forced into a series of ludicrous evasions and distortions. The very first scene is pure invention, showing a group of people gathered round the poisoned Skripals as crowds of concerned people look on. Sturgess is shown walking nearby. Sturgess was not present, and the first person to provide aid was the Chief Nurse of the British Army stationed at the nearby Porton Down chemical weapons facility, Colonel Alison McCourt. This was information the government kept hidden for months until inadvertently revealed by McCourts daughter. These changes are not a case of artistic license, but political deception. The axis of the drama is artificially shifted away from the Skripals, the world of British espionage Sergei was involved in and the intimate involvement of the British state in the events surrounding his poisoning. Instead it centres on the fate of Dawn Sturgess and the supposed threat to the people of Salisbury. This renders the story inexplicable, but accomplishes two political aimsobscuring sensitive details of the UK states involvement in the events and encouraging the idea of a Russian chemical weapons attack on a British city, in the words of each episodes title screen. Whistleblower and former British ambassador Craig Murray carried out a meticulous examination of the Skripal affair in 2018 and subsequently. In a series of blog posts on The Salisbury Poisonings, he notes that the narrative leaves out any account of the poisoning of the Skripals. After first suggesting that a nerve agent had been planted on Yulia on a return trip from Russia, or slipped into the pairs meal at a local restaurant, or into the air conditioning of their car, government figures eventually settled on the claim that the poison had been smeared onto the door handle of the Skripals home. This required the Skripals to have returned homeunnoticed by CCTV after being seen leaving in the morningjust a short time before the alleged Russian assassins turned up in Salisbury to apply the nerve agent in broad daylight and left again just a short time afterwards, presumably with both contriving to grip the door handle on their way out. It was never explained how a sample of this substance which had been made to adhere to a surface and then been exposed outdoors for a prolonged period of time was later described as of high purity with an almost complete absence of impurities in a mostly redacted Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) report. Nor was it explained how this high purity toxic chemical (the OPCW report prefaces the term nerve agent with allegedly) rendered both Skripalsof different ages and body weightsill at the same time over three hours later so that neither had an opportunity to call for help. The BBC series avoids any reference to Sergeis connection with British intelligence agencies, which was the only possible basis for their being targeted. Skripal lived in close proximity to his MI6 handler Pablo Millera fact the government tried to bar the press from reporting. Miller appears to have worked at private intelligence firm Orbis, run by former British spy Christopher Steele. The two of them and Skripal were active in intelligence work in Russia in the same years. More recently, Steele was the man responsible for producing a discredited dossier of salacious and unverified accusations linking Donald Trump to the Putin government. All these intriguing dramatic avenues are passed over. What is included is often dubious. Forced to account for the Skripals seemingly miraculous survival of a planned assassination, the show has a Porton Down military laboratory expert say, The paramedics assumed that they had overdosed on fentanyl so they gave them a shot of Naloxone, which happens to combat nerve agent toxicity. Plus, it was cold, further inhibiting the speed with which the substance took effect. Or, in the embarrassingly unironic words of the Daily Mirrors review of The Salisbury Poisonings, typical British weather saved the Skripals' lives. Another fortunate soul is policeman Nick Bailey, the first person to investigate the Skripals home, who is shown rubbing the nerve agent acquired from the door handle into the soft tissue around his eye but who does not fall ill for another 24 hours and then also recovers. A search and clean of Baileys house finds traces in almost every room of the house. Kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedrooms. It was even on the light switches. We found it in the family car too. The show puts the fact that his wife and children were not affected down to divine intervention: I like to think of myself as a man of science, but the only word for that is a miracle. As Murray points out, the same is presumably true for all the Salisbury residents who somehow avoided the traces the Skripals are supposed to have left throughout the pub and restaurant they visited on the day they fell ill. At the end of the second episode, Charlie Rowley is shown picking a perfume bottle out of a charity bin, but this scene takes place at least two months before he did so in reality. The bottle was supposedly used by the Russian agents to store the novichok nerve agent, poisoning Rowley and Dawn Sturgess in June 2018. Moving this event forward in the timeline is an attempt to conceal the implausibility that any such item would remain undisturbed in a regularly emptied bin for over three months. The story accepts the idea that such an incriminating piece of evidence would be so casually left behind by professional assassins. Another shift in the timeline occurs to place the authorities discovery of this perfume bottle in Rowleys flat before Sturgesss death and Rowleys regaining consciousness. In fact, despite searching the flat intensively, the police only discovered the perfume bottle, sitting on the kitchen counter, after Rowley told them he had picked up something of that description. Rowley is not shown spilling the substance over his hands as he opened the bottle, as he said he did, a fact which made his own survival all the more miraculous. The Salisbury Poisonings both records and renews a grave turn in UK politics. Writing on the UKs National Security Capability Review and the Skripal affair in April 2018, the WSWS explained, It outlines a strategy of London acting as the linchpin of the campaign waged by powerful sections of Americas military and security apparatus for stepped-up aggression against Russia, while using this alliance, together with the UKs military, security and nuclear capabilities, to pressure the European powers for a favourable post-Brexit economic and political settlement. In moving against Russia, Britain hopes to draw the European powers behind it through NATO. The same criminal policy is again in development, spearheaded by the same forces as in 2018 and centred around the ubiquitous figure of Luke Harding. The BBC drama has received extensive coverage and glowing reviews. The Times wrote, This is the toxic aftermath of a Russian hit job seen through the eyes of ordinary citizens. Any chance Putin is watching? The Sun published, BBC drama The Salisbury Poisonings explores ordinary heroes who risked their lives to save town from deadly nerve agent, the Daily Mail, The haunting hidden stories behind the horror of Kremlin killing and the Telegraph, A warm tribute to ordinary people who rose to an extraordinary challenge. The Guardian produced the interview with the dramas director and producer and another with Sturgesss family. Both were conducted, without acknowledgement, by the two journalists who served as script consultants on The Salisbury Poisoningswho were reporting on their own work. Every article and review is at pains to make a connection between a Russian chemical attack and the suffering caused by the coronavirus pandemic, mimicking Trumps attempt to draw a line between China and COVID-19. This has provided a massive platform for Harding to launch his new book, Shadow State: Murder, Mayhem and Russias Remaking of the West, which is to be the subject of an online Guardian event with Carole Cadwalladr on July 22"How Russia is remaking the West. In December 2018, hacking group Anonymous released documents showing that Cadwalladr and other UK journalists were included on the mailing list of a UK psy-ops scheme called the Integrity Initiative. Others included the BBCs Jonathon Marcus, the Financial Timess Neil Buckley and Sky Newss and the Timess Deborah Haynes, all of whom wrote on the Skripal affair. Documents show that the operation, run by the military and the Foreign Office, directly intervened to shape the narrative of the events in Salisbury. In November 2018, Harding moved on from focusing on the Skripals to fabricating the claim, now discredited but never retracted by the Guardian, that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange held meetings with US President Donald Trumps former campaign manager Paul Manafort while he was in the Ecuadorian embassy. The story became a key component of efforts by the Democrats to present WikiLeaks and Russian interference as the causes of Trumps 2016 election victory over Hillary Clinton. Two Guardian exclusives have so far been informed by Hardings book. One, written by Harding himself, is a paean to Bellingcat, a shadowy research organisation closely tied to the Atlantic Council which routinely uncovers information, often falsified, useful to the interests of US imperialism. The other is a claim made by Christopher Steele, of Orbis fame and the former employer of Sergei Skripal, to parliaments intelligence and security committee that May and then Johnson supposedly ignored the likely hold Russia has on Trump. The Tittabawassee Township clerk race is contested between Republicans Don Hemgesberg and Carl Neuenfeldt. The winner of the Aug. 4 Republican primary will go on to face Democrat Robert DuCharme in the November general election. All three candidates reside in Freeland. Neuenfeldt did not return an election Q&A for today's edition. Robert DuCharme, 86, of Freeland is retired (Local 85 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union). 1. What are the duties of the Tittabawassee Township clerk? Statutory duties of clerk: Checks and balance of treasurers office. Responsible for all records according to the record retention schedule. Responsible for minutes of township board meetings. Responsible for publication of board meetings highlights. Chair of Election Committee. Responsible for appointing election workers. Responsible for maintaining Qualified Voter File. Signs checks weekly. 2. As clerk, how would you accomplish the above duties? The above duties are just highlights of some of the clerks duties. My experience as clerk since 1991 has given me the ability to accomplish the duties of the clerks office with honesty and integrity. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as township clerk? None the township has always, during my time as clerk, passed the annual audit without any faults. 4. What challenges will the clerk encounter? With our growing populations, the clerk will be required to redesign the voter precincts. Don Hemgesberg, 54, of Freeland, is a retired high school computer and history teacher. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Tittabawassee Township Clerk? The clerk's office conducts all regular and special elections and maintains all township voting records. The deputy clerk and the approximately 28 poll workers are under the supervision of the clerk. Primary, general, special, township and school elections are conducted by the township clerk's office. The clerk also maintains the custody of all records, books and papers of the township. The clerk also posts the minutes of the board meetings, ordinances, and resolutions adopted by the township board. Finally, the clerk is responsible for the two township cemeteries. As a voting member of the Tittabawassee Township Board my priorities will be fiscal responsibility; community safety and well-being; and thoughtful planning for current and future projects. I will listen to people's concerns and ensure they are considered when voting on township issues. 2. As township clerk, how would you accomplish the above duties? I am an organized and dedicated person. I pay attention to details. I would work hard to run efficient and accurate elections. I will work with the poll workers and the deputy clerk to make sure the elections run smoothly and accurately. I will work hard with the deputy clerk and other township employees to maintain accurate records, books and papers. I will communicate with the public through as many forms of media as possible about all board meeting minutes, ordinances and resolution. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as township clerk? I will work hard to stay up-to-date on all new election laws and changes. I will help educate and train poll workers on these changes. I will work with the deputy clerk to interpret and implement any new changes regarding ballots (mail in, same day, etc.). I will work to implement any new technologies that could be introduced into the election process. I will work for a fair and unbiased election. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Tittabawasee Township Clerk will encounter? The challenge for all county, city and township clerks is to keep up with the election changes. These include mailing absent voter ballot applications; allowing all registered eligible voters to vote by mail; no-excuse absentee ballots; online voter registration; and same day voter registration. With the deputy clerk and the poll workers, I will work hard to make sure Tittabawassee Township will be ready to handle these challenges along with other changes. - A certain limitation in movement has been imposed in different areas in the Philippines, following the recommendations of IATF - A guy from Cebu, opted to visit the mall and to have a haircut for undisclosed reasons - The following day, he started to develop COVID-19 symptoms, which prompted him to undergo a coronavirus test - It turned out that the guy was positive for COVID19, and was placed under home quarantine PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed A 46-year-od male from Barangay Tunghaan went to a mall in Cebu City in order for him to get a haircut. According to Cebu Daily News, the male patient experienced symptoms of COVID-19 a day after he got the haircut. Cebu man visits mall a day before he tested positive for COVID-19 (Photo: Filipino Entrepreneurs and Barbers) Source: Facebook Because of this, he underwent a swab test and it turned out that the results were positive. The unnamed guy was then placed under home quarantine to ensure that he does not infect others. There were no other details given as regards to the salon where he got his haircut. It was not also reported if he already had the virus prior to his haircut or if he got it from the salon. PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedbacks. Cebu man visits mall a day before he tested positive for COVID-19 Source: Facebook PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! In a previous report by KAMI, the government faced problems when they imposed the initial community quarantine, which was elevated into enhanced community quarantine. It also suspended transportation causing massive problems with commuters. The COVID-19 outbreak started out in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. Scientists believed that the virus came from an animal at one of Wuhan's wet markets. The Philippines has slowly eased quarantine measures and Filipinos are starting to adapt to the new normal. Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters! Source: KAMI.com.gh Pakistan is trying to create a "mirage of goodwill" by proposing to reopen the Kartarpur corridor on Monday on the occasion of the death anniversary of Sikh guru Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, Indian government sources said on Saturday. The response came hours after Pakistan conveyed its readiness to India to reopen the corridor on Monday more than three months after it was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. India temporarily suspended the pilgrimage and registration for the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan on March 16 in view of the coronavirus outbreak. "It is to be noted that Pakistan is trying to create mirage of goodwill by proposing to resume Kartarpur corridor on June 29, at short notice of two days, while bilateral agreement provides for information to be shared by India with the Pakistan side at least seven days before the date of travel," news agency ANI quoted sources as saying. "This would need India to open up the registration process well in advance. Besides, Pakistan has not built the bridge on their side across the flood plains of Ravi river despite having committed to it in the bilateral agreement," they added. "With the advent of monsoon, it would need to be evaluated whether pilgrim movement is possible through the corridor in a safe and secure manner." As the religious places are gradually opening up around the world, Pakistan has also made necessary arrangements to reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims, its Foreign Office said earlier on Saturday. To ensure adherence to the health guidelines, Pakistan has invited India to work out necessary SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for the reopening of the corridor, it added. Last November, the two countries threw open the corridor linking Dera Baba Sahib in Gurdaspur in India and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan in a historic people-to-people initiative. Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. It is the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev, who had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur. Indian pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake round the year visa-free travel to the historic gurdwara. The relations between India and Pakistan nosedived after India scrapped Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5, 2019 and bifurcated it into two union territories. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner. On Tuesday, India told Pakistan to slash its embassy staff in New Delhi by half, saying it would do the same in Islamabad amidst allegations of spying. During an international press conference following the event, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also ASEAN Chair 2020, affirmed that it is the first time in more than half of the century the ASEAN Summit has been held online with the attendance of leaders of all ASEAN member states who reached high consensus on important issues within the bloc. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the international press conference (Photo: VNA) Asked about regional cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 over the past time, the PM said the pandemic has spread worldwide, with over 130,000 infections and nearly 4,000 deaths in the region, adding that the bloc took drastic and rapid actions in the cohesive and responsive spirit, including holding ASEAN summit and ASEAN 3 summit, and ASEAN meetings with partners and initiating the establishment of COVID-19 response found, a medical warehouse and a standard process that were applauded by the community both inside and outside the region. As a result, the ASEAN member states gradually curbed the pandemic and are striving to build the community, he said. The bloc has proved the power of its community to overcome unprecedented difficulties for the sake of common peace, stability and prosperity. Regarding the impacts on Vietnam and ASEANs economic recovery following COVID-19 when the US and China two major economic and trade partners of ASEAN, are competing geo-politically and economically, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the ASEAN and China as well as the US have bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation frameworks, which lay an important foundataion for them to strengthen economic links. The ASEAN always wants mutually-beneficial cooperation for regional peace and future development of partners, including China and the US, he said, adding that fighting COVID-19 and economic recovery are two major taks for the common interest of the international community, the US and China. He expected that China and the US would optimise similarities, overcome differences, build trust and bolster collaboration for the common interests of the region and the world. According to the PM, Vietnam together with the ASEAN countries are embarking on a comprehensive plan on post-COVID-19 recovery, upholding the blocs central role, holding conferences with China and the US to maintain and facilitate trade and investment, and step up regional and global economic recovery. Answering reporters' query about the pandemics impacts on Vietnams agenda on the negotiations on the East Sea issues, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed that peace, security and stability in the region and the East Sea in particular are the common interest and aspiration of the community, especially the ASEAN. The summit has reaffirmed the ASEANs determination to build the East Sea into a sea of cooperation, development, security and safety, he stressed. As COVID-19 has disrupted discussions on the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) between the ASEAN and China, he said, adding that Vietnam and the ASEAN are working with parties concerned to exercise self-restraint, prevent actions that could complicate the situation at sea, comply with international law, build an East Sea of peace, friendship, cooperation, maritime and aviation freedom, seriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and accelerate talks on an effective and efficient COC in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./. This donation for an undisclosed amount is part of the RGF annual report of 2013-15. The donations were made in the name of Naviraj Estates Private Limited and Mehul Choksi is one of the two directors in the company. New Delhi, June 27 (IANS) India's most wanted economic offender, Mehul Choksi of Gitanjali Gems was a donor to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), the latest in the series of disclosures on controversial donations made to the Congress trust. Diamond merchant, Choksi is on the run from charges related to a fraud in Punjab National Bank and other banks. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier this month brought back over 2,340 kg of polished diamonds, pearls and silver jewelry valued Rs 1,350 crore of various United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hong Kong based entities of fugitive diamantaires Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi from Hong Kong. These valuables in 108 consignments were brought back to Mumbai, the ED said. Out of 108 consignments, 32 belong to the entities controlled by Nirav Modi and rests belong to entities controlled by Choksi. These valuables were valued on arrival and were subsequently seized in India and independent valuers assessed these earlier consignments to be worth around Rs 137 Crore, the ED said. One of the biggest bank defaulters, Mehul Choksi's Geetanjali Gems is top of the list prepared by Reserve Bank of India of top 30 wilful defaulters. The list mentioned that Choksi had defaulted on an amount of Rs 5,044 crore. This is the latest in the series of embarrassing disclosures on donations made to the RGF for the Congress and its leader, Sonia Gandhi who is chairperson of the RGF. At the time of intense friction with China, it has been revealed that the Government of People's Republic of China and the Chinese Embassy in India have been funding the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) led by Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Congress President Sonia Gandhi is Chairperson of RGF and its board has among others former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi. According to RGF annual report accessed by IANS, in 2005-06, the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received a donation from the Government of People's Republic of China and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China as two separate donors. These are listed as donors in the report among the list of general donors. Apart from this, Congress government allocated funds to the RGF in the Union Budget. Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister in 1991 allocated Rs 100 crore over 5 years. The disclosures are coming to light as the RGV comes under scrutiny following exposes that that the Government of China and China Embassy were donors to the Foundation. However, reportedly, following Opposition uproar, the funds while allocated from the Budget could not be disbursed to RGF. The Budget Speech of 1991-92 by Manmohan Singh, Minister of Finance presented on 24th July, 1991 has the detail. --IANS san/rt A selective critical checklist of notable weekend TV: BET Awards (Sunday, 8/7c, BET Networks and CBS): For the first time in its 20-year history, the BET Awards partners with a broadcast network, which seems fitting in a year of such remarkable change and revolution. While recognizing activists and artists, including Beyonce Knowles-Carter receiving the Humanitarian Award, the socially distanced ceremony will include a tribute to Kobe Bryant from Lil Wayne and a salute to Little Richard from Wayne Brady. Performers include Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Public Enemy, Questlove, Usher and many more. Insecure's Amanda Seales is host, and Drake leads the field of nominees, in a landmark event that marks BET's 40th anniversary with an appearance by network founder Robert L. Johnson and reflections on the Black community and social justice from celebrated public figures including Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Billy Porter, Courtney B. Vance, Debbie Allen, Lena Waithe, Michael B. Jordan, Lizzo, Misty Copeland, Naomi Campbell, Quincy Jones, Regina Hall, Samuel L. Jackson, Sterling K. Brown, Viola Davis and Whoopi Goldberg. See Also Roush Review: A Writer Turns Detective 'In the Dark' HBO's compelling true-crime docuseries tracks the late writer/blogger Michelle McNarama's obsessive quest to discover the identity of the Golden State Killer. I'll Be Gone in the Dark (Sunday, 10/9c, HBO): Transcending the true-crime formula, director Liz Garbus's compelling six-part docuseries follows the obsessive quest of the late crime writer/blogger Michelle McNamara as she brings to light the rape-murder spree from the 1970s and '80s of an unknown culprit she dubs the Golden State Killer. "I had a murder habit, and it was bad," Michelle confesses as she and other "citizen detectives" follow leads, and she races to expand an acclaimed magazine article into the titular best-seller, not published until after her death of an accidental overdose of prescription meds. (See the full review.) Global Goal: Unite for Our Future The Concert (Saturday, 8/7c, NBC): An international coalition of celebrities and activists converge for an event sponsored by Global Citizen and the European Commission, calling attention to the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has wreaked among the poor, people of color and other oppressed populations. Dwayne Johnson hosts the two-hour concert, featuring performances by Shakira, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber and Quavo, Miley Cyrus and more. See Also Roush Review: Rhys Rocks in a Bold New Twist on 'Perry Mason' HBO's revisionist origin story for the iconic legal eagle presents Perry Mason as a down-on-his-luck gumshoe in 1930s L.A.. Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Sunday, 10/9c, Showtime): In the tumultuous first-season finale of the supernatural-laced period drama, a riot breaks out in the wake of a pernicious lynching, leading to martial law being declared in Los Angeles. Among those facing pivotal moments of reckoning: Sister Molly (Kerry Bishe), whose faith is tested by new revelations, and Peter Craft (Rory Kinnear), whose losing battle to keep the peace among his fellow German expats is challenged by the unrest within his fractured family. For detectives Lewis (Nathan Lane) and Tiago (Daniel Zovatto), an urgent mission to keep young scientific genius Brian (Kyle McArthur) from falling into the Nazis' clutches becomes a moral crisis when they realize just who it is they're protecting. All things considered, not the worst time to be marking the annual Day of the Dead. Perry Mason (Sunday, 9/8c, HBO): In a bizarre parallel to City of Angels, this revisionist crime drama (also set in the 1930s) introduces Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany as beloved radio evangelist Sister Alice and Lili Taylor as her controlling, overprotective mother (a less severe version of the Angels character played by Amy Madigan). Their church has a significant connection to the Case of the Indisposed Infant (as Erle Stanley Gardner might have put it), and as Perry (Matthew Rhys) continues his investigation of the grieving parents, both he and African-American LAPD cop Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) are presented with new mysteries involving the murdered kidnappers. Curious about Perry's clouded past as a WW1 veteran? Helpful flashbacks fill in some tragic gaps. Yellowstone (Sunday, 9/8c, Paramount Network): There's a real pining for the way things were when Grandpa John Dutton (Kevin Costner) and young Tate (Brecken Merrill) set up summer camp out in the open, joined by Kayce (Luke Grimes) and Monica (Kelsey Asbille) and the occasional lone wolf. This modern Western seems to be taking a more leisurely approach to its storytelling this season, which is a pleasant change, although not so much for bad-luck black sheep Jamie (Wes Bentley), whose first crisis as the new Livestock Commissioner goes sideways. And once Beth (Kelly Reilly) figures out what hedge-fund entrepreneur Roarke (Josh Holloway) has in mind for the land Market Equities has its eyes on, the stage is set for a fiery second encounter. Their chemistry is palpable, but it's hard not to see this war ending badly for someone. Joining the cast: Jennifer Landon as a trash-talking she'll fit right in cowhand named Teeter. (Yes, that's Michael Landon's daughter, a world removed from Little House on the Prairie.) Inside Weekend TV: Showtime's Black Monday (Sunday, 8/7c), which paused its second season of raucous satire because of post-production issues during the pandemic, is back with the final four episodes National Geographic's Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks (Sunday, 8:30/7:30c) kicks off its seventh season with a 90-minute episode, introducing a new captain, Gloucester champ Dave Carraro of the FV-Tuna.com, to the competition among bluefin tuna fishermen ESPN's Backstory: The Decision (Sunday, 9/8c) looks back 10 years to the network's controversial The Decision special during which LeBron James, as an NBA free agent, announced amid much fanfare and backlash his decision to leave Cleveland for the Miami Heat Jake Tapper anchors CNN Special Report: Trump and the Law after Impeachment (Sunday, 10/9c), interviewing former top officials at the departments of Justice, Labor, Defense and Homeland Security about the president's relationship and, to some, apparent disregard for the rule of law as it applies to the office of the presidency The ghoulish Charlie Manx (Zachary Quinto) takes center stage in the second episode of AMC/BBC America's NOS4A2 (Sunday, 10/9c) as he rises from the morgue, contending with some pesky autopsy incisions and distracted by flashbacks from his pre-Christmasland days. The fourth season of Ekta Kapoor's Naagin saw Rashami Desai enter as the new lead in the month of February. However, this was closely followed by the COVID-19 lockdown bringing the shoot to a complete halt for more than three months. And now, Rashami Desai, in an interview with Pinkvilla opened up about her state of mind as she is about to resume shoot from tomorrow. Rashami revealed, My audience of the show are already excited and I am very happy with the way they are welcoming me. Unfortunately, my part is going to be very less, but very much meaningful. So, yes, I am very happy and excited to resume the shoot but at the same time with excitement, I am scared as well. Definitely, it wont be a friendly environment anymore. We all have to take precautions for each others lives and we have to also think about ourselves. It is a mixed feeling. But, at the end of the day, I am at peace that we will resume work. The actress went on to add that she will stand by her producer no matter what and is excited to witness the new normal. To be honest, I am a little nervous more than scared. The number of people who will be part of the show has life insurance for COVID, so I dont think there will any difficultly in that department, but unfortunately, certain situation isnt in our control. But at least, we have a lot of support from people, fans and everyone. I will always support my producer because it is not easy but they are doing it perfectly. Before I go, I have heard that we have COVID 19 specialist on the set, I am excited to see this new normal, she said. ALSO READ: Naagin 4 New Promo Out! Nia Sharma & Rashami Desai To Return Soon With Lal Tekadi Mandir Secret! The Russian operation, first reported by the New York Times, has generated an intense debate within the Trump administration about how best to respond to a troubling new tactic by a nation that most U.S. officials regard as a potential foe but that President Trump has frequently embraced as a friend, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence matter. (Natural News) The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic looks to claim some unlikely victims hospitals. In a new report, the American Hospital Association (AHA) warned that hospitals and healthcare systems face catastrophic financial challenges in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. The report says that the increased cost of COVID-19 hospitalizations for hospitals, losses from services canceled because of the pandemic, as well as costs for purchasing personal protective equipment and additional support for their employees, are hospitals main financial burdens. Hospitals were already under strain before the coronavirus hit According to the AHA report, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has created a cash crunch for many hospitals. These facilities are expected to lose more than $200 million between March 1 and June 30 an average of $50.7 billion per month. Non-federal hospitals are expected to lose approximately $161.4 billion in revenue during those four months due to canceled services, such as non-elective surgeries and outpatient treatment. The report also pointed out that while the federal government moved quickly to provide financial assistance to hospitals during the pandemic, many of these facilities already had existing financial pressures before 2020. Critics have argued that hospitals were well funded prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency, however, the reality is that many hospitals were already facing financial pressures, stated the report. In addition, the report also pointed out that only a portion of the relief funds was going to hospitals as other providers were also getting them. Other providers such as physicians and other clinicians, laboratory and testing facilities, and durable medical equipment providers are drawing down from health care provider relief funds as well, the report explained. Hospitals and health systems will need more funds to treat patients, save lives, and get America back on its feet. 42 hospitals have closed According to Beckers Hospital CFO Report, 42 hospitals have closed this year after their provider organizations filed for bankruptcy. The closures include university-linked hospitals, such as the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Susquehanna Sunbury hospital, as well as facilities owned by large health systems, such as the Mayo Clinic Health Systems hospital in Springfield, Minnesota. Notably, a number of the now-closed hospitals were already considering closing, even before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Mayo announced plans to close its Springfield hospital in early December. Back then, regional vice president Dr. James Hebl said that the facility faced staffing challenges on top of dwindling patient volumes. Others had their financial troubles greatly amplified by the pandemic, leading to their closures. The Williamson Hospital in West Virginia is one example: While the hospital had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last October, it had been able to continue to operate on thin margins for months. The pandemic, however, caused the 76-bed hospitals patient volume to decline as people opted to stay home for fear of getting infected. More trouble to come The 42 hospitals may not be the only ones to close within the next few months. According to Moodys Investors Service, the sharp declines in revenue and cash flow caused by the suspension of elective procedures due to the pandemic could cause more hospitals to default on their credit agreements this year, compared to 2019. The closures come at a time when many healthcare systems around the country are facing challenges from mounting COVID-19 cases. In Texass Harris County, officials are warning that they could run out of intensive-care beds in two weeks. In addition, officials also estimate that theyll run out of surge beds in 38 days. Texas Childrens Hospital, located in the countys largest city of Houston, started admitting adult patients, as other facilities, including the Texas Medical Center the countrys largest medical facility run out of beds. (Related: Texas sees record coronavirus hospitalizations after early reopening.) Learn more about the coronavirus and its effects on healthcare by following Pandemic.news. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com BeckersHospitalReview.com 1 BeckersHospitalReview.com 2 Armenian health minister Arsen Torosyan said that 1,400 medical workers tested positive for COVID-19. In an interview with Public Television of Armenia, he noted that if 700 COVID-19 cases are recorded daily, then the health system will endure. As of 11am Saturday, 662 new cases of coronavirus have been registered in Armenia; this was reported by the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 23,909 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed as of Saturday morning. The total number of tests conducted so far is 107,108and 2,062 of them were performed in the past one day. Also, 10,445 peoplea drop by 112 in the past one dayare currently being treated. According to the latest data, 12,911 peoplewith 762 in the last dayhave recovered thus far. In total, 421 patientsan increase by 11 in the past dayhave died thus far. And two other deaths were reported the previous day when the patients were diagnosed with the coronavirus but died of other illnesses. The total number of such cases is 133 now. Robertson Hall, which houses the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, is in the background on June 27, 2020, with the statue Double Sights by Walter Hood in the foreground. The interior of the sculpture features images and quotes by his critics and the exterior quotes by Wilson. Ida Wells is shown. Princeton has announced it will remove Woodrow Wilson's name from its public affairs school and one of its residential colleges due to the former president's racist legacy. This follows years of student protests demanding it; the school previously has declined to remove his name. Read more Princeton University on Saturday announced it would strip the name of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson from its school of public and international affairs and one of its residential colleges, following letters and calls from students and alumni. We have taken this extraordinary step because we believe that Wilsons racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school whose scholars, students, and alumni must be firmly committed to combatting the scourge of racism in all its forms, the universitys board of trustees said in a statement following a vote on Friday. A historic turning point, the decision follows years of controversy and protests by students at New Jerseys Ivy League university, who decried Wilsons place on campus, given his racist views and policies, including keeping Black students from enrolling at Princeton when he headed it. Students renewed their calls in recent weeks for Wilsons name to be removed in the aftermath of George Floyds killing at the hands of Minneapolis police last month. A letter was signed by more than half of current students in the public affairs school and about three-quarters of its Class of 2020, according to the Princetonian, the student newspaper. A petition by graduate students and alumni followed. We condemn this Schools complicity in this countrys violent history of white supremacy through its perpetuation of the legacy and iconography of Woodrow Wilson, students wrote. READ MORE: Princetons first black valedictorian draws praise from high places The decision also comes less than a year after Princeton unveiled a 39-foot-tall sculpture, Double Sights, with quotes highlighting the positive and negative aspects of Wilsons legacy. That project grew out of a 2016 trustees committee decision, which also included keeping Wilsons name on the school and the college. In recent years, colleges across the country have been called upon to recognize and account for their racist pasts and those calls have been renewed in recent weeks. Monmouth University, also in New Jersey, earlier this month announced it would remove Wilsons name from a prominent campus building. The School District of Philadelphia also carries the former presidents name on a middle school; a spokesperson didnt immediately respond to a question about whether it would be retained. Princeton president Christopher Eisgruber said the university will continue to recognize the positives that Wilson brought to Princeton, converting it from a sleepy college into a great research university, while also noting his failures. Princeton honored Wilson not because of, but without regard to or perhaps even in ignorance of, his racism, Eisgruber said in a statement. That, however, is ultimately the problem. Princeton is part of an America that has too often disregarded, ignored, or excused racism, allowing the persistence of systems that discriminate against Black people. Wilson, a Nobel Prize winner who has been ranked among the nations greatest leaders, led Princeton from 1902 to 1910 before going on to the U.S. presidency, where he led the nation through World War I and created the League of Nations aimed at maintaining world peace. But he also supported the resegregation of federal civil service and espoused racist views. Princetons trustees named the public affairs school after him in 1948 and later its residential college. Over the last decade, concerns have mounted. In 2014, anger flared across the campus as at other colleges over the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black 18-year-old in Ferguson, Mo., and the grand jury decision not to indict the white officer who shot him. Students in 2015 staged a sit-in at the presidents office, posted Wilsons racist quotes around campus, and projected onto Robertson Hall home to the Wilson school The Birth of a Nation, the 1915 film that portrayed the Ku Klux Klan as heroic and one Wilson had screened at the White House. Princeton agreed to study Wilsons history and place at the university, given the concerns and anger expressed. But in April 2016, a 10-member trustees committee decided against removing his name from both the public affairs school and the college, while committing to work on diversity and inclusion issues, and more fully educate people about Wilsons legacy. READ MORE: https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/20160405_Princeton_retains_Woodrow_Wilson_namesakes.html The committee said Princeton must be honest and forthcoming about its history and open in recognizing Wilsons failings and shortcomings as well as the visions and achievements that led to the naming of the school and the college in the first place. Over the last several years, Princeton, one of the nations oldest and elite universities, has taken other steps to embrace and reconcile its complicated past, including naming spaces on campus for enslaved people who were prominent in the universitys history. READ MORE: Princetons complicated legacy: Reconsidering Woodrow Wilson, and recalling a slave named Jimmy Johnson The university also commissioned campus portraits of eight distinguished and diverse faculty and alumni; that is after naming a building for the writer and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison and a lecture hall in its public and international affairs school for Sir Arthur Lewis, the Black economist, professor, and Nobel Prize winner. The school also installed multicultural artwork in public spaces and created online historical tours featuring African Americans and women important to the schools history. But students in recent weeks have said that efforts have fallen far short. They have called on Princetons now former Woodrow Wilson school to do much more, including pursuing reparations, hiring more Black faculty, providing antiracist training for faculty, and featuring antiracism prominently in its curriculum. The removal of Woodrow Wilsons name from Princetons School of Public and International Affairs has come after five years of hostility and delay, including harassment and threat of expulsion of Black student activists. While the University would like to count their action today as a win, it is not theirs to claim, student organizers said in a statement issued Saturday. ... We call on the University to match symbolism with meaningful action and address the systemic anti-Black racism that exists at this institution. Going forward, the public affairs school will be known as the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and the residential college as First College, the school said. The university will retain Wilsons name on an alumni undergraduate prize that was created as a result of a gift. The Double Sights installation also will remain, the school said. Students in their letter this month said the installation falls profoundly short in addressing Wilsons legacy. A university spokesperson said: The installation is meant to tell a fuller story about the complex legacy of Wilson, with his own words contrasted with strong critiques by his contemporaries on issues of racism, sexism, and discrimination at home and abroad. By PTI KOLKATA: Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Friday asked the government to prepare to hit back at China and recapture the territory lost in the Galwan valley instead of targeting the main opposition party to hide its own "strategic blunders". He claimed China was taking advantage of the Modi government's "indecision" over retaliation. Chowdhury also dared the BJP leadership to substantiate its charge that the Congress party had ever compromised national security, and said he will resign as MP if the allegations are proved. "The BJP, to hide its own failures, its own Himalayan strategic blunders, is targeting the Congress. The BJP leadership has complete disregard for history, or else they would have never said that Congress compromised national security. "It was the Congress led by Indira Gandhi which snatched away Siachen in 1984 by conducting operation Meghdoot, it was Congress which broke Pakistan and created Bangladesh in 1971," Chowdhury said in a video message. Demanding that the BJP leadership, including Defence minister Rajnath Singh, furnish proof that the Congress had compromised national security, Chowdhury said," I challenge them to prove it. If the allegations can be established, I will resign as an MP." In the midst of the ongoing war of words over the Sino-India standoff in eastern Ladakh, BJP chief J P Nadda had on Thursday alleged that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) had accepted $ 300,000 from China and the Chinese embassy in 2005 -06 for conducting studies that were not in national interest. The Congress, however, dismissed the allegation as an attempt to divert the attention of the country from issues of national security. The BJP has also alleged that the previous Congress governments signed pacts with China in utter disregard for national security. Criticising the Modi government for alleged lack of political will to take on China and recover the lost territory, Chowdhury said, do or die should be the national mantra and only counter violence can teach China a much-needed lesson. "Do or Die is our National Mantra. In a changed situation, it needs to be accompanied by counter-violence, we have to prove that China is an international rogue and never ever be invincible," Chowdhury said in a tweet. "The situation across Indo-China boundary is grim, our options are being tapered off. China took the opportunity of India's indecision, Hit back China, Hit Hit Hit back the Dragon who wants India to be dragooned into submission," he said in another tweet. Twenty Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on the night of June 15 in the biggest military confrontation between the two countries in over five decades. The Haryana government has issued a high alert after a swarm of locusts entered Rewari and Gurgaon districts, with officials on Saturday asserting that all necessary measures have been taken, including deploying tractor-mounted spraying facilities. Swarms of locusts from Rajasthan after passing through Mahendragarh district of Haryana settled in various villages of Jatusana and Khol blocks in Rewari district on Friday evening. On Saturday, they went towards Jhajjar and entered Gurgaon district with insects covering the skyline in some parts of the millennium city. Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurgaon shared videos from their high-rise perches. At many places in Gurgaon, residents kept their windows closed to prevent the insects from entering homes. Also read: Delhi govt calls emergency meeting after locust swarms seen in Gurugram It was a huge swarm of 5 km in length and 2 km in width which passed through Mahendragarh and settled down in Rewari. In the night, this swarm was near Jatusana block, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Sanjeev Kaushal told PTI. Heavy insecticide spray was done during the night and early morning. About 35 per cent of the swarm was destroyed, but the rest which was still uge in number took off from there and crossed Jhajjar district and then got on to Gurgaon, he said. Kaushal said that according to the inputs he had received from the central government, it is likely that from the wind velocity and direction, it (locust swarm) will cross Palwal district and may then head towards Uttar Pradesh. About the measures taken by the Haryana government, he said, We are fully on alert, our districts have been alerted. We have sufficient quantities of insecticides stored there. We have tractor-mounted spray guns and these were deployed wherever necessary. Officials said when locusts entered Rewari district, they settled on trees and standing crops like cotton and bajra, which had been recently planted. Any damage caused was being assessed, they said. To take stock of the situation, state Agriculture Minister J P Dalal visited Rewari and enquired from villagers and officials about the damage caused by locusts. Talking to reporters in Rewari, Dalal said Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Rewari districts had been put on alert on Friday itself. About Rewari district, he said 15 fire tenders, besides several tractor-mounted spray facilities were pressed into service during a night-long operation, which was carried out and personally monitored by Deputy Commissioner Yashendra Singh. Dalal said even experts from the central government who visited Rewari to take stock of the situation had appreciated the timely measures taken by the district administration. Replying to a question, he said that while the locusts are air-borne there was not much that could be done and measures are taken only after they have settled down on trees and in fields. In many villages where locusts were spotted, the farmers beat thalis (plates) and other utensils in a bid to ward off the insects away while local administration deployed tractor-mounted spray facilities. Officials from the agriculture and other departments were keeping a close watch while supervision teams had been formed to tackle the situation. Village-level WhatsApp groups too had been formed to keep the farmers informed, the officials said. A month ago too Haryana had issued a high alert after locust swarms had attacked crops in neighbouring Rajasthan and a few other states, but luckily the insects had moved away from the state. Earlier in January, locusts were spotted in some villages in Punjabs Fazilka and Muktsar districts but were effectively contained then. Locusts, popularly known as tiddi dal, are short-horned grasshoppers with highly migratory habits and voracious feeding behaviour. A British expat has admitted destroying any likely DNA evidence linked to the squalid Algarve home lived in by Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner. Ruth Maclean lived next door to 'monster' Brueckner, 43, in the hamlet of Sitio de Lakes, near Praia de Luz, for years. Brueckner was recently identified as a prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine, who vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2007. Maclean said that in May 2006 she and her daughter entered the filthy home where he lived - a year before Madeleine vanished - after it was burgled. Speaking for the first time in a documentary aired on Portuguese television, Maclean revealed that she and her daughter cleared out the contents of the property at the request of the homeowner - unwittingly destroying any likely DNA in the process. Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner (pictured) may not face charges for the three-year-old's disappearance, German prosecutors said this week 'We went there to clean the house out because it had been burgled,' Ruth said. 'It was empty for some time, I believe, and it was in a really terrible state with food in the fridges, rats, it was not pleasant, not pleasant at all. We just emptied the house. 'There was a massive mess, several computers all turned over, on the floor, dirty clothing, blankets, everything just had to be ditched. 'We just cleared it up, emptied the fridge, the kitchen, cleaned all the surfaces.' Maclean believes Brueckner first moved to the seaside resort in either 1994 or 1995. Brueckner was recently identified as a prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine, who vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2007 She told the Portuguese documentary crew: 'We didn't have interaction really and you wouldn't suppose you lived next door to a monster.' Her daughter Rosie, 29, added: 'I remember he used to make me feel uncomfortable, I had a bad feeling about him, maybe I had a good sixth sense.' She continued: 'I remember his Jaguar and I remember vans, loads of cars, it looked like a scrapyard.' But after seeing him every day for years, Brueckner one day disappeared. 'We just did not know if Christian was alive or dead and so we decided to go and report him as a missing person. 'We went to the GNR (police) station in Lagos, we made a report there', Maclean said. Little to their knowledge, Brueckner was in fact in serving an eight-month prison sentence at the time with Michael Tatschl for petrol theft. Tatschl told the Olive Press newspaper this week Brueckner had made a series of sickening videos, including one of him raping an elderly woman. Despite being newly named as a suspect in Madeleine's disappearance, Maclean claims police have yet to search the villa where Brueckner stayed, nor the nearby area. 'There were no searches in our area, maybe closer to the cliffs, closer to Luz, but not in Sitio das Lajes,' said Rosie. . This was backed up by Tatschl, who said he had 'hundreds of passports' kept in hiding places in the house near Luz, as well as cameras, mobile phones, computers and watches. Locals are now asking for police to search the house he lived in near Luz. 'I have never seen activity around here, only reporters, never police, no excavations, drones, yes, but no police, no searches,' Ruth said. Documentary maker Sandra Felgueira said Portuguese police are finally accepting that the investigation was bungled. German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters claimed authorities had 'concrete evidence' that then three-year-old Madeleine was killed, and insisted earlier this month he had shared this information with Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann in a letter Mr Tatschl (pictured) has previously said he was grilled for two days about Brueckner last year by police investigating Madeleine's disappearance 'Basically Amaral, who led the Maddie investigation, was incompetent. He was the wrong man, in the wrong job at the wrong time. 'He just didn't have the skills to do the job.' She believes he became fixated on finding Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry guilty and ignored many other clues. 'The police were simply not aware of his profile. They did not look at him as the monster he is. They failed to join the dots,' she slammed. German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters claimed authorities had 'concrete evidence' that then three-year-old Madeleine was killed, and insisted earlier this month he had shared this information with Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann in a letter. Despite this, Mr Wolters confessed 'the investigation may not lead to a charge for the murder of Madeleine McCann,' as it 'could be stopped if we fail to find the missing evidence.' Brueckner is currently serving a 21-month sentence in Kiel, Germany for drugs offences, and it was reported on Monday he could be out of prison on parole by next week. Felgueira, who also appeared in the popular Netflix documentary on Madeleine's disappearance, has also been probing potential links to drug trafficking and the possibility of a paedophile ring operating in the Algarve. It comes after Brueckner was traced to a house in Foral, a sleepy inland village some 50 minutes from Praia da Luz, in the months after Madeleine vanished. Mr Wolters confessed 'the investigation may not lead to a charge for the murder of Madeleine McCann,' as it 'could be stopped if we fail to find the missing evidence' He was staying with and visiting a German woman named Nicole Feringer, who alarmingly was running a rehabilitation programme for troubled teenagers from Germany. Locals say around the time Brueckner showed up, one teen ran away before being dragged back and discovered as pregnant. Felgueira has not been able to confirm anywhere that Nicole had a licence to work with children, nor that she even had any training as a therapist. Another line of enquiry by Felgueira is whether or not the infamous case of Joana Cipriano case is linked to Madeleine's disappearance. The Portuguese eight-year-old disappeared in September 2004 from Figueira, an Algarve around seven miles from Praia da Luz. But the investigation, run by disgraced officer Goncalo Amaral, rushed to blame the child's vulnerable mother and uncle. After a gruelling 48-hour interrogation, the pair confessed, before Joana's mother withdrew her confession a day later. Covered in bruises, including a black eye, she said police beat a confession out of her. Officers maintained she threw herself down the stairs in the police station in an attempt to take her own life. Five officers would later be charged for the assault, with two later convicted. The police filmed a recreational video in which the uncle claimed he fed the body of the girl to some pigs and that she had been chopped up and put in a freezer - however an identically-sized and chopped up figure of the girl did not fit inside the said freezer, casting doubt on the confession. Felgueira now concludes that she is 'very hopeful' of solving the case in the next few months. 'I'm pretty sure we have all the clues to do that,' she added. Last night German prosector Wolters told the documentary that he would like to 'investigate more in Portugal' and he 'continues to believe' he can solve the case by focusing on Brueckner. A person residing in J&K for, at least, fifteen years is eligible to be a domicile of the Union Territory. SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmirs two major regional mainstream parties Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) and separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference on Friday termed the issuance of domicile certificates to non-locals as the first major step towards changing the demography of the Muslim-majority region what they alleged planned by the government at the behest of the RSS. The strongly worded statements from these parties warning the Centre and the local administration of the grave consequences of the ill-advised, arbitrary and dishonest move came after reports that an IAS officer from Bihar is among a large number of non-permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir who have been issued domicile certificates under the new domicile law introduced in April this year. According to these reports, Navin Kumar Choudhary, a senior Jammu and Kashmir cadre IAS officer from Bihar, was issued domicile certificate by the Tehsildar of Jammus Bahu revenue division, Rohit Sharma, recently on the basis of his serving in the Union Territory for a period of over ten years. This is to certify, Shri Navin K Choudhary son of Shri Deokant Choudhary resident of at present Gandhi Nagar Jammu is a domicile of UT of J&K, reads the document. It further says, That the applicant is eligible in terms of the following clause of Rule 5 of the Jammu and Kashmir Grant Domicile Certificate (Production) Rules, 2020. The new domicile law replaced the 93-year-old 'state subject law' which barred non-permanent residents from owning land and immovable property in the erstwhile state. The reports say that after the introduction of the new law, as many as 25,000 people, many of them non-locals, have been issued domicile certificates. The document allows a non-local to get a residency certificate for education, employment and buying land in Jammu and Kashmir split up into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh after the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution which guaranteed a special status to the state within the Indian Union on August 5 last year. Choudhary is the first IAS officer who has been granted the domicile certificate to be the resident of Jammu and Kashmir. The PDP alleged that the Central government is out to change J&Ks Muslim majority character, target its unique identity and facilitate loot of its resources. The PDP has voiced its stern opposition to the domicile rules before. It reiterates that through such underhand means, the Government of India intends demographic flooding in J&K while plundering people of their identity and constitutional guarantees, it said. It added that the objective of population replacement is to change the Muslim majority character of the State at a time when everything in the country is viewed through the prism of religion. As the agenda unfolds it becomes clear that along with the intended demographic change, the target is also the jobs, natural resources, cultural identity and everything that the people of Kashmir had tried to save by acceding to India with firm constitutional guarantees. A party spokesman added, The special status of J&K was a matter of life and death for its people and no one had the authority to challenge the very identity of people of the state in any court across the world. The scrapping of Article 370 was a constitutional fraud which disregarded even larger national interest for the communal agenda of the ruling party, as is now becoming evident by events in and around J&K and Ladakh. He urged the Centre to recognize the fallacy of its actions in J&K and reverses its communally driven agenda and see the pain that it has caused to people of the erstwhile state as it threatens to hurtle the entire region into an era of unending instability. The National Conference chief spokesperson Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said the party unequivocally rejected the unconstitutional and anti people process of granting domicile certificates to outsiders and demanded immediate revocation of Domicile Order and Rules. He said, All the misgivings raised after the domicile laws were changed in J&K are coming to fore with J&K governments issuance of domicile certificates to non residents of J&K. He added that the first casualty of this process will be jobs and the land holdings which were earlier reserved for the permanent residents of the erstwhile state, irrespective of their religion or region. Ruhullah asserted that the measure is aimed at disempowering the permanent residents politically and economically. Domicile Order and Rules will never be acceptable at any point of time because the measures are aimed at disempowering the people of J&K. Its implementation will push people with valid state subject certificates to uncertainty and unnecessary hardship, he said. He pointed out that the procedure for grant of domicile certificate is made in exercise of power under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019, which has been challenged in a number of petitions in the Supreme Court. The Hurriyat Conference faction led by chief Muslim cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that while initiating the implementation of a demographic change in Jammu and Kashmir, the government is simultaneously exploiting its natural wealth and resources and rendering local people jobless, taking advantage of the situation as people are struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effects on their daily lives and livelihood. What does the new domicile law say? A person residing in J&K for, at least, fifteen years is eligible to be a domicile of the Union Territory. [Ladakh, now a separate UT, does not come under the new law] Section 3A of the J&K Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) Order 2020, under the J&K civil services (decentralisation and recruitment) Act, introduced to define domicile also says that a person who has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in class 10th/12th examination in an educational institution located in J&K is also entitled to be a domicile of the UT. The definition expands to include children of those Central government officials, all India services officers, officials of PSUs and autonomous body of Central government, public sector banks, officials of statutory bodies, officials of central universities and recognised research institutes of central government who have served in J&K for a total period of ten years or children on parents who fulfill any of the conditions in sections. Additionally, persons registered as migrants by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants) in the UT are also included in the definition. Children of such residents of J&K as reside outside UT of J&K in connection with their employment or business or other professional or vocational reasons too are among the beneficiaries. The new law authorises the Tehsildar as competent authority for issuing the domicile certificate, as opposed to deputy commissioner or any officer specially notified by the government in the erstwhile state by way of a gazette notification in the form of a SRO. New Delhi, June 27 : Celebrated British actor Michael Caine will host six-part series which tells the stories of remarkable heists and extraordinary robberies from around the world - as remembered by the masterminds, detectives, victims, journalists and witnesses that lived through them. "Heist With Michael Caine" will be available on Audible, as part of a new Audible Original Podcast and will be available to download exclusively at www.audible.in from July 7. From the largest bank burglary in American history, to the world's most audacious book heist, Heist With Michael Caine travels to America, Australia, Stockholm, Antwerp and everywhere in-between to tell true stories that have inspired some of Hollywood's most-famous heist films. Episode 1: Underneath Diamond Town - One of the biggest diamond robberies in history, a massive haul of diamonds and jewels from an "impregnable" vault in the world's diamond capital - Antwerp, Belgium. How did they get in - and out - without raising any alarm, and what was the almost impossibly lucky break that led the diamond detectives to crack the case? Episode 2: The Transylvania Book Heist - A rare book heist at Transylvania University, Kentucky. We hear from the victim, the detective, and one of the robbers - a student who got in too deep. Episode 3: You Gotta Have Balls - The United California Bank of 1972 was the largest bank burglary in American history. A classic game of cat-and-mouse between the mastermind who planned it all and the FBI agents who want to put him away. Episode 4: All The Money In Stockholm - In 2009, a gang of criminals steal a helicopter and make a dramatic landing on the roof of cash depository in Stockholm. This daring Hollywood-style heist is the most audacious smash-and-grab robbery in Swedish history. Episode 5: The Multimillion-Dollar Fax - How a gang of thieves stole $150 million from an Australian government fund without ever stepping foot inside a bank. Episode 6: Heist - The Inside Story - Series creator Alexis Conran joins Michael to take us on a journey through some of the social and security implications that the stories in this series have thrown up. Sir Michael Caine (CBE) has been Oscar-nominated six times, winning his first Academy Award for the 1986 film Hannah And Her Sisters and his second in 1999 for The Cider House Rules. He has starred in over one hundred films, becoming well-known for several critically acclaimed performances including his first major film role in Zulu in 1964, followed by films including The Ipcress Files, Get Carter, Alfie, The Italian Job, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Educating Rita and more recently The Dark Knight, Is Anybody There? and Harry Brown, and Miss Congeniality 1. He was appointed a CBE in 1992 and knighted in 2000 in recognition of his contribution to cinema. On the association, Caine said: "Throughout my career I've been lucky enough to be involved in some of cinema's most famous heists, but the true stories in this series are utterly astounding. They really do mean it when they say fact is stranger than fiction - the ingenuity of the perpetrators, and the determination of those working to bring them to justice, is a marvel to listen to. To amend a much loved phrase, this podcast'll blow your bloody socks off." Aurelie De Troyer, Senior Vice President of International English Content at Audible, said: "It's been an honour to work with Sir Michael on this series, as he tells the true stories of stranger-than-fiction crimes which even Hollywood's best screenwriters couldn't dream up. The UK entered lockdown mid-way through production, but despite that challenge Sir Michael powered through. Working remotely with our team of producers and sound engineers to build a custom home set-up, he continued to record safely and diligently - and for that we are enormously grateful. This Audible Original podcast shines a light on some of the most daring and industrious heists in recent history - it's a stunning, gripping listen." Heist With Michael Caine joins a host of gripping, critically acclaimed true-crime podcasts on Audible. Other highlights include West Cork (The Times - "Is West Cork the new Serial? No, this murder mystery is far better"); The Last Days Of August (The Guardian: "Illuminating and sensitively handled") and The Making Of A Massacre (New Yorker: "Connects us more intimately and urgently to an unimaginable situation") amongst others. (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) Jammu: In Jammu, the Hindu dominated province of the only Muslim majority state of the country, the celebration of Vijay Dashmi is not complete without one Muslim family. As the effigies of demon kings Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath are consigned to flames this evening, a Muslim family from Uttar Pradesh would cherish its fruit of labour going up in flames. For the past 35 years, a Muslim family from Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh has been preparing the effigies of the demon kings to be used on the occasion of Vijay Dashmi. When the effigies that we make are consigned to flames, we feel a sense of reward as we make these effigies of the demon kings for being burnt on Vijay Dashmi, Mohammad Gayasuddin, who heads the team of 40 artists, said. We are the only people who love to see their product being consigned to flames, he said. He said the festival of Vijay Dashmi, which symbolises the victory of good over evil, is also an example of communal harmony and brotherhood in the country. People know that I am a Muslim and they welcome me with open arms as they love my art. The festival of Dussehra is a symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood in the country, he said. The effigies made by us are used at several Dussehra grounds across Jammu region. People from as far as Rajouri, Poonch, Doda and Kishtwar order these effigies, he said. Gayasuddin, who along with his entire family and a group of 40 artists arrive in Jammu a month in advance to make these effigies, say he is overwhelmed with the love and affection showered on him by the people of Jammu region. Various Dussehra committees in Jammu region wait for the arrival of Gayasuddin and his team so that they can place their orders for the effigies of demon kings. We have been celebrating Dussehra in our locality for the past 15 years and for the effigies are made by Gayasyddin and his team, we love his work, Vikram Mehra chairman of the Digiana Dussehra committee said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington, June 27 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that Washington was imposing visa restrictions on Chinese Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for the national security law for Hong Kong, the media reported. On Friday, Pompeo said the sanctions targeted "current and former" party officials, reports the BBC. China has proposed the security legislation that would make it a crime to undermine Beijing's authority in Hong Kong, and could also see China installing its own security agencies in the territory for the first time. Pompeo's statement on Friday, which did not name the Chinese officials affected by the US visa restrictions, followed a recent vote by the US Senate to impose sanctions on individuals who undermine Hong Kong's autonomy and the banks that do business with them. Responding to the move, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said on Saturday that it "firmly opposes the US side's wrongful decisions". In a statement posted on Twitter, the Embassy added: "We urge the US side to immediately correct its mistakes, withdraw the decision and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs." Last month, President Donald Trump had also said that he would start to end preferential treatment for Hong Kong in trade and travel, in response to China's plans, the BBC reported. He said Beijing was replacing "its promised formula of One Country, Two Systems with One Country, One System". Leaning on the aft deck of the Ocean Viking, the humanitarian ship that picked them up in the Mediterranean on Thursday, a group of Pakistanis look back to watch the Libyan coast receding behind them. And with it, the nightmare of torture, ill-treatment and kidnappings that they have witnessed or suffered. "For them, we are not human beings," said Imran, one of 31 Pakistanis in the group of 51 migrants whose wooden boat was rescued on Thursday off the Italian island of Lampedusa, during an operation by the SOS Mediterranean ambulance boat. "All the Pakistanis here (on the boat) were captive during their passage in Libya," said the 30-year-old bricklayer who left the north African country after a year trapped there. "We were all kidnapped. We came to work, but all we found was war, torture and extortion. "For blacks, it's almost the same as for us but with the Bangladeshis, the Pakistanis, they are the ones who suffer the most." Like Imran, who passed through Dubai before coming to work in construction near Tripoli, all of them told stories of the beatings and kidnappings. For him, it was "from the airport". "I was sold to someone who locked me up," he said. "There were 35, 40 of us crammed into a room, we were not allowed to go out. "Then he sold me to someone else who also locked me up. It was like that all the time. I was a slave." "They give you just enough to eat so you stay alive, not one more bite," said Naeem, 35, who managed to "escape" but made the "mistake" of going to the police. "The police took me back to the kidnappers," he said. "It was worse. There was not a single person who helped us in Libya. I did not find a single good person in the whole country." Mohammad Arshad, dressed in a blue traditional shalwar kameez recounted how he spent two years in the port city of Khoms and explained the mechanics of the ransom note. "They come in groups," he said. "They can catch you anywhere, at work, in the street. They blindfold you. They hit you and call your parents, saying 'If you don't pay, he'll die'." His father had to find $10,000, a fortune in Pakistan, by going into debt with relatives. - 'Better to drown' - "And if we don't manage to collect the money, we are hit with the butt of a rifle," added an emotionless Arslan Ahmid whose beard escapes as a long thread from under his protective mask. "There are also electric shocks. Or else we will be starved, for days, and if we want to drink, it is water from the toilets. "The tortures, the sufferings which I lived, I cannot put words on it," said the 24-year-old. Leaving Libya in these numbers is unusual for Pakistani nationals. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Pakistanis don't even figure in the top 10 in terms of numbers attempting the crossing, the list dominated by the Sudanese, followed by Bangladeshis. Arslan Ahmid had been in Libya for only seven or eight months when he decided to risk his life by taking the boat from Zouara. "Here in the Mediterranean, we can die once. In Libya, we die every day," he said in a low voice, after a long silence. They preferred to pay $2,000 "maximum" to buy a ticket out of the country, they said. "We took the boat knowingly. But death, we have already seen it very closely," said Naeem. "The sea is dangerous, but it is better to drown than to stay in Libya." For Naeem, their rescue by Ocean Viking is offering them "a second life" in Europe. "This is the happiest day of my life," said 40-year-old Mudassar Ghalib. They all ask for confirmation that the boat will not bring them back to Libya. Reassured, they begin to dream of where this "second life" might play out. In Malta? In Italy or in France? "In fact, it doesn't matter," said Imran. "I am sure that in Europe, no one will torture us." LINCOLN As Nebraskans look forward to public programming becoming increasingly available, Humanities Nebraska has recognized the continuing value of virtual programming during times of social distancing by opening its Speakers Bureau to livestreaming opportunities for the first time in its 47-year history. Dozens of programs at libraries, assisted living facilities and schools across the state had to be canceled or postponed since directed health measures were enacted to reduce the spread of COVID-19, said Mary Yager, Humanities Nebraska associate director. Meanwhile, entertaining and educational online content became a lifeline to many Nebraskans. To make a variety of humanities-themed content available during the pandemic, the group now allows organizations to pay a reduced processing fee of $25 to book a speaker for a virtual program through Facebook Live, Zoom or a similar online platform. If the organization agrees to publicly post the recorded program via a platform such as YouTube, HN will waive the processing fee. The hosting organization and the speaker will work together on the details of the program as they do with a typical in-person program. Army jawan Sachin More, who died while trying to save his colleagues who had fallen into a river along the India-China border in the Galwan valley, was on Saturday cremated in Maharashtra's Nashik district with full military honours. Hundreds of people participated in the funeral of the jawan at his native village Sakori Zap in Malegaon taluka. Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Satej Patil had informed that More had died while trying to save his two colleagues who had fallen into a river. They were posted in the Galwan valley, the site of a fierce clash between soldiers of India and China on June 15, he had said. District guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal, agriculture minister Dada Bhuse and local MPs paid their tributes to More. Two majors, a junior commissioned officer and 20 jawans from the armed forces saluted the martyr and offered a wreath. Hundreds of people from Sakori Zap and nearby villages raised slogans like "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", "Vande Mataram" and "Shaheed Sachin More Amar Rahe" on the occasion. People wore masks and face-covers during the funeral. The Malawi Human Right Commission, one of the observers, has said the election was peaceful and transparent. Malawis president on Saturday called the historic rerun of the presidential election the worst in Malawis history but urged the country to move on peacefully as it awaits official results of a vote the opposition is poised to win. Meanwhile, members of the Presidential Guard went to provide security for opposition candidate Lazarus Chakwera, who led in the results. President Peter Mutharika in his first public comments since Tuesdays vote asserted that his partys election monitors had been beaten and intimidated into staying away from their work. Strangely, the Malawi Electoral Commission has dismissed our complaints because our monitors were not there to report irregularities, he told reporters. The Malawi Human Right Commission, one of the observers, has said the election was peaceful and transparent. A court overturned the original election last year won by Mutharika, citing widespread irregularities including the use of correction fluid on ballots. It was just the second time in Africa that a court has overturned a presidential election, following a ruling on Kenyas vote in 2017. Party calls for annulment Unofficial tallies compiled by public broadcaster MBC gave opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera a dominant 60-percent lead, with the incumbent Mutharika trailing with 39 percent. Mutharikas comments came after his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administrative secretary Francis Mphepo said in a statement: We wish to highlight several incidents that may potentially affect the integrity and credibility of the presidential election results. The party listed polling stations from which their monitors were allegedly excluded and said more than 1.5 million votes were marred by violence and intimidation. There is no doubt that these irregularities and malpractices will substantially affect the results in one way or another, Mphepo continued. We therefore seek a declaration that the presidential election has been inconclusive. There was no immediate reaction from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC). Mutharika, in power since 2014, won 38.5 percent of last years discredited vote in which Chakwera garnered 35.4 percent. In February, Malawis top court found the election was marred by widespread irregularities, including the use of correction fluid to tamper with result sheets. The landmark ruling made Malawi just the second country south of the Sahara to have presidential poll results set aside, after Kenya in 2017. Victory in the rerun will be determined by whoever garners more than 50 percent of the votes a new threshold set by the court. Some 6.8 million people were asked to vote between Mutharika, Chakwera and an underdog candidate, Peter Dominico Kuwani. The MEC has until July 3 to reveal the results but they were expected to be announced late on Saturday or early on Sunday. We have had a very credible election compared to the 2019 presidential election, Malawian human rights activist Luke Tembo told AFP news agency. The fact that people came out in large numbers to vote has to be taken as a very strong message, moving forward, that Malawians will never allow their vote to be stolen. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 26, 2020 | 04:46 PM | FRANKFORT There were 256 new cases of the virus across the Commonwealth. A total of 383,636 Kentuckians have been tested, with 14,859 testing positive. Beshear announced seven new deaths as of Friday, bringing the total number of deaths to 553. At least of 3,730 Kentuckians have recovered, although not as many hospitals report recoveries. Kentuckians have what it takes to move into a new normal, said Gov. Beshear. It will be tough, but we can do it. Just remember: hands, face and space. Wash your hands, wear a mask on your face and stay six feet apart from other people. On Thursday, Beshear announced that beginning Monday the state will allow visitations at some assisted living and care facilities. Under the new guidelines, group activities of 10 or fewer will be allowed, communal dining can resume, and off-site appointments can pick back up. During Governor Andy Beshear's Friday update, he announced the latest COVID-19 numbers from across the state. (Photo : courtesy) An LLC is a Limited Liability Company and it can protect your business assets. In order to be able to apply for an LLC, you have to have a company that is a mixed partnership, along with a traditional corporation. You can be the sole member of an LLC, or you can have additional members; there is no limit. When getting an LLC, there are 5 steps that you need to consider first. One of those steps is getting a registered agent. You can hire a registered agent from a different state, for example if you are based in Illinois, you can hire a California registered agent. One way is to get a California registered agent who is given the responsibility to look into your legal paperwork and tax documents for your LLC. It is the same in every state and they need to be a resident of the state or company that is meant to legally represent your company. When you hire a registered based agent, you can actually save money and time in many ways, for they take on the heavy load for you and take care of you and your business in every way that they can. However, if you don't want to hire an agent you can always register as yourself. There are things that you need to consider first, such as being 18 and over, and having a physical address for where you are working and working normal government hours of 9-5pm. A registered agent also handles lawsuits, which means that you would need to be served in front of your family and friends if your company gets sued. So how do California registered agents help? Well, to start with, if your company is sued, the California registered agents are meant to accept the service of process sent by the court. How they do this is by scanning and uploading it onto the client portal, thus giving you an immediate notification and giving you time to give a response to the lawsuit. They can protect your reputation It is the responsibility of a California registered agent to go through the legal documents, tax paperwork and handle the lawsuits. This then protects your reputation as a company by saving you from being served in front of your family and friends, as well as your business assets. They can give you a good filing system As an LLC company owner, it is necessary for you to file an annual report that you need to provide to your federal state and local government state. When you have a california registered agent, they can save you the time and trouble and do it for you. They are responsible for handling all of your legal paperwork, which can include the annual filing or you can use an easy online system that they provide, in order for you to fill them out yourself. You don't need to be living in California In some states it is required for you to provide an address for your LLC, where you are applying for. However, if you do hire a California based agent, they can provide the business address for you, which grants you the opportunity to be able to set up an LLC right away. It will also be private, which is another beneficial factor for hiring a California registered agent. It's all about expansion Another benefit about hiring a California registered agent is that you can expand your business in different states, since they will automatically do all of the paperwork for you and expand your services for you. What else do I need to consider? When you do hire a California registered agent, it can be a bit more expensive in comparison to other agents from other states. You need to calculate all of your costs first before you commit to hiring an agent. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 14:34 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406621b3f6 4 National John-Kei,Jakarta-police,Bogor-Police,Law-and-Human-Rights-Ministry,correction,parole,thuggery Free The Bogor Correctional Board (Bapas) has rescinded the parole granted to John Refra Kei aka John Kei following his recent arrest for alleged involvement in violent attacks and premeditated murder. The board, that had supervised John during his parole, had coordinated with the Jakarta Polices crime and violence unit since Sunday, said Rika Aprianti, the spokesperson of the Corrections Directorate General at the Law and Human Rights Ministry. On Wednesday, after Jakarta Police investigators completed their investigation report (BAP), the Bogor Correctional Board had completed its own report on John as their parole client. The next day, she said, the supervisory team of the board held a hearing to discuss Johns case and found that John had violated his parole requirements by being named a crime suspect. The team recommended that his parole be revoked, Rika said as reported by tempo.co on Saturday. Read also: Convicted murderer John Kei arrested for alleged attacks, murder after months released on parole The temporary decree on the parole revocation had been issued by the head of the Bogor Correctional Board with the final measure impending procedures from the Corrections Directorate General. John was serving 16 years of prison time for the murder of PT Sanex Steel Indonesia president director Tan Harry Tantono in 2013. He was arrested by the Jakarta Police on Sunday, around six months after being granted parole in December. Infamous in the capital city in the past, he was named a suspect for masterminding attacks and premeditated murder against his uncle Nus Rumatora aka Nus Kei. The case allegedly centered on fees for land sales between Nus and Johns groups. In two separate attacks, two people were injured and one man, a member of Nus group, died from stab wounds. A total of 35 people, including John, have been arrested and named suspects in the case. (rin) By PTI WASHINGTON: China's recent aggression in eastern Ladakh is part of its large-scale military provocations against its neighbours and the US will not stand for unprovoked, premeditated military action for intimidating peaceful nations into submission, an influential American lawmaker has said. Congressman Ted Yoho said that now is the time for the world to come together and tell China that enough is enough. "China's actions towards India fall in line with a larger trend of the Communist Party of China using the confusion of the COVID-19 pandemic as a cover to launch large scale military provocations against its neighbours in the region, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam," Yoho said on Friday. The #UnitedStates will not stand for unprovoked, premeditated military action for the purpose of antagonizing & intimidating peaceful nations into submission. Now is the time for the world to come together & tell #China that enough is enough. Ted Yoho (@RepTedYoho) June 26, 2020 In a tweet, the Republican lawmaker said that the US will not stand for unprovoked, premeditated military action for the purpose of antagonising and intimidating peaceful nations into submission. "Now is the time for the world to come together and tell China that enough is enough," Yoho said. Earlier in the day, Congressman Dr Ami Bera, the longest serving Indian-American lawmaker in the House of Representatives, expressed concern over the Chinese aggression along its India border. "I encourage China to use its longstanding diplomatic mechanisms with India to deescalate the situation rather than force to settle boundary issues," Dr Bera said in a tweet. As the Chair of the House Foreign Subcommittee on Asia, Bera said that he is "concerned by the continued Chinese aggression along its border" with India. "While this is a matter between China and India, it is my view that increasing military forces on either side of the Line of Actual Control will be counterproductive and unhelpful," he said. In early June, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Representative Eliot Engel expressed being "extremely concerned by the ongoing Chinese aggression" along the Line of Actual Control. The Indian and Chinese militaries are engaged in a border standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. The two sides are engaged in diplomatic and military talks amidst escalating tension following the violent clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15. Twenty Indian Army personnel were killed in the clash. The provincial government has started the process of expropriating land for the Daly Overpass replacement project. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us The Daly Overpass, located at the corner of 18th Street and Pacifica Avenue, seen here on Friday. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) The provincial government has started the process of expropriating land for the Daly Overpass replacement project. On June 17, the provincial government issued an order-in-council declaring its intent to expropriate land necessary for construction. Expropriation is the process by which a government acquires private land needed to complete a certain project. In some countries, it is also known as eminent domain. In draft plans presented during public consultation last year, four pieces of land were identified as needing to be expropriated for the overpass replacement project. Two pieces of land are on the north side of the overpass along Stickney Avenue while the other two, Kullbergs furniture warehouse and Pacific Plaza, are on the south end along Pacific Avenue. Both the plaza and the warehouse would need to be demolished for the new overpass to be built. Of the four proposed building plans for the overpass replacement, the one eventually chosen was identified as being the least impactful on nearby property owners and would require the province to expropriate the least amount of property. Richard Kullberg, owner of the furniture warehouse on Pacific, said he hasnt heard from the province regarding the building in approximately one year except for when someone came by to examine the property and building. Kullberg said the longer it takes the government to deal with the expropriation process, the more difficult it will be for him to relocate his warehouse. "Its really putting in a difficult position because if we need to rebuild something, theyve delayed talking to us to the point where its going to be difficult to get that accomplished." He said he tried reaching out to the province in January but never heard back. Last June, Kullberg had said he anticipated talks regarding his property to start in fall 2019, but those never materialized. The owner of Pacific Plaza, Jarod Crane, said he hadnt heard from the province regarding the project since last fall. The last hed heard, the province was looking to get construction started by 2021. In June 2019, Crane said that his company would assist tenants at the plaza find new homes. In the year since, the Sexuality Education Resource Centre and the Friendly Neighbourhood Comic Shop, have moved elsewhere. A spokesperson from Manitoba Infrastructure told the Sun that the landowners would be contacted within the next few weeks. Under the provincial Expropriation Act, a public hearing must be called as part of the expropriation project. However, in cases where the Lieutenant Governor in Council deems a project necessary or expedient in the public interest, an order can be issued giving permission to bypass the hearing, as was done in this case. According to the law, the province must provide the owners of the land being expropriated a notice of compensation listing how much the landowner will be paid for their land and how much theyll be compensated for moving fees. This notice is due within 120 days of the declaration of expropriation being filed. The government is legally bound to pay fair market value for expropriated land. Landowners objecting to an expropriation of their land have six weeks from the date the order was filed to file an order with the courts to quash the expropriation. Documents related to the order-in-council say that the provincial and federal governments are splitting the cost of the project, with the federal government providing one-third of the funds. The offer from the federal government to cover costs expires on December 31, 2023. "To take advantage of the federal funding construction must begin in January 2021, making it necessary to obtain legal possession of the affected lands by the summer (of) 2020, to allow time for the businesses to relocate," the document reads. "As such, it is necessary that expropriation of the affected lands proceed without an inquiry." Plans related to the expropriations are being deposited in the Brandon land titles office, but when the Sun attempted to order copies a representative from the office said the files are not yet available for public access. cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark The report does not indicate an amount of either meth or cocaine. The fact that those substances were in Scurlocks urine and not his blood likely means that he was not under the influence at the time of his struggle with Gardner, said Henry Nipper, a longtime forensic and clinical toxicologist and the retired director of Creighton University Medical Centers toxicology lab. Nipper told The World-Herald that it would not be possible to quantify the amount of either cocaine or methamphetamine ingested. The drug screen also could not pinpoint when Scurlock took the substances, other than the general parameters of several hours to two to three days before his death. Cocaine exits the blood anywhere from 3 to 7 hours after use, Nipper said. Methamphetamine exits the blood anywhere from 30 to 72 hours after use, he said. The body clears out the blood and dumps it in the urine, he said. The fact that the blood was negative means it was an older dose. Kosovo President Hashim Thaci on Friday accused international justice of "rewriting history" after he was charged with war crimes linked to the 1990s conflict with Serbia. Prosecutors at a special Kosovo court in The Hague on Wednesday indicted the former political leader of an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group, prompting him to cancel a planned trip to the US where he was due to discuss lingering tensions with Serbia. Thaci said on Facebook that he had landed in the Albanian capital Tirana and was headed back to Kosovo, where he will address compatriots on Sunday. "Nobody can rewrite the history of Kosovo!" he said in his first reaction to the charges. Thaci's Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) rebelled against Belgrade more than 20 years ago, when Kosovo was a province of Serbia. He and others were charged by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the 1998-99 war that cost about 13,000 lives, overwhelmingly Kosovo Albanians. - 'Nothing to hide' - "I remain full of hope that the coming days will be the best for Kosovo and Albania," he said in a Facebook message. Thaci has previously said he would comply with the court and that he is innocent and has "nothing to hide". The president and other suspects are accused of murder, enforced disappearance, persecution and torture against "hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and include political opponents". His right-hand man Kadri Veseli, the KLA's former spy chief who now leads the political party founded by Thaci, was also accused of the crimes and has rejected them as "untrue". The charges still need approval from a pre-trial judge but the prosecutors said they made the indictment public because Thaci and others have been trying to "obstruct the work" of the tribunal, which operates under Kosovo law but has international judges. It is unlikely that Thaci would face arrest before the indictment is approved by a judge, which could take months. - 'Pure and just war' - Meanwhile, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the indictment was a "good news." But he also called for "restraint" to ward off tension that could affect Kosovo's ethnic Serb minority. "We should try to talk about vital issues and look for compromises with Albanians," Vucic told reporters in Brussels where he met European leaders. In Kosovo, fans and detractors came to the defence of the rebels who rose up against Belgrade. The left-wing party Vetevendosje, which is sharply critical of Thaci, described the conflict as a "pure and just war". The conflict ended after a US-led NATO intervention in 1999 forced Serb troops to withdraw. About a dozen top Serbian military and police officials were later convicted by international tribunals of war crimes against thousands of ethnic Albanian civilians. But members of the KLA were also accused of atrocities against Serbs, Roma and ethnic Albanian rivals during and after the war. Thaci was indicted as he prepared to fly to the US for a summit with Serbian representatives that has now been postponed. Meanwhile a European Union-brokered dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia that was launched a decade ago could resume in July, according to EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak. Those talks have been stalled since late 2018. The French embassy in Kosovo said President Emmanuel Macron remained ready to host a meeting in Paris along with Germany to kickstart the discussions. Kosovo proclaimed independence in 2008, but Serbia and its key ally Russia do not recognise it. burs-ev/ljv/wai (Newser) A fiery crash in Colorado Friday afternoon has left seven dead and one person with serious injuries. Per a Colorado State Patrol release cited by KDVR, the accident took place around 4:30pm along US Highway 40, between Kit Carson and Hugo. CSP reports that a white Ford F-150 pickup was towing a boat heading westbound when the driver decided to pass a semi in front of it by moving into the eastbound lane to the semi's left, a legal passing zone. However, coming in the other direction was a green Chevy Silverado pickup. story continues below "The Ford did not move back to the westbound lanes and collided head-on with the Chevrolet," the CSP notes. After the collision, the Ford caught on fire. Police say four people in the Ford were killed (it's not clear if there were survivors), while three of the four occupants in the Chevy died: two at the scene and one in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. The fourth occupant was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, per CSP. An investigation is ongoing. (Read more Colorado stories.) Community Health Systems, Inc. CYH recently announced that its affiliate has entered into an agreement to divest 480-bed Bayfront Health St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, FL and its related assets to a unit of Orlando Health. Subject to closing conditions, the deal is expected to culminate by the end of third-quarter 2020. Orlando Health will take control of the long-term lease and operations of the hospital. However, the lease transfer is dependent on the consent of the St. Petersburg City Council. This deal is one of the potential divestitures discussed by the company on its first-quarter earnings call. The move is in line with the companys strategy to focus on its core businesses that comprise large hospitals. Debt Woes Reeling under debt load, Community Health resorted to portfolio rationalization strategy. All these sell-offs are part of its massive debt-restructuring initiative to improve its highly leveraged balance sheet. Shedding small assets helps it concentrate on its core business that involve large hospitals, which in turn, promise higher returns. In 2019, the company completed divesting 12 hospitals. In January this year, it concluded the divestiture of three Virginia hospitals, namely 300-bed Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg, 105-bed Southampton Memorial Hospital in Franklin and 80-bed Southern Virginia Regional Medical Center in Emporia along with their associated assets to the subsidiaries of Bon Secours Mercy Health, Inc. Additionally, uncertainties surrounding its ability to cover interest expenses persist. The times interest earned ratio for the company, which measures its interest paying ability, stands at 0.5%, comparing unfavorably with the industrys average of 2.7%. Investors lost confidence in the company, which resulted in its share price depreciation and a 95% plunge in market capitalization from $6.2 billion recorded in 2014 to $0.3 billion now. Community Healths divestments made over the last couple of years have streamlined its business portfolio. Based on this, it expects same-store metrics and cash flow to improve. The sale of units is also going to lower its leverage ratios. One of its peers, Tenet Healthcare Corp. THC, has also been disposing some of its non-core and unprofitable facilities from its business portfolio to repay debt and maintain financial liquidity. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 15.9% in a years time against its industrys decline of 30.8%. Story continues This solid price performance even outshines the stock movements of Universal Health Services Inc. UHS and MEDNAX, Inc. MD, as both have lost 29.1% and 28%, respectively, over the same time frame. Each company currently has the same Zacks Rank as Community Health. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside? Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. See the pot trades we're targeting>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Community Health Systems, Inc. (CYH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tenet Healthcare Corporation (THC) : Free Stock Analysis Report MEDNAX, Inc. (MD) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Dr. Anthony Fauci, right, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, listens as Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a news conference with the Coronavirus task force at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington on Friday. Read more WASHINGTON (AP) There was no presidential appearance and no White House backdrop Friday when the governments coronavirus task force briefed the public for the first time since April in keeping with an administration effort to show it is paying attention to the latest spike in cases but is not on a wartime footing that should keep the country from reopening the economy. The briefing at the Department of Health and Human Services was held as the number of confirmed new coronavirus infections per day in the U.S. soared to an all-time high of 40,000 higher even than during the deadliest stretch in April and May. In light of the new surge, task force briefers chose their words carefully to update the public about COVID-19, which has become both a public health and political issue. Vice President Mike Pence had the most delicate line to walk. He acknowledged a surge in new cases across the South and West, while backing the president's desire to get the economy up and running without mentioning that it will also help the prospects for reelection. "As we see new cases rising, and we're tracking them very carefully, there may be a tendency among the American people to think that we are back to the place that we were two months ago in a time of great losses and a great hardship on the American people," Pence said. But the vice president also took note of positive job numbers and added: "The reality is we're in a much better place." Unbound by politics, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, sounded a more cautionary tone. "As you can see, we are facing a serious problem in certain areas," Fauci said. But he also was careful not to blame the recent spike on gatherings where people haven't worn face masks or adhered to social distancing guidelines. Pence deftly sidestepped pointed questions about the apparent dissonance between the administration's admonitions that Americans heed the guidance of local officials and President Donald Trump's decision to hold a political rally last week in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over the objection of health officials. And during a Trump event in Arizona on Tuesday, thousands of young attendees violated Phoenix's mandate to wear face masks. Insisting that Trump was "taking proper steps," Pence invoked the constitutional protection of free speech, saying, "we still want to give people the freedom to participate in the political process." The White House over the last two months all but eliminated coronavirus task force briefings and sharply curtailed public appearances by its medical experts as Trump shifted his focus to getting the country moving again. The return of the briefing was a sign that the administration knows it can't ignore growing anxiety over the increased number of cases as governors in some states pause or delay reopening. But the briefings are not expected to come back with the same daily frequency. And it's no coincidence, officials said, that Friday's briefing took place at HHS rather than at the White House. The president is still dead-set on cheerleading an economic resurgence even in the face of the spike in infections. Pence announced that 16 states were seeing worrisome increases up from 12 states on Wednesday. He said there still is work to do, but that it was important to reflect on how much the federal and state governments and health care workers have done to respond to the pandemic. "This moment in the coronavirus pandemic is different" from the grim days when New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Orleans struggled under the weight of the outbreak, he said. America has since accelerated testing to 500,000 a day, which has contributed to the increase in reported new cases, Pence said. He plans to travel next week to Texas, Arizona and Florida; the previously scheduled trips to the hot spots of COVID-19 were initially to be more political in nature, but will now include greater focus on the virus. He said Dr. Deborah Birx, the task force coordinator, will accompany him to Texas and Arizona. "I just encourage every American to continue to pray," Pence said in closing. "Pray for all the families that have lost loved ones. Pray for our health care workers on the front lines. And just continue to pray that, by God's grace, every single day we'll each do our part to heal our land." Back at the White House, Trump held a jobs-focused event in the East Room and offered this can-do message: "We have a little work to do and we'll get it done. We're having some very good numbers coming out in terms of the comeback, the comeback of our nation and I think it's going very rapidly and it's going to be very good." Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Jill Colvin contributed to this report. Both China and the Arab states believe that true friendship stands out in times of adversity, which testifies to their shared future in the joint fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Having gone through this joint fight against the coronavirus, the China-Arab strategic partnership now enjoys an even stronger foundation, closer people-to-people friendship and brighter prospects for cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on June 22 in a congratulatory letter to the China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue Extraordinary Meeting. The message from Xi, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, fully demonstrated the firm resolve and sincere wish of China and Arab states to pool their efforts together to fight the pandemic, enhance exchanges and cooperation, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for China and Arab states. The CPC is committed to enhancing mutual trust, strengthening communication, and working closely with political parties from different countries to forge, on the basis of a new form of international relations, a new type of party-to-party relations featuring seeking common grounds while transcending differences, mutual respect and mutual learning. The CPC also remains committed to formulating international party-to-party exchanges and cooperation networks in various forms and at multiple levels, so as to create a mighty force that enables the world to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Recently, the extraordinary meeting with the theme of jointly building a community with a shared future for China and Arab states in the new era resonated with myriad countries. It is of vital importance for Arab states to take joint actions to cope with risks and challenges and prevail over the difficulties, said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also Fatah Chairman, adding that their joint actions will play an important role in enhancing political mutual trust and deepening the Arab states-China strategic partnership. The extraordinary meeting demonstrated that China and Arab states enjoy a solid foundation for building political consensus, strengthening solidarity and cooperation, and jointly building a community with a shared future. In the face of the unexpected COVID-19 outbreak, China and Arab states have rendered each other help and fought shoulder to shoulder, opening up a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for China and Arab states. At the most critical moment in Chinas fight against the epidemic, heads of Arab states and leaders of regional organizations such as the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) expressed sympathy and support for China. On its part, China has always cherished the support and assistance offered by Arab states and people as well as their friendship. Likewise, when Arab states are struck by the virus, the Chinese people feel for their pain. China has provided a large number of medical supplies to Arab states, and held video conferences over COVID-19 control with health experts from 17 Arab states, the LAS and the GCC. China has also sent medical experts to eight Arab states to meet their immediate needs, and shared its proven protocols of diagnosis, treatment and control without any reservation. The joint efforts of China and Arab states in the fight against the virus have showcased developing countries strength of unity and cooperation to the rest of the world. Together, the two sides have made contributions to the global response to COVID-19. The strong friendship that China and Arab states have forged during their long-term exchanges lays a solid foundation of public opinion for the two sides to fight the pandemic. For more than 2,000 years, peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit have always been the main theme of exchanges between China and Arab states. Whatever changes may take place in the world, China and Arab states have always been good partners sharing mutual benefit and good brothers going through thick and thin together. In 2018, China and Arab states, after friendly consultation, agreed to establish a future-oriented strategic partnership of comprehensive cooperation and common development. The anti-pandemic practices of China and Arab states once again proved that the two sides need to work together to tackle challenges more than ever. Chinese and Arab peoples, erstwhile close companions along the ancient Silk Road, are working together to advance the Belt and Road cooperation to realize their common aspiration of national prosperity and rejuvenation. Arab states, as important participants and co-creators of the ancient Silk Road civilization located at the juncture of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, are natural partners in Belt and Road cooperation. At the eighth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in 2018, the two sides agreed that they should uphold the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, expand cooperation areas and serve their common interests under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. More importantly, China and Arab states need to actively explore channels for practical cooperation and alignment of development strategies at present to make the Belt and Road a model of cooperation, health, recovery and growth, and deliver a bright future of development and prosperity. The Chinese people often say, The fire burns high when everyone brings wood to it. There is also an Arab saying that people are capable of doing anything when they act together. In the course of the fight against the pandemic, China and Arab states have made important contributions to promoting the building of a global community of health for all. Looking ahead, the two sides will surely create new wonders in fulfilling their dreams of national prosperity and rejuvenation as long as they continue to work together and build up consensus. When Karen Benavidezs 3-year-old daughter developed scabs on her face two months into the coronavirus quarantine she didnt think much of it, until a neighbor told her that the scabs looked like impetigo, a bacterial skin infection. I was expecting to have a healthier than normal spring since we were all at home and being so careful, said Benavidez, who lives in Tallahassee, Florida, and also has an 8-year-old son. I could not figure out how she could have been exposed. When she brought her daughter to the pediatrician, the doctor explained that the bacteria that cause impetigo typically staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria can live in peoples noses and then inadvertently infect the skin through cuts or scratches. Ear infections, pneumonia, boils and urinary tract infections can also be caused by normal bacteria that have migrated to the wrong place. Many infections and infestations also have long incubation periods, meaning it takes a while from the time a child is exposed until they start showing symptoms. The incubation period for scabies, for instance, can be as long as eight weeks. Lice, too, can take quite a while to populate a head; often its just one or two that migrate over, then they have to lay eggs, which incubate for 10 days before hatching and take another 10 to 15 days to grow into adults. Plus, kids may not even notice their lice for as long as six weeks, as it can take that long for them to become sensitized to the lice saliva and start to feel itchy. So if your child has just started scratching their scalp and you discover lice, its possible theyve been there for some time. Parents spread germs, too Even though many families are isolating right now, that doesnt mean theyre completely cut off from outside germs. If parents go to stores periodically, they could be exposed to viruses or bacteria that they then bring back to their kids even if the parents themselves, who have more well-developed immune systems, never get sick. Dad runs to the grocery store and gets something on his hands and comes back in and gives the kid a hug right when he walks in, before he washes and theres a kid who hasnt been around anyone but all of a sudden has a cold, said Dr. Clay Jones, M.D., a pediatric and newborn hospitalist at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Mass. Adults can also shed germs from previous infections and unwittingly make their children sick. Roseola, which commonly infects kids under the age of 2, causing a high fever and a distinctive pink rash, is caused by human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), a virus that can live dormant inside of our cells after we recover from it. The latent virus can then periodically get reactivated, particularly when were under stress like, perhaps, when we find ourselves living through a global pandemic. When this happens, adults can shed the virus and infect their young children; research suggests that many babies actually become infected with roseola via their parents. This same scenario can also occur with coxsackieviruses, which can cause hand, foot and mouth disease, said Dr. Danielle Conley, M.D., a pediatrician in Buffalo, N.Y. New Delhi, June 27 : BJP President J.P. Nadda on Saturday lashed out at Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the alleged fund gate involving the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), labelling it as "sin". "I want to ask Soniaji not to try and avoid the original questions under the garb of Corona or the situation at China border," said Nadda. Asking 10 pointed questions to Gandhi, Nadda started with, "The nation of 130 crore people wants to know about the deeds done by the Gandhi family, what work you did while in governance and how you betrayed the people." Nadda alleged cast insinuation while he went on using, "What was the need to be a part of RCEP? How did India's trade deficit with China rise from $1.1 billion to $36.2 billion?" In a no holds barred attack on the Congress Chief, the BJP President questioned, "What is the exact relationship between INC and the Communist Party of China? What is the tacit understanding? What is the signed and unsigned MoU? The country wants to know." Raising the issue first broken by IANS on Friday, Nadda asked, "The RGF worked in close association with China Association for Internationally Friendly Contact. This organization is a vehicle used by the Central Military Commission of China. The purpose of this Commission is to infiltrate and influence the voices of leaders of other countries." CAIFC was dubbed as a front for intelligence gathering in an August 2018 US report. Nadda also raked up the issue of money being "diverted from PM National Relief Fund to RGF between 2005-2008". Turning the table against Rahul Gandhi who once coined the term "suit boot ki sarkar" to corner Modi government for its alleged pro-business outlook, the BJP Chief asked bluntly, "The RGF took hefty donations from major Indian corporates, but their rhetoric was for the poor people. Wasn't this quid pro quo of the purest form?" Digging deeper into the PMNRF funding RGF, Nadda claimed, "Who is the auditor of the PM National Relief Fund? The auditor was Thakur Vaidyanathan and Aiyyar Co. This was founded by Mr Rameshwar Thakur, who happened to be Union MoS of Finance. He was Rajya Sabha MP for two terms and was governor of four states." Nadda demanded to know why he was made an auditor in the first place. He also raked up the land lease issue saying, "I want to know how such precious land, on which Jawahar Bhawan is built, was given to RGF on perpetual lease? Why was it given and why was it selected to be given at such a costly place on a perpetual lease?" He also asked to know the reason for RGF's refusal to GAG to audit the foundation. He also sought to know the reason it was kept outside the purview of the RTI. Nadda also took a sharp dig at former PM Manmohan Singh, while using his own phrase against him, "I want to ask Manmohan Singh Ji - What do you have to say on this monumental loot and the organized plunder of public money?" The BJP chief called the donations made by the Foundation as "dodgy while asserting, "I would like to know how it donated to Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, that is controlled by the family?" However, the BJP ended with a very sharp insinuation when Nadda asked, "My last question is - I want to know how Mehul Choksi is connected to RGF? How did Congress help Mehul Choksi in getting a loan?" The BJP has gone all guns blazing ever since revelations about Chinese government's donations to the Rajiv Gandhi foundation came to the fore which led to new revelations regarding the RGF, almost every single day. Now with the BJP fronting its top man to ask 10 direct questions to Sonia Gandhi, using terms like "sin", "monumental loot" and "quid pro quo", the ball is certainly in Congress court now. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Husband and wife duo Bryan and Sarah Baeumler are HGTVs latest stars. The Canadian couple has captivated viewers with their new show, Renovation Island. The series chronicles their move to the Bahamas with their four children, where they plan to renovate a dilapidated resort and turn it into a luxe, eco-friendly vacation destination. Sarah and Bryan Baeumler are already HGTV stars in Canada RELATED: Renovation Island: Heres How Much It Costs to Stay at the Baeumler Familys Luxury Bahamas Beach Resort The Baeumlers might be new to American TV audiences, but the pair are already well-known in their native Canada. We cant go anywhere in Canada without being recognized, Bryan told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The 46-year-old licensed contractor has starred in multiple shows on HGTV Canada. He got his TV start in 2007 as the host of Disaster DIY. Hes since starred in House of Bryan, Leave It to Bryan, and Bryan, Inc. Several of his shows also feature his wife Sarah and their four children, Quintyn, Charlotte, Lincoln, and Josephine. Their latest show has finally brought them to the U.S. Renovation Island two seasons of which already aired in Canada under the title Island of Bryan premiered in June on HGTV. Bryan and Sarah met in high school and married in 2004 Bryan and Sarahs relationship goes all the way back to high school. The couple met long before reality television was even a concept, Sarah told TRNTO. But they didnt start dating until a decade later. Their first date in 2001 was pretty memorable. Bryan had planned an evening out on the town for us, Sarah recalled. First we went and saw The Lion King theatre production, which was fantastic. Afterwards, we went for a lovely sushi dinner. He definitely pulled out all the stops, and it was a very exciting first date. The couple married in 2004 and later had four kids. Though they work hard, theyre also focused on balancing that with their family life. Bryan and I are both very hard workers, but we always make sure that nothing takes priority over our relationship and our family, Sarah said. I think that is the key. Family first and everything else second. The Baeumlers didnt plan to renovate a resort HGTV's Renovation Island: Everything You Need to Know About Stars Bryan and Sarah Baeumler https://t.co/ISgfHknkaH People (@people) June 21, 2020 While the Baeumlers had done some pretty ambitious projects in the past including building their 4,000-square-foot dream home nothing compares to their most recent venture, where they renovated an entire resort on South Andros Island in the Bahamas. The decision came during a family was vacationing at their home in the Florida Keys. They decided to take their boat out and explore parts of the Bahamas, they explained in an interview with People. On their trip, they saw the Emerald Palms hotel, which had been abandoned for years. They quickly decided it would be their next project. I think it took about 5 minutes of touring the hotel until we all looked at each other and said, Lets do this! Sarah told the magazine. While the project has come with some big challenges, from dealing with the logistics of getting supplies to the island to facing down Hurrican Dorian, they wouldnt go back on their decision. We definitely underestimated the challenges, Sarah admitted. But most people work 51 weeks a year so they can spend one week in paradise. Were here every day! NEW HAVEN The number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations in Connecticut fell overnight, according to the latest statistics released by the Office of Gov. Ned Lamont Saturday. As of 10 a.m. Saturday, there were 106 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Connecticut, down 21 from the day prior. This includes 35 people in both New Haven and Fairfield counties and 24 in Hartford Country. A total of 147 new coronavirus cases were reported, bringing the total in the state to 46,206. The deaths of four more people brought the toll associated with the virus to 4,311. The state also said an additional 12,678 coronavirus tests had been performed statewide, bringing that total to 427,567. Further data, including a list of cases in every municipality, is available by visiting ct.gov/coronavirus and clicking the link that is labeled, COVID-19 Data Tracker, Lamonts office noted in the release. For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus, said officials with Lamonts office. Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. The latest numbers come days after Covid Act Now, a nonprofit that tracks the spread of the virus in real time, named Connecticut as one of only four states on track to contain the virus. New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts were the other states where COVID-19 cases are steadily decreasing and preparedness standards are high. Elsewhere in the country, Florida health officials reported more than 9,500 new COVID-19 cases a one-day record surpassing the previous days total by more than 600 confirmed cases, as officials move to re-close beaches and discourage bar gatherings. Florida is one of many states from which visitors to New York, Connecticut and New Jersey have been asked to self-quarantine. This story includes reporting from the Associated Press. In response to BJP President JP Nadda's allegation of diversion of funds from the PMNRF to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in the erstwhile UPA regime, Chidambaram launched an attack accusing him of spreading misinformation and evading questions on India-China tensions. Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday launched an attack on BJP chief JP Nadda, accusing him of being an expert in speaking half-truths and said that Rs 20 lakhs deposited in the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation from PM National Relief Fund in 2005 was for tsunami relief work in Andaman and Nicobar. This comes in response to the allegations by the BJP chief made on Friday in the wake of the Opposition raising questions on the governments position over the standoff with China at the LAC. Taking to Twitter, Nadda shared details of Partner Organisation and Donors Year 2005-2006 and Partner Organisation and Donors Year 2007-2008, which shows that PMNRF donated funds to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF). In a series of tweets on Saturday morning, Chidambaram accused the BJP of unnecessarily attempting to draw parallels between Chinas intrusion which took place recently and the events which had taken place 15 years ago. Also read: Bhutan denies reports of stopping water supply to Assam, calls it a baseless and distressing allegation Also read: Sonia Gandhi claims China has occupied Indian territory in Ladakh, asks for Modi govts plan of action BJP President Mr Nadda specialises in speaking half-truths. My colleague Mr Randeep Surjewala exposed his half truths yesterday. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 27, 2020 BJP President Mr Nadda specialises in speaking half-truths. My colleague Mr Randeep Surjewala exposed his half-truths yesterday, Chidambarams tweet read. Why is the BJP hiding the fact that the Rs 20 lakhs received by RGF from PM National Relief Fund in 2005 was for tsunami relief work in Andaman & Nicobar? And that every rupee was spent for the purpose and accounted for? the Rajya Sabha MP added and further said, What has the grant to RGF 15 years ago got to do with Chinas intrusion into Indian territory in 2020 under the watch of the Modi government? Chidambaram further questioned whether PM Narendra Modi would assure that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante? if the RGF returns Rs 20 lakh today. He also implored Nadda to come to terms with reality and answer the questions on Chinese intrusions in Indian territory, sharing a satellite image which according to him clearly shows the change in India and Chinas position at the border areas. Also read: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to UP govt: I am Indira Gandhis granddaughter, not an undeclared BJP spokesperson For all the latest National News, download NewsX App During a reception in Hanoi on June 25, NA Chairwoman Ngan lauded Dione for contributing to ties between the WB and Vietnam during his four-year tenure, saying that a number of NA-approved bills and socio-economic projects received technical and professional support from Dione and the WB. She said Dione directed the building of the World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework for Vietnam 2018 2022 with four priorities - inclusive growth and the private sectors participation, investment in human and knowledge, environment sustainability and good governance. The lender also assisted Vietnam in realising vision and implementing policy recommendations in the strategic report Vietnam 2035. Dione, for his part, highly valued the Vietnamese legislature for approving the Public-Private Partnership Law and the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, especially amid rising protectionism at present. He suggested Vietnam develop logistics and infrastructure, improve the efficiency of State agencies, modernise institutions, enhance innovation and digital transformation, ensure social integration in the spirit of Leaving no one behind. Vietnam plays an important role in gathering countries in Mekong River basin to discuss solutions to relevant problems, he said. About this, NA Chairwoman Ngan said as a responsible country in the Lower Mekong River, Vietnam wants to ensure an ecological environment for habitants in the area so that the impacts of its changes to the river should be appraised. She informed his guest that the Vietnamese legislature adopted a Resolution approving the master plan on socio-economic development for ethnic minority and mountainous regions for the 2021-2030 period. As Vietnam is in the period of economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, the WBs policy recommendations are helpful to the country, she said, adding that Vietnam is also willing to welcome a new wave of investment, prioritise hi-tech projects to contribute to promoting digital economy. In May, ICE said it was detaining 184 children at the three detention centers, which are separate from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services facilities for unaccompanied children that were holding around 1,000 children in early June. The numbers in both systems have fallen significantly since earlier in the Trump administration because the U.S. is expelling most people trying to cross the border or requiring them to wait for their immigration cases in Mexico. Fianna Fail's resurrection as a national political force has been sealed with the election of Micheal Martin as Taoiseach. Nearly a decade after being routed by the electorate during the economic crash, the Cork native has been elected to lead the Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party government. Mr Martin was elected at a specially convened meeting of TDs in the National Convention Centre due to social distancing measures. In total 93 TDs voted in favour 63 against. Three TDs abstained. Minister Martin has led Fianna Fail since 2011 through three general elections. It is the first time that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have shared power but Fianna Fail has supported Fine Gael since 2016. Fianna Fail shared power with the Green Party up to the 2011 General Election. Mr Martin said it is time to move forward. He said recovery and renewal undermine the Government. He said the new Government must work to build the trust of the people. He said it is an honour to serve as Taoiseach. He thanked those who have voted for him and his family. He also paid tribute to his parents. He spoke of republicanism that has to evolve and is the only reason that Dail Eireannn has been democratic since. Responding, to his election and the coalition, Mary Lou McDonald called it a 'marriage of convenience'. She said the votes of 500,000 people have bee left out of the formation of Government. Outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the new government had 'very strong mandate to governed'. He hit out at Sinn Fein. He said what change Sinn Fein's version of change was 'a load of nonsense' as change to them just meant 'ministerial positions and cars'. He said the new government marked the end of civil war politics in parliament. Mr Varadkar is likely to be Taoiseach again that as part of the Government deal. Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan said Micheal Martin was 'perfectly qualified' to lead the government through the difficult times Ireland faces. He said he is forward-looking. He identified the priorities as housing and health. He said it was 'action stations time' when it comes to climate action. The Labour Party's leader Alan Kelly said real change can happen in health care and housing and the Government will be judged by that. He predicted a merger of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and said it was a new dawn for Irish politics on a left right basis. Catherine Murphy of the Social Democrats said there was a desire for fundamental change at the February 2020 election. Richard Boyd Barrett said that that the programme for Government was 'rehashing and reheating' of failed policies. Mr Martin has served as Minister for Education and Science, Minister for Health and Children, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Minister for Foreign Affairs. A teacher by training, he was elected to Cork Corporation as a Fianna Fail candidate in 1985. He was elected to the Dail in 1989 when Fianna Fail was led by Charlie Haughey. Among his political accomplishments are the smoking ban and the setting up of the HSE. He is the second Taoiseach from Cork after Jack Lynch. He continues a tradition that has seen all Fianna Fail leaders become Taoisigh. He is married to Mary O'Shea, whom he met at university. They have and together the couple have had five children. In October 2010, Martin's youngest daughter, Leana, died in Great Ormond Street Hospital after suffering from a heart condition.[62] Eleven years earlier a son, Ruairi, died in infancy. The new Taoiseach was born and raised in Turner's Cross area of Cork city. He is the son of a former soldier Paddy and Eileen "Lana" Corbett. He was the third child in a family of five. A twin, his eldest brother Sean and his twin brother Padraig subsequently became involved in local politics in Cork. His two younger sisters were Eileen and Mairead. Martin attended Colaiste Chriost Ri in Turners Cross before studying at University College Cork. Andre Leon Talley has opened up about the importance of sharing his experiences as a black man in the fashion industry while explaining why every man of colour should share their story. On Friday, the former creative director of Vogue appeared on the Today show to discuss his memoir The Chiffon Trenches with host Al Roker. During the interview, the 71-year-old explained that he feels it is his duty to share his own story, of how he carved out a path for himself in the industry, because every day is a struggle for a black man. I think its important that every man of colour who has been born in this country who is a descendant of enslaved people of African descent tells a story because every day is a struggle for a black man, no matter what station in life youve achieved, Talley explained. I could have been George Floyd. I couldve been Ahmaud Arbery. Really nothing has changed. So my story is a story of how to survive all odds, no matter what the odds are. According to Talley, who became a prominent figure in the fashion industry in the 70s, he experienced the most racism when he was in Paris, when a jealous person gave me the nickname Queen Kong. However, it wasnt until recently that he said he realised his appointment as the first black creative director of Vogue in 1988 was pioneering. I didnt think about it at the time as being a pioneer position, but I now realise today it was very pioneering, he said, adding that he never thought of himself as a black man sitting at Vogue creating this historical moment. I thought of myself as an individual with talent and a person who had knowledge about fashion and style. As for the future of the fashion magazine, and the industry, Talley said he believes theres going to be accountability and change, brought on, in part, by the recent protests following the death of Floyd. Without a doubt, theres going to be accountability, he said. The young people out there walking, marching. Theyre marching still to this day. There are white people, there are black people, there are Asian people, there are brown people. Young people arent going to stand for it anymore. They are tired of this. During the interview, Talley also touched on his relationship with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who described in his book as not capable of human kindness. According to Talley, who was once close friends with Wintour, as they grew older the magazine editor became more distant. Some days she would treat me like a family member and another day Id be the black sheep, virtually out in the pasture, he said. Americans living in dense cities are not causing the bulk of COVID-19 infections to rise and are not contributing to as many deaths, according to a new study. The study, published on June 18 in the Journal of the American Planning Association, examined SARS-CoV-2 infections rates and death rates in 913 metropolitan counties in the country. Led by a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the study determined that other factors - like race and education - were 'not significantly associated with county infection rate.' The study, published in the Journal of the American Planning Association, examined infections rates and death rates in 913 metropolitan counties (NYC on June 15) 'These findings suggest that urban planners should continue to practice and advocate for compact places rather than sprawling ones, due to the myriad well-established benefits of the former, including health benefits,' said lead author Shima Hamidi, PhD. Hamidi is an assistant professor of American Health in Environmental Challenges in the university's Department of Environmental Health and Engineering. According to the study, denser counties tended to have lower death rates 'possibly because they enjoyed a higher development including better health care systems.' The study did find, however, that mortality rates in counties are related to the larger context of metropolitan size in which counties are located. According to the study, denser counties tended to have lower death rates 'possibly because they enjoyed a higher development including better health care systems' (San Francisco on May 24) The study suggest that moving to suburbs to get away from the virus may not be the best as they don't have the best health care benefits. Teens in New Canaan, CT on April 11 Cities that are the most vulnerable to the outbreaks of the coronavirus have been large metropolitan areas with a high number of counties that are connected through economic, social and commuting relationships. Using Structural Equation Modeling, researchers examined data from January 20 through May 25 on the 913 counties. They did also use factors such as population size, education levels, demographic variables and health care infrastructure. When controlling the other factors, the study determined that the 'activity density' - which looks at both residents and workers in a given area - did not have a significant association with COVID-19 infection rates. However, higher activity density did have a significant association with COVID-19 deaths. This finding was more unexpected. 'The fact that density is unrelated to confirmed virus infection rates and inversely related to confirmed COVID-19 death rates is important, unexpected, and profound,' added Hamidi. 'It counters a narrative that, absent data and analysis, would challenge the foundation of modern cities and could lead to a population shift from urban centers to suburban and exurban areas.' The study found that doubling the activity density of a given area would reduce the death rate from the coronavirus by 11.3 per cent - that is with the controlling of other factors. Greater infection and mortality rates have been found in higher county populations, places with high percentages of populations age 60 and up, a lower proportion of college-educated people and higher populations of African Americans - many of which are working in roles deemed essential. Travelers visit a tourist site in Taiwan. Taiwan is set to relax travel restrictions for Vietnamese citizens along with the nationals of certain other countries from June 29 PHOTO: DINH DUNG Before flying to Taiwan, foreigners will be required to present negative Covid-19 test results in English to airlines to ensure Covid-19 prevention and control measures are being adhered to, according to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in HCMC. In addition to Covid-19 tests that need to be taken three days before boarding, the Vietnamese citizens test results must be endorsed by healthcare facilities certified by the Ministry of Health for Covid-19 testing. Foreign entrepreneurs guaranteed by Taiwanese firms to travel to the country for work will be quarantined for only five days, while it will be 14 days for other passengers. As for students entering Taiwan to learn the language or any official overseas study, visas will be issued depending on the Taiwanese Ministry of Educations decision over reopening schools. Judy Chang, deputy head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in HCMC, said that Taiwan ranked Vietnam among the worlds safest countries and had accordingly relaxed its travel restrictions for Vietnamese people. The two sides are cooperating to bring home Vietnamese people with expired visas and help Taiwanese experts and entrepreneurs enter Vietnam for work, she noted. As many as 2,400 Vietnamese people whose visas have expired, mainly workers, have yet to return to Vietnam due to the coronavirus pandemic, Chang said, adding that some 1,000 experts in the southern region of Taiwan have not been able to enter Vietnam for work, disrupting the operations of many firms.SGT Communication for Development Specialist (Polio), Karachi, Pakistan Organization: Unicef Country: Pakistan Field location: Karachi, Pakistan Office: UNICEF Karachi, Pakistan Grade: NO-C Closing date: Tuesday, 30 June 2020 Fixed Term: Communication for Development Specialist (Polio), NOC, Karachi, Pakistan # 68580 Job no: 532201 Position type: Fixed Term Appointment Location: Pakistan Division/Equivalent: Kathmandu(ROSA) School/Unit: Pakistan Department/Office: Karachi, Pakistan Categories: NO-3 UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending childrens rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential - to the benefit of a better world. For every child, Vaccine. Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges. UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, front-line workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves. In particular, UNICEF will work so that: Every child survives and thrives -- being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food. Every child learns. Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth. Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. To learn more about UNICEF work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo The Communication for Development Specialist NOC reports to the Health Specialist, NOC for general guidance and direction. The C4D Specialist is responsible for coordinating the development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of systematic, planned and evidence-based community engagement strategies and plans and their roll out through the Provincial Polio Emergency Operations Center (PEOCs) in Sindh. Through planning and implementation of communication and engagement plans, as well as the empowerment and participation of stakeholders, communities, children, civil society partners and government counterparts, s/he promotes measurable behavioral and social change/mobilization. This subsequently contributes to the achievement of sustainable and concrete results on improving childrens rights, survival and well-being in the country. To make a difference you will be accountable for the following key duties & tasks: Support to strategy design and development of C4D activities Conduct and/or participate in comprehensive C4D situation analysis of social, cultural, economic and political issues in the province, including through provincial Polio Emergency Operations Centre working groups or committees. Assess/synthesize qualitative and quantitative information, data and evidence to support the establishment of comprehensive and evidence-based information for developing and planning the provincial C4D components of the polio program. Design and oversee implementation of Community Engagement (CE) strategy of the communication network (COMNET) and other immunization structures with strong, hands-on oversight; ensures strategy is evidenced based and follows ethical guidelines; establishes comprehensive M&E indicators; Prepare materials and related documentations for evidence based C4D strategies and plans (as a component of the Provincial Polio Programme Plan) to ensure optimum impact, scale and sustainability of achievements/results; Collaborate/consult with a wide range of partners and stakeholders to ensure synergy, integration, coherence, and harmonization of C4D activities. Implementation of C4D activities Conduct ongoing behavior change analysis of key high-risk groups for Polio in the province including missed children, refusals, HRMP, etc. to ensure the successful and sustainable delivery of program results and provide technical advice on evidence-based approaches, strategies and plans of action for C4D to promote behavioral and social change; Collaborate with, advise and/or consult internal partners and external partners to design evidence-based strategies and formulate, produce and test materials and/or to organize C4D events and activities to ensure community engagement and participation, maximum outreach and impact on behavioral and social change, including engagement advice to advocacy and media strategies; Carry out C4D advocacy activities with/for a wide range of constituents, stakeholders, partners, communities, etc. to encourage/promote engagement and dialogue, inclusion, self-determination and participation in mobilizing social, political, behavioral and cultural change to achieve sustainable program results on children and womens rights, equity and wellbeing. Develop/select materials and other communication tools for C4D events; Identify, establish and maintain active interaction/relations with media, academia, research and implementing organizations and other strategic partners and networks to communicate/advocate the Polio program and UNICEFs competencies and achievements to ensure their engagement, interests and support in promoting social/political engagement for political action on childrens rights. Conduct and/or participate in M & E and Evaluation exercises, including provincial reviews, meetings and mid-term/annual reviews to assess/report on efficacy/outcome of C4D on provincial Polio Programme. Take timely action to ensure the achievement of results as planned and allocated. Integrate/disseminate lessons learned in development planning and improvements. Monitor implementation of activities at province, district, and UC levels to ensure the successful and sustainable delivery of program results and provide technical advice on evidence-based approaches; Technical and operational support Tags behavior change c4d communication for development development planning drinking water ethics immunization knowledge management monitoring and evaluation polio programme planning public relations resource mobilization social change social development sustainable development sustainable development goals transparency wellbeing Collaborate with provincial Polio team, and national C4D colleagues and partners to provide expert advice on the development of evidence-based strategies, approaches in support of programs/projects implementation and delivery of results. Participate in provincial budget planning and management of program funds and submit financial plan for C4D initiatives. Approve the use of resources as planned and verify compliance with organizational guidelines, rules and regulations and standards of ethics and transparency. Ensure that strategic planning processes, sectoral and cross-sectoral C4D strategies, partners C4D strategies and other relevant processes conform to evidence-based quality and technical standards as defined by UNICEFs programme guidance Advocacy, networking and partnership building Collaborate with provincial and national program and communication partners to harmonize, link and/or coordinate strategies and messaging and use of multiple media and communication platforms to enhance C4D outreach and impact. Participate in organizational and/or inter-agency discussions with other Polio eradication Programme partners and planning to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues in the planning and preparation of C4D advocacy and resource mobilization initiatives including emergencies. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building Implement innovative practices, approaches and latest technology on multiple media and social/digital platforms for C4D that are appropriate/available for the programme context and audience. Engage in evidence generation and research initiatives that may contribute to improved evidence in C4D practice and influence national and local policies and investments in C4D for sustainable results. Institutionalize/share best practices and knowledge learned/products with national/provincial partners and stakeholders to build capacity of practitioners, local networks, and government partners. Organize/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders/government and non-government partners in evidence-based C4D planning, implementation and evaluation in support of programs/projects. To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have... An advanced university degree (masters or higher) in social and behavioral science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations or another relevant technical field. A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: social development programme planning, communication for development, public advocacy or another related area. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset. For every Child, you demonstrate... UNICEFs values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA). Competencies required for this post are Builds and maintains partnerships, Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, Drive to achieve results for impact, Innovates and embraces change, Manages ambiguity and complexity, Thinks, acts strategically, Works collaboratively with others and Nurtures, leads and manages people. View our competency framework at: Competency Framework Brochure.pdf UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. Remarks: This position is open to UNICEF personnel holding permanent, continuing, fixed term and temporary appointment, SSAs, and UNV. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. HEC Attested Degrees are a pre-requisite for employment at UNICEF. During the recruitment process candidates will be required to present HEC attested degrees/certificates. Advertised: Jun 24 2020 Pakistan Standard Time Application close: Jun 30 2020 Pakistan Standard Time Yes, We're Taking The Trump Administration To Court To Protect Water IEPA Approves General Irons Move from Affluent Lincoln Park to Vulnerable Community of Color EWG News Roundup (6/26): Nitrate Contaminates Farm Country Drinking Water, $10 Billion Settlement in Monsanto Weedkiller Case and More Trump Administrations Latest ACA Sabotage Threatens Transgender Rights PA Attorney General Calls for New Protections Against Fracking Industry Fracking Grand Jury Investigation: Drillers Given Free Pass from Pennsylvania Regulators Environmental Groups File Legal Action Against EPA and Army Corps for Unlawful Interpretation of Clean Water Act Bayer-Monsanto Agrees to $10B Settlement With Victims Poisoned by Roundup Weedkiller In Final Decision, EPA Fails to Protect Public From Toxic Forever Chemicals in Consumer Products BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 Trend: Head of International Relations department of the Azerbaijani community of Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region Aybaniz Ismayilova sent an appeal to UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie on behalf of the community's women on the occasion of World Refugee Day which was marked on June 20, Trend reports citing the community. There are more than one million refugees and internally displaced persons in Azerbaijan. These people have a common destiny because of the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia. Azerbaijan has been suffering from the aggressive and occupational policy of Armenia for about 30 years, the appeal said. Despite the fact that the ceasefire regime has been announced 25 years ago, periodical short-term hostilities take place on the line of contact, military personnel die and are injured, and sometimes civilians also lose their lives in the conflict zone. During the first five years of the war, about one million people became refugees from the territories of Azerbaijan, occupied by Armenia. Thus, one million people displaced from the occupied cities, districts and villages were forced to settle in the safe districts of Azerbaijan," said the document. The appeal stated that about one million refugees lived for more than 10 years in tents, wagons, and camps made of wooden barracks. Under inhuman living conditions, children were born, old people died, young people became adults, two generations grew up. Hundreds of thousands of children were deprived of normal education and happy childhood. In the camps, where there was no normal medical care, people became infected with various diseases, and suffered heavily from heat and cold." Despite all these tragedies, our grief and pain failed to attract the attention of the world community, the appeal stressed. "It is true that terrible wars, tragedies, problems are also happening in the world today. No matter where they occur, the pain, tragedy, hunger, death are common for everybody.The fate of refugees during the last 30 years has broken the lives of four generations. The fate of young people who have become refugees is even harder than that of other generations. They had to support their parents, care for them, grow up their children. Another generation of children became refugees. The children whose childhood fell on the years of the war, who were half-starved, had to live in camps and could not get a normal education, finally assert themselves and take their place in life," the appeal said. The document stated that war and forced displacement destroyed the lives of generations and changed their fate. "Indeed, if you compare these facts with the great wars, numerous refugees and more painful processes, it will not seem so tragic, but all of the said above is enough to cause unalleviated pain and permanently affect human lives. Now, four generations are hoping that this war will end peacefully and that they will be able to return to their homes. The right of these people to return to their lands has been recognized by all international organizations. Despite this, they have been forced to live longing for years for their native lands. We, forced women migrants of Karabakh, invite you to Azerbaijan so that we can tell you about our childhood, youth, homes and memories, about the graves of our beloved ones and about our lands where we had peaceful and happy life. We want to bring the truth about our tragedy to the world community." The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Asia India: Electronics workers in Tamil Nadu oppose sackings Around 150 TSMT Technology employees stopped work on Tuesday and held a sit-down protest at the factorys main gate in Maraimalai Nagar, Chennai against the sudden termination of 100 work colleagues. The electronics assembly plant, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of a Taiwan based multi-national, employs over 400 people. The sacked workers were only given one days notice. The protesters defied police demands that they disperse. The workers ended their action after six hours when management announced that the retrenched workers could return to work on July 1, at the end of the coronavirus lockdown. Hospital doctors in Hyderabad strike over excessive workloads Around 27 post-graduate doctors from the Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad, Telangana state, walked out on June 20 to demand additional doctors to ease increased workloads created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The doctors said they were treating around 50 patients in the coronavirus isolation ward on top of their normal work with critical patients in the acute medical care unit. The doctors resumed normal duties on Wednesday, after hospital administration agreed to transfer doctors from other departments to care for the COVID-19 patients. Private college hospital workers in Kerala demand wages and jobs Sacked workers from the Kannur Medical College in Anjarakandy demonstrated on June 21 to demand reinstatement and four months unpaid wages. The privately-owned hospital shut in mid-March after failing to reach an agreement with 60 permanent staff, including nurses, sanitation workers and other medical workers, who had been on indefinite strike since February. The strikers had been demanding minimum salaries for all employees. The hospital was immediately taken over by the Kannur district administration and transformed into a COVID-19 care centre. The workers, who are members of the Private Hospital and Medical Shop Employees Union, which is part of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), also protested outside the Kannur Collectorate on June 15 to their demand jobs. Uttar Pradesh construction workers demand COVID-19 lockdown pay About 50 workers at the Samsung India construction site in Uttar Pradeshs industrial city of Noida protested over their unpaid salaries on June 21. The electrical division workers allege that two contractors who hired them have refused to pay April and May wages during the coronavirus lockdown. The building workers said that they had been told they would receive this money when the lockdown ended. Hyderabad food delivery workers protest pay cut Around 300 delivery workers from an online food delivery company in Hyderabad protested on Monday over drastic cuts to their wages and incentive payment during the coronavirus lockdown. The workers said that the company used the pandemic to introduce a new pay structure and are demanding restoration of their old pay rates. Prior to the lockdown they received 35 rupees ($US0.47) for every order within a three-kilometre radius but this has been reduced to around 25 rupees. On the previous rates they could make up to 1,500 rupees ($20) per day but now barely make between 300 and 400 rupees. The company is also collecting delivery charges up to 50 rupees from each customer. As part of their protest the workers are refusing to deliver orders to specific areas. The two largest food delivery companies in Hyderabad are Swiggy and Zomato. Pakistan: Sindh health workers demand PPE, allowances Doctors, nurses and paramedics from Sindh government hospitals in Karachi and other cities throughout the province continued their two-week protests this week to demand personal protective equipment (PPE) and the provision of allowances, including a health risk payment. Workers boycotted duties in some outpatient departments and marched in Karachi to the home of the province chief minister denouncing the government reneging on previous promises. The demonstrations were led by the Grand Health Alliance, an umbrella organisation of several unions. The protesters also want dedicated isolation wards for healthcare workers infected with the virus. Many Pakistani health workers have been infected with the virus because of the lack of PPE and other basic safety equipment and practises. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government workers demand pay rise Government workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province held a sit-in demonstration on June 19 as part of their ongoing pen-down strike against a government pay freeze. The freeze is in response to the federal governments budget cost-cutting measures for this financial year beginning July 1. The protesting workers, from a range of government departments, want an immediate pay increase and allowances to compensate for the skyrocketing cost of living. The All Government Employees Coordination Council, which includes various government unions, organised the protest and has threatened that the pen-down strike would continue until the end of the month and a protest march to Islamabad held unless their demands are met. Bangladesh: Dhaka police attack protesting bidi workers For the second time in two weeks baton-wielding police viciously attacked bidi (hand-rolled cigarette) workers on Tuesday during a demonstration outside the Tangil Press Club in Dhaka. They were protesting against a 28.2 percent tax increase on the bidi industry in the 20202021 national budget. The workers demonstrated the following day at the National Board of Revenue. The industry employs over 400,000 people with up to 70 percent of them children under the age of 15 years. They are paid just 50 taka ($US0.59) a day. Thousands of workers and factory owners protested across the country on June 14 against the tax rise. Bangladesh Bidi Sramik Federation representatives have accused the government of attempting to kill the bidi industry, pointing out that the proposed tax increase on other cigarettes will be only 5.14 percent. Dhaka hotel workers demand support during COVID-19 pandemic Hotel workers demonstrated on Monday outside the National Press Club in Dhaka to demand a government assistance package, a ration system, job security and medical service to compensate the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. They complained that hotel owners had not given infected workers medical treatment, a risk allowance and compensation. The protesters, who were organised by the Bangladesh Hotel Restaurant Sweetmeat Workers Federation, also alleged that hotel owners had refused to pay wages and Eid Ramadan festival bonus. The vast majority of these workers did not receive the government relief to unemployed workers in the informal sector. Australia Australia Paper maintenance workers in Victoria locked out On Tuesday, paper manufacturer Australian Paper (AP) used the Fair Work Act (FWA) to lock out 101 maintenance workers at the companys Maryvale plant. The lockout was in response to nine months of legally protected industrial action by members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU). The workers have formed a picket at the plant. The dispute centres on the refusal of the maintenance workers to accept cuts to wages and conditions in the companys proposed Enterprise Agreement (EA). Australian Paper, which is a subsidiary of Nippon Paper, a global company with a net income of $10.3 billion, wants a two-tier agreement with 15 percent lower wage rates for all new employees. It also wants a freeze on existing employees wages until the pay of new starters catches up. According to workers, the proposed changes could lead to full-time staff being replaced by contractors along with cuts in sick and personal leave and alterations in the way overtime is calculated and rosters devised. The company has hired contract labour to replace the locked out workers. For five hours on Thursday, the army didnt know whether it was coming or going. The Victorian government, having submitted a request the previous night for the assistance of 850 Australian Defence Force personnel in a street-to-street battle against COVID-19, abruptly rescinded the order about midday. ADF personnel assist NSW Police in the COVID-19 response. Credit:Police Media Then about 5pm, a new, different request reached Defence headquarters. This time, the call-out was for 200 medical and logistics personnel to help with Victorias testing effort. A full-blooded assault had been reduced to a sortie. The military reinforcements starting arriving in Melbourne on Friday night. Their three tasks will be to conduct testing at designated sites, transport samples to interstate labs and provide logistical and administrative support. On the orders of the federal Liberal government and over the strenuous objections of Quebec Premier Francois Legault, Canadas armed forces have now withdrawn virtually all of the more than 1,500 military personnel deployed at coronavirus-ravaged nursing homes in Quebec and Ontario. In response to urgent appeals from Legault and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, the Trudeau government agreed in April to send Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) troopsincluding much of its medical corpsto the two provinces long-term care facilities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. As of May 28, 1,475 soldiers were deployed in 23 Quebec long-term care centres (CHSLDs), while another 285 soldiers were helping staff four Ontario residences and would soon be deployed to three more. The soldiers were called in to fill a chronic shortage of staff in seniors residences after decades of cuts to public services supported and implemented by all the establishment parties, from the Liberals and Conservatives to the NDP, Parti Quebecois and Legaults Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ). The staff shortages were exacerbated by catastrophic management of the pandemic and a lack of protective equipment that resulted in the infection of thousands of health care workers and more than a dozen deaths. The deadly consequences of these policies can be seen in the high fatality rates among nursing home residents, who account for over 80 percent of Canadas more than 8,500 COVID-19 deaths. The disingenuous character of the Trudeau governments claim that the situation is now under control is shown by the fact that more than 1,100 residents remain infected with COVID-19 in nearly 220 of Quebecs CHSLDs, private seniors residences and intermediate care facilities. Legault had pleaded with Ottawa to keep up to a thousand CAF personnel deployed in Quebec nursing homes until mid-September, when the 10,000 or so new, hastily recruited and trained orderlies are supposed to be ready for service. But the Liberal government, egged on by the CAF top brass, insisted beginning in late May that the deployment needed to be rapidly wound up. Trudeau intoned that military involvement is not a long-term solution. ... It is a preliminary measure, and we need to see how we can take it to the next level so that Quebec can take direct control of the situation. The reality is neither Trudeau nor Legault have prioritized protecting human lives. Their governments have overseen a ruinous, improvised response to a pandemic that was both foreseeable and foreseen. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic spread in February and early March, they did nothing to ensure adequate supplies of personal protective equipment and other critical medical supplies, like ventilators, or to develop mass-testing and contact-tracing capabilities. The deployment of the military to Quebecs nursing homes was aimed at fostering the public impression that the pandemic was under control, so that Legaults CAQ government could press ahead with its homicidal back-to-work strategy. The forcing of hundreds of thousands of workers back into unsafe workplaces then followed with the full support of the Trudeau government and the trade unions, even as the provinces death toll per head of population rose to one of the highest in the world. The Trudeau government also viewed the deployment of CAF personnel to Ontario and Quebec long-term care facilities as a way to cultivate popular support for the military and thereby legitimize the rearmament and war plans of Canadian imperialism. In now bringing this deployment to a quick end, Trudeau and his Liberals are responding to the demands of the military for a change of course, as well as the imperatives of the aggressive foreign policy they are pursuing on behalf of Canadian big business. Both the government and the CAF high command want soldiers to stop what they have derided off-the-record as diaper-changing, so that they can be reassigned to their real mission: expanding Canadas participation in US-led military-strategic offensives around the world; and preparing to come to the support of civilian authorities in suppressing working class opposition at home. In late May, barely a month after the militarys deployment to care facilities had begun, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan declared, We cannot hold out like this for another four months. He then went on to claim, The resources of the Canadian Armed Forces are not unlimited. From a purely technical point of view, such claims are preposterous. In March, the military claimed that some 24,000 regular and reserve personnel had been mobilized to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. If Canadas military is genuinely concerned about saving lives and strengthening the health care system, why does it consider the deployment of a thousand soldiersi.e., a tiny fraction of the force that it had supposedly set aside to combat the virusat Quebec nursing homes for an additional two-and-a-half months to be an intolerable burden? The answer is that the underling purpose of the military mobilization is, and always has been, upholding the interests of Canadian imperialism, both at home and abroad. Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance announced in March that the 24,000 soldiers assigned to tackle COVID-19 were on a war footing and had to be ready to fight. Retired Lieutenant-General Alain Parent added at the time that the soldiers assigned to the anti-COVID-19 task force for the duration of the pandemic would not simply provide medical assistance. They would also be used in surveillance, security and augmenting law and order. The soldiers withdrawal from the care homes will allow the military to redeploy CAF personnel to ongoing military missions around the world. While wars and war preparations in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and East Asia have continued throughout the pandemic, a number of Canadian soldiers were temporarily repatriated. Now, the Trudeau government intends to rapidly ratchet up these missions, while deepening Canadas military-strategic partnership with the Trump administration, which is recklessly stepping up aggression against China and Russia in order to deflect mass anger at home. Current CAF foreign missions include: Deploying warships and aircraft to intimidate North Korea and to enforce heavy economic and diplomatic sanctions against that impoverished country, Redeploying hundreds of troops to Iraq as part of a Canadian-led NATO training mission, as well as dispatching Special Forces to the north of the country to assist the Kurdish Peshmerga in fighting Islamist forces, Returning 90 military trainers to Ukraine, soon to be followed by a second group of 50. There they will join the 60 CAF troops that remained in that country during the pandemic in a training mission that was launched in 2015 following a coup fomented by Washington, as part its drive to strategically encircle Russia, Leading a 1,000-strong NATO battalion in Latvia on Russias Western border, which is part of a US-led military build-up in the Baltic States and Poland. These missions are in pursuit of the new national defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE), the Liberal government adopted in 2017. It defines China and Russia as major strategic threats to Canada and announced a 70 percent increase in military spending that will raise the defence budget to more than C$32 billion by 2026. Hundreds of billions of dollars are to be spent over the next 20 years on buying new fleets of fighter jets and warships and other weaponry. Earlier this month, the government included C$585 million in its latest coronavirus spending bill to pay for continuing work on the building of two naval support ships. The New Democrats (NDP), who have repeatedly backed the governments rearmament program, voted for the bill. From Canadas ruling elite there is a growing clamour for a new volley of austerity measures to pay for the hundreds of billions of dollars in bailout funds the Trudeau government has funnelled into the coffers of the big banks and super-rich. Spending on the Canadian military, however, will continue to increase. Deputy Minister of National Defence Jody Thomas recently told the Canadian Press, We are not experiencing any slowdowns. ...We are continuing very aggressively and ambitiously to continue our plan. In a post-COVID world, Thomas continued, there is a need for SSE to in fact be done more quickly rather than slow it down or cut the budget. Domestically, the ruling elite fears a social explosion due to the ever-deepening economic crisis, mass unemployment, and the growth of social inequality. The multi-racial mass protests that united workers and young people across the United States against police violence and racism in late May and early June are an initial expression of a global political radicalization. The immediate trigger for the demonstrations, which rapidly spread around the world and attracted tens of thousands of participants across Canada, was the brutal murder of George Floyd. However, they were driven more fundamentally by mounting anger at a social order that has nothing to offer workers and young people. Under these conditions, the military is actively preparing to suppress mass opposition, or what General Vance euphemistically called the worst-case scenario when he outlined the objectives of the militarys COVID-19 deployment in March. Just four months ago, when Native protesters blocked railway lines across the country to oppose the construction of a pipeline on Wetsuweten land, a large faction of the Canadian ruling elite demanded that the military be deployed to break the blockades. Ultimately, the Trudeau government, with the support of the NDP, Greens and Bloc Quebecois, was able to reach a settlement with the protesters that involved police dismantling some blockades. Actor Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson aka The Falcon in the Marvel movies, has criticised Marvels hiring process behind the camera. Mackie has said that in the seven Marvel projects that he has been a part of, the crew has been predominantly white. When The Falcon and the Winter Soldier comes out, Im the lead. When Snowpiercer comes out, youre the lead. We have the power and the ability to ask those questions, Mackie told actor Daveed Diggs in a recent episode of Varietys Actors on Actors series. It really bothered me that Ive done seven Marvel movies where every producer, every director, every stunt person, every costume designer, every PA, every single person has been white. He wondered what the logic behind hiring a mostly black crew for Black Panther was. But then when you do Black Panther, you have a Black director, Black producer, you have a Black costume designer, you have a Black stunt choreographer. And Im like, thats more racist than anything else. Because if you only can hire the Black people for the Black movie, are you saying theyre not good enough when you have a mostly white cast? Also read: Marvel is taking the measured approach to introduce Fantastic Four, set up next big villain: report Mackie concluded by saying Marvel Studios should ultimately hire the best person for the job. Even if it means were going to get the best two women, were going to get the best two men. Marvel is trying to diversify both in front of and behind the camera on its future projects. Ryan Coogler will return to write and direct Black Panther 2; Chloe Zhao is directing The Eternals, starring a multiracial cast; Cate Shortland directed Black Widow; Destin Daniel Cretton is directing Shang-Chi, starring a mostly Asian cast, and Deborah Chow is in talks to direct future projects. Marvel executive producer Victoria Alonso in a recent Reddit Q&A said that the studio intends on bringing more diversity to its upcoming slate. I can tell you we are actively working on making our universe as diverse and inclusive as we can. Be patient with us. We have a lot coming in the future, she said. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Adelaide: In a breakthrough study, researchers discovered that a novel formulation of the prostate cancer drug abiraterone acetate - currently marketed as Zytiga - can dramatically improve the quality of life for people suffering from prostate cancer. Pre-clinical trials by the University of South Australia show the new formulation improves the drug`s effectiveness by 40 per cent. Developed by Professor Clive Prestidge`s Nanostructure and Drug Delivery research group at UniSA`s Cancer Research Institute, the breakthrough discovery uses an oil-based oral formulation that not only enables a smaller dose of the drug to be effective but also has the potential to dramatically reduce possible side effects, such as joint swelling and diarrhoea. Despite Zytiga being the leading formulation to treat prostate cancer, lead researcher, Dr Hayley Schultz says the new formulation will ultimately provide better treatment for patients with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, with one in six at risk of diagnosis before the age of 85. In 2019, more than 19,500 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in Australia. Globally, prostate cancer cases reached 1.28 million in 2018. "Many drugs are poorly water-soluble, so when they`re ingested, they enter the gut but don`t dissolve, which means that their therapeutic effect is limited. This is the case for Zytiga. Here, only 10 per cent of the dose is absorbed, leaving the other 90 per cent undissolved, where it simply passes through the body as waste," Dr Schultz said. "On top of this, patients taking Zytiga must fast for two hours prior to taking the drug, and another hour after taking the drug to achieve predictable absorption. And as you can imagine, this can be painstakingly inconvenient. Our new formulation changes this. By using oils to mimic pharmaceutical food effects, we`re able to significantly increase the drug`s solubilisation and absorption, making it more effective and far less invasive treatment for patients," added Schultz. The new formulation uses very high levels of abiraterone acetate dissolved within a specific oil and encapsulated within porous silica microparticles to form a powder that can be made into tablets or filled into capsules. Applied to human treatment, it could reduce the dose from 1000mg to 700mg per day, without the need for fasting. Prof Prestidge said if the team can secure funding, clinical trials in humans could be just two years away. "Based on our knowledge of this drug`s pharmaceutical food effect, we hypothesise its absorption in humans will be extensively improved using this technology", stated Prof Prestidge. "Anything we can do to contribute to the development of a commercialised product to improve the lives of patients is invaluable. This novel formulation is flexible enough to be adopted by thousands of different medicines; its potential to help patients of all kinds is exponential," the professor added. The open book examination mode has been adopted by Delhi University as a one-time measure for academic session 2019-20 in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The Delhi University (DU) has deferred its open book exams, which were slated to be conducted from 1 July. The new date sheet for all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including School of Open Learning (SOL) and Non-Collegiate Womens Education Board (NCWEB), of final semester exam will be released on 3 July and the papers will begin from 10 July. The mock test to facilitate students appearing for examinations for awareness about the procedures of OBE mode, to be conducted remotely, shall start from 04.07.2020, said the varsity in a notification. Students are allowed to take help of books, notes and other study materials to answer the questions in the open book exams. Those appearing for the exam will have to download question papers for their course from the portal and upload the answer sheet in stipulated time. The open book examination mode has been adopted by Delhi University as a one-time measure for academic session 2019-20 in light of the coronavirus pandemic. However, many teachers and various student unions have opposed the universitys decision to hold the online or open book test. They say that many students would not be able to take the exam because of lack of internet connectivity and computers. Last month, Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) suggested that the DU should give option of pen-paper examination to students. DU has also decided against holding exams for the second and fourth semester of UG courses. Students will be evaluated based on internal assessment and marks scored in the previous semester. Both the criteria have been given 50 percent weightage. SUNDAY, JUNE 28 DRINKS Go down an Alice in Wonderland-themed drinking hole with immersive cocktail experience The Alice Bar. Patrons can create bespoke cocktails, solve riddles and even play croquet with a flamingo. 9pm, Wonderland Bar, 24 Bayswater Road, Potts Point, $49.15, thewonderlandbar.com Pam Ann in Live from Miami Biatch. MONDAY, JUNE 29 FAMILY Animal lovers both big and small will want to check out Taronga Zoo's newly opened Savannah Precinct, which is home to giraffes, zebras, meerkats, fennec foxes and the zoo's recent lion arrivals, Lwazi and Ato. 9.30am-4.30pm, Taronga Zoo Sydney, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, $44.10/free-$26.10, taronga.org.au New Delhi: Once the largest phone selling manufacturer in the World until gradually losing its stronghold in the market, Nokia has seen it all. But now the Finland-based company is looking to make a comeback in the smartphone arena thorough two new smartphones in the lineup. Phone maker once famous for its durability is planning to bring an all new mid-range smartphone reported called Nokia D1C. This time the phone will be powered by Android sidelining Microsofts Windows. Reportedly the Nokia phone will carry a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 with an octa-core processor. It might come with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a full HD display. While not confirmed, the smartphone could get a 13MP rear shooter while the front camera might feature an 8MP lens. Nokia is also looking to on board Android 7.0 Nougat while the device is set to support 4G LTE and Bluetooth 4.0. Further, two high-end flagship smartphones are also in the pipeline. Nokia might float smartphones with 5.2/5.5 inch QuadHD display. These devices could feature the powerful Snapdragon 820 processor and a 22.6MP rear camera with 4K video recording support. Coming on to the price, the mid-range D1C is expected cost around Rs. 20,000 while the flagship devices may need users to shell out around Rs. 30,000. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Prime Minister at a press conference at the end of the 36th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, June 26, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. ASEAN leaders expressed concern over recent South China Sea developments and called on all parties to build trust at the bloc's latest summit. "We discussed the situation in the South China Sea, during which concerns were expressed over land reclamations, recent developments, activities and serious incidents, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region," reads the chairman's statement following the 36th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on Friday. The statement followed a series of provocative actions by China conducted in the South China Sea, known in Vietnam as the East Sea, since the start of this year, while countries around the world have focused on their Covid-19 response. China formed the so-called "Xisha" and "Nansha" districts on Vietnams Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands, sunk Vietnamese fishing vessels off the Paracels, unilaterally issued a fishing ban and sent a ship to tag an oil and gas exploration vessel of Malaysia. Recently, China also announced a vegetable farming project on Woody (Phu Lam) Island of the Paracels to strengthen its illegal sovereignty claim. China had sent two diplomatic notes to the United Nations to make the infamous Four Sha claim, which covers a broader range than the notorious, illegal nine-dash line. For its part, Vietnam has firmly denounced and rejected all illegal actions by China as violations of its sovereignty. In the chairman's statement, ASEAN leaders called on member countries to strengthen mutual trust and refrain from activities that complicate or escalate disputes and harm peace and stability in the region. They also need to avoid actions that might complicate the situation and pursue peaceful resolutions and comply with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the statement noted. "We reaffirmed that the 1982 UNCLOS is the basis for determining maritime entitlements, sovereign rights, jurisdiction and legitimate interests over maritime zones, as it sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out." The association also emphasized the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities by claimants and all other states, including those mentioned in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). ASEAN's common commitment is to seek peaceful resolutions in disputes that respect legal and diplomatic processes. "We emphasized the need to maintain and promote an environment conducive to COC (Code of Conduct in the South China Sea) negotiations, and thus welcomed practical measures that could reduce tensions and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation," the statement reads. At a press conference Friday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said ASEAN had proposed to soon restore COC negotiations, disrupted by the pandemic. ASEAN leaders together affirmed the importance of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), which it adopted following the ASEAN Summit that took place last June. The chairmans statement stressed the association would continue to honor AOIP by further promoting the objectives and principles contained in the Outlook, as well as encouraging external partners to support and undertake cooperation with ASEAN on key areas through practical projects to promote mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual benefit through ASEAN-led mechanisms. ASEAN leaders also expressed their desire to resume the Special ASEAN-U.S. Summit on the 15th anniversary between the two parties. This event, which was originally scheduled for March 13, was postponed due to concerns over Covid-19. The association stated it would continue to prevent and mitigate the impact of drought in the region and looks forward to the formulation of the ASEAN Declaration on Building Resilience to Drought and its subsequent Regional Action Plan. Last year, a number of downstream Mekong countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia faced severe drought, one of the main causes of which is the record low water level of Mekong River. The 36th ASEAN Summit, with Vietnam as chair, took place online on Friday due to the Covid-19 pandemic. ASEAN has 10 members - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It has eight strategic partners, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, and the U.S. Vietnam is scheduled to chair the 37th ASEAN Summit by the end of this year. By ANI NEW DELHI: Days after the face-off with Chinese troops at Ladakh's Galwan valley in which 20 Indian Army soldiers lost their lives, actor Kangana Ranaut on Saturday urged Indians to completely boycott Chinese goods and becoming 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliant). In a nearly 2-minute-long video that the 'Queen' actor's team shared on Twitter, she urges people to support the soldiers and the government against China. As the video begins, Kangana talks about the pain of a part of Indian land being taken away comparing to a part of the human body being ripped off. #KanganaRanaut condemns the brutal Chinese attack on the Indian Army in Ladakh & calls the nation to not forget the sacrifice of our martyrs & treat this as an attack on nation. To honour the supreme sacrifice of our bravehearts & to teach China a lesson,it's time #__ pic.twitter.com/jrehc8Qqwp Team Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) June 27, 2020 "What kind of pain will you go through if somebody tries to rip off our fingers from our hands or our hands from the arm? the same intensity of pain has been caused by China on us after it tried capturing Ladakh from us (India)," she says in Hindi. The 'Panga' actor then reminds people of how 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the face-off with China. "On the other hand, 20 of our soldiers lost their lives while saving every inch of Ladakh from them. Is it fine to say that a face-off at the borders must only involve the armies and only governments, do we the norma people do not have any contribution in that," the 33-year-old actor said. Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Ranaut then urges people to boycott Chinese goods in India and support the government in its "war". "Did we forget when Mahatma Gandhi had asked people to boycott British goods to end their rule in the country? Isn't it necessary that we take part in the war too because Ladakh is not just a piece of land, it is a very essential part of India," she said. "Shouldn't we take a part in this and stop using all Chinese products and boycott companies in which they have invested so as to stop them from earning revenues and spending them on buying weapons and then using those weapons on our soldiers? Isn't this our responsibility to support our soldiers and our government," added. Kangana ends the video by taking a pledge to become 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) and make India win. "So, we take this pledge that we will become atmanirbhar (self-reliant) and will completely boycott Chinese goods and make India win by taking part in this war. Jai Hind," the 'Queen' actor said. "#KanganaRanaut condemns the brutal Chinese attack on the Indian Army in Ladakh & calls the nation to not forget the sacrifice of our martyrs & treat this as an attack on the nation. To honor the supreme sacrifice of our Bravehearts & to teach China a lesson, it's time," tweeted the actor's team along with the video. Twenty Indian soldiers lost their lives in the violent face-off in Galwan Valley on June 15 after an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during de-escalation in eastern Ladakh. Democracy: Historian James Durney looks back at the historic 1920 local election The critical year of the independence struggle was 1920. It began with the urban elections in January and continued with offensive actions by the IRA which brought new, more ruthless, players the Black and Tans onto the scene. For the first time in Ireland a new system proportional representation with a single transferable vote was used. The introduction of proportional representation and the single transferable vote throughout Ireland had required an Act of Parliament, the Local Government Act, 1919. Clearly, the Act was designed to undermine Sinn Fein following its resounding victory in the 1918 General Election. However, it did not work. The urban elections gave Sinn Fein control of nine of the countrys eleven corporations. In the local elections held in June, Sinn Fein won control of twenty-nine out of thirty-three county councils and 172 out of 206 rural district councils. The Dail cabinet now had the opportunity to establish a dual-power structure as all newly elected councils with a republican majority were asked to declare their allegiance to Dail Eireann. Of the twenty-nine members elected to Kildare County Council, twenty-eight were Sinn Fein or Labour the Labour Party were strong supporters of the republican ideal. The following resolution was proposed at the new council meetings: That this Council at a duly convened meeting hereby acknowledges the authority of Dail Eireann as the only elected government of the Irish people, and undertakes to give effect to all decrees duly promulgated by the said Dail Eireann in so far as same effects this Council. At the first meeting of the newly elected County Council of Kildare, held in Naas Courthouse, it was decided to pledge allegiance to Dail Eireann and to repudiate any claim by the British government to legislate in Irish affairs. The chairman elected was Easter Week veteran Domhnall Ua Buachalla, while Eamon O Modhrain, Commandant of 6th Battalion, Carlow Brigade, IRA, was elected vice-chairman. Both were fluent Irish speakers and the native language was much in evidence during proceedings. It began by some of the members answering the roll call in Irish, continued in resolutions designed to promote the spread of the language and culminated in the requirement that the minutes should be signed in Irish. At the beginning of the meeting two youths had made herculean efforts to fly the tri-colour from the flagstaff of the court-house which had heretofore flew the Union Jack. When the motion to delete the after the Rising resolution of 1916, which appeared on the minutes, came up for consideration one member called for a scissors, another suggested that the resolution should be torn out and burned. A third member, who took part in the Rising that was condemned in the offending resolution, suggested that there was no need to deface the minute book, and that it would be sufficient to write the word rescinded over the minute so dealt with in red ink. This suggestion was adopted. At the weekly meeting of the Naas Board of Guardians, held on 30 June, on the motion of Michael Smyth (Athgarvan), and seconded by John Lee (Broadleas, Ballymore-Eustace), the resolution in the minute book condemning the Easter Rising of 1916 was also deleted. The interest of the new members of the county council in the Irish language was demonstrated in the publication of the councils proceedings in both Irish and English in the Leinster Leader. Naas Urban District Council and Newbridge Town Commission showed similar interest in the language in the autumn of that year when both bodies, dominated by Sinn Fein, proposed that the names of their towns should be changed to the Gaelic forms. The proposals were adopted at the quarterly meeting of the County Council on 22 November 1920, and henceforth the towns were to be known as Nas Ni Riogh and Droichead Nua. Sinn Fein was now in control of the administrative machinery of the entire county, as it was in most counties throughout the country. However, it was a bittersweet victory. The elections in January and June 1920 were the last thirty-two county all-Ireland elections. A year later the country would be partitioned. One hundred years later Ireland is still divided. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-28 04:59:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 220,000 in Iran on Saturday. Meanwhile, Turkey's coronavirus infections approached 196,000. Iran, re-emerged as the hardest-hit country by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East region, reported 2,456 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 220,180. The country also reported 125 new deaths from the virus, raising the death toll to 10,364. A total of 180,661 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 2,928 still in critical condition. In the meantime, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey climbed to 195,883 after 1,372 new infections were reported, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted. The death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 5,082 after 17 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, he said, adding that 1,984 more patients recovered, raising the total recoveries to 169,182. On the same day, some 2.4 million Turkish high school graduates took the university entrance exam under a partial curfew imposed for this weekend to limit the social interaction on streets over the concerns of the spread of the virus. Saudi Arabia's coronavirus cases continued the surging trend to reach 178,504 after 3,927 new infections were added. The kingdom also reported 37 new deaths and 1,657 more recovered patients, taking the death toll to 1,511 and the total recoveries to 122,128. In Qatar, 879 new cases of COVID-19 were detected, bringing the total number to 93,633, of whom 110 have died and 77,225 recovered. Egypt announced 1,168 new cases and 88 more deaths, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 63,923 and the death toll to 2,708. The Egyptian Health Ministry also reported 403 more cases of recoveries, increasing the total recoveries to 17,140. Meanwhile, the Egyptian government lifted a partial nighttime curfew that has been imposed in the country for three months amid a coexistence plan to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 387 new COVID-19 cases and one more death, raising the tally of infections to 47,360 and the death toll to 311. The total number of recoveries from the virus in the UAE increased to 35,834 after 365 more fully recovered. Kuwait reported 688 new cases, raising the country's total number of infections to 44,391, of whom 344 have died and 34,586 recovered. Iraq confirmed 2,069 new coronavirus cases and 101 fatalities, bringing the total number of infections to 43,262 and the death toll to 1,660. A total of 19,938 patients have recovered in the country. In Israel, 621 new COVID-19 cases were detected, the highest daily number since April 2, taking the tally of coronavirus infections to 23,421. The deaths from the virus in Israel increased to 317 while the recoveries rose to 17,002. It is worth noting that the number of active cases in the country reached 6,102, the highest since May 3. Algeria said that 283 new cases of infections were reported, the highest daily record so far, taking the tally of infections to 12,968, while the death toll hit 892 and the recoveries reached 9,202. In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 11,877 after 244 new cases were added, which included 220 fatalities and 8,723 recoveries. Palestine reported a record of 258 daily COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the Palestinian territories to 2,053, including 620 recoveries and seven deaths. Following the high increase of infections in the Palestinian territories, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye announced a series of stricter restrictions against the virus. In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 22 to 1,719, while the death toll remained unchanged at 33. Tunisian Ministry of Health reported four new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of the infected in the country to 1,168, which included 1,025 recoveries and 50 deaths. The country reopened on the day all its air, land and maritime borders to receive Tunisians living abroad and tourists under a health protocol to ensure the health security. Jordan registered seven more infections, bringing the total coronavirus cases to 1,111, including nine deaths and 841 recoveries. The total number of coronavirus cases in Yemen's government-controlled provinces increased to 1,103 after 14 new cases were added. The number of recoveries in the government-controlled areas, including the southern port city of Aden, increased to 417 and the death toll climbed to 296. Enditem In an appeal dismissed by the government as null and void, the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) on Friday asked the Constitutional Court to invalidate constitutional changes mandating the immediate removal of three of its nine judges. Under Armenian law, such appeals have to be signed by at least one-third of the 132 members of the National Assembly. The BHK, which controls 25 seats, submitted 26 signatures in support of its court challenge against the legality of controversial amendments passed by the parliament earlier this week. Government officials and lawmaker representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians My Step bloc insisted that the BHK needed at least 27 signatures. Bright Armenia (LHK), the second parliamentary opposition party, agreed, saying that the Constitutional Court cannot consider the appeal. The LHK refused to join the BHK initiative despite opposing the constitutional changes engineered by Pashinian. The legal community is divided over this issue, Naira Zohrabian, a senior BHK member, said after handing the appeal to court officials in the morning. The Constitutional Court will decide whether or not to accept it, Zohrabian told reporters. I will not comment on the issue anymore. The opposition politician also said that the court will announce that decision within the next two weeks. The BHK move came just hours after the entry into force of the amendments that bar current and future Constitutional Court judges from serving more than 12 years. The 12-year term limit was already included in the constitution when it was previously amended in April 2018. But it did not apply to the judges already serving. A clause in the amended constitution allowed these judges to retain their positions until reaching retirement age. The latest amendments scrapped the clause, requiring the immediate resignation of three of the nine members of the high court. They also stipulate that Hrayr Tovmasian must quit as court chairman but remain a judge. Tovmasian and the three affected judges refused to step down, however. In a joint statement issued on Thursday, they argued that the authorities have not made similar changes to a separate law on the Constitutional Court which also exempts them from the 12-year term limit. Justice Minister Rustam Badasian dismissed their objections, saying that the constitution takes precedence over the law cited by them. For his part, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian announced shortly after midnight Tovmasian is not the courts chairman and the three other judges -- Alvina Gyulumian, Felix Tokhian and Hrant Nazarian -- its members anymore. Nevertheless, Gyulumian reported for work in the morning. She insisted that she remains a Constitutional Court judge. It also emerged that Tovmasian decided to formally go on vacation late on Thursday, just hours before the amendments came into force. Gyulumian said that she will head the court in his absence. Meanwhile, another high court justice, Vahe Grigorian, who was appointed by the current Armenian parliament a year ago, hailed the constitutional changes as historic. This is a solution to the Constitutional Court crisis, he said. In a written opinion made public on June 22, the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe largely backed the proposed changes. But it said it regrets the Armenian authorities refusal to introduce a transitional period that would allow for a gradual change in the composition of the court in order to avoid any abrupt and immediate change endangering the independence of this institution. The Strasbourg-based commission also said that the authorities should not rush to have Tovmasian replaced by another Constitutional Court chairman. Tovmasian, Gyulumian and five other judges have been under strong government pressure to step down over the past year. Pashinian has accused them of maintaining close ties to the countrys former government and impeding his judicial reforms. Tovmasian and opposition figures have dismissed Pashinians claims and in turn accused the prime minister of seeking to take control of the Constitutional Court. After their rescued dog was diagnosed with terminal cancer, a DeLand, Florida, couple decided to make his final days as enjoyable as possible. They withdrew the last of their savings to purchase a wagon and took their ailing pup on an outing. That outing really changed everything. Joey Maxwell and his wife, Allison, adopted a golden retriever named Maverick in 2008 from an open-admission shelter in North Carolina. Maverick had been abandoned in the woods as a puppy and may have faced euthanasia if the Maxwells hadnt adopted him in the nick of time. He had spent about three months alone, out in the woods, Joey told The Dodo. When we got him, he was absolutely skin and bones, but he was perfect. The couple described Mavericks behavior as spectacular despite the trauma of his past, and enjoyed six happy years with the loving dog before they received devastating news. Maverick was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2014. The Maxwells decided to help their beloved pet fight the disease, and after a course of chemotherapy, Maverick went into remission for two years. However, unfortunately, in 2016, the cancer returned. One fall morning, Joey and Allison woke up to find that Maverick couldnt walk. He laid there on the floor and could barely lift his head, Joey recalled. He wouldnt eat or drink. He was shaking. Mavericks veterinarian diagnosed anemia and low-grade fever; the dog spent a few days under the vets watchful eye, but his prognosis was not good. Maverick returned home to spend the remaining time he had left with his family. Maverick was finally able to meet his hero, John Miller, at Lowe's Home Improvement yesterday! We spent an hour and a Everybody Loves Maverick That was when Joey had the bright idea to take Maverick on a jaunt around town. We wanted him to go out and do what he loves to do, and thats being outside, getting attention, said Joey. He loves being loved. Despite struggling with Mavericks mounting medical bills, Joey withdrew the last of his savings and headed to a local Lowes hardware store to buy a wagon big enough to fit Maverick, as he was too weak to walk on his own. His treatment in the ICU was very expensive and sort of wiped us out. So, the $130 for the wagon was really all I had left in the bank, but my wife and I decided Mav needed it more than we did, Joey told CBS News. The store had sold out of wagons in the wake of Hurricane Matthew; however, after Joey shared Mavericks story to the store manager, Lowes pulled in a favor. Staff located and assembled a wagon from a different site and gifted Joey a 50 percent discount. I cried, Joey told The Dodo, and so did the cashier. Back at home, Joey embellished the wagon with a blanket and toys before positioning his ailing dog comfortably. Photos of Mavericks wagon ride show the golden retriever looking calm and content with his tongue lolling out of his mouth as Joey pulls him along. Maverick was even treated to hamburgers, dog friendly ice cream, and special dog treats on his outing, Joey told 9 News. Joey thought the wagon ride would be Mavericks last experience of the outside world, but to the dog owners astonishment, the ride revived him. There was an instant transformation, Joey explained to The Dodo. So the next day we did the same thing. Before long, Maverick was a local celebrity. People stopped to say hello and wish the dog well, days turned into weeks, and Maverick began sitting on his own again. The vet even declared that he was in remission. (Courtesy of Joey Maxwell) Despite the dogs renewed spirits, the cancer returned a third time in December 2016. However, Maverick lost his fight on Jan. 21, 2017. He was 9-and-a-half years old. Remembering his beloved dog, Joey told People that he was just magical and described his peaceful passing. [H]e had just laid down and simply gone to sleep, Joey said. He didnt suffer, and that meant a lot. Reflecting on life with his grinning golden retriever, Joey told CBS News that Maverick continues to be an inspiration, reminding him every single day of how important it is for people to love one another. Joey and Allison have since rescued another golden retriever. They named her Ellie. Shes 3 years old and just as wonderful as Maverick, Joey told The Epoch Times. As of 2020, the Maxwells also have a daughter, who is fast approaching her second birthday. She and Ellie are the best of friends. We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc THE Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a Limerick biker who is serving a life sentence for murdering the founder of a rival club. Andrew 'AOD' O'Donoghue died after he was shot at the gates of the Road Tramps motorcycle club at Mountfune during an incident on June 20, 2015. Alan 'Cookie' McNamara, 53, of Mountfune, Murroe, had denied the murder of the retired carpenter and father-of-one. However, following a trial at the Central Criminal Court, he was found guilty in July 2017. He was formally sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott on October 27, 2017. The Central Criminal Court heard that Mr ODonoghue developed a love of bikes in the 1980s and was a founding member of the Road Tramps motorcycle club. McNamara had been a Road Tramp some years earlier but joined another group, the Caballeros, in 2015. Tensions between the two clubs flared when McNamara was seen wearing Caballeros colours in a pub in Doon, an area considered to be Road Tramps' territory. It was Mr McNamara's case that he was having a quiet drink with his wife when he was subjected to a humiliating assault. He was attacked, his wife was knocked to the ground and the Caballeros colours were taken from his motorcycle jacket - a symbolic attack on his honour. In both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, lawyers representing Mr McNamara said it was a deliberate and planned provocation to make his client feel unwelcome in the area. Following the incident in Doon, three members of the Road Tramps pulled up to McNamaras house in a car, produced weapons, including a firearm, and threatened to kill him. The following day, McNamara travelled to the Road Tramps clubhouse, a short distance from his home, after he became aware that members of the Caballeros were in a car pursuing a member of the Road Tramps. McNamara, who was armed with a sawn-off shotgun, said he shot Mr ODonoghue because he believed a metal bar in the latters hand was a firearm. He told gardai he never intended to kill Mr ODonoghue and expressed remorse. Earlier this year, Mr McNamara moved a Supreme Court appeal against his conviction. The core argument argued by his lawyers was that the trial judge erred in not permitting a defence of provocation to go to the jury. Delivering the Supreme Court judgment on Friday, Mr Justice Peter Charleton said the court was rejecting the submissions. There was no foundation of fact on which a jury could ever find for the accused on the basis of provocation, he stated. "What happened the night before the killing of the victim might have been such that had the accused retaliated when he and his wife were assaulted outside the bar, supposing that the victim had taken part, which he did not, and supposing he had the means of lethal force spontaneously to hand, a jury might have considered the defence of provocation in that context," he added. Need dispassionate scrutiny, reform of all multilateral entities says Jaishankar India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: Asserting that the world stands at a "transformative moment", external affairs minister S Jaishankar said dispassionate scrutiny and reform of all multilateral entities were needed to make them purpose-built for the current times and representative of this century. Addressing a virtual ministerial meeting of Alliance for Multilateralism, Jaishankar said the world is facing a two-pronged attack of a pandemic and misinformation going viral. At RIC grouping, Jaishankar sends out cryptic message to China "Today, once again, we stand at a transformative moment. A pandemic has devastated our globalised economic system; apart from taking a toll of over 400,000 lives, it has fundamentally affected the way we live, work, travel and indeed, relate to each other," he said. Chinese build helipad in Pangong Tso, Tuticorin custodial deaths spark row & more | Oneindia News "While it is too early to say that the coronavirus has altered our way of life forever, it has reduced humanity's instinctive comfort in the presence of others," Jaishankar said. Suspicion of human interaction is fuelled, more often than not, by fake news, wrong information and targeted disinformation, he said. "So widespread are these phenomena today that we are truly facing a two-pronged attack of a viral pandemic and misinformation going viral. In other words, this is an era of both a health crisis and an infodemic," he said. He asserted that the way forward to address both the challenges is similar and said that there is a need to strengthen the belief in scientific approaches. "That means, we must set aside politics and focus on facts-whether it is the effort to dispassionately analyse the causes and drivers of the current coronavirus pandemic, or to assess what changes our multilateral health mechanisms need to implement to improve preparations for a future pandemic," Jaishankar said. Dexamethasone should be used for critical cases: WHO The resolution adopted at the World Health Assembly last month is an opportunity to use facts and science to assess our response to this pandemic and take those lessons to prepare better for the future, he said, adding that as chair of the WHO executive board, India is ready to work towards these goals. "We need to restore our faith in meaningful and equal partnerships. Trust, partnership and cooperation draw people, societies and countries together especially during crises, particularly when fake news and disease engender isolationism and unilateralism," he said. In this context, India was pleased to be a part of cross-regional group presenting a statement on the ongoing 'Infodemic' in the context of Covid-19 at the UN, he noted. "It is an empirical fact that every process and institution must evolve to meet the needs of its time. No institution, howsoever important, can remain frozen at the moment of its foundation," Jaishankar said. "Just as we need to consider the resourcing and regulatory parameters set out for the World Health Organisation, to address and resolve shortcomings, so too do we need dispassionate scrutiny and reform of all multilateral entities, to make them purpose-built for our times, and representative of this century," he said. This is why India continues to call for 'reformed multilateralism'- one that is relevant for the age in which we live, not when this architecture was erected, he said. "Our alliance must stand for a dynamic multilateralism; for a purposeful reform of existing structures, which must continue to serve the international community even more in this complex and uncertain time," he said. The "Alliance for Multilateralism" launched by the French and German foreign ministers is an informal network of countries united in their conviction that a rules-based multilateral order is the only reliable guarantee for international stability and peace. TikTok has become a huge hit among teens and adults. With over 1 billion users worldwide, it is safe to say that the video-sharing social networking service is here to stay. Even Hollywood stars like Jennifer Lopez and Reese Witherspoon, as well as supermodels like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber caved in with the TikTok craze. Having said that, the video-sharing app launched careers of some famous influencers like 17-year-old social media personality Loren Gray who has 38.9 million followers, as well as filmmaker and youtube star Zach King with 33.7 million followers. TikTok Star Found Dead In Her Home In New Delhi, India Unfortunately, one Tiktok star passed away earlier this week. According to reports, 16-year-old Siya Kakkar was found dead after she committed suicide last June 24. According to The New York Post, the Indian influencer's manager Arjun Sarin confirmed that Kakkar died in her family's home in New Delhi, India. In addition, he revealed to the news outlet that he last spoke to Kakkar shortly before her death. "She was talking normally and like every time she talked to me she was very professional and focused on the work ... [to find] an artist like her is very rare, so we can only pray that may her soul rests in peace. She will always be in our hearts forever," Sarin shared. The manager also expressed his belief that the incident is "something personal" and not work-related. "This must be due to something personal...workwise she was doing well. I had a word with her last night for a new project and she sounded normal. My company Fame Experts and me manage lots of artists and Siya was a bright talent," he furthered. Sarin also took to Instagram to pay tribute to the TikTok star, as he shared a photo of Kakkar sitting in a staircase while wearing a red hoodie and smiling. "No more words. You will always be the best artist. Rest In Peace @siya_kakkar," the manager wrote. TikTok Star Committed Suicide Because Of Depression Moreover, Delhi Police is conducting further investigation on the case and has seized her phone. Based on their initial report, the teenage social media star has been struggling with depression during the COVID-19 lockdown. "Siya died by suicide at her residence in New Delhi at around 9 pm on June 25. She lived with her family. Her family is in shock and has requested privacy. No suicide note has been recovered," a law enforcement representative told India Today. The authorities will also be questioning Kakkar's close friends to find clues about her untimely death. With almost 2 million followers, her last TikTok video was shot in her residence and posted last Wednesday, which featured her signature Bollywood dancing and singing skills. As of Friday night, the said video gained 20.6 million views. Most of her TikTok videos featured lip-syncing to famous songs and recreations of popular memes and short comical skits. It was previously reported that the Indian government has banned the popular video-sharing app because it could expose teens and children to sexual predators, cyberbullying and pornographic content. READ MORE: Britney Spears Starts BIG Fight With Beyonce [PROOF HERE] The death toll from the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has hit 216, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has said. While Nigeria and the rest of the world are focused on containing the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the nation is also struggling to put an end to the Lassa fever. Nigeria, since January, has been battling the scourge of Lassa fever n the country. An epidemiological report from NCDC for week 25 shows that 1,036 people have so far contracted the disease with 216 deaths. While COVID-19 is a new global disease with less epidemiological information, Lassa fever has become endemic in Nigeria. The country has battled it annually for the past 50 years. Although the infection rate for Lassa fever outbreak in the country has slowed down, the spread of COVID-19 virus has continued to increase. As of Friday, Nigeria recorded a total number of 23,298 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 554 deaths. NCDC had declared the Lassa fever outbreak emergency phase for this year over on April 28. The public health agency said this emergency phase was declared over based on composite indicators national threshold. Outbreak The NCDC said since the onset of the 2020 Lassa outbreak, the country has recorded 5,134 suspected cases, 1,035 confirmed cases and 216 deaths. For the reporting week 25, 55 suspected cases were reported with five confirmed cases and two deaths recorded. These were recorded in four states Ondo, Edo, Taraba and Plateau. The number of new confirmed cases was the same as recorded in week 24 (five cases). NCDC said cumulatively for weeks 1 to 25, Nigeria has recorded 216 deaths with a case fatality of 20. 8 per cent. READ ALSO: So far, 27 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 129 local government areas. The five states with the highest number of confirmed cases are: Ondo with 343 cases and 59 deaths; Edo with 334 confirmed cases and 39 deaths; Ebonyi with 76 cases and 22 deaths; Taraba with 57 cases and 22 deaths and Bauchi with 44 cases and 20 deaths According to NCDC, the predominant age-group affected is 21 to 30. In the gender ratio, the males are more infected than females. Meanwhile, one new health worker from Ondo was infected for week 25. This brings the total number of health workers who have contracted the virus, so far this year, to 41. ***map showing confirmed cases per state ** Trend While confirmed cases have slowed down for the year, NCDC said the number of suspected cases has significantly increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2019. Lassa Fever is a hemorrhagic disease transmitted by a vector called multimammate rat. The virus is transmitted from the excreta or urine of the vector to humans, and from humans to humans. There has been a gradual reduction in new cases reported across the country since April. This is a steady pattern for the Lassa fever outbreaks in the country. The disease, although, diagnosed all year round, peaks in the dry season from November to May. This could be as a result of the rains in some parts of the country especially in places with a high burden of the disease. However, there has been a steady increase in the number of infections in the country in the past few years. Advertisements *** table showing comparison of 2020 and 2019 within the same period. *** Meanwhile, the NCDC Director-General, Chikwe Ihekweazu, had earlier said this was due to the improvement in disease surveillance, detection, reporting and testing capacity in the country. He said though there is no vaccine for the disease, it is curable. Early diagnosis and treatment increase a patients chances of survival, he added. Anyone suspected of being in contact with a Lassa patient needs to be presented to the health facilities within a period of 21 days. Symptoms of the disease at early stages are similar to febrile illness such as malaria. General symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, vagina, anus and other body orifices. It could also present persistent bleeding from sites of intravenous cannulation. Russians began voting Thursday on the most significant package of constitutional changes since the fall of the Soviet Union. Why it matters: The most significant of all is the clearing of President Vladimir Putin's term limits to allow him to remain in power until 2036. Setting the scene: The referendum was postponed from April due to the pandemic and comes on the heels of a massive military parade to mark the anniversary of victory in World War II. Voting will be spread over a week and include precautions to limit the spread of the virus. The proposal would also enshrine social conservatism "faith in god," opposition to gay marriage into the constitution. It would also give parliament new powers, including to appoint the prime minister, "while giving the president a greater say over the work of courts and prosecutors," per the WSJ. Where things stand: Putin has been criticized for his hands-off approach to coronavirus, but his proposal is nonetheless expected to pass. A recent Levada Center poll shows 44% in favor and 32% opposed but 55% of those certain to turn out plan to vote in favor. Opposition leaders including Alexei Navalny are calling for a boycott. The Kremlin is offering incentives to boost turnout. What to watch: The Levada Center's tracking poll puts Putin's approval rating at 59%, his lowest mark since Sep. 1999, 3 months before he became president. OAKLAND, Calif. - Facebook said Friday that it will flag all newsworthy posts from politicians that break its rules, including those from President Donald Trump. Separately, Facebooks stock dropped more than 8%, erasing roughly $50 billion from its market valuation, after the European company behind brands such as Ben & Jerrys and Dove announced it would boycott Facebook ads through the end of the year over the amount of hate speech and divisive rhetoric on its platform. Later in the day, Coca-Cola also announced it joined the boycott for at least 30 days. CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously refused to take action against Trump posts suggesting that mail-in ballots will lead to voter fraud, saying that people deserved to hear unfiltered statements from political leaders. Twitter, by contrast, slapped a get the facts label on them. Until Friday, Trumps posts with identical wording to those labeled on Twitter remained untouched on Facebook, sparking criticism from Trumps opponents as well as current and former Facebook employees. Now, Facebook is all but certain to face off with the president the next time he posts something the company deems to be violating its rules. The policies were implementing today are designed to address the reality of the challenges our country is facing and how theyre showing up across our community, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page announcing the changes. Zuckerberg said the social network is taking additional steps to counter election-related misinformation. In particular, the social network will begin adding new labels to all posts about voting that will direct users to authoritative information from state and local election officials. Facebook is also banning false claims intended to discourage voting, such as stories about federal agents checking legal status at polling places. The company also said it is increasing its enforcement capacity to remove false claims about local polling conditions in the 72 hours before the U.S. election. Ethan Zuckerman, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Center for Civic Media, said the changes are a reminder of how powerful Facebook may be in terms of spreading disinformation during the upcoming election. He said the voting labels will depend on how good Facebooks artificial intelligence is at identifying posts to label. If every post that mentions voting links, people will start ignoring those links. If theyre targeted to posts that say things like Police will be checking warrants and unpaid traffic tickets at polls a classic voter suppression disinfo tactic and clearly mark posts as disinfo, they might be useful, he said. But Zuckerman noted that Facebook has a history of trying hard not to alienate right-leaning users, and given how tightly President Trump has aligned himself with voter-suppressing misinfo, it seems likely that Facebook will err on the side of non-intrusive and ignorable labels, which would minimize impact of the campaign. Earlier in the day, shares of Facebook and Twitter dropped sharply after consumer-product maker Unilever announced a new ad boycott on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram through at least the end of the year. The European company said it took the move to protest the amount of hate speech online. Unilever said the polarized atmosphere in the United States ahead of Novembers presidential election placed responsibility on brands to act. In addition to the decline in Facebook shares, Twitter ended the day more than 7% lower. Unilever, which is based in the Netherlands and Britain, joins a raft of other advertisers pulling back from online platforms. Facebook in particular has been the target of an escalating movement to withhold advertising dollars to pressure it to do more to prevent racist and violent content from being shared on its platform. We have decided that starting now through at least the end of the year, we will not run brand advertising in social media newsfeed platforms Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the U.S., Unilever said. Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Thursday, Verizon joined others in the Facebook boycott. Unilever has enough influence to persuade other brand advertisers to follow its lead, said eMarketer analyst Nicole Perrin. She noted that Unilever pulled back spending for longer, on more platforms (including Twitter) and for more expansive reasons in particular, by citing problems with divisiveness as well as hate speech. Sarah Personette, vice-president of global client solutions at Twitter, said the companys mission is to serve the public conversation and ensure Twitter is a place where people can make human connections, seek and receive authentic and credible information, and express themselves freely and safely. She added that Twitter is respectful of our partners decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time. By Akbar Mammadov The commander of Iran's Border Guards Brigadier General Ahmad Ali Goudarzi called the borders between Iran and Azerbaijan the borders of peace and friendship, the Iranian media reported on 24 June. The Iranian commander made the remarks during the inspection of border checkpoints between Iran and Azerbaijan in Namin city of Iran. Goudarzi noted that there are no problems at the borders of the two neighbouring countries. "Over the years, there has been no specific border problem between the two countries and both sides have committed to the treaties and agreements, he added. Noting that Iran has the good situation at the borders with its neighbours, the brigadier-commander pointed out that strengthening and equipping the country's border guards is being considered as much as possible, and for this purpose, financial needs are being assessed. "With the vigilance and efforts of the border guards in all parts of the country, the borders of the Islamic Republic are in complete security, Goudarzi said. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz [June 27, 2020] Halo Labs Corrects Press Release Relating to Issuance of Compensation Shares and Compensation Warrants to Independent Consultants and Related Parties Halo Labs Inc. ("Halo" or the "Company") (NEO: HALO, OTCQX: AGEEF, Germany: A9KN) wishes to correct the Company's press release dated June 20, 2020 (the "Initial Release") with respect to the issuance of 12,043,924 common shares of the Company to certain independent consultants and related parties of the Company, in lieu of cash consideration (the "Compensation Shares") at a price of C$0.10 per Compensation Share, being the closing price of the common shares of the Company on May 26, 2020, and the issuance of 1,000,000 warrants ("Compensation Warrants") with an exercise price of $0.10 and an expiry date that is one year from the date of issuance to an independent consultant (collectively, the "Issuance"). The Initial Release stated that the Issuance had been completed on June 20, 2020. However, Halo wishes to clarify that the Issuance was completed and the Compensation Shares and Compensation Warrants have been issued as of June 26, 2020. As stated in the Initial Release, the Company issued 12,043,924 Compensation Shares in satisfaction of approximately C$1,204,392.77 in fees, payables, and other compensation accrued between January 2020 and April 2020 and payable to related parties and independent consultants of the Company. All of the Compensation Shares were issued pursuant to an exemption from the prospectus requirement of applicable securities laws. 4,054,087 Compensation Shares were issued to related parties (within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101")). The Company is relying on the exemptions from the formal valuation requirements and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Section 5.5(a) and Section 5.7(1)(a) in respect of the related party transaction on the basis that the fair market value of the Issuance does not exceed more than 25% of the Company's market capitalization. In addition, Phil Levtov and Jeremy Hayes, each an independent consultant of the Company, received 4,025,340 and 2,824,800 Compensation Shares, respectively, as part of the Issuance. Mr. Levtov provides investor relations services to Halo in Europe and the Middle East. Mr. Hayes provides superfiltration consulting services. About Halo Halo is a global cannabis extraction company that develops and manufactures quality cannabis oils and concentrates, which are the fastest growing segments in the cannabis industry. Halo is a global leader in cannabis oil and concentrates, having produced over 5.0 million grams of oils and concentrates since inception. The Company has expertise across all major cannabis manufacturing processes, leveraging a variety of proprietary processes and products. The forward-thinking company is led by a strong management team with deep industry knowledge and blue-chip experience. The Company is currently operating in California and Oregon, as well as in Nevada with our partner Just Quality, LLC, and in Lsotho with the 200-hectare Bophelo cultivation zone. With a consumer-centric focus, Halo will continue to market innovative, branded, and private label products across multiple product categories. Halo recently acquired Dispensary Track platform which will alleviate customer flow constraints experienced by dispensaries and enable direct consumer interaction. For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: unexpected costs or delays in the completion of the Company's ongoing acquisitions; negative results experienced by the Company or potential acquisition targets as a result of general economic conditions or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; delays in the ability of the Company or Bophelo to obtain certain regulatory approvals, including, the GACP certification, local licenses or the necessary import and export permits; unforeseen delays or costs in the completion of the Company's construction projects; unwillingness of employees or consultants to accept shares in lieu of cash consideration; an inability to identify suitable brands for acquisition; adverse changes to demand for cannabis products; ongoing projects by competitors; adverse changes in applicable laws; adverse changes in the application or enforcement of current laws, including those related to taxation; increasing costs of compliance with extensive government regulation; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets and in particular in the ability of the Company to raise debt and equity capital in the amounts and at the costs that it expects; risks related to licensing, including the ability to obtain the requisite licenses or renew existing licenses for the Company's proposed operations; dependence upon third party service providers, skilled labor and other key inputs; risks inherent in the agricultural and retail business; intellectual property risks; risks related to litigation; dependence upon senior management; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated as of the date hereof. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200627005006/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] China State-Media Reporter Tries to Stop Cameraperson Filming Her During Aussie PM Press Conference A reporter for Chinas state-owned Xinhua News Agency took issue with a camera operator who filmed her during Prime Minister Scott Morrisons press conference in Canberra on Friday. Captured by SBS, the footage shows the reporter walking up to the camera after she noticed it was pointing towards her. She then placed her hand on the lens saying, Please dont. Reporters from Chinese state media try to suppress filming of their presence at PM press conference today clip from @BrettMasonNews report tonight pic.twitter.com/WSs3mIhhKM Rashida Yosufzai (@Rashidajourno) June 26, 2020 She left the press conference afterward. The incident took place in the Prime Ministers Courtyard in Parliament House. The Daily Telegraph reported that the incident drew the attention of fellow journalists and Australian Federal Police officers. The prime ministers security team followed the woman after she left the conference. The reporter was accompanied to the press conference by a photographer who was filming the event. The photographer was asked by a staffer who she worked for, but she initially declined to answer. Later, the Daily Telegraph confirmed the photographer did not have the proper credentials, having only an escorted pass. Access to Parliament House requires a permanent media pass, which the reporter did have. The Prime Ministers press conference followed the national cabinet meeting and gave an update on the pandemic in Australia. Scott Morrison also addressed questions related to the recent raid by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) on the home and office of Labor State Member of Parliament Shaoquett Moselmane over allegations of Chinese Communist Party infiltration. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has released its first-ever television recruitment advertisement that portrays the covert and criminal US international security service as a glamorous and diverse workplace. Released on Monday to be run on streaming services such as YouTube and Hulu, the 60-second commercial is made with actors in the style of a pro-US government TV spy thriller such as Showtimes Homeland. The advertising campaign, titled Discover the CIA: Your Nation Is Counting On You, is set to run in 90-second, 60-second, and 15-second advertising spots on streaming services such as YouTube and Hulu With short clips shifting from CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia to an undisclosed overseas location and an anonymous overseas ministry, it depicts a male African American official addressing a class of CIA recruits in voice-over saying, It only takes one new piece of foreign intelligence and everything can change in an instant. The ad cuts to a scene of a blond female intelligence analyst at headquarters on the phone with her supervisor after she makes a discovery, saying, I think I found something. Later in the commercial, a young female African American agent carries out a brush passa handshake exchange of a thumb-drive presumably containing classified informationwith an official from an unnamed foreign ministry. In the end, the African American lecturer says, The nation ... is counting on you to discover the truth ... Ladies and gentlemen ... welcome ... to the CIA, to a round of applause from his classroom of youthful recruits. That the activities depicted in the TV commercialalthough they are left unspecifiedcould involve assassination, torture or the overthrow of a government should not be lost on anyone watching the slick presentation. Nor should the possibility be ignored that the young woman involved in the overseas brush pass might wind up dead. Dozens of CIA agents have been killed in the field over the past 20 years, many of whom have never been named and are represented by a star in the black Moroccan goatskin-bound book known as the Book of Honor on display at the Original Headquarters Building in Langley. A press release accompanying the TV commercial quotes Sheronda Dorsey, head of CIA Talent Acquisition, saying Were meeting Americans right where they areon streaming platformsto share a glimpse of an exciting CIA career and what it could mean for their futures. Although the CIA has no problems recruiting agentsevery year thousands of applications are submitted for hundreds of available positions and 2019 was reportedly a banner recruiting yearthe agency has become less diverse in recent years. According to a study in 2015, Racial and ethnic minority officers make up 23.9% of the entire CIA workforce, but account for only 10.8% of the Senior Intelligence Service (SIS), 15.2% of GS-15s [highest government pay category], and 21.0% of GS-14s [supervisory government pay category]. A similar gap between the workforce and the leadership ranks exists for minority female officers and officers with disabilities. CIA recruitment on Ivy League campuses and other elite colleges has been going on since the agency was founded in 1947. In the 1980s, the agency expanded its recruitment to state colleges and universities in an effort to add diversity to its ranks. Under John O. Brennan, who was director from 2013 to 2017, the CIA began recruiting at historically black colleges and universities. The emphasis on recruiting a "diverse" pool of agents is not an indication that the CIA is becoming more "representative" of the American population. It means that the broader set of targets for spying and provocation--the Middle East, Latin America, Asia and Africa acquiring greater significance in the calculations of Langley, displacing the single-minded focus on the Soviet bloc during the Cold War--requires different kinds of faces. Another concern is that the CIA is competing for tech talent with companies based in Silicon Valley and it sees the online streaming TV services as a means of reaching this audience. This points to an emphasis at the agencyand within the US military-intelligence as a wholeon hacking, malicious software and cyberwarfare technologies. CIA Director Gina Haspel is quoted in the press release for the TV ad, saying, Since becoming Director, I prioritized how, where, and whom we recruit to be the next generation of CIA officers. Advertising on streaming services is an important step forward to reach talented Americans with the diversity of experiences we require to continue to be the worlds premier intelligence service. Haspel was nominated by President Trump and took over at the CIA on May 21, 2018, replacing Mike Pompeo, who became Secretary of State. Her nomination was approved in 105 vote by the Senate Intelligence Committee, including supporting votes of two Democrats, despite her direct participation in the CIA torture program during the administration of George W. Bush. Haspel was in charge of a black site torture chamber in Thailand codenamed Cats Eye in 2002 which included the torture of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. Documents obtained through a freedom of information request dating from November 2002 and were either approved or written by Haspel detail the torture of al-Nashiri including slamming him against a wall, confining him to a small box, waterboarding him and depriving him of sleep and clothing, while threatening to turn him over to others who would kill him and calling him culturally offensive names. Young people should reject the farcical presentation of employment opportunities at the CIA in the new advertising campaign. They should keep in mind a tweet by former CIA officer and intelligence contractor Edward Snowden at the time of Gina Haspels nomination on March 13, 2018, The new CIA director was a key part of the torture program and its illegal cover-up. Her name was on the Top Secret order demanding the destruction of tapes to prevent them being seen by Congress. Incredible. A company official was killed due to Ammonia gas leak from an industrial plant in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district on Saturday, police said. The incident occurred at SPY Agro Industries Limited in Nandyal town. Company general manager Srinivas Rao was killed in the mishap. Four others who were also present with him rushed out. All of them were reported safe. Kurnool District Collector G. Veerapandian said the fire services personnel were trying to plug the gas leak. He said there was no danger to people living in areas around the plant. He appealed to people not to panic and remain indoors. The incident in the plant owned by the family of former MP S.P.Y. Reddy occurred when the gas leaked from a pipeline, which was reportedly repaired on Friday. The prime suspect in Madeleine McCann 's disappearance is complaining about being 'bullied' while in prison, his lawyer has said. Convicted rapist and paedophile Christian Brueckner, 43, is being held on drugs offences in Kiel prison in Northern Germany. His lawyer Friedrich Fulscher told German magazine Der Spiegel: 'Fellow inmates try to bully him where they can. He is pilloried worldwide and easily identifiable.' The lawyer added that the suspect is making use of his currently refusing to talk to police but that this does not mean he has 'anything to hide'. Brueckner was recently identified by German prosecutors as a prime suspect in the disappearance Madeleine, who vanished from her holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007. Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner (pictured) may not face charges for the three-year-old's disappearance, German prosecutors have said In his comments to Der Spiegel, which were reported by The Sun, Mr Fulscher added: 'There has not yet been an official offer of interrogation. 'As a precaution, we have informed the public prosecutor's office that Christian will only comment on the allegations, if at all, through us. 'He is currently making use of his right to remain silent. This does not mean he has anything to hide.' The lawyer also said Brueckner makes a 'calm and friendly' impression on him and has never been 'loud' or angry. Convicted rapist and paedophile Christian Brueckner, 43, is being held on drugs offences in Kiel prison in Northern Germany Friedrich Fulscher told German magazine Der Spiegel: 'Fellow inmates try to bully him where they can. He is pilloried worldwide and easily identifiable' The news comes just two days after it emerged that Brueckner may not be charged in the three-year-old's disappearance. German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters claimed authorities had 'concrete evidence' that the three-year-old was killed, and insisted earlier this month he had shared this information with Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann in a letter. This was despite the McCanns' furious insistence that they had not received a letter. 'We have concrete evidence that our suspect has killed Madeleine and this means she is dead,' Mr Wolters said. 'The parents have been told the German police have evidence that she is dead but we have not told them the details.' Despite this, Mr Wolters confessed 'the investigation may not lead to a charge for the murder of Madeleine McCann,' as it 'could be stopped if we fail to find the missing evidence.' He told the Braunschweig Zeitung: 'I am currently unable to predict the outcome of our investigation but we are still convinced of the guilt of the accused and hope for further promising investigative approaches. 'Of course, it is always good to know where a suspect is to be able to access them if necessary. And, of course, detention always offers a certain guarantee that the detainee will not commit any further crimes.' Authorities are currently analysing 400 calls they received about the case after an appeal for information three weeks ago, the Sun reported. Brueckner, 43, was recently identified as a prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine (pictured), who vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2007 Mr Wolters said he is 'hopeful of finding other victims who have been sexually assaulted by the suspect,' regardless of whether they can charge him in the disappearance of Madeleine. Brueckner is currently serving a 21-month sentence in Kiel, Germany for drugs offences, and it was reported on Monday he could be out of prison on parole by next week. His lawyers have reportedly filed a request for him to be released after serving two-thirds of his sentence, but prosecutors fear he may flee the country after his release. German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters (pictured) claimed authorities had 'concrete evidence' that the three-year-old was killed The case has now been passed to Germany's Federal Court in Karlsruhe and officials are expected to decide within the next week if he should be released. In 2011, Brueckner was sentenced to 21 months in jail for his part in a drugs trafficking ring that supplied marijuana to VIP clients. 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. 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. Following his identification as a suspect in the case, he has further been linked to the disappearances of six-year-old boy Rene Hasse in the Algarve, 1996, and five-year-old girl Igna Gehnricke in Germany, 2015. Syrians 'face unprecedented hunger amid impending COVID crisis' 26 June 2020 - Syrian communities devastated by years of civil war now face an "unprecedented" hunger crisis, just as urgent action is needed to prevent COVID-19 from spreading, UN humanitarians said on Friday. The warning from multiple UN agencies comes ahead of a major donor pledging conference next Tuesday for the war-shattered country. To date, nine people have died from the new coronavirus in Syria. Rural Damascus affected Most of the relatively low number of confirmed infections have been identified in rural Damascus, in areas under Government control. But there are serious concerns that Syrians nine in 10 of whom live on $2 or less a day are dangerously exposed to the disease should it reach them. "We've only had 248 cases (of new coronavirus infection) in country thus far, but we can take no comfort in that", said Dr Richard Brennan, Regional Emergency Director for the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office. "We have other countries in the region, the number of cases has got off to a slow start, and we've seen in more recent times a real acceleration, so we've seen this in Iraq, we've seen it in Turkey, we've seen it in Egypt and we can fully expect that we will have a similar development in Syria as well." The development coincides with an urgent World Food Programme (WFP) appeal for funding to sustain its massive nutrition programme. 200 per cent food price hike "Syria today is facing an unprecedented hunger crisis as the prices of basic foods reach levels unseen even at the height of the nine-year conflict," said spokesperson Elisabeth Byrs, noting a 200 per cent food price hike in under a year. "We'll continue our work, we're on the groundwe're helping 4.8 million people who need food assistance from WFP in Syria's 14 governorates. We're going to carry on, but to do that we need $200 million urgently." With more than half of Syria's pre-war population - over 13 million people now displaced across the country or refugees, UN humanitarian coordinating body OCHA, echoed the need for international support at next Tuesday's funding summit in Brussels. "A generation of children has known nothing but hardship, destruction and deprivation," said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "Now over 11 million people still inside Syria need aid and protection. The economy across the region is imploding, in Syria it is imploding, not least due to the impact of COVID-19." To date, the $3.8 billion Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria is only 30 per cent funded, Mr. Laerke added. Hospitals out of action After more than nine years of war, more than half of Syria's public hospitals and health centres are out of service, according to WHO. From Damascus to Aleppo, facilities have been reduced to rubble, including a 400-bed national hospital in Homs and a 600-bed complex in Eastern Aleppo, which used to have a nursing school and specialist centres in ophthalmology, paediatrics and nephrology. Amid such destruction in a country so reliant on international support, the UN is increasingly concerned that COVID-19 would be devastating for all those who live day-to-day, with no social welfare safety net and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). This is despite efforts to boost public health measures to protect vulnerable populations, said WHO's Dr Akjemal Magtymova, WHO Representative in Syria: "Even in healthcare settings, what I have witnessed crowds of patients in the facilities which are - there is - no use of masks, even among some of the health medical personnel, because of a lack of PPE." Insisting that there was still an "opportunity" to stop a widespread COVID-19 outbreak in Syria "that we know is coming", WHO's Dr Brennan said that scaling up tried and trusted prevention efforts was essential: "the disease surveillance, the testing, the isolation, the case management, the contact tracing and the community engagement and communications." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Councillors are set to receive written responses to a number of questions raised at their June meeting. As statutory business had to be completed during the June meeting, councillors were told they would receive written responses to queries raised in relation to the Chief Executive's monthly report for the month of May. Cllr Avril Cronin (FG) asked for updates on works at the 'unique and historic' market house in Dunlavin and on the status of the bus stop at Hollywood. Cllr Sylvester Bourke (FG) requested an update on potential funding for repair works on the North Beach walkway in Arklow. Cllr John Mullen (FF) said the County Development Plan needed to provide adequate zoning for green spaces for older residents. He also expressed his frustration with the delays to upgrades of wastewater treatment facilities. Cllr Paul O'Brien (Lab) said the issue of dumping in the county was not restricted to rural areas, but also occurred in urban areas. He asked for more bins to be provided throughout the county. Cllr Peir Leonard (Ind) suggested there was a requirement for more homelessness accommodation in the South Wicklow area. She asked about the allocation of casual trading licences and the provision of outdoor furniture. Cllr Rory O'Connor (Ind) asked for an update on the bus shelter for Kilmacanaogue. Referring to fires in rural areas of the county, Cllr Dermot O'Brien (SF) said these had biodiversity consequences. 'If a young person does something wrong, they are demonised,' he said, suggesting those setting fires should face court action. Cllr Melanie Corrigan (FG) suggested more responsibility for littering in the county should be placed on traders and businesses. Cllr Irene Winters (FG) said answers would have to be supplied in writing to questions raised by councillors as statutory matters had to be dealt with during the June meeting. Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, confirmed that members would receive responses in writing to the queries raised at the meeting. Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide on June 14th at his Bandra residence. Following his demise, netizens vented out their anger on selected celebrities after reports emerged that Sushant was let down by many people in Bollywood. Some also claimed that issues in his personal life led the actor to take the extreme step. Soon, the internet is flooded with angry comments for the likes of Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt and Sonam Kapoor. So much so that the Bollywood celebrities limited comments on their Instagram accounts. Rhea Chakraborty, who was rumoured to be dating the actor also received harsh comments on her social media posts. Amid such anger, Rhea has also disabled comments on her Instagram posts. Meanwhile, a complaint was filed before a court in Bihar on Saturday accusing actress Rhea Chakraborty, of having abetted the deceased actor's suicide. Kundan Kumar, a resident of Patahi locality in Muzaffarpur, filed his petition before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Mukesh Kumar and the same has been posted for hearing on June 24. Earlier, she was also quizzed by the Bandra police for more than ten hours in connection with the late actor's suicide case that is currently undergoing investigation. Post her meeting with the police authorities, she was seen making her way out as her father accompanied her. She did not say anything to media persons who were gathered outside the venue and was on her way. She was reportedly quizzed about her relationship with Sushant and alleged breakup, his film projects, his alleged clinical depression and mental state before he died by suicide on June 14. Follow @News18Movies for more By PTI NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said on Saturday that his conscience was clear and he has nothing to hide, soon after being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate at his residence here in connection with the Sandesara brothers money laundering case. He accused the government of "using probe agencies every time it faced a crisis or when there was an election". "If you were to do an analysis, you will see a clear pattern over the past many years. Every time there is a Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha election or the government is facing a crisis, one or more investigative agencies become active ?on the instructions of one individual," he said in a statement. "Unfortunately this time, the (Narendra) Modi government's failure to manage an economic, health and national security crisis is now so huge, that none of the agencies can help spin the narrative?," the Congress leader said Patel alleged that rather than fighting the pandemic and China, this government was "more keen to fight the opposition". "Nonetheless, our conscience is clear. We have nothing to hide, nor are we afraid to criticise and expose the government's failures ?and their past corruption," the Rajya Sabha MP and Congress treasurer said. Sharing his statement on Twitter, Patel also said, "Today the Modi government sent some visitors to my house." A three-member team along with few other officials of the Enforcement directorate reached Patel's 23, Mother Teresa Crescent, home in the Lutyens' zone of central Delhi around 11:30 am and left just before 9 pm. The team members were seen carrying files and wearing masks and gloves as precautionary measures against the coronavirus spread. The officials said Patel's statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during the eight-hour-long questioning and that his purported links with the Sandesara brothers are under the scanner. The ED had summoned Patel, 70, twice for questioning in the case but the Congress Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat later cited prevailing COVID-19 guidelines that advises senior citizens to stay indoors in order to remain safe from the pandemic. The agency then assured the Congress party treasurer that all care will be taken while he is questioned at its office but it was pointed out by his legal team that there are media reports about coronavirus cases being found in the ED headquarters too. This money laundering case pertains to the alleged Rs 14,500 crore bank loan fraud that is said to have been perpetrated by the Vadodara-based pharma firm Sterling Biotech and its main promoters -- Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara and Deepti Sandesara -- all of whom are absconding. Nitin and Chetan are brothers. The agency has said that this is a bigger bank scam in volume than the PNB fraud involving diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Oscar Saxelby-Lee, a six-year-old British boy finally heads home to the UK after a successful experimental treatment for aggressive cancer in Singapore where he emerged cancer-free for about six months. His family flew home on the night of Thursday (25 June). It has been a life-changing experience for them, considering that prior to Oscars treatment in Singapore, UK doctors said he only had months left to live. Oscar was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in December 2018. It is said to start in the bone marrow and invades the blood rapidly. Facebook screengrab/Hand in Hand for Oscar Olivia and Jamie, Oscars parents, were said to have learned of the news just three days after celebrating Christmas in 2018, according to reports. Despite rounds of intensive chemotherapywhich forced him into isolationradiotherapy, to stem cell transplants, which doctors thought would be the cure, the cancer cells continued to multiply. He was described as a non-responder to the treatments which also left him weak and tired. Experimental Treatment was Last Hope UK doctors said to Oscars parents that they have exhausted all treatment options in the UK, leaving only palliative care to help reduce Oscars suffering and improve the quality of life. Oscars last hope came when doctors from the National University of Singapore (NUS) responded to the familys call with a new experimental treatment. The family raised 500,000 (S$863,000) within weeks to fund Oscars treatment, and flew to Singapore in mid November last year. His cancer cells had multiplied by 100 times in just two months, bringing the cancer count to about 1 per cent. Apart from Oscar, only one other child in the world received this treatment. Even so, it was not guaranteed that the treatment would work. There was every doubt it wasnt going to work. This treatment wasnt even at trial level its compassionate, Oscars mum Olivia explained in an interview with CNA. Story continues He had spent 10 months in isolation in hospital by the time he arrived in Singapore. In addition, he also lost a massive amount of weight, faced difficulties in walking and developed bruises on his legs due to strain from walking. Oscars cancer cells were at 7 per cent when he was ready to start treatment on Christmas Eve last year. We had to take the risk, and it paid off By mid-January, Oscar was rid of all cancer cells in his blood. However, he was said to have suffered from serious side effects from the four rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, isolation, two stem cell transplants and experimental treatment. Oscars immune system also took a severe hit, with ulcers and sores appearing in his mouth as well as bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea. He also suffered from brain damage and lost all of his speech, and developed osteopeniaa condition where bone mass is lost and bones become brittle. However, the damage was reversible according to doctors, with medication prescribed to Oscar. His parents have also provided help in the process, exercising Oscars legs and aiding his movement around the house. Facebook screengrab/Hand in Hand for Oscar While Oscar struggled to walk and still suffers from tremors, he is said to begin walking again without assistance. Still, the little warrior was said to have maintained a smile on his face, despite the trauma and obstacles faced at such a young age. Facebook screengrab/Hand in Hand for Oscar We had to take the risk, and it paid off. Its a miracle. The team at NUH are just phenomenal, and they are so special to us now, said Olivia. Facebook screengrab/Hand in Hand for Oscar Oscar is said to fly back in about six months time for a check-up to make sure he has remained in remission. Once in the UK, he will go for regular checkups at Birmingham Childrens Hospital, near his home in Worcester. Lead image via Facebook screengrab/Hand in Hand for Oscar ALSO READ: Dont worry. Im here: Brother Holds Nervous Sisters Hand While Ordering Food at Hawker Centre The post British Boy Who Came to Singapore for Aggressive Cancer Finally Heads Home appeared first on theAsianparent - Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids. BEIRUT - A Lebanese judge Saturday banned local and foreign media outlets in the country from interviewing the U.S. ambassador to Beirut for a year, calling a recent interview in which she criticized the powerful Hezbollah group seditious and a threat to social peace. The court decision reflected the rising tension between the U.S. and Hezbollah. It also revealed a widening rift among groups in Lebanon, which is facing the worst economic crisis in its modern history. Judge Mohamad Mazeh in the southern city of Tyre said he acted after receiving a complaint from a citizen who considered Ambassador Dorothy Sheas comments to a Saudi-owned station insulting to the Lebanese people. Mazeh said Sheas comments incited sectarian strife and threatened social peace. The judge said while he cant ban the ambassador from speaking, he can bar the media from interviewing her for a year. Mazeh made the decision on Saturday, the start of the weekend, saying the matter was urgent. The backlash was swift. The private LBC TV station said it would appeal the ruling and called it a violation of media freedom. Critics of Hezbollah called it politicized. But others hailed the ban as brave on social media, saying Shea had crossed a line, interfering in Lebanons internal affairs. Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad wrote on Twitter the judiciary may be reacting to the interference of some diplomats in the countrys affairs. However, no one has the right to prevent the media from covering news or undermine press freedoms, she wrote. The judges ruling came a day after Shea told Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath that Washington has great concerns over Hezbollahs role in the government. In her first response to the ruling, Shea called it unfortunate in a telephone interview with the local MTV station. I think it is a distraction. I wish people would spend their time and attention trying to solve the problems facing the country, she said, adding that the Lebanese government had already apologized to her for the ruling. So, no. The U.S. Embassy will not be silenced. Lebanon is gripped by a deepening financial crisis and talks with the International Monetary Fund for assistance has been complicated by political infighting. Shea said Lebanon is reeling from years of corruption of successive governments and accused Hezbollah of siphoning off government funds for its own purposes and of obstructing needed economic reforms. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite group, and its allies are dominant in parliament and back the current government. It is designated by Washington as a terrorist group and the U.S. has continued to expand sanctions against the group. However, Washington is one of the largest donors to the Lebanese army, making for one of the more complicated diplomatic balancing acts in the region. Judge Mazeh wrote that media who interview Shea would be contributing intentionally or unintentionally to the blatant aggression on the rights of those who feel insulted from the interview, in a decision sent to media outlets. Mazeh said violators would be penalized with a one-year suspension and asked the Information Ministry to disseminate the order. Abdel-Samad said such complaints should be handled by her ministry and the press bodies. The Ghana Journalists Association has held a media convention for journalists in the Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo Regions, ahead of the 2020 polls. The training convention sponsored by the US Embassy in Ghana dubbed "The 2020 Election: Role of the Media in Promoting Civility and Discernment in the Political Discourse". The training aimed at equipping journalists across the country with accurate reporting skills, during the 2020 elections as a means of inculcating cooperation spirit among the Ghanaian. The media convention program which was started in 2012, and also featured the 2016 election, seeks to bring together among the media and the election actors, thus, the electoral commission, security, political parties, and other major stakeholders. The chairman of the National media commission, executives from National and Ashanti Journalists Association, director of Election At the electoral commission, Mr. Benjamin Bio, members from the security agencies, journalists, among others were present. The program has been spread in centre's to benefit other media professionals, across regions. In a welcome address read on Him behalf of the president of the GJA, Mr. Affrail Monney by Mrs. Linda Asante Adjei the Deputy of President of GJA Says the convention seeks to assist the media to inform and educate the electorate towards the pending election, which focuses on GJA guidelines for reporting. He said, the training will deal with attacks on the media during the election, its course, and its effects. Affail Monney also advised media to desist from election malpractice and to prevent reportage that creates tension in the country. Mr. Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, chairman of the National Media Commission in his presentation on 'GJA guidelines on election coverage and the various guidelines of the NMC: Correlations and Synergies' urged journalist to resort to training programs to improve their capabilities. "The media can only make impart by beginning from themselves since they can't give what they don't have", Mr. Boadu stated. This according to him, will aid journalists to be circumspect of their reportage on national issues, without fear or favour. He said the media should serve as a guardian to voters and the populace of the country, during and after the pending election. He urged the journalist to defy their interest in reporting political issues, as they should work to uphold multi political parties in the country. He also charged the media to provide credible, balanced, fair, and factual on their reportage. Mr. Benjamin Bio, the director Ashanti Regional director of the election at the electoral commission outlined the commissions support needed from the which first of all, the media should be abreast with all timely information before reporting. He said, the EC expects the media to be truthful, unbiased, and be objective with all political issues. "We expect the media to consider the interest of the, avoid fake news and report on social media to harness media integrity". He, however, expressed the commission's preparedness to continue dialogue with the media to ensure cooperation. Nana Owusu Nyinan, the Chief of Kwamo, who chaired the occasion charged the media to defray from igniting fire through sensational and propaganda stories, but rather report facts and accurate. He said that "traditional rulers have a role, therefore all should work hard to bring peace and harmony during and after the election". Hour glass and calendar concept for time slipping away for important appointment date, schedule and deadline Now is the time to get your defensive stocks. Another market crash is coming as we are still yet to see the worst of the economic impact from the first wave. Theres also considerable uncertainty about whats going to happen when the second wave hits in the fall. Also, more recently, a second peak of the first wave has seen case counts snowballing in parts of the United States. This all spells trouble on the horizon. And although its impossible to time the market and predict a market crash, I think most investors expect another one to happen soon. So this may be the last chance to ditch your high-risk TSX stocks. This way, you can raise some cash and allocate the rest of your funds to defensive stocks that are less volatile. Here are three top defensive stocks to buy today. TSX utility Utilities are great stocks to own because of the inelastic demand for their services and the regulated nature of their revenue. One of the best utility stocks on the TSX to buy today is Hydro One Ltd (TSX:H). Hydro One owns electrical transmission and distribution assets across Ontario. The company is not only a great defensive business for investors, but will also grow organically. As the province of Ontario continues to grow, so too will the demand for its services. The company has even affirmed its guidance for the next few years. So it looks as though coronavirus wont have a meaningful enough impact to delay its growth expectations. Plus, Hydro Ones stock currently has an impressive 4% yield making it a great dividend stock to own, in addition to protecting your capital. Consumer defensive stock Another option for investors to consider are consumer defensive stocks. One of the most attractive consumer defensive stocks on the TSX today is North West Company Inc (TSX:NWC). Consumer staples are great defensive stocks because most of the products they sell will have inelastic demand, regardless of income levels. This basically means that whether or not a recession hits, people still need to buy food and toilet paper. Story continues North West is attractive because it delivers its services in remote communities where it has major logistical advantages. The work that management has done to strengthen the business and lower costs is finally paying off. This has seen the stock skyrocket by nearly 100% from the bottom in March. Furthermore, you will be hard-pressed to find a consumer staple with a dividend as attractive as North Wests 4.3% yield. This only adds to the reasons investors should be buying this top stock today. Defensive telecom stock The last stock to consider is BCE Inc (TSX:BCE)(NYSE:BCE). BCE can be considered a defensive stock because of its industry, and the major resiliency of its operations. The company is seeing a slight impact from the pandemic. However, for the most part, its going to be business as usual for BCE. The impacts have caused management to withdraw guidance for the year. However, long-term investors are looking past impacts on the business in the short term. What investors are most looking for is a long-term indication of how the company will do. And given that BCE is one of the only companies that hasnt suspended its growth investments, the future looks bright for Canadas largest telecom. The dividend is also a major feature of Enbridges defensive qualities. Investors can count on the stock to continue to grow the dividend. After all, BCE is one of the top dividend aristocrats on the TSX. Today, its dividend is yielding roughly 5.9%. Plus, on top of all the defensive features that BCE brings to a portfolio, it also offers huge long-term growth potential with the introduction of 5G. Bottom line Investors still have time to buy defensive stocks and stabilize your portfolio. However, time could soon be running out with rapidly rising case counts. So make sure your portfolio is as stable as can be. It may end up getting tested very soon. The post Buy Alert: Pick up These 3 Defensive Stocks Before Its Too Late appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Daniel Da Costa owns shares of BCE INC. and THE NORTH WEST COMPANY INC. 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 Deepak Sathish By Express News Service COIMBATORE: It is a job that requires the highest qualification of class VIII pass. But among the 350 applicants for the 93 vacancies of temporary multipurpose health worker were graduates, overqualified but desperate. With economy in a tailspin and the future prospects looking bleak, a cross-section of graduate applicants reasoned that a secure job was the need of the hour. Friday was the last leg of the four-day interview at the office of the Deputy Director of Health Services here for 93 posts. The job profile mandates keeping the premises of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) clean; in short, the selected candidates must also clean the loos. A 25-year-old painter, who attended the interview, said that every job had its dignity. My work was hit by Covid-19 pandemic. I think I can manage my family better if I get the job. Maybe the painters words on every job having its own dignity found resonance with the scores of graduates at the venue. The job mandates the applicants to have Tamil reading and writing skills. A cross-section of graduates told TNIE that finding a suitable job was difficult at the best of times. And these are desperate times. A 35-year-old BA History graduate from Pollachi said he has been searching for a job commensurate with his qualification for a long time now. Since I was on the lookout for a job, I attended the interview. The officials verified my certificates and said they would get back to me, he said. Among the crowd of applicants were BSc Computer Science, BCom, BA and other graduates. A higher official in the Health Department said they sensitized the graduate applicants about the job profile. We tested their attitude during the interview as the quality of work depends on it. The shortlisted candidates would be posted to various PHCs across Coimbatore, the official added. The last date Friday was the last leg of the four-day interview at the office of the Deputy Director of Health Services for 93 posts Always speak up when you witness something that is not right. It could be something obvious like a racist joke, but could also be more covert such as everyone ignoring the idea of a non-white colleague but praising it when a white colleagues raises the same idea. Loading A joke is never just a joke for the person being made fun of, especially if someone has been on the receiving end of others racist jokes all their life. Showing solidarity with the person on the receiving end of racist jokes or invalidating behaviours and speaking up on their behalf can go a long way. Also: racist behaviour is not OK even if the victim laughs or shrugs it off. Many people from minority backgrounds have been sidelined all their lives and have normalised or internalised such treatment. That is a sad indictment of Australian society and such treatment needs to be condemned, not supported. Another issue is to check whether seemingly good intentions are actually offensive. At one of my first part-time jobs, the first thing a colleague said to me was Do you know why Asians have slanty eyes? He had seen a documentary on it and wanted to show off his new knowledge. Peoples appearances and identities are not fair game for white people to show off how clever they think they are (such as saying Ni hao to any Asian-looking person) or to satisfy their curiosity about why someone doesnt look or speak like a white Anglo person (Where are you originally from?). Earlier this June, the IT staff at the University of California San Francisco discovered that the IT environment of the UCSF School of Medicine had a security incident occur on June 1. The university had to put a few of the School of Medicine's IT systems under quarantine to be safe. They successfully isolated the security incident from the university's central network. What's important to know is that the university's overall campus network, COVID-19 work, or patient care delivery operations were not affected by the security incident. What Went On With The Malware Attack On The University? While the attack was happening, the university managed to stop it. However, the cybercriminals managed to launch malware that encrypted several of the servers in the School of Medicine. The malware made it so that the servers were inaccessible temporarily. Since the incident occurred, the university has been working with one of the best cybersecurity consultants and other experts so that they can investigate the security incident and enhance the defenses of their IT systems. They are expecting to restore the full functionality of the encrypted servers shortly. The university's investigation is still going but they believe that the cybercriminals intended to encrypt any server and they didn't particularly target any individual areas. As proof of their attack, the cybercriminals had some data they grabbed so they could demand a ransom payment. Patient medical records are believed to be safe and unexposed, but it isn't confirmed yet since the investigation is still ongoing. Until there is additional information discovered, the university will wait until then to provide more updates. #NetWalker #ransomware team has been targeting education(MSU & Columbia). Another large university has been breached. University of California San Francisco ( @UCSF ) was breached by NetWalker and now student and faculty data will be leaked in 5 days unless they pay the ransom. pic.twitter.com/wQJ7UWagmV Ransom Leaks (@ransomleaks) June 3, 2020 Read More: Google Confirms Malicious Chrome Extensions With 30M Downloads That Steal User Data The Unfortunate Necessity To Keep Data Safe The data that the malware encrypted is crucial for a significant amount of academic work that the university is pursuing to serve the public good. That is why the university made the challenging decision to pay a small portion of the asked-for ransom, which amounts to around $1.14 million. This money was given to the cybercriminals that perpetrated the malware attack so that the university could receive the tool required to decrypt the encrypted data and they also returned the data they took from the servers. Cybercriminals and their increasing use of malware to attack is what the incident has shown the world. Monetary gain is what the majority of these cybercriminals seek. There have been multiple attacks on higher education institutions in recent times, which is a horrific thing to see in modern times. The university is continuing to work with law enforcement, and they hope that everyone understands that what they can share has to be limited since they are still investigating right now. Read More: Vulnerable Windows Devices Are Being Taken Advantage Of To Spread The Lucifer Malware Protestors march against the separation of migrant children from their families on June 18, 2018 in Los Angeles. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement must release children held in the country's three family detention centers by July 17 because of the danger posed by the coronavirus pandemic, a federal judge in Los Angeles ordered. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee said in a ruling Friday that children held for more than 20 days at ICE family residential centers should be released by July 17 to "non-congregate settings" that include "suitable sponsors" and even to their own parents, who can also be released if conditions warrant it. The centers "are 'on fire' and there is no more time for half measures," Gee wrote. She cited "unevenly implemented written protocols," employees with Covid-19 at one Texas facility, and 11 detainees with the virus at a family residential center in Kansas. Read more from NBC News: Appeals court rules funding for Trump border wall construction 'unlawful' Supreme Court rejects mail-in voting for all in Texas during pandemic Supreme Court hands big win to Trump on expelling immigrants seeking asylum The matter is now in the hands of ICE, which had 124 children at those facilities in Texas and Pennsylvania as of June 8, the ruling said. The ruling applies only to children, it does not compel ICE to release parents. Gee said ICE could use tracking devices on some parents if deemed necessary in order to release them with their children. Last month, NBC News reported that given the choice of having their children be released or staying together in family detention, mothers and fathers each and every one of the 366 families in ICE detention chose the latter. Gee criticized the family residential centers as potential hot spots for the virus. "The court is not surprised that COVID-19 has arrived" at ICE and U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement facilities, Gee wrote. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. LOS ANGELES Los Angeles County authorities have received 25 new complaints of sexual misconduct against Ron Jeremy this week, including 13 that may have taken place in Southern California, a prosecutor said in court Friday. While arguing over a motion to reduce bail for the adult film star who was charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting four women in West Hollywood Deputy District Attorney Paul Thompson disclosed the new complaints in a downtown courtroom. Thompson said it is certainly possible the new claims could lead to additional charges, and noted that the claims ranged from groping to overt acts of sexual violence. The allegations were all received by law enforcement officials after news broke that Jeremy was being prosecuted, Thompson said. Jeremy surrendered to authorities Tuesday after the Los Angeles County district attorneys office charged him with eight counts of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual battery stemming from allegations made by four women between 2014 and 2019. He pleaded not guilty to those charges Friday and his attorney, Stuart Goldfarb, has said that Jeremy never, in his life, had sex with a female through force or duress. Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said they launched an investigation into Jeremy after an allegation of rape was made last summer. Cmdr. Carlos Marquez said Jeremy used his public persona to gain access to the victims and then took advantage while they were intoxicated. The sheriffs department presented its case to prosecutors Monday. Jeremy has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women in recent years including adult film stars Danica Dane, Jennifer Steele and Jay Taylor but has denied the allegations. A 2017 Rolling Stone article detailed allegations levied by at least a dozen women. Goldfarb said all sorts of claims come pouring in when an allegation of wrongdoing against a celebrity gains media attention, and tried to downplay the nature of the allegations contained in the criminal complaint as nonviolent. He also claimed the head of security at the Rainbow Room on the Sunset Strip, which is known to be one of Jeremys favorite haunts, will refute a rape allegation made by a woman there in 2019. Thompson scoffed at that, saying two of the four women named in the criminal complaint allege Jeremy followed them into the bathroom of a bar and trapped them there before assaulting them. L.A. Superior Court Judge Miguel Espinoza denied Goldfarbs motion, and Jeremy will remain jailed in lieu of $6.6 million bail. He is due back in court in late August. James Queally of the Los Angeles Times wrote this story. 2020 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Up to 25,000 people granted domicile certificates raising fears of the beginning of demographic change in Kashmir. Up to 25,000 people have been granted domicile certificates in Indian-administered Kashmir since May 18, raising fears of the beginning of demographic changes in the Muslim-majority Himalayan region. The certificate, a sort of citizenship right, entitles a person to residency and government jobs in the region, which till last year was reserved only for the local population. Last year on August 5, when India revoked the semi-autonomous status of the region, it also scrapped the local special citizenship law, guaranteed under Article 35 (A) of the Indian constitution. The move has drawn parallel with the occupied West Bank. On Friday, Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden said, India should take all necessary steps to restore the rights of all the people of Kashmir. Restrictions on dissent, such as peaceful protests or shutting or slowing down the internet weakens democracy, says a policy paper posted on his website. Kashmir is one of the most militarised regions of the world [EPA] Kashmir becoming another Palestine The decision to provide non-Kashmiri residents with a domicile certificate is certainly the beginning of the end. This is the beginning of Kashmir becoming another Palestine, Badar-Ul-Islam Sheikh, a 29-year-old resident of the main city of Srinagar, told Al Jazeera. It is sad. It is horrible. I fear that time will come that we will not even feel safe in our homes, he said. We have been silenced. According to a census conducted by India in 2011, out of 12.5 million total population, Muslims comprise 68.31 percent and Hindus 28.43 percent in Kashmir. Article 35 (A) had barred outsiders, including Indian nationals from other states, from settling and claiming government jobs to maintain the demographic balance in the region, which has seen decades of armed rebellion against the Indian rule. On Friday, a picture of the domicile certificate issued to Navin Kumar Choudhary, a bureaucrat originally from the Indian state of Bihar, went viral on social media. In April this year, amid the coronavirus lockdown, the government notified domicile laws making an unspecified number of outsiders eligible for residency and jobs. According to the new law, any person who has lived in the region for 15 years, or has studied in the region for seven years and passed his class 10 or class 12 examination is eligible for domicile certificate. Also, children of Indian government employees who have served in the state for 10 years are eligible to settle and claim local residency rights. The law applies even if the children have never lived in Kashmir. Out of 66, top bureaucrats serving in the region, 38 are outsiders belonging to other Indian states. Many other outsiders serve in various central government institutions like banks, post offices telecommunication facilities, security institutions, and universities. Kashmiri shopkeepers at a market in Srinagar [File: Mukhtar Khan/AP Photo] Disastrous for the region Khurram Parvez, a human rights activist based in Srinagar, said the move was disastrous for the whole region. It appears government is in some kind of hurry. Within weeks so many people applied, he told Al Jazeera. Kashmiri politicians across the divide have said the revocation of special citizenship rights was aimed at reversing the Muslim majority character of the region, which is now directly ruled from New Delhi. The local legislature, which was directly elected by the people, was suspended in the wake of the scrapping of Article 370 last year. All our misgivings about the new domicile rules in J&K are coming to the fore, tweeted Omar Abdullah, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, which was earlier a state and now a federally administered region. Omar was jailed following the removal of the regions autonomy in August last year along with most prominent Kashmiri leaders who opposed the stripping of the regions special status by the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was released almost eight months later, in March. We in @JKNC_ [Jammu and Kasmir National Conference] opposed the changes because we could see the nefarious design behind the changes. The people of J&K on both sides of the Pir Panjal mountains will be the sufferers of these domicile rules, he tweeted on Friday. But the Indian government says the move to change the status of Kashmir was done to integrate the Muslim-majority region with the rest of the country in order to bring development. Pakistans ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement that Indias latest step was a vindication of the countrys consistent stance that the major intention behind the Indian Governments illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019 was to change the demographic structure of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and turn Kashmiris into a minority in their own land. This has long been part of the RSS-BJPs Hindutva agenda, the statement added. Speaking to Anadolu Agency on the condition of anonymity, a government official said, since May 18, when the rules were notified, 33,000 people had applied for the domicile certificates. Out of them, 25,000 people have been granted residency rights, he said. An aerial view of Jammu [Mukesh Gupta/Reuters] Most certificates issued in Jammu region As many as 32,000 applications were filed in 10 districts of the Hindu majority Jammu region in the south. The highest number of 8,500 certificates has been issued in the Doda district, which has a delicate demographic balance, with Muslims comprising 53.81 percent and Hindus 45.76 percent. Up to 6,213 domicile certificates have been issued in Rajouri district, which has 62.71 percent Muslim population. Authorities have distributed 6,123 residency certificates in Poonch, a border district comprising 90.44 percent Muslim population. In the Kashmir region, which is about 96.4 percent Muslim population, 435 certificates have been issued so far, out of the total 720 applications. As of now, it is not clear how many outsiders, like Choudhary, have been issued domicile certificates. The 25,000 new citizens also include Hindu refugees, who had settled in the region at the time of partition of the sub-continent in 1947. They had migrated from territories, now part of Pakistan. But due to Kashmirs residency laws and special status they were not granted local residency rights. Parvez, the human rights activist, said the local government, which takes orders from New Delhi, has threatened to penalise officials Rs 50,000 ($660) if a domicile certificate is not issued within stipulated 14 days, adding that it would be difficult to verify the claims of applicants within such a short period. If you compare it with northeastern state of Assam, [where the ruling Bharatiya Janata party] BJP [government] wants every application to be scrutinised by officers, Parvez told Al Jazeera, referring to the state where nearly two million people were left out of a 2019 citizenship list. [In Assam] people also had the right to object to anyones application. But here neither officers nor anyone else has a right to object to domicile right, he said. The government has already warned those who oppose will have to go to the jail. Parvez said people were not in support of the law but cannot oppose under the pressure of gun and state violence. It will only complicate conflict and make things ugly, he said. Kashmir is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir, called Aksai Chin, is also held by China. Currently, India and China are engaged in a deadly border standoff since the beginning of May. On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in border fights, creating the worst tensions between Beijing and New Delhi in nearly 50 years. Since they were partitioned in 1947, New Delhi and Islamabad have fought three wars in 1947, 1965, and 1971. Two of them have been over Kashmir. Kashmiri rebel groups have been fighting for independence or unification with neighbouring Pakistan. They enjoy broad-based popularity in the Kashmir valley. According to several human rights organisations, thousands of people have been killed since 1989, when India sent tens of thousands of troops to the region to quell the armed rebellion. The World Bank has approved a $350 million loan for Ukraine in support of reforms that are critical to its economic recovery and to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the bank said. Ukrainian government said earlier this month it expected to receive this loan by the end of June after securing a $5 billion loan program from the International Monetary Fund on June 9. The bank said late on Friday that the key reforms supported by the loan included a strengthening land and credit markets, fostering anti-corruption institutions and bolstering the social safety net for the vulnerable elderly population to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Bank is a major development partner of Ukraine and since the country joined the Bank in 1992, its commitments to Kyiv have totaled about $14 billion for more than 80 projects and programs. Also Read: Coronavirus-induced economic crisis could test $1 trillion war chest, says IMF MD Also Read: UBI Chief Rajkiran Rai says COVID-19 disruption an opportunity for firms to re-strategise June is Pride Month. But this pandemic has put a stop to any kind of parade or party to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Their tough fight for rights is well documented and they fly the rainbow flag proudly. Its a little busy, Hannah Gadsby says and I laugh out loud. My fastidious gay friend who teaches art in San Francisco had once thought it too, but has never said it as casually as Hannah did. Hannah Gadsby is now two Netflix specials old: Nanette and Douglas. I rarely write about stand-up comedy even though I watch everything because everyone has a different sense of humour. But Im going to tell you about this comedic storyteller who talks softly, and carries a big stick. I will tell you how her first Netflix special compelled me to trawl the net and watch her perform comedy (from Sydney to Ediburgh) to her interviews and more I will tell you how her comedy will not yell at you or is peppered with four-letter words connected to mothers. I will tell you how her comedy will make you want to look up art appreciation courses online (since we are still under a lockdown), and you want to travel right back to Florence and examine the Renaissance masters because Hannah Gadsby showed you how to look at them with fresh eyes. This is one of the three videos of her art appreciation available for your enjoyment. But I digress. In 2018, Hannah Gadsbys Netflix special Nanette dropped and I caught it on a day when I was just fed up of male comics cursing and female comics complaining. And I watched. And laughed and cried. And decided I was going to go back to Musee Picasso in Paris or the Museu Picasso in Barcelona and giggle, pretending Hannah was lecturing me about the artist. Australians have been lucky to have experienced a walk through with her comedy in the art museum. On Netflix, we get an upfront and close-up view of home truths told in stories that will touch the parts of you that you thought were dead. Most of us take refuge in self-deprecating humour in order to get through awkward social situations. Nanette showed me that its not humility that drives us, its humiliation. Humiliation that in the end hurts only you. Yes, Hannah Gadsby is a storyteller. Its not just standard jokes that stick to a format you have seen in all stand-up shows: the set-up and then the punch line. She reaches out from her memories, her observations and lays them bare for you in a sucker punch that leaves you laughing nervously and nodding your head in agreement. She doesnt let you recover from the sharp insights. She takes you to that secret place where you have hidden all the tensions and she asks you to face that tension because the not normals carry it with us all the time. She does not let go. You sit there stunned as she tells you that it would have been better to have taken her down to the paddock and put a bullet through her head. Then she articulates what you have been dying to say to this world, My story has value. Intense. Thats the word that comes to mind when you watch Hannah Gadsby. Of course like all converted, I look for her stand-up routines on the net. And I watched her interviews. The one that stands out is the interview by a Scandanavian host, Skavlan. Its not a one-on-one, there is the French Spiderman and two other people on that show, but what stands out is how intelligent the questions are and how the other celebrities on the show are listening in and participating. Youll find it on YouTube easily enough. In another interview with the Australian Broadcasting Service, she said something that made me feel a little sad. The interviewer was asking her how she felt about Netflix taking her show to more than 190 countries, and would say people in India get her? She wasnt sure but said she wouldnt come to India because it would overwhelm her, as she liked her everyday routine more. I sipped my tea and clucked as if she were hearing my response. Perhaps I will tweet to her and tell her we drink tea in India as well Douglas is a show after my own heart. Its funnier because she shows us and articulates with so much style about being an outsider in America. She talks about her freshly diagnosed Autism. Theres such a reward in hearing her speak about anti-vaxxers, culturally confident Americans, and more. I felt very much at home with the difference in vocabulary, everything from Aluminum to Yall. This show offers us a glimpse of how intelligent she is and how she can use her art history skills to make us laugh in the second half of the show. It will make even those who stubbornly stay away from museums to go visit. The show made me trawl through art museums websites to look for women in threes. Its a guarantee that you will spend lots of time looking at art through Hannahs eyes. I have had to close like a hundred tabs before I could write this for yall. Please Like Me is a show on Netflix co-written by Hannah Gadsby. Its about this young man who discovers that hes gay and moves back home. She even appears as Hannah in the second season. Its available on Netflix even today, but it hasnt aged well for me. There are other smarter shows that could help you understand the importance of this month. Pride Month. The idea took birth in Greenwich Village in New York. At the pub called The Stonewall Inn, and by a bisexual activist Brenda Howard who is also known as Mother Of Pride. Hannah says that shes a lesbian but she identifies herself as Tired. How I laughed when I heard that. Describes all of us leading a double life - balancing the domestic as well as professional - all through this lockdown, eh? Then theres what her grandma told her: Aah well, it's all part of the soup, too late to take out the onions right now. We too have many onions in our life soup. Im learning to keep a chocolate bar handy. As Hannah reminds us about Van Goghs deep connection with his brother, we should cherish the connections we have made in our lives And find sunflowers. Manisha Lakhe is a poet, film critic, traveller, founder of Caferati an online writers forum, hosts Mumbais oldest open mic, and teaches advertising, films and communication. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that he would lead it to another victory in the December general elections. He stated this at a Special National Council meeting of the NPP with limited guests in attendance at the Alisa Hotel in Accra Saturday morning. This was after he had been outdoored as the flag bearer of the NPP for the December 7, 2020 presidential election. President Akufo-Addo was earlier endorsed by the National Council of the NPP through an acclamation as the flagbearer since he was the only who filed to contest that position going into Election 2020. Moments after his outdooring as the flagbearer at the meeting, President Akufo-Addo nominated the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate. This is the fourth time that President Akufo-Addo has selected Dr Bawumia as his running mate, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. By popular endorsement, the running mate was also endorsed by the National Council. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Two Democrats are running to unseat Republican Incumbent U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, who is seeking a fourth term as U.S. Representative for Michigan's Fourth Congressional District. The Democrats are Anthony Feig, a professor from Central Michigan University, and Jerry Hilliard, former public school teacher and community college instructor who ran against Moolenaar in 2018. Hilliard, who lost that race by 25 percentage points, did not respond to the Daily News' invitation to participate in today's voter's guide. Moolenaar will be invited to participate in the voter's guide leading up to the Nov. 3 general election. The following was received from Feig. Anthony Feig, 51, of Mount Pleasant, has been married to his wife, Cathy, for 20 years, and they have two sons, who attend public high school. Feig is a faculty member from Central Michigan University, and serves on his labor union's board. He has been a geologist and a teacher for 25 years, with a scientific background in past climates and environments. At CMU, his research focuses on science education policy and training tomorrow's science teachers. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of a congressional representative? A representative must be accessible to constituents and a fierce advocate for their needs. In the Fourth District, those needs are a clean environment, access to quality health care, strong public education, and investment in a 21st century economy. As Michigan's climate becomes warmer and wetter, our small towns and farms are the first to feel those effects. Our district has also been hard-hit by PFAS contamination. While little is known about exactly how much PFAS is in our water or its effects on crops, wildlife, and recreation, we know that action must be taken to protect our watersheds. All citizens deserve access to affordable, quality health care, lower drug prices, rural hospitals that won't close and doctors won't move away. Over 50,000 people in the 4th District get their healthcare through the Affordable Care Act exchanges. Their continuity of coverage must be guaranteed. Health care legislation must account for these needs and specifically address the challenges of health care in rural areas. Our schools are facing profound funding shortfalls as they grapple with COVID-19 social distancing, building use, and teacher shortages. Education is a public good that strengthens our nation and our democracy. Our children are entitled to a free public education that prepares them for work and life. I will support legislation that protects jobs and unions so that workers and their families enjoy good quality of life. To foster the economic growth, we must invest in infrastructure for businesses, education and training for workers, and recreation for families. 2. As our U.S. representative, how would you accomplish the above duties? I will make myself available and accessible to all my constituents by holding frequent town halls. My staff will cheerfully interact with all residents of the 4th District and provide excellent constituent services. In Congress, I will pursue legislation and policy which address our district's needs. For the environment, this includes research and development in adaptive agriculture, reinstating tax incentives for energy-saving consumer goods, expanding alternative energy development, supporting PFAS testing for residential wells, and research into PFAS effects on crops and wildlife. My healthcare legislation will focus on policy that ensures rural care networks can stay open, closes the gap between private insurance payouts and Medicare payouts, lowers the Medicare threshold to at least 60, allows the federal government to negotiate drug prices directly, and aggressively combats medical racism. Here in the 4th District, health care needs to be integrated with transportation infrastructure improvements. Education legislation should expand teachers' roles in education, continue to protect learners with disabilities, support apprenticeship and journeyman programs, guarantee that public money for education goes to public schools, and expand the Pell Grant program and college debt forgiveness. Good economic legislation will work to improve our rural transportation infrastructure and protect workers' rights to form unions and collective bargaining. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as a congressional representative? The legislative actions I proposed above represent a significant change from the status quo and a new focus on the needs of our citizens, versus special interests and the very wealthy. Beyond legislation, it is time to end the divisiveness in government, and work towards the common good of our communities. Partisan bickering sadly is expected as the norm in these times, but Washington lawmakers need to start behaving like responsible adults. I will be loyal first and foremost to the people I represent. I plan to be present and publicly available. I will be easy for people to contact, and people won't have to be screened to see if they agree with my positions in order to talk to me. This means that sometimes I will get an earful from people who disagree with me, but I have a duty to listen to everyone in my district. 4. What challenges do you anticipate U.S. representatives will encounter? All elected officials must work hard to gain the trust of the people through not only their words, but their deeds. Some people are deeply skeptical of the government, and in many cases rightly so. Representatives will have to be true leaders. We are in a watershed moment; we can and should choose to lift each other up with dignity and leave no one behind. That is one of the most patriotic actions we can take. Rowan Foods say HSE Inspector visit ends with no enforceable action taken This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jun 27th, 2020 The factory at the centre of the second coronavirus outbreak in Wales has had an inspection amid concern over the rising confirmed case figures connected to the flare up. Oscar Mayer, the owners of Rowan Foods, have said a team from the Health and Safety Executive were welcomed the to factory site on Thursday to conduct a two day visit specifically around COVID-19 practices on site to ensure we continue to operate safely for all our people. Oscar Mayer said, This was an in-depth review of our risk assessment and measures implemented to protect our people, and our ongoing management of COVID-19 onsite. The visit went well and the HSE Inspector left site on Friday 26th June with no enforceable action taken. This confirms that we have no serious issues which need addressing and we continue to comply with the law. The team on site remain positive through these unprecedented times and we are exceptionally grateful for the ongoing support of all our colleagues. We remain thankful that our colleagues remain generally well despite the positive COVID diagnosis, we are also grateful to those who are isolating and supporting the business by remaining at home. We are pleased that despite higher than usual absence levels operational performance is being maintained and we are continuing to service to our customers with all orders being fulfilled, with the site remaining open as usual. Yesterday the Health Minister Vaughan Gething told us a report was expected after an inspection, We have had a team go in to inspect the business. We will have that report, then will have a conversation with the employer, the health service, the Health and Safety Executive and the Food Standards Agency. We will also be talking to the trade union side to get a broad picture of intelligence around whats happening. If its clear that the right thing to do from a public health point of view, to ask that business to close, well do that. If that request doesnt go ahead, then weve got powers to close this, or any other business. So were not looking to go after Rowan Foods, and were not at a point where wed say that theres any blame attaching to this, far from it. Its the reality for any business that may be affected and what we might need to do to protect the business, and the businesss employees and workers, but also the wider community in which they operate in. Wrexhams Senedd Member, Lesley Griffiths said: The situation at Rowan Foods remains extremely concerning. Testing of the workforce has continued throughout this week and rapid contact tracing is also taking place. The outbreak reminds us all coronavirus has not gone away. It is vitally important people continue to observe social distancing guidance and if you have symptoms, you must stay at home and self-isolate. I will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with the relevant authorities. I am also meeting again with Vaughan Gething MS, the Welsh Government Health Minister, on Monday. The latest data released yesterday lunchtime has 166 confirmed coronavirus cases linked to the local outbreak with over 1000 tests taking place. A little-known Indian IT firm offered its hacking services to help clients spy on more than 10,000 email accounts over a period of seven years. New Delhi-based BellTroX InfoTech Services targeted government officials in Europe, gambling tycoons in the Bahamas, and well-known investors in the United States including private equity giant KKR and short seller Muddy Waters, according to three former employees, outside researchers, and a trail of online evidence. Aspects of BellTroXs hacking spree aimed at American targets are currently under investigation by U.S. law enforcement, five people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment. Reuters does not know the identity of BellTroXs clients. In a telephone interview, the companys owner, Sumit Gupta, declined to disclose who had hired him and denied any wrongdoing. Muddy Waters founder Carson Block said he was disappointed, but not surprised, to learn that we were likely targeted for hacking by a client of BellTroX." KKR declined to comment. Researchers at internet watchdog group Citizen Lab, who spent more than two years mapping out the infrastructure used by the hackers, released a report that BellTroX employees were behind the espionage campaign. This is one of the largest spy-for-hire operations ever exposed," said Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton. Although they receive a fraction of the attention devoted to state-sponsored espionage groups or headline-grabbing heists, cyber mercenary" services are widely used, he said. Our investigation found that no sector is immune." A cache of data reviewed by Reuters provides insight into the operation, detailing tens of thousands of malicious messages designed to trick victims into giving up their passwords that were sent by BellTroX between 2013 and 2020. The data was supplied on condition of anonymity by online service providers used by the hackers after Reuters alerted the firms to unusual patterns of activity on their platforms. The data is effectively a digital hit list showing who was targeted and when. Reuters validated the data by checking it against emails received by the targets. On the list: judges in South Africa, politicians in Mexico, lawyers in France and environmental groups in the United States. These dozens of people, among the thousands targeted by BellTroX, did not respond to messages or declined comment. Reuters was not able to establish how many of the hacking attempts were successful. BellTroXs Gupta was charged in a 2015 hacking case in which two U.S. private investigators admitted to paying him to hack the accounts of marketing executives. Gupta was declared a fugitive in 2017, although the U.S. Justice Department declined to comment on the current status of the case or whether an extradition request had been issued. Speaking by phone from his home in New Delhi, Gupta denied hacking and said he had never been contacted by law enforcement. He said he had only ever helped private investigators download messages from email inboxes after they provided him with login details. I didnt help them access anything, I just helped them with downloading the mails and they provided me all the details," he told Reuters. I am not aware how they got these details but I was just helping them with the technical support." Reuters could not determine why the private investigators might need Gupta to download emails. Gupta did not return follow-up messages. Spokesmen for Delhi police and Indias foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. HOROSCOPES AND PORNOGRAPHY Operating from a small room above a shuttered tea stall in a west-Delhi retail complex, BellTroX bombarded its targets with tens of thousands of malicious emails, according to the data reviewed by Reuters. Some messages would imitate colleagues or relatives; others posed as Facebook login requests or graphic notifications to unsubscribe from pornography websites. Fahmi Quadirs New York-based short selling firm Safkhet Capital was among 17 investment companies targeted by BellTroX between 2017 and 2019. She said she noticed a surge in suspicious emails in early 2018, shortly after she launched her fund. Initially it didnt seem necessarily malicious," Quadir said. It was just horoscopes; then it escalated to pornography." Eventually the hackers upped their game, sending her credible-sounding messages that looked like they came from her coworkers, other short sellers or members of her family. They were even trying to emulate my sister," Quadir said, adding that she believes the attacks were unsuccessful. U.S. advocacy groups were also repeatedly targeted. Among them were digital rights organizations Free Press and Fight for the Future, both of whom have lobbied for net neutrality. The groups said a small number of employee accounts were compromised, but the wider organizations networks were untouched. The spying on those groups was detailed in a report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation in 2017, but has not been publicly tied to BellTroX until now. Timothy Karr, a director at Free Press, said his organization sees an uptick in breach attempts whenever were engaged in heated and high-profile public policy debates." Evan Greer, deputy director of Fight for the Future, said: When corporations and politicians can hire digital mercenaries to target civil society advocates, it undermines our democratic process." While Reuters was not able to establish who hired BellTroX to carry out the hacking, two former employees said the company and others like it were usually contracted by private investigators on behalf of business rivals or political opponents. Bart Santos of San Diego-based Bulldog Investigations was one of a dozen private detectives in the United States and Europe who told Reuters they had received unsolicited advertisements for hacking services out of India - including one from a person who described himself as a former BellTroX employee. The pitch offered to carry out data penetration" and email penetration." Santos said he ignored those overtures, but could understand why some people didnt. The Indian guys have a reputation for customer service," he said. (Additional reporting by Alasdair Pal in NEW DELHI and Ryan McNeill in LONDON; Editing by Jonathan Weber, Chris Sanders and Edward Tobin) Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here WASHINGTON Tianna Spears dreamed for years of becoming an American diplomat. She quit in January after two, and says she will never return to the State Department, given what she has described as its failure to protect her from racial discrimination from the United States government while on the job. Ms. Spears is black. Her first foreign post, in 2018, was at the American Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, just over the Mexican border from El Paso. Over six months, she said, U.S. border officials pulled her aside about 25 times for extensive questioning and inspections. She was asked if she was a drug dealer. At one point, she said, she was told to not look a male officer in the eye. The Customs and Border Protection officers questioned whether her diplomatic passport was counterfeit. At times she felt threatened. And her white colleagues, Ms. Spears said, appeared to cross the border easily and without delay. When she reported the episodes to her supervisors at the consulate, Ms. Spears said she was advised against speaking out and was transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. A girl holding a sign asking justice for Breonna Taylor demonstrating in Mestre, Venice, Italy on June 6, 2020. Giacomo Cosua/NurPhoto via Getty Images Breonna Taylor was killed by Louisville Police in her own home on March 13. In May, her death drew mainstream attention and became a part of calls for justice for Black Americans killed by police. In June, "arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" became a recurring cry on social media, demanding accountability for those involved in her death. In recent weeks, people have started to invoke the phrase as a kind of punchline, tagging it onto seemingly unrelated tweets, theoretically in an effort to keep Taylor's name circulating online. Many, however, feel that the memes are disrespectful and trivialize her death. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Amid ongoing protests over police killings of Black Americans, people have been using social media as a means of naming those like George Floyd, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, for whom they seek justice. However, as overwhelming calls to "arrest the cops who killed Bronna Taylor" have spread online, many are taking a stand against the meme-ification of the phrase, and in turn, Taylor's death. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was killed by the police in her home in Louisville, Kentucky on March 13. She was shot eight times by officers who burst into her home using a no-knock warrant as part of a narcotics investigation. The warrant was connected to a suspect who did not live at Taylor's apartment, and no drugs were found inside. Louisville's Metro Council recently banned no-knock search warrants, which allow police to enter without first announcing their presence. As of June 23, Brett Hankison, one of the three officers involved in the shooting of Breonna Taylor, had been fired by the Louisville Metro Police Department. Per ABC News, no disciplinary action has been taken against Myles Cosgrove or Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, the other two officers involved in the incident, but they have been reassigned to administrative duties. None of the officers have been arrested or charged with a crime. Story continues "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" has become a rallying cry for those seeking accountability for Taylor's death "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" has become a kind of meme, with people tagging it onto the ends of seemingly unrelated tweets and slipping it into graphics that might draw people in before realizing what the text says. While coy references to the phrase may be well-intentioned, many feel that the tone of the memes and the use of Taylor's death seemingly as a punchline is disrespectful to Taylor and detracts from the call for justice. hispanic-depressive | protect black women (@daniellecanyell) June 24, 2020 im rasheeda i rap like shawty lo (@MANITHED0N) June 23, 2020 Mashable's Morgan Sung drew parallels between the meme-ification of "arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" and Jeffrey Epstein memes, in which the phrase "Jeffrey Epstein didn't kill himself" was repeated online ad infinitum until, she says, it effectively lost all meaning. Others online have drawn similar comparisons, with one person criticizing the commodification of the sentiment, saying, "The actual clear, vital message becomes a meme... I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up on coffee mugs." HOT TOPIC CURBSIDE PICK-UP (@LilDimSum69) June 23, 2020 It appears that calls for accountability in Taylor's death actually have made it onto merch. There are shirts listed on Etsy featuring the phrase; one viral tweet raised the issue of a MAGA parody hat that crossed out the "great again" to instead write, "arrest the cop who killed Breonna Taylor." The creator of the hat, @prolifik_asf, posted on Instagram that he had decided to cease the selling of the hats and that those who purchased them would be offered a refund or for their money to go to the GoFundMe set up in Breonna Taylor's name. NBC News' Kalhan Rosenblatt reported that some social media experts see how the memes can raise awareness for Taylor's death in online spaces and keep her name in the conversation. Others feel that the memes trivialize the loss of life and the issue at hand. "y'all have seem to forgotten breonna taylor was a real person who was murdered senselessly by the police," a tweet from @uncoollove reads. "it's pathetic that she's become the punchline to y'alls memes and tweets." Read the original article on Insider To the Times: Want to work with an organization seeking criminal justice reform? Consider joining the local chapter of the Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration (CADBI-DELCO). Recent tragic events in this nation have once again accentuated that the US has a mass incarceration problem, one of the many elements of systemic racism. The United States locks up more people per capita than any other nation. Our incarceration rate is almost five times that of other similar countries. If the current rate of incarceration continues, one in 20 (5 percent) current Americans will serve time in prison, but rates vary significantly by race. According to the US Department of Justice, 28.5 percent of African-American and 16 percent of Hispanic men will be incarcerated at some point in their lives. Criminal justice reform measures require that we end systemic racism and mass incarceration in America. Under Pennsylvania law, convictions for first- or second-degree murder guarantee life without the possibility of parole, unlike many states that limit life terms to the most egregious cases. But among the current 5,300 imprisoned individuals in Pennsylvania serving life sentences are people who would not be convicted today. They include battered women who killed their abusers in the 1970s and 1980s before the courts recognized their actions as self-defense. It also includes individuals who were accomplices in a crime that results in a death, a death that the individual may not have intended nor even known about. But even when we consider sentences for those who did take a life, a just correctional system is a system that recognizes every individuals right and ability to transform their lives, to be rehabilitated, and to return to their families and to their communities. Separating people from their families and communities does not make us safer it makes us less safe, broken, and causes significant suffering. Putting people in prison without the possibility of parole is a violation of peoples basic human rights since they live with no hope of redemption. It is inhumane. So, who is CADBI? In 2015, over 300 people crowded into the Vineyard Community Church in West Philadelphia to launch a campaign to end death by incarceration in Pennsylvania. Since then, local chapters of CADBI have been formed all over the state. We are working to build a mass movement, both inside and outside of prison, to take a stand against harsh sentencing practices. We are working to advance legislative change both in the state legislature and in our communities. CADBI members come from many walks of life, but all members are committed to criminal justice reform. We share a deep belief in human dignity, in providing chances for redemption, in healing communities, and we believe that every human being deserves a second chance. Want to learn more? Check out our Facebook page, CADBI-Delaware County, and join us for our monthly meeting (currently happening via Zoom during the pandemic). Now is the time for significant reform. Cynthia Parks, CADBI Secretary Sensata is making cutbacks in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis Two manufacturers here have announced redundancy plans, putting hundreds of jobs at risk, as the sector takes a major hit from Covid-19. In Co Antrim, 160 jobs are at risk at manufacturer Sensata Technologies after a downturn in the global car manufacturing market. And equipment giant Terex Materials Processing has said it is consulting on job losses at its sites across Omagh, Dungannon, Ballymoney and Campsie, which have 1,800 staff. Leaders in the manufacturing industry have warned of mass job losses as companies plan redundancies before the end of the government's furlough scheme in October. Sensata Technologies has 1,058 employees in Antrim and Carrickfergus, although it announced earlier this year that the latter plant is to close in early 2021. Jobs in production, engineering and support roles will be hit in the latest cuts at its factories, which make tyre pressure monitoring systems. The company said it will be considering alternatives to compulsory redundancies during a consultation with staff. DUP South Antrim MP Paul Girvan said he was "deeply saddened by the news" and held a meeting with company management yesterday. "This plant has been a success story for the town providing skilled jobs to those in South Antrim and beyond," he said. He added: "During my meeting with senior Sensata management I strongly raised the need for those facing redundancies to be up-skilled or re-trained by the company as part of the redundancy settlement." Company vice president Eric Sorret said the pandemic "will have a profound and lasting impact on the demand for direct tyre pressure monitoring systems". "Vehicle manufacturers around the world are significantly cutting their forecasts for the coming years, with global passenger vehicle demand set to be reduced by between 20 and 30%. "This long-term reduction in market demand has already directly affected our Northern Ireland manufactured product lines and we regret to announce that we will be making a series of reductions to the workforce at our Antrim site." But he said the company was still committed to Northern Ireland and would be investing in new products. A spokeswoman for US-owned Terex said: "As a consequence of Covid-19 Terex has taken a number of actions to reduce costs, including company-wide salary reductions and the use of the UK Government's furloughing scheme in order to align the business with anticipated demand. In addition to these measures we will also begin a consultation period with our employees which may lead to a reduction in our workforce." It would be wrong to gloat. Mustnt do it. And generally I dont. But just for a moment, lets celebrate the end of the paranoid, reactionary, self-righteous politics of the people who ran the Labour Party for the past five years. It was all over the moment Jeremy Corbyn announced he was standing down, but this was the week they knew it. I dont want to rub salt into the wound, because that would sterilise it and help it heal, but the sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey was one of those rare moments of shocking leadership. For those of us who think a broad-based egalitarian government would be a good idea, it has been a long time since a Labour leader has surprised us with such moral clarity. It does not diminish Keir Starmers decisiveness that Long-Bailey brought it on herself. By refusing to delete her tweet praising Maxine Peakes interview, with its antisemitic implication that Israel was to blame for the death of George Floyd, she made Starmers choice clear. Indeed, it makes the triumph of reason all the sweeter that the other side contributed to its own defeat with such a misjudgement. And I say this in no spirit of Blairite triumphalism. Or not much, anyway. One of the reasons I was always hopeful during the five years of darkness on the left was that I thought Corbynism would not survive Corbyn. Whoever became leader after him would not be so locked into the world view shared by his inner circle. In particular, I thought Long-Bailey was both pluralist and competent in ways that Corbyn was not. This week, an anonymous ally of Starmers in the shadow cabinet damned her with faint praise as diligent, but I think she was better than that. At the time of the negotiations with Theresa Mays government over Brexit last year, she impressed civil servants with her grasp of the complexities of a possible cross-party deal. But this week she condemned herself. She said, after she was sacked: I completely agree with the need for us to intensively rebuild our relationship with the Jewish community and the wider electorate. But by her actions she had proven that she did not. And if anyone did want to rub salt into the wound, it was Starmer himself, who today, Armed Forces Day, launched a Labour Friends of the Forces programme. I hesitate to call this Blairite politics, although it was something Tony Blair was good at: taking positions at odds with voters assumptions about your party in order to show you share popular values. The contrast with Corbyn, who would rather not have a military at all, was loudly unspoken. It is not the first time Starmer has done it. A month after he was elected leader, he won the front page of the Conservative (and especially pro-Johnson) Telegraph with an article saying we owe it to the VE Day generation, many of whom protected our country in its darkest hour, to protect them from coronavirus in care homes. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Most successful parties do it, and it is one of the things Boris Johnson is good at too. Recent research suggested that his promise of 50,000 more nurses for the NHS was twice as important as getting Brexit done in winning over red wall seats last year. Johnson served notice that he intended to fight for a second term as a Tory Blairite, building the widest possible coalition among voters of all classes and regions. Now Starmer has shown that he will be fighting for the same ground. This is a Blairite moment. That is not to say Starmer is a Blair replicant. One of the most tedious charges against the Blairites is that we think Blair did nothing wrong, or that his prescriptions stand for all time. I am partisan enough to think that he should have had longer in office outlasting Margaret Thatchers 11 and a half years would have been fitting but I fully accept that the party had to find new ways of advancing the cause of social justice; its just that I dont think Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband or Corbyn got it right. Nor by proclaiming this a Blairite moment am I claiming that a divisive style of politics cannot be successful. Thatcher showed that it can be, and Corbyn came close to winning in 2017. My argument would be that a divisive approach can succeed only when the other side is weak. Corbyn had a chance of winning only because Theresa May was so inept. One of the many things I have learned in the last five years is that the argument against Corbynism is not that it cannot win, but that it should not. Thankfully, now it wont. By Starmers skill, and the weakness (derived from rigidity) of the higher nomenklatura of Corbynism, the eternal Blairite verities have been reasserted. Or, if we wanted to avoid being triumphalist about it, we could call it a return to normal democratic politics, in which the two main parties try to situate themselves close to the midpoint of the electorates values and then to lead the nation towards either left or right. It would be wrong to gloat, because five and more years have been wasted, but it would be all right to be secretly pleased with the way Keir Starmer is leading Labour. The arrest highlights tensions within the ruling coalition between President Tshisekedi and allies of his predecessor. The Democratic Republic of Congos Justice Minister Celestin Tunda has been released from custody just hours after his arrest in the capital, Kinshasa. Tunda was questioned by prosecutors for several hours at the court of cassation after surrendering to police at his home on Saturday afternoon. Hes been released, said Kinshasas police chief, Sylvano Kasongo. Authorities did not immediately explain the reasons for the arrest of Tunda, who also holds the position of vice prime minister in President Felix Tshisekedis government. Aministerial source told the AFP news agency that the move against Tunda came a day after he clashed with the president over proposed changes to the judiciary. The arrest highlights the growing tensions within the ruling coalition between Tshisekedis camp and that of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila. Tunda is a senior figure in Kabilas FCC party, which holds a majority in parliament and controls most posts in the cabinet. Tshisekedi, previously an opponent of Kabila, came to power in January 2019 after being declared the winner of an election that Kabila was ineligible to contest after 18 years in power. I think we are living a turning point in the relation between FCC and [Tshisekedis] UDPS, said Fred Bauma from the Congo Research Group at New York University. The minister of justice is an FCC heavyweight and his arrest, if confirmed, follows many turbulences over few weeks now. The proposed legal reform would give the Ministry of Justice greater control over prosecutors, which opponents and diplomats say would damage the independence of the judiciary. Undermining this independence would erode protection of civil and political rights in the [Congo], the embassies of Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States said in a joint statement on Thursday. Hundreds of protesters rallied against the law at the parliament grounds on Wednesday. They were dispersed by police firing tear gas and water cannon. Inner-city living could soon become a thing of the past as Australians look to move to regional areas for a lifestyle change in the wake of COVID-19. As Australians continue to work from home, many are expected to move up to three hours away from metropolitan areas, research from property investment company Ripehouse Advisory found. Regional areas in New South Wales are expected to see the biggest boom in population followed closely by Queensland and South Australia. One town, Muswellbrook, 243km north of Sydney, will face an unprecedented 21.6 per cent rise in its population, experts suggested. Aussies are expected to leave Sydney (pictured) on mass after the pandemic, with experts predicting the city will be 'the biggest loser' of a population shift Mackay in Queensland (pictured, a family home in the area) is set to see a rise in population following the outbreak of coronavirus as people seek quieter lives away from cities Ripehouse Advisory CEO Jacob Field has labelled the move 'the Great Australian Population Shift'. 'We are seeing a golden circle emerge around our key metro cities,' he told The Daily Telegraph. Some of the areas set to see the biggest influx include Kapunda in South Australia's Barossa Valley and Mackay near the Great Barrier Reef. On the other end, metro areas that rely on immigrants are likely to shrink in population within the next 18 months, the research found. These include Sydney's Parramatta, and areas within the CBDs of Melbourne and Adelaide. International travel is still banned under strict coronavirus rules, meaning immigrants and tourists are not allowed to enter the country. Mackay in Queensland (pictured) is predicted to see a 7.9 per cent population increase as Australians abandon the cities Regional areas within NSW, South Australia and Queensland are set to benefit from coronavirus as families look for a change in lifestyle (pictured, a house in Dalyellup, WA) AREAS TO SEE A RISE IN POPULATION Muswellbrook, NSW: +21.6% Kapunda, SA: +18.6% Corowa, NSW: +14.9% Mackay, QLD: +7.9% Dalyellup, WA: +7.1% Moama, NSW: +7.0% Armidale, NSW: +6% Benalla, VIC: +5.0% Fernvale, QLD: +4.7% Australind, WA: +4.6% Source: Ripehouse Advisory Advertisement 'Strict and lengthy public health restrictions during the height of the pandemic sent the majority of Australians into virtual lockdown, and many have since realised they don't need to be living within proximity of major cities and workplaces,' Mr Field said. The findings are good news for homebuyers looking to settle down, the expert explained. 'It is fitting with the iconic Australian concept of "have a go mate", that through adversity, we see first home buyers and young aspirational investors set to benefit most for the positive elements of this population shift,' Mr Field added. Regional areas have already started to see a boom in population. Orange in regional NSW was one of the top most searched areas for first home buyers. Leanne Pilkington, President of Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW) said Sydney was going to be the 'biggest loser'. 'I think that a lot of people that are going to decide that their current property is no longer fit for purposes after being locked up for the last few months. So there will definitely be a move potentially to larger properties,' she said in the report. Muswellbrook (pictured) is estimated to see a rise in population by 21 per cent thanks to the coronavirus lockdown 'But I think we will see more people working from home resulting from an understanding that they don't need to be in the city. 'We're already hearing stories from the Central Coast where previously 50 per cent of their enquiry was from Sydney and now that's closer to 90 per cent. So there are a lot of people who are at least exploring their options out of the city. 'I think Sydney will be the big loser out of all of this. I think Queensland and regional NSW could do very well. But people are moving out of Sydney not in.' Half of the 129 property experts in the report also estimated house prices would rise within the next 12 months. People around the world are already being judged and denied access to financial services because of their social media data and they dont even realize it. By now many of our readers are aware of the ongoing rollout of a nationwide social credit system in China. Starting in 2009, the Chinese government began testing a national reputation system based on a citizens economic and social reputation, or social credit. This social credit score can be used to reward or punish certain behaviors. The idea is that the state can give or takeaway points from a social credit score in order to engineer good behavior from the people. By late 2019, Chinese citizens were losing points on their score for dishonest and fraudulent financial behavior, playing loud music, eating on public transportation, jaywalking, running red lights, failing to appear at doctor appointments, missing job interviews or hotel reservations without canceling, and incorrectly sorting waste. To raise ones social credit score a Chinese citizen can donate blood, donate to an approved charity, volunteer for community service, and other activities approved by the government. The Chinese government has begun to deny millions of people the ability to purchase plane and high-speed rail tickets due to low social credit scores and being labeled untrustworthy. While most people are likely familiar with this concept because of the popular show Black Mirror, the truth is this practice is much more reality than fiction. According to a new report from cybersecurity experts Kaspersky, 32 percent of adults between 25 to 34 have had issues getting a mortgage or loan due to their social media activity. The denial of loans comes as part of social scoring systems which are being used at an alarming rate by government and businesses to determine customers or citizens trustworthiness. Based on these scores, systems make decisions for us or about us, from travel destinations and the associated costs, to whether we are allowed to access the service itself, the report states. Kaspersky surveyed more than 10,000 people from 21 countries and found that 18 percent of those polled had issues accessing financial services because of assessments of their social media data. The report notes that more than 4.5 billion people use the internet around the world, and 3.8 billion have social media accounts. These accounts provide governments and companies with thousands of data points to score people. Less than half of those surveyed said they have heard of social scoring or social credit. As few as 13 percent of those polled in Austria and Germany said they were familiar with the concepts, while 71 percent in China were familiar. Protect Your Privacy with a Phone Shield Faraday Bag Unfortunately, the survey also found that 67 percent of people are willing to share their profiles to secure online shopping discounts and 52 percent are willing if it means skipping lines at airports and other means of travel. Finally, 51 percent of people said they are fine with government monitoring their social media behavior if it means keeping the public safe. The post-9/11 indoctrination appears to have worked to an astounding degree. Kaspersky warned that the public has little protections when it comes to their social media data, stating, there is no framework we are publicly aware of when it comes to other systems used by organizations and governments to collect our data. Further, the report states that consumers can find it impossible to find out what their scores are, how these scores are being calculated and how they can be corrected if there are inaccuracies. Chengyi Lin, a professor of strategy at the INSEAD business school, told EuroNews she believes, youre gonna have a holistic view of your behaviours, both financial and digital, and even physical, to give you a single credit score. Lins comments point to an ever-increasing centralization of data and the push towards a single score by which governments will rate their populations. When combined with facial recognition, biometrics at the airports, CCTV cameras, drones and surveillance planes flying above major cities it is clear that the Technocratic State is coming into full view. Clearly, the majority of people are completely in the dark about these programs and their dangerous implications. Therefore, the goal for those in the know should be to spread the word and warn as many people as possible. We must also take personal responsibility for the amount of data we voluntarily share with social media sites, apps, and the internet in general. The only defense against the complete erosion of privacy and thus liberty is an educated public who stands up for their own rights. For more information on removing your data from these data collection and aggregation sites, see this. Read the conclusions of the Kaspersky Report below: Consumers may find it a challenge to take a step back and remove their personal information from online and some real-world services. Organizations are digitizing quickly and benefit from technology and consumer data in new ways. Governments across the world are considering a wider implementation of state monitoring systems for the stated purpose of ensuring public security. Nevertheless, its not clear how much access to personal information and peoples lives governments would request in these cases. The need for a compromise to show where the line is between public safety and control is becoming more crucial than ever. Protecting privacy, both online and offline, is still possible, and Kaspersky advises consumers to take the following steps to safeguard themselves: OTTAWAA failure to clearly articulate positions on social conservative issues and a weak climate change plan are often cited as reasons the federal Conservatives failed to woo enough voters to win the last federal election. The partys most ardent supporters, many of them more likely to cast a ballot in the ongoing leadership race, include staunch social conservatives and fierce opponents of carbon taxes. So the party faces a dilemma: if they were to more firmly commit not to reopen the abortion debate, and put out a more definitive plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, would it grow or diminish its support? A new poll suggests the answer to that question is complicated. The survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies found that overall, 23 per cent of those polled would be more likely to vote Conservative if a Conservative government clearly committed to not reopening the debate on abortion, or allow MPs to introduce legislation on the issue. Forty-four per cent said it wouldnt change the likelihood, while 13 per cent said it would make them less likely to vote for the Conservatives. Among voters who intend to vote Conservative in the next election, 31 per cent say theyd be more likely to consider it if the party took a firmer stand on ending the debate. Seventeen per cent would be less likely to do, and 38 per cent say it wouldnt change their mind either way. The survey also explored whether voters could be persuaded if the party had a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a whole, 32 per cent of those surveyed may be more likely to vote Conservative, 11 per cent would be less likely and it would not sway 44 per cent one way or the other. Among likely Conservative voters, 33 per cent would be more likely to cast a ballot in the partys favour, 16 per cent would be less likely and 46 per cent wouldnt be moved either way. The online poll of 1,521 adult Canadians was conducted June 19 to 21 and cannot be assigned a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples. That was right after the four leadership candidates faced off in a pair of back-to-back debates, where both abortion and climate change were key issues. With all suggesting they are best placed to challenge the Liberals, where do they stand? Abortion: Leslyn Lewis promises four specific policies to address abortion: a ban on sex-selective abortions, measures to protect women from coerced abortions, increased support for crisis pregnancy centres, and ending funding for international abortions. Peter MacKay supports abortion rights. He had previously said he wouldnt allow his cabinet to vote in favour of any bills restricting abortion. More recently, he said while he hopes all MPs will adhere to official party policy that a Conservative government wouldnt reopen the debate, he would allow free votes on conscience issues. Erin OToole said during the recent leadership debate he is pro-choice, and believes it is a womans right to have an abortion. He has said MPs can bring forward whatever bills they like, and MPs will be able to vote their conscience. Derek Sloan has a 12-point pro-life plan. At No.1: a pledge to try to get the official party policy on not introducing laws to limit abortion repealed. He also promises to introduce legislation that could see people charged for harming two people if they harm a pregnant woman the woman and the fetus. Reducing emissions: While all four candidates have spoken about their respective positions on the environment and none support broad carbon taxes their platforms contain varying levels of details on the question of how, if at all, theyd work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Lewis: Her platform bundles together promises for responsible resource development, encouraging green investments and renovations and funding conservationist practices. With regards to emissions, she says shed encourage businesses to lower them. MacKay: His platform lists five ways he says he will bring down emissions: replace coal in Canada and globally, invest in carbon sequestration, achieving advances in technology, increased conservation efforts, and meaningful consultation. OToole: He devotes three pages of his 50-page platform to the environment and climate change. On emissions specifically, it includes getting the oil and gas sector to net-zero by incentivizing the use of technology, and promises Canada would help lower global emissions by, among other things, exporting nuclear technology and helping countries get off coal. Sloan: He says hed pull Canada out of the Paris climate agreement, which sets the goal of reducing emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. His listed policies to date are silent on climate change. Read more about: Western and Arab Countries Promise $1.5 Billion to Help Cash-Strapped Sudan By VOA News June 26, 2020 Western and Arab countries promised to contribute $1.5 billion to ease Sudan's financial crisis at an online conference hosted by Germany. Thursday's event aimed to help Sudan's transitional government move toward democracy following last year's ouster of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who is sharing power with the military, said his country is in dire need of an infusion of international support. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the pledges are not a matter of generosity. He said it is a matter of enlightened self-interest -- not only because the Sudanese people deserve it, but because the world needs a stable, democratic Sudan. He added it is a factor of democracy and stability in Africa and in the broader Middle East. Event officials said the European Union, the United States, Germany, France and Britain pledged hundreds of millions of dollars for humanitarian and development programs. Saudi Arabia, which said it donated $500 million to Sudan over the past year, pledged only $10 million. The United Arab Emirates donated $50 million. Sudan has struggled to stay solvent since losing much of its oil resources to South Sudan, which seceded in 2011. The U.S. classification of Sudan as state sponsor of terrorism under ousted leader Omar al-Bashir may have also hampered the country's chance of attracting international financial support. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Online home essentials and grocery delivery start-up Milkbasket is expecting to break-even in the July-September quarter (Q2), as the adoption of e-commerce in the country sees a huge boost, triggered by the coronavirus-induced lockdown. We are very much on track to achieve overall profitability (by September-end) while we had turned operationally profitable in April, said Anant Goel, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Gurugram-based firm. In December, when we started focusing on profitability, only Gurugram had turned profitable by then. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor By PTI NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Saturday put all districts on high alert and asked the district magistrates to coordinate with the fire department for spraying of pesticides and insecticides to prevent a possible attack of crop-destroying locusts in the national capital, after their swarms descended on neighbouring Gurgaon. An advisory issued by the Delhi development commissioner said that residents can distract the locusts by making high-decibel sound through beating of drums, utensils; playing high-volume music, bursting crackers, and burning neem leaves. The advisory asked the people to keep doors and windows closed and cover outdoor plants with plastic sheets. The district magistrates have also been advised to deploy adequate staff to make villagers and residents aware of these measure. "Swarms of locusts usually fly in daytime and rest during night. Therefore, they should not be allowed to rest during night time," it read. "Night spray of malathion or chlorpyrifos is useful. PPE kits may be used while spraying for safety," the advisory said. Earlier, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai chaired an emergency meeting of senior officials where he was informed that swarms have also reached the Asola Bhatti area in South Delhi. ALSO READ: Swarm of locusts reaches Delhi outskirts, IGI airport on high alert He asked district authorities to remain on high alert. The forest department was directed to take various steps to repel the swarms of locusts, the official said. He also asked officials of the agriculture department to make field visits to areas close to Gurugram. The development secretary, divisional commissioner; director, agriculture department and district magistrates of South Delhi and West Delhi attended the meeting, the official said. However, the migratory pests are likely to spare the national capital for now, officials said. The swarms of locusts, spread across two kilometres, entered Gurgaon around 11.30 am, K L Gurjar of the Locust Warning Organisation, Ministry of Agriculture, told PTI. The pests, he said, were headed towards Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana. The skies over many parts of Gurgaon turned dark as swarms of locusts descended on the city. Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurgaon shared videos from their high-rise perches. In May, India battled a devastating desert locust outbreak. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and then spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. According to experts, broadly four species of locusts are found in India desert locust, migratory locust, Bombay locust and tree locust. The desert locust is considered the most destructive. It multiplies very rapidly and is capable of covering 150 kilometers in a day. This insect, a type of a grasshopper, can eat more than its body weight. A one square kilometer of locust swarm containing around 40 million locusts can in a day eat as much food as 35,000 people. Experts blame the growing menace of desert locusts on climate change. They say breeding of locusts is directly related to soil moisture and food availability. 2 1 of 2 The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Santa Clara County Sheriff / Show More Show Less The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office identified the cadet who died in training Tuesday as Koishi John Nishimura, a South Bay native who was just two weeks away from becoming a deputy sheriff. Nishimura died during his final scenario test, according to a fundraising page for his family created by the Peace Officers Research Association of California union. ShotspotterBY: SAMARA LYNN, ABC NEWS (NEW YORK) -- If you live in a large, urban area, his company's technology is likely implemented in your city. Ralph Clarke is the CEO of ShotSpotter, one of the most adopted police technologies in the country. Clarke, who is African American and hails from Oakland, California, is in the unique position of one who leads a company that creates tech for law enforcement and being someone who understands the protests and outcries of police brutality since the death of George Floyd. Deployed in over 100 U.S. cities and in South Africa, ShotSpotter is an acoustic surveillance technology that uses sensors to detect gun violence. Its classification algorithms filter out sounds that are not gunshots and analyzes them before pushing out alerts to police agencies. In 2015, the company partnered with the largest police force in the country, the New York City Police Department. Clarke speaks often on panels and seminars about policing and has former New York City and Boston Police Commissioner Bill Bratton on his company's board. Despite leading the company for the last 10 years and working closely with law enforcement agencies, Clarke understands the Black community's frustrations with the police. Clarke told ABC News the company has been having a lot of internal discussions, which he called "sometimes painful" since the social eruption after Floyd's death. He shared his thoughts on racism and technology's role as help or as a hindrance to weeding out racism in policing. On his reaction to George Floyd's death: "I think, we've always seen these Eric Garner Michael Brown Tamir Rice situations, but now some have been caught on film. This one George Floyd is just really upsetting that it took place over eight minutes, I mean, eight minutes where the person is literally begging for their life calling out for their deceased mother. That's when you know you're dying. [Derek Chauvin] has his knee on [Floyd's] neck with his hands in his pockets ... it's just so disturbing. "But I think one thing that's really different here is COVID-19 made the general population, the white population, feel a little bit more Black, and now they're seeing this from a state of vulnerability because of COVID-19 and economic anxiety. "I spoke publicly about having a talk with my son. We have four kids, three girls, and our youngest is a boy. And he wanted to go TP somebody's house with his friends -- with Luke and Matthew -- at his school. Ten years old. And we [said], 'No, you can't do it. And here's why: because you guys might TP the wrong house and who knows if somebody comes out. They're not going to see all your friends. They're going to see you. You're not going to be 10 years old. You're going to be 14 years old, and God forbid that things escalate we can't take that risk.'" On protests, Black Lives Matter and defunding the police: "This is not going away, because it almost has very broad support, where Black Lives Matter is picking up a lot of allies and just adding a lot of voices. And I know it's making police uncomfortable. "I think there is a general discomfort around these calls for defunding the police, and maybe the discomfort is that there's real power around their voices now, because of the strong amount of allies. "And I think, even though people are saying words like 'defund the police,' I interpret that more like 'we have to completely reform police in that as a community, we want to have more of a voice in how policing is done. We want to be able to help prioritize what you do, how you do it and how much you spend.' And that can be really upsetting if you're used to controlling things as a police department. "And now all of a sudden, you have this exterior force that is unpredictable, and people are justifiably upset. Protests it's uncomfortable, but I think the beneficial thing is that we can really now have some serious reform. Now you have people saying, 'Hey, you know what, I'm not gonna negotiate with the [police] union. The unions are protecting these few bad seeds [and it] is super counterproductive.'" On whether technology like ShotSpotter can help foster more equitable policing: "I was born and raised in Oakland, California. It's really interesting how people react to shots being fired in maybe the more affluent parts of Oakland versus where I grew up in more at-risk, underserved communities. "I've always had a problem with the term 'community policing' because I've never heard 'community policing' apply to affluent neighborhoods or communities; it always applies to at-risk, underserved communities. And I've often said that communities don't need to be policed, they need to be served -- criminals need to be policed. "I think we [at ShotSpotter] always viewed there being a very large public safety gap for at-risk, underserved communities; they get tend to get over-policed and underserved. So we kind of try to lean in on a technology basis to say, 'Hey, we have to rebalance that equation, and really enable police departments or law enforcement to kind of show up in service the way they should.' "We actually got involved with New York City when Mayor de Blasio was elected. And one of the things he said he was going to do was eliminate stop and frisk a perfect example of over-policing and replace it with technologies and processes that would enable for more precision policing. Our technology is a piece of that. "[But] you just can't throw technology at problems. You really have to think about what the endgame is and how you can use the technology." Responses were shortened for clarity. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. From COVID-19 clues in our sewage to how to build a city post-pandemic, weve selected some of the best long reads of the week from thestar.com. Want to dive into more long features? Sign up for the Weekend Long Reads newsletter to get them delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday morning. 1. How what we flush down the toilet could provide early warning of a second wave of COVID-19 Toronto researchers are looking to sewage to track remnants of the virus that causes COVID-19, hoping that what we flush down the toilet can help provide an early warning system for a dreaded second wave of the disease. It could even identify spikes in hot spots around the city, they say, and no one can opt out. 2. The cure for the social trauma left by COVID-19? Finally putting the needs of people first A more comforting, accommodating city, attuned to pedestrians and cyclists and less dependent on hurtling trains and beeping traffic, would be the best therapy for COVID-19s trauma, according to James McKellar, a real estate and infrastructure expert at York Universitys Schulich School of Business, and other city planning experts. What we have to do is get our minds around the fact that its not the things that matter anymore, its the people. 3. A third migrant worker is dead and the farm where he worked had a long history of complaints an inside look at Scotlynn Growers On the evening of June 1, Sonia Aviles was putting her children to bed when she received an urgent call from an anesthesiologist at Norfolk General Hospital. A migrant worker at Scotlynn Growers had been hospitalized with COVID-19. He was in critical condition, in need of mechanical ventilation. Juan Lopez Chaparro did not speak English and had no phone. His family had no idea he was ill. With no translators to assist, the hospital needed Aviles, a migrant worker organizer, to tell Lopez Chaparro that he needed to be sedated and may never wake up. Before I could finish getting his consent, the call dropped, Aviles says. Nobody called back. 4. Should you do it? Toronto experts rank 29 once-mundane activities by their COVID-19 risk Were all getting anxious. I know I am. I would like to go do some things, said Gerald Audette, associate dean in the Faculty of Science at York University. Weve got a good handle on this, but we havent got it completely licked yet. Were at that point where, yeah, if were intelligent about this, you can do some things. However, youve got to be aware. 5. Everybodys afraid: How biker gangs and organized crime muscled in on the GTA tow truck industry Local tow truck drivers are bumping shoulders with what York Regional Police say are at least four organized crime groups in an industry that has seen a series of four murders and scores of arsons, shootings and threats over the past 18 months. They travel in twos to make people afraid to threaten them, said an industry insider whos nervous about being identified. Everybodys afraid. Insiders say a driver can net $2,000 tax-free a week sometimes on a single day through a multitude of fraudulent kickbacks from physiotherapy clinics, body shops, car rentals and storage facilities. 6. Journalists phone hacked by new invisible technique: All he had to do was visit one website. Any website Forensic evidence gathered by Amnesty International on Moroccan journalist Omar Radis phone shows that it was infected by network injection, a fully automated method where an attacker intercepts a cellular signal when it makes a request to visit a website. In milliseconds, the web browser is diverted to a malicious site and spyware code is downloaded that allows remote access to everything on the phone. The browser then redirects to the intended website and the user is none the wiser. 7. Why did you shoot me? A Black Mississauga mother seeks answers from Peel police As she lay wounded outside her Mississauga home, a bullet from a Peel Regional police officers gun lodged in her side, Chantelle Krupka kept repeating the same question. Why did you shoot me? Why? Krupka remembers asking. No one answered. Krupka, a 34-year-old Black Mississauga mother, says she and her partner Michael Headley were unarmed on the night of May 10 when police arrived at her home and Tasered them both. 8. Coming back from COVID: How to ensure patriarchy and outright misogyny dont thwart the she-covery Working mother Stephenie Summerhill believed she had it all until COVID-19. And now, like millions of Canadian women who have been locked down at home with children for the past three months and counting she wonders if she will ever get her life back. Summerhill, 42, suddenly found herself juggling her high-powered job in the non-profit sector with two sons under age six. I was trying to do a good job at work and trying to do a good job at home. And I was not doing a good job at either, she says. On April 24, she threw in the towel and took an unpaid leave. 9. I called my agent and said, Its happening again For one of my first fashion shows in Edmonton, a makeup artist did my makeup, but it wasnt done properlyit wasnt the right colour for my skin. I didnt know how to voice that because I was new. I was in the bathroom, fixing it, explaining to another model that the foundation was a completely different colour from my skin, when someone came out of the stalls. It was the lead makeup artist. She went directly to my booker and told them that I was in the bathroom fixing my makeup. My booker said, If your makeup isnt done right, you just have to go with it. People talk. Its a small industry. It wasnt my fault that the makeup artist didnt have my colour in her kit. I didnt want to go on the runway looking like that. That encounter had repercussions. 10. How do I deal with conflict in my COVID-19 social circle? A relationship expert offers advice The dynamics of creating a social circle can be harder to navigate than expected. What about the friends who dont take COVID-19 precautions as seriously as you do? How about that couple who has opposing views of what their circle should look like? What happens if you realize you want to ditch a circle mate? Registered psychotherapist Joshua Peters, the clinical manager at the Centre for Interpersonal Relationships, says getting back out there with your loved ones could be a bumpy road, no matter how much you may have missed their company. 11. The tenants evicted from an Ottawa community say its about replacing low-income residents of colour with affluent white renters Maha Jabur says she still suffers depression stemming from an eviction letter she received two years ago, telling her she only had a few months to vacate the three-bedroom unit where her family lived in Ottawa. We didnt really have a choice. We lived there for a long time, then all of a sudden theyre telling us to leave. I got really upset and depressed. They put me under pressure and I didnt know what to do, says Jabur, 42. Jabur was one of as many as 550 people most of them people of colour who were forced out of their homes in 2018, following a decision by Timbercreek, a $10-billion asset management firm, to demolish an aging townhouse development in south Ottawa called Heron Gate Village. 12. They didnt want to go to rehab. But some COVID-19 survivors have a long road back to normal Ashley Comrie just wanted to go home. It was late May, and the 37-year-old had just spent three terrifying weeks at Toronto General Hospital, fighting a COVID-19 infection that landed her in the intensive care unit, where she narrowly avoided intubation. Lying on her stomach, hooked up to oxygen, she had felt as if she were underwater, breathing through a straw. Death seemed a distinct possibility. Now, with the worst of the disease finally behind her, Comries doctors wanted to transfer her to an in-patient rehabilitation program created for people like her, who had survived COVID-19 but faced a long road to recovery. A New Hampshire court ruled Friday that some evidence related to the driving and drug use of the pickup driver whose collision with a group of bikers last year left seven motorcyclists dead was admissible in his criminal case. The Superior Court decided that evidence of Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, driving erratically earlier in the day of the crash was admissible. It also allowed prosecutors request to admit evidence of the defendants criminal past including an instance of illegal drug use. But the court denied a request to admit evidence of two instances of Zhukovskyy driving erratically in the past. Zhukovskyy has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of negligent homicide and driving under the influence and awaits trial. Earlier this month, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu marked a year since the crash happened. Sununu remembered the fallen seven at a news conference in Concord and recalled how the tragedy had brought the states residents together. The crash happened on June 21, 2019, in Randolph. The seven were members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club, a New England group that includes Marines and their spouses. The victims were from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Sununu recalled the tribute that followed, when thousands of motorcyclists made a 90-mile (145-kilometer) trip from Laconia to Randolph. ( Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Hello there, Fools. Im back to highlight three attractive dividend-growth stocks. As a quick reminder, I do this because companies with consistently growing dividends can provide an ever-increasing income stream; and tend to outperform over the long haul. So, even if you have just $10,000 youd like to put to work, spreading it out among the three stocks below could give you a perpetually growing income machine. Lets get to it. Rolling along Leading off our list is retail giant Canadian Tire (TSX:CTC.A), which has grown its dividend a whopping 107% over the past five years Canadian Tire shares have held up very well in recent months, suggesting that the worst might be behind it. Long term, the companys reliable dividend growth continues to be backed by an iconic brand, rapidly growing e-commerce segment, and massive scale advantages (over 1,700 locations across Canada). In the most recent quarter, diluted EPS came in at $(0.22) as total revenue decreased 1.4% to $2.85 billion. But on the bright side, the Canadian Tire brand delivered a 0.7% increase in same-store sales, despite the impacts of COVID-19. I am very encouraged by early results in the second quarter, and I am confident that we will continue to successfully operate in this new normal and excel over the long-term, said CEO Greg Hicks. Canadian Tire currently offers a dividend yield of 3.9%. The good life With dividend growth of 62% over the past five years, Manulife Financial (TSX:MFC)(NYSE:MFC) is next on our list. Manulife shares have yet to recover from their big fall in March, but now might be an opportune time to jump in. Specifically, the companys strong operating efficiency, tremendous growth potential in Asia, and rock-solid fundamentals should continue to underpin strong dividend payments over the long haul. In the most recent quarter, core earnings declined 34% to $1 billion, while core return on equity (ROE) a key insurance metric clocked in at 8.2%. Story continues On the bullish side, the companys leverage ratio remains at a solid 23%. Our balance sheet has shown resilience in challenging market conditions, said CFO Phil Witherington. This combination provides financial flexibility and puts us in a position of strength during challenging macroeconomic times. Manulife currently offers a dividend yield of 6.0%. Power play Rounding out our list is power provider Algonquin Power & Utilities (TSX:AQN)(NYSE:AQN), whose dividend has risen 77% over the past five years. Algonquin shares have been resilient over the past several months, suggesting that it remains an ideal way to play defence. Over the long run, Algonquins highly regulated operating environment, solid scale (70 power facilities across North America), and hefty cash flows should support solid returns. In the most recent quarter, adjusted EBITDA improved 5% even as revenue dipped 3% to $465 million. APUCs strong and resilient business model allowed the Company to continue growing in the first quarter of 2020 while navigating through what was a challenging weather environment, said Ian Robertson, said CEO Ian Robertson. We believe APUC is well positioned to deal with the impact COVID-19 may have on our business in 2020. Algonquin shares currently offer an attractive dividend yield of 4.9%. The bottom line There you have it, Fools: three attractive dividend-growth stocks worth checking out. As always, they arent formal recommendations. Theyre simply a starting point for more research. The snapping of a dividend-growth streak can be particularly painful, so plenty of due diligence is still required. Fool on. The post Plunk $3,300 Into Each of These 3 Stocks and You Could Watch Your Wealth Grow Forever appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Brian Pacampara owns no position in any of the companies mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 This article originally appeared in The Inquirer on June 16, 1992 Rutgers University history professor Susanne Lebsock, a prizewinning scholar and former director of the womens studies program at Rutgers, is among this years winners of genius grants from the MacArthur Foundation. Lebsock, whose work focuses on the role of women in politics and society throughout American history, will receive $265,000 with no strings attached. She is among 33 winners of this years grants. Im delighted, she said yesterday. Its an enormous privilege and it grants a person a kind of freedom that is really rare. The MacArthur Fellowships, nicknamed genius grants, began in 1981 with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. They are intended to reward creativity, and range from $150,000 to $375,000. Fellows receive the money over five years along with health insurance. They are free to use award money as they wish. Another New Jersey woman, Ingrid Daubechies, 37, of New Brunswick, will receive an award of $240,000. Daubechies is a mathematical analyst and physicist working on wavelets, which may revolutionize manipulation and storage of some kinds of data. Lebsock, a 42-year-old mother of two young children, said the money wont change her immediate plans. The family is moving this month from Highland Park to Chapel Hill, N.C., where her husband, Richard McCormick, has just taken over as provost of the University of North Carolina campus. The first thing Im going to do is to do what I was going to do anyway, which is to write a book about a murder mystery, she said. I want to try to write history that reads like fiction. Lebsock said historians have been growing more concerned that their academic writings interest only others in the profession. Shell try a different tack with a planned book about a Virginia murder of a white woman. A black man and three black women from the neighborhood were convicted. The man was hung, but the women later were exonerated. The suspense in the story is what happens to them and who really did it, she said. Theres also a story about a society in which racial prejudice is extremely overt, yet some justice was ultimately achieved. Lebsock came to Rutgers as an assistant professor of history in 1977 and advanced to professor in 1986. In 1985, she won another major honor, the Bancroft Prize, for one of her books, The Free Women of Petersburg: Status and Culture in a Southern Town, 1784-1869. She will remain on the staff at Rutgers for one year, continuing to oversee research of graduate students in her charge, and expects to join UNCs faculty next summer. Update: Lebsock published her book, A Murder in Virginia: Southern Justice on Trial (New York: Norton), in 2003. Members of Bray Municipal District have sought further information from the chief executive on some of their queries about a planned homeless shelter at San Remo. They have also asked that a committee be formed, ahead of the opening of the facility, for the purposes of communicating with residents of the area. That committee would meet on Zoom. Cllr Erika Doyle raised the matter under the housing section. 'I realise it's not on the agenda, but as we're meeting in person, I must mention San Remo,' she said. 'I know we have discussed it on Zoom and there's been a lot of communication.' She said it had been raised the previous day at a meeting of Wicklow County Council, held in Shoreline, Bray. The Wicklow meeting ran out of time and Cllr Doyle said they were waiting for a response from the chief executive 'We as a Municipal District support the acquisition of a facility to address the homeless crisis, she said. 'For the past few months we've been told to stay at home, some people don't have a home and they need vital support. However, that doesn't mean we don't have to listen to the concerns of the residents,' said Cllr Doyle. 'There has to be community buy-in for this to operate successfully. The residents don't feel they are getting all the answers they need. I understand that the housing department are working hard and some of the answers can't come from them, maybe it has to come from the service provider.' She appealed to any of the management present at the meeting to get as much information as possible for the residents, particularly around the current status of the facility, the identity of the point of contact, the liaison committee, and liaising with the Simon Community. 'We were told at the start of the process that this would happen but there has been no engagement. That's a very negative way to start this process and leads to fears and concern. Maybe there are some which shouldn't be, but with a lack of information they grow legs.' Cllr Doyle said that she would like the facility to be a success and integrate in a positive way, in a timely fashion and by the correct person. 'At the moment we don't know who that is,' she said. Cllr Doyle said that she supports the service, 'which is vital'. Dermot O'Brien said that the housing issue has continued during the pandemic. 'For us as councillors it is difficult to meet in person, but the issues haven't disappeared,' he said. 'People are in emergency accommodation, couch surfing, there's over-crowding and rent adjustment.' He said that the housing team were available and responsive under huge pressure. 'There were rough sleepers and people in an unimaginable scenario,' he said. 'It is our issue, we represent this town,' said Cllr O'Brien. 'It's not feasible for us to ask Wicklow for information and continue hoping, waiting and demanding. We need to define where our role is in terms of communication. If a service level agreement is being developed, we need a role.' He said that there has been a strong lobby from the San Remo area. 'I have received over 90 emails since April 14.' He said that a number of those were supportive of the facility. Cllr O'Brien said that not all stakeholders have been invited to contribute to the conversation surrounding San Remo. 'Some of the language in some of the emails I received was removed from people, humanity and dignity,' he said. Acting District Manager Lorraine Gallagher said that the acquisition is near completion. She said that all relevant assessments have been carried out. She said that a liaison committee would be set up once the facility is operational and that the residents would be asked to nominate a representative. Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy said that some residents had acquired an FOI from the council regarding the facility. 'Reading through the FOI, there is some contradiction which led to confusion and some of the fear. I really think we need to form a liaison committee now. If we wait until it's operational, it's too late. We need to include all the stakeholders, including individuals who will be accessing the service.' She suggested an information committee, rather than one which would ultimately be part of the running of the service, to facilitate community engagement. 'We have all received emails against the facility, but also some for,' said Cllr Flynn Kennedy. 'We've got to find a way to engage with the community. I propose a community based committee, established now and not at a later stage.' She expressed concern that people haven't yet been moved in, to facilitate greater space along with the Covid-19 crisis. 'Were works greater than anticipated?' Cllr Melanie Corrigan supported Cllr Flynn Kennedy. 'We need to establish a committee now,' she said. 'Community engagement is what will make it a success.' Cllr Grace McManus said that one group has been heard, and they want to continue to hear from them. 'I agree we need to widen the scope of who we hear from.' 'I fully support he project,' said Cllr Joe Behan. 'I have from the beginning and will continue to. 'It's extremely unfortunate that people feel they are not being included. The sooner we create an opportunity for people to air their views in public the better. There are two points of view. It's our duty to listen to all arguments and make the best decision we can. I believe this should be a Part 8 process, WE as councillors should have a say and stand by our views and take responsible decisions. It's not acceptable that the officials appear to do all the running and we are excluded from the process.' HE said that the key seemed to be that if the expenditure on the work for the building 'was less than 127,000 or some figure like that, it could be emergency works and not required to go through Part 8. I find it hard to believe there won't be a lot more spent.' Cllr Erika Doyle said that it is possible to support the facility while seeking further information. She said that she wants more information on the assessment done on the specific site. 'I can't stand over that report and say that is why this site is suitable. I'm not an expert, that would be useful to know,' she said. 'That it's set back from the road appears to be the only information.' Cathaoirleach, Cllr Anne Ferris said that things have been changing in relation to this project. 'Information in the beginning changed in so far as in the beginning the we were told the County Council was acquiring it and it would be sold on to Simon. That is clearly now not the case. The council will retain ownership and Simon is to be the service provider, for this initial Covid stage.' She said that there are 12 people on the client list, who she said should be moved as soon as possible. Cllr Ferris said that the site is not suitable for people who test positive or are symptomatic. 'I had hoped people would be move there weeks and weeks ago and here we still are,' she said. She said that she would welcome the opportunity to hear from people working with the homeless, who advocate for them, such as BARSS. 'There are problems with the facility at Novara Road,' said Cllr Ferris. 'The residents there don't have rooms, space, and certainly couldn't call it their home.' She said that all the members support the new facility. 'This time last year when we were knocking on doors, homelessness and housing were the number one issue. We at last have the opportunity to do something about it.' She proposed initially that for the July meeting, they invite a spokesperson from BARSS and someone from the residents to a meeting in the Town Hall. Lorraine Gallagher cautioned against that on public health grounds. The July meeting was scheduled for Zoom, and that remains to be the case. Councils are not meeting in person unless they must for statutory business. Cllr Ferris, who said she has an underlying condition and is over the age of 60, said that she for one didn't feel safe. 'I know it's urgent for residents and people who are homeless,' she said. She proposed that they contact the housing department for up to date and more specific information. They would then be able to pass that information on to the residents' association. Proof this week that there is no government move which they feel can't be further enhanced by an expensive ad campaign. Boris having announced that he is setting the nation free again, is apparently now concerned that people will hesitate on the threshold, unwilling to venture out into the sunlit uplands of near normality. Coronaphobia, apparently. Fear of getting it - after months of having it drummed into you that every person you pass in the street, every surface you touch, may be hoaching with contagion. Can you blame some people for being a bit wary now that the shackles are being relaxed? But then, equally, can you blame all those thousands more who were on the starting blocks and out the door this week even before liberation from hibernation officially begins? Man of the people he may claim to be, but Boris seems to have badly underestimated the enthusiasm of the latter group to re-embrace their old friend freedom. Why else would he think it would take an ad campaign to speed them on their way? According to reports, the government is planning a "Welcome Back" campaign aimed at encouraging the coronaphobic out into the open. Cost of this campaign - 20m. Granted 20m is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the millions and trillions Rishi and Co. have been spraying around in order to combat the Covid fallout. Even so. Twenty million pounds to tell people to get out there again. When all the evidence shows that they're already chomping at the bit. The spectacularly unfortunate timing for Boris was that his ad campaign plans were leaked in a week in which the council in Bournemouth was forced to declare a major incident, such was the crush of sunbathers and working-from-homers descending upon local beaches. And not just in Bournemouth. All over the land trains were packed, roads gridlocked. In Brixton they had a street party, also known as a riot. Crowded city parks saw much al fresco drinking. Liverpool fans were going loco outside Anfield. All round herd insanity. Yet Boris seemingly believes people still need a 20m nudge to get out there? One of the reasons for the rush to the beaches this week has been the obvious one, the weather. This has been a remarkable few months weather wise. And when the sun is out and the sky is blue who wants to be confined to barracks? But the sad fact is that there are many people who still have no choice. Those in the vulnerable bracket have every reason to feel coronaphobic. And extremely let down and dismayed that others have shown so little concern for them. In fairness, most of the scenes of lockdown abandon we've witnessed this week have been in England. We're a bit more canny and indeed considerate in Northern Ireland. But there are understandable fears that, as rules are relaxed, caution everywhere will be thrown to the wind. Having announced Open Sesame the trick now for Boris (and Arlene and Michelle) isn't so much to convince people that they're Welcome Back. It's how to safely juggle the understandable desire of people to resume their lives - and livelihoods - with the ongoing need to curtail risk to those self-isolating. It's not especially an ad campaign this will take, but some common sense. And possibly a more astute reading of human nature. Lockdown has been a long and difficult challenge for the entire population. Despite this week's breakdown in discipline, in general people have responded responsibly. In some ways it's hard to believe so many have stayed holed up for so long. Relaxing lockdown was always going to be tricky. But it's interesting that the government assume the difficult part will be coaxing people back out as opposed to putting the brakes on them once they've been liberated. Boris has always been a great one for quoting his idol Sir Winston. It would be a bit ironic now if he's forced to switch strategy from Welcome Back to fighting them from the beaches. Government's quarantine is pie in the sky What do you call a government attempt to neuter its own stupid 14-day quarantine plan for incoming flights? An air bridge. What do you call a whole collections of these air bridges? Air corridors. Call them corridors or bridges or whatever you please, they amount to the same thing. Plain old flying as we used to know it - without having to register with Priti's quarantine cops. Why doesn't the government just admit they got it wrong? Short answer - that would be an air bridge too far. Its really good to see people united in search to find Noah It's unbearable to think what the mother, the family and friends of young Noah Donohoe have been going through this week. This has been beyond nightmare. At the time of writing their lovely little boy is still missing. Please God he will be found safe. That's been the impassioned plea of everyone who's watched this ordeal unfold this week. Thousands have turned out to help in the search or have posted Noah's picture on social media in an effort to find him. We are an odd lot in this part of the world. We squabble and fight over tribal issues. And then a child goes missing and all that is set aside completely. Everybody feels it. Everybody wants to do what they can. The people of north Belfast - on all sides - have been just magnificent this week. They've turned out in droves to search. They've been joined by others travelling from miles away to do what they can to help. And just as importantly, they've stood back when asked by the police to let the professionals do their stuff. The postings on social media have been equally moving, often in their simplicity as much as anything else. The praying hands emoji which in other circumstances so often looks a bit naff, in this instance, so heartfelt, so touching. All those good people united in a one great wave of sympathy and kindliness and just that human desire to help. And over and over again that one raw, impassioned plea.. Please God, send him home safe. Pollution issue is certainly hotting up As if Covid hasn't been challenge enough, now even the ozone layer is playing up. Despite the skies being freed from the vapour trails of millions of aircraft - or rather because of this - radiation levels are currently much higher than normal. Those dangerous UV rays which are now getting through were previously filtered by aeroplane contrails. Who saw that one coming? Sky pollution. Unintentional sunscreen. When the online learning company Chegg started working remotely in March, Nathan Schultz, a senior executive, was convinced that productivity would plummet 15 percent to 20 percent. Hoping to keep his employees on task, Schultz tried to recreate the high-touch style of management that had served him well throughout his career. He set up a Slack channel with his two closest deputies, where they began communicating incessantly, even as they spent hours a day in the same Zoom meetings. He began regularly checking in on many of the other members of his team. "The first reaction was to smother," he said. "I was trying to replicate the many touch points you have in the office environment." It didn't work. Schultz himself soon felt burned out, and he could tell that his constant online presence was not very popular with his employees. So he eased off. Then something surprising started happening. Projects were completed ahead of schedule. Workers volunteered to take on new tasks. Instead of falling into a rut and losing focus in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Chegg employees became more productive. When office workers around the world went remote four months ago, many managers feared that productivity would collapse. The distractions of home from child care to television would wreak havoc on workdays, they thought. Some individuals have had a harder time than others working from home, but many companies say productivity has remained at pre-pandemic levels, or even gone up. Without long commutes, small talk with colleagues and leisurely coffees in the break room, many workers especially those who don't have to worry about child care are getting more done. Companies, too, are discovering that processes and procedures they previously took for granted from lengthy meetings to regular status updates are less essential than once imagined. And although some executives are concerned about burnout as working from home continues, they are enjoying the gains for now. "We're seeing an increase in productivity," said Fran Katsoudas, Cisco's chief people officer. Most of Cisco's employees have been working from home for months, and Katsoudas said data showed many were accomplishing more. For example, according to the company's tracking, customer service representatives are taking more calls and customers are more satisfied with the help they receive. A Deutsche Bank survey of workers in countries hard hit by the coronavirus found that on average, those in the United States felt they were more productive than before the pandemic, whereas those in Europe felt they were less productive. At Eventbrite, the engineering team is thriving, while the sales and customer service teams are having a harder time working from home, the chief executive, Julia Hartz, said. Hartz said that her customer service team worked in a more collaborative manner, and that Eventbrite's representatives missed being able to trade tips on how to handle different situations. "It's never the same call," she said. "Our office is open. There's a bullpen-type feel. You can turn your chair around and all face each other and share ideas or share the stress with your co-workers. You can't do that remotely." Business is humming along, but executives said working so hard in isolation could, in the long term, lead to burnout and loneliness and fray corporate culture. Satya Nadella, the chief executive of Microsoft, lamented the loss of in-person interactions, even as he said productivity was ticking up. "How long-lasting is that?" he said of the company's improved efficiency. "What does burnout look like? What does mental health look like?" Nadella said he worried that companies like Microsoft were "burning some of the social capital we built up in this phase where we are all working remote." "What's the measure for that?" he added. Douglas Merritt, the chief executive of Splunk, an enterprise software company, questioned whether the appearance of busy remote workers was leading to actual gains. "There's a big difference between activity and productivity," he said. "There's no doubt that our employee population is not performing at the same level they were." At Chegg, 86 percent of employees said their productivity was as good as or better than before, according to an internal survey. They attributed the uptick to not commuting and not having boundaries to the workday. Recently, Schultz's team completed a project for Verizon in 15 days that he said would have taken a month during normal times. "They would have filled their time with going down to our well-accoutremented cafeteria in Silicon Valley," Schultz said. Still, he is cognizant the frenetic pace of work might not last. "While we may have had a productivity bump in the short term, we need to respect the home and work balance," he said. "We want to make sure they don't burn out." Oil headed for a weekly decline - only the second since April - as a surge in US coronavirus cases clouded the demand outlook, though the pessimism was tempered by huge cuts to Russia's seaborne crude exports. Futures in New York slipped toward $38 a barrel yesterday, and are down 3.7pc for the week. The US has seen a record number of new cases, with a wave across the Sun Belt casting doubt over prospects for an oil-demand recovery. Texas, the centre of the American oil industry, halted its reopening as infections jumped and Houston's intensive-care wards reached capacity. While massive OPEC+ output cuts and a pickup in demand have helped crude climb from its April low, price gains have slowed this month. Consumption is still a long way off pre-virus levels and many refiners are struggling with low margins. "Markets have got ahead of themselves," said PVM Oil Associates analyst Stephen Brennock. "With the coronavirus pandemic still doing the rounds, there remains plenty of volatility on the horizon." Earlier yesterday, oil prices rose on an expected slump in Russia's crude exports. Shipments of the flagship Urals grade from its three main western ports are set to plunge by 40pc next month. The steep reductions underscore the OPEC+ alliance's commitment to eliminate the oil glut that built up earlier this year. Bloomberg The three states saw their highest daily infections yet as outbreak continues to surge in the south and west. Florida, Arizona and Nevada have all recorded daily highs for new coronavirus infections, highlighting the worsening spread of the outbreak in several southern and western states, which has prompting some local governments to roll back reopening plans. Florida on Saturday morning reported 9,585 new infections in the last 24 hours, setting a record for new cases for a second-straight day. Meanwhile, Arizona recorded 3,591 new cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, matching its prior record on June 23, while Nevada disclosed 1,099 new cases, double its previous high. The surge in cases has been most pronounced in a handful of southern and western states that reopened earlier and more aggressively than other states, serving as a warning to the potentially illusory nature of any perceived progress in controlling the virus. The new numbers come after the US, on Friday, recorded its largest daily case count of the pandemic, while Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, said the governments current strategy for finding and isolating infected people was not working, partly due to significant asymptomatic spread. Changing geography of the outbreak The worsening contagion in the south and west comes as northern states, notably New York and its neighbours, which were hit hardest initially, have reported declining cases and have begun to forge ahead with reopening plans. Earlier this week New York, New Jersey and Connecticut imposed a 14-day mandatory quarantine on travellers from states with high infection rates like Texas and Florida, where some 13 percent of those tested on Friday came back positive. Florida officials told bar owners on Friday to immediately stop serving alcohol on their premises, after permitting bars to reopen in early June. While Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in a reversal of his early moves to relax restrictions, on Friday ordered bars across the state to close and required restaurants to limit indoor seating capacity to 50 percent. The announcement came as Texas continued a 15-day streak of record hospitalisations across the state for COVID-19, with more than 5,100 people being treated for the disease on Friday, according to the Texas Tribune. In an interview broadcast on Friday night, Abbott expressed remorse for the initial pace of reopening bars, which began in phases on May 22. If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars, now seeing in the aftermath of how quickly the coronavirus spread in the bar setting, Abbott told the KVIA news station in El Paso. Taking executive action to contain the spread of #COVID19. More information: https://t.co/P6Ak08plcn pic.twitter.com/TjRHa06nw9 Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) June 26, 2020 No statewide mandate But despite the skyrocketing case numbers, both Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have refused to issue statewide mandates on mask-wearing, opting instead to leave that decision to local municipalities. At a briefing on Friday, DeSantis blamed the spike in infections on young people interacting more in the last few weeks, adding that they faced a lower risk of dying than older people. However, DeSantis acknowledged that those young people, even if they do not become hospitalised themselves, could transmit the virus to the elderly or people with conditions like diabetes which make them susceptible to severe outcomes with COVID-19. AFRICOM partners with NATO to deliver critical supplies to East Africa U.S. Africa Command partnered with the NATO Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW) to deliver critical supplies to troops supporting East Africa operations this week as part of an effort to strengthen international logistics support in Africa. By U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs , United States Africa Command Stuttgart, Germany Jun 26, 2020 U.S. Africa Command partnered with the NATO Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW) to deliver critical supplies to troops supporting East Africa operations this week as part of an effort to strengthen international logistics support in Africa. The mission is an example of how the network created by the United States' continued international engagement and partnerships around the world works to enable capacity and logistics development in Africa. The HAW is based in Papa Air Base, Hungary, and provides strategic airlift support for ten NATO nations and two Partners for Peace. U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Leonard Kosinski, U.S. Africa Command Director for Logistics, who also participated in the mission, noted the teamwork and interoperability of this HAW crew who hailed from Poland, Norway, Sweden, and the U.S. "Working with the NATO HAW not only strengthens partnerships, but brings together collective international capability to support Africa," Kosinski said. The materials delivered included medical personal protective equipment and blood to support the forward-deployed field medical unit in East Africa. The shipment also included ammunition and supplies to address mutual threats in the region. "Ensuring the right capability across an 11-million square-mile theater of operations is no easy task. With the help of the HAW, Air Forces Africa, Naval Forces Africa, and others, we delivered critical supplies and equipment to increase assistance to our African partners and address mutual security challenges. When challenges arise, partnership, cooperation, and support will be key to finding common solutions to international problem sets," said Kosinski. The AFRICOM Deployment Distribution Operations Center (ADDOC) has limited access to air transport assets, and typically has only a few C-130s at its disposal to meet a wide variety of mission requirements across the 53-country U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility. "U.S. Africa Command remains committed to optimizing and ensuring the continued development of logistics on the continent," said Kosinski. ADDOC relies on the HAW for Special Airlift Missions, particularly for channel flights to West Africa. However, this mission to Djibouti marked an in important milestone for the international partnership: the HAW can be leveraged to support logistics requirements in East Africa. "We were able to meet with several distribution centers to ensure supply lines remain open and strong. When you consider the vast distances on the African continent, maintaining strong logistics lines and distribution centers maintains key support for our African partners," said Kosinski. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address There were many things said during this debate which should normally be replied to, but I think it is more important to move forward. There is no question what our most urgent work is. We are meeting away from our permanent chamber because of a historic pandemic which has struck Ireland and the rest of the world. As of today, 2,278 people on this island have lost their lives. Many thousands more have fought a long struggle to recover. There is no community, no part of our country which has escaped untouched. In the last three and a half months, enormous progress has been made in controlling the spread of the virus and treating those who have become sick. For this and much more we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to staff working in our health system, in other frontline roles and within our public services. As part of this I want to acknowledge the work of the outgoing government, and especially Minister for Health Deputy Simon Harris and outgoing Taoiseach Deputy Leo Varadkar. However, while there is no doubt that we have achieved important progress since March, the struggle against the virus is not over. We must continue to contain its spread. We must be ready to tackle any new wave. And we must move forward rapidly to secure a recovery to benefit all of our people. As we meet here there are nearly 900,000 of our people wholly or partly relying on special pandemic payments. This is the fastest moving recession ever to hit our country and to overcome it we must act with urgency and ambition. There are restrictions which will remain in place for some time and no-one can say today when we will return to something close to normality. But there is much more that we can and must do to help our society and our economy to recover. Starting today this work will be the at the very centre of everything the new government will do. At the same time, we know that there are other great challenges which we faced before the pandemic and which remain to be overcome. Too many of our people cannot find a decent and affordable place to live. Waiting times for urgent treatments are far too long. Our communities, our families, our young people need support to be able to thrive in a rapidly changing modern economy. And we must tackle the existential crisis posed by climate change. Recovery and renewal. These are the themes which underpin everything in the programme for government which has been agreed between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Green Party and has been ratified by our members with overwhelming majorities. Our three parties come from very different traditions. We do not and could not be expected to agree on everything. However, we have been able to agree on core democratic principles and on a balanced and comprehensive programme. We are conscious of the fact that we must work hard to build trust with each other and with the people we have a duty and privilege to serve. To be elected to serve as Taoiseach of a free republic is one of the greatest honours which anyone can receive. I want to thank the Deputies of my party for their support, and also those of Fine Gael and the Green Party, as well as those independent Deputies who voted for me. Most of all I want to thank my family and my community. Without them I could have achieved nothing. My wife Mary has been a pillar of support and a partner for me since our days in college. Our children have tolerated my many absences over the years. As they have grown, studied and experienced the world they have not just supported me, they have given Mary and I the benefit of their views of the Ireland which they have grown up with. I was blessed to be born into the home which my late parents created for me and my brothers and sisters in the heart of the close-knit, working-class community which I have the enormous privilege of representing in Dail Eireann. Every day my parents showed us the importance of supporting each other, of tough but fair competition and of the spirit of community. From my late father we learned not just of the great sporting achievements he saw, we learned of the characters and values of the heroes who were and remain immortal to us. We learned the importance of persistence, of optimism and of always understanding that Cork will soon win another double. Most of all we learned of the struggles of our country's great founding generation and their republicanism - a republicanism which always sought to evolve and to respond to the needs of today and the future. They were warm, generous, visionary and brave, not just physically, but far more importantly in their willingness to question themselves and embrace change. It is this republicanism, a tradition which does not wear and never has worn a party label, to which we all owe so much. It is the reason that Dail Eireann is the only parliament established in the aftermath of the First World War which has been democratic for the entire century since. This week, 100 years ago, the first Dail was also obliged to leave its normal chamber in order to be able to meet in full session. The minutes of that meeting show that, in the face of dramatic events and repression, they continued their work of building Irish democracy. They voted to establish independent courts. They reviewed and questioned the work of every department. They looked at ways of funding housing in Dublin. They set themselves the challenge of not just talking about the problems of our country - but of developing solutions. Our country has shown time and time again that we can overcome the toughest of challenges - and we will do so again. It is in the spirit of a deep belief in the role of democratic government; with a commitment to delivering the recovery and renewal embodied in our programme, and a determination to work tirelessly to serve the people, that I proudly accept your nomination. Suns out: Crowds descend on a beach in Sweden, named as a problem country by the WHO yesterday. Photo: TT News Agency Around 90pc of the world's population is still susceptible to coronavirus, making the search for a vaccine vital, the World Health Organisation's chief scientist has said. Dr Soumya Swaminathan said recent studies of people's seroprevalence - antibodies against the virus - had shown the majority of the world is still vulnerable to the disease. A 'Lancet' study earlier this month in Geneva showed that at most only 10pc of people had antibodies that would be likely to confer some immunity to the disease. "It appears that a large proportion of the world's population - at least 90pc - continues to be susceptible. And therefore this virus could go on and on," said Dr Swaminathan. "I think the best bet to bring an end to this pandemic, particularly in the acute phase, is to have a vaccine as soon as possible." Dr Swaminathan was talking at the launch of the investment case for the Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator, a global collaboration led by the WHO to develop and distribute equitably vaccines, treatments and diagnostics for the coronavirus. The partnership aims to send 500 million diagnostic tests and 245 million courses of treatment to lower and middle income countries. It also aims for two billion doses of vaccine, half of which will go to the poorest countries. Meanwhile, Sweden's state epidemiologist has hit back at the WHO after it named his country among a group that is facing "a very significant resurgence" of coronavirus infections. Anders Tegnell, who has become one of the world's most high-profile and divisive speakers on the virus, said: "That is a total misinterpretation of the data." He told Sweden's state broadcaster SVT: "It's very unfortunate people lump Sweden with countries that earlier had no problem and are now apparently at the start of their epidemic." Hans Kluge, the WHO's regional director for Europe, named Sweden in a list of 11 "problem countries", the rest of which were in eastern Europe, the Caucasus or Central Asia. He said: "For weeks I have spoken about the risk of resurgence as countries adjust measures. In several countries across Europe, this risk has now become a reality." Sweden this month recorded treble the daily number of confirmed cases - up from 60 on June 1 to 207 on Thursday. But Mr Tegnell argued this had more to do with increased testing rather than a resurgence. Authorities in Italy sent soldiers and riot police to a council estate in the south of the country yesterday, where a coronavirus outbreak among foreign farm workers had triggered tensions with locals. Violence flared between Italian residents and migrant workers on Thursday and yesterday in Mondragone, a town 25 miles north of Naples, after five blocks of flats were locked down in an outbreak of 43 cases among Roma and Bulgarian field workers. The trouble reportedly began after a group of Bulgarians attempted to force their way through a cordon put in place earlier this week, to protest at being prevented from returning to work. In the US, Florida banned alcohol consumption at its bars as its daily confirmed coronavirus cases neared 9,000, a new record almost double the previous mark set just two days ago. The Florida agency that governs bars announced the ban on Twitter just minutes after the Department of Health reported 8,942 new confirmed cases, topping the previous record of 5,500 set Wednesday. State officials have attributed much of the new outbreak to young adults flocking to bars after they reopened in most of the state three weeks ago, with many of them ignoring social distancing restrictions aimed at lowering the virus's spread. Bars, like restaurants, were supposed to limit patrons to 50pc of their normal capacity, under the state's emergency orders. Patrons had to sit at tables, with groups two metres apart. South Africa will allow casinos and cinemas to reopen and restaurants to resume sit-down meals on Monday despite a sharp rise in infections. The country began easing restrictions last month and at the beginning of June allowed people outside for work, worship, exercise or shopping, and let mines and factories run at full capacity to try to revive the economy. It has recorded 118,375 infections of the highly contagious respiratory disease and 2,292 deaths and daily case numbers rose by more than 6,500 on Thursday after less than 1,000 in April. But tourism is an important revenue-earner and three months of lockdown has left many businesses fighting for survival. Pakistan's anti-graft body has filed a corruption case against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and three others for their alleged involvement in the illegal allotment of land in Punjab province about 34 years ago. An arrest warrant has been issued against the 70-year-old three-time premier who is in London for medical treatment. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has approached an anti-corruption court to declare Sharif a proclaimed offender since he did not respond to any of its summons. The three other accused named in the case filed by the NAB are Jang/Geo media group owner Mir Shakilur Rahman, former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director Humayun Faiz Rasool and former director (land) Mian Bashir. In 1986, when he was the Punjab chief minister, Sharif had allegedly allotted 54-'kanal' (canal) land in Lahore to Mir Shakilur Rehman in violation of rules. Rahman, who was arrested on March 12, is on judicial remand. In the reference, Sharif and the two officers were accused of the misuse of authority in allotting the precious land along the canal to Rahman in violation of the rules. Sharif had left for London in November after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission to go abroad for treatment. He had submitted an undertaking to the court to return to Pakistan, citing his record of facing the law and justice, within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors. Last month, a fresh picture of ailing' Sharif having tea at a London cafe along with his family went viral on social media, sparking a debate on his health with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf members demanding his return to face corruption cases. In the picture, he was seen sitting at a roadside caf with his granddaughters. He sported a blue shalwar kameez and a cap and apparently looked in better health. Sharif was given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case, in which he was serving a seven-year prison sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was also given bail in a money-laundering case to facilitate his travel abroad. Sharif was diagnosed with "complicated coronary artery/ischemic heart disease with significant disease burden". His daughter Maryam Nawaz had said that her father was a high-risk patient therefore his cardiac catheterisation/coronary intervention had been postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Also Read: Pakistan pilot licences issue represents 'serious lapse' in safety controls, says IATA Also Read: Rebranding Fair & Lovely unlikely to impact demand for fairness creams, experts say Mr. Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), has cautioned the Ghanaian media to avoid the temptation of being turned into political propaganda tools particularly during electioneering periods. Our duty is to promote the public interest, he cautioned, stressing that the media must not allow their parochial interests to cloud their sense of judgment as they report on political activities ahead of the December General Election. We must work to uphold multi-party democracy by reporting fairly and objectively while giving all the contesting parties an equal platform to put across their messages, the eminent journalist said. Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh, who was addressing journalists at the 'Media Convention 2020' in Kumasi, advocated fair-mindedness and strict adherence to professional ethics. The programme was sponsored by the US Embassy, and organized by the Ghana Journalists' Association (GJA), bringing together selected media establishments drawn from the Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo Regions. Other participants included the security agencies, traditional authorities, officials of the Electoral Commission (EC), and representatives of political parties. The 2020 Election: Role of the Media in Promoting Civility and Discernment in the Political Discourse, was chosen as the theme for the programme. It served as a platform for dialogue by the stakeholders on issues relating to this year's Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Topics discussed included 'GJA Guidelines on Election Coverage and the various Guidelines of the NMC: Correlation and Synergies', 'Concerns and Expectations of the EC on Media Coverage of Election 2020', as well as 'Social Media as a Tool for Information Flow - Prospects and Challenges'. Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh pointed out that the media's role was to serve as a voice and guidance to the electorates - helping to keep them informed of the manifestoes of the various political parties to make informed decisions. He reminded journalists of the need to always present truthful and unbiased information, and also hold duty-bearers accountable for their work and promises to the people. It is our responsibility to criticize duty-bearers constructively and objectively to deepen democratic dispensation, the NMC Chairman emphasized. Mrs. Linda Asante-Agyei, Vice-President of the GJA, cited the critical role the media had played in strengthening democracy and the rule of law under the Fourth Republican Constitution. This year's polls, she said, presented another challenge to the media to be alive to their responsibilities - helping to reduce needless tension to ensure stability and sustainable development. The GJA Vice-President said the Association under the 'Media Convention' project, would continue to engage stakeholders for dialogue as it sought to create a harmonious environment before, during, and after the December General Election. Nana Owusu Nyanin, Chief of Kwamo in the Ashanti Region, advised stakeholders to carry out their responsibilities in a more professional manner to engender peace and unity in the country. ---GNA I have a question. What use is a federal government that refuses to protect our basic constitutional rights? Twitter and Google and Facebook are censoring and demonizing conservative political speech, and nobody does a thing. Democrat mayors and governors are bankrupting American citizens by preventing them from engaging in simple commerce, and they're getting away with it. Street mobs across America are causing millions of dollars in property damage, destroying priceless historical monuments; killing police officers; and targeting random, unlucky citizens based on the color of their skin, and the press cheerlead the madness and defend the murderers and arsonists as heroes. John Kerry just the other day threatened the United States by declaring that if Democrats don't win the election in November, they will insist on "revolution." Revolution? How else can you describe this incendiary cocktail of mob violence and flagrant denial of conservatives' constitutional rights, aided and abetted and kept volatile by Democrat mayors who applaud the mayhem, Democrat prosecutors who refuse to enforce the law, and Democrat-aligned corporations who happily treat conservatives as second-class citizens? The whole point of the Constitution is to create a social contract whereby each citizen hands over the legitimate use of force to the federal government in exchange for the promise that certain inalienable, God-given rights be guaranteed. When the federal government fails to protect Americans' free speech and religious worship and does nothing while Democrats in local offices and on the streets deprive Americans of their property and livelihoods under the color of law, shouldn't the federal government be afraid that Americans from Maine to New Mexico might one day wake up and say, "All right, contract cancelled"? Conservative Americans have been dutifully respecting the rule of law for decades, while our government has become more aggressive in using the law as nothing more than a tool for choosing winners and losers. The Supreme Court banned God from public schools while inviting the Marxist religion to take over. It decided of its own accord to sanction the murder of sixty-five million babies because those babies could not protest. It chose to rewrite the ancient meaning of marriage, and it has now denied the discrete existence of women altogether. When a strong majority of Americans desperately wanted to stop the government's socialist takeover of health care, the Court betrayed Americans again by turning something unconstitutional into something mandatory with all the nonchalance of a royal decree. Time and again, Americans proud of their Constitution have asked the Supreme Court to preserve its meaning, and the Court has instead blotted over the original with its own contemporary values and beliefs. Instead of preserving the social contract between the government and the people, the Court has insisted on a contract with ever-changing terms and obligations. Any other business contract with such unfixed and illusory language would be deemed void, yet the Court continues to play with fire by setting our Constitution alight a little at a time. For years we have been screaming at the top of our lungs that Google and Twitter and Facebook were censoring our political speech. The social media giants are so certain that they can get away with their discrimination that they cancel in broad daylight the most popular voices and publications with hardly a whimper from our elected representatives. They seek out and eliminate the revenue streams of viewpoints they despise without any due process. Private companies or not, they represent the modern equivalent of the town square, long protected and made available for all Americans, and submitting to Big Tech's authority to choose winners and losers in the great American public forums of our time is not different from requiring subjects to beseech the royal crown for permission to speak. It's impermissible and un-American and a threat to social stability, yet everywhere, conservatives are targeted for their beliefs, and the federal government does nothing. For too many years, conservatives have restrained ourselves while Democrats replaced the pursuit of knowledge through public education with nothing but publicly funded training camps for social justice warmongering and political grievance shock troops. We have restrained ourselves while the government taxed us a third to half of our incomes for the pleasure of having our livelihoods regulated by bureaucrats half a continent away whose only consistent form of rule-making has been to take more of our property rights for themselves while leaving us fewer paths through which to object. And we have restrained ourselves while Hollywood and the mainstream media direct all of their powerful hatred toward demonizing us as modern-day Nazis and racists hell-bent on subjugating others, when it is our families who died and sacrificed everything to fight authoritarian socialists in WWII, communist aggressors in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and repeated efforts by Islamic supremacists to threaten freedom both here and abroad. Instead of leaving us alone to live our lives in peace, Democrats on television and in movies target us, Americans who believe so passionately in freedom that we've lost entire generations of family paying repeatedly the price for its protection. And while we're being tormented and spat at and having our American flags set on fire and enduring name-calling for no other reason than respecting the history of the country we've fought to preserve, the federal government does nothing. In 2016, we protested the federal government's repeated failures to protect us as equal American citizens by sending an outsider to the White House. We used the legitimate electoral process to send a message to D.C. with the loudest political voice we could find in President Trump. By far, it was the most peaceful rejection of the corruption and lawlessness in the federal capital that we could muster. And how has the federal government responded? Federal judges continue to veto lawful executive orders. Congress has spent four years pouring gasoline on a dangerously flammable Russian conspiracy theory and demanding that constitutional powers properly vested in the president be deemed illegitimate. Millions of saboteurs in our Leviathan administrative state and burrowed within our federal police and intelligence agencies and military have actively conspired to undermine and counteract the president's authority. And while none of them will ever be prosecuted, let alone sent to jail, we have watched for four years as allies of President Trump are persecuted for their beliefs, financially and reputationally ruined, and even imprisoned. Rather than recognizing how seriously the Democrats, Deep State, NeverTrump Republicans, and corporate press have damaged the peaceful transfer of power and institutions of government since 2016, they are simply doubling down by blaming all the artificially-created divisions in our country today on the current occupant of the White House while promising further attacks on conservatives if they don't get their way later this year. John Kerry can betray his fellow soldiers in Vietnam, sell out his country to Iran, and promise revolutionary violence this winter, and the press cheer him on. President Trump does everything in his power to bring American manufacturing jobs back home, add unprecedented wealth to minority communities, and prove that the twenty-first century can and should be America's, not China's, and he's reviled by those same voices. Conservatives' backs are being pushed against the wall, and nobody in Washington seems to see the danger they're creating. We're good citizens until the music stops, and then things get frosty. Because Barack Obama was right about one thing (and only one thing): we do cling to our guns and our Bibles, and when the rule of law and orderly government disappear, we know how to use both and play for keeps. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 15:09:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga has asked the country's General Election Commission (GEC) to urgently recount all ballots of the recent parliamentary elections by hand, the presidential press office reported Saturday. Battulga made the proposal after some political parties, coalitions and independent candidates said there was "organized irregularity and manipulation" in the parliamentary elections held on Wednesday. The GEC is expected to conduct hand recounts in all 29 constituencies within this weekend. The ruling Mongolian People's Party won a landslide victory in the regular parliamentary elections, taking 62 seats out of 76 in the parliament, according to the official results announced Friday. The country's opposition Democratic Party won 11 seats. Two coalitions, the Right Person Electorate Coalition and Your and Our Coalition, won one seat each. Former Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag, who ran as an independent candidate, got one seat. Mongolia's parliament, the State Great Khural, is unicameral, consisting of 76 lawmakers with a four-year term. The previous parliamentary elections in Mongolia were held on June 29, 2016. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 15:26:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed late on Friday to form a committee of legal and technical experts from the three countries to finalize a binding agreement on the rules of filling and operating the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) over the Nile River. The agreement was reached during a video mini-summit of the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government to discuss the GERD, said Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady in a statement. The mini-summit, chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, was attended by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. It has been agreed to refrain from taking any unilateral actions including filling the dam before reaching an agreement, Rady said, adding a letter will be sent to the UN Security Council (UNSC) which is going to discuss the dam issue on June 29. During the virtual meeting, Sisi highlighted Egypt's keenness to reach a fair and balanced agreement "that enables Ethiopia to achieve the economic development it aspires to ... by taking into account the interests of the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, without harming their water shares." The success of this process requires the commitment of all parties not to take any unilateral measures, the Egyptian president noted. On June 20, Egypt submitted a request to the UNSC over the GERD, calling on the UN body to intervene "to emphasize the importance for Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to continue negotiations with good will." Since June 9, the three countries have been holding regular video meetings to discuss issues related to the filling and operation of the GERD in the presence of three observers from the United States, the EU Commission and South Africa. Over the past few years, tripartite talks on the rules of filling and operating the Ethiopian grand hydropower dam, including those hosted by Washington, have been fruitless. Ethiopia recently said it would soon start filling the reservoir, despite Egypt's repeatedly warnings against any unilateral action without a tripartite agreement. Ethiopia started building the GERD in 2011, while Egypt, a downstream Nile Basin country that relies on the river for its freshwater, is concerned that the dam might affect its 55.5-billion-cubic-meter annual share of the water resources of the river. Enditem Whether it was a dinosaur on the rampage in New York or Raquel Welch being carried off by a pteranodon in One Million Years BC, Ray Harryhausen knew how to thrill film-goers. The magical worlds created by this master of special effects had a huge impact. Steven Spielberg and James Cameron were fans, while Ray treasured a Lord Of The Rings poster given to him by director Peter Jackson. On it he had written, Without you, none of this would have happened! The Lord Of The Rings is a Son of Harryhausen! Rays films were low-budget, but his attention to detail was incredible. His skill was to bring creatures to life and give them personalities. I want people to see Cyclops, not just an actor with one eye glued to his forehead, he said. Ray Harryhausen, from Los Angeles, who was best known for creating models of monsters, is having his work celebrated at an exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art to mark the centenary of his birth. Pictured: Ray working on Clash Of The Titans His creations, like Medusa, the seven-headed Hydra or the Kraken, seemed to soar hundreds of feet high, but the models he made could be held in your hand. His precision was even more remarkable given how big his hands were. My mother used to say they were like bunches of bananas, says his daughter Vanessa. To celebrate the centenary of his birth, Vanessa has written a book to go with an exhibition of his work at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, which, it is hoped, will open later this year. My dad was a hoarder, she says. We are preserving the creatures and cataloguing everything we have 50,000 objects so far. Well look in a box and find a sketch, or an arm or leg of some creature. Ray was a one-man special effects department. Hed draw sketches and storyboards, then make models from latex and rubber with a metal skeleton allowing the joints to move. Then hed blend live action with his stop-motion animation. For the scene in Jason And The Argonauts where the hero fights skeletons, the actors tackled invisible enemies and Ray added the skeletons later four minutes of action took four months to make. By the time the film came out in 1963, Ray had moved from the US to London, and there he married Diana, great-granddaughter of explorer David Livingstone. But it had all started for Ray in LA, when he saw King Kong, aged 13, in 1933. Ray's daughter Vanessa, who has penned a book to go with the exhibition, remembers playing with his models as a child and taking the dinosaur from The Valley Of Gwangi everywhere. Pictured: Models of Ray's creatures He made his own version of the monster aged 14, and in his twenties Willis OBrien, the films animator, invited Ray to work with him and became his mentor. In turn, Ray was welcoming to fans. He was the only R. Harryhausen in the phone book, so was easy to find. People would come by our house, says Vanessa. Dad would invite them for tea and give them ten minutes of his time. Vanessa was allowed to play with his models. Id take the dinosaur from The Valley Of Gwangi everywhere. Once in Harrods, two old ladies asked to see the dolly in my buggy. They pulled back the covers and got the shock of their lives. Diana had to be understanding too. When the oven Ray used to set his latex models broke, he popped them in the kitchen oven. The next roast chicken Mum cooked tasted of rubber, laughs Vanessa. Ray had his work recognised with an Oscar, a BAFTA tribute and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Pictured: Raquel Welch in the grip of a pteranodon in One Million Years BC The family would go to locations together and while in Malta filming Clash Of The Titans in 1981, Vanessa found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. On a break Dad said, Could you stand over there dear... Put your arms up. Then I was shackled to a rock he was sizing it up for the shoot after lunch. Ray stopped after that film, his 16th. He was later recognised with a special Oscar, a BAFTA tribute, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, opposite the cinema where he first saw King Kong. He was also a delight at conventions, delving into an old suitcase to pull out a few old friends. Ray kept his boyish wonder up to his death in 2013, which is no surprise as hed once said, Most people feel its rather childish to have an imagination. I dont agree. You should go through life and imagine the very best. Ray, who died in 2013, lived by the motto, 'You should go through life and imagine the very best'. Pictured: Jason And The Argonauts model The exhibition and book, Ray Harryhausen: Titan Of Cinema, will be out later this year. One man was seated naked on the floor of a cell at Central City Concerns Sobering Station, attempting to choke himself with his pants tied around his neck. Another man removed the zipper from his pants to cut himself and was pounding and kicking the door to his cell. Neither police nor emergency medics were willing to enter the cell to take him to a hospital. (Natural News) Cambridge University reacted to one of its academics tweeting White Lives Dont Matter by ignoring the backlash and promoting her to a full professorship. (Article by Paul Joseph Watson republished from Summit.news) As we highlighted yesterday, the controversy began when Dr Priyamvada Gopal, English academic and Churchill fellow, tweeted, abolish whiteness and Ill say it again. White Lives Dont Matter. This prompted the launch of a petition to have her fired which currently has almost 15,000 signatures. However, both the university and media outlets responded by trying to frame a narrative that Gopal was being abused by a hate mob, completely pardoning her for her overtly racist comments. Despite the fact that Twitter has now removed Gopals original tweet for hate speech, Cambridge University itself has rewarded the academic. Thanks to everyone who wrote to @Twitter: the ludicrous ban has been lifted. I am therefore delighted to share with you personally, that last night Cambridge promoted me to a full Professorship, tweeted Gopal. The hate mails & threats are coming in non-stop but @CambridgeCops are following up. Thanks to everyone who wrote to @Twitter: the ludicrous ban has been lifted. I am therefore delighted to share with you personally, that last night Cambridge promoted me to a full Professorship. The hate mails & threats are coming in non-stop but @CambridgeCops are following up Priyamvada Gopal (@PriyamvadaGopal) June 25, 2020 She also blamed the backlash on people who elect the likes of Trump and (Boris) Johnson. Thank you againand to all of you, stay strong. We are up against a hugely ugly edifice full of sewage and bile. These people elect the likes of Trump and Johnson. We have no choice but to persevere. A luta continua! Priyamvada Gopal (@PriyamvadaGopal) June 25, 2020 Cambridge University has therefore literally rewarded Gopal for publishing racist hate speech. Their approach to another academic, Noah Carl, was somewhat different after 500 academics signed a letter challenging Carls research on race and intelligence. He was swiftly dismissed. Cambridge University also previously rescinded its offer of a visiting fellowship to Jordan Peterson after a woke mob complained about his stance on political correctness and after he appeared in a photograph with a man wearing a t-shirt that said Im a proud Islamophobe. Having formerly enjoyed a reputation as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, Cambridge University is now proudly proclaiming itself to be a safe space for vile racists and theyll be teaching your kids! Read more at: Summit.news Indian Forces Kill Three Militants in Shootout in Kashmir Valley Sputnik News 06:21 GMT 26.06.2020 New Delhi (Sputnik): India's Kashmir Valley has been witnessing heightened gunfire between militants and security forces, with stepped up counter-terror operations since April of this year. Most of these encounters have taken place in southern Kashmir. Three militants were gunned down in yet another encounter with security forces in India's Kashmir valley on Friday. According to Kashmir police, the encounter broke out in the Chewa Ullar area of the Pulwama district on Thursday evening and is ongoing. The encounter followed a joint search operation by the Indian Army, paramilitary forces, and local police on an intelligence tip. Today's encounter was the 12th in the region in June, some 35 militants have been eliminated so far. Kashmir has been a bone of contention between nuclear-capable India and Pakistan. New Delhi blames Islamabad for fomenting militancy in the region. Relations between India and Pakistan have nosedived since the beginning of 2019, when both were on the edge of a flare-up following a suicide attack on a convoy of vehicles carrying troops. Forty soldiers were killed in the incident, for which Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility. India retaliated by bombing suspected terror camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan hit back and shot down an Indian fighter plane. Again tension escalated between the two after New Delhi stripped the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Pakistan, which claims to be a stakeholder in Kashmir, snapped diplomatic ties, trade, and communications with India. Relations further dipped in recent times, with New Delhi deciding to halve the strength of its mission in Islamabad, after two Indian staffers were allegedly tortured by Pakistani security agencies earlier in June. The last time India resorted to reduction of diplomatic strength in Pakistan was in 2001 after an terror attack on the Indian parliament. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address ANN ARBOR, MI As she watched the University of Michigan Board of Regents meeting Thursday, Haley Johnson was surprised when she heard mention of a proposed tuition increase. The 1.9% increase was included in a proposed budget for fiscal year 2021 and eventually failed with a 4-4 vote by the board a majority was needed for it to pass but the prospect of a tuition hike did not sit well with Johnson. I thought it was really tone-deaf, especially since the value of the online education isnt exactly the same as in-person instruction, said Johnson, a sophomore in UMs College of Literature, Sciences and the Arts. University of Michigan tuition increase proposal fails with 4-4 Board of Regents vote After the budget was proposed, Regent Denise Illitch expressed strong opposition to the increase, also calling it tone-deaf. Illitch said the regents have increased tuition at UM for the last 40 years because the value of a UM degree is so high and the demand for admission is so strong. This year, however, that may not be the case. Illitch also cited UMs enormous wealth, including a $12 billion endowment, a $1 billion letter of credit and many opportunities to control costs and spend money more effectively. On top of that, UM offered its educational experiences remotely at full price for part of the spring semester and all of the summer semester, and its uncertain if it will be able to offer a complete fall semester. If we are even able to complete this semester in Ann Arbor, it will be a semester with a very high percentage of the educational experience being remote, and many experiences and services compromised, Illitch said during the meeting. A tuition cut would actually be in order, but in any event, raising tuition 1.9% is simply tone-deaf, particularly when there is a diminution in value. Along with Illitch, regents Jordan Acker, Shauna Ryder Diggs and Paul Brown voted against the proposed budgets. Brown said he was not opposed to the tuition increase if those additional revenues are used to support students with less ability to pay or make the tuition more affordable to them, but he feels the university has not invested enough in the Flint and Dearborn campuses. The fact of the matter is that this is a consolidated budget, Brown said. So, I have to weigh all of the aspects of this budget, and in making that measurement, I come out not in support of the current budget plan. Johnson said the divide between the regents who voted no created a feeling of uncertainty. On one hand, Illitch voted against the budget because she strongly opposed the tuition increase, while on the other, Brown voted against it because of the lack of investment at Flint and Dearborn. For Johnson, that leaves the question of whether another tuition increase will be proposed during the next regents meeting July 16. I do think theres a possibility that they might end up voting on a budget that includes an increase, just because some of the regents dont seem to be opposed to an increase, Johnson said. Amytess Girgis, a senior from Grand Rapids majoring in political science, said she doesnt anticipate the university will try again to raise tuition, but she wasnt surprised that it was on the table. Rejecting the increase, however, is just the start for the regents, she said. UM administration has consistently been prioritizing its fiscal stability over the needs of students, Girgis said. We need greater funding for financial aid, student support and faculty and staff support on all three campuses now more than ever. Senior Associate Vice President for Student Life Simone Taylor also presented a request for a COVID-19 response fee that students would have to pay each semester. The $50 fee would be used to create kits for students with masks, thermometers and sanitizers, Taylor said. Johnson said its the universitys responsibility to keep students safe if they want to have them on campus this fall, and the university has the wealth to take on the cost. Charging students for that, on top of gym fees, student legal fees and student government fees, Johnson said, seems irresponsible. Girgis thought the proposal said a lot about UMs priorities, especially in times when students are trying to stay above water. Its said that a budget is a statement of an institutions values, and the fact that the university seeks to place the burden of COVID-19 adjustments on students speaks volumes, Girgis said. Manitoba has lifted its ban on travel to northern areas as the province announced two more cases of COVID-19 on Friday, for a total of 318 cases. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba has lifted its ban on travel to northern areas as the province announced two more cases of COVID-19 on Friday, for a total of 318 cases. Dr. Brent Roussin, the provinces top doctor, encouraged remote reserves to ease their own lockdowns. "We cant shut down everything; we can't shut down our health system. We need to find ways to live with these viruses," he said in a livestreamed meeting with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs on Friday. In mid-April, the province barred most people who dont live north of the 53rd parallel from visiting the region because of sparse health-care resources and a higher rate of people who have conditions that put them at risk of COVID-19 complications. Roussin said Friday that Manitoba's low caseload, and the negative effects of isolation, means its time to open up the north. He added that northern and remote bands should reconsider the requirement for people who return from dialysis and cancer treatment in cities to isolate upon their return home. "The risk is at a point now where it's probably not justified to have a blanket 14-day mandatory self-isolation," Roussin said. Barry Lavallee, a University of Manitoba physician who works with northern chiefs, said he was confident reserves can remain free of COVID-19, because First Nations have dealt with the threat of new diseases for centuries. "While it may be frightening for many, this is not new for us," Lavallee said. "Right now, we encourage you to consider your restrictions, and consider possibly lifting them at this point in time." The two new cases reported on Friday involve Winnipeg residents. The case of a man in his 30s is related to travel, while a woman in her 50s is believed to have contracted the virus after contact with an infected person. Three-hundred Manitobans have recovered from the virus since the pandemic reached the province in mid-March. Seven people have died. 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. Roussin stressed Friday that people must continue to follow physical distancing, and practise good hygiene. "We need to expect to see COVID cases in Manitoba, for the near future. We need to anticipate seeing cases in schools," he said. Currently, people from Western Canada, the North and northwestern Ontario can travel to the province without self-isolating for two weeks. Roussin said that area might expand soon "We're watching the rest of Canada closely, and we think we could be lifting those in the coming weeks." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Care Act. The administration's latest high court filing came the same day the government reported that close to half a million people who lost their health insurance amid the economic shutdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus have gotten coverage through HealthCare.gov. The administration's legal brief makes no mention of the virus. Some 20 million Americans could lose their health coverage and protections for people with preexisting health conditions also would be put at risk if the court agrees with the administration in a case that won't be heard before the fall. In the case before the Supreme Court, Texas and other conservative-led states argue that the ACA was essentially rendered unconstitutional after Congress passed tax legislation in 2017 that eliminated the law's unpopular fines for not having health insurance, but left in place its requirement that virtually all Americans have coverage. After failing to repeal "Obamacare" in 2017 when Republicans fully controlled Congress, President Donald Trump has put the weight of his administration behind the legal challenge. If the health insurance requirement is invalidated, "then it necessarily follows that the rest of the ACA must also fall," Solicitor General Noel Francisco wrote Thursday. A North York man has been granted a conditional discharge and banned from attending at any Ontario casino for the next three years after he admitted to cheating at the poker tables at Fallsview Casino Resort. Kai Zhou appeared in an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines Friday pleaded guilty to a charge of cheat at play. Court heard the defendant attended the casino on five different occasions in May 2019. He would sit at a poker table and take up two spots and switch cards between the two hands. The cheating was captured on surveillance video. Court was told the casino paid out more than $6,000 in prize money. In the grand scheme of things, he lost more money than he won, said defence lawyer John Lefurgey. The defendant has since repaid his ill-gotten gains to the casino and has registered with Ontario Lottery and Gamings self-exclusion program. Judge Joesph De Filippis agreed to a joint submission of a conditional discharge and placed the defendant on probation for three years. Hes also banned from going to any casino in Ontario for the duration of the probation. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has reported that 43,514 people have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus as of 5pm on Friday - an increase of 100 from the day before. The government figures do not include all deaths involving Covid-19 across the UK, a figure compiled by the Office of National Statistics, which is thought to have passed 54,000. However the tally marks a continued downward trend in fatalities caused by the virus in the UK. While figures tend to be lower on a weekend, the last weekday to have fewer than 100 deaths reported was 23 March - the day the nation went into lockdown. The DHSC also said in the 24-hour period up to 9am on Saturday, 155,359 tests were carried out or dispatched, with 890 positive results. Overall, a total of 9,067,577 tests have been carried out and 310,250 cases have been confirmed positive. However the government has continued to not disclose the number of people tested following criticism that the department for health is reaching its coronavirus testing targets by counting every test an individual patient might recieve. In its update DHSC said the figure had been "temporarily paused". The last time the department published the number of people it had tested was 22 May. Meanwhile north of the English border, Scotland reported no new deaths for the second day running. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland was "beating the virus". Writing on Twitter, she said: "Yesterday was the second weekday in a row with no Covid deaths registered in Scotland. "Right now, Scotland is beating this virus - but only through our collective efforts. So we must keep at it. Covid will surge back if we let it. So please keep following the rules #StaySafe." A medical technician wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walks past as a woman waits to give a sample at a COVID-19 testing centre during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus in Chennai. PTI Photo Chennai: Over 400 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) involved in apparel and garments manufacture and exports in Tamil Nadu have appealed to the Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami not to extend the lockdown, imposed in the wake of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus crisis, as any further shutdown of the industry would spell their ruin. While the garment industry has already undergone "huge losses" since the lockdown took effect from March 25, this latest 12-day 'intense lockdown", since May 19 to June 30 in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur districts, has "caused immense delays and fallouts with international clients who have now not been able to get deliveries of the goods they were supposed to get by end of June," said Mr. Nishant Jain, honorary secretary, of Apparel and Handloom Exporters Association. The Association, which is the voice of over 400 MSMEs' in the apparels and garment making and export sector in the districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur, Madurai and Salem districts for the last 35 years to 40 years, says apparel exports is a "seasonal business". The key to survival is quality and timely delivery schedule in fulfilling the contract with foreign buyers. He said "winter goods cannot be sold in summer and vice-versa, and there are huge penalties for delay. The dependability of the supplier is judged on on-time deliveries in correct quality." Further about 1.50 lakh skilled workers, 90 per cent of whom are women, are directly employed by these companies. As they are specially trained in stitching and making clothes, they do not have any other source of livelihood to fall back upon. Further, the industry employs over ten lakh people indirectly in Tamil Nadu, from the ancillary units of yarn mills, weaving, processing, dyestuff making, labels and tags making, corrugated boxes manufacture, printers, embroidery units etc., he drew attention to. This year, due to the prolonged lockdown since March, he pointed out, the apparel industry has already faced many order cancellations by international companies. After restarting the companies recently and trying to "resurrect part of the orders with great difficulty", on the condition of timely deliveries, is now again threatened to be derailed at this juncture. While the post-lockdown social distancing norms has already placed limits on full capacity utilisation in all the factories, Mr. Jain said the goods being manufactured now have to be exported between June and September so that they can be put on display in overseas shops between August and November, in time for the coming holiday season and Christmas. If the goods are delivered late, the clients will cancel the orders and move to other buyers from other countries like China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Cambodia for sourcing their requirements, he explained. Hence, Mr. Jain said any further lockdowns in greater Chennai and surrounding districts "will result in very huge number of order cancellations to the tune of approximately US dollars 150 million" for these MSMEs' and a "complete loss of faith" among international clients, besides throwing lakhs of skilled Indian workers out of jobs. Stating that the results of these will be "catastrophic", Mr. Jain said, "the industry expects the government to understand the long term disaster it will cause by extending the lockdown or having any further lockdown and which will ultimately land up killing an industry that has been the mainstay for millions of workers and the largest employer after agriculture in the State for over 40 years." Northern Ireland hotels group Hastings has confirmed it is consulting with its staff over job losses after the worst trading period of its history. But Unite the union has said it is challenging the redundancy notices for staff at four of the company's seven hotels - The Europa, Stormont and Grand Central hotels in Belfast, and the Ballygally Hotel in Larne. The trade union said it is questioning the legal basis for the redundancies as the government's job retention scheme is available to employers until October. From next month, companies are required to pay towards staff salaries under the scheme, which up until now has involved government paying 80% of monthly salaries. The company, which is led by chief executive Howard Hastings, employs around 1,240 staff across its seven hotels. The group also includes the Culloden, Everglades and Slieve Donard. A spokeswoman said: "Like many companies across the globe, Hastings Hotel Group is having to consider how it will adjust its workforce to adapt to the impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic. "Even with the positive news that the sector will begin to reopen on July 3, we expect demand for hotels to be subdued for an extended period of time, particularly over the summer months which is traditionally the peak trading season. "The collapse of the international visitor market, as well as business travel, has meant that we are forecasting our revenues to be significantly down over the next 12 months. Expand Close Crisis: Howard Hastings / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Crisis: Howard Hastings "In our long and distinguished years of trading, this is the worst crisis to ever hit the industry and our group. It will take a prolonged period of time for the sector to return to previous levels of activity. "Regretfully, to safeguard the business and to protect a significant percentage of the jobs in the Hastings Hotel Group, we have no alternative but to take the difficult decision to consult with our staff." The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Friday announced 684 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 23,298. Five deaths were recorded on Friday bringing the total number of deaths from the virus to 554. There was a rise in the number of confirmed cases reported Friday evening (684) compared to that reported on Thursday (594). The health agency in a tweet said the new cases were reported in 19 states. All the reporting states already had at least a case of the virus. As of Thursday, 35 states and the FCT have recorded at least a case of the disease. Only one state, Cross River, is yet to officially report any case of the virus. There had been controversies in the news about Cross River State reporting an index case. The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) said a patient has tested positive to coronavirus in the facility despite the fact that NCDC has not announced any confirmed case of COVID-19 in the South-South state. Lagos recorded the highest daily figure of the infection on Friday and remains the epicentre for the disease in the country. The 684 new cases were reported from 19 states: Lagos 259,Oyo 76, Katsina 69, Delta 66, Rivers 46, Ogun 23, Edo 22, Osun 22, Ebonyi 21, FCT 20, Kaduna 16, Ondo 10, Imo 9, Abia 9, Gombe 5, Plateau 4, Bauchi 4, Ekiti 2 and Anambra 1. Till date, 23298 cases have been confirmed, 8253 cases have been discharged and 554 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory, the NCDC wrote. Breakdown Since the onset of the outbreak in Nigeria in February, NCDC said 125,090 samples have so far been tested. READ ALSO: As at the time of reporting, there are 14,491 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, while 8,253 have recovered and have been discharged A breakdown of the 23,298 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 9, 741 cases, followed by FCT 1,676, Kano 1,191, Oyo 1, 264, Rivers 982, Edo 873, Delta 781, Ogun 756, Kaduna 684, Katsina 528, Bauchi 497, Gombe 487, Borno 477, Jigawa 317, Plateau 298, Abia 297, Ebonyi 285, Imo 278, Kwara 217, Ondo 216, Enugu 202, Nasarawa 198, Bayelsa 184, Sokoto 140, Osun 106, Niger 84, Akwa Ibom 83, Zamfara 76, Kebbi 71, Anambra 70, Adamawa 73, Yobe 56, Benue 47, Ekiti 40, Taraba 19, and Kogi 3. The NCDC said in the absence of a vaccine to prevent the spread of the disease, Nigerians should focus on non-pharmaceutical interventions such as using face masks, physical distancing and frequent hand washing to keep themselves safe from contracting the virus. Also, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire in a tweet warned Nigerians that the use of face shields without the face masks are not effective in COVID-19 prevention. He said the face shield protects only the face but face mask curbs the spread of respiratory droplets. Tamil Nadu on Thursday crossed the million mark in terms of number of Covid-19 tests. It was the first state to do so. That translates to around 15,000 tests per million of population (or 1.5% of the population), lower than Delhis 23,000+ and even Andhras 15,000+, but still among the highest in the country. The number is also much lower than that in some of the countries ravaged by the coronavirus disease the US, UK, Spain, Russia, Italy, that have all tested between 8% and 12% of their population -- but it is still higher than the national average in India of around 5,834 tests per million of population. The state has rapidly increased testing. On June 11, it carried out only 16,829 tests. By June 25, this number increased to 32,543. And its daily positivity rate hasnt changed much. This is a measure of the number of positive tests to the total tests, expressed as a percentage, and it has gone from 11.14% on June 11 to 10.78% on June 25. The lowest daily positivity rate for the state in this period was 7.21% on June 20, and the highest was registered on June 11. There are minor daily variations, but across a fortnight, Tamil Nadus daily positivity rate has hovered between 7.2% and 11.14%, with a median (middle) value of around 10%. And this, even as the number of tests have doubled. Tamil Nadu may well be the first state in India to be testing enough. Its positivity rate is following the trend (described previously in this column) an increase, then a plateau, and then, finally, as a country, state or city begins testing adequately, a decline. Still better, the positivity range is exactly what the World Health Organization and experts at the Harvard Global Health Institute recognise as adequate. The chart accompanying this column shows the number of daily tests and cases and the positivity rate for the state for the past fortnight. Tamil Nadu recorded almost 71,000 Covid-19 cases till June 25, around 3,500 on that date alone. Of this number, 911 have died, and almost 40,000 recovered a case fatality rate of 1.26% and a 2.22% death rate when closed cases (deaths and recoveries) are taken into account. The trend could change as this writer has previously said, it makes sense to study one over a sustained period, say, eight weeks but based on current evidence, Tamil Nadu seems to have got its hands (and more importantly, head) around the large-scale optimisation problem that is the management of Covid-19. The number of tests, cases, hospital beds, ventilators, health care professionals, people under home isolation, and volunteers, are all in the mix, and it is now clear that any district, city, state, or country that manages to crack this optimisation problem can get the better of the coronavirus disease. But even this level of testing may not ultimately indicate the prevalence of the coronavirus disease in a population. On Thursday, the US CDC said that only a tenth of the cases in the US may have been identified and recorded. That would mean around 10% of the countrys population was infected and mostly recovered without realising it (or died, in a few instances, without their deaths being recorded as Covid-19 deaths). CDC, news reports suggest, may have based its assessment on an ongoing serological survey that tests for antibodies in the population. Smaller tests of this nature have been carried out in various parts of the US (and this column has mentioned them, including the one in NYC), but this is the first large-scale antibody test. Interestingly, Delhi will become the first Indian state/city to embark on such a test on Monday, with 20,000 randomly chosen individuals from various parts of the Capital being tested for the disease. It is about time that happened. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Eva Green is poised to take centre stage in a $1 million lawsuit at the High Court after film producers pulled the plug on a sci-fi thriller in which she was set to star. The 39-year-old actress, who is currently appearing in BBC1s The Luminaries, was due to begin shooting A Patriot alongside Charles Dance and Helen Hunt over seven weeks last summer. But after filming in Dublin was repeatedly postponed, film company White Lantern Film (Britannica) Ltd shut down the production, according to documents filed by Ms Green. The Bond star, who played Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, is now suing the firm for $1 million (800,000) which she claims is held in an escrow account under a pay or play agreement a movie industry arrangement that means an actor will receive the negotiated fee even if the film fails to go ahead. Eva Green is poised to take centre stage in a $1 million lawsuit at the High Court after film producers pulled the plug on a sci-fi thriller in which she was set to star Set in a futuristic authoritarian state, A Patriot was to follow the story of a Border Corps captain played by Ms Green who begins to question her allegiance to the regime. The film was to have been directed by Dan Pringle from his original screenplay. It had previously been set to star Tim Robbins and Kathy Bates, but both had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. In her writ, Ms Green, who lives in London, says she agreed to star in A Patriot on May 15 last year. Shooting was originally scheduled to start in August, but was delayed twice. Ms Green claims she is entitled to the money, but the film company alleged last October that she had materially breached the agreement so was not eligible for it. The writ alleges the company failed to give any information about the alleged breach. The Bond star, who played Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, is now suing the firm for $1 million (800,000) which she claims is held in an escrow account under a pay or play agreement In February, Ms Green was told Sherborne Media Finance had taken over White Lantern and purported to give notice of termination of the artist agreement. Ms Green argues that was too late. The French actress is asking Londons High Court to rule she is entitled to the money and that the film company, which is yet to file its response to the claim, pay her legal costs. Last night, Sherborne Media Capital said it was fully aware of Ms Greens claim but for ongoing legal reasons, it was unable to comment. The Delhi government on Friday ordered all COVID-19 dedicated hospitals to install CCTV cameras in all wards. "All the COVID-19 dedicated hospitals are directed to ensure that CCTVs shall be immediately installed in all wards of the hospital. The PWD has already been directed to do it on an emergent basis to assist the hospital management to immediately find out the requirement of proper care with regard to patients admitted in the wards, and also ensure transparency in patient care," an order said. The Delhi government said that the footages from these cameras should be made available to the inspecting/supervising expert team or to any other body. "All COVID-19 dedicated hospitals shall permit one willing attendant of the patient in the premises, who will remain in an area earmarked by the hospital," the order read. It directed the hospitals to create a helpdesk that is "accessible physically as well as by telephone form where the well-being of the patients admitted in the hospitals can be enquired". A total of 3,460 COVID-19 cases were reported in Delhi on Friday, taking the total count to 77,240 in the national capital, according to a bulletin by the health department of the Delhi government. As per the bulletin, 63 people succumbed to the disease with the toll at 2,492. A total of 47,091 patients have recovered/discharged/migrated in Delhi so far and there are 27,657 active cases. I am an accomplished note-taker. When you take copious notes, you sometimes lose the grammar or skip words to capture content. Below is the transcription of Peter Strzok's notes related to him by FBI director Comey about the January 5, 2017, Oval Office meeting on what to do about Michael Flynn that has been widely accepted by the media. VP: 'Logan Act,' P: These are unusual times. VP: I've been on intel committee for ten years and I never. P: Make sure you look over things and have the right people on it. P: Is there anything I shouldn't be telling the transition team? Now let us look at it in a different way. VP: Logan Act? P: These are unusual times. VP: I've been on intel committee for ten years and I never... [as in heard it used before]. P: Make sure you look over things and have the right people on it. P: Is there anything I shouldn't be telling the transition team? It changes everything, doesn't it? Someone, probably Barack Obama, since this is a short conversation between B.O. and J.B., says: "Let's get him on the Logan Act."Biden asks, "Logan Act? Obama answers, "These are unusual times." Biden counters, "I've been on intel committee for ten years and I never..." Obama tasks others in the meeting: "Make sure you look over things and have the right people on it." And then asks, "Is there anything I shouldn't be telling the transition team?" You see, it is all in the grammar. This interpretation links Barack Obama to the attempted coup. Their interpretation suggests Biden bringing up the Logan Act. When you change the grammar, Biden is in a short conversation with Obama, and Biden is questioning the suggestion that they use the Logan Act to get Flynn. Even had Obama not been the person suggesting the Logan Act, he would still be implicated in the scheme by directing others to use it. Please follow the author on Twitter @williamlgensert. Image: Ari Levinson via Wikimedia Commons. Beijing's first air-inflated testing lab, called the Huoyan (Fire Eye) Laboratory, is adding seven more film chambers and increasing the total number to 16. Upon completion, its daily testing capacity will expand to 100,000 samples. The lab, located in Beijing's Daxing district, was designed in accordance with Biosafety Level 2. Through the innovative designs of the fresh air system and the high-efficient filtration system, the air in and out of each function zone in the lab can be filtrated, so workers outside the chamber do not need to wear protective clothing. The lab uses the most advanced equipment made in China, with each piece of equipment handling 96 samples at a time, which is more efficient than manual operation. Liu Xin, a person in charge at the lab, said that, compared with traditional labs, the air-inflated nucleic acid testing lab can be built very quickly. It takes only 50 minutes to inflate a film chamber, which adopts a modular design and can be upgraded in response to the latest outbreak situation. Gardai have warned the public to be wary of websites offering to create false documents such as bank statements, insurance certs and utility bills. These fake documents are then used to dupe businesses and launder money, it is feared. It comes after the authorities have been increasingly active cracking down on falsified documents used to obtain mortgages and to sell fake motor insurance policies. Dodgy websites offering to replicate genuine documents have been seen by this publication. One site examined brazenly offered "fake bank statements, fake utility bills, fake payslips" for a fee. Despite this it warns that "providing inaccurate or incorrect information that deliberately misleads others is committing fraud". Financial expert Karl Deeter said fraudsters have become ever more innovative and that means it's more important than ever for financial services to use better technology and solutions to prevent it. "In the past this would have taken a highly skilled printer, accountant and team of crooked experts to do, now you can buy it rapidly in the dark corners of the internet, it's a wake-up call for everybody in financial services to be more diligent than ever," said Mr Deeter of the mortgage website Yes.ie. A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said the force cannot discuss or comment on a named entity. But he said "we always advise those who rely on the production of documentation in the transaction of business to be vigilant in terms of establishing the authenticity". Gardai said the use of fake or false documents to induce any person into accepting such fake or false document as genuine could be deemed to be a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years and a fine, or both. Members of the public are advised to source such documents from official sources only, the spokesman added. Criminals using forged documents to obtain mortgages as a way of laundering money has become a major issue for gardai, banks and brokers. This week a 32-year-old Romanian man was given a three-and-a-half year prison sentence for his part in a Europe-wide cybercrime and money-laundering organisation. And thousands of fake car insurance policies have been sold by fraudsters operating in this country - forcing many unsuspecting drivers to pay on the double for their car insurance. The fraudsters used fake documents to carry out their crimes. Having to work from home during the lockdown months did not have a negative effect on the efficiency of businesses in Hungary, according to research by EY and HR Fest. The survey asked the HR heads of more than 50 SMEs and large enterprises in Hungary about their experiences with remote working. Approximately a third of respondents said that they are planning to change their companys culture due to the positive experiences gained during the lockdown period. Some 76% of the surveyed companies mandated employees to work from home. The remaining small portion of businesses decided to introduce special safety measures in the office, rotated colleagues, and reorganized work shifts in order to make social distancing easier. Most employers today consider organizing the return to normal work in the office their most important task. Approximately two-thirds of the surveyed businesses either had a plan in place for the return or had begun preparations at the end of May already. Creating an appropriate office environment and upholding health and safety protocols were seen as the biggest challenge by about 51% of the surveyed. About 63% of the respondents said that the performance of employees was unaffected by having to work from home. Furthermore, 22% said that the efficiency of their colleagues has actually increased. "A number of companies had to introduce remote work without any prior experience," said Margit Farkas, partner at EY people advisory services. "Company heads may have to consider that an increasing number of people may demand the opportunity to work from home due to the positive experiences. There are many different forms and ways of alternative employment. Decisionmakers who are already starting to plan how to transform collaboration with their colleagues can dramatically increase employee satisfaction." Some 40% of companies only have only defined short-term goals regarding the physical return to office. Merely 29% of respondents are thinking about preparing a long-term plan for flexible work practices. The leaders of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed late Friday to return to talks aimed at reaching an accord over the filling of Ethiopias new hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, according to statements from the three nations. Early Saturday, Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopias water and energy minister, confirmed that the countries had decided during an African Union summit to restart stalled negotiations and finalize an agreement over the contentious mega-project within two to three weeks, with support from the AU. The announcement was a modest reprieve from weeks of bellicose rhetoric and escalating tensions over the $4.6 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia had vowed to start filling at the start of the rainy season in July. Map of East Africa showing the Nile and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. - AFP / AFP (AFP) Egypt and Sudan said Ethiopia would refrain from filling the dam next month until the countries reached a deal. Ethiopia did not comment explicitly on the start of the filling period. Ethiopia has hinged its development ambitions on the colossal dam, describing it as a crucial lifeline to bring millions out of poverty. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its water supplies and already faces high water stress, fears a devastating impact on its booming population of 100 million. Sudan, which also depends on the Nile for water, has played a key role in bringing the two sides together after the collapse of U.S.-mediated talks in February. Just last week, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew warned that his country could begin filling the dams reservoir unilaterally, after the latest round of talks with Egypt and Sudan failed to reach an accord governing how the dam will be filled and operated. After an AU video conference chaired by South Africa late Friday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said that all parties had pledged not to take any unilateral action by filling the dam without a final agreement, said Bassam Radi, Egypts presidency spokesman. Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok also indicated the impasse between the Nile basin countries had eased, saying the nations had agreed to restart negotiations through a technical committee with the aim of finalizing a deal in two weeks. Ethiopia wont fill the dam before inking the much-anticipated deal, Hamdoks statement added. African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat said the countries agreed to an AU-led process to resolve outstanding issues, without elaborating. Sticking points in the talks have been how much water Ethiopia will release downstream from the dam if a multi-year drought occurs and how Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan will resolve any future disagreements. Both Egypt and Sudan have appealed to the UN Security Council to intervene in the years-long dispute and help the countries avert a crisis. The council is set to hold a public meeting on the issue Monday. Filling the dam without an agreement could bring the stand-off to a critical juncture. Both Egypt and Ethiopia have hinted at military steps to protect their interests, and experts fear a breakdown in talks could lead to open conflict. Six people have been arrested in France over the theft of an artwork by the British street artist Banksy that was stolen from the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, a judicial source said on Saturday. The mural, which shows a veiled female figure staring mournfully downwards, was found at a farmhouse in central Italy earlier this month, nearly a one-and-a-half years after it was removed. Two of those arrested are under formal investigation on suspicion of theft. The other four are suspected of concealing theft, the source said. It is thought the thieves used portable grinders to remove the fire-exit door on which the mural was painted before carrying it off in a van, Italian media reported when the artwork was discovered. The Bataclan, one of Paris' best-known rock venues, was stormed by militants during a concert in November 2015, as part of coordinated attacks around the city that killed 130 people. Search Keywords: Short link: A woman who lives in Abule-Egba area of Lagos known as Mrs Bukola Agboola on Thursday was rescued by neighbours after attempting suicide. The mother of two was said to have attempted suicide on Thursday night, in her residence at No. 2 Kuburat Lawal Street, Abule-Egba in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos. Bukola reportedly drank sniper on the basis of being frustrated by the complexities of life coupled with lack of basic care. She was however rushed to Ile Epo General Hospital by her husbands brother who was living nearby. Speaking on the hospital bed, Bukola, revealed that she was tired about life and maltreatment by her husband, Mr Wasiu Agboola, who she said, used to beat and inflict her with pain. She also claimed that her husband forced her on Thursday night to break into her improvised save to buy foodstuffs for her children who barely ate any food days back. According to her, Receiving all forms of maltreatment from my husband, who often beats me up any time of the day got to me and I decided to rent an apartment just to safe myself from untimely death. Having reported to his father who did not subscribe to his attitude he advised me not to leave my children with him so as to suffer as no adequate care will be given to them. I managed to raise some fund through the sale of bottled engine oil, but when my husband left no money for us to feed, I had to break my save to buy them some foodstuffs. I decided to commit suicide when I gave it a thought that I cannot go any further in that kind of situation so I drank sniper out of frustration. I am tired of the relationship and have reported the issue to the person who is left as my mother since my biological parents died. Unfortunately, she is visually impaired and could not prevail on my husband. I am in a tight corner and just need a break, she lamented. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates All you need to know about the serological survey being conducted in Delhi India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: A mammoth campaign begins in Delhi today to determine the spread of the coronavirus disease. The serological test or the sero surveillance study is part of the COVID-10 response plan which has been prepared by the Centre for Delhi. Delhi has reported 73,780 cases of coronavirus and 2,429 deaths. So, what is a serological survey: Here is what you should know: Serological tests are used to identify antibodies, which are created by the immune system when someone is infected with the virus, and antigens in the blood. The test can be conducted to diagnose infections and autoimmune illnesses. It can also be conducted to check if a person has immunity to certain diseases. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News The serology of anti-body tests are largely used for surveillance among the communities. It can be used on people who have already tested positive for the virus or even those who are asymptotic. Coronavirus outbreak: In a first, India records more than 18,000 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours These surveys are used to determine who has antibodies and find out who has been infected with the virus. It can also be used even if someone never tested positive or experienced symptoms. The serological survey will be done throughout Delhi between June 27 and July 10. This would enable authorities to undertake a comprehensive analysis of COVID-19 and then prepare a broad strategy to combat the spread of the virus in Delhi. The survey will be conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control and the Delhi Government. The focus would be on the anti-body based blood tests to find out residents' past exposure to the Sars-Cov-2 virus which caused COVID-19. The tests will be conducted in all the 11 districts of Delhi focusing on at least 20,000 households on a random basis. It would also be conducted on individuals below the age of 18. The survey includes IgG Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test and it estimates the proportion of the population exposed to the Sars-Cov-2 infection. This is however not useful for detecting acute infections. It however indicates episodes of infections that have happened in the past. The test is approved by the ICMR due to the high sensitivity and specificity. Five millilitres of blood sample is collected from the individuals. It is then put in a machine where the blood and plasma are separated. The plasma is then used to detect antibodies developed against COVID-19 in the body. It may be recalled that in May the ICMR had conducted a pilot sear survey across 83 districts in 21 states. The result showed that the percentage of general population to have been identified in the past was 0.73 per cent. The urban areas had shown higher prevalence of the virus of around 1.09 per cent. On Friday, the Spokesperson of the Union Home Ministry had tweeted, "as per the directives of HM @AmitShah, discussion was done on the serological survey in Delhi, which will be carried out jointly by NCDC and Delhi Government. Survey will begin from June 27, training of all the concerned survey teams was completed yesterday." RUSSELL The state fire marshals office is asking the public for help as it investigates a suspicious fire last weekend that destroyed the former Strathmore Mill #2 in the Woronoco section of Russell. Jennifer Mieth, spokesperson for the fire marshal, said investigators are looking for video footage shot by security surveillance systems or dashboard video cameras along the route to and from the mill. Investigators are especially interested in video shot between 6 and 9 p.m. the evening of June 19 in the areas of Woronoco Road leading up the mill, Route 20 west from Woronoco to the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in Russell, Route 20 east from Woronoco to the Four Mile Store in Westfield, and traffic on Route 23 between Route 20 and the Blandford town line. Anyone with video shot in those areas at the time specified is asked to contact the Massachusetts State Police at the Russell barracks at 413-862-3312. Those with information may also call the state arson hotline at 800-682-9229. Calls are confidential and rewards of up to $5,000 are offered for information that helps to solve the case. Firefighters were called to the scene at about 8:30 p.m. June 19 to find much of the 233,000-square-foot building in flames. The size of the fire and a lack of water in the town system hampered firefighters as they battled the blaze. Tanker trucks from as far away as Ware and Egremont were pressed into service to ferry water from hydrants in nearby Westfield to the fire scene. The only vehicular access to the fire scene was across a single-lane Bailey bridge over the Westfield River. That bridge made it impossible for aerial ladder trucks to get to the scene to pour water from above the flames. Instead, firefighters had to use ground-level hoses to try to extinguish flames far into the structure. Fire crews remained on the scene for more than two days as parts of the building continued to smolder. Fire investigators called the fire suspicious from the outset. EquityStory.RS, LLC-News: PJSC MegaFon / Key word(s): Statement The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Election of the Chairman of the Board and other organizational matters Moscow, Russian Federation (26 June 2020) - Public Joint Stock Company "MegaFon", a pan-Russian operator of digital opportunities ("MegaFon" or the "Company"), announces that the Company's Board of Directors, at a meeting held by absentee voting on 25 June 2020, took the following actions: For more information: PJSC MegaFon Media: Tel: + 7 925 696 0507 pr@megafon.ru Investors: Tel: +7 495 926 2012 ir@megafon.ru Notes to Editors MegaFon PJSC is a pan-Russian operator of digital opportunities, operating in all segments of the telecommunications markets in Russia, and in the Republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Tajikistan. MegaFon is a recognised market leader in the provision of mobile data services, was the first operator in Russia to launch commercial operation of a third generation (3G) network and was the first operator in the world to launch commercial operation of an LTE Advanced (4G) data network. Additional information about MegaFon and the products and services provided by MegaFon can be found at: http://www.megafon.ru. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements Some of the information in this document may contain or refer to projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the Company. You can identify forward looking statements by terms such as "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "forecast", "intend", "will", "could", "may", or "might" the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. The Company wishes to caution you that these statements are only predictions, and are based upon various assumptions which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control. We may not achieve or accomplish these plans or predictions. The Company does not necessarily intend to update these statements to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Many factors could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in projections or forward-looking statements of the Company, including, among others, general economic conditions, the competitive environment, risks associated with operating in Russia, rapid technological and market change in the industries in which the Company operates, as well as many other risks specifically related to the Company and its business and operations. 26.06.2020 MSK Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EquityStory.RS, LLC - a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EquityStory.RS, LLC Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Holidaymakers are expected to be allowed to travel to certain European countries without having to spend 14 days in quarantine when they return, the BBC reported. London, June 27 (IANS) Blanket restrictions on non-essential overseas travel will be relaxed in the UK from July 6, Ministers have said. They are thought to include Spain, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Turkey, Germany and Norway - but not Portugal or Sweden. The full list of travel corridors with the UK will be published next week. A government spokesman said the new rules would give people "the opportunity for a summer holiday abroad" while also boosting the UK economy - but stressed the relaxation depended on risks staying low. A traffic light system will be introduced - with countries classified as green, amber and red depending on the prevalence of the coronavirus. The government said it "wouldn't hesitate to put on the brakes" if the situation changes. Portugal has seen a rise in the number of new cases in and around Lisbon recently, while Sweden is also unlikely to be on the list because the infection rate there is higher than in the UK. They are both likely to be classified as red. But the government spokesman conceded there would be nothing to stop someone avoiding quarantine by flying into a Spanish airport, driving over the border into Portugal for their holiday and returning by the same route. The UK introduced rules requiring all people arriving in the UK to self-isolate for 14 days on June 8, reports the BBC. It was widely criticised by the travel industry and MPs of all parties. Home Secretary Priti Patel said the laws were designed "to prevent a second wave" of coronavirus. --IANS ksk/ Earth's permafrosts continue to melt in a rapid pace due to the unusual heat. Because of this, archaeologists and scientists are finding amazing and incredible things from the ancient past. Ancient wolf head A massive wolf head was discovered by a local man back in 2018 as he was strolling along the shores of the Tirekhtyakh River in the Russian Republic of Sakha, also known as Yakutia. The wolf head was in amazingly great condition and the scientists stated that it was around 40,000 years since it was buried in Siberian wilderness. The scientists measured the head and reported that it was around 40 centimetres in length, or around 16 inches. This discovery makes it different from any wolf specimen that scientists have studied decades ago. Palaeontologist Albert Protopopov from the Republic of Sakha Academy of Sciences told The Siberian Times back in 2019 that the discovery is unique and it is the first ever remains of a fully grown Pleistocene wolf with its tissue preserved. Protopopov said that the scientists will be comparing the newly discovered head to the modern wolves so that they can study and understand how the animal has evolved through the centuries and they will be reconstructing its appearance. Aside from the wolf head, scientists also discovered numerous ancient lion cubs that lives in caves centuries ago. They discovered the cubs back in 2015 and in the same region again in 2017. It cubs were also well-preserved as it had fangs, fur, brain tissues and skin tissues, all still intact. Protopopov, along with scientists from Japan and Sweden, studied the massive head and they believed that it was from an adult wolf that was two to four years old. The work of the scientists included analyzing the wolf's DNA and they used tomographic techniques so that they can study and see the skull of the wolf. Also Read: New Simulations Suggest We Are Not Alone, Earth-Like Planets May Hold Life According to Protopopov, it is not uncommon to find wolf skulls in Siberian permafrost, but they are rarely on the same level as the newly discovered, massive ancient wolf. Protopopov told Russia's Interfax news agency that several puppies have already been found and the uniqueness of this discovery is that they found the head of an adult wolf with preserved brain and soft tissues. Aside from the wolf head, scientists are also studying the lion cubs that they discovered, and they believe it is a female. The scientists believe that the cub may have died after being born and became preserved in ice. The cub is named Spartak, and amazingly it is also in perfect state. Because of this, scientists is given the chance to study and learn more about these ancient discoveries. Palaeontologist Naoki Suzuki from the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo told The Asahi Shimbun that the muscles, organs and brains of the lion cubs are in great state. He also stated that they want to study the physical capabilities and ecology by comparing the ancient discovery with the present lions and wolves. Other ancient finds In 2019, scientists discovered a set of teeth that is believed to belong to children who lives 31,000 years ago. The scientists found the teeth in Siberia and it has led them to discover the unknown population of ancient people. According to the study published in Nature, the ancient humans lives in northeaster Siberia during Ice Age. Related Article: Pluto's Hot Origins Reveal the Icy Planet Might Have Been Habitable Before @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over the Sino-India border dispute and alleged links between China and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), a trust chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, intensified on Saturday with allegations and counter-allegations flying thick and fast on both sides. BJP president JP Nadda asked the principal opposition party a series of questions, reiterated allegations that RGF received donations from the Chinese embassy when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre, said his party will leave no stone unturned in exposing double-faced politicians, and alleged that fugitive economic offender Mehul Choksi gave donations to the trust. The BJP says both the Chinese government and the Chinese embassy in India have contributed to RGF, and even the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF) donated money to the trust when the Congress-led UPA was in power. I want to tell Sonia Gandhi that under the garb of China and Covid-19 crisis, one should not shy away from answering the questions the nation wants to know... Its a shame. Its a sacrifice of national interest by accepting money from foreign powers in personal trusts, Nadda said in a statement. He alleged that RGF received donations from the Chinese embassy between 2005 and 2009 and from tax havens such as Luxembourg between 2006 and 2009. NGOs and companies with deep commercial interests also donated to the foundation, he said. Congress and corruption are synonymous, Nadda said, asking the opposition party to come clean on its links with China and the details of its MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the Communist Party of China. He said Indias trade deficit with China soared to $36.2 billion in 2013-14 from $1.1 billion in 2003-2004, and asked if it was a quid pro quo. The Congress-led UPA was in power between 2004 and 2014. Nadda also targeted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing him of allocating Rs 100 crore to the foundation as the finance minister in 1991, when India was going through its worst financial crisis. Singh and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and P Chidambaram are trustees of RGF, which was set up in June 1991. RGF not only takes money from scams but also gives dodgy donations to their own organisations. Why did it turn donate money to Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust controlled by the family and Christian Missionary organisations like World Vision? Nadda asked, referring to the Nehru-Gandhi family. He alleged that RGF worked with the China Association for Internationally Friendly Contact, which is just a vehicle of the Central Military Commission of China to infiltrate and influence top voices in other countries. He said the UPA government forced multiple ministries, including the home ministry and the health ministry, and public sector units such as SAIL, SBI, GAIL, and ONGC to donate to RGF. He also wondered how RGF, a private charitable trust, could function from Jawahar Bhawan, a prime location in the heart of Delhi. Why was a Congress mans company auditing PMNRF? PMNRF auditors name is Thakur, Vaidyanathan and Aiyyar Co, founded by Mr Rameshwar Thakur (who was a Rajya Sabha MP for two terms, former MoS finance, and the governor of four states), Nadda said. In its reply, the Congress dared the ruling party to ask the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) the BJPs ideological mentor and think-tanks Vivekananda International Foundation and India Foundation considered pro-BJP to disclose their source of funding and donors. Will the BJP disclose the source of funding, amounts received, name of donors [including of Chinese origin] for Overseas Friends of BJP [OF-BJP]? Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked. ...What is the connection of Shri Rajkumar Naraindas Sabnani alias Raju Sabnani to OF-BJP? he added. Sabnani is a businessman based in Hong Kong. Surjewala said neither did RGF receive any donation from Choksi, wanted in the Punjab National Bank fraud case, and nor did it give him any loan to him. But the foundation received a modest donation of Rs. 10 lakh from Naviraj Estates Pvt. Ltd. in 2013, of which Shri Choksi was one of the Directors. S Gurumurthy, the chairman of Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), said on Twitter its trust deed prohibits receipt of foreign donations. ...It permits donations from people of Indian origin associated with VIF. As yet no one has got associated and no donations have been received, he said. Earlier on Saturday, former Union minister P Chidambaram targeted Nadda in a series of tweets, a day after the BJP chief accused the Congress of committing a brazen fraud by diverting public money in PMNRF to a family-run foundation. PMNRF was set up in 1948 by Indias first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, entirely with public contributions. It does not get any budgetary support. PMNRF resources are utilised primarily to give relief to families of those killed in natural calamities, and to victims of major accidents and riots, according to its website. Chidambaram said Nadda specialises in half-truths, and pointed out that Surjewala exposed his half-truths. In his rebuttal on Friday, Surjewala issued a statement saying the BJP and the central government keep referring to a 2005 grant of Rs 1.45 crores from the Chinese embassy to RGF for a disabled persons welfare programme and research on Sino-India relations. The statement also said after the 2004 tsunami, RGF received Rs 20 lakh from PMNRF for relief activities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. What has the grant to RGF 15 years ago got to do with Chinas intrusion into Indian territory in 2020 under the watch of the Modi government? Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante? Chidambaram asked. The allegations and counter-allegations come against the backdrop of a face-off between India and China along the contested border. Twenty Indian Army soldiers and an undisclosed number of Chinese troops died in a brawl in eastern Ladakhs Galwan Valley on June 15, ratcheting up tensions between the neighbours amidst a military build-up on both sides of the disputed border. While the Congress accuses the government of ceding ground to the Chinese, the ruling BJP says the opposition party is playing with issues of national security. The Congress also says the BJP is raking up the RGF donation issue to divert attention. Rwandan authorities have imposed a stay-at-home order in parts of the capital, Kigali, following a rise in new cases of coronavirus. People living in Gikondo Hill in Kicukiro District, and some parts of Mount Kigali in Nyarugenge district, have been ordered to "immediately stay home for a period of at least 15 days," according to a statement from the interior ministry. The order was announced on Thursday night and many residents woke up on Friday unaware of it. Clarisse Mutamuliza, who lives in Gikondo, was ordered back to her house by police as she headed to work. "I hadn't seen it in the news, it was announced late last night. I didn't even know there were coronavirus cases in my neighbourhood," Ms Mutamuliza told BBC Great Lakes. The interior ministry said it reinstated the lockdown "based on analysis by health officials over coronavirus status in Kigali". Rwanda has in the past seven days recorded 204 new cases, 21 of them in Kigali. Most of the recent cases were recorded in an eastern town bordering Tanzania, and in another western town bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo. The East African nation became the first in sub-Saharan Africa to order a total shutdown after confirming its first coronavirus case on 21 March. The restrictions were eased 45 days later, in May. The country has so far confirmed 850 cases, 385 recoveries and two deaths. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video More people are coming out to accuse Hong Kong police of sexual assault they say happened during last years pro-democracy protests. Similar allegations have been circulating since the start of the protest, but few have spoken out for fear of retaliation. But thats starting to change. In a newly published video, victims are asking the world to stand up against what they call The raping of Hong Kong. I felt helpless and no lawyer was there to protect me. I did not know how long the ordeal would last. And if this ordeal would happen to me again, an alleged victim said. Sonia Ng is a student from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The 25-year-old used her real name to make the allegation last October. To this very day, Im still traumatized. The memories in the police station and holding center still haunt me, she said. I also started to get nightmares. I dont want to admit I had an emotional breakdown because of the polices sexual harassment. In a heart-breaking speech on campus, she pleaded with school officials to support the students. Every night when I think back about it. I felt so scared. At 2 a.m., the police shouted Do not talk and locked my hands behind my back. Then they sent me to San Uk Ling detention center. The search room was completely dark. I didnt know what would happen. After going inside, we were just on their chopping block. They could swear at us if they wanted to. They could beat us up if they wanted to. They could sexually assault us if they wanted to. And I could not defend myself, Ng said. Concerns over the assaults made global headlines last year when a 19-year-old woman filed a complaint in October against Hong Kongs police force. She said she was gang-raped during detention and later discovered she was pregnant. But last month, Hong Kongs police commissioner issued orders to arrest the young woman for giving what was called a false testimony. She has since fled Hong Kong. Hong Kongs police force had denied the allegations. But last November, South Koreas public broadcasterand one of the areas biggest television networksinterviewed an anonymous Hong Kong police officer. The policeman said that cases of assaults are not only real, but more widespread than people realize. There are at least two cases being investigated, cases where protesters were raped, which were also verified by medics. There are actually more than two, but at least these two are being investigated. In fact, there are a greater number of cases such as severely injuring people, and lots of physical abuse, the officer said. A Hong Kong organization conducted a questionnaire last winter. Almost 70 responses were receivedall of them alleging sexual assault during the protests. Nearly half of them decided not to report it because the perpetrators are police or other law enforcement staff. Theres widespread suspicion among protesters that some of the police are not local law enforcement, but police sent from mainland China. The victims voiced concern over Beijings increasing crackdown on Hong Kong and asked the United States for help. We appeal to you, America, the leader of the free world. We, the youth of Hong Kong, are the frontline of your battle against Communism. We have done everything we can. And now we need your help. Please stand with us, and we will light the way, for a new China to come into the world. Sanction all perpetrators and remove the Communist Party from Hong Kong once and for all. We are calling for your help. Tulshibaug market, one of the citys oldest bargain bazaars, announced a China-free plan on Friday, a plan to not sell any made-in-China item. Three hundred shops and 300 registered hawkers make up this city shopping centre for bargain deals on every type of knick-knack, imported and otherwise; with cosmetics, toiletries, household and decorative items the fast movers. Tulshibaug exited lockdown last week, and against the backdrop of the China aggravation along the LAC in Ladakh, which resulted in the 20 Indian soldiers losing their lives, traders have decided to boycott all Chinese-made items. When the incident happened, and our soldiers were brutally killed, since that day there has been a lot of anger amongst all the shop owners and traders in Tulshibaug. So we decided to appeal to all shop owners to boycott Chinese goods - buying and selling - in the market. Thirty per cent to 35 per cent of Made in China goods come into the Tulshibaug market every year, said Nitin Pandit, secretary, Tulshibaug market shop owners association. Pandit claims that the process of becoming a China- free Tulshibaug has begun, within some traders destroying their current made-in-China inventory. The process to completely de-link from China is expected to take at least six months. Tulshibaug is known for its prices and varieties. There is demand for Chinese products. Due to lockdown, almost every trader is now facing a financial crisis as there was no business for three months. Despite this, traders who have stopped buying Chinese products are working on options for local production of goods which were coming in from China. For this, traders have approached manufacturers in Ulhasnagar and Gujarat. Pandit added. Pandit says the Tulshibaug market as a whole suffered a loss of at least Rs 40 crore during the 90+ days of lockdown. Some Chinese inventory already exists and some goods have already been dispatched from China, so it is not possible to immediately stop. We have appealed to traders that if possible, destroy the goods or return it to the distributors. As a last option sale will be allowed of current stock. All the traders have agreed, but it will not happen overnight. In the next six to eight months, Tulshibaug will be a China-free market, Pandit said, adding, On the association level we will help our traders in all possible ways to be self-dependent. Pandit estimates that a ballpark figure for the price differential between manufacturing in India and manufacturing in China will be between 35 per cent and 40 per cent. That is a cost some traders are willing to bear. Fifty-five-year-old Babu Navale, a shop owner at Tulshibaug, destroyed all his China goods. Navale said: There is lot of anger against China. Being a proud Indian I decided to stop selling and buying any kind of Chinese goods. I had several Chinese products in my shop like plastic bottles, utensils, laundry bags, mosquito-repellent rackets; around Rs 25,000 worth of goods. I threw it all in the garbage. I am ready to suffer a loss in business, but will never buy and sell Chinese products. Annually the total value of goods imported from China into the Tulshibaug market is between Rs 25 crore and Rs 30 crore, according to the Tulshibaug market shop owners association. Tony Pidgley, a titan of the housebuilding industry, has died at the age of 72 after a life that was a genuine tale of rags to great riches. He started Berkeley Group by building a single house in 1976 and built it into a FTSE100 giant, making him a vast fortune along the way. Refusing to countenance retirement, he was working at the company as executive chairman right up to his death. From rags to riches: Former Barnardo's boy Tony Pidgley created a FTSE giant His vast pay-packets were sometimes criticised, but the way he fought his way up from a hardscrabble childhood earned him universal respect in the industry. He was born to a single mother in Surrey and was a Barnardo's boy before being adopted by travellers at the age of four. His adoptive parents, Bill and Florence Pidgley, he once said, 'were astute at a business level' and gave him 'a fantastic childhood.' Growing up in a disused railway carriage, he left school in 1963 at 15 barely able to read or write. He had, however, learned to drive a lorry and strip down an engine, skills which, coupled with innate entrepreneurial flair, helped him set up a haulage firm. In 1968, at the tender age of 19, he sold out to Crest Homes in a deal that bagged him the first of the many millions he would go on to make. The most recent estimate of his wealth in the Sunday Times Rich List came in at 295m. At the time of his death he held shares in Berkeley worth 71m. After seven years at Crest, where he learned the secrets of the housebuilding business, he quit to set up Berkeley, which was floated on the stock market in 1985. Pidgley cultivated a down-to-earth image, telling one interviewer that he was as happy to chat to the 'dirtiest, ugliest looking man on the site' as to Prince Charles. Those who crossed him were given short shrift, including his own son Tony junior, who launched a bid for Berkeley in 2003. As well as Tony junior, Pidgley had a daughter, Tania, from his first marriage, and two children with his second wife, Sarah. Rob Perrins, chief executive at Berkeley Group, said: 'Tony was a brilliant man who I have been fortunate to work closely with for 20 years.' It is heartbreaking for the family, friends and close acquaintances of Sushant Singh Rajput to accept the fact that he is no more and its hard to use even the word late in front of his name. Its the 13th day of his tragic demise and in Hindus, tervi is considered to be a day when we pay our final respects and pray for the ultimate peace for the departed soul so that their after-life journey is smooth. As I had known him in a personal capacity, writing all of this is gut-wrenching and its harder to even imagine what his father and his four sisters must be going through. MensXP No one can gauge their pain as a father has lost his son and sisters have lost their only brother. On the 13th day of his demise, his family has released a statement and said that they will set up a foundation in his name - Sushant Singh Rajput Foundation (SSRF) - to support aspiring talents in the fields of cinema, sports, and science. See the full statement here: The world's Sushant Singh Rajput was simply Gulshan to us...He was free-spirited, talkative, and incredibly bright. He was curious about just everything. He dreamed without restraints and chased those dreams with the heart of a lion. He smiled generously. He was the pride and inspiration of the family. His telescope was his most prized possession, through which he fondly gazed at the stars...We can't bring ourselves to accept that we wouldn't get to hear his easy laughs anymore. That we wouldn't see his sparkling eyes again. That we wouldn't hear his endless rants about science again. His loss has created a permanent, glaring void in the family that will never be filled. Sushant Singh Rajputs Family All his fans are shattered and are grieving. His Patna house will be turned into a memorial and his family will put all his personal belongings, which include his books, telescope, flight-simulator, etc for his fans and followers. The family also intends to manage his Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages to keep his memories alive. He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. #HappybirthdayNietzsche pic.twitter.com/5TZO14lpvS Sushant Singh Rajput (@itsSSR) October 15, 2019 This farewell has made me very emotional and my hands are shaking while writing this as I know I cannot see him anymore, and we cannot chat over messages and calls anymore. Saying goodbyes are always hard but this one is harder. Like the shadow I am and I am not... ~ Jalaluddin Rumi pic.twitter.com/Ejj1X6LSyV Sushant Singh Rajput (@itsSSR) October 26, 2019 For all the fans who have been grieving the big loss, they will be able to see their man on the screen on July 24 in Dil Bechara on HotStar. Sushant, you will always be alive through your work and the hearts you touched. Leo Schofield summed up how most people feel about a treasured museum being obliterated at an unknown cost to taxpayers ("Brace for cultural destruction", June 21). Just ask yourself: why do millions of people flock to visit the unique Tate Modern in London? Could it be because the collection includes a unique building size, vast ceilings, awe-inspiring entrance? It was once a power station. The cost of reproducing a building to house a train or a plane, for instance are prohibitive. The building is as important as the collection to the history and evolution of Sydney. This is why Sydney's Powerhouse Museum must be preserved as is. Glenda Gartrell, Artarmon Schofield has written a powerful critique of the Powerhouse destruction saga but his attribution to the Premier of the word "boring" to describe her one and only visit there sadly says more about her than the museum. Very few of the pupils I took there, and to the nearby Maritime Museum, found them so even if Maccas for lunch was the real highlight of the day. Tony Sullivan, Adamstown Heights Illustration: Matt Golding Credit: Oh, Leo; you articulate your anguish at the destruction of the Powerhouse so well. I am speechless at the Premier's determination to push ahead with this folly. While I have read countless objections and many imploring her to think again, the only support I have ever seen for this move is from Parramatta's mayor. By all means establish a stand-alone museum in Parramatta, but please Premier, think again about the look nay, the political folly of such a huge and unnecessary "relocation" when there are so many far more critical areas in need of government funding in the middle of a pandemic. Kay Buckeridge, Mosman Fine upstanding citizens ANAHEIM, Calif., June 26 (Reuters) - Workers at California's Disneyland Resort protested from their cars on Saturday, arguing that the Walt Disney Co has not agreed to adequate protections for employees when the destination reopens to the public amid a pandemic. The company had planned to welcome guests back to Disneyland and neighboring California Adventure starting July 17 but delayed the restart date indefinitely. Disney said this week that it would set a new opening date after the state issues guidelines on how theme parks can return to business safely amid the global coronavirus outbreak. That is not expected until after July 4, the company said. On Saturday, about 200 cars formed a caravan outside the resort in the protest staged by the Coalition of Resort Labor Unions, a group of 11 unions that represent 17,000 Disneyland workers. The unions have called on the company to commit to providing onsite testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. "When Disney does reopen, we want it to be as safe as possible for cast members, for the guests, and for the families that cast members have to go back to," said Maria Hernandez, a union member who attended the rally. Disney did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Saturday. In a letter to unions earlier this week, a Disney representative said existing COVID-19 testing was not recommended by U.S. health authorities for routine screening. Instead, health officials recommend focusing on physical distancing, face coverings, hand washing and sanitization, the letter said. The company has reached an agreement on coronavirus protections with other Disneyland unions that represent 11,000 workers. Those agreements include "enhanced safety protocols that will allow us to responsibly reopen," the company said. Disney began shutting its theme parks in January as the coronavirus spread. It has reopened parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong to a limited number of guests. The company plans to open Walt Disney World in Florida on July 11. (Reporting by Mike Blake in Anaheim, California; Writing by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) Around Ewha Womans University in Sinchon in northwestern Seoul the vacancy rate stands at 14.7 percent, and in the upscale Gangnam districts like Apgujeong-dong and Sinsa-dong, which are popular with foreigners for their beauty clinics, at 10.1 percent. According to the Korea Appraisal Board, the vacancy rate of stores in Itaewon surged from 19.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 28.9 percent in the first quarter of this year. That means one in three store spaces sit empty. Small shops in once-bustling trendy areas of Seoul like Itaewon or Sinchon and are closing down left and right due to the coronavirus epidemic. One worker who was busy closing down a store in Itaewon on Thursday said, "We tried to stay open for as long as possible, but ended up closing down due to the prolonged crisis." An estate agent in the neighborhood said, "We've seen a large number of stores being put up for rent since April and now there are one to two new store spaces every day that are looking for new owners." "Most of the stores that are still open are barely surviving," he added. The situation is the same in the commercial district in front of Ewha Womans University, once a must-see destination for Chinese tourists in search of cosmetics. Around 20 empty stores can be spotted along a 300-m street from the main gate of the university to Sinchon subway station. "For rent" signs are everywhere. "There's nobody interested in opening stores here," an estate agent said. "The last time I brokered a store was in February." Chung Geum-soo (53), another estate agent in Sinchon, said, "Many building owners here are renting out their spaces without charging any deposit or discounting the rent until a coronavirus vaccine is developed. But there are owners who can't afford to do that." The standoff in Eastern Ladakh has grabbed the attention of the entire nation towards a belligerent China that seeks to challenge the status quo on borders amidst a global pandemic. While in the rest of India, there is a popular sentiment against Chinese goods and services which have now become a symbol of scorn, the reaction in Kashmir Valley to developments along the LAC has been unusual. On 17 June, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah was forced to deactivate his twitter handle for a few hours after a widespread trolling campaign that criticized the public opinion on the Ladakh situation. The former CMs tweet read: Those Kashmiris tempted to look towards China as some sort of saviour need only google the plight of Uighur Muslims. Be careful what you wish for. Immediately after this post, a storm of tweets appeared on his timeline criticizing, ridiculing, and denouncing his stand on the issue. Omar was caught off guard with the deluge of negative reaction that his tweet generated, and which subsequently led to the deactivation of his account. However, the tweet and the response it generated highlighted a disturbing trend that has emerged ever since the first news report of the border stand-off between India and China. Kashmiris and a significant section of the population in Jammu have used the standoff as a means of catharsis. Using humour, satire, and sarcasm memes in the internet parlance the local population has left no stone unturned to mock the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Chinese belligerence. On the streets of Srinagar, the most common greeting is cheen kot woat? (where has China reached?) clearly alluding towards the ongoing border situation. Some online memes have started showing Xi Jingping dressed in Kashmiri attire, some even show him cooking Wazwan. Be it a salon, a funeral, or the local bakery, China dominates every single conversation. Another common jibe cheen woat Sonmarg (China has reached Sonmarg) suggests that the Kashmiri population would not mind losing entire districts of Ladakh and Kargil as long as it dents the image of the government in power. People have sharply focused their antennas to the ongoing situation consuming minute by minute updates even on slow speed internet. Screenshots, weblinks of Chinese state media, particularly the Global Times, are spreading like wildfire on WhatsApp. Stone pelters at the Sunday gunfight site inSrinagar raised cheen aya, cheen aya (China has arrived, China has arrived) slogans to mock the security forces deployed to deal with the law and order situation. Among the intelligentsia in Kashmir, the Chinese aggression, by and large, is seen as a blessing in disguise which would help in easing the iron fist grip of the Modi governments policy approach towards Kashmir. A common line of argument that is doing rounds in the valley is that the central government can only unleash its power against Kashmiris or Pakistan, and that it lacks the spine when it comes to big powers like China. There is also an attempt to link the Chinese aggression with the constitutional changes and down gradation of the now erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The people in the valley think that whatever China is doing is a well thought out plan between Islamabad and Beijing to occupy territory and teach the BJP a hard lesson. Whereas on social media, the reaction to the border stand-off has been mostly to lampoon and rub salt on injury, the offline conversation suggests that the people are well aware of Chinese mistreatment of minorities and their pathological hatred for Muslims. Moreover, there is a realization that the aggravation of conflict may result in a war which in turn will bring havoc and destruction to Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh together. Despite that, the people are seeing Chinas aggression as a lesser evil simply because it doesnt affect their lives and livelihood directly. In the eyes of people in the valley and some parts of Jammu, the hard-line policies of the Modi government can only be contained by an external factor. There cannot be a better indicator of the absolute alienation even among the pro-India lot in Kashmir. Not surprisingly, mainstream leaders have used the current situation to lash out at the central government on the abrogation of Article 370. The border standoff has given wings to mainstream parties who are now showing the temerity to question the policy of the Modi government openly. Former CM Mehbooba Mufti launched a sharp attack on the Modi government through a tweet stating: Illegal abrogation of Article 370 was done to take over land & disempower locals. Today China has grabbed Galwan valley & GOI isnt even acknowledging it. Was J&K dismembered to gift territory to China. The National Conference on June 19 used the occasion to demand the restoration of Pre August 5th position of Jammu and Kashmir. This was the first significant statement of the party signed by 12 senior-most functionaries after the release of its leaders from detention. The fact that Chinese bullying is compared to the actions of the government of India should worry the security establishment. The police chief of Jammu and Kashmir has already sounded alarm bells suggesting that Pakistan may use the opportunity to provoke violence within Kashmir valley and other parts of J&K: Pakistan will try to infiltrate more militants and terrorists and also give impetus to violence in the Kashmir Valley and elsewhere in J&K, taking advantage of the standoff on Ladakh border. Given the public reaction, the security establishment is anticipating not just a spike in militancy but fearing mass protests and unrest too. The pent up frustration and resentment against the policies of the central government, particularly after August 5, is unprecedented. The communication lockdown and subsequent crackdown of the law enforcement agencies against individuals promoting separatism resulted in a silencing of both the separatist element as well as the mainstream in Kashmir. The public response in Kashmir to the Chinese aggression should worry New Delhi and serve as a wake-up call. The situation becomes trickier in the absence of credible counter-narratives that expose China in the eyes of the public. The prime time warriors on TV very nonchalantly label all Kashmiris as anti-national and in doing so further push them into the clutches of Chinese propaganda. Furthermore, the callous experimentation on matters concerning Kashmir over the last few months suggests that a change of course is too much to expect from those at the helm. But the least the government can do is to start seeing Beijing as the primary troublemaker in Jammu & Kashmir too much attention has been given to Pakistan when it was clear that the big strategic plans on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir are owned by the Chinese. The author is an Associate Fellow at ORF. His research focuses on Kashmir conflict, Pakistan and terrorism. The article first appeared in ORF. Views expressed are personal. United Nations tourism body chooses Italy to launch global campaign. Italy has been chosen by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as the launching pad for the global 'Restart Tourism' drive after the coronavirus lockdowns around the world, reports Italian news agency ANSA. The UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili will visit Italy on 1 July, coinciding with the planned reopening og the European Union's external borders. The trip to Italy - the UNWTO's first destination since the start of this global crisis - will see Pololikashvili visit Milan and Venice. and Rome where Pololikashvili will meet Italys foreign minister Luigi Di Maio and culture minister Dario Franceschini, ANSA reports. Pololikashvili described Italy as one of our strong allies and a world tourism leader, adding that Italys tourism sector provides millions of jobs, as well as underlining the importance of the country's unique cultural heritage, from art to food, reports ANSA. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said authorities in the national capital are using five weapons in the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the city, which has seen a surge in cases, as he thanked the Centre for lending a helping hand. Arvind Kejriwal, while addressing a virtual news conference, said increasing the number of beds, testing and isolation, pulse oximeters and oxygen concentrators, plasma therapy and survey and screening has helped the Capital to tackle the respiratory disease. When the lockdown was lifted, we estimated that Covid-19 cases will increase. But, the rise in cases was much more. We had two optionseither bring back lockdown or fight corona. We took peoples opinions as well who said the lockdown wasnt an option, he said. Initially, people had trouble getting beds which in turn increased the number of deaths, the chief minister said. Also read| Serological survey to begin in Delhi today: All you need to know The Delhi government, he said, decided that all the big hospitals will reserve at least 40% of their beds for patients and then converted hospitals into dedicated Covid-19 facilities. Hotels have been also attached with hospitals to ramp up the number of beds, he said. The number of beds has increased significantly in the last one week. There are 13,500 beds in Delhi right now and of which 6,500 are occupied, Kejriwal said. Next, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, was testing and isolation. Kejriwal said action against errant laboratories and increasing the number of tests have helped. In the first week of June, there were around 5,000 tests daily. Now, we are conducting nearly 20,000 tests every day. No other state is doing this. I want to thank the central government for helping us and giving us the first antigen kits. Now, we have ordered over six lakh antigen kits, he said. He had said earlier in the day that Capital is following a strategy of very aggressive testing and isolation and conducted the highest number of Covid-19 tests in a single day on Friday. Also read| These states have extended Covid-19 lockdown: Heres a list Delhi conducted highest no of tests in a singly day yesterday- 21,144. We have increased testing 4 times. Delhi now following strategy of very aggressive testing and isolation, Kejriwal had tweeted. Pulse oximeter and oxygen concentrators have also helped and the government has given this device to every patient under home isolation. Pulse oximeter is working as a security cover for Covid-19 patients, Kejriwal said. It helps them check oxygen levels at frequent levels and alert us if theres anything serious We have bought nearly 4,000 oxygen concentrators. Our attempt is to make oxygen available on every Covid bed in every hospital in Delhi, he added. The fourth weapon is plasma therapy and Delhi has paved a way for the entire country, he said. Plasma therapy is being used by many now. This doesnt work for patients who are on ventilators or who have multi-organ failure but helps those with moderate symptoms, he said. Survey and screening is the fifth weapon to tackle the highly-contagious disease. He was referring to the serological survey of 20,000 people being conducted in the Capital from Saturday. We want to especially thank the Centre, which has helped us in every step in this fight. We want to thank the media which pointed to our mistakes and we could rectify them, he said. Our victory is sure but we cannot say when. Corona will be defeated and Delhi will win. All these five weapons are proving to be very effective, he added. Delhi, which is overtaken Mumbai in terms of the number of Covid-19 cases, has seen a surge in infections prompting the Centre to ramp up efforts to contain the spread through a five-pronged approach. There are 77,240 Covid-19 cases and 2,492 deaths in the national capital so far, according to the Union health ministrys coronavirus dashboard. Gunmen Wound Mexico City Police Chief; 3 Dead MEXICO CITYA high-sided construction truck and a white SUV pulled into the path of Mexico Citys police chief just as dawn was breaking Friday on the capitals most iconic boulevard and assailants opened fire with .50-caliber sniper rifles and grenades on his armored vehicle. The cinematic ambush involving two-dozen gunmen left chief Omar Garcia Harfuch wounded with three bullet impacts and shrapnel. Two members of his security detail were killed, as was a woman who happened to be driving by. The high-powered armament and brazenness of the attack suggested the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and hours after the attack, Garcia blamed them via Twitter from the hospital. This morning we were attacked in a cowardly way by the CJNG, Garcia tweeted, using the Spanish-language acronym for Mexicos most violent criminal group. Two colleagues and friends of mine lost their lives, Garcia wrote. I have three bullet wounds and various pieces of shrapnel. Our nation has to continue standing up to cowardly organized crime. We will continue working. His office later said he was undergoing surgery. Federal Security Secretary Alfonso Durazo, referring to Garcias tweet blaming the Jalisco cartel, said in a news conference that this is one of the hypotheses that the Mexico City prosecutors office is investigating. Forensic investigators and police work the scene where security secretary, Omar Garcia Harfuch, was attacked by gunmen in the early morning hours in Mexico City, on June 26, 2020. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo) Durazo said Mexicos intelligence agency apparently had information that the cartel was planning an attack, but did not offer additional details. He said Garcia was shot in the shoulder, collar bone and the knee. Mexico City Attorney General Ernestina Godoy Ramos said on Twitter that 12 suspects were arrested and that her office was investigating the attack. The attack was meticulously planned and involved a total of 28 gunmen hired three weeks before, according to Ulises Lara, the spokesman for the Mexico City prosecutors office. It was so closely studied that three separate possible ambush points were set up on major thoroughfares, including onewhich wasnt usedin the heart of Mexico City, one block from the Independence Monument. Lara said the gunmen had been divided into four different cells and were given ski masks and guns the night before. They were taken to the ambush points at 4 a.m. to lie in wait for their target. Lara said the 12 suspects detained after the shooting included one Colombian, and men from five different statesJalisco, Guerrero, Nayarit, Chihuahua and Michoacanas well as Mexico City. However, Lara did not say who the suspects said had hired them, or how much they were paid. Later, capital police arrested an alleged head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartels hitmen Friday, suggesting he could have been the mastermind of Fridays attack, said a Mexico City police official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The official said police arrested Jose Armando Briseno on the east side of the city. Nicknamed Cow, he is allegedly the gangs chief of hitmen in the city of Tonala in Jalisco. Jalisco is the same gang that U.S. prosecutors said tried to buy belt-fed M-60 machine guns in the United States and that once brought down a Mexican military helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. In October, cartel gunmen ambushed and killed 14 state police officers in Michoacan. But such a high-profile attack in Mexicos capital is a blow to a federal government struggling to respond to record levels of violence across the country. The gang has established a nearly national presence, from the white-sand beaches of Cancun to Mexico City and the countrys most important ports, as well as key border cities traditionally controlled by other cartels. Fridays attack came two weeks after rumors swirled for a day that Jaliscos leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as El Mencho, had been captured or killedthough officials later denied that. Oseguera is the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations most-wanted fugitive, with a $10 million price on his head. In March, U.S. authorities arrested hundreds of Jalisco operatives in raids across the country. They said the gang controls between one-third and two-thirds of the U.S. drug market. This kind of attack is not normal, they crossed a line. You have to read it like an exceptional act, said security analyst Alejandro Hope. You have two very serious attacks in two weeks. First, the murder of the federal judge and now the attack on the citys police chief. Earlier this month, a federal judge and his wife were killed at their home by gunmen in the western state of Colima. The judge had handled several cases related to organized crime. If it is the Jalisco gang, the government would have to target them like it did with the hyper-violent Zetas gang between 2010 and 2013, Hope said. They have become a systematic threat to government authority. There should be an exceptional response, dismantle the criminal group like they did at the time with the Zetas. Hope said the Jalisco gang has long had a presence in the capital. In this case, they likely recruited local gunmen through their alliances, he said. The attack, which lasted barely a minute, occurred along a stretch of Mexico Citys grand Paseo de la Reforma that is home to foreign embassies and large houses surrounded by walls. Grainy security camera footage showed at least seven men standing up in the bed of the truck and firing in a blaze of light while more gunmen fired from the ground. Later, forensic technicians began marking hundreds of shell casings that littered the street. Relatives of the bystander who was killed embraced and cried. While authorities rarely like to name cartels, especially in Mexico City, the Jalisco gangs name has been coming up more and more. In May 2019, local news media reported that federal authorities had arrested the gangs Mexico City boss. In July, Jalisco was blamed for the murder of two Israeli men in an upscale Mexico City mall and eventually Mexico City police tracked one of the killers to Guadalajara, capital of Jalisco state. Earlier this year, alleged Jalisco operators warned in a video of cleaning the criminal competition out of two Mexico City bproughs. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador offered his support and solidarity to Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and the citys police forces. It has to do without a doubt with the work he is carrying out to guarantee peace and tranquility, Lopez Obrador said. Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds a news conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, March 17, 2020. (Henry Romero/Reuters-File) Durazo, who was travelling with the president, condemned what he called a cowardly attack. Its clear that the work of the (police) is touching strong criminal interests, he tweeted. Garcia, 37, is a former head of the Federal Police investigation division and from 2016 to 2019, he led the branch of the federal Attorney Generals Office that leads investigations and arrests of organized crime members. Before being named Mexico City police chief, he spent several months as the mayors intelligence coordinator. Hope, the analyst, said Fridays attack could have stemmed from an earlier period in Garcias career. It could have something to do with a story years back, it could be some kind of revenge for something he did, he said. By Christopher Sherman and E. Eduardo Castillo New Delhi: The US space agency NASA will offer prize money of USD 35,000 to those who can come up with a design for space toilet. Artemis astronauts exploring the Moon will use the most advanced space systems of the 21st century including some of the most basic home comforts, like a toilet. NASA is calling on the global community to help innovate space toilet concepts through the Lunar Loo Challenge, NASA wrote in its website. NASA said that the astronauts exploring on the Moon will need a smaller, lighter, simpler toilet inside their lunar lander, because every ounce of mass on the lander is carefully allocated. For every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of mass, 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of propellant is needed to descend to the lunar surface and launch back to lunar orbit, it added. The Lunar Loo Challenge seeks novel design concepts for low-mass, compact toilets that can reduce the current state-of-the art toilet mass by more than half from 54 kg to 31 kg and reduce the volume by 70% from 0.17 cubic meters to 0.12 cubic meters, NASA said. The space agency further said that the lunar toilet design concepts must allow astronauts to urinate and defecate in both lunar gravity and microgravity. The Technical Prize is open to anyone age 18 or older participating as an individual or as a team. The Junior Challenge is open to anyone under the age of 18, participating as an individual or as a team. Entrants 12 years old or younger will need to have a parent or guardian register to submit on their behalf, NASA added. The Lunar Loo Challenge has a total prize purse of $35,000 that will be shared among the top three designs. The top three participants in the junior category will each receive public recognition and an item of official NASA merchandise. NASA's Lunar Loo Challenge opened on June 25, 2020 while the close date is August 17, 2020. Earlier in the day, shares of Facebook and Twitter dropped sharply after consumer-product maker Unilever announced a new ad boycott on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram through at least the end of the year. Facebook said Friday that it will flag all "newsworthy" posts from politicians that break its rules, including those from President Donald Trump. Separately, Facebook's stock dropped more than 8%, erasing roughly $50 billion from its market valuation, after the European company behind brands such as Ben & Jerry's and Dove announced it would boycott Facebook ads through the end of the year over the amount of hate speech and divisive rhetoric on its platform. Later in the day, Coca-Cola also announced it joined the boycott for at least 30 days. CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously refused to take action against Trump posts suggesting that mail-in ballots will lead to voter fraud, saying that people deserved to hear unfiltered statements from political leaders. Twitter, by contrast, slapped a get the facts label on them. Until Friday, Trump's posts with identical wording to those labeled on Twitter remained untouched on Facebook, sparking criticism from Trump's opponents as well as current and former Facebook employees. Now, Facebook is all but certain to face off with the president the next time he posts something the company deems to be violating its rules. The policies were implementing today are designed to address the reality of the challenges our country is facing and how theyre showing up across our community, Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page announcing the changes. Zuckerberg said the social network is taking additional steps to counter election-related misinformation. In particular, the social network will begin adding new labels to all posts about voting that will direct users to authoritative information from state and local election officials. Facebook is also banning false claims intended to discourage voting, such as stories about federal agents checking legal status at polling places. The company also said it is increasing its enforcement capacity to remove false claims about local polling conditions in the 72 hours before the U.S. election. Ethan Zuckerman, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Center for Civic Media, said the changes are a reminder of how powerful Facebook may be in terms of spreading disinformation during the upcoming election. He said the voting labels will depend on how good Facebooks artificial intelligence is at identifying posts to label. If every post that mentions voting links, people will start ignoring those links. If theyre targeted to posts that say things like Police will be checking warrants and unpaid traffic tickets at polls a classic voter suppression disinfo tactic and clearly mark posts as disinfo, they might be useful, he said. But Zuckerman noted that Facebook has a history of trying hard not to alienate right-leaning users, and given how tightly President Trump has aligned himself with voter-suppressing misinfo, it seems likely that Facebook will err on the side of non-intrusive and ignorable labels, which would minimize impact of the campaign. The European company said it took the move to protest the amount of hate speech online. Unilever said the polarized atmosphere in the United States ahead of November's presidential election placed responsibility on brands to act. In addition to the decline in Facebook shares, Twitter ended the day more than 7% lower. Unilever, which is based in the Netherlands and Britain, joins a raft of other advertisers pulling back from online platforms. Facebook in particular has been the target of an escalating movement to withhold advertising dollars to pressure it to do more to prevent racist and violent content from being shared on its platform. ALSO READ: Civil rights groups want big advertisers to boycott Facebook We have decided that starting now through at least the end of the year, we will not run brand advertising in social media newsfeed platforms Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the U.S.," Unilever said. Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Thursday, Verizon joined others in the Facebook boycott. Unilever has enough influence to persuade other brand advertisers to follow its lead, said eMarketer analyst Nicole Perrin. She noted that Unilever pulled back spending for longer, on more platforms (including Twitter) and for more expansive reasons in particular, by citing problems with divisiveness as well as hate speech. Sarah Personette, vice president of global client solutions at Twitter, said the company's mission is to serve the public conversation and ensure Twitter is a place where people can make human connections, seek and receive authentic and credible information, and express themselves freely and safely. She added that Twitter is "respectful of our partners decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time. In Montana, Native Americans make up more than 25% of missing persons cases, despite making up only 6.7% of the population. The number of missing Indigenous people is likely higher, as they go unreported or are misreported as a different race. Native Americans are also nearly four times more likely to be victims of homicide than the state's general population. Of the drafted proposals discussed Friday, two seek to extend the Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force another two years. The task force is currently set to expire in July 2021. A third proposed bill discussed by the State-Tribal Relations Interim Committee would open up grant money funding to train community-based missing persons response teams or search groups. Communities want their own response teams, said Tina Chamberlain, the Looping in Native Communities Act coordinator. It wouldnt just be about responding (to a missing persons report) but about learning to collaborate and communicate. On-site ban of liquor sales for bars in Florida took effect on Friday as the cases of coronavirus continue to surge in the state. The "no alcohol consumption" policy was announced by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. In the light of registering a shattering 8,942 surge of new coronavirus cases, state officials credit the numbers to young adults, according to Fox News. Those belonging to these demographics between 18 and 35 years old have been tagged as part of the community transmission in the area. As the state lifted its restrictions, these young adults immediately flocked to bars in Florida, wherein many people do not practice social distancing. Meanwhile, Texas has registered a record of 17,000 cases in the past three days, and for Thursday alone, it gave a high record of nearly 6,000, according to The New York Times. The rise in the number of cases also prompted Texas Governor Greg Abbott to reverse back its reopenings, according to AP News. Many Texans, especially young people, have failed to follow the proper measures to curb the virus. These include not observing social distancing protocols and wearing face masks. Florida and Texas are part of the Ameircan states that are backtracking the reopenings of their economies. For the most part, to slow down the coronavirus infection rate levels that have rampage across the country. Meanwhile, the number of new cases in the country per day has already went over the April 24 record of 36,400, as reported by ABC Action News. By and large, the number of deaths per day is down to around 600 cases. Do you want to read more? Check these out! Last summer's bushfires wrought damage and destruction across south-eastern Australia, but from the blackened wreckage of many regional communities rose one unmalleable truth: the critical and enduring relevance of the ABC to the lives of all Australians. When digital and telecommunications networks fell with the flames, fearful residents and holidaymakers were able to switch on ABC Local radio to find out if they were under threat and what they should do. The ABC is not only relevant to Australian lives but has likely saved them too. The ABC headquarters in Ultimo. Credit:Christopher Pearce And yet. Barely five months after the disaster, and in the midst of a new one, the ABC has had to find $40 million worth of savings as it tries to operate on a budget that no longer increases with inflation. Those savings will wipe out 250 jobs as well as valued programming, including the flagship 7.45am national news bulletin that has started the day of many Australians since the days of World War II. By Magi Helena Tribune Content Agency BIRTHDAY STAR: Actress Courtney Ford was born in Los Angeles, Calif., on this day in 1978. This birthday star portrays Nora Darhk on the series "DC's Legends of Tomorrow." She also plays the recurring role of Kelly Kline on "Supernatural" and has appeared on episodes of "Doubt," "Castle" and "Revenge." On the big screen, Ford's film rsum includes roles in "The Front Runner," "Missing William" and "The Good Doctor." ARIES (March 21-April 19): You can rise to any occasion and put out almost any fire. Misunderstandings could create friction within a key relationship, but your thoughtful intervention can douse the flames before things get out of hand. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When you are free of preconceived notions, you can easily embrace something new. Adopting a fresh perspective may mean that you must implement some changes in a relationship, which will be for the best. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Try not to spend spare cash on frivolous things. Even when your friends recommend something, it might not make sense for you. Spend quality time with a special someone or a loyal partner and let friends do their own thing. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Streamline some of the everyday routines so that you have more time for relaxation and fun. This is not a great day to make financial decisions or take business risks, but hanging out for some R and R could fill the bill. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You can tackle just about anything if you focus your attention on it. However, it might be easy to get distracted by passing fancies this weekend. It may be easier to show someone than to tell them. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A message could put you on cloud nine but puzzle you at the same time. Someone's off-the-wall ideas might surprise you. You might learn to accept them once you receive a more detailed explanation. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Sometimes it's only make-believe. You could be swept up in an idea, fantasy or plan that will not amount to much if you try to put it into action. You might be tempted to mistake passion for love and silence for romance. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Throw someone a lifeline. When a friend needs a hand, you can be a valuable resource. You may be able to resolve conflicting viewpoints since you can be detached and will not take the subject matter personally. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You may need some quiet time at home surrounded by loved ones in order to get your act together. Much can be accomplished when you are enthused about a plan and can add up your dollars so they make sense. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You may be more attractive to others than you think. Don't be surprised if you become the center of attention. Your passion for the best that life can offer can be put to good use in original and creative ways. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Engineer a practical economic strategy by joining forces with an experienced partner. You might be more focused on saving the environment while a loved one might be more concerned with achieving financial security. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Maintain perfect harmony in your household by spending some much-needed quality time with loved ones. Discuss business and financial projects but try to steer clear of emotionally charged issues and disputes this weekend. IF JUNE 27 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: You might act without forethought during the coming two weeks and either offend someone or rush through something important. Wait to make crucial decisions until August, when it's likely that your enhanced business sense will give you a boost up the ladder of success. This is a good time to make smart financial decisions or to put key business plans into motion. It's also a good time to gather inspiration or take a vacation that will live up to your romantic dreams. The path of true love may not run smoothly in November, so you may at least consider parting ways. Take advantage of lucky breaks and helpful advice in the first half of January but lay low during the second half, when someone might disapprove, responsibilities could be burdensome, and bills could pile up. Learn more at https://magihelena.com/ Questions? Reach out to Helena at questionsmagihelena.com. 2020 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. WASHINGTON - For a moment, the United States Congress had a chance to act on a policing overhaul, mobilized by a national trauma and overwhelming public support. Those efforts have stalled now and seem unlikely to be revived in an election year. Its latest example of how partisanship and polarization on Capitol Hill have hamstrung Congress ability to meet the moment and respond meaningfully to public opinion. Major changes in policing policy appear likely to join gun control and immigration as social issues where even with Americans overwhelming support, their elected representatives are unable or unwilling to go along, especially when U.S. President Donald Trump is indifferent or opposed. "In this moment, as it was with gun violence and immigration reform, we dont know where the president really is," said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who weeks ago was expressing skepticism weeks ago about a breakthrough. "If this were the first time we were in this situation, Id be more hopeful," he said then. The bipartisan outcry over the deaths of George Floyd and other Black Americans appeared to be a chance for Congress to reshape its reputation. Polls showed nearly all Americans in a favour of some measure of change to the criminal justice system, and both chambers moved quickly to draft legislation. There were common elements in the House Democratic proposal and the Senate Republican bill, including a national database of use-of-force incidents by law enforcement and restrictions on police chokeholds. But efforts to bridge the divides bogged down in a predictable fight over process and exposed again how little trust there is between the Senates leaders, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. McConnell said Democrats refused to take him at his word that he was willing to negotiate over the final bill, and he pitched a supposedly fair and freewheeling floor debate. Schumer and other Democrats saw little that was genuine in McConnells overtures, noting that during his tenure as GOP leader, the sharp-elbowed Kentucky Republican has permitted almost no open floor debate on legislation. The swift rise and fall of prospects for the police bill showed how lawmakers are often driven more by the views of their parties hard-liners than overall public opinion. The incentive structure is misaligned for compromise. Thats the reality of it. Members are more likely to be rewarded electorally for representing their base primary voters than for reaching out to voters in the middle, said Michael Steel, who was a top aide to former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. The giants of yesteryear are remembered as such because voters rewarded them for successfully legislating. And that just seems to be less and less the case. Public support for some kind of policing overhaul after Floyds death is overwhelming. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows 29 per cent of Americans say the criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul, 40 per cent say it needs major changes and 25 per cent say it needs minor changes. There are other high-profile examples where public support has been unable to overcome partisanship in Congress most notably on gun control. An AP-NORC survey from March 2019 found 83 per cent of Americans in favour of a federal law requiring background checks on all potential gun buyers. Trump has also supported the idea. But gun control legislation has gone nowhere in Washington. The parties have also failed to make progress in overhauling immigration laws, despite broad public support. The most overwhelmingly popular measure granting legal protections to young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children has gotten caught in the fray, with hundreds of thousands of such Dreamer immigrants caught in legal limbo. This gridlock has been exacerbated by Trumps reputation on Capitol Hill as an unreliable negotiating partner on major issues. On policing, he spoke generally about supporting legislation but exerted little political capital when the process hit a roadblock. To do really hard things you always need a president leaning in and engaged, said Brendan Buck, a top aide to former Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., during Trumps first two years in office. And on the really hard things he has not shown a willingness to get engaged. The police debate also suffered from the realities of the political calendar. With the Congressional Black Caucus, progressive activists and the civil rights community all calling the Republican bill too weak to be salvaged, some Democrats saw little incentive to give ground now when they might be able to get more if their party has sweeping successes in the November elections, now just over four months away. Why cut a bad deal now when you could potentially be in the drivers seat to write a real bill that effects real change in just a few months? said Matt House, a former Schumer aide. Some veteran lawmakers have found ways to navigate the fierce partisanship on Capitol Hill. GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairperson of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and the committees top Democrat, Patty Murray of Washington, have shepherded a major education policy rewrite and legislation to combat opioids through a McConnell-led Senate. They did so by building sweeping consensus among lawmakers in both parties before committee or floor action. Murray said in an interview that there was little attempt to do that kind of behind-the-scenes work on policing. "This didnt even smell like an attempt to get something done," Murray said. "The feeling that you want to accomplish something, that you want to get something done ... is a very different feeling than we saw with policing reform." The new male patient, 31, returned home from Cameroon on flight VN9674, which transited in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Malaysia, and landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City on June 25. Upon arrival, he was put under quarantine at the citys District 7 Hospital. Now he is being treated at the Cu Chi field hospital. Vietnam has entered the 71st day in a row without new COVID-19 infections among the community. Among the total 353 cases in the country, 213 were imported and quarantined upon arrival. At present, 6,889 people having close contact with COVID-19 patients or entering from pandemic-hit areas are quarantined at hospitals, concentrated quarantine establishments, and at home. As many as 330 patients have recovered and there have been no deaths so far, while the remainders are being treated at medical facilities and in stable condition. Four tested negative for the coronavirus once and three at least twice. The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will declare the UP Board 10th, 12th Result 2020 today i.e. June 27, 2020. UP Board UP Board exams result for the year 2020 is being declared by Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma today, via video conferencing from Lok Bhawan, Lucknow. The press conference is going has started. The UP Board Results are ready and will be uploaded soon on the official website at upmsp.edu.in. and India Today Education. UP Board Result 2020 Declared: Check out result at India Today, official websites upresults.nic.in, upmsp.edu.in UP Board Result 2020: List of websites, App to check UP board class 10th, 12th results online UP Board Result Today: Time, How, when and where to check UP board class 10th, 12th result online Class 10th, 12th Board Exam Results 2020 Live Updates 12. 58 PM: Check 10th, 12th board exam results here at Indiatoday Education page Here's the direct link to check UP Board 10th, 12th Results on Indiatoday Education: 10th UP board result page: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-10 12th UP board result page: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-12 12.55 PM: Passing percentage for 10th, 12th standard While 74.63% students cleared 12th standard exam, 83.31% students cleared the class 10 exams. 12.52 PM: Last year figures In 2019, UP board had registered 80.07 passing percentage in class 10 with Muzaffarnagar emerging as the best performing district. Meanwhile, Lucknow gave the best performance for class 12 result in 2019. 12. 46 PM: Toppers of UP board announced Standard 12th toppers Anurag Malik has topped 12th board exam this year after attaining 97% marks. Pranjal Singh followed him to second rank with 96% marks, while third place is secured by Utkarsh Shukla after scoring 94.80%. Standard 10th toppers Riya Jain from Bhagpat has topped the 10th board result with scoring 96.67% marks. After her, Abhimanyu Verma scored the second spot with 95.53%. The third rank is obtained by Yogesh Pratap Singh, who scored 95.33%. 12. 41 PM: Clearance for 10th, 12th standard exams In class 12, 74.64% students have cleared their board exam. This is higher than 70.2% pass percentage recorded last year. Meanwhile, for 10th board exams, 83.31 students clear intermediate exam. Last year, around 70% of the total students appeared for class 10th board passed the standard. 12. 37 PM: Answer sheet checked in 21 days The Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said that Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) 2020 has cleared board results after clearing answer sheets in record time of 21 days. 12. 31 PM: UPMSP to send 10th, 12th students digital scorecards Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said that Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shisksha Parishad will no longer distribute hard copies of marksheets and all the class 10, class 12 students will receive board results in the form of digital scorecards 12. 22 PM: UP board class 10th, 12th result: Where to check Results for class 10 and 12 will be declared within a few minutes and available at official websites - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in and results.gov.in. Results will also be available at India Today Education. 12. 17 PM: The Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said more thank 2 crore answer checked in record time of 21 days. He added that the results of both class 10 and class 12 is better than previous year. 12. 00 PM: Where to check UP board result Students can check their results on the following websites - upmsp.edu.in - upresults.nic.in - upmspresults.up.nic.in The UP Board 10th and 12th results will also be available on the following India Today websites - indiatoday.in/education-today/results - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-10 - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-12 11. 55 AM: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma announced last Tuesday that the UP Board exams result for the year 2020 will be declared at around 12 pm on the official website 11. 52 AM: The board results for the year 2020 are being awaited by more than 51 lakh students. The UP Board Exam 2020 for class 10 and 12 was conducted from February 18 to March 3 and February 7 to March 2, respectively. 11.44 AM: The UP Board 10th and 12th results will also be available on the following India Today websites - indiatoday.in/education-today/results - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-10 - indiatoday.in/education-today/results-up-board-12 11.35 AM: Last year, Tanu Tomar with 97.80% topped the UP Board Class 12 Exam 2019. Gautam Raghuvanshi with 97.17% topped the UP Board Class 10th Exam 2019, securing 583 marks out of 600. 11. 20 AM: Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will release the class 10 and 12 results from Lucknow today. UP Board exams result for the year 2020 will be declared by Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma today, via video conferencing from Lok Bhawan, Lucknow. The press conference for the same will begin at 12 PM. 11. 15 AM: How to check results via App Alternatively, students can also check their board results via the app, known as 'UP Board Results 2020', which can be downloaded from Google Play Store. The app has got four stars and has been downloaded by 5 lakh users have already. Students can also rely upon another app, called 10th, 12th Board Result, ALL Board Results 2020, which has received positive feedback from the students. 10. 52 AM: Students having doubts in the evaluation process of any subjects can apply for re-evaluation post result. Students will have to apply for scrutiny within 25 days of the release of results. 10. 40 AM: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took to twitter to wish the students of UP Board of class 10th and 12th good luck for their results, awaited to be declared by today. , - Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) June 27, 2020 10. 34 AM: Coronavirus led lockdown had impacted the evaluation of the results. The evaluation process was stopped and resumed back on May 05, 2020. 10. 28 AM: The UP board completed the entire evaluation process in the first week of June 2020. The evaluation process was conducted in green, orange and then red zones with restrictions and strict norms of social distancing, due to Covid-19 outbreak. 10. 12 AM: The students will be able to get their respective mark sheets after 10 days of declaration of results. The mark sheets first will be sent to regional offices then district heads. Later the mark sheets will be disseminated to schools who will further ensure they reach the students. 10. 05 AM: In 2019, the UP class 10th and class 12th board results were declared on April 27 at 12 pm. Overall 80% of the total students appeared for the class 12th board cleared the examinations, while around 70% of the total students appeared for class 10th board passed the standard. 9. 40 AM: While 56 lakh candidates appeared for the exam, 4,80,591 students did not appear for the exams. 9. 37 AM: As per UPMSP, dates for the compartment test, that are to be taken after a student fails, will be announced after the board releases the results. 9. 25 AM: How to check the UP HS and UP Inter results 2020 As soon as the High School (class 10th and class 12th) results will be declared on upmsp.edu.in, students can follow the guidelines below and check their respective results Step 1: Log on to the official websites of UPMSP - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in or upmspresults.up.nic.in Step 2: Click on the 'UP Board Result 2020 Class 1' or 'UP Board Result 2020 Class 12' link on the homepage Step 3: Students are then required to fill in the required details and credentials like admit card roll number, name and date of birth to check their results. Step 4: Download the UP Board Result 2020. If required, candidates can also take a print-out of the results for future reference. 9. 05 AM: All educational boards of India declare 10th and 12th class results, separately. 8. 51 AM: How to check the UP HS and UP Inter results 2020 via SMS The students awaiting their class 10th and class 12th results can also receive their results on their mobile phones via SMS. Class 10th candidates can receive their results on mobile by sending 'UP10ROLLNUMBER' to 56263, while the class 12th students have to send 'UP12ROLLNUMBER' message to 56263. 8. 45 AM: As per the UPMSP rules, candidates need to score at least 35% in each subject to clear the inter and matric exams. 8. 37 AM: The results for UP Board High School and Intermediate examinations 2020 were expected to be released by April this year. The delay in exams results this year was due to halt in the evaluation process, on back of the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown imposed to check the spread of the deadly disease. 8. 30 AM: UP Board Exam 2020 for standard 10 and 12 were conducted from February 18 to March 3 and February 7 to March 2, respectively. 8. 25 AM: Where to check the UP 10th, 12th results 2020 Students can check their results on the following websites - upmsp.edu.in - upresults.nic.in - upmspresults.up.nic.in 8. 15 AM: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma announced last Tuesday that the UP Board exams result for the year 2020 will be declared at around 12 pm on the official website of UP Board at upmsp.edu.in. 8. 10 AM: As per the State Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma, over 56 lakh candidates across Uttar Pradesh appeared for the exam. A total of 30,24,632 students from Class 10 and 25,86,440 students from Class 12 were registered for the board exams this year. 8. 00 AM: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will declare the UP Board 10th, 12th Result 2020 today i.e. June 27, 2020. The results for the UP Board 10th and 12th will be available on the websites upmsp.edu.in. The video conference was organised for the first time as an initiative of Vietnam to affirm ASEAN leaders commitment to promoting gender equality and womens empowerment and to enhance the role of women in building the ASEAN Community. In his remarks, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted the role played by women and their contributions to humankinds efforts to respond to challenges and to promote development in each ASEAN member country. Vietnamese Prime Minster Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at an ASEAN Leaders Special Session as part of the 36th ASEAN Summit on Womens Empowerment in the Digital Age (Photo: VNA) There remains inequality and discrimination against women, however, which inhibits their development and contributions to the community, he said. The PM underlined the need for ASEAN to take action to utilise womens potential and create conditions for them to use their strengths and contribute to development in regional countries in particular and the ASEAN Community in general, especially in the digital age. According to the UN, women make up only 2 percent of the total number of negotiators and mediators in the world but are indispensable in cooperative processes that help create sustainable peace and security, he said. The ASEAN Community has affirmed its goal of developing into a community in which everyone is treated equally and the rights of women are promoted and protected, PM Phuc stressed. ASEAN members have effectively implemented plans and programmes as well as mechanisms on women, towards building a people-centred ASEAN Community, he said. Addressing the gathering, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also Chair of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), highly valued the initiatives and strong commitment of ASEAN in promoting the role and rights of women and womens empowerment in the digital age. She proposed measures to make progress more effective in the future. Ngan expressed her belief that ASEAN will continue to take advantage of the region with the world's fast internet growth to enhance the position of women, especially those in charge of leader positions, thus contributing to ensuring gender equality. For his part, ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi underlined the significance and timing of the session as it takes place amid challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The special session not only reaffirms ASEANs commitments to realising equality for all but also shines a light on the indispensable role of women as drivers of urgent change in the digital age, he said. Participants discussed measures to promote and uphold the role and contributions of women as well as womens empowerment in the digital age, and how to facilitate their participation in building an ASEAN Community based on the three pillars of politics-security, economy, and socio-culture. Ways were also sought to promote ASEAN womens effective contributions to efforts to maintain peace, security, stability, sustainable development, and multilateral cooperation in countries and the region./. There were 1,418 newly licenced projects during the Jan-June period, with registered capital of US$8.44 billion. There were 526 licenced projects from previous years registered as having adjusted their investment capital with additional capital of US$3.7 billion, up 26.8%. During the six-month period, 4,125 foreign investors contributed capital and purchased shares with a total value of nearly US$3.51 billion, up 2.6%. During the period, the processing and manufacturing industry witnessed the largest volume of newly licenced FDI projects, reaching US$8 billion, accounting for 51.1% of total newly registered capital. It was followed by the production and distribution of electricity, with US$3.95 billion, accounting for 25.2%; wholesale and retail (US$1.08 billion); and real estate (US$850 million). Among the 98 countries and territories registering new projects in Vietnam in the first six months, Singapore was the largest investor, with US$5.44 billion, accounting for 34.7% of the total, followed by Thailand with US$1.58 billion (10.1%), China with US$1.58 million (10.1%) and then Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan (China). Among the 57 localities receiving FDI in the six-month period, the southern province of Bac Lieu ranked top with US$4 billion. Ho Chi Minh City came next with over US$2 billion and Ba Ria - Vung Tau placed third with US$1.95 billion, followed by the capital Hanoi, Binh Duong province and Hai Phong city. Microsoft will close nearly all of its stores, it has said. The physical stores that are based across the world will be shut and the staff who worked in them will instead work either remotely or in Microsoft's corporate facilities, it said. The company opened the first of its modern retail stores in 2009, around the time of the launch of Windows 7. Since then, it has opened more than 100 of the shops, using them not only to sell products but as ways of promoting both its software and hardware. It offered the ability to get help with Microsoft products, in a way similar to the Apple Store's Genius Bar. The stores would also allow people to play on Xboxes as they waited. Microsoft will keep four of its stores open, in London, New York, Sydney and its home base of Redmond near Seattle. But they will be "reimagined", the company said in a statement. Recommended Ninja reacts to Microsoft shutting down Twitch rival Instead of keeping the stores open, the company will focused on a three specific areas, it said. Its staff will continue to support existing customers, it will move towards "digital storefronts" such as its websites, and those store locations that stay open will change. Microsoft's retail stores on New York's Fifth Avenue and London's Regent Street are in some of the busiest and most expensive locations in the world. It did not indicate precisely how they would be changed or whether they would continue to serve the same purpose as they do now. The decision came as the company's sales are increasingly moving online, across its various businesses, which includes the Xbox as well as Windows and hardware, it said. Microsoft did not reference the coronavirus pandemic or resulting lockdowns in its announcement, though praised its retail employees for their work during the "extraordinary" past few months. Instead, it focused on the shift towards online sales, which it said would continue in the future. A head nurse, who tested positive for coronavirus, and was working at the Government General and Chest Hospital here passed away on Friday. Speaking to ANI, Dr Prabhakar Reddy, the RMO at Gandhi Hospital, said, A head nurse working at Government General and Chest Hospital, was admitted at Gandhi Hospital after she tested positive for Covid-19 and was also a diabetic. Two days back, she was put on the ventilator, but could not recover. She passed away on Friday morning. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has expressed her condolences over the passing away of the head nurse. The state on Friday reported 985 new Covid-19 cases, taking the overall state tally to 12,349. The state health department informed that out of the total cases, there are 7,436 active cases currently in the state. As many as 78 patients were discharged on Friday, taking the number of discharged patients to 4,766, read the bulletin. With seven deaths due to Covid-19 reported in the state on Friday, the number of deaths stood at 237. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 14:33:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Disney's upcoming epic fantasy war drama film "Mulan" has been postponed again to August amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced on Friday. The China-set live-action film was first scheduled to hit U.S. theaters on March 27 but was later rescheduled to July 24 due to the pandemic. Hollywood studios delayed nearly all of their big-budget movies in the United States and other countries as theaters were shut down in an effort to combat the coronavirus. The film is now slated to open on Aug. 21. "While the pandemic has changed our release plans for 'Mulan' and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and perseverance," Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, and Alan Bergman, co-chairman of the Walt Disney Studios, said in a statement. "Director Niki Caro and our cast and crew have created a beautiful, epic, and moving film that is everything the cinematic experience should be, and that's where we believe it belongs -- on the world stage and the big screen for audiences around the globe to enjoy together," the statement said. Based on the legend of an ancient Chinese heroine, the film is an adaptation of Disney's 1998 animated film of the same name. Mulan, according to folk legend, lived during a tumultuous era in Chinese history more than 1,400 years ago. She disguised herself as a man to serve in the army in place of her aged father and fight for her country. "Mulan," which cost 200 million U.S. dollars to make, stars Liu Yifei in the title role following a year-long global casting, with Gong Li as a powerful and dangerous witch, Donnie Yen as an army commander, and Jet Li as the emperor of China. The announcement came one day after the decision of Warner Bros. to delay the release date for Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" for the second time. The film was pushed back from July 31 to Aug. 12. Both "Mulan" and "Tenet" were considered to help theaters to welcome back moviegoers this summer amid the pandemic. "Mulan" was supposed to be the first major Hollywood film to hit the big screen after theaters were planning to reopen in phases next month. The delay of "Mulan" and "Tenet" cast a shadow on theaters' reopening plans. AMC Theaters, the largest U.S. movie theater chain, said in a statement last week that it will resume theater operations at approximately 450 U.S. locations on July 15, and at approximately 150 remaining locations on July 24, in time for "Mulan" and "Tenet." But a number of U.S. states saw a surge in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations this week. The Washington Post commented that "the move means that the month of July, which in recent years has seen mega-blockbusters from 'The Lion King' to 'The Dark Knight,' 'Transformers' to many 'Harry Potter' films, will not have a major new movie for the first time in the modern era." "Disney has delayed the theatrical release of 'Mulan' for a third time, all but officially putting an end to Hollywood's hopes of salvaging a summer movie season," Variety magazine noted. Variety also pointed out that "Mulan" is expected to strongly resonate in China. "But Chinese movie theaters are all currently closed, without a known reopening date. Given the importance of 'Mulan' in China, it would have been risky to release the movie and leave Chinese audiences behind," the U.S. magazine said. Enditem French President Emmanuel Macron said on June 27 that he plans to visit Russia "soon" to continue talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on key issues like security and climate change. Macron has encouraged Europe and NATO to reexamine their strategic partnership with Moscow and suggested Europe's defiant approach has failed. The French and Russian presidents talked one day earlier by videoconference. "The trust-building dialogue initiated with President Putin at Fort Bregancon continue," Macron tweeted on June 27, adding, "We are moving forward and I will soon travel to Russia." He specifically identified "security in Europe, regional conflicts, [and] climate including the melting of permafrost in the Arctic" as topics for discussion. Relations between Moscow and the West are at post-Cold War lows over issues including Russia's annexation of Crimea, its role in Syrias conflict, its alleged meddling in elections in the United States and other democracies, and poisonings and alleged Russian assassinations in European cities. Macron said after their videoconference on June 26 that all regional crises weve experienced shows the importance of making the European space, in a broad sense, from Lisbon to Vladivostok, a real space of cooperation and peace." On Ukraine, where fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists has killed some 13,200 people since April 2014, Macron reportedly stressed it was crucial to quickly relaunch a road map aimed at ending the conflict. He also reportedly urged an end to foreign interference in Libya, including by the so-called Vagner group of mostly former Russian service personnel who have been involved in clandestine operations in foreign countries. Russia and several other countries have backed Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar in his war against forces backing the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), which is mainly backed by Turkey. Macron planned to attend the events in Red Square last month to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany, but that event was postponed until June 23 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the French president did not attend. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav will be a low-key affair this year, as many politicians, who organise festivities, have decided to scale them down owing to the spread of novel coronavirus. Political analysts point out that the politicians are averse to taking any risk in the current pandemic situation. There is a fear that if there is a spike in Covid-19 cases in their areas, it will hurt their political image and their credibility will be damaged, said Surendra Jondhale, a political analyst. BJP legislator Ram Kadam, who organises a grand Dahi Handi at Ghatkopar, has decided to cancel the celebration this year. Lakhs of people get together every year to celebrate Dahi Handi, hence social distancing is impossible. We have decided to cancel the event this year, said Kadam. Ganeshotsav, on August 22, too, will be a low-key affair this year as the height of the idols has been restricted. The ruling party Shiv Sena said it will abide by the governments directive to scale down festivities. Ganeshotsav has played a vital role in the growth of the Shiv Sena, as most of its top leaders have headed Ganesh mandals. Even the secretary of Lalbaugcha Raja, Sudhir Salvi, is a senior Sena office bearer. Sena legislator Ajay Choudhari said the party is coordinating with the mandals. Most of the office bearers of these mandals are from Sena. They have all decided to scale down the festivities and adhere to the directions given by the state government, said Choudhari. Our main priority is the safety of the local population. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Closing New Jerseys 2,500 public schools was relatively simple. An executive order issued by Gov. Phil Murphy in March contained a single paragraph saying all of the states schools would be closed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Reopening those schools is proving to be more complicated. State education officials released a 104-page plan Friday, titled The Road Back, with dozens of rules and recommendations for schools to reopen for the new school year as the state continues to combat the spread of COVID-19. The guidelines, which include rules about teachers wearing masks and guidance on students sitting six feet apart in classrooms, are designed to help New Jerseys 577 public school districts craft their own plans for reopening schools. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage Some school officials said it was a relief to finally get the long-awaited state guidance on their next steps. Others said the guidelines were either too vague or too constricting for a state with a mix of small, large, urban and suburban schools with vastly different needs and populations. Mount Olive Superintendent Robert Zywicki, who spoke at Murphys press conference unveiling the plan, said he appreciated the flexibility in the states guidelines. Many of the details, including asking students to wear masks all day, are recommendations, not strict regulations. Unlike the Murphy administrations rules for reopening restaurants and stores, there are also no limits on how many people can be in a school building at once. The flexibility is the most important thing, said Zywicki, whose suburban Morris County district had already come up with four possible reopening scenarios while awaiting the state report. Mount Olives options include a split schedule plan that limits the number of students in school buildings with separate morning and afternoon sessions or alternating day schedules. The No. 1 thing superintendents wanted to hear is whether we were coming back or not. So, we now have that answer, he said. New Jersey schools shut their doors and switched students to remote learning in March, unsure when they would be able to reopen. Until the release of the new guidelines Friday, it was unclear if districts would have the option of remaining closed for all or part of the 2020-2021 school year. But the education departments report said all New Jersey districts must reopen in some form for in-person learning in the fall. Schools will have the choice to reopen with social distancing measures for full days or craft another plan including instituting staggered schedules or hybrid school days that combine going to school and learning remotely at home. There are other big questions too, including how to arrange bus schedules so students can get to school without having to sit directly next to each other. Some sprawling districts with large bus fleets and complex busing routes said the states social distancing recommendation for buses are unrealistic. Districts dont have long to decide on their plans. They need to inform families of their reopening details at least four weeks before school is scheduled to begin in late August or early September. Glenn Robbins, superintendent of the Brigantine public schools in Atlantic County, sent a message to the families in his district asking for patience as district officials sort through the state guidelines. As you already know, we do not have all of the answers at this time, since the document was released to the public today. Our district administrative team has been working on just about every situational plan imaginable up to this date, and conversing with local, regional and national leaders, Robbins said. He also asked parents to be conscious of how they react to the states reopening plan in front of their children. As a parent myself, I know that our children are watching our reactions and will respond accordingly, Robbins said. As a high school teacher, your decision to not have adult-sized students do wear a mask puts my health and the health of every single high school teacher at risk. Mr. Russell (@russellhistory) June 26, 2020 The New Jersey Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said the states guidelines for districts was helpful in some spots, but too vague in others. In some cases, the guidance may need to be more specific and less permissive to ensure that the highest standards are upheld everywhere, the union said in a statement. NJEA officials, who released their own report on schools reopening earlier this month stressing the need to keep teachers and students safe, said they are concerned the Murphy administrations reopening guidance doesnt give enough consideration to teachers and others who could be at serious risk if they return to school. We must also acknowledge that the measures outlined today may not be adequate for every individual, particularly those whose health or other conditions require them to take greater precautions to avoid exposing themselves or others to COVID-19, the NJEAs statement said. State officials said students who want to continue remote learning because they feel unsafe returning to school should not be penalized by their districts. Teachers and staff shouldnt be penalized either if they have health concerns, the state education commissioner said. However, the state guidelines do not address what schools should do if teachers dont want to wear masks or refuse to return to their classrooms. In Manville, Superintendent Robert Beers said his small Somerset County district was already planning for a split A/B schedule with different groups of students coming in on different days or weeks. But he had some concerns about the states guidelines, including the section that said schools will have a role in contract tracing if someone gets sick. Manville is planning to hire extra nurses and security personnel on a per diem basis to monitor students temperatures. The state guidelines did not offer many details on how districts and local health officials should test for coronavirus or the protocols for tracing which students and staff were exposed to the virus, he said. Im a superintendent of schools. I was a history teacher, not a public health expert. Im not trying to be smug but there are people far more qualified than I am to set up guidelines that I would willingly follow. But I think its tough when its kicked down to the local level, Beers said. In Hopewell in Mercer County, superintendent Tom Smith said he would have preferred more specific rules from the state on multiple parts of the plan. It offers flexibility but offers room for a lot of confusion and misinterpretation. The intent is to give districts flexibility and I get that but I would much rather have preferred more concrete guidance, Smith said. The busing recommendations alone would mean 60 extra bus runs a day for Hopewell, a relatively small district, the superintendent says. The district is also considering a split schedule with half of the students going to school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the rest going Tuesday and Thursday -- then flipping the schedule the following week. But, the states open-ended guidance allows for neighboring towns to set up their school year with vastly different policies, creating confusion for parents, teachers and staff, he said. Right now, were flying in the dark. I hoped for more specifics, like what do you do with students who choose not to come to school? Even for staff members, how do you work it out with staff members who have to quarantine for 14 days? Is that going to be sick days? Smith said. Newark, the states largest school district, has even more complex logistical concerns along with big questions about whether students have the technology and internet access they need at home to keep up with their schooling if they are not spending full days in the classroom. In a city like Newark where we have 55,000 kids who attend district and charter schools, we have to be thinking at the household level. Each household has to have the capacity to support the members in that household through a connected manner through technology. One device oftentimes is not enough, said Ronald Chaluisan, the executive director of the Newark Trust for Education, a non-profit group focused on the citys schools. The states guidelines did not indicate if the Department of Education will be making changes to requirements for attendance, the number of days in the school year or other measures they use to keep schools accountable, Chaluisan said. The report also didnt specify how school districts will know if they have developed a good reopening plan for students. We could talk about reopening, flexibility, local decision-making, but one of those guideposts needs to be -- We will be successful if' And since the state holds that definition, its important they make that explicit, he said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Staff writer Adam Clark contributed to this report. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Emmanuel Madubuezi, a Nigerian student, has filed N1 billion lawsuit against the army after a soldier allegedly shot him resulting in ... Emmanuel Madubuezi, a Nigerian student, has filed N1 billion lawsuit against the army after a soldier allegedly shot him resulting in the amputation of his leg. On September 14, 2017, gunshots fired by the officer had hit Madubuezi, who was seated in a tricycle on his way to Port Harcourt Polytechnic, where he was studying at the time. The bullet had pierced through his left leg and hit an elderly woman seated next to him. In the suit filed by Tope Akinyode, his lawyer, before the federal high court, Port Harcourt, Madubuezi is seeking a redress over alleged violating of his human rights. Other defendants in the suit are the chief of army staff, the attorney-general of the federation and Bet9ja, a betting company. In the case with suit number: FHC/PH/FHR/118/2020, the applicant is asking the court to declare that the gunshots which was fired on his client and the amputation of his clients leg contravenes his fundamental human right to life, human dignity and freedom of movement. According to Akinyode, who is also the national president of revolutionary lawyers forum, the court has not assigned a date for the suit, as of Thursday. The development comes weeks after the lawyer threatened to sue the army for neglecting Madubuezi after the incident. Washington, June 27 : A US federal judge has ordered the release of 124 migrant children held at three family detention centres infected with the novel coronavirus, the media reported on Saturday. In the order on Friday, District Judge Dolly Gee said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) centres in the states of Kansas, Pennsylvania and Texas were "on fire" and there was no more time for half-measures, the BBC reported. She ruled that the children must be released by mid-July, into the custody of suitable sponsors. The sponsors could include the children's own detained parents, who could be released with tracking devices, if necessary. According to a report in the The Hill news website, the number of minors being detained has dropped in recent months, though ICE said in May it was detaining 184 children at the three centres, which are separate from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) facilities for unaccompanied children. Activists have been urging the government to release families detained together given the rapid spread of the COVID-19 through detention facilities. On 12 June, the Supreme Court slammed the Delhi government for poor handling of the pandemic. Terming Delhis COVID-19 management as horrendous, horrific and pathetic where patients are being treated worse than animals, the highest court directed the states chief secretary and health secretary to submit the status report on the issue immediately. The Supreme Courts observations are not without strong basis. With the surge in cases, Delhi has been struggling with limited number of healthcare professionals, availability of hospital beds, critical healthcare support infrastructure and other related resources to contain the outbreak. After recording more than 10,000 cases in the last three days, New Delhis tally stood at 70,000 on June 24, surpassing Mumbai in terms of the number of cases. While Delhis recent surge of cases is linked to significant increase in testing, the growth trends of cases in the last fortnight indicates that Delhi may staring at an unprecedented Covid-19 crisis. Looking at Delhis Covid-19 situation as well as the reports that have anticipated bigger surge in days to come, the Centre stepped in to provide the needed support to contain the pandemic. Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan have convened several meetings and have taken some important steps to control the crisis. The narrative has changed in Delhi since the central government stepped in and took charge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Incidentally, a few months ago the Arvind Kejriwal led AAP government had won a landslide re-election in Delhi largely on its stellar performance in health and education. Its famed Mohalla clinics model of expanding primary healthcare among poorest neighbourhoods set an example for the other state governments across the country. It took Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary General of United Nations to commend AAP governments Mohalla clinics to expand access to healthcare for poor and the needy. Four months later, the narrative changed. AAP was not only unprepared for the rapidly threatening pandemic, the government was also being accused of hiding data on Covid deaths, going slow on ramping up health infrastructure particularly beds, testing and a host of related decisions to contain the outbreak. Incidentally, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in mid-May sounded extremely confident in containing the spread of Covid-19 in the city. What went wrong in a matter of weeks? The key factors that have triggered Delhis current crisis are easily discernible. First, there is mounting evidence of gross under preparedness by the city government. While the Delhi government used the lockdown period to ramp up its health infrastructure and increase tracing and testing, yet these measures were inadequate. For a city with 19 million population, the hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients was less than 8000 in mid-June when the city began witnessing exponential rise in infections. Shortage of beds, inadequate health personnel and patients in critical condition struggling get themselves admitted in designated hospitals prompted the AAP government to slow down testing and limit healthcare to Delhi residents only. Such sorry state of affairs in national capital with no known resource constraints points either to complacency or lack of a robust plan to tackle the pandemic. Multiplicity of Authorities making matters worse Second, as national capital territory, Delhi faces peculiar challenges to manage a global pandemic that requires swift decision making and coordinated approach. The city has the distinction of hosting a hundred-odd parastatal agencies, central departments, municipal institutions, L-G and an elected government often competing for the same roles. On health, there are three distinct authorities: Union health ministry, Delhi government and municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) that administer a fleet of hospitals. For instance, while Union government runs some major hospitals such as AIIMS, Safdarjung and RML, MCDs control a number of other major hospitals such as The Hindu Rao, Rajan Babu TB hospital. Practically speaking, Delhi government is in control of two major hospitals; LNJP, GTB and Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospitals. With competitive politics at play (given the Centre and MCDs are in the hands of the BJP and Delhi government with AAP), securing cooperation of all entities by Delhi government has been mired with constant bickering, blame games and sidestepping. For instance, for several weeks when Delhi government and MCDs were fighting over Covid-19 deaths and availability of beds for patients, Delhi was slipping into crisis mode. Even after three months of lockdown, MCDs have done little to expand beds in their administered hospitals and have conveniently blamed the city government for the crisis. However, the worse is with regard to flurry of recent orders on testing and quarantine procedures by L-Gs office and Delhi government which shows there is little coordination and common cause on Covid-19. Thus, Delhis disjointed governance system having multiple agencies and civic bodies fiercely competing to deliver same set of services has turned out to be a major hurdle to fight pandemic that requires a coordinated response and unified command. Neglected Tertiary Healthcare Finally, the most critical factor impacting the collective fight against Covid-19 is national capitals long neglected tertiary healthcare system. It may be mentioned that AAP government made massive political gain through an array of programs such as Mohalla clinics, polyclinics and free medicines and surgeries for 30 life threatening diseases for poor. Notably, between 2015-2019, AAP government had nearly doubled budgetary allocations to healthcare (see Figure 1). In fact, Delhis total expenditure on healthcare went bigger than the average of many large states in India. However, these allocations have largely been devoted to expand primary healthcare and programs such as free medicines, critical patient surgeries among others. Despite poll promises to overhaul citys tertiary health infrastructure especially increasing beds, ICU wards and healthcare personnel, most of these remained on paper. For instance, the party had promised to create 30,000 new beds in government hospitals in 2015. By end of its tenure in 2020, a fraction (394 beds in 38 hospitals) of this promise was met. While the delays due to administrative clearance from the Union government departments particularly on allotment of land have had clear bearing on final outcome, yet AAP government cannot deny its own failure in falling on this critical mission of expanding tertiary health infrastructure. So much so, acute shortage of beds and intensive care units prompted the Delhi High Court to issue series of stinging remarks against AAP government in 2019. Similarly, AAP government wasted the opportunity to enhance the bench strength of critical health professionals during its eventful tenure. Despite its tall claim to have transformed capital citys healthcare, a recent report The State of Health in Delhi stated that Delhi is short of 66% medical lecturers, 34% shortage of medical staff particularly doctors, surgeons and specialists, and 29% shortage of para medical staff. The hospitals also lack 40% administrative staff and 38% labour. In short, a neglected tertiary health system coupled with inadequate medical and para-medical personnel have lengthened Delhis struggle to contain the spread of virus. Hospitals in national capital are found struggling to provide enough beds, arrange critical care units, adequate medical and nursing staff (with many testing Covid positive and in quarantine) to manage the outbreak. No One to Blame Delhi which appeared to be in reasonable control of the pandemic a month ago, has quickly slipped to emerge as the coronavirus capital of India. Having added more than 40,000 cases in less than two-weeks and its existing health system falling short of demands for bed and critical care, the Centre has entered to the scene in a big way. A series of meetings and major decisions by key ministries and Lieutenant Governor signifies the need of urgent and coordinated response at various level to contain the spread. The AAP government has no one to blame but itself for the failure to anticipate the spread of disease. While the party may have been at the receiving end of many battles with the BJP-led Union government in the past, the latter had allowed Delhi government a free hand to manage Covid-19. The clearest proof of this is the absence of any major face-off between two competing parties until the Supreme Court stepped in. While it is undeniable the AAP government has not received the kind of support it needed from BJP-led MCDs, yet this alone should not the reason for the large outbreak. It clearly failed to use the lockdown time to ramp up critical health infrastructure, get civic bodies and civil society onboard and prepare robust contingency plan for the possible outbreak. Yet, it is not too late for a party that made maximum political capital out of healthcare to turn the page on Covid-19. The author is a PhD and Senior Fellow with ORF's Governance and Politics Initiative. The views expressed are personal. The Congress on Saturday stepped up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the standoff with China in Ladakh as it underscored the various statements on the status on the ground along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Prime Minister should openly, publicly condemn the brazen Chinese occupation in Ladakh. I want the PM to condemn China. We will support the government. The PMs statement that there was no intrusion is being used by China, Sibal said in a digital address as he warned of China slicing away Indias border areas piece by piece. The PM in the all-party meeting said no intruders had entered Indian territory and neither was any Indian post occupied, Sibal said as he warned that the PMs status is in danger of being diminished because of inconsistent statements. There should not be any question when the PM speaks. What was the reason that he gave this statement. Was it because he was afraid that people would think that he could not protect Indias integrity? The PMs statement is inconsistent with facts on the ground. It diminishes the status of the PMs office, the Congress leader said. Also Watch | Why were 20 soldiers killed if China hasnt occupied our land?: Sonia Gandhi Sibal showed photographs to claim that the Chinese have intruded into several places in Indian territory. China has intruded 18 km into the Indian territory across the LAC in Depsang .the Chinese are just 25 km away from the DBO airstrip putting it within artillery range, he claimed. Sibal said Chinese intrusion has cut off Indian army patrols at five patrol points in the Ladakhi outback along the LAC. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment What, exactly, did Jesus look like? Was he black? Brown? White? Red? Yellow? We know that he was a first-century, Galilean Jew. But, beyond that, no reliable description of his appearance has been left for us. There is a statement recorded in the Mishnah, the earliest code of Jewish law (compiled roughly 220 A.D.) attributed to Rabbi Ishmael, who lived from 90-135 AD. He said, The children of Israel . . . are like boxwood, neither black nor white but of an intermediate shade (m. Negaim 2:1). So, according to a rabbi who lived within one century of Jesus, the Israelites are like boxwood, neither black nor white but somewhere in between. This would be in keeping with other Middle Eastern peoples of the past and present. As for the notion that Jesus was black, based on Revelation 1:14-15, that is a complete misreading of the text. Describing Johns vision of a glorious Jesus, the text states that, The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. (Revelation 1:14) But the text does not say that Jesus had wooly hair. Rather, it pictures his hair as white like wool, white as snow. This is not speaking of the texture of his hair (any more than the texture of hair is being compared to snow). Rather, it is speaking of the color of his hair. And even so, this is a glorious vision not meant to be taken literally unless, of course, you believe that a sharp, double-edged sword came out of his mouth and that his face shone like the sun. That being said, Jesus was certainly not white. (For the record, many translations of the Bible, including the King James Version, render Revelation 1:14 with, His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow. From this you could argue that Jesus was lily white, since it says his head was white. That, too, is a gross misunderstanding.) How, then, did we end up with a white Jesus in Europe and America? There are two answers to this question, one quite innocent and the other not nearly as innocent. (You might be in for a surprise. Keep reading!) The innocent answer is that it is common for other people groups to imagine Jesus to be just like them. Just do a search for images of Chinese Jesus or images of Eskimo Jesus. You will see a Jesus who looks Chinese or a Jesus who looks Eskimo. This is no surprise. After all, according to the gospel, the Son of God took on human flesh and became one of us. Its only natural that we envision him to look like us. Back in the 1970s, I attended a black megachurch in Brooklyn with a friend I had met in college, himself an African American. The first thing that struck me was the mural on the wall, depicting Jesus and his disciples as black. When I asked my friend about it, he said to me, When you look at a class picture, whats the first thing you look for? Its your own face in the crowd. Its the same with people coming here. Theyre looking for a Jesus they can identify with. Thats also why many pictures and statues of Jesus depict him as white. The white artists conceived of a Jesus who was just like them. Thats also why some of the medieval depictions of Jesus portrayed him and his followers as wearing medieval garb. That was the garb that they knew. The problem is when that image is now exported to other cultures, and so the Jesus we preach in India or Africa is a white Jesus. That can lead to spiritual and cultural confusion, especially if the white race is also associated with conquest and colonization. Now the issue becomes thornier. (To help you relate to some of the challenges, if youre a white Christian, ask yourself how you would relate to a black Jesus. Or an Indian Jesus.) But heres the big surprise when it comes to white images of Jesus. The historic contrast was not between a white Jesus and blacks. It was between a white, Gentile Jesus and Jews. This was graphically illustrated by Prof. Bernard Starr in his book Jesus, Jews, and Anti-Semitism in Art: How Renaissance Art Erased Jesus' Jewish Identity & How Today's Artists Are Restoring It. (For relevant articles by Starr, see here and here.) Starr pointed to famous medieval and renaissance paintings of Jesus, where he was depicted as a handsome, fair-skinned, Gentile European, surrounded by devilishly-ugly, hook-nosed Jewish teachers. Those evil Jews! If you think Im exaggerating, just look at this one painting, Christ Among the Doctors, by Albrecht Durer. (By doctors Durer meant doctors of the law, as in rabbis and Jewish teachers.) Interestingly, Starr also pointed to artists in Africa and other dark-skinned cultures who depicted a dark-skinned but also non-Jewish Jesus. How interesting! So, a major reason that white artists depicted Jesus as white was because they forgot about his Jewish (and Middle Eastern) roots. Not only so, but since the Jews were viewed as demonic and evil, Jesus had to be different than them, hence a white, non-Jewish Jesus. (Or, in other cultures, a black, non-Jewish Jesus.) BLM activist Shaun King, who ridiculously called for the removal of statues depicting a white Jesus, tweeted, Experts have long since said this is likely the most accurate depiction of Jesus. White Americans who bought, sold, traded, raped, and worked Africans to death, for hundreds of years in this country, simply could not have THIS man at the center of their faith. King included in his tweet an image created in 2001 by forensic anthropologist Richard Neave. As the BBC reported, Neave created a model of a Galilean man for a BBC documentary, Son of God, working on the basis of an actual skull found in the region. He did not claim it was Jesus's face. It was simply meant to prompt people to consider Jesus as being a man of his time and place, since we are never told he looked distinctive. So, contrary to Kings claim, this is not what, Experts have long since said . . . is likely the most accurate depiction of Jesus. This is simply a 2001 image created by one expert, and it was not of an African man but of a Galilean Jew. As the BBC also noted, And what about Jesus's facial features? They were Jewish. That Jesus was a Jew (or Judaean) is certain in that it is found repeated in diverse literature. So, the real question for the cultural iconoclasts of our day, including the likes of Shaun King, is this: Would you be at home with a Jewish Jesus? With Yeshua, the son of Miriam, called rabbi rather than reverend? Would you be at home with him? This is also a great question for Christians worldwide. Do you follow the Jesus-Yeshua of the Scriptures or a Jesus whom you have created in your own image? Last Mondays Geico 500 at Talladega was NASCARs first race with fans since banning the Confederate flag. Though none were permitted in the stadium, the flag was still on display. Somebody flew a plane over the track with a Confederate flag banner that read Defund NASCAR, and the parking lots were littered with them. Bubba Wallace, a vocal advocate in getting the banners banned, was unfazed by the demonstrations outside the racetrack. Its their right to peaceful protest my man, so its part of it, Wallace said on FOX Sports. But you wont see them inside the racetrack where were having a good time with the new fans who have purchased their tickets, purchased their favorite drivers apparel. You wont see it flying in there. Outside theyre just going to be making a lot of noise. You know, its part of it. Its exactly what you see on the flip-side of everything going on in cities as they peacefully protest. But you wont see cops pepper spraying them and shooting them with rubber bullets, will you? Wallace is the only Black driver in NASCARs Cup Series. In the days leading up to the ban, he made it clear why he believed there was no place for Confederate flags at the track, but still anticipated the backlash. No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race, Wallace said on CNN. So it starts with Confederate flags. Get them out of here. They have no place for them. Theres going to be a lot of angry people that carry those flags proudly, but its time for change. We have to change that, and I encourage NASCAR we will have those conversations to remove those flags. It was a tumultuous week for Wallace in Alabama, as a pull rope shaped like a noose was found in his garage on Sunday night. An FBI investigation determined that Wallace wasnt targeted though, as the rope had been hanging that way since last year. Its been an emotional few days, Wallace said in a written statement, which he tweeted out. First off, I want to say how relieved I am that the investigation revealed that this wasnt what we feared it was. I want to thank my team, NASCAR and the FBI for acting swiftly and treating this as a real threat. I think well gladly take a little embarrassment over what the alternatives could have been. Make no mistake, though some will try, this should not distract from the show of unity we had on Monday, and the progress weve made as a sport to be a more welcoming environment for all. Related content: British universities will be taught how to safeguard their students, staff and academic research from interference by foreign powers. Universities UK (UUK) will introduce the country's first security guidelines of their kind for higher education institutions amid fears of Chinese influence. The guidelines will promote British academic values, including free speech, and will address cyber and physical security on campuses. Senior politicians and academics have highlighted the growing financial dependency of universities on Chinese research grants and students. British universities will be taught how to safeguard their students, staff and academic research from interference by foreign powers amid fears of Chinese influence (File photo) Chinese students provide around 2billion of tuition fees, making up five per cent of all revenue in the higher education sector. Conservative politicians have warned China will be able to use their significant contributions to British universities as political leverage. Tom Tugendhat, Tory chairman of the foreign affairs committee, said: 'Removing students or research grants has been threatened by Beijing to silence areas of study and influence all areas of university life. 'The reality is that what were seeing at the moment in the UK is the erosion of the academic freedom on which we rely.' University UK (UUK) will introduce the country's first security guidelines of their kind for higher education institutions, addressing cyber and physical security on campuses (file photo) A report in November last year by the the foreign affairs select committee highlighted 'alarming evidence' of foreign interference on British campuses. It said: 'There is clear evidence that autocracies are seeking to shape the research agenda or curricula of UK universities, as well as limit the activities of researchers on university campuses. 'Not enough is being done to protect academic freedom from financial, political and diplomatic pressure.' UUK's new guidelines will address accepting income from overseas governments and will implemented across all university departments. A report in November last year by the the foreign affairs select committee highlighted 'alarming evidence' of foreign interference on British campuses (file photo) The guidelines will include recommendations by the governments Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure about safeguarding university research. Vivienne Stern, director of UUK International, told The Times: 'Universities can and do have to engage internationally with open eyes, protecting academic freedom, institutional autonomy and our own values.' UUK stressed its broad new guidelines are not targeted at any one nation in particular. A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 494,000 people worldwide. Over 9.8 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks. The United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 2.5 million diagnosed cases and at least 125,039 deaths. Latest: Miami to close beaches US coronavirus death toll surpasses 125,000 as cases top 2.5 million 4 states report record-high number of daily cases Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates 6 p.m.: Confirmed cases in US top 2.5 million At least 2,501,244 Americans have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. death toll reached 125,169, according to Johns Hopkins. Florida, Georgia, Nevada and South Carolina all reported record-high numbers of daily cases. 4:30 p.m.: Texas reports 5th straight day of 5,000 cases Texas, in reporting the state's fifth straight day of at least 5,000 new COVID-19 cases, now has recorded 143,371 positive cases. There have been 2,366 fatalities statewide and 5,523 people hospitalized, with the testing positivity rate rising to nearly 13.3%. 3:14 p.m.: Pence's campaign events postponed in Florida, Arizona Vice President Mike Pence's campaign events in Arizona and Florida this coming week have been postponed "out of an abundance of caution," a Trump campaign official confirmed to ABC News. Both states are seeing an increase in rates of positivity, hospitalizations, and deaths, according to an ABC News analysis. The vice president was scheduled to continue his "Faith in America" tour in Tucson, Arizona, on Tuesday and Sarasota, Florida, on Thursday. Story continues 2:56 p.m.: 85 people test positive after contracting virus at restaurant At least 85 people have tested positive for COVID-19 after contracting the virus at a restaurant in Michigan, officials said. The Ingham County Health Department told ABC News that they have "85 cases associated with Harpers Restaurant & Brew Pub in East Lansing. Of those 85, five are secondary, which means they were in close contact with someone who went to Harpers, but did not go themselves." PHOTO: Harper's Restaurant and Brew Pub in Lansing, Mich. is seen here. (WLNS) Those who have tested positive have been asked to self-quarantine. However, officials warned anyone who was at the establishment between June 12 to June 20 to also self-quarantine. On Monday, the restaurant announced it would close the restaurant to install air purifying technology in the HVAC system. 2:20 p.m.: South Carolina reports highest number of new COVID cases South Carolina recorded its single highest number of new COVID-19 cases, with 1,599 new confirmed cases, according to the state's department of health. The previous high was 1,293. There were also 15 new confirmed deaths and two probable deaths related to COVID-19. The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 31,850, while confirmed deaths reached 707. There are 89 probable cases and four probable deaths. 11:12 a.m.: NY health officials investigating possible spread at high school graduation New York's Department of Health will investigate a potential COVID-19 spread at a high school graduation ceremony in Westchester County, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office. Five people who attended the ceremony have tested positive for the virus, the governor's office said. The first person to test positive was someone who had recently traveled to Florida. The four others then had contact with that person and subsequently tested positive. A person who had recently traveled to Florida attended the ceremony and then began showing symptoms, the governor's office said. That person then tested positive for the virus. "We're prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County," Cuomo said in a statement. He also said he was issuing an executive order that says any New York employee who voluntarily travels to a high-risk state will not be eligible for the COVID protections created under paid sick leave. The graduation was for Horace Greeley High School and was a drive-in ceremony on June 20. All the individuals who have tested positive are self-isolating, the governor's office said. However, one of the people who tested positive also attended a "Field Night" event on June 20, which was also attended by juniors and seniors and students from surrounding school districts. Cuomo's office recommended anyone who attended that event or any events associated with graduation go into quarantine and remain there until July 5. 10:59 a.m.: More than 9,600 new cases in Florida The Florida Department of Health reported a total of 132,545 cases of COVID-19, marking an additional 9,636 new positive cases. The rise marks a one-day record for Florida. PHOTO: A man rides a bicycle as people walk on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Florida on June 26, 2020. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images) There were 76,129 tests conducted Friday, with a 12.7% positivity rate, according to the health department. The rise in cases comes as Miami-Dade County announced that it's closing all beaches for the July 4 holiday weekend. 7:02 a.m.: Reopen Maryland co-founder tests positive The co-founder of ReOpen Maryland, who organized rallies to pressure Gov. Larry Hogan to lift the state's stay-at-home order, said he has tested positive for COVID-19. Tim Walters, a former Republican candidate for the General Assembly, said that he had a dry cough for months but it recently worsened. He said he then began to experience an excruciating headache, a fever and the inability to focus with one of his eyes, which led to vertigo. PHOTO: A group called 'Reopen Maryland' gather to protest the restrictions imposed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Walters, 53, a diabetic who has had mini-strokes, said he went to an emergency room Monday and was diagnosed with the virus. Here I am months after not wearing a mask at rallies, churches and so on, and so its funny how capricious this thing is, he said in a Facebook video. Walters said he doesn't plan to provide health officials with the people he's had close contact with for the contact tracing program. PHOTO: A group called 'Reopen Maryland' say the pledge of allegiance as they gather to protest the restrictions imposed by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images) 5:40 a.m.: HHS 'actively working' on the idea of group testing The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed to ABC News Friday night that the agency is pushing the idea of pooling tests, which is when officials pull together samples from large groups and test them at once to see if individual testing is needed. The White House coronavirus task force is actively talking about trying to push it at the local level as a surveillance tool. The primary reason is because so many people are carrying the virus without symptoms. HHS is actively working with a number of collaborators to validate pooling so that it can be used generally as a technique, HHS said in a statement to ABC News. Pooling is a public health surveillance strategy in which samples from more than one person are 'pooled' in the same test," Adm. Brett Giroir, an assistant secretary of HHS put in charge of coordinating testing, said. "Depending on the underlying prevalence of the disease, this can be extremely beneficial. For example, if five samples are pooled into a single test, and the test is negative, then all five individuals are negative." Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Friday test pooling might be needed because the current testing strategy of contact tracing hasn't been working. One issue with contact tracing for COVID-19, Fauci said, is that there are too many asymptomatic people, which means you can't identify them if they don't have symptoms. Fauci also said since many people don't trust the government, people are not answering contact tracing calls. 4:53 a.m.: Miami set to close beaches As the number of coronavirus cases in the state of Florida continues to increase, Miami-Dade County announced that it's closing all beaches for the July 4 holiday weekend. Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced he will be signing an executive order Saturday to close all beaches starting July 3 through at least July 7, though he said that could be extended "if conditions do not improve and people do not follow New Normal rules requiring masks to be worn always inside commercial establishments and outdoors when social distancing of at least 6 feet is not possible." Particularly worrisome in the recent spikes, the mayor said, is the area is seeing a higher hospitalization rate with its younger population. "As we continue to see more COVID-19 positive test results among young adults and rising hospitalizations, I have decided that the only prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk," Gimenez said in a statement Friday. PHOTO: People gather on the beach in Miami Beach, Florida on June 16, 2020. - Florida is reporting record daily totals of new coronavirus cases, but you'd never know it looking at the Sunshine State's increasingly busy beaches and hotels. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/AFP via Getty Images) In his order, the mayor is also banning any gatherings of more than 50 people and is closing all parks and beaches to limit fireworks viewing. He said fireworks displays must be viewed from ones home or parked vehicle. "After all the success we have had tamping down the COVID-19 curve, we cannot turn back and overload our hospitals, putting our doctors and nurses at greater risk with more emergency room cases," Gimenez said Friday. "Everyone must do their part and follow the rules." Florida is one of several states across the U.S. to recently see a significant increase in diagnosed cases of COVID-19. Its coronavirus positivity rate jumped to 13% Friday, according to new numbers from the Florida Department of Health. Florida has more than 122,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, with at least 3,366 deaths. What to know about coronavirus: How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map ABC News' Rachel Scott, Anne Flaherty, Brian Hartman, Scott Withers, Joshua Hoyos and Jason Volack contributed to this report. Coronavirus updates: US tops 2.5 million confirmed cases originally appeared on abcnews.go.com In a press release dated June 24, Noida Metro Rail Corporation announced that the sector 50 metro station will be named Rainbow, dedicated to the transgender community. NMRC has started this initiative with very noble intentions with the aim to empower the Transgender Community. NMRC will also be providing them with up employment opportunities to help them become self reliant and pave the way for their healthy inclusion and participation in the society, reads the release from Ritu Maheshwari, Managing Director, Noida Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. We speak to some people from the trans community and what this move entails. I welcome the move; We are part of the rainbow and the name does justice to it. But then I would like to see what is the workplace policy, what kind of inclusion they are talking about, and whether they are including trans man and trans woman at the same level. It is important how they train and sensitise people, says Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Kinnar Akhada and trans rights activist. A planned approach and well-informed outlook will help take things forward in a more positive, inclusive manner, believes Abhina Aher, a trans rights activist working with India HIV/AIDS Alliance. This is the first ever station in India, and even globally of this kind. But I feel they need more information and knowledge in order to make it a more trans-led station. They should engage people from the community. We have to go beyond just naming a station; tokenism wont do. I really want to see people from the trans community to work there and lead the way. A community-friendly approach needs to be in place, she says. She also suggests adding visual elements, such as the colours of the trans flag at the metro station, will help create a connect. There are more trans people like me who are working with the government and are available to help them take this forward. Read: Noida gets a Rainbow station to recognise transgenders place in society Aryan Pasha, a lawyer by profession and the first Indian trans man to take part in national body-building competitions, feels that there is a need for sensitization and education both within the community and outside it. The name that they had decided on giving it before, She Man, is derogatory and would have given the public another chance to bully us. The name Rainbow covers the entire spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community. If you own and accept your identity, the world cannot bully you, he says. As far as workplace policies are concerned, he feels that security should be a top priority. Trans women should be given security the way female employees are. Even for trans men, employees say that you are biological male, why do you need security. Their preferred names and pronouns should be kept in mind while addressing them. Trans people should not be judged at any workplace. They should be given equal facilities as given to other employees, he adds. Alex, a Delhi-based trans woman says that the employment opportunities will open more doors for the community, who are otherwise shunned at interviews. I have a degree in civil engineering but I am jobless. Interviews pe bahut gande tareeke se dekhte hain aur sirf trans hone ke basis pe reject kar dete hain. I hope things change with this move. If the metro opens employment opportunities, I will be the first one to apply, she says. Interact with Etti Bali @TheBalinian Follow @htlifeandstyle for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON UPDATE: Masks Now Required in Parts of Oregon Coast, All of Washington Published 06/27/020 at 1:44 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Portland, Oregon) UPDATE: CLATSOP COUNTY REQUIRES MASKS. Face masks are now required in two counties now on the Oregon coast and throughout the Washington coast as well as the rest of that northern state. Meanwhile, other areas along Oregons shoreline are moving towards that independently of Gov. Kate Browns orders, with Manzanita already requiring visitors and residents to wear them in public indoor spaces. Clatsop County and LIncoln County just began the requiement. (Above: Newport's Nye Beach, in Lincoln County) After a massive spike in COVID-19 cases this month, residents and visitors to Lincoln County on the central Oregon coast are required to wear face masks in all indoor areas and outdoor locales where social distancing of six feet is not possible. Brown set the order in place for seven counties in Oregon where coronavirus has hit the hardest: in Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Lincoln, Hood River, Polk and Marion counties. That law went into effect Wednesday for Oregon, although enforcement will depend on each county. All businesses are given the right to refuse service to those not wearing masks. Clatsop County's requirement goes into effect July 1. Washingtons order goes into effect for the entire state on Friday. Scientists studying the coronavirus has mostly proven that wearing masks does greatly cut the chances of spreading the disease, explained Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman. "The science is clear that when we use face coverings, we limit the spread of droplets being passed on to others when we talk, cough or sneeze, he said. While some of us are wearing face coverings in public, we must increase usage to best control the virus. Washington's strategy to restart the economy and get people back to work will only be successful if, together, we act safely and follow health recommendations. Lincoln County includes the towns of Yachats, Waldport, Newport, Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach and Lincoln City. Like Washington and the other counties in Oregon, the mask order pertains to businesses and buildings such as grocery stores, fitness organizations, pharmacies, personal service providers, wineries, retail and ride sharing services, among others. Most if not all lodgings on the Oregon coast require them while in the offices, along with other safety features. For example, Whistling Winds Motel in Lincoln City has for awhile required masks in the office and there is a plastic barrier set up between staff and guests. Tourism businesses along both coastlines are intensely worried about more quarantines and shutdowns, with most putting great effort into not allowing the spread of the disease in their facilities, especially into the local population through visitors who might unknowingly be carrying it. Those fears have prompted more towns along the coastline to take matters into their own hands in terms of masks. With the science being clear on this, and the economic pressures now in a very delicate balance between the states rising numbers and the need to keep locals working, Manzanita just instituted its own requirement for mask-wearing in public that mirrors Gov. Browns. With the ominous language of a declaration of a state of emergency, Manzanita mayor Mike Scott instituted the mask requirement as of Wednesday. Clatsop County includes Astoria, Cannon Beach and Seaside. However, enforcement in Manzanita is also hazy. While Gov. Brown said the requirement could be enforceable by law, Manzanitas mayor outright said that is not happening there. He called it self-executing. All individuals are expected to adhere to the guidance. Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said on Saturday that his conscience was clear and he has nothing to hide, soon after being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate at his residence here in connection with the Sandesara brothers money laundering case. He accused the government of "using probe agencies every time it faced a crisis or when there was an election". "If you were to do an analysis, you will see a clear pattern over the past many years. Every time there is a Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha election or the government is facing a crisis, one or more investigative agencies become active on the instructions of one individual," he said in a statement. "Unfortunately this time, the (Narendra) Modi government's failure to manage an economic, health and national security crisis is now so huge, that none of the agencies can help spin the narrative," he said. Patel alleged that rather than fighting the pandemic and China, this government was "more keen to fight the opposition". "Nonetheless, our conscience is clear. We have nothing to hide, nor are we afraid to criticise and expose the government's failures and their past corruption," the Rajya Sabha MP and Congress treasurer said. Sharing his statement on Twitter, Patel also said, "Today the Modi government sent some visitors to my house." A three-member team along with few other officials of the Enforcement directorate reached Patel's 23, Mother Teresa Crescent, home in the Lutyens' zone of central Delhi around 11:30 am and left just before 9 pm. The team members were seen carrying files and wearing masks and gloves as precautionary measures against the coronavirus spread. The officials said Patel's statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) during the eight-hour-long questioning and that his purported links with the Sandesara brothers are under the scanner. The ED had summoned Patel, 70, twice for questioning in the case but the Congress Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat later cited prevailing COVID-19 guidelines that advises senior citizens to stay indoors in order to remain safe from the pandemic. The agency then assured the Congress party treasurer that all care will be taken while he is questioned at its office but it was pointed out by his legal team that there are media reports about coronavirus cases being found in the ED headquarters too. This money laundering case pertains to the alleged Rs 14,500 crore bank loan fraud that is said to have been perpetrated by the Vadodara-based pharma firm Sterling Biotech and its main promoters -- Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara and Deepti Sandesara -- all of whom are absconding. Nitin and Chetan are brothers. The agency has said that this is a bigger bank scam in volume than the PNB fraud involving diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AgraFlora Organics International Inc. (AgraFlora or the Company) (CSE: AGRA ) (Frankfurt: PU31 ) (OTCPK: AGFAF ) is pleased to announce its wholly owned subsidiary Sustainable Growth Strategic Capital Corp. (SGSC or the Company), a federally licensed cannabis company based in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has entered into a cultivation partnership (the Cultivation Partnership or the Agreement) for hemp cultivation in Ontario. Pursuant to the Cultivation Partnership, SGSC has successfully planted fifty (50) acres of high-quality hemp at a farm in Brinbrook Ontario (the Binbrook Farm). The Company anticipates the Binbrook Farm will yield approximately 50,000 kilograms of high CBD hemp in fall 2020. SGSCs cultivation partner, MicroC45 Inc. has a proprietary post-harvest mechanical separation process that results in higher extraction value and ultimately a greater yield of major and minor cannabinoids when extracted. Based on the forecasted yields and the proprietary nature of MicroC45s technology, the Company anticipates it will be able to create approximately 1,000 kgs of CBD isolate, CBD Distillate, and THC-Free Distillate inventory for sale to its current and future clients. Cultivation at Binbrook represents another milestone for this core-asset strategy, stated Brandon Boddy, AgraFlora Executive Chairman and CEO. With our expected high yielding CBD crop and the unique post-harvest methodology, we expect to be able to create a large volume of CBD inventory of the highest quality ready for our enterprise customers. By controlling the process from soil to oil we can ensure we are optimizing the economic value of the resulting distillate and isolate while managing costs throughout the value chain. We can look forward to a strong vertically integrated extraction model of high quality CBD crude, isolate, and distillate. Furthermore, the company announces it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement of up to 20,666,667 units of the company at a price of 7.5 cents per unit for gross proceeds of $2-million. Story continues Each unit shall consist of one common share and one transferable share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one additional share of the company for a period of five years from closing at a price of 10 cents per share. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/945b2d64-3134-4786-b9e3-0a886af3b6d7 About AgraFlora Organics International Inc. AgraFlora Organics International Inc. is a leading cannabis company building shareholder value through the development of revenue generating operating assets in the global cannabis industry. AgraFlora is focused primarily on the Canadian cannabis industry; the worlds most advanced and regulated legal cannabis market. Flagship Canadian assets include: Edibles & Infusions, a fully automated manufacturing facility in Winnipeg, MB for white-label and consumer branded edible production; Propagation Services Canada, a large-scale commercial greenhouse in Delta, BC focused on reshaping the Canadian flower market with high-potency, low cost cannabis flower, and AAA Heidelberg, a craft focused cannabis producer in London, ON. In addition, AgraFloras wholly owned subsidiary Farmako GmbH is scaling towards its goal of being Europes leading distributor of medical cannabis. Farmako currently has active distribution operations in Germany and expects to commence active operations in the United Kingdom in 2020. For more information please visit: https://agraflora.com/. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brandon Boddy Chairman & CEO T: (604) 398-3147 For additional information: For French inquiries: AgraFlora Organics International Inc. Nicholas Konkin E: ir@agraflora.com T: (800) 783-6056 Maricom Inc. Remy Scalabrini E: rs@maricom.ca T: (888) 585-MARI The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement Except for statements of historic fact this news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as plan expect project intend believe anticipate estimate and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions may or will occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information including factors beyond the Companys control. There are no assurances that the business plans for AgraFlora Organics described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or managements estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulators which are available at www.sedar.com. A Delhi police constable has been arrested in a case of attempt to murder for allegedly firing at his colleague with his service revolver at the Seemapuri police station in Shahdara, officials said on Saturday. The constable has been identified as Ravinder Nagar, while the victim, who is now battling for life at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Trauma Centre, has been identified as Amod Bhadana. According to officials, the incident happened on Friday night following an altercation between the two constables over a work-related issue. Nagar was caught at the crime scene and is being questioned on what triggered him to use his service revolver, said deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Amit Sharma. On Friday night around 10.30 pm, Bhadana eating on the first floor of the police station when the two started arguing. Nagar then took out his service revolver and fired at Bhadana, DCP Sharma said. The bullet hit Bhadanas chest and he collapsed. He was rushed to the nearby Swami Dayanand Hospital from where he was referred to AIIMS Trauma Centre. He has undergone surgery. His condition is still critical, the DCP said. What went wrong between them is being probed. The exact sequence of the events leading to the firing can be known only when the injured constable recovers and record his statement. Nagar is not saying anything on it, he said. Another police officer privy to the incident said that the two constables first had an altercation at a tea stall near the police station in the evening, which was resolved by some other officials. Meanwhile, some officials said that Nagar was upset about a recent change in Bhadanas charge. Bhadana had been recently given the charge of a police beat falling under the territorial jurisdiction of the Seemapuri police station after Nagar was removed from that beat by senior officers. Nagar was unhappy about this, said a police officer, requesting anonymity. deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Amit Sharma, US President Donald Trump denied Sunday being briefed on intelligence that reportedly showed Russia had offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing US soldiers in Afghanistan. The report by The New York Times sparked renewed questions about Trump's reluctance to confront Russia over behavior that, if accurate, would represent a serious national security challenge. In a pair of early-morning tweets, Trump angrily slammed the report as "probably just another phony Times hit job, just like their failed Russia Hoax." "Nobody briefed or told me, @VP Pence, or Chief of Staff @MarkMeadows about the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by Russians, as reported through an 'anonymous source' by the Fake News @nytimes," he wrote. "Everybody is denying it & there have not been many attacks on us...." "Nobody's been tougher on Russia than the Trump Administration." The Times, citing anonymous officials, said Trump was briefed on the US intelligence findings in March, but has not decided how to respond. According to the report, US intelligence had concluded that a Russian military intelligence unit offered rewards to Taliban-linked militants to kill troops of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan. The rewards were purportedly incentives to target US forces as Trump tries to withdraw troops from the conflict-torn country -- one of the militants' key demands -- and end America's longest war. While Trump cast aspersions on the Times report, neither he nor other top administration officials denied the underlying intelligence conclusion about the Russian activities. John Ratcliffe, the new director of national intelligence, issued a statement late Saturday denying Trump or Pence had been briefed "on any intelligence alleged by The New York Times in its reporting." He also vouched for an earlier White House statement that denied Trump had been briefed on the matter but left open the possibility that the intelligence existed. "This does not speak to the merit of the alleged intelligence but to the inaccuracy of The New York Times story erroneously suggesting that President Trump was briefed on this matter," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said. - 'Another day at the office' - John Bolton, Trump's former national security advisor and now peddling a highly critical tell-all book, said if it's true Russia was paying to have US troops killed, "that is a very, very serious matter." Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Bolton said, "To me it looks like just another day at the office in the Trump White House." Top Democratic lawmaker Nancy Pelosi accused Trump of seeking to "ignore any allegation against Russia." "This is totally outrageous. You would think that the minute the president heard of it he would want to know more instead of denying that he knew anything," she said on ABC's "This Week." - Taliban, Russian denials - The Taliban have denied the report, reiterating that they were committed to an accord signed with Washington in February that paves the way for withdrawing all foreign forces from Afghanistan by next year. The militants also said homemade explosives account for most fatalities among US forces. "The 19-year jihad of the Islamic Emirate is not indebted to the beneficence of any intelligence organ or foreign country," the Taliban said in a statement issued in Kabul. The group, widely believed to have received years of support from Pakistani intelligence, also denied previous US accusations it was given arms by Russia. Russia also denounced the report, with its embassy in Washington tweeting that the "baseless and anonymous accusations" in the Times story had "already led to direct threats to the life of employees" at its embassies in Washington and London. - Tortured history - Russia has a tortured history in Afghanistan, where the former Soviet Union in its final years was bogged down in a devastating fight against Islamist guerrillas, backed at the time by Washington. The Times said there were different theories on why Russia would support Taliban attacks, including a desire to keep Washington bogged down in war. It said Russia may also be seeking revenge over the US killing of Russian mercenaries in Syria, where Moscow backs President Bashar al-Assad. According to the newspaper, the Taliban operation was led by Unit 29155, an arm of Russia's military intelligence agency GRU, which has been blamed in numerous international incidents including a 2018 chemical weapons attack in Britain that nearly killed Russian-born double agent Sergei Skripal. Some Republicans called for clarity from the White House over the allegations, with Representative Liz Cheney asking on Twitter "Who did know and when?... What has been done in response to protect our forces & hold Putin accountable?" burs-st-jm/bgs/mdl Tesco shareholders inflicted one of the biggest-ever FTSE 100 pay revolts on the supermarket group yesterday. More than 67 per cent of investors voted against the 6.4m package for departing boss Dave Lewis a stinging parting shot to the executive dubbed 'the bloke who saved Tesco' after he turned around Britain's biggest supermarket. Shareholders were outraged that online grocer Ocado had been removed from a list of rivals used to assess Lewis's performance. Parting shot: Dave Lewis was dubbed 'the bloke who saved Tesco' after he turned around Britain's biggest supermarket The move boosted the payout for his long-term bonus from 800,000 to 2.4m. Yesterday Tesco's board were accused of being 'completely out of step' with the views of shareholders. The vote will sit alongside other historic shareholder revolts including the 70 per cent vote against Royal Mail boss Rico Back's pay in 2019 and the 90 per cent vote against shamed banker Fred 'The Shred' Goodwin in 2009. Tesco also reported an 8 per cent increase in sales to 13.4billion in the three months to May, thanks to the lockdown, but said profits would remain flat due to rising costs. It launched a price war against the discounters amidst fears the recession could drive shoppers to cheaper rivals. Ahead of yesterday's annual general meeting, Tesco's bosses had repeatedly defended the bonus in public with chairman John Allan saying it was 'right and fair'. Luke Hildyard, of the High Pay Centre, said: 'Moving the goalposts so blatantly to help the chief executive plunder more money at a moment of national economic crisis shows the Tesco board must be completely out of step.' But the vote is not binding and Lewis has so far refused to hand back his bonus. The retail supremo brought the supermarket back to profit from a 6.4billion loss in 2014. Once nicknamed 'Drastic Dave' for brutal cuts at Unilever, he told investors Tesco's turnaround was 'complete' when he announced his departure last October. As the UK heads into a recession, Tesco extended its 'Aldi price match' offer to 500 products in a bid to try and protect its market share. Aldi and Lidl have chipped away at the major players' market share over many years and bosses are worried the trend will accelerate as families tighten their belts. Declaring a war on the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), armed with hospital beds, testing kits, pulse oximeters, oxygen concentrators, and surveyors with pens and notebooks, may sound laughable on the face of it, but in the absence of a vaccine or cure, these are the most effective tools to save lives and stop the spread of a pandemic that has infected 529,485 and killed 16,101 in India. Fortunately for us, these work when used in combination with self-protection measures, such as frequent handwashing, wearing a mask, and social distancing of at least two metres in public places. Heres why these five weapons are part of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwals arsenal. Beds Around 22% of Covid-19 deaths in Delhi occur within 24 hours of hospital admission, and another 40% within 48 hours of admission, which indicates that people are seeking treatment in severe or critical disease stages, when treatment options are limited. The Union health ministry on Saturday asked the Delhi government to analyse data for all Covid-19 deaths to find out why people were reaching hospitals too late for treatment, which was happening for many reasons, including delays in admission because of bed shortages, fear of infection, and poor disease assessment, among others. To ensure everyone who needs treatment get it, Delhi now has 13,335 Covid beds, and plans to add another 1,000 next week in a field hospital in Dhaula Kuan run by army doctors and paramedics. Patients with moderate disease can be treated with a battery of newly approved treatments, including the antivirals remdesivir and favipiravir, the steroids dexamethasone and glucocorticoids, and convalescent plasma therapy, which is an experimental therapy available at some hospitals. Testing kits Delhi has ramped up testing from around 5,000 tests two weeks ago to over 21,000 tests a day, with the state government adding rapid antigen testing to conventional reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR) tests for quicker results. It has placed orders for 600,000 rapid antigen tests to top up the 50,000 kits it had acquired from the Centre. Also read | Delhis Covid-19 count soars past 80,000-mark with 2,948 fresh cases Testing and isolation stops disease transmission and protects those around us from infection. Asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic people and those with mild disease can also infect and sicken others, which can only be prevented by widening testing so that people are aware of their positive status and take measures to stop infecting others, said Dr Dileep Mavalankar, director, Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar. Pulse oximeters and oxygen concentrators A key clinical sign of Covid-19 is extremely low blood oxygen level, which can lead to hypoxia or death from oxygen starvation. The healthy range of SpO2 (peripheral oxygen saturation) is between 95% and 100%, but in people with Covid-19, it may fall below 90% without inducing symptoms of breathless, chest discomfort, lethargy or confusion. This condition, called silent hypoxia, results in people not realising they are oxygen-starved till their lungs collapse. Doctors recommend that the moment symptoms begin, oxygen levels must be checked frequently with a pulse oximeter, which is a small device that measures SpO2 at the finger tip. Low oxygen levels are a red flag for hospitalisation, where oxygen support can help save lives. Higher SpO2 levels after oxygen supplementation were associated with reduced Covid-19 mortality independently of age and sex, according to study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings in June. Pulse oximeter is working as a security cover for Covid-19 patients. It helps them check oxygen levels at frequent levels and alert us if theres anything serious, Kejriwal said on Saturday. Convalescent plasma therapy Plasma therapy is being used by many now. This doesnt work for patients who are on ventilators or who have multi-organ failure but helps those with moderate symptoms, said Kejriwal. The chief minister is partly right. Plasma therapy is recommended for patients with moderate disease but its effectiveness is still under review, which makes this experimental therapy hopeful but unproven at best. Also read | Govt using five weapons against Covid-19, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Plasma from the blood of a recovered patient, which carries specific antibodies that can neutralise the new coronavirus, are transfused into a sick Covid-19 patient to reinforce the immune system. Convalescent plasma has been used to prevent and treat infections since the 1890s, and immunoglobulin IgE serum is still injected in people with animal bites to prevent rabies, and varicella-zoster immunoglobulin is given to pregnant women who have been exposed to chickenpox, to prevent pregnancy complications. The therapy has no serious adverse reactions, but scientists say there is need for larger randomised-controlled clinical trials to establish efficacy. Surveys and screening Identifying undiagnosed infection in people who may have missed getting tested because they were asymptomatic, had mild symptoms, or testing wasnt accessible, helps to calculate the real number of people affected. People with mild illness go out and spread infection, so even asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic close contacts of a positive case must quarantine themselves even if you dont feel ill. If you dont, you become part of the chain and transmission doesnt stop, said Dr Randeep Guleria, director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON : David Leite Growing up, I never heard the word bifanas. My family didnt make them. We never ordered them those few timesso few I could count on one handwe went to a restaurant. We never had them at the St. John of Gods summer fair. Suffice it to say that these flavor bombs, these sometimes-drippy, always-alluring Portuguese sandwiches of garlicky marinated pork slices never crossed my lips. MAKE THE RECIPE: Bifanas | Portuguese Pork Sandwiches . Then I spent the better part of 2007 living and working in Lisbon as I researched and wrote my cookbook, The New Portuguese Table. AndI kid you notfor the entire time I was there, I never knew about bifanas, even though the city is studded with bifanas palaces. Casa das Bifanas. As Bifanas Do Afonso. Cafe Beira Gare. Just to name a few. And Casa das Bifanas was just steps from my apartment! Now, this doesnt mean that I wasnt eating bifanas. I was. Almost daily. I just didnt realize it. : Clin0000 Let me back up. When I went to live in Portugal, I left behind The One and our cats at the time, Chloe and Raja. Home, hearth, and family are crucially important to me. Without them to remind me of the million ways I really am loved, I dont fare well. Im already predisposed to periods of dark sadness, thanks to faulty wiring in my DNA that causes those chromosomes that bring on bipolar disorder to blinker on and off like tacky little Christmas lights. So Id spend my days pining for my family. The ache was palpable. It was as if someone had plunged a fist into my chest and was using my heart as a stress ball. What made it worse was my apartment was next door to a souvenir shop that played fado, the sad, soulful music of Portugal, from sunup to sundown. So while I had Skype calls with The One in which he regaled me with how our backyard glittered with more fireflies than hed ever seen, I wept to Amalias plaintive voice drifting up from below. And since I wasnt fluent enough in Portuguese (or rich enough in euros) to lie on some expensive psicanalistas couch twice a week, I did the second-best thing I know to self-soothe: I ate. : David Leite One afternoon on my way to the glorious Rossio (above), the square that takes up a big swath of the old city, I moped along Rua Barros de Queiros. Its a pleasant pedestrian pass-through lined with limestone pavers. On the left, wedged between a restaurant and shoe store, was a slice of a shop no wider than 10 feet. Ive long forgotten its name and Google Maps proves that it no longer exists. But back then, in its open window, sat two huge skillets filled with rippled slices of pork simmering in an orange liquid. I walked by unimpressed until I passed through a cloud of the holy trinity of Portuguese cookingpork, wine, and garlic. It couldnt be coming from those skillets the size of satellite dishes, could it? : Oksana Z Doubling back, I knew it indeed was. I slipped inside and waited at the counter for the owner, who sported a startling underbite and a prodigious chin beneath. I didnt want to let on I knew nothing about the magic brewing in the pans, so I did as I always do in these cases. I nudged my normal-sized chin in the direction of the window and said, Uma, se faz favor. E uma Coca. That combo of sentencesOne, please, and a Cokegot me through many a dining scenario when I was alone and still butchering the language with a verbal machete. The man sliced open a papo seco, a classic Portuguese roll with its characteristic top split that made it look like the firm little butt of a putto or newborn baby. Those I was familiar with. Butt buns, as I called then when I was a kid, were on our table all the time and cradled everything from hamburgers to chourico to a combination of eggs, peppers, and sausage to, well, you name it. I had BBF status with their soft, chewy inside, their surprisingly buttery taste, and dusty floured crust. He then slapped on a few slices of dripping, steamy pork slices, dunked the cut side of the top half of the roll into the simmering liquid, and capped off my meal. The Coca, made with real sugar, slid into place. The total: all of 3 euros. Although Id never eaten one of these mighty sanduiches before, I was intimately familiar with its flavor. It was my aunt Irenes deeply garlicky and wine-soaked pork roast, my mothers quahogs stuffed with spicy chourico sausage, my grandmothers paprika-freckled stew, all rubbing elbows on a roll. It was the taste of my childhood. Standing there in the middle of Lisbon, enveloped in my cloud of despair, I felt at home. Not just home, but gloriously home. Somehow that simple, inelegant sandwich bridged two continents and crossed what I was certain was a galaxy of distance. In a matter of a few bites, The One, Raja, and Chloe didnt seem so far away. And the best part: The two weeks left before The One would finally visit folded in on themselves to just that: two short weeks. Not the two decades my fantastically self-martyred self had declared it would be. : TTStudio When The One arrived, I practically dragged him by the wrist to my new spot. Still not sure of the name of what Id been eating, I nodded to my behemoth-chinned friend and held up two fingers. In no time, The One and I devoured lunch. Even after eating a bifana almost every afternoon for a fortnight, I was still bewitched. The One, on the other hand, enjoyed his and even saw its particular charms, but it didnt hold the same role of rescuer, comforter, and surrogate as it did for me. We didnt stop by the shop again that trip. The One was too intrigued by what else Portugal had on its menu to set his meals to repeat, and I didnt mind. We traveled up north to Coimbra, to see its stunning university, then farther still to Mealhada for leitao, whole roast suckling pig, with its mahogany skin and hunks of tender meat slicked with sweet fat. We traveled west to Tentugal for its famous egg-yolk sweets wrapped in the sheerest hand-stretched pastry that puts phyllo to shame. Then we made our way south along the coast so he could eat his favorite: grilled sardines. Having The One there with me sated a hunger for home, and I didnt even miss my beloved whatever-the-hell-the-name-was-of that-pork-sandwich. Im nothing if not predictable. As soon as The One leftand Im talking on the way home from dropping him off at the airportI stopped in for a bifana. The first time in weeks. I knew I would, even though we had just eaten at McDonalds. (Its a tradition with us. Our last meal in a foreign place is always something deeply familiar.) Still, neither our Chez McD nor the smell his cologne on me from when we stood embracing at security was enough to ground me. So I ate without passion but with purpose. For the remaining several months, I adjusted to life without him and our cats. Traveling, interviewing, and researching began to consume me. Along the way, I entertained a raft of friends who, for one reason or another, found themselves in Lisbon. But at those times when the ache grew unbearable, Id ditch recipe testing, ignore piles of notes, or duck out of a cocktail party and head to Rua Barros de Queiros. Id slump against the counter, much like a jilted lover would hunch over a bar. But instead of a bartender whom I could unload on, I had my amigo com o queixo grande. We couldnt understand each other, but he knew my order: Uma, se faz favor. E uma Coca. And, sometimes, that was enough. 2020 David Leite. All rights reserved. All materials used with permission. Your lack of leadership on this important issue continues to fail the people you have sworn to protect. I am concerned it is another example of your lack of commitment to the vulnerable citizens who are victims of this violence and a lack of respect for the men and women in law enforcement, Trump wrote of Pritzker and Lightfoot. David and Denyse Vallender: 'It's a monumental government blunder,' he said after she received 21,700 The Government is being pressed not to 'add insult to injury' by landing women underpaid massive sums in state pension with unfair tax bills. Denyse Vallender, pictured right with husband David, was handed 21,700 due to government bungling, while Allison Clark has received 16,500, in the latest cases to emerge in a scandal uncovered by This is Money. Both are normally on too low an income to pay tax, but their backpayments will push them into the basic rate income tax bracket this year. Tax experts say it would be 'deplorable' and 'hardly fair' to make them - and potentially many other elderly women - pay tax they might have avoided if not for government error. Tens of thousands of elderly women could be owed a fortune in lost state pension after a gigantic blunder stretching back decades. We look at how money they were deprived of for years might now be taxed in more detail below and here. The Department for Work and Pensions, which is facing demands for urgent action to address an estimated 100million shortfall in payments, has told us again that it is 'checking for further cases'. But the Government's tax arm adds: 'HMRC is working with the DWP to determine any tax implications of these payments as soon as possible.' This is Money has covered cases of retired women receiving payouts totting up to around 74,000 in the past few months and reported on a staggering 117,000 handed to a 96-year-old widow underpaid for 20 years. Why are some married women being underpaid state pension? Married women who retired on small state pensions before April 2016 should get an uplift to 60 per cent of their husband's payments once he reaches retirement age too. Since 2008, the increases are supposed to be automatic, but before that women had to apply to get the full sum they were due. Find out how to check if you are underpaid and what to do about it below. Hundreds of emails have poured in from readers anxious to know if they have missed out on state pension too since we began our investigation. We have received a handful of messages from women who have independently obtained between 7,000 and 21,500 from the DWP. Former Pensions Minister Steve Webb, who first brought this issue to light in a column for This is Money, says: 'It would add insult to injury not only to have been underpaid pension for many years but then face a tax bill when DWP finally put things right. 'This would be especially unfair for a married woman on a low income who might not normally be paying income tax, and who would not have paid tax if the pension had been paid correctly from the start.' Webb, who is now a partner at pension consultant LCP, adds: 'DWP and HMRC need to issue clear guidance for pensioners so that they know what to do when they get a lump sum, and they must make sure that people are not worse off in tax terms purely because of an original error by DWP.' How will backpayments to women due to government bungle be taxed? Heather Rogers, founder of Aston Accountancy, says: 'If you receive a large amount of backdated pension this could, if treated in full as income in the year you receive it, be taxed at a higher rate than if you had got it in the year it should have been paid. 'This seems hardly fair, especially if no tax would have been payable if the right pension had been received at the time. 'Depending on the amount of political pressure applied via parliament, there may be an argument for not taxing these payments at all, but people should certainly not bank on that outcome.' Rogers believes HMRC could end up either allocating backdated pension to the tax years to which it should have applied, or treating backpayments like deferred state pension lump sums, which effectively means ignoring them for income calculation purposes to determine the tax rate which should be applied. She urges women receiving backpayments to find an accountant, even if they do not usually use one, and to make sure they are a qualified tax adviser. 'It will be worth your while to get this right, and have a professional in your corner to fight HMRC if necessary,' she says. >>>Read more here on what Rogers advises women receiving backpayments to do about tax What does the DWP say? A DWP spokesperson says: 'We are aware of a number of cases where individuals have been underpaid state pension. 'We corrected our records and reimbursed those affected as soon as errors were identified. We are checking for further cases, and if any are found awards will also be reviewed and any arrears paid.' It notes that married women are required to make a claim to have payments increased if their husband reached state pension age before 17 March 2008, but not if he did so after that. The DWP says it encourages anyone who thinks they have failed to claim a state pension increase they are eligible for to contact the department. It adds that 'interest and consolatory payments' will be considered on a case-by-case basis and depend on individual circumstances. The DWP's contact details are here. Mike Warburton, an independent expert and former tax director at Grant Thornton, says: 'In my view it would be deplorable if pensioners who have been let down so badly have to pay more tax than would otherwise have been the case by, for example, taxing their back payments as income of the year they receive it. 'Legislation already exists that could be applied to treat these amounts as tax free to non-taxpayers or at only basic rate to basic rate taxpayers, in the same way as applies to deferred state pensions, if government chose to apply it. 'There is another reason why lump sum payments should not be taxed in full. State pensions are taxable by law on the basis of the year to which the pensioner was entitled to receive them and specifically without regard to when they were actually paid. 'HMRC are not allowed to assess income tax for more than the current year and four years in arrears in these circumstances, so you should not have any tax to pay on your pension entitlement for years before that whatever your tax rate is currently.' The DWP has refused to reveal how the massive state pension financial blunder happened, or what steps it is taking to identify women who may unwittingly be thousands of pounds out of pocket. This is Money has asked whether it will pay any sums owed to the heirs of women who have died while receiving incorrect state pension, but had no response. Labour's Shadow Pensions Minister, Jack Dromey MP, has put down questions in parliament to press the Government about what it is doing to find and pay women who are affected. He says: 'It is nothing short of scandalous that hardworking women have been so drastically shortchanged on their pensions.' On the latest two big backpayments to women that we cover below, he adds: 'These cases demonstrate how inept the Department for Work and Pensions have been on this critical issue. 'Simply transferring thousands of pounds in to individual bank accounts at a whim is not good enough. 'Ministers must carry out a full inquiry into what has happened and, crucially, work out how many women there are who have been underpaid. 'Every one of the women involved deserves every last penny of what they worked so hard for throughout their lives. 'Yet there are likely many thousands who don't yet know they are even affected by this scandal. This is simply not good enough.' >>>Have you been underpaid state pension? Find out what to do below 'It's a monumental Government blunder, and there are people out there in greater need than us' Denyse Vallender was receiving around 34 a week when her husband David read one of our stories about women being underpaid state pension. He immediately realised their longstanding suspicion that her payments were too low might finally be vindicated. Mike Warburton: 'It would be deplorable if pensioners who have been let down so badly have to pay more tax than would otherwise have been the case' Mr Vallender, a former head of risk and safety in social care, deferred his state pension until he was 72 because he carried on working well beyond his retirement age. He says they were troubled for a long time about the size of his wife's pension and that they asked the DWP about it twice, first when she reached state pension and again when he ended his deferment, but they were told it was correct. 'I have been looking for any indication that this was wrong,' says Mr Vallender. 'I thought, at last, is this something that will point us in the right direction. It never seemed right. 'It just seemed wrong in terms of fairness. It's the way we both felt.' The couple, who are both 76 and live in Northamptonshire, wrote to This is Money and we contacted the DWP on their behalf. Mrs Vallender is receiving 21,321 in arrears and 368 interest. Mr Vallender says regarding his own experiences dealing with the DWP: 'On their website it's not clear how you can approach them with a complaint about this. 'I sent a message to their complaints line. Naturally I have had no reply. I didn't think to ring them because it's a waste of time. You have to be really lucky to speak to someone.' Simply transferring thousands of pounds in to individual bank accounts at a whim is not good enough. Ministers must carry out a full inquiry' Labour's Shadow Pensions Minister, Jack Dromey MP Mrs Vallender's backpayment indicates that a husband deferring his state pension won't have a negative effect on how much his wife might receive in arrears, but the Government has refused to confirm this. 'It's a monumental government blunder. I am sure they didn't want this to be found out. I can't stress to you enough how lucky we feel we saw your article,' says Mr Vallender. He says he and his wife are delighted and feel that justice has been done, but although the payment will make things a lot better for them, they are concerned for people for whom such a sum would mean even more, and are still receiving too little. 'We both feel there are people out there who are in greater need than us. There must be people out there suffering and that means this is very wrong.' 'They just need a computer programme to do this calculation, it's not rocket science' Allison and David Clark contacted the DWP in response to our previous news stories, and within seven days just over 16,046 was deposited in her bank account. But this did not include interest, and the couple from Glasgow got nowhere in their efforts to chase this up themselves. In a call to the DWP, Mrs Clark was told her state pension would be increased from around 41 a week to just over 84. But staff wouldn't tell her whether her lump sum included interest, or whether this would be added later. After This is Money intervened, an additional 435 was paid to Mrs Clark, who is 74 and a former secretary at a university. The DWP has said 'interest and consolatory payments' will be considered on a case-by-case basis and depend on individual circumstances. The Clarks' case shows that it might not include or mention interest when it makes a backpayment, and that women could have to follow up to ensure this is also paid. Mrs Clark is currently a non-taxpayer, and the couple are concerned that the payment will push her into the basic rate tax bracket, so are keen to get a full breakdown of the figures. Scottish income tax rates differ slightly from those in the rest of the UK- read more here. 'The money just appeared in her bank account. We have no idea how it is made up,' says Mr Clark, 75, who was an accountant in the shipping industry before he retired. He had no idea before reading our story that his wife's state pension might be too low, and is baffled that the DWP hasn't discovered the problem before now. 'I had never heard of it. Once the money hit the bank account I told all my pals and they had never heard of it. 'The DWP has all the information it needs like my date of birth and my wife's, and what we get in state pension. They just need a computer programme to do this calculation. It's not rocket science.' Mrs Clark adds: 'I can't understand why if they have made all these mistakes they didn't do something about it sooner.' WINFIELD, KS / ACCESSWIRE / June 26, 2020 / Agora Architecture makes reference to their 1924 beginnings as being "humble yet explosive." Since then, they have relied on their legacy of success to continue moving forward in the world of architecture. Based in Winfield, Kansas, the Agora team is dedicated to the success of their firm and utilizes state of the art technology, such as virtual reality, to continue their success into the future. For the past 93 years, Agora Architecture has been serving clients old and new. With 75% of their total clientele being returning customers, it is evident they are doing something right. Making Virtual Reality: The New Reality of Architecture Agora Architecture was recently featured on the cover of Architect Blueprint Magazine. Image Credit: ArchitectBlueprint.com / Agora Architecture Intro to Cowley College Project Agora undertook a large-scale project in their home state of Kansas by designing two new education centers and a courtyard gathering space for Cowley College in Wellington, Kansas. The Principal Architect on the project, Cheri Hulse, worked with other members of the design team to flawlessly integrate virtual reality into their workflow and thus impressed their client and maximized their effectiveness as a team. Hulse and the design team were able to identify Cowley College as the perfect candidate to utilize this new technology since they too wanted to push the envelope of education and merge it with new technology. This project was Agora's first client to desire virtual reality, making it a challenge that, in the end, profited great success. The project consisted of designing two education centers. The Technology and Innovation Center, a 17,163 sq.ft. building, housing instructional spaces for Information Technology, Agriculture, Welding, Machine Tooling, Mechatronics, Non-Destructive Testing, as well as General Classroom and Science Lab space. The second building, the Short General Education Center, is a 24,355 sq.ft., three-level building that will house Classrooms, Lecture Spaces, Faculty Offices, Conference Rooms, a Student Resource Center, a Kitchen and Dining Area, and a large Community Room. Story continues Virtual Reality Software Use The team utilized Revit, Autodesk Software, to create their models and they utilized a Revit plug-in called Enscape to enhance the grass, trees, people, and building finishes. After creating this photorealistic visual experience, the rendering program was then uploaded to Iris-VR's Scope App for easy distribution and accessibility. Cowley College's initial goal behind using virtual reality was to communicate the design of the buildings to potential donors. The college planned to unveil the design at a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new campus and expected around 250 people to attend, including 25 dignitaries from the State of Kansas. This proved to be a large challenge with a successful finish. The Unveiling Cowley College chose to use cardboard viewers for the event to make VR accessible to each individual. Guests to the event were able to leave with a viewer. During the groundbreaking, these viewers were distributed along with step-by-step instruction brochures that were created to show how to download the Scope application, put in the code, and see the model in virtual reality. Short General Education Center rendering of the 24,355 sq, ft. three story building that will house Classrooms, Lecture Spaces, Faculty Offices, Conference Rooms, a Student Resource Center, a Kitchen and Dining Area and a large Community Room. This allowed Agora to create a virtual reality that was easily accessed by a large amount of people in a short amount of time. For those that were not able to use their personal phone for viewing, there were previously set up devices available with the assistance of student ambassadors from the college. Redefining the Client Experience Together with Cowley College, Agora redefined the donor experience as well as the client experience. They recognized the importance of impressing both the client as well as potential donors and thus were able to successfully show Phase 1 of the campus before it was even built. The reaction of the attendees was pure amazement and awe. Not only were the attendees in awe, but even those that had been a part of the design process from the beginning were impressed with this new technology. Agora felt confident that the benefits of virtual reality would exceed their goals and expectations. Their confidence in their technology paid off, as Jan Grace with Cowley College raved, "We needed to create excitement and allow the attendees to visualize' the future. This method created more excitement than anticipated!" Technology and Teamwork Virtual reality is changing the way the Agora Architecture team works together. When one architect did not fully understand or was not on board with another's idea, it was quite simple to view the model in virtual reality and get a definitive decision without wasting any time. Virtual reality also allowed Hulse and her team to make more informed decisions, such as changing the roofline on one of the buildings thanks to the ability to see the need for modifications in virtual reality. Hulse shared the importance of virtual reality in her team's decision-making stating, "By introducing virtual reality, we think we saved time both internally and externally with decision-making. We were able to button up schematic design in good time because the client was able to understand the design easily and give their approval." As the second oldest and most experienced firm in the state of Kansas, Agora continues to make their mark utilizing traditions from their past while creating legacies for their future. What's Your Architectural Dream? Convert your thoughts and dreams into reality by taking that first step. Visit http://AgoraArchitecture.com for more information about Agora Architecture. About Architect Blueprint Architect Blueprint reaches over 218,000+ Project Owners, Principals, Partners, Real Estate Developers, Architects, Designers, Builders, General Contractors, Specialty Contractors, Engineering Firms, Construction Professionals, Interior Designers, Industry Buyers, Commercial and Residential Property Owners and Real Estate Professionals, Industry CEO's and Executive Decision Makers, in both the USA and Canada. Find out more about innovative and inspiring buildings, structures, projects, and the companies, products, and people that design, furnish and build them. If you are involved in, or serve the Architecture, Design, Building, Construction, Facilities Management or Real Estate Industries, Architect Blueprint Awe-Inspiring Style and Design is for you. Visit https://ArchitectBlueprint.com for more information or call +1-877-463-9777 to collaborate with Architect Blueprint to help find the unique stories within your company to share. (Architect Blueprint is a 7 Figure PR Company Brand) SOURCE: Architect Blueprint View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/595411/Agora-Architecture-Redefines-the-New-Reality-of-Architecture-with-Virtual-Reality A 34-year-old man was detained five days after he had kidnapped a nine-year-old girl and raped her at a cemetery in Da Lat, the capital city of Lam Dong Province in Vietnams Central Highlands. The alleged rapist is identified as Nguyen Van Tuan, 34, a native of Thanh Hoa Province in north-central Vietnam who resides in the outlying district of Lac Duong in Lam Dong Province. The victim, who lives in Ward 7, Da Lat City, was on her way home from school alone at around 7:00 pm on June 20 when she was abducted by Tuan, who drove her to the nearby Thanh Mau Cemetery on a scooter. The man allegedly raped her there and fled the scene while the girl cried for help, prompting locals to bring her home. Police officers in Ward 7 and Da Lat City made a report on the case on the same night and teamed up with investigators of Lam Dong Province to search for the man. They found and arrested Tuan on Thursday while he was at a cafe in Lac Duong District. The man has confessed to raping the girl. He is facing seven to 15 years imprisonment for raping a person under 13 years of age, according to Vietnams 2015 Penal Code. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! MSU Extension of Midland County and cooperating parent educators sponsor the Parent's Corner. Send submissions to Midland County MSU Extension Educator, Lisa Treiber, 220 W. Ellsworth St., Midland, MI 48640. Walk Midland Chippewa Nature Center is the Wednesday location for Walk Midland, a City of Midland Parks and Recreation program in partnership with MidMichigan Health, Chippewa Nature Center and Greater Midland Corporate Wellness. CNC will be hosting the walking location every 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 14-Aug. 5. CNC is located at 400 S. Badour Road, Midland. Walkers, please bring your own writing utensil for check-in and practice social distancing with those outside your household. Participants will be eligible for weekly prizes as well as the grand prize trip for two to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island over Labor Day weekend. Visit the CNC website and check out their monthly calendar to learn more or visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/walk to learn about other daily sites to walk. Food Safety Q & A MSU Extension will be hosting weekly live chats online at 10 a.m. each Monday, discussing current trending information. The next Food Safety Q & A will be on June 29, to discuss Emergency Preparedness with Food Safety. Learn what you can do to prepare to feed your family in an emergency. Participants are encouraged to ask their questions during the Q & A portion of the event. Food safety educators will be available for this session and will provide the most up-to-date research-based information. To register for this informative session visit: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/food-safety-q-a-emergency-preparedness. There is no charge. For more information contact Kellie Jordan, jorda136@msu.edu. Family Yoga There's a natural connection between nature and yoga. Chippewa Nature Center and Well-Bean are teaming up to provide a program that blends yoga, nature, education, cooperative games, breathing and relaxation at 10 to 11 a.m. June 30. This fun and interactive program is designed to bring families together to nurture relationships and an appreciation for the outdoors. These themed classes will be held at the Homestead Farm and distancing with those outside your household will be practiced. Event will be canceled in case of inclement weather (light drizzle is OK). Please bring a towel or yoga mat for each family member. Registration is required, visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org or call 989-631-0830. CNC is located at 400 S. Badour Road, Midland. Summer Fun Series MSU Extension food safety educators will present a workshop on how to handle and prepare food safely when attending a fireworks celebration. The webinar will conclude with a fun kid-friendly recipe demonstrated on making fruit pops. Food safety questions are always welcome during these sessions. Register and join in the summer fun! To register visit: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/summer-fun-series-fireworks-fruit-pops For more information contact Mary Morris-Donaldson morrism4@msu.edu Story Hour Come spend an hour learning about nature at Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road, Midland, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. to noon on July 2. The hour will include a story, crafts and other age-appropriate activities. Program will be held outdoors and will be canceled if it is raining. Families will receive an email with information on where to meet; there will also be a note on the Visitor Center doors with the location listed. Registration is required to keep group sizes small. This is open for ages 3-5 with and adult, siblings are welcome. Last day to register is July 1. For more information, email info@chippewanaturecenter.org or visit www.chippewanaturecenter.org click on the calendar, look for the July 2 date for more information and the registration link. Food Preservation at Home MidMichigan College's Lifelong Learning sessions includes a series with MSU Extension this summer. Join MSU Extension to learn home food preserving methods and receive valuable resources to ensure the safety of the food you preserve at home. No matter what your home food preservation experience is, beginner or seasoned, these classes will allow you to learn the most current recommendations from safe home preserving and get answers to your questions. Join in on all of the classes or select the ones that interest you. All sessions are taught on Zoom. Visit https://www.midmich.edu/departments/corporate-continuing-education/lifelong-learning then click on the food preservation topic to register for classes. July 7 topic is Water Bath & Steam Canning. There is no charge. Safe Food = Healthy Kids Looking for a training for your childcare center or home? Michigan State University Extension is hosting several online sessions with education credits. Learn what the best practices are for food safety to help keep kids safe. Topics include cleaning and sanitizing, cooking, storing food, common allergens and personal hygiene. The workshop can count towards annual training hours for licensed childcare providers. This is also an approved training of Great Start to Quality. The next class will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. July 8, to select a date and register visit: https://events.anr.msu.edu/SFHKSummer2020?/ or email treiber@msu.edu. There is no charge. Other dates will be offered throughout the summer they are included on the link listed. Online Food Preservation Class MSU Extension will be offering an online Food Preservation class about Pressure Canning Low Acid Foods from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m. July 9. Learn how a pressure canner works, and what foods must be processed in a pressure canner. This class will provide resources to reference when you are preserving food. Participants will be able to ask food safety educators during the Q & A portion of the workshop. There is no charge. To register for this informative session visit: https://events.anr.msu.edu/FoodPreservation051212020online/ For more information contact Lisa Treiber, treiber@msu.edu. Walking Paths at CNC Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Road, Midland, has 19 miles of trails open dawn-to-dark open daily for walking. CNC is committed to providing an opportunity for healthy outdoor recreation, solace seeking, restorative time in nature and exploration for all ages during this challenging time. Currently all CNC trails remain open. CNC is asking everyone to maintain a six-foot distance from people outside your household while enjoying the trails. In an effort to aid in protecting the public and reduce the spread of COVID-19, all the buildings are closed until further notice. CNC encourages you to explore the Resources for Home Learning web page www.chippewanaturecenter.org and Facebook www.Facebook.com/cncmidland for resources outdoor and connection. The chief of staff to the Kyrgyz president and eight other employees tested positive for the coronavirus on June 27, bringing the number of infections to 17 within President Sooronbai Jeenbekov's administration. Jeenbekov traveled to Moscow on June 24 for a postponed commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, but he was unable to attend after two members of his entourage tested positive for the virus. Two subsequent tests of Jeenbekov have reportedly come up negative as the Kyrgyz head of state continues to work remotely while isolating since his return from Russia. Kyrgyzstan's government on June 26 rejected proposals to reimpose a state of emergency despite a rise in the number of cases in some cities. The new infections in the presidential administration include its head, Dosaly Esenaliev, who confirmed his positive test via Facebook. The presidential press service said all of the employees confirmed with the virus are in isolation, and are working from home under medical supervision. Kyrgyzstan's deputy health minister said on June 26 that Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov had recommended holding off on reimposing a state of emergency, although officials said they would increase sanitary and epidemiology controls in public places. Johns Hopkins University lists 4,513 confirmed coronavirus infections in Kyrgyzstan, with 46 COVID-19 deaths, lowest among Central Asia's five post-Soviet republics aside from Turkmenistan's improbable figures suggesting it has no infections. WHO's European director, Hans Kluge, on June 25 named Kyrgyzstan among 11 countries where accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgence that if left unchecked will push health systems to the brink once again in Europe and beyond. The 11 also include: Armenia, Sweden, Moldova, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Kosovo. The Community Reinvestment Act was enacted in 1977 to undo redlining, requiring banks to meet the credit needs of their local communities in which they had branches or collected deposits by providing mortgages, small business loans and other activities. Earlier this year, the banking industry scored a partial victory in a long effort to make it easier to comply with the CRA, by shifting the emphasis from the number of loans made in low-income communities to dollar amounts, as well as getting credit for infrastructure projects. Backers say the change will spur investment in poor areas, while fair-lending advocates have condemned the moves as gutting the law. The Federal Reserve has said that it will not join the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the proposal but is coming up with its own plan to update the act for the first time since the 1990s. Congress also moved earlier this month to reverse the OCCs changes. Last week, BNN Bloomerg reported that BlackBerry (TSX:BB)(NYSE:BB) and Shopify were working on a COVID-19 tracing app for Canadian health authorities. The app will let users upload COVID-19 test results to their smartphones to facilitate contact tracing. Incorporating Bluetooth technology, it will provide information when any given person has come within close physical proximity of someone who tested positive for the virus. The federal governments desire for a COVID-19 tracing app has been well known for months. Several provinces, including Alberta and B.C., have already developed apps of their own. The new Shopify/BlackBerry developed app will be the first rolled out nationwide. For investors, this development could be significant. While Shopifys involvement is limited to volunteer employee participation, BlackBerry seems to be involved on a corporate level. There havent been any clear signs that the company will be compensated for its participation, but the development could signal closer ties between the company and the federal government. This would be a positive sign for a company that increasingly relies on large enterprise clients to drive revenue. BlackBerrys participation in app development Unsurprisingly, BlackBerrys participation in the COVID-19 tracing app development will involve security review. The company has developed a sterling reputation as a developer of cybersecurity software. It will bring its security expertise to bear on the project, providing a review of the apps security. The potential for privacy breaches has long been a concern with COVID-19 tracing apps, so BlackBerrys contribution will be indispensable. What this means for BlackBerrys business So far, there is no indication that BlackBerry will directly make money off the COVID-19 tracing app. Early reports suggest that Shopify employees are participating for free. Details on BlackBerrys participation are more ambiguous. It is known that the app will be owned by the federal government, so if BlackBerry does generate revenue on this, it will be limited to consulting fees. But again, there is so far no indication that BlackBerry is accepting money for participating in the project at all. Story continues Nevertheless, this could be a positive signal for BlackBerrys business. Having long since thrown off its smartphone business, BB now develops secure enterprise software. In its new business, BB depends heavily on big corporate and government contracts to make money. It has already inked major deals with companies like Canadian Pacific Railway and Jaguar Land Rover. Its move to work on Canadas COVID-19 tracing app could signal closer ties with government, which could pave the way for lucrative contracts down the road. Foolish takeaway In recent years, BlackBerry has been seen as something of a turnaround story. While its stock is still way down from its heyday as a smartphone maker, the companys enterprise business is indeed taking off. In its most recent quarter, BlackBerry posted solid growth in revenue and adjusted earnings. Its too early to call the stock a decisive buy, but BBs recent results coupled with the high-profile projects its involved in, provide reason for optimism. The post BlackBerry (TSX:BB) Is Working on a COVID-19 Tracing App: Is the Stock a Buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Andrew Button has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Tom Gardner owns shares of Shopify. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Shopify and Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends BlackBerry and BlackBerry. 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 A man has been killed after being hit by a Toyota Kluger and pinned against a brick wall in Sydney's Inner West, with police suggesting he may have been deliberately hit. Emergency services were called to a car park on Hill Road near Half Street, Wentworth Point just after 8.30pm on Saturday night. Police treated the 31-year-old man at the scene until New South Wales ambulance paramedics arrived, but he died a short time later. Police tried to treat a 31-year-old man after he was hit by a car in Sydney's inner west but he died at the scene (stock image) The driver was arrested and taken to Concord Hospital under police guard for mandatory testing. The driver of the Toyota, a 45-year-old woman, was arrested and taken to Concord Hospital under police guard for mandatory testing. Detectives have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, but police claimed initial inquiries suggest the incident was 'deliberate'. GENEVA (Reuters) - AstraZeneca's experimental COVID-19 vaccine is probably the world's leading candidate and most advanced in terms of development, the World Health Organization's (WHO) chief scientist said on Friday. The British drugmaker has already begun large-scale, mid-stage human trials of the vaccine, which was developed by researchers at University of Oxford. This week, AstraZeneca signed its tenth supply-and-manufacturing deal. "Certainly in terms of how advanced they are, the stage at which they are, they are I think probably the leading candidate," WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told a news conference. "So it's possible they will have results quite early." Swaminathan said Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate was "not far behind" AstraZeneca's, among more than 200 candidates, 15 of which have entered clinical trials. "We do know that Moderna's vaccine is also going to go into phase three clinical trials, probably from the middle of July, and so that vaccine candidate is not far behind," she said. "But I think AstraZeneca certainly has a more global scope at the moment in terms of where they are doing and planning their vaccine trials." The WHO is in talks with multiple Chinese manufacturers, including Sinovac , on potential vaccines, as well as with Indian researchers, Swaminathan said. She called for drugmakers to consider collaborating on COVID-19 vaccine trials, similar to the WHO's ongoing Solidarity trial for drugs. A WHO-led coalition fighting the pandemic on Friday asked government and private sector donors to help raise $31.3 billion in the next 12 months to develop and deliver tests, treatments and vaccines for the disease. The initiative is called the ACT-Accelerator. Andrew Witty, Special Envoy for the ACT-Accelerator, said it was important to consider a "portfolio of research efforts" for vaccines. Story continues "It's still very early days in this journey, we may be super lucky - which would be terrific - and have an early win," Witty said. "Even if it takes 12 to 18 months that would be without precedent, the world's fast development of vaccine." For a FACTBOX on the vaccine race: (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay and Kate Kelland; writing by Stephanie Nebehay, editing by Mark Potter) A new federal grant that pays post-secondary students to volunteer during the pandemic listed 97 opportunities in Manitoba Friday: from storytelling about how COVID-19 has changed children's lives for the Kids Help Phone, to conducting surveys for the Girl Guides of Canada. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A new federal grant that pays post-secondary students to volunteer during the pandemic listed 97 opportunities in Manitoba Friday: from storytelling about how COVID-19 has changed children's lives for the Kids Help Phone, to conducting surveys for the Girl Guides of Canada. The Canada Student Service Grant is aimed at getting 100,000 volunteers for not-for-profit organizations facing COVID-19 service challenges. It offers students from $1,000 to $5,000 toward the cost of post-secondary education. Business reacts to paying volunteers The Canadian Federation of Independent Business isn't sure what effect, if any, a federal incentive to volunteer will have on hiring in Manitoba, where the economy is reopening more quickly than in other provinces. "Its kind of a tough question," said Manitoba director Jonathan Alward. In late May, the federation cited the Canada Emergency Response Benefit as the main reason members had difficulty with staffing. That is not the biggest concern right now. click to read more The Canadian Federation of Independent Business isn't sure what effect, if any, a federal incentive to volunteer will have on hiring in Manitoba, where the economy is reopening more quickly than in other provinces. "Its kind of a tough question," said Manitoba director Jonathan Alward. In late May, the federation cited the Canada Emergency Response Benefit as the main reason members had difficulty with staffing. That is not the biggest concern right now. "Relatively speaking, more Manitoba businesses are open here than in most other provinces but revenues are still down," said Alward. The federation regularly surveys its members. In the latest survey, as of June 22, 62 per cent of Manitoba small businesses are fully open, but only 23 per cent have revenues at or above normal levels for this time of year. Forty-one per cent of businesses are at or above normal staffing. That's better than the Canadian average with 53 per cent of businesses fully opened, 32 per cent fully staffed and 19 per cent reporting normal sales. The biggest worry for Canadian small businesses is the economic effect of COVID-19 (68 per cent) and reduced consumer spending (64 per cent), the latest survey shows. Federal programs, such as the CERB and the Canada Student Service Grant, that provide direct financial support to people so they can spend more, may be more needed now than workers. Close The $912-million program, which was promised in April, was unveiled Thursday. The volunteer opportunities it supports have to respect social distancing and other health and safety precautions set out by the Public Health Agency of Canada. National non-profits that had virtual volunteering gigs ready to roll out were the first to register on the federal government's "I Want To Help" website. "I feel this grant is a win for everyone in civil society," said Shireen Salti, interim executive director at the Canadian Arab Institute, which posted several volunteer positions. She said non-profits that have been especially hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic are getting an injection of fresh ideas and energy. The Toronto-based institute is seeking volunteers for several projects across Canada. They include youth documenting the stories of Arab seniors in Canada, and researching how COVID-19 has affected Arabs, Blacks and South Asians, Salti said. "I feel this grant is a win for everyone in civil society." Interim executive director at the Canadian Arab Institute Shireen Salti In Manitoba, many non-profits have had to close because of the pandemic. Jackie Hunt, executive director of Volunteer Manitoba, said they'll direct inquiries about the grant program to the website. "Within the next week or so, you'll likely see more local things pop up," said Hunt. "It's going to be a good opportunity for non-profits to get projects done they don't have resources to do and for university students to get experience and pay for their tuition." But struggling international students far from home say the program excludes them. SUPPLIED Francisca Idigbe, left, and Elsa Owusu "COVID-19 has created unprecedented disruption for international students across Canada," the University of Winnipeg Student Association's International Students co-directors said Friday. International students are struggling to make ends meet and need support, Elsa Owusu and Francisca Idigbe said in an email. "We are calling on the federal government to provide income support to international students." 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. Others have raised questions about Toronto-based WE Charities, which runs the grant program. The international charity, formerly known as Free the Children, was started by human rights advocates Marc and Craig Kielburger in 1995. JUSTIN TANG / CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, is an "ambassador and ally" for the organization and hosts a podcast in association with WE. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, is an "ambassador and ally" for the organization and hosts a podcast in association with WE. The federal government said the Department of Employment and Social Development recommended WE Charity because it has the necessary experience, expertise and capacity to deliver the large scale program. Students who get the Canada Emergency Student Benefit ($1,250 monthly, or higher for students with disabilities or dependants) are eligible for the grant program. Students who get the $2,000 monthly Canada Emergency Response Benefit are not. The grant program is open to those 30 and under. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Domestic firms which had a ratio of interest expense on earnings higher than 20 per cent were mainly operating in manufacturing and processing, real estate, construction and power production and distribution. The interest expense deduction limit was raised to 30 per cent from 20 per cent. - Photo baoxaydung.com.vn Decree No 68/2020/ND-CP amended Decree No 20/2017/ND-CPs regulation on the interest expense deduction limit on enterprises with related party transactions. Under the new decree, the deductibility of interest payments was limited to 30 per cent of the companys earnings before interst, taxes, depreciation and amortisation with the excess carried forward indefinitely. The Ministry of Finance said that the previous cap of 20 per cent was within the corridor of 10 per cent to 30 per cent recommended by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development but was not appropriate for Viet Nam, where most firms were thinly-capitalised with the level of debt much greater than equity capital. The new decree would be applied for the 2019 payable corporate income tax and retroactive for 2017 and 2018. The finance ministry estimated that the tax which must be refunded or deducted following the new regulation would total around VND4.8 trillion (US$210.13 million). The ministrys statistics showed that among nearly 4,000 enterprises with related party transactions and interest expenses, about 700 had the ratio of interest expense on earnings higher than 20 per cent (more than 450 were foreign-invested). The deducted interest expense was estimated at about VND18 trillion (US$775.8 million) each year, VND10 trillion was for domestic companies. Domestic firms which had a ratio of interest expense on earnings higher than 20 per cent were mainly operating in manufacturing and processing, real estate, construction and power production and distribution. A burnt out "Conjola National Park" sign is pictured on January 05, 2020 in Conjola, NSW, Australia. (Brett Hemmings/Getty Images) Record Land Purchase for NSW National Park The largest purchase of private land for national parks in NSW history will create a vast, near-contiguous conservation area in the states far northwest and help protect threatened species and wetlands. Environment Minister Matt Kean on June 27 announced the purchase of the 153,415-hectare Narriearra Station near Tibooburra. Narriearra Station stretches across the outback Channel Country and includes part of the Bulloo River floodplain, ephemeral wetlands and landscapes currently not found anywhere in NSW national parks, Kean said in a statement. Narriearra is an important refuge for threatened wildlife, with more than 25 threatened animal species, including nearly 90 percent of NSWs critical habitat and breeding areas for the nationally endangered Grey Grasswren. Kean said the acquisition also secures a key section of the Caryapundy Swamp. The nationally important wetland can host tens of thousands of waterbirds including pelicans, straw-necked ibis, egrets and whiskered terns during inland flood events, he said. Narriearra along with the nearby Sturt National Park will create a vast near-contiguous conservation area of almost half a million hectares, or twice the size of the ACT, Kean said. Adjoining the Pindera Downs Aboriginal Area, Narriearra contains many significant and valuable stone artefacts, tools and stone arrangements. The property is also linked to the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition, with two expedition campsites on the property. The Tibooburra Local Aboriginal Land Council has been invited to suggest a name for the new national park. Nature Conservation Council chief executive Chris Gambian welcomed the announcement. We always welcome new parks but this is particularly significant because of its scale and the range of ecosystems and species it will protect, Gambian said in a statement on Saturday. The World Wide Fund for Nature Australia also welcomed the news. Protected areas are a cornerstone of biodiversity conservation, and key to storing carbon in landscapes to help create a safe climate, WWF Australias Land Clearing and Restoration senior manager Stuart Blanch said in a statement on Saturday. The organisation called on the government to make sure Indigenous communities are able to use the site and to create jobs for traditional owners in park management and the conservation of cultural sites and artefacts. Australian director of Pew Charitable Trusts Barry Traill labelled the purchase a visionary move. The outback landscapes in western NSW have not been highly protected and the scale of this historic purchase is exciting, Traill said in a statement on Saturday. By Heather McNab in Sydney Broken Or A Breakthrough? Surprise Kosovo War-Crime Charges Have Put Balkan Talks In Limbo By Andy Heil June 26, 2020 A war crimes indictment from The Hague against Kosovar President Hashim Thaci and several others caused transatlantic shockwaves when it was announced on June 24. Prosecutors from an internationalized office (the SPO) to investigate grave crimes around Kosovo's war for independence in 1998-99 accused Thaci and other prominent figures of roles in "nearly 100 murders," enforced disappearances, and torture. They cite "hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities" that include "political opponents." Beyond leveling grave charges against a sitting head of state that stretch back to a bitter and bloody conflict that led to Kosovo's independence -- still a divisive topic for some European countries -- the charges came just three days before a major summit in Washington that U.S. officials hoped could bring a minor breakthrough in a decade of intransigence in the Balkans. Thaci, a leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) during his country's war of independence from Serbia in 1998-99, has proclaimed his innocence. Prosecutors added that the indictment was "only an accusation," but it comes after a long investigation and "reflects the SPO's determination that it can prove all of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt." A judge from the related Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC) is reviewing the indictment to decide whether to "confirm the charges." Thaci quickly canceled his plan to travel to the United States for a June 27 meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Serbian-Kosovar peace negotiations, Richard Grenell. After initial signs that the Kosovar prime minister, Avdullah Hoti, would still attend, Hoti said he told Grenell he was returning to his country "to deal with the situation." So the talks -- widely billed as a U.S. strategy to jump-start suspended negotiations to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, a staunch opponent of Kosovo's independence -- have evaporated for now, though Grenell has said they will be rescheduled. But it's unclear what the longer-term consequences will be for Kosovo, Kosovars, and for international backers of a deal to eliminate a nagging source of instability in the heart of Europe. Timing Is Everything Former Kosovar parliamentary speaker Kadri Veseli, another ex-UCK fighter who leads the Democratic Party of Kosovo and is also accused in the indictment, dismissed the charges and accused prosecutors of playing politics. "Considering the time and circumstances -- a few days before the meeting at the White House -- it really raises suspicions that this is [no] coincidence," Veseli told journalists late on June 24. "No prosecutor should ever allow his decisions to be guided by political motives." "I think everyone, everyone is surprised," James Ker-Lindsay, a visiting professor with a focus on Southeastern Europe at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told RFE/RL after the announcement. It was a nearly universal sentiment and appeared to reflect the fact that even seasoned Balkans watchers were caught unawares. "You know, we're dealing with the Balkans, and even those of us who like to think we were above conspiracy theorizing and that we must remain immune to it are naturally asking what the hell's happened here, why is this happening right now, after years of waiting," Ker-Lindsay said. He cited several lines of argument that he'd seen in early speculation about the announcement and its timing: 1. that Europeans were behind it because they were unhappy at the U.S. "stealing their thunder" in the normalization process and objected to the substance of the deal that Washington presumably hoped would emerge from its mediation efforts; 2. that Americans were behind it because they wanted to increase their leverage to encourage Thaci to commit to a deal with Vucic, whose party just won a landslide election victory in Serbia; and 3. that some individuals within the SPO in The Hague fear that a deal struck this week in Washington might include some elements of amnesty for war crimes. "So maybe there's a sense that 'we need to put this out there now so that, in case that happens, it can't be whitewashed after all these years preparing carefully," Ker-Lindsay said. The special prosecutor said in the statement that it "deemed it necessary" to issue the indictment "because of repeated efforts" by Thaci and Veseli to obstruct and undermine the KSC's work. But Marika Djolai, head of the Conflict and Security Cluster at the European Center for Minority Issues, told RFE/RL that the indictment "could have been issued at any point between April and now, which I think allows a space for assumptions that the timing has been carefully chosen in relation to the upcoming meeting [in Washington]." A Blow To U.S. Momentum On A Deal The American side also appeared to be caught off guard by the announcement, at least publicly. Grenell had spent months ramping up pressure on Belgrade and, in particular, Pristina, for a deal that many observers thought could serve as a foreign-policy success for Trump ahead of his bid for reelection in November. Grenell has sought to shift a fraught political debate away from broader -- and more emotionally charged -- issues of nationality and ethnicity in favor of a narrower economic focus. "[We] think if you can create jobs in the region, if you can bring capitalism and force the parties to get along economically and commercially, then the political issues would be the second step," Grenell said last week. He added that he hoped for a "little mini Shenzhen zone," a reference to the first of China's half-dozen special economic zones created in 1980. "The political issues are clearly the responsibility of the Europeans," Grenell said, in reference to the hit-and-miss process to encourage "normalized" Serbia-Kosovo relations that EU officials have waged for a decade. Late on June 24, after the word of the indictment, Grenell tweeted that he "[respects Thaci's] decision not to attend the discussions until the legal issues of those allegations are settled," and suggested the meeting in Washington would go on with Vucic and Hoti. Are the indictment and its fallout a death blow to the current U.S. effort, then? Florian Bieber, director of the Center for South East European Studies at the University of Graz, said the postponement was damaging, but "not a definite [death blow]." He noted the "very asymmetrical relationship" that would exist between Belgrade and Pristina if the Washington talks proceeded with just Hoti or another Kosovar --instead of the head of state -- to meet with Vucic. "We don't know what Thaci's position will be," Bieber said. "Will he have to resign? If so, who's going to replace him? Because the whole process on the Kosovo side has been very much driven by Thaci and has very limited backing beyond him." Washington does not appear prepared to give up quickly. Is Thaci Done? A Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) committee report in 2011 accused Thaci of heading a notorious criminal network made up of leading former UCK fighters responsible for forced organ donations, illegal trafficking, racketeering, and other serious crimes. Veseli was said to be a member of the same group. Thaci and Veseli have consistently denied any wrongdoing. But Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the latest charges "[advance] justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity during and after the 1998-99 Kosovo war." "This indictment is a positive step for justice as these alleged crimes have hung over Kosovo for two decades," the group's EU director, Lotte Leicht, said. "After years of demanding justice, victims from all ethnic groups may finally get to have their day in court." And Thaci already declared -- to many people's surprise -- that he did not intend to seek reelection next year when his five-year term expires. Judge Dean Pineles, an international judge in Kosovo with EULEX from 2011 to 2013, wondered more than a year ago about a possible overreliance on Thaci in a piece, American Dilemma: What If Kosovo's Thaci Is Indicted? Within weeks of a Thaci trip to the United States in November 2018, Pineles said, the Trump administration was pressing Kosovo and Serbia to reach a historic agreement. "[An] indictment would be an embarrassment for the U.S., which has placed its confidence in President Thaci and anointed him as the best person to facilitate a peace agreement with Serbia," Pineles warned. Djolai said the indictment looks eerily similar to a call last year for Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinja to testify at The Hague -- an action that Djolai said "effectively removed" him active Kosovo politics. The judge for Thaci's indictment is said to have six months to decide whether the evidence supports a Hague trial for the Kosovar president, possibly putting him in legal limbo for several months. How Do Kosovars See It? An informal poll on the streets of the capital, Pristina, after the indictment was announced on June 24 suggested that Kosovars are still divided on the issue of the court. "Great injustice," said one, Nike Hiseni. "UCK soldiers did not commit crimes. Great injustice." "I don't defend either the president or the president of the PDK," said Albert Shala, "but this is a great injustice to Kosovo." "I read the news in the press. Bad news. What can we do?" said Hysen Azemi. Thaci and other former guerrilla fighters have led Kosovo for almost its entire sovereign existence. His Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) -- which emerged from the demilitarized UCK -- had led every governing coalition since independence in 2008. In October 2019, voters blamed the PDK for rampant corruption and nepotism and gave the election to an upstart ethnic Albanian nationalist, Albin Kurti, and his Self-Determination party. But stymied partly by Thaci's political maneuvering and partly by his own miscalculations -- and, some say, a nudge from Washington -- Kurti's government fell in March and was replaced by a government supported by former UCK fighters. It was a sour defeat for Kurti and the plurality of voters who voted for him seeking change. But the indictment could prompt some of those same Kosovars to rally around Thaci and others they regard as victims of misplaced prosecutorial zeal by the KSC and SPO in The Hague. Thaci has publicly acknowledged the political benefit of the court's existence for his country but has dismissed it as unfair that no similar specialized court still exists in Serbia to try suspected war criminals there. Many Kosovars agree. "A couple of years ago, there was much more consensus in opposition to these courts...and to [the pursuit of prosecutions for] crimes," said Ker-Lindsay. "A lot of people in Kosovo said, 'This is an attempt to undermine possible statehood'" by putting Kosovar leaders on trial and trying to make the war of independence "somehow illegal or illegitimate." Can The EU Reassert Itself? Some have speculated that European political forces are behind the timing of the SPO announcement, though there's no evidence to back that up. But if it is, it is unclear what they might do with an opening. Edward P. Joseph, a former deputy head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, expressed skepticism of the U.S.-led process in a Foreign Policy journal polemical on June 24, but was quick to add that Brussels is hardly in any position to seize the initiative to mediate a Serbia-Kosovo deal. "[The] expectation that the EU will later take the lead on resolving outstanding political issues defies common sense," Joseph argued after hearing of the charges. "Nowhere is Europe more splintered politically than on Kosovo." After all, he said, the EU's high representative for foreign policy, Spaniard Josep Borrell, and its special envoy on Serbia and Kosovo, Slovak Miroslav Lajcak, come from two of the five EU member states that don't even recognize Kosovo's independence. Brussels speaks in terms of the need for Belgrade to "normalize" its relations with Kosovo to get into the EU, he added, not necessarily recognize its sovereignty. For his part, Bieber said he thinks Brussels "has been gearing up to take on, again, an active role in negotiations" between Serbia and Kosovo, as has Lajcak through several recent rounds of shuttle diplomacy. Bieber also cited Grenell's public deferral to the Europeans on thorny "political" issues in the bilateral stalemate. "Butwithout U.S. support it's going to be hard for the EU to have a deal," Bieber said. Ker-Lindsay acknowledged there are many who -- 12 years into Kosovar independence and 21 years since Kosovo's war of independence against Serb forces ended -- just want a deal and think Thaci and Vucic are the only leaders who can make that happen right now. "These are two people wholook like they're willing to at least sit down and talk some hard politics in order to get a deal, and now this has been scuppered," Ker-Lindsay said. "But frankly, 10 years from now they could still be talking and Kosovo [might not] be any further towards UN membership and Serbia might still not be any further towards the EU; and who knows what new malign influence is on the horizon?" Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo- thaci-war-crime-charges-balkan-talks- limbo-serbia-vucic/30692027.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The last surviving Ku Klux Klan member convicted in the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Baptist Church in Birmingham that killed four little girls has died. Thomas E. Blanton, 82, died of natural causes Friday morning at William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Jefferson County. He was found at 5 a.m. having cardiac issues and taken to the infirmary at Donaldson. He went into full arrest and was pronounced dead at 6:10 a.m., according to Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates. An autopsy performed found no evidence of trauma or foul play, but did reveal Blanton had significant natural disease consistent with his known documented medical history. The final autopsy results will be available in approximately four to six weeks pending toxicology and other laboratory studies. Blanton was one of three Klansmen eventually convicted in the Sept. 15, 1963, 10:15 a.m. blast that killed 11-year-old Denise McNair and 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Cythnia Wesley and Carole Robertson. The girls, all Black, were killed as they changed into their choir robes. Collins sister, Sarah Collins Rudolph, survived the blast but lost her right eye and is known as the fifth little girl. Glass fragments remained in her chest, left eye and abdomen for decades after the explosion. Blanton and Bobby Frank Cherry were arrested in 2000 on murder charges, nearly four decades after the deadly Birmingham bombing. A parole hearing was scheduled next year for Blanton, and Rudolph and her husband planned to attend in opposition to his release, which was denied during a previous hearing. She hopes that he found Jesus Christ and repented, George Rudolph said on behalf of his wife. Lisa McNair, the sister of Denise McNair, said she also hoped Blanton had repented and added: I wish I could have sat down with him to find out if he had had a change of heart. While serving a life sentence, Thomas Edwin Blanton, Jr., the last surviving 16th Street Baptist Church bomber, has passed away from natural causes. His role in the hateful act on September 15, 1963 stole the lives of four innocent girls and injured many others, Gov. Kay Ivey said in a public statement. That was a dark day that will never be forgotten in both Alabamas history and that of our nation. Although his passing will never fully take away the pain or restore the loss of life, I pray on behalf of the loved ones of all involved that our entire state can continue taking steps forward to create a better Alabama for future generations. Let us never forget that Sunday morning in September of 1963 and the four young ladies whose lives ended far too soon, but let us continue taking steps forward to heal, do better and honor those who sacrificed everything for Alabama and our nation to be a home of opportunity for all. Cherry and Blanton were two of the four longtime suspects in the bombing. The initial investigation in the 1960s yielded no charges. Then, a decade later, Attorney General Bill Baxley conducted a second investigation which led to the conviction of Robert Chambliss, who died in prison in 1985. A fourth suspect, Herman Cash, died in 1994. A 1993 meeting in Birmingham between FBI officials and Black ministers led to the reopening of the bombing case against Blanton and Cherry. A decade earlier, the U.S. Justice Department concluded that former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had blocked prosecution of Klansmen in the bombing. The case was reopened secretly in 1996 at the direction of former FBI Birmingham head Rob Langford. FBI Special Agent Bill Fleming and retired Birmingham police Sgt. Ben Herren were assigned the case in 1996, spending a year poring through voluminous case files and then interviewing more than 800 people. The FBI in 1997, by then under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Joseph Lewis, announced it had reopened its investigation. The agency went public with the information as it prepared to expand the probe to begin questioning people with possible knowledge of the crime. In the 1960s, Blanton was a KKK member and a staunch fighter against Birmingham school integration. He was 25 years old in the fall of 1963. At the time of the arrest, he was guarding property in Fultondale. At that time (1963), he was pretty wild and crazy, said former Klansman Wyman S. Lee. He has a lot of hate, anger and resentment built up in him, Lee said. Though the case was federally investigated, Blanton and Cherry were arrested on state murder charges. U.S. Senator Doug Jones then a federal prosecutor was appointed a special prosecutor in the state case. At Blantons trial in 2001, the biggest pieces of evidence against him were secretly recorded FBI tapes from the 1960s in which he told his then-wife that he had been at a meeting where we planned the bomb. Tommy Blanton is responsible for one of the darkest days in Alabamas history, and he will go to his resting place without ever having atoned for his actions or apologizing to the countless people he hurt. The fact that after the bombing, he went on to remain a free man for nearly four decades speaks to a broader systemic failure to hold him and his accomplices accountable, Jones said today. That he died at this moment, when the country is trying to reconcile the multi-generational failure to end systemic racism, seems fitting. However, what the families of those girls, and the entire community of Birmingham, do know today is that when we come together and demand justice, we can achieve it. At this moment in our nation when we have all come to realize that the journey to racial justice has taken far too long, we must come together. Tommy Blanton may be gone, but we still have work to do. Blanton never admitted any role in the blast, but evidence showed he was part of a group of hard-core Klansmen who made a bomb and planted it on a Sunday morning. When asked by the judge during sentencing if he had any comment, Blanton said: I guess the good Lord will settle it on judgment day. Blanton proclaimed his innocence years after being sent to prison. In a 2006 interview with Birmingham station WBRC-TV, he claimed the government used trumped-up evidence and lies to gain his conviction. I think I was cleverly set up by the government ... and thats why Im here, Blanton told the television station from St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville. Im sorry it happened. Deeply sorry. But Im not responsible for it. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 2019 BBNaija housemate, Khafi Kareem has taken to her social media space to give an update on her younger brothers murder. The reality TV star shared a news report which states that UK detectives have placed a 10,000 bounty for anyone that can provide information that will lead to the arrest of the murderer. Her post reads; Detectives hunting a gunman who shot a student dead near his home in Shepherds Bush have issued a 10,000 reward for information received anonymously which leads to the arrest of whoever is responsible for his death. Advertisement Alexander Kareem, 20, a computer whiz who was due to study IT at university in September, had just left a shop in Askew Road when he was gunned down at 12.40am on June 8. Police, who believe the killing was a case of mistaken identity, issued an image of a white Range Rover found burned out about two miles from the crime scene and appealed for information. Alexa Loukas, London regional manager at Crimestoppers said: Alexander had a great future ahead of him and his life has been senselessly cut short. We are offering this reward because his family deserve to see justice. DCI Wayne Jolley, added: We continue to work round the clock to find answers for Alexanders friends and family. We are appealing to those who have information to call and say what you know. There are people out there who know who was in the white Range Rover that night. You are protecting someone who has committed a terrible crime and needs to be brought to justice. Please think of Alexs family and friends who deserve to know what happened to him. We are hoping this significant reward, put up by Crimestoppers, will encourage people to come forward. It is 100 per cent anonymous. There continues to be additional patrols in the area and we want to reassure the public that we will do all we can to bring those responsible to justice. Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org to give information. Read Also: Nigerian Crossdresser, Jay Boogie Shares Stunning Photos On Instagram See her post below: The obscure past of a man accused of committing some of Australia's most horrifying murders has been revealed as his trial finally comes to a close. Bradley Robert Edwards, 51, has denied murdering secretary Sarah Spiers, 18, childcare worker Jane Rimmer, 23, and solicitor Ciara Glennon, 27, in 1996 and 1997 in the wealthy Perth suburb of Claremont. The alleged Claremont serial killer has admitted to raping a 17-year-old in 1995 and climbing on top of a sleeping 18-year-old in her bedroom in 1988. Edwards' trial wrapped up on Thursday and Judge Stephen Hall is expected to make his decision in three months. Details have emerged about the life of the accused killer, including an ex-wife's affair, an obsession with computers and a love for his stepdaughter. Bradley Robert Edwards, 51,(pictured) denies murdering three women between 1996 and 1997 in the Perth suburb of Claremont Edwards is accused of murdering childcare worker Jane Rimmer (left) and secretary Sarah Spiers (right) in 1996 and 1997 Ciara Glennon, 27, (pictured) is the third alleged victim of the Claremont serial killer Edwards was arrested and charged with the three murders in December 2016 and has faced a seven-month long trial which included more than 200 witnesses. The 51-year-old was born in Merredin, around three hours east of Perth, and spent the first eight years of his life moving around in a caravan with his family. Edwards went on to work as a Telstra technician and married his first wife in 1991. Three years into the marriage, Edwards' wife had an affair with a work colleague who eventually moved into the spare room of the couple's house. While the pair were still married, Edwards abducted a 17-year-old girl off the streets of Claremont in 1995 and raped her at Karrakatta cemetery. The girl, who was a virgin, was raped vaginally and anally by Edwards who later pleaded guilty before his murder trial began. While he was married, Edwards (pictured) abducted a 17-year-old girl off the streets of Claremont in 1995 and raped her at Karrakatta cemetery In February 1996, Edwards and his first wife divorced, just one month after 27-year-old Sarah Spiers disappeared on a night out in Claremont. Her body has never been found. In June 1996, Jane Rimmer disappears from Claremont only for her naked body to be found in bushland in Wellard in August that year. In March 1997, Ciara Glennon disappears after she was last seen speaking to a man in a Holden Commodore station wagon. Her body was found in bushland in April. Money was an issue in Edwards' second marriage, with his second wife saying she was concerned about his 'lies'. In 1990, Edwards (pictured) grabbed a social worker from behind, shoved cloth into her mouth and tried to drag her into a nearby toilet She resorted to writing down copies of his bank statements, The Weekend Australian reported. During his younger days, Edwards told detectives he was teased in primary school due to his short frame and glasses. In Year 9, Edwards' family bought a computer that he quickly became attached to, the obsession lasting long into his adult life. Earlier in the trial, Edwards' first wife said he became so obsessed with the computer he would spent all night on it as she slept alone. During his arrest, police claimed to find large amounts of pornography stored across multiple computers, including stories about rape and abduction. Despite his history of attacking women, the 51-year-old (pictured) said he was very close with his mother Kay, describing her as a 'great mum' In 1990, Edwards grabbed a social worker from behind, shoved cloth into her mouth and tried to drag her into a nearby toilet. He pleaded guilty to one count of common assault and was sentenced to two years' probation. Despite his history of attacking women, the 51-year-old said he was very close with his mother Kay, describing her as a 'great mum'. He also refers to his stepchild as his own daughter. In police interviews he showed fondness for both his ex-wives and was even wearing the wedding ring from his previous marriage. During the lengthy trial, prosecutors have outlined 25 reasons why they believe Edwards committed the crimes. This includes the fibres of Telstra workwear found on Ms Rimmer and Ms Glennon, as Edwards was working for the company at the time. Prosecutors also alleged fibres found in Ms Rimmer's hair matched a 1996 Holden Commodore VS Series 1 station wagon, a car Edwards drove at the time. She was also last seen speaking to someone in a similar car, the court heard. On the night Sarah Spiers disappeared, screams were heard in Mosman Park which was near a light coloured station wagon At that time Edwards was driving a white Toyota Camry station wagon, prosecutors said. The men were killed on the Yanomami reservation in the northern Amazon region after they approached a gold miner camp. Two Yanomami men who were killed recently were illegal gold miners on their reservation in the northern Amazon region, according to a statement released by the tribe, the largest in Brazil that is relatively isolated from the outside world. The two men were killed with shotguns after a group of Yanomami approached the miners camp on June 12 to ask for food in the mountainous Serra de Parima region, a remote corner of the vast reservation on the Venezuelan border in Roraima state, the Hutukara Yanomami Association said on Saturday. The tribe is imploring Brazils government to evict more than 20,000 miners illegally prospecting for gold on their land in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 160 people and killed five members of the tribe. One young tribesman was killed as the group departed from the camp and another died after a chase by armed miners, the statement said. The tribes leadership only learned about the June 12 clash on June 23 and the circumstances are being investigated by the federal police, who went to the area where the bodies of the men, aged 24 and 20, were still lying in the rainforest. They were killed for no reason, Junior Hekurari, head of the Yanomami health council, Condisi, told Reuters news agency. It is so sad to die on your own land. Mining threatens Indigenous lands Brazil has experienced a new gold rush in recent times, with illegal miners emboldened by lax enforcement and looking to stake their claim to parcels of land as president Jair Bolsonaro works to open Indigenous reservations to legal mining. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, fears have also grown that the miners have spread infections among remote Indigenous communities. A court last week ordered the governments Indigenous affairs agency, Funai, to reopen three abandoned posts for monitoring the reservation and work to remove the gold miners in light of the health threat. Meanwhile, Indigenous rights organisation Survival International has called on Brazilian authorities to take urgent and decisive action to remove the illegal gold miners and bring to justice those responsible for the most recent killings. If not, we fear there will be will an escalation in violence which could result in further bloodshed, as happened in the gold rush of the 1980s-90s, said Fiona Watson, advocacy director at Survival International. At least 11 states to pause or roll back reopening due to COVID-19 spread BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Fidan Babayeva - Trend: The foreign trade operations between Azerbaijan and Denmark amounted to $60.2 million from January through May 2020, which is 3.3 times more than in the same period of last year, Trend reports on June 26 referring to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committees statistics bulletin. The data said the export of Azerbaijani products to Denmark amounted to $49.7 million from January through May 2020 compared to $310,000 in the same period of 2019. Denmark's share in Azerbaijans total export volume also increased by 0.71 percent. The import of products from Denmark to Azerbaijan decreased by 1.7 times, declining year on year from $18.1 million to $10.5 million. Denmark's share in Azerbaijans total import volume also decreased from 0.31 percent to 0.25 percent of the total volume. Overall, the export-import ratio in the foreign trade relations of the two countries shifted towards export from January through May 2020. The foreign trade relations were more inclined towards export - 2 percent and 98 percent from January through May 2019, respectively, while the ratio of export to import from January through May 2020 amounted to 83 percent and 17 percent, respectively. Thus, the balance of foreign trade between the two countries for the reporting period was positive and amounted to $39.2 million. In general, the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan amounted to $11.1 billion from January through May 2020, which is 22.9 percent less than in the same period of 2019. The balance of foreign trade turnover on an annual basis increased by 0.9 percent and remained positive, amounting to $2.8 billion. (1 USD = 1.7 AZN on June 26) --- Follow the author on Twitter: Fidan_Babaeva Workers process frog for export to the EU at a factory in the southern province of Long An. Photo: VNA Accounting for about 5 per cent of the worlds shrimp market share and 19 per cent of Vietnams shrimp export turnover, Minh Phu Seafood Corporation is the countrys biggest exporter of the product. With 20 per cent of its exporting turnover entering the EU market, Minh Phu is expecting to benefit significantly from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). We hope that the EVFTA coming into effect soon will help us reach the target of consolidated export turnover of $709 million with 63,000 tonnes of shrimp in 2020, Le Van Diep, deputy general director of Minh Phu, told VIR. Over the years, the EU has always been a highly demanding market for Minh Phu. Under the deal, the requirements of origin and sustainable elements will be very high. Therefore, since late last year, we have invested more in technology in order to offer more products which answer the demand, Diep said. The technology that Diep refers to is called 2, 3, 4 technology meaning two feeding periods, three harvesting periods, and four principles of shrimp breeding namely no disease, no antibiotics, clean water, and an isolated feeding environment. The technology helps us to exploit the feeding area with the highest productivity while protecting the environment, ensuring Vietnamese-made shrimp of the highest quality the European market, Diep added. This technology has also been applied for both the groups feeding facilities and those of farmers that we co-operate with. We aim to increase self-provided material from 20 to 50 per cent. Meanwhile, shrimp producer Viet Uc Seafood Corporation, has also paid more attention to sustainability. We are striving to build the trademark of Vietnamese shrimp by using advanced technologies of automatic feeding, membrane technology, automatic measurement, and sustainable inventions such as a biofloc farming process, biological culturing process, and circulating water treatment, Luong Thanh Van, president and chief executive officer, told VIR. According to Van, Viet Uc will indirectly benefit from the EVFTA when the demand of Vietnamese-originated shrimp increases. The EVFTA creates advantages for Vietnams seafood to compete with its rivals. To welcome the chance of better supply, since the middle of 2019 we have built two new shrimp seedling facilities in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh and the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, raising the number of our facilities of this type to nine nationwide, with a capacity of 50 billion breeding shrimps, Van said. Besides the two facilities, Viet Uc also boasts three feeding facilities, providing 25,000-30,000 tonnes of shrimp feed to serve both domestic and export demand. Particularly, the corporation has just invested millions of US dollars in 104 hectares of catfish hatching using high technology. We are one of four companies joining in the three-level catfish hatching chain implemented in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, aiming to improve the quality of breeders, Van added. An Giang has 1,530ha of farming with a productivity of nearly 441,000 tonnes per year. To recover the industry after COVID-19 and get ready for the EVFTA, the province has called for investment in the sustainable farming of catfish using high technology. Among the companies responding to the provinces call, Nam Viet Corporation (Navico) has also spent VND4 trillion ($173.9 million) on 600ha of catfish farm. Our entire catfish farm uses modern equipment, nano-aeration technology, and a bakture catalyst for water treatment. With this technology, our farm does not discharge waste water into the environment, and does not need to dredge sediment via physical methods, said Le Doan Toi, general director of Navico. We hope that this will be a good foundation for us to benefit from the EVFTA. Currently, the EU market has been steadily reopening after coronavirus lockdowns. The EVFTA promises to bring Vietnams seafood companies good prospects, particularly when their rivals from India, Ecuador, and Indonesia are still suffering from supply chain disruption due to the pandemic. To grasp the chance, enterprises need to be honest with the rules of origin of the agreement. Along with finding and developing local raw materials and from FTA partners, businesses need to attract foreign investment and improve production technology and product quality, as well as join the regional supply chain, said Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). According to Nam, the EVFTA also requires an active fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. This is an urgent and important task for Vietnam to ensure compliance with the terms in the EVFTA, he explained. The data from the VASEP shows that the EU is the second-biggest import market of Vietnams seafood, accounting for 18 per cent of Vietnams total seafood export turnover, in which shrimp holds 22 per cent and catfish accounts for 11 per cent. When the EVFTA comes into effect this year, about 50 per cent of assorted tariffs for aquatic products will be removed, while the rest will be omitted within three to seven years. Meanwhile, Bui Kim Thuy, country representative for Vietnam at the US-ASEAN Business Council told VIR, The EVFTA is a wide gate to Vietnams seafood sector while some rivals in the EU market have not made any FTAs with the bloc. Moreover, producers are still able to keep the initial origin for a good batch exported to many different countries in the region. 27.06.2020 LISTEN The General Manager of Experts Consult Ltd. Mr. Henry Kojo-Adu Ameyaw has described the financial support provided by the government to small and medium scale Enterprises (SME's) as commendable in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking in an interview in Accra, he said the health crises facing the world in recent times has a potential of crippling businesses especially smaller ones that may not have any form of financial support from other sources beyond their operations hence government efforts of providing some form of financial relief to enable them to remain in business is laudable. He said "It is a good thing for the government to support local businesses as this is the only way to drive GDP. There is always a criterion for the way things are done in anything, a criteria for even admissions to schools. The government may, therefore, have its criteria of using a workforce of about 100, but usually, those are the kind of businesses that are mostly affected." BACKGROUND Following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched a GH600 million Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) business support scheme intended to support small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The fund is intended to provide relief to SMEs across the country that has been negatively affected by the disease with NBSSI as the disbursing Agency. When asked what form of support Government could also offer to other larger businesses with a workforce of over a 100, Mr. Ameyaw said even though some well-established companies operating in the country may have assistance from branches abroad or sources of raising revenue in the wake of the deadly pandemic, the most important thing that would help boost local businesses is for government to create an enabling environment for businesses to work. He emphasized "Organisations like some of us thrive on commissions, we are paid when we deliver results and not efforts and so if macroeconomic businesses are not doing so well, how do we go and chase them for the debt if they don't have it, how are they going to pay. It is therefore important for the government to always create the opportunity for companies to do their work. He also stated that although there have been similar economic challenges as a result of the credit crunch in the past which led to a recession, COVID-19 has far-reaching consequences not only by affecting world economies but also killing people alongside the credit crunch as anticipated by various economists. The General Manager mentioned that despite the negative impact of COVID-19, a lot of businesses have learnt to appreciate the importance of investing for the future considering the sudden disruptions in the global business landscape. "COVID-19 has pushed a lot of businesses to plan for the future, even the personal lives of people have changed, people have learnt to plan. For instance, at the time of the lockdown if you don't have enough on you there is trouble. These are lessons for all of us, the world is telling us that we need to put our perspectives right." he observed. Experts Consult Ltd. is incorporated under the laws of Ghana and engaged in the service of Debt Recovery, Debt Management, Risk and Monitoring, Revenue Collection and Process Serving Company with its Corporate Office in Accra, The firm is established to assist financial institutions, companies and individuals repossess their hard-earned assets or cash that could have been lost or written off as bad debts. Experts Consult Ltd. also has offices in Kumasi, Tema, Takoradi and is affiliated with some law firms in other parts of the country. NEW HAVEN Anthony Fiore claimed victory in the school districts student election for a seat on the Board of Education Friday. Although the rising junior at High School in the Community ran unopposed, he had one of the most difficult campaigns in the history of the student board program which began in 2015. Fiore launched his campaign, which required obtaining at least 100 signatures from high school students in the district, just as the coronavirus pandemic was about to close down school buildings and force the district into virtual, at-home learning. It was a little bit of a challenge to get the signatures, but it was an interesting step that proved to be successful, he said. The school closures impacted Fiores ability to gather enough signatures before the initial deadline, and he said he spent over a month in vain introducing himself to students in the hopes of gaining their signatures. Fiore said he wants to help counsel the board through the pandemic from a student perspective, and he hopes to be successful in getting more resources for the district and to advocate for equal opportunities for students of color. Carolyn Ross-Lee, the districts Title IX coordinator and the districts liaison to the committee, said she watched how hard Fiore worked to get his signatures despite the challenges. Fiore, who was stuck at around 72 unique signatures for weeks after exhausting his personal connections, said that once he made it to 73 the rest were quite easy to find. He exhibits the characteristics were most proud of, like the tenacity to work through situations, said Assistant Superintendent of Schools Paul Whyte. It is the best of what New Haven students can do, and he continues to show that. During a brief meeting to acknowledge Fiores election, several committee members congratulated him and urged him to use his voice to advocate for students. Enjoy your term and fight for whats right, honey, said Alder Kimberly Edwards, D-19. Fiores term begins in July and he will serve for two years as a non-voting member of the school board. Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School rising senior Lihame Arouna will serve the remaining year of her term with Fiore. Cari Strand, Fiores advisor at HSC, said the student wants to be a force for good, and he has proven that again and again. Fiore said HSC was his top choice in the school choice process because of its theme and its name. I wanted to go there because it focuses on the community, and I feel not enough people do focus on the community nowadays, he said. Student members of the school board have historically used their position on the board to challenge the adult members at times. Kimberly Sullivan, who graduated in 2016, urged the school board to do more for the social, emotional well-being of students. Coral Ortiz, who graduated the following year, challenged a powerful local clergy member on his lobbying for an all-boys charter school. Jacob Spell and Makayla Dawkins, who served together during the 2017 search for a superintendent, were transparent with their feelings that the school board was disregarding voices of students and the community. Nico Rivera, who graduated from Metropolitan Business Academy this year, challenged Superintendent of Schools Carol Birks for her decision to lay off school counselors and to involuntarily transfer 53 teachers the latter decision was ultimately reversed, largely because of student activism. Arouna recently held a megaphone at a Black Lives Matter rally with an estimated attendance of 5,000 people, reading demands that the school board get uniformed police officers out of schools. The school board is developing a task force to determine whether it should eliminate school resource officers before the start of the 2020-21 school year. From an early age I always thought if you wanted to do something right you should do it yourself, Fiore said. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Satara: Amidst a war of words between the Congress and the BJP over the face-off with China, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said matters of national security shouldn't be politicised and added one cannot forget China had captured about 45000 sq kms of Indian land after the 1962 war. Pawar's comments came in response to a query about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surrendered Indian territory to the Chinese aggression. Pawar also said the Galwan Valley incident in Ladakh cannot immediately be labelled as a failure of the Defence Minister, as Indian soldiers were alert during patrolling. Speaking to reporters here, the former Union Minister said the entire episode is "sensitive" in nature. It was China which played the provocateur in the Galwan Valley, he said. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash with their Chinese counterpart in eastern Ladakh on the night of June 15. The former Defence Minister further said India had been constructing a road in Galwan Valley within its limits meant for communication purposes. "What happened was they (the Chinese troops) tried to encroach on our road and were pushed physically. It was not somebody's failure. If somebody comes (within your territory) while you are patrolling, they may come at any time. We cannot immediately say it is the failure of the Defence Minister sitting in Delhi," Pawar said. Patrolling was on there. There was a scuffle, which means you were alert. Had you not been, you would not even have realised when the they (Chinese troops) came and went. Hence, I don't think it is right to make such an allegation at this juncture, he said. Responding to the allegation raised by Rahul Gandhi, Pawar said one cannot forget that China captured around 45,000 sq km of India's land, after the 1962 war between the two countries. "That land is still with China. I don't know if they (China) have encroached on some area now again. But when I make an allegation, I should also see what had happened when I was there (in power). If such big land was encroached upon then, it cannot be ignored. It is a matter of national security and it should not be politicised is what I feel," he said. Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani on Saturday said that the IT major would tide over the coronavirus crisis by combining the scale, brand and relationships of a large company with the speedy responsiveness and agility of a start-up. During the annual general meeting, Nilekani said the pandemic has impacted almost every business globally. The company and its clients are dealing with several challenges as well, he added. Addressing the fears of the investors, Nilekani said: "Over the last few years, we have made huge investments in making Infosys stronger and more resilient, while bringing agility and speed in everything we do." The company is also helping its clients to accelerate their digital projects in the business environment impacted by the pandemic, he added. "The investments have positioned us very well and this is demonstrated in the way we are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic," he said. While noting that the extraordinary and unprecedented pandemic impacted every country, business and individual, he exuded confidence that the company would overcome the global crisis by combining the scale, brand and relationships of a large company with the speedy responsiveness and agility of a start-up. "Our robust balance-sheet, steady growth momentum, digital systems for our people, and our executive team, unified in their focus on strategy execution, are advantages that are clearly working for us," he said. He said the Board of Directors has recommended a final dividend of Rs 9.5 per share for fiscal 2020 while the overall revenue grew 9.8 per cent in constant currency terms. He said the total dividend payout for 2019 was Rs 8,120 crore coupled with an interim dividend of Rs 8 per share paid in October 2019. The company's earnings per share grew by 8.3 per cent in US dollar terms in 2019. During fiscal 2020, the overall revenue grew 9.8 per cent in constant currency terms totalling USD 12.8 billion. With operational rigour and steady focus on expense management, the margins stood at 21.3 per cent," Nilekani said. (With PTI inputs) Samsungs Odyssey G9 gaming monitor is now official. Check key specifications and features of the monitor here. Samsung has announced the global launch of its next-generation gaming monitor, Odyssey G9. First showcased at the CES 2020 conference earlier this year, Odyssey G9 joins the companys short lineup of curved gaming monitors. Samsung Odyssey G9 comes with a slew of improvements over the G7. The new gaming monitor has TUV Rheinland certification for performance. It also comes with HDR 10+ and Quantum dot technology. Featuring a 49-inch display, Samsung Odyssey G9 has what Samsung describes as the worlds first Dual Quad High-Definition monitor. It offers 51201440 resolution and 1000R curvature. The monitor has 1ms response time with a 240Hz refresh rate. Samsung Odyssey G9 also comes with NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility and Adaptive-Sync on DP1.4. The company has also bundled 52 different colours and five lighting effects options behind the screen for a more immersive gaming experience. In terms of specifications, Samsung Odyssey G9 gaming monitor has a QLED curved display with 32:9 aspect ratio, 125% sRGB coverage, and 95% DCI coverage. The monitor features display port, HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0, and headphone support. Some of the general gaming features include low input lag mode, eye saver mode, flicker-free, virtual aim point, and black equalizer. Samsung has not announced the price of the monitor as yet. The gaming monitor will start rolling out in select markets starting July 30. The India-China tussle at the Ladakh borders is taking a economic turn. The crescendo to reject Chinese products is growing and even reaching far-flung villages. A village in Pune district, Kondhve-Dhavade, has passed a resolution to ban sale and purchase of Chinese products in the village from July 1. The resolution was passed by the members of Gram panchayat in their annual meeting earlier. It was further decided that no shop owner would sell the Chinese products and the same applies to villagers while purchasing it. The gram panchayat officials have released a circular for the same which is being distributed among shop owners across the village. Nitin Dhvade, sarpanch of Kondhve-Dhavade village told ANI, "This decision was taken during the monthly meeting. We are also informing the contractors of Gram Panchayat about the same and these things will be mentioned in the agreement." "We will also inform the people and shops here to ban the sale and purchase of Chinese products. We will install banners and posters for the same," he added. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Photo: VPD Vancouver Police are warning the public that a high-risk sex offender will be residing in Vancouver. In a release, VPD say that the convicted sex offender, 28-year-old Howard Geddes Skelding, will be residing in Vancouver and poses a significant risk to women in the community. Skelding has just completed a two year sentence for sexual assault and indecent acts, and police believe that he is a high risk to re-offend both violently and sexually, particularly if he is using drugs. Skelding is 58 tall, 160 pounds with short black hair and brown eyes. He has a scar above his right eye. Skelding will be on probation for three years while living in the community and must comply with the following conditions: he cannot possess weapons as defined by the Criminal Code of Canada, including all types of firearms, ammunition, explosives or knives; he must attend, participate and complete all counselling, programming and treatment as directed by the probation officer; and he must completely abstain from consuming alcohol and non-prescription medications. Anyone witnessing Howard Geddes Skelding in violation of any of these conditions is asked to call 9-1-1. Anyone witnessing Howard Geddes Skelding in violation of any of these conditions is asked to call 9-1-1. A federal appeals court ruled Friday that the Trump administration's transfer of $2.5 billion from the Pentagon for southern border wall construction was an illegal breach of its executive authority, the Washington Post reports. The big picture: Much of the money has already been awarded by the administration, AP reports. The long-term consequences of Friday's ruling are also uncertain, since it "only affects a portion of the funds the White House has budgeted" for border wall construction, per the Post. The administration announced last month it had awarded some of the funds to a $1.3-billion contract in Arizona, per AP. Between the lines: A Supreme Court ruling in July did not determine whether the administrations transfer of Pentagon funds was legal; it lifted a 9th Circuit Court injunction that froze military fund transfers, per the Post. The ruling allowed the Pentagon to redirect $2.5 billion to the Department of Homeland Security for border wall projects. What they're saying: "The Executive Branchs failure to show, in concrete terms, that the public interest favors a border wall is particularly significant given that Congress determined fencing to be a lower budgetary priority and the Department of Justices own data points to a contrary conclusion," the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals majority opinion issued Friday reads. Where it stands: Private contractors have finished roughly 220 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, per the Post. What's next: The administration is expected to appeal Friday's ruling to the Supreme Court. Go deeper: Trump admin says it completed 100th mile of southern border wall MEXICO CITY - Mexicos organized crime violence burst into full view Friday, as police in the north-central state of Zacatecas reported finding 14 bodies dumped on a roadside near the city of Fresnillo while gunmen shot up an armoured vehicle carrying Mexico Citys police chief. Zacatecas state police gave no further details, but photos of the dirt road where the bodies were found showed the corpses dumped in a pile, wrapped in blankets and bound with tape. The report came as two dozen gunmen ambushed the Mexico City police chief on the capitals most iconic boulevard, firing on his vehicle with .50-calibre sniper rifles and grenades. The ambush left chief Omar Garcia Harfuch wounded with three bullet impacts and shrapnel. Two members of his security detail were killed, as was a woman who happened to be driving by. A day earlier in the Pacific coast state of Sinaloa, state police said they had found the bodies of seven men wearing military-style clothing in a pickup truck in a rural area near the city of Culiacan. In another area nearby, police found nine more bodies, at least one of which had an assault rifle. Two bullet-riddled vehicles were found nearby. There had been a series of shootouts there Wednesday. Sinaloa is home the cartel of the same name, and the dead men appeared to have been involved in turf battles between factions of the cartel. Clearly there is a fight between organized crime groups in this area, said state police chief Cristobal Castaneda, noting that in the last month police have seized five belt-fed machine-guns, two .50-calibre sniper rifles and about 35,000 bullets in the area. Construction is well underway at WuXi with the site back fully operational WuXi Biologics have resumed work on their new campus at Mullaharlin following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Up to 1,500 workers are now back on site to advance construction of the huge development just south of Dundalk, which has been dubbed a 'factory of the future.' The facility will create up to 600 highly skilled jobs once completed. The Chinese biopharma firm were given the go ahead in the last week for a series of amendments, after announcing in February plans to create a further 200 jobs at its 216 million facility to develop vaccines. The company submitted a renewed planning application to Louth County Council in early March for the 'revision and reconfiguration of the existing Planning Permission necessitated by a strategic, phased approach to construction of the permitted development envelope.' Brendan McGrath Ireland Site Head and VP Manufacturing told the Argus: 'WuXi Biologics, has welcomed confirmation by Louth County Council of approval intent for amendments to a 200 Jobs WuXi Vaccines facility on the WuXi Campus at Mullagharlin on the outskirts of Dundalk.' He explained the facility was granted planning approval last December. 'A further planning application was submitted in March seeking approval for amendments including a reduction in the size of the facility from 15,275sqm to 10,275sqm.' He added: 'The Wuxi Vaccines development when it becomes operational in 2024 will bring the workforce on the WuXi Campus to 600 people.' 'The development of the WuXi Campus is going well, the return to work on site after the Covid-19 lock-down has been well-planned and well-managed involving some 1,500 construction workers and the good weather has been significantly helpful', said Mr McGrath. Meanwhile, recruitment for the new facility is continuing at apace, with thousands of people having turned up for information events at the beginning of the year. WuXi have initially been looking at filling posts in three key areas: manufacturing,engineering and quality. The company said they are aiming to continually develop links with Dundalk Institute of Technology, with DkIT graduates one of the sectors the company are hoping to appeal to as WuXi operations grow. For information on recruitment, log on to www.wuxibiologics.com/career United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to prosecute those who damage national monuments, making it a punishable offence with up to 10 years in jail. IMAGE: Artist Dustin Klein projects a Black Lives Matter image onto the statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee in Richmond, Virginia. Photograph: Julia Rendleman/Reuters The order comes in the wake of rioters defacing and destroying historical sites, monuments and statues in the country as violence erupted following the brutal custodial death of African-American George Floyd on May 25. The US president has accused radical left for the violence. Trump, in a strongly worded executive order on Friday, said: My administration will not allow violent mobs incited by a radical fringe to become the arbiters of the aspects of our history that can be celebrated in public spaces. Over the last five weeks, there has been a sustained assault on the life and property of civilians, law enforcement officers, government property and revered American monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial, Trump said. Many of the rioters, arsonists and left-wing extremists who have carried out and supported these acts have explicitly identified themselves with ideologies -- such as Marxism -- that call for the destruction of the United States system of government, he said. Under the order, the federal government is directed to prosecute any person or entity that damages or defaces religious property and withhold certain federal support from state and local governments that fail to protect public monuments, memorials and statues from destruction or vandalism. Anarchists and left-wing extremists have sought to advance a fringe ideology that paints the United States of America as fundamentally unjust and have sought to impose that ideology on Americans through violence and mob intimidation, Trump said. They have led riots in the streets, burned police vehicles, killed and assaulted government officers as well as business owners defending their property, and even seized an area within one city where law and order gave way to anarchy. During the unrest, innocent citizens also have been harmed and killed, the president rued. These criminal acts are frequently planned and supported by agitators who have traveled across state lines to promote their own violent agenda. These radicals shamelessly attack the legitimacy of our institutions and the very rule of law itself. Individuals and organisations have the right to peacefully advocate for either the removal or the construction of any monument. But no individual or group has the right to damage, deface, or remove any monument by use of force, Trump said. The law authorises a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment for the willful injury of a federal property. The executive order also directs that those who incite violence and illegal activity are prosecuted to the fullest extent under the law. State and local law enforcement agencies that fail to protect monuments, memorials and statues will be subject to the withholding of federal support. The Attorney General will take all appropriate action against individuals and organisations found to have participated in unlawful acts -- related to rioting and the destruction of federal property, as per the executive order. Rioters have defaced and torn down monuments and statues honoring some of the most important figures in our nation's storied history, the White House said. In Portland, mobs tore down statues of our Founding Fathers -- George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. In San Francisco, rioters tore down a statue honoring Ulysses S Grant. There are even calls to remove statues of Abraham Lincoln in Boston and Washington, D.C. A statue of Hans Christian Heg, who died fighting for the Union Army during the civil war, was torn down in Wisconsin. Today President Trump has taken swift action to protect and preserve our nation's history from mob violence by signing an executive order directing the enforcement of laws that carry firm penalties of incarceration for those found guilty of desecrating public monuments, White House Press Secretary said, adding that the order will provide assistance for the protection of federal monuments, memorials, statues and property. Peshawar, June 27 : At least 30 people were arrested in Peshawar for rioting during the ongoing protests over the stripping and torture of an accused in police custody. The protests continued for the second day on Friday as the police and mobs clashed in different parts of the Pakistani city, reports Dawn news. A large number of protesters gathered near the Peshawar Press Club and tried to attack a police mobile van. Some armed protesters fired bullets into the air. The mob later went to the Surey Pul Chowk, where they clashed with riot police. The protesters pelted the police with bricks, while the police used teargas shells to disperse the mob. A statement issued here quoted city police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur as saying that the police had arrested 30 rioters and some of them were armed. He said majority of those held were the local residents, while some were Afghan nationals. On the call of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, lawyers also boycotted courts across the province to record their protest over custodial torture. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text E Velmurugan, a senior videographer with Raj TV was the first media person to fall to COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu. Chennai: A senior videographer of a Tamil news channel died of COVID-19 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai on Saturday. He was admitted in the hospital with coronavirus symptoms on June 14. News of the death of 41-year-old E Velmurugan, the first COVID-19 death in the Tamil Nadu media fraternity, was received with sorrow by his fellow journalists, and was mourned by several political personalities including chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and DMK president M K Stalin. The chief minister announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Ministers Relief Fund for the family of Velmuugan, who leaves behind his wife, Shanmugasundari, and an 11-year-old-son, Jeeva. Three other ministers, C Vijayabhaskar (health), D Jayakumar (fisheries) and Kadambur C Raju (information and publicity) said they would give Rs 50,000 each from out of their pockets to the family. Shanmugasundari's job as a contract nurse at RGGGH, was made permanent by the government. Earlier in the day, the Chennai Press Club mourned the death of Velmurugan. Journalists and friends of Velmurugam paid tribute on social media to the senior videographer, a veteran of more than two decades. Many of them recalled their association with him. Joe Biden has offered a one-word job description for his vice presidential running mate. Simpatico. What he means is someone to fill the role he enjoyed with President Barack Obama. Sitting in his West Wing office one day, he explained that role quite graphically. He gestured behind him to the Oval Office around the corner. He said that five times a day the president would call him in to get his thinking on something. This is Joe Bidens notion of the vice presidency, a fellow politician who has the presidents comfort and trust to help him make the right decisions. Youll find none of this in the U.S. Constitution, which had the veep serving mainly as president of the Senate. President Abraham Lincoln didnt meet his first vice president until both of them had been elected In 1860. As vice president, Richard Nixon never had an office near the White House but instead spent his days in the Senate Office Building across the hall from Sen. John F. Kennedy. It was Nixon who changed the vice presidential geography. He put Spiro Agnew in the Executive Office Building across the narrow avenue from the West Wing. It was there that the former Maryland governor was still receiving those manila envelopes with the payoffs from state contractors. Walter Mondale was the first vice president to have an office in the West Wing itself, and the role of consigliere that comes with it. In filling that role for the next four years, Joe Biden has had to ask himself a couple of key questions. First, can he trust the person with his confidence? My old boss, Speaker Tip ONeill, used to warn us that the walls have ears. Whats said in the backroom needs to stay there, he was warning us. Whoever Biden picks must be capable of keeping his candid remarks in that room. Second, comfort. Joe and Barack had a good chemistry. Despite the gaffes, Obama seemed to appreciate what Biden gave him. That was more than his insight into the personalities of the U.S. Senate. Perhaps more important, it was the street-level savvy of a regular middle-class guy from the suburbs. For these reasons, I believe he will pick Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. He didnt like the way she came at him on the busing issue in their first debate last year. But he has sent clear signals that was last year. The most important signal is what hes said recently about his late son Beau having become friends with Harris when they were their states attorneys general. What Beau felt carries tremendous weight on those issues of trust and comfort. Whats also important is the statement his selection makes. Declaring upfront he will pick a woman was a vital first step. It showed early on his respect for the countrys changing culture. A Democratic ticket composed of two men would miss the chance to show that Joe Biden gets it. Picking a woman of color would, of course, make added history. Thats something hes already displayed the proclivity for. It was Biden, recall, who beat Obama in declaring for same-sex marriage. This would be another political breakthrough. Most important, of course, is what his choice of vice president will say about Joe Biden. I remember when Obama picked him. What struck me then, with some real emotion, was that finally someone who grew up like me, a Catholic guy from the middle-class neighborhoods, had been elevated so high. What that said about Barack Obama was also memorable. He told the voter that he knew what he had and what he lacked. A man with an unusual background an African father and name could choose this Irish-American guy youd see commuting on the Amtrak. It showed that Obama, who could come off as Ivy League and aloof, could respect a regular Joe. Biden can do the same. If he picks someone of another gender, another generation, another ethnic background, he will make very much the statement Barack Obama made in picking him. All this, together, is what I think Joe Biden means when he says simpatico. This is why I believe he has already decided to pick Kamala Harris as his running mate. Chris Matthews, a former San Francisco Chronicle columnist, hosted Hardball on MSNBC for 20 years. French cosmetics major LOreal Group on Friday said it will drop words such as white, fair and light from all its skincare products, a day after Unilever announced a similar move. Cosmetics brands have been under the scanner over products that promote skin fairness amid growing voices against racial stereotyping. This has intensified in the wake of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement in the West. "The L'Oreal Group acknowledges the legitimate concerns about the terms used to describe skin even-ing products, and has therefore decided to remove the words white/whitening, fair/fairness, light/lightening from all its skin even-ing products," the company said in a statement. L'Oreal is a big player in the personal care categoty and owns global brands like Garnier, L'Oreal Paris, Maybelline New York and NYX Professional Make Up. FMCG major Unilever had on Thursday said it is withdrawing the word 'Fair' from its popular skincare brand 'Fair & Lovely'. Several companies have been forced to reassess their products and branding following the 'Black Lives Matter' protests across the globe. Recently, US-based healthcare and FMCG giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) stopped the sale of its skin-whitening creams globally, including in India. Kolkata-based FMCG firm Emami, which owns fairness cream brand Fair & Handsome, had said it is evaluating the current situation. "We, as responsible corporate citizens value consumer sentiments and take cognizance of the holistic approach that is required to be taken to address their needs. "We are studying all implications currently and evaluating internally to decide our next course of action," an Emami spokesperson had said. Chef Wayne Hooker's recent announcement that he was closing Chef Wayne's Big Mamou on Liberty Street in Springfield is a story that is likely to be repeated many times over across the region and the nation in the months ahead. Obscured by the excitement of re-openings, first for outside dining and then limited inside service, the financial damage that eateries both big and small have experienced over the past three-months-plus can be easy to overlook. Since the COVID-19 crisis began in early March, the National Restaurant Association has been regularly surveying its members, trying to quantify the impact the pandemic was having on the industry. It's most recent survey, conducted in late May, produced some sobering results.In addition to concerns about the ability to serve customers safely, almost a quarter of restaurant owners reported that they did not believe they could recruit, rehire, and retain enough workers to successfully operate. Of the restaurant operators polled, three-quarters of those responding believed that it was unlikely that their restaurant would be profitable within the next six months. According to the National Restaurant Association's figures, 3% of all restaurants have already closed permanently since the start of the crisis, with more likely to do so in the weeks and months ahead. Faced with a pandemic-induced recession, reduced seating capacity, increased costs for staffing and protective gear, and higher food costs, the road ahead for the restaurant industry can only be described as a rocky one. Side dishes Normally the Fourth of July would signal the start of the peak season for the Berkshires, with restaurants from Great Barrington to Williamstown shifting to seven-days-a-week operation. But with A-list cultural attractions like Tanglewood, Jacob's Pillow, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival all on hiatus due to pandemic concerns, the restaurant business in the Commonwealth's westernmost county is facing an uncertain summer. This July and August might well represent, therefore, an opportunity to enjoy the Berkshires and its dining options in a somewhat less frenetic form than would be possible most years. Berkshire.org, the web site maintained by 1Berkshire, has a handy dining guide that provides information on options as disparate as Blantyre in Lenox, with its cuisine curated by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, and Bob's Country Kitchen in Lanesborough, a roadhouse that features foot-long hot dogs and homemade shepherd's pie. A change in emphasis has emerged in the chain restaurant world, as big name brands have begun to shift product development efforts away from family meal kits and back to limited time offers. Burger King, for example, is exploring the market for meat-free at breakfast with their nationwide rollout of the Impossible Croissan'wich. Featuring a no-meat "sausage" patty developed by Impossible Foods, Inc., the new breakfast sandwich also incorporates egg and melted American cheese on a toasted croissant. The Impossible Croissan'wich is being billed as a limited-time-only menu item, although no specifics about long it will be offered were announced. Bistro 63 in Amherst has been using an interesting all-day menu during the past several months, making that selection available for delivery, pickup, and, more recently, for outdoor dining on the restaurant's deck. Multi-faceted and eclectic, the bill of fare suggests starters like fried pickles, Bengal shrimp, and anchovy toasts. Handhelds include several burger options, including one topped with goat cheese and tomato jam, as well as a shrimp wrap and a curried chicken salad. Entree choices range from "six-hour" beef short ribs and fried chicken to linguini vodka and shrimp risotto. The Bistro's menu even incorporates all-day "brunch" entrees, with avocado toast, huevos rancheros, and banana bread French toast available. More menu and ordering information can be found on the restaurant's web site, bistro63.com. Dunkin', the coffee and beverage chain, has introduced two summer "Refreshers." Iced green tea enhanced with nutraceuticals such vitamins B3, B5, B6, and B12, the Refreshers are available in Strawberry Dragonfruit and Peach Passionfruit versions.Both are under 200 calories and contain no artificial flavors or coloring agents. Through July 28 the Refreshers will be offered at a special price of $2 for a medium sized drink. Also available are Dunkin'-themed washable face masks. Three dollars from the sale of each mask goes to the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation, a charitable endeavor that promotes child health and hunger relief. Like many other restaurants in the Pioneer Valley, the Whatley Inn in Whatley has developed a range of dining options over the last several months. In early June the restaurant commandeered a section of its front parking area and turned that space into attractive, tent-shaded outdoor dining. Now, with limited indoor dining also permitted, the Whatley in is offering several possibilities for those who want to enjoy the establishment's table d'hote repertoire of mid-20th-century-style classics. In addition to on-site dining, whether outside under the tent or in the restaurant's Victorian-themed dining room, the Whately Inn continues to provide to-go service with online ordering at whatelyinn.com. The restaurant answers at (413) 665-3044. The Tastes of the World Chef Culinary Conference, a late-spring tradition at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, went on as scheduled this year but in a virtual format. Instead of the on-site workshops, presentations, and chef competitions of past years, the 2020 Conference relied on digitally-delivered content. Two themes dominated the Conference proceedings - planetary health and the reset that COVID-19 is forcing on college and university dining. With some campuses closed this fall and others limiting the size of their resident populations, the campus-based food service business is facing considerable challenges. Social distancing concerns are leading some schools to adopt a pick-up only model of student dining that involves no close-contact service or consumption. Smaller on-campus populations will mean less food service revenue, creating thorny fiscal problems for those campus that have invested heavily in student dining facilities and upgrades. Conference presenters also emphasized the need to reassure student populations that the food service operations on their campuses were diligently following all the relevant pandemic-related guidelines. More information about last month's sessions, including downloads of conference presentations, can be found at chefculinaryconference.com. Now that "phase two, part two" is in effect, some well-known restaurant operations that had previously been dark are reopening. The Publick House Historic Inn in Sturbridge is once again offering both indoor and outdoor dining seven days a week, with seating in Paige Hall and on the Inn's front patio. Both lunch and dinner service are available, and reservations can be made through opentable.com. The Inn's popular Bake Shoppe has resumed sales and service, opening daily at 8 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. except for Friday and Saturday, when operating hours are extended to 7 p.m. For more information go to publickhouse.com or call (508) 347-7323. Masse's American Bistro in Chicopee has transformed a big chunk of its side lot real estate into a canopy-shaded dining patio and is now offering a new summer menu. Some of the options that seafood lovers can find on this season's culinary agenda include coconut salmon, Parmesan cod topped with lemon herb sauce, and shrimp scampi. Raw bar favorites such as clams, oysters, and chilled shrimp are available, as are salad creations like a fresh orange salad made with arugula, fresh orange segments, toasted almonds, and feta cheese. A video tour of the restaurant's outdoor dining setup can be view at their Facebook page, facebook.com/massesbistro. Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community Colleges hospitality and culinary arts program and has nearly 45 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached online at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com. Julius Page doesnt consider himself a hero, but he always stands ready to help anyone in need. The value of serving others and being a good leader is among the lessons the Korean War veteran learned while in the U.S. Army, a time when he came close to losing his own life. Page, 89, is a 1951 graduate of then-South Carolina State College. He is also one of a long line of proud graduates of the institutions famed ROTC program. Leadership was our key Pages class included retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and Korean War Purple Heart recipient George B. Price, the first graduate of S.C. States ROTC program to make general. We had terrific instructors at South Carolina State in the ROTC. Leadership was our key. Leadership and taking care of your men wherever you were and at whatever time. That was one of the things we always emphasized, and thats the thing that kept me going, Page said. He added, Thats been a part of my life since that time. Of course, in Korea, we had three members of my class get killed. There was more than half of the class at West Point that went in there with us killed in that particular year. So it was really a tough time when we went in, but it worked out good. Page, who turned 90 on July 9, served as a member of the 40th Infantry Division. He recalled his journey from basic training to Korea. I went straight down to Fort Benning for an officer-training course. From there, I came back to Fort Jackson in a training unit and trained young soldiers. I departed there, went down the Atlantic coastline, caught a train and went to California at Camp Stoneman, said Page, who went on to Tokyo, Japan. From Tokyo, I went down to Sasebo, Japan. I was sent to Chemical, Biological and Radiological School. From there, I went into Korea, he said. Page was assigned to the 40th Infantry, which, at the time, was a National Guard unit stationed out of California. He vividly remembers the time he earned his Purple Heart, a military decoration awarded to those wounded or killed while serving with the U.S. military. After about nine days, I was assigned to take the platoon on the outpost position. From there, I was hit by a sniper while checking on positions along the line. I always joke about that because I told them the sniper was a bad shot because he aimed at my cross rifles. If he had aimed six inches lower, he would have hit my heart. If he had aimed six inches to the right, he would have cut my throat, but neither of them happened, Page said. He was carried back to the regimental aid station after he was hit, where he came in contact with a captain who was the son of the late Dr. Benjamin McTeer, one of the first African-American doctors in Orangeburg. He said hed go ahead and send me back home. I told him, I didnt come over here to go back home. I wasnt hit bad enough to come back home. So he told me it was my decision if I wanted to stay. I decided to stay, Page said. I stayed down with him probably about two to three weeks. Then I went back to my platoon in the outpost position. I had to leave the post at night and come back down to the regimental post to get checked and then go back to my outfit, said Page, who stayed in Korea for 11 months. His time there included being under a lot of enemy fire. We ran a lot of patrols and were under a lot of fire. We had a lot of scary moments. A new commander came in, and he had wanted all the officers in the first three graders to be able to fire a fire mission from a tank. I got in the tank about 9 oclock in the morning, and when we put fire out there on the hill, they started putting fire back on the tank. So I had to stay on the tank all day and got out late that night ... and went back to my command post, Page said. The 89-year-old says he now suffers from claustrophobia from having spent so much time in a tank. We stayed at that position and we moved three or four times. We moved when it was snowing with no cover on the jeeps. We moved most times at night, a lot of times in the daytime. One time, I had a Turkish outfit assigned to my position. We always kept fires down and kept the noise down so that we wouldnt be detected where we were, but the Turks back there, theyd light up fires, anything. They didnt care nothing about that kind of stuff. It made me a little upset, but we worked it out all right, Page said. He said another scary time was when he was coming off of a patrol mission. We had had some big tanks in a backup position. We found out that coming off patrol was about as dangerous as going on patrol because if you didnt get the proper notification, youd get shot up by your people coming back. So we were coming back into position, and I heard the sound of the gun on a tank turning, Page said, noting that he knew it was going to be aimed at him and his fellow service members, but that they managed to escape injury. He added, Another scary time was when we went in behind the retreating North Koreans. Everywhere there were mines and once you made a path, you couldnt deviate anymore. They taught us down at Fort Benning that if you go on patrol, you never come back the same way you went out for safety reasons. But in Korea, if you went out and got a safe path, you came back on that same path. Page left Korea and returned to Fort Jackson to command a training unit. After the third or fourth training unit I commanded, I got assigned to take that unit to Germany. I took the whole company to Germany on the ship. The Atlantic was always rough. The ship was always bouncing to and fro. Wed go in the dining hall and your tray would end up down to the other end of the ship ... It was kind of a rough time, but we enjoyed that, he said. Page stayed in Germany and was assigned to a unit located outside of Nuremburg in the town of Furth. We were assigned to a blocking position. If the Russians decided to cross the border, we would delay them until we got enough troops in place to start a war. This was just a tactical position, but nothing ever happened and it went real well, he said. I had to be blessed Page returned home from military service in 1955. After attending Tuskegee Institute for a while, he returned to Orangeburg to work for Ethyl Corporation as an assistant superintendent in the production area. We were making gasoline additives. I stayed there and then decided to go to the post office. I worked at the postal service for 31 years, said Page, who started out as a carrier and worked his way up to assistant supervisor of mail and delivery. It was during his time at the post office that Page also joined the board of the former Orangeburg School District 5, a position he held for 35 years. He is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and VFW Post 8166, where he served as a past commander. He has also served as a senior vice commander of the Purple Heart Orangeburg Chapter 932. Page is also a member of the Orangeburg NAACP, trustee pro tem of Williams Chapel AME Church and a member of Sigma Phi Pi, the first successful and oldest black Greek-lettered organization. Page said he has particularly enjoyed the 17 years he has spent as a guardian ad litem. Its an enjoyable and sometimes tough job, but its enjoyable when you can have the opportunity to take care of kids. On the school board, a major portion of that was taking care of education for the kids. A guardian ad litem is taking care of the kids who have been disrupted by a family member or some other problem, he said. Page said he had learned a couple of lessons from his military service that he carries with him today. I got my leadership skills and the ability to serve and be more interested in others than you are directly in yourself. You got to take care of yourself, but youve got to be kind, be helpful. Always be on the alert to help somebody, he said. He is the recipient of several military awards, including the Korean Service Medal and Combat Infantry Badge, but Page isnt as preoccupied with awards as he is with just helping others. He said he knows God has been exceptionally good to him, particularly when he could have been killed by a snipers bullet in Korea. I always tell people that when you come that close, I had to be blessed. You always hear people say, He sure was lucky. Well, it wasnt luck. I think I was definitely blessed and given time enough to go ahead and do something else with my life. Thats what I continued to do from the time I got back until now. Im still doing and serving. Im doing a lot of things, but the guardian ad litem is one of the big things that I enjoy and, of course, being trustee pro tem at the church, he said. Page is also a life member of the South Carolina State Alumni Association and a member of the Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School Booster Club. He and his wife of more than 30 years, Linda, are the parents of two children. I had three children. Two served in the military and one died, said Page, noting that he has always tried to instill in his children good character, the same character he gleaned from the military. I tried to instill in them to always be helpful, obedient and to love people and let people love them, he said. Page said he also wants to live a life such that when death inevitably comes, he can go peacefully. He said that's why he lives by what his high school literature taught him in the last verse of the American poet William Cullen Bryant's poem "Thanatopsis." It reads: "So live, that when thy summons comes to join The innumerable caravan, which moves To that mysterious realm, where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death, Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams." Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD Love 13 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. As the world continues to face the economic downturn of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite easing of lockdowns in many countries, the Archdiocese of Ranchi, in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, is particularly reaching out to disadvantaged groups. By Vatican News Bringing humanitarian aid, solidarity and consolation to humanity, without any discrimination of ethnicity, religion, culture or social class. This is the thrust of the emergency outreach programme of Ranchi Archdiocese in eastern Indias Jharkhand state. India, which has been registering record highs of new Covid-19 infections recently, is currently in Phase 5 of the lockdown, June 1-30. While restrictions are continuing in high-risk containment zones, they have been partially relaxed elsewhere in what is termed as Unlock 1 phase. Subsequent Unlock phases will allow reopening of further activities such as educational institutions, international air travel, operation of metros and recreation, depending on state government plans. Regardless of religion or caste Archbishop Felix Toppo of Ranchi and Auxiliary Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, together with priests, seminarians and young people, have helped over 300 needy Harijan Muslim and tribal families. This emergency work of the archdiocese assumed a particular significance on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 19th. "The feast indicates the overflowing love of the heart of God which flows to humanity through Jesus, Archbishop Toppo told Fides. Christians are called to share this same love with others." The food kits containing rice, legumes, soybeans and other ingredients, were distributed to over 50 Harijan or disadvantaged families in their homes in the Dom Koch shanty. They were also distributed to over 90 needy families of Kafur shanty. The president of the Catholic youth of the Archdiocese, Kuldip Tirkey, explained that local community leaders have been deployed to provide help to all people in need without distinctions of caste, belief, ethnicity". Focus on disadvantaged groups Bishops, priests, nuns and Catholic faithful of numerous other Indian dioceses have also been reaching out to migrants in difficulty, women, poor families and others by distributing food, medicines and other essential goods. Ranchi Archdiocese has been particularly focussing its attention on discriminated and disadvantaged groups. Earlier on June 16, the archbishop led a team to two villages of Ranchi District, where they distributed food rations and sanitizing kits to more than 170 families of freedom fighters. Food rations and sanitation kits were also distributed on Trinity Sunday, June 7, more than 1000 cycle rickshaw pullers of Ranchi city, who were suddenly robbed of their only source of daily livelihood when the Indian government ordered a nationwide lockdown on March 24 to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Out of Jharkhands 32 million population, 9 million belong to tribal groups. About 1.5 million people in the state are Christians, half of whom are Catholics. "Australia needs to work out what these honours are about," says top corporate strategist Andrew Butcher. "Are we honouring people just for doing their jobs?" Butcher was once Rupert Murdoch's primary spokesman and the senior vice-president of corporate affairs for NewsCorp in New York. Now an adviser and lobbyist, he is occasionally asked to help someone win themselves entry into the Order of Australia - though never by a client, and he has never agreed to the job. "I've only ever been asked by men," Butcher says. "They have ideas for big-name nominators and want the nomination written to hit the salient points that they hope will impress the panel. Yuck." In the upper echelons of Australian corporate affairs, there is a sense that lobbying for honours is pervasive, but no one admits to doing the work. Brian Tyson, managing partner of Newgate, said he had been asked to support nominations "once or twice" in a personal capacity, but never as a formal commission. "It might not be as sinister as people might think," he said. The Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General's annual reports reveal a pattern of behaviour when it comes to who nominates. Some fields, like medicine, have a consistently high number of nominees, and most of them are successful. Some fields are more hit and miss. For example, in 2017-18, the only category in which fewer than 50 per cent of the nominees were accepted into the Order was men from the field of business and commerce. Of 54 men who were nominated, only 24 picked up a gong. Overall, more men are nominated each year than women in almost every field. In the most recent available year, 2018-19, the number of nominations jumped from about 2000 to 3000. The number of male nominees rose from about 1300 to 1800, while the number of female nominees increased from 650 to 1100. About 70 to 75 per cent of nominees end up receiving an award each year. Stephen Brady was official secretary to the governor-general between 2008 and 2014. Credit:Dragon Papillon Photography It is also worth noting that despite the media's focus on politicians and other famous faces, the "community" category is far and away the largest. Last year there were 945 awards in that section, nearly half the total, although the vast majority were OAMs, the lowest tier. Former diplomat Stephen Brady was official secretary to the governor-general between 2008 and 2014, mostly during the tenure of Dame Quentin Bryce. He warns that while the system is robust, it must continue to earn Australians' trust and support. "Benchmarked against comparable countries, Australia has one of the best honours systems in the world. However, its success depends on retaining wide community support," Brady says. "For example, Australians could justifiably expect to see high-level recognition given to the extraordinary contributions made by individuals during the bushfires and COVID-19 crises." Karen Kline unsuccessfully sought documents about a nomination under freedom of information laws. Credit:Ken Irwin Brady was secretary when Brisbane woman Karen Kline launched a High Court challenge to the office's refusal to divulge documents related to Kline's failed nomination of disability advocate Lawrence Laikind. The governor-general's office had used special powers under the Freedom of Information Act to deny her requests. The High Court dismissed Kline's appeal in 2013. More recently, journalists requested information from the governor-general's office related to Bettina Arndt's award, only to be rebuffed under the same laws. Brady says the Council needs to operate confidentially in order to do its job properly. During the long process of vetting someone's nomination, which can take up to two years, the secretariat will approach a nominee's contacts for an appraisal. Some are damning in their assessments, while others are damning in their silence. Either way, they are assured their views will be kept private. "The bedrock of our honours system is confidentiality," says Brady. "When referees and others are contacted during the research stage of a nomination, it is done on the explicit basis that their honest feedback will be protected." Former High Court judge Michael Kirby says people hold the power to change the system in their hands. Credit:Liliana Zaharia Kline, now retired, disagrees. She maintains we need more transparency in the decision-making process, not necessarily the reasons for a particular choice. "It shouldn't be lifetime politicians and bureaucrats getting these awards," Kline says. "It is a secret society and it absolutely needs to be reformed." Former High Court judge Michael Kirby, who was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, the highest rung, in 1991, is a staunch and perhaps surprising defender of the honours system, given his liberal reformist tendencies. A man with reported links to dissident Republican groups has been shot dead in what has been called a brutal attack in West Belfast. The incident occurred at the home of a man who had previously been arrested over the April murder of Dublin gangster Robbie Lawlor, the Irish Newss security correspondent Allison Morris reported. The new killing occurred in the citys Rodney Drive area, close to the Lower Falls Road, on Saturday morning, according to local SDLIP councillor Brian Heading. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, he said: This brutal crime has caused immense shock Police have locked down the street where the shooting took place. I would urge everyone to cooperate with PSNI officers as they investigate. Recommended Man shot dead in Belfast was suspect in gruesome murder of teenager Those responsible for this barbaric crime have no support here. They need to be caught and brought to justice. I would encourage anyone with information to bring it to the police as soon as possible. The sentiment was echoed by Paul Maskey, the areas Sinn Fein MP, who called it a brutal and shameful attack. My thoughts are with the family of the man was has been killed, he said. No family should have to go through this heartache. Those involved in this act have absolutely no place in our community, they must cease their anti-community activities and get off the back of the people of West Belfast. Those responsible must be held accountable before the courts. Recommended Police searching for missing Belfast teenager find body In a statement on Twitter, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: Police are aware of reports of a shooting incident in West Belfast this afternoon. Detectives and local police are at the scene. Further updates will follow as enquiries progress. Mobster Lawlor was shot dead in a suspected hit job in a supermarket car park in the Northern Irish capital on 4 April. He was 36. Reports have said he himself was linked to the gruesome killing of 17-year-old Keane Mulready Woods, whose dismembered remains were found in Dublin in January. SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar said on Friday that he was asked to choose between luxury and agony after being detained by the authorities in August last year. I was asked to quit politics to walk free, evade harrying and live a comfortable life with my family, Akhtar told this newspaper a day after he was evicted from a government bungalow on Srinagars high-security Gupkar Road. The house was allotted to him few years ago as he was a protected person in view of the threat perception. Last week, Jammu and Kashmir authorities revoked Akhtars detention under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), but on reaching his home he was placed under house arrest. At 11 am on Thursday, he said, he was visited by two officials of the estates department who asked him to vacate his government accommodation in five hours or face forcible eviction. I sought a days time but they said that we (Akhtar, his spouse and daughter) would be forcibly evicted if we dont vacate the premises by 4 pm. They said this even after knowing that Im under house arrest and do not have any place of my own to shift to, he said. Akhtar had sold his own house in citys Barzulla locality some time ago after it was damaged in a series of attacks allegedly carried out by militants and anti-government protesters. It was damaged, making it unusable. Also, being located in a congested area and I being a vulnerable person, I decided to dispose it off, he said. Akhtar, who after seeking premature retirement from government service in 2008, when he was holding the lucrative post of tourism commissioner/secretary, to join the PDP, said that he was repeatedly visited by government representatives and intelligence officials during his detention at subsidiary jails. He added that they persuaded him to quit politics or, at least, sign a bond saying that he would not indulge in any political activity after being released. I was asked to sign the bond many times. I was, in fact, the first person among the detainees who was approached for it in September last year itself. They told me that since Im facing several health issues it would be better for me to come out of the jail and go home, he said. The 69-year-old politician added, They also told me that you are an elderly person, to which I said that there are many people who are older than me and yet incarcerated and that they should take a view of everybody if they are really concerned about our age and health issues. He said that the bond the authorities wanted him to sign was horribly worded. I dont think that people even in an autocracy would be asked to sign such a bond, Akhtar said and added that after he was shifted from a city hotel to Srinagars MLAs hostel, also declared a subsidiary jail. He was again visited by some officials who told him that considering his age and failing health, the government was willing to set him free on the condition that he agreed to retire from politics. I told them that more than 100,000 people have already lost their lives in the three-decade-old turmoil, many of them just 14-15 years old. If an old man dies in your prison it wont be a big deal and I wont consider it as a sacrifice. He said that it was after this meeting that he was detained under the PSA. After some time, I was again approached by some people who were not locals. I told them that the solution of Kashmir issue cant be evaded even if the government of India reduces J&K to a municipality. I was unexpectedly released from the makeshift jail after my detention under the PSA was revoked last week. However, after being taken to my home I was placed under house arrest and barred from meeting anybody, including media representatives, he said. Akhtar said that after he was asked to vacate the government accommodation on Thursday, the policemen deployed at the premises told him that they wont permit him to leave. They questioned how could I leave while being under house arrest. The issue between the police and the estates department could be sorted out only late Thursday evening. I was shifted at 9 pm. Im at my sisters place right now and we will be shifting to a rented accommodation soon. But I have been instructed not to venture out without permission, he said. With national security bill around the corner, HK secessionists change course Global Times By Wang Wenwen Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/26 18:18:40 Anson Chan Fang On-sang, Hong Kong's former chief secretary, a stern advocate for the so-called "democratic reforms" in Hong Kong and a key figure believed to have played a role in the city's unrest, said on Friday that she will be stepping back from political and civil engagements in the future. Stating the recent loss of her beloved daughter, the former official said she wanted to give herself time and space to mourn and recover. Chan's retirement comes as China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, prepares to pass the national security legislation for Hong Kong. The law aims to remove secession, subversion of state power, and collusion with foreign and external forces. Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, from Nankai University, told the Global Times Friday that Chan is an out-of-date politician who used to push herself forward in the political movement in Hong Kong over these last few years. "But with national security legislation to be enacted, there is little room for her to seek opportunistic gains. Reading through her retirement statement, one can sense that she is reluctant to reconcile, but she is well aware of the situation," said Li. Chan is oftentimes referred to as a political "chameleon" that is adept at seeking her private interests in movements. She has been named one of the "Gang of Four" in disrupting Hong Kong, which also includes Martin Lee Chu-ming, Albert Ho Chun-yan, and Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, all of whom are considered behind last year's unrest in Hong Kong. The "Four" are criticized for using freedom and democracy as a guise and young students as cannon fodder, and colluding with foreign forces to sow chaos in Hong Kong. The yet-to-be-passed national security law is expected to have deterrence effect on those who threaten national security, including the members of the "Gang of Four." Lee has recently been mocked for his two-face posture; that is, oftentimes he is seen as a vocal supporter for the unrest in Hong Kong, and he was described in June by the New York Times in an article as a "staunch defender" of the "one country, two systems" policy. Later, he called the "laam caau" philosophy (to make all lose together) naive, and tried to separate himself from Hong Kong's independence movement. In an interview with a Hong Kong media outlet, he also suggested Hong Kong pass its own national security legislation. He was described by former Hong Kong chief executive CY Leung as cunning and guile. Lai, another from the "Gang of Four," is scheduled to stand trial on August 19. If convicted, Lai could face a prison term of up to two years, along with fines. The founder of secessionist Apple Daily tabloid was accused of criminal intimidation and participating in unauthorized assemblies. Upon the NPC decision to move forward with the national security law, Lai opened a Twitter account in May to solicit international support and continue his demonization of the Chinese government. In mid-June, the Hong Kong high court rejected Lai's application to adjust his bail terms to allow him to travel to the US. Albert Ho, together with Jimmy Lai, is facing charges over their roles in inciting others to participate in an unauthorized vigil on June 4. The case has been adjourned to July 15. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Frog's Hollow is named for the noise from hundreds of frogs that once lived in the swampland at Brisbane's Albert and Margaret streets in the mid-to-late 1800s. But it was also a red light district home to prowling gangs of wolf-like larrikins, according to Australian colonial police historian Dr Anastasia Dukova, now working in Brisbane. Brisbane's historic Frog's Hollow, in 1864. Credit:State Library Frog's Hollow of old was home to drunks, petty thieves and prostitutes, as well as traders and shopkeepers from China and other Asian countries. Dr Dukova revealed the sordid side of the area following the news Brisbanes Cross River Rail teams had uncovered more than 200 artefacts from the old Chinese shops and boarding house district as they began to dig the new Albert Street underground train station. New Delhi, June 27 : The day when Hindu Rao Hospital converted into a dedicated COVID-19 treatment facility, its doctors staged a protest alleging substandard quality of PPE kits provided to them during the COVID duty on Saturday. Dr Ambimanyu Sardana, president of Residents' Doctors Association of Hindu Rao, told IANS that the quality of the PPE kits are not up to the mark. "The thickness of material used in PPE kits appear to be of 70 or 80 GSM while we require PPE kits whose thickness measure 90 GSM," he said. Besides, the doctors also complained about a range of issues. They complained of the haphazard preparation to convert the hospital into COVID facility and delay in their salaries. Sardana said the hospital lack even basic facilities such as Air Conditioners, sanitisation and accommodation of the doctors deployed in the COVID duty. "How the doctors are supposed to perform a task in PPE suits without AC in the scorching summer heat? It's a fundamental thing to do. Also, we are not provided for the accommodation facility after duty hours. We work at a high risk while treating COVID-19 patients, going home in such condition would be a great risk for our families. We can't jeopardise their safety," he said. Apart from it, the doctors and other health care staff alleged that the hospital is not complying with the protocols required for COVID treatment facilities. They feared that it could result into a faster contraction of the COVID-19 infection among the hospital staff. There are many things that the hospital lack. "Every COVID facility is divided into three zones: Red, Orange and Green. Green is the area that is secured and where doctors don't require to don PPE kits. No such area is designated yet, even the hospital converted into full-fledged COVID facility," Sardana said. Indumati Jaiswal, a senior nursing officer of the hospital, alleged that the donning and doffing areas of the PPEs are not sanitised. She also claimed that the donning area is inside the ward where the patients are treated. "As per the guidelines, the donning of PPEs should happen before entering the ward, and its doffing should be done after the exit from the ward," she said. Hindu Rao hospital is making headlines for ill-treatment of its health care workers for many days now. A day before, over 700 employees, including nurses, paramedical and Class IV staff of the hospital staged a protest against North Delhi Municipal Corporation for non-payment of salaries since April. Earlier in June, the Delhi High Court took a duo moto cognisance after the doctors of the hospital threatened to resign over as they were denied salaries since February. There is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media. The Coca-Cola Company will pause paid advertising on all social media platforms globally for at least 30 days. We will take this time to reassess our advertising policies to determine whether revisions are needed. We also expect greater accountability and transparency from our social media partners, said James Quincey, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, in a statement on Social Media Platform Pause on the company website. Starting July 1, 2020, The Coca-Cola Company will halt all digital advertising on social media platforms globally In a statement made earlier on June 4, 2020, Quincey has stated, Now, with George Floyds death, Ive been reflecting on our duty to Black people in America. Simply put, America hasnt made enough progress, corporate America hasnt made enough progress and nor has The Coca-Cola Company. As per media reports, this decision is part of the ongoing boycott of Facebook and Instagram organised by the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, and other organisations, calling for Stop Hate For Profit. Coca-Colas decision covers not just Facebook and Instagram, but Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms as well. Chennai: Ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK announced a solatium of Rs 25 lakh each to the next of kin of father-son duo P Jayaraj and J Fennix, who died in judicial custody in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district after alleged police torture. In a joint statement, CM K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam said on behalf of the party that the two deaths were saddening and unfortunate and announced Rs 25 lakh to the bereaved kin. On the other hand, DMK's leader and Tuticorin MP Kanimozhi too handed over a cheque for Rs 25 lakh to the family on Friday while demanding an inquiry by the National Human Rights Commission into the deaths. Announcing the financial assistance, DMK President and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly MK Stalin asked who gave permission to the Sathankulam police to carry out the attack on the father-son duo just because they delayed closing their mobile phone shop during the lockdown period. Stalin said the Tamil Nadu CM to take moral responsibility for the deaths. "The alleged brutal assault on the two men days ago by police was "a result of the AIADMK government allowing them to take law into their own hands at a time when they have to ensure the safety of the public during the lockdown," PTI quoted Stalin as saying on Friday. He said all those responsible for the alleged 'barbarity' should get tough punishment and his party would support all legal action for it. The Tamil Nadu government had earlier announced Rs 10 lakh solatium each to the families of P Jayaraj and J Fennix and government jobs to one family member of each deceased. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too condoled the death of the father-son duo in Tuticorin after being allegedly beaten up by police, and said it is a tragedy when protectors turn into oppressors. "Police brutality is a terrible crime. It's a tragedy when our protectors turn into oppressors," Rahul said on Friday. Taking suo motu cognizance of the custodial deaths, the Madras High Court ordered videotaping of the post-mortems and posted the case to June 26. The Madurai bench of the Madras HC directed the police to submit a report on June 26 over the death of the duo. The incident dates back to June 19 when Jayaraj and Fennix were booked for not closing their mobile shop on time, thus violating lockdown norms. They were remanded in judicial custody and lodged in the Kovilpatti jail on June 21. A day later on June 22, P Jayaraj died while his son Fennix died hours later on June 23 morning in judicial custody. The families alleged that the duo was severely thrashed at the Sathankulam police station by police personnel earlier. The kin demanded that a murder case be registered against the two sub-inspectors, alleging they were responsible for the death of the two men. They said they had lost both the male members of their family. The incident triggered a furore in the state, leading to the suspension of four policemen, including two sub-inspectors. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel has been questioned by a team of three Enforcement Directorate officials on Sunday for his purported links with the Sandesara brothers of the Sterling Biotech group, who fled the country in 2017 after allegedly swindling several banks of several thousand crore rupees, officials said. The Sandesaras are being probed by multiple agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the income tax department as well. The ED team, which arrived at Patels 23, Mother Crescent bungalow at around 12 noon, spent the next eight hours questioning him in this case. When the ED team left his house, Ahmed Patel told a group of reporters waiting outside that the government was trying to divert attention from the Chinese action at the Ladakh border and the Covid-19 fallout by targeting opposition leaders. Today the Modi Government sent some visitors to my house pic.twitter.com/Lr2PFaIjUT Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) June 27, 2020 At a time when we have such a tense situation on the Indo-China border, China has grabbed our land and people are suffering due to mismanagement of Covid-19 crisis by this government, it is trying to divert the attention by targeting opposition leaders. I feel sorry for these (ED) officials who are being used by this government. I believe in the Constitution and have answered whatever they wanted to know. Patel, 70, was political secretary to Sonia Gandhi when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was in power between 2004 and 2014. He had been summoned for questioning earlier but the veteran Congress leader had cited the governments Covid-19 guidelines to express his inability to visit the agency. The health ministry had issued an advisory for citizens above 65 years to stay at home to protect themselves against the coronavirus pandemic. Also read: ED team at Ahmed Patels house in connection with money laundering case Ahmed Patels son Faisal Patel and son-in-law Irfan Siddiqui were questioned by ED in this case last year. The anti-money laundering probe agency is investigating fraud worth over Rs 14,500 crore by Sterling Biotech and its promoters - Nitin, Chetan and Deepti Sandesara. They have been absconding since 2017 and said to be hiding in Nigeria. An Interpol red corner notice request is pending against them and efforts to extradite them are on. The Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech has been under investigation for three years after the CBI registered a case for alleged fraud of Rs 5,000 crore that targeted a consortium led by Andhra Bank. In June 2019, the ED attached moveable and immovable properties worth Rs 9,778 crores belonging to the Sandesaras including four oil rigs and oil fields in Nigeria and several ships apart from a Gulfstream aircraft and flat in London. The Courier/Jason Fochtman/AP As Texas faces a massive surge of COVID-19 cases and increasing criticism from public health experts for having opened too early and too quickly, Houston has been at the forefront of the outbreak. Hospitals in the states most populous city are quickly running out of bedsincluding Texas Medical Center, the largest hospital in the world, where ICU beds were at more than 99 percent normal capacity on Thursdayas the number of confirmed cases in the state have begun an exponential rise. Public health experts have maintained that Houstons hospitals are well equipped to handle hospitalizations in the near term, but in an overcrowded immigrant detention facility in the nearby city of Conroe, there are no such assurances. Out of 272 detainees at the Joe Corley Detention Center, a privately owned immigrant detention center roughly 45 minutes north of Houston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has reported that there are more than 40 cases of COVID-19, with at least one in-custody death. Advocates and attorneys warn that even more have shown symptoms but not yet received medical care. Detention should not be a death sentence, said Karen Lucas, director of the Immigration Justice Campaign. But during the pandemic, close quarters and the disastrous failure to follow even basic precautions, like providing enough soap and masks, threaten the lives of everyone in ICE custody and government personnel and risk overwhelming local hospitals. On Thursday, the law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, working pro bono with Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, Innovation Law Lab, Santa Fe Dreamers Project, and the Immigration Justice Campaign, filed a group habeas petition in district court demanding the release of those currently detained in Corley. The petition is the latest in a streak of legal efforts to free undocumented people held in immigration detention centers across the region, where detainees are reportedly being held in crowded conditions with inadequate access to medical treatmentand where some allegedly have been coerced into signing forms waiving ICE of responsibility in the event that they become ill. Story continues The petition, filed on behalf of four men who have been detained in ICE custody for at least six month each, declared that the men are now trapped in a facility that has seen a surge in COVID-19 infections rivaling that of any other detention facility nationwide. As COVID-19 cases spike in Texas, the risks that Petitioners face at JCDF are more acute than ever, the petition states. At Joe Corley, our clients [have] experienced arbitrary denials of their parole requests and continue to live under dangerous detention conditions, said Linda Corchado, director of legal services at Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, noting that some of the non-profit groups clients have been transferred to other detention facilities around the country, potentially spreading the virus even further afield. Our clients faced life or death consequences arising out of prolonged detention during a pandemic, Corchado said. Under ordinary circumstances, the men at the center of the case would not be detained at all. Each of the men26-year-old Kelvin Armando Escobar of Honduras, and 35-year-old Roger Ernesto Munoz, 53-year-old Jorge Luis Morales-Diaz, and 31-year-old Hugo Sanchez-Valdes of Cubais seeking asylum in the United States. They fled political persecution in their home countries and would normally be in the beginning stages of the process of seeking political asylum. But under the Migrant Protection Protocols enacted by the Trump administration in January 2019, which are better known as the Remain in Mexico plan, they are awaiting removal from the United States, despite having demonstrated a credible fear of being returned to their countries of origin. While each of the men is fighting their potential removal from the country, the more immediate threat, their lawyers say, comes from the virus within the walls of their detention facility. As of June 2, 2020, ICE reported that more than half of the nearly 2,800 detainees in its custody who had been tested were confirmed to have had the virus, and ICE facilities in Texas have reported more positive cases than facilities in any other state, the petition noted. That JCDF has emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot is hardly surprising in light of reports of abysmal conditions at the facility. A spokesperson for the Geo Group, the private prison company that owns the facility, said in a statement to The Daily Beast that all decisions relating to the release of detainees are made exclusively by the federal government, but noted that the company has taken comprehensive steps at all our facilities to address the risks of COVID-19 to all those in our care and our employees. An ICE spokesperson pointed The Daily Beast to its guidance on COVID-19, in which the agency claims to isolate detainees with a fever or respiratory symptoms who meet unspecified criteria and to have reduced capacity in detention facilities by at least 30 percent. But the Trump administration has previously shown little regard for the potential spread of COVID-19 among immigrant communities, particularly those ensnared in the increasingly labyrinthine immigration legal system. As the virus initially spread across the United States this spring, immigration courts expressed immense frustration with the lack of guidance about conducting immigration proceedings without putting participants in danger. The administrations allies have also attempted to slash federal funds for states that have aided undocumented residents during the economic fallout from the pandemic, and just this week the administration extended and expanded immigration restrictions, pointing to the virus threat to American jobs as the reason. Concerns about the consistency of ICEs testing of immigrant detainees has even led to fears beyond detention centers. Earlier this week, The Daily Beast reported that one in five people deported to Guatemala has tested positive for COVID-19, despite having received a clean bill of health from the U.S. government before their removal. Lucas said detention facilities are inherently unhealthy, even setting aside the coronavirus pandemic. The commonsense solution is clear, Lucas said. Robust implementation of long-standing, effective and humane community-based alternatives to detention is urgent as COVID-19 spreads through detention centers. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan met with demonstrators Friday after some lay in the street or sat on barricades to thwart the citys effort to dismantle an occupied protest zone that has drawn scorn from President Donald Trump and a lawsuit from nearby businesses. Crews arrived with heavy equipment early Friday morning at the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, an occupied protest zone in Seattle, ready to dismantle barriers set up after protesters seized the area June 8 following clashes with police. But by mid-morning, they appeared to have backed off rather than risk conflict. Omari Salisbury, a local journalist who attended the afternoon meeting between protesters and the mayor, told reporters afterward that the mayor had agreed to wait until Sunday morning to remove most of the barricades. The mayors office did not immediately respond to an email seeking to confirm that report. The collective of protesters, activists, educators and volunteers in the CHOP was formed after clashes with police who tear-gassed people protesting the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Durkan has expressed support for the protest, calling it a peaceful expression of our communitys collective grief and their desire to build a better world. But following several shootings in the area, Durkan earlier this week said the city would wind down the protest zone, at first by encouraging demonstrators to leave. In addition, she said police would return to a nearby precinct that was abandoned following clashes with demonstrators. Nearby businesses and property owners filed a federal lawsuit against the city on Wednesday for its tolerance of the zone, saying officials had been complicit in depriving them of their rights to their property. The businesses said they did not intend to undermine the anti-police-brutality or Black Lives Matter messaging of the protest. But they said they had limited access to their businesses, and sometimes have been threatened for photographing protesters in public areas or for cleaning graffiti off their storefronts. The work crews intended to remove the barricades, not the remaining protesters, on Friday. Sam Zimbabwe, city transportation director, told Salisbury, who has been live-streaming the protest. Workers were preserving artwork that had been painted on the wooden barricades, Zimbabwe said, adding that the department would work to return it to the people who created it. Were not trying to have conflict, he said. A number of protesters remained camped in tents outside the East Precinct; Durkan said barricades protecting them from traffic would remain even after the other barriers are removed Sunday, according to Salisbury. The city has not given a timeline for officers return to the building except to say it would be in the near future. Protesters want the removal of legal protections known as qualified immunity for police who violate rights of members of the public an issue that would need to be addressed in state law, not by the city. The demonstrators have also called for cutting the Seattle police budget 50% and spending the savings on community health and other programs. The mayor has proposed a much more modest cut of $20 million to help balance the citys budget through the end of this year. YouTube star Shane Dawson has once again apologized for wearing blackface and using racial slurs, including the N-word, in his online video comedy sketches, saying he deserves to lose everything as a result. Dawson, who was born Shane Lee Yaw, has maintained a presence on the video-sharing platform since 2008. He posted a clip on Friday titled Taking Accountability. Although he has apologized in the past for posting offensive content, Dawson said he only recently came to the realization that he erred. I have done a lot of things in my past that I hate, that I wish I could make go away, that I tried to make go away by deleting videos, or un-tagging my Instagram, literally doing whatever I can to pretend those things didn't happen, he said. Because yes, I apologized for a lot of them but I'm 31, almost 32. Those apologies suck. Shane Dawson, 31, a YouTube star with some 23 million subscribers, posted a video on Friday titled 'Taking Accountability' Dawson expressed regret for using blackface and mocking African Americans in his comedy sketches He also said he contributed to the 'normalization' of the N-word by frequently using it in his skits I don't know who that person is anymore. He added: This video is coming from a place of just wanting to own up to my s***, wanting to own up to everything I've done on the internet that has hurt people, that has added to the problem, that has not been handled well. I should have been punished for things. Dawson, who is worth an estimated $12million, said that he regrets all the racism that [he] put onto the internet, which includes satirical depictions of African Americans, Asians, and Mexicans. Blackface was something that I did a lot, he said. There's no excuse for it. I didn't do the work. I didn't look into the history of it and why it's so wrong, and why people were so upset. I can't even imagine what it would be like to be Black, and see this white f****** guy do blackface, and the whole internet at that time being like, LOL! That's insane and I am so sorry. I should lose everything for that, he remarked. When talking about his use of the N-word, Dawson said his sketches promoted the normalization of the epithet. Me, as a white person, wearing a wig, playing a character, doing stereotypes and then saying the N-word is something that I should have probably lost my career for at the time, he said. There's no amount of apologizing that can take it away. Dawson said he is willing to lose everything due to his actions. At this point realizing how many people I've hurt, or how many people I've inspired to say awful things or do anything awful, to finally just own up to all of this and be accountable is worth losing everything to me, he said. Dawson also apologized to James Charles, a YouTube star with some 14 million subscribers. Last week, Dawson called Charles egocentric and power hungry on Twitter. Charles was embroiled in a feud last year with Tati Westbrook. The two traded barbs on YouTube videos after Westbrook accused Charles of seducing straight men that he was interested in. Dawson also apologized for calling out YouTube star, James Charles (right), who was involved in an online feud with fellow internet personality Tati Westbrook (left). Westbrook last year released a tell-all video attacking Charles for his behavior towards herself and other males Charles has denied the accusation, calling it disgusting. In the video he posted on Friday, Dawson said: The part of the Twitter note that I regret more than anything in my entire life, was the part where I said that James deserves a slice of humble pie the size of the Empire State Building. He added: I'm sorry, James. First of all, nobody deserves what happened. The whole internet ganging up on somebody, nobody deserved that. Who am I that somebody needs to be humbled? Me? Who am I to say that? I have literally put so much hate onto the internet over my last 15 years. Dawson also spoke about his friendship with Jeffree Star, another YouTube personality with a massive following. Last year, an old website created by Star resurfaced in which he is seen slashing his wrists and referring to others as Lipstick Nazi. Dawson also apologized for his friendship with Jeffree Star, a controversial YouTube personality who was criticized last year for a website in which she referred to others as 'Nazi' In referring to his relationship with Star, Dawson said: I'm aware that I hold my friends or people I care about to a lower standard than I hold other people. That's wrong and I'm so sorry. I'm aware that I'm friends with some people that have done some bad things on the internet and I don't condone it and I don't co-sign it. Dawson said hes not seeking forgiveness though he pledged to do better with his actions. It's okay to be upset at your past self for making mistakes, but also it's okay if people don't want to accept your apology and don't want to support your anymore, he said. That's okay, too, and I understand. Earlier this week, another YouTube star, Jenna Marbles, said she was quitting her channel and apologized to her 20 million followers for past videos in which she is seen mocking black rapper Nicki Minaj and spoofing Asians. In an 11-minute clip titled 'A Message,' the Rochester, New York native, 33, acknowledged her past transgressions, which included a 2011 blackface skit, shaming women and a racist rap. 'For now I just can't exist on this channel,' she said. 'I want to hold myself accountable, and its painful to do it. Im ashamed of things Ive done and said in my past - but, its important. The latest: Jenna Marbles, 33, says she will no longer post to her YouTube channel amid scrutiny of older videos she did that contained racist content including a blackface skit 'I think I'm just going to move on from this channel for now. I don't know if that's forever. I don't know how long it's going to be... I'm just going to stop for now.' Marbles said it was time to take a step back from the channel, which has more than 20 million subscribers, amid a pileup of questions about the routines. She specifically addressed the blackface skit, a video featuring a rap which made a joke about Asian people, and another in which she hit out at women who 'slept around'. The rap song included the line: 'Hey Ching Chong Wing Wong, shake your King Kong ding dong.' She described the video as 'awful' and 'inexcusable'. In the blackface video she dons a pink wig and skintight blue outfit and jokes that Minaj has different personalities. At one point in the video she is seen with dark paint or a face mask on her face while talking about 'kinky' sex. 'I get it,' she said. 'I've definitely done things in the past that weren't great. I'm not completely unproblematic. I've tried my best to grow up.' Marbles, whose real name is Jenna Nicole Mourey, admits she's gradually switched the older clips to private amid 'a time where we are purging ourselves of anything and everything toxic'. In an 11-minute clip titled 'A Message,' the Rochester, New York native, 33, acknowledged her past transgressions, which included a 2011 blackface skit (pictured), shaming women and a racist rap Marbles is seen wearing a shiny skin-tight outfit and a pink wig during her Nicki Minaj impersonation 'Yeah there [are] things in my past I'm not proud of and I'm getting a lot of tweets from people saying, "Why have you privated all these old videos?" and I have spent a lot of the last few days privating almost all of my old content. 'I'm sorry if any of that holds any nostalgia for you but I'm literally not trying to put out negative things into the world.' Marbles said she was 'unbelievably sorry' specifically in regards to the blackface skit, and wishes 'it wasnt part of [her] past.' She added of the bit: 'I do just want to tell you that it was not my intention to do blackface. 'I don't know how else to say this but it doesn't matter because all that matters is that people were offended and it hurt them... this isn't okay and it hasn't existed on the Internet for a long time because it's not okay.' Yeshoda Karuturi (left) and Rhea Karutri, Founders, RoseBazaar. I must have flowers, always, and always. Claude Monet In her colloquy, Yeshoda Karuturi does not quote the French Impressionist painter. But she talks flowers. Always and always. The rose farms in Adidas Ababa (Ethiopia) and Nakuru (Kenya) that her father planted the year she was born. Black Magic, the dark red rose. The long-stemmed Moonstone white rose with pink edges and a light fragrance. The Elle pink rose with spicy scent. Her mother adorning the deities in flowers every morning. Yeshoda not only talks flowers, she also has one rose variety named after her. Yeshoda, a long-stemmed peach-coloured rose. She is not the only one in the family with a rose-specie to her name. Theres Rhea Karuturi, her younger sister, who lends her name to Rea, a dark red rose. With rose farms as childhood playgrounds, Yeshoda, 26, and Rhea, 23, turned towards the gods. Not to kneel in obeisance but to set up a business around flowers offered to deities, an everyday requirement in most households. Christened RoseBazaar and headquartered in Bengaluru, Rose Bazaar is a puja-flower delivery subscription service with multiple options -- monthly subscription at Rs 100 upwards, Rs 25 for a box of flowers, 50 different traditional flower varieties to choose from. Add to it the option of buying it from retail channels like Organic World. All this packed in biodegradable packages that keep flowers fresh for almost two weeks. Having lent a hand in the family business of rose-farming came in handy. So did Yeshodas Masters degree in Accounting from Washington University (St Louis, USA) and Rheas under-grad major in Systems Technology & Society from Stanford University (California, USA). The sisters were stepping into an unorganised territory with no definite data-defined consumption patterns. Nearly half a million Bengaluru households use flowers for puja every day but the supply chain is tangled with individual sellers delivering to limited number of households. Yeshoda and Rheas first entrepreneurial step was to provide an organised and branded channel for puja-flower subscription service. When we launched in February 2019, we started with traditional flowers, home decor subscriptions, gifting, events, etc, and the more we spent time in the business it became obvious that traditional flowers had massive demand but there were severe gaps in how the customers were being serviced and that was going to be our focus, Yeshoda, Chief Executive Officer, Rose Bazaar, told Moneycontrol . A year later, RoseBazaar has 25 employees, partnership with flower farmers across India and is doing 15,000 deliveries a month. RoseBazaars business module found an angel investor in Techstars Bangalore that has invested $120,000 in Yeshoda and Rheas flower dreams. Every year, Techstars Bangalore meets several hundred start-ups to handpick the best ideas and entrepreneurs. RoseBazaars packages keep flowers fresh for two weeks. In RoseBazaar, we found aspiring founders out to offer a unique service of supplying puja flowers fresh by giving flower farmers the best returns, cutting out middlemen and brokers. In Yeshoda and Rhea, we saw an appetite to scale up their start-up. We invested $120,000 in RoseBazaar, in addition to offering hands-on mentorship and access to the Techstars global network for life. During the first four weeks of the 13-week Techstars programme RoseBazaar founders met nearly 80 founders, mentors, experts, says Ray Newal, Managing Director, Techstars Bangalore, a chapter of the Colorado-headquartered global platform for investment and innovation that connects entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations. Not only more subscriptions, even honours are being added to Yeshoda and Rheas bouquet of success. The two recently received the National FICCI Flo Incubator award for the most innovative startup. With a success module in place, RoseBazaar is planning to spread the puja-flower fragrance across India. Their next flower stop: Hyderabad. Yeshoda does not quote Claude Monet in her colloquy. But theres an echo of Monets gratitude to flowers in becoming a painter (I owe perhaps hang become a painter to flowers). Yeshoda does not paint but she is grateful to flowers. It is to flowers that she owes her spiritedness - and success. Preeti Verma Lal is a Goa-based freelance writer/photographer. Illinois Section Manager steps down, new SM appointed Illinois Section Manager Ron Morgan, AD9I, has stepped down due to health concerns that became apparent just as he was ready to start a new term. He was re-elected in the spring Section Manager election cycle. Morgan, of East Peoria, has been Section Manager since February 2017. Thomas Beebe, W9RY, of Marion, has been appointed as the Illinois Section Manager, effective July 1, to fulfill the 2-year term that extends through June 30, 2022. ARRL Radiosport and Field Services Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, made the appointment after consulting with ARRL Central Division Director Kermit Carlson, W9XA. Beebe was one of three candidates who ran for the post in the spring SM election. He currently serves as an Assistant Section Manager, Official Emergency Station, and a Field Instructor and Field Examiner. A DOGS chest cavity was punctured when she was attacked by two large dogs while on a walk. Mochi, two, a Shiba Inu, was with her owner Frederick van Mierlo when they came across a pair of German shepherds in a field near Bix, where they live. One was on the lead with its owner but the other was loose and as the two parties approached each other it grabbed Mochi, lifted her off the ground and tossed her about. The second German shepherd then joined in the attack until Mr van Mierlo intervened. He said: I jumped in between them and rugby tackled my own dog and lifted her up. The dog off the lead was still trying to attack her, jumping up against me. I lifted Mochi up to my head and she was injured and obviously very distressed. The dog was still trying to attack Mochi. The owner was trying to restrain the dog on the lead, which was also still trying to attack. I tried to walk away but the one off the lead kept following me. Eventually it returned to its owner, who was walking in the opposite direction. Mr van Mierlo, 30, said he couldnt speak to the owner as he was leaving the field with his dog on the lead to draw the other one away and did not come back. He called his partner Katharina Lotz, 27, who was working, and she drove to meet them before the couple took Mochi to Henley Vets in Reading Road. Staff there said she had sustained significant bruising in the attack and checked her circulation. Mochi was given painkillers and an X-ray to check for internal bleeding. She spent the night at the practice so she could be monitored. She didnt require surgery and is now back home but she cant exercise at the moment and her breathing is very shallow. Mr van Mierlo said: She has a punctured chest cavity, making breathing difficult but thanks to her thick fur the bite did not penetrate deeper into the lung, which could have been fatal. The couple, who moved to Bix from Brussels in March, now have to pay the vets bill of 800 as Mochi is not insured. Mr van Mierlo said: I was budgeting for a few thousand so Im pleased its only 800. Still, were going to have to cut back and will have to find ways to make up for it. Were having to draw on our deposit for a house. He reported the incident to the police but was advised it was a civil, not a criminal matter. Mr van Mierlo said: I believe theyre dangerous dogs and at a minimum they should be muzzled at all times and on the lead. If it turns out that they have a significant record then I dont know what steps need to be taken to correct that. While it was happening I was just trying to react and save my dog. If I had not intervened then they would have killed Mochi for sure. We were both shaken up a bit and at least two people supported us afterwards. They were very concerned. One offered to take me to the vets and helped me find my glasses, which I had dropped. Mr van Mierlo said the dog was very important to him and Ms Lotz. We love her and shes our child, he said. We also love the area and Mochi loves going on walks and meeting other dogs. Were really happy here so were extremely upset about this and its really devastating for Mochi. Unfortunately, the law seems to be inadequate in cases like these. The real worry is that these dogs might have a history of violence towards other dogs and next time it could be a child. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the event (Photo: VNA) Hanoi - Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan attended the ASEAN Leaders Interface with Representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) as part of the virtual 36th ASEAN Summit on June 26. PM Phuc, who is also Chair of ASEAN 2020, affirmed that the event reflects the close collaboration between governments and parliaments of ASEAN member states in the process of building the ASEAN Community. Accompanying the development of the ASEAN over the past four decades, the AIPA has upheld its important role in harmonising laws among nations and creating favourable conditions for the full and effective implementation of policies by regional governments, he said. In the spirit of the ASEAN Year 2020 theme Cohesive and Responsive, the PM affirmed that ASEAN countries stay united to realise the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, towards a connected and cohesive ASEAN Community that upholds its central role in the evolving regional architecture and actively adapts with opportunities and challenges. As the region and the world are facing unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bloc convened the ASEAN Special Summit and ASEAN 3 Special Summit on COVID-19. The Vietnamese leader said the ASEAN has proved its strong will, taken comprehensive and synchronous approach, pooled public involvement, and forged collaboration at national and regional levels to turn challenges into opportunities for sustainable development. The PM thanked the AIPA for promptly supporting the adoption of measures and policies by regional nations in the fight against COVID-19, and wished that the dialogue will help deepen links between governments and parliaments of the ASEAN member states, contributing to realising the people-oriented and people-centred ASEAN Community. In her capacity as Chair of the 41st General Assembly of the AIPA (AIPA-41), Ngan expressed her belief that with the determination and strong will, ASEAN people will push back the pandemic, restore socio-economic activities to achieve the ASEAN Vision 2025. TheAIPA highly evaluated the groupings common efforts to effectively cope with unprecedented challenges caused by COVID-19, pledged to continue partnering with ASEAN governments to combat the pandemic, improve the national capacity of contingency response to ensure peoples lives and safety, thus maintaining stability for regional development, she said. Ngan said leaders of the ASEAN parliaments highly valued the theme of ASEAN Year 2020 Cohesive and Responsive that suits its desire to build ASEAN into a common home of independent, dynamic, united and developed nations in Southeast Asia so that the ASEAN will raise increasingly important voices in the evolving architecture in the region and the world. She added that the AIPA wants to conduct more exchanges with ASEAN at all levels to raise public awareness of the bloc and harmonise laws in the grouping and make new progress for the common goal of building the ASEAN Community. On the political-security front, Ngan said the AIPA needs to continue strengthening cooperation to ensure transparency, openness and law-based approach. The AIPA parliaments highlight the importance of peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the East Sea, as well as the promotion of trust building. The top legislator highlighted the need to exercise self-restraint, prevent acts that could complicate the situation, settle disputes via peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). She suggested enhancing practical coordination between the AIPA and ASEAN, upholding partnership in regional connectivity and improving the capacity of ASEAN countries in coping with non-traditional security issues. In order to build an inclusive and self-resilient ASEAN Economic Community, she said the AIPA members commit to working closely together to build policies for circular economic development, renewable energy, innovation, thus adapting to the fourth industrial revolution. According to the Chairwoman, they will prioritise efforts to soon sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), promote sustainable development in the ASEAN Community, continue expanding the ASEAN Smart Cities Network and reinforcing public health system. In the immediate future, she suggested that the ASEAN should focus on economic recovery following COVID-19, opening trade and investment markets, connect with global supply chains, ensure food security, improve access to medicines and medical equipment at reasonable prices, boost the development of industries with intellectuals and digital economy, contributing to enhancing resilience of regional and global economies in the face of pandemics. About socio-culture, Ngan said the AIPA encourages the improvement of the role of women, children and the elderly in carrying out socio-economic development policies, hails ASEAN efforts to promote gender equality and women empowerment in 2020. The leader called on the AIPA members to raise their sense of responsibility for coordinating with ASEAN governments to deliver on commitments in important areas, including human resources and sustainable development, and plastic waste prevention. She suggested promptly issuing policies on education, unemployment, public health system, including improving access to vaccines and necessities for vulnerable groups and those hit by COVID-19, helping to strengthen regional resilience. The NA Chairwoman urged enhancing the involvement of AIPA young parliamentarians, towards the establishment of AIPA Young Parliamentarians Forum and exchanging with ASEAN Youth Forum. The AIPA calls on ASEAN member states to further strengthen the spirit of friendship, cooperation, responsibility and respect of diversity in the bloc while expanding sustainable tourism development. In order to build a more prosperous, sustainable, cohesive and responsive community, the AIPA and ASEAN need to deepen their partnership. With the common determination and mutual trust, the ASEAN will weather every difficulty and enter a new path for bright development, she said. There is something innately universal about streetwear. It does not matter whether you're in New Delhi or New York - streetwear has always been a medium for people to express themselves, and proclaim their identity, whether they realise this or not. No wonder, that a number of brands want to hitch their wagons to this caravan. Budweiser Budweiser is the latest one to do so. After grappling with the idea for about year after the launch of BUDXSTREET, their apparel segment which saw them collaborating with icons in the Indian streetwear scene - namely, VegNonVeg, NorBlackNorWhite, Huemn - they are now back with a new collection of streetwear apparel. Budweiser The objective behind this collection? Says Alexander Lambrecht, VP Marketing, South Asia, This will enable us to connect with the burgeoning street community of India, aiding us in our continual effort of creating and nurturing culture. Budweiser We got in touch with Kunel Gaur, Creative Director of Animal, the creative agency behind some of the most iconic brand activations we have seen in India, and the creative minds who have designed the latest collection. Budweiser Indian street culture and street aesthetics are very different from that of the rest of the world. How do you reconcile that with the global sensibilities that streetwear entails? Actually, although street names may differ, street culture has almost become a global phenomenon. Of course, with every street imbibing and learning from each other. So the challenge was to take the sensibilities of global street culture and marry that with inherent local elements like motifs. Budweiser Tell us something about the design process. How did you go about creating the prints and finalising them? The collection was broken down between several sets. For some, we borrowed elements from some really iconic packaging that we see around us, and then, de-constructing them to produce fresh compositions. We also used custom typography. In some cases, we re-interpreted some classic graphic elements that are vintage in nature. Each piece in the range features either large graphic prints or subtle all-over patterns. Budweiser How would you describe the collection? We wanted a collection that would not look out of place, be it the streets of New York or New Delhi. The collection, overall, has a chill, laid-back, yet confident vibe. Budweiser How different is it from your previous work with other brands, for whom you have designed motifs for their apparel? The work that we have done for other brands involved pure design, where we did not have to invoke the spirit of the brand. However, what started out as a challenge became a great asset because it gave us multiple different elements to play with. Let's talk about Maximalism vis-a-vis Minimalism. How do you choose between the two? Or do you have a preference of one over the other? We are fans of both. Especially when it happens in the same collection. Which is exactly what we started out to do. Budweiser Will we see more of such collaborations in the future? Well, we had an incredible time designing this collection. And we really think it is a great way to build the cultural cache of a brand, outside of traditional marketing means. So yes, we do hope to see many such collabs in the future. Chinese short-video-making app has announced it will no longer automatically access user clipboards on Apple iPhones after iOS 14 in Beta exposed the app's constant reading of user clipboards. told The Telegraph that it would stop "snooping on users' clipboards after iPhone update showed app constantly reads copied text". "A security patch from Apple has suddenly exposed just how many smartphone apps are reading users' clipboards every time they are on screen," said the report. In iOS 14 Beta, one of these features is a new banner alert that lets users know if an app is pasting from the clipboard. This has exposed the behaviour of some popular apps like as annoyed users who upgraded to iOS 14 Beta went on social media with such complaints. "For TikTok, this was triggered by a feature designed to identify repetitive, spammy behaviour. We have already submitted an updated version of the app to the App Store removing the anti-spam feature to eliminate any potential confusion," the Chinese company said in a statement. According to the report, other apps that read the iOS clipboard include AccuWeather, Call of Duty Mobile and even Google News. iOS 14 is limited to developers now and the company plans to release a public beta version next month ahead of the launch later this year. In iOS 14, all apps will now be required to obtain user permission before tracking. Later this year, App Store product pages will feature summaries of developers' self-reported privacy practices, displayed in a simple, easy-to-understand format. A group of about 30 protestors on Friday marched through Hermann Park in Houston to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman who was killed by Louisville police in her home as they were executing a no-knock warrant. More than three months after Taylor was killed, one of the white police officers involved in her death has been fired. Following the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted after the death of former Houstonian George Floyd, marches have taken place across the country to demand justice for Taylor. Keep scrolling for a look at Friday's march... KAMPALA Uganda is situated in East-Central Africa just astride Equator. It covers an area of 236580 square kilometers and at elevation of about 1100m. Uganda is landlocked country and to the north, it is bordered by South Sudan, Kenya in the East, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the west, Tanzania and Rwanda in the south. Uganda is described as the pearl of Africa for many reasons. A visit to this landlocked country is a great opportunity for you to discover its iconic tourist sites that make it one of the best safari destinations in Africa. It is one of the countries in Africa with intense biodiversity and the most favorable weather and climatic conditions that rate it as all year-round destination. Where to go for a safari in Uganda A Uganda safari takes you to most of its exceptional tourist sites including the ten (10) national parks, each of which rewarding visitors with distinct experiences and amazing encounter. Ugandas pristine parks include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Semuliki Valley National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Kibale National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Mount Elgon National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Several wildlife reserves-including Katonga Wildlife Reserve, Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve; forest reserves-such as Maramagambo Forest, Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Mabira Forest, Budongo Forest, Mpanga Forest; Lakes-like Lake Victoria, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mutanda, Lake Edward, Lake George, Lake Albert; rivers-such as the source of the River Nile, River Katonga, River Kafu to mention but a few. Other tourist sites to visit on safari in Uganda include scenic waterfalls such as Murchison Falls, Sipi Falls, Sezibwa Falls, Karuma Falls, Aruu Falls, Kisiizi Falls, and many others; Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Uganda Wildlife Education Center, hot springs like the Sempaya hot springs, Kitagata hot springs, and others. What to see on safari in Uganda Uganda has a lot more for you to see while on safari. On safari in the pearl of Africa; You have a chance to spot out variety of wildlife species including the big game-African bush elephants, leopards, lions plus the tree-climbing lions, buffaloes as well as the Rothschild giraffes, zebras, hyenas, warthogs, antelopes (including roan antelopes, topis, Oribis, impalas, waterbucks, bushbucks, sitatungas and others) etc. Go on epic trips to see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga National Park. See other primates including over 5000 chimpanzees, several golden monkeys, LHoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, bushbabies, pottos etc. For those who love birds, there are over 1080 bird species-60 percent of which make up a total population of all the birds in Africa and about 10 percent in the world. Uganda also has several mountains such as the Rwenzori Mountain ranges, Mount Elgon, Volcanoes like Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhabura Volcanoes; Visit amazing cultural and historical sites, museums. What to do on safari in Uganda A safari in Uganda takes you through a number of exciting and thrilling activities that leave a lasting memory in you and your dear ones. The key amazing activities to do on safari in Uganda include game drives-both day and night game drives and the perfect place to visit include Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Semuliki National Park Primate lovers are never left out-as they can embark on gorilla trekking safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. Other primate watching adventures include golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee tracking, Mangabey tracking in Mabira Forest; Enjoy guided nature walks in several national parks Go bird watching with the opportunity to spot out the elusive shoebill stork, African green breasted pitta, African green broadbill, pelicans, flamingos and others; Hiking and mountaineering in Mount Rwenzori or Mount Elgon Rhino tracking at Ziwa rhino sanctuary Dont miss out Kampala city tours, horseback riding and many more. For visitors who love adrenaline adventures, a visit to the source of the Nile at Jinja is worth it. While here, you can take part in white water rafting, boat cruise, bungee jumping, jet boating, kayaking and others. Best time to visit Uganda for safari Uganda is open to visitors at any time of the year. There are two important seasons experienced in Uganda-the dry and wet, each of these has its advantages and disadvantages. The dry season usually begins from June to September and December to February. The dry months of the year in Uganda are perfect for hiking, primate adventures and wildlife viewing safaris. However, the wet or rainy season is also good for wildlife viewing but the challenge with it is that plenty of rainfall is received thus making the ground muddy and slippery. But it is perfect for bird watching. The wet season in Uganda starts from March to May and October to November. Getting to Uganda There are many ways in which one can get into Uganda. By air, Entebbe International Airport is the only entry point to Uganda and there are many airlines that fly into this airport including RwandAir, KLM, Brussels, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Air Tanzania, South Africa Airway and others. By road, you can fly into Kigali and connect to Uganda from Chanika/Katuna border; from Kenya through Malaba Getting around Uganda The best way to get around Uganda is by hiring a car. For any plans to visit Uganda for a holiday, simply contact our reservationist and we shall get exactly that dream car for your road trip. We have wide range of car rentals suited within your travel interest and budget. They range from comfortable coaster buses, land cruisers to saloon cars. Accommodation options There are many accommodation choices for visitors on safari in Uganda to spend a night. They range from budget to luxury and they include Sheraton hotel, Serena Hotel Kampala, Protea Hotel, Acacia Lodge in Kampala; Chobe Safari Lodge/Nile Safari Lodge/Paraa Lodge/Heritage Lodge in Murchison Falls National Park; Buhoma Lodge/Chameleon Hill Lodge/Gorilla Mist Camp in Bwindi National Park; Mweya Lodge/Kyambura Game Lodge/Ishasha Wilderness Camp/Bush lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park; Primate Lodge/Crater Lodge in Kibale National Park. What to pack for safari in Uganda Waterproof hiking boots/shoes Day pack Bottled water Long-sleeved shirts/t-shirt First aid kit Sunglasses Safari hat Insect repellent Camera Binoculars Rain jacket/poncho Trousers Snacks Toiletries and many others Travel tips Visitors to Uganda are required to have a valid visa, passport Yellow fever vaccination card may be required and also you need to immunize against other diseases such as hepatitis A, B; typhoid, meningitis and have some anti-malarial tablets Local currency is essential to have to help you do some transactions although you need a dollar as most activities are rated in dollars. Would you like to read more travel tips and guidelines to planning your next safari? Check out the Uganda Safari Planner for more intriguing tips, information and advice to help you plan a perfect holiday in the Pearl of Africa. Related Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 03:39:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says that the UN Charter, which was adopted 75 years ago, remains a touchstone for a world mired in great challenges. (Xinhua) "The Charter's vision stands the test of time and its values will continue to carry us forward," said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. UNITED NATIONS, June 26 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that the UN Charter, which was adopted 75 years ago, remains a touchstone for a world mired in great challenges. "It remains our touchstone for a world mired in a pandemic, torn by discrimination, endangered by climate change and scarred by poverty, inequality and war," the UN chief said in his video message marking the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Charter. "Agreement on the Charter closed one era and opened another," said the secretary-general. "Gone were the genocidal Nazi regime and their allies; in came the prospect of human rights." "Out went the rampant nationalism and precarious balance of power that produced two catastrophic world wars; in came the promise of collective security and the peaceful resolution of disputes," he added. The UN chief said, "Where an earlier attempt at international organization dissolved, the new United Nations started life on firmer ground built on norms and the lessons of hard experience." The UN Security Council holds a meeting on the Iraq issue at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, March 3, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) Speaking of the post-war multilateral arrangements, Guterres said that they "have compiled a solid record of service - saving millions of lives, advancing the human condition and fulfilling its cardinal task of preventing World War Three." "But there have been painful setbacks," said the secretary-general. "And today's realities are as forbidding as ever." "COVID-19 has touched everyone, everywhere - precisely the kind of global challenge for which the United Nations was founded," he added. Talking about trust, Guterres noted that "people continue to lose trust in political establishments." "Today's marches against racism were preceded by widespread protests against inequality, discrimination, corruption and lack of opportunities all over the world - grievances that still need to be addressed, including with a renewed social contract," he said. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (on the screens) speaks at a virtual press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 25, 2020. (Xinhua) "Meanwhile, other fundamental fragilities have only grown: the climate crisis, environmental degradation, cyberattacks, nuclear proliferation, a pushback on human rights and the risk of another pandemic. It is not difficult to imagine a new virus transmitted as easily as COVID-19 but as deadly as Ebola," he added. Recalling what the founding people of the UN did 75 years ago, Guterres said that the delegates in San Francisco in 1945, having themselves lived through a global pandemic, depression and war, seized their opportunity to plant the seeds of something better and new. "Today, we must do the same," he stressed. "To achieve that watershed moment, we need to reimagine multilateralism, give it teeth to function as the founders intended, and ensure that effective global governance is a reality when it is needed," said the secretary-general. "We must also bring others to the table in an inclusive and networked multilateralism, since governments are only part of today's political realities. Civil society, cities, the private sector and young people are essential voices in shaping the world we want," he added. A portrait of former United Nations Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar is pictured at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) "Like those who drafted the Charter, we must look without illusion at today's injustices, their roots and the suffering they engender," he said. The UN chief encouraged the international community to drive onward by displaying "heroism and solidarity" in the fight against the pandemic; embracing the Sustainable Development Goals; and advancing "equality, climate action and green economy." Guterres paid special tribute to "the service and sacrifice" of thousands of UN peacekeepers, staff and others who, across the world and across the years, "gave their lives while advancing the causes and values of the UN." "The Charter's vision stands the test of time and its values will continue to carry us forward," he said. "Now is the time to persevere, press ahead, pursue our goals, show responsibility for our world, and take care of each other. It is up to us to rise to the test of this pivotal moment for our future," the secretary-general concluded. Smartphones have become boring in the past few years where companies have very little room left to innovate with their designs. While companies like Samsung and Motorola are making foldable phones mainstream; were still not there yet. Having said that, we still love some of the older phone designs that invoke emotions and immense nostalgia. Some of these phones were so incredible that we would buy them in 2021 if they came with modern specifications. Companies like Blackberry and classic Nokia lost the smartphone race as they refused to include modern specifications in their phones but that doesnt mean it cannot still happen. Weve already seen Nokia re-release some of their classic phones and theres no harm speculating which older phones we would still buy if they were released today with modern specifications. 1. Nokia 7710 Wikipedia Commons The Nokia 7710 was a smartphone before we coined the term for phones today. It was first developed in 2004 and had a whacky design that is still quite relatable. It came with a touchscreen, physical buttons in the corner and was meant to be used in landscape view. The phone supported expandable memory up to 2GB and offered multiple-format video recording thanks to the integrated camera. It also supported various audio formats like MP3, AAC, RealAudio 7 and 8, WAV, MIDI and AMR. If Nokia were to release this phone with modern specs; we are certain people would flock to buy the phone as soon as it is announced. 2. Sony Ericsson P900 Youtube/Cortado Sony Ericssons first true PDA was a masterpiece and we havent really seen anything like it by anybody else. Sure, we got to see newer models of the same phone but the P900 was by far the most advanced phone at its time. It had a touchscreen that worked with a stylus, a jog-wheel for navigation and a great email client. With modern specifications, the Sony Ericsson P900 can still give tough competition to smartphones today; specifically Samsungs Galaxy Note Series. 3. Nokia N-Gage QD Alophone The N-Gage QD was a remarkable phone for its time and we wished something like this was still available today. Gaming smartphones do exist but many games dont feel right playing with a touch screen. Physical buttons have always been preferred by gamers and Nokia can launch something similar to N-Gage QD to capture the handheld gaming market. Its 2020 and I still play games on my Nintendo New 3DS XL simply because I love that form factor. I loved the N-Gage too and hopefully with modern specs it can become a great portable console/mobile phone. 4. Motorola Aura Motorola This phone by Motorola was a piece of art that launched in 2008. The swivel design was a big thing in the late 2000s and Motorola showed the world what a premium phone could be using quality build materials. Even the swivel mechanism had 200 individual parts where 130 of them were ball bearings. There were steel gears made from tungsten carbon carbide that can also be found on racing car engines. If Motorola can manage to remake this phone with modern specs and maybe a larger display; we can see the world going crazy for it all over again. 5. Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Nokia Nokia also dabbled with a touchscreen phone that worked with a stylus which didnt really work for the company back in the day. However, if this phone released sometime today with modern specifications, it could work well among Nokia fans. It came with a 3.2-megapixel Carl Zeiss lens at the back and a dedicated Media Bar key for accessing music, photo gallery and the web browser. The phone did not require a stylus to work and could be used as a touchscreen as well. Thats our list of five phones we would buy even today if they come with modern specifications. Having said that, your list may look different from ours and we would love to know your list of old phones you would still buy today if they come with modern specifications. A 23-year-old man in southern Vietnam who dressed in drag to offer erotic massage to male customers was arrested after attempting to snatch money from a man at a local cafe who refused to use his service. Police officers in Cai Lay, an outlying district in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, said they are detaining Pham Le Truong Canh, 23 and his accomplice Ngo Van Hieu, 24, both from the province, on charges of robbery. A preliminary investigation showed that Canh usually dressed up as a woman to provide erotic massage service to customers at disguised cafes in the province. On Wednesday evening, Canh and a woman approached a man who was having a drink at an unnamed cafe in Phu An Commune, Cai Lay District to offer their illicit service. The man rejected their offer and wanted to pay for his drink so that he could leave. Canh then pretended to bump into the man in an attempt to snatch his money. However, the man caught him in the act and called on others to help arrest the snatcher. Seeing his accomplice in trouble, Hieu obstructed the man in order to help Canh flee. At the same time, district police officers who were patrolling the area were alerted by the scene and moved to catch the duo on the spot. Erotic massage services are illegal in Vietnam. Owners of facilities offering such services can face a fine ranging from VND20 million (US$860) to VND30 million ($1,290), according to a 2013 government directive. Ngo Van Hieu, 23, is held in police custody for trying to help an accomplice, Pham Le Truong Canh, flee after being caught red-handed trying to steal money from a male coffee drinker in Cai Lay District, Tien Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Le Hoai / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or an invitation to offer or buy or subscribe for, securities. An investment in the Offered Shares involves substantial risks and uncertainties. Prospective investors must read the entire Prospectus, and, in particular, should read Section 2 (Risk Factors) for a discussion of certain factors that should be considered in connection with an investment in the Offered Shares, including the risks relating to the fact that (i) Hyloris has a limited operating history and has not yet generated any substantial revenues. Hyloris has incurred operating losses, negative operating cash flows and an accumulated deficit since inception resulting in a negative equity at the date of the Prospectus and Hyloris may not be able to achieve or subsequently maintain profitability. Hyloris is executing its strategy in accordance with its business model, the viability of which has not been demonstrated, (ii) Hyloris performance depends primarily on the success of its product candidates, a majority of which are in the early reformulation development stage and have not yet received FDA approval of the 505(b)(2) application or ANDA or the other approvals required before they may be commercially launched, (iii) even if Hyloris receives regulatory approval for any of its product candidates, it may be unable to launch the product successfully and the revenue that Hyloris generates from sales of such product, if any, may be limited, (iv) Hyloris has entered into arrangements with related parties and these arrangements present potential conflicts of interest, (v) certain of Hyloris directors and members of Hyloris executive management hold directorships or shareholdings in other pharmaceutical companies, which could create potential conflicts of interest, and (vi) after closing of the Offering, certain significant shareholders of the Issuer may have different interests from the Issuer and/or from the minority shareholders and may be able to control the Issuer, including the outcome of shareholder votes. Every decision to invest in the Offered Shares must be based on all information provided in the Prospectus. Potential investors must be able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Offered Shares and to undergo a full or partial loss of their investment. Story continues PRESS RELEASE - ADVERTISEMENT Hyloris Pharmaceuticals Raises approximately EUR 61.81 million in Successful Initial Public Offering Liege, Belgium June 26, 2020: Hyloris Pharmaceuticals SA (Hyloris and/or the Company), an early-stage innovative specialty pharmaceutical company focused on adding value to the healthcare system by reformulating well-known pharmaceuticals, announces the results of its initial public offering of new shares, with the admission of all of its shares to trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels under the symbol HYL, launched on 17 June 2020 (the Offering). The final offer price for the Offering has been set at EUR 10.75 per share, giving the Company an initial market capitalization of approximately EUR 253.18 million, or approximately EUR 262.45 million, assuming the exercise in full of the Over-allotment Option (defined below). Gross proceeds for the Company from the Offering amounted to approximately EUR 61.81 million, or approximately EUR 71.08 million, assuming the exercise in full of the Over-allotment Option. The orderbook has been built with strong support from high-quality long-term specialist and Belgian retail investors, as well as interest from a mix of institutional investors across continental Europe, the UK and the US. Stijn Van Rompay, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Hyloris Pharmaceuticals, commented: We are delighted to have successfully completed our IPO, an important step for the Company as we seek to bring to the market reformulated drugs with added value to the healthcare system as quickly as possible. This significant raise will support Hyloris strategy and will be used for the development of our existing portfolio of product candidates, the establishment of a commercial team in the United States for our IV Cardiovascular portfolio, to fund the expansion of the pipeline both internally and through business development opportunities, as well as for general corporate purposes. Im pleased and proud that we have been able to secure investment from high-quality institutions within the EEA and the US as well as broad support from retail investors across Belgium. Results of the Offering The final offer price for the Offering is set at EUR 10.75 per share (the "Offer Price"). The offering period of the Offering ended on 25 June 2020 at 16:00 (CEST) for retail investors and on 26 June 2020 at 13:00 (CEST) for institutional investors. The Company has decided to increase the number of the 5,000,000 initially offered new shares by 15% (i.e., with 750,000 additional new shares). The total number of shares subscribed for in the Offering amounts to 5,750,000 new shares of the Company (the "New Shares", and each existing share and New Share representing the Company's share capital a "Share"). In order to facilitate stabilization by the Stabilization Manager (see below), the Stabilization Manager over-allotted 862,500 Shares in the Offering (the Additional Shares, together with the New Shares, the Offered Shares). In order to cover the aforementioned over-allotments or short positions, if any, resulting from the over-allotment, an over-allotment option to subscribe for 862,500 additional new Shares at the Offer Price has been granted to (and is expected, on the Closing Date (as defined below), to be subscribed for by) KBC Securities, as stabilization manager (the "Stabilization Manager"), acting on behalf of KBC Securities and Kempen & Co (the "Over-allotment Option"). The Over-allotment Option will be exercisable for a period of 30 calendar days following the Listing Date (as defined below) (the Stabilization Period). The Company will announce if and when the Over-allotment Option is exercised. The Stabilization Manager may engage in stabilization transactions aimed at supporting the market price of the Shares during the Stabilization Period. These transactions may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the Shares or any options, warrants or rights with respect to, or other interest in, the Shares or other securities of the Company during the Stabilization Period. These activities may support the market price of the Shares at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. Stabilization will not be executed above the Offer Price. Such transactions may be effected, on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels, in the over-the-counter markets or otherwise. The Stabilization Manager and its agents are not required to engage in any of these activities and, as such, there is no assurance that these activities will be undertaken. If undertaken, the Stabilization Manager or its agents may discontinue any of these activities at any time and they must terminate at the end of the Stabilization Period. The gross proceeds of the Offering for the Company amount to approximately EUR 61.81 million, or approximately EUR 71.08 million, assuming the exercise in full of the Over-allotment Option. The implied market capitalization of Hyloris Pharmaceuticals is approximately EUR 253.18 million, or approximately EUR 262.45 million, assuming the exercise in full of the Over-allotment Option. Given the strong local support from retail investors, the Company has decided to allocate more of the Offered Shares to retail investors than the legal minimum of 10%. 1,217,473 Shares, representing approximately 18.4% of the Offered Shares in the Offering, have been placed with retail investors in Belgium. The allocation table applicable for Shares applied for by retail investors can be found below. Trading of Hyloris Pharmaceuticals Shares on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels under the symbol "HYL" is expected to commence, on an "if-and-when-issued-and/or-delivered" basis, on or about 29 June 2020 (the "Listing Date"). Payment and delivery of the Offered Shares will occur on 30 June 2020 (the Closing Date), subject to the successful closing of the Offering. The investors (including members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Management of the Company) (the Participating Investors) that committed to, irrevocably and conditional only on completion of the Offering, subscribe for New Shares in the Offering for a total aggregate amount of EUR 22,725,000 (the Pre-commitments), have each been allocated 100% of their individual Pre-commitments in the form of New Shares. In the aggregate, 2,113,937 New Shares were thus allocated to the Participating Investors in the Offering on the basis of their Pre-commitments. KBC Securities and Kempen & Co acted as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners in the Offering. The Company has agreed to a standstill of 360 days, subject to customary exceptions and conditions. The Shares applied for by retail investors will be allotted according to the allocation table below. Number of shares applied for Requests submitted with the syndicate Requests submitted with other financial intermediaries % of allocated Shares 1-500 85% 60% 501-1,000 85% 60% 1,001-2,500 80% 55% 2,501-5,000 80% 55% 5,001-10,000 75% 50% >10,000 70% 45% -Ends- For more information, please contact: Hyloris Pharmaceuticals Stijn Van Rompay, CEO +32 (0)4 346 02 07 contact@hyloris.com Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell, Chris Welsh, Lucy Featherstone, Taiana De Ruyck Soares +44 20 3709 5700 hyloris@consilium-comms.com Note to Editors About Hyloris Pharmaceuticals SA Based in Liege, Belgium, Hyloris is an early-stage innovative specialty pharmaceutical company focused on adding value to the healthcare system by reformulating well-known pharmaceuticals. Hyloris develops proprietary products it believes offer significant advantages compared to currently available alternatives, with the aim to address the underserved medical needs of patients, hospitals, physicians, payors and other stakeholders in the healthcare system. Hyloris portfolio spans three areas of focus: IV Cardiovascular, Other Reformulations and Established Market (high-barrier generics). Hyloris currently has two early commercial-stage products, Sotalol IV for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, commercialized through its partner AltaThera, and Maxigesic IV, a non-opioid analgesic product for the treatment of pain, developed with the Companys partner, AFT Pharmaceuticals. Additionally, Hyloris has 12 product candidates in various stages of development across the Companys wider portfolio. Read more at www.hyloris.com . Hyloris stands for high yield, lower risk and relates to the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway for product approval on which the Issuer focuses, but in no way relates or applies to an investment in the Shares. IMPORTANT INFORMATION The material set forth herein is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer of securities for sale or a solicitation of any offer to buy securities in the United States, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Israel, Japan or South Africa or any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is unlawful. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or the securities laws of any state in the United States, and may not be offered or sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws. No public offering of securities has been or will be made in the United States. Subject to certain exceptions, the securities referred to herein may not be offered or sold in Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Israel, Japan or South Africa, or for the account or benefit of, any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Japan or South Africa. Copies of this material are not being, and should not be, distributed or sent, directly or indirectly, into the United States, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Israel, Japan or South Africa. This information does not contain a solicitation for money, securities or other consideration and, if sent in response to the information contained herein, will not be accepted. This announcement contains statements which are "forward-looking statements" or could be considered as such. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words 'believe', 'estimate', 'anticipate', 'expect', 'intend', 'may', 'will', 'plan', 'continue', 'ongoing', 'possible', 'predict', 'plans', 'target', 'seek', 'would' or 'should', and contain statements made by the Company regarding the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are warned that none of these forward-looking statements offers any guarantee of future performance. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. The Company makes no undertaking whatsoever to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, unless required to do so by law. Any purchase of, subscription for or application for, Shares in the Company to be issued in connection with the Offering should only be made on the basis of information contained in the Prospectus issued by the Company, and published on the Companys website ( www.hyloris.com ) in connection with the Offering and any supplements thereto, as the case may be. Potential investors must read the entire Prospectus before making an investment decision in order to fully understand the potential risks and rewards associated with the decision to invest in the securities. This document is not a Prospectus. The Prospectus contains detailed information about the Company and its management, risks associated with investing in the Company, as well as financial statements and other financial data. The date of completion of listing on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels may be influenced by things such as market conditions. There is no guarantee that such listing will occur and a potential investor should not base its financial decisions on the Company's intentions in relation to such listing. Acquiring investments to which this announcement relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing the entire amount invested. Persons considering such investments should consult an authorized person specializing in advising on such investments. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the Offering. An investment in Shares entails significant risks, as the value of the Shares can decrease as well as increase. This announcement is addressed to and directed at persons in member states of the European Economic Area ("EEA") other than Belgium pursuant to applicable exemptions under the Prospectus Regulation, including but not limited to "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation. In addition, in the United Kingdom, this announcement is only addressed to and directed at (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"), (ii) high net worth entities, etc. falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order, and (iii) any other person to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The intended offering, as the case may be, will only be available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe for, purchase, or otherwise acquire securities will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its contents. KBC Securities NV/SA and Van Lanschot Kempen Wealth Management N.V. (the "Joint Global Coordinators") are acting for the Company and no one else in relation to the intended offering, and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections offered to their respective clients nor for providing advice in relation to the intended offering. INFORMATION TO DISTRIBUTORS The Joint Global Coordinators have informed the Issuer that the following information is intended for distributors only. The information is provided by the Joint Global Coordinators and the Issuer does not assume responsibility for it. Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended (MiFID II); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements), the Joint Global Coordinators have informed the Company that they have submitted the shares subject of the proposed offering (Shares) to a product approval process, which has determined that such Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the Target Market Assessment). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Distributors should note that: the price of the Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the proposed offering. For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday said that millions of people could die if there is a second phase of the coronavirus infections. Referring to the Spanish flu, Ranieri Guerra, assistant director general of the WHO, said the epidemic had intensified during the cold September-October season. Advertisement WHOSpeaking to Italy's RAI TV, Ranieri Guerra said that the second stage of the Spanish flu, which came 100 years ago, had killed millions of people. He said the Spanish flu was working like a Covid. However, the number of cases decreased during the summer season, but increased later. Earlier, European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said on Friday that if we learned something from the Spanish flu of 1918-1919, the second stage of the corona could definitely come. Advertisement CoronavirusEarlier, some studies had shown that the spread of coronavirus slowed down in the heat, but not so much that the infection stopped. At the same time, epidemiologists said that there is no definitive definition of the second stage of the epidemic. So far, 97.7 million cases of corona have been confirmed worldwide. The corona virus has killed 4.9 million people worldwide. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-26 23:36:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Health Ministry on Friday reported 122 deaths from COVID-19, the highest daily record so far, bringing the death toll to 1,559. A statement by the ministry reported 2,054 new COVID-19 cases during the day, increasing the total confirmed infections in Iraq to 41,193. The new cases included 631 in the capital Baghdad, 215 in Maysan, 163 in Wasit, 162 in Sulaimaniyah, 140 in Diwaniyah, 117 in Dhi Qar, 112 in Najaf and 110 in Basra, while the other cases were detected in the other provinces. Meanwhile, 18,859 patients have recovered, according to the statement. The new cases were recorded after 11,920 test kits were used across the country during the day, and a total of 500,723 tests have been conducted since the outbreak of the disease. The recent high records of coronavirus infections and the deaths prompted the lawmaker Salman al-Ghreibawi, also a member of the parliamentary health committee, to criticize the performance of the Health Ministry in dealing with the disease. "The Health Ministry is fully responsible for the increase of COVID-19 infections, because its hospitals lack most of the basic services as most of them are dilapidated and not suitable for health work," al-Ghreibawi said in a statement. However, he said that a medicine to treat COVID-19 infections will be produced next week in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq, the statement added. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the pandemic. China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad. Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem While Rey is slitting someones throat Pequena is giving birth to his baby. A baby she never wanted. Fathered by a man she despises. Rey declared her his pretty girl and raped her until she became pregnant. His plan is to marry her, but she is determined not to let that happen. There is only one way she can escape from Rey: Leave Puerto Barrios. Pequena, Pulga and Chico sneak out in the dead of night to begin a journey to the United States that could be worse than death. Sanchez unflinching and riveting account of the journey from Guatemala through Mexico atop the network of migrant-packed, often deadly freight trains known as La Bestia, or The Beast, and then on foot through the desert to the U.S. border is where her strength as a writer shines. She infuses this tragic tale with the love and dignity her characters demand. It is clear she knows the territory. An uncle in El Salvador was assassinated in the political turmoil of civil war in the 1980s, Sanchez wrote in a letter to reviewers that accompanied the novels galleys. One of my cousins came to the United States when he was 9 years old and wanted nothing more than to go back to his mother, but couldnt because young boys were being plucked off the streets to fight for the army or guerrillas. And my memories of going to Guatemala to visit my family in Puerto Barrios are now also mixed with stories my tia has told me of the violence that erupts in the neighborhood. This authenticity keeps us at the edge of our seats. Even toward the end of the book, when a few too many coincidences threaten to derail the story, Sanchez grounds herself in the reality of what it means to be a child fighting for ones life under the most extreme circumstances. She makes us reckon with questions that break our hearts. She forces us to see how we each play a part in the plight of people who trek north to our southern border, and in what happens to them once they get there: families separated, or sent to live in makeshift refugee camps as they wait to apply for asylum; children detained in immigration prisons for indefinite periods, hoping to pursue the American dream. This subject matter is a heavy lift for young readers. Parents and educators should be ready to have hard conversations about privilege, racism and xenophobia. And while Sanchez book was written for teenagers, adults should read it, too. (Natural News) Over the past three months, state governments and public health officials instituted strict limits on public gatherings, shuttered small businesses and churches, and imposed stay-at-home orders, while enforcing social distancing and bodily requirements on all individuals. During this time, small business owners and pastors were arrested, bullied, and fined for opening up their buildings. As extended lockdowns and further restrictions on small businesses continued, many Americans rallied for freedom, only to be swiftly mocked as dangerous to the community. The governor of Michigan threatened protestors with longer lock downs and stay-at-home orders if they gathered at the capitol. Now large public gatherings that call themselves protests are openly being encouraged across America. In fact, a protest movement called White Coats for Black Lives is being openly encouraged, with no resistance, no shaming that they are putting the publics health at risk. This group consists of healthcare workers people who have actually come in contact with sick patients. This group of superheroes is being praised for gathering, as freedom-loving Americans are attacked and banned from gathering at all. Government lock downs and discriminatory restrictions slowly being exposed as fraudulent When small business owners and those oppressed by lock down orders rallied at state capitols to get their freedom back, they were doing so to be treated equally, to reestablish opportunity for all. They rallied because they wanted to be free to take their own risks, not be held down and told to live in a perpetual state of fear and control. They ultimately needed to be in business to feed their families. As freedom-loving Americans moved forward with their lives, they were met with hostility and threats from governments. In some states, government brigades forced protestors off public property. The media shamed the protestors for putting everyones lives at risk. Now, healthcare workers are being encouraged to assemble as they kneel together to demand racial equality. Government brigades are not breaking up their gatherings. In just one month, state governments targeted and bullied freedom-loving Americans, but backed down and openly allowed riots, looting and violence from racially-motivated groups of thugs. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the White Coats for Black Lives gathered en masse at the Emory University Hospital, kneeling for eight minutes and 46 seconds, to show their support for a man who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. Since George Floyds death, there have been countless acts of violence, buildings burned, cops shot, innocents beaten, yet we are being told that the abuse is coming systemically from whites, and blacks are victims to a culture of white privilege. In Kansas City, at least 150 healthcare workers and students gathered together. They gathered to call for an end to systemic and institutionalized racism. The Kansas City Star reported that protesters urged the white members of the crowd to reflect internally and ensure they were not harming people of color. Similar healthcare gatherings occurred in cities throughout the country. Never mind the fact that small businesses and churches owned by people of various races, backgrounds and ethnicity are currently being systemically suppressed by governments across the country. In some cities, as white people are shamed for systematically suppressing black people, these shuttered businesses are being looted and burned to the ground by Black Lives Matter and Antifa thugs. As people gather and as some riot for Black Lives Matter, it has become even more apparent than ever: The lockdowns were weaponized against free, productive people conditioning everyone to believe that freedom is selfish. Its also becoming abundantly clear: ongoing social distancing propaganda and discriminatory edicts against businesses and churches are complete and total fraud, a divisive plot to segregate, discriminate and shame some, while propping up others as a superior class of people known as superheroes. But were told everything is white mans fault.. Coronavirus spreads rapidly and kills when people rally for freedom, but coronavirus goes away when we gather in large groups and rally against white man. Keep up with the latest at Uprising.news and Chaos.news. Sources include: Breitbart.com Fox6Now.com IllinoisPolicy.org CNN.com CBSLocal.com The Coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives in just a matter of months. This holds good even for the way business runs in the Hindi film industry. Many filmmakers are opting to release their films on digital platforms because theatres are shut for the foreseeable future. This has caused a raging debate on whether films should wait for theatrical release or go ahead and have OTT release, in these times. Actor Aparshakti Khurana thinks it does not matter where a film releases right now, as long as audiences connect to the film. He is happy that the industry is resuming business slowly, and he is ready to get back to Mumbai as soon as his projects roll out. When Hindustan Times asked Apasrshakti if he is okay with OTT release for his films, he said, "Given the crisis, I don't think it really matters right now whether a film comes out in a theatre or on the web. It's very important for people to come and connect to the film, chaahe phir woh kahin par bhi dekhe." Talking about resuming work, he said, "I'm really happy that the fraternity is taking baby steps towards getting back to work. I plan to come back to Mumbai as soon as my projects start operating. We've been working from home already doing video narrations and taking workshop for my next projects online. So, I'm preparing myself mentally also to go back on the sets of course with necessary precautions." Aparshakti and his wife are currently spending time with his parents in Chandigarh. He added, "We all need to operate together and face this situation. We're all going though similar things, so I can't just concentrate on my worries. We need to focus on fixing this situation, so we can get back to normal soon." Aparshakti was last seen in Remo D'Souza's dance film, Street Dancer 3D. His next films are Jayeshbhai Jordaar, and his first lead film, Helmet. ALSO READ: Aparshakti Khurana Says He Is Yet To Become Brother Ayushmann's Equal; 'We Can't Be Compared' ALSO READ: Ayushmann Khurrana On His Brother Aparshakti: He Deserves To Be A Lead Actor Kolkata: The BJP has made deep inroads in West Bengal and emerged as the main opposition against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) by pushing the Congress and Left Front to an insignificant position. The latter parties now need to prevent the split of anti-TMC and anti-BJP votes in states politics to re-secure their positions as key challengers before Mamata Banerjee ahead of 2021 assembly polls. The Congress and CPI(M) had joined hands during the 2016 assembly polls, but both parties failed to create much impact in Bengal politics. Surprisingly, the Left Front which ruled Bengal for 34 years drew a blank in the last Lok Sabha elections. Then, Congress-CPI(M) fell apart after they were unable to reach an agreement on the seat-sharing deal. On the other hand, the saffron brigade managed to secure 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2019 in the state, while TMCs seat decreased from 34 in 2014 to 22 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. The Congress tally came down from four to two, while the Left Front failed to open an account in 2019 Lok Sabha. Many in the political fraternity felt that failed strategy and lack of flexibility in taking decisions (keeping the sentiments of both Congress and the Left Front) is paving a way for the BJP to move aggressively in Bengal. Speaking to News18, political expert Kapil Thakur said, The ideology of Congress and the CPI(M) is completely different and differences of opinion are inevitable. But despite that, for the larger interest of the people, both the parties must compromise (on taking decisions) to certain extent to take on the BJP and TMC in the state. He said, I personally felt that both Congress and Left Front have failed to organise fruitful political campaigns. They need to intensify their campaign aggressively on what good they have done for Bengal in their 34-years of rule. Only blaming others will not yield any results. Its time to say the good thing about the party at the block level. Through this approach, I think they will be able to tap nearly 10 per cent anti-TMC and anti-BJP votes apart from securing the vote shares of the TMC and BJP. On the context of CPI(M) and Congress alliance impact in state, he said, If the alliance works out properly, I think it may create some problems before the ruling party and the BJP. Both CPI (M) and Congress are going ahead with heterogeneous composition to contest against Trinamool Congress BJP in the 2021 polls. As per an analysis says, from 2011 to 2016 assembly polls and from 2014 to 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has lost nearly 7.3 per cent vote share, while CPI (M) lost its vote share by 9.88 per cent (approx) in state polls and 16 per cent in Lok Sabha. Leaders of both the parties met on June 24 to chalk out a strategy to work together on the booth level and unanimously agreed on alliance in the coming state polls. In the 2016 assembly polls, BJPs vote share was 10.2 per cent and in the 2019 Lok Sabha it went up to 40.3 per cent. There was an increase of 30.1 percent vote share mainly because of Hindus coalescing towards the BJP. In the last three years, BJP managed to cultivate religious driven politics in Bengal and it was evident with its significant rise in Bengal in terms of its vote share. On other hand, Left Front has lost its vote share by 9.88 per cent from 2011 Assembly to 2016 Assembly polls. In the last two Lok Sabha polls, (in 2014 and in 2019) its vote share further plummeted to nearly 16 per cent. However, Congress vote share from 2011 to 2016 Assembly increased from 8.91 per cent to 12.3 percent but it fell drastically in 2014 Lok Sabha (9.6 per cent) while in 2019 general elections the party managed to secure only 5 per cent. We had an important meeting with the Left Front leaders to decide our next course of action and the state Assembly Polls. The meeting was fruitful and we all decided to go for an alliance, said Somendra Nath Mitra, state Congress president. I feel that our alliance will have a significant impact in the upcoming state polls, he added. About discussions on seat sharing, he said, It is too early to discuss seats adjustment. To start with the Congress and the Left Front, both have decided to take out a protest rally in Kolkata against fuel price hike by the Centre on June 29. During 2019 Lok Sabha polls, trouble began after the Left party announced its candidates list despite being requested by the state Congress to hold back till the seat-sharing issue was resolved. Then, Mitra had said, We have requested the CPI (M) not to announce the list because seat-to-seat discussion is yet to be finalised. We need to resolve it first before announcing the list. Then the Congress wished to contest from 17 seats, including Purulia, Bankura, Bashirhat, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Krishnanagar, Hooghly, Burdwan, Howrah and Midnapore (both West and East), while the CPI(M) wants to field candidates in 31 seats (so far it has announced candidates for 25 seats). The two parties have been at loggerheads over a few seats, including Purulia, Basirhat and Jalpaiguri. Also, there were also some issues with the Murshidabad and Raiganj seats (in the last Lok Sabha), but the matter was resolved after Sonia Gandhi spoke to CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. This time, CPI Secretary Swapan Banerjee, who was also present in the meeting with Congress on June 24, is very optimistic about the impact of alliance in the coming polls in the state. He said, The meeting was fruitful and we have decided that in future there will be joint movements in Bengal to highlight the anti-people policies of the Centre and the state. Recently, CPI (M) leader Amiya Patra, had said, This alliance is very important considering the present political situation in Bengal. This is a situational alliance because our ideologies are different. This will be a heterogeneous composition to prevent the Trinamool and BJP in Bengal. We have to plan our future course of action keeping the sentiments and respect of each other. (Photo : REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo/File Photo) FILE PHOTO: A woman walks past a Bank of Spain branch, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in the Andalusian capital of Seville, Spain, April 10, 2020. Spanish scientists discovered evidence of COVID-19 in a Barcelona wastewater sample collected in March 2019. It was nine months before the novel coronavirus was identified in China. The discovery of the presence of the virus genome in Spain so early, if confirmed, would imply that the disease may have appeared much more first than the scientific community thought. However, independent experts reviewing the findings said they doubted the assertion. The study was flawed, they said, and other lines of evidence strongly suggest that the virus developed late last year in China. ALSO READ: [COVID-19] Air Purifiers CAN'T Protect You From the Coronavirus, Experts Say Coronavirus found in Barcelona's wastewater treatment facility The team at the University of Barcelona, which tested wastewater since mid-April this year to detect possible new outbreaks, also planned to conduct experiments on older samples. They discovered that the virus was present in Barcelona on January 15, 2020, 41 days before the first case was officially identified. Researchers at Barcelona University reported their results online on June 13. Much of their study detailed early 2020 work into wastewater treatment. However, the surprising finding in March 2019 was only briefly stated at the end of the paper. They then conducted sample tests between January 2018 and December 2019 and found the virus genome's presence in one of them, collected on March 12, 2019. "The levels of SARS-CoV-2 were low but were positive," research leader Albert Bosch was quoted as saying by the university. Researchers in Europe, Australia, and the United States discovered the rising rates of the virus genes in wastewater days before reported cases were recorded. These discoveries had led several researchers to examine samples of frozen wastewater from earlier periods, seeking evidence of the presence of the virus before anyone knew how to look for it. Last week, Italian researchers reported finding the virus on December 18 in Milan and Turin, two months before Covid-19 cases besieged northern Italy. Dr. Bosch found it possible that the virus would occur in Barcelona in March but not happen through the recent samples. "Respiratory viruses usually have [peaked] around this time of the year," Dr. Bosch said. "Probably the virus then disappeared." ALSO READ: [COVID-19 Update] WHO Warns World of 'New, Dangerous' Coronavirus Pandemic Conclusions too early to draw The research was put forward for peer review. The work received further coverage on Friday, June 27, when the university posted a news release. The Spanish Society for Public Health and Sanitary Administration's Dr. Joan Ramon Villalbi told Reuters that definitive conclusions were too early to draw. "When it's just one result, you always want more data, more studies, more samples to confirm it, and rule out a laboratory error or a methodological problem," he said. Because of the virus's similarities to other respiratory infections, there was the potential for a false positive. Villalibi said the results are definitely exciting and suggestive. Bosch, who is president of the Spanish Virology Society, said early detection may have improved the response to the pandemic, even in January. Instead, patients were likely misdiagnosed with common flu, contributing to transmission to the community before measures were taken. Prof. Gertjan Medema of the Netherlands KWR Water Research Institute and his team began using a wastewater COVID-19 test in February. The results indicated that the Barcelona group would repeat the experiments to confirm that it is really the SARS-CoV-2 virus. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (@FahadShabbir) The World Health Organization said Friday that a global initiative to speed up the development and production of COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments will require more than $30 billion over the next year Geneva, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jun, 2020 ) :The World Health Organization said Friday that a global initiative to speed up the development and production of COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments will require more than $30 billion over the next year. Providing details of the so-called ACT accelerator, launched in April and aimed at pooling international resources to conquer the pandemic, WHO said "the costed plans presented today call for $31.3 billion in funding." So far, $3.4 billion of that had been pledged, it said, pointing out that an additional $27.9 billion was needed over the next 12 months, including nearly $14 billion to cover immediate needs. The announcement came ahead of a major pledging event in Brussels in support of the ACT accelerator, set to take place on Saturday. "This is an investment worth making," Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a special envoy for the ACT accelerator, told a virtual briefing. "If we don't rally now, the human costs and the economic pain will deepen," she said. "Though these numbers sound big, they are not when we think of the alternative. If we spend billions now, we will be able to avoid spending trillions later. "The time to act is now, and the way to act is together. " Okonjo-Iweala's comments came as the world counts nearly 490,000 deaths from COVID-19 and over 9.6 million cases since the new coronavirus emerged in China late last year, according to an AFP tally from official sources. The funds requested should make it possible to deliver 500 million tests and 245 million courses of treatment to low and middle-income countries by mid-2021. They also aim to deliver two billion vaccine doses by the end of next year, of which half will go to low and middle-income nations. "It's clear that to bring COVID-19 under control, and to save lives, we need effective vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, in unprecedented quantities and at unprecedented speed," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the briefing. Separate teams are racing to roll out reliable tests, find safe and effective vaccines and treatments for the novel coronavirus, and prepare for large-scale manufacturing. Tedros meanwhile stressed that a core principle of the initiative is to ensure equal access for all. "Vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics are vital tools," he said. "But to be truly effective they must be administered with another essential ingredient, which is solidarity." Former members of the house of representatives who belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have commended President Muhammadu Bu... Former members of the house of representatives who belong to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his intervention in the crisis rocking the party. In a letter addressed to Buhari on Friday, they said the presidents bold step taken to break the leadership logjam in APC saved the party from needless crisis. They also pledged their unflinching loyalty to Mai Mala Buni, governor of Yobe state and chairman of APC national caretaker committee, in his bid to reposition the party. The ruling party was embroiled in a leadership tussle after the court of appeal affirmed the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman. However, a national executive council meeting held on Thursday and chaired by Buhari provided some resolutions including the dissolution of the partys national working committee and the setting up of a caretaker committee. In a letter signed by Idris Yakubu, secretary of the forum of ex-APC members said the presidents intervention has provided yet, the much needed lifeline for the NEC to strengthen our partys internal democratic processes which has resonated well with members across the country. We are particularly fascinated that the APC is currently weaned off from the awkward dangers of conflicting and discordant communications all in the name of the party, the statement read. Finally, we appreciate further, the step taken by the NEC to dissolve the NWC, which is in tandem with our position sent to you in our letter of 22nd June 2020. We pray and hope that other positions canvassed by our Forum will be looked into, in order to strengthen the party machinery, restore discipline, constitutionalism and provide a level playing field for all and sundry. In a separate letter to Buni, the former lawmakers expressed belief that the governors experience will help the party rebuild confidence and bring stability in the party to face the numerous tasks ahead. Editor's note: This piece originally was published Oct. 4, 2018. The Daily News is running it as part of an ongoing series to celebrate the Sanford area's sesquicentennial. When Harold Leigeb was in the fifth grade in the little country school in Averill, his teacher was Clara Smith. Three grades shared the same room and teacher: third, fourth and fifth grades. Their project for the year was the history of Red Keg, the original name for Averill. The three classes worked together putting a history lesson down on a 4-by-8 piece of plywood. Harold recalls that lumber camps, railroads, rivers and rollways were meticulously fashioned and attached to the plywood to visually teach the history of lumbering in this area. The 4-by-8 piece of plywood and its miniature landscape disappeared at some point but to Harold it was something he never forgot. He and his classmates were walking on ground that lumberjacks and lumber barons had once walked on. He was walking where history had taken place and he has never forgotten the feeling. There are photographs of men wearing suits and bowler hats standing on the largest rollway of logs in the world in a village named Averill. A rollway was the place where logs were stored until the snow and ice melted, making it possible for a million logs to be pushed into the Tittabawassee River and floated down to the lumber mills in Saginaw and Bay City. Men prophesied there was enough timber here for the next 500 years. But the woods were decimated in less than 100. Progress shortened the time. Lumberjacks using axes gave way to crosscut saws, to big wheels, to single gauge railroads. And one by one, Camp 16 (Edenville), Camp 17 (Hope) and Wright & Ketchum (Averill) became history. Harold and Ollie are the sons of Michael Leigeb who emigrated from Hungary to the United States. Landing in Galveston, Texas, Michael worked in lumber camps from Texas to Wisconsin where he had relatives. He met Mary Winter, a young girl who had just emigrated from Yugoslavia and in six months they were married. In 1920, Michael and Mary moved to the Midland area where Michael had cousins living, Tony and Peter Furst. Today, Harold Leigeb and his brother Ollie remember growing up in the middle of logging history. They walked on the rollway on their way to swimming in the river that once saw logs jammed from shore to shore. In the winter there was sledding in the same area, stopping just short of the frozen Tittabawassee River. They scrambled up the elevated sides of the single gauge railroad tracks on their way to what they called Headquarters. That area had been the lumber camp for the Wright & Ketchum crews. A saloon and hotel had been built on the south side of the railroad tracks. Lumberjacks played cards, drank whiskey and often got into fist fights there. Lumber barons in town to buy logs stayed at the hotel adjoining the saloon. A beer keg painted red had been put on a pole next to the saloon and before long the name Red Keg was given to the entire area. The foremen in the lumber camps made frequent trips to the saloon to check and see if some of their workers were enjoying some libations instead of staying in camp. Lumberjacks worked in the woods from daylight to dusk and the work was brutal. A slip of a saw or an axe and a man could bleed to death before he got back to camp. Bunk houses were built with bunk beds close together and a black round-bellied stove stood in the center of the bunk house. The air in the bunk houses could become thick with the odor of wet socks, underwear and jackets draped near the stove to dry out. A good cook was a necessity in a lumber camp with three big meals prepared each day, seven days a week. A train lumbered through the village of Red Keg on its journey from Midland to Coleman each day, dropping off supplies for the Wright & Ketchum Camp and sometimes passengers. When the timber was gone, the saloon and hotel remained standing and became a house. Harold said, I remember being a kid and it was raining and I could make out the name Grizzly Bear Hotel on the siding. The Red Keg Saloon was firmly attached to one end of the hotel. Little by little and piece by piece anything relating to the lumberjacks who had lived in the area disappeared. Thick grass and sometimes wildflowers have grown where the worlds largest rollway had been. Grass and sod have covered up the single gauge railroad tracks in the woods leaving only outlines for the few hunters who still go there. When Mike Leigeb moved his family to Averill in 1942, the lumber camps had disappeared and Harold and Ollie remember what it was like growing up there. Carl Siechert had the only grocery store in the village. The original store had been built on Wackerly Road close to the railroad tracks. But when U.S. 10 went through cutting Wackerly Road off, Carl Siechert used a team of horses and logs to move his store to the corner of Hope Road and U.S. 10. A sliver of Wackerly Road had been left intact and followed the railroad tracks for a short distance. The little Methodist Church and a number of houses lined the road facing the railroad tracks. By now everyone had electricity in their homes and many had a telephone. The phone was a large wooden box perched on a wall in the house with the actual phone in two parts. You lifted up one part to hear and the part you talked in was attached to the wooden box. Every line was a party-line meaning more than one person was on the same line. There was always a problem of someone eavesdropping. You could tell because when they picked up the phone to listen in, you could her the click of the receiver being lifted up. Johnny Bacon owned the Wolverine Telephone Co. and it was literally a one-man operation. The switchboard was just off the main road through Sanford on Center Street in a house with a large enclosed porch. The switchboard was there as well as a cot in the corner. The night hours didnt find many people phoning and the lady operating the switchboard could take a nap if she wanted to. There was no city water. Wells were dug or drilled. The school was one room with a teacher having all eight grades. The school was on Hope Road and kitty-corner across the road from the school was the town hall. Church potlucks, wedding receptions, Friday night dances, baby showers, 4-H meetings and voting in political elections were held there. Joanne, Harold and Ollies sister, sometimes played the piano for the dances. LaFayette, N.Y. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a giant wet blanket over nearly all community plans for July Fourth fireworks displays this year. But a free drive-in fireworks display on the Fourth in the Town of LaFayette might turn out to be the Syracuse areas only local show. The display will be held in a large parking area off Route 20 where thousands flock each fall for the LaFayette Apple Festival. We had the facilities and resources to put it all together, Town Supervisor Danny Fitzpatrick said. I think we might be the only place in Central New York. Since we lost our Memorial Day parades and most of the fireworks are being cancelled for July 4, we had to do something to show our community spirit and celebrate our freedoms, said event organizer Dave Knapp, who is also chairman of the Onondaga County Legislature. Knapp, who is treasurer for the Apple Festival, said he and his wife, Donna, were on the grounds doing some work recently when she mentioned that the sight would be a great spot for a drive-in fireworks show. I told her it was a great idea and just ran with it, he said. It seems to be coming together nicely. Communities throughout the area have canceled events including fireworks displays because of concerns over social distancing and limitations on crowd sizes imposed by state and local officials during the Covid-19 pandemic. In a recent survey, the City of Oswego was the areas only community fireworks display that hadnt been canceled. Even with using every other space, the Apple Festival parking area should be able to hold about 1,500 cars. The show is sponsored by the LaFayette Apple Festival, the LaFayette Optimist Club and the LaFayette Fire Department. Cars will be parked six feet apart, and visitors will be allowed to bring lawn chairs to use if they want to sit in front of their vehicle. Anyone buying concessions or using restroom facilities must wear a facial covering. Fitzpatrick said organizers arent sure what the exact food lineup will be, but Cluck n Burger, Napoli Express Wood Fired Pizza, and Ma & Pas Kettle Corn & Popcorn Factory have signed on. There will be music by county band Matt Chase and Thunder Canyon starting around 6:30 p.m. I think its going to be a really good event, he said. One issue that worries Fitzpatrick is the crowd size, since fireworks displays will be so rare. Im slightly concerned about overflow from people visiting from out of the area, he said. At some point, we could hit our capacity. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources NY State Fair 2020: Deep-fried faith continues for a socially distanced event as cancellations begin McMahon expects Cuomo to change his mind and let malls reopen Progress on coronavirus in NY continues; other states frightening, Cuomo says Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com >> Let us know: Do you know of other communities hosting fireworks displays next weekend? If so, please drop an email to Nolan Weidner at nweidner@syracuse.com. Jewellery designer Blaithin Ennis who hails from Gorey, and stocks her custom-made products across county Wexford and Ireland has spoken about the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the fashion industry. The pandemic came as a blow to Blaithin when some new exciting projects stopped in their tracks, after 2019 had been a very positive year for Blaithin professionally as she started to make a name for herself internationally. She described what it was like to watch these projects fall by the wayside before her eyes in March. 'It was to be a very busy few months for myself and a lot of my business associates in the design industry. Italy is a very important manufacturing and sourcing hub for many Irish designers so the knock on effect of its shut down has impacted almost every aspect of the industry here. 'Like most people in business, the pandemic has had a negative, ripple effect on the industry. I was in the final stages of my first collaboration project with my younger sister who is studying fashion in the Grafton Academy in Dublin. We had just finalised a collection of clothing and couture jewellery pieces and were due to showcase it to a large audience at the ARC fashion show in March. 'It was a huge honour to be involved in this show with a stellar line up of Irish designers including Helen Cody, Richard Malone and Heidi Higgins to name but a few. More importantly, the ARC fashion show raises in excess of 60,000 for cancer patients, so it is a huge blow for the charity. 'I was also due to showcase pieces at Brown Thomas, celebrating the store's tenth year of the CREATE project which celebrates Irish design. As well as this, I was asked to judge at the Irish Fashion Innovation awards to be held in Galway, a privilege and honour being the first jewellery designer to judge these prestigious awards. 'I also had plans underway to travel to the US but like everyone else, everything was put on hold,' she said. During the lockdown, online jewellery sales have continued but Blaithin was delighted to see retail outlets open their doors again in recent weeks. She said that she feels the fashion industry is changing, and for the most part in a positive way. 'Many of my design peers are so passionate about quality product, sustainability and sourcing ethically and that's the real positive change. It is clear that this is now reverberating on the larger worldwide brands and coming to the forefront of the 'fast fashion' industry. 'Climate change is a real and current threat to our everyday lives and it is incredibly important that we see this change reflected in every aspect of how we live, including what we wear. 'As a small brand, I feel fortunate to have the use of social media. Platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are vital for small design brands and have completely changed the way we showcase our business to a wider audience without the sometimes prohibitive outlays. 'For me, Instagram and Facebook are a great window to my online store. These platforms enable me to liaise with domestic and international customers. It is a positive, alternative way forward, whilst also allowing you to show your authentic self, tell your own unique personal story and showcase true brand identity. 'Having an online presence is vital for many businesses during this time, particularly if you are in the luxury goods, beauty or fashion industry. As a textile graduate from NCAD I love the tactile experience of beautiful products, however many brands have captured their vibe, style and story essence incredibly well through social media so things definitely seem to be moving in this direction.' Although many industries are expecting to bounce back as restrictions are lifted, Blaithin feels public support is vital. 'We all need to be honest and acknowledge that for the foreseeable future, many businesses will really struggle if we don't show them our support. As a nation, we are great and so generous at helping one another in times of need. 'I think collectively making a conscious decision to support 'local' and 'Irish' wherever we can will have a huge positive impact on the Irish economy moving forward. 'Before every purchase, try your best to ask - "is it Irish, is it local, is it sustainable and how am I positively contributing to the Irish economy if I make this purchase"? and if we all adopt this thought process, the results will have significant benefits'. Spending the lockdown in Wexford, Blaithin had time to reflect. 'Like many people in Ireland and around the world, the horrific death of George Floyd in the US has triggered much emotion and action across the globe and is calling to end the racial divide that still impacts the lives of so many, unnecessarily. As a white woman, I can never walk in their shoes, but I am determined to stand in solidarity. One of my female role models Michelle Obama says; "Let's invite one another in. Maybe then we can begin to fear less, make fewer wrong assumptions, let go of the biases and stereotypes that unnecessarily divide us. Maybe we can better embrace the ways we are the same". 'On a word of thanks, we cannot ever underestimate how brilliant we are as a nation and how kind people are to each other particularly in times of need. I would personally like to thank everyone working on the front line during this crisis. Our farmers, delivery men and women, the supermarket staff who have consistent smiles on their faces and radiate calmness for their frazzled customers, the owners of businesses who fill our social media pages with beautiful imagery and product and of course all healthcare workers. I utterly applaud and admire you. Thank you'. To keep up with Blaithin's, search @blaithinennis on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has responded to estranged wife Aaliyas divorce filing by sending her a legal notice. Aaliya had filed for divorce on May 6. Nawazs lawyer, Adnan Sheikh, told Indian Express that the actor had responded to the divorce filing on May 15, well within the time legally allotted to him. The lawyer said that Aaliya has constructed a slander campaign against the actor in the media. Also read: Nawazuddin Siddiquis wife Aaliya says he humiliated her in front of Manoj Bajpayee, makes excuses to avoid meeting his kids The lawyer said, Aaliya had sent the divorce notice on May 6, we had responded to that notice. Now, we have made our reply with whatever facts we had to give from records. Now it is her turn to take a step. We are taking steps whenever we are hurt legally. We were hurt legally because she was defaming my client. Now, if she doesnt comply in the number of days that she has to, then we will take a step again and we will definitely report. Refuting allegations that the actor has stopped paying Aaliya a monthly allowance to take care of their children, the lawyer added, All EMIs are still being paid by my client. We have attached payment details and screenshots. A huge sum was sent to Aaliya before the lockdown to make sure that all the children-related expenses are taken care of. Her divorce notice was replied to well in time, but again, she had stated the contrary in order to defame Mr Siddiqui through this well thought slander campaign. Hence, we have asked the actors wife to not make defamatory comments against him and also issue a written clarification for whatever she has recently said. Also read: Nawazuddin Siddiquis wife Aaliya claims they have been living separately for past 4-5 years Aaliya, who has reverted to her original name Anjali Kishore Pandey, responded to the development on Twitter, and wrote, Good that you have finally spoken @Nawazuddin_S. Do await my reply. I will have no reasons to now hold back any actions as sought to be initiated against you personally, by me. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON One of the Green Party's most prominent opponents to entering coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael has said they must be held to the promises made in the Programme for Government. Dublin Central TD Neasa Hourigan - who was on the Green Party's negotiating team but then campaigned against the programme for government - made the remarks after it was comfortably approved by the membership. A two-thirds majority was required in the vote. In the end, the result was 1,435 in favour of going into government with 457 against, a majority of 76pc. After the result, party leader Eamon Ryan said: "The biggest challenge of all is to stop the madness that climate change will bring if it's let go unchecked. That's our job in government. That's what we've been voted in to do." Read More Ms Hourigan last night said she had "enormous respect" for the party's membership and added that it had "been a bruising few months". She said the party must continue to advocate for the marginalised, adding: "I think we should work together to hold all of the coalition partners to the commitments they made in the Programme for Government. "That's what I intend to do. That's what I see as the best course of action." Deputy leader Catherine Martin - who is challenging Mr Ryan for the leadership - said some members would be disappointed by the result. Trust She assured them the party will "work every day to ensure this government will deliver for all the people of Ireland". Ms Martin said Ireland had suffered "untold heartbreak" and economic loss in the coronavirus crisis, the country was "crying out for stable government", and "the Green Party is stepping up to serve". She said trust must be built with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and that many Greens would be sceptical about the coalition. Ms Martin said there were some in the larger parties that weren't "overjoyed" with the Green Party being in government. She said: "We will ensure this government is one of mutual respect, co-operation, good faith and trust." BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 26 By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend: UzAuto Motors JSC and Samarkand Automobile Factory LLC plan to open a plant for assembly of vehicles in Azerbaijan, representative of Uzavtosanoat told Trend. According to representative, Uzavtosanoat JSC and AzerMash OJSC signed a memorandum of intent on organization of assembly production of motor vehicles of UzAuto Motors JSC and Samarkand Automobile Factory LLC at production facilities in Azerbaijan on October 21, 2019. "Within this memorandum, in January 2020 in the course of negotiations in Azerbaijan it was defined such areas of cooperation as organization of large-unit assembly of cars of UzAuto Motors JSC and buses produced by Samarkand Automobile Factory LLC in the territory of AzerMash OJSC, supply of spare parts and component parts," said representative. Besides, it was planned to establish cooperation between Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent and Azerbaijan Technical University. "Opening of the motor vehicle assembly plant of UzAuto Motors JSC and Samarkand Automobile Factory LLC, previously planned for May 2020, has been postponed indefinitely due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus," stated the representative. Uzavtosanoat is the Uzbek holding company controlling automotive manufacturing enterprises of the large-unit assembly (SKD), UzAuto Motor (former GM Uzbekistan), Samarkand Automobile Plant and MAN Auto-Uzbekistan. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-28 06:44:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HOUSTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. state of Texas announced on Saturday more than 5,700 new COVID-19 cases, according to the Texas Health and Human Services. As of Saturday 143,371 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported across the state, 5,747 more cases than the total on Friday. The state added 5,707 and 5,996 new cases on Friday and Thursday, respectively. In Texas Harris County, where the U.S. fourth largest city of Houston is located, Judge Lina Hidalgo wanted to issue another stay-at-home order after local officials lifted the previous one. "We need folks to stay home. We need folks to be part of this effort and work together as a community for the sake of our health, our economy, and all our neighbors," local media quoted Hidalgo as saying. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has the final; say on this matter. On Friday, the governor announced the scaling back of the reopening of businesses in the state as Texas saw sharp increase of spread of COVID-19 in the past day. Following the announcement, League City in Texas said the traditional fireworks celebration on July 4 will be canceled. The festival was supposed to be a drive-in event. However, Texas Republicans are moving forward with their plans to hold an indoor convention in Houston next month, The Texas Tribune reported. The Texas GOP convention is expected to draw about 6,000 attendees, said the report. Enditem The coronavirus outlook grew bleaker still on Friday, as Jefferson County nearly doubled its single-day record for new infections and hospitals confirmed that intensive care units were near capacity for the third straight day. The county reported 79 new positive test results for the virus, pushing the running tally to 1,099 just two days after passing the 1,000-case milestone. The previous single-day record was set on Monday, when 40 new cases were logged. That gloomy news followed an order by Gov. Greg Abbott, closing bars and curtailing crowd sizes allowed for restaurants, and an open letter from Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick taking residents to task for griping about having to wear masks inside places of business. Branick later called the spike in new cases very concerning. He told The Enterprise that wants do what he can to keep residents safe, but he also hopes to avoid another massive economic shutdown. Related: Branick reacts to level of pure hatred over masking order Local officials said Fridays surge was unlikely to be tied to any single event or testing site. More Information At a glance Confirmed coronavirus cases in Jefferson County. Beaumont827 Larry Gist State Jail237 LeBlanc Prison Unit235 Port Arthur161 Mark W. Stiles Prison Unit50 Nederland44 Groves28 Port Neches19 China7 Hamshire5 Nome4 Cheek3 Fannett1 Source: Beaumont and Port Arthur Public Health Departments, Texas Department of Criminal Justice Coronavirus testing When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday Where: Forrest Park Methodist Church, 255 S. Major Dr., Beaumont When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday Where: Cristo Rey Church, 767 Ave. A, Beaumont When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday Where: Plymouth Village, 5080 Helbig, Beaumont When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 13 Where: Northridge Manor, 4155 Maida, Beaumont When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 20 Where: Stonehurst Apartments, 1615 E. Lucas, Beaumont When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 27 Where: Pointe North, 3710 Magnolia, Beaumont Testing that requires appointment When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday and Monday through July 2 Where: McCabe-Roberts Avenue UMC, 1205 Roberts Ave., Beaumont Details: Insurance not required; call (409) 240-1494 to make an appointment and get more information When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday Where: Kirby Elementary Campus, 1205 N. Fifth St., Silsbee Details: Insurance not required; register at txcovidtest.org or (512) 883-2400 See More Collapse This is not unexpected, but it is a clear indication that the virus continues to be widespread, Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames said in a news release posted with the citys daily report. She said she included the release because of the sheer number of cases. The major increase also caused the seven-day average number of cases confirmed each day to rise by about eight. Experts say this rolling average is a more accurate way to show any surges because its unlikely to be hugely influenced by any single day. Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox Ames, Branick and Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie each said they had no immediate plans to issue any executive orders with more limitations than those issued by Abbott. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo enacted a stay-at-home order for her county, which includes Houston. That order came just a few hours after Abbotts edict closing bars, limiting the number of customers allowed inside restaurants beginning Monday, and banning gatherings of more than 100 people unless approved in advance by local leaders. Ames reiterated the provisions of Abbotts order in her news release. In addition to repeating health recommendations such as hand washing and social distancing, Ames also encouraged residents to send only one person per family to do shopping and to comply with Branicks mask order that went into effect on Wednesday. I would also like to emphasize that increased COVID cases lead to increased hospitalizations, which could overwhelm the health-care system, she added. When asked later by The Enterprise whether the city had started serious conversations about potentially opening up surge capacity in the hospitals, she said the city is continuously communicating with local hospitals. She said the city depends on the hospitals to keep officials informed and provide direction. Related: SE Texas bar owners reel after shutdown order Branick, who also said he didnt currently have any plans to issue orders stricter than Abbotts, said one of the main purposes of his mask order is to keep hospitals from becoming overwhelmed while also keeping businesses open. Bartie said he will wait until at least July 1 to look into pursuing a stay-at-home order for Port Arthur. He also issued a new executive order to officially adopt those issued by Branick and Abbott. Bartie said he expects Abbott to pass something more expansive for the entire state within a week or two. What were seeing right now is a subtle approach to try to get people to stay home without actually telling them were shutting down the state, he said. I think were headed toward a stay-at-home order statewide, but I believe everyone was waiting to until at least June 30 or July 1 to see what happened before issuing them. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/KaitlinBain On June 22, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation suspending entry of foreign nationals who present a risk to the US labour market following the Coronavirus outbreak. The order will be effective till December 31, 2020. The main reason for issuing this order was the fear of rising job losses in the US, which are said to be in the range of 40 million due to Covid-19. According to the US government, the ban is likely to open up around half a million jobs for the US citizens. According to experts, the new order is temporary in nature. Following the order, issuing of four main categories of visas has been halted from June 24, 2020. They include: H-1B (given to skilled workers), H-2B (for seasonal workers), L (for executives, managers and specialised workers) and J visas (for cultural exchange, including interns, teachers, camp counsellors among others). However, foreign workers with valid visas already in the US will not be affected. Also Read | Net result of curbs: More offshoring While the suspension of these categories of visas will affect all those applicants around the world, there will not be any major impact on the Indian IT services firms as they have been reducing dependency on H-1B visas for the last four years. However, the order has shattered the dreams of thousands of Indian technology workers who are seeking entry into the US for the first time. To some extent, the move will add to the woes of the Indian IT companies that are already suffering due to travel curbs amid the pandemic. The proclamation that bars the entry of certain non-immigrants into America and setting new conditions for others is misguided and harmful to the US economy, said industry body Nasscom. Until the Trump administration took charge in 2017, the Indian IT Services companies were the major beneficiaries of the H-1B visa programme. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a total of 3,88,403 H-1B visas during FY2019 (October 2018 to September 2019 period) including fresh and renewals, of which the share of India stood at 71.7%. The number of new annual (initial) H-1B visas is capped at 65,000 with an additional 20,000 for highly-skilled labour with a Masters or a higher degree from a US university. Three categories of IT companies apply for visas. First, Indian IT services companies such as Infosys, TCS, Wipro, and HCL among others. Second, global IT services companies of American origin like IBM, Accenture etc rely on H-1B visas. Other tech companies like Google, Microsoft and Deloitte among others also rely on H-1B. Third, captives like Walmart, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Target among others seek these visas. These companies have been getting visas much easier compared to Indian IT services companies, says Siddharth Pai, Founder, Siana Capital, a venture fund management company focused on technology. Technology companies Ever since the Trump administration came to power, it has been very easy for American-origin companies like IBM, Accenture among others to get H-1B visas. Also, other technology companies like Google, Microsoft and captives like Walmart, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs have been getting visas regularly. It is only the Indian IT services companies that are facing trouble in getting the visas, Pai says. According to experts, the impact on Indian companies is temporary in the short-term as they have been reducing their dependency on visas. Instead, they are hiring locals in the US. The move is likely to hurt the American companies most as they have been increasing their dependency on H-1B visas. The US move to restrict visas will have very limited impact. However, over a period of time, the cost of operations will increase for Indian companies as they go for hiring talent locally in the US, Suresh Rajan, Executive Chairman and Founder of LCR Capital Partners said. Talent crunch, H-1B rejections, local hiring, higher sub-contracting and lower onsite utilisation resulted in increase in the onsite cost structure for Indian IT over the past two years. Sending engineers from India using the H-1B visa is 30% cheaper compared to hiring locals in the US. They will have to increase offshoring to overcome the current situation, adds Kamal Karanth, co-founder of Xpheno, an IT staffing company said. In the short-term, medium-sized Indian IT firms will have difficulty in completing projects on time. Hiring locally in the US will be difficult for medium-sized companies as it will add more cost to their operations. They also do not have a big brand unlike top-tier IT firms to attract local talent, says Aditya Mishra, CEO, CIEL HR Services. However, blanket ban on issuing visas will hurt American companies like Google or Microsoft more than Indian IT services companies. Immigration has contributed immensely to Americas economic success, making it a global leader in tech, and also Google the company it is today. Disappointed by todays proclamation - well continue to stand with immigrants and work to expand opportunity for all, said Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google and Alphabet, in a tweet. Cost pressure Are IT firms prepared to face the situation? Yes, to some extent. With the visa issuance norms being tightened in the USA by restricting the entry of entry-level programmers coupled with increasing compliance and evidence requirements adding to cost pressures, Indian companies have started reducing their dependency on H-1B visas. Over the last four years, they have seen up to 60% reduction in visas. Instead, they are now ramping up their onshore hiring in the US. All the Indian IT companies have started hiring in the US. Our companies have reduced their dependency on the H-1B visas. So far, the top IT firms such as TCS and Infosys have hired more than 10,000 local workers over the last five years in the US. However, in the short-term, the ban would hamper their plans to move workers to the US, Rabindra Srikantan, MD, ASM Technologies and Convenor, CII Karnataka Technology & Innovation panel said. Another option for the Indian IT companies is to bring the work offshore. Indian IT companies will have to change their delivery models to overcome the visa rejections, by bringing more work offshore. They will have to keep 90-95% of resources offshore going forward, says Pai. They also need to use more digital services such as cloud computing, automation and bots to deliver on-time and this will reduce their dependence on visas, he adds. Other options available are exploring setting up development centres near shore. They can explore places like Canada and Mexico to set up development centres, which are just two hours away from the US, says Rajan. Overall, the impact of proposed changes is expected to be negative on the margins of Indian IT services companies, though unlikely to impact the credit profile of Indian IT Services companies. Also approves strategic growth investment by Carlyle for 20% stake in Piramal Pharma The Board of Piramal Enterprises at its meeting held on 26 June 2020 has approved - the sale/ transfer of the pharmaceutical business ('Pharma Business') of the Company, held by the Company directly and through its wholly owned subsidiaries, to Piramal Pharma, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ('PPL'); and the strategic growth investment by CA Clover Intermediate II Investments (Carlyle), an affiliated entity of CAP V Mauritius Limited, an investment fund managed and advised by affiliated entities of The Carlyle Group Inc., for a 20% stake in the fresh equity capital of PPL. The Proposed Transaction values the Pharma Business at an enterprise value (EV) of US$2,775 million with an upside component of up to US$360 million depending on the company's FY21 performance. Based on the EV (excluding the upside component), exchange rate and pharma net debt as on March 31, 2020, the estimated equity capital investment for Carlyle's 20% stake in PPL would amount to ~US$490 million. The final amount of equity investment will depend on the net debt, exchange rate and performance against the pre-agreed conditions at the time of closing of the Proposed Transaction. The Proposed Transaction is expected to be completed in calendar year 2020, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Manushi Chhillar won the Miss World 2017 title and got a lot of glory to India. The beauty queen is now gearing up for her Bollywood debut alongside Akshay Kumar in Prithviraj. The film is being bankrolled by Yash Raj Films and was still in the filming process before the lockdown stalled it. Recently, actress Kareena Kapoor Khan had posted on social media about the need to contribute for children who are suffering during the ongoing pandemic giving a shoutout to UNICEFs great initiative. Now Manushi Chhillar has joined hands with the same initiative and has extended her support to the children in need. She put a post on social media for the same and captioned it, I have been blessed and fortunate enough to have had a safe, healthy and happy childhood. Today I realise the importance of my upbringing that has impacted and shaped my value system, my perspective to the world and people and also made me the person that Im today. Im also deeply disturbed knowing how many children of my country dont get the childhood that they deserve. The current pandemic is only increasing the threat for them when they are at such an impressionable age. But we can together make a difference. Kudos to you Manushi! Itas been a month since Japanas government lifted the coronavirus related state of emergency for all prefectures. But infection rates since then suggest Tokyo still hasnat brought the outbreak fully under control, and one expert warns of cluster infections that are difficult to spot. In Tokyo, 55 new infection cases were confirmed on June 24th. It was the first time in seven weeks that the number of daily new cases exceeded 50. The transmission route of 23 have not yet been identified. A day later, 48 new cases were recorded, with 19 of them untraceable. Members of the governmentas expert panel on the coronavirus held a news conference on Wednesday. The head of the panel, Dr. Wakita Takaji, said the number indicates that Tokyo has clusters of infections that remain invisible. He says members of the panel are extremely concerned that some of those infections will be spreading through hospitals or other public facilities. He says itas essential to identify any clusters as soon as possible so that what we see now does not develop into a second wave. Japan lifted the state of emergency for all prefectures on May 25th. Economic activity has been gradually resuming since then. Amusement parks and live music venues are free to reopen. And restrictions on interprefectural travel have been lifted, so domestic travel is picking up. In the one month since the state of emergency was completely lifted, based on NHKas tally, 1,528 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed nationwide, including those from airport quarantine checks. Nearly half of the cases a 748 a were in Tokyo. The numbers for the capital show young people being disproportionately affected. While the city was under a state of emergency, only 18.1 percent of new cases were people in their 20s. Since restrictions were lifted, that figure has jumped to 42.7 percent. Overall, nearly 70 percent of the new cases are people under the age of 40. Many of the new cases have been linked to nightlife establishments. Tokyo officials are aggressively testing people who work in nightlife districts and urging the businesses to implement preventive measures. Fukuoka had the second highest number of cases in the month, with 176, followed by Hokkaido with 156 and Kanagawa with 106. The outbreak appears to be under control in many prefectures. Seventeen, including Toyama, Okinawa and Fukui, did not report any cases at all during the month. Eleven prefectures reported only one case each, and 43 prefectures had less than 100 cases. Dead dolphins are washing up on Frances Atlantic coast in such high numbers that local populations of the mammals are at risk, according to marine biologists. The overwhelming majority of dolphins are found drowned in the nets of fishing trawlers, and post mortems often show fractures, broken tails and flippers, and deep incisions cut into their skin by the nets. Additionally, some of them have been mutilated as fishermen release their bodies back into the sea. Were reaching mortality rates that threaten the survival of the dolphin population in the Bay of Gascony, said Morgane Perri, a marine biologist based in Brittany, France. For the last three years, weve seen more than 1,000 deaths [dolphins and porpoises] over a four-month period each winter. Common dolphins are the hardest hit, and scientists believe those found on beaches represent a small fraction of the total number dying in fishing nets off the coast of France. The real number is likely to be five to 10 times higher, they estimate. Dolphins have for decades been caught in fishing nets in the Atlantic waters off western Europe, but marine scientists say the spike in numbers in recent years is a result of shifting fishing practices, and in particular the fishing vessels that trawl in pairs for sea bass. French law requires fishermen to declare all cetacean by-catch [dolphins, whales and porpoises], but Ms Perri said this rarely happens. The National Committee of Maritime Fishermen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The slow reproduction rates of dolphins, which are mammals and need to surface in order to breathe, means they are particularly vulnerable to sharp falls in numbers, according to the Pelagis Observatory in La Rochelle, France. Population models show numbers are stable, said Helene Peltier, a researcher at the observatory, but she added that once you see the decline, its too late. Activist group Sea Shepherd wants trawlers to be banned from fishing in sea bass spawning grounds and better monitoring of fisheries. Acoustic pingers designed to repel dolphins are also being trialled on some fishing boats. Ms Peltier added: There is no single miracle solution. Reuters Italian couple Guido (100) and Maria (93) were separated for 101 days due to covid-19 rules. 100-year-old Guido Stangalini and his wife Maria Pagani, aged 93, live in the Castano Primo area just outside Milan. Their touching story, told by the town's mayor Giuseppe Pignatiello, was published by Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Due to their reduced mobility, Guido and Maria had decided to move into the town's nursing home during February of this year. Guido moved in first, with Maria due to follow a few days later. However the covid-19 pandemic exploded in the meantime, leading to the banning of all visits to nursing homes. "Maria and Guido are one of those couples from the past, who do everything together" - the mayor told La Repubblica - "For those who in 70 years of marriage have never experienced such a long separation, these days must have seemed like an eternity." For the ensuing 101 days, Guido spent his time praying that he would see Maria "at least one last time," according to the nursing home director Diego Colombo. "After all these months, Guido's prayers were answered because Maria arrived at the home yesterday, accompanied by the couple's two children" - said Mayor Pignatiello - "The husband was waiting for her in the lobby in front of the church, sitting in his wheelchair and, when she saw him, his wife rushed to greet him." Following a long embrace and many tears, Guido and Maria promised they would never leave each other again. "I decided to tell the tears of joy of Guido and Maria" - said the mayor - "because, even if they did not experience the suffering of disease, they are the same as all the people who, like them, have been forced in these difficult months into a forced separation from loved ones." Photo La Repubblica An Agra-based apparel manufacturing firm named the Indian Garment Company has bagged the license to produce a special kind of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits and plans to ramp up production to dole out about a million units in year to keep up with the demand for the protective gear used widely by the personnel of essential services across the world, who are deployed at the forefront of coronavirus containment efforts. These PPE suits are named NavRakshak and are principally designed by a naval Doctor Dr Arnab Ghosh, who has used his personal experience of using PPEs to ensure maximum comfort and protection for the doctors, who would possibly be amongst the personnel wearing them. Indian Garment Company is registered with the government as a micro enterprise under the MSME Act and has been manufacturing PPE kits that have been supplied to various hospitals. After winning the license, the company has proposed an annual production target of over one million NavRakshak PPE kits. Watch: Rise in Indias Covid cases not as high as other countries: AIIMS director The award of license was done through National Research Development Cooperation (NRDC), which has signed a technology licensing agreement for the manufacturing know-how of the NavRakshak suit with the company. The special suit incorporates superior quality breathable fabric and its design innovation is said to eliminate the need for costly taping and sealing of the seam which is otherwise needed in other PPEs currently available in the market. The fabric, suit and seam have been found to meet the synthetic blood penetration resistance criteria comfortably. For Coronavirus Live Updates The prototype development took place earlier at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, and it was tested and certified at the Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), an accredited lab authorized by the Ministry of Textile for PPE prototype sample testing as per the prevailing ISO standards and guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Textile. (Newser) A swimmer in Delaware was caught on camera prying a shark's mouth open with his hands this weekend in an effort to free it from a fishing hook, the AP reports. The video shows the man grabbing onto the shark at a beach in Cape Henlopen State Park. He went into the water to unhook it after another person caught it, the Salisbury Daily Times reported Tuesday. "Everyone started yelling, 'Shark, shark, get out of the water!'" said Delaware native Rachael Foster, who shared her video on social media. "It was so crazy, like a movie. Like Jaws." story continues below State law prohibits people from keeping sand tiger and sandbar sharks if caught. People must release them immediately. The newspaper reported park rangers were on site Sunday to assist and monitor the situation. Earlier this month, a boy was hospitalized for puncture wounds after he was possibly bitten by a shark in the park. The boy, 12, was surfing when something bit his leg. Officials then temporarily closed the parks Herring Point to surfing and swimming. Shark attacks are rare. The Florida Museum of Natural History recorded 41 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks in the US last year. The cases represented 64% of the worldwide total. (Read more sharks stories.) The coronavirus zombifies human cells and causes them to sprout tentacles in order to spread around the body, scientists have discovered. A study led by the University of California saw researchers take microscopic images of this process, which they have described as 'so sinister'. Images show infected cells growing tentacle-like spikes, known as filopodia, which appear to be littered with viral particles. The researchers believe the disease uses the tentacles to 'surf' to healthy cells, where it injects its viral venom into them and creates more zombie cells. Until now, researchers believed Covid infected like most other viruses - by latching onto healthy cells and turning them into copying machines. But, in people with healthy immune systems, the body can fight off the majority of the virus and prevent it from replicating in high amounts in the body. The latest discovery appears to show that Covid has, at some point in its evolution, developed a back-up plan to get round the immune system. The finding has been described as an 'amazing leap' in the fight against coronavirus and may open the door to a host of new treatment options. The coronavirus 'zombifies' human cells and causes them to sprout tentacles to spread around the body, scientists have discovered. A study led by the University of California saw researchers take microscopic images of this process Covid-19 appears to litter these tentacles with viral particles which 'surf' to healthy cells and inject their viral venom into them, creating more zombie cells Nevan Krogan, a professor in cellular and molecular pharmacology at the University of California and lead researcher, told the LA Times: 'Its just so sinister that the virus uses other mechanisms to infect other cells before it kills the cell.' Other viruses including HIV and vaccinia, a member of the virus family that causes smallpox also use filopodia as way to spread infection through the body. But Professor Krogan said the way Covid-19 can grow the tentacles so rapidly is highly unusual. Britain's top vaccine scientists say Covid-19 has lots of 'tricks' to deceive the immune system The coronavirus has lots of 'immunological tricks up its sleeve' that make it hyper-infectious, according to one of Britain's top vaccine scientists. Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the virus is 'surprisingly' good at ducking the human immune system despite only jumping from animals six months ago. He said normally it takes years of co-existing with humans for any virus to evolve these traits. Professor Openshaw told the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee last week: 'In terms of durability, viruses often have a way of modulating the host's immune response. 'It's the way they've evolved to tune down the immune response that's generated by the virus. That would usually be particularly strong in virus that's had long time to co-evolve with human host. 'What surprises us about this novel virus that's only recently jumped from bats to humans, is already seems to have a lot of immunological tricks up its sleeve and is able to interfere with the immune response and in a way disseminate in a way that you wouldn't really expect a virus that has only just moved into the human population. 'We wonder why that is. We wouldn't have thought that a virus could behave in such a complex way when its only just been introduced into a new species.' He added: 'So maybe there are tricks it has learned while evolving in another species that have cross over effect.' Professor Openshaw shot down theories that the virus had already infected humans before. He also ruled out the possibility that had been manufactured or interefered with in a laboratory in China, as has been heavily insinuated by US President Donald Trump. Professor Openshaw told the committee that he thought it was 'just chance' that the virus has learnt to trick the immune system. Advertisement He also said their shape - protruding out of the cell towards other cells like branches on a tree - was also strange. Columbia University microbiologist Professor Stephen Goff admitted the finding was 'intriguing' but said it did not necessarily mean the tentacles were behaving as a seond mode of spreading. He told the LA Times: 'Its intriguing and a really cool observation. But we dont yet know what stage [of infection] is affected. It will be great fun to find out.' Scientists behind the study - published in the journal Cell - believe the discovery could open the door to new treatments. They have now identified seven existing cancer drugs that block the growth of filopodia. Among the seven drugs are gilteritinib, sold as Xospata, which is used to treat acute myeloid leukemia and Silmitasertib, an unproven drug being trialled as a treatment for bile duct cancer and a form of childhood brain cancer. Reacting to the findings, Professor Andrew Mehle, a microbiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told SFist: 'This paper shows just how completely the virus is able to rewire all of the signals going on inside the cell. That's really remarkable and it's something that occurs very rapidly (as soon as two hours after cells are infected).' Lynne Cassimeris, a professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University, said the discovery was an 'amazing leap'. The study included scientists from Mount Sinai in New York, Rocky Mountain Labs in Montana, the Pasteur Institute in Paris and the University of Freiburg in Germany. It was launched in February to rapidly identify existing drugs that had the potential to treat the then-brand new disease. They monitored how the virus responded to drugs under laboratory settings in test tube experiments. One of Britain's leading experts said last week that the coronavirus has lots of 'immunological tricks up its sleeve' that make it hyper-infectiou. Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said the virus is 'surprisingly' good at ducking the human immune system despite only jumping from animals six months ago. He said normally it takes years of co-existing with humans for any virus to evolve these traits. Professor Openshaw told the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee last week: 'In terms of durability, viruses often have a way of modulating the host's immune response. 'It's the way they've evolved to tune down the immune response that's generated by the virus. That would usually be particularly strong in virus that's had long time to co-evolve with human host. 'What surprises us about this novel virus that's only recently jumped from bats to humans, is already seems to have a lot of immunological tricks up its sleeve and is able to interfere with the immune response and in a way disseminate in a way that you wouldn't really expect a virus that has only just moved into the human population. 'We wonder why that is. We wouldn't have thought that a virus could behave in such a complex way when its only just been introduced into a new species.' He added: 'So maybe there are tricks it has learned while evolving in another species that have cross over effect.' Professor Openshaw shot down theories that the virus had already infected humans before. He also ruled out the possibility that had been manufactured or interefered with in a laboratory in China, as has been heavily insinuated by US President Donald Trump. Professor Openshaw told the committee that he thought it was 'just chance' that the virus has learnt to trick the immune system. Is this the mutation that made coronavirus spread like wildfire in NYC, Italy and the UK? D614G strain has four-times as many 'spikes' that latch onto human cells A mutated strain of coronavirus that has decimated the US, UK and Italy is nearly 10 times more infectious than the original virus that emerged from China, a study suggests. The potent version of SARS-CoV-2 - called D614G - has four to five times more 'spikes' that protrude from the viral surface allow it to latch onto human cells. Not only does this trait make it more infectious, but it also makes the virus more stable and resilient. Scientists have been puzzled about why coronavirus has seemed to hit some states and countries harder than others. Previous research had highlighted that the potent D614G strain was circulating in high numbers in Italy, the UK and New York City - where infection and death rates are among the worst in the world. Now, a study by scientists at Scripps Research has confirmed that the mutated coronavirus latches onto receptors more easily than other strains. Although the research only looked at D614G in tightly controlled laboratory settings, experts told DailyMail.com it's 'plausible' the strain's viral structure makes it more infectious in people. Professor Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading in England, said: 'Yes it is plausible. The work is good quality and it would mean that the virus could successfully infect at a lower dose and so spread more widely.' Coronavirus's 'spike' protein (pictured) has two components (shown in purple and green). Being comprised of two parts makes it 'unstable' and fragile, but a new mutation makes it more stable by making the whole spike more 'flexible' and infectious, a Scripps Research study says Researchers there isolated various strains of coronavirus that have been identified by their genetic signatures around the world. They then put each into a sort microscopic cage match, testing how aggressively the respective strains attacked human cells in petri dishes. One strain was the clear winner - the iteration of the virus with the mutated gene that gave it more 'spike' proteins. 'Viruses with this mutation were much more infectious than those without the mutation in the cell culture system we used,' said virologist Dr Hyeryun Choe, PhD, senior author of the study. The 'spike' is a protein on the surface of the coronavirus - known as SARS-CoV-2 - that allows it to latch onto receptors on human cells' surfaces. Specifically, it binds to ACE2 receptors, which are prevalent on the surface of lung cells as well as blood vessels - making these systems prime targets for coronavirus. The more spikes it has, the more opportunities the virus has to stick to a human cell, and hijack its machinery to make more of itself. And the mutant strain that's spread in the US, Italy and Britain has them in spades. The potent strain of coronavirus also hit Europe, taking a particularly strong hold in Italy, before spreading to the US (light blue) 'The number - or density - of functional spikes on the virus is 4 or 5 times greater due to this mutation,' said Dr Choe. Not only did it have more spikes, it had particularly well-adapted ones. Its protein spike was flexible rather than rigid. That gives it the same advantage that modern suspensions bridges have. Swaying and jostling might bend it - but it won't break. And the longer and more stabley it can hang onto receptors, the better the opportunity for viral particles to march into the human cell and take it over, without the virus falling to pieces. 'Our data are very clear, the virus becomes much more stable with the mutation,' Dr Choe said. That mutation belongs to a strain of coronavirus known as D614G. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico said in March that the mutant strain started spreading in early February in Europe. It has since made its way to the US, where it became the most common - and aggressive - strain on the East Coast by March, and the scientists there said it's now the world-dominating strain. Sudhir Srinivasan By Express News Service Its tricky ground when you are writing a flawed person as the protagonist of your film. You dont want to end up romanticising him like in Arjun Reddy; you dont want to seem like an apologist for him, like in World Famous Lover. Somehow, Krishna and His Leela manages to do this beautifully, treading the delicate line between villifying and idolising him. It simply paints him as an average young man, prone to the very human follies of instinct and desire. It achieves this neutral ground because its not in love with him. The writers, Ravikanth Perepu and Sidhu Jonnalagadda (the director and actor respectively), refuse the temptation of mass-ifying their hero, Krishna. They are content to use the character as a tool to try and explore the complexities of romance, specifically of modern romance between young adults. They observe him, taking notes of his evolution, capturing highlight reels of his relationships, and all the while, remain aware of the many shades of grey in romance. Its why you never feel Krishna is a horrible person. Hes wrong, of course, to lie to the women in his life, but hes simply a sample of the many men who do it. Never once does this film try to justify Krishna as a good man, or one worthy of emulation. In fact, towards the end, a woman even proclaims that she would never want to be with a man like Krishna, and he isnt threatened by this public diss. He replies that he totally gets it. And he isnt lying. Krishna knows hes not a great guy. Hes dazed and confusedpun intended and very aware of his imperfection. And that I would argue, makes him a very decent person. The film doffs its hat to some inspirations: like when Krishna says he has tickets to Ae Dil hai Mushkil, and or when he sings, Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2, both films that spoke of complex love. The mythological inspirat ions are straightforward. The heros Krishna; the films about his leelas. Theres Radha (Shalini Vadnikatti), Sathya (Shraddha Srinath), and a third girl named Rukhsar (Seerat Kapoor). The mythological touches are in your face without the director having to spell these details at the end. Its also a film in which Krishna often breaks the fourth wall for humour, but occasionally, regrettably, to explain his stance on romance. Krishna and His Leela is a film whose characters and situations bring out enough complexity without its lead character having to look into the camera and ask why its wrong to be in love with two women at the same time. At two hours, this film about a man who bounces between two women, is a breeze, and is as busy as Krishnas love life. Its a dance between entertaining conversations and energetic montages, flavoured all the while by a score, which includes, quite relevantly, a remix of Alaipayuthey Kanna. Even while focussing on Krishnas romantic life which is ever in a state of flux, the film remembers to focus on his evolution as a person. He starts off being almost abusivelike when Sathya complains that hes squeezing her hand in anger, but then, he evolves, or they call it, matures. Theres also commentary on how social conditioning and peer pressure plays its part in creating such men. You see that Krishna, reeling from being dumped by Sathya, goes through the motions of a break-up, as he thinks he has to. The film encourages you to laugh at him as hes crying and threatening to commit suicide. Thats why his transition to the next relationship is quick and decisive. Its almost a criticism of the fleeting nature of contemporary relationships. I enjoyed that the film lets you make up your mind about such topics. The film doesnt flinch from its detailed depiction of urban relationships. Theres plenty of realistic intimacy. Theres premarital sex. It doesnt make a big deal about women smoking and drinking, or living alone. Id even argue that as the film ends, women come out looking better. The films sensitised towards the plight of women like Radha, Sathya, and why, even Krishnas mother. The two most tender moments in this film, for me, are those that have a woman talking. The first is when Radha returns to Bangalore and shares a secret with Krishna. The second is when Sathya hears of Krishnas breakup, and wrestles with her own guilt, even though shes really done nothing wrong. The two main men in this filmKrishna and his father are both flawed, and trying to make sense of their place in their family, in society. Theres a scene that has Krishnas father (Sampath) appeal to the man that his son is, when discussing his wrongs. In another film, Id be tempted to ask why flaws are the property of men, but this isnt a film flaunting the flaws of these men. Its hard to criticise Krishna, when hes as quick to admonish himself. He admits that he would have trouble accepting a woman if she were to two-time as he does. His sister calls him out too and points out his hypocrisy. His mother refuses to speak with him. And despite all this seriousness, I enjoyed that this film feels light. One of its most incisive lines, again coming from a woman, is at a bar, when Krishnas drinking. His friend, Rukhsar (Seerat Kapoor), is having a drink too and she notes that no love can evolve into a long-term relationship without there being friendship. At the time, Krishna doesnt get it. The films final line is him getting it. Prince Harry has expressed his gratitude to veterans after they helped one of Meghan Markles initiatives, the Hubb Community Kitchen, amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, RE:ACT, formerly known as Team Rubicon, a group that deploys highly skilled veteran volunteers to disaster zones, shared a photo of a letter they received from the Duke of Sussex, in which he thanked them for their help delivering meals across London from the Hubb Community Kitchen. Today we're celebrating #veterans for #ArmedForcesWeek and wanted to share this lovely letter from one #veteran, the #DukeofSussex, to our veteran #volunteers to thank them for their help delivering meals around London from #HubbCommunityKitchen in May. Proud to be involved! the organisation wrote. In the letter, Prince Harry wrote: It didn't surprise me to hear your team's efficiency in supporting the initiative really was like a military operation - I'd expect nothing less! As you may know, the Hubb Community Kitchen is an initiative incredibly close to my wifes heart that continues to be supported by the legacy of their community cookbook Together. Brought together by the Grenfell Tower fire, these inspiring women continue to give back to the community, most recently mass cooking for communities who were struggling during lockdown. Thanks to Team Rubicon, they were able to reach further afield, ensuring that as many people as possible were supported during the pandemic. Recommended Harry and Meghan criticised for using crown logo on official letters The Duchess of Sussex first became involved in the Hubb Community Kitchen, which consists of a group of women who first came together to make fresh food for their local community following the Grenfell Tower fire, in 2018. Meghan later published a community book of recipes with the women, titled: Together: Our Community Cookbook. Prince Harry concluded the letter, dated 19 June 2020, reiterating that he and Meghan send our deepest thanks and best wishes. The duke signed the letter Harry, although he did use his monogram logo of an H under a crown, which the couple continues to use despite stepping back from the royal family in March. In response to the letter, many thanked the organisation for its work, and Prince Harry for his and Meghans continued support. Absolutely lovely! Thank you for sharing. Well done to all those involved x, one person commented. Another said: Amazing work. Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service! In June 2020 Georgia (the country on the Black Sea, not the U.S. State) announced it was going to revive the production of the Su-25 ground attack aircraft. During the Cold War most Su-25s were produced in a Georgian factory. After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 and Georgia became independent, most Su-25 production moved to a Russian plant. Nearly 1,100 Su-25s have been produced and production continues in Russia, mainly for export customers. Russia, as well as Georgia, also offers Su-25 upgrades and refurbishment for existing Su-25s. Until 2008 Georgia was a competitor for Su-25 refurbishment and upgrade work. After 1991 Russia was eager to export Su-25 components to Georgia where the original Su-25 factory was still operational. In 2008 Russia briefly invaded Georgia to settle a number of disputes. As a result of that war Russia no longer exported much of anything to Georgia. Despite that, the Georgian Su-25 plant continued doing Su-25 repairs and upgrades, using components manufactured locally or from non-Russian, often Western, sources. By 2015 Georgia was seeking to find enough non-Russian suppliers so that a Georgian Su-25, called the Ge-21, could be produced for the Georgian Air Force as well as for export. That effort slowly faded away until the recent announcement. While Georgia does have the capability to produce the G2-21/Su-25, its government has been long on press-releases and short on performance. This latest announcement could be more of the same. Georgia definitely needs more business for the old Su-25 production complex, which has since expanded into other areas of manufacturing and commerce. Russia bombed the facility in 2008 but the damage was not extensive and eventually repaired. Georgia has contacts in Israel, Europe and the Americas that can provide needed components for aircraft production in Georgia. The question is does the government have enough cash, and people capable of overseeing such an enterprise. Great idea, poor prospects. The Su-25 is a pretty good prospect because its a 19-ton aircraft that carries a 30mm twin-barrel rotary cannon (with 250 rounds) and up to 5 tons of bombs and missiles (including air-to-air missiles). The twin-engine, one seat aircraft has a combat radius of 380 kilometers and a top speed of 900 kilometers an hour. It's the Russian equivalent of the U.S. A-10, which has received similar upgrades to prolong its service life. The Su-25 design is actually more similar to the 19-ton American A-9, a competing design with the 23-ton A-10. The Su-25 and A-9 both are about 14 percent faster than the A-10. The A-10 is a more stable aircraft and much more resistant to battle damage. Absent lots of ground fire, both the A-10 and Su-25 are very effective against ground targets. The A-10 also has an edge with its unique multi-barrel 30mm autocannon, in addition to 7 tons of bombs. The A-9 could carry 8 tons, in addition to a 30mm autocannon. Russia continues to upgrade and manufacturer Su-25s. In March 2019 Russia sent four of the latest model SU-25SM3 aircraft to Syria. The Su-25 had been withdrawn from Syria in 2018 when one was brought down by Islamic terrorists using a shoulder-fired heat seeking missile. Since late 2015 Russia had maintained a force of about a dozen older model SU-25SM aircraft in Syria where they demonstrated how effective they were against Islamic terror groups armed with a wide variety of anti-aircraft weapons. The SM3 upgrade includes a self-protection system that detects and defeats heat-seeking missiles as well as larger anti-aircraft missiles. The missile detection components of the self-protection system can also provide a location for anti-radar missiles the Su-25 is equipped to use. The SM3 version has an upgraded cockpit and fire control system. There is a larger HUD (Head Up Display) and the SM3 can handle a larger assortment of smart bombs and missiles. There are also improvements to the navigation and communications systems. The Su-25SM3 can operate at a higher altitude (over 4,000 meters) when using smart bombs. At this altitude most ground fire and portable anti-aircraft missiles cannot reach it. Russia has ordered 22 of its current 70 SM models upgraded to SM3 at the rate of four a year. The four SM3 aircraft sent to Syria were there, in part, for testing in a combat environment. That also helps any potential sales of upgrade services for other Su-25 users. In early 2018 another Russian Su-25 ground attack aircraft crashed killing the pilot. All Su-25s were immediately grounded until the cause of the crash could be found. This was the 18th Su-25 lost since 2003, which is not unusual for a Russian military aircraft that has been in service since the 1980s. Despite these losses, the Su-25 is still a popular aircraft. When well maintained, the Su-25 is very effective and safe. Over a thousand were produced since 1978. Production ended in 2017 but older models are being upgraded to the SM standard. In 2006, after seven years of work, Russia put the first two Su-25SM upgrades into service. Six more were delivered within a year. Russia still finds export customers for the Su-25, both cheap used models and high-end versions like those upgraded to Su-25SM or SM3 standards. Russia still maintains a force of Su-25s. As long ago as 1999, Russia decided to upgrade 80 of its 200 surviving Su-25 aircraft to the SM standard. In addition to extending service life by 10 years or more, the Su-25SMs have new electronics that permit the aircraft to use smart bombs and missiles. The navigation system was upgraded to include GPS and more automation. Many improved components were installed to reduce maintenance manpower needs by a third. Currently, Russia plans to keep 80 or so SU-25s in service until the 2030s. This was believed to include one more round of refurbishment and that turned out to be the SM3 upgrades. There are still several hundred Su-25s in use by export customers and some of these are interested in the SM/SM3 upgrades. The fact that the Su-25 performed well in Syria is a selling point. Then again Ukraine is currently using its older model Su-25s against Russian troops in Donbas and that is something of a recommendation as well but not one the Russians add to their marketing material. Celebrity 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 PHILIPSBURG:--- A four-country consultation between the Netherlands, Curacao, Aruba, and St. Maarten was held on Thursday, June 25, 2020, with the main agenda point being the new entity proposed by the Netherlands as a condition for the 3rd Tranche of COVID-19 liquidity support. Documentation for the said entity, however, remains pending. The new entity formed a part of the take it or leave it proposal made on May 12, 2020, and confirmed in the Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting on May 15, 2020, in order for the Caribbean countries within the Dutch Kingdom to receive liquidity support. Since the conditions were accepted, insofar as it does not violate local, kingdom, or international laws, information on this new entity has to date, not been forthcoming, despite the numerous consultations with the Netherlands. However, in yesterdays meeting, SS Knops verbally explained that. The new entity will take the form of a democratically regulated, Dutch Independent Governmental Organization. According to the statements made by SS Knops and his support staff, the entity will be geared towards financial supervision of the liquidity support, monitoring of the agreements per country and will be result-driven. It will be based upon Article 38 paragraph 2 of the Kingdom Charter which will require a change in Kingdom Law by consensus. However, the structure of the entity remains unclear as the legislative basis is still being finalized according to SS Knops. The governments of Curacao, Aruba, and St. Maarten have only received assurances that documentation related to the entity would possibly be sent to the islands by Monday, June 29, 2020, a mere 4 days before the Kingdom Council of Minister is expected to deliberate on it on July 3rd. During the meeting, Prime Minister Jacobs questioned the effect of the entity on St. Maartens autonomy; St. Maartens input in the construct of the entity; as well as the expected timeline for implementation. This is in keeping with the letter sent to SS Knops on Monday, June 15, 2020, whereby, St. Maarten queried the necessity for the entity, its construct, as well as the intention, seeing that the deadline is fast approaching without clarity. St. Maartens letter also reiterated that entities were already executing our salary support program (SSRP via SZV) as well as unemployment support (via SMDF) with the necessary audit via SOAB and other independent auditors. The balance of the funds would be going to assist governments budget to carry its own responsibilities. With this latest update, St. Maarten continues to question the need for such an entity (another layer of bureaucracy). If the documentation is received by Monday, June 29, 2020, as verbally indicated, it will leave little or no time for proper consultation at the local level with Parliament, Council of Advice, and the Ombudsman among others, prior to the expected July 3rd, deadline. As such, Prime Minister Jacobs has requested an urgent meeting with Parliament to discuss these matters as soon as possible, to allow the highest legislative body of the country the opportunity to give input on the way forward regarding these conditions and specifically the entity, as proposed by the Netherlands. Video of friends and families wailing and crying while the remains of Ace Nollywood actor, Gbolagade Akinpelu popularly known as Ogun Majek was laid to rest has surfaced online. In the video, a lot of people were seen gathering together to pay their last respect to the veteran actor. Late Ogun Majek battled a prolonged-sickness before he died at his residence in Ibadan, Oyo state, on Thursday, June 25. Video from his burial was shared by actor and governor of TAMPAN for Ogun state, Owolabi Ajasa, on his official Instagram page. In the video shared online, the body of the late actor was seen wrapped in a mat. As soon as his body was dropped the grave, the voices of his relatives and daughter were heard crying as they mourned the entertainer. Watch Video below; Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates President Akufo-Addo on Saturday named his Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate for election 2020. The President disclosed this at a short ceremony held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra today, June 27, 2020 immediately he was officially acclaimed as New Patriotic Partys (NPP) presidential candidate for the 2020 polls. The President said, The rules of the electoral commission and the constitution of the Republic of Ghana requires that at the time of filing my nomination, I need to indicate the identity of my running mate. If God permit will be the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the 2020 general elections". In response, Dr Bawumia expressed appreciation to President Akufo-Addo for choosing him again 'for the fourth time'. Below Are Excerpts Of His Speech 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 NorthWesterns staff testified that costs related to Colstrip's summer offline were unavoidable. The February numbers Binz called a warning sign, weren't out of the ordinary for the units, but rather a required quarterly test that while close to being over the limit, was in the limit nonetheless. A particulate matter test result no greater than 0.030 pounds per million British thermal units clears the bar. I know it was close, after the first quarter test, but its been close a lot of times, testified Michael J. Barnes, NorthWesterns superintendent of joint-owned thermal operations. So, being a 0.030 is right at the limit, but we spend a lot of time at 0.029 and a lot of time at 0.028 and those are just two one thousandths of a pound away and one thousandth of a pound away of the tests in the first quarter of 18. Second quarter of '18 it was a much different result. It was much higher and it resulted in an exceedance and I, the owners and operator, spent a lot of time together talking about what were doing and where weve been. NorthWestern doesnt have pollution scrubber or power plant boiler experts, Barnes said, but other owners did and those people were brought in once the units failed their emissions tests. (Newser) Looks like President Trump is hearing about the latest pollsbecause he seemed curiously resigned to losing the 2020 election when speaking at a Fox News town hall on Friday, People reports. Talking to Sean Hannity, the 74-year-old began by slamming his 77-year-old Democratic rival, Joe Biden, as someone who apparently struggles to speak: "Here's a guy who doesnt talk. Nobody hears him," Trump said. "Whenever he does talk, he can't put two sentences together. I don't want to be nice or un-nice. Okay? But, I mean, the man can't speak. And he's going to be your president because some people don't love me maybe. And, you know, all I'm doing is doing my job." Among other Trump quotes from a White House transcript of the event: story continues below A 26-year-old man living in North Cork has been jailed for six months after he pleaded guilty to meeting a 16-year-old girl for sexual exploitation after making contact with her on a dating website. Mohamad Ayman Naji of Castlegar, Chapel Lane, Mallow, pleaded guilty to committing the single offence at his apartment in Mallow on August 17/18, 2018, when he was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court last week. He pleaded guilty to a charge that he intentionally met the girl, having communicated with her on at least one previous occasion and did so for the purpose of doing anything that would constitute sexual exploitation of a child. Garda Patrick Sexton of Mallow Garda Station told the court that a 16-year-old girl had come into Mallow Garda Station on August 20, 2018, accompanied by her mother and reported that she had met Naji on the website, Hotornot. He said Naji and the girl had exchanged phone numbers after initial contact on the website and there followed hundreds of texts in the next couple of weeks that were of both a sexual nature and a general conversational nature. "The injured party outlined that she was 16 and was in school and this was acknowledged by the defendant - they arranged to meet up and he advised her to delete all her messages just in case her mother saw her phone." Naji, who was 24 at the time, was aware of the girl's age as he made reference to the fact she was younger than his 17-year-old sister and was underage as he also told her to delete all messages in case the police got involved. They arranged to meet up and the girl spent the night of August 17/August 18, 2018, at his apartment, said Garda Sexton, adding that gardai launched an investigation as soon as the matter was reported to them by the girl's mother. He said that they arrested Naji on June 4, 2019, and brought him to Mallow Garda Station where, on legal advice from his solicitor, he declined to answer questions about his relationship with the injured party. However, apart from that, he did co-operate with gardai in that he provided them with the pin code for his phone and they were able to recover deleted messages which were helpful to the investigation, he said. Cross-examined by defence barrister, Donal O'Sullivan BL, Garda Sexton confirmed that Naji had not engaged in any penetrative sexual act or oral sexual act with the girl when she stayed over at his apartment. He also confirmed that Naji, who had arrived in Ireland from Syria in 2015, got a degree here and works as an engineer, had no previous convictions in Ireland and had not come to any adverse garda attention since this incident. Mr O'Sullivan submitted a report from psychotherapist, Dr Nicholas Banks who had met and interviewed Naji and had concluded that he presented no risk of re-offending and committing similar offences. Mr O'Sullivan submitted that his client had indicated at an early stage that he would be pleading guilty to the offence and that was of significance in that it ensured the injured party did not have to go through the trauma of a trial. "He is also very remorseful - he has lived here long enough to know better and he has learned his lesson," said Mr O'Sullivan, stressing that he had no previous convictions and not come to adverse garda attention since. Naji was not at any risk of re-offending but would end up on the Sex Offenders Register irrespective of whatever sentence the court would impose, said Mr O'Sullivan as he appealed to the court to impose a fully suspended sentence. Judge Sean O Donnabhain said it was entirely correct for Mr O'Sullivan as a defence barrister to make a submission to have an entirely suspended sentence imposed on his client. And he said he fully accepted that Naji had entered an early plea of guilty and had done well since coming to Ireland prior to this incident and since the incident in that he had not come to adverse garda attention. "What I am about worried about though is this - he continued with the messages and with the behaviour, knowing the girl was 16 and knowing the implications of that and that is a serious aggravating factor," he said. "I think a custodial sentence is merited. I accept he did extremely well, learned English, got a job and is otherwise well-adjusted in this society. That is to be admired but he did transgress in a fairly significant way on this occasion." Judge O Donnabhain said he accepted that Naji had been full and forthright in his exchanges with Dr Banks about the texting and he accepted that he was at low risk of re-offending or re-engaging in such behaviour. He initially sentenced Naji to 18 months in jail with nine months suspended but upon further pleading from Mr O'Sullivan, he suspended the final 12 months leaving Naji to serve a six month term in jail. Israel Ceases the Idea of Extending Sovereignty Over Jordan Valley, Reports Say Sputnik News 13:47 GMT 26.06.2020 On 24 June, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to abandon its "annexation plan" and urged the parties to commit to dialogue with the support of the international community. Israel has refused to extend its sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and notified the Palestinian Authority about it, the Israeli media reported, quoting a senior Palestinian representative. According to reports, the corresponding message was given to the head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas after the last meeting of the head of Israeli intelligence Mossad Yossi Cohen with King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Israeli side has notified the Palestinian leadership that it intends to limit itself to the extension of sovereignty over two or three settlements in the West Bank. In the meantime, Senior Advisor to the US President Jared Kushner has asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to postpone the extension of sovereignty over other parts of the West Bank. The Trump administration seems to be split about the issue, while US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman has supported the plans, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has asked Israel to go slowly so as not to spoil the chances for lasting peace, Channel 13 reported, citing US and Israeli officials. Kushner reportedly does not oppose the idea but neither does he want Israel to take action that would hurt the prospects of advancing his peace plan. Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu earlier in June presented four plans on the extension of sovereignty over parts of the West Bank to his coalition government partner from the Blue and White Alliance, Benny Gantz. The prime minister also met with the speaker of the Knesset, Yariv Levin and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi in an attempt to achieve an agreement in the unity government on how to implement the controversial annexation scheme. Ashkenazi and Gantz reportedly oppose the "annexation plan" preferring a "diplomatic" rather than a unilateral move by the Israeli government. According to US President Donald Trump's "deal of the century" which was unveiled in late January, Israel is to extend its sovereignty over about 30 percent of land in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. Trump's deal proposes a two-state solution in the region that would allow for the creation of a demilitarised Palestinian state. The government has supported the plan, while most Arab countries have totally rejected the proposal. In late May, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas terminated all of its treaties with the US and Israel in response to the annexation announcement. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kansas City Brew Backstory Well Remembered Now a global brand, learn about Boulevard Brewery's Kansas City origin story KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Boulevard Brewery is one of the most iconic brands in Kansas City. The brewery's story begins in a bar in Paris in 1984. Kansas native John McDonald tried Belgian beer for the first time and was blown away. He returned home motivated by a new idea. Winning Votes In The Dotte Wyandotte County women's group leads drive-thru voter registration effort WYANDOTTE COUNTY (KCTV) -- A group of Kansas City, Kansas, women are hitting the streets to get more people registered to vote ahead of the next deadline, all without voters having to get out of their cars. Meth Town First Responder Suffers Pandemic Threat Independence firefighter tests positive for coronavirus by: FOX 4 Newsroom Posted: / Updated: INDEPENDENCE, Mo. - A firefighter has tested positive for the coronavirus, the City of Independence said in a statement on June 26. The announcement comes in the wake of several recent outbreaks and a total of 1,100 positive cases in eastern Jackson County to date. Angels Relinquish Jewel Of Asia Victoria's Secret Closes Hong Kong Flagship Victoria's Secret has closed its Hong Kong flagship less than two years after its opening, another sign that the is wreaking havoc on the global retail industry. The lingerie giant's store - located in the city's luxury shopping area Causeway Bay - went dark Wednesday evening with a note posted to the door, informing shoppers of the decision. Democratic Party Might Not Have To Wait Too Long For Biden Blunder The election is 'Biden's to lose' as Trump alienates voters, says longtime GOP pollster Joe Biden's Democratic campaign for the White House has gotten a boost lately because President Donald Trump is alienating voters with his divisive rhetoric, longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC on Friday. "This election is absolutely not over. But it's Joe Biden's to lose," Luntz said in a "Squawk Box" interview. Forbidden European Vacay Europe will bar Americans traveling from the US as the coronavirus pandemic spirals out of control in the states The European Union will bar Americans from traveling to its member states because of the United States' handling of the coronavirus pandemic, The New York Times reported the development on Friday. The US is among dozens of countries excluded from a list of safe countries whose citizens may travel to Europe once the bloc reopens its borders on July 1. Drug War Cont'd Mexico City police chief shot in assassination attempt, blames drug cartel MEXICO CITY - Mexico City's chief of police was shot and injured and two of his bodyguards killed in a dramatic assassination attempt early on Friday that he quickly blamed on one of Mexico's most powerful drug gangs, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). China Pushback Underway Pompeo: US imposes restrictions on Chinese Communist Party leaders undermining Hong Kong autonomy Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced new restrictions against members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Friday, declaring that the U.S. has banned visas for CCP members affiliated with the obstruction of Hong Kong's autonomy. "President Trump promised to punish the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong's freedoms," Pompeo said in a statement Friday. WIDOWS CLOSED!!! Microsoft to permanently close all of its retail stores Microsoft is giving up on physical retail. Today the company announced plans to permanently close all Microsoft Store locations in the United States and around the world, except for four locations that will be "reimagined" as experience centers that no longer sell products. Cowtown Ford Tough Redux Ford plays it safe with revamped F-150, focuses on interior DETROIT -- Six years ago, Ford made a Texas-size wager on the top-selling vehicle in America, rolling out a radical new version of the F-Series pickup with a lighter aluminum body instead of the customary steel. Now it's time for another revamp, and Ford is playing it safe with the company's crown jewel. Meet New Activist Rachel Gonzalez on the Streetwise podcast hell yeahhh Rachel R. Gonzalez marching. // Photo courtesy Gonzalez. This week on the Streetwise podcast we have a reading of Liz Cook's Pandemic Body piece from our most recent issue, music from The Welterweights, and an interview with local political activist Rachel R. Gonzalez. Clouds Move In Tonight Heavy rain, severe thunderstorms possible overnight in Kansas City area Good evening! We're Weather Aware overnight Friday into Saturday because as this stationary boundary approaches, strong to severe thunderstorms with heavy rain are possible. We're going to have to be a bit patient, however. I think it's well after midnight until this stuff even starts to fire up. For our most dedicated denizens of the discourse, we share this peek at pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world . . .And this is thefor right now . . . HOUSTON Alex Belt, a single mother of three girls and the owner of Silly Silly Girls gift boutique, has a succinct way of describing her life in Houston as officials warn of an alarming spike in coronavirus cases: Business as usual without the business. When Ms. Belt, 46, first reopened her store after weeks of mandatory business closures, a wave of loyal customers came in to show their support. Lately, though, the store has often been empty again as Houston residents try to make sense of a fluctuating series of recommendations from state and local officials and a virus that seems to be characterized chiefly by its unpredictability. Its hurt us all over the board, Ms. Belt said. People are just scared. On Friday, a troubling spike in virus cases led county officials to again urge residents to stay in their homes, nearly two months after the state had started to reopen. Texas, like Florida and parts of California, Idaho and other states where cases are on the rise, has reinstated some of the restrictions it once lifted. But some fear that Texans who were told only recently that it was safe to gather in small numbers, shop and go to restaurants may not be as willing to hunker down inside again. When officials in Harris County, which includes Houston, sent a message to residents cellphones on Friday evening, alerting them that the virus threat level had been bumped up to LEVEL 1 (RED) SEVERE, many residents were doing the opposite of what the advisory recommended: avoid gatherings, stay at home except for necessary tasks and wear a mask. Advertisement An asylum seeker who went on a stabbing spree on Friday in a Glasgow hotel, in which six people were injured, had been on a call with his immigration lawyer minutes before, it has been reported today. Hotel staff were also warned about the man's mental state the night before the attack, when a liaison worker had reportedly spoken with hotel staff at about 11 p.m. on Thursday. Campaigners warned that the coronavirus lockdown would trigger a mental health crisis among 'traumatised' asylum seekers in Glasgow weeks before the rampage. Minutes before the stabbing began at 12.50 p.m. on Friday, Sky News reports that the suspect had spoken with an immigration solicitor over the phone, who said he would raise concerns with a 'safeguarding' team at the home office. Armed officers were scrambled at lunchtime yesterday to the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street, where immigrants were being housed during the pandemic, after the Sudanese knifeman launched his stabbing spree. But the coronavirus lockdown, imposed in March, allegedly triggered previous trauma in the 'vulnerable' group of migrants, some of whom had reportedly experienced war and sexual assault. Campaigners flagged their concerns to Scottish newspaper The Herald before Friday's attack and called on more mental health support from the Government. Ronier Deumeni, from charity African Challenge Scotland, which has been giving weekly food packs to black and minority ethnic (BAME) families during lockdown, said the measures imposed to combat coronavirus have triggered 'post-traumatic stress.' Another activist said campaigners had been saying 'for months' that the asylum seekers were 'not well' and that the attack was a 'depression' and 'mental health issue' rather than terrorism. Among the injured in the rampage was a 17-year-old boy, hotel staff and hero police officer David Whyte, who raced to the scene of the stabbing spree at around 1pm. He has since been confirmed to be in a stable condition. He was critically injured after being stabbed around the eye while trying to overpower the attacker. He is said to be in a critical but stable condition in hospital. Within a matter of a few minutes, firearms officers arrived and the knifeman was shot dead. Dramatic pictures showed hordes of emergency services outside the hotel, including armed officers running through the street. Campaigners warned that the coronavirus lockdown would trigger a mental health crisis among 'traumatised' asylum seekers in Glasgow weeks before a knifeman injured six people during a rampage in a hotel on Friday. Pictured: Police and paramedics rushed to the hotel after the attack Armed officers were scrambled at lunchtime yesterday to the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street, where immigrants were being housed during the pandemic, after the Sudanese knifeman launched his stabbing spree. Pictured: Officers stand guard near a bouquet of flowers outside the hotel on Saturday Reception staff at the hotel were warned about the attacker's state of mind by a liaison worker at around 11pm on the night before the attack. The asylum seeker is said to have had particular difficulty with noise. According to Sky News, the Sudanese attacker had spoken with an immigration solicitor at around 11am on Friday. The same liaison worker who had warned hotel staff the night before was also on the three-way call. The liaison worker repeated his concerns about the man's state of mind to the solicitor, who then reportedly said he would pass on the concerns to the 'safeguarding' team at the Home Office. But the man then launched his knife attack inside the hotel less than two hours afterwards. Charity worker Mr Deumeni said his organisation had received an increasing number of calls from people 'under so much pressure.' 'Levels of anxiety and depression are very high and lockdown has triggered incidences of post-traumatic stress, with people being reminded of treatment during detention or before they came to the UK. There is real atmosphere of fear.' Hero police officer David Whyte was critically injured while responding to the attack According to the Refugee Council, which supports refugees and asylum seekers, 61 per cent of the latter group experience serious mental distress. Refugees are also five times more likely to have mental health needs when compared to the rest of the UK population, according to the council's research. The No Evictions Network Glasgow, which has been campaigning to improve conditions for asylum seekers housed in hotels in the city, claim food provided by Home Officer contractor Mears, which was employed to house asylum seekers in hotels in Glasgow, is often rotten or undercooked. Before embarking on his rampage, Friday's attacker had complained he was 'very hungry' amid 'poor conditions' in the hotel during the coronavirus crisis. Other residents at the hotel had also reported concerns about his mental state, with the warned being passed on to staff via a phone call on Thursday evening. Sky News reported that the man had begun to behave erratically, with other Sudanese asylum seekers becoming frightened of him, making their concerns know to a liaison worker. The worker phone staff at the hotel's reception desk at around 11pm on the night before the attack to pass on the concerns. The Scottish Refugee Council's services manager Esther Muchena told the Herald that the asylum system 'aggravates' 'complex traumas' and existing health conditions. The Telegraph also reported that activists have been hounding both Mears Group and the Home Office about poor conditions in the hotels since at least June 4, reported the Telegraph. The Park Inn hotel is one of six in Glasgow that have been used as accommodation for up to 300 asylum seekers during the coronavirus crisis. It is understood 100 were in the Park Inn at the time of the attack. Some asylum seekers complained they were forced to share bathrooms - something that made social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic impossible and worsened mental health issues, according to activists who have accused the provider of 'lying about conditions in the hotels'. Ako Zada from Kurdish Community Scotland said it was unlikely to be a terror attack, and poor conditions at the hotel causing depression and mental illness was to blame. 'I believe there's around 100 in the hotel but new people are always coming and going,' he said. 'They were doing a demonstration last week and in George Square they were attacked by a far-right group. They're not getting 5 a day to buy essentials and don't know when they will be able to go home. 'I don't think it's a terrorist issue. People have been saying this for months, they're not well. The hotel is OK for a couple of weeks but not three months. It's depression and it's a mental health issue. I'm very sad and devastated.' No Evictions Glasgow tweeted that the authorities 'knew the truth' about the treatment of asylum seekers in the city. It claimed the Home Office had cut financial support because the hotels offered three meals a day. This meant people were left without basic medication such as painkillers. Mohammed Asif, a 54-year-old campaigner for refuge rights in Glasgow told the newspaper: 'A volunteer from the Unity Centre stated that, in the same hotel, a man with a cardiac condition began to experience anxiety attacks. 'Despite this he was only attended to 48 hours later and over the phone,' One resident complained of 'severe depression' but had to wait two weeks for a response to his request to see a doctor. It was also alleged another resident spoke to Mears about deteriorating mental health in the hotels but they were 'largely ignored'. A spokesman for Mears group, which provided the hotel as a home to asylum seekers, said: 'Mears Group is deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic events in the heart of Glasgow today. We are contracted by the Home Office to provide housing and support services to asylum seekers in Scotland. 'We will not anticipate a live police investigation, but we can confirm that the attack happened in a hotel where we are housing asylum seekers during the lockdown period. 'We will provide more details as we are able to and our priority is to look after the welfare of our service users who will no doubt be traumatised by this terrible event. Tonight, we also think of the staff in the hotel and our colleagues at the scene all are in our thoughts.' Mears refused to comment on the activists' claims but previously accused them of 'spreading false and misleading information'. Police officers attend the scene after reports of a stabbing rampage in a central Glasgow hotel at around 1pm yesterday Armed police wore helmets and facemasks as they stormed the street at the height of the incident at Park Inn in Glasgow Immigration Enforcement officers arrived at the scene in West George Street, Glasgow, shortly after the attack Police and forensic officers are pictured at the scene with medical incident officers as an investigation into the stabbings began on Friday The Scottish Refugee Council, the office of which is yards from the Park Inn hotel, said it had expressed 'repeated concern' about the housing of asylum seekers in hotels, saying the policy should be brought to an end quickly. Chief executive Sabir Zazai said: 'We are completely devastated by what happened at the Park Inn. 'It is difficult to process that this has happened in Glasgow, yards from our office, in our city which has done so much to welcome newcomers over the years. 'We are devastated for everyone affected by this - hotel guests, staff, contractors and the police and emergency services.' The charity will be keeping its helpline for asylum seekers open over the weekend, she said, as many would have fled 'traumatic experiences' in their home countries. She said: 'We know too that all of us in Scotland, and Glasgow in particular, will be affected in different ways by this. 'We call for a united and dignified response in sorrow at this horrific event, and a commitment to continue our joint work to build a society where everyone is included, supported and valued. 'We have expressed repeated concern over the last three months about the use of hotel accommodation for people in the asylum system. 'These are people who have lost their homes and livelihoods and are desperate for a new start, but who otherwise are no different from the rest of us in Glasgow. 'It has always been our belief that people who are in Scotland seeking refugee protection require and deserve safe, secure accommodation - a home - from which to rebuild their lives. Temporary accommodation can never fulfil this. 'Until more facts are confirmed about what happened yesterday we will not be able to comment further on the issue of hotel accommodation. 'But we stand ready as always to work in partnership with all relevant parties to support people and seek a swift end to the use of temporary accommodation in Glasgow.' Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon heaped praise on PC Whyte's heroic actions after the attack yesterday. PC Whyte, who was one of the six people injured in the attack, is now in a stable condition, and his family are understood to be by his bedside. Mr Whyte's condition was initially described as critical but stable. Ms Sturgeon said in a statement: 'While such a serious incident is rare in Scotland it is another reminder of the courage and professionalism of our police officers who are willing to run towards danger in order to protect the lives of others.' The Scottish First Minister added: 'Our thoughts and our gratitude should be with our police officers - particularly that police officer who sustained injuries trying to keep the rest of the public safe.' Asylum seekers staying in the Park Inn Hotel were living on less than 5-a-day before the attacker 'went mad and attacked people around him'. He was shot by armed officers who arrived at the scene within two minutes, a Police Scotland spokesman said. Another five people were being treated at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, including a 17-year-old boy from Sierra Leone. The ages of the other four injured are 18, 20, 38 and 53. The victims are thought to be two receptionists, a maintenance employee, and guests staying at the hotel. The force declared a major incident and set up a half-mile cordon in the city centre after the male suspect ran into the Park Inn Hotel and began his attack. Witnesses described the bloodbath as 'carnage', with one delivery driver saying he helped to save the life of a victim after finding a maintenance man and a receptionist wounded on the floor. Police were seen standing behind a cordon near the hotel on Saturday. Behind them, a bouquet of flowers could be seen Police guarded the scene as a large cordon was set up around the scene following the tragic killings of at least two people A man is led away by police officers at the scene. The hotel is one of six in Glasgow that have been used as accommodation for up to 300 asylum seekers during the coronavirus crisis. It is understood 100 were in the Park Inn at the time of the attack Passersby were asked to leave the area by officers as Glasgow city centre was put under lockdown with a large cordon around the crime scene A blanket is raised as a body is moved out of the hotel as Glasgow suffered a devastating knife attack in a city centre hotel It has been confirmed the attacker was shot dead by armed police after the rampage. He was a 'loner' who wasn't 'mentally healthy', according to a friend of one of the victims. Daniel Redhead, an asylum seeker from Grenada, had gone to the Park Inn Hotel to pick up some tobacco from a friend when the attacker went on a rampage. He said: 'My friend was screaming help me, help me. I saw him trying to fight the guy off as he was stabbing him. The man's face was calm. 'He wasn't even angry. He left my friend there and stabbed another man on the step. There was blood everywhere, so much blood.' Mr Redhead said the attacker had harassed one of his friends before, describing him as a 'loner who spoke very little'. He said: 'He didn't speak much. I saw him around. But he barely spoke. I think he was not mentally healthy.' His friend was stabbed twice in the stomach at the hotel where a police officer who was one of the first on the scene was also stabbed. Armed police ran to the hotel soon after and shot the attacker dead. Recalling his friend's cries for help, Mr Redhead said: 'I just held him. He was so scared.' A witness spoke to a colleague working in another Glasgow Hotel and relayed to her the horror inside the hallway of Glasgow's Park Inn Hotel. She added: 'He was naturally very upset and scared about what he has seen. It is terrible. The man just went mad and the police shot him within a few minutes. 'He told me two receptionists, a maintenance employee and a few other guests and a police officer were attacked and it happened very fast.' Armed officers clutched their weapons as they headed to the scene. Officers arrived at the hotel within two minutes of the start of the stabbing rampage Police standing outside the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street in Glasgow yesterday after a major stabbing incident Armed officers were filmed running down West George Street with the BBC claiming that the knifeman was shot dead The Park Inn Hotel is believed to have been housing asylum seekers in Glasgow (people pictured outside the hotel) - and is one of six city hotels caring for 300 migrants during the coronavirus crisis Armed police officers made their way out of the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow as reports emerged three people have been killed Police and other emergency services attending the scene of a stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow yesterday This footage showed armed police removing people from the hotel, who all left with their hands raised, after the horrifying incident. An injured person is taken away on a trolley by paramedics after a major incident in Glasgow where it was reported that multiple people have been stabbed The incident saw the West George Street area of north-west Glasgow shut down with at least 20 police units in attendance Asylum seekers who escaped the Glasgow stabbing told MailOnline of the knife horror and the tension which preceded the violence The horrifying incident came just six days after three men were murdered in a Reading park in a suspected terror attack - although Police Scotland has not yet given a motive for the Glasgow incident. Footage from the scene minutes after the attack showed armed officers storming along West George Street and witnesses described 'bloodied' people being taken from Park Inn on stretchers. One video shows a male police officer lying on the floor outside the hotel after being stabbed in the leg with another man sitting on the stairs appearing to hold a bleeding wound on his neck. Meanwhile a man was shown being taken away in handcuffs after the suspect was shot dead. Steve Johnson, Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland, said: 'Police were on the scene within two minutes. A man was shot by armed police. 'Six other men are in hospital receiving treatment, including a 42-year-old police officer. The officer's family are aware and being supported. 'The other men in hospital are aged 17, 18, 20, 38 and 53. Our thoughts are with the families of those who are injured, including our colleague. 'This incident is not being treated as terrorism and our investigation is continuing into the circumstances. The street remains closed and people should avoid the area.' The delivery driver, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'The hotel is housing refugees during the coronavirus. I went into the hotel and a guy had stabbed the receptionist and maintenance guy. 'He then ran back up to a room. I was trying to stem the blood of the maintenance guy when the armed police rushed in and went up to his room and shot the guy. It was absolute carnage. 'I was on the floor trying to hold the guy, the maintenance guy - a big puncture wound. It was absolutely horrific'. Radisson Hotel Group, which owns the Park Inn Hotel, said in a statement that it is 'deeply saddened by the tragic event' and confirmed the hotel had been occupied 'for temporary housing'. Police responded swiftly to a 999 call as armed officers (pictured) ran down the road towards the attacker Tom Flanagan Kartunnen, Area Senior Vice President Northern & Western Europe, said: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic event that happened today on West George Street in Glasgow. We are working with the hotel owner and all the relevant local authorities, including Police Scotland, to support the investigation. 'Police Scotland has confirmed the incident has been contained and there is no further threat to the public. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel has been occupied for temporary housing. For more information on the incident, please contact Police Scotland.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: 'Deeply saddened by the terrible incident in Glasgow, my thoughts are with all the victims and their families. Thank you to our brave emergency services who are responding.' Downing Street said Boris Johnson's 'thoughts remain' with those injured during the incident in Glasgow on Friday. A Number 10 spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister has this afternoon spoken with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about the incident in Glasgow. 'He has also held a meeting with the Home Secretary and senior police officers, in which he was updated. 'The Prime Minister thanked the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Iain Livingstone, for the exceptional bravery of his officers at the scene.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'Deeply alarming reports coming from Glasgow. Please follow police advice and avoid the area. Thoughts are with the emergency services as they continue to respond to this incident.' Justice Minister Humza Yousaf praised Constable Whyte for his 'immense bravery' and police officers for being 'once again at the front line keeping us safe'. In a statement, Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said he advised the First Minister and Prime Minister that police are 'not treating the attack as a terrorist incident' and urged the public not to 'gather in crowds' this weekend. He said: 'Terrible incidents such as we have seen today are, thankfully, very rare in Scotland. This event has understandably shocked the people of Glasgow, and indeed, the whole country. 'My thoughts and very best wishes are with those who have been injured and their families, including our colleague Constable David Whyte who was seriously injured in the course of doing his duty. I offer my personal support to all those affected. 'Officers have once again run into danger to protect their fellow citizens. Their professionalism as police officers was outstanding. I pay tribute to their bravery, selflessness and commitment to protecting the public. 'I briefed the First Minister and the Prime Minister earlier today on the circumstances and advised them both that we are not treating the attack as a terrorist incident. It is essential enquiries are now carried out to establish the full circumstances and all speculation must be avoided.' The Chief Constable added: 'Scotland is a safe place to live and work. We have cohesive communities who work with their police service to maintain our peaceful and respectful way of life. 'In the context of the current health emergency, and to respect those injured today and the people of Glasgow, I ask everyone to exercise personal responsibility. Please, do not gather in crowds this weekend.' A person is wheeled from the hotel by emergency service workers in white suits - but police have said the threat is over police officer staffs a cordon as emergency services attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel A cordon around a half-mile wide encircled the crime scene and is being maintained by a large police presence Police speak to hotel residents around 30 minutes after the attack took place this afternoon with officers seen taking away evidence in bags Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson said: 'We are continuing to deal with the incident on West George Street, Glasgow and would ask people to avoid the area. However, I would like to reassure the public that this is a contained incident and that the wider public is not at risk. 'Armed police officers attended the incident and I can confirm that a male suspect was shot by an armed officer. I would like to reassure the public that at this time we are not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident. 'I can also confirm that a police officer was injured while dealing with the incident and that officer is receiving treatment in hospital.' Nicholas, 27, was staying in the hotel and said: 'I heard people screaming. When I went down to the reception there was blood everywhere. Two of the receptionists had been stabbed, both males. 'There was a man who was holding his waist. I told them to stay calm and not worry. I saw another receptionist who was lying on the stairs, they'd been stabbed. 'There were two police officers so I told them what happened. After I came out from the hotel I heard people say the attacker's still in the hotel but I didn't come across him. 'When I was out of the hotel for ten minutes one of the police officers came out with blood on his face, he had been stabbed. My mum's still in our room - I've told her not to come out.' Police attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel in central Glasgow at around 1pm yesterday Police and other emergency services attending the scene of a stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow Police standing outside the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street in Glasgow after a major stabbing incident Armed police bringing out residents of the Park Inn Hotel on West George Street in Glasgow after a major incident Another man, Shaun, said he saw a man enter the reception area and stab two people. He said: 'I heard loud noises. A woman screaming and man screaming for help, but I couldn't see from my window what's going on. 'I took the stairs to the ground floor and in the reception it was full of blood everywhere on the floor, a receptionist got stabbed. And then when I went out of the entrance, I saw another receptionist got stabbed. The sad part is I know them. I called my mum and told her immediately not to come down from the room.' Another witness told Radio Clyde News: 'I came down the stairs and there was blood all over the reception area. I came outside and there was another person lying on the ground receiving treatment.' Craig Milroy, who saw the aftermath of the incident from an office building nearby, said he had seen four people taken away in ambulances. He said: 'I saw a man lying on the ground, of African descent, with no shoes on. He was on the ground with someone holding his side - I don't know if it was a bullet wound, a stab wound, or what it was.' Mr Milroy said the man was one of the four taken away by medics and believed him to be a victim of an attack. He added: 'We were still standing outside, after that the police all came down, the riot police and triage team told us to go back in and lock the door.' The Park Inn Glasgow, which is owned by the Radisson chain, is believed to have been housing asylum seekers since April - and its website states that it is temporarily closed until August 2. Mohammad Asif, from the Glasgow-based Afghan Human Rights Foundation, tweeted: 'Multiple people attacked and stabbed in Glasgow city centre Park Inn hotel. The hotel also houses asylum seekers. 'I am told by an asylum seeker resident in the hotel that they are not allowed to speak to anyone. He said many people have stabbed by knives.' Glasgow-born actor John Barrowman tweeted a video from California saying he had woken up to the 'horrific, horrible news about the stabbings'. He said: 'Our love and strength to all who have lost family members in the horrific stabbings in Glasgow Scotland. I belong to Glasgow and my heart is hurt today for the people and the city. Strength and Love.' Armed officers were patrolling the area but believe the threat was neutralised after the suspect was shot Officers drove back people as the cordon grew around the hotel, which is said to have faced protests in recent weeks Specialist police officers speak via radios after they gunned down the male suspect this afternoon Police officers including forensics officers attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel Horrified witnesses claim 'multiple' people may have been stabbed in a broad daylight knife attack. One told MailOnline: 'It's shocking. Things have been so quiet with lockdown. 'I heard the sirens and then there were police, some with automatic weapons and bullet proof vests running around. Somebody told me there was blood all over the road. I'm so upset and just want to get home.' Witness Callum O'Brien, who lives in a flat near the scene, told Mirror Online: 'I didn't see the attack and first I was aware was from multiple sirens outside. 'I can't see round the corner to where the attack took place but I have seen four people taken into ambulances. They were all taken on stretchers. One was very bloodied, the others not so much.' He added moments later: 'A fifth has just been taken into an ambulance and was surrounded by paramedic and police and being given oxygen, noticeably more so than the others so this may have been the attacker but don't have anything else to go on other than that sorry.' A witness named Louisa told Sky News: 'I was in a building on West George Street, I was higher up so I could see what was going on. We're inside, we're safe on a high floor, we're staying put for the time being. 'In the aftermath I saw people who were being treated, there were covered in blood, there was blood all over them. There were armed police telling people to come out of the hotel with their hands up... there was a large group of them. I saw at least three being treated at the scene before they were taken away in ambulances.' There were police cars, ambulances all over the street. Another witness told the Daily Record: 'We've barricaded our offices because we were being safe in case it was terrorism. This is really scary.' Forensic officers at the scene in West George Street, Glasgow, where a man has been shot by an armed officer after another officer was injured during an attack Police officers push back a cordon as they attend the scene of a fatal stabbing incident at the Park Inn Hotel The hotel has been evacuated and are being helped by police officers and paramedics A police officer gestures at the scene of reported multiple stabbings at West George Street in Glasgow The Scottish Defence League held a rally in Glasgow's George Square on June 17 and clashed with asylum seekers. George Square is located just a five-minute walk away from the Park Inn hotel. The asylum seekers' rally was organised by the group No Evictions, which is campaigning for those who have been allegedly removed from their homes and rehouses in the 'cramped and degrading' hotels. Mark White, from Sky News, said: 'Several people have been injured in a serious incident in Glasgow city centre. Armed police have sealed off West George Street. Eyewitnesses have told they saw people, bloodied, being taken on stretchers from the Park Inn hotel.' LBC reporter Fraser Knight posted: 'Reports of multiple stabbings in Glasgow City Centre and a potential major incident with upwards of 20 police vehicles, riot shields, armed officers and paramedics on West George Street 'Around 20 police vehicles, armed officers, sniffer dogs and riot shields are on the scene at West George Street in Glasgow. Lots of shouting and huge number of paramedics in hazmat suits. 'Huge police and ambulance response to an incident on West George Street in Glasgow - reports of a police officer being stabbed.' The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) has said an officer has been stabbed during a major incident in Glasgow. The SPF tweeted: 'We are aware of reports a police officer has been stabbed in an incident in Glasgow city centre. Our officials are in attendance to provide all necessary support. 'Please allow our collages the space to do their jobs. Further updates will be provided when we are able to do so.' It added: 'We appreciate families of police officers in Glasgow will be anxious to hear that a police officer has been stabbed. Please be aware the family of the officer has been notified and is being supported by the service. In a statement on Twitter, police said the incident is 'contained' and there is no danger to the general public. Greater Glasgow Police tweeted: 'Emergency services are currently dealing with an incident on West George Street in Glasgow. The street is currently closed off and the public are asked to avoid the area at present. 'The situation is contained at this time and there is no danger to the general public.' Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'Please follow advice to avoid the West George Street area of Glasgow while @policescotland deal with this ongoing incident.' Palmdale, CA (93550) Today Clear skies. Low 32F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Stronger winds in and below canyons and passes.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 32F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Stronger winds in and below canyons and passes. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United's strength in depth will be crucial to their bid to win the FA Cup after they moved into the semi-finals with a 2-1 win over 10-man Norwich on Saturday. Solskjaer's side had to work hard for their last-four place as Harry Maguire won it late in extra time at Carrow Road. Odion Ighalo's opener was cancelled out by Norwich's Todd Cantwell, but Canaries defender Timm Klose was sent off for hauling down Ighalo in the 89th minute. United gradually wore Norwich down and England defender Maguire pounced to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games in all competitions. United, who won their 12th and most recent FA Cup in 2016, remain on course to reach the final for the second time in three years. "I'm delighted to be in the last four. Many of these players did not play the last game and now have 90 or 120 minutes in their legs," Solskjaer said. "We made many changes so I didn't make it easy for the players. The game was not the greatest spectacle but I felt we kept the ball ok. "It is great to have the option to rotate. Anthony Martial came on and did brilliant, but Odion Ighalo gives me a chance to rotate. "He is a proven goalscorer and played his part in both goals." Exactly 114 days after United won at Derby in the fifth round on March 5, the FA Cup returned following the coronavirus hiatus with the competition's first ever match in June. Solskjaer made eight changes as only Maguire, Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes survived from the midweek Premier League win against Sheffield United. United's stand-ins were out of sync for much of a first half that followed the pattern of many post-lockdown matches, both teams lacking energy and invention. In a rare threat, Maguire had to stop Lukas Rupp's shot with an alert block after Cantwell's run opened up the visitors' defence. Solskjaer's team finally awoke from their slumber after the interval and grabbed the lead in the 51st minute. Luke Shaw's cross was helped on by Juan Mata and Ighalo sniffed out the chance, flicking an agile finish past Tim Krul from inside the six-yard box. The Nigerian has scored in each of his four United starts, making it five goals in 11 appearances since he arrived from Shanghai Shenhua in January. - Frantic finale - Norwich were playing in their first FA Cup quarter-final since 1992, but Canaries boss Daniel Farke had dampened the mood when he insisted they had no chance of winning the competition. Despite Farke's pessimism, Norwich nearly equalised when Ben Godfrey stretched to reach Alexander Tettey's header from Emiliano Buendia's free-kick. Norwich kept pressing and drew level in the 75th minute when Cantwell's 20-yard strike swerved away from slow-to-react United keeper Sergio Romero. Suddenly in the ascendency, Norwich almost won it in the final minutes when Buendia shot just past the far post. But with extra time looming, Fernandes' superb flick found Ighalo on the edge of the area and Klose's panicked response, hauling down the Nigerian, triggered a red card from referee Jonathan Moss. Krul made good saves to keep out efforts from United substitutes Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood in a frantic finale. With five subs allowed since the lockdown and an additional one given to teams who go to extra time in the FA Cup, United become the first English side to make six changes in the same game when Anthony Martial replaced Eric Bailly. United dominated extra time and Marcus Rashford's strike was pushed over by Krul, who made an even better save to stop Maguire's header. Maguire wasn't to be denied and in the 118th minute United's pressure finally told as the England defender poked home from close range after Ighalo flicked on. Harry Maguire led Manchester United into the FA Cup semi-finals Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, popularly known as Sam Manekshaw and as Sam Bahadur, was one of the greatest military officers of India. The death anniversary of the seventh Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw falls on June 27 and the Indian Army paid homage to the legendary officer. One of the greatest officers of the Indian Army, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw died at the age of 94 on June 27, 2008, at Wellington in Tamil Nadu. He was the Army Chief in 1971 when the Pakistani Army was crushed by the Indian Army, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh. Taking to Twitter, the Indian Army wrote, ''General MM Naravane #COAS and all ranks of #IndianArmy pay homage and rich tribute to Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw (3 Apr 14 - 27 Jun 08) on his death anniversary. He led the Indian Army in the Victory of #1971 war.'' General MM Naravane #COAS and all ranks of #IndianArmy pay homage and rich tribute to Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw (3 Apr 14 - 27 Jun 08) on his death anniversary. He led the Indian Army in the Victory of #1971 war. pic.twitter.com/FfIyR9T1Jh ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) June 27, 2020 Born to a Parsi family in Amritsar on April 3, 1914, Sam Manekshaw had several achievements under his name. His father Hormusji Manekshaw was a doctor in the British Indian Army during World War I in the Indian Medical Service (now the Army Medical Corps). Sam's younger brother Jemi Harmusji Framji Manekshaw too served in the armed forces. Jemi Harmusji Framji Manekshaw became a doctor and was commissioned on July 22, 1943, in the Royal Indian Air Force as a medical officer. Air Vice Marshal Jemi Harmusji Framji Manekshaw retired from the Indian Air Force in the 1970s. Sam Manekshaw, too, wanted to become a doctor and planned to go to London to study. But after his father refused to send him as he thought that Sam was very young, he joined the then Hindu Sabha College (now Hindu College) in Amritsar and completed his graduation in science. He then applied for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), which was being established to train Indian officers, and was one of the 15 selected cadets, securing the sixth rank. He was from the first course of IMA also called 'The Pioneers'. His military career spanned four decades and five wars, beginning with service in the British Indian Army in World War II. Commissioned into the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, as a Second Lieutenant on February 1, 1935, Sam Manekshaw saw action in World War II. He was also awarded the Military Cross for gallantry. During the war on the Burma front, he was severely wounded by machinegun fire with the doctors also giving up the hope of reviving him. When an Australian surgeon asked him was had happened, a badly wounded and bleeding Sam Manekshaw replied that he was "kicked by a mule". During the surgery, seven bullets were taken out from his lungs, liver, and kidneys. A large part of his intestines was also removed due to the severe wounds. He was reassigned to the 8th Gorkha Rifles after the Independence in 1947 after the 4th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, became part of the Pakistan Army. He became the seventh Chief Of Army Staff in 1969 and two years later led the Indian Army to its greatest ever victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan was. Popular with Gurkha soldiers and called Sam Bahadur, he was made an honorary general of the Nepalese Army in 1972. He was awarded the Bhushan in 1968 for playing an instrumental role for handling the insurgency in Nagaland as the General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-C) of the Eastern Army Command. He was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1972. In another tweet remembering Sam Manekshaw, the Indian Army wrote, "You are required to ensure the security of this country against any aggressor. What does that mean for you? It means, that you shall have to fight, and fight to win. There is no room for the losers, if you lose don't come back." Manekshaw fought in five wars - World War II, 1948 Kashmir War Against Pakistan and Afghan tribals, 1962 Indo-Sino war, 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. The great military officer was the first General of the Indian Army to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in 1973 after his retirement. New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday questioned senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel for eight hours over his purported links with the Sandesara brothers of the Sterling Biotech group, who fled the country in 2017 after defrauding banks of several thousand crore rupees, officials said. The officials, who requested anonymity, said Patel, 70, who was political secretary to Sonia Gandhi when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was in power between 2004 and 2014, was questioned at his residence -- 23, Mother Teresa Crescent -- in Delhi by a three-member ED team. He was earlier summoned for questioning, but the leader cited Covid-19 guidelines and expressed his inability to visit the agency. The health ministry had issued an advisory for citizens above 65 years to stay at home to protect themselves against the coronavirus pandemic. Patel, who was supposed to appear at the ED office on June 8, had also pointed out that cases of the disease had surfaced in the agency, which told him that its officers were willing to visit his home because taking the probe forward in the case was important. The Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Gujarat, officials said, was asked questions about his links with Nitin and Chetan Sandesara and claims made by certain witnesses. An employee of the Sandesara Group Sunil Yadav had claimed before the ED he ran up expenses of Rs 10 lakh for a party which was attended by Faisal Patel, son of Ahmed Patel, arranged entry in a night club for him (Faisal Patel) and once delivered Rs 5 lakh to his (Faisal Patels) driver in Khan Market on the instructions of Chetan Sandesara, officials said. Yadav told the ED investigation team that the money was meant for Faisal Patel, officials added. Yadav also claimed before the ED that Ahmed Patels son Faisal and son-in-law Irfan Siddiqui were even given code names by Chetan Sandesara. Faisal Patel and Irfan Siddiqui were questioned by ED in August and July 2019 respectively. The anti-money laundering probe agency is investigating fraud worth over Rs 14,500 crore by Sterling Biotech and its promoters - Nitin, Chetan and Deepti Sandesara. They have been absconding since 2017 and are said to be hiding in Nigeria. An Interpol red corner notice request is also pending against them. The Sandesaras are being probed by multiple agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the income tax department . An investigation against the Vadodara-based Sterling Biotech began in 2017 when CBI registered a case for alleged fraud of Rs 5,000 crore on a consortium led by Andhra Bank. The ED has claimed that the fraud is bigger than the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud to the tune of how much money involving Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. In June 2019, ED attached moveable and immovable properties worth Rs 9,778 crores belonging to the Sandesaras including four oil rigs and oil fields in Nigeria and several ships apart from a Gulfstream aircraft and flat in London. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said: If you need to probe something, then why dont you probe the names that appeared in the Sahara diary? There are some important people who are now power, why cant CBI launch a probe against them? The (ED raid) is a motivated move that is aimed to divert attention from the bigger issues that have come up before the country. Theres a group of regulars who come to events, but each event draws more people, Bates said. People are really finding their community, Bates said. There are people who have been here all their lives and never knew a queer person. Ive seen them blossom this year. That rocks. Theres nothing more special. UP Board Results 2020: Uttar Pradesh Board will announce the UP Board class 10th and 12th results online at upresults.nic.in today at 12 noon. Students do not have to step outside amid the coronavirus pandemic, to check their results. Those having a smartphone or computer at home can check their scores easily at home. Students must have an active internet connection to check their results online. All you have to do is, to visit the official website of UP Board at upresults.nic.in and follow these four steps, mentioned below: Step 1: Visit the official website at upresults.nic.in Step 2: Click on UP Board 10th result link or 12th result link Step 3: Key in your seven-digit roll number and submit Your UP Board Results will be displayed on screen Step 4: Save the result by either taking screenshot or downloading the page. Follow UP Board Result 2020 live updates here The official website of UP Board generally crashes due to heavy traffic after the result is declared. Alternatively, students can also check their UP Board results on our HT result portal. Students can visit hindustantimes.com to check their results. Register here to get UP Board Result alert as soon as it is declared How to check UP Board Result on HT Result portal: After the result is declared, candidates can visit the official webpage of HT Education at hindustantimes.com/education Click on Exam Results tab given on the top Click on the UP Board Result tab on the website A login page will appear Key in your roll number Your result will appear on the screen Direct link to check UP Board Result 2020 Signal Mountain Police are seeking information on David Hunter, 27, who has been missing since Monday. Mr. Hunter was last seen walking on foot in the Signal Road area of Signal Mountain on Wednesday at 8:45 p.m. He indicated that he would be returning home later in the evening. His intended destination and direction are unknown. He was wearing a black light-weight jacket, Pruett's t-shirt and Pruett's ball cap, either khaki Carhartt pants or jeans. He was carrying a hard plastic brownish/ green water bottle with an orange lid. Anyone who has had contact with Mr. Hunter or has information pertaining to his whereabouts is asked to contact the Signal Mountain Police Department dispatch at 423 886-2123 or Detective Poland at 423 531-4737. Calling Sushant Singh Rajput's untimely demise "a tremendous loss to the film fraternity," actor-director Farhan Akhtar says he is enraged at the treatment of the late Bollywood star's family following his death by suicide on June 14. In an interview to India Today, Farhan said, It is one of the greatest tragedies that I can think of in recent times. It is a tremendous loss to the fraternity. It enrages you when you see that his family is not given the opportunity to breathe. Theories are being spun about why he did it. This is not the time for that. Let some time pass. Right now its speculation from abetment to murder to every crazy thing. Everyone suddenly knew what he thought, his journey and everything about him. What followed is a circus." Farhan requested people to "be kind, more inclusive and reach out." "But right now everyone is either got a sword out or holding a shield. Its ugly. We should remember him for his great work and talent, mourn the fact that we lost somebody who had great potential, he added. Sushants death has reignited conversation about mental health and nepotism in the film industry. Talking about the same, Farhan said, Our industry functions purely on success and failure. But is there a privilege for people whore born in the film industry? Absolutely. Will it be easier for them to gain access, to pitch a script to someone or offer their services as an actor? 100%. theres no denying that. Does that mean that its a bad thing? No, its the lot of the draw. Your parents have worked incredibly hard to give you a headstart as any parent would like to give their kids. But are all outsiders treated badly, thats not true." Chief Minister said on Friday that Ganesh mandals should not install idols with a height of more than four feet in the coming Ganesh festival. Thackeray had earlier appealed Ganesh mandals -- groups which celebrate the festival in public -- to keep the celebrations low-key this year in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Ganesh festival is set to begin from August 22. Tall Ganesh idols are especially popular in Mumbai. In a statement here, Thackeray said faith and devotion are more important than the height of idol. Coronavirus pandemic has affected culture and traditions too, he said. "To avoid crowds, all places of worship have been shut. We need to avoid crowds which gather to see huge Ganesh idols in Mumbai and Pune. I have spoken to Ganesh mandals and they are unanimous about maintaining discipline and social responsibility," Thackeray said. Ganesh idols of mandals should not be more than four feet tall as bigger idols need more volunteers, the chief minister said. The Dahi-handi (Janmashtami) celebrations in August have been canceled and Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, who organises Dahi Handi in a big way, has instead donated Rs one crore for coronavirus relief fund, Thackeray noted. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bishop Glenda Curry took office on Saturday, the first woman to serve as a bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Curry will hold the title of bishop coadjutor, assisting retiring Bishop Kee Sloan, who steps down at the end of the year. Curry will then succeed him as head of the diocese, which covers north and central Alabama and includes about 30,000 Episcopalians in 88 parishes. In a service with fewer than 30 people in attendance at Cathedral Church of the Advent, participants wore face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus and bishops used hand sanitizer before the traditional laying on of hands. Curry knelt for the blessing and laying on of hands by bishops from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. Just after noon, she was given a bishops hat, called a miter, and rose to be recognized as a bishop. The people of the diocese have been so generous, she said. Im in awe of the work you do already. Curry, 67, had been rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Homewood since 2004, and is a former president of Troy University in Montgomery. Curry was a nurse and former administrator at the University of Alabama at Birminghams nursing school before she became dean of nursing at Troy State, then president of the Montgomery campus from 1992-99. She was Alabamas first female president of a four-year public university. She has bachelors and masters degrees in nursing and a doctorate in child development, but went to the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., for a master of divinity degree so she could become a priest. She was ordained in 2002. The Episcopal Church approved the ordination of women in 1976. She is married to UAB Professor of Medicine Dr. William Curry. They have two adult children. Bishop John McKee Kee Sloan, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, announced last year he was retiring. Curry will have her investiture ceremony as new head of the diocese on Jan. 9, 2021. Bishop Scott Benhase of Georgia, president of Province IV, served as the chief celebrant of the consecration service. Bishop Phoebe Roaf of West Tennessee and Bishop Brian Seage of Mississippi also participated, along with Bishop Sloan. To reduce the recurrence of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) acts, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) and the UNFPA on Thursday organised a days refresher training programme for paralegals. The 35 paralegals, made up of opinion leaders of the Madina market and surrounding communities, are expected among many duties to educate traders and other people on domestic and sexual violence and the sanctions that come with it. They are also to help victims to consult the right channels with their problems to get the requisite legal, psychological and social support. The paralegals were educated on domestic violence, sexual abuse (rape and defilement), child labour, denying people right to basic education, verbal abuse, rights of males and females, right to property and COVID-19 safety protocols. Madam Afua Addotey Aboagye, a lawyer with the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Ghana (FIDA-Ghana), said it was unlawful to maltreat house helps and deny them access to basic education, especially as basic education was free in Ghana. We have no right taking in a house help who has not had basic education, after basic education, she can come and do the work, she said. She also cautioned against verbal abuse either towards a house help, biological or adopted child or spouse, as that could cause them a psychological trauma and totally disable them from striving to attain their dream. On rape and defilement, Madam Aboagye said: Men, please be careful when it comes to rape issues because it can cost you as much as 25 years imprisonment. If you are about to start a romantic move, or if you have already started and your partner says, stop', control yourself and stop the act, if not you could be charged for rape. Also when you engage any girl who is less than 16 years in a romantic act, whether with her consent of not, you can be charged with defilement, because that child is underage according to the law, she said. Madam Malonin Asibi, the Director of Domestic Violence Secretariat, MoGCSP, said the Ministry has established an office in the Madina market and was putting up another at the Agbogbloshie market to support people in that regard. She said many times people hesitate to approach the police for redress whenever they fell victims to such violent acts, however, she believed they would be more comfortable seeking help from people they already know. The Ministry was working with legal team, Department of Social Welfare, and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service to help the paralegals to administer their duties, she said. Madam Asibi said some of the markets recorded illegal activities that infringed on the rights of others, hence the preparedness of the Ministry to replicate the project in other parts of the country. Superintendent of Police Sophia Eva Anim, Coordinator of DOVVSU, Madina, said the paralegals after the training would help to educate the public on the various types of abuse and when necessary call for the intervention of DOVVSU on any issue, adding that it would help since the personnel of DOVVSU were inadequate to be present at all settings. She said there are a lot of domestic and sexual violence issues, however, victims were often reluctant to report them to the unit. It is only when we hold sensitisation programmes that people come out to report to us, so there is usually an increase in the number of cases in the sensitisation months, she added. She appealed to individuals who are vulnerable to exercise extra caution at any time and report to the police immediately they fall victims to the unscrupulous acts of dangerous people. 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 On Friday, June 26, Microsoft-- owners of Xbox and Windows-- announced to close all its physical stores starting today. It was not said whether the main cause of the closures was the further spread of Coronavirus worldwide, but it is an obvious reason why. Just in case you're wondering where to go to once you want to buy Microsoft products, here are the alternatives. Here's where you can go Today, June 26, Microsoft officially gives up on its physical stores permanently to focus on online services to its customers. The Verge reported that no layoffs would be implemented on the said closures. All stores located in the United States and other parts of the world would be closing down in the meantime. Microsoft did not say the exact date of its reopening, but implies that-- with the current situation-- it is more convenient and safe for its employees to stay work-at-home. "Our commitment to growing and developing careers from this diverse talent pool is stronger than ever," Microsoft Store VP David Porter said in a LinkedIn post on the move. The company that started opening its main retail store in 2015 in Manhattan did not also say the reason behind the huge change with their system. Customers are still advised to contact them through online services in order to accommodate their needs and certain inquiries. "Our sales have grown online as our product portfolio has evolved to largely digital offerings, and our talented team has proven success serving customers beyond any physical location," said Microsoft Corporate Vice President David Porter. "We are grateful to our Microsoft Store customers, and we look forward to continuing to serve them online and with our retail sales team at Microsoft corporate locations." 'We're online' Since the stores are now closed, Microsoft reassures its customers that their customer services hotline would operate 24/7, speak in over 120 languages, and invest more on 1-on-1 video support worldwide. "The Microsoft Store team has long been celebrated at Microsoft and embodies our culture," said Microsoft Chief People Officer Kathleen Hogan. "The team has a proven track record of attracting, motivating, and developing diverse talent. This infusion of talent is invaluable for Microsoft and creates opportunities for thousands of people." Where's the alternative? If you don't like talking your inquiries online or with chat support, Microsoft still offers and opens some of its biggest stores located in London, New York City, Sydney, and Redmond, Washington. These stores would be 'reimagined' or what Next Web describes as 'experience centers' or 'showrooms.' It was not fully explained on the press release, but it could mean that Microsoft, specifically for Xbox, would have these branches as the main location for the release of their new gadgets. ALSO READ: Microsoft's Livestreaming Platform Mixer Closes Down On July 22 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The House approved legislation titled H.R. 51, making Washington, D.C. as the fifty-first state passing 232 to 180 votes. Said legislation would give voting representation to Washington residents, who have been paying federal taxes. This will also open the doors for one House member and two senators from the area. With Washington, D.C. being a state, smaller areas around the White House, U.S. Capitol, federal buildings, and monuments will still be overseen by the U.S. The new state will be known as Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, named after black abolitionist Frederick Douglass, and America's first president, George Washington. Currently, Washington, D.C. has a population of over 700,000 people, which is larger compared to the populations of Wyoming and Vermont. Despite its big population, the residents of D.C. do not have any voting representation in Congress. Although Eleanor Holmes Norton of the United States House of Representatives is part of the Congress, her post is mere as a non-voting delegate. "The United States is the only democratic country that denies both voting rights in the national legislature and local autonomy to the residents of the nation's capital," said Norton, according to CBS News. Norton introduced the bill giving emphasis to the federal taxes Washington is paying, which is more than what 22 states are paying for. Also Read: Trump Administration Wants Obamacare Abolished Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Washington, D.C. Statehood Arguments Republicans oppose the Washington, D.C. statehood because it is a heavily Democratic city. Its population is also largely black and brown. Republican Senator Tom Cotton questioned the legislation implying that Mayor Bowser and former mayor Marion Barry may not be trusted as governors. He also added that although Wyoming is smaller than Washington, it is a "well-rounded working-class state." Apart from Cotton and other GOP senators, President Donald Trump is also not happy about this new bill. In May, Trump told New York Post, "D.C. will never be a state. You mean District of Columbia, a state? Why? So we can have two more Democratic Democrat senators and five more congressmen? No, thank you. That'll never happen." On the other hand, Democrat Joe Biden expressed his support for the bill, tweeting that "D.C. should be a state." Biden is running for president against Trump for the November election. The approval of the bill is considered by many as a racial justice since D.C. has been fighting for their statehood for a long time. The statehood vote is considered a historic move since this is the first in Congress since 1993 that cleared the House or Senate. Related Article: Trump Admires 'Big, Beautiful Wall' Along Border in Mexico During Visit @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. New Delhi, June 27 : The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on Saturday began a 14-day serological survey across Delhi to ascertain the presence of anti-bodies among people. Under the survey, from June 27 to July 10, blood samples from 20,000 persons will be tested, said a Health Ministry statement, adding that the survey is part of the Centre's support to states and Union Territories (UTs) to combat COVID-19. The survey has begun at a time when the number of COVID-19 patients in the national capital has crossed 77,000. Looking at the sudden surge of novel coronavirus or COVID-19 cases, the Union Health Ministry said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved antigen-based rapid tests and supplied 50,000 such rapid test kits to the Delhi government. "ICMR has provided all these test kits free of cost to Delhi," the Ministry said. Till date, the ICMR has supplied diagnostic material for carrying out 4.7 lakh RT-PCR tests to the 12 functional labs in Delhi. It has also provided 1.57 lakh RNA extraction kits essential for carrying out the tests and 2.84 lakh VTMs (Viral Transport Medium) and swabs for collection of Covid-19 samples. The Ministry further said its NCDC department has supported the efforts of Delhi government through technical guidance on all aspects of the COVID-19 surveillance and response strategy. Among the steps taken were the identification and assessment of quarantine facilities and COVID Care Centres (CCC) at the beginning of the epidemic; orientation training and technical support on surveillance, contact tracing and lab aspects including infection prevention and control; data analysis and timely feedback to the Delhi government on the gaps identified and suggested solutions. The NCDC has also provided laboratory diagnostic support for processing of samples by RT-PCR including training of lab professionals of the Delhi government. Technical support by the NCDC included deployment of multiple central teams of experts for situational analysis and subsequent recommendations; deployment of public health experts to coordinate and provide technical inputs to district level teams in implementation of the revised Delhi COVID Response Plan; and planning and execution of a sero-prevalence study on COVID 19 in Delhi. The revised Delhi COVID response plan has been prepared with the active support of the NCDC, the Ministry added. By Express News Service Brotherhood comes to the rescue of producers whose films were at different stages of post-production after the demise of Chiranjeevi Sarja. The actors younger brother, Dhruva Sarja has decided to assist these producers by stepping in to dub for his elder brother. Dhruva has agreed to dub for lyricist-turned-director, Ram Narayans upcoming film, Rajamarthanda. The actor has informed this to the films producer, Shivakumar. This has come as a relief to the Rajamarthanda team, who were only left with the shooting of a duet song sequence and the dubbing. I was informed by the producer about Dhruva Sarja lending support to Rajamarthanda, says director Ram Narayan, who wants to start the dubbing process according to Dhruvas convenience. I was also told by my producer that even Darshan Sir was willing to dub for the film. He had expressed this to the producer. He wanted to lend support to the film, out of his friendship, he had with Chiranjeevi Sarja. According to the director, Chiranjeevi was keen on dubbing for the film, because the dialogues were in Halegannada (old Kannada) language, and they were few scenes that had the actor narrating lengthy dialogues. Dhruva Sarja will give complete justification to his brothers character. We wouldnt have asked for better support, says the director. Meanwhile, Ranam, which is ready for release and Kshatriya, which has completed 70 per cent shoot will be the other two films of Chiranjeevi Sarja lined up for release. JACKSON, Miss. Whether legislators will change Mississippi's flag to remove its Confederate battle emblem appears to hinge on the decisions of a few Republican senators. Accusations of spinelessness and political trickery have poured gasoline on what was already a bonfire. The House which appears to have secured enough votes is expected to originate the flag legislation. But it had not done so by Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Senate was having a relatively normal session Friday, with no expected discussion of the flag. Then Sen. Jeremy England, R-Vancleave, stood up. England said he felt compelled to respond to his fellow Republican Chris McDaniel of Ellisville, a pro-flag senator who warned supporters Thursday about "a very slick and a very well-funded campaign right now to change the minds of senators and House members." "Let me just be blunt: This flag, if we let it, its going to tear us apart," said Republican Sen. Jeremy England, at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. That flag is going to change." "Look, these are the days you find out who has a backbone," McDaniel said in a video posted to Facebook. England spoke slowly and deliberately from the podium on the Senate floor. He never mentioned McDaniel but stared directly at him. McDaniel crossed his arms and stared back. England said he would never accuse a fellow senator of lacking "backbone." Im here," England said. "... Backbone in place, standing as strong as I can under this dome." As debate continues over the state flag within the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Miss., the flag flies over the Capitol Thursday, June 25, 2020. Rumors of promises and threats over flag issue untrue, senator says No one threatened him or promised him anything over the flag question, England said. Instead, he said he has spent considerable time praying over the state flag. The Legislature adopted the design in 1894, nearly three decades after the end of the Civil War. Are there enough votes? Where legislative decision on changing Mississippi flag stands "Let me just be blunt: This flag, if we let it, its going to tear us apart," England said. That flag is going to change. Its going to. But the longer we put it off, the worse its going to be on all us in this room." Story continues McDaniel said Thursday that at least 20 of the 52 members of the Mississippi Senate would not support anything other than a referendum vote on a new flag. That's enough support to block the two-thirds majority needed to suspend the rules and change the flag this late in the legislative session. "We are holding the line," McDaniel said. England told his fellow lawmakers he wouldn't back down, either. "I have a backbone," England said. "I am going to hold the line. "We are holding the line" in support of the state flag, Republican Sen. Chris McDaniel said. McDaniel: 'Spineless' comments aimed at lawmakers unwilling to debate After England's speech, several Democrats and Republicans stood for an ovation. Republican Sen. Nicole Boyd mouthed "I'm proud of you," while Democratic Sen. Hillman Frazier gave England a hug. McDaniel then responded. He said he respects England and his position: Your position is one of strength. According to McDaniel, his comments about spinelessness were directed at people who refuse to debate this issue openly. All I was pointing out is that we have so many people in this room that are always trying to duck the issue and dodge the issue," McDaniel said. It doesnt matter if youre a liberal or a conservative. It doesnt matter if youre a Christian or a non-Christian. If you wanna stand your ground, youve got my respect. McDaniel said there is now a toxic environment that makes it nearly impossible to discuss the flag without people resorting to name-calling. If somebody says, 'Well, Im for a referendum' the other side says, racist," McDaniel said. "How does standing for the political process make me a racist?" McDaniel has stressed that the issue should be taken up by a second referendum. In 2001, Mississippians voted nearly two-to-one to keep the current state flag. Still, McDaniel said he hopes lawmakers can remain cordial even if they disagree on a topic like the flag. Just because we disagree doesnt mean we cant be friends, he said to England. Earlier in the morning, Rep. Robert Johnson of Natchez, the Democratic leader, confirmed the House has enough votes to pass the flag legislation and put the chances at 50-50 that it would occur Friday. But that did not appear set to happen, as the House Rules Committee Chairman Jerry Turner, R-Baldwyn, said his committee did not plan to take up any flag legislation Friday. Turner, who supports voters deciding on a flag change because voters were given the same chance in 2001 called the legislative situation "fluid." "We have enough votes to say, 'Look, let's put it to the floor,'" Johnson told the Clarion Ledger. Gov. Reeves says he'll sign bill to change state flag if bill is sent Gov. Tate Reeves has long refused to wade into the flag debate. Until this week, he repeatedly said the flag should only be decided by another referendum. But Saturday morning, Reeves said the issue had grown too divisive. Its time to end it, Reeves wrote on social media. If (lawmakers) send me a bill this weekend, I will sign it. Still, Reeves said changing the state flag will not fix the divisiveness in Mississippi. Bringing the state together, he wrote, will be harder than recovering from tornadoes, harder than historic floods, harder than agency corruption, or prison rights or the coming hurricane season even harder than battling the Coronavirus. The legislature has been deadlocked for days as it considers a new state flag. The argument over the 1894 flag has become as divisive as the flag itself and its time to end it. If they send me a bill this weekend, I will sign it. pic.twitter.com/bf3vyzuObt Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) June 27, 2020 Prominent Mississippians continue push for change Meanwhile, prominent Mississippians continued to push for the flag change. Country music icon and Mississippi native Faith Hill implored legislators to change it in a series of tweets late Thursday afternoon. Celebrities react: Faith Hill gives opinion on Mississippi state flag Friday morning, prominent state Sen. Josh Harkins, R-Flowood, wrote on Twitter that he can't tell his children "that this flag represents the best part of Mississippi ... It's time" for a change, he said. Republican Secretary of State Michael Watson would oversee a flag referendum, if legislators choose that option, as they did in 2001. Watson has said he believes the flag should go to a vote of the people and not be decided by the Legislature. He said lawmakers could opt to put a flag question on the ballot this November, and if it does go a referendum, he said he would vote in favor of a change. Joe Brister of Madison, Miss., says he wants to keep the Confederate battle emblem on the Mississippi state flag, which he depicted on a sign on his truck in the parking lot of the Mississippi Capitol June 26. "Ive thought long and hard, and have decided, if given the chance to vote in a referendum on the flag, I would vote for a new flag that better represents all Mississippians," Watson recently wrote on Facebook, describing a recent conversation about race with two of his African American staff members. Other Republican state leaders, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn, say the Legislature should act on its own to change the state banner. "The Legislature punting in 2001 doesnt make punting in 2020 legal," Leah Rupp Smith, Hosemann's deputy chief of staff, wrote in response to Watson's post. "The Legislature alone has the constitutional authority to make general law. There is only one way to get general legislation on the ballot and its through a petition by the people, a process your office oversees." Follow Giacomo "Jack" Bologna on Twitter: @gbolognaCL. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi state flag: Tensions flare as legislators debate change Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 22:33:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent reached 359, 408 as of Saturday afternoon, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC in its latest situation update issued on Saturday said that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the continent rose from 337,315 on Friday morning to 359, 408 as of Saturday afternoon. The continental disease control and prevention agency also disclosed that the death toll from the pandemic also rose to 9,283 as of Saturday afternoon. Amid the rapid spread of the virus across the continent, the highly affected African countries in terms of positive cases include South Africa with 124,590 confirmed cases, Egypt with 62,755 confirmed cases, Nigeria with 23,298 confirmed cases, and Ghana with 15,834 confirmed cases. The Africa CDC also said that the Southern Africa region is now the most affected area across the continent in terms of positive COVID-19 cases. John Nkengasong, Director of Africa CDC, on Friday urged the African continent to brace itself for a rise in the number of cases after easing of lockdowns, as he noted that the onset of COVID-19 pandemic was delayed in Africa but the number of cases and deaths "is increasing rapidly every day." Enditem NORRISTOWN While the initial federal funding that Montgomery County received for COVID-19 testing may be ending soon, local officials are committed to keeping walk-up, community-based testing sites open and will use other available funding to do so. County Commissioners Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh said the federal funding for virus testing first allocated in March for a drive-thru testing site in the county will end on June 30. This change has been anticipated and the county has been planning for this transition. Based on resident feedback, the county, beginning July 6 will stand up new, walk-up testing sites around the county and will continue to operate the existing walk-up sites in Norristown and Pottstown, Arkoosh said. Officials plan to announce the locations of the new walk-up testing sites on July 1. I want to emphasize that these county-run sites will also be no cost, although insurance will be billed if you have it. They will not require a health care providers order and we will test any individuals of any age who want or need to be tested, Arkoosh said. Funding for the new sites, Arkoosh said, will be covered by federal CARES Act monies the county is slated to receive. The county previously was earmarked to receive about $145 million under the CARES Act to fight the coronavirus. Pennsylvanias seven largest counties, including Montgomery County, received funds directly from the federal government under the CARES Act. The CARES Act established the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund. The CARES Act requires that payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund only be used to cover expenses that are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency associated with the coronavirus, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The county has been facilitating three community-based testing sites in Norristown, Pottstown and Whitpain. The three sites will be open Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30, but will be closed beginning July 1. A walk-up testing site is available at the countys Office of Public Health Pottstown Health Center at 364 King St. Testing will be available next Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. by appointment only. To make an appointment, residents should call 610-970-2937 beginning at 8:30 a.m. on the day youd like to be tested. A walk-up community-based testing site also is located on the parking lot of the Delaware Valley Community Health Norristown Regional Health Center, 1401 DeKalb St., in Norristown. Testing will be available next Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Residents can register for testing by calling 610-592-0680 starting at 8:30 a.m. daily. Arkoosh said the plan is to reopen the Pottstown and Norristown walk-up sites on July 6 under the new funding stream. There will be additional sites that open on Monday, July 6 and we will share that information next week as soon as it is finalized, Arkoosh explained. The drive-thru testing site at the central campus of the Montgomery County Community College in Whitpain will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Monday and Tuesday. Registration for appointments will open at 8 a.m. daily and will remain open until all available spots are filled. Individuals can register online at www.montcopa.org/COVID-19 or can call 610-631-3000 to register for a testing appointment. The drive-thru site in Whitpain has been in operation since April 16. Arkoosh expressed thanks to community college officials, Whitpain officials and township police, the Pennsylvania National Guard who staffed the site and all the residents who live near the testing site for assisting with the operation. It has been extraordinary work and we are so grateful for the efforts that everyone has made to make sure that all Montgomery County residents and residents from across our region can be tested, Arkoosh said. The drive-thru site previously was operated at Temple Universitys Ambler Campus in Upper Dublin from March 20 to April 10, when testing supplies and federal funding was set to end. However, U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-4th Dist., wrote a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services officials urging continued federal support to continue a testing site, stressing that without the support of the federal government the testing site would be closed. Days later, officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency responded by committing to provide additional federal funding for a drive-thru testing site to remain in the county through June 30. At that point, officials decided to move the site to the community college campus in Whitpain. The corona virus pandemic has affected each and every one in one way or the other. Lots of people have ended up losing their loved ones and family. Let's take a look at some of the effects this corona virus has had on us. Economically Globally, lots of workers have been laid off work since the productivity have decreased significantly due to decrease in the demand for certain goods and services. This has in turn affected the entire world as the standard of living has decreased and varies inversely with the prices of essential goods spiking up. Education The corona virus has forced governments all over the world to close down schools to look for other alternative ways of delivering education. Some institutions have however turned to virtual platforms and video conferencing platforms as against the normal classroom engagement which doesn't favour students in rural areas who do not have access to the internet and internet devices. Health The pandemic has putting a lot of pressure on our health system. Ghana for example as we all know doesn't have the best of health care system. Therefore with the surge in positive cases, a huge amount of pressure has been exerted on it and it is crushing it down to its knees. Politically This year as we know is an election year for many countries in the African sub region and the entire world as a whole. Due to this pandemic, candidates and aspirants are unable to campaign and relay their messages to the electorates as various measures and protocols put in place prevents the gathering of masses. Population With the number of corona related deaths recorded one can say that the pandemic has greatly affected the entire world population as almost half a million lives have been lost. The world has lost most of its brain power to this disease as prominent and skill medical professionals who try to save the lives of others end up losing theirs. With all these in mind one can say that the corona virus pandemic has really and greatly affected the entire world. Drop your comments below. Follow DS News360 for more news Defending its alliance partner - Congress, Shiv Sena on Saturday in its mouthpiece - Saamana, has asked if raising the issue of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation would solve the LAC standoff. Claiming that reports of de-escalation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after Commander-level talks is a 'lie', Saamana said that China is not ready to leave Ladakh 'at any cost'. Questioning the Centre on its plans to tackle further intrusion attempts by China, Sena has mocked Defence Minister's visit to Russia for Victory Day parade. The editorial has also mocked on the Wuhan and Malapurram 'diplomacy' and Gujarat visit of Xi Jinping. Sena defends Cong on RGF scam allegations Further, Sena in its editorial has blatantly defended the Congress against the recent allegations of the BJP on the RGF scam. It said, "Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have questioned PM Modi on the Chinese intrusion. Instead of responding to the questions, BJP is alleging that Congress received money from China. What does that mean? BJP is alleging that Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has received money from a Chinese lawyer. But what is the connection, will intrusion by the Chinese stop after levelling these accusations?" READ | Shiv Sena criticises PM for paying tribute to Bihar regiment jawans, draws poll connection Congress faces serious accusations The political blame game between BJP and Congress commenced after 20 Indian Army personnel were martyred in a violent clash with Chinese troops at the LAC on June 15. While the latter questioned the Centre's handling of the crisis, BJP accused the Congress leadership of having close ties with China. The MoU signed between former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Wang Jiarui, Minister of the International Department of Central Committee of the CPC on August 7, 2008, has come in for criticism. The agreement reportedly pertained to exchanging high-level information and cooperation between Congress and the CPC besides providing the two parties with the "opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments. READ | Vikhe Patil criticising Thorat out of 'desperation': Shiv Sena BJP also raised that Congress-backed RGF had received a donation of Rs.90 lakh from the Chinese Embassy in India in 2006-07. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson of the trust, senior party leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Dr.Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra serve as trustees. BJP president JP Nadda shared documents to show that the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund money had been donated to the RGF. Terming this as a "brazen fraud", Nadda contended that one family's hunger for wealth had cost India immensely. While the Congress party has admitted that an MoU was signed with CPC, it is yet to respond on the allegations pertaining to the controversial donations to the RGF. READ | Diesel dearer than Petrol, Shiv Sena questions Modi government on fuel price policy Sena attacks PM The Shiv Sena on Friday has been attacking the Prime Minister on various issues, in line of attack by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Earlier on Thursday, it said that the PM used the Indian Army's valour in the Galwan valley clash for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. The Shiv Sena via mouthpiece Saamana accused the PM is playing "caste and regional card" by highlighting the role of a particular Army regiment. It has claimed that the Prime Minister paid tribute to the Galwan martyrs of Bihar regiment particularly due to Bihar polls scheduled in October-November. READ | Shiv Sena asks PM Modi what he'll do if Trump loses polls; says 'most nations with China' Huge swarms of locusts entered around half a dozen villages in Jhajjar on Saturday and damaged up to 100% crops in some areas. Sachin Kumar, a young farmer from Khudan village, said locusts entered their fields from Rewaris Jatusana block on Saturday morning and damaged their crops and fodder. Though we were prepared to tackle the menace, the insects took just 20 minutes to destroy my entire bajra , cotton and jawar crops. We had never witnessed such an attack in our lives. The government should compensate us, he added. The insects had settled in Jatusana block on Friday night where the local administration supervised the operation of spraying chemicals in order to kill the short-horned grasshoppers, which tend to cause widespread crop damage with their voracious feeding behaviour. Haryana agriculture minister JP Dalal also visited Jatusana block on Saturday morning and inspected the affected areas. Our officials, with the help of local farmers, had managed to kill one-third of locusts on Friday night in Jatusana block. As many as 18 fire tenders were also pressed into service to spray chemicals on these insects. We can eliminate these insects only when they settle in the night. We were expecting that the locust will move from Rewari to Jhajjar and then leave for Uttar Pradesh via Panipat. But due to change in wind direction, these insects moved to Gurugram, Faridabad and then towards Uttar Pradesh, the minister added. A day earlier, swarms of locusts had entered as many as 36 villages in Mahendergarh district and some areas of Rewari, leaving the farmers worried. Jhajjar deputy commissioner Jitender Singh said the locusts had moved towards Gurugram from Jhajjar. Crops were not damaged on a large scale, he added. Govt failed to stop locust attack: Hooda Criticising the governments role in managing the situation, leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said they (government) failed to stop the locust attack despite being alerted about the same six months ago. The government has not taken enough measures to stop the insect attack. It should conduct special drives to assess the crop losses and compensate the farmers, the former chief minister added. Alert sounded in Panipat After locust swarms entered the southern districts of Mahendergarh, Jhajjar and Sonepat, an alert was sounded in Panipat on Saturday. Farmers of the district have been advised to remain vigilant as locusts are expected to enter the district, especially the Samalkha and Israna blocks, by Saturday evening through Sonepat. Panipat DC Dharmendra Singh has advised farmers to use utensils and drums to drive away the locusts. He has directed officials of district agriculture department to ensure the availability of the insecticide chlorpyrifos: Farmers should be ready with their tractors mounted with chemical sprayers as locusts may settle on trees at night, the DC said. Swarms of locusts can travel up to 150km per day and eat every bit of greenery on their way. (with inputs from Neeraj Mohan) Even before last month's momentous flooding event that struck Midland County after the failure of the Edenville Dam, the owner of the dam system had feuded with the State of Michigan for years over how to regulate the Tittabawassee River ecosystem. Just three weeks before the dam failure, both the state and Boyce Hydro had entered litigation regarding the energy companys alleged failure to protect endangered mussel populations within Wixom Lake. Though this was the first time the issue was taken to court, conflict between Boyce Hydro and state agencies, such as the the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), over the matter had been going on since as early as 2018. The following is a brief timeline of the conflict between Boyce Hydro and state agencies regarding Wixom Lake's mussel population, based on previous Midland Daily News coverage and courts documents taken from the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. March 17, 2006 Boyce Hydro Power LLC purchased the interests of Synex Michigan, which included the deeds on all the land, equipment and offices connected with the Edenville, Sanford, Smallwood and Secord dams. Sept. 9, 2013 The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regional engineer issued an order allowing Boyce to pre-lower Wixom Lake before winter as a precaution until dam safety improvements could be completed. This order effectively altered the standard drawdown commencement date of Dec. 16 imposed by the Edenville Dam license. Sept. 10, 2018 FERC revoked Boyce Hydro's license to generate power on the Edenville Dam, citing a "longstanding" failure on Boyce's part to increase the dam's spillway capacity to safely pass floodwaters. The structure's inability to increase spillway capacity enough to handle the "probable maximum flood" was something FERC had been monitoring since at least 1993, when the dam was owned by Wolverine Power Company. Sept. 20, 2018 Boyce began to drawdown Wixom Lake to perform safety-related focused spillway and gate assessments on the dam at the Smallwood Dam. Once completed, the drawdown had brought the water-level of Wixom Lake down about 4.6 feet below the normal pond elevation. With the Edenville Dam no longer FERC-licensed, Boyce claimed there were no legal requirements at for maintaining any specific water level at Wixom Lake, and for "dam and public safety reasons" continued to allow the lake level to recede until it reached its run-of-river level of about 6.8 feet, below the previously FERC-licensed operational pond level. Boyce maintained this level during the 2018-19 winter-spring season extending from Oct. 29, 2018 until April 8, 2019, except for instances of storm or precipitation-related fluctuations. Nov. 12, 2019 Boyce began the 2019-20 winter drawdown of Wixom Lake. Though EGLEs water resources division and MDNR ultimately denied Boyces permit on Nov. 25, Boyce continued with the drawdown while it appealed the denial. Jan. 21, 2020 Assistant Attorney General Nathan Gambill wrote to Boyce lawyer Lawrence Kogan to give him the courtesy of a heads up regarding upcoming litigation over the companys drawdown of Wixom Lake, launching weeks of negotiation in which the state argued the damages to local mussels amounted to roughly $300 million. Feb. 13, 2020 During a meeting between stakeholders, including Gambill and Boyce Hydro, the Four Lakes Task Force (FLTF) a "delegated authority" representing Midland and Gladwin counties that sought to buy the dams from Boyce Hydro sought to resolve the mussel kill damage claim by offering to spend $1 million toward restoration, with $100,000 coming from Boyce and the remaining $900,000 to be raised from payers within the FLTL "special assessment district." Gambill denied the offer on the grounds that the state had concerns about any money from assessment-payers being used to satisfy claim, adding that based on state calculations, the claim was in the "hundreds of millions," and $1 million would not be a reasonable amount to resolve the issue. The State of Michigan had released FLTF from any claims in the lawsuit against Boyce Hydro, and FLTF had agreed to conduct a mussel and monitoring study in collaboration with state agencies that was to begin after the final closing of the purchase of Boyce Properties. April 2020 Under pressure from residents of Wixom Lake, EGLE and MDNR, Boyce began to raise the level of the Wixom Lake, with the normal pond level to be reached during the first week of May, according to a Boyce Hydro press release. Before Boyce did so, EGLE issued it a permit to raise the lake level, despite Boyce claiming the EGLE Dam Safety division was well aware of the Edenville Dams inability to meet even 50% of the "probable maximum flood" standard. According to the FLTF, the normal lake levels were set via the legal processes within the state via Part 307 of the Natural Resource and Protection Act. The fill of Wixom Lake was permitted, and Boyce Hydro controlled the operation and fill of the lake. April 29, 2020 Boyce Hydro filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan against EGLE the MDNR and high-level officials in those agencies for "multiple violations arising out of their regulation and oversight of the Edenville Dam." April 30, 2020 Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit against 10 defendants, including Boyce Hydro and owner Lee Mueller, claiming Boyce lowered the level of Wixom Lakes during extended drawdown periods in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the death of "thousands if not millions" of federally-endangered freshwater mussels. Among the species mentioned by the state is the Snuffbox Mussel, which is on both the state and federal endangered species list. May 19, 2020 After three days and a total of 8 inches of rainfall, waters overtook the Edenville Dam, eventually breaching the easternmost portion structure's embankment wall, resulting in the worst flooding event in mid-Michigan history, with nearly 11,000 people in Midland County needing to be evacuated. May 20, 2020 In a press release following the dam failure, Boyce Hydro owner Lee Mueller stated: The state agencies clearly care more about mussels living in the impoundment than they do about the people living downstream of the dams. May 27, 2020 While in Midland, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she sent a letter to EGLE directing the department to investigate what caused the Edenville and Sanford dams to fail. June 9, 2020 Nessel filed another lawsuit suit against Boyce Hydro on behalf of EGLE and the DNR, seeking compensation, civil fines, and the cleanup and restoration of damages caused by Boyce Hydros negligence in the failure of the Edenville and Sanford dams. June 10, 2020 Boyce Hydro filed to move the lawsuit to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, citing the recent exercise of federal oversight jurisdiction by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce with respect to Edenville Dam and the Wixom Reservoir. In the court filing, Boyce Hydro lawyer Lawrence Kogan questioned whether the alleged deaths of freshwater mussels in Wixom Lake could otherwise be attributed to the state's failure to comply with federal standards, including the use of lakeside herbicide/pesticide runoff, disposal of municipal waste and other pollution and predation from other invasive mussel species, fish or plant life, among other factors. This article was updated on July 1, 2020 to include more context regarding to meeting on Feb. 13, 2020 and the lake level adjustments in April 2020. The cruise industry is in the worst crisis in its history as a result of coronavirus, and passenger ferries have also taken a hit in lockdown. But for Harland & Wolff, itself facing a fight for survival a year ago, the stricken industries are a major source of work as cruise ships and ferries take up residence in its dry docks for maintenance. Instead of sailing around the world, three ships from Viking Cruises - affectionately called the "three sisters" - are being refitted by H&W staff. And ferry company Stena is sending its vessels to the dry dock in contracts worth 2.5m, as it marks 40 years of working with the firm. H&W said: "We have remained open throughout this pandemic and provided critical services to keep ships in service. "Now that economies are opening up across the world, we are starting to see more ships come into the yard. "We have two of Europe's largest dry docks, which means we have the ability to take several large vessels and still have plenty of space for more." This week the Viking Cruises vessels arrived at H&W, now part of Infrastrata plc. Chief executive John Wood tweeted that it was the first time "three sisters have been alongside in H&W for several decades". Six Stena Line Irish Sea vessels will dry-dock at the shipyard this summer for repairs and upgrades. The Stena Europe, which sails from Rosslare to Fishguard, is in Belfast at the minute. And final works are to be completed on the Superfast VIII (Belfast-Cairnryan service) at the end of September. Stena Line has a long history with H&W. Sealink, which was later bought by Stena Line, took delivery of the Belfast-built MV Galloway Princess in 1980. It operated for many years. Paul Grant, director of Stena Line's Irish Sea operations, said: "Despite the dramatic impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our business, regular ship upgrades and maintenance works are a very important element in our ship management operation. They help us to maintain our excellent reliability record and keep our Irish Sea fleet to the forefront of the ferry sector." He said despite an investment in three new ships, improvements to its existing fleet remained crucial. The harmonious activity at H&W is a far cry from this time last year when then parent company Dolphin Drilling filed for bankruptcy, leading to months of turmoil for the Belfast company founded in 1861. When H&W itself went into administration, a union-led sit-in brought the world's eyes back to H&W. But the crisis ended happily with the sale to Infrastrata in October. Meanwhile, for passengers the cruise industry is in hibernation. Sandra Corkin, owner of travel agency Oasis Travel, believes there will be a renaissance, however. "I'm very confident that the cruise business will come back," she said. "Companies have been very proactive in the middle of all this trying to get people's bookings changed rather than cancelled." She said coronavirus meant life on board would be transformed, but added: "I know I can't wait to get something organised for the new year." There would not be any restart this summer, she warned, partly because ships have to be readied for observing social distancing and because many ports are not open. "At this stage, cruises will be delayed or postponed until mid-September, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was delayed again," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:58:14|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAMASCUS, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian government forces on Saturday bombarded six rebel-held villages in the northwestern province of Idlib, a war monitor reported. No casualties have been reported yet from the shelling in the southern countryside of Idlib, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A day earlier, a Syrian soldier was killed by a sniper shot in the Jaba al-Zawiyeh area in Idlib countryside, said the Britain-based watchdog. Idlib is the last major rebel stronghold in Syria. A cease-fire was reached under the mediation of Russia and Turkey in March. However, violations by both sides have since been reported. Enditem D ermot O'Leary has announced he has welcomed a baby boy with his TV producer wife Dee Koppang. The TV star, 47, shared the news on Instagram, posting a photo of a babygrow bearing the words Koppang OLeary Productions Est. 2020, as well as a toy bunny. He wrote: Welcome to the world baby Koppang OLeary Were delighted to announce that weve had a baby! A little boy born on Tuesday 23rd June 2020 (Sankthansaften / Midsummer for you Norwegians) at 8.19am, weighing in at 6lb 13oz. Enjoying the cuddles in the newborn bubble cats yet to be 100% convinced. Lots of love, Dermot & Dee. The X Factor host announced the couple were expecting their first child together in February, after almost eight years of marriage. He shared a photograph of an announcement board with the message: Koppang OLeary productions presents New Arrival, coming soon. Mike Harris became premier 25 years ago this week. Many voters werent yet born. Many memories will have faded. I was out of the country during his nearly eight years in power. But it is impossible to follow provincial politics today without fathoming the ghost of Ontarios 22nd premier, still looming over Ontario from devastating death tolls to controversial road tolls. Nursing homes rules were watered down. Water inspections were diluted, setting the stage for Walkerton. Highway 407 was sold for a song to private owners, who promptly reaped windfall profits from blindsided motorists. A fetish for law and order led to a deadly police confrontation with Indigenous protestors at Ipperwash. That is the reality of history. And then there is the perception and recollection of the Harris mindset in the present day with the current premier and those who came in between. Doug Ford is marking an anniversary of his own this week two years since he was sworn in as Ontarios 26th premier. Ford is the first Progressive Conservative to win an election since Harris won re-election in 1999, and he is every bit as populist a politician. But Ford (whose father Douglas served under Harris as a backbencher from 1995 to 1999) is hardly the only premier to fall under his influence. Everyone who has entered the premiers office since has been constrained by the Common Sense Revolution that Harris sold to voters back then. Even as Harris faded from public life in 2002 to make big money in big business chairing the board of the Magna auto parts giant and also Chartwell Retirement Residences (which runs the nursing homes he reconfigured while in power) he reshaped the business of politics. Borrowing bits of Reaganism and importing elements of Thatcherism, he cobbled together his famous blueprint for power, the Common Sense Revolution. An echo of the Boston Tea Party that inspired the American Revolution, it also presaged the Tea Party politics in the U.S. today, in which every insurgent is a tax fighter. It wasnt so much a call to revolution as a cry for demolition and disruption. You dont have to reread the document to understand its underlying ethos. Never mind the rhetoric about cutting red tape, slashing taxes, unplugging photo radar, downsizing government and downloading welfare, its underpinning is simply this: Politics shall henceforth be transactional. Not transformational. Ask not what you can do for your country or province. Ask what your government can do for you to keep more money in your pocket (or line the pockets of savvy 407 investors). Central to the Harris ethos: the 1999 Taxpayer Protection Act that tried to handcuff future governments by requiring a binding referendum for any tax hikes. This new antediluvian, anti-tax ideology soon infected Liberal opposition leader Dalton McGuinty, who signed a public pledge for the right-wing Canadian Taxpayers Federation foreswearing future increases. When he won power in 2003 and took stock of a hidden $5-billion deficit concealed by the Tories in that years election McGuinty had to reverse himself by increasing OHIP premiums (a tax by another name). During his decade in power, McGuinty dreaded any increases and found ways to lower taxes setting the stage for confrontation with unions when he imposed wage restraints. When Kathleen Wynne took over as premier, she too eschewed tax hikes and pushed for a balanced budget, mindful of the anti-tax legacy bequeathed to her by predecessors both Liberal and PC. The opposition PC leader of the day, Tim Hudak, goaded them to lower taxes even more, and demanded they sell off the remnants of Ontario Hydro split up in the Harris years. Wynne partially privatized Hydro One, the transmission arm of the original electricity utility (while retaining Ontario Power Generation). During the last PC leadership race, Ford and his rivals dutifully showed up for the same anti-tax photo-op that McGuinty had foolishly signed on to years before. From Harris through Ford, Tories and Liberals went along with the idea that less taxation and less government leads to better government. The Walkerton scandal which left seven people dead and 2,500 sick was a wake-up call for Ontarians that core government services arent frills if they save lives. Pre-election tax cuts, bankrolled by a fire sale of the 407, wont save Ontarians money if they have to pay through the nose for years to come. Over time, the Common Sense Revolution didnt make much sense to Ontarians. But even after Harris was long gone, his ghost lived on. Only now, in mid-pandemic, has Fords government undertaken a course correction. Todays Tories are spending their way out of an economic emergency. They have ditched any talk of eliminating the deficit or paying down the debt. After first reducing regulations and regular annual inspections Ford has vowed to step up comprehensive assessments of nursing homes. If he didnt reverse himself, Ford would be history today. In truth, neither he nor Harris could get elected on a Common Sense Revolution if an election were held tomorrow. But it took the COVID-19 crisis to truly unravel that revolution at least for now. Read more about: The Producer Price Index of the manufacturing sector in Dubai declined by 1.73 per cent for the January to March period this year compared to the last quarter of 2019 and by 2.66 per cent against the corresponding period in 2019. A report issued by the Dubai Statistics Center (DSC) has accredited the decline to a drop in the prices of several products, including refined petroleum and pharmaceutical products.-TradeArabia News Service The line to get into Bar Anticipation in Lake Como on Friday night, featuring dozens of people in close quarters without masks. With bars opening down the shore for outdoor service, it's unclear how well they are social distancing. (Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) By Matthias Blamont PARIS (Reuters) - French drugmaker Sanofi, which employs more than 100,000 people worldwide, confirmed on Friday it will axe up to 1,680 jobs in Europe to cut costs and lift profits. The lay-offs are part of a broader strategy outlined in December by Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, which includes a cost savings target of 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) by 2022. A Sanofi spokeswoman said the cuts, mainly affecting blue-collar workers, would be carried out over three years. Reuters reported on Thursday that Sanofi was considering hundreds of job cuts and would hold talks with staff representatives on Friday and on June 29. A source said some 1,000 jobs would go in France, where it has about 25,000 staff. None of Sanofi's plants will close, a source familiar with its thinking said, but activity at some research centres will cease after it decided last year to end diabetes and cardiovascular research, two areas where it has lost ground. An internal document seen by Reuters said Sanofi will focus on greater efficiency through digitalisation and IT outsourcing. A French Finance Ministry source told Reuters that the government will ensure that there are no sites closed and there are no forced lay-offs. Sanofi has been bulking up in areas where it believes it can secure leading positions, including cancer drugs and last year said it would buy U.S. biotechnology firm Synthorx for about $2.5 billion. Vaccines are also a priority for Sanofi which is working on two candidates to prevent COVID-19, one with GlaxoSmithKline and another with U.S. Translate Bio. Sanofi said last week it would invest 610 million euros at two French sites to turn them into a hub dedicated to research, development and production of vaccines. Some 200 new jobs are expected to be created at one of the locations. "Today's news is hard to digest," Thierry Bodin, an official with the CGT union said. (Reporting by Matthias Blamont; Additional reporting by Gwenaelle Barzic; Writing by Josephine Mason and Matthieu Protard; Editing by Jan Harvey, Mark Potter and Alexander Smith) PLA flies aircraft to Taiwan, both US and Taiwan military activities targeted Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/26 18:27:06 For the eighth time in June, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly sent military aircraft to Taiwan's southwestern "airspace" on Friday. Chinese mainland military experts said the regular exercises are beginning to show strategic significance, as they are not only aimed at intercepting US military aircraft flying through the area or sending messages to Taiwan secessionists, but also serve as practical trainings, with the aim of gathering military information from Taiwan, and suppressing potential US and Japanese reinforcements coming from the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel. The PLA military aircraft were spotted entering Taiwan island's southwestern "airspace" on Friday, Taiwan media reported on the same day, citing a statement by a spokesperson of the island's defense authority. It did not specify the type of PLA aircraft. Taiwan's media outlets also noted that shortly before the PLA's excursion, the US military sent an EP-3E signals reconnaissance aircraft to the same area, which made its way through the Bashi Channel, before heading toward the South China Sea "in search of PLA submarines." Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday that the PLA aircraft likely took its specific route to track and intercept the US warplane. Since the start of June, the PLA had conducted eight similar excursions, using a variety of aircraft including the J-10, J-11, and Su-30 fighter jets, and Y-8 special mission aircraft, according to information released by Taiwan's defense authority. In many of these operations, US military aircraft were also spotted near the island of Taiwan, and military analysts added the PLA has routinized these types of operations to intercept US aircraft and increased the PLA's presence in the area. The PLA has previously sent J-11 fighter jets, KJ-500 early warning aircraft, and H-6 bombers to air zones east of Taiwan island. The operations could mean that the PLA is training to suppress the potential US and Japanese reinforcements coming from Guam and Ryukyu Islands through the Miyako Strait east of Taiwan and through the Bashi, Balintang, and Babuyan channels southwest of Taiwan, Song said, adding that the PLA could use these operations to effectively lockdown the area from foreign forces while ensuring that Taiwan's forces cannot escape. Taiwan has naval and air force bases in its southwest, and with the island's annual Han Kuang exercise quickly approaching, Song said the PLA aircraft could continue these exercises for reconnaissance purposes, and to monitor Taiwan military's movements and gather intelligence on its weapons. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday targeted the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over its employment generation programme which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. The Congress general secretary incharge of eastern UP affairs, asked the government if only publicity will create jobs for the migrant workers in the state. Yesterday, an employment event was started in UP with a lot of fanfare, Priyanka Gandhi said in a Facebook post quoted by PTI before underlining incidents of suicide in the state amongst the migrant workers to question the government. Recently, the incidents of suicide by migrant labourers from outside in Bundelkhand are before us. Tragic incidents of suicide have come to light in Kanpur due to financial constraints and lack of employment, her facebook post quoted by the agency said. Watch | PM Modi launches Atma Nirbhar UP Rojgar Abhiyan, says other states should learn In such a situation, what is the UP government trying to hide? Will only publicity provide employment? the Congress leader asked. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan on Friday as part of the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan that he had announced nationally on June 20 covering 116 districts from six states. The programme aims to provide employment to migrant labourers who had returned to their home states after jobs and livelihoods dried up during the lockdown period. Also read: As PM launches Atma Nirbhar UP Rojgar Abhiyan, he seeks a promise Over 30 lakh migrant labourers have returned to Indias most populous state of Uttar Pradesh alone. Fridays launch was in line with chief minister Yogi Adityanaths declared commitment to create employment opportunities for them at home. He only recently announced the constitution of a migrants commission to create conditions for their employment and rights. The Atma Nirbhar UP Rojgar Abhiyan is also a part of the same exercise by the state government to provide jobs, promote local entrepreneurship and enhance employment opportunities by partnerships with industrial associations. Uttar Pradeshs 31 districts have been selected under the national scheme announced by the Prime Minister which will further aid in the state governments ambitious programme to create 25 categories of works and 1.25 crore jobs for the migrants. For Coronavirus Live Updates Priyanka Gandhi said that this was easier said than done and alleged that the state government was ignoring the ground realities. Most of the categories of employment mentioned at the event are facing problems. Self-employed people are in tremendous crisis due to lack of direct financial support from the government. The condition of small and medium scale industries is so bad that it is estimated that 62 per cent of MSMEs will cut jobs and 78 per cent will cut wages, she was quoted as saying in her post. She singled out the bad condition of the chikan industry, woodwork, brass industry, powerloom sector, the carpet industry in Uttar Pradesh to hammer her point home. In line with the partys offensive against the state government, The state unit of the Congress party had yesterday organised a mazdoor panchayat in Lucknow to discuss the problems being faced by migrant workers during the current coronavirus induced crisis and described the UP government as anti-labourer. By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, June 27 (Reuters) - A global fundraising meeting on Saturday raised 6.15 billion euros ($6.9 billion) from the United States, the European Commission and numerous countries to fight COVID-19, with many participants stressing that an eventual vaccine should be available to anyone who needs it. The pledging summit, part of a joint initiative by the EU executive and advocacy group Global Citizen, also included a globally televised and streamed fundraising concert featuring Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Chloe X Halle, Usher and others. The Commission together with the European Investment Bank pledged 4.9 billion euros ($5.50 billion), the United States $545 million, Germany 383 million euros, Canada C$300 million ($219 million)and Qatar $10 million. Forty governments took part in the summit. The money will be used for COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines, and also to support the worlds poorest and most marginalised communities. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was crucial that everyone who needed it should have access to a vaccine. "I am trying to convince high-income countries to reserve vaccines not only for themselves but also for low- and middle income countries. This is a stress test for solidarity," she said. British Premier Boris Johnson concurred. "If and when an effective vaccine is found, then we as world leaders have moral duty to ensure that it is truly available to all," he said. French President Emmanuel Macron was adamant about pooling efforts together. "Let's refuse an every man for himself approach, let's continue to move forward together," he said. Italy, one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, echoed his sentiment. The EU is championing global cooperation in efforts to control and end the pandemic, in contrast to the United States and China's focus on national initiatives. ($1 = 0.8915 euros) ($1 = 1.3688 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by Frances Kerry) SANTA CRUZ (BCN) A 37-year-old Aptos man was arrested Friday morning on multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon and other charges after leading Santa Cruz police on a vehicle pursuit and then attempting to flee on a bicycle. Police received numerous reports starting about 7 a.m. of a man driving recklessly and brandishing a knife, followed by calls reporting a man trying to run other drivers off the road on state Highway 17. Police located the suspect car on Ocean Street, but the driver fled an attempted stop and was pursued onto northbound Highway 17, through Scotts Valley, and into the Santa Cruz Mountains. The California Highway Patrol and Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department joined the chase of several miles, but the pursuit was terminated due to reckless actions of the driver that endangered other motorists and pedestrians. It was also learned that the suspect vehicle was wanted in connection with an incident involving a driver brandishing a gun a few days earlier. The vehicle was located after it stalled on Glenwood Drive in Scotts Valley, and the driver was taken into custody after fleeing for a few blocks on a bicycle. Along with assault with a deadly weapon charges for his acts driving, James Johnston was booked for brandishing a knife, hit-and-run, and reckless evading with a vehicle. Police said an investigation will try to determine a motive and whether mental health issues were involved. One woman suffered a minor injury when Johnston's vehicle struck hers during the pursuit. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Santa Cruz Police Department Investigations Unit (831) 420-5820. 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. No drug or vaccine has yet been developed for the epidemic coronavirus. So far alternative medicines are being used to cure patients. Meanwhile, by assessing the immune response to the coronavirus in critically ill Covid-19 patients, scientists have identified unique patterns of the six molecules. Therapeutic goals for the disease can be set using this pattern. 492,085 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus infection. The priority is to prevent deaths from this infection because until the vaccine is ready, we will have to live with this virus. Meanwhile, the good news is that researchers at the Lawson Health Research Institute, UK, assessed blood samples of critically ill Covid-19 patients admitted to the London Health Sciences Center (LHSC). Scientists based on the assessment found six top molecules in the blood of Covid-19 patients admitted to the ICU, which separate the patients from those who do not have this disease. According to scientists, the disease of some covid-19 patients over-reacts against the immune system virus and produces cytokine storms (a severe immune response in which the body releases a large amount of cytokine into the bloodstream very quickly). In this, increased levels of the body's natural inflammatory molecule harm healthy cells. Lawson, Assistant Writer of Research and Douglas Fraser of the Western Schulick School of Medicine and Dentistry, said that 'doctors are trying to reduce this extreme inflammation. But without knowing what their goal is after all. Our research, for the first time, identifies potential therapeutic targets and stops estimating." 'China has grabbed the land of the country in three places' says Rahul Gandhi Corona wreaks havoc in Pakistan, thousands of infected patients reported in 24 hours After all, why did CM Bhupesh Baghel write a letter to PM Modi? Filipino lawyer says he's been framed over Wirecard's missing billions The headquarters of Wirecard AG is seen in Aschheim near Munich By Karen Lema and Joe Brock MANILA/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A Filipino lawyer embroiled in a multi-billion dollar fraud at Wirecard , Mark Tolentino, told Reuters that he was surprised to be linked to the German payments firm and that he was the "victim of a frame-up". Wirecard went bankrupt earlier this week after disclosing that $2.1 billion of cash supposed to be in bank accounts in the Philippines probably didn't exist. The revelation led to the arrest of its former chief executive and has triggered probes in Germany, Brussels and the Philippines as investigators try to determine what happened. In a phone interview with Reuters, Tolentino said he opened six bank accounts for a Singapore-based firm but did not know until the scandal broke that they were for Wirecard. He said the accounts never had more than a few hundred euros in them. "It seemed that all fingers were pointing to me to be the thief and manipulator of the missing money," he said. "I want to clear my name." "I am a victim of identity theft and fake news and frame up," Tolentino added. He declined to provide documents or other evidence to show how he had been duped. Tolentino, 39, has not been charged with any crime. Philippines Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told Reuters that Tolentino would be questioned on Monday as part of its investigation. "He's the first to be invited to shed light on the matter," Guevarra said. The Philippine government has not said what its probe will focus on. Wirecard declined to comment. Tolentino said he opened six euro bank accounts in the name of his law firm, MKT Law, at the Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI) and Banco de Oro Unibank (BDO) on behalf of Citadelle Corporate. Singapore company records show Citadelle Corporate is a business administration company based in Singapore. A Citadelle employee declined to comment by phone and an email address on the company's website was not active. Story continues BPI and BDO both say Wirecard was not a client of theirs and that documents purporting to show Wirecard had deposited funds with them were false. BPI said it had terminated one of its assistant managers for signing a false certificate of deposit while BDO said it had terminated a marketing officer for fabricating a bank certificate. Tolentino spent ten months in President Rodrigo Dutertes administration as an assistant secretary at the transport ministry before being sacked in 2018 for discussing a government project with the president's sister. In a statement from May 2018, the transport ministry said it, "welcomes and strongly supports the decision of the President to terminate the services of Mr. Tolentino as Assistant Secretary for Railways due to questionable dealings and unfairly involving the first family with matters regarding the Mindanao Railway Project. Tolentino said he did not discuss a government project with the president's sister and his dismissal was political. Since leaving government, he has returned to legal practice and also teaches business law at a local university. He described himself as an experienced litigation and trial attorney on his Facebook page. (Additional reporting by John Geddie and Neil Jerome Morales. Editing by Carmel Crimmins) By PTI WASHINGTON: US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has alleged that in addition to propaganda and influence operations, China uses trade to "coerce" compliance with its dictates. The top Trump administration official, in his address to a group of people at Phoenix in Arizona, said that China's efforts to control the mind of people residing beyond its borders is well underway. "In addition to propaganda and influence operations, the Chinese Communist Party uses trade to coerce compliance with its dictates," O'Brien said, according to a White House transcript released on Friday. When Australia called for an independent investigation of the coronavirus' origins and spread, the Communist Party of China (CPC) threatened to stop buying Australian agricultural products and to prevent Chinese students and tourists from traveling to Australia, he said. The NSA said that when Australia refused to relent, Beijing put these threats into force, imposing an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley exports. Noting that international organisations are also part of China's plan, he said that China has sought leadership positions within many global bodies. ALSO READ| US will act to check spread of 'Communist' ideology: Trump's NSA Robert O'Brien warns China China now heads four out of 15 UN specialised agencies, more than the US, the UK, France and Russia, the other members of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, combined. He alleged that China uses these leaders to force the international bodies to parrot Beijing's talking points and to install Chinese telecommunications equipment in their facilities. "For example, since Zhao Houlin of the International Telecommunications Union took his post, he began to aggressively promote Huawei sales," he said. Secretary-General Fang Liu of the International Civil Aviation Organisation has blocked Taiwan's participation in General Assembly meetings and covered up a Chinese hack of the organisation. The CPC has used China's membership on the UN Human Rights Council to prevent criticism of its abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, he said. O'Brien alleged that the Chinese reach extends to heads of international organisations who are not themselves Chinese officials. "Under Beijing's thumb, and at an unacceptable cost to human life, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organisation (WHO) dutifully used the Chinese talking points on the Wuhan virus. As late as mid-January, he claimed that there was no human-to-human transmission of the disease and opposed international travel restrictions," he said, adding that at the same time, Tedros praised China's own domestic travel restrictions on Wuhan residents. In other words, they could travel overseas, but they could not travel and potentially take the virus to Beijing or Shanghai. These Chinese tactics in international organisations, as we have seen with the coronavirus, are a major cause of concern not just for the US, but to the world, the NSA said. Beijing, he alleged, has used its financial might and market access to pressure Hollywood into self-censorship, incentivising directors and producers to avoid topics that might not make it past the country's censors in China. For an instance, he said that the Japanese and Taiwanese flags were dropped from Tom Cruise's flight jacket in the upcoming Top Gun sequel "Maverick". "MGM digitally changed the identities, post-production of the invading military from China to North Korea in the "Red Dawn" remake. China is seeking leverage over individual Americans as well," he said. "The Party is collecting your most intimate data -- your words, actions, purchases, whereabouts, health records, social media posts, texts and mapping your network of friends, family and acquaintances," O'Brien said in his address. He alleged that China accomplishes this goal, in part, by subsidising hardware, software, telecommunications, and even genetics companies. As a result, corporations such as Huawei and ZTE undercut competitors on price and install their equipment around the globe at a loss. This has the side effect of putting out of business American manufacturers of telecom hardware and has made it very difficult for Nokia and Ericsson. "Why do they do it? Because it is not telecom hardware or software profits the CPC are after, it is your data. They use 'backdoors' built into the products to obtain that data," he said, adding when the "CPC cannot buy your data, it steals". "How will the Chinese Communist Party use this data? In the same way it uses data within China's borders: to target, flatter, cajole, influence, coerce and even blackmail individuals to say and do things that serve the CPC's interests. This is 'micro targeting' beyond an advertiser's wildest dreams. China, unlike advertisers, will not be stopped by government regulations. The CPC simply wants to know everything about you-- just as it likes to know almost everything about every individual living in China," O'Brien added. (TNS) San Diego is planning sweeping technology upgrades to its City Council chambers that will boost public participation and solve some problems caused by the shift to virtual meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic.The long-planned upgrades weren't prompted by the pandemic or police protesters flooding council meetings with phone calls in recent weeks, but city officials say recent events have prompted them to tweak some details of their plans.The renovations will include new lighting, a new sound system, modernized video displays and an upgraded voting system for the council.Members of the public also will have more freedom to show their own slides or photos during testimony.Other potential changes may include creating a virtual "green room" for people giving call-in testimony, to streamline the process, and a countdown clock so people watching the meetings know when a speaker will be done testifying.During the pandemic many residents have struggled with exactly when during a council meeting to call in with their testimony, while others create long delays in meetings when they must be told multiple times that it's their turn to talk.Details of the renovations, which are scheduled to begin in August, won't be finalized until city officials complete the process of evaluating responses they received in early June to a "request for qualifications" for the project.City Clerk Elizabeth Maland, who is spearheading the renovations, said the goal is to make it easier for the public to participate in meetings and interact with their elected leaders in robust ways."It's really focused on access to the government," she said by phone this week. "It's about what the next step is in the interaction between the public and the government."Maland said she began exploring potential upgrades shortly after the company that installed the current voting and video system went out of business in 2016.Since then, city officials have struggled at times to keep the system working well."We have been able to keep the system functional, but it is limited," said Maland, noting that it was installed in 2005.The previous system was even less advanced, using green and red lights to represent council "yes" and "no" votes. The system in use since 2005 has video screens for testimony and votes of yes or no appear next to the names of each council member.The planned upgrade this summer would allow members of the public to bring videos, charts or other items, and present them spontaneously during their testimony. Now those items must be submitted to Maland in advance.Closed captioning of the meeting, which is now available only on a screen in the rear of the council chambers, would become available on a screen in the front of the chambers so it can be seen by people watching the meeting in person.The upgrades would also include new headphones for people who are hearing-impaired, Maland said.The renovations include a new lighting and a new sound system, said Alex Handy, who leads the city's efforts to broadcast the meetings on the Internet and cable TV.The existing lighting and sound system date back to 1997, when San Diego began broadcasting its council meetings for the first time. Handy said the new sound system would eliminate the occasional dead microphones and feedback now present during some meetings.Money for the renovations, which are estimated to cost $250,000, will come from contributions by cable TV companies called public, educational, and governmental access channel fees.In addition to paying the city 5 percent of subscriber revenue as a "franchise fee," cable operators pay 1 percent more to support broadcasts of government meetings.Maland said she expects city officials to choose a vendor and finalize project details in early July. While the goal is to conclude the renovations during the council's August recess, Maland said some of the work might be delayed until December. As many as 104 photographs that highlight the nations fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic are on display at a photo exhibition in Hanoi. The exhibition, which has been jointly organised by the Vietnam Artistic Photographers Association and the Hanoi administration, opens to the public on June 26. The exhibition honours photographers with excellent photos, contributing to popularizing the communication campaign on COVID-19 prevention and control. Vu Quoc Khanh, president of the Vietnam Artistic Photographers Association, notes that photographers, photo journalists, and art lovers have snapped an array of images featuring the real life across the country during the COVID-19 fight. Some of the photos on display are selected from a contest launched by the Vietnam Artistic Photographers Association which has received 2,748 artworks from 406 entrants nationwide. The competitions winning photos have been appraised by experts from the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology. Large-scale photos tell the story of life on the ground in Ha Loi village, a COVID-19 hotspot, in Me Linh district of Hanoi on the final day of their isolation. A range of emotional photos display the joy of medical workers and patients with COVID-19 when they make a full recovery. A photograph (R) depicts the unforgettable moment when Hanoi is able to lift restrictions placed on COVID-19 hotspot Bach Mai hospital. A large picture captures a close up shot of a COVID-19 isolation area in the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion. Looking after infants amid the COVID-19 fight Some of the flights which repatriate Vietnamese citizens home from abroad are snapped. The photo exhibition is scheduled to go on display in other cities and provinces across the country in the near future. VOV Because Sen. Tim Scott (R., S.C.) believes black lives matter, he wrote the JUSTICE Act, aimed at police reform. Nancy Pelosi responded by accusing him and other Republicans of murdering George Floyd. Pelosis crude attack reveals that white leftists believe they have enough momentum to abandon the pretense that this is a racial revolution and not a Marxist revolution. While Democrats are demanding the end of policing, something that blacks strongly oppose, Sen. Scotts JUSTICE Act is a serious effort to fix some of the obvious flaws in our criminal justice system. Reading the proposed bill, one can see that Scott paid close attention to real problems bedeviling Americas police and is trying, subject to federal limitations, to address them. These are just some of the bills proposals: Building a nationwide database of use of force and weapons discharge situations to help develop better policing methods. Building a database about No Knock raids to determine whether theyre good or evil. Incentivizing bans on chokeholds. Increasing penalties for falsified reports. Making body cameras more affordable and widely used. Improving officer record retention, making it easier to track and reject bad officers. Training police in de-escalation and mental health intervention. Democrats dont want the bill to go forward. It was bad enough when President Trumps Criminal Justice Reform bill passed, offsetting Joe Bidens 1994 Crime Act. That Act erased men from too many black communities. To have Trump then oversee a police reform bill would be Democrat suicide. Democrats could have said no to Scotts bill. Or they could have said that it was inadequate. Pelosi, though, clearly believes she has the wind at her back. A little more pandering, she thinks, and Democrats will own Americas federal system. So Pelosi blasted America's only black senator, who happens to be a Republican (emphasis added): On Tuesday, Pelosi criticized Scotts police reform bill, the JUSTICE Act, in an interview with CBS Radio, calling it unsalvageable and saying it wont make any difference. For something to happen, theyre going to have to face the realities of police brutalities, the realities of the need for justice in policing, and the recognition that theres many good people in law enforcement, but not all, Pelosi said of Republicans. And that we have to address those concerns. So, when they admit that, and have some suggestions that are worthy of consideration -- but so far they were trying to get away with murder, actually -- the murder of George Floyd. Pelosi forgot that Floyd died in a Democrat city that had its last Republican mayor in 1961 (not counting a Republican who served for one day in 1973), as well as in a Democrat state that had its last Republican governor in 2011. Floyds blood is on Democrats hands. Scott was outraged: I thought to myself, How in the world does this woman, standing in front of a $24,000 refrigerator, have the sense to jump into the bottomless pit of race politics? Why in the world would she want to do that? Theres only one answer, by the way, one answer, Scott continued. Its because shes lived so long in a state of privilege that she has forgotten that its the Republican Party that voted more for the Civil Rights-era legislation than the Democrats. Its because shes forgotten that it was President Trump and the criminal justice reform done in 2018 that made up for the Democrats 1994 crime bill. Shes forgotten that its the school choice movement that frees more kids in poverty from the poor education system brought to us by the Democrats and the teachers unions then theyve ever seen, Scott went on. She has forgotten so much about reality that she spends too much time in an alternate universe. But the facts are simple, Scott added. Why in the world would she stoop so low? And its simply this: They believe -- and I truly believe this -- they believe that campaigning on police brutality is more important than solving police reform. Hear! Hear! I would add one more thing, which is that Pelosis boorish dismissiveness of Scotts proposed bill reveals both (1) that white leftists dont care about blacks and (2) that, going forward, they believe their momentum is strong enough to get blacks out of the drivers seat (and into the back of the bus?) and let whites (like Pelosi) take charge. Two American Thinker posts (here and here) show how whites have taken over the Black Lives Matter movement. A startling statistic is that only one in six protesters is black. On Friday, an article from Marin and two videos vividly illustrated the white takeover. In uber-leftist Mill Valley, California, a local newspaper's photos from a Black Lives Matter march reveal almost no blacks. Then theres this video shows that leftists -- white leftists -- have resumed their irritating habit of invading restaurants: Finally, this disturbing video shows mostly white activists violently assailing conservative Jack Posobiec as a "Nazi": Black Lives Matter has turned into White Leftists Matter. These white leftists are close to their goal and nothings going to stop them, including a black Republican who genuinely cares about black lives. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi insists that there has been no incursion, reports on the developments on the border tell us a different story. PTI Photo The attacks by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government it heads on the principal Opposition party, the Congress, with regards to the latters relations with the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the contributions the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, received from the neighbouring country, smacks of an attempt to stifle legitimate voices that are critical of the government. The BJP president, J.P. Nadda, and Union law minister Ravishankar Prasad say the reported Chinese contribution of US $300,000 to RGF in 2005-06 was a bribe to advance a free trade agreement with China; both of them question the legitimacy of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) the Congress and the CPC signed in 2008 on high-level exchange of ideas. Mr Nadda goes to the extent of seeing a link between the Congress stand on the border skirmishes to the MoU and the contribution. The law minister wonders if the RGF violated the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 1976, or whether the organisation had indeed informed the Union government of it as mandated under the law. While the contribution to RGF is 15 years old, the MoU between Congress and CPC is 12 years old. It is understandable that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government the Congress headed could keep mum about the deals had they been on the wrong side of the law. But it is curious that the NDA, which fought Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and in 2019 against the UPA, never raised issue about them. Equally curious is the fact that the NDA government, which had no qualms about setting investigative agencies on its political opponents, has not yet initiated an investigation into either of the deals. As for Mr Prasads doubts, it should not be all that difficult for the law minister to check if the RGF had indeed violated laws. It is interesting to note that the government offensive against the Congress has come after the Opposition party started asking uncomfortable questions on the incursions Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) made on the Indian borders which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers, including the commanding officer of an infantry battalion. The nation still has no clear idea of what has happened on the border. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi insists that there has been no incursion, reports on the developments on the border tell us a different story. It was also interesting to note that the BJP and most of the media, which would pounce on the Opposition if a junior functionary of one of its parties is quoted saying anything similar on Pakistan or China, chose to observe silence when the Chinese government and the media made a song and dance of Mr Modis statement. If the government is serious about its allegations, then it should take the legal route to bring out the truth. Without it, the whole exercise would be construed as an attempt to browbeat the Opposition through unsubstantiated allegations and innuendo and also to divert peoples attention from its failure on communicating properly on the border developments. ANN ARBOR, MI -- Cannabis shop Greenstone Provisions in Ann Arbor will rebrand as Liberty starting Monday. The marijuana dispensary at 338 S Ashley St. partnered with Washington, D.C.-based Holistic Industries to reopen the shop Monday, but will not immediately allow customers to enter the store due to the coronavirus pandemic, said James Kahn, national outreach director for Holistic Industries. The store will offer curbside pickup and online ordering. Ann Arbor marijuana shop sells out five days in a row with high demand The name sounds cheeky, but were really trying to liberate the cannabis experience, Kahn said. We try to go above and beyond to create a friendly environment. Its a boutique feel ... well continue a lot of what Green Stone has done and theyre partners with us because we share values related to wellness. Liberty is also launching a Kick COVID to the Curb campaign, offering $10 off a purchase of $50 or more if customers also order from Blimpy Burger from Monday, June 29 to Thursday, July 9. The goal is to support local restaurants. A receipt for proof of purchase will be required. Were trying to support local institutions, Kahn said. The store will provide inventory for medical and recreational customers. Holistic Industries is also opening a Liberty-branded provisioning center in Detroit at the BotaniQ store at 2540 Rosa Parks Blvd., which will only cater to medicinal patients, Kahn added. Despite COVID-19 and all the precautions were taking ... our business is going to solely be focused on curbside pickup and delivery, but this is kind of a way to bring awareness to access cannabis in the age of COVID, Kahn said. Liberty plans to also partner with a local restaurant in Detroit for a similar promotion. Liberty will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Holistic Industries also has operations in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Update: Libertys hours changed after the story was published. It has been updated to reflect the current hours. We focus heavily on education in the communities we serve, Kahn said. Were gonna do a lot of educational programs in the area, making sure people know different ways of using cannabis. Greenstone Provisions sold out of flower for five days in a row after Michigan legalized recreational sales in December 2019. Customers lined up each day, only to buy up the inventory by the afternoon. Coronavirus halts Bank of Ann Arbors acquisition of First National Bank Healthy streets plan to slow traffic in Ann Arbor residential areas Buyer looks to reopen Blue Front Ann Arbor this summer MAPUTO (Reuters) - Suspected Islamist insurgents attacked a town in the north of Mozambique near billion-dollar gas projects managed by Total and Exxon Mobil early on Saturday morning, a police and a security source told Reuters. The police source said the attack, the latest on the strategically important town of Mocimboa da Praia, 60 km (40 miles) south of the gas projects, was "very violent" and the country's defence and security forces (DSF) had suffered a number of casualties. "The DSF are fighting a fierce fight because they were met with hefty firepower," the source said, adding that communications were now down. Spokespeople for the defence ministry and police did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Mozambique's northern-most province of Cabo Delgado is home to the gas developments worth some $60 billion. Since 2017, it has also seen an Islamist insurgency with links to Islamic State that has gathered pace over the past year. A separate security source confirmed the attack on Saturday and said helicopters operated by private security firm Dyck Advisory Group, which has been acting alongside government forces since earlier this year, also responded after initially being delayed by weather conditions and poor visibility. Last year the insurgent group, known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama, pledged allegiance to Islamic State, which subsequently began claiming the attacks via their media channels, including an earlier strike on Mocimboa da Praia in March. The town's port is used for cargo deliveries to the gas developments. Exxon and Total did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent outside business hours. The insurgents have this year increasingly hit towns and military targets, prompting growing concern including from Mozambique's regional neighbours. Aid agency Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) recently halted its operations in Mocimboa da Praia, as well as in another town in the region, due to the security situation. (Reporting by Manuel Mucari in Maputo and Emma Rumney in Johannesburg; Writing by Emma Rumney; Editing by James Drummond) Several states have extended the lockdown or announced the complete shutdown in some of their districts to combat the further spread of the highly-contagious coronavirus disease (Covid-19), which has affected more than 5 lakh people. Some states like Jharkhand and West Bengal have decided to extend the lockdown till July 31 and others like Tamil Nadu have clamped lockdown in a few worst-affected districts. Maharashtra, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana are among states which have decided to continue the lockdown till the end of June. Indias tally of Covid-19 cases has surged beyond the 500,000-mark, while the death toll has climbed to 15,685 till date. Heres a list of states which have extended the lockdown or put in strict restrictions: Jharkhand: The eastern state has extended the lockdown till July 31 in the wake of rising Covid-19 cases. A notification issued by the states chief secretary Sukhdev Singh said all restrictions which are in place at the moment will continue till further orders. All relaxations provided prior to the Friday order would continue while the restrictions will also be in place till further orders. Jharkhand has allowed a host of activities outside containment zones, some curbs continue including inter and intra-state movement of buses, the opening of religious places, salons, multiplexes, malls, swimming pools, gyms, besides all educational institutions. Also read| Over 80,0000 new cases since Monday in India; AstraZeneca, Moderna emerge as top vaccine contenders: Covid-19 week wrap Assam: The state government has imposed lockdown restrictions in the Kamrup Metro district, including the states biggest city of Guwahati, for 14 days from 7pm on Sunday. It also decided to impose a curfew from 7pm to 7am across the state, beginning Friday. Weekend curfew on Saturday and Sunday will be imposed in all urban areas, except Kamrup Metro, from Saturday and will continue till further orders by the state government. West Bengal: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had extended the lockdown in the state till July 31 a couple of days ago. On Friday, she asked the Centre to stop international repatriation flights and also domestic flights to Kolkata from states with a high Covid-19 infection rate till July 31. Mamata Banerjee also decided to relax the night curfew by an hour by revising the restrictions between 10pm and 5am. She has also indicated resumption of Metro services from July 1 in Kolkata. Tamil Nadu: The southern state has put the districts of Chennai, Madurai and parts of Chengelpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur under lockdown since last Friday till June 30 with permission for most activities except essential services withdrawn. Delhi: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier ruled out a return to the lockdown mode in the view of the rising cases in the city. However, schools in Delhi will remain closed till July 31 but online classes and activities shall continue. Also read: Delhi conducted highest number of Covid-19 tests on Friday, says Arvind Kejriwal Telangana: The sharp spike in the number of positive cases for Covid-19 in Hyderabad in the last few days has forced several shops, business establishments and general markets to go for a voluntary lockdown for a period ranging between seven and 10 days. Karnataka: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has said lockdown wont be put in place in the state but has laid emphasis on increased surveillance and implementation of current norms while promoting commercial activity in the state. A wreath-laying ceremony was organised by Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district on Saturday to commemorate the 12th death anniversary of Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw. On behalf of the tri-services fraternity, Lt Gen YVK Mohan, Commandant DSSC, laid a wreath at the final resting place of the revered soldier at Parsi Zoroastrian Cemetery in Udhagamandalam, an official release said. Members of the local Parsi community attended the ceremony. Manekshaw took over as Chief of Army Staff on January 8, 1969. He successfully crafted India's greatest military triumph by leading Indian Army into 1971 Operations which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh within a short duration of 13 days. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1972. "In recognition of the outstanding contribution made by the General Officer to the armed forces and the nation, he was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal on 15 January 1973. He breathed his last on 27 June, 2008," the Defence Ministry said in a statement in Delhi. "Manekshaw had settled down at Wellington (in Tamil Nadu) after active service. His association with the station goes back to the time when he was Commandant of Defence Services Staff College," it added. Manekshaw died on June 27, 2008. (Photo Credit: ANI) Picture shows BeiDou Navigation Satellite-3 constellation. The last BeiDou Navigation Satellite-3 constellation satellite, also the 55th of the BeiDou satellite family, was successfully launched on board a Long March-3B rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest Chinas Sichuan Province at 9:43 am on June 23. The full deployment of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) constellation, accomplished six months ahead of schedule, has come to a successful closure and drawn worldwide attention. In a video message, the United Nations (UN) Office for Outer Space Affairs congratulated on the complete deployment of the BDS constellation, acknowledged the BeiDou systems role in promoting the worlds social and economic development, and praised its significant contributions to the peaceful use of outer space and international cooperation, such as UN activities in outer space. The final launch went through twists and turns. Due to the failures of two previous launch missions, the entire procedure was rechecked for times, and the launch time was postponed from May to June. Then the launch scheduled for June 16 was delayed again after technical problems were found in pre-launch tests. The final satellite is a geosynchronous earth orbit satellite, and will undergo a series of in-orbit tests before it is commissioned. Comprehensive tests for the entire BDS system will be conducted to ensure reliable operation and outstanding performances of the system. Upon the completion of the tests, BDS will provide all-time, all-weather and high-precision positioning, navigation and timing services for users as well as the services of satellite-based augmentation, short message communication, precise point positioning and other characteristic services. The BDS construction was initiated in 1994. Over the past 26 years, China has conducted 44 BDS launch missions at Xichang Satellite Launch Center. By using launch vehicles of Long March-3A series, the country has launched 4 BDS-1 experimental satellites, 55 BDS-2 and BDS-3 constellation satellites into predetermined orbits without failure. It is worth noting that an intensive campaign of 18 launch missions was carried out within two and a half years since the global constellation deployment started in 2017. Facing the challenging task of fighting against the COVID-19 outbreak this year, the entire BDS team has been working tirelessly on both frontlines the constellation deployment and the epidemic control and prevention, and secured the final victory in the BDS global constellation deployment. With strong support from telemetry, track and command, ground operation, inter-satellite link management, application validation and other subsystems, all in-orbit satellites previously launched have been commissioned. The past three decades and more have witnessed the explorations and practices of three generations of devoted BeiDou engineers, who have gone through a whole process including program demonstration, implementation, dual-satellite positioning service, regional constellation deployment, and global coverage provision. Relying on themselves, they have blazed a trail of innovation and self-transcendence, and succeeded in building BDS, an aerospace system that has the largest scale, the vastest coverage, the highest service standard and the closest relevance to daily life of the people in the history of China. The BDS is also the first major Chinese aerospace infrastructure that provides public services worldwide. As Chinas great contributions to the development of global satellite navigation, it has provided more options for the people around the world with better and more precise spatial and temporal services, and gained valuable experience for the modernization of Chinas major scientific and technological program management. Today, BDS is used in more than half of the countries in the world. It will continue to participate in international satellite navigation affairs, push forward the multi-system compatibility and sharing, carry out international exchanges and cooperation, promote its international applications according to the needs of the global users, and share the latest BDS development achievements. By 2035, China will build a more advanced, ubiquitous, integrated and more intelligent comprehensive positioning, navigation and timing system, which will offer more powerful abilities for spatial and temporal information services, and make greater contributions to the further exploration of mankind. The BDS satellite and the launch vehicle for this mission were developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) respectively. Both institutions are affiliated to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. This was the 336th flight of the Long March launch vehicles. Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesBY: KATE PASTOR, ABC NEWS (WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump further fueled speculation Saturday morning that he plans to pardon longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone. After a judge on Friday gave Stone a surrender date of July 14 -- he had sought to report to the Georgia prison on Sept. 3 -- Trump tweeted a story about a petition for the president to pardon Stone as he faces a sentence of 40 months for lying to Congress and misleading investigators on several key elements of their probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. On Saturday, Trump retweeted a message saying "ITS TIME TO #PardonRogerStone" This is not the first time a Trump tweet has raised the prospect of a Stone pardon. Earlier this month, on June 4, the president tweeted that "Roger was a victim of a corrupt and illegal Witch Hunt, one which will go down as the greatest political crime in history. He can sleep well at night!" Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says a New York high school student who contracted COVID-19 on a recent trip to Florida infected four other students when they returned for a graduation event last Saturday night The state's contact tracing team is now trying to locate people who have come into contact with the unidentified student from Horace Greeley High School in Westchester County. At the time, the student had not yet developed symptoms of the virus and did not know they were infected. They had also returned to New York before Cuomo ordered a 14-day quarantine for those arriving in the state from eight coronavirus hot spots - including Florida. 'We're prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County,' Cuomo stated Friday The 'drive-in' graduation ceremony was held at the Chappaqua train station - but attendees said that not everyone stayed in their cars, The New York Daily News reports. Gov. Andrew Cuomo 's COVID-19 contact tracing team is frantically trying to locate people who came into contact with a New York high school student who contracted the coronavirus on a recent trip to Florida There were reportedly complaints circulating on social media that some students were not wearing face masks and did not maintain a safe social distance. One infected student later went to a second event following the graduation, where they came into contact with students from other schools in the area. State health officials are urging anyone who attended the Horace Greeley graduation or that second event to remained quarantined until July 5. Westchester County was the site of a major coronavirus cluster at the beginning of New York state's outbreak back in March - and officials are desperate to avoid a repeat of that incident. The infected student reportedly attended Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, Westchester County. Four other students from the school have now tested positive to the virus New York has gone from being the worst-affected states to being one of the few on track to contain the coronavirus. In order to stop a second wave, Cuomo announced the new mandatory quarantine order on Wednesday for people arriving from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah and Texas. Florida is currently seeing a dangerous spike in cases, with the state recording a whopping 9,585 new infections on Saturday. Travelers now arriving at New York City's airports are being greeted with signs telling them they face restrictions if they have arrived from any of the eight listed states. New York has gone from being the worst-affected states to being one of the few on track to contain the coronavirus The US recorded 45,242 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the largest single-day increase of the pandemic. There are now more than 2.4 million COVID-19 cases across the country Those who flout the 14-day quarantine period risk a $10,000 fine. The requirements of the travel advisory do not apply to any individual passing through designated states for a limited duration, such as connecting on a plane or driving through. 'In New York, it's a travel advisory, you are informed you should quarantine for 14 days,' said Cuomo on Wednesday. 'If you go to a hotel, hotel clerk asks how come you are not in quarantine? Travelers now arriving at New York City 's airports are being greeted with signs telling them they face restrictions if they have arrived from any of the eight listed states 'You get stopped by a police officer who says, you are driving a car from Florida, weren't you supposed to be quarantine for 14 days? 'Any of those mechanisms you can be detected as violating your quarantine. 'If you are violating your quarantine, you can be subject to a judicial order and mandatory quarantine. You could have to pay the costs of quarantine. There are also fines that go along with violating the quarantine. $2,000 for the first violation, $5,000 for the second, up to $10,000 if you cause harm.' Essential workers are exempt from the ruling, but must take precautions and have a COVID-19 test as soon as possible, the state says. The US recorded 45,242 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the largest single-day increase of the pandemic. The US death toll is now over 125,000, the highest in the world, with a total of 2.48million confirmed cases. BEIJING Chinas Communist Party has long pursued its agenda in Hong Kong by working through loyalists among the citys top officials, lawmakers and tycoons. That behind-the-scenes approach was a key feature in preserving considerable autonomy for the territory. Now, as the party prepares to grab more power in Hong Kong after months of sometimes violent unrest last year, it has pushed aside even its own allies in the city. The partys strategy sends a clear message to Hong Kong: In quashing challenges to its authority, Beijing wont hesitate to upend the delicate political balance at the core of the citys identity. Party-appointed lawmakers in Beijing are expected to pass a sweeping security law for Hong Kong on Tuesday. Yet few among the citys Beijing-backed establishment, even at the highest levels, appear to have seen a draft. Its top leader, Carrie Lam, and secretary for justice, Teresa Cheng, have both acknowledged knowing little about the law beyond what has been reported in the news. Your guess is as good as mine, Ms. Cheng said earlier this month. Bernard Chan, a Hong Kong cabinet official and a member of the Chinese legislature, said that he had not even expected Beijing to act this spring. Im actually surprised, caught by surprise with the timing, he said in an interview. Helena Christensen has been sending temperatures soaring by uploading sultry snapshots to Instagram as she quarantines. But the 51-year-old supermodel took a brief break from lockdown on Friday afternoon to hit up a FedEx Store near her home in New York City. Christensen showed off her slender legs in a pair of white high-waisted shorts as she emerged from the store with a shipping label in her hand. Errands: Helena Christensen took a brief break from lockdown on Friday afternoon to hit up a FedEx Store near her home in New York City Leggy: Christensen showed off her slender legs in a pair of white high-waisted shorts as she emerged from the store with a shipping label in her hand Helena paired her pin-up style shorts with a crochet crop-top that featured fabric leaves on the straps. She had her brunette hair tired up into a bun and she donned a green face mask over her mouth and nose. The former Victoria's Secret Angel slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops that showed off her fresh pedicure. Pin-up: Helena paired her pin-up style shorts with a crochet crop-top that featured fabric leaves on the straps Cautious: She had her brunette hair tired up into a bun and she donned a green face mask over her mouth and nose She had an twine anklet fastened around her ankle and a bracelet on her right wrist. Christensen went without a purse and, instead held her phone in her manicured hands. Earlier in the day, Helena was busy exploring the city with her good pal and collaborator Camilla Strk. On the move: The former Victoria's Secret Angel slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops that showed off her fresh pedicure Meet-up: Earlier in the day, Helena was busy exploring the city with her good pal and collaborator Camilla Strk In a portrait uploaded to her Instagram page, Helena cozied up to her friend as they posed on porch step. 'Found a cool dud,' wrote Christensen on her post. Although Helena spent the majority of her day out of the house, she made sure to treat her 701,000 followers to a new series of sultry snapshots on Instagram. In the editorial style portraits - taken in Helena's pool - she wore a plunging turquoise one piece swimsuit that featured a strappy back and a ruched midsection. Major treat: Although Helena spent the majority of her day out of the house, she made sure to treat her 701,000 followers to a new series of sultry snapshots on Instagram Day at the pool: In the editorial style portraits - taken in Helena's pool - she wore a plunging turquoise one piece swimsuit that featured a strappy back and a ruched midsection Christensen fully immersed her hair into the pool water and sported a pair of Synsam Official sunglasses over her eyes. Helena, eventually, removed the designer shades from her face for a few shots. As for makeup, the Danish model kept things to a minimum by only applying a ruby red lipstick to her pout. 'Verified Channeling my inner 80s girl,' wrote Helena of the shoot. Raw and natural: Helena, eventually, removed the designer shades from her face for a few shots A 48-year-old man suspected in the fatal shooting of two co-workers and the critical wounding of another at a Springfield warehouse died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Michael L. Collins Jr., 48, of Springfield was found in his car in Morgan County several hours after the shooting at the Bunn-O-Matic facility. Collins and two other men and a woman all arrived for work about 7 a.m. Friday in the companys welding area, Springfield Chief Kenny Winslow said during a news conference. The shooting happened shortly after 11 a.m. Morgan County authorities called the chiefs office later in the day to say the suspects body had been found in his car, a victim of a gunshot wound, Winslow said. Morgan County Sheriff Mike Carmody said the suspect was found after a resident reported a suspicious vehicle on Leach Farm Road near U.S. 67 in rural Morgan County about 1:30 p.m. Two handguns were found alongside Collins body in his car after the shooting. No other suspects were being sought. The names of the slain victims were not released, neither was the name of a female co-worker who was in critical condition at a hospital. The bodies of the two employees were found by police officers searching the building. The female employee was found injured in the parking lot and was rushed to a hospital, he said. Winslow said one of the men who died was in his 60s, one was in his 20s and the woman who was critically injured is in her 50s. Winslow said investigators were seeking a motive behind the shootings. One employee described a chaotic scene when the crack of of gunfire shattered an otherwise quiet workday. Charles Bantle estimated that about half of the warehouse employees werent working due to concerns about the coronavirus. I was in the maintenance shop and just heard the gunshots and everybody started running, Bantle, told the State Journal-Register. And Im in maintenance, so I figured somethings broken. So I started walking towards it, figured it was the air compressor blowing up or something, and I was going to have to go fix it. But then everyone was screaming and yelling, telling me to go the other way. So we all ran and took cover. About 100 employees hurried from the companys main building, and police gathered them together to determine if everyone had left the facility, the police chief said. Bunn-O-Matic manufactures dispensed beverage equipment, and is headquartered in Springfield, according to the companys website. With additional reporting by Darren Iozia, Journal-Courier. (Newser) US troops, killed by paid assassins? Maybe so, if this story holds any water. A Russian military spy unit has secretly paid Taliban-linked militants to kill coalition forces in Afghanistansomething President Trump learned about months ago but chose not to act, US officials tell the New York Times. According to US intelligence, the Russian unit shuttled bounty money to Islamist militants (or armed criminals who work with them) back in 2019. Trump and the White House's National Security Council examined the issue in late March and mulled various options, like making a diplomatic complaint or escalating sanctions, but the White House has not yet responded. This, of course, could become political dynamite if it's confirmed. story continues below "If true, this is outrageous conduct by Russia," tweeted Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif), who suggested that Trump might be "beholden to Putin" as he puts "US troops' lives at risk by doing nothing." But there are problems. Only a few coalition troops died in Afghanistan amid a wave of attacks in 2019, and just four Americans were killed in combat there in 2019. And if it's true, why would the Russians do it? Officials say it might be an attempt to derail US-Taliban peace talks or get revenge for Russian mercenaries killed by US troops in a 2018 battle in Syria. Meanwhile, the Kremlin is keeping mum and the Taliban has issued a flat denial. And the revelation has triggered "intense debate" at the White House about how to respond, the Washington Post reports. (Read more Russia stories.) Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Saturday virtually announced his return to party politics by saying that he will launch an outfit which will contest the assembly polls due later this year and dislodge the NDA government in the state to create a "better Bihar". Sinha's announcement, made at a meeting of his outfit 'Rashtra Manch' (National Forum), came as a surprise as he had taken 'sanyas' from party politics over two years ago and had vowed to work for saving democracy in the country. He had quit the BJP two years ago. Sinha, who held the finance and external affairs portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and has been severely critical of the Narendra Modi dispensation's policies and style of functioning, left the door open to poll tie-up with the Grand Alliance in Bihar, which includes the RJD and the Congress. "We will welcome everyone who comes and joins us," he said. "So far as (Bihar assembly) elections are concerned my party will contest it. It's not that I have any kind of reservation for contesting elections. We (the proposed alliance) will fight the polls with all our strength in order to create a better Bihar," Sinha said. Quizzed about the parties interested in the proposed alliance by him, Sinha said it would be premature to divulge it but many leaders from Bihar were in touch with him over it. About the name of his party, Sinha said he will announce it as soon as the decision on it is taken. The veteran political leader replied curtly when asked by reporters whether he himself would contest the assembly polls. "I will cross that bridge when I come to it," he said. Holding the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar "directly responsible" for the state's "poor" condition, he came out with a slogan 'Behtar Bihar Banao' (Make a better Bihar) to dislodge the present dispensation. "The NDA government in Bihar headed by Nitish Kumar has not made the desired progress despite being in power for about 15 years," he alleged and held it responsible for the "poor state of affairs" in almost all sectors affecting people's lives. "Until and unless the current dispensation is dislodged from the state, it will be quite difficult to work for making Bihar better. Dislodging the state government will be the first step for making a better Bihar," he said. Tearing into the state government's assertions of development, he said that despite its tall claims Bihar has remained at the bottom in various development indicators in the country. Elaborating, Sinha said Bihar remained at the bottom of Human Development Index (HDI) for the past 27 years and the state ranks among the poorest on poverty index. This is evident from the fact that the state's annual per capita income is Rs 47,541 which is one-third the national average. He said Bihar is also at the bottom of the list with regard to providing health care facilities and its farmers are among the poorest in the country. The state's share in the total industries of the country is just 1.5 per cent. Sinha alleged that the law and order has collapsed and corruption is at its peak in the state as "nothing moves without bribe". "We will be coming out with a fact sheet every week on issues concerning and affecting various aspects of life ... I will put it before the media along with facts and will not be beating 'thali' or clapping," he said in a veiled reference to such activity during the Janata curfew on March 22 in support of those in the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 at the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taoiseach in waiting: Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin looks pleased after the vote by the party membership to approve the deal. Photo: Gerry Mooney Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been elected Taoiseach by the Dail to lead a historic coalition with Fine Gael and the Green Party. Ninety-three TDs voted in his favour, 63 were against and three TDs abstained. Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail confirmed Mr Martin has been nominated by the Dail to be Taosieach. He will be appointed by President Michael D Higgins later today. Michael Lowry, Marian Harkin, Michael McNamara and Noel Grealish were among several Independent TDs that voted for Mr Martin. Despite fears they would not back the deal, more than two-thirds of the Green Party membership voted in favour of entering government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. The two Civil War parties also put aside a century-old rivalry to support a deal in which the country's two biggest political parties will share power for the first time in the history of State. Read More Mr Martin will now finally become leader of the country after a more than three-decade career in politics. Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar will have to relinquish power to his government partner after his three-year term in the Taoiseach's office. Due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus, TDs from the three parties will gather in the National Convention Centre on Dublin's Dockland to elect Mr Martin as Taoiseach. He will hold the office for the next two-and-a-half years before handing over control to Mr Varadkar. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will serve as Climate Action and Transport Minister. The Programme for Government has a strong focus on climate action including a commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 7pc a year on average over the next 10 years. There is also a commitment to ban the importation of fracked gas. Last night, the leaders were still signing off on a reconfiguration of cabinet portfolios ahead of today's vote. Fine Gael sources said they expected the party to retain the Department of Agriculture along with the Finance, Foreign Affairs, and Justice portfolios. This would mean Fianna Fail ministers in the Public Expenditure, Housing, and Health briefs. A senior source said the Education and Social Protection briefs were "still up in the air". Fianna Fail was also pushing for a new cabinet-level standalone Minister for Defence. While the Greens will oversee a new Department for Climate Action and Transport, the other parties will appoint a super junior minister responsible for roads. Senior ministers will be announced today and ministers of state will be appointed on Tuesday. Mr Martin confirmed that as Taoiseach he would nominate an Attorney General to serve for the next two-and-a-half years after which Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar will have the option to nominate a new AG when the Taoiseach's office rotates. Mr Martin said that "ability and geography and quite a range of factors" would inform his cabinet appointments. He confirmed he spoke to a number of Independent TDs yesterday about the possibility of them supporting him in the vote for Taoiseach - but declined to say whether he had secured their backing. Mr Varadkar said the result showed that Fine Gael would enter a third term in government "united and strong and up for the challenge". Fine Gael colleagues will have to wait until today to learn whether or not they will be in cabinet as Mr Varadkar said he wouldn't be making the calls last night. He said of the prospect of returning to government: "I'm looking forward to helping to get the country through the Covid emergency, particularly getting people back to work, getting businesses open and pursuing some of the reforms and changes that we got started in the last couple of years." Speaking in Green Party headquarters, Mr Ryan said he was inspired by climate strikers who believed another future was possible. He said: "The biggest challenge of all is to restore biodiversity and stop the madness that climate change will bring if it's let go unchecked. "That's our job in government. That's what we've been voted in to do." Deputy leader Catherine Martin said some Green Party members would be disappointed by the result, but their concerns were valued. She said: "You can be assured we will work every day to ensure this government will deliver for all the people of Ireland." Ms Martin said that as "committed environmentalists" she was fully aware of the clock ticking in the "battle for our planet's future". The Green Party "cannot afford to turn down opportunity and the responsibility presented to us". She said Ireland has suffered "untold heartbreak" and economic loss in the coronavirus crisis and "at this most difficult time" the country is "crying out for stable government". "The Green Party is stepping up to serve this country" and is "putting people before politics" and will be "hitting the ground running," she pledged. She said trust must be built with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and that many Greens would be sceptical about governing with the two parties. Ms Martin said there were some in the larger parties that weren't "overjoyed" with the Green Party being in government. She said: "We will ensure this government is one of mutual respect, co-operation, good faith and trust that is committed to all the people of Ireland." Ms Martin is still expected to launch a leadership campaign against Mr Ryan in the coming days after a vote for the leader position scheduled to be held in July. Meanwhile, Labour leader Alan Kelly hit out at Sinn Fein for nominating Ms McDonald as Taoiseach without "a scintilla of evidence of a rational, thought out Programme for Government". He accused the party of "simply going through the motions of appearing to be interested in government." Mr Kelly claimed Sinn Fein's manifesto was a "Late Late Show giveaway, 'something for everyone in the audience'." He warned such bills must be paid and books must be balanced and claimed Sinn Fein had treated the taxpayer with "contempt". He also said: "For the record nobody has a monopoly on political change." Mr Kelly welcomed some of the proposals in the coalition's Programme for Government but said "the sad reality is it is a lost opportunity to transform both our country and society particularly given the Covid crisis." He said the financials behind the plan are "comical" because they "don't exist". Mr Kelly said the 7pc-a-year reduction in carbon emissions - which the Greens claimed as a victory - is what Ireland signed up for in the Paris Climate Change Agreement anyway. The Czech Republic has registered the biggest spike in COVID-19 cases in more than two months, with several centres where the disease is spreading fast, the health ministry said Saturday. The ministry reported 168 new cases on Friday, the fastest daily increase since April 11, and another 120 by Saturday evening. This brought the total tally for the EU member state of 10.7 million people to 11,164 cases late on Saturday, including 349 deaths. Chief public health officer Jarmila Razova told public radio that the increase was due to more intensive testing in several centres where the disease is spreading fast. These include a mine in the east of the country and a company in the north. "I would also say that after a certain easing enabled by a good epidemiological situation, we are not behaving as responsibly as we should," Razova said. The Czech Republic has gradually eased most measures taken against the spread of the virus in March. It has recently reopened borders as well as schools, shops and restaurants. "But I think the spread is still under control. These are local centres," Razova added. A couple stands in front of Prague's "Lennon Wall" where a face mask has been attached to John Lennon, in April 2020 The following items were taken from Lincolnshire Police Department reports and releases. An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Retail theft Brianna E. Barbosa, 24, of the 2800 block of West 25th Street, Chicago, was charged with retail theft greater than $300 on June 20 following an incident in the 200 block of Milwaukee Avenue. Barbosa was given a July 24 court date. Yazmin M. Mendoza, 21, of the 2500 block of South Christiana Avenue, Chicago, was charged with retail theft greater than $300 on June 20 following an incident in the 200 block of Milwaukee Avenue. Mendoza was given a July 24 court date. Drugs Eduardo Rivera, 22, of the 2300 block of North Austin Avenue, Chicago, was charged with illegal possession of marijuana on June 20 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Berkshire Lane. Rivera was given a July 15 court date. Moving violations Sandy Melchor, 37, of the 4200 block of Coral Berry Path, Gurnee, was charged with driving on a suspended registration June 23 following a traffic stop on Aptakisic Road at Milwaukee Avenue. Melchor was given an Aug. 12 court date. Raheem O. Pettigrew, 24, of the 36000 block of North Grand Oaks Court, Gurnee, was charged with having no valid drivers license June 23 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Riverwoods Road. Pettigrew was given a July 15 court date. Soliciting Michael J. Dean, 21, of the 2500 block of East Evening Star Drive, Holladay, Utah, was charged with soliciting without a permit on June 17 following an incident in the first block of Fox Trail Drive. Dean was given a July 15 court date. Logan J. Hutchison, 22, of the 1800 block of White Hawk Court, Las Vegas, Nevada, was charged with soliciting without a permit on June 17 following an incident in the 200 block of Pembroke Drive. Hutchison was given a July 8 court date. Garrett N. Bradford, 22, of the 90-100 block of East 1150 North, Springville, Utah, was charged with soliciting without a permit on June 17 following an incident in the 10-20 block of Cambridge Lane. Bradford was given an Aug. 12 court date. Speeding Kevin R. Olivia, 20, of the 2400 block of 9th Parkway, Waukegan, was charged with speeding more than 35 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 24 following a traffic stop on Milwaukee Avenue at Knightsbridge Parkway. Olivia was given an Aug. 19 court date. Yuliya Yenakly, 23, of the 1100 block of Portwine Road, Riverwoods, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 24 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Stonegate Circle. Yenakly was given a July 15 court date. Liam J. ONeill, 18, of the 200 block of Pebble Creek Drive, Tower Lakes, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 24 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Riverwoods Road. ONeill was given an Aug. 12 court date. Jose M. Huerta, 30, of the 1600 block of South 116th Street, West Allis, Wiscconsin, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 21 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Oakwood Lane. Huerta was given an Aug. 12 court date. Kyle T. Powers, 19, of the 2400 block of Western Avenue, Highland Park, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 19 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Old Mill Road. Powers was given an Aug. 12 court date. Ricardo Longinos, 22, of the 200 block of Shadowbend Drive, Wheeling, was charged with speeding more than 35 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 19 following a traffic stop on Milwaukee Avenue at Aptakisic Road. Longinos was given a July 15 court date. Hyun J. Park, 46, of the 4800 block of Prestwick Place, Hoffman Estates, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 19 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Schelter Road. Park was given an Aug. 12 court date. Surinder Lal, 57, of the 2100 block of Lighthouse Circle, Tracy, California, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 17 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Schelter Road. Lal was given a July 15 court date. Hadrien L. Blackmore, 23, of the 1700 block of West Dugdale Road, Waukegan, was charged with speeding more than 26 miles per hour over the speed limit on June 16 following a traffic stop on Half Day Road at Schelter Road. Blackmore was given an Aug. 12 court date. Eighteen people are being assessed by paramedics after a fire broke out in a ground-floor flat of a 17-storey tower block in South London. Firefighters rushed to the block on Otto Street, Kennington after a five-bedroom flat was entirely engulfed in flames. London Ambulance Service is assessing 12 adults and six children for smoke inhalation. London Fire Brigade sent eight engines and around 60 firefighters to tackle the blaze. Eighteen people are being assessed by paramedics after a fire broke out in a ground-floor flat of a 17-storey tower block in South London Firefighters rushed to the block on Otto Street, Kennington after a five-bedroom flat was entirely engulfed in flames London Ambulance Service is assessing 12 adults and six children for smoke inhalation Pictured: London Fire Brigade and other emergency services deal with a fire in a block of flats in Kennington, south London, June 27, 2020 Firefighters - using thermal imaging cameras - got the blaze under control and all people have been accounted for. Shocking images show plumes of smoke surrounding the base of the high-rise building as terrified locals look on. Footage taken at the scene shows people gathered on a nearby patch of grass as emergency services work to tackle the fire. The London Fire Brigade wrote on Twitter: 'The flat fire in Kennington is under control. 'There are no reports of any injuries. A flat on the first floor was badly damaged but crews prevented further spread.' A Fireman is seen inside the block of flats that was on fire in Kennington, South London. The interior of the flat looks almost completely destroyed by fire damage The London Fire Brigade confirmed that the first was under control, which saw a first story flat (pictured) ablaze The London Fire Brigade wrote on Twitter: 'The flat fire in Kennington is under control.' Pictured: A fire engine at the scene Shocking images show plumes of smoke surrounding the base of the high-rise building as terrified locals look on Station Commander Ned Alexander who was at the scene said: 'Firefighters have worked exceptionally hard to get this flat fire under control. 'The whole of the first floor flat is damaged by the blaze but crews have prevented in spreading further. 'Around 100 people self evacuated from the building and a number of other residents stayed within their flats. 'The Brigade's Control has took sixty 999 calls in the early stages. There are no reports of any injured.' A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called at 12.37pm today (27 June) to reports of a fire at a block of flats in Otto Street, Kennington. 'We sent two ambulance crews, a medic in a fast response car, an advanced paramedic, an incident response officer and our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) to the scene. The first ambulance arrived in less than four minutes. 'We checked over 12 adults and 6 children, some of whom had minor smoke inhalation. They were all discharged at the scene.' Pictured: Evacuated residents receive medical help on the grass outside their tower block. Fire brigade and other emergency services were called to the scene on June 27, 2020 New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo conducts a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., after a meeting with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that the state's department of health will investigate a high school graduation ceremony after a student who recently traveled to Florida tested positive for Covid-19, according to a press release. Four people who were in contact with the student have tested positive for the coronavirus since the drive-in ceremony was held on June 20 in Westchester county, just north of New York City, according to the release. All of the individuals who have tested positive are now self isolating and anyone associated with the graduation ceremony at Chappaqua Train Station or any associated events are instructed to quarantine until July 5, the order stated. "New Yorkers have controlled the spread of this unprecedented virus by being smart and disciplined, and our progress to date is illustrated by the current low numbers of new cases and hospitalizations," Cuomo said in a press release. "We're prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County." It wasn't made clear whether the department of health has concluded the student was infected in Florida or how many people at the ceremony were potentially exposed to the virus. A spokesperson for Cuomo wasn't immediately available for comment. "The District repeatedly provided clear guidance and protocols for families that complied with all applicable health and safety orders and guidelines," Christine Ackerman, superintendent of the Chappaqua Central School District, said in a statement. "Unfortunately, at the event, and despite police presence, numerous individuals failed to follow our protocols." The investigation comes only days after Cuomo, alongside New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, ordered all travelers arriving to their states from Florida, Texas and other states with spiking Covid-19 infection rates to self-quarantine for two weeks. People who don't voluntarily quarantine for 14 days will be subject to fines and a mandatory quarantine. Cuomo said the fines will be $2,000 for the first violation, $5,000 for the second and up to $10,000 if they cause harm. The coronavirus has shown signs of easing in New York while accelerating in the South and West. Florida reported more than 9,600 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday, the second day of record breaking new cases, according to the state's health department. Vice President Mike Pence speaks after leading a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the Department of Health and Human Services on June 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. Vice President Mike Pence's upcoming campaign events in Arizona and Florida this week have been postponed as both states report a major surge in coronavirus cases. The campaign appearances are postponed "out of an abundance of caution," a Trump campaign official told CNBC. No new dates for the vice president's "Faith in America" tour, targeted at evangelical voters, have been announced as of yet. Pence will still travel to Texas, Arizona, and Florida this week to meet governors and health-care teams about coronavirus response efforts. Coronavirus cases are spiking across the country, particularly in Arizona, Florida, Texas and California. As of Friday, the U.S. seven-day average of new cases went up more than 41% compared with a week ago. The country reported 45,255 additional cases on Friday, bringing the total to more than 2.46 million cases since the start of the outbreak, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Hospitalizations from Covid-19 were growing in 14 states as of Friday, according to Covid Tracking Project data. Pence at a Friday press briefing boasted about the U.S. flattening the curve, which was true in earlier months but is not the case anymore as cases hit new records in the U.S. The vice president also claimed that increased testing was generating more cases. However, more testing alone doesn't account for the spike in new infections, and rather the spread of the virus is causing a rise in reported cases. Some states, including Texas and Florida, have rolled back re-opening plans for some businesses while other states like Arizona have put re-opening plans on hold. A fast-track visa program that Canada launched in 2017 has attracted a growing number of tech workers, and US President Donald Trumps latest immigration crackdown is set to further boost intake once Covid-19 restrictions ease, lawyers say. The number of successful applicants to Canadas Global Skills Strategy (GSS) program rose five-fold over its first three years, with more than 23,000 workers approved under the top five tech categories, data provided to Reuters by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows. More than 2,300 applications for those same top five tech roles were approved from January to March 2020, ahead of the Covid-19 shutdowns that led to border closures and a sharp drop in immigration. The program boasts a two-week processing time. Immigration lawyers told Reuters they were broadly in favor of the program, which some described as transparent and consistent, and an example of how Canada has been able to take advantage of Trumps immigration stance since he entered the White House in 2017. There are employers who have non-US employees in the US who are definitely looking seriously at Canada, said Kyle Hyndman, a partner with McCrea Immigration Law in Vancouver, who was contacted this week by a major company about bringing employees to Canada. On Monday, Trump issued a presidential proclamation that temporarily blocks foreign workers from entering the United States on certain visas, which a Trump administration official said would create 525,000 jobs for US workers. The fact that people started contacting me pretty much the next day is perhaps a suggestion that there are going to be more people interested, Hyndman said. US technology companies including Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet Inc, Facebook Inc and Netflix Inc have in recent years expanded their Canadian operations, although most companies declined to comment on their GSS usage or how Trumps recent announcement will impact their hiring plans. Tobi Lutke, the chief executive officer of Canadian e-commerce company Shopify, was quick to tout the Canadas attraction following Trumps immigration move. The program has made it possible to hire top talent beyond our borders, said Sandeep Anand, senior lead on the global mobility team at Shopify, adding that it has helped relocate employees to Canada. The majority of approved applicants to the fast-track visa program were computer programmers and interactive media developers, followed by information systems analysts and consultants, the IRCC data shows. Indian citizens accounted for 62.1% of successful applicants to the fast-track program, followed by Chinese citizens. Nearly 1,000 US citizens also have seen their applications approved. The GSS data only covers the period up to March of this year, just before broader immigration in Canada fell off a cliff due to border closures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Lawyers, however, dont expect it to last. Betsy Kane, one of the founding partners of Capelle Kane Immigration Lawyers in Ottawa, said the program is going to see a surge of applications. Whenever one door shuts, the other door is sought. (Reporting by Moira Warburton in Toronto and Steve Scherer in Ottawa; Additional reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa Editing by Denny Thomas and Paul Simao) KENT COUNTY, MI -- Kent County Health Director Adam London is warning area residents to be vigilant about coronavirus infections. Kent Countys daily coronavirus cases have been on a slight upward trend in recent days. The average number of new cases each day for the past week is 30, compared to 19.4 for the prior week. In a video posted earlier this week to the health departments Facebook page, London asks everyone to do their part in preventing COVID-19 spread. We do need to recognize that were not through with this. Its not through with us either, he said. And we are in a weak position where this could have a resurgence if were not careful. Related: Michigan reports 389 new coronavirus cases, 1 new death Kent County Health Department data shows the countys total cases at 4,389 with 127 deaths. So far, 3,344 people have recovered. A recovery is defined as someone who is alive 30 days beyond the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. London said he was encouraged by a downward trend in daily coronavirus cases from May 2 to June 10. But since then, the daily average for cases seems to have stalled in the 20s range. The daily cases, not the average, exceeded 50 for both Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26. A large percentage of the overall COVID-19 cases in Kent County are in the highly dense areas o Grand Rapids. Data shows that cases in four zip codes in Grand Rapids, Wyoming and Kentwood make up 50 percent of the total. PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. Read more on MLive: States handling of COVID in nursing homes worthy of critique, but GOP lawmakers miss mark, experts say Dead people received $1.4B in coronavirus relief payments, money may not have to be returned Michiganders navigate limited bottle returns during coronavirus pandemic Friday, June 26: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Work appears to have resumed on Lighthouse Point -- a $250 million luxury apartment building to be equipped with retail, office space and a Westin Hotel in St. George -- after the developers contractor filed for bankruptcy protection last year. Lighthouse Point construction was halted late last year after the projects former contractor, Hollister Construction Services, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2019, said Evan Petracca, chief operating officer, Triangle Equities, referring to Hollister filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, when she spoke to the Advance/SILive.com in December. A migrant labourer who recently returned from Surat allegedly died by suicide in Amlohara village in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Saturday. Mani Shankar Mishra (35) killed himself by hanging from the roof of his house on Friday, Sub Inspector Incharge of Oran Chowki Sultan Singh said. The father of the deceased, Shambhu, told the police that Shankar and his wife worked in a factory in Surat but following the lockdown he returned to his village 20 days ago, Sultan Singh said. The body has been handed over to the family after post- mortem and an investigation is underway, Singh added. This news piece may be triggering. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata). TORONTO, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada) welcomes todays Supreme Court of Canada ruling that Ubers mandatory arbitration process is invalid and inaccessible to drivers paving the way for Uber drivers to be recognized as employees. The Supreme Court case, known as Uber v. Heller , revolved around the arbitration provision contained in every Uber Service Agreement that the company enters with drivers and which drivers must sign before being able to work for Uber using the companys ride hailing app. Under this provision, all driver disputes with Uber are required to go through arbitration in the Netherlands, a process that the Ontario Court of Appeals said amounts to illegally outsourcing an employment standard. In todays historic ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the Ontario Court of Appeal decision, deeming Ubers arbitration agreement invalid and inaccessible to drivers and stating that a driver cannot reasonably be expected to incur the financial and legal costs required to arbitrate a dispute in the Netherlands. The ruling comes as a result of driver David Heller, who works for the companys Uber Eats food delivery service, filing a class action lawsuit seeking a minimum wage, vacation pay, and benefits for drivers amounting to $400 million in damages. Heller argued that when he entered into a Service Agreement with Uber in June 2016, the company misclassified him as an independent contractor rather than an employee, and that Uber failed to abide by the minimum labour standards outlined in Ontarios Employment Standards Act (ESA). In a major victory for Uber drivers and ride hailing, app-based employees in Canada, todays ruling clears the way for Hellers lawsuit arguing that Uber drivers are employees and are entitled to protections under employment standards legislation, including the right to join a union to proceed, and paves a path for Uber drivers to be recognized as employees. Story continues The ruling also comes exactly one year after hundreds of Uber Black drivers in Toronto joined UFCW Canada , calling for fair pay, respect, and the right to collectively bargain. This decision confirms what our union has been arguing all along that Uber consistently prevents drivers from exercising their rights as employees of the company, says Paul Meinema, the national president of UFCW Canada. Ubers completely inaccessible arbitration process is just one example of how the company regularly stifles the rights of its workers, and we are pleased that the Supreme Court has rendered this process invalid. With todays Supreme Court ruling, Uber drivers are one step closer to gaining more rights, representation, and respect on the job, says Pablo Godoy, National Co-ordinator of Gig and Platform-Employer Initiatives for UFCW Canada. It has been a long and grueling journey, but we are on the right trajectory for achieving justice for Uber drivers and other app-based employees in Canada. Since launching the Uber Drivers United campaign in 2019, UFCW has become the leading voice for ride hailing drivers in Canada, signing up hundreds of Uber Black drivers in Toronto and spearheading organizing efforts in British Columbia, as well as other parts of the country. To learn more about the campaign to bring justice and fairness to Uber and other ride hailing drivers, visit UFCWs Uber Drivers United website . UFCW Canada represents more than 250,000 union members across the country working in food retail and processing, transportation, health, logistics, warehousing, agriculture, hospitality, manufacturing, and the security and professional sectors. UFCW is the country's most innovative organization dedicated to building fairness in workplaces and communities. UFCW Canada members are your neighbours who work at your local grocery stores, hotels, airport food courts, taxi firms, car rental agencies, nursing homes, restaurants, food processing plants, and thousands of other locations across the country. To find out more about UFCW and its ground-breaking work, visit www.ufcw.ca . KABUL, Afghanistan Two employees of Afghanistans human rights commission were killed in Kabul on Saturday as a bomb attached to their vehicle exploded, the latest in a rising number of targeted killings in the Afghan capital. From assassinations of religious scholars and assaults against cultural figures to widespread Taliban attacks across the country, the rise in violence is sapping the brief optimism from an American agreement with the Taliban. Under that deal, the United States would withdraw its troops, paving the way for direct negotiations between the Afghan sides to end the war in a hoped-for political settlement. The peace deal has hit a wall over a prisoner exchange that was supposed to enable direct talks. Instead, the violence has intensified. In a statement, Afghanistans Independent Human Rights commission said one of its vehicles was struck by a magnetic bomb on Saturday morning, killing two employees who were on their way to work. Thaci is accused of murder, forced disappearance and torture against Kosovo Albanian, Serb and Roma victims. Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has accused international justice of rewriting history after he was charged with war crimes linked to the 1990s conflict with Serbia. On Wednesday, prosecutors at a special Kosovo court in The Hague indicted the former political leader of an ethnic Albanian armed group. On Friday, Thaci said on his Facebook page that he was on his way back to Kosovo from the Albanian capital, Tirana, and will address his compatriots on Sunday. Nobody can rewrite the history of Kosovo, he said in his first reaction to the charges. Thacis Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) rebelled against Belgrade more than 20 years ago, when Kosovo was a province of Serbia. He and others were charged by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers with war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the 1998-99 war that left more than 10,000 dead, overwhelmingly Kosovo Albanians. Nothing to hide I remain full of hope that the coming days will be the best for Kosovo and Albania, he said. Thaci has previously said he would comply with the court and that he is innocent and has nothing to hide. The president and other suspects are accused of murder, enforced disappearance, persecution and torture against hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and include political opponents. His right-hand man Kadri Veseli, the KLAs former spy chief who now leads the political party founded by Thaci, was also accused of the crimes and has rejected them as untrue. The charges still need approval from a pre-trial judge but the prosecutors said they made the indictment public because Thaci and others have been trying to obstruct the work of the tribunal, which operates under Kosovo law but has international judges. It is unlikely that Thaci would face arrest before the indictment is approved by a judge, which could take months, though a court spokesperson declined to specify. Pure and just war In Kosovo, fans and detractors came to the defence of the rebels who rose against Belgrade. The left-wing party Vetevendosje, which is sharply critical of Thaci, described the conflict as a pure and just war. The conflict ended after a US-led NATO intervention in 1999 forced Serb troops to withdraw. About a dozen top Serbian military and police officials were later convicted by international tribunals of war crimes against thousands of ethnic Albanian civilians. But members of the KLA were also accused of atrocities against Serbs, Roma and ethnic Albanian rivals during and after the war. Thaci was indicted while he was to travel to the US for a summit with Serbia on Saturday that has now been postponed. Kosovo proclaimed independence in 2008, but Serbia, like its ally Russia, does not recognise the move. NO MERCY FOR COSBY I see Christine Flowers feels that Bill Cosby should get another hearing. She is so wrong. Everybody knows what the man did. Everybody knows he was convicted and now his lawyers are going to try to pull some little trick to get him off. He did what he did. We know what he did and Im sure Christine thinks shes being politically correct. Thats a bunch of bull. When you do something like he did he should be right where hes at. CARL NAILED IT Bringing up peoples heritage does not make sense. Outside of the U.S., we are all considered Americans. Not Italian Americans or Irish Americans. Back then, the Italian immigrants were ostracized for having dark complexion, the Irish immigrants were barred from employment and Blacks experience similar fates. To tie this in, todays guest column by Mr. DiFeliciantonio regarding dont need a statue of Christopher Columbus is very informative. My question in general is why was Columbus lauded centuries ago so that his statues were erected all over, his success taught in history books and a national holiday declared? Why is the big protest now in 2020? What good is it going to accomplish by demolishing monuments? Going forward, we can follow steps in Carl Balis letter published June 24 A King Solomon solution. It is a brilliant idea! We should be knowledgeable of the past, which we cannot undo, but not cling on to the past. We can, however, shape the future. BET ON JOE Ive been reading a lot of messages about wanting Joe Biden to step down. Are you nuts?! If he steps down they will have Bernie step in. Id rather take my chances with Joe. And to Michelles The One, oh no! There are plenty of women of color better suited to be V.P. GET READY, LOSERS Its time to replace some Democrats, especially the ones who dont care about our country are statues or monuments and our history. They dont belong in office if they are too scared. It doesnt make sense to just have a figurehead in Congress or somebody who wants to criticize our president. Its jealousy, they cant accept that they lost an election. Its over. Youre about to lose another election with your poor choice of a candidate. Hes a pathetic excuse for a potential president. MARIANNE WILL BE MISSED I am a registered Democrat, but I dont understand why the Democratic Delaware County Council felt the need to replace their executive director. Thank you for all your hard work for these many years, Marianne Grace. I for one appreciate it. BUFFOONS IN CHARGE Yo Trumpers! Weve done too good a job when it comes to testing! claims President Happy Talk. Do facts support him? The United States population is approximately 6.5 times larger than South Koreas. Both countries experienced their first CV-19 case on the same day. S.K. has approximately 280 deaths while the U.S. has 120,000! If the two governments performed with the same efficiency, the U.S. should have approximately 2,000 deaths. Why do we have about 118,000 more deaths than S.K.? Because President It-Will-Go-Away-In-15 Days Trump ignored the problem after the first case for 6 weeks while S.K. began testing the very next day. And you know whats even more problematic? President Lysol is exacerbating the problem by poor role modeling; refusing to follow the CDCs recommendations of wearing a mask and social distancing. Also, by not allowing the scientists to handle the flow of information rather than his V.P. who claimed on April 24 that, The U.S. would have the coronavirus behind us by Memorial Day. Seriously? Cmon GOPpers How many more Americans have to die before you admit that you voted for two buffoons? BILL FROM BROOMALL ALL ABOUT DONALD Donald Trump is really nothing but attack ads against Joe Biden which isnt surprising, considering Donald Trumps abysmal record as president. He has nothing to run on. And one thing Joe Biden said really struck me. He said the presidency is not about him. Its about us off the people. And truer words were never spoken. But Donald Trumps presidency is about him. , nobody that him, and only him all the time. BOB FROM SHARON HILL India's internal and external security is the priority of the Narendra Modi government, Union minister Nitin Gadkari told an online rally of BJP workers from Rajasthan on Saturday. He also said that the work the BJP dispensation has done during its six-year rule, could not be done in the previous 50-60 years. "Internal and external security of the country is our priority. We have been saying from day one that nationalism is our goal. We want this nation to become happy, prosperous and powerful. We have worked with this idea to make India free from fear, hunger, terror and ... Chennai: Outrage at the death of a father-son duo in the custody of Indian police earlier this week mounted on Saturday, with thousands on social media comparing the incident to the death of George Floyd in the United States. J Jayaraj, 59, and Bennicks Immanuel, 31, were subjected to a brutal thrashing, which resulted in rectal bleeding and eventual death, according to a letter to government officials written by Jayaraj's wife J Selvarani. The letter, based on eyewitness testimony and reviewed by Reuters, seeks action against the police officers involved. Police in Sathankulam, a town located 50 km (31 miles) south of the port city of Thoothukudi in southern Tamil Nadu state, said in a first information report (FIR) reviewed by Reuters that Jayaraj and Bennicks were picked up on Friday, June 19 for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules. Bennicks died on Monday after complaining of breathlessness and Jayaraj died Tuesday, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, who oversees the police in the state, said in a statement on Wednesday. Two policemen involved in the incident had been suspended, he added. "We will take action over this incident as per the law," Palaniswami said. Hundreds of thousands of tweets were sent out using the hashtag #JusticeforJayarajandBennix, that was among the top Twitter topics trending in India on Friday and among the top 30 trending globally, with celebrities and politicians condemning police action. "The George Floyds of India are far too many," tweeted Jignesh Mevani, a lawmaker in India's western Gujarat state. "Will Indians march on streets in thousands, like America?," Mevani asked his nearly 750,000 Twitter followers, referring to events following the death in police custody on May 25 of George Floyd, a Black man. Nearly 15 cases of custodial violence and torture were reported in every day on average, with 9 people dying in judicial or police custody every 24 hours, according to the latest annual report by India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for the year 2017/18. The NHRC said in its report that some custodial deaths were reported after considerable delay or not reported at all, adding violence in custody was so rampant "that it has become almost routine". This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics The White House has denied reports that Donald Trump ignored a warning from US intelligence that the Russian military had offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants in Afghanistan to kill American troops and other coalition forces. The New York Times reported the claim on Friday, triggering a storm of accusations that the president had failed to protect US and allied troops, including those from Britain. Citing officials briefed on the matter, the newspaper said the US determined months ago that a Russian military intelligence unit linked to assassination attempts in Europe had offered rewards for successful attacks last year. Islamist militants, or armed criminal elements closely associated with them, were believed to have collected some bounty money, the newspaper said. The White House, the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence initially declined requests for comment on the report. On Saturday afternoon, the White House denied Mr Trump had been briefed on the matter, but did not dispute that US troops were being targeted. Trump can't explain what he'd do with a second term The United States receives thousands of intelligence reports a day and they are subject to strict scrutiny," Kayleigh McEnany, the press secretary, said in a statement. "While the White House does not routinely comment on alleged intelligence or internal deliberations, the CIA director, national security advisor and the chief of staff can all confirm that neither the president nor the vice president were briefed on the alleged Russian bounty intelligence." This does not speak to the merit of the alleged intelligence but to the inaccuracy of the New York Times story erroneously suggesting that President Trump was briefed on this matter. American officials had said Russian military intelligence units secretly offered money to militants connected to the Taliban to kill US troops, even as peace talks were underway. The Times reported that officials briefed on the matter had been told a Russian unit was covertly offering rewards for successful attacks on coalition forces as recently as last year. The newspaper had also said the National Security Council discussed the findings of American intelligence sources in an interagency meeting in late March. A number of potential responses were reportedly discussed by officials, ranging from a formal diplomatic complaint to Moscow, to escalating sanctions. The initial lack of any response from the Trump administration to Russias reported covert operations, that may have led to the deaths of Americans, has sparked outrage. After being briefed on the report, the president pushed for Russias readmittance to the G7 and said that getting along with Russia is a great thing. David Rothkopf, a former official in the Clinton administration, described the presidents actions as traitorous behaviour and part of a pattern of consistently helping Russia. Brian Schatz, Democratic senator for Hawaii, also tweeted about the reported revelations having asked his staff if there was any context that might make them less shocking, The answer was no. Twenty Americans were killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2019. The paper said that while militants are believed to have collected some of the bounty money, it is unclear if any of the deaths are being further investigated. The US and Taliban agreed a peace deal in late February that would lead to a phased withdrawal of US troops after nearly 20 years. This would be a huge escalation in the so-called hybrid war that Russia is engaged in against the US that has to date included cyber attacks, fake news, and other covert operations. Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for president Vladimir Putin, said that the Kremlin had not been made aware of the accusations. If someone makes them, well respond, Mr Peskov told The Times. A spokesperson for the Taliban denied the intelligence claims. Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said: These kinds of deals with the Russian intelligence agency are baseless our target killings and assassinations were ongoing in years before, and we did it on our own resources, he said. That changed after our deal with the Americans, and their lives are secure and we dont attack them. The Ondo State deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, on Friday submitted his interest form to take part in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary for the governorship election in the state. He submitted the expression of interest form at PDP secretariat in Abuja. I submitted my PDP nomination and expression of interest forms at the National Headquarters of the party, Wadata House, Abuja today Friday, 26th June 2020. Were making tremendous progress!, he wrote on Twitter. I submitted my @OfficialPDPNig nomination and expression of interest forms at the National Headquarters of the party, Wadata House, Abuja today Friday, 26th June, 2020. We're making tremendous progress! pic.twitter.com/q2C8HUcOqu Agboola Alfred Ajayi (@AAjayiAgboola) June 26, 2020 Mr Ajayis spokesperson, Tope Okeowo, also confirmed his principals interest to PREMIUM TIMES late Friday evening. The deputy governor submitted his interest form today and he would be contesting in the primary election all things being equal, Mr Okeowo said. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Agboola resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) last week. He joined the opposition PDP on Sunday and was welcomed by the partys national chairman, Uche Secondus, in Akure on Monday READ ALSO: This came after he was prevented from leaving the government house in Akure in an official vehicle by the states commissioner of police, Bolaji Salami, on Saturday. Mr Salami said he recently caught wind of Mr Ajayis moves to defect from the APC to PDP, an action he said should render him unqualified for some official benefits. In response, Mr Ajayi argued that he ought to enjoy the perks of office as an incumbent deputy governor. He said he used his personal funds to buy the Toyota Hilux truck from which he was being denied access. Mr Akeredolu in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Segun Ajiboye, on Sunday, said reports linking him to the incident were false. He said he did not ask the commissioner of police to restrain his deputy from leaving the Government House. The deputy governor earlier this week alleged that Mr Akeredolu was making illegal moves to impeach him through financial inducement of states lawmakers, an allegation that was denied by the governor and the state assembly. On Wednesday, Mr Ajayi also alleged that there were plans to withdraw his police escort, an allegation denied by the police commissioner. Mr Agboola has said he will not resign as Ondo deputy governor despite leaving the APC. A global monitoring network this week detected unexplained "higher than usual levels" of radioactive isotopes at a station in Sweden that likely came from somewhere around the Baltic Sea. But the group also said late on June 26 that the levels it saw were "not harmful for human health." The head of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Lassina Zerbo, tweeted that the elevated levels of three radionuclides generally associated with civil nuclear activities -- cesium-134, cesium-137, and ruthenium-103 -- had been detected on June 22-23. He highlighted an area including stretches of western Russia, seemingly including St. Petersburg, Estonia, southern Finland, and Sweden as a "possible source" of the radioactive particles at any point in the preceding 72 hours. The Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish nuclear safety agencies also said they'd identified amounts of radioactive isotopes in the area, adding the levels did not appear harmful to humans. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment said on June 26 that its "calculations show that the radionuclides come from the direction of western Russia." Their character "may indicate damage to a fuel element in a nuclear power plant," the Dutch said. But Russia's hydrometeorological and environmental monitoring agency, Roshydromet, said on June 27 that it had detected no increase in radioactive particles. Russia has several operational nuclear power plants in its northwest, including near Kola, St. Petersburg, and Smolensk. The CTBTO oversees hundreds of monitoring stations that use seismic, acoustic, and other technology to look out for weapons testing anywhere in the world. But the network can also spot other anomalies. Radioactive particles can be carried long distances by the wind. "These are certainly nuclear fission products, most likely from a civil source," a spokeswoman for the Vienna-based CTBTO said, according to Reuters. That would suggest the particles originated from the atomic chain reaction that powers a nuclear reactor. "We are able to indicate the likely region of the source, but it's outside the CTBTO's mandate to identify the exact origin," the source added. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority said on June 23 that it was "not possible now to confirm what could be the source of the increased levels" of radioactivity. "The radionuclides are artificial, that is to say they are man-made," the Dutch safety watchdog said. But "a specific source location cannot be identified due to the limited number of measurements." With reporting by Reuters, AP, and Interfax In the midst of a true annus horribilis in our countrys history, I have been on a desperate search for good news. I could not find a thousand points of light, as George H.W. Bush searched for. But there are enough pinpricks to give us hope. Remember the giant hornets found earlier in Washington state? The ones that prey on honeybees and look like a killer species from outer space? We havent heard any more about them in weeks! The number of shark attacks is down. (Possibly because fewer people are venturing into the nations ocean beaches, but still ...) Confederate battle flags fly no more over NASCAR events. Thousands who once felt uncomfortable under the banner of slavery watching cars roar around an oval track for 500 miles in one afternoon can now watch without the Stars and Bars flying overhead. Statues to traitors who went to war against The Star-Spangled Banner in support of slavery are being taken down from places of honor in cities around the country. And the U.S. military is considering unnaming military bases after those same traitors. One month after the death of George Floyd, thousands of Americans are still marching and peacefully protesting for change in his name. Polling shows that most U.S. citizens are shamed and disgusted by systemic racism and police brutality. Mitch McConnell, the despot of the Senate running for yet another six-year term from Kentucky, failed to get enough votes to study, yes, study racism and name a commission on the need for police reform in America. (Keep your eye on that Kentucky race. It will be McConnells most difficult.) After insisting that 1 million Americans wanted to go to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for Donald Trumps relaunch of his reelection campaign, he and his campaign had to be satisfied with only 6,000 rallygoers. (They were so happy to listen to his meandering thoughts for 90 minutes they risked their lives without masks indoors during a large spike in COVID cases.) Attorney General William Barr and Trump were so ham-handed in their ill-disguised effort to block investigations into Trump and his high-flying buddies by firing an independent prosecutor in New York that they basically ensured the prosecutors preferred successor will run the office at least through the November election. Also, Barr is being accused by dozens of former classmates and legal colleagues as a Trump sycophant who consistently violates his oath to defend the Constitution by succumbing to wrongful political pressure from the president. Its now on the record. Truth still matters, and democracy may yet be preserved. The conservative Supreme Court delighted human rights activists worldwide by saying that it is illegal to fire someone for not being heterosexual. No more married on Sunday, fired on Monday. That same court also said Trump may not arbitrarily dismantle the Dreamer program by deporting motivated young people brought to this country without proper papers when they were children. So you dont have to, I read the book by John Bolton, the controversial former White House national security adviser, which shows that Bolton thinks Trump is dangerously incompetent and venal, vicious and vile. The book also shows that Bolton is venal, vicious and vile. The two men, who used to praise each other in ridiculously extravagant terms, no longer speak. It doesnt get much worse than revealing that the sitting U.S. president didnt seem to know that Finland is not part of Russia and that the United Kingdom has nuclear weapons. Joe Biden is leading Donald Trump in national polling by 14 points. Of course, that means less than one might think because we dont have a popular vote. We have an outmoded Electoral College so that sparsely populated, rural, red states can outvote highly populated, urban, blue states. Hey, you take your good news where you can find it. But heres real news. After months of acrimonious negotiations, truly aggravating fans everywhere, Major League Baseball is returning this summer, sometime, we think. Ann McFeatters is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service. Readers may send her email at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (2nd R) attends a donation handover ceremony of medical goods in Harare, Zimbabwe, June 26, 2020. State-owned Chinese companies operating in Zimbabwe on Friday made a donation of medical goods worth 55,000 U.S. dollars to help the country in its ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang) HARARE, June 26 (Xinhua) -- State-owned Chinese companies operating in Zimbabwe on Friday made a donation of medical goods worth 55,000 U.S. dollars to help the country in its ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Operating under the banner of the Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe, the companies donated medicines to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and surgical masks to various provinces, the Immigration Department and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. The country's largest referral hospital, Parirenyatwa, received medicines worth 5,000 U.S. dollars, the Immigration Department got 40,000 surgical masks, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority 20,000 masks while Matabeleland South and Midlands Provinces each received 20,000 surgical masks. The provinces are not only vulnerable to imported cases, but are among the most affected by COVID-19, along with the capital Harare and the second largest city of Bulawayo. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa received the medical goods at the State House. He thanked the Chinese companies for the donation, saying the supplies will augment the country's efforts in mitigating the pandemic. He said the support from China, among other donors, had helped to boost the country's capacity to respond to the pandemic. He acknowledged that the country was ill-equipped to handle the disease when it first broke in March, but due to the early lockdown and support from China, it was now reasonably prepared. "The first 21 days and second 14 days (of total lockdown) gave us reasonable time to prepare ourselves as a country to a reasonable level. "When we felt we were reasonably prepared we then lowered the lockdown to Level 2 but most importantly we became reasonably prepared because of the support we received from our people, friends, organizations internally and externally and the People's Republic of China was among the first countries who sent in equipment to support our endeavor to fight the pandemic," he said. China was also the first country to sent in a team to assist in capacitating the country's first isolation and treatment hospital in Harare to a reasonable standard, he said. "We also had the fortune of a team of medical experts that was sent by the Chinese government to come and share their experiences with our own local medical teams here so our teams could benefit from those who had undergone the baptism of the pandemic in China. We are very grateful," Mnangagwa said. He said the country was pleased that the influx of imported cases was coming at a time when the country was now reasonably prepared to handle such huge number of infections. Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun praised the Chinese companies for the donation, which he said showed their adherence to corporate social responsibility. "Today's event is of great significance, demonstrating that China not only fully supports Zimbabwe from the government level, but our business sector is also dedicated to assisting our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters," he said. He said the donation was well targeted as all the recipients whom were at the frontline of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that staff at the country's 30 border posts were taking great risks to protect the safety of Zimbabweans from COVID-19. China is among the countries that continue to complement Zimbabwe's efforts in fighting the pandemic through various donations since the first case was recorded in the country in March. Guo commended Zimbabwe's efforts in combating the pandemic, and added that China will always stand by the southern African country in its fight against the respiratory disease. Although Zimbabwe has recorded a spike in imported COVID-19 cases over the past weeks, local transmission have remained relatively low. Out of the 551 cases that had been recorded by Thursday, 77 are local transmissions. Deaths remain at six while recoveries are 128. Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in Zimbabwe vice chairperson and publicity secretary Shanel Liu said her organization was delighted to make a modest contribution towards Zimbabwe's fight against the pandemic. "We have learnt with great joy that local companies are currently increasing their production of quality face masks. And our donation is a supplement to ease the current urgent need. We hope it will go a long way in ensuring the safety of those in the frontline and the various communities that will benefit from this donation," she said. Enditem The Oyo State government should be blamed for the delay in the burial of a former governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi, who died of COVID-19 complications, a source close to the late politicians family has said. The former governor died on Thursday, June 25, and has not been buried three days after. As a Muslim, he was supposed to be buried the same or the following day. According to a source, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter, the burial had not taken place due to the disagreement between the Ajimobi family and the state government on the burial plans by the family. But the Oyo government has swiftly countered the claim by the Ajimobi family, saying the allegations were being spread to give the state government a bad name and to play undue politics with the dead. Speaking with one of our reporters, the Ajimobi family source said plans were made for the burial of the late politician a day after he passed on. He said the family got in touch with the state government for necessary burial approvals but were rebuffed. The government official that the family got in touch with said they could not take action on the matter without approval from the governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, the source said. The official also informed us that it has been difficult to pin down the Governor for the approval. The source also revealed that when the family was able to inform Engineer Makinde of the burial plans in line with the laws of the land eventually, Engineer Makinde completely refused to oblige the family on their preferred choice of their fathers burial ground. Furthermore it must also be said that Engineer Makindes refusal comes after repeated pleas from top government officials and statesmen from federal and legislative arms of government. Imagine that since this man died, a former governor of the state that served two terms, that achieved so much for the state, Governor Makinde is yet to even call the wife nor any member of the family, that is quite unfortunate. Even if you have issues with him, he is gone now, you should drop that as a mark of respect for the deceased. But the Oyo State government said the claim by the Ajimobi family that it is responsible for the delay in burying the late politician is a wicked lie that must stop. A statement by Taiwo Adisa, the chief press secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, said, In view of the intense enquiries from news media organisations regarding the perceived delay in burying the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Oyo State Government wishes to place on record that there is no truth in the rumour making the rounds that the burial is being delayed by the state govenrment. The rumour, which is being deliberately spread to give the state government a bad name and to play undue politics with the dead, initially came by the way of social media gossips, which gained traction to attract the attention of traditional media outfits. Several media outfits reached out to the Media Office of the Governor of Oyo State to make enquiries on this barefaced lie on Saturday. READ ALSO: Let it be stated clearly that the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has played no role at all in causing any delay whatsoever regarding the burial of his immediate predecessor, Senator Ajimobi. The truth of the matter is that the family, through a proxy, approached the state government and sought approval to bury the late governor on a plot of land at Agodi GRA, which is currently under litigation. Incidentally, it was the same former Governor Ajimobi who instituted the legal action. Governor Seyi Makinde had no choice than to state the facts as they are to the emissaries and turn down the request. Governor Makinde, however, against the established land use rule in Oyo State, gave approval that the family can bury the late governor in his Oluyole Estate residence. It is to be noted that the rules guiding land use in Government Reservation Areas (GRA) forbid the burial of bodies in such locations as Oluyole Estate and Agodi GRA. Let us also put on record that whereas the family did not follow the laid down protocols in passing information on the sickness and eventual demise of Senator Ajimobi, Governor Makinde overlooked all that and directed the full cooperation of the government with the family on this matter. Advertisements It can only amount to a wicked lie to insinuate that the incumbent government in Oyo State attempted to obstruct the burial of the immediate past governor. A Colorado district attorney has defended his decision not to file charges against the officers involved in the Elijah McClain case. The case has come under renewed investigation as the three officers have now been given desk duty roles within their department. Dave Young, who is the DA for Adams County, spoke to CNN after Governor Jared Polis appointed Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser as a special prosecutor to investigate McClain's death. 'I'm not here to condone their actions. In fact, I disagree with what they did on the night of August 24, 2019,' said Young, referring to the officers involved in the incident. District Attorney Dave Young said he disagrees with the actions of the Colorado officers but he could not prove 'beyond reasonable doubt' the cops' actions killed Elijah McClain 'I have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the action of those officers caused the death of Elijah McClain,' said Young. 'In my business, I can't take that case to court if we don't know those answers. It's as simple as that,' he said As the Elijah McClain case gets a second look at the state level, the district attorney defends his decision not to charge the officers, saying he disagrees with how they behaved but cannot "prove beyond a reasonable doubt those officers caused the death of Elijah Mcclain." pic.twitter.com/HqZAJ3j84v Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) June 26, 2020 'I have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the action of those officers caused the death of Elijah McClain,' said Young. 'In my business, I can't take that case to court if we don't know those answers. It's as simple as that. 'I wish they sat in their car and watched him walk home. Elijah McClain would be alive right now.' McClain, who was black, died after an altercation with Aurora police officers. 'I have a right to stop you because you're being suspicious,' an officer is heard on a body camera recording telling McClain. The encounter happened as McClain, a certified massage therapist and self-taught violin player, was running an errand. Aurora Police Department officers Jason Rosenblatt (left) and Randy Roedema (right) are two of the three officers who have now been placed on desk duty Officer Nathan Woodyard (pictured) has also been assigned administrative tasks He was on his way back home from a convenience store when three white officers approached him. A person had called 911 to report seeing a suspicious person wearing a mask, however McClain was not committing any crime and did not have a weapon. To subdue McClain, officers used a chokehold that cuts off blood to the brain - a tactic recently banned in several places in the wake of George Floyd's death last month in Minneapolis. Paramedics arrived soon after and administered 500 milligrams of a sedative, Ketamine, to calm McClain down. In less than a week, McClain suffered cardiac arrest, was declared brain dead and taken off life support. However, the coroner said he was not able to rule out multiple possibilities, including the officers' actions as contributors to McClain's death. The coroner for Adams stated that McClain's death was ultimately due to 'undetermined causes.' In August 2019, 23-year-old Elijah McClain died following a confrontation with the police in the suburban Denver area after he suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital The incident between McClain (pictured with a ski mask) and the three officers was captured on police body camera Aurora Police Department officers Nathan Woodyard, left, Jason Rosenblatt, center, and Randy Roedema, right, are at the center of revitalized calls to investigate the death of Elijah McClain DA Young also said that he did not approve of the three officers' actions on the night in question. The cops were placed on leave but returned to the force after District Attorney Dave Young said there was insufficient evidence to support charging them. 'Ultimately, while I may share the vast public opinion that Elijah McClains death could have been avoided, it is not my role to file criminal charges based on opinion, but rather, on the evidence revealed from the investigation and applicable Colorado law,' Young said Thursday during the interview. His death has gained renewed attention following the Memorial Day 'murder' of black man George Floyd, which has thrown the spotlight on several killings of black men and women in police custody across America. Paramedics with the Aurora Police Department reportedly claimed that McClain (pictured) might have been suffering from 'excited delirium' at the time and administered ketamine McClain (pictured) was in a Colorado hospital for four days, during which time he was put on life support and declared brain dead Elijah McClain's last words 'I can't breathe. I have my ID right here... My name is Elijah McClain. That's my house. I was just going home. I'm an introvert. 'I'm just different. That's all. I'm so sorry. I have no gun. 'I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me? 'I don't even kill flies. I don't eat meat. But I don't judge people, I don't judge people who do eat meat. 'Forgive me. All I was trying to do was become better... I will do it... I will do anything. 'Sacrifice my identity, I'll do it. I'll do it. You all are phenomenal. You are beautiful and I love you. Try to forgive me. I'm a mood Gemini. 'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Ow, that really hurt. 'You are all very strong. Teamwork makes the dream work.' Advertisement On Friday it was revealed the officers were recently moved to 'non-enforcement' duties. Officers Nathan Woodyard and Jason Rosenblatt were moved to desk duty on June 13 while officer Randy Roedema was also re-assigned on June 20, The Aurora Police Department said the action was 'done in an effort to protect those officers' who arrested McClain. 'They are now working in a non-enforcement capacity,' Det. Faith Goodrich said. 'This can be in a variety of different assignments but is usually administrative in nature.' On Thursday, Polis signed an executive order designating Weiser as a special prosecutor to investigate the case. 'Whenever someone dies after an encounter with law enforcement, the community deserves a thorough investigation,' Weiser said in a statement. 'Our investigation will be thorough, guided by the facts, and worthy of public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system.' Polis had suggested he could step in and take action over the case earlier this week. A Hoover police officer was fired Friday for a social media post earlier this week that showed a protester in the crosshairs of a rifle scope. The officer made the post on Facebook Tuesday in response to an article posted about protesters at the Georgia Wendys where Rayshard Brooks was killed. The headline of that article was Armed protesters remain at Wendys where Rayshard Brooks was killed. So whats next? The article was accompanied by a photo of a Black protester holding a shotgun. A Hoover police officer was fired after posting a picture of a Black protester in Georgia shown in crosshairs of a rifle scope. (Facebook) In his response to the post, Officer Ryan Snow reposted the photo of the protester to show him in the crosshairs of a rifle scope. He wrote, Exhale. Feel. Pause. Press steadily. Thats whats next. Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said department officials were made aware of the disturbing post Wednesday morning. When I saw the post and the image, it sickened me,' Derzis said. It certainly did not adhere to the standards expected of every officer who wears our uniform. A Hoover police officer was fired after posting a picture of a Black protester in Georgia shown in crosshairs of a rifle scope. (Facebook) Snow, who had been on Hoovers force for 4 years, was questioned early Wednesday afternoon and admitted he was responsible for the post, the chief said. Later that afternoon, he was placed on administrative leave. The officer had 48 hours to respond to the charges and did so Friday afternoon. After hearing Snows response, Derzis made the decision to terminate Snows employment. This type of conduct will not be tolerated in our department an is not representative of the professional ism expected by all of our officers,' Derzis said. Were not going to allow one officer to tarnish the reputation of the Hoover Police Department. Activist Carlos Chaverst, the president of Birmingham Justice League who organized protests in Hoover following the 2018 shooting death of Emantic EJ Bradford by a Hoover officer, released this statement following news of the officers firing: Hoover Police Department show time and time again they have no regard for black lives. Their officers continue to show disrespect to the movement and what we are protesting for. We appreciate Hoover Police for acting swiftly, but firing an officer isnt enough. The departments name has already been tarnished when there were no charges brought by an officer for killing Emantic Ej Bradford Jr inside the Riverchase Galleria November 22, 2018. This officer can now go to another department and do the exact same thing. Hoover should implement real policy changes to ensure this doesnt happen again. If they dont its merely a bandaid on a gunshot wound. Hoover, continue to punish your officer for doing wrong like you do us, but this is about policy not firing. Police in Hong Kong announced on Saturday that the annual pro-democracy rally which takes place every year on July 1 has been banned for the first time in 17 years. The protest rally has been taking place every year since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, reports Efe news. Hong Kong had been under British colonial rule until then when the control of the territory was handed back to the Chinese. The July 1 rally this year took aim at China's national security law which human rights groups fear could smother the semi-autonomous region's freedoms. China announced a draft national security law in May that would be imposed across its territory, including Hong Kong, to tackle "terrorism", "separatism" "subversion of state power" and foreign interference. The sweeping bill, which would bypass Hong Kong's legislature, would mean that mainland China would implant its national security apparatus to operate in the semi-autonomous region for the first time. In a letter sent to the pro-democracy group Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), authorities allege violent episodes have occurred in recent protests of this nature and that the march would put "pose a severe threat to public health" given the safety regulations in place to curb the coronavirus pandemic. "Due to persisting social unrest, Hong Kong police have cautiously assessed the risks and believe that some participants of this public assembly and public procession may depart from the planned rally location and marching route and violently vandalise buildings as listed above," the letter published by the CHRF on Facebook says. Despite the fact demonstrations called by CHRF have been mostly peaceful, Hong Kong police said activists "may pose a severe threat to the safety of other participants, citizens, journalists and police officers and you do not have the capacity to control their acts". Authorities said the rally would exceed the rule in place to stem the spread of Covid-19 whereby gatherings have been limited to 50 people. Since the pandemic struck, police have repeatedly rejected applications to hold public assemblies including the 30 year-old commemoration to honour victims of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. Since 1989, a candlelit vigil has taken place on June 4 and despite this year's ban thousands defied the order and gathered nonetheless. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has denied that there are any political motivations behind these prohibitions, but many critics are cynical given Hong Kong's Disneyland, public pools and bars have been authorized to operate freely. Hong Kong has been rocked by pro-democracy protests which have had a knock-on effect on the financial hub with local GDP falling by 2.8 per cent and 3 per cent in the last two quarters of 2019, and 8.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2020. The civil unrest combined with the dramatic impact of the pandemic on the global economy has further worsened the semi-autonomous region's economic forecasts. The political landscape in the former British colony has also deteriorated particularly since the announcement of Beijing's national security bill. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which articulated Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese hands in 1997, established a legally binding treaty whereby Hong Kong's freedoms and autonomy had to be safeguarded for at least 50 years from that date. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said on numerous occasions that the clauses of the treaty were fulfilled at the time. Lucys Retired Surfers Bar reopened in New Orleans on Friday (June 26) a week after voluntarily shutting down amid coronavirus concerns. There were tacos and burgers in the kitchen, shark attack cocktails at the bar and a renewed plea to customers coming through the door. Wear a mask, be respectful, remember were living in a very different world than a few months ago, said Caroline Kirkendoll, chief marketing officer for the beach-themed tavern. Were all in this together and if want to continue to be in this at all, to be open and serving our guests, we all have to take it seriously, she said. Businesses are gradually reopening with new protocols in place covering occupancy limits, sanitizing requirements and face mask use by staff. Some say the weak point of these protection tactics, however, is customer behavior, and particularly the less-than-universal embrace of face mask use. This has become an urgent new management task for operators. The health of staff and other customers relies on it and, with coronavirus cases rising again, so do the prospects of staying open right now. Lucys knows all about it. On June 18, the company shut down its flagship Tchoupitoulas Street location after one of its employees called out sick and later tested positive for the coronavirus. The restaurant underwent a deep clean and the rest of the staff were tested. Those tests came back negative, which Kirkendoll called a validation of the restaurants own safety measures. Getting customers to wear face masks while entering or circulating in the restaurant, however, has been more challenging. From the get-go the hardest part has always been to convince our guests to follow the guidance were getting, Kirkendoll said. Everything were doing will only go so far if theyre not. Health authorities have been urging people to wear face masks to curtail the virus spread, and in some situations requiring them. But in some circles their use has become yet another partisan issue. This new coronavirus evidence is plain as day, y'all. Wear a mask, Jeff Asher says. Louisiana is charging headlong through Phase 2 of reopening, and the most important piece of unsolicited advice I can offer is this: wear a mask. As arguments carry on in social media, however, hospitality businesses struggling to stay open have to contend with rising coronavirus risk for their customers and staff. In the week since Lucys temporarily shutdown, more local restaurants have followed suit, including the massive Chimes in Covington, the Bucktown seafood restaurant Station 6 and the Uptown bistro La Petite Grocery. La Petite Grocery reopened last week, after the restaurant was cleaned and the rest of the staff were tested with negative results, said co-founder Mia Freiberger Devillier. Even under the occupancy limits, business at the upscale bistro has been steady as locals have continued to dine out, she said. The shutdown, though brief, underscored how precarious staying open can be now. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Were just reminding everyone to wear masks when they come in, its not something people need to argue about, its a requirement, Freiberger Devillier said. As leaders in the industry, its our duty to react responsibly and safely, she said. We dont want to be put in time out again, she said. Time out has indeed have re-instituted in other area. On Friday, Florida and Texas announced they were shutting down all bars in their states after seeing sharp increases in cases. LaToya Cantrell: Abide by coronavirus restrictions or New Orleans will be shut down New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell warned a rise in new coronavirus cases could lead the administration to reintroduce restrictions on gatherin Last week, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell warned that rising cases numbers in the city could mean reinstating restrictions on gatherings and businesses. She said the city would set up a task force to find those violating rules. "If the city has to shut down we will do that, without any hesitation at all, because the public health will always be the top priority," Cantrell said at a press conference. Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng also warned of tighter business restrictions if coronavirus cases keep rising, and by Friday had created a "COVID compliance hotline" for residents to report violations. Under state guidelines for reopening, restaurants and bars should strongly encourage customers to wear masks or face coverings. In New Orleans, where restrictions and reopening rules have been stricter across the boards, face masks are required at all businesses and institutions. In practice, at places where people eat and drink, customers remove their masks when seated, and put them back on when entering, leaving or moving around the premises. At the Warehouse District steakhouse La Boca, chef Adolfo Garcia now serves as the doorman, greeting customers, checking reservations and also making sure they wear masks. Some people look at me like Im crazy, or they say we know its not you, the city is making you do this; but I tell them no, it is me, said Gracia. Its our responsibility to keep people safe here. If youre not wearing a mask youre not coming in the restaurant. For all the continued contention over mask use, the experience at Lucys this week told Kirkendoll that many costumers are watching how businesses apply health safety measures. Many applauded Lucy's precaution of temporarily closing, cleaning and testing, she said. We were worried about blow back but the response has been overwhelmingly positive, she said. Were talking about a health risk, not a PR risk. Peoples health is at stake in these decisions and our customers understood that. Thats been really heartening through this. +16 Dixie Beer, the oldest brewery in New Orleans, will change its name New Orleans has been hoisting Dixie beer for more than a century. Soon, that beer -- and the company behind it -- will have a new name. +2 Amid coronavirus uptick in Jefferson Parish, Cynthia Lee Sheng urges businesses to heed guidelines With Jefferson Parish coronavirus cases growing at more than double the rate of neighboring New Orleans over the last month, President Cynthia Key Lawmakers In Iran Begin To Corner Rouhani, Threatening To Question Him Radio Farda June 26, 2020 Nine committees of the Iranian parliament (Majles) have called on President Hassan Rouhani to change his administration's policies and improve its effectiveness before it is too late. Meanwhile, Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, a member of the Majles presidium and a member of parliament's economic committee warned Rouhani to announce a practical plan to solve the problem of the rising cost of living or lawmakers will summon him to the Majles for questioning. Some of the new lawmakers belonging to hardliner groups and many close to the Revolutionary Guard had said during their election campaigns that they would question or impeach Rouhani for his administration's failures. A few even threatened that they will take Rouhani to court. However, some analysts doubt if Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would allow this. The criticism directed by the newly elected hardliner parliament comes after their rivals in the "reformist camp" were disqualified to run. The attacks against Rouhani by hardliners intensified after the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and the country's economic situation deteriorated. As many people in repeated protests have blamed the foreign policy of the country, dictated by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as a reason for economic hardship, hardliners have been trying to pin all the blame on Rouhani. The call for a change in Rouhani's approach to management and government was made while Rouhani has less than one year before the next presidential elections and around 14 months before leaving the presidential palace at Sa'dabad in Tehran. Describing Iran's current situation as "painful," the letter that was published on the official website of the Majles on Friday June 26, says Rouhani "should change the way he has been managing the affairs of the state during the first seven years of his presidency to alleviate the nation's financial problems and to stabilize the markets." The heads of the Majles committees reminded Rouhani that he has sworn "to guard and implement a constitutional provision that calls for decent housing and employment for every individual in the nation." They also reminded Rouhani of the "gap between national objectives and what Rouhani has been able to do" during the past seven years. Some key members of parliament asked Rouhani "to look in the face of children who are searching the garbage for food, and those who are working at a fragile age" when he is on his way to the office. They asked Rouhani whether he was aware that some Iranian citizens who cannot make ends meet have to work three shifts a day. "Are you aware of foodstuff prices?" the lawmakers asked, adding if Rouhani is aware of how the food basket of a worker, an office clerk and a teacher is less than the minimum basket for survival. They also reminded Rouhani that parts of his administration obstruct the activities of entrepreneurs and industrialists while the officials simply regret what is happening rather than trying to reform the organizations they are managing. Meanwhile, the heads of the Majles committees accused individuals around Rouhani of lethargy and lack of motivation, adding that this spirit has led the nation to believe that the government has left them alone. The chairmen of Majles committees further criticized Rouhani for finding about events and catastrophes too late and responding with just a smile. They said this behaviour was "unacceptable." They further reminded Rouhani that the current Majles is revolutionary in nature and warned Rouhani that lawmakers will not remain silent when people's rights are compromised. The move by hardliners to hijack the issue of economic hardships, trying to portray themselves as defenders of impoverished citizens, they have turned a blind eye to lethal force used against ordinary Iranians who came out last November to protest corruption and poverty. Quite a few Iranian analysts have pointed out that Rouhani used to pretend to be on the people's side, when he needed their votes. After his second election as president in 2017, he no longer needs votes and sees his future in appointed positions rather than elected ones. So, he pretended to be a revolutionary in order to appease Khamenei. What he did not expect, was a new parliament full of self-proclaimed young revolutionaries he cannot compete with. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/key-lawmakers- in-iran-begin-to-corner-rouhani-threatening -to-question-him/30692462.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address These also necessary Jobs, health care, good education, access to opportunity, affordable housing these all make for a healthy community. Healthy communities dont see police very often. Rarely. When our neighbors, wherever they live in San Antonio, live in healthy communities, policing wont need a hefty portion of our city budget. Police are certainly necessary, of course. But so are health care services, good education, affordable housing and jobs. Rebecca Baker Policing not cushy I am not a policeman, and I dont personally know any policemen.However, from my average (old) guy perspective, it is tough to envision anyone signing up for police work because it is lucrative and cushy. Perhaps my high school guidance counselor was ill-informed. Thomas Short Rename Fort Hood Re: Military faces a battle in renaming Army Posts, Front Page, Sunday. This excellent story made me curious about how Mount Hood in Oregon got its name. It is not named for a defeated Confederate general but for a defeated British admiral who fought against the Colonies in the Revolutionary War. The Native American name for the peak is Wyeast. There is a movement to restore the peaks Native American name. We cant restore Fort Hoods name, but we should change it to one that doesnt honor a defeated Confederate general. Richard Sharer The childhood home of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, located at Patnas Rajeev Nagar on road number six, would be turned into a memorial, said an official statement released by his family members on Saturday. The memorial will house his telescope, books, flight simulator, guitar and other personal belongings. The family will also set-up a foundation Sushants Singh Rajput Foundation (SSRF) to support budding talents in the fields of cinema, sports, and science. His family will also maintain his social media accounts in his remembrance. From now on, we intend to maintain his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook page as legacy accounts to keep his memories alive. We once again, thank you all for the thoughts and prayers, it stated. Rajputs admirers in Bihar are paying tributes to him in different ways. Rajeev Nagar Chowk was renamed as Sushant Sigh Rajput Chowk in his memory by Shri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena on Friday. However, Patna Municipal Corporation is yet to approve the name change. Rajput was found dead at his apartment in Bandra, Mumbai, on June 14. His last rites were performed at the Pawan Hans crematorium at Vile Parle, Mumbai, on the following day and his ashes were immersed in the Ganges in Patna on June 18. President Donald Trump with RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Yuri Gripas/Reuters President Donald Trump and the GOP are not allowing rising coronavirus infections in Florida or strong local opposition deter planning for the president's GOP nomination victory speech in Jacksonville. Florida reported a new single-day high of almost 9,000 COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the state total to nearly 123,000 confirmed cases. As cases rapidly rise, a majority of voters in Duval County, where Jacksonville is, have expressed opposition to the convention taking place in the Florida city. The RNC said it "looks forward to holding a safe event in Jacksonville," adding that safety precautions will be in place that "will be adapted based on the situation at the time of the event." Neither the RNC nor the GOP mayor of Jacksonville would commit to making mask wearing mandatory at the convention. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Florida has emerged as a coronavirus hot spot, reporting a new single-day high of nearly 9,000 cases on Friday, but that's not deterring President Donald Trump and the Republican Party from moving full steam ahead with planning for his GOP nomination victory speech in Jacksonville. The Republican National Committee and the GOP mayor of Jacksonville both expressed confidence they could pull off the August convention without a hitch, despite the fact the COVID-19 outbreak in the Sunshine State appears to be spiraling out of control, which has catalyzed strong local opposition to the convention taking place in the Florida city. There are nearly 123,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Florida, and Duval County, where Jacksonville is, added a county record of 447 cases on Friday. Residents have expressed major reservations about the GOP convention taking place in their city. A majority of Duval County voters in a University of North Florida poll (58%) opposed Jacksonville hosting the convention, and 71% said they were very or somewhat worried about COVID-19 transmissions at the Republican event. A group called March on the RNC plans to hold an anti-Trump rally during the convention, according to News4Jax, and organizers expect thousands to attend. Story continues The Republican mayor of Jacksonville, Lenny Curry, does not seem particularly concerned about the opposition to the convention occurring in his city. "The mayor doesn't make policy decisions based on polling, especially those conducted over email," Jordan Elsbury, the Jacksonville mayor's chief of staff, told Insider in regard to the University of North Florida poll. FiveThirtyEight's pollster ratings gives the University of North Florida an A/B grade. "We are confident the city of Jacksonville can host world-class events in a safe and responsible way and will continue to monitor data over the coming months as we approach the event," Elsbury said. "We are currently working/planning with all event stakeholders to insure a safe and successful event." Public-health experts have repeatedly warned against large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, expressing concerns that such events could serve as superspreaders. The GOP convention is set to be held inside the 15,000-person VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Trump. Evan Vucci/AP Elsbury, when asked whether Curry would consider making mask wearing mandatory for the convention, said the mayor was "asking all citizens to exercise personal responsibility and wear masks in public." Though a growing body of research suggests that face masks prevent coronavirus transmission, Trump has politicized the issue and refused to wear one. The president recently suggested, without evidence, that some Americans are wearing masks during the coronavirus pandemic to express their disapproval of him and not for public-health purposes. Trump will address his supporters on the 60th anniversary of a brutal Ku Klux Klan attack on Black protesters in Jacksonville known as "Ax Handle Saturday." Elsbury said the mayor's office was not concerned that an event remembering the attack, which was planned before Trump's speech was moved to Jacksonville, would clash with the convention in any way. Jacksonville is about 31% Black, and the GOP convention is scheduled to occur during a summer in which the US has already seen massive protests against racism and police brutality, which have morphed into an anti-Trump movement in many ways. Curry earlier this month was met with chants of "No RNC! No RNC!" as he marched alongside peaceful protesters, CNN reported. The Republican National Convention was originally set to take place in full in Charlotte, North Carolina. The decision to move the president's speech to Jacksonville came after Trump butted heads with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, over social-distancing guidelines for the event. The president wanted a packed house and rejected measures Cooper insisted on to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Though Trump's speech is now set to occur in Jacksonville, the official party business of the GOP is still slated to take place in Charlotte. "The RNC looks forward to holding a safe event in Jacksonville to celebrate the re-nomination of President Trump and Vice President Pence," an RNC spokesperson said in a statement to Insider. "There will be safety precautions in place that will be adapted based on the situation at the time of the event. These include but are not limited to temperature checks, available PPE, aggressive sanitizing protocols, available COVID-19 testing, and regular phone calls and coordination with federal, state, and local health officials." The spokesperson said more details would be announced in the coming weeks. The RNC did not address a question on the local opposition to the convention taking place in the Florida city, nor did it respond when asked whether wearing masks would be mandatory for the event. The Trump campaign deferred to the RNC on all matters pertaining to the convention. Trump held his first campaign rally since the coronavirus pandemic began on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. About 6,200 people attended the event in a venue capable of holding 19,000 people. This shocked and enraged the president, The New York Times reported, and his campaign has said that protesters blocked people from attending the rally, without specifying how many were turned away. Before the rally in Tulsa, local health officials urged residents who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 to not attend and remain at home. The president's campaign is in trouble. Recent polling has shown former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, with a double-digit lead over Trump, whose overall approval rating has also dropped sharply between his botched responses to COVID-19 and the nationwide anti-racism movement. While the convention is still weeks away, Trump and his allies appear to be looking to the event as an opportunity to give his campaign some much-needed momentum even as questions remain as to whether it can safely occur. Read the original article on Business Insider Former Assistant Commissioner of Police (northeast Delhi) Anuj Kumar, who was injured in riots that took place in northeast Delhi in February, has been promoted and posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police of South Delhi. At least 11 police personnel, which included DCP Shahdara Amit Sharma and Kumar himself, were injured during the violence. Head constable Rattan Lal and an officer of the Intelligence Bureau, Ankit Sharma, lost their lives in the incident. The northeast Delhi riots broke out in late February when supporters and adversaries of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) clashed with each other. As many as 53 people lost their lives and over 400 were injured. (with inputs from ANI) A 28-year-old woman who discovered she had two wombs and was pregnant with a twin in each has been told that her case defies one in 50 million odds. Kelly Fairhurst, 28, was told by doctors that she had a rare condition called uterus didelphys, which means she has two wombs and two cervixes. Ms Fairhurst, who already has two daughters with her boyfriend, Joshua Boundy, was told the news at her 12-week scan. The twins could be identical. The condition itself is quite rare but they went on to tell me that it was a one-in-50-million chance for me to conceive twins in each womb, she told The Sun. Ms Fairhurst, from Braintree in Essex, was told that her uterus was not fully formed when she gave birth to her second daughter, however, doctors did not diagnose with her uterus didelphys. With my second baby they said that I might have a bicornuate uterus, which means its not fully formed, she said. So when I went for this scan, I was really surprised to learn that I have two of them. I just thought, God, thats a shock. It makes you feel incredibly grateful that this has happened to you and you get to have two amazing babies. March for Women's Lives: History in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 March for Women's Lives: History in pictures March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 Thousands rally in Washington DC on 25 April for the March for Women's Lives in favour of abortion rights AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 Thousands rally in Washington DC on 25 April for the March for Women's Lives in favour of abortion rights Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 Thousands rally in Washington DC on 25 April for the March for Women's Lives in favour of abortion rights Getty Images March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 Thousands rally in Washington DC on 25 April for the March for Women's Lives in favour of abortion rights AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 Demonstrators participating in the March for Women's Lives make their way over the Brooklyn Bridge to a rally at New York City Hall on 28 August 2004 AP March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 A demonstrator punches an effigy of President Bush as thousands take part in the March For Women's Lives Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 Anti-abortion counter-protesters oppose the March For Women's Lives in Washington DC Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 A police officer stands between two priests outside the US Supreme Court during the March for Women's Lives in Washington DC AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 Pro-choice activists shout slogans during the March For Women's Lives Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2004 The 2004 March for Women's Lives on the National Mall in Washington DC Jfruh March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2017 Protesters gather during the Women's March on Washington on 21 January Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2017 Protesters gather during the Women's March on Washington on 21 January Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2017 Protesters gather during the Women's March on Washington on 21 January AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2018 A woman shouts as she attends the Womens March on New York on 20 January AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2018 Protesters hold up placards during the Women's March in London on 21 January AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2018 Protesters hold signs as they attend the Womens March on New York on 20 January AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2018 Protesters hold signs near the White House following the Women's March on Washington on 20 January AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2018 A young protester hold up placards during the Women's March in London on 21 January Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2019 Protesters rally at the Womens March on Washington on 19 January AFP/Getty March for Women's Lives: History in pictures 2019 Protesters rally at the Womens March on Washington on 19 January AFP/Getty Professor Asma Khalil, an obstetrician at St Georges Hospital in London, told the publication that uterus didelphys is a congenital abnormality that typically occurs in one in 3,000 women. There are just a handful of recorded cases of women with uterus didelphys who gave birth to identical twins across the world it is extremely rare, she added. ALBANY The state cannot limit outdoor religious gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal judge in Albany ruled Friday. Senior U.S. District Judge Gary Sharpe ruled in favor of two upstate Catholic priests and three orthodox Jewish congregants in Brooklyn who asked the judge for an injunction on June 10 to keep the state and city of New York from enforcing restrictions on their religious gatherings. The suit was filed against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. On June 15, Cuomo modified an executive order to allow non-essential gatherings of up to 25 people. Two days later, de Blasio authorized his city agencies to enforce the governors order. In his ruling, the judge said Cuomo and de Blasio could just as easily have discouraged the large public protests that took place following the police killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd. That could have been done, Sharpe wrote, not to condemn the protesters message but in the name of public health. They could have also been silent, Sharpe stated. But by acting as they did, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio sent a clear message that mass protests are deserving of preferential treatment. Sharpe said Rev. Steven Soos and Rev. Nicholas Stamos, who hold masses in Glens Falls, Massena and Nicholville, have had to turn away parishioners or hold more masses per day than are possible. Drive-in masses have not helped, the judge said. Sharpe said the executive order has been a burden to the friends and families of people getting married or laid to rest. And the citing the objections of Orthodox Jewish congregants Daniel Schonbrun, Elchanan Perr, and Mayer Mayerfeld, the judge said synagogue prayers require a minimum of 10 males aged 13 or older, which prevents females and younger males from attending events. The judge said allowing outdoor graduations of up to 150 people was another exception that was not allowed for religious groups. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Having carefully reviewed the relevant issues, and with a firm understanding that the executive branch response to the pandemic has presented issues with a degree of complexity that is unrivaled in recent history, it is plain to this court that the broad limits of that executive latitude have been exceeded, Sharpe stated. The federal Department of Justice issued a statement later Friday from Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. "Todays federal court decision is a win for religious freedom and the civil liberties of New Yorkers," he said. "Government cannot discriminate by protecting free speech and the right to assemble while threatening or limiting religious exercise - it must protect all rights guaranteed under the First Amendment." The online opening ceremony saw the participation of leaders of the 10 ASEAN member countries, Vietnams National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman and Chair of 41st General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, NA Permanent Vice Chairwoman and head of the delegation to AIPA Tong Thi Phong, and Deputy PM, Foreign Minister and Chairman of the National 2020 Committee ASEAN Pham Binh Minh. Ambassadors of the ASEAN member nations, and representatives from foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations in Hanoi also attended the event. In his opening remarks, PM Phuc highlighted the theme of the Summit in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which is hitting the region and the world. He applauded the spirit of solidarity and coordination among the countries, and prompt actions they are taking in the fight against the disease. The PM called for stronger cooperation among the ASEAN member nations to effectively cope with the pandemic, affirming that Vietnam will continue to closely work with the other ASEAN member nations in the combat. He said ASEAN leaders will discuss measures to address the social and economic impact caused the COVID-19 crisis, post-pandemic recovery plans for the regional countries in the immediate time, and orientations to accomplish cooperation and integration goals of ASEAN in the year. PM Phuc thanked leaders of the ASEAN member nations and the blocs partner countries for their coordination with and support for Vietnam in joint efforts to respond to the pandemic, especially strong commitments at the Special ASEAN Summit and the Special ASEAN+3 Summit on COVID-19 in April. He expressed his hope that the 36th ASEAN Summit will be an opportunity for the regional countries to affirm their solidarity, strong political will and high determination to overcome all the challenges. The Vietnamese leader said he looks forward to the adoption of a Vision Statement on ASEAN's cohesion and proactive adaptation at the summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sent out a strong message of inclusivity, saying his Government does not discriminate on the basis of any faith or caste. Prime Minister Modi also praised the role of Mar Thoma Church in the freedom struggle. Modi was addressing the 90th birthday celebrations of Rev Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan. He joined the Kerala based Church via video conference. "Government does not discriminate among faith, gender, caste, creed or language," remarked the Prime Minister adding that the guiding light for the Centre is the Constitution of India. "The Mar Thoma church played a role in India's freedom struggle. The church was at the forefront of working towards national integration," remarked Modi while adding that the church fought the Emergency too. "It is a matter of great pride that the Mar Thoma church is firmly rooted in Indian values," he said. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Modi used the event to assert India's successful fight against Coronavirus. He said, "India's recovery rate against COVID-19 is rising. Any loss of life is unfortunate due to Covid-19 or any other reasons. However, India's death rate per million population is under 12. To place this in a context, the death rate in Italy is 574 per million population." He said that the figures in America, Spain, Britain and France are much higher than that of India. The Prime minister said while trade and businesses have started to open up, there is a need to practise precautions. Addressing the influential Church event, PM also spoke about self reliant India, saying it will bring "prosperity for every Indian". "The aim is to increase export earning and provide more employment to over 55 lakh people," he claimed. Rhoda Twombly has been as apprehensive as any islander about Covid-19, even though she lives in a community of just three on Inishlyre, Co Mayo. Isolation is a form of protection, so she and her husband Joe, a seasoned mariner, have weathered the pandemic well so far. However, the small island in Clew Bay is a magnet, being listed as a "safe anchorage" in pilot manuals because of the shelter offered by its natural harbour. Since the lockdown, the couple have had to ask passing traffic to give Inishlyre a wide berth. "Everyone who comes this way normally gets a cup of tea and a toasted sandwich from my sister-in-law Sheila, but even the visiting vet refused her hospitality and was very socially distant," Twombly says. Twombly, who is secretary of the Irish Island Network, Comhdhail Oileain na hEireann, is acutely aware that her situation may be the envy of other islanders. Over the past three weeks, offshore communities have been in turmoil over the timing of their reopening to visitors. Expand Close Faith: Community co-ordinator Aisling Moran on Sherkin Island. Photo by Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Faith: Community co-ordinator Aisling Moran on Sherkin Island. Photo by Steve Humphreys When the Government revised its roadmap out of lockdown, moving the date for allowing travel to and from islands from August 10 to next Monday, it caught everyone on the hop. "I don't remember anything like this," Dara Molloy, wedding celebrant on the largest Aran island, Inis Mor, says of the resulting intense debate. "It's very upsetting. We are split down the middle." With a total population of just under 3,000 extending from Donegal's Tory Island to Cape Clear off West Cork, islands offered ideal retreats when lockdown was activated - or so it seemed. On March 29, Island Ferries, serving the three Aran Islands, said it would no longer take tourists, and would transport only essential workers on a scaled-down schedule. Doolin Ferries suspended its service to Inis Oirr from Co Clare. Aer Arann put social distancing measures in place. Other State-funded island transport services followed. Tourism lifeline It seemed to work. Although the Government's Covid-19 data hub lists a small number of positive cases in six electoral divisions with offshore islands, residents are aware of only one confirmed - and now fully recovered - case to date, on Inis Mor. The State's sole island nursing home, Aras Ronain on Inis Mor, has been spared the suffering and heartbreak experienced in so many similar facilities, so far. Failte Ireland's marketing of the Wild Atlantic Way, along with a rapid growth in adventure pursuits and the continuing popularity of Irish language summer colleges, has boosted island tourism. There are still, however, ongoing issues over safe harbours, transport and health resources. These problems have come into sharp focus after last Friday's confirmation by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) that travel to and from islands could resume from June 29. Island tourism businesses that had been facing a wipeout season breathed a sigh of relief, aware that "staycationers" could offer a lifeline. Outgoing Gaeltacht minister Sean Kyne was far less enthusiastic. He opposed the Nphet advice, and had urged Leo Varadkar to consider a phased reopening. "The islands are just not ready," he said. Several days before the Nphet announcement, Inis Oirr said that 92pc of its residents and businesses opposed reopening for the rest of the summer because of fears over the spread of Covid-19. Kyne said that he had received lobbying from all sides, with compelling advice from medical professionals on the Aran Islands urging extreme caution. Worsening their fears is the fact that all three of the islands have had water rationing over the past couple of months following a prolonged dry spell. Irish Water said that despite this week's rain, which would allow for easing restrictions on Inis Mor, rationing would still be "necessary" on Inis Meain and Inis Oirr. Inis Oirr co-op manager Maire Ui Mhaolain said that the water situation had been so critical that farmers who could not send cattle to marts had contacted her to order imports of silage. Comhdhail Oileain na hEireann held a four-hour virtual meeting this week and called for "guidance and protocols from the Government and Nphet for the safe reopening of the islands and other related issues". The federation said that it had "not received any written reply to submissions to State agencies seeking direction and supports" for the offshore communities. "There's been no preparation of piers, where there can be bottlenecks with ferries berthing, we have a fragile elderly population and only one shop," says Brendan Tobin, Clare Island development manager. "So if the boatmen, the shopkeeper or the nurse gets Covid-19, there is no backup. If the Government can come up with protocols for bars, why not for islands?" There is similar apprehension on Donegal's Tory island, where co-op manager Marjorie Carroll says people are worried, and on the west Cork islands. Aisling Moran, community co-ordinator for West Cork's Sherkin, Long and Heir islands, says that the community had put its faith in Nphet. "Our primary concern is public safety - given that two of the islands have no public toilets, for instance," she says. "The lack of clarity is not helpful for anybody involved," say Mairtin O Mealoid, manager of the Cape Clear Island Development Co-operative manager. Kyne says he has made his concerns known to the Taoiseach and to Nphet, and had secured agreement that the situation would be reviewed at Thursday's Cabinet meeting. Ministers decided that the islands would open fully, with no phased approach. Rescue package plea The Inis Mor co-op decided the day before to conduct its own survey of views on the reopening date, with 85pc of the those who voted favouring a phased reopening. Dara Molloy believes that asking islands to come up with an agreed position is unreasonable and unrealistic. "Asking islanders to conduct a survey is going to measure three things - people's fear of the virus, people's ignorance of the science and people's apprehensions about tourism," he says. "The reality is that we haven't had complete lockdown here. Relatives have been travelling in and out, along with islanders on essential appointments, and I am in touch with island businesses who say that unless the Government bails them out with a rescue package, they will not survive." Noel Schofield, a former community development worker with Inishbofin Development Company off north Connemara, agrees. He questions Kyne's stance, asks if he is "seeking votes" and says he believes islands should not be treated as if they are "more precious" than the rest of the State. However, Brendan Tobin on Clare Island defends Kyne, pointing out he had initiated preparation of an island policy, which is in the new Programme for Government. "And if all this highlights one thing," he says, "it is that this new island policy must not be allowed to drift." WILLIAMS BAY Lake Geneva Cruise Line has offered a free charter cruise for graduating high school seniors, but not every school in the region is on board with the idea. Gage Marine, which operates the cruise line, was offering high school seniors a complimentary tour around Geneva Lake on June 23, after the coronavirus pandemic cancelled many proms and caused other disruptions for the class of 2020. But with coronavirus still representing a public health threat, two high schools decided that the celebratory boat ride was not worth the risk. Both Big Foot High School and Burlington High School declined the boat tour offer, citing recommendations from health officials that schools should not conduct any in-person activities until at least June 30. Big Foot district administrator Doug Parker said officials at the Walworth school chose not to participate because of concerns that students riding in the boat would not be able to engage in social distancing necessary to prevent the potential spread of the coronavirus. Parker also said the boats capacity was smaller than the graduating class, which could exclude some students if they missed the cutoff to register for the lake cruise. My first job is to protect the district, and thats what Im doing, he said. My second job is to ensure equity to all of our students, and by eliminating 30 students from the opportunity to do it, its not equitable. A social media post by Parker announcing the schools decision elicited responses from parents wishing more could be done to celebrate their graduates. Parker, however, said he had not received any calls questioning the decision to skip the boat ride. Burlington High School officials could not be reached for comment about their decision to turn down the offer. Lake Geneva Cruise Line extended its invitation to graduating seniors throughout the region, as a gesture toward high school graduates whose end-of-year ceremonies and traditions were being disrupted by the coronavirus. Organizers said they were taking precautions to safeguard against spreading germs during the event. Julie Baron, spokeswoman for the Williams Bay-based cruise line, said boats would be filled only to half-capacity and that social distancing would be encouraged among students climbing on board. Students were scheduled to participate from Badger, Williams Bay, Delavan-Darien and Elkhorn high schools. Each school was to have its own boat, each decorated in banners sporting different school colors. The parade was scheduled to leave the Riviera dock in Lake Geneva at 5:30 p.m. June 23 for a two-hour ride around the lake. Organizers said the students would be greeted by family members and friends waving from the shoreline. Badger senior Madison Schoolfield said she thought the Gage Marine offer was a great opportunity for students to celebrate their graduation during a time of uncertainty and anxiety. Being able to create a happy memory in such a tough time is something Im really looking forward to, Schoolfield said. Plus, its a fun excuse to get out on the lake in such a beautiful boat. As of June 22, 73 seniors out of 338 at Badger had registered for the boat ride. Badger was to ride on the Lady of the Lake boat, which typically has a 200-person capacity, which was reduced to 100 for the event, leaving 27 open seats. Badger Principal Jennifer Straus said the boat parade was a good way for the community to show support for 2020 graduates, who have missed out on so much because of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a wonderful opportunity for our seniors to celebrate their graduation from high school, surrounded by classmates both on and off the Lake Geneva Cruise Line boat, and with seniors from schools around the area, Straus said. Straus said with so many senior traditions cancelled, she was thankful that Gage Marine wanted to hold this special salute to local students. With reduced seating, an open-air situation and social distancing, Straus said she felt that student safety was not at risk. I appreciate Gage looking out for the safety of our students as they try to provide this opportunity, she said. Jim Karedes, principal at Delavan-Darien High School, said he, too, was thankful to Gage Marine for offering the lake cruise to graduating seniors. I jumped on this right away, he said, because I think its another great way that the community is reaching out to all schools. As of June 22, 11 seniors from Delavan-Darien had registered for the cruise, out of 80 seats available for the school on the ship known as Walworth. Karedes said there was some concern about public health safety, but that Gages decision to encourage social distancing and reduce its seating capacity eased those fears. He added that the event is optional and gives students the opportunity to participate if they feel comfortable doing so. We wanted to leave that option up to the students and their families, he said. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By PTI WASHINGTON: Mumbai terrorist attack convict David Headley cannot be extradited to India, but Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman co-conspirator Tahawwur Rana faces extradition, a US attorney has told a federal court while opposing his bail plea. Rana, 59, a childhood friend of David Coleman Headley, was recently rearrested on June 10 in Los Angeles on an extradition request by India for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed. He is a declared fugitive in India. According to the federal prosecutors, between 2006 and November 2008, Rana conspired with Headley, also known as "Daood Gilani", and others in Pakistan to assist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harakat ul-Jihad-e-Islami, both US-designated terrorist organisations, to plan and carry out the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistani-American LeT terrorist Headley was involved in plotting the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. He was made an approver in the case, and is currently serving a 35-year prison term in the US for his role in the attack. The US is yet to file India's request for Rana's extradition, but is expected to do it soon. It is evident that the offences for which Rana was tried in the Illinois court will differ from the Indian offences mentioned in the complaint. Rana in his defence has argued that US' decision not to extradite his co-conspirator, Headley, to India is inconsistent and bars his extradition. However, Assistant US Attorney John J Lulejian told a federal court in Los Angeles on Friday that unlike Rana, Headley immediately accepted responsibility for his conduct and pleaded guilty to all of the charges in the Superseding Indictment. "Because Headley fulfilled the required terms, the plea agreement established that Headley would not be extradited to India. Rana's situation is different because he neither pleaded guilty nor cooperated with the United States. As a result, he is unable to avail himself of the benefits afforded to Headley through his negotiated plea. Thus, he cannot complain that he faces extradition, while his co-defendant does not," the US attorney said. Rana's bail application is due for hearing next week. Early this week, his attorney told the court that the 26/11 convict is not a flight risk and has proposed a USD 1.5 million bond for his release. "Rana should be released on a robust bond: secured by approximately USD 1.5 million in property pledged by family and friends and under the supervision of his daughter, Lemaan Rana, a matriculating medical student and Ph.D.candidate," Amy Karlin, the Interim Federal Public Defender, said in the court submission on behalf of Rana. India seeks his arrest on a number of offences, including the conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating, and murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He is sought for his role in 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The US attorney urged the court to continue his detention pending the extradition proceedings to India. Describing Rana as a flight risk, the attorney said that no matter what bond package he offers, Rana poses an unacceptable flight risk. If the US extradites Rana to India and he is convicted of the charges, he may be eligible for the death penalty. Given what is at stake, Rana has an extreme incentive to flee and avoid facing these extradition proceedings, Lulejian said. "He could accomplish this by going into hiding within the US, but he has a particular incentive to go to another country that may not extradite him without assurances from India that it will not seek, impose or carry out the death penalty," the attorney argued. If Rana were to flee to Canada, his extradition from Canada to the US would take years and would require substantial resources by the governments of both Canada and the United States, and there is no guarantee that Canada would ultimately grant that extradition request, he said. However, even if Canada granted the request from the US, the terms of the US-Canada extradition treaty would prohibit the US from extraditing Rana to a third country, such as India, unless Canada granted its consent to do so, Lulejian said. Not only does Rana have an incentive to flee, but he has numerous international connections who can help facilitate his flight, he told the court. Rana ran an international immigration business for many years in Chicago, which allowed him to develop professional and personal relationships around the world. "Moreover, he was convicted of plotting an attack with and providing material support to an international terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. These international connections enhance Rana's flight risk because they can provide the means to flee this jurisdiction and potentially avoid extradition to India," Lulejian added. The 2008 Mumbai attack was one of India's most horrific terrorist attacks in which 166 people were killed and over 300 injured as 10 heavily-armed terrorists from Pakistan created mayhem. Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive, was hanged to death on November 21, 2012. Government is embarking on a nationwide random inspection of offices, shops and factories as coronavirus infections keep rising at workplaces in Ghana. The exercise to be carried out by the Ministry of Ministry of Employment and Labour from July 1 is to ensure strict compliance with and enforcement of all COVID-19 protocols and guidelines by government and WHO. It said government has noticed with grave concern the spread of COVID-19 infections at workplaces despite measures taken by Ghana to curtail the spread of the virus. The team will be taking interest in a response plan indicating the institutions preparedness for COVID-19 prevention at the workplace, evaluate mechanisms for COVID-19 prevention and look out for evidence of physical distancing during meetings. It will also conduct risk assessment of potential interaction between workers and non-workers at the workplace, train management and workers on the correct use, maintenance and disposal of protective gears. Also, the team will look for evidence of communication between management, workers and workers representatives or over the phone. A statement from the Ministry said the team will take interest in the existence of an isolation room for persons who develop Covid-19 symptoms at the workplace while awaiting transfer to an appropriate health facility. Arrangements for disinfection of the workplace will also be on the watch list of the team They will seek the organisations consultation with occupational health services, local public health authorities and other partners to promote and develop information materials and other technical advice to prevent risk of exposure. It has thus entreated employers and workers to make changes in their workplaces to curtail the spread of the COVID-19. Source: 3news 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 Kandahar: A suicide car bombing on Monday killed 14 people, including 10 Afghan police officers, as the Taliban launched a large-scale attack on the capital in southern Helmand province, the heartland of the insurgency. Since the beginning of this years fighting season, the Taliban have expanded their footprint across most of the province and have been at the gates of the city of Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital, for weeks. According to Haji Marjan, the police chief of Nad Ali district who has been deployed to the provincial capital, the explosion happened around 11.30 a.m., after the Taliban earlier targeted police checkpoints across the city. Marjan said at least 10 police officers, including his brother, and four civilians died in the bombing in the Mukhtar area of Lashkar Gahs police district 2. He warned that the death toll was likely to rise as it was unclear how many people remain unaccounted for after the explosion. A doctor at the international emergency hospital in Lashkar Gah said 14 bodies had been brought to the clinic. Speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media, the physician said 15 wounded were also brought in, including 14 who were victims of the car bombing and one person who suffered gunshot wounds. In the Afghan capital of Kabul, Sediq Sediqqi, the Interior Ministry spokesman, confirmed that the Taliban launched a large-scale attack on security checkpoints in Lashkar Gah on Monday but expressed confidence the Afghan security forces will soon push them back. Abdul Majeed Akhonzada, the deputy director of Helmands provincial council, said the militants entered the city after breaching the Afghan forces defense security belt. A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the insurgents were advancing through Lashkar Gah. Helmand is strategically important for the Taliban as it is the main source of the countrys opium output, worth an estimated USD 4 billion a year, much of which funds the war. Provincial officials have said the Taliban now control 85 percent of the province, while only a year ago, the government controlled 80 per cent. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service CHENNAI: Expressing optimism, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Sivan on Saturday declared the creation of new Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and a set of reforms that will help curb "brain drain". Sivan accepted that the manpower with ISRO was just a miniscule of talent India produces. Thousands of engineers pass out each year and many migrate to other countries due to limited opportunities within the country, he said. "All this will change with the creation of IN-SPACe, which is a new vertical under Department of Space (DoS) and bring private players on board. Many Indian start-ups have expressed interest in participating in space-based activities. We have not yet received any proposals from big players as yet, but hope to receive soon," Sivan said replying to The New Indian Express query during a virtual press conference. Sivan said the demand for space-based applications and services was growing but ISRO alone cannot cater to it. The space agency aims to focus more on capacity building and R&D, which shifting the mantle of building rockets, satellites to private sector. The companies can also build their their own launch pads. "ISRO is ready to provide all its facilities to private players whose projects had been approved by IN-SPACe, which will be operational in next six months," he said. Welcoming the move, SR Chakravarthy, an aerospace engineerig professor at IIT Madras and Cofounder-Adviser at Agnikul Cosmos, told Express that the decision will open up lot of employment opportunities, besides boosting industrial growth. "It is not that there is no private industry involvement in Indias space sector. Lot of space grade components are manufactured by private industries, but the problem is ISRO is the only client for them, which makes it difficult for upscaling. Now, with the latest reforms lot many people will be able to manufacture and launches vehicles, at least Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs), which will increased industries client base and their profit margins," Chakravarthy said. Coronavirus delayed Gaganyaan mission Speaking about the anticipated Gaganyaan mission, Sivan said the coronavirus pandemic is responsible behind the delay in its space missions scheduled this year, including Chandrayaan-3, Aditya L1 etc. Adding, that a full assessment of the pandemic on ISRO operations will be made after the situation normalises. All our projects are affected due to lockdown. Design and development are under our control and happens within ISRO centers with minimal staff as per local restrictions. "But the manufacturing happens across 500 big, small and medium industries across India. Due to the current situation manufacturing activities are not taking place and hardware cannot be supplied to us. Even our scientists can't travel across India due to the restrictions. A true impact assessment will be available only after normalcy resumes," he said. Land acquisition for Kulasekarapattinam launch pad Meanwhile, the land acquisition for Kalasekarapattinam launch pad in Thoothukudi is underway, Sivan announced. "Once, Tamil Nadu government hands over the land to Department of Space, ISRO will begin building the launch pad," he said. He also said that it would be similar to the existing one at Sriharikota, but the new location would offer advantages for polar launches. Sriharikota launch pads are ideal for Eastward launches but are not so ideal for southward launches for Polar (PSLV, SSLV Missions). "When we launch southwards from Sriharikota, there is a landmass below, and also further down south, we have Sri Lanka. Usually, we launch Polar missions towards the south-east and then negotiate Sri Lankan landmass and then proceed further south. This leads to more fuel being spent for the maneuver and it affects the payload capacity of small rockets. But from the Kulasekarapattinam launchpad, we can directly launch southwards," he explained. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) Nurses in Cebu cry for help as they continually run low on supplies and manpower in their fight against COVID-19 in the province. Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) Cebu Chapter President Joseph Descallar admitted in a CNN Philippines interview Saturday night that many nurses in Cebu are already contemplating on quitting their jobs due to unmet benefits and incentives. According to him, medical institutions either give their hazard pays late or not at all. In terms of hazard pay, we humbly urge private institutions to provide the same incentive to all our nurses... and for all government agencies to release such in a timely manner, PNA Cebu said in a statement Descallar added that more and more nurses are being sent to quarantine facilities, leaving hospitals with understaffed healthcare workers. Totoo po na we are very understaffed. Ang ating mga nurses ay under quarantine... Our nurses are wearing PPEs for eight to 10 hours. [Translation: It is true that we are understaffed. Our nurses are under quarantine.] Descallar also shared that some nurses find it difficult to commute to and from their respective hospitals due to strict border controls. He said most of them resort to walking home. The country now has 23,667 active cases, with Cebu now a COVID-19 hotspot. Jill Karnicki, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer State Sen. Royce West was our choice for the March Democratic primary for U.S. senator when there were 12 candidates in a packed field. He remains our choice now that there are just two candidates in the July 14 runoff. West, 67, was the first black section chief in the Dallas County District Attorneys office before running for a seat in the Texas Senate. First elected in 1992, he championed in his first term a radical idea: Building a brand-new state university in South Dallas, a dream that eventually included the citys only public law school. It is with heartfelt sadness we at The Saturday Funnies grieve over the news that one of the genuinely funny men in Chattanoogas glorious history of belly laughs, Luke Morin, died on Tuesday after living a life as full and happy as he so richly deserved. Luke lived for every moment and it is the endless memories of some of his world-class capers that will keep a smile on the faces of his many, many friends for as long as each shall live. Luke discovered his own humor at an early age but when it was blended with some of the other true masters, such as those who have gone before like Billy Phillips, George Von Cannon, Dr. Jack Camp, Oop Smith, Guy Willingham and those still among us Toto McGinness, Prescott Richter, Garnett Smith and Frank Fowler oh mercy me, the priceless times that were simply sterling. Lukes crowd were gifted practical jokers and why we must save the best shenanigans for a Celebration of Life soon to come, The Legend of the Lady and her Beehive was one of his earliest adventures. A couple of years after his Darlington years, Luke let it slip hed wrangled a date with the Miss North Alabama Poultry Queen. Not only that, shed agreed to drive almost two hours to meet our hero at the South Broad Krystal, which was just a skip and a jump from The Broad Street Drive-In Picture Show. Unwittingly, Luke shared that it took two and a half angora goats to make the Queens sweater, this despite its plunging neckline, but no! her biggest claim was that her beehive hairdo, was said to be the biggest east of Arkansas. Youve never seen such, it was said, and when she did her on-stage strut, the rumor had it her spike-heeled self was so tottery, the women in the crowd were scared shed fall backwards she was carrying so much hairspray tonnage in her beehive while the men knew shed fall forward due to her overly-ample chest. Everybody knew shes never once seen her toes. Luke had talked it up like P.T. Barnum so on the afternoon of the big day, a bunch of his confederates were laughing over what Lukes debut into life with the glamorous types would be like. They were lounging around the Willingham pool when one said hed passed the drive-in marque and that nights feature was The Return of the Batwoman, and all the Lotharios rolled their eyes, knowing such boredom indicated the smooching would start earlier than usual. Then somebody asked if bats didnt have some kind of sonar or radar that kept them from banging into roofs or trees or rocks during the night. Calder, the font of knowledge, allowed that was true and then came the question, Can they dodge poofed-up hair! and everyone laughed but only too briefly. No, the crowd resembled a cluster of young Indian braves, all on the alert. Lets get Dads duck boat, drive down to Haletown and slip into the bat cave During the daytime the bats hang from the ceiling in the cave and you can pick em like grapes if youre wearing leather gloves what say we get about a dozen and put in a croaker sack. When the bat woman screams, one of us can slip a hand underneath the speaker and turn it as loud as it will go. Then we untie the knot in the sack and toss it into the dark inside of the car . then all we gotta do is push hard again the outside of the doors of Mr. Morins car so they can be opened from the inside. Remember, too, boys we got to slap the windows about every 15 seconds to keep the bats agitated. Can you believe Lukes friends were this heinous? They were about nine in the big Chevy Suburban that watched for the rendezvous at the Krystal. About 8:30 dusk was begging to settle and comes our hero Luke. He stood in front of the plate-glass window, curling his jacket collar like the movie star Marlon Brando and, whew! he must have reached for his hip-pocket comb 17 times. Soon the two-tone Thunderbird pulls in the lot -- aqua and pink and while it was two or three years old, no doubt it had a purpose in show business. The Poultry Queen honked and waved, pulled into a parking space and, when he got out and stood still, parts of her kept moving. Her beehive hairdo, so help me, was as plumped and pooched so it was longer and fuller than the top half of her body vertical or horizontally makes no difference it was that summers biggest natural wonder. From what we could see shes borrowed her little brothers cut-off Levis, no telling how many shoe horns shes used to get em on, and she had on her signature rhinestone spiked heels under well-tanned and slick-lotioned legs (you remember that girl in Cool Hand Luke that was washing her car?). Im guessing the spikes added eight inches to her height but how would you ever measure? And dont you think I could hardly wait to see her walk through the drive-ins aptly named pea gravel to use the ladies room. Casanova opened the passenger side of his sparkling chariot and off to the picture show the two did then go with smiles of effervescent Pepsodent. We decided to wait 10 more minutes, the lad holding the croaker sack cutting the silence. These bats are beeping or something it is making me a little nervous which resulted in such a new wave of hilarity that a pit stop at the Krystal was unavoidable. None of the Broad Street Raiders had ever paid as much as what it took to get into the drive-in. In a big-body Suburban nobody can hide in the trunk. The ticket taker said he didnt get discounts when he rented the movies so I dont give I notice you dont have any girls with you yall aint up to something, are ya? Well, the parking was about full, but luck handed us a spot on the very back row, one back and one down from Lukes father car, quickly tabbed The Lincoln of Love. We made it through the previews and the little jingle, Lets all meet at the concession stand. No worries there Luke had boasted loud and long about his prized picnic basket, with its chilled rose, and soon the feature began. We scouted the perimeter pretty well. There were two couples in a pickup that was parked backwards with the speaker attached to their cooler and there was no doubt we were deep into lovers lane. Lots of windows fogged quickly, and soon giggles and squeals and a hardy laugh or two rent the darkness. About two minutes until kickoff, came a voice. We got this planed out well, four to each side of the car and the other to drape the windshield (which is terrorist lingo for Never let the terrified get a glimpse of freedom) but we aint talked about the escape. Long pause, and then somebody offered, The minute Luke manages to get through a door or a window, everybody haul it hard back to Suburban and we scratch off Dont tarry now, boys Luke aint given none of us a ride home. One who attended Auburn was reminded, One time I took this girl who was a barrel racer in county fairs to the drive-in in Opelika. When she got in the car she had her Bible and said she promised it would be between us in the front seat the whole time Bout an hour later we were in the backseat when she sang towards the heavens, Momma, the Bible is right where I promised it would be but here in the back seat its too late to turn back now! At the command, Lets make this happen, the Broad Street Raiders crept low towards The Lincoln of Love. The bagman gave the croaker sack two healthy shakes to make sure the bats had time to turn on the radars, jerked out the knot, and hurriedly tossed the package into the passenger floor board, slamming the door. Our boy Luke yelps, What is this! Then he adds to the Poultry Queen, Im afraid somebody is playing a little joke on us But, no this buzzing sound starts inside the big Lincoln and there began the havoc. The two occupants have never seen a bat, needless to add several going warp speed. Understand, the car is completely dark but then we learned its true; the bats standard equipment does work well on bee-hived hairdos. Luke commenced to cussing, loud, angry, ferocious words. But the poultry queen starts screaming beginning from her spiked rhinestones and reverberating through her entire body, and louder than a trains horn. It was continuous, the decibels higher and higher. The shirtless guys in the pickup got there first, certain a murder was taking place. Here the scoundrels are on both sides of the car had become motionless the drama instantly larger than their weekly allowance. The quick thinker in the group yells, The doors are locked from the inside, we cant get in! Thats when the second guy in the pickup truck shows up with a piece of firewood a big log! and shattered the passenger-side front window. As if on cue, the Raiders rush Luke: Are you okay! Are you okay, buddy! About six women are pulling much-relieved bats from the Poultry Queens hair and are amazed as each cave-dweller instantly darts away The quick thinker says loudly, Fellas I think they got this they dont need us anymore, and walks casually towards the Suburban. The others pick up on the ploy except for one moron, who is determined to apologize for his poor judgement. Just before he finished, a cast of blue lights roars into the hurriedly emptying drive-in. They get a radio call there has been an attempted murder. The raiders finally got the Apostle Paul into the car, gave him stern orders to shut up no matter what next, but as the Suburban drove slowly towards the exit, a police cruiser cut in front and another in back. Luck shined again, because one in the big Chevy knew a good number of the police officers by related avocation. It was explained a funny prank had gone awry and, the long and short, the Broad Street Raiders were admonished to increase their good behavior. Oh yes sir yes sir! After not many years Luke came around to remember it as one the funniest moments and, trust me on this, there were many other pranks and magical moments down through the decades when Luke was not only on the winning side, he was more times than not the ring leader. Luke Morin, hear it from me, was an American classic, and he was evermore an original. Farewell, old son, on smooth seas with forgiving winds, until our laughter can be shared once again. Luke, you were among the greatest ever, and you and I have known a bunch of the merriest, havent we? I can attest that when you left us Tuesday, you were very much at the top of our class. May I say thank you. * * * THE CLOCKS THAT TICK IN HEAVEN A man died and went to Heaven. As he stood in front of the Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him. He asked, "What are all those clocks for?" St. Peter answered, "Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone who has ever been on earth has a Lie-Clock. Every time you lie, the hands on your clock move." "Oh", said the man. "Whose clock is that?" "That's Mother Teresa's", replied St. Peter. "The hands have never moved, indicating that she never told a lie." "Incredible", said the man. "And whose clock is that one?" St. Peter responded, "That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have moved twice, telling us that Abraham told only two lies in his entire life." "Where's Nancy Pelosi's clock?" asked the man. St. Peter replied, "We're using it as a ceiling fan." * * * VISIT YOUR UROLOGIST VIA TELEMEDICINE My urologists office called today and explained that my scheduled appointment this afternoon would now be done over the phone due to the coronavirus quarantines. One hour before the scheduled teleconference, I was instructed (via email) to administer my own urine test. This home test is approved by AMA and FDA, and you also avoid those lab tests and costly co-pays that your doctors usually tell you to get. Here are the directions: Simply go outside and pee in the front yard. If ants gather: DIABETES If you pee on your feet: PROSTATE If it smells like barbecue: CHOLESTEROL If your wrist hurts through the process: OSTEOARTHRITIS If you return to your house with your pants unzipped: ALZHEIMER'S * * * THIS WEEKS BEST VIDEOS * -- There is a young black woman who has an Internet podcast, the JayyShow, that is a hoot. Some of her viewers enticed her to listen to a 1965 song by the Righteous Brothers, Unchained Melody. Watch her reaction to a song that is 55 years old. Priceless. CLICK HERE. * -- Several weeks before the coronavirus drove us inside, a 12-year-old girl in Santa Monica, Ca., named Karolina Protsenko walked into the street and played the great Celine Dion hit by ear, My Heart Will Go On. Note this is without music, conductor just this gentle girls ear. Think she may be a prodigy? This was on March 28 and, thus far, 9,237,150 have watched this. CLICK HERE. * - One more Karolina. She did one of Elvis Presleys songs Cant Help Falling In Love this has been viewed over 10 million times. This was when she was 11 years old. CLICK HERE. * -- With current events being what they are, please take a moment to hear the legendary Paul Harvey explain A Policeman. CLICK HERE. * -- God Only Knows affirms why many Americans are getting the wrong information and are being suckered by the losers. CLICK HERE. royexum@aol.com (Natural News) Hong Kong authorities have confirmed that a number of people infected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) had flown into the territory in recent days. These incidents highlight the challenges of controlling the pandemic while governments attempt to safely reopen borders. According to Hong Kong authorities, the travelers confirmed to have the coronavirus included one passenger traveling on a Cathay Airways flight from Manila, another on a Cathay Dragon flight from Kuala Lumpur and 45 passengers on Emirates flights from Dubai. The travelers from Manila and Kuala Lumpur were diagnosed with COVID-19 before they traveled; meanwhile, the passengers on the Emirates flight including some who had come from Pakistan were either confirmed or probable cases. All arrivals from high-risk areas are sent to 14-day quarantine centers in Hong Kong. Passengers had tested positive before flying For the Emirates flight, documents issued by Hong Kongs Centre for Health Protection (CHP) show that many of the infected passengers had actually come from Pakistan. The passenger on the Cathay Pacific flight was a 58-year old man who had tested positive in the Philippines before boarding the flight to Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the infected passenger on the Cathay Dragon flight was a 39-year old woman returning from India via Malaysia. She declared, after landing, that she had tested positive and had been treated for the coronavirus in India last month. The CHP, which advises against travel outside of Hong Kong, stated that it was in contact with authorities in both the Philippines and India to obtain more information about these cases. Meanwhile, Emirates has stated that it was temporarily suspending passenger services from Pakistan. The arrivals are not likely to be isolated cases. While a number of countries, such as Australia, have stated that their borders will likely remain closed for the rest of the year, others are working to allow more international flights. (Related: Coronavirus spreads to Ecuador and the Republic of Ireland, both from passengers who flew commercial airlines.) Stopping the virus from hitching a ride on planes requires more cooperation The cases of infected travelers underscore the risks of easing travel restrictions while the pandemic continues to spread around the globe. Airlines, many propped up by government bailouts, have been lobbying to get their planes back in the air as they face more than $84 billion in losses this year. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) a trade association representing over 300 airlines worldwide has recommended steps such as checking passengers temperatures at airports and wearing face masks to protect passengers and crew from infection. Last week, the IATA outlined recommendations for COVID-19 testing, saying that it would ideally be before arriving at the airport and within 24 hours of travel. If testing is required for travel, then not only should it be done before departure, but governments would also need to mutually recognize test results. The incidents in Hong Kong, however, demonstrate that airline passengers can bypass voluntary requirements and that airlines can do little to stop them. Taking temperatures and having passengers wear masks on flights are steps we can do to ensure the virus doesnt spread, Korean Air Lines said in a statement. For measures to be put in place to ensure infected passengers dont fly, it has to be done by the authorities and its not something an airline like us can do on our own. During an online conference hosted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac reiterated that more collaboration between governments is needed. He stated that it doesnt work for countries to impose and lift border restrictions unilaterally. Not everyone agrees with the sentiment. A spokesman for the Philippine Bureau of Immigration said that it was not the agencys job to check health clearances. We only check the passport and boarding pass, spokesman Melvin Mabulac said. Follow Pandemic.news to learn more about how the coronavirus is affecting global travel. Sources include: Bloomberg.com SCMP.com A top police chief has slammed Liverpool FC supporters for their "irresponsible and criminal actions, warning them that the danger of coronavirus has not "gone away". Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Andy Cooke said the behaviour of fans celebrating the club's Premier League triumph - which saw thousands gather at Pier Hard despite warnings about social distancing - had "potentially increased the danger of a further rise in the pandemic." He urged fans to "think of others and don't gather", adding: "People are dying". It came as Liverpool FC also condemned the behaviour of crowds of fans. Amid the chaos, the Liver Building was set alight as fireworks were launched. Chief Constable Cooke said: "I have consistently communicated the dangers of mass gatherings throughout the pandemic and my colleagues have constantly during this time put themselves in danger to keep the public safe. "Those who gathered last night have potentially increased the danger of a further rise in the pandemic. The actions of the minority were not only irresponsible but criminal." He added that 15 people had been arrested and that the force would be trying to identify more suspects. Mr Cooke said: "Last night children and families were present alongside others and heavy handed police intervention was therefore not appropriate at the time. "Later on in the night, 15 people were arrested for violent disorder and my officers were subjected to a number of violent confrontations. This is not acceptable." The chief constable, himself a Liverpool supporter, said CCTV was being examined to identify those responsible for criminal or anti-social behaviour and urged fans to wait until it was safe to celebrate the clubs first Premier League win in 30 years. Eariler today, a joint statement on behalf of the club, Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police said: Our city is still in a public health crisis and this behaviour is wholly unacceptable. The potential danger of a second peak of Covid-19 still exists and we need to work together to make sure we dont undo everything that has been achieved as a region during lockdown. Liverpool fans let off flares outside the Liver Building in Liverpool / PA When it is safe to do so, we will all work together to arrange a victory parade when everyone can come together to celebrate. Until that time, the safety of our city and our people continues to be our number-one priority. Videos circulating on social media showed a firework hitting the Liver Building, which is partly owned by Everton FC majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, as fans celebrated the clubs first Premier League win in 30 years. Four fire engines were sent to the building, where they extinguished a blaze on a balcony, a Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said. Merseyside Police said the crowd developed quickly and officers had to close off side roads leading to the area for public safety. The statement added: We all understand that fans want to celebrate, but now is not the time. We need to get through this first, and know that it is safe, before any victory parade can go ahead. But rest assured, when the time is right the city can have a party and paint the town red, but we need to be patient for the safety of the public of Merseyside. Metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said: The vast, vast majority of supporters followed the advice of the police, the club, the council, myself and others, to celebrate safely and at home. They deserve our praise and thanks for doing so. Unfortunately, a small minority of people did not listen to these pleas and instead chose to gather in public. In some cases, people behaved in a way that would be unacceptable even if we were not still grappling with a global pandemic. Apple is closing its stores again in Florida. Texas is pressing the pause button on its reopening plans. Michigan is delayed Phase 5 of its return to economic life, and even DisneyLand has put the brakes on its plans to invite the public back to its theme parks. The reopening failed, and coronavirus cases are once again soaring, even if Vice President Pence is encouraging the media to focus on the positive details. President Trump told an audience in Phoenix on Tuesday that the virus is going away, but a White House internal task force disagrees. Cases are once again on the rise amid a resumption of all kinds of activities wherein the masses are throwing caution to the wind. Phoenix has recorded 13,169 new cases in seven days--a nearly 150% jump over the previous week. On Wednesday, Alabama reported 1,1129 new cases, and Nevada reported 497 new cases. California and Florida are also reporting average highs. Florida and Texas announced Wednesday they had each recorded more than 5,000 new cases, breaking all records, two days in a row. California is even worse, reporting more than 7,000 new cases. Due to concerns in California, Disneyland will not reopen as scheduled on July 17th, though Florida reopening plans still appear to be on track despite concerns in that state as well. The governor of Texas has now paused further economic reopening phases. Michigan has recorded 19 more deaths linked to coronavirus and on Wednesday confirmed 353 cases of the virus. Michigan, which has been more cautious than some other states, has seen a rolling 7-day average of cases up slightly, with the past few days showing a worrying trend but not on the level of other states where reopening has gone wild. Related: Luxury Clothing Isnt A Priority As Americans Grapple With COVID-19 Across the Atlantic, the European Union has said it may ban American travelers as it reopens its borders because of the United States failure to get the virus under control effectively. In the meantime, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that 10 times more Americans have likely contracted the virus than have been reported. "Our best estimate right now is that for every case thats reported, there actually are 10 other infections, CDC Director Robert Redfield told reporters Thursday. The worst fears of a rushed reopening are now emerging, with concerns that an unfettered return to normalcy could set back economic recovery even further. Adding to the downbeat atmosphere on Thursday, Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank President Esther George said COVID infection surges will remain a threat to the economy until we have a vaccine. While we saw strong job gains in these industries in May, with employment increasing by 2 million jobs, a full recovery is still far off, she said. By Michael Kern for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: Imran Khan on Pakistani-US Relations: 'We Will Not Fight Their War' Sputnik News 01:20 GMT 26.06.2020 New Delhi (Sputnik): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday took credit for holding successful peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban on behalf of the US, stating that the world has acknowledged Islamabad's efforts toward reconciliation in the region. Relations between Pakistan and the US are based on trust and do not have a two-faced policy, said Imran Khan on Thursday while addressing the National Assembly in Islamabad. The prime minister, however, noted that Pakistan will only participate in American peace efforts. "We told them we will not fight their war," said Khan. He added that Trump is now showing respect towards Pakistan, asking for help in reconciliation with Afghanistan. Khan maintained that peace in Afghanistan is in the best interest of the region. Last September, Khan had said that Pakistan committed its biggest blunder when it joined America's War on Terror strategy in Afghanistan. "We lost 70,000 people. We lost over a hundred billion dollars to the economy. And in the end, we were blamed for the Americans not succeeding in Afganistan," Khan had said at a press conference. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Pakistan expressed disappointment over the US's 2019 Report on Terrorism, describing it as self-contradictory and selective. "We are disappointed with the U.S. State Department's Annual Country Report on Terrorism for 2019, which is self-contradictory and selective in its characterization of Pakistan's efforts for countering terrorism and terrorist financing," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad stated on Thursday. The US State Department stated in its report on Wednesday that Pakistan continues to be a "safe haven" for regionally focused terrorist groups and allows outfits including the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed to operate from its territory. "We reject any insinuation about any safe haven. Pakistan will not allow any group or entity to use its territory against any country," the ministry added. In recent months, Pakistan has prosecuted and convicted the leadership of several proscribed groups, which has been acknowledged by the United States as well. The American report noted the sharp decrease in the incidence of terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Earlier this February, US President Donald Trump said that the relationship with Islamabad is a "very good one and thanks to these (operation against terrorists) efforts, we are beginning to see signs of big progress with Pakistan". A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More India's second largest IT service major Infosys said that the impact of COVID-19 in June quarter was less than what it envisaged in April. However uncertainty around recovery and second wave presents challenges, said Salil Parekh, CEO, Infosys. This comes at the back of increasing investment in digital technologies by clients and opening up of many economies such as the US and countries in the EU. Speaking at the 39th Annual General Meeting that was held virtually, Parekh said that in April, the company anticipated business impact in deal closures and longer decision cycles at the back of the pandemic. However the business impact is less than what we envisaged in April since many of the economies opened up with strong government fiscal monetary support. We have not seen large scale cancellations, he added. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show The company is also seeing move to digital driving growth. Overall we see increase move to digital and we are assisting them more and more in this regard, Parekh said. We are confident that if we continue to work with our clients on the immediate and emerging technology needs, we will actually emerge stronger, he added. With demand for new age technologies such cloud, automation increasing, the company is actively looking to acquire companies in area of cloud, data and in specific geographies. Vendor consolidation will also drive growth for the firm. However, with the duration of recovery uncertain and possibility of second wave present challenges. There is no clear sense yet of when the recovery will set in and the sentiment of our clients or their employees will return. Another is the second wave that could emerge, Parekh pointed out. The impact will be felt the most in verticals such as manufacturing and retail, whereas healthcare and communication will see minimal impact. Also Read: Work from home: Infosys looking at hybrid workplace model for the future Economic slowdown is a concern too. The company expects that slowdown will impact deal closures and decision cycle of verticals in the short-term. However medium to long-term will see positive activity. However ban on non-immigrant visa till December or Indo-China standoff is unlikely to impact its business, said Parekh. H-1B and China business disruptions Currently 60 percent of the companys workforce in the US are either American workers or permanent residents. Nandan Nilekani, chairman, Infosys, said that the company employs more than 10,000 American workers in the US. Parekh pointed out that more localisation across geographies in the pipeline to ensure business continuity. While Indo-China border standoff is a concern, the company said that there are no business disruptions as these are serviced by the local Chinese employees. However, the company would comply with government directions in the country it is operating as per its protocol. FRANKFURT (Reuters) - European Central Bank policymakers, fending off a German court challenge to their money-printing scheme, insist that bond buys help prop up the economy and their benefits outweigh the side effects, minutes of their June 4 meeting showed on Thursday. Germany's Constitutional Court ruled last month that the ECB overstepped its mandate with over 2 trillion euros ($2.24 trillion) of government bond purchases. The court ordered the Bundesbank to quit the scheme unless the ECB can prove it is needed within three months. In an indirect response to the ruling, ECB rate-setters said at their latest meeting that a volume of evidence had been amassed to prove that bond buys are a necessity at the moment, crediting them with keeping borrowing costs down while the European Union recovered from its recent debt crisis. "There was broad agreement among members that while different weights might be attached to the benefits and side effects of asset purchases, the negative side effects had so far been clearly outweighed by the positive effects of asset purchases on the economy in the pursuit of price stability," the ECB said in its minutes of the meeting seen by Reuters. The ECB agreed on Wednesday to give documents to German authorities to prove the proportionality of its bond purchases but the ECB will not directly engage in the process, leaving the Bundesbank to spearhead the process. In parallel, the ECB has been drawing up contingency plans to carry out its multi-trillion-euro bond-buying programme without the Bundesbank and launch an unprecedented legal action against the German central bank. Still, ECB policymakers acknowledged the risks and side effects of low rates, including the drain on savings and drag on bank earnings. They also noted that high government debt could pressure the ECB to keep rates low since higher borrowing costs could quickly raise debt sustainability concerns. But these risks could be mitigated by self-imposed limits on the bond purchases, such as national quotas determined by how much capital each country paid into ECB coffers, the rate-setters argued at their June 4 meeting. Story continues "Using the ECBs capital key as the benchmark was one of the safeguards helping to maintain incentives for sound fiscal policies," the ECB said in its minutes. Facing the biggest European economic contraction in generations, policymakers at the June 4 meeting extended emergency bond purchases until mid-2021 and increased them by 600 billion euros to 1.35 trillion euros to help member state governments finance their crisis response. While there was broad agreement on the package, the minutes showed some disagreement over both the timing and the size of the increase. Reuters reported after the meeting that policymakers had debated increases of between 500 billion and 750 billion euros. (Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Francesco Canepa and Mark Heinrich) A barista who declined to serve a woman, who has been nicknamed San Diego Karen because she was not wearing a mask, received praise from Internet users and whopping USD 32,000 in tips. Lenin Gutierrez, working as a Starbucks barista in San Diego, gathered praise and $ 32,000 in tips when the woman, Amber Lynn Gilles, posted about him on Facebook with an aim to criticise him for not serving coffee because she was not wearing a mask. Meet Lenin from Starbucks who refused to serve me cause Im not wearing a mask. Next time I will wait for cops and bring a medical exemption, she posted. The post backfired. Many Facebook users defended Guiterrez and chided Gilles. It got over 1,00,000 reactions and comments and 50,000 shares. One Facebook user wrote: Theres no reason to publicly shame a kid whos trying to work his shift like any other day. Another said: I dont blame the kid behind the counter. They need to follow the rules that they are given. In another post, Gilles said she wasnt scarred or bothered and thanked everyone for the ratings with a peace sign. One of the top comments on this post reads, You do realize the only one who is benefiting from these so called ratings, is Lenen!! He has almost 10,000 dollars in tips!!! Another top comment reads, What is most troubling about this whole thing is that you do not have the ability to understand why your actions and words are so terribly, horribly wrong. You are showing people a level of selfishness and pettiness that is beyond the pale. You are raising children to believe that this entitled behavior is not only okay, but expected. That young man is following the rules his company has laid out. For you to put him on blast is shameful. Go somewhere to get your coffee where you are not required to wear a mask. Put other people in danger somewhere else. Its not about YOU getting sick, its about keeping EVERYONE ELSE from getting sick. This will all come around to you some day. I only hope you learn from it when it does. Your children have my sympathies. This comes off almost as if you are seeking attention and publicity which is even sadder. San Diego County issued a notice on May 1 requiring residents to wear face-covering in most public settings, including when shopping in a store or picking up food at a restaurant. Many people expressed their desire to tip Guiterrez. Thats when Matt Cowan, a man who does not know Guiterrez but stumbled upon the post, decide to start a virtual tip jar on GoFundMe. Cowan called the donation page Tips for Lenin Standing Up To A San Diego Karen. In the description, he wrote, Raising money for Lenin for his honourable effort standing his ground when faced with a Karen in the wild. In three days, the total amount is more than USD32,000, and it continues to increase by the hour. Everybody is rallying around somebody for doing what theyre supposed to do and trying to protect everyone else, Cowan said in an interview with KGTV. It just goes to show you there are a lot of good people out there and that outweighs the bad. On Facebook, Gutierrez said he already has big plans for his unexpected tips.Gutierrez, who is an aspiring dancer, said he plans to use the money to fuel his passion, and to teach others the art of dance. With this donation that everyone provided me on GoFundMe, I can make these dreams a reality, he said. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. -- with inputs from ANI Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SCHENECTADY Mildred Mason, who attended the March on Washington in the summer 1963, sees some similarities between that historic rally and the global protests being carried out today for racial equality following the police killing of George Floyd. This is not just a moment, its a movement to bring about change in our justice system, said the Schenectady woman during a recent interview with her daughter Desiree Mason-Chaires on the line. I think the difference in this movement now is that Caucasians are going front and center more so to help us, and I think thats going to make a big difference. The 84-year-old great-grandmother, who is black, also emphasized that African Americans also need to vote, get a good education, and learn their history, which is what she preached to her four children. Mason-Chaires, 55, said her mother also stressed to her children the importance of getting a good education and giving back to your hometown community. "We as people of color need to get to the polls more than we do so that we can try to control some of this stuff," she added. Mason contends racism is still a vexing problem in this country, just like it was when she boarded the bus in August 1963 and made the trip back to Washington D.C., a place the Baltimore native knew well, having spent many summers with her cousins in both big cities. The two busloads of people from the region who attended the March on Washington included members of the local NAACP and various houses of worships, said Mason. At that time, we really were unified and people came from all over, she said, reflecting on the march for jobs and freedom near the Lincoln Memorial in the summer of 1963. Mason said the goal back then was to advocate for the civil and economic rights of African Americans. I know by being 84 just how bad things were, people dont realize now how bad things were, from New Jersey on, we used to have to have a little urinal in the car because there were so many places you could not go if you were a person of color, she added. We had just felt that we had enough, and look at that now when they say enough is enough. Mason, who moved with her family to Amsterdam when she was 4-years-old, said racism was just as bad there as it was in Baltimore and Washington D.C. She recounted a white teacher in high school who would openly use the n-word to refer to her and other black students and would try to steer them toward menial jobs. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Mason refused to buy clothes if she couldn't try them on, which her cousins around the nation's Capital warned could turn out to be a fatal mistake. My cousins used to say to me youre going to get lynched because if we went to the store, Id say, Oh no, Im not buying that, I cant try it on, she said. The discrimination she experience fueled Mason to become active with groups like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference(SCLC), an African-American civil rights group. Her daughter said Mason also served as the president for the United Methodist Women Conference on Religion and Race for the Albany area, a post that took her across the country speaking about racial equality. In her travels, Mason met and had casual conversations with civil rights icons, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the late Julian Bond and Ralph Abernathy Sr. Despite her busy schedule, Mason found time to attend night classes at Hudson Valley Community College where she earned a certificate in business. She moved from Amsterdam to Schenectady to live with her husband. After earning a certificate in business from Hudson Valley Community College, Mason started working as a secretary from what is now Knolls Atomic Power Lab in Niskayuna auditing government properties. She later took a position as a certified property manager with the U.S. Department of Energy, a job that took her across the county to California and later South Carolina, before she retired in 1995. Days after a video surfaced on social media platform showing police abusing an Afghan national, several people in Pakistans Peshawar on June 26 protested against the brutality. According to reports, the viral video showed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cops abusing and stripping a man naked while also filming the ordeal. In a bid to protest against the police, the demonstrators reportedly gathered outside Tehkal Police Station. From shouting slogans to pelting stones, Fridays protest marked the second day of the demonstrations. As per reports, the protesters also caused damage to CCTV cameras in the vicinity and set a motorcycle alight. According to ANI, SP Saddar Circle A S Khalid said that some youngsters were trying to disturb law and order, however, the situation was brought under control shortly after they gathered. READ: Pakistan Reports 3,138 New Coronavirus Cases; Deaths Cross 4,000: Health Ministry READ: Pakistan Hikes Petrol Price By Rs 25.58 Per Litre, Diesel Up By Rs 21.31 Policemen arrested and booked for assault While the police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the gathering, a 20-year-old demonstrator reportedly said that they were protesting to demand justice for the victim. The demonstrators also gathered outside the provincial assemblys building and staged a protest against police torture. As per reports, the viral video showed police personnel forcing the man to apologise for using abusive language against the officers. Once the video went viral, three policemen were reportedly arrested and booked for assault and other charges. However, protesters, mostly from Tehkal area, took to the streets and protested against the brutality. As per reports, demonstrations also took place in front of the Peshawar Press Club building. The protesters reportedly blocked the Sher Shah Suri Road, burned old tyres and shouted slogans against the police. (With ANI inputs) (Image: @RaziqMian/Twitter) READ: Paks Anti-graft Body Files Corruption Case Against Nawaz Sharif READ: Pakistan Claims Report On Its FATF Grey List 'fabricated', Silent On Infiltration Attempts Caroline Hunter, a member of the Federal Election Commission who regularly clashed with her fellow commissioners, resigned on Friday, according to a letter obtained by ABC News. Hunter, a Republican, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2008, regularly butted heads with FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat also nominated by former President Bush. She will stay on with the FEC until July 3. The White House has already nominated Allen Dickerson, the legal director of the Institute for Free Speech, to take her place. In her resignation letter, Hunter has some strong criticism for Weintraub, though she is not mentioned by name. MORE: 'I am very concerned': FEC chairwoman on 2020 election interference "The FEC would benefit greatly from new faces and fresh perspectives. It needs Commissioners who will respect the First Amendment, understand the limits of the FEC's jurisdiction, and remember that Congress established the FEC to prevent single-party control, with every significant decision requiring bipartisan approval," Hunter wrote. "One Commissioner -- who has served for more than a decade past the expiration of her term -- routinely mischaracterizes disagreements among Commissioners about the law as 'dysfunction,' rather than a natural consequence of the FEC's unique structure, misrepresents the jurisdiction of the agency and deliberately enables outside groups to usurp the Commission's role in litigation and chill protected speech," she added. "The American people deserve better." PHOTO: Federal Election Commission (FEC) Commissioner Ellen Weintraub testifies during a hearing before the Elections Subcommittee of House Committee on House Administration, Nov. 3, 2011 on Capitol Hill. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) With Hunter's resignation, the FEC is again left with just three out of six commissioners, meaning that it is one vote short of the minimum four votes needed to act on any substantive matters. The FEC was left in the same place with no enforcement power for nearly a year, after former Vice Chairman Matthew Petersen resigned from his position last August, until recently. Story continues In May, the Senate finally confirmed President Donald Trump's appointee, Trey Trainor, a Texas election attorney, to fill one of the vacancies on the commission, restoring the quorum. "It's keenly disappointing for the FEC to lose its quorum just a blink of an eye after we regained it," said Weintraub. "But of course I wish Caroline well in this and all her future endeavors." MORE: House votes to grant statehood to District of Columbia The remaining members of the commission are Republican Chair Trainor, Democratic Commissioner Weintraub, and Independent Vice Chair Steven Walther. Without the four-person quorum, it will not be able to initiate audits, engage in rulemaking, vote on enforcement matters or even issue an advisory opinion or hold meetings. The commission will continue to perform its important day-to-day duties of making details of 2020 campaign contributions and expenditures available, and its enforcement arm will still review complaints and make recommendations to the commission on those matters. PHOTO: Scenes from the Federal Election Commission headquarters. (Sarah Silbiger/CQ Roll Call via AP Images) Trevor Potter, president of Washington-based nonpartisan ethics group Campaign Legal Center and a former Republican chair of the FEC, called for a prompt replacement of Hunter to restore the quorum, saying her resignation has left "democratic elections with significantly less government oversight." "A huge majority of voters are concerned about the enforcement of our campaign finance laws, and Hunter's resignation leaves their democratic elections with significantly less government oversight," Potter said in a statement. "Elections in 2016 and 2018 saw campaign finance violations including: illegal foreign spending, a lack of transparency around the sources of millions in election spending, and candidates working illegally with super PACs." "Americans understand that the campaign finance system correlates directly to their families' quality of life," he continued. "The corruption of our democracy by unprecedented amounts of money in our elections from wealthy special interests diminishes the voices of average citizens. A strong and functional FEC is vital to protecting our democracy, fighting corruption, and holding politicians accountable for the campaign money they receive." MORE: Retired Gen. Joseph Dunford is leading candidate for chair of coronavirus relief oversight commission: Sources A source familiar with Hunter's thinking told ABC News that Weintraub's decision to let outside groups file lawsuits directly in federal court against other groups and individuals is something on which Hunter strongly disagreed with Weintraub. "Fire alarms are sometimes housed in boxes labeled 'Break glass in case of emergency.' The Federal Election Campaign Act has such a box; it's the provision that allows complainants to sue respondents directly when the Federal Election Commission fails to enforce the law itself. In the 44-year history of the FEC, this provision has never been fully utilized. Today, I'm breaking the glass," Weintraub said in 2018. This incident "took the dysfunction to a new level," the source explained. Hunter served on the FEC for 12 years and as the commission chair three times and plans to join "the legal team of Stand Together, a philanthropic organization dedicated to tackling some of the biggest challenges of our times, including reforming the nation's criminal justice system, strengthening K-12 education, helping neighbors beat poverty and addiction, empowering everyone to find fulfilling work, and more," according to a press release. FEC Commissioner Caroline Hunter resigns from post, says commission 'needs to respect the First Amendment' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are spiking in states that have reopened all across the country, including Texas, Florida and California. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has slammed (mostly red) states for reopening too fast, or for failing to take the proper virus precautions. He points out that New York, once the epicenter of the virus, has avoided the big upticks in cases as its reopened. True enough. But while other parts of the state have indeed reopened, New York City, the epicenter of the COVID-19 epicenter, has only this week begun to reopen in a meaningful way. Theres no way of telling yet what could happen the statistics here. Id hold my tongue. Remember too that New York saw catastrophic numbers of deaths and new cases throughout April and into May, when people were under lockdown at home, businesses were shuttered, and when those venturing outside wore protective facial coverings. A new study from Penn State says that 80 times more people may have been infected as of March than originally thought. So did we tame the beast by staying home, as Cuomo boasts, or did the virus simpy run its course here having already been loosed in the population? Its debatable. City residents have been busting out of COVID-19 quarantine for weeks now, crowding the streets in front of bars and restaurants, and filling up public parks and beaches. We havent seen a big spike in cases yet as a result of that behavior. But all that mingling got a super-charge last week, when restaurants opened for outdoor dining on Monday under Phase 2. Forest Avenue was flooded with customers that day, and from what I saw when I was in the area, there were plenty of people socializing without wearing any facial coverings. Not that Cuomo or Mayor Bill de Blasio seem all that worried that we could start seeing upticks here. A number of upstate regions are hitting Phase 4 of reopening, and de Blasio on Thursday said that New York City was already on track to enter Phase 3 reopening on July 6. You can understand the confidence. We know that there were states around the country that didnt enforce stay-at-home orders, social distancing or the wearing of facial coverings the way that New York did. Those states are now rushing to get their citizens in line as numbers have ticked up, particularly among the younger set. Or maybe the powers that be in New York simply know that the virus has done its damage here, and that other states will now have to take their own hit. Its not a second wave. Its other states first wave. And it may have happened as soon as people started going out in public again, no matter what precautions were taken. But Cuomo and de Blasio did put up a big red flag earlier this week, saying that indoor dining may be postponed as part of Phase 3 because of New Yorkers ignoring social distancing rules, and because of virus spikes in other states. But it bears repeating: The vast majority of people who get COVID recover from it, without needing to be hospitalized. And the vast majority of those who are hospitalized eventually go home. The worst outcomes are still reserved for the elderly, and for those with underlying conditions. Youll get sick. But youll live. Of course Cuomo wants to point the finger at red states. Hes still trying to shovel dirt on New Yorks deadly decision to send elderly COVID patients back into nursing homes. Hed much rather launch broadsides at red-state governors, including Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, and boast how New York relied on science and got reopening right, while others played politics and got it wrong. Florida, of course, isolated their elderly and didnt have the same deadly outcome for seniors that New York did. No surprise to see Cuomo firing back now that he has the opportunity. For all our sakes, I hope it doesnt come back to bite him. As many as 20 US senators have urged the Trump administration to grant emergency refugee protection to Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan facing persecution as religious minorities. In a bipartisan letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the senators called on the State Department to prioritise resettlement opportunities under the US Refugee Admissions Program allocation ceilings for Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities. The population of Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan have plummeted markedly due to years of persecution by the Taliban and more recent terrorist actions perpetrated by ISIS Khorasan (ISIS-K), they said. This Administration has repeatedly highlighted protecting religious freedom as a top foreign policy priority, the senators wrote. Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan face an existential threat from ISIS-K because of their religion. To protect religious freedom, we urgently ask that you take these essential steps to defend these threatened religious minorities, they said in the letter. The letter also calls on Pompeo to offer additional support to members of the Sikh and Hindu communities that choose to remain in Afghanistan, and to ensure that Afghan religious minorities benefit from the USD 20.6 million in American aid already provided to address COVID-19. Ensuring that religious minorities receive US COVID-19 assistance should be a priority in all countries where protection of religious minorities is a challenge, the senators added. The letter was written by senator Robert Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and senators Thom Tillis, Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, Tim Kaine, Kamala Harris, Bob Casey, Chris Van Hollen, Bernie Sanders, Patty Murray, Chris Coons, Ed Markey, Tammy Duckworth, Jack Reed, Mark Warner, Ben Cardin, and James Lankford. ISIS-K targets religious minorities in Afghanistan and poses an existential threat to Afghanistan's Sikh and Hindu communities in particular, the letter said. The Sikh and Hindu communities once numbered around 250,000 people but now have fewer than 1,000 individuals due to decades of persecution, they added. Also Read: US to review global deployment of military in face of Chinese aggression: Mike Pompeo The communities continue to face discrimination in access to housing and employment, and the Taliban has previously mandated that Sikhs and Hindus wear yellow armbands or patches as a marker of their religious status, the senators wrote. In recent years, a new threat to Afghanistan's Sikh and Hindu communities has emerged: terrorist attacks from ISIS-K. In March, ISIS-K launched an attack on a Sikh gurdwara in Kabul that killed 25 worshippers, and later carried out an explosion during a funeral service for those victims. As ISIS-K continues to attack civilians and international troops draw down in Afghanistan, Sikhs and Hindus are likely to face more violence, they wrote. Also Read: Delhi schools to remain close till July 31, 50% syllabus cut on anvil Also Read: US to review global deployment of military in face of Chinese aggression: Mike Pompeo The days of frantically squashing toothpaste and make-up into a transparent plastic bag at airport security could soon be a thing of the past. Southend airport will next month become the first in Britain to abandon the practice of asking passengers to remove liquids and laptops from hand luggage as they go through scanners. The Essex airport, which serves hotspots such as Tenerife and Majorca, has installed a 3D X-ray machine that can scan such items without them being removed. Bosses at Southend say their single scanner should be able to cope with the reduced number of passengers when flights resume next month The new scanners provide a clearer picture of the contents of a bag and are able to detect whether a liquid or electronic item is a threat. Airports hope the machines will lead to the end of a ban on taking larger drinks bottles on to planes. The rule has frustrated passengers since it was introduced in 2006. Currently, liquids must be no more than 100ml and containers must be placed in transparent plastic bags. The policy was introduced following a plot to blow up jets using explosive material hidden in drinks bottles. Boris Johnson last year approved plans to permit liquids and laptops to be kept inside baggage. Heathrow, Britains largest airport, is also trialling the high-tech machines. It hopes to have the whole airport covered by 2022. Bosses at Southend say their single scanner should be able to cope with the reduced number of passengers when flights resume next month. They plan to install more of the machines which use so-called computed tomography (CT) imaging technology similar to scanners used in hospitals over the winter to boost capacity for next summer. Boris Johnson last year approved plans to permit liquids and laptops to be kept inside baggage However, the move relies on getting the go-ahead from the Department for Transport once the scanners prove their effectiveness. Southend believes the new touch free scanners are ideal as passengers start flying again in July after months of lockdown. Holidaymakers will only have to place their hand luggage in trays on a moving belt before walking through a body scanner. The process will help speed up queues, removing the need for passengers to stop to remove items. There will also be fewer delays over those who have forgotten to remove items from their bags. Southend is Britains fastest growing airport and served 2 million passengers last year and believes the new technology will help it hit 5 million by 2023 by speeding up the security process. Warwick Brady, chief executive of Stobart, which owns Southend, told The Mail on Sunday: Were going to steal a march on others. Riverdale star KJ Apa appeared carefree as he joked around with a pal on Saturday, after being 'falsely accused of sexual assault alongside three Riverdale co-stars'. The actor, 23, was seen smiling as the pair stepped into the road and laughed with each other while outside a restaurant in Silverlake, California. Earlier this week the New Zealand native, along with Cole Sprouse, Lili Reinhart and Vanessa Morgan, was named in tweets from anonymous Twitter accounts alleging sexual assault. Relaxed: KJ Appa, 23, appeared carefree as he joked around with a pal in California on Saturday, after being 'falsely accused of sexual assault alongside three Riverdale co-stars' Since then co-stars Madelaine Petsch and Camila Mendes have spoken out and defended their cast-mates against the accusations. In the pictures taken on Saturday, KJ appeared to be relaxed as he laughed with his friend. The star donned an oversized white t-shirt and baggy black trousers for the outing and completed his ensemble with a pair of Nike trainers. KJ also sported a more rugged look than usual, swapping his clean shaven face for a beard and messy hair. Smiles: The Riverdale actor smiled as his pal followed him into the road during their outing Casual: KJ donned a white t-shirt and baggy trousers, which he paired with white trainers Riverdale actors Cole Sprouse, Lili Reinhart, Vanessa Morgan and KJ Apa were accused of sexual misconduct on Monday by several anonymous Twitter accounts and all four have vehemently denied the allegations which they have called 'false'. Cole spoke out about the allegations in a series of Tweets hours later, with him and Lili looking into legal action. The actor, 27, wrote: 'Earlier today myself and three other cast mates were falsely accused of sexual offense by anonymous accounts on twitter. I take these accusations very seriously, and will be working with the right teams to get to the root of it.' Cole continued: 'False accusations do tremendous damage to victims of actual assault. Furthermore, I would never silence anybody. I encourage that people look into the accusations themselves, as the events detailed were factually untrue.' Having fun: The New Zealand native was seen leaning on his pal as they both laughed Lili, who was accused on another anonymous account, quotes his tweet minutes later and added her statement: 'I have always taken sexual assault allegations seriously. But it was proven that this account was specifically to create false stories about me and my cast. She said: 'I can't think of something more twisted than lying about sexual assault. It invalidates the men and women who are brave enough to come forward with the truth. This kind of lie can ruin lives and careers - and I can call it a lie because the person who made the allegations already admitted that the stories were fabricated.' She wrote: 'We are looking into taking legal action. This kind of sick behavior only harms true survivors. This was incredibly triggering for me and scary because I've always supported survivors and believed them.' Deny: Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart denied the sexual assault allegations made against them and their Riverdale co-stars Vanessa Morgan and KJ Apa by several anonymous Twitter users on Sunday His statement: Cole took to Twitter on Sunday to deny the accusations made against him and his three other cast mates Lili, 23, concluded: 'I hope and pray that this does not discourage real survivors from speaking out about their experiences.' The accusations against Cole came from an anonymous account with the handle @Victori6680029; the user alleged sexual misconduct by Cole at a party in 2013 at New York University. Accusations against Lili, Vanessa and KJ arose from other anonymous Twitter accounts, with one of those accounts later tweeting: 'Do you see how easy it is to lie and you guys believe it? Vanessa Morgan and Kj Apa didn't do jacks**t. You will believe anything,' via Us Weekly. Her statement: Lili quoted his tweet minutes later and added her statement Speaking out: Riverdale co-star Madelaine Petsch came to their defense Riverdale co-star Madelaine Petsch came to their defense and tweeted: 'As someone who has been sexually assaulted, I am deeply disturbed that anyone thinks that it is okay to falsely accuse someone of sexual assault. 'This is why real assault allegations can sometimes not be taken seriously, you should be ashamed. This is disgusting.' While Camila Mendes also spoke out against the allegations, saying it was 'sickening' and 'incredibly destructive to falsely accuse people of sexual assault.' The late Ian Holm, who died in London June 19 at age 88, was a formidably complete actor, who adapted his classical theatre grounding and mastery superbly to film work. He was a consummate ensemble player, equally impressive in character parts and leading roles, with something impressive and intriguing in every performance. Ian Holm [Credit: CossieMoJo] Ian Holm Cuthberthe used his mothers family name for the stagewas born near Ilford (in North East London), of Scottish parents. Ten years younger than the brother in whose shadow he felt himself to be, Holm was often on his own during his childhood. Unhappy at school, where he was bullied over his height (he was 56), he grew to be rather introspective. It is difficult not to see Holms subsequent representations of a characters inner lives as being drawn, at least in part, from this family background. His father was a psychiatrist, a pioneer of electric shock therapy. Holm said he was fascinated by his fathers patients, stating that this was what first drew him towards performance. The introspective child was interested in what he called the challenge of pretending to be sane. Some of Holms best performances rested on a deep sense of social or physical isolation. When he was 12 his brother died, and he felt an increasing desire to be noticed as a way out of introspection. He began amateur dramatics and spent a lot of time soaking up British and American film classics. Holm remained an admirer his entire life of Richard Boleslawskis Les Miserables (1935), starring Charles Laughton. Holms determination to break from the introspection fuelled a steeliness that underlies even his gentlest of performances. When he shyly raised the possibility of becoming an actor, his father said, Prove it. He did. Holm won a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Unlike many actors of his generation, he did not then spend much time in weekly repertory theatre, but auditioned successfully for the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon, the precursor of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). Spear-carrying and understudying in his first season (1954), he impressed company director Anthony Quayle, who invited him back the next year, with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh heading the company. Holm played Donalbain in Macbeth and Mutius in Titus Andronicus directed by Peter Brook. It was the beginning of his long association with the company. After a brief stint doing weekly rep in Worthing, he returned for a tour and West End run of Titus Andronicus. Holm was a committed company player, giving noted performances in Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night. He agreed to understudy Michael Redgrave as Hamlet, a performance he admired and studied carefully from the wings. Hamlet (1990) Small and precise of voice, he always had a good comic sense. For Peter Hall he gave a celebrated Puck in Midsummer Nights Dream and was Fool to Charles Laughtons less successful King Lear. The inner twinkle would stand him in good stead in the cinema. His acting and his attitude made him an obvious candidate when Hall created the RSC in 1961, and he was at its core over that formative decade. The company was producing Shakespeare, but also encouraging modern writing and more recent classics. Holm was in his element. He balanced supporting roles alongside more substantial parts, like Trofimov in Chekhovs The Cherry Orchard with John Gielgud. He was central to the 196364 cycle of Shakespeares history plays, playing, among others, Henry V and giving a calculatedly horrific Richard III for the concluding Wars of the Roses trilogy, directed by John Barton. Holm established himself as one of the great interpreters of Harold Pinter with Peter Halls premiere of The Homecoming (1965). Holm played Lenny, the pimp son of patriarch Max, circling menacingly around the wife of his returned brother. The Broadway transfer won four Tony Awards, including for Holm as Best Supporting Actor. It was filmed in 1973. Holm always felt proprietorial about the play, and returned to it magnificently in 2001 at The Gate, Dublin, as Max. The portrayal worked chiefly because of Holms view that Lenny is Max as a young man. The Homecoming (1973) After a decade he took a break from the RSC, appearing in new plays by Terence Rattigan, Edward Bond and Arnold Wesker. Back at the RSC, after a good production of George Bernard Shaws The Devils Disciple, he was crippled by a paralysing bout of stage fright ahead of Eugene ONeills The Iceman Cometh (1976). He described it as like someone pulling a curtain down. Exhaustion may have played a part, but he required medication, and took a break from the theatre. In 1979 he returned briefly in Chekhovs Uncle Vanya, but he was dissatisfied with his work and did not come back to the stage again for nearly 20 years. Holm was happily still able to work on screen. His earlier appearances had shown him using his vocal precision and close focus to transfer the best of his technique to the different medium without appearing too big for the screen. He had already done some interesting work, playing Poincare in Richard Attenboroughs adaptation of Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) and giving an excellent performance as David Riccio in Charles Jarrotts Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) with Vanessa Redgrave. His film breakthrough came as the android Ash in Ridley Scotts Alien (1979). His stillness and sense of inner working was unsettlingly powerful and remains watchable. It launched a string of performances in which he went back to his strengths as an ensemble player. In Terry Gilliams Time Bandits (1981) he was a hilarious, height-obsessed Napoleon, and Oscar-nominated as marginalised outsider trainer Sam Mussabini in Hugh Hudsons Chariots of Fire (1981). Gilliam cast him again as Jonathan Pryces perpetually anxious and overwhelmed boss Mr. Kurtzman in Brazil (1985), a valuable insight into the vulnerability he could portray. Brazil (1985) His first lead role since 1971s A Severed Head finally came in 1997. Atom Egoyan, casting him as the lawyer encouraging a class action after a fatal bus crash in The Sweet Hereafter, said he was surprised Holm had not had more leads because he is often the most memorable thing about the movies hes been in. This is truehe was excellent even in the otherwise execrable From Hell (2001)and it may also be true of Egoyans film. The depth of humanity in Holms performances was not always well served by the superficiality of some of the films they featured in, with directors happy to use his qualities to stand in for something bigger that was absent in their filmmaking. It is a credit to Holm that his performances were often better than the films because of his essential seriousness as an actor. He was continually astute and revelatory when playing historical figures, like Yakovlev in Franklin J. Schaffners Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), or Heinrich Himmler in the television series Holocaust (1978). Some directors wanted Holm for the inner warmth he could convey without excess show, but even there something else shines out. He certainly could do charming, but it was rarely just that. Even in Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings films, Holms Bilbo Baggins contained a genuine emotional richness. The scene where he asks Frodo if he might just try the Ring one last time carries a weight absent elsewhere. The carefully crafted characters with complex inner lives kept coming. As Ruth Elliss old flame Desmond Cusson, he was the essential lynchpin of Mike Newells Dance with a Stranger (1985), about the last woman to be hanged in the UK, almost touching in his devotion and suppressed frustration. As Lewis Carroll in Gavin Millars Dreamchild (1985) and as J.M. Barrie in the television series The Lost Boys (1978), he was superb in indicating the inner conflicts of a character, without being obvious and therefore unconvincing. It is a rare skill. Dance With a Stranger (1985) He was not lost to the classics, with varying results, playing Polonius to Mel Gibsons Hamlet for Franco Zeffirelli (1990), and Fluellen in Kenneth Branaghs Henry V (1989). Branagh described Holms technique as, Anything you can do, I can do less of. Self-deprecatingly, Holm claimed this was because he was a lazy person who did not do much research, but Branaghs description points instead to his technical expertise. Holm stripped everything down to an understated and unshowy core. This makes his transition between media all the more remarkable. When asked about returning to the theatre he would say, If Harold Pinter writes a new play and if it has a part for me In 1993 Pinter did that, and Holm gave a fiercely angry performance as Andy, Moonlights dying former civil servant. They worked together again a year later on Landscape. Returning to his two great lodestones, in 1997 he played King Lear at the National Theatre. Critics also drew attention to the Lear-like qualities of his performance as Max in the 2001 re-staging of Pinters The Homecoming. The majority of performances in Ian Holms long career merit a viewing even where the productions might not be so significant. Many of his finest performances have been preserved on film. Mumbai Police had earlier recorded statements of 23 people in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput's case Mumbai Police on Saturday questioned casting director Shanoo Sharma in the alleged suicide case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The interrogation session of the casting director of Yash Raj Films (YRF) took place at Bandra Police Station. The actor's detailed post-mortem report has also confirmed that he died by "asphyxia due to hanging." The final report quoted, "No signs of any struggle before death, nothing found from his nails." The report was analysed by a team of five doctors. Police are now awaiting the viscera report. Mumbai Police had earlier recorded statements of 23 people in connection with the case. Almost a week after Sushant Singh Rajput's death, a complaint was filed against his close friend Rhea Chakraborty at a court in Bihar, reports Mumbai Mirror. The allegation states that Chakraborty, who was known to be involved with the late actor romantically, abetted the actor's death by suicide. The news came in days after a similar complaint was registered against Bollywood's A-list actors and producers including Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, Salman Khan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sajid Nadiadwala, Bhushan Kumar and Ekta Kapoor on grounds that they had allegedly boycotted Rajput from their projects, which in turn has been cited as a probable reason for the actor's demise. As per a Times of India report, Rajput's close friend Siddharth Pitani was also called in for questioning as he was seen leaving the Bandra police station in Mumbai on Sunday. * A collection of Suicide prevention helpline numbers are available here. Please reach out if you or anyone you know is in need of support. The All-India helpline number is: 022 2754 6669 (With inputs from Asian News International) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Alexander Ivanov (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 10:40 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406621665e 3 Opinion Indonesia,ASEAN,Russia,diplomacy,COVID-19,WHO Free On June 17, foreign ministers of ASEAN member states and Russia held a special meeting via video conference to discuss current tasks on countering unprecedented challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and its adverse impact on the political and economic landscape of the Asia-Pacific region and the whole world. They unanimously adopted a substantial eight-page joint statement pointing out clearly how we as strategic partners define our common approaches to the complexity of problems we face now and what practical measures we are going to undertake. As the ministers of ASEAN member states and Russia agreed, COVID-19 demonstrated that security, economic development, health and well-being of all nations in the region are closely interconnected. And this is probably the most valuable lesson we have to learn, because the main questions now are what we want to see in the region after the pandemic and what we have to do now to make a better world all around. All the participants underlined that multilateralism the great achievement of nations of the last decades is at stake now and we must uphold it by all means. In this regard, ASEAN and Russia share the belief that in these turbulent times we should stand together and undertake collective actions to address the humanitarian, health, social and economic consequences of the pandemic. To this end, our ministers in their statement reaffirmed commitment to maintain a politically peaceful and stable region, where national security cannot be ensured at the expense of others. They also supported the appeal by the United Nations secretary-general for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world and the waiving of sanctions that can undermine countries capacities to respond to the pandemic. ASEAN and Russia emphasized the coordinating role of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in countering the coronavirus pandemic and other diseases. Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Russias support of ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture. We are certain that this architecture should be built upon ASEAN-led mechanisms and based on shared values, norms and principles of international law, equality and mutual benefit. Instead of creating new formats, we should focus on efficient use of the existing ones, such as the East Asia Summit (EAS). ASEAN ministers supported our initiative to adopt an EAS Leaders Statement on Strengthening Collective Capacity in Epidemics Prevention and Response at the 15th EAS summit in November this year. We are confident that the establishment of a relevant EAS mechanism will be a step toward enhancing practical cooperation on pandemic preparedness in the region, which will unite all the countries around ASEAN. Another mechanism that can contribute more to regional efforts in fighting pandemics is the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM)-Plus with its Experts Working Group on Military Medicine and the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine. Russia already joined ASEAN within the ADMM plus framework for a relevant table-top exercise last May. Appreciating the Russian initiatives to engage effectively the ASEAN-led mechanisms in response to infectious diseases, our ASEAN friends, including Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, expressed the view that Russia could play the role of anchor of the relevant collective efforts. Another topic that was discussed in detail is the engagement of ASEAN-Russia mechanisms of strategic partnership in mitigating the consequences of pandemics. In this regard, our ministers agreed to enhance communication and interaction between ASEAN member states and Russian agencies responsible for prevention and control of infectious diseases. They will share information and best practices on vaccine development, medications for treatment, diagnostic tools and other issues in close coordination and cooperation with the WHO. Russia will also continue training courses for ASEAN specialists at the International Research Center for the Study of Biosafety and Human Well-Being in the Asia-Pacific region in Vladivostok. The first such courses were held at the end of last year, before the COVID-19 outbreak. Russia welcomed the establishment of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and agreed to contribute to achieving the goals of this mechanism through swift mobilization and utilization of the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Partnership Financial Fund for joint ASEAN-Russia projects to ensure health protection of the peoples. Our ministers discussed the adverse sociocultural impact of COVID-19 and agreed to step up cooperation to counter misinformation and fake news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to prevent and mitigate stigmatization and discrimination of citizens of affected countries. This will help us to promote mutual trust and openness in the region. COVID-19 brought serious damage to the economy, undermining trade and finances, injuring micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and tourism, and disrupting development of all countries. Both ASEAN and Russia understand the necessity to find new opportunities to expedite the post-pandemic economic recovery process. The ministers agreed to strengthen dialogue between ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union and within the Greater Eurasian Partnership, which also includes the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The common agenda covers long-term resilience, financial stability, food security, restored connectivity and supply chains, open markets, the digital economy and innovations. All these issues should be addressed multilaterally, in line with WTO rules. The world and the Asia-Pacific region would not be the same after the COVID-19 pandemic. But together we can work toward making it better for the well-being and prosperity of the people, democratization of international relations, unity and stability for all. Just a few days after the ASEAN-Russia foreign ministers meeting, on June 21 all Russian citizens marked our national Day of Medical Workers. I wonder if our ASEAN friends may think of establishing the same professional high day ASEAN Day of Medical Workers, thus paying tribute to those who selflessly help other people, sometimes at the cost of their own lives. *** The writer is ambassador of Russia to ASEAN. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. New Delhi, June 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sent out a strong message of inclusivity, saying his Government does not discriminate on the basis of any faith or caste. Prime Minister Modi also praised the role of Mar Thoma Church in the freedom struggle. Modi was addressing the 90th birthday celebrations of Rev Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan. He joined the Kerala based Church via video conference. "Government does not discriminate among faith, gender, caste, creed or language," remarked the Prime Minister adding that the guiding light for the Centre is the Constitution of India. "The Mar Thoma church played a role in India's freedom struggle. The church was at the forefront of working towards national integration," remarked Modi while adding that the church fought the Emergency too. "It is a matter of great pride that the Mar Thoma church is firmly rooted in Indian values," he said. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Modi used the event to assert India's successful fight against Coronavirus. He said, "India's recovery rate against COVID-19 is rising. Any loss of life is unfortunate due to Covid-19 or any other reasons. However, India's death rate per million population is under 12. To place this in a context, the death rate in Italy is 574 per million population." He said that the figures in America, Spain, Britain and France are much higher than that of India. The Prime minister said while trade and businesses have started to open up, there is a need to practise precautions. Addressing the influential Church event, PM also spoke about self reliant India, saying it will bring "prosperity for every Indian". "The aim is to increase export earning and provide more employment to over 55 lakh people," he claimed. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text A wreath-laying ceremony was organised by Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district on Saturday to commemorate the 12th death anniversary of Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw. On behalf of the tri-services fraternity, Lt Gen YVK Mohan, Commandant DSSC, laid a wreath at the final resting place of the revered soldier at Parsi Zoroastrian Cemetery in Udhagamandalam, an official release said. Members of the local Parsi community attended the ceremony. Manekshaw took over as Chief of Army Staff on January 8, 1969. He successfully crafted India's greatest military triumph by leading Indian Army into 1971 Operations which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh within a short duration of 13 days. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1972. "In recognition of the outstanding contribution made by the General Officer to the armed forces and the nation, he was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal on 15 January 1973. He breathed his last on 27 June, 2008," the Defence Ministry said in a statement in Delhi. "Manekshaw had settled down at Wellington (in Tamil Nadu) after active service. His association with the station goes back to the time when he was Commandant of Defence Services Staff College," it added. Manekshaw died on June 27, 2008. Police has cordoned a second property on Orkney Drive in Ballymena, County Antrim, just a dozen or so houses from the main property on interest, as a murder investigation is under way following the death of a man at a house. (Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX) An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a man at a house in Ballymena, in Co Antrim. The victim has been named by police as 31-year-old Jason Lee Martin. Police launched a murder investigation following the death of Mr Martin in the Orkney Drive area in the early hours of Saturday morning. Detective Inspector Kerry Brennan said Mr Martin died after being stabbed. A second house in the area has also been cordoned off by police. The arrested man remains in custody at present. Expand Close Police attend the scene at a property on Orkney Drive in Ballymena, County Antrim, as a murder investigation is under way following the death of a man at a house. (Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX) Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police attend the scene at a property on Orkney Drive in Ballymena, County Antrim, as a murder investigation is under way following the death of a man at a house. (Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX) Detective Inspector Brennan appealed for anyone with information to come forward. I am appealing for anyone with information that could potentially assist the investigation to please get in touch by calling 101," she said. "Or alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. On Thursday, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer sacked his nominally left Shadow Education Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey. The move confirms that no criticisms of the Israeli government will be allowed in the Labour Party, and that Starmer will deal decisively with the Corbynite left rump in the parliamentary party. Rebecca Long-Bailey [Source: Wikipedia] The Sun had editorialised on June 9, Starmer must choose. To look like a potential Government, Labour can no longer indulge jumped-up Twitter trolls on its backbenches, or their extremism. He should expel the lot, as Kinnock did Militant. It would be the making of him. Neil, now Lord Kinnock, was Labour leader from 198392. Angela Rayner, who is now Starmers deputy, abased herself before the right-wing even before Aprils Labour leadership campaign began. This left Long-Bailey, who is a flatmate of Rayner, to be trumpeted as the continuity Corbyn candidate against Starmer. In substance, however, Long-Bailey was as keen as Rayner to make her peace with the Blairites. After repeatedly denying any particular loyalty or debt to her mentor, Jeremy Corbyn, Long-Bailey was rewarded with the relatively minor position of shadow education secretary by Starmer as he cleared out the rest of the Corbynites in the shadow cabinet and brought in the Blairites. Long-Bailey had no problem assuming the position of token left. Her grovelling secured a front-bench role for less than three months. Long-Bailey was sacked within just three hours of tweeting a link to an interview by Maxine Peake with the Independent, in which the actress criticised Israel, stating, The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyds neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services. Jeremy Corbyn (left) and Keir Starmer at an event during the 2019 General Election [Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File] Peake is the cultural figure most associated with the Labour left and presented a 2017 general election campaign video backing Corbyn. In her interview, she said that those who had not voted Labour in last Decembers general election because they were opposed to Corbyn had broken her heart. I didnt like Tony Blair, but I still voted Labour because anythings better than the Tories, she said. Peakes interview ended with an appeal for everyone to continue supporting Labour. Asked her thoughts on Starmer, she replied, I think people will get behind Starmer, wont they? Hes a more acceptable face of the Labour Party for a lot of people who are not really left wing. But thats fine. Whatever. As long as the Tories get out, I dont care anymore. It was this appeal for continued loyalty to Labour as it careens to the right that earned Peake the endorsement of Long-Bailey, who retweeted her article and called her an absolute diamond. However, Peakes sole comment about Israel was denounced as an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory and seized on by Starmer as an excuse to sack Long-Bailey. Descriptions of Peake and Long-Bailey as anti-Semitic, as on so many other occasions in which the right has targeted other left leading Labourites, are slanders. Israels role in developing brutal policing techniques and training police forces all over the world in their use is well documented; including training dozens of Minneapolis police officers in counter-terrorism and restraint techniques at a conference in Chicago in 2012, as reported by Jonathan Cook on Middle Eastern Eye. Long-Baileys response to being targeted could have been anticipated. She rolled over, writing, I retweeted Maxine Peakes article because of her significant achievements and because the thrust of her argument is to stay in the Labour Party. It wasnt intended to be an endorsement of all aspects of the article. But all entreaties were rejected by Starmer, who booted her out to the obvious glee of numerous Labourite Zionist scoundrels. Margaret Hodge MPwho at the height of the anti-Semitism campaign screamed in Corbyns face in the Parliament chamber that he was a f****** racist and an anti-Semite,tweeted after Long-Baileys dismissal, This is what a change in culture looks like. This is what zero tolerance looks like. This is what rebuilding trust with the Jewish community looks like. It must be stressed that Long-Bailey had bought her way onto Starmers frontbench by her embrace, during the leadership campaign, of the official narrative of the Labour right that has effectively outlawed criticism of the Israeli regime. Long-Bailey signed up to 10 Pledges to end the anti-Semitism crisis put forward by the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BoD). She followed up by declaring herself a Zionist. She also signed up to the continued witch-hunt of Labours left by agreeing during debates that it was indeed anti-Semitic to describe Israel, its policies, or the circumstances around its foundation as racist. Long-Bailey has now become the first high profile victim of the witch-hunt she helped Starmer to relaunch and escalate. The most politically revealing issue in this sordid affair is not Long-Baileys sacking, which was only a matter of time, but the total prostration of the Corbynites. Long-Bailey herself declared, I am clear that I shall continue to support the Labour Party in Parliament under Keir Starmers leadership. Corbyn, chief coward among a gang of cowards, has still not uttered a single word of criticism in public. Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell claimed that he had always maintained that criticism of the practices of the Israeli state is not antisemitic. McDonnell never made even such a pro-forma statement when the Blairites were busy driving his and Corbyns allies out, for fear of endangering Corbyns efforts towards ensuring party unity and stifling rank-and-file opposition to the right-wing. Chris Williamson, who was expelled after being falsely accused of anti-Semitism, tweeted, If only John [McDonnell] and the @socialistcam [Socialist Campaign Group] had stood in solidarity with me, Jackie Walker, Ken Livingstone, Marc Wadsworth, Tony Greenstein, Cyril Chilson and the countless other victims of the witch hunt, we wouldnt be here today. McDonnell linked to a petition of just 12 words in length, which makes sure not to issue single word of criticism of Starmer, stating only, We believe Rebecca Long Bailey should be reinstated as Shadow Education Secretary. Labours membership is estimated at around half a million but by the end of Friday just over 12,000 people had signed. Amid talk of Ian Lavery MP being a future leadership challenger to Starmer, the first response of the latest saviour of the left was to issue a video stating that he was aware of reports that many people are deciding to leave the party because of the apparent [!] new direction under the new leadership. Im pleading with you, its not the right thing to do remain in the party. The Socialist Campaign Group (SCG) of Labour MPs makes up just 34 members of the Parliamentary Labour Party out of 202 MPs, after five years of the left running the party! Richard Burgon, the groups leader, tweeted of the important role Long-Bailey has still to play in Labours future, adding, I dont think she shouldve been sacked for sharing the Independents interview with Maxine Peake. On Friday, a delegation of SCG members, including Corbyn and McDonnell, met with Starmer for a Zoom meeting. Starmer gave them short shrift, with the Labourlist website noting that A new Shadow Education Secretary is expected to be appointed in the coming days. The SCG said there was still significant disagreement on the decision, but stressed, This was a business-like exchange of views which took place in a mutually respectful manner. The fundamental problem facing the Corbynites is not that Starmer will not listen to their appeals for unity, but that millions of workers have seen through their game of fake opposition. The Corbynites want Long-Bailey to be reinstated, so they can continue to provide a figleaf for Starmer, et al. But Labours haemorrhaging of support in the working class will continue, regardless of such pathetic efforts. A spike in the amount of bad loans sitting in banks books has triggered Vietnamese authorities to seek new paths to recovery, with the upcoming bad debt exchange platform envisaged to allow investors to buy and sell distressed assets, which can boost market liquidity. Banks are among the entities hardest-hit by the outbreak. As in the past, they may again sell their bad debt to Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC), which allows them to amortise provisioning costs over five years, further limiting the near-term impact on earnings. According to global rating firm Fitch Ratings, non-performing loans (NPLs) of Vietnamese banks largely comprise of mortgages and personal business loans and are usually secured by property, which may help recovery prospects in the event of default. However, the debt resolution process can be protracted and hindered by the countrys evolving legal framework. Meanwhile, banks underwriting standards also remain largely untested. Deputy chief inspector of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Tran Dang Phi noted the amount of soured loans has rallied since March, but said the situation is under control. As cited from SBV statistics, by June the bad debt ratio of credit institutions was below 2 per cent, thus the ratio of the whole year may reach the target of below 3 per cent set in the prime ministers Decision No.1058/QD-TTg dated July 19, 2017 on approving the scheme to restructure credit institutions in combination with NPL resolution in the 2016-2020 period. From 2012 to the end of March, the entire sector handled more than VND1 quadrillion ($43.5 billion) of soured loans. Nguyen Duc Thach Diem, general director of Sacombank, noted that in the first five months of 2020, the bank successfully auctioned VND9.7 trillion ($42.17 million). However, despite the rapidly-growing segment, many are facing hindrances accessing the distressed assets. For instance, Nguyen Mien Tuan, vice chairman of Sacombanks Board of Directors, admitted the process for auctioning the banks Phong Phu Industrial Park might be difficult, so Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee asked the bank to suspend the sale for further review. Last month, state-owned lender BIDV announced the latest round of sales at The Era Town project in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 7, with 55 apartments being offered at a 5 per cent discount compared to its initial offer. Accordingly, the real estate products are on trade at VND2.08-5.26 billion ($90,400-228,700) each. On the other hand, some analysts cautioned the higher asset value is, the fewer buyers would be interested. Projects with total value above VND30 billion ($1.3 million) pale in comparison with lower-value ones. Meanwhile, foreign bank branches, such as Mizuho Bank, Citibank, Bangkok Bank, and MUFG Bank have recorded a low NPL ratio the total bad loans of these branches reached VND126 billion ($5.6 million), making up for 0.04 per cent of the whole system. This is probably because these foreign lenders are focusing on their mainly deep-pocketed customers. Our customer base has been so far so good, and we havent recognised much of a spike in the NPL ratio. But I dont think selling distressed assets is a sign of a stagnant economy. In fact, commercial banks should explore new solutions to get rid of NPLs in different mechanisms, said Nirukt Sapru, CEO for Vietnam and ASEAN and South Asia Cluster Markets at Standard Chartered Bank. VAMC, as reported by VIR, is preparing the foundation to set up a so-called bad debt exchange platform for 2020-2021, where investors can buy and sell distressed assets easily. This year, the company aims to settle NPLs worth VND50 trillion ($1.25 billion). However, VAMCs current charter capital of VND2 trillion ($87 million), which is relatively modest, will itself hinder the firms potential to cover more loans from commercial banks. In recent years, much has been done to improve the procedural requirements for registering a mortgage of land use rights in favour of a domestic lender, and this has freed up large amounts of capital for the development of residential and commercial properties across the country, said Frederick Burke, principal at Baker McKenzie Vietnam. However, foreign lenders cannot take a direct security interest or mortgage of land use rights in Vietnam. Therefore, they have to co-operate with local banks who may not have a balance sheet strong enough to meet the mandatory prudential requirements applicable to both domestic and foreign lenders. There are plenty of foreign investors who can deploy various forms of debt and equity capital to take stakes in struggling Vietnamese property companies at the shareholders level, as has happened in the financially hard times Vietnam has experienced in years past, Burke told VIR. For example, China is now embracing foreign funds as the country grapples with a tide of bad debts. Some US firms, including Oaktree Capital Group and Bain Capital Credit, have already been pushing into one of the worlds largest distressed debt markets. VIR Huong Thanh Restructuring, bad debts prevent VN banks from paying dividends At Sacombanks annual general meeting held on June 5 its permanent vice chairman Pham Van Phong said that in 2019 the banks pre-tax profit increased by 43.2 per cent to VND3.2 trillion (US$137.5 million), which was 21.4 per cent above the target. Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, has said former Oyo Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, died of multiple organ failure. Professor Akin Abayomi explained, in a tweet, that covid-19 complications triggered multiple organs failure. Abayomi, on his Twitter handle, said: We regret the death of immediate past Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajumobi, who passed on today, June 25, 2020 at First Cardiologist Consultant; a private COVID-19 approved care facility in Lagos State. The former Governor died from multiple organs failure following complications from COVID-19 infection. On behalf of COVID-19 Lagos Incident Commander, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the entire #COVID19Lagos response team, we convey our heartfelt condolences to the family of the former Governor and the people of Oyo State. We regret the death of immediate past Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajumobi who passed on today, June 25, 2020 at First Cardiologist Consultant; a private #COVID19 approved care facility in Lagos State. The former Governor died from multiple organs failure following pic.twitter.com/4RSaJAk7QG Prof. Akin Abayomi (@ProfAkinAbayomi) June 26, 2020 Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Section 1 Content ACE and other higher education associations have submitted amicus briefs in two federal court cases seeking a delay in the effective date of the final Title IX regulations. The Department of Education (ED) issued its new regulations on Title IX sexual assault May 6, with an effective date of Aug. 14. Campuses have been scrambling to get ready, despite the challenges of doing so with little time and few staff members working on campus during the pandemic. ACE and others in the higher education community have told ED and other stakeholders that in addition to significant concerns about the regulations themselves, choosing this moment to impose the longest, most complex regulations the agency has ever issued reflects appallingly poor judgment. EDs year-and-a-half rulemaking process culminated in a 600,000-word Federal Register notice last month. On June 4, attorneys general from 17 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court in the District of Columbia against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, substantively challenging the new regulations, as well as the process by which they were issued. Their complaint also signaled that they would be asking the court to order that the effective date of the regulations be put on hold until the legal challenge is fully considered. On Tuesday, June 23, the attorneys general filed a motion with the court focused specifically on delaying the Aug. 14 effective date. In anticipation, ACE had prepared an amicus brief, and late Wednesday, ACE and 24 other higher education associations submitted that brief in support of the motion. Independent of the merits of the challenges to the new regulations, the brief explains the imminent and irreparable harms to colleges and universities if the compliance deadline is not stayed. In prior letters to ED, ACE and other associations had asked for such a deferral to enable sensible planning and adoption of campus processes and procedures. This lawsuit in the District of Columbia is one of four that have been filed during the last month challenging the new Title IX regulations. Late Thursday the New York attorney general also filed a motion in its case in federal court in Manhattan seeking to block the Aug. 14 effective date. This afternoon ACE and the other 24 associations submitted an amicus brief supporting that request, as well. The New York attorney generals brief opens with a reference to ACE President Ted Mitchells May 6 statement that criticized both the substance of the final regulations and the Aug. 14 effective date: Under current conditionsin which campuses are closed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching and learning are happening remotely, and already constrained school budgets are being further depressed by the diversion of resources to the pandemic responsethe mid-August effective date, as one organization put it, is as cruel as it is counter-productive. (Noting in the citation that the quote comes from Mitchells statement.) HOWELL, MI Police say a suspect in an attempted murder case in northern Michigan killed himself after a pursuit that ended in Howell. Michigan State Police troopers at 12:13 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, announced via Twitter that they were on scene of the incident. About 9:20 a.m., troopers and personnel from other law enforcement agencies located a suspect vehicle after a be-on-the-lookout was broadcast of a suspect believed to have been involved an attempted homicide in the Cadillac area. Police located the suspect vehicle in Clinton County on southbound US-127 and a chase ensued. The pursuit went into Livingston County where Livingston County Sheriffs deputies joined and a PIT maneuver was employed by police. A PIT maneuver is a tactic in which a pursuing vehicle can force a fleeing vehicle to abruptly turn sideways, causing the driver to lose control and stop. The suspect vehicle came to rest on M-59 just east of Curzon Court in Howell. Thats about 20 miles east of Lansing. The 41-year-old male suspect exited his vehicle, walked toward the side of the road, and shot and killed himself, troopers report. No civilians were involved and no police officers were injured. The investigation is ongoing by multiple police agencies. Leading waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), last Friday took its disinfectant activities to two state institutions. The beneficiary institutions were the Pantang Hospital, Pantang, and power transmission company, Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) in Tema, all in the Greater Accra Region. Both institutions saw their facilities and open spaces disinfected against the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and other viruses and bacteria. The exercise was part of the waste management companys unrelenting efforts to support the central government in the battle against COVID-19. Speaking to journalists, the Coordinator for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disinfection Exercise of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mrs Lola Asiseh Ashitey, reiterated that her outfit was still in the business of assisting the central government to stop the further spread of the pandemic. And so we still continue to do the voluntary disinfection exercise for as many who call on us for support. Today [Friday 26, 2020,] we have disinfected the Pantang Hospitalits wards, administration block, residences and some twenty other blocks. After that we proceeded to GRIDCo to offer same service to them, she said. For GRIDCo, she said, her company disinfected the GRID Park, Procurement Plant & Section, Server Building, Volta Building among other facilities. According to Mrs Asiseh Ashitey, Zoomlion Ghana Limited with its expertise and resources will continue to do the best it can in the countrys quest to contain the spread of the virus. For his part, the Director, Systems Operations, GRIDCo, Mr Mark Obeng, said being aware of the impact of COVID-19, management of GRIDCo resolved to take some measures. One of the things we started was to programme the way staff comes into our offices. So we instituted what we call schedules which would mean that not all staff are supposed to report to work every day at every time just to minimise the number of people entering into our premises, he revealed. On that score, Mr. Obeng that every department within his company was tasked to come up with schedules of staff members who can come to work and those who must be at home. The interesting thing about our work is that there are aspects of the work which are just 24 hours because Ghanaians would have to be provided with power. So, with those aspects, we have people who are on shifts. And one aspect is the Control Centre where we have a 12-hour shift so we have gangs who report for work in the morning at 6:00 a.m., and leave 6:00 p.m., for another to take over, he said. However, he added that for the rest of the staff members and depending on their schedules some of them are asked to come to work while the rest stay home for a week/two. All these measures, he explained, were instituted to minimise the risk and spread of the virus. Continuing, Mr. Obeng said the management of GRIDCo had ensured that every staff member observed all the safety protocols of COVID-19 once they were at the companys premises. He indicated that the company had provided access for people to wash their hands regularly with soap and water. This, he disclosed, had been electronically done to prevent people from touching and pressing with their hands. We also have at the main gate security measures. Here staff members temperatures are taken so that if it is found that your temperature is above normal you are sent to a nearby hospital for further examination, the GRIDCo director of systems operations noted. And though their work was very important, Mr. Obeng said they had not been affected that much by the pandemic. Tencent Holdings Ltd. is rolling out a live-streaming service similar to Amazon.com Inc.s Twitch in the U.S., making a rare foray into American social media. Chinas largest company has been quietly testing a mobile-focused streaming network via an affiliate in the U.S. since at least March. Initially called Madcat and now branded Trovo Live, the new service closely resembles Twitch in its appearance and functionality. Beyond Tencents own portfolio of popular games like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile, Trovo also spotlights marquee titles like Grand Theft Auto and Destiny 2. This week, it detailed plans on its website to entice and reward creators with a $30 million partnership program starting in July. Tencent dominates gaming and social media at home and may be one of the few companies with the resources to challenge Twitch. But the WeChat operator has met with mixed results in its efforts to build online users abroad and Trovo for now is only an embryonic service. Still in beta testing, Trovo has gone largely unnoticed outside the gaming community. Its best-attended live streams have only a few dozen viewers at a time, though its Discord chat channel numbers more than 5,000 members. It has attracted some experienced creators from Twitch, YouTube and Microsoft Corp.s soon-to-be-defunct Mixer platform. Read more: Microsoft to Shut Game-Streaming Service, Join With Facebook Trovo says in the terms of service on its website that its an affiliate of Tencents, without elaborating. The document lists a contact address that matches that of Tencents American headquarters in Palo Alto, California. Tencent declined to comment. Tencent has been actively expanding its online streaming assets in recent months, having spent $263 million to buy control of Chinas Twitch equivalent Huya Inc. in April and this week acquiring content and technology from struggling Southeast Asian outfit iFlix Ltd. Development and testing of Trovo has proceeded under the radar at a time of increased scrutiny over Chinese ownership of social media in the U.S. Rival ByteDance Ltd. has been the subject of concerns raised by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio about platforms such as its TikTok video-sharing service being used as a tool by the Chinese Communist Party to extend its authoritarian censorship." Zynn -- a video-sharing app from Tencent-backed Kuaishou that recently spiked in U.S. downloads -- has also been vague about its Chinese connection. Trovos privacy policy notes that its servers are based in Hong Kong, Singapore and the U.S., however its support and engineering teams, which will have access to user information, are located in offices around the world" that include mainland China. Like Twitch, Trovo sports a carousel showcase of live channels, sidebars for chat with other viewers and channel recommendations highlighting the most popular active creators. It also has paid subscriptions and rewards that let viewers support their favored streamers. Another Twitch similarity is the tiered partnership program designed to encourage gamers to join and evangelize the service. The imminent arrival of Trovo comes at a moment of upheaval on the U.S. game-streaming scene. Microsoft this week announced its closing down its Mixer platform, which had poached high-profile streamer Ninja away from Twitch last summer in an expensive but ultimately unfruitful move. Twitch itself has been rocked by a series of allegations about turning a blind eye to sexual harassment and abuse by some of its popular users. The Amazon-owned service has said it will investigate and suspend offending accounts. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Advertisement The shiny white diving sub bounces and bobs in the Pacific Ocean as the water stretches out vast and blue as far as my eyes can see. For a few minutes the vessel rocks in the waves and then it is gone, descending seven miles through the ocean depths to the bottom of the sea. Perched on the edge of an inflatable dinghy, I look down in awe as the 28 million capsule drops silently through the crystal-clear waters before, finally, it disappears into darkness. Four hours later, back aboard the support ship, the DSSV Pressure Drop, the faint voice of the subs pilot, explorer Victor Vescovo, crackles over the radio to announce that he and passenger Kelly Walsh have reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench the base of what is ominously called the hadal zone after Hades, Greek god of the underworld. Dubbed the final frontier of exploration, it is so deep that if you placed Mount Everest at its base, the mountains peak would still be 7,000ft below sea level. Vescovos voice has taken seven seconds to travel through the seven-mile vertical wall of water between sub and ship. The titanium sphere he and Kelly are sitting in is being subjected to 100,000 tons of pressure, the equivalent of the weight of 291 fully loaded jumbo jets or 7,900 double-decker buses. Welcome to the future, grins expedition leader Rob McCallum. Youve just witnessed history being made. 'This is the first and only submersible that can go to full ocean depth and back repeatedly and safely. In terms of technology, its the equivalent of making a daily flight into orbit. Man knows so little about life at these depths so were essentially a pathfinder off to explore the final and most forbidding frontier on Earth. Mail on Sunday Correspondent Caroline Graham and Pilot Victor Vescovo in the cockpit of the Triton 36000/2 - DSV Limiting Factor which dives to Mariana Trench Pictured Caroline on Zodiac looking back at the ship, Pressure Drop. The 225ft Deep Submergence Support Vessel (DSSV) Pressure Drop was built in 1985 by the US Navy to hunt Russian submarines and is now owned by Vescovo, a pony-tailed 6ft 1in Texan who made his fortune in private equity before using his wealth to fund his love of exploration I left my home in Los Angeles in the early hours of Sunday, June 14, flying via San Francisco to Honolulu and then on to Guam (crossing the international date line) to arrive the following night to meet the ship a distance of very nearly 6,100 miles Detroit businessman Jim Wigginton, 71, wanted go seven miles down to raise awareness for a thyroid cancer foundation he established in memory of his late wife. Vescovo has put the entire operation up for sale for 40 million. He hopes the ship will continue as a privately run entity. Pictured, Mr Wigginton collecting rocks at the bottom of the Mariana Trench 1.5 million sonar system for mapping ocean floor A major part of the mission is to produce accurate maps of the ocean floor with the ship fitted with a state-of-the-art 1.5 million sonar system, the Kongsberg EM124. Mapper Kate Von Krusenstiern, 30, says: This is the most powerful and accurate sonar in the world. Ocean-mapping underpins ocean discovery. 'With sound, we can see the mountains, canyons and ridges that define our sea floor. The sonar sends sound-waves to the bottom of the ocean. They bounce back, giving an indication of how deep it is and what the sea floor consists of. Von Krusenstiern uses data taken from both the sonar and three landers, machines that are released over the side of the ship each morning, to collect data, soil and animal samples. She describes the equipment as the modern version of using a weighted rope. Advertisement The Mail on Sunday last week became the only news outlet invited to join the thrilling Ring of Fire expedition to the Mariana Trench and its deepest point, Challenger Deep. While only 12 people have walked on the Moon, until last week they still outnumbered those who had been to the bottom of the world. Days before I arrive, former Nasa astronaut Kathy Sullivan was the first woman to go down there, making her the worlds first astronaut-turned-aquanaut. She called it a magical experience, saying: As we glided along the ocean floor moonscape was the word that kept coming to me, like I was seeing the Moon right here on our own planet. During my two-week adventure, the sub made multiple dives into the abyss to study the topography of the trench and the creatures that live in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. A high-tech sonar system mapped Challenger Deeps western, central and eastern pools in detail for the first time to reveal that they undulate with slopes and piles of rocks above a bed of primordial ooze containing life forms never before seen by the human eye. Depressingly, we also saw a red, fizzy drinks can and piles of thin, discarded plastic cable proving that man has even managed to pollute this hidden part of our planet. History was made by sending down Kelly Walsh, the 52-year-old son of Don Walsh, the first man to reach Challenger Deep in 1960. It made the Walshes the first father/son team to repeat an epic exploration first (the equivalent would be Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrongs son going to the Moon). On another dive, Vescovo was accompanied by Ying-Tsong Lin, a 45-year-old acoustics specialist from Taiwan a political statement directed at its aggressive neighbour China, which had hoped but failed to send a manned sub to such depths. And Vescovo, who has now been to the Mariana Trench eight times, also took down the first expedition sponsor, US businessman Jim Wigginton, 71, who paid $750,000 (608,000) for the privilege. Getting to one of the most remote places on Earth was an adventure in itself. I left my home in Los Angeles in the early hours of Sunday, June 14, flying via San Francisco to Honolulu and then on to Guam (crossing the international date line) to arrive the following night to meet the ship a distance of very nearly 6,100 miles. The 225ft Deep Submergence Support Vessel (DSSV) Pressure Drop was built in 1985 by the US Navy to hunt Russian submarines and is now owned by Vescovo, a pony-tailed 6ft 1in Texan who made his fortune in private equity before using his wealth to fund his love of exploration. Sitting in the ships mess, surrounded by movie posters including one for 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, the 1954 film of the Jules Verne book that inspired his passion for adventure, the 54-year-old explains why he believes, like Elon Musk with his SpaceX project, the future of exploration rests in the private sector. It was just magical, like seeing the moon right here on our own planet Vescovo called his ship and subs after ship names in the sci-fi novels by the late British writer Iain M. Banks. He says: I couldnt believe no one had built a reusable sub capable of exploring the full ocean depths. Oceans cover nearly three-quarters of the Earths surface yet more than 80 per cent of them remain unexplored. We know more about the Moon than about what is here beneath the waves of our own planet. Until relatively recently it was thought the bottom of the ocean was barren. But its full of life just not life as we know it. There are micro-organisms and creatures that have evolved to survive in the harshest conditions imaginable. Who knows what secrets they hold? The cure for cancer could be sitting there in the depths. Vescovo (pictured) called his ship and subs after ship names in the sci-fi novels by the late British writer Iain M. Banks. Rob McCallum, co-founder of EYOS Expeditions, a British company based in the Isle of Man that arranged the first tourist dives to the Titanic, describes Vescovo as a once in a lifetime client who is comfortably wealthy but not billionaire rich While only 12 people have walked on the Moon, until last week they still outnumbered those who had been to the bottom of the world. Days before I arrive, former Nasa astronaut Kathy Sullivan was the first woman to go down there, making her the worlds first astronaut-turned-aquanaut The 208-mile journey from Guam to the Mariana Trench takes 24 hours. Warm trade winds fan the decks, interrupted by sudden violent tropical squalls. We see the occasional bird (Brown boobies and Bulwers petrels) and a whale shark. Iridescent flying fish skim over the waves. The area is so remote I see no other vessel in two weeks Four hours later after setting off, the faint voice of the subs pilot, explorer Victor Vescovo, crackles over the radio to announce that he and passenger Kelly Walsh have reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench (pictured) the base of what is ominously called the hadal zone after Hades, Greek god of the underworld Human knowledge of the oceans has been concentrated in the top 650ft, the so-called epipelagic zone, where there is enough light for photosynthesis. But thats just five per cent of the oceans volume. The 208-mile journey from Guam to the Mariana Trench takes 24 hours. Warm trade winds fan the decks, interrupted by sudden violent tropical squalls. We see the occasional bird (Brown boobies and Bulwers petrels) and a whale shark. Iridescent flying fish skim over the waves. The area is so remote I see no other vessel in two weeks. Rob McCallum, co-founder of EYOS Expeditions, a British company based in the Isle of Man that arranged the first tourist dives to the Titanic, describes Vescovo as a once in a lifetime client who is comfortably wealthy but not billionaire rich. 40 new species found, but even they are poisoned by plastic After the broadcast of Sir David Attenboroughs breathtaking documentary TV series Blue Planet II, the great environmentalist said: Suddenly the world was electrified about the crime of chucking plastic into the ocean. Tragically, the Mariana Trench has not escaped this blight. For scientists found plastic in the gut of tiny amphipods (small crustaceans such as sand fleas) living four miles below the surface. The creatures contained polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic commonly used to make household items such as water bottles. Dr Alan Jamieson, a marine ecology expert from Newcastle University, said: We will never know how the presence of plastic might affect this animals feeding, mobility and reproduction because they are all contaminated. We are polluting species even before we discover them. So far, explorer Victor Vescovos expeditions have discovered 40 new species, including a dumbo octopus that lives over a mile deeper than any previously known octopus. That was a really cool moment in natural history, says Dr Jamieson, who is considered the worlds leading expert in the so-called hadal zone. This is the biogeographic realm where there is no plant life because of the absence of light. The zone is occupied chiefly by carnivorous animals that are often blind or have luminous organs structurally adapted to withstand the great pressures. Addressing the discovery of a dumped Coca-Cola can on the sea bottom, Dr Jamieson says: In the deep sea, I have seen a lot of cans and bottles, even books, railings, ceramic bowls, a lot of plastic bags, tarpaulins, ropes, string and, weirdly, a lot of old shoes. But he stresses that nanoplastic invisible to the eye is probably doing the most harm. Advertisement His 12-ton submarine, called Limiting Factor, was the brainchild of a Briton, John Ramsay, who came up with the revolutionary design at home in Devon. It was built by Florida-based Triton Submarines. Vescovos childlike enthusiasm brims over as we walk on to the deck where the sub sits encased in its own hangar and is lovingly attended to by a team from Triton. Made from a 90mm-thick titanium sphere encased in a buoyant filler comprised of millions of hollow glass spheres, the sub looks like something out of a James Bond film. From the outside it resembles a futuristic handbag. There are three windows, two across and one lower down, which give it an otherworldly face. Vescovo confides that he sees it as a woman: Shes quiet, reliable and very, very tough. We clamber up an external ladder and take off our shoes. I squeeze my body through the hatch and down a precipitous set of stairs before manoeuvring around to sit in one of two leather seats inside the hull, which is just 5ft-wide. Its like being inside a spaceship, although Vescovo likens it to flying a helicopter because ten thrusters allow it to move vertically and horizontally. Oxygen cylinders sit above the control panel. A wall of switches fills the area between our seats. There are filters to remove carbon monoxide from the air screens to show images from the external high-definition cameras. Its a mini life-support system. Like anything in life, you have to weigh the risk versus return. But I have complete faith in the sub and my team, says Vescovo. Is he scared of death? If something catastrophic happens and the hull implodes, which I dont think it ever will, it would be so fast I wouldnt know anything. Ill be liquified. We have emergency measures for everything else fire, entanglement. I can drop weights to move rapidly to the surface. We check in with the surface ship every 15 minutes. If I become incapacitated, there is a dead mans switch. An alarm goes off and if I dont respond to the alarm, the weights automatically drop. There are duplicate systems in case of battery failure. Thrusters can be ejected if they get tangled up in something. Vescovos first dive to the Challenger Deep, when he recorded a depth of 35,843ft, triggered a pointed response from the director of the film Titanic, James Cameron. Eight years ago, Cameron became the third man (after Don Walsh and the Swiss oceanographer Auguste Piccard in 1960) to reach a depth of 35,787ft in the Challenger Deep. Cameron carped at his rival for claiming to have gone deeper, saying You cant go deeper. Its flat and featureless in the Challenger Deep. Vescovo shrugs off the criticism: Ive now made eight dives, taken hours of footage and I can assure you its not flat. My answer is to produce a ton of hard data. Im not in this for fame or celebrity. Im doing this because its the purest form of exploration. On another dive, Vescovo was accompanied by Ying-Tsong Lin (pictured), a 45-year-old acoustics specialist from Taiwan a political statement directed at its aggressive neighbour China, which had hoped but failed to send a manned sub to such depths History was made by sending down Kelly Walsh (pictured right), the 52-year-old son of Don Walsh, the first man to reach Challenger Deep in 1960. It made the Walshes the first father/son team to repeat an epic exploration first (the equivalent would be Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrongs son going to the Moon) His 12-ton submarine, called Limiting Factor (pictured), was the brainchild of a Briton, John Ramsay, who came up with the revolutionary design at home in Devon. It was built by Florida-based Triton Submarines Graphic shows what the inside of the Triton 36000/2 - DSV Limiting Factor, which dives to Mariana Trench, looks like Sitting in the ships mess, surrounded by movie posters including one for 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, the 1954 film of the Jules Verne book that inspired his passion for adventure, Vescovo explains why he believes, like Elon Musk with his SpaceX project, the future of exploration rests in the private sector Excitement is palpable as the sub is prepared for a dive. 2020 has been like a disaster movie but exploration inspires us. People want good news Its first was on Saturday, June 20 when Kelly Walsh made history by following in his dads footsteps. Kelly says: I grew up with my fathers stories. For Dad, it was never about medals or records just about exploration and science. It was the same time as the race into space. Space was always considered sexier. Deep ocean exploration was ignored. Referring to the book The Right Stuff, about early space flight, he adds: Dad always joked he did the right stuff in the wrong direction. Dive day begins at 5am with the launch of two robotic landers, deployed to help the sub navigate the bottom. Pressurised steak is great Expedition chef Manfred Umfahrer sent a slab of beef down with the submarine to see what effect the intense pressure would have on the meat. After cooking the steak, which had been stored inside a plastic bag with a special marinade, the Austrian-born chef said: The beef was super tender. 'It was salty but otherwise delicious. The pressure forced the marinade into the meat, which gave it an unequalled depth of flavour. Advertisement The landers also collect rock and soil samples and have cameras to record ethereal snailfish and new species of crustaceans. Launching the submersible is an industrial ballet. First, its rolled out from a protective canopy to the edge of the deck. Attached to a hook, it is lowered into the waves before being detached and then it is gone. The journey lasts 12 hours four hours down, four hours on the bottom and four hours back. Loaded with heavy weights, it falls at a rate of 180ft per minute. To return to the surface, it jettisons the steel weights (they are considered environmentally friendly because they will rust and disintegrate) to rise to the surface. Vescovo says hes always asked how he goes to the loo? I have a plastic bottle with me,or as pilots call them, a range extender. Sitting in the command centre up above, hearing communications from nearly seven miles down is nerve-racking. I sit beside Kellys schoolteacher fiancee Erin, who is on the edge of her seat. After four hours on the bottom, Vescovo signals it is time to come up. Shortly after 8pm there is a faint glow in the water a few hundred yards away from the ship. The pressure squeezes the air out of polystyrene coffee cups, so much so that when they resurface the once regularly sized cups have become the size of a thimble As I watch the sub being retrieved in the darkness, I am awestruck at how technology is now so advanced that its possible to send two men down nearly seven miles and return them safely to a precise spot on the oceans surface. A jubilant Kelly clambers out. Wow! Just wow! he says. He went 46ft deeper than his dad and stayed down almost ten times longer. Later, Kelly tells me that when his father went down 60 years ago, he had no idea where he would land. They hit the bottom with a thud and so much sediment came up they didnt see anything. A coffee cup reduced to the size of a thimble An eight-ounce cup reduced to the size of a thimble (pictured) What happens to these coffee cups when they travel seven miles to the bottom of the world is a dramatic visual demonstration of the effects of colossal pressure at depth. An eight-ounce cup is reduced to the size of a thimble because the pressure of 16,000lb per square inch crushes the air out from between the polystyrene beads. Expedition leader Rob McCallum, above, explains: This is graphic proof of the effects of the immense pressures found at full ocean depth. It provides a challenge for our technology, which needs to function perfectly because this is one of the most hostile environments on Earth. Advertisement But today, vision was clear clear enough to enable him to spot that fizzy drinks can. They also spotted huge lengths of plastic cable. Vescovo, a former US Navy reserve intelligence officer, believes it was left by a Chinese ship recently spotted in the area. It is believed to be tethered to a hydrophone and part of a listening device. Vescovo also suggested: The cable might be from remotely operated vehicles. The ships captain Alan Dankool, 33, from Glasgow, Scotland describes working for Victor as his dream job. He says: Its incredible be part of a team which is making history. The ship used to hunt Soviet subs and shes a real character. Ive grown to love her. 'The fact that we are doing science and mapping, using the best sonar system available and making that knowledge available to the world for free makes this extra special. Second Engineer Charles Ferguson, 48, originally from the Isle of Jura, adds: The crew is from all over the world and weve learned to work together under extreme pressure. 'I worked in the oil and gas industry all my life so this is like nothing Ive ever done before. Its a great adventure. Its all about teamwork. 'When you are doing what were doing, you need people around you that you can trust. Were pushing the boundaries of what is possible every single day. The final dive, on Friday, took the worlds first fee-paying expedition sponsor on what has been dubbed the ultimate tourist trip though Vescovo objects to the word tourist because they engaged in important mapping and soil-collecting tasks. Detroit businessman Jim Wigginton, 71, wanted go seven miles down to raise awareness for a thyroid cancer foundation he established in memory of his late wife. Vescovo has put the entire operation up for sale for 40 million. He hopes the ship will continue as a privately run entity: This is a unique operation and weve proved it works. We have a sub that is good for thousands more dives. With the sun setting above the ship as we sail back to Guam, I ask him why he keeps risking his life to go down into the deep. So far, 2020 has been like a disaster movie trailer. But exploration inspires people. I hope people will read this and be encouraged to support science and exploration, to be curious, to want to protect our oceans. I think the world is ready for some good news for a change. Payili Satyanarayana, 32, taught at a private school in Telanganas Suryapet town until the Covid-19 pandemic turned his life upside down. He was forced to return to his village in Nalgonda district with his wife and eight-month-old son when the lockdown imposed to check the pandemic spread forced the closure of the school and left him jobless. Satyanarayana was paid one-third of his salary in March before the school management said it could no longer pay him. Left with no other source of income to survive, Satyanarayana enrolled under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme under which at least one member of every rural household is guaranteed 100-day manual work annually. I was paid 150 daily for desilting work at a local tank. But that was hardly enough. Later, I joined as a labourer in cotton fields, where I am getting around 300 daily, said Satyanarayana, who has a masters degree in Telugu literature. He said he worked as a teacher for a paltry salary of 15,000 a month. Yet, it was a noble profession with respect in society. He said if he starts thinking about his qualification, he would die of starvation. Satyanarayanas situation mirrors that of many like Zaheer Ahmed Sheik, 40. Sheik worked as a Hindi teacher but is now forced to eke out a living loading and unloading gas cylinders at a warehouse for 500 weekly. Sheik, who is from Mancherial district in Telangana, earned 15,000 monthly till the pandemic left him jobless. Since I could not survive in Hyderabad without a job, I returned to my town and have been working at the warehouse... I have also been painting buildings. In all, I am earning 5,000 a month, said Zaheer, a father of two. When I think about the future, I get scared. Tumki Praveen, a mathematics teacher from Jagitial town, ended up as a fruit seller after losing his private school job. What else could I do? I do not have money even to do a petty business. Telangana Private Teachers Federation president Sheik Shabbir Ali said there are 11,700 recognised private schools in the state and most of their teachers have lost jobs. As per the official statistics, 1,20,350 teachers were working in these schools, but unofficially the number is more than 250,000. Ali said many prestigious schools have resumed online classes but they too have engaged fewer teachers. In many districts, several big schools have formed groups and are engaging common teachers to take online classes... Telangana private school managements association president Papi Reddy said the private schools were aware of the plight of the teachers but they were also helpless because of the uncertainty in Covid-19 pandemic. There is no possibility of the schools being reopened even partially, unless the Covid-19 cases come down to a minimum level. The government is also not willing to take risk in allowing students. Many private schools are facing the threat of closure due to huge financial losses because of lockdown, he said. He admitted that there were schools which evaded payment of salaries to the teachers but hastened to add that they would have certainly paid the arrears after the reopening of the schools. In the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, too, the situation is no different. Many private school teachers have been forced to sell vegetables and even work as construction and daily wage workers. I earned a lot of respect among students as a maths teacher and principal of a private school. But now, I have lost my job and am forced to go from street to street to sell eggs, said Nageshwara Rao from West Godavari district. Andhra Pradesh Private School Teachers Union president Didde Ambedkar said there are over 12,000 recognised private schools in the state that employed 125,000 teachers. Many schools have not paid salaries to their teachers since February, much before the lockdown was imposed. While school education secretary Chitra Ramachandran could not be reached for comment, an officer on special duty in the department said the state government was not in a position to take any decision on reopening of schools due to rising Covid-19 cases. We are awaiting a direction from National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT). We shall take a call after seeing the guidelines of the NCERT, he said. National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) executive committee member Dr K Ramdas said neither the private schools nor the government could be blamed for the present situation. As I understand, it is not possible to open schools, at least primary schools, till December, because no parent will be willing to take risk by sending his children to the school, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience. ...view detail THERE were oddities that only made sense with Lord Maturan. He emerged victorious at the 2007 Cebu Young Designers Competition with a collection of all-black rock-and-roll Filipiniana blouses with mens collars assembled into butterfly sleeves. Since then, his succeeding body of work was strictly a contemporary examination of how his future would resonatemulticulturalism, gender play, the assimilation of the transgressive into things of real beauty. Minutes after I heard of his death on June 25, Thursday afternoon, fashion designer Jul Oliva phoned me to express her grief. She retrieved her conversations with Lord that went from his vision for the local fashion community to his inconsistent sleeping patterns. Lord often referred to Jul as idol or someone he looks up to. But unknown to him, in one of the many chats I have had with Jul, he was our true inspiration. He was fashions living soul: Forward-thinking, fearless and attentive to our changing society. Its doubly painful to have lost him because he never fell out of love with his craft and his love for our country. The design contest was one of the first assignments I covered when I started writing for the lifestyle section of SunStar Cebu. It led to several photo shoots. For a solo feature, he created an exclusive collection. It was nothing short of spectacular: Full of incontestable elegance and near-couture androgyny, still in the spirit of rock-and-roll. For SunStar Cebus Plus and Specials first business process outsourcing issue in 2010, he customized an electric blue dress with gold chains and sequined cut-outs as shoulder pads he matched with a pair of gauntlet. Everybody knew he had the virtue of showmanship. But nobody expected he had star quality after participating in the first season of Project Runway Philippines, a reality-based contest on TV for fashion designers in 2008. Although he was eliminated, it led to the rise of his eponymous label. He opened his first shop in Sambag 1 before he relocated in Zapatera, Cebu City. Story continues I would like to think that I was at the forefront of his evolution. He was my contemporary. He was most articulate in fashion jargon, oftentimes tutoring me on their definition. I could not count how many times I sat front row at his shows and noticed how his old aesthetics slowly faded away. What people dont know is that I started my career as a niche market, edgy street wear and menswear designer. My inclinations have always been in tailoring. But when I opened my shop, I found out that it had a really limited market. I needed projects to pay the rent. Bridal design was a welcomed accident. I learned to soften my style, he told me once. Our brand is blessed to have become a household name in the bridal industry. Necessity is really the mother of invention. In his case, it was inventiveness that moved beyond functionality and descended to what Lord believed garments should be worn today. True enough, he created his own palettes from the juxtaposing jet embroideries and bright ornamental lace trimmings for balloon gowns festooned with silk flowers. I will remember him for his genius because his impertinent and intriguing talent does tell something about his legacy. A sweeping overnight shift in silhouette is such a rare phenomenon in fashion design. Its almost like a force of naturenearly as mysterious as watching a flock of birds change direction in the sky. CAIRO - Egypt on Saturday lifted many restrictions put in place against the coronavirus pandemic, reopening cafes, clubs, gyms and theatres after more than three months of closure, despite a continued upward trend in new infections. Authorities also allowed the limited reopening of mosques and churches, and lifted the nighttime curfew. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissis government has been keen to save the Egyptian economy that was hit hard by the virus outbreak. On Friday, the International Monetary Fund approved another $5.2 billion loan for Egypt, to be added to the $2.8 billion the fund had already promised to stave off the pandemics worst economic effects. Before the pandemic, Egypt had just emerged from a three-year economic reform program that came with securing a $12 billion IMF loan in late 2016. In Cairo, a sprawling and bustling metropolis of some 20 million people, coffee shops reopened to receive in-house customers for the first time since mid-March. But sheesha, the hookah water pipe so popular in the Middle East, are no longer offered widely over sanitary concerns. Cafes have been allowed to reopen at only 25% seating capacity, according to Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly. Mosques and churches will also not be allowed to hold their weekly main services, when large crowds traditionally gather for worship. The government has banned Fridays Muslim prayers at mosques and Sunday masses at churches, Madbouly said. Wearing face masks, worshipers Saturday poured into mosques for the fajr, dawn, prayers, for the first time in months. People were looking forward to that day, Reda el-Sayed said, the prayer leader of a mosque in Giza. They miss the mosques. The reopening has met with criticism, not least because Egypt is still recording relatively high new coronavirus infections and deaths, raising concerns the countrys healthcare system could soon become overwhelmed. The Egyptian doctors union warned last month the country was careening toward a catastrophe. Egypts health ministry has reported 62,755 infections, including 2,620 deaths. However, the actual numbers of infections and deaths from COVID-19, like elsewhere in the world, are thought to be far higher due to a number of reasons including limited testing. The government is also planning the reopening of select tourist destinations to international charter flights starting Thursday, allowing travellers from around the world to return to parts of the country less hard-hit by the virus. Those include the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula, home to the major resort and beach destination of Sharm el Sheikh, the Red Sea resort areas of Hurghada and Marsa Alam, as well as Marsa Matrouh, on the Mediterranean coast. The national carrier, EgyptAir, said it would resume its non-stop flights to more than 29 international destinations starting July 1. The destinations include 17 in Europe, four in Africa, four in the Middle East, and three in North America in addition to Guangzhou in China, EgyptAir said. Egypts economy depends heavily on tourism, which accounts for some 12% of the gross domestic product. The government fears a prolonged lockdown could be devastating economically, as the grounded international flights and empty hotels have taken a heavy toll. Before the pandemic threw millions of casual labourers out of work, one in three Egyptians was already living in poverty, according to government figures. US movie theatres planned their widespread reopening around the release of Tenet and Mulan, but with the surge of coronavirus cases in parts of the country, those films have been pushed ahead. Hollywoods hopes for salvaging its summer season have effectively ended after the releases of both Christopher Nolans Tenet and the Walt Disney Cos live-action reboot of Mulan were again delayed. With reported cases of the coronavirus surging in parts of the US, Disney on Friday followed Warner Bros in pushing Mulan to late August. (Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak) The film, initially planned to open in March, had been slated for 24 July. Its now moving to 21 August. While the pandemic has changed our release plans for Mulan and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and perseverance, said Disney co-chairmen Alan Horn and Alan Bergman in a joint statement. "Director Niki Caro and our cast and crew have created a beautiful, epic, and moving film that is everything the cinematic experience should be, and that's where we believe it belongs on the world stage and the big screen for audiences around the globe to enjoy together," the statement further said. On Thursday, Warner Bros also postponed Tenet, starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, from 31 July to 12 August. The studio stressed the need for flexibility. We are choosing to open the movie mid-week to allow audiences to discover the film in their own time, and we plan to play longer, over an extended play period far beyond the norm, to develop a very different yet successful release strategy, a Warner Bros spokesperson said in a statement. Movie theatre chains had planned the widespread reopening of cinemas partially around the return of new releases like Tenet and Disneys Mulan. AMC Theaters, Regal Cinemas, and Cinemark the three largest circuits in North America had all set a timetable for nationwide reopening in early to mid-July with the aim of first playing catalog movies (including Nolans own Inception) and a smattering of smaller films as a lead-in to summer tentpoles. But with COVID-19 cases surging in Texas, Arizona, Florida, and elsewhere, those plans became uncertain. Rising cases in California forced Disney earlier this week to delay next months planned reopening of Disneyland in Anaheim. On Wednesday, New York Governer Andrew Cuomo also said New York would delay reopening cinemas while it continued to research the safety of indoor, air-conditioned venues. Roughly 780 indoor theatres currently are open in the United States, according to research firm Comscore. United Artists Releasings Bill & Ted Face the Music also pushed back from 14 to 28 August. Mulan is a $200-million live-action remake of Disneys animated classic that stars Yifei Liu in the title role and follows the protagonist as she disguises herself as a male soldier in the imperial army. (With inputs from agencies) Intensifying his attack on the Congress, BJP president JP Nadda on Saturday asked the opposition party 10 questions, including about alleged links between the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and China. "Under the garb of China and COVID-19 crisis, one should not shy away from questions the nation wants to know," Nadda told reporters while attacking Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Amid standoff with China, he asserted that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is safe and secure, and that its brave armed forces are fully capable of protecting the country. Nadda alleged that the RGF, which is headed by Sonia Gandhi, continuously received donations from the Chinese embassy between 2005-09, from the "tax haven" of Luxemburg between 2006-09 and NGOs with commercial interests. National interest was "sacrificed" and donations into the family-run foundation were accepted, Nadda said. The Congress had on Friday dismissed Nadda's attack on the RGF over alleged donations to it from the Chinese embassy and the Prime Minister National Relief Fund as a "diabolical game of deception" by the ruling party to divert attention from the alleged Chinese occupation of Indian territory. Nadda asked the Congress on Saturday to come clean on its "links" with China, and the details of its MoU with the Communist Party of China. He said India's trade deficit with China soared to USD 36.2 billion in 2013-14 from USD 1.1 billion in 2004 and asked if it was "quid pro quo" from the Congress. The Congress-led UPA was in power between 2004-14. Overall Turnout At 9.2 Percent On First Day Of Russia's Weeklong Constitutional Vote By RFE/RL June 26, 2020 Russia's Central Electoral Commision (CEC) says overall turnout was about 9 percent on the first day of a weeklong vote for constitutional amendments that could pave the way for an extension of President Vladimir Putin's rule by 12 years. The CEC said on June 26 that just over 10 million voters casts ballots on June 25, including remote online voting -- a first-day turnout representing 9.2 percent of all registered voters. Turnout for online voting by residents of Moscow and the Nizhny Novgorod region was 52.8 percent of those who applied in advance for permission to vote remotely -- or about 618,200 ballots cast, election officials said. Putin proposed the sweeping constitutional reforms earlier this year and insisted on putting it to a nationwide vote even though it was not required by law. The plan has sparked sharp criticism from opposition members and human rights groups who call it nothing more than an attempt at a power grab by Putin. Under current rules, Putin is forbidden from seeking a third consecutive six-year term. But if the constitutional changes are approved, Putin's presidential term-limit clock will be reset to zero -- opening the way for him to run for reelection when his current term expires in 2024, and again in 2030. There is no minimum turnout required to make the vote valid. But analysts say the Kremlin fears a low turnout could undermine the perceived legitimacy of the constitutional changes. Voting stations opened on June 25 for a week to help avoid crowds on July 1, the day designated for the nationwide vote, as Russia continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. The vote already had to be postponed from its originally scheduled date of April 22 due to the virus outbreak. Early voting has been allowed since June 10 for people who don't have access to polling stations. But journalists and opposition figures already are complaining about irregularities in the vote. In one instance, Pavel Lobkov, a journalist and presenter on TV Rain (Dozhd), said he voted at a Moscow polling station in the morning, then an hour later he was able to cast another ballot online because he had originally registered to participate that way. "Case closedThe system counted two votes. Everything is filmed on video. It is clear that in this way from each state employee there will be 30 votes in favor," Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny tweeted after Lobkov's video appeared online. With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ more-than-half-of-eligible -online-voters-cast-ballots-on -first-day-of-online-vote-for-russia-s- constitutional-amendments/30692007.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address WACO, Texas - Baylor University regents are creating a panel to consider whether any statues, buildings or other tangible tributes on the Waco campus reflect a racist past. The regents adopted a resolution Thursday that recognizes that most of the universitys founding fathers were slaveholders, racists and white supremacists when the school was founded in 1845. Those persons included Judge R.E.B. Baylor himself, as well as the Rev. James Huckins, the Rev. William M. Tryon, most members of its initial board of trustees, and several early leaders of the institution. During Baylors infancy, a number of University leaders and prominent individuals connected to the institution supported Confederate causes and engaged in the fight to preserve the institution of slavery both during and following the Civil War, including some serving as members of the Confederacys armed forces, the resolution states. The regents created a Commission on Historic Campus Representations to review the historical context of all statues, monuments, buildings and other aspects of the campus in reference to their physical location, placement and naming. The committee would then make recommendations to Baylor administrators and regents for possible action. Baylor was recently the target of a lawsuit that accused the university of scapegoating black athletes for a scandal over its handling of sexual assaults against students. It also has been associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, an organization created in a split with northern Baptists over slavery. The convention in recent years has apologized for slavery. The Telangana government on Saturday hinted at taking stern action against private diagnostic laboratories in the state which are allegedly violating norms and not following the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in conducting tests for Covid-19. State director of medical and health G Srinivasa Rao said as many as four teams comprising senior microbiologists and senior officers from the medical and health department, which conducted inspections in 16 out of 18 private laboratories in the state on Wednesday, found large-scale violation of norms in conducting Covid-19 tests. Rao said the inspection teams looked at various aspects like infrastructure, human resources, infection control measures and other facilities including general hygiene. The teams went through the registers and data uploaded by the labs into the ICMR and Telangana state portal and found a lot of discrepancies in the data, he said. ALSO READ | Health ministry team to visit Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana to assess Covid-19 crisis According to the numbers uploaded by the private labs, tests done by them were 9,577 and Covid-19 positive cases detected were 2,076 as per the ICMR portal since they got the permission. But in the state portal, the uploaded figure was 6,733 tests and 2,836 positive cases. But during the inspection, it was revealed from the records available with the labs that the total number of tests done by them was 12,700 and the positive cases were 3,571. At one of the labs in a major hospital, the actual number of tests conducted was 3,940 but they uploaded only 1,568 tests and showed 475 as positive, the director said. The inspection report submitted by the expert teams revealed that many of the labs were not taking safety measures such as the staff not wearing personal protection equipment (PPE), safety cabinets not being available and lack of proper hygienic conditions. The staff conducting the tests for Covid-19 has not been trained properly in RT-PCR testing. ALSO READ | Andhras Covid-19 tally crosses 10,000, Telangana expects same numbers soon The report pointed out that some of the labs did not follow measures for quality control and validation of tests. There is a suspicion that in some labs, pooled testing was being done, instead of individual tests. As a result, some negative cases were also shown as positive, it said. It is also suspected that there is possibility of contamination of samples leading to high positivity rate because safety measures and protocols are not followed meticulously. The teams also observed that in some labs, the testing area was very congested, and hygiene was poor and equipment maintenance was not good. Some of the labs were conducting tests for walk-ins, advertising that samples would be collected from different places in the city, while the government guidelines very clearly stated that only symptomatic cases and patients admitted in hospitals should be tested, Rao said. The expert committees recommended stringent action against some of the labs for violating norms and not following guidelines. ICMR has also directed the Gandhi Medical College to conduct quality control tests for private labs, he said. When contacted, Suprita Reddy, managing director of Vijaya Diagnostics, a popular diagnostic centre in Hyderabad, said the inspection teams had not found any violations in its labs. The teams were fully satisfied with the conditions and procedures we are following for Covid-19 testing, she said. A top executive in another popular diagnostics in Hyderabad, who pleaded anonymity, admitted there could be discrepancies in the figures being uploaded in ICMR and state government portals. This is basically because most of the time, their servers would be down and uploading of figures is difficult. There is a lot of clerical activity involved in it, he said. He also said testing of samples of Covid-19 suspects was a cumbersome exercise and it depends on the place of collection of swabs nose or throat. Sometimes, there is a possibility of the samples testing negative, even if the patients are positive. It happens even in government labs, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 22:16:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BELGRADE, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin has tested positive for COVID-19, the Defense Ministry said Saturday in a press statement. Vulin underwent a regular test after having contact with one of the state secretaries in the Ministry of Defense, who was recently hospitalized due to COVID-19 infection, said the statement. "The Minister of Defense is feeling well and since there are no symptoms of COVID-19 infection, he is in self-isolation," read the statement, adding that he will continue to perform the duties and adhere to all prescribed measures during self-isolation. In the past several days, Serbia has been experiencing a surge of new coronavirus cases. As of Saturday, 13,792 cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed, with 267 deaths. In the past 24 hours, 227 new cases were confirmed, while two more people died. On June 23, Serbia's crisis response team ordered mandatory use of face masks in public transportation, and recommended wearing them also in indoor spaces such as post offices, banks, public institutions, markets and shopping malls. An emergency was declared in the central city of Kragujevac and the southern city of Novi Pazar due to spikes of new infection cases. Serbia had declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 15 and lifted it on May 6. Enditem "I have grown, evolved and changed in that time as well, but I am still motivated by the same ideals which drove me to enter politics in the first instance." Leo Varadkar, June 14, 2017, his maiden Dail speech as Taoiseach. The question is: what are the ideals that have motivated Leo Varadkar during his more than 20 years in politics? As he prepares to leave the Taoiseach's Office, Varadkar is a very different politician to the one who entered Leinster House in 2007. The conservative rhetoric of a politician who once compared travelling to Britain for an abortion to going to Amsterdam to smoke cannabis, is gone. He was replaced by a party leader who oversaw the most significant reform of abortion laws in the history of the State. The minister who told us 'welfare cheats cheat us all' is now overseeing the single biggest social welfare budget any government has ever produced. Admittedly, his hand was forced on this by the coronavirus - but in 2010 or even 2016, Leo Varadkar may not have been so generous. In the same speech quoted earlier, the outgoing Taoiseach said he believes in the "power of politics". "It is not perfect, but it is the best way of solving problems and helping to build a better future," he added. Much of his time in the Department of the Taoiseach has been spent firefighting. Some of it was self-inflicted, such as during the controversy surrounding the Strategic Communications Unit. As with many good ideas, the problem was with the execution - and a plan to streamline government messaging resulted in a stream of bad press landing on Varadkar's lap. If his communications unit had not hit a brick wall, Varadkar may have had more luck in selling the success of his government to an electorate which was becoming increasingly frustrated with Fine Gael. There are many criticisms you can level at Varadkar and Fine Gael, but you cannot deny the fact they brought the country back from the brink of bankruptcy during nine years in government. Before the general election in January, the economy was booming. Employment hit record highs, the budget was balanced and we were looking ahead to years of economic growth. Obviously, the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to that - but before the national emergency, the economy was in a more than stable state. Going into the general election, Varadkar had a good story to tell, but no one wanted to listen. There was also the far from inconsequential fact that Fine Gael under his watch let a housing crisis develop which affected people across society. There were not many homes in the country where the cost of new homes, or sky-rocketing house prices, were not discussed several times a week. Adult children were forced to move back to their parents' homes and many ended up resenting Fine Gael. Images of children eating their dinner sitting on the streets of the capital, or families living in cars, will always haunt the memory of the Fine Gael minority government. A lot of work was put into resolving the housing crisis, but an over-reliance on the private market and inability to navigate the bureaucracy of the planning system meant very little got done. A shortage of construction workers did not help matters either. Despite spending years developing a reputation for being the prudent party of politics, Fine Gael began facing accusations of reckless splurging of taxpayer money on big infrastructure projects. Spending seemed to be out of control, and budgeted costs for a project paled in comparison to the final bill. Ministers did not seem to have a handle on their departmental purse strings, and they had already spent so much money on projects they couldn't back out. The National Children's Hospital and the National Broadband Plan were the main problems. The cost of both soared far beyond their original estimates and Fine Gael was left scrambling to explain why it was pumping in billions of taxpayers' money. Fine Gael protested that the projects were costed years earlier, when post-recession construction costs were cheaper. Once both projects are completed, the costs will be forgotten (who remembers how much the Luas cost?) and we will have nationwide broadband and a world-class hospital for children, the party argued. Brexit was the shadow that loomed over every decision Varadkar took during his three years as Taoiseach. The uncertainty surrounding the UK's decision to leave the European Union paralysed the Government from taking many actions. We still don't know what the economic impacts of Brexit will be when Britain finally breaks ties. But Varadkar did protect Ireland's interest throughout the negotiations and developed strong relationships with EU leaders which helped our cause. The last-ditch summit with Boris Johnson in the UK was also crucial to striking a deal on the withdrawal agreement. But Varadkar put too much focus on these achievement s during the general election, and the party's obsession with Brexit during the campaign now means he must wait two-and-a-half years to return to the Taoiseach's office. The following statement was produced by the Jefferson North Rank-and-File Safety Committee (jnapsafety@gmail.com). The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter will assist auto workers and other workers in establishing safety committees. Email the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter at autoworkers@wsws.org. Autoworkers at Fiat Chryslers Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit are taking a stand to defend our lives and the lives of our families. On Thursday morning, workers on A crew protested and shut down the line after new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the plant. Later that day, B crew also refused to work until early Friday morning, when management and United Auto Workers officials forced some to start production up again. Workers assemble Ford trucks at the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, KY [Credit: AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley] But the next shift, C crew, also refused to work around 3:30 a.m. Friday morning, and workers continued to stop the line throughout Friday. Workers took these actions because we dont feel safe! Neither management nor the UAW is giving us real information about the spread of the coronavirus in our plants. The return to work last month was totally premature. Our brothers and sisters had already suffered the consequences from the companies and the union delaying a shutdown till mid-March, with dozens of autoworkers dying from COVID-19. If we hadnt taken action then to force them to stop production, how many more would have died? The pandemic wasnt under control when they brought us back to work, and now record daily cases are being reported in the US. Record numbers of deaths every day are inevitably going to come unless something is done. The only concern of the auto companies and the union has been to get production running again and make sure the investors keep making profits and the corporate debts are paid, no matter how many of us get sick and die. Everything they said about our safety being the top priority was a lie. We cant properly social distance on the line or during shift changes, the plant isnt being cleaned enough, they dont shut down for a day after cases are confirmed, there isnt enough hand sanitizer or disinfectant, and the heat and the physical demands of the job make wearing PPE almost unbearable. Many autoworkers have taken leave or stayed home in order to avoid exposing themselves to the virus in the plants. But the companies are quickly hiring super-exploited temporary workers in order to make up the shortfall. Because the companies and the UAW continue to force us into unsafe conditions, our committee puts forth the following demands: 1. Workers must be immediately notified of any cases of COVID-19 and what areas were affected. This information cannot be kept secret from workers. 2. When theres a case confirmed, the factory should be closed for 24 hours for deep cleaning, not just the affected area, but the whole plant. Preventative maintenance is needed to ensure a safe and comfortable working environment. 3. Social distancing must be implemented when entering and leaving the plant and during bathroom, lunch and other break times. 4. The line must be stopped for 10 minutes every hour to enable workers to take off their masks, rest and cool off. 5. Workers must have regular, universal testing. Temperature checks and self-reporting symptoms are not enough. 6. If conditions are not safe, workers have the right to refuse to work without threat of retaliation by management and the union. The Jefferson North Rank-and-File Safety Committee calls on all autoworkers and workers everywhere: If necessary, stop production. We have the right to a safe environment and to not bring home this disease to our loved ones. We are due that. There is plenty of money and resources to ensure our safety and fight the pandemic. The government has handed over billions to the companies, and trillions are being given to corporate America as a whole. This money must not be squandered on the rich. It must be redirected to meeting the needs and safety of workers. The problems and dangers we face at JNAP are not unique to our plant. New coronavirus cases continue to be reported at Ford, GM and the auto parts plants, and at the meatpacking and food processing plants, Amazon and elsewhere. All workers should have an environment where health is the priority. We must not be kept in the dark about a virus that could potentially kill us. After a hard day of work, we have the right to come home in one piece, not sick, not hurting. We know the UAW wont do anything to protect us. All they do is take our moneyand take bribes from the companiesand support whatever management wants. No ones going to protect us but ourselves. Weve begun this action, but now we need the support of autoworkers and other workers everywhere. Join us and expand this struggle: Share this statement. Raise our demands. Form a rank-and-file safety committee at your plant and connect with ours. Our health must not be jeopardized for corporate profits. We all have to unite and stand up for our safety and that of our families! We Will Get Past This We all need Sandi Toksvig in our lives right now. Thankfully she has noticed and is churning out a soothing daily podcast from her homes room of books. We all need Sandi Toksvig in our lives right now. Thankfully she has noticed and is churning out a soothing daily podcast from her homes room of books Episodes last ten minutes and are a little like Thought For The Day on Radio 4, only less boring and pious. Toksvig often takes a story from a book in her collection as a starting point for reflections of her own. 1619 In 1619, a ship loaded with over 20 enslaved Africans docked in Virginia, then an English colony. This award-winning podcast argues that the ships arrival marked the beginning of America as we know it. The series explores the ways in which the country was shaped by slaves, and celebrates the contributions of black people to American culture. So Hot Right Now Carbon emissions may have dipped in the pandemic, but we are still heading for climate catastrophe. This show features interviews with figures in the fight against global warming, from David Attenborough to Ellie Goulding. Its surprisingly upbeat This show features interviews with figures in the fight against global warming, from David Attenborough to Ellie Goulding, who reveals that for every post about climate change she uploads on social media, she loses 1,000 followers. Its surprisingly upbeat. How To Survive In this kooky podcast, friends Joe and Chris discuss how they would survive if pitched into the hellscapes faced by characters in films such as Home Alone and Titanic. As the hosts set out where characters dropped the ball, they provide plenty of witty and insightful analysis of the films in question. Its great fun. Britain's most notorious child-sex offenders are using mainstream websites such as YouTube, Twitter and Instagram to rebrand paedophilia as a harmless sexual preference, an investigation for The Mail on Sunday has found. Hundreds of disturbing accounts are being set up every day which refer to both potential and prolific abusers as MAPs Minor-Attracted Persons to escape the stigma attached to the word paedophile. The anonymous users have even created their own rainbow MAP Pride flag with some arguing they should be celebrated as a niche group alongside the LGBT community. LGBT-style slogans such as #MAPPride and #Mappositivity, are seen as an attempt to cast paedophilia as part of societys wider move towards sexual liberation. The Mail on Sunday has learned that former chairman of PIE, Tom OCarroll (pictured above in a YouTube video), Britains most notorious paedophile campaigner, continues to use online forums to argue for the legalisation of paedophilia Material found online includes memes proclaiming Gay MAPs are amazing and cartoon characters saying: Repost if you think maps should be able to date minors. One paedophile account @SandMapMinorva since suspended posted: Minor-attraction is natural. Profiles of the anonymous users, which use cartoon avatars rather than photographs, often list the ages of children they are most attracted to, in some cases as low as two to seven. Otep Shamaya, a gay rights campaigner, said: They are a fiendish group of sub-humans and they will find no haven in the LGBTQ community. We utterly rebuke their delusional and evil claims. The horrifying propaganda has chilling echoes of the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) campaign in the 1970s and 80s which piggy-backed on the gay liberation movement to push for pro-child abuse policies, such as lowering the age of consent to just four. It was disbanded in 1984, but The Mail on Sunday has learned that its former chairman, Tom OCarroll, Britains most notorious paedophile campaigner, continues to use online forums to argue for the legalisation of paedophilia. OCarroll (pictured above as chairman of PIE in the 1970s) was given a two-year jail term for child pornography offences in 2006 and joined the Labour Party in 2015 but was ousted a year later for being a safeguarding risk In one interview which YouTube has refused to take down, OCarroll, 75, argues that a sexual relationship between an adult and child is as natural as a mothers relationship with her baby. OCarroll was given a two-year jail term for child pornography offences in 2006 and joined the Labour Party in 2015 but was ousted a year later for being a safeguarding risk. As well as YouTube, he has campaigned to legalise sex with children on his Wordpress blog. Elsewhere on YouTube, explicit footage appears in videos aimed at children. One woman, Sarah, was horrified to find some of the content by accident. My nephew, when he was five, was watching a YouTube video when the Disney characters started snorting cocaine and having an orgy, she said. The findings are all the more concerning given that many children are being encouraged by schools to use sites such as YouTube as part of their home education during the pandemic. While social media giants remove users for posting racist or extremist material, the MAP posts are allowed to stay despite protests because it is deemed acceptable to discuss attraction to minors as long as it does not glorify paedophilia. Disturbingly, the campaign is also drawing strength from academics calling for paedophiles voices to be heard. Dr Craig Harper, senior lecturer in psychology at Nottingham Trent University, signed a 2018 letter written to Twitter demanding that paedophile accounts which were shut down by the social media giant be restored. Controversially, Dr Harper maintains that paedophilia and child abuse are not the same thing and paedophilia is a sexual attraction pattern that shares common features with other sexual orientations. He declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper. Child sex abuse survivor Jacqui Dillon, who runs the Beck Road Alliance online support network, said: This is absurd and dangerous. Twitter and other corporations are now providing paedophiles with access to children online. Twitter said it had zero tolerance for any material that features or promotes child sexual exploitation. After being alerted by this newspaper, YouTube removed some postings and has increased protection for young viewers. Wordpress said it had suspended all three blogs linked to OCarroll. Firefighters are the real-life superheroes whose selfless service and sacrifice amid dangerous situations help save lives as one team. The tough job requirements make this profession clearly too daunting for the fainthearted. For Shin Sanggyo, the supervisor of the disaster countermeasures team from South Korea, it is his unwavering faith in the universal values of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance that helps him get through trials and challenges while working on the front lines of the pandemic caused by CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. Speaking to The Epoch Times, Shin said it is his job to be true to others first and treat difficulties with patience. Shin said that after facing every new trial, he finds that his inner world and character have become more refined. This job isnt about wealth or honor. It gives people a chance to give. It is a precious environment, he said. Shin Sanggyo (Courtesy of Shin Sanggyo) A Healthy Mindset After graduating from college, Shin had tried applying to become a patent attorney but failed the test several years in a row. While studying at his desk one day, Shin couldnt help but wonder if there were other unknown factors at play that determine why some candidates were able to pass such entrance exams easily while others could not. Meanwhile, in 2003, when Shin began home-tutoring a student in Daejeon, located in the central region of South Korea, he was introduced to Falun Gong, an ancient mind-body meditation practice based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Shin said that studying for the certification exam was not an easy feat. He would head out for the library in the morning but would often find himself taking a walk at the beach instead. However, after he started practicing Falun Gong, Shin said he could stay focused on studying as his thoughts had become much simpler. Shin Sanggyo with his wife and their two children. (Courtesy of Shin Sanggyo) It clearly had an improving effect on my mental health, Shin said. He added that he also learned how to be a better person through studying Falun Gongs main text, Zhuan Falun. Apart from the mental health benefits, the practice also assisted Shin to quit drinking and smokinga habit that he struggled to break out of for 15 years. His friends even thought that it was his determination that finally led to success. Shin said: There is a saying in Zhuan Falun that one can quit smoking eventually in cultivation. In actuality, it wasnt out of determination, but rather, the thought of smoking naturally disappeared, which led me to quit. Saving Lives as One Team Though Shin initially didnt aspire to become a firefighter, the opportunity came naturally; there was a fireman test and he was ready to take the exam. Having passed the test, Shin embarked on his career as a first responder and then served as the chief of a fire department in Incheon, west of Seoul, before he was posted to Ganghwa fire station, where he is working at present as a supervisor of the disaster countermeasures team. Shin Sanggyo at work. (Courtesy of Shin Sanggyo) Shins everyday work entails educating firefighters and paramedics on how to rescue people safely from disasters. Firefighters often encounter unpredictable situations, and they need to be well aware of any hazardous materials in order to carry out their work safely. Accordingly, Shin strives to constantly upgrade his professional know-how concerning such crucial life-saving topics to make sure he possesses the required skills. Its a job that requires self-development across all aspects, Shin said, adding that he is also learning foreign languages. Once, Shin and his team were called to respond to a suicide attempta middle school student who was ready to jump off the roof of a building. Unlike a normal situation where one could follow the regular protocols, such demanding situations require firefighters to coordinate excellent teamwork and be on the same page, as any slightest difference in thinking could lead to a fatal outcome. Fortunately, Shin and his team managed to perform a safe rescue: one person kept attempting to dissuade the boy from jumping while the other person went up to the sloping roof where the boy was sitting and pulled him to safety with a hug. Shin Sanggyo with his team. (Courtesy of Shin Sanggyo) Putting Others Before Oneself Shin was the head of the fire station at the time of the middle school boys rescue, and he said he had every right to instruct his members to follow his commands. But the conscientious firefighter said he would not hesitate to take a step back and let others take the lead if they had a better idea. I trust and follow, and if there is something lacking in their approach, I try to fill in the gap, he said. After the CCP virus broke out in South Korea, Shin and his team members saw an unprecedented rise and change in their workload and operations. For instance, when South Korea held a general election in April 2020, the fire department had to ensure there was no risk of fire outbreak at the polling stations; on the day of elections, they were also tasked with driving suspected COVID-19 patients to the polling stations. Even though there was not a single infection in the vicinity of Ganghwa, the South Korean government required all firefighters and paramedics in the country to wear protective suits while responding to emergencies in case the patient was infected with the CCP virus. Shin said it usually takes more than five minutes for members to wear protective suits that comprise infection suits, hats, galoshes, and goggles; the time factor can delay their response rate a little. Therefore, despite the hot weather, Shin said they always wear infection protection suits and wait for the dispatch. For the safety of the citizens and the safety of the firefighters, even if its inconvenient, it would be better for us to be safe than sorry, he said. (Courtesy of Shin Sanggyo) Even when hes off duty, Shin never leaves behind the mindset of a firefighterpublic safety always comes first. Though Shin said that wearing a mask all the time can feel a little stuffy, he cautioned that if we step out of our homes without a mask, others might feel nervous. The global health pandemic has also resulted in an increased number of meetings for the fire department. As a manager, Shin said he could opt to wait for his members to complete writing their task reports, but instead, when he saw that they had a lot to do and couldnt manage to submit their reports in time, he would step in to help. For Shin, he wouldnt be this considerate if he didnt practice Falun Gong, he said. I used to have a bad temper, often getting annoyed and treating others badly, Shin told Minghui.org. Now my relationships have changed dramatically because I am able to maintain a peaceful mind and I always try to do better on my part. Shin Sanggyo practicing the fifth set of Falun Gong exercises. (Courtesy of Shin Sanggyo) Stand Up Against Injustice Having benefited from practicing Falun Gong, Shin strives to tell people about the beauty of the practice and also exposes its brutal persecution continuing in China since July 1999. Falun Gong earned huge popularity for its much-acclaimed health benefits after it was introduced in China in 1992. However, the Chinese communist regime launched a crackdown to eradicate the peaceful practice when the number of people practicing Falun Gong exceeded the CCPs membership. In the last 21 years, countless practitioners have been arrested, imprisoned, and tortured, and some even had their organs harvested. Shin recalled past incidents when he talked about the 2015 Peabody Award-winning documentary film Human Harvest to tell others how the CCP has been profiteering from harvesting Falun Gong practitioners organs but how some people used to disregard the seriousness of the matter, saying that its Chinese and its not related to them. However, Shin now hopes people will stop having such an ignorant mindset after witnessing how the initial coverup by the Chinese communist regime led the CCP virus to envelope the entire world, resulting in the loss of numerous lives. Shin said if any firefighter or paramedic misses the first five minutes of the initial responsethe five minutes of golden timeit can lead to an entirely different outcome. No matter how much you treat a patient after that, the chances of reviving them are significantly reduced, Shin said. In that sense, I think the same goes for the coronavirus. Even if the virus had inevitably occurred, if the CCP had not covered up the incident and had released all the relevant data at the beginning, the world would have been able to respond and prevent it. I think its a pity that they did not. With the whole world struggling to survive amid the pandemic, Shin hopes more people will now step forward when they witness any form of abuse or harm anywhere. It seems that when we see injustice, at first glance, it doesnt seem to be directly related to us. But I want people to speak out as one voice and help prevent any more such wrongs from happening ever again, Shin said. Watch His Inspiring Journey in the Video Below: Additional reporting by Khasub Lee The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is all set to launch their third campaign ahead of West Bengal assembly election 2021. On July 3, the TMC will launch its virtual campaign Soja Banglay Bolchi meaning putting straight in Bengali. This comes after Didi ke Bolo and Banglar Gorbo Mamata campaigns. The campaign will be launched by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee over a virtual meeting. All MPs, MLAs and senior party leaders will be present on July 3 at 4 pm. The leader of the Milla Bloods street gang teared up Friday afternoon as he apologized to the court and family members of Christopher Lamont Motley, who was shot to death in 2016 during an ambush meant for a rival gang leader. First and foremost, Im truly sorry for my actions. I cant take back what I did, and if I could, I would, Deshawn Anthony said. I hope today that you can see the change in me. Anthony made the comments in U.S. District court, where he was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and use of a firearm in a violent crime in aid of racketeering for his role in the shooting death of Motley. Anthony is the first to be sentenced to prison from among several members of the gang who accepted plea deals for participating in a multiyear gang war in Danville that included Motley's death. During the hours-long hearing in U.S. Federal District Court, to which the Register & Bee listened by phone, Chief Judge Michael F. Urbanski described the killing of Motley as a planned execution. The abject disregard for human life shocks the conscience. It was the organized and planned murder of a rival gang leader, which unfortunately resulted in the death of an innocent man, Urbanski said. Before being sentenced, Anthony spoke through tears as he apologized to Motleys family members, who were listening on the phone, and explained that he is a changed man. Anthonys father, Rupert Anthony, testified Friday about his own experience in being involved in a gang and ultimately getting imprisoned for 20 years because of it. Since being released in 2011, however, he has been rehabilitated, as he now owns his house, holds a job and is a landlord. I know people can change. Im a prime example, he said. "He [Deshawn Anthony] made some poor choices in his life, but that doesnt mean hes a bad individual. Said Urbanski: He [Rupert Anthony] provided a story of redemption and change. Most of the criminal charges against Anthony and several other gang defendants involved a gang war when members of both the Milla Bloods and Rollin' 60s Crips set an ambush for the leader of a rival gang called the Billy Bloods, at the Southwyck Apartment complex in Danville. But when a van entered the complex parking lot and gang members, including Anthony, opened fire, the rounds struck and killed Motley, who was a passenger and not a target, court documents show. If they had gone to trial, most of the defendants likely would have been sentenced to life in prison for their role in that murder and other incidents, Urbanski said. But a failure on the part of prosecutors to supply state grand jury transcripts to the defense before the first trial began in October damaged their case. Prosecutors offered plea deals without any provision for a life sentence, and most defendants accepted. Yet Urbanski ultimately chose the highest number of years allowed in the sentencing guidelines. Both counts against Anthony were punishable by as much as a life sentence, but the plea deal he signed in January meant that he would serve somewhere between 25 and 27 years in prison. That was the highest range of any defendant to take a plea agreement. Several other members of the gang accepted deals with ranges dropped to as low as 13 years on the minimum end of the range. Urbanski said that he believes Anthony's being able to take a plea agreement at all will "give him a chance at rehabilitation and a law-abiding life out of prison, just like his dad did. Ayers reports for the Register & Bee. Reach him at (434) 791-7981. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Gia Gunn is getting backlash for saying she thinks that the coronavirus pandemic is a hoax. The RuPaul's Drag Race star criticized people for wearing masks amid the global health crisis and claimed everyone is being brainwashed into thinking the situation is worse than it actually is. 'I think the whole mask thing is f**king ridiculous,' Gia, 30, said in an Instagram Live clip which was shared by Evan Ross Katz on Twitter. Misguided: Gia Gunn has received backlash for saying she thinks that COVID-19 is a hoax in an Instagram Live clip 'I honestly think this whole COVID-19 thing is a hoax.' she added, before continuing, 'I think everybody who is, you know, taking precautions is cute and its definitely the thing to do, but I also think a lot of people are brainwashed. 'I think the more and more that we look around and see each other with masks on, the more influenced we are going to be to also put our masks on, which then to me, insinuates that everything is not ok. 'Im here to tell you guys that I think things are more okay than the government is allowing you to think.' she added. Gia's comments came on a day where coronavirus cases in the US rose by a record 45,242. Several Drag Race stars slammed Gia for her misguided comments. Cute: 'I think everybody who is, you know, taking precautions is cute and its definitely the thing to do, but I also think a lot of people are brainwashed.' Phi Phi O'Hara from season four hit back at Gia, writing, 'My husband had and my mom HAS covid currently. THIS IS NO HOAX @GiaGunn. Your video and comments are honestly quite ignorant and it would behoove you to step back from Twitter and educate yourself, false information is harmful to so many. Aquaria from season 10 wrote: 'please @GiaGunn put on your stupid mask and let it be a reminder to not open your mouth when trying to influence your followers to practice the same unsafe actions you feel entitled to. people are still dying. be grateful its not you or I right now.' Ignorant: Phi Phi O'Hara (Jaremi Carey) from season four hit back at Gia revealing that his mother has COVI-19 Aquaria from season 10 wrote: 'please @GiaGunn put on your stupid mask' Apology: It seems Gia was also hitting out at restaurants that were asking to take her temperature so she could dine there as a precaution Farrah Moan didn't beat around the bush as she hit back: 'STFU b***h and put your mask on. And stop attacking businesses on your social media for taking your temperature before entering. People are dying.' Following the backlash Gia issued an apology. In another video she said, 'It's time for Miss Gia to take her own advice and do better. 'Dumbest thing I've heard all week': Gia was hit with a deluge of criticism when her video went viral 'With the 6,000 cases on the rise alone here in California, it's apparent that no theories, no questions, no excuses, it's time for us to put our masks back on. 'And for those of you that never took their masks off, I thank you and I commend you so much for setting the example that I wish I would have. I thank you all so much for correcting me, educating me, and informing me.' Gia rose to fame on Season six of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 2 of The Switch Drag Race, and Season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars. UP Board Results 2020: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, popularly known as UP Board, will announce results of classes 10 and 12 examinations on Saturday, June 27, said additional chief secretary, secondary education, Aradhana Shukla. She said deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma will address a press conference in Lucknow on Saturday at 12 noon wherein the results will be announced. Sudents will be able to check results on official websites of upmsp.edu.in and also on upresults.nic.in and upmspresults.up.nic.in. UP Board Results 2020: Live Updates Shukla said, Where the National Boards like CBSE and ICSE are unable to complete their exams, the UP Board completed the exams well in time but also got the 3.5 crore copies of 56 lakh students evaluated by 1.2 lakh teachers in record time during the lockdown. Check UP Board Results 2020 at HT Result Portal More than 5.61 million (56.1 lakh) students appeared in the UP Boards examinations this year. Of them 3.02 million were in high school and 2.58 million in intermediate examinations. Taraneh Alidoosti, one of Irans most popular film stars, will reportedly receive a five-month prison sentence on charges of anti-government activism. According to a BBC Persia report, Alidoostis lawyer Kaveh Rad tweeted that her sentence has been suspended for two years and would be officially announced on 1 July. He called the sentence an act of intimidation by Iranian authorities. The charges are apparently related to negative tweets about law enforcement, Variety says. The star of Asghar Farhadis The Salesman issued a strong criticism of Iranian authorities in January this year, when she told her 5.8 million followers: We are not citizens, we are captives, millions of captives. The post was later deleted. She also reportedly shared a video on Twitter showing a member of Irans plainclothes morality police insulting and attacking a woman on the street for not wearing the hijab headscarf. On 21 January, Alidoosti, who has been described as Irans Natalie Portman, was initially summoned to Irans Culture and Media Prosecutors Office on charges of propaganda activities against the state before being released on bail. The case was then referred to the criminal court. Alidoosti has been vocal about human rights throughout her acting career. She caused outrage in Tehran in 2006 when a tattoo of the woman power symbol of a raised fist was spotted emerging from her sleeve, during a Cannes press conference for The Salesman. She boycotted the 2017 Academy Awards ceremony, where The Salesman received the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, in protest of US president Donald Trumps travel ban, which she branded racist on Twitter. Alidoosti will not serve jail time unless she is convicted of another crime in the two-year period. Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19: 9-10 NIV). Salvation is a free gift of God that is available to all. It is by grace through the exercise of faith in Jesus Christ. (See Ephesians 2:8-9). Jesus Christ spent about three years preaching the message of salvation, teaching the word of God, and doing miraculous deeds. He could not be everywhere during those three years. He had to prioritize his schedule so that he could do the most good for most people. In the chronology of events as recorded in Luke chapter 19, Jesus was going to Jerusalem. It would be his last visit to Jerusalem where he would be crucified on the cross to save all mankind. On his way, he entered Jericho. He did not intend to stay in Jericho; he was merely passing through. As was usually the case, news about him had spread everywhere and a crowd of people were waiting to catch a glimpse of him, listen to his teachings, or benefit from, or watch his miracles. Among those in the crowd to see Jesus was Zacchaeus, a wealthy chief tax collector. Zacchaeus had a height disadvantage. He knew he could not see Jesus well standing on the same level with others in the crowd, so he came up with a plan. He ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a sycamore tree and perched there so that he could get a better view of Jesus when he passed by. It worked perfectly. Not only did Zacchaeus see Jesus clearly, but more importantly, Jesus saw him clearly. Jesus stopped near the tree, looked up and called Zacchaeus by name, to come down, and invited himself to his house. To put it mildly, tax collectors did not have a good reputation among the people. They were hated by their own people because they represented the Roman Empire in collecting taxes for the emperor. In the process, some cheated the people by collecting more than what was mandated by the empire, and kept the difference and thereby enriched themselves at the expense of their own people. Needless to say, Zacchaeus, as a chief tax collector, was hated by the people. Therefore, the people were unhappy to see Jesus visit the house of a sinner. On his part, Zacchaeus was thrilled that Jesus came to his house. Jesus did not condemn Zacchaeus, but his presence must have induced a positive change and a repentant heart in Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus told Jesus that he would give half of his possessions to the poor and that if he had cheated anyone, he would repay four times the amount. Apparently, the change of heart and confession were good enough for Jesus because he knew Zacchaeus heart. After all, how many rich men would climb a tree on a crowded road just to catch a glimpse of Jesus passing by? Jesus told Zacchaeus, Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19: 9-10 NIV). Opportunity and timing are important. Jesus was passing through Jericho for the last time on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified. He knew he was not coming back to Jericho. This was the last opportunity for Zacchaeus to meet Jesus in Jericho. Zacchaeus probably joined the crowd more out of curiosity than a desire to seek salvation. It takes the grace of God for us to find God and for God to find us. Note Jesus emphasis on today. Jesus knew it was that day or probably never for Zacchaeus because he was not coming back to Jericho again. If Zacchaeus wanted to be saved, it must be that day. Zacchaeus seized the opportunity and obtained his salvation. Those who postpone decisions about salvation to sometime in the future should note that today is all we have. Tomorrow may be too late. Jesus is ready to come in and dine with you as he did with Zacchaeus. Jesus said, Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20 NIV). Many people have let opportunities for salvation slip by. The reasons some people offer for postponing decisions about salvation are not worthwhile. Jesus ignored the murmurs about his visit to the home of a sinner. He said he came to seek and save those who are lost. Some people believe they have to be perfect and free of sin before they come to Jesus. It is like someone trying to get well first before he or she sees a doctor, forgetting that the most critically ill patients have the best chance of seeing a doctor. Jesus handling of Zacchaeus was an indication that no one is beyond Gods pardon. Come to Jesus with all your sins, faults, weaknesses, and problems. If you believe you are a sinner, today, salvation has come to you. You are the very person for whom Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead. Today, the resurrected Christ is passing through villages, towns, cities, countries, and individual homes looking for all the Zacchaeuses hiding out there. Dont let him pass you by; grab him! This is the time to come out of hiding and drop all your excuses. This is your opportunity to sing prayerfully the hymn written by Fanny J. Crosby, Pass me not O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry; while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by. Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry; while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by. The realization that you are a sinner is a good thing. All of us are sinners, and some are sinners saved by grace. What is not good is for you to think that you are unworthy of Gods mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Today, salvation has come to you just as you are; seize it while you are able. Accept that you are a sinner, believe that Jesus Christ died for you, confess your sins, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and start a new, born-again relationship with Jesus Christ. May God bless you. Prayer is the key. May God grant us the grace to seek Him daily through our prayers. Dr. Daniel Gyebi, Attorney-at-Law, Texas, U.S.A., and Founder, PrayerHouse Ministry, Kumasi, Ghana. PrayerHouse Ministry is dedicated to providing a quiet facility for Christians to pray individually by themselves without any intermediary priest, pastor or any other person. This is a free service. No money is demanded or accepted. One facility is located at Kyerekrom / Fumesua, near Building and Road Research Institute Offices, one mile off the Kumasi-Accra Road and next to a house called Grace Castle. If you are interested, please contact Agnes at 054-7498653. Another is located at Kantinkyiren, at the junction of Kantinkyiren and Konkori, off the Kumasi-Obuasi Road, branching left at Trede junction. Contact Kwadwo at 020-8768461 / 0246-989413. The results were declared in the presence of Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma at a press conference in Lucknow's Lok Kalyan Bhawan UP Board Results 2020 Declared | The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, or UPMSP, declared the results of its Class 12 examinations 2020 today (Saturday, 27 June) at 12.30 pm. The results were declared in the presence of Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the secondary education portfolio, at a press conference in Lucknow's Lok Kalyan Bhawan. This was a departure from trend as usually the UP Board results were announced from the UPMSP office in Prayagraj district. Students can check their Uttar Pradesh Board result 2020 on the official websites - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in and upmspresults.up.nic.in Steps to check UP Board Class 12 result 2020 Step 1: Visit the websites - upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in or upmspresults.up.nic.in Step 2: Click on the link that reads UP Board Result 2020 Class 12 Step 3: Key in your roll number and other login in credentials Step 4: Press enter and your result with subject wise score will be displayed on your screen. Check via SMS Class 12 candidates can also get their results on their mobile phones via SMS by going to to the message option and typing UP12ROLLNUMBER - and sending it to 56263. Check alternative websites However, given that a large number of candidates are likely to check their results at the same time, it is possible that the official websites become extremely slow or unresponsive. But students need not panic. Students can also access the results on examresults.net and indiaresults.com. Here's how: How to check UP Class 12 Results 2020 on examresults.net: Step 1: Log onto examresults.net website Step 2: Click on UP in the list of the states or access the link directly here Step 3: Look for the link that says "UP Board Class 12 (Intermediate) Exam 2020" Step 4: Click on the link and fill in all the details to get your UP Board Class 12 Examination 2020 result Steps to check UP Class 12 Results 2020 on indiaresults.com: Step 1: Visit the website indiaresults.com Step 2: Click on UP in the list of the states or type the URL uttar-pradesh.indiaresults.com on your browser and press enter Step 3: Look for the link that says "Result of Intermediate (Class 12) exam" Step 4: Click on the link. It will take you to a new page. Fill in all the details to get your result. A report by NDTV mentioned that though the UP Board Class 10 and Class 12 examinations 2020 were concluded on 6 March, the evaluation of answer sheet and the results are delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown imposed by the Government of India to restrict the spread of the virus. According to a report by The Indian Express, more than 59.6 lakh students have appeared for their UP Board inter and matric exam 2020. The report mentions that as per the rules issued by the board, students will have to secure a minimum of 35 percent marks to pass a subject examination. If a student is not able to pass the exam or attain a score below the required 33 percent, he/she will be given a chance to appear for compartment test. The dates of the UP Board compartment exams will be announced after the results are declared. The Uttar Pradesh government has already promoted students of classes 1 to 8 of all government schools without examination in view of COVID-19 pandemic. One or two readers have been less than enthusiastic about this big, fat Washington memoir. Boltons book, which is getting terrible reviews, is a compilation of lies and made-up stories, all intended to make me look bad, wrote one early reviewer, Donald J. Trump. Many of the ridiculous statements he attributes to me were never made, pure fiction. Just trying to get even for firing him like the sick puppy he is! Boltons book, which is getting terrible reviews, is a compilation of lies and made-up stories, all intended to make me look bad, wrote one early reviewer, Donald J. Trump Later that same day, Trump ramped up his attacks on the author, describing him as, A disgruntled boring fool who only wanted to go to war. Never had a clue, was ostracized & happily dumped. What a dope! US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been equally snippety, calling John Bolton a traitor who damaged America by violating his sacred trust with its people. Of course, Pompeos fury may well be fuelled by embarrassment. After all, Bolton had repeated in print some of the rude things Pompeo had said about the President behind his back. On one occasion he had apparently passed Bolton a note that simply read: He is so full of s***. Small wonder that Pompeo has now turned on his former colleague, accusing him of spreading a number of lies, fully-spun half-truths and outright falsehoods. Yet it had all started so happily. In the early months of his presidency Trump had been keen to recruit Bolton to his team, largely, it seems, because he so enjoyed his hawkish pronouncements on Fox News. He invited him into the White House for a chat about the full range of world issues. At one point during their talk the President turned to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and said: This is so great. John sounds just like he does on television. I could just keep listening. I love it. On this basis, he ended up offering Bolton a job as one of his many assistants, but for the former diplomat it was a complete non-starter. He was determined to be National Security Advisor, and was not prepared to settle for second best. His stubbornness paid off. Fifteen months into the Trump presidency he got the job he wanted. You know, Johns been preparing all his life for this job, Trump told President Macron when they met him. He was a genius on Fox TV, you know, and now hes got to make hard decisions, which he didnt have to do on TV, but hes doing a great job. From the outset Bolton was wondering what he had got himself into. He found the White House in a state of chaos, with the opportunities presented by the Presidents first year in power botched irretrievably, policies shaped one day and discarded the next, and everyone in the administration at war with one another. The weekly trade meetings, for instance, more closely resembled college food fights than careful decision-making. As for the President himself, he was only ever interested in how things would play in the media. He was bombastic, ignorant, petulant and random. According to Bolton it was like making and executing policy inside a pinball machine. One of Boltons sharpest friends said hed been wrong to compare Trump to an 11-year-old boy. I was off by ten years. IT'S A FACT While he was still a television star, as host of The Apprentice, Donald Trump tried to trademark the catchphrase, Youre fired! Advertisement Trump was in the process of arranging a meeting with North Koreas Kim Jong Un, which the hardline Bolton was dead against, hoping that maybe the whole thing would collapse. Trump had originally hired Bolton because he liked his tough-guy, bomb-em-all-to-hell stance on Fox TV, but, as it turned out, Trump always warmed to despots and dictators in person, particularly those who went to the trouble of flattering him. Within minutes of meeting Kim Jong Un, Trump was complaining to him about the tremendous dishonesty of the Western press, and telling this mass-murderer that he saw him as a very good person, totally sincere, with a great personality. Within minutes, Trump had agreed to stop US military exercises in the area, having gained nothing definite in return. Kim smiled and laughed and smiled some more. Trump then pointed to Kim and said he was the only one that mattered. Kim agreed he was doing things his way, and that he and Trump would get along. Before they left, Trump turned to his National Security Advisor and informed Kim Jong Un that Bolton was on Fox News all the time, calling for war with Russia, China and North Korea, but it was a lot different on the inside. This, notes Bolton, had all the North Koreans in stitches. Back home in the Oval Office, Trump read out an over-the-top letter he had received from Kim Jong Un. This is a wonderful letter... Listen to what he says about me. But the letter was pure mush. It was, says Bolton, as if the letter had been written by Pavlovians who knew exactly how to touch the nerves enhancing Trumps self-esteem. The same pattern occurred at every meeting with the worlds most powerful dictators: toughness instantly transformed by flattery into obeisance. President Xi of China began by telling Trump how wonderful he was, laying it on thick... Xi said he wanted to work with Trump for six more years, and Trump replied that people were saying that the two-term constitutional limit on presidents should be repealed for him. Later, Xi explained to Trump why he was basically building concentration camps in Xinjiang. According to our interpreter, Trump said that Xi should go ahead with building the camps, which he thought was exactly the right thing to do. Shooting from the lip: Author John Bolton views both Trump and Obama as lily-livered surrender-monkeys It is impossible to think of another president so willing to oil the wheels of oppression in exchange for being slathered in praise. Throughout the book Trump is forever saying that his critics in the media should be locked up, or even, in the case of CNN, executed. At the same time he never once interrupts the crafty schmoozing of Presidents Xi, Putin or Kim to complain about their multiple human rights abuses. For Trump, everything in the universe, no matter how big or small, reflects back on Trump. He couldnt tell the difference between his personal interests and the countrys interests, observes Bolton. This is why, in his meeting with Xi, he then, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming US presidential election, alluding to Chinas economic capability to affect the ongoing cam-paigns, pleading with Xi to ensure hed win. This one sentence would, in normal circumstances, be sufficient to find Donald Trump marched off to a high-security prison in orange overalls. How accurate is Boltons account? He was obviously a strenuous note-taker, and he makes it clear that, but for the US governments pre-publication review process, he would be able to quote Trumps exact words. The artlessness of the book there is virtually no character description, precious little drive, and he barely notices his surroundings, beyond finding Blenheim Palace most impressive suggests a degree of authenticity lacking in zippier narratives. Bolton has long been a hate figure in Democrat circles. This means that they are finding it hard to embrace his criticisms of Trump with any great fervour. He views both Trump and Obama as lily-livered surrender-monkeys. But to me this makes his dismay at Trumps vain, childish idiocies, his lack of any clear moral or political stance, all the more telling. As a memoirist, though, Bolton is deficient, in that he never subjects his own impulses to the scrutiny he applies to others. Time and again he jots down his distaste for Trumps words and actions I was beyond speechless, Putin had to be laughing uproariously with what he had gotten away with, I was close to walking out while never quite explaining why he went along with it all, right up to the bitter end. WINNIPEG - The Manitoba Metis Federation's president says the province has left vulnerable foster children out of pandemic response plans. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Metis Federation attends a rally in Winnipeg, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. The Manitoba Metis Federation's president says the province has left vulnerable foster children out of pandemic response plans. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick WINNIPEG - The Manitoba Metis Federation's president says the province has left vulnerable foster children out of pandemic response plans. "When this pandemic came into play the province did not give us one penny more, knowing full well the complications we are going to face as an agency," David Chartrand said. "Not one ... penny was issued to us to help us during this time of COVID." Chartrand said Metis Child and Family Services is facing multiple hurdles caused by the pandemic to ensure safety of more than 1,200 children. But the province's block funding model will inevitably force agencies to cut programs or fall into a deficit, he said. The province changed to "single envelope" funding, also known as block funding, last year. Manitoba provides finances up front to child-welfare authorities based on a three-year agreement. The previous system based funding on the number of children in care and the number of days they were in care. Many agencies voiced their concerns about the switch saying the funding levels were based on a year when there were less children in care and the new model would not cover current needs, let alone fund preventative services. There was no increase in funding for child and family services authorities in the Manitoba's 2020 budget released in March. There are about 10,000 children in care in Manitoba. About 90 per cent are Indigenous. When asked about additional funding, Families Minister Heather Stefanson said the government is working with agencies. "We are assessing what some of the challenges are with respect to COVID and will continue to do that throughout," she said, adding personal protective equipment was provided. The Families department said in an email that the move to single envelope funding means that authorities and agencies are responsible for managing and overseeing expenditures based on the needs of the families they serve. However, the department recognizes that the pandemic is creating new challenges, and is monitoring for financial implications. Chartrand said the bills are adding up and falling to agencies that are already financially strapped. He said the Metis federation itself gave $400,000 to its agency to help cover costs during the pandemic. Chartrand said the agency needed to get kids tablets so they could do schoolwork. It needed to find ways to have employees work from home and come up with creative ways to keep children in contact with family. When schools and camps were closed that put even more pressure on agencies and their staff. A letter sent to foster families from Southeast Child and Family Services last month provided to the Canadian Press by the Manitoba NDP said the agency was being forced to reduce its respite pay. Respite pay gives caregivers a short-term break from the unique demands of caring for a child with disabilities. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The letter said the agency was "forced to make changes" due to provincial funding cuts and the deficit incurred as a result. A pandemic is "perhaps the worst time to freeze funding for children, especially those in the CFS system," said Amanda Lathlin, the NDP critic for child and family services. "Agencies need the provincial government to lift funding freezes, stop cuts to supports and actually increase funding so that kids in care are safe and have the supports they need to be successful." Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth Daphne Penrose said her office has received concerns about block funding both before and during the pandemic. Penrose said young people are also struggling to access mental health and addictions services. "With the provincial government moving so quickly on pressing issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope implementing child-centred services is at the top of their agenda." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2020 Im talking about the other kind of reading, with a book on paper, and summer, and outside is the right place for me. And so, with Edmund Burke explaining a shape of things to come, I ended up on the back stoop of the Chicago three-flat where we now live. Photo: (Photo : Instagram/moderncalimom) Social media influencer Modern Cali Mom, Dris Wallace, got terminated from her office job. The manager's reason was that he did not want to hear kids in the background during calls. Mom did her job while taking care of her children The San Diego mom worked with a 9 to 5 schedule in the financial industry when the pandemic happened. She had no choice but to work from home with her two kids because there is no childcare. The blogger mom could not have qualified to take time off from her job because her company has more than 500 employees. She did her best to work around the clock. She wrote on her Instagram that her supervisor wanted her to do something to keep her kids quiet during calls. The company terminated Wallace after she complained The owner of the moderncalimom.com went to the HR to complain about the treatment that she had faced. One week later, the company terminated her. She posted a photo on her Instagram with her two children. Her older daughter held signage with a devastating message. Read also: Black Mom Confesses How She Feels Raising a White Child The daughter's sign says that her mom got terminated from her job because her boss did not want to hear her in the background. The mom-of-two wrote alongside her post that the company told her that she had a bright future. It even said that she was doing very well in her position. She added that her clients did not complain about her kids' noise. The company even offered "hush money" and asked her not to bring up why she was terminated. What Dris did instead was to share her story with her almost 60,000 followers. She also shared why she got terminated with Daphne Delvaux, Esq., a working mom herself, and Dris' retained counsel. Read also: Instagram Influencer Ashley Stock's Shares Heartbreaking Death of Her Three-Year-Old Daughter Dris' lawyer posted on Instagram that the company's president expressed support for all parents. She knows that it was just lip service. Dris said that afternoons are the best time for calls as her kids are napping. Her manager continued to schedule calls in the morning and demanded Dris to make her kids quiet. The manager has teenage kids that his wife takes care of at home. Delvaux said it was evident that the manager does not understand Dris's condition. The owner of @themamattorney followed through with the seven claims they brought against Dris' old employer. They included gender discrimination and retaliation. She wrote that she had received endless notes and calls from mamas asking for help since the pandemic. Read also: Black Mother and Son Treated Differently from a White Kid in a Restaurant Due to Clothing Other mamas complaining The mamas said they had kids at home, and their bosses did not want to accommodate changes in their job schedules. Delvaux was shocked because the bosses expect the mamas to be efficient in their work. They want their subordinates to be productive as they take care of their family's needs. The lawyer said that people have to eradicate that mentality. She assures that if anyone trusts moms with their jobs, they will do them better than anyone else. An employee of The Dock looks at an empty bar on Pensacola Beach, Fla. In June 2020. The Florida government ordered all bars to stop serving alcohol, with the exception of take-out orders, June 26, due to the continuing surge of COVID-19 cases in the state. EPA Florida banned alcohol consumption at bars in the state Friday after its daily confirmed coronavirus cases neared 9,000, a new record that is almost double the previous mark set just two days ago. The Florida agency that governs bars announced the ban on Twitter just minutes after the Department of Health reported 8,942 new confirmed cases, topping the previous record of 5,500 set Wednesday. Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced he would sign an executive order closing beaches in the county over the 4th of July weekend. ''I have decided that the only prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk,'' he said in a statement. State officials have attributed much of the new outbreak to young adults flocking to bars after they reopened in most of the state three weeks ago, with many of them ignoring social distancing restrictions aimed at lowering the virus's spread. Bars, like restaurants, were supposed to limit patrons to 50% of their normal capacity, under the state's emergency orders. Patrons had to sit at tables, with groups 6 feet (2 meters) apart. No congregating at the bar or on the dance floor was permitted. The new order prohibits any establishment that makes more than 50% of its revenue from alcohol sales from serving alcohol for consumption on site. Bars are still permitted to sell alcohol in sealed containers for consumption offsite. Restaurants that primarily sell food can still serve alcohol to customers seated at tables. Business and Professional Regulations Secretary Halsey Beshears said he issued the order because too many bars and patrons were breaking the rules, overwhelming his department's inspectors. ''This was more than we could keep up with,'' Beshears said. He said people got tired of being cooped up and maybe thought the threat of coronavirus had lessened because news coverage shifted to the protests caused by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. ''People in general just wanted to get out and experience normalcy,'' he said. He said there was no timetable for rescinding the order. ''Sadly, 90% are getting it right. It's the other 10% that are ruining it for everybody,'' he said. The state had suspended the license of a popular Orlando bar near the University of Central Florida earlier this week after at least 13 employees and 28 patrons tested positive. The bar may have been linked to 150 cases, state health officials said at the time. More than 24,000 new cases have been reported statewide since Saturday, more than a fifth of the 111,724 cases confirmed since March 1. The death toll climbed Friday to 3,366, a one-day increase of 39. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that he still doesn't plan to issue a statewide order requiring masks. He said that is best handled at the county and city level. Miami, other cities and several counties including Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Orange are requiring masks in public places. DeSantis said the median age for people testing positive has dropped from in the 60s early in the outbreak to 33. He said that has helped decrease the fatality rate the disease hits older people harder but may be increasing the spread as younger adults are more likely to be asymptomatic and to congregate. He urged younger people to wear masks to avoid spreading the disease to their older family members and others who have underlying medical conditions. ''While this may not be affecting you negatively, you can pass it along to other folks,'' he said. State officials have said the youth of the newly infected may be why the rising infection total hasn't been accompanied by an increase in deaths, which have averaged about 35 per day for a month. Dr. Rajiv Bahl, who works in an Orlando emergency room, said treatment methods are also improving. Tampa bartender Colleen Corbett said she is worried about being unemployed again, but thinks the state's action is ''the right move since no one could follow the guidelines and everyone was getting sick.'' Most of her bartender friends have been infected and she is awaiting test results. Corbett, 30, said the two bars where she works have been packed. She said staff weren't required to wear masks and almost no customers did. ''It was like they forgot there was a pandemic or just stopped caring,'' Corbett said. Bruce Owens, 66, wearing a mask as he walked Friday in St. Petersburg, said he isn't surprised by the state's skyrocketing case numbers. He blamed it on state officials. ''They've handled it extremely poorly,'' he said. ''They haven't really listened to the experts.'' (AP) Lucknow: Rejecting Oppositions charge, the BJP on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the Aishbagh Dussehra Mela on Tuesday has no politics or hidden agenda. There is no politics or hidden agenda behind the prime ministers visit to the historic Dussehra Mela at Aishbagh ground tomorrow, BJP national vice-president and Lucknow Mayor Dinesh Sharma said. Ravan was the first terrorist and his effigy is burnt till this day... this is the feeling among countrymen, and the prime minister is coming here to commemorate it, he said, adding it is a traditional event and is totally apolitical. Earlier on Monday, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said Modi would have taken part in Ravan Vadh in Bihar had there been election there, while BSP president Mayawati termed the visit as politically motivated. This (Modis visit) is indicative of his belief and regard towards the land of composite culture (Lucknow), Sharma said. The PM and people are aware Ravan was killed hundreds of years ago and it is celebrated every year. Then what has it to do with Uttar Pradesh elections which are next year, the BJP leader asked. Mayawatis party is facing desertion while the Samajwadi Party family is breaking up. I do not want to say this but their duty is to look after their parties first, he said. A patron of the Aishbagh Ramlila committee, Sharma claimed the committee has been sending invitations to Presidents and PMs but this is the first time a PM has accepted it and will come here. He said the Ramlila ground, with seating capacity of 25000 people, is under the SPG control. Besides local police, central forces, a bomb disposal squad and RAF have also been deployed. The PM will land tomorrow at Amausi airport at 6pm and reach the ground. He will take part in Manglacharan before addressing people. Besides the Union Home Minister and local MP, Rajnath Singh, Governor Ram Naik and UP BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya will also attend the function. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Delhi records 2,948 new Covid-19 cases, 66 deaths in last 24 hours Night curfew in Karnataka from 8 pm to 5 am from June 29 With 167 new Covid-19 cases, MP's tally climbs to 12,965 All containment zones in Jammu denotified after no new Covid cases reported in a month Jharkhand's tally at 2,339 after 45 new Covid-19 cases reported today 7-day institutional quarantine for those coming from Maharashtra: Karnataka govt Complete lockdown in TN's Madurai district from June 27 to 29 HT File Photo Coronavirus tally continues to rise across the world as 9.6 million people are infected. US epidemiologists believe that 10% of the population could be infected and several thousands of them might have gotten cured without being tested. Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic China continues to report new cases but officials believe that they will bring it under control. Rising number of cases in populated countries has worried governments. US, India and Brazil continue to report large numbers of cases. India has so far recorded 508,953 cases with 15,685 deaths, with 18,552 cases and 384 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. But an official familiar with the matter said the charges would include failure to tour, inefficient performance and making fraudulent logbook entries. Those who are charged will be entitled to departmental hearings, and Elias Husamudeen, the president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, vowed on Friday to fight the suspensions, which he called an egregious abuse of power. Noting that Ms. Clark had declined to press charges, Mr. Husamudeen said in a statement that his unions members had been thrown under the bus and he blamed Ms. Brann and her inept managers for Ms. Polancos death. Ms. Polanco, a member of one of the most storied groups in New York Citys drag ball scene, the House of Xtravaganza, was jailed in April 2019 because she could not pay $501 in bail after being arrested on several misdemeanor charges and an outstanding bench warrant. Before being taken to Rikers Island, she spent three days at the Bellevue Hospital, where she was prescribed an anti-seizure medication, something that the correction board said the court and the correction department had been told. After leaving the hospital, Ms. Polanco was housed in a transgender unit at the jail complexs Rose M. Singer Center, where she told members of the medical staff about her history of seizures, officials said. The correction board gave the following account of Ms. Polancos time on Rikers Island: She had two seizures within weeks of arriving at the jail. She was subsequently sentenced to 20 days in solitary confinement after having altercations with two inmates, although she was not immediately placed in isolation Jonty Bravery, 18, was jailed for life for the attempted murder of a French boy he threw from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern. (PA) Council bosses spent thousands of pounds on legal fees in an attempt to keep the name of a teenager who threw a six-year-old boy from a 10th-floor viewing platform at the Tate Modern a secret. Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council paid 12,400 over the course of four court hearings as they fought with the press over naming Jonty Bravery, the PA news agency revealed. Bravery, now 18, was jailed for life on Friday after previously admitting attempted murder of the child. The teen, who was 17 when he committed the crime August last year, was granted anonymity by the court because of his age, but the order expired on his 18th birthday despite repeated efforts by the council to keep his identity out of the public domain for longer. Documents have revealed that Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council paid 12,400 to try to keep Bravery's name out of the public domain. (PA) Council documents released under Freedom of Information laws show the total cost for legal advice and representation at four Old Bailey court hearings covering anonymity between August 8 and October 1 2019 was 12,400. Hammersmith and Fulham Borough Council said the same barrister was not available for each occasion. Read more: Met Police commissioner warns of 'consequences for thuggery' as fears grow over a summer of unrest Bravery, who has autism and a personality disorder, was a looked after child under the care of the council at the time he struck telling onlookers social services that were to blame for his actions. The authority has since ordered a serious case review into the incident, which is due to be published in the autumn. Bravery was just under two months shy of his 18th birthday when committed the crime in August last year. (PA) In a statement a council spokesman said: Our sympathies go out to the child and his family following what happened at Tate Modern. An independent serious case review is now under way. It will look at what happened and the role played by all the different agencies involved. The six-year-old French tourist, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered a bleed to the brain, fractures to his spine, and broken legs and arms in the fall and is now recovering. 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. Nigeria's government has condemned Thursday's attack on its embassy in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, by its citizens living in the country. The Nigerian nationals stormed the embassy and vandalized vehicles in the compound. They accused embassy officials of not offering help when they are allegedly harassed by Indonesian immigration officials. They said a Nigerian national reportedly fell from a storey building while escaping from immigration officials. Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said those who destroyed property in the embassy's premises would be tracked down and punished. "Absolutely deplorable and disgraceful criminal behaviour by Nigerian hooligans," he said.. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Bipartisan harmony abounds, at least temporarily, in congressional committees over military policy bills that would grow the Space Force by adding a part-time Reserve component and pump more than $140 million into Pikes Peak region military construction projects. House and Senate panels have passed versions of the National Defense Authorization Act, with Democrats and Republicans praising each other's cooperation. Colorado Springs Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, who takes pride in his staunch conservatism, thanked his Democratic colleagues for "leadership and for continuing the bipartisan tradition of this subcommittee." Lamborn said that while the committees showed bipartisanship, that could change quickly when the entire House and Senate get involved next week. All bets are off when it gets to the floor, he said. Some experts have predicted that the 2021 Pentagon spending plans could be the last big budgets before austerity kicks in for 2022. The federal government, like states and cities, has seen its tax revenue tumble this year thanks to the coronavirus, while stimulus bills have added $1.2 trillion and counting to the deficit. Some leading Democrats and fiscal hawks on the GOP side have called for future cuts to federal discretionary spending, for which the Pentagon accounts for 40%. It is possible that in the future budgets will be constrained because of the impacts of the coronavirus spending, Lamborn said. This year, leaders on both sides have pushed for rapid passage of defense bills, with no substantive cuts coming from congressional military committees. The measure would keep defense spending relatively flat, with the Senate proposing $740 billion or just over $2 billion a day. The House came in at $731 billion, putting both chambers in the ballpark for a deal. The Democrat who heads the Armed Services Committee's readiness panel in the House, California U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, praised Lamborn's "work and partnership" on the measure. The Authorization Act, which must pass the chambers and get hammered out in a conference committee before heading to President Donald Trump's desk, also could clear up the role that Space Force, the new satellite armed service that's centered in Colorado Springs, plays in the Department of Defense. A string of Senate amendments add the Space Force to military policies on everything from pay to officer promotions. Getting the Space Force added clears up administrative headaches that could have bedeviled the new service. The Space Force will also get a Reserve component under the Senate plan that would rope in the 310th Space Wing, an Air Force Reserve Wing in Colorado Springs that carries out Space Force missions, but isn't formally a part of the new service. The same Senate measure calls for studies on the creation of a National Guard component for the Space Force. The National Guard has lobbied hard for the creation of a space component for the state militias. The study will at least wedge the Guard's foot in the door. The more minimalist House version calls for a study of how the Space Force is handling personnel issues, including which troops are transferred from the Air Force. While military construction spending has seen steep declines in recent years, the Pikes Peak region has held its own, Lamborn said. The House and Senate see rapid growth ahead for the Space Force, which started the year with only Gen. Jay Raymond on its roster. The House plan grows the space service to more than 5,400 troops by September of 2021. The House version of the bill keeps $88 million of previously planned money in place for a space operations center at Schriever Air Force Base. Proposals also would build a new National Guard facility at Peterson Air Force Base for $15 million while plowing $34 million into Fort Carson for a new gymnasium and a Special Forces equipment maintenance facility. Getting the measure through Congress entails a race against the clock. A conference committee is expected to take most of July to hammer out a compromise measure that both chambers can agree upon. But, with lawmakers taking August off, Lamborn said a bill wont go to Trump until sometime in September. Lawmakers also need to finalize a detailed Pentagon budget, which will largely follow the policy bill, before money runs out when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. A detailed analysis report of the Global Biochar Market has been covered in the report coupled with a thorough description of each company profile with information on the H.Q, future capabilities, key mergers & acquisitions, financial outline, partnerships and new product launches and developments. The Global Biochar Market Research Report - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast Till 2026 gives an evaluation of the market developments based on historical studies and comprehensive research respectively. The market segments are also provided with an in-depth outlook of the competitive landscape and a listing of the profiled key players. The comprehensive value chain analysis of the market will assist in attaining better product differentiation, along with detailed understanding of the core competency of each activity involved. 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DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains. Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed. For more details: DecisionDatabases.com E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com Phone: +91 9028057900 Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ Youths have been charged to desist from drug abuse and channel their energy, enthusiasm and concentration to productive endeavours. The Director, Anambra State Library Services, Dr. Nkechi Udeze gave the charge at a one-day program organized to mark the 2020 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which held at Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State. Organized by the Anambra State Library Board in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA, Anambra State Command), this year's event was themed 'Better Knowledge for Better Care'. According to the Director, lack of knowledge which is a basic problem the library is always available to solve for its users and drug abuse contribute immensely to the various societal challenges that the Nigeria and other countries of the world are currently facing. She therefore called on the youths to desist from drug abuse, while also urging parents to inculcate good reading culture and moral cum ethical values in the lives of their children, and regularly monitor and discipline them. She said, "Any sensible child who has vision and mission can never indulge in drug abuse, rape or any other form of social vices. I also advise you to regularly go for medical check-up rather than going to mix medicine for yourself at the chemist shop without prescription anytime you feel any symptom of ailment, because that could amount to drug abuse." "Also avail yourself for this kind of program and sensitization, because that is where you will learn things that will help you in your entire in life, rather than going only where you will be given rice and money, which are just temporal things," she added. In a lecture, the State Commander, NDLEA, Anambra State Command, Mr. Mohammed Musbau Idris represented by Mr. Auta Tanko of Nnewi Area Commander, defined drug as any chemical substance which when used or taken into the body, affects the body and the mind by changing the body's function or behaviour; and drug abuse as an act of taking totally banned drugs, not medically necessary drugs, and excessive drug. He highlighted some of the factors that breed or lead to drug abuse to include experimentation, peer group, stress, desire to enhance performance; pursuit of pleasure, availability and affordability, parenting styles; even as he categorized its effects into physical, social and psychological problems, which include damage to unborn babies, brain, liver, kidney and other body organs, hepatitis, high BP, premature ageing; paranoia, psychosis, sleepless, social vices, and at worst, an untimely death. On drug and inspiration, he said, "Drug does not inspire or give inspiration, rather, it highs a person to do in something wrong, to commit crimes or indulge in any other form of social vices. "So I advise anyone abusing drug because he thinks it gives inspiration or for any reason at all, to desist from it, because drug abuse does not offer anything good at all, in any sense of it." Earlier in their separate speeches, the Branch Librarian, Amichi Branch Library, Mrs Perpetual Okonkwo, and her Ozubulu Branch Library counterpart, Mr Peter Ibe harped on the importance and advantages of library usage and knowledge acquisition to the young and the old, to include making one to stand out among others, and making one to be resourceful and contributory to the development of the society. They therefore urged the participants to start taking full advantage of the library, as having a library in their community is indeed a privilege, which other people seriously and anxious struggle to get in their own communities. In a vote of thanks, the Chairman, Ozubulu Development Union (youth wing) Engr. Chris Ndubuisi Ononuju appreciated the library and the NDLEA for bringing such an eye-opening sensitization to their doorstep, and pledged to take the message home to other youths in various villages of the community. While assuring that Ozubulu Community must be drug-free, he also pledged to be inviting the NDLEA and other such relevant agencies to sensitize their youths from time to time. The event also attracted the presence of the DSS Commander, Ekwusigo Formation, Mr. Kenneth Okonkwo, represented by Mr. Charles Chukwurah. Some of the participants, Mezie Emenike and Anene Anthony lauded the organizers of the event and promised to put everything they learnt into practice. Among other highpoints, the event which was held in strict adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols featured distribution of facemasks to the participants, question and answer session, as well as premiering of a video series on the effects of drug abuse. International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking which is observed on 26th June of every year since 1989 is a day set aside by the United Nations for creating of awareness against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. June and July herald the new academic year in India. The sight of smiling children trooping into schools is a joy to behold. This year, however, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to prolonged school closures with millions of children forced to stay home. The closure has led to learning losses far greater than the usual summer loss and this is likely to continue, leading to chronic learning deficits during schooling and economic losses as these children become adults. India already experiences a deeply-entrenched learning deficit (Annual Status of Education Report 2018 reports that less than one-third of children in class 3, and one-half of children in class 5, are able to read a class 2-level text), which the pandemic will exacerbate. Many states with low learning outcomes are also facing an influx of returning migrants, bringing with them children who now have to be enrolled in schools. These children may need more learning support as they cope with recent disruptions and need to acclimatise to the new learning environment. As governments deliberate on school reopening, there is a clamour among policymakers to reduce the curriculum. While this is laudable, it is not a good enough response as this assumes that children are learning at the appropriate grade level and the only problem to address is the reduction in instruction time. However, children who have experienced learning losses in the past months need targeted interventions to help them gain and retain foundational skills. One such intervention is Prathams Teaching at the Right Level programme. The idea behind the programme is deceptively simple if childrens learning levels can be quickly and accurately assessed by the teacher, they can be grouped by level rather than by grade. Teachers can then provide instruction tailored to the students current learning levels. This will enable children to gain basic reading and arithmetic skills in a relatively short period of time. Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo led a team of J-PAL-affiliated researchers to evaluate versions of this programme. It has been found to be effective when delivered by volunteers in the community (Bihar) or by government teachers in schools as part of the school day (Haryana) or by Pratham staff supported by volunteers in an intensive short-duration camp programme (Uttar Pradesh). We found that almost twice as many children in class 3 to 5 exposed to the camp programme in Uttar Pradesh (UP) could read four-sentence texts, as compared to children who were not, bridging the gap between children in UP and Haryana, a state with significantly higher learning outcomes. The camp model may also be much more adaptable to the current situation with its unique demands on social distancing, integrating migrant children, and the ever-present threat of localised, targeted lockdowns. For example, the duration and frequency of camps can be varied to suit local conditions. Migrants who have returned can be recruited as volunteers to assist teachers, and children can be brought into schools based on their current learning level in reading or arithmetic (so there would be fewer children but with more homogenous abilities) in order to promote both social distancing and focused attention from teachers. In these uncertain times, children need some semblance of normalcy. A school programme tailored to suit their needs could be something that they can look forward to. A silver lining in the dark cloud of the pandemic is that it has demystified and strengthened the need for research and evidence. Isnt it then fitting that we adopt a well-tested and proven programme to stem learning losses among children? Harini Kannan is a research scientist at J-PAL, South Asia The views expressed are personal HANOI, Vietnam (AP) Southeast Asian leaders held their annual summit by video Friday to show unity and discuss a regional emergency fund to respond to the immense crisis brought by the coronavirus pandemic. Long-divisive South China Sea conflicts were also in the spotlight. The leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations talked online due to regional travel restrictions and health risks that delayed dozens of meetings and shut out the ceremonial sessions, group handshakes and photo-ops that have been the trademark of the 10-nation blocs annual summits. Vietnam, the current ASEAN chair, had planned face-to-face meetings, but most member states assessed it was still too risky for leaders to travel. Still, it organized a colorful opening ceremony with traditional songs and dance in Hanoi for about 200 Vietnamese officials and foreign diplomats. They showed up without masks and sat close to each other while the heads of state watched remotely on their screens. The COVID-19 pandemic is a test for ASEAN, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said. He said the outbreak is fanning the flame of dormant challenges" in the political, economic and social environment and helping escalate frictions among major powers. Southeast Asian nations have been impacted by the pandemic differently, with hard-hit Indonesia grappling with more than 50,000 infections and more than 2,600 deaths, and the tiny socialist state of Laos reporting just 19 cases. The diverse region of 650 million people, however, has been an Asian COVID-19 hot spot, with a combined total of more than 138,000 confirmed cases that have well surpassed those of China, where the outbreak started. The economic toll has been harsh, with ASEANs leading economies, including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, facing one of their most severe recessions in decades. We recognized the significant cost and unprecedented challenges to the region and the world caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic, Vietnam said on behalf of the ASEAN states in a draft communique to be issued after Fridays summit. We noted with grave concern the human and socioeconomic costs caused by COVID-19 and remained committed to implementing targeted policies to instill confidence that ASEAN is at the forefront of this critical battle, it said. Story continues A high-priority project is the establishment of an ASEAN COVID-19 response fund which could be used to help member states purchase medical supplies and protective suits. Thailand has pledged to contribute $100,000 and ASEAN partners, including China, Japan and South Korea, were expected to announce contributions after the terms of the fund were recently finalized, a senior Southeast Asian diplomat told The Associated Press. A regional stockpile of medical supplies has also been approved and the group will undertake a study to be financed by Japan on the possibility of establishing an ASEAN center on public health emergencies, said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to speak publicly. While the bloc has tried to project unity, it has been riven by longstanding rivalries and disputes, particularly in the South China Sea that mainly involve four of its members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei pitted against Chinas claims to one of the worlds busiest waterways. Its also a crucial battleground for influence by Beijing and Washington. The lingering disputes, along with the plight of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar who are languishing in crowded refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh, were among the most thorny issues on the ASEAN agenda. We underscored the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities by claimants and all other states, which could further complicate the situation and escalate tensions in the South China Sea, the draft ASEAN communique said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte stressed the need for an early conclusion of an effective code of conduct, a regional pact which aims to tame aggression in the waters. The pandemic, however, has indefinitely delayed negotiations for the accord. China has come under fire for what rival claimants say are aggressive actions in the disputed waters as countries are scrambling to deal with the viral outbreak. Vietnam protested in April after a Chinese coast guard ship rammed and sank a boat with eight fishermen off the Paracel Islands. The Philippines backed Vietnam and protested new territorial districts announced by China in large swatches of the sea. Washington also lashed out at China, which denied accusations that it was exploiting the intense preoccupation with the pandemic to advance its territorial claims as sheer nonsense. ___ Associated Press journalists Kiko Rosario in Bangkok, Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report. The Israeli military said Palestinian militants in the Strip fired two rockets into southern late Friday, shattering months of near-total calm. In response, Israeli aircraft attacked two military facilities for Hamas, the Islamic group ruling There were no reports of injuries in either incident and no Palestinian militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket attack. The rockets, which hit in open areas of Israel, were fired a day after Hamas warned of violence over Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said the airstrikes will impede" Hamas' future abilities. Tensions are simmering in the Palestinian territories over Israel's annexation plans for the West Bank, including the strategically important Jordan Valley. The annexation would effectively dash Palestinian hopes of establishing a viable state in the West Bank, Strip and east Jerusalem. On Thursday, the armed wing of Hamas warned of violence if proceeds with the annexation plans, saying such a move amounts to a declaration of war. For most of the first half of 2020, the Gaza- frontier remained calm as Hamas stopped weekend demonstrations that often turned violent. The threat of the coronavirus appears also to have contributed to the calm. On Saturday, about 100,000 poor Gaza families will begin receiving $100 each as a donation from Qatar. The oil-rich Persian Gulf country has donated for nearly a year to help bolster calm and prevent Hamas and Israel from going to a war. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - An explosion that rattled Irans capital came from an area in its eastern mountains that analysts believe hides an underground tunnel system and missile production sites, satellite photographs showed Saturday. What exploded in the incident early Friday that sent a massive fireball into the sky near Tehran remains unclear, as does the cause of the blast. The unusual response of the Iranian government in the aftermath of the explosion, however, underscores the sensitive nature of an area near where international inspectors believe the Islamic Republic conducted high-explosive tests two decades ago for nuclear weapon triggers. The blast shook homes, rattled windows and lit up the horizon early Friday in the Alborz Mountains. State TV later aired a segment from what it described as the site of the blast. One of its journalists stood in front of what appeared to be large, blackened gas cylinders, though the camera remained tightly focused and did not show anything else around the site. Defence Ministry spokesman Davood Abdi blamed the blast on a leaking gas he did not identify and said no one was killed in the explosion. Abdi described the site as a public area, raising the question of why military officials and not civilian firefighters would be in charge. The state TV report did not answer that. Satellite photos of the area, some 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) east of downtown Tehran, showed hundreds of meters (yards) of charred scrubland not seen in images of the area taken in the weeks ahead of the incident. The building near the char marks resembled the facility seen in the state TV footage. The gas storage area sits near what analysts describe as Irans Khojir missile facility. The explosion appears to have struck a facility for the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group, which makes solid-propellant rockets, said Fabian Hinz, a researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies identified Khojir as the site of numerous tunnels, some suspected of use for arms assembly. Large industrial buildings at the site visible from satellite photographs also suggest missile assembly being conducted there. The U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency says Iran overall has the largest underground facility program in the Middle East. Such sites support most facets of Tehrans ballistic missile capabilities, including the operational force and the missile development and production program, the DIA said in 2019. Iranian officials themselves also identified the site as being in Parchin, home to a military base where the International Atomic Energy Agency previously said it suspects Iran conducted tests of explosive triggers that could be used in nuclear weapons. Iran long has denied seeking nuclear weapons, though the IAEA previously said Iran had done work in support of a possible military dimension to its nuclear program that largely halted in late 2003. Western concerns over the Iranian atomic program led to sanctions and eventually to Tehrans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The U.S. under President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in May 2018, leading to a series of escalating attacks between Iran and the U.S. and Tehran abandoning the deals production limits. Irans missile and space programs have suffered a series of explosions in recent years. The most notable came in 2011, when a blast at a missile base near Tehran killed Revolutionary Guard commander Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, who led the paramilitary forces missile program, and 16 others. Initially, authorities described the blast as an accident, though a former prisoner later said the Guard interrogated him on suspicion Israel caused the explosion. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. Hanoi will express its determination to take the lead in post-COVID-19 economic recovery and development via the conference (Illustrative photo: VNA) Hanoi - More than 1,000 domestic and foreign investors and businesses are to attend the Hanoi 2020 - Investment and Development Cooperation conference, the citys Peoples Committee announced on June 26. The capital has created optimal conditions for the event, slated for June 27 at the National Convention Centre (NCC), the committee said. Hanoi will express its determination to take the lead in post-COVID-19 economic recovery and development via the conference, which is expected to welcome 1,850 delegates and leaders from 25 centrally-run cities and provinces, key economic zones in the north, ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic corps, and others. According to the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, the municipal Peoples Committee plans to hand over licences to 116 projects worth 339.67 trillion VND (14.7 billion USD) in total at the conference, including 266.23 trillion VND in additional capital. They include 33 projects in housing and urban development, 19 office building projects, 12 tourism and service projects, 32 industrial projects, and 12 socio-cultural projects. Hanoi leaders will ink 36 memoranda of understanding worth a total of 26.08 billion USD, including 13 with foreign investors totalling 8.22 billion USD. The Peoples Committee will also reveal a list of 282 projects in eight fields calling for investment of 483.1 trillion VND, including industry, trade and services, infrastructure, and the environment. Economic experts said the event will send a message that Vietnam, including Hanoi, is a safe and attractive destination for investors, highlighting its importance to not only the realisation of this years targets but also local development in the years to come. The facility on the Radha Soami Satsang Beas campus in the Chhatarpur area will have two wings -- a COVID care centre where asymptomatic positive cases will be treated and a dedicated COVID healthcare centre. The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been given the responsibility for the management of the centre and act as the nodal agency.(Image: Twitter) A 1-year-old boy died late Friday when the car he was riding in on the New Jersey Turnpike was struck from behind by an Amazon Prime truck in Middlesex County, authorities said. The child, of Randallstown, Maryland, was a passenger in a car headed south on the Turnpike shortly before 11 p.m. near mile marker 69 in Cranbury, according to State Trooper Charles Marchan. Also headed south on the highway was a tractor-trailer truck that struck the rear of the car, Marchan said. News video from the scene showed the truck was operated by Amazon Prime. Marchan said the child suffered fatal injuries. The driver of the car, Kazara P. Leacock, 24, and a passenger, Cheryl Leacock, 61, both of Randallstown, Maryland, suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Another passenger, a 3-year-old boy, suffered serious injuries. The driver of the truck, Euclides R. Santos , 53, of New York, was also injured but expected to survive. All of the surviving victims were taken to local hospitals. The cause of the crash is under investigation, Marchan said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. As borders reopen between states, but international travel remains an unlikely scenario for most, an interstate getaway has never been higher on Aussies to-do lists. Now, with the Northern Territory set to open its border from the July 17, Aussies will have the chance to access one of the countrys most gorgeous natural destinations for a much needed holiday, and they wont have to break the bank either. Kakadu National Park is emerging as a top destination for travellers once the borders open, with budget accommodation options, not to mention the breathtaking natural wonder at your fingertips. Aussie's encouraged to visit Kakadu National Park as isolation sees international tourism stop, leave park free for Aussie tourists. The Territorys three driest seasons sit between May and October and are considered the optimal time to visit the park without risking the deluge of the wetter seasons later in the year. Just to make it that little bit sweet, JetStar and Qantas are offering unusually low flights in the period, with fares as low as $189 one way in July for Sydney flyers. Spotting a croc or two isn't all Kakadu has to offer tourists. Photo: Getty Images Aussies are being encouraged to jump on board the opportunity to visit the park the one year it wont be crowded with international tourists. Given the ongoing international border closure, the usually hectic dry Winter season will this year be Australian tourists playground, a rare opportunity that could be once in a lifetime according to Kakakdu tourism. The World Heritage-listed site coverers a whopping 20,000 square kilometres and is home to oldest Indigenous rock art in the world and sits within a three-hour drive on Darwin. What to do: The infinity pool Gunlom located at the top of Waterfall Creek is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Photo: Supplied Catch the sunset at the Ubirr rock formation, where rock art unrolls thousands of years of history above the sweeping Nadab Plain that rolls out beneath you. Take a cruise down Yellow Water Billabong. The cruises give travellers the chance to spot flora and fauna including a crocodile or two if youre lucky. Take a dip in Australias most famous infinity pool Gunlom. Made famous by Crocodile Dundee, Gunlom sits at the top of a waterfall and is an array of naturally occurring plunge pools and an infinity rock pool with a panoramic view of the park below. Story continues Nourlangie Rock and the Anbangbang billabong house some of the world' most iconic and ancient Indigenous art. Photo: Supplied Check out the worlds oldest art at Nourlangie Rock and the Anbangbang Billabong, where Indigenous Australians have recorded history for tens of thousands of years. The art against the stunning natural backdrop is widely regarded aas one of Australias greatest natural attractions. How to get there: For visitors from interstate catch a flight into Darwin, currently offered by Jetstar and Qantas at unusually budget rates from July 17 on. A sunrise cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong is recommended for anyone keep to spot a crocodile. Photo: Supplied Once in Darwin Kakadu is a three-hour drive, and Kakadu Tourism recommends travellers hire a 4WD from any of the many car hire companies in Darwin to make the most of their trip through the natural wonder. Where to stay: For the full Crocodile Dundee experience, camping is a popular and surprisingly cheap option. Cooinda Lodge in the parks southern area has extensive camping and Caravan ground are available from $40 a night, or if you wanted to treat yourself to a little luxury Glamping can be booked from $170 per night. If you need four walls and bed between you and the crocs, Cooinda Lodge also offers rooms from $216 per night. The lodge also contains amenities including pools, a petrol station and a general store. Jabiru, Kakadus main town also has the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel offering rooms from $159 per night for a slightly more budget-friendly option. All accommodation can be booked through Kakadu Tourism here. Suffice it to say it would be wise to get your tickets before they are snapped up, and enjoy the park at the least crowded it will probably ever be. And, I mean, who among us isnt dying for a holiday right now? Sign up to our daily newsletter here to get all the latest news and hacks. Or get in touch at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to protect monuments, memorials and statues facing new scrutiny amid fresh debate over the nations racist beginnings. Trump had promised to take action earlier this week after police thwarted an attempt by protesters to pull down a statue of Andrew Jackson in a park across from the White House. The order calls on the attorney general to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any person or group that destroys or vandalizes a monument, memorial or statue. Federal law authorizes a penalty of up to 10 years in prison for the wilful injury of federal property. The order also calls for maximum prosecution for anyone who incites violence and illegal activity, and it threatens state and local law enforcement agencies that fail to protect monuments with the loss of federal funding. Trump announced earlier Friday on Twitter that he had signed the order and called it strong. Earlier in the day, the president used Twitter to call for the arrest of protesters involved with the attempt to bring down the Jackson statue from Lafayette Park. He retweeted an FBI wanted poster showing pictures of 15 protesters who are wanted for vandalization of federal property. Trump wrote, MANY people in custody, with many others being sought for Vandalization of Federal Property in Lafayette Park. 10 year prison sentences! He also said on Twitter that he had scrapped plans to spend the weekend at his central New Jersey home to stay in Washington to make sure LAW & ORDER is enforced. These arsonists, anarchists, looters, and agitators have been largely stopped, Trump tweeted. I am doing what is necessary to keep our communities safe and these people will be brought to Justice! Protesters on Monday night attempted to drag the Jackson statue down with ropes and chains. Police repelled the protesters and sealed off Lafayette Park, which had been reopened to the public for more than a week after protests against the death of George Floyd at police hands in Minnesota. On Tuesday, police cleared out the entire area around the corner of 16th and H streets and pushed demonstrators away from the intersection, which had recently been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by the city. Statistics released by the Metropolitan Police Department show that nine people were arrested Tuesday night and a total of 12 arrested between Monday and Wednesday. There were no protest-related arrests Thursday, according to the MPD data. Demonstrators have grown increasingly emboldened about targeting statues deemed offensive or inappropriate. On June 19, or Juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery in the United States, cheering crowds puled down a statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike. The statue stood on federal land and had withstood previous attempts by the Washington, D.C., government to remove it. According to participants, police officers were on the scene but did not attempt to interfere. The targeting of the statues has become a rallying cry for Trump and other conservatives. Immediately after the Pike statute was toppled and set ablaze, Trump called the incident a disgrace to our Country! on Twitter. On Tuesday he tweeted, I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent. Calling the recent surge in coronavirus cases in states like Florida, Texas and Arizona very scary, Yahoo News Medical Contributor Dr. Kavita Patel said she fears the virus will continue to flare up in communities around the country throughout the summer. If we have this ping-pong effect you see the Rust Belt, you see the South [where cases have spiked], those people then travel and migrate and then places like Maryland, where I am, get it back again, Patel said on Yahoo News Skullduggery podcast. Then it only ends when we get a vaccine, and thats what were all scared of. As states have lifted restrictions meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 and people have moved around more, Patel said, the virus is more present in neighborhoods, where it then spreads quickly. Beaches, parties, proms: Youve got all sorts of people, younger ages, getting together and creating what we call superspreader events, Patel said. We now have more cases from a spread, which means more virus present. The fact that we dont have as many people dying from it ... thats because were smarter at taking care of patients in the hospital. At Fridays briefing of the coronavirus task force, Dr. Deborah Birx said that rising positive test rates in states across the South are so concerning to health officials that an alert system has been mounted to monitor them. Birx said that in Texas more than 10 percent of COVID-19 tests being administered in the state are now coming back positive, a benchmark the administration has used to flag regions of concern. The presidents contention that the recent spike in cases in some parts of the country was attributable to increased testing is misleading, Patel said. She asserted that if anything, cases are being undercounted. Were actually finally testing and understanding about the cases we werent picking up before, Patel said. Three months ago we were probably picking up 1 in 100 infections. Today were probably picking up 1 in 10 infections. Story continues Patel emphasized the serious consequences the virus can have, including for young adults who appear to be in good health. The average length of stay for a 30-year-old with COVID in the hospital is two weeks, Patel said. Its not like theyre just healthy and out the door. Theres a 5 percent mortality rate if youre 35 years old in Florida and get hospitalized. Were definitely in a very scary area in this phase. Patel said doctors are learning more every day, including more about the long-term effects of the virus. She urged people to wear masks and take precautions to buy time to get a vaccine, buy time to keep you healthy. Download or subscribe on iTunes: Skullduggery from Yahoo News _____ Read more from Yahoo News: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority announced Saturday afternoon that two more employees have tested positive for the coronavirus. One of the employees works in the track department and became showing signs of the virus Monday, RTA says. The employees last work day was Saturday. The second employee works in the main office and showed many symptoms on their last day of work Wednesday, RTA says. Following our standard protocol, the work areas of each employee were cleaned and thoroughly disinfected, the news release says. In the case of both employees, other staff members who may have been in contact with this employee were notified. This brings the total number of cases at RTA to 17, according to a news release from RTA. Eleven employees have since recovered from the virus and have returned to work. Read more coroanvirus coverage on cleveland.com: Greater Cleveland COVID-19 response fund awards $1.1 million in grants Will you travel or take a vacation this summer? Ohio Turnpike not planning for all-electronic tolling because not enough use E-Z Pass Cleveland-based Great Day! Tours dipping a toe back in group-bus travel after coronavirus shutdown Asian Lantern Festival returns to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, opens July 8 On Thursday, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri Kluge, gave a press conference in Copenhagen and warned of a very significant resurgence of the coronavirus taking place across the continent. Europe saw an increase in total weekly cases for the first time in months last week. For weeks I have spoken about the risk of resurgence as countries adjust new measures, Kluge said, referencing governments ending of lock-down policies. In several countries across Europe, this risk has now become a reality30 countries have seen increases in new cumulative cases over the past two weeks. This is more than half the 54 countries that make up WHOs European region. In 11 of these countries, he added, accelerated transmission has led to very significant resurgence that if left unchecked will push health systems to the brink once again in Europe. These are largely concentrated in eastern Europe: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, North Macedonia and Ukraine, as well as Sweden in northern Europe. The WHO regional directors warning comes as the rate of spread of the virus is accelerating globally. There were a record number of new cases reported on Sunday, with over 183,000 in 24 hours. Europe has reported more than 2.5 million cases, slightly less than a quarter of the international total. It continues to report almost 20,000 cases and 700 deaths every day. The resurgence of the virus is being driven by governments reopening policy, whose aim is the full and unhindered resumption of corporate profit-making activities, regardless of the threat that this poses to the working population. In the countries of western Europe which imposed fairly stringent lock-down policies that have since been lifted, there are many signs that the impact of these measures on the spread of the virus is over and that a new acceleration is underway. Increasingly the hot-spots of the virus are concentrated in poorer and working class areas where large numbers of people live or reside in close quarters with no protection. The Italian government deployed riot police and military troops to the coastal town of Mondragone, 60km from Naples in the countrys south, on Wednesday and Thursday, after protests erupted by residents of an impoverished community estate that has been placed under lockdown. There are more than 700 residents in the estate, most of them reportedly immigrant workers from Bulgaria, who pick fruit for poverty-level wages and are now unable to work or obtain any income. The Corriere della Sera described the complex as one of thousands of ghettos in Italy with more or less heinous conditions. At least 45 cases were detected at the estate. Similar conditions exist at the Gottingen high-rise complex in Germany, which was quarantined last week by German police after at least 120 cases were found. The apartments of entire families with several children range in size from 19 to 37 square meters. These conditions caused protests by residents against the quarantine, which were met by the deployment of riot police. Germanys r-value, which estimates the average number of people that a carrier of the virus infects, increased to 2.88 this week, after the discovery of a massive cluster at a Tonnies abattoir in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. An r-value above 1 indicates that the virus is spreading exponentially. The seven-day averaged r-value, which is more stable, increased from 1.55 to 2.03 with the detection of the outbreak. At least 1,558 workers at the Tonnies have tested positive, more than one fifth of the total workforce, and more than two-thirds of the workers in the cutting department. The employees live in cramped company-provided accommodation. In Portugal, nineteen of 24 districts in the capital Lisbon have been placed on lock-down Thursday until at least July 14. On Thursday, the health ministry confirmed 311 new cases, almost 80 percent of which were in Lisbon. In France, the r-value is increasing in seven out of 13 departmental regions, meaning that the rate of propagation of the virus is accelerating. In three areas, Normandie, Auvergne-Rhones-Alpes and Occitanie, the r-value is above 1. In the central Ile-de-France area that includes Paris, it is at 0.94. The national average for the period of June 6 to 12 was 0.93, an increase from 0.88 at the beginning of June. In French Guyana, an overseas territory bordering Brazil, the situation is extremely stark. The number of cases per 100,000 members of the population has exploded to 308, compared to 88 only one week ago. On Wednesday, the Macron administration announced a further lifting of whatever remained of the restrictions on the operations of employers kept in place after confinement was ended on May 11. Labor minister Muriel Penicaud released a new set of guidelines for employers, which no longer require that a surface area of four square meters per employee be available in order to ensure social distancing between co-workers. The four-square-meter requirement is being replaced by a guide for employees to have one meter of separation between one another. This is non-binding and amounts to nothing. The new recommendations add that if the one-meter distancing cannot be maintained, employees should wear a mask. They are otherwise not required to do so. More than 29,700 people have died from the virus in France. In Britain, where hundreds continue to die every day from the virus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an end to the remaining lockdown measures on Tuesday. As in France, social distancing requirements have similarly been replaced with meaningless advice of a one-meter separation. The full reopening policy of European governments amounts to an unstated implementation of the murderous pseudo-scientific theory of herd immunity. The spread of the virus is to be allowed to continue, in order that there may be no fetters on the profit-making of the corporate and financial elite. If Trudeau is trying to showcase his artistic credentials, by creating another one of those gut-wrenching afternoon political soaps, and if he were to call it Who Gets the Most, he might just be on the right track. Grabbing literally millions of firearms from an unsuspecting populace, and without due process, has to be considered an unprecedented class act. Insisting it was borne out of a desperate need to improve public safety has been proven bogus, as he has done absolutely nothing to stop the flow of illegal firearms into our country, and criminals are still walking our streets, armed. To try and understand Trudeaus obsession with firearms, perusing the status of ownerships in other countries for clues that might cause so much concern produces no results. While there are only three countries that consider gun ownership a constitutional right, more than 175 countries allow their citizens to own firearms, many with some restrictions. In Russia, a first-time owner would be allowed to own up to five shotguns, after five years of ownership, and then up to five rifles after another five years of ownership. They could all be semi-automatic, and with magazine capacities pinned at ten cartridges. There are only two countries in the whole world where guns are banned: Countries like Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, and other NATO member countries have some kind of civil defence systems, made up of private citizens and current and retired service people who are long-term, seasoned, and safe owners and users of firearms. Proposing to spend billions of dollars to try and buy all our firearms makes absolutely no sense, and for more than one reason: There are about 2.3 million registered gun owners in Canada, and many of them will have as many as five firearms. Then there are all those firearms that have been buried over the years. They could easily double that number. How about the cost of closing down and disposing of the assets of those gun shops, ammo included? As of June 4th this year, CERB has paid out $43.51 billion to 8.41 million people. Thats almost 25% of Canadians getting this handout without applying a means test to determine if any of those people really and desperately need this money. An extra 17.9 billion dollars for extending those CERB benefits will put an incredible strain on the federal Treasurer, and our Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is the only pool of money left for Trudeau to draw that money from! Andy Thomsen, Kelowna Delhi Air Traffic Control (ATC) on Saturday directed pilots of all airlines to take necessary precautions during landing and take-off of aircraft in view of locust swarms seen near the airport in areas along Gurugram-Dwarka Expressway. A team has been set up to monitor the situation. "Pilots of all airlines have been warned about the locust has seen near the airport, we have set up a team to monitor in view of the locust," a senior ATC official told ANI. Present Delhi Airport is operational and all flight movements are as per schedule, an airport official said. After the resumption of domestic flights operation, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport operates around 500 total aircraft in a day. Swarms of locusts that have crossed over to India from neighbouring Pakistan have been causing havoc in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh ravaging standing crops for over a month now. On Saturday swarms were witnessed in multiple locations in the Gurugram district including at Sector-5, Palam Vihar. India is facing its worst locust attack in recent years. The desert locust is a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper and poses an unprecedented threat to food supply and livelihoods of millions of people. On Friday the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued an operations circular on locusts to generate awareness amongst the aviation fraternity on the risks of flying through locust swarms. Stating that generally locust are found at lower levels and therefore pose a threat to aircraft in the critical landing and take-off phase of the flight," the DGCA warned that "almost all air intake ports of the aircraft will be prone to ingestion in large numbers if the aircraft flies through a swarm." The DGCA circular said that the pilot's forward vision can be impeded if large numbers of the insects land on the windshield flagging it as a "grave concern during landing, taxi and takeoff phase." it said. It urged pilots to consider against the use of wipers to remove the locusts from the windshields as it can cause spread of the smear even more. The circular said air traffic controllers, when aware of the presence of locusts nearby, should immediately inform all arriving and departing flights, the circular said. The aviation regulator urged airlines to not fly flights during a locust invasion as far as possible. "The only favourable aspect is that locusts do not fly at night, thus providing better opportunity to sight and avoid them," the circular added. (ANI) Also Read: Locust attack in Rajasthan village, farmer says crops destroyed VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 26, 2020 / Condor Resources Inc. - ("Condor" or the "Company") (TSXV:CN) announces, that as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns and related delays at our Peruvian exploration offices, the filing deadline of June 29, 2020 for the Company's audited annual financial statements for the fiscal year ended February 29, 2020 and the related management's discussion and analysis, as required by Part 4 and Part 5 of National Instrument 51-102: Continuous Disclosure Obligations (collectively, the "Annual Filings") will be delayed. Thus, in accordance with the blanket relief of a 45-day extension, provided by Canadian Securities Administrators and BC Instrument 51-517: Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements with Deadlines during the period from June 2, 2020 to August 31, 2020, the Company is issuing this release as notification. The health and safety of the Condor's employees and the communities surrounding its projects is a paramount priority for the Company. The resulting challenges posed by COVID-19 have resulted in a delay in the finalization and filing of the Annual Filings, since the Company's Lima exploration office has remained closed since March but is expected to reopen in the near future under strict protocols set out by Peru's national government which protocols will be followed the Company. The Company's board of directors and management confirm that they are working expeditiously to meet the Company's obligations relating to the filing of the Annual Filings. At this time, the Company anticipates being able to complete the Annual Filings by August 12, 2020. As announced on June 18, 2020, the Company closed a non brokered private placement to raise gross proceeds of $990,000 and appointed Dr. Quinton Hennigh to Condor's board of directors. There have not been any other material business developments since the date of the last interim financial reports of the Company that were filed. As a result of the postponement, the Company confirms that its management and other insiders are subject to an insider trading black-out policy that reflects the principles in section 9 of National Policy 11-207: Failure-to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions, such that they are in a black-out period until the end of the second trading day after the Annual Filings have been disclosed by way of a news release. Condor is an active explorer focused exclusively on Peru, supplemented by a project generator and royalty model designed to generate exploration capital whilst minimizing shareholder dilution. Our objective in advancing our portfolio of projects is the discovery of a major new precious metals or base metals deposit in Peru. Project acquisition and exploration activities are managed by the Company's Lima based exploration team. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Lyle Davis, President & Chief Executive Officer For further information please contact the Company at 1-866-642-5707, or by email at info@condorresources.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Condor Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/595434/Condor-Announces-COVID-19-Related-Postponement-of-Financial-Statements There are three people running for the position of Midland County Drain Commissioner. The candidates are Jennifer Miller, R-Midland; Joe Sova, R-Midland; and Calvin Wentworth, D-Midland. Miller and Sova will face off in the Aug. 4 primary and the winner will face Wentworth in November. Wentworth did not return an election Q&A by press time. Jennifer Miller, 49, of Midland, is a professional civil engineer and construction management professor at Ferris State University. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Midland County Drain Commissioner? The drain commissioner is the one person responsible for protecting the community whether it be rural, urban, recreational or agricultural from flooding, storm water damage, and soil erosion. The jurisdiction is limited to county drains and waterways; however, these are the final conveyance of all non-jurisdictional tributaries such as roadside ditches, agricultural tiling, commercial ponds, and residential storm sewer systems. It is the drain commissioners responsibility to be actively involved in the process and decision-making on the floodwater control structures; particularly the Sanford Lake and Edenville Dams for the safety and protection from floodwaters of the downstream property owners and those upstream as well. Understanding that the lake levels were established via the procedure prescribed by Michigan Law (Part 307), the current safety and stability of the dams was overlooked. Part 307 specifically includes the drain commissioner in key management and oversight of this legal establishment. The procedure itself is predicated on new construction; while encompassing existing control structures, and clearly is meant to be a long-term solution; not just a drop in the hat we have a lake level we need to maintain regardless of the condition of the control structures. As a Registered Michigan Professional Civil Engineer, I assure you that the question of safety and stability is paramount and although we can play what-ifs all day long, I guarantee that if I were the drain commissioner, I will make my engineering concerns known. 2. As Midland County drain commissioner, how would you accomplish the above duties? First and foremost, I would be present and actively involved for the constituents I serve putting my extensive engineering, construction, regulatory, and financial management experience to work for the community. As a Michigan licensed professional civil engineer, I bring a wealth of experience to this position. In design roles, I have invaluable experience designing storm water controls for both commercial and residential developments fully understanding the constraints of storm water conveyance; retention, allowable discharge, and emergency overflow requirements for significant storms. I have over 25 years of construction experience constructing storm water controls, overflow basins, storm sewers, and wetlands as an estimator, project manager, onsite construction personnel, and heavy excavation company owner. I have years of experience working with and for municipalities in engineering, environmental, and regulatory compliance capacities. Through the experience gained managing the City of Midland Landfill, serving as the assistant city engineer for Saginaw, handling all non-hazardous and hazardous wastes for a GM plant, as a certified construction soil erosion and sedimentation operator; and securing MDEQ utility and environmental permits, I have effectively managed financial and regulatory responsibilities, as well as provided safe and quality engineered and constructed facilities. I will undertake this position by providing a strong engineering backbone combined with my financial management (MBA) and communication skills. I am a collaborative leader; however, I am also a take-charge person strong in my beliefs especially when it comes to serving the public and the overall health, safety, and future of our community. 3. What, if any changes would you make as Midland County drain commissioner? While operating within the Michigan Drain Code, I would first become actively engaged in the position. I will adopt the best practice of reviewing the drains, not just on paper, but in person, walking the drains and assessing their conditions and needs. I cannot be a good civil engineer, manager, or communicator if I do not actually see the situation. I have not built my career around sitting behind a desk and shuffling papers. I believe that taking an active controlled approach to the position is required. I also believe full communication and transparency must be exercised at all times. We are entering a new era with these dam failures; where, I believe the entire county needs to be informed of all aspects of the issues affecting our drains, stormwater, and flood control; the consequences are just too far reaching to be narrowly focused. I will institute a comprehensive communications plan and publish communications via a network of residential neighborhood groups, professional associations, the Soil Conservation District and the Farm Service Agency, lake boards, etc., in addition to the traditional communication venues. I will be taking an active engineering review role in all aspects of soil erosion, maintenance, constructability, safety, and fiscal responsibility relating to the Drain Commissioner duties, especially in regard to the recent flooding and dam failures. The science of civil engineering is so important for the safety and livelihood of everyone in this community. This is why you need to place your confidence and vote in me. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Midland County drain commissioner will encounter? Currently, the drain commissioner has been able to maintain status quo. This changed with the most recent flooding disaster. Communication will be key along with a sense of urgency. Concerns must be addressed immediately. As drain commissioner, I will not hesitate to voice my own engineering and safety concerns, along with the concerns of the public I serve. The infrastructure behind our drains and flood control must be evaluated and addressed immediately. We have aging infrastructure that was not engineered to meet our modern world. Statistically, the environment has changed, our design requirements have changed along with the loads placed on our drains and flood control structures. There are improvements in construction methods, quality control, and inspections that need to be in place. We have increased regulations and requirements to protect people and property; we need to adhere to these requirements without compromise. As an analogy, you cannot continually overload your vehicle, drive down US-10 at 75 mph, with four junk tires, and not have a failure. This in effect is what has been done with our control structures. There were known issues, but we continued to use them, even overload them; hoping to get by until the fix was convenient. The path was correct; but fingers were crossed that the structures would hold up until we could back track on the skipped engineering and safety steps. There is a solution that includes sound engineering and fiscal responsibility. I am the drain commissioner who can provide this for the community. Joe Sova, 57, of Midland, is the retired City of Midland Utilities director, and is a guest teacher. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Midland County Drain Commissioner? Working in conjunction with the Deputy Drain Commissioner and the Soil Erosion Permitting Agent, the Midland County Drain Commissioner is primarily responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of drains and drainage districts in Midland County and drains that interconnect with adjacent counties. As the county enforcing agent, the Midland County Drain Commissioner is responsible for issuing permits, performing inspections, and administration of the soil erosion and sedimentation control program related to earth change activity. The drain commissioner is a member by statute of the Midland County Parks & Recreation Commission and the Board of Public Works, providing technical support. The drain commissioner also chairs the Sandford Lake Improvement Board, and the Wixom Lake Improvement Board, each tasked to provide lake water quality management. At every level of involvement, the drain commissioner is a key component in the preservation of surface water in Midland County. 2. As Midland County Drain Commissioner, how would you accomplish the above duties? Each of the duties and responsibilities of the drain commissioner require building and nurturing partnerships with county residences, business owners, local, state, and federal government officials, and public and private utility owners, with the goal of seeking to protect Michigans water resources in the process. I believe I possess the much-needed balance of education, experience in the private and public sectors, and many years of community volunteer work to bring people together to achieve the common good. Achieving the duties of drain commissioner will require emphasis on listening and understanding before actions are taken that impact property owners and the waters of the state. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as Midland County Drain Commissioner? There are generally many ways to achieve the same goal. I will continue to maintain the integrity of the office of the Midland County Drain Commissioner. As storm water and soil erosion regulations continue to evolve, it will be necessary to increase communications to keep people apprised of the changes and how they may be impacted, as well as, expanding the use of modern communication tools, such as social media, to help make communication more transparent and timely, and to promote informed involvement. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Midland County Drain Commissioner will encounter? In the immediate future, as Midland County residence struggle to overcome the devastation from the recent massive flooding, many property owners may not be willing to tolerate the additional distraction, impact, and cost of having their drainage district cleaned or maintained. There is also much confusion about what agency, governmental body, department, or individual has jurisdiction or responsibility for flood protection. That is a complex matter, as the responsibility does fall in multiple jurisdictions. Regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the state and regulating quality standards for surface waters will be the most challenging, as earth change activities become more restrictive. Internally, the office needs to be modernized in its recordkeeping, communications, and information access. An ongoing pursuit will be to continue looking for cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways to efficiently handle the large volume of storm water affecting Midland County, and build into the drainage systems ways we can clear sediment from the water before it enters our creeks, rivers, and lakes. The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia June 27, 2020 LIBERIAN NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION L-R: LACC Chairman Ndubusi Nwabudike and President George Weah Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, The purpose of this press engagement is for the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) to inform the Liberian people through the press about its findings and decision on the critical issue of the Liberian citizenship of Cllr. A. Nbudusi Nwabudike and his controversial membership of the Liberian National Bar Association. You will recall that during the Senate confirmation hearings of Cllr. A. Nbudusi Nwabudike for the position of Chairman of the National Elections Commission, the issue of the validity of his Liberian citizenship was brought into question and his woeful failure to convince members of the Senate, dominated the hearing and became the single reason for his outright rejection by the Senate and subsequent withdrawal of his nomination by the President of Liberia. The doubt raised by the Senate over the citizenship of Cllr. Nwabudike by extension, cast a very dark cloud over the integrity and credibility of the Liberian National Bar Association and the Judiciary in evaluating applicants for admission into the legal profession. The LNBA felt duty-bound to investigate and find out what the truth is relative to Cllr. Nwabudikes Liberian citizenship. Therefore, the National Executive Council of the Liberian National Bar met and mandated the President of the Liberian National Bar Association to instruct the Grievance and Ethics Committee to launch a full-scale investigation into this matter. As a professional body, the LNBA is under a duty at all times to constantly monitor and evaluate the moral and professional conduct of its members based on information acquired through complaints by individuals or the public. The Liberian National Bar Association wishes to emphasize that the legal profession is unique among the professions in Liberia because it is the only profession that is given protection by the Constitution of Liberia. Article 21(i) of the Constitution provides, There shall be absolute immunity from any government sanctions or interference in the performance of legal services as a Counsellor or Advocate Therefore, the LNBA is under a moral obligation to honor this protection provided by the Constitution of Liberia with the highest degree of integrity and credibility in order to prove to the people of Liberia that the legal profession is worthy of this unique protection. As the saying goes to whom much is given, much is expected. The LNBA therefore, could not ignore the issue of the citizenship status of one of its members when the information provided by him created doubt over the authenticity and veracity of his claim of Liberian citizenship. In order to ensure that the investigation was thorough and meticulous, the LNBA acted within the confines of legal speed by exhausting all means possible to provide Cllr. Nwabudike his right to due process. The LNBA is therefore pleased to give a summary of the process on how the LNBA proceeded in order as follows: On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, the President of the LNBA wrote the Grievance Ethics Committee of the LNBA based upon a decision taken by the National Executive Council, mandating it to investigate and submit its report regarding the issue of the citizenship of Cllr. A. N. Nwabudike, given the level of public debate that had arisen over this issue and the cloud it had created over the integrity of the process of admission to the practice of law in Liberia; and On April 2, 2020, the Grievance and Ethics Committee sent a letter to Cllr. A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike, informing him of the mandate of the National Executive Council and inviting him to appear before the committee with all relevant documents in support of his claim of Liberian citizenship. Also, the Committee simultaneously communicated with the Liberian Immigration Service (LIS), the Clerk of the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assisizes (B), the Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law and the Clerk of the Supreme Court, in order to independently acquire relevant information pertaining to the citizenship of Cllr. Nwabudike. Interestingly, on April 6, 2020, Cllr. Nwabudike wrote the Grievance and Ethics Committee of the LNBA in which (1)he questioned the basis of the investigation, contending that there was no complaint before the LNBA challenging his citizenship; (2) he contended that he had not violated any provision of the Code of Professional Ethics governing the conduct of lawyers; (3) he argued that citizenship is given by the Government of Liberia and it is only the Government of Liberia that can challenge or revoke it; and (4) he erroneously argued that the issue of his citizenship was now moot since the issue was not raised when he was admitted as attorney-at-law and subsequently as counselor-at-law. He however promised to meet with the Grievance and Ethics Committee, in order to provide it further clarification. He copied the Chief Justice of the Honorable Supreme Court and the Minister of Justice on his reply to the letter from the Grievance and Ethics Committee. On April 13, 2020, Cllr. Nwabudike was written a letter inviting him to appear before the Grievance and Ethics Committee on April 24, 2020, at 11:00 AM, but he did not appear. Again, on April 27, 2020, Cllr. Nwabudike was sent a letter to appear before the same committee for investigation on April 30, 2020, at 11:00 AM, but he did not appear. Further, on May 6, 2020, Cllr. Nwabudike was written a letter to appear before the committee for a hearing on May 8, 2020, but he did not appear. On May 18, 2020, Cllr. Nwabudike was written to appear before the committee on May 27, 2020, for investigation, but he did not show up. Additionally, the Committee invited him through two publications in the Inquirer Newspaper on May 11, 2020, and May 15, 2020, for appearance, but he failed to appear. These publications were also sent to Cllr. Nwabudike via DHL, yet he failed, and refused to appear, in complete disregard for the Liberian National Bar Association. In view of the defiant posture of Cllr. Nwabudike, as demonstrated by his deliberate failure and refusal to honor all the citations sent to him to appear for the inquiry that the Grievance and Ethics Committee was mandated by the National Executive Council to conduct, the Committee then proceeded to carry out its mandate by relying on independent sources for information on the validity of Cllr. Nwabudikes Liberian citizenship. The following information was obtained by the Committee regarding Cllr. Nwabudikes Liberian citizenship: On April 3, 2020, the Liberian Immigration Service wrote a letter informing the Grievance and Ethics Committee that it did not have any record on Cllr. Nwabudike legal residency status or naturalization in Liberia; On April 6, 2020, the Committee obtained a clerk certificate from the Clerk of the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes B Temple of Justice, informing it that it had no record about Cllr. Nwabudikes residency or naturalization status; From documents obtained from the Senate Confirmation hearings of Cllr. Nwabudike and the pleadings in the record of the Civil Law Court on a petition for declaratory judgment filed by him, the Grievance and Ethics Committee found the following inconsistent information: A purported certificate of naturalization presented to the Liberian Senate by Cllr. Nwabudike showed that he was issued same by Criminal Court B at the Temple of Justice on May 13, 1982, when in fact that court was called the Peoples Criminal Court B during the regime of the Peoples Redemption Council (PRC), thereby creating more doubt; A perusal of His various passports showed his birth dates as October 19, 1960, October 2, 1963, October 2, 1965, and October 2, 1969; His 2004 Liberian Passport carries his date of birth as October 2, 1963, and his name as A. Nkwuka Ndubuisi Nwabudike, instead of the name that appears on the roster of the Liberian National Bar Association and Supreme Court Bar which is A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike; His Liberian National Identification card carries his date of birth as October 2, 1969, and his name as A. Ndubuisi Nkwuka Nwabudike; and His application for marriage certificate dated January 22, 1992, filled by himself in handwriting carries his name as A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike, his date of birth as October 19, 1960, and his nationality as Nigerian; In view of the information received from the Liberia Immigration Service and First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes B that there is no record to support Cllr. Nwabudikes claim of Liberian citizenship, the existence of information showing gross inconsistency in his dates of birth and names, as well as, the fact that in his application to the Marriage Registry, he declared in his handwriting in 1992 that he was a Nigerian Citizen, the only valid, logical and common-sense conclusion that could be reached by the Grievance and Ethics Committee was that he became a member of the Liberian National Bar Association through fraudulent means. It is a well-settled common law principle that fraud vitiates everything. The committee, therefore, recommended that Cllr. A. Nbudusi Nwabudike be expelled, consistent with Article II Section IX of the Constitution of the Liberian National Bar Association, which provides, Any member may, after inquiry, be disciplined by means of suspension or expulsion from membership of the Association for proven gross misconduct in his relations to the Association or in his professional undertaking upon two-thirds votes of the Membership of the National Executive Council. At a meeting of the National Executive Council held at 3:00 PM, on yesterday, June 18, 2020, here at the headquarters of the Liberian National Bar Association, the Grievance and Ethics Committees recommendation that Cllr. A. Nbudusi Nwabudike be expelled was approved by a vote of two-thirds members of the National Executive Council of the Liberian National Bar Association. Hence, Cllr. A. N. Nwabudike is hereby expelled from the membership of the Liberian National Bar Association. His name is hereby stricken from the roster of the membership of the Liberian National Bar Association. This decision will be shortly communicated to the President of the Republic of Liberia, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia as well as, all courts throughout the Republic of Liberia. I Thank you. June 19, 2020 Opponents of a mask order recently came to the house of Chris Farnitano, a public health officer in Contra Costa County, across the bay from San Francisco. On the sidewalk, they drew an arrow pointing to his residence, according to the Los Angeles Times. Tyranny is not the answer, someone wrote in chalk. In Orange County, in Southern California, late last month, an angry group spoke out at a county supervisors meeting against an order requiring face coverings. One person suggested that the order might make it necessary to invoke Second Amendment rights to bear arms, while another read aloud the home address of the orders author the countys chief health officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, according to a report by Kaiser Health News. She was later given personal protection from the sheriff, and then, after another meeting that included criticism from the board of supervisors, resigned. Seven senior public health officials in California have quit since the pandemic began. MATTOON Lake Land College will award the 2020 Distinguished Service Award to Debbie Benefiel, longtime member of the Foundation Board of Directors and co-owner and operator with husband Steve of Pearman Pharmacy in Paris, during the virtual Commencement ceremony. The award acknowledges an individual who has rendered outstanding service to the college. Benefiel has served on the Lake Land College Foundation Board of Directors since 1994 and has committed years of personal time and energy to the college, which contributes to the current strength of the foundation. Benefiel served on the scholarship committee for several years and enjoyed seeing nearly a third of the student population receive scholarships, annually totaling nearly $500,000. For years, Benefiel and her husband, Steve Benefiel, have supported the Lake Land College Foundation with two annual scholarships: The Steve and Debbie Benefiel Annual Scholarship and The Pearman Pharmacy Annual Scholarship. In 2019, the Benefiels decided to take the first step in making their contributions to the college a permanent investment by moving from an annual scholarship to an endowment: The Steve and Debbie Benefiel Endowed Scholarship. It is not unusual for the Benefiels to see an unmet need in the community, especially when someone is pursuing an education, and to meet that need personally, Benefiels nominator, Jackie Joines, said. Not only does Benefiel focus her volunteer efforts on education, she is also incredibly active in her community. She has served on various boards and committees helping guide the direction and growth of the Presbyterian Church of Paris while currently serving on the board of deacons and serving on the membership and evangelism committee. Joines expressed her appreciation for Benefiels natural commitment to volunteerism within her local community. She has volunteered at the former Paris YMCA, now the Paris REC Center, for more than 26 years. Benefiel is currently a member and trustee of the Paris Recreational Endowment Trust and serves as its treasurer. She is a charter member of the 100 Women Who Care giving circle that provides $10,000 each quarter to make a difference in Edgar County. Benefiel and her husband are passionate about the arts and volunteer for related organizations as well. She has served on the board of directors of the Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan as a Region Three Trustee for more than 20 years and is a patron of the Paris Fine Arts Center where Steve Benefiel serves on the advisory board. Benefiel is also a member of the Horizon Health Foundation of East Central Illinois that supports Horizon Health Hospital and area clinics around Edgar County. In November of 2018, the Benefiels were recognized for their generosity as the recipients of the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award presented by Horizon Health at the Association Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropy Day. The lives that Debbie has changed through the gifts and volunteerism is unmet in the Edgar County area. She has strengthened the faith, wellness and culture of the community, and supported numerous youth in making their lives better through education, Joines said. Benefiel earned a bachelors degree from Eastern Illinois University and a masters degree from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She and her husband live in Paris, Illinois. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 21:07:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A truck loaded with camel milk powder from Kazakhstan arrives in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province, June 12, 2020. (Lanzhou New District Commercial Investment Group/Handout via Xinhua) by Ren Jun, Wang Mingyu NUR-SULTAN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- It's the most enchanting season on Kazakhstan's steppes where flocks of cattle, sheep, horses as well as shepherds on horseback wander under the clear blue sky. Seven kilometers away from the village of Zhansary in central Kazakhstan's Karaganda Region, a dairy factory which produces camel and mare milk powder is in full swing of production. "Recently our camel milk powder has successfully entered the Chinese market despite the pandemic, and horse milk powder is also expected to follow suit. Everyone in the factory gets motivated," said factory manager Bayan Elshin. Every morning, Elshin, in his dark green jacket and riding boots, inspects the camel and horse sheds, checks the equipment imported from Germany and instructs workers on safety rules. Sometimes he drives to the nearby hills, watching over 2,000 horses in a pasture. "Our factory is situated in an uninhabited area where more than 200 camels and 2,500 horses graze on the grassland of 35,000 hectares nearby. Camel milk and mare milk are treasures of the Kazakh people, we are glad that our products get recognition on the Chinese market," said Elshin. The dairy factory was established by Kazakhstan's Eurasia Investment Co., Ltd. and was put into production in 2014, with an annual output of 60 tons of camel milk powder and 60 tons of mare milk powder. Kairzhan Meirambekov, deputy general manager of Eurasia Investment, told Xinhua that last year the company opened a camel milk powder store at the China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center, with annual sales at 600 million tenge (about 1.5 million U.S. dollars). "The success makes us feel the huge potential of the Chinese market and strengthens our determination to dive into the Chinese market," said Meirambekov, adding that, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the Kazakh side of the Horgos cooperation center has been closed since January, a big setback for the factory's sales goal. On Jan. 29, China's General Administration of Customs issued an announcement allowing Kazakh camel dairy products to enter the Chinese market. Three Kazakh enterprises producing camel dairy products, including Eurasia Invest, are among the first batch of companies getting export licenses. After months of arduous efforts, 7,000 cans of camel milk powder weighing 3.5 tons arrived at the comprehensive bonded area of the New District in Lanzhou, the capital city of northwestern China's Gansu Province, on June 12, and began online sales. Over the past two weeks, a total of 138 cans have been sold. Meirambekov said that the milk powder production has not been affected by the pandemic because of its remote location. However, due to border restrictions and quarantine measures amid the state of emergency, the export of the first batch of products has been postponed from February to June. According to Chinese importers, the import procedure takes months and is encountering many difficulties due to the pandemic. Staff had to switch to online mode to communicate with the Kazakh side and make up a logistics plan after consulting with the Kazakhstan Import and Export Association, the manufacturer's export agency, said Kang Kewei, manager of the Lanzhou New District Commercial Investment Group Comprehensive Bonded Zone International Trade Co., Ltd. "Previously, Kazakhstan's camel milk powder entered the Chinese market only through border trade or overseas purchase. Now imported milk power is stored at a bonded warehouse. After customers place an order, products would clear customs and be delivered to doorsteps," said Kang. Kang said consumers in Lanzhou can enjoy their camel milk powder within 24 hours after placing an order, while consumers from other regions can receive the products within a few days. According to the statistics of Chinese customs, China imported 1.36 million tons of milk powder valued at 8.3 billion dollars in 2019, jumping by 20.8 percent in volume and 15.5 percent in value over the previous year. In the first four months of 2020, China's imports of milk powder continued to increase, reaching 3.1 billion dollars, up 5.5 percent year on year. Kang believed that as China's dairy consumption becomes more and more diversified, camel milk powder from Kazakhstan can provide Chinese consumers with more choices. "For the dairy industry of Kazakhstan, the Chinese market offers a huge opportunity. Chinese consumers are getting to know camel milk powder, and the market size is developing. We have not yet obtained an export license for horse milk powder to the Chinese mainland. But the company is already actively promoting horse milk powder on the Chinese market," Merambekov said. "At the end of this month, we will ship another three tons of camel milk powder to China. We are currently building a new milk powder factory in Almaty and buying new equipment to expand production capacity. We plan to increase the annual output of camel milk powder from 60 to 200-300 tons," said Elshin. Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee arrives for a court hearing to review a detention warrant request against him at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul By Heekyong Yang SEOUL (Reuters) - An external review panel in South Korea recommended that prosecutors should not indict Samsung Group heir Jay Y. Lee over a 2015 merger and alleged accounting fraud, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said on Friday. The recommendation could help pave the way for Lee's attorneys to challenge the justification for the prosecution's case to try him on charges stemming from the merger of two Samsung affiliates. The panel comprised 15 experts from fields including legal circles, academia, media and civic groups. Its recommendation is not binding, but the prosecutors have followed such panels' advice in all eight previous instances, legal experts said. "The majority of the external review panel composed of 14 members as one member did not attend the meeting, voted to recommend prosecutors not to indict Lee and halt the investigation against him," a spokesperson at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said, Prosecutors said in a statement they plan to examine their final decision after evaluating their investigation's results and the external panel's decision. Attorneys for Lee said in a statement they appreciated the decision from the panel. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office has the option to form such a panel when either prosecution or a defendant requests a review of experts, the ministry of government legislation said. The recommendation is a boost for Lee's defence because the precedent of the panel review is in their favour, a criminal defence lawyer not involved in the case said. "The prosecutors have to be affected by the panel's decision because now they're going to need to further justify their reasoning to bring Lee to a trial," the lawyer said. A Seoul court this month denied an arrest warrant request for Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, after prosecutors accused him of accounting fraud and stock manipulation. Prosecutors had asked the court to issue an arrest warrant for Lee, 52, as part of a probe into alleged accounting fraud involving a Samsung drugs affiliate and a merger of two other affiliates. Story continues They said fraudulent accounting and alleged stock manipulation helped facilitate Lee's plan to assume greater control over the Samsung Group. Lee's attorneys have denied the allegations. Lee was jailed for about a year, until his release in February 2018, for his role in a bribery scandal. He was accused of giving horses to the daughter of a confidante of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye to win government support for the merger of the two affiliates. (Additional reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Kim Coghill and Timothy Heritage) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath on Saturday ordered strict monitoring of the Indo-Nepal border in Balrampur district of the state and asked officials to ensure that no mafia takes root in the district. Adityanath issued the instructions while taking stock of the law and order situation in the district during his visit to it and the neighbouring Gonda district. While taking stock of law and order situation of Balrampur district, the chief minister ordered for strict monitoring of the Indo-Nepal border in the district, said an official statement after the chief ministers return to the state capital. No Mafia has to be allowed to take roots in the district. Stern actions have to be taken against them and their properties should be confiscated, the statement quoted the chief minister as saying. The chief minister also inspected some infrastructure development works both in Balrampur and Gonda districts. The chief minister did both an aerial survey and ground inspection of the reinforcement work at some weak spots of 52-km-long Elgin-Charsari embankment along the river Ghaghra in Barabanki and Gonda districts. Running between Elgin Bridge at Barabanki and Charsari village in Gonda district, many spots of the embankment are prone to breaches during floods, deluging 100s of villages in the rivers catchment area. The chief minister also sought details about the dredging works being undertaken in the Ghagra river. When getting an LLC, it is important for you to follow every step that you can. One of the steps is to hire a registered agent for your company. The reason for this is so that they can take on the responsibility of looking after all the paperwork and taxes, as well as keep record of your annual filing reports. However, there are fees when hiring an agent and it can be different, depending on the state that you are hiring in. There is the alternative of being your own registered agent, however there are some things that you need to consider first. Check out the following below or you can find out more by doing some research online. What makes me eligible to be a self registered agent in California? Like in every state, you do need to follow the eligibility criteria in order to become a self registered agent in California. In this case you have to be 18 and over, show proof of a physical business address in the state and have the definite availability to work the normal business hours, in order to receive the service of process in person. If you tick all the boxes for the criteria, you are then eligible to be a self registered agent in California. Would it benefit me if I serve as a self registered agent? If you are a small business owner, then yes it can benefit you. It is actually common for a small business owner to hire themselves as self registered agents, rather than actually hire agents. If however, you have a large corporation, then it is easier for you to hire a registered agent, so that you are not behind with any paperwork. Another advantage of being a self registered agent is that you get to save money from the fees that you would originally spend on hiring someone and if you are not that bothered, that you would be representing yourself in front of your peers and customers, when it comes to legal documents. What else do I need to keep in mind as a self registered agent? The disadvantages of being a self registered agent is that it is mandatory for you to be present during the working hours of 9am - 5pm without missing a day, with the only exception of public holidays. You cannot leave your business address at any time, because it can risk you receiving any legal documents. If you do mind being served in front of your peers and customers, then it is another disadvantage for you having to sort out your lawsuit in front of everyone. If you do not receive any lawsuit documents because you missed them, there is a chance that you can be taken to court and have the difficulty of defending yourself. Another negative about being a self registered agent is that you have to make your business address public; which means that if your business address is also your personal address, it will automatically go public. Another thing to consider is that if you want to expand your business into other states, then you cannot do that as a self registered agent. You can only do that if you hire a california based registered agent. Our say To be your own self registered California based agent is great - especially if you have good timekeeping, a small business and you are willing to accept all consequences. However, if you feel like you need possible help or guidance, then you should definitely consider hiring a California based agent. Even though it might seem like you are spending money, you are actually saving money and saving yourself a lot of time when it comes to all the legal stuff that needs to be handled. You should weigh out both options for your business and see what is best suited for your situation. It should have been the best year yet. Glastonbury 2020 was to mark 50 years of one of the most storied festivals in music history, with a line-up that nodded to its own heritage, but also looked far into the future. Even the weather, that most fickle of mistresses, looked certain to be on its best behaviour. As The Independents music critic Mark Beaumont said in his pick of the 20 all-time best performances, Glastonbury has experienced countless moments that dont just make the weekend, but mark out the evolution of pop culture Glastonbury is where musical history is made and cultural colossi are crowned on a near-annual basis. It explains why, from the artists who have graced the Pyramid Stage to first-timers whod dreamt of performing at Worthy Farm since the first time they picked up a microphone, they all turned out in force to celebrate Glastonburys 50th anniversary festival or no festival. The Cure (Robert Smith) Headlined the Pyramid Stage four times, in 1986, 1990, 1995 and 2019 Feeling the crowd at the end of Boys Dont Cry last year was very special (Getty) (Getty Images) Our headline set in 2019 all went by in a bit of a blur, but we loved the way everyone really got into it, even after four long hot days in the field. There honestly is no such thing for us as just another gig, we are always trying to make it the best show ever. To that end, we like to keep the pre-concert routine as simple and consistent as possible it helps with nerves and focus. Having said that, hordes of family and friends milling around backstage definitely changed the vibe but it worked out well, it was a very memorable night! The opening Shake Dog Shake drum roll and chord in 1986 was an unforgettable moment that first Glastonbury headline felt like we really had arrived in the UK. The Fascination Street emergency helicopter landing in 1990 remains awfully vivid playing unreleased songs in 1995 was strangely good fun and feeling the crowd at the end of Boys Dont Cry last year was very special. We have a long and curious relationship with Glastonbury and I hope before we stop we will be back there for one last splash! (Read our five-star review of 2019s performance here) Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl) Headlined the Pyramid Stage, 2017 The energy coming from that field was just so much love, I couldnt wait to hit the stage (Getty) (Getty Images) There are more than a few unforgettable moments in the Foo Fighters timeline, but Glastonbury 2017 eclipses them all. After having to cancel playing there in 2015 on account of a nasty stage fall that resulted in a splintered leg, 2017 was the ultimate make-up gig. One that I not only felt obligated to play, but was chomping at the bit for, because it was like a big fat prize I could give our fans who had been patiently waiting for so long. Just before taking the stage that night, I looked out at the crowd with a cocktail in hand and thought, This is gonna be f***ing GOOD... Surprisingly, I wasnt the least bit nervous, even though there was an enormous sea of faces out there waiting for us. The energy coming from that field was just so much love, I couldnt wait to hit the stage. From the second I stepped up to the microphone I felt at home. For the next two hours and 15 minutes, there was nowhere else on earth I wanted to be. The vibe was like a dream. What an unforgettable night. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Skunk Anansie (Skin) Headlined the Pyramid Stage, 1999 A cold, quiet calm excitement thats the feeling before you walk on the Pyramid Stage. The most overwhelming feeling is that everyone there is on your side, and they are gagging for it and waiting for it, and they want you to be good, they want you to be amazing. So you have this anticipation, youre thinking, this is going to be really fun! Because Ive done a lot of festivals and you can gauge the vibe are you going to have to persuade people, are they tired, is it raining? But I remember it was a beautiful clear night, there were loads of flags and I could see people for as far as the eye could see. It was like the moment before stepping into the hurricane. And at that point, youve done everything you can do, now youve just got to go on stage and enjoy yourself, and not worry about it. Just waiting for the explosion to happen. Thats what happens when you walk onstage, the place just explodes, and thats a delightful feeling for an artist. The Libertines (Carl Barat) Surprise performance on the Pyramid Stage, 2015 Peter Doherty and Barat during their surprise set five years ago (Rex) My parents were at the first ever Glastonbury festival and Ive been going ever since I was a year-old nipper. Ive seen it go through some changes over the years, as have I. From not having a tent and sleeping in the mud, to being helicoptered in to play the fabled Pyramid Stage. Its an incredible entity, like a nomadic city that materialises overnight in the mystical West Country. Its not just about the bands, its about being in a field in Somerset where you can find Sodom and Gomorrah, ruin and salvation and all in the wee small hours. Without doubt its the best festival on the planet whats not to love? Bastille (Dan Smith) John Peel Stage, 2013, Other Stage, 2016, Pyramid Stage, 2019 Smith in 2019: If theyve chosen to be at your gig then theyre there to enjoy it (Dave J Hogan/Getty) (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) Glastonbury is my mates and my favourite weekend of the year. Weve gone every year since 2008, even on the weekends where our bands been booked to play elsewhere. I once went and camped from the Tuesday, even though I had to leave Friday morning to play three other festivals across Europe that weekend, just so I didnt miss out on being there. So basically, Im a Glastonbury mega fan. Last year when we played the Pyramid Stage, I was convinced that the field would be empty and wed play to nobody, so I was probably annoying the shit out of the rest of the band, the choir, and the crew with my usual pessimistic bollocks. Because Ive been lucky enough to see so many bands and artists that I love on those stages, its always been incredibly surreal to then be able to play them. I dont always have the best time on stage but every gig at Glastonbury has been pretty amazing for us. I think the crowds there are so up for it and invested, and they have such a vast choice of things to be seeing at any one time, so if theyve chosen to be at your gig then theyre there to enjoy it. Weve also been lucky to be booked on the Friday the last couple of times, get our gig out the way and then spend the weekend watching bands and properly enjoying the weekend. Tinie (formerly Tinie Tempah) Pyramid Stage, 2011 Tinie performing at Glastonbury in 2011 (Rex) The biggest thing that sticks out in my mind about my Glasto performance was the sheer number of people! There are bodies as far as the eye can see. As well as the scale and size of the site itself. Jehnny Beth (Savages) John Peel Stage, 2013 Singer Jehnny Beth of Savages (Getty Images) I was playing Glastonbury for the first time with my bandmates from Savages on 29 June 2013. It was our second set of the day at the John Peel Stage. I remember feeling exhausted no food and barely any sleep (classic). Five minutes before the performance, a nice woman came to me explaining someone had requested for her to translate the lyrics of our show for the hard of hearing people in the audience (and on TV). She asked if it was going to bother us. Of course not I said. When I grew up around the age of eight, a few students in my class were deaf-mute and a lady everyday was coming to translate the class for them. I had learnt how to communicate with sign language then and loved it. I was used to it. In five minutes we didnt get a chance to share the lyrics with the translator at Glastonbury, so she was going to sign what she could understand. Before we started I took the time to warn her: Sometimes it sounds like I am saying f*** but actually Im not. I was referring to the word "forget" in the song "She Will" ("she will forget her name"), everyone used to think I was saying "f***" because of my accent. But my zealous attempt to make her job easier actually created more confusion. When I started singing F***ers I repeated, "Dont let the f***ers get you down" over and over and the nice lady got totally lost: Is she saying what I think she is saying or am I completely misinterpreting the words? I had forgotten to mention to her that on this particular song, if it sounded like I am saying f***, it was probably because... I WAS! Fontaines DC Leftfield Tent, John Peel Stage, 2019 The John Peel Glastonbury set was really big for us because it was rumored to be around 10,000 people in the tent. I dont know if it was but it was definitely enough for us to get that flurry of fear before the gig, which was interesting because wed done so many gigs before that, wed just got used to a particular size of crowd and that kind of snapped us out of oncoming complacency. I think we all hugged each other when we came off, it was one of those moments it was a massive moment for us as friends. I remember thinking during the gig, looking round, seeing the lads and thinking that this is something tangible that weve achieved together this sea of people. (Grian Chatten, frontman) I remember before the show there was a bit of panic, not only because it was quite a big show for us and a show we werent even meant to play until the very last minute the panic was mostly that most of our gear was in bits and all our guitars and pedals were broken. We had two guitars between the two of us, which is all we need, but we were worried that if anything went wrong wed need another. In spite of all the panic we found a lot of friendliness from Johnny Marr who heard about our problems and sent one of his personal guitars over. We kept that guitar for a while he let us have it on tour. So we have to say thanks to Johnny for that. (Carlos OConnell, guitarist) The Psychedelic Furs (Richard Butler) Headlined the Pyramid Stage, 1986 Headlining Glastonbury on a Friday night was an incredible experience for the Furs. I believe it was at that point the largest crowd we had ever played to, and at the most prestigious of festivals. Quite terrifying in its own way, but what a wonderful memory. Everything Everything (Jeremy Pritchard) John Peel Stage, 2010, 2011 and 2013, Other Stage, 2015 Glastonbury 2003 was the first festival of any kind I went to, and I think it gave me a fairly rose-tinted view of what festivals are actually like. I was immediately struck by the sense of freedom, openness, cooperation and good old-fashioned love that the site and its inhabitants exude. I refuse to be cynical about it. It is impossible for me. Everything Everything have played it many times, and I had a very memorable show with Foals there last year. My favourite memory of playing there is the pair of shows EE did in 2015, the week our album Get To Heaven came out. We played to 25,000 on the Other Stage on the Friday, and then a secret set on the Saturday. We had no idea if people knew or liked the record at that stage, but the audience reaction to a set of brand new songs just laid us to waste. We all walked offstage weeping after the secret show. It was so moving and so special. Also, I got trenchfoot there as a punter in 2005. Margo Price Park Stage, 2017 There was a cosmic peacefulness to the place (Getty) When I arranged to play Glastonbury, I hadnt slept in 48 hours. We had a faulty plane and had to turn around when we were half way, sleep in the airport and then switch planes. Anyway, when I arrived, it was one of the most beautiful places Id ever been. There was a cosmic peacefulness to the place, and even though I was hallucinating from sleep deprivation, it was spiritual. I joined Kris Kristofferson for several songs in front of the biggest crowd I had ever seen while movie stars watched from the wings. It was quite surreal. Lovely time and a forever memory. Toots and The Maytals (Frederick Hibbert) Performed in 2004, 2010 and 2017 It is always a pleasure working the stage at Glastonbury enjoying the warmth of my fans along with the general audience. The staff, media, and the BBC crew who are always there for me. I love my UK fans. BUSH (Gavin Rossdale) Pyramid Stage, 1999 Glastonbury is the ultimate festival. Its the king of all festivals. The festival of festivals. Im looking forward to playing there again one day. Its been a minute. Kojaque West Holts Stage, 2019 I remember arriving on the back end of a tour, late, three days into the festival and seagulls had descended upon Glastonbury, the sun was blazing like a furnace, the size of the place was unbelievable. I remember hiking up to the Glastonbury sign the minute we arrived to catch a proper view of the site and meeting Hozier on the way up, looking like one of the Stations of the Cross. Ive never seen so many people in one place before, I saw some of the best music ever at Glastonbury and it was an undeniable buzz! I cant wait to go back. James Bay Pyramid Stage, 2015 I stood in front of 80,000 people and basked in the sound of that many voices singing along to Hold Back the River (Getty) Even before Id seen any pictures of Glastonbury festival, as a kid, I was already aware that it was the holy grail of festival opportunities for any performer. Whether youre setting up in some mystical, far off corner of the site, or on the Pyramid Stage itself, Id known for a long time before my first visit that it was a very special place to play. When I played the Pyramid Stage, it was 2015. My debut album Chaos and The Calm had been out for three months. The first couple of singles had been out less than a year. I stood in front of 80,000 people and basked in the sound of that many voices singing along to Hold Back the River, louder than I could have ever imagined. Yizzy Runner-up in Glastonburys Emerging Talent competition, 2017 It has to be the atmosphere. At 17 years old seeing everyone vibing and having a good time and being carefree was incredible. Everyone was happy to just live in the moment and vibe to the music, theres no negative vibes when everyone is there to have a good time. It was my first time even going to a festival, let alone performing at one, so it was a very memorable experience and one that will stick with me forever Lucy Rose Avalon Stage, 2013, 2017, Other Stage, 2014, Acoustic Stage, 2019 Rose in 2014: A beautiful Sunday morning crowd that I will never forget (Rex) My most prominent memory of performing at Glastonbury is from 2014 when I got given the opportunity of playing the Other Stage, a real dream come true. I had only released my first album at the time and had only just recorded my second. I decided to be brave and play mostly new music that people hadnt heard and I was blessed with the most amazingly supportive crowd I think Ive ever played to. In their 10,000s which was something Ive never experienced before or again. A beautiful Sunday morning crowd that I will never forget. I think the sun might have even popped out. Ive often thought after leaving Glastonbury, what made that so special? There is unexplained energy at that festival that feels like it encompasses every part of the festival and unites the thousands of people who are there, sharing a small piece of land. Ive also always loved the variety in music and the support the festival shows to up-and-coming artists. Feels like the biggest band in the world and the smallest would say playing Glastonbury is the biggest deal ever! Theres something magic that happens there and Im OK not understanding it. Mystery Jets (Jack Flanagan) Park Stage in 2008, John Peel Stage in 2016, secret acoustic set in 2019 Ah Glastonbury. I remember when we played the John Peel tent in 2016. We were foolishly dropped onto the site on the Friday and had to try and stay sane for our performance on Sunday afternoon. I seem to remember coming back to my senses by the stone circle at 5am the morning of the show. I was playing bongos with some pagan fellows. Not sure if they caught our set that afternoon but I (luckily) was there performing to an overflowing tent and it was a huge career highlight. Orlando Weeks (solo artist, formerly of The Maccabees) The Maccabees performed at Glastonbury in 2007, 2009, and 2015 Almost all of my memories of Glastonbury are of an extremely good time. Free, chaotic, joyful, adventures. Flip flopping between finding myself lost and actively losing myself. My first Glastonbury was in 2007 and I was there with The Maccabees performing. That introduction to the wonder that is Worthy Farm wasnt a bad one by any stretch. But that night after our set, we wandered up to the Other Stage and watched Bjork in high priestess mode and the spell was cast! Jack Jones (poet, Trampolene frontman, guitarist for The Puta Madres) Glastonbury was always some sort of mythical thing to me and its never disappointed. Trampolene first played there in 2016 on the Greenpeace Stage and we could only gain entry to the festival by doing a silent Disco DJ set at 4am one member of the band got lost you could say it was a very, very long day. In 2016, I wanted to see Grimes and was running through the crowd when I spotted another guy running towards me. He put his hand up in the air. I put mine up for a high five, but he planted his fist into my face. Im standing there in shock and he runs off shouting, F*** you and your poems. I think I must be doing something right or should that be wrong? I made it to watch Grimes but people were staring at me like what the f*** happened to your face?. I didnt care. Grimes was as mad as ever and my face didnt hurt, as this is of course Glastonbury (and therefore magic). Last year I managed to blag my way on to the Pyramid Stage while The Killers were playing and had my mind blown the crowd looked incredible from the stage, dancing, waving flags and singing along to every song surely there can be no better feeling in the world. The Amazons John Peel Stage, 2019 Matt Thomson of The Amazons during last years set (Rex) Glastonbury was a blur. We arrived on the Friday and didnt sleep for the rest of the weekend. We lost our guitarist Chris in Shangri-La on the Friday night and didnt see him until half an hour before we went on stage. Our set on Saturday at the John Peel Stage was a mix of adrenaline and terror, it felt like a moment where things were coming together for us as a band. Declan McKenna Winner of Glastonburys Emerging Talent competition, 2015, John Peel Stage, 2017 Glastonbury is an all-encompassing world at what feels like some weird magic cross-section of all that is good, the scale of whats possible there is both exciting and calming at the same time. So many of my best festival memories are from Glastonbury, they really do set the bar of what festivals are all about. The Wombats (Matthew Murph Murphy, who also performs solo as Love Fame Tragedy) The Other Stage, 2019, booked to play Glastonbury 2020 Wombats frontman Matthew Murphy (Getty) (Getty Images) Even though Ive had some incredible experiences at Glastonbury over the years, what I remember most about the festival is the sheer scale of it. You never really get used to it, you can get completely lost there, figuratively and literally. Tom Misch Booked to play 2020 festival Im pretty devastated theres no festivals this summer, but especially Glastonbury. I was very much looking forward to spending my birthday at Glasto and then playing a sunset slot on Saturday at the West Holts Stage. But next year! I just love the scale and attention to detail at Glastonbury, theres so much to see. My best moments have been walking around discovering small tents and new music. Then theres this undeniably great atmosphere. Everyone feels lucky to be there. There are a number of contested races in this year's elections in Williams Township. Republicans Willard C. Butterfield and Brad Eddy, both of Auburn, are competing for the Republican nomination for Williams Township supervisor. The winner of the Aug. 4 primary will go on to compete against Democratic incumbent Paul M. Wasek in the November general election. Democrat Terri Charbonneau and Republican Jerome E. Putt, both of Auburn, are competing for the position of Williams Township Clerk. There are four trustee seats up for grabs on the Williams Township Board of Trustees, and there are six candidates vying for a spot on the township board. They include Democrats Thomas W. Paige and Tom Putt, and Republicans Jason Gower, Brian H. Jean, James Plant, and Steven Van Tol. Butterfield and Plant have not return election Q&As. Brad Eddy, 43, of Auburn, is a licensed residential builder, contractor and farmer. 1. What are the duties of the Williams Township supervisor? The duties and main jobs of the Williams Township supervisor are to moderate board meetings; chief assessing officer; secretary to board of review; Township of William's legal agent; responsible for tax allocation board budget; develop township budget; appoint some commission members; may call special meetings; and may appoint a deputy. 2. As supervisor, how will you accomplish the above duties? To accomplish the duties of Williams Township supervisor, I would make sure that first and foremost, the rights of the citizens and property owners of the Township of Williams are protected. Building bridges, not walls. Approach things with an understanding that starts with listening to issues. Treat our residents as if they are the ones I report to and work for. Transparency at all levels. A willingness to solve problems and not create problems. Create a safe environment for all to live in. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as supervisor? The changes I would make as Williams Township supervisor would be communications and transparency, to begin with. I would change how the Williams Township supervisor and the Williams Township prosecutor operations create an unfair environment for both business and citizens rights. As the Williams Township legal agent, I would look into conflicts of interest on voting members as well as legal conflicts of interest, including citizens prosecuted and jailed for zoning violations by private law firms hired by the township. What the Constitution of the United States and the State of Michigan Constitution both represent will always matter. The health, safety and welfare of township citizens will always come first. 4. What challenges with the supervisor encounter? The challenges I anticipate the Williams Township Supervisor will encounter are making sense of the agendas of William Township, Bay County Drain Commission, The Bay County Executive, The Bay County Road Commission, and Bay County Township Association, which are all influences to the Williams Township supervisor currently. I would like to make all of these meetings the supervisor has with these other entities recorded and/or broadcast to all, and eliminate the private meetings being held at privately-owned restaurants by current elected officials. I also would like to utilize the Bay County Sheriff's Office for investigations of zoning ordinance violations to make sure nobody is wrongfully jailed or fined, as the sheriff's office would bring facts to an elected prosecutor and not a private law firm for enforcement. Paul M. Wasek, 71, of Auburn is the current Williams Township supervisor. 1. What are the duties of the Williams Township supervisor? There are many duties and responsibilities of the Williams Township supervisor. First and foremost, the supervisor must be available on a daily basis (including nights and weekends), to answer questions and concerns from the public in any and all situations. He/she must present an annual budget outlining all anticipated incomes and expenses for the upcoming fiscal year and present it to the board of trustees for final approval. He/she is the legal agent for the township; secretary to the board of review during property tax review each March; township personnel representative for the department of public works, building inspector, zoning administrator and electrical department employees. He/she initiates hiring of the township assessor with approval from the board of trustees. He/she officiates all meetings of the board of trustees; recommends township residents to fill positions on various boards (planning commission, zoning board of appeals, Auburn-Williams Fire District Board, etc.) with final approval coming from the board of trustees. He/she officiates all board of trustee meetings and is responsible for presenting the agenda. He/she must attend numerous meetings that may influence decisions affecting Williams Township. These include the Bay County Township Officers Association, the Bay County Road Commission, including the department of water and sewer, various Bay Future and transportation study meetings which include Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties, most of which are not held during normal business hours. 2. As supervisor, how will you accomplish the above duties? I will remain diligent and will continue to be involved in the aforementioned duties and responsibilities of the Township supervisor. I will continue my goal of making Williams Township a place where people work together to become even more proud of the community we live in today and into the future. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as supervisor? Continue to encourage residents to become involved and knowledgeable in the township we live in. This means attending board of trustee meetings and volunteering to be an active member of the various boards and projects that we already have in place now and in the future. I would encourage anyone who may seek an office in local politics to be involved and active well in advance of becoming a candidate in the community and township government before stepping into a position that they may not realize the commitment necessary and the importance of leading a township in the State of Michigan. 4. What challenges with the supervisor encounter? Over the past 20 years, (as your supervisor for the past 11 years, plus nine years as a trustee) here in Williams Township, I can guarantee there will be challenges that arise. Whether it be flooding, pandemics, fires, power outages, vandalism, ordinance violations, noise disturbances and any other problems that people may encounter. I will continue to lead Williams Township to the best of my ability during any and all situations and problems that are occurring presently or may present itself in the future. Terri Charbonneau, 53, of Auburn, is an office and human resource manager. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Williams Township clerk? The clerk is a critical position in the operations and administration of the township. The major duties of a township clerk are: Record keeping Maintaining all township records such as township meeting minutes, oaths, bonds, ordinances, and resolutions. Financial operations Preparing the annual budget, recording expenditures, accounts payable, payroll and general ledger. Election administration maintain voter registration files, preparing for voting, training election inspectors, and handling local candidates petitions. 2. As Williams Township clerk, how would you accomplish the above duties? I would be able to handle the duties of township clerk due to my professional and educational experience. I currently hold the position of office and human resource manager. I have worked in an office environment for 31 years doing various duties. I currently supervise the maintenance and billing of approximately 26,000 water and sewer customers, maintaining board meeting records, and 59 employees records and benefits. I attended Davenport University and Delta College studying accounting, I had worked in the accounting department for Bay County Water and Sewer for 10 years doing accounts payable, payroll, and budgeting, which will be a huge asset to have for the clerk position. 3. What, if any changes would you make as Williams Township clerk? At first, I would not make changes until I learned how things are done, my objective would be to make the clerks office efficient and perform the duties for the best results for the resident of Williams Township. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Williams Township clerk will in encounter? I dont foresee any challenges I would not be able to overcome. I will be focusing on learning the duties for election administration because I feel that would be a place, I will need to learn the most. With my professional experience, I am confident I will be able to complete the duties of Williams Township clerk in a professional and efficient manner. Jerome E. Putt, 70, of Auburn, is a farmer, master electrician and the current Williams Township clerk. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of the Williams Township Clerk? The Williams Township clerk has many jobs. Some of the jobs are: We have to maintain all records, do payroll, sell cemetery lots, keep records for Pine Grove Cemetery, work on the budget, be a public notary, run all elections, maintain voter files, keep planning commission records, attend township board meetings, file monthly financial records, keep personnel records, and prepare for the annual audit that takes a great amount of time. These are to name a few of the main jobs and duties of the clerk. 2. As clerk, how would you accomplish the above activities? To accomplish these duties, I would continue to work with the deputy clerk as we have been doing, improving on things we need to change. We will keep accurate records and try to keep the public informed of any necessary information. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as clerk? The changes I would like to see would be to make the board more transparent to the residents. Keep them more informed as to what is happening in the township. To support the people, their ideas and their questions. 4. What challenges will the clerk encounter? I would like to change the outlook that the township officers are there to serve the people of the township. Make the board more aware of the residents concerns. Listen to the people, make the board meetings more welcoming. Jason Gower, 45, of Williams Township, is an attorney for Gower Law PLC. 1. What are the main duties of a Williams Township trustee? The main jobs/duties of a township trustee are oversight of the township finances (budget) that affect the day-to-day operation of township government, as well as making decisions for the health, safety and general welfare of township residents. 2. As a trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? The jobs/duties are accomplished by thoughtful deliberation in every decision that is presented for a vote. It's an important thing to think of the citizen's taxpayer dollars as your own. If you wouldn't spend your own money in a particular way, don't spend taxpayer money that way. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as a trustee? As far as changes, I would like to see Williams Township meetings streamed live in order to allow citizen's of the township greater access to meetings and how they are conducted. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the trustees will encounter? Our challenges remain budgetary that is, trying to accomplish more for the citizens with less money. The state's revenue sharing has consistently been in decline and our township maintained roads are in need of repair. In short, revenue and roads remain our challenges. And I'm up for the challenge. Brian H. Jean, 34, of Williams Township, is partner at Triton Legal PLC, and director of Chemical City Paper. 1. What are the main duties of a Williams Township trustee? The primary job of a township trustee is to faithfully manage the tax funds of constituents in an appropriate manner. For local government, this entails improvements to the community that are within the scope of the governments role: roads, sidewalks, parks, trash, water and sewer and police and fire protection. I believe that it is important to remember that local government should be strictly focused on those issues, and ensure that the limited funds that are received are allocated appropriately. 2. As trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? In order to carry out the duties of a trustee in accordance with limited government principles, it is important to have a set of principles and allow those principles to guide you. For example, it is a frequent occurrence that non-profit organizations ask local government entities for funding. When one understands that it is not the role of government to fund non-profit organizations regardless of their political affiliation or noble goals one does not need to be terribly concerned with whether a constituents tax dollars are being appropriately allocated. To that end, I have spent my last term voting with principle: approve funding for roads, sidewalks, parks, trash, water and sewer, and fire and police protection as well as vital items for the functioning of the township. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as a Williams Township trustee? During my first term, I have seen the many challenges that face local government primarily a bloated budget dedicated to the salary and benefit packages of the local officials. I am proud to say that along with the rest of my colleagues, I have voted against a salary increase of my position for three years. However, the salary, and benefits packages of the supervisor, clerk, and treasurer costs taxpayers far more than double the road budget. This is something that I would like to change. I have consistently voted against provisions of the benefits packages that far exceed what is offered in the private sector for those that are employed by the township. I believe it is important that every possible dime of taxpayer money is invested into the infrastructure of the community over the benefit of co-pays and retirement packages of elected officials. I also believe that too much of the budget is spent on items that do not directly benefit the community including foolish taxing and spending on a fire department that responds to roughly four to six fires per year, but over 300 medical emergencies something that would be better accomplished by instituting a community ambulance service that would serve the community, as well as generate revenue. 4. What challenges will Williams Township trustees encounter? The challenges within the community have continually become clearer, particularly over the past few months. Infrastructure has been severely neglected in favor of expenses for feel-good projects and better insurance coverage, and retirement for elected officials. We have, unfortunately, seen the devastating consequences of this neglect and it will be critical over the next four years that people stick to principles are voting on the most efficient and beneficial use of resources within the community. Tom Putt, 69, of Auburn, is a full-time farmer and retired director of Bay County Mosquito Control. 1. What are the duties of a Williams Township trustee? As a current trustee, my main duty is to assist in establishing policies and procedures representing and benefiting the residents of Williams Township. This is done primarily through program development with careful adherence to appropriate spending of taxpayer money. 2. As trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? I would continue to strive to accomplish my sworn duties by: Attending all meetings, including subcommittees. Carefully overseeing budget expenditures on a monthly basis prior to and during monthly meetings. Encouraging open dialogue with all residents of Williams Township. Actively and openly participating in open and free meeting discussions to promote problem solving and creative ideas. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as trustee? In Williams Township, we are in desperate need of continued road improvement, which is extremely costly. I would like to reallocate more township funds to road improvement as well as seek out other financial opportunities to accomplish these much needed improvements. As important as roads, is to sustain our impressive fire and police coverage which has evolved over the past few years into a very efficient, effective service for our residents. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the trustees will encounter? The main challenges always involve funding. Anticipated state revenue sharing cuts are sure to present greater difficulty in accomplishing the above goals. Steven VanTol, 67, of Midland, is the current director of the Auburn Downtown Development Authority, and is a past Auburn business owner for 33 years. 1. What would you say is the main jobs and duties of a Williams Township trustee? The main job of a trustee, from my point of view, is to represent all the citizens living in Williams Township. That includes providing services such as roads, drainage, water, sewer, and trash services while keeping taxes affordable. As a civil engineering technician, past experiences while inspecting and designing road, water and sewer projects have provided valuable on-the-job knowledge. Doing things right is a virtue I pursue in all walks of life. Secondly, a trustee is on your payroll and should adjust their schedule to attend all township board meetings to the best of a persons ability. 2. As a Williams Township trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? I would accomplish the above duties by using the experience acquired while working for Wade Trim. During my 15-year employment in the construction inspection department, I learned cost saving methods and will continue to explore new cost-effective strategies to save Williams Township residents money while giving quality services to the community. I have been a resident of Williams Township for 45 years. 3. What if any, changes would you make as a Williams Township trustee? I am not running for trustee with a predetermined agenda for change. A trustee is a servant of the residents and is to make changes based on their needs. However, one item that as a resident I would like changed is the road surface of Midland Road between Auburn and the Midland Township line. Also, more people are enjoying the outdoors and walking to stay fit. I would like to continue to make Midland Road safe for walkers, runners, and bikers. Additionally, although I am running Republican, politics will not sway my reasoning and sense of good for the residents of the township. 4. What challenges do you anticipate Williams Township trustees will encounter? If elected, I will be the newbie on the township board. My disposition is strong. The challenge will be to get answers to solve problems without becoming part of the good ole boy club or thats the way we always do it. Change may be needed to produce a desired outcome. The board is a team and should work together to solve township problems. Thomas W. (Tom) Paige, 65, of Auburn, is the retired director of Bay County Departent of Water and Sewer. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of a Williams Township Trustee? As a trustee and public servant, I am placed in a position of public trust with fiduciary responsibility to manage the affairs of the township for the best interests of the public. Trustees share with all board members the responsibility for oversight and encouraging township compliance with state and federal laws, a role that is at the core of the townships ability to serve the public interest. 2. As Williams Township Trustee, how would you accomplish the above duties? It is important to listen to the community as the board adopts public policies that respond to the communitys vision for the township. As one member of the township board, it is essential to support the boards efforts to adopt public policies with the best interest of the publics health, safety, and general welfare in mind. It is important to me to study agenda items and financial reports in advance of a board meeting and can come prepared to actively participate in the meeting. 3. What, if any, changes would you make as a Williams Township Trustee? I would like to see the township park expanded and improved to provide additional recreational opportunities to our residents and will continue to advocate for budgeting as many dollars as possible toward improving the townships local roads. I would like to restore township office hours to be more friendly to the people the township serves on a daily basis. As a trustee, I would like to see more attention paid to the detail and accuracy of financial reports provided to the board from the clerks office which is a townships accounting department. 4. What challenges do you anticipate the Williams Township Trustees will encounter? The board needs to be open and responsive to the needs of the community while operating and being responsible within the funding available. Funding will always be a challenge, yet the board must be responsive to the townships needs. The township board increased the budget for local road improvements from $270,000 in recent years, to $300,000 in 2019 and 2020. Yet, the costs of these road improvements continue to rise significantly even though revenues are relatively flat. ALBANY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Saturday issued an order that will close a loophole which made employers responsible to pay the salaries of workers who are in mandatory 14-day quarantine if they left the state for non-essential purposes, including taking a vacation. The governor's order was issued two days after the Times Union reported the loophole that was created when Cuomo issued an executive order requiring anyone who enters New York after visiting states with high rates of coronavirus to self-quarantine. The issue arose due to an earlier executive order he issued mandating employers pay their workers if they are in a required quarantine. "Gaming the system and playing Russian roulette with their health is not how New Yorkers have been acting throughout this pandemic, but this will give employers piece of mind and as a reminder, everyone should continue to be smart, wear a mask and wash your hands," said Cuomo senior advisor Richard Azzopardi. The Business Council of New York State, which had been researching the fallout of the issue and had been receiving questions from its members about the quarantine order, said it was appropriate for the governor to fix the defect. "We felt it was a common sense approach and we appreciate the governor's office including this in the executive order," said Patrick Bailey, a spokesman for the Business Council. Many other governors have imposed similar mandatory quarantines for people visiting or returning to their states, but New York's order imposes hefty civil penalties up to $10,000 for anyone who violates the requirement. Other states have made the orders "advisory." In order for someone to face penalty in New York, Public Health Law requires that they first be notified by a local health department official that they are subject to quarantine and being ordered to isolate themselves or their family. Cuomo announced the guidelines Wednesday during a news conference with Govs. Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Ned Lamont of Connecticut, who also enacted similar advisories. The states that are currently flagged as high-risk are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, which all are experiencing upticks in coronavirus cases. The White House on Friday said that roughly half the new cases are infections in people 35 and under and that fatalities continue to drop across the country. There is no timetable for New York's quarantine requirement and Cuomo imposed it at a time when tens of thousands of people are beginning to embark on summer vacations, including to locations that include the Carolinas and Florida. States are included in the advisory if 10 per 100,000 residents or 10 percent of the total population tests positive on a seven-day rolling average. Although the governor said there would be "random checks" to enforce the quarantine, he hasn't said how those would be done or whether police would use checkpoints to question travelers. He also indicated that the state although it's unclear how would be able to access the travel itineraries and monitor people flying into New York airports. A long list of so-called essential jobs, which includes professions ranging from grocery store workers to surgeons, are exempt from the quarantine if they are traveling to or from high-risk states for work purposes. But those workers are required to wear masks, maintain separation and be tested for coronavirus. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara County, called Cuomo's quarantine order "draconian." "New Yorkers and businesses have suffered enough, and the governors vindictive, hypocritical move against other states and on New Yorkers liberties does not help us move forward," Ortt said. Cuomo said enforcement may rely on the public reporting violators. "It's not impossible to enforce. States all across the country have been doing this for months, (for) New Yorkers who would go to their state," Cuomo said. "It is hard to get 100 percent enforcement. You can't track down everyone who comes from these states, but that's not what enforcement is either. You never enforce every law 100 percent." Several states had issued similar guidance for New Yorkers in late March and early April when the state's numbers were the worst in the nation. In March, Florida and Texas began requiring New Yorkers to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving; the Florida order is still in effect. On March 28, Cuomo criticized Rhode Island for setting up border checkpoints and stopping vehicles with New York license plates to question drivers about their travel plans, and to remind them to quarantine if necessary. "I don't think that's legal," Cuomo had said. "If they don't roll back that policy, I'm going to sue Rhode Island, because that clearly is unconstitutional." In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Cuomo said New York will not set up a "blockade" but offered no detail on how the quarantine will be enforced. The law is if you come in from another state you have to self-quarantine for 14 days," he said. "If you don't, and you get caught, you will have violated the law. You can be fined. ... But if you fly into New York, we'll have your name, we'll know where you're supposed to be staying, there will be random checks." The state Health Department provided some guidance on its website early Thursday that laid out rules for someone returning to New York, including mandating that they remain in "separate quarters with a separate bathroom facility for each individual or family group." If it is a single family member who is quarantined, though, then the person must remain isolated from other members of the household and have food delivered to them. Someone who passes through a high-risk state, and may visit a few rest areas along the way or have a layover at an airport, they are not required to self-quarantine upon entering New York. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeii announced on Friday that the US Government will impose Visa restrictions on Chinese Communist Party Officials responsible for restrictions on Hong Kongs autonomy. Chinese Parliament is set to meet on Sunday to discuss implementation of the new national security law for Hong Kong. Pompeo announced that the visa restrictions will apply to current and former party officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy. Relatives and family members of Chinese official could also be barred. Pompeo added that Trump promised to Punish Chinese Communist Party Officials who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kongs freedoms. Today we are taking the actions to do just that. The United States with continue to review its authorities to respond to these concerns . LOS ANGELESWhen Krissy Lynn first arrived in the adult industry in 2008, the blond beauty made a big impact with her girl-next-door looks, infectious energy and whimsical charm. I remember clearly being told by someone that I would only last six months because thats the average that girls last in the adult industry, she recalled. And here I am twelve years later and Im thankful that I have lots of fans who have been so supportive. Still sporting her trademark smile and playful attitude, the now brunette performer is facing a new challenge below her warm exteriora condition that is slowly deteriorating her ability to move unless she gets expensive stem cell treatment at a hospital. Although she moves a bit slower than just a few months ago, she is not letting her constant pain get the best of her. She has launched a GoFundMe campaign to fund the treatment she needs. The doctors told me it would cost $30,000 to get the stem cell treatment so thats my goal on GoFundMe, she said. The fans have been great and so supportive that Im really optimistic that I can reach this goal and get the treatment done. So far, the campaign has raised $7,000 from 96 donors, but she needs to raise $23,000 to meet her fund-raising goal. Those wishing to donate may click here or visit GoFundMe.com. It was just last December when Lynn underwent needed surgery and was given the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin as a precaution, but by the next day she realized the antibiotic was making her even more sick. I had these awful heart palpitations and was short of breath, she recalled. It was scary, but I had just had surgery so I thought I should just keep taking it. But after a few more days, she was rushed to the hospital where an electrocardiogram showed her heart was being impacted by the drug and was quickly taken off of it. But the damage continued as she began experiencing pain to her joints and hair loss over the next several weeks. That was in December and this drug gave me anemia and I was feeling extremely weak and until I got my energy back up I couldnt work with my hair loss and my joints hurting, she said. If I did a sex scene, couldnt move well so I decided not to work until I got better, but it got worse. In February, she began experiencing back pain and worsened joint pain and discovered the discs in her spine had gone out of alignment and began threatening her ability to walk. So, after learning about stem cell therapy from her fans online, her doctors suggested she should undergo treatment in Colombia where the firm BioXcellerator had been pioneering stem cell therapy for years. Among its clients were famed MMA champion fighter Chuck Liddell, former major leaguer Jose Canseco and others. The way stem cells work is that after they are harvested from the umbilical cord of pregnant women, they are then processed and are combined with other natural growth and healing factors and then injected where they are needed to regrow, repair or replace damaged or diseased tissue. Over time, the repaired and regenerated tissues give the patient needed relief from pain, resulting in improved mobility and function. Even as she continues her fund-raising effort, Lynn is thankful to those who have donated and given her encouragement as she battles her condition. Its people like us that use compassion that make the world go around and no matter what we see in the news and people fighting with each other on this planet there are those that use love to help each other, she said. But I know its hard for me to ask for help, but I feel I have no other choice and I want to thank all of you for helping out. Herself a Tera Mai energy healer and a painter and artist in her own right, Lynn is using her talents to get through this new challenge by working on healing herself and creating new works of art for her fans and supporters. I love to paint and create art that means something, she said. My art is a little esoteric, but I like things like that. To view her art, visit her newly-created art page on Instagram here. Meanwhile, Lynn hopes to return to shooting on set and continue to create content via OnlyFans, ManyVids and Clips4Sale. As for the future, she has big plans to make a long time dream come true: My dream is to have my own tropical fruit forest and hold retreats for people, including the homeless and the elderly. But for now, Im planning to get a new kitty cat to help keep me company while I heal. For more, information, visit Lynn on Twitter @krissylynnxxx and Instagram @KrissyLynnLoveOfficial. Campaign curbs should apply to all, PM Modi must lead by example: Sena's Raut Shiv Sena tests pulse of farmers as it plans foray in UP To win Bihar polls, PM using Armys valour says Shiv Sena India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Mumbai, June 27: The Shiv Sena accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using the Indian Army's valour in the Galwan valley clash for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. The ruling coalition lead party in Maharashtra said the PM is playing "caste and regional card" by highlighting the role of a particular Army regiment whose personnel were involved in the fierce clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan valley along the LAC on June 15. NDA will get two-third majority in Bihar under Nitish Kumar's leadership: Shah at virtual rally Party mouthpiece 'Saamana', in its editorial, referred to Modi's statement mentioning the Bihar Regiment's bravery in the Galwan valley clash. Chinese build helipad in Pangong Tso, Tuticorin custodial deaths spark row & more | Oneindia News "When the country faced crisis on its borders, were Mahar, Maratha, Rajput, Sikh, Gorkha, Dogra regiments sitting idle and mixing or chewing tobacco on the borders?" the Marathi daily asked in a stinging poser. "Yesterday, Maharashtra's Sunil Kale (a CRPF jawan from the state) attained martyrdom in Pulwama (during an encounter with terrorists). Due to the upcoming Bihar elections, importance is being given to caste and region in the Indian Army," it said. The publication of the Sena, a former BJP ally, deprecated this brand of politics. "Such politics is a disease which is graver than coronavirus," the editorial said. Assembly polls are due later this year in Bihar, where the BJP is part of the JD(U)-led ruling coalition. On Thursday, authorities conducted an animal-cruelty investigation and discovered a young toddler who was placed inside a filthy cage in horrible conditions. A boy in a cage The boy, 18 months old, was stuffed inside a small dog cage covered in feces, urine, insects, and was crawling with more than 600 different types of animals such as snakes, rats, roosters, and many others. According to NY Daily News, Deputies at the Henry County Sheriff's Office took the boy's mother into custody along with two other family members involved in the crime. They charged them for the heinous acts on the child. The young boy was found in the family's mobile home in Paris, a community located nearly 100 miles west of Nashville. The officials also rescued multiple animals that were living in vile conditions and were not adequately cared for. They also discovered and got hold of 127 marijuana plants and 17 firearms from the home. In a press conference on Friday morning, Sheriff Monte Belew told news outlets that when he and his team stepped foot into the family's property, they immediately knew that something was not right. He also noted they had to make their way around debris and other creatures to reach the front door. Also Read: Badly Decomposed Corpse of Missing Mom Found in Garage, Cause of Death Still a Mystery Belew said when they looked inside the home through the front door, they saw the child living inside a dog cage. The sheriff also stated the conditions of the cage suggested the child has been living inside for quite some time. Authorities revealed they found three buckets that were filled with hundreds of mice placed beside the cage. They also found a 10-foot long boa constrictor right next to the child's living quarters, as reported by News Channel 5. The officers found a total of eight snakes slithering across the room. A shocking investigation The sheriff noted that he had never seen anything like the condition of the young boy along his lengthy law enforcement experience. Belew said they also found around 20 dogs running around the home with their feces scattered across the floor. He also noted that some parts of the floor were missing and described the kitchen as being unlivable. Officers found thousands of maggots and cockroaches crawling around the mobile home. The family was living in a very rural part of the county, which was along a road that was not used often. Belew stated the family wanted to live their own lifestyle but told them there was a standard of living they needed to meet. The Animal Rescue Corps came in and took custody of the animals to treat them and care for them, but some of which were already deceased. The three suspects were identified to be T.J. Brown, 46 years old, Heather Scarbrough, 42 years old, and Charles Brown, 82 years old. Authorities charged the three suspects with aggravated child abuse and animal cruelty, possession of a firearm, and possession of drugs. Each one of the family members was locked up inside the Henry County Jail with a $300,000 bond. They are set to appear in court on June 30. According to The Sun UK, the Department of Child Services had taken custody of the child after the investigation. Related Article: Teenage Girl's Face Slashed from Chin to Ear While Stopping Boys Fight @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Natural News) If looking for a perfect story illustrating what America has been transformed into thanks to the Democrat radical agenda in Democrat-run cities across the country in 2020, we get it from the City of Brotherly Love and this Daily Mail story reporting that many people in the city sat around watching while a woman was brutally beaten by a black man in the streets. The people did absolutely nothing to help her. (Article by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeline.com) With Black Lives Matter sure to pay no attention what-so-ever to the brutal beatdown because black on black crime doesnt fit their political agenda of demonizing law-enforcement, America and taking down the entire system we live under, weve come upon numerous new stories out over the past few days that well be reporting upon in this story which show us exactly WHAT the BLM agenda is, and well warn you, law-abiding Americans better stock up on as many guns as possible and lock and load for this one. With it now quite obvious to tens of millions of Americans that the whole BLM, ANTIFA, Marxist movement is a deep-state rogue action because the CIA, FBI, US army, and police being controlled by Democrat politicians arent doing a darn thing to take out these terrorists, as one ANP reader recently mentioned in a very wise email to us, there is no doubt wed be seeing something completely different if a group of law-abiding Conservative Americans had taken over part of a US city or were tearing down national monuments. With one of the leaders of CHOP in Seattle recently revealing what comes next in these radicals attempted revolution as reported in this new PJ Media story, saying Im Not Here for Peace while revealing their takeover of public and private property back on June 8 had always been about a show of force to frighten local officials, and by any means necessary, why are these terrorist actions NOT being responded to by cops, the US military or government officials? As our emailer warned us, its because whats left of the US government under Barack Obama and in Democrat-run states across America are the people who are behind these terrorist actions, so if you think that the government would react the same way if the shoe were on the other foot, youre gravely mistaken. From the email before we continue. The government is behind the protests. They are behind the police not being allowed to do the job. They are behind the organizing and supply and training and financing of these violent groups whose sole purpose is the overthrow of the legally elected President and his few remaining loyalists in both houses of Congress. The left controls everything else, including the Supreme Court. Coming rulings will prove this out. The Court deliberately avoids all gun laws. The military has been overthrown as all major commanders now refuse to even protect government buildings and the White House from attack. Trust me, the very instant threatened conservatives are forced to defend themselves en-masse from violent mobs the feds will step in. They will step in with massive, deadly force, against the defenders, not the attackers. Then, as the roundup of conservatives begin, you will finally begin to understand America has fallen to Communist coup. The pandemic was just an excuse to get all the major players and components in place to seize power. The plotters have moved the schedule ahead, marveling at how easily Americans surrendered without a fight. If youre a praying man, pray for your soul, your family, and for guidance. In the trying days about to befall us all well need all the help we can get. As wed reminded you back on June 14th in this ANP story titled, while Barack Obama was still President, official US government documents labeled just about any Republican or Conservative across the country as a potential terrorist in the governments eyes. As wed reported within that story, back on August 26th of 2013, Michael Snyder had published an extremely important story titled 72 Types Of Americans That Are Considered Potential Terrorists In Official Government Documents within which he warned that America was in deep trouble if we kept going the direction we were headed in. Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a just and reasonable solution to the Palestine issue when delivering a written speech on Wednesday local time at the United Nations (UN) Security Council's video conference over the matter. The Palestine issue has always been at the core of the Middle East issue and a just and reasonable solution is a prerequisite for the region's lasting peace and security, Wang said, adding China is deeply concerned about the continuing tension between Palestine and Israel recently. He said that under the current circumstances, the four-point proposal put forward in 2017 by Chinese President Xi Jinping for settling the Palestine issue, is of more practical significance. Based on the proposal, China would like to emphasize the following four points, Wang said. Deviation from international consensus should be avoided. The "two-state solution" is the bottom line of international fairness and justice and history can not be reversed, he said. China supports Palestine in establishing an independent state with full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Wang said, adding that the national rights of the Palestinian people should not be traded. Meanwhile, Israel's right to exist and its legitimate security concerns should also be fully respected, Wang added. He emphasized that relevant UN resolutions, the principle of "land for peace" as well as the general direction of the "two-state solution" should be observed and reaffirmed. Peaceful dialogue should not be abandoned, Wang said, calling for an early resumption of equal dialogue between Palestine and Israel to rebuild mutual trust, defuse conflicts and find a way to coexist peacefully. In accordance with relevant UN resolutions, the issue of the occupied West Bank should be resolved as soon as possible, said Wang, stressing that the final boundary between Palestine and Israel should be delimited through peaceful negotiations. International support should not be relaxed, Wang said, adding that the Palestine issue should remain at a core position of international agenda. He urged the international community to take an objective and fair stance and make sincere and real efforts for the peace process in the Middle East, saying that any plan that is detached from the Middle East peace track will not bring a long-lasting peace to the region. The humanitarian issues should not be ignored either, Wang said, calling for a full removal of the blockade of Gaza as soon as possible, as well as an earnest implementation of the obligations stipulated in the Paris Protocol and other international treaties. The international community should support Palestine's economic development and the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, so as to help improve the humanitarian situation in Palestine, Wang said. China and Palestine are true friends, Wang said, noting that the Chinese side always cares about the peace process in the Middle East, sticks to international axiom and justice, and supports any efforts that are conducive to easing the situation there. The UN Security Council bears the prime responsibility of safeguarding global peace and security, and is obliged to play its due role in pushing for a comprehensive, just and enduring solution to the Palestine issue, Wang added. Chennai: The death of a father and son duo, P Jayaraj and J Fennix in police custody in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district was worse than that of George Floyd's in the United States, said Abraham Mathai, former Vice Chairman of Maharashtra State Minorities Commission and the founder of Harmony Foundation. Floyd was killed by a policeman in Minnesota (US) while being taken into custody. Jayaraj and Femm, aka Fennix, were booked for not closing their mobile shop in time on June 19 by the Sathankulam police in Tuticorin district in Tamil Nadu. They were remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Kovilpatti jail on June 21. Jayaraj died on June 22 night and his son Fennix (Benicks) on June 23 morning in judicial custody. The families alleged that police assault led to their deaths. "Today, there is a deafening silence from a large portion of those very people who demanded action in George Floyd`s case. When it is closer home, our voices should be raised even louder. No one should get away with murder. Least of all those whom we trust with ensuring law and order," Mathai said. Meanwhile, the demand for stringent action against the police personnel and others involved in the alleged deaths due to torture is increasing. According to PS Raman, Convener, the Tamil Nadu Senior Advocates Forum has passed a resolution demanding action against the guilty involved in the brutal deaths of Jayaraj and Fennix. "The Magistrate who remanded them to judicial custody, the duty doctor who issued the fitness certificate, as well as the jailor, have all wholly failed in their duties and contributed to the tragedy," the resolution said. "We strongly condemn the incident which demonstrates a lack of respect for the rule of law and leads to failing public confidence in administration in these trying times. We call for justice to be done by swift meaningful steps in accordance with the law and bring the guilty to book," the resolution read. Mathai wondered whether policemen are given a licence to kill the minute they don their uniform. "The brutal torture and murder of this father and son in Tamil Nadu in police custody is terribly shocking and demands for drastic and punitive action to be taken with immediate effect. Should it be inferred that our law enforcement officers are following the example of their counterparts in the United States?" Mathai said. "If that be the case then, the same punitive action of arresting and charging them with murder should be applied in the killing of Jayaraj and his son Fennix," he added. According to Mathai, the state government need not await directions from the Madras High Court which has taken suo moto cognizance but should immediately register an FIR and arrest these policemen to show the world that they operate and govern with a conscience. In the US, the government didn`t wait for any court directive but immediately charged the guilty policeman with murder, he pointed out. Voice actor Mike Henry has announced that he is stepping down from his role as Cleveland Brown on Family Guy. Henry said he wanted to give the opportunity to play the character to a black actor. Its been an honour to play Cleveland on Family Guy for 20 years, he tweeted this week. I love this character, but persons of colour should play characters of colour. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role. Henry, a white actor and comedian, has voiced Cleveland since Family Guys inception in 1999. He also appeared the character on spin-off series The Cleveland Show, adding to a total of more than 300 performances across two series. Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane retweeted Henrys announcement without a comment of his own. Henrys decision coincides with The Simpsons announcement that white actors will no longer voice non-white characters on the show. Hank Azaria, who has voiced controversial character Apu since his inception in the Nineties, previously revealed that he would no longer play the role. Also this week, Kristen Bell departed her role on animated series Central Park, in which she voiced a mixed-race character. Haiti - FLASH : 179 new cases, 57% more in 24 hours The Ministry of Public Health informs that 179 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Haiti (last report: +114, for a total of 5,722 cases throughout the national territory (40.7% women and 59.3% men) since the first case (March 19, 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html ). Deaths : 2 new deaths 1 in the West and 1 in the Artibonite, bringing the national total to 98. Healings : 641 people (+129), the day before (+0) Active cases : (less death and recovery) 4.983 (+48), the day before (+10) Number of suspected cases investigated since March 19 : 11,506 cases (+131 in 24 hours), the day before : (+250) All the details by department and commune, plus diaspora : USA, Quebec, Dominican Republic, France, Caribbean and Latin America, in our daily report of 11:00 a.m. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31129-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-june-26-2020.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31121-haiti-flash-5-543-confirmed-cases-96-dead.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html COVID-19, new definitions in Haiti : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31110-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-june-24-2020.html S/ HaitiLibre BRUSSELS The European Union is ready to bar most travelers from the United States, Russia and dozens of other countries considered too risky because they have not controlled the coronavirus outbreak, EU officials said Friday. By contrast, travelers from more than a dozen countries that are not overwhelmed by the coronavirus are set to be welcomed when the bloc reopens after months of lockdown Wednesday. The acceptable countries also include China but only if China allows EU travelers to visit as well, the officials said. The list of safe countries was completed by EU senior diplomats in Brussels after tortuous negotiations on how to reopen the 27-member bloc to commerce and tourism under a common set of standards after months of lockdown. The list was backed in principle by most EU ambassadors and does not require unanimous support, but still needs to be formalized in member states capitals as well as in the central EU bureaucracy before taking effect Wednesday. Diplomats did not expect the list to change. EU officials first disclosed Tuesday that the United States, which has reported more coronavirus deaths and infections than any other country, was highly unlikely to make the final list. The exclusion of the United States, an important source of tourism to the European Union, represented a stinging rebuke to the Trump administrations management of the coronavirus scourge. Countries that made the safe list, which include Canada and Australia, were judged on a mix of scientific criteria that included their infection rates and the credibility of their public health reporting data. The list will be updated every two weeks, raising the possibility that excluded countries will be added. The officials who revealed the contents of the final list spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of its official release next week. Deciding how to carefully open up travel to outsiders and restart the economy without worsening an already precarious health situation in Europe has been contentious, with senior officials meeting for hours at least six times in the past few weeks. EU officials tried to base their decision on scientific criteria, in part to depoliticize the process and shield themselves from diplomatic pressures. But its proven to be difficult, and officials said the United States and other nations had been lobbying intensely to get on the safe list. The United States, which banned most EU travelers in March when the virus was raging in Europe, has not eased its own restrictions since then, even though European infections and deaths have dropped. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, asked Thursday about the prospect of a prolonged ban on American travel to Europe, struck a conciliatory tone but said that many European countries were eager to admit American visitors. Well work closely with our European friends, broadly, because I know theres different views, Pompeo said during a virtual conference organized by the German Marshall Fund. Weve heard from a dozen or more countries that have very different views about their willingness to open up their borders to anyone, not only folks from the United States of America, he said. Although travel between the United States and Europe has been severely limited by lockdown restrictions, exceptions have been made. A regular flight between Newark, New Jersey, and Amsterdam, for example, is limited to essential travelers such as diplomats and health care professionals, and for repatriating Europeans from the United States. Creation of a common list of outsiders who can enter the European Union is part of an effort by the bloc to fully reopen internal borders among its 27 member states. Free travel and trade among members a core principle akin to the freedom of movement within the United States has been badly disrupted. Since the outbreak, the bloc has succumbed to piecemeal national policies that have produced an incoherent patchwork of open and closed borders. While the new list is not legally binding, member states that open up to excluded countries face the risk that their EU partners will close their borders to them reinforcing the disjointed response to the pandemic that the bloc has been striving to overcome. Several EU countries, particularly those in the south that benefit from U.S. tourism, had pushed to make the common list dependent on both scientific and economic criteria. Seven million Americans visited Europe between June and August last year, according to U.S. government data. Greece, for example, depends on tourism for one-fifth of its economy. In the scramble to salvage part of the summer tourism season, Greece has ignored the European Unions current recommended ban, permitting visitors and committing resources to testing and quarantining them upon arrival. The complexity of this approach became clear in early June, when a flight from Doha, Qatar, to Athens with 91 passengers aboard included 12 who tested positive for the virus. All were quarantined, and all flights from Doha were suspended. Like Greece, countries such as Spain, Cyprus, Italy and Portugal see a broad list of acceptable visitors as critical for tourist income. They have prepared health screenings of arriving foreigners in order to accept the risk of infection more confidently. Both Spain and Greece currently allow a small number of visitors from outside the European Union. For other EU countries, the risks of that approach outweigh the benefits. The Netherlands, a key transfer point for goods from the rest of the world to Europe, sees open internal EU borders as essential to its economy and so has been reluctant to encourage a liberal reopening to outsiders if the price is shuttered internal borders because of health concerns. The conundrum is in some ways similar to a decision this week by New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to impose mandatory quarantines on travelers from other states where the virus is flaring, like Florida and Texas. The competing demands within the European Union have highlighted the difficulties in restoring the global network of leisure and business travel that was virtually shut down by the pandemic The criteria for the list, which will be revisited every two weeks to add countries that are doing much better or remove those that have worsened, has been a major challenge for EU diplomats. The full list finalized Friday includes Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, Andorra, San Marino, Monaco and the Vatican. China will be included if it also opens its borders to EU travelers, as reciprocal reopening is one of the criteria used to make the final selection for the safe list. Britain, despite having left the EU, is still being considered part of the bloc until years end, and so was not part of the discussion over outside visitors. A detailed guide of criteria shared among diplomats and reviewed this week by The New York Times said that the list should include only countries with a comparable or better epidemiological situation as the average in the EU+ area, and that the data from those countries must be credible and demonstrate a robust system for containing the virus. The term EU+ refers to the European Union plus Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, which do not belong to the EU but are normally part of its open-borders zone. Criteria for exceptions to the safe list were also detailed in the guide, adding flexibility. Those included health workers, diplomats, humanitarian workers, transit passengers, asylum-seekers and students, as well as passengers traveling for imperative family reasons and foreign workers whose employment in Europe is deemed essential. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Amidst a war of words between the Congress and the BJP over the face-off with China, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday asserted that one cannot forget China had captured about 45000 sq km of Indian land after the 1962 war, adding that matters of national security shouldn't be politicised. Pawar's remarks came in response after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the standoff. Taking to the micro-blogging site, Twitter, he said, "India does not need to politicize the China question. During the patrol, the Indian Army resisted when it was noticed that the Chinese Army had entered the Indian border. Had it not been for the patrol, it would not have been noticed." He also tweeted, "I had visited China in 1993 when I was the defence minister. At the time, talks were underway with China's defence minister to reach an agreement on the use of firearms on some borders. Later, Narasimha Rao visited China again and implemented the agreement. So at the moment, there is no firing, only scuffles. The fact is that China has done a disservice. But India resisted. So this is not the time for politics." According to news agency PTI, the former defence minister said India had been constructing a road in Galwan Valley within its limits meant for communication purposes. "What happened was they (the Chinese troops) tried to encroach on our road and were pushed physically. It was not somebody's failure. If somebody comes (within your territory) while you are patrolling, they may come at any time. We cannot immediately say it is the failure of the Defence Minister sitting in Delhi," Pawar said. Pawar also said the Galwan Valley incident in Ladakh cannot immediately be labelled as a failure of the Defence Minister, as Indian soldiers were alert during patrolling. Speaking to reporters here, the former Union minister said the entire episode is "sensitive" in nature. It was China which played the provocateur in the Galwan Valley, he said. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash with their Chinese counterpart in eastern Ladakh on the night of June 15. Loading But while Mahe really was Tongan, Lilley wore make-up to play a Tongan in a series he described as being created to make viewers laugh while exposing prejudice and bigotry. Mahe, now 33, only watched Summer Heights High when he arrived back in Sydney from a trip in 2008 and took it personally. He said he was "absolutely embarrassed, full of hate, angry and exploited" by what he saw. "I knew from that episode Jonah was me, he said. But Mahe never knew how to respond, either then or when Jonah From Tonga followed in 2014. "I've always thought it was racism to Tongans but never spoke out," he said. "I would have been labelled a 'sook' or 'can't handle the banter' so I didn't say anything." While there were crucial differences the comic creation was angrier and ruder and the fictional school also featured satirical characters Mr G and Ja'mai Mahe says his family and friends have always had no doubt that Jonah is based on him. The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age approached Lilley and producer Laura Waters for comment through Princess Pictures but they had not responded by press time. Lilley has previously talked of visiting a number of schools to research Summer Heights High and spoken of his affection for Jonah, comparing his struggles at school to his own. "I met lots of boys who are of that age group and I just found them hilarious," he said. "I loved the idea of the naughty schoolboy and it just evolved from that." The director of Our Boys, journalist Kerry Brewster, said she was "really angry" watching Summer Heights High also convinced that Jonah was Filipe and remembers the school's Pacific Islander boys were mortified. Filipe Mahe (left) with director Kerry Brewster while making the 2004 documentary series Our Boys. Credit:Mark Rogers "Our Boys lifted its subjects up, showing their complicated real selves," she said. "For Filipe, who was a vulnerable child, it took courage and enormous trust. "He paid a terrible price when Lilley exploited him, even if he just meant it for comic effect, to create the derisive brown-face caricature. Its mocking portrayal of Jonah was racist and cruel." Daryl Currie, who was then head English teacher at Canterbury Boys High, said he was "livid" after watching Summer Heights High. "[I was] shocked by the use of brown face, which I thought was inappropriate, disappointed that this representation was not in keeping with my experience of teaching students of Pacific Islander background and angered by the fact that students were reduced to stereotypes and tropes that were hurtful and misleading," he said. On whether Jonah was based on Mahe, Currie said he did not know how Lilley had created the character but recognised similarities: "I have no direct [evidence] but I completely understand why Filipe feels that way." When Our Boys was filmed, Mahe was struggling after his father's death in a car accident, his mother's health issues confined her to a wheelchair, his younger sister had epilepsy and he only discovered later that he was dyslexic. While he has since made a success of his life, he still feels exploited by Lilley. "He tore me down when I was vulnerable," he said. "I agreed to be documented [in Our Boys] to show other boys that it will all be OK. We'll struggle but we'll get somewhere and make it. I didnt get filmed to be made fun of." He is also upset by the cheeky way Jonah spoke to his parents. "I can 100 per cent say that, if any Tongan kid was to speak that way to their parents, they would have got a smack to the mouth," he said. "We just dont speak that way." While Lilley has been widely acclaimed for his comic brilliance, several of his comic characters have been accused of being racist portrayals over the years. Mahe believes it has taken the Black Lives Matter protests to make Australians aware of how offensive Jonah is, and he is especially upset on behalf of the Tongan community. "Young Tongan boys have been stereotyped as dumb, clowns, a nuisance, little shits, violent and foul-mouthed," he said. "I feel like I'm responsible for this stereotype and that hurts the most. "It hurts that people think I spoke in that manner to the public or to my family. I'm upset that people think I'm dumb or uneducated. Im upset at how people think of me." With coronavirus outbreaks continuing to spread across the world, the United States is "likely" to see a shortage of generic pharmaceutical drugs, according to a new federal intelligence report obtained by ABC News. The report, prepared by the Department of Homeland Security and distributed Thursday to law enforcement and government agencies around the country, warned that the U.S. is already seeing shortages of more than 200 drugs and medical supplies due to strains on the supply chain caused by international shutdowns early on in the pandemic. Those shortages would only be made worse should unchecked outbreaks force yet another round of widespread shutdowns, the analysts concluded, further straining the system in a way that many U.S.-based pharmaceutical companies would be "unable to quickly offset." MORE: Demand for dexamethasone soars after promising findings in UK "Chinese factories that produce raw ingredients for common antibiotics closed for weeks as of March and India's lockdown extended until the end of May," the report said, citing news reports. "France, Germany, and China have also considered re-imposing lockdown measures as COVID-19 cases have begun to re-emerge." The warning comes as officials in some states have already halted some reopening plans or closed back down as coronavirus cases rise in at least 29 states, according to an ABC News analysis. Florida reported just under 9,000 new cases on Friday, the highest number since the start of the pandemic. PHOTO: In this June 15, 2018 photo, pharmaceuticals are seen in North Andover, Mass. (Elise Amendola/AP, File) Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease official, made what he called a "plea" to the country on Friday to understand that the outbreaks, which are mainly in the South and West, could potentially spread to the entire country. "If we don't extinguish the outbreak, sooner or later, even ones that are doing well are going to be vulnerable to the spread," Fauci said. "So we need to take that into account because we are all in it together, and the only way we're going to end it is by ending it together." Story continues Vice President Mike Pence, however, said the country has made "truly remarkable progress" in moving forward and commended "all 50 states in this country are opening up safely and responsibly" before acknowledging some increases. MORE: Amid pandemic, Trump administration asks Supreme Court to overturn Obamacare Dr. Jay Bhatt, former medical chief at the American Hospital Association, called the report "extremely concerning" -- especially in the middle of a pandemic. "Accessing affordable generic medications for vulnerable populations can mean the difference between a good outcome and a bad outcome," said Bhatt, an ABC News contributor. "As infections and hospitalizations rise, our patients can't endure shortages from lifesaving medications. We have to apply our lessons from several months ago so we don't end up in dire straits." PHOTO: An employee inspects tablets as they move along the production line at a pharmaceutical plant of Lupin, India's No. 2 drugmaker, in Verna, in the western state of Goa, India, June 9, 2017. (Danish Siddiqui/Reuters, File) The report further warned drug shortages would have a disproportionate effect on low-income Americans. A decrease in generic pharmaceuticals, which are significantly less expensive than their brand-name counterparts, would "most risk the health of low-income and unemployed Americans," who have already been hard hit by the economic hardships of the pandemic, the report found. MORE: Feds investigate purportedly faulty COVID-19 test components "Individuals who cannot afford generic pharmaceuticals are unlikely to switch to brand-name prescriptions because they can cost as much as 95 percent more," the report said, citing data from a U.S. pharmaceutical research company and a Food and Drug Administration study. "I am worried about underserved communities and safety net hospitals without significant resources in urban and rural communities as well," Bhatt said. "I hope hospitals and states not facing shortages can share with those that are to meet the need." US 'likely' to see shortage of pharmaceutical drugs if coronavirus outbreak continues, intelligence report finds originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has demanded a CBI probe into the custodial deaths of a man and his son, P Jayaraj and J Bennix, in Thoothukudi district at the hands of now-suspended police officers. The gruesome deaths have sent shockwaves across the country and drawn the attention of celebrity athletes and actors, all of whom have called for stern action against the errant officers. Meanwhile, unrest and outrage have grown in the southern district of the state as family members of the victims await justice. While the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government has so far maintained that the law will take its course, the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu has demanded a CBI probe into the case and wants the administration to book the officers for murder. Earlier on Saturday, the government announced an additional compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the family apart from Rs 20 lakh that was given on Friday. Stalin said the AIADMK government is trying to "cover up" the truth, adding that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami declared that Bennix had died of breathlessness and his father due to an illness even before the post-mortem report was released. Stalin also questioned the governments move to give money to the victims family, saying there was no need for compensation if the deaths were natural. In a series of tweets, Stalin wrote, "When the post-mortem report is yet to be out, how can the chief minister of Tamil Nadu say that Bennix died due to breathlessness and that his father died due to illness... those who turned the police station into the devil's hunting ground must be charged and arrested for murder! "It is because the fault is on (sic) the government that Rs 25 lakh has been provided to the family on behalf of the AIADMK. Why would this compensation be given if it were a natural death? he added. Jayaraj, 60, and Bennix, 31, were held by the Thoothukudi police on June 19 for keeping their shop open beyond permitted hours during the lockdown. Family members claim Jayaraj was picked up by the police from their mobile store and verbally abused and assaulted. Bennix had later gone to the police station to plead for his father's release. The duo was allegedly thrashed and a case registered against them under Sections 188, 383 and 506(II) of the Indian Penal Code. They were later taken to the Kovilpatti sub-jail. Three days later, both of them died within a gap of 10 hours. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Friday that the global economic crisis spurred by the coronavirus could ultimately test the Fund's $1 trillion in total resources, "but we're not there yet." Georgieva told a Reuters Newsmaker webcast event that it was now clear that an economic recovery would have to get underway without a medical breakthrough and the virus' presence still widespread throughout the world. IMF member countries were standing by to provide more support to the Fund if necessary, she said. The IMF on Tuesday forecast a deeper global recession than initially anticipated, as business closures, travel restrictions and social distancing measures persist in most countries. It now anticipates a global GDP contraction of 4.9% this year and a total output loss of $12 trillion through the end of 2021. "We still have about three quarters of our lending capacity available," Georgieva said. "I wouldn't put it beyond us that we might be in a place where the IMF resources are being tested, but we're not there yet." Regarding the possibility of additional resources, she said: "Our members are telling us, 'Everything is on the table. You come to us if you need to do more of something, we are there for you.'" The IMF has been rapidly deploying some $100 billion in emergency financing and has now provided loans and grants to 72 countries in just over seven weeks, Georgieva said. The Fund later on Friday approved a new, $5.2 billion 12-month loan program aimed at helping Egypt to cope with the coronavirus and plug budget and balance of payment gaps. The IMF is providing technical assistance to Argentina in the country's debt negotiations with private creditors. "What I learned as a crisis commissioner: pray for the best, prepare for the worst," she said of the talks. The Fund stands ready to negotiate a new program to replace Argentina's $57 billion 2018 bailout, one that is good for growth, the private sector and poverty reduction, Georgieva added. Also Read: UBI Chief Rajkiran Rai says COVID-19 disruption an opportunity for firms to re-strategise Also Read: : Delhi schools to remain close till July 31, 50% syllabus cut on anvil Announcing the Best of Like, Totally KC! The longest-running Best of Kansas City is BACK, and things are totally tubular. For 2020's Best of KC, we're bringing it back to the '80s to celebrate everything Like, Totally KC. A lot has changed in Kansas City over the last few months, but we think there's still a lot worth celebrating-from local favorites to new endeavors. The "alternative" magazine is renewing their commitment to pay for play goodness with a listing that mostly pays tribute to advertisers . . . On the bright side, anybody who has ever talked about "journalistic ethics" never had any readers for very long.Checkit: Schools, hospitals and offices should consider rehearsing their responses to marauding terror attacks, the government has advised in the wake of the killing of three men in Reading. These attacks are fast-moving and violent, and feature one or more assailants trying to kill or injure as many people as possible. They have happened with increasing frequency in the UK in recent years. Priti Patel, the home secretary, warned this week that the threat from so-called lone wolf terrorists was also on the rise. The advice warns that rehearsals are the only way to ensure safety procedures are effective in the event of a marauding attack. Drawn up after a series of simulations carried out in 2017 and 2018, the guidance is described as most relevant to office buildings. But its principles can be usefully applied to locations including cinemas, hotels, hospitals, schools, shopping areas, shopping centres and theatres. It is understood the advice had been published previously but was reissued this week on the gov.uk website, in a bid to ensure it becomes more widely read, especially as many buildings prepare to reopen after lockdown. The move is not thought to be linked to any specific threat or incident, however, it comes days after three men were stabbed to death in a suspected terror attack in a park in Reading. Most deaths usually occur in the first few minutes of a marauding attack, before police are able to respond. However, the simulations found that the method of alerting people to a nearby attack was crucial to minimising the risk to life. The advice, from the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, warns against the use of the word firearm over a public address system during an attack, because it can be misheard as fire alarm. Warning the public of a security incident also did not have the desired effect, and many people did not understand the imminent threat. A repetitive, pre-recorded announcement wasnt regarded as credible by those who heard it, the simulations found, and was not as effective as a live announcement. The CPNI said the simulations showed there was merit in encouraging members of the public to take a moment to assess the situation, using their own senses, before acting. Many people did not usually take the time to do this, it found. The guidance adds: This approach would be similar to the [pedestrian road safety] Green Cross Code Stop, Look and Listen (although is not an ideal phrase, as it implies that this cannot be done whilst on the move). It continues: Rehearsing the response to a marauding terrorist attack is the only way to ensure that the procedures and technical systems function as expected and to highlight areas for improvement. Labour has welcomed the reissuing of the guidance. The shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: Clearly, its deeply worrying that there has been a number of eerily similar terrorist attacks on our streets. We are committed to working on a cross-party basis to try to address these challenges, so will look at this guidance closely. There are real questions that need to be addressed, to see what more we can all do to help avert tragedies like this in the future. The London Bridge and the Westminster Bridge attacks in 2017 are both classed as marauding terror attacks. Meghan Markle is focused on networking with LA power players to create her 'brand', a new book about the royals has claimed. Royals At War: The Inside Story of Harry and Meghan's Shocking Split With the House of Windsor also claims Prince Harry has 'cabin fever' and is 'overwhelmed with guilt' about being abroad during the coronavirus pandemic. The book - by Andy Tillett and Dylan Howard which comes out on Tuesday - details the couple's struggles moving to Canada and then LA along with Meghan's determination 'to get what she wants'. 'Meghan has always been fascinated with the creation of a 'brand,'' a former friend told the authors. 'I do not believe she married Harry with that solely in mind, but it was a determining factor.' Meghan Markle is focused on networking with LA power players to create her 'brand', a new book about the royals has claimed 'She's assuring (Harry) that once things go back to normal, he'll love their new life in LA,' the insider told The New York Post. 'Meghan wants to take him hiking and talks about the local polo club and how much he'll love surfing.' The authors also claim that Harry is 'overwhelmed with guilt over not being closer to home while this (the pandemic) is going on.' Harry and Meghan turned their backs on royal duty in January, citing their desire to live like a normal family with their son Archie, away from the media spotlight. The book also claims that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge feel annoyed at having 'double the workload' because Harry and Meghan won't be attending many official engagements. The book (pictured) also claims that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge feel annoyed at having 'double the workload' because Harry and Meghan won't be attending many official engagements 'They think it's unfair that Harry and Meghan still get to reap the rewards of being part of the royal family without having to put in any effort,' explains the royal insider. The royal insider also says that Kate in particular is 'panicking' over how she'll 'juggle the extra responsibilities with family life' during the pandemic. In addition, according to Ninaki Priddy, who grew up with Meghan, the actress has long known how to shape people and situations to her 'satisfaction'. In the book Priddy reveals that Meghan changed once she started working on the show Suits. She says that there are two different versions of the royal - Meghan Before Fame and Meghan After Fame - and that she began to stop seeing older friends as she became more famous. According to the authors the duchess 'unleashed her long-desired plan' to move back to Los Angeles, after being in Canada for just a short while. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have erected screens around the Beverly Hills area mansion where they are living, after it was discovered people could see directly onto the grounds. Workmen were pictured outside the $18million home, owned by movie producer Tyler Perry, last month. The book also claims that Harry has taken up yoga to relieve his anxiety during lockdown and that he has 'cabin fever' because of the move. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been living in this ultra-luxury Beverly Hills hideout that belongs to Hollywood tycoon Tyler Perry The couple is already busy networking and exploring career opportunities for when the pandemic is over. 'They are in touch with a number of LA power players and are looking forward to hosting dinner parties with the likes of George and Amal Clooney and big-time movie producer Jeffrey Katzenberg,' says another insider. 'Image has always been everything to Meghan Markle,' a friend of hers is quoted in the book as saying. The revelations in the new book come as it was reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could earn more than 1million each time they do a speech after signing up with an elite agency. The couple have been spotted only a handful of times since their move to Los Angeles, first volunteering for a local charity dropping off food to locals who are more at-risk of catching coronavirus (pictured), as well as taking their beloved dogs out for a walk The Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 38, have joined New York-based Harry Walker Agency, which represents the Obamas and the Clintons. PR expert Mark Borkowski told The Sun the pair will 'clean up'. They plan to be available for talks on social issues including racial justice, gender equality, the environment and mental health, according to the LA Times. 'I'm surprised they haven't done this sooner. It will be one of the great income generators for them. The speaker's circuit is a natural safe space for them to plunder,' he added. It is their first career move since leaving the royal family and moving to Los Angeles. It has previously been reported that the Queens grandson and his wife want to model themselves on the Obamas, and would set up a similar working model to the former president. The couple have been spotted only a handful of times since their move to Los Angeles, first volunteering for a local charity dropping off food to locals who are more at-risk of catching coronavirus, as well as taking their beloved dogs out for a walk. Tiny antibodies found in alpacas could help suppress a second wave of coronavirus and allow countries to safely lift lockdown, researchers have claimed. Scientists in Sweden and South Africa have used 'nanobodies' from an animal immunised against the virus to prevent it from binding or infecting a human being. The small antibody targets the spikes of the virus which in turn interferes with its ability to infect its host. The experts have claimed that their research 'potently neutralises the virus'. Due to the fact that the nanobodies are cheap and easy to reproduce they could be a widely accessible option. Tiny antibodies found in alpacas could help suppress a second wave of coronavirus and allow countries to safely lift lockdown, researchers have claimed The nanobodies are also a lot easier to clone and change, according to the scientists. The authors, from the department of microbiology, tumour and cell biology at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, told The Telegraph: 'The current coronavirus pandemic has drastic consequences for the world's population, and vaccines, antibodies or antivirals are urgently needed. 'Neutralising antibodies can block virus entry at an early step of infection and potentially protect individuals that are at high risk of developing severe disease.' The nanobody developed was called Ty1 - named after Tyson who was a 12-year-old alpaca from Germany who was immunised. The antibodies were then isolated. Gerald McInerney, Karolinska's team leader, said: 'In principle, all the evidence would suggest that it will work very well in humans, but it is a very complex system.' The academic paper has not been peer reviewed yet. It was published earlier this month. It comes as Britain today announced 100 more coronavirus deaths, in a record-low Saturday total that will cool fears about the latest lockdown-loosening measures. Today's figure is down by almost a quarter from last Saturday's 130 deaths, and marks the lowest Saturday total since March 21, two days before lockdown, when 56 people were killed. It means the UK's official Covid-19 death toll now stands at 43,514 but more grim estimates by the Office for National Statistics put the tally in the region of 55,000 when suspected virus deaths are included. A total of 890 more people were diagnosed with the viral disease in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected to 310,250. But millions of cases have went missed because of a lack of widespread testing, and the ONS predicts around 3,000 people are still catching Covid every day in England alone. Meanwhile, holidaymakers will be able to travel abroad for summer holidays next month under a 'traffic light' system that ranks countries based on their coronavirus risk, it emerged today. Britons visiting nations that are 'green' or 'amber' - which includes most tourist hotspots in Europe, including Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and France - will not have to self-isolate when they return. Only those flying to 'red' countries - such as the US, Brazil and India, where the virus is still rife - will have to quarantine indoors for 14 days after flying back. (Photo : REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann) FILE PHOTO: The logo of Facebook is seen in Davos, Switzerland January 20, 2020. Picture taken January 20, 2020. Facebook is facing a growing boycott by disgruntled advertisers of its handling of misinformation and hate speech. Civil rights groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Anti-Defamation League placed pressure on the campaign earlier in June. Color of Change, one of the boycott-backed groups, said it had joined nearly 100 advertisers. Mark Zuckerberg, founder, and CEO of the organization, revealed on Friday a slew of new initiatives aimed at battling divisive rhetoric and misinformation. He said Facebook is banishing hate speech from its advertising site amid the growing boycott. The company says the goal is to establish a "higher quality" of content for its advertising and to ban divisive rhetoric. Many of the participants are small businesses that make up the majority of eight million advertisers on Facebook. However, many major corporations have distanced themselves, investing millions of dollars a year on the site due to issues. Here is a list of some of the major advertisers that restrict or stop their advertising on Facebook, with estimates of what they spent last year in the U.S. from Pathmatics' advertising analytics platform. ALSO READ: Facebook Upgrades its AI to Detect and Remove COVID-19 Misinformation and Hate Speech Unilever $42.4 million in advertising The consumer goods giant, one of the world's largest advertisers, said on Friday that it would stop running ads on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter in the U.S. for at least the rest of 2020. They cited a "polarized election period" as their reason, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company, which owns brands like Dove and Lipton, said that "continuing to advertise on those platforms would not add value to people." Ben & Jerry's, an ice cream brand owned by the company, will also join the boycott. Honda America $6 million The automaker, which comprises the Honda and Acura brands, said it would withdraw advertising from Facebook and Instagram in July, WSJ report added. The Japanese carmaker said they "[choose] to stand against hatred and bigotry with people united." Birchbox $947,100 The beauty subscription service announced on Friday, June 26, they shifted their advertisement spending from Facebook and Instagram to other sites and individual content creators in July, following a steady decline in its reliance on the social networking site over the past two years. Birchbox said its Instagram account will remain active. Coca-Cola $22.1 million The beverage giant, another deep-pocketed advertiser, said it would suspend all paying advertising on all social media sites worldwide for at least 30 days. In a statement, Chief Executive James Quincey said the company would use the time to reevaluate its advertising standards and policies. The official said they would also encourage their social media partners to "expect greater accountability, action, and transparency from them." Levi Strauss & Company $2.8 million Jen Sey, the apparel company's Chief Marketing Officer, wrote a blog post, condemning Facebook's "failure to stop the spread of misinformation and hate speech on its site." The head also claimed that "[Facebook's] indifference fuels bigotry and abuse and has the power to undermine our democracy and the integrity of our elections." Ms. Sey wrote that Levi Strauss will at least postpone ads until the end of July, adding that "when we re-engage, it will depend on Facebook's response." Lululemon $1.6 million The fitness apparel retailer expressed solidarity with the boycott campaign on Twitter, saying it was "actively engaging with Facebook to seek meaningful change." A spokeswoman from Lululemon said the company would suspend paid advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. Verizon $22.9 million John Nitti, the telecommunications company's chief media officer, said Verizon will pause its advertising until Facebook can "create an acceptable solution" that makes them comfortable. Verizon also stops paid advertisements and unpaid articles. The North Face $3.3 million The North Face said it will stop posting content and buying ads on Facebook through July but will keep posting posts on Instagram for free. The firm spends more on Facebook than on any other platform other than Google. "We're in. We're out," the retailer wrote on Twitter on June 19. Eddie Bauer $1.4 million Eddie Bauer announced it was removing paying advertising on Facebook and Instagram until July. Patagonia $6.2 million The outdoor goods company said it will immediately withdraw advertisements from Facebook and Instagram globally at least until the end of July, "pending concrete action from the social media giant." The retailer would continue to post unpaid content on Facebook, which is its second-largest paid advertisement platform. REI $22.5 million The company said it pulled all the advertisements from Facebook and Instagram in July. ALSO READ: Facebook Bans Troll Pages from the Philippines and North Macedonia for Spreading Coronavirus Misinformation 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Kosovo's Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti on June 27 said his government remains "committed to the process" despite the sudden postponement of a U.S.-mediated Serbia-Kosovo presidential summit hoping to chip away at nearly two years of diplomatic deadlock. Speaking to reporters after his return from Brussels, Hoti said he was in "intensive communication" with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Balkan peace talks and that they agreed on "another date which will be soon" for the continuation of negotiations. "Despite the changes of the agenda over the last days, when it comes to the dialogue [with Belgrade], we, as the government, remain committed to the process," Hoti said. Kosovar President Hashim Thaci abandoned plans to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the White House this weekend after a special prosecutor's office in The Hague announced indictments for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity against Thaci and other Kosovars on June 24. Led by special presidential envoy Richard Grenell, Washington had hoped to further their efforts to kickstart suspended talks on normalizing relations between Serbia and its former autonomous province, which declared independence in 2008 and is recognized by more than 110 countries. But Washington's plans appeared to depend heavily on Thaci's ability to negotiate on behalf of Kosovo's nearly 2 million people. Serbia 'Restraint' Vucic said from Brussels on June 26 that Belgrade would show restraint in its response to the news. "For us, the most important thing is to be restrained. We know terrible crimes have happened. In everything else, we have to show restraint and by it, we will be protecting Serbs in Kosovo from any kind of violence, incidents, and attacks," Vucic said. The charges date back to alleged activities during and after Kosovo's war of independence in 1998-99, when Thaci commanded guerrilla forces under the banner of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK). A pretrial judge still must determine whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial based on the 10-count indictment, according to the statement from the Special Prosecutor's Office. It alleges that he and another senior Kosovar politician, Kadri Veseli, are among those "criminally responsible for nearly 100 murders" and other wrongdoing involving "hundreds of known victims of Kosovo Albanian, Serb, Roma, and other ethnicities and include political opponents." Thaci and Veseli have proclaimed their innocence. The topic of war crimes continues to bedevil relations in many Balkan countries since the fighting of the 1990s that accompanied the breakup of Yugoslavia. "The liberation war of the Kosovo people, of course, it is the biggest achievement of our efforts to win independence," Hoti told journalists on June 27, after his return from Brussels. "Such a war is sacred for the Kosovo people." Thaci and other Kosovar officials assented to the establishment of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Special Prosecutor's Office five years ago to pursue serious crimes alleged in a Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly report from 2011. "Nobody can rewrite the history of Kosovo," Thaci wrote in both English and Albanian in a post on Instagram on June 26, his first public comments after the indictment was announced. With reporting by AP A 23-year-old hiker died after falling during an evening thunderstorm on Wednesday, according to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office. Chinese Professor Found Guilty of Economic Espionage, Theft of US Trade Secrets A Chinese professor was found guilty on June 26 of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets, in the latest round in the Trump administrations clampdown on Chinese state-sanctioned theft of U.S. intellectual property. Zhang Hao, 41, was found guilty by a federal judge in San Jose, California, after a four-day trial. Zhang was arrested in 2015 after he flew to Los Angeles for a conference. Prosecutors accused Zhang of conspiring with a colleague from the University of Southern California, and four others, to steal technology from two U.S. companies for the benefit of the Chinese regime. The technology in question filters out unwanted signals in wireless devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, and has both consumer and military applications. The technology, stolen from Avago Technologies, one of the victim companies, took the firm more than 20 years of research and development to build, according to the justice department. Economic espionage is a pervasive threat throughout the United States, particularly to the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley which is the center of innovation and technology, FBI Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett said in a statement. The verdict comes amid souring relations between the Washington and Beijing, with the Trump administration toughening its stance against the regime in response to Beijings coverup of the outbreak and its recent move to tighten its grip on Hong Kong. U.S. national security adviser Robert OBrien in a recent speech said the administration would push back against the range of threats posed by the communist regime. FBI Director Christopher Wray also said this week the agency has over 2,000 active investigations that trace back to the regime. According to the justice department, Zhang met his co-conspirator, Pang Wei, while studying for a doctorate in electrical engineering at the University of Southern California, where they both conducted research on radio-filtering technology with funding from the defense department. After graduating in 2006, Zhang went to work for Skyworks Solutions Inc., based in Massachusetts, and Pang was employed by Avago in Colorado. Prosecutors said that in October of 2006, Zhang and his co-conspirators started a business in China to compete with Avago and Skyworkswhile Zhang and Pang worked at those companies. They stole formulas, source code, technical specifications, design kits, and other documents marked as classified or proprietary from their American employers, the justice department said. In 2008, Zhang and Pang connected their venture to Tianjin University (TJU), a premier technical school that sits under Chinas ministry of education, in which the institution agreed to finance them in setting up radio-filter technology production base in China, prosecutors said. They quit their jobs and relocated to China in 2009, where they took up professorships at the Chinese university. At TJU, the professors set up another company incorporated in the Cayman Islands following a plan laid out by TJU officials, prosecutors said. Zhang also applied for patents in his own name in the United States and China using the stolen technology. He also worked with the trade secrets in a lab he founded at TJU, the department said. The defendant plotted with Tianjin University to take trade secrets from two U.S. companies, including his own employer, to China for the benefit of the Chinese Government, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said in a statement. Zhang faces up to 15 years in prison for the charge of economic espionage, and 10 years for theft of trade secrets. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31. The five other co-conspirators are in China, and have not faced trial in the United States. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 11:48:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Image of June 25, 2020 of an extensive dust cloud of the Sahara desert over the sky of Havana, capital of Cuba. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez) Mirta Alvarez Castellon, president of the Cuban Society of Allergies and Asthma, said Saharan dust can provoke eye, nose, and mouth irritation, leading to a significant increase in visits to doctors' offices and emergency rooms. HAVANA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- From an ocean-view apartment in central Havana, amateur Cuban photographer Mario Fernandez, 69, snaps pictures of beautiful sunsets caused by Saharan dust that has been affecting the Caribbean country over the last few days. Among them is one that shows Havana's famed oceanside promenade shrouded in a haze generated by the huge dust cloud, which has traveled over 4,000 miles from west Africa, on its way to Mexico and the United States. "Despite the fact that Saharan dust particles can only be seen by weather satellites, we should stay home for the moment to avoid getting sick. Elderly people like me are more vulnerable," he told Xinhua. Cuban health authorities ruled out any link between the Saharan dust cloud and a potential upsurge in the number of novel coronavirus infections on the island, where 13 of 15 provinces and the Special Municipality Isla de la Juventud have remained virus free for the last two weeks. Francisco Duran, the national director of epidemiology at the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), said, however, that the number of people affected by respiratory diseases and allergies in the country could increase due to the Saharan dust. Respiratory disease is the fourth cause of death among Cubans, and special areas to care for people suffering from breathing problems were set up at hospitals and clinics after the first confirmed cases of coronavirus were registered on the island on March 11. Mirta Alvarez Castellon, president of the Cuban Society of Allergies and Asthma, said Saharan dust can provoke eye, nose, and mouth irritation, leading to a significant increase in visits to doctors' offices and emergency rooms. "We recommend avoiding outdoor exercise. In addition, wearing face masks and sunglasses is essential as they work as barriers to avoid the contact of small particles with people's eyes, noses, and mouths," she said. During 2019, Cubans made more than 4 million visits to doctors' offices due to severe breathing problems, according to MINSAP. Currently, 1 million people in the country suffer from asthma and nearly 45 percent of adolescents suffer from allergies, according to health experts. Ailen Piquero, a 20-year-old asthma sufferer from the Marianao district of Havana, said that this week, she has used her inhaler more often. "I will stay home, keep the windows closed, and follow health measures as long as the Saharan dust is around. This is just temporary," she said. The Sahara Desert is the main global source of mineral dust that spreads across Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and North America and has a huge impact on the environment as well as the development of hurricanes and tropical storms. The massive Saharan dust cloud is nicknamed the "Godzilla Dust Cloud," with a concentration and size that have not been seen in half a century. Cuban meteorologist Eugenio Mojena said that Saharan dust clouds, which arrive in the Caribbean between March and October, are loaded with material that is "highly harmful to human health." Mojena said the dust clouds transport minerals as well as viruses, bacteria, and organic pollutants to the Caribbean, creating a phenomenon known as "The Asthma Corridor." "Saharan dust has the capacity to increase the likelihood of respiratory diseases in the world, which makes things more complex in the context of the COVID-19 crisis," he said. Your browser does not support the audio element. AEON, one of the largest retail companies in Japan, has been selling fresh Vietnamese lychees at its 250 supermarkets and malls across the East Asian country. The first batch of the fresh lychees imported from Vietnam has been on the shelves of the firms AEON supermarkets and AEON Style malls since Monday, AEON Vietnam said on Friday. The retailer sourced the tropical fruit from farms in Luc Ngan District in the northern province of Bac Giang, Vietnams largest lychee-growing region. The fresh Vietnamese lychees have been transported by air to Japan since the end of May without being frozen, thus retaining their original freshness and taste. AEON said it began completing the necessary procedures to import Vietnamese lychee as soon as the Japanese authorities removed import restrictions last December. AEON is also the first retailer to introduce the fruit to consumers in Japan. The lychees are packed into boxes of ten lychees each and priced at about 500 Japanese yen ($4.66) per box. This is a great success for Vietnamese farmers, Bac Giang Province, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and embassy officials, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam told the official Vietnam News Agency, noting the challenges for the fruit to meet the technical standards of the fastidious Japanese market. If we can produce agricultural products that are acceptable to the Japanese market, we can certainly penetrate other markets, Nam added. In addition to lychees, several unique Vietnamese agricultural products such as mangoes, dragon fruits and coffee have been exported to Japan and sold in the AEON retail system since 2015. It is expected that AEON will strive to achieve an export turnover of goods from Vietnam of about US$450 million in 2020, an increase of $80 million from last year's. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Memphis, TN, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keepers of 306, an action initiative of the National Civil Rights Museum that engages civic-minded young leaders, will host a live-streamed town hall on voting entitled Where Do We Go From Here? To the Polls. It will broadcast on the museums website and Facebook Live on Tuesday, June 30, at 6:30pm CT. The goal of the virtual forum is to raise awareness of the value of voting as a call to action for every American. The discussion will cover a variety of issues including voter turnout strategies during a pandemic, young voters role in upcoming elections, and how the Black Lives Matter outcry can impact voter turnout. There is no more important action we can take as full citizens of this nation than to exercise our right to vote, said Museum President Terri Lee Freeman. The issue is that often we just tell people to vote, but don't follow-up with the reason for doing nor do we tell people that voting is only the first step. I think this session that is being spearheaded by Keepers of 306 will provide that important additional information. 2020 has brought to the forefront many challenges of the African-American experience healthcare, police brutality, an unequal judicial system, said Trevia Chatman, Chair of Keepers of 306. Our forefathers fought the same battles and overcame them through advocacy and policy change. Voting and advocating for policy change is essential and truly the way that we move forward as a nation. The forum will include a lesson on civics by CNN commentator Bakari Sellers, a young champion of progressive policies who was named to TIME Magazines 40 Under 40 in 2010 after unseating a 26-year incumbent in a South Carolina state representative race. His debut book, My Vanishing Country, will be given to the first 100 registrants of this virtual event. The museums Dr. Noelle Trent will give historical perspective on voting in the U.S. and why it remains an important civic function under threat in a democratic society. The discussion will expound on this context. A panel of educators, community activists and representatives will be moderated by Tracie Potts, senior Washington correspondent for NBC News Channel. Potts has reported for NBC for over 20 years covering politics, medical research and health policy. Panelists include: Dr. Thomas Parham , President of California State University-Dominguez Hill, human rights advocate , President of California State University-Dominguez Hill, human rights advocate Rabbi Jonah Pesner , Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, DC , Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, DC Rev. Earle Fisher , pastor, college educator and community activist, UPTheVote901, Memphis , pastor, college educator and community activist, UPTheVote901, Memphis Senator Raumesh Akbari, Tennessee State Senate District 29, Memphis For more details and RSVP information, visit civilrightsmuseum.org/keepers-of-306. About the National Civil Rights Museum The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights. It educates and serves as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change. A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries. It is a TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal. About Keepers of 306 The Keepers of 306 is an action initiative of the National Civil Rights Museum to engage civic-minded young leaders who are passionate about preserving the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and activating the next generation of socially conscious change agents. For more information, visit facebook.com/keepersof306. HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 Saturday, as the province moves closer to implementing fewer restrictions on travel within the Atlantic region. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. HALIFAX - Nova Scotia is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 Saturday, as the province moves closer to implementing fewer restrictions on travel within the Atlantic region. Nova Scotia has no active cases of COVID-19 and the last time it had a new case of the illness was June 9. To date, Nova Scotia has had 1,061 positive tests and 63 deaths. Two people remain in hospital, although their infections are considered resolved. Nova Scotia will join with New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador in creating an "Atlantic bubble" on July 3. Residents of the four provinces, who have no COVID symptoms, will be able to travel within the region without having to self-isolate for 14 days after going from one province to another. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2020. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin after the 33rd sitting of the new Dail in the Convention Centre, Dublin, where the vote for a new Taoiseach took place (PA) The much-heralded ending of civil war politics between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael with the election of FF leader Micheal Martin as Taoiseach struggled to live up to its advanced billing. The coalition government formed between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael with the Green Party brings to an end the most enduring and, to many the most baffling rivalry in Irish politics. With 140 days having passed since Februarys inconclusive general election result, 160 TDs gathered in Dublins Convention Centre to officially elect Mr Martin as Taoiseach. The inclement weather and the cavernous centre where the vote was held stifled any modicum of atmosphere despite the sense that history was being made. The fact it was held on a Saturday in a centre better known for holding dull business conferences instead of Leinster House, made it all feel like a damp squib. A group of Debenhams workers who lost their jobs protesting in the driving rain outside also gave a hint to the Government of the tumultuous economic waters they will have to navigate. Meanwhile, in the chamber, TDs had to sit in party groupings, two metres apart while members of the press were up in the nosebleed section. Its taken us a long time to get here, quipped the chairperson of the parliament, Sean OFearghail, as he opened proceedings. Outgoing taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar could not resist a parting shot at Sinn Fein, taking aim at their election slogan of change. We all know what change means for Sinn Fein Sinn Fein ministers in the backseat of ministerial cars. Thats what change means to Sinn Fein, but of course when the Green Party does that, its a betrayal. What a load of spin and nonsense. Expand Close Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, during the 33rd sitting of the new Dail in the Convention Centre, Dublin, where the vote for a new Taoiseach took place (Maxwell Photography) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, during the 33rd sitting of the new Dail in the Convention Centre, Dublin, where the vote for a new Taoiseach took place (Maxwell Photography) It was a bittersweet day for Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald just four months ago her party won a record 37 seats an increase of 14 on the 2016 election. Flanked by deputy SF leader Michelle ONeill and TD Pearse Doherty, she said other parties may have conspired to keep Sinn Fein out of government, but they cannot stop change. She has the distinction of being the first female leader of the Irish opposition, and pledged to become Irelands first female taoiseach one day. The speeches ahead of the vote varied from effusive praise for Micheal Martin, peppered with quotes from Theodore Roosevelt and Shakespeare, to the view of left-wing TD Paul Murphy, who said the incoming Government would be the most hated in history. One of the only laughs of the day came when Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice quoted an Irish proverb May the road rise up to meet you to wish Martin good luck. However, the Greens wont allow us to build any roads, he said. While the outcome of the vote was a foregone conclusion, the spectacle of Leo Varadkar and all of the Fine Gael TDs voting yes to Mr Martin becoming Taoiseach was one many never thought they would see. Expand Close Fine Gael leader and outgoing taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Maxwell Photography) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fine Gael leader and outgoing taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Maxwell Photography) As Leo Varadkars disembodied voice echoed across the cavernous convention centre to vote yes, history was made and civil war politics officially ended. After the anti-climatic vote, Mr Martin descended the elevators of the Convention Centre to a round of applause from a socially-distanced group of TDs and press. His family could not travel up from Cork to congratulate him on the biggest moment of his political career due to the Covid-19 restrictions, so his niece who lives in Dublin had to do the honours. With none of the usual shaking of many hands, Mr Martin gave a quick wave to the snappers and left to finally receive his Seal of Office from the President. A swarm of locusts descended on Gurugram this Saturday morning. The Gurugram District Administration has issued a warning to its residents urging them to keep their windows and doors shut. Swarms of locusts reached Gurugram this Saturday morning, next to the national capital. They were spotted at Gurugrams DLF phase 1 and MG Road. The officials said the locusts came to Gurgaon through Bhadsa area of Jhajjar. Atmaram Godara, Deputy Director, Agriculture, Gurgaon, stated that two groups of locusts have entered the Gurgaon from Jhajjar. One of the groups is heading towards Delhi from the railway station and sector 45, while another is heading in the direction of Kherki Daula toll plaza towards Delhi. He added that there has been no crop damage in the Gurgaon district so far because these locusts are flying from Rewari and from above. They have not reached the fields as of yet. Officials in Delhi had earlier denied the possibility of their descent. K L Gurjar, deputy director of the Centers Locust Warning Organization, has said a locust swarm is currently flying over Gurgaon and the southern border areas of Delhi but the direction of the wind is not favorable for its shift to the national capital. He stressed the swarms are likely to move towards Faridabad and then enter Uttar Pradesh through Palwal. Swamps of Locuts visited #HeritageCity #Gurgaon and decided to take the main road (MG Road) to #CyberHub pic.twitter.com/Oou1YJypU3 Shubhro Mitra (@SJMMJS) June 27, 2020 #WATCH Haryana: Drums being beaten by locals in Jhajjar to drive away the swarms of locusts, while district administration is using sirens to scare away the insects. pic.twitter.com/Kei63lkzen ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2020 #Locusts taking a stroll in M.G Road #Gurgaon ! People are asking "do these #locusts bite" ? A journalist, who had called me a month back, had commented, that " Govt will wake up, when the #locusts reach #Delhi, only then will the Govt understand the pain of #farmers" ! pic.twitter.com/5D6aAx9tem Ramandeep Singh Mann (@ramanmann1974) June 27, 2020 Also Read: Kejriwal lists steps taken by Delhi Govt to combat Covid, says enough beds in the capital Also Read: Kartarpur Corridor set to open soon, says Pak Foreign minister After locust attack in Gururgam, the Faridabad administration has also issued a warning. Deputy Commissioner Yashpal Yadav said that the locusts have reached Gurgaon. They might be coming towards Faridabad as well. Although all arrangements have been made, the residents should be careful, reach their fields and extend their help in this fight. The Gurgaon District Administration has issued a warning to its residents on urging them to lock windows and doors. They were asked to bang on tin cans, plates, and drums and create loud noise to block out these pests. Farmers in neighboring villages have been advised to keep spraying pumps ready. The agricultural department has also alerted its employees to take necessary precautions. Delhi Air Traffic Control has also directed pilots of all airlines to take necessary precautions during landing and takeoff of aircrafts. Before Gurugram, similar locust attacks have been seen in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. Also Read: LOreal joins HUL, drops words like fairness from products For all the latest National News, download NewsX App The locusts keep flying during day time and settle down only after dark in the evening. As crop-threatening locust swarm enters the outskirts of Delhi, the Union Agriculture Ministry on Saturday said more teams from Rajasthan have been deputed to help in the control operations being undertaken in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The locusts keep flying during day time and settle down only after dark in the evening. Ground control teams are constantly tracking them and will undertake major control operations once they settle down, it said, adding the control teams in Uttar Pradesh have been alerted in this regard. The control operations are underway in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, it added. "More control teams from Rajasthan have been moved to Haryana and UP to help in the locust control operations being carried out in these two states," the ministry said in a statement. Locust swarms were noticed in Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) in the morning of June 26, and control teams were deployed to eliminate the locusts. The leftover locusts regrouped and reached Rewari in Haryana on June 26 evening, where control operations were undertaken till Saturday early morning, it said. The leftover locusts again regrouped and the swarm divided into three groups, one of which moved towards Gurugram, and from there to Faridabad and onwards to Uttar Pradesh, it added. According to the ministry, another locust swarm moved towards Dwarka in Delhi, from there to Daulatabad, Gurugram, Faridabad and this swarm has also entered Uttar Pradesh. The third group was seen in Palwal (Haryana) and has also moved towards Uttar Pradesh. "As of now, no locust swarms are spotted in any city areas," it said. All the groups of locust swarms are being tracked by teams of the State Agriculture Departments of Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, local administrations and officials of the Central Locust Warning Organisation, and control operations are underway, the ministry added. Rahul seeks compensation for farmers Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged the government to grant compensation to states and farmers who have suffered damage to crops due to locust attack."Locusts have destroyed crops in Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, UP, MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Government Of India must provide support to the states and farmers who have suffered this menace," he said on Twitter. Delhi Environment Minister: Delhi on high alert Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai asked the national capital's south and west districts' administrations to remain on high alert, said officials.According to an official who attended the meeting, the minister was informed that a small swarm of locusts has also reached the Asola Bhatti area in South Delhi. The agriculture department asked to issue a detailed advisory to all district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates to deal with a possible locust attack in Delhi. The minister also asked the forest department to play DJs, beat drums and dhols to repel the swarms of locusts, the official said. Rai also asked officials of the Agriculture Department to make field visits to areas close to Gurgaon. New Delhi, June 27 : The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Saturday slammed Manu Kumar Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India, for hurting the sentiments of millions of Indians by saying that the boycott Chinese sentiment exists only on social media and is a result of "mob mentality". Taking serious exception to the recent statements by Jain in the media and on social media platforms, CAIT National President B.C. Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement that his comments were "most insensitive and disrespectful". "At a time when the entire country is deeply saddened and upset with the Chinese brutality against the Indian soldiers, Manu Kumar Jain is trying to please his Chinese masters by downplaying the mood of the nation," said Khandelwal. The key traders' body said that when the people of India have started to align with the boycott China sentiment on the ground and various celebrities too have joined the movement, "Jain's statement shows that he is completely oblivious to ground reality, passing such remarks only for business gains, putting aside and completely dishonouring the sacrifice and martyrdom of brave Indian soldiers". Condemning China's military aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, CAIT, which represents 7 crore traders and nearly 40,000 trade associations in the country, earlier this month called for boycott of Chinese goods, listing 450 imported items including electronics. Bhartia and Khandelwal said that since the Chinese attack on Indian soldiers, most Chinese CEOs in the country have remained silent and not made any comment to aggravate the situation. "Jain who calls himself a true Indian is continuously trying to advocate for China and Chinese products which is highly regrettable," they said. The Xiaomi India head earlier said that the company is "more Indian" than any other smartphone brand. Stressing that the company's mobile phone R&D centre and product team is in India, the Xiaomi India Managing Director also pointed out that it employs 50,000 people in the country. A cowardly crook has been caught on video sucker punching a 78-year-old woman in an unprovoked attack on a Brooklyn sidewalk. The NYPD said on Friday that the assailant is still at large following the June 10 attack at about 5.15pm on Broadway in the Bushwick neighborhood. Surveillance video shows the attacker strolling casually down the sidewalk towards the unsuspecting woman. As the man passes the woman, he swings his fist and hits her squarely in the head. The NYPD said on Friday that the assailant is still at large following the June 10 attack at about 5.15pm on Broadway in the Bushwick neighborhood While the woman cries out and clutches her head, the attacker is then seen appearing to act as if she has instigated the incident somehow While the woman cries out and clutches her head, the attacker is then seen appearing to act as if she has instigated the incident somehow. Though the video does not have audio, the man is seen raising his palms up as if questioning why she had wronged him. The woman reported having substantial pain, but refused further medical attention. Following the attack, the man ran off to an unknown location. hough the video does not have audio, the man is seen raising his palms up as if questioning why she had wronged him Police are seeking information about the attacker seen in the surveillance video The attacker is described as a male, dark complexion, approximately five-foot-nine, medium build with short dark hair. He was last seen wearing a black long sleeve shirt, green pants and black shoes. It is only the latest random attack on an elderly woman in New York City, after a woman was shoved to the sidewalk and hit her head on a fire hydrant earlier this month in Manhattan. In that case, cops have since arrested Rashid Brimmage, 31, who has 103 prior arrests. He has been charged with assault. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline anonymously for a potential cash reward at 1-800-577-8477. We saw how it was done in other cities, being beautiful in its own way, Benson said. We wanted to have ours be a little bit more colorful and playful with the color palette. We wanted people to know Oak Park is a loving community filled with lots of colors. Everybody here is from different shapes, sizes, backgrounds and ethnicities. Britain's Royal Air Force says the first in a series of flights taking coronavirus aid to Africa has departed for Ghana with materials for a field hospital with capacity for nearly 100 people. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement that Britain is the first NATO ally to come forward with an aid flight after NATO agreed to support the United Nations appeal for airlift assistance. The pandemic and travel restrictions have severely affected flights to the African continent and the delivery of crucial cargo including medical supplies. Britain. says up to five flights are needed to deliver the field hospital to Accra. Ghana has more than 15,000 confirmed virus cases. By ANI HONG KONG: United Kingdom MP Stewart McDonald has called the UK government to act against China's intention to destroy Hong Kong's autonomy. In an opinion piece in Hong Kong Free Press, McDonald, who is a member of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, writes: "China has recently decided to impose a national security law on Hong Kong, bypassing its legislature, which will criminalise any act of secession, subversion, terrorism and its broad scope could see people punished for criticising Beijing - as they are in mainland China. I call on the UK government to match the courage of the protesters and not kowtow to China's bullying." Last week, Chinese authorities divulged details of the new national security legislation for Hong Kong after the three-day meeting of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, Sputnik reported. The controversial legislation comprises six chapters and 66 articles. The chapters, inter alia, cover general provisions, duties and mechanisms for ensuring Hong Kong's national security, issues of crimes and penalties, jurisdiction and law enforcement. ALSO READ| China uses trade with propaganda to coerce compliance in its dictums: US NSA Robert O'Brien The draft document lists the main responsibilities of the Chinese authorities regarding national security, as well as Hong Kong's constitutional responsibility to maintain it. The legislation sets out rules for the prevention, suppression and punishment of secessionist activities, attempts to undermine the state authority, terrorist activities and colluding with foreign states or forces to jeopardise national security. Critics say that the legislation would destroy the civil liberties that Hong Kong residents enjoy under the 'one country, two systems' agreement put in place when the United Kingdom handed the territory back to China in 1997. McDonald said that these laws are an atrocious attack on human rights and the agreement between China and the UK, known as the Sino-British Joint Declaration. ALSO READ| India should to hit back at China instead of targeting Congress: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury "Hongkongers are faced with an uncertain future, one where any dissent can be punished with harsh financial and judicial penalties or even 're-education,' and Beijing can set up its own security and intelligence operations in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, the only enclave of freedom in China, is being eclipsed by tear gas, rubber bullets, live rounds, police brutality and torture; but still Hongkongers march on," the MP noted. There are now 1,368 cases 1,079 confirmed and 289 probable and 1,033 recoveries 812 confirmed and 221 probable recorded in the state, as well as 20 deaths. As of Friday, there have been 42,402 COVID-19 tests completed in Wyoming, an increase of 2,248 from Wednesday: 20,912 from the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory and 21,490 reported by other labs. More than three-fourths of patients have fully recovered. Patients have tested positive for coronavirus in all 23 of Wyomings counties. Wyoming has the third lowest recorded number of coronavirus deaths of any state (Alaska and Hawaii), and its death rate (3 per 100,000 residents) is fourth-lowest to Montana, Alaska and Hawaii, according to the New York Times. The states infection rate (229 in 100,000) is seventh-lowest among states, also according to the Times, which includes probable counts where they exist. Less than 11% of Wyomings cases required a hospital stay. In 24.8% of the cases, health officials dont know if the patient was hospitalized. In a desperate quest for "significance," assorted publicity hounds from Europe are now looking to get in on the Black Lives Matter act. Here's global warming activist Greta Thunberg, expressing her envy and affinity for Black Lives Matter in mobilizing protests: Greta Thunberg has said the Black Lives Matter protests show society has reached a tipping point where injustice can no longer be ignored, but that she believes a green recovery plan from the coronavirus pandemic will not be enough to solve the climate crisis. Reflecting on the protests that have swept the globe in recent weeks, the Swedish climate activist told the BBC: It feels like we have passed some kind of social tipping point where people are starting to realise that we cannot keep looking away from these things. We cannot keep sweeping these things under the carpet, these injustices. People are starting to find their voice, to sort of understand that they can actually have an impact. She likes those fiery protests, and must be wondering why the pasty pajama boys in her climate change brigade, who also are there to virtue-signal, don't light up the sky quite as vividly. The apocalyptic vision of Black Lives Matter, complete with burning and looting and statue-toppling, has got to make a pint-sized activist from Sweden feel, well, small. Seems the BLM crew is a lot more consequential than the always evanescent "great pumpkin" claims of rising sea levels and dead polar bears. But she's getting there with them - she once again brings up that the vision for the global warmers is Marxism, Hugo Chavez variety, same as BLM wants. So of course she's like a piece of this. The climate and ecological crisis cannot be solved within todays political and economic systems, she said. That isnt an opinion. Thats a fact. And like any demagogue, she's firm in insisting that you think she doesn't truck in mere opinion, only certainties. She's a fanatic like they are, but her vehicle is so ... putzy, so she can only look on with approval and envy. She'll be there with them to virtue-signal harder. There's also Meghan Markle, having her title and joining the protestors, too: Meghan Markle's instinct to leave the United Kingdom and move to California all makes sense to her now, as she believes she was 'destined' to help fight systemic racism in the United States, a close friend exclusively told DailyMail.com. The Duchess feels that her 'gnawing urgency to uproot from England' was fate so she could be at the 'forefront' of the movement, the insider explained. They added: 'Meghan said her work as a leader is more important than ever right now and that shes been speaking with Oprah and other community leaders on how she can be part of the solution. 'Meghan feels like her mission goes far beyond acting. She said she wants to use her voice for change and hasnt ruled out a career in politics.' The 'forefront'? What kind of an ego does that take? Black people are just pining to be rescued by a British-titled duchess from Hollywood? And it's a heckuva way to find one's 'destiny' through the roundabout route of a U.K. royal title. No, what we are looking at here is someone who didn't know what she wanted, flunked out on culture shock, couldn't assimilate to the program she'd committed to as she got her fairy tale wedding, thought the acting work back home would be plentiful in Hollywood as she returned with her tiara title ... and it wasn't. She's tried many things in her life besides being a royal - international relations, public relations, acting and can add the royal stint as just another one of those things that didn't pan out. Someone like this is bound to be looking for a cause, given how failed and insignificant she is, with a royal sense of entitlement. All that's left now is politics, the idea of running other people's lives, given that she's not very good at running her own. What better way than to glom onto race relations in the U.S., fiercely standing up to all those racists out there and winning the virtue-signaling crown. Naturally, the next stop is a chat with Oprah. What we are seeing here, in both cases, is two lost souls looking on in envy at the mayhem wrought against America through Black Lives Matter, and wanting to get in on the action, too. Neither figure from the plummy quarters in Europe had had any interest in this earlier, Thunberg had her big protests and speaking tours, while Markle had her charities, but with the cameras now on the amorphous activist group, whose chief purpose seems to be to destroy America, while conveying virtue-signaling and absolution from racism, they can't resist. After all, everyone knows that global warming is a fraud - just introduce a live issue, with a real-life crisis, to see interest in that weird imaginary religion vanish. Thunberg senses this and wonders why she didn't think of this earlier. And everyone also knows that the British charity ball life - and the Hollywood chi chi crowd - are bores, too. What better way to get out of it and get 'meaning' as well as a sense of danger, than to jump in on the race wars and all the corporate money rolling in, and start pointing fingers. Politics is the only place this can lead, and what better way to fail upward than to join Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with her six-figure do-nothing job and Twitter account and say outrageous things to draw attention to herself. Doing something useful the way the rest of us do is out of the question for both of them, they don't even know what that is. Without anything useful to do, they look for something seemingly important to do. That's what both of them are ultimately after - some kind of significance, but not by building something, but by flying over the canopy of trends, the more anti-U.S. the better, and scarfing up the spoils. Yet they fail to see how ridiculous they look -- are black people protesting in the streets really interested in a pasty little Swede to be their savior? Or a failed Hollywood actress of mixed race who took a detour to play duchess? Somehow, they're not going to fit in. But here they come ... jumping into the protests along with all the white self-abasers looking for some kind of affirmation of virtue and absolution. Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of images from Needpix, European Parliament, via Wikipedia, Northern Ireland Office, via Wikipedia Libyan militant Abdel-Rehim Al-Mesmari was executed on Saturday following his conviction of carrying out a deadly attack on security forces in Bahariya Oasis in 2017, a video statement by the Egyptian armed forces said. The Western Desert attack occurred in October 2017 when Al-Fath Al-Islami, of which Al-Mesmari was a member, ambushed a police patrol in the oasis of Bahariya, killing 16 and injuring 13. His execution comes nearly a year after he was sentenced to death by an Egyptian military court in November 2019 for convictions related to the deadly October 2017 ambush on police forces. He was convicted of premeditated murder of policemen, possession of unlicensed weapons and explosives, and joining a terror organisation, as well as being a member of an outlawed group that targets police and army and their institutions. He was also convicted of kidnapping a police officer during the deadly shootout, who was rescued later in an operation by security forces near El-Wahat highway where a number of terrorists were killed. Al-Mesmari admitted all the details of the Wahat attack in a media interview in November 2017 after his arrest following a security campaign, during which he expressed no remorse for murdering 16 police officers. The Wahat attack was the last operation carried out by the Libyan based, Al-Qaeda-affiliated group led by Hisham Ashmawy. Most of the groups leading members have now been liquidated. Ashmawy was executed last March after he was handed over to Cairo in May 2019 by Libyan authorities. Search Keywords: Short link: by Sumon Corraya Card Patrick DRozario, archbishop of Dhaka, Rev Samuel Sunil Mankhin, moderator of the (Anglican) Church of Bangladesh, and other religious leaders took part in the service. Bangladesh has reported 130,474 cases so far with 1,661 deaths. At least 53,133 people have been treated. Dhaka (AsiaNews) A special, online ecumenical prayer was held yesterday evening, with the participation of Catholic and Protestant leaders, to ask God for an end to the pandemic in Bangladesh and the whole world. Participants also prayed for the eternal repose of those who died from the virus and for those who are sick, that they may soon get better. The meeting, which lasted over an hour, was promoted by the Bangladesh Christian Association, a human rights group based in the capital, Dhaka. Scores of people abroad joined the online event. Card Patrick D'Rozario, archbishop of Dhaka, led the service. In his prayer he mentioned "those who serve in hospitals, those who lead the nation," and "those who have fallen into poverty because of the coronavirus". Rev Samuel Sunil Mankhin, moderator of the (Anglican) Church of Bangladesh, said that with the pandemic "all homes have become houses of prayer. We can't go to church .. . so let us pray in our homes. He urged the faithful to pray more, citing the example of Muslims who, "during Ramadan, pray five times a day and fast. How much time do we give to God? For Nirmol Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association, gradually, the outbreak in our country is getting worse and worse. Many religious and political leaders have been affected and some have died. Even among Christians there are many positive cases and some deaths. According to data released yesterday, some 130,474 cases have been reported in Bangladesh with 1,661 deaths. At least 53,133 people have been treated. Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast Legislation to make the District of Columbia a state is poised to pass the House on Friday, a major advance from the last time the measure came before Congress 27 years ago and 40 percent of Democrats joined with all but one Republican to defeat D.C. statehood. After decades of benign neglect, the movement to make D.C. the 51st state has gained new life with Black Lives Matter and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowsers heightened profile. President Trumps efforts to use federal force to dominate streets around the White House exposed the subservient status of a city that must answer to Congress for how it spends money while its 706,000 residents are without full voting representation in the House or Senate. Republicans appear unmoved by pleas for equality. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton took to the Senate floor to denounce the Democrats move in a racially tinged speech depicting D.C. as an elitist conclave of the deep state and Mayor Bowser as someone who could not be trusted to keep the city and its statues safe. Yes, Wyoming is smaller than Washington by population, he tweeted, but it has three times as many workers in mining, logging, and construction, and 10 times as many workers in manufacturing. In other words, Wyoming is a well-rounded working-class state." Opinion: I Fixed Tom Cottons Op-Ed The bill to rename D.C. Washington, Douglass Commonwealth is going nowhere in Mitch McConnells Senate. But if the Democrats win the White House and flip the Senate, statehood becomes imaginable, since statehood requires only a vote of Congress. Trump says Republicans would have to be stupid to support D.C. statehood and thats what the battle is about these days, maybe thats what its always been about, says Michael Brown, D.C.s non-voting shadow senator. Actually, Trump said Republicans would have to be very, very stupid to support statehood for D.C. because it would add two Democratic senators, which McConnell would never let happen. But its about more than McConnell, Brown told the Daily Beast. We cant get one Republican (in the Senate), and there are still six (Senate) Democrats who are not on the bill. Story continues In the modern Senate, 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster and proceed to a vote on legislation of any significance. The exception is judges, where Republicans exercised what is known as the nuclear option to confirm two Supreme Court judges and 200 lower court lifetime judges with a simple majority. Democratic leader Harry Reid opened this dangerous door by striking the filibuster for Executive Branch confirmations that McConnell was blocking. Several Democrats who ran for president, including Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg, favor doing away with the filibuster if Democrats win the Senate. Otherwise, they argue, McConnell (or his successor, should he happen to lose his own race) will obstruct everything Democrats try to do. The District of Columbia has a population of 706,000, more than Wyoming and Vermont, and D.C. residents pay more in total federal income tax than 22 states. It has long been a sore point that fighting in every war and contributing blood and treasure is not enough to gain more than a symbolic vote in Congress. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has served almost 30 years, has a vote in committee but not on the House floor, and if her committee vote breaks a tie, it doesnt count. Even that small measure of democratic largesse was taken away by Republicans when they gained control of the House in 1994 and again in 2010. Democrats restored Nortons limited right to vote when they won the House in 2006 and 2018, and since then Norton has been on a roll when it comes to statehood. She has 226 co-sponsors for the bill, including the No. 2 Democrat in the House, Steny Hoyer from Maryland, who opposed statehood until now. Speaking before the Rules committee Wednesday, Norton explained how the legislation before her colleagues was personal to her own history. My great-grandfather, Richard Holmes, who escaped as a slave from a Virginia plantation, made it as far as D.C., a walk to freedom but not to equal citizenship, she said. For three generations my family has been denied the rights other Americans take for granted. Opponents of statehood argue that the Founding Fathers didnt want the District to be a state, but our vaunted forebears also didnt want women to vote, or Black people to vote, so that argument seems lame. Whether youre a textualist or an originalist, I dont believe the Founding Fathers had any more reason to deny representation to people who pay federal taxes, serve in war and do everything a citizen shouldthan they would have wanted my neighbor down the hall to have a closet full of AK-47s, says Ellen Goldstein, who served until recently as a neighborhood advisory commissioner for the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood, home to the Obamas, the Kushners, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. You can unearth the minds of the Founding Fathers to justify anything, Goldstein told the Daily Beast. As somebody who has lived here for 50 years, I believe the only reason were not a state is because of race. Race has a lot to do with it, says Brown, a former political consultant whose unpaid positions main perk is identifying as a senator. The Constitution grants Congress jurisdiction over the District in all cases whatsoever, which allowed some committee chairmen of the House and Senate Committees on the District of Columbia to run the city like a plantation. In his recent book Class of 1974, John Lawrence recounts how John McMillan, a South Carolina Democrat and a segregationist, sent a truckload of watermelons to the office of appointed Mayor Walter Washington to let him know how little he thought of the budget Washington submitted in 1967 for the committees review. The District couldnt even elect its own mayor until after Home Rule passed Congress in 1973. For a long time, D.C. pridefully called itself Chocolate City, acknowledging its majority Black population. No state has ever come into the union with a majority minority population, says Brown. In 1993, the last time Congress voted on statehood, the city was 56 percent Black, a factor in the outcome despite President Bill Clintons advocacy for statehood. During his final weeks in office, Bill Clinton had the newly authorized D.C. license plate with the slogan taxation without representation affixed to the presidential limousine. His successor, President George W. Bush, had the plate removed. It wasnt until after President Obama won re-election in 2012 that he ordered the controversial plate installed on all presidential vehicles. In 2011, the Districts Black population fell below 50 percent for the first time in over 50 years. According to 2017 Census Bureau data, the African-American population is 47.1 percent. Unlike the Clinton-era vote, when Democrats were divided on the political merits of D.C. statehood, a newly awakened Democratic leadership is rallying around the cry for equal rights. Its beyond statehood, says Goldstein, citing congressional meddling in District policies on marijuana legalization, gun regulation, and funding for abortion. If we decide to do it, they take it away. They take our money and tell us how to spend it. Goldstein doubts the House vote will change anything, but in her thinking, modern America cannot continue to deny D.C. is a state any more than Macys Department store in the movie classic Miracle on 34th Street could deny Kris Kringle was Santa when bags of letters addressed to him were delivered by the Post Office. Using the same reasoning, Goldstein notes that when she shops online on Amazon and scrolls down, D.C. is a state: If the Post Office thinks youre Santa, youre Santa. And if Amazon thinks were a state, then by golly, were a state. Until a miracle happens on Capitol Hill, that will have to do. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 13:14 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066219486 4 National COVID-19,coronavirus,new-normal,divorce,West-Java,Court Free The divorce rate has increased significantly in Bandung, West Java, as the government eased COVID-19 restrictions in the so-called new normal period, after the rate had dropped significantly during the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) period. The Bandung Religious Court office received 433 divorce requests in March. In April, the number dropped to only 103, although it rose again to 207 in May. The number soared in June, as 706 couples had filed for divorce as of Wednesday, religious court chief Acep Saifuddin told kompas.com. Read also: Japan firm offers spouses apartments to avoid 'coronavirus divorce' He said the drop in divorce requests might have been caused by restrictions imposed by the court, such as allowing people to file for divorce by online means only. After the start of the new normal policy, we reopened our registration desk as stipulated in the Supreme Court regulation. This allows more couples to file for divorce, Acep said on Friday, as quoted by kompas.com. The court chief went on to say that couples had cited various reasons for their divorce, ranging from financial issues to household disputes. Several countries have reported an increase in divorce rates amid social restrictions and quarantine in the COVID-19-stricken regions. Chinas Global Times earlier reported that being stuck at home led to conflict in many couples, causing divorce appointments to tick up. (kuk) The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia June 27, 2020 President Mahmoud Abbass June 22, 2020 Dear President Abbas; I hope that this final appeal will awaken you to the reality that you can no longer ignore. Time has just about run out and your immediate decision to agree or refuse to enter into new peace negotiations with Israel will determine the future of your people for generations to come. They will either live in peace and harmony with Israel, growing and prospering, or remain a shattered nation despairing for a ray of hope that has eluded them for seven decades with you sealing their fate. Now that Netanyahu is poised to annex a significant part of the West Bank, you are faced with a historic juncture: either you wake up to reality and preempt Netanyahus plan by calling for new peace negotiations, or squander the last vestiges of a fading opportunity. You must rise to the occasion as a leader should and grasp the moment because you have reached the precipice of no return. As you look around, please ask yourself the question: have your people come any closer today to realize their cherished dream of establishing an independent state than 10, 15, or 20 years ago? You know better than anyone else that the answer is categorically NO. You have missed many opportunities and failed to realize that time was not on your side. The reasons are all but glaringly clear. The world has moved on, but you are still stuck in your old and tired illusions, that somehow the Palestinians moral cause will prevail as their suffering cannot be in vain. The truth is those who used to care about the Palestinians suffering no longer much care and those who still do have no political sway to turn things around. Your traditional backers the Arab states, especially in the Gulf led by Saudi Arabia are preoccupied with their domestic problems and are far more concerned about the Iranian threat than the Palestinian plight. They no longer view Israel as an enemy but a strategic partner that can confront Iran, and together deter Tehran from threatening their national security or undermining their economic wellbeing. They are sharing intelligence, advanced technology, and even military coordination. For them, Israel is a reality that they not only accept but view as an asset they can rely on. They pay lip service to the Palestinian cause by withholding full diplomatic recognition of Israel, but that too will come to pass if you remain intransigent and refuse to commit to good faith negotiations to bring peace and prosperity to every Palestinian, young and old, which matters the most. The United States under the Trump administration is the strongest backer of the Netanyahu government and is fully supportive of the planned annexation. Trumps deal of the century says it all. It was largely developed in full consultation with Netanyahu and his footprint is reflected in just about every clause of the deal. By refusing to negotiate with the US as a result of Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, you have undercut yourself from the whole process, which also led to the US cutting financial aid to the Palestinians. For Netanyahu, American backing is what is most important, as he wants to exploit Trumps support by moving expeditiously toward annexation before the November elections. If Netanyahu acts now, even if Biden wins the presidency it will be impossible for him to force Israel to reverse course, even though the US is the only country that can exert pressure on Israel to make any concession. The strategic alliance between Israel and the US, coupled with wide support of Israel by the American public, has shielded Israel in the past and is unlikely to change under a Biden administration. If you think that the EU will come to your rescue, you will be mistaken again. True, the EU has demonstrated consistent support of the Palestinians by advocating for their right to statehood and by regularly providing the largest financial assistance to keep your government solvent. But then, you should know that by now even though the EU is the largest trading partner with Israel, in relation to the Palestinians the EU holds little sway in the country. The US has and continues to dominate the Israeli-Palestinian discourse, and there is nothing of real substance the EU can do other than potentially impose some sanctions, but that still will not change the dynamics in your favor. And if you believe that the United Nations can prevent Netanyahu from moving ahead with his annexation plans, then you have learned nothing from the past. The US will veto any resolution that condemns Israel, let alone one that will demand the reversal of territories that have already been annexed. You can turn of course to the UN General Assembly and you will find a receptive audience, but to what end? A majority of states will certainly pass a resolution that will condemn Israel in the strongest terms and demand that it rescind its annexation. This, however, will amount to nothing more than public relations, as the UNGAs resolution will have no impact simply because it has no enforcement mechanism to compel Israel to change course. Concerning Israel, you have missed the boat time and again. Since the second Intifada in 2000, your belligerent attitude toward Israel, and Chairman Arafat before you, have pushed the Israelis toward the right-of-center. Nearly 50 percent of the population has given up on any prospect of peace based on a two-state solution. The last three consecutive Israeli elections offered a glaring picture as to where the Israelis stand. For the past 11 years, in particular, Netanyahu made it abundantly clear that there will be no Palestinian state under his watch and made it his lifes mission to expand the settlements to a point where it would be impossible to restore the status quo ante. Come July, Netanyahu is poised to move swiftly with Trumps support to annex a significant part of the West Bank, which is nothing but the kiss of death to the creation of a Palestinian state. Whether Netanyahu ends up in prison because of the three criminal charges against him, or is exonerated and departs his office in peace, he will have fundamentally changed the nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its outcome if he implements his annexation plans. Netanyahu has sworn to establish greater Israel that expands from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River, regardless of how adversely that might affect the countrys future on multiple fronts. Given the US unequivocal support, there is no country or any radical group that can effectively stop Netanyahu from realizing his life-long dream unless you preempt Netanyahus annexation plans by announcing immediately your readiness and willingness to enter into unconditional peace negotiations. In so doing, you give pause to the Trump administration and increase the pressure on Israel by the Arab states to postpone the annexation to await the outcome of the negotiations. To be sure, you have no one to turn to, and if you miss this last opportunity, you will subject your people to decades more of suffering, hopelessness, and despair. We are all mortal, Mr. Abbas, and you have come near the end. What legacy do you want to leave behind? Do you want to be remembered as a loser, whose shortsightedness, lack of courage, and self-conceit betrayed his people, or as the leader who finally rose to the occasion to bring peace and prosperity to his countrymen before it was too late? Alexandru Hanga, on June 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration in a case linked to 39 Vietnamese migrants who were found dead inside a lorry in Essex, the UK, last October. The lorry that carried 39 Vietnamese migrants who later were found dead inside The 28-year-old man from Tilbury, England, entered his plea when appearing at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales (Old Bailey) via video link. Police said Hanga will appear in court for sentencing at a later date. Earlier, on April 8, 25-year-old lorry driver Maurice Robinson from Craigavon in Northern Ireland pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter at the Old Bailey. He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property at the same court on November 25 last year. Four other men will stand trial at the Old Bailey in connection with this case in October. Last October, the bodies of the Vietnamese nationals were discovered by emergency services on the back of a refrigerated lorry at an industrial estate in Essex. Among the 39 dead were ten teenagers, including two 15-year-old boys./. Irish court tries man for suspected connection with Essex lorry deaths Irish police said Ronan Hughes, who had been arrested in the country for his accused connection with the death of 39 Vietnamese nationals in a refrigerated lorry in Essex last October, appeared at Dublin's High Court today. Christine Lahti's portrayal of Gloria Steinem in PBS' "Gloria: A Life" reflects both a veteran artist's skill and a passion for the subject. Lahti's discovery as a young woman of Steinem and other feminist leaders opened her eyes to sexism and inequality and "saved my life," as the Oscar-nominated actor ("Swing Shift") puts it. In the "Great Performances" presentation of Emily Mann's play (Friday, check local listings), Steinem's life and journey to social activism are dramatized in act one, with an all-female cast playing both male and female roles. Act two involves the theater audience in a discussion of the play's themes, with Steinem herself serving as moderator. If Lahti's admiration for Steinem didn't put enough pressure on the actor, the two also are friends. "I remember the first run-through we had, she came to that and was sitting 5 feet from me," Lahti said. "I have never felt more nervous in my life, and I've been on many stages and Broadway and on sets." In an interview with The Associated Press, Lahti discussed her own feminist journey and why the play has appeal beyond the converted, with remarks edited for clarity and length. AP: When did Gloria Steinem and her work come on your radar? Lahti: I was at the University of Michigan from 1968 to '72, and I entered a completely un-woke, complicit-in-my-own-oppression product of suburban Detroit, '50s, housewife-mother, doctor-father patriarchy on steroids. I thought women just were intrinsically, biologically second-class citizens, inferior. Then my world exploded: Vietnam, and Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Robin Morgan, all these incredible feminists. I dropped out of my sorority after one semester and changed my life, and I have not looked back. AP: When you brought these new ideas home from college, was there a clash with your parents? Lahti: It really threatened their way of life. But my mom went on to embrace feminism, to say, "Carry the banner for me, things have to change." I said to her, "You can carry your own," and she did. She went on to become a professional artist, a painter, and then a pilot. I stand on her shoulders, like my daughter is standing on mine, and the view is different. AP: What does feminism look like to you now compared to then? Lahti: One of the main things I loved about this play and the PBS film of it is the emphasis on Black feminism and how Black feminists taught Gloria Steinem everything she knew about feminism. And they were completely ghosted out of the media because they wanted to put the pretty white woman on the face of feminism. There were all these Black leaders, like Shirley Chisholm and Flo Kennedy and Dorothy Hughes, that no one knew about. The feminism that I understand now and embrace, and this is largely due to my daughter, must be intersectional and focus on how racism and sexism are so intertwined. AP: The play explores Steinem's ideology but also her life, including a very difficult childhood. Is it important that we understand her background? Lahti: The reason I most wanted to do the play was to show the world that if someone like Gloria Steinem can do what she's doing, anybody can. She came from a very working-class family. Her mother was mentally ill. The father had left the family, and Gloria ended up having to care for her from the age of 11 to 17. For this woman to get to be the leader that she is, with all that struggle in her past, is really inspiring. AP: We live in a polarized country, and there are people who would take exception to some or all of how you explain the world. Is there something in this play for those who don't already share that viewpoint? Lahti: I think there's a lot in the play for people who don't think they're feminists or don't believe that others are oppressed. First of all, this play really helps define what feminism is, which is just somebody who believes that women and men should have equal rights. And I challenge any man or woman to say that they don't believe that women and men should have equal rights. Feminism has nothing to do with being anti-male or even wanting the same kind of power that is ascribed to by the patriarchy. It's a whole different definition of power. It's not about a hierarchy that some people are above others. It's about everybody lifting each other up. Companies Are Coughing Up Ransom To Recover Their Data The fourth Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report reports that six per cent of the 5,569 firms polled, and one in six of those attacked, had surrendered by paying out ransom fees following a cyber attack. The highest losses for a single firm targeted with a ransom demand hit 40.2 million. The report also showed that total cyber losses surged 50 per cent to nearly 1.4 billion in 2019. Hiscox warned there were new cyber threats emerging from the coronavirus crisis, with a ramp-up in so-called phishing scams and as staff and companies are leaving themselves vulnerable due to less-secure home working computers. The Report surveyed a representative sample of private and public sector organisations in the US, UK, Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. Each firm was assessed on its cyber security strategy and execution. The Report says that UK businesses are now 15 times more likely to suffer a hacking incident rather than a fire or theft with one firm paying out 71 million. Among the key findings: Cyber losses soar: Total cyber losses among the study group rose from $1.2 billion to nearly $1.8 billion. The highest reported cyber losses were by a UK financial services firm, at $87.9 million. The highest loss from any one cyber event was $15.8 million, involving a UK professional services firm. The most heavily targeted sectors were financial services, manufacturing and technology, media and telecoms (TMT). Irish firms suffered the highest median costs, at over $103,000. Held to ransom: More than 6% of total respondents, or one in six of those attacked, paid a ransom following a malware attack. The highest losses reported by any single company targeted with ransomware, and which could include other cyber events, topped $50 million. Upping their game: The number of firms achieving expert status in our cyber readiness model increased from 10% to 18%. This follows two years while progress stalled. US and Irish firms came out best with 24% ranked as experts. France was the biggest improver with 18% of firms ranked as experts, up from 6%. Overall, twice as many firms responded to a breach this year by adding new security and spending more on employee training. Pace of cyber spending accelerates: The average spend on cyber security rose from $1.47 million to $2.05 million, a rise of 39%. French firms spent the most with an average of $3.1 million. Spanish and US firms were not far behind, at $2.6 million and $2.4 million respectively. The average spending by British business rose from just under $900,000 to $1.5 million. Currently cyber losses per firm have risen nearly six-fold, from an average of 8,041 a firm to 45,832. UK firms are now 15 times more likely to suffer a cyber-attack than a fire or theft, the report suggests. The biggest reported cyber loss among firms in the eight countries surveyed was suffered by a UK financial services firm, at 71 million. The report also uncovered that the highest loss from any one cyber event was 12.7 million, involving a UK professional services firm. While cyber attack losses rose last year, the Hiscox report that firms are increasing their defences against hackers, with spending on cyber security rising 39 per cent. The number of businesses that have paid a ransom following a malware infection is chilling... There is, however, one very positive message from this years report there is clear evidence of a step-change in cyber preparedness, with enhanced levels of activity and spending' the Hiscox Cyber chief executive commented Hiscox also warned there were new cyber threats emerging from the coronavirus crisis, with a ramp-up in phishing scams and as staff and companies are leaving themselves vulnerable due to less-secure home working computers . "There is clear evidence of a step-change in cyber preparedness, with enhanced levels of activity and spending. Take-up of standalone cyber insurance remains patchy, but this report is a reminder that firms are many times more likely to have a cyber incident than either a fire or a theft for which most automatically insure," said a Hiscox spekesman. You Might Also Read: Bolaji Tunji, spokesman to the late Abiola Ajimobi, ex-governor of Oyo state, said the deceased took all necessary precautions against... Bolaji Tunji, spokesman to the late Abiola Ajimobi, ex-governor of Oyo state, said the deceased took all necessary precautions against COVID-19. Ajimobi died of complications of COVID-19 on Thursday. The spokesman said the late ex-governor of Oyo state had planned to retire from politics after completing his eight-year tenure as governor. After his second term as governor, Ajimobi had contested the Oyo south senatorial election but lost to Muhammed Kola-Balogun, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a tribute on Facebook, Tunji said the late Ajimobi told his staff that he did not want to take up any political appointment after the general election but was convinced to accept his appointment as the deputy national chairman (south) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He never wanted anything else after the general election. He only wanted to take a long, due rest after serving for 8 years without break. But another position was thrust on him, Tunji said. He never solicited for us and he did not want. But they convinced him to accept. I know because in his usual forthrightness, he narrated how it happened. He took the positions because he felt it would benefit his people. I have done my bit. There is nothing I set out to achieve that I did not, I cannot be governor again, but I can not leave you people he would say. Narrating events that occurred before he contracted the disease, the spokesman said Ajimobi was called to Abuja to discuss party issues amid the APC crisis. He said the late governor, in his usual manner, had taken care of everything before he travelled to Abuja and only went with his security aide. It was just like yesterday. He had received a call to come to Abuja. It was to discuss party matters. He was not sure of who would follow him. Because it was a private flight, he had limited options. He only went with his security aide, Tunji said. He had told us earlier in our office in his Oluyole home that we would talk about the movement to Abuja since he had become the Deputy National Chairman. Our office had to shift to Abuja. He was in his usual caftan and cap, always impeccably dressed even at home except when he does his exercise every morning in his blue track down and blue stripe Tee-shirt and branded cap. With his earpiece and phone in hand, he would walk round the building several times to exercise. He radiated good health and we still marvelled that he still looked so good for his 70 years. Being 70 meant a lot to him and would jokingly call himself Baba 70. As he left our wing of the house to the other side, a few of us in our usual manner trailed him. He spoke with a few people in the courtyard before he left to prepare for that trip. I never knew it was going to be the last time I would see him. But in his usual organised manner, there was no pending issue. He had taken care of everything. He had signed all the letters of appointment for the peace and reconciliation committee. The spokesman said how the deceased contracted the disease remained a mystery because he always adhered to safety protocol. I still cant wrap my head round what happened. He was so healthy, he was neat, he took all the necessary precautions even while he sat with us in our open office he was always with his face mask, we always observe social distancing. We were always quick to give him hands sanitizer anytime he touched something, he said. We were conscious of his age and did all we could to ensure safety. We had three spots where you had to wash hands before entering the premises. One at each of the main entrance gates and another by the entrance to our office. We observed all due protocols. So what happened? How did it happen? None of us was sick. So where did this come from? I am still trying to find answers. Today I am thankful to say that the person responsible for this horrific act of violence is being brought to justice, Di Sandro said in her statement. Our detectives and our officers with the New Lenox Police Department have spent countless hours tirelessly investigating this case. If it had not been for their dedication and commitment to this case I know we wouldnt be standing here this evening. LONDON June 26, 2020 St Kitts and Nevis Sylvia Mary Agatha Garnette June 25 Timothy Harris St Kitts Florida St Kitts and Nevis Basseterre St Kitts and Nevis US$150,000 Mark Brantley /PRNewswire/ -- The Federation ofhonoured the work and service of illustrious nurseby renaming a health centre in her native Tabernacle. In a ceremony held on, Prime Ministeralso announced the construction of more health facilities across the twin islands. The fund option under the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme supports the development of healthcare inand Nevis.Retired in, the 89-year old inspired generations and was instrumental in immunising pre-school children by law. PM Harris recounted her guiding role in overcoming leadership challenges. The Federation successfully contained the spread of COVID-19, guided by health and science advice, with no related deaths and recovery of all 15 cases. The economy is reopening gradually yet borders remain closed for now, the PM clarified."I take great pride and pleasure in declaring [that] from henceforth this facility shall be referred to as the Sylvia Garnett Primary Health Care Facility," the PM said. "I am extremely grateful for such high recognition," Mrs Garnett told attendees via video link and thanked "the entire Federation for their love and support.""We have a plan," the prime minister. "I am looking forward to the buildout of other health support systems throughoutand I am looking forward to attending more ceremonies one is to come in Saint Peter's, one is to come in Conaree, one is to come in," PM Harris announced.In recent years,registered significant improvements in many aspects of social and economic life. The Citizenship by Investment Programme alone assisted with repaying IMF debts, supporting tourism development, sponsoring the Poverty Alleviation Programme and the Skills Training Empowerment Programme. To attract investment, PM Harris introduced the Sustainable Growth Fund under CBI as the fastest, safest and most family-friendly route to second citizenship.After passing due diligence checks, foreign investors make a minimum contribution of. They can receive citizenship within 60 days with the added Accelerated Application Process. Investors and their future generations earn the right to live, work, and study there, and easily travel to two-thirds of the world's countries. The list of visa-free destinations keeps growing, with Foreign Ministeradding 17 more in the past five years.CONTACT: pr@csglobalpartners.com, www.csglobalpartners.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-kitts-and-nevis-announces-new-healthcare-systems-and-names-health-centre-after-illustrious-nurse-301084507.html SOURCE CS Global Partners Parler CEO John Matze EpochTimes Jim Jordan, Elise Stefanik and Nikki Haley all have something in common, other than a strong affection towards President Trump. The three Republican politicians joined social media app Parler this week, adding their profiles to a site that's emerged as the new digital stomping ground for anti-Twitter conservatives. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas arrived earlier this month and Rep. Devin Nunes of California started in February, while Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has been a member since 2018, the year the app launched. "It's about time y'all joined me on @parler_app," Paul tweeted on Wednesday. "What's taking the rest of you so long?!" To be fair, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale has also been on Parler since 2018. Eric Trump, the president's son, and his wife, Lara, joined on the same day last month. Like Twitter, the app lets users share comments, photos and news stories with their followers. The catalyst for the latest growth surge was a story from The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, which said that the Trump administration was looking for alternatives to Facebook and Twitter over concern that more content is going to be blocked as the election campaign heats up. The Journal named Parler as a possible alternative. Two days later, Parler was the top-ranked iPhone app in the news category, ahead of Twitter and Reddit, and 24th overall, just behind Venmo and WhatsApp, according to App Annie. User growth surged to 1.5 million from 1 million over the course of about a week, said John Matze, Parler's 27-year-old founder and CEO. "We're a community town square, an open town square, with no censorship," Matze said in an interview on Thursday, from his home in Las Vegas. "If you can say it on the street of New York, you can say it on Parler." Parler is playing into the hands of conservatives, who have become more vocal in their criticism of Twitter since the site started flagging Trump's tweets for promoting violence or abusive behavior or making false claims that could confuse voters. Trump supporters have long argued that the dominant Silicon Valley platforms have been out to censor conservative voices, even as those very same people continue to post on those sites and rack up followers by the thousands. Rep. Jordan of Ohio told his 1.4 million Twitter followers on Friday to come over to Parler, where they "don't censor or shadow ban," referring to the practice of banning users in a way that's not apparent to them. By late afternoon he had about 3,100 followers on Parler. Twitter regularly denies treating people differently based on their political views. Liz Kelley, a Twitter spokeswoman, told CNBC in a statement that, "We enforce the Twitter Rules impartially for everyone, regardless of their background or political affiliation." When Nunes joined in February, he told his Twitter fans, which number 1.1 million, to join him on Parler if they're "tired of left wing censorship of big tech." Nunes has an infamous relationship with Twitter, after attempting to sue the company for defamation and negligence and naming as defendants two anonymous parody accounts, "Devin Nunes' Mom" and "Devin Nunes' Cow." "With Devin Nunes came a whole pack of haters," said Matze. He said that parody accounts are fine and even welcome, but Parler draws a line when it comes to spammers. "You can't spam people's comment sections with unrelated content," he said. That's not the only no-no on Parler, which has a fairly thorough set of community guidelines. The app doesn't allow terrorist organizations or support for terrorism, the sharing of false rumors, violent language (what the site describes as "fighting words") toward others, blackmail or pornography. For verification, Parler awards a gold badge to public figures to distinguish them from parody accounts, which get a purple badge. Matze, a computer scientist who founded the company in 2018, is grateful for the growth even if all the new verifications are creating a lot of extra work for his 30-person team. But Matze doesn't want the app to be just an echo chamber for conservative voices. Personally, he says he doesn't like either political party and he wants to see more healthy debate. He's so intent on getting some liberals onto the platform that he's offering a $20,000 "progressive bounty" for an openly liberal pundit with 50,000 followers on Twitter or Facebook to start a Parler account. The company will judge the best one, based on engagement with the community, and pay that person the reward. Matze said there's been such little response that he increased the original proposed payment from $10,000 to $20,000. "The whole company was never intended to be a pro-Trump thing," Matze said. "A lot of the audience is pro-Trump. I don't care. I'm not judging them either way." Brad Parscale, manager of U.S. President Donald Trump's re-election campaign, speaks during a rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images Where Matze is in full agreement with the Parler audience is in his opinion of Twitter. He thinks the company is targeting conservatives with censorship. "I don't see why you need to censor the president's tweets," he said. "If you don't like what he has to say, vote him out of office." Matze expects Parler to become a more attractive site for a more diverse audience over time because he sees Twitter continuing down a path of alienating right-wing voices, and "no one is going to want to stay on Twitter if the conservatives are gone." But he recognizes that the political tone of his platform will probably make it hard for him to raise money from investors in Silicon Valley, which leans Democratic and is decidedly anti-Trump. Thus far, he's funded the company with angel money and said he'll soon be looking to raise a first institutional round of financing. "I can only speculate that they wouldn't be interested unless they're ideological," he said, referring to traditional venture investors. Diligent Corporation, a leading modern governance company used by nearly 700,000 board directors and leaders, today introduced Modern Leadership an initiative to provide senior leaders with the resources, insights, partnerships, and technology they need to further catalyze diversity in their organizations and modernize governance. Diligent also announced today, Diligent Director Network the largest and most diverse community of board-ready executives globally created to widen the pool of diverse candidates for a vacant board seat. With the Director Network, Diligent is: Activating Diligents network of nearly 700,000 board directors and leaders across 16,000 organizations to nominate diverse, board-ready executives to build a database of largely untapped talent that will be searchable free of charge within the Diligent application. Teaming up with leading private equity firms to post more than 50 board roles for increased visibility and transparency for diverse director candidates. The 10+ private equity firms that have each committed to posting five open board roles include Insight Partners, Clearlake Capital, Vista Equity Partners, Hellman & Friedman, Hg, Genstar Capital, TA Associates, K1 Investment Management, Aurora Capital Partners, and Grain Management. Partnering with Spencer Stuart, a leading executive search and leadership advisory firm, to post board searches in the Diligent application creating more transparency for diverse candidates to apply for those roles. Spencer Stuart has long recognized the value of board diversity last year, minority executives and women comprised more than 60% of their placements in the U.S. Partnering with organizations that have a track record and mission for diversifying board rooms and executive suites including The Executive Leadership Council, Ascend, Latino Corporate Directors Association, and National Association of Corporate Directors to promote and create opportunities for their members. Opening an offer to Diligents clients to post open board and executive roles within Director Network for visibility and transparency for diverse rising directors. Diligent is committed to being a catalyst for greater diversity and inclusion, starting with the highest levels of leadership and we are using our network of nearly 700,000 board directors and leaders to help drive that change, said Brian Stafford, CEO of Diligent. By increasing the number and visibility of diverse board members, truly changing composition from the top, we believe organizations will be able to better serve stakeholders and create long-lasting, positive change in the world. We hope other companies will join us to create more board and C-Suite opportunities for diverse talent. There is no doubt that successful and visionary corporate leadership today requires diverse viewpoints, perspectives, and experiences that create a richer fabric for guidance and decision making, and Modern Leadership is meant to help organizations create their best futures, continued Mr. Stafford. The first job posting in the Director Network is from Diligent itself as the Diligent board of directors seeks to add an additional independent director, ideally with a racially diverse background. There has never been a more pressing time for change and diversity in the U.S. and across the globe and a more critical moment to identify and address a lack of diversity within the highest levels of leadership. Today, there are only four Black CEOs across Fortune 500 companies, representing less than 1% of the makeup. Additionally, 83.9% of all directors of Fortune 500 companies are Caucasian/White according to Deloitte. Modern Leadership intends to improve those numbers as Diligent and other companies actively measure and report on diversity as a part of their ESG strategy. Modern Leadership will also include convenings of existing, rising, and next generation leadership to discuss actions to drive change in the boardroom and at the executive level. Creating transparency around available board roles via partnerships with private equity In order to address social and economic justice, we need scalable solutions that speak to both Main Street and the boardroom, said Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista. Were proud of the work Vista Equity Partners portfolio companies are doing to address access, equality, and building the talent pipeline, and were thrilled to also join Diligent's smart and scalable initiative to increase board diversity. This is the right way to empower corporations to make strides towards equality of opportunity. Vista proudly joins Diligent and its partners in taking this critical step along the path toward a more just and equitable future." Diligents Modern Leadership initiative aligns closely with the long-held principle at Clearlake that diversity drives differentiated outcomes, said Jose E. Feliciano, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Clearlake Capital. Its evident that the Diligent team, in tandem with the companys industry partners, are committed to increasing diversity in leadership roles for the long-term. We are proud to partner alongside Diligent in what we hope will become a long list of our peers, as we collectively advocate and take the necessary steps to ensure a major change at the board level. Insight firmly believes that diversity is a fundamental asset of high-performing boards, said Deven Parekh, Managing Director at Insight Partners, who led the 2016 take-private of Diligent. Were committed to driving change within the software ecosystem and invested in Diligent because we believe its platform has potential to transform leadership. Diligents Director Network will enhance our board recruitment and executive search process in pursuit of better outcomes for our portfolio companies and our community. We are proud to not only participate in this initiative, but to help bring our fellow private equity peers to the boardroom table as well. "Grain Management was built on the principle that access is critical. The digital economy has the power to lift people up, bring people together, and level the playing field but only if we harness technology to scale positive change. I admire how quickly the Diligent team built this new tool, to connect the supply of outstanding leaders and the demand among companies to diversify their boards, commented David Grain, Founder and CEO of Grain Management. I look forward to supporting this platform and benefiting from the diversity of thought, background and opinion that it helps inspire in the boards of our portfolio companies, and in companies all across the world." Expanding the pool of diverse, board-ready candidates through partnerships with organizations whose mission is diversifying board rooms The Executive Leadership Council is committed to advancing the role and contributions of Black executives. This partnership with Diligent will provide our members even more visibility during the board and executive search process, said Crystal E. Ashby, Interim President and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council. We look forward to working together to increase the number of Black directors and executives at leading organizations. There is an urgent need for more diverse board members and executives at companies around the world but change of this magnitude cannot be done alone, said Esther Aguilera, President & CEO, Latino Corporate Directors Association. We are excited to partner with Diligent to bring even more scale and speed to a systemic issue that is incredibly important to us and our members. The Pan-Asian community is the fastest-growing population in the U.S., but approximately 70% of Fortune 1000 companies do not have the benefit of an Asian perspective in the boardroom, stated Janet Wong, Ascend Pinnacle, Lead Executive Advisor. "Ascend is pleased to partner with Diligent to help companies tap into the broad network of talented Pan-Asian directors and executives to help ensure corporate leadership reflects their important perspectives. Modern Leadership is free of charge to Diligent Boards customers and designed to be inclusive of the broader community. Diligent welcomes all potential partners across diversity organizations, search firms, private equity and our clients to join in the effort to accelerate diversity in the boardroom by visiting www.diligentmodernleadership.com. About Diligent Corporation Diligent Corporation is the pioneer of modern governance, empowering leaders to turn effective governance into a competitive advantage. Leveraging unparalleled insights from a team of industry innovators, as well as highly secure, integrated SaaS technologies, Diligents industry-leading suite of solutions changes how work gets done at the executive and board levels. Leaders rely on Diligent to drive accountability and transparency, while addressing stakeholder and shareholder priorities. Its applications also help streamline the day-to-day work of board management and committees, and support collaboration and secure information sharing. Designed for both public and private sector organizations, Diligent is helping to usher in a new era of modern governance. The largest global network of directors and executives, Diligent is relied on by more than 16,000 organizations and nearly 700,000 leaders in more than 90 countries. With an eye towards inclusivity and accessibility, Diligent serves some of the largest public governing bodies, including more than 50% of the Fortune 1000, 70% of the FTSE 100, and 65% of the ASX. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200626005236/en/ The family of two sisters murdered in a park in London carried out the search for them after they went missing and found their bodies in the absence of police help, their mother has said. Nicole Smallman, 27, and 46-year-old Bibaa Henry were stabbed to death at Fryent Country Park in Wembley, in the northwest of the capital, earlier in June. Their bodies were discovered by Nicoles boyfriend, Adam, who also found the murder weapon. He had taken it upon himself to go back to the place where the sisters had last been spotted. Mina Smallman, the mother of the deceased sisters, vented her frustrations about the Metropolitan Polices initial response and explained she had to take it upon herself to arrange a search operation for her daughters. The police did not instantly react when the two sisters were first reported missing due to officers making assumptions based on the race and class of her daughters, she said. I knew instantly why they didnt care, Ms Smallman, who is the Church of Englands first female archdeacon of black and minority ethnic descent, told the BBC in an interview. They didnt care because they looked at my daughters address and thought they knew who she was. A black woman who lives on a council estate. The mother of the two sisters recalled the moment she found out their bodies had been discovered. Ms Smallman said: All I remember is letting out a howl that came from the core of my soul. Thats the only way I can describe it. Her grief had been taken to another place after two Met Police officers were suspended over claims they took selfies next to the sisters bodies, she said. Recommended Sisters pictured dancing with lights before double murder in park The former archdeacon of Southend said the pictures dehumanised her children, adding: They were nothing to them and whats worse, they sent them on to members of the public. Ms Smallman added: If ever we needed an example of how toxic it has become, those police officers felt so safe, so untouchable, that they felt they could take photographs of dead black girls and send them on. It speaks volumes of the ethos that runs through the Metropolitan Police. Cressida Dick, the Met commissioner, issued an apology for the alleged behaviour of the two officers, saying the allegations had left her feeling dumbfounded and disgusted. The Met Police would not comment specifically on allegations the search had been too slow to get under way, but in a statement released on Thursday said: As a result of their murder, a mandatory referral was made to the IOPC by officers from the Directorate of Professional Standards to consider the actions of police between the time a number of reports were made to police by family and friends that Bibaa and Nicole were missing and the time they were found. The IOPC have taken the decision to independently investigate, and the MPS is providing full support to that investigation. Wipro promoter Azim Premji and his wife Yaseem have moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of summons by a Bengaluru court against merger of three firms owned by the Premji group. The development comes after a trial court issued summons on a complaint filed by an NGO against the merger of three companies - Vidya, Regal and Napean - with Hasham Investment and Trading Company, Times of India reported. Earlier, the Karnataka High court had dismissed their plea in the case accusing them of illegally transferring assets from three firms into a private trust and a new company. The case filed by Chennai-based NGO India Awake for Transparency accused Premji of merging companies in 2014 without following the due process. "Three companies, which were formed in 1974 and whose shareholdings were interlinked in 1980 that any of the two owned the third one, were merged with Hasham in 2015 after the RBI gave in-principle approval followed by the Karnataka High Court's green signal to the merger scheme," the daily reported citing Premji's advocate Mahesh Agrawal as saying. The petitioners suspect that the complaint may be the result of a business partnership with Subhiksha's R Subramanian going wrong. "A Premji group firm had to file criminal complaints against a Subramanian-owned company for bouncing of cheques worth crores of rupees in 2013, which is still pending. Agrawal claimed the criminal complaints filed by NGO 'India Awake Transparency' was masterminded by Subramanian nearly three years after the merger took place," the daily also reported. Meanwhile, Azim Premji, Founder Chairman and Rishad Premji, Chairman of Wipro, have both taken a voluntary cut in their compensation for the fiscal year 2020, according to the recent filing made to the Securities Exchange Commission in the US. While Azim Premji has foregone the profit linked commission payable, Rishad Premji has foregone both the variable pay and the profit-linked commission payable to him. Also Read: Delhi schools to remain close till July 31, 50% syllabus cut on anvil Also Read: India better placed than many nations in fight against COVID-19 due to lockdown: PM Modi A BURGLAR who broke into the homes of two pensioners on the same night has been jailed for five years. During one of the burglaries, Charles Flynn, was confronted by the occupant and fled after he was punched in the face. The 30-year-old, of no fixed abode, had pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary following an incident in the Dooradoyle area during the early hours of February 23, 2019. During a sentencing hearing earlier this month, Detective Garda Eoghan McDonagh told Limerick Circuit Court the occupant of the house, aged in his early 70s, was preparing to go to bed at around 1am when he encountered the defendant in the hallway. He imposed sentences totalling five years imprisonment in relation to the burglary offences. Mr Flynn, who had popped the front door to gain entry was wearing a balaclava and was armed with a short knife. Detective Garda McDonagh said he started shouting and roaring and demanding the keys to the pensioners car. He was pointing and waiving the knife, he told John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, adding that he fled from the house after he was punched in the face by the occupant of the house. Mr Flynn, who has a large number of previous convictions, has also pleaded guilty to charges relating to a number of separate burglaries. A TV and a car were stolen from another house in Dooradoyle later on the same night. Even though she did not encounter Mr Flynn, the occupant of that house a woman in her late 70s told gardai she no longer feels safe in her home and that she is nervous at night time. Imposing sentence, Judge Tom ODonnell said the defendants previous convictions were an aggravating factor but he noted he has been making good use of his time in prison. He also noted there are serious issues with drugs but that Mr Flynn is making a determined effort to address his addiction. Mr Flynn received a concurrent 18 month sentence for having possession of a stolen car at Condell Road on February 22, 2019. The vehicle had been stolen in Monaleen five days earlier. NEW BERLIN The New Berlin Education Association vowed Friday to pursue legal action against the New Berlin school board after several members of the unions leadership were disciplined during a special meeting Thursday over unspecified allegations of misconduct. During the meeting the board voted to suspend the associations co-president, Joe Kindred, with pay and move toward termination for allegations of misconduct, which have not been made available to the public or the union. The board also voted to suspend the other co-president, Tonya Delaney, for one day with pay for misconduct. The vote by the board to suspend Joe and push to fire him is another attempt to silence us, to intimidate us and prevent us from standing up for our students, our schools and ourselves, as teachers, Delaney said in a statement released through the Illinois Education Association. According to the statement, more than 250 people attended the meeting, many showing support for the teachers and speaking on Kindreds behalf during the public speaking portion of the meeting. We are in the process of pursuing legal action against the board, Delaney said. In the meantime, we are calling on the board to immediately rescind its actions against NBEA leadership and to reinstate Joes teaching position. We are encouraging all of those who support Joe to call and email the board to let them know you stand with Joe and the NBEA. The union contends the board and district administration took the action against union representatives as retaliation for an October vote of no confidence in Superintendent Adam Ehrman, whos final day with the district will be June 30. Since then, the BOE and Ehrman have demonstrated a clear pattern of retaliation against Joe, Sarah and myself, Delaney said. Make no mistake, we have done nothing more than use our voices to advocate against the toxic environment created by Ehrman. A right that is protected under both federal and state law. In addition to disciplinary action against Kindred and Delaney, a third teacher, union Vice President Sarah Knepler, also was on the agenda for potential disciplinary action, but none was taken. The three teachers were the subject of an investigation by attorney Merry Rhoades of Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt, which was hired in December to investigate matters including but not limited to student record violations, as presented and recommended by the District attorney firm, according to the Dec. 12 meeting minutes. The boards attempts to fire Joe have undoubtedly cost taxpayers thousands of dollars and are clearly retaliation for Joes leadership and involvement with our union, the NBEA, Delaney said. Board President Bill Alexander said he could not comment on personnel matters. A call to Ehrman was not returned Friday. Story updated June 27, 2020, to correct information about status of Joe Kindreds suspension. Press Release June 27, 2020 Prioritize the people's welfare amid COVID-19 crisis; Bong Go asks DOE, ERC, Meralco to ensure fair and clear guidelines on electricity charges Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go asked the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, and other concerned agencies to look into growing complaints regarding alleged cases of unjust electricity bills that some consumers received from power distribution utilities, such as Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). "Dapat pangalagaan ang interes at kapakanan ng mga ordinaryong Pilipino lalo na ngayon na hirap na hirap na ang mga tao dahil sa krisis na dulot ng COVID-19," Go urged. Go urged concerned agencies and Meralco to further clarify to the public the reason behind electricity rates during Enhanced Community Quarantine when actual meter reading was not possible and the reflected amount shown in June billings. "Maraming mga reklamo hinggil sa mataas na electricity bill na natanggap ng consumers. Kailangan ipaintindi ng maayos ang pinagbasehan nito. Importanteng masiguro na tama at patas ang aplikasyon nito para hindi dumagdag sa pinapasan ng ating mga kababayan," he said. In a statement, ERC Chair Agnes Devanadera said "We have been bombarded with complaints on Meralco's alleged high billings covering the past three months, including this May. (W)e need to look into these consumers' allegations (and so) we required Meralco to submit to us data or information for us to validate the accuracy of their billing calculations." The Senator, then, urged the ERC to investigate the issue further and ensure that consumers are charged the right amount without overburdening them in this time of pandemic. "Naghihirap na ang mga Pilipino at marami nang nagkakasakit, dadagdagan pa ng sakit sa ulo dahil sa pag-intindi ng hindi klarong mga patakaran ukol sa bayarin," he lamented. Go emphasized that while Meralco has made efforts to explain the reason behind the increased amount of electricity bills through their public statements, further clarifications and corrective measures are necessary to give consumers the assurance that there is no overcharging. "Siguraduhin po natin na naaayon sa batas ang patakarang sinusunod ng Meralco. At kung may mali, i-tama dapat nila sa lalong madaling panahon. Huwag ninyong palampasin kung may mali. Dapat gawan ng corrective measures o adjustments sa billing kaagad," he stressed. Go emphasized that now, more than ever, profits should not be prioritized over the welfare of the general public. The government, he said, should not tolerate any unfair business practices at a time when people's lives are at risk. "Nananawagan din ako sa Meralco na ipaliwanag ng maayos sa simpleng paraan at ibigay ang kumpletong impormasyon upang maintindihan ng mga tao. Huwag baliwalain ang mga reklamo, pakinggan niyo ang hinaing ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Tulungan po natin sila at pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga bumuhay sa inyong negosyo," he added. The Senator further urged concerned agencies to look into the matter and prioritize the welfare of the general public given the ongoing health crisis. "Unahin po natin ang kapakanan ng ordinaryong tao. Bilang parte po kayo ng gobyerno, we expect the agencies concerned to serve the people and protect the rights of ordinary Filipinos first. That should be the priority," Go urged concerned government officials. Go also requested the power companies to defer disconnection should some of their consumers fail to pay their electricity bills incurred during the ECQ. "Samantala, habang inaayos ang isyung ito, nananawagan din ako na kung maaari ay walang maputulan ng kuryente. Magmalasakit po tayo sa mga kababayan nating naghihirap ngayon. Tulungan ninyo at huwag mas pahirapan pa," Go requested. "Tatlong buwang pinagbawalan natin ang karamihan na makapagtrabaho at maghanapbuhay. Tatlong buwan nating pinilit na manatili lang sila sa kanilang mga bahay. Dahan dahan pa lang na nagbubukas ang mga negosyo at trabaho. Huwag naman sana natin dagdagan pa ang bigat at hirap na dinadala ng ating mga kababayan," he added. Earlier, Go urged the private sector to help alleviate the woes of workers and citizens amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by giving them enough leeway with paying their utility bills. "I appeal to the private sector-the industry players, business leaders, foundations and the like-to join hands and combine our efforts as we fight COVID-19 as one nation, as one people," Go said in a statement. Go emphasized further that threats of COVID-19 to the safety and lives of our people continue to grow. While the government is doing its best, a whole-of-society approach is needed to help the whole country overcome the crisis. "Magtulungan at magbayanihan po tayo. Walang dapat mapabayaan. Unahin natin ang kapakanan ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan," he stressed further. According to DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi, as early as May 15, they have written Meralco seeking for their explanation regarding the complaints from consumers on the spike in their electricity bills. On May 26, DOE called the executives of Meralco so they can personally explain these spikes which has caused additional worry to consumers and advised them that they should re-issue the electricity bills based on actual meter readings instead of using the estimated average consumption. Another meeting was then held on June 3 to discuss the implementation of earlier suggestions to issue new electricity bills to consumers. During the meeting, Meralco also informed DOE that they will be issuing advisories explaining the May and June billings, through letters, social media posts and print media notices. DOE also attended several meetings called by the Joint Congressional Energy Commission and House Committee on Energy to discuss the "bill shock" issue. To date, Meralco has re-issued June billings based on the actual meter readings with customer-specific explanations on the computation and how it will be paid on installment basis. Cusi assured that DOE is working continuously with Meralco and ERC in monitoring the developments to ensure that the interests of consumers are protected at all times. Cairo (AFP) - Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have agreed that Addis Ababa will delay filling a mega-dam as part of a comprehensive deal on the project that has raised tensions between the three countries, the Egyptian presidency said Friday. Ethiopia had previously pushed to start filling the gigantic Nile River dam next month despite vehement opposition from downstream Egypt and Sudan, and the dispute was raised with the UN last week. The office of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Friday that "a legally binding final agreement for all parties stressing the prevention of any unilateral moves, including the filling of the dam, will be sent in a letter to the UN Security Council to consider it in its session discussing the Renaissance Dam issue next Monday." Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was more forthcoming, saying in a statement that "it has been agreed upon that the dam filling will be delayed until an agreement is reached". His office said technical committees for all three countries will try to hammer out a conclusive deal within two weeks as suggested by Ethiopia. "Sudan is one of the biggest beneficiaries from the dam and also one of the biggest losers if risks are not mitigated, thus it urges Egypt and Ethiopia to the impending necessity... of finding a solution," Hamdok added. The minor breakthrough came after an emergency African Union Executive Council virtual session chaired by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa. Other attendees included Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. Political tensions have been running high between upstream Ethiopia and downstream Egypt and Sudan after recent ministerial talks failed to produce a deal on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Addis Ababa has been vocal about its plans to start filling the dam, located on the Blue Nile, in July. Egypt, which views the hydroelectric barrage as an existential threat, appealed last week to the UN Security Council to intervene in the dispute. Story continues Addis Ababa followed suit complaining about Cairo, while Khartoum expressed its concern to the UN about Ethiopia unilaterally filling without a comprehensive deal being inked first. Cairo fears the dam would severely cut its Nile water supply, which provides nearly 97 percent of the country's freshwater needs. Ethiopia says the dam is indispensible for its electrifiation and development needs. The Nile is a lifeline supplying both water and electricity to the 10 countries it snakes through. Heres a message to all you independent and right-leaning Americans who are deeply concerned about what the left is doing to your country. Because of your concern I want you to think of yourselves as patriots. All across the United States, fellow citizens who are not on the left are increasingly being treated with contempt for their opinions and beliefs. They have been vilified, stifled by the press, lied to, and ignored by our government, shut out of academia, censored and mistreated on social media, and silenced by the mob. It seems as well that very few of our leaders on the right know what to do. Most are feckless cowards, silently hiding away and wringing their hands in weakness while lawless Marxist mobs continue their destruction unhindered. Think about it. The left has been in control of all the institutions in this country for years and have only made things worse -- racism, riots, loss of freedom, our cities on fire. Theyve been lying to us for decades and have brought us to this point, yet theyre blaming everyone else, and especially people on the right, for all that is wrong in this country. Those who love this country and what it stands for havent been able to respond, I think, because we long ago lost our connection to the virtues that made this country great and we are unable to articulate them. In addition, we have lost control of the levers of power which are now in the hands of corrupted individuals and entities across the political spectrum. The problem were now facing isnt actually political; its fundamentally moral. To the left, citizens of this country who dont agree with them are nothing more than uneducated masses to be manipulated, divided, exploited, subdued, and ruled over by an elite few of our betters. To them, our rights come from those in control and can be granted or revoked at will. The end goal is absolute power, with a supposed Utopia at the end of the rainbow under their supposedly wise control. Most of us patriots, on the other hand, align to higher principles; reverence for God, from Whom all rights flow, the Ten Commandments, the sacredness of life, respect for all of humanity, objective truth, and virtues. Our concept of virtues includes integrity, respect, humility, love, courage, diligence, and self-control, all of which have proven inherently good throughout human history. The end goal is a nation, united under a common moral framework, in which every individual flourishes and enjoys true freedom. The left neither understands nor respects these higher principles. That is the heart of the conflict. Unless youve been in hibernation for the last four years, you can sense that November is do-or-die for those of us who love this country. Make no mistake; either our current president wins a second term, or we can bid farewell to the republic weve known and cherished. And even if he does win theres going to be hell on the streets for who knows how long afterward. Do you not intuitively know this already? Whats coming after election day will likely be much worse than what weve seen so far this year, regardless who is president. So let me put forward the question no one appears to be asking: What are we to do? My fellow patriots, now is the time for us to find our voice. Now is the time for us to reconnect with the founding principles (which, by the way, do not include racism). Now is the time for us to find each other, come together, expose the liars, and end the nightmare. Now is the time for us to liberate this country from those who are bent on destroying it from within and expecting us to cower in fear as they do it. Consider with me for a moment that there are likely well more than 150 million of our fellow citizens who very clearly do not want our country destroyed by the left. If we can find a way for all of us to speak in large numbers at the same time with a unified voice, well be impossible to ignore. We actually do have the ability -- and a window of opportunity -- to halt those who are planning and executing evil on this nation, but we must take action while there is still time. What do we need to do? Heres a recommendation. Are you willing to commit a few hours a week and a few of your hard-earned dollars to make a genuine and meaningful difference? Up until election day we need to lovingly and peacefully go on the offensive to win the hearts and minds of our friends, our neighbors, our fellow citizens. First, we need to reconnect with the higher principles that made this country great, internalize them, and use them as the foundation of our message. For those of us who are God-fearing, we also need to repent of our complacency, our materialistic idolatry, and our lack of watchfulness in protecting the hard-fought liberties we have enjoyed. Second, we need to be in a solid network of like-minded friends and find our voice -- connect at least weekly with like-minded patriots in your circle of friends and encourage them to connect with like-minded patriots in their circles. If we all take that step right away, well quickly find communication is possible across a very large, trusted network of like-minded people. Third, we need to organize. Then demonstrate. Can you commit one or two days between now and election day to show up en masse for our values and put the nation on notice? Organize a day of peaceful demonstration at your state capitol to articulate a positive, principled, freedom-affirming message in contrast to the lies were being fed every day. Identify leaders who can coordinate these gatherings, and get behind them with your time, talents, and resources. Encourage every like-minded patriot you know to commit the time to be there, and to bring as many like-minded friends and family with them as possible. Communicate through friendly forums and by word of mouth. Identify prominent, articulate speakers and invite them to join these events to amplify our message. Imagine one third (or even one tenth) of your states population showing up together at your state capitol. The numbers will be so large there wont be any way to ignore it. Thats what we need -- to be seen, heard, and respected -- and Im certain it can be done. I dont personally know how to make all of it happen, but Im confident there are patriots in every state who know what to do. Obviously, it will take a lot more commitment from some of us than others. If you have abilities and time, volunteer to step forward and take a leadership role, or volunteer to step into a supporting role you can capably fill. You strategists out there will understand that what Ive outlined above is just the beginning of something with much bigger potential. Listen, fellow patriots. Were the ones who built and continue to build this country, not the ones tearing it down. Were the ones who are equal opportunity and color blind when it comes to race. Were the ones sacrificing our time and talents for a better life for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Were the ones with entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity. The word cant isnt in our vocabulary. We have within us the capacity and the strength of conviction to make an overwhelming difference in this historic moment if we will abandon our fear, band together, and step forward. The key missing ingredient up to this point is the virtue of courage, and Im confident we can find plenty among us. My freedom-loving friends, you are not by any means alone -- there are tens of millions more like you across this nation who are feeling the same way you're feeling right now. So what do you say? The Accra-based popular radio station, Hot 93.9FM has won massive credibility and reputation, as they are the first media house to be presented with a copy of the second edition of the Ghana Police Diary magazine. It was presented to the outfit on June 26, 2020, by the head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service in the Greater Accra Region; DSP/Mrs. Effia Tenge during an interview on the Maakye show hosted by Boamah Darko. Presenting the Police Dairy, DSP/Mrs. Tenge delineated that the maiden edition which was launched in August 2019 by Dr. Joyce Aryee (Salt and Light Ministry), focuses mainly on the Corona Virus and the Law Enforcement Officer. According to the much-reputed Police PRO, the book encompasses the guidelines made available to the police; the personal experiences of the officers; the challenges faced by the police as an institution; and records of the arrest of deviant citizens during the partial lockdown. She revealed that Hot FM was the first media house to receive the book, and added that the book is a product of intense research and it is purposed to guide and inform the people--and the media. The 'Maakye' show host; Isaac Boamah Darko, who received the Police Dairy magazine on behalf of Hot FM management assured DSP/Mrs. Effia Tenge to make effective use of the book and make sure that it serves its purpose. Kindly Watch how DSP/Mrs. Effia Tenge Presented the Dairy to Hot 93.9FM System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. 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The CBI registered a case on June 26 on the request of the Rajasthan government. The state government had demanded for a CBI probe on June 6 to investigate the suicide by Vishnu Dutt Vishnoi. The CBI has booked a case against unknown persons to probe the reasons behind suicide of Vishnoi. The body of the SHO of Rajgarh Police station was found hanging with the ceiling at his government residence on May 23. In a suicide note addressed to the Churu superintendent of police, he had said he was not able to "bear pressure created around him". After the suicide by the SHO, many organisations in Rajasthan had demanded CBI probe into the matter. Even a screenshot of a WhatsApp chat between the SHO and his activist friend has gone viral where he is telling the latter that he was "being trapped in dirty politics at the local level". Oregons largest homegrown company will become smaller in coming months as new CEO John Donahoe launches a sweeping reorganization aimed at making Nike more efficient. Its not clear how many jobs will be cut. Nike indicated the layoffs will be phased in over the course of the summer, fall and perhaps beyond. Employees learned of the downsizing Thursday in an email from Donahoe. He said that during a multi-week listening tour he heard repeatedly that Nikes internal structure had become too complicated to get things done. The most frequent request I heard from you by far was your ask to simplify how we work, Donahoe said in an email first reported by the news site Complex. Across the entire company, it was clear that we need to reduce complexity and increase speed and responsiveness. Nike reported disappointing quarterly financial numbers Thursday, but Donahoe said the pending layoffs are not related to those poor results. No one expected the company to enjoy a good quarter in the midst of a global pandemic. But few expected the companys sales to decline by 40% or its losses to surpass $700 million. The reorganization isnt about cutting costs, Donahoe said. It is intended to create a better environment for completing important tasks. The subject line on his email to employees, a copy of which was obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive, read Transforming Nike Faster. Our Employee Engagement Survey from earlier this year reaffirmed the same thing, Donahoe said in his email. Many of you share concerns about how hard it is to get work done: Siloed work. Too many approvals needed. Complexity and duplicative resources resulting in a lack of accountability. An overburdened matrix. The company will realign itself into three product categories mens, womens and kids. Donahoe said there are large, untapped opportunities in the womens and childrens businesses. Donahoe said he will offer additional details at an all-company meeting Tuesday. These decisions are exceptionally difficult because they impact friends and colleagues at Nike, he wrote in the email. You have my personal commitment that we will put people at the center throughout this entire process. We will support everyone impacted by this transition. Oil marketing companies on Saturday hiked fuel prices for a 21st straight day. While petrol prices were hiked by 25 paise to Rs 80.38 a litre, diesel will now cost 80.40 per litre in the national capital. The price of petrol has been increased by Rs 0.25 per litre while that of diesel by Rs 0.21 per litre. Rates differ from state to state, depending on value-added tax (VAT). The state had increased the VAT on diesel from 16.75 per cent to 30 per cent and on diesel from 27 per cent to 30 per cent. This hike in VAT resulted in rates going up by Rs 1.67 per litre for petrol and a record ... Former contestant of The Bachelor Britt Nilsson has welcomed her first child, a daughter. The 31-year-old took to social media on Friday to reveal she had given birth earlier in the week on June 23 to a little girl named, Noa Ellis Joy Byrne. Britt shared a series of different posts and photos while revealing 'there was nothing like the love' she had towards the little one. She's here! The Bachelor's Britt Nilsson has welcomed her first child, a daughter named, Noa Ellis Joy, with her husband, Jeremy Byrne 'Hello! My Name is Noa Ellis Joy Byrne and I was born June 23 at 5:52 am, 9lb and 21 inches long!!' she began. Britt went on to explain the meaning behind her unique name. 'NOA is a Hebrew girls name that means "movement" or "motion". In Japanese it means "My love" or "from love". In Hawaiian it means 'freedom" or "sea of freedom". In Arabic it means 'higher" and "genius".' New mom: Brit also penned a lengthy post about the feelings she felt towards her little one, in a photo taken just minutes after her birth Special times: Britt shared many photos following the birth with her followers 'To us, it means the cutest little squishy warrior princess angel nugget ever born on this earth.' She continued: 'Its also a biblical story in Numbers about 5 daughters asking Moses for their fathers inheritance and God blessing their request before that was even remotely happening in society.' 'Get it girl! So basically we love it for all the reasons!' Brit also penned a lengthy post about the feelings she felt towards her little one, in a photo taken just minutes after her birth. Dad: Her husband Jeremy was also seen with his baby Bonding: One image had Jeremy shirtless having some skin-to-skin time 'Meeting you, our little Noa for the very first time, just seconds after you came out!' 'Carrying you for 9 months and then finally getting to see your precious face and actually hold you in my arms, even after so much physical pain and exhaustion, was the most pure, Holy, lovely, and profound thing Ive experienced as a human being on this earth.' 'Thank you for being our treasure, precious girl. There is nothing like this love!' Brit revealed she was expecting a baby back in December when she was 14 weeks. Love: 'Thank you for being our treasure, precious girl. There is nothing like this love!' 'I already love you so much': Britt Nilsson took to Instagram in December to announce that she was expecting with husband Jeremy Byrne Lots of love: The 31-year-old former reality star also shared a clip of the ultrasound of the growing bundle of joy She captioned the small gallery: 'Swipe to see whos inside!!!! First pic is me at 14 weeks, second is baby Byrne at 10 weeks. I cant believe our little boobah is zootin all around so much with their little legs and arms, makes me cry!! 'Cant wait to keep watching you grow, I already love you so much! [three heart emojis] Days before the most recent post the happy couple announced they were expecting with a screenshot of them holding up a positive pregnancy test strip. The former reality star and Jeremy wed in a romantic, intimate wedding attended by 160 of the couple's loved ones back in September 2017. 'Pure JOY!' Days before the most recent post the happy couple announced they were expecting with a screenshot of them holding up a positive pregnancy test strip Just us: Britt and Jeremy posed together The duo said 'I do' in at California's Green Oak Ranch, a Christian retreat center owned by the groom's grandfather, who also officiated the ceremony. The couple, who began dating in 2016, announced their plans to marry in May of 2017, and ultimately wed nearly four months later. Britt made her name on season 19 of The Bachelor in 2015 as she vied for the heart of Chris Soules. She almost became The Bachelorette but ultimately lost out to Kaitlyn Bristowe. Minister Paul Kehoe is urging the government's Public Health Emergency Committee to re-examine the numbers of people that will be allowed to attend services at their local churches after criticising a 'one size fits all' approach. In the most recent announcement regarding the easing of restrictions, it was announced that places of worship will now be able to re-open to crowds of 50 people or less. Minister Kehoe says that, while welcome, this relaxation of the restrictions doesn't go far enough. 'We have some very large churches in this county,' he said. 'We've gone with this one size fits all approach, which seems totally unfair. In some of our bigger churches in Wexford town for example, you could easily accommodate larger crowds with a distance of two to three metres between them. Some of these churches could easily accommodate 100 to 150 people and still adhere to social distancing.' 'I've had a number of calls from priests across the diocese on this,' Minister Kehoe continued. 'There are ways and means of doing this. For example if a family of five attend Mass on a Sunday, that brings the total amount of people allowed down to 45, when in actual fact all of those people are from the one household and can sit together. For the most part, everyone in the church is facing the same way too, not face to face, and I know that priests around the diocese have been working very hard to implement measures to keep everyone safe. A lot of them now have communions and confirmations coming up and are left in a very difficult position.' 'I've been promised that the Public Health Emergency Committee will be looking at the situation and we have a cabinet meeting on Thursday at which I will be pushing for an update.' Minister Kehoe is also seeking clarity on the issue of weddings and has stated that it's 'ridiculous' that hotel staff serving tables at a wedding reception are included in the number of 50. While this is to expand to 100 from July 20, he's saying that those imposing restrictions 'have to be real' and that a degree of trust needs to be placed in hotels to ensure these events take place in a safe manner. Jurgen Klopp has ruled Liverpool out of the race to sign Jadon Sancho this summer. Borussia Dortmund value the England international at around 117million and while Klopp admitted his admiration of the winger, he said he would be surprised if he moved to Liverpool. Speaking on a live video with German outlet Bild, Klopp said: 'A red jersey would look very good on Jadon Sancho. Jurgen Klopp has ruled Liverpool out of the race to sign winger Jadon Sancho this summer But the Reds' manager admitted the England international is a player who interests him 'But I don't think such a transfer will take place this summer. 'He is a very interesting player. If he moved to Liverpool, I would be the most surprised of all.' Liverpool were crowned champions on Thursday after Manchester City's defeat by Chelsea. But the Reds will not be big spenders ahead of the 2020-2021 campaign. Liverpool were crowned champions on Thursday but will not be big spenders next season They were heavily linked with signing Timo Werner before the pandemic but they were beaten to his signature by Chelsea who were able to meet his 53million release clause. Sancho has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid, who may be in a better financial position to meet the Bundesliga side's asking price. Sportsmail reported that United are prepared to wait for the German side to lower their asking price but Real have also shown an interest. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted he is not sure how badly his club have been hit by the coronavirus crisis and whether it will affect the funds he has to spend in the transfer market. The England international has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United 'I think the pandemic has hit everyone really hard. I still think we need to wait and see how things are panning out to know the real effects of the pandemic, to know what kind of financial state we are in. You see some teams invest, some teams don't. We'll have to take a big look at things ourselves to see how hard we've been hit,' Solskjaer told Goal.com. 'I know the club has announced a few numbers before. It's not for me to say here now we are going to have X amount because I don't really know. 'I don't really know how hard we have been hit. We are a financially strong club, but we are also probably being hit more than anybody else.' Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not know how much money will be available to sign players Sportsmail understands that United are ready to bide their time this summer to put pressure on the German club to reduce their demands for a player who only cost 10m in 2017. Sancho is thought to be keen to return to England after leaving Manchester City three years ago,. He has been one of the stars of the Bundesliga since making the switch to Germany with 33 goals and 39 assists in all competitions over the last two seasons. NEW DELHI - Indias confirmed coronavirus cases crossed half a million on Saturday with another record 24-hour jump of 18,552 infections. The Health Ministry also reported 384 new deaths, raising the total to 15,685. The surge prompted authorities in the northeastern state of Assam to impose a two-week lockdown in the state capital of Gauhati. About 700 new cases were reported there in just four days. Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the rest of Assam will be placed under a night curfew and weekend lockdowns. He urged people to store essential goods and signalled a tighter lockdown where even grocery stores would be closed. ___ In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region: China has reported an uptick in new coronavirus cases, a day after the nations CDC said it expects an outbreak in Beijing to be brought under control soon. The National Health Commission said Saturday that 21 cases had been confirmed nationwide in the latest 24-hour period, including 17 in the nations capital. City officials have temporarily shut a huge wholesale food market where the virus spread widely, re-closed schools and locked down some neighbourhoods. According to Chinas CDC, testing has found only a few infected people without a link to the market and that the steps taken mean the risk of further spread is low, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Anyone leaving Beijing is required to have a negative result from a nucleic acid test within the previous seven days. Many Chinese are travelling during a four-day holiday weekend that ends Sunday. China has reported 83,483 confirmed cases and 4,634 deaths in the pandemic. People who test positive but show no symptoms are not included in its official case count. South Korea has reported 51 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus as fresh clusters continue to emerge in the densely populated Seoul area. They bring the national caseload to 12,653, including 282 deaths. Thirty-five of the new cases came from Seoul and nearby cities and towns, which have been at the centre of a COVID-19 resurgence since late May. Twelve others were linked to international arrivals. Health authorities are struggling to trace contacts and predict infection routes with new clusters popping up from just about everywhere. Hundreds of infections have been linked to nightspots, church gatherings, restaurants and low-income workers such as door-to-door salespeople and warehouse employees. Officials have so far resisted calls to reimpose stronger social distancing guidelines after easing them in mid-April, citing concerns about a fragile economy. Australian health officials are expecting more cases of COVID-19 as hundreds of nationals return from overseas to begin mandatory quarantine. About 300 people are due to arrive in Adelaide this weekend from Mumbai, India, while hundreds are expected to follow from South America and Indonesia. People in hotel quarantine will be tested for the coronavirus at the start and end of their 14-day isolation. South Australia state Health Minister Stephen Wade says hes preparing for about 5% to 10% returnees to have the virus, as was the case when people returned from Indonesia in other states. Melbourne recorded 30 new cases on Friday, continuing a run of double-digit increases that has more than tripled Victoria states active cases to 183 in just over a week. In an attempt to reduce the chance of new flareups during a two-week school holiday break, almost 5,000 infrared thermometers are being shipped to popular vacation spots in the state. The thermometers will be used at testing clinics set up on the Great Ocean Road tourist drive and in the Victorian Alps ski area. Australia has had 104 COVID-19 deaths and nearly 7,600 confirmed cases. Sri Lanka reopened cinemas on Saturday as part of the island nations efforts to return to normalcy following more than two months of lockdown to contain the coronavirus. Patrons are required to follow health guidelines such as hand washing and wearing face masks. A seat must be kept vacant between patrons in a bid to maintain social distancing, and cinemas are only allowed to reach half capacity. Previously, Sri Lanka reopened places of worships, wildlife parks and zoos. The country has confirmed 2,014 cases of the coronavirus, including 11 deaths. ___ Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak Return of the King Were sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss An Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD officially unveiled his new cabinet in the Dail in the past hour and it doesn't feature any representative of the Longford / Westmeath constituency. Also read: Joe Flaherty says focus is now on rebuilding Ireland post Covid-19 and opportunities for Longford Robert Troy (FF) and Peter Burke (FG), in particular, were names touted as potential Ministers and they'll be hoping that junior ministries may come their way. Also read: 'Not today, not tomorrow but real change is coming' vows Longford / Westmeath Sinn Fein TD Sorca Clarke There is no Minister from the province of Connacht, and this, too, has raised quite a few eyebrows. The cabinet is ; Here is An Taoiseach's speech to the Dail as he unveiled the cabinet ; B'ail liom cead a chur in iul, mar eolas don Dail, gur chuir me m'ainmniu mar Thaoiseach in iul don Uachtaran agus gur cheap se me da reir. I beg leave to announce, for the information of the Dail, that I have informed the President that the Dail has nominated me to be the Taoiseach and that he has appointed me accordingly. The urgent and ambitious programme for government which we have agreed requires a significant reform to the structure of Departments as well as a new approach to how we work collectively to deliver for all of the people of our country. Following the formal nomination of members of the Government I will give more detail about these changes and the work we will undertake starting this evening and throughout our term. Tairigim: Go gcomhaontoidh Dail Eireann leis an Taoiseach d'ainmniu na dTeachtai seo a leanas chun a gceaptha ag an Uachtaran mar chomhaltai den Rialtas: I move: That Dail Eireann approve the nomination by the Taoiseach of the following Deputies for appointment by the President to be members of the Government: As Tanaiste and to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar. To the Department of Climate Action, Communications Networks and Transport, Eamon Ryan. To the Department of Finance, Paschal Donohoe. To the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath. To the Department of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney. To the Department of Education, Norma Foley. To the Department of Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, Roderic OGorman. To the Department of Agriculture and the Marine, Barry Cowen. To the Department of Justice, Helen McEntee. To the Department of Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, Heather Humphreys. To the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OBrien. To the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin. To the Department of Health, Stephen Donnelly. To the Department of Higher Education, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris. To the Office of the Attorney General, Paul Gallagher. I also propose to nominate Deputy Dara Calleary as Minister of State in the Department of the Taoiseach as Government Chief Whip. In the coming week I will propose further Deputies to serve as Ministers of State and outline a series of special responsibilities to be assigned to them. These will be focused on delivering specific priorities. The Government which I am nominating will be committed to working together in a new way and with both urgency and ambition. There is no time for quietly settling-in. Every minister has a substantial role to play not just in delivering the commitments for the Departments but also in the Governments collective work. The challenges we must overcome are both immediate and, in many cases, long-standing. They can only be met and overcome if we work together across our responsibilities. There is no question about our first priority continuing the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and moving decisively to recover from its devastating social, economic and cultural impact. We will immediately begin the work of preparing an investment-led, jobs and recovery initiative which will be brought to the Dail for approval next month. This will be a whole-of-government initiative about more than just the enormous task of getting our people back to work. I, together with Deputy Leo Varadkar and Deputy Eamon Ryan will lead this process through a special cabinet committee which will begin its work in the coming days. The cabinet committee will have a wider membership. The economic elements of the initiative will directly act to help businesses which continue to struggle and move forward with sustainable initiatives to save and create good jobs in every part of our country No one yet fully understands what the lasting impacts of the pandemic will be, but we know for sure that these impacts spread deeply in every aspect of our families and communities. We must help schoolchildren so that they do not fall permanently behind. We must help people to cope with the personal impact of stress and anxiety. We must do everything possible to quickly recognise and decisively respond to groups and communities which show new and unexpected impacts from the pandemic. And of course, we have to continue to implement safe and proportionate actions to limit the virus. The shaping of a fair and inclusive recovery will be our absolute priority from today and until this work is done. But we have also committed ourselves to an ambitious and urgent programme which will define our work from today onwards and in the coming years. Ireland can achieve very little without a strong and dynamic economy. And to have a strong and dynamic economy we must continue to transform it. We must have sustainable investment in good public services, in preparing the workers and businesses of today and the future for technological change and we must play our part in tackling the existential crisis of climate change. In support of our programme to meet these economic challenges we will be restructuring key elements of government. The Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform will be led by separate cabinet ministers. Together the ministers will lead action on a wide range of strategies for investment, for reform and for making sure that Ireland plays a leading role in shaping fundamental economic policies under discussion within the European Union and internationally. Deputy Leo Varadkar will lead the restructured Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with its urgent agenda. The transfer of Trade to the Department reflects the fact that the next few years will be unique in terms of the number and importance of the trade issues which will be decided. This requires an integrated approach. Equally it is a statement by the new government that Ireland believes that international trade is essential for helping countries to prosper. It has been central to our progress in the past half century and it will continue to be central to our progress in the years ahead. All three parties in this new government believe that climate change is a defining challenge not just of this generation but of human history. The programme we have agreed puts action on climate change into the work of every part of government. We must not just overcome this challenge but we must turn it into a new opportunity. We must build an Ireland with a sustainable economy, an Ireland which protects and restores its wonderful natural diversity and an Ireland which does not leave communities behind in this great transition. Deputy Eamon Ryan will lead this work through a major new portfolio. In addition to climate change and the natural environment, he will oversee other specific areas which are an essential part of the climate change agenda. This includes the Department of Transport as well as communication networks. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton will be the Minister covering Transport. Agriculture, food and the marine will remain a priority both as central to rural society and a major economic pillar. I reject the false idea that you can either support agriculture or care for the environment. Farmers are the great custodians of our country. We owe it to them to work with them to ensure decent incomes and a sustainable future for them and our rural communities as a whole. I can confirm that Deputy Pippa Hackett will be appointed as a Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture. This new government is determined that Ireland will be a constructive and effective member of the European Union and the international community. In the many struggles underway in our world there is no doubt where we stand. We stand for strong international cooperation. We stand for humanitarian principles. We stand for a Europe which is stronger and has the ability to fulfil the great challenges we face. We stand with those who share our belief in free democracy and strong, rules-based international organisations. Deputy Simon Coveney will serve as Minister for Foreign Affairs and also as Minister for Defence. He will do so in a challenging period during which we will carry the additional responsibility of membership of the Security Council of the United Nations. Our international standing rests on many things, but nothing is more important than the tradition of peace-keeping which our defence forces have built over six decades. Oglaigh na hEireann has served and protected our country with great honour and distinction. 86 of their personnel gave their lives showing the world the values of our country. The new government is committed to renewing our commitment to Oglaigh na hEireann. Deputy Coveney will ensure that their voice is heard not just here but in shaping the humanitarian policies which they will continue to serve. We are also committed to completing the work of reforming policing and ensuring that communities are safe. The Good Friday Agreement remains the defining blueprint for our islands future and a vindication of democratic politics. The new government will move forward quickly to try to fulfil the vision set out in the Agreement. We will work closely with the democratic institutions in Northern Ireland. I will establish within the Department of the Taoiseach a new Shared Island Unit which will begin a renewed push to use the potential of the Agreement to deliver sustained progress for all communities. And we will do everything to seek the full implementation of the agreements made by the United Kingdom with the European Union concerning Brexit. Helping businesses and communities to prosper in spite of the impact of Brexit is an urgent and ongoing task for us. This government will work to deliver early and sustained action on housing. We are determined to restore hope to people that they will be able to find a place to buy or rent. There are no easy answers, action and investment is required across a wide range of measures. We are also committed to delivering a public health system which will care for people faster and to the highest standards. We will focus not just on long-term changes, but also on immediate action on the most urgent issues. As we have all seen in recent months, we have a great national resource in the skills and professionalism of those who work in our health system. I have no doubt that we can achieve sustained progress on longstanding problems. The single most important decision in delivering progress for modern Ireland involved a decisive move towards expanding educational opportunity. The new government is committed to delivering further progress on education and is implementing the most significant modern reform in the structure of how government oversees this area. The higher education sector will form the core of a new, separate government department and be combined with other science and innovation functions including the area of science funding. This sector is going through a major transformation and needs clarity and engagement from government. Equally, we need to do more to acknowledge and build on the incredible base of scientific research which has developed in the past two decades and which has played a central role in our economy and our ability to respond to the pandemic. The Department of Education will implement a series of measures to make education more inclusive and to complete important reforms. Educational welfare functions will be returned to the Department. We will expand the work of the current Department of Children in a number of important ways. The vital task of improving child protection services and expanding childcare provision will be accelerated. Coordination of disability-related issues will be handled by a senior minister for the first time. One of the greatest developments in our recent history is how we are becoming a more diverse society. History teaches us that in the long-term, you have to work hard to achieve a successfully integrated society which respects the cultures of all. Cabinet-level responsibility for Integration demonstrates our commitment to undertaking this work. Today would normally be the most colourful and joyful day of the year on the streets of Dublin. Pride is a reminder of just how far we can come in a generation through valuing equality, incorporating it in our laws and changing how we behave towards others. Equality will have a strong voice in this new government. A free, independent and professional media is vital for our democracy. We have set our commitment to helping not just our public service media, but our professional media as a whole to be able to have a sustainable future. Deputy Catherine Martin will lead our work on this as a matter of urgency. She will also lead the critical work of helping to restart and strengthen key elements of what makes us unique as a nation our arts, our national language, our sports, and our tourism. Tabharfar suntasacht nua sa Rialtas dfheidhmniu an straiteis fad-tearmach do usaid an teanga agus spreagadh eolais. At this moment more than ever we have been reminded of the central role which the state must play in supporting people at key moments of their lives and providing them with security including during their retirement. The social vision of the new government includes giving a new impetus to community development. This is a major reconfiguration of central elements of how government is structured and it will be accompanied with a new approach to how government works. Ministers and their officials will work more closely together in a series of cabinet committees which will be established. The challenges our country is facing cannot be placed within the walls of individual departments they cut across government and we must work across normal boundaries to overcome these challenges. Decisive and rapid action on recovery. Immediate and ongoing work to address the central challenges of housing, health, education, Brexit and climate change. And a positive and outward-looking engagement with Europe and the international community. These are the principles which will underpin our work. Our country has achieved many incredible things in the past and I have no doubt that we can and will do so again. Thank you. Drastic new measures may be brought in to slow the spread of coronavirus in Victoria, including mandatory local lockdowns and $1,600 fines for rule breakers. The Victorian government is considering the changes after 41 new infections were recorded on Friday - the highest daily increase since early April. Suburban lockdowns in coronavirus hotspots are among the ideas being discussed by premier Daniel Andrews and state health officials, The Herald Sun reported. There are also expectations $1,600 fines will be introduced for quarantined travellers who refuse to get swab tested for the virus. Melbourne is now on high alert, after it was revealed on Saturday that a Metro worker based at Flinders Street Station, the city's busiest, was infected with the deadly virus. So far 13 other Metro staff members have been forced into home quarantine amid concerns the worker may have been infectious on shift. Lieutenant Commander Thomas Miller is seen lending a hand at a coronavirus testing centre in Melbourne on Saturday (pictured) after the Royal Australian Navy were drafted in to help Medical staff are seen conducting coronavirus testing at the new Mobile Testing Site at CB Smith Reserve Fawkner in Moreland, Victoria (pictured on Saturday) If the rate of infection continues to surge with sustained community transmissions, police road checkpoints may also be brought in at six COVID-19 trouble spots - Hume, Casey, Brimbank, Moreland, Cardinia and Darebin. Although such a move would be unprecedented in Victoria, similar local area roadblocks were introduced in Tasmania when a massive outbreak occurred in the state's northwest in April. The rest of Australia has largely contained any coronavirus outbreaks, with several states not reporting a community infection for weeks, but Victoria has seen a week of double-digit infections. The Australian Defence Force (pictured in Melbourne on Saturday) have been drafted in to help with the mammoth COVID-19 testing effort As a result, stay at home orders introduced by the federal government in March have largely been eased across the country, but it now appears parts of Victoria could be called to undergo another shut down. Under the heightened restrictions, the only valid reasons for leaving home would be for work, study, essential shopping, caregiving and exercise. One of the major concerns for Victorian health authorities is the alarming rise in the number of quarantined travellers who are refusing to get tested for COVID-19. Up to 30 per cent of forced quarantine travellers have declined nose swabs. But simply dishing out fines is not easy as Victoria has signed up to a human rights charter which bans such penalties. Victoria has recorded 41 new coronavirus cases overnight (pictured, a man is tested at a car park testing site by a member of the ADF in Melbourne on Saturday) Military officers are seen lending a hand at a coronavirus testing centre at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday (pictured) VICTORIA'S SPIKE IN CORONAVIRUS CASES 27/6: 41 26/6: 30 25/6: 33 24/6: 20 23/6: 17 22/6: 16 21/6: 19 20/6: 25 19/6: 13 18/6: 18 17/6: 21 Source: Department of Health and Human Services Advertisement More than 19,000 travellers have undergone hotel quarantine since returning to Victoria, with at least 200 later testing positive for the deadly virus. A nurse at the Royal Melbourne Hospital has also tested positive for COVID-19, with alerts being sent out to staff, patients and visitors. In the six areas most affected by the new outbreak, mass testing is already under way. 'People are going to be knocking on your door and they are going to be asking you to get tested. Please say yes,' premier Daniel Andrews said. 'Please go and get tested. That is the most important thing you, in those suburbs, can do to help us contain this virus.' Department of Health and Human Services' community engagement team members are seen door-knocking residents in coronavirus hotspots (pictured in Melbourne on Wednesday) Paramedics perform COVID19 tests in Broadmeadows, Melbourne, as officials check if residents have any symptoms (pictured on Thursday) Of the new infections reported on Saturday, eight are linked to outbreaks, 13 are from routine testing and 19 are being investigated. Just one case is a returned traveller, indicating that the virus has spread to an alarming number of people in the community. Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said there are currently 204 active cases in Victoria, with five patients in hospital and one in intensive care. Dr van Diemen said it was 'getting a little bit complicated' to discuss cases linked to outbreaks as there are 'quite a number of outbreaks at the moment'. Three of the new cases are linked to the north Melbourne family outbreak and one is part of the Wollert outbreak, she said. Cars are seen lining up so drivers can get a coronavirus test at the Fawkner Mobile Testing Site in Melbourne on Saturday (pictured) Members of the Australian Defence Force are seen putting on PPE as they were drafted in to help perform thousands of COVID-19 tests in Melbourne on Saturday (pictured) Two new cases are linked to Albanvale Primary School, one is connected to Stamford Plaza Hotel and another is associated with the Keilor Downs outbreak. 'All bar one are close contacts who have been identified who were already in quarantine at the time of diagnosis,' Dr van Diemen said. Almost 22,000 additional tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours. A 'suburban testing blitz' is currently focusing on Keilor Downs and Broadmeadows. Emergency text messages have been sent to residents in both suburbs. On Friday, Victoria's deputy chief health officer Annaliese van Diemen (pictured) acknowledged that about 30 per cent of returned travellers have refused a COVID-19 test Workers are seen carrying out the huge testing blitz in Melbourne on Saturday (pictured) amid fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections On Friday, Dr van Diemen confirmed about one third of returned travellers have refused a coronavirus test. Estimates suggest that this could mean as many as 5,000 people could have left quarantine without a test. The state government confirmed on Saturday it was seeking legal advice about whether it could make returned travellers in hotel quarantine get tested. 'It's the government's view that all returned travellers should be tested,' a government spokeswoman said. Victoria has recorded 41 new coronavirus cases overnight (pictured, a man is tested at a car park testing site in Melbourne on Friday) Health officials knock on doors in Broadmeadows in Melbourne's north on Thursday to encourage COVID-19 testing (pictured) 'Following yesterday's decision at National Cabinet, Victoria is getting legal advice to explore all options.' Victoria's hotel quarantine program tests travellers on arrival and the 11th day, the government said. Dr van Diemen said hotel quarantine had been 'enormously successful' in decreasing COVID-19 cases and keeping the virus out of Australia. But the outbreaks in Melbourne were not reflective of returned travellers refusing a test. 'The evidence in Victoria remains that we have not had community cases or community transmission linked to people leaving hotel quarantine that, the current program is really very successful,' she said. People in face masks leave Flinders Street Station on Saturday June 21 (pictured). A Metro worker based at the station has since tested positive for coronavirus Medical staff work at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing site at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday (pictured) CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement 'So whether it becomes mandatory or not, there's a really large number of questions. And we are continually working on our processes to really encourage people to uptake the testing that is offered to them in Victorian hotels.' Over the border in NSW, returned international travellers who refuse to have the test on day ten must stay an extra ten days in quarantine. NSW has a two per cent test refusal rate, authorities said on Saturday. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it was important to test and trace as many people as possible to prevent the spread of the virus. 'It is very important that people do put themselves forward to have these tests because ultimately if someone gets coronavirus they are endangering the lives others across the community,' he told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday. Victorian opposition leader Michael O'Brien said it made no sense that people could refuse the test, and if so, should pay for their stay. 'If people in quarantine refuse a test how about we just make them pay for their own stay, and I think that'll sort it out pretty quickly,' he told reporters on Saturday. Australians have been warned to stay away from six council in Melbourne: Hume, Casey and Brimbank, Moreland, Cardinia and Darebin Paramedics perform COVID19 tests in on local residents in Broadmeadow, Melbourne (pictured on Thursday) Victoria has ramped up testing with its focus on ten suburbs with high community transmission - Keilor Downs, Broadmeadows, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Hallam, Brunswick West, Fawkner, Reservoir and Pakenham. More than 758,000 total tests had been done to date on Saturday. More than 1,700 people have recovered from the virus in Victoria while 20 have died. Six new corornavirus cases are reported in NSW on Saturday, including a man in his 70s from Sydney's west. All close contacts of the man, from the Penrith area, have been contacted and the case is under investigation, NSW Health said. The remaining five new cases are returned travellers in hotel quarantine, the department said in a statement. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured on Thursday) was last week forced to roll back eased coronavirus restrictions due to the second spike in cases ?? Se publico el Decreto Supremo que establece las medidas que debe observar la ciudadania en la Nueva Convivencia Social y prorroga el Estado de Emergencia Nacional hasta el viernes 31 de julio de 2020. ?? https://t.co/mNiKhwSQfk#PrimeroMiSalud pic.twitter.com/IhTKKIt2LL Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 06:18:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: The U.S. House of Representatives on June 26, 2020 approves a legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. for the first time on Capitol Hill after it was created more than 200 years ago. (Xinhua) The White House and Republicans who control the Senate have already voiced their opposition to the measure to grant statehood to Washington, D.C., making the House vote largely symbolic. WASHINGTON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday approved a legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. for the first time on Capitol Hill after it was created more than 200 years ago. The bill was passed on a highly partisan vote of 232-180 in the Democrats-led House. Collin Peterson from midwest state Minnesota was the only Democrat to vote against the bill. All House Republicans opposed it and independent lawmaker Justin Amash of Michigan also voted no. The White House and Republicans who control the Senate have already voiced their opposition to the measure, making the House vote largely symbolic. Photo taken on on May 15, 2020 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Introduced by D.C.'s nonvoting House member Eleanor Holmes Norton, the bill would shrink the country's capital city to a small area encompassing the White House, Capitol buildings, Supreme Court, and other federal buildings along the National Mall. The rest of the city would become the 51st U.S. state, named the Washington, Douglass Commonwealth after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, according to the bill. With the statehood, the bill would grant D.C. two senators and make the existing sole House representative a voting member. However, it is unlikely to gain traction in the Senate while President Donald Trump has said he would veto the bill if it came to his desk. File photo taken on April 6, 2014 shows Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorials in Washington, D.C., capital of the United States. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) Republican lawmakers have blasted the bill as a Democratic "power grab," citing the lopsided partisan leanings of residents in the U.S. capital city. "D.C. will never be a state," Trump said in an interview with the New York Post last month. "You mean District of Columbia, a state? Why? So we can have two more Democratic -- Democrat senators and five more congressmen? No thank you. That'll never happen," said Trump during the interview. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and also known as D.C. or Washington, was founded in 1791 after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country under the Residence Act signed into law in 1790. BRASILIA (Reuters) - Two Yanomami men were killed with shot guns by gold rush miners on their reservation in the northern Amazon region, according to a statement released on Saturday by the tribe, the largest in Brazil that is relatively isolated from the outside world. The Yanomami are imploring Brazil's government to evict more than 20,000 miners illegally prospecting for gold on their land in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 160 and killed five members of the tribe. The Hutukara Yanomami Association said a group of its people approached a mining camp on June 12 to ask for food in the mountainous Serra de Parima region, a remote corner of the vast reservation on the Venezuelan border in Roraima state. One young tribesman was killed in a shooting incident as they departed the camp and another died after a chase by armed miners, the statement said. The tribe's leadership only learned about the June 12 clash four days ago and the circumstances are being investigated by the federal police, who went to the area where the bodies of the men, aged 24 and 20, were still lying in the rainforest. "They were killed for no reason," said Junior Hekurari, head of the Yanomami health council, Condisi, who accompanied police to the site. "It is so sad to die on your own land." The government's indigenous affairs agency, Funai, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. A court last week ordered Funai to reopen three abandoned posts for monitoring the reservation and work to remove the gold miners due to the risk that they are spreading coronavirus among tribes with no immunity or access to healthcare. Indigenous rights organization Survival International called on Brazilian authorities to take urgent and decisive action to remove the illegal gold miners and bring to justice those responsible for the killings. "If not, we fear there will be will an escalation in violence which could result in further bloodshed, as happened in the gold rush of the 1980s-90s," said Fiona Watson, advocacy director at Survival International. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) Washington: President Donald Trump's transfer last year of $US2.5 billion ($3.64 billion) in military funds to pay for his wall on the Mexican border was an illegal overreach of executive authority, a three-judge panel in the US Court of Appeals ruled on Friday. The 2-1 decision was a setback to the President's increasing reliance on the Pentagon to finance hundreds of miles of new barrier along the Mexico border. Its long-term implications were less certain, as the Supreme Court ruled in Trump's favour in a similar case last year and Friday's decision only affects a portion of the funds the White House has budgeted for what has become one of the largest federal infrastructure projects in US history. The president, who ran for office in 2016 promising that Mexico would pay for the border wall, has obtained more than $15 billion in US federal funds for his signature project, including $5 billion provided by Congress through conventional appropriations. Handout image from Apple Inc. shows Apple CEO Tim Cook, one of the speakers at The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Because of concerns regarding COVID-19, this years WWDC was held online. (AFP) In his book Super Pumped (a biography of Uber), Mike Isaac argues that App Store and Play Store give Apple and Google, respectively, the power to destroy multi-billion dollar companies. So when Travis Kalanick (then CEO of Uber) was charged with breaking some of the rules of App Store, and he managed to survive a meeting with Tim Cook without getting Uber kicked out of App Store, he felt like he could survive anything. When it comes to App Store, and the millions of developers and apps working on it, Apple is god. In case you have been living under a rock, Apple has been having quite a month. Just a few days ago, the Cupertino giant had its annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). Traditionally the company launches new software updates during the event think iOS, MacOS, WatchOS, TvOS and so on. During this years event, Apple unveiled the ability for people to choose their default email apps. It may not sound like a big deal to most people, but the development was a subtle nod to anti-trust. Earlier this month, a mid-sized developer called Basecamp launched a paid email service called Hey. The service, as expected, was out on App Store and Play Store and seemed like business as usual. That is until Basecamp tried to submit an update to the app, a routine attempt to fix bugs, and Apple refused to roll it out on App Store. As excellently put by The Verge, App Store requires paid services to offer users the ability to sign up and pay -- using Apples payment tools of course. That costs developers a non-negotiable 30 percent cut (for the first year, and 15% for subsequent years). Hey, however, did not offer in-app subscriptions, which violated the rules of App Store. To which the Basecamp CTOs response was to say he would rather burn this house down myself than pay a 30 percent fee to Apple. For context, all this was happening while the European Commission launched an anti-trust investigation into Apple Pay and App Store practices. Apple is not the first name to come to mind when it comes to anti-trust regulation. Generally you associate Google or Amazon with any mention of such regulation. But think about it, App Store is one of the most controlled toll booths on the internet. Just last year, the platform helped Apple raise more than half a trillion USD. But yet here we are, and instead of directly talking about anti-trust, I want to try and trace the original sin by Apple towards Basecamp. Is the case problematic because the 30% developer fee is too high (and arguably, selectively applied)? Im not so sure. There is a growing sense to see App Store, Play Store, social media, and even GIF apps, as public utilities. So by extension, this should allow developers to post apps without paying a fee or allow users to post misinformation in the guise of free speech. Misperception This perception is mistaken. These platforms may not be immediately rivalrous, but they are excludable in theory. In addition, they are privately owned and are not accountable to their users. For instance, Apple does not ask developers or users for suggestions when it updates the terms of service. Or in case you have an Instagram page that reaches a thousand followers, nothing is actually stopping the platform from deleting your account. The truth is that these platforms are free to set their own rules as long as it does not contradict the law of the land. And you could make that argument about any fees. Its not like if the fee were 20%, it would be less of a problem. Or is the problem that unlike the Mac, App Store and Play Store, Apple does not allow apps from outside the App Store to be installed on iPhones? You could make that case. But the fact is that the scale on which the iPhone operates remains unmatched by the Mac or any singular line of Android Phones. Couple that with Apples commitment to maintain security and have higher standards of privacy and you realise why it is important for the company to determine what can and cannot stay on its phones. Or is the argument that Apple is too big and hence all of the above become problems? In which case, you could make the case for breaking up the company into say, wearables, phones, tablets, laptops, and services. But then the original problem with App Store would still exist, considering that money would be relatively harder to come by and they would need to rely on the existing business model. According to Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson, it is all of the above. Speaking on an episode of The Vergecast, he argued that Apple has been using this extortionate scheme in the guise of maintaining peoples privacy. This, in turn, is harming developers (by coercing them to share revenue) and users (by limiting competition and subjecting them to worse products and services). It is not hard to see where Heinemeier Hansson is coming from. The real problem here is that Apple plays two roles when it comes to App Store gatekeeper and revenue collector. So there is an underlying incentive for the company to make the platform as profitable as possible. There have been arguments to break up the company (and it is easy to understand why, the wearables business of Apple alone is the size of a Fortune 150 company). Plus when you are the size of Apple, and have millions of developers working on App Store, the smallest of policy changes are bound to have a massive impact on developers. But tearing App Store away from Apple is still not going to fix the problem, especially not in a way that makes sure that App Store retains its standard of user privacy. Instead, what is needed is regulation for app stores. There is an inherent need to separate the gatekeeper from the revenue collector to mitigate an obvious conflict of interest. Time, and the development of anti-trust investigations, will tell whether we will go down this path. Until we do, in the app world, Apple is, and will remain, God. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. 'Did China Encroach Our Land?' India's Congress Nudges Prime Minister Modi Over Ladakh Conflict Sputnik News 11:56 GMT 26.06.2020 New Delhi (Sputnik): In an unprecedented turn of events, Indian and Chinese armies fought each other at a disputed territory in eastern Ladakh on 15 June. India lost 20 soldiers, including an officer, while there has been confirmation about any casualties on the Chinese side. Both sides have blamed each other for the violent face-off. India's main opposition party, Congress has once again nudged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come clean on the Galwan Valley face-off and reveal the truth, about whether China has encroached upon the territory of the country. "Some days ago our prime minister had said, not an inch of land was encroached upon by anyone and no one crossed over to our land. But people are saying, satellite images are showing, people of Ladakh and retired army generals are saying that China has encroached our territory not at one place, but at three places. Prime minister, you have to say the truth", said Gandhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his concluding remarks at an all-political party meeting on 19 June claimed that "neither anyone entered in our territory nor any of our posts were captured". Meanwhile, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday asked Prime Minister Modi, if China has not encroached upon our land, how and why 20 did Indian soldiers lose their lives. India and China have blamed each other for the violent face-off. New Delhi said Beijing violated various bilateral agreements by amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the de facto border known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). On the other hand, Chinese envoy in New Delhi Sun Weidong blamed India for "completely" instigating the violence in the Galwan Valley causing casualties. He claimed the Galwan Valley is located on the Chinese side of the LAC. India and China share a border from Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast to Sikkim in the centre to Ladakh, a northern union territory. While it is mainly a land border in most regions, in Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh, it passes through a lake. India controls the western portion of the 45-km long lake, while the rest is under Chinese control. Most of the clashes between the Indian and Chinese armies have taken place near the disputed portion of the lake. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former New Hanover Township police officer Keith Youse and his wife, Sandy, say they're not satisfied with the results of the township's investigation into Keith's allegations of racist behavior by the local police chief. Read more Keith and Sandy Youse have spent the last few weeks watching protests over police brutality roil cities across the country, including Philadelphia, 42 miles from their home in Montgomery County. No protests have come to New Hanover Township, a rural suburb of Pottstown patrolled by an 11-member, all-white police department. But the couple have been waging their own war against what they call the thin blue line being held up by Keith Youses former colleagues on the force. On Monday, the townships Board of Supervisors announced it had ended its months-long investigation of complaints from Youse and another former officer of racial intimidation and bullying by the police chief and other officers. Most of what Youse alleged, officials said, could not be substantiated. Now, Youses supporters and a member of Congress are calling for an outside probe into his accusations against township Police Chief Kevin McKeon. They have referred the case to the state Attorney Generals Office and are pushing for more transparency, especially amid the national conversation on police reform. If cops do this to other cops, I can only imagine what is happening to the general public, Youse said. In an incident first reported by Philly Voice, Youse found an egg roll placed in his belongings at the office when he retired in 2019 due to a medical issue. He immediately recognized it as a slight against his wife, who is Korean American, and she tearfully confronted the townships supervisors at a meeting days later. In a formal complaint, Youse alleged a toxic culture in the department, asserting McKeon and another senior officer regularly peppered slurs, including the N-word, into conversations about suspects. We didnt ask for this, we didnt have to come forward, Sandy Youse said in an interview this month. But when her husband showed her photos of the egg roll he found that day, I was through the roof, I was so mad. Sitting close to the northern tip of Montgomery County, New Hanover has demographics that have insulated it from frequent conversations about race. Of its nearly 11,000 residents, 95% are white, according to U.S. Census data. The officers who patrol the township respond more frequently to traffic collisions and burglar alarms than violent crime. Youse, 48, had been a cop for 22 years, including 14 in New Hanover. Originally from the nearby Upper Perkiomen Valley, he and his wife had lived in the township since 2002. Recognizing the difficulty in having their complaint validated, the Youses contacted the Pottstown branch of the NAACP. The organization conducted its own investigation, interviewing more than a dozen people who said they either witnessed racist behavior by McKeon, or that they had heard about it. Their list included current and former township employees, as well as the police chief of a neighboring township who had his own run-in with McKeon. Some spoke freely about what they said was the townships blatant history of racism. Others were reluctant to speak on the record, the organization said, fearful of retaliation. The NAACP submitted its findings to the supervisors. After stories in the Pottstown Mercury and pressure from the community, township officials hired John Gonzales, a Center City-based attorney, to investigate the claims. For nearly a year, there was little word. Johnny Corson, the president of the NAACPs Pottstown chapter, wrote the supervisors June 10, pressing for details into the probe. If the results werent ready, he wrote, could they at least answer questions about how the investigation was being conducted? We will continue to maintain that the residents of New Hanover are entitled to know whether their concerns have been properly investigated, Corson wrote. In light of recent national events, the public needs to know that everyone regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation will be treated with equal fairness and respect by the New Hanover Police. Twelve days later, the board revealed the findings. A statement summarizing the results of the probe came at the end of the board meeting, read to a sparse crowd many there to hear about the progress of a new road-salt shed being built. Neither Youse nor his wife attended. Board president Charles Garner Jr. said the lawyer, Gonzales, had been provided free rein to conduct the investigation and interviewed 30 township employees. In the end, he said they could not determine who placed the egg roll in Youses belongings or whether it was done intentionally to harass or intimidate his family. They also said they could not substantiate Youses reports of derogatory language used against his family, and that some allegations were explicitly contradicted by some witnesses. The investigation did uncover reports of township employees making sporadic inappropriate racial comments in years past, his statement said. The board promised to address these employees, whom they did not identify, and to implement additional and regular sensitivity training. The Board of Supervisors and township management fully recognize that such improper language cannot be tolerated in a modern, professional organization of any kind, particularly within a police department, the statement read. There should be no doubt that the board of supervisors has taken, and continues to take, these allegations seriously. Township Manager Jamie Gwynn declined to answer questions about the investigation, or release the full report submitted to supervisors. Reached after the meeting, Corson declined to discuss the results but said his branchs executive committee will craft a formal response. In our minds, he said, we dont believe this is over. McKeon declined to comment. His attorney, Sean E. Cullen, said that the chief stands behind the results of the townships investigation, and says the original allegations upset him because they were simply not true. The 62-year-old has an annual salary of $117, 080, according to township data. His 10-year contract with New Hanover ends on Dec. 31, 2022. Before inking that agreement, McKeon was a lieutenant in Norristown, working on the force there for 30 years. The chief at every turn made himself available and provided without hesitation any records that were asked, Cullen said. Any new allegations that came up, we made arrangements to answer them. There was no interference from the chief. He said McKeon would continue to cooperate if another agency conducted a similar investigation. Youse and his supporters worry that the townships promises are just platitudes. And that the $30,000 spent on the investigation was wasted. We dont know the line of questions that were asked, the type of questions they asked, he said. Supporters say, Oh, Youse is a liar, but they admitted that they found examples of racist behavior. Gonzales did not return a call seeking comment. Youse and his supporters questioned the lawyers objectivity, noting that he also represented the township in an unrelated civil dispute with a resident while investigating his complaint. Its one reason they say an outside agency should conduct its own investigation. The NAACP brought the case to U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat whose district includes New Hanover Township. She asked Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a fellow Montgomery County Democrat, to examine the claims. Dean said the situation in New Hanover is an absolutely granular example of what has motivated demonstrators across the country. If these allegations are true, how is it that a chief of police can be using racial slurs, can be using racial taunts against an officer, and what kind of culture has that established? she said in an interview two days after the township meeting. If citizens believe they cannot call upon their police department without fear of some sort of penalty or retribution or unequal treatment or racist treatment, we have a very serious problem. A spokesperson for Shapiro did not respond to a request for comment. Sandy Youse said she and her husband are now afraid to drive through the township and have given their sons detailed instructions on what to do if theyre stopped by the police. Our community deserves better, she said. They deserve people who respect their people, regardless of color, race, whatever. And the people who are in charge now dont. A report by Fast Company states that Segway is closing its production line on July 15. They will also be letting go 21 employees while 12 will retain their jobs to temporarily handle warranties and repairs. The Segway, one of the best ways to get around eastern European cities and some shopping malls, is going off the market. The company is ceasing production next month. A report by Fast Company states that Segway is closing its production line on July 15. They will also be letting go 21 employees while 12 will retain their jobs to temporarily handle warranties and repairs. Theres no information about how long the company will continue to support the last outgoing models but a support network has sprung up on Reddit that has fans and owners sharing maintenance tips and repair instructions for motorized skateboards and a separate community for Segways exclusively might spring up too. After all, its Reddit. Segway machines are actually quite well built with Segways VP of business development Tony Ho saying that there are machines out there with over 100,000 miles on the clock that still work perfectly. Before the Segway was launched it was hyped by the biggest names in tech. Steve Jobs had even said it would be bigger than the personal computer. However, in its 20-year life, Segway sold just 140,000 units. This was a failure considering the company had predicted it would sell 100,000 in the first 13 months after product launch. While production may be ending, the technology was revolutionary and it led to a bunch of intellectual property for the company. Segway has over 1,000 active patents on self-balancing technology, which are still going to be used in its upcoming products. Hundreds of travellers have arrived in Australia from India, sparking fears there could be another spike in COVID-19 cases. More than 250 passengers arrived at Adelaide Airport on Saturday morning on a flight from Mumbai via Singapore. The travellers will now be required to spend two weeks in supervised hotel quarantine. Authorities wore face masks and provided hand sanitiser to each of the passengers before they were transferred to the Pullman hotel in the CBD by bus. More than 250 passengers arrived at Adelaide Airport on Saturday morning on a flight from Mumbai via Singapore. Pictured: Travellers arrive in Adelaide in April Authorities wore face masks and provided hand sanitiser to each of the passengers before they were transferred to the Pullman hotel in the CBD by bus. Pictured: Travellers arrive in Adelaide in April On Friday, Health Minister Stephen Wade said a number of COVID-19 cases should be expected among the returning passengers. Mr Wade said all those arriving in SA would be tested when they landed and while in isolation. 'What we've seen interstate is about five to 10 per cent of travellers returning from the subcontinent have tested positive on their arrival,' he said. 'If we see similar figures in SA we could expect up to 25 new cases from these planes.' In May, about 680 repatriated Aussies also flew into Adelaide on two separate flights from India. They were isolated in two hotels in the city, with none testing positive for COVID-19. The travellers will now be required to spend two weeks in supervised hotel quarantine. Pictured: Two women wear face masks at the airport As of Friday, South Australia had not recorded a new coronavirus infection for 31 days. The state is sticking with its plan to reopen borders to all states on July 20 but is looking to restrict travellers from COVID-19 hotspots. 'We're gradually moving to put restrictions in place around identified hot spots, rather than blanket restrictions by states or territories,' Mr Marshall said on Friday. 'There will be some time until they get their new infections under control but ... we feel very confident Victoria will get on top of their problems.' With 30 new cases reported in Victoria on Friday, Mr Marshall said SA would continue to monitor its progress. SA has already lifted border restrictions for Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. In connection with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, satellite measurements made headlines showing how much the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) had decreased in China and northern Italy. In Germany, traffic density is the most important factor. However, the weather also has an influence on NO2 concentrations, according to a study by the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), which evaluated the influence of weather conditions on nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Saxony 2015 to 2018 on behalf of the Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG). It was shown that wind speed and the height of the lowest air layer are the most important factors that determine how much pollutants can accumulate locally. In order to determine the influence of various weather factors on air quality, the team used a statistical method that allows meteorological fluctuations to be mathematically removed from long-term measurements. The air quality fluctuates, in some cases very strongly, due to different emissions and the influence of the weather. Until now, however, it has been difficult to estimate, what share legal measures such as low emission zones or diesel driving bans have and what share the weather influences have in the actual air quality? With the method used, this will be easier in the future. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an irritant gas that attacks the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, causes inflammatory reactions as an oxidant, and increases the effectiveness of other air pollutants. As a precursor substance, it can also contribute to the formation of particulate matter. Limit values have been set in the EU to protect the population: For nitrogen dioxide, an annual average value of 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air applies (g/m). To protect the health of the population, measures must be taken if these limit values are not complied with. In 2018/2019, for example, various measures were taken in Germany, ranging from a reduction in the number of lanes (e.g. in Leipzig) to driving bans for older diesel vehicles (e.g. in Stuttgart). To evaluate the effectiveness of such measures, it would be helpful to determine the exact influence of weather conditions. The Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture, and Geology (LfULG) therefore commissioned TROPOS to carry out a study on the influence of weather factors on NO2 concentrations and provided its measurement data from the Saxon air quality measurement network and meteorological data for this purpose. The researchers were thus able to evaluate data from 29 stations in Saxony over a period of four years, which represent a cross-section of air pollution - from stations at traffic centers to urban and rural background stations and stations on the ridge of the Erzgebirge mountains. They also calculated the height of the lowest layer in the atmosphere and incorporated data from traffic counting stations in Leipzig and Dresden into the study. A method from the field of machine learning was used for statistical modeling, the application of which in the field of air quality was first published by British researchers in 2009. In this way, the study was able to demonstrate that the traffic density at all traffic stations is most significantly responsible for nitrogen oxide concentrations. However, two weather parameters also have a significant influence on nitrogen dioxide concentrations: wind speed and the height of the so-called mixing layer. The latter is a meteorological parameter that indicates the height to which the lowest layer of air, where the emissions mix, extends. It was also shown that high humidity can also reduce the concentration of nitrogen dioxide, which could be due to the fact that the pollutants deposit more strongly on moist surfaces. However, the exact causes are still unclear." Dominik van Pinxteren, Researcher, Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) The statistical analysis has also enabled the researchers to remove the influence of the weather from the time series of pollutant concentrations: Adjusted for the weather, the concentration of nitrogen oxides (NOx) decreased by a total of 10 micrograms per cubic meter between 2015 and 2018 on average overall traffic stations in Saxony. In urban and rural areas and on the ridge of the Erzgebirge, however, NOx concentrations tend to remain at the same level. Even though there have been some improvements in air quality in recent years, there are good scientific arguments for further reducing air pollution. In a way, this also applies to premature conclusions from the corona crisis: in order to find out how strong the influence of the initial restrictions on air quality actually was, the influence of the weather would have to be statistically removed in a longer series of measurements. To this end, investigations for the Leipzig area are currently underway at TROPOS, as is a Europe-wide study of the EU research infrastructure for short-lived atmospheric constituents such as aerosol, clouds, and trace gases (ACTRIS), the German contribution to which is coordinated by TROPOS. Tilo Arnhold Beijing: Chinas product safety regulator says Samsung will recall all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones sold in mainland China, amounting to around 191,000 units, in another setback for the tech giant in the worlds largest smartphone market. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said, on Tuesday, Samsungs move follows discussions with the administrations enforcement division and the launching of an investigation into defects. The regulator says the company will either provide a full refund at the original price or replace Note 7 units with any other model of Samsung phone. Those who take the second option will receive a refund for the difference in prices between the products, along with a 300 yuan (USD 45) voucher. Samsung has blamed a battery problem for making the phones prone to catch fire. For all the Latest Business News, International News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. LIMERICK has been left without a minister in the Cabinet of the 33rd Dail. Following a day of high drama, the newly elected Taoiseach Micheal Martin, plus Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Green Party frontman Eamon Ryan announced their top teams for the new Dail. Newly elected Limerick TD Brian Leddin was in the running for a super junior position, a role which would have given him a seat, although not a vote in Cabinet. However, that role, the fourth senior position the Greens are entitled to, went to Senator Pippa Hackett in what was a major surprise. She was joined by party leader Mr Ryan (transport) and deputy Catherine Ryan (communications), along with fellow Dublin TD Roderic OGorman (children). There were also high hopes that Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins would become government chief whip which would give him a Cabinet seat. But that role went to the partys deputy leader Dara Calleary. He was joined in Cabinet by Mr Martin, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien, Agriculture Minister Barry Cowen, Public Expenditure Minister Micheal McGrath and newly elected Kerry TD Norma Foley in Education. Meanwhile, Fine Gaels Mr Varadkar is Tanaiste and has kept Paschal Donohoe in cabinet as Finance Minister, with Helen McEntee becoming new Justice Minister. Simon Coveney retains his role in foreign affairs, while Heather Humphreys is the new minister for rural affairs. Simon Harris moves from health to Higher Education and Research. Hildegarde Naughton is Fine Gael's super-junior minister. Its hoped Limerick will at least have a presence among the team of Ministers of State, which will be announced in the days to come. The make up of the Cabinet of the 33rd Dail has sparked concerns of regional imbalance, with Cork and Dublin TDs in particular enjoying multiple ministeries. Labour councillor Joe Leddin today tweeted: Disappointed that new Government have left our city and wider Mid-west region out of Cabinet. His colleague, Cllr Conor Sheehan added: Once again Limerick and the Mid-west are left behind with no representation at the Cabinet table. Limerick was well served by both Jan OSullivan and Michael Noonan at Cabinet. Earlier in the day, Micheal Martin became the 15th Taoiseach of Ireland after securing the backing of 93 members of the Oireachtas, with the ceremony held in Dublins Convention Centre to ensure social distancing. Among that number were Deputies Willie ODea, Niall Collins, Patrick ODonovan, Kieran ODonnell and Brian Leddin. Former Fianna Fail councillor Richard ODonoghue, now an Independent TD was the only member of the six-member rural Independents group to back Mr Martin. He said he will back the government on a vote-by-vote basis, adding: We need a government. Im not in favour of the programme for government. Im in favour of a lot of it, but not the Green parts. The implementation of the policies Im not in favour of. I don't think they have the experience to bring people with them. Mr ODonoghue regrets that the region does not have a seat at Cabinet. Its bad for Limerick. It lacks vision for Limerick, he said, A lot of ministers are Dublin-based and thats been to the ruination to the rest of the country. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if any politician from Limerick will make up one of the 11 Taoiseachs nominees for the Seanad, which its hoped will be constituted by Monday. Fine Gael is entitled to four seats, Fianna Fail the same, with the Green Party picking three. Sandoval County, NM On June 25, 2020, the Sandoval County Street Crimes & Intelligence Unit was conducting surveillance on two suspects who had allegedly broken into some vehicles at the Algodones Spillway near the parking lot. According to the Sandoval County Sheriffs Office, these two individuals are also suspected of robbing a restaurant in Sandoval County. The suspects, who both have active arrest warrants, were driving a stolen SUV when they became aware they were being surveilled. Once the Deputies recognized that their cover had been blown, they attempted to take the individuals into custody. The driver of the SUV failed to follow directions and surrender to Deputies and drove the vehicle straight at them, one of whom was on foot attempting to make an arrest and ultimately crashed into two unmarked vehicles. The suspects fled in the SUV and were observed from the air by Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office Metro Air Support in the Sandia Mountain area near Highway 165. The SUV was driven into the Placitas area of Sandoval County and abandoned in flames, by the suspects, who fled on foot. A Shelter in Place Alert was issued for the affected area of Placitas as Sandoval County Deputies and New Mexico State Police searched the area for several hours for the suspects. Sandoval County Investigators, coordinating with both State and Federal agencies, have several leads on the suspects that are being followed at this time. SCSO has not released the identities of the suspects at this time. How, exactly, does the coronavirus hijack and reprogram human cells to sicken and kill? This question has obsessed Nevan Krogan since February, when the UCSF virus expert and his colleagues realized, before many did, that things in America would get very bad very fast. Since then, the question has only grown more urgent, and for the past four months, Krogan and an ever-expanding team of scientific collaborators in San Francisco and around the world have turned their labs upside down, prying out secrets of the virus that might point to a cure. They have built an innovative system for quickly generating clues about the virus weak spots and using those clues to search vast drug databases for existing drugs that might stop it in its tracks. First, they assembled a first-of-its-kind map of the virus inner workings, exploiting the map to pinpoint 10 old drugs and compounds that kill the virus in lab tests and could ultimately become drugs for treating COVID-19. Now the UCSF-led group has used similar techniques to explore the biology of the virus at a deeper level, flagging a new class of drug candidates that function through a different, powerful mechanism. Lozito; Nicholas And this time, the scientists have taken photos of the virus as it infects host cells, providing some of the first sharp visual images of the deadly pathogen at work and exposing weird cellular structures created by the virus that have never been seen before and that may help explain why it is so infectious. The more you understand this creature, the better you can fight it, said Krogan, a molecular biologist at UCSF and an investigator with the Gladstone Institutes who led the large research team. So were trying to understand as much as possible about how the virus infects us. Krogan directs the Quantitative Biosciences Institute within UCSFs School of Pharmacy, a coalition of 100 research laboratories that often work together on projects, generating reams of biological data and sifting those data sets for clues about fighting disease. The new findings, expected to be published Saturday in the prestigious journal Cell, emerged from a joint effort of 22 QBI labs that are aiming their energies at the virus. Dubbed the QBI COVID-19 Research Group, or QCRG, it brought aboard some 80 scientists in four countries to pursue the project, linking UCSF with teams at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, the Institut Pasteur in Paris, the University of Freiburg in Germany and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Cambridge, England. The discoveries follow innovative research that made a splash starting in March, when the QCRG began releasing a striking set of results published in the journal Nature in late April. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle The core of that project was a protein-protein map: A comprehensive picture of how the virus takes over human cells by enmeshing its own proteins with human proteins. Viruses cant survive on their own. They require host cells to reproduce. The map revealed 332 distinct protein-protein interactions a bounty of intelligence about the virus vulnerabilities. The new research highlighted in Cell goes deeper, building on the map while enlarging the universe of knowledge about the virus, UCSF scientists said. This time, they explored the virus ability to manipulate a powerful biological process called phosphorylation. During phosphorylation which is happening all the time inside cells, virus or no virus certain chemicals get added to proteins or removed from proteins, slightly altering their structure. Because proteins are the cells microscopic workhorses, building tissues and sparking the chemical reactions that control all sorts of bodily functions, these deceptively tiny changes can have a large impact on how proteins operate, giving them new abilities. Phosphorylation, then, is like a shortcut for rewiring biology. You dont have to make a whole new protein to get a job done; you only have to tack on or chop off a little piece of an existing protein. The tools that do the tacking and chopping are a class of about 500 proteins called kinases, which have powerful effects on human growth, stem cell renewal, the immune system, and memory and learning. They are unbelievable at signal processing, said Kevan Shokat, a co-author of the Cell paper and a UCSF chemist who has studied kinases for 25 years. He described them as a kind of control system, like silicon gates on a computer chip or traffic lights in a city: Kinases appear throughout the cell, regulating the flow of structures and information. Kinases are also very druggable, Krogan said. A lot of anti-cancer drugs are targeting kinases. Scientists dont have a complete picture of how kinases work. But they know a lot. A major advance was made at UCSF decades ago, earning researchers Michael Bishop and Harold Varmus the 1989 Nobel Prize in medicine. The discovery opened up a new world of drugs that block kinases, known as kinase inhibitors, and since then, about 50 such drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to fight a range of diseases, mostly cancers, while tens of thousands of others are in the experimental stage. Its amazing what one discovery can catalyze, Shokat said. Its the same thing we want with the virus. Starting in March, the UCSF scientists speculated that the coronavirus was exploiting kinases to cause damage in the human body to grab human proteins and rewire them to do the virus bidding. The researchers believed that if they could learn more about how the virus speaks to kinases, they could find drugs to render the virus mute. Months ago, when the UCSF group created the protein map, they analyzed only one viral protein at a time, using small snippets of the virus instead of the entire virus. This time, beginning in April, they started by infecting host cells with the live virus. Then, once the infection was raging in the lab plates, the scientists essentially looked over the virus shoulder, watching it take over the host cells by analyzing the host proteins as they were altered by the invader. To pick those proteins out of the mix and get a picture of the virus at work, the team relied on machines called mass spectrometers, which determine the identity and abundance of proteins. A fire hose of protein data soon poured out from the mass spectrometers, and sifting through it all, the scientists started to pick out the specific kinases that the virus seemed to be weaponizing. If a cell is like a city, it was as if the team were floating above the city grid at night and seeing many of the stoplights the kinases all at once, blinking green or red. On several streets, most of the lights were green, meaning that the virus was probably activating those areas to perform jobs that would harm the host. One street that seemed particularly active was ruled by a kinase called casein kinase 2, which happened to be one of the 332 proteins flagged in the teams earlier protein map. 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. As clues from the mass spectrometers continued to stack up, the UCSF researchers collaborated with scientists in Germany and Montana to take ultra-close-up snapshots of the virus as it manipulated the host cells, using powerful electron microscopes. When the team looked at the photos, they got a shock: The surface of the host cell was bristling with wispy, finger-like strands known as filopodia sharp little straws that arent usually there, but had been manufactured by the virus. They were poking out from the inside of the infected cell, cutting holes in the membrane and creating a tunnel to the outside. Looking closer and performing more tests, the scientists began to get excited because the virus was doing something unexpected. Normally, the way a virus spreads itself is by turning an infected cell into a virus factory. The cell fills with virus copies like a water balloon, finally bursting and releasing the virus particles. But the filopodia seemed to show that the virus has devised an additional method for promoting infection: After copying itself within the host cell but before the cell bursts the virus exits through filopodia that tunnel out from the infected cell and punch a hole in a nearby uninfected cell, allowing the virus to swim from one cell to another. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Similar filopodia have been detected in other viruses, like smallpox, but Krogan said theyve never been seen to this extent. Tests and electron microscope photos showed that these filopodia were packed with copies of the coronavirus as well as Casein Kinase II. The photos captured by Elizabeth Fischer, chief of the microscopy unit at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, and scientists at the University of Freiburg revealed that the virus was budding out from the filopodia, and, incredibly, some of the filopodia could even branch like trees, allowing a single strand to punch holes in two cells at once. Its so biologically revealing, Krogan said of the photos, calling them the most fascinating and awful thing Ive ever seen. Its unbelievable what this virus can do, he added. Now that the scientists had a better sense of which kinases were being manipulated by the virus, they pored through databases of existing drugs and experimental compounds to find chemicals that might inhibit those specific kinases and one day become drugs against COVID-19. They identified 87 kinase inhibitors that could plausibly do the job, including 10 that were already FDA-approved to treat other diseases, 53 being tested in human trials and 24 that were preclinical, not yet given to humans. Shokat happens to keep thousands of kinase inhibitors in a freezer at UCSF (Krogan calls it the biggest freezer in the world for this type of molecule), and from the full list of 87, they selected 68 candidates to test against the virus in the lab. The tests were performed by virologists at Mount Sinai and the Institut Pasteur, who infected host cells with the virus and added the kinase inhibitors. Would they kill the virus? Would they flip the cellular traffic lights from green to red, blocking the harmful kinases? In the end, more than a dozen of the 68 candidates looked promising. The team narrowed down the list to seven or eight that were particularly potent including one that blocked Casein Kinase II. And five showed greater killing power in the lab setting than remdesivir, the only antiviral drug currently available to some patients for emergency use (in addition, a steroid called dexamethasone has been found to reduce the COVID-19 death rate). There are still things the scientists dont know about how the coronavirus infects cells. They want to understand why the virus selects and exploits certain kinases; they also arent sure if the filopodia stop forming when Casein Kinase II is blocked. As for the drug candidates flagged in the new paper, they must be tested in human trials to see if they are safe and effective for COVID-19 patients. But Krogan said he is optimistic that some will pan out. According to a recent tally by Nature Biotechnology, the research efforts led by UCSF have spawned more than a dozen clinical trials of potential COVID-19 therapies. Ultimately, if the trials go well, some of these drugs could be integrated with remdesivir to create a cocktail therapy for COVID-19. I have zero doubt that theres a cocktail out there that can cure this, Krogan said. Its just: Can we be smart enough, quick enough, to find it? Jason Fagone is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jason.fagone@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfagone Hundreds of Jordanians protested in the capital Amman on Saturday against Israel's plan to annex part of the West Bank. Protesters held anti-Israel placards and called upon the Jordanian government to annul all agreements with Israel. Jordan views Israel's proposed annexation of the Jordan Valley and its settlements as a serious threat to the its national security. The country's monarch, King Abdullah II, has warned of a "massive conflict" if Israel moves ahead with the plan. Opt out option for CA exams: ICAI to file affidavit in SC India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) told the Supreme Court on Friday that it would file an affidavit on the plea which has challenged its 'opt out' option for CA exams, scheduled between July 29 and August 16, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The court was hearing through video-conferencing a plea which has alleged that ICAI had made an important announcement on June 15 by which it "arbitrarily decided to discriminate" between the aspirants by providing an option of 'opt out' in the May cycle CA examination. CBSE Board Class 10, 12 result 2020: Check evaluation criteria, assessment scheme The counsel appearing for ICAI told a bench comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari that the institute has ensured that no prejudice is caused to anybody by notification issued regarding the upcoming examination. The plea has also sought directions for increasing the number of examination centres for around 4.67 lakh aspirants in the exams. "Ramji Srinivasan, senior counsel, instructed by Pramod Dayal, appearing for respondent No.1 (ICAI), seeks the liberty to place certain facts on record by way of an affidavit, which he intends to file before June 29, through e-mail," the bench noted in its order and posted the matter for hearing on June 29. Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, appearing for the petitioner, told the bench that deadline to submit online declaration to avail the 'opt out' option is June 27. Chinese build helipad in Pangong Tso, Tuticorin custodial deaths spark row & more | Oneindia News The petitioner, president of 'India Wide Parents Association', has claimed in the plea that ICAI has stated that students, who have already submitted online examination application for May examination cycle, shall be allowed to 'opt out' and carry forward their candidature to November 2020 examination cycle. "It is respectfully submitted that Respondent No.1 ICAI has notified that for the students who choose opt-out option, this attempt (May 2020) will be treated as cancelled/not counted. Thus, such student will be deprived of the May, 2020, attempt, as compared to other group of students, who choose opt-in option," the plea said, while seeking quashing of the announcement made in this regard on June 15. "The said 'opt-out' option discriminates between those underprivileged group of CA students/ aspirants, who are living in remote areas of the country or living in the containment zones and thus are slated to lose one precious 'examination attempt' by choosing 'opt-out' option amidst ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as compared to that privileged group of students/ aspirants, who are living in big cities/ green zones and thus they have no problem in appearing in the said examination," it said. The petition has further sought an increase in the number of examination centres so as to ensure that at least one examination centre is there in every district of India. It said that around 4.67 lakh aspirants are scheduled to appear in the examinations at about 259 examination centres in India and five centres abroad. It has said that free transportation and accommodation should be provided to the aspirants near their respective examination centres. It has further sought directions to the authorities to conduct mandatory free COVID-19 test of all aspirants and teachers and staffs deployed at the examination centres. Mark Zuckerbergs promise to add labels to rule-breaking posts from politicians hasnt stopped more big-name advertisers from joining an advertising boycott of the social network. Coca-Cola, Hershey and Honda are among the latest high-profile companies to say they will temporarily stop advertising with Facebook. Unilever, the company behind brands like Dove and Lipton, and Verizon (which owns Engadget but has no editorial control over us) had announced earlier they would join the boycott organized by civil rights groups. There are now more than 120 companies participating in the boycott, according to a spreadsheet tracking the names. Some companies, like Coca-Cola, are opting to pause their Facebook ads, but are not explicitly joining the boycott. For the month of July, American Honda is withholding its advertising on Facebook and Instagram. We choose to stand with people united against hate and racism. This is in alignment with our companys values, which are grounded in human respect. #StopHateForProfit HondaInclusion (@HondaInclusion) June 26, 2020 There is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media, CEO James Quincey said in a statement to CNBC. The Coca-Cola Company will pause paid advertising on all social media platforms globally for at least 30 days. We will take this time to reassess our advertising policies to determine whether revisions are needed. We also expect greater accountability and transparency from our social media partners. Officially boycotting or not, increased calls for transparency will ratchet up the pressure on Facebook to do more to assuage some of its highest-profile advertisers. In a statement, a spokesperson said the company would continue to work with civil rights groups. "We invest billions of dollars each year to keep our community safe and continuously work with outside experts to review and update our policies, the spokesperson said. Weve opened ourselves up to a civil rights audit, and we have banned 250 white supremacist organizations from Facebook and Instagram. The investments we have made in AI mean that we find nearly 90% of Hate Speech we action before users report it to us, while a recent EU report found Facebook assessed more hate speech reports in 24 hours than Twitter and YouTube. We know we have more work to do, and well continue to work with civil rights groups, GARM, and other experts to develop even more tools, technology and policies to continue this fight." The advertising boycott was organized by a group of civil rights groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, Color of Change and NAACP, who said they organized the protest as a response to Facebooks long history of allowing racist, violent and verifiably false content to run rampant on its platform. Boycott leaders sharply criticized Zuckerbergs live-streamed remarks, in which he announced new rules banning hate speech in ads and plans to label some posts from politicians. The group has laid out a number of steps its asking Facebook to take, including releasing more information about hate speech and closer scrutiny of large groups on the social network. We should have been informed of plans for civil rights infrastructure or a framework for curtailing radicalization on the platform, wrote Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change. Instead, we got empty remarks. Just how much impact the boycott will ultimately have is unclear. Facebook brings in billions of dollars in ad revenue much of it from small businesses and a month-long pullback in advertising seems unlikely to significantly affect that. But the pressure from advertisers is still unwelcome, especially since its coming at a time when Facebook says its already seen reduced ad revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic. Zuckerberg has staunchly defended his prior decisions to avoid becoming an arbiter of truth, and has repeatedly made clear hes intensely uncomfortable with the idea of moderating politicians (at least, in most cases) and dislikes limiting users speech. A Facebook executive reportedly told advertisers that the company does not make policy changes tied to revenue pressure. That claim is now being put to the test. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 12:24:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW YORK, June 26 (Xinhua) -- United Airlines Friday announced the schedule for resumed service between San Francisco and Shanghai with twice-weekly flights starting from July 8, according to a release by the airline. United Airlines would operate service on Wednesdays and Saturdays from San Francisco to Shanghai. And the return flights would take off on Thursdays and Sundays, said United Airlines. The service resumption by United Airlines between San Francisco and Shanghai is part of the latest governmental arrangement between the United States and China. Currently, only four round-trip flights would be allowed from each side each week. Still, United Airlines continues to sell tickets for flights from San Francisco to Shanghai on other dates as early as August 18 but not Wednesday or Saturday, according to the website of United Airlines. Customers who buy San Francisco-Shanghai tickets on other dates rather than Wednesday or Saturday won't be able to fly if there is no policy change from both governments, a customer service agent with United Airlines told Xinhua. The tickets on other dates won't be transferred to scheduled dates automatically, said the agent. This means that clients who purchase such tickets on other dates face a significant risk of cancelation of their trips or financial inconveniences. In response to the arrangement of both governments, Delta Air Lines has started to execute flights between Seattle and Shanghai starting from June 25 to Oct. 24 in the first phase. Enditem On the day the Green Party went into government, the only "green list" on many minds was the one revealing the countries cleared for holidaymakers to visit without breaching Covid regulations. In the critical countdown to government formation, the loudest clocks ticking in a lot of homes were marking down the minutes to a beach resort, a hair-do and preferably both. A headlong rush for cheap flights on carbon-belching aircraft while salon chemicals are spewed into our waterways is hardly symbolic of a society gone green, or at least not one that can make the transition without highlights and a tan. So the question arises, are we ready for the greening of government? Do we even know what we should ready ourselves for? Read More Much of the vision laid out so far has been at the macro level. Assessing the impact on the individual citizen, worker or employer is trickier. The implications for the nation's and individual's finances will begin to become clearer in October when the budget is unveiled alongside a new national economic plan. We do know carbon tax will rise again at budget time and every year thereafter, increasing the cost of petrol, diesel and home-heating fuels. Those who drive more to avoid public transport while Covid-19 is here will pay more. Those driving less because they can work from home will fare better but then the latter will be heating their homes more and lose out that way. We could avoid those costs by changing to bikes, the much enhanced public transport we're promised or electric vehicles and by retrofitting our homes, but the public transport improvements are long-term and the other measures are costly in terms of disruption, inconvenience and financial outlay. Dermott Jewell, of the Consumers Association of Ireland, says there is an understandable nervousness about the direction things are going. "All green initiatives require change and generally that change has a cost," he says. "Most people don't have the capacity or the finances to immediately change. "It will potentially anger them that they can't. They are put into a position where they want to change and can't." Realistic grants, fair opportunities for all and guarantees around quality and durability of products are vital, he says. "If you want people to switch to new technologies, to change the systems that they saw their parents and your grandparents use, they have to have confidence in those systems. "Consumers are consistently being told that by 2030 you will have to have this or you must not be doing that but they are not being guided as to how to achieve that." Business and environmentalists have not always seen eye to eye but Siobhan Masterson, of employers group Ibec, says times have changed. "There would have been a fear that if a country was 'too green' with too many regulations it would scare off investment. There's maybe a tinge of that left but on the whole it's an attitude from another time. "We can't survive without a society that's sustainable from a health and environmental point of view. Covid-19 has copperfastened that position." She says Ibec members like the clarity around carbon budgets and governance structures the Greens have helped pin down as well as the commitments on renewable energies and funding for research. If there's a worry, it's on security of energy supply, which Ibec feels is shaken by the ban on future gas exploration. "If you think of the pharma cluster in Cork or the medtech companies in the west, major regional employers with both FDI and indigenous companies, energy security is absolutely critical," she says. Sean Healy, of Social Justice Ireland, is enthusiastic for the potential of a greener government so long as it lives up to its stated mission of achieving "a better quality of life for all". "The mistake that has been made is presuming that if we get the economy right, everything else will follow. That's nonsense. A rising tide doesn't lift all boats because there are people with holes in their boats. They sink," he says. He says the commitments to structured social dialogue will be crucial in keeping all afloat. "The vast majority of Irish people are reasonable and sensible and they know the environment and climate have to be dealt with and they would be very prepared to engage in genuine dialogue. "At the same time, it's very important to recognise that if we're asking people to change, that we must be providing them with viable alternatives. "There's no point in hectoring farmers to give up milk and beef and not give them alternatives." Whether the green agenda even has a future beyond the current coalition is uncertain. The Greens are in government for expediency as much as ideology as they are needed to make up the numbers. Dr Diarmuid Torney, of Dublin City University, says the fact all the parties had something to say about climate change in the election shows the shift in Irish society. "The political parties are gravitating to where voters are because that's what political parties do. There's an element of pragmatism and I wouldn't see it as an indication of a complete transformation in society's thinking but it could lay the foundations for transformation over the next two or three governments." President Donald Trump is offering to 'make Chicago safe,' according to a scathing letter he wrote to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker Friday after the city experienced its most violent day in 60 years. Trump writes that he was reaching out to the two Democrats after reading about the violent day on May 31, when 18 people were murdered, in a report published in the Chicago Sun-Times. 'Your lack of leadership on this important issue continues to fail the people you have sworn to protect,' writes Trump. 'I am concerned it is another example of your lack of commitment to vulnerable citizens who are victims of this violence and a lack of respect for the men and women of law enforcement. President Donald Trump is offering to 'make Chicago safe,' according to a scathing letter he wrote to Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker Friday after the city experienced its most violent day in 60 years Trump writes that he was reaching out to Lightfoot and Pritzker, both Democrats, after reading about the violent day on May 31, when 18 people were murdered, in a report published in the Chicago Sun-Times Lightfoot tweeted a response Friday night, without specifically naming the president or mentioning the letter, 'It is despicable, disgusting and all too typical,' the mayor wrote. 'Same old tired playbook. How about some leadership not steeped in the divide and conquer tactics?' Lightfoot in a second tweet vowed to stand with Pritzker in providing for the 'safety and well being of our residents.' Lightfoot tweeted a response Friday night, without specifically naming the president or mentioning the letter The mayor also pledged to stand with Pritzker in providing for the safety of residents A spokesperson for Pritzker also had tweeted that Trump 'is a failure who has once again resorted to a press stunt in an attempt to distract from his long list of failures, especially his response to the deadly coronavirus and nationwide calls for racial justice.' The president on Thursday also expressed concerns over Chicago during a town hall with Fox News in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Trump was visiting Fincantieri Marinette Marine, a Marinette shipyard, to announce a new contract with the military that he says could create up to 6,000 jobs in the area. During the event, Fox news host Sean Hannity pushed the president to speak about recent calls for law and order and the uptick in violence in Chicago, to which the president responded it was 'worse than Afghanistan.' Recounting details from the Sun-Times story in his letter, Trump described 'the following horrors': 'A hard-working father killed. A West Side high school student murdered. A college freshman who hoped to become a correctional officer, gunned down. 18 people killed Sunday May 31, the single most violent day in Chicago in six decades.' He adds that on 'the weekend of May 29, 25 people were killed and another 85 wounded by gunfire.' He also notes that police resources already were 'stretched thin' responding to George Floyd protests and looting. Recounting details from the deadly and violent night in Chicago in his letter, Trump described 'horrors' and and notes that police resources already were 'stretched thin' responding to George Floyd protests and looting (pictured) Trump then offered a lengthy description of how the federal government has provided financial assistance to help Chicago fight crime. 'These funds are in addition to those collected through your combined and insatiable appetite to tax the people of Illinois and Chicago,' he tells Lightfoot and Pritzker. The Republican president also touts his record on criminal justice and police reforms. Trump's letter to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker Trump's letter has a lengthy description of how the federal government has provided financial assistance to help Chicago fight crime. 'These funds are in addition to those collected through your combined and insatiable appetite to tax the people of Illinois and Chicago,' he adds Trump then points out that he is unlike his predecessors from both parties. 'I am willing to tackle unsolved challenges,' the president wrote. 'If you are willing to put partisanship aside, we can revitalize distressed neighborhoods in Chicago together.' 'But to succeed, you must establish law and order,' Trump adds. He them makes an offer to have members of his cabinet meet with Lightfoot and Pritzker 'to help devise a plan to make Chicago safe, since a successful formula has escaped both you and your predecessors.' Trump adds that his administration welcomes working with the mayor and governor on bipartisan policy recommendations to improve policing and 'make our great cities safe for all. But the president throws in one more jab, saying that 'unfortunately, you continue to put your own political interests ahead of the lives, safety, and fortunes of your own citizens.' 'The people of Chicago deserve better.' According to a picture published on the Twitter account of tokyoincident on June 27, 2020, the Izumo-class helicopter carriers in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is in the latest phase to become an aircraft carrier after modification allowing the ship to operate STOVL (Short TakeOff/Vertical Landing) F-35B stealth fighter aircraft. According to a picture published on the Twitter account of tokyoincident on June 27, 2020, the Izumo-class helicopter carriers in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is in the latest phase to become an aircraft carrier after modification allowing the ship to operate STOVL (Short TakeOff/Vertical Landing) F-35B stealth fighter aircraft. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Japanese Navy JS Izumo DDH 183 undergoing modification to become aircraft carrier class ship, at the Japan Marine United shipyard in Yokohama. (Picture source Twitter account tokyoincident) In December 2018, the Japanese Cabinet gave the approval to convert them into aircraft carriers capable of operating the STOVL F-35B. On 30 December 2019, the Japanese Ministry of Defense approved the FY2020 budget that would finance the refurbishment of the Izumo class for F-35B operation. Currently, the Japanese Navy has two Izumo-class helicopter carriers including the DDH-183 Izumo and the DDH-184 both will be converted to aircraft carriers. Later, in February 2018, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Japan was planning to acquire 40 F-35B, the Short Take-off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), which could be operated from Izumo class with some modifications to the ships. It was estimated that each Izumo-class carrier could operate 12 or more F-35B stealth fighter aircraft. One of the most important modifications to convert the Izumo-class into aircraft carrier is the reinforcement of the decks to support the additional weight of F-35B, as well as the heat and forces from the jets during vertical landing. According to naval military expert, the JS Izumo can carry up to 28 aircraft including 12 F-35B, 8 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and 8 ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) or SRA (Search And Rescue) helicopters, or 14 larger aircraft. Only seven ASW helicopters and two SAR helicopters are planned for the initial aircraft complement. For other operations, 400 troops and 50 3.5-ton trucks (or equivalent equipment) can also be carried. The flight deck has five helicopter landing spots that allow simultaneous landings and take-offs. The Izumo-class is armed with 2 x 11 Cell SeaRAM missiles able to destroy supersonic and subsonic threats including cruise missiles, drones and helicopters, 2 Phalanx CIWS Close-In Weapon Systems and two Triple 324mm torpedoes tubes. Falun Gong practitioners march from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument commemorating the 20th anniversary of the persecution of Falun Gong in China, in Washington on July 18, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Austria, Belgium Stand Up to Beijings Forced Organ Harvesting Practices Beijings grisly practice of live organ harvesting again came into the spotlight in June as two European countries joined a chorus of opposition against the illicit trade. For decades, the Chinese regime has faced mounting allegations that it is killing prisoners of conscience en masse to sell their organs for profit. We are deeply concerned about this. It is simply unbearable, Gudrun Kugler, a member of Austrias parliament, said on June 23, after the parliaments human rights committee unanimously passed her resolution to combat the trafficking of people and organs. Time and again reports of illegal trafficking of human organs have surfaced in the Peoples Republic of China that contradict all human rights and ethical standards, said a statement from Kuglers office. Ethnic and religious minorities, including Uyghur Muslims, Falun Gong practitioners, and Christians, are among the groups particularly affected by such abuses, she added. The resolution asks for the Austrian government to protect organ trafficking victims by cooperating with international bodies, such as the World Health Assembly, the Vienna-based U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Council of Europe, and to provide support for this cause whenever possible. The Austrian parliament made the decision in response to a petition by citizens last October, which stated, We Austrians do not want organs from China for which innocent people have been killed, according to the statement. In June 2019, an independent London-based peoples tribunal, after a yearlong investigation considering testimony from more than 50 witnesses, found clear evidence that forced organ harvesting has taken place in China for years and on a significant scale. The conclusion shows that very many people have died indescribably hideous deaths for no reason, [and] that more may suffer in similar ways, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, chairman of the tribunal, said in delivering the judgment. Nice previously led the prosecution of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes. The tribunals final judgment released in March said there was no evidence such transplant abuse has stopped, calling it the greatest possible breach of a persons human rights. On June 12, Belgium also adopted a resolution condemning the continuing practice of forced organ harvesting in China. In a bill passed in April 2019, the country officially banned its citizens from traveling abroad for organ transplants. Violators could face up to 20 years in prison and a 1.2 million euro ($1.35 million) fine. Falun Gong practitioners hold up yellow banners in a parade in Hong Kong on Dec. 9, 2018. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times) The Falun Dafa Information Center welcomed the gesture from the Austrian parliament, saying that the resolution has come at an important moment in light of Chinas recent power grab of imposing a national security law for Hong Kong. The new law includes the establishment of a Beijing security agency in the former British colony. In a June 25 press release in German, the center expressed concern for Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong, who may soon fall victim to systematic organ theft. The disturbing issue has been an ongoing international concern since 2006, when whistleblowers first brought it to light. Last August, the 168-member U.S. Republican National Committee unanimously passed a resolution denouncing the vile practice. In May, a response to the organ genocide was one of 12 recommendations that a Washington watchdog group, the Committee on the Present Danger: China, presented to President Donald Trump and the U.S. Congress. The United States, Canada, Czech Republic, and Italy are among a growing list of countries that have initiated or adopted measures to curb organ transplant abuses in recent years. Little more than five years ago, Burkina Faso was on the up, priding itself as a favoured tourist destination for well-heeled Europeans. Today, the country seems to be visibly sinking, battered by a jihadist revolt that has swept in from neighbouring Mali, rolled into Niger and cast a shadow on the countries to the south. More than 1,650 civilians and soldiers have died since 2015, according to a local monitoring group, the Observatory for Democracy and Human Rights (ODDH) -- a figure that some say is probably just a fraction of the real tally. Nearly a million people have fled their homes and nowhere in the country rates as safe, under travel recommendations issued by Western governments. The country, one of the poorest in the world, is scarred by stories of tragedy. "My wife was killed in an attack in Arbinda in December, leaving a two-year-old baby," said Aly Sidibe, a 42-year-old former herder displaced in the northern city of Kaya. "The child is in Ouagadougou. He is being taken care of by social services." Sidibe said he had lost his entire herd. "I had more than 50 cattle. I don't even have a sheep anymore," he said. - 'Lazy king' - Burkina Faso lies in the heart of the Sahel, whose leaders have joined a French-backed effort to roll back jihadism in the vast semi-desert region. President Emmanuel Macron will join his five allies in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott on Tuesday to debate the state of the campaign. Burkinabe General Moise Miningou, speaking to AFP, hit out at perceptions that the armed forces were failing. "People who talk like that do not know the real situation," he said, pointing to a strategy of "liberating axes (and) securing populations." "(...) The battle is hard but we will shortly get results," he said, noting that the country would have five operational combat helicopters by the end of the year. Security sources say the armed forces have been a casualty of Burkina's political turmoil. For several years, Burkina Faso seemed immune to jihadist attacks -- the result, according to some analysts, of a secret deal between the then president, Blaise Compaore, and militant groups. After Compaore was ousted in 2014, the armed forces were essentially muzzled, deprived of funding, equipment and training, according to the sources. The transitional government that took over and the government of President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who took power in 2015, were afraid of coups. "We had an army without weapons, an army without ammunition and not trained at all," said one source. As the jihadist attacks mounted from 2015, the security forces became overwhelmed, said Mahamoudou Savadogo, a Burkinabe researcher specialising in armed Islamism. "The army was never equipped, and there was never an appropriate strategy," Savadogo said. As a result the armed forces went from defeat to defeat, sometimes masking shortcomings with announcements of spectacular victories. In the long term, the territory over which the state exercises its authority is shrinking and the army, police, teachers and administration are absent from whole swathes of the country. Some say Kabore has done little to quell the relentless jihadist attacks. "He's a kind of lazy king who holds more and more audiences and listens in his chair without making any decisions," a diplomatic source in Abidjan said. - Cycle of retribution - Savadogo said the void left by the state has been filled by inter-communal violence. He pointed to the clashes between the Mossi and Fulani -- an ethnic herder group, also called Peuls, who are accused by other communities of complicity with the jihadists -- as the example of a vicious circle. "The Mossi abuses in retaliation for the actions of armed terrorist groups have practically pushed young Fulani to join jihadism. They really have no other choice if they want to survive, but also to take revenge," he said. Exacerbating inter-communal tensions is a recurrent strategy of jihadist groups throughout the Sahel, according to a French security source. These groups also seek to appeal to the aspirations of populations abandoned by the state. They have threatened holders of hunting concessions and mining sites, often granted by corrupt state officials, and then offer the hunting and gold-panning areas to locals in the north and east. Drissa Traore, a teacher and political analyst, said Kabore's lavish promises on security are unlikely to impress the public, many of whom are likely to see it as a campaign pitch ahead of presidential elections due in November. "Their worries are elsewhere. Water, gas, food, everything is lacking... Even when these products are available, the prices are tripled or quadrupled," Traore added. The security crisis may deprive entire areas of the country from taking part in the vote, which could lead to a skewed or disputed result. "Despite a disastrous record, the ruling party will win, because the opposition has no leader. We run the risk of even more tension," predicted Savadogo. "We're going to sink even further.? Belem Boureima, a 74-year-old farmer, and his family. They are among the hundreds of thousands of people in Burkina Faso who have fled their homes because jihadist attacks Burkina Faso French troops in Burkina Faso last year. France has deployed 5,100 troops in the Sahel in its Barkhane anti-jihadist mission. Embattled: Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kabore People flee with their belongings after a jihadist attack in rural northern Burkina Faso in April. Nearly a million people have been displaced Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 18:06:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Egypt executed on Saturday a Libyan militant convicted of carrying out a deadly terrorist operation near the capital Cairo in 2017, state TV reported. The Libyan militant, identified as Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Abdullah al-Mismari, was arrested in Egypt after the two-day terrorist attack in October 2017 in the Western Desert near Al-Wahat highway of Giza Province, which left more than a dozen of policemen dead. He was also convicted of holding hostage a policeman, who was later freed when the Egyptian forces raided the nearby mountainous areas, killed Mismari's 15 fellow militants and arrested him alive. The Egyptian investigation showed that Mismari received military training in Libya before infiltrating into Egypt through the Western Desert to establish a military camp as a nucleus for terrorist operations. Mismari was sentenced to death by an Egyptian military court in mid-November 2019. In early March, Egypt similarly executed Hesham al-Ashmawy, a leading terrorist who had been an Egyptian special forces officer before going to Libya where he led a terrorist group. Egypt is keen on reaching a political settlement for the ongoing conflict in neighboring Libya, where instability poses a threat to the security of Egypt's 1,200-km-long western borders. Enditem New Delhi, June 27 : Industry body Ficci has suggested to the Centre that it set up a single compliance window to increase India Inc's efficiency. In a letter to its members on the 'India-China stand-off and Industry Action Plan', Ficci President Sangita Reddy said the suggested portal is on the lines of single window for setting up of new companies. "We anticipate that a significant reduction in non-value adding steps related to government interphase will be removed or simplified. "We are suggesting a single window compliance portal for existing companies much on the lines of single window for setting up new companies," she said in the letter. Without naming China, she suggested Ficci members should look at alternate sources of supply from other countries. "This is very important to improve resilience of our industry and country. We should work collectively to encourage suppliers and buyers to develop alternate globally competitive supply chains in India," the letter said. "Ficci on its part has developed strategy for 'Air Conditioners, Furniture, Textiles, Electronic components and Mobile Phones'. These are work in progress in the Government and announcements have been made." Furthermore, she said that members should focus more on exports. "If you are not exporting, pleases look at exporting 5 per cent of your production to begin with, and those who are already exporting, must aspire to double it," the letter said. "Explore new markets, new products and services. We need to collectively work to increase exports to levels that helps India take its share in the global trade to 8-10 per cent." But these ancient roots don't mean a degree in the humanities has reached its expiry date or will no longer have practical value in helping to educate the next generation of Australians to get a job. On the contrary, common sense suggests the longevity indicates its practical value. Unless Mr Tehan has a magical crystal ball, he cant predict with any confidence that these areas of study will lead to 'the jobs that will be in demand in the future' at least, not a future beyond the foreseeable one. Mike Davis Studying the humanities is not merely a pursuit of an interest or an academic hobby with no "real-world" applicability. Graduates emerge with a diverse knowledge set, critical judgement, communication and collaboration skills, cultural awareness, a sense of social responsibility and innovative and entrepreneurial thinking. These generic attributes are intangible but essential in creating job-ready graduates well into the future. Students entering university next year will be in the workforce in the 2060s. Will there still be employment growth in those areas requiring discipline-specific training? Perhaps. They're projected to have significant demand for workers in the next five years now, in the wake of a health crisis the likes of which has not been seen for 700 years since the Black Death. Loading But, unless Mr Tehan has a magical crystal ball, he cant predict with any confidence that these areas of study will lead to the jobs that will be in demand in the future at least, not a future beyond the foreseeable one. Beyond the governments five-year vision for employment growth, the only certainty is there will be - as there always has been - a demand for workers with the future-proof and transferable skills of humanities graduates. A student with a humanities degree is a global graduate who can reflect on issues in a global context and not just a local one an important consideration when defining job-readiness and employability in an increasingly globalised future. But we dont need to look to the future to see how training in the humanities can lead to a job. More humanities graduates (91.1 per cent) are employed within three years of finishing their bachelor degree than science and maths graduates (90.1 per cent). The median salary for humanities graduates after three years ($70,300) is higher than what a science or maths graduate earns ($68,900). Students dont select a degree by simply looking at the price tag. Why? Because employers want workers with the generic skills that come from a humanities degree. A Deloitte Access Economics report in 2018 noted a humanities degree helped individuals gain rewarding employment. "Matthew W. Barrett, a former CEO of Barclays Bank, put it: "Teach kids the humanities and give them a broad liberal education, and Ill teach them business skills ... The ones who will end up in the top 20 jobs in the organisation worldwide are people who can stand back and examine the context in which business operates and can connect the dots in creative ways and transform the business congruent with some of those directions." In 2002, even the Commonwealth Department of Education acknowledged this timeless point in its Employability Skills for the Future report, which Mr Tehan seems to have forgotten. "Employability skills are defined as skills required not only to gain employment, but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve ones potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions," the report found. Passion for a degree, not its price The idea of someones potential is very personal and isnt something generally attained through social engineering such as that being proposed by the government. In this respect and quite ironically, the proposed market-driven reforms to higher education have misread the student market. In 2017, the International Student Survey carried out by educational consultants Hobsons in the UK revealed the number one reason for students wanting to go to university was being passionate about their area of study. The price of a degree wasnt on the list. Like purchasing an item of clothing, students dont select a degree by simply looking at the price tag. They have to like it. Students dont necessarily buy into what they study, but they will buy into what they like to study. If students are funnelled into cheap degrees, it could lead to academic failure or professional mediocrity and detachment. If graduates succeed, they will power an economic recovery that benefits all Australians," Mr Tehan said. But the success of graduates will come from a passion for what they study and not the price of a degree. In five, 10 or 40 years from now, it will be cold comfort for graduates if they find themselves stuck in a career that doesnt interest them, even if their degree was cheap. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 02:28:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A cleaner disinfects a classroom that will be used for university entrance exams in Ankara, Turkey, on June 26, 2020. Turkey confirmed 1,396 new coronavirus cases and 19 fatalities in the past 24 hours, taking the total infection cases to 194,511 and the overall death toll to 5,065, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted on Friday. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ANKARA, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Turkey confirmed 1,396 new coronavirus cases and 19 fatalities in the past 24 hours, taking the total infection cases to 194,511 and the overall death toll to 5,065, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted on Friday. Meanwhile, some 1,492 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the total recovered cases to 167,198. The minister also said 51,198 tests were conducted over the past day, with the overall number of tests reaching 3,186,622. Turkey is currently treating 963 patients in intensive care units, with 382 intubated, Koca added. Turkish Interior Ministry has announced to impose limited curfew across the country over the weekend due to expected crowds for university admission exams. More than 2.5 million students are expected to take the university entrance exams at the weekend. The COVID-19 diagnosed students will take exams in isolated classrooms, said the ministry. A similar lockdown was imposed last weekend due to high school entrance exams. Turkey reported the first COVID-19 case in the country on March 11 and has stepped up for the normalization process since June 1. Turkey and China have supported each other in the fight against COVID-19. Chinese doctors and medical experts held a video conference with Turkish counterparts to share China's experience in treating coronavirus patients, protecting medical workers, and controlling the spread of the virus. Enditem remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. FILE PHOTO: The company logo of the Didi ride-hailing app on a car door at the IEEV New Energy Vehicles Exhibition in Beijing By Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing, backed by SoftBank Group, launched a test robotaxi service in a Shanghai suburb on Saturday after installing V2X (Vehicle to Everything) hardware throughout the area. Under the test, customers within a designated area will be able to hire free on-demand rides using Didi's autonomous vehicles, which currently also have safety drivers, the company said. V2X enables autonomous vehicles (AVs) to communicate with their surroundings and Didi has installed equipment at major junctions within the test area to minimize safety blind spots and coordinate communication among its fleet, it said. The equipment will mainly be used by Didi's own cars, although cars operated by other autonomous driving companies could also link up to the system, said Meng Xing, the chief operating officer of Didi's autonomous driving unit. A broader rollout of V2X equipment to improve the use autonomous vehicles would require coordination with government, Meng told Reuters in an interview. Didi chief executive Cheng Wei said the company expected greater use of artificial intelligence to revolutionise safety and efficiency of the urban transit system. However, it would take at least a decade of continued investment before AV technology passed critical technology, business and regulatory milestones, he said in a statement. Didi last month completed a more than $500 million fundraising round for its autonomous driving unit, which has more than 400 staff globally. It is using vehicles with the Volvo [GEELY.UL], Lincoln and BYD marques in the current test. Three-year-old WeRide, which is backed by Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi, is testing cars in Guangzhou and has installed some V2X equipment in its test area. Baidu Inc started offering a robotaxi service in China's southern city of Changsha this year. (Reporting by Yilei Sun and Brenda Goh; editing by Richard Pullin) New Delhi: India on Thursday conceded that the recent decision by the United States to suspend the H1B visas till the end of the year is likely to affect movement of Indian skilled professionals, but said it is assessing the impact of the order on Indian nationals and industry in consultation with stakeholders. Pointing out that the US has always welcomed talent, India also said it hopes that Indian professionals will continue to be welcomed in the US in the future. Reminding the US that high-skilled Indian professionals bring important skill sets, bridge technological gaps and impart a competitive edge to the US economy, New Delhi said, they have also been a critical component of the workforce that is at the forefront of providing COVID-19 related assistance in key sectors, including health, information technology and financial services. In a blow to Indian techies, US President Donald Trump had on Tuesday suspended the H1B visas till the end of the year. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. According to some estimates, before the coronavirus pandemic hit the globe, the US issued 85,000 H1-B visas every year out of which Indians reportedly get about 60,000 visas. Therefore, the US move could now severely affect the Indian industry especially the IT sector. In a statement, the MEA said, We have seen the Proclamation issued by President Trump on June 22 temporarily suspending entry of certain categories of non-immigrant visa-holders & their family members till December 31, 2020. This is likely to affect movement of Indian skilled professionals who avail of these non-immigrant visa programmes to work lawfully in the US. We are assessing the impact of the order on Indian nationals and industry in consultation with stakeholders. The MEA further said, People-to-people linkages and trade & economic cooperation, especially in technology and innovation sectors, are an important dimension of the U.S.-India partnership. High-skilled Indian professionals bring important skill sets, bridge technological gaps and impart a competitive edge to the US economy. They have also been a critical component of the workforce that is at the forefront of providing COVID-19 related assistance in key sectors, including health, information technology and financial services. It added, The US has always welcomed talent and we hope our professionals will continue to be welcomed in USA in the future. The US had on Tuesday said, The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) had significantly disrupted Americans livelihoods and that the overall unemployment rate in the United States nearly quadrupled between February and May of 2020 producing some of the most extreme unemployment ever recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The US had further said while the May rate of 13.3 percent reflects a marked decline from April, millions of Americans remain out of workand that American workers compete against foreign nationals for jobs in every sector of our economy, including against millions of aliens who enter the United States to perform temporary work. The US had added, Temporary workers are often accompanied by their spouses and children, many of whom also compete against American workers. Under ordinary circumstances, properly administered temporary worker programs can provide benefits to the economy. But under the extraordinary circumstances of the economic contraction resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak, certain nonimmigrant visa programs authorising such employment pose an unusual threat to the employment of American workers. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 17:39:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close 800 drones stage a light show in Huairen, China to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival. The drones changed into 10 creative patterns. The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. No other copies of the Independents North Platte issues exist in the North Platte Genealogical Societys searchable database of early local papers. They exist, however, on a similar database available online through the Grand Island Public Library. For the next six months, Bare and McDonald wrote, the couple they would marry in Grand Island in 1871 ran a red-hot western paper and called things by their right and common name, generally ... Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} It is related of the editor of this paper (apparently Mobley) that when asked about his circulation, (he) replied, My paper circulates everywhere, and it is as much as I can do to keep it from going to h-ll. They didnt go to hell, but they were forced to go to Grand Island. The Independents issue of June 11, 1870, carried a bitter attack on J.P. Marston, foreman of North Plattes Union Pacific shops, August F. Buechler and Robert J. Barr wrote in their 1920 History of Hall County, Nebraska. Their work doesnt reprint the attack, but it says Marston listed in North Platte histories as the shops original master mechanic sued Eberhart and Mobley for libel. The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday accused Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath of playing a pivotal role in Congress-Chinas relations by exorbitantly reducing import duty on about 250 items when he was the union minister for commerce and industries during the UPA government. BJP national vice-president Prabhat Jha told the press that media had made a big disclosure as to why Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi were speaking the language of China when there was India-China standoff at the border. Also read: Over 5 lakh people infected with coronavirus in India Jha said, Former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath played a key role in this. If I say in my own language that he was working as an agent of China, I will not be wrong To reduce import duty on 250 such items which had an import duty of 100% to 200% and are available in India in plenty and thus the money received in return being given to the Congress party and Rajiv Gandhi Foundation is a national crime. The responsible person for this is the then commerce and industries minister Kamal Nath. This is all in records. For instance, he said, the import duty on bamboo - which is available in India easily - was reduced to 10%. Similarly, on various items, it was reduced up to 40%. Thats why Kamal Nath must answer to these charges. Otherwise, we will go to every locality to tell people why Rahul Gandhi was speaking the language of China what was Kamal Naths role in all this, said Jha. Kamal Nath was not available for his comments. However, his media coordinator, Narendra Saluja, said, Prabhat Jha is saying Kamal Nath ji worked as an agent of China when he was union minister. Jha should study Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans visits to China in September 2011 and June 2016. He should also look at Chouhans tweet on June 26, 2016, as to how he had pleaded for Chinas assistance in development in the state and how he did special favour to China by giving land to Chinese companies in Peethampur. He should also remember that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China four times when he was chief minister of Gujarat and five times as the PM. Earlier, questioning the link between China and the Congress, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that both the Chinese government and the Chinese embassy in India contributed to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) a trust chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi with former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and P Chidambaram as trustees. The coronavirus pandemic is far from over, German chancellor Angela Merkel has warned, amid growing concerns that fresh outbreaks could lead to a second global wave of the virus. The German response to the virus has been praised across the globe after an intensive testing regime revealed high numbers of infections but relatively few fatalities compared to other European nations. Now as the country is due to take up the presidency of the council of the European Union a rotating role last held by Croatia Ms Merkel has said responding to the health and economic impacts of the virus will be her top priority. The risk posed by the virus is still serious, Mrs Merkel said in her weekly video address to the nation. Its easy to forget because Germany has got through the crisis well so far, but that doesnt mean we are protected, that the risk has been averted that is not the case, as is demonstrated by these regional outbreaks. Take it seriously, she added, because it is serious. Her warning comes after a rise in cases in Germany and risk of continuing exponential growth in cases elsewhere in the world. German authorities renewed a lockdown in a western region of about 500,000 people last week after about 1,300 slaughterhouse workers tested positive for Covid-19, in an attempt to prevent the outbreak from spreading across the area. Meanwhile across the Atlantic two of the largest US states reversed course and reinstated some restrictions amid a surge in new infections. The daily number of confirmed infections in the country surged to an all-time high of 45,300 on Friday, eclipsing the previous high of 40,000 set the previous day, according to Johns Hopkins University. Newly reported cases per day have risen on average about 60 per cent over the past two weeks, according to an Associated Press analysis. While the US rise partly reflects expanded testing, experts say there is ample evidence the virus is making a comeback, including rising deaths in parts of the country and higher percentages of virus tests coming back positive. Recommended New lockdown imposed in Germany after outbreak linked to meat plant Meanwhile India reported more than 18,000 new cases, pushing its cumulative total over the half-million mark, the fourth highest globally behind the US, Brazil and Russia. And China once the epicentre of the pandemic but which had all but eradicated the virus saw a rise in cases one day after authorities said they expected an outbreak in Beijing to be brought under control in the near future. The National Health Commission reported 17 new cases in the nations capital, the most in a week, among 21 nationwide. South Korea, where a resurgence in the past month has threatened to erase the countrys earlier success, reported 51 new cases, including 35 in the Seoul metropolitan area. Additional reporting by Associated Press Fluid, seamless, up-close-and-personal camera work in a moving portrait of Egypts youth. Ayten Amin carefully builds a precious world where local tradition and universal hope are fused. Here, a young girl dreams, hopes to please and seduce, aspires to be loved, to wear make-up, to be born into the world. In sumptuous Alexandria, all of the life and sounds of the city can be heard outside, juxtaposed with the silences of the heroine and the director. Following in the footsteps of Yomeddine by A. B. Shawky and Mohamed Diabs work, here is proof if ever more was needed of the dynamic energy of the young, up-and-coming Egyptian scene... Thus the Cannes administration on Ayten Amins Souad, which is among the 56 films in the official selection of the festivals 73rd round. Sadly the event itself is not taking place due to Covid-19. Souad is the first feature film by an Egyptian female director to have that distinction. The first Egyptian-Tunisian coproduction since the 1970s, it also brought together three Egyptians producers. Amins friend Sameh Awad, a New York-based business management consultant was so keen on the project he founded a production company, Vivid Reels. Mark Lotfy, who cofounded the Alexandria-based Fig Leaf Studios in 2005, took care of outdoor shooting (the film is set between Alexandria and the Nile Delta city of Zagazig). And Mohamed Hefzy of Film Clinic also the head of the Cairo International Film Festival since 2018 also took part in the production. So did the renowned Tunisian producer Dorra Bouchoucha of Nomadis Images, who had asked Amin to attend her biannual script development workshop in Tunisia before she decided to involve herself in the project. It wasnt easy to transform Souad from an idea in Amins head in 2015 to a Cannes selection entry five years later, and the story illuminates the conditions of the film industry in Egypt. Together with screenwriter Mahmoud Ezzat, who had collaborated with her on her debut Villa 69 (2013), Amin had completed writing by 2016 but did not secure any funds until 2018 when she won several awards at the CineGouna Springboard in the course of the second El Gouna Film festival. Despite the success of Villa 69 and the highly acclaimed television series, Seventh Neighbour (2017), Amin says this was not deemed sufficient proof of her potential. The film was not the kind the immediately interests producers. It is a very simple story about the everyday life of teenage girls who live away from the centre and connect with the outside world through the internet, Amin says, pointing out that many factors made it hard to finance the project. It uses actors who have no experience. There is a script, but it is largely a reflection of the real-life stories we kept hearing from the dozens of young women we met during auditions and in our own lives. The actual shooting makes a lot of room for improvisation, it is a cinematic language I loved and wanted to explore, like a narrative film in the form of a documentary. Amin says Souad was a story she instantly wanted to tell: I felt that these girls do not have a voice in our cinema and I wanted to give them that space. If there is one reason I now feel its the closest film to my heart its that I made it exactly the way I wanted to. I enjoyed every second of the process where we had the space for creatively building it up gradually with the input of everyone in the crew. The film received funding from the Organization International de la Francophonie (OIF), the Produire de Sud, the Beirut Cinema Platform and AFAC, but Amin went against the usual practise of employing a foreign professional crew. Another adventure Im proud of: all the crew members, with some of them doing what theyre doing for the first time. The point is I was looking for people who could find themselves in the film one way or another. I love to work in a team and Souads team was very homogeneous with each person happy with their role. The thing about Cannes for me is that the story of the film, the way it was made, the people it represents can click with people everywhere. It is universal in a way but it also shows a very real aspect of us that they did not realise existed. I am proud that this film could pave the road for our real stories to be told and supported. Its also very important to maintain the connection with Tunisia and other Arab countries who went a step ahead. We should look for co-production within our own sphere. Amin is looking forward to the theatrical release of the film, and hopes that Souads success story will make her next journey easier. *** As a cinephile with numerous friends in the independent scene, Sameh Awad had kept up with Amins creative developments. I witnessed the early stages of the film when Ayten was writing it and we were discussing it as friends, he says. Actually I was very keen on the story and on Aytens ambition to explore a cinematic language she had not used before. I also witnessed her having a hard time securing funds for three years. Its cruel how producers reject a project like this because it has nothing to do with her style in previous works. That was the main reason, besides the story not being exotic enough. It felt daunting, he says, when Amin asked him to be the lead producer. But she was confident and it turns out she had amazing foresight. Their strategy for making it happen was to stress artistic value and present conceptual proof rather than written material. With a small financial contribution from Awad himself, they shot a pilot demonstrating what the film would look like and the first positive response came from El Gouna, which enabled them to start shooting, followed by the IOF grant with which half film was completed. That was when Hefzy could be brought in. The role of local film festivals is crucial, Awad says, though there should also be state and private sector initiatives so that filmmakers can find room to be creative, experiment and explore new horizons. Amin, he goes on to explain, truly does not believe in the kind of exoticism that draws Western support. She simply believes in her story, and Souad is proof that there are ways to be true to your vision and convince others of it still. Once you have the film, postproduction funding comes far more easily. By early 2020 the project was complete. Approaching Cannes was another daunting step but both Amin and Awad were convinced of the power of Souad whether in terms of content or style. You dont make a film for Cannes, Awad says, but it makes you happy when youre recognised by Cannes. Its also a good thing I think that the films broad audience and it is a kind of popular film will be proud that their tastes are shared by one of the worlds most prestigious festivals. It could also push producers to think out of the box and filmmakers to stick to their creative guns. Souad was already an inspiration for its crew members, Awad says. *** For his part Mark Lotfy believes Souad benefited from the way it pooled the skills of different producers with different specialties: Sameh Awad had the business acumen to rescue the project at a critical moment, Dora Bouchoucha the project development and Mohamed Hefzy the independent cinema investment skill and experience to make it financially possible. Fig Leaf had experience working on low budget projects and making shooting possible where it is very difficult, and so we facilitated filming in Alexandria and Zagazig. Amins persistence, he adds, was inspiring to everyone. *** Like other members of the crew, the films cinematographer Maged Nader (also a film director now working on his debut feature) was deeply invested in the experience. With several short films to his name as director, Nader also did the cinematography for films like Ahmed Fawzy Salehs Poisonous Roses (2018). As a director of photography, he says, I like to work on films that Id like to see, and also ones that are different from my own style. Though a Cinema Institute graduate, Nader appreciates this as a learning experience. I learned a lot from Souad not only as a cinematographer but as a film director. For example, the way Ayten deals with the actors they dont teach you that at film school. Using natural light the only way you can make room for improvising on location was a real challenge, he says, but he had full creative agency to choose how to take it on. I was there during rehearsals as well as during editing, and before that I was there after the script was ready because as a friend of both the screenwriter Mahmoud Ezzat and the director I was asked for my input at every stage. It is an overwhelming experience in every sense. After the challenging years when Ayten was not able to secure the funds for her film and although I loved the project, I began to suspect that a film like this would have difficulties in the world of big festivals. Cannes was such a mind-blowing surprise. Every contribution to the independent scene is an inspiration to other filmmakers. Working on Souad was epoch-making. *** Another young filmmaker whose shorts have garnered praise, Khaled Medhat Moeit, did the editing of Souad. I used to edit my own shorts and some of my friends, he says. This is my first feature film as an editor and I believe it was courageous of Ayten to take that risk. An engineering student, Moeit had loved Villa 69. He was so keen on taking part in the new project that he moved from Port Said to Cairo for the purpose. What I loved the most about Aytens debut was her poetic style. My concept in Souads editing was how to make it as poetic as possible. But there was another aspect to the job. When I saw the material, I felt I could relate to the characters and the story, especially in the second part of the film. I believe everyone will relate to it as much as I did. Moeit feels that Souad is a significant step in his filmmaking career, both as experience and education: My understanding of how you can communicate a meaning or a feeling through a scene or a sequence of scenes has improved. I got to find out about the rhythms I like, my taste in pacing, all those difficult questions found answers. But the most significant lesson he had as a film director is that it has empowered him to do exactly what he wants. Souads selection in Cannes, he believes, will free both filmmakers and producers and help them see that human relationships in our part of the world are a worthy cinematic subject. *A version of this article appears in print in the 25 June, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Australian rockers 5 Seconds of Summer have announced that they are postponing the remainder of their No Shame tour dates across Australia and North America, due to the global coronavirus pandemic. The band shared their 'disappointment' at not being able to go ahead with any of their shows for the rest of the year, in a statement posted to Instagram on Saturday. The group said that they were prioritising 'safety,' and added that they for now, are 'taking a bit of time off.' Taking a break: 5SOS announced at the weekend that they have postponed their North American and Australian tour and have revealed that they're 'taking time off' 'Due to government action in certain markets and out of an abundance of caution, the remaining shows this year will no longer be possible,' the statement read. 'Playing live shows for our fans is what makes us want to be a band. While we are all disappointed to reschedule these shows, the safety of our fans, touring crew and venue staff takes precedence and we know this is the right decision,' it continued. However, they revealed they were able to add extra shows in several locations across Europe, the UK and in Philadelphia in the US next year. Finally, they thanked fans for their continued support, before revealing they were taking a break. 'We're taking a bit of time off and focusing on important things away from the band, but we'll be back very soon and continue to create music and make preparations for this tour worth the wait,' they said. So sad! The band shared their 'disappointment' at not being able to go ahead in a statement they posted to Instagram on Saturday They'll be back! However, they revealed they were able to add extra shows in several locations across Europe, the UK and in Philadelphia in the US next year The announcement comes after a teenage 5 Seconds of Summer fan issued a full retraction after she accused the band's guitarist Michael Clifford, 24, of touching her inappropriately at a concert seven years ago. The girl alleged on June 13 that a 17-year-old Michael touched her 'chest, arms and sides' during a show at Tinley Park, Illinois, in 2013. At the time, 5SOS was touring North America with One Direction as part of the British band's Take Me Home tour. Making headlines: The announcement comes after a teenage 5 Seconds of Summer fan issued a full retraction after she accused the band's guitarist Michael Clifford, 24, (pictured) of touching her inappropriately at a concert seven years ago She made the extraordinary claims via an anonymous Twitter account - but after her allegations went viral, she insisted the musician was totally innocent. In a lengthy follow-up post, the girl - who was 14 at the time of the alleged incident - clarified that it was simply a case of mistaken identity. She insisted she had been abused by a man at the concert, but it wasn't Michael. Her actual abuser has since died, she claimed. 'He never touched me': The girl alleged on Twitter on June 13 that Michael had touched her 'chest, arms and sides' during a show in Illinois in 2013. In a lengthy follow-up post, she clarified that it was simply a case of mistaken identity According to the woman, who would now be 21, she spent years convinced that the Australian rock star had been responsible for the assault. In her since-retracted original statement, she wrote: 'Michael Clifford... slid into the audience - probably most would assume to enjoy the concert - and violated my safety and privacy.' Three days later, on July 16, she tweeted that the man who had touched her was not Michael, and that the actual offender 'is dead'. 'Today, I found out I've been wrong for almost seven years. Today I found out that my offender is dead. My offender is NOT MICHAEL CLIFFORD,' she wrote. Michael has categorically denied all accusations of inappropriate conduct, saying they are 'beyond untrue'. 'I am heartbroken to read these things that are being said they are just BEYOND untrue,' he tweeted on June 15. 'I am heartbroken': Michael has categorically denied all accusations of inappropriate conduct, saying they are 'beyond untrue'. 'I am heartbroken to read these things that are being said they are just BEYOND untrue,' he tweeted on June 15 'I was never allowed in the crowd I only ever watched at front of house and I would've never EVER done that. I would NEVER do anything like that,' he added. In another tweet, Michael commented on a video of the 5SOS band members surrounded by fans in the audience. 'This is what life was like in 2013. Please understand it would've been logistically impossible for me to get through a crowd at a show I just played at! I'm not trying to be defensive I promise this is just so completely false,' he wrote. In response to another Twitter user, Michael said of the allegations: 'I really just don't know what I can even say. People are asking me to explain but how can I explain something that I was never involved with in the first place?' 'I truly want to give you what youre asking from me but what more can I say?' he added. Adam Wilkinson, who managed 5SOS at the time of the alleged incidents, jumped to Michael's defence, tweeting: 'I can confirm at all times that the band were never allowed into the crowd and were always escorted to front of house by security and/or management including myself.' Taubman Centers, Simon Property head to court over merger deal - Kansas City Business Journal Mall giants Simon Property Group and Taubman Centers are headed to court over their $3.6 billion merger deal. Simon (NYSE: SPG) struck a deal to buy Taubman's 26 U.S. luxury malls in early February, but in early June said it was terminating its agreement with Taubman (NYSE: TCO), citing the novel coronavirus pandemic and alleging that Taubman has breached the parts of the merger agreement that govern its business operations. There are a lot of moving parts in this deal but the upshot is that a court fight and behind the scenes shareholder power moves now seem to think of Kansas City's crown jewel as a liability . . . More info here for subscribers: If youre from Houston, or if you know a little something about Houston rap culture, you might know that June 27th is a local day of celebration. On that day, in 1996, Robert Earl Davis, Jr., better known to the world as DJ Screw, recorded his Chapter 012: June 27th mixtape, featuring a now-famous 35-minute freestyle from members of Davis elite squad of Southside Houston rappers, the Screwed Up Click, who would go on to collectively transform the vibe, energy, and dynamics of southern hip-hop in the mid- to late 1990s. June 27th became Davis most popular-selling mixtape; a rare instant classic status in the citys hip-hop underground, slowly seeping out of the Southside and through the sprawling spaces, and slab stereos, of Greater Houston. That tape among the over 300 in his extensive mixtape catalog is a notable milestone in the unbridled legacy of the citys most iconic and celebrated DJ. (For the uninitiated, this year is your chance to celebrate with the many proud Screwheads locally and worldwide. (You could stream the mixtape on YouTube or Spotify, but youd be better off buying a copy for yourself at the world-famous Screwed Up Records and Tapes, while supporting a Black-owned business. Yes, they take online orders, too.) In the early 1990s, the creation of Davis signature chopped and screwed sound, forged in his overworked home studio experiments in South Houston, consisted of his deliberate slowdown of a record through the pitch control on one turntable screwed while he intermittently cut up, or chopped, a duplicate of the same record on the other turntable, manipulating his DJ mixers crossfader to reiterate key phrasings and selections from the song, like a stutter. Its a wobbled sound that only a slow-moving, oil-slicked car city like Houston could conceive. When the mix was done, Davis further slowed the tempo by using the pitch control on his four-track to produce a final screw tape. Though he wasnt the first DJ to slow or chop local Southside DJs Darryl Scott and Michael Price tinkered with these techniques before him, and just south of Texass border, cumbia rebajada (slowed cumbia) DJs like Sonido Duenez in Monterrey, Mexico, were also popularizing slow music around the same time he did advance these techniques to fashion an infectious, signature sound like no other. Indeed, to just call him a DJ is to limit him to someone who spins other peoples records: he was a one-man independent, hip-hop visionary, sophisticated turntablist, producer, and then some. Davis penchant for the disruption of continuity and speed, challenging the conventions of music consumption and turntable instrumentation like the rap worlds John Cage, earned him his reputation as the originator whose genius would take years to catch on. Today, his music echoes through the catalogs of rap and pops current tastemakers and innovators: Travis Scott, Drake, Beyonce, and A$AP Rocky, to name a few, borrow from and pay homage to Davis decelerated revolution. Like other Southside DJs before him, Davis first started selling copies of his mixtapes at local car shows and MacGregor Park, later moving his operations to his fathers apartment and then to his first home off Greenstone Street, the Screw House, selling hand-to-hand through the iron-clad burglar bars securing his front door. Soon, lines formed down his street in eager anticipation of the latest Screw chapter. As his notoriety and wealth ascended, earning some estimated $15,000 or more in a single day at the height of his popularity, Davis became a forceful presence in a city with limited socioeconomic mobility for its underserved Black communities. In Invisible Houston, sociologist Robert Bullards impactful history of anti-black discrimination examined through the lens of Houstons urban planning patterns, Bullard describes the invisible presence of African Americans in a city whose driving ideology of unfettered capitalism, long celebrated by local elites and boosters, failed to serve its communities of color. They (Black Houstonians) are basically invisible when it comes to power, Bullard noted in an interview with the Texas Observer. The power to keep things that other people dont want out of their neighborhoods, the power to get access to the economic infrastructure, the power to get access to the political infrastructure. Davis, like Black Houston entrepreneurs before him, eluded his invisibility to innovate economic infrastructures outside of the purview of the corporatizing rap industry and local political-economic order. Rival crews, and the Houston Police Department, were on notice. The gradual gelling of fandom for Davis mixtapes moved at the crawling tempo of his music, growing locally, organically: hand to hand, tape to tape. Its this hustle and grind work ethic which has characterized the local rap music industry since its inception, spearheaded by DIY labels and independent artists, following the success of Houstons Rap-A-Lot Records which flooded the Texas-Louisiana market with new releases and self-made promotional content. By 1998, the demand for screw tapes led to Davis opening of Screwed Up Records and Tapes, the first and only music storefront devoted entirely to a single DJs mixtapes. Today, twenty-two years since its founding and nearly two decades since Davis passing, Screwed Up Records and Tapes still stands (briefly closed and then reopened at a different location in 2012), thanks to continued management by Davis family members and associates, subsisting entirely on Screws back catalog (and Screw tees, and Screw towels, and an all-candy-flavored soda machine, too.). If ever there was one, its the Houston rap sound. In his life after death, the now-dominant rap icon of the nations fourth-largest city, Davis transcended the limitations and social acceptance of rap music that restricted him in his lifetime. An ongoing DJ Screw exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston, on the heels of Nigerian-Houstonian hip-hop phenom Tobe Nwigwes filmed interview and eye-catching music video at the Rienzi, the Museum of Fine Arts Houstons gallery for European decorative arts, further accentuates the recent strides that marginalized Black Houstonians have made in their long-deserved presence in and repurposing of the citys flagship institutions of culture. Regrettably, however, as Davis legend continued to rise, popular stereotypes and outsider narratives of Houston rap associated his music with the consumption of liquid codeine (otherwise known as lean, purple stuff, drank, etc.), like psychedelics to psychedelic music, despite the fact that most of his listeners dont consume pharmaceuticals as a requisite to enjoy it.listening to Screw is a visceral, multi-sensory experience, particularly for the subset of hip-hop aficionados who can appreciate the DJ science behind the mixtape. (In my own first listen as an adolescent, from my older brothers copy of Davis classic 1995 All Screwed Up Vol. II mixtape, I recall thinking I might be dying, or the rappers might be dying, or both. Like all effective works of existential art, the giant skull impaled by a foot-long screw on the mixtapes cover further added to my intrigue and creeping anxiety.) June 27th is not just significant as a day of local hip-hop lore, a day something happened in a city outside of the epicenter of raps origins. Its a testament to the ongoing cultural impact of the screw tape and the endeavor to make visible the invisible histories of black Houston life, enterprise, and self-determinacy which have largely failed to materialize in the citys landscape of cultural landmarks and historical markers. In a reimagined history of Houston, one less dependent on its founding Anglo-Texan elites or rejoicing in its oil, gas and petrochemical industries, one might better understand Davis in the lineage of black Houstonians who have contributed to American popular music within the dreadful social conditions that shaped their lives. Indeed, Houston has a distinct relationship with the evolution of American popular music haphazardly recognized by the city despite concerted efforts by music historians like Tyina Steptoe, Roger Wood, John Nova Lomax, and Jason Woods, among others, to rescue it and give it its due place and context. A glimpse into those contributions emerge even in the late 1940s, when African American music moguls Don and Evelyn Robey fostered the environs for which the earliest iterations of rock and roll music would first emerge the legendary Bronze Peacock nightclub in Houstons Fifth Ward, where mid-century Black music icons such as Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Louis Jordan, and Johnny Ace once performed. Don Robey, like other Black businessmen of the Jim Crow South who dared defy the conventions of Anglo respectability, became a frequent target of police harassment and club raids. (Sadly, the historic building at 2809 Erastus Street, which once housed the Robeys Bronze Peacock nightclub, Duke/Peacock Records, and Buffalo Booking Agency, was razed three years ago without a whimper, rendering invisible one of the most significant historical Black spaces in the city. It still lacks a historical marker.) A generation later, Fourth Ward native William George Bubbha Thomas built a jazz music enterprise through his modest-but-mighty Lightnin Records, whose independent 1960s-1970s releases significantly contributed to the shifting, ethereal sounds of spiritual jazz during the political-cultural enlightenments of the black Nationalism era. Thomas and his jazzmen, the Lightmen, epitomized the new heights of Black enterprise and black music in the context of a deindustrializing and racially divided Sunbelt city, agents of a compelling history of revolutionary sounds, public access performances, Black activism, and a summer music workshop for inner-city kids which collectively articulated a lifelong pursuit for the transcendent possibilities of jazz. Thomas and the Robeys, like Davis and rap independents decades later, innovated new modes of economic infrastructures and DIY music management to overcome the otherwise limited opportunities of their daily realities and advance the uncharted sounds they heard and envisioned in their minds. Today, the social movement for black lives is also a social movement for Black histories: to see them, to hear them, to make them visible. George Floyds voice whose immortalized words, I cant breathe, under the choking constraint of a Minneapolic police officers knee, gripped the nation and wider world around it to rise up and denounce the systemic illness of anti-Black racism is the same voice which, years prior, contributed to black Houston music histories in the era of Davis June 27th opus. In the emotional magnitude of our times, we can choose to see and hear Floyd as a victim of anti-Black violence, divorced from the context of his life, or we can choose to see and hear and honor Floyd, a Black Houstonian, in his visibly-obscured history as a father, brother, Yates High School champion athlete, community organizer, and former rapper in Davis Screwed Up Click a gentle giant, as those who knew him, who went by the apropos MC alias, Big Floyd. Floyd was raised in a significant space in Black Houston with layered cultural histories around him, but much of which, like him, were largely invisible from the city which enveloped it. In the late 1990s, Houston rap fans first heard Floyds voice on Davis mixtapes, like Ballin in Da Mall, where Davis playfully invites Floyd Come on Big Floyd to lay down a freestyle. In a strange, sad twist of fate, Floyd seemed to have fulfilled a dark prophecy on that particular mixtape catch me on the TV, nationwide I went delivering a sixteen-bar flow about an otherwise ordinary and laid-back day back at the Screw House, fresh from his return that weekend from college. If we can see and hear Floyd this way, as an extension of a legacy surrounding June 27th, as part of the cultural-historic fabric of this city, reintegrated into his own life story, and as we consider our own ways to make the invisible black histories around us more visible every day and beyond a sanctioned month a year, we might better aspire to the urgent demands before us to protect and honor Black lives. La Rotta is a postdoctoral research scholar in the Department of History and the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University where he teaches U.S. Latinx History and Black/Brown History of Rock & Roll. Rusty Bucket BBQ and Tavern co-owner Matt Finlay is worried about what Gov. Greg Abbotts order of reduced capacity will mean for his restaurant on West Industrial Avenue. He said Friday afternoon that a concert with Texas country musician Casey Donahew would be presented as planned Friday night his venue can usually hold around 2,019 people but he expected to lose money. Restaurants may remain open for dine-in service -- but beginning Monday at a capacity not to exceed 50 percent of total listed indoor occupancy. Restaurants are currently operating at 75 percent of the total listed occupancy. I dont want to put a dollar amount in an interview but its going to cost us a whole lot of money, Finlay said. Weve already bought everything to supply food wise and drink wise because he (Gov. Greg Abbott) said the other day he wasnt going to shut us down until after the Fourth of July after he looked at the numbers. So, we have a ton of stuff that now half of it will probably go bad. Finlay said he doesnt agree with the decision and believes that coronavirus numbers are being skewed. The Midland Health Department reported the number of confirmed cases Friday reached 563. The Department of State Health Services reported 137,624 on its website Friday. Finlay said Friday he personally knows people who have tested positive and had to get retested in order to be cleared to go back to work. I think the numbers are skewed, he said. People are being retested and those numbers are going to make everything go up. The numbers arent accurate. If youre scared or elderly or sick, then absolutely stay home, but I dont think you can keep everybody in. This first shutdown, I know five restaurants that are never going to open again. So how many are going to close before this next one is over. There are other restaurant owners who share the belief that another setback will negatively impact restaurants across Midland to the point where they might have to close. They also worried about bars, which were shut down again as Abbotts executive order Friday basically shut down establishments that receive more than 51 percent of their gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages. The businesses may remain open for delivery and take-out, including for alcoholic beverages, as authorized by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The Rusty Bucket BBQ and Tavern has been open for eight months, and this will be the second time government has tightened its restrictions on Finlays business. Were going to survive but its going to be rough and some places arent going to survive it, he said. All you are doing is killing your state by doing this. It should be left up to the people. Finlay said he wont be able to run his full staff with only half the business coming in. They cant afford to be out of work, either, he said. Weve separated our tables even farther and we have taken away seats. But in the end, I dont know if I can keep everyone in my staff busy. Were not shutting down the rioters and everything else that is happening in the community, but they want to shut down business owners that are trying to help the community thrive, Finlay said. I just dont agree with it. I love our governor, and I love our state, but something has to give before we bankrupt everybody. Colchicine, a common drug to treat gout, is being evaluated as a potential treatment in the fight against coronavirus MONTREAL, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Montreal Heart Institute today announced that the COLCORONA clinical trial will continue to recruit non-hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 as recommended by the independent data monitoring committee (DMC), following a futility analysis. We are pleased to have achieved this important milestone and now await the final results of COLCORONA, to determine the effect of colchicine in preventing complications in non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19, said Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the Research Center at MHI, Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal, and COLCORONA primary investigator. We are committed to including large number of patients worldwide in this robust study to determine the effect of colchicine on the serious inflammatory storm seen with COVID-19, potentially keeping patients out of the hospital and ultimately saving lives. COLCORONA is a contact-free, at-home, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study run out of several regions in Canada, the United States, Europe, South America, and Africa. It aims to determine if colchicine may prevent the major inflammatory storm observed in adults suffering from serious complications linked to COVID-19. This is one of the few current studies of COVID-19 infection in which non-hospitalized individuals can participate. Patients and physicians interested in COLCORONA can call the hotline at 1-877-536-6837. COLCORONA is coordinated by the Montreal Health Innovations Coordinating Center (MHICC) and funded by the Government of Quebec, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH). CGI and Pharmascience are also collaborators of COLCORONA. The Montreal Heart Institute and its partners worldwide would like to thank all the patients and investigators for their continued participation in the COLCORONA study. Story continues For more information about the study, visit www.colcorona.net. About the Montreal Heart Institute Founded in 1954, the Montreal Heart Institute constantly aims for the highest standards of excellence in the cardiovascular field through its leadership in clinical and basic research, ultra-specialized care, professional training, and prevention. It houses the largest research center in Canada, the largest cardiovascular prevention center in the country, and the largest cardiovascular genetics center in Canada. The Institute is affiliated with the University of Montreal and has more than 2000 employees, including 245 doctors and more than 85 researchers. About the Montreal Health Innovations Coordinating Center (MHICC) The Montreal Health Innovations Coordinating Center (MHICC) is a leading academic clinical research organization and an integral part of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI). The MHICC possesses an established network of collaborators in over 4500 clinical sites in more than 40 countries. It has specific expertise in precision medicine, low-cost high-quality clinical trials, and drug repurposing. About Pharmascience Founded in 1983, Pharmascience Inc. is the largest pharmaceutical employer in Quebec. With its head office located in Montreal and its 1,500 employees, Pharmascience Inc. is a private, full-service pharmaceutical company with deep roots in Canada, and whose global reach is growing, in part thanks to the distribution of its products in more than 60 countries. Ranked 56th among the top 100 Canadian investors in research and development (R&D) thanks to $ 43 million investment in 2018, Pharmascience Inc. is the 4th largest manufacturer of over-the-counter generic drugs in the country. www.pharmascience.com About CGI Founded in 1976, CGI is one of the world's largest information technology (IT) and management consulting firms. From hundreds of locations around the world, CGI offers a complete portfolio of services and solutions: strategic IT and management consulting services, systems integration services, intellectual property solutions as well as IT and business process management services in delegated mode. www.cgi.com/canada Media Contacts: Canada & Europe Camille Turbide Camille.turbide@gmail.com Canada: + 1 514 755 5354 Europe: + 33 07 85 95 11 29 United States Clare Evans Clare.evans@iriscommunication.net + 1 403 888-6869 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/10c2ee96-b3c0-43c6-abb7-8c02bde133ea I dont think Israel gives a damn for the Arab position, except Jordan because of the sensitivity of its relations with Israel and the United States, said Ghassan Khatib, a former spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority. So whether the Arabs are divided or united, whether they oppose or not oppose, I dont believe this is one of the major factors Israel will take into consideration when deciding to annex or not. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 19:27:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KABUL, June 27 (Xinhua) -- One Afghan soldier and 21 Taliban militants were killed in clashes in two provinces, the country's Ministry of Defense said Saturday. In one incident, nine Taliban militants were killed and 10 others arrested after they attacked the Afghan National Army's checkpoints in Arghandi village, Paghman district in the western part of capital Kabul on Friday, the ministry said in a statement. In eastern Paktia province, 12 Taliban and one Afghan security force member were killed and two soldiers as well as six Taliban militants were wounded after militants attacked Afghan security forces' positions in Mirzakai district on Friday, the statement added. The Taliban militant group has not made comments on the reports. The fresh clashes raised questions about a peace deal inked between the United States and Taliban in Qatar in February. According to the agreement, the United States and NATO forces will withdraw from Afghanistan by July next year. Presently, more than 10,000 foreign forces, including some 8,600 Americans, are serving in Afghanistan to train and assist local security forces in their fight against the insurgents. Enditem Amid the United States attempts to support Hong Kong from Beijing's continuous attacks on the city's autonomy, the Chinese capital had slowly and quietly begun warning the US of keeping out of its affairs. Trade deal in jeopardy Chinese officials note that continuous actions could derail the trade relationship between the two countries under the first phase of their trade deal, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. They also accused the American government of meddling in international affairs as with China's new legislation in Hong Kong. The US Senate passed a bill on Thursday by unanimous consent that would place sanctions on Chinese officials and financial entities that attempt to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy from the Chinese capital. Last week, China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi listed in a meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the actions, according to Beijing's account of the assembly, and added China's extreme discontentment with the bill that Trump signed last week. Yang reassured China's commitment to the trade deal with the United States but emphasized that the two countries had to work together to maintain their relationship. One Chinese official said that the US should keep itself out of affairs it should not be meddling with. It also added that the American government should keep itself from crossing red lines. According to Forbes, Trump assured that the trade deal will still continue and move forward despite trade advisor Peter Navarro's previous statements that suggest it was scrapped. An Asia-Pacific analyst for Stratfor, Evan Rees, Beijing is showing actions that make it clear that its commitment to the trade deal with the US is based on the American government stepping back from intervening in its affairs. The trade deal started its phase one after it was signed in January after lengthy negotiations between the two countries. The focal point of the deal was China's pledge to purchase $200 billion worth of goods from the US, including soybeans and pork. Also Read: Loss of Hong Kong's Autonomy Under China' s Rule Might Mean Sanctions From US Uncertainties Experts, however, initially questioned whether the amount could be reached realistically. Still, the doubts were raised even further amid the rising tensions between the two countries and the global effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Chinese officials have also warned the US government that it could react with firm actions if Washington continues to act in support of Hong Kong. The stern warning came after Trump signed the Human Rights and Democracy Act into law which mandates an annual review of Hong Kong to monitor its autonomy from Beijing, as reported by BBC. One Chinese foreign ministry statement wrote that the US had been ignoring facts and had twisted truths. It also noted that US officials publicly supported violent criminals who disregarded public safety and destroyed establishments, endangering civilians in the process. China's foreign ministry demanded of the United States' Ambassador that they stay out of international affairs that Beijing has jurisdiction in. Hong Kong officials have also made their presence known, saying the bill that Trump passed would instead make the situation worse. Joshua Wong, a key activist in the protest movement in Hong Kong, considered the law that the US government laid out is a fantastic achievement for all residents in Hong Kong. Related Article: US Government Passes Bill to Support Hong Kong Against China to Protect Its Trade Partner @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. U.S. shale was one of the big losers of the Saudi-Russian price war that many saw as a war on U.S. shale. Producers scrambled to stay afloat as prices sank back to lows not seen since 2016, and they are still scrambling. Banks are giving them the cold shoulder, worried that many will not be able to pay their debts. Is there a way out? According to various forecasting agencies, there is, but it will take a while. A Bloomberg analysis of forecasts for the shale industry made by outlets such as the International Energy Agency, energy consultancy Rystad, IHS Markit, Genscape, and Enervus suggests shale will be back on its feet by 2023, with production back to over 12 million bpd. This is not a long time for a full recovery, really, especially given the current circumstances, including shut-in wells, abandoned drilling plans, tight cash, and, for many, looming bankruptcies. As much as 30 percent of shale drillers could go under if oil prices fail to move substantially higher, Deloitte said in a recent study, as quoted by CNN. These 30 percent, the firm said, are technically insolvent at oil prices of $35 a barrel. Right now, West Texas Intermediate is higher than $35 but not by much. Oil is now trading closer to $35 than to $50the level at which most shale drillers will be making money. And they need to make money: banks have started cutting credit lines for industry players as they reassess their assets and the production that they promised would be realized from these assets. According to calculations by Moodys and JP Morgan, cited by the Wall Street Journal, banks could reduce asset-backed loan availability for the industry by as much as 30 percent, which translates into tens of billions of dollars. One can see the lenders perspective. They are in the business of lending in order to make money, and for that to happen, their borrowers must make money, too. But, it appears, most shale drillers have been consistently failing to turn a profit over the last 15 years, burning through $300 billion in cash and writing down $450 billion on invested capital, according to the Deloitte study. But the shale industry is lean and mean, which is why it would rebound the moment prices rise high enough. As soon as WTI jumps above $55 a barrel and stays there for a while, shale drillers will start ramping up production again, according to the forecasters Bloomberg surveyed. Related: Russian Mercenaries Block Output Restart At Libyas Largest Oilfield In fact, many are already ramping up: production of crude oil in the U.S. last week rose to 11 million bpd, according to the Energy Information Administrations Weekly Petroleum Status Report, from 10.5 million bpd the previous week. Thats still over a million barrels daily less than what the U.S. was producing a year ago. It is, however, a sign of improvement in the industry. This improvement, according to forecasters, may turn out to be only temporary, though. According to IHS Markit, the production increase will last for a few months, after which it will be followed by another decline. This is because the massive growth in production over the past ten years came at an equally massive expense in the form of fast decline rates. Shale oil extraction is a capital-intensive business, even at the lowest breakeven prices. Shale drillers need to keep drilling new wells to maintainand boostproduction. For this, they need cash that they dont have right now, and the banks are less willing than ever to supply it. For this reason, the recovery of U.S. shale hinges on higher oil prices and OPEC+ knows it. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Many are finding their anxiety build up as the coronavirus continues to claim lives and devastate the economy. Catholic Charities of South Carolina saw up to 120 people weekly at its West Ashley food distribution center as the pandemic worsened in late March. Many people had lost their jobs and were getting food assistance for the first time in their lives. Weve seen it in their faces, said Rocio Maldonado, site administrator for the organizations West Ashley office. When people pull up in their cars, you see their worry and anxiety. In an effort to help people manage their stress during the crisis, the faith organization recently launched a chat service people can access for on-demand emotional support. Sister Hope, as its called, is open 24/7 to anyone in need of coping strategies for managing anxiety. The effort was launched just as the pandemic made its way across the state. Catholic Charities wanted a way to help connect people with a source of encouragement. People who want to chat with Sister Hope should text Hi to 315-276-3157 or message the service on Facebook at Chat with Sister Hope of South Carolina. Its available to anybody at anytime facing any of these situations were experiencing right now, Maldonado said, noting Sister Hope will only offer spiritual advice when asked. The tool can be used by anyone with a computer or cell phone with text messaging capabilities. Users dont speak with a real person, but rather with chatbot technology that uses self-learning artificial intelligence. The more a person chats, the more Sister Hope learns how best to help. Talks are secure and confidential, just like conversations with a health care professional. The initiative was started by clinical psychologists and other experts with X2 AI, a California-based charitable organization several years ago. X2 initially used it as a way to provide mental aid to Syrian refugees. To date, 16 million people have paid access globally through their employer, school, church, charity and other organizations, said Amanda George, content designer with X2 AI. Health professionals note even safety precautions, such as social distancing, can impact peoples mental health by making them feel lonely and isolated. Stress coping mechanisms recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include knowing what to do if you are sick with the virus, knowing where and how to obtain COVID-19 treatment, addressing emotional health, taking a break from virus-related news and more. A fundamental reason Catholic Charities is offering Sister Hope is to counter the stigma surrounding therapy, Maldonado said. Shame, lack of transportation and other reasons prevent people from seeking mental health assistance, she said. Dr. Lori Whatley, a clinical psychologist and author of "Connected and Engaged," said technology like Sister Hope helps remove some of the shame sometimes proved when sharing emotional issues with another person. Some peoples personalities dont allow them to reach out and get the help they need, she said. Whatley called Sister Hope a brilliant idea, noting that connecting with support systems helps release endorphins in the body and builds strength. Connections with humans are ideal, but initiatives like Sister Hope are a strong substitute, she said. We are not wired for complete isolation, she said. That can really be a big negative. I think part of what were seeing right now in the world is the perfect storm. Weve been sheltered in place, tied into our homes here, then we had other issues come up that have been so devastating for this country. We had two traumas back to back ... people were looking for ways to process them. Such connections will be critical moving forward as the coronavirus shows no signs of letting up. Though statewide restrictions have been lifted, some South Carolina cities have begun passing mask ordinances as the number of cases continues to climb. I think that we had a little false hope thinking we could get out, she said. Were learning thats not the wisest choice right now. Leading independent global non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) CargoGulf has announced the launch of its new AGISC (Arab Gulf Indian Subcontinent) liner service linking India and Pakistan direct with markets to the upper Arabian Gulf. It further enhances the companys existing services connecting Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and offers an alternative for customers in Karachi in Pakistan, as well as Kandla, Mundra and Nhava Sheva in India, with shipments to/from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Hans Henrik Nielsen, the global development director at CargoGulf, said it facilitates better control of equipment flows and boosts port offerings. It is offering faster transit times and even better service, he noted. "Our customers enjoy the benefits of dealing with a single company and the GAC global agency network for all the services they may need at the loading and discharge ports," he explained. CargoGulf boasts a strong track record in providing shipping services across Europe, the Americans, the Middle East and Asia with 2-3 sailings weekly from each origin. The service goes direct to/from Jubail and Damman in Saudi Arabia, as well as Bahrain. For easy access to the vibrant markets of the UAE, it can connect seamlessly with Khalifa and Jebel Ali. According to him, business through the trade lanes is served by CargoGulfs own containers, slot charter agreements vessel operators and its own Bills of Lading. The company also has its own stack at all ports covered with delivery orders released by GAC offices. All charges are standard with no hidden extras. Since its establishment in 1985, CargoGulf has gone from strength to strength, earning a strong reputation for excellence in the Middle East and India. By integrating its services with the GAC Groups shipping capabilities, it offers customers the efficiency of a one-stop shop to provide time and cost efficiencies for customers across diverse sectors, remarked Nielsen. This latest addition to our fast-growing range of liner service offerings extends our good, old fashioned high service levels with the convenience of a one-stop shop to meet the needs of the fast-developing trade lanes between the Upper Gulf and the Indian Subcontinent, he added.-TradeArabia News Service COVER | Six Indian architects sketch a post-covid neighbourhood Lounge invites leading architects to reimagine various elements of the neighbourhoodfrom homes and parks to streets and marketplacesto suit the needs of a post-pandemic reality Each age demands its own form. It is our mission to give our new world a new shape with the means of today. This quote by Hannes Meyer, a Swiss architect and second director of Bauhaus Dessau, the German school of design, architecture and applied arts,has always been a favourite of writers commenting on the future of architecture. And it is probably more relevant than ever today, for there is a need to reimagine the built environment in the city in light of the covid-19 pandemic. How does one decongest market spaces keeping social distancing norms in mind? Can one have kiosks in parks, on the lines of vintage telephone booths, containing oximeters, thermometers and sanitizers, to ensure safeguards are available to everybody? Is it possible to have a home within a home to act as a cosy quarantine chamber in case you need it again in the future? advertisement advertisement This wouldnt be the first time that disease has led to a reimagining of the built environment. In 1849, as a second outbreak of cholera ravaged the city of New York, architects such as Frederick Law Olmsted advocated the healing powers of parks, which could act as outlets for foul air and inlets for pure air. And, thus, Central Park came into being. A piece in TheNew Yorker this month, titled How The Coronavirus Will Reshape Architecture, states that much of modernist architecture can be understood as a consequence of fear of disease, a desire to eradicate dark rooms and dusty corners where bacteria lurk. Take, for instance, Adolf Loos modernist creation, Villa Muller, in Prague, built as a residence for Frantisek Muller, co-owner of a construction company. The article mentions that from 1930, it included a separate space where sick children could be quarantined. advertisement advertisement In India, we have the cushion of traditional architectural wisdom to fall back on to tackle the effects of a disaster or changes in the environment. Traditionally, Mishing homes in Assam have been built on stilts to cope with the fury of the annual floods. To combat changing temperature levels, vernacular architecture across India has employed brick and mud. Architects such as B.V. Doshi, Charles Correa and Didi Contractor have shown that it is possible to be modern while keeping in mind the local landscape and climate. They have drawn inspiration from peoples lives to create architecture which pulsates and transforms with time to suit the needs of an entire community. For instance, in Rudraprayag, which saw a devastating flash flood in 2013, Contractor has created a disaster-resilient structure for a community radio station using local material. Correa designed the open mall, City Centre, in Salt Lake, Kolkatawith a complex system of open spaces, from broad colonnaded public arcades to narrow bazaars and vast plazasto suit diverse needs and erase the mid-market and up-market divide. advertisement advertisement It now remains to be seen what changes in architecture will be propelled by an entire generation of people who have been cloistered indoors for months. Decongest and decentralize will be the keywords when looking at neighbourhoods, says Shimul Javeri, principal architect, SJK Architects. This reimagining of the built environment calls for a nuanced shift. We need to reclaim the outdoors. This is particularly important for women, for whom some of the indoor spaces can be very oppressive, says Rupali Gupte, professor at the School of Environment and Architecture, Mumbai. It may be a good idea to create a seriesof interconnected open and semi-open spaces, such as thresholds, verandahs, courtyards and gardens, which extend the idea of the home from its limited definition of a propertied enclosure. We really need to get out of the idea of the apartment, she adds. advertisement advertisement As new thoughts and ideas get added to the discourse, six architects re-envisionthe key elements of the neighbourhood, from the home to the street and the marketplace, to suit a post-covid reality. Shimul Javeri SEMI-OUTDOOR SPACES | SHIMUL JAVERI, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT, SJK ARCHITECTS, MUMBAI Balconies, terraces and verandahs serve the dual purpose of becoming windows to ourselves and the world In Milan, Italy, during the lockdown, the balcony became a space for expressionof anxiety, isolation, appreciation, and of reaching out to the community. One heard snatches of violin and patriotic songs being sung from apartment terraces, offering a moment of joy and solidarity during some very difficult times. Even in India, we have realized that balconies and terraces have proved to be our saving graces. These are where we can meet other individuals while practising social distancing norms or simply gaze out at the world, says Shimul Javeri. advertisement advertisement She believes we have neglected our open spaces so far, retreating further and further within glass facades and artificially-lit spaces. Traditionally, Indian homes had always been designed for human interaction: courtyards in the middle of the house or the othlaa verandahright on the street so that you could see people go by. Intense urbanization created the need to go vertical. While we connected with people across countries, our connection with the neighbourhood ceased to exist. However, the pandemic has allowed us to tune back into the neighbourhood and we need common open spaces that forge this bond even further, she says. advertisement advertisement As times change, so will our priorities. Instead of chasing material goods and luxuries, one might now seek peace and tranquillity. These semi-outdoor spaces, then, could serve the dual purpose of becoming windows to ourselves and the world. We need to look for homes that have much better access to nature and outdoors and, most importantly, to the community. As our mindsets change, so will the solutions, says Javeri. Photo courtesy: Ashiesh Shah Ashiesh Shah According to Mumbai-based Ashiesh Shah, who has worked on spaces ranging from penthouses and offices to concept stores and restaurants, it is time for the home to turn into a multifunctional space. As the people living within it embrace a new way of working and living, the house needs to reflect that. advertisement advertisement What if a home didnt have designated areas for a particular activityif spaces transformed daily, thanks to lightweight movable walls, into realms of activity, meditation and recreation? A bedroom need no longer be used just for sleeping. Rather, it could serve as a makeshift yoga space in the morning, an online learning station for the child in the afternoon, and for other activities too. Everyone that we are speaking to wants a very good study and library in the house now. In this new normal, people will be dividing, say, three days at work and four days at home. Hence, going forward, people will want to invest more in bigger, better-looking and energy-efficient homes, he elaborates. advertisement advertisement Shahs vision for dwellings 2.0 is in sync with his practice, rooted in the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi and Indian craftsmanship. He foresees a rise in minimalism, with people not wanting too much clutter around. Having too much means cleaning too much. Staff is likely to be a luxury in the coming age, he says. Another impact of the pandemic on the built environment is that people are hungry for open, well-ventilated spaces. They simply want to embrace the wind and the sunshine, even in their homes. A certain amount of claustrophobia has set in. We are done with air-conditioning now. Hence, larger stairwells and skylight passages will become very importantanything that allows the sunlight to filter in and give a sense of openness, says Shah. One of the questions foremost on Shahs mind is, how do you create pockets of isolation within the house which are warm and cosy and dont reek of loneliness? People building new homes will have to bear in mind, what if they need to quarantine a family member in the future? The study could be attached to a bedroom and have its own bathroom. This way it becomes a mini apartment within the apartment, he suggests. The Sunder Nursery community toilets project is proof that inputs from everyone can result in a transformative design. (Photo courtesy Vir.Mueller Architects) CIVIC PLANNING | PANKAJ VIR GUPTA, CO-FOUNDER, VIR.MUELLER ARCHITECTS, DELHI There is a need to reassess the nature of pedestrian and civic arrangement in the city Can a neighbourhood to suit the post-pandemic reality be designed without taking into account the voices of everyone who inhabits the space? Pankaj Vir Gupta says that in planning for a post-covid world, the first area of focus ought to be the street and the informal low-income housing settlements where thousands of people compete just to share a toilet, disconnected from sanitation or sewage infrastructure. Pankaj Vir Gupta Look at the street. People like you and me are constantly dodging cars while buying fruits and vegetables. For us, maybe this is a once-a-week event, but for millions of people, this is part of their daily routine, explains Gupta. He suggests reassessing the nature of pedestrian and civic arrangement. Streets, he believes, are not designed holistically or democratically. Do we ask the autorickshaw driver, how do you park at a Metro station or pick up a ride from? Or a vendor about where would be the ideal spot for him to sell his wares, pick up the load at the end of the day and go home? Most developments in urban India are imposed on the citizenry, devoid of local citizen input, resulting in chaos. The last thing we need after the pandemic is another top-down directive, he says. Instead, one must ask who are the citizens with the least agency, how do the poorest citizens live? Our experience of working (on community toilets ) with people in Nizamuddin with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture for the Sunder Nursery project has revealed that if you take inputs from all, the resulting design is transformative. I am beseeching for more plurality. This is a great opportunity to strengthen urban democracy, he says. An image from the House of Stories, a concept for the India Pavilion that Ghosh is curating at the forthcoming London Design Biennale. (Photo courtesy: Nisha Mathew Ghosh and Soumitro Ghosh) KEEPING A THRESHOLD | NISHA MATHEW GHOSH, CO-FOUNDER, MATHEW AND GHOSH ARCHITECTS, BENGALURU Extracting freedom for human relationships from within newly-drawn boundaries In the olden days, traditional house forms across India had a clear sense of an outside public zone and an inside private or safe zone. This outdoor threshold from the street was also where a person coming in from outside could wash up and then enter. It may be time to bring this back, says Nisha Mathew Ghosh, who will represent India at the London Design Biennale 2021. The third edition of the event is themed on resonance and will be led by stage designer-artist Es Devlin as the artistic director. Nisha Mathew Ghosh She foresees structural changes in homes based on the cleanliness and disinfection practices likely in a post-covid world. This would also be the right time to push climate-integrated houses. New boundaries will come into play. But the challenge will lie in extracting freedom for human relationships from within these boundaries. This requires thoughtful architecture which is centred around people and not space, she explains. Ghosh suggests adding resilience to the living space, be it condominiums or low-income housing. She believes it should be mandatory for every house to have a tiny strip of land outside. This will also allow you to grow your own food, making you self-reliant and reducing the number of visits to the market for everyday produce. A great crisis such as this has the potential to create systemic changes and that is what we should be moving towards, she says. Morphogenesis is currently working on projects which feature outdoor food courts for 500 people. (Sketch by Amjad VK; Courtesy Morphogenesis) THE GREAT OUTDOORS | MANIT RASTOGI, ARCHITECT AND FOUNDING PARTNER, MORPHOGENESIS, DELHI Making the outdoor environment more comfortable using temperature control and passive design methods In India, the public social space has always been outdoors. In the 1960-70s, this used to be a democratic area, which used to foster conversation and discourse, says Manit Rastogi. Over time, however, with access to energy and the advent of air-conditioning, many social activities such as shopping and retail started moving indoors. Indias hot climate had a big role to play in this shift. Outdoor akhadas (spaces for training in sports and martial arts) moved into enclosed gyms, street-side eating spaces shifted to indoor restaurants and one saw the rise of enclosed shopping malls, says Rastogi, whose firm recently won the FuturArc Green Leadership Awards 2020, which recognize innovative and ecologically responsible buildings in Asia. Manit Rastogi (Right) This transformational shift, he says, was driven by the fact that indoor spaces could be regulated for comfort through acoustics, lighting and temperature control. Now, Rastogi is hoping for a complete reversal of this phenomenon. We hope that the social spaces move back outdoors. The big difference today is that we have the ability to make the outdoor environment a lot more comfortable, he says. Morphogenesis is currently working on projects which feature outdoor food courts for 500 people. By using passive design methods such as micro-climate creation, the team has been trying to keep the temperature in check. Lightweight tensile roof structures are being used as protection from rain and sun and attempts are being made to harness the wind where possible. They are adding external air filters for better air quality and sonic mosquito control systems to make the outdoors comfortable. Its a given fact that during the pandemic, people feel more at ease in open spaces than indoors, he says. He adds that most open spaces in urban setting are underutilized since they are used only for a limited part of the day or year. What if these could be turned into multifunctional spaces? If the outdoor food court could serve as a classroom, or a meeting and training space through the day? It would be a wasted opportunity if we dont use all our technological abilities to bring social activities outdoors in a more democratic and accessible manner says Rastogi. Multilevel parking lots, pedestrian piazzas, central gardens and extended shaded walkways can transform markets into world-class high-street experiences. (Sketch by Ayesha Mahiira Hussain; Courtesy Studio Lotus) NEIGHBOURHOOD MARKETS | AMBRISH ARORA, DESIGN PRINCIPAL, STUDIO LOTUS, DELHI Creating efficient neighbourhood markets, multilevel car parks, revitalizing small parks at the centre and creating pedestrian promenades The marketplacebe it neighbourhood markets or community plazasmust be decongested so you dont have to jostle with a mass of human bodies and vehicles. This pandemic is a great opportunity to rearrange the peculiar hierarchy as part of which cars currently rule over the main space. We need to make the pedestrian, the cyclist or the person on the public transport take centre stage, says Ambrish Arora, Ambrish Arora He cites the example of Delhis popular M-Block Market in Greater Kailash-I and the Defence Colony markets, which have been planned around quadrangles. Unfortunately, the small parks at the centre of these serve neither any function nor act as ornamentation. The roads on either side are a mess of vehicles, with pedestrians completely sidelined. Just creating multilevel parking lots in the peripheral open spaces could transform the visitor experience, easily increase capacity and ensure a truly world-class high-street experience. The open spaces at the centre could be integrated into the design as pedestrian piazzas, much needed in cities like Delhi that are bereft of public space. Lightweight canopies could help create shaded walkways around buildings, open terrace spaces on the upper levels could be used for food and beverage services. This would double the area for first-floor restaurants. The reason why France and Italy have been able to open up cafes, and more, is because so much of the dining experience is in the open, explains Arora. I, for one, would feel uncomfortable sitting boxed up in a sealed, air-conditioned restaurant. There is increasing evidence that outdoor spaces are less vulnerable to the spread of infection. Such a move would also have a far-reaching impact on safety and energy efficiency. Evacuation staircases for disasters could be built into the verandahs while creating larger open-to-sky areas with low energy consumption. - It is believed that Fantes, who live between the western border of Ghanas capital city Accra and Cape Three Points, were led to their present place by mysterious animals - History has it that the said beings were in the form of humans known as Oburumankoma (whale), Odapagyan (eagle), and Oson (elephant) - There have been some historical theories against the belief Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Oral historians in the courthouses of Fante chieftains hold the view that their forefathers were led to their present settlement by mysterious animals disguised as men. A news report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Face2FaceAfrica indicates that the first Fantes, as the history has it, tore away from the Bono people, another Akan group in Ghanas hinterlands, in the 1200s. It is indicated that it was from that separation that the name 'Fante' itself emerged as the term means, half/part torn. READ ALSO: "What do you want from the world?" - Religious man in Accra spotted screaming after earth tremor Source: UGC Source: UGC Descending southwards, the Fante were split into three groups and led by three mysterious warrior-priests, namely Oburumankoma (whale), Odapagyan (eagle), and Oson (elephant). The last of the warrior-priests above conquered the autochthonous Etsii people and founded Mankessim which translates as in the big town, and now serves as the traditional headquarter-town of the Fante. The Fante believe these three men were literally beings with magical powers but there are those who hold the view that they were only personified conceptions of beliefs. READ ALSO: Michael Jackson passed away 11 years ago: Fans remember King of Pop F.L. Bartels, the writer of The Roots of Ghana Methodism, for instance, argues that Oburumankoma, Odapagyan and Oson are actually metaphors of Fante self-perception. Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! "Ghanaian women don't wear underwear lately" - Market woman speaks out Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh (Newser) San Franciscoagain? Only days after a "Karen" incident shook the city, another one unfolded Tuesday night. Michael Barajas, a Mexican American, captured much of it on video when a car blocked him from entering his own building's parking garage, ABC 7 News reports. A white man identified as William "Hank" Beasley accused Barajas of trespassing and said he "would not let a criminal into their complex." He also threatened to call the police. "That's fine. Call the cops," said Barajas, a 28-year-old UC Berkeley graduate. "Why are you even calling the cops about, Karen?" A man can be heard shouting, "You don't have a right to come in here!" The 20-minute standoff even turned violent when a white neighbor of Barajas intervened. story continues below The neighbor hit Beasley's car and told him to move, prompting Beasley to yell, "You don't touch my car bro!" NBC News reports that Beasley "beat the neighbor up" and Barajas says Beasley "actually threatened to shoot us if we continued to engage in conversation." Barajas later filed a police report, and the San Francisco Chronicle notes that Beasley, who was employed by APEX Systems, was fired Thursday. A woman who was with Beasley defended him, saying "he didn't know" Barajas lived there, but that doesn't fly with Barajas: "Given the current political climate and certain I'm Mexican-American, and the rhetoric of us being criminals, just hit close to home," he tells KNTV. "Even if it wasn't about racism, the level of aggression exuded by him is not OK." (A man in last week's incident was also fired.) Amid heightened Chinese fighter aircraft and helicopter activities along the Line of Actual Control, the Indian armed forces have deployed their advanced very quick-reaction surface-to-air missile defence systems in the Eastern Ladakh sector. "As part of the ongoing build-up in the sector, the air defence systems of both Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have been deployed in the sector to prevent any misadventure by the Chinese Air Force fighter jets or the People's Liberation Army choppers there," government sources said. In the last couple of weeks, the Chinese forces have brought in heavy air superiority aircraft like the Sukhoi-30 and its strategic bombers to the rear locations which have been detected flying near the Indian territory maintaining the 10 km plus distance from the boundary. Sources said that India is also very shortly getting a highly capable air defence system from a friendly country which can be deployed and the entire area can be taken care off to prevent any enemy flying there. Sources said the Chinese choppers have been flying their very close to the Indian LAC in all the troubled sectors including the Sub Sector North (Daulat Beg Oldie sector), Galwan valley near Patrolling Point 14, Patrolling Point 15, Patrolling Point 17 and 17A (Hot Springs area) along with the Pangong Tso and Finger area where they are now moving closer to the Finger 3 area. The Indian quick reaction air defence missile includes the Akash missile which can take down very fast-moving combat aircraft and drones in few seconds and many modifications and upgrades have already been done in it to make it suitable for deployment in the high mountainous terrain. The fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force have also been very active in the Eastern Ladakh area as they are coming into the troubled theatre fully loaded after taking off from the nearby air bases in the plains in few minutes. The surveillance gaps have also been plugged and no enemy aircraft would be able to go undetected from the eyes of defence forces. Soon after the Chinese started transgressing into Indian territory into the May first week, the Indian Air Force had sent its Su-30MKIs to Eastern Ladakh after they were found close to entering the Indian air space there. The Chinese choppers have been coming frequently up to their claim lines in the Ladakh sector including a construction site close to the Galwan valley there. In September 1918, after the Associated Press issued a report about how the Spanish flu had spread at Camp Travis in San Antonio, military officials there initially cried fake news, only in the parlance of the time. While soldiers had been hospitalized officially with cold symptoms, a colonel said of the AP story such report is not only not substantiated by facts but is positively dangerous to the morale of the Camp. More dangerous than the accurate news story was that the Spanish flu had, in fact, arrived at Camp Travis and by the end of the month hundreds of influenza cases were reported there and at Fort Sam Houston. This anecdote is courtesy of Ana Luisa Martinez-Catsam, a historian with the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. In 2013 she published the journal article Desolate Streets: The Spanish Influenza in San Antonio. Its a retrospective that is also prescient for this moment as cases of COVID-19 surge across Texas and rip through San Antonio. While there are many anecdotes from Martinez-Catsams scholarly work I could have chosen to lead with an obsession by local officials on cleanliness that had nothing to do with preventing the Spanish flu stands out its the stickiness of truth that matters most. As John M. Barry, author of the bestseller The Great Influenza, wrote in the Smithsonian Magazine in 2017, In most disasters, people come together, help each other, as we saw recently with Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. But in 1918, without leadership, without the truth, trust evaporated. And people looked after only themselves. We could also say in 2020, the year of COVID-19, without leadership, without the truth, trust evaporated. In many ways, we are on our own to look out for ourselves and to navigate impossible choices about sending kids back to school, heading to work or even voting as COVID-19 cases surge. Choices made as our national leadership engages in repeated sophistry about the disease. If we stopped testing right now, wed have very few cases, if any, President Donald Trump said earlier this month. Like so much of what he says, thats not true. We would still have cases, just not confirmed. But it also wasnt true in March when Trump said, Stay calm, it will go away. You know it is going away. Or as Vice President Mike Pence recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal, We are winning the fight against the invisible enemy. The case numbers here in Texas where Gov. Greg Abbott has faltered, pulled by the gravity of political pressure to avoid a mask order and to quickly reopen at the expense of our health undercuts this claim of winning. So, too, the roughly 125,000 deaths nationwide. So does the crisis in Arizona. As Barry, a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, told me in an interview: We are at risk of losing this game. People are going to lose their lives because people at the top have failed to execute a perfectly reasonable plan. And the cornerstone of that plan, he said, is to tell the truth. For people in authority to tell the truth. Thats No. 1. READ MORE: Brodesky: Right mayor at the right time and the time to come Truth guides physical distancing, wearing of masks, hand-washing and staying home when you feel sick. Truth guides economic reopening. And this brings me back to Martinez-Catsams research about San Antonio during the Spanish flu. She describes a San Antonio where local leaders refused to accept reality, or truth. This took many forms. For starters, local officials marketed San Antonio as a health center somewhat insulated from the disease. Local officials did not initially close schools or businesses, and by the time they did, the disease was rampant. In another misstep, the city reopened too soon only to have to shut down again. Its easy to see a parallel with Abbotts decision to supersede aggressive local stay-home orders and quickly reopen. Tourism officials in 1918 also sought to market San Antonio as a health destination, inviting outsiders to visit and spread their germs. Again, we see a modern parallel with the business community: Visit San Antonios brief effort to woo the Republican National Convention here this summer, despite objections from Mayor Ron Nirenberg and County Judge Nelson Wolff. Its frustrating, Martinez-Catsam, a San Antonio native, told me. You look at what went on and you are seeing these similarities and you are wondering, basically, look at whats happened before, take note of what happened before. And what happened? In the end, 53 percent of San Antonians became sick with influenza. No amount of wishful thinking kept them healthy or safe. What will historians say about this moment? jbrodesky@express-news.net In the 99th District, Republican incumbent Roger Hauck, of Union Township is seeking re-election in November. He will be competing against the winner of the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, and the two Democrats running include Randall Doyle and John Zang, both of Mount Pleasant. Randall Doyle, 61, of Mt. Pleasant, is a history and government professor. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of a state representative? The main job of a state representative is to represent the concerns, expectations, and interests of your constituents in Lansing. A representative must also remember that every district possesses its own distinct economic and social characteristics. And this knowledge and understanding of the district can only be achieved by constantly communicating with the voters. The late great Democrat, and Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Tip ONeill once stated: "All Politics is Local." In short, when a representative goes to Lansing, that individual is representing all the concerns, expectations and needs of that district. The representative is the link between the citizen and their state government. Having worked in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, I learned that constituency work represents the heart and soul of any representatives office. In short, you are doing the peoples work! Therefore, I intend to implement the knowledge and skills that I learned in the U.S. Congress, and apply them to critically important issues in Michigan such as the severe damage caused by the flooding of Midland County, the significant loss of jobs in Michigan and throughout the 99th District, and the desperate need to upgrade Michigans educational systems and infrastructure. Staying in constant touch with voters and the events within your district are the keys to success. 2. Why are you running for office? I am running for the Democratic Partys nomination for the 99th District/Michigan House of Representatives because Michigan is facing the worst economic and social conditions since The Great Depression in the 1930s. And I am the only candidate in the 2020 Democratic Partys primary who has a distinguished record as a Democrat. No other candidate can match my political record as a Democrat. Why is this important? Because the last time a Democrat won the general election for the 99th District was in 1932. The same year that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president of the United States. What the voters of the 99th District need is a real Democrat, with a real record as a Democrat! I am the only candidate who possesses these qualifications. The challenges and issues confronting Michiganders, in the 99th District, are daunting and formidable. I have hands-on experience with issues concerning health care, education, and transportation. Issues such as the devastating flood in Midland County, the continued presence of COVID-19, the struggle for small businesses to survive, and the potential environmental damage from last months flooding await the new state representative. To deal with these critically important issues, the 99th District will need an experienced and knowledgeable State Representative to begin the process of rebuilding and reestablishing our local communities. 3. What are the top 3 issues that the Michigan House of Representatives needs to address in the upcoming new term? My Top 3 issues for the upcoming House Term in 2020 are the following: First, the "500-year Flood." I would fight for every dollar to help rebuild the Midland downtown business community, and the surrounding area, which were devastated by the "500-year Flood." Hundreds of jobs have been lost, and dozens and dozens of small & mid-size businesses were directly affected. The rebuilding process is going to be an arduous and difficult task. In the end, damages from the flood will total approximately $650-700 million. Someone with the political experience and knowledge to get things done will be paramount. State and federal assistance will be needed to begin the process, and to finish it. Therefore, legislative experience and knowledge are critically important during the key debates and negotiations over the next couple of years. Second, the rebuilding, and the re-establishing, of the small business communities which are the fundamental foundations of future prosperity and stability in Midland, Shepherd, Coleman, Mt. Pleasant, and other communities throughout the 99th District. All these communities are fighting for their respective economic lives! So, what can a state representative do under such circumstances? Well, plenty. First, I would propose short-term tax relief what is called sunrise-sunset legislation. Perhaps, up to two years, small businesses in Michigan would pay lower state taxes. This legislation would help small businesses to have the capital needed to reopen their stores and make the proper adjustments to get back in business. Second, I would request state grants to be created and distributed to those small businesses that were seriously damaged either due to COVID-19, or the Great Flood. Third, sales tax relief, this legislation would reduce the sales tax for customers who shopped at "designated" small businesses. Again, a two-year window for such legislation. Altogether, small businesses would receive a financial boost to reestablish themselves in their respective communities. 4. How would you help get those issues addressed? Politically, this moment represents a rare opportunity for quality bipartisanship. Why? Because every region of Michigan has been affected to one degree, or another, by either COVID-19 or last months flooding. Economically and socially, Michigan was one of the hardest hit states according to national statistics. Therein lies the opportunity. Both Democrats and Republicans have a dog in this fight. Both parties want to rebuild and reestablish Michigans business communities within their respective districts. Yes, there will be differences of interpretation and opinion, as there always are on any important issue. But Michigan is currently facing the second highest rate (over 22%) of unemployment in America (Hawaii has the highest at 28%). Thus, without question, it is in the vested interests of all Michiganders, and their elected members in the Michigan Legislature, to get the economy moving forward again and fast! In conclusion, I would begin to build "political" bridges to the Republican Party. Yes, we differ on many important issues, but there are issues where political "common ground" can be established between the two parties. Rebuilding Michigans economy is one of them. We will need to move fast and decisively. 5. How would you reach across the aisle to work with both parties, in the event you win the election? Upon victory in November 2020, I would immediately establish my office and staff in Lansing. Then I would introduce myself to the Democratic and Republican leadership. Additionally, I would seek seats on specific legislative committees that would be most beneficial to my constituents in the 99th District. I would make it a point to introduce myself to all the state representatives. Office visits, lunches, committee hearings and hallway encounters are all part of a whole spectrum of means to meet the men and women who will be your colleagues for the next two years. My role models for conducting ones self in a new political environment, is former Michigan U.S. Senator Carl Levin and former Michigan US Congressman David Bonior. Both achieved impressive legislative records because both were unexpectedly popular with Republicans, Independents and Democrats! When I am elected in November 2020, I will conduct myself, accordingly, in the Michigan House of Representatives. Like Senator Levin and Congressman Bonior, I, too, will work hard with all my new colleagues to pass legislation that will hopefully make the day-to-day lives of my constituents in the 99th District better than the day before. John Zang is a Democratic contender for 99th District Michigan State Representative. He did not include bio information in his election Q&A. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of a state representative? The primary job of your state representative is to represent you in the Michigan Legislature. Your representative must look out for you and your schools, businesses, farms, and the public service that serves you. I am the candidate that brings work experience and education to the job to be better able to serve residents in the 99th district. Years ago, my political opponent, the incumbent, named his top three goals that he wanted to accomplish. He has failed to deliver on at all three. He wanted to increase school funding, yet we are last in the nation out of all 50 states for increased school funding (according to the Detroit News). He wanted to lower auto insurance, yet Michigan continues to have the most expensive auto insurance in the country. He wanted to fix roads. Everyone in Michigan knows how that went. Even as a member of the party in power, he still is unsuccessful. Midland County needs to get someone in Lansing who can get things done. The job of your state representative is to get things done for the residents of the district. 2. Why are you running for this office? I am running for office because I believe Midland County and the 99th district must have better representation in Lansing. We need someone who understands the district to address pandemic related issues and a devastated economy. I retired earlier this year from my position of director of public works for the City of Mt. Pleasant. Prior to working for the city, I held positions as waste water plant manager at a facility, serving 13 municipalities and townships in three counties. Before that, I worked almost 30 years in executive positions in the auto industry including, operations manager, plant manager, and division manager. I was also a co-owner and CEO of a small manufacturing business. I have served on many boards including, school board, board of light and power (large municipally-owned electric power plant); multi-jurisdictional water authority; and Isabella County Materials Recovery Facility. Other past affiliations include the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Duffield Federal Credit Union Board of Directors, Lexington TWP Board of Review, FFA, Isabella County Emergency Operations Committee, and the United States Selective Service Board. I am the most qualified candidate to be state representative in the 99th District. I am running for office because things are not good. I believe we must do better. 3. What are the top three issues the Michigan House of Representatives needs to address in the upcoming new term? The Michigan House must deal with the COVID-19 pandemic health issues while addressing economic recovery issues. Addressing the issues of failed or failing businesses will be a priority, as will be the economic plight of farmers resulting from the pandemic. The Michigan House of Representatives must address the issues related to getting millions of Michiganders back to work and unemployment benefits for those who cannot immediately return to work. Michigan is facing billions of dollars in revenue reductions, while expenditures have increased to fight the pandemic. There will be major budget cuts in state government. As your representative I will make sure that priorities of what to protect are things that matter most in our area, including schools, public safety, and infrastructure. Failure to fund critical state functions has consequences. We all can see the results of underfunded infrastructure. When two dams failed near Midland, millions of dollars in damage occurred. People suffered personal loss as their homes, cars, and property was inundated with flood waters. Roads and bridges were destroyed. The failed dams were nearly 100 years old. Decades of budget cuts to the departments responsible for inspections and control many of Michigan dams left residents unprotected. The consequences of underfunding maintenance of the dams and inspection and enforcement of regulations is evident. I would use my experience in infrastructure to focus infrastructure spending. 4. How would you help get those issues addressed? I understand the economic ramifications of the pandemic. Things are bad now and they are going to get worse. It will be my priority to get people back to work and businesses open. I would also work help farmers who were already hurt before the pandemic by trade embargos. The federal government has been issuing financial relief to businesses, farms, and people out of work. The first trillion dollar relief package from the federal government gave loans/grants to those in need. Michigan was near the bottom of states receiving that relief money. As a result, local businesses and workers came up on the short end of that relief package. I will be a voice for our area to stand up for people in our community. Its not right that billions of dollars are going to the oil industry, while local small businesses cant get loans/grants to stay afloat. In the past few months, billions of dollars have gone to large corporate farms. I will fight for money for our local farmers. With hundreds of millions of dollars going to cruise lines, the coal industry, and the airline industry, I would lobby and fight for money to save local small businesses in our community. Our state officials need to work with national level officials to direct relief spending to our area. Allocating money in return for political favor is unacceptable. 5. How would you reach across the aisle to work with both parties, in the event you win the election? I am a political centrist who has worked with members of both political parties. I am a consensus builder with a proven record of working together with multiple organizations. I have a history of addressing issues and fixing problems but make no mistake, I intend to tell people that my Republican opponent shares the blame for many of our current problems. The incumbents party controls the House and Senate. Republicans have controlled the purse strings (funding) for the past 30 years. They have controlled where Michigan tax money got spent for the past 30 years. They own the problems we see today. If things arent funded, it is because of the political party that controls the purse. When elected, I will stand on my record of fixing things and accomplishing what is important to our district. To do this, I will work with both political parties. The pandemic is not the fault of the Michigan House of Representatives, but current members own their actions during this time. My experience in the public sector and my business sector experience will help me make fiscally sound decisions while keeping in mind the social values of our area. Roger Hauck, 58, of Union Township, is the incumbent 99th District state representative. 1. What would you say are the main jobs and duties of a state representative? I think most people would consider our main job to be voting on or proposing legislation. However, Ive learned over the past three and half years that this position is so much more. Whether its about helping people navigate unemployment or assisting a township in getting a response from the state about a policy change, the job is about helping people in any capacity you can. Its important to me that Im representing the voices of my constituents at the state level. 2. Why are you running for this office? Im running for re-election to continue to serve my community and make it a better place to live, work and raise a family. 3. What are the top three issues the Michigan House needs to address in the upcoming new term? 1. We need clear plans in place in the event we have another wave of coronavirus. If the pandemic has taught us anything its that making executive orders on the fly creates a tremendous amount of uncertainty and confusion. My hope is that the governor will work with the legislature to codify standards that make sense. 2. We need to reform the Michigan unemployment system. The No. 1 complaint I am receiving in my office right now is that no one can get ahold of unemployment. People are calling hundreds of times a day without speaking to a live person. Thats unacceptable. Ive heard the suggestion that we need to hire more staff to keep up with call volume, but in my opinion, thats the typical government way of looking at problems. We need to address the root cause of the calls in the first place. The website isnt providing enough information to give constituents an idea of whats happening with their case. If we can make it more user friendly, I am positive we can cut down on call volume and get people assistance quicker. 3. The stay-at-home order and shutdown of our economy has definitely taken its toll on Michigans budget. I will be fighting to prevent education and infrastructure cuts. We have made so much progress over the past couple years in raising those funding levels. Im hopeful we can trim the fat in other ways. 4. How would you help get those issues addressed? By taking ownership of the problem and doing a deep dive into the issues, I believe I will be able to build support for those changes. Especially with unemployment, I think theres a real opportunity to get changes because I can point to specific problems that hundreds of my constituents are having trouble with. Im also not afraid to work with someone on the other side of the aisle to advance policies that help people. 5. How would you reach across the aisle to work with both parties, in the event you win the election? I think my resume shows I work across the aisle often. Im currently working to get two pieces of bipartisan legislation across the finish line that Ive personally sponsored. The first would end surprise medical billing and the second would subject the legislature and the governor to FOIA. This is in addition to what we have already been able to accomplish on a bipartisan basis including: auto-insurance reform, criminal justice reform, and dramatically increasing education and infrastructure funding. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee on Friday ordered the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to free migrant children held in the country's three family detention centers for more than 20 days and denounced the prolonged detention of families during the coronavirus pandemic. According to a report from the Associated Press (AP), the federal judge ruled that the migrant children and their parents should be released from detention by July 17 or sent to live with family sponsors. This ruling followed after reports of some plaintiffs from a long-running case tested positive for coronavirus, the New York Times reported. Gee wrote in her order that detention centers "are 'on fire' and there is no more time for half measures." ICE has detained the migrant families at three detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania last May, as reported by Texas Tribune. According to the ruling, there were 124 migrant children living in said facilities, which are apart from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services facilities for unaccompanied children. Some of them have been in the facility since last year. Gee wrote for "all deliberate speed" in releasing the children, either with their parents or guardians, who are suitable and have been consented to by their parents. "[ICE needs] to make the sensible choice," Attorney Amy Maldonado, who works with the detained families told AP. "Release the parents to care for their children." Advocates called for the release of those in family detention centers as the threat of coronavirus remains and is rapidly spreading through immigration detention centers. Eleven migrant children and their parents have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Karnes County Residential Center facility. On the other hand, South Texas Family Residential Center reported at least three individuals, including a two-year-old. Other migrants in the facility are also awaiting the test results after workers from the center tested positive for the coronavirus. Gee's orders do not apply directly to the parents detained with their children, but most of them refused to have family sponsors for their children upon release. "Some detained parents facing deportation brought their children to this country to save them from rampant violence in their home countries, and would prefer to see their child released to relatives," said Peter Schey, a lawyer for the detained children. According to the families' counsel, the agency conducted a "routine parole review consistent with the law" and the order. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended social distancing, the wearing of masks and early medical intervention for those with symptoms, Gee has criticized the Trump administration for inconsistencies in following these recommendations. Gee's ruling was the first one to mandate a deadline for the release of migrant children in family detention centers. Recent orders required "prompt" release. ICE said it made efforts to lower the density of populations in the three detention centers and has released over 900 detainees with increased medical risks to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. In court filings of the agency, ICE noted that it considered most of the people in the detention centers to be flight risks because of pending deportation orders or cases under review. Gov. Ned Lamont said he wants to remain flexible on his plan to return 535,000 children to school in September, but he will not budge on the requirement to keep students together in the same group of around 25 throughout the school day. Im always willing to listen, Lamont said Friday afternoon after a coronavirus testing event in the parking lot of a Bridgeport church. People have to give us constructive ideas on how we can get this done. Lamont made the remarks less than 24 hours after he and state Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona announced guidance that calls for public K-12 schools to hold in-person classes in at least a 180-day academic schedule with significant restrictions. The guidance set off a debate across the state about whether coronavirus infections have abated enough, and whether schools can follow the costly cleaning and distancing rules. It brought criticism led by 5th District Rep. Jahana Hayes, a former national Teacher of the Year and a fellow Democrat that the broad outlines Lamont and Cardona delivered created confusion and panic. Thats largely because Lamont, as he has done before with complex rollouts, offered the summary, to be followed a few days later with full details. Immediately there is this influx of panic in educator circles, in parent circles, Hayes said in a Friday interview. What does this mean? What does this look like? Explaining a tweet she posted Thursday night, Hayes said she hopes the complete plan will answer some of these questions the Thursday announcement did not address. I wanted to make sure we werent approaching this just from the framework of whats good for the economy and employers, she added, but it is of no benefit to anyone for students and teachers to not feel safe, because then no real learning is going to take place in that situation, either. Hayes complaints were echoed by state Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, whose Twitter post questioned the governors decision to delay until Monday the details of the plan. Lamont said he spoke with Hayes on Friday morning and sent her the entire 50-page plan, so she can review it before the scheduled release of the full plan on Monday. Hayes had not read the plan before her interview with Hearst Connecticut Media midday Friday. I think the core of it is, you can have your class, but its got to cohort with one group. And I dont want that 25 kids circulating all over the school, because then we wont be able to track and trace. So I think there are some things we really cant compromise on, Lamont said. Hayes, in her first term in Congress, said she told Lamont the school districts that will have the most trouble implementing reopening plans were also the hardest-hit by the coronavirus. So in cities like Waterbury and New Britain, theyre going to have a much more difficult time trying to navigate and figure this out and then pay for it than some of the more affluent communities, and that would just further perpetuate the disparities that weve been talking about, she said. So it should be no surprise to anyone that I have some serious concerns and questions about what this is going to look like. The debate took on political partisanship as Hayes endorsed opponent in the 5th District race, Republican David X. Sullivan, tweeted after Hayes tweet, I fully agree with @GovNedLamonts decision to reopen CT schools in the fall. Only a classroom environment will enable our children to succeed. It was the second time in as many weeks that Lamont has drawn fire from some in his own Democratic Party and praise from Republicans. On June 17, he told a business audience in Fairfield County that extending the $600-a-week bonus payments for unemployment beyond July is not necessary and could lead people making more money not working than working, to avoid returning to their employers. On Friday, Lamont portrayed the back-and-forth as part of an ongoing process of listening. Look, everybody cares deeply about education and has strong feelings, Lamont said. But I also think they understand that we want to get our kids back to school safely, and see if we can do that on time. He credited Cardona with working closely with superintendents, teachers and parents throughout the state in recent weeks. Now were going to get some feedback on how we can do it safely, Lamont said. Do you want everybody to wear a mask? Will teachers come in if they are not? We have a good plan that can get your kids back to school safely. ...Were going to work this through. Connecticut, along with New York, has had the nations sharpest reduction in COVID-19. The reopening of schools depends on data continuing in the right direction with fewer new cases, lower percentages of positive tests and a reduction in hospitalizations. The state Department of Public Health reported a net increase of five hospitalizations Friday, the first uptick since May 25, for a total of 127 patients. Nine new fatalities brought the states pandemic total to 4,307. During the week leading up to the Thursday announcement, Lamont spoke extensively with Cardona. Lamont said he also spoke with other governors, including Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, whose return-to-the-classroom plan includes students staying together as a cohort, to limit the chances of COVID-19 spreading. We got some presentations from the governors meetings, Lamont said of the White House teleconferences led by Vice President Mike Pence. They were not that informative. ... Sort of high-level, balance health and education. Okay, I can figure that out. Lamont credited Cardona. He really talked to all the different stakeholders, Lamont said. He really took the lead on this. A little credit where credit is due. The governor said the Boston Consulting Group, which has taken over advising the state following the disbanding of his Reopen CT Advisory Group, had little, if anything, to do with the education plan. Staff writer Kaitlyn Krasselt contributed to this report. HOLYOKE El Corazon-The Heart of Holyoke has put a call out for artists create and install art along Main Street that celebrates the citys rich Puerto Rican and Latino cultures. A July 6 application deadline looms. Cynthia Espinosa, of the Holyoke Planning Department, led a virtual information session on the project Monday. She said El Corazon aims to develop spaces and places reflective of the communities surrounding Main Street and promote economic opportunity. The newest project supports the recently named Puerto Rican Cultural Area, which runs from the Interstate 391 underpass on Main Street to Lyman Street, where an electronic art piece resides under a rail bridge and pedestrian walkway. Espinosa said the project welcomes local artists who have a connection to Holyoke and Main Street. The future installations include a 10-by-25-foot photo object attached to a building on Main Street. Surveys and public meetings helped narrow the projects focus. Part of it is culture, traditions and history of the Puerto Rican community in Holyoke, she said. For example, the artist may explore family life, first-generation experiences and sports. "It's also open for artists to take inspiration from those things and create something new based on their skills and expertise they have," Espinosa added. The second slated installation is a storefront mural, which would comply with the general guidelines. The selected artists will conduct workshops and presentations. This is to build community on Main Street, she said, and a forum for artists to share their skills. Joseph Krupczynski and Caryn Brause will act as consultants on the project, assisting and guiding the artists. El Corazon received funding from the Holyoke Cultural Council and a crowdfunding campaign. Interested artists can download the application on the Holyoke Redevelopment website. For more information, contact Espinosa at 413-887-8172 or espinosac@holyoke.org. Milton Glaser, whose creation of the I heart NY logo, as well as hundreds of other projects, helped make him one of the most influential graphic designers of his generation, died at an assisted living facility in Manhattan on June 26, his 91st birthday. The cause was complications from a stroke, said his studio manager, Ignacio Serrano. In a career spanning six decades, Glaser lent his talents to books, periodicals and posters - the usual province of graphic designers - as well as to films, restaurant interiors and public artworks. With editor Clay Felker, he co-founded New York magazine in 1968 and went on to design hundreds of issues that "established the format for the now-ubiquitous city magazine," said Michael Bierut, a prominent New York graphic designer. However, Glaser's renown rested foremost on the I heart NY motif, which was adapted, with slight modifications, around the world. "People everywhere were anxious to say, 'I love something,' " Glaser said in a 2019 interview for this obituary. So popular was the formulation that it became a kind of logo for the Bronx-born Glaser himself. With a deep voice, precise elocution and extraordinary powers of description, he served as a de facto spokesman for his profession. He was the only graphic designer ever to receive the National Medal of Arts, bestowed on him by President Barack Obama in 2010. "At a time when European designers, especially in Switzerland, were defining the terms of vanguard design, Milton Glaser helped launch an alternative ethos rooted in American pop culture and counterculture," said Ellen Lupton, senior curator of contemporary design at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. "His more personal, narrative and permissive design philosophy itself became a worldwide phenomenon." One of Glaser's most important early commissions came in 1966, when Columbia Records hired him to design a poster to be packaged with the "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits" LP. He created a silhouette of Dylan with a mane of twisted, brightly colored locks. More than 6 million copies were printed, making the poster a signature artifact of the "psychedelic era." (Glaser later designed posters for such entertainers as Mick Jagger, Aretha Franklin and Jerry Garcia.) Glaser traced the origins of the Dylan design to a Marcel Duchamp self-portrait from the 1950s and the jewel-like colors of Islamic art. He often drew on the past to create images that seemed to capture the present. For the 1993 Broadway run of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer- and Tony-winning drama "Angels in America," Glaser designed a poster inspired by Albrecht Durer's 16th-century watercolor "Wing of a European Roller." In 1977, the New York State Department of Commerce launched an ad campaign to attract tourists and, not incidentally, improve the morale of New Yorkers amid a crime wave and financial crisis that had New York City teetering on bankruptcy. Glaser was tasked with creating a logo to accompany the state's new slogan: "I love New York." He drew the original logo, with a heart in place of the word "love," in the back of a taxi. That drawing, in red crayon on a scrap of paper, is now housed in the Museum of Modern Art. Glaser received a nominal fee, which he accepted because he expected the campaign to last, at most, a few months. "There was a sense of desperation, despair, and also impotence that follows these kinds of conditions,'' Glaser told the New York Times in 2008. "It is one of those peculiarities of your own life where you don't know the consequences of your own actions. Who in the world would have thought that this silly little bit of ephemera would become one of the most pervasive images of the 20th century?" Glaser's other seminal contribution to New York iconography was the magazine he founded with Felker, who once called Glaser "a gigantic creative force." His "densely packed layouts and illustrated 'best-of' listicles,' " Bierut noted, "became the visual corollary to the brand of urban service journalism that Felker pioneered." Among his other contributions to the magazine, Glaser co-wrote (with Jerome Snyder) "The Underground Gourmet," a column about affordable restaurants. The column and guidebook by the same name helped shift attention from haute cuisine to varied ethnic fare. Glaser designed restaurant logos and menus and even interiors, including that of the Windows on the World restaurant atop the World Trade Center. He also reimagined the struggling Grand Union supermarket chain at the behest of its owner, tycoon James Goldsmith. Glaser began by giving the chain a new logo: a bright red circle nestled in the letter A. He then tackled labels, signs and the designs of the stores themselves, placing giant pears in front of some. Glaser said the grocery-store makeover appealed to him because it was anti-elitist. The son of Jewish immigrants from Hungary who ran a dry cleaning business, Milton Glaser was born June 26, 1929, and was raised in a Bronx housing complex dubbed Little Moscow for its population of leftists. Some residents were labor and civil rights activists who championed racially integrated housing. He later told the Times that growing up amid that ferment was "like heaven" during the Great Depression. "You had this enormous commitment to the idea of human possibility, that you didn't have to just accept existing conditions, you could change yourself and change society." At 8, he developed rheumatic fever and spent a year-long convalescence in bed. He passed the time creating an entire city of figurines from the pounds of clay his mother brought him. "Art had redeemed my life," he told Believer magazine, "because I was never bored for a minute that whole year." As the years passed, young Milton became known for his ability to draw almost anything, as well as for his entrepreneurial instincts; he sketched naked women for older boys for a nickel apiece. He studied at the High School of Music & Art in Manhattan, for which he later designed a logo, pro bono. With letters arranged on a musical staff, it was, he said, the only logo in the world that could be sung. After graduating in 1947, he enrolled at Manhattan's Cooper Union. At the time, graphic designers learned a modernist style that eschewed colorful flourishes. But a Fulbright scholarship, after Glaser graduated in 1951, took him to Italy, where he absorbed centuries of art history and studied with Giorgio Morandi, a painter of still-lifes so pared down they were considered revolutionary. "It shifted me from modernism as the only resource to draw on," he said. "History was not the enemy. You could use anything as raw material to make something." Returning to New York, Glaser had to decide whether to pursue fine art or commercial art - a distinction he eventually helped erode. He settled on commercial art because, he said, "I wanted to do work that was public. I wanted to do work that was on the street. I wanted to do work that people saw." From 1954 to 1974, Glaser ran Push Pin Studios, which, he said, "celebrated all the things that the modernists taught us to hate." Among those was surrealism. In many of his illustrations, Glaser juxtaposed items of vastly different scales, creating a slightly fantastical effect reminiscent of the work of Rene Magritte. When he felt his output became repetitive, Glaser disbanded the studio. "Push Pin had become a style," he said, "and I don't trust style." He continued to work - under the aegis of Milton Glaser Inc. - in a red brick building on East 32nd Street that he bought in 1965. (He sold the building in 2019.) Glaser cultivated an informal office environment that rewarded constant interaction, even interruption. He never had to write a memo, he once said, because everybody who worked for him heard everything that happened in the office. From 1968 to 1977, he devoted much of his time to New York magazine. In 1983, he and Walter Bernard, another prominent designer, opened a publication design firm called WBMG. They designed or redesigned scores of publications, including The Washington Post, the Village Voice, Esquire, Paris Match and the Brazilian newspaper O Globo, efforts chronicled in a 2019 book, by Glaser and Bernard, called "Mag Men." Glaser's other publications included the book "The Design of Dissent," a volume published in 2005 with his frequent collaborator Mirko Ilic, documenting protest posters, buttons and the like, a few of them by Glaser. He was the subject of a 2008 documentary, "Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight." In 1957, he married Shirley Girton, a Cooper Union graduate who became an artist, author and gallery director. The couple collaborated on several illustrated books, ostensibly for children. She is his only immediate survivor. Glaser mentored several generations of students, first at Cooper Union and then at the School of Visual Arts, an art and design college in Manhattan where he eventually served as acting board chair and to which he donated his archives. In his later years, Glaser took on such clients as the Brooklyn Brewery and the Theatre for a New Audience and devoted more time to his first love: drawing. "Making art, he said, "is an expression of a very fundamental instinct of the species." He was so closely associated with the "psychedelic era" that in 2014, the producers of "Mad Men," the AMC drama set in the advertising world, asked him to design a poster for the series's final season, set in 1969 and 1970. And after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he created a variant of the I heart NY logo featuring a wounded heart and the phrase, "I [heart] New York More Than Ever." Jools Oliver has spoken about having had five miscarriages in a tribute to Jamie Oliver to mark their 20th wedding anniversary. The 45-year-old shared a touching video from her wedding to the British chef, with whom she has five children, on Instagram. In the video, the newlyweds can be seen dancing to Dusty Springfields I Only Want to Be with You. In the caption, Mrs Oliver praised her husband for being her best friend and lamented the loss of their five little stars in the sky. 20 years married Today !! 20 exciting, happy, fun wonderful years married to my best friend... we were due to renew our wedding vowels this summer but that can wait! she wrote. Recommended Jamie Oliver tribute documentary to cover recent restaurant closures 20 years married but together 27 years my first true love... Yes I drive you Bonkers and you probably deserve a medal etc... Mrs Oliver continued: But being with you feels like home (and you know much I love to be at home)!!! I treasure the daily texts you send, you are romantic and constantly positive funny and a dedicated brilliant dad... We have created five wonderful children and lost our five little stars in the sky. Thank you for loving me the way you do... The video that Mrs Oliver posted has garnered more than 188,000 views so far and more than 1,500 comments from fans congratulating her on the wedding anniversary but also thanking her for being so open about baby loss. Its like something out of Love Actually, commented one person in reference to the couples wedding video. Mrs Oliver first opened up about the miscarriages during Baby Loss Awareness Week. Last October, she shared a photo on Instagram of a candle next to pictures of loved ones and wrote in the caption: A wave of light for all the families who have been affected by baby loss in any way. Our candle shining brightly as always for our lovely friends little baby Archie, always remembered, and friends who I know who have lost their precious babies. And to us, our little stars in the sky shine bright. Xx. You can find out more information on baby loss and where to find support by visiting Tommys.org. Over the last few months, the whole world was grounded to a halt due to the COVID-19 lockdown-no traveling, visiting a friend, or going out to watch a movie and lots more. Theres nothing more challenging than being cut away physically from friends and family we often think about with a great deal of nostalgia. We couldnt embark on a little journey to work, throw a party, or even document some of the things we love doing. People often say, there is nothing that has a beginning without an end. So, as the lockdown eases, it wouldnt be right to hop right out without planning that trip youve been postponing for too long. However, there are a few things you should do to remain safe on that upcoming adventure. Advertisement In this article, we want to share with you 3 crucial tips to follow as the lockdowns and restrictions ease. Take a gentle approach We all want to go out and fall back into our normal lifestyles as fast as possible. But doing so might be courting disaster, its therefore advisable taking a slow and gentle approach. Plan your trips in steps, with only a few days out at a time. Dont forget to still practice social distancing. Maintain Hygenic Routines The fact that the lockdown might be over soon doesnt mean the COVID-19 pandemic is over. You should never forget your hand sanitizers, nose masks, and wash your hands regularly. Sure, you might roll your eyes because you have heard it a thousand times. But the truth is, the COVID-19 shouldnt be the only reason to do all of these things. Aside from the masks, adhering to these essential hygiene tips can keep a lot of germs and bacteria out of your body. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_nTN_HF_LE/ Travel Light Avoid traveling with everything you own. Plan your clothes and accessories ahead and carry only a few essentials. As the lockdowns ease, travel may be accessible but still a trifle more expensive than usual. You wouldnt want to spend a big buck on an extra bag of clothes, you should have kept at home. Only take the most essentials items and when traveling in a vehicle, always ensure you maintain social distancing of about 2m separation. As we reunite with our loved ones and friends, there will be a lot of things to share, memories to relive, and new connections to make. What do you think is missing from the picture? Of course, a gorgeous smartphone to document those important memories. Dont forget to visit the interesting places shot on Camon 15. Camon 15 is the 64MP Camera Phone of TECNO mobile with 4-in-one camera with quad-flash, 32MP-Pop-up Selfie Camera, you can take gorgeous selfies, pictures of everything and any aspects of your journey. Beyond these tips, dont forget to stay informed about the latest COVID-19 updates always adhere to safety precautions where ever you go. New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice Judith K. Nakamura still plans to retire as soon as she can but later than her previously announced date of Aug. 1. While representatives from the Public Employees Retirement Association and I worked closely together before I announced my retirement, new information I received from PERA yesterday requires that my retirement be postponed, she said in a news release Friday. This is certainly not what I planned or expected, but I will use this additional time to continue to make the best legal decisions possible and advance the administration of justice for the benefit of all New Mexicans, she said. It remains unclear how much longer beyond her announced date she will be with the court. Her fellow justices will elect a new chief justice on July 15, according to the release. She was named to the court by former Gov. Susana Martinez in November 2015 and elected chief justice in June 2017. Nakamura, 59, made history in 2016 when she became the first female Republican to be elected to the Supreme Court. Her nomination to the court also created the first ever female majority. She initially intended to retire June 1, but stuck around to work through the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, later settling on Aug. 1, and now sometime later. Nakamura attended Taylor Middle School, Cibola High School and then the University of New Mexico and its school of law. Once she is retired, she said she plans to volunteer for animal welfare organizations and continue piloting hot air balloons. #StopHateForProfit campaign calls on Facebook to do more to stop hate speech and misinformation on its platforms. A handful of companies have pulled advertising from Facebook Inc in support of a campaign that called out the social media giant for not doing enough to stop hate speech on its platforms. Unilever PLC said on Friday that it will stop advertising on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the United States for the rest of the year, citing divisiveness and hate speech during this polarized election period in the US. The consumer goods company, which owns brands like Dove soap and Lipton tea, joins a growing advertising boycott against Facebook as part of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign. The campaign was started by several US civil rights groups after the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody triggered widespread protests against racial discrimination in the US. For 82 years, we have put people over profits. We're pulling all Facebook/Instagram advertising for the month of July. #StopHateForProfit Learn more: https://t.co/XCQSnUO8XJ https://t.co/Jp1GaKdCUN REI (@REI) June 19, 2020 The effort called on Facebook, which owns Instagram, to do more to stop hate speech and misinformation. Shares of Facebook and Twitter both fell more than seven percent. Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society. We will be monitoring ongoing and will revisit our current position if necessary, Unilever said in a statement. The Stop Hate for Profit campaign asks businesses not to advertise on Facebooks services in July. It focuses on specific recommendations for Facebook, though Twitter has also long been under pressure to clean up alleged abuses and misinformation on its platform. We have developed policies and platform capabilities designed to protect and serve the public conversation, and as always, are committed to amplifying voices from underrepresented communities and marginalised groups, said Sarah Personette, vice president for Twitters Global Client Solutions. We are respectful of our partners decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time. Upwork is hitting pause on hate with no Facebook advertising in July. #StopHateForProfit Learn more at https://t.co/rBCCtMXJZlhttps://t.co/ZpRAL6iSZU Upwork (@Upwork) June 19, 2020 More than 90 advertisers including Verizon Communications Inc, The North Face, Upwork, and Recreational Equipment Inc (REI) have joined the campaign, according to a list by ad activism group Sleeping Giants, a partner in the campaign. Our brand safety standards have not changed. Were pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what weve done with YouTube and other partners, the telecom operator told Reuters news agency. Djamel Agaoua, chief executive officer of the messaging app company Rakuten Viber, also took to Twitter to say that his company will remove all Facebook-related contact points from its app. Earlier this week, ice cream maker Ben & Jerrys, a unit of Unilever, said it would pull its Facebook and Instagram ads in the US. Update on @Vibers decision to cut business ties with Facebook #StopHateForProfit pic.twitter.com/cch4CfdQzh Djamel Agaoua (@dagaoua) June 25, 2020 In a statement, a Facebook spokeswoman pointed to its civil rights audit and investments in artificial intelligence that allow it to find and take action on hate speech. We know we have more work to do, and well continue to work with civil rights groups, GARM, and other experts to develop even more tools, technology and policies to continue this fight, she said, referring to the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. Other groups in the campaign include the NAACP, Anti-Defamation League, Common Sense, Free Press and Color of Change. Not everyone who is interested in agriculture grows up on a farm, and without the skills and experience, finding your way into a family farm operation as a new producer is difficult. There are 27,048 farms in Montana, according to the 2017 census of agriculture provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. Of those, 94% are considered family farms, which the USDA defines as farms majority owned by the operator and relatives. Dawson Community College animal science instructor Katie Carrier didnt grow up with much of an agricultural background. But as she got older, she said, she knew she wanted to be involved with the beef cattle industry in some shape, form or fashion. Entering college, however, she found that there were barriers to entering the business. One of them was confidence. She didnt have as much prior experience as some of her peers. I didnt have the background, so I wasnt confident, and I was a little nervous [and] scared to tell my story, because the person sitting next to me, they grew up on a fifth-generation operation, Carrier said. Another barrier for young producers trying to enter the agriculture industry is financing. Im not going to inherit a place, but it would be super hard for me to go out and purchase enough land to run 50 cows, Carrier said. Thats not realistic. Not in the next 10 years, anyway. Dawson County farm owner Dave Rice seconded that challenge: I dont know how a guy could even do it now, as far as buying equipment and buying land, he said. It would be tough. Rice grew up on the farm his grandparents started in the 1930s after moving from Oklahoma. They launched their operation as a canal was being built and people were beginning to settle in the area to raise irrigated crops. Rice said other farmers started out at the same time, and for the same reasons. But over time, smaller farms began to fail. Your neighbor would go out of business, so youd buy his place for 25 cents an acre or whatever it was, Rice said. I think thats how a lot of these farms got bigger and bigger, and it continues to this day. Rices family currently farms 1,100 acres, not including pasture for livestock. The consolidation, along with the equipment necessary to farm large properties, makes farming operations too expensive for many younger producers to get their start. You dont really have people knocking down your door wanting to buy your place, Rice said. Even as the barriers to entry are daunting for younger would-be producers, Montanas existing farmers are aging out of the industry. According to the USDA, just 8% of Montana farmers are under 35. Sixty-five percent are 55 or older. Those numbers create a succession problem. As older producers age toward retirement, and younger producers cant afford to buy their way in, farmers increasingly find themselves selling their properties to the only entities that can afford them: corporations. Even when aging producers have children, family succession is far from guaranteed. Younger generation interest to keep [the farm] in the family has declined over the years, Carrier said. And even when a farmers son or daughter is ready to return to the family operation and start work, the parent may not be ready to transfer management duties. Such intra-family transitions are definitely a huge issue, she said. Rice said he believes a lot of Montana farms especially in the Dawson County area will undergo a change of hands over the next several years, and many of the current operators will find it difficult to pass their operations on. To help create a workable path for farm succession, DCC President Scott Mickelsen is working to create a program to give students the skills and professional development necessary to transition into agricultural production. Mickelsen hopes to eventually develop a 4-H and FFA facility to house projects, an equine facility, livestock handling facilities, a feedlot and the largest part of the program a working farm and ranch run by students. They come here, they get the experience, they work some livestock, theyre doing some rations, but then they really run and work this ranching operation, Mickelsen said. The first thing Mickelsen hopes to get started at DCC is a feedlot close to campus. He said he would like to see that established in the next year or two before moving on to some bigger aspects of the project. It would be nice to do all of that within a five- to seven-year period, he said. Thats going to take probably some heavy lifting and some recruiting of some dollars to make that all become reality. The program would be set up with a committee structure in which students would help design the facilities, look at purchasing livestock, look at the feedlot [and] ration balancing, Mickelsen said. I just see a lot of these kids, theyre going back and working on these ranches with absentee owners or even ranch managers, and theyre working on ranches that just dont have that knowledge and that hands-on experience. And thats what we want to give them at [DCC]. Mickelsens model for his DCC ambition is the Ag 450 Farm program at his alma mater, Iowa State University. ISUs Ag 450 program is a senior level capstone course that teaches students management and life skills on a working farm owned by the school. According to former Ag 450 farm operator Greg Vogel, the program concept and farm were developed by Dr. William Murray, a professor of agricultural economics at ISU, in 1938. Murray taught the programs first class in 1943, and AG 450 has remained a successful program at the university ever since. Vogel ran the farm for 27 years until June 2019, and said Iowa agriculture faces challenges similar to Montanas: an aging population of farmers and ranchers, and difficulty keeping farms in family ownership as producers approach retirement. Its become a huge problem, he said. On the Ag 450 farm, students are tasked with deciding which crops to grow, purchasing equipment, budgeting expenses for repairs and marketing, and everything else that goes into farm operations. While students assist with some physical farm operations as well, a professional operator runs the farm according to decisions made by the students, creating a hands-on learning experience that covers all aspects of agriculture. Until (experienced producers) realize that you know what youre talking about, they doubt, Carrier said of her own experiences. Though Dave Rice learned his way around a farm largely by growing up on one, he said the limited farm education he got at DCC was valuable as well. He took an agriculture mechanics course in the fall of 1978. I think that helped me immensely as far as preparing equipment and welding, he said. Even so, he said, he wishes DCC had offered more courses such as plant and soil sciences to go along with the practical aspects of the program. Carrier said her years in school and extension work are where she gained the experience necessary to enter the agriculture industry. Through extension, really, I was exposed more to the ag industry, because I was getting to work with producers who were in it and doing it day in and day out, she said. After graduate school, she began working at a feed yard in Nebraska, then married and moved to Missouri with her husband to help work his familys farm of 550 Black Angus cattle and row crops. They managed the cow and calf part of the operation. I wasnt writing the checks, but I got the experience from [a producer] standpoint, she said. Such experience, Rice said, enables a wonderful lifestyle as a family farmer, even considering the works difficulties. Youve got to have a work ethic, he said. I couldnt imagine doing anything else. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said she does not yet have reason to see a breakthrough in negotiations with Lebanon to help resolve the country's economic crisis. Georgieva told a Reuters Newsmaker webcast event that IMF officials continue to work with Lebanon, but it is unclear whether the country's leaders, stakeholders and society can unify around reforms needed to stabilize its economy and return it to a growth path. Lebanon is battling a financial crisis regarded as the biggest threat to the country since its 1975-1990 civil war, with the Lebanese pound losing 75% of its value since October. Hopes for a quick rescue deal with the IMF have been complicated by a dispute between the government and central bank over the scale of losses in the banking system. Concerns persist, meanwhile, over Prime Minister Hassan Diab's commitment to reforms. "The core of the issue is whether there can be a unity of purpose in the country that can then carry forward a set of very tough but necessary measures," Georgieva said. "All I can say is that we are putting our best people to work with Lebanon, but we do not yet have a reason to say there is a breakthrough." Georgieva said Lebanon's situation "breaks my heart" because the country has a strong entrepreneurial culture and has taken in Palestinian and Syrian refugees, helping to ease a major humanitarian crisis. Search Keywords: Short link: A meeting was held in Hanoi on June 26 to review the project on support for preparing the readiness to carry out the international framework Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in Vietnam Phase 2 (FCPF-2). New plants are grown in a forest in the southern province of Dong Nai (Photo: VNA) The programme, from November 2016 to June 30, 2020, has been implemented in Hanoi and the six northern central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue, at a total cost of 5.696 million USD, including 5 million USD of non-refundable ODA capital from the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). The FCPF-2 project aims to assist relevant agencies at the central level and in the six northern central provinces to improve their institutional and technical capacity to prepare for the REDD+ implementation in Vietnam. It also supports the building of the emission reduction and transfer of the rights to emission reduction programme in the northern central region (ERPD) for 2018-2025, helping to carry out the national REDD+ action programme and the countrys Nationally Determined Contribution under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. Pham Van Dien, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), said the ERPD programme for 2018-2025 is the first REDD+ programme in Vietnam to have been implemented across a region according to the results-based payment approach. Vietnam has mobilised resources by itself for implementing the programmes activities with the aim of reducing about 25 million tonnes of CO2, of which the FCPF pledged to purchase 10.3 million tonnes of CO2 at 5 USD per tonne via the Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA), equivalent to 51.5 million USD in total. Results used for assessment are those between February 1, 2018 and December 31, 2024. The country will receive payments after the results are verified by an independent party. Dien noted that the MARD will report on outcomes of the ERPA negotiation to the Prime Minister to seek approval. Once getting the green light, the ministry and the World Bank will sign this deal, expected in August this year. Thanks to efforts by authorities and people in the six northern central provinces, the successful implementation of the ERPD programme will be a prerequisite for expanding the REDD+ to many other localities with forest in Vietnam and attracting new financial partners. MARD Deputy Minister Ha Cong Tuan said REDD+ is a new initiative, and although the country has implemented the project well, it still needs more efforts to move to a new phase the phase of results-based payments, towards a full carbon credit market. REDD+ is an international initiative aimed at providing financial and technical assistance for developing countries to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change impact via efforts against deforestation and forest degradation. Vietnam has participated in REDD+ since 2008, and more than 45 related projects have been implemented in the country so far.VNA By Online Desk A record single-day spike in COVID-19 cases was reported in several states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal as the country-wide tally rose by nearly 20,000 on Sunday. Tightening their containment strategy, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh announced a door-to-door survey joining other states and union territories, including Delhi, Goa and Odisha, while a 14-day lockdown began from Sunday evening in Guwahati in Assam. The Union Health Ministry said the number of cases in India was 5,28,859 and recoveries exceeded active COVID cases by over one lakh, stressing that "graded, preemptive and proactive" steps taken by it along with the states and union territories are showing "encouraging results". "Around 58.56 per cent patients have recovered so far," an official said. With the country witnessing a surge of 3,38,324 infections from June 1 as the lockdown restrictions eased, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people have to remain more vigilant in the "unlock" period and cautioned that failure to follow COVID-19 norms will put at risk their lives and those of others. New Delhi: Cooperation in key areas of security, defence and trade will be discussed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold talks on Saturday after which the two sides are expected to conclude important bilateral agreements. Announcing Putins four-day visit to Goa from October 14 to 17, External Affairs Ministry said besides attending BRICS Summit on Sunday, he would also hold 17th Indo-Russia Annual Summit where the leaders will review the entire gamut of bilateral ties including the progress made since their last Summit meeting in Moscow in December 2015. Important bilateral agreements are expected to be concluded and a joint statement released at the end of the Summit, the ministry said. The meeting between the two comes in the backdrop of the the first ever joint Russia-Pakistan military exercise recently. It also comes at a time when India is undertaking large-scale defence modernisation programme involving replacing old Russian equipment with modern ones from the country itself and from other nations. Besides discussions to boost cooperation in crucial areas of defence, security and trade, the two leaders will exchange views on regional and international issues. Some of the most important defence deals currently under discussion are purchase of 5 S-400 Triumf long-range air defence missile systems, Kamov-28 helicopters and upgradation of the Sukhoi 30-MKIs. Another project under focus would be the long pending joint development of the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA). India is also looking at leasing an Akula-class nuclear submarine from Russia. The ministry said given that the year 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, a number of commemorative celebrations are planned. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. One of Britain's top hedge fund managers has made at least 75million from the demise of the owner of the Trafford Centre shopping mall. Crispin Odey, a prominent Brexit backer, had held a short position in Intu since at least 2012. Intu collapsed into administration on Friday after it was unable to persuade its lenders to grant a debt repayment holiday. Hungry: Short-sellers such as Crispin Odey make money when shares fall, so the collapse gave him a huge windfall Short-sellers such as Odey make money when shares fall, so the collapse gave him a huge windfall. Odey made his name as one of Britain's top hedge fund managers when he bet against banks ahead of the financial crisis in 2008. His multi-million-pound profit on Intu comes as short-sellers, such as Sir Chris Hohn's The Children's Investment Fund, reap huge gains from the collapse of a variety of businesses, such as German online payment group Wirecard. Short-sellers make money by borrowing shares and selling them in the hope of buying them back at a discounted price. They then return the shares to the original owner, pocketing the difference. Toscafund, which is run by Martin Hughes, is also likely to have made a significant amount from the implosion of Intu after taking a bet against the company in January. Intu directly employs almost 3,000 people in the UK and runs 17 shopping malls, including Lakeside in Essex. The total number employed at its centres exceeds 100,000. It owed around 4.5billion to its lenders. Its administrators KPMG said Intu's shopping centres were owned individually by special purpose vehicles which were outside of the insolvency process and thus able to trade as normal under the control of their directors. Intu directly employs almost 3,000 people in the UK and runs 17 shopping malls, including Lakeside in Essex The company's creditors have agreed to stump up 12million to keep the centres open as the administration process takes place. It is likely the creditors will keep the businesses trading until buyers can be found for individual centres, probably for significant losses to their former valuations. Its tenants, many of whom failed to pay rent for the past two quarters amid the Covid-19 crisis, include the likes of Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Next and H&M. Intu received only 29 per cent of payments due on the March 25 quarterly rent day. UK retailers are estimated to have paid just 14 per cent of the 2.5billion quarterly rent due last week as they try to conserve cash and negotiate new deals. Intu has been under pressure for several years as the value of its centres and those of rival operators such as Hammerson declined because its retailers, including Debenhams, Topshop and House of Fraser, closed stores and demanded rent cuts so they could stay afloat. Intu was once a constituent of the FTSE100. Its shares plunged on Friday by 55 per cent to close at 1.8p. A year ago it was trading at 75p. The shares have now been suspended. David Pike, partner at KPMG and joint administrator, said: 'With all centres remaining open, we look forward to working with staff, suppliers and other key stakeholders to preserve value and jobs in these important retail destinations.' When her father became infected with the coronavirus, Sumona Khanom struggled to find a bed for him at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The hospital was already crowded with too many patients. This was not her only struggle. Her family did not have enough money to buy food. And she was extremely tired. But then, some comfort came. Volunteers working for the Bidyanondo Foundation brought her family a gift basket. It was filled with fruit -- mangoes, lychees, oranges, apples, and lemons -- as well as other food. There was also a get-well card for her father. It read, We are here to stand by you. The Bidyanondo Foundation, established in 2013, is known for its food assistance programs for street children and the poor. Now it is also known for building awareness of COVID-19 in the community. Its name, Bidyanondo, means learn for fun. The foundation began supporting COVID victims after hearing news reports of abuse of victims, or hostility toward them. One family abandoned an old woman in a forest near their home. They feared she was infected with the coronavirus. In another incident, a father came home from work with a high temperature. His family did not take him to a hospital. Instead, they locked him in his room, where he died. Other families have refused to take bodies for burial. Bangladeshs Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her regret about incidents like these in a speech in Parliament. The Bidyanondo Foundations Salman Khan Yeasin said those news reports are very shocking. He said that usually when someone becomes sick, relatives gather at the hospital. But this time, he added, is different. Foundation officials said families should understand how important it is to support those fighting COVID-19. This is the time when they need their family the most. On its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States says stigma surrounding sickness is not uncommon. CDC experts explain that fear about a disease can lead to social stigma. They add that a person who has recovered from COVID-19 or has been released from quarantine can also be stigmatized. Yeasin said that in this time of corona(virus), humanity is slowly disappearing. To fight the stigma surrounding COVID-19, the foundation said it wants to demonstrate ways to treat those infected with more kindness and humanity. The foundation depends mostly on crowdfunding. It has built a partnership with the military, military agencies and about 80 other groups across Bangladesh. Since June 1, the group has given out about 1,400 gift baskets. In March, the Dhaka Tribune reported that the foundation was giving out protective supplies such as face masks and hand cleaner. Yeasin said that the first responsibility of the foundation is to support patients and build awareness. However, it does not want doctors and other health workers to be forgotten. Many health workers are staying outside home, away from their families to provide health care, he said. We wanted to thank them. They also need mental support. So, the foundation has sent health care workers thank you cards. One reads: We become brave to do more (for people) seeing your efforts, we know you will continue [to] fight to save our lives if we become ill tomorrow. Many support Bidyanondos efforts. Sumona Khanom said she is thankful that the foundation has come forward to help her father. I hope, she said, they would come forward to help all other fathers. Im Anna Matteo. The AP reported this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English, using addition information from the CDC and the Dhaka Tribune. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story comfort n. a state or feeling of being less worried, upset, frightened, etc., during a time of trouble or emotional pain : v. to cause (someone) to feel less worried, upset, frightened, etc. get-well card n. a greeting card sent to a person who is unwell, expressing a wish for a speedy recovery abandon - v. to leave and never return stigma n. a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something humanitarian adj. a person who works to make other people's lives better : humane : humanity quarantine n. the period of time during which a person who has a disease being kept away from others crowdfunding n. the practice of obtaining needed funding (as for a new business) by soliciting contributions from a large number of people especially from the online community German chemical company Bayer has agreed to let an independent scientific team study the health effects of its popular weed killer, Roundup. Legal experts say the company hopes results of the study will prevent future lawsuits by people who claim the product is harmful. Bayer agreed Wednesday to pay as much as $10.9 billion to end legal cases brought by U.S. Roundup users who say the product gave them a form of blood cancer. But as part of the settlement agreement, Bayer had to find a separate solution aimed at limiting future claims without removing the product from stores. The company decided to take a risk that the scientific study will support its claim that the chemical glyphosate is safe for agricultural use. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup. Regulators worldwide have found glyphosate not to be carcinogenic. That includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Chemicals Agency. But the World Health Organizations cancer research arm found the weed killer to be a probable carcinogen in 2015. And since 2018, three U.S. juries, who listened to scientific evidence from both sides during trial, found that Roundup causes cancer. David Noll is a law professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey. He told Reuters news agency that Bayer is taking a huge risk by doing this. He said the company hopes time can show that the science underlying the plaintiffs claims is bad. Many details of the proposal have not yet been released and a final settlement must be approved by a federal judge. But the settlement plan calls for an independent team of scientific experts, who will likely be chosen and agreed upon by both sides. The company will pay $1.25 billion to support the teams research, an amount that does not include any payments to settle future lawsuits. The scientific review process is expected to take at least four years. Findings by the team would be legally binding on Bayer, as well as anyone who has used Roundup before Wednesday, but not developed cancer. If the scientific team finds glyphosate to be non-carcinogenic, those users could not bring legal action. If the team does find glyphosate causes cancer, however, Bayer could face many new lawsuits, with possible damages decided at a later date. Bayer said Wednesday the lead plaintiffs lawyers have agreed to the plan. However, Reuters was not immediately able to reach those lawyers for comment. In the past, lawyers representing people who said Roundup gave them cancer have claimed Bayer manipulated scientific studies and misled the scientific community. Bayer denies those claims. Company officials on calls with reporters and experts said they were confident the scientific review would find Roundup safe. Scientific teams have been set up in other major cases involving mass plaintiffs against Bayer. But those cases were generally not part of a settlement process, legal experts said. Bayers proposal was creative but risky and will likely face problems in court, said Adam Zimmerman, a professor at Loyola Law School in California. The experts said many details of the proposal remain unclear. One unknown is whether people who have not yet gotten sick could give up their rights to a future lawsuit under the plan. Im Bryan Lynn. Reuters news agency reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story weed - n. a plant that grows very quickly where it is not wanted and covers or kills more desirable plants lawsuit - n. a claim or dispute brought to a court of law for a formal judgment carcinogenic - adj. having the potential to cause cancer plaintiff - n. a person who sues another person or accuses another person of a crime in a court of law binding - adj. forcing or requiring someone to do something because of a promise or agreement manipulate - v. to change something in an unfair or selfish way confident - adj. having a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 22:11:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A British man from Newcastle has been sentenced to life in prison for preparing others to commit acts of terrorism in Germany and inciting terrorism overseas. Arrested in December 2018 from his home, 35-year-old Fatah Mohamed Abdullah from the Arthur's Hill area of Newcastle in northeast England pleaded guilty to assisting other people in Germany to commit acts of terrorism in their own country and also to inciting terrorism overseas. He was found to have purchased thousands of matches, pre-cursor chemicals, fireworks, fuses and other components to be used in the production of improvised explosives devices, and recorded himself testing a remote control detonator he had purchased. He shared the video with Ahmed Hussein and Omar Babek, who were arrested and prosecuted by the German authorities in 2019 and were both sentenced to four years and eight months for the preparation of a serious act of violent subversion involving unlawful handling of explosive substances. "Today's (Friday) sentencing brings to conclusion a detailed and protracted investigation by our team in the North East. Abdullah had taken very real and significant steps to plan an attack and had purchased components he needed to develop an improvised explosive device," said Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East Detective Chief Superintendent, Martin Snowden. "He prepared and tested a detonation system in order to show others how to create and use the system to cause an explosion in Germany and cause significant harm to others," said Snowden. Enditem The hematologist told Sipos he was free to seek a second opinion. He was initially hesitant. Even though she was routinely an hour or two late for scheduled appointments, the doctor seemed so knowledgeable and wise and would speak with such authority, he said. But at his wifes urging, Sipos decided it was time for another expert to weigh in. Minneapolis: The Minneapolis City Council has unanimously voted to advance a proposal to change the city charter to allow its police department to be dismantled, following widespread criticism of law enforcement over the killing of George Floyd. The 12-0 vote is just the first step in a process that faces significant bureaucratic obstacles to make the November ballot, where the city's voters would have the final say. It also comes amid a spate of recent shootings in Minnesota's largest city that have heightened many citizens' concerns about talk of dismantling the department. Elijah Pliskin, of Denver, protests in the section of 16th Street, in Washington, that's been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. Credit:AP The proposed amendment, which would replace the police department with a new "Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention" that has yet to be fully defined, next goes to a policy committee and to the city's Charter Commission for a formal review, at which point citizens and city officials can weigh in. "I hope that the Charter Commission will recognise the moment that we are in and take our offer of support, however we can provide it, to expedite this process so that voters have a chance to have their voices heard on this important question and this important moment in our city's history," council president Lisa Bender said before the vote. Bangkok, June 27 : Thailand's low-cost carrier NokScoot has announced that it was shutting down due to mounting economic losses in recent years that became unsustainable after a complete halt in operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. NokScoot was established as a joint venture between Singaporean airline Scoot and Thailand's Nok Air six years ago, reports Efe news. In a statement released on Friday, Scoot - which owns 49 per cent stake in NokScoot - announced that the low-cost airline's board of directors had approved the company's liquidation, although the decision has to be passed in a general meeting of shareholders within two weeks. The Singapore-based airline said that NokScoot had accumulated losses ever since it was founded in 2014 due to intense competition in its sector and the situation had grown worse due to the global health crisis. According to local media reports, the carrier, which has not specified the exact date of closing operations, would leave around 450 employees jobless, although the management has pledged to compensate them as par Thai law. Operating out of Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport, NokScoot operated medium to long-haul routes to 12 destinations in Asia, including seven cities in China, with a fleet of seven Boeing B777-200ERs aircrafts. The coronavirus pandemic has also aggravated the economic problems of Thailand's flag carrier Thai Airways, which is undergoing a restructuring plan to avoid liquidation and has had to be bailed out by the government. Just like most other parts of Asia, Thai authorities closed borders and canceled all flights in March, with domestic air traffic resuming only recently, while international flights continue to be almost paralyzed. According to the International Air Traffic Association, in April the passenger demand across the world fell by a whopping 94 per cent due to the pandemic, although now it has started showing signs of recovery. It looks like the presidents goal is to make America white. by Sonali Kolhatkar When President Donald Trump first began talking about ending chain migration in 2017, media outlets pointed out that his own parents-in-law had likely obtained lawful permanent residency through their daughter Melaniaa naturalized U.S. citizen. At the same time that Trump was ranting on Twitter, CHAIN MIGRATION must end now! Some people come in, and they bring their whole family with them, who can be truly evil. NOT ACCEPTABLE! his wifes parents were in the process of becoming U.S. citizens after five years as so-called green card holders. President Trump When the coronavirus pandemic was declared, Trump saw his chance to attack immigration policies that reunite families, and in April 2020 he announced a 60-day ban on green cards that impacted people like his parents-in-law were when they lived in their home country of Slovenia. At the time he announced the ban, I was in the process of applying for my own elderly parents to obtain lawful permanent residency in the United States, just as Melania Trump must have done only a few years ago. Under existing immigration law, U.S. citizens have been able to sponsor their spouses, children, siblings, and parents, to obtain green cards, or permanent residency. Since his presidency began, Trump has wanted to limit that sponsorship to only spouses and children under 21. To that end, he backed the RAISE Act, which would effectively have done through legislation what his unilateral ban accomplished through executive order under cover of the COVID-19 crisis. When the 60-day ban was up in June 2020, Trump extended it to the end of the year and added a number of other visas to the list, including H-1B visas for foreign workers, to match the outlines of the failed RAISE Act. The White House claims that the ban will keep 525,000 foreign workers out of the country and make those jobs available to U.S. workers at a time of mass unemployment. One immigrant advocacy group pointed out that Trumps ban is designed to favor immigrants from Western Europe. The ban is the brainchild of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, who entered the White House with Trump and is considered to be the driving force behind Trumps racist anti-immigrant agenda. Miller began his job with a wish list of the types of immigration and immigrants he wanted to ban, both undocumented and legal. He is considered the architect of the Trump administrations most cruel policyseparating parents from their young children after they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. Since 2017, he has been the brains behind Trumps Muslim ban, the restrictions of refugee quotas, the cancelation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and more. Today, under cover of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump has been busy deporting young immigrant children in violation of the United Statess own anti-trafficking laws. Millers uncle David Glosser wrote about the hypocrisy of his nephews agenda, saying that had the United States adopted Millers anti-immigrant wish list when his ancestors were escaping the Nazis, the family would have perished. Americas immigration policies have long served white elites like the first lady, but the rest of us have often been deprived of accessing those same policies. For all of Trumps talk about prioritizing American workers, he has already carved out exceptions for any alien seeking to enter the United States to provide temporary labor or services essential to the United States food supply chain. In other words, there are some jobs that Americans are too good for and that only low-wage immigrant labor will do. The Washington Post pointed out, So far this year, the Trump administration is approving H-2A visas at a rate 15 percent faster than last year, and it took steps to make it easier for farmers to hire temporary farmworkers even after the pandemic began. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has decried Trumps new ban, saying, Putting up a not welcome sign for engineers, executives, IT experts, doctors, nurses and other workers wont help our country, it will hold us back. Indeed, at a time when health care workers especially are in short supply, and more than 15 percent of all doctors and nurses nationwide are immigrants, it is unclear how a ban on H-1B visas that limit such workers into the country until December will help Americans. Jobless Americans are hardly going to rush to medical and nursing schools, incur huge debts, fast-track their degrees at an unheard-of rate, and emerge as fully-fledged professionals in time to handle the expected surge of new COVID-19 cases. It is also unclear how preventing U.S. citizens like me from bringing my retired elderly parents will help American workers. My parents plan to bring their entire life savings with them to spend on private health insurance and other basic needs until the end of their lives, thereby creating jobs and stimulating the U.S. economy. More importantly, they will be able to spend the golden years of their lives with their daughter and family, instead of alone and isolated. But to Trump, my parents do not deserve the same treatment as his in-laws did. As the immigrant advocacy group Value Our Families declared recently, Immigration is not just about the economy. Our system is designed to unify family members and is a legal right for many Americans. Trump has trampled over that right and the rights of so many people over and over since he took office. His trampling of rights is precisely why millions of Americanscomprising a minority, albeit a significant onevoted for him in 2016 and plan to vote for him a second time. Trump did not come into office in spite of demonizing immigrantshe was elected because he repeatedly dehumanized non-Americans, particularly brown-skinned ones. He brought with him Steven Bannon, a man who said he was a fan of The Camp of the Saints, a horrendously racist tome written by the late French author Jean Raspail, that depicted ugly caricatures of Indian immigrant hordes destroying the European way of life. Trumps presidency is a clear symbol of the last gasp of white supremacy angrily asserting its power over a country that, in spite of centuries of institutional policies designed to privilege whites, is becoming browner every year. As someone who spent the last 30 years of my life navigating the intricacies and obstacles of the U.S. legal immigration system, I am one of the relatively privileged ones, especially when compared to the traumatized undocumented children who have been separated from their desperate parents, or the refugees fleeing violence whose legal right to seek asylum has been decimated. And yet today, even I remain separated from my parents. Trumps unilateral ban on green cards and immigrant work visas upends congressional legislative oversight. California Representative Judy Chu (who happens to be my representative) last year introduced the Reuniting Families Act to streamline legal immigration pathways and make them more humane. So far the bill has 78 sponsors. Even the U.S. Supreme Court, which far too often tilts rightward, slapped back against the presidents egregious attacks on DACA registrants. In a 5-4 decision on June 18, justices voted to keep the Obama-era program intact, offering some measure of relief to the 650,000 young immigrants who have been able to defer deportation and legally work in the United States. Justice Sonia Sotomayor correctly pointed out that Trumps decision to cancel DACA was marked by impermissible discriminatory animus. Trump has expressed such discriminatory animus to non-white Americans since the beginning of his candidacy and presidential tenure. Through his anti-immigrant policies, he is keeping families like mine separated. He has made no secret that his goal is to preserve white domination in America, and it is for that reason he has enjoyed the fervent, irrational, cult-like following of millions of Americans terrified at the prospect of equality with non-whites. This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute. Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. China's Communist Party wants to know what is being said about the regime and their journalists are their eyes and ears. The first job of every Chinese state media newsroom in Australia is to compile and translate a list of local media stories to send to Beijing. They want to know which politicians are hostile, which business leaders are sympathetic and what media outlets are criticising them. The reason I know this is because I used to work as a senior editor for Xinhua's English language news department in Sydney. Xinhua News Agency is China's largest and most powerful state-owned media organisation. A bizarre scuffle broke out between a senior Chinese state media journalist (pictured) and an Australian cameraman covering Scott Morrison's media conference Indian protesters burn posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Mumbai after 20 troops were killed in a border stoush with Chinese military While Chinese state media journalists mostly spend their time drumming up stories like any other reporters around the globe, part of their job is also to report information back to Beijing - information that is never intended to be published. I was never asked to this, but for Chinese-born journalists working there it was a core part of their job. I saw first hand how Chinese-born journalists in Australia reported back to their masters in the Communist Party. One of the Chinese media companies operating in Australia, Xinhua News, made headlines this week. A Chinese journalist for the agency sparked a bizarre row with an Australian cameraman on Friday. The media had gathered at parliament house to cover Scott Morrion's press conference. Tensions flared in the Prime Minister's Courtyard when Bai Xu, the chief of Xinhua New's Canberra bureau, became angry that a SBS cameraman was filming her. The Australian cameraman turned his lens on the Chinese reporter after witnesses claimed a photographer Ms Xu was with was taking photos of other journalists. Tensions flared in the Prime Minister's Courtyard when Bai Xu (pictured), the chief of Xinhua's Canberra bureau, became angry that a SBS cameraman was filming her A banner of the Chinese leader is torn in half at an anti-China rally in earlier this week in India The unusual scene became even more heated when Ms Xu put her hand over the lens and told the cameraman to stop filming. But as the incident drew the eye of other Australian journalists and the federal police, the two Chinese reporters quickly left the courtyard, the Daily Telegraph reported. The incident was a clumsy slip up from the normally low-key Xinhua team, particularly on a day when Australian spooks had the country in their crosshairs. ASIO officers on Friday busted down the doors of New South Wales Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane's home and office over allegations of Chinese interference in politics. The Lebanese-born backbencher, known for singing the praises of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party, is now the target of the federal government's new national security and espionage laws. Australian intelligence services are investigating whether Mr Moselmane and the New South Wales parliament, has been compromised by the authoritarian regime. An investigator is pictured entering the home of Mr Moselmane who is now the target of new national security and espionage laws Shaoquett Moselmane (pictured) is outspoken in his praise for the Chinese Communist Party and the authoritarian leadership Xi Jinping The Labor backbencher's Sydney home and office was raided by ASIO officials and the federal police on Friday, who are pictured Part of the new counter-espionage push is the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme which requires companies and personnel in Australia, who are acting on behalf of foreign principals in the political sphere, to register their activities with intelligence services. At the moment, foreign journalists including those from Chinese State media are not required to register. But this week, the US State Department cracked down on organisations like Xinhua, Global Times, People's Daily, CCTV and CGTN, designating all Chinese media entities as 'Foreign Missions'. 'Over the past decade and particularly under General Secretary Xi Jinping's tenure, the CCP has reorganised China's state propaganda outlets disguised as news agencies and asserted even more direct control over them,' US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortasus said. 'He has stated 'Party-owned media must ... embody the party's will, safeguard the party's authority ... their actions must be highly consistent with the party.' In short, while Western media are beholden to the truth, PRC media are beholden to the Chinese Communist Party.' North Wexford's grassroots members of the Fianna Fail party are divided in their support for the Programme for Government proposal set out by Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party. A simple majority is needed from the grassroots for this to pass within the party, but with ballot papers sent to councillors and senators last week, three councillors are set to vote against the deal while two councillors and one Fianna Fail senator are to vote in favour. Those 'no' voters are Councillors Willie Kavanagh, Donal Kenny and Joe Sullivan, while 'yes' voters are Councillors Pip Breen and Andrew Bolger, along with Senator Malcolm Byrne. Those voting in favour said that they had thought long and hard about their decision. Cllr Breen said that this deal was 'the only game in town and you have to play the cards you're dealt' and that it had to be done before the end of June. Cllr Breen said that he was not prepared to ditch the powers of the special criminal court, and that this was a red-line issue for him as he is a strong advocate for law and order. Cllr Bolger said that the pandemic had put things into perspective for him. 'Our way of living has changed drastically and people are suffering. It's not the time to be the hurler on the ditch. 'The programme is aspirational on car insurance, a health led approach to drugs, renters and is progressive on climate action, I'm okay with that as it's the future. I also feel it'll be positive for Gorey as it speaks about bringing a new state agency to rural towns, and Gorey ticks all the boxes for that. It'll help us retain our young skilled people,' he said. Senator Byrne described the programme as comprehensive and ambitious. 'There will be those in other parties who complain from the sidelines, but in over one hundred days, they have done nothing to try to put a government together and are afraid of difficult decisions. There are specific opportunities for Wexford addressed such as getting Rosslare Europort Brexit ready, the urgent need for a University of the South East, investment in green-ways, footpaths and cycle paths. 'There are clear wins for Fianna Fail on the pension issue and on protecting agriculture. It is also clear, that in areas such as housing, health, education, small business, the arts, defence, that this document is based on Fianna Fail policy and has a very clear stamp on it. The country now needs a stable government to take the difficult decisions'. The 'fairer future' campaign, which encourages grass roots members of the party to vote 'no' to the programme for government on the basis of six key issues, sees three North Wexford councillors quoted. Cllr Kavanagh says: 'It is time now for a national government. All parties should put their differences aside and sit down and talk about the best interests of the country'. Cllr Kenny says: 'I favour a Unity Government and we should be prepared to talk to everyone to form a government'. While Cllr Sullivan says: 'The Fianna Fail party is at a serious crossroads with our entire existence depending on the choices we make at this time. I do not believe that coalescing with Fine Gael is in the best interest of Ireland or the party'. Speaking to this newspaper, Cllr Kenny said that he is certain that a change of leadership in the party is needed, while the programme for government proposes that Fianna Fail party leader Micheal Martin be Ireland's next Taoiseach. 'They are saying that farmers mightn't suffer, but the Greens haven't gotten farmer friendly overnight. The programme for government is going to squeeze the farmer, particularly small farming people who I represent as a Councillor and farmer within the farming community myself. 'My supporters want me to go "no" on this because the reality is that if you can only spread a certain amount of manure, farmers are going to have to cull their own herd. If the export of livestock is limited, the business won't be viable. 'As well, I've said all along, you have to talk to everybody, and a big percentage of people voted to support Sinn Fein. They won't be my politics, but they're entitled to be heard. 'Fianna Fail haven't been in government for a number of years, and we lost the last three elections. We took a hammering for propping up Fine Gael for so long, so going in to government would pull us back further. We need to take a long and hard look at ourselves and see where we can improve,' he said. Cllr Kavanagh said that his opinion on the matter hadn't changed. 'I'm not in agreement with the coalition with Fine Gael. It's not that I don't trust them, it's that we have different ideas and a different outlook on life than what Fine Gael have. 'If we go with this programme for government, it'll surely be damaging for the party and it could be the finish of the party, we could be destroyed. 'We've gone into government with the Greens before and we worked with them no problem, but with this, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are giving too much to the Greens for the sake of getting a government,' he said. Cllr Sullivan said that he doesn't believe the programme for government is good for rural Ireland. 'There isn't anything for rural Ireland in this programme and the red line policy issues are there in respect of green issues but nothing else. There are no red line issues on housing. The pension age, I would be surprised if that it doesn't go up to 67. 'It's the lack of red line policy issues that has convinced me to vote "no". It's far too vague and loose, rather than what we will achieve in government, it's all about reviews and commissions. There's a general consensus amongst the grassroots that what's set out will not be delivered within the life time of the incoming government. 'In the context of the pandemic, it's very difficult to give a guarantee that you're going to be able to implement what's set out. The programme needs more substance. 'There's an incompatibility between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and the Greens have got the best deal out of this. The carbon tax is going to have a huge impact on rural Ireland. We are putting the cart before horse, because we're not advantaged enough to have an alternative for fossil fuels at the moment, we aren't at a stage to offer an alternative. 'As I said, we need a unity government because we may be heading towards the demise of Fianna Fail as a result of this deal'. Superior Court Justice Joe Di Luca began with an explanation of his limits as a judge: He is bound to look at the evidence in the case, he said, not to conduct a public inquiry into race and policing. But, in giving his ruling in the contested aggravated assault trial of Michael and Christian Theriault on Friday, the judge said he also had to carefully consider Dafonte Millers credibility in the context of systemic anti-Black racism. As a young Black man, Mr. Miller may well have had many reasons for denying any wrongdoing including a distrust of law enforcement. This is understandable especially in view of his injuries and the fact that he was initially arrested and later charged with a number of criminal offences relating to the incident, Di Luca said. In the wake of the judges ruling, legal observers welcomed his attention to the impact of systemic racism in the case especially given the thousands who watched the verdict as it was livestreamed. But ultimately, they said, even the rare conviction of a police officer in this case of assault, a lesser offence than the aggravated assault he was charged with will do little to restore confidence in a justice system that has continually failed the Black community. It is discouraging and it furthers the narrative where a police officer clearly assaults and maims in a horrific way a young black man that there will be no justice served, said criminal defence lawyer Annamaria Enenajor. Based on the evidence detailed in the ruling, she said, there could have been a conviction of aggravated assault and a finding that Michael Theriault was an aggressor throughout. On the other hand, she said, I think this is a teaching opportunity for others to recognize that the problems that are raised by these cases the multi-faceted, deep, historical, social problems, and then problems of inequality and racism are not going to be solved through individual cases, and we should not look for satisfaction through individual cases. The ruling made clear that the Crown faces a heavy burden in disproving self-defence beyond a reasonable doubt, Enenajor said. But, she added, Di Luca made several comments suggesting Miller would be successful in civil court, where the burden of proof is lower. An undercurrent of Justice Di Lucas opinion was an encouragement to Miller to sue, she said. Di Luca also appeared to support an inquiry looking at issues of race and policing more deeply, which she supports. The outcome could be seen to some extent as compromise verdict, said defence lawyer John Struthers, the president of the Criminal Lawyers Association, noting Di Luca found that Const. Michael Theriault was probably not trying to arrest Miller and were probably seeking to administer street justice. But after a thorough and methodical review of the evidence, Di Luca could not make that finding beyond a reasonable doubt, Struthers said. I think the really critical thing to remember is that we cannot expect any specific case to be guided by, influenced by or poisoned by the current political climate. Every case and every individual case has to be decided on its own individual merits, he said. The assault conviction emerged from Di Luca breaking down the interaction between Theriault and Miller into separate parts, a method Struthers said was effective and allowed for a comprehensive analysis. Di Luca could only make his decision on the evidence before him, which was limited because, as the judge acknowledged, Miller may not have been able to be as honest and open he would have liked to be due to his experiences as a Black man with a reasonable mistrust of the justice system, said defence and human rights lawyer Knia Singh. It may have made it difficult for Justice Di Luca to render a verdict beyond a reasonable doubt, which is what is required, Singh said. He added the case illustrates the difference between establishing what most likely took place and the determinations that can be made by a criminal court. On the one hand you have a strong feeling of, This is what happened, this is what should happen as a result, but then when you actually analyze the evidence, sometimes it doesnt happen that way. What this shows is presentation of the evidence is of the utmost importance to attaining justice, Singh said. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled but will likely take place later this year. Struthers said Michael Theriaults defence would likely seek a non-custodial sentence while the Crown might seek up to six months in jail. The range is much lower than it would have been had Theriault been convicted of the original charge of aggravated assault, rather than assault. People are going to be looking very closely at the sentencing hearing, said Julius Haag, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto specializing in race and policing. People are rightly concerned that Theriaults sentence may not be commensurate to the harm that he caused, and may view that as an extension of the inequalities that they saw in the outcomes of this trial, Haag said. Both the Crown and the defence have the option to appeal Di Lucas decision within 30 days. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 22:45:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RAMALLAH, June 27 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official said on Saturday that making peace needs an immediate end of the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories. Hussein al-Sheikh, Palestinian minister of civil affairs, made the remarks in response to Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz's proposal to start peace talks with the Palestinians on the basis of U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan. "The one, who says he is willing to visit Ramallah and hold peace talks with the Palestinians, must think first of ending the occupation instead of deploying his soldiers for annexation and occupation," said al-Sheikh, also a member of the central committee of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party. "He (Gantz) should believe first in the international legitimacy and not in the legitimacy of force and imposing apartheid on other people," added the Palestinian minister who is close to Abbas. In a Facebook post on Friday, Gantz said he would go to Ramallah tomorrow if the Palestinians ask for peace talks. "If they request to have serious negotiations, I'm ready to be in Ramallah tomorrow morning to discuss this," Gantz said. The last Israeli-Palestinian peace talks broke down in 2014, mainly because of their deep divisions on the issues of the Jewish settlements and Jerusalem. The resumption of peace talks has become a longer shot since Trump declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in late 2017 and moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed holy city in mid-2018. Israel considers the entire Jerusalem as its eternal capital, a fact that is rejected by the Palestinians, who insist that East Jerusalem be the capital of their future independent state. The Israeli government is planning to annex more than 30 percent of the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley, as well as imposing sovereignty on several settlements in the territory. The tension between the two sides has mounted since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his annexation plan will start on July 1. Enditem The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday appointed a senior court official to inspect a newly constructed residential complex at Shil after the homebuyers of the society took exception to the Thane Municipal Corporations (TMC) plan to requisition two high-rise towers in the residential colony and convert them into a quarantine facility for high-risk coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients. A two-member HC bench, comprising Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and justice Riyaz Chagla, has directed the courts judicial registrar to visit My City Complex at Shil, located between Mumbra and Dombivli, and submit a report within seven days. The judicial registrar has been asked to examine all the buildings in the complex and their occupancy status. The court gave its order after a plea was filed by five homebuyers in My City Complex, which has 10 24-storey towers, of which TMC authorities plan to requisition two for high-risk Covid-19 patients. Though the Thane civic authorities claimed that the two towers that they had sought to requisition were unoccupied, the petitioners challenged TMCs assertions. Senior advocate Ram Apte, who appeared on behalf of TMC, said the buildings were given their occupancy certificate on March 9 a little over a fortnight before the nationwide lockdown restrictions were imposed on March 25 to contain the viral outbreak and logically they couldnt have been occupied in such a short span of time. The next date of the cases hearing will be on July 7, and the court has asked TMC authorities to maintain the status quo until then. On June 2, over a 100 homebuyers of the My City Complex had clashed with TMC authorities when the latter visited the residential complex to conduct a survey in a bid to requisition two high-rise towers as a quarantine facility for high-risk Covid-19 patients. Egyptian MP Haitham El-Hariri said on Friday he has tested postive for the highly contagious coronavirus. "On Wednesday morning I had mild fever so I did some tests On Thursday morning I (suffered from) fatigue, and I headed to a fever hospital where I was confirmed positive for COVID-19," El-Hariri wrote on Facebook on Friday evening. El-Hariri, who represents the Alexandria constituency, is a member of the House of Representatives Health Committee and a leader of the parliamentary leftist 25-30 bloc. Until earlier this month at least seven MPs had contracted the coronavirus, Spokesperson of the House of Representatives Salah Hasaballah said. MP Sherine Farag was the first parliamentarian to announce she had tested positive for the fast-spreading virus on 12 May. She announced her recovery two weeks later. Parliament resumed sessions on 29 April after more than a month of suspension over coronavirus fears. The 596-seat assembly held its last plenary session on 16 June. The House's acivities will resume on 5 July. The country has been witnessing a steady increase in coronavirus cases, with the total infections until Friday recording at least 62,755 and deaths reaching 2,620. Starting Saturday, Egypt has lifted a number of restrictions in place since March, including the end of the nighttime curfew and reopening restaurants, coffee shops, and some cultural and social venues, albeit under new hygiene and safety restrictions. Search Keywords: Short link: Perhaps only someone of a fair degree of accounting naivety can ask this question, so here goes: why can't we as in we're all in this together, Australia do with one less submarine so that we can properly fund the ABC? No one is going to miss one fewer sub in the nation's fleet. Really, what difference does it make going from 12 to 11? Perhaps we'll have to stop patrolling the Southern Ocean for renegade penguins plotting to invade Phillip Island, but I'm sure we can live with that. The penguins have enough to worry about with their melting homes. Actually, that might propel them to invade, but I digress. The Prime Minister has rejected the idea that the Coalition is responsible for cuts at the ABC. Credit:Louise Kennerley The point is the new fleet of attack submarines is likely to cost $225 billion to build and then maintain and given that's the latest estimate, it will more than likely rise. It's an unalterable law of nature with subs: the first estimate isn't the last. So, that's about $18 billion per sub. The cuts to the ABC are $84 million. This will see about 250 jobs go, and multiple wounds inflicted on programming. It will, and I'm not being flippant about this, destroy the morning habits of thousands who set their routine by the glorious barrage of music that is the 7.45am radio news. It's simply un-Australian to sweep that time and cultural icon into the dustbin of history. By IANS WASHINGTON: The Democrat-led US House of Representatives has approved a legislation granting statehood to Washington, D.C. for the first time on Capitol Hill after it was created more than 200 years ago. The bill was passed on Friday on a highly partisan vote of 232-180, reports Xinhua news agency. Collin Peterson from Minnesota was the only Democrat to vote against the bill. All House Republicans opposed it and independent lawmaker Justin Amash of Michigan also voted against it. The White House and Republicans who control the Senate have already voiced their opposition to the measure, making the House vote largely symbolic. Introduced by D.C.'s non-voting House member Eleanor Holmes Norton, the bill would shrink the country's capital city to a small area encompassing the White House, Capitol buildings, Supreme Court and other federal buildings along the National Mall. The rest of the city would become the 51st US state, named the Washington, Douglass Commonwealth after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, according to the bill. With the statehood, the bill would grant the city two senators and make the existing sole House representative a voting member. However, it is unlikely to gain traction in the Senate while President Donald Trump has said he would veto the bill if it came to his desk. Republican lawmakers have blasted the bill as a Democratic "power grab", citing the lopsided partisan leanings of residents in the US capital city. "D.C. will never be a state," Trump said in an interview with the New York Post last month. "You mean District of Columbia, a state? Why? So we can have two more Democratic -- Democrat senators and five more congressmen? No thank you. That'll never happen," he added. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia, was founded in 1791 after the American Revolution as the seat of government of the newly independent country under the Residence Act signed into law in 1790. KAMPALA Young people remain an integral part of the democracy of our country. Their numerical and demographic strength continues to be ignored and paid attention to by many stakeholders in the politics and goverance of our country. Many forget that this numerical strength can cause a shift in governance. The role of the youth in mobilising?society and demanding to contribute to decision-making processes are always overlooked yet such demands will not only affect the lives of youth but the nation at large. Through all this their actions transforms policies and makes institutions more accountable. For a very long time young people have complained and contested against exclusion and alienation, as the majority of them are denied opportunities in political parties, civil society and other sectors for lack of exeprience. Majority of the young people are faced with challenges of uncertain future characterised by persistent poverty, unemployment, inequality, exploitation and violence. All these forces have an effect on their self-esteem, self-identity, their sense of belonging and their ability to appreciate being fully part of a promised dream of freedom in a democracy promised by President Museveni in his ten-point programme. The upcoming general elections of 2021, presents a big opportunity for the young people to use their numerical strength cause an impact in the politics, governance and democracy of the country. Despite the delays by the Government of Uganda to ratify the African Charter on Elections and Governance, the youth can still cause a shift through their participation in the upcoming elections. The 2021 general election will perhaps answer how much young people can offer through their civic and political engagement. The incumbent government has been accused of using the countrys voter registration process to silence young voters ahead of next years general elections. An estimated one million first-time voters is going to miss out on voting in the next election cycle which violates their constitutional right to vote as enshrined under Article 59 of the constitution. Uganda is among the countries with the worlds youngest populaces. It is estimated that 78% of the entire population is below the age of 35 and the average being 17. This means that such a young population is able to determine the direction of the politics, governance and democracy of the country if they meaningfully and actively participate in the upcoming election. Political analysts predict that there is likely to be a decline in level of participation by youth in the upcoming elections. This is attributed to the frustration of the youth with the states failure to provide them with desirable prospects. Their daily struggles to secure decent employment, afford education and provide for their families are some of the reasons likely to affect heir participation in civic responsibilities. Moreover, most of them seem to have low levels of trust in politicians, their parties and, at some level, local government. The imminent use of digital campaigns as suggested by the Electoral Commission in the upcoming elections is likely to affect voter turnup among the youth especially those who cannot access digital platforms to get information. Civil Society Organisations have played in big role in ensuring that young people reclaim platforms to speak out about and voice their frustrations with an environment that seems to reinforce the structure and systemic oppression that has prevented them from enjoying the promised prospects of a democracy. Against this background, it is important to note that society does not mistake young peoples dissatisfaction with the state and other arms of the public sector for apathy. The youth may be alienated from contemporary Uganda political culture, but they are seeking platforms to make their voices heard and be involved as legitimate and respected decision-makers in society. In recognising young people as agents of change in a democracy, society needs to explore new ways to involve them because the traditional welfarist approach has failed. This approach does not recognise the youth as a key contributor to policy decision-making processes. Instead, a developmental approach is needed. This approach recognises young peoples agency and acknowledges them as legitimate stakeholders with equal voice. This approach advocates for young peoples voices to be heard and for their legitimate participation in nation-building to be recognised. Civil society in particular must ensure that young people are meaningfully and actively involved in democratic projects if it is to be truly inclusive. Society must acknowledge that the voice of young is integral to our democracy and thus must not be silenced, for the youth are agents of change in our democracy. The writer is a Lawyer and Advocacy and Communications personnel at Youth Line Forum Related As many as half of Britain's most-recent imported coronavirus cases are believed to have come from Pakistan, it has emerged. Since June 4, Public Health England data shows 30 people with the virus have entered Britain on flights from the Pakistan, which is believed to represent about half the total number of imported cases in that time. There have been calls for tougher quarantine checks on arrivals from 'high-risk' countries. Since March 1, 190 flights have arrived from Pakistan, which is reporting 4,000 coronavirus cases a day and has had a new spike since easing lockdown. More than 65,000 people travelled to Britain and most are thought to have British passports, The Telegraph reported. Pakistan International Airlines has been flying directly into and out of the UK since early April There have been reports of some going straight to hospital from arriving and into intensive care as up to two flights from the country arrive in Britain every day. This week Dubai carrier Emirates suspended flights out of Pakistan after 30 passengers on a flight to Hong Kong tested positive on June 22. Pakistan International Airlines has been flying directly into and out of the UK since early April. At first, these were flights organised to repatriate British and Pakistani nationals but they have now resumed more regular daily flights. A spokesman said passengers were screened with heat sensors and had to wear masks with anyone recording a high temperature prevented from boarding. A government spokesman told The Daily Telegraph: 'The new health measures at the border are informed by science, backed by the public and designed to keep us all safe. Pakistan is reporting 4,000 coronavirus cases a day and has had a new spike since easing lockdown. Health workers are pictured testing a young boy for the virus 'We are seeing a high level of compliance and we expect this to continue as the vast majority of people will play their part to help.' Pakistan have recorded almost 200,000 cases of the virus and nearly 4,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus resource centre. Pakistan's planning minister Asad Umar warned two weeks ago that Pakistan could see a million coronavirus cases by the end of July amid warnings people are ignoring rules on social distancing. The country is home to more than 212million people. Experts say cases are expected to double to 300,000 by the end of June and reach 1.2million a month later. Hospitals across the country say they are at or near capacity and some are turning coronavirus patients away. 'Aer Lingus said that the so-called air bridge scheme is too short on details and specifics and totally undermines the initiative.' (Stock photo: Niall Carson/PA) The two-week wait to announce safe 'air bridges' to and from Ireland is a bridge too far, according to Aer Lingus. The Government plans to allow people from certain 'green list' countries that have contained the Covid-19 virus to travel to and from Ireland from next month. But Aer Lingus said that the so-called 'air bridge' scheme is too short on details and specifics and "totally undermines the initiative". "No clarity will be provided until July 9 regarding what countries will be 'green' for [the] purposes of an 'air bridge' and what criteria will be applied to their selection," the airline said. "This further delay will be very damaging to the Irish economy and to jobs within it, eliminating the prospect of any inbound tourist and business passengers for at least the month of July." It was issued after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced earlier this week that travel restrictions are likely to be eased for passengers arriving from countries that have brought the virus under control. This is despite a recommendation from a Government-appointed taskforce calling for the current 14-day quarantine to be dropped; a move also strongly endorsed by airline Ryanair. But last night the State's public health emergency team reiterated its plea for people to avoid all non-essential travel abroad, noting a spike in the number of people testing positive in certain countries. New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) is all set to declare the Class 10 and Class 12 board results today at at around 12:30 pm. The results will be declared on UPMSP's official website upresults.nic.in, upmsp.edu.in. Candidates can also get their results on their mobile phones via SMS. To do so, class 10 students will have to go to the message option and type UP10ROLLNUMBER - and send it to 56263. Class 12 students will have to send the message on the same number by typing UP12ROLLNUMBER. The confirmation of the result date and time was given by UP's Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the secondary education portfolio. A total of 59.6 lakh students have appeared for their UP Board inter and matric exam in 2020. As per the rules issued by the board, a student will have to secure a minimum of 35 percent marks to pass a subject examination. Heres how you can check UP Board Class 10 and Class 12 result 2020 online: - Step 1: Visit the websites - upmsp.edu.in or upresults.nic.in or upmspresults.up.nic.in - Step 2: Click on the link that reads UP Board Result 2020 Class 10 or UP Board Result 2020 Class 12 on the homepage - Step 3: Enter the required details like roll number and centre - Step 4: Press enter and your result with subject wise score will be displayed on your screen. The UP Board Class 10 and Class 12 examinations 2020 were held on March 6, but the evaluation of the answer sheet and the results were delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent countrywide lockdown imposed to stop the spread of the virus. The UP government has already promoted students of classes 1 to 8 of all government schools without examination in view of COVID-19 pandemic. In a unique tribute to the soldiers martyred in the recent India-China face-off in eastern Ladakh, residents from a bordering village of Uttarakhands Uttarkashi district have dedicated a wall carrying paintings of Lord Ram aiming an arrow towards a dragon and of Indian soldiers fighting bravely in Galwan valley. The slogan We conquer, we kill was painted by the villagers on the gram sabha building wall, symbolising China as the dragon. The paintings were commissioned by the Harsil gram sabha along with Harsil eco-tourism committee, a village in Uttarkashi district of the state which shares border with China. Names of the 20 soldiers martyred in Galwan Valley have also been etched on the wall. Villagers say the main purpose is to remember the sacrifice made by the soldiers and to express gratitude towards them. Villagers from Sukki, Mukhba, Harsil, Bagori, Dharali, Jhala, Jaspur and Purali in Uttarkashi came together in this unique and inspiring initiative to pay their tributes to the martyred soldiers. Punes bargain bazaar decides to go China-free: Tulshibaug traders unveil local produce plan Madhvendra Rawat, president of Harsil eco-tourism committee said that the painting will immortalise the soldiers in the memories of the villagers and visitors. It is a big responsibility of the residents of the bordering villages to protect the country shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers on the border. Therefore, a wall has been dedicated to the martyrs and their names have been written on it to immortalise them forever. Along with this, we have made other paintings on the wall to teach the dragon a lesson, said Rawat. Also Read: Galwan clash huge mistake by China, world already fighting Covid-19: Experts Basanti Negi, former president of Harsil gram sabha said the villagers have always supported the armed forces. The way China is behaving is not right, we stand with our armed forces in this situation. We will do everything possible to teach China a lesson, said Negi. Ajay Puri, an Uttarkashi-based social activist said that this is a very inspiring initiative undertaken by the vigilant guards of the border village. With this initiative, homage has been paid to our soldiers and the residents of the bordering villages have set an example in front of the country by standing by the forces in such times, said Puri. BJP president JP Nadda and former party president Nitin Gadkari launched a two-fronted counter attack on Thursday in response to Congress partys continuous offensive against the Centre, primarily on the issue of Chinese incursions. While Nadda posed several questions including over alleged donations from Chinese Embassy to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation-- a trust named after the former prime minister of India and chaired by Congress President Sonia GandhiGadkari questioned the partys record on issues concerning national security. Recall the history of the past 25 years, how many incidents of bomb blasts took place, temples were attacked, innocent were killed. Congress governments (in the past) had a habit of surrendering to terrorists, Gadkari said while addressing party workers in Rajasthan from Nagpur over a virtual Jan Samvad Rally. He added that it was then easy for Pakistan to train and send terrorists to attack India. Referring to the current stand-off with China over the boundary issue at the Line of Control in Ladakh, Gadkari said India was not interested in usurping any other countrys land. We dont want to appropriate any other countrys land, we dont want to intrude into any other countrys territory. We have brotherly ties with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and we stand by them in any situation, Gadkari added Earlier, JP Nadda had held a press conference to question Congress alleged financial link with China and sought to know if that had compromised the decision making by Congress-led governments in the past. BJP chief JP Nadda keeps up attack on Congress, Sonia Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi Foundation got donations from Chinese Embassy from 2005 to 2009. It received donations from tax havens of Luxembourg every year between 2006 to 2009. What does it indicate to you? NGOs and companies with deep commercial interests donated money to the foundation, Nadda was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Earlier, Nadda had attacked the Congress over a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Communist Party and sought to know the nature of the MoU. On Saturday, he alleged the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation worked in close association with China Association for Internationally Friendly Contact. He said the Chinese organization was a vehicle used by Central Military Commission of China to infiltrate and influence the voices of leaders of other countries Congress tells PM Modi to condemn Chinas brazen occupation in Ladakh What was the role of RGF with the China Association for Internationally Friendly Contact and Central Military Commission of China? How was it trying to influence policymakers of our country? Nadda asked. BJPs stepped-up offensive against the Congress follows a continuing series of attacks by the Congress alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ceded advantage to China by towing Beijings line on the border clashes with India. The Congress has also accused the PM of keeping the country misinformed by denying the presence of Chinese Army on the Indian side of the LAC in Ladakh. President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe says the reason why the parties in the case regarding the exclusion of the existing voters ID card from the new registration exercise got confused after the Supreme Court verdict, was Parliaments failure to look into the matter properly when it had the chance to. The Court ruled in favour of the Electoral Commission's decision to remove the current voter ID from the list of identification documents required to register ahead of the compilation of a new register and the 2020 general elections. After the Supreme Courts ruling on Thursday, June 25, confusion set in among the various factions in the case as they gave conflicting interpretations of the decision. Prior to this, Parliament had voted to allow the EC to use the Ghana Card and passports as the only forms of identification for persons registering to vote after the relevant Constitutional Instrument had matured. Mr. Cudjoe believes this initial decision by Parliament is a factor in the initial uncertainty after the Courts verdict. According to him, the House is to be blamed because it failed to conduct a proper investigation and analysis into the Electoral Commissions (EC) reasons for wanting to compile a new register. The Rule of Law does not necessarily mean that we should be allowed to waste and plunder. So I think the fault of this whole confusion is coming from Parliament and especially the Majority side because they just accepted that they [the EC] said we should come and do this. They [Parliament] didnt even order any audit on the answers that the EC had because they kept telling you that they were doing ABCD, that the life cycle of the machines has come to an end. They could have done the simple thing by causing an audit of the assets but it wasnt done simply because they came and said they cant do this without these machines, he insisted on The Big Issue. Still on the program, the President of the policy think-tank asserted that the Supreme Court should have gone beyond only confirming what the law says as it failed to do justice to the case. And because the law is so mechanistic as well, its been affirmed. I think thats the death of our democracy when it comes to these kinds of legal permutations. I think the courts are allowed to do what they want to do but on this particular matter, I think the court needs to be bolder and move beyond just affirming rules which may necessarily be plunderous as well. Sharing similar opinions with Franklin Cudjoe is the Leader of the All People's Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga. He also believes the Supreme Court did not scrutinise well enough the National Democratic Congress' case challenging the exclusion of the existing voter ID cards from the list of documents needed to register to vote. He held that the apex court's ruling only brought more confusion. The Supreme Court endorsed C.I. 126 to allow the use of NIA card and Ghana passport for the registration exercise. What it means is that institutions can now pass laws for the Supreme Court to comply and endorse. Practically, that is what happened. That is why it was very difficult for lawyers to understand the ruling. The Supreme Court actually did not do anything. It only confirmed C.I.126 and made some kind of pronouncements for the lawyers to get confused, he said to Citi News. ---citinewsroom The COVID-19 death toll in Connecticut has reached more than 4,000 people, leaving thousands to mourn their loved ones while maintaining social distance and foregoing traditional funeral services. Many were not able to be with their family members at the time of death. This creates a heightened sense of isolation for people experiencing grief, said Andrea Lucibello, a clinical social worker who hosts bereavement support groups with Yale New Haven Health. "The pandemic has shaken all of our values and belief systems around end of life," she said. "For some families, they weren't able to be with loved ones [at the time of death] and there's a feeling of guilt, thoughts that they abandoned loved ones, and we don't want people to be left with those thoughts." New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi faced severe flak from BJP over his Dalali jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP, on Thursday, called his remarks a new low in Indian politics and said he was speaking in frustration as the Prime Minister was drawing praise after he gave nod to the army to carry out the surgical strikes. Addressing a public meeting in the national capital on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi had said jinhone Hindustan ke liye surgical strike kiye hain, unke khoon ke peeche aap chhupe hain. Unki aap dalali kar rahe ho. You (Modi) are hiding behind the blood of soldiers who carried out the surgical strikes for India. You are exploiting their sacrifices. It is most shameful. Such remarks reflect his mental bankruptcy. The army and the Prime Minister are getting praise from everywhere for the surgical strikes. Modi is being praised for his decision and he is unable to digest it. Rahul Gandhi is in frustration, BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said. Besides, Sambit Patra, spokesperson of BJP, has said that Rahul has failed to learn from Sonia Gandhis mistakes and said Khoon ki Dalali will do to Rahul what Maut Ka Saudagar did to Sonia Gandhi (sic). Sonia Gandhi had to bear the brunt of Maut Ka Saudagar remark in the run up to the 2007 Gujarat assembly elections. "aaa aa aaaaa" will do to Sh Rahul Gandhi ,what "aaa aa aaaaaa" did to Smt Sonia Gandhi !! Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) October 6, 2016 Another party National Secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said, His statement is a new low in Indian politics. It is not only condemnable but highly irresponsible coming from the vice president of Congress party which fought for independence. Surgical strikes happened across the LoC but Rahul Gandhi has done surgical strike on his party. Taking a jibe at Gandhi, Sharma said dalali is in his and Congress nature as he referred to a number of alleged scams, like 2G, CWG, coal, involving the UPA government, which, he added, ran into 12 lakh crore. Gandhi too is on bail in the National Herald scam of Rs 5000 crore, he alleged. ALSO READ | Watch video: Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Narendra Modi over surgical strikes, says he is doing 'khoon ki dalali' Referring to controversial comments of some Congress leaders including Sanjay Nirupam, Sharma said the Opposition party is confused as they had been attacking Modi after Pathankot and Uri terror attacks and do not know how to react after he ordered the surgical strikes. Congress and other political parties may be nervous because of courage and will power shown by Modi government in backing armed forces decision to go for surgical strike across LOC. The aim of a responsible govt is to back armed forces which defend the nation and not use them for political gains, Singh said. Terming Gandhis Kisan Yatra in Uttar Pradesh as a flop drama, Sharma said the governments run by Gandhi family members did nothing for either farmers or youths and have the blot of suicides committed by lakhs of farmers. Modi is solving the problems inherited from Congress governments and has come out with schemes like crop insurance and soil health card to help farmers. The Modi government has offered salve to the wounds inflicted by Congress governments, he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. I used to hate sangria. It took nearly 30 years, but I finally found the sangria I want to share my hot summer nights with. To think I owe it all to my persistent mother. I used to think sangria was a drink for toga-clad college students and people who think wine coolers are too dry. For me, sangria was like Hawaiian Punch for adults. Thanks to my mother and a super-secret recipe, I have now seen the blood-red light. Twenty years ago, my mother told me about this fantastic sangria she discovered at Cafe Azul in the Pearl District. I was skeptical, but since I was living 2,000 miles away at the time, I told her I would just have to take her word. My mother enjoys a good challenge, so she said she would get the recipe for me. My mother went to Cafe Azul almost every week to convince the nice lady behind the bar to hand over her sangria recipe. Every week Nancy Hunt politely declined. One night my parents walked in on Cafe Azuls closing night staff party. Hunt walked over and handed my mother a piece of paper. It was the elusive sangria recipe. My mother mailed it to me, and I promptly filed it away and forgot all about it. By 2008 I was living in Portland again. I walked into a new restaurant called Bar Avignon, where I was thrilled to see Randy Goodman standing behind the bar. I first met Goodman when he worked at Wildwood in Northwest Portland. Standing next to Goodman was his partner in life and everything else, Nancy Hunt. When she heard my last name, she asked if I was Barbara Albertys son. I pleaded guilty. A few days later, Goodman emailed to find out if I still had the sangria recipe. It turns out they lost track of it during one of their many moves. Fortunately, I had not tossed it in the trash like all the red Solo cups filled with sangria I had been offered in my lifetime. When I finally got around to ordering a glass of sangria at Bar Avignon, I told Goodman I had yet to find a sangria I liked. As Goodman walked away from our table, he said, If you dont love this one, you can stop looking. After one sip, I was convinced. This sangria was light on its feet and refreshing. It wasnt cloyingly sweet, and I could actually tell there was red wine in my glass. The frustrating part was I promised Goodman I wouldnt share the recipe. Goodman died in 2018, and Hunt closed Bar Avignon at the end of 2019. I recently called her, seeking permission to publish the recipe. Im happy to report Hunt, now enthusiastically retired from the service industry, gave her blessing Hunt says the recipe was given to her by a chef de cuisine at Cafe Azul, whose name she cant remember. It uses red wine for the base and eschews spirits like brandy or rum. The recipe is simple, but I never played with it by adding spices or anything else. I like it just the way it is, Hunt said. The key is using a fruity red wine that you dont mind sipping while you make the sangria. At Bar Avignon, Hunt used the Portuguese red blend Terra da Malta Tinto. I like to use Protocolo Tinto, a Spanish red made by the Eguren family. The Protocolo is a solid bottle of wine you can find around Portland for less than 10 dollars. This is the recipe that quenched the thirst of thousands for more than two decades at Cafe Azul and Bar Avignon. It will fuel a large party and likely convert any sangria naysayers. Recipe included with this story: Cafe Azuls and Bar Avignons Secret Sangria. When serving, please consider making a toast to Nancy Hunt and the memories of Randy Goodman and Bar Avignon. -- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine. Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. By Associated Press UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations is marking its 75th anniversary with a scaled-down event because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of many challenges a deeply divided world must tackle along with poverty, inequality, discrimination and unending wars. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Friday's virtual commemoration of the signing of the U.N. Charter that "global pressures are spiraling up" and "today's realities are as forbidding as ever." He said people continue to lose trust in political establishments and has spoken of rising populism threatening multilateralism and denounced xenophobia, racism and intolerance. "Today's marches against racism were preceded by widespread protests against inequality, discrimination, corruption and lack of opportunities all over the world - grievances that still need to be addressed, including with a renewed social contract," he said in a video address. "Meanwhile, Guterres said, "other fundamental fragilities have only grown: the climate crisis, environmental degradation, cyberattacks, nuclear proliferation, a push-back on human rights and the risk of another pandemic." He stressed the urgent need for global cooperation. "One virus has put us on our knees, and we have not been able to fight it effectively, Guterres told reporters Thursday. It's spreading now everywhere. There was no control, no effective coordination among member states. We are divided in fighting COVID-19." Union leaders are 'delusional' if they believe British Airways does not need to make deep cuts to survive, City analysts have said. The criticism follows a highly unusual call held by union Unite with 37 City analysts. It wanted to explain why it believes BA is being too drastic in cutting up to 12,000 staff and slashing the pay of many other workers. Opinion: The views of City analysts are important to firms such as BA because they hold huge sway over share prices The views of City analysts are important to firms such as BA because they hold huge sway over share prices. But several analysts on the Unite call criticised the union's approach, which has included calling for the Government to strip BA of its lucrative Heathrow landing slots. One analyst told The Mail on Sunday: 'There was an element of delusion by Unite. If this campaign is successful, the unions will destroy British Airways. 'The unions have taken the nuclear option... this strategy will blow back in their face. Everyone is playing a very dangerous game here.' Another claimed some of Unite's arguments 'contradicted what they are trying to achieve', and that they 'failed to take into account the view of investors'. 'There was no long-term proposal for making BA a sustainable business,' the source added. Unite hit back last night, saying the briefing was 'factually accurate and indemnified'. It said its report to City analysts on BA's finances was compiled by Adam Leaver, a professor of accounting at Sheffield University. Sharon Graham, Unite's executive officer, said: 'Unite is fully aware of BA's financial position. BA is facing a short-term liquidity crisis. There is no need for such extreme permanent cuts to be made.' She said there must be 'consequences to BA's behaviour'. Earlier this month, the airline was called a 'national disgrace' by MPs on the Commons transport select committee. 'Maybe they [BA] should listen more carefully,' Graham added. The move by Unite to brief analysts comes amid mounting speculation that BA's parent company IAG will need to tap investors for up to 1.5billion of extra funding. IAG is burning through roughly 1billion of cash a month, meaning it has ten months until it exhausts its 10billion cash reserves. Mark Manduca, an aviation analyst at investment banking giant Citi, said: 'If this crisis goes on longer than expected, with a second [Covid-19] wave in the autumn, it is almost inevitable IAG will have to raise fresh funds.' One analyst on the Unite call warned that investors would not be willing to stump up money without major restructuring at BA. Mayank Singh And Pushkar Banakar By Express News Service NEW DELHI: India has decided to prepare for the long haul if China does not comply with the agreements and retreat to status quo ante as of April. Army Chief General MM Naravane met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday after the latters return from Russia and apprised him of the situation. They discussed various options the Army is ready to exercise along the Eastern Ladakh border. Apart from the current operational situation, plans to handle the stand-off in case it gets protracted due to the Chinese non-compliance of agreements, were discussed. The Army Chief discussed options to handle the situation in case Chinese delays withdrawal from all stand-off sites, a source said. Army Commanders have been already instructed to maintain a steady supply of arms, ammunition and spares through emergency procurement. ALSO READ: India warns China that attempts to alter status quo will have 'ripples, repercussions' Rajnath Singh described his meetings in Russia on various defence proposals as productive. My discussions were very positive and productive. I have been assured that ongoing contracts will be maintained not just maintained, in a number of cases they will be taken forward in a short time. All our proposals have received positive response, he said. On the diplomatic front, Indias envoy to China Vikram Misri took the bull by its horns, saying the only way to resolve the military stand-off along the LAC is for China to stop erecting new structures. He reiterates the ministry of external affairs position that Chinas claim of sovereignty over Galwan is completely untenable, adding such exaggerated claims would not help resolve the problem. Misri warned that Chinas attempt to alter status quo on ground can have ripples and repercussions in broader bilateral relationship. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the US is reviewing the deployment of its forces to suitably counter the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA)s increased threat to countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines. ALSO READ: PM Modi's 'no intrusion' remark made him popular in China, says Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan Were going to make sure were postured appropriately to counter the PLA. We think that the challenge of our times, and were going to make sure we have resources in place to do that, Pompeo said at the virtual Brussels Forum 2020. According to Pompeo, the review is being undertaken following directions from US President Donald Trump. As a part of the review, the US will reduce the number of troops in Germany from around 52,000 to 25,000. In certain places there will be fewer American resources. There will be other places. I just talked about the threat from the Chinese Communist Party, so now threats to India, threats to Vietnam, threats to Malaysia, Indonesia, South China Sea challenges, the Philippines, he said. The US Secretary of State said that the re-deployment will be undertaken after full consultations with partners around the world and certainly our friends in Europe. To the extent that that changed, the difference in what the US decided to do impacts adversely a threat some place, it may be that other nations need to step up and take responsibility for their own defence in ways that they hadnt done previously, he said. Missile system, spares on shopping list India has been requesting Russia to expedite the delivery of S-400, a strategic missile system, and the supply of spare parts for important systems. It has also sought the production of the Kamov helicopters for Navy and the manufacture of Kalashnikov rifles in India. Proposals to buy MiG 29s and Sukhois were approved last year A wide range of attendees voiced their opinions about police brutality and criminal justice reform at a recent town hall on the East Side, offering possible solutions to the problem. Community members, San Antonio police officers and representatives from the district attorneys office weighed in on the topics at SA Heals, 1212 N. Gevers. The nonprofit P.O.W.E.R (Phoenix Outreach Working Education and Re-Creation) sponsored the 90-minute event. On a stage lit by ceiling strung-lightbulbs, the groups outreach director, Hubert Brown, moderated its third town hall. He said the gathering was a result of recent protests and marches spurred by the Memorial Day killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd while in police custody. Im against police brutality, but Im also against looting, he said. We locked arms and protected peoples buildings because we werent with the looters. I want to have a dialogue to see how the issue can be resolved. Related: Hard Conversations: A full week of protests wraps up in downtown S.A. Brown wore a jersey with Do The Right Thing emblazoned on the front. He said police brutality is not just a physical act, its also mental. He said contact with a police officer could change a black mans life dramatically. The 17 participants received a document with 14 strategies identified by community members as possible solutions. The strategies included having police live where they patrol, pairing a nonpolice mediator with a traditional enforcer and having an after-incident citizen review process. Police Officer Richard Odoms spoke about probable cause to stop a motorist and the misconception that a driver cant lawfully be removed from a vehicle. He said that if a police officer pulls over a driver for a traffic violation, the motorist is considered under arrest at that time. Odoms said a stop can result in one of three scenarios: a written warning, a ticket or furthering the arrest. Aaron Jackson, 43, said there is a process that needs to be followed with the application of the law. He said the bigger issue is that people dont understand one another. Theres one group of people in here, and thats the human people, Jackson said. Everyone is going to get along or its going to be chaos. Lets have a real conversation about something we can apply today that will help us tomorrow. Its not, I Have a Dream, but I have a goal, and that is to make it a better place. He asked the African-American police officers why there werent any white officers at the meeting. Odoms asked him to imagine how uncomfortable they might feel at the forum. Jackson offered to go wherever the white officers are to have a conversation with them. Mario Martinez, 44, said police brutality and false arrests are just the beginning. He called for a reversal of fines and punishment based on race. Brown asked about the possibility of the DAs office reopening the Marquise Jones case. In February 2014, Jones was killed when an off-duty San Antonio police officer shot him in the drive-thru of Chachos and Chaluccis on the Northeast Side. Christian Henricksen, chief of litigation at the DAs office, said the case was reviewed again when District Attorney Joe Gonzales came into office. We have to be able to prove that the officer knew that his life was not in danger, Henricksen said. That is really hard to do. Theres evidence on both sides of that case that can make you say his life was in danger or his life wasnt in danger. He said all officer-involved shootings are taken to the grand jury for review. Daryl Harris, assistant district attorney, said there are too many incidental interactions with the police that end up at the courthouse. He said when his sons were learning to drive, he talked to them about how to conduct themselves if stopped by a police officer. My father used to tell me that there should be required training, Harris said. Black man and the law, starting around 14 or 15 when you start going out to places where you can get stopped. Related: Abolish it and start over: S.A. protests continue with bigger push to defund police Former Police Officer Willie Ng applauded the nonprofits town halls. This is the way reform starts, Ng said. It doesnt start at the DAs office. It doesnt start at the police headquarters. It starts in the community. Ng said growing up on the East Side, he understands why the conversation is vital. Ng, a former candidate for sheriff, said information and police training are key components of the solution. Before the forum ended, the nonprofits founder, Andre Underwood, said solving the problem rests with each individual. We have to learn how to treat people with respect and decency, he said. It goes back to you looking in the mirror. Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Vincent, become a subscriber. vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis A resident living within the 'red zone' where 49 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Mongradone, southern Italy - ANSA Italy sent soldiers and riot police as reinforcements on Friday to a council estate in the south of the country where a cluster of coronavirus cases among foreign farm workers has sparked tensions with locals. Violence flared between Italian residents and migrant workers on Thursday and Friday in the town of Mondragone, north of Naples, after five blocks of flats were locked down in an outbreak of 43 positive cases, mostly among Roma and Bulgarian field workers. The trouble reportedly began after a group of Bulgarians attempted to force their way through a cordon put in place earlier this week, to protest not being able to return to work. Police persuaded them to return inside, but a few were later spotted heading out. A throng of angry resident Italians then gathered below the tower blocks shouting insults at the inhabitants, some of whom responded by throwing chairs and objects from their balconies. The affected council estate is home to some 300 Italians and 400 migrant workers from Eastern Europe, North Africa and South America. We have put all the tower blocks in quarantine. Now they need to stay in their homes and respect the rules: for 15 days no-one enters or exits those buildings, said Campania governor Vincenzo De Luca, who requested extra law enforcement from the interior ministry and threatened to lock down the whole town if screening identifies more than 100 cases. Several vehicles with Bulgarian plates were vandalized and a van was set alight with a molotov cocktail on Friday morning before the army unit arrived. Italian riot police stand guard at the estate - ANSA The mostly undocumented workers are part of an exploited sector of so-called invisibles who scrape by as off-the-books day laborers and seasonal farmhands, picking tomatoes and tending the buffalo that produce milk for mozzarella. They often live in unsanitary conditions, crammed into camps and dilapidated buildings around Castel Volturno and Mondragone, two seaside towns along a polluted strip of land north of Naples, largely controlled by the Camorra organized crime syndicate. Story continues In a separate incident in Sicily, tensions were also running high after 28 rescued migrants tested positive for coronavirus after being rescued and brought ashore by the German NGO ship Sea-Watch 3, which has recently resumed operations. The migrants are now being kept isolated in a quarantined area of a ferry offshore, along with 250 others. After a 10-week lockdown and 34,600 deaths, Italy is returning to near-normalcy with deaths and hospitalisations in steady decline. But health officials say contagion is continuing, with small outbreaks being monitored from north to south. In Rome, 123 infections were linked to a hospital while in Bologna, 64 new cases were traced back to warehouse workers at a courier and logistics company. KANSAS CITY, Mo. - During a Kansas City, Missouri, city council meeting, the number of complaints filed against KCPD officers was brought to attention. The numbers were requested by a city council member, Ryana Parks-Shaw, who questioned Cpt. John Simons with KCPD on what is being done to hold some of those officers accountable. Hi everyone! I hope all is well with you and your families. If you can believe it, July is next week. Where has the time gone? It is amazing how many important things in life have changed since the coronavirus has infiltrated everyone's lives. Graduations, birthdays, holidays, funerals, births, traveling, doctor appointments, vet appointments, vacations, work or just going to the store. I know I have said this before, but really, who would have ever guessed in a million years something could affect the world like it has. I keep thinking things will eventually get back to normal but I am trying to see what normal will be at the Senior Center. I wish I knew without a doubt what I should do, but like so many people and businesses there is no way to really know. Some of the staff got to get out of the office this last week and will get to next week for Project FRESH. If you are looking for something amazing, you have to get some delicious strawberries. Jeanne had a meeting in Kaleva and stopped at Lutz's and brought some of the best strawberries back to the office to share. If you can participate in Project FRESH make sure you can get your coupons for $20 of local fruits and vegetables. The list of farmers and farm markets in Manistee County that accept the Project FRESH so far, are the Saturday Manistee Farmers Market, Lutz Farms and Millers Fruit Market M22. Remember, this not only helps our seniors it also helps our farmers. One of the reasons I mentioned the veterinarian appointments is because I encountered something interesting this morning. My granddaughter Adeline who is 5 asked for a kitten for Christmas. She got one, a sweet, adorable little kitten she called Buttercups. Well, this sweet, adorable little kitten has turned into a naughty, huge male cat. Buttercups was to get neutered in March, but the vet postponed the surgery because of the coronavirus. My daughter called the other vets and they weren't accepting any new patients. So, Buttercups is almost three months past the recommended surgery time for a male cat and this cat has been into mischief and doing things he shouldn't do. This morning, my daughter had to be at work early, so I said I would take the cat in for surgery. Everyone knew nothing to eat after midnight. All the food was put away and he cried the night away, in the morning when I was heading downstairs to get him in his carrier, I thought to myself I wonder why he wasn't crying. When I walked into the kitchen, I found out why. He had gone in where a new bag of cat food was sitting on the shelf and carried it into the kitchen, opened it up and was eating away. I still took the cat to the vets and they said they were going to need to postpone surgery until the next morning. Well, I asked how much it cost to keep him overnight and when they told me, I said he is yours until tomorrow night and drove away. I love animals, and he is very loving, but he is a huge stinker. Our offices are not open yet, and I don't have a date to let you know when we may open. But we are doing a couple of things in July that will be held outdoors. We are going to do a little toe tapping outside with the 3Ds on July 14. Bring a lawn chair and stay 6 feet away from everyone and sit and enjoy some great music in the parking lot. On July 16 we are going to meet at First Street beach parking lot to have lunch and sit outside our cars and be together, but just not together. Bring your lunch and a lawn chair and join in the fun if you are able. On July 21t we are doing Sit & Get Fit in the parking lot. We will have chairs outside in the parking lot 6 feet apart if you want to join in. Our July newsletters are in the mail and they are at the stores that are open throughout the county. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and can enjoy the beautiful weather. Don't forget to try something new! PROJECT FRESH Senior Project FRESH coupons are still available for Manistee County seniors, age 60 and over, who meet the income eligibility requirements (one person $23,107 or two people $31,284) as long as supplies last. One coupon book per household. Social distancing will be practiced during distribution. June 29, 10 a.m. at the Marilla Twp. Hall parking lot in Marilla; June 29, 12:30 p.m. at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Copemish; June 30, 10 a.m. - noon and 1-3 p.m. at the Manistee Senior Center; and July 1, 10 a.m. - noon and 1-3 p.m. at the Manistee Senior Center. FOOD BANK The senior center food bank takes place from 9-11 a.m. on the third Friday of the month. Produce banks are being held once a month as well. Seniors from Manistee County who are 60 years of age and older are eligible to participate. The next produce bank will be July 10 and the next food bank will be on July 19. Monetary and non-perishable food item donations are always appreciated. SENIOR REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM The MCCOA has a program designed to help seniors remain independent, by reimbursing qualifying expenses. If you are a senior from Manistee County, you could receive reimbursement for payments you have made for house cleaning, yard work, snow removal services. For current clients in the Senior Reimbursement Program, please take note, all receipts must be current, no more than 30 days old. Income requirements apply. New clients must fill out a registration form. Please mail all receipts as the senior center is currently closed to the public. Please call the Senior Center at (231) 723-6477 for more information. SIT & GET FIT The MCCOA will start Sit & Get Fit exercise classes on Tues. July 21. Classes will be held out of doors at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, weather permitting. UPCOMING EVENTS July 14, 11 a.m. is Toe Tapping Tuesday with the 3Ds, outside. Bring your lawn chairs July 16, noon is Meet at the Beach for Lunch at the First Street beach parking lot. Bring your lawn chairs and your lunch. Zac Efron is a man on a mission. The Hollywood heartthrob packed his bags and traveled the world with wellness expert Darin Olien for Netflix's Down to Earth with Zac Efron, all in an effort to learn about sustainable ways to live. "We are traveling around the world to find some new perspectives on some very old problems," Efron says in the trailer for his new series, seen below. "Food, water and energy are all the main staples of modern life." In his quest to discover what it means to make a difference in sustainability, Efron traveled to France, Puerto Rico, Iceland, London, Costa Rica, Lima, Sardinia and Iquitos. Unscripted Netflix Shows Worth Watching The new trailer features The Greatest Showman star encountering the community fart bag. "It burns like the Olympic torch," Efron laughs in the trailer. In addition to exploring the science and innovation of it all, Efron promises viewers will see him eating, "really, really well." Just look at him eating that dung-smoked foodand making pasta. "I'm so happy that I'm eating carbs again," he says. "We need to start rethinking how we consume everything, from our food to our power," Efron says in a voiceover. "Change has to start somewhere. Maybe it's time we all change." Click play on the trailer above to see Efron in a number of adventurous situations, including a hot spring, getting covered in some type of tarp and so much more. This is just one of two reality shows Efron made. He also has Killing Zac Efron for Quibi, the mobile-only streaming platform. No premiere date for that adventure series with Efron surviving in a remote jungle has been announced. Down to Earth with Zac Efron premieres July 10 on Netflix. Riddhima Kapoor continues to share rare gems from her archives in the memory of her father Rishi Kapoor. She has now shared a childhood picture of herself with her parents on her Instagram stories. Riddhima shared the picture with a kiss-eye emoji. It shows baby Riddhima sitting on a chair with Neetu on her side and papa Rishi standing behind them as they pose for the camera. Neetu has flowers in her hair while Rishi is seen sporting a beard in the picture, which he hardly sported during his younger days. Riddhima Kapoor has shared two pictures on her Instagram stories. Riddhima also shared a picture of her daughter Samara and Rishi twinning in identical sunglasses. Most fave pic #twinning, she captioned it. Riddhima and Neetu are currently keeping busy with the new member of their family - a a Shih Tzu puppy, whom they have named Doodle Kapoor. Riddhima, who has been regularly sharing adorable clicks of the ball of fur, has now shared a candid picture of him bonding with their another dog. It shows him trying to climb a bench irrespective of its size. Riddhima had recently shared a picture with Neetu and brother Ranbir Kapoor with the caption, Always and forever. The two have been a constant support for their mother after the passing away of Rishi. Neetu had earlier written an emotional note in memory of Rishi a month after his passing away. She took to Instagram to post the picture in which the star couple is seen winning on twinning with their matching outfits. Both are seen wearing deep blue coloured shirts paired with blue coloured denim. The 61-year-old actor quoted Gracie Fields song in the caption. She wrote, Wish me luck as you wave me goodbyeCheerio, here I go on my wayWith a cheer, not a tear, in your eyeGive me a smile, I can keep for a whileIn my heart while Im away. Also read: Salman Khan drops shirtless picture post midnight workout. See pic The post was flooded with scores of comments from the fans of the couple and celebrities from the Indian film industry. Such a beautiful poem and an even more beautiful love story, commented Interior designer Sussane Khan. Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully on April 30 after a two-year-long battle with leukaemia, his family said in a statement. In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Baylor University acknowledged its ties to slavery and the Confederacy and passed a resolution Friday calling for racial healing and justice. Officials with the private Baptist college noted in the resolution that several Baptist leaders and their congregants, who migrated to Texas in the 1830s, owned slaves and held racist views. Among them were Baylors three founders Judge R.E.B. Baylor, the Rev. James Huckins and the Rev. William M. Tryon who chartered the Waco university in 1845, as well as most of the colleges initial board of trustees and its early leaders. A number of University leaders and prominent individuals connected to the institution supported Confederate causes and engaged in the fight to preserve the institution of slavery both during and following the Civil War, including some serving as members of the Confederacys armed forces, states the resolution, which was passed unanimously by Baylors board of regents. The board additionally denounced racism, stating in the resolution that its inconsistent with Baylors Christian mission and the teachings of Jesus Christ, and pledged a commitment to systemic change, equitable policies and practices that will hold those who fail to meet them accountable. The resolution also acknowledged the colleges need to listen to those who are affected by racism on campus, recognize the contributions of the black community throughout the colleges history and increase diversity among university students, faculty, staff and administration. Board members also established a Commission on Historic Campus Representations at Baylor University, which will review the historical context of Baylors statues, monuments, buildings and other aspects of the campus, including location, placement and names. The commission will present its observations to the administration and board by the end of the fall semester. Board Chair Mark Rountree said in a statement that in recent months, board members have been fully awakened to the injustices faced daily by our brothers and sisters of color, which has challenged them to question their personal biases and realize the need for their organizations to denounce racism and pursue change. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas Southern offers full scholarship to George Floyds daughter Now is the time for Baylor, as a Christian university, to look deeply within our hearts and listen and learn with humility about our past and from voices that have been unheard for years while also taking tangible steps forward, Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone said in a written statement. The announcement comes in the wake of the death of George Floyd, when schools around the state, including the University of Houston, Rice University and the Texas A&M University System, have denounced racism and announced new initiatives amid college students petitions and protests about their institutions controversial and racist histories. Floyd, who grew up in the Third Ward and graduated from Jack Yates High School, died May 25 while in Minneapolis police custody. brittany.britto@chron.com The Israeli military said Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired two rockets into southern Israel late Friday, shattering months of near-total calm. In response, Israeli aircraft attacked two military facilities for Hamas, the Islamic group ruling Gaza. There were no reports of injuries in either incident and no Palestinian militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket attack. The rockets, which hit in opens areas of Israel, were fired a day after Hamas warned of violence over Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said the airstrikes will impede" Hamas' future abilities. Tensions are simmering in the Palestinian territories over Israel's annexation plans for the West Bank, including the strategically important Jordan Valley. The annexation would effectively dash Palestinian hopes of establishing a viable state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. On Thursday, the armed wing of Hamas warned of violence if Israel proceeds with the annexation plans, saying such a move amounts to a declaration of war. For most of the first half of 2020, the Gaza-Israel frontier remained calm as Hamas stopped weekend demonstrations that often turned violent. The threat of the coronavirus appears also to have contributed to the calm. On Saturday, about 100,000 poor Gaza families will begin receiving $100 each as a donation from Qatar. The oil-rich Persian Gulf country has donated for nearly a year to help bolster calm and prevent Hamas and Israel from going to a war. Given the events of the past three months, many of us are newly converted germaphobes, transformed from the kind of people who would ride the subway to a cafe and eat a croissant without washing our hands on arrival to the sort who are terrified to pass someone too closely on a sidewalk. Dr. Bonnie Henry gets it: We scared people and, once you scare them, its hard to undo. As provincial health officer for British Columbia (and author of Soap and Water & Common Sense, a guide to avoiding viruses, parasites and disease), it was Henrys job to scare us. It worked! But now we need to learn to live in this new normal. So now that weve entered Stage 2 of reopening across Ontario, we have questions. Throw off your mask (if youre at home!) and settle in for some expert answers. How often should I wash my face masks? Cloth face masks should be washed in a washing machine after every use, advises Dasantila Golemi-Kotra, an expert in microbiology and an associate professor at York University. They should be dried in a dryer or outside, especially now that the weather is hot. No washing machine? Put the mask in hot water with detergent, let it sit for 30 minutes and then rinse. If you have a single-use mask and you cant readily get more, Golemi-Kotra suggests allowing it to dry out in a box for three days. But if the mask has been used extensively in crowded areas or for a prolonged time, throw it in the garbage. What kind of mask is best? Face masks essentially act as a filter, so the more layers a mask has, the more effective it is, says Jason Tetro, a microbiologist and the author of two books on germs. An N95 mask has 250 layers (although the public has been asked to leave those for medical professionals and other front-line workers), while a cotton bandana has two or four. What if someone walks by me within two metres and were not wearing masks? Unless someone is actively coughing or sneezing in your direction, the risk of getting infected when youre on the move is low, says Golemi-Kotra. Henry agrees and adds that more risk lies in sitting next to someone in a coffee shop, having a conversation, sitting in a meeting room where people are talking, or going to a church service and standing next to someone whos singing. Is it a good idea to wear gloves? With gloves, you actually end up picking up more (particles) from surfaces and you cant effectively use a hand sanitizer, Tetro says. If youre using gloves because you think there might be coronavirus on that melon youre knocking on, just use your hands. Then wash them or use sanitizer if thats not possible. Should I avoid the subway? Tetro does advise avoiding public transportation if you can. All of those tubes buses, subways, planes are basically like emergency rooms, he explains. Theyre usually crowded and full of people whose health status you dont know. If you need to take transit, wear a mask, as the TTC mandates, and maintain as much distance as you can. Henry recommends using transit in off-peak times if possible. Is it safe to eat in a restaurant? Recently, Henry went to a newly reopened restaurant for the first time. It was a bit nerve-wracking, she admits, but she took comfort in the measures that she and her team had put in place: capacity limits, tables far apart, frequent cleaning and servers taking orders from a distance. Worried about using restaurant cutlery? Dont be, says Tetro. Most restaurants have hot water dishwashers and as long as the water reaches 65 degrees Celsius, youre fine. What about takeout coffee? The main concern is drinking from a potentially contaminated lid. Tetro warns against using lids left on the counter because you have no idea who has coughed or sneezed on them. If the barista puts on a lid behind the counter using gloves, there should be no risk, he says. We all touch the same hand sanitizer pump in stores. Is that dangerous? Not really, says Golemi-Kotra, since youre hitting your hands with the sanitizer after theyre contaminated. Make sure youre doing that properly: Put a generous amount of the sanitizer and rub those hands and fingers as you would do when washing hands. Whats the safest way to have people over? Henry recently had friends come to visit on her lawn. I put a bottle of wine and glasses on a tray in the middle, poured it and then everyone got their own glasses. She served individually wrapped treats. Last night, I went to a friends house for dinner. She has a long table, and I sat at one end and she and her husband sat at the other. If in doubt, follow Henrys motto: Fewer faces, bigger spaces. Lucknow: With the Uttar Pradesh elections round the corner, political parties are sharpening their knives against each other. In a bid to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav endorsed Rahul Gandhis khun ki dalali remarks, saying the Congress Vice President couldnt have been off the mark. Its not a question of Congress but I have good relations with Rahul Gandhi. If he has said something he must have given it much thought. He must have some information about it, Akhilesh said when asked about Rahuls dalali remarks on PM. He also took a dig at Modi for attending the Dussehra festivities in Lucknow, saying had there been elections in Bihar, he would have slayed Ravan there. The Samajwadi Party leader said that he had visited the families of martyred soldiers and helped them. Ultimately, the poor lost their lives, the farmers are dying, their sons are dying, so what do they know about surgical strike? PM Modi is scheduled to visit Lucknow on Tuesday to attend the Dussehra festivities. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A Ryanair flight approaching Bergerac airport in poor weather conditions flew too low for more than two minutes and was ordered to 'pull up' by an automated safety system. The jet, which was travelling between London Stansted and Bergerac, France triggered several altitude warnings on its approach to the airport - which included the critical 'pull up' instruction when the jet was just 842 feet above the ground while it was eight miles from the runway. Shortly before the 'pull up' alert sounded, the crew received a 'terrain' warning which warned them that they were flying too low. The Ryanair Boeing 737-800, pictured, was on approach to Bergerac airport in south west France in January 2015 when a vital safety system ordered the pilots to 'pull up' as they were flying too low An investigation by the French air safety regulator BEA showed the aircraft's course during the aborted approach to Bergerac airport. It showed the jet was flying at 2,491 feet as it began its turn away from the runway, but dropped to 1,055ft - which was less than 850ft above the ground, while it was still eight miles from the runway Investigators found the aircraft dropped below the minimum safe altitude and was forced to abort its landing attempt and return to 4,000 feet At the time, the first officer, who was flying the aircraft, was conducting a turn in heavy cloud and did not have 'any visual references'. The 27-year-old first officer was flying a 'non-precision approach' although the crew had elected to use an automated system to regulate their aircraft's descent. The first officer, who had just 400 hours experience, had never flown a non-precision approach - which allows the pilot to follow a pre-determined course down to a minimum altitude. Pilots are not allowed to go below this minimum altitude unless they are able to see the runway. The 57-year-old captain was unaware that his colleague had never flown a non-precision approach. An investigation by the French aviation regulator BEA found it is likely the first officer and the captain had lost situational awareness during the approach. The investigators found that the preparation for the landing attempt was 'insufficiently precise and complete'. It said the captain should have told his first officer to use the more accurate satellite navigation equipment during the approach. Due to the conditions, the BEA discovered the pilots were forced to change the landing mode in the flight management computer just as they began their approach. This change led to a misunderstanding between the co-pilot and the captain about which mode was to be used. Once the pull up warning sounded, the crew aborted their approach and increased altitude to 4,000 feet before landing safely some 20 minutes later. Without corrective action, the aircraft would have hit the ground several miles short of the runway within 40 seconds. According to the BEA, some of the airport's navigational aides, which assist pilots in poor weather conditions were not operational that day. The report claimed as a result of the reliance on technology 'pilots may no longer be sufficiently trained to carry out non-precision approaches using only conventional equipment and instruments'. The regulator said Ryanair has since changed its operational procedures since the incident as they 'considered that there was in additional risk associated with this type of approach and considered that its operational objectives could be satisfied without the crews needing to resort to it'. MailOnline has approached Ryanair for a comment. Shimla, June 27 : Former Himachal Pradesh legislator and Congress leader Neeraj Bharti was arrested for allegedly posting "anti-national and objectionable" content on social networking site Facebook after violent face-off between India and China. He was slapped with sedition charges and would be produced in a Shimla court on Saturday. In a series of posts, he made offensive comments against the Prime Minister and the RSS after the face-off between India and China in the Galwan valley of Ladakh. Bharti, who was the chief parliamentary secretary in the previous Congress government in the state, was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) here for questioning. After questioning for three days, he was arrested on Friday evening. He will be produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court later in the day, an official told IANS. Former legislator from Jawali in Kangra district was arrested under Sections 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code. The former legislator is not new to controversies. He had been targeting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and even his party leaders through his posts on the social media. His father Chander Kumar, a former Member of Parliament, is a prominent OBC leader from the state. "The state government is trying to silence the opposition leaders. The case against my son is politically motivated," Kumar told the media. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The 48-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting two coworkers and critically wounding another at a central Illinois warehouse Friday died after apparently shooting himself, the citys police chief said. Springfield police believe Michael L. Collins fatally shot himself Friday after shooting and killing two co-workers at the Bunn-O-Matic facility shortly after 11 a.m. Collins, of Springfield, also critically injured another woman, police said. Collins, the two other men and the woman all arrived for work at about 7 a.m. Friday in the welding area of the facility, Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow told reporters Friday evening. They all worked in the same area, he said. Winslow said the sheriff of nearby Morgan County called his office later Friday to say Collins body had been found in the suspects car. Two handguns were found in the car. No other suspects were being sought. Winslow released Collins name earlier Friday but later said he would not repeat it. The names of the victims were not released, neither was the name of the female co-worker who was in critical condition at a hospital. Words cant explain what occurred, Winslow said Friday evening. I know we all want answers. People want motives. I dont have that at this time. Its too early in the investigation. The bodies of the two dead employees were found by officers searching the building. The female employee was found in the parking lot and taken to a hospital. Winslow said one of the men who died was in his 60s, one was in his 20s and the woman is in her 50s. Were trying to verify if anything occurred today, or if there was any kind of activity that would cause something like this, he continued. We are digging into the background of the suspect. We are reaching out to acquaintances and family members of him. Bunn-O-Matic manufactures dispensed beverage equipment, and is headquartered in Springfield, according to the companys website. One employee described a chaotic scene when the crack of gunfire shattered an otherwise quiet workday. Charles Bantle estimated that about half of the warehouse employees werent working due to concerns about the coronavirus. I was in the maintenance shop and just heard the gunshots and everybody started running, Bantle told The (Springfield) State Journal-Register. And Im in maintenance, so I figured somethings broken. So I started walking towards it, figured it was the air compressor blowing up or something, and I was going to have to go fix it. But then everyone was screaming and yelling, telling me to go the other way. So we all ran and took cover. Nearly 175 workers were in several buildings at the site at the time of the shootings, Winslow said. About 100 employees hurried from the main building, and police gathered them together to determine if everyone had left the facility, he said. Were still trying to see exactly when he left, Winslow said of the suspect. Winslow said investigators are working with the federal Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency to determine whether the guns in Collins car were obtained legally. Theyre also looking into how Collins was able to get a weapon into the Springfield facility. I dont know what the protocols are at this time for entering the building, Winslow said. I dont know what safety mechanism they may or may not have in place. ___ Babwin reported from Chicago. Reporter Corey Williams in West Bloomfield, Michigan, contributed to this report. An Ensley man was sentenced to federal prison Friday for an armed carjacking in Birmingham. U.S. District Judge Corey Maze sentenced 29-year-old Darise Cortez Austin to 12 years in prison, according to a joint announcement by U.S. Attorney Jay Town and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank Haera. Austin in February pleaded guilty to carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the plea agreement, Austin, while armed with a firearm, approached a Birmingham victim outside of the victims apartment in 2018. While pointing the firearm at the victim, Austin took the victims keys, wallet, and a Taurus .357 caliber pistol. Austin then stole the victims 2007 Nissan Altima and left the residence. Austin used the victims debit card at several different places, then attempted to elude an Alabama State Trooper in Lawrence County, Alabama. While eluding the Alabama State Trooper at 102 mph, Austin wrecked the vehicle. He was quickly taken into custody. This sentence is another great example of our office and law enforcement partners working together to remove another violent criminal from our communities, Town said. Violent criminals who plague our streets will continue to be targets for federal prosecution where the debt to society is full price. No discounts. No parole. Removing the criminal element that uses a firearm to facilitate violent crimes such as carjacking is a priority of ATF,' Haera said. This focused investigation will have a lasting impact within this community. ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S Attorney Kristy Peoples prosecuted the case. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, June 27, 2020 06:01 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406620a0d5 1 National KPK,Firli-Bahuri,Firli,anti-graft-body,supervisory-council,helicopter,Hedonism,health-protocol,COVID-19 Free The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) supervisory council has questioned the commissions chairman, Firli Bahuri, about a helicopter ride following a complaint filed by antigraft activists. The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Community (MAKI) accused Firli of living a "hedonistic lifestyle" by using a private helicopter to take a personal trip from South Sumatra's capital of Palembang to his hometown in Baturaja in the same province last week. They maintained that this constituted an ethical violation. We asked for his clarification on Thursday, council member Sjamsuddin Haris said on Friday as reported by kompas.com. However, he did not explain the clarification process or whether any ethics violations had been found. According to the MAKI report, Firli took a helicopter taxi, sometimes called a helimousine, to Baturaja to visit his parents' graves. Such services can cost up to US$1,400 for an hour of use, Reuters reported. Firli brushed off the allegations and declined to comment on the criticism. Read also: Watchdogs' grim report says KPK has 'lost public trust' in six months under Firli [My focus] is on working and working, the former South Sumatra police chief said as reported by tribunnews.com on Friday. Firlis colleague, KPK commissioner Alexander Marwata, came to his defense, saying that that Firli had taken the helicopter to save time. Regardless of peoples opinions, he was considering time efficiency because he only took one day of leave, Alexander said as reported by kompas.com. Alexander said that Firli had explained that he chose to rent the helicopter because it would take hours to travel from Palembang to Baturaja by car. MAKI previously accused Firli of failing to comply with health protocols during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak as he had not worn a mask or kept his distance while interacting with the public. Firli denied violating health protocols and said he wore masks while talking to people. (nal) The United States is reassessing its reopening strategy as coronavirus cases surge despite many believing the worst of the pandemic was over. On Friday, for the third day in a row, the country experienced record cases, 45,000 people tested positive for the virus. Several states are recording records highs daily and there is no end in sight. Florida, Nevada and South Carolina recorded record highs on Friday as they continue to count the cost of lax rules and regulations. A few days ago, the highest daily total was just north of 36,000, but now that number has been beaten for the last three days in a row. Almost two and a half million people have tested positive for the virus in America and over 125,000 have lost their lives to it since it began. The Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Carlos Gimenez said he would sign an emergency order on Saturday closing beaches from July 3 to July 7. That would mean 4th of July celebrations planned for the beach would have to be changed. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have released a strict travel advisory for people entering the state. Along with those three states, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont all require travellers to pass through quarantine. They were all brought in on different dates and expire on different dates but many of the quarantine rules can and will be extended. Why do New York, New Jersey and Connecticut require quarantine? New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have reacted to the increasing cases and will require travellers from out of state to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival in the states based on certain criteria. "The commissioner of the Department of Health to issue a travel advisory to be communicated widely at all major points of entry into New York, including on highway message boards and in all New York airports," said Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York in a statement on the state's official website as he announced the measures. The travel advisory applies to anyone coming from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average. It also applied to anyone coming from a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average, according to a joint announcement from the governors of the three states. Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Utah are all currently on the list of states that fill those criteria. Washington State was also on the list but were dropped from it after a further review of their coronavirus cases according to the New York Times. We now have to make sure the rates continue to drop, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday at a briefing in New York City. We also have to make sure the virus doesnt come on a plane again. "This is not a polite recommendation, this is a strong advisory built on the back of the healthcare professionals," said New Jersey governor, Phil Murphy. "We are asking folks to take on a big amount of personal responsibility here, to do the right thing for themselves as well as for their families, communities and the rest of us." Such is the level of interest in the potential sale of the National 1798 Rebellion Centre in Enniscorthy that an online petition to save the centre from being sold had received 3,990 signatures as this newspaper went to press. The petition was started by Colum ORourke and has been promoted heavily on social media. When contacted about the matter by this newspaper Sinn Fein TD, Johnny Mythen, said any sale of the centre should not take place until a permanent location for the 1798 exhibition was found. Personally, I would prefer that the centre remains where it is, said Deputy Mythen. Thats my preferable option, he added. He also highlighted the fact the sale will be dependent on the majority of councillors on Wexford County Council voting in favour of such it. Its one of the few statutory powers they still have and it has to be agreed by a majority of members, he said. He expressed concern that if the centre closes it wont be reopened somewhere else. We all know what happens when something closes down, he said. Its moth-balled and there should be a place for it to be rehoused before its moved, he added. I would have grave concerns it will never appear again. Deputy Mythen said its a case of kicking the can down the road and commented: It has to have a physical place to go to if anything should happen but preferably I would like to see the 98 centre remaining where it is, especially with the amount of money that was put into it. Deputy Mythen also feels that the level of promotion that was put into other sites in the county including Enniscorthy Castle was never put into the centre. It was never given the same scale of funding support in terms of promotion, he said. There is huge potential to build the tourism product around it including the links with Antrim and even on the unionist side because the United Irishmen formed in Antrim and the Presbyterians at the time were as oppressed as the Catholics and there is a strong connection there, he added. They were oppressed as well at the time. Such is Deputy Mythens interest in the matter that he wrote to Wexford County Council asking members to consider the proposal regarding the upcoming sale of the centre. In his letter Deputy Mythen pointed out that the centre is the only one of its type in Europe said 98 is embedded in every parish in County Wexford and is historically connected to France, America, Europe and practically every county in Ireland. He said thousands of Euro has been spent on signage inviting tourists and citizens to visit the centre and that with Vinegar Hill receiving an average of 30,000 visitors each year surely there is a way to link both entities. Cllr Jackser Owens also told this newspaper that he would be very much against the sale of the centre. The exhibition has to have a place for people to see it and I would be very much against the sale, he said. Deputy James Browne also said the centre should remain open and in a statement called for it to remain open unless an alternative and equivalent exhibition space in Enniscorthy is located. The decision to close the 1798 Centre needs to be postponed, said Deputy Browne. It appears the decision has been rushed with little consultation with County Councillors and the public, he added. Deputy Browne commented on Enniscorthys rich history and its many ties to the 1798 rebellion. Last weekend marked the 222nd anniversary of the Battle of Vinegar Hill and with that in mind Deputy Browne said the centre needs to remain open unless an alternative location is found. He also suggested that a possible site in Templeshannon should be considered commenting: Thats an area that I think has been neglected a lot in the past. This article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. President Barack Obama vowed to close it, and failed. President Trump vowed to load it up with more bad dudes, and has not. Now Joseph R. Biden Jr. is saying that if elected president, he would support shutting down the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba but has declined to specify how he would do it or what he would do with the 40 men held there as wartime prisoners, including the men accused of plotting the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. In response to a question, his campaign said in a statement that Mr. Biden continues to support closing the detention center. Echoing Mr. Obama, the statement said the prison undermines American national security by fueling terrorist recruitment and is at odds with our values as a country. But Mr. Biden rarely, if ever, brings up the topic, evidence of how politically toxic it remains after intense Republican efforts to cast Mr. Obamas initiative as endangering Americans by transferring terrorists to U.S. soil or sending them without adequate safeguards to other countries. When asked about Guantanamo Bay in a primary debate in December, Mr. Biden, who was Mr. Obamas vice president, blamed Congress for thwarting closure, but rather than suggest a path forward, he pivoted to another issue. Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V D Sharma launched a fresh attack against former chief minister Kamal Nath on Saturday accusing him of destroying livelihoods of crores of small traders and manufacturers by letting Chinese firms dump their goods in the country at the "behest of the Gandhi family". "It was highly unfortunate the way Nath entered into a deal with the Chinese firms while being the union commerce minister just to benefit the Gandhi family," said Sharma speaking to the media at BJP headquarters. This comes amid a bitter standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last six weeks, and the tension escalated manifold after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash in Galwan valley on June 15. Alleging corruption, Sharma said on the products available in the country, Nath allowed upto 40 to 200% import duty waivers which led to the destruction of crores of manufacturers, artisans and small traders. Due to the policy changes by Nath, lakhs of those who used to manufacture utensils, done-pattals (made out of leaf), agriculture equipment and incense sticks turned jobless and lost livelihoods due to destruction of small and cottage industries. "This act so as to benefit Gandhi family falls under financial treason, claimed Sharma. The party also announced plans to burn effigies of Kamal Nath across the state on June 28. The BJP state head further claimed that Nath also destroyed the state during his government at the behest of senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. Nath took all the money to Chhindwara and kept saying that he had no funds to run developmental works in other parts of the state, alleged Sharma. Calling these allegations as false and baseless, Congress spokesperson Abhay Dubey claimed that the BJP government under Narendra Modi helped Chinese goods reach every household in the last six years and now they have given the 'Aatma-nirbhar Bharat' slogan. "BJP must know that anti-dumping duty was the highest on Chinese goods when Kamal Nath was the commerce minister," said Dubey. He also lashed out at Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his old tweet drawing parallels between the Communist Party of India and Bharatiya Janata Party. The two parties trade charges ahead of the bypolls to the 24 Assembly seats in the state, where the Congress party is expected to take an electoral plunge with Kamal Nath at the helm. The government must figure out what the Chinese game plan is and thwart the endgame before it is upon us, possibly in early winter, advises David Devadas. IMAGE: Indian Army vehicles with long-range artillery guns moving into Leh. Photograph: Ajay Kumar/ANI Photo Indian strategists must think several steps ahead of the Chinese if India is to defeat the challenge which is currently in the Ladakh region, but could spread elsewhere. After all, a large number of Chinese troops and armaments are massed in Tibet right along the Indo-China border. Even within Ladakh, the Chinese intruders have changed the goalposts a couple of times since the beginning of May, when they first turned up in huge numbers. The pushing and shoving that marked their ingress in early May gave the impression that they were primarily targeting the north bank of the Pangong Tso lake. The two countries' perceptions of the LAC along that bank have differed for years. So, that seemed like only a more belligerent repeat of past skirmishes. But the Chinese were also pushing at the boundaries in the Hot Springs and the Galwan area at the same time. And by mid-June, the Chinese had not only consolidated up to Finger 4 on Pangong Tso, the main action had shifted to the hitherto undisputed boundary in the Galwan Valley. In the couple of days after the fight at Galwan on the night of June 15, the Chinese apparently consolidated fortifications right at the Line of Actual Control there. In fact, according to most expert estimates, their new battlements at a major bend of the river are actually on the Indian side of the LAC. The following week, it turned out that the Chinese had moved forward in the Depsang plain farther north and were approaching a bigger strategic prize -- the highest airfield at Daulat Beg Oldi. That airfield is very close to the Karakoram Pass on the India-China border -- the established border, not the Line of Actual Control skirting Aksai Chin. Lieutenant General Rakesh Sharma (retd), a former commander of the Leh-based XIV Corps and currently a Distinguished Fellow at the army's think-tank, holds that the Chinese perhaps want to wrest that corner of Ladakh around DBO from India. The way General Sharma sees it, having a road through DBO would substantially reduce the distance the Chinese have to travel to connect the main CPEC route, which runs through the Khunjerab Pass. That may not turn out to be the Chinese intention, unless they want to reorient the road directly east or southeast (via Tibet) to reach the heart of China. Crossing from Aksai Chin to the Xinjiang province would be a long loop. Plus, "they already have a fabulous highway over the Kunjerab" Pass, as Major General Somnath Jha (retd), a former commander of the brigade that holds Eastern Ladakh, points out.& The differing viewpoints of the two retired generals, both very intelligent men, illustrate the extent to which the country's strategic community is guessing in the dark about what the Chinese actually want. For the moment, India's strategists seem to be at sea, perhaps more so within government than among retired officers. The established narrative so far is that the Chinese are engaged in what General Bipin Rawat, the chief of defence staff, called 'salami slicing' when he headed the army. That view may be missing the wood for the trees. For, there are tell-tale signs that something bigger is afoot than just shifting the LAC a couple of kilometres in Ladakh. Sadly, the array of Indian intelligence agencies seem to have been caught napping. As General Sharma points out with a tone of disbelief, two divisions of the People's Liberation Army just turned up in Aksai Chin in May. "We used to say it will take them two months to cross to it," General Sharma observes, "But two whole divisions just appeared there." It seems that the range of intelligence paraphernalia and agencies did not have advance warning nor even spotted them when they were physically moving in. As it happened, even the normal springtime deployment of the Indian Army was not in place at the edges of Aksai Chin when that happened. Apparently, those who are paid to apply their minds to tactical possibilities prioritised covid-related restrictions. They evidently did not think the strident Chinese opposition, at the United Nations Security Council and elsewhere, following the Constitutional changes with regard to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir last August, might possibly lead to coercive action on the ground. It is futile to cry over split milk, but the government needs to ensure that the intelligence apparatus pulls its act together at least now. A top priority should be to figure out what the Chinese game plan is and to get ready to thwart the endgame before it is upon us, possibly in early winter. This requires insightful analysis as well as the various kinds of information gathering resources at the government's disposal. For, given the shifting Chinese goalposts, Indian strategists need to think several steps ahead of what is obvious on the ground. Heavy deployment ought already to have been organised in the Depsang area while the Galwan operation was being planned. It is possible that Demchok further south and other sectors of the long boundary between the two countries could be the next targets. I have warned at security-related conferences for more than three years now that India should keep in mind the lessons of the 1965 War, when Pakistan intruded in Kutch to draw Indian forces to the other end of the India-Pakistan border before they went for their real objective -- Jammu and Kashmir. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Looking to shop domestic on your next vehicle purchase? The 2020 American-Made Index is here to help. The American-Made Index, published annually by Cars.com, considers five unique factors to determine which vehicles contribute most to the American economy through their production. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage global economies, a Cars.com survey of more than 1,000 U.S. licensed drivers in May 2020 found 70% consider a cars U.S. economic impact a significant or deciding factor in their vehicle purchase; thats up from 66% who indicated the same in 2019, said Cars.com senior consumer affairs editor Kelsey Mays. To put a finer point on it, we asked if motorists desire to buy a vehicle assembled in the country had increased or decreased due to the pandemic. Thirty-seven percent said it increased; only 4% said it decreased, Mays continued. Vehicles are judged based on the final assembly location, the origin country of the cars engine, the origin country of cars transmission, the origin of all other car parts and the number of Americans employed at the factory level by the automaker. Heres a look at the 20 most American-made cars in 2020: Ford Ranger (assembled in Wayne, Mich.) Jeep Cherokee (Belvidere, Ill.) Tesla Model S (Fremont, Calif.) Tesla Model 3 (Fremont, Calif.) Honda Odyssey (Lincoln, Ala.) Honda Ridgeline (Lincoln, Ala.) Honda Passport (Lincoln, Ala.) Chevrolet Corvette (Bowling Green, Ky.) Tesla Model X (Fremont, Calif.) Chevrolet Colorado (Wentzville, Mo.) GMC Canyon (Wentzville, Mo.) Chevrolet Camaro (Lansing, Mich.) Honda Pilot (Lincoln, Ala.) Acura RDX (East Liberty, Ohio) Honda Accord (Marysville, Ohio) Toyota Tundra (San Antonio) Toyota Tundra (San Antonio) Cadillac CT5 (Lansing, Mich.) Cadillac XT4 (Kansas City, Kan.) Ford Expedition, Expedition Max (Louisville, Ky.) In Teslas first year participating, the company landed three of the top 10 spots in the American-Made Index, with the Model S, Model 3 and Model X ranking second, third and ninth, respectively. Other strong performers include Honda, and its luxury brand Acura, which took home seven of the top 20 spots, as well as GM, which featured six of the top 20. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has announced his 11 nominees to the Seanad. It's clear that the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael attempted to improve the gender balance of their Seanad showing, with Fianna Fail electing three women, and Fine Gael electing four. Former Fine Gael Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty will be the Leader of the upper house. Fianna Fail's Mary Fitzpatrick, a Dublin City Councillor since May 2019, and previously between 2004 and 2014. Known to be favoured by the party leader, Fitzpatrick lost out on the final seat in Bertie Ahern's old constituency in February. It's understood Mr Martin campaigned consistently for his colleague as the party were keen to win back the seat. Lorraine Clifford Lee will return to the Seanad, after failing to get elected in February. She is seen as a strong representative with a bright future in the party. Erin McGreehan, a councillor on Louth County Council is a strong supporter of leader Micheal Martin and is regarded as a hard worker by her party colleagues. Timmy Dooley, the long time TD and former Senator lost his seat in Clare in February after being mired in a voting scandal with two of his colleagues. He was seen as a loss to the party in the area and it's understood the party were keen to see him return to the Oireachtas. For Fine Gael, Regina Doherty, the former Minister of Social Protection has been rewarded for her continued hard work during the Covid-19 pandemic after losing her seat in February. Aisling Dolan, from Poolboy, Ballinasloe, is a councillor on Galway County Council is another up and comer in the party, with a farming background and previously worked for Enterprise Ireland. Emer Currie, from outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's own Dublin constituency and his running mate in the February election, she is the daughter of civil rights leader Austin Currie and seen as a rising star in the party with big ambitions. Mary Seery Kearney, a South Dublin County Councillor from Templeogue was tipped by party colleagues early on as someone Leo Varadkar would elect to the upper house. For the Green Party, Vincent P Martin, a practising barrister (Senior Counsel) and a councillor elected to Kildare County Council last summer. He is the current director of the Public Access to Law Group (P.A.L.) and is the brother of Deputy Leader of the Green Party Catherine Martin. Roisin Garvey, the Clare councillor was involved in government formation negotiations on rural development, due to her experience in rural economics and passion for local communities. The party is seeking to bolster its votes in the more rural regions of the country, and Garvey is a signal they mean business in this area. Eileen Flynn, the agreed independent senator will be the first Traveller woman elected to the Seanad. She lost out in her first Seanad run by a narrow margin, and has been chosen by the three parties to become a senator. An activist who publicly supported the repealing of the Eighth Amendment, her work on behalf of the Travelling community that has seen her rise to prominence in the years since. After the noose incident in Talladega, Bubba Wallace, left, received support from team owner Richard Petty and the rest of the NASCAR drivers. (John Bazemore / Associated Press) For a brief time this week it was possible to go to the Facebook Marketplace and see something advertised as a Bubba Rope. Capitalizing on the discovery of a noose in the garage of NASCAR racer Bubba Wallace last Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, Mike Fulp, owner of the 311 Speedway track in Stokes County, N.C., set the price of racist hucksterism at $9.99. They come with a lifetime warranty and work great, the listing said. The advertisement since has been deleted and the website for 311 Speedway has vanished. If only it were equally simple to banish the Confederate flags that were defiantly waved and worn as capes and flown over the Talladega track last weekend after NASCAR had banned displaying that flag at races. Those people werent celebrating heritage. They were stoking hatred, an incendiary statement in a world coming to grips often painfully with a history of systemic racism. Wallace, who acknowledges having a sarcastic side to his personality, allowed that side to speak when saying he expects to see continued opposition to the Confederate flag ban. Its the right to peaceful protest, man, said Wallace, NASCARs lone full-time Black driver. Outside, theyre just going to be making a lot of noise. Its part of it. Its exactly what you see on the flip side of everything going on in cities as they peacefully protest, but you wont see cops pepper-spraying them and shooting them with rubber bullets, will you? Prejudice is taught early and too often becomes a lifelong habit. As much as Wallace has become a willing social activist and advocate for inclusion, hes becoming weary of fighting a battle that seems to have no end. I do get pissed off and part of my emotion today is one, being wore the hell out, and two is being frustrated, he said during a Zoom call held Friday in advance of two NASCAR Cup races this weekend at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. And three is just finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel, but Im probably a fool for thinking that because its 2020 and something else will happen probably tomorrow and Ill be right back where we are. Story continues According to NASCAR president Steve Phelps, the organizations investigation of its 29 tracks and 1,684 garage stalls including 44 stalls at Talladega found only 11 stalls used a rope tied in a knot as a garage-door pull. The only one that was tied into a noose was the rope in the garage stall assigned to Wallace, who drives for Richard Petty Motorsports. The FBI office in Birmingham, Ala., contacted NASCAR on Monday and began interviewing personnel at the track and those who had access to that garage. It also reviewed tapes and photos. Its investigation concluded Wallace was not the target of a hate crime, and said the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose rope had been in that stall since early last fall, before Wallace and his team used that space. We are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba, NASCAR said in a statement. But it wasnt benign, either. The photograph NASCAR released Thursday was unmistakably a noose, with all the negative connotations that it carries. 'The noose was real': NASCAR releases photo from Bubba Wallace's garage https://t.co/OnFhh4zuzZ pic.twitter.com/03xTMBkwTJ CTV News (@CTVNews) June 25, 2020 Whether it was tied sometime throughout 2019, the fall race there, someone did it with whatever intent they had, Wallace said. We werent in that garage at that time so we cant say it was directed toward me, which is good. It wasnt directed toward me or my family. But somebody still knows how to tie a noose, and whether they did it as a bad joke or not, who knows? But it was good for the public to see. It still wont change some peoples minds of me being a hoax, but it is what it is. His activism was born after the shooting death of Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, Ga., in February. No one was charged until two months after Arberys death. Its not like I wanted to be in this position or asked to be in this position. It just kind of happened, Wallace said. Ive seen the Ahmaud Arbery video. I keep going back to that and how that changed something inside of me, to be more vocal and to stand up and help people who feel like they dont have a voice and dont have a platform to speak out on how they feel. Mainly the African American community. Theyve been crying out for a really long time and nothings really changed. I think right now, me encouraging others and my colleagues and competitors and my team, whoever it may be around me I may have an influence on, encourage them to speak up and step out. It just kind of all happened and Im proud of it. Wallaces rivals have spoken up, including some who have had run-ins with him on the track. Race car drivers are like elephants. They end up remembering everything, said Alex Bowman, who drives for Hendrick Motorsports. Its hard to like somebody that youve wrecked with, like five times, right? Yet, drivers pushed Wallaces car to the starting grid at Talladega for the rain-delayed race last Monday and formed a supportive semicircle around him during the national anthem. Tempers are going to flare and if you run into the same guy a couple weeks in a row here and there its not going to go great for your relationship. But thats as a race car driver and thats on the race track, Bowman said. As a human being I have a big appreciation for him trying to push us all to be better and speaking up and helping us do the same. Wallace was moved but masked that with sarcasm. He told them, I dont like half of you guys but I appreciate all of you guys, in a joking way, he said. Racing will demand his attention this weekend but there are bigger victories in his sights. "Lets focus on how we can continue to push the message of love, compassion, and understanding. Lets help fight the good fight in whats going on in the world today, he said. Lets get fans new fans out to the race track and encourage our fan base now to welcome them with open arms and show them a good time. ... "Lets get away from what happened at Talladega. Lets move on from that. Lets put it to bed. BENZIE COUNTY No cases of COVID-19 were found in a batch of tests collected over the weekend in Benzie and Leelanau counties. The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department tested a total of 478 people for COVID-19 in a drive through testing facility at Suttons Bay and Benzie Central high schools on June 20 and June 21. The testing was done in partnership with LynxDx, a downstate lab recently repurposed for COVID testing. This is wonderful news in so many ways, said Lisa Peacock, health officer with the health department. It means that it is likely that the overall prevalence in the general population in our area is low. It also means that we have an important partnership in place which will strengthen our future capacity for testing and that we have gathered a good deal of important surveillance data. This information taken out of context can also be dangerous. We cant afford to allow this to reinforce any belief that COVID-19 is not a risk for us in northern Michigan. The Maples Medical Care Facility in Frankfort recently tested every one of its staff and residents on June 24. Megan Garza, director of human resources for The Maples, said all 207 tests were negative. The tests were done by The Maples nurses in a clinic setting, where all staff members visited The Maples from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tests were taken by The Maples' infection control nurse to Biotech Clinical Laboratories, a private lab in Novi. "We're really happy with the results," Garza said. "Everyone was willing to come out and get testing done and just the extra precautions our staff has been taking to keep residents and coworkers safe and healthy. We're really happy with the team right now. I can't commend them enough. Even in the beginning, it was so scary, nobody knew what to think. The staff showed up every day, on time, and they don't complain about wearing masks." Angolan billionaire businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, suspected of corruption in her native country and Portugal, on Friday slammed as "unjustified" the possible issuing of an international arrest warrant against her. The country's attorney general Helder Pitta Gros on Thursday said Luanda, working with Portugal, was mulling the possibility of issuing an arrest warrant. Dos Santos, 47, described by Forbes as the wealthiest woman in Africa, is accused of diverting billions of dollars from state companies during her father Jose Eduardo dos Santos's near four-decade rule of the oil-rich African nation. In a Facebook post on Friday, she stressed her "readiness to cooperate" with the Angolan and Portuguese courts -- through her lawyers -- but said she "has not received any specific request" in the case. "So the intention by the attorney general's office to issue an international arrest warrant is manifestly unjustified," she said in the post. She has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as "a coordinated political attack" devised by the Angolan government. Last December, a civil court in Luanda issued a "preventative" order to freeze her business assets as part of a crackdown on graft by the former president's successor, Joao Lourenco. A month later and 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. Subsequently, Portugal froze her assets in that country, where she has invested mainly in banking and telecommunications. A man in his 50s is still being questioned this morning after a guns find in County Limerick. Two handguns, a significant amount of cash and documentation were seized during two searches in the county yesterday. Longmeadow Town Meeting voters rejected a move by the town Selectboard and the Finance Committee to begin the process of exempting the town from Proposition 2 tax limitations. A request for funds to cover initial engineering costs for a Longmeadow Street rebuild was also voted down. Tuesdays outdoor meeting on the grounds of Longmeadow High School Tuesday evening allowed generous social distancing for the 277 registered voters who attended. Article 14 asked voters to allow the town to begin home rule legislation that could eventually exempt town government from the 2.5 percent tax cap mandated by proposition 2 . The Chair of the Select Board, Thomas Lachiusa said home rule legislation would begin a process to allow the town to permanently exempt itself from having to adhere to the 2.5 percent cap on yearly property taxes. This is something both the Select Board and the Finance Committee have been looking at for a long time as a solution to protect the town from a drastic property value decreases, he said. If that were to happen we would see a lot of cuts to education, programs and services we have all come to expect. It would be a progressive loss of services as each year we would have to make more and more cuts. " Lachuisa said the vote Tuesday would have allowed the town to approach the state legislature for home rule legislation. Once the state government approves, the town would have two more votes, Town Meeting and the second a town-wide ballot initiative, to either pass the measure or reject it. Lachuisa pointed out that Longmeadow is pretty much limited to residential property taxes for its operations. The town does not have an industrial or commercial base to buffer town residents. We are all optimistic that Springfield does well, that the casino attracts a lot of attention to the city, Because Longmeadow property values rise and far as Springfield does, he said. But we need a plan beyond that. Town Meeting also rejected a proposed allocation of $100,000, part of a $400,000 preliminary engineering package on the reconstruction of Route 5, Longmeadow Street. Selectman Marc Strange said the funding would include the initial survey and engineering needed before the state would consider funding the actual work. Its needed he said. The road is heavily used, and I dont see how you can not do it. Its not a good time to ask but it is necessary. The work would include bringing the roadway up to Department of Transportation standards, improving drainage and repaving. Green Willow Drive resident John Friedson was concerned that the Route 5 reconstruction was a step too far for many older residents. We have seniors here on fixed incomes. Those of us who would like to keep our houses are getting increasingly concerned about the towns appetite for spending, the appetite for debt, for increasing taxes at every possible stage and not casting a strong, judicious eye on what the requests are for expenditures in a time of economic collapse and pandemic, he said. This particular case, Route 5 is not perfect, and yeah, wed like to get state money. But, the last I noticed from my checkbook I pay state taxes, too. This is not the year, this is not the time for spending on things that are unnecessary, in my opinion. Maxine Waters questions former members of the Wells Fargo's Board of Directors Elizabeth Duke and James Quigley during a House Financial Services Committee hearing: (2020 Getty Images) Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters has claimed that president Donald Trump cares more about protecting Confederate monuments, than he does about US deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic. The number of coronavirus cases in states across the US has risen in the last few weeks, after businesses reopened and social distancing measures were eased, with the support of Mr Trump. Over the same time period, monuments to Confederate officials were removed in numerous states, after Black Lives Matter protesters criticised them following the death of George Floyd. The president condemned the removal of statues, and on Thursday, the representative for California released a statement that criticised Mr Trumps actions over the last few months. One would hope that the president of the United States would rise to the level of leadership that our country needs in confronting the deadly uptick in coronavirus cases in America, Ms Waters said. Instead, we are left with Donald Trump, an incompetent and heartless man who is more focused on saving statues of slaveholders, Confederate generals, and racists than protecting the health of living and breathing Americans, the 81-year-old added. Ms Waters comments came on the same day that the country recorded its highest daily total of coronavirus cases, since the pandemic began. The previous highest daily total of positive Covid-19 cases of 36,426, was recorded on 24 April, but two months later on 25 June, the US announced 39,327 new coronavirus infections. The United States remains the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 2.4 million cases and more than 124,000 deaths. My home state of California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida have seen their coronavirus cases skyrocket in the past two weeks, the congresswoman wrote in her statement. On Tuesday, Texas and California set records for having more than 5,000 coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period, and 33 states have reported a spike in their weekly average of coronavirus cases. Story continues Instead of using the full power of his office to fight this deadly pandemic, Donald Trump would rather ignore the coronavirus and call in US marshals to confront protestors who are taking down memorials to racist Confederate generals and slaveholders, Ms Waters added. A renewed discussion around Confederate monuments was sparked following the death of Mr Floyd, who died after his neck was knelt on by Derek Chauvin, who at the time was a Minneapolis police officer. On Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, multiple Confederate statues were toppled across the US, including one of general Albert Pike, in Washington, DC. In reaction to the protests, the president asked US Marshals to protect national monuments. Mr Trump also announced that he is preparing to issue an executive order that will protect statues and monuments, even if they have ties to the Confederacy, according to CNN. After a statue to former president and Union leader Ulysses S Grant was toppled last week, Mr Trump said that protesters had gone too far. I think many of the people that are knocking down the statues dont even have any idea what the statue is, what it means, who it is when they knocked down, he said. Now they are looking at Jesus Christ, they are looking at George Washington, theyre looking at Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson. Not going to happen, not going to happen while Im here. According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, there are now more than 2.4 million people who have tested positive for coronavirus in the US. The death toll has reached at least 124,509. The Independent has contacted the White House for comment. Read more CDC chief says US coronavirus cases may be ten times official number Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the concluding press conference of the 36th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, June 26, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. Vietnam has called for a resumption of negotiations between ASEAN and China on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (COC). Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, speaking at the concluding press conference of the 36th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on Friday, said: "We call on the parties to exercise self-restraint and avoid acts that further complicate the situation, and fully observe international laws, especially implement the DOC [Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea] in its entirety, resume negotiations on a binding, effective COC that is in accordance with international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS]." He said the Covid-19 pandemic had disrupted the discussions on the COC between ASEAN and China, which have been ongoing since 2002 for developing legally binding rules in what Vietnam calls the East Sea. "In this context, Vietnam together with ASEAN has worked with related parties to exercise self-restraint, avoid acts that further complicate the situation, observe international laws." Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung on Tuesday said at the last meeting on the COC held in October 2019 in Da Lat Town in Vietnam, the two sides had agreed to prepare for the second reading of the COC draft. They are expected to discuss this issue at a bilateral senior officials' meeting on July 1. At the 36th ASEAN Summit, leaders of member countries discussed recent developments in the region and world. They agreed to continue promoting peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight in the region through dialogue, cooperation and compliance with international laws. Phuc said peace, security and stability in the region in general and the South China Sea in particular are "a common interest and aspiration of the community," especially ASEAN. At the summit, the leaders emphasized ASEAN's determination to make the South China Sea a sea of cooperation and development, security and safety, and worthy of its position as a key component in regional exchanges. They discussed means to control the Covid-19 pandemic, promote economic recovery and inter-association cooperation and prevent a second wave of the pandemic. They agreed to establish an ASEAN fund to respond to Covid-19, a regional reserve for emergency medical supplies, and develop a disease response process. Referring to the U.S.-China competition, the Vietnamese leader said both are leading partners of importance for countries around the world. Both have a number of frameworks for economic cooperation with ASEAN, both bilateral and multilateral, which offer an important basis for maintaining and promoting cooperation. "ASEAN always wants an Asia-Pacific region of peace, stability, prosperity, and cooperation for development, and definitely does not want to have to choose a side." The biggest concern for countries, including the U.S. and China, is to repel Covid-19 and revive the economy, he pointed out. Vietnam therefore hopes they could promote their similarities, overcome their differences, build trust, and promote cooperation to serve the interests of the world and the region, he said. As the ASEAN chair this year, Vietnam is working with other members to strengthen solidarity, organize conferences involving China and the U.S. on jointly combating the pandemic, maintain trade and supply chains for goods and services, create favorable conditions for trade and investment chains, and promote economic recovery in the region and the world, he said. He added that at the association's first ever online summit, leaders of member nations reached consensus on many issues, and the ASEAN Leaders' Statement has been agreed upon. The owner of one of Australia's biggest vaping stores has warned that stopping the importation of liquid nicotine would force reformed smokers onto a dangerous black market. Max Fichkin, who runs The Steamery in Sydney, said vapers were already stockpiling litres of nicotine ahead of a July 1 ban on sourcing the drug from overseas. 'What I'm hearing is that every single retailer of nicotine in New Zealand - which is the quickest way to get it into Australia - is officially sold out,' Mr Fichkin said. 'There are people that are buying it by the litres in response to what the government has done.' Health Minister Greg Hunt made a last minute ban to delay until 2021 a ban on importing nicotine with threats of $220,000 fines that was set to be implemented from July 1. The owner of one of Australia's biggest vaping stores has warned stopping the importation of nicotine would force reformed smokers onto a dangerous black market. Shop assistant Kevin Ta is pictured vaping at The Steamery vape lounge in Sydney behind a selection of devices Max Fichkin, who runs The Steamery, said vapers were already stockpiling litres of nicotine ahead of a July 1 ban on sourcing the drug from overseas. The ban was delayed at the last minute. Mr Fichkin is pictured above Health Minister Greg Hunt announced this month the Australian Border Force would enforce a ban on importing nicotine with threats of $220,000 fines, which is now set to come into effect in 2021. Customers at The Steamery are pictured sitting at a tasting bar to experiment with flavours to inhale from devices Mr Hunt said the ban would reduce the risk to public health through addiction to nicotine and nicotine poisoning. The move is supported by health bodies including the Cancer Council, Heart Foundation and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. But on Friday Mr Hunt said there was a 'group of people who have been using these e-cigarettes with nicotine as a means to ending their cigarette smoking'. 'In order to assist this group in continuing to end that addiction we will therefore provide further time for implementation of the change by establishing a streamlined process for patients obtaining prescriptions through their GP,' the statement said. 'This will give patients time to talk with the GP, discuss the best way to give up smoking, such as using other products including patches or sprays, and if still required, will be able to gain a prescription.' Vapers are already required to have a prescription from a doctor to import nicotine as an aid to stop smoking but the law was largely being ignored. Mr Fichkin said prohibiting former smokers from obtaining nicotine to vape would force many of them back onto cigarettes. It would also discourage those smokers who had unsuccessfully tried other nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum from kicking the habit. 'I think this very much is a death sentence for current smokers that are trying to quit,' Mr Fichkin said. 'It's a death sentence for smokers who have failed all approved NRTs.' Under the new regime, individuals would need to visit a doctor for a prescription to purchase their nicotine but would still be prohibited from buying the drug themselves. The nicotine would have to be imported by doctors or medical suppliers via a courier or cargo service with express permission from the Department of Health. Mr Hunt said the ban would reduce the risk to public health through addiction to nicotine and nicotine poisoning. Vaping devices come in a huge range of styles, shapes and finishes Vapers are already required to have a prescription from a doctor to import nicotine as an aid to stop smoking. The Steamery is one of about 30 vaping stores in Sydney. First-timers seeking advice start at the shop's help desk pictured above Mr Fichkin said prohibiting former smokers from obtaining nicotine to vape would force many of them back onto cigarettes. The Steamery's Kevin Ta is pictured attempting to make a 'tornado' - a spinning plume of vapour - as his colleague Maddy May watches on Mr Fichkin said it was already difficult to find a doctor to prescribe nicotine and the new system simply would not work. 'That's the first hurdle - trying to find a doctor that is willing to prescribe and is willing to support this alternative to smoking,' he said. 'But on top of that, to find a supplier here in Australia is near impossible.' Mr Fichkin said the current system, under which the government had effectively turned a blind eye to the importation of nicotine, was not ideal but imposing fines would cause more harm. 'The grey area of importation of nicotine is that nicotine could be imported for personal use for up to three months' supply on the condition that you have a prescription,' he said. 'Because until now that has not necessarily been enforced actively, people have simply been importing predominantly without a prescription. 'That's obviously not ideal but what's even worse is that most doctors will not prescribe it, or don't know how to prescribe it, or don't know if they're allowed to prescribe it.' Passionfruit, apricot, blueberry, watermelon, mango, peach and lime are among the flavours of 'e-juice' available to vapers Vaping devices are not visibly for sale until a customer asks to see the range, when a light switch is flicked to illuminate a case Mr Fichkin said prohibiting drugs did not stop people using them. 'It just doesn't work and historically it's been proven that a prohibition approach to these issues does not fix the problem. 'Taking a customer's choice away forces them to make decisions that they should not have to make to begin with. 'Taking someone's choice away only makes the situation worse. Vapers will be forced to have to break the law and look at black market means to source nicotine. 'This means sourcing a product from a completely unregulated, uncontrolled supplier, where the risks are far greater.' Under the current system, vapers could at least usually be confident they were getting what they wanted. 'These nicotine products are coming from countries where the product is being regulated,' Mr Fichkin said. 'So they're being sent to us from a regulated standard. It's far better than not knowing where you're going to get it on the black market.' The Steamery vaping lounge features mood lighting, couches, arm chairs and rugs on a wooden floor; pictured is bartender Maddy May The range of e-juice flavours is enormous; this touch-screen shows apple, coconut, lychee, melon, mango, grape and cherry Vapers would no longer believe being caught with nicotine without a prescription was worth the risk, Mr Fichkin said. 'They'll either go back to smoking or they'll find a mate who can get them some nicotine, not knowing exactly what's in the bottle to begin with. 'Because it's illegal they don't want to be stating on the bottle what the product actually is. So that's the risk.' Countries including New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom are encouraging smokers to use vaping as an alternative to cigarettes. Mr Fichkin said there was strong evidence from those jurisdictions which allowed liquid nicotine sales that vaping was an effective means to quit smoking. 'No one is saying that vaping is safe,' he said. 'But it's safer than smoking. That's why vape shops exist - to help people get off bungers. 'And that is the biggest concern - that those who have successfully quit smoking through vaping may have no other option than to go back to smoking. 'It's not only the 300,000 vapers that are going to lose out on this it's all the smokers in the country. A first time customer who approaches the front counter of The Steamery is initially asked if they are a cigarette smoker This customer came into The Steamery with half a packet of cigarettes and left with a vaping device which cost him $79.99 'We're losing over 20,000 people to smoking-related illnesses every year. It's those people that need the help the most. 'Smokers looking for a safer alternative are going to assume based on this prohibitionist approach that vaping is actually worse than cigarettes.' The Steamery, at Beaconsfield, bills itself as 'Sydney's Premier Vape Lounge' and is home to what Mr Fichkin calls a 'community' of vapers who are forced to navigate unfair laws. Daily Mail Australia first visited The Steamery two years ago and was greeted by a sign warning that anyone entering must be at least 18 years old. Frosted glass meant no one could see in or out the windows. The vapers who visit The Steamery are among the estimated 300,000 Australians who use e-cigarettes, battery-powered devices that heat a liquid solution into an aerosol which is inhaled and exhaled. Some customers source their own liquid nicotine from overseas and independently add it to the flavoured 'e-juice' the business sells. Vaping devices have come a long way since the earliest models which were simple machines that looked like cigarettes It is an offence in every Australian state and territory to manufacture, sell or supply nicotine, which is scheduled as a 'dangerous poison'. Meanwhile, smokers over 18 can freely buy cigarettes and other tobacco products which cause cancer. Everything that goes on at The Steamery is legal butt to keep it that way Mr Fichkin has had to try to stay one step ahead of sudden regulatory changes. Vaping devices cannot be openly displayed and are only revealed when a potential customer specifically asks to see one. Other quit-smoking aids such as nicotine patches, lozenges and gum sold by chemists face no similar restrictions. Even products such as batteries and battery chargers must be hidden, yet nearby electronic stores sell the same accessories without those rules. The Steamery features a tasting bar where customers can try a dizzying array of flavoured 'e-juices'. There are couches, arm chairs and rugs on the wooden floor. Bartender Maddy May at the tasting counter where a touch-screen terminal allows customers to pick their 'e-juice' flavours The range of flavours used in vaping devices includes vanilla cupcake, banana milkshake, cheese cake and peanut butter Like most of his clientele, Mr Fichkin once smoked. 'There're not a single vape shop that I know of that isn't owned by an ex-smoker,' he said. Mr Fichkin was working in finance and his wife in insurance when they decided to turn their new passion into a business. They began at Parklea and Flemington markets and the business grew to a point where they had enough stock and customers to open their own store. The Steamery opened in 2014. A first time customer who approaches the front counter of The Steamery is initially asked if they are a smoker, how much tobacco they smoke and what strength they need. The customer would then reveal whether they were a 'mouth to lung' smoker or 'direct to lung' smoker. What type of 'throat hit' - the feeling of inhalation - the customer prefers is sought. The kind of device the customer wants comes down to personal taste and what is practical for them, Mr Fichkin said. The language varies widely but there are regulated mods, mech mods, pens, drippers and more. Once a customer has chosen a device they will be taken to the taste bar to find an e-juice flavour that suits them. Most start with a tobacoo flavour but the options are immense. Vaping is legal in Australia but it is not legal to possess nicotine; Kevin Ta is pictured vaping flavoured e-juice without nicotine The Steamery's owner Max Fichkin says almost no one walks into his business without research or hearing about it first A touch-screen terminal also lists fruit, nuts, coffee, dessert, breakfast, candy, drink and menthol flavours. Each of those categories can be further broken down. Flavours include caramelised banana, fresh lime and lemon tart as well as 'drop bear', 'gecko sludge' and 'fairy fart'. A tradie wearing a high-visibility shirt who wanted to buy his first atomiser was in and out of the shop within 20 minutes when Daily Mail Australia visited. He came into the store with half a pack of cigarettes and left with a $79.99 vaping device. 'As soon as I walk out of her I'm gonna through 'em out,' he said of his remaining smokes. 'This'll be the best 80 bucks I'll ever spend.' Ross Cameron came into the store to pick up some e-juice as his online supply had run out. He described himself as a 'hopeless smoker' until he discovered vaping. 'I couldn't give up,' Mr Cameron said. 'Tried all the drugs. Tried all the therapies. In the end I just hated it. Hated lighting up. Hated the smell of it. Hated the smoke. The Steamery has had to introduce a nominal fee to use its bar tasting service to comply with government regulations 'For me it's a way to stay away from smoking. I'm not particularly concerned if it's hip or cool. If I didn't stop it was going to kill me.' Two years ago The Steamery was one of about eight vaping stores in Sydney. Today, according to Mr Michkin, there are about 30, with 15 more online retailers. Mr Fichkin said enforcing the ban on importing nicotine would kill of small business and lead to job losses in an economy already depressed by coronavirus. 'There will be business that will disappear. There will be businesses that will shrink.' Mr Fichkin hoped the ban will be overturned but believed The Steamery was big enough to continue trading. 'We have plans in place to adjust to future environments if need be,' he said. 'Some of the smaller places may not be big enough to adjust themselves to survive.' A revolt by Coalition backbenchers saw 28 MPs sign a letter condemning the nicotine restrictions before Mr Hunt delayed the ban. There is no suggestion that any of the persons shown in this article have engaged in anything other than legal vaping activities. The City of Newark removed a statue of Christopher Columbus Thursday night from Washington Park, but one Italian-American group raised some concerns with the process in which it was done. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Friday announced the removal in a press release and said it was taken down with city work crews to avoid the potential danger of people toppling it over. The statue will be kept in storage until the city decides what to do with it, Baraka said. The removal of this statue should not be perceived as an insult to the Italian-American community, the mayor said. It is a statement against the barbarism, enslavement, and oppression that this explorer represents. The statue was unveiled in 1927 as a gift from the Italian-American community. There is another Columbus statue on Bloomfield Avenue, but the press release from Baraka made no mention of it. A video on social media shows crews taking down the statue at nighttime with people cheering in the background. The executive director of UNICO National, the largest Italian-American service organization in the United States, told NJ Advance Media he was disappointed the statue was removed without any public discussion. UNICO is based in Fairfield, about 15 miles away from Newark in Essex County. They came in the middle of the night and removed it, said UNICO National Executive Director Salvatore Benvenuti. I dont know the legalities and how they had the authority to do that without any due process. Newark once housed a large population of Italians, especially in the North Ward, but their numbers within the citys borders began to decline around the 1950s. Newark no longer has a Columbus Day Parade and in 2017 Baraka changed the holidays name to Indigenous Peoples Day by executive order. Columbus has increasingly been criticized for killing, enslaving and bringing disease to Indigenous people in North America. There was a rally in Trenton on Thursday to remove a similar statue and Camden already removed one earlier this month. Clay Mitchell, who has lived in Newark for five years and was in Washington Park Friday afternoon, said he wasnt necessarily offended by the Columbus statue. However, he didnt consider Columbus a hero for discovering land that was already inhabited and didnt think removing a statue would end systemic racism. I think its going to take more to bring about change in this country, explained Mitchell, 54, who is Black and said hes experienced racial profiling by both white and Black police officers. ... This country has a lot of blood on its hands, but I dont think this is gonna do it. In the wake of George Floyds death, Newark recently banned all hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan from its borders. Baraka said the statues removal keeps with the movement against white supremacy. In keeping with the movement to remove symbols of oppression and white supremacy, we have decided to remove the statue of Christopher Columbus from Washington Park, the mayor said. Benvenuti disagreed with Baraka and took offense to his characterization of Columbus. Columbus, to him, is simply a European explorer who discovered North America and changed the course of history. Well do what we have to on our end, Benvenuti said, noting his organization would reach out to the city. I wish [Baraka] had used a more diplomatic method like most communities do. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. BUENOS AIRES, June 25 (Reuters) - Argentina continues working with its creditors to resolve its debt crisis, Economy Minister Martin Guzman said on Thursday. Guzman, speaking at a webinar hosted by Bloomberg, signaled that talks were ongoing as the South American nation looks to restructure some $65 billion in foreign debt. (Reporting by Cassandra Garrison) It's been a long road to a coalition - here we take a look back at the five months that defined the state of the nation. February: The country goes to the polls and the peoples decision presents Irelands political parties with a government formation headache. Fianna Fail gets 38 seats, Sinn Fein wins 37 and Fine Gael returns 35. A Dail majority is 80. Read More No two parties alone can form a government and both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael rule out a deal with Sinn Fein. The Greens win 12 seats and seem on course to be kingmakers in any potential coalition. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says Fine Gael would be preparing to go into opposition. Expand Close SF leader Mary Lou McDonald with her supporters at the RDS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp SF leader Mary Lou McDonald with her supporters at the RDS Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein begin separate efforts to form coalitions with other parties and Independents. Dail votes for Taoiseach take place on February 20 but no leader has enough support. Ireland has its first confirmed coronavirus cases at the end of the month. March: Government formation efforts take a back seat amid the shock of the coronavirus crisis. St Patricks Day parades are cancelled and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar later announces the closure of schools. Its been clear for weeks that Sinn Fein will not get the numbers to form a government. Green Party proposals for a government of national unity are shot down. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael agree to begin talks on the possibility of forming a government. Ireland goes into lockdown at the end of March. The death toll from Covid-19 rises steadily. Expand Close Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, in a post cabinet coronavirus briefing. Photo: MerrionStreet.ie/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, in a post cabinet coronavirus briefing. Photo: MerrionStreet.ie/PA Wire April: As the coronavirus emergency hits its peak, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael agree a framework document. It sets out the belief that a government with a clear majority is needed to deliver a strong recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Read More The document is sent to other parties including the Greens, Labour and the Social Democrats for consideration. Labour and the Social Democrats ultimately decide not to enter talks. The Green Party sends Fianna Fail and Fine Gael 17 questions on their key priorities like climate action. May: The Green Party decides to enter talks with the Civil War parties, though deputy leader Catherine Martin votes against the decision. Despite this she is chosen to lead the Green Partys negotiating team. The caretaker government begins to slowly ease lockdown restrictions as the number of coronavirus cases falls. Expand Close Green TD Catherine Martin. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Green TD Catherine Martin. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins Leo Varadkar says the end of June was a hard deadline for a government to be formed due to the need to pass urgent legislation. June: Ms Martin confirms she will challenge Eamon Ryan for the Green Partys leadership. Talks continue and a programme for government is agreed on Monday, June 15. It includes key Green demands like a 7pc-a-year cut in carbon emissions. Expand Close Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and deputy party leader Catherine Martin. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and deputy party leader Catherine Martin. Photo: Tom Burke The three parties vote on the deal. There is concern that it wont be endorsed by the Green Party members but in the end its comfortably approved. Leo Varadkar announces that most businesses are allowed to reopen from coronavirus lockdown on Monday. Micheal Martin has been elected Taoiseach. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) HQ in Northampton Road (Picture: Google Maps) A woman has received a five-figure payout after her rape allegation was dismissed as b******s by police officers in mocking emails. The alleged victim contacted Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in November 2011 to claim she had been sexually assaulted but this was not recorded as a crime. In email exchanges, a detective sergeant wrote to a police constable, before forensic results had been returned, saying: No crime submitted due to it all being b******s. The female PC replied: Sure, forensics wont even authorise it. Read more: David Whyte named as hero police officer seriously injured in Glasgow knife attack The woman received a payout from police (Picture: Getty) Officers came back to the woman five years later two weeks before her wedding to say that the same man had been accused by another alleged victim. They told her they had lost the recording of her original interview and she would have to set out her evidence again. In a statement through Hudgell Solicitors, the woman said: It had been so hard to feel so dismissed and judged. When I gave my original statement I felt I wasnt being believed. I heard nothing from the police either as they said it all depended on the forensics. Read more: Family take kitten on 200 mile trip to Bournemouth beach on hottest day of the year The officers ignored a recommendation further DNA testing should be carried out on clothing, the alleged victims solicitors said. They exchanged further messages, with the PC emailing the sergeant to say: As thought, no trace of semen. The more senior officer replied: Youre joking!!! I thought this case was nailed on!! She had a vision of darkness, a heavy feeling and everything!! Read more: Man, 26, stabbed to death at house party in Liverpool The woman believes that police failed to take her claims seriously because she was at a house party and had been drinking. In 2015, the same man was accused of raping a second woman, and the following year officers contacted the first alleged victim. She gave her statement again, but the case later collapsed because the second alleged victim was too ill to give evidence in court. Story continues In total, four officers were investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and found to have a case to answer for misconduct for failing to properly investigate an allegation of rape and failing to record it as a crime. Two of the officers had already left the force before the IOPC investigation was launched, and the female constable resigned before her misconduct hearing. The detective sergeant received a written warning. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have apologised to the woman, saying the level of service she received was well below the very least she would have expected. Three members of a family, including two children, were killed and one was injured in an accident on Mumbai-Agra Highway in Bhiwandi taluka of Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Saturday. The incident took place on Friday afternoon, when Salim Khan (35) was heading towards Borivali from Thane city on his scooter with his wife and two children, an official said. An unidentified vehicle knocked down the two-wheeler near Valshind village, killing Khan's wife Arbina (26), sons Vasim (6) and Rihan (3), he said. Khan sustained severe injuries and was rushed to MGM Hospital in Bhiwandi, the official said, adding that bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem. A case has been registered under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, he said. PTI COR ARU. - The Burundian government announced the former president Pierre Nkurunzinza's death from cardiac arrest on June 8 - The East African nation then declared a mourning period of seven days with flags set to fly half-mast awaiting his burial - The state burial which conducted by the members of the military and was attended by thousands of mourners including dignitaries Thousands of mourners turned up for the burial of former Burundi president Pierre Nkurunzinza in the capital city of Gitega on Friday, June 26. The state military burial which saw mourners dress in white, was attended by dignitaries including retired Tanzania president Jakaya Kikwete among others representing East African heads. READ ALSO: Praise and worship, holy water banned in proposed guidelines for church re-opening Pierre Nkurunzinza (right) during a campaign rally. He died from cardiac arrest. Photo: Aljazeera. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Anne Waiguru: Senate throws out Kirinyaga governor's impeachment petition President Uhuru Kenyatta sent Chief Administrative Secretary in Ministry of East Africa Community, Ken Obura to lead Kenyan delegation during the ceremony. READ ALSO: Kiambu court summons DCI boss Kinoti for failing to release Rashid Echesa's vehicles READ ALSO: Kipchumba Murkomen slams Senate in Waiguru impeachment motion: "We know what happened" The longest serving Burundian president died on Monday, June 8, from cardiac arrest at Karusi Fiftieth Anniversary Hospital. He was 55 at the time of his demise. "The government of the Republic of Burundi announces with great sadness the unexpected death of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi, at the Karusi Fiftieth Anniversary Hospital following a cardiac arrest on Monday, June 8, 2020," the statement read. He passed on three weeks after the nation went to poll which ended his 15-year rule with Burundi major general (rtd) Evariste Ndayishimiye being declared the winner. New reports emerged later on suggesting the ex-president may have died of COVID-19 and not cardiac arrest as claimed by the government. Burundi declared a mourning period of seven days from Tuesday, June 9, with flags set to fly half-mast. Kenya and Rwanda ordered national flags be flown at half mast in Nkurunziza's honour. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. My mother did not want me, I was called a man eater - Antony Wanjiru | My Story | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke A 31-year-old Bengaluru techie has allegedly been duped of Rs 16.82 lakh by a woman whom he met on a matrimonial site. The victim went to the Whitefield Police and lodged a complaint. He claimed that after she borrowed the cash, she refused to marry him or pay him back. The techie lives in Thurubarahalli. He told police that in October last year, he found the woman on the site. The two of them slowly got close and the decision was taken to get married. Shutterstock A lot of talking happened on calls. Sometimes the woman asked him for money, saying she was having financial issues. Since they were going to get married, the man lent her a total of Rs 16,82,222 . Police are looking for her In A Bangalore Mirror report, she has not taken his calls or replied to his messages ever since he asked for his money. A senior official in the police said they had met many times and the man thought she would spend the rest of her life with him. He saw her as the woman of his dreams. Shutterstock Additionally, since he had met her in person, he believed that it was not a fake profile. the man confronted the woman when he realized that he was being avoided by her. She confessed that she wasnt willing to marry him now. So he asked her to pay back his money, to which she did respond properly," said the police. Shutterstock The man sent the money via online method of transfer. The police are searching for the woman at the moment. Buried just a few feet below the ground in a vineyard in Verona, Italy, lies the remains of an ancient civilization. Many parts of Italy are literally built over ruins from antiquity, and a simple dig can yield significant discoveries dating back thousands of years. This was the case at a municipality near Verona, where an excavation site at a local vineyard began in October 2019. The community of Negrar di Valpolicella, located a few miles north of Verona, has been a known hotspot for finding artifacts of historical significance since the late 1800s. Findings have included painted plaster, bricks, foundations, and spectacular floor mosaics from Roman civilization. Archeologists from the Superintendency of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape (Courtesy of SABAP-VR) An archeologists from the Superintendency of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape (Courtesy of SABAP-VR) A non-invasive survey of the site in fall 2019 turned up no notable discoveries at the time. A few months later, the project was further impeded by the pandemic lockdown in February. Now, a week after returning to work in June, the dig yielded a staggering find just a few meters below the surface: an ancient Roman floor mosaic, exquisitely detailed in near-pristine condition. The discovery is said to date back to the 3rd century AD, a press release stated. Initially, archeologists had traced the outlines of a Roman domusa Roman home belonging to upper-class members of society. Within the perimeter, small trench sections were then excavated, revealing ancient Roman floor designs made of stone tiles: blue and white spirals, Solomins knots, octagons, and other geometric shapes depicted in bright colors, white, red, pink, orange, purple, and yellow. A trench reveals a Roman mosaic at a vineyard in Negrar di Valpolicella. (Courtesy of SABAP-VR) Detail of a Roman mosaic at a dig site in Negrar di Valpolicella (Courtesy of SABAP-VR) The excavation is still far from complete, and painstaking amounts of work remain to unearth the entire structure. The teams goal is to identify the exact limits and location of the ancient building. Meanwhile, local government is engaging with landowners in an effort to allow public visitation, though it could be a lengthy process to obtain the funding for this. The dig will resume in the fall, when the harvest is over, the release stated. Scottish historian Myko Clelland announced on Twitter that the find could be the biggest archeological discovery of the year. Theyre actually remains of entire towns, where residents built layer after layer until the whole thing became metres tall, he told Metro. A thousand possible reasons, but a very loose rule of thumb is about an inch of soil per century, its amazing how humanity has a habit of just building on top of previous efforts. Rome is a fascinating example, many rediscoveries there on a regular basis! Clelland added. A trench exposes a Roman mosaic at an excavation site in Negrar di Valpolicella. (Courtesy of SABAP-VR) Ancient Roman mosaics and other treasures of antiquity are commonly found in the area of Verona and in other parts of Italy. The northern Italian city was an important juncture during ancient Roman times, as it was situated between four major roads. Several other mosaics excavated in the 1960s are on display in the citys museum. Meanwhile, Verona is also home to other famous Roman ruins, including the impressive arched amphitheater, known as the Arena, dating back to the 1st century A.D., which is still used for classical performances and opera to this day. Archeologist Gianni de Zuccato from the Superintendency of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape (Courtesy of SABAP-VR) FILE PHOTO: Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave and Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa clap their hands during the closing ceremony of the Web Summit, in Lisbon By Supantha Mukherjee and Catarina Demony LISBON (Reuters) - Europe's biggest technology conference, the Web Summit, is in talks with the Portuguese government to organise its annual event in Lisbon in December, a month after originally planned, its founder Paddy Cosgrave said on Wednesday. "Every government anywhere in the world would hope the situation improves and normality might be able to return to their city and country," Cosgrave told an online news conference. The format of the summit is likely to be decided in early October, adhering to Portugal's health protocols and will be reviewed weekly until the opening day on Dec. 2. Should it take place it could be one of the first big international events to be staged since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced the cancellation of events from music festivals to the Olympic Games. The online version of the summit will host up to 100,000 founders, partners and speakers on its conference platform, the company said in a statement. Tickets for the event in Lisbon will go on sale in early October, provided Portugal's health protocols permit events at that time. Events or gatherings of 10 or more people are currently banned in Lisbon due to localised outbreaks in and around the city. It is not yet clear what measures will be required of this year's Web Summit to reduce risk of contagion and how many people will be able to physically attend it. "Whatever the limitations are I want to ensure we do something spread all over Portugal and share a little more with the world than just Lisbon," Cosgrave said. "There is a lot more to discover and there are great things happening all over Portugal." The Web Summit, which moved from Dublin to the Portuguese capital in 2016, attracted around 70,000 participants last year, drawing speakers from leading global tech companies and startups, as well as politicians. The company also has plans to open up its online conference platform to customers who organise large, bespoke events. (Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bengaluru and Catarina Demony in Lisbon; editing by Jonathan Oatis) 27.06.2020 LISTEN Ghana is a democratic country after its independence from its British colonial rulers. Ghana became a republic after July 1, 1960. In as much as the country became a Republic, it suffered some Government overthrow like coup d'etat between 1966 to 1992 as well as some elections. In the year 1992, the country decided to be stable and hold fresh elections after the drafting of the 1992 constitution which was geared towards the Fourth Republic. After the 1992 elections which made the Former President, Jerry John Rawlings as the First Gentleman of the country. Through 2020, the country has had seven consecutive parliaments awaiting its eighth after the yet to be 7TH December 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. The parliament of Ghana under the 1992 constitution (Article 93(2)) which states subject to the provisions of this constitution, the legislative power of Ghana shall be vested in parliament and shall be exercised in accordance with this constitution. This means the governance of the country cannot be smooth and valid if there is no parliament. Before a person can be said to be a candidate to an election of a political party, he or she must be approved by the party through its delegates in accordance with the constitution of the political party. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are the two most powerful political parties in Ghana hence every decision taken by them whether in power or opposition affects the countrys democracy .The National Democratic Congress(NDC) held its primaries to decide on their candidates for the upcoming election on 24th August, 2019 which was held in one hundred and fifty-seven(157) constituencies with about five hundred and twenty-four aspirants were cleared to contest. It is on record that thirty-nine (39) constituencies were incumbent members of parliament who contested unopposed. Out of the winners, nine incumbent MPs lost their seats including Hon. Joseph Yileh Chireh of Wa West, Hon.Ras Mubarak of Kumbungu and others who will not be seen in the upcoming parliament not forgetting Hon.S.K. Bagbin, the Second Deputy Speaker who is retiring from parliament after the seventh parliament. On the other hand, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held its primaries on Saturday, June 20, 2020 to choose their parliamentary candidates for the 2020 elections. A total of three hundred and seventy-four (374) aspirants in One hundred and sixty-eight (168) constituencies which consisted of fifty-one (51) women contesting. About sixty-seven (67) went unopposed, and also forty (41) incumbent MPs lost their seats including, Hon.Kwabena Owusu Aduomi of Ejisu,Nana Akua Afriyie of Ablekuma North ,Hon.Daniel Okyem Aboagye of Bantama,William Quaitoo of Akyem, Hon.Ben Abdallah Banda of Offinso south and Hon. Mark Assibey Yeboah of New Juaben South Constituency not also forgetting some retiring MPs from their halves like Hon. Anthony Osei Akoto who is also the Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation and Shirley Ayokor Botwe who is also in charge as the Foreign Affairs Minister. The decisions were made only by the delegates of the parties based on little or no feasibility studies on the various aspirants from their various constituencies. This means the involvement of the constituents were not taken into consideration which may affect the parties during the December 7 polls. Some of the reasons of ejecting the incumbents were sickening and below the belt as a basis of choosing a leader for such important exercise which was based on their parochial interest and not the country as the motto of SUSEC says Me man nti, enye me nti as the House loses some fine brains. This was so when some delegates across the country allegedly took monies and items worth ranging between two hundred cedis to six thousand cedis including television sets, fridges, blenders and bicycles. Though I will be wrong doubting the competencies of the yet to be parliamentarians when given the nod by their respective constituents, it is really going to be a difficult task. The rudiments of the House cannot be studied overnight to become as good as the experienced, the thousand miles journey still begins with a step. This will demand guidance, perseverance and time in other to be abreast of the status quo. Some first timers who went into the seventh parliament and are performing very well includes, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah of Ofoase Ayirebi Constituency who doubles as the Minister of Information, Hon. Bernard Oko Boye of Ledzokuku and also Deputy Health Minister, Hon.Samuel Etu Bonde of Kintampo North,Hon.Zenator Agyeman Rawlings of Korle Klottey and Hon. Sebastien Ngmenso Sandaare of Daffiama Busie Issa constituency. This makes the seventh parliament to have a total of one hundred and thirty-six (136) representing 49.45% first timers. This therefore calls for attention as some first timers like Hon. Daniel Okyem of Bantam has been axed in the just ended primaries allowing a new candidate into the House if voted for. This sounds a bit worrying because the adaptation to parliament by the new candidate will be longer than the already known parliamentarian. This sometimes affects the development and progress of the constituency and country as the people tend to change aspirants every four years due to the lack of focus exhibited by some first timers. As the country wishes to have the likes of Hon. Kyei Mensah Bonsu and Hon. S.K. Bagbin always in our parliament, it should be noted they never became better off after a four-year mandate as some first timers are compared to. The eviction of some parliamentarians is traded to the highest bidders and some members who may not be significant in this time of our countrys development. Therefore the two main political parties and the other parties must make sure before primaries are organized, there is a need for conduction of feasibility studies to focus on the strength and weakness of the aspirants from the constituents as the parties may understand the plight of the people than delegates who cannot be trusted. Again, in cases where the above mentioned continues, leadership roles in parliament, participation, continuity and standards of parliament may shrink if not outright deterioration which may not affect the country alone but rather Africa and the world. The very few experienced may seem to be overburdened as they will be seen doing all the talking in the House which may also allow them have less time for the constituents paving way for the volcanic eruption of the experienced ones. Going forward, political parties must make sure the following alternatives are considered. The various political parties must make sure delegates are of high standards including integrity. When delegates are of integrity, they do not accept gifts and bribes which tend to affect their level of reasoning to vote an aspirant not ready to push the course of our country. The parties must cater for the delegates well to demotivate them from receiving monies, bicycles, fridges, and other items in exchange of a competent aspirant as if it was a barter trading exhibition. The question that keeps pondering is will it be wrong if the constituents adapt the style of delegates? Absolutely, no but that means we are going to sell our pride as a country since the winners of our elections shall be people who were able to pay than people who are competent and poised for action. Furthermore, the parties must have a look at increasing the tenure of first-time aspirants to eight years to allow them to have the time to focus both on the constituents and the betterment of parliament. This would ease pressure on them as they sometimes get stuck and confused trying to serve two masters. By this suggestion, aspirants who turned MPs would have no complaints to make about time since they may have completed enough of the promises, if not all. This will equally prevent the spending of monies used during primaries every three to four years to enable the parties to have enough resources to fund their campaigns and other related election costs. The extension of the tenure approach will make delegates think thoroughly before choosing a candidate ceteris paribus The democracy of our country geared towards development cannot be tattered with the interest of a few delegates whose delight is to sell their conscience and make the country ridicule among other countries as its known to be the Beacon of Hope. In conclusion, I urge all political parties to demonstrate decorum in speech and attitude and a sense of patriotism during and after elections. Ghana must still be peaceful as we near the polls. The peace of this country can never be traded for anything. Observe the necessary protocols and stay safe. God bless our homeland Ghana. Concerned about the precarious law and order situation in the state, Nagaland Governor RN Ravi has written to chief minister Neiphiu Rio on how half a dozen armed gangs are challenging the legitimacy of the state government. In a scathing four-page letter written on June 16, which has been seen by HT, Ravi mentions how the armed gangs have been running extortion rackets and spreading fear while the state machinery had failed to rein them in. Day-to-day unrestrained depredations by over half a dozen organised armed gangs, brazenly running their respective so-called governments, challenging the legitimacy of the state government without any resistance from state law and order machinery has created a crisis of confidence in the system, the letter read. Also read: House-to-house Covid-19 screening begins in Delhi Without naming them, Ravi, who was appointed Governor in August 2019 and is also the Centres interlocutor for the Naga peace talks, mentions about the Naga rebel groups, most of whom are engaged in peace talks with Centre. Law-abiding citizens are made miserable by rampant extortion and violence by the armed groups. State government development departments are under duress to give regular ransom to the armed gangs. The brazen display of firepower by the rival gangs for turf control drive the people to panic, the letter said. Ravi mentioned how the gangs operate check gates at entry points to the state and levy an illegal tax on all goods entering Nagaland with full knowledge of the state law and order machinery. Commodities coming to Nagaland become exorbitantly expensive due to gunpoint extortions by the armed miscreants. Mentioning how a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report in 2018 pointed out massive leakage of funds from various government departments to the armed gangs, the Governor stated that there was a steady downslide in all parameters of development in Nagaland due to the siphoning of a large chunk of funds meant for development projects. Ravi expressed disappointment that despite advising the chief secretary and the director-general of police in January 2020 to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe instances of extortion and kidnapping of people involved in the construction of national highways in the state, no action has been initiated. The letter mentioned of rampant encroachment and deforestation of reserve forest land by the armed miscreants who had even evicted forest officials and their families from their residential quarters and were staying and conducting operations from there. Citing police reports, Ravi mentioned that while some action has been taken against foot soldiers of these gangs, senior members have not been implicated. He pointed that even in cases of the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act, where the minimum punishment prescribed is 5 years, the culprits are given 5-10 days sentence often with the concurrence of the public prosecutor. The Governor mentioned that despite raising these concerns with the chief minister and urging him to rein in the miscreants to restore rule of law, nothing has been done. The scenario in the state is grim. The law and order has collapsed. The constitutionally established state government is being challenged on a day-to-day basis by the armed gangs who question the sovereignty and integrity of the nation while the instruments of law and order remain totally unresponsive, the letter said. Ravi stated that in such a situation, he can no longer abstain from his constitutional obligation for law and order in the state and proposed that all important law and order decisions - like the transfer and postings of all officers entrusted with the maintenance of law and order of and above the district level - to be done after an approval from the Governor. I also propose to periodically review law and order situation in the state and issue required lawful decisions. In order to instil and ensure accountability, I also prefer to review the annual performance appraisal reports of all such officers, the letter read. The CMs office has not given any official reaction to the Governors letter yet. Nagaland CM didnt respond to calls and his office said no statement on the issue has been issued. The Nagaland government headed by Neiphiu Rio of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) was formed in March 2018. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a key constituent of the ruling coalition. Following the Governors letter, the Nagaland Police held a press briefing in capital city Kohima on Friday to give details on relevant actions taken. We would like to highlight anti-extortion measures taken against underground factions (of rebel outfits) and other anti-social elements who are taking advantage of such fragile situation, said IGP (Range) Lima Sunep Jamir. Since 2015, a total of 893 criminal cases have been registered and 1,238 persons of various UG groups have been arrested for involvement in various crimes including Arms Act, Explosives Act, murder, abductions, extortion robbery, he added. Seven people were killed and three were seriously injured in a crash in El Paso, Texas, early Thursday morning after border patrol agents tried to stop the car they were in, the police said. Border patrol agents had responded to a report of suspicious activity near the border with Mexico, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement on Friday. When agents arrived, they saw a suspicious car, a 2019 Chevrolet Cruze, and initiated a stop. Instead of stopping, the driver drove off at high speed, the statement said. While the authorities did not specify what the report of suspicious activity was about or why they considered the Chevrolet Cruze suspicious, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in its statement that the area is used frequently by transnational criminal organizations for human smuggling. After the driver failed to yield to the border agents, the agents stopped their pursuit, according to the El Paso police. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Three people have died from methanol poisoning, three others are in critical condition and one person is permanently blind, apparently after drinking hand sanitizer. The state Department of Health said in a Friday news release that the first case was reported to the New Mexico Poison Control Center on May 7. The other six cases occurred since May 29, according to DOH. Six of the seven people were from Cibola, McKinley and San Juan counties. The residence of the seventh person is unknown to the Poison Control Center. If you think you may have used or consumed hand sanitizer containing methanol, please seek medical care, Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Kathy Kunkel said in a statement. An antidote to methanol poisoning is available, but the earlier someone gets treated for methanol poisoning the better the chance of recovery. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that the number of calls to poison centers for exposures to cleaners and disinfectants sharply increased at the beginning of March. It notes that some adolescents and adults drink such products as an alcohol substitute. The Food and Drug Administration recently issued an advisory that nine brands of hand sanitizer containing methanol should not be used. Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning, the CDC said last week. Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. The CDC said young children are particularly susceptible, though anyone who ingests methanol is at risk. The CDCs hand sanitizers advisory warned against the use of these products: All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01) Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01) CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04) Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01) The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10) CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03) CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01) CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01) Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01) The state Department of Health also warns that non-commercially produced hand sanitizer, or bootlegged sanitizer, may also contain methanol. Many distilleries in New Mexico and across the country and the world have re-purposed their operations to produce hand sanitizer since the pandemic started taking hold in the United States in mid-March. Earlier this month, a distillery in Australia recovered nine bottles of SS Casino Gin after accidently filling them with hand sanitizer containing glycerol and hydrogen peroxide. In April, President Trump said that injecting disinfectant as a means of combating the coronavirus was an idea that interested him. Medical doctors were quick to denounce the personal use of cleaning products as a deterrent to the virus. Anyone seeking treatment for methanol poisoning is urged to contact the New Mexico Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Press Release June 27, 2020 Gatchalian to gov't: provide jobs to Filipinos before opening the market to foreigners Senator Win Gatchalian is imploring the government to protect and promote the interest of unemployed Filipino workers by providing them with new stable jobs before it considers opening the job market to foreigners. Before giving any preferential treatment to foreign workers in the government's flagship projects, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs calls on the government to carefully consider hiring unemployed Filipinos, who were mostly displaced by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gatchalian is making the call amid plans of the national government to allow the entry of more foreign workers particularly those employed in the flagship projects in the country. There were pronouncements from Malacanang that foreign embassies made the request on easing the country's travel restrictions for foreign workers. Gatchalian points out that there are 7.3 million talented and hardworking Filipinos who are now unemployed and hoping to find jobs, citing the April 2020 Labor Force Survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA report also shows that the underemployment rate, which measures the number of workers with irregular jobs, also increased by 18.9% to 6.4 million in April 2020 from 5.6 million in April 2019. According to Gatchalian, the government needs to prioritize bringing unemployed Filipinos back to the labor market in order to help support and rejuvenate the country's public consumption, which can lead to higher growth rate. "Dahil maraming Pilipino ang walang trabaho, ibig sabihin nito ay mas kakaunti ang umiikot na pera sa ating ekonomiya. Kaya mahalaga na mabigyan kaagad ng trabaho ang ating mga kababayang nawalan ng hanapbuhay kung gusto nating makaahon sa kahirapan dulot ng pandemiya," Gatchalian stressed. "Ang panawagan ko sa gobyerno, sana bigyan ng prayoridad ang ating mga kababayan pagdating sa oportunidad ng trabaho kaysa ibigay pa ang pagkakataon sa mga dayuhan," he added. Gatchalian also urges the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Finance (DOF) to take primary responsibility in monitoring compliance by foreign bidders or contract awardees with Philippine laws, rules and regulations, especially those in the interest and for the protection of Filipino workers. This is to ensure that foreign bidders and contract awardees of Philippine infrastructure projects must hire local workers for manual and non-technical jobs, according to the senator. Chinedu Obi He was employed as a sales boy in a restaurant but rather than concentrating his energy on serving customers, for a whole year, he was busy defiling the twin daughters of his employer right inside the canteen. Nemesis however caught up with the 26-year-old sales boy in Lagos, Chinedu Obi who for the past 12 months has taken turns to defile the 11-year-old twin daughters of his employer. His atrocity was exposed when his madam who had gone to Ijesha market in Surulere area of the state came back to the restaurant early and met him busy with one of the twins. She raised the alarm and invited the police who moved in and arrested the suspect. The state police command spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana who confirmed the incident said that the suspect was arrested on June 16, 2020 as soon the mother of the victims alerted the police. The mother of the victims (Names withheld) who owns a restaurant in Surulere told the police that the suspect who is her sales boy defiled her daughters repeatedly. She said she got to know about it when she returned from the market and overheard the twins fighting over the sharing formula of N200 given to them by the suspect. The twins confessed to her after much pressure. She told the police that the suspect was treated as part of the family hence the closeness to her children. Devil to blame A native of Umuaka in Imo state, Chinedu blamed the devil for his act. According to him, Sometime in 2018, I relocated to Lagos in search of greener pasture. Luckily, I met one Calabar woman who owns a restaurant at Soluowu Street in Surulere. She employed me as a sales boy and the agreement was that she would pay me N400 everyday and feed me. I used to resume work around 6am everyday and close for the day at about 8pm. My whole life was dedicated to that job that I did not have the opportunity to toast a woman. I am a man that has been sex-starved, that was why sometime in June last year I decided to try my luck with my madams daughters. She has twins and they are girls. They used to come to the shop to stay after school and during this Coronavirus period, they are always around. It all started sometime in June last year when they were in primary 5. I was so close to the family that the children were free with me and take me as their elder brother. One day, they came straight to the shop and one of the twins not minding that I was there removed her school uniform and changed into another one. This was when the devil took over my senses. I have not had sex for so long time, so I was moved. I waited for an opportunity when she was alone and told her that I will be giving her plenty of money if she will allow me to have sex with her. I was surprised that she agreed without making noise, we quickly did it behind the counter; I cleaned her up and gave her N200. I was shocked when her twin sister came to me and pulled up her dress. She said that I should do the same thing with her because she also wants her own money. I had no choice but to also have sex with her for fear that she will tell her mother. All I did was to always divide the money into two and give to them. I even wanted to stop when my madam started suspecting that I was having sex with her daughters. The twins started bleeding and I did not understand what was happening to them. I thought it was because of the sex and asked them to use tissue or paper to clean the blood. My mother only gave birth to boys, so I did not understand that they have started their monthly menstruation. When their mother noticed the blood she was surprised because they were only ten years then. She confronted them if they have started having sex and they kept quiet and she warned me to stop if that was the case. I denied it and that matter ended then. I actually stopped till the twins started throwing themselves at me again. Their mother doesnt give them money so they were always coming to me. I became very careful because I knew that they could get pregnant. I started ejaculating on the floor because they are too young to get pregnant. I used to give them one drink to clear their system. Abused and accused On how he managed to commit such evil acted undetected for a whole year, Chinedu said that the twins were taking turns to watch out for any person that might catch them while at it. For the period, she did not catch us because the twins were working together. It is only in the shop that I can have sex with them, so what we normally do is that one person will be watching when we are doing it. As soon as I am done, they will switch. They will share the N200 I give. During this pandemic, I normally do it early in the morning when their mother had gone to Oyingbo market or later in the evening when customers no longer come. Then my madam must have gone home to prepare food for her husband. She will leave the twins with me to help me clean up, it is then that I will take advantage and have sex with both of them. Wits end On how he was finally caught, Chinedu said that because of the lockdown he could rarely get the opportunity to touch the twins as their mother or a relative was always around. Since the pandemic started, I rarely have opportunity to do anything. So when madam decided to go to the Ijesha market with one of the twins and left me with the other one and his son, I asked his son who is about seven years to watch outside the shop that we were busy inside. We quickly did it but unfortunately madam came back when we were about to finish. It was the boy that told her that his sister and I were playing inside. So the other twin who knew what we were doing rushed in and started shouting that she wants her own money. The twin with me refused and the noise attracted my madams attention. She started beating the twins to tell her what the argument was about and they told her. I begged my madam to forgive me but she raised alarm and people gathered. This was how they called the police. Plea for mercy Begging for mercy, Chinedu promised to stay away from the twins if set free. I am very sorry. I was told that my madam has agreed to forgive me but the policemen that arrested me are insisting that they will charge me to court. After spending days in police cell, I now understand that what I did is bad. I will not allow anyone to defile my daughter. I dont want to marry them because they are small but in the next seven years, they will be 18, that means that I can select one and marry. I cannot wait that long, as soon as I am released I will go and find a wife, he promised. *** Source: Sun News The Iraqi presidency called for an end of the violations that affect the country's sovereignty, because of the repeated Turkish military actions and its violation of Iraqi airspace. A spokesman for the presidency confirmed, in a statement, that these actions are a flagrant violation of the principle of good-neighbourliness and an explicit violation of international norms and covenants. The spokesman stressed the need to solve the border problems and security files between Iraq and Turkey through cooperation and coordination between them, and the rejection of unilateralism in dealing with outstanding issues, and the obligation to respect Iraqi sovereignty. On Thursday, one person was killed and six were wounded in a Turkish air raid in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, where Ankara launched a week ago air and field operations targeting Kurdish rebels, an official told AFP. On 17 June, Turkey landed, after air strikes against its aircraft, elements of its Special Forces in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in operations aimed at expelling the PKK, which control bases and training centres in the north of the region. Despite the protest of the Iraqi authorities, Turkey continues its operations against this group, which it classifies as "terrorist", similar to the classification of the United States and the European Union. The scope of the Turkish "claw-tiger" operation was not known due to the denial of access to the area, but it is limited compared to the operations that Ankara launched in recent years in northern Syria against Kurdish fighters. Hundreds of families were forced to flee the areas of engagement. The PKK has been waging a revolt against the Turkish state since 1984, in a conflict that has left more than 40,000 people dead, including many civilians. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi: Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's sudden and shocking death by suicide has left his family, fans and film fraternity mourning. The actor was found hanging at his Bandra residence on June 14, 2020. He was battling depression for the past few months, reportedly. The Mumbai police is currently investigating the matter and have recorded statements of Sushant's friends, staff and associates. Today, Yash Raj Films (YRF) Casting Director, Shanoo Sharma reached Bandra police station to record her statement. A day before, the statement of Netflix Director Aashish Singh, who earlier was Vice President, Production is Yash Raj Films (YRF). Aashish was instrumental in fixing Sushant Singh Rajput's contract with YRF back when he started out. Although after the final post-mortem report, Mumbai police confirmed that it is a clear case of suicide by asphyxia due to hanging, ruling out any foul play his fans have been demanding CBI enquiry to ensure a fair probe. Several actors including Shekhar Suman, Roopa Ganguly and SSR's fans are demanding a CBI probe into the case to ensure a fair probe. Local governments across the United States are considering a range of measures to recoup the costs of the coronavirus pandemic on their economies - among them taxes on cigarettes and housing, and on giant tech firms. With the virus having shut swathes of the economy for more than three months, the loss to local authorities is severe. Unlike the federal government, which can cut taxes and rack up huge deficits with impunity, local and state governments generally must balance their budgets each year. And, not wanting to impose politically unpalatable tax hikes, local leaders are looking for alternative means of raising revenues. 'Given the size of the problem, they're going to have to use every tool at their disposal,' said Elizabeth McNichol, a senior fellow specializing in state fiscal issues at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank. 'That includes spending cuts and revenue increases.' Cigarette taxes could increase as states struggle to close a $209 billion gap in funding The United States has been by far the hardest-hit country amid the pandemic, with 2.4m cases City and state officials have spent months pleading with federal lawmakers to authorize as much as $1 trillion in aid to help them close their deficits. But they have encountered strong resistance from President Donald Trump and Republicans, and therefore must look elsewhere to plug the gap in funding. The majority of states 46 of them will kick off their 2021 fiscal year on July 1, 2020. Aggregate state budget deficits are expected to reach $209 billion in the 2021 fiscal year, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities forecasted. Philadelphia increased fees on parking and raised wage taxes on workers who reside outside the city. The budget, agreed on Thursday, sees an increase in Non-Resident Wage and Net Profit Tax to 3.5019 per cent; an increase to the Parking Tax from 22.5 per cent to 25 per cent; and a pension bond debt restructuring. The combined moves will generate savings of about $80 million, according to the budget package. In Georgia, an increase on taxes on cigarettes is being considered to help politicians who face the grim task of cutting about $3.5 billion from the 2021 state budget that takes effect July 1. Georgia's cigarette tax, among the lowest in the nation, could be raised to at least the Southeastern state average. That would add about a quarter or so to Georgia's existing 37-cent excise tax, the Georgia Recorder reported. Neighboring states charge a range of rates, from 45 cents per pack in North Carolina to $1.34 per pack in Florida. Nationally, only Missouri at 17 cents and Virginia at 30 cents have lower tax rates than Georgia. On Thursday the state voted to tax vaping products, which Bonnie Rich, a Suwanee Republican who was pushing for the move, said should bring in $11 million to $19 million a year in taxes. A Senate committee in Georgia is still pushing to raise taxes on tobacco. Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. passed 125,000 on Friday, according to the latest data In Colorado, meanwhile, legislators are forging ahead with their own plan to raise taxes on nicotine and vaping products, which is expected to raise more than $80 million in revenue next year. House Bill 1427, introduced on June 11, will be voted on in November and asks voters to gradually, but significantly, raise the taxes over the next seven fiscal years. Whereas taxes on a pack of cigarettes are now 84 cents, the bill would ask voters to allow the state to raise that amount to $1.94 starting next year, the Colorado Sun reported. Starting in July 2024, taxes on a pack of cigarettes would then rise to $2.24 a pack. Then in July 2027 and moving forward, the taxes would be $2.64 a pack. Taxes on property are also being considered, The Washington Post reported. On June 24 politicians in Nashville approved a plan to increase property taxes by 34 per cent - a move meant to help pay down rising public education costs. The city's rates long had been historically low, according to Bob Mendes, an at-large member of the Nashville Metro Council who helped craft the budget blueprint. He said the tax hike helped close an anticipated $216 million financial hole in the 2021 fiscal year, without severely damaging public services. 'I'm definitely worried,' said Mendes. 'There's probably never been a revenue projection that's as wrong as this one is going to turn out to be.' A petition campaign, NoTax4Nash, has sprung up to try and reverse the decision. Property taxes are being considered by several states and municipalities to compensate Dallas City Council considered an 8 per cent property tax, but the plan was ultimately voted down, Dallas News reported. The mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, said this month she could not rule out a property tax increase to cover her citys $700 million budget shortfall. Tech companies are also in lawmakers' crosshairs. In New York, which is faced with a $17 billion deficit, Amazon, Facebook, Google and other tech giants that have profited handsomely are being looked at for an increase in tax. Andrew Gounardes, a Democratic state senator, has called in recent weeks for new taxes targeting the collection and sale of consumers' online data. 'It's just not possible to cut our way out of this hole,' Gounardes said. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 26, 2020 | BALLARD COUNTY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 26, 2020 | 05:18 PM | BALLARD COUNTY A two-vehicle collision in Ballard County on Friday morning claimed the life of a Monticello woman and injured two other people. According to Kentucky State Police (KSP), troopers were asked by the Ballard County Sheriff's Office to investigate a two-vehicle collision involving a possible fatality on KY 286 near the one-mile marker. KSP says their investigation showed that 58-year-old Clayton L. Clark of La Center was traveling east on KY 286. As Clark was going around a curve, he crossed the centerline and collided with an SUV driven by 63-year-old Neoma J. Jones of Monticello, which was traveling in the opposite direction. A passenger in Jones' vehicle, 51-year-old Lisa C. Daniels of Monticello, was asleep in the cargo area of the SUV at the time of the collision. All three individuals were transported to Jackson Purchase Medical Center in Mayfield. Clark and Jones were airlifted from Jackson Purchase to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. Daniels was pronounced dead at the hospital. KY 286 was shut down for approximately four hours while troopers reconstructed the accident. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. Japan's railway operator is concerned that the planned opening of a super-fast magnetically levitated train system may be delayed due to a dispute with a local government. Central Japan Railway, or JR Tokai, is planning to launch the next-generation railway service between Tokyo and Nagoya in 2027. It will later be extended to Osaka. Construction is underway in many areas, but a plan to build a tunnel in Shizuoka Prefecture is behind schedule. The prefectural government has yet to approve the project citing the potential impact on local water resources. It argues that the work could reduce water flow in a local river. On Friday, JR Tokai President Kaneko Shin and Shizuoka Governor Kawakatsu Heita met for the first time to discuss the matter. Kaneko called for the governor's understanding that preparatory work for construction needs to start as soon as possible to open the maglev train service as planned. Kawakatsu replied that it's necessary to sign a deal to protect the environment in accordance with the prefecture's ordinances. He also said the local government will decide whether to give approval for the preparation work based on the ordinances. Vicky Pryce has opened up about how she wore an electronic tag to Parliament and how police laughed at finding 1,400 in her handbag after she was found guilty of perverting justice. Ms Pryce, 67, and former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne were each jailed for eight months after they were convicted of perverting the course of justice when she took speeding points for her then-husband in 2003. The scandal brought about the end of Mr Huhne's political career, forcing him to stand down as a cabinet minister and later to resign as an MP. Greek economist Ms Pryce has now spoken about taking a bus to the House of Lords soon after coming out of prison to give evidence on Europe, while wearing an electronic tag hidden beneath her trousers. Speaking on Andy Coulson's Crisis What Crisis? podcast, she revealed: 'I had already received a letter while I was in prison from the European Sub-Committee at the House of Lords to go and give evidence on Europe, would you believe it, as soon as I come out. Vicky Pryce pictured left, arriving at Southwark Crown Court in London in March 2013 and right, giving evidence to a House of Lords inquiry into the Eurozone crisis in the same year 'I went on the bus wearing my tag, because I was still on curfew for a couple of months, into the House of Lords to give that evidence. All these journalists, who I knew, were there to write about it, and they were sketch writers mainly. 'Of course what they were trying to do throughout the period that I was speaking and that I was there sitting at the desk alongside some ex-colleagues, friends, other economists, was to see where my tag was, where I was wearing it. 'They couldn't find it, so there were all sorts of assumptions like "perhaps it's a bracelet" and of course I was hiding it incredibly well because they had been very good when they came with the tag, so it was put on in such a way that the trousers were covering it. It was fine, they were really good about this.' Ms Pryce also recalled officers lightheartedly joking about a sum of 1,481 being found in her handbag when she first entered prison. She said: 'So I was taken down, which was as I said expected anyway, and there they tried to see what I had in my handbag, because obviously I couldn't take most the things that were in there and my bag was fine with all my clothes it seems - I had taken just the right amount. 'But my handbag, they had to count all the money that was in it so they could take it away and I could have it at some other stage, and of course I was a complete idiot. 'I intended to leave lots of cash for the kids to pay for however many months I was going to be away, and of course I wrote them cheques in the end. All the cash I was taking out of machines constantly at the time, expecting some sort of verdict, I had to leave them some cash, was still in my bag. 'So they started counting the money and it was so jolly because they were finding an extra 20 quid there and they were calling everyone "come and see how much money we've got here" and I was just standing and everyone was laughing. 'We counted 1,481 in my handbag. I had no idea, and it really was very jolly.' Chris Huhne, Britain's former energy secretary, pictured arriving for sentencing at Southwark Crown Court in London after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice After a high-profile career with professional services goliath KPMG, Ms Pryce worked as a government advisor before coming unstuck when she lied to the police about taking her former husband's speeding points. She was jailed in March 2013. Her trial heard she only revealed she had taken them to exact revenge on her cheating husband and 'nail him' after he left her for another woman. Former Energy Secretary Huhne was clocked driving too fast in March 2003 and persuaded Pryce to take the blame so he could avoid losing his licence. The couple separated after 26 years of marriage in 2010 after Mr Huhne admitted he was having an affair with his PR adviser Carina Trimingham, 46. After nearly two years proclaiming his innocence and fighting to have the case dropped, Huhne changed his plea at the start of the pair's trial at Southwark Crown Court, promptly resigning as Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh and ending his political career. Ms Pryce who started her sentence in Holloway, Britains toughest womens jail was inspired by her experiences to write a book about how and why women end up in prison and to express her concerns about the way they are treated there. She embraced prison life, taking part in karaoke and playing bingo for the first time, before being released on a tag. On Wednesday, a Miami Herald report documented the latest episode in a series of horrific deaths among stranded cruise ship workers who have been stuck at sea with no clear plan for repatriation for over 100 days since the industry shut down on March 13 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Eddie Burgos Ragodon, a painter on board the Disney Wonder from Las Pinas, Philippines died on Tuesday after reportedly checking in to the ships medical facilities with chills, according to an account submitted by an anonymous crew member. Although the Herald article states that the CDC will test Ragodons body for COVID-19, it also says that the last positive test result from the nearly 300 confirmed infections on board the Wonder was over a month ago on May 8. The Disney Wonder, docked at Castaway Cay [Credit: Wikimedia Commons] On Wednesday, June 17, there was another report of a non-coronavirus-related death on a cruise ship, Princess Cruise Lines Island Princess, near the coast of Manila, Philippines. While details surrounding the death of the deceased, Candido Catambay, have not officially been reported, a crew member wrote the following to the cruise worker advocacy group Cruise Law News: Princess says its natural causes, but what is natural when you have been kept on board the ship away from home for such a long time and your physical and mental health is damaged day after day. Earlier on that same day, Krishna Kumar Balaji, a galley cook on Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) Vasco Da Gama, died of a heart attack while awaiting repatriation to India, according to company reports. Balaji had been recently transferred to this ship from the MV Astoria, on which a protest and a reported hunger strike by Indian crew members had been chronicled by the WSWS days earlier. Since May, there have been ten widely-reported, non-COVID deaths on stranded ships, among which two have been from crew jumping overboard, two where the causes of death were from hanging, and several more of those have been widely suspected to have been suicides. When the cruise industry shut down in mid-March, it was estimated that 200,000 cruise ship workers were at sea around the world. The Herald now estimates that 28,000 cruise crew still remain stranded on ships. The WSWS has previously reported on the barbaric conditions facing these workers, many of whom are not being paid while in limbo due to the failure of their employers and local governments to provide them safe repatriation. The crisis facing these workers has compelled major international labor organizations to threaten minimal action, after more than three months of delay. An article from Thursday on Lloyds List by Mark Dickinson, the general secretary of Nautilus International, a major international seafarer union, illustrates that the plight of cruise crew has been the only tip of the iceberg of the broader crisis facing all maritime workers. The article states that there are currently 200,000 stranded commercial seafarers on merchant and shipping vessels worldwide, with 100,000 additional workers awaiting changeover. As with cruise workers, reports abound of shipping crew not being paid while their ships are in limbo and they wait for their relief. On June 15th, The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) issued a press release entitled Enough is enough: worlds seafarers will now exercise right to leave ships amid Covid-19 failures. The statement declared that the ITF would assist hundreds of thousands of seafarers to exercise their right to stop working, leave ships, and return home. While no specific details on strike action were given, the document issued hollow rhetoric from ITF general secretary Steve Cotton, president Paddy Crumlin and seafarers Section Chair Dave Heindel. The new approach, which could be highly disruptive to global trade, comes after insufficient action by governments to designate seafarers as key workers, exempt them from Covid-19 travel restrictions and facilitate repatriation of around 200,000 seafarers who have been caught up in the crew change crisis [] Late last week, UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps (Conservative Party) responded to recent warnings by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), that the situation facing seafarers was approaching a humanitarian crisis by sending the British Coast Guard (Maritime Coastal Authority/MCA) to six stranded ships in British waters, as the WSWS reported yesterday. Five of the raided ships were discovered to have had several violations of the International Labour Organizations 2006 Maritime Labor Convention (MLC), also known as The Seafarers Bill of Rights. The violations included expired contracts, late wages and the holding of crew beyond the established, 11-month contract term limit. The MLC is commonly seen by thousands of seafarers as a toothless document which contains all of their supposed workplace rights but which is routinely flouted with impunity by shipboard management. Employees are also pressured to disregard them under threat of retaliation as well as an overarching need to appease the employers who have the power to leverage their future work possibilities. In a prior interview with the WSWS, a stranded Mauritian cruise worker noted, these unions have specific guidelines and laws for ship labor practices and rights, but there are so many different countries involved in the cruise industry that its really easy for these regulations to be disregarded. Along with last weeks press release, the ITF provided a document intended for seafarers which gives guidelines on their rights according to the MLC, as well as details on its outlined grievance procedures. The grievance processes requires an individual seafarer to seek resolution first with shipboard management. Then, if no satisfactory outcome is reached, the seafarer has the right to issue the complaint to the Port State Control Inspector, who, upon an unsuccessful resolution of the issue, has the power to detain the ship and advance the concern to the ships owner, its flag state, as well as worldwide labor organizations. In this context, the Port State Control Inspector means the maritime authority of whichever national jurisdiction a grieved workers ship falls under, itself a determination which can be influenced by the discretion of management and the company. The flag state indicates the national government under whose authority the ship in question operates, referring to a decades-long convention by operators to fly on their vessels flags of countries which provide favorable tax and labor laws. In other words, workers facing untenable conditions could potentially have to consult with government agents of multiple countries of which they are not even citizens before seeing resolution to workplace issues. Furthermore, the grievance procedures of the MLC, as well as other regulations by industry labor organizations completely fail to provide any recourse for sailors in the event of a meltdown of international economic and political relations. Calls to action by the ITF and IMO, organizations which are tied to capitalist national alliances as well as employer associations, must be rejected by seafaring workers as completely bankrupt and fraudulent. Seafarers Rights International (SRI), an organization associated with the IMO and the United Nations (UN), gives the following information on their website to seafarers concerning their legal right to repatriation as outlined by the MLC. [The MLC] entitles you to free repatriation in these circumstances: 1.) your employment agreement expires whilst you are abroad, 2.) it is terminated by yourself 3.) you can no longer carry out your duties or 4.) if the shipowner does not fulfill their legal obligations toward you anymore for example, due to insolvency. Ships must provide financial security for repatriation. If the shipowner fails to pay for repatriation, the flag state must take over the responsibility. Under circumstances in which cruise companies have already delayed their employees rightful repatriation for over three months, with Royal Caribbean International at one point letting it slip that it felt as though the CDCs repatriation requirements were too expensive, the MLC provisions outlined by the SRI only serve as a damning implication of international labor organizations complacency in the face of their own laws being flouted. Even by Dickinsons own admission in his Thursday Lloyds List editorial, the reality is that flag states have absolutely no incentive to uphold whatever obligations they have to international seafarer protection laws. Referring to Tuesdays announcement by the Ship Registry of Panama, a country with approximately 9,000 registered ships, that it intended to extend maximum term lengths for seafarer contracts to 17 months, Dickinson wrote, such is the nature of the ship registration business, for that is what it is. It is run for commercial gain rather than the [fulfillment] of the states obligations that derive from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Panama appears to be recklessly flouting the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, he noted. Its ships should therefore be targeted by port state control, inspected for deficiencies under the MLC, and detained if they do not meet international minimum standards including those relating to Seafarers' Employment Agreements. Dickinson concludes that the line between the denial of workers rights and forced labour is a thin one. Panama has just made crossing that line an inevitability. In other words, Dickinson, the general secretary of an international labor union which claims to represent over 20,000 of the worlds seafarers, throws up his hands and declares that the life-or-death problem of hundreds of thousands of imperiled ship workers facing the obstacle of the capitalist nation-state system, simply put, is what it is. The WSWS and the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) oppose the ideologically bankrupt trade union leadership. Whereas these organizations are closely tied to the global capitalist elites and their political representatives in worldwide governments, the ICFI supports the independent mobilization of seafaring workers. No solution to the crisis facing this section of the international working class exists within the framework of the nation-state system, which is increasingly rife with explosive tensions. We urge crew of all positions and nationalities to form rank-and-file committees across all ships, fleets and industries to organize the broadest possible action in the fight for workers rights to safe repatriation, compensation for lost wages and damages, and the ability to carry out future work under the safest possible conditions. The logical outcome of this struggle is the abolition of capitalism and its replacement by international socialism. We appeal to all seafaring workers seeking to take up the struggle for socialism to contact us today. Passengers on railways are being told to avoid eating and drinking when travelling as part of measures to control the coronavirus. The guidelines from operators to promote coronavirus-safe travel come amid concerns that train services could become overwhelmed as the economy reopens. Some companies have told passengers to not eat or drink on their trains so as to not remove their face masks, which are now compulsory on all public transport. Many train operators - including Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), England's largest operator, which runs Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern trains - advise passengers to totally avoid consuming food and drink. 'Please try to avoid eating and drinking on board,' GTR told passengers this week. 'You're best to keep your face covering securely in place for your whole journey.' Pictured: Passengers disembark a packed train at Brighton railway station as people make their way to the beach, 25 June 2020 Other operators have suspended on-train buffet cars and trolley services during the pandemic while London North Eastern Railway that operates between King's Cross and Edinburgh banned all alcohol on board. In Scotland, while drinking on trains is not banned, passengers are being urged to observe guidelines issued by Holyrood, which includes limiting train usage for essential travel only. We have been absolutely clear that our services should only be used for essential journeys,' said Scotrail. 'Our five rules for safer travel set out what we expect from anyone travelling. We urge all our customers to take personal responsibility to keep everyone safe.' Pictured: Passengers pack into a tube train in hot conditions on June 24 at train operators issue guidance that states that passengers should not eat or drink on trains so as not to take their face masks off, which are now mandatory on public transport Pictured: A man wearing a mask sits beneath a sign on a London bus warning that face coverings are compulsory on public transport The guidance comes after Boris Johnson announced a reduction of the two-metre rule to one-metre-plus, and that pubs, restaurants, hair salons and other hospitality businesses can reopen on July 4, providing they are 'Covid-secure'. The government has said that the rule reduction will have little impact of the capacity of public transport, which has been significantly reduced during the pandemic. In leaked guidance that has been seen by The Times, the Department of Transport says that many trains will only be able to accommodate a fifth of their normal passenger numbers, even with the cut to the social distancing measures. The DfT warned that even if public transport returned to full service, it would only be capable of operating at 21 percent to 35 percent of its normal levels. Data shows that while trains are still being used far less frequently than this time last year, there has been a steady rise in recent weeks Data shows that while tubes are still being used far less frequently than this time last year, there has been a steady rise in recent weeks The warning, that came during a briefing to other government departments according to The Times, says that social distancing may be 'impossible' on many services. Long queues are also likely to form at stations, it warned. 'Department for Transport is prioritising work to increase public transport levels by July 4 to as close as possible to 100 per cent of pre-Covid levels,' The Times reported the leaked briefing to have said. 'Social distancing may be impossible on many services, and queues may form as a result at major stations and interchanges. Without mitigation measures, there is a significant risk that demand will outstrip capacity in some areas once more sectors reopen.' When the pandemic began, timetables were cut to below half their normal levels, but as the economy eases open, services have gradually increased over the past month. On Friday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps revealed that bus and train services will be geared up to 85 percent of pre-pandemic levels from July 4 and July 6 respectively. The move coincides with Boris Johnson's plan to reopen pubs and hairdressers among a number of measures designed to bring the economy back to life. It comes amid widespread fears that wide swathes of business will take a massive hit if a large proportion of the public continue to work from home for a long period. Tory MPs have urged Boris Johnson to take steps that will help high street businesses including those in the 'lunchtime economy' of cafes and coffee shops recover. Despite the massive upswing in transport frequency, Mr Shapps said people will continue to be urged to avoid public transport where possible. Strict facemask rules have been in place for buses, trains and trams since the beginning of the month and he said on Friday: 'As more businesses across the country prepare to reopen, we are increasing rail and bus services to boost capacity and meet additional demand for travel, helping people to travel safely. 'Our guidance remains that people should avoid public transport if possible and to walk or cycle instead.' Transport Secretary Grant Shapps revealed that bus and train services will be geared up to 85 per cent of pre-pandemic levels from July 4 and July 6 respectively The move coincides with Boris Johnson's plan to reopen pubs and hairdressers among a swathe of measures designed to bring the economy back to life. Large parts of England's hospitality industry will reopen on July 4, including pubs, restaurants, hotels and visitor attractions. But worries remain about how people will be expected to get to work safely. If people are worried to travel they are likely to remain working from home, damaging businesses that rely on their trade for survival. Coffee chain Pret has admitting its sales have collapsed by 85 per cent in lockdown. A survey by the Office for National Statistics on Friday found that more than four in 10 Britons believe the lockdown has made their live better in some ways. Of them, almost a quarter (24 per cent) said that working from home had been the best aspect of the lockdown. Former Brexit minister David Jones, Tory MP for Clwyd West, told MailOnline this week that the lunchtime economy was taking a major hit. He said; I can fully understand these (businesses) must have had a heck of a hit to their income. I have a feeling that whether Pret like it or not it is going to be a bit of a sea change and more and more businesses are going to be allowing their people to work from home'. Former Brexit minister David Jones, Tory MP for Clwyd West, told MailOnline that the lunchtime economy was taking a major hit and fears a swathe of coffee shops could end up closing if Boris Johnson doesn't get more people back to the office He added: I just wonder whether the business model is going to be as sustainable as it once was. There was a stage a few years ago where every third shop open seemed to be a coffee shop. Coffee shops are going to be the sort of place you go to at the weekend with the family but business districts, they will actually lose an awful lot. Earlier this week Mr Shapps revealed plans to 'renationalise' Britain's railways using emergency coronavirus measures. The move would see the end of the current franchise system, which was set up by John Major in the early 1990s. It has been beset with problems in recent years with firms having to be replaced and bailed out as they struggle to operate. Mr Shapps has claimed the pandemic has provided the government the chance to build a 'different type of railway'. Under the plans, the government would give train operators a fixed fee to seize control of all routes and collect fares. Mr Shapps' new system, which he will likely oversee as part of a board, would give control of fares and timetables to ministers. U.S. Condemns Death Sentences Against Iranian Anti-Government Protesters By RFE/RL June 26, 2020 The United States has condemned an Iranian court's decision to issue death sentences against three men who took part in anti-government protests last year. Amir-Hossein Moradi, Saeed Tamjidi, and Mohammad Rajabi were sentenced to death in February in connection with acts of arson that took place during the protests against Iran's government in November 2019. A statement tweeted by U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus on June 26 highlighted their plight, noting reports that they were denied attorneys and had been tortured into giving false confessions. "Iran must respect human rights and stop these executions," Ortagus said. After death sentences were issued against the three men, Amnesty International reported on February 28 that they "were denied access to lawyers during the investigation phase and say they were tortured." "Moradi says he was coerced into giving a 'confession' that was broadcast on state television and used as evidence to convict them," Amnesty International reported. On June 25, two other human rights organizations accused Iran's state-controlled television of airing the forced confessions of at least 355 individuals from 2009 to 2019 in order to create fear and repress dissent. That report by London-based Justice for Iran and the Paris-based International Federation For Human Rights highlighted Iran's long-standing practice of forcing detainees to confess to charges dictated to them by their interrogators and using state television to produce and broadcast video of the forced confessions. Their report says Iran's state broadcaster, IRIB, has become a "means of mass suppression" that, in collaboration with the Intelligence Ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), is actively involved in human rights violations. "IRIB is not simply a media organization and by no means an independent one, but rather an organ of state suppression that uses the tools of mass communication," the rights groups said. Washington sanctioned a bank supporting IRIB in November 2018. It had already imposed sanctions on the broadcaster's director, Abdulali Ali-Asgari, in May of that year. The U.S. Treasury says IRIB "routinely broadcasts false news reports and propaganda, including forced confessions of political detainees." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-condemns- death-sentences-against-iranian-anti- government-protesters/30692221.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address BJP chief JP Nadda continued his attack on the Congress party for the second day on Saturday, saying that under the garb of China and corona crisis, party president Sonia Gandhi should not shy away from the answering questions that the nation wants to know. He again reiterated that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) got donations from Chinese Embassy between 2005 and 2009. It is a sacrifice of national interest to accept money from foreign powers in personal trust. The country wants to know what transpired between the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the Chinese government? the BJP chief said during a virtual press conference. The BJP chief also claimed that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received donation from Mehul Choksi. Why did you take donation in Rajiv Gandhi Foundation from Mehul Choksi and give loan to him? The country wants to know as to why the foundation took money from Mehul Choksi and what is the relation between Mehul Choksi and Rajiv Gandhi Foundation?, Nadda asked party president Sonia Gandhi as part of 10 questions that he put to her and the party. On Friday too, the BJP chief had targeted the party and Sonia Gandhi in a series of tweets, saying one familys hunger for wealth hurt the nation , and added that the Sonia Gandhi-headed trust had received donation from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF) when the UPA government was in power at the Centre. However, dismissing Naddas charges, the Congress had said the the BJP was trying shift the focus from the Chinese issue. The diabolical game of deception, diversion and disinformation is being played out by the BJP and JP Nadda to divert the attention of the country from the Chinese occupation of Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and now Depsang up to the Y-junction, 18km inside the LAC, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Friday. On Saturday, Nadda added that the RGF received donations from tax havens of Luxembourg every year from 2006 to 2009. He also questioned why the RGF accounts were refused for CAG auditing and why the RTI was not applicable to the foundation. There has been an ongoing war of words between the BJP and the Congress for quite some time now first on the issue of coronavirus situation in the country and lately , on the face-off between the Indian and Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakhs Galwan Valley on June 15. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has accused Centres Modi government of giving away Indian territory to the Chinese while Sonia Gandhi has said that the current crisis is a result of mismanagement of the BJP-led NDA government and the wrong policies pursued by it. In three video messages released back-to-back on Friday afternoon, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, son Rahul and daughter Priyanka stepped up attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-China border standoff and asked the government to take people into confidence on the extent of territories being occupied by Chinese troops. However, defending the central government, BJP chief JP Nadda on Saturday said that the armed forces are fully capable of protecting India, keeping the country safe and secure under Prime Minister Modi. The former Lagos State governor and leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has thrown his weight behind the decision of the party to sack its National Working Committee (NWC). The decision was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday during the partys emergency National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja. Analysts believe it was a blow on Mr Tinubu who enjoyed the loyalty of the Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC, and who is believed to have the ambition to contest the 2023 presidential election. However, in a carefully-worded statement Saturday, Mr Tinubu said Mr Buharis intervention in the partys raging crisis was long overdue. With lawsuits so numerous one needed a spreadsheet to keep track, President Buhari has reasonably decided that he has seen enough, the statement said. I do not lament his intervention or its outcome. I lament that the situation degenerated to the point where he felt compelled to intervene. Mr Tinubu admitted that the party under Mr Oshiomhole at a point had lost its collective existence to blind and clashing ambitions of some of its members. He said rather than focusing on delivering its promises to Nigerians at a moment of heightened difficulty, intramural fighting has come to occupy the attention of many high ranking party officials and members. The National Working Committee, itself, became riven by unnecessary conflict. Those who disagreed with one another stopped trying to find common ground. Attempts were made to use the power of executive authority to bury each other. I must be blunt here. This is the behaviour of a fight club not the culture of a progressive political party, he said. While reiterating the need for the party members to work as one ahead of Edo and Ondo States governorship elections, Mr Tinubu hinted on the possible emergence of the sacked NWC members at the APC mini national convention expected to hold within six months. As I understand it, no one has been precluded from seeking any party office to which he is otherwise eligible. Former NWC members are free to seek re-election to the NWC. Provided they have the support of party members, they will have an opportunity to return to serve the party in a leadership capacity. This reflects our overriding desire to restore and maintain internal democracy not subvert it, he said, he disclosed. Earlier on Saturday, Mr Oshiomhole had also welcomed the decision to sack his leadership, although he said he would refrain from examining its legality. Expected to stand in contract to 2008 bank bailouts which saw workers suffer Boris Johnson is to promise those hit hardest by austerity that they will not have to shoulder the cost of reviving the economy after coronavirus, it has been reported. In a major announcement on Tuesday, the Prime Minister will set out plans for a 'decade of investment' by bringing forward infrastructure spending and deregulating parts of the planning system. As concerns mount over the impact of coronavirus on the economy, Mr Johnson will look to stand his message in contrast to the Labour government in 2008, which saw 'too big to fail' banks bailed out while workers suffered redundancies and pay cuts. Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, will make an address the following week to flesh out more details of an economic recovery package, but is not expected to side with companies looking for bailouts. Boris Johnson is to promise those hit hardest by austerity that they will not have to shoulder the cost of reviving the economy after coronavirus He warned British companies looking for rescue that there would be an 'exceptionally high bar', and the Government would not take stakes in return for part-control of firms, according to The Times. Richard Branson's Virgin Airways, regional carrier Loganair and Jaguar Land-Rover have recently asked the Treasury for support. Mr Sunak has also indicated that he will not cut VAT or other taxes, saying that getting the economy moving again was more a question of psychology than incomes. 'This is not my money,' Mr Sunak told Bloomberg Television yesterday. 'It's not government's money. This is taxpayers' money. I shouldn't be sitting here trying to pick winners.' It two addresses, one by Mr Johnson and another by Chanellor Rishi Sunak, the Government will set out plans for a 'decade of investment' and while standing in contrast to the 2008 bailouts of large companies and banks 'There are very tragic projections for what might happen to employment, theres enormous dislocation in the labor market,' he said. 'My priority absolutely is to try and protect and preserve as many of those jobs as possible.' It was also indicated that he would expect shareholders and other investors to take the strain. It comes after a trio of former chancellors, Philip Hammond, George Osborne and Alistair Darling, urged their successor to cut taxes - suggesting there would be little economic 'logic' to hiking taxes at this stage despite soaring government borrowing and debt. Mr Sunak has also indicated that he will not cut VAT or other taxes, saying that getting the economy moving again was more a question of psychology than incomes. Pictured: The PM and Chancellor yesterday tried out social distancing measures at a restaurant ahead of reopening on July 4 Mr Sunak's address next week will focus on a drive to reskill those made unemployed to prepare for an economy reshaped by the virus and move to meet the government's net zero carbon goals. He told the cabinet this week that he wanted to use the economic response to the pandemic to address the social injustice it had caused. 'Young people and BAME people are most likely to be hit hardest by the cri-sis, so opening up the economy safely is a matter of social justice,' he told his colleagues. Mr Sunak also told colleagues that his immediate priority was getting consumer spending back on track. This is a very dangerous time, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio said in an interview on Friday, as cases were trending steadily upward in his state after appearing to be under control for more than a month. I think what is happening in Texas and Florida and several other states should be a warning to everyone. We have to be very careful, he said. The stock market responded badly, with the S&P 500 dropping 2.4 percent. Losses accelerated after the Texas announcement, adding to investors concerns that the virus continued to be a threat to the economy. The shifting assessments of the nations handling of the virus stretched to the highest levels of the federal government, where Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made clear that the standard approach to controlling infectious diseases testing sick people, isolating them and tracing their contacts was not working. The failure, he said, was in part because some infected Americans are asymptomatic and unknowingly spreading the virus but also because some people exposed to the virus are reluctant to self-quarantine or have no place to do so. In a brief interview on Friday, he said officials were having intense discussions about a possible shift to pool testing, in which samples from many people are tested at once in an effort to quickly find and isolate the infected. Dr. Fauci also issued an urgent warning that while coronavirus infections were spiking mostly in the South, those outbreaks could spread to other regions. Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, the newly appointed commander of Iran's Quds Force, reads the will of Major General Qassem Soleimani during the forty day memorial at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran DUBAI (Reuters) - An Iranian news agency on Saturday reported a visit by the chief of the elite Quds Force to eastern Syria, a rare public announcement of a trip to the battlefield by the successor of a commander killed by the United States in January. Esmail Ghaani is the replacement for Qassem Soleimani, Iran's most powerful military commander, who directed its allied militia in conflicts across the Middle East before he was killed by a U.S. missile strike at Baghdad airport. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Ghaani had visited Abu Kamal, a Syrian town on the border with Iraq, in the past few days. It later deleted the report without explanation. Other Iranian news media made no mention of the visit. Tasnim quoted Ghaani as describing Islamic State fighters as agents of Israel and the United States, a common accusation by Iran. Israel has regularly struck what it says are positions of Iran and its allies inside Syria. On Tuesday, the Syrian army said it responded to Israeli strikes on southern, central and eastern Syria in which two soldiers were killed. The Quds Force under Soleimani was instrumental in directing militia that fought on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout the nine year Syrian war. On Saturday, Iranian media said the bodies of two Revolutionary Guards members killed in Syria four year ago were repatriated after being recently found and identified. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Alex Richardson and Peter Graff) Paris, June 27 : The Paris Orly Airport has reopened with limited service after nearly three months of shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first flight took off from the airport, 13 km south of Paris, at 6.25 a.m. Friday, Xinhua news agency quoted France 24 as saying. A Transavia plane bound for the Portuguese city of Porto was sprayed by water cannons from the airport fire brigade vehicles in a so-called "water salute" ceremony before taking off, said the report. Closed to commercial passenger traffic since April 1, the airport was expected to handle 70 flights of a dozen airlines carrying nearly 8,000 passengers on Friday. Before the pandemic, the airport had handled a daily average of 600 flights and 90,000 passengers. For now, only the airport's Orly 3 sector is operational. Sectors 1, 2 and 4 will reopen later as demand increases. "Although all the companies have not yet submitted their flight programs, it is already possible to draw up a first map of French and European destinations for the coming weeks," said the Groupe ADP, which owns and operates the French capital's international airports. The airport has put in place hygienic-sanitary measures for the reopening. The wearing of face masks is mandatory upon entering the terminal. Some 150 automatic hydroalcoholic gel dispensers as well as plexiglass windows at check-in desks and other counters have been installed. Airport staff uses thermal cameras to check the temperature of passengers. Orly is the French capital's second-largest hub after Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) north of Paris. Charles de Gaulle remained open throughout the country's COVID-19 lockdown, though traffic collapsed by almost 98 per cent in May, according to France 24. Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt says there is nothing wrong with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) expressing disappointment in the Supreme Court ruling regarding the Electoral Commission's decision to compile a new voters' register. NDC vs EC Suit The NDC, in March this year, dragged the Electoral Commission to the Apex Court and sought two reliefs, first being that the court should make a declaration on whether the electoral management body had the constitutional right to compile a new register or the law only permits it to do one register and review it periodically. The second item they placed before the court was for the Justices to determine whether the EC's exclusion of the voter ID card was constitutional or not, thereby challenging the Commission's decision to permit only the Ghana card and passport as identification documents for the new voters' registration exercise. The NDC however dropped their first relief and pursued the second leg of their law suit after the Supreme Court held that the court rule doesn't permit it to put forward a relief and seek for another relief in the alternative. Supreme Court Ruling The Supreme Court, on Thursday, June 25, 2020, unanimously ruled in favour of the Electoral Commission and dismissed reliefs by the NDC. A 7-member panel presided by Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah held that the EC is an independent body and will only be directed by the court if it acts contrary to law. EC Respects Supreme Court Ruling Following the court ruling, the Electoral Commission issued a statement emphasizing ''the Commission entreats all its stakeholders to hold themselves in readiness for the Voters Registration Exercise". "The Commission will enforce strict safety protocols at its registration Centres across the country so as to protect Applicants from the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement concluded. The registration exercise will begin on Tuesday, June 30 and it is expected to last for 38 days. NDC Disappointed in the Supreme Court Former President John Dramani Mahama, also addressing the nation, expressed the National Democratic Congress unhappiness with the Supreme Court judgement to exclude the existing voter ID card from the upcoming voter registration exercise. We are deeply disappointed and strongly disagree with the court over this outcome, which has confounded many legal experts and thrown the country into a state of confusion. Our legal team is examining this decision even as we await the full judgement, Mr Mahama added. Kwesi Pratt's Ruling on NDC/EC Supreme Court Verdict Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Kwesi Pratt was of a view that the NDC's criticism of the Supreme Court ruling is in order. According to him, it is a lawful right of every Ghanaian to register his or her displeasure with a court ruling if he or she feels the verdict was wrong. The law permits us to agree or disagree with a Supreme Court ruling. The law also gives us such right; we can disagree with the Supreme Court. Even the full bench of the Supreme Court, when they make a ruling, we can comment on it because the Supreme Court acts in our name. So, every Ghanaian has the right to disagree with the Supreme Court,, he stated. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Five people tested positive for the novel coronavirus here on Saturday. Three of the infected persons, including one from Aslamabad Colony, had recently returned from Algeria. They had been in quarantine since their return. The other four patients are residents of Rourki Khas village, Saidpur, Bahira and Nasrala. Civil surgeon Jasbir Singh said the patients had been shifted to the civil hospital. FEROZEPUR ADC RECOVERS Ferozepur additional deputy commissioner (development) Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu, who had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on June 17 , has recovered. The ADC, who was under home isolation, tested negative on Saturday. After recovering the ADC, said, The virus is not invincible and one can recover by maintaining a high morale and following the guidelines issued by the state government. Four people have died in road accidents and three have been seriously injured during a horrific start to Queenslands school holidays. The fatalities and injuries came from five separate accidents within 24 hours in Inala, Nambour, Cardwell, Toowoomba and Yeppoon. In addition to the five accidents, police are investigating this Gold Coast crash early on Saturday in which a 4WD went through the window of an auto-electrician's shop in Southport. Police are talking with the 4WD's 20-year-old driver. No-one was injured. Credit:AAP They include the death of a 92-year-old man who was knocked from his mobility scooter in a car crash in Toowoomba on Friday. The Queensland police Forensic Crash Unit is investigating all of the crashes, and road patrols are likely to increase in frequency. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Footage from the scene outside the downtown Portland Justice Center, where protesters have gathered each night since demonstrations began in late May, showed police deploying crowd-control munitions toward demonstrators at various points Friday night and early Saturday morning. Reports from those at the scene say a person was taken away in an ambulance after being struck in the head with a crowd-control munition shortly after midnight on Saturday morning. An unidentified medic on a Twitch livestream by Anita Noelle Green said the person may have been hit directly in the head with a stun grenade. It was lots of blood and he was convulsing, the medic said on the livestream. He was seizing, and he would not stop seizing. Portland Fire and Rescue said it could not release information about the incident, but did disclose that a private medic company treated the person. The Multnomah County Sheriffs Office has not responded to a request for comment. Police can be heard on video from the scene telling protesters via loudspeaker to leave at various points, as well as saying people had engaged in reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and unlawful use of a laser. Use of force by police continued at times into the early morning as small crowds were dispersed throughout downtown Portland. Portland police in a Saturday morning press release said people attempted to barricade doors of the Justice Center, spray painted cameras on the building and directed laser pointers at officers. Police also said one officer was injured during an arrest and required medical treatment, but the injury was non-life threatening. Police made multiple arrests but have not yet released information about them. Friday night demonstrations began as hundreds of people marched together through downtown to press for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement one day after officers clashed with protesters outside a Northeast Portland police precinct. Calls to abolish police agencies at city, state and federal levels have permeated the protests since they began in late May. The Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd sparked the protests in Portland and across the nation. Many demonstrators say the criminal justice system has overpoliced Black, Indigenous and other communities of color for so long that it cant be fixed, and funds should be diverted toward addressing the longterm impacts of systemic racism. Fridays demonstrations fell on the final day of a special legislative session, where state lawmakers passed a slate of police accountability bills. Many people in the crowd eventually walked closer to the Justice Center. About 250 people had gathered on Third Avenue in front of the building by 8:45 p.m. They chanted, Who do you serve? Who do you protect? The Justice Center, which houses the downtown jail, some courtrooms and Portland police headquarters, remained boarded up. But for the first time in weeks, all of the chain-link fencing that had surrounded the building was gone. With the fence gone, several dozen protesters gathered on the steps of the Justice Center, as documented by live video shared on social media. Some people taped paper signs over police lookout holes cut into the boards. At least three officers used a side door to step out from the deck onto the sidewalk. A crowd of more than 100 people immediately moved toward the door, prompting the officers to step back inside. The crowd remained there, chanting, at 10 p.m. Some people pointed lasers toward security cameras mounted on the building. At 10:10 p.m., the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office used a loudspeaker to tell people to leave, or be subject to arrest or force. The announcement was a change from previous nights, when Portland police had handled such declarations. We have witnessed reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and unlawful use of a laser, a deputy said on the loudspeaker. If you do not stop, you will be subject to arrest and we may use force against you. Portland police did make an announcement 12 minutes later to tell people Third Avenue and Main Street were closed and order them to move to city parks across the street. Most people did initially back away from the Justice Center, but many remained in the nearby intersection. By 11:25 p.m., dozens of protesters had congregated back near the building. Portland police again ordered people to move away from the building. The warning came after several officers emerged from the building. Police told people if they did not move, they could be subject to impact munitions or chemical agents. Many people did not move. Police repeated the order at 11:50 p.m., telling people to go to the park. However, the officer noted the park would close within 15 minutes under city rule. At 12 a.m., when the park was supposed to close, more than 100 people in total remained next to the building, in the street or in the park. People stood again near a side door on the north side of the building and used objects such as construction zone markers to try to block the door closed, although one officer was able to push the door open. It appeared police then deployed some type of crowd-control munition toward protesters. At 12:15 a.m., police told people to immediately leave the area by walking west or north. The officer told people to remove the barricades from the side door. People did not immediately leave or move the objects. Several dozen people remained in the area at 1:15 a.m. Police had not yet moved in to disperse the crowd. Footage and accounts posted on social media indicates people remained throughout downtown in small groups until at least 3:30 a.m. This article has been updated with information from Portland police. Maxine Bernstein, Dave Killen, Alex Hardgrave, Ryan Nguyen, Jim Ryan, and Ty Vinson of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report. -- K. Rambo krambo@oregonian.com @k_rambo_ Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Yemeni forces to strike strategic targets deeper inside Saudi Arabia: Top Houthi official Iran Press TV Friday, 26 June 2020 10:01 AM Yemen's popular Houthi Ansarullah movement has praised the latest retaliatory missile and drone strikes on strategic sites deep inside Saudi Arabia, saying Yemen's army forces and allies are planning to hit more targets in reprisal for the kingdom's war on the impoverished nation. "A number of Yemen's strategic goals were achieved during the operation [dubbed the Fourth Deterrent Balance Operation]. Several others will soon be attained," Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of Ansarullah's political bureau, said in an exclusive interview with Arabic-language al-Alam television news network on Thursday night. He added, "What distinguishes the recent Yemeni military offensive from the previous ones is the high number of missiles used in the operation, as well as the sensitive targets struck." "Secondly, it was carried out after the peace offer [recently made by member of Yemen's Supreme Political Council Mohammed Ali al-Houthi] to dispel Saudis' delusion that Yemen has put forward the proposal out of despair. After strikes against the sensitive sites, however, Saudi Arabian authorities and their advocates, especially the United States and Britain, realized it was not the case," Bukhaiti pointed out. He noted that world countries now well know that Yemeni forces are capable enough to target the depths of the Saudi territory. "Spokesman of the [Saudi-led] coalition of aggression [Colonel Turki al-Maliki] used to boast about how fast the Royal Saudi Air Forces could control Yemen's airspace in just 15 minutes. But he is now constantly talking about Yemeni missiles and strikes against Riyadh and other regions of Saudi Arabia, collecting the remains of the projectiles and putting them on public display," the senior Ansarullah official stated. On Tuesday, Bukhaiti told Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television news network that the headquarters of the Saudi Defense Ministry, general intelligence agency as well as King Salman Air Base were among military targets hit in the recent Yemeni precision strikes on Riyadh and the southern Saudi border regions of Najran and Jizan. The Riyadh regime, he said, was trying to cover up the losses it has suffered in the raids, adding that the military operation made Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates a key party to the coalition change their strategies. "The Yemeni weapons are continuously making progress, and the next strikes will be more painful and against more sensitive targets," the Ansarullah official noted. UAE-backed STC separatists expel Hadi loyalists from Socotra Forces affiliated with Yemen's so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC), who are backed by the United Arab Emirates, have begun expelling rival Saudi-backed militiamen linked to former Yemeni president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi from Socotra island. The separatists fully captured the strategic Arabian Sea island on Friday following fierce clashes with Hadi loyalists, and the latter abandoned the territory, according to online news outlet Middle East Eye. Fresh Saudi airstrikes leave five civilians dead in central Yemen At least five civilians have been killed when Saudi military aircraft carried out airstrikes against areas in Yemen's central province of al-Bayda. Saudi warplanes conducted aerial assaults against a pickup truck, an oil tanker and a number of cars as they were traveling along a road linking Radman and Qaniya areas late on Thursday, leaving five people dead and several others injured, unnamed local sources told Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network. Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating war on Yemen in March 2015 in order to bring Hadi back to power and crush the Ansarullah movement. The US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, estimates that the war has claimed more than 100,000 lives over the past five years. More than half of Yemen's hospitals and clinics have been destroyed or closed during the war by the Saudi-led coalition, which is supported militarily by the UK, US and other Western nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A white man was fired from his tech job after blocking a young Mexican-American man from entering a San Francisco apartment complex where he lived and possibly assaulting another man who tried to intervene. A couple - reportedly William 'Hank' Beasley and his girlfriend - used their SUV to block Michael Barajas, a 28-year-old UC-Berkeley graduate, from entering the complex on Tuesday. Barajas said he was pulling into his apartment complex's garage at SOMA Residences after coming home from buying fruit. According to Barajas, he used his remote key fob to open the garage door when a white SUV suddenly pulled in ahead of him and refused to move forward. Beasley allegedly referred to Barajas as a 'criminal' that they couldn't allow in. 'Today I was not let into my complex by a white couple from Florida that said they would not let a criminal into their complex as they needed to protect it,' Barajas wrote on Instagram. 'They thought I was trying to tailgate them to break in and rob them/other cars in the garage. They were driving in full speed, stopped poked their head out and saw a brown boy in a hat and put their car on break.' Barajas told ABC 7 that he was wearing a black outfit that showed off his tattoos at the time. He believes that when Beasley poked his out of the passenger side door, he decided Barajas was a threat based on his appearance. Michael Barajas of San Francisco, California, recorded an incident where a white man named William Beasley refused to let him enter his own apartment complex 'His immediate reaction was "hey you f**king criminal, you're not coming in here",' said Barajas. Cell phone footage taken by Barajas shows the white SUV blocking the entrance of the complex garage while Beasley threatens to call security. 'Call security. I live here!' Barajas shouts back. Beasley is heard asking Barajas where his key fob is and insisting if he really lived in the complex he could simply re-enter after they've gone inside as proof of his residency. Barajas repeatedly tells the couple he lives there and that he does have a key fob for the complex. But the couple refuses to believe Barajas and continues to block the garage entrance. The situation escalates when a witness intervened on his behalf. 'Dude, pull into your space and go!' said the witness, who Barajas identified as his neighbor. Cell phone footage showed William Beasley (pictured) continually refusing to let Barajas into the apartment complex at SOMA Residences on Tuesday 'What the f***' is your problem?' the neighbor asks the couple. 'This happens all the time. I also have a key to this, so ease up. You are not this arbiter.' Beasley then pokes his head out of the passenger side door again and threatens to call the police. 'If you have a key card you can get in yourself, but I'm not letting you in. I called the cops. You got about five minutes to get out of here.' says Beasley. 'That's fine,' Barajas says. 'Call the cops. What are you calling the cops about, Karen?' The name 'Karen' has been used to describe entitled middle-aged white women in modern slang, but can apply to people who use their privilege to exert power in oftentimes unnecessary instances. Barajas is heard calling the incident racist while his neighbor chimes in that the couple's behavior is 'pathetic.' The couple then tries to intimidate Barajas by backing up the SUV towards Barajas car. A loud slap is heard off camera after a witness reportedly smacked the white SUV, prompting Beasley to exit the vehicle and appears to attack the man. 'You don't touch my car bro! I'm protecting my f**king place!' Beasley yells. 'You don't have a right to be here!' Beasley appeared to have gotten into a scuffle with a man who intervened on Barajas behalf after the man reportedly hit the white SUV Barajas claimed that Beasley (right) threatened to shoot him and his neighbor during the incident as tensions escalated At one point, Barajas claimed that the man threatened him and his neighbor with gun violence. 'He actually threatened to shoot us if we continued to engage in conversation!' Barajas told ABC 7. The girlfriend corrals Beasley back into the car, but not before Barajas admonishes them for their racist actions. 'In the political climate that we're in right now, and your going to act like this?' Barajas says. Authorities and apartment security arrived to the scene later. Barajas and the neighbor filed a report, and claimed 'the girlfriend tried to pay us to not call the cops and not press battery charges.' 'This is NOT OK and this goes to show you that racism is well and alive,' said Barajas, adding that four other people walked into the garage during the incident. Beasley reportedly said 'nothing to them'. After Barajas (left) shared footage of the incident, Beasley has been accused of racial profiling and was fired from his job Footage of the incident was shared to social media, where it amassed more than 145,000 views across social media platforms. SOMA Residences said in a statement that they're 'actively working to resolve' the incident and do not condone 'violent acts, aggression toward any residents, discrimination and harassment.' After the incident, the couple maintained that they were in the right when an ABC7 photographer asked for their side of the story. 'I talked to them and asked them nicely,' Beasley said, with his girlfriend adding that 'he didn't know' Barajas lived in the complex. When confronted over accusations of racial profiling that have swirled across social, Beasley reportedly got defensive. 'Completely not true, why are you attacking me?' he said. APEX Systems, where Beasley was an employee, fired him after conducting an internal review of the incident and stated they will not 'tolerate violent or racist behavior.' In a statement, APEX Systems said they 'will not tolerate violent or racist behavior of any kind' Barajas said he's satisfied with how SOMA Residences handled the incident, noting he's grateful that others intervened and how far he's come in life. 'I've always been from a really poor, poor immigrant family, so I think what happened just struck very hard for me. I felt, for me, that I do not belong here.' He added that he feels obligated to speak out for other minorities who might get caught in similar situations. Barajas (pictured): 'I've always been from a really poor, poor immigrant family, so I think what happened just struck very hard for me. I felt, for me, that I do not belong here' 'Had that happened to someone who is undocumented and didn't know how to handle the situation and had been violent in return? What would've happened?' said Barajas. This latest encounter comes after a barrage of similar instances of racial profiling that have continued over the backdrop of anti-racism protests. Earlier this month, a Bay Area woman named Lisa Alexander was forced to apologize after calling the police on a Filipino-American man who wrote 'Black Lives Matter' outside his home. She was fired after footage of the incident went viral. How Indonesia is Setting Limits for China's Maritime Expansion in Asia By Ralph Jennings June 26, 2020 Indonesia declined this month to negotiate with China over a tract of sea where Beijing says it should have usage rights. But Beijing isn't pressuring Jakarta like it does Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam when they offend China's sovereignty claims. The populous Southeast Asian archipelago can snub China because of its international clout, and the approach has indirectly helped other countries resist Chinese influence in the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea that's prized for natural resources. Unlike smaller Asian nations, Indonesia with its 273 million people represents a military and political "middle power," a giant market and a core force in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is a key country in the Islamic world extending into the Middle East, says Enrico Cau, Southeast Asia specialist with the Taiwan Strategy Research Association. "Indonesia is not really the type of country you can actually force to coercion as you can do in other cases," Cau says. "Indonesia is a very different case for a variety of reasons." Scholars say that confronting Indonesia's maritime claims could put tens of billions of dollars in Chinese trade at risk, and in the worst case, spark a backlash against ethnic Chinese people in Indonesia reminiscent of anti-China riots in 1998. Beijing and Jakarta dispute a swathe of the South China Sea north of Indonesia's outlying Natuna islands. Indonesia says there is no cause for dispute because its claim follows international maritime law. China is keeping quiet, as Indonesia bolsters military defenses near the contested waters. After a 2016 incident when an Indonesian navy corvette fired warning shots at Chinese fishing fleet, the Southeast Asian country upgraded a Natuna air base to let two types of fighters and attack helicopters operate nearby. Indonesia is expanding on its own and "growing really fast," Cau says. To sit down for talks would imply China has rights to the tract of sea and give it more leverage in the wider dispute involving other countries, said Evan Laksmana, senior researcher for the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think-tank in Jakarta. "It's about the potential legality of China's claim overall," Laksmana said. "If we implicitly or inadvertently acknowledge China's rights, either we haphazardly negotiate or have talks or even give China rights to fish and all that, then it would strengthen their overall claim against the other claimants in the area." Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam claim all or parts of the sea. China, which has Asia's strongest armed forces, has alarmed other parties to the dispute since 2010 by landfilling tiny islets for military use. In recent months, China has sent survey ships and coast guard vessels in waters it disputes with Malaysia and Vietnam. It also flew eight military planes along the edge of Taiwan's air defense zone this month through June 24. Indonesia should expect to find more Chinese vessels near the Natuna islands, scholars say. China needs the fish because catches are thinning closer to its own coasts, said Carl Thayer, Southeast Asia-specialized emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia. China is drilling for undersea fossil fuel in some parts of the sea as well. "China and Vietnam have polluted their coast and coastal waterways, traditional fishing grounds (and) overfished, so the most lucrative fishing is in the south." Thayer said. Indonesia would keep pushing back with its navy coast guard and lodge diplomatic protests, Laksmana said. China is unlikely to raise its game, he said. Indonesia found about 60 "trespassing" Chinese vessels in 30 locations within its maritime exclusive economic zone in December, the research platform East Asia Forum says. More Chinese vessels came a month later and media reports from Jakarta said Chinese coast guard vessels had escorted some. Indonesia protested to the Chinese ambassador then and sent warships plus F-16 fighter jets to patrol the region. The United Nations is the latest forum for the two sides' claims. The Chinese government told U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a letter this month that China and Indonesia have overlapping claims in parts of the South China Sea. China normally cites historical documents to back its claims. China was responding to a note from the Indonesian government to the U.N. head on May 26. Jakarta had rejected Beijing's nine-dash line that it uses to demarcate South China Sea claims. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The City of Luxembourg purchased 1,000 vouchers from businesses around the capital, which will be handed to the public via competitions and promotions. There will also be additional financial support. Alongside the voucher scheme, the municipality also offered additional financial aid worth 4,000 to each business. The scheme has proved to be successful thus far, with around 900 participants - 60% of affected businesses. The municipality has once again issued an appeal to businesses, encouraging them to make use of the scheme. Would-be participants can submit their applications on 3 July at the Hall Victor Hugo. The vouchers will be distributed at a later date by the city council and must be spent in the shops from whence they were issued. The City of Luxembourg has invested around 6 million euros in the scheme to support local commerce. Banks and estate agents were excluded from the businesses eligible for financial aid. The municipality hopes the scheme will encourage consumers to make use of the city's shops after the health crisis. Further information can be found at commerce.vdl.lu. The permanent secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Olusegun Ogboye, has said 5,064 patients of the 9,497 confirmed cases of coronavirus as at Friday have recovered in the community. This is different from those who recovered at the states isolation centres, which Mr Ogboye said was 1470. It means 6,534 have recovered in the state so far. The official, through his released statistics, also revealed that over a quarter of those tested were positive. Mr Ogboye said this on Friday during a situation analysis of COVID-19 in Lagos. He said a total number of 35,127 tests have been done in the state, with 9497 positive cases, which amounts to 27.1 per cent of the total tests done, adding that the state is doing targeted testing and not general screening test. Mr Ogboye said only 447 patients out of the 9,497 confirmed cases are currently admitted at the isolation facilities, while 1470 have been discharged. READ ALSO: Of the above number of confirmed cases (9497), 1,470 were admitted and discharged from the States COVID care centres, 447 patients are currently admitted in our various COVID care centres, majority of the balance 2,381 have not been picked up due to declined pickup and wrong information. Seven patients were either evacuated or transferred out of our COVID care centres while 128 patients representing 1.3 percent who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Lagos State have died, he said. Lagos has a total bed capacity of 674 according to the breakdown given by the permanent secretary. Below is a list of the isolation centres in Lagos and their bed capacity; Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba 115 Onikan 100 LUTH 60 Gbagada 180 Landmark 81 Agidingbi 47 Lekki 45 First Cardiology Consultant Hospital 15 Paelon Memorial 11 Vedic 20 Epicentre Mr Ogboye further said that Lagos accounts for 42 per cent of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, and only 23.6 percent of the recorded deaths. The death toll from coronavirus in Lagos as of Friday is 128. Deaths from COVID-19 in Nigeria rose to 554 on Friday, an additional five deaths from the 549 deaths recorded the previous day. Mr Ogboye further said Lagos is doing 1629 tests per million of the population and will transit to home based care option for people who have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic in the next few weeks. To cope with the numbers of positive cases we have incorporated what we call the home based care or the decentralization of isolation centers. In the community we will be looking for homes where people will be adequately isolated in their environment which does not pose danger to other members of the community, he said. Lagos recorded 258 new cases on Friday, bring the total confirmed cases to 9,741. Improvement Meanwhile, Akin Abayomi, the Commissioner for Health in Lagos said the state has accredited seven private laboratories to boost its testing capacity and three private hospitals for case management. The accredited laboratories are: Total Medical Services, Sylab, 54gene, Mebbury Medical Services, Biologix Medical Services, 02 Medical Services and Clina Lancent Laboratory. TWO young men who caused thousands of euro worth of damage to parked cars during a planned crime spree have been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. Jake Barry,22, of Byrne Avenue, Prospect and Gavin Slattery, 19, of Ballyclough Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston had each pleaded guilty to multiple theft and criminal damage charges. Detective Garda Gary Laide told Limerick CIrcuit Court that a significant investigation was launched after 21 separate households in the Dooradoyle and Raheen areas of the city were targeted by the defendants on the night of June 2, 2019 into the early hours of the following morning. He said a large number of cars were broken into and that others were damaged. Various property was stolen including debit cards which were subsequently used to buy lottery tickets and cigarettes. Judge Tom ODonnell was told the escapade was fuelled by drugs and alcohol and that both defendants cooperated when arrested the following day. Imposing sentence, he said the premeditated nature of the offending was an aggravating factor. This is a nasty and mean type of crime with considerable loss and upset to victims. It was premeditated and done to feed a drug habit. The public has a right to be protected from this type of crime," he said. In each case he imposed three year prison sentences suspending the final 18 months. The sentences were backdated to June 5, 2019. To the Editor: The news for public schools, preschool through 12th grade, is classic good newsbad news. The good news: Parents and teachers worked hard to make the best of Covid-19 school closures and distance learning, school budgets passed with wide margins statewide, and scores of state officials and local educators are working diligently to craft plans for students and staff to reenter schools safely in the fall. The bad news: Parents, students and teachers stress over the prospect of a second wave of Covid-19 and future school closures, the enacted school budgets were limited by New Yorks tax cap, resulting in statewide staffing cuts and larger class sizes for students. The prospect of reentering schools in the fall will undoubtedly have unexpected costs for safety, social distancing and student support services, resulting in deeper cuts. Further, parents, teachers and school officials statewide fear new cuts to their current state aid, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo can enact on his whim. This new environment will hit at a time when New Yorks school children need extra support and investment in their educational and social emotional health. Amid this topsy-turvy landscape, Central New York has some lawmakers who are standing up for the future of New Yorks school children. State Sen. Rachel May and Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter have the backs of public education students, teachers and schools. They quickly and openly pronounced support and sponsorship for legislation to fully fund public schools; asking ultra-wealthy New Yorkers to pay fair-share taxes, and have signed a statement of principles for fiscal and social responsibility during the Covid-19 crisis. They see the need to ask billionaires who have seen their income sky-rocket to pitch in while their neighbors suffer financially. May and Hunter have displayed a genuine understanding of the value of investing in our students and schools and are willing to step forward to help. I hope you will join me in applauding them for their support and vision. Phil Cleary North Syracuse The writer is a teacher in North Syracuse Central Schools. Related: Voting soars in CNY school budget votes; mail-in voting increases turnout by 3 to 8 times Two people were shot to death in Birmingham Friday night in separate incidents just minutes apart. One of the shootings happened on the citys west side and the other happened in the north Birmingham community of Fountain Heights. Birmingham police identified one victim as Stephone Jemison, 26. Family identified the second victim as JahShavia Taylor, 22. Birmingham police West Precinct officers responded at 10:42 p.m. Friday to a report of a person shot at 2915 Avenue V. When they arrived on the scene, the found a wounded Jemison in the front room of the residence. He was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Sgt. Rod Mauldin said the preliminary investigation suggests a verbal altercation took place prior to the victim being shot. Details of the dispute are unclear, and no suspects are in custody. Across town on the citys northside, authorities say Taylor was shot on the front porch of her apartment. That shooting happened at 10:37 p.m. at 1223 12th Street North. When police and paramedics arrived on the scene, Taylor was found unresponsive in the breezeway of her apartment. She was taken to UAB Hospital where she also was pronounced dead. Mauldin said there is limited details in the investigation and no suspects in custody. Witnesses said multiple shots were fired. According to police radio traffic, there were multiple shell casings in the street from two different guns - a handgun and a rifle. Taylor was a 2016 graduate of Wenonah High School. Her death has stunned friends and family. My family is pretty heartbroken,' said cousin Destiny Bell, who is stationed in Hawaii in the U.S. Navy. Its not something we were prepared for. Bell said Taylor was kind and loved animals. She was one of the sweetest people youd ever meet,' Bell said. JahShavia did not deserve to die the way she did. She was very shy, and she didnt bother anyone. A GoFundMe has been started to help with her funeral. Im asking for whatever you can spare during these trying time,' Bell wrote in the GoFundMe. Donations can be made here. The slayings of Jemison and Taylor bring the number of Birmingham homicides in 2020 to 56. Of those, eight have been ruled justifiable and one was ruled accidental and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 83 homicides including the 56 in Birmingham. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. In the early days of the pandemic, a relative in Italy recommended that Chiara Pazzano take vitamin D to protect her from the coronavirus. She bought some from the chemist for herself and her family. But her curiosity was piqued: did it really make any difference? Ms Pazzano, a digital content producer for SBS Italian, asked the question of Sanjaya Senanayake, an associate professor of medicine and infectious disease at Australian National University. Chiara Pazzano, a digital content producer for SBS Italian, has been helping bust myths about the coronavirus. Credit:Nick Moir There is no good scientific evidence that this is the case, he replied. It didn't take long after vandals defaced the statue of Andrew Jackson in front of the Jackson Coutny courthouse in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, for County Executive Frank White to call for its removal. "Countless men, women and children come through the doors of our courthouses every day. The state of California is requiring all trucks to be zero-emission beginning in 2024, thanks to a new mandate from the California Air Resources Board. The regulation, which CARB calls the first in the world,is meant to be a step towards California meeting its long-term emissions goals. The rule would apply specifically to medium- and heavy-duty trucks weighing 8,500 pounds or more. Under the mandate, every new truck sold in California will be zero-emission by 2045, according to CARB. It further states that by 2035 the state will have an all zero-emission short-haul drayage fleet in ports and railyards, and that by 2040 there will be zero-emission last-mile delivery trucks and vans. CARB says trucks account for 70 percent of the smog-causing pollution and 80 percent of carcinogenic diesel soot in California, making them the biggest source of the states air pollution. The state is aiming for a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030, an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 -- so, it makes sense bold mandates would be put forth to meet bold goals. The mandate is just the latest in changes that would make zero-emission trucks more common on the highway. A group of electric utility companies in California, Oregon and Washington state are currently working to propose an EV-truck-friendly highway through the West Coast Clean Transit Corridor Initiative. More vehicle manufacturers, including Nikola, Toyota and Tesla. are trying to be part of the solution by working to get electric semi-trucks onto the market. A former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu, has just issued the statement below in reaction to the dissolution of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC). BECOMING THE PARTY WE WERE INTENDED TO BE I wish to begin my remarks by commending members of the National Working Committee. Under their collective stewardship, the party earned great and important victories, not least the vital second mandate handed to President Buhari. President Buharis victory, and the overall electoral success of APC speak highly of them. Our task as a party is to build upon the progress thus made so that both nation and party may advance to their better future. Yet, we must acknowledge that something important has gone off track. For some months we have experienced growing disagreement within the leadership of the party. This unfortunate competition had grown so intense as to impair the performance of the NWC, thus undermining the internal cohesion and discipline vital to success. Some people have gone so far as to predict the total disintegration of our party. Most such dire predictions were from critics whose forecasts said more about their ill will than they revealed about our partys objective condition. Predictions of the APCs imminent demise are premature and mostly mean-spirited. However, an honest person must admit the party had entered a space where it had no good reason to be. The trouble is not that we would forfeit our collective existence but whether we were in danger of losing our collective purpose. In some ways, this possibility is of greater concern. A political party that has lost sight of the reason for its existence becomes but the vehicle of blind and clashing ambitions. This is not what drove the APCs creation. Those who believe Nigeria can be forged into a better nation and deserves good governance must harken back to the establishment of our party. Those who were there and contributed the most to the partys genesis embraced a common vision. Not only did we believe the venal, purblind PDP was leading the nation into a pit, we sincerely held a common vision of progressive good governance. This was the overriding reason for the APC. Those most intimately involved in founding the party remain faithful to this benign, timely assignment. Sadly, many members have lost their balance. Their personal ambition apparently came to greatly outweigh the obvious national imperatives. Even in the best of times, Nigeria is beset by myriad challenges. Poverty and economic inequality, insecurity, lack of infrastructure are longstanding obstacles that have blocked our access to national greatness for too long. Through no fault of our own, we now live in a moment of heightened difficulty. We did not ask for COVID-19 but it has found us. We must deal with it and navigate its rude economic consequences. At the same time we must grapple with the violent insecurity caused by increasingly desperate terrorists and criminals. People need concrete help from us. We must focus on building roads and creating jobs. For the average man, watching politicians wrestle for position is a poor substitute to seeing politicians working for the benefit of all. Yet, such intramural fighting has come to occupy the attention of many high ranking party officials and members. The National Working Committee, itself, became riven by unnecessary conflict. Those who disagreed with one another stopped trying to find common ground. Attempts were made to use the power of executive authority to bury each other. I must be blunt here. This is the behaviour of a fight club not the culture of a progressive political party. Some members went against their chairman in a bid to forcefully oust him. In hindsight, his fence-mending attempts were perhaps too little too late. I believed and continue to believe that Comrade Oshiomhole tried his best. Mistakes were made and he must own them. Yet, we must remember also that he was an able and enthusiastic campaigner during the 2019 election. He is a man of considerable ability as are the rest of you who constituted the NWC. Former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole Photo: DailyPost It had been my hope that the disagreements could be resolved. After all, a political solution should not be beyond the ken of leaders of a major political party. But such resolution has failed to materialise. It was as if some unseen but strong force continued to stoke the embers. Instead of calling a prudent ceasefire, too many people sought more destructive weapons against one another. Order, party discipline and mutual respect went out of the window. Members instituted all manner of court cases, most of them destructive, some of them frivolous, none of them necessary. In the process, a dense fog fell upon our party. When this matter first came to a boil a few months ago, I issued a statement against this litigious tendency. President Buhari and former interim chairman Akande published strong words against this misuse of the courts as being contrary to the spirit of the party and the letter of its constitution. Each of us knew nothing good would come of such conduct. Instead of listening to this counsel, party members increased their trips to the courts. While busy providing ample livelihood for a gaggle of lawyers, these actions cast the good of the party to the wind. After the fusillade of lawsuits and countersuits, two NWC members laid competing claims to the chairmanship. One legitimately elected at our national convention; the latter whose claim was based on the questionable suspension of the former. With lawsuits so numerous one needed a spread sheet to keep track, President Buhari has reasonably decided that he has seen enough. I do not lament his intervention or its outcome. I lament that the situation degenerated to the point where he felt compelled to intervene. President Buhari is much more than a mere beneficiary of the party. He is one of its founding fathers. The APC does not exist in its current form without his singular contributions. That is not opinion; it is undisputed fact. President Muhammadu Buhari during the inauguration of an Advisory Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Given these antecedents, he cares about the condition of the party as any parent would care for its offspring. President Buhari has done what any parent in his position and with his authority would do. The more troubling consideration is that so many trusted people acted in such a way as to force the president to put aside the issues of statecraft in order to address these problems. The President has spoken and his decision has been accepted. It is now beholden on all of us, as members of the APC, to recommit ourselves to the ideals and principles on which our party was founded. While we recognize that people have personal ambitions, those ambitions are secondary, not sacrosanct. Members must subordinate their ambitions to health and well-being of the party. Never should our party be defined by one persons interests or even the amalgam of all members individual interests. A successful party must be greater than the sum of its parts. In this vein, I appeal to all former members of the National Working Committee and all members of our party to sheathe their swords and look to the larger picture. We have governorship elections around the corner in Edo and a primary and elections in Ondo. On these important events we must concentrate our immediate energies. In the longer run, we must restore the collegial nature to the party so that it should be in the practice of coming to support the President instead of him having to rescue the party from itself. Advertisements In Edo, we must rally round our candidate Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu. In this, Comrade Oshiomhole has a crucial role to play. I congratulate him for his equanimity and loyalty to the party and our President in accepting the dissolution of the NWC. I encourage him, now, to return to Edo State to energise the campaign for the election of Pastor Ize-Iyamu. In Ondo, we must set the procedures for primaries and conduct that exercise in a fair, transparent manner that shows the Nigerian people the party has left turmoil behind. In addition to the daily operation of the party, the Caretaker Committee has the mandate to prepare for a mini national convention within six months. We must give the committee the support needed to fulfil this assignment in an impartial manner. Osagie Ize-Iyamu As I understand it, no one has been precluded from seeking any party office to which he is otherwise eligible. Former NWC members are free to seek re-election to the NWC. Provided they have the support of party members, they will have an opportunity to return to serve the party in a leadership capacity. This reflects our overriding desire to restore and maintain internal democracy not subvert it. To those who have been actively bleating how the Presidents actions and the NEC meeting have ended my purported 2023 ambitions, I seek your pity. I am but a mere mortal who does not enjoy the length of foresight or political wisdom you profess to have. Already, you have assigned colourful epitaphs to the 2023 death of an alleged political ambition that is not yet even born. At this extenuating moment with COVID-19 and its economic fallout hounding us, I cannot see as far into the distance as you. I have made no decision regarding 2023 for the concerns of this hour are momentous enough. During this period, I have not busied myself with politicking regarding 2023. I find that a bit distasteful and somewhat uncaring particularly when so many of our people have been unbalanced by the twin public health and economic crises we face. I have devoted these last few months to thinking of policies that may help the nation in the here and now. What I may or may not do 3 years hence seems too remote given present exigencies. Those who seek to cast themselves as political Nostradamus are free to so engage their energies. I trust the discerning public will give the views of such eager seers the scant weight such divinations warrant. Personally, I find greater merit trying to help in the present by offering policy ideas, both privately and publicly, where I think they might help. I will continue in this same mode for the immediate future. 2023 will answer its own questions in due time. I have toiled for this party as much as any other person and perhaps more than most. Despite this investment or perhaps due to it, I have no problem with making personal sacrifices (and none of us should have such a problem) as long as the party remains true to its progressive, democratic creed. Politics is but a vehicle to arrive at governance. Good politics promotes good governance. Yet, politics is also an uncertain venture. No one gets all they want all the time. In even a tightly-woven family, differences and competing interests must be balanced and accommodated. My fellow party members who now feel aggrieved by the NEC meeting I urge you to accept the sacrifice you have been asked to make so that the air can be cleared, the party can assume its proper role of helping this government lead the nation toward enlightened improvement, and the party itself can grow and firmly establish itself as the best, most democratic party in the land. SIGNED Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu 27 June 2020. Tripoli, June 27 : The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said that more than 5,000 illegal immigrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast so far this year. "As of June 26, 5,049 refugees and migrants have been registered as rescued/intercepted at sea in 2020, by the Libyan Coast Guard and disembarked in Libya," Xinhua news agency quoted the UNHCR as saying in a report on Friday. "By the way of comparison, over the same period in 2019, 3,457 individuals had been disembarked in Libya," it added. The UNHCR also said that there are 48,834 refugees and asylum-seekers currently registered with the Agency, adding that funding of $84.1 million was needed for its activities in 2020. Libya is a preferred point of departure for thousands of illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe, because of the state of insecurity and chaos in the country that followed the 2011 fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime. Shelters in Libya are overcrowded with thousands of migrants who are either rescued at sea or arrested by the authorities, despite repeated international calls to close those centres. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text CATSKILL Controversial plans for a construction and demolition debris site here have been abandoned, with its proponents citing a poor economy. Peckham Industries is withdrawing from permitting consideration the project known as the Peckham Catskill Berm Project. The economic climate is not right at this time, Jason Kappel, the companys director of technical services said to the state Department of Environmental Conservation in a notice last week. Peckham wanted to bring in construction and demolition debris from downstate via barges. The debris would be fashioned into 40-foot-high berms the company said would shield from view the site of a former cement plant near the river. Up to 600,000 tons of debris such as concrete and brick were to be brought there over a period of three to four years. The company had put in an application to the DEC in October. The site had drawn opposition from residents of the Catskill area and from people living across the river in Columbia County who worried about their view shed. A local organization, Keep it Greene, Peckham Action Group, was formed to highlight issues such as the sites proximity to the Hudson River a few hundred yards away. Opponents said they worried that leachate from the site would flow into the estuaries and the river. The Peckham berm project was in fact an unlined landfill for construction and demolition waste, Dave Walker, a geologist and member of the Keep it Greene organization said in a news release. Peckham officials could not be reached for comment. But DEC confirmed the company's withdrawal letter. In March, plans for another construction and debris site in Athens, about five miles north, were withdrawn. Athens Stevedoring and Environmental Development LLC had proposed a facility to store and process 8,400 tons of construction and debris material per week. After crushing, it would have been hauled away by truck from the waterfront site. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. That too, had faced heavy opposition, made more so by the ongoing controversy over the S.A. Dunn construction debris site in Rensselaer 38 miles north. Rensselaer residents have complained bitterly over the truck traffic, dust and odors from the landfill which used to be a gravel pit. More for you Athens Stevedoring drops construction dump application in Hudson River community Peckhams decision also comes just over a year after Wheelabrator Technologies withdrew its application to build an incinerator ash site near the Peckham site at an abandoned quarry. The company had planned to truck ash from incinerators it owns in the Hudson Valley to the site. That also drew heavy local opposition regarding truck traffic and the sites proximity to the river. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518-454-5758 @RickKarlinTU (Newser) In September 1982, 8-year-old Kelly Ann Prosser was abducted while walking home from school in Columbus Ohio, then beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled to death. Her body was discovered in a field two days later, but her killer was never found. Now, nearly four decades later, authorities say they have their man, thanks to DNA evidence and a podcast. The Columbus Dispatch reports that Harold Warren Jarrell has been IDed as Prosser's killer after detectives dragged genealogy company AdvanceDNA into the case to use crime scene DNA samples to find a match within its database, a method that's been used with success in other longtime cold cases, including that of the Golden State Killer. "We've had the [DNA] profile, we just didn't have a name to go with it," says Deputy Chief Greg Bodker. WSYX says the breakthrough came in March. story continues below A family tree was constructed by members of the Columbus cold-case unit, and an initial match using the DNA database came via a third cousin of Jarrell, who'd served about five years behind bars after being convicted of a sex crime involving a child in 1977which means he abducted Prosser soon after he got out of prison. Prosser's case was also the debut feature on The Fifth Floor podcast, a Columbus PD venture that examines unsolved homicides. Still, while the mystery is now over, justice still proves elusive: Jarrell died in 1996, when he was 67 years old. When Prosser was kidnapped, he was 53. "We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Kelly Ann Prosser," AdvanceDNA posted on Facebook Friday. "Today is one of those bittersweet moments that has been a long time coming," Prosser's family says in a statement (seen in full here), per the Dispatch. (Read more cold cases stories.) The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty today announced that her Departments Enterprise Support Grant will now be made available to assist self-employed recipients who are exiting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme with a once-off grant of up to 1,000 to re-start their business. The Minister also announced that she was extending the School Meals Programme for summer 2020. Enterprise Support Grant for Small Businesses The Minister stated that the Enterprise Support Grant will now be made available to assist self-employed recipients who are exiting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme. This will provide owners with a once-off grant of up to 1,000 to re-start their business. 12m has been allocated for the extension of this grant. The grant will be payable to self-employed micro enterprises which employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than 1 million and are not eligible for support from the COVID 19 Business Restart Grant or other similar business reopening grants. Minister Doherty explained: We want to get Ireland back working again. In many cases, this means tackling the roadblocks and obstacles which stop an otherwise viable business from getting back up and running or simply giving them a helping hand. It is crucial that we approach this task in an innovative and flexible manner and this is what underpins todays announcement. Some small self-employed businesses may face difficulties in transitioning from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to a reliance on normal trading income, particularly in situations where normal trading conditions have not fully resumed. The Enterprise Support Grant operated by my Department is normally paid to people who are in receipt of jobseeker payments who close their claim to start their own business/enter self-employment as a micro-enterprise. It usually helps people leave unemployment to start a new business but I am now going to apply the scheme to help existing small businesses typically trades people or sole traders return to work and to give that return a helpful boost. The extension of the grant to eligible recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will provide businesses with a once-off payment of up to 1,000. The Grant will be awarded to tax and PRSI compliant self-employed individuals who: Have been in receipt of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and have closed their claim; Have reopened their business; Employ fewer than 10 people; Have an annual turnover of less than 1 million; Are not eligible for other similar Covid business re-start grants from other Government Departments; Are not liable for commercial rates; Produce VAT receipts/invoices in respect of business re-start costs and expenses claimed. It is envisaged that those who close their PUP claim will have a period of 4 weeks, from date of claim closure, within which to submit a claim. This is to allow time for claimants to incur the necessary expenditure, gather receipts and submit a claim. Now that a decision has been taken to extend the scheme in this manner, the Department is developing the systems to put it into effect and will communicate how to access the grant in the coming weeks. School Meals Programme Available for the Summer The programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. Speaking today, Minister Doherty said: Generally, the funding for the school meals programme ceases at the end of the school year the end of May for post-primary schools and the end of June for primary schools. However, I want the scheme to be available over the summer period to ensure children who do not have access to nutritious food will continue to receive meals during the summer school holidays. I am therefore making the programme available to all the schools and organisations currently in the programme over the summer for approximately nine weeks until the funding for the 2020/2021 school year commences. Funding School Meals Programme is for food items only and these must be of suitable nutritional quality. Funding under the scheme is based on the number of children and the type of meal being provided with priority given to schools which are part of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) scheme. Since 2016 additional funding is available to all DEIS schools to provide breakfast and lunch to the majority of pupils. The total cost of the schools meals scheme in 2019 was 54m. Generally, the School Meals Programme does not provide funding to cover school holidays or for days when the school is closed. However, following consultation with the Department of Education and Skills, and with the support of education management bodies, it was agreed that funding under the School Meals Programme could be used to support participating schools that identify pupils who are unlikely to receive nutritious food during the current COVID-19 pandemic, and which were willing to set up a system to provide children with nutritious food while the schools are closed. This support can now continue during the summer. South East Asian leaders warned Friday the virus pandemic had swept away years of economic gains and was hindering negotiations over the flashpoint South China Sea as they met online for a delayed summit. Vietnam, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), had wanted to use the summit to inject momentum into talks on a sprawling China-backed trade pact. But the immediate focus for the 10-member bloc was the crippling cost of the coronavirus, which has ravaged the economies of tourism and export-reliant countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. "It has swept away the successes of recent years... threatening the lives of millions of people," Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in a sobering opening address. He emphasised the "serious consequences" of the pandemic for economic development among ASEAN'S members. ASEAN General Secretary Lim Jock Hoi confirmed the bleak outlook, warning the region's economy is expected to contract for the first time in 22 years. There is also increasing angst that the fallout from the virus has provided cover for new Chinese plays in the South China Sea, the resource-rich waterway Beijing claims most of but is also contested by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan. In a draft statement seen by AFP, ASEAN leaders noted concerns over "land reclamations, recent developments and serious incidents" in the South China Sea. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte -- using strong language for a leader that is seen as having pivoted toward China from its traditional ally the United States -- urged all parties "to refrain from escalating tensions and abide by responsibilities under international law". Duterte also urged ASEAN not to be sucked into the power rivalry between Washington and Beijing. The United States is not a claimant to any territories in the South China Sea but has sent its navy to patrol the area in support of freedom of navigation, while Beijing has slammed this as interference in regional affairs by an outside power. - South China Sea chessboard - Vietnam's Prime Minister admitted the pandemic would "interrupt discussion meetings" on the so-called code of conduct, which was due to be finished in 2021 after years of talks. In recent years Beijing has stepped up its territorial claims in the South China Sea by building artificial islands. In April it officially named 80 islands and other geographical features in the disputed waters. The same month Vietnam also accused Beijing of sinking a trawler, prompting the United States to warn it was "exploiting the distraction" of other states "to expand its unlawful claims". China is always advancing its pieces on the "South China Sea chessboard", a senior Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP. Beijing took advantage of the Asian financial crisis in the late 90s and the SARS outbreak to push its claims, he added: "If there is a space, they move." Without directly mentioning China, Vietnam's Phuc admitted that "strategic problems between big countries had become clear and had deepened". "While the world is trying its best to fight the pandemic, there were irresponsible acts, violating international laws, that affected the security and stability of some regions including ours," he said. Vietnam had hoped the summit would see progress on a trade agreement known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which is backed by China. But the deal, which would loop in half the world's population and a third of its GDP, has been hampered by India's refusal to join over access to its market for cheap goods from China, the regional superpower it is now locked in a deadly border row with. Pakistan on Saturday "rejected" the grant of domicile certificates by India to the people not originally from Jammu and Kashmir. As per the new domicile law, non-permanent residents who have residency proof of at least 15 years in Jammu and Kashmir are entitled to get domicile certificates. Over 30,000 people have till now received domicile certificates online in Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian government changed laws to grant residency to different categories of non-residents in the Union territory. The Foreign Office "rejected" the grant of domicile certificates by India to the people not originally from Jammu and Kashmir. "The certificates issued to non-Kashmiris including, among others, the Indian government officials under 'Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure), 2020' are illegal, void and in complete violation of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and International law including the 4th Geneva Convention," the FO said. It asked the international community to intervene to stop India from what it called "changing the demographic structure of Kashmir". More than 150 people gathered on the Town Common Thursday night for a vigil honoring Black victims of police brutality and acknowledging the impact racism has had on Black people within the Belchertown community. The vigil was organized by the Belchertown Justice Collaborative, an organization of about 15 teens and young adults formed earlier this month in response to the protest movement that erupted following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The group held the vigil to coincide with the one-month anniversary of Floyds death, said member Tess Mathewson. Already it seems news coverage is not covering protests as much, so we definitely want to keep that going. This was Belchertowns first show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, said Adwoa Ampiah-Bonney, a member of the collaborative, who is a rising sophomore at the University of Rochester in New York. Plans for the vigil evolved out of talks with people of color who joined the organization and agreed that they would like to see a peaceful, community-building event to raise awareness about racial inequality, said Ampiah-Bonney. In addition, the group hoped to uplift the voices of the Black community in Belchertown, she added. U.S. Census Bureau statistics show Belchertown is almost 95% white. Many people ignore or deny the presence of racism in the community, Ampiah-Bonney said. The collaborative hopes the event helped highlight the prejudice and discrimination people of color in the community have faced and encouraged the towns white residents to be better allies, she said. Even though we are a white suburb, and we might not be the most diverse town, that doesnt mean that were exempt from learning about racism and these injustices, Ampiah-Bonney said. Ampiah-Bonney said that Black people like her live in constant fear of simply being themselves, and regularly face microaggressions and racist comments. It is important to know and acknowledge that racism exists here in Belchertown, Ampiah-Bonney said. I know that this will be challenging and difficult, but it is so important that we dont have any more time to wait and be silent. During the vigil, several members of the Belchertown Justice Collaborative shared their personal experiences with racism within the Belchertown community. In many of their stories, the speakers spoke about bigoted comments and actions they faced from a young age while growing up in Belchertown. Enyonam Adoboe, a rising sophomore at Yale University, said she frequently encountered discrimination throughout her time in the Belchertown Public Schools, starting when she was 4 years old and a teacher told her mother to stop teaching her to read because she shouldnt know how to read. Later, a teacher refused to give her full credit for assignments simply because she was Black, Adoboe said. Being Black in this town meant I was simply a body, not a full-fledged human being with emotions, Adoboe said. I felt like a zoo exhibit or a doll to play with. My pain was humorous; my anger and discomfort was a joke. These feelings were echoed by Monet Williams, a rising senior at Belchertown High School, who recited Maya Angelous poem Caged Bird. As a Black woman, Williams said she faces discrimination based on both her race and gender, adding, (I) feel a double-edged sword cutting through (me) slowly every day. Abigail Akodu, a rising high school senior, said she never truly experienced racism until she moved to Belchertown from London five years ago. Classmates began to call her the n-word within her first year living in Belchertown, she said. The only punishment one peer she reported faced was a two-week suspension, and Akodu said she soon stopped fighting against racist words and actions out of fear and frustration. Some of us ignore (racism) because it doesnt affect us, and some of us because its easier that way, Akodu said. This is what needs to change ... not only in Belchertown but anywhere we find ourselves. The changes we want to see in the world start today in our homes and community. Xavier Williams, a rising Belchertown High School senior, and Gershom Landford, a rising sophomore, both said they felt out of place and had their voices silenced while growing up among their largely white peers. Landford said hes often had to educate others about how their words or actions are racist, a burden he believes he should not have to bear. Every Black person living in America today is still affected by (racism) each and every single day of their lives, Landford said. I personally find it ridiculous that I would need to beg law enforcement to value my life as a human being. The vigil included a period of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyds neck, killing him. At the end of the vigil, Mathewson led the crowd in a pledge to encourage non-Black allies to continue to support the Black Lives Matter movement. She urged audience members to read books about police brutality or white supremacy, watch films and documentaries, support Black-owned businesses and vote in the November presidential election. I, and other white people who hope to be allies, cannot let our guilt or fear stop us from fighting for change, Mathewson said. We must stop thinking, I am not part of the problem, and instead ask ourselves, How can I be part of the solution? Only then will we see real systemic change. Last July, the Supreme Court allowed the $2.5 billion to be spent while the litigation continued, blunting the impact of the latest appeals court action. The White House said the decisions wont interfere with its ability to continue building the wall and noted that the Supreme Court has overturned many of the courts rulings. Glasgow stabbings not seen as terrorism LONDON A male suspect stabbed and wounded a police officer before he was shot dead in Glasgow on Friday. Authorities are not treating the incident that left five other men wounded as terrorism, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said. The suspect died at a Glasgow hotel that appeared to be largely housing asylum-seekers and refugees. The 42-year-old police officer stabbed during the incident at the Park Inn Hotel on Friday was in a critical but stable condition. Five men between the ages of 17 and 53 also were hospitalized. Sturgeon said police are still investigating and she urged the public to avoid speculation. Court rejects Texas mail-in voting case Belarusian-Chinese Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs On June 16, 2020 the Consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Belarus and China were held in video format. The Belarusian delegation was headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrei Dapkiunas, the Chinese delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Le Yucheng. During the consultations, the parties discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation, including the state of the political dialogue between Belarus and China in the light of a difficult epidemiological situation in the world and the prospects for exchanging state visits at the highest levels. Andrei Dapkiunas and Le Yucheng exchanged views on the development of inter-regional cooperation and humanitarian cooperation. In the context of expanding interregional cooperation, was separately discussed the initiative to hold the Years of the Regions of Belarus and China. The consultations also touched upon issues of cooperation between Belarus and China within the framework of multilateral organizations, including the UN, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, the 17+1 format, etc. The sides with satisfaction noted the high dynamics of the development of the Belarusian-Chinese strategic partnership and noted its all-weather character. print version On Jan. 5, 2017, President Barack Obama received a briefing from intelligence officials in the Oval Office about the investigation into Russian efforts to influence the outcome of the 2016 election in favor of Donald Trump. When the briefing was over, he asked Vice President Joe Biden, FBI Director James Comey, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and national security adviser Susan Rice to stay behind for an additional discussion about incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn. What happened next is the subject of intense speculation by President Donald Trump's supporters. Citing no specific evidence, Trump has claimed Obama engaged in "treason." In recent days, Flynn's lawyers released notes, apparently taken by former FBI deputy assistant director Peter Strzok, about the meeting. The notes are cryptic - and Strzok's lawyer told The Washington Post that Strzok did not attend the meeting. So that means the notes may recount what someone else - perhaps Comey - told him about the meeting. But there have been other accounts of the meeting by people who were there, in particular by Yates and Rice. Here's a guide through the various versions. - Who was at the meeting? Initially, CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James R. Clapper Jr., along with Yates and Comey, were part of the briefing, which was given to Obama, Biden and Rice. When it was over, Obama asked Comey and Yates to stay behind, along with Biden and Rice. Brennan and Clapper were stepping down once Trump was inaugurated. Comey, as FBI director with a 10-year term, was expected to continue to serve under Trump, while Yates, a career prosecutor, would become acting attorney general until Trump's nominee was confirmed. (Yates was fired within days of Trump becoming president for refusing to defend his executive order on immigration. Comey was fired in May 2017.) - What's the context for the discussion? The FBI had Flynn, a campaign adviser to Trump, under investigation as part of its Russia probe that began in July 2016. The agency was prepared to close that case against Flynn when FBI officials, via intercepted communications, learned of conversations that Flynn had on Dec. 29, 2016, with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The Obama administration had been puzzled about why Russia did not react strongly to sanctions that the United States had imposed in response to the Russian interference. Intelligence agencies were struggling to understand why Russia reversed course on its pledge to respond. (Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov originally had announced that 35 U.S. diplomats would be declared persona non grata, with his statement echoed by tweets from the Russian Embassy in Washington.) The communication intercepts showed that Flynn had asked the Russians not to retaliate, indicating that the incoming administration's policy would take a different approach. That raised red flags, as usually an incoming president does not try to undermine foreign policy actions taken by the existing president. In an FBI interview, Mary McCord, then a top official in the Justice Department's National Security Division, said she learned on Jan. 3 about the FBI investigation into the calls. She said that then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe reported that a DNI official suggested the conversation could be a violation of the Logan Act. "McCord was not familiar with the Logan Act at the time and made a note to herself to look it up later," the FBI interview notes said. (The Logan Act is an obscure law, signed by President John Adams in 1799, which seeks to prevent private citizens from intervening, without authorization, in disputes between the United States and foreign governments. It has never been successfully prosecuted.) - What was said at the meeting? Rice and Yates both indicated that Obama was primarily concerned with whether limits should be placed on classified information that was shared with the incoming team, in particular Flynn, in light of the intercepts of the calls. Obama said he had "learned of the information about Flynn" and his conversation with Kislyak about sanctions, according to FBI notes of an interview with Yates in September 2017, eight months later. Obama "specified that he did not want any additional information on the matter, but was seeking information on whether the White House should be treating Flynn any differently, given the information," the notes said. It isn't clear who told Obama about the intercepts. Clapper and Comey have said they did not tell Obama. For Yates, it was the first she had heard the news. She "was so surprised by the information she was hearing that she was having a hard time processing it and listening to the conversation at the same time," the FBI notes say. "Yates recalled Comey mentioning the Logan Act, but can't recall if he specified there was an 'investigation,' " the notes add. "Comey did not talk about prosecution in the meeting." We should note here that there is a difference between a criminal investigation and a counterintelligence investigation. The Russia probe started as a counterintelligence investigation. Although presidents generally are expected not to inquire about criminal investigations, it is appropriate to have a discussion about a counterintelligence probe, as that involves national security. Rice, in an email she wrote to herself 15 days later - her last day on the job - wrote: "The president stressed that he is not asking about, initiating or instructing anything from a law enforcement perspective. He reiterated that our law enforcement team needs to proceed as it normally would by the book." She added: "Director Comey affirmed that he is proceeding 'by the book' as it relates to law enforcement. From a national security perspective, Comey said he does have some concerns that incoming NSA Flynn is speaking frequently with Russian Ambassador Kislyak. Comey said that could be an issue as it relates to sharing sensitive information. President Obama asked if Comey was saying that the NSC should not pass sensitive information related to Russia to Flynn. Comey replied 'potentially.' He added that he has no indication thus far that Flynn has passed classified information to Kislyak, but he noted that 'the level of communication is unusual.' The President asked Comey to inform him if anything changes in the next few weeks that should affect how we share classified information with the incoming team. Comey said that he would." - What's new? The Strzok notes are the first documents that appear to bring Biden into the conversation. The notes are cryptic, with just short notations about what different people allegedly said. It's not clear when the notes were written. The Justice Department told Flynn's attorney "we believe that the notes were taken in early January 2017, possibly between January 3 and January 5" - which oddly suggests they were written before the Oval Office meeting on Jan. 5. The first part of the notes makes little sense, but then the notes suggest these were comments made by VP (Biden), P (Obama) and D (FBI Director Comey): VP: "Logan Act" P: These are unusual times VP: I have been on the intel committee for ten years and I never. P: Make sure you look at things - have the right people on it. P: Is there anything I shouldn't be telling transition team? D: Flynn -> Kilysak calls but appear legit As we noted earlier, Strzok was not at the meeting, so this is could be an exercise in telephone tag. The notes conflict with the testimony by Yates that it was Comey who raised the Logan Act. (Recall also that even earlier, an official at DNI first raised the Logan Act.) Nevertheless, in a court filing, Flynn's attorneys alleged that Biden "personally raised" the Logan Act as "an admitted pretext to investigate General Flynn." A person briefed on the Jan. 5 Oval Office conversation told The Fact Checker that Biden did not say anything substantive during the Oval Office discussion. That is consistent with the accounts by Yates and Rice, neither of whom report that Biden said anything. Aitan Goelman, Strzok's attorney, rejected Flynn's lawyers' claim. "Pete's notes are being cynically taken out of context in order to weaponize them to try to help Trump's reelection bid," he said in a statement. "Let me be clear: Pete's notes do not reflect any attempt to interfere in the investigation of General Flynn by President Obama, Vice President Biden, or anyone else in the Obama Administration. The FBI's investigation of General Flynn was properly predicated on the Russian government's interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether there was coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia's efforts. It is interesting that, after attacking Pete's credibility for years, the President's allies are again trying to use his notes, this time to undermine Vice President Biden." The Biden campaign also said the notes are being misinterpreted by Trump's allies. "Neither Vice President Biden nor anyone else in the White House ever advocated for a criminal investigation of Michael Flynn for violating the Logan Act," Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told The Washington Post. "These are third-hand notes and the very person who wrote them - who was not part of the White House meeting - says they 'do not reflect any attempt to interfere in the investigation of General Flynn.' These notes are also consistent with what has long been in the public record, and change nothing. Flynn's interactions with a Russian diplomat and spy appropriately raised counterintelligence concerns that were shared across the two administrations." Flynn ultimately got in trouble when he lied to Vice President Mike Pence and said he had not discussed Obama's sanctions with the Russian ambassador - a lie repeated at the White House podium by press secretary Sean Spicer. With the transcripts of the call in hand, officials at the FBI and the Justice Department were worried that Flynn would be subject to blackmail by the Russians, who also knew he lied to the vice president. After Flynn also lied to FBI agents who came to interview him about the conversation with Kislyak, Yates contacted the White House counsel to let him know there was a problem. According to the report by special counsel Robert Mueller, a top lawyer in the White House conducted research into whether Flynn may have broken the law. He concluded that Flynn may have violated the Logan Act but would probably not be prosecuted for violating that obscure law. But the White House review also concluded that Flynn could be prosecuted for making false statements to the FBI. After Flynn was fired by Trump, he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in 2017. He later sought to withdraw his guilty plea - and Trump's Justice Department in May sought to drop the case. As businesses continue to reinvent themselves during these Coronavirus days, local favorite, Economy Candy has launched a fun endeavor. They write: Every Saturday and Sunday this summer (weather permitting) we will be operating from a push cart outside of our store, dubbed Economy Candy To Go, with limited options available for immediate purchase including $10 Mystery Sweet, Mystery Sour and Mystery Chocolate Bags. Weve also expanded our Curbside Pick Up options to include same day pick up for all orders Over the past few months the shop has had to transition the entire business online. They created a line of CandyCare Packs to generate business for the store, but its been challenging for the family-run operation. Skye Greenfield Cohen tells us, Similarly to how our business pivoted from a hat and shoe repair shop that sold candy on a pushcart to a full blown candy store in 1937, we see parallels in our current transformation from one of New York Citys oldest brick and mortar retail candy stores to an exclusively online business specializing in CandyCare Packs. Of course, we do still offer our over 2,000 products (maybe a bit less given supply restraints) for order on our website for those who know exactly what they want! Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday morning that he is closing Texas bars in response to the post-reopening coronavirus surge. Bars were told to close at noon on Friday. Tall City Brewing Co. co-founder and manager Jeff Thomas said he wasnt surprised and was expecting another shutdown; however, he wished they had been told sooner. I wish there was a bit more notice given to us because this morning they told us to close by noon, so that was a bit disappointing, and thats hard to turn on a dime like that but were going to do our best, Thomas said. Our main priority is the safety of our community. Unfortunately, we had to shut down, but we hope this is the last time we have to. So lets curb the numbers, be safe, be responsible and do a turnaround so we can get back to normal, whatever that may be. Thomas said he has been in contact with staff and had a meeting with all the owners Friday morning to figure out what will happen going forward. During the first shutdown, the brewery had been doing curbside growlers, which they will resume. Everyone is disappointed and bummed but we are going to do the best we can to continue to do curbside growlers, Thomas said. The good thing is that we have experience and we know what to expect now and how to manage it to be as efficient as possible. He said curbside growlers is a great way to support the brewery but he also said the biggest support would be to support restaurants that are open and serving their beer. He said they distribute to 40 different restaurants and bars. Restaurants serving Tall City Brewing Co. beer include Librado, Cork and Pig Odessa, Red Oak Kitchen, Opals Table, Longhorn Steakhouse, The Patio Drafthouse, Pi Social and Torinos Pizza Bar. Here is a map of restaurants with Tall City Brewing Co. beer. To support the restaurants and to support us where they serve our beer, buy our beer there, he said. Thats a win win for the restaurants and for us. Tall City Brewing Co. has 12 beers now on tap and they have added a couple of beers to the menu with another beer on the way. The brewery added Haze Yall which is an IPA with tropical and citrus notes of tangerine and mango and Carol SMASHkin which is a blonde beer thats single malt and single hop at 4.28 percent abv. We want people to get out and promote and do what they can to be safe while also supporting local business, he said. I know thats not as easy as it sounds but there is a way to do it. General manager and small interest owner of The Bar, Judy Farris, said personally she believes the bar industry is at the mercy of the people not so much at the mercy of the government during the pandemic. She said the bar industry needs people to get on board with guidelines and care about other peoples safety. She said a lot of bars were overcrowding and not following guidelines. She posted a statement on The Bars Facebook page explaining to customers what needs to happen in order for bars to reopen sooner. The posts states: Regardless of your personal position concerning the virus, this was really very easy to avoid. If all bars would have simply followed the suggested health requirements to slow the spread of the virus, this wouldnt have happened. As is the case in any situation, the few who blatantly refused to simply control capacities and use strict sanitation procedures, ruined it for the majority who were. Want beer? Visit Tall City Brewing Co. website for locations and growler information https://www.tallcitybrewing.com/ See More Collapse She said that many bars have been following guidelines, but it was the few bars and some customers who didnt want to follow the rules. The bar industry hasnt been targeted for any other reason than the obvious, she said. Its where people congregate in large groups, move around and interact closely with other individuals and groups over extended periods of time. She said it makes sense that the age group of people in their 20s and 30s have had increased numbers of coronavirus cases because they are the ones who most go to bars. We need people to change not so much the government, she said. We need people to care about each other. Dont go to the bars that are overcrowding and not doing what theyre supposed to do because this is the end result of it. Farris said that The Bar has been a staple in Midland for 40 years and will reopen when it is deemed safe again. Woodys Hideaway was closed at 11:45 a.m. and the manager didnt want to speak about the order. The Blue Door removed the patio seating, and owner Erica Mann also didnt want to comment on the executive order. She said she will be focusing on taking care of her business and staff who were communicated with first thing Friday morning about the order. Deprived of citizenship for over 70 years under successive Kashmir-centric regimes, members of the Valmiki Samaj, West Pak Refugees and Gurkhas were finally handed over their domicile certificates here on Saturday. Valmiki community leader Gharu Bhatti said, It is a red-letter day for us. The first domicile certificate was given to 70-year-old Deepo Devi. She had retired long back as a sanitation worker from Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC). We are very happy that we have been finally considered as citizens of J&K. There is new hope among our youth, who can now also become officers and get jobs in other departments, he added. Bhatti slammed Kashmir-centric parties like National Conference and PDP for opposing the new domicile law. Since the beginning they have been saying that these are attempts to change the demography. Instead, they were the ones attempting to make it a Muslim state. They never allowed equal rights to us, be it Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah or Mehboob Mufti, he said. He said the domicile certificates have brought an end to their slavery by the successive Kashmir-centric regimes. Brought from Gurdaspur and Amritsar in 1957 on the assurance of then J&K Prime Minister Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed that they will be given permanent resident status and other privileges, Valmikis ended up working as sweepers for 62 years irrespective of their educational qualifications. West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee (WPRAC) chairman Labha Ram Gandhi said it was all due to sincere and human approach of the BJP-leadership that they got the right to live a dignified life. Except betrayals by previous governments at the Centre as well as in the erstwhile J&K state, nothing was done to solve our issues, Gandhi said. West Pak refugees were not considered residents of the state since 1947. No jobs and no admission in professional courses were given to them. They had fled Pakistan during partition from Sialkot and settled in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts. The process of distribution of domicile certificates under the new domicile law was kick-started here with the distribution of over 50 domicile certificates by Jammu divisional commissioner Sanjeev Verma during a special camp. Speaking on the occasion, Verma said with the handing over of domicile certificates, the long-pending demand of the public has been fulfilled. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Related Rwanda says 3 soldiers hurt in attack by gunmen near Burundi Rwandan soldiers killed four gunmen in a battle with a group of unidentified attackers who launched a cross-border raid from Burundi overnight, the army said Saturday. Three Rwandan soldiers were injured in the fighting which erupted just after midnight in the southern district of Nyaruguru, just a short distance from the border, Lieutenant-colonel Innocent Munyengango told AFP. The assailants fled back towards Burundi, leaving behind four dead among their ranks, as well as military equipment including weapons and communications equipment, he said. "We reassure Rwandans that action will be taken against those responsible," he added. Tension is high between the two neighbours, with Burundi accusing Rwanda of arming and training rebel groups to oppose late president Pierre Nkurunziza, who died suddenly earlier this month. In November, Burundi vowed retaliation after accusing Rwanda of a surprise attack on the border that killed up to eight Burundian soldiers. Rwanda has meanwhile accused Burundi of providing support for the Hutu rebel group FDLR opposed to the government of President Paul Kagame. Munyengango did not directly accuse the Burundi army of taking part in the latest attack, but troops who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP the gunmen were soldiers, and could have been as many as 50, given the intensity of the firefight. A senior Burundi official said they were aware of the attack in Rwanda, and added in reference to the gunmen: "We deployed units at the border to intercept them. "We have nothing to do with these groups that want to destabilise our neighbour," said. He acknowledged that local commanders sometimes collaborated with rebel forces in the field, but stressed "that is not the army's policy". Search Keywords: Short link: By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday Washington was imposing visa restrictions on Chinese officials responsible for restricting freedoms in Hong Kong, but he did not name any of those targeted. The move comes ahead of a three-day meeting of China's parliament from Sunday expected to enact new national security legislation for Hong Kong that has alarmed foreign governments and democracy activists. By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday Washington was imposing visa restrictions on Chinese officials responsible for restricting freedoms in Hong Kong, but he did not name any of those targeted. The move comes ahead of a three-day meeting of China's parliament from Sunday expected to enact new national security legislation for Hong Kong that has alarmed foreign governments and democracy activists. The U.S. visa restrictions apply to "current and former" Chinese Communist Party officials "believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy," Pompeo said, without naming them. Last month, President Donald Trump responded to China's plans by saying he was initiating a process to eliminate special economic treatment that has allowed Hong Kong to remain a global financial center since its handover by Britain in 1997. Pompeo's announcement represents the first concrete U.S. step in response to China's moves, but Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at Washingtons Center for Strategic and International Studies, said visa restrictions were largely symbolic and the fact that no names were given could lessen their impact. A State Department spokeswoman said relatives of designees could also be barred. A Bloomberg columnist quoted a department official as saying the number of officials targeted was "in the single digits." Chinese embassy spokeswoman Fang Hong said China "opposes the U.S. side's wrongful decisions," and added that China's legislation targeted only "a very narrow category of acts that seriously jeopardize national security." "We urge the U.S. to immediately correct its mistakes, withdraw the decisions and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs," she said. Wall Street's major indexes tumbled on Friday after a Wall Street Journal article said U.S. "meddling" on issues like Hong Kong and Taiwan could jeopardize Chinese purchases under a Phase 1 trade deal Trump agreed with China in January, spooking investors already worried about a surge in coronavirus cases. Pompeo's announcement comes at a time of intensified U.S. rhetoric against Beijing as Trump campaigns for re-election. Opinion polls have shown voters increasingly embittered toward China, especially over the coronavirus, which began there. "President Trump promised to punish the Chinese Communist Party officials who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong's freedoms. Today, we are taking action to do just that," Pompeo said. He accused China of pressuring local authorities to arrest pro-democracy activists and disqualify electoral candidates, and added: "The United States will continue to review its authorities to respond to these concerns." Pompeo said last week Washington would treat Hong Kong as a Chinese city rather than an autonomous one to the extent that China treated the territory as a Chinese city. He said Hong Kong elections due in September would show China's intentions. On Thursday, the U.S. Senate approved a bill that would impose mandatory sanctions on people or companies that back efforts to restrict Hong Kong's autonomy. It includes secondary sanctions on banks that do business with anyone backing any crackdown on the territory's autonomy. A Hong Kong government spokesman called the legislation unacceptable, China's official Xinhua news agency said. (Reporting by Lisa Lambert and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Richard Chang and Daniel Wallis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Free parking remains in council car parks until June 29, but no later. This was the message sent out loud and clear at the New Ross Municipal District meeting. Cllr Anthony Connick asked when parking charges will return to New Ross, adding that it is very welcome that presently the only way you can get a ticket from a traffic warden is if you park on a loading bay or in a disabled parking space. Cllr Bridin Murphy said there was confusion over the matter from the start, calling for signs to be placed on parking ticket machines alerting people that parking is free until June 29. Councillors were informed that the cost of parking in New Ross remains the cheapest in the south east. Cllr Connick said he was in Lucan recently and noted that there was a great system in place there whereby anyone buying a parking ticket got extra free time. Cllr Sheehan said in some Waterford car parks you get one hour free of every hour you purchase. June 26, 2020 Release Readout of Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper's Meeting With NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jonathan Hoffman provided the following readout: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hosted Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper for a bilateral meeting today during Secretary Esper's trip to NATO headquarters in Belgium. Secretary Esper used the opportunity to follow-up with the Secretary General on the broad range of security challenges discussed during last week's NATO defense ministerial. They discussed the importance of ensuring a future health crisis does not become a security crisis, including support for Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Tod Wolters' plan to prepare for a potential second wave. Secretary Esper also discussed Russia's destabilizing behavior in the region, arms control, the counter-ISIS fight, reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, defense spending, and the importance of key partnerships. Secretary Esper reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to NATO and transatlantic security, and the importance of working together to address security challenges. https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2233422/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 12:08:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANTIAGO, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Despite the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, Chilean cherries have achieved record sales figures during the 2019-2020 season, thanks to the buying power of its key consumer -- China. Jorge Valenzuela, president of the Federation of Chilean Fruit Producers known as Fedefruta, told Xinhua that in the past season, 228,548 tons of cherries were exported, 27 percent more than in 2018-2019 season, reaching a "historical record" that generated a revenue of around 1.4 billion U.S. dollars. "We are very proud of our product and the commitment that farmers have to the development of the cherry and its quality," he said. Valenzuela said that the past Chilean cherry season started in October, and almost 85 percent arrived in China before the Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, which fell on Jan. 25. However, during the weeks when China was hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, there was a drop in price, fewer customers, and a slowdown in moving the fruit from ports to grocery store shelves. "Luckily, it was between 12 and 20 percent of the fruit, so it did not affect the large number," said Valenzuela. Valenzuela said that according to official figures, Chile has planted more than 38,000 hectares of the fruit, and the total output of cherries would reach 600,000 tons in the coming years, which "would not be surprising." China has "much more development potential" and they hope to enter China's inner cities in the coming years, he added. Fedefruta on Wednesday held an online seminar titled "International Cherry and Blueberry Market: Lessons for Chile from the 2019-2020 Season." Market analysts attending the seminar exchanged views on cherry exports. As the most exported fruit in Chile, cherries have already surpassed the 1-billion-dollar export mark, a figure which has been maintained over the last three seasons and has been on the rise, said Gonzalo Salinas, market analyst of consulting company iQonsulting. Saying that almost 91 percent of Chilean cherries are destined for China, he added that the fruit has adapted to the Chinese market, "paving the way for the growth of further demand." Furthermore, Chilean companies are investing in facilities, storage, and other logistical areas for receival and distribution of products in their destination countries, he added. Enditem Fifteen people were arrested and police officers faced violent confrontations as Liverpool fans gathered to celebrate their Premier League win last night, Merseyside's chief constable has revealed. Police in Liverpool have been granted more powers to disperse crowds in the city centre after parts of the Liver Building caught on fire overnight. Videos circulating on social media appear to show fireworks and flares being set off and glass bottles thrown at police - little social distancing was on show. In statement, Chief Constable Andy Cooke added the actions of a minority were "not only irresponsible, but criminal". "Last night, children and families were present alongside others and heavy-handed police intervention was therefore not appropriate at the time," he said. "Later on in the night, 15 people were arrested for violent disorder and my officers were subjected to a number of violent confrontations. This is not acceptable." The chief constable, himself a Liverpool supporter, said CCTV was being examined to identify those responsible for criminal or anti-social behaviour and urged fans to wait until it was safe to celebrate the club's first Premier League win in 30 years. The football club has also condemned the "wholly unacceptable" behaviour of those gathered, urging fans to celebrate the win safely as "the region is still disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic." Story continues Follow the latest updates below. 04:29 PM Ethiopian monk thought to be aged 114 survives coronavirus A remarkable story here, via Associated Press: An Ethiopian monk believed to be 114 years old has survived a coronavirus infection. Tilahun Woldemichael was discharged from a hospital on Thursday after almost three weeks. He received oxygen and dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available steroid that researchers in England have said reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalised patients. Ethiopia's health minister has said the ministry recommends the emergency use of the drug for Covid-19 patients who require ventilation or oxygen. Tilahun's grandson, Biniam Leulseged, said he has no birth certificate to prove the monk's age, but he showed a photo of him celebrating his 100th birthday. "He was looking young back then, too," Biniam said on Saturday. He added that he was emotional when his grandfather was taken to the hospital but "I am very happy because we are together again." 04:26 PM Matt's take: 'You just need to listen' You just need to listen My latest cartoon for tomorrow's @Telegraph Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to receive my unseen cartoons: https://t.co/JNDhrYJMFH pic.twitter.com/e544WDt5cn Matt Cartoons (@MattCartoonist) June 27, 2020 04:18 PM Here's what you need to know Just joining us? Here's a quick overview of the key developments since our last summary at 2:22pm. The UK's death toll among those who have tested positive for Covid-19 has risen to 43,514, an increase of 100. Total cases stand at 310,250. In Scotland no new fatalities were reported for the second day running. Coronavirus tests which could deliver results within fifteen minutes are set to be trialled in care homes and hospitals , according to Oxford University scientists. Boris Johnson has recommitted his pledge to ensure that any vaccine developed in the UK is "truly available to all" and urged other countries and companies to do the same. Staying with vaccines, Brazil has signed a $127 million agreement to start producing locally the vaccine candidate being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Peru will lift lockdown measures in most areas of the country, including the capital Lima, at the start of July, after the daily rate of cases slowed in recent days. Ireland's new Taoiseach , Micheal Martin, has pledged to rescue the country from the "the fastest-moving recession ever to hit", brought on by the coronavirus crisis. Iran is facing a sharp increase in coronavirus-related infections and deaths - leading the government to launch a campaign today to encourage the public to use face masks. Bethlehem will be temporarily closed on Monday and Tuesday in an attempt to stem a sharp rise in infections in the occupied West Bank. Scroll down for more of today's news. 04:05 PM Bethlehem closed after cases spike A lot of our coverage today has been dominated by countries and cities reintroducing coronavirus lockdown measures, as cases spike. Here's another to add to that list - Bethlehem. The city's governor has announced the temporary closure of the Palestinian city to contain the spread of Covid-19 after a sharp rise in infections in the occupied West Bank. The 48-hour closure will begin on Monday from 6.00am (3:00am GMT), governor Kamil Hmeid said in a statement today. It comes after the West Bank cities of Hebron and Nablus were closed last week for five days and 48 hours respectively. The two cities, alongside Bethlehem, have recorded a significant jump in new coronavirus cases. Today Palestine reported 67 new cases of the Covid-19 - half were in the Bethlehem district. 03:55 PM Could Alpacas hold the key to neutralising coronavirus? A fascinating article from my colleague Steve Bird here - Alpacas could hold the key to neutralising Covid-19 and help suppress any second wave of coronavirus and allow countries to safely lift lockdown. Scientists from universities in Sweden and South Africa have used nanobodies from an alpaca immunised against coronavirus to fight the disease and prevent it binding or infecting a person. The tiny antibody fragment, or nanobody, targets the spikes of the Covid-19 virus, which directly interferes with its ability to infect a host. They said their research potently neutralises the virus, adding that because these nanobodies can be cheaply and easily reproduced they could provide a potent and widely accessible antiviral agent. The nanobodies, roughly a tenth of the size of a normal antibody, are far easier to clone, express and manipulate. Find out more in this article. 03:49 PM In better news - Fiji goes 70 days virus free Martin McKee, Professor of Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has shared some rather cheerier news - Fiji has now gone 70 days without reporting a new coronavirus infection: It can be done.... We need to understand more about countries that have protected against #COVID19 - and no, they are not all islands https://t.co/VNNq2gXkVs Martin McKee (@martinmckee) June 26, 2020 03:43 PM Hong Kong police refuse permission for march to mark handover In Hong Kong, the police department have denied permission for an annual march in on July 1 to mark the anniversary of the city's 1997 return to China, citing the coronavirus pandemic. In a notice to the organiser, Civil Human Rights Front, the police cited the city's current rules limiting gatherings to no more than 50 people due to Covid-19, adding that public assemblies and demonstrations are not exempted. The notice, posted on the front's Facebook page, also cited violent incidents that took place after public assemblies and rallies organised by the group over the past 12 months. "Upon risk assessment, police considered that the public meetings and procession are high-risk activities," the local police department said in a separate post on the department's Facebook page. The move comes ahead of a three-day meeting from Sunday of China's parliament, which is expected to enact new national security legislation on the eve of the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule. Related: China's grip on Hong Kong tightens as it plans bureau to defend 'national security' 03:32 PM Watch: Police officers shut down illegal street parties in west London Police in London have spent a third night trying to break up illegal gatherings, as the capital's most senior officer vowed to shut down events that flout health regulations. 03:23 PM Vaccine news: Brazil signs agreement to produce AstraZeneca candidate On Friday the World Health Organization's chief scientist said that the vaccine candidate being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca is currently the front runner (more here). Today, the Brazil has announced that it has signed a $127 million agreement to start producing the experimental vaccine locally. Elcio Franco, Brazil's number two public health official, said in a press conference that the country will initially produce some 30 million doses of the vaccine, half by December and half by January of next year. Franco said Brazil is paying for the vaccine but is aware of the risk. There is no guarantee that the vaccine will pass all the necessary license requirements, while another vaccine may be ready sooner. The vaccine will be produced by Brazil's Fundacao Osvaldo Cruz, also known as Fiocruz, the country's leading public health organization. Brazil is the world's second most affected country by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 1.2 million confirmed cases as of Friday and more than 55,000 deaths. 03:07 PM UK: Death toll rises by 100 The UK's death toll among those who have tested positive for Covid-19 has risen to 43,514, an increase of 100 over the last 24 hours. As of 9am this morning, 310,250 people have tested positive and more than nine million tests have been carried out, according to the figures from the Department of Health and Social Care. The government remains unable to confirm how many people have been tested in the last 24 hours, but a total of 155,359 were carried out. As of 9am 27 June, there have been 9,067,577 tests, with 155,359 tests on 26 June. 310,250 people have tested positive. As of 5pm on 26 June, of those tested positive for coronavirus, across all settings, 43,514 have sadly died. More info: https://t.co/xXnL3FU15k pic.twitter.com/nCI5JZNMkj Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 27, 2020 03:04 PM Iran launches campaign to encourage the use of face masks Iran is facing a sharp increase in coronavirus-related infections and deaths - leading the government to launch a campaign today to encourage the public to use face masks. Iran was one of the worst hit countries early in the pandemic. But since restrictions to stem its spread were gradually lifted from mid-April, cases have increased again, with the death toll topping 100 a day in the past nine days for the first time in two months. Launching the "#I wear mask" campaign, deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi pleaded with citizens, especially young Iranians, to take the disease seriously: "In our country, every 33 seconds, one person is infected with the coronavirus, and every 13 minutes, one person dies from it. "I desperately - and in a friendly way - plead with people to cooperate in observing medical protocols for their own sake and that of others." Wearing a face covering to avoid spreading the virus is not mandatory in Iran and the guidance is widely flouted. But Harirchi said during a TV interview that wearing masks reduced the risk of the spread of the virus by 85 per cent. Iran's supreme leader added that the country's economic problems would worsen if the novel coronavirus spreads unchecked. Here's a look at the trajectory of the country's outbreak - some 2,456 new infections were recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the case count to more than 220,00. In total 10,364 people have died: 02:54 PM You are not alone: Now read this Throughout the pandemic we've been bringing you more uplifting, thought-provoking and unexpected stories through our 'You are not alone' platform. Here are five of these articles you should read this weekend: 02:44 PM Watch: Violent clashes erupt between Kenyan police and protesters over face masks 02:35 PM PM: 'We have a responsibility to ensure vaccines are available to all' Today the international advocacy organisation, Global Citizen, is hosting an event to highlight the impact of coronavirus on marginalised communities and support organisations at the forefront of efforts to develop tests, treatments and vaccines. Speakers included Dwayne Johnson, Melinda Gates, Olivia Colman, David Beckham - and Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister told the event that the world "must keep our foot planted firmly on the accelerator" to develop much needed medical tools to fight Covid-19. He added: If and when an effective vaccine is found, wherever it is found and whoever finds it, then we as world leaders have a moral duty to ensure that it is truly available to all. Because this pandemic threatens every one of us. Defeating it is the most important shared endeavour of our times. And when we do so, it not be a victory for one nation, but a triumph for all humanity. Mr Johnson said that the UK was playing a pivotal role, with at least 766 million of aid already spent to support the coronavirus response around the world. He added that the UK has also invested in promising vaccine trials at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London. However there have been suggestions from some that the UK's commitment to equitable distribution of potential medical tools and supplies has not gone far enough. You can read more about that - and why it's important - here. PM @BorisJohnson addresses the Unite for Our Future event, demonstrating the UKs commitment to international collaboration on vaccines, treatments and tests. pic.twitter.com/BP4c6YZ4mC UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 27, 2020 02:26 PM Oxford set to trial new 15 minute tests in hospitals and care homes Some more news on diagnostics here, via Yohannes Lowe: Coronavirus tests which could deliver results within fifteen minutes are set to be trialled in care homes and hospitals, Oxford university scientists have revealed. Prof Gail Hayward, an associate professor at the university's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, said researchers are developing rapid saliva and swab tests which could eventually be used at home to diagnose coronavirus. She is leading the Covid-19 National Diagnostic Research and Evaluation Platform (CONDOR), a new national research programme evaluating the accuracy of different tests in various clinical settings. Environments in which the virus is known to be particularly active, such as care homes and GP surgeries, are being targeted for trials in the hope they will be able to deliver results faster than in settings with a lower prevalence of the disease. Find out more here. 02:15 PM New Zealand lockdown architect says UK can 'eliminate' coronavirus too The architect of one of the world's most effective lockdowns says the UK has "all the tools" to rid itself of the virus entirely as he hit out at Britain's lack of global leadership. Speaking to our correspondent, Giovanni Torre, Professor Michael Baker, the doctor who formulated New Zealands 'elimination' strategy, doubled down on his approach. New Zealand has been singled out for its remarkable apparent success in tackling coronavirus, recording just over 1,000 cases and only 22 deaths. Ultimately, a strategy of containment and elimination can offer a way out of this scenario as it aims to create a situation where people come out of lockdown into a virus-free population," he said. "You (the UK) have all the tools you need to pursue containment and elimination if you choose to. The alternative is going in and out of lockdown for months, if not years. Prof Baker added that in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, New Zealand looked to the UK, Europe, the WHO and the USAs Center of Disease Control for leadership. The advice was poor to non-existent," he said. "We turned to Asia for examples. Read the full interview here. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been credited with listening to her advisers and taking a public health focused response to tackle the pandemic - Hannah Peters/Getty Images 01:57 PM Scotland reports no new fatalities, again Scotland's daily coronavirus figures are just out: there have been no fatalities among people who tested positive for a second day running. It means the number of Covid-19 deaths under this measure remains at 2,842. The figures also showed 15 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of positive tests to 18,228. 01:55 PM Ireland's new Taoiseach vows to tackle coronavirus-triggered recession Ireland's parliament has picked veteran opposition leader Micheal Martin as the Taoiseach today. He will head the first ever coalition uniting two parties that have battled each other for power since a civil war nearly a century ago. Martin pledged to rescue Ireland from the "the fastest-moving recession ever to hit", brought on by the coronavirus crisis. Hi Fianna Fail party was forced to join forces with its foes Fine Gael, after a surprise election surge for leftist Irish nationalists Sinn Fein left neither of the traditional centrist parties with enough support to govern on its own. They and are joined in coalition by the environmentalist Greens. Under a novel agreement, Martin is expected to step aside half way through the five-year term to allow Fine Gael's leader, outgoing Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, to return to the post. "There is no question what our most urgent work is. There is no community, no part of our country which has escaped untouched [by Covid-19", Martin told a special sitting of lawmakers, held in Dublin's large Convention Centre as the houses of parliament are too small for social distancing. To overcome the recession "we must act with urgency and ambition," Martin added, close to tears as he thanked his family - who were unable to travel from his native Cork due to coronavirus restrictions, which are due to be eased on Monday. 01:40 PM Peru: Some lockdown measures set to lift - but borders remain shut Meanwhile in South America, Peru has announced that coroanvirus lockdown restrictions will be lifted in most areas of the country, including the capital city Lima, at the start of July. A night curfew will still be in force and the borders will remain closed, the government said, while children under the age of 14 and people older than 65 will still be required to quarantine. Peru was one of the first countries in Latin America to impose a quarantine in mid-March to stem infections, and has extended it several times. But since May the government has allowed a gradual reopening of the economy, as it attempts to walk a tightrope between containing the pandemic and preventing the total collapse of its health system, and allowing a battered economy to recover. Here's a look at the trajectory of the country's outbreak - 272,364 cases, including 8,939 deaths, have been reported to date. 01:28 PM England: 78 additional fatalities reported A further 78 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital in England, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 28,635, NHS England said. Patients were aged between 56 and 97 years old. Two patients, aged 73 and 96, had no known underlying health conditions. The Department for Health and Social Care is yet to publish today's figures across all four UK nations. We'll bring you those figures when we have them. 01:22 PM Here's what you need to know Just joining us? Here's a roundup of the key stories from today. In the UK: Foreign holidays have been given the green light after ministers confirmed the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to the UK will be scrapped for a slew of popular destinations, including France, Spain and Greece. Liverpool FC has condemned the behaviour of fans who gathered in the city centre for a second night on Friday to celebrate their team's Premier League title win. In London the Metropolitan Police Commissioner said "consequences will follow" for those who attack officers or damage property and promised to shut down illegal parties. Pregnant women from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds will receive more NHS support after research showed they are at higher risk from Covid-19. Former Conservative PM John Major has said taxes should go up to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic, prompting a furious reaction from senior Tories who served in his Government. Internationally: A slew of countries have reported record rises in cases , including the US, India and Indonesia (see 10:27am for more). There are now more than 9.83m confirmed infections and 493,611 deaths worldwide. There's been a furious reaction from bar and restaurant owners in Texas and Florida after states officials introduced new restrictions on their businesses due to a spike in new cases. In Texas, the number of hospitalised coronavirus patients surpassed 5,000 for the first time. The virus, now spreading through smaller towns in Brazil's interior, risks returning to major cities in a so-called "boomerang effect," as a lack of specialized medical treatment forces patients into larger urban centers. Tunisia reopened its land, sea and air borders for the first time in more than three months on Saturday after it announced it had brought the coronavirus outbreak under control Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez announces a toughening of lockdown measures in the capital and its surrounding area in a measure due to last until July 17 with "only essential services and some industrial zones" remaining operational. Iran's supreme leader warns the country's economic problems will worsen if the virus spreads unchecked, saying the initial momentum to contain it had since "waned". 01:06 PM Serbian minister tests positive after attending Moscow military parade Serbia's defence minister, Aleksandar Vulin, has tested positive for the coronavirus - a diagnosis that looks like it has the potential to trigger a chain of transmission that could infect Russia's top politicians. The Serbian Defence Ministry announced in a statement today that Mr Vulin has no symptoms and is feeling fine. But Mr Vulin, known for his highly pro-Russian stance, was part of a Serbian delegation led by President Aleksandar Vucic that attended a Victory Day parade this week in Moscow (see video). Mr Vucic met face to face with Russian President Vladimir Putin - it's not clear whether Mr Vulin did so as well. Maja Gojkovic, the speaker of Serbia's parliament, also tested positive, according to the state Tanjug news agency. These infections come amid a spike in coronavirus cases in Serbia, which began lifting strict lockdown measures in late May. Large gatherings are now allowed without obligatory social distancing or masks. Mr Vucic has, though, announced that he will reintroduce lockdown measures if the spike continues. Serbia has so far registered more than 13,500 cases and 265 deaths from Covid-19. 12:54 PM Liverpool: The morning after the night before Last night Liverpool was witness to chaotic scenes, as fans celebrating the Premier League title win set off flares and reportedly threw glass bottles at police (see 10:05am). Little social distancing was on show. Revellers also left behind mountains of rubbish - here are some striking images of the city centre this morning: Workmen clear up rubbish left outside the Liver building - Peter Byrne/PA Wire. Workmen clear up rubbish left outside the Liver building in Liverpool after fans celebrated in the city last nigh - Peter Byrne/PA Wire. 12:41 PM Now read this After a meaty analysis piece to get your teeth into as you pause for lunch? We've got you covered - here are five of the best articles from our columnists: 12:33 PM Going to the gym does not increase risk of catching coronavirus, Norwegian study says In research news - a study from the University of Oslo, believed to be the first of its kind worldwide, has tentatively shown that going to the gym does not increase ones risk of contracting coronavirus. Gyms in Norway, as in Britain, have been closed since mid-March, as scientists believe they are areas where the risk of transmission is high. However, following the results of this study, the Norwegian government has decided to open all gyms. The randomized study began on May 22, when five gyms in Oslo with 3,764 members aged 18-64 reopened. None of these people have underlying health conditions. Half of the participants were allowed to return to the gym while the other half were used as a comparison group and kept away. During the two week study, 80 per cent used the gym at least once, while 38 per cent went more than six times. While using the gym, people had to wash their hands regularly and maintain social distancing - 1 metre for floor exercise, 2 metres for high-intensity classes. Marcus Parekh explains more about the study here. 12:24 PM DRC faces a triple threat: Ebola, measles and now, Covid-19 On Thursday the Democratic Republic of Congo declared that the country's longest and deadliest Ebola outbreak is finally over. Despite two effective vaccines, new treatments and additional tools to protect health workers, including the Ebola cube, efforts to contain the virus were continually hampered by violence and mistrust. This wasn't easy and at times it seemed like a mission impossible, added Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. Ending this Ebola outbreak is a sign of hope for the region, and for the world, that with solidarity and science and courage and commitment, even the most challenging epidemics can be controlled. But don't be fooled that the country is out of the woods. Another Ebola outbreak has emerged some 600 miles away on the other side of vast nation, while the DRC is currently fighting the world's worst measles outbreak. And now, Covid-19 has hit - 6,200 coronavirus cases and 142 deaths have been identified, though testing rates remain low. But, experts say, there is a silver lining. The country can use many of the lessons learned during it's 10th Ebola outbreak to tackle other infectious disease epidemics. Find out more here. Ebola - JOHN WESSELS/AFP 12:10 PM Today in pictures Here's a look at the situation in the UK around the globe - in photos. UK: People attend a drive-in concert of the Jersey Boys outbreak in Preston - REUTERS/Molly Darlington Milan: Local police officers on scooters patrol in piazza Duomo, in Milan, Italy, 26 June 2020. The new service of the Local Police on a scooter is dedicated to the control of pedestrian areas and cycle paths - MATTEO CORNER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Russia: Grave diggers wearing personal protective equipment bury a suspected Covid-19 victim on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg - REUTERS/Anton Vaganov Peru: Patio umbrellas and tarps dot the landscape at La Parada market in La Victoria district in Lima. Peru has more than 2,600 food markets. The government said that after examining thousands of vendors, it found that 36 of Lima's largest markets were points of contagion - AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd Spain: Antonio, a coronavirus patient, waves goodbye to health workers as he leaves the Intensive Care Unit after 96 days following his ful recovery at Navarra Hospital Complex in Pamplona, northern Spain - JESUS DIGES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 11:55 AM Merkel: 'The risk posed by the virus is still serious' An update from Germany where the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has warned today that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over, after regional outbreaks gave rise to fears of a resurgence. "The risk posed by the virus is still serious," Merkel said in her weekly video podcast. "It's easy to forget because Germany has gotten through the crisis well so far, but that doesn't mean we are protected, that the risk has been averted; that is not the case, as is demonstrated by these regional outbreaks." Germany has recorded nearly 195,000 coronavirus infections and only around 9,000 deaths. But this week authorities have renewed restrictions in a western region of about 500,000 people after about 1,300 slaughterhouse workers tested positive for Covid-19, in an attempt to prevent the outbreak from spreading across the area. In the podcast, Merkel also said that getting Europe's economy back on track is her primary goal as Germany takes over the rotating European Union presidency next week. But she stressed that everyone shared a "joint responsibility" in following social distancing, mask and hygiene rules as lockdown rules are relaxed. Here's a look at the trajectory of the Germany's outbreak: Related: Why meat processing plants are the ideal incubator of the coronavirus 11:42 AM Shopping centre owner Intu falls into administration Yesterday it was announced that Intu has fallen into administration. But what does that mean, and what do the coming weeks look like for it's shopping centres? Rachel Millard and Simon Foy explain here: Intus shopping centre empire is set to be broken up and poorly performing sites could be shut as the company crashed into administration after failing to strike a deal with lenders over a 4.5bn debt mountain. The owner of the Trafford Centre in Manchester and 16 other outlets around the UK went to court to appoint KPMG as administrator on Friday afternoon following the collapse of weeks of talks over breathing space from creditors. Its centres will remain open for the time being but are likely to be ultimately sold off to different buyers. Strong operations such as Lakeside in Essex and the Metrocentre in Gateshead are expected to find a new home, with the fate of under-performers less clear. Intu directly employs around 2,373 people, with over 100,000 more working for tenants in its shopping centres. Its collapse underscores the havoc being wreaked by coronavirus, which has forced tenants to close and starved Intu and other landlords of rent for several months. Find out more here. 11:32 AM Watch: Air bridges for France, Greece and Spain 'likely' for UK travel 11:18 AM The view from Argentina: Lockdown measures reintroduced in capital Argentina's President, Alberto Fernandez, yesterday announced that lockdown measures in the capital city Buenos Aires and its surrounding area would be toughened as coronavirus cases are on the rise. "We're going back to closing the Buenos Aires metropolitan area so that traffic dramatically decreases, to reduce infections and the need for (hospital) beds," Fernandez said . He added that, from July 1, "we're going to ask everyone to return to isolation at home and to only leave to fetch provisions for daily life." The measure will last until July 17 with "only essential services and some industrial zones" remaining operational. The decision comes with coronavirus cases increasing exponentially - Argentina now has more than 1,100 deaths and over 52,000 cases. Fernandez said the greater Buenos Aires area, home to 14 million of Argentina's 44 million population, "is infecting the rest of the country," where 80 percent of activity has reopened. Center-left leader Fernandez could not resist a dig at neighbor Brazil's far right President Jair Bolsonaro, saying that the prolonged quarantine had saved lives. "If Argentina had followed Brazil's rhythm, we'd have 10,000 dead," he said. He acknowledged, though, that the lockdown had "brought very negative consequences" to an economy that has already been suffering from two years of recession and is predicted to shrink by 9.9 percent in 2020, according to the International Monetary Fund. President Alberto Fernandez announcing new measures to reinforce the lockdown in the capital and the metropolitan area against the spread of the new coronavirus, at the presidential residence in Olivos, Buenos Aires - ESTEBAN COLLAZO/Argentinian Presidency/AFP 11:06 AM EU set to ban travellers from countries including the US, Brazil, India and Russia Early on in the outbreak, the US introduced a travel ban - which still stands - on visitors from the Europe. The European Union looks set to return the favour. Here's a report on the issue from the Associated Press with all the latest: European Union envoys are close to finalising a list of countries whose citizens will be allowed to enter Europe again, possibly from late next week, EU diplomats have confirmed today. Americans are almost certain to be excluded in the short term due to the number of US coronavirus cases The envoys were expected to have narrowed down later today the exact criteria for countries to make the list, which include the way the spread of the virus is being managed. Another key condition is whether the country has a ban on citizens from European nations. The EU diplomats confirmed that an official agreement on the criteria - likely to include a limit on the infection rate per 100,000 citizens - is expected to be published late on Monday or early Tuesday. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the procedure is ongoing and politically very sensitive. Infection rates are high in Brazil, India and Russia, and it's unlikely the EU will let their citizens in, either. The list would be updated every 14 days, with new countries added and some possibly being left off based on how they manage the spread of the virus. 10:57 AM #GlastonburyAtHome Had the pandemic not hit, thousands of people would have descended on Worthy Farm in Somerset this weekend for one of the most famous music festivals in the world: Glastonbury. But many of those lucky enough to have had tickets for what would have been the 50th anniversary of the event have embraced a slightly different version of the festival, with #GlastonburyAtHome trending on social media. Here are a few of the best set ups we've seen online: glastonbury glastonbury glastonbury 10:43 AM Headteacher suspended for saying that some teachers were 'sat at home doing nothing' When Pauline Wood, a primary school headteacher from Teeside, agreed to be interviewed by her local radio station, she did not intend to be anything other than truthful. But just two days after her interview, in which she said that some of her teachers were sat at home doing nothing during lockdown, she was shocked to learn she had been suspended. During her appearance on BBC Radio Newcastle earlier this month, Mrs Wood was asked if all teachers had been working hard while schools have been closed. She replied: You cant lump everyone together as if they are all one typesome teachers are coming up with the most imaginative, amazing thingsand other people do sit at home doing nothing. I wont defend those people. Two days after the interview she was suspended by the chair of governors who told her she had bought the school into disrepute. Mrs Wood has spoken to our Education Editor, Camilla Turner, about the incident. Pauline Wood, Head of Grange Park Primary School - Mark Pinder 10:30 AM Beware antibody tests bought online, experts warn Devi Sridhar, chair of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University and advisor to the Scottish government on Covid-19, has warned this morning against over-interpreting the results of home antibody test kits. Prof Sridhar said the kits themselves are "often unreliable", but also warned that the presence of antibodies "does not necessarily mean immunity". Increasing # of people buying COVID antibody test online & think b/c it shows positive result they are immune. Remember: 1. Most antibody test sold by private companies online are very unreliable & treat results with skepticism. 2. Antibodies does not necessarily mean immunity. https://t.co/oFTAPbsrFK Devi Sridhar (@devisridhar) June 27, 2020 The warning comes after two new studies found that patients who have recovered from coronavirus rapidly lose antibodies. The research raises questions over how long immunity to the disease lasts and how reliable antibody testing is (Anne Gulland has the full story here). And yesterday the UK Government announced that at least 2,500 volunteers are being recruited to test the reliability of Covid-19 home-based antibody testing kits. Interview: Devi Sridhar - 'wealth is the best shielding strategy for this virus' 10:19 AM First RAF aid flight takes off to deliver coronavirus field hospital to Ghana The first of a series of RAF flights delivering aid to African countries has taken off from Brize Norton, Oxfordshire this morning, carrying materials needed to build a field hospital in Ghana. The facility, funded by the Department for International Development in cooperation with the World Food Programme, will be used as a backup hospital for frontline aid workers in the region and will have capacity for almost 100 people. It comes after Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement that the UK is the first Nato ally to come forward with an aid flight after the organisation agreed to support the UN's appeal for airlift assistance. The pandemic and travel restrictions have severely affected flights to the African continent and the delivery of crucial cargo including medical supplies. The UK says up to five flights to Accra are needed to deliver the field hospital - which weighs approximately 130 tonnes, the equivalent of seven buses. Ghana has recorded more than 15,000 virus cases to date. International Development Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said: This is the best of British the UK military and UK aid working together to solve a global problem for the benefit of all of us. No one is safe until we are all safe. Images show 16 pallets worth of aid, that will make up a Field Hospital in Accra, being loaded on to C17 ZZ177 at RAF Brize Norton - Crown Copyright/Sgt 'Matty' Matthews RAF 10:06 AM Coronavirus found in Barcelona waste water sample from March 2019 This is an intriguing story, which you might have missed last night: Researchers in Barcelona say they have detected the presence of Covid-19 in a waste water sample collected in the Spanish city in March 2019, nine months before the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, was first reported. The team at Barcelona University made their discoveries while examining sewage and using polymerise chain reaction (PCR) coronvirus tests to find examples of the Covid-19 virus as a tool to help with the tracing and control of the epidemic. Infected people pass virus cells in their faeces. However, scientists have cautioned against over-interpreting the results, which appeared to be a one-off, and could be linked to contamination between samples. Professor Francois Balloux, director of the UCL Genetics Insitute, said it seemed "most unlikely". "The most plausible explanation is sample mix-up/contamination. Obviously, the presence of SARS-CoV-2, or a closely related virus, in circulation that early would have to be considered if other water samples from around that time tested positive," he added. James Badcock has more on this research - and what it means - here. 09:55 AM Inside story: As schools stay shut, is a generation being lost to lockdown? There are fears the government's failure to re-open schools will hit hardest in deprived areas such as the Byker Estate, Joe Shute reports. You can read the full story here - below is an extract: Prior to the coronavirus lockdown, nine-year-old Junior Tams was thriving at his local primary school on Newcastles Byker estate. He was in the top set and particularly enjoyed science classes. Since then, says his mum Mary-Jane, who lives alone with him on the sprawling estate, his education has regressed to a worrying degree. Over the past three months Junior has grown increasingly obsessed with the online computer game, Fortnite, shutting himself off in his bedroom for hours each day and piling on a lot of weight in the process. Whenever Mary-Jane, 34, who works in a part-time administration job at the local marina, has attempted any home schooling, they have clashed. Hes got himself stuck into a little rut, she says. His education is definitely a real worry. I need him properly back at school in September. Her frustrations echo across the estate, and the country. In places like Byker, education provides vital social mobility for a community blighted by the impact of decades of unemployment and underinvestment. There are fears here the governments failure to reopen schools could result in a lost generation. 09:40 AM Greek minister: Date to accept British holidaymakers not yet decided Last night it emerged that the summer holidays have been given the go-ahead, under a Government traffic-light system that will scrap quarantine for dozens of destinations. Greece was among the nations that made the list (more here). But hold off your bookings - this morning Greek tourism minister Haris Theoharis indicated it could be up to three weeks before his country is happy to open up an air bridge to the UK. He told BBC Breakfast that the country was looking forward to welcoming British holidaymakers, but that he could not yet "pinpoint exact dates" from which they will be able to enter the country. "We're currently consulting with our health experts, but I think given the fact that the UK is in the right direction, it's a matter of a few days or a few weeks to ensure that all restrictions are lifted. "So I feel the way things are now - and we always have to put this asterisk that the health situation has to continue to be on the same track as it is now - that we can certainly lift the restrictions in the next few days or, you know, two to three weeks." 09:27 AM Cases are surging worldwide - here's where Across the globe the pandemic is surging, with a series of countries reporting record rises in cases in the last 24 hours. Here's an overview: The United States recorded 45,242 new infections, the largest single-day increase of the pandemic, bringing the total number of Americans who have tested positive to at least 2.48 million. India reported over 17,000 new cases over the last 24 hours, pushing the country's total above 500,000, with infections surging in major cities including the capital New Delhi. Indonesia has also seen the biggest daily increase in coronavirus infections today, with 1,385 new cases. It takes the total to 52,812. The Czech Republic recorded 168 new cases of the coronavirus, the highest daily rise in cases since early April, just as the country is starting the two-month summer holiday season. Australia's state of Victoria recorded 41 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday, double the daily rate seen a week ago, and is struggling to regain control over the pandemic - while the rest of the country continues easing restrictions. In total, at least 9.8 million people have now been infected and 493,040 have died. In the UK, 310,000 cases have been confirmed and 43,498 people who tested positive have died. Continue scrolling for all the latest updates - if you're after a UK summary, head to the post at 8:45am. 09:16 AM Indonesia: Largest daily rise to date recorded In Indonesia, authorities have reported the biggest daily increase in coronavirus infections today: 1,385 new cases. It takes the total to 52,812, according to health ministry official Achmad Yurianto. Yurianto added there had been 37 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities to 2,720. Separately, local authorities said that nine people aboard a flight from Indonesia to Cambodia tested positive after reaching Cambodia. Of them, one was Indonesian and eight were Cambodian. Here's a look at the trajectory of Indonesia's outbreak to date: 09:05 AM Footage from Liverpool shows chaotic scenes overnight Huge crowds descended on Liverpool overnight and footage has been circulating on social media showing chaotic scenes, as football fans celebrated the Premier League title win. You can see these at the top of the liveblog. According to the Liverpool Echo, the Mayor is considering the imposition of a curfew amid concerns that a similar story will unfold tonight - and could lead to a resurgence of coronavirus infections. Merseyside Police issued a section 34 dispersal order, allowing officers to break up groups of more than two people until Sunday, in response to the chaos. Assistant chief constable Jon Roy said: "We understand people want to celebrate Liverpool becoming Premier League champions for the first time in 30 years, and the time will come when fans can celebrate together with the team and applaud their achievement, but now is not that time. "Please follow the advice of the players, the manager and the club by putting safety first." Liverpool fans let off flares outside the Liver Building in Liverpool last night - Peter Byrne/PA Wire Workmen clear up rubbish left outside the Liver building in Liverpool after fans celebrated in the city last night - Peter Byrne/PA Wire. 08:55 AM Florida sees almost 9,000 new Covid-19 cases The picture in the US is getting increasingly worse. Yesterday Florida reported nearly 9,000 new coronavirus cases, almost double the previous high set just two days ago, while the United States as a whole recorded a second straight day of record numbers of the virus. The explosion in cases led Mike Pence, the US vice president, to hold the first press briefing by the White House coronavirus task force in almost two months on Friday where he acknowledged that cases are starting to "rise precipitously" across the southern US. Mr Pence announced he would be travelling to the three worst hit states - Florida, Texas and Arizona - to "get a ground report" on the rapid spread of the outbreak within the next week. Some 16 states, mostly across America's sunbelt, are witnessing rising numbers of Covid-19 cases and rising percentages of positive testing according to data used by the White House task force, Mr Pence said. However, data from John Hopkins University suggested that 32 US states have reported an increase in cases in the last seven days: Rozina Sabur has more here on the surge in infections. 08:43 AM Review of blanket quarantine rules 'incredibly welcome news' for travel industry Last night it emerged that the summer holidays to countries including France, Spain and Greece have been given the go-ahead, under a Government traffic-light system that will scrap quarantine for dozens of destinations. This morning the travel sector has responded with relief. "I think this is incredibly welcome news for the travel industry, which has had a very difficult time these weeks and months, and will encourage people to book and allow them to enjoy a summer holiday," Jonathan Smith, a spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), told BBC Radio Four. "I think what is important is the blanket Foreign Office advice does change and starts to allow travel and it is for the Government to decide which countries we can go to safely." He added that the industry expects to see "a surge in bookings" - but predicted that more travel companies were still likely to go bust before a full recovery was felt. 08:19 AM The view from Egypt: Restrictions lift despite rising case numbers Egypt has become the latest country to lift coronavirus restrictions today. Cafes, gyms, theaters, mosques and churches will be among the venues able to reopen after more than three months of closure, and a nighttime curfew will be lifted. But the reopening has met with criticism: Egypt is still recording relatively high new coronavirus infections and deaths, raising concerns the country's healthcare system could soon become overwhelmed. The Egyptian doctors' union warned last month the country was careening toward a catastrophe. Egypt's health ministry has reported 62,755 infections, including 2,620 deaths - the highest death toll in the region. But the actual numbers of infections and deaths from Covid-19 are thought to be far higher due to limited testing. The government is also planning to reopen select tourist destinations to international charter flights from Thursday, allowing travelers from around the world to return to parts of the country less hard-hit by the coronavirus. Egypt's economy depends heavily on tourism, which accounts for some 12 per cent of GDP. The government fears a prolonged lockdown could be devastating economically and the grounded international flights and empty hotels have already taken a heavy toll. Yesterday the International Monetary Fund approved another $5.2 billion loan for country, to be added to the $2.8 billion the fund had already promised, in an attempt to stave off the pandemic's worst economic effects. Worshipers wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines, as they hold the first prayers of Al-Fajr inside the Salah El Din Mosque after some three months of lockdown - REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany 08:02 AM John Major: 'Social care has been undervalued - this cannot continue' The value of social care has been recognised during the coronavirus pandemic - and the Government must be involved in supporting its long-term future. That's the message from Sir John Major this morning. Speaking to BBC Radio Four, the former Tory prime minister said the sector "has been undervalued, and I don't think it is possible any longer to undervalue it." He added: "It seems to me it is going to be inevitable that the Government take a greater role in what happens in terms of the future in terms of social care simply because there is nobody else who can do it. "The attractions of very small government are always ideologically obvious but the practicalities from where we are at the moment are that the Government is going to have to take the lead in policies that deal with many of these social problems that have existed." In a wide-ranging interview, the ex-chancellor said that tax rises were not suitable in the short-term - but will be a necessary element of Britain's coronavirus recovery in due course. In depth: Hope among the horror - what now for care homes abandoned to Covid? 07:53 AM Uzbekistan will pay tourists 2,400 if they catch Covid-19 As Uzbekistan opens its borders to travellers for the first time since March, its government has pledged to compensate tourists who catch Covid-19 while holidaying there. Those who contract the virus within the Central Asian country could be granted US$3,000 (2,417) to cover the costs of medical care in an Uzbek hospital. We want to reassure tourists they can come to Uzbekistan, said Sophie Ibbotson, Uzbekistans tourism ambassador to the UK. The government is so confident that the new safety and hygiene measures being implemented across the tourism sector will protect tourists from Covid-19 that the president is prepared to put money where his mouth is: if you get Covid-19 on holiday in Uzbekistan, we will compensate you. However, the offer only applies to visitors who are part of a tour group which is being led by a local guide. Uzbekistan has managed to avoid the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, recording 7,177 cases and just 20 deaths among its population of 33 million. Tom Mulvihill has more on this story here. 07:45 AM Morning update Here's a quick look at the key stories to be aware of in the UK this morning: Foreign holidays have been given the green light after ministers confirmed the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days upon returning to the UK will be scrapped for a slew of popular destinations, including France, Spain and Greece. Pregnant women from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds will receive more NHS support after research showed they are at higher risk from Covid-19. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner says "consequences will follow" for those who attack officers and damage property as she promised to shut down illegal parties in London over the weekend. There are concerns the gatherings will trigger a resurgence of coronavirus infections Half of Britains imported coronavirus cases originate from Pakistan, The Telegraph understands, amid calls for tougher quarantine checks on arrivals from "high risk" countries. The Government is considering ending drivers MOT holiday early amid fears more than a million unsafe cars could be flooding back onto the roads. Scroll down for more updates from across the globe - we have an overview of the developing stories in a post at 1:24am. 07:36 AM Why Brexit and Covid-19 are set to collide The pandemic is fracturing globalisation, making continents much more prominent again. Ours is Europe, writes Paul Nuki. Here's an extract of his piece - you can read it in full here. When up against it, science has a way of bringing things to a head. Im thinking of junk food, obesity and Covid-19. The twin epidemics of Covid and social inequalities. The tensions between have-it-all boomers and the young. There is another conflagration coming down the tracks. The pandemic and a thingymajig called Brexit may be about to collide. Take a look at the charts below and the data that underpin them. The pandemic is fracturing globalisation, with continents becoming much more prominent again. Economists would say it was forever thus. Globalisation is a powerful idea but most trade still happens between countries in close geographic proximity. Nevertheless, Covid-19 may cement that. Perhaps there is an element of cause and effect but whatever the reason, the science is pretty clear: the world is diving up into epidemiologically homogeneous zones bound principally by geography. 07:01 AM Czech Republic records highest daily rise in months The Czech Republic recorded 168 new cases on Friday, authorities said, the highest daily rise in cases since early April just as the country is starting the two-month summer holiday season. It was also the fourth day of the last 10 showing a daily increase of more than 100. Over the past week, the eastern region of Karvina has been by far the most affected by the rise in cases, according to the Health Ministry website. Friday was the last day of school for most children and students. Many Czechs will spend their holidays in the country rather than going abroad due to concerns about the virus and travel restrictions. The government has gradually removed most restrictions on business apart from wearing masks indoors and limits on pub opening hours and large cultural events. It has said it will focus on local quarantines and tracing and testing measures rather than national lockdowns in the future. 06:47 AM Cultural attractions will require funding, heritage chiefs warn Historic attractions will require funding until social distancing measures are lifted, heritage bosses have warned amid fears stringent restrictions could result in a widespread closure of sites. In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, The Heritage Alliance (THA), Englands largest coalition of cultural organisations, said we are in danger of losing the backdrop to our lives unless The Treasury provides urgent relief to art institutions struggling to remain financially viable. Among the signatories of the document are English Heritage, National Trust and the Royal Historic Palaces, which have all suffered losses since lockdown and fear further shortfalls resulting from the new 1m social distancing rule severely limiting visitor numbers. Read the full story Staff at English Heritage carry out a visitor practise run at Brodsworth Hall in Yorkshire - PA 04:15 AM India reports record daily leap in infections India now has more than 500,000 confirmed cases, according to government figures released on Saturday that showed a record daily leap of 18,500 new infections. Authorities said 15,685 people had died after another 385 fatalities were added to the toll in 24 hours. The pandemic is not expected to peak in India for several more weeks and experts say the number of cases could pass one million before the end of July. Health workers take health details of the residents of a 'containment zones' in Kajupada area in Mumbai, India - DIVYAKANT SOLANKI/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 03:13 AM Clusters continue to emerge in South Korea South Korea has reported 51 newly confirmed cases as fresh clusters continue to emerge in the densely populated Seoul area. They bring the national caseload to 12,653, including 282 deaths. Thirty-five of the new cases came from Seoul and nearby cities and towns, which have been at the center of a resurgence since late May. Twelve others were linked to international arrivals. Health authorities are struggling to trace contacts and predict infection routes with new clusters popping up from just about everywhere. Hundreds of infections have been linked to nightspots, church gatherings, restaurants and low-income workers such as door-to-door salespeople and warehouse employees. South Korean soldiers disinfect a train station in Daejeon - Yonhap 03:09 AM US judge orders release of children in detention A federal judge on Friday ordered the release of children held with their parents in US immigration jails and denounced the Trump administration's prolonged detention of families during the pandemic. US District Judge Dolly Gee's order applies to children held for more than 20 days at three family detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some have been detained since last year. Citing the recent spread of the virus in two of the three facilities, Ms Gee set a deadline of July 17 for children to either be released with their parents or sent to family sponsors. The family detention centers "are 'on fire' and there is no more time for half measures," she wrote. 02:52 AM China reports small increase in cases China has reported an uptick in new cases a day after national health authorities said they expected an outbreak in Beijing to be brought under control soon. The National Health Commission said on Saturday that 21 more cases had been confirmed nationwide in the latest 24-hour period, including 17 in the nation's capital. City officials have temporarily shut a huge wholesale food market where the virus spread widely, re-closed schools and locked down some neighbourhoods. Anyone leaving Beijing is required to have a negative virus test result within the previous seven days. Many Chinese are traveling during a four-day holiday weekend that ends Sunday. China has reported 83,483 cases and 4,634 deaths in the pandemic. A street vendor cooks snacks for customers on the roadside in Beijing, China - ROMAN PILIPEY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 01:38 AM Another blow to Hollywood's summer season Hollywood's hopes for salvaging its summer season have effectively ended after the releases of both Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" and the Walt Disney Co.'s live-action reboot of "Mulan" were again delayed. With reported cases of the coronavirus surging in parts of the US, Disney on Friday followed Warner Bros. in pushing "Mulan" to late August. The film, initially planned to open in March, had been slated for July 24. It's now moving to Aug. 21. "While the pandemic has changed our release plans for 'Mulan' and we will continue to be flexible as conditions require, it has not changed our belief in the power of this film and its message of hope and perseverance," said Disney co-chairmen Alan Horn and Alan Bergman in a joint statement. Late on Thursday, Warner Bros. also postponed "Tenet," starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, from July 31 to Aug. 12. Read more: Second straight day of record numbers of the virus in the US Yifei Liu in the title role of the film "Mulan" - Disney 12:49 AM Australia expecting rise in cases as nationals return from overseas Australian health officials are expecting more cases as hundreds of nationals return from overseas to begin mandatory quarantine. About 300 people are due to arrive in Adelaide this weekend from Mumbai, India, while hundreds are expected to follow from South America and Indonesia. People in hotel quarantine will be tested at the start and end of their 14-day isolation. South Australia state Health Minister Stephen Wade said Saturday he is preparing for about 5 per cent to 10 per cent returnees to have the virus, as was the case when people returned from Indonesia in other states. Melbourne recorded 30 new cases on Friday, continuing a run of double-digit increases that has more than tripled Victoria state's active cases to 183 in just over a week. 12:24 AM News in brief from around the world Argentina President Alberto Fernandez announced on Friday a toughening of lockdown measures in the capital Buenos Aires and its surrounding area as cases are on the rise. European Union countries failed to settle on Friday on a final "safe list" of countries whose residents could travel to the bloc from July, with the United States , Brazil and Russia set to be excluded. Vietnam and the Philippines warned of growing insecurity in Southeast Asia at a regional summit on Friday amid concerns that China was stepping up its activity in the disputed South China Sea during the pandemic. Colombian President Ivan Duque on Friday called Venezuela a public health "time bomb," and said the lack of reliable information about the status of its neighbour's outbreak was a worry as his administration tries to control its own infections. Mexico 's health ministry reported on Friday 5,441 new confirmed cases and 719 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 208,392 cases and 25,779 deaths. The United States recorded at least 40,870 new cases on Friday, the largest single-day increase of the pandemic, according to a Reuters tally, bringing the total number in the US who have tested positive to at least 2.475 million. Without water at home residents have no other choice than to hunt for it, breaking a nationwide quarantine in Caracas, Venezuela - AP 12:08 AM Reporter at Trump's Tulsa rally tests positive A journalist who attended US President Donald Trump's rally in Tulsa last week said on Friday he has tested positive for Covid-19. Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Monies said he was notified on Friday of his positive diagnosis. "I'm pretty surprised," Monies wrote on Twitter. "I have zero symptoms (so far) and I feel fine. In fact, I ran 5 miles this morning." Monies said he was inside the rally for about 6 hours on Saturday at the BOK Center and that he wore a mask and mostly practiced social distancing, except for when he went to the concourse to get a snack. He said he was never close to the president. An epidemiologist at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department who notified Monies of his positive result said it's difficult to determine if he contracted the coronavirus at the rally. "I can't say definitively that I got it at the rally," Monies said. "But it's someone I've been in contact with in the last two weeks." Thanks for all your kind words and well wishes, friends. Fingers crossed I stay symptom-free. Im still trying to process the news and feel bad for inconveniencing my loved ones and friends. See yall (in real life, with a mask) in a couple of weeks. #QuarantineLife Paul Monies (@pmonies) June 26, 2020 11:29 PM Today's top stories By Representative Randy Bridges Jun. 26, 2020 | 04:50 PM | PADUCAH While working on the House Floor during a session, many of my colleagues and I step into the Speaker's Office to take phone calls, have a conversation, or greet constituents. This year, I noticed something new a beautiful quilt sewn together from pieces of red, white, and blue fabric and displayed by Kentucky members of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. I was truly honored to coordinate nominations for the House and impressed with how well organized the state's part of the program is. I can't think of a better time than Independence Day to share a little about these quilts and this extraordinary organization. The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with a quilt made specifically to provide them comfort and healing. Founded by the mother of an active duty soldier deployed to Iraq, the organization is only 17 years old. It has already provided more than 250,000 quilts to recipients in all 50 states. The quilts are incredibly beautiful works of art. They are either hand or machine quilted by volunteers throughout the country. Even the presentation is special as quilts are awarded in a ceremony that honors the recipient's service. If you know someone who could find comfort from one of these quilts, please let me know. Also, it is my understanding that they are always looking for quilters, and I can certainly put you in touch with the state members as well. While the pandemic has impacted scheduling award ceremonies, I would love to help get the process started so the groundwork is in place when they are ready to move forward. Of course, if you would like to learn more about the Quilts of Valor Foundation in general, you can find information on their website at qovf.org. Quilts of Valor is an incredible program, but I've been thinking a lot about that quilt for another reason. Over the years, I have heard our nation described as a quilt and agree that this is a great metaphor. The United States is made up of many different individuals who have come together to create and maintain this great land. The symbolism works well because, while stitched together, the pieces retain their characteristics and become part of something even better. Over 244 years ago, 13 colonies banded together to create a new nation, one free of colonial interference where individuals could determine their destiny. It was not perfect; neither were the men who created it. It was far better than any other nation in the world, and I believe it is still today. After all, we are a nation courageous enough to fight for what matters. Imagine the courage it took to stand up to an empire that stretched across the globe, maintaining a well-trained army and the best navy in the world? Imagine doing so with a ragtag group of men and only a fraction of the resources and manpower. No wonder the world thought we were crazy, then realized that you could accomplish even the impossible if you are motivated enough. Of course, the real battles began after the British surrendered, and patriots turned their attention to shaping a new nation. Each of the 13 original states had a different vision. Those differences led to passionate debate, duels, and even a few physical confrontations. It took years to resolve the disputes and ratify the final product, our Constitution. It seems like we live in a time of conflict today. People scream at each other on television talk shows, and keyboard cowboys light up social media pages with personal attacks and demands. There are those who seek to divide us and turn us against each other. However, I believe most of us long for cooperation for the good of our country and everyone in it. Most of us want to believe that we can come together to create a functional whole, just as numerous pieces of fabric can be joined to form that Quilts of Valor quilt in the Speaker's Office. We want to believe that we can still pitch in together to accomplish great things and set politics aside to do the right things. I hope you know that I always welcome your comments and concerns on any issues impacting our Commonwealth, even while we are not in session. As always, I can be reached at home anytime or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via e-mail at Randy.Bridges@lrc.ky.gov. You can also keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov. Randy Bridges of Paducah represents the 3rd district in the Kentucky House of Representatives, which includes part of McCracken County. Views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of West Kentucky Star.com, Bristol Broadcasting or any employee thereof. Bristol Broadcasting makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Last week we had to stay two metres apart. Now its one metre. Are they making it up as they go along? The two-metre distancing rule was always an educated guess, given that the virus is new so the data available was limited. The UK was relatively strict in its distancing rules, compared with other countries. France, Italy and Singapore opted for one metre distancing, while Germany recommended 1.5 metres. The further away you are from an infected person, the less likely you are to breathe in contaminated droplets expelled from someone talking or coughing the main method of transmission. This is simply because the viral particles fall to the ground before they reach you. The two-metre distancing rule was always an educated guess, according to DR ELLIE CANNON The British Government was, according to some experts, being over cautious by implementing a two-metre rule because of the rapidly growing infection rate in March and April. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that most viral particles travel only a couple of feet before falling to the ground. And, given the probability of coming into contact with an infected person is now so low, the Government has decided it is safe to reduce the rule to one metre for those in England from July 4. In Northern Ireland, the new, one-metre guidance is effective from tomorrow. Scotland and Wales are considering it. But the one-metre rule is only safe if other mitigating measures are also implemented such as frequent hand washing, covering your mouth when you cough and wearing face masks on public transport. The latest guidance says that if we take these steps, the risks at one metre apart will be no greater than at two metres apart. Just what are the rules about meeting other people now? It seems to change endlessly. Currently in England, only people living alone and single parents with children under 18 can visit another household and stay overnight or vice versa. These so-called support bubbles were introduced earlier this month to help those struggling with loneliness during lockdown. Thats about to change in England. From next Saturday, one household can invite another household to visit and even stay the night indoors regardless of how many people are in each household. But the indoor gathering must only involve two households. If the meeting is outside, several households can congregate so long as the total number of people does not exceed six. If its just two households meeting outside, theres no limit on the total number of people. But the rules vary across the UK. Scotland is sticking with support bubbles allowing people who live alone (or single parents with children under 18) to meet indoors with one other household. Outdoors, Scotland allows three households to meet up to a maximum of eight people. In Wales, all indoor gatherings are banned and outdoor gatherings are restricted to two households. Up to six people from any number of households can meet indoors in Northern Ireland although they can all be from different households If pubs can open, why cant gyms? There are two key differences between pubs and restaurants allowed to open on July 4 and gyms, which will remain shut. Pubs and restaurants can reopen on July 4 but gyms, pictured, will have to remain closed Firstly, while gyms and pubs might both involve people being in close proximity to one another, pubs allow for protective measures to keep them apart such as partitions between tables, back-to-back seating and table service. Secondly, with gyms there is concern over viral particles potentially being spread via shared equipment and changing room facilities a situation that does not occur in pubs. Swimming pools, spas and bowling alleys are also staying shut for now for the same reason. The Government is currently exploring ways to open these venues again. Outdoor gyms can be used from next Saturday. They are already open in Northern Ireland and will be in Scotland from tomorrow. Wales has no immediate plans to follow suit. Am I safe from the virus when out at the beach? With the virus still in circulation, it is impossible to guarantee that anyone, anywhere in the UK, is safe from infection. But studies show that being outdoors dramatically reduces your risk, because droplets sent into the air by an infected person get rapidly dispersed by even the slightest breeze. Research from Japan found that only 12.5 per cent of Covid-19 patients had passed the virus to others by socialising outdoors. Other studies show that, in roughly 75 per cent of cases, the virus is spread indoors. However, on Friday, the UKs Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty warned that over-crowding on beaches could spark a rise in cases, after swarms of revellers flocked to Bournemouth in Dorset. While studies show that being outdoors dramatically reduces your risk, there have also been warnings that over-crowding on beaches, as was seen this week, pictured, could spark a rise in cases Professor Keith Neal, an expert in infectious disease at Nottingham University, says: Its unlikely the virus will be spread on the beach even if its slightly crowded. However, the risk will increase significantly if people sit right next to each other, share towels and utensils, and drink alcohol. Youre more likely to abandon social distancing rules if inebriated. Prof Neal advises choosing a quiet beach, using your own towel and staying one metre apart from those not in your household. And if you lie on your back or front, any infectious particles expelled from the nose or mouth will either fall to the ground in front of you, or be carried away by the air, rather than hitting another person in the face, he adds. Does air conditioning increase the risk of catching the virus? Probably not. Fears were raised early in the pandemic after one study blamed a small outbreak in China on a restaurants air con which the researchers suggested caused the spread. However, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says that if air-conditioning units are well-maintained they will filter out coronavirus droplets from the atmosphere, stopping them from circulating. According to Government guidance, the risk of air conditioning spreading coronavirus is extremely low. Thirty people including three cops tested positive for Covid-19 in Himachal in 24 hours taking the states tally to 894. Five cases were reported from Bilaspur, three from the tribal district of Kinnaur and one from Chamba late on Friday. Ten cases were reported in Hamirpur, seven in Kangra and one in Mandi on Saturday. THREE COPS TEST POSITIVE IN KINNAUR Three jawans of the Himachal Pradesh Police, including two head constables and one constable, tested positive in Kinnaur district. The cops were deployed at Bhabha Nagar police station. Kinnaur deputy commissioner Gopal Chand said the health authorities were trying to trace the source of infection. He said that the three cops, who live in rented accommodation, had been on duty at the police station for several days. Two of them are from Kangra and had returned on June 12 while one was deployed at Chaura police post and may have contracted the disease there. Their contacts are also being traced. The police station has been sealed and the staff isolated. Bhabhanagar has been declared a containment zone, said the DC. Kinnaur district had become Covid-free on June 25. However, the tribal district has recorded four new cases in the last two days, taking the tally to seven. FIVE CASES IN BILASPUR Meanwhile, five people, including a three-year-old child, tested positive in Bilaspur district. All the five patients belong to the Ghumarwin sub-division and were under institutional quarantine. They have travel history to Delhi, Gurugram and Sonipat. The patients have been shifted to a Covid-care centre. One case was detected in Chamba district where a man from Bharmaur sub-division was found Covid-19 positive. He had returned from Rewari of Haryana and was under institutional quarantine. KANGRAS TALLY CROSSES 250-MARK Kangras tally breached 250-mark with seven more people testing positive in the district. The fresh cases include three members of a Gurugram returned family, including a couple and their two-year-old child. The other two patients have travel histories to Faridabad and Noida while two are primary contacts of a Covid-19 patient, Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said. Ten cases, nine men a two-year child tested positive in Hamirpur late evening. Three cases were reported in Solan. 373 ACTIVE CASES So far, Himachal has recorded 894 cases. At present, there are 373 active cases while 501 people have recovered. Eleven people have migrated to other states and seven have succumbed to the infection. Kangra is the worst-hit district with 251 cases, followed by Hamirpur with 238 cases, Una with 101 cases, Solan with 95 cases, Chamba with 51 cases, Bilaspur with 43 cases, Shimla with 39 cases, Sirmaur with 37 cases, Mandi with 27 cases, Kinnaur with seven cases and Kullu with 5 cases. Eleven of the 12 districts in Himachal are affected by Covid-19. Lahaul-Spiti is the only corona-free district so far. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Meteolux issued a yellow weather alert on Friday, as storms battered the region and resulted in a number of incidents. The 112 emergency line received 50 calls due to the storm. The emergency services dealt with 32 incidents of flooded cellars, 11 fallen trees and one instance of loose roof tiles. The ACL reported a tree blocking the road on the N22 between Redange and Ell, while the CR171 between Neuhausgen and Schrassig, and the CR106 between Redange and Niederpallen were also blocked by fallen trees. Motorists were warned to take extra care due to aquaplaning in many parts of the country. In Wincrange, authorities reported 26 litres of rainfall per square metre in around 30 minutes, with Bourglinster experiencing 15 litres in the same timeframe. Buerglenster: Waasser an de Stroossen ... In Bourglinster, the roads were particularly affected by flooding after the dry weather. Patrice Martinez Patrice Martinez The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. At 4.15pm, lightning struck a house in Dippach on Rue de Cimetiere, setting the roof on fire, which then spread to the attic. Luc Eyschen Luc Eyschen The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. Accidents Two cars collided in Bettembourg at 11.30pm on Friday, leaving one person injured. Another person was injured in a crash on Grand Rue in Wasserbillig shortly after 1am, while at 1.30am a person was struck by a train at Dommeldange station. At 4am on Saturday morning, one person was left with minor injuries after a crash on Rue de Neudorf in the capital. An investigation into an alleged cross-province drug-trafficking network that ships cocaine to Winnipeg has landed a Vancouver man in a Manitoba jail after police found drugs stashed in a rear bumper. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An investigation into an alleged cross-province drug-trafficking network that ships cocaine to Winnipeg has landed a Vancouver man in a Manitoba jail after police found drugs stashed in a rear bumper. Police say an organized crime group routed "multiple kilograms" of cocaine from Vancouver to Calgary, Regina and finally Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Police Service worked with departments in those cities and RCMP in Surrey, B.C., on the six-week investigation, which included arrests in Regina and an unnamed area in Manitoba outside of Winnipeg, WPS Insp. Max Waddell said Friday. Logan Randall Pahl, 31, of Vancouver, was arrested by city police June 19. Waddell said the arrest was not the result of a traffic stop and Winnipeg police had "come into contact with the individual," but, he would not elaborate. After searching the vehicle Pahl was using, a 2018 Nissan Murano, police reported finding a hidden compartment that could only be revealed by activating it through a key fob. The concealed container was in the rear bumper. "This particular concealment trap was definitely one of the more sophisticated ones Ive seen in my career," Waddell said. Police were not specifically looking for the device when searching the car, and Waddell said the "extensive modifications" required to create it, including electrical, mechanical and body changes, took place in B.C. Three kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $270,000, and $176,000 in cash, were seized. Pahl has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possessing proceeds of property obtained by crime worth over $5,000. He is currently in custody. The arrest comes after several in other provinces believed to be related to the same crime organization. On June 18, Regina police searched several residences, three vehicles and a storage locker, finding roughly one kg of what is believed to be cocaine, along with other drugs and paraphernalia. Three people from Regina were arrested. A related search warrant conducted the same day in Surrey resulted in RCMP seizing drug paraphernalia, 25 kg of a drug-cutting agent, 4.5 kg of cannabis and other cannabis products, body armour and $100,000 in cash. No arrests have been made. While the investigation is ongoing, Waddell said there is no one from Winnipeg currently being investigated in relation to the case. Waddell tied the case to restrictions placed on the Canadian border due to COVID-19. "Over the past several months, Ive been asked what impact the COVID pandemic has played on illicit drug trade," he said. "With borders tightening, and restrictions on travel, drug couriers have had to resort to more elaborate means to transport illicit drugs." In May, WPS said the base price of cocaine in the city had jumped to $72,000/kg from $60,000/kg due to COVID-19-related border restrictions. At Fridays news conference, Waddell estimated the street value of a kilogram of cocaine to be $90,000. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Officials said Winnipeg is a hot spot for interprovincial drug trafficking, partly due to the province being landlocked: while traffickers in other provinces can use mountainous areas or waterfront access, Winnipeg often has cocaine coming from other provinces. Earlier this month, Manitoba RCMP announced they had seized methamphetamine and cocaine from a Tyndall Park residence in February, in collaboration with B.C. RCMP. "The flow of illicit drugs has always been to the West Coast, or to the east through Toronto, so weve just seen that natural progression where clearly this cocaine is coming to the province of British Columbia, and its come across the Prairie provinces, and the destination point being Winnipeg," Waddell said. "Were the centre of Canada, and it seems that from the West, it ends up here, and from the East, it ends up here. Thats really the flow for as long as Ive been investigating these types of crimes. Its been very consistent." malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: malakabas_ RK Srividya By Express News Service CHENNAI: Jab ladka ladki raazi, toh kya karega qaazi (when the boy and girl have agreed, then what can a judge do?). Apparently, a lot, if the judge is coronavirus. For many to-be brides and grooms, and their families, wedding plans for 2020 have hit a snag, thanks to COVID-19. But they are not alone. Also in the thick of this fray are wedding planners, hall owners, priests, caterers and photographers who are frantically reinventing their craft to keep the show running. With social distancing rules and the state government imposing restrictions on gatherings at weddings to no more than 50 people, these wedding-makers are now staring at a big blip in their revenue. Marriage halls go empty A quick Google search tells us that India hosts 10 million weddings every year. We leave the Math to you to guess the volume of manpower and resources engaged in this business. Varadarajan, vice-president of Federation of Tamil Nadu Thirumana Urimaiyalar Sangam (TUS) and secretary of Erode District TUS, says that even though weddings happen only for a maximum of 50 days a year, a mandapam owner has to pay seven kinds of taxes, give salary for staff, and foot the maintenance bill all ranging from `1.5 lakh to `3 lakh per month. So, it is an issue for us when customers change wedding dates. Some even expect us to return the advance amount immediately, which is impossible as all bookings get cancelled in a short span, he says, explaining the economics. With the mechanics of operations now changing due to the pandemic, Varadarajan believes that a recovery plan can be charted only with government support. Considering the unprecedented crisis, the state should give us tax concessions, and ease norms so that we can resume services with all safety measures. In this regard, we have also sent a letter to the chief minister recently, he shares. Despite having zero business, some wedding hall owners continue to pay wages. Unlike other service industries, we need only limited people, including a manager, supervisor, cleaner and watchman, to work in marriage halls. Many of them are like our family members. So, we continue to pay them somehow, says Nandakumar, who owns a spacious mahal in Coimbatore. The crisis has come as a big blow for people like Singai N Muthu, who are undertaking renovations. The president of TUS has taken a huge loan to modernise his Mani Mahal in Coimbatore. However, the works are unlikely to take off anytime soon. Nearly 75 per cent of mandapams are inherited businesses and any loss incurred will directly affect the owners families. As the new rules now allow a maximum of 50 people to attend a wedding, some are opting for banquet halls in hotels over marriage halls. In this scenario, there is no business for another six months. So, the state should address our grievances and release a government order relaxing norms for halls with a minimum capacity of 500-2,000, he pleads. Internet to the rescue The restrictions have also forced wedding planners to think out of the box or in this case inside the screen. Taking into account the current curbs, Mohan Babu, CEO of Hakuna Matata Events based in Chennai, has introduced a special lockdown wedding package. Their recent online post specifying five services covered under this package has caught the attention of many. The pandemic has affected at least 30 to 40 per cent of our income. But, we could manage the situation as most of our team members are freelancers. Besides, we started arranging Zoom birthday parties to make up for the losses. Some upscale clients prefer having online parties with their friends, where DJs will play over a Zoom call, says Mohan, adding that some of his competitors have taken to making masks and sanitiser-dispensing stands to tide over the fund crunch. Virtual poojas impractical With the new rules, weddings can now be conducted at home, and on video-calls, but how does one replace the role of priests, especially in Hindu weddings. Facing the lockdown heat is their entire fraternity. While some have adapted to technology by offering online services, however, financial prospects dont look healthy. For Venkatraman Iyer, the discomfort of online transactions, is just one of his many other worries. The lockdown has made me feel like being caught between two worlds. In the Tamil month of Vaigasi, I have lost the offer to conduct at least 20 weddings. People talk about performing poojas over a video-call, but it is not a practical solution. Sometimes a technical glitch will make us compromise with the auspicious time; network issues are not uncommon and chances for the couple to not follow our instructions are high, he elaborates. Food for thought With the clamp down on large weddings, the catering industry seems to be staring at an empty calendar. A small-scale wedding caterer, Harikrishnan from Virugambakkam has run out of business since March. He claims to have incurred a loss of `12 lakh this wedding season. The lockdown has robbed the sheen off the wedding industry. Two decades into the catering business with an average of 40 orders a year, I never thought that my own kitchen will run dry of supplies some day. In the past three months, there was not even a single order. Also, the fear of contracting the infection has kept me indoors, for money is insignificant before health. If curfews are the new normal, then it will prompt the disappearance of small vendors like me. Only those who had saved some money will survive the crisis, he worries. Losing 150 orders in a short period is no joke for Idly Iniyavan from Chennai, who is also the Secretary of Tamil Nadu Samayal Thozhilalar Sangam. We make no profit by cooking for 50 people. Even then, we continue to provide our services by taking utmost precautions like washing all utensils in hot water, and vegetables in water mixed with salt and turmeric. At the place of function, hand sanitiser bottles have replaced rose water and chandan. We also make water available with neem leaves and turmeric for the guests to wash their legs before entering the mandapam, he shares. But thats not all. Lack of business is now taking a toll on their mental health, too. There are eight lakh samayal kalaingyargal in Tamil Nadu and many of them are dealing with depression without having two-square meals a day. Although a welfare association was set up for them in 2011, it has remained dysfunctional as the office bearers are yet to be appointed. So, the government should do the needful for the association and provide `10,000 aid for each member, Iniyavan insists. Flowers let to wilt The lockdown has also withered the flower business. The pandemic has led to the closure of religious establishments, and Chennai flower market; cancellation of all foreign orders and curtailment of wedding size. At least 10,000 families rely on small-scale flower sales in Madurai. Even after relaxation of the norms, only 6,000 of them could resume work, which further declined due to a drop in demand, explains flower cultivator-cum-vendor Prakash, who is also the President of Madurai Flower Merchants and Commission Agents Association. Many clients prefer to decorate their mandapams using native flowers. Jasmine, in particular, used to be sold for `1,000 to `3,000 per kg ahead of muhurtams. But, the price spiralled down to `150 per kg during the lockdown, amounting to a loss of `1 lakh to 2 lakh per farmer. In my 40 acre farm, flowers were let to wilt in at least 10 acres, he opens up. Saving staff first Smiles have turned into frowns, and that is a worry for Ajay Ben, CEO of Chennai-based Zero Gravity Photography, whose job is to ensure that his clients happy moments are documented well. Catering to the luxury segment has not spared this company which has 300 members and seven branches in India from the side-effects of the lockdown. In the initial phase of the lockdown, we had to go for an 80 per cent cost-cut. We also prioritised to save our staff engaged in the post-production works by providing 30 per cent salary a month. This could be done by postponing the settlement of most of our monthly expenses. So, hiring new people in this business climate is not an option for another 12 months, he says. To ensure safety of his ten lensmen handling the shoots, Ben has made it mandatory for them to undergo a swab test once a week. He has also asked them to not eat food at weddings. With only two photographers per client, his package rates have spiralled down by 70 per cent. Only 15 of the 25 projects took off this wedding season. Photographers now consciously avoid showing picture preview to the clients. For Thanjavur-based photographer Vivek, whose clientele mostly includes NRIs, the lockdown has crippled his business. Most of my clients are from Canada and the USA and they are not planning to have the ceremony anytime soon in India. So, I have lost `5 lakh-worth business this season. Even when I look for small-scale opportunities with event managers, they strictly consider photographers who are ready to take risks after undergoing COVID-19 test. So, I earned only a few thousands by doing two shoots in May, he shares. Unforseen responsibilities Unlike other providers, Divya Lakshmi, owner of Chennai-based wedding gown boutique Juno Marie, claims to have had brisk business during the lockdown. However, issues like unavailability of fabric and courier service to ship her orders for lehengas, gowns and blouses cropped up. Usually, we get orders for 30-40 wedding gowns this season, but it has decreased to a dozen during the lockdown as clients are cutting down on rituals. Meeting the deadlines was very challenging as gowns had to be made in-house with available material. As two of my staff members stay in COVID-19 hotspots, I had to find new tailors in the locality. Sometimes, I stitched the clothes, she explains. Divya is worried that brides are ready to compromise on clothes but not with make-up and photography. Brides choices keep changing with the extension of the lockdown. Some want us to be ready to change the measurements, as they worry about putting on weight before their postponed wedding finally happens. A few clients who wanted customised gowns (Rs 22,000 to Rs 40,000) for each ceremony have now opted for renting them (Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000). The gowns on rent can be used only three times after dry cleaning. So, we will soon run out on that income as well, she frets. Keeping in touch with his customers online has helped actor and entrepreneur Gibran Osman, owner of Studio Bas which provides designer wedding costumes and customised shoes for grooms, to survive during the lockdown. We make our clients take their measurements at home as per our directions and send us the numbers. Our tailors work on a rotational basis and it takes two-three more days to finish each order. The finished product will be couriered and the fitting issues shall be discussed over a video call. Our agenda is to survive and ensure our workers safety. So, it is okay to have only 20 per cent business this season, he clarifies. Smart celebrations Kanika Subbiah, founder of Wedding Wishlist, which provides online planning services for a smart and stress-free wedding, believes that the pandemic has opened the doors for smarter celebrations. Weddings rarely happened between March and April. Enquiries started coming only from May and we have hosted 12 weddings in June on the WeddingWishlist.com platform. Now, couples are realising that they cannot wait indefinitely to get married, and so they chose to host safe and waste-free weddings. We help them organise it through our virtual wedding platform, she says. But the biggest challenge is to ensure that our clients guests feel a part of the wedding and not miss out on social interaction. We do that by creating a website for each couple, which integrates their story, functions, gift choices (via registry), live stream and other information on virtual wedding. The site also has an usher option to engage the guests and provide them with a personalised experience. The good news is weddings are an integral part of our culture, and couples are and will tie the knot, though with some adaptations. So even as we wait for the vaccine, for now, wedding-makers will have to sustain with small, intimate ceremonies. Vendors woes Marriage halls Even though weddings happen only for a maximum of 50 days a year, a mandapam owner has to pay seven taxes, give salary for staff and foot maintenance bill all ranging from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh per month But despite having zero business,some wedding hall owners continue to pay wages. Catering Caterers report having incurred a loss of at least Rs 12 lakh Loss of marriage orders is taking a toll on mental health Farmers suffer as no takers for elai vazhai 50 not feasible number for cooking A popular childrens storybook that seems especially germane right now is Follow the Drinking Gourd. It tells the tale of a peg-legged sailor who travels around the pre-Civil War South, teaching a song to slaves about a group of stars called the drinking gourd better known as the Big Dipper. It centers around the fact that the gourd points the way to the North Star, a directional beacon for slaves escaping to the northern states or Canada. The storyline includes an oft-repeated claim that the song incorporated encrypted directions for fleeing the South via the underground railroad. While this assertion has come into question in recent years, the basic idea that the North Star played an important literal as well as symbolic role for slaves stands firm. The use of the North Star (Polaris) as a directional guide goes back centuries. It isnt a particularly bright star it barely makes the list of top 50 brightest stars but serves as a useful directional tool because it sits very close to earths true north. By locating it in the sky, observers can then determine the other cardinal directions. This was especially important for travelers of old who did not have compasses or other navigational instruments to guide them. The North Star was thus important to many groups of people, but perhaps none more so than the slaves. As a directional guide pointing their way to the North, it also became a symbol for freedom. The noted abolitionist Frederick Douglass, himself an escaped slave, reinforced this concept in 1847, when he began publishing a weekly antislavery newspaper. The stated goal of the paper was to attack slavery in all its forms and aspects; advocate universal emancipation; exalt the standard of public morality; promote the moral and intellectual improvement of the colored people; and hasten the day of freedom to the three million of our enslaved fellow countrymen. The papers motto was Right is of no sex truth is of no color God is the father of us all, and all we are brethren. The name of the paper? Douglass called it The North Star, in reference to the stars importance to escaping slaves. Just as the actual star served as a guide for physically escaping slavery and pursuing a new life of freedom, the paper became a guide for what freedom really meant. On a related note, in the 1910s half a century after the Civil War ended an amateur folklorist named Harris Braley Parks told of the existence of the drinking gourd song, based on supposedly having heard it sung several times and then listening to a man in Texas explain the encoded words that described the path for slaves to escape to the North. The song was published in 1928, and the story behind the lyrics soon became entrenched dogma. In recent years, several scholars have brought a cloud of doubt to the validity of encoded words in the song. Perhaps the ditty really existed in pre-Civil War days, but it didnt include any encrypted directions of escaping to the North. We may never know if the tale as related in Follow the Drinking Gourd is true, but that doesnt diminish the importance of the North Star to the slaves. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Explosion East Of Tehran In Area Housing A Sensitive Military Facility Radio Farda June 26, 2020 A massive explosion at a sensitive military area near the Iranian capital city Tehran triggered a series of speculations of a possible air attack. Social media users circulated images of the explosion at around 00:30 a.m. local time on Friday (08:00 p.m. GMT on Thursday). Multiple video clips on Iranian social media showed a strong and large orange light, similar to an explosion appearing east of Tehran. Some residents said they heard a loud sound. The explosion occurred at the village of Parchin, the site of an Iranian military complex with the same name, located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southeast of Tehran. In July 2015, western sources claimed that there was activity in the military complex associated with nuclear weapons. Tehran immediately denied the allegation. However, the Director-General of the Defense Ministry's Public Relations Office, Second Brigadier General Davoud Abdi, told the Islamic Republic's official news agency (IRNA) that the explosion at Parchin' "public area" was the result of a natural gas tank blast. By saying "public area", Abdi effectively ruled out any military facility as the site of the explosion. "Fortunately, the explosion did not cause any casualties," Abdi added, noting that the firefighters managed to control the blaze resulting from the explosion. "Our colleagues have reached the area to examine the incident closely," Abdi said, adding that relevant authorities would duly announce further information about the explosion. Nonetheless, Abdi stopped short of referring to the cause of the explosion. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) news agency also attributed the blast to an explosion at a natural gas storage in Parchin, insisting that it occurred at a non-residential area. According to several reports in state and semi-official media citing both Abdi and the public relations manager of Tehran emergency, Mir Shahabuddin Ghavami no emergency services or ambulances were requested in the area following the blast, Reuters reported. Iranian authorities do not quickly and accurately report security-related incidents and an accurate picture might not emerge for a while. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/strong- large-orange-light-appears-east -of-tehran/30690980.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address After Pak allows access, India says yet to decide on opening Kartarpur Corridor Kartarpur Sahib Corridor set to reopen for pilgrims from today: Covid report, vaccine certificates must Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi-led jatha to visit Kartarpur gurdwara today, Navjot Sidhu won't be part of it Ready to open Kartarpur Corridor from June 29: Pakistan tells India India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, June 27: Pakistan on Saturday conveyed to India that it was ready to reopen the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib for Sikh pilgrims on June 29, to commemorate Maharaja Ranjit Singh death anniversary. Making the announcement, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Islamabad is ready to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on June 29 in commemoration of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a valiant lead of the Sikh empire from the 18th Century. "As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh," Qureshi said on Twitter. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News Sikhs celebrate Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary on June 27 (today). The corridor was shut in March this year as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Experts claim coronavirus triggers panic attacks, depression, suicides In November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the corridor connecting Dera Baba Nanak in India's Punjab with the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan. Indian pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake round the year visa-free travel to the historic gurdwara, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. Meanwhile, in April, parts of the shrine were damaged in a storm and several domes built atop the outer perimeter walls of the complex had collapsed. At least eight domes of the newly renovated Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib fell apart due to a thunderstorm, reported news agency PTI. However, the Pakistan government has claimed that it has repaired "the damage caused by winds and rains at Kartarpur Sahib within hours." This afternoon, an event was held at McCarran International Airport where arriving passengers were surprised by various local entertainers distributing Las Vegas branded masks upon arrival at the Terminal 1 baggage claim. Las Vegas wants travelers to know the destination honors its commitment to visitors, employees and residents' safety first and everyone wearing a mask helps. Vegas Smart reminds visitors and locals alike that the destination is doing everything it can to be smart while continuing to bring the exceptional dining, attractions and experiences that Las Vegas is known for. #VegasSmart is about being mindful of surroundings and thoughtful of others: keeping a safe distance, wearing a mandatory mask and washing or sanitizing hands often. While slightly reimagined, the sentiment remains the same: Vegas is still the exciting getaway guests know and crave. "We want our visitors to feel confident that coming to Las Vegas is still a fun and healthy experience. We know how much our visitors miss Vegas, and we want to welcome them back to enjoy the destination as safely as possible," said Steve Hill, president/CEO for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. "The mask mandate is a necessary and smart step on behalf of Nevada Governor Sisolak to make sure we can continue to share the world-class experiences you only find in Las Vegas." Things may look a little different from the Las Vegas visitors know and love, but that hasn't stopped the topnotch service the destination is known for. New venues and restaurants continue to open, summertime poolside lounging is in full effect and many attractions are open for Vegas-only thrills. Fun in the Sun Pools are open and ready for visitors with new protocols in place. Where applicable, pool guests are recommended to reserve lounge chairs, cabanas and daybeds in advance to guarantee seating with half capacity. Opening Thursday, July 2, WET REPUBLIC Ultra Pool at MGM Grand and LIQUID Pool Lounge at ARIA Resort & Casino will jump into summer with cabana and daybed rentals, refreshing cocktails and delicious food offerings. Marquee Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will amp up the pool experience each weekend with a live DJ, bottle and food service. Eat, Drink and Be #VegasSmart Keep cool by the pool with the new Spritz Restaurant & Bar at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, a Mediterranean-inspired poolside restaurant featuring Spritz cocktails and breakfast and lunch dishes. New Mexican cuisine makes its debut with Elio at Encore Las Vegas boasting contemporary Mexican ingredients and flavors. Accepting its first reservations for July 2, the highly anticipated Bugsy & Meyer's Steakhouse at Flamingo Las Vegas highlights steakhouse classics from the past with an elevated twist. High-end karaoke meets hand-crafted bites such as Korean fried chicken, kalbi tacos and an inspired cocktail program, starting July 2 at the new KAMU Ultra Karaoke at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Outdoor Thrills There is so much to do and see in Las Vegas, especially when it comes to outdoor attractions. Take a ride on the High Roller Observation Wheel, the world's tallest observation wheel at The LINQ Promenade in the heart of the Vegas Strip. Head downtown to experience Slotzilla the high-flying zipline to soar over the crowds on Fremont Street and under the Viva Vision canopy. Get your adrenaline pumping on some of the world's highest thrill rides at The STRAT Hotel, Casino and SkyPod. Move mountains of dirt, stack monster rocks, dig huge holes, crush cars and much more with full-size bulldozers and excavators at Dig This Las Vegas. Rest assured, Las Vegas is doing everything it can to be safe and smart, so guests can stay healthy and have fun. By being proactive and following mandatory mask guidelines, everyone will be able to keep enjoying the Vegas experience while staying as healthy as possible. ABOUT THE LVCVA The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center. With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 12 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.visitlasvegas.com. SOURCE Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Related Links https://www.lvcva.com The Expedition 63 crew is in final preparations today ahead of Friday's spacewalk to replace batteries on the outside of the International Space Station. Commander Chris Cassidy and Flight Engineer Bob Behnken will exit the station Friday around 7:35 a.m. EDT for a planned seven-hour spacewalk. They will disconnect aging nickel-hydrogen batteries from the Starboard-6 truss structure and stow them on an external pallet. The duo will then install new lithium-ion batteries in their place upgrading the orbital lab's power systems. The batteries store power collected from the main solar arrays and for use throughout the station. Cassidy and Behnken organized their spacewalk tools and readied their U.S. spacesuits inside the Quest airlock during the morning. They were joined in the afternoon by Flight Engineers Doug Hurley of NASA and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos for a quick review of tomorrow's spacewalk procedures. Hurley and Vagner have been reviewing their roles all week to assist tomorrow's spacewalk. The pair will help the spacewalkers in and out of the Quest airlock as well as their spacesuits. Both crewmembers will also monitor and help choreograph the spacewalk, in conjunction with specialists on the ground, from inside the station. NASA TV begins its live coverage of the spacewalk activities at 6 a.m. This will be the seventh spacewalk for both Cassidy and Behnken who each have conducted six spacewalks on previous missions at the space station. Veteran cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin spent his morning on lab maintenance on the station's Russian segment. Afterward, Ivanishin set up sensors to monitor the radiation environment in the orbital lab. On-Orbit Status Report Payloads Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons (RADI-N2): The crew retrieved all the RADIN-N2 dosimeters from the Russian crew and installed them in the Cupola. The objective of this Canadian Space Agency investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment, define the risk posed to the crew members' health, and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future spaceflight. It's been recognized that neutrons make up a significant fraction (10-30%) of the biologically effective radiation exposure in low-Earth orbit. The bubble detectors used in the investigation are designed to detect neutrons and ignore all other radiation. Systems S6 Battery Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: Today, the crew continued preparing for the S6 channel 1B battery upgrade EVA #1 by performing their equipment lock preps for Extravehicular Activity Mobility Units (EMU) 3004 and 3006. This is a continuation of the equipment lock prep started Monday. The crew also completed their EVA tool audit, and Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) / Robotic Workstation (RWS) setups. Finally, the crew completed their EVA procedure reviews and participated in a pre-EVA procedure review conference. The first of the two planned S6 channel 1B battery EVAs is set for tomorrow, Friday, June 26, 2020. The crew is scheduled to egress the Quest Joint Airlock shortly after 6:40 am CT. Completed Task List Activities: None Today's Ground Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. Channel 1B battery discharge and safing (ongoing) Remote PCS Reboots (Cupola and Lab RWS) Mobile Servicing System (MSS) File Uplink Look Ahead Plan Friday, 6/26 (GMT 178) Payloads: ISS HAM powerup and powerdowns Systems: S6 1B Battery EVA#1 (Prep and EVA) Saturday, 6/27 (GMT 179) Payloads: No Payload activities Systems: Post EVA PHS EMU Water Recharge EVA Procedure Review EVA Debrief Sunday, 6/28 (GMT 180) Payloads: Off-Duty Systems: Crew Off Duty Today's Planned Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. JEM Airlock Press & Leak Check ISS Crew and (RSA Flight Control Team) weekly conference UF-ATMOSFERA. PL Deactivation & Closeout Ops Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Pre EVA Examination ISS O2 repress from Progress 443 (DC1) Section 1 Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test Station Support Computer 16 and Portable Computer System Data Acquisition System Setup Changeout of Replaceable Condensate Removal Lines []. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Long Life Battery (LLB)/Metal Oxide (METOX) Installation Life on the Station Photo/Video Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Audit PILLE Dosimeter Reading Equipment Lock (E-LK) Preparation PILLE sensors gathering and setup prior to USOS EVA USOS EVA. EVA Procedure Review Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Conference Visual inspection of 28-120 voltage converter (behind SM panel 231). Portable Onboard Computers (POC) Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) Setup Progress 448 (SM Aft) Transfers and IMS Ops Robotic Workstation (RWS) Setup Relocate PBAs for upcoming EVA Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons Hardware Handover MATRYOSHKA-R. Handover of BUBBLE-dosimeters to USOS Extravehicular Activity (EVA) iPad Contingency Procedures preparation RADI-N Detector Deploy to Cupola MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter initialization and deployment for exposure Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT) Program Management/ISS Crew Conference ISS N2 repress from Progress 443 (DC1) Section 2 Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Father Ted creator Graham Linehan is the latest high profile user to be suspended from Twitter for after the site said it breached rules on using banned words. The Irish sitcom writer has been banned for 'hateful conduct', including using the word groomer in a years old post which was found by trans rights activists after he got embroiled in an argument with them. It comes a week after Kate Hopkins was banned from Twitter for unspecified violations of its user conduct policy. Mr Linehan has gained notoriety in recent years for his vocal opinions on transgender rights and feminism, and he yesterday wrote 'men aren't women tho' in response to a Tweet wishing a happy Pride to transgender Women's institute members. Twitter said Mr Linehan has been banned for 'repeated violations of our rules against hateful conduct and platform manipulation'. Father Ted creator Graham Linehan has been suspended from Twitter for after breaching the social media site's rules on using banned words. The writer allegedly wrote 'men aren't women tho' in a in response to a Tweet wishing a happy Pride to transgender Women's institute members Mr Linehan's @Glinner account cannot be searched for on the social media platform. A post on Mumsnet appearing to come from the writer Earlier this morning, Mr Linehan took to online forum Mumsnet and a post appearing to be written by him said he will be appealing his Twitter suspension. The post said: 'Im [sic] really sorry to barge in on you Mumsnetters with my problems, but Ive finally been suspended from Twitter and I have a feeling theyre either going to ban me or just take my verified tick. 'Ive submitted an appeal with Twitter and the Better Business Bureau but I thought Id post here too so people knew what was going on. Linehan's Mumsnet post in full Im really sorry to barge in on you Mumsnetters with my problems, but Ive finally been suspended from Twitter and I have a feeling theyre either going to ban me or just take my verified tick. Ive submitted an appeal with Twitter and the Better Business Bureau but I thought Id post here too so people knew what was going on. Recently, I keep getting locked out of my account and forced to delete tweets to get back in. The latest tactic by trans rights activists is to run a search for any time Ive used the word groomer, a phrase Twitter recently decided was Not Allowed. This was not a violation of Twitters ToS at the time I used the phrase, and I have been careful to avoid it since. I still use the word grooming in various permutations because I believe that gender ideology is a form of societal grooming. It is a very real threat to the wellbeing of women and children and if our ability to name a threat is removed, it is even more difficult to fight that threat. You may remember that Twitter similarly removed Canadian feminist Meghan Murphy. She lost her account when she said 'that's him' about 'Jessica' Yaniv. Bear in mind that Yaniv was still going under 'Jonathan' at the time, and just as in my case, her crime against Twitter's Terms of Service was not actually an offence at the time she committed it. She probably never thought she could be banned from the public square for uttering the words "that's him". But that's Twitter. Advertisement Recently, I keep getting locked out of my account and forced to delete tweets to get back in.' One person responded to the post saying Mr Linehan should not be writing in a 'women's space'. She wrote: 'Sorry who are you and why should I care that you have been banned from Twitter? 'You seem to be a man by the looks of it so why are you posting in a feminism forum? 'This is a female space.' Last week, Mr Linehan lost his verified account status on Twitter after a series of his Tweets accusing an LGBTQ+ group of grooming were reported. The Tweets alleged that the group requested personal and sensitive data with promise of confidentiality from young people and organised meetings in secret locations. But the The IT Crowd writer regained his account verification before it was suspended and Twitter confirmed he had been unverified in error at the time. His Twitter suspension has been met with mixed opinions on social media. Author Bethany Sutter said: 'I cant stop laughing at Glinner going to cry on Mumsnet about getting booted off twitter and someone being like "why should we care about you since youre a man and this is a womens space".' BAFTA-winning digital artist Dan Hett wrote: 'The icing on the cake here is glinner heading to mumsnet to cry about getting banned, at 3am, and being told to f*** off.' But broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer came out in defence of Mr Linehan. She wrote: 'This is bloody ridiculous. Theyre coming for us one by one. 'Stating biological facts is NOT a crime. 'Please join me in protesting to Twitter about the suspension of @glinner.' Mr Linehan has previously denied being transphobic and spoken about the hate he has received for broadcasting his opinions. Writing in the Mail on Sunday earlier this year, Mr Linehan said: 'Today I am one of the most loathed figures on the internet. 'My speaking events have been cancelled. I have been sued. 'The police have visited my home and former friends have turned their backs on me.' He defended Harry Potter writer JK Rowling this month when she was accused of transphobia. Mr Linehan posted a link to a blog article with screenshots of the abuse the writer received after her Tweets about transgender people. Mr Linehan has previously denied being transphobic and spoken about the hate he has received for broadcasting his opinions. Pictured: Father Ted Star Dermot Morgan in the title role An example of some of Linehan's recent tweets on the subject of sexuality and trans rights Former Apprentice star turned right-wing commentator Katie Hopkins had her Twitter account banned earlier this month for 'hateful conduct' Earlier this month, former Apprentice star turned right-wing commentator Katie Hopkins had her Twitter account banned for 'hateful conduct'. Her account had more than one million followers and was removed for a string of offensive tweets. A Twitter spokesman confirmed on June 18 Hopkins's account had been shut down for breaking the site's rules around hateful content. In a tweet on Wednesday June 17, she wrote: 'Today is #whiteoutwednesday. I will shortly be posting a picture of my arse. Thank you.' She also attacked footballer Marcus Rashford, who this week got the government to change its stance on free school meals for children over the summer. A row has broken out over Twitter's decision to ban Katie Hopkins for 'hateful conduct' She put: 'Dear Marcus Rashford, do you think women should think about how they are going to feed a child before they decide to have it? 'I do not want to pay to feed other people's kids. You are welcome to. Thank you, Katie Hopkins.' Twitter said in a statement: 'Keeping Twitter safe is a top priority for us abuse and hateful conduct have no place on our service and we will continue to take action when our Rules are broken. 'In this case, the account has been permanently suspended for violations of our Hateful Conduct policy.' The social media site slapped a warning on President Donald Trump's tweets, but made the decision not to remove his account It came after the social media giant slapped a warning on US President Donald Trump's tweets. Twitter added a warning label on to a video tweet shared by Mr Trump's account on June 18, informing users it contained manipulated media. The clip is edited to look like it appeared on a CNN broadcast, showing a black toddler running away from a white child, with a fake CNN breaking news caption reading: 'Terrified todler (sic) runs from racist baby.' It then claims to reveal 'what actually happened', showing the original version of events where the pair are playing - the way CNN had reported it - before accusing 'fake news' of being the root cause of problems in America. In May, Twitter placed fact-checking labels on two tweets from Mr Trump's personal account which made claims about fraud in US postal voting, as well as hiding a post about protests in the city of Minneapolis after Mr Floyd's death. Mr Trump responded by signing an executive order to restrict legal protections allowing social media sites to remove content they deem inappropriate, a power he described as being akin to censorship. - The elderly couple had not been able to see each other since the nursing home locked out visitors to try to shield their residents from the deadly coronavirus - Agustina Canamero and Pascual Perez who have been married for 59 years have never been apart for such a long period - The couple kissed and hugged for minutes through the thin layer of plastic and their face masks Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in A heartwarming moment was captured on camera as an elderly couple was allowed to hug though plastic screens. Agustina Canamero had not seen her hubby Pascual Perez for 102 days as he resides in at Ballesol Puig I Fabra nursing home in Barcelona, Spain. READ ALSO: Anas drops short video showing portions of his new expose on COVID-19 Agustina Canamero and Pascual Perez spent 102 days apart due to the coronavirus. Photo: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti. Source: UGC The elderly couple had not been able to see each other since the nursing home locked out visitors to try to shield their residents from the deadly coronavirus. Spain's nursing homes were hit particularly hard by it, with the nationwide death toll being high. READ ALSO: History of how Fantes settled in Ghana after being led by man-like animals told Dolores Reyes Fernandez, 61, touches the face of her father Jose Reyes Lozano, 87. Photo: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti. Source: UGC According to Euro News reports, the couple who have been married for 59 years have never been apart for such a long period. It is said that Canamero and her loving hubby Perez are now in their eighties. The elderly woman spent the country's lockdown at the home she used to share with her hubby before he went to the nursing home filled with fear. She was one of the first to arrive at the nursing home when it reopened on 22 June. The couple kissed and hugged for minutes through the thin layer of plastic and their face masks. READ ALSO: African engineer builds robot that takes COVID-19 test samples, gives out advice Meanwhile, a stunning Ghanaian nurse popularly known on social media as Akosua May has cautioned the public to take the COVID-19 preventive measures very seriously as the pandemic is very real. In a post sighted by YEN.com.gh on the personal Twitter handle of the young nurse, she clearly indicates that her close friend is now waiting in isolation for 14 days after testing positive for the novel coronavirus. Akosua May further explains that the gentleman only attended to a COVID-19 patient as part of his normal duties and got the disease as a result. Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! Faces of Ghana: 21-year-old female boxer's dream of becoming a world champion | #Yencomgh Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 01:10:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government expressed on Friday strong opposition to the passage of the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" by the U.S. Senate. A government spokesman urged the U.S. Congress to immediately stop interfering in HKSAR's internal matters and said the act and the so-called "sanctions" are totally unacceptable and will only harm the relations and common interests between Hong Kong and the United States. The implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle in the HKSAR is entirely the internal affairs of China, and no other state or legislature has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, in those internal affairs, the spokesman said. Since the return to the motherland, Hong Kong has been exercising "the people of Hong Kong administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law, the spokesman said, stressing that the "one country, two systems" principle has been fully and successfully implemented. The HKSAR government will continue to implement the "one country, two systems" principle resolutely in accordance with the Basic Law, the spokesman said. The spokesman stressed that many of the comments on HKSAR affairs in the act are seriously misleading and absolutely unfounded. Regarding prosecution of people engaged in illegal protests, the spokesman reiterated that Hong Kong has a well-established and fair criminal judicial system. Article 63 of the Basic Law provides that the Department of Justice of the HKSAR government controls criminal prosecutions, free from any interference, and the prosecutors have always been discharging this constitutional duty independently and professionally, without fear or favor, the spokesman said. Prosecutorial decisions are based on an objective assessment of admissible and reliable evidence and applicable laws, made strictly in accordance with the Prosecution Code which is available to the public, the spokesman said, noting that cases will not be handled any differently owing to the political beliefs, demands or backgrounds of the persons involved. "The people of Hong Kong enjoy extensive rights and freedoms which are enshrined in the Basic Law. Article 4 of the Basic Law provides that the HKSAR shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents of the HKSAR and of other persons in the region in accordance with law. In addition, human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong are fully protected by the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation," the spokesman said. As for the roles of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the spokesman said they represent the central government to which the HKSAR comes directly under pertaining to Article 12 of the Basic Law. These offices have the power and responsibility over the proper and full implementation of the Basic Law and "one country, two systems," the spokesman said, stressing that there is no intervention in the affairs that the HKSAR administers on its own in accordance with the Basic Law. Any "sanctions" imposed under the act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law, the spokesman said, urging the U.S. side to act responsibly by refraining from taking measures that may potentially affect the normal operations of financial institutions and the vast number of customers they serve. Enditem The Delhi government on Saturday put all districts on high alert and asked the district magistrates to coordinate with the fire department for spraying of pesticides and insecticides to prevent a possible attack of crop-destroying locusts, after their swarms descended on neighbouring Gurugram and some border areas of the national capital. IMAGE: A swarm of locusts flies over DLF area, in Gurugram. Photograph: PTI Photo An advisory issued by the Delhi development commissioner said that residents can distract the locusts by making high-decibel sound through beating of drums, utensils; playing high-volume music, bursting crackers, and burning neem leaves. The advisory asked the people to keep doors and windows closed and cover outdoor plants with plastic sheets. The district magistrates have also been advised to deploy adequate staff to make villagers and residents aware of these measure. "Swarms of locusts usually fly in daytime and rest during night. Therefore, they should not be allowed to rest during night time," it read. "Night spray of malathion or chlorpyrifos is useful. PPE kits may be used while spraying for safety, the advisory said. Earlier, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai chaired an emergency meeting of senior officials where he was informed that swarms have also reached the Asola Bhatti area in South Delhi. He asked district authorities to remain on high alert. The forest department was directed to take various steps to repel the swarms of locusts, the official said. He also asked officials of the agriculture department to make field visits to areas close to Gurugram. The development secretary, divisional commissioner; director, agriculture department and district magistrates of South Delhi and West Delhi attended the meeting, the official said. However, the migratory pests are likely to spare the national capital for now, officials said. The swarms of locusts, spread across two kilometres, entered Gurgaon around 11.30 am, said K L Gurjar of the Locust Warning Organisation, ministry of agriculture. The pests, he said, were headed towards Faridabad and Palwal in Haryana. According to the Union ministry of agriculture, a locust swarm moved towards Dwarka in Delhi, from there to Daulatabad, Gurugram, Faridabad and this swarm has entered Uttar Pradesh. The skies over many parts of Gurgaon turned dark as swarms of locusts descended on the city around noon. Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurugram shared videos from their high-rise perches. In May, India battled a devastating desert locust outbreak. The crop-destroying swarms first attacked Rajasthan and then spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. According to experts, broadly four species of locusts are found in India -- desert locust, migratory locust, Bombay locust and tree locust. The desert locust is considered the most destructive. It multiplies very rapidly and is capable of covering 150 kilometres in a day. This insect, a type of a grasshopper, can eat more than its body weight. A one square kilometer of locust swarm containing around 40 million locusts can in a day eat as much food as 35,000 people. Experts blame the growing menace of desert locusts on climate change. They say breeding of locusts is directly related to soil moisture and food availability. A Brookings Institution study found that since the start of the pandemic, one in six households in the United States has young children who arent getting enough food, so I asked Francis about hunger. She acknowledged that there must be hungry children but added: If people knew kids were hungry, they would help. The community would step up. On the other end of the United States, Latinos in New York City display a similar resilience. Dr. Carmen Isasi, an epidemiologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine who has studied LatinX populations, said that lately she has seen signs on Spanish-speaking churches offering food for the needy. Scholars have been debating the Hispanic Paradox at least since 1974, when researchers found that the neonatal mortality rate in Texas was lower for people with Spanish surnames than with English surnames. Researchers have found another paradox within the paradox: First-generation Latino immigrants tend to live longest, and their children while better educated and earning more money die earlier. Moreover, Latinos embedded in ethnic enclaves seem to do better than those who live in heterogeneous neighborhoods. Part of the explanation may be that what many white Americans think of as traditional American values an emphasis on faith, family and community ties are disproportionately found among Latino immigrants, but then fade as their children assimilate. If we find that someone needs help, we help them, Raul Gonzalez Hernandez, who works in a plant nursery and has just recovered from Covid-19, told me. He said that others had helped him when he arrived from Michoacan State in Mexico, so he wants to pay it forward particularly if the person needing help is also from Michoacan. Ive been long interested in the Hispanic Paradox because I grew up in a mostly white farm town in Oregon that has been devastated by lost jobs. As Ive written, a quarter of the kids on my old school bus are dead from drugs, alcohol, suicide and other deaths of despair. Siauliu Bankas AB, company code 112025254, address of the head office Tilzes str. 149, Siauliai, Lithuania. Siauliu bankas AB has received the notification of the person, closely associated with the manager, on transactions in securities issued by the bank (attached). Director of Securities Accounting Department Jolanta Dobiliauskiene is authorized by the Issuer to provide additional information and is available on tel.: +370 41 595669. Attachment The number of new known cases of COVID-19 in Colorado has been on the rise since mid-June, hitting 324 Thursday, a new high since May 30. The uptick comes after an overall declining number of new cases since late-April, when the seven-day average of newly reported cases hit almost 600, nearly two times the low achieved in mid-June. The rise isnt concentrated in one part of the state several counties have shown increases at the same time. Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state health departments chief epidemiologist, highlighted the increase during a Wednesday news conference. In the last week we did see an increase, compared to where we have been, Dr. Herlihy said, warning that the spread of the virus could increase even more soon. Were really at a place that is a bit tenuous for us. Hospitalizations in Colorado have continued to decline, and outcomes for COVID-19 patients who require hospitalization have improved. Mortality rates have come down, which local hospital chiefs attribute to improved therapeutic care and better case management for COVID-19 patients, as the medical community learns how to handle the effects of the new virus. But trends in hospitalizations lag behind trends in new cases being discovered, In some neighboring states, coronavirus cases are surging, resembling the fast spread of the virus during March in states hit earlier by the virus, such as New York, New Jersey, Washington, Louisiana and Colorado. Arizona, Utah and Texas have all seen fast-increasing new daily cases. In Arizona, the rise in transmissions has prompted hospitals to activate surge plans, as hospitalization needs near capacity. In Texas, restrictions on bars and restaurants are being put back in place. The most recent modeling done by the Colorado COVID-19 Modeling Group, made up of researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health, the University of Colorado and Colorado State University, predicted in late May that cases could begin to rise again, starting near the end of June. They urged Coloradans to maintain a 55% to 65% reduction in social interactions, in order to keep the spread of the virus slow enough to prevent unmanageable hospital needs. But Coloradans have been increasingly moving around the state, cellphone data has shown. In mid-April, the portion of Coloradans who spent their time entirely at home peaked at around 50%. Since then, people have been staying at home less. And restrictions on businesses have been relaxed, with bars and restaurants open with tightened capacity restrictions, but large gatherings like concerts and sporting events still restricted. Even though the state has counted about 32,000 cases in Colorado, the total number of cases is estimated to be about 10 times that. About 6% of the states population have contracted the virus, according to the Colorado COVID-19 Modeling Groups research. At the same Wednesday news conference where Dr. Herlihy discussed the recent rise in new cases, Gov. Jared Polis highlighted the larger spikes in new cases in nearby states to stress again to Coloradans to continue to socially distance. Polis said Memorial Day weekend celebrations are suspected to be the culprit behind some of the surge in those areas, and said Coloradans need to remain vigilant about wearing masks and not congregating in large groups as another holiday weekend approaches. "We don't want the Fourth of July holiday to be what Memorial Day weekend was in Arizona or Florida," he said. MORE COVERAGE: CDPHE outlines terms for outdoor visits at Colorado senior facilities By The Numbers | Coronavirus in Colorado PHOTOS | Documenting coronavirus in the Pikes Peak region Its been 12 years since Kim Fraley has heard her daughters voice. Jamie Fraley, who was 22 years old and living in Gaston County, North Carolina at the time, called her mother just after midnight on April 8, 2008, to tell her she wasnt feeling well, Kim told Dateline. Kim explained that Jamie had the stomach flu and it was severe enough that she had already been to the hospital twice within the past 24 hours. Jamie Fraley Kim asked her daughter if she needed to be picked up, but Jamie declined, saying she had an appointment the next day with the Social Security Administration she needed to go to. Jamie suffered from bipolar disorder and anxiety issues and had a healthcare provider, who was scheduled to pick her up for the appointment. She promised her mother she would rest. "I said, 'Well, I love you.' And she said, 'I love you, too,'" Kim remembered. It was the last time I heard her voice. Im just, well, Im just really glad I got to tell her I loved her. At least I have that. Because the next day, she was gone. Captain W.P. Downey with the Gaston County Police Department told Dateline that after speaking to her mother, Jamie had another call around 2 a.m., this time with a friend. Jamie told her that she was getting a ride to the hospital, but didnt say with whom. "She said, 'He is here,' but she didn't say who he is," Captain Downey said. Captain Downey added that investigators still do not know who he was. Jamie never checked into a hospital that third time. When Jamie missed her appointment the next day, Kim said she received a call from her daughters healthcare provider who was supposed to have given Jamie a ride that day. When the healthcare provider arrived at Jamies apartment it was locked and there was no answer at the door. Kim called the police and an officer performed a welfare check, but found no signs of forced entry or a struggle. And no trace of Jamie. Jamies mother, aunt and cousin later arrived at the apartment, where Kim said they found Jamies wallet, purse, keys and ID. Her cell phone was the only thing that appeared to be missing, she added. Story continues Kim said they noticed Jamie had vomited several times throughout the apartment and shoe laces were missing from the shoes she typically wore. They called the police again and filed a missing person report. For hours, Jamies family continued to call her phone. A man who said he worked for the cable company eventually picked up and said he had found the phone while repairing lines. The phone was in the intersection of New Hope Road and Hudson Boulevard, about a mile and a half from Jamies apartment. Gaston County Police launched an investigation, devoted three investigators to the case full-time and requested assistance from both the State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. They questioned Jamies friends and neighbors. They searched the lake across the street from her home. Family members made thousands of fliers, conducted their own searches and even hired their own investigator. But even after 12 years, there have been no substantial clues about what happened to Jamie. I had such a hard time bringing her into this world, Kim told Dateline. Why would anyone take her away? Im heartbroken. Kim describes her daughter as a firecracker with a big heart and a passion for helping others. She always wanted to help people, Kim said. And she always tried to see the best in people. Which may have gotten her into trouble. She was too trusting at times. A native of Gaston County, North Carolina, Jamie struggled with bipolar disorder and anxiety issues growing up, her mom told Dateline, but by the late 2000s, she was responding well to her medications and attending Gaston College. Kim said Jamie had plans to one day become a drug counselor and help addicts. Like I said, she always wanted to help people, Kim said. It was in her nature. In 2006, Jamie began dating Ricky Simonds Jr. They got engaged and moved in together. But according to police, after several earlier arrests, Simonds was sentenced to 15 months in state prison for theft. He was still imprisoned at the time of Jamies disappearance, so investigators ruled him out as a suspect. Early on in the investigation, Rickys father, Ricky Simonds Sr., was questioned in the disappearance, Captain Downey said, but was not named a person of interest in the case. Simonds Sr., who served prison time in the 1980s for strangling a girlfriend to death, lived at the same apartment complex as Jamie and did maintenance work there. Two months after Jamies disappearance, Simonds Sr. was found dead in the trunk of his ex-girlfriend's car. Investigators said the woman noticed a foul odor and when she checked the trunk, she found Simonds body. The cause of death was ruled to be accidental heat stroke. Jamies mother Kim told Dateline she believes whatever useful information existed about her daughters disappearance went to the grave with Simonds Sr. Any questions we had for him, any information we could have gotten from him, now its gone, Kim said. Twelve years have passed and Jamies family is still in anguish over the lack of answers in her case. Kim said that for years, she could barely get out of bed, but was determined to keep going for the rest of her family. People always say the word closure, Kim said. But there is no such thing as closure. Its been 12 years with no closure. Kim has a box of items belonging to her daughter, but said its hard to look at. They say, Oh, well, you still got memories of her. But memories are painful. A poem written by Jamie is one of the memories nestled in the box. Hold your head up high. Be the struggle when I die, Kim recited. That's just very eerie to me. As the years pass, Jamies disappearance continues to be one of only a few unsolved cases in the area, investigators say. Captain Downey was a patrol sergeant, working the day Jamie disappeared. He later left the Gaston County PD, but recently returned as a commander. He told Dateline investigators began reviewing the case again in August 2019. It was one of my goals when I returned to work as a commander here, Captain Downey said. I wanted us to do whatever we could to solve these cold cases. He added that there are extensive records kept on Jamies case, which include every tip they have followed over the past 12 years. But they are still missing that one tip the one from someone who knows what happened to Jamie -- that would finally give her mother some answers. "Someone knows something, Kim told Dateline. What if it was your daughter, your sister, your child? Its time to come forward. Kim added that shes never going to give up searching for answers in her daughters disappearance. Until you show me different, Im going to have hope that shes alive, Kim said. And shell keep up the struggle. At the time of Jamies disappearance, she was 22 years old, 48 tall, weighed approximately 90 pounds and had blond hair with brown eyes. She had a tattoo that said Ricky on her ankle. Jamie would be 34 years old today. Anyone who might have information about Jamies whereabouts is asked to call the Gaston County Police Department in North Carolina at 704-866-3320 or Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000. Its been 15 days since one Winnipeg family has had water they feel is safe to use for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Its been 15 days since one Winnipeg family has had water they feel is safe to use for drinking, cooking and cleaning. The water that comes out of the taps at Leslie Careys house on Watt Street smells like plastic and oil mixed together, she said. The water contains white specks sometimes, but its nothing compared to the "white, stinky, scummy stuff" that first appeared June 11, Carey said. Carey lives with her daughter and baby granddaughter. The City of Winnipeg turned off their water June 11, due to water pipe, sidewalk and road construction. When it turned the water back on in the evening, it wasnt the same. "The smell is so bad, you dont want to put it in your mouth," Carey said Friday. Carey said she has called 311 for help six times. City workers have visited her house three times to test the water. "City crews... determined that the water meets the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines, which are based on a flushed cold-water sample," David Driedger, Winnipeg corporate communications manager, wrote in an emailed statement. He noted crews found the water slightly discoloured, probably due to nearby construction: "We provided the resident with steps to take to address the discoloured water." However, Carey said her family still doesnt trust the water, and the city hasnt explained why it smells. They dont shower or do laundry at home as a result. "Im scared what itll do to my clothes," she said. Complicating matters, Carey has mobility issues. Because of road construction, Handi-Transit hasnt been able to reach her house, making it harder for her to travel to get clean water. (Construction workers were to build a temporary road nearby, making it accessible for Handi-Transit, she said.) Recently, Curtis Monkman Funeral Director donated 15 jugs of water to the family. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Carey said shes talked to her neighbours, and her house is the only one with a water problem. She said she asked a construction company for its opinion; it believes it is partly because her house is at the crossroads of Watt Street and Jamison Avenue. "Its whatever they use to put the pipes together, is what I assume the smell and the (bad) water is from," she said. Meanwhile, Careys daughter has been staying at a hotel, not just because of the water problem. While taking out the sidewalk, construction crews pulled out the houses gate, step and part of its fence. Now, rainwater enters the basement where Careys daughter and granddaughter live, she said. Her insurance company told her that if theres more rain, her daughter and granddaughter would have to leave the house again, Carey said. "Well probably have to go (to a hotel) this Sunday, just so we can have showers and do a load of laundry," she said. gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca Mumbai terrorist attack convict David Headley cannot be extradited to India, but Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman co-conspirator Tahawwur Rana faces extradition, a US attorney has told a federal court while opposing his bail plea. Rana, 59, a childhood friend of David Coleman Headley, was recently rearrested on June 10 in Los Angeles on an extradition request by India for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed. He is a declared fugitive in India. According to the federal prosecutors, between 2006 and November 2008, Rana conspired with Headley, also known as "Daood Gilani , and others in Pakistan to assist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harakat ul-Jihad-e-Islami, both US-designated terrorist organisations, to plan and carry out the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistani-American LeT terrorist Headley was involved in plotting the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. He was made an approver in the case, and is currently serving a 35-year prison term in the US for his role in the attack. The US is yet to file India's request for Rana's extradition, but is expected to do it soon. It is evident that the offences for which Rana was tried in the Illinois court will differ from the Indian offences mentioned in the complaint. Rana in his defence has argued that US' decision not to extradite his co-conspirator, Headley, to India is inconsistent and bars his extradition. However, Assistant US Attorney John J Lulejian told a federal court in Los Angeles on Friday that unlike Rana, Headley immediately accepted responsibility for his conduct and pleaded guilty to all of the charges in the Superseding Indictment. Because Headley fulfilled the required terms, the plea agreement established that Headley would not be extradited to India. Rana's situation is different because he neither pleaded guilty nor cooperated with the United States. As a result, he is unable to avail himself of the benefits afforded to Headley through his negotiated plea. Thus, he cannot complain that he faces extradition, while his co-defendant does not, the US attorney said. Rana's bail application is due for hearing next week. Early this week, his attorney told the court that the 26/11 convict is not a flight risk and has proposed a USD 1.5 million bond for his release. "Rana should be released on a robust bond: secured by approximately USD 1.5 million in property pledged by family and friends and under the supervision of his daughter, Lemaan Rana, a matriculating medical student and Ph.D. candidate, Amy Karlin, the Interim Federal Public Defender, said in the court submission on behalf of Rana. India seeks his arrest on a number of offences, including the conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating, and murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He is sought for his role in 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The US attorney urged the court to continue his detention pending the extradition proceedings to India. Describing Rana as a flight risk, the attorney said that no matter what bond package he offers, Rana poses an unacceptable flight risk. If the US extradites Rana to India and he is convicted of the charges, he may be eligible for the death penalty. Given what is at stake, Rana has an extreme incentive to flee and avoid facing these extradition proceedings, Lulejian said. He could accomplish this by going into hiding within the US, but he has a particular incentive to go to another country that may not extradite him without assurances from India that it will not seek, impose or carry out the death penalty, the attorney argued. If Rana were to flee to Canada, his extradition from Canada to the US would take years and would require substantial resources by the governments of both Canada and the United States, and there is no guarantee that Canada would ultimately grant that extradition request, he said. However, even if Canada granted the request from the US, the terms of the US-Canada extradition treaty would prohibit the US from extraditing Rana to a third country, such as India, unless Canada granted its consent to do so, Lulejian said. Not only does Rana have an incentive to flee, but he has numerous international connections who can help facilitate his flight, he told the court. Rana ran an international immigration business for many years in Chicago, which allowed him to develop professional and personal relationships around the world. Moreover, he was convicted of plotting an attack with and providing material support to an international terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. These international connections enhance Rana's flight risk because they can provide the means to flee this jurisdiction and potentially avoid extradition to India, Lulejian added. The 2008 Mumbai attack was one of India's most horrific terrorist attacks in which 166 people were killed and over 300 injured as 10 heavily-armed terrorists from Pakistan created mayhem. Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive, was hanged to death on November 21, 2012. Also Read: US opposes release of 26-11 convict Tahawwur Rana on bail Also Read: Delhi schools to remain close till July 31, 50% syllabus cut on anvil Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 23:23:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- South African lawmakers on Saturday threw their weight behind the government to continue a ban on the sale of tobacco products as the COVID-19 pandemic was raging in the country. This came after the Pretoria High Court ruled on Friday in favor of a government decision to ban the sale of tobacco products as part of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Responding to the ruling, Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said it welcomed the court ruling to dismiss the application by the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association against the ban. The judgement "is welcomed as it promotes and protects the right to life and the right of access to the healthcare facilities," Committee Chairperson Faith Muthambi said in a statement emailed to Xinhua. The ban, along with other lockdown regulations, was not meant to be punitive, but for the protection of all the people living in South Africa, said Muthambi. The sale of tobacco products has been banned since March 15 when Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma declared a national state of disaster due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As for the ban on cigarette sale, the minister cited health concerns over smokers who are more likely to succumb to the virus. The lockdown was necessary as South Africa needed enough time to put measures in place to cope with the rise of the infected cases, Muthambi said. Although these regulations seemed harsh and many felt that they infringed on their rights and were unconstitutional, there was no other way to protect the people than to curtail their movement to flatten the curve and to keep them safe, he said. Also on Saturday, the government said it has been vindicated by the court ruling. "We also wish to remind South Africans that all the interventions that were made, including the ban on selling of cigarettes, were all aimed at saving lives," government spokesperson Phumla Williams said. The government calls on all South Africans - both at the workplace and on an individual level, to adhere to the health protocol while the economy is reopened, said Williams. Enditem NJ City Councilman Among 4 Charged in Vote-Fraud Scheme; 19 Percent of Ballots Rejected A New Jersey city councilman and three others were charged in a mail-in voter fraud scheme that ended with 19 percent of ballots rejected, officials said. Paterson City Councilman Michael Jackson, 48, Councilman-elect Alex Mendez, 45, Shelim Khalique, 51, and Abu Razyen, 21, were charged with crimes that include fraud in casting mail-in votes, unauthorized possession of ballots, and tampering with public records. Patersons City Council members arent officially affiliated with a political party. All voting in the May 12 elections in New Jersey was done by mail-in ballots, which officials attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. The charges came after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service found hundreds of mail-in ballots in a mailbox in Paterson, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said. Todays charges send a clear message: if you try to tamper with an election in New Jersey, we will find you and we will hold you accountable, Grewal said June 25 in a statement. We will not allow a small number of criminals to undermine the publics confidence in our democratic process. The states election process lets voters complete a mail-in ballot themselves and return the ballot by mailing it, placing it in a specially designated dropbox, or delivering it to the County Board of Elections. But the state also lets a voter give a completed ballot to a bearer, who is then supposed to complete a certification on the ballot envelope in the presence of the voter. Shelim Khalique in an undated mugshot. (New Jersey Attorney Generals Office) The bearer can then return the ballot on behalf of the voter. Bearers are barred from collecting and delivering more than three ballots, and an election candidate isnt allowed to serve as a bearer. Jackson, officials said, violated election laws by approaching at least one voter in Paterson in the same district where he was running and collecting their mail-in ballots. Jackson didnt certify the ballots, in an apparent bid to skirt the law; he also possessed more than three mail-in ballots. Mendez is also accused of attempting to be a bearer in the same district he was running. In addition, Mendez allegedly procured or submitted one or more voter registration applications which he knew to be false, fictitious, or fraudulent, in that he knew the person for whom the application was procured was not eligible to vote in the election district identified on the application, the office of Grewal, a Democrat, said in a statement. Khalique, the brother of Paterson Councilman Shahin Khalique, allegedly dropped off ballots that didnt have information identifying himself as the bearer, while Razyen allegedly was captured on video footage flipping through a stack of more than three mail-in ballot envelopes that didnt have the bearer portion completed. Jackson faces up to 16 years and six months in prison, and Mendez faces up to 31 years and six months in jail; the other two men also face jail time if convicted. The probe into elections for Patersons six ward seats on the City Council led to the disqualification of 3,190 ballots, or about 19 percent of those submitted, officials told the Paterson Press. Keith Furlong, a spokesman for Passaic County government, called it part of the normal process. Abu Razyen in an undated mugshot. (New Jersey Attorney Generals Office) Jackson told The Epoch Times he is not pleading guilty. Contact information for the other three men wasnt available. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, both Democrats, called on Jackson and Mendez to resign. Some have called for an entirely new election. Invalidate the election. Lets do it again, Rev. Kenneth Clayton of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples Paterson chapter told NBC4 New York last month. These kinds of acts make people not want to vote anymore. They feel disenfranchised, disconnected that their votes dont count, and that is not fair to people, he said. Scott Salmon, a lawyer representing Councilman Bill McKoy, filed a legal challenge earlier this month, asking a judge to order a new election in Patersons 3rd Ward. In just a few weeks with limited resources, we have uncovered a deep and systemic problem with the way this election was conducted, at seemingly every level, Salmon told the New Jersey Globe. We are most concerned with what appears to be a concerted effort to steal this election through a massive voter fraud program. Desert locust swarms last seen across multiple northern states in May have once again begun migration from Rajasthan to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. On Saturday, Gurugram, Faridabad, Mahendragarh and Rewari districts in Haryana saw a large swarm estimated to be between 1-3 kilometre long flying through. The migrating insects, which lay eggs in the desert and migrate in millions, were expected to fly over northwest and north India during the end of June. Keith Cressman, senior locust forecasting officer of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said in May the swarms had arrived in India earlier than their usual migration cycle. He had cautioned that more waves of migration will be seen in July as hopper bands from East Africa were expected to move northwards and cross over the Arabian Sea into Sindh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Owing to rainfall in Rajasthan last December and January this year, the desert locusts had an opportunity to breed well. In Rajasthan, the swarms have been coming in continuously for the past three weeks. Many of them are coming from Iran and Pakistan. Due to high metabolic activity, it has been difficult to kill them as they are not settling in one place for a long period, said KL Gurjar, deputy director of the Locust Warning Organization and Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage. The LWO office had been concerned that if swarms survive till monsoon, they would get another opportunity to breed. Last week, the FAO had issued a situation update on locusts and said their breeding had ended in southern Iran and southwest Pakistan and their numbers were declining due to control operations and migrations to summer breeding areas in the Indo-Pakistan border. It had warned the swarms that will move eastwards from Rajasthan to other northern states will return to Rajasthan with the arrival of monsoon rains to lay eggs. Spring-bred adult groups and swarms continue to appear along the Indo-Pakistan border, many of which have continued further east into several states of northern India because the monsoon rains have not yet arrived in Rajasthan, India. These infestations are expected to return to Rajasthan with the onset of the rains to rapidly mature and lay eggs, the FAO had said. Professor Anil Kumar Chhangani, Head of the Department of Environment Science at Bikaner-based Maharaja Ganga Singh University said desert locust swarms bred in Rajasthan following good rainfall early this year and have moved to other states owing to low green cover. If they settle in urban areas for a little while, they will ravage the green cover, they will feast on it. Control operations will be needed in urban areas to control them quickly. They might come back to Rajasthan after monsoon showers begin because they are unlikely to find similar habitats in other states, he said. Locust swarms usually fly along with the prevailing winds and that is why the FAO has said swarms from Africa can be expected to migrate towards Rajasthan by crossing the Arabian Sea. A desert locust adult can consume roughly its own weight in fresh food per day -- that is about two grams every day. A swarm of 1 square kilometre in size contains around 40 million locusts, which eat the same amount of food in a day as about 35,000 people. This is based on a person eating an average of 2.3 kg of food per day, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. 20-30% of US population may potentially be infected in one year: researcher Global Times By Xu Keyue Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/26 17:32:33 Chinese scientists predicted that 20-30 percent of the US population may potentially be infected in one year as the US recorded the highest single day spike in COVID-19 infections on Thursday and its CDC chief said coronavirus cases may be 10 times higher than reported. Chinese experts believe that the continuing large-scale domestic protests, premature reopening and the presidential campaigns escalated the severity of the outbreak. CDC Director Robert Redfield indicated Thursday that at least 24 million Americans, 10 times as high as the 2.4 million confirmed cases, may have been infected so far, the Washington Post reported. The US reported over 40,000 new cases on Thursday, a record single day increase. Liang Manchun, an associate research fellow at the Institute for Public Safety Research of Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Friday that the infection data reflected a new peak of the outbreak emerging in the country and the startling increase of coronavirus cases has reversed the previous downward trend. "Some states in the country have for now made good progress on flattening the curve of infection, others have seen cases surge again which has caused the new peak," Liang noted. Any one of the US states, which could prevent and control the pandemic seriously, could flatten the curve of infection within three to four months, Liang said. Liang noted the development of the US' epidemic is currently different from their predictions. About one month ago, they predicted the epidemic development in the US could be similar to that of some European countries such as Italy. However, Liang said the prediction modelling was based on the US sticking to corresponding proper pandemic control and prevention work. Ni Feng, director of the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the surge of cases in the US is a result of the country's chaotic situation and the Trump administration's missteps. The officials focused largely on pursuing short-term economic and political interests, while playing up human rights despite its disregard for life, Ni said. Based on the current situation, Liang predicted that all states in the US could experience a continued outbreak over the next year as the epidemic ebbs in some states while intensifies in others. Then about 20-30 percent of the US population is likely to have been infected by the coronavirus in one year, Liang said, noting that when the number of cases reach 10-20 percent, the infection speed would slow down. But Liang said that situation may change due to the complex and changing realities such as when a vaccine can be developed, the country's situation after the presidential election in November and the development of the nationwide protests. However, unlike China, the US will find it hard to rid itself of coronavirus before a vaccine or specific medicine is developed as the country fails to carry out very strict anti-epidemic measures, he said. Ni Feng said the worsening epidemic reflected Trump weighing political performance more than people's lives and a struggle to win the election "by whatever means" without much care given to controlling the outbreak. What the US government wants is to restore the economy, and the resumption of economic activities without preventive measures is bound to lead to a wild spread of the epidemic and strike a new blow to their economy, Ni said. He said the US should focus its attention on the pandemic and domestic situation, instead of shifting the blame to other countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A miner from Tanzania become an overnight millionaire after unearthing the largest Tanzanite stones ever recorded. Saniniu Laizer dug up two huge Tanzanite gemstones, which is considered one of the rarest gemstones in the world. The Tanzanite stones, which were a mix of blue and purple, weighed around 33 lbs. or 15 kg. combined. Laizer, who works as a small-scale miner, became a millionaire after selling his discovery to Tanzania's mining ministry. According to BBC, Laizer sold the gemstones in a trading event held in the northern region of Manyara. The 52-year-old miner was paid around $3.4 million for the two huge gemstones. He also broke the record for the biggest Tanzanite ever mined in their country. Before his discovery, the largest ever discovered weighed around 3.3 kg. Before hitting the jackpot, Laizer makes a living by mining and looking after his herd of cows. Read also: 'Disabled' Inmate in Handcuffs Beaten and Killed by Correctional Officer What does he intend to do with the money? In an exclusive interview with BBC, Laizer revealed how he plans to spend his money. Laizer wants to focus on their education system. Due to the lack of proper infrastructures in their area, he intends to spend a portion of his money in constructing a school for the less-fortunate children in their community. He also plans on opening his own business, with the help of his children. According to People, Laizer is the father of more than 30 children from his four wives, all of whom would also greatly benefit from his projects. "I want to build this school near my home. There are many poor people around here who can't afford to take their children to school. I am not educated but I like things to run in a professional way. So I would like my children to run the business professionally." Furthermore, he also wants to build a mall in their area. Tanzanite may be completely depleted by 2040 Tanzanite was first unearthed in 1967 in Merelani Hills, located in northern Tanzania. Until now, this is the only known place that Tanzanite can be mined, making it extremely valuable. Gemological Institute of America claimed that this highly-prized mineral is even rarer than diamond. As a matter of fact, a local geologist predicted that the supply of Tanzanites might dramatically decrease in 20 years. These gemtones are judged by their color, clarity, and rarity. The clarity of the stones, as well as its vibrance, are just some of the factors that can drive its price. Read also: New Simulations Suggest We Are Not Alone, Earth-Like Planets May Hold Life @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) The province of Masbate recorded its first cases of COVID-19 Saturday, the Department of Health Bicol region confirmed. The first two cases of the coronavirus disease in the province are both from the Municipality of Aroroy. In Bicol, patient #96 is a 23-year-old asymptomatic Filipino male, who arrived in Bicol from Caloocan City on June 22, while patient #87 is a 25-year-oold Filipino male who traveled from Taguig City. Both patients are now under self-quarantine. There is now a total of 101 confirmed cases in Region V, as the nationwide tally reaches 34,803. The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia June 27, 2020 In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, the cry that Black Lives Matter has not only gotten louder but it has taken different dimensions. In this cause, the compass is pointing not only at addressing racial inequalities of the present but also the origin and relics of slavery and colonization. Thus, statutes of individuals who symbolize any of these evils are tumbling down in the United States, Europe, Australia, and other places. Beyond statues, there are advocacies for changing the names of streets and places that immortalize the names of slave traders, the confederacy (in the United States), systemic racism, and/or white supremacy. In the midst of these sweeping changes, where does Liberia stand? We recall from our elementary school history classes that the history of Liberia is linked to the history of the slave trade and the eventual repatriation to Africa of some free slaves and free people of color. Advocates for the repatriation movement included some of the founding fathers, former presidents, and prominent persons of the United States: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, James Monroe, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, Bushrod Washington, Elias B. Caldwell, Francis Scott Key, Daniel Webster, William Crawford, John Taylor, John C. Calhoun, John Marshall, etc.. Most, if not all of them, were slave-owners except Lincoln. Reverend Robert Finley of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, encouraged by his brother-in-law, Elias Caldwell, spearheaded the formation of the American Society for Colonizing the Free People of Color, which became known as the American Colonization Society, ACS. Regardless of what they wrote, the true basis for the formation of the ACS and its motive to repatriate free blacks was the conviction that blacks were inferior and therefore could not co-exist with the superior white race. This was articulated clearly by then House Speaker Henry Clay of Kentucky at the first meeting of the ACS on December 20, 1816, at the Davis Hotel in Washington, DC: Of all the classes of our population, the most vicious is that of the free colored. It is the inevitable result of their moral, political, and evil degradation. Contaminated themselves, they extended their vices all around them, to the slaves, to the whites. Thus, he underscored the purpose of forming the ACS: to rid our country of a useless and pernicious if not dangerous portion of the population. Similarly, Reverend Robert Finley who, like Clay camouflaged his true purpose with sentiments of Christian proselytization said that free Blacks were "unfavorable to our industry and morals" and that removing them would save Americans from difficulties such as interracial marriage and having to provide for poor blacks. Not surprisingly, The African Repository, the journal of the ACS which was edited by R. R. Gurley, offered similar rhetorics: the degraded and miserable Africans were ordained so by Providence and the laws of nature. Blacks were to be pitied, but they were doomed to remain inferior. The prejudices and discriminations of white society were an inevitable necessity. The great emancipator, Abraham Lincoln never supported racial equality either. During his debate with Douglas, he said, I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors out of Negros nor of qualifying them to hold office nor intermarry with white people. There is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe, will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. (See amren.com.) Therefore, like Jefferson and Monroe, he wanted to free the slaves and deport them. The preceding comments are only the tip of the iceberg regarding derogatory statements about black people. In spite of these comments, and despite efforts by whites to repatriate blacks from the shores of the United States, Liberias capital, towns, and streets are named after these people. Our national symbols still reflect and reinforce the essence of the American colonization. Why? Someone once wrote that when the house is burning, thats not the time to ask, Whats for dinner? Stated differently, we are cognizant of the numerous and varied colossal problems Liberia currently faces. However, should these problems be allowed to swallow a national discourse on these crucial historical and contemporary issues? The world is seeing a sweeping change geared toward correcting past injustice, racial inequality, and the evils of colonization. Should Liberia sleep or remain awake through this revolution? Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he has accepted the decision of the partys national executive committee (NEC) to dissolve the national working committee (NWC) which he led. Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, Oshiomhole said he has also asked his lawyers to withdraw his suit at the supreme court. The former Edo governor was challenging a court of appeal order upholding his suspension him as the national chairman of the party. The NWC was dissolved by the partys NEC on Thursday. Oshiomhole said he has taken the dissolution of the NWC in good faith, and that he has no regrets over the decisions he took while he was the national chairman of the party. The APC under my chairmanship has done its best and the results are there. Of course we have now been dissolved and I have accepted that dissolution in good faith, he said. Im not going into the question of legality or illegality. The bottomline is that the president who invited me to lead the party and who mobilised all the support for my emergence as chairman also presided over the meeting where the NWC has now been dissolved. Mr President graciously invited me to run for the office of chairmanship of the party in 2018 precisely about two years ago. The president told me then that if we do not reform the APC, we can as well forget about the party. You know that reforms are challenging and it will entail taking difficult decisions. Mine has been a life of trouble and I accepted this and I believe I did my best. Im happy that at the end of the day, 2019 elections have come and gone thanks to Nigerian people, our president had more votes in 2019 than we had in 2015. We have more members in the senate and house of representatives. Oshiomhole said the party did not manage its victory at the polls well in 2015 and that was why the country had a deputy senate president who was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Unlike 2015 we were not able to manage our victory in the two chambers such that we had an APC president in the senate and PDP deputy senate president. This time working hard with my colleagues in the NWC and in consultation of leaders of our party across board we have the kind of unity expected in the governing party in the two chambers of the national assembly, he said. Im happy that the leadership of the national assembly is working harmoniously with Mr president. Kazkah Police Detain Men Picketing Chinese Embassy Over Detained Relatives In Xinjiang By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service June 26, 2020 NUR-SULTAN -- Police have detained two men who staged separate pickets outside the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, demanding the release of relatives being held in custody in China's northwestern Xinjiang region. Aqiqat Qaliolla and Zhenis Zarqyn came to an area next to the embassy on June 26 with their hands and legs chained and posters on their bodies with portraits of family members. Zarqyn chained himself to a metal fence near the embassy. Both said their relatives are being held in so-called "reeducation camps" in Xinjiang and demanded that Chinese authorities release them. Special police forces came to the site and took the two men away shortly after they started their protest. Many similar protests have taken place in Kazakhstan in recent months, with demonstrators demanding Kazakh authorities officially intervene in the situation faced by ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang. 'Reeducation Camps' In August 2018, the United Nations said an estimated 1 million Uyghurs and members of other indigenous ethnic groups in the region were being held in "counterextremism centers." The UN said millions more had been forced into so-called "reeducation camps." China denies that the facilities are internment camps. People who have fled the province say that thousands of ethnic Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and other Muslims in Xinjiang are undergoing "political indoctrination" at a network of camps. Kazakhs are the second-largest Turkic-speaking indigenous community in Xinjiang after Uyghurs. The region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and Hui, also known as Dungans. Han, China's largest ethnicity, is the second-largest community in Xinjiang. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazkah-police- detain-men-picketing-chinese-embassy-over- relatives-in-xinjiang/30692310.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MIAMI As coronavirus cases surge across much of the United States, leaders are urgently rethinking their strategies to curb the spread, which the nations top infectious disease expert said Friday were not working. For the first time, some governors are backtracking on reopening their states, issuing new restrictions for parts of the economy that had resumed. Leaders in Texas and Florida abruptly set new restrictions on bars, a reversal that appeared unthinkable just days ago. And Gov. Gavin Newsom of California told rural Imperial County, where hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients, that it must reinstate a stay-at-home order, the most restrictive of requirements. More than 44,000 new cases were reported Friday in the United States, according to a New York Times database. It was the third day in a row that the country set a daily record during the pandemic. At least six states Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Oregon, South Carolina and Utah hit daily highs Friday, but even leaders outside of the new hot zones in the South and West expressed mounting anxiety. This is a very dangerous time, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio said Friday as cases were trending steadily upward in his state after appearing to be under control for more than a month. I think what is happening in Texas and Florida and several other states should be a warning to everyone. We have to be very careful, he said. The stock market responded badly, with the S&P 500 dropping 2.4%. Losses accelerated after the Texas announcement, adding to investors concerns that the virus continued to be a threat to the economy. The shifting assessments of the nations handling of the virus stretched to the highest levels of the federal government, where Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made clear that the standard approach to controlling infectious diseases testing sick people, isolating them and tracing their contacts was not working. The failure, he said, was in part because some infected Americans are asymptomatic and unknowingly spreading the virus but also because some people exposed to the virus are reluctant to self-quarantine or have no place to do so. In a brief interview Friday, he said officials were having intense discussions about a possible shift to pool testing, in which samples from many people are tested at once in an effort to quickly find and isolate the infected. Fauci also issued an urgent warning that while coronavirus infections were spiking mostly in the South, those outbreaks could spread to other regions. Even in the face of the alarming news, the White House continued to praise its own efforts. We have made truly remarkable progress in moving our nation forward, Vice President Mike Pence said at what has become a rare public briefing by the coronavirus task force in Washington. Weve all seen the encouraging news as we open up. Pence did not wear a mask, although the health officials around him did. The renewed sense of urgency comes as the United States confronts a new, treacherous phase of the pandemic, no longer defined by a crisis concentrated in New York City, but by rising cases in many cities and states. Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas reported their highest single-day totals of new known cases this week, and the United States set records for daily new cases on both Wednesday and Thursday. By Friday, new daily cases were rising in 29 states. From Miami to Los Angeles, mayors were contemplating slowing or reversing their plans to return cities to public life. On Friday, San Francisco announced it was delaying plans to reopen zoos, museums, hair salons, tattoo parlors and other businesses Monday, citing a spike in new cases. Our numbers are still low but rising rapidly, Mayor London Breed wrote on Twitter, adding, I know people are anxious to reopen I am too. But we cant jeopardize the progress weve made. Mayor Carlos Gimenez of Miami-Dade County said late Friday that he would sign an emergency order closing beaches from July 3 to July 7, citing the surge of cases and fears about mass gatherings during the holiday weekend. Parks and beaches will be closed to fireworks displays, and gatherings of more than 50 people, including parades, will be banned. The closure may be extended if conditions do not improve, he said in a statement, adding, I have decided that the only prudent thing to do to tamp down this recent uptick is to crack down on recreational activities that put our overall community at higher risk. The decisions in Texas and Florida to revert to stronger restrictions represented the strongest acknowledgment yet that reopening had not gone as planned in two of the nations most populous states, where only days ago their Republican governors were adamantly resisting calls to close back down. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas placed the states reopening on pause while remaining firm that going backward and closing down businesses was the last thing we want to do. But by Friday, he did just that, ordering bars closed and telling restaurants to limit themselves to 50% capacity rather than 75%. If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars, Abbott said in an interview with KVIA-TV in El Paso on Friday evening. People go to bars to get close and to drink and to socialize, he said. And thats the kind of thing that stokes the spread of the coronavirus. So sure, in hindsight, it may have been better to slow the opening of the bar setting. Eight weeks ago, Abbott started a phased-in reopening of Texas, when the state had reported about 29,000 cases and more than 800 deaths. Bars had been allowed to open since late May. New cases and hospitalizations have increased significantly in recent days in Houston, San Antonio and other large cities. By Friday, Texas had more than 130,000 known coronavirus cases and more than 2,300 deaths, and the leader of the third-largest county in America Harris County, which is home to Houston had deemed the region to be on a code-red coronavirus threat level. We find ourselves careening toward a catastrophic and unsustainable situation, the top elected official in Harris County, Lina Hidalgo, said at a news conference. She said the current hospitalization rate was on pace to overwhelm the hospital system in the near future. In Florida, the speed of the viruss growth was dizzying: State officials reported 8,942 new coronavirus cases Friday, by far outpacing its earlier single-day record of 5,508 cases, which had been set Wednesday. Officials announced limits on bars, immediately banning alcohol consumption on the premises. Bars can still sell food if they are licensed to do so, but their facilities must remain at 50% capacity. Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. The return to stricter limits left local officials worried whether residents would follow the rules, especially now, months into the crisis. People are tired of being in a stay-at-home environment, and theyre not going to be compliant, said Carlos Migoya, president and chief executive of the public Jackson Health System in Miami. You cant put the genie back in the bottle. Weve got to deal with it being in the environment. Pete Boland, who co-owns the Galley, a restaurant and bar in St. Petersburg, Florida, was sorting through the details of Floridas latest order Friday to determine what the rules will be for establishments that also serve food. He had just reopened Wednesday, following a professional deep cleaning after some employees fell ill with the virus. I dont know if we can continue to do this: open, closing, open, closing, he said. You have people who desire to socialize and to earn and to live and to have some fun in this crazy world. In Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey has held out on setting new limits in his state, even as cases there surged past 66,000, with an average of 2,750 new cases per day. He warned this week that hospitals were likely to hit surge capacity soon, but he has remained opposed to backtracking on reopening. This is not another executive order to enforce, and its not about closing businesses, he said this week. This is about public education and personal responsibility. Still, shutting down businesses again in Arizona is not out of the question, Daniel Ruiz, the states chief operating officer, said Friday. We want to treat that like a last resort, Ruiz said. Its a tool in the toolbox, but its something that were going to use very judiciously. California, which had the first stay-at-home order in the nation this spring, has surpassed 200,000 cases, and on Friday, Newsom announced new restrictions on Imperial County, which has the states highest rate of infection. The county has exceeded its hospital capacity so severely that some 500 patients have had to be moved to beds elsewhere, and hospitals as far away as the Bay Area have been seeing Imperial County patients. This disease does not take a summer vacation, said Newsom, noting that at least 15 of Californias 58 counties were being monitored closely as the virus surges. In Los Angeles County, health officials estimate that every 400th person may currently be infected. Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles said he planned to wait three to five days before deciding whether to pull back on the citys reopening. Were not in the red zone but were in the yellow zone, the mayor said Friday. From case counts to hospitalizations, he said, the citys metrics are moving in the wrong direction, in part because of a patchwork of responses in neighboring areas. Garcetti said he would like health officials in the state, the county and the surrounding region to come to a consensus strategy. If you dont move together, theres no point in being the lone holdout, he said. If you dont have an entire region working together, who cares if you keep your gyms closed? This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Washington, June 27 : Twenty US Senators have urged President Donald Trump's administration to grant emergency refugee protections to Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan facing persecution as religious minorities. In a bipartisan letter addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Senators, led by New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called on the State Department to prioritize resettlement opportunities under the US Refugee Admissions Program allocation ceilings for Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities According to the letter on Friday, the population of the two communities have plummeted markedly due to years of persecution by the Taliban and more recent terrorist actions perpetrated by the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K). "This administration has repeatedly highlighted protecting religious freedom as a top foreign policy priority," the Senators wrote. "Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan face an existential threat from IS-K because of their religion. "To protect religious freedom, we urgently ask that you take these essential steps to defend these threatened religious minorities," they added. The letter also called on Pompeo to offer additional support to members of the Sikh and Hindu communities that choose to remain in Afghanistan, and to ensure that Afghan religious minorities benefit from the $20.6 million in American aid already provided to address COVID-19. "Ensuring that religious minorities receive US COVID-19 assistance should be a priority in all countries where protection of religious minorities is a challenge," the Senators added. In a heartwarming story, a woman in the US was reunited with her long lost finger-ring. Amy Goetz, lost her ring 18 years ago on a beach in Jacksonville, Florida while she was in college. The silver ring was recently found by a city resident John Porcella while he was metal detecting on the beach. Taking to Facebook, Porcella posted photographs of the ring on a page called, Jacksonville Beaches, Lost Found and stole. After receiving a few initial responses, he was finally able to track the owner. Speaking to international media reports, Porchella revealed that it was the initials on the ring which got him to Goetz. Amy Goetz from Geogia The ring was then returned to Goetz who was more than elated to find her long lost belonging. Taking to Facebook, she later narrated the complete story. She revealed that she got a call fo the police officials. After confining that she was Amy Goetz from Collins Hill high school situated in Georgia. she was returned the ring. Florida! I lost this ring in 2002 !!! I have thought about it constantly throughout the years and I am overwhelmed with excitement at the thought of finally seeing it again!, she wrote. Overjoyed, she also wrote that how amazing was it adding that people could be wonderful. In her post, she also thanked Porchella for his kindness and efforts. Since shared, her post has received nearly 300 likes and bandwidth of comments. One user wrote, "WOW That's amazing and great" while another wrote, "That is wonderful!! My oldest son, who is now 38, lost mine when he was 4 years old and decided it was a ring that gave him superpowers--back in the day when he was obsessed with "He-man, Masters of the Universe". I am glad you found yours!" Read: 'Lunar Loo Challenge': NASA Offering $20,000 To Anyone Who Designs Toilet For Moon Read: Did Ring-A-Ring-A-Roses Originate During The Great Plague Of London? Read: President Kovind Promulgates Ordinance To Bring Co-operative Banks Under RBI Supervision Read: Did You Know Saif Ali Khan Worked In An Advertising Agency Before Venturing Into Acting? 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. Bottles were thrown at police officers who moved in to break up a street party in west London. Footage on social media showed scores of young people in a stand-off with officers in riot gear outside a block of flats on Harrow Road on Friday afternoon. One video showed police being hit by projectiles, with one officer swinging his baton at a group of people on the street. Sky News home affairs editor Mark White tweeted: "[Police] trying to engage and persuade those attending to disperse, but some bottles and other objects have been thrown at officers." Later he said that around 100 public order police officers had been called to an unlicensed music event in Maida Vale. "Sky team on the ground reports some bottles and other objects thrown towards officers," he added. It comes just hours after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick revealed that around 140 police officers have been injured in London during the last three weeks. Dame Cressida said the aggression shown to officers at recent illegal street parties in the capital has been "utterly unacceptable". As well as a number of illegal street parties in recent days, there have been protests and counter-protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody in the US. She said police have a duty to disperse large gatherings while restrictions are in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus. On Wednesday in the capital, an unlicensed street party in Brixton turned violent and on Thursday it was Notting Hill. Other illegal gatherings have been seen in Streatham and Tottenham, Ms Dick said. A Metropolitan Police spokesman was quoted in the Evening Standard as saying: "Police are responding to an unlicensed music event on Harrow Road, W9. "Officers were called to the location around 3pm following concerns from residents. "Officers engaged with the attendees, who refused to leave the location. The police helicopter is also assisting. Story continues "Following engagement within the local community we are hopeful that crowds are dispersing. No arrests at this stage." "A section 60 has been authorised in the vicinity until 6am on Saturday 27 June. "Officers will remain in the area in order to provide reassurance." A woman hiking with her children on a trail near the Henry Ford Estate in Dearborn the night of June 17 discovered a group of young men trying to extinguish a hay bale fire. When they realized their actions were being witnessed, the teens fled the scene. The woman said one teen was shorter than the others, and one was notably taller. She also observed that one teen was wearing a black shirt, while another was wearing a gray shirt. Dearborn firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, which was limited to the hay bales, while police officers photographed the scene and processed it for evidence. Should India economically retaliate against China? Naushad Forbes answers Updated: 27 Jun 2020, 10:11 PM IST With talk of economic retaliation against China ov... moreWith talk of economic retaliation against China over its recent border aggression, Naushad Forbes commented on the impact of such a move on India's economy. The co-chairman of Forbes Marshall said that economic countermeasures may make the country feel good, but it must first be considered whether such moves will have a substantive impact. He said that India can't diversify its sourcing away from China overnight, but should plan to do it over a couple of years. Watch the full video for more Less than three months ago, on April 2, the world marked one million cases of COVID-19. Before the end of June, the globe will have surpassed ten million cases of COVID-19. The World Health Organization repeated their warnings this week that the pandemic is accelerating, and it is time to double down on the basic tenets of public health measuretest broadly, trace every contact of those infected, isolate and treat every infected individual, and protect the most vulnerable. This requires initiative on the part of every level of government to work closely with all communities to engage everyone in the fight to contain the spread of the infection. Dr. Anthony Fauci, during a House committee hearing last Tuesday, explained that the United States is experiencing a disturbing rise in cases in states that rushed to reopen quickly with little foresight into how they would provide adequate testing of infected individuals and trace their contacts in a concerted effort to take advantage of the gains made by the shutdowns this spring. In response to questions from the panel, Dr. Fauci said, The next couple of weeks are going to be critical in our ability to address those surges we see in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and other states. He also added that deaths usually lag, and it would be essential to watch this trend. In the United States, there has never been a serious attempt to contain the pandemic. This has characterized every step, from the abysmal false starts in testing, the chronic shortage of PPE, the trillion-dollar CARES Act and other initiatives that enriched corporations, the launching of a phased intervention to open the economy, all accompanied by the cartoonish clowning and brazen lying of a bad circus show. All the while, the daily number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise unabated. Last weekend on Meet the Press, Dr. Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center of Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said succinctly, I dont think this is going to slow down. Im not sure the influenza analogy applies anymore. I dont think were going to see one, two, and three wavesI think were just going to see one very, very difficult forest fire of cases. New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the US in April and May, is attempting to proceed into the next phase of reopening. However, the city has hired only 3,000 contact tracers to facilitate the necessary public health measures to guard against the coronavirus resurgence. According to the New York Times, only 35 percent of the 5,347 city residents who tested positive or were presumed positive for the coronavirus in the programs first two weeks gave information about close contacts to tracers. Despite the strides made by the city to reduce its daily case numbers, more than 300,000 people have returned to work this week while the city is very far from achieving World Health Organization standards on contact tracing and other public health measures. Massachusetts was one of the first states in the US to begin a comprehensive contact tracing program. Yet, it continues to have difficulty reaching a substantial number of contacts by phone. The chief medical officer of Partners in Health, Dr. Joia Mukherjee, told Boston25 News, Wed like to have a higher rate. Were still missing 30 to 40 percent of the people who arent picking up the phone. They have only hired about 1,000 contact tracers to supplement their public health department. Louisiana has spent millions on contact tracing but is unable to get people to answer their phones, reaching less than 50 percent of infected people. Figures are similar in other states. Austin, Texas, has seen hospital admissions increase by 90 percent since the end of May. According to the Austin Public Health department, admissions for COVID-19 to Travis county hospitals have nearly tripled averaging 25 to 30 per day. The ICU bed occupancy has risen 150 percent, and ventilator use is up 75 percent. Dr. Mark Escott, Travis Countys Health Authority, explained to the local news media, KXAN, affiliated with NBC, that contact tracing efforts are proving to be ineffective. When we look at the efficacy of contact tracing in other countries where it worked, that contact tracing happened when the places generally were shut down, when people werent moving around. Thats not what were doing here. Things have still opened, and were trying to contact trace at the same time were getting hundreds, or perhaps a thousand cases a day being reported. Im not sure thats going to give us what we need. Tom Frieden, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told STAT News back in April, that once the US is passed the surge and in the suppression phase, using the usual military parlance, it would need an army of 300,000 people to battle and suppress the transmission of the virus effectively. Assuredly skeptical, he said, until the federal response is more coherent, each state is going to be on its own. Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the CDC, told Congress on Tuesday, as of June 23, 2020, the United States has about 28,000 contact tracers. This is an increase from only 6,000 in January, but far short of the number cited by Frieden. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said about contact tracing, This is going to test the capacity of the existing public health system. I dont know if we have enough staff in the public health department to do that. It should be clear that the lack of a large cadre of contact tracers is not an oversight. With massive funding available to police departments and free cash infused into the markets, this is part and parcel of the herd immunity policy. Comparing countries that have adopted more stringent public health measures and those that chose a policy of herd immunity is instructive. South Korea and Germany (very belatedly) have carried out extensive testing of their population, as the ratio of number tested to positive cases detected is above 100. Meanwhile, Sweden and the United States have, despite claims by the Trump administration, been running near or below ten tests per positive case. The implication here is that there is insufficient testing being conducted. Without a robust, comprehensive strategy, both Sweden and the United States have suffered staggering daily new confirmed cases per capita, higher case fatality rates, and atrocious per capita daily confirmed deaths. Fundamentally, behind Swedens strategy of herdiImmunity is not the well-being of its nursing home populations nor concerns for the mental health of the children but concerns over its gross domestic product, which is expected to decline 5 percent this year, according to the Financial Times. Last week, Reuters announced that truck and construction equipment maker, Volvo, plans to cut its white-collar workforce by around 4,100 positions. Unemployment is estimated to reach 12 percent. CNBC reported that Germanys industrial production fell 17.9 percent in April during the peak of the pandemic in Europe, the largest decline since the beginning of the time series in January 1991, and this despite a less severe epidemic than in Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. Carsten Brzeski, global head of macroeconomics at ING, was, however, optimistic about a strong rebound when the lockdowns were lifted, while admitting, the period after the imminent rebound does not look too promising. Germanys woes may be compounded by recent reports that the rates of infections have been rising since opening with the reproduction rate (R0) jumping to 2.88 this week. A number under 1.0 indicates declining numbers. Last week, 1,300 workers at a meat processing house in North-Rhine Westphalia tested positive. South Korea faces similar economic hardships despite its massive mobilization to flatten the outbreak that emerged in February. Asias fourth-largest economy recorded its most severe contraction since the global financial crisis of 2008. The first quarter saw its economy shrink 1.4 percent. Exports had decreased by two percent, and consumer spending fell more than six percent. Economists have forecasted their economy will contract six percent in the second quarter. The World Bank projects that advanced economies overall will decline by seven percent. The United States also saw real GDP decline by 5.0 percent in the first quarter of 2020, according to estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Research. Over 40 million Americans filed for unemployment. This must be placed in the context that the bottom 90 percent, due to chronic wage stagnation, have for nearly four decades spent more than they earn to get by. The pandemic has only exposed the massive poverty that underlies the astronomical wealth possessed by the financial oligarchs, exemplified by the miles of cars waiting at food distribution centers throughout the country. Nations pursuing a policy of herd immunity will not escape the impact and devastation on their national economies as every market is deeply entrenched in an integrated network of interconnected economies that span every square inch of the planet. Fundamentally, the herd immunity policy highlights the utter disregard for life and prosperity of working people as they attempt to forestall the collapse of the financial markets while culling the excess population to ensure production lines stay in motion. Every nation faces the pressures imposed by capitalism to quicken the forced contamination. As the pandemic accelerates, the term used by the Director-General of the WHO a dangerous phase acquires a more significant meaning. MONTREALDemonstrators denounced proposed changes to a Quebec immigration program that fast-tracks foreign students and workers, describing the reforms during several protests Saturday as a dehumanizing vision of immigration policy. The changes to the Quebec experience program are expected to come into effect soon and demonstrators holding signs that read A promise is a promise and Quebec is us too called on the provinces new Immigration Minister Nadine Girault to act. The experience program permits foreign students and workers already established in the province to quickly obtain a Quebec selection certificate to gain permanent residency. A new version of the program was introduced in May, following an ill-fated attempt to reform it last November that forced the provincial government to backtrack and apologize. The new rules require international students to acquire two years of full-time work experience, in addition to obtaining their diploma. For foreign workers, this requirement is increased from one to three years and less-skilled workers dont qualify. That was heartbreaking for news for Carla Trigoso, a McGill University sociology student from Peru whose family went into debt to pay the $80,000 needed to complete her bachelors degree. After four years of living in Quebec and her degree no longer enough, Trigoso now fears her chances of finding work in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic will be slim, not to mention many jobs require permanent residence. Were not just file numbers and permits, she said, calling on Girault to show compassion. Quebec Liberal Kathleen Weil believes the program she presented as immigration minister under a previous Liberal government, was the envy of many jurisdictions. We had created this rapid-immigration route because we wanted to retain these talents, she said, alongside several Liberal colleagues. We are competing with the world to attract them. Weil said shes torn up inside about changes being made. It is not a reform reform is a progressive concept, Weil said. We are regressing with this reform, we are not looking at human beings with all their potential. Quebec solidaire spokesman Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois described the changes as a solution to a problem that does not exist and simply a way for the Legault government to fulfil its electoral promise to reduce immigration. It is the program that makes it easier to successfully integrate, in particular because it allows people who are already in Quebec to stay there, Nadeau-Dubois said. But from the moment the CAQ begins to obsess over this number, they are forced to close as many doors as possible. Quebec solidaire denounced in particular the exclusion of less qualified workers often in essential services that were key jobs in recent months as things shut down during the pandemic. The truckers brought the goods that fed Quebec during the pandemic, but with the new reform, these people will never be able to aspire to stay in the country permanently, said Andres Fontecilla, the left-leaning partys immigration critic. This was the case of Donalee Martinez, a trucker of Filipino origin who has travelled long distances for more than two years in the hope of being able to benefit from the program. Good enough to work, good enough to stay, he told a downtown Montreal gathering. Similar demonstrations were held in Sherbrooke, Quebec City and Rouyn-Noranda an initiative of labour unions, student associations and migrants rights groups. Last November, the Legault government was forced to backtrack after a reform proposed by former immigration minister Simon Jolin-Barrette would have seen hundreds of temporary workers and foreign students sent back to their countries due to a retroactive tightening of the program rules. They were also to include specific university and technical junior college programs in industries the government said were facing labour shortages. The government has since dropped that limited list. Girault, who is also international relations minister, added the immigration portfolio on Monday following a surprise cabinet shuffle. An official in her office said it will take her some time to get up to speed on the reforms, expected to take effect imminently. Read more about: Loading In the first quarter Ben Long tries to evade too many Richmond players in his defensive 50 and Jason Castagna wraps him up holding the ball. As Castagna walks in to kick the set shot goal, Long's teammate Tim Membrey shouts and claps from up the ground: "Yes Longy, taking the game on." Standard optimistic and positive footy club re-enforcement yes, although it was also a message perfectly indicative of St Kilda's approach this season and on Saturday against Richmond. Taking risks is often heavily avoided against the Tigers. Richmond sweat on any kick, handball or dropped mark that's slightly off target, let alone fumbled. Teams broadly like to play more conservative than usual to stop this. Not St Kilda. Pune: The city will continue to receive light to moderate rainfall for the next four days, however, heavy rain will only be seen after seven days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On Friday until 5:30 pm, the city did not receive a single drop of rain through the day. The maximum temperature was recorded at 31.9-degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature was at 23.4-degrees Celsius. Since monsoon is not at its peak and it is a bit slow, so Pune will not receive heavy rains in the next six days. Although intermediate spells of moderate rains are expected in between, said Anupam Kashyapi, IMD Director. The big update is that southwest monsoon covered the entire country on Friday. In Pune, IMD has predicted light to moderate rain for the next four days. Pimpri-Chinchwad has been receiving sporadic heavy showers for the last three days. No rain was reported on Friday in PCMC. Even if it is called light rain, it is still monsoon. A similar pattern of rainfall is expected for the next two to three days, added Kashyapi. Until June 26, Pune received 153.9mm rainfall while Lohegaon and Pashan have received 265.8mm and 155.4 mm rainfall respectively. Pune forecast June 27: Light to moderate rain, thundery activity, lightning very likely June 28: Light to moderate rain very likely June 29: Light to moderate rain very likely June 30: Light to Moderate rain very likely Mumbai terrorist attack convict David Headley cannot be extradited to India, but Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman co-conspirator Tahawwur Rana faces extradition, a US attorney has told a federal court while opposing his bail plea. Rana, 59, a childhood friend of David Coleman Headley, was recently rearrested on June 10 in Los Angeles on an extradition request by India for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed. He is a declared fugitive in India. According to the federal prosecutors, between 2006 and November 2008, Rana conspired with Headley, also known as "Daood Gilani, and others in Pakistan to assist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harakat ul-Jihad-e-Islami, both US-designated terrorist organisations, to plan and carry out the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistani-American LeT terrorist Headley was involved in plotting the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. He was made an approver in the case, and is currently serving a 35-year prison term in the US for his role in the attack. The US is yet to file Indias request for Ranas extradition but is expected to do it soon. It is evident that the offences for which Rana was tried in the Illinois court will differ from the Indian offences mentioned in the complaint. Rana in his defence has argued that US decision not to extradite his co-conspirator, Headley, to India is inconsistent and bars his extradition. However, Assistant US Attorney John J Lulejian told a federal court in Los Angeles on Friday that unlike Rana, Headley immediately accepted responsibility for his conduct and pleaded guilty to all of the charges in the Superseding Indictment. Because Headley fulfilled the required terms, the plea agreement established that Headley would not be extradited to India. Ranas situation is different because he neither pleaded guilty nor cooperated with the United States. As a result, he is unable to avail himself of the benefits afforded to Headley through his negotiated plea. Thus, he cannot complain that he faces extradition, while his co-defendant does not, the US attorney said. Ranas bail application is due for hearing next week. Early this week, his attorney told the court that the 26/11 convict is not a flight risk and has proposed a $1.5 million bond for his release. "Rana should be released on a robust bond: secured by approximately $1.5 million in property pledged by family and friends and under the supervision of his daughter, Lemaan Rana, a matriculating medical student and PhD candidate, Amy Karlin, the Interim Federal Public Defender, said in the court submission on behalf of Rana. India seeks his arrest on a number of offences, including the conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating, and murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He is sought for his role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The US attorney urged the court to continue his detention pending the extradition proceedings to India. Describing Rana as a flight risk, the attorney said that no matter what bond package he offers, Rana poses an unacceptable flight risk. If the US extradites Rana to India and he is convicted of the charges, he may be eligible for the death penalty. Given what is at stake, Rana has an extreme incentive to flee and avoid facing these extradition proceedings, Lulejian said. Also read 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana not a flight risk, his attorney tells US court He could accomplish this by going into hiding within the US, but he has a particular incentive to go to another country that may not extradite him without assurances from India that it will not seek, impose or carry out the death penalty, the attorney argued. If Rana were to flee to Canada, his extradition from Canada to the US would take years and would require substantial resources by the governments of both Canada and the United States, and there is no guarantee that Canada would ultimately grant that extradition request, he said. However, even if Canada granted the request from the US, the terms of the US-Canada extradition treaty would prohibit the US from extraditing Rana to a third country, such as India, unless Canada granted its consent to do so, Lulejian said. Not only does Rana have an incentive to flee, but he has numerous international connections who can help facilitate his flight, he told the court. Rana ran an international immigration business for many years in Chicago, which allowed him to develop professional and personal relationships around the world. Moreover, he was convicted of plotting an attack with and providing material support to an international terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. These international connections enhance Ranas flight risk because they can provide the means to flee this jurisdiction and potentially avoid extradition to India, Lulejian added. The 2008 Mumbai attack was one of Indias most horrific terrorist attacks in which 166 people were killed and over 300 injured as 10 heavily-armed terrorists from Pakistan created mayhem. Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive, was hanged to death on November 21, 2012. France is increasingly optimistic about the effectiveness of its anti-jihadist campaign in the Sahel, but experts caution that short-term successes will not by themselves bring lasting victory. President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott on Tuesday for a summit of West African leaders to discuss their joint effort to roll back jihadists in the sprawling region. Armed groups gained the upper hand in the Sahel last year, stepping attacks on Malian and Nigerian military bases. France responded by beefing up its Barkhane anti-jihadist force in West Africa -- now over 5,000-strong with 600 recently-added troops. Earlier this month, the French army claimed one of the biggest successes in its seven-year campaign, with the killing of the head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Abdelmalek Droukdel. The operation's main focus now is to track down militants from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS) in the border area shared by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The IS-GS has itself been fighting Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups, according to the French army, and has sustained heavy losses in recent months. "We have reversed the principle of uncertainty. We are the ones who are unpredictable for terrorist groups," a senior officer in the French general staff, asking not to be named, told AFP. "Today in the Sahel, victory is possible and this idea is taking hold among our partners," added an advisor to Macron. 'Limited impact' Despite rising French confidence, many struggles lie ahead, say specialists of the region. Jean-Herve Jezequel, an analyst for the International Crisis Group (ICG) said it was "undeniable" there had been "tactical" successes but self-congratulation may be premature. Killed: Abdelmalek Droukdel, head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). By - (Hand-Out/AFP/File) "The French have already talked like this on several occasions," he told AFP. A source with a humanitarian group in the area, who asked not to be named, told AFP: "There have been big tactical successes but the long-term impact is limited or even zero." In the immediate, the Barkhane force has left areas where jihadists had been defeated to focus on other places. In doing so, they have "left the field open to the very jihadists they had chased away," added the source. Macron earlier this year signalled that all the options were on the table for the future of the French force, including withdrawal. But now officials in Paris emphasise that while French troops will not be there forever, it is too soon to pull out. The governments of these countries, among the poorest in the world, are struggling to reinvest in the newly-retaken territories and win hearts and minds. They have to provide security, education, justice and basic services -- "the military are only one tool" in a strategy to defeat jihadism, French Defence Minister Florence Parly warned recently. G5 Sahel hopes The US State Department's 2019 report on terrorism, issued this month, noted the problems facing French allies, which have suffered a 250-percent rise in attacks since 2018. Show of solidarity: Sahel leaders gathered with French President Emmanuel Macron in January to lay wreaths in honour of seven French soldiers who died in a helicopter crash in Mali. By Alvaro BARRIENTOS (POOL/AFP) "Partner countries remain strong-willed against terrorism but lack the means to contain or degrade the threat on a sustained basis," it said. A key part of French strategy lies with the so-called G5 Sahel force -- a scheme to create a 5,000-man joint force gathering Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, Mali and Niger. But the force lacks equipment, training and funds. It "is not yet capable of disrupting the growing terrorist footprint across the Sahel but has potential as a coordination mechanism", the State Department report said. France has lobbied hard for military support from its European friends, and this is now bearing fruit. A group of European special forces called Takuba is mustering to help Malian troops. Around 100 Estonians and French will be deployed in the coming months, followed by 60 Czechs later this year and 150 Swedes in 2021. dab-dla-ah-sjw/mlr/ri/je An artist rendering of the guided-missile frigate FFG(X). Marinette Marine Corp. President Donald Trump jokingly accepted responsibility for the aesthetic design of the US Navy's latest series of guided-missile ships. "The ships that they were building, they look terrible," Trump said. "I would change designs, I looked at it. I said, 'That's a terrible-looking ship, let's make it beautiful. It'll cost you the same, and maybe less.'" "It's like a yacht with missiles on it," he added. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. President Donald Trump jokingly accepted responsibility for the aesthetic design of the US Navy's latest series of guided-missile ships. "The ships that they were building, they look terrible," Trump said in a Thursday speech at the shipyard in Wisconsin where these warships are built. "I would change designs, I looked at it. I said, 'That's a terrible-looking ship, let's make it beautiful. It'll cost you the same, and maybe less.'" "You know, sometimes, you can make it look great for less money," Trump added. "I said, 'This is not a good-looking ship. Let's change the design of it.' And I got people in, and we looked at different designs, and as long as we're going to do it and ... how beautiful it is, they gave me a beautiful model that's absolutely, it's like a yacht with missiles on it." The Navy's Guided Missile Frigate (FFG) program calls for 20 of the ships the first two costing a little over $1 billion and subsequent ships costing $940 million each, according to a government report in June. These less-expensive, small surface combatants are designed to support larger Navy groups and operate independently; and are equipped with anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine capabilities. Wisconsin-based shipbuilding firm Marinette Marine Corporation, whose parent company is based in Italy, was awarded a $5.5 billion initial contract for the design and construction of the first 10 frigates by 2035. The frigate's design is based off of an Italy's Fregata Europea Multi-Missione frigate. Story continues "The Navy's Guided-Missile Frigate ... will be an important part of our future fleet," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said in April, adding that it was "the evolution of the Navy's Small Surface Combatant with increased lethality, survivability, and improved capability to support the National Defense Strategy across the full range of military operations. "It will no doubt help us conduct distributed maritime operations more effectively, and improve our ability to fight both in contested blue-water and littoral environments," Gilday added. Read the original article on Business Insider To win you had to be nominated by someone who wanted to acknowledge your services as a front line worker. Judges Carol Armstrong, Ellen Dumas and Lance Sherk sifted through 15 nominations. It was a difficult job. The winner of the full summer week at Scotsman Point was Kristy Asling. She worked in the COVID-19 unit at PRHC from the beginning of the outbreak. Her three young children, all in public school at Buckhorn, have been without her since the beginning as Asling has been in quarantine. Asling is also a volunteer firefighter and says between nursing and firefighting she gets to do the two things she enjoys the most. Asling is with the medical float pool at PRHC. The COVID-19 ward closed two weeks ago. She will be placed in another ward that is experiencing high patient numbers or needs more nursing help. Asling came home June 15 and has been enjoying time with her children. She and her family are looking forward to the vacation at Scotsman Point with four dinners from Canoe and Paddle and Pizza Alloro and a $75 Foodland gift card. One runner-up was Melissa Packman who works with Peterborough Paramedics. She celebrated 20 years of service this past November. Melissa and her two boys, ages 9 and 12, live in Ennismore. She works in the Peterborough office of the paramedic service. When she is called to a home she wears personal protective equipment as paramedics do not know what they will experience. There are many different symptoms such as headaches, nausea or vomiting which a client may have and will be tested for COVID-19 at the hospital. Cleaning the ambulance and PPE after each patient is a time-intensive part of this job. Packman and her two boys will receive a three-night stay at Scotsman Point and a dinner from Canoe and Paddle. The third winner is Thomas Flynn. Flynn is a PSW with Extendicare Lakefield and was nominated five times. He is known as someone who continually goes above and beyond to provide a higher standard of care for the residents. He listens, sings to the residents during bath time and is genuinely intrigued by stories of the past told to him by the patients. He will also receive a three-night midweek stay and dinner from Canoe and Paddle. All nominees received a certificate and print designed by Michael Dumas to commemorate their selfless service and dedication to the community for which they labour. Sheila Cook will give each winner Live It Up! Natural Spa and Summer Surprise Kits. Both are packed with healthy activities and snacks for body, mind and spirit. Gill Exton presented a gift basket to each of these selfless people from Stuff and Stuffd. Visitor Office Linda Dill and Marilyn Hind, two hard-working volunteers at the BDTA, have the building COVID- compliant and are ready to help visitors. To enter the building it is advised that you wear a mask. There are masks available in the building. In addition to masks there is sanitizer at the door. Staff will wear masks and gloves. Social distancing is encouraged. There is a transparent and permanent sneeze guard at the counter to protect workers and visitors. Presently the centre is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday but come July it will be open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are great new designs of hooded sweatshirts, t shirts, hats, sweatshirts and childrens t shirts and sweatshirts. Bring your mask and see the new available clothing. Hong Kong Activist Believes He's Main Target of Proposed National Security Law By VOA News June 26, 2020 Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong said he is anticipating being the prime target of a controversial proposed national security law that could be voted on within a few days. Wong and critics of the legislation by China's National People's Congress, say it will undermine the city's freedoms. The Global Times, a tabloid influenced by China's communist party, said lawmakers would likely enact the Hong Kong security law by Wednesday. On the same day, pro-democracy groups are expected to hold their annual observance marking the anniversary of the city's handover to mainland China from British rule 23 years ago. The draft law targets activities deemed counter to Beijing's influence, including separatism and collusion with foreign forces. So far, specifics on what denotes a crime and the punishment it would bring has not been made public. Wong told Reuters he does not fear being locked up but rather the gloomy fact that the new law will be a threat over the city's future. Wong, who has been jailed for his activism against Chinese oversight, announced a week ago plans to run for a seat in the city's legislature despite being barred from running in previous polls. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Let the Friday night fireworks begin as we celebrate a beloved Houston Astros mascots birthday today! Orbit is another year older and wiser, and even though a meet up at the ballpark to wish him a happy birthday as in past years is not in the cards, you're still invited to a surprise online birthday bash the Astros are planing for him on his Facebook page here. If you're wondering how old he is? The response he shares on his website is: "How long is a light-year?" JULIA MORALES IS EXPECTING: Julia Morales is expecting a baby, and the Houston Astros couldn't be happier Join us as we share a few fun facts you may not know about everyone's favorite alien. Some might even surprise you. Royal insider and biographer Lady Colin Campbell has new revelations about Meghan Markle and the two things that are always in the Duchess of Sussex's mind. In her 400-word page book, "Meghan and Harry: The Real Story," the socialite describes Meghan Markle as a "single-minded operator" that failed to become a major A-list star. Instead, Meghan saw a chance to use the royal family to get the worldwide fame she has always craved. "Meghan wanted to milk the royal system for all it was worth financially," she revealed. "Had she behaved the way the producers of 'Suits' as she has with the royal family, she would be pitched out on her ear years ago." The former "I'm A Celebrity" star has also claimed that Meghan Markle wanted to be "Diana number two." "Meghan consciously emulated Diana. For a long time, several people who have known her told me she was always obsessed with the royal family and read everything about Diana," Lady Colin shared. "She told her best friend she wants to be Diana number two." According to Lady C, this explains her hold over Prince Harry, as he was always a known mama's boy, and the Duke of Sussex lost his mom and had always wanted a mom ever since Princess Diana died. "Meghan filled that role very ably. She has all of her failings and not all of her virtues." Meghan Markle's Fate Now that Meghan Markle is back in her home country, and has indicated her political ambitions, a source told The Daily Mail that Meghan thinks she is destined to become at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement. Leaving the royal family and moving back to California now makes sense for the former B-list star, as she wants to help fight systematic racism in the US. Meghan Markle reportedly wants to work as a leader and has already spoken to different community leaders and worldwide leaders on how she can be part of the solution. However, Lady C is having none of it. "The Black Lives Matter bandwagon rattled across her courtyard, and she jumped on it. She has boundless ambition - this makes for a very interesting story and possibilities," she said. According to her, the Duchess of Sussex's PR team is already talking to people that could help her earn $500 million hoping corporations will be charmed by her speeches and would instantly "give her blank checks," because apparently, money and fame are the only things that Meghan Markle is worried about. The Reason Why Queen Elizabeth II Welcomed Meghan Markle In an extract of the same book, Lady Colin Campbell claimed that Her Majesty welcomed the bi-racial identity of Meghan Markle because Prince Harry wouldn't have been allowed to marry a "white Hollywood starlet." The 70-year-old author said revealed that Queen Elizabeth II's thoughts of Meghan being bi-racial will help make the monarchy look reflective and representing of a multicultural and multiracial Britain. "As a prince once told me, 'Had Meghan not been a woman of color, they would never have allowed the marriage. It was the only thing that was unreservedly in her favor," Lady Colin Campbell disclosed. READ MORE: Bye LA! 'imprisoned' Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Might Move To New York Lexington, Kentucky, had the lowest per-capita rate of fatal police shootings of zero in the last five years. They are led by a black police chief, Lawrence Weathers (left). The rate of deadly shootings by police officers is 70 per cent lower when the chief of police in the area is black and not white, according to a shocking study. The study - which has not yet been published - analyzed data from 60 cities between 2015 and the first half of 2020. It also found that Latino-led police forces report lower statistics for fatal police shootings. 'A lot of people will talk about training and the racial makeup of officers,' Stephen Wu, the author of the study, explained to TIME. 'It's not just about the overall police force. Leadership matters.' Wu is an economics and professor at Hamilton College in New York, who has written extensively on how economic and social factors affect human behavior and well-being. The study found that of the top 20 cities with the highest rate of fatal police shootings - which included cities like Kansas City and Albuquerque - 16 were led by white police leaders. Black leaders led in 14 of the 20 cities that had the lowest rates of fatal police shooting. The study also found that Latino-led police forces report lower statistics for fatal police shooting (Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo during George Floyd's funeral) Wu's research does not include data on deaths by police that did not involve guns, but it does suggest that diversifying the highest level of law enforcement could reduce fatal killings. He used the Washington Post's database on lethal shootings done by on-duty cops, analyzing incidents between January 1, 2015 and June 1, 2020 in each of the cities and generated per-capita rates using the 2020 Census Bureau estimates. Earlier this month, Donny Williams (pictured) was named chief of the Wilmington Police Department in North Carolina after the former chief retired Wu did account for other factors, including differences in crime rates across cities, the racial makeup of police departments and leadership turnovers that took place before June 1. In a city with 1million people, roughly 21 deadly police shootings happened under more diverse leadership compared to 35 under white leadership, Wu described. 'That was a pretty striking finding,' he said. Lexington, Kentucky, had the lowest per-capita rate of fatal police shootings of zero in the last five years. They are led by a black police chief, Lawrence Weathers. In Las Vegas, ranked 30th amongst the 60 cities, the Clark County sheriff - Joe Lombardo - is white. Andrew Walsh, Deputy Chief at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, felt that the analysis 'may be flawed' because it did not take into account the number of tourist and visitors that come to the city. Walsh also added that deadly force was used as a last resort, when officers were making life-threatening decisions. 'We recognize the need for this conversation, and our agency is not perfect,' Walsh said, 'but there are citizens and officers who are alive today because a police officer had to make the decision to use deadly force.' Houston Police Department chief Art Acevedo and assistant chief Sheryl Victorian visit the open casket of George Floyd While Wu conceded that he did not take annual visitors into account when he was analyzing the data, he added that would not deter the overall findings from the study. 'Las Vegas has many tourists, but so do many other cities,' he added. Initially, Wu had Las Vegas ranked as the highest but has since updated the study. Chuck Lovell, a former police lieutenant, was promoted to Police Chief for the Portland City Police Department on June 11 after the white former chief stepped down Wu's study joins the chorus of advocates calling for change in the police departments. Increased calls to defund and dismantle the police have erupted across the country as Americans protest police brutality following the May 25 killing of George Floyd. For National Black Police Association Chair Sonia Pruitt, police department culture is heavily influenced when under the leadership of a person of color or someone from a minority community. 'Leadership tends to be top-down,' Pruitt added. 'Black chiefs, they generally come from communities where we're having the most conflict, so there's some understanding of the issues.' Pruitt stressed, however, that minorities still remain underrepresented in many police forces across the United States. For the country's largest police force, the New York Police Department, a white police commissioner has held the reigns since 1992. Almost half of their 36,000 members are white, while 15 per cent are black and 29 per cent are Latino. The city's population is approximately 43 per cent white, 24 per cent black and 29 per cent Latino, according to the latest Census Bereau figures. Systemic racism is the reason several department still have a ways to go when it comes to their lack of diversity within all levels of the police force, Pruitt explained. She represents 80,000 police officers in the U.S., U.K. and Canada. 'Minority officers are woefully underrepresented in police departments around the country,' she said. 'It's doing a huge disservice to the country.' China's STAR drives IPO momentum on A-share market: EY report - Xinhua | English.news.cn Shanghai Stock Exchange's sci-tech innovation board, commonly known as the STAR market, has continued to drive the momentum of initial public offerings (IPOs) on the A-share market, according to the consulting firm Ernst & Young. It is estimated that 120 companies were listed on the A-share market in the January-June period this year, up 88 percent year on year, with total funds rising 132 percent year on year to nearly 140 billion yuan (about 19.8 billion U.S. dollars). In the first half of 2020, IPOs on the STAR market ranked first and second by deals and proceeds, respectively, among different boards on the A-share market, according to a report. Four out of the top 10 IPOs on the A-share market were from the sci-tech and innovation board, raising a total of 13.8 billion yuan, which accounted for 23 percent of total funds. The STAR market was launched in June 2019 in a bid to support companies in the high-tech and emerging sectors. It aims to ease listing criteria but adopts higher requirements for information disclosure. Families who use au pairs are scrambling for alternative childcare as about 10,000 backpackers leave Australia every month and new ones are barred from entry because of border restrictions. Wendi Aylward, an executive for the Cultural Au Pair Association of Australia (CAPAA), said the nation hosts 4000-7000 au pairs a year but there was a severe shortage because of coronavirus and it was about to get worse. Amy Lawrence has hosted several au pairs to help take care of her two daughters Ava, 4, and Emily, 2. Credit:James Brickwood "Au pairs are the only option for a growing number of working families," Ms Aylward said. "The government needs to take action now to ensure that option continues. The crisis is worsening by the day." Au pairs are young people from abroad, often from Europe, who stay with a host family for cultural exchange and contribute babysitting in return for room and board and an allowance. Au pairs are usually on a working holiday visa but can stay with one host family for 12 months. New Delhi: Indian diversified retail conglomerate Indian Tobacco Company will sell its entire stake in US-based wholly owned subsidiary 'King Maker Marketing' for USD 24 million (about Rs 160 crore). King Maker Marketing, registered in the state of New Jersey, USA, is engaged in the distribution of ITC manufactured cigarette products in the US market. "The Corporate Management Committee has approved divestment of company's entire shareholding in King Maker Marketing, Inc, USA, a wholly owned subsidiary, along with assignment of certain trademarks owned by the company," ITC said in a BSE filing. It further said: "An agreement for this purpose has been entered into on October 8, 2016. The consideration to be received is estimated around USD 24 million in terms of the share purchase agreement and subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions". King Maker Marketing's product lines are the Ace, Checkers, Hi-Val and Gold Crest brand families, positioned in the value segment of the cigarette industry. Upon completion of the divestment, King Maker Marketing, Inc, USA would cease to be a subsidiary of the company, the company added. Shares of ITC were trading 0.71 per cent higher at Rs 240.85 on the BSE. Dublin, June 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Animal Nutrition Market 2019-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The publisher, in its research report, estimates the global market for animal nutrition to proliferate with a CAGR of 5.18% in the forecast years 2019-2028. The industrialization of livestock, coupled with the high demand for animal nutrition products, is driving the growth of the global market. Further, there has been an upsurge in demand for meat and other such food products, which provides lucrative opportunities for market growth. Additionally, with the rise in people's disposable incomes, they are spending largely on consuming meat, as well as buying top-notch nutritional products for their pets. This is immensely aiding the animal nutrition market growth. However, animal nutrition products can be costly, owing to which, there is limited adoption. Another issue plaguing the market growth is the wide distribution of counterfeits. Moreover, these are priced at relatively lower rates, and hence, they find many takers. However, their consumption can have adverse effects on the body. In addition, the rising environmental challenges also pose a major threat to the growth of the global market for animal nutrition. The global animal nutrition market encompasses the regions of Europe, the Asia-Pacific, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The Asia-Pacific region holds the largest share in the global market. Besides, it is also the fastest-growing market for animal nutrition across the world. The region produces the largest amount of animal feed globally, which plays a crucial role in the rising demand for the use of animal nutrition products. Further, the growing production of swine feed in nations like Vietnam and Indonesia is expected to influence positive growth in the regional market over the next eight years. The prominent companies in this market include SHV, Elanco, Cargill Incorporated, Kemin Industries Inc, Nutrien Ltd, DSM, Church & Dwight Co Inc, BASF SE, Balchem Inc, Alltech, Evonik Industries AG, Novozymes, and Tata Chemicals Ltd. Elanco is engaged in manufacturing animal feed and animal nutrition food products for animal health across the globe. The company caters to a diverse set of customers, ranging from veterinary doctors to food producers, and other entities in the animal health industry. Elanco is a division of Eli Lilly and Company. Over 35 of its animal health & agricultural products have received approval in more than 80 nations. Key Topics Covered: 1. Global Animal Nutrition Market - Summary 2. Industry Outlook 2.1. Market Definition 2.2. Porter's Five Forces Model 2.2.1. Threat of New Entrants 2.2.2. Threat of Substitute Products 2.2.3. Bargaining Power of Buyers 2.2.4. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 2.2.5. Competitive Rivalry 2.3. Key Insights 2.4. PESTEL Analysis 2.5. Market Attractiveness Index 2.6. Market Drivers 2.6.1. High Demand for Animal Nutrition 2.6.2. Industrialization of Livestock 2.7. Market Restraints 2.7.1. High Cost of Animal Nutrition Ingredients 2.7.2. Counterfeit Products 2.8. Market Opportunities 2.8.1. Increasing Disposable Income 2.8.2. Surging Demand for Meat and Animal-Based Food Products 2.9. Market Challenge 2.9.1. Rising Environmental Challenges 3. Animal Nutrition Market Outlook - by Product Type 3.1. Amino Acids 3.2. Vitamins 3.3. Minerals 3.4. Enzymes 3.5. Fish Oils and Nutrition Lipids 3.6. Eubiotics 3.7. Carotenoids 3.8. Other Product Types 4. Animal Nutrition Market Outlook - by Species 4.1. Poultry 4.2. Swine 4.3. Ruminants 4.4. Pets 4.5. Other Species 5. Animal Nutrition Market Outlook - by Application 5.1. Animal Feed Manufacturers 5.2. Farms 5.3. Households 5.4. Veterinarians 5.5. Other Application 6. Animal Nutrition Market - Regional Outlook 6.1. North America 6.1.1. Market by Product Type 6.1.2. Market by Species 6.1.3. Market by Application 6.1.4. Country Outlook 6.1.4.1. The United States 6.1.4.2. Canada 6.2. Europe 6.2.1. Market by Product Type 6.2.2. Market by Species 6.2.3. Market by Application 6.2.4. Country Outlook 6.2.4.1. The United Kingdom 6.2.4.2. Germany 6.2.4.3. France 6.2.4.4. Italy 6.2.4.5. Spain 6.2.4.6. Russia 6.2.4.7. Rest of Europe 6.3. Asia-Pacific 6.3.1. Market by Product Type 6.3.2. Market by Species 6.3.3. Market by Application 6.3.4. Country Outlook 6.3.4.1. China 6.3.4.2. India 6.3.4.3. South Korea 6.3.4.4. Australia & New Zealand 6.3.4.5. Japan 6.3.4.6. Asean Countries 6.3.4.7. Rest of Asia-Pacific 6.4. Middle East and Africa 6.4.1. Market by Product Type 6.4.2. Market by Species 6.4.3. Market by Application 6.4.4. Country Outlook 6.4.4.1. Saudi Arabia 6.4.4.2. Turkey 6.4.4.3. United Arab Emirates 6.4.4.4. South Africa 6.4.4.5. Rest of Middle East & Africa 6.5. Latin America 6.5.1. Market by Product Type 6.5.2. Market by Species 6.5.3. Market by Application 6.5.4. Country Outlook 6.5.4.1. Brazil 6.5.4.2. Mexico 6.5.4.3. Rest of Latin America 7. Company Profiles 7.1. Nutrien 7.2. Kemin Industries 7.3. Novozymes 7.4. Balchem Corporation 7.5. BASF SE 7.6. Tata Chemicals Ltd Spa 7.7. Cargill Inc 7.8. SHV Nv 7.9. Church & Dwight Co Inc 7.10. DSM Nv 7.11. Elanco 7.12. Alltech Inc 7.13. Evonik Industries AG 8. Research Methodology & Scope 8.1. Research Scope & Deliverables 8.1.1. Objectives of Study 8.1.2. Scope of Study 8.2. Sources of Data 8.2.1. Primary Data Sources 8.2.2. Secondary Data Sources 8.3. Research Methodology 8.3.1. Evaluation of Proposed Market 8.3.2. Identification of Data Sources 8.3.3. Assessment of Market Determinants 8.3.4. Data Collection 8.3.5. Data Validation & Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5oz1e9 Story continues Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 FAIRFIELD (BCN) A Fairfield man was arrested in connection with several crimes Friday including domestic violence and driving under the influence of alcohol. Muhammad Abdullah, 35, was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, hit-and-run, evading police in a vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition, possessing a loaded firearm and concealing a firearm in a vehicle, according to the Fairfield Police Department. On Friday at 1:50 a.m., officers responded to the area of Utah and 4th streets on a report of a traffic collision. Police located a woman who had been beaten up, and witnesses reported an orange Dodge Charger had been seen leaving the scene. Officers located the vehicle, but the driver, later identified as Abdullah, attempted to flee the area. As he attempted to flee, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the center median of the roadway. Police said Abdullah was under the influence of alcohol. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded firearm. Police said Abdullah is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Abdullah was taken into custody and booked into the Solano County Jail. 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. Oregon lawmakers on Friday evening wrapped up a historic special session focused on police accountability laws and the states coronavirus response. With the state grappling with a spike in infections and its fallout, lawmakers from both parties were collegial even as they disagreed on policies including an extended moratorium on commercial and residential evictions, a new mortgage deferral program and an end to suspending peoples drivers licenses for unpaid traffic fines. Democrats and Republicans largely agreed on six police accountability and tactics bills that passed with just a handful of Republican holdouts in the House. Key among them: lessening the power of arbitrators to reverse police discipline, requiring officers to intervene and report colleagues misconduct and creation of a new House-Senate committee to craft plans to improve transparency and lessen use of force by Oregon police agencies. Lawmakers struggled at times to stick to social distancing measures necessitated by the pandemic. We cant have everybody on the floor, House Speaker Tina Kotek reminded lawmakers Friday afternoon, as they exceeded the chambers new 20-lawmaker limit. There are 60 representatives in the House and the logistics of shuffling members in and out for each vote slowed the pace considerably. In the 30-member Senate, lawmakers were able to maintain enough distance to remain at their desks. But by the end of Friday, lawmakers had passed 22 policy, budget and housekeeping bills and sent them to Gov. Kate Brown to sign. After the House unanimously passed the police arbitration bill Friday, Kotek told her colleagues it meant a lot "to see all of you putting yourselves up in favor of bills that matter." "I hope this is the beginning of a new era" that will continue with support in 2021 for the work of the new joint committee, Kotek said. "I hope we remember that on this day we are all together and will continue to be together to fight racism." Rep. Andrea Salinas, D-Lake Oswego, noted during her floor speech in support of the bill to create a new House-Senate committee on policing reforms that this month is the 176th anniversary of Oregons first Black exclusion law. This is our states history and today we are taking the first steps to reconcile and confront that history, and make our own story, Salinas said. Referring to testimony lawmakers heard earlier in the week, Salinas said the Legislature needs to make sure no more mothers experience the excruciating pain and fear a woman described to lawmakers when she got the call her 12-year-old unarmed black son was possibly minutes away from losing his life to law enforcement. House Republican Leader Christine Drazan of Canby had made a point of supporting the People of Color Caucus on the bills, including the caucus desire for clauses citing instances of police violence in Oregon and other examples of racism or systemic problems. Most Republicans voted for the bills, which also included introductory clauses none of which will go into statute but which will remain on the record indefinitely that Black lives matter. On a bill to create a statewide public database of existing data on suspensions and revocations of police certifications, Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, R-Scio, said the clause stating police discipline records are purposefully obfuscated from the public went too far by generalizing about all law enforcement. This is a bill I would have voted for but Im feeling like Im poked in the eye, said Sprenger, a former deputy sheriff. And I feel like more importantly the cops in my district that are good are getting poked in the eye. These are big statements. Sen. Lew Frederick, a Black Portland Democrat who has long advocated for police reforms, agreed there are many good law enforcement professionals. But he said the database bill will make it easier to address the tendency of bad apples to move around and spoil others. When their power involves the power to end a life in the blink of an eye, one is too many, Frederick said. Democrats and Republicans clashed over an extension of a moratorium on residential and commercial evictions, House Bill 4213, that was a top priority for Democrats including Kotek. Rep. Jack Zika, R-Redmond, echoed many of his colleagues when he said Democrats should be doing more to get unemployment insurance to out-of-work Oregonians. Tens of thousands are still waiting for payments. Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, said lawmakers need to look out for Oregonians during the public health crisis and the bill to extend the moratorium does that. We all have to give our share, said Burdick, who along with numerous other senators disclosed a potential conflict of interest because they are landlords. Lawmakers also passed an omnibus coronavirus response, House Bill 4212. Its a grab bag of policy changes including authority for the states chief justice to change statutory timelines for court proceedings and a requirement for health officials to collect information about the race, disability status and language of patients to help public health equity efforts. -- Hillary Borrud: hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. An indigenous activist and Australia's newest incoming senator has come under fire from Aboriginal leaders for her views on constitutional recognition. Since the Australian Constitution does not mention First Nations people, many indigenous people want to be formally recognised in the document - a concept known as constitutional recognition. The Uluru Statement from the Heart, which was signed by indigenous leaders in 2017, set out that constitutional recognition should be the first priority. It dictates a treaty and a separate 'truth telling' commission should be set up after constitutional recognition is achieved. But incoming Greens senator Lidia Thorpe says a treaty should take priority over constitutional recognition and wants her party to challenge the Uluru Statement's order of reforms. Indigenous activist and incoming Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe (pictured) has come under fire from Aboriginal leaders for her view on constitutional recognition. Ms Thorpe believes a treaty with indigenous people needs to take priority over constitutional recognition Indigenous leaders have slammed Ms Thorpe's stance, saying she could 'derail' years of hard work towards constitutional reform. Ms Thorpe previously walked out of talks for the Uluru Statement in 2017, saying 'First Nations people reject constitutional recognition'. While Ms Thorpe no longer 'rejects' constitutional recognition, she believes truth telling and a treaty should be addressed first. 'Constitutional recognition can be negotiated as part of a treaty process. We need to talk about a treaty first because we havent settled the conflict thats been happening for over 200 years,' Ms Thorpe told The Australian. Victorian former treaty commissioner Jill Gallagher said constitutional recognition should come first since it would protect the following treaty, ensuring it could not be erased by future governments. 'I am outraged that in the current political climate, when it comes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters, the Greens are supporting commentary that could derail whatever we get,' Ms Gallagher told the publication. Uluru working group co-chair Roy Ah-See said the Greens and Ms Thorpe were not representative of the community since 1,200 people were part of the Uluru talks. 'We don't want a green voice, we don't want a red voice, we don't want a blue voice. We want a black voice. It needs to be enshrined in the constitution,' Mr Ah-See said. Victorian former treaty commissioner Jill Gallagher (left) and Uluru working group co-chair Roy Ah-See (right) disagree with Ms Thorpe's views on constitutional recognition Ms Thorpe previously walked out of talks for the Uluru Statement in 2017, saying 'First Nations people reject constitutional recognition'. While Ms Thorpe no longer 'rejects' constitutional recognition, she believes truth telling and a treaty should be addressed first Earlier this week, Ms Thorpe said she would never feel part of 'Team Australia' unless the government agrees to a First Nations treaty. She was elected by the Greens to sit in former leader Richard Di Natale's soon to be vacant seat after he announced he would step down earlier this year. Ms Thorpe says she 'struggles' to say she is proudly Australian considering more than 200 years of oppression she says the Aboriginal people have experienced. Speaking to the The Sydney Morning Herald, the Gunnai Gunditjmara woman said that she said she would oppose steps toward reconciliation without a treaty. 'We need a treaty. Aboriginal people in this country want peace. Let's deal with the crux of the problem that we have in this country. That is that we have never had an agreement with the First People to be here,' Ms Thorpe said. A treaty would include recognition of First Nations sovereignty, the return of vacant crown land to traditional owners and the establishment of standalone senate seats for First Nations representatives. Indigenous activist and Australia's newest senator Lidia Thorpe (pictured) says she will never feel part of 'Team Australia' unless the government agrees to a treaty with First Nations people Ms Thorpe hails from a prominent family of activists - her grandmother Alma Thorpe was a trailblazer for indigenous social reform, founding the Aboriginal Health Service The first indigenous woman elected to the Victorian Parliament last year declared to Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes she didn't regard herself as Australian. 'I don't identify as being Australian. It's a concept that's been imposed on our people since we're invaded,' she told the Almost Australian documentary, which aired last month on the ABC. 'The colonisers came and set up the colony which they now call Australia. 'Mass genocide occurred.' Ms Thorpe, a high school dropout and grandmother, is one of the most radical figures to enter Australian parliament, holding strong views on indigenous recognition and saying she 'doesn't identify' with the Australian dream. The 46-year-old hails from a prominent family of activists - her grandmother Alma Thorpe was a trailblazer for indigenous social reform, founding the Aboriginal Health Service. Her mother Marjorie Thorpe is also a well known advocate for First Nations people and her uncle, Robbie Thorpe, was a key figure in Melbourne's black civil rights movement of the 1970s. She grew up surrounded by poverty in a Collingwood housing commission flat and had political issues ingrained in her from a young age. She says she remembers sitting on Muhammad Ali's knee when the famous boxer and civil rights activist visited Fitzroy in 1979. Ms Thorpe's uncle, Robbie Thorpe, was a key figure in Melbourne's black civil rights movement of the 1970s And visiting Kirribilli House when her mother was a member of John Howard's Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Ms Thorpe, who was previously an MP for the Greens in Victoria, says the reconciliation debate for decades has revolved around issues such as an apology, constitutional recognition, and changing when Australia Day is recognised. She claims these arguments are skirting around the central issue of a treaty between colonial settlers and First Nations people. 'Let's stop trying to divert to all these other things like changing the date and constitutional recognition and all these fluffy things that do nothing. Let's deal with the hard issue.' She says she had some deep reservations about heading to Canberra to join an institution which her family had rallied against her whole life but was encouraged by the backing of her people. She hopes to make positive changes from within Canberra's political landscape, saying discrimination is still prevalent in modern Australia. Ms Thorpe hopes to make positive changes from within Canberra's political landscape, saying discrimination is still prevalent in modern Australia Thorpe briefly quit campaigning in May to visit her mother in Victoria's Gippsland after learning four young Aboriginal people, including a 15-year-old boy had taken their lives. This kind of desperation, she says, is not uncommon among indigenous youth who feel disconnected with society. 'The opportunities just aren't there for people. The racism is rife but not blatant. It is undercover racism, an unconscious bias that people have,' Ms Thorpe says. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday Ms Thorpe said she wanted to use the opportunity as Greens Senator to address social inequality. 'Everyone deserves a roof over their head. Everyone deserves a warm bed and a feed. A job. I want people to be treated with respect. We're all different and we should celebrate our differences rather than making people feel ashamed.' 'I want to unite this country, not divide it but it has to be fair and based on the true history of this country.' 'I want everyone to be a part of a nation that celebrates and respects each other, but to get to that future, we need to understand what happened and still happens to Aboriginal people over the last 250 years.' Thorpe supports the views of Aboriginal writer Michael Mansell who argues a treaty can be achieved without resorting to a referendum. Lidia Thorpe was elected by the Greens to sit in former leader Richard Di Natale's soon to be vacant seat after he announced he would step down earlier this year Indonesia, the worlds largest archipelago, is home to many magnificent animals that are endemic to South East Asia. Sadly, most of them are teetering on the brink of extinction, with only a few species living in the wild today. Some like the Javan rhino can be found in the Ujung Kulon National Park while others like the Komodo dragon and the babirusa can be spotted in some of the countrys 17,500 islands. If youre interested to know more about the majestic animals that call Indonesia their home, heres a list of 10 most iconic fauna you can find there. 10. Komodo Dragon A Komodo dragon in Rinca Island, Indonesia. Image credit: Sergey Uryadnikov/Shutterstock.com These colossal lizards considered the largest and heaviest lizards on Earth, can grow as big as 10 feet long and can weigh as heavy as 330 pounds. They are believed to have been roaming the planet for millions of years. Now you can spot them in the Komodo National Park, Rinca, and some areas of Flores Island in Indonesia. The Komodo dragon might not breathe fire like the mythical ones you see in stories but they are just as menacing. Aside from their sharp claws and serrated teeth, these giant lizards have venom glands that pack enough toxins to cause massive bleeding, prevent clotting, and induce shock with just one bite. 9. Sumatran Orangutan Male Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) in day nest at Gunung Leuser National Park. Image Longjourneys/Shutterstock.com According to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, Orangutans are arguably the most intelligent of the great apes and one of our closest relatives. They share around 96% of human DNA. These highly intelligent creatures found in the islands of Indonesia, can recognize themselves in the mirror and can be taught human sign language. Sadly there are only 14,000 of them left living in the forest today. They are one of the Worlds Top 25 Most Endangered Primate Species. 8. Javan Rhinoceros The Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus). Image credit: Hendra Arieska Putra/Shutterstock.com Also known as the one-horned rhino, these are the rarest type of rhinoceros and can only be found in Java, Indonesia. These ancient-looking animals have the smallest horns among the remaining five species in the world. Theirs are less than a foot in length and only male Javan rhinos have them. They are so rare that there are only around 70 rhinos left in Indonesia. They are considered critically endangered so they are closely being guarded by Rhino Protection Units in the country. 7. Bali Starlings Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) eating fruit. Image credit: TungCheung/Shutterstock.com These beautifully enigmatic species of birds are known for their pure white plumage and distinct blue mask-like streak around their eyes. They are endemic to the island of Bali in Indonesia and are considered the second rarest bird in the world. Their rare beauty though made them prone to trafficking since they are prized by many bird collectors. Decades of poaching has pushed their species to the brink of extinction. They are now listed as critically endangered. 6. Anoa Lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis). Image credit: Vladimir Wrangel/Shutterstock.com Another endangered animal that can be found in Indonesia is the Anoa also known as the dwarf buffalo called as such for its small size. They are tiny compared to their relatives at only 75 cm tall. Considered the smallest species of wild buffalo they live in the swamps and forests of Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. There are only less than 2,500 Anoas in the wild today. According to Action Indonesia Global Species Management Plan (GSMP), an organization dedicated to protecting endangered animals in Indonesia, the anoa is at an increased risk of becoming extinct due to habitat loss and hunting. 5. Maleo A pair of maleos. Image credit: Riza Marlon/Shutterstock.com Endemic to Sulawesi, the maleo is a type of bird known for its distinct bony knob at the top of its head. They are very elusive and are more active at night. They usually lay their eggs in sandy soil thats heated by geothermal activity. They dont incubate their eggs but instead bury it in the sand to surround it with the geothermal heat from the ground. Due to deforestation and over-harvesting of their eggs, the maleo has been listed as endangered and thus is protected by Indonesian laws. 4. Babirusa Babirusa. Image credit: Makoto_Honda/Shutterstock.com They look like a cross between a deer and a wild pig, thus the nickname deer-pig. This unusual-looking mammal has tusks cum canines that grow upwards from the roof of its mouth and then curve backward and can reach down enough to pierce its own skull. Babirusas live in Sulawesi, Togian, and Baru islands in Indonesia and are now endangered due to excessive hunting. Habitat loss has also made them more exposed to poachers who kill them for their meat. 3. Mahakam River Dolphin Irrawady dolphin. Image credit: Isuaneye/Shutterstock.com Locally known as Pesut Mahakam, these beautiful creatures, a unique population of Irrawady dolphins, are mostly found along the Mahakam River in Indonesia. They closely resemble a beluga whale with its short nose and bottle-shaped smooth body. Only around 80 dolphins are left living in Mahakam River today. The dwindling of their population is believed to be caused by habitat loss, fishing techniques such as gillnetting which can entangle and drown them, and underwater noise pollution from coal barges. 2. Sunda Clouded Leopard A Sunda clouded leopard. Image credit: studio382.net/Shutterstock.com Found only in the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, these majestic cats are relatives of the mainland clouded leopard. The main difference lies in their spots, the Sunda clouded leopards skin is covered in spots that are larger and darker in color. They move silently from tree to tree in the forest and are abundant in hilly areas. Due to high deforestation rates in Borneo and Sumatra, they are now believed to be vulnerable to extinction too. 1. Sumatran Tiger Sumatran Tiger. Image credit: tom177/Shutterstock.com This ferocious animal is a subspecies of tiger that is native to Sumatra in Indonesia. Known to be the smallest tiger species they rarely go beyond 260 pounds. They have webbed toes they use to swim around rivers and fur thats darker orange compared to other subspecies. Their stripes are also closer together and their distinctive beard is believed to help them navigate the dense vegetation in the tropical forest. Due to habitat loss and poaching, the Sumatran tiger is now critically endangered. Vietnamese Prime Minster Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at an ASEAN Leaders Special Session as part of the 36th ASEAN Summit on Womens Empowerment in the Digital Age (Photo: VNA) Hanoi - Vietnamese Prime Minster Nguyen Xuan Phuc on June 26 chaired an ASEAN Leaders' Special Session on Womens Empowerment in the Digital Age as part of the 36th ASEAN Summit. The video conference was organised for the first time as an initiative of Vietnam to affirm ASEAN leaders commitment to promoting gender equality and womens empowerment and to enhance the role of women in building the ASEAN Community. In his remarks, PM Phuc highlighted the role played by women and their contributions to humankinds efforts to respond to challenges and to promote development in each ASEAN member country. There remains inequality and discrimination against women, however, which inhibits their development and contributions to the community, he said. The PM underlined the need for ASEAN to take action to utilise womens potential and create conditions for them to use their strengths and contribute to development in regional countries in particular and the ASEAN Community in general, especially in the digital age. According to the UN, women make up only 2 percent of the total number of negotiators and mediators in the world but are indispensable in cooperative processes that help create sustainable peace and security, he said. The ASEAN Community has affirmed its goal of developing into a community in which everyone is treated equally and the rights of women are promoted and protected, PM Phuc stressed. ASEAN members have effectively implemented plans and programmes as well as mechanisms on women, towards building a people-centred ASEAN Community, he said. Addressing the gathering, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also Chair of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), highly valued the initiatives and strong commitment of ASEAN in promoting the role and rights of women and womens empowerment in the digital age. She proposed measures to make progress more effective in the future. Ngan expressed her belief that ASEAN will continue to take advantage of the region with the world's fast internet growth to enhance the position of women, especially those in charge of leader positions, thus contributing to ensuring gender equality. For his part, ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi underlined the significance and timing of the session as it takes place amid challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The special session not only reaffirms ASEANs commitments to realising equality for all but also shines a light on the indispensable role of women as drivers of urgent change in the digital age, he said. Participants discussed measures to promote and uphold the role and contributions of women as well as womens empowerment in the digital age, and how to facilitate their participation in building an ASEAN Community based on the three pillars of politics-security, economy, and socio-culture. Ways were also sought to promote ASEAN womens effective contributions to efforts to maintain peace, security, stability, sustainable development, and multilateral cooperation in countries and the region. Big money winners can finally collect their cheques from Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation as it reopens its prize centre by appointment only. The OLGs Toronto building has been closed to the public since March 17, when the province declared a state of emergency over COVID-19. Since then, at least 130 ticket holders with wins of $50,000 or more have been waiting to collect their prizes in person. Seven of them are winners of major jackpots totalling $156.5 million including the owner of a $10-million Lotto Max ticket purchased in St. Catharines for the June 19 draw. The other jackpots include wins of $70 million, $25 million, three $15 million and a $6.5 million. The OLG allows winners of up to $999.90 to collect their money at lottery retail outlets. Those with winnings of $1,000 to $49,999.90 can claim their prize through the mail. But the lottery corporation requires wins of $50,000 or more to be claimed in person to maintain the integrity of its system. Big money winners have to do face-to-face interviews and provide their tickets for inspection. On Friday the OLG announced it had reopened the centre with an appointment-only process that will prioritize players who have been unable to claim their prizes since the March 17 closures. The OLG said to protect the public and its staff, measures have been put in place that include physical distancing, increased cleaning of public and shared spaces, hand sanitizer stations and the mandatory use of masks by customers. In order to accommodate physical distancing, fewer people will be allowed inside the prize centre at any time so appointments are being offered for jackpot and major prize winners only. Once the OLG has made arrangements to meet with winners of $50,000 or more, it will begin to open up appointments for winners of smaller sums who dont want to submit them through the mail. During the prize centre closure, the OLG paid out prizes to more than 5,440 people who claimed their winnings through the mail. The total of those prizes was more than $17 million. Read more about: (Natural News) Amazon has suspended the paid ad campaign of a book that questions the recent transgender craze being seen among young girls in the latest example of Big Tech censorship. Regnery Publishing, a prominent conservative publisher, said that Amazon claims the book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier contains objectionable content about sexual orientation. The book warns that some of the ideas about gender are causing teenage girls to disfigure their bodies with testosterone and surgeries, but the ad itself does not display a description of the book; it merely shows buying options with a photo of the books cover, which depicts an inoffensive drawing of a girl with an empty hole in her abdomen. The book talks about how trans-identification has recently become a peer contagion among teenage girls. Entire groups of female friends are coming out as being transgender, many of whom never felt uncomfortable about their biological sex until they heard about it from a trans influencer on social media or at school. This is causing many girls to get interventions like mastectomies and puberty blockers, which can lead to permanent infertility, and many are later regretting their decision. Some experts have said that some young people misidentify as trans only to later realize that they are lesbian. Others have pointed out that many female teens meet the diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria for several years before later outgrowing it. The teen years are a very tumultuous time, and lots of young people dont gave a solid sense of who they are until well into their 20s or even later. The book, which will be released on June 30, is focused on the struggles faced by modern mothers liberal and conservative alike who have to deal with teenaged daughters who are suddenly deciding that they dont wish to identify as female any more. It discusses the dark side of this issue and how parents can respond. Shrier also talks about how popular culture and peer pressure may be driving some of the interest in this trend and looks at its connection to self-harm. Another very troubling aspect she explores is the intervention of health professionals who seem to be pushing many girls toward profitable treatments. Books content not appropriate because Amazon doesnt agree Regnery Publishing provided an email sent by Amazon that said: It contains elements that may not be appropriate for all audiences, which may include ad copy/book content that infers or claims to diagnose, treat, or question sexual orientation. Hence, this campaign will not be allowed to be advertised. To be clear, the book can still be sold on Amazon, but they wont allow it to be advertised, which deprives the publisher of one of its most important ad platforms. Regnery said that losing this option will be a significant hit to their efforts to promote the book. According to the publisher, other resources, books and products promoting transgenderism are indeed sponsored on the website. In other words, its okay to encourage girls to be transgender, but looking at the risks is not allowed. They are happy to promote pro-trans books and products like breast binders. A statement from Regnery Publishing said: The cancel culture has made it clear that it despises diversity of opinion, and it will not tolerate science, data, facts, or anything that contradicts the approved narrative. If youre not on board, youll have your head handed to you. Amazon also recently came under fire for telling a former New York Times reporter that Kindle Direct Publishing, its self-publishing arm, would not publish a data-based booklet he wrote that questions the effectiveness of coronavirus lockdowns. With Amazon stifling books for simply questioning things like transgender identity and other Big Tech firms like YouTube and Facebook trying to stop people from learning the truth about vaccines and natural medicine, its scary to think about what kind of world well be living in a few years from now. Sources for this article include: Brietbart.com FoxNews.com A man stopped mowing his lawn. A woman pushing a child in a stroller pointed. A couple walked on the side of the road, stopping every few seconds to read. What they were looking at was hard to miss: the words Black Lives Matter painted in bright yellow letters, stretching the width of Portlands North Edison Street and extending for a full block. Nick Lloyd, a resident of the area, painted it June 18. This is done beautifully, said Kathy Kieselhorst, 77. It is striking, said Bill Kieselhorst, 77. The couple doesnt come to the area much anymore but drove to see the street mural. Its so incredibly impressive and moving, said Rae Kaigler, 39, who lives in the neighborhood. Her husband told her about the mural after seeing it himself Thursday. Beyond initial reactions, onlookers were moved by the wording inside of most of the letters, which detailed historic facts about the treatment of minorities in Portland. 1923 This neighborhood is 100% white. Over 9,000 belong to the KKK. The state bans Japanese and Chinese immigrants from owning property, the first A reads. In 1988, PDX banks make only 9 mortgage loans in the district from Irvington to Woodlawn. The last fact, written in a T, is about 2001 the year voters amended the state Constitution to remove its original ban on Black residents. Getting into the specifics of our racial history is astonishing, Bill Kieselhorst said. Any of us whove lived here for any length of time know its there, but we dont really know whats there, and I think in my own mind I relegated that to the early 20th century. They all agreed they learned about parts of Portlands history that they did not know before looking at the mural. Kaigler said the piece also helps to start conversations about the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement, which has sparked 30 days of protests in Portland. I think its really important art, she said. Walking up this way, it reinforces my own knowledge that all of the things I have I have because of white privilege and white supremacy in the state of Oregon. --Alex Hardgrave | ahardgrave@oregonian.com | @a_hardgrave Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Kevin Martin knows more than most about the allure of the Irish pub. He has written extensively about its long history and its constant evolution. Now he is longing for a post-Covid world where he can simply drop into his local, stroll up to the bar and get chatting to a stranger over a pint. "It's not really alcohol that pubs are selling," he says, "it's the conviviality. That's always been the case. You can buy drink anywhere, but that pub environment - well, it's a key part of who we are." The Mayo writer has visited pubs all over the country, for both work and pleasure, but even before the coronavirus changed everything, he was hearing concerning stories about the viability of pubs - especially those in rural areas - as consumer habits change and per-capita alcohol consumption declines. "One publican told me that he would probably be out of the business within five years," says Martin, author of the definitive history of the Irish pub, Have Ye No Homes to Go To?, and the The Complete Guide to the Best Pubs in Dublin. "Others are struggling to make it work - and that was before the pandemic. For a lot of pubs in Ireland, there's just one night where they do big business, and that's Saturday. Sunday evenings - which used to be busy nights for pubs here in Mayo - have gone." Read More Martin says developments such as tougher drink-drive legislation and the 2004 smoking ban have taken their toll on pubs, especially remote ones, as have changes in how people spend their free time - often at home, in front of Netflix and with a takeaway dinner on their laps. He had those conversations with publicans at the beginning of the year. Then, in mid-March, the unthinkable happened: pubs everywhere were forced to shut and remain shut. For an industry that used to close just two days a year - Christmas Day and, until 2018, Good Friday - it was an unprecedented shock. And it raises numerous questions including the impact it will have long-term on pub culture. From Monday, hundreds of pubs - offering a so-called substantial meal - will open under strict guidelines on social distancing and time constraints. On July 20, 'wet pubs', as they are known in the industry - essentially, those that serve only drink, not meals - will be permitted to open, although the rules for them have yet to be clarified. Ronan Lynch, chairman of the Licensed Vintners Association and owner of the venerable Swan Bar in Dublin's south-inner city, is broadly optimistic that pubs can weather this storm. "Eighteen weeks closed [by the time he can reopen on July 20] is a very long time, but I think people really want to come back and support local businesses, including pubs," he says. "We've been able to carry out renovations that probably needed to be done and I think a lot of pubs have taken the opportunity to do that. "Pubs are part and parcel of Ireland. They're unique and part of who we are and I think that as we've all had to stay apart for so long, people will want to come out and socialise again." The Swan Bar opened for business in 1661 and has been operating from the same listed Victorian premises since 1897. Lynch believes that the pubs that thrive 10 or 20 years from now will be the ones that put customer service first. "It's all about the welcome," he says. "It's not something homogeneous like McDonald's. Often, they are places that have been in the same family for years and you and your customers really get to know each other." For David Prendergast, professor of anthropology at Maynooth University, the pub occupies a special place in the hearts of Irish people. "It occupies a special place - between the private and the public," he says. "We often use the word 'local' when referring to a favourite pub. This reflects a sense of the personal and community importance with which it has long been held. It's often a pillar of the community, and so many social events are held there. Many pubs have a function room - these are places we can go into and hold our events, where volunteer groups meet, where people organise fundraisers. Often, they can use the rooms cheaply, perhaps even just for the price of the drink. "And these are places where there's not just one transaction [as might be the case with other businesses] but where the owner and customer get to know each other over years. Pubs are places in which we celebrate various milestones of our life - and those sporting successes: think of the local GAA team that wins the cup. They're places where everyone can come together - and the pub is a very important place of social engagement for many who feel isolated." Ignazio Cabras, an Italian economics expert who lectures at Northumbria University in Newcastle, has studied the impact of rural pubs. Visiting Ireland to research the importance of pubs in small towns and villages, he was struck by their central role in the lives of these small communities. "I remember being in a pub in Killaloe/Ballina [neighbouring villages on either side of the Clare-Tipperary border] and people telling us that in the pub everyone is equal and nobody cares who you are, you don't get judged. There's no hierarchy. And that was something I found in the other places we went to." Cabras carried out his study in 2013 and even then he got the sense that some pubs were struggling to remain profitable. "There was already a shift. Because of more stringent restrictions around drinking and driving, a lot of farmers in remote places weren't able to commute to the pubs - and the pubs were suffering due to a cut-back in trade. Some of them set up an informal taxi service to bring people to and from pubs." He believes the rural Irish pub, in particular, is an endangered species. "They were in danger well before Covid-19 - some were hit hard in the financial crisis of 2008/9 - but those that survive will be the ones that are well established in their communities and seen as that 'third space' for people, and they will support it because they know just how much they will lose if they go away. But some simply will not survive." It is a sentiment shared by Lesley Kane, a musician who has been gigging in pubs throughout Ireland for almost 40 years. "There are always changes, but when there's a really good atmosphere in a pub, there's nothing like it," she says. "There are lots of things that people can do with their spare time and spare cash, but I'd hope that after lockdown, they value what's on their doorstep and support local pubs." She believes that even before the pandemic hit, there was a growing 'drink local' mentality. "If they don't get the custom, they won't survive," she says. John Geraghty, founder of the Publin online guide to Dublin pubs, says location will be key in the post-Covid world, partly because of the tourist footfall, but he believes the pubs that evolve will be best-placed to deal with changing habits. "Even before the pandemic, you'd see certain pubs being innovative and rethinking their offering," he says. "There's a lot of choice out there when it comes to what people do with their spare time." Finding a niche He says there are several newer Dublin bars that are offering a completely new version of what an Irish pub can be, including Token in Smithfield - a self-styled 'pinball arcade' where retro arcade games are just as desirable as pints. "It's about trying to find your niche in the market," he says. "Not many can afford to sit still." Publicans have had to move with the times ever since the 1870s, when it became obligatory for the owner to have his name over the door, but over the past two decades they have faced new challenges. Per-capita alcohol consumption peaked in 2001 but has been in a steady decline ever since. Studies have shown that 'Generation Z' drinkers - today's youngest adults - drink far less than those who came before. There has been a sharp decline in the number of pubs in the past half-century, with many of our towns now boasting half the number of establishments that were there in 1970 - even as the population of Ireland has almost doubled since then. There have been many obituaries written for the Irish bar trade, but despite the warnings of the doomsayers, there are still bars that thrive - some by adapting smartly to our changing social habits, while others pull in business by remaining steadfastly the same. Mulligan's of Poolbeg Street, which has traded since 1854, belongs firmly in the latter category, and is the quintessential no-frills Dublin city centre boozer. "What you see is what you get," says co-owner Gary Cusack, whose family have been linked to the pub since the 1940s. "What people want is a good pint of Guinness. They don't want seafood chowder." As the pubs' offering of crisps, nuts and bacon fries do not qualify as a "substantial meal", it is not reopening until July 20. Relying on customers who just want to meet up and talk, without music, blaring televisions or other distraction, Cusack says business has been buoyant over the past three years. "Trade was picking up since the end of the recession and the last couple of years have been very good. We have a little bubble in the city centre. When things are good in the city centre, trade is good. "We are lucky in that we have a good mix of everyone, people from offices nearby, the Dart station, the Luas and Trinity College. Tourists are just a bonus." Mulligan's is unlikely to be attracted by the latest passing fad, and the barmen have been noted in the past for their occasionally waspish approach to customer service. One enthusiastic customer reportedly asked a barman: "When does happy hour begin?" To which the barman replied: "Whenever you leave." Another equally renowned family-owned pub, Johnnie Fox's in Glencullen, on the edge of the Dublin Mountains, has also thrived by going in a different direction. Stricter drink-driving rules meant that the establishment - billed as the highest pub in Ireland - could no longer just rely on pint drinkers making the trip to the edge of the suburbs. Kitted out with a remarkable array of knick-knacks - the ashes of a Mr Gaffney from New York are interred in the wall - the bar earns most of its revenue from food nowadays and in a normal year attracts a steady stream of tourists. Although they have not yet returned, the pub is reopening on Wednesday at 60pc capacity. "Our main business is now as a restaurant, and we see ourselves as a family pub," says business manager Kaitlin McMahon. "To survive all of this, we have to be flexible and creative in the way that we relaunch our business." Johnnie Fox's now serves brunches and during the lockdown it has had a takeaway service. Kevin Moran, meanwhile, is more excited about July 20 than the pints-with-food offering from Monday. "The pubs I love are the ones that tend not to do food," he says. "The dynamic is completely different when there's food involved. I'm just hoping that some sense of normality can come back." But while he is confident that the pub will always be a feature of Irish life, he is unequivocal about one issue. "There will be fewer pubs in the future," he says, "especially in rural areas. Granted, that's coming from a place where there has been an oversupply of pubs, but it will mean that some will be lost." Lynch's Swan Bar is likely to be among the most durable and he cannot wait to open the doors once more. "Pubs were something we all took for granted," he says. "Hopefully, this time away will help us to appreciate just how special they can be." The tourist favourite: 'You're missing out if you don't make these changes' Expand Close Hugh Farren outside Farren's Bar in Donegal. Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hugh Farren outside Farren's Bar in Donegal. Photo by Lorcan Doherty The sign outside tells the visitor that Farren's Bar at Malin Head has been pouring Ireland's most northerly pint since 1825. Inside, Hugh Farren hopes that, as the sixth generation of his family to be serving drinks, he won't be the last. He has spent lockdown painting fences, cleaning stores and doing odd jobs to keep things ticking over at his pub in the townland of Slievebawn. While its location is remote, the bar has achieved a cult status among Donegal hostelries. The painted Yoda on the gable wall is testament to the arrival of Star Wars in 2016. Parts of The Last Jedi were filmed at Malin Head, when a replica Millennium Falcon drew hordes of visitors to the extreme north. A photo of Farren with Luke Skywalker himself, the actor Mark Hamill, has pride of place on a wall inside. Just as important as Star Wars in the life of Farren's Bar has been the Wild Atlantic Way, which has brought in more tourists. Farren took over the pub from his parents, Teresa and Emmet, 16 years ago. He was 27 and working at Intel when he decided to move home in 2004. His own family - wife Melissa and children Cara (5), Sean (3) and nine-month-old Ronan - live in the family quarters above the pub, just as he did as a child. Above all else, Farren says he wants the bar to continue to be a place where people talk. He says he is never happier than when standing behind the bar and everyone at the counter is engaged in one single conversation. His normal staff of five swells to 15 in the summer months when tourists head to the northernmost part of the island. He knows that to keep them coming, he will have to adapt. He plans to start doing evening meals on top of the lunches he was doing pre-lockdown. He also plans to convert old barns at the rear of the building into B&B-type accommodation. "If you got stale and didn't make changes or you're not adapting, you're missing out," he says. The alcohol-free alternative: Social distancing 'will be easier in an alcohol-free bar' Ireland's newest non-alcoholic pub, The Virgin Mary, had not even been open a year when it had to shut down as a result of the pandemic. Last year, Vaughan Yates, who already worked in the drinks industry, saw an opening for such a bar when he spotted the interest in the non-alcoholic products that have come on the market in recent years. "What people have in common is that they don't want to drink alcohol on a particular night," he says. "Some actually do drink alcohol at other times, but when they come to us, they choose not to. We offer an opportunity to be more mindful about what they consume." The bar on Capel Street boomed in January, as Dubliners went off alcohol for the month, and it had also become popular among tourists. "You can come and experience things that you don't get anywhere else," says Yates. Cocktails range in price from 7 to 8, with beers and wines costing 4.50 to 5.50. The most popular cocktail is the Tiki Street, made from red non-alcoholic wine, hibiscus, pomegranate molasses, vanilla, lime and grated black cardamom. Yates is adopting a wait-and-see approach on reopening. He says social distancing will be easier in an alcohol-free bar, because customers are not inebriated. However, if he had to stick to two-metre social distancing, it would pose difficulties, because the maximum capacity would be cut from 28 to 16. When the lockdown came, Yates adapted quickly. He was already developing an online shop selling alcohol-free drinks, and when it launched it proved popular. "The online shop has worked really well for us and it has taken the pressure off us when it comes to reopening," he says. The traditional boozer: 'We don't want to rush anything that will upset staff or customers' In the days before health and safety became a preoccupation in the workplace, gravediggers in the adjoining Glasnevin cemetery used to knock on the wall of John Kavanagh's pub when they wanted a pint. The barman dutifully took these encoded orders and carried out trays of refreshments, passing them through the railings. Nowadays, the pub is commonly known as the Gravediggers and has passed to the seventh generation of the family. As well as gravediggers and local regulars, the bar now run by Ciaran Kavanagh and other members of his family could always rely on a steady stream of mourners at funerals. Kavanagh remains philosophical about the present closure and hopes to reopen towards the end of July. "We went through the last pandemic [in 1918], as well as the Easter Rising, the Civil War and all sorts of downturns and economic unrest, but one thing stays the same: John Kavanagh, the Gravediggers," he says. "We don't want to rush anything that will upset staff or customers, because we are very much a locally based pub." Although he has brought a high standard of food to the premises as a trained chef, the essential atmosphere remains the same as during his father's time. The pub famously has no TV, no music and no Wi-Fi. Kavanagh recalls how after the funeral of Luke Kelly, the leading figures of Irish music - including The Dubliners, The Chieftains and U2 - converged on the bar. They were preparing to sing when his father, Eugene, told them: "Not in here you're not. If I let you sing here today, I'll have to let that shower in the corner sing every night, and they're hopeless." "That's the beauty of this pub," says Kavanagh. "Everybody is treated the same way. Our main selling point is that you can come in and have a conversation." TRENTON Another one! Mayor Reed Gusciora is, technically, on to his sixth spokesperson since taking office in July 2018. William Skaggs, a former spokesman for the New Jersey Treasury and U.S. Attorneys Office, started this week as the mayors new flack. He replaces TWW spokesman and fill-in flack Michael Walker, a burrowed former public information officer under ex-Mayor Eric Jackson who spent a couple weeks batting clean-up after Connor Ilchert, an aide who also handled press duties, was shifted over to the law department. Ive greatly enjoyed my career in public service and connecting government leaders with the communities they serve. Im excited that journey has brought me to my current post, where I get to work for my new hometown and an administration thats dedicated to making it better, said Skaggs, who makes $65,000 a year in his new role. Skaggs has a masters from New York University and a bachelors from Ramapo College of New Jersey, according to his LinkedIn. He spent roughly 18 months as the spokesman for the State Office of the Treasury. Before that, he was deputy public affairs officer for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Newark for more than five years. Gusciora, an attorney who joked that he went to law school because he cant do math, made the case that Skaggs is only his second permanent spokesman. The second one, according to Guscioras math, was Santiago Melli-Huber, who left for a reporting gig in Lynchburg, Virginia. Other spokesman include: Tim Carroll, who had not plans on relocating to Trenton, and Nicholas Gangemi, who became a spokesman in Burlington County. The only one you can pin on me is Santiago, Gusciora said. [Skaggs] is the second permanent spokesperson, yes. Asked whether Skaggs can stand to work for him over the long haul, Gusciora said, Who knows? Government services dont pay a lot. The mayor added he was impressed with Skaggs background and writing samples and personality that fits in the Trenton mold. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) speaks during the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Hearings to examine implementation of Title I of the CARES Act on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 10, 2020. (Al Drago/AFP/Getty Images) Hawley Wants Religious Conservatives to Get More Say in Trumps New Supreme Court List Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) urged President Donald Trump to revamp his process of selecting Supreme Court nominees after warning that some conservative voters have expressed deep disappointment with recent decisions by some of the presidents judicial picks. Hawley told Politico in an interview that religious conservatives are now very depressed following the Supreme Courts recent run of left-leaning rulings, with the GOP senator singling out a June 15 high court decision expanding the 1964 Civil Rights Acts ban on sex discrimination in hiring beyond biologically-determined sex, to also cover sexual orientation and gender identity. The 63 decision by the Supreme Court in the Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia case (pdf) carried an additional cultural charge because it was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump pick. Conservatives widely objected to the ruling, leading some to question their support for Trump, who has made the confirmation of 200 federal judges, including two Supreme Court justices, a big part of his reelection platform, in line with the Republican goal of filling every appeals court opening by the end of the year. The whole point of the Federalist Society judicial project, the whole point of electing Trump to implement it, was to deliver Supreme Court victories to social conservatives, Varad Mehta, a conservative writer, wrote in a tweet following the ruling. If they cant deliver anything that basic, theres no point for either. The damage is incalculable. Following the outcry from the ruling, Trump pledged to appoint more conservative justices and said he would be issuing a new list of potential Supreme Court nominees by September, in a bid to win over socially-conservative voters. I will be releasing a new list of Conservative Supreme Court Justice nominees, which may include some, or many of those already on the list, by September 1, 2020. If given the opportunity, I will only choose from this list, as in the past, a Conservative Supreme Court Justice, Trump wrote in a tweet. Trump first released a list of possible Supreme Court nominees in 2016 with input from conservatives affiliated with The Federalist Society, with experts widely crediting the move as winning over many evangelical voters. Hawley said Trump should reconsider his process for compiling the new list, calling for religious conservatives to be more involved in discussions around judicial picks. Who actually goes out and votes for judges? Hawley told Politico. Its conservative Catholics, conservative Jews, evangelicals, Mormons. That coalition of folks is vitally important to the Republican Party. I think they feel just shocked at whats going on with the Supreme Court, so I think its vital that they be heard from and involved in this process. The idea of issuing a new list, if its just going to be the same stuff and the same process, I mean Im not wild about it, Hawley said. When it comes to this whole process, we have to ask ourselves, is this vetting process, is this really working? Hawleys remarks echo those he made following the Supreme Court decision in the Bostock sex discrimination case, where he urged Americas religious conservatives to demand a new bargain from Republican leaders as a condition for their future support. If this case makes anything clear, it is that the bargain that has been offered to religious conservatives for years now is a bad one, its time to reject it, Hawley said on the Senate floor on June 16. The bargain has never been explicitly articulated, but religious conservatives know what it is, Hawley said. The bargain is you go along with the party establishment, you support their policies and priorities, or just keep your mouth shut about it, and in return, the establishment will put some judges on the bench who supposedly will protect your constitutional rights to freedom of worship, to freedom of exercise. Thats what weve been told for years now, and we were told that were supposed to shut up while the party establishment focuses more on cutting taxes and handing out favors for corporations, multinational corporations who dont share our values, who will not stand up for American principles, who are only too happy to ship American jobs overseas, Hawley said. But were supposed to say nothing about that, were supposed to keep our mouths shut, because maybe well get a judge out of the deal, he added. It was apparent that day and every day since that Carter has little patience for appearances, diplomacy or politics. He has been leading protests around the city where he delivers impromptu speeches imploring elected officials to take action. He calls out politicians, particularly Mayor Byron Brown, who had referred to Carter as an agitator trying to rile up the crowd on Bailey Avenue on June 1. Carter, who is scheduled for a July 17 arraignment on the charges from that evening, tells the story differently. After he was tackled, Carter said, he looked up from the pavement through a cloud of tear gas, he saw an SUV advance through a line of police officers. One went over the hood. Another was under the vehicle, and Carter said he saw him get dragged. One of those officers, New York State Trooper Ronald Ensminger Jr., suffered a broken leg and shattered pelvis and was hospitalized for nearly three weeks. Haiti - NOTICE Japan : Scholarship 2021, call for applications The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan announces the opening of the scholarship program for holders of the Bac II and launch a calls for candidacies... Type of Scholarship : - Research Student (2nd cycle) - Grade : Master or doctorate - Applicant : holder of a license or more - Duration : 1 year and a half, 2 years or more. Description and instructions 2nd cycle (in English): www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-research.html Conditions for 2nd cycle candidates (in English) : www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/smap-stopj-applications-research.html 1 - Selection steps : - Selection of documents submitted - Submission deadline: July 31, 2020 - Documents to be submitted : 2nd cycle Submission of documents : Embassy of Japan (2nd floor, Hexagon Building, Angle Rues Clerveaux and Darguin, Petion-ville). NOTES : - The Embassy only accepts documents in physical copy (not electronic). - Documents submitted to the Embassy will not be returned. - The result of the selection will be communicated by email. - Please read the instructions before submitting the application. 2. Written exam (early September 2020) : Previous exams (English): www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/planning/scholarship/application/examination/ 3. Interview (mid-September 2020) 4. Final selection at the level of the Ministry of Education in Japan Frequently asked questions : Please read the list of frequently asked questions (in French) : www.ht.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_fr/00_000486.html For all other information : Tel: 2256-5885, 2256-3333 Email: culture@ht.mofa.go.jp Information on Japanese schools : Information on Japanese Schools (universities, college and Japanese language institutes) in English: www.jasso.go.jp/en/study_j/search/index.html HL/ HaitiLibre Brad Pitts movies like Ad Astra, World War Z, and Meet Joe Black have brought the 56-year-old actor a lot of fame and success. War Machine was Brad Pitts 2017 satirical war film. The film starred Anthony Michael Hall, Anthony Hayes, Tilda Swinton, Topher Grace among many other celebrated actors. Read | Brad Pitt's 'Meet Joe Black' Became Popular For Showing Star Wars Trailer & Other Trivia Brad Pitts War Machine trivia The character of Frank Groom, who was a British officer played by Rufus Wright on War Machine, was named after director David Michod's assistant Michael Groom. War Machine has clear references to the real events of the Afghanistan war. Brad Pitts character General Glen McMahon, was actually based on General Stanley McChrystal who was an ISAF commander. The viewers of the film, who are familiar with the Afghanistan war period, will understand the impression of a humorous documentary that the film creates. Image Credit: YouTube (still from the film trailer) Read | Angelina Jolie Reveals She Divorced Brad Pitt For The Well-being Of Her Children The statue which Brad Pitts character, General Glen McMahon visits after his press conference in the film, is located at the Neue Wache or New Guardhouse in Berlin, Germany. The statue was placed as a memorial to all Victims of War and Dictatorship. Despite War Machine being an anti-Afghanistan war film, everyone in the Pentagon, the US military headquarters thoroughly enjoyed the film. Helene Cooper who is the reporter of the Pentagon revealed this to a news portal. She added that many officials at Pentagon had lost their colleagues and fellow soldiers in the war. Hence, they could relate to the satirical theme of the film. Read | Brad Pitt Starrer 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood's' Dialogues To Use As Insta Captions Brad Pitt and Scoot McNairy who appears in War Machine together were also in the 2013 film 12 Years a Slave and the 2012 film Killing Them Softly. Brad Pitt and Topher Grace from War Machine also appeared in the 2001 film Ocean's Eleven and the 2004 film Ocean's Twelve. In the war room scene in the film, where General Glen McMahon briefs his team about launching the operation on Kandahar, Foxy can also be seen around the map table. Foxy is a real special forces veteran with experience in Afghanistan while serving with the Royal Marines and the Special Boat Service. Image Credit: YouTube (still from the film trailer) Read | Brad Pitt And Jolie Were In Pune During The Shooting Of A Mighty Heart; Here's More Trivia War Machine: The Plot War Machine is based on journalist Michael Hastings' book The Operators: The Wild & Terrifying Inside Story of Americas War in Afghanistan. The film narrates the story of the days of the war in Afghanistan after Barack Obamas election. This was when the world was basically just waiting for the conflict to end but people on the ground still had a war to fight. War Machines script narrates the complete confusion that must have dominated the days in which President Obama was sending troops over to Afghanistan, and telling the country at the same time that the war would be over soon. 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. Recipes in two of the world's leading food publications are being reviewed after they were accused of stealing dishes from ethnic minorities without crediting them. North American magazine 'Bon Appetit' and British publications 'BBC Good Food' and 'Olive', both owned by Immediate Media, have all been criticised for taking credit for recipes originally made by other ethnicities. 'Bon Appetit' writer Alison Roman was criticised on social media for making a watered-down Indian or Caribbean curry without crediting it while Christine Hayes, editor-in-chief of 'BBC Good Food' and 'Olive', has revealed that linguistic changes are being made to some of the 13,000 recipes in their archive. North American food publication 'Bon Appetit' (pictured) has been accused of stealing dishes from ethnic minorities without crediting them One of the publication's top writers, Alison Roman (pictured), was criticised for making a watered-down Indian or Caribbean curry without saying where the dish originates from 'BBC Good Food' (pictured), along with fellow Immediate Media-owned company 'Olive' has also been slammed for using unacceptable linguistic phrases such as 'Asian salad' Ms Hayes told The Times: 'Recognising and apologising for mistakes, seeking to put things right, outlining a clear plan of action and asking for audience input is a step in the right direction.' Ms Roman's dish, named #TheStrew, was a recipe involving spiced chickpeas, coconut and turmeric but did not once refer to it as a cuisine that comes from India or the Caribbean. 'Bon Appetit', owned by Conde Nast, was also condemned for using white chefs to front their video guides to cooking meals originating from Vietnam and Korea. The publication's research director, Joseph Hernandez, admitted the publication was guilty of 'decontextualizing recipes from non-white cultures' and 'knighting "experts" without considering if that person should, in fact, claim mastery of a cuisine that isnt theirs'. Ms Roman's dish, known as #TheStrew, received backlash on social media site Instagram Last month, Bon Appetit's editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport resigned after being accused of creating a culture of racism in the country, as one member of staff complained that non-white presenters ere paid less that white members of staff in front of the camera. Ms Hayes, meanwhile, revealed that generalising phrases such as 'Asian salad' are in the process of being removed from recipes in 'BBC Good Food' and 'Olive'. Accusations of racial stereotyping in the TV cooking industry have also been made in recent years. In 2018, 'Masterchef' hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode were criticised for telling a Malaysian-born contestant how to cook a chicken rendang, a dish that was created in the contestant's home country. After three months, many top executives are changing their minds about whether their companies should return to the pre-Coronavirus way of working in which people commute back and forth from an office five days a week. Many business leaders now realize that Working from Home (WFH) can boost worker productivity, eliminate the stress of commuting, and reduce the cash consumed by paying for office space. How can you convince your board, employees, and customers to make WFH permanent? Here are the four strongest arguments. 1. Eliminates frustrating commute. The physical office locations you chose before the Coronavirus are most likely an expensive compromise that dissatisfies most of the people who work there. Consider the case of AtScale, a formerly San Mateo, Calif-based provider of data virtualization services. In a June 23 interview, its Executive Chairman and CEO, Chris Lynch, told me that the San Mateo location frustrated both its millennial employees who commute south from their apartments in San Francisco and its older workers who drive north from Santa Clara. In early 2019, Lynch made Boston its headquarters and now maintains a development office in San Mateo. Since the Coronavirus pandemic began, Lynch said that AtScale's workers have been happy not to have to commute to San Mateo and -- as we'll see below -- their productivity has improved. While AtScale maintains a long-term lease in San Mateo, Lynch envisions a future in which WFH is the norm for many employees and AtScale opens smaller remote offices for employees with insufficient space at home so they can work without interruption. You should ask your employees how they feel about WFH and measure how it's affecting their productivity. If the answer is the same as AtScale's, shuttering a chunk of your corporate real estate will make employees, customers, and investors better off. 2. Increases productivity. Measuring objectively how WFH affects worker productivity is a challenging problem -- but solving it is a worthwhile investment. AtScale was able to do that -- particularly with its code developers who are an important part of its operation. As Lynch explained, thanks to high bandwidth networks and tools like Zoom, Slack, the business communication platform, Jira, an issue tracking application, and email, AtScale's developers are completing and checking in code from home. And not commuting back and forth from the office is helping boost their productivity. Your business probably has a different mix of workers and different ways of tracking their productivity. You should find a way that fits your company's workforce to document that WFH is good for your company's productivity. 3. Enables access to excellent talent at 30% lower pay. WFH also opens up the possibility of hiring talented workers who live in places with less expensive housing and other costs -- thereby letting you pay lower salaries for top talent. Lynch can hire talented programmers in lower cost locations such as Bulgaria, Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta and Washington, DC and pay them salaries that are 30 percent or more below what workers in Silicon Valley command. In general, he sees millennials who have been living in the city now wanting to move to the suburbs. During the current pandemic, their urban apartments have come to feel like prisons and they can now see the advantages of living in locations where lower population density makes social distancing less stressful. As more workers move away from high-priced, densely packed cities, you may be able to lower what you pay for top talent -- giving you another reason to maintain WFH in the future. 4. Little loss from lack of emotional in-person connection -- especially for engineers. While some leaders are wringing their hands that WFH makes it difficult to preserve a company's culture; as I wrote earlier this month, you can preserve much of your culture virtually. The loss of emotional connection due to WFH may be greater for workers in their 20s -- especially in fields other than engineering. Lynch said that engineers "don't track on emotions" -- meaning they don't miss sitting next to their peers and are perfectly happy to code at home. Depending on how important those in-person meetings are to your company's effectiveness, post-pandemic you should find different ways to maintain that emotional connection -- such as holding companywide events at a hotel or hosting rafting trips. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-28 06:34:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DUBLIN, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Fianna Fail party leader Micheal Martin was elected as new prime minister of Ireland in a vote held here on Saturday at a special meeting of the lower house of the Irish parliament. Announcing the voting results, Sean O Fearghail, speaker of the lower house of the Irish parliament, declared that Martin has won the election by receiving 93 votes in favor, 63 votes against and three votes in abstention. There are altogether 160 seats in the current lower house of the Irish parliament with one seat going to the speaker of the house who was not involved in the vote. O Fearghail is a member of Fianna Fail. All the 84 parliamentarians of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Green Party, the three parties which will form a coalition government led by Martin, have voted for his nomination as the new prime minister while nine independents also supported his nomination in the vote, reported Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE. Following the announcement of his win in the vote, Martin delivered a short speech to the deputies sitting sparsely in the 2,000-seat auditorium of the Convention Center Dublin, a venue deliberately chosen to ensure social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his speech, Martin said that there is no question of what this government's most important work will be and there is no part of his country that has escaped untouched from the COVID-19 pandemic. There are nearly 900,000 people relying on special pandemic payments, in what is the fastest moving recession ever to hit the country, he said. But "Our country has shown time and time again that we can overcome the toughest of challenges -- and we will do so again," Martin said. He also said that the three parties involved in the coalition come from very different traditions, and do not and could not be expected to agree on everything. It is the first time in Ireland's history that two rival political parties in the country -- Fianna Fail and Fine Gael -- have agreed to enter a coalition government. Following his speech, Martin headed to the official residence of the Irish president where he received the seal of office of prime minister from President Michael D. Higgins. After his meeting with Higgins, Martin traveled to Government Buildings, where his office is located. On Saturday evening, Martin revealed the make-up of his new government at a renewed meeting of the lower house at the Convention Center Dublin. The new government consists of 15 cabinet members in addition to three ministers of state attending the cabinet and one attorney general. Of the 15 cabinet members, six go to Fianna Fail, six to Fine Gael and three to Green Party. The three newly appointed ministers of state are also equally distributed among the three parties. Fine Gael leader and former Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar has been appointed as the new deputy prime minister of Ireland and minister for enterprise, trade and employment while Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has been appointed as the minister for climate action, communication networks and transport. The lower house approved the appointments of the new government members through a vote. The appointed members of the new government later traveled to Dublin Castle where they each received the seals of their office from President Higgins, marking the final step in forming the new government that has been delayed for almost four and a half months following the general election held in Feb. 8. Enditem Bengaluru, June 27 : In the second Karnataka Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) board exam, 98 per cent of the 8.5 lakh students appeared for Mathematics across the southern state, said Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar on Saturday. "The heavy turnout for the maths paper shows the confidence of students and their parents on preparations by the state government in conducting the board exams safely," Kumar told reporters. The first board exam in English as a second language was held on June 25 in which 98 per cent of the wards wrote across the state, as per the guidelines. "My appeal to students and parents is not to congregate near the exam centres before and after the exam and comply with the social distancing norm besides wearing mask and sanitizing their hands. The safety of the students is as much of parents as the government," asserted Kumar. A student in an exam centre at Arakalgud in Hassan district, about 200 km northwest of Bengaluru, however, tested positive for the virus, an official said. "The student took treatment for dengue before the exams began on June 25 and gave his sample for Covid-19 test, which turned positive. The report came while he was writing the maths exam at the Arakalgud centre," SSLC board director V. Sumangala told IANS. The board has arranged separate seating at all exam centres for students who tested positive, had cold, cough and other symptoms and those from containment zones. "The health officials are taking steps to trace the student's contacts and quarantine them. All exam centres are sanitized and fumigated," she said. A whopping 86,000 people, including 63,000 state-run school teachers and 23,000 from other departments like health, police and social welfare are on duty for the smooth conduct of the exams till July 4. The next exam in Science subject is on Monday. The exams were earlier scheduled from March 27 to April 9, but were put off as the lockdown was extended thrice up to May 31. As a 2-metre distance has to be kept between two students, more exam centres have been arranged to comply with the guidelines. Each exam centre has also been equipped with sanitizer dispensers to wash hands before and after the exam. The six subsidised lunch-serving canteens launched by the Haryana government 10 days ago have received an encouraging response with at least 200 people visiting each eatery daily. The six Atal Kisan-Majdoor Canteens were launched at grain markets of Sirsa, Tohana, Gharaunda, Rewari, Kurukshetra and Rohtak on June 17. The nominal 10-rupee meals comprise tawa chapattis, rice, fried dal, seasonal vegetables and potable water. Additional chief secretary (ACS, agriculture and farmers welfare) Sanjeev Kaushal said, At least 200 people visit each canteen everyday as the quality of the food is impressive. Women self-help groups look after the cleanliness and hygiene of the canteens. The nominal 10-rupee meals comprise tawa chapattis, rice, fried dal, seasonal vegetables and potable water. (HT Photo) Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had inaugurated the first canteen at Karnal grain market on December 29 and in February four other canteens were opened at Bhiwani, Panchkula, Fatehabad, and Nuh grain markets. The Haryana government intends to set up these canteens at 25 locations. Officials said the canteens had been closed during the lockdown and were reopened only recently. As per the agriculture department, a minimum of 200 people and maximum 400 people have lunch at the 11 eateries daily. An average of 200 people have lunch at the newly opened Sirsa canteen daily, 250-300 people visit the Tohana canteen, 400 visit the Gharaunnda canteen, 300 the Rewari canteen and around 200 people visit the Kurukshetra and Rohtak eateries everyday. Farmers and labourers visiting the grain markets make it a point to lunch at the subsidised canteens that offer quality food at a nominal rate. (HT Photo ) RUN BY SELF-HELP GROUPS While the infrastructure has been provided by the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing (HSAM) Board, the canteens are being run by self help groups (SHGs) under the Haryana State Rural Livelihood Mission (HSRLM). Kaushal said in order to encourage the women self help groups a guaranteed meal for 300 persons is ensured by the HSAM Board. The actual cost of a thali served in these canteens is around Rs 25. The HSAM board contributes Rs 15 per meal while customers pay the remaining Rs 10. A man places an order at the Atal Kisan-Majdoor Canteen at Kurukshetra. (HT FILE PHOTO ) The objective is to provide good quality food at low cost to the farmers and labourers coming to the mandis. Each canteen has the capacity to serve 300 people. At least 10 women from a self-help group (SHG) prepare the food. The Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB) has set up these canteens in collaboration with the state rural livelihood mission. CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the kitchen. Electronic billing machines will also be installed. Facilities such as gas burners, chimneys, deep freezers, water coolers and utensils have been provided by a private sector bank under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In this interview conducted two days before his controversial removal as the APCs acting national secretary, alongside other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, Waziri Bulama speaks on a wide range of issues affecting the party to a select group of journalists. PT: Is there any hope of your party overcoming its current crises? Bulama: The crisis that we see and hear within the APC causes no existential threat to the survival of the party. The APC at the moment is united and it is working together as a family. The APC in terms of size has 16 million registered members. We have 14 organs of the party from the polling unit committee to the National Convention. All the 16 million members of the party, those elected and those not elected, stakeholders, all of these, I can tell you authoritatively answer the name APC. Their identity is APC. Secondly, all these 16 million people, from the ordinary card-carrying members to the highest elected including senators, house of representative members, house of assembly, chairmen and all elected and non-elected members of the party are all 100 per cent united under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is the foundation I want to lay for you to understand whether there is an existential threat, division, threat or crack or breakup. None of such threat exists in our party. Going forward, I want to also make you understand the context within which we are managing the party. A political party is an association of people, groups and communities who have all come together under this party and in line with the constitution of Nigeria to pursue a common political goal. The objectives of a political party are many but key among which is that it is the pathway towards getting ticket to contest for elections. But there are other functions of the political party like educating Nigerians on good programmes and policies to choose and elect people to implement in government. There are issues like ideological ones which members have to fashion on how they behave in the party as to people who are like-minded. There is also provisions to fashion out policies, programmes and so on to capture a manifesto and present to Nigerians is the best way of taking a country forward. There are many other things. This context is necessary for you to understand the crisis. But going forward, I can go ahead to explain how the party operates and why is this so much negative noise and bickering. But there is no threat of crack or breakup within the APC, we are all united. PT: But how would you explain all the bickering around party positions and all the crises even when a number of people are laying claim to the leadership of the party? It appears you are living in self-denial. Bulama: Yes, that can also be understood if I explain the context within which these things are happening and why we are all united and why we are all loyal to the leadership of the party. This is as a result of many years of dormancy in the administration of the party. The partys bureaucracy has not been working effectively to respond to the day to day challenges and demands of members. And then communication among members, coordination among members. Not all these things were happening because largely at the core of the party, the office of the national secretary has largely been dormant; it is not working. The office of the national secretary has been vacant for almost a year and a half. The national secretary is supposed to run the day-to-day administration of the party, trigger activities in all the 14 organs of the party, communicate and coordinate the party and to also that the machinery and the engine room of the party is working. That office had been dormant hence, there are pent-up expectations that even rose up to the point of frustration. That is why, for instance, some are agitating and calling for the NEC meeting of the party. The NEC is the policy authority organ of the party. However, everyday policy implementation is in the NWC. However, the party has 14 organs from the polling unit committee to the national convention. But, you see, in the last two years all these organs have not been activated. People talk about NEC, what about the Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC), or the State Executive committee (SEC), Local Government Executive committee (LEC) or the Ward Executive Committee which is WEC. All of them have not been meeting, they have not been discussing party issues, they have not been discussing community and national issues, they have not been sending reports to the leadership for evaluation, to influence policies or to assure members and so on. Waziri Bulama was the acting national secretary of the APC until this week. PT: It is said that the rope tying the partys symbol of a broom is President Muhammadu Buhari and once his administration ends and he leaves, the broom will scatter. What do you make of this statement? Bulama: There is no doubt that President Buhari is admired personally and respected by all members of the APC as well as Nigerians who have voted him twice. He enjoys not only the loyalty and support of our members, he is a binding force which I earlier told you is a rallying factor. Majority of our members adore and respect him. Fundamentally, let me say that all the members of this party and all the people who are following Buhari follow him because of what he symbolises. They follow him because of the values he upholds and what he stands for. President Muhammadu Buhari is a man who has been known to be a man of integrity. He is a man who believes in the rule of law, transparency and accountability. All his political life, since 2002, has been focused on advocating free and fair elections and the right of Nigerians to choose leaders they want and to ensure that policies that affect them only are implemented in government. He has been pushing for transparency and accountability, which are his focus. Now all our leaders in the party are committed to this cause. If you remember, this merger as a result of which the APC was born, was formed by radical elements of the Nigerian political elite. The entire political life of the South-west has always been a populist politics. Politics focused on the need to address the need of the majority of the people in education, health and so on. This has been since the days of (Chief Obafemi) Awolowo up until now. They have always hated imposition and political dictatorship. These elements came and met Buharis background that is focused on ensuring that the masses vote and their votes count. These radical tendencies with similar commitments brought others to form the APC. Why I have gone far to explain this is that Buhari as a person is very influential and very strong and clearly, he is the rope that is tying this broom. But the principles, background and the pedigree our leaders brought to this party are what sustain APC and would carry us forward. Even if President Buhari goes, and already he has put one of his legs outside by saying, he is not going to run or influence 2023. So already, President Buharis position is clear. This is what is propelling some segments of the party in struggling to take control of the party because some elements within the Nigerian political elite see the political party as only within the limited scope of a function of a party as a special purpose vehicle for elections; thinking that if they seize control of the party and without Buhari, they can steer the party in one direction or the other. And this, actually and truly is one of the philosophical and political issues and tensions we are facing in the party. There is no doubt about that. But certainly, the party can withstand this. Advertisements PT: Are you saying the crisis in the APC is as a result of ambition or from the lack of coordination of the organs? If this is so, what is the way out? The party has a lot of litigations hanging round its neck. How will you address this? Bulama: There are various people and groups in the party with different needs and aspirations. There are some who want power, there are people who only want empowerment, there are those who want influence, employment, some want respect and acknowledgement. The interests in a party are very diverse and varied. Before last week or the last couple of days, before I took charge, the heart of the party was not working. It was not servicing the party. But here we are today, we have arrived, taken full control and restored authority, sanity and order in the whole secretariat. I have taken full charge, we have hit the ground running and we are working for 15 hours everyday. And when I say these pressures, interests and demands within the 16 million registered members cause no threat to the survival of the party, I am talking with authority. I have not seen threat of breakup of this party. But I have seen pressures, tensions to occupy one post or the other especially calls for why is there no NEC, why is there no this and that? The court cases are triggered by some of these interests some of which are political, some personal. For instance, political ambition, someone thinks that if he takes over the party, he can use it for this purpose or that. To secure election in the local government, state, or the national level and use it to his own advantage. This can trigger agitation within the party. And this can make people to mobilise, lead to demonstration, they may even go to court or release information to the media direct. All these are interests; some of which are political, economic and even personal are the things that derive agitation and conflict within the party. But the partys constitution has already provided for conflict resolution. For me, a party should function like any well-established institution. When you say institution, the police and army are institutions. The federal civil service with head of service is also an institution. The Nigerian government with the SGF is an institution. An institution is an organisation that has systems that are known, which has process that are known, which has culture that are known, that has members who are known; a place there is no place for self-help, impunity, self and reckless behaviour. We have not taken enough steps to make sure that the political parties are institutions except for about six months ago when President Muhammadu Buhari addressing Oshiomhole and APC governors, as if he knew, said please go and institutionalise this party because he wanted this party to become a much institutionalised institution that can stand the test of time. Even if Buhari is not there, the founding fathers, even if Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) is not there, even if Baba Akande is not there, even if Owelle (Rochas) Okorocha is not there, 50 and 100 years down the line can survive, party loyalists who are technocrats, bureaucrats, have built this party to the point where its existence can be sustained and carried forward so that their unique contribution to Nigerian development deepening of democracy and also implementing pro-poor, pro-workers, pro-youths, pro-women are sustained. PT: In the light of your privileged position, is there any basis for setting up a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the APC as some of the party leaders demand? Bulama: When I was trying to explain the context within which this crisis came about, you know I told you that first, the party is one; united and loyal to the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari. Number two, the administration of the party, under my leadership has triggered the bureaucracy of the party to life, we are working 15 hours a day is functioning and also servicing 16 million members of the party. Then the organs of the party, the NWC made up of rugged, experienced politicians, is working and functioning. For instance, the greatest challenge against the NWC that they are calling for disbandment was last week Tuesday when the Appeal Court judgement came validating or affirming the suspension of Oshiomhole from his ward, in fact a meeting was conveyed the following day which was a Wednesday, already I had fixed a meeting of the NWC for Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Appeal Court judgement affirming the suspension of Oshiomhole came. On that Wednesday, 16 members of the NWC which made 80 per cent, turned up in the meeting. The NWC is made up of 21 members and with Adams Oshiomhole out, there remains 20. Out of the 20, 16 turned up for the NWC meeting. The meeting was supposed to be chaired by Oshiomhole. Now Oshiomhole was not there. We nominated one of us among the 16 members that were present. The National Vice Chairman, South-south, Hilliard Eta, presided over that meeting. The next thing was that I as the national secretary of the party and then secretary of that meeting brought out the agenda and with the chairman of the meeting looked at the agenda, deliberated on it and held a normal meeting. In the meeting, the issue of Oshiomhole was tabled and we consulted the constitution to know what the provision is when a position became vacant whether it is the national secretary, national auditor or national chairman. The constitution says that the next person in rank should be appointed. In that line, we said who is the next person to Oshiomhole from the South? It was Chief Abiola Ajimobi. We all deliberated on it and moved a motion, it was seconded, it was voted by the 16 NWC members that Ajimobi be appointed in the interim as the acting National Chairman to manage the party as a result the Appeal Court judgement to which we all said we should comply. That was how we managed the transition last week. In fact, in that same meeting, we discussed the ongoing processes for the Edo State primaries which also required us (the NWC) setting up a committee for the conduct of the primaries and primaries appeal. Nominations were made and the committee led by Hope Uzodinma with Senator Ajibola Bashir as secretary was formed. PT: But the NWC was accused of bias? Bulama: The NWC is painted in this light by certain segments in the party. Whether the interests are political, economic, personal and so on. As I say a political party is composed of people with different aspirations. Some may be grievances over some economic issues. You have to understand the political dynamics within the context of a political party. A political party is like a marketplace. Sometimes you can see a political party as a gathering in a village square, sometimes you can see a political party as the life of a community but the point is we have rules and regulations that are guiding us. And because we under a democracy, we are in the period of the consolidation of democracy, we must necessarily test everything that we do and subject everything we do to the laws of the Nigerian constitution, the APC constitution, Electoral Act and manifesto. PT. Lets talk about Edo. Dont you see the wrangling in the Edo State governorship election happening in other states? Secondly, how do you see the chances of APC in Edo in the light of what has happened? Bulama: I have not seen problems in APC but I have seen noise. I have seen a lot of noise from Edo and I have also seen a lot of noise from Ondo. But these are two out of the 20 states under the fold of the party. And this problem you see in Edo State or Ondo State; certainly even if the chairman of the party is not Adams Oshiomhole, there is internal crisis between (Governor Godwin) Obaseki and other stakeholders in Edo which if not resolved will polarise the party going into the election. Now, Obaseki, thank God, has left the party. And the party embarked on the processes that led to the emergence of a candidate. I followed every step meticulously to avoid this Bayelsa fiasco or the Zamfara situation or the Rivers crises. We learn from our experience. So we are very meticulous in going through the processes that led to the emergence of candidates in Edo State and we had successfully conducted the primaries. At the moment, Ondo is another state where our party has pressures and tensions. We have issues of cohesion and understanding among the stakeholders in the party there. As you can see the deputy governor has bolted out of the party and joined another party. Now, there are many people agitating for one thing or the other in the party. You will be hearing a lot of noise from partisan interests and those who want to be governors condemning this and that; they would be saying this and that. But really, this is the issue and this is the state of affairs. PT: What did you do as a party to ensure you didnt lose the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki? Bulama: As a party, we did everything humanly possible to appeal to the feuding sides in Edo State. Obaseki was on one hand and other stakeholders on the other. Those stakeholders, for instance, the 14 members of the House of Assembly that he decided to lock out because he inaugurated the state House of Assembly with only nine members and for the past one year, he has been running the state house of assembly with the Speaker nominated by only nine members. Mr Bulama and other leaders of the ruling party have rejected their removal on Thursday. There was nothing that was not done by all stakeholders of our party from our top leadership to other stakeholders like the governors, APC Governors Forum and the National Assembly to bring these stakeholders together: the governor and 14 hose of assembly members, the governor and five National Assembly members, the governor and House of Reps members led by Hon Ihovbaire, the governor and the senator from Edo North. Repeatedly, President Buhari talked to Obaseki, he appealed to all the stakeholders, the APC Governors Forum sent a delegation led by Ganduje. The party set up a committee led by the Senate President. Obaseki said he did not want claiming the Senate was biased. They sent another team. Look, all these options and others were explored but unfortunately all these did not work and it led to a point, regrettably, where Obaseki left the party. But thank God, we are as a party held on to the process and continued with the process for the emergence of a candidate. It is our hope that having successfully concluded the process that led to the emergence of a candidate and flagbearer of the party, we hope that the leadership of the APC would work together as a team and as a family to carry out the campaign in a cohesive and united manner to see the victory of the party in Edo State. Remember the person that won the primaries, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, in his victory remark after thanking our members, in the first statement he made after, appealed to Governor Obaseki to please come back to the APC. I hope he succeeds and I hope his call to the other members of the party like Pious Odogu and Obaze who also ran with him would yield. At the level of the party, they are all members of the party and we all respect them. This feud is an internal matter and as God would have it, anything destined to happen, will happen. We haven't heard much about Elon Musk lately, but on Thursday, he posted a photo on Twitter showing stunning captures of SpaceX and the actual size of the tank, The Independent has the story. The SpaceX lead shared the image on Twitter on Thursday, June 25, in an aerial perspective of two sizeable tanks designed to hold fuel for the rocket, that is, The Starship. Followers of the space mission responded, and he replied to one of the posts, confirming that there will be a major update on the progress for the rocker this September. 'Top priority' Elon Musk described The Starship as the "top priority" for the SpaceX mission. In 2019, the prototype of The Starship was launched. Since then, it has gone through several changes with launch tests and flight modifications. Earlier during this year, there was also a dramatic explosion that happened in one of the cryogenic pressure tests at Boca Chica, Texas, one of the development facilities of SpaceX. The Starship, made out of stainless steel, will be able to bring up to 100 people around the solar system. For the first mission, there has been no launch date confirmed yet, but Musk is hoping to bring the first passengers to Mars before 2025. Travel to Mars Musk also expressed his desire to travel to Mars one day, "claiming that making humanity a multi-planetary species is essential to its long-term survival," Anthony Cuthbertson wrote on The Independent. Right on 2022, the first cargo missions with The Starship may launch and could bring materials necessary to establish a human colony on Mars. It could be a trending social media event should this happen. Over the previous week, the SpaceX boss also revealed that the mission is constructing "spaceports" which will receive and launch rockets to space, venturing between the moon, Mars, and the planet Earth. Meanwhile, SpaceX posted a job vacancy stating that an "offshore operations engineer" is needed to develop rocket launch systems for the upcoming missions. The post read, "SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars." Milestone events Here is a rundown of what has transpired so far. In 2016, Elon Musk talked about the Interplanetary Transport System during the International Astronautical Congress in Mexico's Guadalajara area. In 2017, he outlined the "BFR" in a similar event, but that time was held in Adelaide, Australia. The "BFR' pertains to a ship that would be utilized for missions to Mars but could take over minor ones completed by Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9. In 2018, he announced at the California headquarters that Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese billionaire, will take the "BFR" over on a trip around the moon with six to eight artists aboard in 2023. The Starship was revealed in 2019. RELATED STORY: Elon Musk Wants To Link Human Brains To AI With Neuralink To Help With Brain Injuries And Improve Communication 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Jacob Mullins and his wife with to-go cocktails in San Francisco during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jacob Mullins Jacob Mullins and his wife Nancy have been sheltering in place in their 500-square-foot San Francisco apartment since March. Mullins, a Silicon Valley investor at Shasta Ventures and a San Francisco resident of 11 years, is teaching himself how to play the violin and fly fish and is making the most of life during a pandemic. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Jacob Mullins, a partner at the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Shasta Ventures, is one of the estimated 6.7 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area who have been sheltering in place since March 17. He works out of his 500-square-foot San Francisco apartment, fly fishes in the Bay, teaches himself how to play the violin, takes video meetings in virtual reality, and is growing a "COVID beard." He and his wife also have a socially distant happy hour with their neighbors on their respective balconies every Friday at 7 pm to maintain a grip on some semblance of normalcy during a global health crisis. Related video: Risk ranking of everyday activities for COVID-19 "In a world where it's Groundhog Day and every day feels the same, it's nice, the things we look forward to every week," Mullins told Business Insider. Here's how Mullins, a San Francisco resident of 11 years, is living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Mullins lives in San Francisco's North Beach district, a historically Italian neighborhood with scores of tasty mom-and-pop Italian restaurants. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins outside of Caffe Trieste in North Beach. Jacob Mullins It's also known for the tourists that typically flood its streets, but there are still some long-timers. "A lot of our neighbors have been here for generations," he said. Mullins told Business Insider that he has lived in this 500-square-foot apartment for 11 years. It sits near Coit Tower, an icon in the city skyline. Story continues day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins at his work area in his apartment. Jacob Mullins Before the pandemic, he'd get up around 7 am. He'd go to Shasta Ventures' San Francisco office in the city's South Park neighborhood a popular part of town for tech workers and spend his days in meetings and calls. brex startup south park cafe san francisco 23 San Francisco's South Park neighborhood. Katie Canales/Business Insider The early-stage VC firm is known for backing the likes of connected home startup Nest before Google acquired it for $3.2 billion TaskRabbit, dating app Hinge, and at-home fitness company Tonal. In the evenings, he was an active part of San Francisco's social scene, attending events, happy hours, and conferences like Salesforce's Dreamforce. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins at local fly fishing shop Lost Coast Outfitters with owner George Revel. Jacob Mullins His life in the "Before Times" was hectic and was usually on the go until 8 or 9 pm. "My Uber bills were expensive," he said. "You're taking four or five Ubers a day. And some days combine the Jump bikes, depending on how far you were going, and it's just really highly programmed." He was also traveling about six days out of the month for work to places like Seattle, LA, and Chicago. "You take a nap for 15 minutes in an Uber when you have the time," he said. Right before the shelter-in-place order was issued on March 17, Mullins sipped a Manhattan at Vesuvio, a quintessential San Francisco, Beat-era cafe and bar. san francisco shelter in place coronavirus 65 Vesuvio on March 16. Katie Canales/Business Insider Workers were measuring the windows to eventually board them up. "It was a very visceral shift in life," he said. "That was the personal moment of kind of feeling it." He went to City Lights Bookstore, an iconic independent bookseller, right next door and bought a stack of books. san francisco city lights bookstore City Lights Bookstore in December 2019. Katie Canales/Business Insider "I'm almost through them all," he said. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins' reading material. Jacob Mullins When the shelter-in-place order was issued, he and his team were already taking meetings virtually. "You started realizing that it was in for the long haul," he said. He's adapted though, just like millions of others have. He wakes up at the same time as he used to, at 7 am, and makes himself a cup of pour-over coffee. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins' morning coffee ritual. Jacob Mullins Then he'll do a 20-minute phone guided meditation session most mornings during the workweek. "It helps me kind of center and remember that I can't control the world around me, but I can control how it affects me and how I let it kind of get into my brain," he said. Then the calls start, but he said the mass migration to videoconferencing has its perks. He'll hop on a call with investors in Saudi Arabia at 7 am and then he'll join a Hong Kong-led meeting at 8 am, for example. "It actually leaves me with more open windows in the day I'm finding than before because you don't have all that travel time," he said. One of his portfolio companies is a virtual reality gaming firm, so they did a board meeting in VR at one point. jacob mullins day in the life profile A screenshot shows Mullins, lower left, wearing VR goggles in a meeting. Jacob Mullins In-person face-to-face interaction may be less feasible at the moment, but Mullins said connecting with people is much easier in a way. Mullins, who's of Latinx background, and nine others launched an organization in 2019 devoted to bolstering Latinx representation in the venture capitalist world. He said the LatinX VC team is still able to connect regularly thanks to virtual conferencing becoming so normalized. "It's just been easier to schedule these types of things because everybody's, you know, at home," he said. There's more of a focus on getting outdoors now too, and he's better about taking lunch breaks. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures A sandwich that Mullins made. Jacob Mullins He'll have some standing happy hours, but the workweek tends to end a bit earlier than it used to, usually around 5 pm. He has a lot more free time in the evenings, which is why he's taken up a couple of hobbies. He's teaching himself how to play the violin with an app called Trala. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins during one of his app-guided violin lessons. Jacob Mullins It uses your smartphone's microphone to grade your pitch and rhythm and then scores you. "It's like taking an actual music lesson on an iPad," he said. He's also learning how to fish, going out to Ocean Beach and Crissy Field and casting out periodically. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins fishing in the Bay. Chris Tolles He said he hasn't caught anything yet, but the practice is meditative and helps him reset. His wife, Nancy, was in a two-year master's program at UC Berkeley. She finished the second half of her last semester remotely. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins' wife, Nancy, during her remote graduation. Jacob Mullins She's on the job hunt now, and the two typically sit at the table together with AirPods in. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins' view at his home work setup. Jacob Mullins Half the time they cook at home, but they also venture out into the local neighborhood for takeout. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures A homecooked meal in Mullins' apartment. Jacob Mullins He's been getting takeout and delivery from joints like Portofino, a relatively new restaurant run by an Italian family. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures The storefront of Portofino's in North Beach. Jacob Mullins On the first day that outdoor dining was allowed again in the city, Mullins said he went to Sodini's, one of the oldest restaurants in San Francisco, and dined outside. He'll venture outside of the neighborhood occasionally, like to make a stop at Turner's in the Mission neighborhood. But for the most part, he said the pandemic has kept him closer to home. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Owner Ken Turner poses for a photo outside his shop. Jacob Mullins "You don't take Uber to go across town for dinner anymore," Mullins said. "So everything you end up consuming and eating is all within your local area." Another thing that's helped Mullins and his wife "mark time" is going to the Ferry Building's farmer's market every Saturday. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins at the Ferry Building with the Bay Bridge in the background. Jacob Mullins When Friday nights roll around, they gear up for their building happy hour. His wife decides which drink everyone should have and gets the supplies, including little bottles of liquor or wine, and delivers it with a note to the neighbors. "And then we text them that they've got a delivery and that it's at 7 pm," Mullins said. day in the life silicon valley investor jacob mullins shasta ventures Mullins' wife, Nancy, with their neighbors in the background. Jacob Mullins One of the neighbors that joins is a woman in her 70s who he's never gotten to know very well before. "We'll stand out on the balcony, and she'll start talking about her love of the Giants and her cool jeans," he said. He's making the most of the situation, but he said he does miss life as it was before in some ways. "I miss seeing new cities and going to coffee shops and going to restaurants," Mullins said. "But in another way, I don't miss it really too much. It'll come back at some point." Read the original article on Business Insider Human Rights Watch is warning that Turkmenistan is putting the countrys health in jeopardy by denying an apparent outbreak of the coronavirus in the Central Asian state. The rights watchdog on June 27 urged the Turkmen government to gather and publicize data about the infection in the country, make testing widely available, and stop silencing health workers. Turkmenistan is one of very few countries worldwide that claims it has no cases of COVID-19. Every minute that Turkmenistans government conceals the truth about COVID-19 in the country, its putting lives and health in danger, said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. The authorities should stop this reckless denial and urgently adopt appropriate public health measures. The World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to send representatives to Turkmenistan in early July, after seeking since at least April to visit the country. Turkmenistan should allow the WHO to conduct its visit fully in line with the organizations terms of reference and should immediately start carrying out WHO recommendations and guidelines for COVID-19 prevention and data collection, Human Rights Watch said. In February and March, Turkmenistan introduced some measures against the spread of the virus, including limiting entry to the country and raising awareness about handwashing and other hygiene measures. But until April, state media and high-level government officials were mostly silent about the situation. The authorities have not promoted any social-distancing measures and instead have held mass public events. They have sought to silence medical workers and others from speaking out about the impact of the virus in the country. The Turkmen Foreign Ministry publicly repudiated a June 24 alert published on the U.S. embassys website that acknowledged there were no official reports of positive COVID-19 cases, but noted reports of local citizens with symptoms consistent with COVID-19. The Foreign Ministry called the statement distorted, baseless, and fake. I was born in 1939, the month that WW2 commenced. As a child, I did not understand what war really was about. As I grew through pre-teen and early teens, war was a constant topic because everyones freedom had been on the line. War was about keeping freedom! We knew that we had all come dangerously close to losing our freedoms because of a madman named Hitler who caused the deaths of millions of people who defended their lands, their houses, their wives and their children, their freedom, their religion, their rights and privileges that these might be preserved. One man Hitler a power hungry socialist dictator and psychopath wanted to overpower many nations, make them one nation and create a perfect race that he would govern. He almost succeeded to achieve his demonist plan using gun control, media control, secret police, strikes, anarchy, violence, brutal force and untold deception and lies. We learned that one does not go to sleep with any government one elects, especially when that government advocates the same perpetuated lies of old, that it will provide you with everything you need. It never does. It taxes you excessively to control you and deceptively takes away your freedoms (by changing laws), your money, your guns and your rights. Free people must defend themselves and their families against insurgents, enemies from within or without their borders, who design to take away their freedoms by stratagem. Most of us want only to have a happy family, food on the table, available work to pay for needs and recreation, and law and order on our streets. When bullies and insurgents cause chaos, burn down businesses, loot stores, take over blocks of streets, beat and kill honest law enforcement officers, demand rights to control citizens and use weapons to do so, they create deception and lies to accomplish their goals. Know that something is amiss. When elected government stops reporting accountability to its citizens by controlling the media and closing off parliamentary discussion in a democratic society, know that something is amiss. When government praises dictatorships and condemns those that built the nation and gave its citizens freedom, know that something is amiss. When government wants open borders, gun bans and unlimited spending without accountability, you can be assured that something is amiss in that government. Do your part to speak out loud and demand government accountability. Garry Rayner Advertisement Britain today announced 100 more coronavirus deaths, in a record-low Saturday total that will cool fears about the latest lockdown-loosening measures. Today's figure is down by almost a quarter from last Saturday's 130 deaths, and marks the lowest Saturday total since March 21, two days before lockdown, when 56 people were killed. It means the UK's official Covid-19 death toll now stands at 43,514 but more grim estimates by the Office for National Statistics put the tally in the region of 55,000 when suspected virus deaths are included. A total of 890 more people were diagnosed with the viral disease in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected to 310,250. But millions of cases have went missed because of a lack of widespread testing, and the ONS predicts around 3,000 people are still catching Covid every day in England alone. Meanwhile, holidaymakers will be able to travel abroad for summer holidays next month under a 'traffic light' system that ranks countries based on their coronavirus risk, it emerged today. Britons visiting nations that are 'green' or 'amber' - which includes most tourist hotspots in Europe, including Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and France - will not have to self-isolate when they return. Only those flying to 'red' countries - such as the US, Brazil and India, where the virus is still rife - will have to quarantine indoors for 14 days after flying back. In other coronavirus developments in Britain today: Travel companies have reported their biggest Saturday sales ever as bargain hunters rushed to book before a 'traffic light system' letting Britons go on holiday to the safest destinations without having to quarantine is unveiled on Wednesday and comes into force on July 6; Pakistan was the origin for HALF of Britain's imported coronavirus cases, data from Public Health England revealed amid calls for tougher quarantine checks from 'high-risk' countries; NHS England is now recommending BAME mothers-to-be with mild Covid symptoms be fast-tracked into hospital after an Oxford University study found ethnic minority pregnant women are up to eight times more likely to fall seriously unwell with Covid; The UK is on track to suffer another 30,000 Covid deaths because fatality rates have plateaued and lockdown has been lifted too early, a panel of independent scientists warned today. NHS England revealed the latest victims were aged between 56 and 97 - with all but two victims suffering from underlying health conditions. It means the official number of deaths in England is 28,635. No new deaths were announced in Scotland today for the second day running, with the death toll north of the border remaining at 2,482. In Wales, five new deaths takes its total to 1,502, and Northern Ireland's single fatality puts its tally at 549. It comes as travel companies reported their biggest Saturday sales ever as bargain hunters rushed to book before a 'traffic light system' letting Britons go on holiday to the safest destinations without having to quarantine is unveiled on Wednesday and comes into force on July 6. The partial dismantling of Priti Patel's quarantine scheme means UK holidaymakers will be able to return home without having to self-isolate for 14 days. The Foreign Office will also lift its advice against 'all but essential travel' to low or medium-risk destinations, making it possible to obtain travel insurance. Spain-holiday.com, the third biggest holiday rental site in Spain, said it had a record-breaking Saturday morning while TUI, Britain's leading tour operator, reported a rise of 50 per cent in bookings compared to last week. Tour operators were yesterday offering record discounts of up to 70 per cent for trips to France, Spain, Italy and Greece. The changes will also let foreign tourists visit the UK, giving a boost to the beleaguered hospitality sector. Head of International Brands at Spain-holiday.com Peter Jarvis said: 'We're already seeing a huge increase in online interest in our holiday homes from the UK market, with pool properties being the most popular (up 104 per cent). 'Vigilance is absolutely still needed but with sensible precautions on either end we are confident we will see a safe summer in the sun for Brits again this year.' Countries across the world are highlighted in green, amber or red based on the infection levels, the reliability of official data and confidence in test and trace systems Under a traffic light system (above), countries will be rated green, amber or red based on infection levels, the reliability of official data and confidence in test and trace systems Under the traffic light system, drawn up by the Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England and set to be in place by July 6, countries will be rated green, amber or red based on coronavirus infection levels, the reliability of official data and confidence in test and trace systems. The automatic 14-day quarantine requirement will remain only for 'red-rated' countries such as the US and Brazil. Travel between 'green' and 'amber' countries will be quarantine-free, but passengers will have to fill in a 'locator form' to trace their movements. 'Green' countries include Austria, Croatia, Greece and Germany while 'Amber' countries include France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain. It is hoped an agreement will be reached with Australia and New Zealand in the coming weeks to add them to the list of 'green' countries. Managing Director of TUI UK & Ireland Andrew Flintham said: 'We're pleased the Government has finally confirmed that holidays overseas will be able to go ahead, and the full list of green and amber destinations will be released on Wednesday. 'It's a hugely positive step forward for the travel industry and I know our customers will be ecstatic that their summer is saved. 'We've already seen bookings increase by 50 per cent this week, verses last, with holidays to Spain and Greece looking the most popular this summer. We know there were a lot of people hoping to travel and waiting for certainty that would be possible.' Spain-holiday.com, the third biggest holiday rental site in Spain, said it had a 42 per cent surge in bookings - 24 per cent higher than any previous Saturday. Mr Jarvis said: 'So we would advise anyone who fancies falling back in love with Spanish paella, beaches and sangria this year to move fast.' Tour operators were yesterday offering deep discounts to lure travellers abroad. A family of four can save well over 500 on headline prices to Greece. Emma Coulthurst, of the holiday comparison site Travelsupermarket, said: 'There are prices as low as 140 per person for a week to Corfu in September and around 200 for a week in the Mediterranean in August. This is unheard of. 'For the height of summer in August, there are definitely some of the best prices on offer which we've seen. With talk of high demand and prices for holidays in the UK, it seems it is currently cheaper to book a holiday abroad than at home.' TUI, Britain's leading tour operator, is offering as much as 68 per cent off breaks to Europe and Trailfinders is offering reductions of a third on villas that would usually have been booked up months ago. Chairman Mike Gooley said: 'Bookings made now are benefiting from huge discounts.' Downing Street warned it was ready to apply a 'handbrake' at short notice meaning families could find the quarantine rules reinstated while they are abroad if there is an outbreak in the country they are visiting. All travellers returning to the UK will have to provide contact details in case an outbreak is traced to their flight and they have to self-isolate. Failure to comply could result in a 1,000 fine. And they will have to follow social-distancing measures on flights and ferries, including wearing face coverings. A detailed list of travel corridor destinations will be finalised next week but sources said it would include the most popular Mediterranean hotspots. Portugal is in doubt following an outbreak in Lisbon that has led to the imposition of a curfew. Sweden will not be included and Turkey is also 'doubtful'. Despite being touted by the Government as a country which could benefit from the new arrangements in little over a week's time, Greek tourism minister Haris Theoharis indicated it could be up to three weeks before his country was happy to open up unrestricted travel with the UK. He told BBC Breakfast: 'I feel the way things are now - and we always have to put this asterisk that the health situation has to continue to be on the same track as it is now - that we can certainly lift the restrictions in the next few days or, you know, two to three weeks.' Long-haul flights will be possible provided that any transit country is also deemed safe. The moves pave the way for foreign holidays this summer, with travel corridors set to be in place by July 6. UK is 'on track to suffer 30,000 MORE Covid deaths' because fatality rates have plateaued and lockdown has been lifted too early, alternative SAGE group warns The UK is on track to suffer another 30,000 coronavirus deaths because lockdown has been lifted too early, an 'alternative SAGE' panel of experts warned today. Infection rates have stopped falling for the first time in months due to people starting to meet up again, the independent scientists say. About 3,000 people are still catching the coronavirus every day in England, according to the Office for National Statistics which said new cases had 'levelled out'. England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty warned this week he expected daily infections to remain the same through winter and into next spring. If the death rate also stalls at current levels - with 100 to 150 people being killed per day - then the overall toll could eclipse 80,000 by next March, the independent scientists warned. The grim predictions were made by 'the Independent SAGE' group, which is separate from the team of experts who advise the Government. The group - led by former chief scientific adviser Sir David King, who advised Tony Blair during the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in 2001 - has been fiercely critical of the Government's response during the pandemic. It slammed the latest lockdown-loosening measures due to come into force on July 4, saying they 'send a message that the pandemic is over - and it's not over.' The UK is on track to suffer another 30,000 coronavirus deaths because lockdown has been lifted too early, according to the Independent SAGE group - led by Sir David King, a former Government chief scientific adviser (pictured) July 4 - dubbed Super Sunday - will see pubs, restaurants, cinemas and cultures venues reopen. Independent SAGE said the lockdown loosening measures are coming too soon because the Government's test and trace programme is still not up and running fully. It predicts that just a third of symptomatic Covid-19 patients are being found through the system. Experts have previously said the programme will need to catch eight out of 10 patients to continue to bring daily infections down. Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London and a member of Independent SAGE, said: 'We are adding a lot of risk all at once in the context of infections not reducing anymore and test and trace not fully functioning. 'They are sending a message that the pandemic is over and it's not over. New daily infections have stopped their downward trend and have been level for the last few weeks. 'I think Chris Whitty said recently that he was expecting this kind of level to carry on for about another nine months in to next year. 'If we carry on with 100 to 150 deaths a day thats over 30,000 deaths. I think we really, really need to keep that downward trend.' Pointing to a 'massive surge' in cases in the US and Germany after curbs were lifted, she added: 'I am worried that we will be in a situation here where we don't spot these increases until it's too late.' A major incident was declared in Bournemouth on Thursday after it became overrun by about 500,000 visitors A view of the beach in Brighton on Thursday when people flocked to the Sussex coast to make the most of the warm weather and ignored social distancing rules Gabriel Scally, professor of public health at the University of Bristol, urged Boris Johnson to set out a clear strategy 'for the next nine months' to prevent hundreds of people dying every day. He said: 'That's what the people of this country deserve we can't go on with uncertainty and hoping things will be alright.' Professor Whitty estimated that current levels of the virus would persist throughout the year and into next year. At Tuesdays final Downing Street daily briefing with the prime minister, he said: 'I would be surprised and delighted if we werent in this current situation through the winter and into next spring. 'I expect there to be a significant amount of coronavirus circulating at least into that time and I think it is going to be quite optimistic that for science to come fully to the rescue over that kind of timeframe.' It comes after Boris Johnson warned on Friday that 'immortal and invincible' young people are taking risks by potentially spreading the disease to elderly people. He was addressing the hundreds of thousands of people who ignored social distancing rules and flocked to beaches and parks during this week's mini heatwave. The PM warned of a 'serious spike' in coronavirus infections in the UK if people do not follow social distancing guidance before lockdown restrictions are eased further in just over a week's time on July 4. The official number of coronavirus deaths in the UK stands at 43,414 - but separate grim government statistics show the real number of fatalities since the crisis began to spiral out of control is closer to 55,000. It makes the UK the third worst-hit country in the world, behind only the US and Brazil. 220 Shares Share I stirred awake when my husbands cell phone rang. It was early, and we had gone to bed late, and slept little. My father-in-law was in the ICU in a hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was now intubated, hooked up to a ventilator, victim to COVID-19. We would eagerly await phone calls from the ICU physician or nurse, wanting updates on how he was doing. Did his oxygen saturation improve with proning? Was his FiO2 able to be turned down? There was so much we wanted to know, as any family with a critically ill family member would. Part of the problem was that my mother-in-law, his wife, could not be with him in the hospital to speak directly and frequently with the doctors and nurses, who were working tirelessly to save many lives. We would play phone tag with his care team, and would often have to leave messages. The doctor always did call us back, each time relaying the numbers, the plan, the status. We were grateful but also felt helpless. Helpless, due to a lack of good communication. Communication is key to healing and embodies the art of medicine. A good physician can help heal by listening, empathizing, and explaining. In past generations of medicine, there were often private physicians who contracted directly with patients. They built trust with people by seeing them long-term, often seeing many members of the same family. The origins harken back to the days of the old-time country doctor, who made house calls. This transitioned to private family and internal medicine practices, where the doctor was often a one-person operation, handling all of the needs of a patient from managing their hypertension and diabetes, to tackling some select specialty care, and even seeing them in the hospital. This led to a deep knowledge of the patient on the side of the physician, and a deep trust of the doctor on the patients end. It led to better provider and patient satisfaction. Many changes have swept the landscape of medicine, which have impacted patient and physician communication. First and foremost, the takeover of private practices and university medical centers by hospital systems has changed the practice of medicine. Medicine has become a business and one that is not run by physicians. A bigger system can translate into less personal interaction. One example is patients having to call centralized call centers rather than being able to directly speak with their doctors staff. This can lead to frustration on the part of patients, who want and deserve easy access and communication with their care team. There are ways that hospital systems are trying to turn this around, but it is not easy. Bigger is not always better. The second piece that hampered communication was the rise of the electronic medical record, which ironically had the goal of increasing communication. While the goal was to make peoples medical records portable, the reality is that hundreds of EMR systems exist, and they do not talk to each other. Even EPIC, one of the largest and most widely used EMR systems, has many different versions that do not necessarily communicate with each other. With the development of the EMR also comes significantly increased documentation requirements. Some of what is documented is effective and important, and some is bloat. Many physicians, myself included, find themselves in a game of tug of war between the computer and the patient. In the end, physicians spend significant time documenting both during and after the patient visit. The increased time spent with documentation directly affects the face-to-face interaction with patients. Technology in medicine is a double-edged sword. It can increase efficiency if used correctly and increase patient safety. And now, more than ever, it has allowed for increased patient communication. Many EMR systems now have patient portals, where patients have access to their lab and test results. Moreover, they can directly message their care team with questions that often get answered within a day, without having the hassle of waiting on the phone. Telehealth, which had been used in a limited capacity, has exploded with the rise of COVID. I personally have enjoyed the experience of telehealth, despite the minor technical glitches. It has allowed me to connect with my patients on a very personal level, as if being invited into their homes. It is the modern house call. Seeing people in their own environment gives me insight into their lives and helps me better understand their needs. On the flip side, the patients themselves feel more comfortable, which lends itself to a more open discussion. It is no wonder that patients have been reporting increased patient satisfaction with telehealth visits in general. Technology to help patients, families, and their care teams communicate in the hospital, and in particular, the ICU, is lacking and is the next step to bridging the communication gap. I keep thinking of my father-in-law being taken to the hospital, dropped off by his wife and son, and then left alone. I imagine how scared he must have been when they quite suddenly had to intubate him. While we know he had many caring people by his side, it was not the right people. His family should have been there. This is the sad reality for so many individuals and families today. And even in pre-COVID times, the ability of the family to physically be with the patient at all times is impossible. This is where technology could act as a bridge. A virtual patient portal that could help remotely engage family members in many ways, from updating them on their loved ones progress to allowing them to virtually be there with the patient. It could also, in turn, help the care team better understand a non-verbal patients preferences and needs. Because we know that sick patients are anxious and need support, and we know that family members can help heal. It has been three months since my father-in-laws death. There is not a day that goes by that we do not remember him in one way or another. We are and will continue to be forever grateful for the doctors, nurses, and aides who cared for him, and who acted as a surrogate family to him while he was hospitalized. We also know that thousands of others in this country have gone through similar situations. With one of the most advanced health care systems in the world, however, I know we can do better. We can do better for our physicians who are not only over-burdened caring for sick patients, but also taking extra time calling relatives daily. We can also do better for our patients and their families, who are anxious and overwhelmed. We need to leverage the technology we have to improve communication. It is the key to healing. Tina Mahajan is a rheumatologist. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Photograph: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images As reopening plans went into a dramatic reverse or stalled across the US in the face of a resurgent virus, Mike Pence called off a planned campaign bus tour in Florida amid a surge in confirmed Covid-19 cases. The vice-president had been set to appear in Lake Wales at an event next week organized by pro-Trump group America First Policies. The event was billed as part of the Great American Comeback tour. The group announced: Out of an abundance of caution at this time, we are postponing the Great American Comeback tour stop in Florida. We look forward to rescheduling soon. Pence was still traveling to the state, the White House confirmed, saying he would meet with Governor Ron DeSantis and his healthcare teams. Florida is seen as a key battleground state in the 2020 election and has been controversially picked as the site of a Trump rally in late August to celebrate his nomination for a second term. The news of the cancellation came as Miami became the latest local authority to act in the wake of the viruss rise by announcing it was closing its beaches and planning a crackdown on coronavirus rules. Florida also reported yet another record rise in daily cases. The Florida department of health reported 9,585 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, shattering the previous daily high for positive Covid-19 infections which it notched up on Friday. Florida has now had 132,545 positive cases to date. Related: 'We opened too quickly': Texas becomes a model for inadequate Covid-19 response Miami-Dade mayor Carlos Gimenez will sign an order to close all beaches starting 3 July and ending 7 July. Gimenez said closures may be extended depending on conditions, or if people do not follow facemask rules, or if social distancing is not observed. If people are not going to be responsible and protect themselves and others from this pandemic, then the government is forced to step in and restore common sense to save lives, Gimenez said. Story continues Florida, Texas, Arizona and California, have emerged as states that are experiencing a rapidly increasing number of coronavirus cases. But they are just a few examples of the worst cases of Americas pandemic, which once again appears to be spiraling out of control, even as the White House has touted its reopening plans and claimed the country has overcome the worst of the threat. A worker carries a piece of plywood in Austin, Texas Friday after the governor ordered bars to close. Photograph: Sergio Flores/AFP/Getty Images The number of confirmed new coronavirus cases per day in the US hit an all-time high of 40,000 according to figures released by Johns Hopkins on Friday, eclipsing the mark first set during one of the deadliest stretches of the pandemic back in late April. Record seven-day case averages have now been reported by 13 states in total across a huge swathe of America, including Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Washington. The news has thrown much of the USs effort to reopen its economy which president Donald Trump sees as crucial to his re-election efforts into reverse, or stalled. In Texas, bars have also been closed again after the numbers of new cases continues to soar. At this time, it is clear that the rise in cases is largely driven by certain types of activities, including Texans congregating in bars, the states governor, Greg Abbott, said last week, as the state recorded 5,996 new coronavirus cases and the highest number of daily deaths since mid-May. Abbott has also issued orders to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary in the states four biggest counties as Houston reported all its ICU beds are now occupied. One small city on the outskirts of Houston even instituted a curfew starting Saturday night. Esmeralda Moya, mayor of Galena Park, a community of 10,000 people, said: It is crucial to continue to practice good hygiene, stay home as much as possible, avoid unnecessary trips, gatherings, and wear a face-covering at all times when you leave your home. People on a beach in Miami, Florida Friday. Photograph: Michele Eve Sandberg/REX/Shutterstock The closures in Miami come as the Florida Department of Health announced 8,942 new coronavirus cases on Friday. Miami-Dade, which encompasses Miami, reported 1,528 new cases, the highest single-day case total since the pandemic began. The mayors directive came as DeSantis, who has repeatedly portrayed economic damage from coronavirus lockdowns as greater than risks from the virus itself, said he would not order Floridians to wear face coverings. But DeSantis a staunch Trump ally - said he would slow Floridas phased re-opening by suspending alcohol sales at bars statewide. California has also been hit. Over the past two weeks, intensive care unit admissions in California have spiked by 19%, Californias governor, Gavin Newsom, said. On Saturday, the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, called on state investigators to investigate a coronavirus cluster in the New York City suburb of Westchester, believed to have been caused by a student who returned from Florida. The Congress will hold a nationwide agitation on Monday against the rising prices of petrol and diesel and its MPs, MLAs and leaders will submit memorandums to President Ram Nath Kovind demanding a withdrawal of the hikes. AICC General Secretary, In-charge for Organization, KC Venugopal said through the protest programmes, the party aims to underline the government's "extortionist looting" of the common man during the COVID-19 crisis. In the following week, between June 30-July 4, the party will also conduct massive protests at the Taluk, Teshil and block levels, Venugopal said. For the last twenty one consecutive days, the government has been increasing the price of petrol and diesel, in the process putting undue extra burden on the shoulders of the common people, he said in a statement. The central government had "amassed" huge profits on account of exorbitantly increased central excise duties on petrol and diesel, even as prices of international crude have been at a record low, the Rajya Sabha MP alleged. Rather than passing on the benefits of the low cost of procurement to the people, the government had deliberately kept the price high by increasing the excise duty, Venugopal said. The protests by the party will include dharnas on June 29 from 11 am to 12 noon in front of central government offices across the country following social distancing protocols, under the auspices of PCCs and DCCs, he said. Apart from this, party MPs, MLAs, office bearers, leaders and workers will submit memorandums to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking the withdrawal of hikes in the prices of petrol and diesel. On the same day, the party will also hold a social media campaign called "Speak up on Petrol and Diesel Price Hike" to highlight the plights of farmers, taxi and bus owners, transporters, Ola and Uber drivers, labourers and the common people who suffer a cascading effect of such hikes, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 04:46:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENNA/ROME, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Addressing the world drug problem requires responses that are based on facts, solidarity and compassion, said the chief of the Vienna-based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Friday. Some 35.6 million people suffer from drug use disorders globally, said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly on the occasion of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, quoting the "World Drug Report 2020" released on Thursday. "Adolescents and young adults account for the largest share of those using drugs. Of the 11 million people who inject drugs, half of them are living with hepatitis C, and 1.4 million with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)," she said. Only one out of eight people who need drug-related treatment receives it, she added. The executive director pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the situation, overwhelming health systems and exposing the fragility of institutions and social safety nets. The theme of this year's international day, "Better Knowledge for Better Care," highlights the need to understand drug dynamics trapping so many people in a downward spiral, and to inform balanced solutions based on scientific evidence, said Waly. She called on all countries to shoulder shared responsibility to tackle illicit drug supply and reduce demand. HEAVY LOSS IN ITALY In Italy alone, the war on drugs costs Italy 22 billion euros (24.7 billion U.S. dollars) per year in lost revenue, according to a new report released Friday under the terms of Italy's Jervolino-Vassalli law, which is at the base of the country's drug policy. The 11th edition of the Libro Bianco Sulle Droghe (White Paper on Drugs) was released Friday in conjunction with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, a day created by the United Nations "as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse." Overall, the international day was used by various groups with diverse points of view -- those calling for lighter enforcement for recreational drug use, those advocating for some drugs to be used as a kind of health therapy, and those warning that drug addiction is a growing danger. The White Paper on Drugs, a collaborative effort between various advocacy groups, said that 37.8 percent of Italy's prison population is in jail for drug-related offenses, many of them minors. The estimate is that the direct and indirect impacts of maintaining those prisoners are worth 22 billion euros, plus a slow criminal justice system, and a prison system working overcapacity. The report, which is available in most bookstores, is formally presented to Italy's parliament on Friday. The Jervolino-Vassalli law, passed by a national referendum in 1992, differentiates the way the law treats "light" and "heavy" drugs, and it commissioned regular studies of the trends related to Italians' drug habits. The international day was also marked in Italy by newspaper editorials, scattered peaceful demonstrations in parts of the country, and a declaration from Italy's Central Directorate of Anti-Drug Services (DCSA) in Rome, which reiterated the organization's cooperation with police in the fight against drug trafficking. Together with the country's Department for Anti-Drug Policies, the DCSA helps organize various conferences to shed light on drug-related issues and make recommendations on relevant statutes. It has signed bilateral and multilateral drug enforcement agreements with authorities in nearly 60 countries and regions. In addition, around two dozen national groups in Italy, which advocate the use of certain light drugs like cannabis as a therapy against certain illnesses, used the international day to call for rules that would facilitate access to such drugs. "June 26 is an unmissable opportunity to shout to the country that we exist and we are tired of being forgotten," Luciano Squillaci, president of the Italian Federation of Therapeutic Communities, said in a statement. Squillaci also said his organization and many others were "involved in a battle for fair treatment." Speaking on Thursday, Roberta Pacifici, director of the National Center on Addiction and Doping, part of Italy's National Institute of Health, said that the center did not oppose the legal use of drugs, that the average age of illicit drug users was dropping for the first time, and that the country's overall addiction levels were growing. "This is the time for action, more than ever before," Pacifici said in a video conference. Enditem SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN -- Van Buren County was among the hardest hit by a storm with strong winds that cut through Michigan late Friday, June 26. Nearly 6,900 electric customers in Van Buren County were without service at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, according to outage maps from both Consumers Energy and Indiana Michigan Power. Both companies serve portions of the county. Strong winds, rain and lightning accompanied the storm as it came through the area about 9 p.m. The outage maps also showed about 4,500 customers without service in Kalamazoo County, 2,017 in Berrien County and, further north, about 1,160 in Ottawa County. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning that is in effect until 5 a.m. Saturday for Southwest Michigan, including Kalamazoo, Van Buren, Allegan, Barry, Kent and Ottawa counties. More on MLive: 2 Kalamazoo schools released from state oversight after academic improvements Nurse did nothing criminal in death of Lakeside Academy teen, defense attorney says To the editor: I met Pam Hall at a WOMAN (Women of Michigan Action Network) meeting after the 2016 election. Pam is attentive and engaged in many aspects of our community and human rights in general. She has been active in the League of Women Voters, Voters Not Politicians to End Gerrymandering, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Citizen's Climate Lobby, Carbon fee and dividend for a market based solution to end global warming, Green New Deal, to name a few. We hit it off right away and I was part of the campaign to get her elected. When I heard about the Black Lives Matter protests that have occurred since the murder of George Floyd, I knew Pam would be there marching for justice; she joined BLM several years ago and the Black Women's Caucus in Detroit as well. Midland needs a candidate for City Council Ward 1 that will stand up for people's rights. Pam has served her ward almost two years and has been doing a great job in her first term. I support re-electing Pam for a second term so she can continue being the voice of the people. KIT MIDDLETON Midland But as infections spike in red states such as Texas, Florida and Arizona, support for masks has grown. In recent days, even some Republicans have urged the public to cover their faces in public, arguing that its the best way to slow the virus. This shift in rhetoric highlights the potential risks for the president as he continues to ignore the advice of public health experts, who agree that masks are crucial to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Geddes, N.Y. The kids who show cows and pigs and sheep at the New York State Fair already have announced theyre skipping this years event. The group that runs the cow birthing center, where fairgoers can watch as many as three calf births a day, also has bowed out of the 2020 fair. So has REO Speedwagon. But for now, many others the midway operator, Centro, the horse show competitors and state fair officials say they are planning for a state fair that even the governor admits is unlikely amid the coronavirus. Right now, were not in a position to go ahead, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday about the fair. Right now, we cant say that its going to open, but its something Im watching very closely. What a coronavirus state fair would look like remains unclear. And that leaves vendors, farmers, fairgoers and fair officials themselves trying to anticipate what the state would require if the fair opens in 54 days. Temperature checks at entry gates? Socially distanced midway rides? Limits on daily fair visitors? We continue to wait on guidance, Fair Director Troy Waffner said this week. There are greater minds than mine that look at the data that comes in every day and study the effect of the disease. Cuomo already is hesitant to reopen malls, movie theaters and gyms, despite Central New Yorks low virus numbers. Currently, social gatherings in Central New York are limited to 50 or fewer people. File photo: The midway at the New York State Fair. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.comDennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com And with cases on the rise in Florida, Texas and other states, the outlook for some is growing more dire and more personal. Jim Kerwin has run the Tikki Turtle restaurant and bar on the Colonnade with a team thats worked for him for 15 years. So far, only one staffer is willing to work the fair, Kerwin said. They are worried to death about all those people, Kerwin said. But officials say they are planning until and if they get word the fair is canceled. Were planning as if there is a state fair, said Steve Koegel, spokesman for Centro, which provided shuttle rides. Everyone has to unless were told otherwise. Some arent waiting. Earlier this summer, the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition surveyed its volunteers, the farmers and veterinarians and others who watch over the dozens of cows that give birth in front of fairgoers each year. We asked, Would you be willing to join us at the state fair? said Eileen Jensen of the coalition. Most said no or I dont know, she said. It was pretty overwhelming, she added. Likewise, 4-H and FFA the youth groups that show animals at the fair have also suspended participation, according to the associations and Waffner. Yet others are still hoping for a fair. Naomi Blumenthal, the superintendent who oversees horse shows at the Coliseum, is still lining up participants and judges. Everybody is waiting on the governors yes or no, she said from a horse show shes working in Pennsylvania. This years theme Milk, Love Whats Real. The unveiling of the 2019 New York State Fair Butter Sculpture at the fairgrounds Dairy Building, August 20.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syr Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, of Conshohoken, Pennsylvania, are the butter sculptors. Were really hoping that they can go through with it, Pelton said. Of course, everybody wants to be safe. Thats important. Victor said they would need to know by July 15 if the fair is a go in order to plan for the sculpture, which is displayed in the Dairy Products Building. They remain hopeful, in part because some other fairs and amusement parks continue to plan for summertime fun. Disney World is planning to reopen some of its parks on July 11, at least as of Friday. The Big E, New Englands agricultural festival, is still set to kick off in mid-September. The Delaware State Fair plans to open July 23. Wade Shows, the midway operator that also runs the rides at New Yorks fair, will be there. They have a master mitigation plan, Wade Shows President Frank Zaitshik said of Delaware. That fair canceled its grandstand concerts and issued a long list of guidelines for fairgoers this week. At the top of the list: If you have a fever, Covid-19 symptoms or have been exposed, stay home. Other changes include wearing masks, socially distancing wherever possible and limited access to indoor areas. The Delaware fair is also hiring distancing ambassadors to remind fairgoers of the rules. Waffner said the New York fair is considering similar adjustments, such as one-way foot traffic in the Center of Progress building and counting the number of people who enter and exit the fairgrounds. The Hollywood Racing Pigs at the 2018 New York State Fair.Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syr So far, fair officials have lined up suppliers who can rent or sell extra handwashing stations and other equipment, Waffner said. He said theres still enough time to make it work. The fair hires about 2,000 part-time workers, and that usually starts in July. Zaitshik said he, too, could get ready for the New York fair with short notice. The fair has told vendors that contracts are due on July 15. Any deposit or payment made will be fully refunded by the state if the fair is canceled, spokesman Dave Bullard said. In the meantime, the fairgrounds has booked two smaller horse shows for August, Waffner said. And the fair has made improvements to the main parking lot for people with disabilities. But it remains unclear how many fairgoers and longtime vendors will want to take the chance, even as confirmed caseloads in New York continue to dwindle. How could you open up this event now? said Kerwin, the Tikki Turtle operator. Its not worth it to me to get sick or get someone else sick. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Syracuse University: 100-plus students reported thefts from dorms after coronavirus shutdown McMahon expects Cuomo to change his mind and let malls reopen Progress on coronavirus in NY continues; other states frightening, Cuomo says Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274. Picture this: Youre perched under a beach umbrella watching gentle waves lap the shore, a sea of crystal-clear water stretching before you toward an orange-gold setting sun. Your skin is bronzed from a days worth of Vitamin D; your hair is happily crusted in salt; youre taking lazy sips of rum punch with a smile, lost in a tropical-island reverie. Waterlemon Cay. (Courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism) Seems like a memory of vacations pastand even the ability to vacation seems like a long-gone relic of the good ol days, doesnt it? Not so fast. Im describing a scene from a trip I recently tookour first time on a plane in three monthsand best of all, a trip that gave a whole new meaning to domestic travel. A nearly empty terminal at Miami International Airport on June 4. (Skye Sherman) The U.S. Virgin Islands began welcoming tourists back on June 1, among the first of the Caribbean islands to do so. Theyre an American territory, so despite the far-away feel, youre still on U.S. soil: you dont even need a passport to visit. As more destinations line up to follow suit and reopen over the next few months, heres a glimpse of what you can expect. Views along Highway 60 on the way to Point Udall. (Skye Sherman) Whats It Like to Travel Right Now? Its definitely different. At Miami International Airport, for example, a typically buzzing transit hub, our departure terminal felt deserted: all stores in sight were closed except for Einstein Bagels, and there were very few other passengers. About 95 percent of people were wearing masks, based on my estimations, though the airport doesnt require them. The security line was empty, so TSA PreCheck took even less time than usual, but in general, airport procedures seemed the same. All airlines have different protocols in place, but on our American Airlines flight, every single seat was full, which was uncomfortable (even more than usual). However, theyve implemented some safety measures: every passenger is required to wear a proper facial covering, and cart service isnt running. Instead, a flight attendant delivers a paper bag containing water, a snack, and a single-use packet of hand sanitizer. Temperature check upon landing at the airport in St. Croix. (Skye Sherman) As we deplaned at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix, we were immediately met with a line of National Guard soldiers, who took our temperatures using infrared thermometers. Upon confirming the absence of a fever, we were permitted to progress to the next stage, which was sending our bags through a van to sanitize them. We picked our bags up on the other side of the van and were on our way. Other than the new protocols, traveling felt the same as alwaysexhilarating, slightly nerve-wracking, and altogether thrilling. Of course, every destination has different protocols in place; some places require a mandatory quarantine for 14 days or the duration of your trip, whichever is shorter, and some airports have rapid COVID-19 testing for every arrival, if theyre permitting any entry at all. This was not the case in St. Croix, but do your research before booking a trip anywhere. Since the situation is different at every airport and in every country, its also probably best to stick to direct flights for now to avoid any potential complications. The luggage goes through some sort of sanitization van at the St Croix airport. (Skye Sherman) Is It Safe to Visit the US Virgin Islands? Your safety depends, in large part, on what measures youre willing to take to protect yourself and others, but the USVIs were not a virus hotspot. The Virgin Islands Department of Health reports that the islands have seen 73 cases total, with 64 recovered, 6 deaths, and 3 active. As far as a safe first trip post-lockdown, I found the USVIs to be an approachable, comfortable option for satiating wanderlust. During their current phase of reopening, theres an island-wide policy of No mask = no service, and at our hotel, for example, a proper facial covering was required at all times, except while swimming in the pool or ocean or sitting down to eat. Social distancing measures are also in effect. Remember, too, that a trip to the USVIs falls under the domestic umbrella, so theres little risk of issues with re-entry upon your return. Welcome home is the standard greeting for Americans in the USVIs, which immediately endeared us to these islands with a sense of pride. A little free library found on the streets of Frederiksted behind Pollys at the Pier, a popular restaurant. (Skye Sherman) Were There Any Other Tourists? We headed to St. Croix on June 4just three days after its June 1 reopeningand stayed in the less touristy Frederiksted on the west side of the island, as opposed to the more developed Christiansted. We encountered only a few other tourists, including a family from Missouri who are St. Croix regulars; they landed in St. Croix around noon on June 1, having boarded the very first flight back to the USVIs. Other than that, the only other visitors we met were a group of FEMA volunteers who were on-island to assist with a potential surge that never occurred. In fact, most people assumed we were locals because we were there. Do You Have to Go Through Customs to Visit the USVIs? You pass through customs on the way out (we went through customs inside STX airport) but do not need to show a passport, only your ID. Upon landing in Miami, we were in a typical domestic arrivals terminal and walked right out to our carthere were no other temperature screenings, health checks, or passing through customs. Sunset view from Sand Castle on the Beach in Frederiksted. (Skye Sherman) Sunset view from Sand Castle on the Beach in Frederiksted. (Skye Sherman) Mahi bites at Beach Side Cafe, served with passion fruit aioli. (Skye Sherman) Sunday brunch menu at Ci Bo Ne, a restaurant in Frederiksted. (Skye Sherman) What Was the Hotel Experience Like? We stayed at a boutique beachfront hotel, Sand Castle on the Beach, and appreciated their stringent check-in procedure. Upon arrival, your luggage is sprayed with sanitizer and youre subject to another temperature check and a brief health screening consisting of questions about whether youve been in contact with COVID-19 patients or have any symptoms. Youre provided a squirt of hand sanitizer and only one party is allowed at the check-in desk at a time. A traditional Crucian breakfast at Ci Bo Ne. Items typically found on a traditional Crucian breakfast plate include salted fish, a hard-boiled egg, chopped greens and cucumber salad, and some sort of bread, like a johnny cake or butter bread. (Skye Sherman) Opting for a locally owned intimate property also supports the local economy and promises smaller crowds. Our stay included breakfastfor now, thats grab-and-go pre-packaged items and Keurig coffee podsas well as snorkel gear, personalized service, and a location directly atop the best stretch of beach in St. Croix. Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States. (Courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism) What Is There to Do in the USVIs? While some businesses remain closed (or open with limited hours), just like on the mainland, we were still able to enjoy a trip to St. Croix full of island-inspired activitiesalbeit with masks on. We rented a car from Judi of Croix and drove the entire perimeter of St. Croix, from our hotel in Frederiksted to Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States; we located and swam in the famous Monks Bath, a pool carved out of rocky shoreline by monks in the 1600s; we enjoyed endless fresh fish and Cruzan Confusion cocktails, mostly at our hotels on-property beachfront restaurant, Beach Side Cafe; we took a kite surfing lesson from Leading Edge Kite School; we rented gear from Adventures in Diving STX and set out for a morning of scuba diving; we spent late nights at Lost Dog Pub, where local legend Dumplin was serving his famous Conch Water soup and an iconic stilt-walking Moko Jumbie showed up to mingle; we made the most of our tropical surrounds and swam, sunbathed, and generally enjoyed the almost-forgotten pleasure of leaving home. Views from Point Udall, the easternmost point of the United States. (Skye Sherman) Other popular things to do in St. Croix, which we didnt have time for, include hiking through the inland rainforest, horseback riding on the beach with Cruzan Cowgirls, shopping for an original hook bracelet from Sonya, booking a Buck Island sailing tour with Big Beards Adventure Tours, and touring breweries and distilleries like the Cruzan Rum Distillery, Mutiny Island Vodka at Sion Farm Distillery (its vodka distilled from breadfruit!), and Leatherback Brewing Company. As a U.S. territory, St. Croix felt both familiar and foreign; youll be taking in the colorful colonial architecture when a U.S. mail truck goes barreling past. Orange and red royal poinciana trees dot the island, and prices are comparable to the mainlandsave for alcohol, which can seem mysteriously cheap for an island destination, with cocktails running just $8 to $12 island-wide. Skye Sherman is a freelance travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Fla. She covers news, transit, and international destinations for a variety of outlets. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and Twitter @skyesherman Bao Son Corporation in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training held the award presentation ceremony at the Military Medical University on June 25. The test kit for SARS-Cov-2 was jointly developed and produced by the Military Medical University and Viet A Corporation. More than 200,000 test kits have been produced to serve the screening of SARS-Cov-2 at 63 hospitals and medical centres across Vietnam. More than 20 countries have negotiated to buy the test kits and 19,700 test kits have been exported so far. The made-in-Vietnam test kit is of great significance, contributing to Vietnams fight against the COVID-19 pandemic over the past months as well as raising Vietnams image regarding international science and technology. The research project on the process of freeze drying was conducted by Assoc.Prof and PhD Nguyen Tan Dung and a team of colleagues from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education. This is an elaborate and sophisticated research project conducted over 20 years on the most advanced drying technology which helps dried products keep their original quality. The technology has been widely applied in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food technology and post-harvest technologies nationwide and in Southeast Asian countries, bringing about huge economic value. Bao Son Awards have been held annually since 2011 by the Bao Son Group in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Training. They aim to discover new inventions in the fields of education innovation, poverty elimination, sustainable economic development, healthcare and literature. Four outstanding projects have been honoured with the Bao Son Award, with total prizes of US$120,000. The most shocking revelation of the Trump Presidency came late last night with the release of a story by The New York Times that reveals Russia has been paying Taliban-linked militants bounties for killing U.S. and coalition soldiers in Afghanistan. Trump was offered options to respond but has taken no action. Puppet? Puppet Master? The good old boys and their down to earth regular better halves that love America are going to be getting a severe wake-up call the next few weeks that Russias President owns tough Donald Trump to the point that as The New York Times puts it The United States concluded months ago that the Russian unit, which has been linked to assassination attempts and other covert operations in Europe intended to destabilize the West or take revenge on turncoats, had covertly offered rewards for successful attacks last year. Islamist militants, or armed criminal elements closely associated with them, are believed to have collected some bounty money, the officials said. Twenty Americans were killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2019, but it was not clear which killings were under suspicion. According to The New York Times, President Trump has refused to authorize any response against Russia after bounties were placed for the killing of U.S. troops in late March. That means Putin has ordered and paid for the murder of U.S. and collation forces. It amounts to an act of war, and Trump has done absolutely nothing to rally the Afghanistan collation to punish Russia. Is President Trump senile? Is he a Russian asset, working under the control of Putin as a puppet? A genuine Moscow Candidate bought off with hundreds of millions of dollars in loans? Trump has been spewing out the accusations lately that former President Obama is guilty of treason. We know from his ghostwriter of the Art of the Deal Tony Schwartz that Trump is so insecure he projects and accuses others of the crimes he commits. Its always someone elses fault. The report in The New York Times says American intelligence officials have concluded that a Russian military intelligence unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing coalition forces in Afghanistan including targeting American troops amid the peace talks to end the long-running war there. The New York Times report describes its sources officials briefed on the matter. On June 1st, when Trump invited Putin to Camp David during the G7 meeting more than 31 days after he learned Putin is paying Islamist militants to murder our brave soldiers, he claims so often to love. If President Trump has kept this intelligence information from our coalition allies, hes going to watch our allies cancel his G7 meeting and openly decry his being Putins puppet. We lost twenty United States soldiers in 2019 to Islamist militants and their agents. How much did Putin pay the scum? The New York Times report is sickening to read. But every Trump supporter should know The intelligence finding was briefed to President Trump, and the White Houses National Security Council discussed the problem at an interagency meeting in late March, the officials said. Officials developed a menu of potential options starting with making a diplomatic complaint to Moscow and a demand that it stop, along with an escalating series of sanctions and other possible responses. Still, the White House has yet to authorize any step, the officials said. Any involvement with the Taliban that resulted in the deaths of American troops would also be a huge escalation of Russias so-called hybrid war against the United States, a strategy of destabilizing adversaries through a combination of such tactics as cyberattacks, the spread of fake news and covert and deniable military operations. Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putins press secretary, said the United States had not raised the issue. Peskov is saying of the accusation. If someone makes them, well respond. The families of the twenty murdered soldiers could care less about what lies the presidents puppet master has to say. The New York Times reports The officials familiar with the intelligence did not explain the White House delay in deciding how to respond to the intelligence about Russia. They said the intelligence had been treated as a closely held secret, but the administration expanded briefings about it this week including sharing information about it with the British government, whose forces are among those said to have been targeted. The president is a traitor, who instead of throwing every last sanction he can at them, including Recalling all of our U.S. ambassadors and diplomats from Russia and then throwing every Russian diplomat out of our country. Banning the import of all Russian exports. Doubling our forces in Germany, Poland, and the Baltic States. Arming Ukraine to the teeth with air to ground shoulder weapons and other advanced offensive weaponry. Banning with our allies the import of all Russian exports. Doing what we can to crash the price of oil to $15 a barrel to cripple their economy. We can do that and still protect our oil workers and companies. Instead, Trump is running for the position of the Confederate President of America and issuing an executive order protecting statues that honor traitors to their country. Trump wants to continue to celebrate slavers, rapists, torturers, who should be villainized. This scandal could bring down the whole Trump Kakistocracy, starting with his resignation. Even the most delusional Trump supporter understand that Trumps allowing Putin to put the price on American soldiers will end up with the funding and paying for terrorist attacks against the United States and the Western democracies. If he loses another 7 points, he could steadily see polling in the 20s. The attack commercials along could cost the Republicans 13 seats and still retain Senator Doug Jones Senate seat in Alabama. Russia Paid Bounties To Kill US Troops-MSNBC Lloyd Russell-Moyle (pictured), a Shadow Environment Minister, claimed JK Rowling was 'using her own sexual assault' to justify her views on transgender issues A senior Labour frontbencher was forced to make a grovelling apology today after accusing Harry Potter author JK Rowling of exploiting her sex attack ordeal amid a furious row over transgender rights. Lloyd Russell-Moyle, a shadow environment minister, claimed the author was 'using her own sexual assault' to justify her views on transgender issues in an article for left-wing magazine Tribune. The Left-winger's comment outraged feminists in the party and sparked demands that Sir Keir Starmer axe him in the same way that he sacked shadow education minister Rebecca Long Bailey for forwarding a tweet that made false claims about Israel. Writing on Twitter this morning, Mr Russell-Moyle, the MP for Brighton Kemptown, said: 'I want to apologies (sic) unreservedly about the comments in the article that I wrote last week in Tribune regarding Trans rights in which I mention J.K. Rowling. 'J.K. Rowling's first disclosures of domestic abuse and sexual assault in her recent article on Trans issues were heartfelt and must have been hard to say. 'Whilst I may disagree with some of her analysis on trans rights, it was wrong of me to suggest that she used her own dreadful experience in anything other than good faith. I have asked Tribune to remove the line in question.' Ms Rowling has found herself the subject of vicious trolling and accusations of being transphobic after responding to a headline on an online article discussing 'people who menstruate' Mr Russell-Moyle, the MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven, is an outspoken advocate of trans rights and a leading member of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, who are in uproar over Mrs Long Bailey's dramatic dismissal. Ms Rowling has found herself the subject of vicious trolling and accusations of being transphobic after responding to a headline on an online article discussing 'people who menstruate'. In a tweet, she said: 'I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?' Stung by criticism, the writer whose Harry Potter books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide sought to justify her decision to speak out in a deeply personal essay. Recalling how the trauma of 'a serious sexual assault I suffered in my twenties' had informed her thinking about the trans issue and women's rights, Ms Rowling explained: 'Like every other domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor I know, I feel nothing but empathy and solidarity with trans women who've been abused by men.' But in an article published last week in the Left-wing Tribune magazine, Mr Russell-Moyle accused Ms Rowling of promoting 'hate' towards trans people and of exploiting the sexual assault she had endured. 'Recently, of course, we saw people like J.K. Rowling using her own sexual assault as justification for discriminating against a group of people who were not responsible for it,' he wrote. His words brought swift condemnation by women's rights campaigners in the Labour Party. 'This is victim-blaming and it's disgraceful,' said one. 'It's worse than anything [Long Bailey] did and he should be out. This man is accusing a woman who suffered a violent crime of exploiting her own sexual assault. It's horrible and it's sexist and Keir can't let it stand.' Kiri Tunks, of campaign group Woman's Place UK, added: 'As an MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle has an obligation to engage with the concerns and needs of women. By dismissing legitimate concerns as 'hate' and denigrating women who are brave enough to talk about the effects of male violence on their lives, he fails in this obligation.' Despite previous lapses, Mr Russell-Moyle has retained his environment brief under Sir Keir. In April, The Mail on Sunday revealed a video in which the 33-year-old MP accused the Conservative Government of 'conspiring to murder' British citizens. The Labour leader has been anxious to steer clear of trans issues, a contentious subject in his party. During the leadership contest, he was the only candidate who refused to sign a public pledge demanding that 'transphobic' feminists be expelled, and his spokesman condemned the abuse directed at Ms Rowling. The Government is preparing to abandon Theresa May's controversial plans to allow men to 'self-identify' as women. Strategists believe it could create clear blue water with Sir Keir if Labour chooses to endorse reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. Labour did not respond to requests for comment last night. A proposal to renovate and expand the Holyoke Soldiers Home got a major boost Saturday as First District U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, Chairmen of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, threw his support behind the plan. The proposals that we are speaking about today regarding the renovation for the future of the Holyoke Soldiers Home are critical given the terrible tragedy of 76 veterans losing their lives due to the coronavirus outbreak here, he said. Neal has a family member living in the Soldiers Home. His uncle Robert Garvey is a resident. With the Soldiers Home looming in the background, Neal told a press conference Saturday that the renovation program at the Chelsea Soldiers Home is about to begin and said what is good and necessary for Chelsea is also good for the Holyoke home. What we are talking about here is regional equity, he said. That means that what is about to happen in Chelsea is consistent with what is being proposed here. Holyoke must capture the attention and investment that Chelsea gets. The Chelsea facility is now prepared for a $177 million expansion and renovation project. According to state reports, 31 veterans died in the Chelsea home during the outbreak of COVID-19 this spring. Former home Superintendent Paul Barabani joined Neal at the press conference and said the Veterans Administration approved a plan for the Holyoke Home similar to the Chelsea project and agreed to a 65 percent federal reimbursement if the state matched the remaining 35 percent. A study conducted in 2011 indicated that 95 percent of the homes rooms did not meet VA standards. Neal said he is offering whatever assistance the federal government can offer the Holyoke facility, recognizing it is a state institution. There is an opportunity here (for federal funding). I have raised the issue with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar. I have spoken with him twice about the Holyoke Soldiers Home and I told him I wanted him to monitor the situation, he said. There is an oversight role through the Veterans Administration even if not a day to day operational role. Whatever we can do with federal resources we will do. Neal pointed out that while World War II and Korea veterans are now living out their last days in the home, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm and subsequent conflicts have raised more than 1 million veterans who will need care in the future. Barabani said the plan presented to the state in 2016 would give the veterans who rely on the Homes care and the staff the best opportunities. He laid out a range of programs and care opportunities that would be made possible by the construction program. The expansion program, including a five-story tower, would not increase the number of beds in the facility, he said but would allow for single rooms for each veteran and a bathroom and shower for each room. Currently, veteran residents live in multi-bed rooms, with shared toilet facilities down the hall. For mobility-challenged residents, that could be a problem. Robert Twinings veteran husband Timothy suffers from a neurological disorder. He found himself without a walker during the COVID-19 outbreak, she said, and had to crawl from his bed to the bathroom. Private rooms with individual bathrooms offer a dignified environment for our veterans to live in, as well as negating the spread of infection like we saw this spring, Barabani said. An adult daycare program would allow veterans to remain at home and in their communities and delay that time when they would need 24-hour care a little longer, Barabani said. They would be able to participate in programs and activities, get their medications on a regular schedule and receive meals here at the Home Laurie Baurdette said she while appreciated Governor Charlie Bakers proposals for correcting problems at the Holyoke Home she asked that the special needs of an elderly population be considered. I appreciate the Governors reforms but I urge him to reach out to families and veteran agencies to get feedback, she said. I would like to see staffing reforms include three additional staff members, including a full-time geriatrician as medical director, a full-time psychiatric nurse-practitioner and a full-time geriatric nurse. I feel those additional staff members would make the Home a safer environment for all future veterans. " The call for major rehab of the Holyoke Soldiers Home has resurfaced as an independent study commissioned by Governor Baker was released earlier this week, that called decisions made by the homes administration during the COVID-19 pandemic spread through the home, killing about 1/3 of all its patients, baffling. The report depicted frantic efforts to force all 40 dementia patients together in one room, even after one patient had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and five others were awaiting test results. Report author, former federal prosecutor Mark Pearlstein, called the moves a catastrophe and the opposite of infection control. None of the Home administration, save the chief nursing officer, admitted any responsibility for the move. The Homes then-Superintendent Bennett Walsh and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Francisco Urena were both fired after the report was made public. The medical director for the home at the time of the COVID-19 spread, Dr. David Clinton resigned as did the veterans affairs department general counsel Stuart Ivimey. Prison officials are planning to bus as many as 150 incarcerated people out of coronavirus-ridden San Quentin State Prison to a Bakersfield-area institution as early as Monday, sources said, in a move critics and a lawmaker said is reminiscent of the botched transfer that triggered San Quentins outbreak in the first place. A spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed the planned transfer, but did not specify how many people would be included. The department is very concerned with the increase in positive COVID-19 cases in San Quentin, and in order to create more space to facilitate physical distancing, quarantine, and health care treatment efforts, CDCR will be transferring some inmates next week to North Kern State Prison, spokesperson Dana Simas said in an email. Every precaution is being taken before and after the transfer. But family members of incarcerated men said they fear the move by prison officials will increase the spread of the virus, and possibly introduce the virus into yet another vulnerable community. I think that what theyre doing is extraordinarily risky with this disease, said Barbara Scott, whose husband is at San Quentin but not slated for transfer. They cant guarantee that someone who has tested negative wont test positive a few days later. ... I think CDCR should focus on fixing whats wrong in San Quentin right now, rather than transfer inmates to another prison. And Marc Levine, a state Assembly member representing Marin County, said he is concerned the pending transfer of San Quentin inmates to North Kern would be a repeat of the transfer a month ago of inmates from California Institution for Men in Chino to Corcoran and San Quentin prisons which he called probably the biggest prison health screwup in state history. Any time you move prisoners in this environment its a risky gamble, he said, adding that he hopes prison officials are more stringent with isolating, quarantining and retesting. They must learn from the mistake they made when they transferred prisoners to San Quentin. Several people spoke to The Chronicle on Friday about the planned move on the condition their names not be disclosed, and in accordance to the papers anonymous source policy. They included prison workers, incarcerated people and family members who feared retaliation if they were named. Some family members said the transferred inmates will be taken from San Quentins West Block where, they believed, there have been no confirmed cases so far. But on Friday evening, three sources told The Chronicle that the West Block was placed under medical quarantine, meaning either someone there has tested positive or was very likely infected. A San Quentin employee said that while North Kern has a lot of empty space, the coronavirus testing process is imperfect, meaning that some prisoners headed to North Kern could be infected even if they test negative. More Information 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 I would feel so bad seeing another prison go through what we are going through right now, the employee said. Between May 28 and May 30, corrections department officials transferred 66 incarcerated men from the California Institution for Men in Chino to the state prison at Corcoran and 121 others to San Quentin. At the time, the Chino facility was the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in state prisons. The move was intended to spare medically vulnerable patients there by moving them to prisons that, until that point, had no confirmed cases in their populations. But prison officials failed to test the transferred men for up to a month before they were bused by the dozens and sent to the other prisons. A handful of the incarcerated people tested positive immediately upon arrival at both San Quentin and Corcoran. The transfers touched off mega-outbreaks at both facilities: As of Friday, there were 545 in-custody cases at San Quentin and 128 at Corcoran. There are currently five active coronavirus cases among North Kerns population. The outbreaks have extended to prison employees as well. There are now 89 San Quentin staffers who have tested positive and 24 at Corcoran. There are 12 employees at North Kern who have tested positive, according to the prison website. Glen Harder, 58, an inmate housed at San Quentins North Block, said the intended transfer is doubling down on what they did at CIM (in Chino). Theres no way West Block doesnt have infections, he said, noting that men in the West Block often intermingle with those from the North Block, which houses several infected people. All these guys have been working in the hospital, in the kitchen together, he said. They stopped that about two days ago, but thats way too late. A man incarcerated at West Block said he learned he was on the list for transfer Friday afternoon. My heart dropped to my stomach, he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. I was like Oh God, a repeat of Chino? Seriously? I was extremely dismayed and disheartened. 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. The inmate, who is under 40, said the move will take him far away from his family in the Bay Area and will require him to sit for hours on a packed bus next to dozens of other men who may be infected. It just shows the indifference to my life, and it makes me feel devalued as a human being, the man said of the transfer. Ive been incarcerated for 10 years, this has to be the darkest moment of my incarceration. North Kern State Prison currently contains 2,269 incarcerated people, according to state prison data. It is designed to hold more than that about 2,700 residents making it one of the least crowded prisons in the states notoriously overcrowded system, at 86% of its capacity. But social distancing is inherently difficult in any prison, and as staff move from place to place in a facility, they may carry the virus with them, infecting even those in isolated or quarantined areas. In an Urgent Memo submitted to a correctional health official in mid-June, a team of University of California health experts warned about the danger of unrestricted staff movement at San Quentin, for instance, calling it an enormous risk for the spread of COVID-19 between units. Simas said the inmates are being tested and evaluated before and after the transfer. If any of those in the identified cohort test positive before the transfer, none will be moved, she said. Once moved, they will be quarantined in currently vacated housing units at North Kern upon their arrival. Prison officials said those bound for Kern will be tested within seven days of the transfer and must be negative. They will also be screened just before departure, and tested again after arriving at North Kern. Upon arrival, officials said, the transferred people will be single-celled and quarantined for 14 days and tested again before any additional movements are made. If the move takes place, the official said, the San Quentin gym will be turned into a medical triage center. Assemblyman Levine called for the removal of the prison executive who he said authorized the Chino transfer that kicked off the infections at San Quentin and Corcoran: J. Clark Kelso, leader of California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), the federally appointed organization responsible for medical care in California state prisons. This complicated leadership structure, with oversight split between the state and federal governments, is the legacy of a long-running federal lawsuit over the quality of prison medical care in California. The state corrections department has blamed CCHCS in court documents, saying that CCHCS did not properly test the men before ordering the transfer. CCHCS has said that the transfer was planned and organized jointly. In a call with Levine this week, Kelso admitted his mistake, referring to the transfer as a self-inflicted wound, Levine said. CCHCS declined to make Kelso available for an interview. Simas said that CCHCS is helping to coordinate the upcoming transfer of San Quentin residents to North Kern. Megan Cassidy and Jason Fagone are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com, jason.fagone@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy, @jfagone Grain harvesting campaign in Ukraine entering active phase economy ministry 11:00, 27.06.20 1016 It began earlier than in previous years. SCHENECTADY - Schenectady County Attorney Chris Gardner wants the state Attorney General's Office to conduct an immediate civil rights investigation into "the discriminatory and illegal actions" of David Elmendorf, owner of a popular ice cream shop, who Gardner alleged used racial slurs in a text that said he doesn't hire black people. "This racist rhetoric and admission of racial discrimination would constitute violations of the NYS Human Rights Law and the Civil Rights Act of 1964," writes Gardner in the letter he sent Friday to the AG's Office. "The time has come to deal swiftly and justly with an individual who spreads racist rhetoric and boasts of his refusal to hire individuals based upon the color of their skin." The request is the latest salvo in the apparent impasse between the county and Elmendorf, who Gardner contends continues to defiantly remain open for business despite a county Health Department order to close up shop until he repairs what is described in the citation, one of several attachments to the two-page letter, as a "potential cross connection at the 3-bay sink." On Wednesday, Elmendorf was charged with obstructing governmental administration for allegedly tearing down and ripping up notices posted mandating that he close down, Gardner said. He was released pending a future court date. The businessman has also been cited for not ensuring employees on the job wear face masks at all times, not having tables in the small outside sitting area six-feet apart and not clearly marking the six-foot physical distancing in the area where customers order, pick up their food and use the restrooms, according to the citations attached to the letter. Earlier this week, the county attorney told the Times Union that the violation at the State Street business in Schenectady's Woodlawn area had to do with stabilizing a spray nozzle, which he said is a cheap and easy fix. Gardner said when Elmendorf failed to make the required repairs, the county health department then ordered him to shut down and pay $100 fine for the violation, neither of which he had done as of Friday afternoon. Additionally, Elmendorf is being fined a total of $2,000 daily for not fixing the spray nozzle and operating without authorization that are retroactive to May 9. Elmendorf could not be reached for comment Friday via phone calls and it was unclear if he was open for business. The letter ends up with Gardner urging the AG's Office to carefully consider his request. "Mr. Elmendorf's racist and discriminatory statements, coupled with his blatant disregard for the law, warrants an investigation and action by your office," he writes. When asked by the Times Union by email Friday for a response, the AG's office declined comment . Nominate your favorite people and places now Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Nominate your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. On Thursday, Bumpy's, which also serves a variety of frozen treats, hot foods, and features an area with bumper boats for patrons to ride, was closed, with one employee on the premises. This is not the first time Elmendorf has clashed with the government. In 2017, he was cited by the city and state after he allegedly demolished a car wash next door without the proper permits, and failed to heed a stop-work order, officials said. The structure was cleared to make way for overflow parking. The disposition of those cases could not immediately determined Thursday afternoon. In 2012, Elmendorf, who left his job as a Schenectady County corrections officer, purchased the business, located a short distance from where he grew up on Marshall Avenue in Schenectady's Woodlawn section. Back then, he told the Times Union that the menu of 101 flavors of soft ice cream, non-dairy ice cream and yogurt as well as hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and other offerings would stay the same. A social media post indicates that a peaceful protest is being planned for Sunday afternoon outside Bumpy's. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hamid Mohammed (Agence France-Presse) Al-Amadiyah, Iraq Sat, June 27, 2020 08:05 575 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406620e268 2 News Iraq,tourism,travel,Kurdistan Free In a normal year, Ahmed Hazem's mountainside restaurant would be teeming with tourists. But a nationwide curfew aimed at combating the novel coronavirus has starved Iraq's Kurdish region of visitors. "Everything is empty. With the roads cut, not a single tourist can even get here," said Hazem, whose restaurant is a collection of red tables and chairs on terraces cut out of the mountainside. The tables now stand empty in the early summer sun among the babbling rivulets of spring water that normally draw the tourists. The nearby town of Al-Amadiyah lies in a mountainous district of the autonomous Kurdish region's Dohuk province, which borders both Turkey and Syria. This would normally be high season, with families escaping the scorching heat of the plains to enjoy the relatively mild weather of the northern mountains. They rent chalets or small apartments, dip into natural lakes and streams and flock to restaurants or hold their own barbecues at campsites and picnic spots. Last year, around 200,000 tourists visited Al-Amadiyah alone, the town's tourist chief Nazif Mohammed Ali said. But this year "no one came", Ali lamented. Pessimistic projections In mid-March, just as the tourist season was getting under way up in Iraqi Kurdistan, the region's three provinces announced a strict lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. One of them, Sulaimaniyah, had registered Iraq's first coronavirus-linked death just weeks before. Border crossings with Syria, Turkey and Iran were sealed off. Hotels and restaurants shuttered their doors and people were instructed to avoid gatherings. The rest of Iraq soon followed suit, meaning the expected 1.7 million visitors -- most of them Iraqis from the south but also including some foreign tourists -- did not show up. The shutdown brought the private sector to its knees across Iraq, but the Kurdish region's tourist sector has been particularly hard hit. The Kurdistan Region's Restaurant and Hotel Owners League counts 868 hotels and other lodgings that employ 8,500 people. "Their occupancy rate is zero," the League has said. Even when restaurants do reopen, "they will only be half full" if routes from the south are still closed to would-be visitors, predicted the League's deputy head Shaker Aziz. The coronavirus figures have since steadily crept up with confirmed infections topping 37,000 and 1,400 deaths. Read also: Water hyacinth pest chokes Iraq's vital waterways Empty coffers Over the past two decades, Kurdistan's economy had been heavily reliant on the oil and gas sector, which has driven the region's development. Authorities have been trying to diversify but the collapse of world oil prices has still dealt a heavy blow. The tourism sector formed a key part of the diversification plans, injecting about $1.5 billion into the Kurdish economy last year, said Nader Rusti, spokesman of the region's tourism office. The loss of most if not all of that spending comes on top of a deepening fiscal crisis that has left the public sector reeling. The regional government has failed pay public sector workers for several months, sparking protests in cities across Kurdistan. It also owes months of payments to international companies extracting oil and gas from the region. And it will have to cut production by 23 percent to comply with an agreement hashed out by members of the OPEC oil cartel in April to reduce excess supply to the market in a bid to shore up prices. The region's prime minister, Masrour Barzani, recently announced that his government was $27 billion in debt, after it was forced to take out more loans to honor its immediate obligations. It had hoped for some economic relief from talks with the federal government over longstanding budget and oil issues. But Baghdad is facing a similar fiscal crisis as a result of the sharp fall in oil revenues and the collapse of religious tourism, the second-largest contributor to Iraq's economy. So for Hazem and other stricken restaurateurs and hoteliers across the Kurdish mountains, there is no prospect of state help, as the two governments struggle to keep afloat. Topics : Iraq tourism travel Kurdistan Detectives released the name of a man found shot to death inside a vehicle at a Northeast Albuquerque intersection Wednesday morning. Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman with the Albuquerque Police Department, said 23-year-old Daniel Guardado was shot in the back of the head. No arrests have been made in connection with his death. Officers were called around 5:30 a.m. to Carlisle and Menaul NE, where they found Guardado behind the wheel of an SUV. Police say a female passenger was still in the SUV and it appeared the SUV had been in a crash. Detectives learned a dark-colored sedan fled southbound from the area and have identified two possible persons of interest. June 26, 2020 News By Senior Airman Brandon Esau , 100th Air Refueling Wing Defense.gov Esper Visits U.S., British Airmen at Base in England Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper visited officers and enlisted airmen at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in England on Thursday, getting updates on missions and discussing the base's role in the European and African theaters. Esper met with Mildenhall airmen and families and toured the installation. He visited the air traffic control tower, static displays of a CV-22 Osprey and RC-135 Rivet Joint, and spent time talking to officers and enlisted personnel during his tour. Esper spoke about the base's multiple mission sets, modernization of the U.S. military, and the future in promoting social equality and justice around the globe. "My goal is to help every airman, soldier, sailor and Marine to create the strong balance needed between their professional lives and personal lives," Esper said. "People are our greatest assets, and it's my job to ensure they're not only technically sound, but physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually cared for." The former secretary of the Army and 27th secretary of defense spoke about the importance of RAF Mildenhall's role in the National Defense Strategy and in the national interests in both the European and African areas of responsibility. "The various mission sets that call RAF Mildenhall home solidifies this base as one of the best assets the Air Force and the entire U.S. military has around the globe," the secretary stated. "From providing fuel, inserting operators into austere locations, gathering vital intelligence or rapid mobility of personnel and cargo, this installation is fully prepared to get the job done." Air Force Col. S. Troy Pananon, commander of the 100th Air Refueling Wing, spoke about the importance of airmen being able to meet and discuss topics with leaders of Esper's caliber. "I'm extremely thrilled and proud of how Team Mildenhall went out and executed Secretary Esper's visit because these opportunities don't always come, but when it was our time, we were ready," Pananon said. "Being able to meet, interact and present ideas to someone of Esper's stature, someone who makes very high-level decisions, is a chance I'm glad our airmen were able to take part in, and the team once again exceeded my expectations." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Grievance cells (help centres) will function at the UP Boards Prayagraj-based headquarters and at all five regional offices of the Board from June 28 to July 28. The students, who appeared in the Boards class 10 and 12 exams 2020, will be able to register their complaints, if they have any, regarding errors in their respective results at these cells, informed board officials. Students having problems like incomplete result, errors in name, date of birth or needing correction in subjects etc can register their complaints and request for corrections at these grievance cells from 10 am to 5pm, said UP Board secretary Neena Srivastava. Students can get their grievances addressed using e-mail or making calls at the given phone numbers also. If needed, individual students may need to submit their representations at the regional offices concerned, she added. Like last year, the Board is ensuring that its grievance cells start functioning from the very next day of the result declaration this year too. This is all to cut the period of anxiety that students undergo over these errors, said the secretary. Usually, all offices of the Board observe holiday for three days to help staff and officials recover from the stress and strain involved in getting the results declared in time. The UP Board secretary, however, made clear that unless student concerned made available complete details as desired by the Board, action on their complaints would not be possible. Regional offices and their numbers/e-mails Regional office-Prayagraj 0532-2423265 ro1allahabad@gmail.com Regional office-Meerut 0121-2660742 romeerut@gmail.com Regional office-Bareilly 0581-2576494 robareilly@gmail.com Regional office-Varanasi 0542-2509990 rovaranasi@gmail.com Regional office-Gorakhpur 0551-2205271 rogorakhpur@gmail.com UP Board HQ-Prayagraj 0532-2623182 upmsp@rediffmail.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurugram shared videos from their high-rise perches After descending over parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, huge swarm of desert locusts reached Gurugram on Saturday. The insects had earlier made their presence felt in Jhajjar and other parts of Haryana. Gurugram CEO Sonal Goel shared videos of swarm of locusts over the city, asking farmers to take precautions to prevent damage to crops. Alarmed at the invasion of the locusts, which settled on trees, rooftops and plants, many residents of Gurugram shared videos from their high-rise perches. At many places in Gurugram, residents kept their windows closed to prevent the insects from entering homes. TOI journalist Rajesh Kalra shared a video of the swarm of locusts over Gurugram. THIS IS HUGE! A swarm of locusts just hit new Gurgaon. Wonder how none saw it coming. pic.twitter.com/G0QxXWc6Lu Rajesh Kalra (@rajeshkalra) June 27, 2020 "It was a huge swarm of 5 km in length and 2 km in width which passed through Mahendragarh and settled down in Rewari. In the night, this swarm was near Jatusana block," Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Sanjeev Kaushal told PTI. "Heavy insecticide spray was done during the night and early morning. About 35 percent of the swarm was destroyed, but the rest which was still huge in number took off from there and crossed Jhajjar district and then got on to Gurugram," he said. Kaushal said that according to the inputs he had received from the central government, "it is likely that from the wind velocity and direction, it (locust swarm) will cross Palwal district and may then head towards Uttar Pradesh". Though there's a possibility that the insects may head towards Delhi, deputy director of the Centres Locust Warning Organisation, KL Gurjar, said that the wind direction was not favourable for the locusts to move to the National Capital, reported The Indian Express. Speaking about the measures taken by the Haryana government, he said, "We are fully on alert, our districts have been alerted. We have sufficient quantities of insecticides stored there. We have tractor-mounted spray guns and these were deployed wherever necessary." Officials said when locusts entered Rewari district, they settled on trees and standing crops like cotton and bajra, which had been recently planted. Any damage caused was being assessed, they said. News18 too tweeted a video of a swarm of locusts over Gurugram. #NewsAlert Swarms of crop-destroying locusts spotted in Gurugram. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai has called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation following the locust attack in Gurugram.@rupashreenanda with details. pic.twitter.com/s2xfxTvsr2 CNNNews18 (@CNNnews18) June 27, 2020 In many places where locusts were spotted, locals reportedly beat 'thalis' (plates) and other utensils and bursted crackers in a bid to ward off the insects away while local administration deployed tractor-mounted spray facilities. To take stock of the situation, state Agriculture Minister JP Dalal visited Rewari and enquired from villagers and officials about the damage caused by locusts. Talking to reporters in Rewari, Dalal said Mahendragarh, Bhiwani, Jhajjar and Rewari districts had been put on alert on Friday itself. About Rewari district, he said 15 fire tenders, besides several tractor-mounted spray facilities were pressed into service during a night-long operation, which was carried out and personally monitored by Deputy Commissioner Yashendra Singh. Dalal said even experts from the Central Government who visited Rewari to take stock of the situation had appreciated the timely measures taken by the district administration. Replying to a question, he said that while the locusts are air-borne there was not much that could be done and measures are taken only after they have settled down on trees and in fields. Officials from the agriculture and other departments were keeping a close watch while supervision teams had been formed to tackle the situation. Village-level WhatsApp groups too had been formed to keep the farmers informed, the officials said. A month ago too Haryana had issued a high alert after locust swarm had attacked crops in neighbouring Rajasthan and a few other states, but luckily the insects had moved away from the state. Earlier in January, locusts were spotted in some villages in Punjab's Fazilka and Muktsar districts but were effectively contained then. Locusts, popularly known as ''tiddi dal'', are short-horned grasshoppers with highly migratory habits and voracious feeding behaviour. With inputs from PTI Market indexes on Thursday turned early morning selling into robust buying by the closing bell. This morning, were starting out the same way down on COVID-19 updates in the South and Western U.S. and the subsequent obstacles to a clean reopening of the economy. Will we see mid-day news that reverses the markets trajectory as we did yesterday with the FDIC loosening bank investment restrictions? If we do, it would likely come from the only economic data report hitting the tape after the opening bell: Consumer Sentiment for June, from the University of Michigan. Expectations are for a continuation of the uptrend weve seen since bottoming out a couple months ago at 71.8. Last month posted a 78.9, and estimates for the current month are at 79.3. Although its hard to see how a much bigger number here would tell us anything truly surprising, thus setting off a fresh buying spree everyone knows there is pent-up consumer demand; should it be hotter than expected it would likely move the needle only a little bit. Ahead of todays open, Personal Income and Consumer Spending for May came in, demonstrating the wild volatility weve begun to grow accustomed to in the market. Todays Personal Income headline of -4.2% was better than anticipated; analysts had been looking for this metric to take out the all-time low of -4.7%, following the previous months all-time high +10.8%. Coronavirus-led layoffs, congressional bailout measures and now the expiring of relief programs are taking this on a real rollercoaster ride. For Consumer Spending, we get a mirror image: +8.2% for May blew away the previous all-time high back in the 1950s of 2.8%, following an upwardly revised -12.6% from the -13.6% originally reported. Consumer Spending, which makes up 2/3 of the U.S. economy, reflects the perceived wealth in income gains for Americans from the month before. Eventually, these figures will start settling down. Currently, the U.S. accounts for slightly more than 25% of all COVID-19 cases reported, worldwide. Though it appeared for a moment wed be overtaken as the main global hotspot for the coronavirus by Brazil, our charts have returned to previous highs, with little apparently ready to pull it back. We currently have had 2.5 million cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. to date, with a fatality toll of more than 126K. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research CAIRO (AP) The United Nations said an abandoned oil tanker moored off the coast of Yemen loaded with more than 1 million barrels of crude oil is at risk of rupture or exploding, causing massive environmental damage to Red Sea marine life, desalination factories and international shipping routes. Internal documents obtained by The Associated Press show that seawater has entered the engine compartment of the tanker, which hasn't been maintained for over five years, causing damage to the pipelines and increasing the risk of sinking. Rust has covered parts of the tanker and the inert gas that prevents the tanks from gathering inflammable gases, has leaked out. Experts say repairs are no longer possible because the damage to the ship is irreversible. For years, the U.N. has been trying to send inspectors to assess the damage aboard the vessel known as the FSO Safer and look for ways to secure the tanker by unloading the oil and pulling the ship to safety. But a European diplomat, a Yemeni government official and the tankers company owner said that Houthi rebels have resisted. The diplomat said the rebels are treating the vessel as a deterrent like having a nuclear weapon. All three individuals spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the subject with a reporter. They do say that openly to the U.N., We like to have this as something to hold against the international community if attacked, the diplomat said. Houthis are definitely responsible for failure of the U.N. to look at the ship. Money is also an issue, the diplomat said, adding that the Houthis initially were demanding millions of dollars in return for the oil stored in the tanker. The U.N. is trying to reach an arrangement where money could be used to pay workers and employees at the Red Sea ports where the ship is moored, the diplomat added. Some experts, however, criticize both the Houthis and the U.N. for failing to fully understand the magnitude of the crisis with the abandoned ship. Story continues Ian Ralby, founder of I.R. Consilium, who specializes in maritime and resource security, told the AP that the U.N.s efforts to send a team to assess the ship are futile. What the vessel needs is a salvage team, he said Its a real shame that they wasted so much money and time in this futile operation, said Ralby. If you are taking these years to get a simple team to assess, we will not have a second chance to salvage, he added. Ralby, who has written extensively about the tanker, told the AP that amid declining oil prices the cost spent on cleaning up the environmental damage from an explosion or leakage will be much more than the millions worth of oil on the ship. But the Houthis have refused to back down from their demands. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the rebel leader, blamed the U.S. and Saudis for not letting the rebels sell the oil, saying in a June 18 Twitter post that any disastrous consequences ... God forbid, that could result from the collapse of the vessel, will be the responsibility of these two countries. Houthi rebels are in control of the western Red Sea ports, including Ras Issa, 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from where the FSO Safer tanker has been moored since 1980s. They are at war with the internationally recognized government in exile, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition and the United States. The floating tanker is a Japanese-made vessel built in the 1970s and sold to the Yemeni government in 1980s to store for export up to 3 million barrels pumped from oil fields in Marib, a province in eastern Yemen. The ship is 360 meters (1,181 feet) long, with 34 storage tanks. A senior official at the state-owned company in charge of the tanker, said because of a shrinking operational budget, which used to be around 20 million dollars a year before the war, the company could no longer afford to purchase a special fuel needed to run the boilers on the ship. The boilers are needed to power generators that, among other things, keep an inert gas that prevents explosions flowing. The tanker needs 11,000 tons of the fuel, which cost about 8 million dollars each year. After the stoppage of the boilers the strong majority of the equipment and the machines of the tanker stopped because they all depend on steam power, the company official said. That includes the machines that power the ventilation system which reduces humidity and prevents corrosion, he said. Since 2015, annual maintenance on the ship has come to a complete halt and most crew members, except for 10 people, were pulled off the vessel after the Saudi-led coalition imposed a land, sea, and air embargo before waging an extensive air campaign to dislodge the Houthi rebels from areas they seized including the capital Sanaa. The U.N. has repeatedly warned that delays in taking action to fix the FSO Safer could lead to a man-made environmental disaster in the Red Sea four times greater than the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The senior official at the state-owned company in charge of the tanker said that a similar oil spill off the coast of Yemen could accelerate the countrys worsening humanitarian disaster. The disaster could happen at any second, he said, Rescue Yemen from a terrible, imminent disaster that will add to Yemens burdens for tens of years and deprive thousands from their source of living and kill marine life in the Red Sea. Police have been notified after nooses were found at two construction sites in Toronto this past week. On Friday, a noose was found at a site in Regent Park near Dundas Street East and Sumach Street, the Daniels Corporation told the Star. Another was found the day before at a site at 81 Bay Street, which is shared by EllisDon and Govan Brown. All three companies said they immediately contacted police with the hope it will be treated as a hate crime. This deplorable act against the Black community is unacceptable and we reaffirm that there is zero tolerance for racism, prejudice and hate on our construction sites and within our organization, Mitchell Cohen, president of the Daniels Corporation, said in a statement to the Star. The construction companies are also launching third-party investigations into the incidents. Its not the first time nooses have been spotted at construction sites in Toronto. On the morning of June 10, two were found by Black workers at an EllisDon site in East York for Michael Garron Hospital. The site wasnt accessible to the public, police said. MPPs Rima Berns-McGown of Beaches-East York and Peter Tabuns of Toronto-Danforth wrote to police chief Mark Saunders the following week to demand it be treated as a hate crime. Our concern is primarily for the Black construction workers on the site and employed elsewhere with EllisDon, who must come to work on a daily basis knowing that colleagues, co-workers or supervisors of theirs were responsible for such a heinous act, they wrote. Everybody committing or viewing such an act is aware of the symbolism and history of white supremacy, power and unchecked murder that it represents. This weekend, local residents responded with a project titled United Against Hate Artivism, with pro-Black messages and banners installed along the hospital construction fence, Joanna Lavoie of Toronto.com reported. Suze Morrison, the NDP MPP for Toronto Centre and official opposition critic for urban Indigenous issues, also condemned disturbing images circulating on social media of nooses in her riding. This is a vile symbol of anti-Black racism that has absolutely no place in our loving and inclusive community, said Morrison, who added she had contacted police. Anti-Black racism is real, is present in our community and systemic in our institutions, and we need to take incidents of racism incredibly seriously in order to make sure Black Torontonians are safe, and in order to make progress in tackling racism in our province. Police have since confirmed the incident at the East York site is being investigated as a hate crime, but wouldnt comment on whether the others will be, too. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident within the construction industry and reinforces that more action is required, Cohen said. Daniels Corporation is pursuing discussions with construction unions and other industry partners to ensure employees know this kind of reprehensible behaviour wont be tolerated, he added. RELATED STORIES GTA Toronto police investigating nooses found at Michael Garron Hospital construction site For EllisDon, its the second time theyve had to gather employees on site to denounce racism in the workplace. Our site leadership teams immediately started undertaking emergency stand-downs and toolbox talks to address all sub trade workers on site (on Thursday) to condemn the actions, offer support and ask the individual or individuals to own up to their actions, the company said in a statement to the Star. Counselling services have been made available to all employees, they said. I cannot stress enough that we will do everything possible to ensure the person or persons responsible are held accountable, said Joseph Kirk, president of Govan Brown. Correction - June 30, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly referred to Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders as Torontos former police chief. Miriam Lafontaine is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @mirilafontaine By Gaurav Taneja and Muralidhara Honnur The government recently announced its plans for the one nation, one ration card scheme amid the coronavirus crisis to address the food security challenges that poorer sections of the society including the migrants are facing today. The scheme is expected to benefit approximately 67 crore beneficiaries across 23 Indian states by August 2020 and all eligible beneficiaries pan India by March 2021. The government had the confidence to announce the above plan, based on work done on the Public Distribution System (PDS) over the past several years. The PDS system was stress tested at the start of the crisis when the government launched a massive food security mission under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for distributing free ration (5kg food grains per person per month and 1kg of pulses per family per month) to beneficiaries for a period of three months starting from April 2020. The government had near accurate data of impacted communities, stock positions of food grains in warehouses across the country and the ability to ensure accurate targeting (through Aadhaar authentication) of beneficiaries. Almost 2 months into this mission, the is clear that the PDS system has delivered. Technology backbone supporting the Now phase Looking back at the actions taken by the State governments over the last 6-8 weeks, reveals the crucial role played by digital technologies and how such digital initiatives are bearing fruits today. This clearly demonstrates governments forethought efforts to invest in digitalization in critical areas linked to PDS. For years, Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) was inundated with several malpractices which prevented the government benefits from reaching the intended beneficiaries. Manual and stand-alone processes aided many intermediaries to indulge in various malpractices, and in addition to that, lack of real-time information made it even more difficult for the authorities to monitor the delivery of benefits. The programme lacked significant investments to strengthen the system. Th National Food Security Act (NFSA) then provided the much-needed boost towards strengthening the systems in the last mile delivery by providing Rs. 170/tonne as incentive to undertake automation of the Fair Price Shop. In addition, the central government further strengthened one of its earlier schemes end-to-end computerization to provide the IT backbone for the fair price shops (FPS) automation. Fortified with dedicated funding, Centre and State governments started strengthening the TPDS under four major pillars: ration cards (RC), supply chain operations, FPS operations and grievance redressal with National & Informatics Centre (NIC) as their technology partner. With all the stakeholders working in tandem the results were dramatic, and led to the digitalization of ration cards (RCs), visibility of stock positions at warehouses, ability to execute on-line transactions at FPSs with biometric authentication for ration distribution and most importantly beneficiaries could lodge grievances online and through interactive voice response (IVR) systems directly with the government. These initiatives led to timely availability of food grains at FPSs, targeted beneficiaries availing their entitlements and elimination of bogus beneficiaries. The success of these digitalisation efforts has then led to the one nation, one ration card and the initial trials have shown good results. National portability plays a major role in assuring the poor people that they can access their entitlements wherever they are, and not only that different family members can draw their rations in different location based on the overall entitlement. This will be true game changer indeed. The Next and Beyond phase: Digitalisation for TPDS As can be seen, digitalisation investments till date have played a major role in the PDS system. However, given the advancements in technologies and stakeholders appetite to adopt, there are many areas that can be easily targeted by the government in the next phase. Digital payments This has seen a quantum jump over the last few years with infrastructure developed by both public and private enterprises. Government should look at driving digital payments for FPSs purchases as it moves PDS towards demonstrating transparency and further popularising its Jan-Dhan bank accounts and the wallets system. This would go a long way in ensuring the entitlements reach beneficiaries and the ability for the government to reach them with multiple services including the much discussed universal income guarantee. Modernisation of supply chain operations Two critical components of PDS are quality of food grains and timeliness of the distribution. Much needs to be done to digitalise the procurement, storage and movement of goods along with modernization of physical infrastructure. Government should explore options for private investments in this area, particularly given the recent announcements by the Finance Minister in strengthening the agriculture infrastructure. Enhance food basket Growth in rural economy is expected to increase the disposable income. Food being at the top value chain (wrt. roti, kapda & makan), families are expected to increase their spending towards pulses and other food items. Government can explore the possibility of increasing food basket at FPSs by connecting its digital platforms with e-commerce platforms. It would be win-win situation for all the stakeholders. Mobile platform Government, as part of its digitisation of physical data, can explore the possibility of sharing this data with the right stakeholders as per the guidelines from MeiTY. This would fuel innovation at multiple levels and enhance quality of information services that can be provided to beneficiaries and intermediaries without impacting any of the data privacy issues. (The authors are Partners, Government and Public Sector, EY India) Follow our coverage of the coronavirus crisis POPULAR Newcastle West based councillor Michael Collins is widely expected to become the latest mayor of Limerick when the annual general meeting takes place next Tuesday. Mr Collins, an auctioneer by trade, has been a councillor since 2004, and will be the selected candidate of Fianna Fail, who control the council through a coalition with Fine Gael. City West councillor Abul Kalam Azad Talukder who became the first Muslim to be elected to the local authority last summer is expected to be elected deputy mayor. While other candidates may be fielded, a surprise is unlikely, given the Civil War parties have a majority of 26 seats in the 40-member council. Despite this, Mr Collins said he preferred not to comment ahead of the mayoral election next week. The current mayor of Limerick city and county is the City East councillor Michael Sheahan. The annual mayor-making ceremony, which is the biggest day in the local authoritys calendar, usually takes place at County Hall in Dooradoyle, amid a festive atmosphere, with friends and family of the successful candidate turning up to enjoy their special day. This year, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event has been moved out to the Limerick Racecourse in Patrickswell, with attendance set to be strictly controlled. This is in a bid to aid social distancing. It could be the last mayoral election where council members select their mayor, with government targetting an executive first citizen by next year. The other top positions have all been elected across Limerick, with City East councillor Sarah Kiely becoming leader of the metropolitan district. In Newcastle West, Cllr Francis Foley is the new chairman there. Cllr Mike Donegan tolds the role in Cappamore/Kilmallock, while in Adare/Rathkeale, its Cllr Adam Teskey. 27.06.2020 LISTEN The National Identification Authority (NIA) has reacted to some claims made by former President, John Dramani Mahama on the issuance of the Ghana card. Mr. Mahama had alleged that the Ghana Card registration and issuance cards had not been rolled out in full. Speaking at a press conference on the back of the Supreme Courts ruling on the voter registration case on Thursday, June 25, Mahama also said the issuance of the Ghana card is being done with no mechanism for verification. The leader of the opposition NDC also said the authority itself has admitted to the duplication of thousands of cards. But the NIA in its response said Mahamas claims are far from the truth. The NIA fully rolled out the Mass Registration Exercise on 29th April 2019 to register Ghanaians and issue them with biometric ID Cards and was left with just a week to complete. But for the outbreak of COVID-19, NIA would have completed the registration exercise in the Eastern Region by 27th March 2020 after having conducted the exercise in 15 other Regions. The Mop-Up Exercise currently underway is to further provide opportunity for those who could not register to do so. Indeed, as of 23rd June 2020, NIA had registered a total of 11,385,494 eligible Ghanaians, printed 11,172,261 cards, and issued 10,854,829 cards to qualified Ghanaians. The target was to register 80% of the population aged 15 and above. A total number of Ghanaians aged 18 and above have been issued 10,576,120 Ghana Cards. By the end of the mop-up registration exercise, it is expected that 16.7 million eligible Ghanaians would have been captured on the National Identity Register and issued the Ghana Card. The NIA also described the claims made by Mahama as regrettably false. Below is the full press release from NIA NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION AUTHORITY 26th June 2020 To All Media Houses For immediate release NIA RESPONDS TO PRESIDENT MAHAMA'S COMMENTS ON NIA FOLLOWING SUPREME COURTS VERDICT IN NDC VRS EC CASE The National Identification Authority (NIA) wishes to correct three (3) inaccurate statements made by the flagbearer of the NDC, H.E John Dramani Mahama at a press conference held last night on 25th June 2020 following the Supreme Court ruling. Former President Mahama claimed at the said press conference that: 1.PRESIDENT MAHAMA: The Ghana Card, which has been made one of two identification documents has not been rolled out in full. NIA'S RESPONSE: The NIA fully rolled out the Mass Registration Exercise on 29th April 2019 to register Ghanaians and issue them with biometric ID Cards and was left with just a week to complete. But for the outbreak of COVID-19, NIA would have completed the registration exercise in the Eastern Region by 27th March 2020 after having conducted the exercise in 15 other Regions. The Mop-Up Exercise currently underway is to further provide opportunity for those who could not register to do so. Indeed, as at 23rd June 2020, NIA had registered a total of 11,385,494 eligible Ghanaians, printed 11,172,261 cards and issued 10,854,829 cards to qualified Ghanaians. The target was to register 80% of the population aged 15 and above. A total number of Ghanaians aged 18 and above have been issued 10,576,120 Ghana Cards. By the end of the mop-up registration exercise, it is expected that 16.7 million eligible Ghanaians would have been captured on the National Identity Register and issued the Ghana Card. 2.PRESIDENT MAHAMA: As we speak, these cards are still being issued with no mechanism for verification. NIA'S RESPONSE: This claim is false. The majority (7,163,935) of Ghana Cards have been issued through the online verification mechanism. There is an inbuilt mechanism for the verification of the 3,690,894 cards currently being issued using the Card Issuance Album. The use of manual verification is not a novel practice. There are various methods of verification. One can use the ocular inspection method, the match-on-card method or the one-to-many method which is online. The National Identity System is designed to utilize any or all of these methods. Applicants who visit the Card Issuance Centres are identified and issued their Ghana Cards by NIA officials using the ocular verification method, i.e Crosschecking of their photographs, name, date of birth, telephone number and other details as captured in the album against the registration slips they submit or their verbal claim. It must be added that, the adoption of the card issuance album in the card distribution process was informed by the following considerations: i. To enable speedy distribution of 3.9 million cards to applicants. ii. To prevent the situation of having 3.9 million applicants across the country going to the registration centres when NIA's mop-up exercise starts. The manual verification will reduce the risk of applicants undermining the protocols on physical distancing (COVID-19). 3.PRESIDENT MAHAMA: The National Identification Authority itself has admitted to duplication of thousands of these cards NIA'S RESPONSE: This statement is regrettably false. Out of the 11,172,261 printed as at 23rd June 2020, there has only been 525 instances where more than one card has been printed for an individual bearing different Personal Identification Numbers. This situation was caused by an error during a system update which error has since been resolved. A more detailed explanation is on the NIA website and was in the speech of the Executive Secretary of NIA when he addressed the media on 17th June 2020. Suffice to add that, only ONE card can be active against a set of biometrics (face, fingers and iris). In effect, no one can use two cards at the same time neither can anyone use the card of another person. The system automatically assigns invalid multiple card details to a watch list. NIA would like to assure the general public that its mandate to register and issue Ghana Cards to citizens of Ghana is very much on course. SGND: ACI. FRANCIS PALMDETI HEAD, CORPORATE AFFAIRS, NIA Guillens family has been critical of military command, accusing it of indifference and failing to shut down Fort Hood in the hours after she disappeared. Vanessa Guillen complained to friends and family about being sexually harassed by a sergeant, according to her family and their attorney, but there is no record of any formal complaint. Army investigators said the harassment allegations did not produce any viable leads related to the soldiers disappearance. They have also said they investigated an alleged incident of verbal harassment against Guillen that they have been unable to corroborate. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque doctor is facing a discrimination lawsuit by a former employee over allegations that he used racist language in front of her. Its the second such lawsuit filed against St. Christopher Inc. and owner Dr. Peter Tiernan in the last two years. The new lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico on behalf of Keisha Harvey, an African American woman contends that Tiernan created a hostile work environment by subjecting Harvey to discrimination based on her race. This case is indicative of the discrimination that African Americans continue to face on a daily basis in employment settings throughout the nation, ACLU of New Mexico legal director Leon Howard said in a written statement. With this lawsuit, were sending a clear message to employers throughout New Mexico that racial discrimination in the workplace will never be tolerated on our watch. Tiernan denies using racist language in his office. I dont use the N word, OK, Tiernan told the Journal. If somebody uses the N word in my office, I say dont use it. I get angry when people use the N word. According to the lawsuit: On more than one occasion, Dr. Tiernan complained to Ms. Harvey how unfair it was that he wasnt allowed to use the N word. Tiernan would use the N word in Harveys presence and show her his copy of Uncle Toms Cabin in an effort to imply that he had some superior knowledge on the topic of slavery. In the same vein, Dr. Tiernan would look up slavery on his office computer and comment that African American people did not suffer as much as they claimed they had, the suit says. It also alleges that Harvey was laid off after she confronted Tiernan, telling him, among other things, that his views of African Americans were disrespectful, discriminatory and inappropriate. Harvey is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and back pay. In March 2019, Robin Bradford, another former African American employee, filed a lawsuit against Tiernan alleging that he used the N word while she was in the office. The case is scheduled for trial in August. Miss Aluminium Susanna Moore W&N 9.99 Rating: It is so much to the credit of this memoir that its dissonant materials of family tragedy and Hollywood gossip make an apparently seamless whole. Susanna Moore, model-turned-writer, had an explosive hit in the 1990s with her erotic thriller In The Cut, later made into a film by Jane Campion. Miss Aluminium is a different order of achievement entirely, both in its scalding honesty and its sly, watchful humour. I havent read a book like it in years. The defining event of Moores life came aged 12 when her mother died after a struggle with depression and a philandering husband. The idyll of her Hawaiian childhood then vanished completely when her father married a woman who embraced the role of wicked stepmother with relish. Susanna Moore (above, in 1960) fled aged 17 to her grandmother in Philadelphia. I took nothing with me when I left, is the opening sentence of the book Moore (right, in 1960) fled aged 17 to her grandmother in Philadelphia. I took nothing with me when I left, is the opening sentence of the book, which blooms into a compelling rags-to-riches story. The rags in fact were trunkloads of designer clothes cast-offs of a rich older friend. They became her disguise and a passport to another life, first as a salesgirl at a snooty New York department store and then as a model. Sexually naive, she marries the first man she sleeps with, a Chicago graduate student who later beat her unconscious when she asked for a divorce. Moving to L.A. she gets a bit part in a Dean Martin film If I was not at ease as a model I was particularly bad as an actress and is raped by Oleg Cassini, favourite designer of Jackie Kennedy. Happier times await thanks to the patronage of society hostess Connie Wald: she becomes a script reader for Warren Beatty, shares a house with Roman Polanski, and has an affair with Jack Nicholson (Our time in bed did not go badly, but it was not thrilling). Her marriage to production designer Dick Sylbert collapses in disarray. Amid this swirl of revelation and anecdote, a shadow is always present. The mystery of her mothers death, and her unresolved anger with her father, return to haunt the final pages. In a way, the Hollywood high life she has chronicled seems not merely a distraction from her agony of loss but an anaesthetic to it. Once its effects wear off the pain surges back, undiminished. The book ends abruptly in 1976, when Moore is only 30, now a single mother facing an uncertain future. A second volume of these memoirs feels as necessary as it is desirable. Au Revoir, Tristesse Viv Groskop Abrams 17.99 Rating: Viv Groskop was a provincial schoolgirl in the 1980s when she saw the late Clive James on television interviewing French author Francoise Sagan as she drove him erratically around Paris, oblivious to Jamess increasingly nervous remarks about her speed. Even when Sagan hit a pedestrian, she simply drove off with a shrug (happily, only the pedestrians briefcase was damaged). Sagan (pictured below with her dog in 1960) was the author of the best-selling novel Bonjour, Tristesse (Hello, sadness), but to Groskop her couldnt-care-less attitude epitomised Au Revoir, Tristesse. Francoise Sagan (above with her dog in 1960) was the author of the best-selling novel Bonjour, Tristesse (Hello, sadness) Groskop went on to study French at university, devouring the countrys literature, convinced it contained all the wisdom that we need about the pitfalls and pleasures of the ideal life. In Au Revoir, Tristesse, the follow-up to her guide to Russian literature, The Anna Karenina Fix, Groskop provides witty analyses of 12 seminal French works including Gigi by Colette, Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand and Victor Hugos Les Miserables. As she acknowledges, its a subjective selection that misses out several Gallic giants, such as Baudelaire and Voltaire. Still, whether you come to the book totally ignorant of French literature, or like me with some knowledge (I studied French at the same university as Groskop), there is heaps here to inform, divert and provoke. Groskops especially entertaining on the lives of her selected writers. The book is studded with nuggets such as the fact that Honore de Balzac, creator of La Comedie Humaine, a series of 91 linked novels and short stories, fuelled his prolific output by drinking 50 cups of coffee a day (his record was 80). Or the fact that Gustave Flaubert, author of Madame Bovary, was a vain, syphilitic misogynist, who, if he existed now, would be a try-hard Instagram influencer who thinks he is Timothee Chalamet when he is more like Austin Powers. Groskops pacey writing made me want both to revisit these timeless works of art, and to finally try those Id missed. Im even tempted to tackle Marcel Prousts monumental A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu, after learning that her Cambridge tutor said that only the first and final of his seven volumes were essential reading. Anyone keen to come out of lockdown better-read would do well to start here. Julia Llewellyn Smith On 6 July, 111 days after the Foreign Office warned against foreign travel, British holidaymakers will once again be able to go abroad. For millions of travellers, the brakes will be off and many countries are eager to welcome British holidaymakers, despite the relatively high prevalence of Covid-19 in the UK. The move coincides with the start of the main holiday season in Europe, and the easing of international travel restrictions across the continent. Whats changing? The governments current no holiday policy is to be relaxed from 6 July for visits to some nations where the risk of contracting coronavirus is regarded as low. Countries deemed by the Joint Biosecurity Centre to be handling the pandemic well, with low and declining rates of infection, will be given either amber or green status. This status will allow returning travellers, and inbound tourists to the UK, to avoid the need to self-isolate for 14 days. Amber status indicates nations where there is some risk of quarantine being re-introduced in the event of a rise in Covid-19 cases. Green countries are those where the rates are so low that renewed quarantine status is highly unlikely. The FCO will simultaneously lift its warning to the chosen nations. The list of favoured countries will probably be revealed on Wednesday, 1 July. For everywhere rated red, the current no-go rules will continue to apply. Where can I go? Spain and France, by far the most popular destinations for British holidaymakers, are known to have qualified. Italy is also almost certain to be granted amber status, allowing visits. While travel to Greece will also be given the go-ahead, the nations prime minister has indicated that British visitors will not immediately be welcome; flights from the UK will not be permitted before 15 July. Ireland has special status as the one foreign country from which visitors are currently not subject to UK quarantine, and will be included. Leaked lists of other qualifying nations are circulating in the travel industry, but many of them are contradictory. The Independent has conducted its own assessment using published data on prevalence and trajectory, and believes an 18 additional EU countries may be included according to the governments criteria: They are: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Portugal has seen a recent increase in cases, with lockdown reintroduced in some parts of Lisbon. But the country is lobbying strongly to be included, on the grounds that rates in the key destinations of the Algarve and Madeira are in overall decline. The most popular non-EU destination is Turkey, which in the past two weeks has seen a slight resurgence of cases but again, diplomatic pressure is intense to give travel to the country the go-ahead. Switzerland and Norway should certainly qualify for the safe list. Where cant I go? That is much easier to determine. In Europe, Sweden looks sure to get a red rating, with a high and increasing number of infections. Bulgaria and Romania are seeing fresh spikes of cases. Topping the popular long-haul destinations on the no-go list is the US. This week Britains biggest holiday company, Tui, cancelled all departures to Florida until December. Mexico and many other Latin American nations are a long way from being approved. Among Gulf locations, Qatar will rate red. The UAE, including Dubai, may well get the same classification due to a recent rise in cases. What are my rights if I have a trip booked to a banned country? Neither of the big two package-holiday firms, Jet2 and Tui, will take you somewhere if either the Foreign Office warns against travel or there is a need to self-isolate when you return. Smaller tour operators are likely to follow suit. Customers will be due full refunds. Travellers who have booked flights, accommodation and other elements separately are in a trickier position. There is every chance that the flight will still be operating: government advice does not need to be followed by airlines. If the plane does depart the airline is legally entitled to refuse a refund even though you have compelling reasons not to go such as work or family commitments. Hoteliers, car-rental firms and other providers can also stick to their terms and conditions. What if I am going to several countries, and one or more is red? The Independent understands that you will be expected to report the fact, and go into self-isolation for 14 days upon your return. At present the passenger locator form that all inbound travellers are required to complete does not have a field where this information can be provided. Ive heard prices are down 70 per cent. Where are the best bargains? Assurances of deep discounts are generally dubious in travel, because prices fluctuate continually. For a more objective approach The Independent has compared todays prices with last Mondays on an identical range of one-week package trips in July and August for a family of four. Two are the same price as five days ago; two are slightly cheaper; and one is sharply more expensive. Prices are per person; baggage and transfers extra unless indicated. Mallorca, departing from Liverpool (Ryanair) on 15 July, staying at the TRH Jardin del Mar in Santa Ponsa, with On The Beach: 153. No change. Bulgaria, departing from Doncaster Sheffield on 16 July, staying at Apartments Bravo in Sunny Beach, with Balkan Holidays, including baggage and transfers: 283. No change. Note that The Independent believes Bulgaria may be on the no-go list. Algarve, departing from Newquay (Ryanair) on 18 July, staying at Studio 17 in Portimao, with Travel Republic: 160. Down 12 per cent. Turkey, departing from Glasgow on 5 August, staying at the Melissa Gardens in Side, with Jet2 Holidays including transfers and 23kg luggage: 238. Down 2 per cent. Malta, departing from Gatwick on 26 August, staying at the Bayview Hotel, with breakfast and checked baggage included: 428. Up 79 per cent. Two August holidays to Spain were no longer available because the operators had cancelled them during the week: easyJet from Gatwick to Valencia and Tui from Belfast to Salou. Will I still be able to get travel insurance that covers me for Covid-19? Many insurers have introduced a clause excluding coronavirus claims; travellers in the EU with an European Health Insurance Card (Ehic) will be able to get medical treatment in local hospitals if they become symptomatic. Some companies, including Staysure, Saga and Trailfinders, are selling policies that cover coronavirus. Those who took out travel policies before the coronavirus pandemic began will find it will operate as normal once it is deemed safe to travel to the country concerned. But no insurer is likely to cover cancellations because the customer does not want to travel because of quarantine requirements back in the UK. Will it be a problem if I leave now and return after quarantine is lifted? Some travellers have taken the governments announcement as a green light to book trips to leave in the next few days. The prevailing Foreign Office no-go advice means those holidaymakers will find that their travel insurance is void. What will the journey be like? Potentially uncomfortable and certainly austere. The government says: Airports, ports and Eurotunnel have worked hard to put in place Covid-secure requirements to keep those travelling as safe as possible. All passengers will be required by law to wear face coverings on planes and ferries to protect others. The same applies to Eurostar trains from London to Brussels and Paris. While there is no need to arrive any earlier than normal, the airport experience is far from fun. Almost all shops and restaurants are closed at airports across the UK, though some may open up as passenger numbers increase with holiday travel permitted. While social distancing is practised as much as possible within airports, and boarding of planes is carried out more systematically to reduce mingling, once on the aircraft you are likely to be in very close proximity to strangers. Some people who have studiously observed social distancing may not be comfortable with this, however effective the air-conditioning and filters on board the plane. Different forms of transport have their own benefits and risks. A nonstop flight from, say, Manchester to Malaga is likely to offer a far lower chance of contracting the virus than making the same journey in a series of trains. Driving particularly with a Channel crossing on Eurotunnel, where motorists stay in their cars lowers the risk of infection, but harm in an accident is much more likely than by air or rail. Will the holiday experience be very different? In some respects. All-inclusive properties will be most affected by the measures imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with serve-yourself buffets suspended and strict rules on the use of swimming pools. On the beach, social distancing will be directed and policed. Many bars and restaurants have been ordered to cut capacity to maintain social distancing though with no more than half the usual number of holidaymakers expected at many European resorts, this may not be a problem. Nightclubs are likely to remain closed, and excursions will either not operate or be capacity-restricted. Demand for villas appears to be soaring, as families can effectively transfer their households to a new location. Caravanning and camping may also be more popular. What happens if quarantine is re-imposed while I am away? That is a potential risk, especially for locations in the amber category. The government says: We will not hesitate to put on the brakes if any risks re-emerge, and this system will enable us to take swift action to re-introduce self-isolation measures if new outbreaks occur overseas. Holidaymakers abroad at the time will have no choice but to quarantine on their return home, however inconvenient or expensive that may be. It is not an insurable risk. Travellers who are quarantining at home in the UK may learn that the isolation requirement has been lifted for the country they visited earlier. They will, however, be required to complete the full 14 days of quarantine. NEW ORLEANS, June 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP). On February 24, 2020, the Company disclosed that its 10-K report would not be filed timely due to an ongoing investigation into accounts payable and accrued liabilities at its Fuller Mexico beauty business resulting in an expected full-year 2019 negative impact on an adjusted pre-tax basis in the range of $19-21 million, expected total impairments of approximately $31 million, and total pretax impact for 2019 of approximately $50-52 million, among other negative effects. Then, on March 12, 2020, the Company filed its 10-K confirming a host of negative results, and that its investigation had identified certain activities of "operational risk" potentially involving fraud, unauthorized activities or other types of errors or breaches. The Company and certain of its executives have been sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws, which remains ongoing. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Tupperware's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Tupperware's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Tupperware shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-tup/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner [email protected] 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200 New Orleans, LA 70163 SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Related Links http://www.ksfcounsel.com Donald Trump has signed an executive order threatening long prison terms as he continues to rail against widespread demonstrations to remove Confederate-era monuments and other statues across the US in the wake of renewed calls to dismantle symbols of white supremacy. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Twitter that those who vandalise our monuments will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It was not immediately clear whats in the order, as federal law already prohibits vandalising or destroying certain monuments punishable up to 10 years in prison. US Marshals could be deployed as security, according to reports. The president who has called for retribution against vandals amid demonstrations against racial injustice has raged against protesters targeting statues, including monuments to the Confederacy. Outside the White House on Monday, protesters attempted to tear down a statue to former president Andrew Jackson, who has been targeted in demonstrations as a slave owner and supporter of the Indian Removal Act. The following day, the president called for the federal government to arrest anyone who vandalises or destroys any monument, statue or other such federal property in the US with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent. But across the US, demonstrators have toppled several monuments to former Confederates, erected in the Jim Crow era after the Civil War, as several city and state officials have argued that its time for those symbols to be removed from public view. On 19 June, the president called for the immediate arrest of a group of people who pulled down a statue of Confederate general Albert Pike in the nations capital. The president has also been criticised for his militarised response to demonstrations during the nations coronavirus crisis as several states see dramatic surges in cases and hospitalisations. Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Show all 16 1 /16 Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest The Edward Colston statue has been pulled down by Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol. Colston was a 17th century slave trader who has numerous landmarks named after him in Bristol. Pictured is the statue covered up before it was pulled down Tom Wren / SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston William Want Twitter account/AFP Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston William Want Twitter account/AFP Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest A protester presses his knee into the neck of the Edward Colston statue Tom Wren / SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest The protest rally was in College Green, Bristol Ben Birchall/PA Wire Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest The Edward Colston statue is defaced Tom Wren / SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Tom Wren / SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest A crowd gathers Tom Wren / SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Protesters dragging the statue of Edward Colston to Bristol harbourside PA Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest The statue is rolled along the street before being dropped into a nearby river SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Tom Wren / SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Tom Wren / SWNS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Protesters throw the statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour PA Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Ben Birchall/PA Wire Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest TWITTER/SELLOTTIE via REUTERS Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest PA I wish he cared more about living Americans instead of dead Confederates, Washington governor and frequent Trump critic Jay Inslee told CNN following the presidents latest order. California congresswoman Maxine Waters also condemned the presidents threats this week, saying that one would hope that the president of the United States would rise to the level of leadership that our country needs in confronting the deadly uptick in coronavirus cases in America. Instead, we are left with Donald Trump, an incompetent and heartless man who is more focused on saving statues of slaveholders, Confederate generals, and racists than protecting the health of living and breathing Americans, she said. New Delhi: The national capital remained to be one of the worst COVID-19 affected places across India, as it recorded 2,948 new COVID-19 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi breached the 80,000-mark on Saturday (June 27). There are 80,188 COVID-19 infections in the national capital now, which is second on the list of most coronavirus cases after Maharashtra in India. Delhi still has 28,329 active COVID-19 cases. While there were 2,210 recoveries in the past 24 hours, around 66 people succumbed to the fatal virus that was first traced in Wuhan (China). The total number of recoveries in Delhi increased to 49,301 and the death count has surged to 2,558. Although, the recovery rate has now bettered to 61.48 per cent. Delhi on Saturday did record one-day COVID-19 testings as there were over 19,180 tests across the national capital. The COVID-19 dedicated hospitals in Delhi has 6,068 vacant beds, while 7,343 beds have been occupied. In other developments, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday visited a newly created COVID-19 care facility with over 10,000 beds in the national capital and reviewed the arrangements. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accompanied Shah during his visit to the sprawling facility in south Delhi. The facility on the Radha Soami Satsang Beas campus in the Chhatarpur area will have two wings -- a COVID care centre where asymptomatic positive cases will be treated and a dedicated COVID healthcare centre. By PTI PATNA: Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Saturday virtually announced his return to party politics by saying that he will launch an outfit which will contest the assembly polls due later this year and dislodge the NDA government in the state to create a "better Bihar". Sinha's announcement, made at a meeting of his outfit 'Rashtra Manch' (National Forum) here, came as a surprise as he had taken 'sanyas' from party politics over two years ago and had vowed to work for saving democracy in the country. He had quit the BJP two years ago. Sinha, who held the finance and external affairs portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and has been severely critical of the Narendra Modi dispensation's policies and style of functioning, left the door open to poll tie-up with the Grand Alliance in Bihar, which includes the RJD and the Congress. "We will welcome everyone who comes and joins us," he said. "So far as (Bihar assembly) elections are concerned my party will contest it. It's not that I have any kind of reservation for contesting elections. We (the proposed alliance) will fight the polls with all our strength in order to create a better Bihar," Sinha said. Quizzed about the parties interested in the proposed alliance by him, Sinha said it would be premature to divulge it but many leaders from Bihar were in touch with him over it. About the name of his party, Sinha said he will announce it as soon as the decision on it is taken. The veteran political leader replied curtly when asked by reporters whether he himself would contest the assembly polls. "I will cross that bridge when I come to it," he said. Holding the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar "directly responsible" for the state's "poor" condition, he came out with a slogan 'Behtar Bihar Banao' (Make a better Bihar) to dislodge the present dispensation. "The NDA government in Bihar headed by Nitish Kumar has not made the desired progress despite being in power for about 15 years," he alleged and held it responsible for the "poor state of affairs" in almost all sectors affecting people's lives. "Until and unless the current dispensation is dislodged from the state, it will be quite difficult to work for making Bihar better. Dislodging the state government will be the first step for making a better Bihar," he said. Tearing into the state government's assertions of development, he said that despite its tall claims Bihar has remained at the bottom in various development indicators in the country. Elaborating, Sinha said Bihar remained at the bottom of Human Development Index (HDI) for the past 27 years and the state ranks among the poorest on poverty index. This is evident from the fact that the state's annual per capita income is Rs 47,541 which is one-third the national average. He said Bihar is also at the bottom of the list with regard to providing health care facilities and its farmers are among the poorest in the country. The state's share in the total industries of the country is just 1.5 per cent. Sinha alleged that the law and order has collapsed and corruption is at its peak in the state as "nothing moves without bribe". "We will be coming out with a fact sheet every week on issues concerning and affecting various aspects of life. I will put it before the media along with facts and will not be beating 'thali' or clapping," he said in a veiled reference to such activity during the Janata curfew on March 22 in support of those in the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 at the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. War films encapsulate both the horror and the heroism of wars. No one wants war but sometimes its necessary to fight one, especially when it comes to safeguarding the pride of our motherland. Bollywood filmmakers traditionally make highly fictionalised accounts of the various battles and wars fought by our braveheart soldiers. One of the favourite subjects is to showcase the fight against the outsiders. Presenting a list of historical war films which showed Indian warriors fighting the oppressor with all their might.Director: Kedar KapoorCast: Prithviraj Kapoor, Dara Singh, MumtazThe film became famous mainly due to its song Jahan daal daal par sone ki chidiya karti hai basera. India was known as the golden bird in the West back then and Alexander or Sikandar (Dara Singh) wanted to capture that bird. The basic plot of Alexander attacking India and given a tough fight by King Porus (Prithviraj Kapoor) has been padded up by adding many subplots here. For instance, Sikandar is shown to have a Persian lover Cynthia (Mumtaz), who exacts a promise from Porus that hell now kill Sikandar. Porus son (Prem Nath) is shown to leave for the war on his wedding day. Porus is shown to be defeated by treachery. And many such addendums. Basically, the film showcased the might of the Indian king Porus, who compelled Sikandar to return home from Jhelum itself and give up his dream of conquering India. It also showed that it was the disunity among the Indian kings which led to the incursion of the foreigners in the first place.Director: Kangana Ranaut, Radha Krishna JagarlamudiCast: Kangana Ranaut, Atul Kulkarni, Jisshu Sengupta, Suresh Oberoi, Danny Denzongpa, Ankita LokhandeLIke Porus, Rani Laxmibai, the queen of Jhansi, too wanted a united front against the British. And just like Porus, was defeated because of internal rivalry and treachery. Nevertheless, she not only personally made life hell for the British, but her immortal deeds also inspired millions to revolt against the British Empire even after her death. Subhadra Kumari Chauhans famous poem Jhansi Ki Rani is a prime example of how inspiring her life was as Chauhan wrote it during the height of Indias freedom struggle against the British and the poem ignited the flame of patriotism in many hearts. Kangana looks to the manor born playing Laxmibai. She channels the spirit of the warrior queen and is her fierce best in war scenes and also manages to give us a glimpse of the icon's soft side. She's aided by a talented ensemble cast comprising Atul Kulkarni as her mentor Tatya Tope, Jisshu Sengupta as her husband Gangadhar Rao, Suresh Oberoi as father-figure Bajirao II, Danny Denzongpa as her war chief Ghulam Ghaus Khan and Ankita Lokhande as Jhalkaribai, the woman who pretended to be her and helped her escape. Manikarnika is a moving saga indeed and one we can all take inspiration from when it comes to emulating resolve and valour.Director: Manoj KumarCast: Manoj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Shatrughan Sinha, Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, Dheeraj Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Prem Chopra, Kunal Goswami, Sulochna and Kamini KaushalThe film depicted the story of India's freedom struggle between the years 1825 and 1875. It was during this time that armed uprisings against the British were taking place. Though its a fictional account, the sentiments echoed in the film are genuine indeed. Manoj Kumar's take on that portion of history combined melodrama with a lot of action. Sangha (Dilip Kumar) is an honest employee of Raja Laxman Singh (Jairaj). When Laxman Singh conditionally permits the British to use the port for trading purposes, Sangha finds out that the British are taking out gold and jewellery and bringing in ammunition, he puts a stop to this. Laxman Singh is killed by his enemies and Sangha is charged with treason. He runs away and becomes a freedom fighter by the name of Kranti. Soon, hes a dreaded pirate harassing the British. His son Bharat (Manoj Kumar), separated from him, grows up to be a Robin Hood-like figure who too calls himself Kranti. The father and son combine to fight the British and are helped in the exploit by a motley crew of characters. The film again pointed out the fact that it was the disunity between the Indian princes which helped the British overcome the armed resistance. It also pointed out that the common man was indeed very much supportive of the freedom fighters, as is the case today where the masses are totally in support of the army.Director: Ashutosh GowarikerCast: Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti SanonPanipat brings to life the third battle of Panipat which was lost by the Marathas under the leadership of Sadashivrao Bhau (Arjun Kapoor), who nevertheless fought against the outsiders till his dying breath. Sadashiv was successful against the Nizam of Udgir down South and hence he was given the command of the Maratha army against Afghan chieftain Ahmad Shah Abdali (Sanjay Dutt). Its a long march from Pune to Panipat and Sadashiv planned to utilise the services of Maratha chieftains settled along the way, asking them for rations and men, strengthening his army. He also hoped for the support of Sikhs and Rajputs against the Afghan invaders. But things didnt go as planned. Most of his alliances failed. His army ran out of rations. They were also encumbered by a large number of civilians that had followed his army. This included pilgrims, as well as wives and children of the soldiers. The director has made a case for Hindu Muslim unity with the film. Bajirao's Muslim son by Mastani, Shamsher is Sadashiv's most trusted aide and goes down fighting alongside him. Ibrahim Khan Gardi is shown to be a crucial component in his war machine as well. All-in-all, its a detailed war film, showing us how its not only valour but also strategy that makes the difference between victory and defeat. The intricately crafted war scenes take the pride of place in the film. You can feel the noise and the tremors go through you when the guns start blazing. The formation of troops, the deployment of various devices adds drama to the story.Director: Ketan MehtaCast: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Ameesha Patel, Toby Stephens, Kirron KherThe film pointed out that sometimes, it takes just one man to start a revolution. Mangal Pandey is credited to be the soldier who fired the first bullet against the British. His historic act triggered the war of Independence in 1857. This simple fact was stretched into a long-drawn melodrama by director Ketan Mehta. The heavy-handed drama was thankfully buoyed by commendable performances from the lead cast, especially Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji. The film showed how even simple soldiers can turn the tide of destiny with enough motivation. Luck wasnt on the side of the mutineers and ultimately treachery undid them, otherwise, they surely would have kicked out the British almost a hundred years before they actually left.Director: Om RautCast: Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Kajol, Luke Kenny, Sharad KelkarTanhaji was just one man and yet he became a legend because he dared to do the impossible. The film chronicles the capture of the Kondhana Fort by the Marathas. It was of strategic importance to Aurangzeb as from there he could keep an eye over the whole South region. Shivaji had to cede the fort to him following the treaty of Purandar and was desperate to get it back. His trusted aide Tanhaji Malusare along with his band of diehard soldiers captured the fort by climbing over seemingly impregnable walls and defeated the Rajput commander Udaybhan who was in charge of the fort. Tanhaji lost his life gaining the objective and the fort was renamed as Sinhagad in his memory by Shivaji as he had fought like a lion. The grand scale of the war drama, the creatively crafted battle scenes, and the final confrontation between Tanhaji and Udaybhan made it an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Ajay Devgn brought to life Tanhaji's intensity, his devotion to Shivaji and his undying love for his motherland with utmost conviction. Saif Ali Khan and Shar Kelkars performances too came in for a lot of praise. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) have confirmed that the driver testing service will restart on a gradual basis during Phase 3 of the road map for easing of Covid19 restrictions. From Monday 29 June driving tests will resume gradually for trucks, buses and motorcycles (except for trucks in C1 and buses in D1 categories). 14 driving test centres will reopen initially, but as the number of tests and categories of vehicles being tested increases in the coming weeks, the remaining 38 test centres will reopen. The RSA will update its website, rsa.ie, to advise on each centre as they re-open. Measures are being put in place to prioritise the allocation of appointments when the service resumes. These measures include; Those whose test appointments were cancelled when the service was suspended will be offered a test date first in the coming weeks and will be contacted directly about scheduling their test. Priority will also be given to Front-line health care workers who require an emergency driving test. Test appointments will then be offered to people in order of when their application was made. A detailed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on the resumption of the driving test is available HERE The following test centres will reopen for truck, bus and motorcycle tests week commencing 29 June.- Dublin (Dun Laoghaire, Finglas, Mulhuddart), Dundalk, Ennis, Galway (Carnmore), Kilkenny, Kerry ( Tralee, Killarney ), Limerick (Dock Road), Sligo, Cork (Ballincollig, Mallow), Waterford. In the following weeks all the 52 test centres will open for business. The national average waiting time for a driving test, before the suspension of the driving test service on 13 March, was around 5/6 weeks. The RSA has committed to maintaining a national average waiting time of 10 weeks. Protocols that will be introduced in the driving test to prevent the spread of Covid19 include; Before appointments are offered candidates will be provided with information concerning COVID-19. Where a person is displaying symptoms of COVID-19 they should not attend for test and on advising us their appointment will be cancelled and a further appointment will be offered in due course free of charge. Customers are asked to make an extra effort to ensure that their vehicle is clean and free from any personal belongings. Having a safe and clean vehicle for the test is important for both customers and driver testers. In compliance with public health guidelines only customers for driving tests can enter the driving test centre. A candidates accompanying driver or approved driving instructor must make alternative arrangements while you take the test. Driver testers will wear a face mask and test customers will also be asked to wear face masks when attending for their appointment. The RSA will initially provide customers with a face mask and alternative arrangement will be put in place to accommodate those who cannot support the wearing of a mask. Hand sanitisers will be available in the test centre. Customers will be asked to use the hand sanitiser/use hand washing facilities on entry after being called for their test by the driver tester and also when fitting and removing their face mask. Driver testers will also be carrying wipes and hand sanitisers. Driver testers may wipe down some surfaces on a candidates vehicle. Customers may be asked to keep their windows partially open during the test and are asked to comply with any request to do so in the interest of measures to mitigate against the transmission of Covid-19. After each test the driver tester will ensure that all commonly touched surfaces such as door handles and desk surfaces are wiped down with appropriate wipes/cleaner in between tests and all wipes disposed. Minister Ross outlined: Following the publication of a revised Phase 3 road map for reopening Ireland, it is now possible to restart the testing of car drivers earlier than anticipated. This will be welcome news for the many learner drivers who have been waiting to sit a car test since the service was suspended on 13 March. While a specific date has not yet been finalised for the restart of car tests, this is a high priority for my officials and the RSA who have assured me that they are working towards getting car tests up and running, as soon as possible in Phase 3. However, things will be different when the driving test resumes. It will be gradual, and measures will be put in place to protect staff and customers. This will mean that for all categories being tested, at least for the initial resumption period, everyone will have to get used to the new protocols to prevent the spread of Covid19. I am asking candidates to please be patient as the service resumes. Given the nature of the driving test, which in many cases involves a tester and candidate sitting near each other for periods well in excess of 15 minutes, the reopening of the service must be done in accordance with Government Protocols and public health safety measures. These measures, the details of which will be supplied to all candidates attending a driving test, will have to be observed at all test centres when the service resumes. On this point I want to thank employees and worker representative groups inside the RSA as well as Union representatives who have engaged in a very constructive manner to approve these protocols which will protect customers and staff. As the permits of some learner drivers will expire before they have had an opportunity to sit the practical driving test, Minister Ross has also announced that he is to further extend the period of validity of learner permits. Minister Ross said: On the 20 April I introduced a measure which allowed the validity of any learner permit, which was due to expire from 1 March to 30 June inclusive, to be extended for four months. The effect of that extension meant that their expiry now falls during the months from July to October. To provide an opportunity for at least some of those to take a test without having to renew their learner permit I have decided to apply the four-month extension to all learner permits now due to expire from 1 July to 31 October. This also means that any learner permit which hadnt benefitted from the original extension, but whose expiry now falls in the normal way during the period 1 July to 31 October 2020, will also have an extension period of four months applied to it. As an example, a learner permit which expired on 5 March was extended by four months to 5 July 2020 and this will now be further extended to 5 November 2020. The resumption of driving tests will trigger the resumption of driving lessons. The revised Government road map for Phase 3 identifies Driving Schools as an economic activity and work that can resume from Monday 29 June. The Minister concluded: The measures being adopted, by the RSA to deliver the driving test, to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 should be of assistance to Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs). However, ADIs are independent contractors and have personal responsibility to follow Government and Health Authorities Protocols and it must also be borne in mind that a driving test and a driving lesson are not necessarily the same thing. Some driving lessons could last longer than the duration of a driving test and ADIs will need to take specific measures to manage Covid-19 in that context. Lastly I would urge all those seeking lessons to contact their ADI and be satisfied with the arrangements they are making and I wish all those who will be taking tests in the near future the very best of luck. 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... Nepal crisis will not come in the way of bi-lateral ties with India: Sources After being mercilessly criticised, Nepals PM Oli bunks Communist Party top panel meet India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 27: Nepal's Prime Minister K P Oli is under immense pressure and the very fact that he skipped the meeting of the Nepal Communist Party is testimony of the same. There has been immense pressure on him to either quit as the Prime Minister or the post of chairperson of the NCP. Oli is one of the NCP's two chairpersons, a post that he shares with Pushpa Kamal Dahal or Prachanda. On Friday, he was absent from meeting of the NCP's standing committee. He is said to have sent word that he would join the meeting late, but never turned up. In fact, he had made it to the first meeting on Thursday, but he was criticised severely by Prachanda. India watches closely as crisis hits Oli in Nepal India is closely watching the developments, even as cries for Oli's resignation grow. Delhi's 5 weapons to fight coronavirus, UP board results and more news | Oneindia News Reports from Nepal say that their Prime Minister is already facing a crisis with calls for his resignation. India has been watching closely following reports that said that Nepal may have ceded territory to China. This has however been denied by Nepal's foreign ministry. During the standing committee meeting of the Communist Party, both Oli and P K Dahal Prachanda accused each other of failing the government andante party. While quoting party members, Kathmandu Post said that Prachanda had made a sensitive revelation as to what Oli was up to survive as PM. We have heard that Pakistani, Afghani or Bangladeshi models are being worked out to remain in power, but such attempts are not going to succeed, Dahal had said. Oli's faction is in a minority in the important standing committee. Prachanda during the meeting had also said that it was not going to be possible for anyone to send people to jail on false charges of corruption. It is not easy to rule the country with the help of the army and it is not possible to split the party and run the government by allying with the opposition, he was quoted saying at the meeting. While Prachanda too is not seen as exactly friendly towards India, his government had however never undermined India's interests the way Oli has. Did you see the video of the white young woman screaming at a black police officer? Yes, it was funny but a window into a coming clash between white liberals and the blacks who live in these neighborhoods burdened by crime. This is from Caleb Parke: Ami Horowitz first went to the East Village in New York City, asking white liberals if they think it will help the black community. The responses showed apparent anger and hatred toward law enforcement. Then Miss Horowitz went to the black neighborhood and heard a different message: However, when Horowitz traveled to Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem, he heard a different tune from black residents. Another woman said, "I have family members that are police. I respect the police. I would not want to see a lawless society." No kidding that no one wants a lawless society! Especially blacks living in neighborhoods in Chicago, Los Angeles, etc. Add this: BET founder Robert Johnson said the movement to topple Confederate statues, edit Gone with the Wind, and fire professors is meaningless to the black community. Let me translate what Mr. Johnson said: Blacks do not have a confederate statues problem. Last, but not least, Mr. Johnson called them "borderline anarchists." So don't be surprised if many blacks from coast to coast vote for a law and order candidate this fall. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Pakistan's anti-graft body has filed a reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Jang/Geo media group owner Mir Shakilur Rahman and two others in a land case in the Lahore's accountability court. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the reference after approval from its head, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal. The other two suspects are former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director Humayun Faiz Rasool and former director (land) Mian Bashir. The accountability court has issued notices to all respondents for June 29. In 1986, when he was the Punjab chief minister, Sharif had allegedly allotted 54-'kanal' land in Lahore to Mir Shakilur Rehman in violation of rules. Rahman has been on judicial remand after being arrested by the NAB on March 12. In the reference, Sharif and the two LDA officers were accused of misuse of authority in allotting the precious land along the canal to Rahman in violation of the rules. Since Sharif did not respond to any of NAB's summons and questions, his arrest warrants had already been issued and the bureau announced to have moved the accountability court to declare him a proclaimed offender. The three-time premier had left for London in November after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission to go abroad for treatment. He had submitted an undertaking to the court to return to Pakistan, citing his record of facing the law and justice, within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors. Sharif was given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills case, in which he was serving a seven-year prison sentence in Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was also given bail in a money-laundering case to facilitate his travel abroad. Sharif has been diagnosed with "complicated coronary artery/ischemic heart disease with significant disease burden". Maryam Nawaz had said her father was a high-risk patient therefore his cardiac catheterisation/coronary intervention had been postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Floyd was killed by a policeman in Minnesota, US while being taken into custody. Chennai, June 27 (IANS) The death of a father and son in police custody in Tamil Nadus Thoothukudi district was worse than that of Geroge Floyd in the US, said Abraham Mathai, founder of Harmony Foundation and former Vice Chairman of Maharashtra State Minorities Commission. Jayaraj and Benicks, aka Fenix were booked for not closing their mobile shop in time on June 19 by the Sathankulam police in Tuticorin district in Tamil Nadu. They were remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Kovilpatti jail on June 21. Jayaraj died on June 22 night and his son Benicks on June 23 morning in judicial custody. The families alleged that police assault led to their deaths. "Today, there is deafening silence from a large portion of those very people who demanded action in George Floyd's case. When it is closer home, our voices should be raised even louder. No one should get away with murder. Least of all those whom we trust with ensuring law and order," Mathai said. Meanwhile the demand for stringent action against the police personnel and others involved in the alleged deaths due to torture is increasing. According to P.S.Raman, Convener, the Tamil Nadu Senior Advocates Forum has passed a resolution demanding action against the guilty involved in the brutal deaths of Jayaraj and Bennix. "The Magistrate who remanded them to judicial custody, the duty doctor who issued the fitness certificate as well as the jailor have all wholly failed in their duties and contributed to the tragedy," the resolution said. "We strongly condemn the incident which demonstrates lack of respect for the rule of law and leads to failing public confidence in administration in these trying times. We call for justice to be done by swift meaningful steps in accordance with law and bring the guilty to book," the resolution reads. Mathai wondered whether policemen are given a licence to kill the minute they don their uniform. "The brutal torture and murder of this father and son in Tamil Nadu in police custody is terribly shocking and demands for drastic and punitive action to be taken with immediate effect. Should it be inferred that our law enforcement officers are following the example of their counterparts in the United States?," Mathai said. "If that be the case then, the same punitive action of arresting and charging them with murder should be applied in the killing of Jayaraj and his son Bennix," he added. According to Mathai, the state government need not await directions from the Madras High Court which has taken suo moto cognizance but should immediately register an FIR and arrest these policemen to show the world that they operate and govern with a conscience. In the US the government didn't wait for any court directive but immediately charged the guilty policeman with murder, he pointed out. --IANS vj/sdr/bg Jonas is Adam. Jonas is also the Stranger. Mikkel exists both in 2019, as Michael and Mikkel, and Mikkel also exists in 1986. As Dark Season 3 releases, the German show which appealed to its audiences for its multi-layered, multiple theories releases in India today on Netflix, fans are revising on the connections that exists - and let's be honest, it's a spider-web of connection, only the spider-web is absolute chaos. Before you dive deep into Season 3, let's re-hash some of the most important connections on the show, of what we know so far. The basic: Time is not linear. Time is an endless loop. The past doesn't only influence the future, the future also influences the past. Which character came first? Which character comes last? Where is the beginning? Where is the end? And who run this world? A group of time travelers, first formed in 1921, called Sic Mundus Creatus Est. The central character (so far) has been Jonas. His father is Micheal (in 2019) and Mikkel (in 2019 and 1986) who traveled back to the past. Martha is Jonas's aunt. Martha and Jonas also fall in love, in 2019. Jonas wants Martha to believe that they are perfect for each other, and never to believe anything else. But the end of Season 2 hints that Martha may be from another world. And we're confused. Is it more that just parallel timelines? Is it parallel realities now? Trying to remember all timelines of dark for season 3 #DarkNetflix pic.twitter.com/Pd2poFJE3k Tusharwarkade (@Tusharwarkade22) June 27, 2020 Here's who's really related to who, and how. Dark Season 3 comes out tomorrow! The plan is to sleep all day today and binge watch it as soon as it releases. here's the updated family tree with 3 or more versions of each character from 4 different cycles (1953, 1986, 2019, 2052). I'm so ready to get Mindfucked!! #DarkNetflix pic.twitter.com/6pMd1r0XQE Sachin Rssaniya Prajapati (@RssaniyaSachin) June 27, 2020 And the apocalypse, which destroys everything caused by an event at the nuclear power plant, is today. The end has arrived #DarkNetflix pic.twitter.com/CjF2zRtreV THE DAY OF THE APOCALYPSE (@_RodrigoAvila) June 27, 2020 Want to be sure Season 3 is worth it before being sure you want to get into more complex theories about Dark? You can read our review here. UN chief urges all-out push to prevent Iran deal 'destruction' Iran Press TV Thursday, 25 June 2020 10:42 PM Amid the US's unashamed drive targeting the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world countries, the United Nations secretary-general urges exhaustion of all possible means to prevent "destruction" of the historic accord. "Our position in relation to the JCPOA has always been the same. We consider [that] the JCPOA was a very important step forward in relation to the question of nuclear proliferation," Antonio Guterres told an online press conference on Thursday in response to a question posed by IRNA. "And we still believe that everything must be done in order to make sure that the JCPOA is not destroyed," he added. Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the landmark deal was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany -- in 2015. However, in May 2018, US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled his country out of the JCPOA and later re-imposed the sanctions that had been lifted against Tehran on the back of the deal. Although it is no longer a party to the deal, Washington has recently launched a campaign to renew an embargo on the sales of conventional weapons to the Islamic Republic that will expire under the accord in October. To try and rationalize its efforts, the US says it is still "named" as a JCPOA partner in UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorses the nuclear deal. Tehran says Washington, due to its unilateral withdrawal, has forfeited all rights to have a say in the agreement. Guterres was speaking a day after the US briefed the Security Council on a resolution it has drafted to extend the embargo, in response to IRNA's question whether Washington was trying to either weaken or annihilate the JCPOA using a recent report on Resolution 2231 by the UN chief. Guterres had told the Security Council in that report, which was seen by Reuters on June 11, that cruise missiles used in several attacks on oil facilities and an international airport in Saudi Arabia in November 2019 and February 2020 had been of "Iranian origin." He had also said the "items may have been transferred in a manner inconsistent" with Resolution 2231. Iran's Foreign Ministry has reacted to the report, saying it has been devised under political pressure from the US and the Saudi regimes. The ministry also regretted that the report had been prepared, while the world body, based on an unusual interpretation of Resolution 2231, has so far refrained from reporting on numerous violations of the resolution by the US and European states, including Washington's unlawful withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, which is a grave violation of the resolution. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Delhi government will convert one banquet hall in every district into a temporary Covid health centre (CHC) to treat patients with moderate symptoms, senior officials in the health department said on Saturday. These facilities will have at least 100 beds each and will be attached to a Covid dedicated hospital, stated the orders that were issued later in the day. The decision comes after the first such Covid care facility was readied in the Central district on June 24. On Wednesday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal visited the 100-bed covid facility in Shehnai banquet hall which has been attached to Lok Nayak hospital. The hospital is located just across the road from the banquet hall. The chief minister liked the concept and the arrangements, and has now directed that each of the 11 districts in Delhi should have one such facility, a health department official said. Accordingly, principal secretary (health and family welfare) Vikram Dev Dutt issued an order on Saturday evening, notifying one banquet hall each in eight of the 11 districts. Apart from Shehnai banquet hall, the others include JJV Marketing and Hotels Pvt Limited in New Delhi district which will have 100 beds and has been attached to Lok Nayak hospital, Pearl Grand Galaxy in Shahdara district with 135 beds (GTB hospital), Kanak Banquet hall with 100 beds in southeast districts Sarita Vihar area (GTB hospital), Kundan banquet hall (160 beds) in southwest (Lok Nayak hospital), RK Banquet (160 beds) in West Delhi (Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty hospital), Heritage Grand (200 beds) in northwest Delhi (Deep Chand Bandhu hospital) and Zehan banquet hall (100 beds) in north Delhi (Satyawati Raja Harish Chandra hospital). Also read | Covid-19: As India records highest daily spike, Govt underlines recovery rate at 58%, mortality rate at 3% Three districts have been kept out of this for different reasons. The northeast district will have no such facility since the area is densely populated, the order stated. The South district is also not included in the plan because it has the 10,000-bed Covid facility, touted to the largest in the world, in Chhatarpur. Similarly, in the the east district a 500-bed Covid care facility is coming up at the Commonwealth Games Village. Since these facilities will be for Covid-19 patients with moderate symptoms, each bed will have oxygen concentrators as well as an IV fluid stand. If the patients condition worsens, he will be taken to the attached hospital immediately, the official said. Identifying the banquet halls was not tough for the DMs because they already had the list of around 77 banquet halls across the city, requisition orders of which were issued weeks ago. So, they just had to scan through that list, do a final recce and pick the most suitable one to start the facility. The criteria for finalising these halls included a proper approach road for an ambulance and other parameters such as space for at least 100 beds and washrooms, said an official in the revenue department. On June 13, HT reported that the Delhi government had identified 40 hotels and 77 banquet halls to be turned into Covid facilities, which once fully utilised can add over 15,800 beds to the city-states health care infrastructure. As per Saturdays order, the DMs will have to provide beds, pillows and mattresses, while the banquet hall owners will arrange caretaking and housekeeping staff. The linked hospitals will provide all doctors and medical staff, infrastructure, consumables, services, etc. Addressing a digital press conference on Saturday, Kejriwal said the Delhi government is augmenting Covid beds at a massive scale. He said Delhi now has around 13,500 beds available out of which nearly 7,500 were vacant as on Saturday afternoon. In the past one month, we scaled up the availability of Covid-19 beds in the citys hospitals. Our first decision was to reserve at least 40% of beds in all major hospitals of Delhi for Covid patients. Second decision was to convert some government and private hospitals into dedicate Covid facilities. Thirdly, we attached several hotels were attached to hospitals. The hotels were against the move and went to court. We won the legal battle and now 3,500 beds are ready in various hotels across Delhi, Kejriwal said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Yesterday while out on a walk I was inspired to post this Tweet: Well, today comes this announcement from the president of Princeton, which has decided to strip Woodrow Wilsons name from everything: To the Princeton community: When I wrote to you on Monday morning, I noted that the Princeton University Board of Trustees was discussing how the University could oppose racism and would soon convene a special meeting on that topic. The meeting took place yesterday. On my recommendation, the board voted to change the names of both the School of Public and International Affairs and Wilson College. As you will see from the boards statement, the trustees concluded that Woodrow Wilsons racist thinking and policies make him an inappropriate namesake for a school or college whose scholars, students, and alumni must stand firmly against racism in all its forms. As most of you know, the board previously considered whether to remove Wilsons name after a group of student activists occupied my office in November 2015. The Wilson Legacy Review Committee conducted a thorough, deliberative process. In April 2016, it recommended a number of reforms to make this University more inclusive and more honest about its history. The committee and the board, however, left Wilsons name on the School and the College. The board reconsidered these conclusions this month as the tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Rayshard Brooks drew renewed attention to the long and damaging history of racism in America. Board Chair Weezie Sams 79 and I spoke individually to members of the board, and it then met on June 26. The board continues to respect, as do I, the Wilson Legacy Review Committees process and report, including its description of Wilsons historical record and its presumption that names adopted by the trustees after full and thoughtful deliberation will remain in place, especially when the original reasons for adopting the names remain valid. The board nevertheless concluded that the presumption should yield in this case because of considerations specific to Wilsons racist policies and to how his name shapes the identities of the School and the College. Wilsons racism was significant and consequential even by the standards of his own time. He segregated the federal civil service after it had been racially integrated for decades, thereby taking America backward in its pursuit of justice. He not only acquiesced in but added to the persistent practice of racism in this country, a practice that continues to do harm today. Wilsons segregationist policies make him an especially inappropriate namesake for a public policy school. When a university names a school of public policy for a political leader, it inevitably suggests that the honoree is a model for students who study at the school. This searing moment in American history has made clear that Wilsons racism disqualifies him from that role. In a nation that continues to struggle with racism, this University and its school of public and international affairs must stand clearly and firmly for equality and justice. The School will now be known as The Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. The University had already planned to close Wilson College and retire its name after opening two new residential colleges currently under construction. Rather than ask students in the College to identify with the name of a racist president for the next two years, the University will accelerate retirement of the name. The College will instead be known as First College in recognition of its status as the first of the residential colleges that now play an essential role in the residential life of all Princeton undergraduates. These conclusions may seem harsh to some. Wilson remade Princeton, converting it from a sleepy college into a great research university. Many of the virtues that distinguish Princeton today including its research excellence and its preceptorial system were in significant part the result of Wilsons leadership. He went on to the American presidency and received a Nobel Prize. People will differ about how to weigh Wilsons achievements and failures. Part of our responsibility as a University is to preserve Wilsons record in all of its considerable complexity. Wilson is a different figure from, say, John C. Calhoun or Robert E. Lee, whose fame derives from their defenses of the Confederacy and slavery (Lee was often honored for the very purpose of expressing sympathy for segregation and opposition to racial equality). Princeton honored Wilson not because of, but without regard to or perhaps even in ignorance of, his racism. That, however, is ultimately the problem. Princeton is part of an America that has too often disregarded, ignored, or excused racism, allowing the persistence of systems that discriminate against Black people. When Derek Chauvin knelt for nearly nine minutes on George Floyds neck while bystanders recorded his cruelty, he might have assumed that the system would disregard, ignore, or excuse his conduct, as it had done in response to past complaints against him. The steps taken yesterday by the Board of Trustees are extraordinary measures. These are not the only steps our University is taking to combat the realities and legacy of racism, but they are important ones. I join the trustees in hoping that they will provide the University, the School of Public and International Affairs, and our entire community with a firm foundation to pursue the mission of teaching, research, and service that has defined our highest aspirations and generated our greatest achievements throughout our history and today. With best wishes, Christopher L. Eisgruber The number of COVID-19 containment zones in Delhi will increase in the coming days after a re-mapping of such areas as authorities have decided to divide them into micro clusters for better surveillance and contact-tracing, officials said on Friday. In Northwest district, where the exercise has been concluded, there has been a rise in the number of containment zones from 21 to 28, an official said. In some districts, the process is yet to begin as officials are still redrawing the boundaries of the containment zones, another official said. As on Friday, there are 280 COVID-19 containment zones in the city. According to a revised COVID-19 response plan issued by the Delhi government, the re-mapping of the containment zones should be completed by June 30. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently advised the Delhi government to implement the containment strategy recommended by the V K Paul Committee. The committee had recommended that the containment zones be drawn afresh and strict vigil and control maintained on their borders and the activities taking place in these areas. The amended or new limits of the containment zones should be ready by June 26, a 100-per cent survey of the zones should be done by June 30 and a comprehensive survey for the rest of Delhi should be done by July 6, according to the timetable. TORONTO, June 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dealnet Capital Corp. ("Dealnet" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: DLS), in collaboration with Carrier Enterprises, announced an exclusive EcoHome Financial promotional financing offer for July and August of 2020 available to Canadian Carrier Factory Authorized Dealers and their customers. "The summer months have finally arrived. Consumers are looking for compelling, flexible financing options when deciding to purchase or lease a Carrier air conditioner and other HVAC products. said Brent Houlden, Dealnet's Chief Executive Officer. "This exclusive Carrier promotion is available to consumers from coast to coast. About Dealnet Capital Corp. Dealnet is the parent company of subsidiaries operating in two market segments, consumer finance and call centre. The Company operates in the consumer finance segment in Canada through EcoHome Financial Inc. (EcoHome) and its call centre segment under the One Contact banner (One Contact). EcoHome is a specialty finance company serving the $20 billion Canadian home improvement finance market. EcoHome develops and supports consumer sales financing programs for approved dealers and distributors under agreements with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that supply a wide range of home improvement products to the retail market. Through a dealer network, EcoHome underwrites, originates, funds and services the prime quality loans and leases that homeowners need to finance the acquisition and installation of capital assets that improve the quality, comfort and safety of their homes. One Contact offers customer support services to third-party institutions across Canada and the U.S. and to EcoHome. For additional information please visit www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Statements This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Contact Information Before the pandemic hit, when the opposition Conservatives were attacking the Liberals for running up the deficit, Justin Trudeau would point to the countrys triple-A credit rating as proof that his government was on the right track, thank you very much. Canadas debt has been considered top-notch by financial markets since 2004, and the triple-A credit rating seemed like a convenient and easy way for the prime minister to undermine deficit hawks. But the fact that one of the leading credit rating agencies has taken us down a notch, to AA+, is no reason to panic and look for a retrenchment in government spending. Now is certainly not the time to cut back in response to whatever Fitch Ratings says, in the hopes that it will change its mind. That kind of fiscal policy could ruin any chance we have of a humane and lasting recovery from the deepest economic crisis in recent history. But nor should we brush its concerns about the Canadian trajectory under the rug. Instead, its worth looking closely at why Fitch downgraded Canadas debt, and what the implications are for our economic recovery from the pandemic. Fitch is one of three American rating agencies whose analysis goes a long way to determining how much governments around the world pay the investors who buy their debt. In theory, a downgrade would make it more expensive for a government to borrow because its debt is considered riskier. Markets didnt pay much heed to the Fitch downgrade earlier this week, but theres a chance that other rating agencies could follow its lead, or that Fitch could set its sights on provincial debt next. The risk is that at a time when Canadas debt load is exploding, it will also cost way more to service. Thats a terrible combination. So far, that hasnt happened, and Canadas debt is in as much demand as ever, but finance ministers have been put on notice. The Fitch analysts point to a few key concerns about Canada, most related to our long-term prospects rather than how the federal and provincial governments are handling the pandemic. Canadas dependence on oil, the high debt load saddling the provinces, interprovincial trade barriers, a constrained housing supply, an erosion of competitiveness with the United States and years of below-par growth, even during the good times those are the things that bring us down, according to the Fitch analysis. Those problems predate the pandemic and will outlast it. The handling of pandemic, on the other hand, has caused a temporary ballooning of the federal balance sheet, but no bigger than in other countries. The Fitch analysis flags federal-provincial tensions as something that could cause trouble in stabilizing deficits in the medium term, but the pandemic has shown that the different levels of government can actually get along in a pinch, thank goodness. So a key takeaway from Fitch for Canadas finance ministers is to be careful, dont let confederation politics get in the way, and make sure you withdraw the pandemic spending before it becomes endemic. But not too fast. New number-crunching from economists at the Scotiabank shows what would happen if Canadians were left to fend for themselves before the economy is back on its feet, and its a picture of a deeper and longer recession than what were facing right now. Yes, government costs continue to rise, spending is surging, and the debt burden will likely rise to about 47 per cent of the size of the economy, they say. Canadas GDP is set to contract a dreadful 7.3 per cent this year but without government help, it would shrink by 10.3 per cent, with all the ripple effects of that on bankruptcies and unemployment. Todays fiscal spending is contributing to substantial economic outcomes while raising net debt levels only marginally, say economists Rene Lalonde and Rebekah Young in a report to be published Monday. Well be in a better place two years from now if they continue to spend over that horizon, Young said in an interview. But the Fitch analysts could be forgiven for not having much faith that Finance Minister Bill Morneau will calibrate fiscal support in tune with the needs of the economy, and then withdraw it carefully when we start to stabilize. After all, he has not produced a budget this year, and has consistently rejected calls to lay out even a short-term plan that would show how the government wants propel and pay for a recovery. On July 8, Morneau will finally put forward what he calls a fiscal snapshot not a full budget by a long shot, but still an excellent opportunity to address the concerns of rating agencies, the opposition and anyone else worried about bulging deficits. If Morneau uses that document to explain how his government sees the pandemic recession unwinding, what role he sees for government programs and lending in the recovery, the risks to his plan, and the options for eventually financing it all, he could go a long way toward addressing concerns about Canadas economic health. Bonus points if he makes vulnerable workers and precarious industries as top priorities in all that. Read more about: An Humble man who worked for a Cypress construction company has paid back the first $100,000 to his former employer this month after being accused of filing fraudulent timesheets and depositing the checks by the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Luis Ernesto Morales, 39, was facing a 20 year prison sentence when he agreed to pay Toney Construction Services $300,000 in exchange for two years of deferred adjudication probation. He is required to return the remaining $200,000 as part of his probation, District Attorney Kim Ogg said. HIGHER ED: Lone Star details plans for federal coronavirus funds Making a victim whole goes a long way toward seeking justice, Ogg said in a statement. Crime shouldnt pay, and Morales will pay back $300,000 in restitution as part of this agreement. Morales attorney David Nachtigall, said on Friday his client entered into an agreement with the Harris County District Attorneys Office not to contest the allegations made against him to avoid the expense and uncertainty of continued litigation with the State. Mr. Morales has neither pleaded guilty or been convicted of any crime in relation to these allegations, he said. Morales was an employee at Toney Construction Services in Cypress since 2003 and eventually became a superintendent, overseeing employees at several job sites, owner David Toney said. I dont think Luis ever worked at another job since high school. Hes worked for us since he was a senior, Toney said. Toney said his employees are like family to him, but the relationship changed in late 2017 when Morales and another employee left and started another business called Morco Construction. Martin John, another close friend and partner with a small percentage in ownership in the company, announced he was retiring, Toney said. His last day was Dec. 31, 2017. About two weeks later, Morales turned in his resignation, telling Toney that he couldnt handle the stress and had a side business with home and residential construction that he would turn to instead. The loss was difficult. We took family vacations together with Martin, Toney said. Both of these guys we took into our company. As soon as Toney took over the duties of John, he said he began discovering discrepancies with the payroll and credit card charges. The district attorneys office said investigators discovered Morales had filed fraudulent timesheets and deposited the checks for employees who either no longer worked for the company or had never worked there, between 2013 and 2018 when he left the company. Several former employees also contacted the company, reporting that the tax records for their payments showed they were paid much more than what they actually earned, the county said. After an investigation, Morales was arrested and accused of second-degree felony theft aggregate up to $300,000. Despite Johns position in the company for more than a decade, no connections were made to him and the scheme by Morales to steal money from Toney Construction. Morales pled no contest and Toney said he was given an option by the District Attorneys Office. Breaking News: Get email alerts from Chron.com sent directly to your inbox Over a period of a couple of months, we figured out that Luis was turning in ghost employees for payroll, Toney said. Some of them may have worked for us for a couple of weeks, but then he was turning in time sheets for ghost employees that didnt work for us. The DAs office explained to Toney that since it was a first-time offense, it was doubtful that the judge would give him both a jail sentence and restitution. They asked us which one. The money is good and would be helpful right now, he said, but that wasnt his main reason for choosing the restitution, he said. Morales has two daughters and Toney said he couldnt bare to take their dad away for prison time. I know his daughters and wife. Were a family-owned business, and it would be difficult to send their dad off to prison for years, he said. Toney said the whole situation has been difficult. It hit us hard financially. It hit us harder personally, he said. Toney has three of his own children working in the company. Two of Johns step-sons still work at Toney Construction as well. It was a difficult decision on whether to keep them, but Toney continues to allow them to stay with the company. One of the two, Jeremy, was a superintendent in the company and has now been promoted to senior project manager. When individuals are placed in a position of trust, supporting the livelihoods of employees and owners, and they choose to abuse that trust by stealing, this is the very definition of betrayal, said Assistant District Attorney Sherin Daniel, the prosecutor who handled the case. Stealing from a company is not just stealing from a corporate entity, its stealing from the people who work there and from the owners. It effects the economic health of the company and hurts their ability to contribute to their community. Toney received the $100,000 in late June. He said he will wait and see whether Morales follows through with the payments. Well come through this stronger. We have good things ahead of us, he said. dtaylor@hcnonline.com Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Snow during the morning will yield to a mostly cloudy sky during the afternoon. High 23F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snowfall around one inch.. Tonight Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low around 10F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. The lackadaisical approach adopted by the municipal corporation (MC) in cleaning the Buddha Nullah is likely to take a toll on the residents during the coming monsoon season as silt has again accumulated at different points including, New Kundanpuri and main Haibowal Puli. The residents have also been raising concern over the dumping of silt, which is removed from the nullah, along its banks. They rued that it would again flow into the nullah during rainfall and the MC should regularly shift the silt from the site. Ratan Singh, a resident of the New Kundanpuri area, said, Every time the residents have to bear the brunt for the MCs failure in getting the nullah cleaned. This year also, the MC had commenced the desilting work with a delay of around two months. The work was being carried out rigorously during the initial days. Now again, filth has accumulated in the nullah which reduces its capacity and leads to overflowing of the nullah during the rainy season. Former BJP councillor Narinder Malhi said, The desilting process is not being taken up properly and silt is not being removed from the centre. The silt which is being removed is being dumped along the banks, which will again flow into the nullah during rainfall. MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said, Poclain machines have been deployed and the nullah is being cleaned regularly. Machinery has also been deployed to shift the silt which is lifted out. Residents are also at fault as they dump waste into the nullah. The officials of operations and maintenance cells have been told to keep the nullah and internal drain lines clean so that residents dont face trouble due to water accumulation or overflowing of nullah during monsoon. The nullah overflows almost every year near the New Kundanpuri area, Upkar Nagar and surrounding areas, leaving the residents in a fix as the rainwater mixed with sewer enters their houses. June 26, 2020 Release Joint U.S. and U.K. Readout of Call Between U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper and U.K. Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace U.K. Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace spoke yesterday with U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper, who visited Royal Air Force Base Mildenhall. They emphasized the continued importance of the two nations' collaboration and friendship as we face challenges and opportunities together both now and in the future. The Secretaries exchanged views on approaches to shared global security challenges, including COVID-19. Secretary Wallace and Secretary Esper discussed the security situation in Libya, ongoing operations in Afghanistan, the threat from Russia, and support to Ukraine. Secretary Wallace briefed on the UK's Integrated Foreign, Security and Defense Review and they discussed how best to foster closer industrial cooperation. Secretary Esper also expressed his gratitude for the United Kingdom's continued partnership as a stalwart Ally of the United States, and emphasized the continued U.S. commitment to NATO and transatlantic security. https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2233148/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The time to debate the deadly reality of the pandemic has long passed. Similarly, by now we should have reached consensus on the best measures for dealing with the health crisis. We should all wear masks in public. We should stay 6 feet apart from each other. We must avoid indoor gatherings of large groups, for now. Satara : , June 27 (IANS) Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Saturday urged him not to politicise matters of national security, and remember that after the 1962 India-China war, 45,000 square km of Indian territory were occupied by the Chinese. "Let's not forget what happened in 1962 when China occupied 45,000 square km of India's territory. While leveling such allegations, one must also consider what happened in the past," said the former Defence Minister. Pawar was responding to questions about Gandhi's accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surrendered Indian territory to China in the recent border skirmishes in Galwan Valley of Ladakh. He reiterated that such matters of national security should not be politicised, referring to the disputed Aksai Chin area under China's control but claimed by India. Giving a breather to the Centre, Pawar said it cannot be blamed for the developments in Galwan Valley since Indian soldiers tried to push back the Chinese soldiers when they tried to encroach on our territory. "If our army had not been alert, we would not have known about the Chinese actions... The scuffle means we were vigilant or we would have been caught unawares. To term it as a failure of the Defence Minister or anyone else is not correct, and it is unfair to make such allegations," said Pawar. The NCP chief also referred to the India-China agreement in which both nations decided not to use firearms at the LAC. On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers of the Bihar Regiment, including its commander, were killed after clashes with Chinese soldiers at the Galwan Valley, sparking off a major political fracas. The NCP is a component of the 3-party alliance comprising Shiv Sena and Congress in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. WASHINGTON Four minutes into a video that was posted on Instagram last month, Justin Bieber leaned into the camera and adjusted the front of his black knit beanie. For some of his 130 million followers, it was a signal. In the video, someone had posted a comment asking Mr. Bieber to touch his hat if he had been a victim of a child-trafficking ring known as PizzaGate. Thousands of comments were flooding in, and there was no evidence that Mr. Bieber had seen that message. But the pop stars innocuous gesture set off a flurry of online activity, which highlighted the resurgence of one of social medias early conspiracy theories. Viewers quickly uploaded hundreds of videos online analyzing Mr. Biebers action. The videos were translated into Spanish, Portuguese and other languages, amassing millions of views. Fans then left thousands of comments on Mr. Biebers social media posts asking him if he was safe. Within days, searches for Justin and PizzaGate soared on Google, and the hashtag #savebieber started trending. Four years ago, ahead of the 2016 presidential election, the baseless notion that Hillary Clinton and Democratic elites were running a child sex-trafficking ring out of a Washington pizzeria spread across the internet, illustrating how a crackpot idea with no truth to it could blossom on social media and how dangerous it could be. In December 2016, a vigilante gunman showed up at the restaurant with an assault rifle and opened fire into a closet. New Delhi: Indian Government sources on Saturday snubbed and rejected an offer by Pakistan to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Indian pilgrims on June 29 on the death anniversary of the 19th century Emperor of the Sikh Kingdom Maharaja Ranjit Singh, saying that Pakistan is trying to create a mirage of goodwill but has proposed this at the very short notice of just two days. Sources said there should be at least seven days of advance notice as per the pact between the two nations due to preparations that need to be done for the registration process. Sources also pointed out that any cross-border travel can only be permitted in consultation with health authorities, adding that the advent of monsoon would require evaluating the safety of the pilgrims on the corridor. Sources further added that Pakistan has not built the bridge on their side across the flood plains of Ravi river despite having committed to it in the bilateral agreement. This comes at a time of rock-bottom bilateral ties, as both countries are reducing their staff strength at their respective High Commissions by half, after India fired the salvo earlier this week on Tuesday. Hailing the Kartarpur Corridor as a true symbol of peace and religious harmony, Pakistan on Saturday morning offered to open the corridor, saying that as religious places are gradually opening up around the world, Pakistan has also made necessary arrangements to reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims. Islamabad also invited New Delhi to work out necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for reopening of the Corridor to ensure compliance with health guidelines. Pakistan had temporarily closed the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on March 16 this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both countries had inaugurated the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on both sides of the border (Indian and Pakistani Punjab) in November 2018 for the 550th birth anniversary of the first Guru of the Sikhs Guru Nanak. The corridor leads to the historic Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara now located close to the border in Pakistani Punjab where Guru Nanak had spent the last years of his life in the 16th century. Rejecting the offer, Indian government sources on Saturday said, "Cross border travel has been temporarily suspended as part of measures to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus. Further view would be taken in consultation with health authorities and other stakeholders concerned. ... Besides, Pakistan has not built the bridge on their side across the flood plains of Ravi river despite having committed to it in the bilateral agreement. With the advent of monsoon, it would need to be evaluated whether pilgrim movement is possible throught the corridor in a safe and secure manner." Washington, June 27 : US President Donald Trump has said on social media that he has signed an executive order to protect the country's monuments. "I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence," Trump tweeted on Friday, Xinhua reported. "Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!" the president said on Twitter. The order enforces laws prohibiting the desecration of public monuments, the vandalism of government property, and recent acts of violence, withholds federal support tied to public spaces from state and local governments that have failed to protect public monuments, and withdraws federal grants for jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies that fail to stop their desecration, said a local media report. It also provides assistance for protecting federal statues, according to the report. Also on Friday, Attorney General Bill Barr directed the creation of a task force to counter anti-government extremists, specifically naming those who support the far-right "boogaloo" movement and left-wing radicals who identify as Antifa. Trump said on Tuesday he would sign such an executive order, one night after police thwarted demonstrators' attempts to tear down a statue of former President Andrew Jackson near the White House. Four hundred National Guard troops have been activated in Washington DC to guard monuments and infrastructure and Trump has personally instructed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to restore the only Confederate statue in the US capital city after it was torn down on June 19, local media reported. Trump's order came as numerous controversial statues across the country have been targeted amid weeks of protests and civil unrest across the country following the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by a white police officer who held him down with a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes a month ago. Protesters supporting the statues' removal have said that the monuments are in memory of figures believed to be symbols of racism. Trump warned that protesters who deface statues would face up to 10 years in prison, calling them "vandals, hoodlums, anarchists and agitators." The Veterans Memorial Preservation Act, a federal law passed in 2003, already makes it a crime to destroy or attempt to destroy a plaque, monument or statue "commemorating the service" of anyone who served in the armed forces. The law carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, according to another US media outlet report. University College Cork will play a leading role in Ireland's participation in the World Health Organisation's trial to evaluate potential Covid-19 treatments. Health Minister, Simon Harris, signed an agreement on behalf of the Government so Ireland can participate in WHO's Solidarity Trial. Mr Harris said 2.4m is being provided to support hospitals to recruit patients for the trial that would start next week. Several drugs have been included in the trial but other drugs can be assessed based on emerging evidence. More than 5,000 patients in over 400 hospitals across 35 countries have already been recruited for the trial to date and another 100 countries are awaiting approval to be included. By enrolling patients in many countries the trial aims to rapidly discover whether any of the drugs slow disease progression or improve survival. Mr Harris said he is glad Ireland is playing its part in the global response to the Covid-19 crisis, in solidarity with its international partners: There is still no proven treatments for Covid-19 and it is really important that any potential treatments are prescribed within the context of clinical trials where patients provide consent and everything is controlled and monitored." Lead investigator, Prof Joe Eustace, from UCC, said the trial might allow them to identify treatments that will reduce the severity of the infection, decrease the need for intensive care and reduce the infection's mortality rate. The trial that will run until March 2021 is being co-ordinated by the Health Research Board. Also involved are the six main university-based clinical research facilities and centres and their affiliated hospitals. Mr Harris said the trial is a key element in the country's preparedness for the second wave of Covid-19: Successful treatments will decrease the impact of Covid-19 on patients and Irish society, and the potential need for further lockdowns." Participation in the Solidarity-Ireland trial, which is only open to adults, is entirely voluntary and consent-based. The Government is delegating certain sponsor responsibilities to UCC and will provide indemnity to the college for performing these functions on its behalf. Prof Eustace is director of the Clinical Research Facility in Cork and chairman of the senior management team of HRB-Clinical Research Coordination Ireland. Funding for the trial will primarily support a cadre of research nurses and research assistants to optimise recruitment of patients across the country. Prof Eustace said the global trial was launched in mid-March and Ireland expressed an interest in participating from April: We have spent the last two months getting the various regulatory and ethical approvals for conducting the trial in Ireland. One of the reasons why the trial is so important is that other drugs can be added based on emerging evidence. Two treatment options being trialled are Remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral medication that is already being used in the US and Britain to treat seriously ill Covid-19 patients and Interferon Beta-1a, used to treat multiple sclerosis. Prof Eustace said they want as many patients as possible to benefit from being enrolled in the trial. Civil war politics is over in Irelands parliament, outgoing premier Leo Varadkar has said, after political rivals agreed to form a historic governing coalition. The coalition between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens was ratified on Friday night by all parties and confirmed by the nations parliament the following evening in a special meeting of Irish MPs hosted at Dublins Convention Centre to allow for social distancing. Micheal Martin, the Fianna Fail leader, has since been sworn in as Taoiseach by president Michael D Higgins at Dublin castle although the role will revert back to Fine Gaels Mr Varadkar halfway through the governments term. We are meeting away from our permanent chamber because of a historic pandemic which has struck Ireland and the rest of the world, Mr Martin told the parliament in his inaugural address. As of today, 2,278 people on this island have lost their lives. Many thousands more have fought a long struggle to recover. There is no community, no part of our country, which has escaped untouched. In the last three and a half months, enormous progress has been made in controlling the spread of the virus and treating those who have become sick. The struggle against the virus is not over. We must continue to contain its spread. We must be ready to tackle any new wave, and we must move forward rapidly to secure a recovery to benefit all of our people. Mr Varadkar, who has since been named as minister for enterprise, trade and employment alongside his role as deputy to Mr Martin, told the parliament the accord between the three parties was historic. I believe civil war politics ended a long time ago in our country, but today civil war politics ends in our parliament, he said. Two great parties coming together with another great party, the Green Party, to offer what this country needs, a stable government for the betterment of our country and for the betterment of our world. Joining Mr Varadkar in the new cabinet is Fine Gael deputy leader Simon Coveney, who returns to his post as minister for foreign affairs, alongside new faces from Fianna Fail, and the Greens. Their leader Eamon Ryan was named minister for climate action. While it had been expected that half of the posts would be filled by women, only four were appointed. While both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael can be classed as centre-right parties through the general lens of European politics, their agenda will be dragged slightly to the left by the coronavirus pandemic and their deal with the Greens. The programme for government is ambitious in scope, and will attempt to please a diverse spread of constituencies. It aims to spend its way out of the pandemic, although it does not include new tax measures a win for Fine Gael. Fianna Fail will point to housing commitments as a delivery on their manifesto promises, while the Greens have secured a big push for Ireland to reduce its carbon output. A unit exploring the future of a Shared Island is to be established within the office of the Taoiseach in a nod to Irish unity, which will aim to placate Sinn Fein voters. Cork-born Mr Martin will be Irelands 15th Taoiseach, but he is as establishment as they come in Dublin. An elected politician for three decades, he has served as minister for foreign affairs and for education, among other senior government roles, and he has led his party since 2011. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Although this is not Irelands first grand coalition, it is the first time that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have gone into office together. The two parties were born of opposing sides in the 1920s civil war, and fought over the terms of the treaty that saw Ireland break away from the UK. Since then, they have governed back and forth between them. While they commanded almost 85 per cent of the Irish vote between them by the 1980s, their support has eroded to the point where they now require the Greens to help them reach an overall majority even after they have joined forces. While Sinn Fein may have triumphed in this elections popular vote, the coalition has excluded them from office. Now, the party led by Mary Lou McDonald will be the official opposition in the Republic of Ireland for the first time. Describing the coalition as a marriage of convenience and accusing the government of shutting out the voices of millions of the nations voters by pushing her party into opposition, Ms McDonald added: Faced with the prospect of losing their grip on power, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have circled the wagons. Wall Street banks and carmakers led foreign companies into China this year as the government eased ownership limits and economic recovery hopes grew. Chinese investors, bothered by greater scrutiny overseas, simply flexed their financial power at home. Inbound mergers and acquisitions (M&A) reached US$13.4 billion this year through June 19, versus US$12.5 billion of outbound deals, according to data provider Refinitiv. This would be the second straight year the scale is tipped at half-year mark. Such a feat has not happened on an annual basis since 2005. "With China's further opening up, the enthusiasm of foreign investors on mergers and acquisitions in mainland China will gradually increase," said Cherrie Shi, senior counsel at the law firm FenXun Partners in Shanghai. Liberalisation policies have laid the foundation for higher levels of foreign investment, she added. The foreign appetite in M&As in China came against the backdrop of rising tensions and economic calamity caused by the US-China trade war, the coronavirus pandemic and new security laws in Hong Kong. They have stoked global concerns about Chinese-funded deals in sensitive industries, forcing Chinese buyers to focus at home. The likes of Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC and UBS have helped propel a rash of deals to acquire controlling stakes in their mainland securities, insurance and fund management joint venture units. German carmaker Volkswagen was the highlight in the auto sector. German carmaker Volkswagen agreed to pump more than 2 billion euros (US$2.3 billion) to acquire a 50 per cent stake in the parent of its Chinese electric-vehicle joint venture and to buy a 26 per cent stake in a Chinese battery supplier. "Foreign appetite for assets in China will remain robust, despite the chorus of political decoupling and economic reshoring talk, as long as China represents a sizeable share of global growth," Rhodium Group partners Thilo Hanemann and Daniel H. Rosen wrote in June 18 report. "Over the past 18 months, we have recorded levels of foreign M&A into China that were not seen in the previous decade." Story continues Meanwhile, China-bashing has only grown louder. In addition, the EU unveiled a plan on June 17 designed to protect European firms from foreign state-subsidised predators. Chinese investors thus kept their voracious appetite overseas in check. Overall, the value of China-targeted deals rose 3.1 per cent to US$156.3 billion through June 19, according to Refinitiv. That compared with a 68 per cent collapse in US-targeted deals and a 5.3 per cent decline in deals in Asia-Pacific during that period. "The single market is key to Europe's prosperity," Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition commissioner, said in the June 17 statement. "But it only works well if there's a level playing field." She previously warned the EU should be "vigilant" about potential deals by Chinese firms as Europe recovers more slowly from the coronavirus pandemic. "Europe is indeed open for business obviously, but people should come here for the right reasons," Vestager said in a Bloomberg TV interview on May 19. "To do business, not to come in with subsidies from third countries or to take technology out of the technology they acquire." Alan Wang, a partner at law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, said much of the activity domestically this year centred around China becoming more self-reliant in technology and other sectors as the geopolitical tensions worsens. He pointed to a US$2.2 billion investment by state-backed funds in May into Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, the mainland's biggest semiconductor chip maker, as one example. "You are probably going to see the state-backed funds becoming a lot more active in terms of those domestic investments and in some other areas where the Chinese government wants to push for more investment," Wang said. The biggest China deals this year have included China Zhongwang Holdings US$6.6 billion sale of its extrusions arm ahead of a back door listing and the US$6.4 billion privatisation of online classifieds group 58.com. Also notable was Bank of Jinzhou's US$6.4 billion equity sale to investment vehicles controlled by the Bank of China and the Liaoning province government as part of a capital injection plan, according to Refinitiv. Private-sector deals remain challenged as many firms are "struggling" in terms of their balance sheets and cash flows, Wang added. The value of outbound deals by Chinese firms in the first five months of the year was equivalent to HNA Group's US$6.5 billion purchase of a 25 per cent stake in Hilton Worldwide Holdings in 2016, the law firm said. Cross-border activity by Chinese firms is likely to remain muted in the second half of the year as lockdowns end and the global economy slowly recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, deal makers said. The economic slowdown continues, there is little liquidity in the market and it is more difficult for companies to travel to complete a deal because of measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus, according to Bee Chun Boo, a M&A partner at Baker McKenzie in Beijing. "Increased levels of protectionism also have significant impact on Chinese outbound investments and it is likely that investment flows will favour countries which provide more deal certainty to Chinese investors," he said. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Bolivia's Supreme Court on Friday issued a schedule for the country's delayed general election, including a date for an eventual second-round presidential run-off. Bolivians had been due to head to the polls in May to elect a successor to Evo Morales, the former president who resigned in November and fled the country into exile. Last week, interim President Jeanine Anez signed into law a bill confirming September 6 as the election date. And the country's top court has now said any second round run-off would be staged on October 18 with the transfer of power to a permanent president in November. To win outright in September's vote, presidential candidates need at least 40 percent of the vote plus a 10 point lead over the nearest challenger, otherwise the top two candidates will head to a second round. The court said that by publishing the program it aimed to "guarantee" the elections would take pace, albeit "with the appropriate public health protection measures" given the coronavirus pandemic. Anez had wanted to delay the election, claiming Bolivia will be in the middle of its health crisis in September. But after coming under fire with accusations she was trying to unlawfully hold on to power, the conservative politician relented and signed the bill into law. With 16.9 percent, Anez was trailing in third place in the most recent election opinion poll, behind centrist former president Carlos Mesa (18.3) and runaway leader Luis Arce (33.3), from Morales's Movement for Socialism party. Morales fled the country after three weeks of protests over his controversial re-election in October in a poll he was constitutionally barred from standing in. He had tried to hold on to power but lost the backing of the country's military after an Organization of American States audit found clear evidence of election fraud. Morales is currently living in exile in Argentina and is barred from standing in the general election, even as a legislator. The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 28,000 Bolivians, leaving over 900 dead, in a country of 11.5 million. Kristi Nix Fort Bend County reported a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day with 248 cases reported Thursday (June 25), according to data provided by the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Department reports. The countys overall total surged to 3,645 with the death count at 52. Thursdays increase eclipses the previous record on June 16 when 171 new cases were reported. Over the last week, Fort Bend County gained 694 new cases. The countys rising counts mirror a statewide trend. Texas officials announced Wednesday the state total increased by more than 5,000 new COVID-19 cases over the prior day, a new daily record. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott paused any further phases to reopen the state and issued an order to halt certain medical procedures as many of the states hospital ICU units were nearing capacity. Fort Bend County hospitals ICU beds are also approaching 100 percent capacity with 91 of the available 104 beds (87.5 percent) in use. Of those, patients being treated for COVID-19 account for 32 percent of the overall total. If needed, officials say empty beds in regular hospital rooms can be converted to help with the overflow. For Tunisias economy, tourism is crucial as restaurants, businesses and hotels await the return of visitors after the coronavirus lockdown. In the historic heart of Tunisias capital, Tunis, coppersmith Mohamed Chawchi is putting his skills to work. He hammers away at plates he plans to sell, hoping the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is over. The coronavirus outbreak was a very, very tough period, Chawchi said. Even after we reopened, its still been very difficult on artisanal activities because were working for tourists who still cant come here. Chawchis shop is in the old Medina of Tunis, a UNESCO world heritage site that treats visitors to a rich sampling of local crafts and cuisine. It is also an area thats usually overflowing with people. Five years ago, gunmen killed 38 European tourists at a beach resort near the city of Sousse an attack that affected the tourism sector significantly. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, Tunisia has 1,164 cases of coronavirus, including 50 deaths. With the number of daily new confirmed coronavirus cases in decline, government officials set June 27 as the date for reopening the countrys air, land and sea borders. Travel Agency owner Ali Hanfi is happy with the decision, but said Tunisia will face a harder time recovering from the effects of COVID-19 than it did from the aftermath of violence. Terrorism hit almost everywhere in the world and we survived and we knew how to overcome it, said Hanfi. But for coronavirus, it is affecting the whole world and, so far, we dont know yet how to deal with it. Tunisias hospitality sector is trying its best. At the El-Ali Restaurant in Tunis, that means new hygiene and social distancing measures have been implemented: hand sanitiser is being offered at the entrance and masks are mandatory for the staff. Jihan Bouhadra, owner and manager of the restaurant, says things are very different. We try to try to understand the behaviour of customers, Bouhadra said. Some of them are still afraid. Some of them think that it will return. In the town of Sidi Bou Said about 20km from Tunis with spectacular views of the Mediterranean boutique hotels like the Villa Bleue have been preparing for a while now. We dealt with professional cleaners to deep clean all the furniture, said hotel manager Mahdi Bouassida. All the curtains, beddings and floorings. Everything has been professionally done and we abide by the rules that were set by the government. With the rooms ready, all that is left now is for the guests to arrive. India is facing its most serious, multifaceted crisis in recent decades. There is, of course, a health emergency, with over half-a-million Covid-19 cases. Indias biggest cities are severely affected. And health infrastructure is falling short to cope with the surge in cases. There is an economic crisis. Despite some revival in activity and improvement in basic indicators with the easing of the lockdown, the economy is set to contract this fiscal year. The contraction could be as deep as 5%. Demand remains low, supply chains are interrupted, incomes have dipped, and unemployment persists. Then, there is the national security crisis. China has been aggressive at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), intruding into Indian territory, engaging in a military build-up, attempting to create new facts on the ground, and killing 20 Indian soldiers in a clash. Any government irrespective of its political orientation would struggle to deal with challenges on all fronts, simultaneously. But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government may have complicated matters further by not adequately ramping up testing and health infrastructure initially to deal with Covid-19; failing to anticipate the migrant workers crisis; announcing an economic package which had a limited fiscal component and, therefore, is perhaps inadequate to boost growth; and by being less-than-transparent about Chinese aggression. All three challenges also have a deep public resonance. Down to each village, corona is now a well-known disease, with apprehensions about its spread. A majority of citizens from entrepreneurs and salaried middle-class professionals to workers in the sprawling unorganised sector have felt the economic pinch. And nationalism is a deeply felt-emotion, with the deaths of 20 personnel of the Indian Army evoking anger across Indian society against Chinese misdemeanours. This combination of factors the scale of the crisis, the governments response, and the very public nature of each of these issues has prompted many to suggest that this is the beginning of the end of the BJPs political dominance. It is, indeed, true that this represents a possible political crisis for the ruling party. In 2019, the BJP won on a political agenda based on nationalism and welfare and pro-poor measures. This helped it erect a multi-class alliance. Today, the nationalism plank is under danger, with perceived weakness vis a vis Beijing, and the welfare plank is under threat, with the poor most severely affected by the pandemic. Yet, it would be a mistake to assume that the governance crises will translate into a political crisis for the BJP. In fact, all tangible signs, so far, suggest that the BJP remains comfortable politically. It has just increased its presence in the Rajya Sabha. In Bihar the next state headed for elections the party, and its ally, Janata Dal (United) continue to have the electoral edge. In Bengal, its big challenge next year, the party remains the principal challenger to Mamata Banerjee in what promises to be a tough contest. But at the macro-level, there are three reasons why, despite its possible governance deficits, the BJP has the political edge. The first is Narendra Modi himself. The fact is that a large number of voters are willing to give the prime minister (PM) the benefit of doubt on a range of issues. In the first term, when demonetisation began causing economic inconvenience or the Goods and Services Tax regime became a major impediment for businesses, citizens hailed the ideas since it was associated with Modi but blamed bureaucrats for flawed implementation. During the campaign run in 2019, it was common to meet young unemployed men willing to blame their own inadequacies but not Modi for the lack of job prospects. In this case too, there is nothing to indicate that people have stopped trusting Modi. On Covid-19, many argue that it is the nature of the disease itself which has been crippling, the entire world is affected, and, but for the PM having announced the national lockdown, the situation would have been worse. On the economy, many similarly, blame the disease rather than the government. And on China, voters may well blame Beijing and consolidate more strongly behind the government. In all these scenarios, the underlying element is the deep faith many voters have in Modi. It is not obvious yet that this faith is broken. The second factor is the inability of the Opposition to present a credible case. This has been the bane of the anti-BJP parties for six years at the national level. On the health, economic, or even national security challenge, it is not clear if voters believe that any of the Opposition parties would have necessarily done a better job or minimised distress. Instead, some of the criticism may well be counterproductive. While regional parties are broadly unwilling to take on the Centre on China, the Congress has adopted an aggressive posture. It may be asking the right questions about the lack of disclosure on the transgression or holding the government to account on its current strategy. But its deeply personalised attack on the PM has ended up giving the BJP an opportunity to argue that the Congress is actually pleased to see India in a spot. This will hurt its prospects. The absence of clear leadership within the Congress has not helped either, and there is no evidence to suggest that Rahul Gandhi has any more mass base and connect today than he had a year and a half ago during the elections. And finally, the BJP has an edge because it is the first party which has understood how the pandemic will fundamentally change political campaigning. Like its pioneering embrace of social media almost a decade ago, the BJP has understood that the forms of outreach to voters will fundamentally change. By organising digital rallies, keeping close track of its organisational apparatus on the ground, or mining data of welfare beneficiaries and reaching out to them, it is ahead in adapting to new modes of post-Covid campaigning, even as the Opposition confines itself to organising webinars. And that is why the story of governance and the story of politics could operate on different tracks in India. letters@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a news conference at Big Rig Brewery amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, June 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Justin Trudeau defended Friday employing WE Charity to administer a $900-million federal student aid program, despite the group's ties to the prime minister and his wife. Trudeau said the decision to use WE was made by the non-partisan public service, not by him. WE will administer the Canada Student Service Grant that provides eligible students with up to $5,000 for volunteer work with non-profit organizations helping to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government said Friday it has allocated $19.5 million to cover administrative costs. Of that amount, $5 million is for non-profits to provide volunteer jobs for students, including $300,000 for accessibility supports. The program is supposed to place up to 20,000 students in volunteer positions between now and October, and will only count hours accumulated during that time, leaving out anything done since the pandemic started. The grants will range from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the amount of time spent on volunteer work. The decision to go with WE raised conflict-of-interest concerns for Trudeau and some negative reactions on Twitter from some corners of the charities sector. Trudeau said delivery of the grant program demanded an organization able to reach the tens of thousands of students the government hopes to help with the program. "As the public service dug into it, they came back with only one organization that was capable of networking and organizing and delivering this program on the scale that we needed it, and that was the WE program," he said at press conference in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata. Speaking to The Canadian Press on Thursday, Youth Minister Bardish Chagger said it's not unusual for the government to outsource such work, noting the United Way is tasked with dispersing emergency COVID-19 grants to non-profits and charities. "WE Charity demonstrated to have the capacity to deliver this program and that's why it was recommended by the department," Chagger said. WE directed questions to the government. The department that signed the deal, Employment an Social Development Canada, said the government has set the "high-level funding parameters" for the program, "including the objectives, desired outcomes, eligible expenditures, and performance measurement." But it said WE is "not acting on the government's behalf," nor will Ottawa "direct or dictate" how WE carries out their project. New Democrat Charlie Angus called the decision "highly dubious" because Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau have appeared at events run by the WE organization, and Gregoire Trudeau hosts one of their podcasts. "The COVID crisis shouldn't be used to privatize public jobs to groups who hang with the Trudeaus," he tweeted. Trudeau said there's no conflict of interest, since the WE organization, founded by brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger, isn't making a profit on the work and neither he nor his wife is paid for anything they do with the group. The grant program is part of a $9-billion student-support package aimed to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic on young people that also includes money for thousands more summer-job placements and internships. Direct federal spending on emergency aid measures now stands at $174 billion, the government announced Friday, driven by a jump in the estimated cost of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to $80 billion up from the previously revised $60 billion and more than double the original $35-billion estimate, as demand rises and recipients get ready to receive eight extra weeks of payments. Statistics Canada's latest jobs report showed that returning post-secondary students, aged 20 to 24, had a record-high unemployment rate in May of 42.1 per cent, and about one-third had seen summer placements disappear because of COVID-19. Data released Friday by the agency also found that youths in the so-called internet generation were the most likely to formally volunteer. They contributed on average 82 unpaid hours to charities in 2018 and had a volunteer rate of 52 per cent. As the government designed the grant program, volunteer and charitable groups urged it to not link the number of volunteer hours to the amount paid out. The Liberals were also told they needed to temper public expectations about opportunities that aren't as available as they were pre-pandemic, and not to create a new online platform for volunteer opportunities since one already existed. "Whoever came up with this idea, I'm going to guess that it was good intentions. In other words, this sounded like a win-win," said Paula Speevak, Volunteer Canada's chief executive. Ian Bingeman, executive director of Youth Ottawa, said the design of the program could narrow who is able to volunteer the maximum time to get the maximum payment to those who are already relatively financially well-off. "I just can't square it," he said. The money, he added, would be better spent on those "who do need more opportunities, but by the same token have way better experiences and perspectives on problems that community organizations are setting out to solve." Damire Palmer, 18, is being charged with felony assault for what authorities say was an 'unprovoked' attack on a Macy's employee A black teenager is being charged with assault for unleashing an 'unprovoked' attack on a white Macy's employee in a store in Flint, Michigan, earlier this month. Damire Palmer, 18, was seen in a viral video posted on June 15 pummeling the employee on the ground, claiming the unidentified man called him the n-word in the middle of a store in Genesee Town Center. Police announced Friday they had no evidence to suggest the employee used a racial slur and that Palmer carried out the attack unprovoked. He is not yet in police custody but officials say he will be charged with one count of felony assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. The charge holds a ten-year sentence if convicted. 'This was an unprovoked attack on a Macy's employee,' said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton in a statement. 'This behavior as seen on the video is unacceptable, it is criminal, and it cannot be allowed.' 'The is the most egregious felony law in Michigan so I think it's appropriate,' he added. The man who filmed the attack, Palmer's 22-year-old brother Damarquay Palmer -also known as rapper FT Quay - is not being charged, officials said Friday. The shocking video was filmed at the Macy's store at the Genesee Valley Center in Flint Township and has circulated around social media. Authorities say that they have seen no evidence that the employee used a racial slur and so are charging Damire Palmer with assault Flint police department named them both as persons of interest on June 20. According to ABC12, Flint Township Police have been looking for the Palmer brothers in connection to the case since the video was posted but investigators have not yet been able to interview them. Damarquay shared the video on Facebook and claimed that he and a 'bro' went to the mall and asked a man on the phone about a shirt size. He said the employee answered them and returned to his phone call, where he allegedly told someone on the phone 'no one just some n****r,' which resulted in Palmer pouncing on him. The moment the employee allegedly used the racial slur is not shown in the short clip. The video continues to show Damire punching the employee in the face, with the unsuspecting man immediately asking, 'What are you doing that for?' As the man on the ground extends his arm to keep the angered Damire away, the assailant punches him again and tells him not to touch him. At this point, the employee tells Damire 'I didn't touch you... I'm sorry' as the teenager punches him a few more times. Leyton said that Damire is being charged as he is the person seen pummeling the employee in the face during the 18-second-clip. The prosecutor received the case on Tuesday and decided to move forward with the charge against the 18-year-old, despite not yet having spoken to him, after watching the surveillance footage and reading further witness statements. 'He's shook up and he's emotionally upset, as well as physically upset,' Leyton said of the employee in the clip. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Palmer's attack on the man was 'unprovoked' The attack happened in this Macy's in Flint, Michigan, on June 15 'But, he's emotionally upset to think that, you know, anybody would think he said the alleged vile, racial, provoking slur; because he says he didn't say it, and his history suggests he didn't say it.' He noted that surveillance footage shows that Palmer did address the employee a few minutes before the attack took place. 'The assailant said to the store manager -- "Does this jacket fit?" And the store manager said to him, "No, it's too small",' Leyton explained. Yet, he added that the person on the phone with the manager at the time was an employee in another state who has said that they did not hear any racial slur being used. 'This was a cell phone to cell phone call, there is no recording of it. And the out of state witness who we interviewed said that he did not hear any such alleged provocation,' Leyton said. Damire Palmer's 22-year-old brother Damarquay, otherwise known as rapper FT Quay, shared the video on Facebook and claimed that the clip was not the entire video Damarquay Palmer shared the video on Facebook and claimed the attack began after the employee allegedly told someone on the phone 'no one just some n****r' when hey asked him a question. Police are still looking to speak to both brothers but Damaquay has not been charged 'Even if there were verbal provocation, which we have no evidence of, violent retaliation is not permitted by the law,' he continued, adding that the Facebook claim was not evidence. Despite not speaking to investigators, Damarquay Palmer spoke to the New York Post last week and reiterated his claim that the store manager used the n-word. 'I just want people to know the real story of really what happened and what's in the description of me and my brother just walking into Macy's just minding our own business,' the 22-year-old rapper said. 'And, yes, we made a petty joke and asked the guy "Was the shirt too little?" when he could've asked me. He was just being funny,' said Quay, who had then declined to identify his brother by name. Authorities also wish to speak to 22-year-old Damarquay Palmer, who filmed the video and is Damire's brother 'And just the fact of the remark that he said that we all heard. 'And just, what else were we supposed to do? In this age and time, he didn't know what else to do. 'That was just his instinct.' Macy's said in a statement released last week that they supported their employee and believed the attack was unprovoked. 'We are deeply saddened about the incident that took place on Monday (June 15) at Macy's Genesee Valley as the safety of Macy's customers and colleagues is our top priority,' Andrea Schwartz, senior director of media relations for Macy's, told MLive-The Flint Journal. 'Violence in the workplace of any kind is unacceptable. All the materials from the evening have been reviewed and it is clear that the attack was unprovoked. 'We are working closely with local authorities on this investigation, and will defer any further comments about the case to them per policy.' Seasonal Wonderlands, with technical brilliance, celebrates the inter-species connections holding up ecosystems of the natural world. The roughly 200,000 leaves on each of the approximately 17 billion trees in the US New England forests go through a unique life-cycle each year, growing from bud to bright green, and then changing from golden-yellow to fiery red, before dropping to the ground. The New England forests, rich with maples and oaks, are known for this dramatic and colourful change, so spectacular that it can be noticed even from space. These forests are one of the three landscapes documented in Sony BBC Earths upcoming docu-series Seasonal Wonderlands, which focuses on such dramatic changes. The other episodes in the three-part series are the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard, which transforms from frozen winter to rich tundra, and Botswanas Okavango Delta, whose yearly flooding infuses life into the landscape. Through taking viewers inside these dramatic landscapes, the show focuses not only on how and why these transformations happen, but also on how the surrounding wildlife responds to this change. In exploring the ways different species adapt to these changeable lands, the show celebrates the interconnected quality of the natural world. "What happens in each of these places is the big change cascades throughout all life. Its a chain reaction and all life responds in its unique ways. (Its) fundamentally (about) how these animals get food and reproduce, says Paul Williams, director and producer of the New England episode. We explore the small, intricate details. These films are like interpersonal portraits of these remarkable places where we talk about how the individual species fits into the bigger picture, the ecology, the environment, he adds. These minute details and astounding shots are captured through an expert lens, showing how each of these landscapes buzz with life and activity, making the natural world come alive for the viewer in all its beauty and brutality. As it gets warmer in New England for instance, and water courses through the trees, it picks up the sugar stored in the wood. And as this sugar surges through the tree, fuels the birth of nutrient-rich buds that will open into leaves. However, certain twigs on the trees have also felt the warmth and started coming to life; looper caterpillars, disguised all winter, hungry for sugar, immediately start devouring the buds. The diversity of caterpillars in New England is absolutely abounding. What I discovered when we first went to film is that every season throughout the year, there were a whole new group of caterpillars that come out, and feed on the leaves, says Williams. The sugar is also feasted on by birds like the yellow-bellied sapsucker and the ruby-throated hummingbird, both flying in all the way from Mexico. The moose on the ground start chewing on leaves, and as a defence, trees flood their leaves with tannin, a repulsive chemical. But even tannin is not enough to stop an insect like the leaf miner, which literally tunnels its way under the leaf, avoiding all the surface tannin and reaching the sugar underneath, draining off the life from the leaf. Besides species adapting, another theme running strongly through the show is the interconnectedness of the natural world, reminding how all different species exist in a delicate balance. Like the New England episode, which shows how the dominance of oaks and maples in the forest came about, and is sustained. Beavers, with iron-infused teeth, through biting into it, can fell a 10-inch-wide tree in just a couple hours. By felling the softer trees, they are making more place for oaks and maples to spread. Chipmunks, who collect and store acorns for the winter, sometimes forget where they have buried their treasures, giving those underground seeds a better chance of sprouting into more trees. But most defining is the impact of human intervention on the forest. Four hundred years ago, as British settlers landed here, they cut down the older, bigger trees to build towns and settlements. But eventually, as they moved elsewhere to look for better prospects, the forest reclaimed the land. Now, however, with empty space from the felling of bigger trees, the fast-growing oaks and maples could spread over the land. Today, they dominate the forest, leading to the forests colour-changing spectacle. While given the felling of old-growth trees, it is challenging for this writer to see the intervention in a positive light, if the settlers had not done so, the forest we see today just wouldnt be as bright, says Williams. Ive filmed in more than 40 countries, and everywhere I go, you see signs of humanity, how we interfere with the natural world. Unfortunately, in many places, the consequences are negative. But in New England, its created this very rich, diverse environment, where the wildlife is thriving. And although humans changed the forest, the forest we have now is very rich, he adds. This positive narrative is in line with the overall mood of the series, which focuses steadfastly on celebrating the beauty and life of each place, staying away, for the most part, from the negative impact of man-made climate change, the effects of which are everywhere today. Ive filmed around the world in the past 20 years. When I look back at the stories, all the amazing spectacles, I can find a negative impact from climate change on every single one of those stories, says Williams. So by offering viewers a window into an almost utopic vision where the natural world is unaltered by human intervention, the show offers a welcome escape from the unending real-world environmental destruction, being a steady balm for mental health. We could very easily have found ways to speak about the negative impacts of human beings on these environments. But I think Seasonal Wonderlands is a chance for people to sit back and enjoy an escape into the wonders of nature for a moment. And right now, people need that, says Williams. Through exploring the changes of three landscapes, Seasonal Wonderlands, with technical brilliance, shows viewers how despite human intervention, the wildness has remained, revelling in the incredibly strong inter-species connections holding up ecosystems of the natural world. Seasonal Wonderlands premiered at 9 PM (IST) on Saturday (27 June) on Sony BBC Earth. OTTAWA, ON June 26, 2020 Canada Quebec April 20, 2020 Quebec Quebec ' Canada Quebec Canada Quebec July 6, 2020 Quebec September 15, 2020 Canada Quebec Quebec Ontario Canada's Quebec Canada Canada Canada Quebec The Canadian Red Cross's support to Quebec long-term care facilities will be funded through the up to $100 million in support for the Red Cross that the Prime Minister announced on May 16, 2020 . This funding was committed to support additional relief and recovery efforts this year related to COVID-19, floods and wildfires, to enhance the Red Cross's response capacity and to support public health efforts. long-term care facilities will be funded through the up to in support for the Red Cross that the Prime Minister announced on . This funding was committed to support additional relief and recovery efforts this year related to COVID-19, floods and wildfires, to enhance the Red Cross's response capacity and to support public health efforts. In order to fill positions for their humanitarian workforce, the Red Cross recently launched a recruitment campaign. They are currently accepting applications for the following roles: Support Aide Administrative Aid Site Manager Health and Safety Advisor The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have been complementing provincial efforts by providing a surge workforce for long-term care facilities in Quebec . The CAF will remain available in a surge and transition capacity. The 10 teams that remain in Quebec will consist of one nurse and six medical technicians. . The CAF will remain available in a surge and transition capacity. The 10 teams that remain in will consist of one nurse and six medical technicians. The CAF have also been working with provincial partners in Ontario since April 28, 2020 , to deliver support to seven long-term care facilities, as identified by the Government of Ontario . Prime Minister announces support for the Canadian Red Cross Prime Minister announces support for vulnerable Canadians affected by COVID19 Prime Minister announces further support to help Canadians in need Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan COVID-19 Economic Response Plan Red Cross recruits 1,000 Canadians to join its humanitarian workforce in long-term care homes in Quebec /CNW/ - The Government ofis committed to supporting provinces in delivering a sustained response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to a Request for Assistance from, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have been operating Augmented Civilian Care (ACC) teams comprised of one senior medical authority, personal care workers, and support troops to long-term care facilities in the province sinceFrom the beginning of the pandemic, our members of the Canadian Armed Forces have been there for Canadians. Over a thousand CAF members have worked inside long-term care facilities, helping provincial and civilian employees to improve conditions for the residents in 47 long-term care facilities in. Their efforts have made a real difference in the lives of many who were in need of care.The situation ins long-term care facilities has stabilized, and while the need for support remains, a CAF deployment is no longer required to meet that need. In its place, the Government ofcontinues to offer federal support to the province by funding the Canadian Red Cross to rapidly scale up a new humanitarian workforce to complement existing health measures in long-term care and residential facilities. This will allow most CAF members to transition back to their regular duties following appropriate isolation periods, while maintaining a small reserve force available if there is a resurgence or new outbreak. CAF plans to maintain 10 military teams made up of medically trained and support personnel in, who would serve as a rapid-response force in the event of emergency situations developing in long-term care facilities.The Red Cross recently launched a-wide recruitment campaign for this new workforce. With the support of Health Canada and the Public Service Commission, the Red Cross is currently establishing its first cohort of personnel, who will be trained and ready for work inlong-term care facilities as of. By the end of July, the Red Cross is expected to have recruited and trained a total of 900 individuals ready to support in facilities across, with a focus on those facilities with the highest needs.Red Cross resources are expected to be in place untilwhen provincial recruitment and training efforts should be completed and the first deployment of permanent staff will be in place."The priority for the Government ofis to protect the health and safety of all Canadians, particularly those most vulnerable to this virus. We are proud of the work that the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces have done and will continue to provide federal support tothrough the Canadian Red Cross to ensure that care continues to be provided to those who are most in need."- The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness"When Canadians need their assistance members of the Defence team always answer the call, as they have for our parents and grandparents in long-term care facilities inand. They have worked tirelessly alongside their provincial government partners to help slow and contain the spread of COVID-19 in these residences. Now that the situation is stabilized, most CAF personnel are beginning to transition back into their regular roles. However, our support in the overall Government response to COVID-19 remains available and active. We are always committed to the well-being of Canadians at home and abroad."- The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence"I am extremely grateful for the efforts ofArmed Forces inand elsewhere in, to support the health and safety of one of our most vulnerable populations. Long-term care facilities have been severely stressed by COVID-19, and this support from the Government ofto the Canadian Red Cross will ensure the hard work by members of the CAF to improve conditions for will continue."- The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health"The Canadian Red Cross is grateful for the support and collaboration from the Government of, which will allow us to continue assisting the most vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19. It is these individuals that have been the most adversely affected and collectively we must come together to meet the needs in our communities. The Canadian Red Cross is actively recruiting people to join our teams as we build a humanitarian workforce to provide comfort and care to residents in long-term care facilities in."- Conrad Sauve, President and CEO, Canadian Red CrossSOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Russia Spotted 35 Foreign Spy Jets Close to National Airspace Over Past Week Sputnik News 00:10 GMT 26.06.2020 MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Russian Armed Forces detected 35 foreign jets that were engaged in reconnaissance activities close to Russia's airspace last week, the military's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda reported on Friday. A weekly infographic published by the outlet showed that Russian fighter jets had been scrambled 19 times to intercept foreign aircraft. The foreign jets had been prevented from illegally entering Russia's airspace, the newspaper said. Within this period of time, Russia has also spotted six unmanned aerial vehicles, which were carrying out reconnaissance missions near the Russian borders. On 19 June, the Russian Air Force scrambled Su-30, Su-35, and MiG-31 fighters to intercept US B-52N bombers over the Sea of Okhotsk. The United States and NATO countries often send aircraft and drones to perform reconnaissance activities along Russia's borders in the Baltic, in the Black Sea off Crimea and Krasnodar. Russian air defence forces regularly monitor, target, and track hundreds of NATO aircraft operating close to the border, and occasionally scramble fighter jets to escort foreign military aircraft away from Russian airspace. Moscow has repeatedly condemned US and NATO drone flights and bomber drills near its borders, saying such behaviour sparks tensions. The alliance has so far ignored these objections. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Last weekend, the Connecticut Bail Fund bailed out 10 people to mark Fathers Day and Juneteenth, and theres a lot more to come, according to Brett Davidson, founder and co-director of the group. Protests have rolled across the country and state in places as disparate as Greenwich and Higganum after people watched a May video of George Floyd dying beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. The officer, Derek Chavin, has since been charged with second-degree murder. Three officers who stood by while Floyd died face other charges. The Minneapolis police chief has called Floyds death murder. The accused officers lawyer has chided bystanders for not stepping in. The protests are one thing, but actions speak louder, and few know that better than people who have been in the trenches pushing for equality. As Davidson says, When you talk about moving from sentimentality, protest can serve as catharsis for white people. And this isnt about catharsis. The fund, which was organized in 2016, posts bail for people in pretrial detention, so that people whove been imprisoned can be at home, continue to work, and prepare their defense. The fund also works with immigrants, families and women affected by the prison system. If you are a Black person in Connecticut, you are 8.56 times more likely to be held in pretrial detention as a white person, according to Semilla Collective of New Haven and the bail fund. If you are Hispanic, you are four time more likely than a white person to be held in pretrial detention. Some 500,000 people - the majority of them people of color -- await trial in jail because they cannot afford bail. That might mean days, weeks, or months of incarceration, all for the lack of a few thousand dollars. And so the impact of Floyds death has been felt acutely at bail funds around the country. Some 100,000 people have donated to the fund in the last month or so, said Davidson. The donations have come from all over, including from a group of white Connecticut women who decided they needed to do something. The women, some of whom had earlier formed a grassroots organization, Forward CT that is one part education, one part advocacy, reached out to Kamora Herrington, of Kamoras Cultural Corner, a Hartford-based organization that provides, among other services, cultural humility workshops. Cultural humility suggests a respectful approach to other cultures, with an eye on ones own bias. The term dates to the late 90s. Forward CT has been worked with My Sisters Place, a Hartford womens shelter, and issues around immigrant families, said Carrie Lenarcic Firestone, an author and one of the groups founders. She estimates theyve raised upward of $100,000 for various causes. The education part has been key, she said. One of our big things with donations is you dont just throw a bunch of stuff a somebody, she said. We want to be efficient about it. As we are in a pandemic, Herrington held the session for 50-some women via Zoom, she said. At first, some of the women were hesitant to speak out of fear of saying something wrong, but Herrington is a skilled facilitator and that hesitancy went away, said Firestone. Coming from a Black queer Afrocentric perspective carries an I suffer no fools attitude necessary today if we're going to move forward, said Herrington. White folks (as a whole) do not have the language or cultural context to enter into conversations of anti-Black racism in the U.S.A. Add to that cultural norms of respecting niceness and understanding that we don't discuss unpleasant topics and that it is OK to agree to disagree and you've got an entire group of folks who enter the conversation from the wrong door. When the session ended, the women wanted to do something, and when Herrington suggested they consider donating to the Connecticut Bail Fund, the meeting went quiet. Consider the historic role of white women in black mens incarceration. There is no faster way to get the attention of authorities than for a white woman to say a black man somehow crossed her path. That has been a fool-proof method of removing a black man from circulation. See Birth of a Nation, Emmett Till, or Connecticuts own Joseph Spell, a Black employee of a Greenwich white woman who accused him of rape in 1940. (One of Spells lawyers was a young Thurgood Marshall.) But somethings shifted. See Christian Cooper. A donation wont ameliorate generations of abuse of police power, but after an initial moment of quiet the women were enthusiastically onboard. Firestone and others began researching the bail system in Connecticut. The women decided to post their plan on social media, but added informative graphics to what they called the Angry White Womens Fathers Day Bail Project. They reached out to the bail fund, and then they began spreading the word. Their education mirrored Davidsons, who started the fund after learning about similar funds around the country. He, too, educated himself about related issues such as immigration and migrant justice. You cannot talk about defunding the police without talking about inequities in job opportunities. You cannot talk about bailing people out when they end up homeless, and their families are left to manage without their financial and emotional input. You cant talk about any of this without talking about building strong communities. Donations are a start. Education is key and then? We must act. The Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF) donated money to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) a trust chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power at the Centre, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Friday, launching a fresh broadside against the opposition party in an ongoing war of words. In a series of tweets, BJP president JP Nadda said one familys hunger for wealth hurt the nation, and also accused the Congress of committing a brazen fraud by diverting public money into a family-run foundation. His allegations came a day after the BJP said both the Chinese government and the Chinese embassy in India contributed to RGF. PMNRF, meant to help people in distress, was donating money to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in UPA years. Who sat on the PMNRF board? Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Who chairs RGF? Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Totally reprehensible, disregarding ethics, processes and not bothering about transparency, Nadda tweeted. He also posted images of lists of donors to RGF for the years 2007-2008 and 2005-2006 to back his claim. The list included several state-owned companies, including the State Bank of India and GAIL, and ministries including the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of health. The Congress was quick to hit back after Naddas tweets, saying the BJP was playing a diabolical game of deception to divert attention from what it called Chinese occupation of Indian territory a claim that came against the backdrop of a simmering dispute between India and China over the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC). Twenty Indian Army soldiers and an undisclosed number of Chinese troops died in a brawl in eastern Ladakhs Galwan Valley on June 15, ratcheting up tensions between the neighbours amidst a military build-up on both sides of the disputed border. While the Congress accuses the government of ceding ground to the Chinese, the ruling BJP says the opposition party is playing with issues of national security. PMNRF was set up in 1948 by Indias first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, entirely with public contributions. It does not get any budgetary support. PMNRF resources are utilised primarily to give relief to families of those killed in natural calamities, and to victims of major accidents and riots, according to its website. One familys hunger for wealth has cost the nation immensely. If only they have devoted their energies towards more constructive agenda. The Congress Imperial Dynasty needs to apologise to the unchecked loot for self-gains! Nadda tweeted, referring to the Nehru-Gandhi family. People of India donated their hard-earned money to PMNRF to help their fellow citizens in need. To divert this public money into a family run foundation is not only a brazen fraud but also a big betrayal of the people of India, he said in a third tweet. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, too, sought a response from Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, saying she was no queen and should explain the charges against her. Patra said PMNRF donated money to RGF three times when the Congress-led UPA was in power. Sonia Gandhi, as Congress chief, was on the board of PMNRF and also headed RGF, Patra said, alleging that she had written the script of corruption in the country. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and P Chidambaram are trustees of RGF, which was set up in June 1991. The Congress said the BJP is trying to shift the focus from the Chinese issue. The diabolical game of deception, diversion and disinformation is being played out by the BJP and JP Nadda to divert the attention of the country from the Chinese occupation of Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and now Depsang up to the Y-junction, 18km inside the LAC, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. In the statement, Surjewala pointed out that the BJP and the government keep referring to a 2005 grant of ~1.45 crores received from Embassy of China to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation for the purpose (i) Disabled Persons Welfare Programme; and (ii) Research on Sino-India relationships. He added that RGF accounts were duly audited and statutory returns were filed under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) to the Indian government. This grant has been duly reflected in all filings to the income tax and the Home Ministry and no authority has ever found any wrongdoing of any nature, the statement added. Pursuant to the unprecedented Tsunami in the last week of 2004, RGF received a modest amount of ~20 lakh from the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund in the Financial Year 2005 which was duly utilised to undertake relief activities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it said. On Thursday, the BJP led by Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that RGF pushed for a free trade agreement between India and China, leading to a huge trade deficit skewed in favour of Beijing. Prasad said: There is a pattern as to why the Congress party does not condemn China because the 10 years rule of the Manmohan Singh government is littered with various evidence as to how the Congress party tried to support China and make it earn tonnes of money by permitting the increase of trade deficit 33 times. Nadda alleged that RGF accepted $300,000 from China and the Chinese embassy in 2005-06 for conducting studies that were not in national interest. There is a secret understanding between the Congress and China. In its response on Thursday, the Congress said the BJP was engaging in diversionary tactics, questioned it on visits and exchanges between the BJP and the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the past decade, and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a strange bonhomie with China even as the borders were insecure. Political scientist Neelanjan Sircar said: Given the outsized importance and competitiveness of Chinese businesses in the Asian business environment, every politician and bureaucrat has needed to engage with them regardless of the party. That does not mean that anyone, BJP or Congress, has given preferred access. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader was shot dead in Madhya Pradeshs Hoshangabad district on Friday evening by a group of 10 assailants, said police. A video clip of the brutal murder has gone viral on social media. The deceased Ravi Vishwakarma, 35, headed a cow protection wing of VHP in the district. He was murdered in Pipariya, more than 146 kilometres from Bhopal, in Hoshangabad district, according to police. According to police, Ravi was accompanied by two others in his car while going home after attending a meeting of the organisation in Hoshangabad, when around 10 assailants in a car intercepted the vehicle and attacked his car with iron rods and sticks before attacking Ravi with sharp edged weapons and then shooting him dead from a close range. As seen in the video clip, the assailants dragged the victim out of the car even after shooting at him and continued to hit him with rods and other weapons. He died at the spot. Bhura Patel who accompanied Ravi in the car told the police that the assailants target was only Ravi as they let his companions go. Superintendent of police of Hoshangabad district Santosh Singh Gaur said, A personal rivalry between the two sides over domination on the mandi in Hoshangabad could be a reason behind the murder as has been gathered in the preliminary investigation by the police. An FIR has been lodged against 10 named persons who are all local residents and were known to the deceased. He added that a reward of Rs 10,000 each for capturing the assailants had been announced. We have announced a reward of Rs 10000 each on each of the assailants and three teams have been formed to nab them. However, no arrest has been made so far in this connection. The funeral of former Oyo Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has been postponed. His spokesman, Bolaji Tunji, told reporters in his Oluyole, Ibadan residence this morning the family would soon make an announcement of the burial programme. Tunji said: The funeral arrangements will be announced soon by the family but it will be observed privately so as to be in accordance with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines. He appealed to sympathisers, who have been thronging his residence, to continue following NCDC guidelines by washing their hands, using face masks and keeping social distancing, among others. Ajimobi died in a private hospital in Lagos on Thursday at 70. Meanwhile, peep his supporters crying at his Oluyole residence in Ibadan. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Stunned protesters surround a car that has driven into their ranks. A man is lying on the ground nearby. Another man exits the driver's side of the vehicle brandishing a gun. The protesters back away from him and he runs off and melts into the crowd as medics rush to help the wounded man. The dramatic scenes of the shooting on the streets of Seattle were captured by Reuters photographer Lindsey Wasson during protests against police brutality and racism that have rocked the city - and many other places across the United States - in recent days. Wasson, a Seattle native, has been covering the protests in Washington state's largest city since May 31. The dramatic scenes of the shooting on the streets of Seattle were captured by Reuters photographer Lindsey Wasson during protests on June 7 She took the series of pictures from the window of a local newspaper that has offices overlooking a street that became a flashpoint She took the series of pictures on the evening of June 7 from the window of a local newspaper that has offices overlooking a street that became a flashpoint. 'I had maybe just stepped to the main window, and I was looking over the crowd and seeing what was going on. I heard a scream and commotion and rushed to the dirty side window to photograph what was happening in a side street,' she said. 'I had maybe just stepped to the main window, and I was looking over the crowd and seeing what was going on. I heard a scream and commotion and rushed to the dirty side window to photograph what was happening in a side street,' she said 'The whole sequence probably took a minute, it happened very quickly.' Video taken by others at the scene show that the man who was injured fell to the ground after he appeared to lean into the car. The shooter handed himself over to the police shortly after the incident. 'Suspect in custody, gun recovered after man drove vehicle into crowd at 11th and Pine. Seattle Fire transported victim to hospital,' Seattle Police wrote in a tweet. A police report of the incident obtained by a local NPR radio station named the injured man as Daniel Gregory and said he had a gunshot wound to the arm. A GoFundMe page set up for Gregory said he was recovering in the hospital. Reuters could not immediately reach Gregory for comment. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis two weeks ago, and have evolved into a movement for racial equality and reforms to police departments across the country. For Wasson, the protests in her home town have been of a size and intensity unlike others she has seen before. 'It has been very odd to see something like this where you grew up. What feels different this time is the scale and how sustained it's been. I've never seen it happen for this long, this extended energy and purpose,' she said. Video taken by others at the scene show that the man who was injured fell to the ground after he appeared to lean into the car. The shooter handed himself over to the police shortly after the incident PRI*153951700 Photojournalist Alex Garland helps apply a tourniquet to the arm of a gunshot victim Daniel Gregory The majority of her coverage of the protests over the last week has been of more peaceful moments, said Wasson. At those times, she has focused on how she will tell the story. But it is also important for a photographer on the ground to read the situation and be aware of exit routes if needed, she added. In this case, she had an unusual high vantage point that gave her the perfect view. Taking photos through glass is never ideal, because of the challenges related to reflection. How the images turn out depends on the light and how close you can get, said Wasson. 'It's not ideal but at that particular moment it was the only thing available to me.' A crash late Friday between an Amazon Prime truck and another vehicle on the New Jersey Turnpike in Middlesex County left several people with life-threatening injuries, according to reports. The crash occurred around 11 p.m. near mile marker 67 in Cranbury Township, according to ABC6 in Philadelphia and 511nj.org. New Jersey State Police told the news station the tractor trailer struck the rear of the car, which was in the emergency lane. At least three people were trapped, according to the report. One victim was flown to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick. Two others were taken by ambulance to Capital Health Regional Center in Trenton, the report said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Legal battle: Donald Trump, seen here with his wife, Ivanka, and family, is desperate to stop publication of Mary Trumps tell-all book. Photo: Paul J. Richards/Getty Images Mary L Trump was embroiled in a feud over her inheritance two decades ago when her uncle Donald Trump and his siblings punched back in classic style. In an obscure court filing, they belittled her, alleging she "lives primarily off the Trump income" and is "not gainfully employed". Actually, Mary Trump had embarked on a new career. She studied patients with schizophrenia at Hillsdale Hospital on Long Island for at least six months during this period, meeting with an array of people who were delusional, hallucinatory and suicidal. Over time, she deepened her studies of the disorder, contributed to a book on treating schizophrenia, wrote a dissertation on stalkers, and became a clinical psychologist. But not since she became part of the lawsuit in 2000 against her uncle has she spoken in detail about what she sees as the disorders of Donald Trump. Now her silence could be coming to an end. Her book about her uncle - 'Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man' - is slated to be published next month. The book is so potentially explosive that the Trump family are seeking to block publication, citing a confidentiality agreement that Mary Trump signed as part of a settlement about her inheritance. Mary Trump's lawyer, Theodore Boutrous Jr, said the president is trying to "suppress a book that will discuss matters of utmost public importance". The publisher has not revealed specifics, and Mary Trump (55) declined an interview request. But clues to her dark view of her uncle can be seen in lawsuits, and interviews with former colleagues and teachers, academic papers and a series of now-deleted tweets, including one that said her uncle's election was the "worst night of my life". A description of the book from publisher Simon & Schuster suggests it will draw heavily on her studies of family dysfunction, with Mary using her clinical background to dissect "a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse," including "the strange and harmful relationship between" her late father and Donald Trump. The tragedy to which the book description alludes probably is informed by an event that infused both her life and that of her uncle: the death of her father - President Trump's older brother Fred Jr - of alcoholism when she was 16. Friends of her father's told 'The Washington Post' last year that they blame his death in part on the way he was treated by Donald Trump, and the president said in an interview last year that he regrets how he dealt with his brother. Donald Trump's brother Robert, who filed the petition to stop the book, said in the filing that Mary had agreed after accepting a financial settlement from the inheritance fight that she "would not publish any account" of her relationship with Donald Trump or his siblings. A Queens County Surrogate's Court on Thursday denied the petition, but Robert Trump's attorney said it would be refiled with the New York State Supreme Court. From birth, Mary Trump was supposed to be set for a gilded life, a grandchild of Fred Sr and Mary. Her father, Fred Jr, was the eldest of Fred Trump Sr's children, and he was expected to become the leader of the family business. Mary was featured in society columns as a fashionably dressed young girl, and she spent time at her grandparents' palatial home in Queens, watching her father feud with Donald and Fred Sr, who ran a New York real estate company. Much to the family's consternation, Fred Jr was interested in becoming a pilot for TWA, not in renting New York City apartments. After graduating from Lehigh University in 1960, he married a flight attendant named Linda Lee Clapp in 1962. He went to flight school and the couple had two children, including Mary, who was born in 1965. Fred Jr was already drinking heavily by the time Mary was born, and his troubles with alcohol may have caused him to give up his dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot, according to three former TWA employees. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Fred Sr continued to pressure him to join the family business. By the time Mary was six, her mother divorced Fred Jr. On September 26, 1981, Fred Trump Jr died, aged 42. Mary eventually attended Tufts University, where she studied the Southern novelist William Faulkner. Mary and her brother Fred III had received some financial support over the years from the Trump family, and expected to receive a significant inheritance from their grandfather, Fred Sr, who died in 1999. Mary and her brother had hoped they would get an amount close to what would have gone to their father, if he had lived, but they learned they were due to receive a lesser amount, and a probate fight ensued. Mary and Fred III alleged that an unnamed person associated with the Trump family improperly engineered a change in the will of their grandfather, who had Alzheimer's disease during his last years. Mary and her brother said the changes in the will were "procured by fraud and undue influence". Donald said at the time that he supported a cut-off of medical coverage that had been provided by a family company for Fred III's son, William, who had cerebral palsy. Donald's brother Robert said in a deposition that the family had given Mary annual gifts of $20,000, in addition to income from family ventures, estimating that Mary and Fred III annually received "close to $200,000 without either one lifting a finger at any time". Mary was livid about the family's decision to cut off medical coverage for her nephew William. She said at the time: "Given this family, it would be utterly naive to say it has nothing to do with money. "But for both me and my brother, it has much more to do with that our father be recognised. He existed, he lived, he was their oldest son. And William is my father's grandson. He is as much a part of that family as anybody else. He desperately needs extra care." ( The Washington Post) Washington Post Nearly 54 million Americans have reached traditional retirement age, 65 years and older, in the U.S. a 34% jump over the past decade, per 2019 Census Bureau population estimates cited by Bloomberg. Why it matters: The older population is expanding at a faster rate than that of children and working-age Americans, driven by the aging of Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964. This means the country's dependency ratio has grown, Bloomberg notes, wherein federal, state and local governments are likely to feel the strain of older Americans' reliance on government services. And this is going to cause higher taxes," University of Michigan economic Richard Curtin told Bloomberg. "That represents a significant draw on consumers budgets. Of note: "...the under-18 population was smaller in 2019 than it was in 2010, in part due to lower fertility in the United States," Luke Rogers, chief of the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Branch said. The state of play: New Delhi, June 27 : Sharpening her attack against the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh over an employment generation programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday asked the government if only 'advertisement' or 'publicity' will create jobs in the state. Her remarks came a day after the Prime Minister launched the 'Atmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rozgar Abhiyan' seeking to promote local entrepreneurship with industrial associations to provide employment. In a Facebook post, Priyanka said: "Yesterday, an employment event was started in UP with a lot of fanfare. Most of the categories of employment mentioned at the event are facing problems." In her post, the Congress leader said that the self-employed people are in tremendous crisis due to lack of direct financial support from the government. "The condition of small and medium scale industries is so bad that it is estimated that 62 per cent of MSMEs will cut jobs and 78 per cent will cut wages," she said. "In Uttar Pradesh, the condition of chikan industry, woodwork, brass industry, powerloom sector, the carpet industry is also bad," Priyanka said. "Recently, cases of suicide by migrant labourers from outside in Bundelkhand are before us. Tragic incidents of suicide have come to light in Kanpur due to financial crisis and lack of employment," she pointed out in her post. Firing salvos at the state government, she said, "In such a situation, what is the Uttar Pradesh government trying to hide? Will only publicity provide employment?" She also asked the state government that on which government website figures on employment are available. P Chidambaram New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would assure the country that China would vacate Indian territory if the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation returned Rs 20 lakh it had taken as donation earlier. Taking on BJP president J P Nadda on the charges made against the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), Chidambaram accused him of speaking "half-truths" and asked him to "come to terms with reality" and not live in the past. Advertisement P ChidambaramHe also asked the BJP president to answer the questions raised by the Congress on the Chinese intrusion into the Indian territory. "Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante," he asked on Twitter. "Mr Nadda, come to terms with reality, don't live in the past that is distorted by your half-truths. Please answer our questions on Chinese intrusion into Indian territory," Chidambaram said in another tweet. Advertisement P Chidambaram tweet The BJP chief had targeted the Congress and the Gandhi family on Thursday for the RGF allegedly accepting donations from the Chinese embassy. Chidambaram also shared two satellite images of May and June of the Galwan Valley showing the build-up of troops and structures along the river-bed. "Spot the differences between May 22 and June 22, 2020 on the INDIA-CHINA border," he said. CALGARY, Alberta, June 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Fraser Institute today released its annual rankings of Alberta high schools and elementary schools, allowing parents to compare the academic performance of schools across the province. Our Report Cards offer parents information they cant easily get anywhere else, about how their childs school performs and how it compares to other schools in Alberta, said Peter Cowley, a Fraser Institute senior fellow. This year, the Report Card on Albertas Elementary Schools ranks 863 public, Catholic, independent and charter schools based on seven academic indicators derived from provincewide test results. And contrary to common misconceptions, the data suggest every school can improve regardless of type, location and student characteristics. For example, River Heights, a public school in Medicine Hat, is the fastest-improving elementary school in the province, rising from a score of 1.7 out of 10 in 2015 to 7.5 in 2019. Likewise, Cambrian Heights, a public school in Calgary, is the 5th fastest-improving school (rising from 5.5 to 8.2 over the same period), even though 32.4 per cent of its students are English Second Language (ESL) and 31.5 per cent have special needs. This years Report Card on Albertas Secondary Schools ranks 253 public, independent, Catholic and charter schools based on eight academic indicators generated from Grade 12 provincewide testing, grade-to-grade transition and graduation rates. Of the 17 secondary schools with improving performance (16 schools showed declining performance) nine are located in Edmonton. One of the fastest-improvers, J. Percy Page in Edmonton, increased its rating from 2.7 out of 10 in 2015 to 4.9 last year, and 34.3 per cent of its students are ESL. It doesnt matter where a school is ranked, or what challenges its students may face. The evidence is clearall types of schools, located all over the province with different types of students are capable of improvement, Cowley said. For the complete results on all ranked schools and to compare the performance of different schools, visit www.compareschoolrankings.org. MEDIA CONTACT: Peter Cowley, Senior Fellow Fraser Institute (604) 789-0475 peter.cowley@fraserinstitute.org Bryn Weese, Fraser Institute (604) 688-0221 ext. 589 bryn.weese@fraserinstitute.org Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter | Like us on Facebook Charges of lack of patriotism are suddenly flying around the Spanish parliament, as the country's leading politicians argue about the conditions on which Spain should receive EU grants to help it tackle Covid-19. Which member states receive how much will be decided at a summit of EU leaders next month, but there's one thing that Spanish lawmakers (rightly) broadly agree on - namely, that the money, if it comes, should be in grants, not repayable loans. Spain's public finances are precarious enough as it is, without further debt being stacked onto a pile that's already in danger of toppling over. The head of Spain's independent fiscal watchdog, AIReF, recently outlined to congress just how tough the debt-maintenance challenge will be over the coming decade. In her address last week, Cristina Herrero forecast that for Spain to return its public debt to last year's level of just under 100% of GDP, it will have to balance its budget, which is currently running a deficit of just under 3%, by 2030 and keep it balanced until at least 2040. No wonder, then, that the Socialist government of Pedro Sanchez has set its sights on as much as 140 billion from the EU, around 74 billion of which could be in the form of grants that don't need to be paid back. But the question of how the money should be used, and to what extent the Spanish government should be allowed to decide that issue, has sparked a row in congress that purports to be about patriotism, with the PSOE and Popular Party (PP) each accusing the other of insufficient love of country in recent parliamentary debates. The PP is among those EU countries and parties stipulating that the Spanish government be disallowed from using the money to pursue its own agendas (or for what it calls "ideological" ends) rather than for the task of "promoting structural reforms and innovation". Leaving aside the issue of where ideology stops and innovation starts, the request that there be conditions attached to the use of EU funds, especially for those given as repayable loans, is entirely reasonable. Podemos leader and deputy prime minister Pablo Iglesias, however, has said that arguing this case makes the PP's EU branch guilty of "treason". The debate about the terms on which EU members receive funds to help them deal with Covid-19 has nothing to do with patriotism. At its centre is a concern over where exactly the money will be spent, especially in countries like Spain, where an already vulnerable economy has been rendered even more fragile by the pandemic. Employing charged but vague terms such as "patriotism" in this context helps no one; instead, it prevents necessary, detailed discussion of how Spain should use EU grants if it's fortunate enough to receive them. Dear Amy: Nine-year-old "Danny" lives with his dad and grandparents, and none of them get along. Danny is always caught in the middle. Dannys dad (in his mid-30s) is a self-absorbed jerk and spends very little time with Danny, but he lives in the same house. If Grandma is mad at Danny's father, (who is her son), Danny gets to hear all about it, and vice versa. Caught in the turmoil, Danny gets chewed out by both sides. The latest example of this is that Danny is going on vacation with his grandparents, but his dad wasn't invited and doesn't even know they are going! Grandma told Danny not to tell his dad because she doesn't want the dad to go! And when they return, Danny will be yelled at by his dad for keeping the secret. Danny cannot win in this dysfunctional family. How can it be right for the other family members to leave on vacation with his son and not tell him, and to demand that Danny keep this secret? The grandparents are his main caregivers and if they left him behind, I doubt his father would look after him for the 10 days, so Danny must go with them. I'm a (not very respected) family member, who thankfully doesn't live there. I keep my mouth shut because nobody asked me, but Danny does share with me some of his anxieties and fears. I really feel for the boy. All I can think to tell him is that he can chart his own path when he grows up, and that he won't have to live with either his grandparents or his dad. It seems so insufficient. Obviously, all of these people need counseling and I seriously doubt it would ever happen, because they are blind to their angry dysfunction. Is it right for them to take Danny without telling the dad? What can I say to Danny? Worried Relative Dear Worried: It is NOT right for these grandparents to spirit their grandson away -- unless they are the childs legal adoptive parents or guardians, it would also be illegal for them to take the child without the fathers permission. Any parent returning home to find his child missing without explanation would be justified in calling the police to report an abduction. Poor Danny is in a toxic household. No adult should EVER ask a child to keep a secret from a parent; secret-keeping divides a childs loyalty it is also what people who exploit children ask them to do. Danny cant wait until he grows up to chart his own path. Given the dynamic in this household, the child will pay the price, and his path will be very rocky. Stay close to the boy. You should not stay silent. This family desperately needs intervention, for the childs sake. Dear Amy: I enjoy meeting with my friends one-to-one; I just do. It's upsetting to me when arrangements are made to meet up with one friend and then I find out that she has invited others to join us. It's not that I don't like the other people. It just changes the conversation when there are three, four or five people. Should I seek other friends who think as I do; or is there a way to express my feelings without coming off as anti-social? Something of a Loner Dear Loner: You may not be a loner so much as an introvert, whose energy is sapped by groups of people especially when youre not expecting it. There is nothing wrong with feeling this way its the way youre built! If you are issuing the invitation, you get to dictate the terms, so you can say: Lets meet up at the Corner Cafe but just the two of us, OK? If somebody else is making the plans, you can ask if others will be there. Understand that if you are meeting a friend at a bar, there is a likelihood that others may join you. Read: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Cant Stop Talking, by Susan Cain (2013, Broadway Books). Dear Amy: I really must comment on the letter "Seeking Too Much Courtesy." She wanted thanks and validation for the polite things she did over the course of her day. We do polite and practical niceties because it's what we ought to do and who we choose to be -- not for continuous acknowledgment and/or praise of each and every thing. Give it a Rest Dear Rest: I completely agree. (You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.) COPYRIGHT 2020 BY AMY DICKINSON. Read more advice: Ask Amy: Separated soulmates are eager to connect Dear Annie: Looking to hop off the hamster wheel Dear Abby: Children cut off stepmother with dads power of attorney AUTHORITIES at Beitbridge Border Post have increased surveillance and anti-smuggling activities during the ongoing lockdown and 21 trucks and 22 other vehicles smuggling an assortment of goods worth millions of dollars have since been intercepted. Zimbabwe remains the only viable transit route for countries that include Zambia, Malawi, DRC, Tanzania and Angola. According to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), traffic volumes per day, both import and export, increased from an average of 450 daily in 2019 to 1 000 between March and June this year. Prior to the lockdown, Zimra was clearing around 500 commercial trucks daily. Zimras regional manager for Beitbridge, Mr Innocent Chikuni recently said the smuggling of groceries and related items remains the biggest challenge. He was speaking during a tour of the border post by the revenue authoritys senior managers and Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube. Working with other stakeholders we have been able to seize goods from 56 offenders and impounded 22 motor vehicles between April and May at undesignated entry points along the Limpopo River, said Mr Chikuni. In addition, smuggling activities through the border post are surging because of the increased traffic. Between March and May we recorded 81 seizures including 21 commercial trucks and trailers. We are now looking at increased automation of most processes and concentration of staff to control the high-risk cargo to minimise smuggling through the main port of entry. Mr Chikuni said he believed that if they deploy more human and material resources to man or patrol undesignated entry points, they can reduce criminal activities at undesignated crossing points along the Limpopo river. He said the border has become a Covid-19 hotspot in the country considering current infection figures and risks associated with the interface between various Government agencies and stakeholders operating within and outside of the border. Mr Chikuni said they were working with stakeholders, among them health officials, to minimise the risk of new infections. To speed up traffic movement we have introduced mandatory pre-arrival clearance of all cargo enforcement; use of risk management in the processing of the cargo in place of 100 percent intervention. We also recommend the use of the pre-clearance facilities online communication and clearances of groceries that come as consolidated (omalayitsha), he said. The Kerala government on Friday submitted an application in a local court requesting to stop the prosecution of ivory possession case against Malayalam film actor Mohanlal. In the application for withdrawal of prosecution, the government has requested the court to stop the prosecution "immediately for the interest of justice". ''The legality of the possession of two elephant tusks by Mohanlal was accepted by the competent authority under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 by issuing him a certificate of ownership. The possession and custody of the elephant tusks thus become legal after the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) issued him the certificate," the state government said. "Further conduct of the criminal trial may go against the good faith amongst the parties as far as the certificate of ownership issued to Mohanlal is concerned. One cannot go back from that ownership certificate and it was stopped from contradicting, deny or declare to be false the previous statement made by the actor in the court," it added. "The government should not be allowed to revert from its promises in order to keep the faith of the people and in the interest of good governance," the government further said. The case was registered by the forest department in 2012. The state government submitted the application in Kuruppampady Judicial Magistrate Court, which will hear the matter on July 24. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) Domestic flights will now be allowed in the province of Aklan starting July 1. The executive order signed by provincial Governor Florencio Miraflores stated that the province will allow inbound domestic flights that are strictly carrying locally stranded individuals, and returning overseas Filipinos. However, returning planes from Aklan can accept passengers regardless of classification, so long as they possess the corresponding medical certificate issued by the government health facility. Individuals who wish to enter the province must show a medical certificate issued by any government physician, travel authority issued by the Philippine National Police, and a health declaration card, the EO read. Airlines that are allowed to operate are: Philippine Airlines/PAL Express, Cebu Pacific Air, and Air Asia. Only two flights per week will be accommodated per airline. In 2049 the People's Republic of China (PRC) will mark the centenary of its founding. President Xi Jinping has set that as the milestone when China overtakes the United States as the world's leading superpower. All of China's recent actions must be viewed through this geopolitical prism: the build-up in eastern Ladakh, the militarisation of the South China Sea, the national security law in Hong Kong, the aggressive air sorties around Taiwan, the clampdown on Uighurs in Xinjiang, the diplomatic confrontation with Australia and Canada, the subversion of scientists in the United States, the theft of Western intellectual property, and the coordinated cyber attacks on government assets globally. Growing ambitions China expects to overtake America's GDP within ten years. The gap has already narrowed sharply ($21 trillion vs $14 trillion). China's defence budget ($178 billion) is still just a fourth of America's ($722 billion). China has only two aircraft carriers against America's 20, a crucial factor in the South China Sea. But China's navy has an ambitious carrier building programme as well as development of fifth generation stealth fighter jets. However, it will take at least 20 years for China to rival American naval and air power across global theatres. China, playing the long game, knows this. In 1980, when its economy was the same size as India's, it bided its time and focused on growth at all costs. It was only in 2007, however, that China's economy entered the big league. In 2007, China's GDP was just $3.55 trillion, one-fourth of US GDP of $14.45 trillion. In four short years, by 2011, China's GDP had more than doubled to $7.55 trillion. America's GDP had meanwhile crawled to $15.54 trillion. The gap between the economies of the two countries had narrowed from 4:1 to 2:1 during 2007-11.Where does India fit into China's gameplan? Beijing is not lulled by India's stop-start economic growth, noisy democracy and slow decision-making. It recognises that India will stumble its way to becoming the world's third largest economy by 2030, ahead of Germany and Japan. It also knows that the Indian army, navy and air force, cur rently under-funded, are expanding rapidly. It realises that with a middle-class consumer market of 400 million, a world-class software sector and the third largest startup universe globally, India will be a force to reckon with in the future. That complicates Xi Jinping's plans. The last thing China wants is to face an alliance between the US-led West and India. Everything Xi has done in his eight years as China's most powerful and ruthless President since Mao Zedong has therefore been calibrated to cut India down to size. Beijing uses Pakistan-sponsored terrorism to pin India's security forces to the Line of Control (LoC). It blocks India's efforts to become a permanent veto-carrying member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and vetoes its membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). In Beijing's long view, there can be only two superpowers by 2049. That is when it expects the baton to pass from the US to China. India is an irritant, an unwelcome third angle in this evolving triangle of global power. This is why Xi Jinping went through the charade of the Wuhan and Mahabalipuram informal summits.India was to be kept in good humour and equidistant from the US and China. India & the Long Game Three events have upended this strategy. First, India's continuing opposition to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Xi considers this globe-girdling infrastructure project his personal legacy. BRI has signed on over 100 countries and pledged investments of $3.70 trillion in 2,600 projects. India's unyielding opposition to BRI as well as its high-cost debt have stalled infrastructure projects in vari ous countries. BRI is aimed at solidifying Chinese influence worldwide. Any disruption in its progress constitutes a setback to Xi's 2049 mission. Second, the Covid-19 pandemic. India led 123 countries to institute an independent inquiry into its source and whether China suppressed information in its early stages, potentially costing tens of thousands of preventable fatalities globally. India's leading role to pin accountability for the pandemic has angered Beijing. Third, India has begun to proactively build roads, bridges and other infrastructure in eastern Ladakh along the LAC. For decades China built fortifications on its side of the LAC and was pleased India did not do the same on its side of the LAC. Doklam changed that. India has built more infrastructure in the past two years along the LAC than it did in two decades. All three events have rattled China. Its longstanding view of India as a passive regional power that punched well below its geopolitical weight has been abandoned. The Ladakh blunder China is determined to cut India down to size. The events of the past two months in eastern Ladakh are part of China's changed strategy towards India. But in overplaying its hand in the Galwan Valley, Beijing has made a close US-India alliance all but inevitable. That is precisely the outcome China fears the most. Its miscalculation in Ladakh will extract a heavy geopolitical cost. (Courtesy of Mail Today) Also read: Why India must strike back at China to save Himalayas 18th and Vine residents, police and KC leaders meet to talk safety solutions KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Five shootings in the span of a few hours in Kansas City's historic Jazz District this week are now prompting calls for change. At least four shootings happened near 18th & Vine Sunday night, and a fifth Monday morning. Two of the victims died. Continuedfor cash ignorein local subsidy already invested without any return or hope for self-sustainability . . . Meanwhile, the conversation continues without any semblance of a plan: At about $40 per mask, Donut Robotics is aiming at a mass market that did not exist until a few months ago. As face coverings become the norm amid the coronavirus pandemic, Japanese startup Donut Robotics has developed an internet-connected "smart mask" that can transmit messages and translate from Japanese into eight other languages. The white plastic "c-mask" fits over standard face masks and connects via Bluetooth to a smartphone and tablet application that can transcribe speech into text messages, make calls, or amplify the mask wearer's voice. "We worked hard for years to develop a robot and we have used that technology to create a product that responds to how the coronavirus has reshaped society," said Taisuke Ono, the chief executive of Donut Robotics. ALSO READ: Apple releases iOS 13.5 beta, makes it easy for people to unlock iPhone when wearing a mask Donut Robotics' engineers came up with the idea for the mask as they searched for a product to help the company survive the pandemic. When the coronavirus struck, it had just secured a contract to supply robot guides and translators to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, a product that faces an uncertain future after the collapse of air travel. Japanese startup Donut Robotics' CEO Taisuke Ono shows the c-mask and its mobile phone application during a demonstration in Tokyo, (REUTERS) Donut Robotics' first 5,000 c-masks will be shipped to buyers in Japan starting in September, with Ono looking to sell in China, the United States and Europe too. There has been strong interest, he said. One aim, he said, is to generate revenue from subscriber services offered via an app that users will download. Japanese startup Donut Robotics' CEO Taisuke Ono wears a c-mask as he demonstrates the connected face masks messaging function with his chief engineer, Takafumi Okabe. (REUTERS) Donut Robotics built a prototype connected mask within a month by adapting translation software developed for its robot and a mask design that one of the company's engineers, Shunsuke Fujibayashi, created four years ago for a student project to interpret speech by mapping face muscles. ALSO READ: Huami plans transparent mask that can clean itself Ono raised 28 million yen ($260,000) for development by selling Donut Robotics shares through Japanese crowdfunding site Fundinno. "We raised our initial target of 7 million yen within three minutes and stopped after 37 minutes when we had reached 28 million yen," he said. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra joined a stampede of politicians scrambling to respond to the George Floyd killing by floating a package of police reforms last week. But Becerras belated efforts to take up the cause havent been uniformly convincing. This week provided another example of the attorney generals caution on police accountability when his office declined to investigate the killing of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa of San Francisco, who was shot by Vallejo police this month under suspicious circumstances amid the mass protests and disorder that followed Floyds death. Monterrosa was kneeling outside a Walgreens when an officer responding to reported looting fired five shots through his cruisers windshield. Vallejo police say the officer, whom they have not identified, mistook a hammer in Monterrosas pocket for a gun. Given the questionable nature of the shooting, the Vallejo departments checkered record and the national climate of concern about police killings of African Americans and Latinos, Monterrosas killing cries out for an arms-length investigation. Vallejos representatives in the state Assembly and Congress and, most important, Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams, who would normally investigate the matter, were among those calling for an independent probe. While Abrams said she could conduct a fair investigation, she said she asked Becerra to take over because an independent review is needed at this time to restore public trust and provide credibility, transparency and oversight. But Becerras representatives said the district attorney had not provided information indicating that her office was not capable of conducting a fair and thorough review and that the state Department of Justice would not assume such investigations absent a conflict of interest, an abuse of discretion or other exceptional circumstances one or more of which arguably apply here. To his credit, the attorney general did recently announce a broad review of the Vallejo Police Department to increase public trust, but Abrams rightly noted that its difficult to discern why Becerra wouldnt investigate Monterrosas killing for the same reason. Becerra, who has received more than $56,000 in contributions to his campaigns for attorney general from police and corrections officers unions and groups, has generally avoided such investigations; when his office did probe the infamous shooting of Stephon Clark by Sacramento police, it brought no charges against the officers. Becerra has also fiercely opposed disclosure of records on police misconduct and use of force, defying the will of the Legislature and the courts. State Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, said in a statement Thursday that some 800 deadly uses of force by California police over the past five years have yielded only one independent investigation. McCarty is the author of sensible legislation requiring the attorney general to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute killings by officers when asked by a district attorney or police department. As McCarty noted, local investigations of police use of force are fraught with conflicts of interest. Thanks to Becerra, the review of Monterrosas shooting will probably be no exception. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Patna: Yashwant Sinha is all set to launch his new political front to take on the Nitish Kumar government in the upcoming assembly elections. Sinha who has been camping in Patna to discuss the issue with like-minded political leaders made the announcement on Saturday in a press conference. Along with Mr. Sinha, three former MPs Nagmani, Arun Kumar, and Devendra Yadav and host of other leaders were also present on the dais. Though Yashwant Sinha didnt elaborate much about his new political front sources said that the focus would be to pose a challenge to the state government being led by JD(U)-BJP combine. Our effort would be to present ourselves as a credible alternative in Bihar. In future you will see many changes happening, Veteran political leader and former Finance minister Yashwant Sinha said. Adding further he said that soon it will be clear whether we are the first, second or the third front. He said that the new front is being formed with an agenda of Is Baar Badlo Bihar (change Bihar). While talking to reporters he claimed that many political leaders are in touch with him and may join once the name of his front is finalized. Sinha also said that he would soon come up with fact sheets to show how the state has been lagging in key sectors like health, education and industry. Our agenda is to work for the change in the state and anyone with a clear vision and without the condition can join, Sinha said. He also slammed the government over the virtual campaigning issue and termed it as cheating with people. Sources said that former MP Nagmani and Arun Kumar have played a key role in shaping up the platform and roping Mr. Sinha to lead the third front ahead of the assembly elections in the state. Both these leaders were earlier associated with Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samata Party but parted ways with the party during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Assembly elections in Bihar for 243 seats are to be held in October- November this year. Yashwant Sinha, who was earlier BJP MP from Hazaribagh Lok Sabha constituency in Jharkhand had quit the party in April 2018 and later announced his retirement from active politics. Police arrested a 21-year-old Ohio woman after she steadfastly refused to leave an Allen Park hotel. At approximately 2:20 a.m. June 8, police were sent to Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 9000 Enterprise Drive, regarding a disorderly person refusing to leave a room. A woman told police she was from Cleveland and that she rented a room in her name for the night for her friends birthday. However, she had an argument with the woman she planned to stay with so she checked out and wanted to leave, but could not complete the process because the other person refused to leave. A security employee escorted officers to the room and told police that no one was allowed to stay there any longer, as both guests had been evicted by hotel management. He opened the door with a master key and they found the woman lying on the bed, with her phone. When police told her she had to leave, per hotel management, she became irate, arguing that she put money down on that room. An officer told her it was a civil matter and she needed to leave. After asking her several more times and being ignored, the officers called in a sergeant. She yelled and cursed at the officers, so police told her she was under arrest for being a disorderly person. An officer attempted to handcuff her while she was sitting on the bed, but she refused to stand up. When police applied a handcuff to her left wrist, she stood and then threw her weight forward, landing on the other bed. Police said she continued to resist, but officers eventually were able to place handcuffs on her. However, the battle wasnt over. As officers began to escort her out of the room, she fell to the floor and refused to stand up, an officer stated in his police report. She was given several more commands to stand and exit the room. She did not. In order to minimize the risk of injuries to officers, police contacted the Allen Park Fire Department and requested a gurney. Once they arrived with a gurney, the woman refused to get on it and finally stood up and walked out of the hotel. She was ticketed for disorderly person and for interfering with police. An FIR has been filed against yoga guru Ramdev, Patanjali Ayurved Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Acharya Balkrishna, and four others in Jaipur for allegedly putting the lives of lakhs of people at risk by claiming to have developed a COVID-19 cure. The launch of Patanjali's 'Coronil' drug by yoga guru Ramdev on Tuesday triggered a debate after which the AYUSH Ministry sought information on its clinical trial. The ministry has also banned the Haridwar-based company from advertising its anti-COVID drug. Also read: Coronavirus treatment: Patanjali submits 'Coronil' research documents to Ayush ministry The FIR was filed under various sections of the IPC including Section 420 (Cheating) in Jaipur's Jyoti Nagar Police Station against Ramdev, Balkrishna, scientist Anurag Varshney, National Institute of Medical Science (NIMS) Chairman Balbir Singh Tomar and Director Anurag Tomar on Friday. Also read: Patanjali's Coronil not tested on severe COVID-19 patients; clinical trial only for mild cases In addition to this, Rajasthan's Health Department has also served a notice to NIMS Hospital, Jaipur, seeking an explanation on the trials conducted on coronavirus patients. The Rajasthan government has also clarified that Coronil would not be used as a medicine in the state without the permission of AYUSH ministry. The state government added that strict action would be taken against those who will sell Patanjali's Coronil drug. Patanjali, during the launch of Coronil, claimed that its medicine can cure coronavirus within seven days. It said Coronil, taken along with other products developed by it, had shown a 100 per cent success rate in clinical trials on infected patients, except those on life support. Ramdev said the medicines have been developed by Patanjali Research Centre, Haridwar, in association with privately-owned NIMS, Jaipur. The Uttarakhand government will also serve a notice to Patanjali Ayurved for launching a drug claiming to be a cure for COVID-19 when it had only applied for a licence to manufacture an immunity booster against cough and fever. Patanjali could also face litigation in Bihar. A complaint has been filed against it in a Muzaffarpur court over its 'COVID-19 cure' claim. The court posted the matter for hearing on June 30. Also read: Jaipur hospital served notice for conducting trials of Patanjali's 'Coronil' on COVID-19 patients Also read: Patanjali says it broke no rules amid Coronil row Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned the countrys economic problems could worsen if the coronavirus spreads unchecked. Iran has struggled to curb the COVID-19 outbreak since it reported its first cases in February. It shut down nonessential businesses, closed schools, and cancelled public events in March, but the government gradually lifted restrictions from April to try to reopen the country's sanctions-hit economy. "It is correct to say that something must be done to prevent economic problems caused by the coronavirus," said Khamenei on June 27. "But in the case of negligence and significant spread of the disease, economic problems will increase, too," he said at a meeting with judiciary officials, according to his official website. The Iranian rial has plunged to new lows against the U.S. dollar in recent days due to the temporary economic shutdown, border closures, and a halt in non-oil exports, according to analysts. Iran's economic problems have worsened since 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark nuclear agreement and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic republic, targeting vital oil sales and banking ties. Based on reporting by AFP A police station in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district has been sealed after three policemen posted there tested positive for coronavirus, an official said. The Bhawanagar police station has been sealed after the three policemen, which include two head constables aged 26 and 32 years and a 24-year-old constable, tested positive for coronavirus, he said. Two of them had returned from their homes in Kangra on June 12 after taking leave for a few days. The third was on a temporary posting in Chaura, he added. The entire staff of the police station have been quarantined to check the spread of the deadly virus, the official said. The areas between Lutuksa and Dat Sungra in Bhawanagar have been identified as a containment zone. Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chand has issued an order to declare Bhawanagar town as a containment zone to contain the spread of infection. The three policemen have been shifted to the Reckong Peo COVID care centre. Their contacts are being traced, Chand said. With this, the number of positive cases in tribal Kinnaur district has risen to seven. Three of them have recovered, while the rest four are active cases. Besides, 27 more people -- Hamirpur (10), Kangra (7), Bilaspur (5), Solan (3) and Mandi (2) -- tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the state, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) RD Dhiman said. In Hamirpur, a two-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl from Sai village are among the 10 new cases, a district official said adding they were primary contacts of a COVID-19 patient. A 57-year-old man from Sukriyah village also tested positive, he said, adding he was secondary contact of a COVID-19 patient. Of the rest seven cases, four recently returned from Delhi, two from Gurgaon and one from Mumbai, he added. The total number of coronavirus cases in Hamirpur district has risen to 238. These includes 117 active cases, 120 cured and one dead. In Kangra, four members of a family including a couple and their two daughters from Rehlu tested positive, Kangra Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Prajapati said, adding they recently returned from Gurgaon. Besides, a Faridabad returnee and two contacts of COVID-19 patients also tested positive, he added. In Bilaspur, five people, including a three-year-old child, tested positive for coronavirus, a district official said, adding they recently returned from Delhi-NCR. In Mandi, two persons tested positive and they also recently returned from Delhi-NCR. The number of positive cases in Himachal Pradesh now stands at 895. So far, 501 people have recovered, while 11 COVID-19 patients have migrated out of the state. Himachal Pradesh has reported eight deaths due to the virus so far. A total of 373 cases are active in the state. Hamirpur has the maximum number of active COVID-19 cases in the state at 108, followed by 107 in Kangra, 44 in Solan, 28 in Una, 19 in Shimla, 17 in Bilaspur, 13 in Sirmaur, 11 in Chamba, four each in Kinnaur and Mandi, and one in Kullu, as per the official figures. According to the criminal complaint, one of the girls contacted Beaver Dam Police in April of 2017 and told them that she was having a sexual relationship with Gonzales who lived in Beaver Dam and was 23 at the time. The girl told police that she was friends with Gonzales girlfriend, who was also underage. The girl told police that it was consensual at first but later became less and less consensual. The last time it occurred, the girl said that Gonzales forced her and she called her mother to pick her up. The girl also provided instant messages between the two in which Gonzales had talked to the girl about a sexual relationship. Another girl spoke to police in April 2018. According to the criminal complaint, the girl said she was 13 at the time that the relationship began and continued until she was 17. She was choked during one encounter. The girl allowed the police to see online conversations between the two in which Gonzales had sent the girl inappropriate photos and videos. Loading Huntley has spent the past three months researching what the pandemic might mean for climate change and her early fears have not borne out. Last week's Ipsos Issues Monitor, a long-running survey of community concerns, showed the environment peaked as the top concern at the start of the year following the devastating summer bushfires. It was overtaken by first healthcare, when the virus threat was highest, and then the economy. But Huntley says surveys like this force citizens to prioritise their concerns in a way they don't do in their personal lives and the results do not mean they have forgotten the environment. Her research suggests people are "prepared to walk and chew gum at the same time in relation to climate and COVID". The experience Australians had during lockdown did not have the negative associations she feared. "People think, 'well, we have actually been able to massively change our behaviour and some of the behaviour change has actually been quite good, like working from home so that you don't have to spend two or three hours in traffic and then being able to go for walk at lunch time'," she says. "There has been a willingness to say, 'we've already had this kind of traumatic event that has forced us into some behaviour change where we've seen a positive environmental outcome. How can we keep the things that we like, and keep that environmental outcome?'" Huntley says in Australia and other countries that have managed the pandemic well, public trust in leadership has risen. (She notes this is not the case in the United States.) More importantly, political leaders across Australia and many other countries have put experts chief medical officers and epidemiologists at the forefront of policy and political decision-making. The public has gravitated not to the "reckless opinion makers of the populist Right" but to medical experts and "the Norman Swans of the world". "They say 'that guy actually knows what he's talking about, he understands research, he's not approaching this in an ideological and dogmatic manner, I'm going to listen to him'," Huntley says. "I'm really glad that politicians listened to [experts] that can only be good and only reinforce what was already the majority view in Australia, which is that we should be listening to the CSIRO and the scientists on climate change." Huntley says Australians also recognise the need for the nation to be more self-sufficient in the wake of the pandemic and moving to renewable energy was one way to achieve that. Meanwhile, research summarised in the book has consistently shown low numbers of hard-core climate deniers in Australia. They only appear more numerous because some prominent politicians and media commentators are deniers. In a CSIRO survey involving 17,500 Australians between 2010 and 2014, participants predicted 23 per cent of the population did not believe climate change was happening, when the actual number in the survey was 8 per cent. Loading So is it worth trying to argue with your drunk uncle who denies climate change? Huntley says you first have to work out what kind of climate change denier he is. In her book she describes several types. First, there are active deniers who won't stop talking, then there are passive deniers who rarely say more than a few words a time and are keen to move on to other topics. Many climate deniers style themselves as sceptics, since scepticism sounds more respectable as an integral part of the scientific method. Huntley says there were scientific sceptics who questioned and even rejected the idea that humans could cause the planet to warm with devastating consequences but most of them have changed their tune because the early climate change modelling has proven to be correct. After more than three months in lockdown, many Britons are desperate to escape their neighbourhoods and jet off on holiday. And the government's shift from a two-week quarantine for those arriving in the UK to a 'traffic light' system showing the safest destinations will make it much easier. The new process, earmarked for July 6, will see countries rated green, amber or red based on Covid infections, the trust in official data and their test and trace systems. But with the bug still prevalent across the world and some nations already seeing second waves, questions are being asked over which countries are safe to visit. Here, MailOnline looks at the how each country is coping with the crisis, what tourists can do when they get there and how much a trip could cost. Countries across the world are highlighted in green, amber or red based on the infection levels, the reliability of official data and confidence in test and trace systems Spain Is coronavirus under control? Spain has started to reopen to tourists after being one of the worst affected countries from the bug. The country had Europe's toughest lockdown, with children shut inside for weeks and the military on the streets to enforce it. It took two months for the country to get its deaths back to the usual rate - on May 10 - but the country seems to be edging back to normality. Spain has started to reopen to tourists after being one of the worst affected countries from the bug. Pictured: Benidorm But more than 28,000 deaths have officially been reported there, with a much higher-than-average fatality rate of six per 10,000 people. The popular holiday destination of Catalonia, which is where Barcelona is, has been one of the worse affected areas. And this week the equally admired Costa Del Sol, where Puerto Banus and Marbella are, has suffered another outbreak of coronavirus. Some 83 people tested positive just four days after the first British holiday makers were allowed to return. The spike in cases is believed to have stemmed from a staff member in Malaga's Red Cross centre, who had recently returned from the Canary Islands. Some 79 of the 83 positive tests came from young migrants who the centre had rescued from the region's seas - the remaining four cases were infected staff. Are tourist activities open? Spain officially reopened for tourism within Europe on June 21, followed by international visitors from July 1. But when they arrive, their experience may be different what they are used to, with the country now between Phase Two and Phase Three of its lockdown lifting. Hotels are only allowed to operate at half their usual capacity, while restaurants and cafes also have limited seating. Cultural activities, which many visit the country specifically for, are only allowed with less than 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. This includes bullfights, where one person is allowed per 9m sq, and tours are only allowed a maximum of 30 people. Spain's parks, such as the stunning Park Guell in Barcelona, are restricted to a tiny 20 per cent of normal capacity. Even on the beach tourists must stay vigilant, with social distancing being enforced nationwide. How much will it cost? Depending on what sort of holiday Britons want to go on, the price fluctuates wildly for Spain. For those after a cheap deal, a one way ticket to Alicante is as little as 58 with a change at Vienna. But for a full package holiday, a return trip to the nearby Benidorm, which would usually be packed to the rafters with young Brits this time of year, can set you back around 421. Crowds cram on to the beach during warm weather in Barcelona, Spain, on June 13 A fortnight at the Jardin del Sol Apartments on Gran Canaria from 640pp departing from Gatwick on August 8. A fortnight for a family of four from 2,436 at Cristina Villas in Cala Millor on Majorca departing from Manchester on August 16. A fortnight for a family of four from 2,156 at Villa La Canada, a self-catering property with a pool near Frigiliana in Andalucia with Gatwick flights on August 29. For a full package holiday, a return trip to Benidorm, which would usually be packed to the rafters with young Brits this time of year, can set you back around 421 Greece Is coronavirus under control? Greece has so far reported 3,321 cases of coronavirus, including 191 deaths, a much lower number than in most western European countries. Comparatively Britain has so far confirmed more than 300,000 cases, including more than 43,000 deaths. Greece has so far reported 3,321 cases of coronavirus, including 191 deaths, a much lower number than in most western European countries. Pictured: Athens But earlier this month Greece was forced to suspend all flights from Qatar after 12 passengers tested positive for coronavirus. Qatar Airways claimed the passengers who tested positive after landing in Athens were healthy when they left Doha five hours earlier. A dozen of the plane's 91 passengers tested positive for the deadly virus - which has officially killed 45 people in Qatar. Are tourist activities open? Greece hopes to be able to set up an 'air bridge' with Britain that would allow UK tourists to visit from mid-July. Britons are among the biggest national groups visiting Greece every year but flights from the UK, which has seen a high rate of Covid infections, are currently barred from Greek airports until at least June 30. Airlines and Britons wanting to take foreign holidays are stepping up pressure on the UK government to form air bridges, where two countries agree to allow travel between them without quarantine measures. Greece reopened its main airports in Athens and Thessaloniki to more international flights on June 15 and hopes to reopen all others on July 1, hoping to kick-start its vital tourism sector after three months in lockdown. Since early May Greece has been relaxing its lockdown rules with shops, archaeological sites, restaurants, cafes, bars, leisure parks, and spas opening But it has said additional restrictions on non-essential travel from third countries may apply from July 1. The country has launched a 'enjoy yourself, stay safe' campaign ahead of the return of tourists, to protect both them and Greek nationals. Since early May it has been relaxing its lockdown rules with shops, archaeological sites, restaurants, cafes, bars, leisure parks, and spas opening. Hotels have been allowed to reopen for the last two weeks and ferries have been allowed to dock. From July 1, cultural events will be allowed. Ferries have been running for more than a month. Face masks must be worn on public transport, in taxis and in some shops. But there will be drastic changes for visitors to the islands, with businesses such as Corfu Cruises remaining shut due to low numbers. Nicole Pandis from the family business told the Telegraph: 'It's a big change not working in the summer and we're all worried about winter but we really don't know if we can afford the costs of operating for just a few people to come on a tour. 'Then if just a few people come, is it really worth the risk of opening to them at all?' Tourism employs about 700,000 people and accounts for some 20 per cent of Greece's economic output. How the sector fares is significant for the country's recovery. Greece emerged from a decade-long debt crisis two years ago. How much will it cost? Athens has some cheap deals for British holidaymakers this summer, with a one-way trip via a stop over starting at just 76. And a package holiday to the historic capital city come in as cheap as 178. A seven-night all-inclusive stay at Crete Maris Beach Resort from 3,332 for a family of four with Gatwick flights on August 7. Athens has some cheap deals for British holidaymakers this summer, with a one-way trip via a stop over starting at just 76. And a package holiday to the historic capital city come in as cheap as 178 A fortnight-long three-star, self-catering break in Aghios Georgios in Corfu from 438pp with Luton flights on August 1. A fortnight at upmarket Villa Penelope I, sleeping four, with a pool, from 4,691 on August 16. Italy Is coronavirus under control? Italy has been battered by the coronavirus crisis, with huge numbers of deaths and infections. But it appears to be at a turning point, and has eased restrictions on its population and tourists. The country registered 30 more deaths of people with coronavirus infections on Friday, with 16 of them in Lombardy, the northern region that continues to still have by far the highest daily tally of new confirmed cases. Italy has been battered by the coronavirus crisis, with huge numbers of deaths and infections. Pictured: Rome According to Health Ministry data, the nation confirmed 259 new cases since Thursday, raising to 239,961 the number of known coronavirus infections since Italy's outbreak began in late February. Meanwhile 28 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean Sea tested positive for coronavirus, Sicily's governor said on Wednesday. The positive tests represent the largest cluster yet among newly arrived migrants. The migrants were being held on a ship off the Sicilian town of Porto Empedocle where some would-be asylum seekers are taken to undergo quarantine after being rescued at sea. Deaths in Italy now total 34,708. Authorities say the number of overall cases and deaths is certainly higher, since many without serious symptoms didn't get tested, and many died in nursing homes without being tested. Are tourist activities open? Italy reopened its borders to tourists from Europe at the start of the month, three months after they were shut as the country went into coronavirus lockdown. Travellers from most other European countries are allowed in with no quarantine and people are allowed to move freely between regions. Once in Italy, visitors face restrictions imposed on all Italians which include observing social distance, wearing a mask in public, and a ban on large gatherings. Hotels, bars, restaurants, museums, campsites and even mountain huts have reopened. Italy reopened its borders to tourists from Europe at the start of the month, three months after they were shut as the country went into coronavirus lockdown. Pictured: eople gather around a typical horse-drawn carriage decorated with flowers at Piazza di Spagna in Rome Face masks must be worn in indoor public places, and in outdoor places where one-metre social distancing is impossible. In Lombardy it is still mandatory to wear masks outdoors. Social distancing on beaches is 1.5 metres. Temperature checks may be requested. Italy, like many other European countries, is desperately trying to revive its tourism industry in time for the lucrative summer season. Some areas are offering discounted air fares and extra nights in hotels to try to make up for lost earnings over the past few months. For visitors things are steadily starting to return to normal. The Piazza San Marco in Venice has people wandering around admiring the architecture, and the Doge's Palace saw 1,000 tickets sold on its reopening day two weeks ago. Similarly gondolas are once again meandering their way through the canal system and cafes and shops have reopened for business. The tourism industry makes up 15 per cent of the workforce and 13 per cent of GDP, so is of high value to the economy. How much will it cost? A quick trip to the Lombardy city of Milan would set one person back as little as 30, while a package holiday in Rome would be about 399. A fortnight at the four-star Grand Hotel Francia e Quirinale in Tuscany is from 952pp. A week at TUI BLUE Nastro Azzurro in Piano di Sorrento is from 1,076pp all-inclusive on August 24. A quick trip to the Lombardy city of Milan would set one person back as little as 30, while a package holiday in Rome (pictured) would be about 399 Barbados Is coronavirus under control? The popular holiday island of Barbados in the Caribbean has been well sheltered from the coronavirus. There have been just seven deaths attributed to the killer bug, with 97 infections and 90 people having recovered. The popular holiday island of Barbados in the Caribbean has been well sheltered from the coronavirus Daily cases spiked at 11 on April 1, but have plummeted to just one as of June 15. It would be a reasonably safe destination for Britons to jet to and is labelled as green on the government's new travel traffic light system. The country had a curfew in place from 8am to 5pm which was lifted on May 31, with the authorities also limiting beach hours from 6am to 9am and 4pm to 6.30pm from May 18. Are tourist activities open? The island is expecting visitors mainly from next month, and ahead of their arrival the minister for tourism has pledged to upgrade a number of sites. St Lawrence Gap, Oistins, Holetown, Bridgetown and Baxter's Road are all going to get a makeover, Kerrie Symmonds said yesterday. He told Barbados Today: 'We need to recognize that as we reenter the global business of tourism we have to do so in a way in which we are selling Barbados to not only Barbadians but to the rest of the world as being an area which is considerably more upbeat and lively. 'St Lawrence Gap is one such example and so as recently as yesterday Cabinet would have approved a paper which allows us now to focus on the refurbishment in many ways of St Lawrence Gap, the improvement of the product in the Gap and dealing with some of the issues relating to cleanliness, safety, that we've kicked down the road for a long time and never properly confronted.' Prime Minister Mia Mottley added that she will be launching a new tourism brand for the island to attract even more visitors. How much will it cost? A one-way ticket to Barbados, which many Brits may dream of, will set you back around 234, while a package holiday costs from 674. A one-way ticket to Barbados, which many Brits may dream of, will set you back around 234, while a package holiday costs from 674 France Is coronavirus under control? France said it had the coronavirus outbreak 'under control' at the start of the month as the country cautiously lifted its lockdown measures. France (pictured, children playing football near the Eiffel Tower on Thursday) said it had the outbreak 'under control' at the start of the month as the country cautiously lifted its lockdown reported 29,752 coronavirus deaths since the outbreak began making it the third worst-hit country in Europe after the UK and Italy. It has But the number of daily deaths has dropped dramatically in recent weeks and t he number of new cases also dropped significantly to a few hundred per day. France had one of mainland Europe's toughest responses to coronavirus with stay-at-home orders and business closures issued. Are tourist activities open? Expect strict social distancing in restaurants, bars, markets and stores, where shopkeepers reserve the right to demand customers wear face masks. Gatherings of more than ten people in public are banned. Nightclubs, like in the UK, remain closed. The lockdown was partially lifted last month when hair salons, clothes shops, florists and bookshops were permitted to open again. Restaurants, theatres, gyms, swimming pools, beaches and museums were allowed to reopen on June 2. How much will it cost? A fortnight at a cottage for four in Brittany from 1,200 in August including Portsmouth-St Malo ferry crossing with car. A fortnight at a four-star beachfront hotel in Cannes with flights and transfers departing from Gatwick in August from 1,400pp. A week at a villa sleeping six on the Aigues Mortes Marina in Languedoc Roussillon from 950, excluding flights. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore) By Gabriel Choo SINGAPORE Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong announced on Wednesday (24 June) that he would be retiring from politics after 44 years as Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade. The 79-year-old made the announcement in a letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. As Singapore gears up for the 10 July General Election (GE), where leadership transition for the Peoples Action Party (PAP) government becomes a more pressing issue, Yahoo News Singapore takes a look back at the various events and key policy changes that happened during Gohs tenure. Goh joined the government service in 1964 and was the managing director of Neptune Orient Lines Singapores national shipping company from 1973 to 1977. He entered politics in 1976, becoming MP for Marine Parade in the GE that same year. He also served as Minister for Trade and Industry, Health and Defence, and was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister in 1985. In 1990, Goh succeeded the late Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore's second prime minister and led the PAP to victory at the GEs in 1991, 1997 and 2001. New policies as PM During his 14-year service as PM, Gohs administration oversaw the introduction of several major policies in Singapore such as Medisave, Non-Constituency Members of Parliament and Government Parliamentary Committees and are still key institutions today. Other national initiatives that Goh oversaw include the birth of community development councils such as the Inter-Racial Confidence Circles and Harmony Circles, which aim to help bond Singaporeans of different racial and religious backgrounds. In April 1999, Goh formed the Singapore 21 committee, which proposed a new vision to strengthen the heartware of Singapore in the 21st century. Singaporeans were able to give feedback on national policies in Singapore as a three-way partnership between them, the public sector and the private sector to build greater social cohesion. The late 1990s was when housing shortage became an issue and Goh introduced asset enhancement schemes to renew aging estates and market deregulation measures to establish an integrated land-housing supply. These HDB estate upgrading measures sparked criticism from the public, but Goh stood firm, saying in a speech at an event that he is convinced that the upgrading programme is the way to share some of our countrys wealth with you (Singaporeans). Story continues As part of further financial support for Singaporeans, Goh also introduced endowment funds such as Edusave schemes for students, and Medifund for Singaporeans who cannot afford their healthcare bills. Leading through crises and controversies One of Gohs notable achievements during his PM years was when he led Singapore out of the 1997-1998 Asian Financial Crisis, by implementing a slew of measures ranging from lowering business costs to providing relief to individuals and households. This was when the government first started redistributing budget surpluses to citizens in the form of Central Provident Fund (CPF) top-ups. Singapore faced an economic slowdown again in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2003 SARS outbreak. Goh introduced the New Singapore Shares scheme to maintain the city-states position as an attractive investment hub in order to spur the creation of jobs for Singaporeans. In 2001, Singapore was facing terrorism threats such as the plot to attack several embassies and public infrastructure by Jemaah Islamiyah. To manage any potential fallout, Goh encouraged schools and workplaces to promote understanding between the different racial and religious communities through inter-racial confidence circles. He also held dialogues with leaders of the Muslim community. During the 2003 SARS outbreak,Goh set out to promote community spirit and encourage social responsibility. In a letter to Singaporeans, Goh said, To succeed in containing SARS in Singapore, everyone must cooperate and play his part. We can overcome this latest crisis if we work together, as we have done in previous crises. In the same year, Goh announced that the government was openly employing homosexuals despite sex between men remaining illegal under the Penal Code. This received a strong backlash from certain segments of the public and religious groups alike but he argued for a tolerant society. In 1994, the Singapore government had to deal with harsh criticisms from the US when Michael Peter Fay, an American teenager living in Singapore, was sentenced to six strokes of the cane for vandalising cars. The sentence was later reduced to four strokes of the cane. Despite intense pressure from US media and officials calling on Singapore not to cane Fay, Goh remained firm on his stance that Singapores laws must be respected by everyone. Supporter of regionalisation Goh was a keen supporter of fostering closer bilateralism and multilateralism with Singapores external partners. Under the Initiative for Asean Integration (IAI) launched in 2000, Singapore worked with four other original Asean members, or the Asean-5, to narrow the development gap between them and the newer member states of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca) was also established under Goh, in an effort to strengthen bilateral trade and forge closer ties between India and the region. He also led Singapore's efforts towards globalisation through various initiatives such as the Asia-Europe Meeting and the Asia-Middle East Dialogue. Goh was also involved in the long-standing water agreement issue with Malaysia, where he sought to clear the decks of outstanding bilateral issues. He wrote a letter to Malaysias then PM, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, saying that Singapore would supplement the water agreements by producing its own Newater for the sake of good long-term relations. After 14 years as PM, Goh relinquished his post in 2004 to Lee Hsien Loong and remained in the cabinet as Senior Minister until 2011. After GE2011, Goh was appointed as senior adviser to the Monetary Authority of Singapore and given the honorary title of Emeritus Senior Minister. Follow Yahoo News Singapores GE2020 coverage here. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Related stories GE2020: Ivan Lim withdraws as PAP candidate, PM Lee calls controversy unfortunate GE2020: SingFirst dissolved, says it is to avoid 3-corner fights GE2020: No 'formal agreement' with RP over Yio Chu Kang, says PSP's Leong Mun Wai GE2020: No indications of three-cornered fights, say SDP leaders The federal government announced this month that it will be extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) by another two months. The CERB now covers a 24-week period, and that means the maximum an eligible individual can receive will be $12,000. Thats over six monthly installments of $2,000. Its a fair bit of money that could generate some decent dividend income for investors. Lets take a look at how much you could have earned from a $12,000 investment, assuming you had the money available to you right from the start of the year. The purpose of this isnt to say that you should spend your CERB payments all on stocks but to show how important it is to save and accumulate a decent amount of savings that can help generate long-term growth for your portfolio. Growth stocks One of the hottest stocks on the TSX this year has been Shopify. Through the first five months of the year, shares of the popular tech stock doubled in value. A $12,000 investment into the stock wouldve earned you an additional $12,000. And if youd made that investment within a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), those could have been earnings that were also tax-free. But not all tech stocks have been as impressive this year. Shares of Amazon were up 34% over the same period. The same investment there wouldve earned you about $4,080 in capital gains. If you were bullish on self-driving cars, then a $12,000 investment in Tesla wouldve outshone Shopify and netted you a profit of nearly $14,000. Dividend stocks Investing in growth stocks can be hit or miss. If you were to invest in dividend stocks, however, they could produce some solid stream of income for you, potentially for many years. Bank stocks are always a great option for dividend investors; they dont involve much risk, so lets start there. Shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce pay a dividend of around 6.2% annually, thanks to the stock tanking due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that yield, a $12,000 investment would earn you $744 per year in dividend income. Thats a recurring and growing dividend that you can count on to help build your portfolios value over the years. Story continues If youre a bit more impatient and want more frequent payouts, you can opt for a stock like RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust. It pays a monthly dividend payment of $0.12 per share. If youd bought the stock at $16, that would mean youd be earning an incredible 9% per year in dividends. On a $12,000 investment, youd be making $1,080 per year, which comes out to monthly payments of $90. That could be enough to help cover a bill payment or two. Bottom line A $12,000 investment is by no means a fortune. But the above examples show just how far you can stretch that size of an investment today. If youre collecting CERB, its a good idea to put aside some of that money, if you can afford to do so, to help build up your savings. And the more you can build your nest egg, the more you can earn from it by investing it wisely, whether via growth stocks or dividend stocks. The post Heres How Much You Could Earn From Investing the Full $12,000 in CERB Payments appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. David Gardner owns shares of Amazon and Tesla. Tom Gardner owns shares of Shopify and Tesla. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon, Shopify, Shopify, and Tesla and recommends the following options: short January 2022 $1940 calls on Amazon and long January 2022 $1920 calls on Amazon. 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 Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Saturday launched a fresh attack on Adams Oshiomhole, suspended Nat... Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Saturday launched a fresh attack on Adams Oshiomhole, suspended National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Omokri said President Muhammadu Buhari buried Oshiomhole in the hole he dug for the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki. The former presidential candidate made the claim while faulting the place of godfatherism in politics. In a post on his Facebook page, Omokri wrote: Oshiomhole now knows there are levels in political godfatherism. He dug a hole for Obaseki and General Buhari buried him in the hole he dug. Are you surprised? After all, his name is OshiomHOLE! Sowore is not a victim. Tinubu is not a victim. Soyinka is not a victim. Oshiomhole is not a victim. The beautiful Oby Ezekwesili is not a victim. Dont feel sorry for them! Recall that Obaseki had dumped APC for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, due to irreconcilable differences with Oshiomhole. Shortly after Obasekis exit from APC, the leadership crisis in APC became serious. Embattled former National Secretary of the party, Victor Giadom had convened a National Executive Council, NEC, meeting against the approval of Oshiomholes loyalist. The decision of APC NEC is believed to be an attempt to subdue Oshiomhole and Tinubus influenc Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 23:56:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Health Ministry on Saturday reported 2,069 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 43,262. It also reported 101 deaths during the day, as the total number of deaths climbed to 1,660 in the country, while 19,938 patients have recovered. The new cases were recorded after 9,630 testing kits were used across the country during the past 24 hours, and a total of 510,353 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the ministry's statement. Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister Hazim al-Jumaili said in a statement that "the problem with dealing with the spread of coronavirus is not with taking decisions (such as curfew), but with applying the decisions." "The restricted curfew on districts in Baghdad did not succeed as some neighborhoods did not abide by the health preventive measures," al-Jumaili said. The ministry is planning to present a suggestion about the curfew to the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. "The suggestion will be sent to the Higher Committee for Health and National Safety during its coming meeting, as there will be a discussion with the security authorities about the recent increase of COVID-19 infections," al-Jumaili said without giving further details about the suggestion. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Iraq has been taking measures to contain the pandemic. On June 13, the Iraqi authorities decided to partially lift the nationwide curfew, but the full curfew will continue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday every week. However, the continued increase of COVID-19 cases pushed some Iraqi provinces to re-impose full curfew, including Basra province and Maysan in southern Iraq. China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad. Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem Actor Jacqueline Fernandez has said it wont be easy for her to watch late actor Sushant Singh Rajputs last film Dil Bechara, scheduled to stream on Disney+ and Hotstar from July 24. Dil Bechara is adapted from John Greens 2012 bestseller The Fault In Our Stars. The movie will be available to both subscribers and non-subscribers. Dil Bechara is late Sushant Singh Rajputs last film co-starring Sanjana Sanghi. In her Instagram post, Jacqueline has penned that Sushants demise has left a void everywhere and for everyone. She wrote that he always taught her to be there for people in need. Whenever she was feeling down, he would always cheer her up and help her when she would confused. She also wrote that watching his last film wont be easy for her but she knows that he will brighten up the screen so beautifully that it will give her some calm. Also read: Breathe: Into the shadows: Abhishek Bachchan introduces Amit Sadhs character, see poster The Drive actress further sent her wishes to Mukesh Chhabra, director of Dil Bechara, and wished best of luck to actor Sanjana Sanghi, who will making her Bollywood debut in a lead role with this movie. Jacqueline wrote that she knows how close Mukesh Chhabra was to Sushant and requested him to remain strong. She wished all the best to Sanjana Sanghi, adding that she has an amazing first co-star and is sure that Sushant would have been beaming with pride because of the performance she has given. Also read: Anushka Sharma on Netflix release Bulbbul: Always wanted to celebrate women and their spirit Along with the actor Sanjana Sanghi, Mukesh Chhabra is also making his directorial debut with Dil Bechara. Sushants fans seem to be waiting eagerly for the release of this movie. It is going to be an emotional deal for his fans. Fans are the filmmakers to release the film in theatres once normalcy returns. Also read: Biopic on Mulayam Singh Yadav in works, see first poster For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App There might have been no descending on the south coast of France for adland this year but conversations and discussions on creativity change, innovation and the future still continued; thanks to Lions Live. After some thought-provoking sessions over the course of five days, the finale day was all about gleaming wins. Almap BBDO Sao Paulo took home the Agency of the Decade, followed by Wieden+Kennedy Portland in second and BBDO New York in third.WPP won the holding company honor, with Omnicom coming in second and Interpublic in third. Meanwhile, BBDO Worldwide won the Network of the Decade, followed by Ogilvy and DDB Worldwide. Wieden+Kennedy Portland clinched the Independent Agency of the Decade, with Droga5 New York as runner-up, followed by Forsman & Bodenfors. Procter & Gamble won the decade list among brand marketers, followed by Nike in the second spot and Volkswagen in third. The Palme dOr of the Decade went to MJZ, with Smuggler coming in second and O Positive landing at third. Founder of the New York advertising agency, Wells Rich Greene, in 1966, Mary Wells Lawrence won 2020's coveted Lion of St. Mark, awarded for lifetime of services to creativity in communications. In terms of sessions, Susie Walker, Head of Awards at Cannes Lions, presented a guide to creative survival. The session shed light on how the industry has weathered tough times before and creativity bounces back but how is this recovery different. Walker has trawled thousands of Cannes Lions winners in The Work to identify how creative communications responded to periods of economic turmoil, from the 80s to the 2000s. She mulled over what trends and tactics worked then, and which will work now and creative trends that are set to accelerate. Next up, Accenture Interactive Brazil presented Heart-beating Brand Experiences that unravelled how the fingerprint, the iris and the voice, every human being has a unique heartbeat that is already being used for biometric authentication and will soon become the ultimate personalisation tool for brands. The session spilled the beans on how once the heart is an autonomous muscle, it will open up a new dimension for segmentation as the messages will be delivered accordingly to peoples real moods. Eco Moliterno presented some real examples of companies that are already putting the heart at the heart of their businesses and also showed how the stimulus of the five senses will be crucial to create brand experiences for the consumers in the near future. Another interesting session was on the mobile revolution in China and how it has fast-forwarded following the ban on travel and shutdown of cities. Pully Chau, Group Chairman, Cheil Greater China Group spoke of how post-pandemic China now continues their work of poverty-reduction and the collaboration between the worlds of conventional media and e-commerce helping sustain employment and grow business in rural areas. She showed how everyone is engaging in creative storytelling in order to sell - anything from oranges to rockets within an insightful commentary on China's journey back to growth. Every year at Cannes Lions each Jury President is asked to put together a Presidents briefing for their jury - a set of guiding principles used to assess every piece of work. Looking ahead to 2021, Simon Cook, MD of Cannes Lions invited the President of the Film Lions, adam&eveDDB's Richard Brim who shared what that briefing looks like today and how the Film Lions category is set to evolve in response to changes in the wider world at present. Brim shed light on the new trends he's keeping an eye on, and looked back at some of the award-winners that moved the industry forward, helping set the standards of exceptional creativity that the category demands today. The CMOs in the Spotlight session had Pedro Earp is the Chief Marketing Officer for AB InBev speak to Dana Anderson, Chief Transformation Officer of MediaLink on how they're managing remote leadership in lockdown and whether the world of marketing will really change forever. Moreover, YouTube Creative Director Ben Jones took a look at the new opportunities--and challenges-- that 2020 has revealed and how the algorithm needs more help from the imagination to open up new ways of storytelling. He observed why most made the same COVID ad and what it means for the future of data and creativity. To be sure, our world has changed forever and so must marketing. On similar lines, Marcel Marcondes, Chief Marketing Officer of Anheuser-Bush USA shared his vision for marketing in todays culture and what it takes for brands to earn peoples belief and trust. Next up was a session on deepfake (from 'deep learning' and 'fake') - a technique that uses AI to replace one persons face with someone elses. Renowned innovators and VFX specialists Framestore, assisted by some international celebrity guests, dug deeper into the process and explained how manipulating pixels through Machine Learning will open up a whole new world of creative possibilities. Moreover, Juan Senor hosted the first ever global creativity quiz with killer questions, a cocktail to make in the break and four passes that were awarded for Cannes Lions 2021. And with that, it was a wrap. While there were some compelling conversations that ensued despite the tough times that the world is grappling with currently, what makes Cannes, Cannes is the social element, with networking at its core. Cant wait to see you on the Riviera in 2021. Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) Pakistan Prime Minister on Friday said he would become the ambassador of the Kashmiri people to raise their issues. Pakistan has been unsuccessfully trying to drum up international support against India for withdrawing Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5, 2019 and bifurcating it into two Union territories. India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda. Khan said August 5 would be observed with the determination that "India would not be allowed to succeed in its designs" in He announced that he would become the ambassador of the Kashmiri people and tell the entire world about the "threats" they were facing. Khan said during his meetings with various heads of state and government he had raised the issue of (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As we know, the Canadian market has a bunch of high-quality dividend stocks. But it certainly has plenty of growth stocks as well. These fast-growing TSX stocks have created massive wealth for shareholders over the last several years. Forget index funds; focus on TSX stocks Considering the performance of these growth stocks, its evident that picking individual stocks over betting on broader markets really goes a long way. For instance, just look at by what margin the tech titan Shopify (TSX:SHOP)(NYSE:SHOP) has outperformed the TSX Index in the last five years. Shopify stock grew by almost 2,600%, while Canadian broader markets rose by an embarrassing 35% in the last five years. If one had invested $10,000 in Shopify stock five years ago, they would have generated $275,000 today. Superior top-line growth and aggressive expansion plans boosted investors optimism, which fueled its rally. Shopify started trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange in May 2015. With a span of just five years, Shopify is the countrys biggest company by market capitalization, overtaking top Canadian banks that are more than centuries old. Indeed, Shopifys business model is one of its kind, and we dont see such a rally very often. However, there are few more stocks that significantly thrashed TSX stocks at large. The gold miner that hammered bigger peers Canadian gold miner Kirkland Lake Gold (TSX:KL)(NYSE:KL) is another TSX stock worth considering. It has surged more than 1,650% in the last five years, notably beating bigger gold miner stocks. Kirklands production growth and lower costs played out well on its bottom line in all these years. It operates two low-cost, high-quality gold mines, including the Macassa Mine in Ontario and Fosterville Mine in Australia. With the recently completed acquisition of Detour Gold, Kirkland has added a substantial mineral reserve base, which should facilitate even higher production. Kirkland might continue to outperform peers going forward, because of its strong balance sheets operational efficiency. Mining is a capital-intensive business, and many gold miners have a big pile of debt on their books. Story continues However, Kirkland has no debt on its books, which improves its profitability further. Also, the yellow metal is expected to continue to trade strong for the near future. Higher realized gold prices would boost gold miners share prices as well as their earnings. Another TSX tech stock that created a substantial fortune for shareholders is Kinaxis (TSX:KXS). Since its IPO in June 2014, the stock has returned almost 1,400%. The company offers cloud-based software subscription services to improve supply chain planning and inventory management processes. The stock has skyrocketed almost 95% so far this year. In the last few months, the global supply chain was notably hit amid the pandemic and lockdowns. However, as businesses streamline their supply chains and operations, Kinaxis will likely see higher demand. The Foolish takeaway These three outperformers look fundamentally strong, and I see huge growth potential in them. But right now, I am concerned about the stock valuations. While Kirkland looks relatively well placed on that front, Shopify and Kinaxis are trading at a notable premium. Thus, if you have a stomach to bear the excess volatility, these high-risk, higher-reward plays are for you. Conservative investors can consider buying on pullbacks or may consider buying in multiple portions. The post TSX Stocks: The 3 Biggest Wealth Creators of the Last 5 Years appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Vineet Kulkarni has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Tom Gardner owns shares of Shopify. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Shopify and Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends KINAXIS INC. 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 Congratulations are in order for Billie Lourd! The 27-year-old actress is engaged. Her fiance, Austen Rydell, announced the happy news via Instagram on Thursday. "She said YES!!," the 28-year-old actor wrote alongside videos and photos of the couple. "(Actually she said 'Duhhh') But I guess that's even better than yes?!?" The Booksmart star and her main man reconnected in 2017 after taking a bit of a break. They took a trip to Norway later that year and saw the Northern Lights on the one-year anniversary of the death of her mother Carrie Fisher. "My momby had an otherworldly obsession with the Northern Lights, but I never got to see them with her," Lourd wrote on Instagram at the time. "We journeyed to northern Norway to see if we might 'see the heavens lift up her dark skirts and flash her dazzling privates across [our] unworthy irises.' And she did. I love you times infinity." 2020 Celebrity Engagements Over the years, Lourd and Rydell have traveled around the world, enjoyed holidays and birthdays and even adopted a puppy together. They also celebrated their anniversary in August and have shown each other a lot of love on social media. "Best girl in the world!" Rydell wrote on Lourd's birthday last year. "Can't tell you how lucky I am to have her." Before reuniting with Rydell, Lourd dated Taylor Lautner. The Scream Queens celeb and the Twilight actor broke up after less than a year of dating. Cheers to the future bride and groom! Rain, Thunderstorms Predicted This Weekend Strong storms are expected over the Northeast this weekend, bringing the possibility of hail and damaging winds. The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., says there's a chance of thunderstorms later in the day Saturday for much of Berkshires and eastern New York. This is part of a weather front currently over the Midwest. The NWS Storm Prediction Center put the potential for damaging weather as marginal to slight risk on Saturday and marginal for Sunday. Accuweather grades the storm potential somewhat greater, predicting torrential downpours, high winds and hail. The storm system could shift to the south but the Berkshires would still likely get rain during the afternoon on Saturday. "Saturday's severe weather risk will largely hinge on where a complex of rain and thunderstorms sweeps through the Great Lakes and interior Northeast during Friday night," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff. The front will push out the dryer air of the past few days with warmer temperatures and more humidity. Duff says the showers and thunderstorms are likely to linger into Sunday, but the threat of severe weather will be lower. Mostly sunny and comfortable to end the workweek...Storms on the way for Saturday. I'll be back live on @WNYT at noon to break down the rest of your weekend forecast. #NYwx pic.twitter.com/dWlwI4uk5U Christina Talamo (@christinatalamo) June 26, 2020 A low pressure system & a cold front may bring some strong to severe t-storms to eastern NY & western New England on Saturday. There is some uncertainty with the location, timing and details of potential severe weather. Stay tuned for further updates. #nywx #ctwx #mawx #vtwx pic.twitter.com/RWlx0YUVip NWS Albany (@NWSAlbany) June 25, 2020 Seb Guilhaus and Elizabeth Sobinoff have finally made their relationship official by moving in together. And it seems the Married At First Sight stars cannot keep their hands off each other since making the happy shift over to a shared Sydney abode. On Saturday, the couple shared a number of loved-up photos together, in which they cuddled, kissed and got a little grabby. So sweet! On Saturday, Married At First Sight stars Seb Guilhaus and Elizabeth Sobinoff shared a number of loved-up photos together to Instagram (both pictured) In the photos, Elizabeth, 28, looked stunning in a tan coloured skin tight leather skirt and matching skimpy top. Wearing a full face of nude makeup and her hair cascading down her back, the former reality star looked delighted to be in Seb's arms. Seb, 31, showed off his muscles in a tight black shirt and blue denim jeans as he beamed for the camera. Cheeky! The pair cuddled and got a little grabby in the photographs Pucker up! The couple shared a kiss as they pressed close together The reality stars were reunited in Sydney on Wednesday after COVID-19 travel restrictions forced them to spend months apart. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, a witness said the couple were happier than ever to see each other and couldn't keep their hands off one another. 'They were hugging in the street. Lizzie helped pick up Seb's bags before they made their way inside,' the onlooker said. Looking good! In the photos, Elizabeth, 28, looked stunning in a tan coloured skin tight leather skirt and matching skimpy top Buff: Seb, 31, showed off his muscles in a tight black shirt and blue denim jeans as he beamed for the camera The former AFL star has had to go to extreme efforts to make his move from Adelaide to Sydney. Earlier this month, Seb admitted he was desperately searching for someone to take over the lease on his apartment in Adelaide in order for him to move out. Seb was initially meant to move in with his girlfriend in February, before the recent pandemic cancelled their plans. But there is no reason the on-demand companies couldnt provide basic protections to their workers while also granting them flexible work schedules. And, in the bargain, the businesses would gain the ability to negotiate terms that could include, say, barring their workers from working for rival ride-sharing platforms. The law, in fact, codifies a 2018 State Supreme Court ruling that holds companies to a three-part test to prove that workers are truly independent, including demonstrating that workers are free to work for others, that they operate autonomously and that their labor is not central to a companys business. Uber, in particular, has twisted itself into knots trying to explain how it should be exempt. It has even argued that drivers arent a core part of the business as if the cars drive themselves and that Uber is not a transportation company. But Ubers reasoning crumbles under scrutiny. The company, like other on-demand firms, dictates what type of car workers should use, when and where they should go and how they should get there. Workers say the companies can change wages and rules without notice and kick them off the apps, with no recourse. While arguing that the state law doesnt apply to them, Instacart, DoorDash, Lyft, Postmates and Uber have nonetheless committed more than $110 million collectively to funding a California ballot proposal granting gig economy companies a specific carve-out, while guaranteeing modest wage minimums and benefits. That proposal is designed primarily to protect the companies from properly paying for their legion of workers, and voters would be wise to reject it. One study found that, under the ballot proposal, hourly wages would be a meager $5.64 after factoring in driver down time and other expenses, like fuel and vehicle maintenance. Ubers threat to halt operations in the nations largest state is implausible, particularly as it struggles to overcome billions in annual losses. The companies say that the law will force them to raise prices. That ought to be seen as a necessary goal. One way to think about the business model of gig companies is that they allow customers to benefit from the same kind of pricing power as Walmart. Each person is buying only a little bit of low-cost labor, but collectively, they can dictate terms to the drivers. Illustrative image (Photo: fulbright.edu.vn) Hano - The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has presented 4.65 million USD to Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) for a period of two years. It earlier granted 7.2 million USD to the university for 2017-2020. The US Governments support to FUV through USAID and the US Department of State has helped the university with both administration and training. The establishment of the FUV - Vietnams first independent and not-for-profit higher education institution - was announced in HCM City on May 25, 2016. It is the next step in the existing Fulbright Economics Teaching Programme, a public policy masters programme at the Ash Centre within the Kenney School of Government at Harvard, established in 1994 in cooperation with the HCM City-based University of Economics. Founded under the Prime Ministers Decision No 819/QD-TTg dated May 16, 2016, the university opened at the end of 2016 with the first courses offered by the department of public policy and management. FUV aims to become the top choice for students in Vietnam and across Asia. For years, we have been understanding about the climate and its ill effects in the form of global warming. Environmentalists and activists all across the globe have been fighting for the cause. The issue became more worrisome after the news of melting ice glaciers hit the internet. While humans might be adversely affected by the decreasing sea ice level, there is one species in particular that has been thriving as a result. According to the latest research, Antarctica-based Adelie penguin can see a population boom in the coming years. This is because the decrease in sea ice level makes it easier for these small birds to survive. To conduct their study, researchers with the National Institute of Polar Research in Japan tagged 175 penguins electronically using GPS devices. They were studied for a period of four seasons, in a different sea ice conditions during each season. The conclusion has been recently published in the journal Science Advances. Dr Yuuki Watanabe, the lead author of the study revealed that their study showed the result of sea ice melting can have different effects on different species, highlighting the complexity of climate change effects on wildlife. "It turns out that these [Adelie] penguins are happier with less sea ice. This may seem counter-intuitive, but the underlying mechanism is actually quite simple," added Dr Watanabe. This happens because the increase in sea ice can make it difficult for penguins to walk. However, less seawater let them dive as and when they wish, making them happier. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 15:30:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Swarms of crop-destroying desert locusts Saturday reached Gurugram, the outskirts of Indian capital city Delhi, locals said. Witnesses said they watched the swarms moving in clusters in the sky outside their buildings. Though Gurugram is a district in the adjacent state of Haryana, it forms part of Delhi's national capital region. Many people recorded the videos of the swarms from their apartments and posted them on social media. The clusters of desert locusts were seen covering the skyline. According to residents, the swarms entered from Jhajjar district. Authorities in Gurugram on Friday evening asked residents to keep their windows shut as a precaution against a possible locust attack. It also asked residents to make clanging noise by beating utensils to ward off the insects. The administration has also asked farmers to keep their pumps (for insecticide spray) ready so that they can be used when needed. The advisory was issued after swarms were sighted in the adjacent district. Houses and trees were covered by locusts in some parts of Gurugram as the swarms continue to advance. Officials said the swarm was likely to reach New Delhi also. The locust attack has ravaged parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and a few other states for over a month. Last month local government in Delhi issued an advisory on preventive measures to control a possible locust attack in its territory. The advisory called for organising awareness programmes for public and farmers to prevent the probable attack of swarms of locusts in the national capital territory (NCT) of Delhi. Enditem An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team landed at veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patels Delhi residence on Saturday in connection with a money laundering case involving Sterling Biotech Ltd, a company promoted by the absconding Sandesara brothers. The Sandesaras, Nitin and Chetan, are allegedly hiding in Nigeria and Indian agencies are trying to have them extradited. The agency had gone to Patels house to record his statement in the case. He was earlier summoned for questioning, but the leader cited Covid-19 guidelines and expressed his inability to visit the ED. The health ministry had issued advisory for citizens above 65 years to stay at home to protect themselves against the coronavirus pandemic. It is alleged that Sterling Biotech took loans of over 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank, which had turned into non-performing assets. The total volume of the alleged loan defraud is pegged at 8,100 crore. On Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation carried out searches at multiple premises linked to Ratul Puri - nephew of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath - in connection with a fresh FIR registered against him on Thursday for allegedly cheating a consortium of banks led by Punjab National Bank (PNB) of 787 crore, officials familiar with the matter said. The agency teams, wearing PPE (personal protection equipment), raided several buildings in Delhi and Noida. Four police officers in Osaka Prefecture who admitted to smoking marijuana have been dismissed from their posts, police said on Wednesday, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 24). The matter began on on June 4, when police arrested Ryota Kurakawa, a 22-year-old officer then stationed at the Sakai Police Station, after 0.16 grams of marijuana was found in a bag at his residence in Kishiwada City. aI have smoked [marijuana], the suspect said upon being accused of possessing marijuana. An examination of his smartphone led police to the other three officers. Two of them, aged 20 and 21, were stationed at the Nishisakai Police Station. Meanwhile, the third, 22, was stationed at the Minami Police Station. The former Nishisakai Police Station officers, who attended the same police academy as Kurakawa, said that they smoked marijuana for the first time at Kurakawaas residence last October. They later bought marijuana from him. The former Minami Police Station officer, a former classmate of Kurakawa, said that he bought marijuana from a dealer on four occasions beginning in January. He denied having dealings with Kurakawa. In addition to announcing the dismissals, police also said that the three other former officers had been sent to prosecutors for violating the Cannabis Control Law for allegedly receiving marijuana. Police box Kurakawa joined the force in 2018. He was assigned to the Sakai Police Station the following year. He was stationed at a koban police box. During questioning, he told police that he first smoked marijuana at a music event while a third-year high school student. After passing the police examination, he stopped smoking temporarily. But, he added, aI met an old acquaintance last fall, and started smoking again. Iave used [marijuana] dozens of times.a The government is asking a "substantial sentence" in federal prison for a former Army Ranger caught up in the "Cream Scheme." Billy Hindmon has a guideline sentencing range of 121-151 months. He is set to be sentenced by Judge Sandy Mattice on July 17. Prosecutors Perry Piper and Franklin Clark said co-defendant, Jayson Montgomery, should also get federal prison time. He is facing a guideline range of 51-63 months. The sentencing for Montgomery is July 15. They are among five defendants awaiting sentencing in the health care fraud involving compounded creams that were billed to insurance for as much as $15,000 a jar. Defense attorneys are urging probation or home confinement since the judge is not required to stay in the guideline range as computed in a pre-sentence report. Hindmon was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 22 counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of health care fraud, two counts of payment of illegal remuneration (kickbacks), and two counts of receipt of illegal remuneration (kickbacks). The losses attributed to Hindmon are over $5,500,000. His attorneys point out that he is a former U.S. Marine who also had several tours as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan. He later gained a master's degree in business from Bryan College in Dayton. The prosecutors said in arguing for a guideline sentence for Hindmon, "Most of the individuals who ordered the creams were astounded to hear of the price. For example, Maria Valadez told the Court that her daughter has a rare disease for which she needed special treatment in Cincinnati. Even that special treatment cost far less than the amount her insurance companies paid for the creams she ordered for her and her family. "The Court heard testimony from Adam Staten recounting how Hindmon suggested he form an LLC so as to give an aura of legitimacy to the scheme. Staten also explained how he and Hindmon quit marketing directly to independent doctors so they could 'bypass the gatekeeper' by using a nurse practitioner employed by members of the scheme. In fact, Hindmon attempted to hire even more nurse practitioners. He met with one, Ashley Moore, outside of Nashville, and attempted to identify others who might be interested in joining the scheme. "The Court also heard from Rachel Franklin, upset that her health savings account was 'totally wiped out' by unexpected charges related to the creams. She described her conversation with a very short and abrupt Hindmon, who told her he would pay her in cash if the charges were not reversed. Even though Franklin had been told by her insurance company that money could not be put back into her HSA, somehow Hindmon and Wayne Wilkerson were able to have her HSA money restored, thus perpetuating the fraud. "Likewise, the Court heard from Maria Valadez who explained Hindmon gave her cash to pay her co-payment so as to conceal the true source of the money for co-payments. "The Court also heard the testimony of medically retired Marine Josh Linz who now writes a character letter on behalf of Hindmon explaining how Hindmon paid him money expressly for the purpose of ordering creams he did not need. "Without question, Hindmons difficult childhood and his military service differentiate him from the other defendants in this case. To be sure, Hindmons military service record is admirable some say (with good reason) heroic. And without question, he should receive benefit for that. In fact, the guidelines now allow for such: Military service may be relevant in determining whether a departure is warranted. U.S.S.G. 5H1.11. Just as some defendants criminal history can be considered as an aggravating factor at sentencing, Hindmons exemplary military record should also be a consideration for the court. "But it is Hindmon himself whose conduct as a civilian counsels against undue consideration of his past exploits. Not only did he turn his back on a part of an institution that served him and his fellow soldiers so well, he actually targeted that institution for a significant portion of his fraudulent conduct and sought to take advantage of it. (Over $5,000,000 of Hindmons loss is at the expense of Tricare, the entity responsible for providing health insurance for active duty and retired military personnel. "He, of all people involved in this scheme, should have understood the importance of the service provided by Tricare, and he should have been the one to resist efforts to exploit the care Tricare sought to give. No former soldier with any reverence toward the military would receive an e-mail such as the one Hindmon received from Wayne Wilkerson bragging about the Tricare loophole stating, 'Good News, guys!! This confirms what we already were anticipating. Tricare voted to continue covering compounding without a PA [prior authorization]. Its money making time. Saddle up,' and not immediately express reservations. However, instead of protecting the institution he so honorably served, he perverted the goodness of his service and used it callously to advance his own personal enrichment. "Worse, Hindmon still has yet to acknowledge and accept responsibility for any of his actions, even those resulting in the defrauding of the program providing health insurance to his fellow soldiers. As such, he should forfeit much of the consideration for his past service that he could have received had he shown even a modicum of remorse and acceptance of responsibility for his actions. "Hindmon also highlights the fact that he holds an M.B.A. as a factor the court should consider in granting a downward departure or variance. However, courts recognize that business criminals are not to be treated more leniently than members of the criminal class just by virtue of being regularly employed or otherwise productively engaged in lawful economic activity. Hindmon likewise touts his personal generosity with the wealth he possessed during this scheme as a mitigating factor, presenting letters from preachers and missionary friends describing his benevolence. Hindmon donated money to his church, allowing it to purchase badly needed items, and he covered the donations of nine other people planning a mission trip to Kenya. While these are indeed worthy expenditures of his fraudulently obtained money, there is no basis for departure based upon this Robin Hood theory of sentencing, in which innocent beneficiaries of a criminal enterprise are permitted to plead for the criminal in the guidelines. Montgomery was convicted of two counts of receipt of illegal kickbacks. He personally received $337,000, prosecutors said. They said Montgomery "recruited Sgt. Zac Rice, gave him instructions, told him how the scheme worked, and paid him approximately $82,000 for his own creams and the creams other Soldiers ordered. Montgomery also attempted to recruit Nick Quincey as a sales representative, getting all the way to the point that Quincey was going to complete the paperwork for the LLC suggested and paid for by Montgomery. Rice, as the downlink from Montgomery, recruited more people to hawk the creams. The seriousness of the offense is revealed through the testimony of Sgt. Rice. While Montgomery disputes this, the proof showed that Montgomery targeted soldiers for the purpose of exploiting their Tricare. Rice was discharged from the United States Army for his participation in this scheme; he had been in for over 10 years and considered himself a career soldier. To be sure, part of the blame for his misfortune falls upon him (and he admitted as much), and even though he committed criminal acts himself, he was exploited by Montgomery. "Rice was approached by Montgomery at a bar in Clarksville, Tn. Realizing that Rice was in the Army, Montgomery struck up a conversation with Rice which eventually lead to Rices ordering several topical creams. Rice ordered a scar cream and a pain management cream. At the time, Rice signed a form stating that he was participating in a survey and may receive financial payment which is not conditioned upon providing a favorable evaluation, and he was expected to make a fair and honest evaluation. He was never sent any such survey. "Montgomery, knowing that Rice was targeting individuals with Tricare, agreed to pay Rice a commission on the creams ordered by his subordinates. Spouses and other dependents of active duty military members were required to pay a copay for prescriptions, while active duty members themselves did not. To get around this, Montgomery instructed Rice to place the order under the service members name, and then have the soldier give the product to the wife." A dissident republican suspected of involvement in the murder of Dublin gangland figure Robbie Lawlor has been shot dead in Belfast. The man, in his late twenties, was gunned down on Rodney Drive off the lower Falls Road around lunchtime today. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have not named the dead man. It is understood he had links to the Continuity IRA and was a suspected drug dealer. Police are investigating whether the Belfast man was killed to avenge the shooting of Robbie Lawlor in April. Lawlor was aligned to one side of the warring factions in the Drogheda feud and was linked to a string of brutal crimes before his death. He was the prime suspect for the torture and dismemberment of 17-year-old Keane Mulready Woods in January, a particularly brutal crime that caused public outrage. Gardai suspect that Lawlor was set up when he travelled to Belfast to collect a drug debt. When he called to a house in the Ardoyne by appointment, he was met by a gun man who shot him in broad daylight. The Belfast man was one of five suspects who was arrested within 24 hours of Lawlors murder. His house was searched but he was later released without charge. He also appeared in court separately on drugs charges in Northern Ireland in recent months. He had denied that he was involved in drug dealing. The PSNI have not commented on the investigation beyond saying: Police are aware of reports of a shooting incident in West Belfast this afternoon. Detectives and local police are at the scene. Further updates will follow as enquiries progress. Local politicians condemned the shooting. The SDLP west Belfast councillor Brian Heading said the crime had caused immense shock. "Police have locked down the street where the shooting took place. I would urge everyone to co-operate with PSNI officers as they investigate. "Those responsible for this barbaric crime have no support here. They need to be caught and brought to justice. I would encourage anyone with information to bring it to the police as soon as possible." Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said: "My thoughts are with the family of the man who has been killed. No family should have to go through this heartache. Those involved in this act have absolutely no place in our community, they must cease their anti-community activities and get off the back of the people of west Belfast. There's a strong Dundalk connection with The Silence, a unique multi-media project which goes live later this week, and now any Dundalk people who wish can get involved by taking a photo as it launches on Saturday. The project is the brainchild of Dundalk native Pat Carroll, who has been living in Cork for the past 45 years. Pat is passionate about the arts, running Art in Many Forms across a number of social media channels with the aim of highlighting the rich array of artistic talents throughout Ireland. Pat was inspired by the images captured by a young Cork photographer Rob O'Connor, taken on the empty streets of Cork on the evening that lockdown was announced on March 21. He then reached out to 45 hugely talented creative people, artists, writers, musicians, across the country, asking them to respond to Rob's haunting images, for the project which was to become The Silence. Among the contributors are Dundalk based photographer Jean Gilson, artist Mary Wallace, who is originally from Dundalk and now lives in Wexford, writer Jean Reinhart from Blackrock, and Drogheda artist and activist Jennie Hinds. There are also contributions from artist and writer Catherine Drea, who spent the first seven years of her life in Dundalk when her father worked here with the ESB. It was thanks to the popular Dundalk Northend and Friends page on Facebook that Pat got in touch with Jean Gilson, who is best known for her evocative photos of the Navvy Bank. Originally Pat invited Jean to contribute a written piece to the project, which she has done, and he then asked her to take candid photos around Dundalk which would capture the mood of the town during lockdown. 'He is originally from the Point Road so when we connected we got on like a house on fire,' says Jean. She is delighted to be part of the project as it documents a period of history which no-one had expected to live through. 'Photography is my hobby, my passion,' she says. A self-taught photography she enjoys going out and about with her camera, capturing scenes around Dundalk and especially of the Navvy Bank, where she says 'you can have four seasons in one day.' She has been thrilled with the reaction which her images receive when she posts them on the Dundalk Northend and Friends page, especially during lockdown. 'All the pictures I posted during lockdown were within 2km of my home and although there were times when I would have liked to have gone further, I really appreciated having that beauty on my doorstep. I'm very lucky where I live to have that on my doorstep.' Taking street portraits is a new venture for Jean and, she admits, is pushing her out of her comfort zone. Other contributors to the project include Claire Stack, Aine Farrell, Anne Martin Walsh, Suzanne D'Arcy Gaughran, Stanley Notte, Mailo Power, Rachel Dubber, Amy Guilfoyle, Cobh Animation Team, Therese Ryder, Deidre O'Shaughnessy, Bernie Carney, Orlaith Hamersley, Theresa McCormack, Linda Ibbotson, Caroline Cunnigham, Ruairi de Barra, Michelle Dunne, Catherine Brennan, Martha Cashman, Bernadette Dolan, Karen Power, Stephen Hayes, Martina Furlong, Amy O'Connor, Maria O'Sullivan, Brigid Mullooly, Nilla Palmer, Trish Carlos, and of course, photographer Rob O'Connor. Pat also hopes to expand it to include others who have expressed an interest in taking part. And in order to allow other people to become involved in the project, Pat is inviting everyone to take a photo on Saturday between 9am and 6pm, with the aim of holding an actual exhibition sometime in 2021. Images should be emailed to lisanley@gmail.com Indeed, he hopes that the entire project will be brought to life next year, with actors reading the words which have been contributed to a backdrop of images by Rob O'Connor who has inspired The Silence. New Taoiseach Micheal Martin has announced his Cabinet, with a few shock entries. Here is a list of the people at the top of the new Government. Minister for Justice Former minister for European Affairs Helen McEntee is to take up the role of Minister for Justice. Ms McEntee, who was elected to Dail Eireann in March 2013, was previously appointed minister of state for mental health and older people in May 2016. The 34-year-old, from Navan, previously sat on the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications. She is also a previous member of the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht. Minister for Finance Fine Gaels Paschal Donohoe retains his position as Minister for Finance. He is one of two ministers to keep his role in the Cabinet. Mr Donohoe was elected to the Dail in February 2011 and was previously elected to Seanad Eireann in 2007. Last year he set out targets to run budget surpluses over the coming years and reduce the countrys debt; however, he has been tackling the States mounting debt to deal with Covid-19 since March. He previously served as minister for transport, tourism and sport from 2014-16 and minister of state for European affairs from 2013-14. Tanaiste and Minister for Business and Enterprise Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar handed the reins of leading the government to Micheal Martin and will now take over from party colleague Simon Coveney as Tanaiste. The Fine Gael leader became Irelands youngest ever taoiseach in 2017 at the age of 38. Born in Castleknock in 1979, he is the son of an Irish nurse and an Indian doctor. He joined the centre-right youth wing of Fine Gael while studying medicine at Trinity College Dublin. He became a rising star in the party and was known for his outspoken style. and became minister for transport, social protection health. He came out as gay during a radio interview and campaigned in support of the same-sex marriage referendum in 2015, some 22 years after homosexuality was decriminalised in the Republic. Minister for Foreign Affairs Fine Gael deputy leader Simon Coveney will retain his role as Minister for Foreign Affairs, which he has held since June 2017. He was appointed to the role by Mr Varadkar. The Cork TD was elected to the Dail in a by-election following the death of his father, Hugh Coveney. After the formation of the coalition government in March 2011, Mr Coveney was appointed minister for agriculture and, following a cabinet reshuffle in 2014, he took on the role of minister for defence. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Fianna Fails Michael McGrath is the partys former spokesman on finance. The Cork South Central TD was elected to the Dail at his first attempt in 2007. Hailing from Passage West, he has served on a number of Oireachtas committees, including the Finance Committee, the Oireachtas Banking Inquiry and the Public Accounts Committee. Minister for Education First-time TD from Kerry, Norma Foley was given the role of Education Minister. The former Presentation Secondary School teacher is also a daughter of late Fianna Fail TD Denis Foley. She was first elected to Tralee Council in 1994 and unsuccessfully ran for Fianna Fail in the 2007 general election. In February, she took the fifth and final seat in the Kerry constituency. Ms Foley also sits on the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response. Minister for Housing Fianna Fail Darragh OBrien takes up the difficult task of solving the housing crisis. He replaces Fine Gaels Eoghan Murphy, who had a turbulent tenure and served as minister when Ireland saw its highest rate of homelessness. Mr OBrien was first elected as a local councillor in North Dublin in 2004 and was elected to the Dail in 2007. He previously served as leader of Fianna Fail in the Seanad from 2011-16 and served as a Senator for the Labour Panel for five years. Before entering politics, the Malahide man worked in the financial services sectors for 15 years. Minister for Health Fianna Fails health spokesman, Stephen Donnelly, will take up the portfolio of health. The TD for Wicklow and East Carlow since 2011 has been a thorn in the side of former health minister Simon Harris, particularly over major health issues including the CervicalCheck scandal. Mr Donnelly stood first as an Independent, then became co-founder and joint leader of the Social Democrats in 2015, and stood successfully for the party in the 2016 general election. However, he left the Social Democrats in September 2016, and was Independent again before joining Fianna Fail in February 2017. He has worked across various sectors, including private equity, retail, public infrastructure, healthcare, education, international development, the voluntary and social sectors. Minister for Agriculture Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen is the partys former spokesman on Public Expenditure and Reform, and is a TD for Laois/Offaly. Mr Cowen comes from a well-known political family and is a brother of former taoiseach Brian Cowen, while his father, Bernard Cowen, was a TD for many years. Mr Cowen was an auctioneer and valuer. He will steer the Department of Agriculture through some of its biggest challenges, including climate action and Brexit. Minister for Climate Action Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has been at the helm of the party since May 2011. He previously served as minister for communications, energy and natural resources from 2007 to 2011 when the Green Party were last in Government with Fianna Fail. Born in Dublin, Mr Ryan became involved in politics in 1998 and was co-opted to Dublin City Council. He is set to face deputy leader Catherine Martin in a leadership challenge. Minister of Higher Education Simon Harris moves from the Health Ministry, where he helped to steer the country through the worst of the crisis, into Higher Education. He was the youngest member of the Dail when he was first elected as a TD for Wicklow back in 2011. He was previously a minister of state for in the Department of Public Expenditure and the Office of Public Works. Minister for Children, Disability and Equality First-time Green Party TD Roderic OGorman was elected in Dublin West in February. He previously worked as a lecturer in EU law in Dublin City Universitys Brexit institute so is well versed in education matters. It was feared the department of children would be scrapped in the new government but the Green Party lobbied hard to keep it during government talks. Minister for Rural Affairs: Fine Gael TD Heather Humphreys moves from business to rural affairs. A native of Co Monaghan, she has previously served as arts minister and enterprise and business minister. Minister for Culture Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin will be Minister for Culture, Arts, Media, Tourism and Sport. Her bumper portfolio comes as she gets ready to launch a leadership bid against current leader Eamon Ryan. Government Chief Whip In a move that shocked many in Fianna Fail, the partys deputy leader, Dara Calleary, was confirmed as the Government Chief Whip. It was thought that Mr Calleary would be included in the Cabinet; however, the Co Mayo man was shunned from the government table. Mr Calleary has been a TD in the Dail since 2007. He previously served as minister of state at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with special responsibility for labour affairs. First-time Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett will become a super junior minister in Agriculture with responsibility for land use and biodiversity. Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughten will become a super junior minister for transport, aviation and the marine. Catholics in the Philippines placed their religious statues and figurines in the church seats as their "representative" while mass gatherings are not yet allowed in the country. In the video recorded on June 20, the wooden figures fill the seats of the with at least one metre apart distance from each other, in line with Covid-19 rules. Father RR Ocampo, parish priest at the St Joseph, Husband of Mary Parish church in Nueva Ecija province, said: "I want to be creative in the way that parishioners will have a good feeling when they enter the church." The province remains under General Community Quarantine which discourages mass gatherings including religious activities, but may conduct small meetings of up to 10 people only. Watchdog Denounces 'Full-Scale Purge' Ahead Of Belarusian Presidential Vote By RFE/RL June 26, 2020 Amnesty International says the Belarusian authorities are carrying out a "full-scale purge of dissenting voices" as part of a crackdown on freedom of expression ahead of a presidential election set for August 9. The authorities are using "repressive laws to stifle criticism ahead of the elections, where President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is running for the sixth consecutive term," the London-based human rights group's senior campaigner on Belarus, Aisha Jung, said on June 26. Jung was responding to news that at least three prominent Belarusian bloggers -- Ihar Losik, who is also an RFE/RL consultant on new-media technologies, Syarhey Pyatrukhin, and Syarhey Sparish -- were arrested the day before on what she called "spurious" charges. "Opposition candidates, supporters, and independent media have faced arbitrary arrest, hefty fines, and incarceration. Now those active on social media are being targeted," she said. Jung noted that at least two more popular bloggers -- Uladzimer Nyaronski and Uladzimer Tsyhanovich -- are already under arrest and facing criminal charges. She called for all of the bloggers to be immediately and unconditionally released, saying, "Nobody should be punished for using the Internet to express opinions about the government and its policies." The Belarusian authorities "need reminding that free speech is a right, not a crime," the Amnesty International campaigner said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/watchdog- denounces-full-scale-purge-ahead-of-belarusian- presidential-vote/30692832.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CAIRO - A succession of Arab leaders and officials have sharply warned Israel against moving forward with a controversial plan to annex Palestinian lands in the Israeli-occupied West Bank as early as next week - an action they say could destabilize the region and undermine peace efforts. Jordan's King Abdullah has declared it "unacceptable" and warned of a "massive conflict" in the region. Senior Jordanian officials have threatened to reconsider their peace treaty with Israel or their security cooperation agreements. Egypt, the only other Arab nation that has signed a peace treaty with Israel, has also objected, as have Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The United Arab Emirates said annexation would imperil Israel's chances of building stronger ties to Persian Gulf nations. The headline of an opinion piece published in an Israeli newspaper by Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the United States, read: "It's Either Annexation or Normalization." To many Palestinians, the pushback coming from Arab countries is welcome, especially to those who have detected a degree of fatigue and silence from their neighbors in recent years as countries have focused less on the conflict and more on quietly improving ties with Israel. "I'm definitely pleased they are saying something, because there have been years when they said nothing," said Diana Buttu, an activist and former negotiator for the Palestine Liberation Organization now living in Haifa. But it remains to be seen whether Arab leaders will go beyond mere statements of solidarity for Palestinians and take concrete measures in the event of annexation, Palestinians and regional analysts say. Pressure from the streets to do so could be limited, as Arabs across the region are distracted by the coronavirus pandemic, economic instability, civil wars and other woes. Additionally, the gradual warming of relations between the Jewish state and its neighbors is based on common goals - containing Iranian expansionism, countering extremist movements - that will probably remain priorities regardless of Israel's actions in the West Bank. "I have no faith in the statements they are making," added Buttu, referring to Arab leaders. "The rapprochement is on the level of governments where their interests are the same." Palestinian leader says he's pulling out of peace agreements over annexation The West Bank, which the Jewish state has occupied since the 1967 Middle East war, is home to as many as 3 million Palestinians and roughly 430,000 Israeli Jews living in scores of settlements. The United Nations and most European countries consider the settlements illegal, but Israel and the Trump administration dispute this. It's unclear how much land would be annexed, should it happen. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed last year to annex the Jordan Valley, a swath along the West Bank's boundary with Jordan, as well as areas containing Israeli settlements. This year, Netanyahu said as much as 30% could be annexed. But Israeli media reports have suggested that any takeover could be 5% or less of the land, depending on what's approved by the United States. Annexation is linked to a plan by the Trump administration for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - and the Arab condemnations have raised concerns about alienating key U.S. allies in the region. Such denunciations didn't occur after other steps recently taken to benefit Israel at Arab expense. When the U.S. last year recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory seized from Syria in 1967, Arab leaders were critical but took no concrete measures. That was also the case when the Trump Administration relocated the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, after recognizing it as Israel's capital. "Israel enjoys a less hostile Arab world, a friendlier Arab world and an Arab world that seeks Israel's help with broader geostrategic interests in the region," said Amaney Jamal, a Princeton professor and co-founder of the Arab Barometer, which gauges public opinion in the Middle East. "So why is Israel not saying, 'Let us maintain this new era of ties, friendships and alliances and resolve the Palestinian issue'? It's in Israel's strategic interest, but Israel is calculating that it doesn't need to." So far, Jordan has been the most outspoken in its opposition to the annexation plans. With its close ties to the United States and Israel, it's also the most influential Arab country in changing Israel's mind, analysts say. Netanyahu and his loyalists have argued that the response by Arab governments to annexation is likely to be muted because of the interests they share with Israel in security, trade, technology and opposition to Iran. But Otaiba, the ambassador, said in his opinion piece that "annexation will certainly, and immediately, upend Israeli aspirations for improved security, economic and cultural ties with the Arab world and the United Arab Emirates." He added that annexation would "toughen Arab views on Israel." That, analysts said, could trigger populist anger at Arab leaders' growing rapprochement with Israel. "If the Palestinians themselves eventually begin to organize, they are likely to draw lots of support from younger Arabs in other countries, who might well challenge their governments' ties with Israel," said Michelle Dunne, head of the Middle East program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in an email. Arab leaders, she added, are aware that with Israel's occupation, "a de facto Israeli annexation of the West Bank" has been ongoing for decades. But hopes for a two-state solution - an independent Palestinian state coexisting with Israel - were always there. Annexation would undermine the legitimacy of the Palestinian leadership and spell the end of a two-state solution, Arab leaders, the U.N. and Western officials say. "Once it is clear that there is no longer any realistic chance of a viable, sovereign state of Palestine being created, it becomes more difficult for Arab leaders to justify publicly their plans to further develop strategic cooperation with Israel," Dunne said. Many Palestinians, though, remain skeptical about neighboring governments and their intentions. "I don't think Israel gives a damn for the Arab position, except Jordan because of the sensitivity of its relations with Israel and the United States," said Ghassan Khatib, a former spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority. "So whether the Arabs are divided or united, whether they oppose or not oppose, I don't believe this is one of the major factors Israel will take into consideration when deciding to annex or not." Buttu blames Arab diplomats for framing the steady encroachment of Israel into the West Bank as a threat to improving ties and regional stability rather than a violation of basic human rights. "That's misguided," Buttu said. "You don't oppose it just because it could lead to instability and violence. You oppose it because it's illegal and it's wrong for the Palestinian people." Buttu said Israel's de facto annexation will continue even if Israel pulls back from formally extending its control over the settlements. "On July 2, if [Netanyahu] says, 'We're going to hold off,' is the Arab world going to breathe a sign of relief?" Buttu said. "They shouldn't, because we know there is going to be more land acquisition." Delhis environment minister Gopal Rai on Saturday issued a high alert in south and southwest districts of the city because of a potential locust attack threat after a small portion of a locust swarm moving towards Palwal in Haryana entered the Asola Bhatti area. The city-states agriculture department issued advisories to all district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates, the forest department and municipal corporations to prepare for locust swarms. After scattered groups of locusts entered Delhis border areas including Aya Nagar and Mehrauli, Rai called an emergency meeting at noon on Saturday to discuss the locust threat. The forest department was directed to take measures such as creating high-decibel noise through beating of drums or loud music to scare away the locusts. All district magistrates were asked to remain in touch with the fire department to make arrangements for chemical spraying to save vegetation from the voracious pests. The DMs have also been asked to deploy adequate staff to make all possible arrangements like Munadi in the villages to guide the residents to distract the locals by making high decibel sound through banging of utensils, beating drums, playing DJs or burning of neem leaves, the advisory said. Residents of some parts of south Delhi were taken aback when they saw the skyline turning brown around noon. Sanat Swain, a mechanical engineer who was driving to his workplace in Gurugram, saw a large number of locusts near the Indian Institute of Technology flyover. I was driving and I couldnt believe what was happening. The sky above me had turned dark brown suddenly, he said. Northwest India is bracing for more such swarms. Several swarms have flown in from Pakistan and Iran in the past 10 to 15 days after breeding took place there nearly all year round, the Locust Warning Organisation said. The swarm, which had originally started from Pakistan, came via Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan and Rewari in Haryana and reached Gurugram around noon. Before heading towards Palwal, parts of the swarm crossed several stretches of south Delhi. According to the LWO, during locust control operations in Rajasthan, this particular swarm survived the insecticides sprayed on them so they started moving from there and headed towards Gurgaon with the wind direction being predominantly westerly. On Saturday afternoon, the swarm reached Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh and a few scattered groups remained in Delhi. LWOS seven ground control vehicles were headed towards Bulandshahr where control operations are likely to take place. These vehicles are mounted with machines that have sprayers. Drones and tractors or fire brigades will also be used. We will spray Malathion 96, Lambda Cyhalothrin and Chlorpyrifos to control the swarm at night in UP, said KL Gurjar, deputy director, LWO. We cant conduct our control operations until they settle down. They could settle in some remote areas around 8 pm, said JP Singh, joint director, LWO. Spraying of pesticides could take place only after midnight. Meanwhile, with the monsoon approaching the arid regions of Rajasthan, breeding of locusts has started in several pockets, Gurjar said. Egg laying has taken place and hoppers have emerged. But we will manage to control these hoppers immediately, Gurjar added. Last week, the Food and Agriculture Organisation had warned that Ethiopia, South Sudan, Pakistan, and India should remain on high alert during the next four weeks for fresh locust invasions. Any swarms in northern Somalia can migrate across the Indian Ocean to the summer breeding areas along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. There are successive breeding cycles in the Horn of Africa. Some swarms from there are moving towards west Africa while some are moving towards Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. These can also come to India in July. Some are expected to directly move to India from the Horn of Africa with the monsoon winds, Gurjar said. The winds are moving from the direction of the Horn of Africa towards India. The wind direction is south-westerly during monsoon. I will not be able to comment on whether they will carry these swarms with them, said M Mohapatra, director general, India Meteorological Department. LWO said the Kharif crop, especially maize and cotton, is likely to be impacted if the two locust threatsfrom the Indian Ocean and from breeding sites in India -- arent controlled China removes over 250 church crosses in first 4 months of 2020: report Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Crosses were removed from over 250 state-sanctioned churches in Chinas Anhui province between January and April as the Communist Partys years-long crackdown on church crosses continues, according to the Italian-based magazine Bitter Winter. All Christian symbols are ordered to be removed as part of the governments crackdown campaign, a provincial employee from Maanshan city told Bitter Winter, a publication produced by the Center for Studies on New Religion which covers human rights issues in China. The magazine reported on Tuesday that the 250 crosses were removed from churches affiliated with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement in cities that include but are not limited to Luan, Maanshan, Huaibei and Fuyang. One of the churches that had its cross removed from outside its building is The Gulou Church in the center of Fuyang city, a Protestant church that dates back over a century. The church had its cross taken down on April 2 after over 100 congregation members tried to stop authorities from removing the cross from the church the previous day. One congregation member told the magazine that local officials told the church members that the cross' removal was done in accordance with a national policy requiring the removal of all religious symbols, not just Christianity. We support the state and comply with its regulations, the congregation member was quoted as saying. We can have a dialogue with the government if it thinks that we have done something wrong, but they cant persecute us this way. Officials did not show any documents, fearing that people would implicate them with anything in writing. They only conveyed verbal orders and forced us to obey them. In the city of Lu-an, over 183 churches had crosses removed during the first four months of 2020, reports Bitter Winter. The report states that in March, a church leader in the city was threatened with imprisonment and the closure of his church if the churchs cross was not removed. Bitter Winter posted a video Wednesday showing officials removing a cross in Shu County. An elder from a Three-Self congregation in Hanshan county told Bitter Winter that there were two government-convened conferences so far in 2020 to discuss the national governments demand for the removal of religious symbols. Allegedly, provincial government officials criticized Maanshan officials for not removing crosses at a quick enough pace. Since mid-April, 33 churches in the county have reportedly not had their crosses removed. The fact that all church crosses in the county have been taken off makes us very sad because the cross [is] the primary symbol of our faith, the unnamed elder from Hanshan county added. But we dont dare to disobey central government orders: little fish dont eat big fish. The magazine also noted that crosses were removed from at least 22 churches affiliated with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement in four different cities last November and December. Chinas crackdown on religion and religious minorities has drawn scrutiny from international actors such as the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, rights groups and the U.S. State Department. In its 2020 annual report, USCIRF noted that not only have authorities removed crosses from churches across the nation but they have also banned youth under the age of 18 from participating in religious services. Reports have also indicated that authorities have required that some churches remove pictures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary inside of their buildings and replace them with images of President Xi Jinping. Past reports have also indicated that some churches have begun replacing the singing of hymns with songs that praise the communist regime. In September 2018, Chinese Christian activist Bob Fu, founder of China Aid, told members of U.S. Congress that the Chinese government is supervising a five-year plan to make Christianity more compatible with socialism, an effort that includes a rewrite of the Bible to make socialist ideas seem more divine. China ranks as the 23rd worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List. China has been named by the State Department for years as a country of particular concern for engaging in systemic and egregious violations of religious freedom. In April, USCIRF expressed concern about Chinas selection to the United Nations Human Rights Council Consultative Group, which is tasked with screening applications and making recommendations for independent U.N. experts. The Chinese government is one of the worst abusers of religious freedom and other human rights, USCIRF Commissioner Gary Bauer, a longtime conservative activist, said in a statement. The Chinese Communist Party should not have any influence over appointments of the UN Human Rights Councils independent human rights experts. Bala Chauhan By Amid the face-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, Jayadeva Ranade, former Additional Secretary, RAW, in Cabinet Secretariat, says, We need to be prepared and alert. China may take a step back and come back with greater vigour at what their target is. He says, They are testing us and want to tire us out. They also want to know Indias political will and stand on the issue. How long they will hold on is difficult to predict. One of the more important reasons for their huge military deployment could be to distract the attention of the Chinese people from their domestic issues and growing discontent against President Xi Jinping, says Ranade, presently president of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy, in an interview to Bala Chauhan of The New Indian Express. What are the reasons behind the huge build-up of the Peoples Liberation Army along the LAC in the Galwan Valley? JR: There could be a number of reasons. Though the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A is Indias internal issue, it could have unsettled the Chinese because we have stated that Aksai Chin belongs to India. This must have raised their apprehensions because China doesnt want to jeopardise its strategic and financial investment in the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) to Gwadar in Pakistan. The corridor is an integral part of Beijings $900 billion Belt and Road Initiative, which India has rejected. China will want to cut off our access to Daulat Beg Oldi and Aksai Chin because of their apprehensions on the CPEC. Other reasons, and important, for their huge military deployment could be to distract the attention of the Chinese from their domestic issues and growing discontent against President Xi Jinping. There are unprecedented demands for him to step down because of his policies and the way he mishandled the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan. People are losing faith in his leadership and have begun questioning his promise to achieve the China Dream by 2021 -- the hundredth year of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The China Dream not only promises that Chinese people will have doubled incomes, it also assures the rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation, which includes the recovery of sovereignty over Chinese territories lost through the imposition of unequal treaties by Imperialist foreign powers. The protests in Hong Kong, re-election of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Taiwan, resistance in the South China and East Seas have all created the impression inside China that Xis leadership is unable to deliver the China Dream. The third reason would be Chinas insecurity over our growing proximity with the US. How long do you think will the LAC standoff continue? JR: It is hard to predict how long the Chinese will test our patience. The PLA deployment and action along the LAC has been planned, authorised and co-ordinated by President Xi Jinping, who is also the commander in chief of the PLA. The entire 4,057-km length of the India-China border is under the operational jurisdiction of the PLA Western Theatre Command, which is the largest of Chinas five Theatre Commands and is also tasked with safeguarding Chinese assets and Chinese nationals working on the CPEC. Work on the deployment must have started some months ago because it requires planning, money and manpower from different commands. Given that, they will not disengage so easily. The latest reports state that they have now moved to the Depsang plains, while Galwan is still live. They are testing us and want to tire us out. They want to see our military response and military preparedness. They also want to know Indias political will and stand on the issue. How long they will hold on is difficult to predict. It is also possible that they may take a step back and come back with greater vigour at what their target is. We need to be prepared and alert. China may take a step back and come back with greater vigour at what their target is. What is the logic behind the timing? JR: For China there couldnt have been a better time than this to engage us in military action at the LAC when India along with US, Europe and other countries is preoccupied with tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. China has been nibbling away Indian territory over decades. It could now be wanting to grab larger slices of the territories claimed by it at a time of a global health emergency. Galwan historically belongs to India. By camping and refusing to move from patrolling points, what does China want to convey to us and rest of the world? JR: Galwan Valley has patrolling points, where both Indian and Chinese troops patrol. Neither side can camp on the site. China has not accepted these territories where the intrusions have occurred - as Indian territory but as disputed. It wants to keep the dispute in the area open. They want to convey that they are the big boys and can change the LAC. It is possible that they are being egged on by Pakistan, which is impacted by the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A. An ISI Colonel is posted at Chinas Central Military Commission (CMC)s Joint Staff Department since March this year. There may be more ISI officers deputed at the CMC for anti-India operations. I have been saying for a long time that Beijing is no friend of New Delhi, even when Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping held informal summits at Wuhan in 2018, soon after the Doklam standoff, and in Mamallapuram in 2019. We are now negotiating our territory. There are preparations for a showdown but there will be no victors. Besides China, the recent developments in an otherwise friendly neighbourhood -Nepal -- are worrisome. What could be the provocation? JR: We should have handled Nepal better and much earlier before their second Constitutional amendment putting Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani -- all territories now claimed to be disputed with India, within their borders. We should have cultivated their people, local leaders at the village and city level instead of just the top-level politicians. I have been pointing out that Chinese influence is growing in Nepal for the last four-five years. We should mobilise the Nepalese peoples support before its too late. What happened in Nepal is a case of benign neglect on our part. Another friendly neighbour Bangladesh is also being wooed by Beijing... JR: China is making huge investments in South Asia to strengthen its position. Fortunately, we have a friend in the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, but we cant take Bangladesh for granted. Is it time for India to have a relook at the foreign policy? JR: Yes. We need to have a real look at our foreign policy keeping in mind the malevolent China factor. We need to see how we can retain our influence. Prime Minister Modis statement at the all-party meeting on June 19 has created a lot of confusion. JR: It was a badly drafted statement, which was immediately corrected by the Prime Ministers Office and the Ministry of External Affairs but by then the Chinese had already announced to the world that our troops had intruded into their territory. How do we engage with China? Will call for boycott of Chinese goods really help considering China is Indias biggest trade partner? JR: We need to have a more careful and focussed approach. India is the second-biggest market after the US and Europe for China. Cutting off trade relations entirely is neither feasible nor a possibility. China will also react strongly. We must identify sectors of national importance such as telecommunications, healthcare and precision engineering among others and manufacture those products indigenously. We used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and can re-start. There are too many regulators in India, which should have monitored this and ensured that sectors vital to national interests are not degraded. Ravaging wildfires are burning further north in the Russian Arctic than had previously been recorded from space. Images captured by a satellite have shown an out-of-control inferno just 30 miles from the Arctic Ocean in the Yakutia region. It comes in a summer of unprecedented heat in northern latitudes in Siberia with locals sunbathing, with one extraordinary temperature measurement reading 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the 'pole of cold' Verkhoyansk in the last week. The European Union's Earth Observation Programme spotted the tundra ablaze at a latitude of 72.723 N in the diamond-rich Yakutia region, also called the Sakha Republic, the coldest permanently inhabited region on the planet. The image shows the burning Anabar district, southwest of the Olenyok River estuary into the Laptev Sea. The wildfire was photographed by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite and is believed to be the 'northernmost in recent years within the Arctic Circle'. 'While fires are common at this time of year, record temperatures and strong winds are making the situation particularly worrying,' said a statement from the programme. Pictured: Wildfires just 20 km away from the Arctic town of Chersky during a summer of unprecedented heat in northern latitudes in Siberia The wildfire was photographed by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite and is believed to be the 'northernmost in recent years within the Arctic Circle'. Smoke can be seen at the bottom of the image rising from the forests, just 30 miles from the Arctic sea The fire is less than eight miles north of an inferno registered last year by the same satellite monitoring programme which uses infrared sensing capabilities to detect active fires. The Aviation Forest Protection Agency in Yakutia, also known as the Sakha Republic, the largest region in Russia, reported 127 natural wildfires covering 822,724 hectares. Pictures and videos show fires in the tundra around Chersky, in the north of Yakutia, reported the Siberian Times. Firefighters are battling to save remote settlements in eight districts including Verkhoyansk which a week ago registered the remarkable 100.4 F temperature. The Aviation Forest Protection Agency in Yakutia, also known as the Sakha Republic, the largest region in Russia, reported 127 natural wildfires covering 822,724 hectares Firefighters are battling to save remote settlements in eight districts, including Verkhoyansk Pleistocene Park - a project to recreate the flora of the woolly mammoth age - narrowly missed being destroyed by raging flames. 'The Arctic is figuratively and literally on fire it's warming much faster than we thought it would in response to rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and this warming is leading to a rapid meltdown and increase in wildfires,' said University of Michigan environmental school dean Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist. 'The record warming in Siberia is a warning sign of major proportions.' Pictured: Smoke from the wildfires can be seen rising from miles away, which are just 30 miles from the Arctic Ocean in the Yakutia region One extraordinary temperature measurement reading 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the 'pole of cold' Verkhoyansk in the last week Such prolonged Siberian warmth has not been seen for thousands of years 'and it is another sign that the Arctic amplifies global warming even more than we thought', he said. Many locals rushed to local lakes and rivers to soak up the Saudi-like weather. This hot summer - which follows a gradual rise in recent years - has seen temperatures up to 57 F above those expected for the time of year, said Roman Vilfand, scientific director of the Russian Hydrometeorological Centre. An alarming consequence has seen thawing permafrost which has caused buildings to crack and subside in Yakutia's regional capital Yakutsk - the world's coldest city - and several cases of fuels storages becoming holed and pollution spreading over the Arctic. The heatwave, as shown from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite's temperature tracker, has reached temperatures in the high 30 degree Celsius mark (around 100 F) Meanwhile, a major 21,000 ton diesel leak occurred near Norilsk, in Krasnoyarsk region, due to permafrost thawing, and now threatens the Arctic Ocean. Russian Academy of Sciences' President Alexander Sergeyev said: 'We should organise a total monitoring of both industrial and housing buildings on the permafrost. 'If the permafrost degrades, all those buildings will begin to slide. This task is of the highest importance. 'I hail the idea, which has been supported by President Vladimir Putin, to have a new programme to monitor the climate and consequences from the climate changes.' The scale of the spill has been compared to the Exxon Valdez accident near Alaska in 1989, in which an oil tanker spilled 10.8 million US gallons of crude oil into the ocean An aerial image of the river that has turned red due to the diesel that has spilled into it from a nearby power station's oil tank in Russia. The leak happened on May 29, 2020 The spill occurred when a diesel reservoir collapsed at a power station outside the northern Siberian city of Norilsk on May 29, releasing vast quantities of fuel into the river and surrounding soil, according to Russia's state environmental watchdog. Shocking overhead videos revealed the horror unfolding in the Ambarnaya River near Norilsk in the Russian Arctic as one expert forecast the clean-up cost will reach 1.16 billion. There are fears the pollution could spread to the Great Arctic State Nature Reserve, the largest nature reserve in both Russia and the Eurasian continent, and damage fish stocks for generations. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a state of emergency to deal with the disaster. Putin was furious that he was not informed of the spill earlier, and on Wednesday he publicly scolded officials and oil managers over a video conference call for having to hear about the spill on social media, and for their handling of the crisis. Videos from the scene highlight how the river is now covered in a crimson-coloured toxic layer of diesel, some 1,860 miles northeast of Moscow. Some officials fear the only way to clear the pollution is to set it ablaze, which would cause a second environmental horror. NEW ORLEANS, June 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (NYSE: CVU). On February 8, 2019, the Company revealed that its previously-issued financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 could no longer be relied upon due to an error related to the Company's billing process which caused an overstatement of revenue. Then, on February 14, 2020, the Company revealed that its financial statements for the prior six quarters could no longer be relied upon due to an error relating to the Company's recognition of revenue from contracts with customers and that there was a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting relevant to those periods. Thereafter, the Company and certain of its executives were sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period in violation of federal securities laws, which remains ongoing. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether CPI's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to CPI's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of CPI shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cvu/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner [email protected] 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200 New Orleans, LA 70163 SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Related Links https://www.ksfcounsel.com A child wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 looks at soap bubbles in a park in Seoul, Saturday. AP The government reported over 50 additional daily COVID-19 infections Saturday with the number jumping amid another infection cluster traced to a major church in Seoul. A total of 51 people tested positive for the coronavirus, according to data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Among them, 31 people contracted the virus via community spread, while 20 case were imported. They included 15 in Seoul, 12 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and two in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of the capital New U.S. Sanctions Hit Firms Linked To Iran's Metals Sector By RFE/RL June 25, 2020 The United States has unveiled new sanctions against the Iranian metallurgical sector, blacklisting several companies, including domestic and foreign subsidiaries of the country's main steel producer. The Treasury Department said on June 25 that the sanctioned entities included four manufacturing companies and four sales agents as part of a crackdown on entities believed to fund Iran's "destabilizing behavior" worldwide. The United States "remains committed to isolating key sectors of the Iranian economy until the revenues from such sectors are refocused toward the welfare of the Iranian people," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets held by the companies and generally prohibit Americans from dealing with them. The move is part of U.S. effort to slash Iranian revenues since President Donald Trump withdrew in May 2018 from a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. The new U.S. sanctions target one domestic and four foreign subsidiaries -- operating in either Germany or the United Arab Emirates -- of Iran's Mobarakeh Steel Company, which Treasury said accounts for about 1 percent of Iran's gross domestic product. Mobarakeh Steel Company was blacklisted in 2018 for allegedly providing millions of dollars annually to an entity with close ties to Iran's paramilitary Basij force, which is controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Also targeted were three aluminum, steel, and iron producers in Iran, which Treasury said contributed to billions of dollars in sales and exports of Iranian metals every year. A company which the Treasury said had addresses in China and Hong Kong was also sanctioned for allegedly transferring graphite to a blacklisted Iranian entity in 2019. With reporting by AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-explosion -military-site-gas-tank/30691489.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The National Executive Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) violated the partys constitution in the appointment of three state governors as members of the partys National Caretaker Committee, PREMIUM TIMES can report. NEC had on Thursday dissolved the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Adams Oshiomhole and appointed a 13-member caretaker committee in its place to steer the affairs of the party for six months. The NEC meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, mandated the committee to organise a national convention within the period to elect new members of the NWC. The meeting also directed members to withdraw all pending cases in court. It also ratified the partys governorship primary in Edo State won by Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Apart from Mr Buhari, others who participated in the meeting were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, state governors and other members of NWC and NEC. The three governors who are members of the 13-member NCC are Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Isiaka Oyetola of Osun State and Sani Bello of Niger State. Other members of the committee, which is chaired by Mr Buni, are former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former senator, John James Akpanudoedehe (who will serve as secretary); the APC candidate in the November 2019 Bayelsa governorship candidate, David Lyon; Tahir Mamman; a senator, Abubakar Yusuf; and a member of the House of Representatives, Akinremi Olaide. Stella Okotete and James Lalu, Ismail Ahmed and Abba Ari were also named as members of the committee. Mr Buni, national secretary of the APC until last year, was immediately sworn-in by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, at the meeting. However, this newspaper has now found that NEC violated Article 17 (iv) of the APC Constitution (October 2014 as amended). The article states that No officer in any organ of the Party shall hold executive position office in government concurrently. The position of the governor of a state in Nigeria is an executive one and therefore the trio should not have been named into the committee. Ken Asogwa, a lawyer, lamented that NEC breached the provision of the constitution despite the Supreme Courts decision, urging political parties in the country to always obey rules they set for themselves. It has been decided by the Supreme Court that political parties or organisations are bound by the rules or constitutions governing them, Mr Asogwa told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday. Article 17 (iv) of the APC is clearly unambiguous. So to the extent that the three governors in government, the decision of the APC NEC to appoint them (governors) into the caretaker committee clearly breaches the rules the party set for itself. In Buhari V INEC (2008), APV V Karfi (2018) and APC V Mararafa (2019), the apex court held that a political party is bound to obey all electoral laws, including its own constitution and guidelines. A Lagos-based lawyer who does not want to be quoted, said the party did not only violate its own law by naming the governors as members of NCC, it breached other aspects of the constitution. He however told this newspaper that NEC may want to wriggle out by arguing that the case was not that being already officers of the party, they were subsequently elected or appointed into a public office. He added that The reverse is the case. That is, they were already holding public offices before they were made interim officers of the party. The argument will not be tenable. But another lawyer, Monday Ejeh, said NEC did not contravene the APC constitution to the extent that the caretaker committee was not listed as an organ of the party He said, It is clear that the committee set up by the National Executive Committee of the APC pursuant to their powers under Article 18 (1) is not listed as part of the organs of the party. If this is so, it cannot be said that the NEC of the party contravened the Constitution of the party. This is basically a non-issue as the constitution is clear. Those assuming that the NEC breached the constitution by making some state governors members of the committee have only failed to appreciate the provisions of Article 11 of the Constitution of the APC which clearly states the organs of the party. Advertisements Article 11 is restrictive as to the committees amounting to party organs and has no room for ad hoc committees to become party organs. In the same vein, Yomi Ogunsanya, another lawyer, said, the NEC conformed to the partys laws because the governors do not occupy any executive position in any organ of the party. More so the constitution did not state the requirements for appointment into any committee that may be set up by the party. Members of the dissolved NWC had initially faulted the decision of NEC to replace them with a caretaker committee, citing Article 25 (B) of the partys constitution. The 18 members of the NWC led by Hilliard Eta, who was holding brief for Abiola Ajimobi, who died on the same day the organ was dissolved, had questioned the propriety of Victor Giadom, then a deputy national deputy national secretary of the party to convene the NEC meeting. It subsequently announced its readiness to challenge the action of the NEC. However, a day after, two members of the dissolved NWC, broke their rank. Former spokesperson of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu and Musbau Lawal, lauded Mr Buhari and other party leaders for convening the NEC meeting to resolve the crisis bedevilling the party. There are however indications that the former NWC members may have rescinded their decision to go to court. Immediate past National Secretary, Waziri Bulama, said the former NWC members had accepted the NEC decision to dissolve them. Following consultations with our leaders and all the stakeholders, we have accepted the decision of the president on the dissolution of NWC and the setting up of a Caretaker Committee headed by Governor Mai Mala Buni. We are respecting the president. We are not antagonistic. All the views we expressed were in the light of the constitution of the party, Mr Bulama told journalists in Abuja just as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, said the threat to go to court by some member of the former NWC was a creation of the media. On Saturday, Mr Oshiomhole said he accepted the dissolution of the NWC just as he refused to be drawn into the legality or otherwise of NECs action. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over the killing of a journalist by alleged sand mafia in Unnao. In a press statement on Friday, the spokesperson of the NHRC said the commission had taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that states a journalist was allegedly killed by the sand mafia in Uttar Pradeshs Unnao district on June 19. The victim, Shubham Tripathy, was working as a correspondent with a Hindi daily and had been reporting about illegal sand mining in the district. He had apprehended threat to his life from them. Reportedly, Tripathys opponents had also lodged a complaint against him with the district magistrate. Also read: Locust swarms seen in several areas in Gurugram The commission has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government through its chief secretary and the director-general of police calling for a detailed report in the matter. The state government has also been directed to get an impartial enquiry into the matter by an independent agency, preferably the state Crime Branch and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to ensure the safety of the family of the victim and the witnesses in the case. The call details and other forensic evidence gathered during the investigation are to be preserved as the commission might call them during consideration of the case. The response is expected within four weeks, the spokesperson said. The commission has observed that the news report has mentioned that in many cases, media persons have been targeted by the anti-social elements and in most of the cases, no action against the culprits has been taken by the police authorities. It is the duty of the state to provide adequate safety and security to media persons who, in the public interest, take great risks to highlight the illegal activities prevailing in the society, the commission stated. Even though the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus has ruined many travel plans, there are many places that travellers wish to strike-off their list. With countries lifting border restrictions, this Bubble hotel in Iceland is surely one of the fanciest social distancing stay one should definitely experience. The magical hotel offers an entirely private stay tucked away in a secluded wooded area near Reykholt. With amazing views of the surrounding area, the stars and maybe Northern Lights, the hotel surely is a childhood dream for many. While speaking to an international media outlet, Robert Robertson, the managing director of the Bubble project, said that sleeping under the stars o watching the aurora borealis dance is one this lifelong dreams. He added that the Bubble concept was basically born to fulfil the dreams of many. READ: Video: Icelandic Sheepdog Bonds With New Family Member, Netizens Go Aww Bubble hotels in Iceland pic.twitter.com/ed485frJqs Kristin Lisa Carlson (@KristinLisaCar1) April 3, 2020 Bubble hotel in Iceland Would you stay here? pic.twitter.com/pYb5bYi5Pr Travel Vibes (@TraveIbIog) March 1, 2020 READ: Iceland To Become First European Country To Welcome Tourists Again After COVID-19 Lockdown An escape from busy life Robertson reportedly said that in the winter, the hotel has the aurora or the stars and in the summer one can experience the proximity of nature, wonderful birds, butterflies and great midnight-sun scenery. While he doesnt guarantee that one will experience the northern lights during their stay, however, he said that its the light show up then one might have a magical night for sure. While Robertson called the hotel pretty bloody special, the companys website informs that the hotel offers a chance to completely escape from the normal busy life. According to the official site, the Bubble is suitable for two adults sharing a bed. It also read that the experience will take the visitors out of their busy lives and reconnect them to nature and the environment. Furthermore, as per the website, the glamping location situated in a forest close to Reykholt on the Golden Circle will help the visitors get a moment to lay back, rethink, and begin a new journey. The website also informs that the bubbles are heated and complete with a big comfy bed to share. With no toilets inside the bubble, the site informed that there is a nearby building which has toilet and shower facility for the guests to use. READ: With Testing, Iceland Claims Major Success Against COVID-19 READ: Iceland Contains Virus With Voluntary App Use Representative image The United Nations on April 11, 2017, issued a notification marking June 27 as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Day. It invited all member states, organisations of the United Nations system and other stakeholders to observe June 27 as MSME day to raise public awareness of their contribution to sustainable development. Globally, the criteria for defining the size of businesses differ from country to country. The definition of MSME depends on various factors such as investment, turnover, the size of the countrys population, industry and the level of international economic integration. In India, manufacturing enterprises and enterprises rendering services with investment up to Rs 1 crore and an annual turnover of not more than Rs 5 crore is a micro enterprise. Similarly, enterprises with an investment of up to Rs 10 crore and turnover of not more than Rs 50 crore is called a small enterprise, and those with an investment of up to Rs 50 crore and turnover of not more than Rs 250 crore are termed as medium enterprises. Small businesses have been worst affected due to the ongoing economic crisis caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Unprecedented lockdown across the globe aimed at containing the spread of the COVID-19 infection has adversely affected the manufacturing, supply chain and ultimately resulted in a steep decline in consumer demand. Unlike their names, MSMEs are the backbone of most economies in the world. They play a crucial role in generating jobs and improving livelihoods. Hence, to raise awareness about the role of MSMEs, United Nations declared June 27 as MSME Day. 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 According to MSME ministrys annual report of FY19, there are 633.88 lakh unincorporated non-agricultural MSMEs in India. Of this, 324.88 lakh MSMEs (51.25 percent) were in rural areas and 309 lakh (48.75 percent) were in urban areas. The micro sector accounts for a whopping 99 percent of the total MSMEs with 630.52 lakh enterprises. Small and medium MSMEs are estimated at 3.31 lakh and 0.05 lakh, accounting for 0.52 percent and 0.01 percent of total estimated MSMEs, respectively. MSMEs are responsible for significant employment and income generation opportunities and have been identified as a major driver of poverty alleviation and development. According to the UN, MSMEs tend to employ a larger share of the vulnerable sectors of the workforce, such as women, youth and people from poorer households - populations with high vulnerability in times of COVID-19. MSMEs as a group are the main income provider for distribution at the 'base of the pyramid'. According to the report, MSME sector has been creating 11.10 crore jobs (360.41 lakh in manufacturing, 387.18 lakh in trade and 362.22 lakh in other services and 0.07 lakh in non-captive electricity generation and transmission) in the rural and urban areas across the country. While micro sector provides employment to 1076.19 lakh persons, which accounts for around 97 percent of total employment in the sector, small and medium MSMEs provide employment to 31.95 lakh (2.88 percent) and 1.75 lakh (0.16 percent), respectively. While they are the backbone of a developing nation, MSMEs are also most vulnerable to adversity. In addition to lack of finance, entering the international market and navigating trade-related procedures is much harder for small businesses than for their larger competitors. DEAL OF THE WEEK Kelly Brings Fight to One Signal In a six-figure world rights deal, One Signal assistant editor Nicholas Ciani bought Kim Kellys Fight Like Hell. Kelly is a freelance journalist who focuses on labor issues and has contributed to publications like Esquire, the New Republic, and the Washington Post; she also writes a column for Teen Vogue. The book, the Atria imprint said, is a marginalized peoples history of labor in the United States, focusing on workers who have made crucial contributions to the labor movement but whose stories have often been overlooked. One Signal added that the title will be a rallying cry to those who want to organize and build the better world we all deserve. Kelly was represented by Chad Luibl at Janklow & Nesbit Associates. FROM THE U.S. Royal Brothers Bio Lands at HarperCollins Lisa Sharkey at HarperCollins U.S., in conjunction with Arabella Pike at HarperCollins U.K., preempted Robert Laceys Battle of Brothers: William and HarryThe Friendship and the Feuds. Sharkey, who is senior v-p of creative development, and Pike, who is publishing director of HC U.K.s William Collins imprint, will copublish the title on October 20. The book, which explores the complex relationship between the U.K.s Prince William and Prince Harry, will, the publisher said, lay bare what happens when two sons were raised for vastly different futures. It will also expose the fracturing bond at the heart of the royal familys recent woes. Lacey, a British historian and bestselling biographer (Grace: Her LivesHer Loves and A Brief Life of the Queen), was represented in the world English rights agreement by Jonathan Pegg at Londons Jonathan Pegg Literary Agency. Nelsons Talk Family Band for RH Country music legend Willie Nelson and his sister Bobbie Nelson sold the memoir Me and Sister Bobbie to Random House, where Ben Greenberg took world rights. The book, which is slated for September 15, is subtitled True Tales of the Family Band and highlights the bond that formed between the siblings after they were abandoned by their parents when they were young. Told in alternating chapters, RH said, the memoir weaves together Willie and Bobbies journeys as they experienced them both side by side and apart, with powerful and emotional never-before-told recollections from their personal lives and careers. In a separate deal, Doubleday Books for Young Readers editor-in-chief Frances Gilbert bought world rights to a picture book, Sister, Brother, Family: Our Childhood in Music, which is set for fall 2021. Chris Barton will write the picture book with the Nelsons, who were represented by David Vigliano at Vigliano Associates in both deals. Grove Feels the Byrne Actor and producer Gabriel Byrne sold a memoir titled Walking with Ghosts to Grove Atlantic. Elisabeth Schmitz and Katie Raissian took U.S. and Canadian rights from Anna Stein at ICM Partners. Ghosts, which is slated for January 2021, is, Grove said, a portrait of Byrnes childhood in Ireland and the journey that brought him to some of the most iconic roles in theater and on screen. St. Martins Nabs Pilcher Collection St. Martins Press will publish a new collection of short stories by Rosamunde Pilcher, who died last year at age 94. Charles Spicer took North American rights to A Place Like Home, which, the publisher said, features 15 stories that have never appeared in book form. Pilcher, who also wrote under the pseudonym Jane Fraser, was a British novelist known for romance titles and general fiction. St. Martins described her as a multimillion-copy international bestseller. The deal also marks the last one brokered by veteran British agent Felicity Bryan, who died on June 21 at age 74, after battling cancer. Colin Beresford was looking forward to the summer of 2020, and for the first time celebrating Pride among the crowds of people in Ann Arbor, Mich. Beresford, 23, grew up in a conservative Michigan town and described a slow process of coming to understand that he was bisexual, to acknowledge that within himself, and finally to take pride in it. For me, it has been scary to accept myself, he said. I thought this year could be the year that I go and show myself, and everyone else, who I am. But, just like countless other things, that will have to wait. Pride marches and events have been cancelled or postponed throughout the country this year because of the coronavirus, and many people like Beresford in the LGBTQ community are missing out on an important moment of visibility and acceptance: their first Pride. The Pride celebrations are not alone in being called off, but few other events are as much about being seen by everyone. Its something thats so central to our identities as LGBTQ folks, said Fred Lopez, executive director of San Francisco Pride. To remember that time when we were able to walk hand in hand with a boyfriend or a crush, even amongst hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of people, is really inspiring. In place of the marches, parades and parties that have defined Pride in the United States, there will be small gatherings as cities begin to reopen, along with virtual celebrations. World leaders, human rights activists, musicians and drag queens participated in a 24-hour celebration streamed on YouTube and the Global Pride website that started Saturday. But the importance of Pride as a public event that transforms city streets was underscored by readers who responded to the New York Times when asked what the loss of the large gatherings meant to them. Susanna Yudkin said she had been to Pride marches in the past as an ally but last year went for the first time as an openly queer woman. Attending Denver Pride with my pride of fellow queer lionesses was nothing short of exhilarating, she said, describing a new-found sense of belonging, as well as deep gratitude to those who came before her to make moments of open celebration possible. Gregory Antollino said he still remembered what his first Pride, at the age of 23 in 1988, meant to him. He had just moved to New York City, had not yet connected with the gay community and unknowingly stumbled into a Pride parade. I made it a holiday, he said. Pride was joyous. He has since attended Pride in London, Lisbon and Amsterdam, and he said each experience was as magical as those in my first years in New York. Neil Wu-Gibbs said his first Pride in 2013, when he marched with the Gay Asian & Pacific Islander Men of New York, gave him a sense of belonging that helped him decide to move back from Britain to New York City. It was like a homecoming, he said. Although most Pride events were cancelled in the spring over fears of large crowds spreading the coronavirus, mass gatherings have returned since Memorial Day in the form of protests in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Rayshard Brooks, Layleen Polanco and many others. At many of the demonstrations, people have waved the rainbow LGBTQ flag to honour Pride month, a reminder that the first Pride march 50 years ago was itself rooted in protest and followed the uprising against police brutality at the Stonewall Inn a year before. And this month in Brooklyn, N.Y., more than 15,000 people wearing all white rallied for a Black Trans Lives Matter demonstration, bringing attention to disproportionately high rates at which Black trans people are killed and incarcerated, and highlighting the point that they do not always feel fully included in the Black Lives Matter movement. For many in the LGBTQ community, proclaiming their identities is not an easy undertaking. Many choose to come out in a public way, others share who they are only with close family members and friends, and some never openly identify themselves as gay. By her own account, it has taken Jennifer Depew, 23, a long time to accept herself as bisexual. She came out this month, she said, first to a friend and then to her family. I was looking forward to being able to celebrate Pride this year as someone fully comfortable with my identity, fully a member of the community, Depew said. To lose out on that opportunity this year is a true disappointment, another melancholic note of 2020. In countries where same-sex relationships are criminalized or homophobia is endorsed by the state, coming out publicly or celebrating Pride can come with grave risks. Poet and essayist Chibuihe Obi Achimba, 27, grew up in a small village in southeastern Nigeria and for a long time struggled with being open about his sexuality. In 2017, he wrote an essay titled Were Here, Were Queer, in which he detailed his experience with homophobia, spoke out against Nigerias laws that criminalize same-sex relationships, and described his longing to find positive LGBTQ presentation in Nigerian literature. After the essay was published, Achimba said, he became the target of abuse and physical violence. He left Nigeria and came to the United States in 2019 as a fellow in the Harvard University Scholars at Risk program. So 2020 looked like the year he had been waiting for all his adult life, and he was eager to join Pride, calling it this global celebration of resistance, love, freedom, happiness and hope. I planned to enact my own deliverance from the chokehold of my countrys state-sanctioned oppression and the sharp cudgels of my countrymens homophobia at this years Pride, he said. But now, we need to wade through the murky waters the coronavirus has stirred up. It feels like a personal loss, he added. It is an appropriately patriotic accessory for a woman best known for playing Queen Victoria... but the price tag of the Union Jack bag Jenna Coleman took to a picnic last week would have left the famously frugal Monarch distinctly unamused. For the oversize Christian Dior tote the actress used to carry her blanket and other goodies sells for a princely 3,500. Ms Coleman, 34, travelled from the North London home she shares with boyfriend Tom Hughes, who plays her on-screen husband Prince Albert, to enjoy the sunshine in Regents Park. Even if she might have felt a little more at home in Victoria Park, a few miles away in East London. Jenna Coleman used an oversize Christian Dior tote bag to carry her blanket and other goodies which sells for a princely 3,500 Mr Hughes, 35, was nowhere to be seen as his partner enjoyed a relaxing afternoon with a blonde friend who soaked up the sweltering rays in a bikini. Ms Coleman wore a fashionable black-and-white checked maxi dress, coordinated with a pair of black sandals, which she kicked off once shed reached the picnic spot. While the sunny weather and close companion made for a perfect day out, the former Doctor Who star couldnt quite pull herself away from her phone. Not only was she spotted animatedly chatting into it, she was also eager to check her messages. Last year, Ms Coleman said she was taking a bit of a breather from ITVs Victoria after its third series, but writer Daisy Goodwin says she has plans for another season. Ms Coleman, 34, travelled from her North London home to enjoy the sunshine in Regents Park Jenna Coleman plays Queen Victoria in the ITV drama series Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 15:52:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has conveyed its readiness to the Indian side to reopen Kartarpur corridor on June 29 to allow Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit a holy shrine in Pakistan, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said on Saturday. The corridor was temporarily closed in March this year due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the foreign ministry said in a statement. "As the religious places are gradually opening up around the world, Pakistan has also made necessary arrangements to reopen Kartarpur Sahib corridor for Sikh pilgrims," the statement said. To ensure adherence to the health guidelines, Pakistan has invited India to work out necessary standard operating procedures for reopening of the corridor, according to the statement. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the corridor in November last year to establish a visa free link between the Sikh shrines of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur located in Pakistan's Punjab province and Dera Baba Nanak located in India's northern state of Punjab. "The Kartarpur corridor is a true symbol of peace and religious harmony. This landmark initiative by the government of Pakistan has been immensely appreciated by the Sikh community all over the world including India," said the foreign ministry. Enditem A care provider in Australia has caused outrage after posting a job advert urging dark-skinned people not to apply for a role. Absolute Care and Health, a disability care provider located in South Yarra in Melbourne, shared the vacancy on website Indeed.com. We seek mature support workers, ideally aged 40 years and over, it said. We request no dark-skinned (Indian or African) applicants apply for this role. The care provider has since apologised for sharing the job description which was branded stomach-churning by Dvir Abramovich, an Israeli-Australian academic who specialises in Holocaust studies and who is the chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission. This ad crossed so many lines that I stopped counting and turned back the clock on race relations, he told 7NEWS.com.au. Recommended Australian explains racism using shopping trolley in TikTok video And while I am glad that someone at the company woke up to this disgraceful situation and pulled this deeply hurtful and abhorrent ad, one has to wonder how the phrasing and intent did not raise a single red flag within the organisation before it was published. The company said the appeal for dark-skinned people not to submit an application for the role was made because of a client request adding that an investigation into the posting had now been started. We published a job advertisement which contained information that was discriminatory and offensive, it said in a statement. It happened as a result of an extreme failure in our internal processes and we are so very deeply sorry for the offence and distress that our error has caused. Earlier in the week, Nestle announced it would change the names of two of its confectionery products in Australia Red Skins and Chicos sweets because they have racial overtones. While Redskin is an offensive slang term that refers to Native Americans, chico, which means boy in Spanish, can be insulting to those from a Latin American background. Businesses are being made to rethink their products as discussions over systemic racism rage in the wake of the death of George Floyd in US police custody. Spencer Fox, the president of E.S. Fox Ltd., didnt mince words in telling regional council there is no time to lose when it comes to restructuring and downsizing government in Niagara. Fox, the president of Niagara Falls-based E.S. Fox Ltd., said at at last Thursdays council meeting the private sector is in crisis due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. While local governments such as yourself are trying to get money from the feds and the province, thats a false panacea, so to speak. Eventually, we will be taxed for that as well. Lincoln Coun. Rob Foster made a motion to refer Foxs presentation and the open letter to the budget review committee of the whole for a response. Motions to refer are non-debatable. This isnt on our agenda this evening, and we need to take a good look at your information and deal with it accordingly, Foster said. Fox said the private sector and the people that the private sector employ had adjusted on the fly to the pandemic before adding it appears to him the public sector thinks that it is immune to the upheaval. Unfortunately, it is not, he said. As businesses contract, and in many cases cease to exist, tax revenue will decrease. My firm contracted to 30 per cent, and some firms contracted to zero and are still at zero. An open letter signed by some of Niagaras most prominent business leaders accompanied Foxs presentation. Together the businesses employ well more than 2,000 people collectively and have operated on average for more than 60 years. The group includes Steve Cohen of Myer Salit Ltd., Daniel Trabucco of Artcraft Kitchens, Stephen Parker of Flexo Products, Alex Digenis of Henley Honda, Greg Pinder of Pinder Security, Rob Fostinger of FBT Inc., John Nitsopoulos of Best Western Holiday Inns, Shawn Rapone of CMI Heavy Industries and Sunil Bahadoorsingh of PennTerra. St. Catharines Coun. George Darte, who owns and operates Darte Funeral Homes, also signed the letter. Darte declared his conflict of interest as the meeting began. Fox said the business leaders are offering to meet with council or committees to discuss their ideas. Use us as your business consultants. In the latest report from staff, dated June 25, Niagara Region estimated its total gross cost, directly related to the pandemic, is $56 million. On top of that, the 12 lower-tier municipalities spent an extra $84 million due to the pandemic. Staffs rough estimate is the Region will face a deficit of $7.5 million at the end of the fiscal year. When the area municipalities deficits are included, the figure climbs to $15.4 million. The central issue we want to raise as a group is that the private sector has to match reduced revenue with reduced expenses, Fox said. Unfortunately, the public sector will have to do that as well. The Region, however, must provide a wide array of mandated services where the ability to manoeuvre and save money is minimal. Those services include big-budget items such as policing, Ontario Works and ODSP, public health, public housing, ambulance services, water and wastewater plants, and a long-term care home. The open letter said governments role in supporting pandemic recovery and protecting the essential social safety net is as important as ever. It is now time for local government to do their part, the letter said. The success of your efforts will directly relate to how well we recover. All levels of government must, like private business, jettison outdated policies, eliminate waste and reduce unnecessary spending. Many past procedures are no longer viable. This is unconscionable in todays economic climate, the letter said. These increases need to be immediately reversed. On Friday evening, conflicts between demonstrators many of whom wielded dueling bullhorns took the form of a generational fight. Older black residents argued the statue should stay up because its removal would erase an important chapter in the history of African Americans. Younger black protesters, however, shouted back that the monument is demeaning and must be pulled down. Photograph: Jay Janner/AP When Donald Trump welcomed Texas governor Greg Abbott to the White House in May, the US president hailed his fellow Republican as one of the great governors and lauded the states response to the coronavirus pandemic and predicted boom times ahead. When you look at the job hes done in Texas, I rely on his judgment, Trump said. Seven weeks later, as the state once again closes businesses with virus cases skyrocketing and hospitals running out of intensive-care beds, Texas indeed appears to be a model: for how to squander a hopeful position through premature reopening, ignoring inconvenient data and fighting party-political turf wars. Greg Abbott adjusts his mask after giving an update on 16 June 2020, in Houston. Photograph: Ricardo B Brazziell/AP On 7 May, the day of Abbotts visit to Washington, the state reported 968 new cases among its 29 million residents. Daily numbers have soared this week to 5,996 on 25 June prompting doctors in Houston to sound the alarm. On Friday, Abbott ordered a halt to Texan experiences such as bar-hopping along Austins raucous Sixth Street and floating lazily on an inner tube along a tree-lined river. Bars which were open at up to 50% capacity must close again, restaurants must reduce from 75% to 50% capacity and rafting operations must close. Harris County, which includes Houston, moved to its highest Covid-19 threat level, signalling a severe and uncontrolled outbreak. The harsh truth is that our current infection rate is on pace to overwhelm our hospitals in the very near future, Lina Hidalgo, the county judge, said at a press conference on Friday. We opened too quickly. It was not her choice. Hidalgo, a Democrat, issued a mandatory mask order in April that was swiftly rendered toothless by Abbott, who said masks were strongly recommended but local authorities could not impose penalties for non-compliance. Abbott said in the Oval Office that Texas phased reopening was based on data-driven strategies that would reduce the spread of the virus and enable the economy to recover. But he was cherry-picking numbers; the statistics did not meet federal criteria for relaxing a lockdown and Texas per-capita testing rate is among the worst in the nation. Story continues That same day, Abbott diluted his own authority in order to mollify his conservative base. He eliminated jail as a punishment for violating his coronavirus restrictions, in a response to right-wing outrage over the imprisonment of a Dallas hair salon owner who had illegally reopened, refused to close again and was sentenced to seven days behind bars for contempt of court. Abbott tries to play the moderate but in reality hes almost on a leash with the extreme right, said Mustafa Tameez, a Houston-based Democratic strategist. Tameez said that Abbott and Trump have sown confusion through mixed messages. Were not going to be able to make policy unless we root it in facts and science, he said. Were not going to be able to make it through this on soundbites and political positioning. Republicans control Texas politics at state level largely thanks to support from white rural and suburban voters. But Democrats dominate in the biggest cities, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin. This has long led to policy conflicts, with the state overriding municipalities on issues from banning plastic bags to immigration enforcement. Greg Casar, an Austin city council member, said that Abbott placed appeasing his core voters ahead of the health of urban communities of color. The governor at the very beginning of this chose to prioritize politics over public health, Casar said, noting the states attempt to suspend abortions. He added that if cases continue to spike, Austin would probably pass laws that go beyond Abbotts limits, risking a court fight. The overwhelming majority of our hospitalizations are Latino and of course black Austinites are being hospitalized at a disproportionate rate as well, Casar said. Generations of racist practice and policies are really exposing those communities at the moment no matter how much we try to mitigate it. Austin was blocked earlier this month from implementing mandatory paid sick leave after a long-running legal challenge backed by leading Texas Republicans. Hopefully the leadership of this state now knows that theyve got to put public health first, weve got to flatten the curve all the way, said Royce West, a state senator in Dallas and Democratic US senate primary candidate. Leaders in this state have got to look at whether or not what the model was in New York should be replicated here. That would underline the dramatic reversal in fortunes from the spring, when New York was the national epicentre but severe actions seem unlikely. Dan Patrick, the 70-year-old Texas lieutenant governor, declared in March that he was willing to risk death to help the economy. On Friday, Patrick dismissed the idea of a fresh lockdown and accused hospitals of providing misleading information. Yes, positive rates are up, mostly young people, theyre not dying, he told Fox News. Were still moving forward, with a slight pause. Nor is the pandemic causing state leaders to reconsider their most cherished policy goals. As hospitals scramble to find more ICU beds, Texas, the state with the highest number of uninsured people, filed a brief on Thursday urging the US supreme court to scrap the Affordable Care Act, which would threaten access to healthcare for millions. Businesses always want to find a way to give themselves as little costs as possible. That is why there is a huge growth of businesses with LLC's in Illinois because it offers great incentives to businesses in this state. You will find that it isn't only small businesses that choose to set up their LLC in Illinois, but also major companies have set up their LLC there such as Caterpillar Inc., Mcdonald's and Walgreens Boots Alliance. According to the SBA government, the growth rate for the Illinois economy is 3.5%. So what classifies as an LLC? In order to have an official LLC for your business, you need to follow some steps first. You first need to come up with a unique name that isn't similar to another business. You then have to choose a registered Illinois agent who will help you with your legal paperwork and taxes. After that, you would have to file Articles of Organisation and pay $150 to do so. Then the final two steps are creating an operation for your LLC and gaining an EIN. How does an LLC help a business? If you get an LLC for your business, as the owner of this business, you are personally not liable for the business' debts or liabilities. Not only that, but you can save your personal assets, since they would be considered a separate entity, once you have opened a business bank account and ordered a business credit card, in order to separate your personal and business finances. Do I need to comply with anything else? Yes, in order to fully have an LLC in Illinois, you need to also comply with the regulations and laws set by the federals, the government and state in Illinois. This can vary from other states, which is why it is important to do some research about it. It is also vital for you to fill out an annual report for your LLC business and if you fail to do this, you will meet the consequences of having to pay for a fine. However, since you would have a registered Illinois agent, they can help you keep track of this and make sure that everything is complete on time. What can help my workflow when having an LLC? Sometimes, too much administrative work can be overbearing and you can fall behind with many things. This is why you can get help from accounting, because you can manage a financial system, by tracking your expenses, bills and other finances, as well as filing your annual taxes. You also need to set up a payroll service for your employees, which will save you plenty of time and will allow you to handle all of the wages accordingly. Our say Getting an LLC is very beneficial for the business because there are many incentives that come with. You can get insurance for your business and employees, that can help you cover any incidents within the business or any damages that are caused. Not only that, but you would have an agent supporting you in every step of the way and someone to represent you in all of the paperwork. It also makes it easier for you to control your business finances and keep them away from your personal finances, in order to not let yourself go bankrupt if you ever get sued. Tax is also lower as an LLC company, which is another benefit for you when it comes to all the payments and finances that build up. If you also comply with employment laws, you can reduce your LLC's liability. Getting an LLC is an important step to your business and will help it become legitimate and well known. New Delhi: A team of Enforcement Directorate on Saturday (June 27) reached the residence of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in the national capital and recorded his statement in a Rs 5,000 crore money laundering case involving Sterling Biotech Ltd, a company promoted by the absconding Sandesara brothers. The agency had gone to the senior Congress leader to record his statement in the case. Patel was earlier summoned for questioning in the case but he cited COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions and expressed his inability to appear before the Enforcement Directorate. The CBI has alleged that the Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech Ltd had taken loans of over Rs 5,000 crore from a consortium led by Andhra Bank which have turned into non-performing assets. The FIR has alleged that the total pending dues of the group companies were Rs 5,383 crore as on December 31, 2016. The Sandesaras - Nitin and Chetan are allegedly hiding in Nigeria with which India does not have an extradition treaty. On June 26, the CBI carried out raids at over half a dozen of locations in Delhi and Noida, which were linked to former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's nephew, in connection with a fresh FIR registered in a case related to alleged loss of Rs 787.25 crore to PNB and other consortium of banks. A CBI official told IANS that the raids came in the wake of a fresh case being registered recently on a complaint by PNB against MBSL and others, including its Directors and other unknown persons and bank officials. According to the CBI, Deepak Puri, Managing Director of Moser Baer Solar Limited, his wife Nita Puri, whole-time director of MBIL, son Ratul Puri, former Executive Director of MBIL, Sanjay Jain, Director, Vineet Sharma, Director, and other unidentified public servants and private persons were booked on charges of criminal conspiracy for cheating, forgery and criminal misconduct. Nita Puri is the sister of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Ratul Puri is his nephew. Ratul Puri was arrested and granted bail in December 2019 by the ED in connection with money laundering involving the Rs 354 crore fraud with the Central Bank of India. The ED had registered the case on the basis of the CBI FIR. Ratul Puri is also under scanner for allegedly receiving kickbacks in the AgustaWestland deal through his companies. CHEORWON, South KoreaIt was 70 years ago, on June 25, 1950, that about 75,000 North Korean soldiers poured into the South all along the 38th parallel in a campaign that North Koreas founding leader Kim Il Sung had told his Chinese and Soviet benefactors would be over in weeks. Two long years later South Korean and U.S. forces, having driven out the North Koreans, faced off against the Chinese right here at Cheorwon in the infamous iron triangle. The place names are etched in the minds of all who fought here or know the history: Bloody Ridge, Heartbreak Ridge, Sniper Ridge, Jane Russell Hillnamed for the voluptuous film star, its contours belying the suffering on the slopes. For the South Koreans, White Horse Hill, with all trees, bushes, greenery stripped bare by 270,000 artillery and air strikes in 10 days of pure hell battling the Chinese in October 1952, was the worst, and also the proudest landmark. They called it White Horse for good reason: after all the vegetation was gone, thats what it looked like. By the time the smoke had cleared and the sound of shot and shell had ceased to be a continuous roar the South Koreans, backed up by plenty of U.S. Army artillery and U.S. air strikes, had killed or captured 14,000 Chinese. The Souths 9th Division, battling Chinas 38th Division, counted 3,400 dead. The 9th also had a new name and symbol on the patch worn by its soldiers to this day: the White Horse Division. On Thursday, young South Korean soldiers revived memories of these battles while the grandson of the man who launched the carnage of 70 years ago signaled that, for now, there would be no new war. In a misty morning on the slopes of White Horse Hill, on a stage before hundreds of old men who were actually here during the battles, actor-soldiers asked: How far will it go? Whens this war going to end? You never know when you will die or when the enemy will appear. Those were imminent questions at the time, and they remain as latent ones to this day. Story continues Kims Sister Is on the Warpath At solemn ceremonies, no one spoke of the latest twists and turns in the North-South drama in which North Korea, having talked real tough just a few days ago, now is saying were not attacking you after all. Kim Jong Un, grandson of Kim Il Sung, reportedly presided over a meeting of the military commission of the Workers Party, presumably dictating the decision in which the commission took stock of the prevailing situation and suspended the military action plans against the South. While prayers for peace were offered at places of worship throughout the country, novelist Jo Jeong-rae, whose books conjure the tragedies of the Korean people, lamented the way the fighting ended in July 1953, with an armistice, not a peace treaty. Since then, he said, standing before a massive stone cenotaph honoring those who died, We two Koreas have had to be hostile to each other, with no telling when this era of hatred would come to an end. In Cheorwon, for which the South Koreans and their American allies fought so fiercely, reminders of North Korean cruelty make it hard to love thine enemy. The remains of the Workers Party headquarters, where prisoners were tortured, dominate the approach. Bones, bullets and wire for binding prisoners were found in the basement during the war. Down the road loom the ruins of three concrete water towers into which retreating North Koreans dumped the bodies of about 300 South Koreans, some of them already dead, others buried alive. At the ceremony here, the governor of surrounding Kangwon Province, Moon Soon-choi, poured out his grief for those who suffered during the war, but was hopeful for the future. The North Koreans had just sent some positive signals, although small ones. They had installed loudspeakers for blaring propaganda a few days earlier that might have disrupted this ceremony, but they had withdrawn them. I dont think there will be any physical conflict, Moon Soon-choi remarked at a monument honoring the dead. Its time to end the Korean War after 70 years. But who can trust Kim Jong Un after the nasty rhetoric poured on South Korea by his younger sister Kim Yo Jong, topped off by the explosion that shattered a beautiful liaison office building at which South Koreas President Moon Jae-in had believed North and South Korean emissaries could sort out their differences in an atmosphere of love-thy-neighbor goodwill? North Korea just resorted to one of the plays in its well-used playbook, this one being to artificially ramp up tensions, said David Straub, who spent years as a U.S. diplomat in Korea. The idea, he said, is to put its adversaries on the defensive and to get concessions from them. How many times have we seen them huff and puff, said Bruce Bechtol, author of numerous books and articles on North Koreas leadership, particularly its armed forces. This appears to be the same plan used by daddy and grandpappythe late Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. Ideally, Kim Jong Un would like another crack at a deal with President Donald Trump, in Bechtols view, but he knows it is unlikely until the U.S. elections in November. Evans Revere, also a former U.S. diplomat in Korea, believes Kim may have taken a page from Donald Trump's playbook: take or threaten to take drastic action; unleash extreme rhetoric to unnerve one's adversary; step into the middle of the chaos you have created and portray yourself as the reasonable dealmaker." On this day of mourning the war, though, President Moon Jae-in did not appear quite as much of a pushover as the North Koreans would like him to be and the Americans worry about him becoming. Before speaking of unification, I hope that we can become friendly neighbors first, he said at another event marking the 70th anniversary, this one at a military air base near Seoul. His words, while not exactly pugnacious, were not all that conciliatory. Our military has strength to ward off any threat, he warned. It has a thorough readiness posture and will never allow a handspan [inches] of our territory on land, sea and in the air to be violated again. Moon may temper his words depending on his audience and the occasion, but the fact that he was so outspoken Thursday may test Kims resolve not to foment unforeseen provocations. In the complex game of face-saving, Kim must appear always to set the agenda. North Korea signaled that its plan was dependent on Seouls response, said Bruce Klingner at the Heritage Foundation. The regime declared that it would condition the intensity for carrying out successive action measures [and] time for decisive actions on the response of South Korean authorities. South Koreas reckless actions, Klingner noted, would trigger tougher retaliation plans. But then theres another consideration. North Korea appears to be in trouble, said Bruce Bennett at the Rand Corporation. I am guessing that the economic sanctions finally are putting real pressure on North Korea, especially in the aftermath of North Koreas extreme COVID-19 measures. In fact, not taking care of the elites in Pyongyang could be jeopardizing the regimes survivalparticularly considering Kim suffers from paranoia. One thing that analysts seriously doubt, however, is that Kim actually overruled his sister in deciding to go soft for a while. Yo Jongs harsh statements just represented Jong Uns frustration and anger, said Choi Jin-wook, one-time head of the Korea Institute for National Unification. North Korea's ups and downstension escalation and easing tensionare not new. However, the intervals are getting shorter and more dramatic. In fact, Choi believes big brother is more unpredictable and more hot-tempered than his father, Kim Jong Il, who died in 2011. Rather than Kim Yo Jong getting too far ahead on her skis, North Korea is likely positioning her as the bad cop for any future negotiations, said Klingner, while nurturing the illusion of factions within the leadership as a way of successfully forcing additional concessions in diplomatic talks. Bennett agrees, more or less. I do not see this as a rift between KJU and KYJ, he said. Kim Jong Un appears anxious to empower his sister over time, and this campaign allowed her to demonstrate a hardline approach that would be desired by the North Korean military. At White Horse Hill, 89-year-old veteran Hwan Jing-jo did not seem impressed by the shifting moods and rhetoric one way or another, whether in Pyongyang or Seoul. I am very sorry for this situation, he said. Unification is not easy now. I hope we go our way. From on top of Soi Mountain, with a sweeping view of the entire area over which battles once raged, dilapidated cement buildings are a reminder that a small contingent of U.S. troops manned an observation post up there until eight years ago. Now civilians can walk to the summit after a drive up a twisting road through a forest thats sprung up unmolested after the war ended in a ceasefire. Visitors are warned, though, not to wander off the path into whats known as the forest protected by landmines. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. U.S. Rep. Scott Perry said he is on a crusade to pass legislation that provides millions of veterans access to a longstanding chronic pain treatment that has helped to improve the quality of life in military members diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. For many veterans with PTSD, they suffer from anxiety that they cant shut off in their head long enough to have other treatments that are made available to them, the Pennsylvania Republican said in a phone interview. We havent been able to get the VA to get this treatment to be a primary source of treatment. The Treatment and Relief through Emerging and Accessible Therapy PTSD Act would direct the Veterans Affairs secretary to expand access to stellate ganglion block, or SGB, therapy to all veterans when diagnosed with PTSD by making it a covered treatment under federal law, according to Perry. He introduced the TREAT PTSD Act earlier this year but it hasnt gained much traction since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. If it passes, then your local VA would offer it as a primary care option, Perry said. Then a veteran wouldnt have to try to fail a battery of other treatments. They could go right to SGB if they felt it was an appropriate treatment and work through the rest of the treatments, like therapy, in conjunction with it. Today is National PTSD Awareness Day. Its recognized annually on June 27 as a way to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental-health disorder that might develop after a person has been exposed to one or more traumatic events. The urgency behind passing the bill is the link between PTSD and suicides, Perry said. Up to 20 veterans a day commit suicide. Despite the treatments lengthy history of being used for mending chronic pain, it hasnt been adopted as a use to help reduce PTSD symptoms. Among some in veteran circles, there is hesitation to support it without more proof that it wont cause debilitating side effects. SGB has been around since the 1920s and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Jodi Barone, of Lancaster, said the risk doesnt seem to be worth the reward. Barone points to research published on the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health website. According to the institutes research, SGB can cause life-threatening complications, which are apnoea, unconsciousness, and seizures. The occasional unusual complication is locked-in syndrome that causes patients to remain conscious despite their inability to move, breathe, or speak. Barone said, My thoughts as a disabled veteran are that SGB has too many side effects that need to be addressed before pushing it out en masse to the Veteran community suffering from PTSD. Officials at the Lebanon VA Medical Center declined to provide a comment about SGB. The shot, which is administered by anesthesiologists and anesthesia providers in the neck, is a mild anesthetic that targets the bundle of nerves that spark a fight or flight response in PTSD sufferers. The cost per injection runs about $1,000 to $2,000, and the procedure takes about two minutes. The shot is used to treat chronic pain, uncontrolled sweating, hot flashes, and pain caused by shingles and angina. Through innovation, ultrasounds are now used every time to help locate the exact spot of where to inject the shot. Veterans treated with SGB have seen PTSD symptoms such as hyperarousal, exaggerated startle response and anxiety reduced. A handful of physicians across the country throughout the past decade noticed when they shot a patient with SGB who had also experienced a traumatic event that the persons PTSD symptoms also became more manageable. Until people are educated and understand what SGB has to offer all Americans, and people all around the world, were pushing a rock up a hill, U.S. Army physician Colonel Jim Lynch said. For that rock to get across the top of the hill, we need good rigorous studies that show, which requires a large burden of evidence, we have to adopt a new procedure. About 2 million veterans could stand to benefit from SGB and another 8 million civilians, Lynch said. On Thursday, he said he was spending his workday solely administering the treatment at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. I think theres an opportunity to get a little bit of a foothold or at least a target if this were passed, Lynch said. Well have better research and then we can properly distribute it to millions of people living with PTSD. [It] doesnt just happen in combat. There is a growing body of evidence that SGB works, Lynch said. The shot is not a standalone solution, he added. Its been a team effort between several of us in close coordination with our psychology team, he said. Thats not the case everywhere. Some pain docs may look at this as a standalone thing, but thats not how I view it at all. Add on psychotherapy and that creates a huge benefit thats multiplicative and reaps better quality of life results. So why hasnt it been utilized? Perry points to the VA for not taking action. As of 2018, there are only an estimated 11 VA facilities nationwide out of 143 that offer it. Shauna Springer, chief psychologist of Stella Center and one of the nations leading experts on trauma, military transition and close relationships, said there is a very low rate of side effects, which do include pneumothorax or a collapsed lung and seizures. She pointed to a study conducted in Finland, where 45,000 people were involved; only 1.7 percent of the participants experienced side effects. Springer said she has worked closely with the pioneering physician who started to investigate the benefits of SGB on veterans. She said when paired with intensive therapy, veterans have been able to lead a more productive life. The treatment for anxiety works, she said. When the fight or flight factor is calm, then people can face what they would rather avoid. When you have a traumatic stressor, it changes your biology in fundamental ways. You can stay stuck in the fight or flight state. There will be requirements in order to have the procedure. Some people wont meet the criteria because they have a cluster of symptoms that they can overcome, but they dont have PTSD. People suffering from PTSD might not realize the kind of environment they are creating. When two people live together under these conditions, its not uncommon for the person with PTSD to affect the other person and influence their behavior negatively. For someone who has PTSD, SGB buys time for someone who has difficulty managing their emotions, Springer said. During the global pandemic, in addition to everything were doing now with SGB, I am anticipating a wave of sexual assault victims, and suicide attempts, not only in the military but in civilians, she said. We are going to have a greater mental health care need in this country. There are going to be changes needed to the models in terms of how we address trauma. The novel coronavirus caused a spike in anxiety for some veterans that Springer said she works with. Before that, she said she watched a handful of veterans receive SGB and manage the pending government orders to stay home much easier than some of their counterparts who struggled with their PTSD. In addition to military members, Springer said she could see a need for SGB for frontline medical workers to police officers. For veterans, though, they sign up for missions that improve the quality of life for others in both foreign and domestic locations, Perry said. They dont necessarily say they want to go to war; thats what politicians decide, he added. Having worn the U.S. Army uniform, Perry said, Im not a victim of PTSD and I havent suffered from it. He said: The legislation stands out there for consideration. We continue to seek co-sponsors. With everything thats going on, it is taking a back seat on the legislative schedule of our leadership. I dont know if they are even considering it at all. I think that in a very hyper-partisan environment, there are very few things that most folks can find common ground. Veterans could benefit from this policy. Were standing by ready to advocate and see it get passed, and see veterans avail themselves to a treatment that they have earned. 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. After Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this morning issued an executive order to begin reversing his process to reopen Texas and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo gears up to again pass an executive order stricter than his, elected leaders in Jefferson County are closely watching the machinations. However, neither Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick nor the mayors of the county's two largest cities have plans to issue their own strict orders at this time. >> Related: Abbott closes bars once again amid virus spike Branick earlier this week enacted an order to require employees and staff members at commercial businesses to wear masks. But he said he doesn't currently have any plans to pursue any additional orders. Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames late Friday morning said she and city staff were reviewing Abbott's newest order. She said it seems like Abbott is trying to keep young people from gathering because of a rise in infections in that age group. She noted that Houston, the largest city in Harris County, is a hot spot for COVID-19. As a result, at this time Ames said she's comfortable still keeping with the orders issued by Abbott. >> Related: Harris County raises COVID-19 threat to most critical level, residents encouraged to stay home As has been the case over the course of the pandemic, Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie took the strongest stance of the elected leaders. However, he said he will wait until at least July 1 to look into pursuing the city's own stay-at-home order. He thinks Abbott will pass such an order for the entire state within the next week or two. "What we're seeing right now is a subtle approach to try to get people to stay home without actually telling them we're shutting down the state," he said. "I think we're headed toward a stay-at-home order statewide, but I believe everyone was waiting to until at least June 30 or July 1 to see what happened before issuing them." Jefferson County has seen the average number of coronavirus confirmed each day grow dramatically since mid-June. The number of cases confirmed across the county each day has been no lower than 14 since June 14. However, that number has usually been much higher. The county has logged a total of 1,020 cases since the first was reported in Beaumont March 18. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex depart after visiting the University of Chichester's Engineering and Technology Park on October 3, 2018 in Bognor Regis, England. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle privately support the #StopHateforProfit campaign that pressures advertisers to withdraw spend from Facebook over its policies on moderating hate speech. A spokesman confirmed the couple's stance to Insider. The two are high-profile additions to a growing list of brands and companies that have temporarily or longer-term halted ad spend on Facebook and other social media companies over the proliferation of hate speech. The campaign to boycott Facebook was launched by US civil rights groups earlier in June after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are privately supporting the #StopHateforProfit campaign that pressures big brands to withdraw ad spend from Facebook until it moderates hate speech and misinformation on its platform more strictly. A spokesman for the couple confirmed their stance to Insider on Saturday, but offered no further comment. The news was first reported by Axios, which wrote that the pair are quietly encouraging CEOs to support the campaign by civil rights groups. Axios linked their position on Facebook to their plans for their charity, Archewell, which will focus on well-being among other areas. Related: Facebook's scandals aren't enough for people to stop using it The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are high-profile additions to a campaign that has successfully pressured major brands including Coca-Cola, Unilever, Verizon, and many others to pause ad spend on Facebook for July or longer. The campaign was launched by US civil rights groups on June 19, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. Facebook came under scrutiny at the time after President Donald Trump described the demonstrators as "thugs" and threatened them with violence. In one post, Trump threatened to bring in the military and wrote, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Story continues Twitter added a warning label to the same Trump post on its platform, saying his statements broke its policies on glorifying violence. However, Facebook took zero action, citing its policies on not fact-checking or moderating politicians' speech. The firm continued to defend its stance on Trump's posts even amid outcry from its employees. The ad boycott has sunk Facebook's share price, which was down more than 8% at the close of trading on Friday. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg appeared to reverse his company's stance late on Friday, saying the firm would now label posts from politicians that break its policies but remain upon its platform as "newsworthy." Read the original article on Insider Boris Johnson is set to oust Britain's top civil servant 'as early as Monday' after he was accused of lacking the skills to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, has been the target of hostile briefings in Downing Street ahead of an expected overhaul of the Cabinet Office. He was appointed National Security Adviser by Theresa May in 2017 and made Cabinet Secretary a year later - and was allowed to do both jobs. A source told The Sunday Telegraph that Sir Mark is 'fighting to stay as National Security Adviser' and is resigned to losing his post as Cabinet Secretary. They said: ''He is fighting to keep the national security one but they want to take everything off him and give him a non-job.' It comes as Dominic Cummings, the PM's chief aide and chief architect of the Leave vote in the 2016 referendum, prepares to take an axe to the Civil Service after the coronavirus exposed 'fundamental' flaws in the government machine. Boris Johnson is set to oust Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, 'as early as Monday' after he was accused of lacking the skills to deal with the coronavirus crisis It comes as Dominic Cummings, the PM's chief aide, prepares to take an axe to the Civil Service after the coronavirus exposed 'fundamental' flaws in the government machine Mr Cummings is said to have told colleagues the Cabinet Office will be stripped of powers after being found wanting during the crisis. There were even claims of a bruising exchange between the PM and Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill at a meeting on the lockdown 'exit strategy' recently. The Cabinet Office has been criticised for being unwieldy, unfocused and unresponsive to political pressure as ministers have attempted to avoid crises on personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilator shortages. Critics fear that Sir Mark, who served as an envoy in Afghanistan, is too steeped in foreign policy concerns and lacks the skills to tackle a complex domestic crisis. Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, has been the target of increasingly hostile briefings in Downing Street ahead of an expected overhaul of the Cabinet Office and senior ministers Mr Johnson's increasing use of individuals from the private sector could be a sign that Sir Mark (pictured second from left) may not have long left in the Cabinet Office 'Mark could convene a (legal assembly) of Pashtun elders, wire up GCHQ and probably kill a man with his bare hands but Simon's rather better at solving a series of ticklish problems and making the whole thing 'tick',' a source told The Times. When asked at a briefing whether Sir Mark was being sidelined, a Downing Street spokesman said: 'Sir Mark continues to work closely with the senior team to ensure that the government receives all the advice that it needs.' Earlier this week, Downing Street refused to confirm if Sir Mark would continue to serve as Cabinet Secretary into next year. But Mr Johnson's increasing use of individuals from the private sector could be a sign that Sir Mark may not have long left in the Cabinet Office. The PM most recently appointed Baroness Dido Harding, the former chief executive of Talktalk, to head the government's Test and Trace programme. On a late night in early April, Charleston police arrested a man during a routine traffic stop an incident they say illustrates a chronic problem for law enforcement in South Carolina. Officers saw a car driving with headlights off shortly before 10:30 p.m. April 1 near Mary and Elizabeth streets on the East Side. The driver, Wayne Stanley, had a warrant out for his arrest and wasn't allowed to operate a motor vehicle, police said. His brother, Shamar, was also in the car, along with a loaded pistol. The smell of marijuana wafted from the vehicle, police said. Shamar Latrell Stanley, 19, had been released from jail about an hour before. He'd spent several months behind bars on suspicion of a September 2019 double homicide in North Charleston before posting bail. For Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds, the Stanley case illustrates glaring issues with the criminal justice system in South Carolina. The chief said Shamar Stanley immediately violated the terms of his release when he was found with his brother, a known felon, and a loaded gun. Reynolds and other experts said gaps in state law, including lack of enhanced penalties for firearms violations, lack of pretrial services, a lack of truth in sentencing in state-level courts and other issues, create an environment in which the worst criminals know they face little punishment even as they continue committing crimes. "What really scares me is that we as a community and we as a criminal justice system somehow get used to this," the Reynolds said. "That is insanity." The chief said he fully supports criminal justice reform efforts that keep low-level offenders out of jail. Drug and veterans' courts, and other diversion programs are valuable tools, but at some point the criminal justice system has to be able to take a defendant's history into account to keep the most dangerous criminals off the streets, the chief and others said. "At some point, some people do belong in jail," Reynolds said. "Theres a small number of people that are dealing drugs, that are carrying handguns. They're brazen. They dont care about anybody but themselves." Dangerous criminals Charleston Police Capt. Andre Jenkins is all too familiar with the problem. He and his officers deal with a significant number of repeat offenders who continue to commit crimes while out on bail. "This is an ongoing issue," Jenkins said. "When it hits home even harder is when it's a violent crime. Once they get out of jail, they go back into the communities and continue that cycle of violence." Authorities point to criminals like Thomas Lawton Evans, who kidnapped a 4-year-old girl shortly after being released from prison in early 2018. He'd been serving a 10-year sentence for burglary and armed robbery and was released after about eight years on Feb. 1, 2018. On Feb. 13, Evans brutally assaulted the child's mother before kidnapping the girl and sexually assaulting her during what authorities called a rampage across South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. He received four consecutive life sentences in connection with the crimes for charges brought in both federal and state court. Earlier this year, the girl's parents sued several South Carolina law enforcement agencies S.C. Department of Corrections; state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; and the Spartanburg, Charleston and Berkeley county sheriffs offices saying they ignored signs that Evans continued to show violent tendencies and warned authorities that he didn't think he could control himself if released. On Feb. 1, 2018, he was released and placed on parole, but state officials did not enter Evans into a public database indicating he was a parolee, the suit said. Evans also failed to report to a parole officer within 24 hours of his release from prison, violating the terms of his parole, the suit claims. Data from the state Department of Corrections for 2014, the most recent year available, shows about 30 percent of inmates reoffend within five years of their release from South Carolina prisons. R estructuring the system For authorities, cases like Evans' show why the criminal justice system needs to be reformed in order to be better equipped to supervise the worst criminals and hold them accountable. These offenders do not belong to any particular racial, ethnic or gender background, Jenkins said. The only common denominator is they share a certain mindset that locks them into a criminal lifestyle. Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said the state's bail bond system needs a "total restructure" to focus on all offenders who are dangerous. "Most importantly, we need to say what we mean and do what we say," Wilson said. Charleston's top prosecutor is advocating for changes to the state's bail bond structure and for authorities to implement what's known as truth in sentencing. Under state law, anyone convicted of a violent crime, like murder, manslaughter and criminal sexual conduct, is required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence. But there are many crimes not classified as violent in South Carolina, Wilson said, citing the examples of strong-armed robbery and certain domestic violence charges. "If someone beats me in the face and robs me, to me, that person's dangerous, but they're not charged with a violent crime," the solicitor said. These crimes are not subject to the 85 percent rule, meaning offenders can be released very early into their sentences, Wilson said. "If we say you're going to get sentenced to 10 years, we need to know what that means," she said. "Does that mean 8 and a half? That's fine, but too many times right now, when people get sentenced in court, nobody in the courtroom can say what kind of sentence they're going to serve." Wilson is pushing for reforms to the state's criminal justice system, including to the bail bond structure. Proposed legislation by S.C. Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston, would impose an additional 5 year sentence on anyone who commits a crime while out on bail or personal recognizance, and would increase the minimum bail amount from $25 to $200 or 5 percent, whichever is greater. The idea is to make repeat offenders take bail more seriously and give authorities more tools to revoke violent repeat offenders' bail. But the bill has languished since it was introduced to the state Senate in 2019. It remains in the Committee of Banking and Insurance, according to Statehouse records. "It's not to keep people that aren't dangerous in jail or people who are poor in jail because they can't pay a bondsman," Wilson said. "The goal is to keep people who've proven their willingness, their tenacity, to commit dangerous crimes and to obtain guns illegally. I've seen situations where bond conditions are being ignored. It's about consistency." Another proposal is to shore up the state's firearms laws by increasing penalties each time someone is charged with the unlawful carrying of a firearm, something both Wilson and Reynolds say is needed in the Palmetto State. "If I steal a candy bar, there's enhancements for the second, third, fourth time I do that," the chief said. "But if I'm caught with an illegal gun, it's the same every time." A federal model For Reynolds, part of the solution lies in looking to the federal criminal justice system, which he and others say is better equipped to handle career criminals. Whenever possible, the chief said, officers look for ways to steer cases to federal court, where defendants may face harsher punishments and where cops say offenders' demeanor changes. "The federal side is a lot more effective at putting people in prison for a long time," Reynolds said. "I'm not saying every case should go federal, but the most egregious offenders need to be federally prosecuted." Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone, president of the National District Attorneys Association, said the structure in federal court is different in two major ways: there's no parole and there is greater consideration of a defendant's criminal history from a hearing on bond consideration up through sentencing. "Most people, if they get charged with a crime, they're going to stay home," Stone said. "They're going to be afraid to go outside, much less commit a crime. The good news is you're dealing with a small number of people willing to violate that." The solicitor, like others, said he's a proponent of drug courts, veterans courts and other diversion programs that help keep nonviolent offenders and other eligible defendants out of prison, and for fairness in the bond setting process. No one wants to keep a defendant in jail indefinitely while they await trial, Stone said. "But you also have to recognize that there are people that embrace this (criminal) lifestyle," he said. "The good news is that you're dealing with a small number of people. When we look at sentencing reform around the nation, they want to reduce the time in prison with no recognition at all for someone's criminal history." And it is in accounting for a person's criminal history that the federal system excels, said Wilson, who previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney. It is not inherently better than the state court system. Instead, it has better tools that allow judges, prosecutors, probation officers and others to take those criminal histories fully into account. There are many tools state courts can borrow from the federal system, Wilson said, including what she called a "safety valve." Such a tool would use a person's criminal history to more adequately determine their risk, she said. If there's a defendant who got caught up in a situation and the crime they've committed is out of character for them, and if they meet criteria, the safety valve allows judges to be lenient when appropriate, despite the federal system's often harsh punishments. A safety valve can release a judge and defendant from a mandatory minimum sentence that isn't appropriate under the circumstances. "The feds have some very stiff penalties, but more important than having a stiff punishment is having a punishment that defendants know is going to be true," Wilson said. And the solicitor said she isn't against having supervised release of inmates. The federal system, while not having parole, does supervised release. "It's often helpful to people who've been incarcerated," Wilson said. "What we're saying is early release with no consistency or predictability is bad for all involved." For cases that meet criteria to be moved to federal court, the advantages are well documented in the eyes of South Carolina law enforcement. Last month, several tri-county officials gathered in Mount Pleasant to announce the second phase of arrests in an ongoing federal case: Operation Lowcountry Line, which targeted members of a violent North Charleston street gang authorities said was supplying drugs and causing violence around the area. Everett McMillan, an assistant U.S. attorney for South Carolina who prosecutes drug crimes, said part of the federal system's success is that it is set up to take on fewer, but bigger targets. "Oftentimes, a federal drug conspiracy allows us to target a large group of people so we can disrupt and dismantle an entire drug trafficking organization in one case rather than pick people off," McMillan said. Justin Holloway, another assistant U.S. attorney for South Carolina who handles violent crimes, said in the state system, if someone is charged with their first offense, sometimes even for distributing narcotics, the defendant may only serve 30 percent to 40 percent of a sentence. "In the federal system, you know they're not going to get paroled," Holloway said. "They'll serve at least 85 percent of that sentence." Because of these factors, local authorities turn to federal agencies when it comes to large-scale, intensive investigation like Lowcountry Line, which has named 23 defendants so far. The key to that success, McMillan and Holloway said, is cooperation with local agencies. Looking forward For S.C. Rep. Gary Clary, R-Clemson, the key will be finding ways to balance the need to keep the public safe through strong law enforcement and meaningful, appropriate penalties for crimes, and to strengthen existing programs aimed at getting offenders rehabilitated and keeping them on the right path. "If I could wave a magic wand, we would basically just have the prisons for the worst of the worst and focus all our money, all our resources, on rehabilitating people," Clary, a retired judge, said. "I certainly believe that we need to look very closely at the criminal justice system." During his time serving as a circuit judge in South Carolina's state courts, the representative said he was faced with tough decisions, especially when it came to setting bond or not for violent criminals. "Every defendant is entitled to a bond unless they pose a flight risk or a danger to the community," Clary said. "It's incumbent on the system to move that case along. It reaches a point in time where if someone's been in jail for a long time and there's no movement toward trying the case, then a judge has to hear a reconsideration of bond. "There are always ways for the general assembly to look at ways that we can help the system." Lawmakers reformed the state's domestic violence laws in the wake of The Post and Courier's Pulitzer Prize-winning series "Till death do us part," including harsher punishments for abusers and loss of gun ownership rights for those convicted of domestic abuse. Clary said it could be worth the General Assembly looking at the state's unlawful possession of a firearm statute, a misdemeanor which carries a sentence of up to 1 year in jail and has no enhancements. The state's bail system could also benefit from a deep probe, and officials should seek to bolster existing programs aimed at helping offenders get off and stay off the criminal path, he said. For Reynolds, the Charleston chief, legislative changes like these and other measures aimed at giving the state's criminal justice system more teeth to deal with violent offenders, while also continuing to fund and strengthen rehabilitation and diversion programs, are needed now more than ever. "There isn't an easy answer, but when you put a face on this, when you sit down with families who've just lost someone, I take that seriously," the chief said. "We've got bullies that are carrying guns and they need to be held accountable." As for Shamar Stanley, the man accused of two murders, he's awaiting trial in the Charleston County jail. His bail was revoked April 24 and no trial date has been set. Tagged one of the earliest coronavirus hotspots in the country, Pune district on Saturday reported the highest single-day surge in Covid-19 cases with 996 people testing positive for the infection. Pune city, however reported 429 new coronavirus patients. The fresh viral caseload took Punes coronavirus count to 20,023, a health official said. The death toll in the district due to the Covid-19 pandemic touched 693 with 19 people succumbing to the infection since Friday evening. ALSO READ| Delhi, Maharashtra among 5 states likely to get first lot of Covid-19 drug Among the 996 new coronavirus cases, 814 were found in Pune Municipal Corporation limits, where the case tally has risen to 15,740, the official said. At least 486 patients have recovered and been discharged from the hospitals in the district. With 128 new cases, the tally in the industrial Pimpri Chinchwad area now stands at 2,678. Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra climbed to 1,59,133 on Saturday with a record 5,318 new patients detected, while the death toll due to the disease shot up to 7,273 with 167 fatalities being reported, the state health department said. Out of 167 deaths reported on Saturday, 86 occurred in the last 48 hours and the remaining ones had taken place earlier but were added to the tally today, the official said. ALSO READ| India reports over 18,000 daily Covid-19 cases for first time; tally at 5.08 lakh The surge in cases crossed Fridays high tally of 5,024. In Maharashtra, 4,430 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the number of recovered coronavirus patients in the state to 84,245. Till date, 8,96,874 people have been tested for the viral infection in Maharashtra. The states recovery rate has improved to 52.94 per cent while the case fatality rate or CFR is 4.57 per cent. At least, 5,65,161 people are in home quarantine and 36,925 are in institutional quarantine. Mumbai accounted for 1,402 new infections on Saturday, Pune city for 429 cases and Aurangabad city for 137 cases. In the larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Thane city reported 410 cases and Kalyan-Dombivali 514 cases. Sixty-four new deaths were reported from Mumbai alone. Satara : , June 27 (IANS) Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Saturday urged him not to politicise matters of national security, and remember that after the 1962 India-China war, 45,000 square km of Indian territory were occupied by the Chinese. "Let's not forget what happened in 1962 when China occupied 45,000 square km of India's territory. While levelling such allegations, one must also consider what happened in the past," said the former Defence Minister. Pawar was responding to questions about Gandhi's accusations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had surrendered Indian territory to China in the recent border skirmishes in Galwan Valley of Ladakh. He reiterated that such matters of national security should not be politicised, referring to the disputed Aksai Chin area under China's control but claimed by India. Giving a breather to the Centre, Pawar said it cannot be blamed for the developments in Galwan Valley since Indian soldiers tried to push back the Chinese soldiers when they tried to encroach on our territory. "If our army had not been alert, we would not have known about the Chinese actions... The scuffle means we were vigilant or we would have been caught unawares. To term it as a failure of the Defence Minister or anyone else is not correct, and it is unfair to make such allegations," said Pawar. The NCP chief also referred to the India-China agreement in which both nations decided not to carry firearms at the LAC. On June 15, 20 soldiers of the Bihar Regiment, including its commander, were killed after clashes with Chinese soldiers at the Galwan Valley, sparking off a major political fracas. The NCP is a component of the 3-party alliance comprising the Shiv Sena and the Congress in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. Thousands of Britons have been left potentially unable to access their own cash after the Financial Conduct Authority froze the UK licence of Germanys Wirecard. The FCA banned Wirecard Card Solutions Limited after a major accounting scandal at its German parent company. Financial technology firms Anna Money and Curve both told customers they would be blocked from their accounts after the FCAs decision. Both said that customers money is still safe, but will not be accessible for a time. This action is not related to Curve but Curve currently depends on Wirecard for operation of the Curve card, Curve told customers on Friday. We are already well on the way to migrating away from Wirecard but have not fully completed this process. It asked customers to carry a backup card. Anna said: We expect the suspension to be lifted the inability to use your account and card is temporal, and we are working to restore it as soon as possible. The company had recommended that customers withdraw their money before the ban came into force. Despite the news from Germany, we had no warning that Wirecard in the UK was in any trouble, it said. Years of reporting into Wirecard came to a head last week as the company revealed that around 1.9 billion euros (1.7 billion) was missing from its accounts in an alleged accounting fraud. The FCA said: There are ongoing events in Germany concerning companies closely linked to Wirecard. Wirecards parent company, Wirecard AG based in Germany, is currently the subject of law enforcement interest and insolvency proceedings. Its order prevents Wirecards UK arm from disposing of assets or funds or performing any regulated activities. On its website, Wirecard Card Solutions said: Wirecard Card Solutions Limited (WDCS) has temporarily suspended its electronic money issuing, card issuing and acquiring business with immediate effect and until further notice. WDCS is working hard to have the steps in place which will enable the suspension to be lifted so business can resume as usual. We will provide further updates on our website as soon as we can. Mumbai terrorist attack convict David Headley cannot be extradited to India, but Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman co-conspirator Tahawwur Rana faces extradition, a US attorney has told a federal court while opposing his bail plea. Rana, 59, a childhood friend of David Coleman Headley, was recently rearrested on June 10 in Los Angeles on an extradition request by India for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed. He is a declared fugitive in India. According to the federal prosecutors, between 2006 and November 2008, Rana conspired with Headley, also known as "Daood Gilani, and others in Pakistan to assist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harakat ul-Jihad-e-Islami, both US-designated terrorist organisations, to plan and carry out the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistani-American LeT terrorist Headley was involved in plotting the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. He was made an approver in the case, and is currently serving a 35-year prison term in the US for his role in the attack. The US is yet to file India's request for Rana's extradition but is expected to do it soon. It is evident that the offences for which Rana was tried in the Illinois court will differ from the Indian offences mentioned in the complaint. Rana in his defence has argued that US' decision not to extradite his co-conspirator, Headley, to India is inconsistent and bars his extradition. However, Assistant US Attorney John J Lulejian told a federal court in Los Angeles on Friday that unlike Rana, Headley immediately accepted responsibility for his conduct and pleaded guilty to all of the charges in the Superseding Indictment. Because Headley fulfilled the required terms, the plea agreement established that Headley would not be extradited to India. Rana's situation is different because he neither pleaded guilty nor cooperated with the United States. As a result, he is unable to avail himself of the benefits afforded to Headley through his negotiated plea. Thus, he cannot complain that he faces extradition, while his co-defendant does not, the US attorney said. Rana's bail application is due for hearing next week. Early this week, his attorney told the court that the 26/11 convict is not a flight risk and has proposed a USD 1.5 million bond for his release. "Rana should be released on a robust bond: secured by approximately USD 1.5 million in property pledged by family and friends and under the supervision of his daughter, Lemaan Rana, a matriculating medical student and Ph.D. candidate, Amy Karlin, the Interim Federal Public Defender, said in the court submission on behalf of Rana. ALSO READ: Pak-origin Canadian rearrested in US for role in Mumbai terror attack India seeks his arrest on a number of offences, including the conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating, and murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). He is sought for his role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The US attorney urged the court to continue his detention pending the extradition proceedings to India. Describing Rana as a flight risk, the attorney said that no matter what bond package he offers, Rana poses an unacceptable flight risk. If the US extradites Rana to India and he is convicted of the charges, he may be eligible for the death penalty. Given what is at stake, Rana has an extreme incentive to flee and avoid facing these extradition proceedings, Lulejian said. He could accomplish this by going into hiding within the US, but he has a particular incentive to go to another country that may not extradite him without assurances from India that it will not seek, impose or carry out the death penalty, the attorney argued. If Rana were to flee to Canada, his extradition from Canada to the US would take years and would require substantial resources by the governments of both Canada and the United States, and there is no guarantee that Canada would ultimately grant that extradition request, he said. However, even if Canada granted the request from the US, the terms of the US-Canada extradition treaty would prohibit the US from extraditing Rana to a third country, such as India, unless Canada granted its consent to do so, Lulejian said. Not only does Rana have an incentive to flee, but he has numerous international connections who can help facilitate his flight, he told the court. Rana ran an international immigration business for many years in Chicago, which allowed him to develop professional and personal relationships around the world. Moreover, he was convicted of plotting an attack with and providing material support to an international terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. These international connections enhance Rana's flight risk because they can provide the means to flee this jurisdiction and potentially avoid extradition to India, Lulejian added. The 2008 Mumbai attack was one of India's most horrific terrorist attacks in which 166 people were killed and over 300 injured as 10 heavily-armed terrorists from Pakistan created mayhem. Pakistani Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive, was hanged to death on November 21, 2012. 'You cannot fight a disease as complex as COVID-19 without a carefully calibrated, localised response.' IMAGE: A mobile testing van in Kolkata, June 26, 2020. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters As lockdown restrictions ease gradually, Yamini Aiyar, president and chief executive, Centre for Policy Research, discusses with Aditi Phadnis some of the dos and don'ts the governments should keep in mind while planning for the future. Key among them, she says, will be providing more clarity on the stimulus for small businesses, converting central schemes to untied block grants, empowering local governments and addressing worker indignities. As we inch towards the end of the lockdown, what are the issues that the Centre must keep in mind? The approach has to be to avoid another nationwide lockdown. The social and economic costs of this will be just too high. From the perspective of managing the epidemic, the key lies in better understanding disease spread and devising calibrated, locally relevant containment strategies. There are many unknowns with COVID-19 including the nature of its spread, especially since we have many asymptomatic infected people, who can infect others. Thoughtful experimentation is thus necessary. India is now ramping up testing, significantly (despite initial hiccups with antibody tests) but testing to learn will need careful design. Three key design principles -- test potential asymptomatic super spreaders, do risk stratification (identify susceptible/vulnerable areas/populations for testing) and make data public (after anonymising) to crowd source expertise for speed and quality of analysis -- will help. We need to recognise that instead of a single Indian Council of Medical Research strategy nationwide, states will be devising top-up strategies appropriate to their contexts and the Centre will need to support these efforts by laying out broad principles, providing technical support to states that ask, putting in place data standards for public release and facilitating procurement and supply of test kits at speed. Some of this is already in place, it needs to be institutionalised and made more transparent. IMAGE: A COVID-19 mobile testing van in New Delhi. Photograph: Yawar Nazir/Getty Images When it comes to restarting the economy, more needs to be done. In coming out of the lockdown, small and medium enterprises are more vulnerable compared to big businesses. They will have limited cash flow and there will be liabilities in the form of unsold inventories and delayed payments. They will also need to incur additional costs in keeping with COVID-19 specific norms. A clear understanding of what type of stimulus will be available is necessary to make the decision on when and how to restart. They also need transparent standards for continued operations. If they invest in restarting and a lockdown is announced, what support will be available to them to continue operations? Without clear answers to these questions, we will see a much slower restarting of small enterprises. From the workers' perspective, especially the casual, migrant worker, the challenge is greater. A rapid return to work is undoubtedly in their best interest. But after the indignities they have suffered, workers who made it home may well prefer to wait it out, unless assured and confident of safety and protection. But every step the Centre is taking is doing the opposite. On April 19, the home ministry issued guidelines on standard operating procedure for movement of labour that unambiguously prevent workers from going home even as they are allowed to travel within the state to work. This sends exactly the wrong message. There is no word on measures to protect worker rights -- housing, food security, and wage protection. Instead, workers are being stripped of their right to exercise choice -- you can't go home but you must return to work (with no real protections). Why would those who successfully made the long, arduous journey home return in these conditions? The lockdown made visible and amplified the indignities workers face, a return to work will need the government to recognise this and put in place trust building measures that protect rights and restore dignity. Rather than issuing coercive orders, the Centre should work with states to offer workers the choice of going home and build, on a war footing, an expanded and portable social insurance architecture to protect those returning to work. Finally, a graded opening of the economy linked to disease spread -- states, districts and clusters may close if they become red zones -- as is currently the plan, requires careful coordination absent which we will end up in a logistical nightmare. India's economy is deeply integrated and supply chains are connected across states. Frankly, it's worth asking, therefore, if a graded approach is even viable and weighs the trade offs. But if this is the way forward then we need to urgently move toward an appropriate institutionalised coordination mechanism between states. This should be priority number #1 for the Centre. IMAGE: An ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker, a community health worker instituted by the Government of India's ministry of health and family welfare, conducts a door-to-door survey for coronavirus in New Delhi, June 26, 2020. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters What about the states? They are in the frontline of managing the flow of migrants. Given that Prime Minister Modi announced a lockdown on March 24 but apparently did not alert the states (which might have helped them manage the migrant issue better), what should state governments be doing when movement restrictions are lifted? On migrant workers, as I said, both the states and Centre have to respond in a manner that protects rights, recognises choice and restores dignity. The starting point cannot be how to get workers to factories. It has to be how to give workers choice and agency. For those who want to go home, states must work together to find the means to do so. And to incentivise return to work, universalise PDS, remove red tape so it is genuinely demand based, and initiate the process of building a portable social protection system. On the role of states, I want to highlight an issue that hasn't been given the policy attention it deserves -- the role of local governments. You cannot fight a disease as complex as COVID-19 without a carefully calibrated, localised response. Each district, city, mohalla and village will experience the disease and its economic pressures differentially. Responding right, like Kerala has shown, requires robust local governments actively working with the state government machinery. States across the country have recognised this. For the first time, local governments form part of state strategies. But they need to be empowered. Just as states are demanding fiscal support from the Centre, they too must finance and strengthen local governments. At minimum, state should ensure that all committed funds under the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions are devolved to local governments. They should also provide a COVID-19 specific untied grant to municipalities and Gram Panchayats. IMAGE: Vendors wait in queue to enter a vegetable and fruit mandi in New Delhi. Photograph: Yawar Nazir/Getty Images It could take months, maybe years, for the economy to be up and running. Can you suggest three things that the government must do immediately to facilitate this process, that go beyond throwing money at business via stimulus packages, debt moratoriums and hedges against bankruptcy? First, ensure that all of India's informal workers and vulnerable populations are protected from hunger. This means universalised food security (for six months, at least) and a more robust income transfer (designed by states in ways best suited to their contexts). Second, secure migrant worker rights and create the right incentives for return to work. This necessitates building a portable social security system that allows migrant workers access to benefits from any part of the country on a war footing. One positive fallout of the current crisis is that chief ministers have taken on financial responsibility for the citizens of their states, while their host state has been entrusted with providing benefits. Domicile states are also experimenting with finding ways of delivering cash to their migrant populations through mobile apps. These emergency responses need to be institutionalised and could serve as the basis for portability. Third will be resourcing states in a manner that responds to state needs. States are at the frontlines of this battle but they lack resources. But this cannot be done in a business as usual manner. The nature of COVID-19 outbreaks and response it commands will vary by state (and even district) placing differential financial needs, necessitating a decentralised fiscal response. The Centre ought to use its fiscal powers to ease state financial constraints by converting its schemes in to untied block grants allowing states to deploy finances according to their perceived needs. Additionally, at least for health and social protection schemes, remove the current 60:40 fund share ratio to 100 per cent central funding. This must be supported by an institutionalised platform for deliberation and decision making with states, at the highest political level. The Inter-State Council, one platform for this, should be revived urgently. Some colleagues at the Centre for Policy Research and I have propose setting up an emergency council, within the fold of the ISC that enables dealing with covid-specific financing in a more decentralised manner than the current framework of the National Disaster Management Act allows. Are we now looking at a gradual withering away of identity politics, now that health, disease and the role of the State is the most discussed political issue? Frankly, it is our collective failure as citizens to demand accountability for health that has allowed successive governments to get away with an under-resourced and underperforming health system (more people die of TB every day in India than our current total death count from COVID-19). Our public system is so appalling that most Indians seek private care even when government systems provide free care. This is the real tragedy. It is the reality of this broken health system that legitimised the policy narrative that the world's severest lockdown, was our only option. Despite the lockdown, I don't think we are doing anywhere near enough to ramp up our public health system and ensure preparedness. I hope this crisis is a wake-up call. But let's not forget the outbreak has occurred at a crucial political moment when India is battling to protect its foundational Constitutional values. It is not identity versus health, it is a battle for preserving our Constitution and its values of justice, liberty and equality, in which health is inextricably link to the a critical right to life. Sukhbir Badal announces party candidate from Pirthi Ram Meghwal from Balluana With the 12th list, AAP announces candidates from all 117 seats Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on June 27 reportedly warned that the countrys economic problem would worsen if COVID-19 continues to spread across the nation. The Islamic Republic has been struggling to contain the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak ever since it reported its first case back in February. While the country went into a complete lockdown in March, the government gradually lifted the restrictions in April in a bid to revive the hard-hit economy. With a surging number of cases, Khamenei acknowledged the economic problems caused by the coronavirus. While speaking in a meeting with the judiciary, the supreme leader, however, also added that in the case of negligence and significant spread of the disease, economic issues will too increase. READ: Satellite Image: Iran Blast Struck By Suspected Missile Site He further noted the sacrifice of health care workers, efforts by volunteer groups and overall cooperation by the people, but he also added that the efforts were made early in the outbreak. He reportedly said that now, unfortunately, the momentum and effort has waned among some of the people and authorities. Khameneis statement comes after the Iranian health ministry recorded nearly 2,456 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the past 24 hours. In televised remarks, a health ministry spokeswoman, Sima Sadat Lari said that the countrys caseload has reached 220,180. She added that 125 of the new cases had died during the same period, and the overall fatalities crossed 10,000. READ: Vande Bharat Mission: INS Jalashwa Leaves Iran's Bandar Abbas Port With 687 Indians Irans struggling economy Even with the rising trajectory in new confirmed cases, Iran has refrained from imposing a mandatory lockdown. However, the country is reportedly contemplating making face-covering compulsory at public spaces, especially the packed areas. While Iran is currently sitting at number ten in the list of most affected nations in terms of a number of cases, experts and officials have cast doubts on the official figures that have been revealed by authorities. Iran was once one of the hardest-hit countries, however, with worsening economic problems, the nation decided to reopen businesses and ease lockdown restrictions. Amid the deadly pandemic, the Iranian rial also plunged to new lows against the US dollar. The country is also struggling because of the strict sanctions from the United States that the US President Donald Trump imposed after withdrawing from the Obama-era nuclear deal in 2018. (Image: AP) READ: Report: Iran TV Airs 355 Coerced Confessions Over Decade READ: US Says If No Arms Embargo On Iran It Will Seek UN Sanctions Four decades after launching its drive for U.S. statehood, Washington, D.C., was poised to take a step toward becoming the 51st state as the House of Representatives on Friday approved its admission. The initiative passed in the Democratic-controlled House by a vote of 232-180, with no Republicans supporting it. The Republican-controlled Senate is not expected to consider the legislation, and Republican President Donald Trump has publicly opposed the move, noting that statehood would result in electing more Democrats to Congress. Indeed, voters in the city of Washington have elected only Democratic mayors. Creating a state out of Washington would likely make it more difficult for Republicans to win majorities in the Senate. On the House floor ahead of the vote, Republican lawmakers argued that making the district into a state was a political ploy by Democrats and would require an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Some also said Washington was not equipped to be a state and should be absorbed back into Maryland. Proponents say Washingtons 700,000 inhabitants - more than Vermont and Wyoming - have no voice in the federal government, despite paying federal taxes. That status is protested with a slogan on Washingtons automobile license plates that screams: Taxation without representation. Currently, legislation passed by the districts local government is subject to congressional review. Congress has two choices: It can continue to exercise undemocratic, autocratic authority over the 705,000 American citizens who reside in our nations capital ... or Congress can live up to its nations promise and ideals, said Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washingtons congresswoman. Norton is not able to vote on legislation. Local anger over the districts status flared up most recently during the coronavirus pandemic. Washington received $500 million for its pandemic response, compared with the $1.2 billion the federal government accorded to each of the 50 states. Amid nationwide protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, an African-American man who died after a police officer kneeled against Floyds neck, Trump sent National Guard troops to the district, over the objection of the districts mayor, to quell protests against racism and police brutality. The state would be named Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, after George Washington, the first U.S. president, and Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved person turned famed abolitionist. It would include the districts residents, but not major federal buildings, the National Mall, memorials and the museums, which would be housed in a federal enclave. The last time the United States expanded was 1959, when Congress approved admitting Alaska and Hawaii as the 49th and 50th states, respectively, following congressional votes and the support of the president. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to admit new states without specifying a process. Washington, dubbed a Chocolate City by the funk band Parliament, has been recorded as a majority-Black city since the 1960 Census. Black Americans now make up 46% of the districts population, the same percentage of White Americans. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Richard Cowan, Tom Brown and Jonathan Oatis) Noha Kassab can divide her life as a downtown Portland merchant into two parts: The four decades leading up to the early morning of May 30 and the month since that nights rioting, fire and theft. It was shortly after 1 a.m. when Kassab, 58, got the frantic phone call from her daughter. People broke into the family store, Kassab Jewelers at Southwest Broadway and Alder downtown. Kassab called 911. She was told the police would be there when they could. Fifteen minutes later, she called again. Same answer. Her sons and her son-in-law decided they needed to secure their store. I begged my boys not to go, Kassab said. The cops had told me not to go down there. I was yelling at them not to do it. Downtown was a battle zone. Physical confrontations erupted in some stories where the owners tried to keep thieves at bay. It was chaos on the streets, Rami Kassab said. Broken glass was everywhere. There was yelling and screaming, teargas and grenades, people running down the street. What the Kassab brothers didnt find was any jewelry. By the time they got there the store had been completely cleaned out. The impressions of that night are fraught with issues of race and class. It was the first night of large demonstrations in Portland after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. The protests have continued every day since that first night in May as the Black Lives Matters campaign has gained momentum and ignited a national reckoning over racial disparities. Its been a month since five hours of upheaval descended on downtown Portland and the collective shock generated by the looting and arson of the May 30 riot has faded. The plight of these business owners, many of them successful and relatively prosperous, has been overshadowed by the global pandemic, a deep national recession, record unemployment and the most vibrant civil rights movement in generations. But the merchants remember. And they are furious, not only at the people who broke into their stores but also at the police for failing to intervene. There were hundreds of officers on the streets that night. Some can be seen on security video sitting on their parked motorcycles, driving by their stores, some even peering into shops. Downtown merchants have complained for years about lawlessness, open drug use and homeless camps. Those issues havent stopped a construction spree that has brought more apartments, offices and several new hotels to Portlands urban core. The riot and break-ins came just as downtown retailers were hoping some degree of normalcy was returning. Some, like the Kassabs, had only been open nine days theyd been shut down by coronavirus restrictions -- when their stores were hit on May 30. Nordstrom didnt reopen its downtown store until last week, because of the looting. Apple still hasnt reopened its downtown store, which was one of the first targets that night. Apples store became an impromptu memorial to victims of police violence, with its boarded-up windows now hosting an elaborate, colorful mural. A Portland Police Bureau spokesman pointed out that 16 alleged thieves were arrested that night. After reviewing security video, though, the Kassabs estimate that 70 to 100 people invaded their store alone. We felt as if we had to fend for our ourselves, that we were all alone and we had to do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves, said Rana Kassab, Noha Kassabs daughter and president of the family business. This is more than a store. My dad and mom built this up from scratch. What they built was violated and destroyed. Its been a huge emotional struggle. Other business owners tell a similar story. Their own security systems showed looting and police officers in close proximity. But the officers did not intervene. The Mercantile, a locally owned clothing store that has been in business for 45 years, also got hit that night. Eric Murfitt, controller of the company and nephew of owner Victoria Taylor, said he was advised by the police to avoid the area. So he watched his business get trashed on a live video feed from the stores security system. People were just walking by, police cars go by with their lights flashing, and the looting never stopped, Murfitt said. They were not worried about getting caught. They didnt know the value of the merchandise they were stealing. They were just grabbing stuff. Phil Tobin has run H&B Jewelry and Loan on Southwest 3rd Avenue for more than 50 years. He, too, watched the thieves grab his merchandise on live security footage. You can see the police headed down 3rd Avenue southbound, Tobin said. You can see the flashing lights. And theres a crowd of people around my shop which has its windows broken out by that time. And no one stops. I think its fair to say Im angry and hurt, Tobin concluded. It was around midnight when demonstrators at the Justice Center dispersed. A faction of demonstrators broke off from the main group and began smashing windows, breaking into businesses and making off with anything they could carry. It went on for five hours. A dumpster was engulfed in flames at Southwest 4th Avenue. Demonstrators crashed the windows of police cruisers with electric scooters. Thieves hit the high-value retailers - the jewelers, the electronics dealers, the liquor and cannabis shops. Portland civil rights leaders, including city Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, were furious that criminals were using the racial justice movement as cover. I believe there was a small group of people who came out last night with every intention of tearing stuff up and they were going to tear it up no matter how many of them there were, she said at a press conference the next day. But I want to be crystal clear: What happened last night had nothing to do with Black America. It was not about standing up for Black peoples rights. It was not about acknowledging the death and harm that has taken place. Murfitt and Noha Kassab, herself an immigrant from Lebanon, say they are enthusiastic supporters of Black Lives Matter and the cause of racial justice. Murfitt added that the security footage shows most of the perpetrators looting his store that night were white. But their sympathies with the cause do not alleviate their fury at the city. Kassab has hired a lawyer to explore legal options. Its been a difficult time for the Kassabs. Nohas husband, Pierre, who founded Kassab Jewelers, passed away in 2018 after suffering a heart attack. The company bounced back and enjoyed a successful 2019. Then came the coronavirus, Oregons stay-home order, and the riot. In a survey conducted by the Portland Business Alliance, 93 downtown business owners ballparked their losses at more than $23 million in 2020. While most of that was lost revenue, due to the coronavirus shutdown, more than $4.8 million was in property damage suffered in the riot. Amy Lewin, spokeswoman for the Portland Business Alliance, said the blocks of boarded up storefronts and the lack of foot traffic reflect a new reality in downtown. People are hurting, Lewin said. We have our work cut out for us as a community. The Kassabs estimate their losses at $2 million. Insurance will cover the damage to the store and displays. But because the store was closed at the time of the theft, insurance will cover just 10 percent of the $1 million worth of stolen merchandise, Noha Kassab said. None of the business owners interviewed for this story said they have since been contacted by the police bureau or by the mayors office. Police Bureau spokeswoman Lt. Tina Jones said she didnt know whether officers have since reached out to business owners. Our resources have been focused on life safety issues and priority calls for service for a good portion of the past several weeks, she said. Our community members, including our business owners are valuable and it pains us to see the devastation wrought on our community. We are doing everything we can with the resources we have available to respond to emergency calls for service and investigate crimes that have been reported. Mayor Ted Wheelers office did not respond to questions about that night and retailers grievances. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Sat, June 27 2020 More than 200 children including newborns and those under 5 years of age are believed to have died from COVID-19 in Indonesia as the virus has devastated the countrys fragile health system. The Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) revealed on Thursday that at least 1,543 children in Indonesia had tested positive for COVID-19 since the country announced its first coronavirus case in March. Thirty-six of them had died of the disease. Meanwhile, 6.123 children were categorized as patients under surveillance (PDP), which refers to people that have COVID-19 symptoms but have not been tested for the virus, 204 of these had died. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Facebook is facing a growing boycott by advertisers unhappy with its handling of misinformation and hate speech, including its laissez-faire attitude toward recent posts from US President Donald Trump. The effort gained traction earlier in June amid pressure from civil rights organisations like the NAACP and the Anti-Defamation League. Color of Change, one of the groups backing the boycott, said that nearly 100 advertisers have joined. Many of the participants are small businesses, which make up the bulk of Facebooks 8 million advertisers. But recently, several large companies who spend millions of dollars a year on the platform have also distanced themselves. Facebook spends billions of dollars a year to keep its platforms safe and works with outside experts to review and update its policies, the company said in a statement Friday. But it added that we know we have more work to do. Here is a list of some of the major advertisers who are limiting or stopping their advertising on Facebook, with estimates of what they spent last year in the United States from the advertising analytics platform Pathmatics. Unilever, $42.4 million in advertising: The consumer goods giant, one of the biggest advertisers in the world, said Friday that it would stop running ads on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter in the United States for at least the rest of 2020, citing a polarised election period. The company, which owns brands such as Dove and Lipton, said that continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society. Ben & Jerrys, an ice cream brand owned by the company, said Tuesday that it was joining the boycott. Honda America, $6 million: The automaker, which includes the Honda and Acura brands, said Friday that it would withhold ads from Facebook and Instagram in July, choosing to stand with people united against hate and racism. Birchbox, $947,100: The beauty subscription service said Friday that it would move advertising spending in July from Facebook and Instagram to other platforms and individual content creators, after steadily reducing its reliance on the social media giant over the past two years. Birchbox said it would continue to be active on its Instagram account. Coca-Cola, $22.1 million: The beverage giant, another deep-pocketed advertiser, said Friday that it would stop all paid ads on all social media platforms globally for at least 30 days. James Quincey, the chief executive, said in a statement that the company would use the time to reassess its advertising standards and policies and would let its social media partners know that we expect greater accountability, action and transparency from them. A Coca-Cola spokeswoman said that the company was not joining the official Facebook boycott. Levi Strauss & Co., $2.8 million: Jen Sey, the chief marketing officer of the clothing company, wrote a blog post on Friday criticising Facebooks failure to stop the spread of misinformation and hate speech on its platform and saying that this inaction fuels racism and violence and also has the potential to threaten our democracy and the integrity of our elections. Sey wrote that Levi Strauss would suspend advertising at least through the end of July, adding that when we re-engage will depend on Facebooks response. Lululemon, $1.6 million: On Friday, the fitness apparel retailer voiced solidarity on Twitter with the boycott campaign and said that it was actively engaging with Facebook to seek meaningful change. A Lululemon spokeswoman said that the company would suspend paid ads on Facebook and Instagram. Verizon, $22.9 million: John Nitti, the chief media officer of the telecommunications company, said in a statement Thursday that it was pausing our advertising until Facebook can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable and is consistent with what weve done with YouTube and other partners. Verizon is stopping both paid ads and unpaid posts. Eddie Bauer, $1.4 million: The retailer said Tuesday that it was suspending paid ads on Facebook and Instagram through July. Patagonia, $6.2 million: The outdoor products company said Sunday that it would immediately remove ads globally from Facebook and Instagram at least until the end of July, pending meaningful action from the social media giant. The retailer will continue posting unpaid content on Facebook, which it said is its second-largest paid advertising platform. REI, $22.5 million: The retailer said June 19 that it was pulling all advertising from Facebook and Instagram in July. The North Face, $3.3 million: Were in. Were out, the retailer wrote on Twitter on June 19, saying that it will stop posting content and buying ads on Facebook through July but will continue to put free posts on Instagram. The company spends more on Facebook than it does on any other platform besides Google. Tiffany Hsu c.2020 The New York Times Company FILE PHOTO: The logo of PKN Orlen, Poland's top oil refiner, is pictured at a petrol station in Warsaw By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Poland's biggest refiner PKN Orlen is set to gain EU antitrust approval for its takeover of smaller rival Lotos after sweetening concessions aimed at allaying competition concerns, people familiar with the matter said. State-run PKN wants to buy at least 53% of Lotos, in which Poland holds a 53.19% stake. EU competition enforcers, however, are concerned that the deal may push up prices and reduce competition in Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovakia. PKN last month offered to sell Lotos' stake in a joint venture with BP called LOTOS - Air BP Polska (LABP) and also pledged to supply jet fuel to LABP with the aim of creating a viable competitor, other sources had told Reuters. The company subsequently made some minor changes to the package after rivals and customers provided feedback to the European Commission, one of the people said. The EU executive, which has set a July 22 deadline for its decision, declined to comment. It is scheduled to brief national competition agencies on the deal on July 2. "We are in the final stage of negotiations with the Commission," said a PKN spokeswoman, declining to comment further. PKN's concessions submitted to the Commission last month included a promise to increase on a yearly basis the amount of jet fuel to be supplied to LABP, access to jet fuel storage capacity for three airports. It also offered to build a new jet fuel import terminal at an airport. The package covers the wholesale fuels market, retail supply of fuels and supply of jet fuel, bitumen and lubricants. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, additional reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko in Warsaw; editing by Marine Strauss and Louise Heavens) By successfully organising the teleconferenced 36th ASEAN Summit amid complex developments of COVID-19, Vietnam has once again affirmed its proactive and responsible chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020, which is also the common assessment shared by many foreign leaders and experts. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also Chair of ASEAN 2020, delivers his opening speech at the 36th ASEAN Summit (Photo: VNA) With statements adopted, including the ASEAN Leaders Vision Statement on A Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN: Rising Above Challenges and Sustaining Growth and the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work, the 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings wrapped up successfully on June 26 as the 10 member countries showed the unanimity to coordinate with one another to effective cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and promote socio-economic recovery in the region. This is the first time a regular ASEAN summit has been held online during the 53-year history of the bloc. ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi said the theme cohesive and responsive ASEAN for Vietnams ASEAN Chairmanship this year suits the current context, and the 36th summit is a concrete demonstration of the blocs solidarity and leadership as seen in the strong regional cooperation. He held that as ASEAN Chair, the country has done much and shown the strong leadership in guiding the regions collective response to the pandemic. He also highly valued Vietnams contributions, especially its assistance for some ASEAN members and dialogue partners in dealing with COVID-19. Under Vietnams guidance, activities have been carried out to set up the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, warehouses of medical supplies and standard operating procedures in public health emergencies. The country has also launched discussions on the post-2025 ASEAN Vision. These will help ASEAN be better cohesive and responsive during the regional integration process while adapting to the current new normal status and learning important lessons, according to the Secretary-General. Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith also spoke highly of ASEANs recent successes. Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister of Laos Thongphane Savanphet said Vietnam has fulfilled its role as ASEAN Chair over the past six months, and that despite numerous difficulties, Vietnam has led ASEAN countries in boosting cooperation against COVID-19 and in other activities. He expressed his belief that under Vietnams chairmanship, the bloc will continue to successfully carry out the initiatives and agreements its members have put forth this year. Echoing the view, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said this times ASEAN summit reflected Vietnams capacity in guiding the bloc, regardless of difficulties caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Senior analyst Le Thu Huong at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said ASEAN members believe in Vietnams diplomatic capacity, even when the summit had to take place online. Meanwhile, Ahmad Ibrahim Almutaqqi, Director of the ASEAN Studies Programme at Indonesias Habibie Centre, said the summit discussed not only measures to deal with COVID-19 but also those for post-pandemic economic recovery. It was also an opportunity for ASEAN, under the guidance of Vietnam as ASEAN Chair, to continue moving forward. According to him, COVID-19 has disrupted the blocs activities at a certain level, but Vietnam has done its job well and strived to ensure the proper functioning of ASEAN, including in organising high-level meetings. Prof. Aleksius Jemadu, another Indonesian scholar, said Vietnam has played its role well in guiding ASEAN member states to maintain the groupings central role and solidarity to sustain regional stability. He believed Vietnam is in the best position to uphold the role of ASEAN leadership in this decisive time, adding that all ASEAN countries expect Vietnam to effectively play its role in uniting ASEAN and prioritising the promotion of ASEANs centrality during its chairmanship of the bloc. Talking about the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Chheang Vannarith, President of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said during its ASEAN Chairmanship this year, Vietnam has been effectively coordinating and promoting negotiations on the RCEP so as to reach consensus and finalise the talks although India opted out of the deal at the last minute. The 36th ASEAN Summit and the earlier Special ASEAN Summit and ASEAN 3 Summit on COVID-19 response, held in April, are highlights of Vietnams chairmanship of the bloc. The country has shown its activeness, proactiveness and sense of responsibility in guiding ASEAN to cope with unprecedented challenges, thereby helping to strengthen solidarity and unanimity of the grouping. These are also favourable prerequisites for it to fulfill its chairmanship role for the rest of 2020./.VNA BYJUS, Indias largest education technology company today announced a new round of funding from BOND, the global technology investment firm. We are happy to partner with an investor like BOND, said Byju Raveendran, Founder & CEO. This partnership is a testament to the role that BYJUS is playing in helping students learn better by customizing our platform to their abilities. It also demonstrates the rising global interest in education technology as digital learning becomes increasingly accepted and embraced. In response to schools being shut down due to COVID-19, BYJUS has made content on its learning app free for all students. BYJUS has also introduced LIVE classes to further student engagement. This crisis has brought online learning to the forefront and has helped parents, teachers and students alike to experience and understand the value of it, Mr. Raveendran continued. We have the opportunity to positively influence how teachers teach, students learn and schools function. The Classrooms of Tomorrow will have technology at the core, empowering students to cross over from passive to active learning. The result will be a combination of the best of both online and offline educational offerings. In the past year, BYJUS has seen tremendous growth and now has over 57 million registered students, more than 3.5 million paid subscribers and annual renewal rates as high as 85%. BYJUS doubled its revenue from INR 1430 crore to INR 2800 crore in FY 19-20. Endorsed by millions of students, BYJUS has emerged as a clear leader in education technology, said Mary Meeker, General Partner at BOND. We are excited to support a visionary like Byju and his team in their quest to continue to innovate and shape the future of education. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Clifton youth was scalded two years ago when a waitress at a Graniteville eatery spilled hot water on him, a lawsuit alleges. The boy suffered significant burns in the Aug. 13, 2018 incident at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) on Richmond Avenue in Graniteville, said a civil complaint filed by the boys mother, Catherine Peter. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the restructuring of Nigerias federating units as a solution to the countrys insecurity. Speaking at the 2020 Annual Sobo Sowemimo Lecture (Virtual) in Abeokuta on Friday, he added that until Nigeria restructures, insecurity, unstability, non-progressive and stagnation may continue to be-devil the country. The lecture titled COVID 19 Pandemic and Nigeria Security Issues: the way forward, was organized by the Abeokuta Club. Read Also: Obasanjo Presidential Library Lays Off Staff, Blames Covid-19 Advertisement The former president further accused governments at all levels of ineffectiveness, calling on Nigerians to launch and promote such a crusade on the slogan Security Matters To All; No security, No Nigeria. He said, There is no time to stand and stare or just to continue to call on governments that are ineffective. Let us take initiative and spearhead actions that will involve governments and the governed and will devolve security architecture, apparatus, arrangement and responsibility in solidarity. Papering over the obvious cracks in Nigerias polity is not the answer, tearing up or seeking disintegration is also not the solution, remaining silent makes us accomplices and irresponsibly so. The solution lies in men and women imbued with courage, nationalism, patriotism, commitment, foresight and love in critical mass, to spearhead the crusade for new Nigeria. Let us launch and promote such a crusade on the slogan Security Matters To All; No security, No Nigeria. And the time is now. Delay is postponing the evil day. Failure to act now will lead to more frustration, greater despair and larger mentality and feeling that may lead to action of break it all up. May God forbid that! And may God, who I have always described as a Nigerian, save Nigeria. But we should be mindful that Gods patience has limit of elasticity. Hence, we must not continue to tempt Him. The second is employment and job security. The third is change in the pattern and style of living including travelling. The fourth is innovation, science, technology, digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. The fifth is local content, raw materials and substitutes. The sixth is diversification of the economy and enhancement of export commodities. It is up to us to take these six areas very seriously. With good leadership and right policy and with the public and private sectors working together, and the civil society joining hand, all the six areas can be taken care of and we can safely put the pandemic behind and move the country forward. I hope that Africa, as a continent, will emerge economically stronger from COVID-19. For us in Nigeria, we have no alternative but to get it right. Otherwise, the future will be worse than the present that is uncertain and bleak with economic downturn and pervasive insecurity, he said. A 16-year-old boy visiting North Carolinas Outer Banks with his family is recovering from injuries suffered when he was attacked by a shark on Thursday. Nick Arthur was jumping over waves on a sandbar about 25 feet offshore when he started screaming, his father told CNN. At first I thought he was screaming out of joy, and then I looked at him and saw the shark, Tim Arthur said. The shark had its teeth around Nicks thigh and was not letting go, Arthur said. He was screaming Get it off me. Let me go and I jumped into action. Nick Arthur was bitten by a shark while swimming along the North Carolina coast on June 18, 2020. (Courtesy of Tim Arthur) Arthur said his daughter swam to shore while he and his son fought the shark. Arthur said he kicked the shark near its nose while Nick was hitting him with his hand. The shark let go of Nicks thigh as it tried to nip at his hand, allowing Nick to swim free. The attack occurred in the ocean near vehicle ramp 25, about 2.5 miles south of the village of Salvo, according to the National Park Service. The Arthur family were visiting Cape Hatteras National Seashore from their home in Oak Ridge, North Carolina, near Winston-Salem. (Illustration Shane Gross/Shutterstock) Nick was taken to a hospital in nearby Nags Head, where he was treated for his injuries, according to the National Park Service. He ended up with roughly 40 teeth prints on his thigh and received 17 stitches, his father said. He had to get stitches on his thumb and has teeth scrapes on his hand. Though bruised and sore, Arthur said his son is in good spirits, and luckily, there seems to be no permanent damage. He said the incident hasnt soured the family on swimming at the beach but added they probably wont go out as far in the future. You always think its not going to be you, Arthur said. Nick received 17 stitches and had 40 teeth prints on his thigh. (Courtesy of Tim Arthur) CNN Wire contributed to this report. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has finally decided to get rid of the 'fairness' proposition of its top-ranking brand, Fair & Lovely, after years of backlash for promoting colourism and racism. The 50-year-old brand in its communication had been equating fairness with success for decades. Yet, it has been the FMCG major's most popular beauty brand, especially in the rural markets. Walk into any kirana store in small town India, Fair & Lovely is the most ubiquitous brand. Fairness cream market in India is worth Rs 10,000 crore and Fair & Lovely has an over 80 per cent market share. Though the upper-class Indian women rubbished it as a racist brand, it's promise of fair skin in flat six weeks struck a chord among women in the heartland, where there is a profound stigma attached to dark skin. Fair & Lovely will soon have a new, more 'inclusive' brand identity. This move comes shortly after J&J announced that it would discontinue its fairness products. However, it is unlikely that these steps would reduce the demand for fairness creams in India. The fair skin obsession is not restricted to small town India. Walk into any salon or spa in a city like Mumbai or Delhi, skin whitening or brightening treatments are the bestsellers. "I don't think demand for fairness cream will go down any time soon, as the cultural bias for fair skin in a country like India is not going to change overnight," agrees Alpana Parida, Former MD of design-led brand consulting company, DY Works. Fairness is indeed an obsession in India, with several popular Bollywood lyrics also equating beauty with fairness. "From Jaya Prada's Gori Hai Kalaiyan to Jacqueline Fernandez's recent dance number, all of them romanticise fair skin. The obsession is ingrained in our minds," points out Communication Consultant, Surajit Guha. Kannan Sitaram, Venture Partner, Fireside Ventures, believes that a change in brand name will not necessarily mean that people will stop using the brand. "There are talks that they would replace the phrase gorapan (fairness) with nikhar (brightness). However, the brand for decades has stood for fairness, that is the widely used perception which will not easily change just because the brand is using a new phrase." Guha agrees with Sitaram's point of view. "Even if the name or brand proposition changes, it's unlikely that the company will change the chemical component of the product. Consumers will still use it as a fairness cream." he further adds. Sitaram cites the example of Pond's talcum powder which the company had always promoted as a brand which stood for freshness and fragrance, however, 70 per cent of Indian used it on their face as make-up. "Consumers discover a brand and do what they want to," he explains. While the country's obsession with fairness is unlikely to fade away anytime soon, Lloyd Mathias, Angel Investor, Business & Marketing Strategist, says that it is a good opportunity for HUL to revamp the brand. "I think they will keep the element of the packaging and colour while changing the proposition. At the same time, they will stay clear of controversy and make sure that there is nothing in the brand that will connote colour. It will be a more inclusive vision of beauty," says Mathias. "They can continue with the confidence proposition, but they need to emphasise on the fact that confidence isn't about skin colour but about healthier skin," Mathias further adds. However, Parida feels that the reinvention exercise would be challenging. "As a brand I can see its demise, unless they are able to reinvent in a way that they stand for something so much more significant. Their entire narrative has been fairness equals to success and that's how the brand has been communicated. They will no longer have unique proposition. Rightly or wrongly, 'fairness' was their unique proposition." Will Fair & Lovely minus the fairness promise be able to woo Indian consumers? Let's wait and watch how HUL gives it a new lease of life. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW PRESS RELEASE 25 JUNE 2020 07:00 CEST REGULATED INFORMATION Ghent, BELGIUM 25 June 2020 Sequana Medical NV (Euronext Brussels: SEQUA, the "Company" or "Sequana Medical"), an innovator in the management of fluid overload in liver disease, malignant ascites and heart failure, announces today that 644,287 existing shares have been admitted to listing and trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels. The 644,287 shares were issued by the Company on 27 January 2020 as part of an aggregate of 3,166,666 shares that were placed in the framework of a private placement via an accelerated bookbuild offering. The shares were issued at a (gross) issue price of EUR 6.00 per share pursuant to a capital increase in cash that was decided by the Company's board of directors within the framework of the authorised capital with dis-application of preferential subscription rights of existing shareholders of the Company and, in so far as required, of existing holders of subscription rights (stock options) of the Company. Of the 3,166,666 shares, 2,522,379 were immediately admitted to listing and trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels upon their issuance (on the basis of applicable listing prospectus exemptions), while 644,287 shares were not immediately admitted to listing and trading on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels upon their issuance (as their admission to listing and trading was subject to the approval of a listing prospectus). A listing prospectus has been approved by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority on 16 June 2020 with respect to the 644,287 shares (the "Prospectus"). The Prospectus is available in Belgium at no cost at the Company's registered office, located at AA Tower, Technologiepark 122, 9052 Ghent, Belgium. Subject to country restrictions, the Prospectus is also available on the following website: www.sequanamedical.com/investors/equity-placement-2020/our-offering-page/ or by clicking here . Story continues Trading of the 644,287 shares on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels is expected to commence on 26 June 2020. For more information, please contact: Sequana Medical Lies Vanneste, Director Investor Relations Tel: +32 (0) 498 05 35 79 Email: IR@sequanamedical.com Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell, Ashley Tapp, Melissa Gardiner Tel: +44 203 709 5000 Email: sequanamedical@consilium-comms.com LifeSci Advisors Chris Maggos Tel: +41 79 367 6254 Email: chris@lifesciadvisors.com About Sequana Medical Sequana Medical is a commercial stage medical device company developing the alfapump platform for the management of fluid overload in liver disease, malignant ascites and heart failure. Fluid overload is a fast growing complication of advanced liver disease driven by NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) related cirrhosis and a common complication in heart failure. The U.S. market for the alfapump resulting from NASH-related cirrhosis is forecast to exceed 3 billion annually within the next 10-20 years. The heart failure market for the alfapump DSR (Direct Sodium Removal) is estimated to be over 5 billion annually in the U.S. and EU5 by 2026. Both indications leverage Sequana Medical's alfapump, a unique, fully implanted wireless device that automatically pumps fluid from the abdomen into the bladder, where it is naturally eliminated through urination. In the U.S., the company's key growth market, the alfapump has been granted breakthrough device designation by the FDA. The North American pivotal study (POSEIDON) in recurrent and refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis is currently underway, and is intended to support a commercial marketing application of the alfapump in the U.S. and Canada. In Europe, the alfapump is CE-marked for the management of refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis and malignant ascites and is included in key clinical practice guidelines. Over 750 alfapump systems have been implanted to date. Building on its proven alfapump platform, Sequana Medical is developing alfapump DSR, a breakthrough, proprietary approach to fluid overload due to heart failure. Clinical proof-of-concept was achieved in a first-in-human single dose DSR study and a repeated dose alfapump DSR study (RED DESERT) in heart failure patients is currently underway. Sequana Medical is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. For further information, please visit www.sequanamedical.com . An investment in the New Shares involves substantial risks and uncertainties. Prospective investors should read the entire Prospectus, and, in particular, should refer to the chapter "Risk Factors" beginning on page 7 of the Prospectus for a discussion of certain factors that should be considered in connection with an investment in the New Shares, including the risks that Sequana Medical has incurred operating losses, negative operating cash flows and an accumulated deficit since inception and may not be able to achieve or subsequently maintain profitability, that Sequana Medical's future financial performance will depend on the commercial acceptance of the alfapump, the alfapump DSR and/or any future products in target markets, that Sequana Medical does not have sufficient working capital to meet its present requirements and cover the working capital needs for a period of at least 12 months as of the date of the Prospectus and will require additional funds beyond this period in order to meet its capital and expenditure needs, and that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) or any other infectious disease outbreak or other serious public health concern could result in delays to Sequana Medical's clinical studies and could adversely affect its supply chain and work force, as well as macroeconomic conditions generally, which could have an adverse effect on demand for the alfapump and/or the alfapump DSR. All of these factors should be considered before investing in the New Shares. . The New Shares are meant for investors who are able to assess the risks based on their knowledge and financial experience. Prospective investors must be able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the New Shares and should be able to sustain a partial or total loss of their investment. Important Regulatory Disclaimers The alfapump has not yet received regulatory approval in the U.S. and Canada. Any statement in this press release about safety and efficacy of the alfapump does not apply to the U.S. and Canada because the device is currently undergoing clinical investigation in these territories. DSR therapy and alfapump DSR are still in development and it should be noted that any statements in this press release regarding safety and efficacy arise from pre-clinical studies and ongoing clinical investigations which have yet to be completed. There is no link between DSR therapy, alfapump DSR and ongoing investigations with the alfapump system in Europe, the U.S. and Canada. Forward-looking statements This press release may contain predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements represent the current judgment of Sequana Medical on what the future holds, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Sequana Medical expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of Sequana Medical only as of the date of this press release. Important information THIS ANNOUNCEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE, OR FORM PART OF, AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE, OR ANY SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR SHARES, AND ANY PURCHASE OF, SUBSCRIPTION FOR OR APPLICATION FOR, SHARES OF SEQUANA MEDICAL NV (THE "COMPANY"). ANY TRADING IN NEW SHARES IN CONNECTION WITH THE LISTING AND ADMISSION TO TRADING ON THE REGULATED MARKET OF EURONEXT BRUSSELS SHOULD ONLY BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE PROSPECTUS IN CONNECTION WITH THE LISTING AND ADMISSION TO TRADING ON THE REGULATED MARKET OF EURONEXT BRUSSELS AND ANY SUPPLEMENTS THERETO, AS THE CASE MAY BE (THE "PROSPECTUS"). THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A PROSPECTUS. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE FULL OR COMPLETE. ANY INVESTORS SHOULD NOT SUBSCRIBE FOR ANY SECURITIES REFERRED TO IN THIS DOCUMENT EXCEPT ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE PROSPECTUS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR FORM A PART OF ANY OFFER OR SOLICITATION TO PURCHASE OR SUBSCRIBE FOR NEW SHARES IN THE UNITED STATES. THE NEW SHARES HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT") AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT IS AVAILABLE. THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES HAVE NOT REGISTERED, AND DO NOT INTEND TO REGISTER, THE NEW SHARES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, AND DO NOT INTEND TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE NEW SHARES IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS DOCUMENT IS ONLY ADDRESSED TO, AND DIRECTED IN, MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (THE "EEA") (EACH, A "MEMBER STATE"), AT PERSONS WHO ARE 'QUALIFIED INVESTORS' WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION ("QUALIFIED INVESTORS"). EACH PERSON IN A MEMBER STATE WHO INITIALLY ACQUIRED ANY NEW SHARES OR TO WHOM ANY OFFER OF NEW SHARES MAY BE MADE AND, TO THE EXTENT APPLICABLE, ANY FUNDS ON BEHALF OF WHICH SUCH PERSON IS ACQUIRING THE NEW SHARES THAT ARE LOCATED IN A MEMBER STATE WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE REPRESENTED, ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED THAT IT IS A QUALIFIED INVESTOR. 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(Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images) Simon Cowell was proud to show off the touching letter he received from his six-year-old son Eric for Father's Day. The X Factor boss shared the message from his only son in a Zoom chat with his America's Got Talent colleagues on The Kelly Clarkson Show after being asked to show an item from his home that made him proud. The 60-year-old said: "This was given to me on Father's Day and I'm going to read this to you because it was touching. This is from Eric, my six-year-old boy, to me. Read more: Sharon Osbourne says Simon Cowell runs a 'boys club' on his shows "'I like to waddle, you like to waddle. I like fish, and you like fish. You like to swim, and I like to swim. I like to walk in your footsteps standing tall like you. You have webbed feet, and I have webbed feet and I will always love you, Eric.' "It's my favourite thing I've ever had." Cowell shares Eric with girlfriend Lauren Silverman, who gave birth to their son on 14 February 2014. Cowell's connections recently came in handy for Eric as his father landed him a role in new animated Scooby-Doo movie SCOOB!. Eric Cowell attends the ceremony honoring Simon Cowell with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 22, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) The music mogul announced on Instagram: I watched Scooby Doo as a kid and now Im thrilled to be watching it again with my son Eric. So when we got asked to be in the new Scooby Doo movie @SCOOB!, it was the quickest yes Ive ever said. Read more: Simon Cowell hasnt used mobile phone in 3 years We never really got to find out how Scooby and Shaggy met the rest of the gang and now we do. Its brilliant and whats more brilliant is that you will be able to watch it at home on May 15. The youngster voiced Ben, a young tourist at the Acropolis in Greece while Cowell played himself. India is much better placed than many other nations with respect to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, prime minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. PM Modis comments came during his inaugural address on the occasion marking the 90th birth anniversary celebrations of Rev. Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan. The world is fighting a strong battle against a global pandemic. Covid-19 is not only a physical sickness that is a threat to the lives of people but also takes away our attention to unhealthy lifestyles, the prime minister said during his virtual address. Earlier this year, some people had predicted that the impact of the virus in India would be very severe. Due to lockdown, many initiatives taken by the Government and a people-driven fight, India is much better placed than many other nations. India's recovery rate is rising: PM pic.twitter.com/hnWOgomSyB ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2020 The prime minister said that earlier this year, some people had predicted that the impact of the virus in India would be very severe but due to the lockdown, various initiatives taken by the government and a people-driven fight, India is much better placed than many other nations. Indias recovery rate is rising, he added. Also read: Delhi conducted highest number of Covid-19 tests on Friday - CM Kejriwal PM Modi started his speech by wishing a long life and best health to Rev. Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan and described him as someone passionate about the removal of poverty and working for women empowerment. The virtual event saw several followers of the Mar Thoma Church from India and abroad in attendance. Coronavirus cases in the country have crossed the 5 lakh mark. Since Monday, India witnessed eighty thousand fresh Covid-19 infections from across the country which took the national to 508,953 on Saturday as per the figures by the Ministry of Health. Indias Covid-19 death toll stands at 15,685. Pinto Deepak By Express News Service HYDERABAD: It was 11.30 pm on May 21 when S Sudheer Krishna, Detective Inspector posted at Balapur police station of Rachakonda commissionerate in the city, received a call that turned his life upside down. He had just tested positive for COVID-19. For a moment, I was shocked and thought that was the end. I had never been so depressed in my life. I was admitted to Gandhi Hospital the same night, but fear gripped me and I could not sleep for at least two days, Krishna said. He was actively involved in contact tracing of COVID-19 patients during the Tablighi Jamaat outbreak and later in mobilizing migrant workers to travel home, in addition to lockdown enforcement duties. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Krishna said thankfully his wife and two daughters were away as he had already sent them to their hometown in March and that was the only solace for him. I did not know what was happening to me. But slowly I understood the reality and started adopting preventive methods like yoga, meditation and exercise every day in the hospital. I ate only vitamin C rich foods and Chyawanprash to improve immunity. I drank only hot water and inhaled steam twice a day at the hospital, he said. This daily routine helped him win the battle. Further, daily follow-up by his superiors and counselling by doctors about how to be mentally calm and not fear the virus also helped. Our commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat called me and inquired about my health. He also gave some tips and assured all support from the department. Though I spent sleepless nights, this support gave me some courage. Every day my superiors were monitoring my health condition and spoke to me, Krishna added. After being discharged from the hospital on June 6, he is currently under home quarantine. Though his wife had returned to the city to take care of him, he isolated himself at home and did not step out. He advises affected persons to be strong and focus on mental strength, in addition to improving physical fitness and immunity. The best medicine for COVID cure is to be mentally strong, take nutritious food and do yoga and meditation regularly, Krishna added. He also advises people to maintain physical distancing and wear masks, even while interacting with people who have no symptoms, increase intake of vitamin rich food and not step out of home unless it's essential to keep COVID-19 at bay. Like all COVID affected people, he faced social stigma from those around him, even after discharge from the hospital. This could affect patients more than the virus itself, Krishna said. I would rather suggest an approach with compassion. While maintaining distance is mandatory, keeping in touch with them regularly would help them be mentally strong. We should realise that we are fighting the virus and not the people who are affected by it, he added. After a spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, Marin County health officials on Friday announced they have scaled back plans for reopening on Monday. Some businesses slated to reopen Monday will not be allowed to do so, while others can go ahead as planned, health officials said. The industries approved to resume are indoor dining, hair salons, barbershops, campgrounds and picnic areas, officials said. But hotels, gyms, nail salons, tattoo parlors and skincare services will be prohibited from reopening next week. The decision to slow the reopening process comes after a spike in coronavirus cases. Marin County reported a record number on Thursday with 54 new cases. Twelve people are currently hospitalized for COVID-19 in the county, including five in intensive care, marking an all-time high, according to the county. Were seeing patterns we need to pay attention to. Were not closing anything down. Were just slowing the pace in response to the data, said Dr. Matt Willis, county health officer. The county is also grappling with an outbreak at San Quentin State Prison where more than 500 people have been infected in the past two weeks. More than 75 staff members, many of them Marin County residents, have tested positive. The spike has caused stress on local hospitals, county officials said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. San Francisco officials decided to postpone reopening certain sectors on Monday in response to an increase in cases and near doubling of the positive test rate. Officials in Contra Costa County, where more businesses are planned to reopen July 1, said Friday they are reconsidering their reopening timeline and will announce a decision on Monday. Anna Bauman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @abauman2 Just like the independent presses in New York City and Minneapolis that PW reported on last week, independent presses in other parts of the country said that sales are starting to rebound after two months of decline, due to direct sales, digital initiatives, and a resurgence in demand for topical frontlist and backlist titles. Open Letter Books in Rochester, N.Y., might be, of all the indie presses contacted by PW, the most adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the campus of its host institution, the University of Rochester, shut down since early March. I have to make arrangements to go into our office to do any work, said publisher Chad Post, who added that his two full-time colleagues were furloughed and will continue to be most of the summer. I went in the other day and fulfilled 350 orders. The 13-year-old press, renowned for its literary translations, was having its best sales year, Post noted, before the pandemic. He anticipated that the staff may be able to return to its offices this fall, or potentially soonerlargely because Open Letter is housed in two separate spaces, each with its own entrance. That way two of us can work there without ever really needing to encounter the other, he explained. Post said that Open Letters most serious problem right now is its inability to pay bills. With the way the university works, only our editorial director, Kaija [Straumanis], is authorized to make bank payments, and she is furloughed, so the bills will have to wait. In Cleveland, Anne Trubek, publisher of Belt Publishing, explained that working from home during the pandemic has had no effect on the presss half dozen employees, who have worked remotely since the company launched in 2013. The impact on Belts business after bookstores shut down has been mixed, she added. The coronavirus slammed the Midwest just as the press was releasing its Midwest-themed spring list. While sales via its distributor, PGW, and wholesalers have plummeted 40% this year compared to 2019, direct sales have jumped by 85%, resulting in a 20% rise in net revenues for the year to date. Trubek said sales have been helped by the topical nature of two books: Midwest Futures by Phil Christman explores the regional impact of climate change, and Last Children of Mill Creek by Vivian Gibson is a memoir of growing up as a Black girl in segregated St. Louis. With the Black Lives Matter movement gaining steam, Trubek expects Belt to end the year on a strong note: fall releases include Black in the Middle: An Anthology of the Black Midwest, edited by Terrion Williamson and Conspiracy to Riot by Lee Weiner, a member of the Chicago Seven. After Illinois governor Jay Pritzker issued a statewide stay-at-home order in March that extended through May 30, Chicagolands small presses quickly adapted to the new normal. Chicago Review Press employees worked remotely for more than two months, though some recently have returned to the companys offices inside IPG headquarters. Were following strict safety and sanitation requirements, said IPG publicity manager Alisse Goldsmith-Wissman. Were gauging case statistics and government recommendations on a week-by-week basis to know when we should bring the office back to full capacity. According to CRP publisher Cynthia Sherry, gross sales were down about 10% January through May compared to the same period last year. But, she added, there has been a strong rebound, and gross sales are now up 15%. Sherry attributed the bounce partially to two new releases: Daughter of the Boycott by Karen Gray Houston and Say Im Dead by E. Dolores Johnson. Both speak specifically to the history of oppression among people of color and are hitting at a very timely moment, she noted. A few miles north along Lake Michigan, in Evanston, Ill., Agate publisher Doug Seibold reported that the 17-year-old press is persevering, though sales fell off the proverbial cliff in late March before a modest rebound in May. Sales are strong for backlist titles featuring African American historical and cultural themes, including Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, a picture book by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James, and The Last Thing You Surrender, a historical novel by Leonard Pitts Jr. Culinary backlist is also selling well, including Craft Coffee: A Manual by Jessica Easto and Hardcore Carnivore by Jess Pryles. Seibold said that his staff of 20 made a pretty seamless transition in early March to working remotely, explaining that Agate was headquartered in his home until 2010. They will continue to work remotely through July 31, and perhaps longer. Its been hardest on our younger staff that may live in small apartments in Chicago, he added. Seibold walks to Agates offices every day, keeping an eye on the place, accepting packages and mail, receiving and then depositing checks, he said. Agate most recently paid royalties in late April, and for the first time, it was an almost 100% virtual process, he noted. A big leap forward. Melanie Roth, marketing manager at Fulcrum Publishing in Golden, Colo., reported that the nonfiction press saw a 30% decline in sales in March and April compared to the same months last year, but it began to see an uptick in May. Were cautiously optimistic, she added. Fulcrum is promoting e-books over print to ensure we stay relevant and vital during this challenging time, Roth said. That approach has paid off: Fulcrum has seen an increase in sales of its Black history books and books by Black authors. Graphic novelist Joel Christian Gills two Strange Fruit titles and the Tales of the Talented Tenth biography series have landed on many BLM reading lists, and sales of Februarys Be the Artist by Thomas Evans surged after Evans received national attention for murals dedicated to George Floyd, Elijah McClain, and Breonna Taylor. The Fulcrum office continues to be closed indefinitely, but Roth noted that the company had already been slowly converting to a digital office, so we were prepared. The uncertainty of the future has definitely presented weeklysometimes dailyhiccups, but our team has been flexible and creative. In Los Angeles, Unnamed Press staff also continue to work remotely, though we have a couple of set office days each week where one person goes in to handle administrative details, publisher Chris Heiser said. Otherwise its a lot of Zoom meetings. Sales are up significantly this year, he noted, due to a dramatic increase in direct sales as well as a modest increase in e-book sales. But the press continues to focus on its regular trade channels, particularly indie bookstores, which Heiser described as doing incredible work in their communities. Earlier this month, there were protests and looting in Dallass Deep Ellum neighborhood, but Deep Vellum Books, a bookstore that houses Deep Vellum Publishings offices, was spared. The store remains closed, and the presss three full-time employees are working from home. We were lucky, noted publisher Will Evans. We are still here for the community. Evans said sales of Deep Vellums list of international literature are really down through Consortium, its distributor, but direct sales are up. Fowzia Karimis Above Us the Milky Way, an April release that was the presss first hardcover novel and its first English-language original, is currently its top seller. In Spartanburg, S.C., Hub City Press director Meg Reid explained that sales through its distributor, PGW, are down 15%, but direct sales are up four times what we usually see. She added, As a small press, were not used to dealing with buckets of packages. The press, part of the nonprofit Hub City Writers Project (HCWP), delayed the release of its two spring titles by a montha move that proved to be fortuitous in the case of The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels, a novel set during the AIDS epidemic, which landed just in time for Gay Pride Month promotions in June and pumped up sales. Another serendipitous occurrence: HCWP had been planning to slowly renovate its offices, but those renovations were sped up this spring while staff worked remotely. Weve been back in the building since mid-May, Reid said, and its like we had this totally clean new office to return to. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg said the company will change its policies to prohibit hate speech in its advertisements. The company is expanding its ads policy to prohibit claims that people from a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety, health or survival of others, the chief executive said. 'I'm committed to making sure Facebook remains a place where people can use their voice to discuss important issues...but, I also stand against hate, or anything that incites violence or suppresses voting, and we're committed to removing that no matter where it comes from,' Zuckerberg said in a post. The social media giant is also expanding its policies to better protect immigrants, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers from ads suggesting these groups are inferior or expressing contempt, dismissal or disgust directed at them. Zuckerberg's announcement came after about 100 brands announced that they would pull their advertising from Facebook for the month of July or longer as part a movement called 'Stop Hate For Profit'. But, he did not directly address the boycotts. The boycotting advertisers include big spenders like Unilever and Verizon, along with smaller companies. The 'Stop Hate For Profit' campaign, which is organized by the Anti-Defamation League or ADL, is seeking advertisers to suspend their spending on Facebook and Instagram ads for the month of July 2020. In addition, Zuckerberg said that Facebook will start to label content that it decides to leave up because it is deemed newsworthy and valuable to the public interest, even if it violates the company's policies. Facebook will add a prompt to inform users that the content they are sharing may violate the company's policies. The move came as the Social media giant is under pressure to improve how it moderates the content on its platform, including posts by US President Donald Trump. Zuckerberg also said there is no newsworthiness exemption to content that incites violence or suppresses voting. Even if a politician or government official says it, if the company determine that content may lead to violence or deprive people of their right to vote, the company will take that content down. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de A White Hall natives lifelong love for the arts has led her to become board president for a prestigious vocal competition in Savannah, Georgia. I was born into a musical family, Kellee Love Haselton said. Both my parents were wonderful yet untrained musicians, so from an early age I always was surrounded by music. In the North Greene school district, we had a wonderful choral program and instrumental music program. Then, in Jacksonville I got involved in the (Jacksonville) Theatre Guild, so it was wonderful, always a part of my life. Haseltons first musical theater experience involved playing piano for a JTG production of The Music Man. Music Man is very near and dear to my heart because it was the very first thing I ever did, she said. Ive done it several times and prepared students (to perform it) for different productions. She was a student at Western Illinois University and part of the JTG production in Jacksonville when JTG decided to extend the productions run. Haselton was due back in Macomb for classes, but a castmate who was a pilot flew to Macomb to pick her up for the shows final week of performances, she said. Haselton went on to do two more shows with JTG and also played piano for Ken Bradbury on two of his productions in Pike County. She also has directed from 30 to 40 shows, including Quilters, High School Musical, White Christmas, Avenue Q and The Wizard of Oz. Realizing her calling was to teach was the major milestone that shaped the rest of Haseltons life, she said. After attending WIU for three semesters, Haselton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education from Illinois College and taught in Jacksonville public schools and in Pittsfield before moving to Michigan and teaching for another 28 years. Haselton now is board president and a third-year board member for the American Traditions Vocal Competition, a musical contest intended to celebrate and preserve all forms of American music. Her two-year term as president started in April. Shortly after she moved to Savannah in 2018, her son, Nat Zegree, participated in the competition. In the process, Haselton became familiar with the organization and wanted to be involved, Haselton said. I fell in love with this very unique organization, so Ive been a supporter and board member since, she said. Haselton finds music education a rewarding field. The musical rewards as a musical teacher are great in that you are touching and sometimes saving lives, Haselton said. Students who didnt realize they had a gift or an interest in music can discover it, and thats a wonderful experience for both the teacher and the student. Its one of my favorite things. She credits her own teachers, too. Through wonderful mentors, instructors, you take things that you love and you take things that you maybe dont love and you learn from all of those experiences, she said. Plus, I learn from my students every day. Haselton still teaches, offering private voice and piano lessons out of her home just to keep music in her life in an active way, she said. I have 16 students, she said. I really didnt want that many, but you meet a student and you fall in love with them and you cant say no. Touching lives and potentially changing lives has been probably my lifes greatest reward, and Im still in contact with students that I had at Pike County, you know, in 1987, so were still in contact. They talk to me via social media and tell me how much they still love music, and how meaningful it was to be in my choir, so thats really a special thing. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 26 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 32 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Clear skies during the evening will give way to low clouds and fog after midnight. Low 39F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Clear skies during the evening will give way to low clouds and fog after midnight. Low 39F. Winds light and variable. The HCM City Department of Education and Training and city schools have been training teachers, choosing textbooks, and preparing facilities to carry out a new nationwide training programme in the 2020-21 academic year required by the Ministry of Education and Training. Students at a primary school in HCM City dance. Many primary schools will teach first-graders six days each week because of a shortage of classrooms. The department is co-operating with the HCM City University of Education and Viettel Group to organise training courses for all managers and first-grade teachers. For the 2019-20 academic year, the city has 547 principals, 827 vice principals and 5,000 first-graders. Training for first-grade teachers will be expected to be completed next month. Teachers of the second grade will be trained from this month to June next year. Training courses for the third, fourth and fifth-grade teachers will be carried out afterwards. Public and private schools have been told to create favourable conditions for their teachers and managers to take part in the courses to meet the requirements for management and teaching under the new training programme. From the 2020-21 academic year, schools will begin to have more autonomy in making educational plans as well as decentralised decision-making among professional teams who will be able to design curricula based on the ministry's targets. Last year, 83 per cent of teachers met or exceeded the standards of training according to Education Law, leaving nearly 20 per cent that still need training. Speaking at a press meeting held on Wednesday in HCM City, Nguyen Van Hieu, the departments deputy head, said: Each school has its main first-grade teachers taking part in training courses which the department has organised. These teachers will then teach the other first-grade teachers." Teachers are instructed in skills to design curricula and methods based on new textbook content, Hieu said. The Vietnam Education Publishing House Co. Ltd has four sets of textbooks for use at schools in the city in the 2020-21. The company has co-operated with the department to carry out training programmes online and offline. The city still faces a shortage of teachers for music, fine arts, and foreign languages, mostly English. The department has worked with universities of education in the city to supplement computer and foreign language teaching. It has proposed allowing graduates who majored in foreign language at universities, and who do not train teachers, to study further training courses so they can teach at schools, Hieu said. They could help address the shortage of foreign language teachers, he added. New textbooks Nguyen Thanh Trung, chief of the secretariat at the department, said: All five sets of textbooks which the ministry approved were sent to teachers and managers of schools to choose during the social distancing period. Of the five, the Chan Troi Sang Tao textbooks were chosen by 80 per cent of the citys total schools. Nearly 1 million copies of the textbooks will be printed, accounting for 81 per cent of the total textbook copies issued in the city, according to Vietnam Education Publishing House Co.Ltd. The chosen textbooks were written by many authors from the southern region, so words and phrases as well as data are familiar to students. Many primary teachers in the city also took part in compiling, Hieu said. He said the citys teachers are using new teaching and testing methodologies that will be compatible with the textbooks. A representative of Phan Chu Trinh Primary School in Tan Phu District said the school chose this set of textbooks because the content was good and the pictures were lively and attractive. The Chan Troi Sang Tao textbooks also were chosen by schools in 11 provinces such as Ben Tre, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and An Giang. Hieu said that prices of the five sets of new textbooks will be about VND300,000 (US$12.9) each, nearly double compared to existing textbooks. The Government will not subsidise the new textbooks, he added. The city will spend a part of its budget for schools on buying several sets of textbooks for students with financial difficulties to use if they cannot afford to buy them, Hieu said. To meet the demands of the new training programme, Hieu said that ensuring enough classrooms for first-graders is a challenge because schools face a shortage of classrooms. The citys land fund for building more schools is limited. The new training programme will require first-graders to study throughout the day. In the morning shift, students will study Vietnamese, maths, and other subjects. In the afternoon shift, they will receiving instruction through activities. Seventy per cent of students study during the day, he said, adding that the rate in Tan Phu District is only 23 per cent. First-graders there will study six days per week instead of five days if they study throughout the day. The city has instructed educational sup-departments and schools to review their facilities and teaching aids and devices, Hieu said. The city has 551 primary schools, including 484 public schools, an increase of four compared to the previous academic year. There are 3,550 classrooms for the first grade in the 2020-22 schoolyear, with a shortage of 443, according to the department. Hieu has instructed schools to use classrooms, halls, and schoolyards to organise activities to teach skills to first-graders if they lack classrooms. VNS Gia Loc Ho Chi Minh City trains teachers who going to teach new textbooks In its report to the municipal Peoples Committee, the Department of Education and Training said that it is going to train primary teachers who are going to teach new textbooks. If investigators can prove a cartel staged Fridays attack as an assassination attempt, it would signal a new front in the battle between security forces and organized crime. It would also offer further evidence of the governments inability to curb the criminal groups that wield vast influence over large swaths of Mexico, security experts said. This is a dramatic breach of what would be considered one of the most guarded, safest zones of the city, said Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on organized crime at the Brookings Institution. Its a massive tactical lapse to allow a government official of this importance to end up with three bullets in him. Mexico City has become more dangerous over the past decade, with a rise in murders, kidnappings and extortion. But while gangs in the city have gained strength, they are much less powerful than the cartels that control the drug trade and operate largely outside the capital. If the group involved is in fact the Jalisco cartel, it is a sign that they are willing to enter into a direct confrontation with the state, said Alejandro Hope, a security analyst in Mexico City, who noted that this would be the first assassination attempt against such a high-ranking security official in Mexico City. Since taking the helm of the citys police force last year, Mr. Garcia Harfuch has led a more aggressive crackdown on organized crime and has examined collusion between law enforcement officers and criminal groups. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment God created only one race, the human race, in all of its beauty and diversity. We are created equal and none is inferior to or superior to the other. Because of this, the disproportionate financial disparities that exist between white and black populations must be urgently addressed by individuals as well as our institutions. Many point to the history of horrible injustice toward black people as the cause of the black/white economic gap: Slave Trade. An estimated 6-7 million Africans were forcibly imported to America in the 17th and 18th centuries. 1921 Black Wall Street Massacre. Mobs of white residents attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At that time, it was the wealthiest black community in the United States, known as "Black Wall Street." It has been called "the single worst incident of racial violence in American history." Jim Crow Laws. State and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States were enacted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by white Democratic-dominated state legislatures to disenfranchise and remove political and economic gains made by black people during the Reconstruction period. These events and more are a painful part of American history; unfortunately, the injustice goes much broader and deeper. Racism in our Classrooms Science is not without guilt, nor are our elite educational institutions when it comes to perpetuating the ugly treatment of other members of the human race based on the color of their skin, now commonly known as racism. One of the guiltiest offenders of systemic racism is the perpetuation of the lie of racial inferiority through pseudo-science and the adoption of those prejudiced studies into the educational system itself. Encyclopedia Britannica says, racism is defined as any action, practice, or belief that reflects the racial worldview that some races are innately superior to others. Since the late 20th century the notion of biological race has been recognized as a cultural invention, entirely without scientific basis. Charles Darwin, whose theory of evolution has been adopted as a scientific fact, demonstrated how he believed evolution shaped man in his book The Descent of Man. He theorized that man, having evolved from apes, had continued evolving as various races, with some races more developed than others. Darwin classified his own white race as more advanced than those lower organisms such as pygmies, and he called different people groups savage, low, and degraded. Darwins theory and beliefs were adopted by our educational systems and used to indoctrinate millions of young minds the world over. History is filled with high achievers who, in spite of the injustices and systems creating biased and unfavorable circumstances against them, made a profound impact on the world: Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Fredrick Douglas, Nelson Mandela, William Cuffey, Dr. Ben Carson, Jesse Owens, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are prominent examples throughout history. These individuals and countless others have proven Darwin to be profoundly wrong. Black Finances Matter Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. appealed on behalf of poor people for economic justice as a central tenant of his platform. He not only saw the need for civil rights, but for the financial status quo to be reformed as well. In the 52 years since his assassination, we still have a long way to go. Household Income: Black employees earn 75% of their white counterparts. Wealth: Black median net worth of non-retirees is 1/10th of their white counterparts. Home Ownership: Only 44% of black households own their homes compared to nearly 74% of whites. The black homeownership rate has changed little from the late 1960s, while whites have made steady gains over time. Predatory Loans: Lenders issued high-cost loans to 58% of low-income black individuals as compared to only 28% of low-income white individuals. Resolving economic inequalities was paramount to MLK Jr.'s mission to bring justice for all. His work was only the beginning, and it is ours to carry on today. Generosity is love made tangible. Lets generously love our neighbors by taking action. Through genuine friendship, enter into open conversations and learn. Educate yourself to be aware of systemic racism. Become educated on the financial challenges hurting black communities. Consider helping with practical needs within your network such as car repairs, banking, tutoring, and financial connections. Consider a no-interest loan to pay off predatory loans or emergency needs. Offer and support financial education in schools, churches and businesses. Offer internships or on-the-job training. Provide support with resume building and networking. Examine your staff, leadership team and board for opportunities to hire more people of color. Dr. Kings world-changing speech delivered August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial still echoes in our hearts today: And when this happens, and when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last! Lets be that generation the one that lets economic freedom ring from sea to shining sea. Tech titan will label newsworthy posts that violate its social media policies and all posts and ads about voting. Facebook Inc said on Friday that it will start labelling newsworthy content that violates the social media companys policies, and label all posts and ads about voting with links to authoritative information, including those from politicians. A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed the companys new policy would have covered a link on United States President Donald Trumps post about mail-in ballots last month, to which Facebooks smaller rival Twitter affixed a fact-checking label. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a live-streamed company town hall that Facebook would ban ads that claim people from groups based on race, religion, sexual orientation or immigration status are a threat to physical safety or health. The policy change follows an advertising boycott campaign by several US civil rights groups pressuring the company to act on hate speech and misinformation gains traction. Shares of Facebook and Twitter both fell more than seven percent on Friday after Unilever PLC said it would stop US ads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the rest of the year, citing divisiveness and hate speech during this polarized election period in the US. Unilever, which owns brands like Dove soap and Lipton tea, and Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co Ltds US subsidiary both joined the growing ad boycott against Facebook as part of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign started after the death of George Floyd. Continuing to advertise on these platforms at this time would not add value to people and society, Unilever said in a statement. The campaign specifically asks businesses not to advertise on Facebooks platforms in July, though Twitter has also long been urged to clean up alleged abuses and misinformation on its platform. We have developed policies and platform capabilities designed to protect and serve the public conversation, and as always, are committed to amplifying voices from underrepresented communities and marginalized groups, said Sarah Personette, vice president for Twitters Global Client Solutions. We are respectful of our partners decisions and will continue to work and communicate closely with them during this time. More than 90 advertisers including Unilevers Ben & Jerrys, Verizon Communications Inc and The North Face, a unit of VF Corp, have joined the campaign, according to a list by ad activism group Sleeping Giants, a partner in the campaign. In a statement, a Facebook spokeswoman pointed to its civil rights audit and investments in Artificial Intelligence that allow it to find and take action on hate speech. We know we have more work to do, and well continue to work with civil rights groups, GARM, and other experts to develop even more tools, technology and policies to continue this fight, she said, referring to the Global Alliance for Responsible Media. For us, spending money on a product that burns a big hole in our pockets makes us question if it's worth it. However, that's not the case with Bollywood celebrities. These actors, with their various sources of income, have a way to invest in luxurious properties, which aren't bound within the borders of their homeland. In some cases, they have gone out of their way to buy properties on foreign lands, proving that money indeed has a lot of power. 1. Amitabh Bachchan YouTube/MirchiBollywood For Big B, home is a feeling and not just a place. Besides the few homes that he owns in India, which also come with a hefty price tag, the global icon has also invested in lavish real-estate property overseas. As per reports, he owns a luxurious pad in Paris. In total, the actor is the owner of eight properties and the opulent house in Paris is worth Rs 3 crores approximately. 2. Salman Khan YouTube/Jasus 007 Dubai is a hub of luxurious homes for Bollywood celebrities and the same goes for Salman Khan who spent big bucks on an extravagant property near Burj Khalifa. The apartment is situated in the Address Downtown and the actor is often seen travelling to Dubai. 3. John Abraham YouTube/AddyBuzz John Abraham is a stellar actor but besides that, he is also a businessman, who has invested in a few startups as well. The model turned actor, besides owning a lavish 60,000 sq.ft property in Mumbai, owns a posh house in Bel Air, Los Angeles, USA. The sprawling area is shared along with other Hollywood stars like Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, etc. 4. Shah Rukh Khan YouTube/Futureview Reigning as the king of Bollywood, SRK is the owner of a few properties overseas. Besides his super luxurious property in Dubai, the actor has also spent a hefty amount on an apartment situated in Park Lane Area In Central London. This property is worth a whopping Rs 187 Crores approximately. It is reported that this is one of the most expensive possessions of his and he also owns properties in Gulf state and is said to have a boulevard in Dubai, which is named after him. He is the king, after all! 5. Akshay Kumar YouTube/Jasus007 The Khiladi of Bollywood has acquired properties not just in India, but also overseas. It is said that Kumar has multiple properties in foreign lands. Since one lavish apartment wasn't enough for Kumar, he bought an entire hill in Toronto, Canada along with a few other apartments and bungalows. Not just that, to relax while enjoying the serene beaches around, he also bought a bungalow on a very well-known beach in Mauritius. 6. Shilpa Shetty Kundra YouTube/Chitramala Successful Bollywood actor who is also an entrepreneur, Shilpa Shetty Kundra is the owner of three lavish houses overseas. The actress received the most expensive wedding gift from her partner, Raj Kundra, an apartment on the 19th floor of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. However, the couple has now sold off this property. Not just that, but the couple also owns another exotic seven-bedroom property, named Raj Mahal in Weybridge, Surrey. They also have other properties, situated in Mayfair, London and Oxford street. Riot police chased out of Brixton by teenage thugs. More than 20 officers injured, with two treated in hospital. The Home Secretary describing the criminal mayhem as utterly vile. Meanwhile, lockdown parties and illegal raves erupt into violence elsewhere across the country. No wonder former Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Blair says we need an urgent public conversation about the amount of violence being directed towards the men and women who we entrust to keep law and order. If the forces of law and order behave like a kitten rather than a lion, then it is no surprise that those minded to cause trouble feel they have the upper hand. Protesters are pictured in London earlier this month Its simply not right that they should fear being badly hurt in their daily working lives. Depressingly, what is happening to our police is symbolic of wider social unrest. It is as if Britain is suffering a mental breakdown with all the values and links that bind us together being torn apart. In the first weeks of the coronavirus lockdown, we were a people united. We followed the advice of the Government and respected unprecedented measures to protect the NHS. Now, however, as the lockdown has started to lift, we are witnessing a terrifying outbreak of noisy and dangerous disharmony. It may be the effect of weeks stuck at home or the exceptional summer heat. But it feels as if we are living in a pressure cooker, with tensions and anxieties threatening to spill out. If things do not calm down, I dread to think where we are heading. Riot police chased out of Brixton by teenage thugs. More than 20 officers injured, with two treated in hospital The violent lawlessness last week followed disturbances across the country as protesters acting under the banner of Black Lives Matter brought the worst and most divisive aspects of American identity politics to the UK. They ushered in the disturbing sight of it seeming to be completely acceptable for people to get away scot-free with defacing or destroying any public monument that isnt to their liking. Despite strong words of condemnation, Ministers shamefully stood by and allowed this to happen. Unprotected by the Government, police chiefs felt obliged to hold back or even in some cases watch as their under-attack officers ran away. Is it any wonder that this is what happens when some officers are seen to take the knee and back down. As former Home Secretary David Blunkett has said, the gesture of kneeling, though prompted by the best instincts, might give the perception of undermining the role of the police in such situations. They are there to ensure a safe demonstration, not to make political statements. Protesters are seen throwing a statue of slave trader Edward Colston into the docks in Bristol. Everywhere I look, there seems to be an attempt to present modern Britain as something that it is not If the forces of law and order behave like a kitten rather than a lion, then it is no surprise that those minded to cause trouble feel they have the upper hand. At the core of this pressure-cooker atmosphere is, I believe, a shocking failure of nerve by almost everybody in a position of authority from politicians, the police, our religious leaders and broadcast media. While church services which for many provide a source of great comfort and community remain prohibited until July 4, the vacuum in moral leadership has been replaced by political virtue-signalling. For example, the Archbishop of Canterbury seems obsessed by white supremacy and has suggested that some statues in his cathedral will have to come down. Many would be forgiven for thinking that, rather than trying to expiate a sense of privileged guilt, such leaders ought to be trying to find more practical ways of mending our society. Everywhere I look, there seems to be an attempt to present modern Britain as something that it is not. At the core of this pressure-cooker atmosphere is, I believe, a shocking failure of nerve by almost everybody in a position of authority from politicians, the police, our religious leaders and broadcast media. Demonstrators are seen in London The radical Leftists who run Black Lives Matter (the groups founders are self-declared Marxists) claim this proud nation is a uniquely racist and unfair society, with historic sins unlike any other. They then build on this lie to try to impose a whole new set of values on our country. Like lemmings, major corporations and once-great institutions have paid lip service and more to these demands. We are told, too, that we must all be re-educated and reprogrammed to atone for our awful past. But there is never any positive or practical proposal for addressing the past only ever a malevolent insistence that everyone agree with the activists who seem determined to shut down anyone who questions their extreme demands. Against this background, a Cambridge academic called Priyamvada Gopal sent a message on Twitter saying, white lives dont matter. Previously, this student of colonial and post-colonial literature has been notorious for tweeting incendiary material. So how did her university bosses react? They immediately sent out a message supporting her and presenting her as a victim because of the negative reaction that she had received. Next, by Gopals own account, the university promoted her to a full professorship. Against this background, a Cambridge academic called Priyamvada Gopal sent a message on Twitter saying, white lives dont matter. Previously, this student of colonial and post-colonial literature has been notorious for tweeting incendiary material When people wonder what is happening to our country and watch in despair as the glue that holds us together becomes unstuck, they ought to realise that what they are witnessing is the result of decades of figures in authority pandering to political activists instead of doing their job. And it doesnt seem to matter how destructive the process becomes, they never learn. The more woke the police become, the more they lose control. The more they dance with protesters, take the knee or run away from them, the more that those who want to destroy our way of life believe they are free to do so. How ironic that police chiefs are now complaining that they might not be able to cope on July 4 when the British public is allowed to go back into the pubs. It is a case of you reap what you sow. The fact is that Britain needs to return to normality as swiftly as possible. And that includes allowing us to regain some semblance of ordinary life again. The madness of a lockdown in which half a million people descend on to the Dorset beaches. The stupidity of children being kept out of school. The disgraceful way that some cynical bosses are using the Governments furlough scheme to keep on employees only to sack them when the Treasury pulls the plug. Its not just the Brixton mob who have gone feral the country seems to have been poleaxed by a virus other than Covid-19 that has infected our national nervous system. Most important of all, we need strong leadership from all societys institutions. We await Boris Johnson to address the nation as perhaps only he can in a spirit of optimism and positivity. Its time to be reminded of all the good things about this country. The malcontents, rioters and anarchist activists must be told that Britain will not be changed by violence or intimidation. That we live in an unusually fair country, not a bastion of racism that we have kept being told about in recent weeks. After a week in which this country seems to have been losing its head, its imperative to restore some sense of sanity. By PTI NEW DELHI: The national capital recorded 2,948 fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total case count across the 80,000-mark, and 66 more deaths due to the disease, authorities said on Saturday. After June 22, it was the first time that the number of cases per day fell below the 3,000-mark in the city. The total number of COVID-19 patients in the capital now stands at 80,188. The death toll due to the disease is 2,558, according to the latest Delhi health department bulletin. As many as 49,301 patients have recovered, been discharged or migrated so far, while there are 28,329 active cases, it said. As many as 19,180 tests were conducted. A total of 4,78,336 tests have been conducted till date -- 25,175 tests per million population, it said. The total number of COVID-19 positive patients under home isolation stands at 17,381, it said. In the last one week, the number of new infections has grown by around 5 per cent everyday. For every 100 confirmed cases, three have died due to the virus in the city so far. The recovery rate has increased to around 61 per cent. A serological survey to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the spread of COVID-19 in Delhi commenced in some parts of the city on Saturday amid a rise in the number of coronavirus cases. As part of the survey, blood samples of 20,000 people will be tested to ascertain the presence of anti-bodies, the Union health ministry has said. The exercise will be jointly carried out by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Delhi government till July 10. "The serological survey has started from Saturday and will cover 20,000 people. The survey is being conducted door to door and will reveal the extent of coronavirus spread in Delhi," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in an online briefing. His deputy Manish Sisodia also echoed similar views. "Sero Testing has been started from today in the fight against Corona in Delhi. Under this, 20 thousand blood sample will be taken from all over Delhi. This test will prove to be very effective in the Delhi government's campaign against Corona," he wrote on Twitter. The survey began in Central district on Saturday, officials said, adding that the response from the public was good and 450 blood samples were collected on the first day itself. The target was to collect 700 samples and some teams are still on the ground, the officials said. The district has deployed 30 teams comprising accredited social health activists (ASHA) and laboratory technicians for collecting samples. The survey also began in the Kewal Park area of north Delhi, a North district official said, adding that since it was the first day, the emphasis was on putting logistics to the ground. The response of the people will be known in the next two-three days. Nine teams have been formed to complete the survey, the official said. In Southwest district, the collection of samples commenced in some areas but will start in full swing from Sunday, an official said. According to an official from East district, the NCDC would train the laboratory technicians on how to collect samples on Saturday and they are likely to commence the exercise from Monday. Similarly, in Southeast district, the survey did not start on Saturday as logistics were being worked out. An official from Northeast district said the survey will begin there from Monday. The serological survey is part of a new COVID-19 response plan prepared by the Delhi health department, in accordance with the recommendations of a committee headed by NITI Aayog member V K Paul. The committee comes under the Union health ministry. There are many reasons for many people around the world to fear for the future of democracy. One need only look at recent developments in Poland, Hungary and, yes, even the United States, to worry about how authoritarian impulses are trumping what happens at the ballot box and removing the guardrails of checks and balances that have served western democracies so well. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/6/2020 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. There are many reasons for many people around the world to fear for the future of democracy. One need only look at recent developments in Poland, Hungary and, yes, even the United States, to worry about how authoritarian impulses are trumping what happens at the ballot box and removing the guardrails of checks and balances that have served western democracies so well. But what we also need to see is that the road to undermining democratic principles often includes the slow, painful death of access to government information. Manitoba is an excellent case in point. This past week in Winnipeg, we learned from the Manitoba Ombudsman that the current Progressive Conservative government has been guilty of significant delays in processing freedom of information (FIPPA) requests. The Ombudsman found "recurring patterns of delay" in FIPPA requests, which affected the rights of applicants to timely access public information. Specifically, more than three quarters of all applications under FIPPA failed to meet legislated deadlines for responses. When asked about his governments woeful performance on FIPPA requests, Premier Brian Pallister cried what can only be described as crocodile tears, suggesting that the Ombudsmans report was "not something Im happy to see." However, he also didnt take responsibility for the problem. First, the premier tried to blame it on the pandemic, despite the fact the report examined requests made between December 2017 and May 2018, well before COVID-19 arrived on the scene. Then, Mr. Pallister tried to blame the former NDP government for having a worse record. Rationalizing a genuine shortcoming by blaming others for being worse is an abdication of political accountability. It also ignores the fact that the FIPPA issue is consistent with the Pallister governments approach to communications and managing public information. Public health officials have been available on a regular basis, but the access journalists have had to their briefings has been severely constrained. And physicians, nurses and other health care professionals say the government prevents them from talking to the media about their experiences on the front lines of the pandemic. The Manitoba Ombudsman criticized the government of Brian Pallister this week for significant delays in processing information requests. FREE PRESS PHOTO This is also a hardly surprising situation; the premier has regularly restricted media access to cabinet ministers, who refuse to talk directly with journalists and communicate their responses to news media questions via email statement that, often, they clearly had no hand in composing. And, despite the fact that he has re-opened much of the provincial economy, Mr. Pallister continues to restrict journalists at media availabilities. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. During the height of pandemic concern, Mr. Pallister barred journalists from the room in the legislature where he appeared and restricted the number of questions he faced. Now that restrictions have been eased, and a limited number of journalists will be allowed to share the same space, his administration is still trying to dictate the order and number of questions that can be asked. For a government that does not display a strong dedication to transparency, the pandemic was a convenient excuse to restrict the work of journalists and insulate the premier from a full probe into his statements, policies and programs. Mr. Pallister seems reluctant to relinquish the additional measure of control over journalists he obtained during the pandemic. The Pallister government has demonstrated a pattern of limiting access to public officials and information. Democracy in Manitoba will suffer until this or another government starts respecting the publics right to access government information on a genuine and timely basis. Photo taken on Aug. 5, 2019 shows China's national flag and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong, China. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu) The HKSAR government expressed strong opposition to the passage of the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" by the U.S. Senate. A government spokesman urged the U.S. Congress to immediately stop interfering in HKSAR's internal matters. HONG KONG, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government expressed on Friday strong opposition to the passage of the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act" by the U.S. Senate. A government spokesman urged the U.S. Congress to immediately stop interfering in HKSAR's internal matters and said the act and the so-called "sanctions" are totally unacceptable and will only harm the relations and common interests between Hong Kong and the United States. The implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle in the HKSAR is entirely the internal affairs of China, and no other state or legislature has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, in those internal affairs, the spokesman said. Since the return to the motherland, Hong Kong has been exercising "the people of Hong Kong administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law, the spokesman said, stressing that the "one country, two systems" principle has been fully and successfully implemented. The HKSAR government will continue to implement the "one country, two systems" principle resolutely in accordance with the Basic Law, the spokesman said. The spokesman stressed that many of the comments on HKSAR affairs in the act are seriously misleading and absolutely unfounded. Regarding prosecution of people engaged in illegal protests, the spokesman reiterated that Hong Kong has a well-established and fair criminal judicial system. Article 63 of the Basic Law provides that the Department of Justice of the HKSAR government controls criminal prosecutions, free from any interference, and the prosecutors have always been discharging this constitutional duty independently and professionally, without fear or favor, the spokesman said. Prosecutorial decisions are based on an objective assessment of admissible and reliable evidence and applicable laws, made strictly in accordance with the Prosecution Code which is available to the public, the spokesman said, noting that cases will not be handled any differently owing to the political beliefs, demands or backgrounds of the persons involved. "The people of Hong Kong enjoy extensive rights and freedoms which are enshrined in the Basic Law. Article 4 of the Basic Law provides that the HKSAR shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents of the HKSAR and of other persons in the region in accordance with law. In addition, human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong are fully protected by the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation," the spokesman said. As for the roles of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the spokesman said they represent the central government to which the HKSAR comes directly under pertaining to Article 12 of the Basic Law. These offices have the power and responsibility over the proper and full implementation of the Basic Law and "one country, two systems," the spokesman said, stressing that there is no intervention in the affairs that the HKSAR administers on its own in accordance with the Basic Law. Any "sanctions" imposed under the act will not create an obligation for financial institutions under Hong Kong law, the spokesman said, urging the U.S. side to act responsibly by refraining from taking measures that may potentially affect the normal operations of financial institutions and the vast number of customers they serve. It's been four and a half years since Houston's 'filthiest house' hit the market, but the smell is one you don't forget. Paul Gomberg, who was part of the "Rockstar Realty Group" at Keller Williams Realty in Conroe at the time, was going to sell the Champions-area home for a couple he had worked with in a different part of the city. When the couple first told Gomberg about the home, all they said was a "little rough around the edges and they had to do some clean up to it." He recalls how instantly disgusted he was when he finally saw it for himself. "Where should I puke first?" was his first thought, he said, when he entered. The play room was full of animal poop. The bed was soaked in urine. The toilet was full of feces that sat mountain high. What the couple had failed to mention to Gomberg was that they hadn't lived in the home for months and was now using it to store their animals. For a three month period, 12 dogs, six cats and a potbelly pig lived in the home alone. "I had never seen anything like it before," Gomberg, who's been in the real estate business for almost 40 years, said. The couple didn't seem to think the animal waste, trash and rancid smell mattered too much though, offering to take up some carpet and paint a few walls to restore the home before kicking off the selling process. Gomberg had a different idea. "Let me just sell it how it is," he told them. The couple was shocked, but Gomberg knew what he was doing. He immediately put his marketing, and comedy, skills to use. He first posted the listing to the Houston Association of Realtors website. "This is the filthiest house in Houston. Be prepared before you enter," the listing warned. "The home really smells terrible but is getting better with time. It will need a lot of work. The pool is dark, mercury green. The power has been off for about a year." Gomberg and his photographer also produced a 2+ minute YouTube video, highlighting the homes worst features. THE HOUSE AWAKENS: Houston realtor and his kids don 'Star Wars' gear to help showcase $1M Friendswood home "Let's travel back in time three years ago, when this house was in its glory days," the video began, with glamour shots of the home in its better cared-for days. But from there, Gomberg stuck with his plan to market the home as is, eventually showing viewers what the home looked like in its current state. "Recently, 12 dogs, six cats and a potbelly pig lived here and converted this lovely home into a giant toilet," he continued in the video. His marketing idea seemed to work, because shortly after, people were calling to view the home. Gomberg even gave a few limousine rides to a couple of people who wanted to see the home with their own eyes. He started the listing around $180,000. After speaking with the short sale department at the couple's bank, Gomberg decided they needed to lower the price even more, considering the condition the house was in. They lowered the price to $115,000, and offers ranging between between $115,000 and $216,000 started rolling in. The owners weren't satisfied though. They turned down about 40 offers because, even though the home was full of animal feces and had a smell you couldn't get rid of, they wanted $280,000. "People would show up and come out holding their nose," said Gomberg. "I remember one person walking out and throwing up in the bushes. Another person wouldn't even go in. That's how bad it smelled." Gomberg got used to it though. He tried his best to reason with the couple and get them to realize that a home in such 'disgusting' condition was not going to sell for almost $300,000, considering the amount of work that would have to be put into it. After putting the home on and off the market for about eight months, he eventually grew tired. "The bank wasn't willing to deal on it at the time," he said. "There was nobody that was going to pay $280,000 for that home. That would be if the house was in great condition and only needed a little paint." The home was beyond that. "It became such a nuisance to me because the bank wasn't willing to budge on it," Gomberg said. After about a year, Gomberg gave up. He talked to the seller and decided he was done. "I kind of walked away from it and never looked back. Here I am four and a half years later and I still get calls (about the home)." Gomberg said he doesn't regret the way he marketed the home because at the time, his tactic worked. "My success has been based really on my counter intuitive to any normal real estate marketing," he said. The bank eventually sold the home at a trustee's auction in 2018. Today, according to the Harris County Appraisal District, the home is appraised at $305,120. Cool people never say they are cool. They let others do the talking. This is precisely the case of Baldev. Enjoying a most enviable reputation in Delhis most upscale hang-out, he is known as the coolest guy in Khan Market. Or at least these exact words are glowingly painted on the wall just behind him. Baldev is a banana seller in Khan Market, since 1984. This morning, too, he is stationed by his pavement stall. Dismissing the flattering description on the wall, the turbaned (and masked) man shrugs, telling in a monotonous tone that somebody came and painted that last year, or may be the year before that. The gentleman has a poetic way of measuring time. This is how he discloses his age: Do kum sattar (two less from 70). After the manners of truly classy and self-assured people, Baldev doesnt feel the need to clothe himself in the opinions of others. He doesnt think much of being considered cool, he says, but does modestly inform that shoppers often come to click his photos. He is popular, he suggests. In some sense, Baldevs life is a mirror reflection of thousands of men who make their living in the metropolis as fruit vendors. Raised in the backwaters of Sultanpur, UP, he arrived in Delhi in the early 1980s and lives with two sons in a rented housing in south Delhis Kotla village. Every morning he gets a fresh stock of bananas from a warehouse, after which he pedals to Khan Market, where he stays until evening. The bananas are arranged picturesquely on his cycle, with a straw basket each placed on the handle bar and on the back carrier. Baldev recalls that he had originally chosen this area for his operations not because of Khan Market but because the building over there used to have many government offices. He waves his arm towards the multi-storey Lok Nayak Bhawan. People working there were my customers.... they would come in great numbers to my stall throughout the day. Most of those offices moved out of the building a long time ago, he mutters. Now my customers are market people. Soon, an auto rickshaw driver arrives to get a couple of bananas. After dispatching him off, Baldev turns to look at the painted words on the wall. I usually stand across the road, but these days its hot so Im staying here in the shade. He starts to readjust his fruit. You certainly ought to consider stopping by Baldev for bananas, but the more important reason to visit him is the fact that he is a living landmark of Khan Market a destination so unique in the Capital that is as much loved (for its Partition-era origins, its longtime shops, its restaurants) as it is derided (for its so-called opulence and snobbery). The market has drastically changed its character over time, and also recently, with the closure of popular cafes and showrooms due to the coronavirus-related crisis. But it continues to hold on to its Baldev, who, along with a handful of shops, links Khan Markets present to its past. You will find him in the markets periphery, where the middle lane meets St Luke Marg, next to a coffee chain outlet that earlier used to be an Asian speciality restaurant. WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. There was one time that Ashanti Palmer thought about skipping school. A big snowstorm had hit, but the Mount Vernon schools stayed open when other districts closed down. "I felt like they should have canceled but I went," she said. "I was basically the only one in the classroom." Palmer's commitment to attending school, and achieving big things once there, is beyond question. The newly minted graduate of Mount Vernon's Nellie A. Thornton High School and Performing & Visual Arts Magnet Program achieved a rare feat during her public school career. She never missed a day. Not one, going all the way back to pre-kindergarten. "I knew I couldn't miss a day," she said. "It just felt wrong." Ashanti Palmer, right, who never missed a day of school, at her gradation. With her is Evelyn Collins, principal of Nellie A. Thornton High School in Mount Vernon. For Palmer, 17, a pristine attendance record is only one part of a sterling scholastic resume. She was valedictorian of her class, graduating with an average of more than 100, and has scholarships lined up to cover four years of expenses at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, where she plans to study biomedical engineering. Then she hopes to go to medical school before beginning a career in soft-tissue mechanics and prosthetics. "I just always liked knowing how the body works and figuring out ways to improve it with technology to make life easier," she said. 'Our kids had been forgotten': Parents of special education kids hope for summer school Evelyn Collins, Thornton's principal, said that Palmer's unblemished attendance record shows her drive and commitment to excellence. "No one had to tell her to be determined," she said. "Its simply who she is. She is aware of her gifts, but is very comfortable sharing her gifts with others." Collins said that Thornton's graduating class was exceptional, but that Palmer still separated herself. "We are looking to hear her name later in life," she said. "She is an inspiration." Story continues Not surprisingly, Palmer had no trouble with the transition to remote learning in March. She liked doing her studies on her own schedule. "That's what college will be like," she said. Car celebrates the achievements of Ashanti Palmer, Thornton High School valedictorian, who never missed a day of school. Asked what she learned from the history-changing events of recent months first the spread of COVID-19, then the reactions to George Floyd's killing Palmer was measured and reflective. "It was eye-opening and showed me how quickly things can change," she said. "I think I learned to take every moment more preciously and to be aware of everything going on around me." Mount Vernon schools Superintendent Kenneth Hamilton said educators don't often get to see the people that their students will become, but that Palmer is different because she is something of a "masterpiece." He said she will serve as a role model for young girls who follow her through the Mount Vernon schools. But he wants a student who never missed a day of school to know that perfection is beyond the reach of all. "I dont want her to get so pressured that she feels she has to be this flawless young woman," Hamilton said. "We're all subject to frailties in life. Things happen, and it's okay. She has a culture, a society, a village of people who will stand ready to support her." Follow Gary Stern on Twitter: @garysternNY This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Mt. Vernon, New York valedictorian had perfect K-12 attendance record New Delhi: The Sri Lankan government is going to reopen cinema halls nationwide on Saturday (June 27) that have been shut since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement by the Department of Government Information said that cinemas will be permitted to reopen on June 27 if they adhere to health guidelines issued by the Health Services Director General. The management of each cinema will be required to hand over a declaration of agreement to the health officers of the area. The Sri Lankan government will also re-open all museums and other cultural attractions from July 1. This also includes the Public Reference Libraries run by the National Archives. However, the government said that all of these sites will maintain limits on the number of visitors and the people will have to adhere to COVID 19-guidelines issued by the Health Department. Sri Lanka is also set to open its airports on August 1 for foreign tourists with strict health guidelines in place. The island country has so far reported over 2,000 COVID-19 patients out of which over 1,600 have recovered and been discharged. The death toll stood at 11. Protestor Iris Bowen raises her fist, front center, along with with many other protestors gathered at the Art Museum steps, in remembrance of George Floyd, in Philadelphia, June 04, 2020. Read more The United States may be seeing the most compelling evidence yet that the best way to stop the coronavirus is also the most disruptive and difficult: Stay home and avoid other people. At first glance, the evidence seems conflicting. States in the South and West that reopened their economies early and with few precautions are now grappling with huge surges in daily case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths. Yet Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and other cities across the country have not seen the sharp, sustained spikes that were expected after hundreds of thousands of people gathered for protests against police brutality. Daily demonstrations, some capped by riots, began about a week after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police on May 25. The maximum incubation period for COVID-19 the time between getting infected and showing symptoms is believed to be two weeks, so any fallout should be clear by now. The leading theory to explain this paradox is that being outdoors is safer than indoors. Numerous studies support this. Japanese researchers, for example, found the odds of indoor transmission of the coronavirus were about 19 times greater than in the open air. But a new study funded by the National Bureau of Economic Research offers another explanation: The protests prompted an overall increase in people staying home, which mostly offset any impact of transmission among protesters. This is consistent with avoidance behavior, said Andrew Friedson, a health economist at the University of Colorado, Denver and co-author of the paper. These protests are large gatherings which are likely to spread the disease. But if theres an offsetting behavior an increase in social distancing then that may have caused the overall spread to stay flat or even go down a bit. READ MORE: Philly requires masks as city sees increase in new coronavirus cases The researchers used cell-phone tracking data from Safegraph to see what percentage of the population did not leave home in big cities with protests, compared with cities that didnt have protests. The results clearly linked an increase in stay-at-home behavior to the civil unrest. Curfews played a part in this behavior but did not completely account for it. Its entirely possible that protesters have gotten COVID-19 while demonstrating, Friedson said. Thats a question for contact tracers. But other things going to bars, seeing friends, not wearing masks also increase the spread. Those other things are the main driver of the renewed outbreaks in states including Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi and Florida states that had largely reopened. While expanded testing accounts for some of the soaring case numbers, the proportion of positive tests suggests increased transmission. In Arizona, 23% of tests over the last week came back positive. Several governors have suspended further reopenings or reimposed some restrictions. FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered. There are no data on infections among protesters. But circumstantial evidence, anecdotes, and basic biology suggest some protesters got sick and spread the coronavirus even if overall case numbers didnt spike. An increasing number of new COVID-19 cases across the country are among people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, the New York Times reported. Protesters were predominantly in these younger age groups. Philadelphia health officials urged protesters to get a diagnostic test for the virus, even if they wore masks. Vybe Urgent Care Centers and Sayre Health Clinic, which dont restrict testing to people with symptoms or a doctors order, reported an uptick in testing as some people followed the citys advice. Another reason to expect transmission during protests: Philadelphia police used teargas and pepper spray that left peaceful protesters reeling, coughing, and retching. If any of them had the virus and many people who are infected have no symptoms they would have spewed infectious droplets into the air. Philadelphia has seen an increase in cases among people ages 20 to 34, who now make up about a quarter of all cases. But the timing of the increase does not point to the protests, said Thomas Farley, the citys health commissioner. On Friday, Farley warned that an uptick in cases in recent days, coinciding with the gradual reopening of businesses, is worrisome. He said he would reconsider whether the city can move into the green phase next week. Cases in the community are no longer decreasing, Farley said as he announced 143 new cases Friday. A pair of Republicans are facing off this summer for a seat on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal. Their district covers all of St. Tammany Parish, as well as East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington and West Feliciana parishes. The race for the 3rd District, Division D seat features 22nd Judicial District Judge Richard "Rick" Swartz and 21st Judicial District Judge Elizabeth "Beth" Wolfe. The seat opened up last year when Circuit Judge William "Will" Crain was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Swartz has been a 22nd Judicial District Court judge since 2009, including serving as chief judge from 2016 to 2018, and has previously served as a judge pro tempore for Slidell City Court. He's supervised the judicial district's DWI/Sobriety Court program and is a former assistant district attorney. My experience as a District Court Judge, City Court Judge, Assistant District Attorney and private law practitioner has provided me with a deep and thorough understanding of justice and the legal system," Swartz said. "I have served my community in leadership roles in a number of civic and professional organizations. Currently as District Court Judge, I have handled several thousand civil and criminal cases and have presided over more than 200 trials. As an Appeals Court Judge, I will continue to follow and apply the law in a fair and unbiased manner." Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Wolfe, originally from Hammond but based now in Albany, has served as a judge for the 21st Judicial District for the last 15 years. She had been a prosecutor in the 21st Judicial District prior to that and practiced law privately for almost 20 years at the beginning of her career. "For 15 years, I served as an assistant district attorney, handling all criminal cases ranging from traffic to first degree murder," she said. "I tried numerous felony jury trials during that time, handled juvenile cases of neglect and abuse, and I prosecuted juveniles for various crimes. As a judge, for the past 15 years, I've presided over those same types of cases, as well as civil and divorce and custody trials. Serious criminal cases and hotly contested custody cases are ones that are appealed most of the time, and I have by far the most experience in those matters." Both candidates studied law at LSU. Early voting continues daily through July 4. RABAT, Morocco - Moroccan authorities said they categorically reject an Amnesty International report claiming the government used surveillance software to spy on the phone of a prominent journalist and human rights activist. In a report published this week, Amnesty said forensic analysis it carried out on the cellphone of Omar Radi indicated that his communications were monitored from January 2019 using technology developed by Israeli hacker-for-hire company NSO Group. In a statement released late on Friday, Moroccan authorities rejected Amnestys baseless allegations, saying that the report serves agendas motivated by hostility against Morocco and competitors in the intelligence market. Amnestys local director, Mohamed Sektaoui, was summoned by authorities Friday and asked to provide evidence as soon as possible, the statement said. Radi was questioned by police on Thursday on suspicions of receiving funds linked to foreign intelligence services. He dismissed the allegations as ridiculous. Radi was arrested last year after a tweet that defended anti-government protesters. He was subsequently put on trial in March this year, accused of insulting a judge with his tweet that slammed the prison sentences handed down to protest leaders. He received a four-month suspended jail sentence and a $50 fine. Bengaluru: With the graph of coronavirus going up in the city, the government has reserved 2,200 beds for COVID cases out of the 10,689 beds available at 11 private medical colleges in the city. At least 281 ICU COVID beds out of the 561 and 120 ventilators of the total 239 at these private colleges have also been reserved. The medical colleges have been ordered to run a minimum of two fever clinics and ensure that Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved COVID-19 testing laboratories are established. On Friday, the state health department noted 445 cases, including 65 cases linked to interstate passengers, taking the tally to 11,005. Ten people died of the virus on Friday. Out of 445 cases, 178 have been admitted to the ICU. Bengaluru registered 144 cases, out of which 123 are in the ICU. COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION A REALITY With the influx of Maharashtra returnees to Karnataka, there has been a spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases. Doctors now believe that there will be a surge in the number of positive cases in the next month. Dr CN Manjunath, director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, acknowledged that though there is no major case of community transmission but added there has been a spurt in the number cases due to returnees from Maharashtra. South Western Railway TTE succumbs to Covid A 57-year-old Travelling ticketing Examiner (TTE) succumbed to coronavirus in Bagalkot; his swab test result coming out positive after his death. He had no issue of comorbidities. . 16 COVID CASES IN RANDOM TESTING In a random testing of BMTC employees, sixteen positive cases were detected, out of which four have been discharged from the hospital. Primary contacts have been tracked by the Bengaluru civic authorities and put under home quarantine. ONE PATIENT DIES BY SUICIDE A 60-year-old woman who tested positive killed herself at KC General hospital, Malleshwaram. She was hanging in the restroom of the hospital at 2 am. A few days ago, a head constable with the state reserve police had died by suicide on his way to CV Raman hospital. It is important to be able to differentiate between stress and anxiety. Stress is mostly due to a specific reason but anxiety is more out of imaginary and futuristic thoughts. Stress can be managed by various techniques but anxiety may need pharmacotherapy. Stress is short-term and can lead to sleep disturbances, poor attention and concentration while if left untreated can lead to anxiety which has physical manifestations like palpitations, sweating, loss of appetite and sleep disorders which if persist for long can also lead to feeling of worthlessness and suicidal ideation, Dr Himani Khanna, Developmental Pediatrician & Co-Founder of Continua Kids explained. CONTAINMENT ZONES Keeping the flow of economic activities in mind, the state government has refused to impose another lockdown. However, 477 areas in the city have been declared as containment zones by the civic body, with maximum cases being reported from South and West zones. On June 25, BBMP noted 1,268 instances of people not wearing masks and collected Rs 2.5 lakh. Over 52 cases of violations of social distancing were also reported. Special commissioner, BBMP, Randeep D stated, The officials track home quarantined citizens who have to mandatorily stay at home. If they do not stay at home, criminal cases will be lodged. Our officials are tracing primary and secondary contacts of Covid positive persons. But we request the contact of such persons to voluntarily come forward and follow quarantine norms. The Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) have to help us in tracing them. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday used a satellite image to question the government over the border standoff with China in eastern Ladakhs Galwan Valley. The former Union ministers tweet came a day after the Congress launched an online campaign, #SpeakUpForOurJawans, demanding transparency from the Centre over the alleged Chinese incursion into Indian territory. Twenty soldiers of the 16 Bihar regiment, including its commanding officer Colonel B Santosh Babu, were killed on June 15 at Patrol Point 14 in Ladakh during a clash with the Chinese army. The Congress party has raised the pitch and attacked the government for what it calls its silence over the border issue. Spot the differences between May 22 and June 22, 2020 on the INDIA-CHINA border, Chidambaram tweeted on Saturday. Spot the differences between May 22 and June 22, 2020 on the INDIA-CHINA border. pic.twitter.com/nLZzc3fjuQ P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) June 27, 2020 He then turned his focus to Nadda, the Bharatiya Janata Partys president, who had on Friday alleged that the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF) donated money to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power at the Centre. Nadda had, in a series of tweets, said one familys hunger for wealth hurt the nation, and also accused the Congress of committing a brazen fraud by diverting public money into a family-run foundation. RGF is a trust chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Mr Nadda, come to terms with reality, dont live in the past that is distorted by your half-truths. Please answer our questions on Chinese intrusion into Indian territory, Chidambaram tweeted. Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante? he asked. BJP President Mr Nadda specialises in speaking half-truths. My colleague Mr Randeep Surjewala exposed his half truths yesterday. Before Chidambarams satellite image tweet, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had stepped up attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-China border standoff. They had asked the government to take people into confidence on the extent of territories being occupied by Chinese troops. Other senior party leaders such as Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Chidambaram, along with all Congress Working Committee members, party state chiefs and legislative party leaders have also issued videos. On its part, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been attacking the Congress for allowing even more incursions during their regime. It feels like we are a nation divided over whether or not we plan to go for a pint next Saturday. There are those who, come July 4, will be treating themselves to a longed-for summer's day out at the pub. And there are those, judging by what I've been reading on social media over the past week, who think anyone doing so is either reckless, selfish or has simply lost the plot. They won't be using public transport, joining queues outside Ikea or Primark nor booking in for a cut and blow-dry either at least not without pulling on a hazmat suit first. And don't even mention the relaxation of the two-metre rule. 'What about the second wave?' they ask. They are, of course, referring to the fear that a lack of caution over the easing of lockdown restrictions now will result in a resurgence of Covid-19 a few months down the line, with even more cases and a worse death rate. While I agree such a scenario is terrifying and would be horrific, what I'm going to say will ruffle some feathers, but I feel it must be said: I just don't think there's going to be a second wave. Many people, come July 4, will be treating themselves to a longed-for summer's day out at the pub Let me stress that I've supported the Government's lockdown to the hilt and I back social distancing measures entirely. I'm the face of an NHS campaign to try to encourage everyone to wear masks when out and about an important practice that many still incorrectly think is over the top. So I am not a sceptic, a denier, or one of those conspiracy theorists who pompously think the coronavirus is just a load of fuss over nothing. Only last week I wrote about how my sadness over Britain's death toll motivated me to volunteer as a guinea pig for a Covid-19 vaccine trial. And I know I'm going out on a limb compared with some senior medical colleagues. Virus fact Half of all adults believe the pandemic has changed their lifestyle for the better, according to the Office for National Statistics. Advertisement On Wednesday, a joint letter in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) from highly respected leaders of the NHS Confederation, the British Medical Association and the presidents of several leading Royal colleges warned of a 'real risk' of a second wave. It rightly called for preparedness and detailed plans to ensure the most vulnerable, including front-line workers and Asian and black Britons, aren't hit as badly as they were earlier this year. There was a huge amount of complacency at the start of the pandemic and if lessons are not learned then, yes, a second wave is a real possibility. But that doesn't mean a catastrophic resurgence of Covid-19 is inevitable or, I'd go as far to say, even likely. Furthermore, I strongly believe the continued reluctance to restart life as normally as is possible is now causing huge harm, particularly when it comes to the dithering over the reopening of schools. You see, I think as long as we can embrace 'the new normal', to use the political catchphrase, then the worst may now be behind us. Firstly, I want to address the whole concept of a second wave. It seems to stem from the pattern of infections seen in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. As with Covid-19, it hit hard in spring of that year it was the tail end of the First World War, and troops were returning home, a factor said to have helped spread the virus. It died down over the summer, then returned with a vengeance in autumn. About 50 million people worldwide died roughly 228,000 in Britain and a third of the world's population was infected. The bulk of the deaths happened during the second wave but why isn't clear: reports from the time are patchy partly hampered by wartime reporting restrictions. Claims that 'lifting of quarantine' was responsible are incorrect, though. The concept of a second wave seems to stem from the pattern of infections seen in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, pictured There was no quarantine in the UK back then. In fact, for the most part life went on pretty much as usual, with public places such as pubs remaining open, despite the scores of fatalities. But just because it happened in 1918 doesn't mean second waves always occur. Analysis by the University of Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, published in May, examined ten viral pandemics over the past 150 or so years and found no consistent pattern. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying cases will now drop to zero, and that it's all over for Covid-19. Far from it. It's likely that the number of infections will remain in their hundreds. But, instead of a tsunami of cases this winter, we'll keep seeing smaller bumps and ripples outbreaks, not second waves. If we are properly prepared, as my peers demanded in their letter in the BMJ, we can protect the most vulnerable and quash any local spikes as they appear. A true second wave would require a sustained, nationwide rise in infections with cases doubling or even tripling every few days, as we saw in March. But this hasn't been seen anywhere so far. Last week, Germany which eased restrictions in early May announced a new lockdown in Gutersloh in the west of the country, after an outbreak linked to abattoir workers led to more than 1,500 new cases. Something similar happened in China, when dozens of cases linked to a Beijing market emerged and the government reportedly went into 'war mode' to contain the virus. Which, as far as we can tell, it succeeded in doing. And there have been 200 cases identified in North Wales again, linked to a meat-processing factory. It's been suggested that the workers there couldn't afford to stay at home any longer, so went in while suffering symptoms. Other rises in cases are being reported across Europe, all of them outbreaks not second waves. As with other countries, we do now have a test, track and trace system in place it's not perfect and needs to be improved, but it is something. And I'd wager that not a single business in the country looks the same as it did six months ago. Many staff may continue to work at home, while others will face social-distancing measures in the workplace. If you do decide to go to the pub next Saturday, don't expect a scrum at the bar. Drinkers may have to order by app and register their names and addresses so they can be traced if it turns out another customer develops Covid-19. And if you plan to use public transport, wearing a mask is now mandatory to stop you from unwittingly spreading the virus. It all adds up to one big nuisance but I really believe it could keep the virus at bay. And I'm not alone. Dr Neil Stone, a consultant in infectious diseases at London's University College Hospital, told me last week: 'There is likely to be an increase in infections after lockdown ends, but the difference is we now have testing on a large scale. We wash our hands more. We socially distance and wear masks. If you plan to use public transport, wearing a mask is now mandatory to stop you from unwittingly spreading the virus. Pictured: Passengers on the Tube on Friday 'Everyone is aware of the virus, so it's a different world to the one that went into this pandemic. Local outbreaks will be spotted and dealt with much quicker.' We've had more than 300,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Britain, and more than 50,000 fatalities. But the Office for National Statistics reports that the overall weekly number of recorded deaths has returned to normal levels for this time of year. Crucially, the rate of new infections continues to fall and this is despite a huge amount more 'mingling' going on. There was VE Day, then the May heatwaves and easing of lockdown that saw people flocking to the beach, and more recently the Black Lives Matter protests. Virus fact Despite the reopening of non-essential shops, only ten per cent of Britons left their homes to visit them last week. Advertisement Wherever you look, across the world, numbers seem to be following a similar pattern. There have been concerns about surges in cases in US states such as Texas, Arizona and California. But as intensive care consultant Ron Daniels recently said to me: 'The rises are being seen in places that had relatively low numbers before. Realistically, many of these places are probably still very much in the first wave of the pandemic not a second one.' By the end of April, the UK was past the peak of the pandemic. In Texas population 29 million numbers began to rise in late May, and overall they've had just 2,249 recorded deaths so far. In California they went into lockdown on March 20 when Covid-19 cases leapt from 77 to 331 in a day. But numbers hovered around 2,000 a day only now, as restrictions are being lifted, are they seeing the sharp increase experienced just about everywhere. Did they lockdown too early? And are countries such as New Zealand, which shut its borders to avoid a first wave, simply prolonging the inevitable? Only time will tell. I have another reason to be optimistic. The proportion of those extremely sick with Covid-19 seems to be shrinking. The number needing intensive care is falling much faster than overall infection rates, or hospital admissions, according to the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre. There are numerous theories for this. It's possible the virus is becoming less potent, although there isn't much evidence for that. The 4,000-bed Nightingale Hospital in East London, pictured, created at breakneck speed to cope with the expected caseload, was 'mothballed' in May having treated just 54 people Or it may be, as some evidence suggests, that some in the population just don't get ill with Covid-19 because they have some 'cross-immunity' after being infected with common cold-causing coronaviruses. Or perhaps those in the population who were most vulnerable to the virus have already been either killed by it or had it and survived, so are immune for the time being. In terms of handling outbreaks, we are now better prepared for the illness itself. Far fewer patients than expected needed to be put on ventilators. And there was never a true problem coping with the huge influx of patients, which was the big worry at first. The 4,000-bed Nightingale Hospital in East London, created at breakneck speed to cope with the expected caseload, was 'mothballed' in May having treated just 54 people. Similar facilities in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Exeter and Harrogate are also now no longer active, but 'on standby'. Maybe the best news of all is we now have two drugs shown to work, to some extent at least. Most promising is the cheap-as-chips steroid dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory that reduces deaths among those most ill with the virus. An antiviral drug, Remdesivir, may also reduce the length of the illness. Clinicians also have a better understanding of which patients are likely to get sickest. One of the things that seems to kill patients with Covid-19 is the immune system going haywire, causing widespread inflammation inside the body and ultimately leading to fatal organ damage. This reaction can be measured using a standard blood test that looks for a compound called C-reactive protein, or CRP. Patients can be checked as soon as they come into hospital, and those with worrying CRP levels flagged as needing extra attention. We also now know that Covid-19 leads to a higher risk of blood clots in the lungs, which was a surprise it's seen with flu, but it's almost ten times worse with this coronavirus. It means blood-thinning treatment designed to target this can be given early on, too. Hair salons, featuring staff wearing PPE, pictured, are set to reopen on July 4 along with pubs The reason I say all this about the risk of a second wave isn't simply to persuade Twitter warriors. There's a serious consequence to the reluctance in some quarters to ease lockdown namely, in schools. For middle-class kids, with access to home computers, webcams and professional mums and dads also at home to help with lessons, the impact of the lockdown will, ultimately, be minimal. But the difficulties faced by youngsters from less well-off families can't be underestimated. The longer that Ministers, teachers and union chiefs squabble and waste time, the greater this health crisis becomes. The risk to children from Covid-19 is negligible they have more chance of getting struck by lightning than they do of getting severely ill from it. We know now that shutting schools had little impact on the spread of the virus, so opening them from this summer won't either. Of course, there are still so many unknowns. As little as five per cent of the UK population may have been exposed to the coronavirus so far, and we still don't know for how long they'll remain immune. Will the public keep up with the ever-changing and often confusing advice coming from health policymakers? Will we manage to quash outbreaks when they arise? Again, time will tell. The key is vigilance. We have to dare I say it stay alert. If we do then that might well see us safely through winter. It's a case of hope for the best, while making damn sure we're prepared for the worst. All in all I feel optimistic, so let's drink to that, at least! An 18-year-old man died outside an SSLC exam centre in Karnataka's Bijapur district on Saturday after allegedly being beaten up by the police. According to initial reports, Sagar Chalavadi from Basavana Bagewadi taluk died of a heart attack after he was lathi-charged by the police. The police personnel allegedly beat him up after suspecting his involvement in malpractice along with another person. Chalavadi's family alleged he was outside the exam centre as he had gone to drop off his sister and that he was not involved in any malpractice. The family claimed he died as a result of police assault. However, District Superintendent of Police Anupam Agarwal who later visited the spot and took note of the incident denied allegations of physical assault. Shivappa, an eyewitness who was with Chalavadi during the incident, told News18 they are not connected to any examination malpractices as claimed by the police. We were crossing the examination centre in Hoovina Hipparagi when a policeman stopped us. He asked where we are heading and he hit our motorcycle. I told him that Sagar is unwell and we are going to a hospital. He again hit the bike; we told him we will head back and turned. Then he thrashed Sagars back with a police baton, said Shivappa. According to eyewitnesses, Chalavadi was chased by police after which he had a heart attack and collapsed. He is suspected to have had a pre-existing heart condition. Chalavadi was taken to Hoovina Hipparagi health centre from where he was rushed to the taluk hospital at the insistence of local healthcare personnel. When they reach the Basavana Bagewadi taluk hospital, Chalavadi was declared dead on arrival. Chalavadi's uncle, who was with him outside the exam centre, said the victim was hit by the police and when he tried to escape on his bike, the vehicle skid. SP Agarwal said Chalavadi was outside the exam centre with his relative and there were allegations that he was beaten up by the police and that he had a heart disease. "I visited the place and spoke to eyewitness and a doctor. He wasn't beaten up," said Agarwal. "The police chased him from there, then he met with an accident. From what we are told, he had a pre-existing heart ailment that caused a shock, leading to his death. We will know the exact cause of death after the post-mortem." Local police personnel on condition of anonymity told News18 the youth were involved in malpractice and when confronted, they tried to run and fell. We learned that Sagar previously had a history of cardiac issues and he must have died due to shock after being caught. Nobody beat him, said a local police personnel. The body of the victim has been sent for post-mortem. (With inputs from Mahesh V Shatagar in Bijapur and Sharath Sharma Kalagaru in Bengaluru) Milton Glaser, a prolific Manhattan graphic designer credited with creating the iconic I Love NY tourism logo has died. Glaser passed away Friday after suffering a stroke, his wife Shirley told the New York Times. Her husband also had renal failure. He was the son of Eugene and Eleanor (Bergman) Glaser, who were Hungarian immigrants. His father owned a dry-cleaning business and tailoring shop. His mother had been a homemaker. The Bronx native had come up with the I Love NY logo after drawing it on the back of an envelope in red crayon while on a taxi cab ride. Milton Glaser, a prolific Manhattan graphic designer credited with creating the iconic I Love NY tourism logo, has died. Glaser passed away Friday after suffering a stroke, his wife Shirley told the New York Times. Her husband also had renal failure The I Love NY logo is pictured in front of the New York State capitol. Glaser came up with the idea for the logo after drawing it on the back of an envelope while riding in a taxi cab The logo was designed with black letters and relied on a red colored heart shape, instead of spelling out the word love, and was a precursor to the use of today's emoji symbols. The tourism campaign which has relied on the logo started in 1977 and remains in use today. The logo itself became as well-recognized around the world as some of New York's landmarks, including the Empire State Building. 'I'm flabbergasted by what happened to this little, simple nothing of an idea,' Mr. Glaser told The Village Voice in 2011, the Times reports. The logo after the September 11th terrorist attacks was updated to read I Love NY More than Ever and was shown with a small bruise on the heart. It was a popular response to the tragedy, which even made it on to a wrap around page used for front and back pages of the Daily News a week after the attack. The logo after the September 11th terrorist attacks was updated to read I Love NY More than Ever and was shown with a small bruise on the heart. It was a popular response to the tragedy, which even made it to the front page of the Daily News at the time. Glaser learned to draw from social realist artists Raphael and Moses Soyer and attended High School of Music & Art in Manhattan, renamed Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. He also flunked the entrance exam. After twice failing the entrance exam to get into Pratt Institute, he enrolled at Cooper Union. He then started Push Pin Studios with some of his classmates in 1954. He also was cofounder of New York Magazine in 1968. He became known for a number of lighter design styles that resonated with magazine publishers and advertisers who turned to his work over traditional commercial art. Other designers at the time swung between modernist-influenced images to more defined realism, as reflected, for example, in the pages of the Saturday Evening Post, the Times reports. Glaser, who had still kept his offices in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood open for business until April of last year, had started Push Pin Studios with some of his classmates from Cooper Union in 1954 'We were excited by the very idea that we could use anything in the visual history of humankind as influence,' said Glaser during an interview for the 2004 book, 'The Push Pin Graphic: A Quarter Century of Innovative Design and Illustration'. 'Art Nouveau, Chinese wash drawing, German woodcuts, American primitive paintings, the Viennese secession and cartoons of the '30s were an endless source of inspiration,' he added. 'All the things that the doctrine of orthodox modernism seemed to have contempt for-- ornamentation, narrative illustration, visual ambiguity - attracted us.' Amid his work in the 1960s and 1970s, he also designed a famed poster of Bob Dylan with psychedelic hair. As many as 6 million prints were made of the poster, which came as part of Dylan's 1967 great hits album. Over his career, Glaser would design more than 400 posters. An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team on Saturday visited senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel's residence in Delhi to question him in connection with the Sandesara brothers money laundering case, officials said. They said the three-member team reached Patel's home at 23, Mother Teresa Crescent in central Delhi and it will record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had summoned Patel twice for questioning in the case but the Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat cited the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines that advise senior citizens to stay indoors. The agency agreed to his request and subsequently informed him that they will send an investigating officer to him for questioning. The case pertains to probe against Sandesara brothers -- Chetan and Nitin -- and a few others for alleged multi-crore bank fraud and money laundering by Gujarat-based firm Sterling Biotech. Country in the middle of its April to October rainy season which sometimes causes deadly floods and landslides. At least seven people died on Thursday in flash floods during torrential rains which pummelled Ivory Coasts Abidjan for two days. This comes less than two weeks after 13 people were killed by a landslide nearby. On Friday, the countrys meteorological services warned more rain was expected through the weekend. The administrative head of the Abidjan area, Vincent Toh Bi Irie, said on Facebook that in some places, the rainfall could reach 300 millimetres (12 inches) today, or six times the threshold for a critical alert. He urged residents not to go to regions where there is a risk of flooding and told people in areas prone to landslides to leave. The West African nation is in the middle of its April to end of October rainy season which sometimes causes deadly floods and landslides. On Thursday, Abidjans weak drainage system was quickly overwhelmed. Major thoroughfares were flooded and cars and debris were swept away. Residents in low-lying homes were forced to seek safety. Amankou Gabin, the head of the civil protection unit, said the situation was made worse by poor construction over the years. He said homes were built in storm basins where the rainwater was supposed to pass through to reach Abidjans lagoon. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 12:28:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Total COVID-19 cases in India surpassed half-a-million mark on Saturday, reaching 508,953, as the death toll reached 15,685, confirmed the latest data released by the federal health ministry. Nearly 100,000 fresh cases have been detected in the country in past six days, showed the data. The ministry said 384 new deaths due to COVID-19, besides fresh 18,552 positive cases, were reported during the past 24 hours across the country. "As on 8:00 a.m. (local time) Saturday, 15,685 deaths related to novel Coronavirus have been recorded in the country," reads information released by the ministry. On Friday morning the number of COVID-19 cases in the country was 490,401, and the death toll 15,301. According to ministry officials, so far 295,881 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement. "The number of active cases in the country right now is 197,387," reads the information. The number of confirmed cases in India has witnessed a sudden spurt in recent days. The confirmed cases rose by 15,968 on Wednesday, by 16,922 on Thursday, and by 17,296 Friday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with chief ministers of all states via video conference on June 16 and 17 to chalk out the strategy to help the country come out of the Coronavirus lockdown. Enditem Arleah Laurette Bruce Hillegeist, 84 years old, passed away on June 20 at her Tomball area home in which shed lived for 60 years with her family. The Tomball community celebrated her life as a leader, educator, mother and friend during her public visitation and funeral service this week. Arleahs family suggested that any monetary donations made in her memory be given to Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministries, a nonprofit that Arleah helped found. Nonprofit continues serving: Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministries providing aid for residents Putting into words the magnitude of Arleahs influence is difficult, said Pastor Doug Dommer, who had known Arleah since 1981 when he moved to Tomball to become a pastor at Salem Lutheran Church. He recalled the kindness she showed to a woman who would sit in the church parking lot, reluctant to enter the building. She never thought she was good enough to walk into a church and Arleah walked out to her car and asked her to please come in and sit with her, Doug said. And that woman became one of the most significant people in church because of Arleahs love for going to people no matter who they were. She was amazingly accepting of people no matter what went on in life. Arleah led many activities within the church including a Bible study that she hosted at her home for 26 years. She was the secretary of the churchs board of directors, directed and became a member of Salems choir, and served as the churchs organist. She was also involved with Sunday school, Salems turkey suppers, and the Salem Ladies Aid. Her leadership extended into the Tomball community as well. Upon moving to Tomball, Doug said he quickly learned that Arleah and her husband Roy Hillegeist were respected as leaders in the community. Its not that they were political or anything; they just knew how to influence people out of just kindness and gentleness and rational thinking, Doug said. So, they had huge shadows that they cast in Tomball. They had so much integrity and were highly respected people. On HoustonChronicle.com: Contemporary Arts Museum Houstons annual auction going ahead online Arleah moved to Tomball with her family when she was in the third grade, where she met her longtime friend Eileen Brautigam Allen. Eileen fondly remembers sitting together as little girls on Sunday mornings and passing notes in church service. Some of her most treasured childhood conversations were when she and Arleah would talk about heaven. Its just a special thing to think back on those conversations, Eileen said. Its a precious friendship is all I can say, and I was blessed truly, truly blessed to have known her and counted her as my dear friend. Arleahs father worked for the Humble Oil Company and she lived on what was known as the Humble Oil Camp. She was part of a generation of Tomball residents that were dubbed the Oil Patch Kids, whose parents worked at the oil camp. Arleah graduated from Tomball High School in 1953 as the salutatorian of her class. She earned a degree in music and elementary education from Sam Houston State Teachers College. After college, Arleah taught in several Houston area school districts. During her time as an educator in Tomball ISD, she served as the music teacher for grades kindergarten through 12th. Her love of music kept her active in the church choir. She sang and played the organ at many Tomball area events. My mom sang for most weddings and funerals in Tomball, said her son Bruce Hillegeist. She was very well known for singing I am Jesus Little Lamb, and Jesus Loves Me at infant baptisms. People loved her voice. Arleah had just finished singing at a wedding the night she met her husband, Roy Hillegeist. She and a friend pulled into a drive-in hamburger restaurant next to Roy and a few of his friends. She knew of my dad, Bruce said. She had a friend of hers saying you need to meet this guy named Roy Hillegeist, hes a banker in town. But she had never met him. She married Roy in August 1959 and joined the Salem Lutheran Church. She became a stay-at-home mother and later returned to the education field as a first-grade teacher at Tomball Lutheran School. The impact of her teaching career was evident long after she retired. She was Miss Bruce, that was her maiden name, Bruce Hillegeist said. So, around town, there are adults now who are in their 70s and 80s that she would run across and they would still say, Hello Miss Bruce. That always tickled her. Arleah was active in her childrens lives. She was a school room mother when they were in elementary. During their high school years, she was an officer of the Tomball FFA Booster Club and designed the billing process for the chapters first Project Show and Sale event. She was also active in helping the local Lions Club through her husband Roy, and helped coordinate annual reunion events for her fellow Oil Patch Kids. While serving a year-long term as president of the Tomball Study Club, the club donated the gazebo that is still among the buildings at the Tomball Museum Center. Theres a plaque there about that, Bruce said. In the front is this beautiful gazebo that they use especially on Christmas for their candlelight tours. Arleah devoted 12 years to being a caregiver for her husband Roy after he became incapacitated from an illness. She took such special care of him; couldnt have found a sweeter wife, Eileen said. (After) losing him, then some years passed and she began to decline. One day she said, I have been told that I have Alzheimers. And oh my, the hurt that I felt about that. Eileen continued visiting Arleah, treasuring the time they were able to spend together. The time came when Arleah could no longer communicate. Even then, Eileen remembers, Arleahs love of music shone through. Id say, Come on, lets sing Arleah, and shed maybe sing a line or two and then shed stop and start whistling, Eileen laughed as she described the experience. And so hered we go, whistling and singing. Those were sweet times. It wasnt until Eileen read Arleahs obituary that she realized the extent of her friends contributions to the Tomball community. She never talked about those things to me, Eileen said. I wasnt even aware that she helped organize TEAM. She was very, very humble about it. It wasnt about herself. Arleahs desire to appreciate the goodness in others is a quality she worked to instill in her children. As president of the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, Bruce is now a community leader himself. Acknowledgement of good means a lot to people and my mom stressed that to us, Bruce said. I have to say that has a lot to do with my successes in life. Just to take special time for people means so much to them. My mom was really big on that. The name Arleah was created by combining her fathers initials, AR, and her aunts name, Leah. Though the name is exceptionally uncommon, Bruce said it will live on because of people shes inspired. Theres a young lady and her parents named her Arleah, after my mother, and we had her as a pallbearer; so, there is another Arleah here in Tomball thats carrying on my moms name, Bruce said. And then, that young lady has a friend who lives in Wisconsin and about three months ago she and her husband had a baby and they named her Arleah. Bruces mom became his hero for the devoted care she provided during his fathers illness. In return, her family made sure to provide her with the same level of comfort and care throughout her final years. After she passed, he provided the pastor with her Bible a practice often used to help inform the message of a funeral sermon. A lot of times at funerals, the pastors will borrow the deceaseds Bible and therell be some versus underlined or highlighted, Bruce said. When I gave our pastor her Bible, its like every line in the entire Bible was underlined because through the years she had studied. We came to the conclusion that there was no particular verse that was most important to her. That really just says that the whole Bible was important to her life. Pastor Doug said that with the death of Arleah, the community has lost one of its moral anchors. In the time that Doug knew Arleah, he never heard her speak ill of anyone. Which, he added, is a rare thing to be able to say about someone a person has known for nearly four decades. She just had a way of anchoring some of the most basic values of life and home, of faith, Doug said. People knew they could always go to Arleah and she would be a woman of prayer for them. mfeuk@hcnonline.com It's no less than a landmark for Manoj Bajpayee who successfully survived in the ruthless industry for over 26 years. For someone who hailed from Bihar to the city of dreams, Mumbai, it wasn't easy to make a mark as he has been tested time and again but his talent spoke volumes of his prowess. There have been many ups and downs but he kept going as he believed in the craft that he nurtured over the years. Now, his next venture Bhonsle has been streaming online on SonyLiv and is worth your attention. Well, I got an opportunity to talk to Manoj Bajpayee for the TRP points of Bhonsle, the emergence of OTT platforms, the issue of locals vs migrants in a city, as shown in the movie, and much more. Here are excerpts from my interview: It was to be released in 2018 and after a delay of 2 years, finally, the movie has been released on the OTT platform and will have the voice. What do you have to say about it? We were planning for a theatre release anyway and when the lockdown happened, we discussed the new outlook and that was a marketing call. In the given scenario, theatre wont give any justice to an independent film like this as you have no idea how many theatres, you would be able to release the movie, how many shows we will be getting. The theatre owners have to take the slots of independent movies as they have big banner movies to cater to. So, an OTT release is a win-win situation for an independent movie like this. SonyLIIV From Satya to Bhonsle, do you think that people are now accepting the real cinema and real talent? Well, people do opt for movies that are trashy and add no value to ones cinematic knowledge but theres a slow and gradual change. After Satya, the cinema has gone through a lot of evolution as multiplexes have joined in. They needed more and more content to fill the theatres. What started happening was those big producers who had big banner movies started to book most of the screens for themselves and small films started to less importance. It became more difficult and distributors started to play less head. With OTT platforms coming to emergence, there is some kind of relief among the independent filmmakers. Their intent to cater to independent cinema and giving them the space to showcase their work is indeed a great change. I think, in between, they did start drifting away from the independent movies and showing big-budget movies. SonyLIV Sir, I do agree that OTT platforms did drift apart a bit but over the years, I have come to the realisation its the story that matters more than the star value. Well, the star value can add to the fame quotient but the story is what will keep the viewers hooked. See, I have never been in favour of the star-driven content. I feel that cinema is much bigger than that. If you see at OTT, from dropping the trailer to finally streaming it, people start promoting it because of the content and the shows I have done until now, I just tweeted about it twice and I realized that it has crossed 20 million views on YouTube. Just imagine 20 million views for a films trailer that didnt find a single theatre. Doesnt it teach the fact that content is far superior than any other factors involved? People see it and write about it on social media and through the word of mouth, its getting the appreciation it deserves. Stars dont guarantee the fact that the viewers will connect to the story if the content is not worth it. If the content deserves, the viewers become the promoters and PRs of the movie or the show and 1971 is the biggest example. I always wanted to know why we see a lot of stars heading to promote their movie by going to several city tours and doing gigs to promote their movie but I havent seen you or many other actors doing the same. Is it some strategic move or you dont believe in promoting your work this way? This trend started with all the big-budget movies who had the extra money to promote their work and that has now become a norm. All these interviews and city tours that they do is because they want to assure that they get good numbers in theatres and this norm has damaged the small films who are shot on fewer budgets. If you start adding Rs 1 to 2 crores just on promotion, how low-budget movies will recover the cost of production when theatres are not favourable to the small movies? I do agree with the facts you just mentioned. Moving on from the business aspect, I would want to appreciate the fact that your character looks real on the screen. You make them look way too convincing and you completely mould yourself in the character. After I saw Bhonsles trailer, I saw only Bhonsle the character and not Manoj Bajpayee. How do you manage to do that? Just an approach, Apoorva, and nothing else for that matter. But, I do make a conscious effort to make my character look believable and convincing on the screen. Otherwise, people will not relate to your character. When you make realistic cinema, you have to be in the moment and its not like the mainstream cinema. You have to be in the character to survive your movie. An open letter addressed to Mumbai, my . Do watch this and #BhonsleTheMovie on #SonyLIV. MB https://t.co/4FFZbeRmGQ manoj bajpayee (@BajpayeeManoj) June 26, 2020 All your movies have some or the other socio-cultural messages, be it Aligarh or Bhonsle. This one talks about the plight of migrants and you yourself are a migrant in the city of Mumbai. I, too, have stayed there and the initial period was more of bullying me for the fact that I belonged to Delhi. Whats your take on it? The locals vs migrants is a very prevalent issue and they have been clashing with each other for years now. Wherever these migrants are coming from have no opportunities in their lands and they converge into big cities for livelihood and whats the harm in that. If you ask these migrants to go back, where would they go back? Locals have their own perspectives but you can have a conversation without being violent as we all belong to one country so instead of feeling threatened by the outsiders, we need to start having a conversation as cities are the only places where we have the facilities. I feel healthy debates and conversations are welcomed rather than clash. Before I let you go, can you tell me what according to you are the TRP points of Bhonsle? The TRP points are the script, filmmaking, performances, sound, and cinematography. Its uncompromising and it will strike you in the beginning and test your patience, and then excite you and in the end, it will leave you with good memories. People will become the promoters of the movie if they love it. We hope that people will understand the meaning of real talent! People march carrying a large poster of Chairman Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution in China in 1968. (Hulton Archive ) The professor was under surveillance. Cameras taped her every lecture. She couldn't publish or give talks outside the university. She knew she had to be careful when she taught on one of China's most sensitive and dangerous topics: the Cultural Revolution. To preempt accusations of straying beyond academia, all discussion was based on archives, books and articles. Classes were kept small; heavy reading lists filtered out potential student-informants. She made seating charts with photos, making sure no stranger could wander in unnoticed. Despite such scrutiny, Sun Peidong felt lucky to be teaching in Shanghai's prestigious Fudan University, the only school left in China offering truthful courses on the repressive Cultural Revolution of half a century ago. She loved watching her students question conventional narratives, find new ways of understanding their nations history and draw connections with their own families traumas. Then the students turned her in. A banner at Fudan University in Shanghai calls for institutions to adhere to the political philosophy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Hector Retamal / AFP/Getty Images) Sun is among a growing number of university professors who have been targeted and punished for improper speech in recent years, part of a Chinese Communist Party drive to tighten ideological control. Under Xi Jinpings leadership, the party banned discussion in 2013 of "Western concepts" such as universal values, a free press, civil society and the party's historical errors. In 2018, teachers from kindergarten through university were ordered to adhere to "Xi Jinping thought" and defend the party. Those guidelines have hardened during a nationalist surge around the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to public shaming of intellectuals that remind many of the Mao Zedong era. Professors have been betrayed by their own students or attacked online, then formally punished: In February, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences fired Zhou Peiyi, a visiting lecturer from Hong Kong, after she criticized Chinas coronavirus response on social media. Last week, Hubei University fired literature professor Liang Yanping and revoked her party membership for publishing incorrect speech on social media related to Japan and Hong Kong. At least two other professors in Hainan and Harbin are under investigation for similar reasons. Story continues Liang had been harangued online for supporting Wuhan novelist Fang Fang, whose coronavirus lockdown diary at first embraced as an honest depiction of peoples suffering became a target of nationalist anger once it was published in English. Critics accuse Fang Fang of "handing a knife" to Western countries to smear China. They have sent her death threats and condemned her supporters, digging through their old social media posts to find anything that deviates from the party line. Fang Fang's "Wuhan Diary: Dispatches From a Quarantined City" became a target of nationalist anger in China after it was published in English. (HarperCollins) For Fang Fang, 65, whose real name is Wang Fang, the crackdown is a continuation of the ideology that drove Chinas Cultural Revolution a period of radical violence under Mao's leadership, when youth militias roamed the nation denouncing and often killing intellectuals, authority figures and anyone labeled a "class enemy." It is also, she noted, a failure to confront the damage that legacy did. Chinese people have lived through generations of revolution, war, famine, massacre and other traumas since 1949. The coronavirus is the latest. Yet they have never been allowed to confront their own history or speak freely of it to their children. The result is a society of impaired memory, Wang said in an email to The Times, one that repeats cycles of devastation and forgetting without addressing their deeper causes and consequences. People dont know what forms the society they live in can take, Wang said. This hollowing and hiding of history affects countless people's worldviews and most basic value judgments. When authorities lied to residents about the scope of the coronavirus and locked down the city of Wuhan in January without sufficient medical care, thousands died during the outbreak. Such deception and abandonment, Wang thought, would spark a public cry for accountability. "My judgment was wrong, she said. The epidemic has not ended, yet all I see everywhere is praise. Our education teaches many of us only to forget, even if our bodies are still wounded. They sing praises while covering their scars." It is these days, as it has been for decades, safest to be circumspect and cautious. To survive as a Chinese teacher or professor requires constant self-censorship and compromise, especially in the humanities, as university propaganda departments pressure instructors to promote party ideology. Resistance comes at a cost, said Tsinghua University sociologist Guo Yuhua. In 2019, her colleague Xu Zhangrun, a law professor, was interrogated and suspended from teaching after publishing a series of essays critical of President Xi, regarded by many intellectuals as a tyrannical autocrat who is steering China backward. After writing another critique of Xis handling of the coronavirus this year, Xu was placed under house arrest and cut off from the internet, though Guo said he has now been released. Guo Yuhua and Xu Zhangrun at Tsinghua University on April 28, 2019, after Xu was suspended from teaching. (Guo Yuhua) Guo, 64, was one of the only Tsinghua scholars who spoke in Xus defense. She has also been reprimanded by the universitys party officials and blocked from social media. She struggles to get copies of her own books, only published in Hong Kong and repeatedly confiscated at customs. Before meeting a Times reporter for an interview, she was called and warned not to speak with foreign media. I am afraid, she said. Colleagues and friends had told her to stop speaking. Youll only hurt yourself, they said. But she didnt want to give in. All people face risk," Guo said. "If we think, 'Ill just give up one step,' then everyone gives up a step, then another and in the end we have no space at all. The ceiling presses straight to the floor. Deep-rooted pragmatism runs through Chinese society, Guo said, the product of enduring thousands of years of authoritarianism. She saw it in her fieldwork, collecting oral histories from Chinese farmers who had been forbidden to flee their villages amid the Great Leap Forward, one of the worst man-made famines in history. Those who survived starvation were thrown into the purges and upheaval of the Cultural Revolution. When China finally began to open, allowing people like Guo to attend university, hundreds of millions of rural people remained locked in inferior status because of their birthplace. Guo Yuhua, right, interviews a villager in Ji village in northern Shaanxi province in 2005. (Guo Yuhua) Even now, 40 years since reform began, Chinas social structure does not recognize people as equal citizens. It also places no bounds on the Communist Partys power. Those dynamics create Chinas cycle of crises, Guo said. But with no dissent tolerated and little space for historical reflection, few would even think of demanding change. Chinese commoners are truly the best commoners in the world. They suffer, they bear with it, they endure, Guo said. "They put life above dignity. They say, 'As long as I'm alive, it's fine.'" As a sociologist, Guo said, her job was to tell the truth not to project positive energy, as the propaganda department expected, but to be like a doctor, finding the symptoms of a societys illness and diagnosing its cause. If you wont even let us tell the truth and we just follow you, singing songs and speaking lies, then we are not scholars, we are not academics, this is not sociology, she said. Whats the point? Sun, the Fudan historian, entered academia at a more open time. She was invited to join Fudan's history department in 2013 by its party secretary, himself a scholar of the Cultural Revolution. There were a few golden years, she said, when she freely held workshops, conferences and discussions with Western scholars, and guided her students, among the smartest youths in China. Things began to change in 2015. Several of her articles about the Cultural Revolution were rejected by academic journals. Secret police questioned her about her research and Western connections. She left the country for two years, completing fellowships at Harvard and Stanford. Sun Peidong at Fudan University in December 2019. (Sun Peidong) When she returned in September 2018, a new party secretary was in charge. Sun was blocked from giving public lectures and was asked to change the name and content of her course. She refused. Then, in April 2019, students posted sheets of paper on her office door printouts of her social media posts and accusations that she was supporting a female student to subvert state power. They were reminiscent of "big character posters," handwritten political denunciations that Mao had encouraged students to use as a "weapon" during the Cultural Revolution. Students plastered campuses with vitriolic diatribes against their teachers, often a prelude to insulting them on public stages, then beating them to death. Sun was saddened to be a target of similar tactics. That was very hurtful," Sun said. "Because I really love teaching. I really care for my students." "Big character posters" are put up by peasants and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army in China, circa 1970. (Sovfoto / Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The students also reported her to her department, the university president and university-level party secretary. They attacked her personally online. Anonymous users joined in, cursing her as a traitor and threatening her family in private messages. The department's party secretary told Sun she had brought it on herself. Before traveling to Hong Kong for an academic conference in July 2019, Sun was forced to sign an agreement vowing not to take photos, talk to locals about the ongoing protests or post anything about them online. Then in December, a rare protest flared at Fudan: The university had changed the school charter, removing freedom of thought and inserting paragraphs about loyalty to the Communist Party. A student flash mob gathered in the cafeteria and sang Fudans school song, which praises those terms that were removed. Fudan University removed references to "freedom of thought" from its official charter in December 2019, triggering a rare act of defiance among students. (Hector Retamal / AFP/Getty Images) Sun was not involved in the protest, but she discussed it with several Western newspapers. The students protesting in the cafeteria, she said, reflected three types of people in Chinese society: those who resisted by singing out loud, those who watched and filmed them but said nothing, and those who lowered their heads and ate, as if oblivious to what was going on. If people want to come to consciousness, to wake up and be alive, to know what kind of society they live in or want for their kids, they know what to do. If not, they just keep quiet," she told The Times. "You cannot wake a people who are pretending to be sleeping." The department party secretary ordered Sun to write a personal statement pledging that she'd stop speaking to foreign media. It threatened to block her from traveling abroad if she didn't comply. Neither Fudan University, Tsinghua University nor the Ministry of Education responded to requests for comment. This year, Sun quit her job and left China. There is no free space left, she said. Only two other history professors were teaching the Cultural Revolution at Fudan. One is retiring this year, and the other has been pressured into changing what he teaches. Thats what the party wants, Sun said: either praise or silence. CHOMU : Swarms of locusts have attacked Hasteda village in Chomu where a farmer claimed that his crops were destroyed. Sheeshpal, the farmer on Friday said, "Locusts have attacked our village for the fourth time. They have caused severe damage to our crops and cattle fodder. We appeal to the state government to provide us with some relief." Earlier on Wednesday, BR Kadwa, Deputy Director of Rajasthan Agriculture Department had said that the Centre is planning to use helicopters to control the locust swarms which are entering Rajasthan from Pakistan. "Locust attack has been ongoing for 1.5 months. Rajasthan is one of the most affected states as some districts - Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Ganganagar - share border with Pakistan from where locusts are entering other districts," Kadwa had said. "Operations are on to control them. The issue is, we had killed older swarms but new swarms are coming now. The government of India says that Air Force helicopters will also be used to control it. Locusts have made border areas near Pakistan their breeding centres from where they're coming here and Pakistan is unable to control them," he had added. The official had also said that with the fast-approaching monsoon season, the new swarms can also set up breeding grounds in the desert areas of the state which could further aggravate the problem. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Shares in private equity-backed grocery chain Albertsons slid 3.4% Friday during their first day of trading on the NYSE, closing at $15.45 after a public debut well over a decade in the making. Despite ongoing market turbulence, the Boise, Idaho-based chain plowed ahead with a downsized IPO, cutting the number of shares offered to 50 million from a planned 65.8 million. The company priced its shares late Thursday at $16 each, down from its initial target of $18 to $20 apiece. It closed trading Friday with a market cap of about $7.4 billion. "I think the challenges were indicative of launching into a difficult market environment," said Zain Akbari, an equity analyst at Morningstar. "As far as the stocks forward prospects, downsizing and pricing below the range is never a great look for an IPO, and the fact that they proceeded anyway may have signaled how the company and selling shareholders feel about the market." The fact that Cerberus Capital Management and Albertsons' other private backers will retain a majority stake could also have caused some investors to shy away, Akbari said. Jumping into the public market amid a pandemic may seem risky. Indeed, PE-backed IPO activity has been down in recent months, but only slightly, with the market buoyed by a strong recovery in recent months after a plunge in March. Albertsons is one of seven PE-backed companies to complete an IPO since March 1, according to PitchBook data, compared to nine in the same timeframe last year. ZoomInfo may be the other most notable recent example after its PE-backed IPO earlier this month. Lots of PE firms are looking to take advantage of a rebound in public stock markets and raise money, said PitchBook private equity analyst Wylie Fernyhough. Its a good idea. Though, if we continue trending toward a second wave, the stock market is likely to dive again, and the IPO market will likely dry back up. The offering comes amid a boom period for grocery stores that began when the pandemic started to upend the US in February and March, with many shoppers stockpiling groceries and household supplies. At Albertsons, same-store sales increased 47% year-over-year in March and 21% YoY in both April and in May, regulatory filings showed. But public investors still werent as optimistic about Albertsons as the company hoped, perhaps in part because of a bumpy week on the market that came amid new increases in COVID-19 infections in many US states. Wednesday saw the S&P 500 stumble nearly 2.1%, as COVID-19 infection rates began to spike again. Though the barometer mostly recovered on Thursday, it dropped another 2.4% on Friday. New York-based Cerberus first backed Albertsons in 2006 and acquired a controlling stake in 2013. The private equity firm originally sought to take the company public back in 2015, a few months after conducting a merger with Safeway that made it the second-largest grocery chain in the US. Albertsons first delayed and then canceled the planned listing after investor demand fell short of its expectations. Last month, Apollo Global Management acquired a 17.5% stake in Albertsons via $1.75 billion worth of convertible preferred shares. Post-IPO, Cerberus reportedly still owns roughly 32% of the chain, down from 37% before the listing. The company now operates supermarkets across 34 states under a range of brands, including Safeway, Tom Thumb and Vons. A photo posted to the WeChat account of the Xinjiang Judicial Administration shows Uyghur detainees listening to a speech at a re-education camp in Hotan prefecture's Lop county, April 2017. The United States highlighted the detention of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in China in remarks honoring worldwide victims of torture Friday, as Uyghur and Tibetan rights groups called on the international community to hold Beijing accountable for its abuses of human rights. In the Peoples Republic of China, more than a million Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and members of other predominantly Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang have been arbitrarily detained in internment camps, where many report torture, said State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus in a statement. The remarks were issued for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, an annual observance on the anniversary of the day the UN Convention Against Torture went in to effect in 1987. Ortagus noted that 166 countries had ratified the convention, but lamented that torture continues in places all over the globe. She also condemned torture by governments in North Korea, Iran, Syria, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, as well as censuring Russia for arbitrary detention and torture in Chechnya. These countries are only a few examples of the many governments around the world that continue to use torture to silence dissent, coerce confessions, and extract extrajudicial punishment, actions which are antithetical to the rule of law, Ortagus said. We call on all governments to act to prevent torture, to provide compensation and rehabilitation for survivors of torture, and to bring those who engage in torture to justice. WUC demands accountability for Beijing The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) marked the day demanding that the Chinese government stop torturing not only interned Uyghurs in Xinjiang, but also people in other regions controlled by Beijing, including Hong Kong, where Beijing is imposing tough anti-sedition laws and police have violently dealt with public protests. It said the Chinese Communist Party uses torture to keep Uyghur internees in line or force them to falsely confess to crimes, and to punish Uyghurs, Tibetans and Hong Kongers for their dissenting views against Chinese rule. "The Chinese government is using torture and inhuman punishment to force Uyghurs to accept indoctrination and assimilation in the internment camps, said Germany-based WUC President Dolkun Isa. This is an affront to human dignity and has left many camp detainees deeply traumatized. As an international community, we cannot accept this. The WUC called on the international community to pressure China to stop using torture; investigate systemic torture in the PRC, especially in internment camps; and require Beijing to implement the UN Convention Against Torture. UN statement Also on Friday, more than 50 of the UNs independent China experts voiced alarm regarding the repression of fundamental freedoms in China, and urged the international community to hold Beijing to its international human rights obligations. The experts condemned expressed grave concern about issues including collective repression of religious and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet, the detention of lawyers, allegations of forced labor, censorship and anti-terrorism and sedition laws in Hong Kong, it said. The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) lauded the UN statement as welcome at a critical time for Tibet, which has been under a severe lockdown from the Chinese authorities. There must be unfettered access to Tibet to create transparency and accountability, and reports about a wide range of systematic rights violations in Tibet must be investigated, the Washington-based ICT said in a statement. The Chinese government must live up to its obligations according to international law. We strongly support the [experts] recommendation to create a special independent mechanism to monitor and investigate human rights violations by the Chinese government, particularly in Tibet, it added. From India, meanwhile, the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), published a plea to the international community to investigate the unresolved case of spiritual leader Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, who died in a Chinese prison in 2015 after serving 13 years. Through a translation provided by the TCHRD, the leaders niece, Nyima Lhamo said her uncle was falsely convicted, and while in jail was subject to torture involving exposure to extremely cold and hot water. A genuine, transparent investigation of Tenzin Delek Rinpoches death and the prosecution of the responsible officials would send a clear message that the PRC is committed to rule of law and ending the culture of impunity that has allowed human rights violations to occur in Tibet unchecked, the TCHRD said. Vice President Mike Pence is moving forward with a trip to Texas on Sunday as the state rushes to respond to a coronavirus surge that included a record-setting 6,263 new cases on Saturday. For over a week, Pence has been scheduled to speak at First Baptist Dallas, a church led by Pastor Robert Jeffress, an enthusiastic supporter of President Donald Trump. But the coronavirus situation in Texas has deteriorated quickly in recent days, and Pence indicated Friday that his Texas visit will at least partially focus on the outbreak now. Pence, who chairs the White House coronavirus task force, said during a briefing that he will bring another task force member, Dr. Deborah Birx, to Texas on Sunday as part of a tour of hotspot states to get a ground report. Pences office announced later Friday that Pence will meet with Gov. Greg Abbott and his healthcare team following the church appearance. SCALING BACK: Texas reports record 5,100 COVID-19 hospitalizations as Gov. Abbott again closes all bars The briefing in Washington came just a few hours after Abbott announced his most significant action yet to address the growing outbreak in Texas, closing bars and reducing restaurant capacity to 50%, among other things. Pence said Abbott was among the governors that he has spoken to in the last 12 hours. Texas was one of the states the task force highlighted during the meeting as a site of a concerning outbreak. Birx noted that testing has been going up in the state, but the rise in positivity rate the ratio of cases to tests is what showed this was becoming an alert. Texas increased its caseload by 4.4 percent on Saturday, reaching a state total of 147,374, according to data collected by the Houston Chronicle. Harris County accounted for 908 of the newly confirmed cases. About 700 patients with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, occupied intensive care unit hospital beds Saturday in the 25-county region surrounding Houston, according to the SouthEast Texas Regional Advisory Council. The number of regional ICU patients has increased for eight consecutive days, rising by nearly 50 percent. The 25-county region reported 2,042 beds occupied by all ICU patients, the highest total since the pandemic arrived in Houston in March. The number of occupied ICU beds has hovered between about 1,700 and 1,950 during that time. The regions base capacity of ICU beds is 2,202, with a surge capacity of 2,644. 'TRANSMISSION INEVITABLE': No mask mandate at July GOP convention leaves Houston hospitality workers uneasy At First Baptist, Pence is participating in an event billed as Celebrate Freedom Sunday. The church says it will feature an annual fireworks celebration, patriotic music and a special message from Pence. The church has also said Pence will be joined by Abbott and U.S. Housing Secretary Ben Carson. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will also join Pence in Dallas, according to a Cornyn spokesperson. It remains to be seen how large the First Baptist event will be. The church says on its website that there will be temperature screenings at the door, and no one whose temperature is over 100.4 degrees will be allowed to remain on the premises. Masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged, according to the website. Speaking during a Texas Democratic Party conference call Friday morning, Jenkins said he understands Pence will appear as part of a large indoor event. The county has tried to confer with [the church] about best practices for Sunday, Jenkins added. There is currently no occupancy limit for religious services in Texas, though it is unclear if the First Baptist event fits that category. In any case, Jenkins noted Texas is still asking people to generally avoid gathering in groups of 10 or more and that Abbott banned outdoor gatherings of over 100 people unless local officials approve. If they have to do it, I hope they do it outside, and if they do it outside, I hope they keep it to less than 100 people, Jenkins said, and thats not really safe, but they have a right do it. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. At least six people were killed in two incidents of lightning strikes in West Bengals Murshidabad district on Saturday. While three people including a woman were killed and two others were injured at Sagardighi, another three were killed at Bharatpur. Police said that five labourers working in a brinjal farm at Sagardighi, took shelter in a pump house when a thunderstorm hit the area. However, the house was struck by lightning. While three people died, two were injured. The dead were identified as Samar Mondol, 30, Bharati Mondol, 40 and Shibram Mahato, 45. Two others Rajbula Mondol and Tetri Mahato were injured and had to be rushed to a hospital, police said. At Bharatpur, three villagers were returning from the field when they were struck by lightning. After the storm subsided, the villagers started a search and found their bodies. They were rushed to the hospital where they were declared dead. The dead have been identified as Imtiyaz Alam, 19, Motichand Ali, 37 and Shefali Sheikh, 55, police said. Meanwhile,some districts in south Bengal including Kolkata were hit by thunderstorms and rain on Saturday afternoon and evening. Kolkata was hit by a storm with a speed of 81km per hour. The regional meteorological department said that heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in some districts of north Bengal on Sunday. The lightning strike incidents in Bengal came just two days after similar incidents were reported in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. At least 125 people were killed due to lightning strikes in several parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. According to officials, the majority of those killed were farmers and labourers who were hit while working in agriculture fields. EOM Facebook thumbs-down hand on a iPhone. Facebook is a social media company owned by Mark Zuckerberg. Photo: by Ted Soqui/Corbis via Getty Images Facebook (FB) has announced plans to label potentially harmful "newsworthy" posts in response to a widening advertising boycott. Founder Mark Zuckerberg also said the social media platform would ban adverts containing hate speech including content from politicians if it is deemed as inciting violence or suppressing voting. The move comes as 90 advertisers, including Unilever (UL), Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and Verizon (VZ), which is the parent company of Yahoo Finances parent company Verizon Media, have boycotted the site. The firm has been under increasing pressure to improve its content moderation, including posts by US president Donald Trump. The Stop Hate for Profit campaign was started by US civil rights groups after the death of George Floyd in May while in police custody. It has focused on Facebook, which last year made 56.7bn ($70bn) in advertising revenue. Campaigners claim Facebook allows "racist, violent and verifiably false content to run rampant on its platform". READ MORE: Facebook boycott not about denting revenue but appealing to its 'conscience': ADL chief On 26 June, Zuckerberg announced in an online video a range of measures to tackle hate speech and voter suppression ahead of the US election later this year. He said the firm would ban ads that describe different cultural or racial groups as a threat. Speaking about the tagging of newsworthy content he said: "A handful of times a year, we leave up content that would otherwise violate our policies if the public interest value outweighs the risk of harm. "Often, seeing speech from politicians is in the public interest, and in the same way that news outlets will report what a politician says, we think people should generally be able to see it for themselves on our platforms. "We will soon start labelling some of the content we leave up because it is deemed newsworthy, so people can know when this is the case." Story continues Zuckerberg also defended his company's record on removing hate speech, which he said had increased from 82.6% to 86% in the past year. Meanwhile Coca Cola (KO) CEO James Quincey announced yesterday that the company was pausing all advertising on social media globally for at least 30 days. There is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media. We will take this time to reassess our advertising policies to determine whether revisions are needed. We also expect greater accountability and transparency from our social media partners, he said. The Hoover Police Department fired one of its officers Friday after discovering he had made a social media post showing a protester in the crosshairs of a rifle scope. Officer Ryan Snow responded to an article about protesters at the Wendy's where Rayshard Brooks was killed in Atlanta. The article showed a picture of a protester holding a long gun. The headline read, Armed protesters remain at Wendys where Rayshard Brooks was killed. So whats next? Snow's comment read, Exhale. Feel. Pause. Press steadily. Thats whats next. The comment included the photo of the protester which had been edited with crosshairs of a gun scope over the man. Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said the department was made aware of the post Wednesday morning, calling it disturbing. When I saw the post and the image, it sickened me." Derzis said, It certainly did not adhere to the standards expected of every officer who wears our uniform. Derzis said Snow admitted responsibility for the post when he was questioned about it Wednesday. He was placed on administrative leave and given 48 hours to respond to the charges. Video: Elected officials under fire for social media post After Snow responded on Friday, Derzis terminated the officer's employment. Derzis said, This type of conduct will not be tolerated in our department and is not representative of the professionalism expected by all of our officers." Cornitos, the Made in India Nachos brand launches the #CornitosFilmyFlovurs campaign. The campaign created on Cornitos popular category Nachos Crisps, is pivoted on famous Bollywood dialogues, complete in intonation and style, mapping customers to specific brand attributes and the current situation with a well mimicked dialogues that add a distinct touch of humour. Especially at a time when people are feeling restless due to lockdown and worried because of the COVID pandemic, the light-hearted campaign provides happy relief in these grim times and timely distraction for people who have generally run out of all options to entertain themselves. The campaign narrative also molds itself into the lockdown experience, further leveraging the situation to convey to audiences that Cornitos delivers even in these difficult times, and while doing so, honoring all the rules and precautions every step of the way from manufacture to packing to delivery and even transaction. Read More - Cornitos supports Feed the Migrant Workers in Transit Campaign Vikram Agarwal, Managing Director, Cornitos said, The challenge before any brand is how it stands up in tough times. And the current times are unique a grim challenge like nothing else before. It is very important for any brand, but especially a retail one, to constantly stay in the public mind space. With this campaign we aim to create a recall value for the brand. The narrative allowed us to convey to the customers that we are scrupulously following all safe delivery rules. From another perspective, what we have is a fun product; the campaign assures the audiences that their fun times as sparked off by Cornitos Nachos are not compromised in any way. And, of course, the campaign lends a feeling of normalcy in these troubled times. Vandana Sethhi, Founder, Water Communications and Producer of the campaign said, This is our second Cornitos campaign under lockdown, at the cost of sounding immodest, we are becoming something of masters of lockdown films. We love the challenge it brings; and as with all our other lockdown films, no lockdown rules or safe distancing mandatories have been compromised. From ideation to shooting to production, everything has been conducted remotely, and yet, who would be able to tell the difference from any other film created in normal times. About the concept, we were very confident that a Bollywood-spoof is a winning ticket. Who in this country is not a fan of films, and who therefore, cannot recognize and appreciate the famous dialogues? Director of the film Salil Jason Fernandez, delves further into the strategic insights behind the making of this film: The spoof-treatment, humor and splash of fun are a perfect fit for the brand and category. Cornitos Nachos is perceived as a fun product. Coming as it does with several different flavors, there is a happy analogy in the film wherein the various flavors of Bollywood are sampled via famous dialogues from popular films. Nevertheless, the lockdown months just gone by were especially challenging for businesses and their brands especially retail brands. Cornitos with their communications agency Water, worked right around the situation to engage their customers and even entertain them in the time of lockdown and hence further enamor them with their brand. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-27 17:46:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh reported over 3,500 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total in the country to nearly 134,000. Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing Saturday afternoon that "3,504 new COVID-19 positive cases and 34 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh." "The number of confirmed infections in the country totaled 133,978 while fatalities stood at 1,695," she said. According to the official, 15,157 samples were tested in the last 24 hours in labs across the country. She said the total number of recovered patients in the country now stands at 54,318 including 1,185 on Saturday. Bangladesh recorded highest 4,008 cases in a 24-hour period on June 17, and the highest 53 deaths of COVID-19 patients in a day on June 16. Enditem The return of the televised task force news conference at which reporters were limited to only a handful of questions revived the deep disconnect between Washington and the states where local officials spent Friday sounding the alarm and, in some cases, halting the reopening that Mr. Trump has so often encouraged. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who has resisted rolling back the economic reopening, banned drinking in bars after saying that patrons were not abiding by social distancing rules. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott, also a Republican, went further, ordering all bars closed in the state. And Judge Lina Hidalgo of Harris County, the largest county in Texas, reimposed stay-at-home orders on Friday, calling the rise in cases there a catastrophic and unsustainable situation. Taken together, it was grim news about a pandemic that is still a threat to the publics health, the nations economy and the presidents political future. At a time when his poll numbers now call into question whether he can win a second term in November, Mr. Trump faces the prospect that his efforts to boost the economy by shrugging off the virus have backfired. Rather than head into the summer with a country on the mend, the president will be forced to explain how his response to the coronavirus contributed to a resurgence of it that may force some Americans back into a painful shutdown. And yet Mr. Trump made no appearance at the task force briefing to demonstrate concern. Instead, an hour after it was over, the president addressed a panel of industry officials, political allies and White House economic advisers for a self-congratulatory session about how successful the economic recovery has been. In taking his victory lap, Mr. Trump made no mention of the increase in cases around the country, underscoring a message that he posted on Twitter late Thursday night: Our Economy is roaring back and will NOT be shut down. Embers or flare ups will be put out, as necessary! YORK -- A sure sign of summer, the York Farmers Market is open for business, this year every Thursday, 5 p.m. 7 p.m. on the north and east sides of Kilgore Memorial Library. The market has changed hands this year; in previous years it was organized by the York Area Chamber of Commerce, but is transitioning to being led by York County Relay for Life. In January, the Chamber reached out to York County Relay for Life, offering it as a fundraising opportunity. Relay has always done opening night, and doing cake and cookies for survivors, said Sadie Wright of York County Relay for Life. We also used it as an advertising opportunity for Relay. So far, the change has been successful. The first week went really well, Wright said. The Chamber is helping us with the transition. Part of that transition includes COVID-19 adjustments. Were in a new location instead of being in the green space by the library, Wright said. We have to have 10 feet between vendors. The benefit of having the markets down the north and east sides of the library is that the entire market can be accessed on sidewalk. Cornavirus-related regulations specify that patrons go through the market in one direction. The York Farmers Market requests patrons begin at 6th and Nebraska.